SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2020

Okonjo-Iweala is Favourite as WTO Narrows Aspirants to 2 Tuesday

Bennett Oghifo

Nigeria’s former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala remains the favourite for the job of director-general of the World Trade Organisation as the body’s General Council meets next Tuesday to reduce the five candidates still in the

race to two.

Okonjo-Iweala; Saudi Arabia’s former minister of economy and planning, Mohammad Maziad AlTuwaijri; UK’s former secretary of state for international trade, Liam Fox; South Korea’s Trade Minister, Yoo Myung-hee; and Kenya’s former international

trade minister, Amina Mohamed are the aspirants still in the race.

Three candidates, including Mexico’s Jesus Seade, Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, and Moldova’s Tudor Ulianovschi were dropped last month as the Geneva-based organisation said they did not secure

enough support in a first of three rounds of voting.

Next week, the five aspirants who jumped the first hurdle to replace Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down as the WTO director-general a year ahead of schedule, will be whittled down to just two after a second elimination round.

The remaining five contenders are either current or former ministers, something that trade officials had previously said was an important characteristic for a future Director-General.

Okonjo-Iweala’s high professional/personal qualities, international contacts and

impeccable records as Nigeria’s former finance minister/ foreign affairs minister and as former managing director of the World Bank, stand her above other contestants, argue pundits familiar with the voting preferences of WTO’s Continued on page 5

Oil Prices Slump on Trump’s Positive COVID-19 Result… Page 5 Saturday 3 October, 2020 Vol 25. No 9308

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N250

N

Diri Bemoans Unending Cases as A’Court Affirms His Election Those fanning the embers of disunity in Bayelsa should stop if they really love the state Alex Enumah in Abuja A five-man panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, yesterday reversed the nullification of the November

16, 2019 governorship election that produced Duoye Diri as governor of Bayelsa State and affirmed his election.

In a swift response, Diri bemoaned the litany of

electoral cases trailing his election, describing them as distractions, and stated that it was time "portfolio political parties" stopped fanning the embers of disunity in the state.

The five-man panel in a unanimous judgment, delivered by Justice Obande Ogbuinya, held that the majority judgment of the Bayelsa State Governorship

Election Petition Tribunal erred in law when it held that the petition of the Advanced Nigerian Democratic Party (ANDP) was not statute barred.

The tribunal had in a two-to-one judgment in August annulled the election of November 16, Continued on page 5

FG Highlights Gains of Extending Railway to Niger Republic’s Border Says Nigeria aims to take advantage of landlocked neighbours’ imports, exports Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government yesterday explained that it is extending the Lagos-KanoKatsina railway lines to the border town of Marradi in Niger Republic for economic and commercial considerations in favour of Nigeria.

The proposal, for which a $1.959 billion loan is being processed from China, had come under severe criticisms by some Nigerians, who argue that extending a railway line to Marradi with a loan, should not be the priority of cashstrapped Nigeria now.

But the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at different media events marshaled points to justify the railway plan.

The information minister, while speaking on a live television programme in Abuja said the rail extension “is intended for Nigeria to take economic advantages of import and export of Niger Republic, Chad and Burkina Faso, which are landlocked countries.”

Mohammed said contrary to disinformation by some commentators on the rail extension project, the decision was taken in the economic interest of Nigeria.

The Minister explained: “I think there has been a lot of disinformation and total lack of information over that linking of Lagos, Kano, Katsina railway to Marradi.

The wisdom behind it is that Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso are all landlocked, meaning Continued on page 5

Chevron Nigeria to Sack 25% of Workforce... Page 8

SANI-BELLO AT THE VILLA...

President Muhammadu Buhari with Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello, during a courtesy call on the president by Sani-Bello at the State House Abuja…yesterday

2

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 •T H I S D AY

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 • T H I S D AY

3

4

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 •T H I S D AY

5

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

PAGE FIVE

Oil Prices Slump on Trump’s Positive COVID-19 Result Buhari wishes him, wife speedy recovery Festus Akanbi ÓØ ËÑÙÝ ËØÎ Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË Oil prices slumped by about three per cent yesterday, hours after the President of the United States, Donald Trump announced that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Trump tweeted news of his positive result, just hours after the White House announced that Hope Hicks, one of his aides, had come down with the virus after travelling with the president several times this week.

Brent crude slipped on the Trump news and was down $1.12, or 2.7 per cent, at $39.81 a barrel by 0710 GMT. The US shale oil was also down $1.12, or 2.9 per cent at $37.60.

Brent and US crude are heading for drops of around five per cent and six per cent, respectively, this week for a second consecutive week of declines.

Also, US stock futures and Asian shares fell yesterday. The future contracts for both the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials dropped nearly two per cent

but were trading 1.2 per cent lower several hours later.

Trump tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, just roughly 31 days to the 2020 presidential election.

The US president confirmed this on Twitter after one of his aides Hope Hicks initially tested positive for the virus.

He twitted: “Tonight, @ FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this together!”

“If Trump were stricken suddenly or had to be sedated for incubation, the 25th Amendment also allows the vice president and cabinet to execute the transfer of presidential power,” Bloomberg wrote, months before the president tested positive.

Trump had repeatedly ignored experts’ advice on wearing masks for months.

Sean Conley, Trump’s doctor, said the president would quarantine from the White House, where he would continue to work.

Conley wrote: “The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions.

“Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any further developments.”

Trump was taken to Walter Reed Military Medical Center yesterday.

The White House has said Trump’s symptoms were mild and that he is in good spirits, but he has not been seen in public since the news of the positive COVID-19 test.

Conley said Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits” and received a cocktail of polyclonal antibodies as a precautionary measure after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

“As a precautionary measure he received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal

antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident,” Conley said in a memorandum issued Friday afternoon.

“In addition to the polyclonal antibodies, the President has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin,” he added.

First lady Melania Trump, who along with the president tested positive in the early hours of Friday morning, “remains well with only a mild cough and headache,” the White House physician said. He also said that the “remainder of the First Family” tested negative for the virus.

Trump has remained quiet throughout the day on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19 — a development that rattled the White House and roiled an already volatile reelection campaign.

Trump, who is 74 and overweight, falls into a high-risk category for the coronavirus, which has been found to be particularly deadly among senior

populations.

Trump joins a list of heads of governments who have tested positive for COVID-19 Late March, Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, tested positive for COVID-19 and had to be admitted early April, where he was in the intensive care unit.

He survived.

Brazil’s president tested positive for COVID-19 twice but recovered from the disease on both occasions.

Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi is reported to be the first head of state killed by COVID-19.

Buhari Wishes Trump Quick Recovery Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday joined all citizens of the United States in prayers for quick and full recovery of President Trump and his wife, Melania.

The president, according to Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said he

sympathised with Trump, noting that the incident of COVID-19 in the White House was a manifestation of the challenge posed by the pandemic across the world, as well as the difficulty in containing the spread.

Other World Leaders Send Goodwill Messages Johnson, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel were among other world leaders wishing Trump and his wife quick recovery.

Johnson extended his “best wishes” to President Trump and Melania after the two announced they have tested positive for the virus.

“Hope they both have a speedy recovery from Coronavirus,” tweeted the UK prime minister.

Along with the world leaders, Netanyahu also wished the U.S. president and his wife a quick recovery from the infection.

FG HIGHLIGHTS GAINS OF EXTENDING RAILWAY TO NIGER REPUBLIC’S BORDER that they do not have access to sea.

“What this means is that most of their imports and exports have to go through neighbouring countries’ seaports like Cotonou in Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana. Because we do not have a road infrastructure that will encourage Niger Republic to use our seaports, we believe that we will be able to take over their imports and exports with the rail linkage.

“The simple reason, therefore, is to strengthen the economy of Nigeria. For now, Niger Republic use the seaports of Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana and the exporters go through the stress, challenges and time of being on the road from Cotonu, Lome or Accra to their country.

“But by the time we link them

from Katsina to Marradi, it will be easier for us to take over the business.

“There is nothing like territorial expansion, it is purely economic, we are taking advantage of the proximity and efficiency of rail system.”

Amaechi Explains Economic Benefits of Kano - Marradi Rail Line Similarly, Amaechi listed the benefits of the Kano-Marradi rail line and the economic importance of the Lekki, Bonny and Warri seaports approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also highlighted the role the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line would play in boosting the country’s economy.

Amaechi spoke during a marathon of interviews on some TV stations commemorating Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary.

He said the Kano-Marradi rail line would afford the country the opportunity to compete in the area of transporting goods and services to and from landlocked neighbouring countries like Niger via the seaports in Lagos, adding that it is all about economics, not politics.

The minister said: “Last week, we awarded the contract for Kano to Marradi and people were screaming why are we taking it to Niger Republic? It’s important to take it to Niger because of economic reasons.

Most coastal territories in Africa are competing better than us in terms of cargoes coming from

the hinterland, the landlocked countries.

“We decided to join the market and compete so that we can make our seaports very viable. We decided to introduce the Kano-Maradi rail, so that we can convey their goods from Marradi (a boundary village) to our ports with ease. I don’t know why people are screaming about it. It’s about economics, not politics.

“We believe that before the end of the year, two railway projects should commenceKano-Marradi and Ibadan to Kano. For Ibadan to Kano, we are waiting for approval of the loan in China. Once the loan is approved in China, we’ll commence. For Kano-Marradi, the loan is almost ready. They are coming in next week for negotiation. Once we conclude

the negotiation and agree, we’ll sign and pursue the construction. The contractor is a Portugese company (MotaEngil). They have come with a European bank and a German bank to fund the Kano-Marradi rail."

On the part Niger Republic is expected to play in the construction of the rail line, Amaechi said, “We are the ones building the rail to their village at the border to attract their cargoes. They are comfortable going to Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana or all those countries around there. So, what we want to do is to attract them to a cheap and secure form of transportation, so you can’t therefore ask them to make a contribution. We are going to do the $1.98 billion at our own cost and at Marradi we stop, so

that we can attract their cargoes and then get our seaports to be more competitive as compared to Lome, Benin and Ghana."

On the timing of the KanoMarradi project, Amaechi explained that railway generates employment and can be a means of curbing insecurity in that region as the criminality and banditry may have been as a result of poverty for some people who go into it.

“You should know that railway generates employment and that as you move from Kano to Marradi, you’re going to go to Kano, Dutse, Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibia before you get to Marradi, imagine the number of persons that you’ll create jobs for just at the beginning of the construction.

WTO during the most turbulent period of its 25-year existence is playing out against the backdrop of the pandemic, a worldwide recession, the US-China battle for trade supremacy, and the American presidential election.

The vacancy offers an opportunity for the US,

the European Union, and other nations to reshape the organisation, whose mission of economic integration is under threat from protectionist policies around the globe.

Without reform, the WTO risks being sidelined during the biggest economic crisis in a century.

and Liberation Movement (LM) alongside their governorship candidates.

electoral cases as distractions, stressing that it was time the "portfolio political parties" stopped fanning the embers of disunity in the state.

"For those who are fanning the embers of disunity in our state using portfolio political parties, this is a time to put a full stop to it. If they really love the state, why are they still fanning the embers of destabilisation and moving on to unseat us?

"The governor of Bayelsa State is God Himself. I have told those who care to listen that I am only a messenger-governor.

The governor of Bayelsa is His Excellency the Supreme Leader of the universe and that is God Himself.

“He kept me here to hold brief for Him and you cannot unseat God. There is a God that rules over the affairs of men and that God that has brought me here will protect me, my deputy governor and everybody put together to lead this government."

Diri also called on the political class to exercise caution and desist from divisive politics particularly as the senatorial bye-elections are fast approaching.

Continued on page 15

OKONJO-IWEALA IS FAVOURITE AS WTO NARROWS ASPIRANTS TO 2 TUESDAY Governing Council.

“Aside from Okonjo-Iweala, no other contestant has ever worked or held a key position in a major international body like the World Bank. In addition, Okonjo-Iweala worked as foreign affairs minister. All her opponents have no international career

record,” added another pundit.

There is no requirement for a regional rotation of the WTO chief position.

But there have been calls for an African to finally get a shot at running the organisation, which has counted three director-generals from Europe,

and one each from Oceania, Asia and South America since its creation in 1995.

The WTO aims to select a winner in November, but some have voiced fear that increasing politicisation of the WTO, which relies on consensus to reach decisions, could draw out the

process.

Whoever is handed the job in the end will be taking over an organisation mired in multiple crises, and struggling to help members navigate a severe global economic slump triggered by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign to lead the

DIRI BEMOANS UNENDING CASES AS A’COURT AFFIRMS HIS ELECTION 2019 Governorship Election in Bayelsa State on the grounds of unlawful exclusion of the ANDP from the poll.

The tribunal consequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election that will include the ANDP and its governorship candidate within 90 days.

However, Diri approached the appellate court to set aside the majority judgment on the grounds that the majority judgment was flawed.

Delivering judgment in the appeal yesterday, the appellate court held that there was enough evidence to show that the case of the first respondent (ANDP) was statute barred because it was not filed within 14 days as prescribed by law.

Ogbuinya, in the judgment, agreed with the appellant that the case of the ANDP was a pre-election matter, which ought to be filed within 14 days but was filed five months after the cause of event.

Specifically, the court held that the cause of action of the ANDP arose on September 27, 2019, when INEC wrote the

ANDP on the disqualification of its governorship candidate having not attained the age of 35 years as required by law, adding that the party ought to have approached a High Court to ventilate its anger 14 days from that date.

The judge said the ANDP, however, filed its petition at the Governorship tribunal in flagrant disobedience to section 285, adding that the tribunal is not a competent platform to institute such a pre-election case.

The appellate court further held that the documentary evidence used by INEC to disqualify the ANDP candidate on account of under-age was incorruptible because they were supplied by the candidate himself with an affidavit sworn to affirm the genuineness and authenticity of the supplied information.

In another ground of appeal, Justice Ogbuinya also agreed with the appellant that INEC has power to disqualify any candidate who does not meet the requirements for participating in an election.

According to the panel, INEC was right in excluding

the ANDP from the November 16 governorship poll on grounds of its Deputy Governorship candidate, who was said to be under age at the time of the election.

Overall, Justice Ogbuinya held that the case of the appellant has merit and went ahead to set aside the majority judgment of the tribunal that annulled the November 16 governorship poll.

The Court of Appeal, in addition, affirmed the election of Diri as governor of Bayelsa State.

In another matter, the court dismissed the appeal filed by Mr. Ebizimo Diriyai, the candidate of the Accord Party, on the grounds that the allegation of certificate forgery brought against the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, were not proved beyond reasonable doubt as required by law on criminal allegations.

Justice Folasade Ojo, who delivered the lead judgment agreed with Chukwuma Machukwu-Umeh, SAN, that the case of the Accord Party being a pre-election matter was statute barred and incompetent

having been filed outside 14 days stipulated by the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Ojo also agreed with Machukwu-Umeh that the Accord Party and its governorship candidate made heavy weather in their certificate forgery allegations when in actual fact, the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) and the Department of State Service (DSS) have separately confirmed in the reports that mere correction was effected in the name of the deputy governor as contained in his Exemption Certificate.

The appellate court agreed that the allegations were weighty in nature as it could lead to automatic disqualification and also agreed that there was no scintilla of evidence to establish how a mere correction in the spelling of a name transformed into forgery.

The court therefore dismissed the appeal of the Accord Party and its governorship candidate in its entirety for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

Also giving the same reason, the court dismissed the petition of the Alliance for Democracy (AD)

Diri Attributes Victory to God Meanwhile, Diri, in a press statement by his spokesman, Daniel Alabrah, applauded the decision of the five-man panel of Justices for upholding the law and dispensing justice to all.

He attributed his victory to God whom he referred to as the Supreme Leader of the universe ruling over the affairs of men.

Diri said: "I want to thank God for this victory. Today, a Daniel came to judgement in the name of the Court of Appeal, which has given the true position of the law and we are happy about it."

He noted that the governorship candidate of the ANDP, King George, had earlier withdrawn his case at the tribunal and equally left the party but wondered why some persons would remote-control the purported chairman of the party.

While appealing for support, Diri described the litany of

6

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 03, 2020

PSC, IG on Collision Course over New Police Zonal Commands

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

Steps down IG’s list of 112 ofďŹ cers for promotion

Kingsley Nwezeh Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Buoyed by the Appeal Court judgement that declared recruitment of 10,000 police constables by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Adamu Mohammed, null and void, the Police Service

Commission (PSC) yesterday stepped down 112 officers submitted by the IG for promotion over his failure to comply with the commission’s directive to attach a presidential approval authorising the creation of new police zonal commands and

Fashola: Obasanjo Should’ve Built Rails, Roads, Instead of $12bn Debt Cancellation Emmanuel Addeh Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has blamed former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as partly responsible for Nigeria’s weak infrastructural base, saying that instead of paying off Nigeria’s external debts, the ex-Nigerian leader should have invested in capital projects across the country.

According to Fashola, previous governments which he said had access to a lot of money, under-invested in the country’s infrastructure, saying if he had the $12 billion, like the Olusegun Obasanjo government in 2005, he would have built rails and more roads.

The former Lagos State governor, who has been minister under the present administration since its inception in 2015, spoke during an interview on Channels Television.

In 2005/2006, the Paris Club wrote off $18 billion or 60 per cent of the $30 billion Nigeria owed the cartel, after months of negotiations, a development touted as one of the biggest achievements of the Obasanjo administration.

Fashola said that rather than deploy the funds prudently, the Obasanjo government decided to pay the country’s creditors to the detriment of the country, insisting that today, Nigeria has gone back to borrowing because the governments in the past ignored investment in infrastructure.

He said rather, the Obasanjo government decided to pay the country’s creditors to the detriment of the country, insisting that today, Nigeria has gone back to borrowing because the governments in the past ignored investment in infrastructure.

Although he did not mention names, Fashola specifically said that in 2005 (when Obasanjo was president), Nigeria had the opportunity to revamp its roads and rails, but rather was pursuing debt cancellation as state policy. “At one time in this country, in 2005, we had $12 billion.

At that time, these roads were

bad. At that time there was no rail. But what did we do as a matter of state policy, it was just to pay creditors to our own detriment. “I can only imagine if I had the opportunity then with $12 billion in my hand, we would have built rails and roads. What this government is dealing with, which I am responsible for the road side, is the infrastructure that will be enduring. “Without the rails, we will not have roads that last.

Trucks and heavy cargo is not meant for our roads. The jurisdictions we want to be like, don’t transport cargo, containers on their roads.

That’s why I am so optimistic about tomorrow that if we advance this significantly, there will be a better tomorrow. “We lost the opportunity to invest $12 billion and then we went back to borrow and the problems haven’t gone away and they will have to be dealt with,� he maintained.

While defending the current administration’s tendency for borrowing, Fashola argued that the assertion that Buhari was mortgaging the future of the nation’s children was untenable, saying that the government was only ‘positioning’ for tomorrow’s children. “Every generation that’s responsible enough like us must position for tomorrow’s children. We should not leave this for them to come and do because it will be more expensive. “That said, I think the way to go is to say that at the appropriate time, a tolling policy will be developed because for you to toll you must ordinarily develop alternatives. Government must also understand that not all of its infrastructure is of a commercial kind,� he stated.

The minister stressed that the Buhari government would continue to do its best to ensure that the country’s infrastructure is developed and brought at par with modern transportation systems like what obtains in other parts of the world.

COVID-19: 126 New Cases Recorded

Nigeria recorded 126 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 59,127 with 50,593 discharged and 1112 deaths.

departments.

The IG had submitted the names of the 112 officers to occupy positions in the new commands.

He had, on May 27, 2020, issued a statement announcing the establishment of the new zonal commands as authorised

by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This comes as the commission approved the promotion of 179 senior police officers to their next rank.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Spokesman of the commission, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the decisions were part of the highpoints of the 9th Plenary Meeting of the

Approves promotion of 179 senior ofďŹ cers Commission which held in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday, September 28 and 29, 2020 and presided over by Commission’s Chairman, retired Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith. “The commission stood down the promotions of 112 senior police officers for failure of the Inspector General of Police to comply with the directive of the commission to attach the presidential approval for the creation of additional police zonal commands and departments from where the vacancies for the recommended officers were harvested.

“The commission stood down the promotion of 13 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors-General, eight Deputy Commissioners of Police to Commissioners and 91 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners,� he said.

The commission promoted one Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Sanusi Lemu to the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), to replace retired DIG Abdulmajid Ali, representing the North Central.

It also approved the promotion of one Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Dandaura,

former CP Anambra and Rivers States to the substantive rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police.

Also promoted were 167 Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents, three Deputy Superintendents of Police to Superintendents, two Assistant Superintendents of Police to Deputy Superintendents and four Inspectors to Assistant Superintendents.

The commission also confirmed the acting appointments of 60 senior Police Officers including three Commissioners of Police and four Deputy Commissioners.

IN PARTNERSHIP‌ L-R: Executive Director, Finance and Administration, NIMASA, Hon. Chudi Oodile; Chairman Apapa Local Government Area, Hon. Adele Elijah; DirectorGeneral, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh and Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA, Mr. Shehu Ahmed; during a courtesy visit by the Chairman Apapa LGA to the Agency’s Headquarters, Lagos.

Buhari Hails UK-based Doctor Who Won SDGs Award Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday congratulated Dr. Funmi Adewara, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian medical doctor, on winning the World Bank Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Her Global Award 2020.

The president, according to a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, said

Adewara by the feat, hoisted Nigeria’s flag proudly in the international arena once again.

The statement said the award came at the time the president, in his independence anniversary broadcast on October 1, applauded Nigerian professionals at home and abroad for ranking among the very best in the world. “Dr. Adewara is one of the seven winners of the award

globally, among 2,400 women, a feat that President Buhari describes as ‘an attestation once again of the stuff Nigerian professionals are made of.’ “The president praises the University of Ibadan and Cambridge University trained medical doctor for her illustrious work in promoting access to healthcare for the world’s population in line with SDG

3 that seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of all ages. “Dr. Adewara is Chief Executive Officer of Africa’s first fully integrated telehealth startup leveraging technology in harnessing diaspora and local doctors through a secure electronic medical record and video software,� the statement added.

Banditry Forces Farmers to Abandon 58,000htrs of Farmland in Katsina Francis Sardauna Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‹ The Katsina State Government has lamented that the prevailing banditry and other nefarious activities afflicting the state had forced farmers to abandoned 58,000 hectres of arable farmlands in farming communities across the state.

The Special Adviser to the state government on Agriculture, Dr. Abba Abdallah, who disclosed this during ministerial briefing with journalists at the Government House, said banditry had crippled most economic activities in the state.

He maintained that the

heinous activities orchestrated by armed bandits and kidnappers had drastically affected the food production capacity of the state and government’s quest to revamp its economic status.

He said: “500 farmlands have been abandoned by farmers in the state due to banditry. The abandoned farmlands amount to 58,000 hectres and this has affected 30 per cent of our annual food production.�

He, however, said the state government in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria implemented the Anchor Borrowers Programme and the sum of N12 billion was invested on

170,000 rice farmers in the state.

The special adviser reiterated that the 170,000 benefiting rice farmers were able to produce about 250,000 metric tons of rice and estimated sum of N4.8 million was generated as profit to farmers and N78,000,000 to state government as taxes and levies.

Abdallah explained that four rice mills and three new cotton ginneries were established across the state, adding that the programme generated 1,207,000 and 120,000 short and long term employments.

He said: “Katsina State in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria implanted the Anchor

Borrowers Programme in 2015.

Farmers’ groups have taken over the management of the project with the state coordinating beginning from 2017. “Since then, a total sum of about N12 billion has been invested on 170,00 rice farmers that benefited and were able to produced 250,000 metric tonnes of rice. “Cotton production also attracted investment of about N16.65 billion for 42,500 farmers that produced 59,000 metric tonnes. The sum of N602,000 was invested on 37,747 maize farmers who produced 45,000mtn.�

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 • T H I S D AY

7

8

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

NEWS

ASUU Must Stop Being Combative for Varsities to Grow, Says VC Victor Ogunje ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ

CHECKING OPEN DEFECATION. . .

L-R: Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwunayi of Enugu State on Water Resources, Mr. Anthony Dubem Onyia; Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Monica Ugochi Ugwuanyi and UNICEF’s State WASH Manager, Ms. Mamita Bora Thakkar, during a workshop for the development of the state’s roadmap for the attainment of the ‘Open Defecation Free (ODF)’ goal by 2025, in Enugu.

Chevron Nigeria to Sack 25 Per cent Workforce Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL together with its affiliates, yesterday confirmed that it is reviewing its manpower requirements in the light of the changing business environment.

To this end, the International Oil Company (IOC), said it is disengaging 25 per cent of its total staff in a decision it said was to aid its long term survival, following the recent downturn in the oil industry.

The company added that it is continuing to evaluate opportunities to improve capital efficiency and reduce operating costs, stressing that in the process,

the company will be streamlining its workforce and improving service delivery and overall performance at all levels.

CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, in a statement, explained that the aim is to have a business that is competitive and have an appropriately sized organisation with improved processes.

He noted that the move will increase efficiency and effectiveness, retain value, reduce cost, and generate more revenue for the federal government of Nigeria.

According to him, the new organisational structures will, unfortunately, require approximately 25 per cent reduction in the work force across the various levels of the organisation.

“It is important to note that all

our employees will retain their employment until the reorganisation process is completed.

“CNL supports the federal government in its objectives and efforts to build a prosperous Nigeria. In the area of employment generation, the company has several social investments which are helping to provide employment for thousands of Nigerians,” the oil multinational stated.

Brikinn clarified that there are no plans to migrate Nigerian jobs outside the country. ”We have prospects for our company in Nigeria; however, we must make the necessary adjustments in light of the prevailing business climate; and we need everyone’s support to get through these tough times stronger, more efficient and more

profitable, in order to sustain the business,” CNL noted.

The statement stated further that CNL is in alignment with both its Joint Venture partners, the NNPC, and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in the entire process.

“We are actively engaging our workforce to ensure they understand why this is being done. We will continue to consistently engage all relevant stakeholders, including the leadership of the employee unions as we continue this process of business optimisation.

“At CNL, the welfare and safety of our workforce is one of our highest priorities. Making changes to the organisation is never easy for anyone that will be impacted.

Panic as Robbers Attack Ekiti Bank Victor Ogunje ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ A gang of robbers yesterday stormed a second generation bank at Iyin Ekiti, Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State and carted away millions of naira.

The six-man gang besieged the bank around 3.30p.m. and blasted the security door with explosive devices suspected to be dynamite before moving straight to the banking hall for the heist.

Eyewitnesses confirmed to journalists that the robbers had shot sporadically into the air thereby scaring traders and by standers at the nearby market before gaining entry into the

banking hall.

The residents were said to have ran in different directions due to the severity of the gunshots, which the source said had sent jitters down the spines of the people.

Vehicles travelling across Ado-Iyin-Aramoko-Efon Road had to take a detour to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

“In fact, the police disappointed us. They disappointed the people of Iyin today. The robbers robbed for over 40 minutes without any challenge.

“They came in vehicles, shot into the air and scared the people around away. In fact, those in the nearby market left their commodities and

ran for their lives.

“The police station along Igede Ekiti was not up to 500 metres while the police patrol point along Ado Ekiti should be a kilometre away, but none of them responded for over 40 minutes the robbers operated.

“But we thank God nobody was killed, but the agony of the gunshots was too much on the locals.”

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said the police upon receiving the information immediately visited the troubled spot.

