SATURDAY 22TH JANUARY 2022

At World Economic Forum, Osinbajo Warns Multilateral Finance Institutions against Defunding Oil, Gas Projects in Africa Deji Elumoye in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday warned multilateral finance institutions against defunding oil and gas projects

in Africa, as the Western World continues its drive to phase out polluting fuels, saying such a step would have medium and long term consequences on African economies.

Osinbajo, who delivered a special address (virtually) at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, added that drastic actions would ultimately impede the aim of

phasing out fouling oils.

He declared: “We need to ramp up energy access in response to this situation, which is why the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies must be

just and fair. We are emphatic in our view that natural gas, which Africa has in abundance, must be accepted as a transition fuel.

“Although, we in Africa are working towards the globally

accepted net-zero future, we are also conscious that our energy needs are increasing with the growth in our economies. We Continued on page 5

UN: Boko Haram, ISWAP Still Very Dangerous, Says N’East Needs $1bn Aid… Page 6 Saturday 22 January, 2022 Vol 27. No 9783

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CBN Introduces Single Window Price Portal for Imports and Exports New system to operate on a Global Price Verification Mechanism guided by benchmark prices James Emejo in Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said effective

February 1, 2022, all import and export operations would require the submission of an electronic invoice (e-invoice) authenticated

by Authorised Dealer Banks (ADBs) on the Nigeria Single Window Price Portal – Trade Monitoring System (TRMS).

The apex bank noted that the introduction of the e-valuator and e-Invoice would replace hard copy final invoice as part

of the documentation required for all import and export transactions going forward.

The CBN disclosed this in a

circular titled:" Guidelines on the Introduction of E-Evaluator, Continued on page 5

Confusion Reigns in APC over Chairmanship, Buni Scheming Akume: Chairmanship already assigned to North-central, commends Caretaker Committee Sheriff: Rumoured zoning aimed at stopping me from leading APC Charles Ajunwa in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Ahead of its National Convention in February 26, there is confusion in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the zoning of its chairmanship, with some of the aspirants insisting that it had be decided, and that the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) should just announce it. Others are saying no decision had been reached and want zoning jettisoned.

On the flip side, except the unforeseen happens, the Chairman of the CECPC, who is also governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, is scheming to be on the chairmanship ballot paper when the party converges on Abuja February 26, to elect new National Working Committee Continued on page 5

AS LAGOS4LAGOS JOINS PDP… L-R: Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki; Governors Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; and Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State; during the ceremony to officially receive the Lagos4Lagos Movement, led by Olajide Adediran (Jandor) who decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos…yesterday

AMCON Takes over Ibadan Disco over Insolvency...

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22 , 2022

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Buhari, Ganduje Promise Justice for Little Hanifa Killed by Teacher Shock, anger as murderer narrates how he slayed 5-year old abductee with rat poison Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje have both promised justice for little Hanifa Abubakar, the five-year old girl abducted and murdered by her teacher in Kwanar Dakata, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The teacher, Abdulmalik Tanko, who is also the proprietor of the school (Noble Kids Academy), collected ransom from the parents of Hanifa, but still killed the little girl and buried her body in the school’s premises.

The corpse of Hanifa, who was abducted in November last year, was discovered in a shallow grave in the school’s premises last Thursday by security agents, about two months after she was declared missing.

Yesterday, Buhari sympathised with the family Hanifa, and praised police and the secret service operatives for unraveling the mystery behind the disappearance of Hanifa, “particularly for the arrest of her

teacher and his other accomplices suspected of the child’s kidnap and murder.”

In a statement issued by Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, the President also said the family and the whole nation, which followed up on Hanifa’s travail every day since her disappearance, were hoping for the girl to have been rescued alive and well.

He added, however, that the very thorough and painstaking detective operation by law enforcement bodies, leading to the discovery of the corpse and the arrest of the suspects, who had already made confessions, was commendable, calling it an achievement that should instill more public confidence in the authorities.

Buhari said: “When breakthroughs like this happen, people will talk differently of law enforcement."

The President prayed for the repose of the soul of the little school girl and urged her parents to bear the sad loss with courage and fortitude in God. Buhari, however, urged the Police and the Kano State

Ministry of Justice to uphold the integrity of the detective work that busted the case by preparing well and presenting a good case that would earn the respect of the court.

Ganduje Vows to Secure Justice for Hanifa Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje yesterday assured that government would continue to meticulously monitor and ensure the prosecution of anyone found culpable in the kidnap and murder of Hanifa.

This was contained in a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba.

The governor said already, measures taken in the matter include the indefinite closure and withdrawal of the operating license of the school where the child was allegedly murdered.

He said the Kano State Government was terribly disturbed that the people entrusted with the care of the child turned out to be her

murderers.

Ganduje added that the government had been in touch with the family of the child and would remain so until justice prevailed in the case to serve as a deterrent to others.

The governor, who commended security agencies in the state for the prompt action that led to the arrest of those allegedly involved, stated that “while investigation is ongoing, the government will meticulously follow the case to its logical conclusion.”

He also commended the international community, human rights-based organisations and well-meaning Nigerians for their concern in the matter.

The Kano State Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Kiru, who announced closure of the school, also said the state government would commence investigation of unregistered private schools and teachers to check such criminal activities.

‘I Killed Hanifa with N100 Rat Poison’ There was drama at the

headquarters of the Kano State Police Command yesterday, when the killers of Hanifa were paraded.

Fatima Maina, mother of the murdered girl, attacked the teacher/school proprietor (Tanko) who was the mastermind of the killing.

A source at the police station said: "The parents of the child were the ones who got there first. Later, Tanko and other suspects were brought in by the police. Immediately Fatima sighted Tanko, she charged towards him, raining slaps and blows on him as she demanded why he took her daughter’s life. The drama continued for a while until policemen whisked the prime suspect away."

