SUNDAY 7TH NOVEMMBER 2021

NNPC’s JV Assets, Priority Projects Funding Gulp $2.64bn in Nine Months 22 upstream gas projects valued at $23.7bn ongoing nationwide Corporation hasn’t remitted funds to FAAC for four months, says Fayemi US may counter OPEC's refusal to increase oil supply Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Out of the budgeted $4.8

billion for Joint Venture (JV) cost recovery and government priority projects between January and September 2021, the Nigerian National

Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was able to spend $2.645 billion during the period under review, latest data from the corporation has shown.

The data also showed that 22 gas projects currently valued at $23.7 billion are ongoing nationwide.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr.

Kayode Fayemi has however lamented that the corporation had not remitted funds into the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC)

in the last four months.

However, while the total projected expenses for the Continued on page 8

FCT Police Arrest Eight Kidnappers of UniAbuja Staff in Gwagwalada Forest... Page 5 Sunday 7 November, 2021 Vol 26. No 9708

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With Outcome of National Convention, PDP Govs Consolidate Grip on Party

May take presidential ticket Ayu: PDP’s defeat in 2015 a blessing Says delay in zoning presidential ticket tactical

Chuks Okocha in Abuja Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) have consolidated their grip on the main opposition party with the outcome of last month’s

National Convention of the party held in Abuja.

With their stronghold on the party, the governors have

positioned themselves to give the presidential ticket of the party to one of their own.

The National Chairman-

designate of the main the party’s presidential ticket opposition party, Dr. Iyorchia was for tactical reasons.

Ayu has however disclosed that the delay in the zoning of Continued on page 5

Soludo, Ozigbo, Ngige, Others Kick as Widespread Glitches Mar Anambra Election INEC launches probe, extends accreditation, voting till today To begin collation of results this morning Hoodlums snatch ballot boxes in Onitsha, attack INEC officials in Ihiala

Nseobong Okon-Ekong, Chucks Okocha, Segun James and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo; his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Valentine Ozigbo; governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dr. Obiora Okonkwo and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday

protested the widespread glitches that characterised the governorship election across the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has however disclosed that it was investigating the reason the accreditation devices Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), did not work perfectly in some polling units.

INEC, which also extended the period for opening and closing of the poll from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., further Continued on page 8

Death Toll Hits 42 as Six More Persons Rescued from Collapsed Building...Page 5

THE MAKING OF A SUCCESSOR… Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, casting his vote at Eri Primary School in Otucha Ward 1, Polling Unit 004, Aguleri in NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Anambra East Local Government Area…yesterday

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WE CAME IN PEACE… L-R: Managing Partner, SIAO Partners, Pastor Itua Ighodalo; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Chairman, SIAO Partners, Robert Ade-Odiachie, during their courtesy visit to the governor in his office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta…weekend

FCT Police Arrest Eight Kidnappers of UniAbuja Staff in Gwagwalada Forest Probe death of five persons in kerosene explosion Niger demolishes suspected kidnapper’s home Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Laleye Dipo in Minna The Federal Capital Territory Police Command (FCT) yesterday announced the arrest of eight kidnappers involved in the abduction of six members of staff of the University of Abuja after a fire-fight with security forces at Shenegwu Forest in Gwagwalada Area Council.

The arrest is coming as the command launched an investigation into Friday night's kerosene tank explosion at Kubwa

Village Market that killed five people and injured 10 others.

The Niger State Government also on Friday night demolished the home of a suspected notorious kidnapper.

An update on the University of Abuja kidnap incident issued by the FCT Police Command stated that the police in a joint operation with the military and other security agencies rescued the six kidnap victims on Friday.

The daring Tuesday morning kidnap, which alarmed security agencies, had triggered a massive

security cordon around the nation's capital, leading to the deployment of troops and mounting of road blocks at the entry points to the territory by the Brigade of Guards.

The Brigade of Guards of the Nigerian Army is assigned to protect the President, his family and the nation's capital.

The update signed by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Josephine Adeh, said a joint operation by security agencies arrested the culprits

after a fierce gun duel.

"Following investigations and manhunt for the criminal elements involved in the abduction of staff of the University of Abuja at the University Staff Quarters, Giri, on November 2, 2021, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the military, the DSS and other security agencies, in a joint operation, in the early hours of Friday, November 5, 2021, successfully identified the hideout of the criminals located at Shenegwu Forest in the Gwagwalada area of the FCT

and rescued all the abducted victims unhurt," it said.

The command said: "The criminal elements on sighting the security team, engaged them in a fierce gun duel. However, the superior firepower of the security operatives led to the arrest of eight members of the notorious gang while some other members of the gang fled into the forest and nearby communities."

It said the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Babaji Sunday, enjoined residents particularly those around the Gwagwalada

area of the FCT to be vigilant and provide the police with useful information that could assist in apprehending the gang members still at large while efforts were being intensified to arrest fleeing members of the gang.

It said all the suspects would be charged to court on conclusion of the investigations.

The CP disclosed that investigation was being accentuated while a dragnet was extended to arrest all the Continued on page 10

WITH OUTCOME OF NATIONAL CONVENTION, PDP GOVS CONSOLIDATE GRIP ON PARTY Ayu has also declared that the loss of power by the party in the 2015 general election was a blessing as Nigerians now know that they were better off with the main opposition party.

He also noted that the PDP might have plunged the country into a dictatorship or become complacent if it had remained in control of the government at the centre.

THISDAY gathered that from all the events that led to the build-up to the national convention of the party, it was obvious that the governors from the 13 PDP-controlled states Rivers, Enugu, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Abia, Benue, Oyo, Bauchi, Sokoto, Taraba, and Adamawa - as well as the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, have taken full control of the opposition party.

The governors dictated who gets what in the party’s new National Working Committee (NWC), which was decided at the October 30 - 31 national convention at the Eagles Square, Abuja.

To demonstrate their keen interest in the issue of leadership of the party, all through the night of October 30 to 31, the governors stayed put inside the State House box of the arena to direct affairs of the party.

They did not sleep as they continued to banter and exchange notes while giving instructions from time to time.

A source close to the PDP governors told THISDAY that the attitude of the state chief executives in last month’s

convention was unlike in the past when the governors after the opening ceremony would leave, then return to cast their votes and leave again before coming for the announcement of the results.

“This time they stay put at the Eagles Square. With their presence, they were able to sustain interest in the proceeding at the convention ground. This time around, PDP governors are showing that they are dyed-in-the-wool politicians.

With this corps of governors, it will be difficult for the 2023 elections to be blatantly rigged or manipulated against the opposition by the ruling party and its cohorts. These governors will defend their turf and the party’s votes,” the source said.

He disclosed that the way the governors ensured that all the machinery necessary for organising the convention from the zoning committee, convention committee, and all the sub-committees were headed by the governors, showed that they are not ready to leave anything to chances.

According to him, the governors also ensured that their loyalists were nominated for the key posts, adding that they achieved consensus for most of the posts where they are directly involved.

“In the three cases which have to be decided by voting - deputy national chairman (south), national youth leader, and national auditor, the candidates on the unity list drawn by the governors still won,” he added.

“Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State produced the national chairman; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State produced the national Secretary; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo produced the national deputy chairman (South), while Aminu Tambuwal produced the National Organising Secretary.

He pointed out that the only non- serving governor who produced a high-ranking party official is former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki whose candidate, Mr. Kamal Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), emerged as the National Legal Adviser.

He disclosed that the governors conceded the crucial position to Saraki who himself is a former governor and onetime chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum because of the respect they have for him and the good relationship he maintains with all of them.

He said the implication of the governors’ grip on the party is that they will most likely also decide how the presidential candidate of the party for the 2021 elections will emerge next year.

The governors displayed cohesion, focus, unity, dedication, and camaraderie in the manner they execute the election of the new NWC of PDP. It is believed that they did this for a purpose.

The ultimate end is to decide the presidential flagbearer. From the interaction and body language of the governors, the governors are likely to make one of them the presidential candidate. They

will want a candidate who they can relate with when he emerged as president and who will not feel too big in his disposition towards them,” he explained.

PDP’s Loss of Power in 2015 a Good Amen, Says Ayu Meanwhile, the National Chairman-designate of the PDP, Ayu, has described the defeat of the party in 2015 by the APC as a good omen, stressing that it has afforded Nigerians the opportunity to know that they were better off with the main opposition party.

Ayu also argued that his party might have plunged the country into a dictatorship or become complacent it had remained in control of the federal government.

Fielding questions from journalists in Abuja at the weekend, the PDP chairman explained that his leadership will re-energise the party to take back power in 2023.

“My priority is for the party to take power. Political parties’ priorities are always to win.

Therefore, I reviewed the reasons why we lost power in 2015 and going to work to unite the party, sharpen the programmes of the party, market the party to the Nigerian electorate in a way that they will be prepared to vote for us.

“In a democracy, it’s normal for political parties to lose power. If we didn’t lose power, maybe, we would have become a dictatorship or become complacent. To

believe in democracy…there must have been something we were doing wrong or must have done wrong that the Nigerian electorate shifted.

“But today, if we didn’t lose power, they won’t experience the policies and programmes of the other party. They would think there is something better than us. Thank God we lost power. Today, Nigerian people know better,” Ayu explained.

“And I believe we will reenergise the party and take over power again, not only at the centre, but in Nigeria, there is a lot of attention taking power at the federal level,” he added.

He noted that there was a time PDP was controlling about 20 states, stressing that the number has been reduced to 13.

“We hope and pray and we will work very hard to increase that number from 13 to control over 20 states, possibly, we will win the federal government.

“So, that is my vision for this party. We will unite the party as I have said and I believe that very soon, we will have a very united, a very focused political party.”

Speaking on the issue of the zoning of the 2023 presidential ticket, Ayu said the party was delaying the zoning for tactical reasons.

He promised that the decision will be reached democratically when the time comes.

“We are a very democratic party. We don’t have problems in resolving our problems within the party. Everybody thought

the zoning of party offices will destroy the party. I think Nigerians were pleasantly surprised that we resolved it without any controversy whatsoever.

“So, those who are visiting controversies on the party are not getting it right. I believe that when the time comes because today, we have separated the zoning of party offices and zoning of the executive and legislative offices and it’s very tactical.

“When the time comes, we will subject ourselves to another democratic exercise and we will come out with a winning candidate. I believe Nigerians will be very happy with what we will offer them in the next couple of months,” he added.

The PDP national chairmandesignate expressed confidence that many politicians will return to the PDP because, according to him, the party has started to put things right.

“Necessary reconciliatory processes will be undertaken to reconcile party members and to resolve issues in chapters in various states.

“We have already started that by talking to people. I am happy to inform you so many people have already indicated interest to return to the party, those who were aggrieved who have left the party,” he added.

He cited the case of a former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, who have returned to the PDP.

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT… L-R: Managing Director, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Mr. Li Chun Sheng; Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreages Management, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ms. Rose Ndong; Chief Executive, NUPRC, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe; and outgoing Managing Director, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) ETOP UKUTT Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Mr. Vincent Xie, during the courtesy visit of CNOOC management to the Chief Executive at the NUPRC office in Lagos…yesterday

Death Toll Hits 42 as Six More Persons Rescued from Collapsed Building 49 families filled missing persons’ register Tinubu, Sule visit site, express sympathies Again, Osinbajo warns against linking him with building, threatens legal action Segun James and Wale Igbintade Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday disclosed that six additional persons had been rescued from the rubbles of a 21-storey building that collapsed in Ikoyi last Monday, bringing the number of survivours to 15 last night.

Sanwo-Olu, however, put the number of bodies recovered so far from the rubbles of the 21-storey collapsed building at 42, disclosing that 49 families had filled the missing persons’ register.

He gave these updates yesterday when he again visited the site of the collapsed building alongside the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, among others.

Meanwhile, Vice President

Yemi Osinbajo has again warned media houses and online publishers against publications linking him with the 21-storey building that collapsed last week in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

While giving an update on the search and rescue operation at the scene, Sanwo-Olu noted that six additional persons were evacuated alive from the collapsed structure.

With the critical conditions of the survivours, the governor disclosed that they “are currently being treated at the Police Hospital in Falomo, Ikoyi.”

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 42 bodies had been recovered from the site as at last night, giving a clearer manifest of the number of people that were possibly at the construction site before the building caved in last Monday.

Already, the governor said: “There are additional six people that we have also been able to identify and who were on site

when the building collapsed.

They were taken to the Police Hospital in Falomo for treatment and some of them have been discharged.

“We have taken the full records of survivours in the incident. This gives a total of 15 people rescued alive. We have a total of 42 bodies that have been recovered,” the governor explained.

He identified the latest survivors to include a 38-yearold woman, Glory Samsom, Ndajor Ahmed, Yunusa Abubaka, Ajiboye Habib, Jeremiah Samson, and one man identified as Emem.

While most of them sustained varying degrees of injury, according to the governor, Samson, 20, is said to be in a coma.

Sanwo-Olu, also, said 49 families had filled the missing persons’ register as at Saturday morning, saying the register had

helped the state government to reconcile the details of victims rescued alive and also medically account for bodies recovered.

The governor said identification of bodies by relatives had commenced, adding that DNA examination was being undertaken on some of the bodies difficult to be identified by their families.

Sanwo-Olu said: “There is a sum of money that has been reserved by the state government for succour and to give for befitting burial for those who died in the incident.

“Families that wish to accept it are being supported for the burial arrangement. Also, survivors in hospitals have been given the financial support to help them settle and cope with challenges of feeding in the aftermath of the incident.”

Tinubu, yesterday, visited the site of the collapsed building in the company of Sanwo-Olu

and his Nasarawa counterpart, Sule, among others.

Tinubu and Sule sympathised with families who lost their relatives and state government over the unfortunate tragedy.

The building collapsed on Monday with many artisans and others trapped in the rubble.

Currently, 42 bodies have been recovered, 49 families filled the missing persons’ registers while 15 rescued alive.

The state government had said families of the victims would go to the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba to identify the corpses recovered from the rubble.

Meanwhile, Vice President Osinbajo has again warned media houses and online publishers against publications linking him with the 21-storey building that collapsed last week in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

A statement entitled: ‘Libelous Publications of and Concerning

Saraki: After 22 Years of Democracy, Plateau Assembly Crisis, Embarrassment to Nigeria Chuks Okocha in Abuja Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described the crisis that has kept the Plateau State House of Assembly under lock as an embarrassment to Nigeria after practising democracy for 22 uninterrupted years.

On October 28, the Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Abok Ayuba was sacked by eight lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Thereafter, the lawmakers elected Hon. Yakubu Sanda, member representing the Pengana constituency, as the new speaker.

But Ayuba and members of the assembly loyal to him held a session outside the assembly and suspended six members involved in his purported sack.

The aftermath of the development has been a string of protests by the youths of the state and chaos within and around the assembly complex which has led to the arrest of some individuals.

This made the police high command seal the assembly complex and barred both factions from entering the facility until further notice.

But Saraki in a statement signed by the head of his Media Office, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, yesterday stated that if the issues that led to the Plateau State legislative crisis had happened in the first few years following the return of democracy in 1999, it would be excusable as part of the learning curve.

He added that the drama of unconstitutionality and simple lack of respect for due process that is the subject of the crisis to happen in 2021 is only exposing Nigeria to ridicule in the comity of nations.

“The Plateau crisis should be viewed in a larger context. It is not about Governor Simon Lalong with whom I have a personal relationship and enjoy mutual respect. Neither is it about the two claimants to the office of Speaker of the State

House of Assembly or their supporters in the legislature.

It is even bigger than Plateau State or any individual. The issue is about how the world sees us as a serious democratic country. It is about whether the rest of the world will see us as a people who lack respect for due process and therefore incapable of putting the provisions of our constitution to work on simple matters.

“How can we after 21 years of democracy be talking of the impeachment of a Speaker by six or eight members (whatever is the correct figure here) in a 24-member legislature and a picture of a parliamentary proceeding to impeach the speaker holding at 7 a.m.?

These are developments that will surely make this country a laughing stock in the international community.

“Yet, all our leaders and top politicians are silent. We, the political leaders, are behaving as we are unconcerned. This conspiracy of silence is the major worry that I have on

this issue. We should all speak against the flagrant disregard for due process and lack of respect for the provisions of the constitution. This is the reason why we make a simple issue complex,” Saraki stated.

He described the closure of the state assembly complex as mere escapism and using a wrong response to correct a wrong development because it is a measure that would deny the people representation and prevent the legislature from performing the duty for which the members are elected.

“It is trite to state that by the provision of our constitution, only 16 members can validly impeach a Speaker in a 24-member legislature. It is also not difficult to determine whether 16 members of the Plateau State House of Assembly want Hon. Abok Ayuba to be removed as Speaker or not. If those who want him to be removed have the number, it should be easy to determine during a peaceful, properly convened proceeding

and if those against the Speaker do not have the number, they should bid their time and go back to renew their strategy. No state machinery or institution should be used to perpetrate or condone illegality.

“All of us should learn to insist on the right thing being done at all times, no matter who is involved and what their motive is. My concern is the need to always take actions that will strengthen, not weaken, our democracy and its institutions. We should stop exposing our country to ridicule and contempt of the global community. Maybe I feel this way because of my antecedent as a former legislative leader who was also a victim of the disrespect for due process and constitution.

“I hereby urge all political leaders to speak out on the need to respect due process and protect the integrity of our political system. We should all make interventions that will help the country’s democracy to grow,” Saraki stated.

His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Collapsed Ikoyi Building’, issued by his lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), stated that the warning became necessary to explain the legal consequences of fabricating falsehood and unsubstantiated negative reports concerning the vice president.

The statement warned that in law, “liability for libellous publications is not limited to the original author or publisher thereof, but it also extends to and includes all those who, out of sheer ignorance, mischief or malice, or all, cause any libellous publication to be repeated, reposted or re-published, either personally or through any platform for which they have control’’.

The statement read: “We are solicitors to His Excellency, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), on whose instruction we write, in respect of the above subject matter.

“We have the mandate of our client to draw your esteemed attention to certain publications of and concerning him, in respect of the 21-storey building that recently collapsed in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

“These publications believed to have been sponsored by faceless individuals and entities to tarnish the good name and reputation of our client, claim most spuriously, that our client is connected with the said building, one way or the other, without any scintilla of proof. For the records, our client is not involved in, associated, or connected with the ownership or development of the collapsed building, in any manner whatsoever.

“This notice has thus become necessary, partly to explain the legal consequences of fabricating falsehood and unsubstantiated negative reports, of and concerning our client.

In law, liability for libellous publications is not limited to the original author or publisher thereof, but it also extends to and includes all those who, out of sheer ignorance, mischief or malice, or all, cause any libellous publication to be repeated, reposted or re-published, either personally or through any platform for which they have control.

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NEWS SOLUDO, OZIGBO, NGIGE, OTHERS KICK AS WIDESPREAD GLITCHES MAR ANAMBRA ELECTION reiterated that in cases of sustained malfunction of the BVAS, the accreditation and voting for the affected polling units would continue today or at another time determined by the commission.

The electoral body also disclosed that the collation of results from local government areas will begin today by 10 a.m.

Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Anambra State, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, who briefed journalists at the commission’s headquarters yesterday afternoon, had explained that the extension of time arose out of several field reports that voters had problems with accreditation.

“The commission is currently investigating the reason the accreditation devices, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), have worked perfectly in some polling units, but not in others. In some of the cases, it would seem that this resulted from software glitches. Our technicians have already built an update to the device software to prevent further challenges. The update is currently being installed in the concerned BVAS and we request voters, candidates, and agents to be patient and allow our technical staff to solve the problem.

“The commission wishes to reiterate that in cases of sustained malfunction of the BVAS, the Presiding Officer must inform the voters and polling agents that accreditation and voting for the affected polling units shall continue tomorrow or at another time determined by the commission,” he explained.

He explained that the commission faced transportation challenges in some locations.

“It must be noted that on account of security concerns, some of the transporters that were mobilised and collected 50 per cent of their sign-on fee backed out at the last moment, leaving some of our ad-hoc staff stranded. Also, some of the trained ad-hoc staff backed out at the last moment. The commission is on top of these challenges and extant regulations and guidelines will be applied on a case by case basis. Consequently, we are harvesting areas where voting will realistically no longer take place today, including places where substantial disruption has occurred, to enable a possible recommencement of voting at another time, in line with extant laws and the regulations and guidelines of the commission,” Orji said.

In another press briefing held last night at the commission’s headquarters in Awka, Orji said the commission was satisfied with the progress of the election, despite the earlier glitches posed by the BVAS machine.

He said: "I'm happy to report

to you that the technical glitches we experienced with our BVAS were largely solved. We thank the voters and candidates for patiently waiting for the problem with the device to be resolved.

"The report we got from our field officers and independent observers, convinced us that most voters were able to vote with the BVAS, following the extension of the voting period to 4 pm and our regulation that any voter on the queue at the time must be allowed to vote."

Orji reiterated that the election would continue today in any polling unit where there was a consistent malfunction of the BVAS, and the voters in the unit were unable to vote.

“We are yet to receive reports of any location where the sustained malfunction of the BVAS led to no election at all. Still, we shall continue to receive reports through our usual channels, particularly from the collation of the Form EC40G, which is the official document for recording polling units where elections did not hold or were cancelled," Orji said.

He added that: "The election is by no means over; we have now entered a critical stage of the process, namely collation of results. We have made adequate arrangements for the collation of results at the registration area, local government areas, and the state level.

"Results for polling units are already being uploaded in our IRev portal and registration area and the registration area collation has been progressing well.

"I'm glad to announce that state collation will commence tomorrow (today) at the state collation centre. I invite those who are entitled to be present to come to witness it."

Despite the initial threat of violence by separatist groups, the governorship election was held across the 21 local government areas under a peaceful atmosphere.

However, in an isolated incident, hoodlums allegedly took away ballot boxes from two polling centres at the Immaculate Heart Catholic Church and the St. Faith Catholic Church in Fegge, Onitsha.

The assailants, numbering about six, stormed the St Faith Catholic Church by Mbonu Ejike/ Basden Junction in an unmarked L300 bus.

They shot indiscriminately to scare the voters and security operatives.

Another set of gunmen stormed the polling unit at the Immaculate Heart Church along Zik’s Avenue, also in Onitsha, snatching a ballot box.

The electoral commission also suspended the governorship election in Ihiala LGA of the state, following the outbreak of violence in various polling

units in the area.

INEC officials reported being attacked by hoodlums in different communities across the LGA. Hoodlums reportedly disrupted the election and claimed they were enforcing the sit-at-home order earlier imposed by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite the fact that the sit-at-home directive had been suspended by IPOB before the election.

The widely reported failure of BVAS, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, has rigged out over 70 per cent of the courageous voters who came out to be electronically captured to vote.

A statement by the group signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi and Chidinma Udegbunam read in part, "We have gathered from many, if not most of the polling booths in the state and across the state’s three senatorial districts, 326 wards and 5,720 polling centres that failure of the BVAS machines is widespread and has forced over 70 per cent of the voters not to be captured; thereby rubbishing the popularity and credibility of the entire exercise and paving way for the long rumoured rigging and preparation of the ground for declaration and imposition of an unpopular and unacceptable candidate as the next 'Anambra Governor-elect.'

The group called on INEC to

sack its ICT National Director and repeat the poll to give the same the credibility and popularity it deserves.

It also urged INEC to reverse this high-tech rigging and find alternatives to the massive failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System so that voters in the state can vote massively and conscientiously.

The group commended the Anambra voters who doggedly and courageously defied the security threats all over the state’s political and electoral spaces to come out to vote the candidates of their choice only to be massively failed and disappointed by the commission.

On its part, the election monitoring group, Yiaga Africa, also criticised the deployment and non-functionality of BVAS, saying it had received reports of the BVAS failure to authenticate voters' fingerprints and photos even where voter’s details were confirmed on the voter’s register.

Meanwhile, the candidate of the APC, Senator Andy Uba, has won his polling unit in the governorship election.

INEC officials, who announced the results yesterday, said Uba had 80 votes in Ward 16, Polling Unit 17 in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area.

Soludo scored 10 votes while the candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Senator Ifeanyi Uba, polled five votes.

Ozigbo of the PDP got two

votes.

Speaking during a press interview when he arrived at his Uga Ward 1 to cast his vote at polling unit 17, the APC candidate commended INEC on the smooth conduct of the election.

Soludo also won his Isuofia ward, Polling Unit 2 of Aguata LGA with 126 votes while Ozigbo and APC scored five and three votes, respectively.

While YPP scored three votes, ZLP and LP got one vote each.

Ozigbo also scored 75 votes in his polling unit 010 Social Centre, Ward 005, of Aguata LGA, to beat his closest rival, Soludo, who got eight votes.

APC got two votes, while Labour Party and Accord Party got one vote each.

However, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Nkem Okeke, who defected to the APC, lost his Umueze Awozu, Enugwu-Ukwu Ward 3, Polling Unit 005, to APGA. While APGA got 82 votes, APC scored 61 votes.

PDP scored four votes; YPP, two votes; AAC, LP, and PRP scored one vote each.

Soludo, Ozigbo, Ngige Kick over Malfunctioning of Machines Speaking on the malfunction of the BVAS, the governorship candidate for APGA, Soludo stated that although he wants to

be governor of Anambra State, he wants it to be done legitimately.

Soludo, who voted after about five hours in his Ward in Aguata LGA, lamented that many people had not voted despite arriving at the polling unit early.

“In my stronghold, the thing seems to have packed up literally as it were but again, as I said in the morning, I am a die-hard optimist and I want to believe that the system will deliver. If they are extending that till tomorrow, I am sure these people will be back here to vote; whenever they extend it to, these people will be back here because they want to vote and we want technology that enables all the eligible voters to vote. I want to be governor but I want to be elected legitimately with the votes of the people.

“Even if you put electricity here, at the rate at which the machine is going, maybe one person per hour, will be able to vote. I am not sure we will even finish by tomorrow. It is quite concerning, quite frankly, and what is happening in my polling booth here seems to represent largely the pool of the reports that I have got around the state.

A few places, I understand, they said worked relatively well but in a vast majority of the places around the state, it just has not worked well. I understand that some people have now, over the last 30 minutes, in some few polling units randomly.

WORTHY RECOGNITION… L-R: MD/CEO, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Alhaji Bello Hassan; MD/CEO, Aso Savings and Loans, Hajia Risikatu Ahmed; Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, at the conferment of Hajia Ahmed as Honorary Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Lagos...weekend

NNPC’S JV ASSETS, PRIORITY PROJECTS FUNDING GULP $2.64BN IN NINE MONTHS JV projects and other priority projects in the whole year is pegged at $6.4 billion, broken down into $536 million monthly, the data obtained from the NNPC indicated that actual funding has dropped since the beginning of the year.

The development is coming as the NNPC has in a bid to rev up its funding for important projects and payments to its partners, devised a means to deduct subsidy financing from source before remitting monies to the federation account.

It also comes despite a substantial improvement in oil prices compared to last year when prices of some oil benchmarks hit the negative territory, following the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia as well as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The oil price now hovers

between $83 and $86.

Against the $536 million monthly budget for the federally funded upstream projects, the NNPC paid out $276.4 million in January, $252.9 million in February, $307 million in March, and $239.2 million in April.

In addition, in May, the corporation funded its JV cost recovery obligations and priority projects to the tune of $392.2 million, then $202.2 million in June and $240.6 million, $352.5 million, and 381.1 million in July, August, and September respectively.

In all, the corporation recorded a deficit funding of $259.6 million in January, $283.1 million in February, $228.3 million in March, and $296.7 million in April.

Furthermore, it recorded a shortfall of $143.8 million in May, $333.7 million in June, $295.3 million in July, $183.5 million in August, and $154.9

million in September this year.

Between January and September, a total deficit of $2.1 billion was recorded by the national oil company, according to the record of activities obtained by THISDAY. It also showed that about 22 projects, mostly in the upstream gas segment, were being developed at different stages, with some of them already nearing completion.

These include the ExcravosLagos Pipeline Expansion Phase 1 in Edo and Delta, valued at $263.92 million which has now been closed out, with $221.42 million payments due contractors paid based on works carried out.

It’s the same with the Excravos-Lagos Expansion Phase 2, straddling Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ogun, and Lagos states which have so far gulped $597.2 million.

For the 40×30km Odidi-Warri expansion pipeline/ Warri-

Oghara pipelines, in Delta, from inception till date, the NNPC said that the project valued at $130 million had consumed N24.07 million.

Also listed are the TNGP/ Obigbo node compressor station, TNGP phase 1, Umuahia-Ajaokuta pipeline, and Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) project which have collectively gulped $117 million, covering revalidation of feed, Right of Way (RoW) acquisition, and outstanding survey payments.

In addition, $8.3 million has been paid for security and storage of line pipes and $11.4 million to relocate pipelines, coastal marine and logistics, water solutions, and soil investigation studies for gas supply to NIPP Egbema as well as Ogidigben/Delta gas city and industrial park.

Several other ongoing projects include the Obiafu/ObrikomOben (OB3), which has reached

completion, Trans-Sahara gas pipeline, Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba line, and Asa North processing plant.

Furthermore, the corporation noted that the construction of the West Niger Delta hub, Egbin gas project, upgrade of Sapele metering station, upgrade of Oben metering station as well as the Ajaokuta station and Delta IV, were other ongoing projects.

Also in the pipelines are the facilities to provide fuel supply to Gbaramatu and Excravos as well as the Gbaramatu/Excravos power plant which have already passed through the Engineering, Procurement Construction (EPC) stage.

An analysis of the 22 mostly gas projects showed that in all, they are currently valued at $23.7 billion, with a chunk of the money already expended at different stages of the projects.

In a related development, the Ekiti State Governor, Fayemi at

the weekend lamented that the NNPC had not remitted funds into the FAAC in the last four months.

Fayemi added that the failure of the NNPC to remit funds into the Federation Accounts was responsible for the decision of his administration to slash the subvention of Ekiti State University (EKSU).

He made this clarification at a session with the ProChancellor and Chairman of EKSU Governing Council, Prof. Bamitale Omole and other members of the council in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.

At the session, Fayemi explained that the decision of the state government to reduce the monthly subvention to EKSU was a temporary measure occasioned by the nationwide financial challenges.

Continued on page 10

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Ϳ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

11m Nigerians Need Humanitarian Assistance, UN Cries Out Says Nigeria third most terrorised country George Okoh in Makurdi The outgoing United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, at the weekend gave a startling estimate on the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, saying close to 11 million Nigerians needed humanitarian assistance.

The UN helmsman also disclosed that the 2020 Global Terrorism Index ranked Nigeria as the third most terrorised country behind Afghanistan and Iraq in global terrorism.

This is even as the Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, renewed his calls for the convocation of a national security summit to discuss growing security challenges confronting the country.

Kallon spoke during a farewell visit to Ortom at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi at the weekend.

Kallon will be leaving Nigeria after a successful five-year tenure.

According to the UN diplomat, the herders-farmers crisis in the North-central, Boko Haram in the North-east and North-west, Niger Delta Avengers, and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have led to large scale migrations and mass stays in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps across the country.

He stated that Nigeria is at crossroads with multiple challenges which have implications on peace, development, and stability in West Africa, Africa, and beyond, stressing that cohesion, justice, and the rule of law must be entrenched for the benefit of the country.

Kallon identified women and youth participation in politics and productive economic activities to reduce youth unemployment

and under-employment which at the moment is a time bomb that must be dealt with decisively.

He stated that he was happy that the world has been well informed about the atrocities in Benue State and elsewhere in the country, pointing out that the files would remain open for all to peruse.

He also expressed hope that an end to the atrocities committed by the terrorists was still in sight.

Ortom, while restating his call for a national security summit, said he was happy the state-of-the-nation report was presented by the representative of the United Nations and asked that same should be presented to the presidency for action.

The governor stated that he had also made similar presentations and personally written to the federal government, through press statements and conferences, expressing worry that no place in Nigeria is safe at the moment.

While reassuring the resolve of his administration to sustain youth and women participation in governance, the governor said Kallon, who is an honorary citizen of Benue State, would be greatly missed by the people of the state.

Meanwhile, IDPs at the Abagana IDP Camp have called on the state and federal governments to establish a police post close to the camp to secure their lives.

The Manager of Abagana IDP Camp, Mr. Iliagh Terhile, made while speaking to newsmen at the camp premises in Makurdi.

Terhile lamented that since the last attack on the camp in which seven people were killed by suspected armed herdsmen, some months back, they can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.

He recalled that after the incident, some of the IDPs fled the camp to other places but were forced to return to the camp as a result of hunger and lack of accommodation for them in town.

He said they have continued to live in fear hence the need to build a police post to enable police officers to respond swiftly in case of any emergency.