“We got a distress call

from Iyin Ekiti about the robbery and we immediately dispatched our men and officers to the place.

“I want to confirm to you that the robbers are being chased as I speak with you and the determination is to effect their arrest.

“We are assuring the people that the hoodlums shall be arrested and brought to justice.

Ekiti is not a safe haven for robbers and that we shall continue to sustain.”

The police had on Thursday raised the alarm that some bandits were planning to invade the state and wreak havoc on the people.

DHQ Non-committal on Deployment of Chadian Troops Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was non-committal yesterday on the issue of deployment of Chadian troops to assist the military in the fight against insurgency in the North-east.

Borno State Governor, Prof.

Babagana Zulum, whose convoy was attacked by insurgents twice last week had called for the return of Chadian troops.

Chadian troops, part of the multi-national Joint Task Force (MNJTF), were withdrawn from the North-east early in the year.

Responding to questions on Zulum’s request at a media briefing in Abuja, the Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Major General John Enenche, said the matter of whether or not Chadian troops would be deployed would be handled at a strategic level.

“I’m not authorised to speak on anything that involves the Multinational Joint Task Force.

“Any issues on strategic level, we are not empowered to talk on it until it comes down to operational level,” he said.

Zulum had told a delegation of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum that paid him a solidarity visit after the attacks that the military needed the assistance of Chadian troops to reverse the

escalating insurgent attacks in the North-east.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, had in a recent interview said that the original deployment design of the MNJTF was to have Chadian troops on Nigerian soil.

Buratai, who was head of MNJTF then had argued against the plan over the implication for national security and the nation’s sovereignty.

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun, has said the Nigerian university system has been over unionised with the activities of the acacdemic and non-academic bodies causing persistent confrontations between the management and workers .

Soremekun said the combative nature of ASUU and conflict of interests were destabilising the operations of the country’s ivory towers and diminishing their standards and ranking .

The VC also assured that federal character and relevant laws guiding employment procedure would be stringently complied with, to fill the vacant positions of Registrar and Librarian of the institution.

Soremekun, who addressed journalists in Oye Ekiti said the public universities in the country could only discharge their duties effectively with robust funding from government, corporate organisations, parents and individuals.

On his perception that the conflicts between the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) and non-Academic Staff bodies were affecting the public universities negatively, Soremekun said: “The university system is overunionised. I don’t blame the unionists, because they always have genuine cases and agitations.

“But we should all come together and look for way not to distract the system. There are unions too in other countries, but the kind of biting edge we have is not there. ASUU as an idea is good, wonderful and fantastic, but as embodied in human forms, we need to have a rethink.

“The over unionisation has proved to be dangerous to our universities. ASUU, NASU, SSANU with time will turn into a positive corner and realise that they are also stakeholders in the project called Nigerian universities.”

He said FUOYE has moved to the third phase of its developmental agenda with the constitution of a committee to establish a College of Medicine as well as Basic Medical Science and Energy Studies departments in the university.

Soremekun said this would be a follow up to the establishment of the Faculty of Pharmacy to buoy the academic standard and rating of the institution among its peers.

On the vacant positions of Librarian and Registrar that is heating up the university, the VC said: “The Governing Council has advertised and processes to get the best are on. But this is a federal university and for these positions to be filled, we must reflect the federal character . The positions will be filled within the reality of federal character.”

The VC added that presently, the university has over 80 projects spread across its two campuses operating in Oye and Ikole Ekiti campuses.

“We have opened the development to phase three. The new faculty of Pharmacy is working.

We will soon begin the College of Medicine and we have got a committee that is already working on that.” He appealed to the stakeholders not to see the funding of universities from the narrow prism of sole responsibility of government, saying parents, individuals and corporate bodies all have critical roles to play.

Runsewe, Idi Farouk, Others Call for Stiffer Penalty against Rape Charles Ajunwa Eminent Nigerians at the just concluded cultural roundtable on rape and other gender-based violence organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) have advocated for appropriate legislation with a stiffer penalty to rid the society of the heinous crime of rape and return the culture of sanity, high morality and respect for the sanctity of the human person.

The event held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja, was aimed at raising voices against the culture of rape and other gender-based violence which is gradually becoming another form of a pandemic in the Nigerian society.

The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, in his welcome address said rape which has not been part of African culture was not only a vicious crime against humanity, but a grievous sin against God. According to Runsewe, many victims of rape unfortunately end up with unwanted pregnancies resulting in the birth of children without fathers, single parentage and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. He, therefore, enjoined well-

meaning Nigerians especially parents, religious institutions, key government agencies, gender-based Non-Governmental Organisations to join voices with the National Council for Arts and Culture in the campaign against rape and gender-based violence in society.

Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Idi Farouk, former DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency, said the issue of rape was grave and should be spotlighted for national discourse as it is alien to Nigerian culture.

Alhaji Farouk decried the law which allows only the Nigerian Police to prosecute cases of rape which often did not lead to proper convictions owing to the cumbersome process of litigation.

He opined that apart from granting victims of rape and other gender-based violence the right to engage their personal lawyers, government should put in place modalities to assists victims on issues of post-rape trauma.

The National President of the National Council for Women Societies, Dr. Gloria Shoda, in her keynote address regretted that there has been a drastic increase in cases of rape and gender-based violence in Nigeria in recent times.

9

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

08054699539

The Fury in Katsina State L

ast Tuesday, youths of Daddara village in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State violently expressed their frustration with unending killings by bandits in their community, burning the Police and Immigration posts in the border town. They have every reason to be annoyed. There are numerous security agents in Daddara village, yet, the killers enter with ease.

The bandits are largely Fulani militias. This is the truth that must be told. Many have been sent to early graves in Daddara by these bandits. In anger, the youths came out in large number and blocked the Katsina -Jibia Highway for several hours, smashing vehicles of security agencies and those of innocent citizens.

Youths from Dutsinma Local Government of Katsina State were also recently on the street, to protest unending killings by “bandits” in the state. The frustrated youths from Turare, Marke and Dogon Ruwa villages blocked the Dutsinma – Kankara highway for hours, lamenting endless butcheries in their communities. One of the youths who pleaded for anonymity said: “We are tired of the activities of bandits in our communities. We blocked the highway to show our displeasure over insecurity here. We want the authorities to be aware of our plight and come to our rescue.”

All these protests are signals to Governor Aminu Masari to raise his game and end tacit support for Fulani militias. The killings by the so-called bandits will persist for a very long time if political leaders and security agents continue to act in support of a faction. This is largely a war between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers, over grazing land. The bandits are Fulani militias who fight for the herders that want unfettered access to farm lands. Herders often call the militias when they suffer casualties. The Hausa farmers also have their militias called Yan Sakai. They retaliate for Hausa farmers when their farm lands are destroyed and farmers killed. It is one big mess compounded by politicians and security agents that have refused to act impassively. The conflict was minimal prior to Buhari’s emergence as President. But immediately he became President, the Fulani herders were bolstered, because “our brother is now in charge,” and the drive for unencumbered access to farm lands assumed

Masari

a frightening dimension.

As for leaders refusing to dispassionately respond to the killings, Masari remains the biggest culprit. This is why his hopeless amnesty programme for “bandits” is not working. I remember when Fulani militias killed scores in Tsauwa and Dankar villages (Batsari Local Government Area) last February, the reaction of Masari, from the comfort of his office, was to say that “two Fulanis were killed in Tsauwa and Dankar villages,” and that the Fulanis simply retaliated. This governor needs to be reminded that those who kill innocent people are as guilty as those who retaliate. The governor, after massive criticism, grudgingly paid a condolence visit to the traumatised residents of Tsauwa and Dankar.

Several months after the attack in Tsauwa and Dankar, the Police have only succeeded in arresting just one man in connection with a crime perpetrated by over 100 people on motorcycles.

For the Army, they recovered nine motorcycles belonging to the “bandits” but they were unable to arrest a single “bandit” involved in the crime.

Anybody expecting a good result would most likely wait till eternity. If those who carried out the attacks in Tsauwa and Dankar had been

arrested and put on trial, it would have sent a strong signal to all the warring factions that government is serious about ending the crisis.

But it did not happen. Just as in numerous previous cases, it may never happen.

The situation in Katsina, which happens to be our President’s state, is pathetic. The “bandits” are roaming freely in virtually all the local governments, killing at will. Just 10 days ago, the “bandits” attacked Unguwar Doka village, in Faskari Local Government Area, shooting indiscriminately and leaving many killed. Some soldiers, who were on routine patrol, ran into the marauding “bandits”. One officer and two soldiers were killed in the skirmish.

Buhari and Masari obstinately fail the people. A lawmaker in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Mustapha Jibiya, was apt, when he said the “irresponsibility and insensitivity” of relevant stakeholders were responsible for growing insecurity in the state. The lawmaker said both the federal and Katsina State governments failed to provide security for citizens, and that his constituents now prefer to call on security forces in Niger republic for help.

Back then, President Buhari was busy analysing the “retaliation” in the Tsauwa and Dankar killings, saying the killings were done in reprisal for what the farmers had done to the bandits earlier. He said bandits had been subjected to jungle justice by the affected communities, causing the miscreants to return to the places to wreak havoc. The President added: “Local communities that catch bandits should hand over the suspects to law enforcement authorities instead of meting out capital punishment, leading to a cycle of revenge and counter revenge. The authorities must be allowed to investigate and deal with any breach that occurs. There is no place for violence in a decent society.”

If justice had been served to the killers in the first place, there would probably be no retaliatory killings in these troubled communities.

This violence will continue if criminals are not punished. I have not heard of a single bandit convicted in Katsina State since this crisis escalated.

For the herders looking for unfettered access to farm lands, they must be told that this is intolerable. The way to go is ranching.

Amaechi Should End Secure Anchorage Garbage Few days back, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, was heard openly lamenting about the unending operation of an illegal anchorage known as Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) on Nigeria’s territorial waters. According to the minister, an individual has been exploiting the country by collecting huge forex from ship owners coming to berth in Lagos in the so-called secure anchorage. The minister, who protested while delivering a virtual keynote address at the recent 2020 World Maritime Day celebration, said the operation of SAA “is quite unsettling.”

He said: “There is a crisis in the maritime sector. The crisis is on the issue of security. Today, we have a single individual, partnering with the military, collecting $1,200 to the detriment of shipping companies. That one individual is still managing the business with support of other institutions.” The minister accused stakeholders of doing nothing to the individual, stressing that no one other than the minister had the right to set up a secure anchorage area.

I find Amaechi’s lamentations shocking. I expect him to take concrete action to end this baloney called Secure Anchorage Area instead of his useless public lamentation. The minister admitted that he is the only one legally allowed to set up a secure anchorage area on the nation’s high sea. So, what has he done to end SAA’s operation? Why is he asking Maritime stakeholders to act?

Few weeks back, I exposed the secure anchorage rubbish created on the Nigerian high sea by a Nigerian company since 2014.

It provides security at a high cost in USD to

vessels calling at the Lagos ports. Normally, the business of protecting ships on our territorial waters is largely that of the Nigerian Navy.

This is backed by our laws. Unfortunately, the leadership of the Navy provides the services to the Hosa Wells Okunbo-led firm in charge of the so-called Secure Anchorage Area, while exploiting foreign ships heading to Lagos ports. Vessels purchased for the Navy by the Nigerian government and the NPA to secure our waterways are being used to service the SAA project.

The SAA managers threaten ship owners that they run the risk of being attacked by pirates if they don’t use their facilities. So, they are forced to patronise the SAA. Nigerian consumers are paying heavily for this. How? The cost of shipping goods to Nigeria increases with this extra security bill for ships, which is invariably passed on to the final consumers - Nigerians.

Wells Okunbo is a key member of the ruling APC. He dines with any government in power.

I guess his conspirators, the Nigerian Navy leadership inclusive, are now above the laws of our land. This is why a private company can slice out a portion of our territorial waters and name it, “Secure Anchorage Area”, then, charge foreign vessels in USD for protection. It can only happen in Nigeria. The big men in Abuja are not concerned about our security and the rising cost of shipping goods to Nigeria. For obvious reasons, those with statutory responsibility for the security of the country’s waterways - Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Marine Police, and the Nigerian

Amaechi

Navy – are unperturbed by the activities of the secure anchorage firm.

It’s not enough for Amaechi to be lamenting openly on the SAA issue or is he waiting for Maritime stakeholders to come and do his work? He has to take on the cabal backing Okunbo with all his might in order to end the SAA garbage. If this minister can’t do it, he should pack his load and return to his village in Ubima. The Nigerian Navy must fully assume its responsibilities of protecting the nation’s high sea.

For peace to reign, herders must be compelled to cuddle ranching. Governors in the affected states have enough lands for this. They should further provide technical and financial support to the herders to settle in the ranches.

Zulum

Zulum Must Learn to Fight Tactically Governor Babagana Zulum’s love for his people in Borno State is unquestionable. His desire to have the people displaced by Boko Haram resettled in their towns and villages is also commendable. But this governor has to go about this with a lot of wisdom and tact so as not to end in a bigger tragedy for him and the people he loves so much. Thrice, he was attacked while on this mission to facilitate the resettlement of internally displaced persons, with the second one resulting in the death of 15 security agents.

Zulum has resolved to return all Baga IDPs and inaugurated a 23-person committee to see to it. This is preposterous and an unnecessary exuberance.

The governor said feeding the displaced was not financially sustainable, insisting the only option was for them to return and rebuild their homes and live a “dignified” life. I am shocked that he is untroubled by the security risks the returnees would be exposed to. Evidently, Borno State is not at the stage it should be talking about resettling IDPs. Why? Those who displaced the hapless people are still very much in control of the affected communities. This is why previous efforts in this direction ended in failure. Those resettled in the past had to scamper to Maiduguri after ferocious attacks by Boko Haram. Schools and buildings constructed for the purpose by the Kashim Shettima government in Baga were destroyed by the terrorists last year. Zulum can’t claim to be unaware of this.

The point I am making is that, for now, Zulum should redirect all resources of the state’s government towards eliminating the terrorists.

Boko Haram fighters are still roaming freely in affected communities and often render resettlement useless. So, they must first be eliminated before people can be returned to their homes. What should Zulum be doing in terms of fighting Boko Haram? He should be spending Borno’s resources on quality hunters capable of tackling the terrorists supernaturally and physically. Zulum should go in search of these brave hunters all over Nigeria and further into other West African countries. The Borno governor should go further by assembling marabouts to tackle this war from the spiritual angle. This governor should pay special attention to this. He should get the very best marabouts from within and outside Nigeria for this task.

On a last note, Zulum should stop his exuberance of jumping into unsafe areas in Borno State in the name of resettling IDPs. The facts on ground do not support this. Showboating is absolutely unnecessary here. Boko Haram still controls most of these areas Zulum is aiming at resettling his people. He has alluded to this severally. So, what is he trying to prove jumping into these dangerous areas? Populism should be accompanied with tact and wisdom.

10

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

SUPER SATURDAY

The World of Toyin Adeyemi Toyin y Adeyemi, y Nigerian-American g novelist, who is also a creative writing g coach, best known for her New York Times bestselling g book – Children off Blood and Bone - made the p prestigious g list of Time magazine’s g 100 most influential p people p in the world for 2020. Ferdinnd Ekechukwu digs g into the life and career of this spirited Nigerian author, who has won multiple awards at just age 27

“T

Toyin

his book is one of my y all-time favourites because I can’t even lift it in a shot,” Toyin y Adeyemi spiritedly says, y tossing g up pa massive book from her collection and favourite reads, in a p post. The g gorgeous g oversized coffee table p photo-book carries on its cover a signed g image g print p of Barbadian singer, g Rihanna (Robyn y Rihanna Fenty). y It’s actually y The Rihanna Book! “I respect p anyone y who can, like, sell a book that weighs g more than a human being…,” g she croons, posing p g a description of the king-size g publication. p “Look at how big g this book is… okay. y I’m a big g fan of Rihanna….

But y yeah I kind of love everything y Rihanna does and it’s because I love how she goes g into different spaces p whether it is music, whether it is makeup, p whether it is skincare, whether it is publishing. p g And she jjust does hers and she does it big. g I keep p this work where I can always y see it. And one day y I will publish a book that’s bigger p gg than my y face too.” Adeyemi y was just j having g that modest moment last September, p unknowing g she would soon be hailed as influential as the songstress. g And like Rihanna in 2018, Adeyemi made the annual Time magazine’s g most influential people p in the world for the year y 2020.

The American author of Nigerian g descent made the p prestigious g list, alongside g other globally g y renowned stars like Jenifer Hudson, Selena Gomez, Tyler y Perry y and host of others. Every y year y since 1999, Time names these 100 p people p in recogni g tion of their activism, innovation and achievements.

The 27-year-old y creative writing g coach, whose latest book is Children off Virtue and Vengeance, g is best known for her #1 NY Times bestselling g book Children off Blood and Bone, which was also featured on TIME’s list of the best Young g Adult and Children’s books of 2018. It has been called the biggest gg g fantasy y debut novel of 2018, drawing g comparisons with everything p y g from Game off Thrones to Black Panther, and had netted a movie deal reported to be worth seven figures. g Adeyemi’s y West African-inspired p fantasy y debut is acknowledged g ap powerful rumination on race and social justice. Adeyemi y told The Huffi f ngton ffi g Post that she was motivated to write the novel after seeing g racist reactions to the casting of actors of colour in The Hunger g Games movies. The book has won numerous awards including g the 2018 Andre Norton Award for Young g Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, y the 2019 Waterstones Book Prize, and the 2019 Hugo g Lodestar Award for Best Young g Adult Book.

Same 2019, she was named in Forbe’s “30 Under 30” list. The

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

11

SUPER SATURDAY The World of Toyin Adeyemi novel, Children off Blood and Bone chronicles the life of teen diviner, Zélie’s q quest to bring g magic g back to the nation of Orïsha after her mother and the rest of the community y were murdered on orders of the king. g Adeyemi’s y second book has already y made its way y to the New York Times bestseller list. It is currently y number one on the Young g Adult Hardcover list. Second on the list is her debut novel which came out in 2018.

Adeyemi y released Children off Virtue and Vengeance g , the second book in her Young g Adult (YA) fantasy y trilogy gy Legacy g y off Orïsha.

After its release on December 3, 2019, it immediately y topped pp p The New York Times Young g Adult Hardcover Bestseller List.

The book continues the original g story y that started in Adeyemi’s y groundg breaking g debut. By y tradition, a tribute to each awardee is written by y another celebrity. y For the 2020 TIME100 list, Adeyemi’s entry piece was written p by y British-Nigerian g actor and producer p John Boyega. y g “Tomi (Adey yemi’s moniker) is the god of ideas,” Boyega y g wrote.

“She’s inspiring p ga lot of young y g people p p to write. She creates the very world that we as actors get g to play p y in. And the big-screen g adapta p tion will hire a lot of people and bring more representation p to our industry y - all that comes directly y from Tomi’s imagi gnation. She is going g g to be very y powerful p when it comes to bringing g g stories and ideas to the forefront. I would absolutely y drop p everything y g to be in the film. If I missed the opportunity pp y to be a part p of it, it would be like missing g history.” y The ‘Star Wars’ actor stated further about the book: “When someone told me about Tomi Adeyemi’s y Children off Blood and Bone, describing g it as a cross between Harry y Potter, the Chronicles off Narnia and Yoruba ggods, I was shocked. It sounded like the best combination ever: How had I not heard of it? I read it, then I read it again, g then I listened to the audiobook. I was being g introduced to a world I couldn’t have imagined g before. The characters were larger g than life but with very y human problems and issues. And the novel spoke p p to my y self-identity y and culture as a Nigerian, g in its social commentary y and in its depiction of both magic and oppression.” pp Born to parents p who migrated g from Nigeria, g Adeyemi y is the middle child of three – her brother is a musician and her younger sister still at

college. g Her father is a doctor, while her mother runs a g group p of hospices p outside Chicago. g She studied English g Literature at Harvard before heading g to Brazil on a fellowship p to study y West African culture and mythology. y gy It was in South America that the seeds of Children off Blood and Bone, the first in a trilogy, gy were sown. Her father was a p physician y in Nigeria g but found employ p yment as a taxi driver while he waited to transfer his q qualifications.

Adeyemi’s y mother worked as a cleaning g woman. Adeyemi y grew up g p in Chicago g and was not exposed p to her Nigerian g heritage; g her parents p decided not to teach her or her siblings g their native tongue. g She would later embrace her heritage g as an adult, explaining, “I didn’t think too much

of it and I think that is the kind of an experience of the first g generation. You’re jjust trying y g to fit in.

You don’t realise how cool your y culture is until you get g out of that phase p of trying y g to fit in.”

A writer from a young y g age, g it was only y when she was 18 and p putting g together g her college g ap pplication that she looked back on old stories she p had written as a child, and realised what she had been leaving g herself out of. “I wrote a story y at age g six or seven where the twin characters were called Tomi and Toni – I had no problem p seeing myself y in books at that age. g But from then on, the protagonists p g of every y fantasy y I wrote were either white or bi-racial. I had somehow internalised that I couldn’t be in my own imagination or my fantasy adventures.”

12

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

COMMENTARY

NIGERIA AT 60: DIAMONDS FOR OUR WOMEN? Our women deserve social justice, writes Rinsola Abiola

M

any opine that colonialism laid the grounds for women’s exclusion in leadership. The establishment, in 1898, of the Egba United Government (EUG) lends credence to this point. The traditional rulers of the townships in Egbaland were handed key portfolios under the leadership of the Alake, and a secretary was appointed. Curiously, women were excluded, including hitherto powerful title holders.

Despite the progress that was made, there were political and economic changes that placed a great burden on the people. This culminated in the Ijemo massacre of 1914, following which the EUG was dissolved and indirect rule was introduced. Living conditions, however, did not improve and policies especially failed to protect and address issues specific to women.

There was yet another violent uprising in 1918 and in 1946 were women particularly waged a protracted battle against colonial authorities as they fought for an end to the oppressive tax regime and for inclusion in politics and governance.

A shared experience for many women at the time was that in addition to being victims of the forced labour of the colonial government in its expansive infrastructure development ambition, they suffered the additional burden of being increasingly conscripted into a lifetime of labour under the guise of marriage, as men married more wives with the intent of deploying them on farms to raise productivity and income.

Women were expected to spend their productive years working on farmlands they did not own – and had no hopes of acquiring – without commensurate reward, as their labour was considered as contribution to the upkeep of the family. This left them dependent on their husbands – and later, sons – for survival, a factor that limited freedoms and undergirded subservience. The final straw came when the all-male government introduced more levies and taxes on women traders.

This resulted in the 1946 revolt of Abeokuta women, an event triggered by factors similar to those which led to the Aba women’s rebellion of 1929. Chief Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, with Grace Eniola Soyinka, formed a powerful resistance and what began in Abeokuta snowballed into a national movement that championed self-rule, women’s suffrage, women’s inclusion in politics and leadership, and gender equity.

These uprisings laid the foundation for future women mobilization efforts towards liberation. Both events may not be widely acknowledged as such, but they were major milestones in Nigeria’s struggle to attain independence from repressive and exploitative colonialists and

SIXTY YEARS AFTER THE EXIT OF COLONIALISTS, WOMEN REMAIN SUBJECT TO ENDURING CULTURAL BELIEFS THAT LIMIT THEIR POTENTIAL, DENY THEM EDUCATION, AND SHUT THE DOOR TO POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE

local chiefs who upheld the indirect, patriarchal ruling system. They presented a direct and major challenge to British authority in Nigeria and morphed into nationwide movements that made the call for independence and respect for women’s rights too loud to ignore.

A lot has happened between then and now and while some things have improved, many others have not.

These persistent challenges have birthed a society that obstinately discriminates against women.

Sixty years after the exit of colonialists, women remain subject to enduring cultural beliefs that limit their potential, deny them education, and shut the door to politics and governance. Women are still disproportionately affected by poverty and even where laws exist to protect women from harmful cultural practices, implementation remains a major challenge.

Nigeria’s leadership scene is also still predominantly populated by men.

Contrary to what obtained in the colonial era – until 1958 in the south and 1976! in the north – women can now participate in elections. However, economic exclusion, the prohibitive cost of political participation and a lack of enabling policies, among other issues, stand as barriers to full political participation. When taken up to task on the inadequate representation of women, the political establishment claims the discrimination is imagined and affirmative action would discriminate against men!

Yet, the subjugation of women is not a problem for the gender alone; the entire country is impacted by it. A McKinsey report says Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 23% – or $229bn – by 2025 if women are empowered to participate equally in the economy.

For decades, from the struggle for independence to education and broadening our democracy, women have contributed immensely to the growth and development of Nigeria. They deserve credit for their roles – but even more importantly, they deserve social justice.

Pigeonholed to a tiny portion in current affairs as the first Nigerian woman to drive a car, Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti rarely comes to mind when Nigerians pray, as outlined in her national anthem, that the labours of our heroes past should not go in vain. But she was a hero who was very actively involved in the struggle for independence, and like other women who fought for a country free from external control and dictatorship, their contributions deserve to be honoured.

Abiola is an advocate for gender equity and youth inclusion in governance.

NIGER DELTA: TIME TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY Henry Nwawuba argues the need to reset the unacceptable narrative of the Niger Delta region

I

was privileged to moderate a high-level virtual conference on the Niger Delta recently. It was a humbling and expository experience that has changed my perspectives on the resource-rich region significantly.

For me, engagements about the current fate and future of the region can never be the same. I am convinced and resolved that we can and must elevate the discourse beyond the selfish convenience of the moment and secure the tomorrow that may come to taunt and haunt us if we fail to change course immediately.

The Post Covid-19 Petroleum Agenda for Nigeria (PoCoPAN) initiative designed by my friend, Oke Epia, and his team at OrderPaper Nigeria, provided a veritable platform for the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta to co-host the conference on the theme, ‘Resolving the Host Communities Question.’ The conference is a precursor to a much bigger global legislative dialogue on the Niger Delta being put together by the Committee. With some support from the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC), the September 10 virtual conference, which attracted a wide range of participants and received brilliant and innovative submissions, came off with some far-reaching resolutions that continue to stimulate a fresh vigour to reset the undesirable and unacceptable narrative of the Niger delta Region. This gives me hope and inspires this article, which for all intent and purposes, is to advance and plead for acceptance of a sincere, transparent, truly multi-stakeholder and solutions-driven sets of engagement on the Niger delta going forward. This template that can birth a new vision and determination for the region is one contribution I must continue to push at every platform that God Almighty avails me, including and especially of course for now, the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly.

But before proceeding, I must make this disclaimer to set the tone right for the rest of this read. As a member of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta which has direct oversight responsibility over affairs of the region, I cannot in good

conscience absolve myself of blame in the current state of the region. In fact, being a member of the federal parliament at this time unfortunately predisposes one to being set on a guilt-trip. The trolling which the National Assembly has received in recent times over happenings around the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is a case in point. However, I dare say that we are all guilty one way or the other and must take collective responsibility for the sorry state of affairs in the region. Whatever spectrum of the stakeholder matrix we belong – state operatives, political establishment, community leadership, canvassers and mobilizers, civil society, extractive and servicing companies, and many others – does not excuse the complicity, duplicity, indifference and inadequacy of advocacy, among other shortcomings or excesses which have largely defined engagements hitherto. There is just no justification for the abject poverty and wanton wasteland that consist the about 13,400 mostly rural settlements of the Niger Delta. There is no reason on earth why the over 800 oil field communities which host about 900 active oil wells and thousands of other exploration infrastructure scattered across the about 70,000 Km(sq) of the region should be scenes of sordid despoliation. This fact is made even more soul-searing by the ironic and inexcusable offshoots of near Eldorado settlements housing the mostly expats senior workers of extractive and servicing companies. It is a shame that we are still assailed by such paradoxes that are not only repugnant to any sense of justice but continue to be perpetrated by multi-nationals whose home countries will not tolerate such man’s inhumanity to man.