Later, Tanko narrated how he used a N100 rat poison to kill Hanifa.

He said: “I picked her inside Keke NAPEP and I carried her to my own house where I lied to my wife that the girl was a daughter to one of the women working in my school and that the mother travelled and pleaded for us to keep the girl for some days. My wife

AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, OSINBAJO WARNS MULTILATERAL FINANCE INSTITUTIONS AGAINST DEFUNDING OIL, GAS PROJECTS IN AFRICA must not allow this worrying situation to be compounded further by global inaction, processes and rules that make it difficult for Africa to adapt to climate change or indeed to develop.”

Osinbajo also urged the international community to meet its pledge that was recently reaffirmed at COP-26, of providing $100 billion annually in climate finance to support climate change efforts in developing countries.

He likewise called for a waiver on the intellectual property rights, to allow African countries produce COVID-19 vaccines to contain the spread of the virus and improve protection for Nigerians and Africans.

The vice president lamented that less than 10 per cent of African countries had vaccinated 40 per cent of their population.

He also warned that there would be a relatively slow rollout of vaccinations in Africa due to resource constraints, adding, “Yet, vaccinations remain essential because of the mutation of the virus and the emergence of variants that may be more dangerous than the Omicron.”

Osinbajo continued: “There are also the issues around African countries being able to produce their own vaccines. And that is entirely possible with cooperation, especially around intellectual property issues. We have to look at issues around patent rights, intellectual property rights, and exclusivity rights; especially if we’re going to improve the

chances of African countries to manufacture vaccines locally.

“We have to look at relaxing those rights. Patent waivers and intellectual property waivers will be important. These are proved to be a problem now. No one seems to be making much progress in that respect. But we can’t really talk about African countries producing their own vaccines if we don’t address those important structural problems.

I think that could very easily be done.”

Osinbajo stressed that despite giant strides recorded across Africa, “there are still challenges to overcome which requires international collaboration that can help to tackle climate change, address security concerns, promote economic prosperity, combat disease and improve

governance.”

He listed some of the progress on the African continent, including the recovery from the global pandemic, economic growth by 3.7% last year and a projected 3.8% growth in 2022.

The vice president noted: “There is now in place an African Continental Free Trade Area agreement to fast-track economic transformation just as the continent is making giant strides in agriculture, manufacturing and digital technology.”

He added that in Nigeria for instance, 6 unicorns have emerged in the past six years.

Osinbajo said it was time for the international community to “walk the talk” by meeting its commitments towards advancing growth in developing economies,

especially climate change obligations.

On the issue of peace and security, the vice president stressed that African countries face a serious threat of terrorism arising from the encroachment of global terror groups and their franchises into Africa.

According to him: “It is imperative for the international community to make more robust interventions to clear terrorists from Africa just as it did in the Middle East and other parts of the world. The United Nations Security Council must find unanimity in working with and assisting African countries to eradicate the menace of terrorism in the continent once and for all.”

Osinbajo also called on the international community to support African countries to

overcome fiscal challenges arising from their limited revenues.

According to him, the creation of $650 billion in new Special Drawing Rights last year was a step in the right direction, “but more needs to be done to enable African and other developing countries access the SDRs that are not needed or being used by developed or emerging economies.”

He further urged multilateral organisations to consider the huge obligations placed on African countries and adopt debt relief initiatives such as the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework for Debt Treatments in a manner that would not further constrain the resumption of growth to the continent.

accepted and kept the girl for that reason.

“I realised that the girl’s parents were informed that when picking her up, she made mention of ‘uncle’. This gave me the impression that they might be suspecting me as the uncle.

“Then after some time, after some days, some of my teachers visited my house very early in the morning and when they came, I was also suspecting that they were sent over to the house to find out whether the girl was there with me.

“So, I decided that it was better I found a way before I would be caught. I first thought of sending this girl to another state but again, I thought the whole town was aware that she was missing. If the girl was going to be sent out through the main roads, we would be caught. So, that was when I conceived the idea of killing her.

“I picked her up at home; she was already sleeping, it was getting to 11pm. I picked her up… I used to always drink tea… I was drinking tea at that time, so I put the remaining tea in an empty container of BoBo yogurt and then I poured in this rat killer poison inside and gave it to the girl, not in my own house.

“When we went to the other school, when we were passing, I told her that I was taking her back to her uncle’s house. So, as we were going, I gave her the drink on the road and she drank it and then we entered one branch of the school; the branches are two. We entered the other branch with her and I told her I was going to pick something inside. She entered and that was where she finally died.

“I bought the poison N100.

I buried her in the school. Let me clear this doubt. People are thinking that it has to do with ritual, this is not rituals.

I buried her inside the school simply because I was not able to find any secure place to dig a hole.”

CBN INTRODUCES SINGLE WINDOW PRICE PORTAL FOR IMPORTS AND EXPORTS E-Invoicing for Import and Export in Nigeria ", signed

by CBN Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Dr. Ozoemena Nnaji and directed to all authorised dealers and the price.

The apex bank pointed out that the new regulation aims to achieve accurate value from import and export items in and out of the country.

The new system will operate on a Global Price Verification Mechanism guided by a benchmark price, the bank explained.

The benchmark price is

the actual spot market price obtainable at the time of consummation of invoicing in that market where the goods are traded.

Imports and exports with unit prices that are more than 2.5 per cent of the verified global checkmate prices would be queried and will not be allowed for successful completion of either Form M or Form NXP as the case may be, it added.

The guideline however, provided exemptions from compliance with the new regulation for all individual invoices with a value of less

than $10, 000 (or its equivalent in another currency), except where suppliers have an annual cumulative invoicing value equal to or above $500, 000 (or its equivalent in another currency).

Such would be required to submit their invoices regardless of the individual value of an invoice.