"The security of the camp is not guaranteed. We want the government to provide security outfits close to the camp to be able to respond to any emergency.

"I sleep here in the camp but we have not been sleeping with our two eyes closed. When herdsmen attacked this area some months back, and some of our IDPs were also killed,

some had to flee but after a while returned to camp because they have nothing to eat out there," he said.

Asked if the camp would be closed anytime soon, Terhile said: "The issue of camp closure is a complex one. The security of the IDPs is not guaranteed now if they return to their ancestral homes.

"If they must return, security

measures must be put in place in their various communities.

They also have to be helped with finance and seedlings else, you have just succeeded in breeding criminals.

"The psychological wellbeing of the IDPs should also be ascertained and managed before they are reintegrated into the society to avoid enmity and violence among them," he said.

WELCOME BACK HOME… L-R: Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Chief Euzebio Babajide Damazio, at the public lecture delivered by the minister Yoruba Tennis Club in Lagos…weekend

NNPC’S JV ASSETS, PRIORITY PROJECTS FUNDING GULP $2.64BN IN NINE MONTHS In specific terms, the governor advised the university “to look inward using their various initiatives and innovation to support the subvention coming from the State Government.

“We have not reduced the subvention of the university. The subvention had been caught in a nation-wide challenge, as I am sure you all know that NNPC has not remitted money to the federation account in the last three to four months.

“So, what we had already planned at the beginning of the 2021 fiscal year has been caught in that web. As much as we tried to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) at the state level, we have not been able to meet our obligation.

“This is responsible for emergency reduction in the subvention of the Ekiti State University. However, it is not a permanent reduction. It will be reviewed as the state’s finances improve.”

US May Counter OPEC's Refusal to Raise Oil Supply Meanwhile, the United States Government yesterday said that it had “tools” to deal with high oil prices after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies rebuffed the country’s pleas for the producers to pump more crude.

Asked by a reporter at the White House whether he would authorise a sale from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), President Joe Biden said that his administration would respond at the appropriate time if the prevailing situation continues.

"There are other tools in the

arsenal that we have to deal with other countries at an appropriate time," Biden said.

OPEC+, a group of producers including Saudi Arabia, Russia and other countries, on Thursday

snubbed US pleas to go beyond a previous plan to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day from December.

"I'm not anticipating that OPEC would respond, that Russia and/

or Saudi Arabia would respond.

They are going to pump some more oil. Whether they pump enough oil is a different thing," Biden added.

In defiance of the US request,

OPEC agreed to stick with plans to raise oil output by just 400,000bpd as agreed earlier from December, effectively shunning repeated calls from the world’s biggest oil producer for extra

production to tame rising prices.

Biden said his administration will discuss the issue, adding: “We can get more energy in the pipeline figuratively and literally speaking.”

FCT POLICE ARREST EIGHT KIDNAPPERS OF UNIABUJA STAFF IN GWAGWALADA FOREST criminals.

He further implored residents to report all suspicious movements.

Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command said it had launched an investigation into the kerosene tank explosion that killed five persons in Kubwa Village Market.

The inferno triggered by the explosion burnt many shops in the area.

A statement by FCT Police Command said it had commenced investigations into the unfortunate fire incident.

"The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has commenced investigations into the unfortunate fire incident that occurred at the Kubwa Village Market of the FCT in the evening of November 5, 2021.

"Preliminary investigations, however, revealed that two shops in the market were affected in the fire incident following a kerosene surface tank explosion.

“Unfortunately, the remains of five persons already burnt beyond recognition were evacuated from the scene by the rescue team and taken to the hospital where they were confirmed dead while 10 others, who were seriously injured, were immediately taken to the hospital and presently receiving medical attention", it said.

The FCT Police Commissioner, who described the incident as unfortunate, ordered a discrete investigation into the incident.

He noted that operatives from the forensic section of the command's criminal investigations’ department, were deployed to the scene for forensic analysis to unravel the cause of the incident and more importantly, provide recommendations to prevent a reoccurrence of such incident.

Babaji commiserated with the families of the victims.

He affirmed that the inferno was under control and commended the people, who were at the scene at the time for supporting in the rescue operation and general control of the fire.

Niger Demolishes Suspected Kidnapper’s Home In another development, the Niger State Government on Friday night demolished the home of a suspected notorious kidnapper.

The demolition exercise took place in the Nikangbe area of Bosso Local Government Area of the state.

The state government’s bulldozers carried out the exercise under the watchful eyes of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Umar, in the presence of heavily armed security operatives.

The identity of the owner

(suspected kidnapper) of the buildings was not disclosed.

The suspect was said to have started constructing the buildings about two months ago and completed one wing within one month.

"He does not live in the building," one of the neighbours told THISDAY. THISDAY gathered that the neighbours became suspicious of the source of money for the construction because of the speed of construction work, leading to the information being leaked to the authorities.

Discreet investigation was said to have been carried out by security agents, which confirmed that the houses were being constructed from proceeds (ransom) of crime.

It was learnt that the suspect was subsequently arrested and taken to Abuja for further investigation.

"This is a landmark achievement, I salute our law enforcement agencies for this great feat," Umar said, during the demolition exercise pointing out that: "It is a realisation of the state government’s determination to go the extra mile to ensure restoration of peace in this state.”

"This is a building owned by a kidnapper that has been arrested. It is from a proceed of crime and it is in our policy not to allow any criminality to reign in this state. We can establish

this and that henceforth, we will not allow any criminal to have a place in our land. It is part of the determination of the governor to ensure Niger State is safe for us all "This action will serve as a deterrent and warning to other criminals that the state government would give no place to criminals to live in the state," the commissioner explained.

The commissioner however refused to give details of how the suspect was apprehended but said it was established that he (suspect) used part of the proceeds of the crime to construct the building".

Umar said: "It is part of the policy of government not to allow any criminal to have a place in the state," adding that "if they did not leave peacefully, the law will catch up with them and they will leave by force".

He disclosed that government has met with stakeholders in the state, including the landlord associations, estate owners, and hoteliers and has told them to report any suspicious movement or strangers moving into the society. “I hope we get more information to act on and make the state safe," he added.

The Ward Head of Kpakungun who oversees Nkangbe, Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim commended the action of

the state government saying "if followed judiciously, it will help to keep the state safe.

In June this year, the State House of Assembly passed a bill imposing capital punishment on kidnappers, bandits, and their informants.

The bill also provides that anyone found guilty of kidnapping, banditry, and of being their informants will face a death sentence.

The bill assented to by Governor Abubakar Bello, which necessitated the demolition exercise, was designed to check the increasing wave of kidnapping and banditry in the state and strengthen the fight against criminalities by the state government.

The bill also states that anyone found guilty of the offence of banditry, kidnapping, or giving out information that results in kidnapping and banditry will be sentenced to death by hanging in public.

About seven local governments areas in Niger State have in the last one year been under the siege of bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers leading to over 3,500 people being displaced and about 400 killed in the affected local government areas.

The LGAs under the siege of bandits are: Munya, Shiroro, Rafi, Wushishi, Mariga, Mashegu and Magama.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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EDITORIAL

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

ETHIOPIA ON THE BRINK Ethiopia is heading in a dangerous direction. Everything must be done to maintain the peace

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mong the competing factions poised against the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia, there seems to be a contest as to who first gets to Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital. Significantly, the forces of the Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) are only less than 250 kilometers away. The imminent meltdown in Ethiopia is the culmination of a protracted confrontation between the government and the TPLF, which until three years ago was the de facto ruling party in the country. It was hounded out of power by a populist revolt that brought Abiy Ahmed to power. The TPLF had for a long time been caught in between Ethiopia’s federal forces and those of Eritrea, Ethiopia’s northern neighbour with whom Abiy made peace. This was a major feat of national consolidation and regional reconciliation which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

Ironically, it took only a year after winning the Peace Prize for Abiy to ignite As the situation the fire that has deteriorates led his country to a war that has and Addis Ababa so far attracted is increasingly grave internabesieged, it is in the tional concern on acbest interest of the mostly count of human AU and UN to quickly rights abuse. Several accounts indicate that cobble a peace plan forces have to save Ethiopia the Ethiopian committed many infractions ranging embarrassment from summary execuof waging pitched tions to serial rape of battles in the streets locals. The strategy of blockades to cut of its historically off major parts of the important capital Tigray region from food and humanitarcity ian supplies has raised the possibility of famine as large populations have been displaced and deprived of food and essential supplies. The TPLF forces have themselves engaged in torture and killings of innocent civilians in their theatres of operation.

As a typical African country in which competing ethnic rivalries have remained despite efforts to forge national unity, the Ethiopian crisis has raked up latent frictions. The Amharas and Oromos which are the largest ethnic groups in the country have stated counter claims on the ownership of Addis Ababa and have begun to mobilise

Letters to the Editor

their forces in the imminent possibility of a Tigrayan invasion of the city. If the current trend persists and prevails, the possibility that Ethiopian could slide into a bloody civil strife characterised by interethnic nastiness in different directions is indeed clear and present.

The international community has reasons to be deeply worried about Ethiopia’s plight. The United States has severed trade concessions on the import of Ethiopian goods under the long-standing African Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA). The European Union is expected to impose similar sanctions to get Abiy more interested in a negotiated settlement. China which has substantial infrastructure financing and construction business interests in Ethiopia has so far done little to discourage Abiy from his stubborn belligerence and uncompromising attitude to a peaceful settlement. Instead, the Prime Minister remains optimistic that his forces will prevail even if his rhetoric of ethnic denigration of the Tigrayans has aggravated rather than assuaged the feelings fuelling the animosities. While that rhetoric persists, the Tigrayan and other forces continue their advance on Addis Ababa with clear catastrophic consequences.

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S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN DEPUTY EDITORS FESTUS AKANBI, EJIOFOR ALIKE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

he African Union (AU) whose headquarters remains in Addis Ababa is yet to take a stand. With a gleaming glass tower headquarters donated by the Chinese, the AU has been habitually inert in the settlement of African disputes. It is yet to evolve a mechanism for summoning national military contingents to give effect to its countless resolutions on past African disputes even where minimum intervention could have yielded the desirable outcome. The United Nations has so far limited its concern in the Ethiopian crisis to matters of human rights and humanitarian assistance. But as the situation worsens and Addis Ababa is increasingly besieged, it is in the best interest of the AU and UN to quickly cobble a peace plan to save Ethiopia the embarrassment of waging pitched battles in the streets of its historically important capital city.

The deteriorating situation in Ethiopia is a matter of significant concern for Africa. Coming on the heels of a spate of military coups in West Africa (Sudan, Mali, Guinea, and Chad), the situation in Ethiopia has once again put the future of Africa on the world stage for the wrong reasons. The continent’s prospects as an area of promise for either economic development or democratic progress are now in serious doubt.

The headline around the world a few years ago was “Africa Rising”. Recent events are tending towards compelling a change to something more like: “Africa failing again”.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

PDP'S CONVENTION AND 2023 ELECTION

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its convention on 30th October to elect new NWC who will oversee the activities of the party in the next four years.

To the surprise of many Nigerians, political pundits and even the ruling party, the convention was rancourfree with 18 executives out of the 21 emerging through consensus. Only the positions of deputy chairman North, deputy chairman, South and national youth leader were contested. With this outcome, the opposition party which held power for 16 years before losing it, seemed committed to reform itself and wrestle power from the APC in the 2023 general election. Is this

possible? Beyond the success of its convention, the party needs to show act of maturity, tact and justice during future engagements, especially in forthcoming primaries. It is during the party's primaries that candidates are fielded to contest various elective posts. Here in lies the need for competent and acceptable candidates to fly the party's tickets.

Can PDP replicate its convention's success in their forthcoming primaries? The new chairman of the party, Dr. Ayorchia Ayu, who was former Senate president is not new to the party politics.

His emergence as the chairman did not come to many Nigerians as a surprise. He is a grassroot politician with strong network across the

country. Ayu should use his wealth of experience to re-jig the party ahead of 2023 election. He should ensure that the next party's primaries will be conducted transparently. He also needs to reach out to other aggrieved party members who, due to some problems, left the party. The party which is poised to take power from the centre in 2023 should learn from past mistakes and do its homework properly. The issues of zoning will soon come up and if not properly managed, it will divide the party or fling it into another crisis.

It does not matter which zone will produce the party's presidential candidate, what Nigerians need is a competent, sellable candidate with good qualities. The candidate

should be someone who will promote peace, unity and serve the interest of the country at large if elected.

For the PDP to w in the 2023 general election, it has to conv ince and tell Nigerians the prag matic actions it w ill take to address the persistent cases of banditr y and general insecurit y in North West states and other parts of the countr y.

W hat about the emergence of separatists calling for the dismemberment of the country?

I think the party should tell us what it is going to do to bring an end the madness orchestrated

by IPOB and their accomplices.

The economy is in a bad shape with the naira depreciating on daily basis. Though, the ruling party has constantly accused PDP for mismanagement of the country's economy for the period

it ruled, there is the need for the party to prove this wrong and unveil a new economic agenda for Nigerians. Let the party assure Nigerians that if elected in 2023, the naira will be made strong, stable and regain its lost glory against the mighty dollar. The World Poverty Clock's report of over 80 million Nigerians living below one dollar is terrible and frightening. The PDP should tell Nigerians its policies aimed at reversing the sad reality.

The PDP should reach out to the youths who constitute over 60 percent of the voting population.

Interestingly, the election of Suleiman Kadade, 25, as national youth leader, can be seen as a big plus to the party. t *CSBIJN .VTUBQIB 1BNCFHVB ,BEVOB 4UBUF

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

OPINION

STEMMING THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING COLLAPSE

Ayo Oyoze Baje writes that the recent building collapse raises, yet again, the difficult questions of adhering to regulations ‘’Engineering geologists are not usually involved in the building foundation studies and estate development beyond simple soil tests. Yet many of the buildings are located on poor, faulty ground; those with expansive soils, sulphate soils, collapsing soils and weak rocks’’ -Prof. Siyan Malomo (then Director-General, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency).

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he poignant and thought-provoking statement, as posted above was made when the respected civil engineer was the Guest Lecturer at the maiden edition of the Annual Lecture series of the College of Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Ota on May 2, 2012. It is therefore, painful to note that years after the warnings were given about the menace of building collapse they are yet to be heeded by policymakers and even some professionals.

Beyond the blame-game, what is critical has to do more with the value we place on human life and the full protection thereof. And it is all because life is precious, priceless and irreplaceable. We must therefore, do everything possible by taking pro-active and pragmatic actions to reduce its wanton waste by the agents of greed.

The recurring decimal of building collapse was brought to the public sphere again on Monday, November 1,2021 at about 3 pm with the collapse of the 21-storey building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State. Ever since, it has been tale of sorrows, tears and blood.

In fact, as of the time of putting this piece together not less than 42 lives have been wasted. Some of the victims, lucky to be alive, including a youth corps member, Zainab Oridamola were making strident calls to family members for rescue. And it took the protest by some of those family members for 10 young men to be selected to join the rescue team. That was after the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) ,Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye appealed for calm from the agitators.

Perhaps, they would all have been alive as no one heeded the voice of reason by the construction firm, Prowess Engineering Limited. It had allegedly warned of the dangers ahead. That was in February 2020, when it withdrew its services on grounds that it no longer shared the same vision with its client as addressed in the letter titled, ‘Re: Proposed Gerrard Terraces for Fourscore Limited,’ and signed by the company’s managing director, Muritala Olawale. In precise term Prowess stated that: “We couldn’t

guarantee the integrity of the third (collapsed building) from anything above the fourth floor”.

One hates preventable death of any kind. Unfortunately, they keep unfolding at alarming rates, especially here in Nigeria day after day. According to media reports, when the building under construction collapsed some 50 workers were feared trapped under the rubbles. Emergency responders had to work all-night under the floodlight, deploying the available eight cranes in the rescue operation, according to the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu.

Of critical importance here are the lasting lessons we all should learn from the clearly avoidable tragedy, the best strategies to be adopted to reduce the recurrence of such mishaps since issues such as this have happened before.

According to Prof. Malomo, the scourge of the collapse of buildings and bridges in the country could have been long prevented if geologists in the universities, who are actively involved in soil research are called upon before such projects were embarked upon.

He made specific reference to the vital roles and inputs made by geologists drawn from the then University of Ile- Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University and Ahmadu Bello University(ABU), Zaria for the ground works before the takeoff of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT). Such involvement formed the basis for the location of the solid infrastructure including buildings, roads and airport in Abuja.

Quoting reports carried out by NGSA for over a decade - between June 16, 1990 and January 29,2012- about 500 avoidable deaths were recorded while over 1,000 victims sustained injuries of various degrees. Between then and now, series of similar mishaps have claimed more lives with many more sustaining serious injuries at different places across the country. This simply means that we have said more than we have done towards stemming the tide of the menace of building collapse.

Some other factors responsible for it are poor construction practice and choice of building materials, including the

Beyond the blame-game, what is critical has to do more with the value we place on human life, and the full protection thereof. And it is all because life is precious, priceless and irreplaceable

quality of cement, iron rods and laterite. But it does not take rocket science for one to understand that soil texture plays a significant role in all of this. For instance, Lagos being an aquatic environment with sandy soil would definitely require more solid building materials than for similar structures in the rocky hinterland. We must learn from history.

It would be recalled that on March 20, 2019 it was reported that the then state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode inaugurated a five-man committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote cause(s) of the collapsed three-storey building on 63 Massey Street, Ita-Faaji area of Lagos Island, which claimed 20 lives, including school children. The LASG also directed the owner, developer of the ill-fated property to appear before the panel or face sanction.

According to the former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rotimi Ogunleye, residents should assist the government by exposing any building with signs of distress across the state.

In fact, the current Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu deserves commendation for cutting short his official trip to Rome, to return and exhibit the spirit of compassion with families of the victims of the collapsed building.

Beyond that, he has set up a six-man independent investigation team with the President of Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), President of Nigeria Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Toyin Ayinde, as the chairman of the panel, while Ekundayo Onajobi, a lawyer in private law firm, is the Secretary. Its mandate is to probe the remote and immediate causes of the collapse of the 21-storey building and has 30 days to submit its report. It is also good to note that the list comprises of a professional builder, town planner, structural engineer and legal practitioners - all from the private sector.

The panel’s terms of reference also include ascertaining whether there was a compromise of the building codes by the developer, his contractor and statutory regulatory agencies. Already, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arc. Gbolahan Oki, has been suspended indefinitely.

–– Baje wrote from Lagos

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

THE WORLD IS BETTER WITH MULTILATERALISM ‘Ndi’ Ana Multilateralism fosters a shared future and prosperity for mankind, contends Olalekan A. Babatunde

G

oing by the increasing disposition to unilateralism, it is easy to assert that the world is inclining more towards self-seeking as against the promise made at the end of the World War II in the establishment of the United Nations. That pledge among nations was to pursue common goals through cooperation and selflessness.

After seven decades, the promotion of peace and security, eradication of poverty, diseases, illiteracy, unemployment, inequality, illegal migration and other challenges bedevilling humanity have not been won. Instead, nationalism, populism, protectionism, minority supremacy and the likes are becoming the existing world order. Other multilateral frameworks are not fair either.

We are now experiencing socio-political phenomena such as “make America great again”, individualism, unilateralism, “vaccine diplomacy”, “Brexit”, and now “Polexit” appears loading by Poland with its defiant tone in EU clash. Nevertheless, there is a nuanced method to approach multilateralism if the world is going to be better to deliver on its promises especially for Africa and other developing world in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Pacific. That approach has been consistently demonstrated by one nation through its multilateral actions in kindness and courage.

That country is China that has shown ability to coordinate diplomatic interaction of more countries than any in international politics in many strategic areas of the world – foreign, security, peace, technology, development, investment, and so on.

Therefore, when President Xi Jinping was speaking at the Conference marking the 50thAnniversary of the Restoration of the Lawful Seat of the People’s Republic of China on 25 October 2021, he indeed underscored why the nations should build “a community with shared future for mankind, and work together to build an open, inclusive and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.” For keen watchers of global events, one would see how multilateralism with the Chinese characteristics is giving tangible meaning to the concept and practice of multilateralism. It has made multilateralism a central element of its foreign policy by seeking consensus through consultation and managed common affairs through cooperation for shared benefits and win-win-results.

The strategies of China’s foreign policies to what the UN stands for in the last 50 years have been geared towards dedicating to improving the welfare of all humanity and achieving global development through building multilateral cooperation and understanding. Altruism, pragmatism, and consistency that are at the core of multilateralism are essentially the epitome of China and intrinsic parts of its relations with the world. China is committed to its allies and partners, and has rendered consistent, enduring and reliable support to the organization. These qualities are worth examining.

First, there is no single country that has more bilateral and multilateral relations than China. As at 2021, there are about 140 countries (including 40 African countries) that have signed up with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of the successes of globalization that is designed to provide infrastructure development and trade investment round the world. The initiative is quietly building human community of shared destiny and prosperity. As at today, China is a member of all international intergovernmental organizations and over 500 international conventions.

Devoid of imperialist past and colonial legacies, China has risen from isolation to become a world power. It has demonstrated adaptive strategies to accommodate, integrate and work within local environments and realities. The nation of one-fourth of the world’s population (1.4 billion) has leaped from low productivity to become the second largest economy in the world by adopting reforms and opening-up in pursuance of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This enamoured nations, institutions, groups and individuals seeking to achieve the development goals across different continents and regions with China.

Secondly, China has promoted global peace, tolerance and inclusion than any other country. As a non-belligerent country and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it has stayed true to the principles of the UN Charter by standing in solidarity and cooperation with people around the world and upheld international equity and justice, contributing significantly to world peace and harmony. According to President Xi Jinping in his UN speech “…the Chinese people have upheld the authority and sanctity of the United Nations and practiced

multilateralism,and China’s cooperation with the United Nations has deepened steadily.”

Due to its foreign policy of non-interference in host country, China promotes peace by resolving political conflicts through peaceful means, and safeguards sovereignty, security and development interests. China has sent over 50,000 peacekeepers to UN peace operations in Africa and other regions. It is now the largest financial and personnel contributor to the UN and applied the universality of human rights in the Chinese context. In the view of Cuban Ambassador to China, Carlo Miguel Pereira in the Global Times, while assessing China as a vital player and progressive stance in the UN system, China has helped to “democratize the United Nations and promote multilateralism.”

Third, China is promoting humanitarian assistance through multilateral actions. In the ongoing global battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, many developed nations are looking inward and initiating vaccine diplomacy. But China, in accordance to the promise and principles of the UN, has been active in sharing its experience with the world and rendered large quantities of medical and material supplies like preventive kits, medicines, doctors, nurses and vaccines. Africa is an esteemed beneficiary of this gesture.

By extending its hand of fellowship to Africa, China has promoted cooperation through the multilateral platforms like the BRI, BRICS (with South Africa) and Forum of China and China Cooperation (FOCAC). Many people have walked out of poverty, unemployment, diseases and ignorance through assistance unleashed by development infrastructure and trade investments by China. Roads, railways, bridges, dams, hydroelectric and alternative energy plants, airports, ports, free trade zones and others are built to open up development opportunities.

–– Dr. Babatunde is a Fellow, Peacebuilding & Evidence Practitioner at the Nigeria’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

15

LETTERS

THE PROPOSED LAUNCH OF NIGCOMSAT-2 AND NIGCOMSAT-3

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ecently, Dr. Abimbola Alale announced at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos that the parastatal, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) where she currently holds the position of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer will launch into orbit two new satellites, NigComSat-2 and NigComSat-3. Dr Alale informed that the two new satellites are expected to be launched in 2023 and 2025 respectively as replacements for NigComSat 1-R launched in 2011 with a life span of 15 years and accordingly, will de-orbit in the next five years.

This is a cheery bit of news because of the significance we attach to space technology in advancing the quality of our lives and environment. However, the very

announcement itself by the CEO of NIGCOMSAT Ltd does not comport with extant rules of government business and the National Space Policy. For that matter, it is inconsistent with Mr President’s serial pronouncements regarding under whose orbit lies the authority for such programmes.

For a recent case, it would be recalled that President Muhammadu had during the 2021 National Space Council Meeting held on Thursday 24th June, 2021 re-emphasized the country’s commitment to the development of space technology and the critical roles of the National space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) as the institution statutorily empowered to drive the space programme in Nigeria. The significance of this institutional arrangement cannot be over-emphasized. Develop-

ment of Space Science and Technology remains the core mandates of the National Space Research and Development Agency, being the only government agency in Nigeria mandated to build and launch

satellites for various applications; including earth observation, communication and navigational purposes. This mandate forms the mission and strategic approach of the agency as the custodian

of our space assets and resources to, among other things, bring about economic growth. Clearly, it is NASRDA’s mandate to oversee space activities in Nigeria including satellite launches, space policies formulation and overall operational design among others. Everyone familiar with the Nigerian space programme knows this.

Hence it came as a shock when NIGCOMSAT Ltd arrogated to itself the duty of the announcement of a significant import. It is not surprising when the usual over-loud, overquick laugh and storms of clapping which should have greeted such news to signify public approval gave way to a sullen silence instead. Without doubt, the mood at the occasion can be related to the doubts that arose in the minds of the audience, and rightly so. NIGCOMSAT MD’s announcement preempts the institutional

HIS HIGHNESS J. E. N. NWAGURU: A TRIBUTE

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rom what Dee Nnata told me, after his Secondary School career at Okrika Grammar School in 1953, a window of opportunity was thrown open to exceptionally intelligent young Nigerians of his generation and class. Professor Kenneth Onwuka Dike, a historian of global dimension, who would later become the first Indigenous Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan, had conceptualized the idea of establishing Nigerian Record Office for Nigeria, using the University of Ibadan as headquarters. Talented young Nigerians were expected to be recruited into the service and systematically trained in the job, for the sole purpose of preservation of public and strategic records. Dee Nnata, obviously being mentally equipped for the new role in record administration, availed himself of that rare opportunity. He sat for the competitive examination and, as would be expected, remarkably impressed Professor Dike who had no hesitation in recruiting him into the service. Dee Nnata was, therefore, one of the pioneer Staff of Nigeria's Record Office at Ibadan on 1st April, 1954. Please note that 1st April, 1954 was not a fool's day. What was established on that day has endured for more than 67 years!

As an officer with futuristic inclination, Dee Nnata did not wait to be told by any person that a record office, as contemplated and framed by an intellectual genius like Professor Kenneth Dike, would only have assiduous persons grow in it. Being conscious of that obvious fact, Dee Nnata took advantage of the conducive ambience provided by the Nigerian Record Office, which later became known as National Archives via an Act of Parliament, to prepare

for his Advanced Level General Certificate Examination, London and cleared his three subjects in a sitting. On the heels of that uncommon success, Dee Nnata, who was employed as a clerical officer, was then set to confront challenges imminent in his search for the Golden Fleece.

Taking advantage of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe's educational foresight which had given rise to the establishment of Nigeria's first indigenous university, University of Nigeria, Nsukka which had its first batch of students' intake in 1960, Dee Nnata successfully got admitted into the university as its second batch of students in 1961. He graduated with Second Class Upper (2.1) in Political Science in 1964.

On a lighter mood, Dee Nnata told me that because he was a federal governmentsponsored scholar, he had the luxury of having a Mobilete on campus. For those of us who may not have seen a Mobilete before, it is a very small-sized motor-cycle, with a set of pedals that can enable its user to continue with his movement assuming the fuel in it gets exhausted. Dee Nnata had one and according to what he had told me, he was a source of envy and attraction on the Campus because he was considered a 'rich student' just for having a Mobilete or Moped as it also called.

With that intellectual achievement, the coast had become very clear for his astronomical rise in hierarchy of the National Archives.

Apart from his attainment at the UNN, Dee Nnata attended many courses and programmes overseas, including some African Countries, United Kingdom, France and the United States of America.

He was a seasoned and accomplished administrator.

He used his position in the National Archives to stimulate and encourage researches

in both local and national issues. As a very transparent archivist and administrator, he guaranteed administrative stability in all the places he had worked, especially at the National Archives, Enugu.

Dee Nnata was altruistic and patriotic. Unlike today when people hear that some officials of government allegedly collect thousands of Naira from applicants in search of employment, Dee Nnata had no room for such dirtiness and pettiness. All of us that were employed at National Archives, Enugu under his watch were employed free of any charge or extraneous consideration.

There was hardly any employment that took place while he was at the National Archives, Enugu that did not have successful Ngwa applicants in their numbers.

He was, indeed, a patriot. I wish the Ngwa nation will acknowledge, in every material particular, that Eze Sir, The Rt Honourable Johnson Elewemba Nnata Nwaguru was one of their best and heroes. He should not leave unsong, even after his burial.

HRH Nnata Nwaguru was naturally cut out to grow and glow in academics and intellectualism. As early as1948, the first sign of being a near genius had clearly manifested in him. It was at St Michael's Anglican Primary School, Aba where he had sat for the First School Leaving Certificate.

Despite spending only two years, 1947 and 1948, that is to say, Primaries five and six, having done Primaries 1-4 at St John's Anglican Primary School, Asa Umunka, Dee Nnata seamlessly came first out of 58 candidates that sat for the examination. That was a thorough display of exceptional brilliance.

For a man and public servant at his age, about 31 years, to have worked so hard as to graduate with a Second Class Upper Division at UNN in 1964, it was a quantifiable testimony that

Dee Nnata was, in every respect, an erudite scholar.

The climax of his erudition culminated in his book and Magnum Opus, Aba And British Rule. The book is a product of many years of relentless research and study

by Dee Nnata on British Colonial invasion and coercion of the fundamental rights of the peoples of Old Aba Division and to some extent the people of Old Bende, particularly Arochukwu and Oloko in Ikwuano where the foundation for Aba Women Riot of 1929 was laid.

I have had the privilege of having a critical look at Aba And British Rule with a cross section of Asa Elders and Intelligentsia. On each occasion I was with them, there was a common denominator amongst us. We have always appreciated the author's written admission that the Ngwa, on migration, met Asa people as original owners and occupants of Aba and its environs. We also commend the author for admitting that the Ngwa were compelled to resort to peaceful approach when they realized that applying violence in their relationship with their hosts, that is the Asa people and Ibeme clan, was bound to be counter-productive. These are obvious statements of facts.

Dee Nnata in 1992 contested election on the platform of National Republican Convention. The election, which was keenly contested, featured a political Amazon, Chief (Mrs) Grace Ada Agua from Umumgbede Asa in present Osisioma-Ngwa Local Government Area as her opponent on the banner of Social Democratic Party. The will of the People overwhelmingly weighed in favour of Dee Nnata. He won!

In the first Abia State House of Assembly, a Golden Fish having no hiding place, his colleagues, in appreciation of his inestimable qualities, elected him the Deputy

Speaker of the House. The Rt Honourable Arua Arunsi was the Speaker of the House, while the current Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, was the Governor.

It should be noted that the present Ebonyi South Senatorial District was in Abia State as the time Abia State was created in 1991 and, so, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu's people were an integral part of Abia State.

While in the Abia State House of Assembly, Dee Nnata had a long of vision and dreams for his constituency. Unfortunately, the 'insincerity' of the Babangida's Military administration did not allow his wishes to materialize, as the transition programme abruptly came to a close on June 12, 1993, following inexplicable annulment of June 12 Presidential Election won by late Chief M K O Abiola.

Dee Nnata was visibly and grossly disappointed with that truncation of our transition. o %PO 6CBOJ XBT B GPSNFS $PNNJTTJPOFS GPS *OGPSNBUJPO 4USBUFHZ "CJB 4UBUF Read the full article online www.thisdaylive.com

construction that should guide such announcements and therefore provokes a serious question of the integrity and reliability of the information. As a person, a Nigerian keenly interested in the Nigerian space development, I would rather that kind of information comes to the public from the appropriate source. Nothwitstanding that the work of NASRDA bleeds into that of NIGCOMSAT, as public agencies, the values of accountability and effectiveness - the principal values that all MDAs must attempt to further should dictate actions so as to guarantee better regulatory competence and dynamism as well as operational consistency.

Further, the fact there has been no corroborating statement from NASRDA gives cause for concern about the information.

At any rate, NIGCOMSAT Ltd is a satellite operating agency, a commercial platform in the Nigerian space development business and for it to speak to the specific issue of satellite launching is inappropriate and could even be misleading. Much as we look forward to the development of satellites with excitement, the ambitious goal of developing local capabilities for effectively managing geopspatial data and for developing and launching into orbit a wholly Nigerian satellite remains non-negotiable.

NIGCOMSAT is required to deliver commercial launch services, and it should by all means dedicate itself to doing a better job of that, it has been doing commendably.