But this is only one symptom of the decadeslong criminal neglect, organized deprivation and systemic depravation of the Niger delta.

We could have done more together to change this nauseating narrative. Not less. But as I have said earlier, this article is not about to regurgitate what we already know so I will steer the discourse away from the lavish book of lamentations.

My intervention here is standing on two legs. The first, like I have already suggested,

is the need to hold ourselves collectively accountable for where we are in the region.

I believe that it is from a curve of conscious catharsis that we can find a new path of prognosis towards progress to right the wrongs of the past. I invite stakeholders in the Niger delta, and indeed the rest of Nigeria, to join me on this path of penitence and sobriety.

We must seize the beauty from the ashes of our collective shame and this cannot be done by staying stuck in the limitations of endless buck-passing. Like my friend and brother, consummate parliamentarian and erudite speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said in a brief opening address to the conference, this is not time for recrimination and blame-sharing as there is enough blames to go round. “We need to move past recrimination towards designing a new vision for the development of Niger Delta,” he said and made a rallying call which all patriots who seek genuine solutions to the Niger delta quagmire must heed. Let me paraphrase him: “The Niger Delta of Nigeria has contributed a great deal to our country and continue to do so over time. Yet the conditions of the Niger Delta do not reflect the significant contributions in human and material resources. All of us as leaders and citizens alike are obliged to resolve this political and moral failing by any means available to us. But we cannot achieve the changes we desire in the Niger Delta until we are ready to have honest conversations about the reason why things are the way they are. So long as the discussion about development and lack thereof are exercises in finger-pointing and blame-shifting, nothing of substance will be done to improve the circumstances of our brethren in that region.” I am delighted to note that this sober charge from the Speaker is followed up immediately in same address by what the House of Representatives would do on its part to reset the narrative. I plead with Nigerians to exercise some benefit of the doubt as we apply some legislative solutions to address the nagging questions of host communities of the region. Dear readers: my dear brother and sisters; stakeholders and lovers of justice, peace and progress across Nigeria, this

is time to move from the past and embrace a future of hope and genuine progress for the Niger delta region.

And here lies the second leg of my intervention. It is only a demonstrated commitment to all-encompassing progress that can guarantee hope for the future and a life of meaning for generations yet unborn.

We cannot continue to treat the rich resources of the ground as it if it matters only for yesterday and today. Nigeria’s prodigious petroleum wealth dug from the bowels of the delta is but a borrowing from the future.

If the struggle is focused solely on fixing the moment, then we are making a future that is already doomed. It is noteworthy that a key point of agreement from the PoCoPAN conference is the embarrassing development deficit which continues to dog the region in spite of various beneficiation schemes and structures by government and companies operating in the region. We have had the NDDC and its precursor in OMPADEC, the 13% derivation, establishment of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), the Nigeria Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB) and other sub-national interventionist measures. We have also had scores of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions by companies and corporations operating in the region. There have even been interventions by public-spirited individuals and community self-efforts to improve the lot of region. In spite of all these, the region has remained the picturesque depiction of the resource curse theory. And there is no question about the fact that these interventions must have gulped trillions in naira over the years. The big question for me is: all of these do not even address cares about the unborn whose resources we have continued to borrow and squander flagrantly like tomorrow does not matter.

We must begin to think deeply and engage continually about this.

Nwawuba is Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta

13

ÍťËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Nigeria at 60...

TO OUR READERS /HWWHUV LQ UHVSRQVH WR VSHFLÂżF SXEOLFDWLRQV LQ 7+,6'$< VKRXOG EH EULHI ZRUGV DQG VWUDLJKW WR WKH SRLQW ,QWHUHVWHG UHDGHUV PD\ VHQG VXFK OHWWHUV DORQJ ZLWK WKHLU FRQWDFW GHWDLOV WR saturdayeditor@thisdaylive.com :H DOVR ZHOFRPH FRPPHQWV DQG RSLQLRQV RQ WRSLFDO ORFDO QDWLRQDO DQG LQWHUQDWLRQDO LVVXHV SURYLGHG WKH\ DUH ZHOO ZULWWHQ DQG VKRXOG DOVR QRW EH ORQJHU WKDW ZRUGV 7KH\ VKRXOG EH VHQW WR saturdayeditor@thisdaylive.com DORQJ ZLWK WKH HPDLO DGGUHVV DQG SKRQH QXPEHUV RI WKH ZULWHU

Nigerian Governors and the Governed How to Create a Million

I

n all the 36 states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not many of the governors would be celebrated by the governed. To the governed, the governors have not done â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; they either promised, or expected of them.

When politicians are vying for elective positions, they would promise all form of goodies.

They would do everything humanly possible to sway the electorate to their side. But when they assume power, they quickly become â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;powerfulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and forget their promises to the people.

I recently conducted an advanced empirical study on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reconciliation of promises and performances of Nigerian politicians in fourth republic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; May 1999â&#x20AC;&#x201D;May 2020â&#x20AC;?. The scope of the study was large as it cut across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. But what the major finding revealed from the perceptions of Nigerian citizens shows there is little correlation between politiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; promises while canvassing votes from electorate and their performances after assumption of power. For their immunity assurance, they reneged on their promises with impunity.

And regrettably, the new electoral tradition, vote buying, introduced in recent times by Nigerian politicians would make us worse as a people. Since the highest bidder would buy the largest votes, and as a consequence, win at an election, as politics is a game of number, governors and other politicians would have to steal more so as to be the highest bidder come election day.

Not many Nigerian governors would be celebrated by the governed in their states because they perceive their hopes as being dashed by the governors as they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t receive the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;goody-goodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; promised on earth let alone the ones promised in heaven. Instead of redeeming their promises, many governors become bully; after all, their immunity covers their impunity.

However, few of the Nigerian governors would be celebrated joyfully by citizens in their states, out of their own volition having perceived delivery of, and enjoyed the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;goodiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; promised by the few performing governors.

One of them is Osun State governor, Isiaq Adegboyega Oyetola.

On Tuesday, 29th September, 2020, Oyetola was 66th years of age. However, as a calm and modest person, the governor would not want to celebrate his birthday, but the governed, (the citizens of Osun) insisted they would celebrate his birthday for him, and they did!

The D-day, September 29, was indeed a done deal, a show of magnificence! Governor Oyetola was celebrated amidst pomps and pageantries at the Government House, Osogbo.

The ecstasy and obvious happiness of the citizens of the state as they were trooping into the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quarters for the celebration of their governor was impressive.

Interestingly, the people of the state, on enquiry, said they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t celebrating the governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday, but his achievements in less than two years of assumption as governor of the state. According to them, what they have done was making him happy in response to his generosity in governance. You see! Not many Nigerian governors would be considered worthy of this sort of celebration by citizens.

Another finding revealed in my empirical study on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Reconciliation of promises and performances of Nigerian politiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was dissatisfaction by Nigerian citizens. They assessed their governorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performances as poor and dissatisfied with their poor performances.

Many would not perform because they actually bought peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conscience to have their mandates. So, they opined they had already â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;settledâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; their people who had collected their own largesse via an exchange of money for their votes.

May God help us in this part of the world!

I

Jobs in a Year

learnt so much about the operations of a multinational oil company from the couple of years I spent at the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Port Harcourt as a graduate student on an NNPC-enabled data-collection exercise to complete my Masters of Technology (MTech) degree in Applied Geophysics here at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. A multinational oil company is formally structured and, at Shell, we got regaled with catchphrases like â&#x20AC;&#x153;best practices,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;health, safety, and environment (HSE),â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;new way of working (NWW),â&#x20AC;? etc. Historically, Shell was a key player in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downstream fuel-retail sub-sector (as were Esso, Mobil, BP, and others). At the present time, I have been a key observer of the set-up and operations of the downstream fuel-retail business of the multinational Total. It has occurred to me that, instead of a plethora of one-man and most inefficient fuel-retailing outfits, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should sit down with Total and its multinational ilk in this fuel-retail business, draw up frameworks for Total-centric operations of these polluting and decaying filling stations, encourage these third-rate players to sell off their DPR licenses and have Total and its ilk takeover wide-area networking operations of fuel-retail business. If I were the president of Nigeria, with a compliant senate and national assembly on my side at all times, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d fast-track a quasi-decree empowering the DPR to de-license private operators who do not care and cannot comply with the cost-centric requirements of HSE. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d then sit down with the honchos of Total and extract a commitment that every filling station that is branded â&#x20AC;&#x153;Totalâ&#x20AC;? spread across the wide extent of Nigeria should play a huge role Jimoh Olorede, journalism/mass commuin the national employment scheme by having a payroll of staff nication lecturer, oloredejimoh@gmail.com who runs a six-hourly shift over a 24-hour period. Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I go a bit further by positing that my government would partner with Total T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R to ensure that the staff at particular filling staEDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE tion are quartered at dedicated â&#x20AC;&#x153;staff quartersâ&#x20AC;?

DEPUTY EDITOR FESTUS AKANBI MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO for that particular filling station in homesteads DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE that are sustainably managed but which are CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI of very high and livable standards. With a EDITOR NATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN manageable pay-check structure reflective of MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE the realities on ground, I think I could talk Total and its ilk into creating a million jobs in just that fuel-retail sub-sector across Nigeria.

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D What I sense is that multinationals are willing EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, to provide the right working environment for ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI their Nigerian staff if the Nigerian government DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE knows how to intelligently engage these DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI multinationals as well as offering palatable SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH tax rebates to them. Governance isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t entirely ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO rocket science. It is more of common sense, CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI empathy, and will.

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

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

14

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾OCTOBER 3, 2020

NEWS

Living Harrowing in Niger State, Laments Sani-Bello

HealthPlus: UK Equity Firm May Have Run Out of Funds

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

Contrary to reports in some sections of the media, the raging ownership dispute between pharmaceutical retail chain, HealthPlus, and its private equity partner, United Kingdom’s Alta Semper Capital, may be as a result of the latter’s inability to raise funds for the second tranche of equity investment as agreed.

Sources close to the matter disclosed that the equity firm kept dithering when it was time to make funds available for the second tranche, which was due 15 months ago.

Insiders also disclosed that contrary to the widespread notion that the second tranche was intended to completely buy out the stake held by HealthPlus founder and CEO, Mrs. Olubukunola George, it was to initiate and/or complete previously agreed strategic business initiatives and simultaneously reduce her shareholding at a future preagreed date.

“Stories about HealthPlus not meeting agreed milestones as

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello, yesterday said the people of his state live in difficult times as floods and bad roads had made living harrowing and deplorable in the state.

The governor, who made this disclosure when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari in the State House, sought federal government’s intervention to alleviate the plights of his people.

He told State House reporters after the meeting that aside the dilapidated state of federal roads which had made living harrowing for the people of the

state, floods had also destroyed hectares of farmlands with crops and plantations.

He said: “At the moment, we are facing difficult times because the rains are quite heavy. Most sections of the road have failed completely and there is need to have some quick interventions to ease the difficulties being experienced by motorists in highways. So, I took time to brief Mr. President on what is happening and what I think can be done in the interim to address some of these issues.

“You will recall that about two weeks ago, we had a meeting chaired by the Chief of Staff with the Minister of Works, the GMD of

the NNPC, the Director-General of Department of State Service and the Inspector-General of Police with regard to the closure of Minna-Bida road.

“We were forced to close MinaBida road because the contractor on site had complained that the work in progress was very slow as a result of heavy movement of trucks on that road. As you are aware that road was built for light vehicles. So, we were forced to shut down Minna/Bida road.

“Eventually we had to open it so that we don’t create hardship to other parts of the country especially the Northern states.

But at the moment as it is today,

we have two failed sections of Minna-Bida road and one failed section of Minna-Tegna road which has brought about the complete blockage of that road.

“So, something needs to be done immediately to provide for alternative route between South-west and Northern parts of the states.

We have a major trunk ‘A’ one road which is the Jebba-Mokwa-KagaraTegna-Pandogri-Kaduna road.

“I hope attention should be given to that road so that we divert most of the trailers to that road. There is also an alternative route which is the Mokwa-Bida-Lapai-Lambata road.

That will also provide alternative to Minna-Bida road.

Olaoluwakitan Babatunde

the reason for the withholding of the second tranche, I tell you, are pure inventions. The equity firm just wanted a pretext. Those of us familiar with the deal will tell you Alta Semper Capital have been finding it difficult to raise funds,” said an insider.

The dispute between the two equity partners, which became public following an Alta Semper Capital’s announcement of leadership change in HealthPlus, has dominated business discourse over the last one week and has sparked calls by Nigerian business founders to the federal government on the need to better protect local entrepreneurs from greedy equity firms and venture capitalists.

George, founder and CEO, has insisted she remains in charge of the firm, arguing that the removal of a CEO requires the approval of the five-member board of directors.

She also stated, through her lawyers, that the company does not currently have a board, following the resignation of the Chairman, a nominee of the equity firm, and another member, whom she nominated.

Lift Suspension on Consultant Pharmacists, PSN tells Sanwo-Olu

FOR CLEARER SIGHT ...

L-R: Mrs. K. A. Arowolo, Muyiwa Fagbola, Obafunsho Peters, Dotun Lampejo and Principal, Ikeja Junior High School, Mr. D.S.Safiyu with two of the 39 benefiting students in front - Henry Mornu and Peace Adepoju - at the Free Eye Tests and Distribution of Glasses organised by Rotary Club of Ikeja at Ikeja Junior High School to mark the Rotary Basic Education and Literacy Month of Rotary International...recently

Alleged Pension Fraud: I Don’t Know Weakness in Tax Revenue Dampens Maina’s Whereabouts, Ndume Tells Court Enthusiasm on Budget 2021 Projections Alex Enumah in Abuja Senator Ali Ndume, yesterday told Justice Okon Abang, of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court that he currently had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the former Chairman of the Pension Reformed Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

Maina is standing trial on a 12-count criminal charge bordering on fraud and money laundering, amongst others.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned him on October 25, 2019, alongside his son, Faisal, and Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, a firm said to be owned by him.

Ndume, had recently stood as surety for him, after he was admitted to bail.

It would be recalled that Maina spent about nine months at the Kuje Correctional Centre, owing to the stringent conditions attached to his

bail before it was waived.

When the matter came up yesterday, Maina for the third consecutive time was not in court and his lawyer, Mr. Francis Oronsaye, informed the court that the 1st defendant was not in court, praying the court for an adjournment.

Before yesterday, both Maina and Ndume, were not in court on September 29 and the matter was adjourned till September 30.

Oronsaye, had told the court that his client was at Maitama Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment.

Although, Ndume was in court on September 30, to sign the court register in line with the bail conditions, Maina was however not in court, thereby forcing another adjournment on the court.

However, at yesterday’s proceedings, Ndume, was present but said that he was expecting Maina to be in court as well.

Festus Akanbi All things being equal, the N13.08trillion proposed federal budget will be transmitted to the National Assembly next week but analysts argued that the projected revenue of N8.60 trillion was largely exaggerated given the perceived structural weakness of the nation’s tax revenue.

With projected revenue of N8.60 trillion, the Federal Executive Council put the total deficit for the 2021 fiscal year at N4.48 trillion, translating to 3.6% of the projected GDP. However, analysts from Cordros Securities, in their Weekly Economic and Market Update released yesterday, believe the assumptions were too optimistic and may not represent the true realities on ground especially in the face of sustained failure of the tax agency, the Federal Inland Revenue Service to meet its targets.

“In our view, the FGNs revenue

expectations are rather optimistic, given that (1) aggregate revenue has averaged NGN3.94 trillion between 2017 and 2019 and (2) revenue performance from Jan-July 2020 revenue performance was only 68.0% despite the exchange rate devaluation.

Given the structural weakness in tax revenue, we expect the projected revenue to underperform, implying a larger than projected deficit,” the report said.

Key assumptions of the proposed budget include an oil price benchmark of $40.00/barrel, oil production of 1.86mb/d, an exchange rate of N379/ USD, and an inflation target of 11.95%.

“Although the proposed revenue is greater than the NGN6.15 trillion stated in the MTEF, we suspect that the variance stems from the upward adjustment in the exchange rate assumption (MTEF: NGN360/USD) which translates to higher estimates naira receipts from oil sales,” the report said.

Atiku: I’m Proud of what Obasanjo and I Did for Nigeria Bennett Oghifo

As Nigerians go into stock-taking mode on the nation’s fortunes after 60 years of independence, former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has scored the administration, led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo high on the economy.

The former vice president

was obviously reacting to the Independence Day speech by President Muhammadu Buhari, where he said, “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 govern-

ments from 1999 to 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.”

However, Atiku responded yesterday in a tweet on his verified Twitter handle, @atiku,

saying, “Between 1999 and 2007, Nigeria paid off her entire foreign debt while maintaining an unprecedented six per cent annual GDP growth.

“Those were periods of national restoration, and I am very proud of the work President Obasanjo and I did for this nation we care so much for. Facts don’t lie.”

Pharmacists under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Lagos State, have appealed to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to lift the suspension of the approved Consultant Cadre for Pharmacists in the state civil service.

Chairman of PSN, Lagos State, Gbolagade Iyiola, said nonimplementation of the Consultancy Cadre for Pharmacists in Lagos State approved by the Executive Council of Lagos State Government in 2018, negated international best practices and against the interest of the State.

He explained that the approval for scheme was a result of negotiations between a coalition of the Joint Health Sector Workers Unions (JOHESU) and Pharmacists Society of Nigeria, and Lagos State government. According to him, the approval was put on hold by the immediate past government of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on the promptings of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

Iyiola called on His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take advantage of the freshly approved Consultant cadre for Pharmacists by the Federal Government to lift the suspension without further delays and conditionality.

A letter to the Governor of Lagos State signed by Iyiola read in part: “It is tragic that the immediate past administration sacrificed a well thought-out agreement it had with a coalition of organised labour (JOHESU) and a noble professional Association (PSN Lagos) to enhance the capricious propensities of NMA in matters that are ordinarily out of its jurisdiction.

“It is imperative to impress it on the progressive Sanwo-Olu led government that healthcare is driven by international best practices and therefore cannot be restricted to the humongous as well as insatiable appetite to regulate through slowing down the growth and development of other professions by Nigerian Doctors.

“In Medicine, the training is lawfully grounded at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Other health professions are denied this same privilege at Federal level and often times; at Lagos State level.

“There is a high incidence of politics in our Health Sector which has reduced our output in Healthcare to a peculiar Nigerian type of Health System as against international best practices.

Ondo Guber: IG Deploys DIG, AIG, 11 CPs Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Ahead of the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, yesterday ordered the deployment of DIG Adeleye Olusola Oyabade, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Research and Planning to administer the general security arrangement for the election in the state.

The IG said security aides must not accompany political appointees and VIPs on election day.

Also deployed to assist the DIG are AIG Karma Hosea Hassan, Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Federal Operations (FEDOPS), Department of Operations, Force Headquarters

Abuja, and 11 Commissioners of Police.

A statement issued last night by Force PRO and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, said the deployment was part of efforts to ensure effective coordination and full implementation of security arrangements towards a peaceful election on October 10, 2020.

It said the coordinating DIG for the Ondo gubernatorial elections was charged by the IGP to bring his wealth of experience to bear by ensuring the due enforcement of all electoral laws throughout the period of the election.

The statement said CP Garba Baba Umar would be in charge of monitoring and evaluation and would be assisted by CP Habu Sani.

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

15

NEWSXTRA

FG Orders Reopening of all Schools Kuni Tyessi Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;

The federal government has directed that all schools should be reopened and must adhere to the guidelines for the reopening of schools.

Schools across the country were closed in March as part of steps to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, made the

announcement that schools should reopen during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday.

He advised all institutions to obey and adhere to the guidelines for the reopening of schools, earlier announced by the Presidential Task Force which include the use of face mask, observance of social distance and washing of hands amongst others.

He said all unity schools

should open by October 12 â&#x20AC;&#x153;while states and private schools will determine their own modalities of reopening.â&#x20AC;?

Many states including Lagos, Oyo, Kano and Enugu, have since announced dates for the reopening of schools in their states.

According to the minister, schools across the country are at liberty to fix resumption dates and ensure adequate

Buhari at UN Summit, Advocates Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Omololu Ogunmade Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;

Nuclear weapons' trafficking constitutes a potential threat to international peace and security, and should therefore be eliminated, President Muhammadu Buhari warned yesterday.

Speaking in a video-message to a United Nations (UN) highlevel meeting in commemoration and promotion of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Buhari restated Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to peaceful deployment of nuclear energy.

The president, according to a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, expressed concern over the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;slow paceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; of disarming and decommissioning existing

nuclear facilities by states which possess nuclear weapons.

'We are concerned about the slow pace of progress by nuclearweapon states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals, in accordance with their legal obligations and undertakings under Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),' Buhari said.

Buhari canvassed the need for the UN to continuously engage states with nuclear weapons to speed up efforts in disarming and decommissioning their existing nuclear facilities, insisting that their total elimination remains inevitable.

'The best approach to avoid damage associated with nuclear materials such as humanitar-

ian crisis, accidents, disasters and criminality is the total elimination of nuclear weapons," he said.

According to Buhari, the universalisation of NPT depends on strict compliance with its three pillars, which he listed as disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful deployment of nuclear energy. He implored other member states to ratify the treaty, noting that Nigeria had played major roles in different negotiations which he said heralded the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty).

Pledging continuous efforts to ensure other African states abide by tenets of the pelindaba treaty, Buhari said world leaders must remain committed to global peace and security.

Senatorial Election: More Defections Rock APC in Bayelsa West The gale of defections rocking the All Progressives Congress continued yesterday as more core grassroots leaders and supporters of the APC defected to the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the Bayelsa West Senatorial bye elections scheduled for October 31, 2020.

Hundreds of APC members from Ward 6 of Sagbama Local Government Area led by Hon. Mentor Bob abandoned the APC for the PDP during a major protest rally at the Toru Orua country home of ex-Governor Seriake Dickson.

Bob and the APC members were received by the PDP

Senatorial Candidate, Dickson, a member of the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board òf Trustees, Chief Remi Kuku, the Senatorial Vice Chairman òf the party, Hon. Michael Magbisa, the member representing Sagbama Constituency in the State Assembly, Col. Bernard Kenebai, and other officials of the party. The spokesman of the group of defectors, Bob, said that the APC members were embittered by the brazen violation of the agreement on the rotation of the two National Assembly positions between Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas making up the district.

He said that it was a provoca-

tion for a member of the APC from Ekeremor to contest the Senatorial slot when it was the turn of Sagbama to produce the Senator.

He said that he and his group were angered by the fact that an Ekeremor person was nominated to contest the election when another Ekeremor man, Hon. Fred Agbedi, was already in the House òf Representatives.

He said that the decision of the APC to field a candidate from Ekeremor in violation of the wishes of the people of Sagbama and Ekeremor was disrespectful and indeed unacceptable.

safety measures.

Adamu warned that schools who fail to adhere to outlined COVID-19 safety protocol, risk closure if there is an outbreak from such institutions.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have con-

said the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approval was imminent and that construction would begin before the end of the year or in the first quarter of next year.

Amaechi said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that by next week Wednesday, if the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would add the Port HarcourtMaiduguri to the agenda for the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, then I believe that the cabinet should be able to approve the contract from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.

"The Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail starts from Bonny, with a deep seaport approved by the President already but handled by a private firm, and then a rail line from Bonny to Port Harcourt - Aba- Umuahia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Enugu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Makurdi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lafia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jos â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kafanchan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bauchi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gombe - Damaturu and

Maiduguri, with a spur from Port Harcourt to Owerri. So, what is left on that line would be Abakaliki and Awka. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where we have about two seaports or river ports in Port Harcourt, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to transport a lot of Iron Ore deposits from the North-east through the Port Harcourt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Maiduguri rail. The completion of this project, which we hope that if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start this year, it will start first quarter of next year, will move cargo, create employment, create industrial development and it will grow the economy. The same is applicable for Lagos to Calabar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail has the capacity for hundreds of millions of cargoes, but for now, the amount of cargoes that go between Port Harcourt and Maiduguri

among the students. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have come to the conclusion that we have to review our decisions. After consultation with PTF, we have resolved that our Unity Schools be opened on October 12, 2020.â&#x20AC;?

National Assembly Service Commission ConďŹ rms Ojo as Clerk Deji Elumoye Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Udora Orizu Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;

The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has confirmed appointment of Amos Olatunde Ojo as Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA).

Ojo in July, took over from the former Clerk Mohammed Sani-Omolori.

The confirmation was contained in a statement signed by Chairman of NASC, Ahmed Kadi Amshi on Friday.

The commission also confirmed 14 other management staff. Amshi in the statement said the commission had on 17th and 20th July appointed

Ojo and other management staff to their different positions on acting capacity.

He said Francis Chinedu Akubueze was also appointed as substantive Clerk of the House of Representatives with effect from 25th November 2020.

Others whose appointments were confirmed are, ''Mr. Bala Yabani Mohammed as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly; Mr. Dauda Ibrahim El-Ladan as Clerk Senate; Yusuf Asir Danbatta as Secretary to the Commission; Orunwase Felix Osaze as Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development; Ademola O. Adebanjo as

Secretary Legal Services and Ramatu Ahmad as Secretary, Research and Information.'' ''Bashir Hamza as Secretary, Health Services; Sani Magaji Tambuwal as Secretary Finance and Accounts; Aimua Ehikioya Henrieta .E. as Secretary, Special Duties; Engr. Liman Baba Sanda as Secretary, Procurement, Estate and Works; Oladoyin Suraj Abiodun as Secretary, InterParliamentary and Protocol; Iloba Isabella Ugochi, as Deputy Clerk Senate (Legislative); Navati Illia as Deputy Clerk Senate (Administration) and Danzaria Yahaya Hamidu as Deputy Clerk House of Representatives.''

Collapsed School Building: Parents Rally Support for Excel College Parents of students of Excel College, Ejigbo, have pledged their commitment to rebuilding the collapsed structure in the school soon.

Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the school, Mr. Ndubuisi Udeagu, declared the resolve by the parents to support plans by the management to ensure continuation of academic classes and a rebuilding process when approval was received from the government. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As major stakeholders, we are quite mindful of the implications of the sad development, especially coming a few days before the resumption of schools after a long break due to COVID-19 pandemic. We have no doubt in the capability of the Founders and management of the school to handle the challenges arising from the painful incident,

FG Highlights Gains of Extending Railway to Niger Republicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Border â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the end of construction, imagine the number of businesses that you can site along that area just because there is transportation. So, when you talk about timing, poverty doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have timing, unemployment is causing insecurity and banditry is a product of poverty, not just lack of education. So, you have to find an alternative for those who participate in banditry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, what we are trying to create is a source of growing the economy of Nigeria and creating opportunities for those who want to do real business, so theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to move their manufactured goods and reduce the cost of production around that area.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we are trying to do. So, timing wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be an issue."

For the Port HarcourtMaiduguri rail line, Amaechi

sulted widely with all stakeholders in the education sector.