Exemptions were also granted to import and export transactions made by all security agencies in the country.

According to the CBN, supplies to diplomatic and consular missions as well as international agencies dependent

on the United Nations are further exempted from the regulation, including donations made to foreign governments or international organisations to foundations, charities and recognised humanitarian organisations - and goods directly supplied by a foreign government.

The circular added that fees, where relevant, shall be advised from time to time as the system progresses.

Essentially, the guidelines stipulated that an importer/ exporter of goods into Nigeria shall ensure that the purchase/

sales contract with a foreign supplier/buyer stipulates compliance with the obligations set out in the regulation and that the supplier's/seller's invoice must be submitted in electronic format and authenticated by ADB as part of the documentation for payment.

Among other things, no importer/exporter may effect payment to the credit of any foreign supplier unless the electronic invoice has been authenticated by the ADBs presented together with the relevant documents for payment.

Mustapha said while it still remained “a rumour” that the APC chairmanship had been zoned to North-central, it was still in line with his expectation.

Mustapha who spoke through his media aide, Dapo Okunbanjo said he remained the frontrunner for the number one party position.

He said, "As for this zoning, we've heard this but we still consider it a rumour just like what the CECPC said. And if indeed it's zoned officially to North-central, it will be in line with our expectations. We still see ourselves as frontrunners in the race whether it's zoned or not, but what we are doing is to take things one step at a time.”

The source that leaked Buni’s

move to THISDAY last night, added that the need to perfect the Yobe State governor’s game-plan influenced the delay in announcing the zoning for the office of National Chairman and other party positions.

The source said: “Buni wants to remain National Chairman; forcing him to organise a National Convention was just a temporary setback. The plan is to declare the National chairmanship position open to the entire North, so that he can contest. Buni has 14 APC governors with him in this plot. His main ally, Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice had already cleared the way for him by openly declaring a few weeks back that he could legally combine the office of governor with that of the

party’s chairmanship.”

THISDAY learnt further that Buni, Malami and the 14 governors working with him in the plot would soon meet President Buhari, to convince him on the need for the Yobe governor to continue as chairman of the party.

“Once they get Buhari’s support, the deal is done.

All the other chairmanship candidates will have to step down. Even if they don’t step down, Buni’s name will be the only chairmanship candidate one on the official list of contenders to be voted for on D-Day. This is the list that will be forced on delegates. This guy wants to conduct the 2023 APC primaries and it will be tough stopping this ambition,” added the source.

CONFUSION REIGNS IN APC OVER CHAIRMANSHIP, BUNI SCHEMING (NWC) members.

The Buni-led CECPC had consistently resisted pressure to hold the elective National Convention, with a plan to sit tight and conduct the party’s primaries for the 2023 elections, but recent push from President Muhammadu Buhari forced it to bend backwards, resulting in the announced convention date.

Aspirants from outside the North-central, where the National Chairman’s position is rumoured to have been zoned, are anxious for a quick official position from CECPC on the issue, to know whether to halt the time and resources being expended on their campaigns or not.

Also, by yesterday, some chairmanship aspirants

from the North-central were insisting that the party’s stakeholders had all agreed that the position of Chairman be zoned to the region and that the CECPC should just do the needful by making a formal announcement.

One of the chairmanship aspirants from the zone and the Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, yesterday insisted that the party had zoned the chairmanship to North-central and commended the party’s leadership for doing so.

Akume, who spoke in Abuja through Simone Shango, the Chairman, Contact Committee of his Campaign Organisation, said it was normal for the party to “deny the zoning arrangement at this point,

but a formal announcement would be made soon.”

However, the former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, who is also a chairmanship aspirant, described the claim that the position had been zoned to North-central as fake news, adding that other aspirants are afraid of going into the convention with him.

Sheriff insisted that he was the target of the rumoured zoning of the position to the North-central, saying he remained the candidate to beat.

He is of the view that anyone can be chairman “but not everybody has the capacity to be the chairman.”

Another chairmanship aspirant, Mallam Saliu

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 22, 2022

NEWS

News Editor Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

UN: Boko Haram, ISWAP Still Very Dangerous, Says N’East Needs $1bn Aid The Head, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria, Martin Griffiths, has urged the world not to take attention away from the insurgency-ravaged North-east Nigeria, noting that the region needs not less than $1bn in aid this year.

According to him, the funds are needed to provide food and health care for the millions of people displaced and to those

who remain in their homes but are vulnerable to attacks.

Griffiths, who spoke in an interview with The Associated Press in Abuja, said terrorist group, Boko Haram, and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province, are still “very, very dangerous and very threatening.”

He noted that victims of the decade-long insurgency in the North-East were in serious need

of humanitarian support, urging the world not to forget the continuing devastation being caused by the terrorists that have killed several thousands of residents and displaced millions.

“This is a very different kind of operation and very difficult also to deter … a grave, clear and present danger, obviously, to the people and a priority for the government,” Griffiths said,

adding that “the world needs to remember this is a tragedy that needs to be sorted out.”

Nigeria’s fight against extremists “can’t be won on the battlefield,” said the U.N. official, who urged more community development efforts.

The conflict has resulted in approximately 35,000 deaths, according to the U.N. Devel-

opment Programme. For each casualty, “an additional nine people, primarily children, have lost their lives due to lack of food and resources,” the U.N. agency estimated in a report in June 2021.

Nigeria’s military continues to try to quell the violence, especially in northeastern Borno State and the Lake Chad region, but the conflict has continued

year after year.

Griffiths said it would take more than a military approach to defeat terrorism in the region.

Boko Haram drew international condemnation in 2014 when they abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok village, prompting the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. More than 100 of those abducted students are still missing.

Taraba Communal Clashes: Death Toll Rises to Eight Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The death toll in the clashes between the Ichen and Ndaka ethnic stock in Kurmi Local Government Area of Taraba State has risen to eight.