But to veer of its orbit into a space for which it is attuned will not only create institutional distortions but stunt the programmes.

It is important that both agencies form and operate a purposeful synergy through which each agency must, of necessity send clear, sequenced and properly coordinated messages to the Nigerian public and the world at large. The race therefore should truly be for space not for fame! t .VTB 8BEB "CVKB "CVKB

LISTEN TO THE LITTLE GIRL

H

ow can one small young girl, Greta Thunberg, tower over the world leaders? These are the people who direct our paths for the next decades and yet at the COP26 they spoke loudly but did little and they need to be called out for that as they were by Greta.

There is no reason why the message from one individual cannot be the right message and it seems that her message is the right one. We all need to work to improve

the environment before we get a once in a century event every week as seems to be happening with the fires and floods that are happening in some many places. If I hear of a plague of locusts I am going to panic.

Maybe it's time for the world's leaders to listen to even one young voice as they are the ones that are going to be living in the world that these leaders leave us long after they are gone.

Keep up the good work, Greta. t %FOOJT 'JU[HFSBME .FMCPVSOF "VTUSBMJB

16

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

BUSINESS

Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

Unlocking Opportunities in Agric Sector for Sustainable Living Incomes After a period of food crisis largely blamed on the dwindling capacity of a generation of ageing smallholder farmers and their correspondingly outdated methods, Nigeria is set to witness the desired transformation in its agricultural sector with the intervention of development partners like Heifer Nigeria, which has begun a process of wooing the youth back to farming with technology and partnership with other stakeholders, reports Festus Akanbi

I

t is not a coincidence that virtually all public discussions these days, in one way or the other, end with lamentations on the growing hunger and pervasive desperation for solution in the land.

Nigerians cannot forget in hurry, the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality, which led to the discovery and mass looting of warehouses Àlled with food items meant to ameliorate food insecurity in the nation. Among other lessons from the looting, observers said the savage rush for food items in various warehouses across the country also underscored the pervasive poverty and food insecurity. It was therefore not a surprise that many Nigerians indeed MustiÀed the looting of the warehouses, citing the mismanagement of the palliatives in a period of biting hunger.

It is a fact that agriculture accounted for about 27 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP in 2020, compared to an average of 14 per cent of GDPs across sub-Saharan Africa. The sector employs up to 36 per cent of the country’s working population, however, more than 80 per cent of these people are smallholders.

Economic aͿairs watchers said apart from being at the mercy of imported inÁation since Nigerians heavily depend on imported items), the current di΀cult situation as far as food insufÀciency is concerned, should be blamed on the lack of adequate incentives to attract the youths, who are in a higher percentage of the population, to farming.

This is because, despite the positive eͿect of agriculture across the African continent, the sector remains unattractive to young people, a development that explains why many young men move to the urban areas without taking interest in agriculture as a source of livelihood.

Today, the reality is that the rural population comprising mostly smallholder farmers practices subsistence farming, and for many, there is a lot of uncertainty that comes with farming. Issues like climate change, lack of technology, illiteracy, and access to opportunities pose a great threat to their source of income. Many of these farmers, despite their years of farming experience, are faced with the problem of low productivity caused by a combination of adverse climatic conditions and harmful farm practices.

Replacing Ageing Small Holder Farmers Realising the futility of depending on the ageing population of farmers, whose crude and outdated methods of farming have proved insu΀cient for large-scale food production, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in conjunction with some development partners seem to have shifted attention to the youth population.

The Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, who unveiled the ministry’s programme during recent Nigeria’s Economic Summit, disclosed that the FMARD, through the Department of Agricultural Extension FDAE), has since realised that the contribution and the combination of youth and cutting edge technology in agriculture hold prosperity to industrialisation and the key to the sustainable economic development of any developing country like Nigeria.

“The use of science and technology in modern precision agriculture is almost necessary if any meaningful stride in this area is to be achieved. The areas of application of technology into agriculture have almost no limit,” the minister stated.

He listed such areas to include mechanisation

its programme in Nigeria at the 2021 Nigerian Economic Summit on October 26.

He said, “With Heifer’s programs in 11African Countries, Nigeria is very pivotal to ending hunger and poverty inAfrica.According to the former Ethiopian Prime Minister during yesterday’s plenary session, “If we secure Nigeria’s future, then we have secured Africa’s future”.

He believes that to secure our future there is a Àerce urgency to address the issues of food insecurity and massive food importation associated with the underperformance of our agricultural sector and food system, high unemployment among youths, and dwindling economy. He insisted that youth creativity and technology in agriculture will drive growth in Nigeria.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mahmood Abubakar

Country Director, Heifer Nigeria, Mr. Rufus Idris

of cultivation, crops, and animal biotechnological improvement, agrochemicals, manufacturing, harvesting, processing and storage, climate and environmental smart adaptation, irrigation, use of ICT in information, marketing, and agric business, among others.

The minister said that empowering youth through promoting entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as an approach to inclusive economic development, pointing out that one major hurdle is limited access to many ingredients of agricultural success such as land, credit, inputs machinery, irrigation, or improved seeds) agronomic and vocational training, insurance, and lucrative markets.

create change in the perception of youth and transform their mindset about the sector.

This was the position of the minister during his presentation at the summit. According to him, “There is no gainsaying the fact that any nation that would develop to conquer life basics and attain rocket science must not neglect youth capacity building, skill acquisition, digital knowledge education of its youth.

“Their ine΀ciencies, unemployability, illiteracy, and lack of entrepreneurial prowess must be eliminated.”

He explained that super economies can only occurwiththeadoptionofscienceandtechnologydriven by youth luminaries with digital skills Áourishing in them.

Buttressing this position, Country Director, Heifer Nigeria, Mr. Rufus Idris, while speaking inAbuja, at the Nigerian Economic Summit 2021, withthetheme:YouthandTechnology:TheFuture of Nigeria’s Agriculture, said his organisation is set to replicate in Nigeria, its intervention in the agricultural sector of 10 other countries in Africa.

The Director disclosed that Heifer Nigeria aims to assist millions of households largely young men and women) reach a sustainable living income by 2030.

He said this will be achieved through strategic private and public sector partnerships; unlocking demand and market opportunities; investing in priority value chains, and leveraging innovation and emerging agricultural technologies to reach a transformational scale.

Already, the organisation is collaborating with stakeholders within the Nigerian agricultural ecosystem. These include young technology innovators/entrepreneurs, tech hubs, agribusinesses and farmer groups, investors and Ànanciers, business development service providers, agricultural research institutions, donor communities, and government agencies.

According to Idris, this is aimed at developing and scaling more inclusive, commercially viable, and sustainable agribusiness models and innovations capable of increasing the productivity and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agricultural sector to curb food insecurity and poverty.

Heifer: Investing in Creativity of Young Nigerians However, analysts have pointed out that given the repeated failure of the government to drive the new approach to agriculture, there is a need for development partners to wade in.

One of such with the mindset to support the Nigerian government is Heifer Nigeria, which is focused on investing in the creativity of young Nigerians and new technologies to unblock opportunities within the agricultural sector for sustainable living incomes, food security, improved livelihoods, and resilience.

In trying to dissect the problems with the Nigerian agricultural practice, Senior Vice-President, Africa Program, Heifer International, Adesuwa Ifedi said the youths are disinterested in farming given the failure of the older generation to break even through farming. According to her, the farming struggles of their parents may have discouraged them from agriculture.

She believed much may not be achieved until problems militating against career farmers from reaching the fullness of their potential are effectively tackled.

At this point, she said the youth should be lured back into agriculture with technology and other inducements like adequate Ànancing.

“There is a need to make the sector more technologically enabled, compatible with smallholders’ challenges. It must also be aͿordable and sustainable,” she counselled.

Apart from the funding barrier, there is also the need to increase their capacity as many do not have the required knowledge or skills to take advantage of the potential of the agricultural sector. Access to technology is another challenge for this group and innovation in the sector will

Poised to End Hunger, Poverty The global arm, Heifer International, which stated that it had, within 77 years assisted more than 36 million people in 21 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States) to end hunger and poverty, unveiled

Naija Unlock Throwing the light on Heifer’s signature program for Nigeria tagged Naija Unlock, Idris said the program is aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s potential for food self-su΀ciency, working with smallholder farmers and market actors to Àll local demand while closing the living income gap for families in selected value chains, starting with Tomato, Rice, and Poultry value chain.

Heifer stated that the Naija Unlock programme will unleash Nigeria’s potential for food selfsu΀ciency and Àll local job demands, closing the living income gap for families in the tomato, rice, and poultry value chains.

“Naija Unlock will beneÀt one million households over nine years. It will address local demand for tomatoes, rice, and poultry, and increase food security and agribusiness innovations.

Already, 24 states have been earmarked for the project and they include, Ogun, Jiagawa, Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Kebbi, Benue, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Kogi, and Edo.The list also includes Delta, Niger, Ebonyi, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Kano, and Bayelsa.

Idris explained, “We have just launched Heifer Nigeria and gradually rolling out our Signature Program “Naija Unlock”. We have started investing in the Tomato value chain in Ogun State, Rice value chain in Nasarawa and Benue, Poultry Value Chain in Edo State. We plan to commence o΀cial launch in these states before end of this year and begin to expand to other states during next year and beyond.”

On how small holders farmers can overcome the problem of Ànancing in Nigeria, the Heifer director stressed the need to embrace special Ànancing models to meet the need of these category of farmers.

“We need to embrace more innovative Ànancing models for them, models that can take more risk for a sector considered as very risky by Ànancial institutions, and such model can help derisk the sector to attract more Ànancial institutions participation. Also, we need to help smallholder farmers build commercially viable business models that will make them investment ready and bankable. These are approaches that Heifer Nigeria is supporting.”

On the fate of youths in the crisis-ridden part of the country, Idris said, “There is no doubt that insecurity is disruptingAgribusiness activities and supply chain is some part of the country, hence, why we believe in a wholistic approach where the public and private sector work together to address the constraints aͿecting the sector and youth participation and jointly investing in the enablers that can accelerate youth participation in the sector. No country without its own challenges, with all hands on deck, there is hope that Nigeria would overcome its insecurity challenges.

18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

ICT

How Glo-Eutelsat Deal will Boost ICT in Nigeria Ugo Aliogo reviews the signiÀcance of the deal Globacom recently signed with Eutelsat of France, concluding that it will ensure broadband access to all areas outside urban and densely populated areas by giving Nigerians access to communicate and transact business

“G

ood things come in big packages” is a favourite quote by Dr. Mike Adenuga, Jr., the Chairman of telecommunications giant, Globacom.

This was indeed one of the most incisive quotes that stood out for me when I went through a book of cartoons called “The Memorable Quotes of the Great Guru”, at the o΀ce of a friend who works in one of his numerous conglomerates in Lagos.

The three-part publication is a compilation of humourous cartoons of the Globacom Chairman in diͿerent settings in his expansive o΀ce holding meetings with members of his senior management, and features a series of memorable sayings of the man who is generally referred to as the Spirit of Africa.

While the book is an invaluable collection of motivational anecdotes and wisecracks that will help managers as well as aspiring entrepreneurs and business men chart their course in the business terrain, the particular quote about “good things coming in big packages” was quite instructive for me.

It not only symbolises the bullish spirit of the billionaire entrepreneur but also gives a peep into the mind of the man who continues to intrigue his staͿ and associates with his deep insight into every area of his businesses and life itself.

The saying helps us understand why Adenuga is reputed for going after only the big things. Indeed, for him, if it’s not big, bold and audacious, it is not for Adenuga.

Nigerians still remember his bold intervention in the telecommunications industry with per second billing and zero-cost SIM which left MTN and then Econet smarting for years to come. Even when he unfairly lost 20m in his Àrst bid for a GSM licence, he refused to budge. He went after a bigger package and won a national carrier licence.

Even though he rolled out services two years after the other operators, the wait was worth the while. Globacom came with a series of interventions which opened up the telecoms space and made it possible for all categories of Nigerians to own a telephone. Globacom is today credited with many innovations in the industry in Nigeria and Ghana.

In the oil and gas sector, the story of how his Conoil became the Àrst indigenous oil company to produce oil in commercial quantity is well documented. When he got an oil license in the 80s, he knew how big a package he had in his hands. He refused the allure and pressure from family and friends to sell and make fast money like the others did. He dived into the world of production and despite initial setbacks, he persevered, knowing how good a package he had in his hands. Today, Conoil is the largest and most proÀtable indigenous oil producing company in Nigeria.

Adenuga replicated the same feat in banking.

He knew early enough how critical the sector is to the nation’s development and went into it with every Àbre in him. He established and successfully ran two banks at the same time, Devcom Merchant Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank. In the days of Prof Charles Soludo’s consolidation exercise in the industry in 2008, Adenuga refused to take the easier option of merging the two banks. Rather, he successfully met the N25 billion recapitalistation requirement for each of them in 2008. Several years later, the banks merged with Sterling Bank. The entrepreneur has also expanded his interest in banking and is one of the largest shareholders in First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Adenuga Jnr (left) and Belmer at the signing of satellite deployment agreement between Globacom and Eutelsat of France

In real estate and construction, Adenuga is reputed to be the largest shareholder in premier construction company, Julius Berger, besides other interests and estates running into billions of dollars.

One of the biggest packages delivered by Adenuga is the Glo 1 international submarine cable whose cost industry sources put at over $800 million. He delivered the facility which connects Nigeria and fourteen other African countries to the United Kingdom and Europe in 2010. It has indeed proved to be a good thing delivered in a big package.

Many may not be aware that this singular investment opened up the data space with reliable and aͿordable internet as many telecom operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria and Ghana buy their internet bandwidth from Glo 1.

It is in the light of the highlighted antecedents set by Dr Adenuga in the telecommunications space and other sectors of the economy that the recent business deal signed

by Globacom and Eutelsat of France can be better appreciated.

The project which is for satellite deployment in the Nigerian market has all the trappings of being a “good thing in a big package” delivered to Nigeria yet again by the Globacom Chairman.

Like a popular Igbo proverb says,”Okuko ga abu oke na-esi na eju” (translates roughly to “the chicken that will be male starts right from the egg”). How big a package the deal signed at the Elysee Palace in Paris is was symbolised by the presence of the French President, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, at the ceremony.

According to news reports, “The partnership between the two companies is expected to enhance the deployment of 500 Wi-Fi relay stations to far-Áung rural areas of Nigeria for connection to a Eutelsat satellite”.

According to Dr Adenuga, his company’s

relationship with the French telecoms giant has been a long and extremely beneÀcial one.

“The genesis and bedrock of that relationship was the energy team at the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) Paris o΀ce, led

by Guillaume Leenhardt. A great deal of our early success can be attributed to the professionalism, customer orientation, and creativity of that team,” Adenuga said.

According to him, “we worked extremely hard and well together to meet some ridiculously tight deadlines – working through the night till 6 a.m. only to resume work again at 8 a.m. after a quick nap and shower. Those are days I remember with a lot of fondness.

In 2017, the French government, in appreciation of Adenuga’s humanity and transformative conquests on the African business terrain, honoured him with a Knight of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Legion d’ Honneur), the highest French decoration and one of the most famous in the world. Adenuga became the only and Àrst-ever Nigerian to have received the award since its inception.

With the Eutelsat project, Glo will oͿer its customers VSAT/Satellite based internet service and Satellite based community wiÀ internet service in far Áung areas where access to internet services are currently a challenge.

This will ensure broadband access to all areas outside urban and densely populated areas by giving all Nigerians a right to have access to communicate and transact business with the communal provision of internet access

by Globacom in such areas.

Thus people in remote communities will be able to reach their friends and families and also transact business over the internet in such remote communities. The subscriber can also carry out electronic transactions and payments to workers or companies in remote areas using the Glo-powered Eutelsat Konnect Satelite platform.

Globacom disclosed that the areas to ben-

eÀt from the massive project include remote Northern/Middle-Belt communities, southern oͿshore locations, farm ranches and factories/ businesses far from townships where access to internet/terrestrial networks are a challenge.

According to the telecommunications operator, the satellite facility is a specialised internet service provision for remote communities where internet access is either currently minimal or not available.

“This is also in line with the federal government’s desire to extend broadband coverage beyond urban and densely populated areas.

Millions of Nigerians will, therefore, have access to communicate and transact business with the communal provision of internet access by Globacom in these rural areas”, the company said in a statement released during the week.

Because of the non-commercial viability of rural communities for telecom operators to recoup the huge cost of providing internet services there, they shy away from making the investment. This is why Dr Adenuga’s move is quite commendable. “If we don’t develop our country, no foreigner will develop it for us”, he says in the book.

Another beneÀt of the Globacom-Eutelsat deal is reduced cost for the Nigerian subscriber.

“The service will be oͿered at very attractive and competitive rates which will be way cheaper when compared to the existing very expensive options of going into bigger towns for internet access or providing internet access over very expensive terrestrial network in such communities”, Globacom explained.

The potential of the Globacom-Eutelsat project are indeed limitless. In spite of his immense resources, abilities and capacity to deliver good things to Nigeria in big packages, Dr. Adenuga remains a very humble man. “I don’t know it all. If I did, I would be somewhere playing squash”, is one other quote that caught my attention in the cartoon book.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

19

HOUSING

Stemming Tragic Rash of Building Collapse in Nigeria

As the body count increases at the building site of the 21-storey building that collapsed on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos on November 1, 2021, Nigerians are demanding that the government should put an end to the avoidable carnage associated with it. Bennett Oghifo writes

B

uilding collapse in Nigeria is beginning to look like an uncontrollable rash that needs to end with the introduction of a vaccine in the manner of a Building Code. Regrettably, the government is yet to enact guidelines for the building industry and worse the real estate sector is unregulated, making it a free-for-all market. In this Áuid market, owners of buildings and buyers often lose money and there is unfortunate loss lives sometimes when buildings fail, as witnessed in the Gerrard tower in Ikoyi and the building at Osapa London in Lekki, last week.

Building professionals have documented, authored books and discussed at public fora the reasons buildings collapse, but when it occurs, the government set up committees, as the Lagos State Government has done in the case of the Gerrard tower collapse, to understand the cause(s), who to blame for appropriate punishment that will serve as deterrence, hopefully.

These professionals say the causes of collapse range from faulty design, negligence, incompetence, faulty construction, foundation failures, extraordinary loads and corruption.

A former Director General/Chief Executive O΀cer of Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Professor Danladi S. Matawal said, “From 2011 till date, NBRRI has taken all cases of Building collapse in the country in its stride and intervened decisively and responsibly to the satisfaction of professional requirements, stakeholders and the public. Every detail from design (including Subsoil investigation, foundation and structural design), construction and supervision, and commissioning were delved into with thorough detailed Site physical study, sampling and tests.”

Matawal said, “As a consequence, today there are NBRRI reports of more than 30 Sites including SCOAN in Ikotun-Lagos, Reigners Bible Church Uyo, collapses in Makurdi, Awka, Ibadan, Benin, Jos, Enugu and other towns.

“These reports were the sole technical docs used in Coronary Inquests and in Court where NBRRI usually appeared under legal cover.

I was, individually, also the Chairman FCT Building Collapse Panel and our reports, apart from being subjected to legal scrutiny by clients of dead victims, were also usually taken at FEC meetings and we brought in COREN as collaborators in some cases.

“The point is that the frequency of collapses which we witnessed in 2011 and 2012 made it expedient to o΀cially fund Building Collapse Interventions which were supported by the Executive and Legislature.

“NBRRI has maintained this legacy of Intervention on collapsed sites and it is certain that the agency is already active on the current Lagos collapse site though the scale of this case is another level all together and I think all the experts round the country must collaborate on this case which must have deÀnitely drawn international attention.”

As things stand, in the absence of a National Building Code, most states have drawn up the building regulations, but these are not strictly enforced, as attested to by professionals in the building industry.

So many buildings have collapsed in Nigeria, but this is the Àrst time a building rising to 21 Áoors has crashed, and worse, in a highbrow area like Ikoyi where land is highly priced.

The highrise market has received a major blow, particularly with the rising number of casualties from this ugly incidence.

Despite the number of casualities, many are still thanking God that the building did not collapse when it was completed and occupied, otherwise the situation would have been worse.

A former President of the Nigerian Institute of Structural Engineers, Teddy Atumonyogo,

The collapsed 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos

who examined incidences of building failure in the country on ARISE NEWS, said, “It is not really common to see highrise building come down in that neighbourhood (Ikoyi). Before you can see a collapse of such magnitude, there most have been some system collapse along the way. Nigerian structural engineers have be designing highrises even before independence and those buildings are still standing. You can see the 25-storey independence building, you can see the NETCOM building and other medium-rise buildings on Broad Street.

“So, there must have been some system failures and these things must have to be addressed. Nigerians must imbibe that culture of compliance and respect for professionalism.”

He said it was not proper for him to discuss probable causes of the collapse since the there are committees instituted by the Lagos State Government already investigating the case.

However, he said, “There are three diͿerent ways buildings can collapse- there is what you call punching failure, when the columns pierce through the foundations, the building can collapse. We also have what is called bearing failure, whereby the foundation just sinks into the soil because the soil has been overloaded. We also have what is called falderal failure whereby the structural elements, whether the columns or beams give way because they are carrying more load than they’re designed to carry. If a column collapses, the load is transferred to the next column and then because that column is not designed to carry such load, it will collapse and there will be a domino eͿect and the whole building will come crashing down.”

Interestingly, professionals keep saying building collapse is avoidable if they are engaged from the design stage to delivery, and that this

will not only save them money but will also prevent needless tragedies.

Atumonyogo said if the developer and professionals, as well as government agencies play their roles well, then there would be no collapse. “You get a structural engineer who now appoints a geotechnical engineer to do the soil test so that you will know what the soil can carry. The structural engineer will now assess all the loads the building ought to carry and will now design the structure to be able to carry speciÀc load. It is very important that developers respect the opinion of their structural engineers, because some developers are very stubborn, they just want to have their way, and when they are advised to the contrary, they just sack the structural engineer and pick person that will do their bidding, which is very wrong.”

Dismissing claims that the crashed tower’s developer got approval to build a 15-story building but went up to build 21, Atumongoyo wondered when he got approval to increase the height of the building.

“At what stage was the approval reversed and revised for it to carry a 21-storey building? Because if you want to carry a 21-storey building, then it means the foundation has to be strengthened and if the construction had gone past the stage where it can be strengthened then there is no way the foundation of a 15-storey building can carry a 21-storey building.”

Regardless, what exactly happened at that construction site is left to the committees to unravel and it is a good thing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to make the report public.

Chairman of the Lagos State Tribunal of Inquiry into the collapse of the 21-Áoor build-

ing on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Toyin Ayinde, understands the importance of eliciting the trust and buy-in of members of the public who are expected to provide information to the committee.

“These are indeed dark times, a season of mourning the calamity that has befallen us.” Ayinde, a former Commissioner for Physical Planner and Urban Development in Lagos State and presently the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, said: “It is at these times that we have been called to ask the ‘What, How and Why’ questions about this circumstance. Arising from past experiences, people may be inclined to ask, why this probe? If nothing has changed since previous investigations on collapses such as this albeit of lower or equal magnitude, what would make this diͿerent?

“This exercise can only be diͿerent if we agree to place a value on the Nigerian life. If a Nigerian life is invaluable, if it is a life that cannot be bought, no matter the pressure, then this exercise will lead to the preservation of that life. This should lead us to say, the time has come to hold the bull by the horn and let justice prevail.

“As panel members, we promise to be guided by professional standards and hope that we will collectively be able to chart a new course that would guarantee the safety of the life of the Nigerian citizen as far as the construction industry is concerned.

“We thank Mr. Governor for the privilege to serve our beloved Lagos State. We look forward to being able to establish the truth and make wise recommendations that will bring comfort and succour to those who have experienced loss.”

20

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

INDUSTRY

Redesigning Cross River Landscape with Industries With a clear policy of decoupling Cross River State from over-dependence on federal allocation, Governor Ben Ayade has doted the state with key industries which when sustained and maintained will not just improve the revenue of the state, but substantially address its unemployment challenges, Bassey Inyang writes

R

ecently at the test run of a world-class Rice Mill in Ogoja, Africa’s Àrst-ever vitaminised rice milling plant, Governor BenAyade, a Professor of Environmental Microbiology, was at his intellectual best, practically lecturing the awe-struck audience on the process of modern rice milling.

Ayade: “We have just had a full test run, a pre-commissioning test run from the point of receiving the padding from the pad, through the pre-cleaning to parboiling stage to the preserving where it does the destoning, taking out the outer shell to the whitener and from where it goes further down the system to absorb the grading and making sure that the grain size is uniform and Ànally to the bagging line” It was clear the governor was ecstatic at the birthing of the mill. Before his coming as governor, Cross River State was a barren land in terms of industrialisation. The state was grotesquely referred to as a “civil service state”- an unsettling euphemism for a consumer rather than producing state.

Many in Cross River say Ayade is a pathÀnder who has the presence of mind to realise that there is another route, besides the meagre monthly federal allocation which can barely pay salaries, to broadening the frontiers of the state’s economy to achieve prosperity and good life for his people.

That new route is aggressive industrialisation which he wasted no time in embarking upon following the assumption of o΀ce in 2015.

The multi-million naira ultra-modern Ogoja vitaminised rice mill and the nearby automated Ikom cocoa processing plant today stand in majestic testimony of Ayade’s painstaking eͿorts at pulling Cross River State from the doldrums.

In six years of his governorship, Ayade has established about 34 industries and incomegenerating, life-changing infrastructures and assets- some completed and functioning and others under advanced stages of completion.

Apart from the Ogoja rice mill and Ikom cocoa processing plant, the rest of the industries include the ultra-modern rice seeds and seedling factory, the 23,000 per hour Calachika Chicken processing factory and Cross River Integrated Poultry, Cross River Noodles factory, Cross River Garment Factory, Cross River Pharmaceutical Factory (CALAPHARM) and Cross River Feedmill Limited, all located in Calabar, the state capital.

A former governor of the state, Donald Duke believes that the Àrst-ever rice seedling factory in Calabar will go a long way in ensuring food su΀ciency.

His words: “From what I have seen here, it can enable the entire West Africa sub-region to be self-su΀cient in rice. If allAyade did was to ensure that the entire sub-region of West Africa is self-sustaining in rice production, he will deserve a Nobel Prize for that.”

There are also the industrial Cassava Processing plant, Obubra, Ultra-modern Rice mill, Ogoja, Tiles, and Asbestos factory, Yala, Groundnut Processing plant, Bekwara, Took Pick factory, Yakurr, Piles, Poles and Pylon factory, Akamkpa, Teachers Continous Training Institute, Biase, British-Canadian School, Obudu, Obudu Cargo and Passenger International Airport, the 147-kilometre Mfom-Okuku- ObuduBekwara-Ogoja highway linking the entire Northern senatorial district of the state, the Cross River state wholly-owned airline, Cally Air among others.

The virgin 29-kilometre Boki East-West road is nearing completion.

There are also the ongoing construction of Bakassi Deep Seaport and the 274km

Chocolate factory

Chicken processing factory

superhighway.

After a tour of the industries recently, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), country representative, Jean Bakole was visibly impressed by what he saw, prompting him to declare: “We cannot emphasise enough the good industrialisation works of Governor Ayade. We call him a captain of the industrialisation in the country.

I, therefore, on behalf of UNIDO, proclaim him the Champion of Industrialisation in Nigeria” On his part, multi-billionaire businessman and President of the Coscharis Group, Cosmas Maduka, succinctly described Ayade industrialisation drive thus: “It is better seen than imagined” Another business mogul, Anambra StatebornArthur Eze, has this to say after inspecting the various industries already completed at the Calabar Industrial Park: “I have never seen such a thing anywhere in Africa. I have travelled raroundEast, West and NorthAfrica, but I haven’t seen such. The people of Cross

River State are lucky to have this young man as the governor who is creating a lot of jobs for the teeming unemployed young people with the intent to create even more and this gives hope for the future.”

The beauty of the Ayade style lies in his people-oriented governance. For him, the people come Àrst and their opinions form the fulcrum of policy formulations.

This explains the ongoing state-wide referendum to decide whether the industries should be privatised or remain wholly state-owned.

Whatever the people Ànally opt for will be a huge win for them because the bottom line is massive job creation. Many of the industries are primed to create quantum, direct, and indirect jobs.

For example, the chicken processing plant is positioned to be fed by the Integrated Poultry Farm but local poultry farmers are equally expected to feed the plant to meet soaring demands.

The state is also eyeing the WestAfrican subregion for the supply of its poultry products

from the poultry farm and Calachika.

While Calachika slaughters, processes, and freezes the chickens both for export and local consumption, the poultry farm, beyond satisfying local needs, will have its products exported.

Ayade’s dexterity in making the diͿerence in the agricultural value chain is on the verge of clearly establishing Cross River nay Nigeria ahead of three other African countries as the doyen of poultry production in Africa.

Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Nigeria are the four top countries in Africa best for poultry investment. With an estimated 200 million population, research shows that Nigeria’s poultry consumption is already in the double-digit, but a far cry from the 40kg annual consumption most countries have attained.

With a storage capacity of about 6,500 tonnes and on continuous production, a storage capacity of 240 tonnes per day, at 24 hours operation, the Ogoja rice mill will boost the fortunes of rice farmers in the state.

Former Governor Liyel Imoke is enamoured by the rice mill. His words: This is a phenomenal project that speaks volumes of the governor’s not just vision but the timing of a project of this nature. I love the location and this can capture all the rice in the central and north, and ideally situated in terms of access to the market.”

Situated at the cocoa-producing belt of Cross River, the Ultra-modern Cocoa processing plant at Ikom has without doubt provided a huge, ready market for cocoa farmers in the area.

To ensure that the state is indeed a tourist destination besides diversifying its economy, Ayade Áoated Cally Air, with two Boeing 737 aircraft for a start.

Evidently, under Ayade, Cross River is in the column of accelerated economic growth.

Experts and stakeholders opine that it takes a man of intellectual reÀnement and civilisation, a man with indomitable optimism and can-do spirit, one with the burning zeal to change the hitherto sordid narratives of his people and state to dream big and embark on clinical crystallisation of such dreams. That man, they insist, is Professor Ben Ayade.

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 7, 2021

21

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust): is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 04Nov-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.52% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.29 3.35 -4.68% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 8.77% Anchoria Equity Fund 140.45 142.22 5.59% info@anchoriaam.com Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.14 1.14 -13.92% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 20.63 21.26 13.78% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 450.34 463.92 12.48% ARM Ethical Fund 39.70 40.90 17.77% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.08 1.09 -1.13% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.99 0.99 -5.85% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.34% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 107.13 107.13 5.33% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,049.73 1,049.73 4.97% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.08 2.08 -4.53% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.24 2.29 3.39% mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.03 1.03 4.36% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.09% Paramount Equity Fund 17.36 17.68 8.56% Women's Investment Fund 141.34 143.00 6.22% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.51% Cordros Milestone Fund 132.50 133.34 12.93% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 109.58 109.58 5.11% CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.36% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 8.18% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,165.54 1,186.58 1.33% assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-assetmanagement-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.27% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 2.74% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.12 Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 103.95 FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price FBN Bond Fund 1,439.00 FBN Balanced Fund 196.80 FBN Halal Fund 114.12 FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund

127.46 171.73 Bid Price 1.00 3.99 1.70 1.19

1.12 11.55% 103.95 3.90% invest@fbnquest.com Offer Price 1,439.00 198.23 114.12 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 11.48% 4.86% 9.23% 8.98%

127.46 3.96% 174.03 13.59% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Offer Price 1.00 3.99 1.74 1.19

Yield / T-Rtn 6.76% 3.08% 11.86% 5.19%

FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.63% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.94 3.00 2.89% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 154.63 154.91 -0.56% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.34% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.06 1.06 3.67% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.86 11.92 13.30% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 10.01% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 100.68 100.69 7.33% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.32% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.58 1.61 13.15% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.04 11.05 -9.18% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.78% PACAM Equity Fund 1.46 1.47 -7.71% PACAM EuroBond Fund 112.40 114.53 2.45% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 136.06 137.52 11.75% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.07 1.07 10.11% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,403.97 3,434.06 5.89% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 234.33 234.33 4.22% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.27 1.29 8.47% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 309.97 309.97 5.20% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 236.83 240.46 8.54% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.68% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,211.43 11,376.17 6.86% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.28 1.28 4.56% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 116.25 116.25 4.65% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 105.01 105.01 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.34 1.36 4.79% United Capital Bond Fund 1.94 1.94 5.73% United Capital Equity Fund 0.93 0.95 16.82% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.89% United Capital Eurobond Fund 121.34 121.34 5.98% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.08 1.10 6.16% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.07 1.07 6.75% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.11 13.23 10.50% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 14.60 14.75 19.62% Zenith Income Fund 24.60 24.60 2.53% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.42%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 53.90

10.62% 6.67%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.96 130.29 103.63 17.90 20.87

14.06 133.53 105.91 18.00 20.97

5.61% 8.35% 4.46% 1.74% 13.18%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.91 5.63 17.89 1.00 21.87 157.76

4.01 5.73 18.09 1.00 22.07 159.76

4.39% -0.84% 10.43% 6.60% 6.55% -15.02%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

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SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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SUNDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

07.11.2021

Shade Omoniyi The Guru Behind Kwara’s Goldmine

With a background in engineering, Mrs Shade Omoniyi seemed like an unlikely candidate to head the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service. But in the two years of her service to the state, she is well-positioned as the first female to occupy the position and arguably the only female executive chairman of the IRS in the country. Interestingly, she has risen beyond expectations, shattering glass ceilings with her initiatives that are yielding more revenue for the state and blocking leakages, writes Vanessa Obioha.