Our eyes and ears are opened to the international media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad to report that there has not been any single case of COVID-19 in all Unity Schools. No single fatality

especially in ensuring continuity of the Excel College unparalleled and enviable academic and moral standards,â&#x20AC;? he said.

During a meeting of Excel College management and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) recently, parents rallied financial and material support towards rebuilding the school. Mr. Udeagu, said: "The school is putting in the right efforts to make sure that the interests of the management and parents are protected. The Lagos State Government responded quickly and we are looking up to them for direction on the next thing to do. We know they are going to do the right thing for the sake of the students especially at this crucial time because some of them are writing their final exams and some are writing promotional exams to senior class. So, we expect the Lagos

is about 11 million tons, from the study that we did. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are still talking with the Ministry of Finance on the funding of Lagos to Calabar.

This line starts from Lagos

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ore to Benin, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a spur in Benin that goes to Agbor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Asaba â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Onitsha, then it continues from Benin - Warri â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Yenegoa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Port Harcourt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Aba â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Uyo to Calabar,â&#x20AC;? he said.

WiN Charges Female Students on STEM Education

King Akan Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;

In a bid to promote gender equality and increase the interest of young female students in nuclear energy and radiation applications, Women in Nuclear Nigeria, a worldwide network of female professionals working in various fields of nuclear energy and radiation applications, held its inaugural launch recently at Rockview Hotel (Classic), Abuja and online on the zoom application.

The event which was

themed 'Advancing the Role of Women in Nuclear Energy and Radiation Applications' ushered in the Nigerian chapter of Women in Nuclear Global.

In her welcome address, the interim President of WiN Nigeria, Chigoziri Oge Nwakanma, stressed that "the platform will encourage young girls to take up courses in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) that will in turn lead to careers in nuclear energy and radiation application."

State Government to hasten their investigation and tell us the next thing that we must do."

Louis-Oga Stella, a parent said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My kids used to be in other schools but I brought them here and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the impact on them.

Excel College built confidence in kids and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to worry about them academically. "I wish I could single-handedly rebuild the structure and collect my money later. I strongly feel the government should come in and help and also the banks can help.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

16

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢T H I S D AY 7

Plus Tinuade Adejuyigbe Sexual Abstinence, an Essential Part of My Position as Regent

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

PLUS

Sexual Abstinence, an Essential Part of My Position as Regent Shuttling between lecture room and palace, the Regent of Iboropa-Akoko in Ondo State, Tinuade Babalola Adejuyigbe, never dragged one role for another. That was during her days at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.

The regent, who assumed the position at age 16, exudes a rare maturity that beats her age, matched by an illuminating brilliance and class. At 21, she may be the youngest regent in Nigeria, but Tinuade has recorded indelible marks for her town, Iboropa-Akoko and has been rated high for her impressive conduct. But beyond her ‘now’ is a higher feat she savours. She tells Omolabake Fasogbon her tall dreams and challenges as a regent, how she manages advances from the opposite sex despite being celibate and much more

hat she is a young female regent has always left many in awe. Last year, the news of her passing out after the completion of her National Youth Service Corps, NYSC trended on the social media for a long time. Few years ago, she never imagined she would play her present role of a regent not to talk of granting an interview like this. This is not only because she never had the premonition of her father’s death but also because she is not the first child.

She says, “My father, late HRM Oba Ayowole Adejuyigbe Babalola, died in his prime at the age of 57, his death shocked everyone. While I was still struggling to put myself together over the loss of my father, whom I admire greatly, I was made to sit on the vacant stool for about two weeks after he passed on. Having to take up his responsibilities and fill up his shoes, on the other hand was something I couldn’t comprehend at the age of 16. All through the rites of passage, I was in shock and I could not decipher how I felt when I was chosen”.

But she said her sister, whom many thought would assume the position after her father’s demise, made the role unambiguous for her: “My elder sister and the rest of my siblings have been of great help. While I was trying so Adejuyigbe

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

19

PLUS

Men Still Make Sexual Advances at me, but… hard to adjust to this life, she (my sister) was there rendering all the help she could to make sure that things go well. When things were difficult, she stood up for me to make sure I was comfortable.

Right now, I’m just grateful to her and the rest of my siblings as well as my mother. They’ve all been super supportive, I can’t imagine a life without any of them; they are everything to me.”

As an undergraduate, eyeing a career outside the palace, the responsibilities to watch the throne and pursue a degree got her pondering, but it wasn’t too long before she crossed this bridge.

She speaks of how she manages it thus: “Shortly before my father’s demise, I got admission into the university to study Public Administration; in fact, he went to the bank to pay my acceptance fee just a day before he died.

But then, I was able to adapt so quick. I was able to concentrate on my studies because my chiefs were there; they ensured that I settled in nicely as they handled most of the affairs of the community under my supervision”.

How about mingling with costudents and relating with lecturers even with a royal crown on the head? She said: “The relationship I had with my lecturers was quite simple and cordial, they all knew who I was and I also made sure that I was in every class. I did all my assignments and showed up for all my tests.

To the best of my knowledge, I did not take undue advantage of my position. I showered respect on every one of them and they showed me utmost respect and regard”. Even while observing NYSC camp in Minna, Niger State, she recalls that she was simply an NYSC member that she was meant to be: “Although NYSC officials were aware of my status, my fellow NYSC members didn’t know my real identity because I blended so well and I did everything all NYSC members did with the exception of domestic work though.”

Royalty, they say, is an honour and responsibility. As a responsibility, the delectable monarch strives to be diligent despite some challenges. These distractions she says, come by way of discrimination and finance, amongst others.

Sounding rather low: “Sociocultural norms and morality are binding on me because I am female. So I am usually careful about my actions, because people are always watching and ready to criticise every move I make.

People are judgmental towards female leaders. A female regent is an interim king. In places where you have male regents, they can contest for permanent rulership and get selected. Not for female!

More so, female regents are celibate, the men are not. I face a lot of discrimination from men I must confess. Most men make sexual advances at me well aware of the do’s and don’ts of my position.

“It’s sad that the society does not take women seriously, and we are always at a disadvantaged

position in our homes, workplaces and even in the society. y Men are usually egoistic, not that they y are totally misogynistic but some of them feel intimidated d when they see women in power. r. Truth be told, the position is ridiculed. I recall when I was in school too, people usually addressed essed me as a traditionalist, like I am a member of a traditional cult”..

In responding to male advances, she says, “Boys will be boys, y royalty or not. I just bluntly y refuse their advancess without stepping on toes.”

Tinuade also feels governg ment can do better with regard to monarch welfare.

“Please let it be known wn that government should ould also consider regents’ s’ welfare as regents are re only being paid pea-nuts by states governnment. Moreover, we don’t get any speciall treatment from government despite the fact that we perform same functions as Kings.”

Asked how she manages to survive in spite of this, the regent opens up: “I receive a monthly stipend of about N40,000 from the government. Apart from this, I receive help from those who are willing to help and I also practice farming”.

Royalty also comes with a lot of sacrifice. For the Ondo regent, apart from sexual abstinence, she can no longer eat at public places like restaurants, parties and all: “My head has to be covered all the time; I can’t put on female clothes such as skirts, gowns, and blouse, wrappers etc. I can’t go out alone either.

Outside these are other etiquettes that I must uphold.”

Other than these ur exceptions, the honour alty that comes with royalty is pleasant and desir-he able. The fact that she nt in is the youngest regent ble to Nigeria and being able ly y by y impact lives positively that position is one feat she y and of will relish till eternity course, she did not hide the fact that regency has made her g Yet, she know more than her age. yg greatest desires much more.” My uper p wealthy y dream is not being super cting g people’s p p or famous, but impacting people p could lives positively, that p vely y by y my y be influenced positively g I say y principles, not by thee things m but by y what or by who I say I am p I do. I have a lot of expectations ll have many and aspirations. I still

grounds to cover”.

Although g a regent, g she equally q y has her casual fe-

tishh es that she does not forgo

any time she retreats into her shell.

“Cooking g relaxes me and I try y as much as I can to try y out new recipes p every y now and then.

I love to cook. Again, g I love to p play y chess and listen to g good music.

I also love to read in my y private p corner”, she says.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

20

SHOWBIZFLAIR Kunle Afolayan

How Nollywood Babes Make their Money Kunle Afolayan, is a film producer, director and actor. He is one of the sons of the late famous theatre and film director cum producer, Ade Love. Kunle has produced and directed popular films like Irapada, The Figurine, Phone Swap, October 1, Roti, Omugwo, The Tribunal, The CEO , Mokalik and The Citation. He shares his thoughts on a number of industry-related issues with Festus Akanbi. Excerpts:

S

ometimes in April 6, 2015, you raised your voice against the issue of piracy. Of course, it became controversial.

What is the situation now?

Well, nothing much has changed. What has only changed is the fact that we have alternative distribution channels, which is the online streaming. It seems to be killing DVD. The piracy online is even worse than the one perpetrated through the DVD. However, the likes of streaming companies like Netflix, to a large extent, have come to rescue film makers.

This is because before now, if a film was made, you only had just three distribution channels.

These included the Cinema. If your film is a cinema standard, you can explore that window and then you have African Magic or terrestrial television, and then you could go on to DVD. Right now, the television or terrestrial TV and even African Magic don’t seem to be taking a lot of contents. What this means is that not much revenue is coming from that window, same with the cinemas, of course, because of Covid-19 and all of that.

So how do film makers make their money?

Well, you can make some money through cinemas, but once you are out of cinemas, what do you do with the film? But with streaming, if you go on Netflix now, you will see more than 100 Nigerian contents there. Some of these films are acquired just to stream them in Africa and maybe in the UK, and some of them are acquired for global views. Recently, Netflix released a press statement, announcing that it has just acquired some new films which are being shown. I mean which are acquired as Netflix original. And if the film is Netflix original, it means it is showing globally, it means it is going to be subtitled in like 50 something languages.

Interestingly, the pirates still get to copy these films from those platforms and then they put it on YouTube and in some of their own personal websites. I believe it is up to filmmakers to find a way to bring those links down, if they can. It’s tough because it is distributed among several links. So, it’s difficult to completely eliminate piracy, but if you are really monetising your film legitimately and you think you have covered a chunk of your revenue, at least you’ll be a bit relaxed, that all you labour is not lost.

What is your assessment of the film industry in Nigeria today? Will you say they are reflective of the current situation in the land?

I can’t speak for other people, but for me, I’m always conscious of shooting films that have substance. And when I say substance, it must reflect who we are. It must talk about social issues. Yes, entertainment is key but there are other values; it must be educative, informative, and that is why I have my own followers who are die-hard fans. And they do that because these are things they want to keep in the archives and also to show their children.

These are not films they watch once and forget easily. They always want to go back to those

Kunle K l Af Afolayan l

films.And I have seen a couple of people like my mentor, Tunde Kelani, whose films are mostly satires. He seems to follow the same kind of trend and there are few other people like that.

There are few other people who rather would cover the glamour and the development aspect of the country, showing the rich, showing all of those things. So, there is nothing bad in having different flavours but for us, substance is key.

Some critics believe some Nigerian film makers find it difficult to criticise governments in their works because some actors have pitched their tents with politicians, with many of them serving as aides. How correct is this?

Well, I wouldn’t really say yes because even in America, you get to see a lot of people come out and support political parties and presidential aspirants and we have some people who will come out and criticise them. Whether they get paid for it or whether they get remunerated for what they do or for lending their voice, I don’t know and really, I don’t care. But around here, it’s the same. We have some people, who will stand for something and we also have some people who will do it for money because, of course, I wouldn’t say there is hunger in the land but I will say that fingers are not equal.

People have needs and they have their plan on how to make ends meet. Musicians also do it. People in the art space are influential.

So, whether they get paid for that or not is not really the thing. If politicians are going to them,

it is because they know that they have voice.

What is your take on the view that it’s only the female actors that are breaking even as the number of big girls flaunting their exotic cars and expensive mansions on social media keep rising? What is happening to the men?

Nothing happened to the men. I think a lot of the females in industry are also entrepreneurs.

If you go to their pages or blogs, it’s either they are selling jewelry or they are selling clothing.

Does the revenue from those clothing amount to owning a house? I don’t know, but different people have different ways of structuring deals.

For example, some of them are ambassadors to some of these real estates agents. They can do a deal and say okay be our ambassador for five years, this house is N40 million, okay we will give you part cash, part barter and so there are different ways to strike a deal and the male actors like AY and all of those guys are doing well.

The period of lockdown created different scenarios to different people. How did you organise yourself during this period?

It is true that we all went through the lockdown phase and all of that, but it was a busy period for us because, number one, the Covid-19 lockdown started just as we finished shooting our latest film, The Citation. After shooting, the next stage was post-production and this required staying in the studio to do the work. So that sort of fits

into our next line of action. Asides The Citation, we were renovating our new Hub, ‘the KAH’, The Kunle Afolayan Hub, when the lockdown started. We were renovating at that time. So, it also gave us a bit of time, for our people to work and get ready for post-Covid-19 dispensation.

But most importantly, it gave me that time to really sit back and plan future projects. I was able to read a lot of books because I was looking at doing some book adaptations. And that really gave me enough time to read series of books from different genres. I watched a lot of films from different genres. So, it was as if I was re-energised and it also has given me the time to reflect and spend time with my family. So, I would say, to a large extent, 60 percent of the lockdown period was a sort of advantage for me.

Can you shed more light on the Kunle Afolayan Hub you talked about?

KAH is going to be a one stop place for creative people, not just film people, because within the hub, we are having a film and television academy and that is called KAH Film and Television Academy. We already have a studio, a sound studio and an editing studio. We’re going to have a sound stage, where people can come in and then create sets, do video shoot and photo shoot.

We are going to have a 120-seater cinema within the hub, I mean within the same space. And we are also going to have a bar and a restaurant where people can come in, sit, relax and eat.

We are going to be doing live band. So, it’s a

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

21

SHOWBIZFLAIR How Nollywood Babes Make their Money cultural centre pretty much. And there will be a shop for arts and crafts and all of that.

them are not university graduates. But quite a number of them earn as much as N1 million on a project, a project of four weeks. So that is why learning crafts is one of the things I’m doing for my children now. If you have the talent to be an actor and then you find yourself in a space where production is going on, nothing should stop you from saying I want to intern in costume department, oh , I want to intern in makeup department, I want to intern in camera department, because this has happened a lot of times. There are a lot of people who are into costumes but when you want to do a production you realise that they can double as a makeup artist, so it means they can actually earn from two ends, so they are not stuck. There are a lot of people who are gaffers. Gaffers are the people who handle the lights but they also fit in when they come to GRIP department. So, what I would say to people especially people who are trying to learn film making is to learn as much or as many of the departments as they can. Because when the opportunity opens you just realise that oh, you can actually fit in here or you can fit in there. You must equip yourself with enough knowledge and then there’s also the business side to film making. These are all the things we are going to be teaching in KAH film school.

It’s natural to ask for the source of funding for this gigantic project. Who is bankrolling you?

Well, we actually accessed loans. We accessed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) Creative Industry Loan, which we got through Access Bank Plc and we have completed the first phase because the loan was only able to take us through the first phase. It was for the renovation of the building that occupies the production side, Golden Effects, which is the equipment side. Then part of the film school will have the space downstairs. Now the next phase that is being constructed is the CinemaKAH’ Cinema, restaurant and bar and then a studio where people can come and shoot and all of that. So that is in the works now. Well, if we have enough funds, we are hoping that by December, the whole hub should have been completed.

How much was the loan?

I will not like to disclose that.

What motivated you to begin acquiring old cars?

I’m a collector of vintage cars. I have like four of these vintage cars and I started that when we did October 1 and it was because it was so difficult getting cars that were in vogue in the 1960s or of 1950s. Of course, we were able to pull it off. If you go to South Africa and you want to shoot a film that was set in 1920, the cars are there. If you go to Europe you will get what you need but in Nigeria, we don’t have such opportunity even if you go to the museum, hardly will you see such cars. So, I just told myself, if I believe I’m going to be in this space for a while, I needed to do something, and to me, these are not personal collections.

It’s because of work. Now, I’m working on a project that is set in 1986. I know all these my cars can actually fit in and then I’m going to actually need about 50 more because we need to create Lagos Island in 1986. So, when I’m working, those are the things in my head. I realise that there are other passionate people who have similar passion for these old cars, so I joined two clubs of vintage car owners.

This makes it easy for me to go to our groups and tell them I need some of these vintage cars and in that way, we can make an amazing film, you know, it all started when we did October 1.

When should your fans be expecting another blockbuster movie, like The Figurine that won more than 5 major awards in the African Movie Academy?

Well, October 1 won more awards even at AMVCA and the rest of them but I think The Citation is in that category. Again, sometimes, it’s up to the film maker to decide how you want to position your film. You can make a film and say, look I’m not submitting for festivals or I’m not submitting for awards. It’s your film and then you can make some films and then there will be some sort of restrictions after selling it to platforms. A lot of people don’t understand these things. So, The Citation has been acquired

by Netflix and it is going to go to Netflix in November. It means that we may not be able to submit it for anything that is happening this year, maybe until next year. And if you don’t submit a film at a particular time, you probably have lost out. We are working on several other films.

We have another film set in the 18th century.

So we will keep working.

When should we expect The Citation to hit the Nigerian cinema?

Well, we are not taking it to the cinema, but we have started doing private screening.

However, it’s going on Netflix exclusive on the 6th of November.

Kunle Afolayan

Nigeria has just entered another round of recession. Do you have any fear that the development may affect patronage of the entertainment offerings?

When they say there is recession, what comes to mind is there has always been recession. So, I don’t know why they are saying we just entered recession. The recession had always been there.

And we have always managed, we have always coped. I just hope that we get out of it in time if there is anything like recession at all. I believe since I was born in this country, there has always been austerity and recession.

You once worked in the banking industry.

Has there been a reason to regret dumping the banking job for the entertainment industry?

It is impossible. But it was such a good start because that has helped in structuring the business side of what we do today. If I was only wearing the cap the likes of my father were wearing, you know, most of them died broke because they were in that industry for fame and the money came and went. When they released a film, they made money, before they made another film, the were broke. There wasn’t a proper structure that helped sustainability and that really affected my father before he died and I saw that in a lot of his contemporaries as well. Yes, I worked in a bank but this has helped me a lot in my career in the film industry. My relationship with a lot of experts in the industry - from public relations, marketing and brand - have really helped in shaping the proper entertainment company I have today.

Entertainers are known to surrounded by a bevy of women. Are you going for a second wife?

If you look at the economy, that is not happening these days. In the past, the environment,

society and culture permitted actors to marry many wives. A lot has changed. It does not mean that if you want to, anybody will kill you. It’s your prerogative but there are some factors you will have to consider. I think I’m more well to do than my father when he was my age, but if you look at the economy and then you put it on a scale, the children and the school they attend now is all private and expensive. It’s just not worth it. But if God says you will do it, nothing can stop it.

There used to be collaboration between Nigerian and Ghanaian movie industry operators. Is it still in existence?

I think they still do it but it’s not like in the past.

Like I said, a lot of those films, those straight DVD films are dying because people are now watching films on their phones. So, a lot of people are not buying DVDs anymore and then if you want to get to the scale where you can have your film on Netflix or on YouTube, the production quality has to be better. In The Citation, we have one Ghanaian actor. At least, I have worked with a few of them but I don’t use them except the story allows it. The Citation is set in the university and since we have lot of Nigerian students in Ghana and a lot of Ghanaian students in Nigeria, it was natural to have a Ghanaian actor.

What is your message to Nigerian students who wants to take acting as a career?

I always say if you are opportune to attend a university and, maybe you studied creative arts, performing arts, theatre arts and dramatic arts, don’t limit your focus to just one line. In this field, especially on the technical side, some of the crew members that work for us do so at the GRIP department. The GRIP handles the crane, the track and all these things. A lot of

There wasn’t a proper structure that helped sustainability and that really affected my father before he died and I saw that in a lot of his contemporaries as well

If you say the era of film marketers is gone, it means film makers will no longer blame marketers for the poor quality of their films anymore. Is this what you are saying?

Now, most of them have moved to YouTube.

In fact, it’s as if every marketer in Idumota now has a channel on YouTube. Now they do digital distribution, that is one platform. Of course, you can also make money and it is open to everybody. If you are a fan of so-so film, you know where to go to. You will, maybe, go to YouTube or go to HBO or you go to iTunes and Amazon.

What are your plans to assist old actors, with many of them living in penury?

The thing is, I have feelings for their set. There is a film on Netflix, The Bridge. It was produced

by Lasu Re but I directed it. Though we both worked on it and in that film, I decided that I was going to bring back almost all of them, so we had Baba Eda, Jimo Aliyu, Olowomojuore, Iya Awero, Oga Bello and many of them like that. I’m doing this because these guys don’t have retirement benefits and in fact, they are not supposed to even retire because they are actors. So, as long as they are fit and their sight is good, why not.?There is a film we are working on, it’s going to be like Oyo Empire setting in the 18th century. So imagine you want to do that kind of a film and Aderupoko will not be there, it is impossible. The likes of Baba Eda and Baba Wande, a lot of them will naturally fit in. For me, I always like to get a blend of the old generation, the set after them, our own generation and the ones coming behind us.

Do you feature in other people’s films especially your siblings who are also into film business?

I don’t mind featuring in people’s films. If they call me, why not? I will go. But the thing is, my brother Gabriel Afolayan is not a producer.

It’s not like he has produced, but I’ve worked with him on a couple of things not even just one thing. I did one film with Moji, my sister one time. The thing is, logically it is wrong.

Like if I’m acting in a film and then you now bring any of them to act, they will act as my brother or my sister. They can’t act any other role because it waters down the film. It is not even professionally logical but there is nothing stopping me from acting in their films. I mean, everybody is grown. So if anybody is doing anything and requires support, we support one another.

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Colours and Sounds of Niniola

Singer/songwriter, Niniola is super excited about her new body of work as she takes listeners on a tour of Africa’s ever-evolving dance music landscape with her dynamic sophomore album, “Colours and Sounds”. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

N

igeria’s Queen of Afro-house music, Niniola (Niniola Apata) has released her sophomore album titled “Colours and Sounds”. The singer, songwriter and performer on this album included her collaborations with legendary afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti and American record producer and rapper, Timberland. Colours and Sounds is follow-up to her 2017 record ‘This is Me’, which produced the hit song, ‘Maradona’. The new 13-track album (plus two extras) features Afrobeat stars Nonso Amadi, Kenyan Afro-Pop band Sauti Sol, South African singersongwriter Busiswa, British DJ and singer Afro B, and Sarz.

Released yesterday through her own Drumroll Records imprint and Naija Review, songs on the album includes: Night & Day ft. Nonso Amadi; Innocent (Fagbo); So Serious ft. Sauti Sol; Addicted; Look Like Me; Boda Sodiq; Oh Sharp ft. Busiswa; Skit ft. Timbaland; Fire ft. Timbaland; My Body ft. Afro B; Fantasy ft. Femi Kuti; Designer ft. Sarz; Omo Rapala; Bana; Addicted (Extended Version). The album lead single Addicted, is believed to possess the potential to be a crossover hit like her earlier song, Maradona. Addicted is all about love and lost, which was inspired by his late father… For Niniola, it’s very personal and a very lovely one.

“I love the song so much because when I heard the beat, it was produced

by Sarz on the beat…And the first emotion that came to mind was that of love and lost. So, I started singing about my late father (God bless his soul). He (late Brigadier-General S.O. Apata) was an educationist and philanthropist. He was just a very good man. And I started singing about how he was assassinated and all of that.

And I just paused and I’m like ‘no, no I shouldn’t be doing that on this song’. And what I just did was I took that emotion and I just made it very

Niniola’s album cover

relatable,” she said.

Niniola is super excited about her new body of work. Why ‘Colours and Sounds’? She explains. “My music is being listened to by different people of colour, of race and different sexuality.

And sound, different genre will be represented on the album and also

because my music is very vibrant, I just wanted that title to depict that…

Of course I have worked with some very interesting collaboration on the album.” The album joins a long list of releases in the second half of 2020 including Davido, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Wizkid, Cuppy, Peru-

zzi, Sound Sultan and more.

Producers include music icon and Verzuz co-founder, Timbaland; Niniola’s long-time collaborator Sarz and fellow Nigerian beatmakers Kel-P and Nonso Amadi; Jamaica’s Teflon Zincfence; and South Africa’s Shuffle Muzik.

British Afrowave boss, Afro B adds his voice to ‘My Body,’ while South Africa’s Busiswa brings flavor to the hypnotic ‘Oh Sharp.’ Nigerian music icon Femi Kuti, son of the great Fela, brings his distinctive sax tones on the Afrobeat-inspired ‘Fantasy,’ and Kenyan trio Sauti Sol bring a mix of reggae and afropop vibes to the sunny, Kel P-produced ‘So Serious.’

While the musical flavors are many, Niniola’s performance is singular as she brings her A-game to each of the album’s 13 tracks. Her root genre (sound) she describes as afro house though she tends towards other genre of music like R&B, inspirational rock, hip hop, folk and afrobeats. With this album she takes listeners on a tour of Africa’s ever-evolving dance music landscape on her dynamic sophomore album. Hailed as the “Queen of Afro House” by outlets from Rolling Stone to OkayAfrica and endorsed by the likes of Beyoncé and Drake, the Nigerian singer unites the continent and the diaspora on ‘Colours and Sounds’, incorporating influences from South Africa’s hypnotic Amapiano sound to Afro Bashment and vintage Afrobeat.

Through massive singles like Maradona and Bana and her debut standout album, “This Is Me,” the singer has taken the throne as the leading artiste pushing a blend of afro-pop and house music. She has continued that upward trend with more recent drops like Boda Sodiq and Designer. Her lyrics are lewdly coded if you listen to her exploiting the Yoruba language to sing. She subtly admits the Yoruba language makes her song’s delivery beautiful. Niniola is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most successful female musicians.

MultiChoice Talent Factory Launches ‘in Focus’ Masterclass Series Olaoluwakitan Babatunde

The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) is set to launch the In Focus Masterclass Series hosted by South Africa-based film and TV veteran Ken Kaplan! The Series comprises of prerecorded conversations now available on the MTF Portal.

The masterclass series will see Kaplan in virtual conversation with some of the most formidable creative technical professionals in Africa’s film and TV industry. Kaplan has had over 25 years’ experience in film and TV and has worked on various local and international features as a producer, director, creative executive,

and distribution, among others.

Masterclasses have been a crucial feature of the MTF shared-value initiative since its establishment in 2018, and have been held in various African countries in line with one of MultiChoice Africa’s strategy of technical and creative knowledge sharing as a means of empowering emerging and professional creatives.

“Investing in the next generation of storytellers on a technical and creative level is something that has been at the heart of the MTF initiative. We’re excited to launch MTF In Focus, a series of in-depth virtual conversations with leading filmmakers from across the continent,” says John Ugbe, Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice

Nigeria.

The first set of conversations includes Kenyan producer Appie Matere, South African editor and director Vuyani Sondlo, Nigerian director, writer and producer Akin Omotoso, South African documentary filmmaker Michael Cross and cinematographer Kabelo “KB” Thathe. Each week a new conversation with one of the creatives mentioned, will be available for viewing.

The MTF Masterclasses is an important training platform alongside the MTF Academies, a 12-month regional fully funded training programme aimed at upskilling the next generation of passionate young film creatives.