The clashes, which started on the 15th of December, 2021 and has become intermittent has led to the destruction of Bissaula, headquarters of the district; Gwanda and several other communities.

Besides, thousands of people have been rendered homeless and are currently scattered across several adjoining villages where they are taking refuge.

Addressing a press conference in Jalingo yesterday, National President, Ichen Cultural and Development Association, Dr. Bibinu Ahmed, told journalists that four persons of Ichen extraction have so far been killed in the crisis while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

In the same vein, the spokesperson of the Ndaka people, Mr. Kefas Magaji, told journalists

on phone that four persons of Ndaka extraction have so far been killed, three of whom were killed at Gwanda.

It was gathered that crisis erupted in the area when the Ndaka people made attempt to install one of their own as a village head, a development that did not go down well with the Ichen people who claimed to be the original inhabitants of the area.

Less than two weeks after crisis broke out in the area, precisely on the 28th of December 2021, Governor Darius Ishaku held a meeting with the leaders of the area at Baissa, headquarters of the local government during which he suspended the District Head of Bissaula, Mallam Umaru Giwa Danbeki who is of Ichen extraction.

Mallam Danbeki later died on the 16th of January, 2022 few hours after another attack was launched on Bissaula while Dr. Ahmed laid the blame for the escalation of the crisis on the doorsteps of the state government.

AMCON Takes over Ibadan Disco over Insolvency Peter Uzoho The Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has taken over the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) Limited over insolvency.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Ibadan Disco, Mr. John Ayodele, disclosed this in a memo to the company’s staff informing them of the development.

Ayodele, in the memo dated January 20, 2021, said the company fell under receivership by a September 8, 2021 Federal High Court judgment.

He added that the judgment granted preservative orders in favour of AMCON, explaining that the government corporation had appointed a lawyer to serve in the receivership action.

The COO further disclosed that the receiver arrived Thursday, January 20, 2022, to take charge formally, hinting that he already held a meeting with the management staff.

Ayodele, however, allayed fears of job losses resulting from the takeover, assuring the staff of IBEDC of job security.

The memo reads: “Further, to the judgement wherein the Federal High Court on the 8th of September 2021 granted

preservative orders in favour of Asset Management CorporationAMCON, (being the Receiver/ Manager of Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited); the court has appointed Mr. Kunle Oqunba Esq. SAN to act as Receiver/ Manager Nominee in the receivership action.

“Based on the foregoing the Receiver/Manager came in today 20th January 2022 to the IBEDC Headquarters to take charge formally and subsequently met with the Management team. Therefore, I hereby wish to inform all staff that there is no cause for alarm.

“We are assured of job security which entails our position/ duties in the company, being entitlements to our salaries and other benefits etc.

“On behalf of the Management I urge us all to kindly go about the efficient discharge of our duties to ensure a speedy and mutually beneficial resolution.

“I wish us all the best, while | appeal that we continue to remember IBEDC in our prayers.”

IBEDC distributes electricity to consumers in Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Ondo states as well as some parts of Ekiti and Kwara states.

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT …

L-R: Vice President of Liberia, Her Excellency, Dr. Jewel Taylor; and Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Person and Chairperson, APC National Women Conference Contacts and Mobilisation Committee, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, during the Liberian VP’s visit to Nigeria, yesterday

SaMBA Demands Immediate Release of Detained Kaduna-based Journalist Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

The Southern and Middle Belt Alliance (SaMBA) has demanded for the immediate release of the Spokesman of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Biniyat, detained by Kaduna State Government.

The group condemned the continuous detention of Southern Kaduna-born journalist and warned that if anything happens to Biniyat, the state governor would be held responsible.

It wondered how a Nigerian citizen could be detained for two months in a civil matter.

In a statement issued yesterday by its Spokesman, Prince Rwang Pam Jnr, the group stated that

while the illegal detention at the Maximum Correctional Centre in Kaduna was at the instance of the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security, Samuel Aruwan, facts allegedly showed that the illegal detention enjoyed the approval of Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

The group vowed to ensure that Aruwan’s dream to hold any public office in the future never comes to pass.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the continuous detention of the Spokesman of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Luka Biniyat for the past two months on the orders of a Magistrate Court

in Kaduna on the trumped-up charges filed by the Governor El-Rufai-led administration using the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security, Mr. Samuel Aruwan.

“It is shocking and alien to democratic traditions that a matter that ought to be civil in nature is twisted into a high-profile criminal case traceable to terrorism and therefore brought under the Terrorism Prevention Act. There is no doubt that the Kaduna State Government is using its DPP to haunt and use the Judiciary in persecuting its perceived enemies.

“The SOKAPU Spokesman was arraigned before the Mag-

istrate Court on an initial offence of injurious falsehood which is ordinarily bailable however when the bail application was moved before the Magistrate the Kaduna State Government through its DPP quickly filed charges of Internet stalking e.t.c under the Terrorism Prevention Act that is not ordinarily bailable.

“This move was clearly targeted at keeping Luka Binnyat in prison until his application for bail is heard by a superior Court.

SaMBA is appalled by this crude and inhuman use of institutions of state to harass, humiliate and persecute citizens by a so-called democratic government.”

Oil Thieves Abduct Bayelsa Commissioner Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Crude oil thieves in the early hours of yesterday kidnapped Bayelsa State Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr. Federal Otokito, at his home in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

Reliable sources from the community said the Otokito’s abduction may not be unconnected to his stance on kicking against the plans by some suspected crude oil thieves to set-up a crude oil bunkering camp near his community, Otuokpoti in Ogbia.

According to the community sources, the leader of the gang of crude oil thieves, after being chased out of his base in Rivers State, visited the community

and held a meeting with some elders, women and youths where they sold the idea of establishing a crude oil bunkering camp in the forest bothering Agbura and Otuokpoti communities.