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

COVER

Women Do Better because We Have A Point to Prove

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t was not a busy morning at the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) in Ilorin on a recent Tuesday. Workers went about their duties with ease and a sense of purpose.

The Executive Chairman of the agency, Mrs Shade Omoniyi was rounding off a meeting in her office while we waited for her at the reception — a cosy space where a banner with her image had caught our attention. On the banner was a congratulatory message from her alma mater on her appointment. A similar banner came into view at her expansive office.

These banners, in a way, were gentle reminders of Omoniyi’s impact on her community.

Long before she attained the lofty position of heading the agency, Omoniyi was recognised in Offa as a true daughter of the land. In 2008, when she turned 40, she renovated two blocks of classrooms in her secondary school, St Clare’s Girls Grammar in Offa. Further, she converted one of the classes into a computer centre, furnished it with 18 systems, air-conditioning system, generator set, printers, servers and other necessary tools. For her charitable act, she was specially recognised by the former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who was the governor of the state.

“I am constantly in touch with my school.

I, on a regular basis, do some programmes for them,” said Omoniyi who was also the first president of the Old Girls Association of her set.

Interestingly, some of her classmates are in key positions in Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s cabinet. She disclosed that the Director of Accounts and Finance of KW-IRS, state Head of Service as well as the Clerk of the state House of Assembly were all alumni of the school.

An advocate of girl-child education, Omoniyi runs a non-governmental organisation that focuses on young female students, some of whom are beneficiaries of her sponsorship initiatives. Last year, she provided a training session for some artisans on soap making.

“By the time they finished, I bought equipment for all of them and gave them some seed money to start,” she explained.

Sitting behind her big desk, Omoniyi, dark and dressed in a green outfit painted the picture of a peaceful but resilient woman. In her two years in office, Omoniyi’s performance has gone beyond expectations, demonstrating excellence and commitment to the task handed to her.

Many did not expect her to excel when Governor AbdulRazaq appointed her. Given her engineering background, she was considered an unlikely candidate to head the agency which was established in 2016. But for the governor’s vision and belief in women, Omoniyi was called to head the department where she is the first woman to hold the position under the new regime. She is also the only female executive chairman of the IRS in the country at the state level.

In a way, Omoniyi’s life is dotted with a lot of firsts. She is the first child and only daughter of her parents. Born in Kano State where she had her primary education before moving down to Ilorin in 1976 for her secondary education, the executive chairman was the only female student in a class of 50 boys at the University of Ilorin where she studied Electrical Engineering.

She worked with the Nigerian Television Authority in Jos, Plateau State during her National Youth Service Corps and returned to Lagos to work for a computer company.

However, she cut her teeth at Tara Systems which was owned by Seni Williams. She worked as a network IT engineer.

“I was a pioneer in a lot of networking, and IT projects in the industry. So many things were introduced based on my activities in Tara Systems,” she disclosed.

From Tara Systems, Omoniyi moved to Africa International Bank (AIB) where she equally achieved trailblazer status. She was appointed as the system administrator and developed all the IT infrastructure and systems for AIB. Her career began to leap during her time in AIB. “AIB really got me the recognition that really helped me to leapfrog into what I was able to do in First Bank. I got three promotions in four years. My former MD is the immediate past Minister for Agriculture. I remember the time he gave me another promotion, six months after I was promoted. And I took the letter to him. I was seriously upset with the Human Resources department (HR) because I thought they made an error. How can they give me two promotions within six months? So, I went to him to report HR, that they must have made this error, and the man was just laughing. He didn’t take me seriously. ‘Sir, you don’t understand what I’m saying. How could they do this, HR needs to…’

I was seriously abusing HR. Apparently; he was

Omoniyi

responsible for it. So I got three promotions in four years,” she narrated.

Omoniyi left AIB for First Bank in 2001 when it ran into troubled waters. She became the first Head for Network Infrastructure and reported directly to the Head of IT in the bank.

“I set up the entire network infrastructure for First Bank just like I did in AIB. And after working in IT for eight years, I reached my peak as Head of IT and I had to move to business because there was nowhere else to go. You can’t just be an IT person; First Bank is not an IT company. So, I was moved to business. I was made the Business Development Manager for the Yaba area in Lagos and had like eight branches of the bank reporting to me. I wasn’t a banker. I was just an IT person, so I had to learn from the people who were reporting to me.

“But it was a life-changing event because it moved me out of my comfort zone. There was really nothing more to learn in IT except new things, and it wasn’t going to take me anywhere.

It affected all of us who were seniors in IT then and they moved everybody to business, but I was the only one who survived.”

Two years later, she was appointed the Head of Public Sector for the financial institution and handled all the federal and state infrastructure in Lagos. She occupied the role for two years before attaining the Deputy General Manager position. But then, the bank needed someone who had experience in banking and IT to run operations. Again, Omoniyi’s name popped up and she was moved to the bank’s Head Office where she occupied the seat of Head of Operations, responsible for running operations of all branches of the bank.

Omoniyi’s next appointment was to head the mortgage arm of the bank, namely FBN Mortgages.

“I did that until the place was eventually sold. CBN said all banks should take their business out of the mortgage, and it became a policy issue. I successfully handed it over to those who eventually bought it,” she explained.

But by the time she returned to the Head Office, all the suitable positions were occupied.

Hence, she voluntarily retired in 2018 even though the bank was reluctant to accept her resignation.

One of the instructive lessons Omoniyi learnt throughout her time in the bank was that each rung on the ladder she climbed presented

new challenges.

It was during her retirement that she was called upon to serve her state. It was not an easy task, she confessed.

First, she met a system that was unstructured with over 900 workers. Since almost everyone from the last management left, the responsibility of running the agency was entirely in her hands. The first thing she did was streamline the structure.

“The structure I met was more like creating jobs for people, rather than it being a strategic structure. There was a lot of lopsidedness, so I had to reduce the number. I think direct reports to the Executive Chairman were about 26. I reduced that to nine. We had some job functions that should be departments, that were directorates, as the case may be.

I created five directorates and four direct reports to the Executive Chairman. The Executive Chairman’s office is effectively a directorate on its own. That means we have six directorates now of which the Executive Chairman is heading one.”

She also created area offices in all local governments for easy access. Leveraging her IT and engineering background, Omoniyi was able to solve the automation process of collecting data and taxes for the agency.

“We have automation already, that was the impression that I was given but I came into the service, and apparently there was nothing. There was a system but the system was not working. You are supposed to add value. If you don’t add value, then what are we talking about, it’s not making any sense.”

She carried out an assessment that was staff based, which surprised her staff because everyone thought she was going to scrap the system and implement a new one.

“Everybody said no, take it out. I looked at the application, it’s not a local application, it is an international application. So obviously, the problem is not the application. The problem is the implementation because we implemented it. The application is world standard. It is wellknown, they use it elsewhere.”

She got consultants to work on the system with a two-month deadline. Still, at the expiration of the deadline, the system was still not functioning. But Omoniyi didn’t fold their hands while the consultants worked on the system. They looked for other options which

came handy by the time the system crashed on December 23, 2019.

“It was more like they were going to hold us to ransom kind of. That was the impression we got and we tried everything to bring the system back on. We wanted to make it work, but it didn’t happen. On January 3, we signed on the alternative we had prepared, hoping that we wouldn’t have to sign. We had to get this report out because we were also being compliant and we didn’t want anybody to take us to court. We started effectively from scratch.

“What helped us was the fact that with my background, I was able to save a lot of data from the former system. The data belongs to Kwara State; it was the system that belonged to someone else. The information inside was ours. We were able to sieve out a lot of information. We did the backup ourselves without even knowing that that was going to happen. So we started the new system, in January, and then, we reviewed our processes because, for IT, you only have effective IT permutation. If you implement, and you don’t change your processes, trying to run how you were running before the new system, doesn’t usually work.

“Unfortunately for us, COVID happened.

Three months was not enough for us to get anywhere. And of course, what happened was, by the time we got to Q2 of last year, everything just came crashing down. And essentially, our collection was contact-based.

This is Kwara; it’s not enough for you to have a system at the backend, people are also going to connect with you. They should also have the ability to connect to you. Since everyone was locked down, revenues in Q2, Q3 went down, but we were trying at the backend to see what we could do to use that period to build up the system.

“As at the third quarter of 2019, we had done over N23 billion. The last quarter, which was the one I ran, we made an extra, close to N7 billion, so we ended 2019 with N30 billion effectively, but because of all these challenges I spoke about; IT, lockdown and all of that, we ended 2020 at N19 billion. Now that N19 billion was 76% of our budget. And like I said, those were the factors that affected us but what we now did was when we got to 2021, lockdown had relaxed. It relaxed in Q3 of 2020. So in the first quarter, we did N7 billion I think, second quarter we crashed to N2 billion, in the third quarter we went to N4 billion, last quarter we went to N6 billion, so you could see the effect of all of this was quite evident. So we ended last year with N19 billion.

“When we started in 2021, we needed to run. We had some leftovers of 2019 because of COVID. So when we hit the market, Q1 of this year, we were getting more into the technology of it, and using our system the way they’re supposed to use it and blocking leakages. So Q1, we made N9.6 billion, which was the highest the service has ever made without an extraordinary item of course because I remember, Q2 of 2019, that was before I got here, there was this back duty audit of about N5 billion that came in. If we added that to the total, that Q2 of 2019, the total was N9.8 billion. People have questioned how I can be referring to Q1 of 2021 as the highest, and I always add that provision, without an extraordinary item.

“But what really helped us in Q1 was the fact that there were so many collections in 2020 that we were not able to collect, that we went after in 2021. We ended with N9.6 billion, and we were all quite excited, and then it shows that things are improving. As of today, even though we’re unable to hit what we did in Q1 and Q2 and Q3, we are N21 billion, which is higher than what we did in the entire 2020, and we are hoping that we should be able to meet the target for this year which is N29 billion.”

Nowadays, instead of disbelief in her capabilities, Omoniyi is hailed for her outstanding performance in the agency. More importantly, she is impressed by Governor AbdulRazaq’s resolve to have female administrators in his cabinet.

“I am quite impressed with His Excellency and quite delighted to be in his team. I must be sincere and I’m not just saying it because I am in the team. With due respect to men, women do a lot better because we always have a point to prove.

We always want to prove the point. I can tell you for free that I wasn’t given the light of day when I got this assignment. I wasn’t supposed to succeed. I was expected to fail.

But her training as an engineer prepared her for this mindset: make things that look impossible work. And that’s where trust comes in.

“I believe that is the way His Excellency is also looking at it. The women who are on the team have a mission. They have a point to prove. If he could do this and have this level of trust in us, we have to deliver. It is very simple. It is something I believe other state governments should emulate because women always get things done,” she concluded.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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GLITZ LIFESTYLE

Erectile Dysfunction, Diabetes among 11 Common Health Threats to Men Experts link women’s longevity streak to lifestyle, situating men at a higher risk of contracting chronic illnesses. Martins Ifijeh writes

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cross the world, it is believed that women now outlive men. The average life expectancy in women (81) has also been found to be more than that in men (76) in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

“This gender gap in life expectancy is true for all societies, and it is also true for the great apes,” said Perminder Sachdev, a doctor and professor of neuropsychiatry at the University of New South Wales in Australia who has studied human longevity.

Sachdev, according to TheCable, also spoke of the main health issues that are contributing to why women tend to outlive men.

“Men are more likely to smoke, drink excessively and be overweight,” he said.

“They are also less likely to seek medical help early, and, if diagnosed with a disease, they are more likely to be nonadherent to treatment.”

As you go through some of the common health threats to men, and how to avoid them, also know that early diagnosis should be a top priority in healthcare for men.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is common among men. Although many consider it reserved for the older population, it can occur in younger men as well.

It is treatable if found in its early stages but often shows no symptom until it spreads to other parts of the body. Going for regular checkups, having a healthy diet, and exercising more often are some key healthcare tips to fend off the disease.

Heart Disease

According to a report, one in 10 men aged 50 has a heart age 10 years older than they are. Imagine that!

Heart disease mortality is also said to be higher in men.

Ways to keep this disease at bay are by avoiding smoking and alcohol, adopting diets low in saturated fats, avoiding highly processed food. You should also embrace weight loss and physical exercise. But again, regular checkups are a must.

Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes.

A stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can reduce brain damage and other complications.

There are three main types of stroke: Ischemic stroke, Hemorrhagic stroke and Transient ischemic attack (a warning or “mini-stroke”).

The signs of stroke are: sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; and sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.

The good news is that many fewer Americans die of stroke now than in the past. Effective treatments can also help prevent disability from stroke.

Depression

Research has shown that, although both men and women suffer depression, men are less likely than women to recognize, talk about, and seek treatment for the same.

The reluctance among men may be due to societal constructs which expect them to be “strong”.

If you’re a man struggling with depression, try regular exercise, journaling, communicating openly with friends and family, and seeking professional help.

High Blood Pressure

While common among both sexes, high blood pressure is more prevalent in

men. It’s not inevitable and can be prevented, delayed, and treated.

If ignored, it can lead to heart and kidney failure, vision problems, and even blindness. Stress, lack of physical activity, and being overweight or obese increase the odds, as do genetics.

Can you see the need for regular medical checkups now?

Skin Cancer

By age 50, men are also more likely than women to develop melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

This number jumps by age 65, making men 2 times as likely as women of the same age to get melanoma. This higher risk is likely related to more frequent sun exposure and fewer visits to the doctor.

Men are also more likely to die from the disease.

Erectile Dysfunction

A common health problem, especially for men with diabetes or prostate issues, is erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction is most often caused by atherosclerosis — the same process that causes heart attacks and strokes. There are a number of reasons why men develop erectile dysfunction, many of which can be treated.

It’s important to see a doctor so that they can rule out or treat any underlying medical conditions.

Testosterone Deficiency

Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is made in the testicles. Testosterone hormone levels are important to normal male sexual development and functions.

Some men have low testosterone levels which could be called Testosterone Deficiency

Syndrome (TD) or Low Testosterone (Low-T). Deficiency means that the body does not have enough of a needed substance.

According to the American Urological Association, at least two out of 10 men older than 60 years have low testosterone.

Experts believe that a healthy lifestyle such as weight loss and getting more physical activity will likely raise your testosterone levels.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer. According to the American Lung Association, each year more men are diagnosed with and develop lung cancer than in years past.

Quitting smoking at any age can lower the risk of lung cancer.

Alcohol Deaths

Consuming too much alcohol is dangerous for one’s health as it increases your risk for cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.

But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men face higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations than women do. Men take in twice as much as women and are more likely to increased aggression and sexual assault against women. Avoid taking alcohol.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic and metabolic disease that can lead to nerve and kidney damage, heart disease and stroke, and even vision problems or blindness if left untreated.

A study found that men are almost twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women. Engaging in exercise, combined with a healthy diet, can prevent diabetes. Bottom line is, see a doctor regularly gents!

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Kenny Blaq New Comedy Show Targets Audiences in UK, Canada One of Nigeria’s young comedy geniuses Kehinde Peter Otolorin, better known as Kenny Blaq is making a bold statement in the industry with his new show ‘In My Room’. The comedy show is his first comedy special and will be available on Netflix from Wednesday, November 17.

The comedy production is licensed by Netflix to stream to audiences cutting across different demographics and launching the 27-year-old to regions such as the rest of Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. Incidentally, the comedian has stamped his footprints in these countries at different levels while on tour. Tapping on the strength of Netflix’s wide appeal, his first VOD special puts him in a firm position to expand his audience and deepen his connection. Between Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, he commands the attention of almost two million followers.

This feat also confers an unrivalled industry milestone on the talented stand-up comedian as the first home-based Nigerian comedian to leverage his wholly local content shot in Lagos on the international video-on-demand

(VOD) platform. The first is United States-based Nigerian comedian, Seyi Brown.

Speaking about his new project, Kenny Blaq enthused, “On Christmas Day last year, I created an intimate music comedy event for a few of my fans, as a test shoot for my first ever special attempt, after seeing a lot of it on Netflix. I’m elated that the test shoot has now been licensed exclusively by Netflix.”

He added, “Getting on an international VOD platform has always been the goal for me. For all the hours I spent on Netflix watching some of my favourite comedians such as Kevin Hart, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle, I knew my day would come. For me, this is just the beginning, we haven’t scratched the surface. I want to bring all my unique relatable funny experiences to entertain people of all cultures and colours on-demand anywhere in the world.”

To herald the release, Kenny Blaq’s Unic Made Entertainment in collaboration with Blue Pictures Distribution Limited will host a premiere at Blue Cinemas, Onikan, Lagos on the release date, November 17.

‘Movement-Japa’ Première: Soul Brother

Gideon Okeke in ‘Movement-Japa’

Bozac Continental Group last Thursday in Lagos unveiled Jackie B as the brand ambassador for Fair and White Gold, a var≠≠iant of the Fair and White range of beauty products.

Jackie B whose real name is Jackie Lureino Bent was a housemate in the 2021 edition of the reality show, BBNaija. She is the daughter of a former Adamawa State Senator, Grace Bent. Jackie B is the second former BBNaija housemate to be unveiled as the face of the Fair and White brand. Esther Agunbiade, a former housemate was in March last year also made ambassador of the brand.

Speaking at the event, Kene Chibueze, a Director of Bozac, stressed that Bozac Group has always promoted and will continue to promote African beauty.

Chibueze assured consumers and distributors of Fair and White that the brand, having been around in the past 25 years, will continue to maintain quality and excellence as well as beauty needs of African women.

Its belief in African beauty, he disclosed, accounted for the reason Bozac opted for Jackie B, a ravishing African beauty, as the new face of a variant of the brand, Fair and White Gold which was launched in 2014.

According to Chibueze, “Other products have tried to look like Fair and White Gold but of course, if it is not Fair and White; it cannot be like Fair and White. Our brand is distinctive; it is on a class of its own.”

Speaking, Jackie B revealed that a day after she left the BBNaija house, many companies made endorsement offers to her but she opted for Fair and White because she considered it a legacy brand, a brand that sticks to what it represents.

A unisex international beauty brand, the Fair and White variants, are made in France for people of colour by Labo Derma France.The Bozac group holds the sole franchise to market Fair and White in Nigeria.

Kenny Blaq

The new TV series from Zuri24 Media ‘Movement-Japa’ premiered last Monday on Africa Magic Showcase. A production of illustrious filmmaker Femi Odugbemi, ‘Movement-Japa’ centres on the travails of Nigerian youths as they fight for survival in a society riddled with institutional deficiencies.

Airing weekly, we meet our lead characters Shina and Osas played

by Gideon Okeke and Sambasa Nzeribe in the first few minutes of episode one. Shina lives in a slum with his aged sick mother and a sister. He is also a hustler who engages in any kind of job to foot the medical bills of his mother. Shina considers himself a musician so whenever there is a slot for a recording session without the knowledge of the Hitman Studio owner, he jumps on it. Despite his attempts to find a stable source of livelihood, Shina is always caught in one trouble or the other.

Osas on the other hand is a security guard. He does his job diligently and even saved a politician’s life when an intruder attempted to stab him at a rally. But even with his good deeds, Osas is not as rich as he wishes and sometimes depends on the generosity of his girlfriend Mimi (Okawa Shaznay).

Shina and Osas’ worlds collide when Shina sold a fake phone to Mimi. Furious, Osas stormed the shop where Mimi bought the phone only to be told that Shina was just a hustler in the market. One of the boys who saw Shina leaving told him to head to Hitman Studio.

On sighting Mimi, Shina who was about to leave the studio fled with the speed of light. The action sequence in this scene sets the tone of the series — gripping and adrenaline-filled — and was brilliantly shot.

Osas chases Shina through a warren of muddied side streets, knocked down once by the witty Shina who eventually escaped Osas wrath by hiding in the boot of a van.

Jackie B Unveiled as Face of Fair and White

L-R: Sales Manager, Bozac Continental Limited, Sunday Adekoya, Director, Kene Chibueze; Brand Ambassador, Fair & White Gold, Jackie B; and Brand representative, Modupe Adebimpe, at the unveiling of Jackie B as Fair & White Brand Ambassador in Lagos… recently

53

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

BOOK REVIEW

Hurt But Unbroken: A Woman’s Journey Through Relationships Reuben Abati

R

elationships form a central part of human existence. The experience of our interactions necessarily varies since human beings are never the same, nor do they share the same background or pedigree. Nowhere is this paradox most felt more than the arena of marriage: common law marriage, customary marriage, legal marriage, boyfriend-girlfriend entanglements – two persons coming together to form a union and expectedly, become one. The only caveat is that the institution of marriage is a theatre of storm, love and uncertainty. Whichever comes Àrst or predominates is a matter really of the quality of the persons involved and the peculiarity of their shared Àeld of experience. In the Christian Holy Book, the Bible, Adam and Eve were the Àrst reported married persons in The Garden of Eden, an eponymous story of Creation. But it was an imperfect marriage. Eve as the Bible says, ate the “forbidden apple” and in so doing incurred the anger of God. Subsequent evolutionary experience has shown however that it is not only a woman that is likely to commit the original sin. Men have also in various Biblical accounts fallen short of the glory of God. Basic individualism separates one experience from the other, all united by the scope and depth of impact on the aͿected persons, others involved in their circle such as - family, friends and the ever-attentive neighbors with ears like the radio antennae. Relationships are tricky businesses. Lucky persons function in that space with good memories. Others leave with painful memories. And yet life is all about memories beyond everything else.

The book under review, Unbroken by KikelomoAtanda-Owo is a book about memories. It is part memoir, part- catharsis. Here, Kikelomo Atanda-Owo tells the story of an aspect of her life: her relationships with family, men and women, in a melodramatic fashion.

She remembers. She reÁects. Unbroken is an absolutely riveting, gripping, unput-downable account of a young woman’s journey through the vicissitudes of life – from childhood to maturity, and how by herself and through the help of others – including her grandmother and two fathers, she managed to navigate the contours of an existential dilemma. She says she is unbroken nonetheless. To many readers this may across as a coping mechanism, a psychological self-compensatory choice – very much like that well-worn cliché that if life throws you a lemon, you make a lemonade out it.

This is a book reminiscent also of that ancient wisdom about how man suͿers in order to learn. This is writing as catharsis, a coming of age anagnorisis, and at a subliminal level, a bit of expiation and therapy. She pours out her mind. She tells the story of her travails.

She re-imagines the future. Her themes: love, trust, betrayal, humanism, relationships, circumstances and happenstance. I see a binary dimension to her narrative, encapsulated in the recollection of her relationships with men and the marriages that failed. Good men. Bad men. Good women. Bad women. A complex portraiture of human behaviour that is readily judgemental and emotional.

The big lesson that I take away from this book, Unbroken, is that it is important to never, ever under-estimate the memory of a child, a woman, a member of the family, or a wife. They may choose to tell their story, as we have seen in this book and before now, in Toke Makinwa’s On Becoming, Remi Obasanjo’s Bitter-Sweet: My Life With Obasanjo and Adewale Maja-Pearce’s The House My Father Built.

In Six Chapters, and 161 pages, with an insightful foreword written by Reverend Mother, Abimbola Esther Ajayi, Kikelomo Atanda-Owo tells a story that should be of interest to every person and a must-read for everyone that may be interested in the chemistry of relationships. Her ordeal began quite early. Her mother and dad separated. Her

brothers died. Her Dad married a neighbor.

DiͿerent aunties came and left in succession. She went to live with her mum, in a rather large polygamous family into which she had married, a family where Àghts and rancor were a daily fare. She was 10 years old. She ended up living with her paternal grandmother, a woman she refers to fondly as Alhaja, who became an undiluted source of love and aͿection and a guiding spirit in her life. Her dad got into another relationship with Aunty Dupe. But her problems were far from over. Her Dad’s career went Southwards. Then, Alhaja died. She went to live with her grandfather and her Dad’s younger sister, Osenutu. Her father relocated to the United States to chart a new path and move beyond the crisis that brought his career as a senior banker to an abrupt, frustrating end. She would eventually live with a man she describes as her second father, Taiwo Lakanu, a police o΀cer. For more than ten years she spoke with her biological father only on phone. Lakanu, who became a famous policeman and retired as a Deputy Inspector General of Police played the role of father as she moved from one school to the other, battled with illness, graduated from university and later entered into her Àrst relationship with a man as she searched for love, the dominant theme in the book.

The rest of the book is essentially taken up by this theme, and the three protagonists in this regard are: George, the man “the man who wooed me from all angles”, “he switched cars just the way people change clothes… he loved expensive accessories... automobiles, sleek automobiles were his preference and notable for his adoration of Mercedes Benz cars…” Kike fell in love. Her Dad disapproved.

She disagreed. Kike and George had a wedding, a society wedding. But George turned out to be something else. It was a marriage built on a foundation of falsehood, and the automobile-loving man was not as clean as his sleek cars. He was a man of shady character as described here. Kike discovered afterwards that he even already had children from Àve diͿerent women, without letting her know.

She too had a child for him, a boy, her Àrst.

George collected money from her father and never paid back. She had to move on.

She threw herself into work and career in many areas including the Media, Client Relationship Management. And Consultancy. Then she met Felix, who lived in a self-contained apartment while she was the Vice President of a Consulting Firm (Peculiar People Management) “living in a duplex with …luxury cars..” but she decided to “date him against all counsel, mainly because he was from a settled home” She thought she had found love: “I was the Àrst girl he took home and that made me feel exceptional; he played a good role as a father to my son while we were dating”. It turned out that Felix was gay. The relationship ended after three years. Ironically, the best relationship she ever had.

Again she threw herself into work. But our author is an incurable romantic and lover-girl. She would soon fall in love with another man, a certain Special Adviser on Overseas Investment for Lagos State identiÀed here as Segun. She was swept oͿ her feet by Segun’s sweet tongue and charisma. He Àtted her speciÀcation. Nigerian men and women often talk of speciÀcation when trying to choose partner as if they were buying a commodity! The women love a particular kind of men. The men seek out particular kinds of women too. They even give them labels: potable, landcruiser, Orobo, Oshodi Oke. In some other societies such labels would be considered sexist and chauvinistic Reading this book, I was shocked to discover that women have speciÀcations too. Segun may have met Kike’s expectations as to physical appearance, but the consistent lesson is an obvious one: namely that not all that glitters is gold! George was not Gold. Felix failed the test. Segun was worse. He was the Àrst man to pay part of the bills but he was the master of inÀdelity and a Mike Tyson of a husband.

He punched and battered her at every opportunity. They had two kids together but Kike is still bitter and she does not hide this, about his serial inÀdelity, his obsession with

other people’s wives and his disappointing persona. The relationship crashed.

The author moved on. Her capacity for creative reinvention is what makes her UNBROKEN. When any relationship fails, she picks up the pieces and throws herself into work: an area in which she has distinguished herself as a media entrepreneur, business coach and consultant. Ultimately, she is not deÀned by the relationships or the pains she has endured, but her capacity for work, her industry and her commitment to family and society. Young persons of her generation have a lot to learn from her example, and how she proves that a girl child needs not end up as anyone’s punching bag or slave.

This is a book that evokes emotions. Family members reading it will take sides, and that is natural perhaps. The men who failed the author and the children would have something to say in their own space. But will they write rejoinders? Or sue? I doubt. Kikelomo Atanda-Owo cleverly avoids using their real names. Her kiss and tell narrative is so surreal but it is her version of the truth, a product of courage, and in a sense, a feminist’s…

Me- too protest against male chauvinism, masculinity and the inferiorization of women, and the negativity of patriarchy under certain circumstances. It is in general an interesting read and a bold eͿort. The book does not end in my view, however, because it tapers into the future, and understandably because of the possibilities ahead of the author. Our only complaint is that this book could have beneÀtted from better and more professional editing, and an index should also have been provided, but whatever errors that may be seen herein can, and should be, taken care of in future reprints.

Finally, this book is being presented to the public on the occasion of the author’s birthday, October 31st. Double congratulations are in order. Celebrations are also indeed in order as Kikelomo Atanda-Owo adds the tag of an author and writer to her many titles. Happy Birthday and Congratulations. UNBROKEN

by Kikelomo Atanda-Owo is highly recommended for your attention and perusal.

54

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

HighLife

with KAYODE ALFRED 08116759807, E-mail: kayflex2@yahoo.com

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Politicians, High Society Ready for Femi Gbajabiamila’s Chieftaincy Ceremony

Oyetola

2022 Osun Governorship Election: Will Aregbesola Support Oyetola?

There is no helping it: politics is not for the faint of heart. As one prominent public figure recently expressed, many who die in the name of politicians have only their ignorance to blame. Even so, it is fine to watch the tournament from a distance, plotting graphs about who will support who and who will not. The forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun State is a case in point. Will the immediate past governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola support his successor, the incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola? That is the question on many lips.

Generally, the idea of gubernatorial succession is one of the greatest strengths of democracy.

This is not the case in many Nigerian states. Aregbesola and Oyetola are a case in point. They are the latest pair of immediate past and incumbent allegedly prepared to go all out and send the other out of commission. And this is only the latest—not the only—in South-west Nigeria.

The alleged tango between Aregbesola and Oyetola has been going on for a long time. However, ahead of the gubernatorial elections that are less than a year away, tensions are rising. Folks are saying that even though both of them ride under the canopy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), they have carved out camps for themselves.

The camp loyal to Aregbesola seems to believe that their boss has become something of a political apostle and godfather, able to confer governorship on whoever he chooses. The camp loyal to Oyetola seems to believe that this is not the case, Oyetola does not need Aregbesola’s anointing and the return ticket is practically in the pocket of their liege.

Besides these issues, there is still the matter of who is getting in the same bed with you, ‘the friend of my enemy is my enemy’, and so on. All these seem to indicate that Aregbesola will not stand behind Oyetola as the latter tries for a second term in office. This is assuming that Oyetola would take a knee to request assistance.

Overall, the consensus is that Aregbesola will not be supporting Oyetola. Then again, stranger things have happened.

The year is gradually drawing to a close.

As the wheels of time spin towards another temporal marker, certain folks are getting ready to climb into the ranks of wealth, nobility, and every other enviable status there is. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, is one of such individuals. His climb is a noble one, thanks to the recognition of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

On social media, the buzz about Gbajabiamila’s latest cache of good fortune is booming. In a matter of weeks, the honourable Speaker would become a big chief among his people.

Reports began circulating in September that Oba Adeyemi acknowledged and appreciated the many contributions of Gbajabiamila to Nigeria’s growth and development. The Monarch noted that the Speaker had accomplished much while moving from the position of a floor member in 2003 through the years until he earned the topmost chair in the House.

Oba Adeyemi stated that Gbajabiamila has not shamed his roots and carried the Yoruba heritage with a natural disposition. Consequently,

Gbajabiamila

the king capped Gbajabiamila’s efforts with the traditional title of Aare Ba’sofin of Yorubaland (which loosely translates to the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland); a fitting title, as many have commented.

The higher-ups of Nigeria’s social circle are the ones currently calling up their tailors and fashion supervisors. As the ceremony will be held on January 14, 2022, in Oyo, preparations are in full swing. The list of happy attendees is longer than the Nile—and getting even longer as the D-Day draws close.

Admittedly, Gbajabiamila is far more popular among the members of Nigeria’s high society compared to his predecessors. It is no wonder that his name is featured at least once a week on the frontlines of many national newspapers.

With such a vast following and influence, the chieftaincy title is the icing on Gbajabiamila’s cake. Even so, considering the forthcoming colourful celebrations, one can see that the man is overjoyed at being honoured like this.

Inspiring Mileage as Mike Adenuga’s Globacom Marks 18th Anniversary with Joy A few days ago, Globacom marked its 18th anniversary. As one would expect of an establishment, the company threw open its doors and shared the jollity with its customers.