The academy is also the first touch-

point of the MTF shared-value initiative, with a one-of-a-kind curriculum that MultiChoice has tailored alongside its partner Mnet channels as well as its curriculum support partners including the Henley Business School Africa, Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, Kenyatta University in Nairobi, and the University of Zambia in Lusaka, among others.

The first conversation of In Focus Masterclass series with Kenyan producer, Appie Matere is now available on https://multichoicetalentfactory.com/ for all registered users to access. If you’re not yet registered on the portal, click here to register!

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR Mairo Ese

I Encourage People to See the Greatness of God with Music Mairo Ese, is a gospel musician and song-writer. He accepted Christ in his teenage years and discovered his passion for music, and later his calling as a worship leader. Ese is known for his eclectic blend of R&B and Soul and his interpretation and expression of music is dynamic and fresh, transforming songs into a true worship experience with the help of the Holy Spirit. Over the last 22 years, he has served in various capacities within the church - starting as a Chorister, progressing to Worship Leader, and then Music Director. He talks to Tosin Clegg about his journey into music, his style and approach towards gospel music, his new album and a lot more Growing up, childhood dreams, education and family am the first of four children - I have three siblings. My dad was a businessman and my mum an accountant working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). We were neither rich nor poor, probably closer to being poor, but we were comfortable and content. My parents taught us the value of being content and being able to share with others irrespective of how much or little we had. Growing up, our home was always open to family and strangers alike. We always had a full home and my parents were nurturers to so many people. We learnt to share quite early. I have a good relationship with my siblings Kome, Orez and Oruaro. We lost our dad suddenly 20years ago and this brought us closer as a family. I started my university study at Delta State University, and later moved to the University of Lagos for my first degree.

My childhood dream was to go to University, graduate, get a 9-5 job and make money! I had hoped to play football professionally as well and I’m an Arsenal fan.

I

Journey into music My journey into music started when I gave my life to Christ as a teenager. At the time, I didn’t know I would go into it full time, however, I discovered my love for singing in Secondary School. After Secondary School, I joined the worship team at my church at the time (Redeemed Christian Church of God). At University, I was part of the Sovereign Army Student Fellowship Choir and we also had a group of friends form a worship team called Euphoria. We loved God and we poured our hearts in worship. I met some amazing people there who have become life-long friends. It’s also important to mention that by God’s grace, many of them have gone on to do amazing work in ministry, in business, in media and entertainment. Towards the end of my time at University, I joined This Present House in Lekki and became a member of the worship team.

I had to go for my National Youth Service (NYSC) in Kaduna for one year and while there, I attended the House on the Rock church in Jos and served in the choir too. Coming back to Lagos after my National Youth Service year, I was approached and offered a full time position as Worship Leader at This Present House and that’s how I found myself working full time for God in ministry. I worked here for a few years, where I experienced immense growth and tutelage under Pastor Tony and Mrs Nkoyo Rapu. I resigned as a paid staff at TPH in 2014, however I have continued to serve and fellowship there as my home church.

My music is essentially praise and worship to God I am encouraging people to see the greatness and power of God with music. It is pretty much the expression of my walk with God. Gospel music is about the message of Jesus Christ.

Mairo Ese

Key elements in a good sound would be the proper expression of the music to convey the message of the song. Like I said earlier, my music conveys the experience of my walk with God which is exactly what this album is about. The title of the album is Spirit and LIfe. I was inspired by the Holy Spirit through the scripture John 6:63 ‘It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life’. So this album is full of the Spirit of God and my prayer is that it will give life to the listeners.

As with many projects and assignments, the road is not always smooth, however the end goal is what keeps one going. This album was live recorded at The Dome in Lekki with about 2000 people in attendance. I was grateful and humble to see so many people come to worship God with me and be a part of this project. It was a unique experience as recording before a live audience is quite different from the conventional mode of producing an album. Thank God it was worth it.

It was great to work with a fantastic team

of people who brought this vision to life, from the entire crew - Production to videography, the artistes who featured on this album - Nathaniel Bassey and Ese Chekwa, my amazing team - Streams of Life, Music Director Okey ‘K3yzz’ Martynz, along with Producer RotimiKeyz. It was both exciting and a lot of work and I’m grateful to God for the opportunity to birth this project and the grace to be able to share it with you. I believe that God has given each one of us unique gifting and talents and these are expressed in the work we do or produce. This is what makes the world such a beautiful place. All human, yet unique in our gifting.

Current challenges of gospel music in Nigeria and what can be done I believe the challenges cut across music in Nigeria, inclusive of all genres. One is the common enemy - Piracy. We have artistes doing their work and not getting their worth. I believe effective government policies designed to protect the rights and intellectual property

of artistes will go a long way. It’s a win-win situation as the government is also then able to generate revenue from the music industry via taxes. If music artistes thrive, they are able to pay taxes and the government benefits.

Another challenge is funding. As an artiste you want to put out quality material, however funding could pose a challenge. A solution will be for the sector to be properly structured, when this happens, it has the potential to attract more willing investors.

Artistes I admire There are many artistes I admire both home and abroad and I would be open to working with anyone with shared vision.

However, I have always desired to work with Darlene Zscech as she has had a great influence in my life as a younger worship minister. And in five years I see myself doing what God would have me do. I am desperately chasing after my Father’s heart - demonstrating His love, touching lives and making the world a better place.

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPA P PER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

POLITY

Anti-corruption War:Understanding the Malami Mindset Sunny Amadi

T

he proof of trustworthiness manifests in the alignment of ones programmes and exertions towards the collective, hence the adapting of efforts by the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami to the central theme of President Muhammadu Buhari programme and promises to the Nigerian populace to fight the cankerworm and hydraheaded monster that is corruption which has eroded every developmental effort to f the country.

The fear at the initial stage of the administration was that the President being a former impenitent military man, his temperaa ment for sticking to the rule of law which appears slow and winding would be diffi fficult and lead to trampling on rights of citizens; that the fear has either disappeared or operating in the realm of slim probability garners kudos to the chief Law offi fficer of the country.

However, when competent pilot is in the cockpit, passengers ponder less about hazards but are lost in the euphoria of the convenience of air travel; that has been replicated and the quantum leap is only faced with the deep-seated rot that is fast being replaced with steady results.

It is only under Malami, who though appears taciturn but with a compensating lion heart that no matter how hard those opposed to the anti-corruption drive push him, you are spared the sobriquet of “corruption fighting back” whereas he should be singing it loudest going by the present realities. He is a stickler to the letters and intendments of the constitution and therefore locked on the rule of law without which no decent society will find a good rhythm. fi Examples are legion and may risk exclusion of some, hence the need not to go into itemisation of the cases but all agencies of government are daily being busted by the rejigged anticorruption agencies that were hitherto docile which indicates that certain variables that were wrong and not working have been rearranged and given the performance elixir. The currency of exposures and recency of events show that when the risk of being uncovered in the wrong is potent, it deters willingness to take the risk of graft. The only conclusion derivable from such is that there is a working template in place that seems to be effecc tive in handling the Nigerian anti-corruption failures of the past.

The school feeding programme during lockdown where N2.67 billion has been traced to private accounts and another N2.5 billion found in a deceased Ministry of Agriculture staff

Malami account are pointers that though the situation had appeared hopeless, there are glimmers of light in new approaches that expose graft in real time. If it were in previous times, appointees and offi fficials of regimes are protected even in graft than expose them. But now, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) are the ones that busted the latest. They traced the feeding programmes money into individual accounts and unlike with some agencies that would have started shouting from rooftops on sensing any semblance of graft or at best, commence trial through the press and in the process, make way for “settlement” or outright extortion, the Commission was quiet about it until all facts were in the bag.

To those who feel their travails starts and ends with Malami, there is need for them to have a rethink as most recent attempts to draw him into the mire of the compromised keep hitting the rocks. To them, they are learning, albeit lately and through the hard way that providence always smiles on the pure-hearted whose utilitarian approach end up benefitting fi the larger number in the society, especially the vulnerable.

The current feat of saving Nigeria the $9 billion asset seizure move by the Process and Industrial Development Limited

(P&ID) is reference case in point where the insistence on cutting the drain pipe through which the country has been bleeding shows that Malami is not a deals man like most people turn their public positions to be. He fi first started by ensuring that through court processes, he stopped the heist.

To many, Nigeria just got a legal team that worked to stop the fraudulent transaction but unknown to many, Malami went on a thorough groundwork to get the best lawyer whose team studied both the case and antecedents of those to decide on the matter where it was discovered that the judge was very averse to anything graft. Then the legal team went through the processes laboriously, bringing to the fore, operational standards of the company which had already been cited in other graft cases.

With that, the integrity of the company came under serious question which when it was through hard evidence, shown to the judge that the company had integrity challenge; the case became a one-way traffi ffic kind of process. Since then, through the Malami system approach, a fi fine of $1.5 million in favour of Nigeria had been handed to P&ID while the $200 million bond requested for the arbitral appeal to stay the execution of the processes to frisk Nigeria of the $9 billion has been released.

How much he saved for the country and its assets is better imagined than quantifi ified whereas if he chose to help himself as most public offi fficer are wont, he would have been offered enough and seamlessly have compromised the entire process, This of course is no longer a case of one claiming to fight corruption but seen to be se doing with very tangible results.

On the local scene, the most frequent information and misinn formation has been with the ongoing Justice Ayo Salami panel probing former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman of graft. Initially, with the enthusiasm of a man committed to seeing the anti-corruption fight to a logical end with results, Malami had expressed willingness and desire to testify and prove his allegations.

While Malami wanted and was prepared to appear before the Salami panel with facts and figures, it was drawn to his notice that EFCC was a Commission under his offi ffice and that certain constiitutional and civil service rules dictated that he not appear as that would run against the order. After a careful study and exchange of ideas with other constitutional lawyers, he was convinced that all what those who were insistent on his appearance wanted was for him to take a wrong step. He denied them such pleasure of falling into their trap and upheld the constitutional provisions on such.

––Sunny – Amadi wrote from Port Harcourt Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

President Buhari, Gambari Signpost New Direction Adewale Adeeyo

A

As Nigeria marks her 60th Independence Anniversary, a signifi ificant part of the disscourse will centre on national development, President Muhammadu Buhari himself, and to some extent, his team. It has been some five tumultuous years since the President fi assumed offi ffice at a time of huge but unmet expectations. For those fi five years, there has been no consensus on how steadily and progressively the government has steered the ship of state. There have been controversies about the representativeness and effectiveness of the cabinet, and there have been animated discussions about the patriotism of the President’s kitchen cabinet. Also, there has been a greater and even more intense controversy about the direction of the Buhari Presidency itself, with the late Mr Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, a central focus.

It was in the midst of the search for regime clarity and unresolved questions about who or what constitutes the fulcrum of the administration that the then serving CoS passed away.

As CoS, Abba Kyari, had assumed a central role in the administration and indeed became its lightning rod. The President was thought to be very distant from the hurting populace, even somewhat ineffective, aloof and uninformed, and had in the general supposition of the public abdicated his responsibilities to the late Mr Kyari. Soon after the adminn istration assumed offi f ce in 2015, the economy stirred, and never was fully grounded nor stable, in the first place. But it had hastily hurtled itself into d depths of a harsh recession.

President Buhari, naturally, was who was blamed. While the cabinet was not promptly constituted in the first instance, and never quite met the radical expectations of the public, a much larger problem of laxity and confusion enveloped the nation and cast doubt about the cohesion and readiness of the administration to govern about 200 Million very energetic and boisterous peoples.

In short, it took a few years before the ship of state steadied, and even then it always seemed poised to keel over due to widespread animosities and internal struggles for influence within the administration and among appointees. Whatever progress was made, it arrived against the backdrop of these fierce and weird struggles, most of the time, and all motions always seemed worrisomely tentative.

After a while, the economy began to grow again, but it never seemed too far away from slipping back into reces-

sion. Railway lines were being constructed, but there was no consensus whether this was not at a dispiriting cost in external loans. Roads and bridges, long neglected by previous administrations, were also being built. But there were misgivings about their costs and geopolitical representativeness. The administration functioned as a modern government, but the internecine battles between functionaries gave it away as less cohesive and effective than it seemed or was desired.

While these demons and many other militating factors that plagued the administration have not been fully propitiated, new appointments in the past few months have appeared to mollify the centrifugal forces neutralising growth, stability and progress. Improvements have been slow and sometimes desultory, but at least there is evident and positive change of direction. The heat and tensions of the past few years seem slowly to be giving way to tentative cohesion and administrative effectiveness. There was, of course, nothing inevitable about this change of direction. Indeed, everything seemed to be entirely fortuitous, particularly with the choice of, and appointment of a new CoS whose training and temperament are markedly different from his predecessor’s. Our Mr President chose well.

A little less than a month after the passing of Mr. Kyari in April, the President appointed, as CoS, Ibrahim Gambari, a Professor of International Relations, outstanding scholar and long-standing diplomat with grit and gravitas plus global reputation. Like his predecessor, the new presidential gatekeeper had announced to a nation wary of the unaccustomed powers now inherent in that important offi f ce that he would be proudly loyal to the President and would work from the background, probably often seen but seldom heard.

He would be the engine room, as well as the brain box, of the Presidency like like his predecessor, he clearly and matter-offactly, stated.

But earlier in April, close aides and friends of the President who were mortified by the passing of Mr Kyari had indeed publicly wondered whether the late CoS had not left behind large shoes no one could step into. They tremulously sugg gested that the late CoS had redefined fi that offfice, made it idiosyncratic to himself, and set the bar inordinately high, all but suggesting that he had set a benchmark which no one, let alone a mortal, could aspire to, ever.

Though it is too early to conclude, so far, all that puffi ffing and grandstanding, translated to nothing, and Prof Gambari has hit the ground running in probably the most unobtrusive and confident manner imaginable. He gives the wholesome impression that he understands the pitfalls of the offi f ce, the

snares that had made many Nigerians, including supporters of the President, fearful of the superfluous aggregation of power into that offi f ce to the point of seeming to be subversive of the constitution. Consequently, Gambari has worked very smartly to reassure both the Presidency and the public that as a systems man, he understands the role of the CoS, and will do his best to play d power game very effectively, and without causing offence; except for d ruination of any cluster of rude malcontents. Not being a politician, nor at the advanced age of 75, would the latest CoS, be eyeing or aiming for a higher offi f ce. He thus preferred working behind the scene to streamm line the operations of the Presidency, reconcile warring and sometimes egotistic appointees, as he now stringently control the tightened access to the President on a need-to basis. There is still much work to be done, but at least a fair and profitable beginning has been achieved.

Without any doubt, the new CoS is a stern and consummate diplomat, as well as a sharp and severe academic. He recogg nises that in the past fi five years of the Buhari Administration, many power centres had become inextricably interwoven with the highest offi f ce in the land, some of those power centres so implacable that it is pointless attempting to disentangle them from the seat of power. He has left these competing power centres alone, so that they may sleep into comatose mode or gestate into meaningless nothing, with him knowing for sure that any threat to their existence could be met with such fierce, fratricidal response that would ensnare, stultify and slow down the Presidency. He recognises that if the President, whom he swore to serve loyally and with utmost vigour, were to be left alone, and fortified with freedom, to fulfil his electoral promm ises, internal conflicts and competitions for influence must be considerably minimised, and indeed rigorously subdued. To a large extent, this arduous goal has been achieved in a matter of months.

In his second term, quite fortuitously, President Buhari is, therefore, moving more steadily and more rapidly to fulfil his objectives.

To be sure, and in a more nuanced way, the President has now appeared to have a better grip on his Presidency, and may now indulge in the thrills of the expert choreography that the d preppy diplomacy of his CoS had used to adorn, and also furr ther enhance the already enormous powers of the Presidency.

–– ––– – Adewale Adeeyo, y OON, is the Chairman, Federal Mortgage g g Bank off Nigeria g and Member, Governing Council, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

POLITY

Kano: What Sets the Ganduje Administration Apart Salihu Tanko Yakasai

R

ecently, the ever-drowning opposition elements in Kano State have made a last-ditch attempt to cast aspersion against the administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, with respect to the decision of the state government to resuscitate some non- or under-performing public assets through public private partnership arrangement with some willing investors that have shown their readiness and commitment to turn around such assets for the mutual benefits of the parties involved.

These non- or under-performing assets include Daula Hotel, Triumph Publishing Company Nigeria Limited rendered comatose by the Kwankwaso administration but revived by the present administration, Tiga Rock Castle Hotel and the abandoned structurally defective Shahuchi multi-floor car park awarded by the Kwankwaso administration during its second term between 2011 and 2015. This poorly executed car park project had to be demolished and in its place, a modern shopping complex is being constructed under a PPP arrangement with a private investor.

In their ever-futile attempts to rubbish the sterling achievements of the Ganduje administration, the dwindling opposition elements will clutch at every straw in order to show to the gullible that they are still relevant in the politics of the most populous state in the country despite the fact that most of the founding fathers and die-hard members of the sect have now seen reality and paid allegiance to Ganduje, having been convinced of his vision and mission to move the state forward in addition to his political acumen, foresight and dexterity.

These prominent politicians that have returned to APC include the former Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, the former Secretary to the State Government, Engr. Rabi’u Suleiman Bichi, the former APC National Treasurer, Alhaji Bala Muhammad Gwagwarwa, the former governorship candidate under the platform of PRP, Alhaji Salihu Sagir Takai and many others that have been attracted by the laudable achievements of Ganduje and his amiable disposition, humbleness and open-heartedness to carry all along.

As is their characteristic penchant for spreading rumours, these elements were in the air alleging that the Ganduje administration has started selling these public assets to private individuals or entities which is far from the truth. What really transpired is that some private investors recently made presentations during the State Executive Council meetings on their respective proposals to develop these properties so that they will be put into good use with immense benefits such as revenue generation, job creation, etc.

For example, Triumph Publishing Company Nigeria Ltd premises will be converted into a modern bureau de change market in order to bring the scattered operators of bureaus de change at Wapa, Fagge under one secured environment with modern facilities while Daula Hotel will be developed into a modern housing estate. In the case of Tiga Rock Castle Hotel, which is now completely unutilized and in a deplorable condition, the facility will be re-developed by a private investor to serve as a tourist destination and recreational/sporting arena.

Contrary to the rumours being peddled by the few remaining opposition elements, the state government has not yet given the go-ahead to the private investors to develop Triumph Publishing Company Nigeria Ltd, Daula Hotel and Tiga Rock Castle Hotel because the proposals have to be critically scrutinized and assessed by the relevant agencies before a decision is finally reached by the government because his Excellency, Gov. Ganduje has repeatedly stated his aversion to bequeathing poorly executed or abandoned project to the incoming administration in 2023.

What distinguishes the present administration from others is that Ganduje has a vision and mission to transform Kano into a modern mega city with state-of-the art amenities that can compete with its peers in the country. As a visionary leader, his main concern is to lay a solid foundation for the most populous state to become a paragon of development in the country in the foreseeable future as exemplified by his administration’s mission to develop the human resources of the state into an asset through the introduction of free and compulsory education policy at basic and secondary school levels and the provision of critical infrastructures in both rural and urban areas.

From the inception of the present administration on May 29, 2015, 204 new projects were initiated while 29 inherited projects were continued totaling 233 projects out of which 128 have been completed while the remaining 105 are at various levels of completion. In addition, the present administration has expressed determination to initiate additional projects like the construction of mega secondary schools and JAMB CBT centres in each of the 44 local government areas, a light rail transit system in the metropolis, among others. This is despite the dwindling revenue accruing into the state coppers and a huge monthly wage bill of about N10 billion but His Excellency is never daunted by these formidable financial challenges as he is fired by the desire to leave behind indelible legacies.

In the health sector, the Ganduje administration has come up with various policies and programmes toward ensuring a healthy citizenry that will provide the needed manpower necessary to catapult the state to the next level.

The administration has completed two gigantic hospital projects initiated by the Shekarau administration, embarked on the construction of a multi-billion Naira cancer centre which

Ganduje will be the first of its kind in the country, embarked on the construction of four mega hospitals at the four newly created emirates with a minimum of 400-bed capacity each, established the State Contributory Health Care Management Board and the Health Care Trust Fund, converted Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital into a teaching hospital, among other laudable undertakings and initiatives which have attracted commendations from critical stakeholders from within and outside the country. Even the successes the state has recorded in the fight against polio and the current Covid-19 pandemic is attributable to the commitment and political will demonstrated by Ganduje.

So, it is abundantly clear that the Ganduje administration is far ahead of its immediate past predecessor in terms of vision, mission and realization of set objectives as it always weighs the pros and cons of any policy or programme before implementation as in the case of the above-mentioned non- or under-performing assets belonging to the state. There is no doubt that leaving these assets as they are now will not be beneficial to the state and any impartial and discerning mind will attest to this fact. Before the envisaged turn-around of these assets is executed, the state government will have to be convinced about the viability of the projects, the financial strength, experience and expertise of the private investors and the ultimate positive end results of the undertakings to the state to ensure value for money.

––Salihu TankoYakasai is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on Media.

COVID-19: Humanitarian Intervention to the Rescue in Ekiti

In what could be likened to the biblical teaching in 1 Corinthians 1:10 on the need for all to agree with one another and be perfectly united in mind and thought, the recent intervention by Ekiti State Government on coronavirus pandemic which enjoyedthecooperation,generosityandsacrificeofEkitiIndigeneshasyieldedpositiveresults.Raheem Akingbolu writes

F

or a state that has been assigned a place in the class of poor states in Nigeria, with a meager federal allocation and low internally generated revenue (IGR) drive, Ekiti stakeholders were dumbfounded when the ravaging Coronavirus Pandemics broke and government at all levels were scampering to muster resources to fight the scourge. Among other challenges, the state was concerned about funding and attracting relevant health personnel that could bring their expertise to bear on the global crisis.

But the challenging season was quick to reestablish the argument in some quarters that a state that prides itself as the Fountain of Knowledge in Nigeria cannot be the poorest. It is believed that a well-educated state would be a haven of innovation and creativity and true to form; the state was able to quickly prove that ideas rule the world.

In a jiffy, the state government constituted Ekiti State COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee. The Committee has a former Minister of Heath and Chairman, Juli Pharmacy, Prince Julius Adeluyi-Adelusi as chairman while the Special Adviser to the Governor on Development Partnership, Mrs. Margret Fagboyo serves as secretary.

Founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, serves as Grand patron. Members of the committee include captains of industry, distinguished private sector players, renowned professionals and prominent members of Ekiti State in the Diaspora. Ekiti State three former governors;

Olowolafe Niyi Adebayo, Ayo Fayose and Segun Oni were named as patrons.

Few weeks into its formation, the Committee has helped to raise funds for the State by contacting individuals and corporate organisation to support the State’s response and intervention initiatives, with cash donations in the sum of N795,519,861.01 and non-cash donated items worth N1,155,626,476.42. The committee also attracted Health Insurance, with Tangerine Insurance providing N2 Billion life and Health Insurance coverage for 500 Front lines workers in Ekiti State.

For effectiveness and proper coordination, a successful Project Consultant and Medical Doctor, who is reputed to have successfully supervised and constructed many health facilities in the country, Dr Tunji Olowolafe,

was picked to chair a sub-committee - Medical Logistics and Project Nomination Committee.

Months after, Olowolafe and his team, have not only identified area of intervention, they have raised the stake in the state health sector.

In an interview with THISDAY, the industrialist who admitted that the job was tasking, showered encomiums on prominent Ekiti indigenes who contributed to fund the project and the people he worked with in the subcommittee.

“If I’m to review our experience in coping with this Coronavirus pandemic, I will conclude that it has given us ample opportunities, nationwide, to harness our resources. In my home state, Ekiti, where I played a little role, it exposed me; first to our level of infrastructural development secondly, to competent medical personnel in the Ekiti State Ministry of Health, who can stand shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts anywhere in the world.

For instance, I worked with two fantastic Permanent Secretaries in the state, Dr. Folake Olomojobi and Pharmacist Bisi Arogundade and the committee secretary, Mrs. Margret Fagboyo. Beyond adherence to work ethics, the three ladies demonstrated high level of competence and understanding of global trends in various sectors. To this end, I will be eternally grateful to prominent indigenes of Ekiti State and corporate organisations who donated generously to the initiative and I appreciate the people I work with to actualise the various projects we undertook.

Taking this reporter through the projects handled, Olowolafe, who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Deux

Project Limited, spoke on the COVID 19 Research and Learning Lead, under which he said the committee conducted Research and Screening representative sampling across Ekiti 16 Local Governments and Covid-19 NCD surveillance and intervention in the state. He also pointed out that the intervention covered upgrading of Hospital projects, through which it facilitated the renovation of Oba Adejugbe Specialist Hospital, making it ready to serve as a major Isolation Centre in the State.

According to him, “Under our Health Facility Upgrade, the committee gave the Okeyinmi Comprehensive Health Centre, Ado Ekiti, a facelift, considering its adequate facilities for high usage, with about 100 deliveries per month. The delivery capacity was increased to between 150 to 200 per month capacity. The committee also facilitated the renovations and upgraded of Basic/Primary Health Centre in Ikole, Oye, Ikere, Ijero, Otun, Agbado, Omuo, Ijurin, Ikoro, Isan, Ipoti, Igogo, Ipole, Ilawe, Emure and renovation of Aiyede Ekiti General Hospital, among others,” As part of the early intervention initiatives of the committee, Olowalafe emphasised how testing was given a priority by facilitating the purchase of Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, which was fully equipped with all the vital instruments required for COVID-19 testing, installed at Ekiti State Teaching Hospital Ado Ekiti.

He pointed out that the laboratory allowed the State to conduct its own community testing and on-site processing of samples which reduce turnaround times for test results and allow management and treatment of patients accurately, sooner rather than later.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

POLITY

Tax Relief, Agriculture: Ugwuanyi’s Independence Gift Laurence Ani

G

iven Nigeria’s petro-dominant economy, it often sounds incredulous that economic activities at the turn of the country’s independence was driven largely by the sale of cash crops such as cocoa, rubber, oil palm, cotton and groundnuts. In the Eastern Region, oil palm was the mainstay of commercial activities and, as records from the federal archives show, trade in palm produce generated an income of £54m in 1954 alone.

It was the export of this commodity alongside other cash crops like rubber and cashew nuts that funded most of that era’s capital expenditure, from roads infrastructure to the cement factory at Nkalagu (now in Ebonyi State), the cattle ranch at Obudu (Cross River State) and, indeed, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

But the halcyon days of agriculture ended almost in a blip as the swift, mega earnings of crude oil soon made it Nigeria’s prime export.

The end of the boom however brought a rude awakening, and laid bare the folly of running a country’s economy on a single natural resource subject to the vagaries of trade. It soon emerged that the earnings from the commodity’s sale were barely sufficient to run the affairs of state across the federation. It was a dawning reality aptly captured by the Enugu State governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at his budget presentation to the state’s legislators on December 23, 2016: “Since 2015, the revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Account has been on decline and the need to increase our internally-generated revenue cannot be overemphasized.”

The governor had earlier echoed such pragmatism in his inaugural speech. “I believe that this is another great opportunity for Enugu State and Nigeria to look inwards and harness those potential, which free oil money, has blinded us from exploiting,” he said in reference to the declining monthly disbursement. “It is an opportunity to live to our full potential and leave the feeding bottles of the federalism syndrome.”