The sources further revealed that at the meeting, all parties in attendance gave their approval for the camp to be set-up and at the end collected bags of rice, live goats and cash gifts the leader of the gang of crude oil thieves offered them.

It was gathered that on getting wind of the alleged meeting, the commissioner travelled to his community and made it point clear that as a serving commissioner in the state, he

would rather die than allow such a camp to be established in the community.

Sources further hinted that, the commissioner also went extra miles to confront the said leader of the gang, threatening to expose them to security agents if they don’t abort their plan, and that in the process several persons verbally threatened to deal with him if he doesn’t back down.

Barely days after the confrontation, sources said the commissioner’s home was rounded up about 11p.m. Thursday night by some gunmen who managed to gain entrance into his house through his kitchen, dragged him to a waiting speedboat and zoomed off.

Giving her account of what transpired, one of the daughters of the commissioner, Miss Favour Otokito, said “My father, mother and my brother and sisters were sleeping when our power generating set went off. So my father asked my mother if she did not put enough petrol in the tank, she said she did.

“So she went outside with the intention to bring the generator into the house, so we could find out what the fault was by daybreak. It is our village, so she didn’t envisage any danger. When she got outside, she stepped out some boys came out of hiding and ran towards her, she quickly ran back inside and locked the door.

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NEWS

Alleged N26.6bn Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Bank PHB Director, Adenmosun Wale Igbintade The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned a former director of Bank PHB (now Keystone), Funmi Adenmosun, before a federal High Court sitting in Lagos over alleged N26.6 billion money laundering.

Adenmosun was arraigned alongside his company, Home Trust Savings and Loan Limited and a private company, Rare Properties and Development Limited They were arraigned before Justice Daniel Osiagor on a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering and fraudulent conversion of the proceeds of private placement raised from the public in the name of Investments & Allied Assurance Plc. EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court

of the 10-count charge dated January 5, 2020 and urged the court to direct that the charge be read to the defendants.

Adenmosun pleaded not guilty to all 10-count charges.

Following his not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Oyedepo requested for a trial date and urged the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till the determination of the charge.

However, Adenmosun’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Adesokan (SAN) informed the court that a bail application dated January 13, 2022, has been filed and the same has been served on the prosecution.

He urged the court to hand over Adenmosun to him, assuring the court that he would always attend to his case.

Justice Osiagor who refused the request, granted him bail in the sum of N250 million

Ogun to Set Up Commission against Yahoo Boys, Declares War on Kidnappers James Sowole in Abeokuta The Ogun State Government yesterday declared war on financial crime fraudsters popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys and kidnappers.

To fight the war against fraudsters, the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, disclosed that the government would soon set up its own agency to deal with internet frauds and illegal financial transactions, especially those having to do with kidnapping, ransom taking and advance fee frauds.

Abiodun disclosed government measures at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, during the launch of the state joint security outfit, code-named OP-MESA. He said that his administration would not fold its arms and allow the state to be known for the wrong reasons.

“We will make Ogun State uninhabitable for all criminals.

The other day, I was in a meeting in Abuja and in attendance was the Chairman of EFCC, and sadly, he said to me that Ogun State tops the list on the ‘Yahoo Yahoo Boys’. In my response, I said ‘I am not surprised because Ogun State is the education capital of this country and you will find such around educational institutions’ and he agreed with me.

“We have decided that we will set up our state commission that will be targeted towards eliminating these sorts of financial crimes. Our state commission will collaborate with the federal commission so that we do not occupy that false place in this area. We would like to occupy the first in many areas, but not in fraud and Yahoo Yahoo,” Abiodun stated.

Also, he said he had declared war on the resurgence of kidnapping that reared its head on the link road between the state and its neighbours.

Six Governors Storm Lagos as Lagos4Lagos Joins PDP Nseobong Okon-Ekong The official change of political party loyalty by Mr. Olajide Abdulaziz Adediran, better known as Jandor and his Lagos4Lagos Movement from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attracted six serving PDP governors to the Tafawa Balewa Square venue yesterday.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, explained that Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum could not attend because he was bereaved.

Ikpeazu, who described Adediran as a strategic member said the presence of the PDP governors who included Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom

State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, said the presence of the governors was an endorsement for Jandor and demonstration of the fact that the PDP is the only democratic political party in the country.

“It is very important that you are here to witness the beginning of the process that will take power from geriatric operators and promote an active government operated by youths. I want you to support Jandor so that he can contribute his quota to the development of Lagos State.”

While urging the new entrants into the PDP to “see members of the PDP as brothers and sisters and part of his family,” he reiterated PDP’s promise to rescue Nigeria and rescue Lagos State also.

with two sureties.

Court directed that one of the sureties must be a Grade Level 15 officer in either federal or state ministry, while the other surety must be a blood relation of the defendant and must swear to affidavit of means.

The court further directed that Adenmosun should be

remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of his bail application.

The matter was adjourned till February 23 and March 4, 2022 for hearing.

Some of the charges against the defendant reads: “That you, Funmi Adenmosun and Home Trust Savings and Loan Limited and Rare

Properties and Development Limited sometimes in 2007 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to convert the sum of N26, 600, 000, 000 (Twenty Six Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira) which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of fraudulent

conversion of the proceeds of private placement raised from the public in the name of Investments & Allied Assurance Plc and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 tab of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (2) (b) of the same Act.

CELEBRATING MILESTONES . . .

L-R: Executive Director, Operations, Mutual Benefits Assurance, Biyi Ashiru-Mobolaji; Group Chairman, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi; his wife, Dotun; MD/CEO, Femi Asenuga and his wife, Adebowale, during the company’s’ 26th Year Thanksgiving Service in Lagos... recently Photo: Abiodun Ajala

IG Deploys New Police Chiefs in Lagos,Yobe, Benue Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, yesterday ordered the posting of CP Alabi Abiodun Sylvester to Lagos State Police Command as the new Commissioner of Police in charge of the state.