Globacom’s move to appreciate its customers has turned into a campaign to prove that it tops the list of indigenous corporations that are after the interests of the Nigerian people.

Joy Unlimited Extravaganza is the name of Globacom’s big gesture of gratitude. The promo is expected to thrill Glo customers with amazing prizes that number in their hundreds of thousands. Specifically, more than half a million Glo subscribers will win these prizes. The prizes include household appliances such as television sets, refrigerators, electric generators among others.

Moreover, the Joy Unlimited Extravaganza is not limited to any particular location in Nigeria.

This means that a Glo subscriber in Damaturu is just as likely to go home with a brand new generator as a Glo subscriber in Ikeja. The criterion for qualification is fairly straightforward.

Glo customers only need to recharge at least N500 between Monday and Sunday, and at least N2,000 within a month, and they are in.

Naturally, folks are ecstatic about the promo. They have begun to call on Adenuga to do even more of this. Business analysts are already predicting a significant increase in Glo subscribers as the year runs out. This is not entirely surprising — Adenuga has always thought things through, winning a kilometre every time the company moves an inch forward.

Adenuga

Miracle-working Banker, Nnamdi Okonkwo Returns

Okonkwo

While the tired sun melted into the bleak horizon and the azure sky slunk into dusk on November 1, 2021, real estate guru, Wale BobOseni, detoured from his trip to the airport into the eternal dark.

That Bob-Oseni got crushed to death in the 21-storey rubble of his friend, Femi Osibona’s high rise building is public knowledge. But very few people know that he suffered such grisly death at the prime of his life. Just at the cusp of 50.

He probably went quietly or in excruciating pain. Whatever the manner of his departure, the real estate guru went poorly into the deep, dark rubble of his friend, late Osibona’s 360 Degrees Towers’ 21-storey contraption. Unlike many departed souls of his stature, he did not receive a grand burial.

Nnamdi Okonkwo is back! There is no better way to set out on narrating the latest happenings in Nigeria than this. Okonkwo is back! After allowing news traders to compile copious volumes of information about his retirement from the corporate scene, the former MD/ CEO and face of Fidelity Bank of Nigeria Plc has returned to the halls of corporate banking and finance. He is the new group managing director (GMD) of FBN Holdings Plc. There is no doubt that Okonkwo’s reappearance in the banking and finance sector is one of the hottest news in the last quarter of 2021. For a recognised pundit of financial services, strategy, auditing, consulting, taxation, process reengineering, and capital market operations, etc. like Okonkwo, perhaps the hurrahs accompanying this news is not

unjustified. What is slightly mystifying is the fact that the man has turned to a different banking institution to, again, command industry-wide attention.

Nobody can confidently point out who got the best deal this time. FBN Holdings Plc, the holding company of First Bank of Nigeria, is not the typical institution. Neither is Okonkwo the average manager. This is why the ‘incorporation’ of Okonkwo with FBN Holdings Plc is guaranteed to make tall waves in the days to come.

Okonkwo’s appointment came on the heels of the voluntary retirement of U.K. Eke, the former GMD. Thus, Okonkwo will take up Eke’s mantle, starting from January 2022. This will be Okonkwo’s first public move after he retired from Fidelity Bank in December 2020.

Birthday Plan Turns Funeral Plan: How Phone Call from Femi Osibona Lured US-bound Businessman to Tragic End The Executive Director of the African Bureau for Legislative Empowerment is yet to be interred six feet under the earth, hence he probably wanders dissatisfied, like a tormented wraith seeking peace in unlikely places. Nobody knows the actual fate of the real estate magnate at the time of his death. Nobody knows either what final thoughts flashed through his mind.

Did he rue his sad, sudden end? Did he regret, knowing his planned 50th birthday would eventually pass as his funeral? Did he wish that his body and spirit escaped the cold catastrophe of the 21-storey rubble?

On his way to the Murtala Muhammed

International Airport (MMIA), en route to the U.S., Bob-Oseni reportedly stopped by Osibona’s Ikoyi building site at the latter’s behest.

The real estate dealer and Executive Director of the African Bureau for Legislative Empowerment, was on his way to the U.S. on Monday when he got a call from Osibona, owner of Fourscore Homes, to check out the ongoing development at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Alas, the building collapsed with Bob-Oseni and Osibona inside, and they are now presumably dead after 48 hours of rescue efforts.

55

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

HIGHLIFE Tony Elumelu, Oyakhilome, Others for Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association End of the Year Soiree There is an argument in the psychological sciences regarding the true origins of excellence. Is nature responsible or should we bend the knee to nurture and association? Considering the quality of brilliance and distinction that is characteristic of associations like the Ambrose Alli University Alumni Association (AAUAA), the second option appears to win out. As members of the Lagos branch of AAUAA prepare for their award night at the end of the year, the public is reminded of the merits and accolades of some of their most distinguished members.

The news waves are buzzing with the reports of certain members of the AAUAA descending upon Adna Hotels, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the association. Slated to hold on December 12, 2021, according to the Committee Chairman, Sir Val Otiono, the event is set to host the most prestigious alumni that graduated from the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Edo State.

Among these prestigious alumnae of the old institution are champions like the mega businessman, Tony Elumelu; one of the most influential pastors around the globe and the founder and president of LoveWorld

Oyakhilome

Incorporated, Rev Chris Oyakhilome; legendary stand-up comedian, master of ceremonies and actor, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome (alias Ali Baba); Senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District and engineer, Cliff Ordia; Minister of State, for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning of Nigeria, Prince Clement Agba; and many more.

According to reports regarding the forthcoming event, most of these — if not all — will be available to mark the anniversary.

Expected to be an evening of thanksgiving, refreshments and merit awards to the most deserving alumnae, the event is guaranteed to be one of the foremost highlights of the last month in 2021.

Furthermore, considering what some of the industry leaders and people of influence among these alumni have accomplished, the award ceremony will surely go down in the history books. The records of the achievements of Elumelu in 2021, alone, can dominate the world, not to mention those of Pastor Chris.

Celebration Galore as Group Chairman Retro Group of Companies, Lekan Osifeso Gets Two of the Highest Chieftaincy Titles in Ijebuland Anybody who knows anything about social and corporate life would understand the implications of the end of a year. The top of these implications is the recognition of achievements and contributions. Even though this is essentially a tradition by now, it is an honour conferred on fewer persons. This year, popular Lagos businessman and construction giant, Otunba Lekan Osifeso, is one of these.

Ijebuland is currently enjoying a wave of excitement and jubilation at the prospect of getting a new High Chief in the person of Osifeso, on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. The Kingdom, led by the consummate Monarch and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, would help usher Osifeso into two of the most prestigious positions in the land: Olotu Olowa and Madasa of Ijebuland in Ogun state.

This is not the first wave of the news of Osifeso’s new status, but it is loud, nonetheless.

The first report of this intended conferment

emerged several months ago. But for a few inconveniences, the date was not announced.

Now, the D-Day has been decided and the preparations are already underway.

Otunba Osifeso is not a new name. One could go so far as to claim that it is a household name, particularly among Nigerians who are conversant with the dynamics of the construction industry in the country. Here, Osifeso is at least a lord of repute and influence, if not one of the crownless tsars in the industry.

Osifeso’s Retro Group of companies has cast the shadow of the Ijebu man’s across the horizon of the construction industry. Even so, Osifeso is noted to hold a special place in his heart for his Ijebu roots. Thus, the effort of the Awujale to honour Osifeso is understandable.

Being a very gregarious person, few have made a conservative estimate of who will be attending the ceremony in December: everybody, from the bottom to the top of Nigerian society. Moreover, with Fuji musician

Osifeso

K1 De Ultimate anticipated at the event, preparations are in full swing.

Gabriel Ogbeche Hits Gold, Acquires Major Stake in Eterna Plc

Ogbeche

Businesspeople and political figures feel the constancy of change much more than ordinary people. Expressing a similar sentiment, former U.S. President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, said, “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” For Gabriel Ogbeche, Founder and Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, this is a time to win.

According to the latest reports from the shareholding and equity bidding platforms, Ogbeche has struck gold this time around with his Rainoil Limited. Ogbeche’s company is one of the few that managed to make the best of the deal that Eterna Plc put out sometime in December 2020. More promising for the businessman is the fact that his Rainoil Limited got the majority shares in the oil and gas company.

For those out of the Rainoil loop, the company has been racking up points within the Nigerian energy sector. With the better part of two decades on its side, as well as several

progressive teams of committed employees, Ogbeche’s Rainoil has grown far beyond its original dimensions, stretching left and right.

While Ogbeche and his company have been making obvious moves to dominate their peers and join the ranks of the most successful and profit-making oil firms, this move is timely and may be described as the most brilliant. Moreover, considering that the last few months have been noticeably arduous for Ogbeche, the passive take-over of Eterna Plc is his balm in Gilead.

Reports of Ogbeche’s alleged feud with the former House of Representatives member, Ned Nwoko, have only begun to lessen. Back then, every news article with Ogbeche’s name and congenial face would point out that he was likely to get into trouble. After all the back and forth, it appears as if Ogbeche broke through the challenges and even came out stronger, wealthier, and definitely a great deal happier.

Glad Tidings! Special Adviser to the First Lady, Dr Wole Aboderin, Celebrates Birthday with Needy and Underprivileged The last quarter of every year is the time of the year when certain individuals go out of their way to prove that there is some goodness in humanity. For Dr Wole Aboderin, the Special Adviser on NGOs to the Office of the Wife of the President, gestures of this kind are an inspiration to everybody in the position to duplicate them.

Furthermore, as this quarter starts with his birth month, the man spares no effort in being extra philanthropic.

This year, as in last year and the year before, Aboderin has decided to celebrate his birthday with the needy and underprivileged of Nigerian society. This custom of his has become so wellknown that it is no longer perceived as outlandish or artificial. After all, one can only pretend for so long. Therefore, Aboderin has won the hearts of many people and continues to.

This year’s celebration was no different.

Aboderin did not discriminate between young and old, orphaned or homeless, neglected or sheltered.

He gathered them all under one canopy and made

sure to share with them the resources he acquired from his work as a valued member of the inner circle of Dr Aisha Buhari, the First Lady of Nigeria.

By every indication, Aboderin does not care for brownnosing or the praises of ignorant people. His sense of duty towards young people, not to mention NGOs, has significantly overshadowed any desire to stand in the limelight and pose. This is one of the reasons he was able to reach his current height. All the scheming in the world might not be able to duplicate this honest disposition and approach to the obligations of his office.

As Aboderin celebrated his birthday, his well-wishers made sure to throw praises at him—and for good reason. These endeavours have never motivated Aboderin to try and win the admiration and endorsement of the public.

However, they have forced many spectators to take a second look and find that Aboderin’s heart is with the people.

Aboderin

Sanwo-Olu

Man of the People: How Babajide Sanwo-Olu is Winning Lagosians’ Hearts with Milestone Projects Flattering a person is not an unforgivable crime. However, this endeavour ought to have its limits. For Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, even the most outlandish spiel of flattery does not yet meet the standards for exaggeration.

One might even argue that the catchphrase, “You are doing well” was created for him. Few Lagosians would not sing his praises daily.

Even fewer would dare to say that they do not like him.

In two years, Sanwo-Olu has managed to touch nearly every industry and sector in Lagos with gentlemanly effectiveness. The state that used to symbolise hustling has become a place of excellence; a place where dreams come true. Education, transportation, health, entrepreneurship, youth development and empowerment, and several more—Sanwo-Olu has touched them all.

Several reports have attempted to make a list of all the milestone projects that Sanwo-Olu has started, fixed, completed, and made extensive and detailed plans for. These reports number in their hundreds and all conclude with accolades expressed in the name of the bespectacled governor.

The sectors that have enjoyed the majority of Sanwo-Olu’s time are education and transportation.

Both of these sectors have seen more transformation in the last two years than in the previous decade. In education, for example, Sanwo-Olu’s Eko Digital Initiative has broken down more barriers to quality education. This project has gotten quality formal education into the minds of more children, privileged or otherwise.

In transport, Sanwo-Olu has built and rehabilitated more roads than most states have ever done since the country got its independence. Moreover, his recent declaration to complete the rail projects by 2023 has left Lagosians sighing with satisfaction.

Under Sanwo-Olu’s magnanimous governance, Lagos as a state and city has experienced dramatic transformations. It is no wonder that the governor is the darling of all and sundry.

56

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Andy Uba: The Demystification of a Red Cap Chief As I dey watch the Anambra governorship debate, I saw Soludo ‘beating’ up a whole Andy Uba. I weak. I saw Andy standing there like a scarecrow, tongue-tied and looking like an Egyptian mummy as Soludo rained verbal slaps on him.

This Soludo is wicked o. My brother and candidate Valentine, just respect himself and stand clear. All Andy could say was, ‘no be me give you job? No be me make you CBN Governor? Kai, he should have not gone that route cos that incensed Soludo the more, he had tasted blood.

You know how Chinese actor dey vex, when you don let am taste him blood. He will shout and give you 600 blows per second. Even after you have died, he will still be releasing volleys and be screaming – you killed my fatherrrrrrrrrrrr! That is what happened that day.

Soludo land blows on my high chief, who just stood there looking like an APC chicken without the broom. “Which certificate do you hold?” he started. Which certificate do you

hold o? I cannot remember the answer cos by this time, I don fall for ground in laughter holding my bele. See our leaders o, common debate them no fit o. See leader o.

Then Soludo completed the route by reeling out his gargantuan credentials – I have served three presidents, I have consulted for over 50 international organisations, I have a PhD in... I have masters in… I won the most progressive CBN Governor in the world three times…

Mbok, by this time, handy Andy was just standing there like those statues his brother Okorocha build for him state and be wishing he was very far from that place not feeling his d..k. kai, that was a route Sadly, as Nigeria thing dey be, Soludo may just end up with English and the result of that election will not reflect the brilliance of that debate.

That is the folly of our nationhood. It is usually not who speak English pass, but who...

Mbok Andy, hope you went for a full body massage after that verbal beating. Laugh wan kill me.

MUHAMMADU BUHARI: GLOBAL CITIZEN OF THE YEAR You know me, I have always loved this our President for one thing. The man na disciplinarian.

He no dey get time for rubbish or trivialities. So I was not surprised at that his statement in faraway Saudi Arabia that those campaigning for tenure extension to desist.

You see, you guys can call Buhari all the names you like, me I will not join you people to be abusing him before he changes his mind.

Now that Baba is positioning as Mandela, we will not encourage him now o.

Shey, if we have sense, shouldn’t we start composing songs of his greatness? Shouldn’t we contract Julius Berger to start work on a befitting mansion in Katsina in preparation for his homecoming?

Shouldn’t we open a ‘go fund me’ campaign to raise funds to acquire over 500 cattle to make his retirement blissful?

We are still there abusing him up and down. Mbok, my leader, please ignore all these people.

Didn’t they abuse Moses after he took them out of Egypt? Which leader in your category didn’t they abuse? Mbok, ignore them for they are a confused and lazy people.

We never know what we have until we lose it. We were blessed

by Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari.

Is it not a country that is holding Museveni, can’t we see what is happening in Sudan? And we have a leader that has shown very strong capacity to hold us together and respect our constitution and we will be abusing him.

Lord, I am not among them o. I stand by and with you. When the time comes, I will take a leave of absence and come and help you pack, follow you to Daura and ensure that you resettle very comfortably. It has been a long career in public service, you deserve rest.

All I will ask for is that you give me just one of that your slippers.

They can fine! Mbok, who dey supply because if I wait for you, you will not give me. Your frugality is legendary. Help me send the number of the person let me go and see if I can work out a lease arrangement. Great guy. Well-done.

UNCLE SONI IRABOR: SHOULD I APOLOGISE? The other day, I wrote an article about the Pope when they announced that 300,000 people have come out to be sexual victims in France. That was how Uncle Soni Irabor kicked me out of his WhatsApp group.

Now this thing is really paining me for so many reasons. One, we have so many beautiful women in that group. People like Regina Askia whose everlasting beauty continues to amaze me. That is how Uncle Soni just kicked me out just like that with no option of fine or anything like that.

But seriously, let us look at the level of intolerance from some of us. It is scary as I have been kicked out of five WhatsApp groups because of my views. Even the legendary Alibaba has blocked me.

So, I come dey wonder why all these petty dictatorship from people who should know better.

So, if they are Buhari now, we have died o. The thing make me come dey look Buhari with another eye of respect. Because if some of these people have the kind of powers he is carrying then, Idia Amin will be child’s play o.

So I wrote a contrarian essay.

Admittedly with very far positions and instead of us to debate and engage which is the democratic thing to do, the next thing na block.

This is the same as arresting journalists or impinging on human rights that we all rail against.

So, my dear Uncle Soni, a man I love like a father who has thrown his son into the cold, I really beg you to forgive me and bring me

Buhari

Irabor

Fayose

Uba

back. I miss the women o. If na for the men, no worry leave me out but the babes, their cry for my return is mad.

So, stop this petty dictatorship and bring me back abeg. This is not the Uncle Soni that I know o.

Nigerians help me beg am o, na WhatsApp group o, there is no oil bloc there o.

DARK DAY IN IKOYI The news flash came on my phone – a 21-storey building collapses in Ikoyi. I stood up. Wow, please God let this be fake news.

This shouldn’t happen, it cannot happen but it happened.

A 21-storey building billed as a luxury building had collapsed in high-brow Ikoyi, trapping a lot of people and possibly including the promoter.

At times like this we should remain calm, prioritise the need to secure lives and later embark on a disciplined and cursory investigation of what happened with a view to forestalling any future occurrence.

But in our usual manner, everything and everybody is shouting.

Blames, accusations and counteraccusations will be flying. The whole thing will be muddled up

Marwa

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

LOUD WHISPERS and after a few days, we move on till the next disaster and we start all over again.

I would like to appeal to His Excellency to ensure that no stone is upturned to get to the bottom of this. The suspension of the oga of the regulators is a very good first step. Your Excellency, you should also use this as a fulcrum to trigger a major reform process of the whole industry end to end.

Do accept my condolences and continued support sir. You are really trying, we all can see. God bless you and the general people of Lagos. This was a huge tragedy and Lagos will stand again.

BUBA MARWA, PLEASE LEAVE TV AND FOCUS Oga has just announced that he had to bring his television set to the office due to the poor funding of his agency and I say focus Oga. Is it Big Brother we brought you from retirement to come and be watching? What do you need TV for when drugs are ravaging our youths and fuelling the insurrection? Which kain TV? Mbok, please don’t annoy me this morning.

Your case is like those days when we would carry babes in Shomolu into those seedy joints that used to collect per hour. When we enter, the girl will be asking for TV. I will say, is it TV you came to do here, mbok open make we do wetin we come do here, go watch TV for your papa house.

Marwa mbok, leave TV and focus. Seriously, the agency is grossly underfunded. At just N33m monthly for 10,000 personnel spread all over the country, you will agree with him that this is beggarly.

When you compare with the EFCC at N300m monthly with just 2,800 staff and ICPC at N151m with 800 staff, you will see that Marwa’s hands are really tied.

The drug war has to be strengthened. Drugs are the main enemy in the war against the insurgency. It is also a social epidemic as our youths are mostly victims and this leads to all sorts of socio-economic issues.

Mbok, let’s increase this allocation. Let’s approve the N38b Marwa has asked for.

The agency has finally secured vibrant leadership. Marwa has shown a very clear resolve to make things happen and results are beginning to show. Let’s support him.

And you Marwa, if they give you this money, don’t go and carry the thing and be buying television o. I don’t know what you want to watch so badly that you cannot wait till you get home.

Kai. Mbok.

OBI CUBANA: A LESSON TOO MANY The news of the arrest of Mr Cubana did not hit me and some other watchers of his activities with any surprise. In fact, the surprise would have been if nothing like this happened. Such grandeur and ostentatious show of naked wealth would no doubt attract the attention of the authorities and the offences that have been reported being the queries are well up the street in this matter.

Obi Cubana is an influential and well-liked gentleman. His public persona is that of a positive role

Solomon Cubana

OLUMIDE AKPATA: ARISTOCRACY AT THE NBA Bros na my friend and brother. We met when I was looking for money for my play ‘Emotan’. That time any Bini man was in trouble. I chase them all over the place in a harried bid to raise funds for the production.

Just as I am chasing every Akwa Ibom man now. They are hiding o, but I assure every freeborn Akwa Ibom man in this Lagos that there is no hiding place for them.

I will smoke you out and collect the money for ‘Ufok Ibaan’. Trust me.

Anyways, that is how I met Olu. He no give me money but he help open some doors wey no gree open. But we sometimes became friends. We supported his candidature at the NBA because we saw a new breeze blowing into that stuffy place and then he won.

Immediately he won, he resorted to an aristocratic lifestyle. Dey drink tea, issue press statements and generally walking around with fine suit. The man is a fine man and very friendly, I love am to pieces.

But the NBA is not a fashion show at Eko Hotel. It is a serious organ that should be a major weapon in the fight for the protection of the common man. Its main reason for existence should be the protection of the sanctity of the judiciary.

Olu cannot be standing there and they are choking people in the court and they are attacking the Supreme Court Judge’s house and we are issuing press statements and asking to make courtesy calls on the matter

Akpata

This is not the NBA we were hoping for.

We were hoping for the NBA of Alao Aka Bashorun. An activist NBA, an NBA that people will think twice before they try these kinds of things.

The NBA we are seeing today na ‘Aje Butter’ NBA and it is not working. I wrote a very harsh reprimand to my brother on WhatsApp. Guys, my WhatsApp na fire o. This column no hot like that. Even my brother Tope Fasua call to say, “you and Olu dey fight?” I say why. He say “that thing you write was too harsh.”

I say him na DSS wey I go come dey fear? Or him na IPOB wey I go dey carry my head for bag waka? This na Olu o.

Worse he go do like Uncle Soni block me for WhatsApp. He no kuku dey take my call.

Truth is that we need a more vibrant NBA. A stronger and more united NBA, not the divided house we are seeing today and Bro Olu you can do it, just immerse yourself.

Your press statements are not punchy enough under the circumstances we find ourselves. E dey be like love letter wey we dey write for university, begging to be taken back after we have been caught cheating.

Please go study the NBA of the IBB and Abacha time and see how NBA dey terrorise known and world acclaimed military despots, talk less of your NBA now wey dey function under one of the greatest democratic leadership Africa has ever produced. Lord, no block me o.

model to the youths and I must confess that I personally like him.

I follow him on his social media handles and see a shy young man that has been pushed by forces out of his control to be in the public face.

His philanthropy is out of this world as could be attested to by the messages and huge support he received during his now worldfamous mother’s burial.

So, this episode with the authorities I think should give him the opportunity to prove to his admirers that truly he really has nothing to hide.

I pray this is not a vindictive move aimed at bringing him down one notch but a move that is borne out of a genuine need to keep the system sane. As is the case with these kinds of things, a lot is being said about these that are quite emotive. This is our sad reality.

All I will say at this point is that his rights must be protected, he must be given all the privileges of a free born Nigerian and must be allowed to defend himself to the very best of his ability and circumstances.

Thank you.

BONU SOLOMON: A CULTURE CZAR Bonu is the special adviser to His Excellency Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Culture and Tourism. I met him through Makinde Adeniran, the legendary Theatre Director.

Last week, I was in his office to discuss our upcoming play ‘Baba Kekere’ based on the late former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

Then I asked Bonu how he entered politics and the story he told me was very touching.

From LASU where he lectured in Political Science to Alausa, the story was evocative, touching and engaging. Very humbling, a twist of fate, good luck and hard work.

Today, his strides in the space are very clear for all to see. The events, the culture reawakening and the engagement of the government with practitioners is now so seamless.

Tourism and culture I hear is one of the five points in the government’s agenda for development. It is being seen as a veritable platform for the creation of jobs and infrastructural development in the state.

Spending time with Bonu of Badagry was really an eyeopener. Well-done sir.

AYO FAYOSE: FATHER-IN-LAW OF LIFE That Mr. Fayose’s speech at his son’s wedding in Lekki recently was Nobel Prize worthy. I am sure the bride and her father would have been cringing as they listened to their new eccentric relation stating openly that “my son will not cheat on you because you have flat tummy and white teeth.”

Mbok, that kind declaration get as e be o. So Madam no afang and fufu for you o, because the moment the tummy starts coming up, you will begin to risk competition.

But can we ask oga, if they can grant a waiver for pregnancy?

Fayose never ceases to amaze.

Kai.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Africa’s Biggest Philanthropist, Tony Elumelu at It Again!

Anozobo

Businessman Gerald Anozobo, Buries Mother Businessman and top real estate player, Gerald Anozobo, otherwise known as Dagogo, is one personality whose influence cannot be overlooked. The multi-millionaire businessman aptly fits into the description of the “King of Groove”. He drives posh cars, wears expensive designer watches and is a VIP card-carrying member of many A-list nightclubs on Lagos Island.

The Edo State-born businessman has been a detribalised Nigerian whose circle of friends cuts across the Who- is-who in high society, including captains of industry, monarchs, politicians, socialites and celebrities that he has built over the years.

So, when a man with such high-net-worth and high-wired connections is planning an event, you can bet that it will never be in half measure.

Perhaps, this explains the frenzy and buzz currently in social circles, as the respected Lagos socialite plans the burial of his mother, Mrs. Christana Azonobo Italume, who died last August.

Society Watch gathered that colourful invitation cards are already in circulation among family members, close friends of the handsome dude, celebrities, politicians and government officials, among others. It was also gathered that the much-talked-about soiree will kick off with a service of song and wake on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at His Grace Events Centre, Lekki, Lagos, while the funeral service and interment will take place at James George Street, Off Alagbon Close, Ikoyi on Friday, November 19.

The real estate merchant will host the guests at a reception that will take place at The Monarch, Ikate, Elegunshi, Eti Osa, Lagos.

Already, some of the best party planners, fashion designers and makeup artists have been contracted, all in anticipation of the forthcoming shindig.

A source also disclosed that the socialite is exhaling whoops of joy and has been on a spending spree in preparation for the event that is expected to be a massive display of poise, allure, pomp and grand opulence.

Toyin Kolade’s Covenant with Humanity It was John Hagee, founder and Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church, who said “Man’s greatness is not the number of servants he has, but the number of people he serves.’’

To say that the Iyalaje Oodua, Princess Toyin Kolade, has dedicated her life to the service of humanity is like stating the obvious.

The businesswoman has proven to the world that no joy is equal to the joy of serving others.

Her service to her immediate environment is almost unequalled. She is widely acknowledged to have positively impacted her society. As a philanthropist, she is well-loved and admired by people, particularly the womenfolk.

The business mogul recently hosted the poor and the underprivileged to a sumptuous feast at her palatial residence in Ilesha, Osun State, where she held a remembrance party for her late mother, Madam Comfort Adejuyigbe, who died in 2016. The dark-skinned philanthropist and her family also used the opportunity to celebrate the 97th posthumous birthday of the late Mum. Prior to the commencement of activities for the day, Princess Kolade in the company of family, friends and well-wishers had visited the graveside of her late mother, where she prayed fervently for the repose of her soul.

As in her tradition, the ever-giving Iyalaje Oodua doled out tremendous gifts and food items to the needy, who were also treated to a magnificent feast.

Elumelu

Without a doubt, if the history of the biggest philanthropists in Africa were to be documented, Tony Elumelu’s name would definitely gain prominence. Giving, without looking back, is a hobby to the high-flying economist and banker.

Just as he is a forerunner in Africa’s banking and economics, he has also become a bellwether in the acts of generosity across the continent.

The billionaire businessman is not applying brakes yet. In fact, he has done it again!

It was gathered that the founder of Tony

Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, last Monday, joined other world leaders, including the United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General, Aminat Mohammed and Chairperson of African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, to launch what is tagged, “Generation Unlimited (Gen U) Sahel.”

Simply called “Gen U,” the programme is an initiative that is aimed at maximising opportunities in the Sahel, towards equipping 100 million young people with the skills needed to thrive by 2030. The Sahel region includes Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.

Elumelu said his foundation, which has empowered thousands across the 54 African countries, is proud to be co-implementers for the Gen-U programme. He noted that the foundation had funded 10,898 entrepreneurs across Africa, who had gone ahead to create a further 400,000 direct and indirect jobs across the continent.

“In 2019, we partnered the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to identify, train, mentor and fund 2,100 young entrepreneurs in the Sahel region and this includes Northern Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Mauritania.

Again in 2020, we partnered with UNDP to fund and train 1,860 young Malians, who face threats of conflicts, insecurity and poverty, as well as loss of livelihood from climate change.

“Through our intervention, we were able to create small businesses and generate economic growth in the youth, channelling their creativity and skills to transform the Sahel

region,” he said.

Elumelu said the foundation is happy to be a global partner, noting that a “collective effort is needed to find a lasting solution to the intractable crisis by empowering and investing in the people, especially young ones in the Sahel to give them economic hope and opportunities.”

The initiative involves a huge partnership between the government, multilateral organisations, civil societies and private sectors from all over the world.

The UN official, Mohammed, who officially launched the initiative, said: “the Gen-U Sahel is an especially important and urgent initiative as millions of people living in the Sahel face insecurity and serious challenges to sustainable development complicated by the devastating pandemic.”

She noted that “the Sahel is young with over 64 per cent of people under 25 and more than half are women and girls. The United Nations stands with young people. The ongoing conversation between the United Nations and the young people of the Sahel launched under our integrated strategy for the Sahel are helping us to understand their priorities and hopes, so that we can integrate them into our support for the region.

“Young people’s viewpoints and approaches are essential to making the Sahel peaceful, resilient and prosperous today and tomorrow. The security council resolution creating the UN integrated strategy for the development of the Sahel is focused on women and young people but it remains challenging to make tangible progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Sijibomi Ogundele: Quintessential Real Estate Merchant A few years ago, Sijibomi Ogundele, CEO, Sujimoto Construction Limited, had swelled the number of players in the real estate sector in the country. It was obvious, from the outset, that he had come with a clear vision and mission to change the narrative in the sector. With a steely resolve, he set out to transform and revamp the nation’s real estate sector to compete with the rest of the world, in terms of quality, affordability and luxury homes. Indeed, his arrival on the scene had caused a stir in the industry, as he also delighted stakeholders with beautiful promises.

While many doubted his ability he proved that the will of the strong cannot be stopped by the doubt of the weak. He started on a good note, and today, he is putting Nigeria’s name on the global map in real estate and construction. His company is adjudged to be the fastest-growing real estate company in the country. Even after successfully delivering his debut project, Medici Terraces located on Milverton Road, Ikoyi, some of his distractors said it was just a fluke.

Interestingly, he has continued to back his projection with visible, convincing and laudable facts. This is evident in the number of projects he has so far handled since he

Obafemi

ventured into the business. He is said to be enjoying impressive patronage because he is a stickler for excellence. He is almost a perfectionist, who attaches great value to integrity and quality with his disruptive business mindset and unmistaken eyes for details.

If there is anything you can say with certainty about Ogundele, it is the fact that he has his eyes fixed on the future.

For instance, his Guiliano by Sujimoto residence in Banana Island, home to pop star Davido, is a wonder to behold. Also, the Leonardo by Sujimoto in Banana Island, Lagos, is another concrete evidence of luxury and comfort. According to the projection from experts and analysts, in the next five years, the brand Sujimoto would be ranked as one of the top five luxury real estate firms in the world.

Society Watch gathered that the company has also taken a long journey to the nation’s capital city, Abuja, where it will be erecting the ‘Queen Amina by Sujimoto’. The luxury twin tower will be erected in the heart of Maitama. In addition, Sujimoto is also creating 1,200 luxury apartments named the ‘Sujimoto Diamond City’.

In recognition of his positive impacts on the sector, he has been honoured with several awards, including the “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by Vanguard Newspapers.

Otunba Peter Obafemi, aviation top shot and businessman, is not a stranger to politics in his state, Ekiti. The businessman was one of the top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants, who vied for the Ekiti State number one job before Ayo Fayose won the ticket and subsequently became the governor of the state in 2013.

Millions of Naira went down the drains, leaving the renowned socialite heartbroken and disappointed. His party was in power and he had friends where it mattered at the corridors of power; so he never lost hope.

He dusted his curriculum vitae and vowed to utilise his connection to the fullest.

In pursuit of his dream, he relocated to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), jostling and hustling for a ministerial appointment or a board appointment. But that also eluded him.

To say the boss of Great Eagle Airways Limited was disappointed is an understatement; he was distraught, shattered and dejected. His businesses also reportedly suffered as a result of the huge funds he had wasted in his quest for a

political appointment. A source revealed that Obafemi vowed not to touch politics again with a ten-foot pole.