Looking inwards meant reviving those economic activities which petrodollars had pushed to the background. This new economic reality has spawned an agricultural revival reminiscent of the independence era. Vast tracts of rice field that once lay fallow as farming increasingly seemed like a halfhearted pastime in the wake of the oil boom have gradually come alive. For instance, all the rice the Enugu State government has used as Covid-19 palliatives were procured locally from communities where the crop is cultivated. These communities are benefiting from the state government’s Pivot Irrigation system that has enabled rice farmers to cultivate the crop twice or thrice in a year.

As one of the leading rice producers in Nigeria, Enugu State has

Ugwuanyi recorded a steady output increase. From a yield of 1.5t/ha rice output has grown steadily, with about 600,000 hectares cultivated, resulting in the production of over 1,800,000mt.

These promising indices in rice cultivation have earned Enugu State a Staple Crops Processing Zone status, a project conceived by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the federal government to support states with huge potential in staple crops’ production and which has paid the Programme’s requisite counterpart fund. This is in addition to the construction of six Centre Pivot Irrigation systems in some communities to enable rice farmers to cultivate the crop twice or thrice in a year, and procurement of 20 tractors leased out to grassroots farmers at knockdown rate.

The government has also launched the Agricultural Feeder Roads projects totaling 46.89 kilometres in 12 communities across the three senatorial zones where rice is grown, a point that further highlights the inextricable link between the state of roads and the economic condition of farmers.

It is not only rice that has emerged as the poster crop of Enugu’s non-oil export renaissance. It is just one of a few other crops for which the state has identified some comparative advantage. The other crops include cashew nuts, Nsukka Pepper and, significantly, oil palm, which had helped the economy of Eastern Region flourish. The Ugwuanyi administration has revived virtually moribund plantations, and scaled up production at the facility through the massive cultivation of improved palm seedlings that produce more fruits at a shorter time frame.

For the much sought-after Nsukka Pepper, the fragrant yellow chilli

sometimes called Cameroun Pepper, the government launched an off-taker agreement to help farmers grow output and minimize postharvest loss. The off-taker deal has created a linkage market that has taken output to about 25,000 metric tons, much of which is exported.

It is expected that output could increase to 100,000 metric tons, a huge boost for the Enugu State government’s vision to diversify its economy and make it less-reliant on Nigeria’s oil-driven economy.

Cashew nut farming has been similarly incentivized, with higher-yielding seedlings given to farmers’ cooperatives as gradual replacement for the mostly aging cashew trees prevalent in the state.

The cooperatives have also received cashew-processing machines to help growers attain the requisite global standard for product quality.

The goal is to put Enugu ahead of Nigeria’s 19 cashew-growing states, to enable it to reap bountifully from the product’s flourishing prospects on the international market.

The desire to nurture alternative revenue sources and be lessdependent on the federal purse is yielding the intended results.

Proof of this emerged few months back after the National Bureau of Statistics’ publication of a report that listed Enugu State as having the ninth best IGR profile in Nigeria currently.

But that push to look inward has not been driven by barefaced mercantilism. This is remarkable, as anything other than a humane revenue drive will have put the burdened the people, already reeling from the economic fallouts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to its sustainably run Covid-19 palliatives programme comprising mostly homegrown staple, the Governor Ugwuanyi administration announced tax exemptions to various categories of small businesses.

That action was spurred by the governor’s conviction that strong MSMEs are reliable triggers of economic growth. It also reflects his commitment to eliminate hurdles that often cripple small businesses and, ultimately, lead to their eventual collapse. This commitment had propelled Enugu to Nigeria’s second best performing state on Ease of Starting a Business, and the third with regard to Ease of Doing Business in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria 2018 report. Apart from scaling up funding, this tax relief, and Governor Ugwuanyi’s abolishing of all bureaucracy that had stymied smallholder farmers are some of the reasons agriculture is experiencing a renaissance in Enugu State.

So, as Nigeria celebrates its 60th independence anniversary, it won’t be unusual hearing discussants pining for the good old days when income from agriculture was sufficient for all our development dreams. An appropriate response would be that Enugu is offering a template back to agriculture’s glory days.

Ani, formerly editor ofThisDay -The Saturday Newspaper, and SaturdayTelegraph, is a senior communications aide to the Enugu State governor.

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Director, New Media and Information Security, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Engr. Haru Alhassan; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr. Istifanus Fuktar; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; and Director General, Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi,during the first Virtual Nigerian Internet Governance Forum 2020 in Abuja...recently

Ayodel Praise and the Noble Band performing at ARISE Play Studio, Lagos, during THISDAY ARISE Group 6-hours global virtual commemoration to mark Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary celebration, yesterday Photo: Kunle Ogunfuyi

L-R: Social crusader, Dorathy Njemanze; Mr. Lemmy Ughegbe; SSA to Abia State Governor, Queen Onyekachi Atulomah; former Commissioner of Police, Mr. E.C.S. Ojukwu (rtd); CEO, WeWe Network Afrique, Adaora Onyechere; former DG, NOA, Alhaji Idi Farouk; DG, NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe; President, NCWS, Dr. Gloria Shoda; Executive Secretary, NICO, Mallam. Ado M. Yahoza; Rep. Nat. President, FIDA, Ezinwa Obiajunwa; Moderator, Ms. Christie E. Adejoh; and Publisher, Crest Magazine, Mr. Shola Oshunkeye, during the cultural roundtable on rape and other gender-based violence organised by NCAC, held at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja...recently

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

03.10.2020

NEWS

GOING FOR BROKE PAGE. 29

William Troost-Ekong Mission to Vicarage Road

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER OCTOBER 03, 2020

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

S

uper Eagles William TroostEkong, central defender, during the week completed a five-year move to Watford from Italian league side- Udinese, where he spent the last two seasons of his career. He had before now been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, but ultimately decided that Hertfordshire had the best project for him to fulfill his ambition of featuring in the Premier League.

The Hornets announced the arrival of the 27-year-old on their official website, revealing that he will don jersey number five, becoming the latest to join Coach Vladimir Ivic’s squad as they hope to fight their way back to the Premier League next season.

The 27-year-old centre-back began his career with Groningen.

He joined Udinese in 2018 and his move to Watford is the latest in a series of summer deals between the two clubs.

“I believe in the project for Watford to get back into the Premier League,” he told BBC Sport Africa.

“It’s always been my dream to play in the Premier League and Watford has given me the platform now to get there. Looking at the squad, I believe we have the quality to do it.”

Troost-Ekong made 66 appearances for Udinese.

“I’ve always made tactical decisions for my career and this felt like the right step now for me and my family,” he added.

“As for my international future, I have shown what I can add to the Super Eagles. I have consistently contributed to the team’s success in the last five years and have had the pleasure of captaining the team.”

According to the Watford Observer, Hornets boss Ivic has also hailed the Nigerian as a quality player while expressing his desire to work with the central defender in Hertfordshire.

Born in the Netherlands to a Nigerian father and a Dutch mother, Troost-Ekong played youth football at Tottenham and Fulham in England before starting his professional career with Groningen and Dordrecht in Holland.

He subsequently went on to play topflight football with Haugesund in Norway, Gent in Belgium, and Bursaspor in Turkey before completing a move to Udinese in the summer of 2018.

Troost-Ekong registered 66 appearances for Udinese in all competitions over the past two seasons, establishing himself as a regular starter in the playing XI. A full international for Nigeria since 2015, the towering centre-back has accumulated 42 senior caps for his nation, representing the Super Eagles at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and also at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Troost-Ekong is expected add more quality to Watford’s defence.

Watford aren’t really crying out for reinforcements at the heart of the defence, with Craig Cathcart, Christian Kabasele, Ben Wilmot, Craig Dawson and Francisco Sierralta competing for places at centre-back.

However, the Hornets’ willingness to bring in another defender makes perfect sense, considering the rigours of a 46-game season in the Championship.

While Cathcart, Dawson and Wilmot have previous experience in the EFL Championship, new signing Sierralta has only featured just over 50 times in his club career so far.

Troost-Ekong, would therefore represent an instant upgrade on the Chilean, while he also fits the bill as a tried and tested performer in one of the top leagues in Europe.

Having featured for Tottenham and Fulham in his youth career it shouldn’t be difficult for him to settle down in England and make an instant impact in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong has revealed that Manchester United striker played a huge role in his choice of Watford.

“Ighalo used to be my roommate. I spoke to Odion last week. He only had good things to say about the club. He’s a great guy, a fantastic player and like a big brother for me,” the ex-Haugesund and Bursaspor star said.

Just like Troost-Ekong, Ighalo joined Watford from the Italian topflight outfit – helping them win promotion to the English elite division in the 2014-15 campaign.

Meanwhile, a member of the Super Eagles technical crew, Tunde Adelakun, has stated that Troost-Ekong joining Watford is a “win-win” for the centre-back.

His move had raised some eyebrows

William Troost-Ekong

Mission to Vicarage Road His dream has always been to one day, play in the Premier League and after he had been linked to several European clubs, William Troost-Ekong finally pitched tent with Championship side, Watford with the aim of helping the Hornets back to the English top division after they were relegated at the end of last season.

How soon the Super Eagles defender’s dream of playing in the English top flight comes to pass remains to be seen on why he opted for a lower tier, but Adelakun asserts it is to be closer to his family who are based in the city of Watford.

More importantly, Troost-Ekong will be able to help the Hornets get back into the Premier League having finished in 19th place last season.

“It brings him closer to home so he can be part of seeing his family, especially seeing his young son growing, Adelakun told The Athletic.

“As soon as he told me about it and as soon as I heard that it was Watford, it was going to be a win-win for him because he will be within a very short driving distance from home, so he can stay at home and still be able to play good football as the Championship is a very good league. He will get game time and develop. We’re all hoping for that to be a great success.

“The carrot that was dangled before him is that Watford have a good project going. They were disappointed to get relegated and they plan to go straight back up, and they believe he can be an integral part of that, which means it can be part of him coming back to the Premier League, which is where he has always wanted to play.”

Adelakun went further to explain how Troost-Ekong has been fond of life in England which never left him after departing Spurs. His senior career has seen him play in the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Turkey and Italy, but he has always wanted to settle in England.

“William has always been a London boy,” Adelakun continued. “He never left his affiliation with England and therefore, when he wanted to buy property, he wanted to buy in England because he regards that as

home. Even in Norway, Turkey and Italy, when he reports for international duty, he always flies via London. He has always found it more comfortable, always leaned towards being in England, and it was no surprise that he bought a house in Hertfordshire.”

Troost-Ekong will be in contention to make his debut when Ivic’s team travel to the Madejski Stadium to face Reading today.

The Hornets are fifth on the Championship log having accrued seven points from three games, with their latest game a 1-0 victory over Luton Town thanks to Joao Pedro’s 35th-minute strike.

He is expected to play a crucial role in the team’s return to the Premier League.

Troost-Ekong was part of the Super Eagles squad that won the bronze medal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Man Utd, Tottenham Go for Broke at Old Trafford Having both booked a quarter final place in the Carabao Cup, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will turn their attention to the Premier League as Jose Mourinho would be craving to get the better of his former employee.The two sides failed to impress in their last two outings in the league. While the Red Devils still managed to churn out the result in spite of their lacklustre performance,The Lilywhites could only manage a draw. Both sides would therefore be going for the crunch to improve their placing on the table

ÜÏ×ÓÏÜÝÒÓÚ ËÌÖÏ Leicester Liverpool Everton Aston Villa Arsenal Crystal Palace Leeds Tottenham Chelsea Newcastle West Ham Brighton Man City Man Utd Southampton Wolves West Brom Burnley Sheff Utd Fulham

3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 3

8 5 5 4 2 2 1 2 0 -1 1 0 -1 -1 -3 -4 -6 -3 -4 -7

9 9 9 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 0 0 0

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Chelsea Everton Leeds Newcastle

v v v v

Crystal Palace 12:30 Brighton 15:00 Man City 17:30 Burnley 20:00

SUNDAY

Leicester v Southampton v Arsenal v Wolves v Man Utd v Aston Villa v

West Ham West Brom Sheffield Utd Fulham Tottenham Liverpool

12:00 12:00 14:00 14:00 16:30 19:15

La Liga TODAY

Head to Head 19/06/20 Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd 04/12/19 Man Utd 2-1Tottenham 13/01/19 Tottenham 0-1 Man Utd 27/08/18 Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham 31/01/18 Tottenham 2-0 Man Utd 28/10/17 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 14/05/17 Tottenham 2-1 Man Utd 11/12/16 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 10/04/16 Tottenham 3-0 Man Utd 08/08/15 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 15/03/15 Man Utd 3-0 Tottenham

Valladolid Atlético Elche Sociedad Valencia

v v v v v

Eibar 12:00 Villarreal 15:00 Huesca 17:30 Getafe 17:30 Real Betis 20:00

v v v v v

Celta Vigo Bilbao Madrid Granada Sevilla

11:00 13:00 15:00 17:30 20:00

v v

Crotone Roma

14:00 19:45

v v v v v v

Cagliari Bologna Inter Verona Spezia Napoli

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

SUNDAY

Osasuna Alavés Levante Cádiz Barcelona

Serie A TODAY

Sassuolo Udinese SUNDAY

Manchester United will be looking to make it four successive wins in all competitions when they continue their 2020-21 Premier League season at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Red Devils have beaten Luton Town and Brighton & Hove Albion in the EFL Cup since losing to Crystal Palace in their opening match of the new Premier League season.

United beat Brighton 3-2 at the Amex in the league last weekend, with Bruno Fernandes coming up with an incredible winner from the penalty spot in the final seconds.

The 20-time English champions now face a tough assignment against Tottenham as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will go up against predecessor Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in one of the most hotly anticipated clashes of the season, as both sides look to finish the first part of this hectic campaign on a high note.

United are, of course, a game behind the rest of the league after our late finish to 2019/20, while eighth-placed Spurs have already crammed seven games in since mid-September, including three since last Sunday alone.

Both sides come into this contest in good form, with United having won each of our last four matches in all competitions. Two of these victories came in the Carabao Cup, against Luton and Brighton, while the team racked up its first three points of the Premier League season with a dramatic 3-2 success at the Amex Stadium last weekend. Spurs have a win and a draw since their opening-day defeat to Everton, but Mourinho’s side have successfully negotiated their way to the Europa League group stage with three consecutive wins in the play-offs, the last of which was a 7-2 thrashing of Maccabi Haifa on Thursday. The capital club are also through to the Carabao

Cup quarter-finals, having seen off Chelsea on penalties after a 1-1 draw earlier this week.

Both managers had been quick to start the mind game ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

Solskjaer has put a stop to his spat with Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho and hailed the Portuguese’s achievements as a manager as they prepare to meet on the touchline this weekend at Old Trafford. The two bosses became embroiled in a back and forth after Solskjaer appeared to mock Mourinho for measuring the goalposts ahead of Spurs’ Europa League play-off with Shkendija in Macedonia.

Mourinho configured that the posts were in fact five centimetres short of the official dimensions which saw them changed before kick-off.

Speaking after the last-gasp 3-2 win over Brighton in which United sealed three points in the 100th minute through a Bruno Fernandes penalty, Solskjaer made it clear his side had got away with one.

The Seagulls hit the woodwork three times, which encouraged the Norwegian joke: “You have to be happy Jose isn’t here to measure the goalposts, it might have been a smaller goal.”

Mourinho did not enjoy being the brunt of the joke and bit back: “I think Ole was so happy and surprised with what happened to his team that he had a joke.

“But I think for him the dimension of the goalposts are not important. For him what is important is the dimensions of the 18-yard box.

“He’d never accept to play with a 17-yard box, I think he would prefer a 22Now Solskjaer has refused to continue the feud and claimed things got slightly out of

hand over some harmless fun.

“We are in strange times,” Solskjaer said, ahead of the visit of Spurs.

“Sometimes you must have a bit of fun.

Couple of innocent comments. Jose very charismatic coach. I have enjoyed talking to him. He is a winner. I have ultimate respect for him and the results he has given to football.”

Meanwhile, the master takes on his most celebrated apprentice today when Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United welcome Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to Elland Road.

The newly-promoted hosts go into the match off the back of successive league victories, whereas Man City will be keen to bounce back from their 5-2 defeat at home to Leicester City last weekend.

Ask Guardiola himself, though, and he will reel off reason after reason why Bielsa is the standard by which all other managers should be judged.

That arguably the world’s best manager is such a devout disciple is a huge compliment to Bielsa, with the legendary Johan Cruyff perhaps the only other mentor figure Guardiola holds in such high esteem.

Yet Bielsa is still looking to get one over on his most successful student; the pair met three times during the 2011-12 season, when Guardiola’s Barcelona beat Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao twice, with one draw too.

Today’s match will not be the first showdown between these two on the touchline, then, but it will still be a special occasion as two managers with similar philosophies go head to head.

The match comes at a time where

Atalanta Benevento Lazio Parma AC Milan Juventus

Guardiola has seen his philosophy, or at least the success of it in the last year or so, questioned following last weekend’s heavy defeat to Leicester City - the first time Man City had conceded five at the Etihad and the first time any team managed by Guardiola had shipped that many in a single game.

Last weekend’s defeat means that they already trail the champions by six points this time around - albeit with a game in hand - and if they fall to back-to-back top-flight defeats for the first time since December 2018 then serious questions will be asked about their ability to mount a title challenge again this season, even at such an early stage of the campaign.

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Brighton v Crystal Palace v West Brom v Burnley v

Man Utd 12:30 Everton 15:00 Chelsea 17:30 Southampton 20:00

SUNDAY

Sheffield Utd v Leeds Utd Tottenham v Newcastle Man City v Leicester City West Ham v Wolves

12:00 14:00 16:30 19:00

MONDAY

Fulham17:45Aston Villa Liverpool v Arsenal

17:45 20:00

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Daniel Altmaier

Ebere

Again, Nigeria’s Target, Ebere Eze Gets England U21 Call up Nigeria Football Federation target Eberechi Eze has been named to the latest England U21 squad announced yesterday morning by the English Football Association.

The Crystal Palace attacking midfielder could add to his international caps at U21 level when the Young Lions face Andorra and Turkey in the European Championship qualifiers this month.

Eze dropped out of the U21 squad for the matches against Kosovo and Austria owing to injury.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has earned a promotion to England’s senior team and has not been summoned to the U21s by manager Aidy Boothroyd.

Eze, who trained with the Super Eagles in London three years ago, was eligible to represent Nigeria without requesting for a change of association until November 2019 when he came off the bench for his competitive debut for England U21s in a European Championship qualifier against Albania.

Nigeria Football Federation

President Amaju Pinnick has gone all out to convince Eze to switch his allegiance from England to Nigeria but the playmaker requested to be given some more time to make his decision, with a focus on his club career much more important to him at the moment.

In the current season, Eze has appeared in four matches for Crystal Palace, including two starts.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City Academy product Nicholas Okoro has pledged his international future to Nigeria despite being on the radar of the English Football Association.

The 2001-born attacking midfielder, whose late father Ejikeme Fabian Okoro represented Enugu Rangers, has been called up to an England U15 training camp in the past.

The new Gaz Metan Medias signing says it would be an honour to represent Nigeria and is targeting a call-up to the Flying Eagles squad ahead of the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations quali-

fiers.

“It would be an honour to represent my fatherland, my father is no longer with us but I’ll honour him as well as my mother if I’m able to represent Nigeria at any level - U20, U23 or first team - in any competition,” Okoro told allnigeriasoccer.com.

“My dad played for Enugu Rangers. I am not sure what position he played. He had three boys, I was the one that followed the footballing legacy.”

On his message to Nigerians, he said : “I want to say Happy Independence to all Nigerians wherever they are, all over the globe, we have to stay united regardless of what is going on in the world, COVID-19.

“I hope we have a fantastic time and reflect on this year. “ Okoro was part of the Team Nigeria UK squad that travelled to Abuja for a pre-World Cup friendly against a Golden Eaglets squad featuring the likes of Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Nwakali in 2015.

Injury Knocks Out Bekele of London Marathon Kenenisa Bekele’s muchanticipated London Marathon duel with Eliud Kipchoge is off after the Ethiopian pulled out with a calf injury.

Bekele, 38, was just two seconds short of Kipchoge’s world record when he won the Berlin Marathon last year. “I am very disappointed,” said Bekele. “I picked up a niggle in my left calf after two fast training sessions too close together. I truly believed I would be ready but today it is worse and I now know I cannot race on it.”

He added: “This race was so important to me. My time in Berlin last year gave me great confidence and motivation.

“I am sorry to disappoint my fans, the organisers and my fellow competitors.”

Kenya’s Kipchoge is now the clear favourite to win his fifth London Marathon on Sunday.

Bekele admitted on Wednesday that he had injured himself earlier this year trying to use the latest incarnation of Nike’s shoe technology.

The shoes, which use a carbon

plate and highly resilient foam to maximise the energy returned to runners, have coincided with new world records in both the men’s and women’s marathon.

“Several times I had some minor injuries, like a muscle stretch, because the shoe is not stable under the foot,” said Bekele.

“It’s really unshaped. It’s really soft. The muscle needs to adjust to the movement under it. It’s really difficult.”

Bekele had planned to race in the older Vaporfly models rather than the latest Alphafly versions that Kipchoge will wear.

Traore at Crossroads between Spain and Mali Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore was named in the Spain squad by Coach Luis Enrique on Friday, three days after also being called up by Mali.

Traore,whowasborninBarcelona to Malian parents, has been targeted by the two federations over the past 18 months.

The 24-year-old can still represent either nation as he has not yet played senior international football.

He has twice before been called up to the Spain squad he was forced

to withdraw last year with an injury and again in September following a positive Covid-19 test.

“Touch wood he can play this time as it’s his third call-up,” Enrique said when asked about Traore.

“I really want to see him in a Spain shirt. Regarding the call-up he’s received from Mali, it’s up to him.

“As far as I’m aware, he wants to play for us, but it’s his decision and we’ll always respect players’ decisions on these things.”

Traore has made no public state-

ment on the double call-up, although football analysts expect him to go with Spain.

Mali are also waiting to see if Everton’s former France youth internationalAbdoulaye Doucoure will honour his inclusion on their squad for the international break.

If Traore plays in either of Spain’s European Nations League qualifiers against Switzerland on 10 October or Ukraine three days later he would no longer be able to switch allegiances to Mali.

FRENCH OPEN

Altmaier Continues Dream Roland Garros Run Daniel Altmaier joked he is a “machine” after upsetting 30th seed Jan-Lennard Struff to reach the third round of the French Open.

Fresh from his straight-sets victory against Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez, the Sky Sports Scholar produced an outstanding display to defeat his compatriot Struff 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 The 22-year-old German has dropped just one set en route to the third round having already come through three rounds of qualifying.

Altmaier will take on seventh seed Matteo Berrettini today after the Italian beat Lloyd George Harris 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-3.

“Personally I’m very happy because I was able to perform pretty well from the first point on,” said the world No 186.

“Today I knew it’s going to be a very mental battle because it’s going to depends who is going to take the intensity first.

“So I was quite high, let’s say, emotionally, also my intensity was high, so this was really like emotionally I was able to block everything away and really focus on performing and get that intensity all the time going.

“So that was the main thing today. My luck was three sets, so was very good.”

Asked if he was a serve and volley type player, Altmaier joked: “No, I’m a machine.”

Altmaier, who has been working alongside Argentine coach Francisco Yunis says he feels extremely “comfortable” playing on clay.

“With Fran having in my corner right now, he’s stabilising my game a lot, especially on clay. And, yeah, that’s pretty much it,” he added.

With Daniel’s heroics continuing, his mentor Adam Smith, Sky’s Head of Boxing Development and commentator, has been finding it hard to control his emotions!

“The magical Parisien adventure rolls on....in style! I am obviously gutted that with the current quarantine rules I can’t be in France to cheer on our amazing Scholar but I am still living and breathing and watching every point of this extraordinary run.

Europa League Draw

Arsenal Face Dundalk as Celtic Drawn with AC Milan FA Cup winners Arsenal will face League of Ireland side Dundalk, Rapid Vienna and Molde in Group B of the 2020-21 Europa League.

Tottenham have been drawn alongside Bulgarian champions Ludogorets, LASK and Royal Antwerp in Group J. Leicester City will face Braga, AEK Athens and Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk in Group G. Scottish champions Celtic face a tough task in Group H as they take on AC Milan, Lille and Sparta Prague.

Rangers are in Group D alongside Benfica, Standard Liege and Lech Poznan.

The first three group matches will take place on successive Thursdays from 22 October.

Arsenal qualified for the group stage by beating Chelsea to win their record 14th FA Cup in August. The Gunners lost to Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final.

Dundalk beat Faroe Islands club KI Klaksvik on Thursday to secure their spot, while Austrian side Rapid Vienna were eliminated from the Champions League third qualifying round.

Tottenham, two-time winners of the preceding Uefa Cup, beat Maccabi Haifa in the play-off round, while Leicester were beaten to a top-four place on final day of the 2019-20 Premier League season to end up in the Europa League.

Celtic beat Bosnian side FK Sarajevo on Thursday to qualify and Rangers progressed against Turkish giants Galatasaray.

CSKA Moscow, who won the 2005 Uefa Cup, are in Group K along with fellow former winners Feyenoord, Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb and Wolfsberger of Austria.

Napoli, the 1989 champions, face Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar and Croatian club Rijeka in Group F. Bayer Leverkusen, who won in 1988, play Slavia Prague, Hapoel Beer-Sheva and Nice in Group C, while 1978 winners PSV Eindhoven take on Paok, Granada and Cypriot club Omonia in Group E.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž 03, 2020

31

GLOBAL SOCCER

Kevin Akpoguma: Trust in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Project Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nigeria Football Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sVIP Scouting has passed another litmus test after Germanborn Nigerian; Kevin Akpoguma chooses to represent the country of his father over Germany despite having represented the latter at the age-grade level

T

SG Hoffenheim centre-back, Kevin Akpoguma, has announced his decision to represent the Nigeria national team instead of

Germany.

Born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, Akpoguma, is eligible to play for both countries.

The 25-year-old played for the German national team in most youth levels, from U-16 all the way through the U-21.

Despite becoming an invaluable part of his side since his return from his loan spell with Hannover 96, Akpoguma never received a first team call-up.

Therefore, he decided to take on another challenge as he will represent the Super Eagles from now on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been thinking about for a long time. I am now at an age where I have already gained experience at European level with TSG and feel ready to play for my homeland,â&#x20AC;? he told Hoffenheimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It makes me incredibly proud and I am positively excited.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really looking forward to getting to know the team,â&#x20AC;? he concluded.

Akpoguma will however have to wait for some time before he gets his first taste of international football as he has yet to receive the legal clearance to enable him be part of the Super Eagles team that will face Algeria and Tunisia on October 9 and 13 respectively.

Meanwhile, Nigeria senior team Manager, Gernot Rohr has attributed his Super Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vision to Akpogumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to opt to play for Nigeria.

According to Rohr, it was his vision for Nigeria that persuaded former Germany youth captain to commit his international future to the Super Eagles.

Akpoguma, 25, has a German mother and a Nigerian fathermaking him eligible to play for the three-time African champions.

Despite 62 Germany caps from U-16 to U-21 level, the defender has opted to capitalise on the Fifa rules which allows him to switch allegiances. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was not my job to convince Akpoguma to come and play for Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? Rohr told BBC Sport.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had a good conversation with him and his family while watching several games in Hoffenheim. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the matches we met and could talk. I presented our projects and I could speak about the team, about this incredible period in the Super Eagles and my vision for the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was sold on this and would love to be a part of the team and play in big international competitions like the Africa Cup of Nations or even the World Cup.â&#x20AC;?

Rohrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy of picking foreign-born players has angered some observers in Nigeria, but he remains unfazed as he continues to increase the selection pool for the Super Eagles.

Since the German took charge in August 2016, the number of players born overseas has risen with the arrivals of Ola Aina, Brian Idowu, Tyronne Ebuehi, Joe Aribo, Maduka Okoye, Kingsley Ehizibue and Cyril Dessers.

Akpogumaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment gives the coach an extra option as he looks for a long-term addition to the regular centre-back quartet of Kenneth Omeruo, Leon Balo-

gun, William Troost-Ekong and Semi Ajayi.

Amid Rohrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excitement about the prospect of working with the defender, he admits that he will have to wait before welcoming him into the Super Eagles fold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very happy about the decision of Kevin Akpoguma to switch from Germany to Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? Rohr said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because he played for Germany at youth levels, the process is not finished yet because Fifa must give the authorisation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has fulfilled the written request to switch and we only await the good news that he can finally play for us. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too soon to expect him to play our two friendlies in October, but hopefully for the Nations Cup qualifiers in November.â&#x20AC;?

Born in the western town of Neustadt an der WeinstraĂ&#x;e, Akpoguma started his professional career at Karlsruhe SC and also played for Fortuna DĂźsseldorf.

The 2014 European U-19 Championship winner captained Germany at the 2015 U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, helping

them beat Nigeria 1-0 in the second round.

Interestingly, Akpoguma was part of the Hoffenheim team that stunned Bundesliga and Champions League holders Bayern Munich 4-1 in Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bundesliga game.

Akpoguma featured for 90 minutes as Hoffenheim inflicted Bayern with a first defeat since they lost 2-1 to Monchengladbach in December 2019.

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

THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

32

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ 03, 2020

OCTOBER ͮͱ˜ ͰͮͰͮ ˾ THISDAY,THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

33

34

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

AUTO WORLD

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

TIPS OF THE WEEK

How to take care of your brakes

Mercedes-Benz AMG E-Class

Upgraded Mercedes AMG E-Class Debuts

T

he E-Class is one of the key models that make up the core of the Mercedes-AMG brand.

The comprehensive update applied to the latest generation encompasses the Saloon, Estate, CoupĂŠ and Cabriolet models with six- and eightcylinder engines, which range in output from 320 kW (435 hp) to 450 kW (612 hp).

Astatement by the automaker, the sporty driving dynamics of the performance models from Affalterbach remain unchanged and are now combined with enhanced everyday comfort. The standard-specification fully variable all-wheel ESJWF TZTUFN ".( 1FSGPSNBODF ."5*$

guarantees optimum traction in any driving conditions. Also fitted as standard is the AMG 41&&%4)*'5 TQFFE USBOTNJTTJPO XIJDI combines fast shift operation with exceptional efficiency. The redesigned front section and AMG-specific radiator grille of this latest distinctive design update reinforce the affiliation to

the AMG family even further. The interior has also been thoroughly enhanced: the Widescreen $PDLQJU UIF OFX ".( 1FSGPSNBODF TUFFSJOH wheel and the MBUX infotainment system with AMG-specific functions and displays offer a high level of digitalisation and thus a sophisticated user experience that is very much in keeping with the times.

Heading up the Mercedes-AMG E-Class famJMZ BSF UIF & ."5*$ NPEFMT DPNCJOFE GVFM DPOTVNQUJPO M LN DPNCJOFE CO2 emissions 273-265 g/km)[1], featuring a 4.0-litre biturbo engine in two output categories with 450 kW (612 hp) or 420 kW (571 hp) and in both Saloon and Estate form. In order to ensure optimum airflow, the outer inlets in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;jet wingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the redesigned front section are not only particularly large, but also feature two transverse louvres that help to guide the air in targeted fashion to where it is needed. %FTJHOFST BOE BFSPEZOBNJDT FYQFSUT XPSLFE closely together during development.

Their insights resulted not only in the striking AMG bodystyling but also in the optimised aerobalance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for agile handling characteristics on country roads and optimum driving stability on the motorway. The aerodynamics experts were also able to reduce the wind resistance even further.

Afurther distinctive visual feature of the eightcylinder models: a harmoniously fitting flap in high-gloss black which extends across the entire front apron, continues into the outer edge of the jet-wing and rounds this off outwards to the sides. The front splitter is either kept in the colour of the vehicle (base model), in Silver Shadow (S-Model), in high-gloss black (with PQUJPOBM ".( /JHIU 1BDLBHF PS JO DBSCPO Ă CSF (with the optional AMG Exterior Carbon-Fibre 1BDLBHF * 5IF NVTDVMBS ĂĄBSF PG UIF XIFFM arches, a full 27 millimetres wider on each side, makes space for the wider track and the larger wheels on the front axle - yet another functional advantage.

OMAA Global Launches PMS, CNG, LPG-powered Buses in Nigeria

T

here has been an official launch in Nigeria of a range of mini buses that can either be powered with 1SFNJVN .PUPS 4QJSJU QFUSPM PS Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas. The launch in Abuja recently was by OMAA Global and was witnessed by transport owners and the business community, according to a statement by their publicist.

Speaking during the launch, Chinedu Oguegbu, founder of OMAA Global and the brain behind the new OMAA commercial bus said; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The journey did not start today having been in the automotive industry for almost 20 years working with global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from France to Japan, Korea to China.â&#x20AC;? %FTDSJCJOH USBOTQPSUBUJPO JO UIF DPVOUSZ as a big hassle moving from point A to B, he lamented that lack of efficient transport system constrains the economy, making productivity low, despite its role as the engine of economic growth.

Oguegbu expressed optimism that the OMAA automotive brand will give transporters positive returns on their investment as running on gas is cheaper than petrol and parts are readily available. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the opportunity, the reason we are building OMAA. We are working with technical partners across the globe.â&#x20AC;?

Oguegbu said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Currently, OMAAis finalising our assembly operations. This November, we will commence commercial deliveries of OMAA vehicles in large volumes. Next, we will have a QIBTFE NJHSBUJPO GSPN 4,% UP $,% MPDBMJTJOH components, up-skilling staff and contributing

OMAA mini-bus to the burgeoning automotive ecosystem.â&#x20AC;?

He expressed excitement that OMAAmodel of vehicles have been simplified as much as possible, offering custom products that customers or end users can adapt to their unique needs.

Most vehicles on sale in Nigeria the company executive noted were designed and built for other regions. Giving customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; choice to order vehicles that meet their specific requirements would result in considerable cost savings as

they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay for unnecessary features.

He expressed optimism that there is a huge commercial and social opportunity that would definitely impact millions of lives, adding that his team is â&#x20AC;&#x153;open to collaboration, building of partnerships, investing in the ecosystem to ensure that we build a better future for Africa.â&#x20AC;?

The OMAA bus can be used intra-city, as a school bus, as a shuttle, a panel and as an ambulance.

Have your brake and brake pads checked once per year. If they are too worn to work properly, have them replaced. Our skilled automotive technicians can help with that! If you require a brake inspection or replacement, you can take a look at our current service coupons and schedule an appointment today.

Check your brake fluid regularly. Your vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brake fluid is essential to transfer heat to all parts of the brake system and absorb water. If the fluid is a dark color, it may be time to have it flushed.

Listen and watch for warning signs.

These may include unusual noises, strange brake response, and abnormal feeling when you press on the brakes, and they may indicate a dangerous problem that you should have checked out right away.

While driving, try coasting to slow down before applying brakes whenever possible. This helps to preserve your carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brakes by putting less pressure on them.

Avoid braking when cars ahead of you brake unnecessarily. For example, they may be following too closely to the vehicle ahead of them when you have plenty of distance to coast. Slow down and keep a great distance behind them, not only to preserve your brakes, but also for safety purposes.

Invest in good, reliable brakes. They may cost a little bit extra, but they will make a difference in the long run in terms of efficiency, safety, and durability.

(Source: Silver Star Motors)

3 Common Reasons for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Check Engine Lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; If you are driving and your check engine light came on, do not panic. It might not be as big of an issue as you think!

There are many issues that can lead to the check engine light activating, some of which are rather easy to fix and not at all that serious.

Continue reading below to see what these issues are and what they can lead to if not treated in time! r 0YZHFO 4FOTPS 'BJMJOH Your oxygen sensor is one of the most common reasons that your check engine light might activate. Over time, it wears down and begins to fail, preventing proper readings from being measured by your catalytic converter and engine. This alerts your vehicle that something is wrong with your exhaust system and or engine, so it triggers the check engine light. Not fixing this issue will cause your engine to use more fuel than needed and eventually lead to damage to your catalytic converter. r1FUSPM 5BOL $BQ JT -PPTF PS %BNBHFE This issue might surprise you, but your vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s petrol/diesel tank cap can lead to your check engine light activating. Yes, you read that correctly. Your gas cap seals your vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fuel system and maintains the pressure of the fuel tank and so having that pressure unregulated can lead to your engine acting up. A common side effect of a bad or missing tank cap is more trips to the fuel pump and fuel loss through evaporation. r .BTT "JSĂĄPX 4FOTPS 'BJMJOH Your mass airflow sensor (MAF) is a part that measures the amount of air entering the engine and regulating it to determine the amount of fuel needed by your vehicle. When this system fails it causes the check engine light to appear, reduces your performance and fuel economy, and leads to damage to the spark plugs and O2 sensors.

These are a few of the many reasons your check engine might appear on your vehicle.

Some of these reasons, such as the fuel tank cap, are cheap to repair and easy to fix.

(Source: Silver Star Motors)

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

35

AUTO WORLD

Ford’s STX Special Package Adds Style, Value to 2021 Ranger XL

F

ord is giving buyers of the entry-level Ranger pickup a new choice with the available STX Special Edition Package, bringing more style and technology to 2021 Ranger XL models.

“Ranger customers are asking for new options to help make their trucks their own and we hear them,” said Chad Callander, Ranger marketing manager. “STX Special Edition hits a really compelling and affordable sweet spot for a lot of Ranger buyers looking for just the right combination of tech and style,” Ranger STX Special Edition features unique 18-inch black-painted wheels with machined-finished edges, 8-inch center touch screen, SYNC® 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM™, AppLink, dual-zone climate control, silver-painted interior accents and privacy glass with rear defrost – all for a package price of $995 MSRP. STX Special Edition is an enhancement to the available STX Appearance Package with a starting MSRP of $28,045 (taxes, title and license fees extra).

It is available on high XL trim level

SuperCab or SuperCrew configuration and 4x2 or 4x4 driveline and can be bundled with FX2 or FX4 Off-Road Package.

“STX has been a strong seller on the base Ranger, but we’ve heard from some customers who want even more style and more tech in their XL trucks,” said Callander. “STX Special Edition now gives those customers that added style with the added benefits of having a touchscreen with SYNC 3 – at an affordable cost.” Ranger STX Special Edition joins other available packages including STX Appearance Package, Black Package, Chrome Appearance Package, and Sport Appearance Package.

Ranger buyers can also upgrade their adventure vehicles with the recently announced Ranger Tremor Off-Road Package, the most off-road capable, factory-built Ranger ever offered in the U.S. New Ford Performance Parts Packages offers customers three different levels of off-road performance and styling upgrades purchased from the dealership, giving Ranger owners aftermarket-style accessorizing while keeping their vehicle’s warranty intact.

Ford 2021 Ranger XL

PTONA Wants Share of FG’s N10bn COVID-19 Palliative

T

he national governing council of Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA) has called on the federal government to disburse the N10 billion it set aside as COVID-19 palliative for transporters in the country.

PTONAmembersareamongothersinthenation’s transport sector included to share out of the N10 billion palliative.

The Council also lauded the federal government for approving N10 billion palliatives to road transporters to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but urged early disbursement.

They called on the federal government, through the Minister of State for Transportation, to use her good office to direct quick disbursement of the fund for it to accomplish its purpose.

Governing Council said its members have been adversely affected by the downturn in the economy due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the lockdown, stating that the situation could worsen without early distribution of the N10 billion.

The Council members said during the lock-down that lasted 98 days, PTONA members were on negative income as there was total ban on interstate movement across the country.

According to them, there is depletion of their fleet of buses, in addition to very high cost of

maintaining existing fleet because they now move fewer passengers on account of social distancing.

They said their business is impacted negatively by alleged discriminatory practice of security agents in their implementation of social distancing safety protocolofCOVID-19,aswellasbyincessantarmed robbery attacks on their buses and kidnapping of innocent passengers on the highways.

They appealed to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 pandemic and the Inspector General of Police to ease their pain and that of other road users by putting an immediate stop to the discriminatory policy in implementing the 50 per cent seating capacity on PTONA members’ interstate buses nationwide.

They reminded the government that only their branded interstate buses have been following and observing the guidelines. “Other unorganised interstate buses, including all the airlines, have since been loading full capacity without following the guidelines of social distancing. All the government ministries, departments and agencies are fully aware of this.”

The Council stated that in spite of efforts of the security agencies to improve security in the country, “incidence of robbery attacks and kidnappings on the highways has actually escalated, leading to attacks on our members’ buses that have now reached a frightening dimension, especially at Obajana junction in Kogi state.”

The National Governing Council of PTONA at the end of special meeting held in Lagos… recently

How Black will These Ember Months Be?

W

henIwroteafortnightago on, ‘’How to Nail Killer Drivers which was followed by ‘’Death Penalty for Killer Drivers’’, I never had the faintest premonition that the Akaeze and Felele tragedies would occur.

In the two write-ups, my position was that killer drivers who cause the death of innocent road users should suffer a measure of the consequences of the outcome of their recklessness. My position was in support of that of His Excellency, Bello Mattawale, the Governor of Zamfara State. Although I did not receive reactions from any of my readers except my Law teacher, I know there are observers who viewed my position as hard lined.

Now that we have lost over forty lives in two fatal crashes, I do wonder what the position of these observers would be especially if they lost a loved one in either of the two crashes. If the Akaeze crash was tragic, the Lokoja crash was equally tragic in terms of the magnitude. I was privileged to be driven in the same vehicle with my colleague who is the Zonal Commanding officer in charge of Kogi State when the news filtered in. I am still in shock at the damage and the casualty figures. The casualty according to the FRSC stood at twenty Felele, along the Lokoja-Koton Karfe route in Kogi State. The vehicles involved included one tanker, five cars, three trailers and

SAFE DRIVING with

Jonas Agwu amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps.

two motorcycles caused by speed violation and break failure, another causative factor that are human induced.

There were other crashes within the same period such as the crash which occurred at Iyanamama along Olooru-New Jebba road in Kwara State recorded a crash on September 23, 2020 caused by speed and loss of control involving a Mitsubishi bus recording one death and three injured; In Ihiala, Anambra State, a crash occurred opposite Amorka mortuary along Ihiala-Owerri road on the 6th of sept involving a TYT Sequita caused by wrongful overtaking. The Ihiala crash led to the death of two people while in the FCT which is under my watch, a crash on 22 september,2020 caused by loss of control involving a Honda killed one occurred.

The question to ask right now is if these crashes are unique to this month and other Ember months?

Are there any myths about the Ember months? I

know there are those who believe that the Ember months are the most critical and risky months when more crashes and deaths occur. My brother and oga,Jide Ojo wrote that the Pentecostals opine that it is the period when satan embarks on in-gathering of souls by causing mysterious deaths, accidents, calamities and catastrophes. They therefore call for lots of prayer and fasting, vigils and organise crusades to frustrate the “plans” of Satan and enemies who do not want them to see the New Year.

I know there are no myths about the Ember months. It is the month of plenty activities; farmers harvest time, lots of festivities, marriages, burial ceremonies, chieftaincy celebrations, housewarming and many other festivals are often fixed for the last four months of the year because it is assumed that the rains would have subsided. Like my friend and oga wrote, many corporate organisations also grant annual leave to their staff as well as close for the year by mid-December to enable their workers to observe the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

You can call the EMBER months, months of supposed awoof and plenty celebrations. Schools are also usually on break throwing up school people who would use the period to outdo each other on the road for those whose parents can afford a car.

Since the period signals the end of the year, the end of budget year for government as well as private organisations, the season is marked with plenty travelling occasioned by hike in fares. The season

to put it better experiences increased motorisation across board. My oga Jide further says that ‘’ It is customary in Yorubaland, even in Igboland, to buy ‘Aso Ebi’ and also give gifts to people as a mark of gratitude to God Almighty and to family members to holding the home front. It is also a time when people who can barely move a vehicle without learning the ropes of driving would take the risk of driving their newly bought car to join the league of car owners. All of these are further compounded by the heightened irresponsible driving all in the name of making it home before the D-day. Drink driving is also prevalent within this period because of the merriments and partying.

Like I once wrote in this same column, there are no demons waiting to shed blood during the EMBER months. The reasons behind the crashes and deaths are our irresponsible driving habits.

This is why Zone 7 of the Federal Road Safety Corps comprising the Federal Capital Territory and Niger have since September, conceptualised numerous interventions such as operation Panther as well as operation RED, to check growing recklessness. While Operation Panther targets use of phone while driving, driving against the flow of traffic and overloading among other traffic infractions, operations RED is conceptualised to checkmate the growing incidences of traffic light violations which between January to September,2020 stands at one thousand and five hundred and eighty-one. With the perceived public support and cooperation, we are hopeful that collectively we would be able to reduce the spate of crashes and deaths during the season.

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ OCTOBER 3, 2020

PEOPLE Abiodun Oshinibosi

I Create Better Experience for Brands by Challenging Status Quo Abiodun Oshinibosi is the brain behind Hybrid Studio and Abelinis Limited, both in Lagos. He talks to Azuka Ogujiuba about his marketing strides, new state-of-the-art studio and Abelinis’ COVID-19 CSR project spans tactical initiatives, streamline campaigns, product launch, marketing and sales activities, workshops, conferences, and field sales force management. We also create content for digital and conventional media.

Abelinis Limited is the executive producer of Fanz Championship Africa, CulturatioNx and Shape2lead.

The new Hybrid studio

I

t is a fully integrated facility that features state-of-the-art digital recording studio, alongside massive sound and stage with world class studio equipment. It provides a variety of products and services to clients across the creative spectrum, from event hosting, video and photography to mixing and mastering. If you can dream it, then we can help bring it to life. Abelinis Hybrid Studios also offers a mobile transition for your event. We can set up at your preferred location within 24 hours of alignment and approval. We aim to support the artistic endeavors of production teams by providing outstanding customer service as they bring their ideas to life. The studio is best positioned to offer world class services in these trying times. Even in the time of a pandemic, people still need to celebrate milestones, mark awards and retirements, weddings, birthdays, conferences and AGMs. Abelinis Hybrid Studios blends the physical and the virtual into well-packaged hybrid events that give our clients their money’s worth, while adhering to current safety and social distancing guidelines. Each event is creatively constructed to bring the flavour of the typical Nigerian occasion alive even when part of it is virtual.

Our studio has already started to leverage our array of state-of-the-art equipment to creatively stage events, giving the clients and audience alike an experience they will never forget.

Challenging the status quo I have a strong quest to challenge the status quo and create a better experience for brands and people alike. I love creative endeavours and I’m always happy to lend a helping hand to humanity.

The Secret of Success I can attribute the successes so far to determination, smartwork and God’s Grace. Determination talks to vision and action; smart work encompasses a lot, and is not limited to positive will and drive; industry knowledge and continuous improvement; external and internal relationship management. These are vital ingredients in the soup of success. And then, there is the Grace of God, without which everything else is futile.

My exploits in the Experiential Marketing industry started in 1992 when my brothers Tunde and Toyin organised the first multi-stage musical carnival in Nigeria where I was tasked with managing the matrix and assisting one of the stage managers. I joined Tequila Event’s field supervisor pool in 1996/1997 and was there till Dec 2003 when I joined Mr Akin Ogungbe’s Industrial Development Communications Limited. I resigned in December 2010 to start Abelinis in January 2011.

Nigerian companies standing shoulder high Go to popular schools in the West, popular companies.

Nigerian students are scooping the top prizes, finishing top in their faculties, emerging as the best employees, innovating and generally getting acknowledged for their brilliance. That should tell you that Nigerians can hold their own anywhere in the world and against everybody. What we lack down here is simply an enabling environment due to things like government policies and high cost of doing business. In terms of creativity, our company is staffed with brilliant minds that can and will wipe the floor with any other company. Same goes for other top marketing firms here. We may not be as famous as the Walter Thompsons and Ogilvys of this world, but that doesn’t make us any less creative.

Abelinis COVID-19 advocacy

My formative years

Abelinis is a company that identifies the root causes of problems and provides memorably profitable solutions using experiential marketing expertise. This quest motivated us to launch the Rural Cluster HypeKing, an advocacy and enlightenment campaign to disseminate vital information about the pandemic in our communities and neighbourhoods using related languages and gestures. After analysing the trend of spread, it was important to reach out more to the rural communities and neighbourhoods to change negative perceptions about the pandemic and better inform them with facts from NCDC and supporting organisations.

Those years weren’t really smooth as my daddy’s business was not flourishing any longer and we all relied on mummy’s salary. For that reason, I didn’t enjoy the luxuries my elder brothers enjoyed as I had to attend Jakande school and holidays were time to hustle as amateur painter or labourer. My case is that of a silver spoon turn plastic spoon as shared.

Dive into experiential marketing

Story behind the name, ‘The HypeKing Advocacy’ Rural Cluster HypeKing was created specifically to combat the pandemic. We identified that we needed to advocate more in neighbourhoods, markets and public places, hence the ‘Rural Cluster’ in the name. You know some people believe COVID-19 affects only the rich, some say it doesn’t exist, some don’t even know it is transferable. And most of these skeptics are normal people that can be found in rural clusters like communities and neighbourhoods. So we came up with a name that captures our target audience and the mission, which is to hype the real facts about COVID-19 so they become better informed.

Paid volunteers and funding Hmmm, this is a question that triggered my uncle’s anger the last time ooo. On a serious note, Abelinis Limited funded this pilot scheme in all the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs of Lagos State from its own purse. At a time like this, we needed to join other responsible organisations in assisting the government to sensitise the populace as rapidly as possible. So, we just had to ‘close eye’ and spend the money. Rural Cluster HypeKing was created as a tactical intervention to further help government’s efforts at disseminating facts about preventive measures as regards COVID-19, especially in clusters within neighbourhoods and communities. The initiative is

Oshinibosi designed to get the youth within their respective communities involved as advocates and HypeKings. For the pilot, we had youths volunteering to work with us as HypeKings in their communities; some released their cars to be branded for the same purpose. We had HypeKings in each of the local government areas and LCDAs. These young men and women joined our team to carry the COVID-19 enlightenment campaign to every nook and cranny of their neighbourhood, visiting markets, and other public places where people gather and cluster.

We share updates from NCDC, and advise on preventive measures when any of the symptoms are felt. Our team has directly referred a lot of people to the nearest health facility within their respective communities, which has led to timely identification and quarantine and self isolation, reducing community spread. All these give us joy and fulfillment of purpose. Rural Cluster HypeKing is a tactical initiative that is still very potent as the government continues to ease lockdown rules. The dream is for the federal and state governments to see it as a veritable tool and adopt it at no cost. Schools are resuming, markets and other economic activities are gradually opening up, so it is imperative to intensify COVID-19 advocacy and enlightenment in our communities using tools and languages that are relatable.

All about Abelinis Limited Abelinis Limited is an experiential marketing organisation that uses project management tools and techniques to deliver profitable solutions. We have special interest in events, activation and production. We are privileged to be working with multinational companies like British American Tobacco Nigeria, MTN, Guinness Nigeria, ATC, HPZ and others of the same class. Our delivery

Experience that shaped my life My sister and I were on “empathy transfer” to my mum’s sister who was the principal of the Jakande school and her seemingly hardness then were experiences that moulded my life for the better. She was strict, disciplined and focused as a single parent. She ventured into a couple of trade activities on the side. Her religious habits got me addicted to church and I grew embracing the right societal values while I became very active in church.

Today, I’m happier because those tough periods contributed greatly to the man I have become.

My biggest mistake Hmmm...The biggest mistake I’ve ever made was attempting to travel out of the country at all cost, which made me fall prey to travel document scammers. Today, my family and I can travel to almost all the continents at will.

Things I still desire A lot. I have great quest for service to humanity while I desire to visit exquisite locations in the world.

Look good For me, looking good comes from the inside. What you have on top is just the icing on the cake. I believe that there should be a holistic approach to looking good. In that sense, you must be at peace with yourself (spiritually, physically and mentally)

Definition of style For me, it is about being comfortable, being true to yourself and not being apologetic about who you see.

37

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͻ˜ 2020

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

Experts Identify Barrier to Funding Agriculture

L-R: Group Marketing Head, Simba Group, Karthik Govindarajan; Simba TVS Ambassador, Nwankwo Kanu; Service Manager; Augustine Obinna; Technician, Isaac Okechi: and Head of Service, Nitesh Kumar, during the company’s trade meeting with fleet owners in Aba, Abia State... recently

TVS King Fleet Owners Enjoy Special Promo Fleet owners in the south eastern part of Nigeria are set to enjoy a special promotion scheme for bulk purchases of TVS King tricycles made from authorised dealers. At a trade event which rounded off in Umuahia and Aba, both in Abia State on Wednesday, the management team of Simba Group, distributors of Nigeria’s number one brands in the tricycle, motorcycle and power bike sectors assured their premium customers of mouth watering deals as a reward for their patronage. The Team stormed the venues with their newly signed brand ambassador and former Nigeria football captain, Kanu Nwankwo.

At the well attended events, Kanu said: “Rewarding their customers and making them

feel good is not a new thing at Simba. In fact, we can say it is in their DNA. Since their arrival on the scene, many years ago, their empowerment programmes for their dealers and customers have always been top-notch and even now what they are giving to Nigerians is something that cannot be quantified. Of course you know, they’re the number 1 keke in Nigeria and their customer relations and after sales service are equally top of the range.

“I am particularly proud of my association with the company, especially because of what they are doing for Nigerians and not only when we patronise them. As a company, they do not only think about the business.”

While thanking the fleet owners for their continuous patronage, the national head, TVS 3-wheeler Sales, Simba Group, Mr. Amit Seth assured them of the superior quality of the TVS King brand. He also assured them of the continuity of the company’s robust after sales service policy which they have enjoyed for years.

On his part, the Head of Marketing, Simba Group, Mr Karthik Govindarajan, once again, briefed the dealers on the durability, quality, after sales service and spare parts availability for TVS King tricycles and motorcycles. He further emphasised that customer engagement is a cardinal policy of the Group. “This is part of a series of activities we do across the country; in all 36 states.

21st Century, Konet to Unveil 36MW Hyperscale Data Centre Foremost Information and Communication Technology firm, 21st Century Technologies (21CTL) and Konet have announced the commencement of a leading edge, hyperscale data centre project which is acclaimed to be the largest in West and North Africa.

The technology company recently completed its two massive data centres in Lekki, Lagos.

The most ambitious data centre sited in Ikeja Lagos, is designed above Tier IV standard and will house DDOS Security scrubbing infrastructure which will be made available to all customers, boasting features as energy efficiency, green facility and explosive proof surveillance camera.

The facility will have 9 X 6400 sq meters IT Space with 4MW IT load each with flexibility to accommodate more IT capacity depending on

customers’ requirements.

The data centre, due for completion in 24months, will become a reference point for data Centre business in Nigeria and beyond.