The IG also ordered the posting of CP Haruna Gabriel Garba and CP Tajudeen Akinwale Abass to Yobe and Benue State Police commands respectively.

The posting is coming on the

heels of the recent promotion by the Police Service Commission of two Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), six Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and 17 Commissioners of Police.

A statement by Force Headquarters signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said CP Alabi Abiodun, the new Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, is a fellow of the National Defence College

and a member of Nigeria Institute of Management. An alumnus of the University of Lagos where he studied Sociology and a Masters Degree holder from Obafemi Awolowo University, CP Alabi was appointed into the Nigeria Police Force in 1990 as a cadet officer.

He has served in various capacities within the Force which include the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Police Mobile Force, Force

Headquarters, Abuja; DCP Admin Taraba and Bayelsa Commands respectively, and as DCP Operations, Ekiti State Command before his promotion to the rank of Commissioner of Police.

Until his recent redeployment, he was the CP Administration, FCID Abuja.

CP Haruna Gabriel Garba holds a Masters Degree in International Relations from the University of Uyo.

Police to Investigate Death of 11-year-old Student Beaten by Teacher David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka The Anambra State Police Command has assured that it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of an 11-year-old student of St. Valerian Secondary School, Onitsha, who was flogged by a female teacher.

The Police Public Relations

Officer in the state, Ikenga Tochukwu, gave the assurance when contacted by THISDAY over the death of the boy, identified as Izuchukwu David Onwualu.

Ikenga said that though the matter had not been officially reported to his office but the Command would take it up following

Irate Youths Kill Policeman in Niger Laleye Dipo in Minna An unidentified policeman was yesterday allegedly killed in Minna, the Niger State capital, while trying to quell an uprising by some youths in the Makera area of the state.

The slain policeman was among those deployed to restore law and order to the Makera area of the city centre after three days of gang clashes.

While one eyewitness claimed the policeman was stabbed to death by one of the youths, another report said that the security man met his untimely death when a bullet from the gun of his colleague reportedly hit him causing instant death.

The eyewitness said the other policeman tried to shoot into the air to scare the rioting youths but the bullet mistakenly hit the dead policeman.

The policeman was rushed to the Minna General Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

All efforts to get police confirmation of the incident was abortive as the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, did not respond to calls made to his cell phone.

However, the Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Mr. Emmanuel Umar when contacted said: “Yes it happened, I have contacted the CP who promised to give me the details later.”

the enquiry.

He said: “We have not got an official report on that yet but somebody has called me, telling me about the matter. Now that you have reminded me, we shall look into the matter and I will get back to you soonest.”

Onwualu, an 11-year-old Junior Secondary School 1 student

at St. Valerian Catholic School in Onitsha, allegedly died after being flogged repeatedly by a female science teacher in the school.

The school authorities were reported to have allegedly bribed the boy’s father with N200,000 and also hurriedly conducted a burial for the boy.

Delta Traditional Rulers’ Council Dissolved, Okowa Commends HRM Efeizomor II for Impactful Tenure Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba The Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers has been dissolved following the expiration of the tenure of the executive committee led by its Chairman, HRM Dr. Emmanuel Oyinke Efeizomor II, the Obi of Owa Kingdom in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, who announced this in a statement in Asaba

yesterday, January 21, 2022, said that dissolution of the council was approved by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The statement also conveyed commendation from the governor for what it described as the impactful contributions of the royal fathers to peace and security in the state, particularly under the leadership of Obi Efeizomor II, who had assumed the body’s mantle of leadership following the demise of the HRM Ogiame Atuwase II, Olu of Warri.

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

NEWS

FAAC Shares N699.824bn, as December Allocation Rises by N23.878bn

INEC to Demand Bank Asset Declarations from Candidates in 2023 Elections

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

Every candidate in the 2023 election will be mandated to present their bank statements and their transactions will be tracked by the Independent National Electoral Commission with assistance from the Central Bank of Nigeria, commercial banks, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, DSS and the ICPC. The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, stated this yesterday in Abuja during a policy roundtable conference on political campaign Ànance organised by The Electoral Forum, an organ of the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development with support from MacArthur Foundation.

Yakubu, who was represented by a National Commissioner, Kunle Ajayi, said the commission was putting structures in place to track funding to prevent electoral fraud, including vote buying and movement of money on election days.

He said through theEFCC, commercial banks would be compelled to report all suspicious transactions ahead of the election, threatening to prosecute any bank that failed to make such reports.

According to the iNEC chairman, “As long as we have not notiÀed anybody that the race

The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) yesterday shared a total of N699.824 billion to the federal state and local governments for the month of December 2021.

This represents a N23.878 billion increase over the N675.946 billion distributed in the preceding month of December.

According to a communiqué issued at the end of a virtual meeting of FAAC, the N699.824 billion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N507.267 billion; distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N187.409 billion and Exchange Gain of N5.148 billion.

Total deductions for cost of

collection was N30.003 billion while the total deductions for statutory transfers, refunds and savings stood at N36.643 billion.

From the total distributable revenue of N699.824 billion, the federal government received N279.457 billion; states received N221.190 billion and the local government councils received N163.879 billion.

The sum of N35.297 billion was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

Statutory revenue of N507.267 billion was available for the month.

From this, the federal government received N248.885 billion, state governments received N126.238 billion while the local government councils received N97.324 billion.

The sum of N34.820 billion was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

The communique added that the gross revenue available from VAT in the reference month was N201.255 billion. This surpassed the N196.175 billion available in the month of November 2021

by N5.080 billion.