But as C.S. Lewis once stated, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream’’, Otunba Obafemi has a new dream and he has once again vowed to pursue his dream as humanly possible.

It was gathered that he would be representing his people at the Senate come 2023. As a result, he is currently consulting and seeking the blessings of political gladiators across his constituency for the task ahead.

A cursory look at Obafemi’s journey in life revealed that he started his first business enterprise in 1985 named Budget TV and Appliances Rental Service Store on Central Avenue in East Orange, New Jersey and was a consultant in the opening of Heritage Spas on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, which became the place of choice for discerning customers.

It is also on record that between 1985 and 1988, he owned one of the largest Western Union franchises in the state of New Jersey.

Ogundele

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

7.11.2021

ART X LAGOS GETS ITS GROOVE BACK After last year's virtual edition, ArtX Lagos returns to its physical venue at the Federal Palace Hotel in a show of resilience in the face of the pandemic. Yinka Olatunbosun reports.

T

he reverberating sound from Falana’s electric guitar was a reminder of what everyone had missed when all public gatherings were cancelled, no thanks to Covid-19. A lover of arts, Falana reawakened emotions and positive vibes in a small gathering inside GAIA house, Victoria Island Lagos made up of a predominantly young audience- mostly clad in black.

Falana’s cuban-inspired music was a balsam for a mourning city- perhaps one of the skills she had learnt from her days in Havana where she studied music. A handful of guests came in with their glasses of margaritas, adding to the espanol experience. InÁuenced by African music particularly from the likes of King Sunny Ade, Fela, Lijadu Sisters, as well as western parallels found in Erykah Badu, Lauren Hill, Falana is a thoroughbred music dynamite.

It’s one thing to have a great voice and another to be a skilful singer. Clearly, Falana is a master of her own voice, singing her way right into hearts on the beautiful night that ushered in ART X Lagos.

How she evokes the memory of Amy Winehouse with the way she hit her notes! Falana perfects the art of connecting with her audience with this call and response track with the hook, “Don’t care where we’re going.’’ The soulful love song got a ‘’Sing-it-again’’ call from the house.

Instead, Falana serenated her bewitched audience with “Energy.’’

The lyrics of her songs resonate with the works on the surrounding walls that paraded works from Lemi Ghariokwu, Ada Godspower, Uthman Wahab, Ayanfe Olarinde, Elizabeth Ekpetorson, Abba Makama, Yagazie Emezie in a show called ‘The Rising Exhibition.’ Curated by Falana and Oyinda Fakeye, the project is a synergy of music and visual narratives trailing the release of Falana’s new EP with the title, ‘Rising.’ The special installation concert is one of the opening events for ART X Lagos at the satellite venue on November 4. Each track has a corresponding artwork interpretation. The song ‘Paper Planes’ was reimagined by Olarinde, Sholola gave life to ‘Energy,’ Ekpetorson painted “Wishing on Star”, Ghariokwu captured ‘Joy’ on miniature canvas and Makama told the story of “Casanova.’’

Founded by Tokini Peterside, the ART X experience is richly fortiÀed with the inclusion of digital art in response to the surge in digital art market in Nigeria. With the NFT Studio, ART X Lagos is determined to support this revolution, especially one that can be such an empowering tool for African artists. For this year’s physical and online art fair, ART X Lagos presents a carefully curated mix of diverse and inspiring digital artists from across the African continent and the diaspora. Organised in partnership with SuperRare, and its community of creators and collectors, the exhibition presents artists from varied countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal and more.

With this project Art X Lagos provides visitors with a glimpse into the future of art-making and collection on the continent, whilst highlighting the enormous potential of NFTs in the development of Africa’s creative ecosystem.

Also, a selection of twelve limited edition prints of some of Grillo’s masterpieces-considered to be the Àrst-ever showing since the loss of this modernist artist- is yet another grand attraction to the fair. For the Àrst time, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art is reliving the Smithsonian experience in Lagos in partnership with Art X. The multisensory experience called ‘24 Hours of the Smithsonian in Lagos’ dubbed ‘Taste’ marks the end to Art X today. Curated by a former Smithsonian Artist Research Fellow, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, it includes works of the sound artist Emeka Ogboh, photographer Ike Ude and chef Renee Chuks. Under the direction of the newly appointed director of the museum, Ngaire Blankenberg, the show

Ko by Yusuf Grillo

Falana

is opening up the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art to international audiences especially those found on the African continent.

Titled ‘Forward Ever’ the 2021 Art X Live edition features

new commissions by visual artists Fez and AMKMQ, accompanied by live performances from Lojay, AYLØ and Dami Oniru with music produced by Pheelz and BigFoot.

AMKMQ, whose work deals with her own utopic state of being, will create a multi-media work from the perspective of her “hybrid, sub-cultured, mutt Self”.

Fez, whose work deals with collage and piecing together varying visual references, will create a video that speaks to these themes of hybrid utopias. Focusing on the concept of radical optimism, both artists will create art that speaks to what their ideal contexts look like. The ART X Prize was created to further the careers of emerging Nigerian artists who have demonstrated a commitment to working as professional visual artists. The 2021 edition of the Access Bank ART X Prize for emerging artists saw multi-dimensional visual artist Chigozie Obi emerge as the winner from a pool of Àve Ànalists.

The 2021 edition of the Access Bank ART X Prize for emerging artists was won by the multi-dimensional visual artist Chigozie Obi. Her site-speciÀc project is at the main venue of the fair, provoking curiosity as well as conversations.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

ARTS & REVIEW\\PHOTOGRAPHY

"Walking on Water"

A WORLD OF EMOTIONS AND BEAUTY SEEN THROUGH MICHEL PUCHERCOS’ LENS Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

A

t a guess, Michel Puchercos’ recent sizzling class-act outing at the Victoria Island-based Red Door Gallery deserves to be engraved in the Lagos exhibition circuit’s annals as one of its biggest events. In any case, it is unlikely that the 64-year-old Frenchman, who is the chief executive o΀cer and group managing director of Dangote Cement, cares for such recognitions. Nor did his mainly by-invitation-only photography exhibition cum charity sales deliberately court public attention.

Talking about the exhibition, it is no coincidence that Carnet de Voyage – as the event held between Friday, October 29 and Monday, November 1 was titled – is unambiguously

reminiscent of his 2018 Àrst Nigerian solo, titled Carnet de Route. After all, both titles ultimately translate as “Travelogue” in English. Besides, who – after viewing both exhibitions – wouldn’t have discerned that it was a sequel of the previous one?

Puchercos’ approach to photography – with disarming candour, a discerning viewer would easily notice – attests not only to his verve and mastery of the medium but also to his deeper sensibilities. Notably, there is this predilection to ferret out the subtleties lurking beneath the obvious. Thus, even in the most materially-deprived conditions, he also sees the resilience of the human spirit.

This is thanks to the priceless lessons he has learnt since his threads of fate led him to Africa (especially to Kenya and Nigeria).

The 1981 Ecole Nationale du Génie Rural, des Eaux et des Forêts (France) graduate bases his fascination for Africans on their eͿortless cheerful disposition despite the harsh realities

that confront them every day.

Carnet de Voyage – a collaborative eͿort of the host gallery (a. k. a. RDG) and Polly Alakija – was, by the way, a charity sale, organised to support the activities of the Five Cowries Arts Education Initiative, which was founded in 2018 through the eͿorts of artist, illustrator and educator, Polly Alakija. The initiative, which is sometimes referred to as FCI, hopes through its eͿorts to integrate the arts into teaching as a more inclusive pathway to realising better learning outcomes.

In the exhibition hall, the photographer’s diverse vignettes of sensibilities assail the viewer emphatically. The viewer Àguratively saunters from the colourful Durbar scenes in “Flamboyant”, “Durbar Cavalry” and “Smoke and Guns” to the serenity of “Sacred Heart”, “I Pray” and “Deities Monumental Sculpture: Susanne Wenger”. Then, he is drawn to the dreaminess of “Walking on Water” (in which a solitary Àsherman stands out against

a backdrop of cerulean waters wavering between calmness and turbulence), the steely greyness of “Silver Fishing” (featuring silhouetted Àgures in canoes Áoating in a silver-grey watery expanse) and the witty metaphor of “Shattered Dreams” (showing a weather-beaten cargo ship chugging its way through foamy waters).

Clearly, Puchercos has a thing for diligence, perhaps precisely for the dignity of labour.

Hence, his empathy for the struggles at the lowest levels of existence. This passion seeps through the photographs taken by the seaside like “Solidarity”, “Teamwork” and “Serpentine” (showing the gathering of large Àshing nets) and “The Way It Was Today” (a monochrome photograph of a seaside Àrewood mini-market). In them, and others, the recognition, that all attributes of humanity exist at all levels of existence, runs through like a common thread.

Indeed, the exhibition’s 34 photographs – none of which were Photoshopped – are simple, spontaneous shots depicting emotions and beauty as well as things and people locals are so used to that they don’t notice anymore.

Among the landmark feats of his heady incursion into photography was an exhibition he held in October 2015 in the South Korean capital Seoul, which he titled Couleurs et Lumières d’ Afrique (Colours and Lights of Africa). That exhibition only re-energised a passion that dated far back to when he, as a 9-year-old, received his Àrst camera from his dad.

Buying himself a Minolta with his Àrst savings a decade later, he was soon enthusiastically taking portraits and documenting sports events. These were the times, he recalled when he would spend sleepless nights developing the negatives of black and white photographs.

He also participated in several photography competitions, one of which he won. He recalled investing the prize money in buying more Minoltas (one for black and white, one for colour and 24-70 zoom and another for colour and 70-200 zoom).

But then, digital photography came with its unintended cocktail of side eͿects, which included the plummeting quality of Àlms and their development. Demoralised, Puchercos stayed away from photography for 10 years until a Lumix, which he got as a gift while in Kenya, reawakened his interest.

As a former chief executive o΀cer and group managing director of Lafarge Africa PLC, Puchercos has been around, working in Kenya, South Korea and Nigeria. As a child, he had grown up in countries like Algeria and Iran, besides his home country France.

All the while, as he led what the LASMARA/ IMPART Fair founder Hana Omilani, leads an “uber-itinerant” life, he never forgot to strike the work-life balance with photography.

FILM

A TOAST TO BAP’S COLLISION COURSE’S HONOUR ROLL STATUS

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nother nice one from Bolanle Austen-Peters, a. k. a. BAP! Snapping up multiple nominations at the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 2021 with her new Àlm Collision Course a΀rms her relentless upward trajectory in the industry. Indeed, the statement by the award’s 17th edition’s head of jury Steve Ayorinde at the recent nomination announcement ceremony in the Victoria Island neighbourhood of Lagos chimes with the cognoscenti’s expectations.

It helps the Àlm’s rating that Ayorinde deems the 2021 nominees list a reÁection of the brilliance and creative excellence of Àlmmakers across Africa. The former Lagos State culture and tourism commissioner had disclosed that the entries were received from diͿerent parts of the continent for the award’s 26 categories. Hence, it’s quite remarkable that Collision Course, a feature Àlm that guarantees the viewers a heart-thumping experience, shares the same honour roll with a handful of other Àrst-rate movies, which include Omo Ghetto.

Then, there is also Collision Course’s selection as the 10th Africa International Film

Festival (AFRIFF) 2021 closing Àlm. And that, to industry’s cognoscenti, makes the Àlm, which was directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters and produced by Joseph Umoibom and James Amuta, the festival’s centrepiece Àlm.

AFRIFF, one of the continent’s foremost Àlm festivals, holds in Lagos from Sunday, November 7 to Saturday, November 13 and will, in commemoration of its one decade of existence, be celebrated with much fanfare at the Landmark Event Centre.

Thus, the end-of-festival screening of Collision Course, which doubles as its Nigerian premiere, holds on Friday, November 12 and has enthusiastically been acknowledged by the industry amazon, who also produced the multiple award-winning 93 Days and directed the high-grossing feature Àlm The Bling Lagosians. Her Àlm production company BAP Productions is not only noted for its Àrst-rate feature Àlms, but also for exhilarating Broadway-style musical stage plays, which have been shown on international platforms especially in the UK and South Africa.

Back to Collision Course, it is equally noteworthy that it had emerged from more than the 4,000 entries, which, according to the AFRIFF’s creative director Jenny Alonzo, were submitted to the Àlm festival from over

A scene from Collision Course 100 countries. And making the Ànal list of the chosen 48 best Àlms deserves the aÀcionados’ plaudits.

The Àlm’s narrative, told in 24 hours, swirls around the lives of a law-enforcement agent, a young man and some rogue elements in the society and is inspired by the last year’s anti-police brutality protests

(tagged) EndSARS that paralysed economic activities in many Nigerian cities. It features such Nigeria’s top-rated actors as Chioma Akpotha, Daniel Etim E΀ong, Kelechi Udegbe, Ade Laoye, Kenneth Okolie, Bimbo Manuel, Gregory Ojefua, Bamike OlawunmiAdenibuyan (BamBam), Kalu Ikeagwu, and Nobert Young among others.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

As Bandits, Terrorists Threaten Abuja With bandits, kidnappers and terrorists threatening Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, the old challenges of poor funding, inadequate fighting equipment of the security forces and diminished intelligence sharing between the agencies have come to the fore, Louis Achi writes

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n April 27, 2021, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, had with strange prescience, warned that the federal capital city, Abuja was not safe as Boko Haram terrorists had hoisted a flag in his state, some two hours’ drive away.

He was referring to the scary security situation in Kaure Village, in Shiroro Local Government Area of the sprawling North-central Nigerian state. For good measure, he told Nigerians that the Boko Haram fighters had forcefully taken over the wives of some of the villagers and allocated them to themselves.

Bello made the shocking revelation in Minna when he visited the Internally Displaced People’s Camp at the IBB Primary School near the Emir of Minna’s Palace. The primary school was hurriedly turned into an IDP camp following the sacking of nearly 5,000 villagers from their ancestral homes in Shiroro and Munya Local Government Areas by bandits who raided the towns.

Trailing Bello’s warning in April, nervous, chubby-cheeked Nigerian Senators expressed justifiable fear that the Boko Haram insurgents might overrun the nation’s capital, Abuja, because of the attacks the deadly group had launched on contiguous states.

The federal lawmakers signalled that they would send representation to President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter. From the unfolding edgy security drama, it would appear the efficacy of that bandied representation came to naught.

Seven months later, bandits, whom Senator Shehu Sani had with quirky humour recently advised President Buhari to name them ‘federal civil servants’ having declined their classification as terrorists, are apparently holding Abuja by the balls.

In the wee hours of Tuesday, November 2, 2021, unknown gunmen swooped on the University of Abuja and kidnapped two professors, lecturers and their family members. UniAbuja is near the international airport serving Nigeria’s capital city Abuja. The early dawn attack at the staff quarters of the university in Giri, raised fears of safety around the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, some 20 kilometres away.

There were reports that the abductors contacted family of the victims to demand N300 million ransom. But about 48 hours ago on Friday morning, Dr. Abubakar Kari, a UniAbuja official announced that the victims had been rescued with no ransom paid.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, also confirmed this in a Facebook post: “Our prayers have been accepted.

Please join me in thanking God Almighty. I will provide you more details later, just to let you know that our UofA family is a happier family today with the resolution of this callous and wicked kidnap of our people.”

Spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, DSP Josephine Adeh, also confirmed the release of the victims, disclosing that some arrests had been made but did not go into details.

Her words: “The FCT Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that all abducted victims of the University of

FCT Minister, Bello Abuja were rescued and reunited with their families through a joint operation with other security agencies. More details coming soon.”

Significantly, despite the strict security measures mounted in the capital, unknown gunmen later attacked a lecturer of UNIABUJA last Wednesday morning, just a day after some staff of the university were abducted.

The lecturer, identified as Dr. David Okoroafor, was attacked in his office, at the university’s permanent site around 11a.m. The victim, who escaped his attackers, disclosed the development in a message he sent to officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The increase in banditry, terrorism and kidnap cases in the nation’s capital city beyond the UniAbuja invasion, spawned palpable tension especially following security reports of more planned attacks.

Security reports obtained by the military last week indicated that attackers were planning to enter the FCT through the Abuja-Keffi expressway and other entry points. Troops were placed on high alert and deployed to strategic locations where they mounted disruptive security checkpoints to monitor, prevent and arrest any potential attackers.

Roadblocks at all entry and exit points into the FCT were erected and stop-and-search operations on specific vehicles and passengers were sternly conducted. The operation reportedly led to the arrest of some suspects who are now assisting the security operatives with useful information.

For motorists, especially those who live along the Abuja-Keffi expressway in areas like Kugbo, Karu, Jokwoyi, Orozo, Karshi, Nyanya, Mararaba, One-man village, Masaka, among other satellite towns, it was a traffic nightmare. Similar checkpoints were also mounted around Abaji, Zuba and Bwari areas to arrest suspects before they gain access into the capital city.

The roadblocks were mounted by soldiers of the Guards Brigade, who are responsible for the security of the President, his immediate family, VIPs, as well as the FCT and its environs.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the security hurly-burly in Abuja, the Nigerian Army, last week, told the Senate in no uncertain terms that the N579 billion approved for the force in the 2022 budget was grossly inadequate to fight terrorism and banditry in the country.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, made this clear when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Army to defend the 2022 budget.

In his words: “In preparing for year 2022 budget, the Nigerian Army proposed about the sum of N710bn. However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to N579 billion. This reduction would impede the capacity and tempo of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional duties particularly the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists and other criminalities across the country.

“The National Assembly should prevail on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to exempt the Nigerian Army from the current budget ceiling or envelope allocation system.”

The problem of risk communication in the context of imperfect intelligence regarding a prospective, rather than actual, terrorist attack presents its peculiar challenges. This is especially so when the difficulty of offering tactical warning without a prior strategic analysis and the tendency to focus on the vulnerabilities of a society rather than the intent of the terrorists is the dominant thread.

Part of the challenges in conclusively rolling back and defeating the subsisting Boko Haram insurgency and banditry include lack of/or diminished intelligence sharing between agencies, poor priority funding and provision of battle field equipment, tepid responses to earlier attacks and a failure to grasp the magnitude of the terrorists’ ambitions.

With socio-economic pressure mounting on citizens, flowing from debatably quirky policy logic, any successful terror attacks targeting the Federal Capital Territory would send the wrong signals to the international community and the implications can be best imagined. More, it certainly would not send the right signals to the domestic constituents either.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

When the Supreme Court Rises against State Impunity?

Justice Muhammad

Following the raid on the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Mary Peter-Odili on Friday, October 29, 2021 , and the previous invasion of the residences of other justices of the apex court, particularly in October 2016, the apex court had last week warned that the Nigerian judiciary cannot only bark but also bite.

Unlike in the previous incidents of assaults on the rule of law when the judiciary seemed helpless and defenceless, the apex warned that individuals or institutions of government should stop seeing the judiciary as the weeping child among the three arms of govern-

ment.

The statement signed by the Supreme Court’s Director of Press, Dr. Akande Festus, declared that “enough is enough,” saying the judiciary will henceforth not take any attack on it or its personnel lying low.

Describing the raid on Justice Odili’s home as impunity taken too far, the statement alleged that the dressing and countenance of those that invaded the home of Justice Odili depicted that of those going to war “to kill and maim”.

It warned that the Nigerian judiciary cannot only bark but also bite.

This present administration has no

doubt regarded the judiciary as the weeping child among the three arms of government.

While judicial officers were harassed unchallenged, attempt by the state agents to harass the legislature cost the then Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) his job.

Having commenced its own discreet full scale investigations as to the main motive of those behind the attack, and the people behind the attack, the events of the next few weeks will reveal if the apex court truly has the capacity to bite, given the previous assaults on the judiciary, which were unchallenged.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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BRIEFINGNOTES Who is Afraid of Justice Mary Peter-Odili?

The primitive use of force on defenceless citizens and the treatment of the judiciary with disdain as evidenced in the recent raid on the residence of a Supreme Court judge, Justice Mary Peter-Odili, and the October 2016 midnight invasion of the homes of some respected justices, are only prevalent in a fascist state. Ejiofor Alike wonders why Justice Odili, who has barely six months to retire after a glorious career has suddenly become a threat that should be destroyed by the enemies of the rule of law who are masquerading as agents of a democratic government

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he ugly treatment being meted to judicial officers and other defenceless citizens by the agents of this present administration has lent credence to the fears expressed in some quarters that Nigeria is increasingly sliding to a fascist state.

It is under this present dispensation that security agents with official endorsements break fences and remove doors at the residences of unarmed citizens in midnight raids to effect arrests or execute suspicious search warrants.

The fact that the present government does not respect the rule of law had manifested in the early life of the administration when on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, 2016, the agents of the administration broke into the homes of some Supreme Court justices, and other judges, at midnight.

Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro, both of the Supreme Court; the then suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Tsamiya; Justice Kabiru Auta of the Kano State High Court and now retired Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, were all arrested.

Others arrested were a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, the late Justice Innocent Umezulike, and Muazu Pindiga of the Federal High Court, Gombe Division.

The operatives also raided the home of the immediate past CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who had then been pencilled as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and second in rank to the then incumbent CJN. Following public outcry and strong speculations that the raid on Onnoghen was to stop a southerner from becoming the next CJN, the enemies of democracy quickly beat a retreat, explaining that they entered his premises in error.

Onnoghen and Ngwuta were said to be neighbours at the Judicial Justice Odili Officers’ Quarters in Abuja.

However, the attempt by the operatives to arrest a Federal High Court judge in Port Harcourt, was foiled by the Rivers State Goverthe new Sheriff in charge, the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, nor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who had rushed to the judge’s residence to sacked their Director General, Mr. Lawal Daura. rescue him from the invaders.

With this administration’s obvious disdain to the rule of law, the With the relevant authorities admitting authorising the raid, raid on Justice Odili’s home did not come as a surprise. nobody was sanctioned for such brazen assault on the priests of the The federal government had looked the other way when a temple of justice. gang of thugs invaded her residences in Abuja and Port Harcourt The apparently helpless CJN at that period, Justice Mahmud on Friday, February 14, and Tuesday, February 18, 2020 and Mohammed, had at the valedictory court session held in honour of subjected her to unwarranted intimidation. a retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Suleiman Galadima, The hoodlums had claimed that they were dissatisfied with her described the midnight raid on the homes of the judges as “very judgment in an appeal that was decided by a full panel of Justices saddening and deeply regrettable, ….distressing and unfortunate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. incident.”

The apex court had on February 13, 2020, nullified the victory But the Department of State Services (DSS), which carried out of Mr. David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the assault, described it as a “sting operation.” governor of Bayelsa State and ordered that his opponent, Senator Expectedly, many Nigerians who were still hoodwinked by the Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator, be hoax anti-corruption posture of this administration had either kept sworn-in as governor. mute or hailed the brazen assault on democracy, misconstruing it as A clearly sponsored protest was staged blockading her home in a fight against corruption.

Abuja, condemning her role in the delivery of the judgment.

When the DSS operatives repeated the assault on democracy by However, despite all the condemnations and calls for the arrest laying siege to the National Assembly on Tuesday, August 7, 2018, of the invaders, they enjoyed official protection.

Human rights activists, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) had disclosed that it was the failure of the federal government to arrest the first invaders of her residence that encouraged the security operators to embark on the latest assault on her.

The respected Supreme Court judge was on Friday, October 29, 2021, subjected to further intimidation in the same house by a combined team of security operatives, who were purportedly executing a search suspicious warrant.

The invaders comprising over 50 armed operatives said they were from the Joint Panel on Recovery in the Federal Ministry of Justice headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

A witness, Aliyu Umar, said in an affidavit dated October 13, 2021, that he had given the information that illegal activity was going on in that residence to the EFCC. In a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, the panel applied to a chief magistrate in Abuja seeking a search warrant for the house.

But Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, who issued the warrant of arrest later turned round to revoke it on the grounds that he was misled by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the DSS have denied involvement in the intimidation of the second most senior justice of the apex court.

Malami and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba have since promised investigation.

Baba has also disclosed that the operatives who raided the residence of Supreme Court judge had been arrested.

But most Nigerians do not trust such promises of arrest and investigation, which had been used in the past to bury similar issues under the carpet.

There is no strong indication that the identity of the senior government officials, who ordered the raid will be revealed soon.

It is gratifying to note that the Supreme Court has taken up the challenge to conduct independent probe and fight for the independence of the judiciary.

In a statement by its Director of Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande, the apex court warned that judiciary should not be misconstrued by any individual or institution of government as the weeping child among the three arms of government.

The statement recalled painfully, the ugly memory of the October 2016 midnight invasion of the homes of some respected justices, insisting that there were no satisfactory explanations as to the true motive behind such brazen assault.

While insisting that “enough is enough,” the apex court said it has commenced a full-scale independent investigation to unravel those behind the invasion as well as the real motives behind it.

Many conspiracy theories are being peddled as to the reasons why some uncomfortable government officials want to get Justice Mary Peter-Odili out of the way and only an independent probe can unmask the men behind the masks.

Any investigation initiated by the AGF, IG and the EFCC may only end up recommending punishment for the security officials who merely acted on directives.

NOTES FOR FILE

A Dangerous One-sided Story is Prowling

Femi-Osibona

Immediately Mr. Femi Osibona’s 21-storey building on Gerald Road, Ikoyi, buckled, a certain narrative, which sought to explain away what might have happened, surfaced and had stayed the cause, even as you read this. This particular narrative had simply passed a death sentence, yet, on the dead.

Apparently, a shrewd businessman, whose first instinctive disposition to every business idea was to maximise profit, those who claimed to know the late Chief Executive Officer of Fourscore Homes Limited, had insinuated compromise, not just of official approvals but also of standard building materials.

Unfortunately, for the dead but a good play for those behind this equally plausible narrative,

a certain letter of withdrawal of consultancy

by Prowess Engineering Company, the one that reportedly handled two out of the three buildings, surfaced and testified to the assumption of a compromise in no small measure.

But the truth is, running with this obviously one-sided story is not only dangerous and misleading to the public, it could also preempt the outcome of the investigation set in motion by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Without siding with any of the conspiracy theories doing the rounds, the manner the 21-storey came down was no less controlled.

The closest to this was the BOI building brought down by the Lagos State government under

Babatunde Fashola. Indeed, typical of that experience, everyone around also testified to the ‘near-tremor experience’ in Ikoyi and environment as well as the explosive bang that rent the air.

Of course, there have been several other incredible suspicions that seek to support the theory of sabotage as much as compromise in the estimation of different people. Whatever are the misgivings of anyone about Osibona, it is better to err on the side of caution, especially, given the number of lives so far lost to this unfortunate incident, including the property owner’s. It is, therefore, better to keep an open mind in this case than to sell an idea that’s not truly foolproof.

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CICERO/ISSUE

PDP Confronts More Daunting Hurdles Granted, the recently conducted National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party was successful and met the threshold of a rancour-free political ritual. Paul Obi, however, writes that beyond the euphoria, more hurdles and obstacles lay in wait for the party that has become more confident of taking over power from the All Progressives Congress in 2023

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ore than six years after the ascension to power by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the economy is in a dead trap.

While the naira has plummeted for the worst, unity has nosedive, with ethnic divisions, and nepotism nearing state craft.

Insecurity and terrorists’ cells have quadrupled, threatening even Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital.

It is this quagmire and daredevil situation that many Nigerians tend to see the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a rescuing party where hope beckons.

Before the just concluded national convention of the PDP, there was a palpable air of unease, all thanks to the political squabbles ahead of the 2023 presidential poll, and the general election themselves.

Given that the party’s structures often determine the likely presidential flagbearer, much tussle over the control of the party was really at stake and at a critical juncture.

The ding-dong over that tussle was further worsened by the zoning controversy, where party offices were to be zoned between the two regional blocks of North and South; and among the six geopolitical zones of North-west, North-east, Northcentral, South-west, South-south and South-east.

When the Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led committee finally zoned the office of the National Chairman to the North, there was a sigh of relief among party faithful in the South, who are clamouring for the return of the presidency in 2023, after the eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari.

First, in the North, there was some level of apprehension following the insistence of the party bigwigs to run for the PDP presidential ticket.

In an effort to pacify the contending forces over the 2023 presidential ticket, a caveat was added, which included the fact that all presidential candidates from the six geopolitical zones were at liberty to pursue their presidential ambition.

It also added that should a presidential candidate emerge from the North where there is a new National Chairman, in the person of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the chairman would have to relinquish his position for the sake of equity.

That said, with the emergence of Ayu, and the eventual consensus arrived at on his choice, an atmosphere of peace took stead, replacing the uncertainty and agitations that dominated the PDP. With the conclusion of the national convention and the election of 21 new executives, alongside the emergence of a 25-year-old Muhammed Suleiman, whose victory as the National Youth Leader became a social media trend, many observers applauded the PDP for staring the party to some form of stability.

At the venue of the national convention, Eagle Square, Abuja, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Chairman of PDP Governors Forum and Governor Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, were all cock-sure that Nigerians want PDP back to power.

But beyond the hysteria and jubilation about the harmony that occasioned the PDP’s national convention and its outcomes, there are still some hurdles

Ayu

and Achilles heel for the party to confront. In fact, despite the glaring prospects of the party ahead of the 2023 elections, the challenge to PDP’s return to power do not lie with the Nigerian voters.

It lies with the various cascading self-interest, ego-trip and ethnic squabbles among its bigwigs and over which region takes the presidential ticket of the party in 2023.

Atiku had already taken the battle to the centre stage by arguing that the issue or problem has never been about where the President of Nigeria comes from.

At the 94th National Executive Committee (NEC), Atiku maintained that, “there’s no such thing as President of Southern Nigeria, or President of Northern Nigeria. There is only one President, President of Nigeria, for Nigerians and by Nigerians.”

Besides Atiku, other likely presidential contestants like Saraki, Rabiu Kwankwanso; their protegee like Boni Haruna, Hon. Abdul Ningi, and Alhaji Kawu Baraje have made efforts to downplay zoning, enshrined in the PDP’s Constitution. This twist has not gone down well with many party faithful down South, specifically, the South-east geopolitical zone.

Although, the likes of former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; and Mao Ohuabunwa have declared their interest to run, there has been a discreet silence on the

issue of zoning, or an attempt to counter Northern political juggernaut on the matter.

More worrisome is the fact that the narrative on zoning so far has lacked the depth and clarity expected of an opposition party angling to grab presidential power in less than 16 months’ time. Rather, it has been more of ego, hegemony of dominance; but low on the electoral viability of the would-be presidential candidate and the onerous issue of equity and governance. There have also not been feelers from the PDP on whether the current candidates parading themselves would be accepted by the Nigerian voters who have been hard-pressed by a catastrophic economy and ravaging insecurity. On a whole, it is not certain if PDP would be able to overcome the zoning debacle. The North argues for the presidential ticket in view of its perceived electoral strength; the South clamour for the PDP presidential ticket on the basis of justice and equity. Who then will bell the cat?

This is a daunting hurdle for the PDP, indeed.

Added to that, is the role of the incoming National Chairman, Ayu. With his close links to the Atiku’s political machine, will Ayu yield the levers of the PDP to the former Vice President? Will he beckon to the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike and Governor Samuel Ortom, or put mildly align with the Wike-Ortom

political romance? Or tilt to the toga of neutrality for the overall interest of party?

What and how will Ayu navigate the PDP is another great political puzzle waiting to be unravelled. How Ayu leads the PDP remains a spin on the clock itself As the party positioned for a new era, peeping into 2023 elections, the gamut of power under its incoming chairman remains an uphill task. Again, will Ayu bend to the super-imposing influence of the PDP Governors’ Forum? Will he truly be a party man? Also, the question on the lips of many PDP members and Nigerians is: What do Atiku, Tambuwal, Kwankwanso, Wike, Saraki, Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Okowa, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Anyim, Ohuabunwa really want?

As political maneuvering, gimmicks and intrigues build up after the national convention, Nigeria’s major opposition party is trapped in the highest political puzzle in history. Torn between electoral viability, capacity to win up North and the cry for equity and justice down South, the party’s ability to slip through the cracks of the present political turbulence will be legendary. Its failure will plunge the PDP to monumental chaos. It’s deep blue sea for the PDP; an orchestra whose totems are undefined.

A choice between a chaotic slump or a victorious rise. For now, a new tone is set for the PDP. In power, there’s no easy ride.

Even staging a comeback is even more precarious. The dice is cast; PDP’s return to power is uncertain, even as regional bickering persists ahead of 2023 presidential election.