The location offers diverse fibre connectivity owned and operated by 21 CTL with full redundant power supply and access to gas.

The Chief Executive Officer of 21st Century Technologies, Wale Ajisebutu, explained that the ground breaking 36 MW hyperscale campus in Ikeja was part of its massive phase 2 projects in Nigeria, coming after a successful completion of phase 1 operations.

As part of the phase 2 projects, 21st CTL has commenced the establishment of 5.4 MW data centre in Apapa and Ikoyi, as well as 3 Edge data centre in Victoria Island, Maryland and Ikeja, all

of 1.2 MW each, sited in Lagos state.

Ajisebutu explained that the state-of-the -art digital centres, strategically positioned across Lagos State, would see each business districts in the state have access to a data centre that would further drive commercial viability and access to seamless information technology.

The project will equally facilitate content delivery network, internet of things, digital financial services and digital content.

Other offerings supported included artificial intelligence and machine learning centre, digital entertainment ,innovation lab, as well as accelerate co-innovation.

He stated further that the innovation would boost the country’s technology profile, which will also draw huge investments to Nigeria.

Experts have identified knowledge gap as a major hindrance to accessing finance for agricultural projects.

They pointed out that in addition to gathering knowledge, there was need to get the right management, market and tools to enable the sector to be prioritised among the nations’ scale of preference.

They made this known at a virtual session organised by Foreign Investment Network (FIN) in partnership with Project Capital+, recently.

The discussion themed, “Attracting Finance to Agricultural Sector Projects in times of Crisis”, sought to explore global funding opportunities for investors in the sector.

Speaking at the session, Founder and Partner of Dem – Inter, Mark Lewis, stated that beyond finance, some non-monetary factors come to play in agriculture operations for investment to yield returns.

He listed these factors as planning, experienced managers, policy outlines, market feasibility and technology tools.

He said, “Most projects fail because of the calibre of planning and management involved. It is important to employ experienced managers whose experience will come to play whenever decisions are to be taken.

It is also important that you involve local people in the management team to enhance sustainability. Also worthy of note here are the products. Whatever products should be such that is sellable in the market, this is why a feasibility study of the market is very key.”

Music Enthusiast Launches Management Company Young Nigerian music enthusiast, Adeshola Adefuwa Cole, popularly known as Sholly Cole, has set everything in motion to launch the Cole Management Services (CMS), a unique artisteoriented music management outfit in the country.

Speaking about the new company, which was unveiled in Lagos recently, the General Manager of Cole Management services, Mr Adeshola Adefuwa Cole, CMS will offer music distribution service, artiste management service and booking services, amongst others.

Explaining the uniqueness of his new company, Adeshola Adefuwa Cole said CMS’ model aims at changing how the world see Nigerians by carefully packaging the country’s talents, energy and culture to the world at large,.

He said the new company would also give every talent it works with a voice and direction in ways that would beautify and impact Nigeria and the Nigerian music and entertainment industry as a whole.

Most importantly in CMS’ model, is that the company is set to work with their artistes to ensure they earn worthy profits for their talent, as this is one major issue artistes grapple with in the course of their career, he said.

“We want to build this company as one that artistes can trust to handle the business part of their careers.

Thankyou Invites P&G, Unilever inq. Expands Operations to Nigeria Australia-based social enterprise, ‘Thankyou’ has extended invitation to leading consumer goods companies, Procter&Gamble and Unilever to make and distribute Thankyou products, as part of efforts to tackle poverty globally.

In realising this goal, the organisation is asking people around the world to get involved in its ‘No Small Plan’ campaign.

Thankyou offers consumer products - personal care and baby product ranges - for the sole purpose of funding life-changing projects.

Founded in 2008, the organisation sought to close the gap between the 736 million people living in extreme poverty around the world and the $63 trillion spent on consumer products each year.

Founder of Thankyou, Daniel Flynn, stated that the modus operandi of the firm seeks to flip consumerism for good by making sure that every last cent it realises goes to end poverty after deducting operational costs.

He said, “With $63 trillion spent on consumer goods each year while 736 million people are stuck in extreme poverty, we believe that business as usual is broken.

“But we also believe that we, together with people and a partnership with one of the two biggest companies in the world, can change this by funneling the dollars spent on consumer goods into helping end extreme poverty.”

Currently, Thankyou only sells its products in Australia and New Zealand, but with COVID-19 increasing both global poverty numbers and demand for personal care products such as hand sanitiser, the company is recognising the need to expand its footprint.

Flynn noted that bringing P&G and Unilever on board would stir and expedite the realisation of the organisation’s goal to change the course of history and route millions of consumer dollars to ending extreme poverty.

Information Communication Technology firm, Inq. has extended its offerings to West Africa most populous nation, Nigeria, thus fulfilling the brand’s vision of building a pan African network across African cities. inq. said it has extended its reach via the 100 per cent acquisition of Vodacom Business Africa’s operations in Nigeria, Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire.

The company in a statement further hinted of plans to acquire the business in Cameroon, pending regulatory approvals.

The new transaction grows inq.’s regional footprint as a leading enterprise solutions provider to 12 cities in seven countries across Africa.

This included its existing operations in Botswana, Malawi and South Africa with an additional investment in Mozambique.

Speaking on the development, Managing Director, inq. Nigeria Headquarters, Valentine Chime, said, “Covid-19 has accelerated digital

transformation, and we are perfectly positioned to deliver intelligent connectivity through seamless delivery of cloud and digital services and technologies to our clients. We are about simpler and seamless solutions.”

Under the inq. banner, the company will embark on the next phase of building a unified Pan-African cloud and digital service provider, bringing to market a very suite of next generation technology solutions in the fields of Edge AI, SD-WAN/NFV and Cloud. inq. currently operates in 12 African cities including:Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Gaborone, Lusaka, Ndola, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Abidjan and Johannesburg.

The organisation prides itself on global best practice methodologies customised to local customs in each of the 12 cities, covering different sectors including banking, oil & gas, FMCG, mining, health, real estate, IT, public sector and logistics.

38

Ë&#x153; Ëž OCTOBER 3, 2020

FAJ/JOE

THEFRONTLINES

Mr. President, Please Lead By Example

JOSEPH USHIGIALE

A

cross the country today, everywhere you go, from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to Bama in Borno, Yenagoa in Bayelsa to Birnin Kebbi in Kebbi state, the stories are the same. Nigerians are groaning under the unprecedented hardship they are going through.

This is despite the chest thumping and self praises being heaped on the administration by its official who are claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari is the best thing that has happened to Nigeria.

There is no doubt that the President means well for the country and the people but good thoughts alone that do not transform to food on the table to feed a hungry population is just what it is: wishful thinking.

Given the seething anger that pervaded the polity following the decision of the Organised Labour to cancel its planned strike initially slated to protest against the hike in price of petrol and electricity tariffs, there were expectations that the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anniversary speech would be toned down and conciliatory.

Regrettably, perhaps either the President and his handlers were quite insensitive or deliberately refused to gauge the mood of the nation; they went ahead to add salt upon injury with such a combative speech which condemned all past leaders except himself as incompetent including drawing parallels on petrol pricing in other countries.

What then drew the angst of Nigerians? Most Nigerians were spoiling for a fight to replicate the role played by Buhari in 2011, when he led a revolt to protest against fuel price increase during former President Goodluck Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration. They were ready to protest and damn the consequences and test the will of the Buhari administration to tolerate protests just like Jonathan did in 2011.

The other reason is that the agreements reached with the federal government by the organised labour which outlined some palliative measures to cushion the effects of the deregulation of the downn stream sector, the timeline for revamping of refineries, suspension of newly introduced reflective cost regime in the electricity tariff were viewed as a sellout and an anticlimax to the shadow boxing and fist thumping by labour leaders who had earlier vowed that the strike must force government to rescind its decisions.

Apart from the fact that previous governments, caught in this same fuel price increase debacle always ended up agreeing to the provision of palliatives to the masses, most Nigerians are tired and perceive this government as not being sincere and economical with the truth.

Take for instance its promise of revamping the four major refinerr ies in the country. Recall that Buhari had dismissed subsidy regime

under Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government as a scam and vowed to scrapped it as soon as he assumed office.

But that did not happen as the subsidy regime in which it is estimated that over N1tr was being spent annually continued for five years till last month.

One would have thought that with this hindsight, on assuming office, the President would tackle the problem head on by fixing the refineries to ensure that Nigeria stopped importing petroleum products and end subsidy payments to criminal elements in the system.

So the question now is: why wait for five years to fix the refineries?

What informed your decision to abandon the refineries in the past? Is government abandoning the refineries to give leverage to a competii tor?

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently declared that government had no business in running a business like refineries. If that is the case, why is government fixing the refineries instead of privatizing them?

Is it sincere and would it be held accountable in this latest agreement signed with the organised labour?

While Nigerians were still smarting from what some of them considered a sell out by Labour to government, it was the tone of the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Independence Day broadcast that further dampened morale as it showed that this government lacks a human face and empathy towards the NIGERIAN people.

According to the President, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre. Acomparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; Chad which is an oil producing country charges N362 per litre; Niger, also an oil producing country sells 1 litre at N346; 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 Arabiaâ&#x20AC;?.

In drawing these comparisons, the President deliberately ignored certain basic facts. First, these countries do not sell their crude oil to import petroleum products. He also failed to tell us that these countries maintain their refineries that work 24/7 to service local needs of consumers.

The Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attempt to hoodwink Nigerians with such voodoo statistics into believing that government is running a welfare subsidy regime for the citizens is misleading, unjust and callous. The Buhari administration must take full responsibility and admit that it has failed woefully in addressing the challenges in the oil sector and stop blaming Nigerians.

With the President announcing that â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decii sionsâ&#x20AC;?; I am urging Buhari to lead this country by example. The time

I Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Get Whyy We Want to Sacrifice Our Children

I

get it: the children have been home for more than four months, with a worrying potential that their education may be stunted to such a degree that they may be clutching air in an attempt to catch up with their contemporaries universally, in this frenetic digital age, where we still struggle, nationally.

I get it: young parents are witnessing the sweetbitter exposure to infant belligerence and relentless mischievousness - not merely on weekends - but through a near hellish four months; perfectly made even more nightmarr ish by several weeks of lock-down that forced parents to stay home without any hope of escape into offices or some field work.

I get it: irritated parents, itching teachers, terrified school owners and other vested interest are pulling the government on all sides, trying to pressurise the government, especially in the states, to open up the educational space for some controlled school resumption.

I get it: life, as we know it, has basically shifted, perhaps permanently...to what is now commonly called â&#x20AC;&#x153;the new normalâ&#x20AC;? - and part of the human response to beat Covid-19, is to somehow within reasonable and knowledge-based precauu tions and self-preserving protocols, device means of resuming â&#x20AC;&#x153;normalâ&#x20AC;? lifestyle. We needed to get the businesses back at some steam... transportation had to get back on the move... markets, churches, mosques, restaurants, cinema houses, bars, recreation centers... almost all the elements that define our humanity have to be restarted... Even as we sort out efforts to check the spread of Covid-19, and await, with hope on this side, for vaccines that can save human beings, as early as possible.

With constant head nodding, you are probably in sync with the sentiments in the above paragraphs, and therefore understand the reason why the federal government endorsed general resumption of schools across the nation as from October 5. This is in spite of worried signals that Covid-19 may surge dangerously high in same October, and probably spike another round of quarantine and lockdowns.

Let us pause and review the available data that could justify our seeming risk to sacrifice the lives of our children on what appears a hunch that Covid-19 may be curtailed when children, characteristically ebullient and restless, mingle and frolic in so-called sanitized (safe) environment. Many schools in the United States have had thousands of returning students

quarantined to prevent further spread of Covid-19; we have read alarming warnings of top US scientists advising school authorities not to send students suspected to be asymptomatic back to their homes - to prevent infecting adults.

Perhaps a report by The European Sting in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, published on August 10, 2020 will provide alternating perspectives to deepen our appreciation of these worrying times. Here are few extracts which crunched the numbers using Nigeria as one of its research-cases: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we do know is that low-income countries face a very different set of circumstances from high-income countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, a higher proportion of households that include both children and elderly people, difficulty (in) testing for COVID-19 and enforcing social distancing in existing school settings, and the urgency of maintaining the livelihoods of working-age adults to prevent hunger and poverty. Our study finds reopening schools too early in developing countries could undermine the gains made so far in containing the spread of the virus. When deciding to reopen schools, policymakers need to weigh these findings against the cost of keeping schools closed for a prolonged period... â&#x20AC;&#x153;A common justification for re-opening schools is that children are very unlikely to die from COVID-19. Yet, children live with adults, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly in developing countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; elderly adults. According UN data, the proportion of elderly people who live with at least one child under 20 is more than 10% in most African countries, compared to less than 1% in European countries and the United States. This raises the risk that children may contract the virus at school and transmit it to parents and grandparents at home.â&#x20AC;?

Indeed, the complexities of whether to reopen schools, or wait out the year, are damning for policy and decision makers: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Opening schools increases fatalities among older adults, and most commonly the elderly. By closing schools alone, our model predicts it could save around 175,000 lives relative to doing nothing. Other additional interventions can do even better, such as shielding the elderly. A blanket lockdown (of the formal sector) would save the most lives but would lead to large additional declines in GDP, meaning reduced livelihoods for many vulnerable households.â&#x20AC;?

For any decision taken, there are costs to pay, and losses to incur. What will our people prefer...between the deep blue sea and the hard unfeeling rock? Here is more from the Sting

jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

for successive governments to sit in their high horses enjoying the perks of office should be done away with as both the leaders and the led should face the realities of the tough decisions.

As Buhari rallies Nigerians to further sacrifice for the good of the country, I am urging him to embrace the change he promised Nigerians by denying himself the perks of office which extends to members of his family, appointees etc. In charging the President to lead by example, we want to see this reflect in a reduction in the cost of governance.

Therefore to set the tune, the President should relocate to his village in Daura, bereft of any official vehicles, security guards, stewards etc and work virtually form his village using his own resources including his salary to run government. He is also expected to direct all ministers, appointees, governors and all elected and appointed official who currently feed fat from the commonwealth the adopt the same lifestyle going forward.

This would give them first hand opportunities to see how Nigerians have resorted to self help by building roads, houses, providing security, potable water, medicare and means of livelihood for themselves without government assistance and yet still pay taxes.

Buhari would not be the first President to adopt such an austere lifestyle. Former Uruguayan leader JosĂŠ Mujica, was dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153;the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorest presidentâ&#x20AC;? for his modest lifestyle. But it was his down-to-earth lifestyle and refusal to live in the presidential palace that attracted adulations. He donated most of his salary as president to charity and the only possession he had when he took office in 2010 was his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle. The light-blue, beat-up Beetle became so famous he was offered $1m (ÂŁ780,000) for it in 2014, but turned the offer down because he said he would have no way of transporting his three-legged dog without it.

There is a lesson to learn in the President and his cohorts adopting this lifestyle. Apart from reducing the huge cost of running governn ment, the current scenario where government officials and politicians live off tax payers money creates a distortion to the point that they are cut off from the real realities.

If the President, politicians and government officials who take most of these insensitive decisions against the people, are compelled to work from their villages without the usual security paraphernalia, with their families exposed to insecurity that the ordinary Nigerians are exposed to daily, they buy the same bag of rice at N36 per 50kg, buy fuel at N161 per litre, the realities would dawn on all of them to fix this country and stop the rhetorics.

So Mr. President lead us by example, we are ready to follow you.

COUNTERP POINT

FEMI

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

report: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The single biggest reason to delay school re-openings is to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Our study predicts that delaying school openings can be a potent force for saving lives, by reducing the risk of children getting infected at school, and in turn, spreading the virus within their households.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course, any policy decision about delaying school openings must dispassionately weigh the potential lives saved against the negative impacts of keeping children out of school for a long period. For example, evidence from the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone show an increase in out-of-wedlock pregnancies and a drop in school enrolment after the crisis among young women in villages. On the other hand, some families could not afford to send their children back to school after losing their livelihoods, indicating an important link between protecting livelihoods and access to education. Other major issues of concern in developing countries around keeping schools closed for long periods include losses in learning, missed midday meals, availability of childcare for working parents, and limited resources for online learning.â&#x20AC;?

From the copious reports around us, and experiences of other nations, especially the developed nations with heightened and more widespread counter measures against the spiralling grim-ripper, what I get is our bold-faced gamble to expose our children, and inevitably their parents and grandparents, to the contagion, and hope nothing bad happens. What I see is our government hoping, or wishing, that all will be well with our children, if only they would wash their hands regularly, wear face marks, keep safe distances; and school authorities mobilise teachers and school workers to supervise, lead by personal examples and drive the safe teachh ing environment in schools, either public or private. So much for national policy dependency on uncontrollable variables.

I am fully persuaded that if I have children of school-going age, I shall confidently ignore the risk and potential sacrifice of exposure wherein the government would not be around when the possible consequences of their resumption protocols backfire...and one would be left to carry oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own cross - as it is with most of our relationship with governance in this continent. I would rather my children miss a full year of study, and resume when the air is sufficiently â&#x20AC;&#x153;immaculateâ&#x20AC;?, and vaccines available...than join the government in the risky dance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reopen schools, and see what happensâ&#x20AC;? - that, I get!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ T H I S D AY

39

TR

Saturday, October 3, 2020

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE

Jega on Nigeria’s Challenges “We got here regrettably because our country has been bedevilled by bad leadership and poor governance...a lot of attention has been devoted to getting into power without adequate preparation in terms of what to do when you get into power.”

– Former Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, bemoaning the state of the nation after 60 years of independence.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

The Truth They Won’t Tell President Buhari

F

ellow Nigerians, I was one of those who celebrated Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary in the grandiloquent Ovation International style. Many had queried me on social media asking what was there to celebrate? My response was easy and straightforward. LIFE. One word that encapsulates the whole essence of our existence. I will never take LIFE for granted. This is more so when we consider the corona virus pandemic now ravaging the world. The latest person to fall victim to this insidious, but utterly dangerous and dreaded ailment is the omnipotent President of the United States, Donald Trump, who like the Brazilian President, had pooh poohed the corona virus not knowing he would suddenly contract the disease and be laid low by it I pray that COVID-19 does not consume him.

My Column today, is dedicated to Nigeria’s Diamond Independence Jubilee and another powerful President, Muhammadu Buhari.

I was born on May 16, 1960, just before Nigeria gained Independence. So, I’m months older than our dear beloved country. I have since found time to read many accounts of what transpired before and after we assumed we were free from colonial bondage. I could imagine the giddiness that accompanied that much sought-after illusory freedom, at the time. But sadly, though we were free from colonial rule, events have shown that our emancipation was instantly replaced and replicated by home grown colonial masters, those many literary artists have described as neo-colonialists. That’s a story for another day.

For now, I’m more interested in how we celebrated our 60th birthday two days ago. To be quite honest, I had expected to witness a more serious sign of soul searching and moment of sober reflections, in the light of a terribly horrible year for our country, the world and, indeed, civilisation. I expected our dear President and his speechwriters to craft a magnum opus of sorts. It is a rare privilege for any President to superintendent such a milestone and landmark event. Something that would reverberate and resonate for decades in the annals of Nigerian, nay African and world history. But the day came and went poof, just like that. It was like a charade, a real anti-climax. There were no monumental decisions and changes. No forceful, emphatic and inspirational declaration of policy or direction from a government that has been apparently rudderless and clueless for the most part of its five years in office. Instead what we got was just the same lacklustre and lethargic performance of the last five years that we have now been made accustomed to, by fire by force.

The speech by the President gave no solid tone or re-assurance. It was littered with platitudes and vague, watery promises, not the solemn, earnest proclamations of how to heal the nations wounds and progress the dreams of its teeming populace. I couldn’t believe that a government that has burnt five years already, would still frivolously promise heaven and earth in ten years, forgetting it has spent more than half of its two terms of four years each. Truth is, the least discerning of Nigerians will agree with me that there is no prospect that anything much would be achieved by this government, even if allocated a 20-year term. It is not because it cannot find the brightest Nigerians to work with, it is because of the Messianic attitude of the titular head of government. I’m shocked that this government still has the temerity to blame previous governments for its own glaring failures.

Wake up smell the coffee, Sir! The reason you were voted into power was to fix the rot and the mess that the nation had been plunged into by the very same previous governments that you are blaming. We knew that they had brought

Buhari us to our knees. You promised to bring us to our feet, not to merely lay the blame for your deficiencies and defalcation at not succeeding in this respect at the doorsteps of your predecessors.

President Muhammadu Buhari needs to be told the gospel truth so that he may be rescued from his delusions of grandeur. His greatest flaw is not new to our nation. And it is not likely to go away very soon. Inherited prejudices are often stubborn and intractable. President Buhari is obviously neither willing nor able to steer Nigeria in a different direction from that which he has been all too familiar with. I can write the history of how his government would end in advance. It does not require any gift of clairvoyance or precognition to see that, when tomorrow comes, history would record that the Buhari administration was a most unambitious government that came to warm the seats of power and enjoy the trappings and appurtenances associated with it, but achieved little or nothing despite the humongous resources at its disposal.

Why do I say President Buhari’s political ailments are inherited and self-inflicted? He wants to be seen more as a champion of the North and the protector of the Fulani protectorates than as a world, even African statesman. It is so sad that this uncommon second chance is being blown and frittered away so recklessly. It is obvious from the President’s latest speech, on this epochal occasion of Nigerian nationhood, that he’s not too bothered about how anyone feels about his full-blown parochialism. How I wish the President has some Advisers who can stare at him eyeball to eyeball and tell him that Nigeria is torn at the seams and shattering and splintering at the speed of light. What shall it profit a leader who was handed a cohesive country but allowed things to fall apart under his watch?

When a President says on national television that some Nigerians traded away their rights, by not voting right, meaning not voting for him, so they must pay the price, I shudder.

I simply cannot imagine or understand that any progressive leader would possess such an incredibly bigoted and sectarian mindset.

Nigeria is being riven, divided and torn asunder by elements and communities clamouring for self-emancipation, restructuring, separate identities and even downright secession. Soothing, calming, conciliatory and rehabilitation words are required.

That is not what the speech, which was full of belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious and discordant notes, portended. The President needs to learn the tenets of Democracy. It is impossible for everyone to vote for you, Sir. Nigeria is a multiparty, multicultural, multi-ethnic and multireligious State. And freedom of association and expression and other individual liberties are enshrined in our Constitution. So, it is unthinkable that any President would expect absolute loyalty from everyone. Even totalitarian regimes expect dissent. They only clamp down on them on occasions that such dissent becomes to them a destabilising force or to teach a salutary lesson.

The one thing that the President must do, as a matter of utmost necessity and urgency, is to regard and embrace every Nigerian as a bona fide valued and cherished citizen of the Federal Republic. No one should be victimised for not supporting the President during any particular election.

The reasons all the Nigerian Republics seemed to have failed spectacularly is embedded in an editorial written by the Time magazine in 1958 shortly before we got our Independence.

It was forwarded to me last night by Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, the Managing Director of Arise News Channel. In fact, it summed up how Nigeria started failing before even starting. I’m glad I read the editorial while preparing this article. I will recommend it to every Nigerian who can read, and I reproduce it below: “The Time Magazine 10th November 1958

Independence Without Difficulties is a Dream of Utopia For one month, delighted Londoners watched the 80 ceremonially dressed Nigerians —some with necklaces of animal teeth, others with feathered straw hats, at least one with a jewelled crown — parade into Lancaster House for their historic conference.

Everything possible had been done to make them feel at home.

For the Colonial Office’s big reception at the Tate Gallery, all nude statues were carefully screened so as not to offend Moslems. The Lord Mayor served up a banquet of stewed peanuts, and one paramount Chief — His Highness James Okosi II of the Onitsha — fulfilled a lifelong ambition: to ride the escalator at the Charing Cross underground station.[?]

In the end, the Nigerians got what they had come for: on Oct. 1, 1960, the largest (373,250 sq. mi.) of Britain’s remaining colonial territories would get its independence (TIME. Nov. 3). But behind the scenes the conference had revealed ominous signs of trouble to come.

From the start there was a clash between the personalities of the Premiers of the three regions — each obviously more important than the scholarly Federal Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

In Western eyes, Obafemi Awolowo of the Western Region seemed the most statesmanlike: as the conference began, the London Times carried a full-page ad proclaiming his declaration for freedom under the title “This I Believe,” prepared with the help of an American public relations man.

In contrast, U.S. - educated Premier Nnamdi (“Zik”) Azikiwe of the Eastern Region seemed to have learned more in the U.S. about Tammany tactics than Thomas Jefferson, and was somewhat under a cloud as a result of a British tribunal’s 1956 investigation into corruption in his administration.

The North’s Premier, the Sardauna of Sokoto, a haughty Moslem of noble birth, could barely

conceal his contempt for his less aristocratic colleagues.

Insults & Accusations. Under the great chandeliers of the Lancaster House music room, where Chopin once played for Queen Victoria, the Premiers bickered, shot insults back and forth like poisoned darts.

When the conference took up the ticklish problem of how to protect the rights of minorities among Nigeria’s 250 tribes, Awolowo suggested creating three new states. The North’s Sardauna, not wishing to relinquish any of his own territory, vetoed the idea. Nor did he like the plan for a centralized police force under the federal government: he much preferred to use his own force, which, answerable only to him, can pop a man in jail with no questions asked.

At one point, the Sardauna accused Awolowo of sending his supporters to Israel to be trained as saboteurs in the North — a charge fabricated out of the fact that Western Nigeria has imported agricultural experts from Israel to advise its farmers. Awolowo counter charged that the Sardauna flogs his prisoners.

At receptions the delegates sipped their orange juice, icily aloof from one another. In elevators conversation would suddenly stop if a delegate from another region got on.

Compromises & Contests. But as the weeks passed, the Sardauna grudgingly consented to let the constitution carry a bill of rights, though he was so thoroughly opposed to giving the vote to women that the conference decided that this was, after all, not necessarily a “fundamental” right.

The delegates then agreed on a centralized police force, but one that would be administered by a council of representatives from each region.

Finally, with their own independence from Britain assured (as well as that of the adjacent British Cameroons, should they choose to become a part of Nigeria), the delegates started for home.

Until Nigeria’s federal election takes place next year, the three Premiers will continue jockeying for power, and the fate of Nigeria could well hinge on who comes out on top. Last week, even as the National Planning Committee of Independence opened its contest for the design of a national flag (first prize: $300), many Nigerians had grave reservations about what lay ahead.

For all its jubilation, Nigeria’s West African Pilot felt obliged to warn: “Independence without difficulties is a dream of Utopia.”

This Time Magazine editorial could as well have been written today by the same writer for the same magazine. Its prophetic analysis is so scary, and yet there is no sign Nigerian leaders are ready to change a system that has held us by the jugular for so long. Indeed, they seem to prefer to continue fostering the feeding frenzy that ensues from the rent system engendered by this broken system.

What an average Nigerian smells and feels today is that the grounds for war is being prepared already, but a powerful General should understand the unpredictable nature of a civil war. We have been down that road before to great sorrow and loss. Others have experienced similar wars leading to balkanisation of their countries and none of those countries can claim to have the greatness of the union they broke away from.

Moreover, Love is easier to achieve than war.

All the fantastic, phantasmagorical projections of development laid out in the high falutin speech of President Buhari will come to nought if no sacrifice is made on the part of the President to bury his innate love for just his own region and seek to unite Nigeria and Nigerians now before it is too late. A word is always enough for the wise!

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com