The sum of N5.796 billion allocation to the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and N8.050 billion cost of collection were deducted from the N201.255 billion gross VAT revenue, resulting in the distributable VAT revenue of N187.409 billion.

From the N187.409 billion VAT revenue available for distribution, the federal government received N28.111 billion, state

got N93.705 billion while the local government councils received N65.593 billion.

Also, the federal government received N2.461 billion from the total Exchange Gain revenue of N5.148 billion; states received N1.248 billion, local government councils received N0.962 billion and N0.477 billion was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

While Companies Income Tax (CIT) and VAT increased reasonably in December, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Oil and Gas Royalties decreased significantly.

Import and excise duties also decreased marginally.

The balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at January 21 stood at $35.368 million.

Bennett Oghifo

to the 2023 general election has started, we are not unaware of what anybody is doing. We follow the law strictly.

“We have not o΀cially declared notice for the 2023 general election, but when we do declare, we will put our monitoring committees to motion like the Central Bank of Nigeria, DSS, EFCC, the ICPC, (commercial) banks and other law enforcement agencies. We have that plan already.

“Every candidate must be made to declare his bank asset.

That is where they draw out their money, so we will make them present their statement of account right from the onset.

“We will make it mandatory for them to turn in their bank statement so that if they say they are doing billboards and the account remains the same, then there is a problem.”

He said, “We are going to establish Ànance monitoring teams and they will be among the electorate but they (politicians and political parties) won’t know.

“We are going to do it in a way that the inÁuence of money will be reduced because we want to make the electoral Àeld a level playing ground for both rich and poor candidates and electorates.

Everybody will go on an equal economic level so that you won’t inÁuence the voting pattern.”

Abia APC Warns Congress Losers to Desist from Demarketing Party, State Leader Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

BOOSTING SECURITY …

L-R: General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major Gen Lawrence Fejokwu and the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, riding in one of the armoured personnel carriers donated to the joint security operation, code-name OP-MESA at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday

Late Naval Chief, Ibrahim, Pitched Tent with Buhari as Candidate, Says SGF Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, yesterday described the late former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim, as a man of integrity, who pitched his tent with President Muhammadu Buhari as a candidate while he served as naval chief.

Speaking at a funeral service for the late service chief at the ECWA Church, Wuse, Abuja, the SGF said Admiral Ibrahim

took then candidate Buhari on an exploratory visit to Southern Kaduna, home state of the late military chief, on how to rescue the country.

“I bring you greetings from the President. My association with Vice Admiral Ibrahim is not long but the little time I have had course to relate with him dating back to 2014 after the merger of political parties to form the APC and because he is a man of deep conviction, he did something that has remained fully clear and crystal for me.

“He served under both President Yar’Adua and Jonathan as Chief of Naval Staff between the years 2008 and 2010. But after the political parties merged, I think it was after the convention in Lagos or before but before the general elections in 2015 that we were trying to deepen the ideology of the APC,” he said.

Mustapha said Ibrahim, who was Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) before his demise, “was the first person

that took president Buhari, then a candidate, on an exploratory visit and we had some kind of seminar about the need to come together to rescue the country and we travelled to Southern Kaduna.

“For that particular enterprise, except you are a man of deep conviction, the step he took was not an ordinary step, having served under two PDP presidents and now a candidate from the opposition was the one he decided to pitch his tent with.

Nigeria Records 18,000 Cases of COVID-19 from Inbound Travellers, WHO Warns Virus Constitutes Global Threat Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that the country recorded 18,000 cases of COVID19 from inbound travellers as at last Sunday, January 16.

This is as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the pandemic still constitutes an extraordinary threat that continues to adversely affect the health of populations around

the world.

Following complaints of delay of passengers at the airport for not meeting all the travel requirements contained in the National International Travel Portal (NITP), the Centre advised travellers to ensure that they complete their registration on the travel portal 24 hours prior to travel date.

A statement signed by Director General of NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, cautioned against viola-

tion of the travel protocol, adding that the associated risk of disease transmission is not trivial.

He said: “As of 16th January 2022, over 18,000 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded from inbound travellers to Nigeria. Therefore, the associated risk of disease transmission is not trivial.

“We are aware of reports of travellers to Nigeria who have experienced delays at the

airport for not meeting all the travel requirements as stated on the NITP. “To ensure a seamless use of the travel portal, the NCDC urges the public to adhere strictly to the guidance on the travel portal. Registration on the travel portal prior to departure should be done immediately your negative COVID-19 test result is obtained, preferably 24 hrs before your travel date.”

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed dismay over the activities of some members who have been engaging in “demarketing” the party and its leader, Chief Ikechi Emenike, warning them to retrace their steps.

State Chairman of APC, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, sounded the warning in Umuahia yesterday, noting that the so called party chieftains who lost in their bid to hijack the party structure during the party congresses in Abia were behind the malicious campaign against the party leadership.

He told journalists that those who were expected to help in building the party ahead of the 2023 political battle have now elevated their personal interests above the collective interest of the party hence “their embarking on inglorious campaign of calumny.”

Ononogbu stated that the congress losers have recruited some unscrupulous elements within the party and are sponsoring them to engage in Àghting their proxy battle for the control of the party even when they had already lost out.

He cited an article in an online platform by one Engr.

Agu Ndukwe Orji in which “he mischievously attempted to tarnish the image of Chief Emenike, a decent man by all standards” just because the renowned development economist has staked out his neck and resources to ensure that APC was retrieved from political merchants.

“They (congress losers) went on the oͿensive simply because Emenike prevented them from

hijacking the party for their usual diabolic and commercial interests that usually prevent the residents from enjoying the dividends of democracy,” he said.

“They are desperate and very disturbed because, this time around, they have no opportunity to drag candidates for elections to various shrines across the country for their fetish rituals,” he added.