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CICERO/INTERVIEW

Edevbie: Delta State Needs to Tap Human, Natural Resources for Clearly Defined Future Chief David Edevbie belongs to that breed called technocrats. The University of Lagos Economics graduate sojourned abroad to earn higher academic degrees at prestigious colleges like Cardiff and Harvard Business Schools. He has also had the privilege of working for global development agencies, notably the Commonwealth Development Commission. For much of the 1990s, he contributed immensely to the economic success recorded in Asia and the Pacific region. His education and professional calling put him in the domain of development economics. He has had to be called upon to intervene in the economic development of Delta State and other nations at critical moments. He was the Delta State Commissioner for Finance three times and Chief of Staff, Government House. Nationally, he was the Director of Finance and Administration of the Yar’Adua Campaign Organisation in 2006 and 2007. Later, he was the Principal Secretary to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua replacing the outgoing Chief of Staff. Edevbie, a thoroughbred professional, was in the race for the governorship of Delta State in 2014 and lost the Peoples Democratic Party ticket to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, now the incumbent governor, at the primaries. Edevbie, the technocrat-politician, is back again, lacing his boots for the governorship of Delta State come 2023.

He discusses many issues with Bennett Oghifo, detailing why he wants to be Governor of Delta State

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ou have indicated interest to contest the governorship election in 2023, tell me why should Deltans trust you with the number one position in the state?

Delta State is at a very delicate stage of its journey and cannot afford any reversal or slow-down in the pace of development. The previous administrations have laid down social, economic, and infrastructural foundations for the state’s sustainable development. It would be unfortunate at this point if political power were to pass to inexperienced hands lacking the capacity to manage the state’s diversity or having a sufficiently deep understanding of how to build upon the accomplishments of the past. I have worked very closely with all the chief executives of this state since 1999 and played critical roles in developing their plans and implementing their projects, so I am very conversant with what has been accomplished and what remains undone. I have exceptional familiarity with the successes and in-depth knowledge of the prospects and challenges ahead. Delta State needs to creatively attract funding to tap its vast human and natural resources and fund a clearly defined future vision. My academic background and experience working for nearly four decades in senior positions in the private sector locally and internationally and in the state and federal governments have equipped me for the job. My track record speaks for itself, and even my fiercest critics concede that I am fit for purpose for the job.

You mentioned attracting funding to Delta State. In an era where contractor debt stands at an all-time high, how do you hope to accomplish this? How can you restore investor/contractor confidence?

I have worked in various capacities across several global financial institutions, directly identifying and managing vast investment portfolios and projects. So I am very conversant with the intricacies and processes involved in securing foreign investments. The relationships established both internationally and locally during that period and in my personal and professional endeavours after that, which I have nurtured over the years, will be vital in attracting the required funding. On the issue of contractor debt, I am not aware that it is at an all-time high, but I have managed huge public debt relative to revenue before and can do so again. When I served as Commissioner for Finance in Governor Ibori’s administration, I established a monthly cash budget system that gave contractors confidence and certainty in the payment system. The system was devoid of lobbying, and contractors were paid on a firstcome, first-served basis. In essence, contractors didn’t need to have a personal relationship with me or anyone else before they got paid; hence their works certificates were as good as physical cash. Banks lobbied contractors to fund the state government projects because of their confidence in our payment system. Accumulation of contractors and bank debt signal a liquidity problem that could adversely impact government programmes and projects and other adverse effects on the overall economy. For example, a delay in payment to a road construction company may delay payments to its vendors, leading to even disproportionate delays further down the supply chain, thereby limiting fund circulation. This results in a reduction in overall consumer spending and the gross domestic product. Delayed payments also translate to delayed receipt of related taxes that could be channelled towards executing other government projects/programmes and so on. In certain instances, the government and its contractors have had to adjust contract pricing to make up for anticipated payment delays leading to additional costs to the government. Some contractors may even be tempted to adjust the quality of supplies/works in this regard.

These issues will be addressed expeditiously if given the mandate.

We will institute a framework for the prevention, management and settlement of all debts. To rebuild contractor confidence, firstly, it is critical to prevent further accumulation of contractor debt, and consequently, realistic budget estimates, especially regarding revenue projections, are imperative. Also, bearing in mind that the accuracy of revenue projections has its limits, we will ensure strict commitment controls by tying expenditure approvals to actual fund availability monthly. My objective will be to create a predictable and certain payment system with a target of meeting every contractor’s obligations within a maximum of 90 days of the date they become due through a

to create a safe, peaceful, secure and enabling environment for our development agenda to be delivered. Also, a thriving economy where the majority of the people are gainfully employed is an antidote to insecurity. Consequently, I will adopt a two-pronged approach towards tackling insecurity; Firstly, the immediate approach will involve collaboration with the federal government and other stakeholders to re-engineer our state security architecture, emphasising local control of security apparatus to ensure greater efficiency in intelligence gathering, evaluation and speedy utilisation. An all-inclusive security regime driven by an enhanced public/private sector security trust fund providing sustainable funding for the security architecture, including the deployment of state of the art ICT equipment such as drones, CCTV etc., for real-time surveillance at security flashpoints etc. will be deployed. I will ensure that relevant state security laws are strengthened for greater effectiveness. Secondly, the long-term approach, which will involve rapid industrialisation of the state that will create jobs on a large scale engaging majority of the populace in meaningful enterprises with a spin-off in youths shunning vices that are currently plaguing the state

Edebvie re-engineered cash budget system.

Secondly, we will ensure accurate real-time reporting of contractor and other debt by way of fully automated (i.e. end-to-end from procurement approval to settlement) public financial management (PFM) processes because the lack of a fully automated PFM process could usually result in deficient commitment controls, poor cash management, delay in the processing of payments, deliberate deferral of payments, duplication of payments and sharp practices etc. The existing SAP ERP software, which I introduced in the Ministry of Finance decades ago, needs to be implemented wholeheartedly.

Finally, a minimum of 10% of annual budgets and monthly revenue receipts will be set aside to settle all contractor arrears to completely defray them before the end of my administration. Government is a continuum, so all legitimate contractor arrears will be critically reviewed and a clearly defined payment plan agreed upon and strictly adhered to.

Successive administrations have been accused one time or the other of arbitrarily siting projects for ethnic or political reasons or otherwise. What is your take on that?

Such sentiments are bound to arise in a state as diverse as ours, whether true or otherwise, especially when expectations are not appropriately managed. In my view, what is missing is a statewide development master plan. That is why I plan that a medium/long-term development master plan backed by appropriate legislation will be implemented within the first one hundred days of inauguration. The master plan will be developed with the input and collaboration of key stakeholders across ethnic and other demographic lines to ensure that it is a product of all. With a master plan in place, project selection and implementation should become more objective and easy to track, monitor, and evaluate.

With the current spate of insecurity across the country, how do you hope to implement your plans?

Insecurity remains a significant threat to development nationwide.

If the menace is not addressed quickly, all developmental efforts would be in vain. Effective security architecture must be put in place

Can you please expatiate on your industrialisation plans?

My industrialisation plan aims to make the state a massive production and manufacturing hub underpinned by domestic and foreign direct investment anchored on public and private partnerships. The strategy involves enacting investor-friendly legislation and providing requisite infrastructure, including reliable electricity and suitable road and transportation networks for industrial clusters to be set up across the state. The Aboh-Ogwashi Agro-Processing Park and the Kwale Industrial Parks initiated by the current administration and the Warri Industrial Business Park initiated by the Uduaghan administration will be completed. Simultaneously, the Jesse Industrial Park will be fast-tracked into operation. The private sector will be encouraged to set up solid minerals mining and beneficiation industries to exploit marble, glass-sand, clay, gypsum, iron ore and kaolin, which abound in the state. We will do everything reasonable, including catalyst equity investments in such enterprises to support investors. We will also promote the establishment of modular refineries in each of the three senatorial districts.

You mentioned the provision of reliable electricity and suitable road and transportation networks for industrial clusters. How are you going to provide reliable electricity given the electricity challenge plaguing the entire country?

Reliable energy supply is a sine qua non for the development of the state and Nigeria at large as it is at the core of every human enterprise. Therefore, it will be my number one priority. I plan to leverage the state’s natural gas endowments and other renewable energy sources to provide accessible, affordable and regular power supply to catalyse diverse economic activities. In this regard, a 500MW Power Plant will be developed within 36 months to boost the state’s power supply for domestic and industrial use. Energy hubs will also be created in each of the three senatorial districts to ensure that rural communities not previously connected are linked to the power grid.

What about the road networks. You will have some big shoes to fill if given the mandate after Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who has been nicknamed the Road Master. Do you believe you are up to the task?

I commend Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for his performance in road infrastructure that has earned him the Road Master nickname from Deltans. It is a worthy accomplishment. However, my plans extend beyond road construction to ensure high-quality intermodal transport over land, water and air. The Cabotage Act will be exploited, fostering investments in water transportation, rail and gas-powered coaches etc., to reduce dependence on vehicular transportation. We will pursue expansion and upgrade of the Osubi Airstrip and partner with the federal government to fully operationalise the Warri and other ports in the state.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

GAVEL

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

Senate’s Misplacement of Priority on Primaries for Political Parties With the absence of an unbiased umpire to conduct and supervise the direct and indirect methods of selecting candidates by political parties, the selection process has always been an internal aͿair of the parties that often ends in litigation. Udora Orizu wonders why the Senate should waste scarce legislative time and resources on the adoption of direct primary when Nigerians are choked by more important issues of insecurity, and violent agitations

T

he Senate’s order a fortnight ago that the nomination of candidates for elective positions by political parties should be through direct primary was an attempt by the legislature to chase shadows when Nigeria is overwhelmed by other serious challenges.

Nigerians are bogged down today by insecurity, disunity, weak democracy, poverty and the collapse of infrastructure, particularly power supply and roads.

With separatist agitations in the South-east and South-west fuelled by the elevation of injustice and nepotism as state art, national cohesion has taken Áight.

Among all these challenges, insecurity has remained the greatest single threat to the nation’s sovereignty.

Virtually the entire Northern Nigerian has been taken over by heavily armed terrorists and bandits while the South is increasingly having its own share of insecurity.

Unknown gunmen have occupied the public space in the South-east, threatening all the state actors, while bandits and kidnappers are on the prowl in the South-west, abducting residents, travellers and freeing prisoners.

As the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) continues to threaten public peace, imposing sit-at-home order on the people of the South-east, a video of another heavily armed separatist group, which identiÀed itself as Biafran National Guard (BNG), dressed in military fatigue in a convoy of SUVs went viral on Thursday.

Armed with AK-47 riÁes and pump action riÁes, the group drove into a Àlling station in an unknown location in the South-east to fuel their vehicles in the broad daylight unchallenged.

One of their commanders was seen threatening that the “war has started” and that they were going to Anambra State to free their members who had been detention in Awka and Onitsha prisons for 15 years.

In another video, the Àghters were seen Àring at the direction of a white SUV parked along the expressway, with one of them shouting that they were Àghting soldiers at a military checkpoint.

As a conÀrmation of the authenticity of the videos, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Onyema Nwachukwu had issued a statement on Friday that troops conducting Exercise Golden Dawn in the South-east killed one of the Biafran National Guard gunmen who attacked troops’ location at Amaekpu, OhaÀa Local Government Area of Abia State.

Nwachukwu said the assailants, “who were heavily armed and conveyed in several vehicles opened Àre on the troops’ location, but were met with stiͿ resistance by the troops”.

He said the troops “neutralised one gunman, while others abandoned their vehicles and retreated in disarray with gunshot wounds.”

According to him, the troops also recovered a pump action gun, among others.

“While the criminals withdrew, having been overwhelmed, they were promptly intercepted at Eda by troops of Forward Operating Base Ohaozara in Ebonyi State.

“The troops recovered additional three vehicles and apprehended one of the gunmen,” he said.

Before the Abia incident, heavily armed bandits had invaded the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Oyo, Oyo State and freed over 800 inmates awaiting trial after overpowering

Senate chambers soldiers and destroying the prison walls with dynamites and other heavy weapons.

Gunmen had also abducted two girls in their mother’s car when their mother was opening the gate of their residents in Akure, Ondo State, last week Also barely a week after four persons were seized and taken away from Ayebode-Ekiti in Ikole Local Council of Ekiti State, gunmen had on Tuesday last week invaded a funeral event in Itapaji-Ekiti in the same Ikole council and abducted eight guests.

Before the Akure and Itapaji-Ekiti incidents, abduction of people from their houses was restricted to the northern parts of the country.

Instead of the National Assembly to be disturbed that the public space in Nigeria is gradually being taken over by armed non-state actors, the lawmakers were busy committing scarce legislative time and resources to direct political parties on how to elect their candidates.

It is a misplaced priority on the part of the federal lawmakers.

Political parties have the prerogative to conduction the elections for the selection of their candidates that will stand for elections and not any unbiased umpire.

So, whether they are forced to adopt direct or indirect primary, the processes are subject to manipulations by the party leadership, who regards the election as their internal aͿair.

Though INEC o΀cials are mandated by law to witness such elections, it is not their role to conduct the elections.

Under the direct primary proposed by the Senate, INEC will monitor the election but monitoring election is not the same as conducting an election.

Many observers argue that direct primary could strengthen political parties’ internal democracy and end god-fatherism, but it is the same party leadership backed by a godfather that conducts and supervises the direct primary.

The party leadership won’t have challenges

in getting INEC o΀cials sent to monitor the elections to endorse any fraud they commit in the name of direct primary.

The Red Chamber’s decision was arrived at by its harmonisation committee during amendments to some clauses of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2021, passed on July 15, 2021.

The upper chamber also mandated the INEC to monitor every primary election conducted by political parties in the country.

Direct primaries involves the participation of all party members in the selection of their elective representatives as against the use of delegates, who are usually leaders and members of the executives at the ward, local government and state levels.

The use of indirect primary has been widely condemned in the past due to the overbearing power it provides to state governors who have made themselves godfathers and most often decide which aspirant wins a primary election in their state. But other observers have contended that the process of direct primary is not only cumbersome but also expensive.

During the Electoral Act Amendment in July, the Senate had adopted the use of both direct and indirect primaries in the nomination of candidates, while the lower chamber had recommended the use of only direct primaries.

The lower chamber’s recommendation for the direct primary was proposed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The Speaker had while contributing to the debate during the consideration of the Electoral Bill proposed the eternal removal of “or indirect primaries”.

The committee’s recommendation in Clause (section) 87 titled “Nomination of Candidates

by Parties”, read thus: A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Bill shall hold direct or indirect primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which may be monitored by the commission. The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective posi-

tions shall be by direct or indirect primaries.”

In the new amendment, Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi in a lead debate said that the amendment to Clause 87(1) nomination of candidates by parties reads: “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the Commission (INEC).”

As verbal attacks by some stakeholders, such as the leading opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), trailed the decision of the Senate, the House expressed its contentment with the decision, saying that it will help check god-fatherism, enhance intra-party democracy and reduce the commercialisation of elections in Nigeria.

Though a majority of the lawmakers have given nod to the direct primaries clause adopted by the Senate, some minority lawmakers are in support of the governors who are insisting on indirect primaries.

Speaking when he appeared on a live TV programme last week, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Kabir Gaya (APC, Kano) said the amendment is not a revolt against state governors but an opportunity to protect legislators from the governors.

Gaya appeared alongside the member of the House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

Gaya, a former governor of Kano State in the Second Republic, reacting to concerns about the cost of running direct primaries by political parties, said it is the only means to get credible candidates into elective positions.

On his part, Babajimi Benson, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, said the indirect primaries will end money bags in political parties.

Speaking against it, Hon. Ben Rollands Igbakpa (PDP, Delta) said: “Indirect primary is better, less expensive, easy to organize in terms of logistics, security and other necessary aspects. Direct primary is going to be rancorous, will have security challenges.

It is akin to telling the entire people of the constituencies to come to Abuja. I don’t know what the proponents want to achieve. What is INEC coming to do in the internal affairs of political parties?

Maybe, very soon, INEC will start telling political parties how much they will sell their nomination forms and all that. These are the internal affairs of political parties.”

Similarly, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who few days before the Senate’s move, had perhaps gotten wind of it, made an appeal to the legislators to save the country the crisis and trouble that would result from the proposal because many of the political parties lacked the necessary infrastructure to successfully conduct direct primaries at all levels.

Saraki further added that the attempt would lead to hundreds of litigations that might jeopardise the general election.

The former Senate President, who made this known in a statement by the Head of his Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said he felt compelled to once again appeal to both chambers of the National Assembly to reconsider their position.

As the National Assembly abandons the country’s more pressing challenges and dissipate energy on the internal affairs of the parties, the governors were allegedly mounting pressure on them to reconsider their position.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

INTERNATIONAL Caleb University’s Disruptive Innovation Doctrine (CUDID): The Case of Professor Wole Soyinka

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aleb University’s First International Conference on‘innovation’in global development took place on Tuesday, 26th and Wednesday, 27th October 2021. The conference, which had as theme‘#Future Forward, Disruptive Innovation: What Next?’was organized into three main parts: opening ceremony, paper presentations, and syndicate sessions. It is both hybrid and virtual in organization. The hybrid aspect took place at the auditorium of the Caleb University (CU) in Imota, Ogun.

The conference was quite interesting from many perspectives.

First, it truly had an international character, especially because many of the paper presenters were from different countries. Second, all the paper presentations at the conference dealt with the question of innovation from different disciplinary methodologies, which enabled the presenters and participants to discuss justifiably on the basis of psychology of human differences. Perspectives vary considerably from one presenter to another. Third, and perhaps more importantly, the CU came up with the hypothesis of a disruptive innovation, which we refer to as a doctrine here.

Put differently, an innovation effort can be good but can still also be disruptive. That an innovation can be disruptive went beyond being considered as a hypothesis. Disruptive innovation was taken as a thesis, that prompted an anti-thesis and a synthesis from which what we called Caleb University’s Disruptive Innovation Doctrine (CUDID) has emerged. What is particularly noteworthy is that the notion of disruptive innovation has been elevated to the level of a doctrine. Etymologically, a doctrine is derived from two Latin words: doctrina, meaning teaching; docere, meaning to teach. It also originated from an old French word, doctrine, which also means a doctor, which is also a Latin word referring to a teacher.

The implication of the CU coming up with an innovation doctrine is simply to suggest that the CU wants to teach the world, or provide leadership in, the business of innovation. This observation is intrinsic in the theme of the international conference. Interrogatively put, what is a‘future forward’? What makes an innovation disruptive?‘Future forward’raises the relationship between future and forward, in which case, future can mean immediate future, while forward can mean a distant future or the future after immediate future.

When relating them together, how does the immediate future push the‘future’forward further or enhance innovations? Under what circumstances will there not be disruptions when the explications on both the‘immediate future’and the‘future thereafter’will be conjectural? The conference provided the theoretical explanations on innovation as an issue in global development efforts, while the experiential inability of Professor Wole Soyinka to return from France to Nigeria of which he is a citizen by ius sanguinis, serves as a coincidental empirical illustration of the limitations of innovation. Let us begin with the paper presentations.

Paper Submissions and CUDID More than fifty papers were abstracted and presented but emphasis is placed here on those related to the CUDID. In this regard, Dr Muritala Awodun, Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship at the Crown-Hill University in Kwara State, differentiated between productive, unproductive, and destructive entrepreneurship in his paper, entitled“A Measure of Impacts of Productive, Unproductive and destructive Entrepreneurship on Economic growth and Development.”He explicated their impacts on economic growth and development. As he put it, productive entrepreneurs are people engaged in enterprising activities that generate value within society, such as the creation of new and innovative technologies.

In the same vein of thinking, when there is no value added we talk about unproductive entrepreneurs. When entrepreneurs engage in harmful or destruction of value, then they fall under disruptive innovation.

O.E. Afam, T.O. Ige, and M. Olumoye adopted a qualitative meta-synthesis approach in their analysis of the roles of agency banking in their paper,“Financial Inclusion and Sustainable Digital Economy.”Even though they noted that‘there is steady progress towards financial inclusion through agency banking,’the progress has many critical challenges, such as‘low financial literacy, insufficient infrastructure, inadequate and inefficient technology-based facilities introduced by financial institutions. These challenges require that Government should seek to leverage on available technology, incentivize the telecommunication sector to improve services in rural areas. In their eyes, the leverage has the potential

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Soyinka to facilitate the access of customers to mobile banking, automated teller machines (ATMs), point-of-sale (POS) devices and representative banking (agent banking).

Odunola M. Aikomo’s paper on“Globalisation and the Crisis of Dependency: World Order in a Pandemic Year,”is quite interesting from the perspective of disruptive innovation. Aikomo noted that globalization has facilitated interconnectivity among nation-states and impacting in various aspects of human life. However, he also argued that this development has‘collapsed the regular structure of the States, creating a borderless globe where technological advancement facilitates huge networks that draws global practices into local happenings and constitute a basis for trade and liberalized markets. And more importantly, Aikomo has it that‘disruption in the industrial and supply chains in the heat of the pandemic in 2020 exposed the fragility in the foundation of the global economy that hinges on comparative advantage and market principles.’

Audu Adebanke and Ajayi Boluwatife, in their paper entitled “Technological Innovation and Work Life Balance: A Review of Literature,”observed that, grosso modo, employees are attracted to organisations that are known to practise work-life balance and that there have been advancements in technological innovations which transform working patterns. They argued that technological innovations have a significant effect on work-life balance, but cautioned that the effect of technological innovation on work-life balance, if not properly managed is negative. This means that if not properly planned for, with advances in technological innovation, the less the attainment of work-life balance.’They therefore recommended that work-life balance be properly planned for when considering the adoption of technological innovations.

Particularly noteworthy is the paper on‘Disruptive Technology on the Cyberspace: The Contestation between Criminal Justice System and Cybercriminals.’It was presented by Chiji Longinus Ezeji. While admitting that the adoption of telecommunication technologies has contributed positively to globalization, he also observed that telecommunication technologies pose a threat to

Indisputably, innovation can be disruptive, but should it be consciously disruptive in design? Should it only be expected to be a resultant of technical default? CUDID is not simply that there are cases of disruptive innovation but also that the future has the likelihood to continue to play host to disruption in innovative efforts. As such, by implications, are disruptive innovations preventable?

Which type of reeducation of the human mind is required to innovate or re-innovate to ensure stability of the human mind? In objectively responding to these questions, the CU may need to create a special CU Technology Innovation Centre (CUTIC), with the ultimate objective of seeking to coordinate all studies by various innovation centres in Africa. The CU should provide research leadership, put in place necessary research laboratories, and seek to host the African headquarters. In doing this, involving the African Union, and therefore going through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for support, cannot but be a desideratum. In essence, the CU will need to go beyond the CUDID. It should give a concrete and conceptual meaning to it. Research on African funding and international partnerships are necessary. Above all, the CU doctrine should address the imbalance between exclusive and concurrent lists in the 1999 Constitution. It is by so doing that there can be a basis for true federalism and innovations in politics.

many economies, as they have prompted a surge in cybercrime which also threatens health, education, safety and security.

As Ezeji put it,‘the dark web is where cybercriminals buy and sell malware, exploit kits, and cyber-attack services, which they use to strike victims, including businesses, governments, utilities and essential services. A single cyberattack could cripple entire cities, join forces with such intentions.’And perhaps more notably, he submitted that‘cybercrime increased exponentially despite the promulgation of Cybercrime Prevention and Prohibition Act of 2015.’

Igbene Oritsetinmeyin presented his paper on“Digital Credit in Nigeria: A Focus on Nano-Loans, the Bridge and the Widening Gap”and identified the nature and complexity of problems which loan providers and borrowers face in the age of digital innovation in the context of financial services in Nigeria. He noted that‘digital credit represents a sharp turn from traditional credit systems as it instantiates and increases the use of smart texhnology,’while in the context of Nigeria, digital credit,‘as a digital financial novelty, inevitably leaves a double-edged and widening gap in which both the lenders and borrowers are faced with a new type of challenge being the cost of data and its protection.’

There were two papers on‘Innovation in Politics and Human Development’differently presented by Obajinmi Oludayo Jadesola of the CU and Professor Bola A. Akinterinwa of the Bolytag Centre for International Diplomacy and Strategic Studies (BOCIDASS), Yaba, Lagos. Olujinmi Jadesola gave an exegesis of the challenges of politics in the process of governance and on how innovation is related to politics and human development at the Syndicate Session 7.

Professor Akinterinwa considered innovation as life, as a process, and essentially as science and technology, as well as arts and humanities. In this regard, science and technology anticipates, looking forward, while arts and humanities look backward. Innovation is looking backward to improve on the future. He posited that innovation, in whatever area of human development, is always first a resultant from a political decision to innovate and from subsequent efforts at innovation.

More importantly, Akinterinwa believes that political innovation should focus more on development and introduction of citizen diplomacy in the governance of Nigeria, enable the Nigerians in Diaspora to vote in any Nigerian diplomatic mission nearest to them, and ensure direct party primaries. He not only argued that the CU should intellectually sustain the CUDID, but also believed that it is when Nigeria is freed from political dishonesty and chicanery that political innovation can thrive with objectivity and honesty of purpose at the level of science and technology and arts and humanities.

Dr. James Nwoye’s paper was on“Entrepreneurial Strategies for Managing Disruptive Innovations.”He defines disruptive innovation as a‘new product or service that is so innovative that it disrupts the existing market and forces businesses in that market to devise new strategies for managing their business to avoid suffering huge losses and possibly going out of business.’Nwoye identified entrepreneurship as a veritable driver of disruptive innovation, positing that the disruption of existing market creates new phenomenon that ultimately delivers new value to consumers and the society.

Above all, there were several papers focusing on, proposing, or advocating some innovative measures. Samuel O. Oladimeji wants the development of a‘web-based research and innovation ecosystem for university-industry partnership. Olaoye Gabriel Ogunyemi et al are proposing a solar power for the CU. Dr. S.A. Oyesode wants a collaborative enhancement amongst AEC professionals in Bim Cloud Computing in the post COVID-19 era. It is in light of the foregoing that the CUDID should be investigated and that its application to the case of Professor Wole Soyinka should be explicated.

Wole Soyinka and CUDID Professor Soyinka gave a narrative of how he was stopped from entering Nigeria from France in a Channelstv-posted video and reported in various media platforms. The first time he was to board an Air France aircraft enroute Nigeria, the problem of his not having the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test, which like antigen, is a standard method of rapidly diagnosing COVID-19, was raised after he had gone through all customs, immigration, and other security checks, as well as met all COVID 19 vaccination requirements. He was delayed for 72 hours before leaving the Charles de Gaulle airport to return to Paris. And true enough, Professor Soyinka admitted his fault or ignorance of having not known that the PCR was a requirement, like the antigen test, before anyone can be admitted into Nigeria.

Professor Soyinka’s second experience occurred last week and was more disturbingly. This time, in addition to the COVID-19 vaccinations and possession of the PCR test certificate, it was again the requirement of a permission obtainable from the Nigerian Travel Portal, but which was either difficult to access or totally inaccessible. Professor Soyinka narrated how from 10 am through 2 pm, fruitless efforts were made to access the Nigerian portal. He complained bitterly about the procedure to be followed in securing Nigeria’s permission to enter Nigeria. In his view, the procedure was ludicrous, ridiculous, unnecessary and avoidable.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 7, 2021

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Mr. President, Try the Other Exit Chidi Amuta

I

n one respect, President Muhammadu Buhari may have worked so hard to prepare his successor for the acclaim that has so far eluded him. He has unconsciously scripted a higher popularity rating for that lucky successor. The next president will harvest national and international acclaim by doing something that requires little or no effort: just being different from Buhari. Where Buhari has remained distant and aloof, the next president is likely to draw near, reach out and touch the people.

Where Buhari has been reluctant to talk to us, the next president will replace arrogant silence with soothing compassion and expressed empathy.

Instead of the stern threats of a parade ground commander, the new leader will hopefully offer us the candor of civilised speech in the language of ‘one of us’.

Above all else, the next leader will have to explore the limitless possibilities and elastic benefits of dialogue to restore peace, security and stability. This means discarding Buhari’s perennial threats and relentless belligerence.

It requires the humility to seek inclusive engagements with all the factions whose grievances currently endanger Nigeria.

Dialogue as an instrument for the effective management of diversity is the next best road which, for some inexplicable reasons, Mr. Buhari has refused to travel so far. That gateway is the exit which this president needs to quickly find in order to escape from the lure of a tragic legacy even as he strolls towards the exit turnstile of power.

So far, Mr. Buhari has sought to achieve a pax Nigeriana mostly by force of arms. But the failure of these efforts so far has demonstrated the futility of force as an instrument for the resolution of national discord. In the process, the president and his team may now be at the dead end of the deployment of the instruments and methods of war in the search for a retreat from the current brink.To fund the reliance on force, government has borrowed from vendors of death and merchants of debts to buy big guns. What has not however been tested is the elasticity of compromise and the enduring value of frank open discussion.

Just take a look at the theatre.

Against the jihadist terrorists and insurgents of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-east, a decade long counter insurgency war has produced a more resilient adversary and re-drawn the map of Nigeria. There is now a red zone where the boundaries of at least two states have been blurred by something too dangerous to name.

Against the roving train of marauding bandits in the North-west, sporadic armed engagements by a security force drained of morale have emboldened opportunistic criminals into an army with neither command nor control.

In the mid section of the country, militarised herdsmen have sustained an unrelenting wave of arson, murder and forceful land grabbing. The scenic beauty of the Jos hills and the lush green fields of the Benue basin have been converted into perpetual human abattoirs. Some Benue villages are now echo chambers for choirs of widows and wailing sanctuaries of countless orphans.

Against the IPOB secessionist militias in the South-east, countless special security operations have produced a combination of dangerous local militia and a strange phenomenon called “unknown gunmen,” military grade professional marksmen of speculative origins who are spreading death in a place famed for peace. Special security operations in the South-east have literally exhausted the names of all the predatory animals in the fauna for brand names to no avail. In the Niger Delta, an uneasy calm has greeted a recent much celebrated legislative heist of the oil and gas industry.

In the South-west, an attempt to invite the imperative of federal force has produced a series of determined urban disobedience. There is widespread separatist activism, cultism, retail kidnapping and spirited armed robbery. Security infractions in this region have been emboldened by the migration of security manpower to areas of the country greater urgency.

In all of this, something despicable has happened. In the quest for security, our fickle democracy has slid into avoidable authoritarianism. The elected president of a republic has shrunk into a tin god prefect of a virtual banana republic. A

Buhari curious appetite for monarchical pretensions has produced a circumstantial tyrant above reproach and enlightened interrogation. A supposedly democratic national space has degenerated into a garrison and regimental hellhole. Protesting youth have been routinely visited with live bullets and pepper spray in their faces instead of rubber bullets or water hoses. In this place, the freedoms and rights which citizens in a democracy take for granted are now as scarce and costly as basic food items. Even the hope that this, too, shall pass now rings hollow with the futility of a hopeless longing.

Perhaps Mr. Buhari has a right to look forward to some positive legacy. But his record indicates differently. He has led a government whose trademark is endless foolish fights.

Fight against the Igbos. Fight against the Yorubas. Fight against the Middle Belt.

Fight against the Niger Delta. Fight against the Hausas and other indigenous peoples of the North. Fight against the youth. Fight against the social media, the judiciary, against ASUU and against the medical profession.

Most Christian factions as well as Shiites feel embattled under Buhari.

While the fights rage and the drift to anarchy quickens, something fundamental in the lifeblood of the nation is dying. The basic communication that ought to bind government and citizens has atrophied. Government has threatened to deal with dissenting citizens ‘ruthlessly’ while those who disturb the peace will be ‘severely punished’. Niger Delta militants and Biafran separatists will be spoken to ‘in the language they understand’. Government has opted to address Nigerians mostly in the language of violent threats and incendiary retribution. The only crime which Nigerians have committed to warrant this barrage of linguistic terrorism is no more than a desire to be respected and left at peace as citizens.

At other times, this ‘next level’ government has resorted to sectional abuse and divisive hate speech in its official pronouncements on legitimate national concerns. Let us not forget; hate rhetoric in an elected government is an act of treasonous violence and a travesty of democratic culture. Predictably, separatists, secessionists and the political opposition have responded in kind. The social media pages of key government officials bleed with torrents of unprintable insult.

Yet it is common knowledge that in the arsenal of the truly democratic state, strength lies not in the ready invocation of state

violence but in the delicate balance of stiff coercion with the soft power of compassion and a willingness to dialogue. The language of exchange between government and the people should be one of candor and mutual respect, not the reckless hurling of abuses across a divide of shame and hate. Pretending that government cannot dialogue with nonstate actors is foolish arrogance. We cannot vanquish dissenting citizens by force either.

It is therefore time for the president to try the route of dialogue to exit the fast closing corridor of national tragedy.There is no better hour than this moment of exit through the revolving doorway of democratic transition.

The quest for peace through dialogue is by far an easier, less costly option. The total cost of organizing an all inclusive national dialogue on our current troubles is less than the sticker price of one A-29 Super Tucano aircraft at ($30 million)!

Somehow, the aggrieved factions have simplified things by making themselves and their demands known. We know their leaders and their emblems. IPOB parades openly, clad in flags with the radiant Biafra sun. Advocates of the Yoruba Nation carry the emblematic wisdom of the Oranmiyan head. Even Boko Haram has its distinguishing black flag adapted from the dark covens of Al Queda and ISIS. Sheikh Gumi knows the bandits and their forwarding address. Boko Haram and ISWAP are now part of our national landscape. Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho are now household names, made even more popular by the arrogance of a state that fears the footsteps of its more courageous citizens.

Whatever happens, the hour of engagement through dialogue has come. Dialogue will allow the government a breather from perennial fighting to rediscover the dying art of responsible governance. In matters of statesmanship and statecraft, strength is not the deployment of anger that can set the homestead on fire. Mr. Buhari has consistently displayed the trademark anger of an expired warrior. He has in the process reopened the wounds of war that have not healed after half a century. Twitter was banned because the president used hateful language to remind the nation of Biafra. But this systemic nastiness and endless governmental recrimination has only earned us a descent into greater violence and a drift towards the brinks of catastrophe.

Those in the present house of power fanning the embers of discord and fuelling the machinery of state terror hardly mean well

for the country. They may well be on a lucrative business mission. Every new threat to peace is an opportunity for profit. It is a chance to visit the arms bazaar with its promise of generous commissions. Each threat of mass protest or uprising against the highhandedness of the state merits a financial requisition to purchase instruments of law and order (guns, bullets, tear gas, pepper spray etc.). We are paying more these days to calm the storms that government sometimes deliberately invokes.

By prolonging this state of undeclared war, our annual defense and security budgets have soared while our social development spending has suffered.Povertyandhungerhavebecomeepidemics while the expanding frontiers of anger and insecurity have frightened off serious investors.

Only rogue miners, oil pirates and black market arms racketeers still find this place attractive.

But it remains debatable whether we need these sophisticated fighter planes and helicopter gunships to combat squads of untrained and unfed citizen combatants on motor bikes and rickety pickup trucks.

The truth is that each useless big gun or fancy airplane we buy with borrowed money means millions of our children denied education, several million citizens condemned to go to bed each night without food or thousands of our compatriots who cannot find a hospital or even first aid clinic. We are paying American and European arms dealers hundreds of millions of dollars while so many of our youth cannot find jobs for their able hands, willing hearts and talented minds.

On the contrary, the cost of dialogue with all the pockets of anger and grievance in the land is next to nothing. The ego of political big men may be grazed or the greed of vested interest may take a cut. But the president must take higher solace in the truism that opening the gateway to peaceful dialogue is not a mark of weakness. It is instead a show of unusual strength, the kind of strength that elevates leaders from mere office occupants to historic statesmen. A place at the table of peace for all those who feel aggrieved and excluded is the first step to finding peace and security in this place wracked by anger and division. It will lower the national temperature. An inclusive national dialogue is the best opportunity to find out the why of all things that have gone wrong.

For instance, we could find out why, after half a century, a dead Biafra is more alluring to some Igbos than a living Nigeria. Why does the South West, in spite of their relative prosperity, seem attracted to the logic of separation from a country that has benefitted from their industry? Why has wealth and shinny material things become such attractive to the north where the power of the dominant faith abhors the worship of the idols of material glitter? Dialogue is an opportunity for Sheikh Gumi to tell us who the bandits really are and what they want. Mr. Gumi might tell the nation in open televised forum why his bandits find risky violence more attractive than secure opportunities for meaningful work and fruitful livelihood.

Boko Haram and ISWAP are not immune to the benefits of open dialogue. Insurgency fuelled by ignorance and misguided faith can only be cured through corrective coercion and a battle for hearts and minds. A kinder Nigeria must embark on a massive re-conversion of these misguided minds. It is time to heal social and economic dislocations and de-radicalise the misguided. The North-east needs systematic citizen reorientation complemented by material and infrastructural rehabilitation. A kinder gentler Nigeria should restore to misguided citizens happiness on earth in preparation for paradise hereafter.

The things that dialogue will resolve are both simple and complex. We do not need Biafra to give back to the Igbos their natural sense of belonging everywhere in Nigeria. The needed political engagement needs not involve bullets and jackboots. Armed soldiers and policemen cannot be part of the resolution of disagreements in the civic space. The Yoruba nation needs room to determine their common good, at their own pace and scope as masters of their fate in a restructured Nigeria. Our compatriots in the creeks of the Niger Delta are waiting for that day when the management and control of the oil and gas resources in their backyards will involve their sons and daughters in more commanding heights.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

APC Suspends Zamfara Ward Congress Committee Indefinitely Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended its Ward Congress Committee in Zamfara State indefinitely.

Both Zamfara and Anambra

states were excluded from the recent ward, local government and state congresses of the party.

While the congresses in Anambra were suspended because of the governorship election held yesterday, that of

Nigerian Youths Key to Peace-building, Development, Says EU Michael Olugbode in Abuja The European Union (EU) has said it is building partnerships between young Nigerians, and other Africans, as well as their European counterparts, stressing that young people will remain critical in addressing current global challenges, including the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and making the world a better place.

At the National Youth Conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports in Abuja, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said youths are not only the future but also constitute the largest generation of young people in history.

Urpilainen said she had mandated EU Delegations across Africa to establish a Youth Sounding Board to ensure youths are mainstreamed into their decision-making processes to reflect diversity and inclusivity.

The EU Youth Sounding Board

in Nigeria was launched in Abuja in September 2021.

The board, she noted, helps Nigerian youths to share their voices and participate in shaping EU policies and programmes.

According to the EU Commissioner, Nigerian youths play a central role in ensuring peace, resolving conflicts, and shaping policies in education, health, climate change, security, and job creation for the overall development of the country.

“In Nigeria, seven youths out of 10 are under 30 years old.

Whether it’s politics, economy, or the EU-Nigeria partnership, we need youth participation. That is why this Nigerian National Youth Conference is so important.

Youth is a top priority in the EU’s partnership with Africa,” she observed.

Underscoring the importance of building partnerships between young people of the two continents, Urpilainen said: “That is why we created the African Union-European Union Youth Cooperation Hub.”

Zamfara State was suspended as a result of leadership crisis in the state chapter of the party.

National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of APC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in a leaked letter dated November 5, 2021, Ward Congress committee in Zamfara, Mr. Ibrahim Masari, said the suspension was with immediate effect.

In the letter titled: ‘Re: Suspension of the Ward Congress Committee in Zamfara State,’ the ruling party noted that the action

was to ensure further consultation to engender a seamless exercise.

The letter read: “The National Chairman of the Caretaker/ Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) – His Excellency (Hon) Mai Mala Buni has directed the immediate suspension of the operations of the Wards Congress Committee to Zamfara State till further notice.

“This action is elicited by the need for further consultations to engender a seamless exercise.

“The National Chairman craves the understanding of all concerned as we strive for

more cohesion within our fold.

“Please kindly convey this information to other members of the committee,” the letter added.

Meanwhile, a group, National Assembly Progressives Media Aides (NAPMAIDES) has endorsed the aspiration of Senator Mohammed for the National Chairmanship position of the APC. The yet-to-be fixed National convention date of the ruling party is believed will be tentatively held in December, 2021.

The Chairman of the group, Mr. Oyelude Oladele while addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, said the group was committed to strengthening the relationship among the progressive parliamentarians, the party and the general public through prompt and effective information dissemination for the progress of the party.

According to him, “our unanimous decision to endorse Distinguished Senator Mohammed Sani Musa came after a careful examination of his leadership style.”

INVESTING IN ART… L-R: Chief Executive Officer, SFS Capital, Mr. Patrick Ilodianya; Art Curator & Trustee, Mr. Ejiro Onobrakpeya; and Director, BCX Nigeria, Mr. Segun Somefun, at ‘Investing in Nigerian Art’ event at Capital Club in Lagos...recently

Tony Elumelu Foundation to Announce 2021 Entrepreneurship Programme Beneficiaries November 12 Gboyega Akinsanmi One of the leading philanthropists empowering young African entrepreneurs, The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), will announce the beneficiaries of the 2021 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme at the official Selection Announcement event holding in Lagos on November 12, 2021.

The ground-breaking hybrid event which will also be streamed live online will unveil 4,800 African entrepreneurs chosen from all 54 African countries who will join the 2021 cohort of the

Foundation’s annual programme.

Every year on January 1st, the Tony Elumelu Foundation opens its application portal to African entrepreneurs with businesses of less than five years.

This year’s beneficiaries have been chosen from a pool of over 400,000 applications, selected based on their innovative and impactful business ideas.

In line with the Foundation’s mission to catalyse entrepreneurship in Africa, the selected beneficiaries will consist of both new start-ups and existing young businesses in varying operational

stages across different sectors.

As part of TEF’s objectives to ensure that African entrepreneurs are well equipped to build investable and profitable businesses, each beneficiary has undergone world-class business management training and mentorship conducted exclusively on TEFConnect, the Foundation’s proprietary digital platform that provides capacity-building support, advisory, and market linkages to over one million Africans and counting.

The platform’s unique training curriculum covered insightful

topics such as Starting Your Business, Business Management and Fundamentals, Leadership and Business Growth, Marketing Strategy, Product Design, and Selecting and Building a Team, amongst others.

Commenting ahead of the selection announcement event, the Chief Executive Officer of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, said: “This year, with support from our global partners, we will be scaling our impact and empowering nearly 5,000 entrepreneurs.

A major priority for us at the Foundation for 2021 remains the

economic recovery of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) following the Covid-19 disruption to economic activities. We are very excited to be unveiling the 2021 cohort of the Tony Elumelu entrepreneurship programme. I believe the $5,000 we are giving to each entrepreneur will address some pressing demands and reduce the burden brought about by the pandemic.”

According to Ugochukwu, “Year after year, we are greatly inspired by the tenacity and quality of business ideas that come out of Africa. This only

proves that young Africans need organisations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation who are willing to take a chance on them and their ideas,” Through the US$100million TEF Entrepreneurship Programme which launched in 2015, the Foundation empowers thousands of entrepreneurs annually, who benefit from mentorship, business management training, access to new markets, US$5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, and networking opportunities to promote their businesses to a global audience.

Take Justice Serious in Your Stewardship, Sultan Tells Political Leaders

Focus on Investors’ Protection, SEC Challenges Credit Rating Agencies

Ismail Adebayo in Birnin Kebbi

Festus Akanbi

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged political office holders in the country to take justice seriously in their stewardship, stressing that justice is the foundation for progress and development in any society.

The Sultan, who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), while speaking at the 25th-anniversary celebration of the enthronement of the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammad-Mera, in Argungu, however, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and other political leaders for their efforts in the country.

“I urge them to do more.

Please, you should take note of justice in whatever you do, because justice is the foundation of any society. Sheikh Usmanu Dan-Fodio once said: ‘A nation can endure unbelief, but it cannot endure injustice’. We should take note of this and work on it,” Sultan explained.

The Sultan, as Chairman of the occasion, thanked God for making it possible for people who had come from far and near to grace the occasion noting that “By the will of the Almighty Allah, we have all gathered here to be part of history and happily came together to pray for our brother, the Emir of Argungu, who has just clocked 25 years in the service of Islam and to humanity.

“We are one family, despite

our different backgrounds. As we gathered here to continue to strengthen brotherhood, as brothers and sisters from different parts of the world,” he said.

He also wished the emir the best in the years to come, praying to Allah to make it possible for the emir and all the other leaders that had gathered at the event, to return and mark 50 years of his leadership.

The Sultan commended the President, who was represented by the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Other dignitaries in attendance, include the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan; among others.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged credit rating agencies (CRAs) operating in Nigeria to focus on investors’ protection in all their dealings, services, and activities within the capital market.

This was contained in a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Director-general of the commission, Mallam Lamido Yuguda at the inaugural edition of DataPro’s annual webinar on Credit Rating Imperatives for Issues and Investors.

Yuguda, who was represented by the Head of Monitoring Department of SEC, Mr. Adamu Sambo, emphasised the need to protect investors by the credit rating agencies.

During the webinar jointly organised by DataPro and the Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, DataPro, Mr. Abimbola Adeseyoju called for greater socialisation of the crucial role played by credit rating agencies in the efficient allocation of capital and resources with the economy.

According to him, DataPro will henceforth be charting a new course in the credit rating industry in Nigeria and focusing on the way forward as well as on how investors and issuers alike can adapt to the new normal and drive economic growth and development through the various securities, products, and services available in the Nigerian debt market.

In the keynote address delivered on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of FMDQ, Mr. Bola Koko, Managing Director FMDQ Securities Exchange Limited, Mr. Tumi Sekoni noted that the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected the new wave of globalisation with the massive decline in world trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) and travel leading to a three per cent traction on global GDP in 2020.

In his address titled “Galvanising the Capacity of the Nigerian Debt Capital Market,” Sekoni noted that it has been established that the FMDQ Exchange is committed to galvanising the capacity of the Nigerian debt market, beyond being an organiser for the debt capital market by ensuring transparency, liquidity, and diversity.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ NOVEMBER 7, 2021

NEWSXTRA Port Crisis, Transit Duty Crippling Businesses, Report Laments Dike Onwuamaeze A N9 million transit duty on each truck originating from Nigeria to Benin Republic, poor access to foreign exchange and the crisis in the Nigerian ports constituted critical challenges facing businesses in the country, a new report has revealed.

The report, also, identified high inflationary pressures, skyrocketing gas prices, security challenges and high cost of diesel as parts of challenges stiffening the business environment in the federation.

These issues were contained in the “Business Environment Update for the Month of October 2021” released by the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE).

The report, which was signed

by CPPE’s Chief Executive, Dr. Muda Yusuf, explained that the biggest challenge reported by investors across all sectors in the past month was around foreign exchange.

Practically, the report said: “All investors expressed serious concerns over this predicament.

The concerns were around the following: sharp depreciation in the exchange rate, uncertainty, volatility and unpredictability of the exchange rate and liquidity problem in the official window of the foreign exchange market.”

“Investors lamented the severe impact of the punitive transit duty imposed by Benin Republic

on transit goods passing through the country by road. The duty is estimated at an average of N9 million per truck. This duty payment is significantly impeding trade across the West African sub region.

“This continues to make it very difficult for companies exporting or importing by road to do so. It is essentially a blockade of movement of trucks through the Benin border.

“This is in total disregard

for the ECOWAS Protocol on trade and movement within the sub region. This development has been taking a huge toll on Nigerian businesses involved in cross border trade within the sub region.

“Investors would like to see a more effective intervention by the Nigerian government to put an end to this punitive and obstructionist action by the government of Benin republic,” the report highlighted.

Edo Pupils Regain Freedom After N6m Ransom Adibe Emenyonu Two female pupils of Gloryland Group of Schools, Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, have been freed.

The pupils were released after the parents paid N6 million ransom. The kidnappers first demanded N100 million after the incident on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the primary school pupils were released unhurt. A family member, who spoke in confidence, said the two girls had rejoined their family.

The siblings were abducted while returning from school to their home in Auchi. Their vehicle was intercepted at gunpoint at 5:35 p.m. along Igarra-Auchi Road, near Ikpeshi in AkokoEdo council.

The two pupils of were abducted on Tuesday by gun-

men at about 5:35 pm along Igarra-Auchi Road, near Ikpeshi, Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo The vehicle conveying pupils, who are siblings with some other school, was intercepted at gun point and the abductors dragged them from the vehicle into the bush.

The spokesman of Police Command in Edo, Kontongs Bello confirmed the incident, saying the police operatives, soldiers and vigilantes were already combing the bush in an effort to rescue the abducted kids.

Bello, a Superintendent of Police, said two of the students were kidnapped, though efforts “are on to rescue them unhurt.

Men of the Nigeria Police, Soldiers and vigilantes are already combing the bush to rescue the students.”

Goje’s Daughter Quits Gombe Govt after Attack on Father’s Convoy Deji Elumoye in Abuja The cold war between Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and his predecessor, Senator Danjuma Goje yesterday took a new dimension as Goje’s daughter, Dr. Hussaina Goje, resigned as the Commissioner of Environment and Forest Resources in the state.

Goje, however, preached peace as scores of his supporters visited him in Gombe after the reported attack on his convoy on Friday.

Goje’s daughter in a letter dated November 6 attributed her resignation to personal reasons despite a festering crisis between her father and the state governor.

The letter read: “Today on

Okpara: PDP Now More United to Rescue Nigeria A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Chief Kenneth Okpara has described the emergence of Dr. Iyorcha Ayu-led new executives of the party as a good omen for Nigeria.

Okpara, who spoke with journalists last week believed that the election of Ayu and the entire National Executives of the PDP has given Nigerians a fresh hope at a period of frustration by the people.

Declaring his full support and allegiance to the PDP National Chairman on his “ Operations Rescue Nigerians from the maladministration of the All Progressive Congress APC controlled Federal Government come 2023”, Okpara said the PDP “is now in a position to win the 2023 general elections.”

He called on Nigerians to join hands with the leadership of the

PDP at all levels to rescue the country from the evil machinery of the APC. He said: “I want to first thank the leadership of our great party, the PDP, most especially the governors and our brothers from the North where the national chairmanship position was zoned to for being able to come up with Ayu as a consensus candidate who eventually emerged as our national chairman.

“The PDP is now united more than ever before to take over the country from the bad administration of the APC-led federal government. Nigerians have suffered a lot and this suffering must stop.

“As journalists, can you compare Nigeria under the PDP with what we have now? Then the exchange rate was N180 to a dollar. There was security under PDP. A 50-kg bag of rice was N8, 000. But today it is a different ball game.

November 6, 2021, I wish to inform the general public, media organisations that I, Dr. Hussaina Goje, have tendered my appointment as the Commissioner of Environment and Forest Resources to Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya effective from today.

“I also wish to inform you that my resignation was based on personal reasons. I wish to show my appreciation for the opportunity given to me by the governor to serve as a member of his Executive Council in this administration.”

Meanwhile, scores of Goje’s supporters have stormed his residence in Gombe to show solidarity to him over the reported attack of his convoy by aides of the state governor.

Goje in a video obtained by our correspondent appealed to his supporters not to fight with anybody in the state, saying the peace of the state should be paramount to all.

The ranking senator said that as a man of peace he would not use his hand to destroy what he built over the years in the state.

He recalled how the governor attacked him in Deba LGA, saying it is now the stock in trade of the governor to be attacking.

His words: “As a man of peace, I urge all of my supporters to maintain peace in the state and not to fight with anybody.

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Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

LA LIGA

Barcelona Blow Three-goal Lead as Xavi Appointed to Replace Koeman Duro Ikhazuagbe

O

n the day Barcelona confirmed the return of one of the club’s legends Xavi Hernandez as new head coach, the Catalan giants surrendered a three-goal lead against Celta Vigo to draw the La Liga fixture 3-3.

The game was interim manager Sergi Barjuan’s final match in charge before Xavi who has been offered a deal until 2024 is unveiled tomorrow.

Goals from Ansu Fati, Sergio Busquets and Memphis Depay had put Barcelona in complete control at half-time.

But Iago Aspas scored twice - including a 96th-minute equaliser - as Celta Vigo produced a sensational comeback.

Nolito had made it 3-2 with 16 minutes remaining and Aspas’second means it is now four games without victory for Barcelona in La Liga.

Xavi it to take over a floundering Barcelona side ninth in the table following this draw - and at least eight points adrift of top-spot.

After Fati - replaced at half-time due to injury - slotted into the bottom corner with five minutes played, Busquets’fine finish from the edge of the box and Depay’s header at the end of a sweeping team move appeared to have virtually sealed victory.

But Celta Vigo were rewarded for a muchimproved start to the second-half when Aspas struck from close range and, with Barcelona appearing nervous in defence following Nolito’s header, Barjuan’s side were punished in dramatic fashion as Aspas produced a sublime first-time finish to salvage an unlikely point.

Xavi ...appointed to revive the sagging fortunes of the Catalan giants

PREMIER LEAGUE

City Win Manchester Derby to Return Pressure on Solskjaer Manchester City put the pressure back on Manchester United’s struggling manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they cruised to 2-0 victory with almost embarrassing ease at Old Trafford.

City’s win may not have been as emphatic as Liverpool’s magnificent 5-0 victory in United’s last home league game but the gulf between the sides was certainly as wide.

Solskjaer and United got off to the worst possible start when Eric Bailly turned Joao Cancelo’s cross into his own net after seven minutes and it was only the brilliance of keeper David de Gea that somehow kept City at bay until the final seconds of the first half.

De Gea produced a string of brilliant saves, denying Cancelo twice as well as Gabriel Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne, plus even saving from his own defender Victor Lindelof.

However, Bernardo Silva took advantage of awful defending from Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw to steal in on another Cancelo cross at the far post.

United’s only response was a volley from the subdued Cristiano Ronaldo. The second half was merely a formality as City moved down the gears but still looked more likely to score in what was another chastening afternoon for Manchester United and their manager.

City boss Pep Guardiola told BBC Sport he wanted to give a “massive compliment to the players” because “they are the real artists for the way we played”.

Guardiola said City’s approach was shaped

by United’s ability on the counter-attack, adding: “If you don’t finish the attack you will be attacked much, much quicker and that is where they are so good. That is why we needed a game with a thousand million passes. We need a game like with the ball in the fridge, keep it there.

“Right now Chelsea are unstoppable.

We know we cannot drop much points to

City’s Bernardo Silva (in front) sealed victory for the visitors at Old Trafford with his second goal...yesterday

be close to them but against the big six we performed well.”

The result took City above Liverpool into

Serie A: Osimhen Expected Back for NapoliToday Napoli Sports Director, Signor Giuntoli, has said he is confident Nigerian international, Victor Osimhen, will return for today’s Serie A game against Verona.

Osimhen missed Napoli last two games against Salernitana and Legia Warsaw after he suffered a calf muscle injury in training penultimate Saturday.

“Will Osimhen return against Verona?

We will see,” Giuntoli told Sky Sport yesterday.

“His problem should be minor as he has trained with the other players.

“We are confident and we look forward.”

The Super Eagles striker has netted nine goals in 11 games so far.

Osimhen has also been called up for 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde later this month.

second in the Premier League while fifthplaced United are nine points behind leaders Chelsea.

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Rivers Angels Suffer Humiliating 3-0 Defeat in Morocco Sanaa Mssoudy scored the first ever CAF Women’s Champions League hat-trick in history, as Asfar of Morocco thrashed Rivers Angels of Nigeria 3-0.

It was the second game in Group B played inside the El Salam Stadium in Egypt.

Mssoudy put Asfar 1-0 ahead in the first half before adding two more goals in the second half to seal a memorable win for the north Africans.

Rivers Angels would hope to bounce back

from the defeat when they face Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in their second group game on Tuesday, November 9th.

Elsewhere, Mamelodi Sundowns got their campaign off to a perfect start after edging Kenya’s Vihiga Queens also on Saturday.

Second round of games will take place on Monday and will involve Group A that has host Wadi Degla, Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana, Equatorial Guinea side Malabo Kings and AS Mande of Mali.

Victor Osimhen.

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“I kept getting calls all over the state about the breakdown of the BVAS machine. Two fundamental points are that the technology has collapsed.

This BVAS technology is a complete failure so far. It raises fundamental questions about the technology” – Anambra State governorship candidate of APGA, Prof. Charles Soludo, faulting the malfunctioning of INEC’s technology for the election.

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Hypocrisy as a Political Pastime

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ou need to see me laughing quietly in my corner as we prepare for the 2023 presidential election. The political debate has been built around where the next president should come from. I am having fun listening to certain people taking certain positions, completely forgetting — or pretending to forget — what they were saying before now. I have seen some people who campaigned for “power rotation” some years ago now saying where the next president comes from does not matter (they now say only “merit” matters). I have seen people who agitated for “merit” now saying the next president must come from a particular region. Let’s just say hypocrisy is the spice of politics.

People are allowed to change their minds, aren’t they? Maybe they believed in power rotation some years ago and have seen the light and are now more interested in “merit”.

Perhaps those who preached “merit” in the past are now persuaded that power rotation is the way forward. Only a fool does not change his mind, according to late Desmond Ford, the Australian theologian. Lord Maynard Keynes, the renowned English economist of blessed memory, said when the facts changed, he changed his mind as well. Fair point. I don’t begrudge those who are genuinely pragmatic when they see evidence. My grudge is with the chameleons: they go with the flow that favours their interest.

There are two arguments I have made persistently over the years that I would like to repeat here before I proceed. One, I have always argued that merit and power rotation are not mutually exclusive. There is no state, zone, region or religion in Nigeria today that does not have enough qualified people to be president. Forget what you read on social media: in reality, every ethnic group has well educated, experienced and competent people. I can name at least three solid presidential materials from every state and every zone of the federation.

Therefore, the notion that it is anti-merit to zone presidency to one region is an abuse of fact and logic but I know why people do it.

Two, federal character is obviously deeply ingrained in our DNA. Virtually every national association in Nigeria instinctively shares exco officers among the geo-political zones, even when they are not compelled by any law. It is just logical and natural in a multi-cultural society. I find it ridiculous that a people that use quota system and federal character will turn around and say power rotation does not matter, or that presidency should be exempt.

Why don’t we then throw open everything else if not that we are being duplicitous? In a fragile multi-ethnic nation where there is a perpetual fear of domination, power rotation should have a constitutional seal, in my view.

It can calm nerves.

Recently, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, former military president, canvassed that where the next president comes from should not matter.

In 2011, when President Goodluck Jonathan threw his hat in the ring, northern aspirants in the PDP ganged up against him. They set up a committee to pick a northern candidate.

Their argument was that the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had robbed the north of its eight years in power after a southerner had been president for eight years. Babangida was part of the arrangement that produced Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the northern consensus, although Jonathan still got the PDP ticket.

Today, Babangida and Atiku want freestyling.

Meanwhile, some of the esteemed southern

Baba-Ahmed leaders are insisting today that power rotation is the only way forward, otherwise Nigeria should break to pieces. They are vigorously campaigning for zoning, power shift, equity and such like as we race towards the 2023 presidential poll. The irony, for me, is that some of them said rotation did not matter in 2011 when Jonathan was about to claim the “turn of the north”. They said it was merit that should decide who the president should be.

Some went as far as saying power rotation was the enemy of Nigeria’s progress and until we discarded it and did everything on the basis of merit, we would continue to wallow in underdevelopment.

I also recall that some southern leaders, in supporting Jonathan to run, pooh-poohed the idea of power rotation in their public statements.

Ambassador Raph Uwechue, then presidentgeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said his organisation did not subscribe to the “creeping intensification of the north-south political divide through a two-way zoning formula”, adding that “there is little doubt that such a bi-polar demarcation of our country seriously militates against the desired progressive consolidation of national unity”. The Afenifere leader at the time, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, also said: “I do not believe in this zoning arrangement. It would not produce the best for the country.”

What changed? In framing the political debate around merit and power rotation, people know what they are doing. They choose what favours them per time. They shift the goalposts as the game continues, hoping to take advantage of ethnic and regional emotions. There are people in this country, 21st century Nigeria, who think “merit” is when you give federal appointments to people from their part of the country. They think they are the only ones that have merit.

The moment a federal appointment is given to anyone else, they blame “quota system” and “federal character” — even if the appointees graduated with distinction from Cambridge or Oxford. I know the game.

There was the story of a minister who always engaged recruitment agencies to appoint CEOs for the agencies under the ministry. It always turned out that the appointee would be someone who also spoke the minister’s language. It beggars belief that only one ethnic group could boast of merit in a country where thousands of citizens across ethnic lines are well educated and experienced. The truth is that some people are still living in the past. They have been socialised

to think that as Nigeria was in 1960, so it still is in 2021. It is so difficult for them to accept that “other” Nigerians now attend some of the best schools in the world. Merit is not the exclusive preserve of any region.

Since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, there has been this accusation that he has clearly favoured the north above the south in federal appointments, especially into agencies with enormous economic and political powers.

The argument is not about the lack of merit but the lack of federal spread. I don’t know about the “juicy agencies” part of the argument, but an aspect falls in line with my position: that in a fragile multi-ethnic nation such as ours, it is only natural, logical and fair to share power and positions in a way that everybody will have a sense of belonging. I don’t want to belong to any country where federal appointments are lopsided and lacking in equity.

What I don’t like is the changing of goalposts on “merit” and “federal character”. Why argue for merit when it pays you and change position to federal character when it doesn’t favour you?

We need to establish certain principles so that we can know the argument to apply across board. Should there be federal character in appointments or not? If you oppose federal character, then stick by your position. That means nobody in this camp should complain about Buhari’s appointments on the ground that they do not fairly reflect the diversity in the federation. They should base their criticism purely on merit — by looking at the resumes, not the tribe or tongue, of the appointees.

However, if, like me, you agree that there should be federal character, you can argue further by insisting that federal character should be based on merit: that is, the appointees must be qualified and competent in addition to where they come from. That way, we have both competence and federal character served on one plate. The hypocrite in us, however, will ignore the fact that we hardly present our best for public office. Usually, appointments are used to settle political IOUs and reward the ball boys. This is a disease across all zones in Nigeria, although if you spend too much time on social media, you would may be tempted to think this is peculiar to one part of the country There is another prevalent hypocrisy among some people: they campaign for merit only at federal level. In their states, they do not give a hoot. Anything goes. They cannot swear that appointments they make into state cabinets and agencies are based on merit. On the other hand, there are also those who wholeheartedly campaign for power rotation at the federal level only. In their states, they use their political might to dominate key positions and muscle out the minorities. They will never allow ethnic or religious minorities in their states to produce a governor, but they will shout the loudest about equity and fairness when it comes to federal appointments. Double standards.

Let me state my position once again: Nigeria is too diverse for us to say politics should run its course without some strategic tinkering. In the interest of national peace and progress, we need to implement a system that accommodates everyone, that gives every part of Nigeria a sense of belonging. No section of Nigeria should feel there is an official policy to shut them out.

We can never genuinely address our national challenges for as long as our positions are shifty, shaped in the main by hypocrisy, hate and selfishness. If it mattered where the president came from in 2011, it should also matter where the president will come from in 2023. Let’s stop shifting the goalposts.

And Four Other Things…

HOUSE OF CARDS The collapse of the 21-storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos state, is a familiar story. According to a researcher, Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola, the state has recorded at least 152 building collapses since 2005. A day after the Ikoyi incident, another one collapsed in the Lekki axis, although it did not make headlines because there were no casualties.

The saddest part for me is that whatever is responsible for the frequent collapses — poor job, regulatory failure, etc — will remain unaddressed, and so we are just waiting for the text collapse. Nigeria is not a country where we learn lessons, otherwise we would be far better than this. My condolences to the bereaved families. Tragic.

SOLUDO VS UBA The Anambra governorship election TV debate, which featured the candidates of APGA, APC and PDP, ended up as a battleground for Senator Andy Uba (APC) and Prof Chukwuma Soludo (APGA) to settle old scores. For a long time, I had been hearing that it was Uba that nominated Soludo as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2004. Uba repeated the claim during the debate and Soludo denied flatly. The man who can settle the argument once and for all is President Olusegun Obasanjo, but you can be sure he will not waste his energies on that.

And that is why I keep wondering why this is still an issue 17 years after. I enjoyed the exchange all the same. Feisty.

ODILI’S ORDEAL The Abuja residence of Mrs Mary Peter-Odili, a justice of the Supreme Court, was subjected to a humiliating search last weekend in what many described as “political”. I don’t know how political it was, but some things were very clear: there was no name on the search warrant and the address was not hers. Yet an “unknown” task force went to the house of the judge, wife of former governor of Rivers state, to execute the warped warrant. While we await the outcome of the probe by the police authorities, I would just advise that we stop embarrassing ourselves in this country with the amateurish way we do things.

Why search a house without doing your homework? Impunity.

SMELL OF DEATH Who still remembers the Abule-Ado gas explosion in March 2020 that killed 23, destroyed 50 houses and displaced 276,000? It was like a war zone. We were just inches away from another massive gas disaster on Wednesday in Ikeja, Lagos state.

There was a gas leak reportedly on a six-inch pipeline supplying Mainland Power Ltd, near Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

This time, a stitch in time saved more than nine. I must commend the authorities for reacting swiftly and preventing what could have led to another loss of lives. A gas explosion in the densely populated area — notably housing the ever-bubbling computer village — would have led to a major tragedy.

Gosh!

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