Ononogbu, who recently mounted the saddle of Abia APC chairmanship following a special congress, also condemned “the show of shame mounted by some hired women to embarrass the party at Abuja.”

He called on Abia people, party faithful and residents, the national leadership of APC and Nigerians in general to disregard the disgraceful antics of saboteurs.

According to him, the desperation of the losers has heightened and they have turned to a bull in china shop because “they no longer have the opportunity to extort money and deceive people, who genuinely want to use the APC platform to contest elections and ensure good governance that will change Abia narrative for good.”

The party chairman also threw more light on the letter of invitation by the chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, saying that Emenike duly acknowledged both the letter and the attached copy of a petition some party members wrote against him.

“Emenike’s response to the said petition is that it is riddled with forgeries, blatant lies, and ill will in addition to the fact that the newly elected executive committee had responded to it with a copy attached.

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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JANUARY 22, 2022 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

A TOAST TO WILLIE OBIANO

Chuks Iloegbunam contends that Chief Obiano has acquitted himself creditably as Governor of Anambra State

G

overnor Willie Obiano’s direction of Anambra’s affairs will end on March 17, 2022. But his imprint on the state for eight straight years will endure. Not only endure, but also assume legendary proportions with the passage of time. Historians will wax lyrical on his double tenure and ascribe to him the quotable, poetic words Julius Caesar uttered in celebration of one of his famous war victories: “Veni, vidi, vici.”Willie Obiano came. He saw. He conquered.

The man’s story is the stuff of epic fiction. Born on August 8, 1955 to a catechist father (Philip Obiano), and a fish-seller mother, Christiana Obiano (Mama Willie), he took to banking after earning an honours degree in Accountancy in 1979, and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Lagos. His banking career started at First Bank Plc in 1981. Leaving the bank, he joined Chevron Oil Nigeria Plc as an accountant and rose to become its Chief Internal Auditor. He returned to banking as the Deputy Manager in charge of the Audit Unit of Fidelity Bank in 1991. He rose to become an Executive Director of the bank before he retired, relocating to Houston, Texas, and determined to thoroughly enjoy his well-earned retirement.

As the saying goes, however, Man proposes but God disposes.

The call came for Obiano to plunge into the mire of Nigerian politics, something that never previously crossed his mind. As gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) fate dealt him Anambra’s governorship in 2014. On the spur of his electoral victory, cynics went into overdrive, lamenting that a grievous mistake had been made. Governor Obiano, they declaimed, was bound to send Anambra State down the tube, being patently unprepared for the gargantuan task of leadership.

But Obiano knew differently. He had taken the job to serve his people, not to swim in the puddle of negative partisanship. There was little doubt in his mind that he possessed the dominant infrastructure of leadership. His thinking and that of those who really knew him were in coalescence. He would deliver. In retrospect, the confidence reposed in him was not misplaced. The apprehension of the naysayers, as has become self-evident, was groundless. They had impishly assumed that the habit made the monk. Today, there is a consensus of opinion between Obiano believers and non-believers that his greatest political achievement was delivering an APGA successor to his office.

That is the practice in the Igbo country. If your father conferred on you an Ozo title, the least expectation of your community would be your investing a similar title on your own son. APGA put Obiano in power. Obiano has concretised APGA’s retention of power in Anambra State. In this positive outcome, the people underscored their support for Obiano, and for the political values APGA espouses. In this positive outcome, neither Obiano nor Ndi Anambra settled for a lackey or ass-kisser, a zombie to be remotely and cynically manipulated by puppeteers teeming in the chasm of arrogance and conceit.

Had another party won the November 2021 ballot, a re-enactment of what followed the out-of-schedule governorship election perpetrated by INEC in 2007 would have become the unenviable lot of Ndi Anambra.

By now, Obiano’s official portraits would have been torn from government offices and public buildings. Banks would have received marching orders to treat his outgoing administration as non-existent.

A systematic dismantling of APGA legacies would have ensued.

Entrenched recidivists, incorrigible anarchists and dissolute turncoats would have, with barbed phalluses, commenced the remorseless raping of Anambra State. Indeed, their wild excesses would eventually have

THEY CALL CHIEF OBIANO AKPOKUEDIKE. HE HAS PRO UDLY BEEN LIVING THE TITLE. AFTER NOW, HE WOULD BE REMEMBERED AS ONE OF A KIND, A GRACIOUS MAN AND THE ‘ALERT GOVERNOR’

painted a canvass of horror and despoliation reminiscent of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica.

Through Governor Obiano’s hands, and the people’s faithfulness, God saved Anambra State. The striking salvation is destined to continue for a central reason. Pundits have critically peeped into their crystal balls and thoroughly analysed their findings. They agree that there isn’t the slightest indication that, out of office, Obiano would transform into a virulent antagonist of his successor, ranging media onslaught against him and serially organising opposition candidates for his ouster.

This means that after bidding farewell to the Awka Government House, Chief Obiano would not assume the persona of a malcontent railing against the structure he was party to constructing. Therefore, the people would rightly consider him a statesman. In which case, there would be no hesitation to consult him for advice on how to mediate challenges of extraordinary dimensions whenever they crop up. What legacy is greater than that?

This point requires expansion because it is at the very heart of service to the people. The presidential election is next year. But Ndigbo constitute none of the elements in the equation. This speaks to the ethnic group’s drastic retrogression since the January 1970 end of the Nigerian civil war. Witness: Five political parties contested the 1979 presidential election. One of them had an Igbo presidential candidate.

The other four had Igbo running mates. After more than four decades, there is today a multiplicity of political parties. Not one of them boasts an Igbo frontrunner for the presidential ticket. Strutting about are perpetual vice-presidential careerists waiting like dogs for their master to mercifully drop the bone over which to fight and annihilate each other, waiting to be running mates to Fulani overlords! What a bleeding shame indeed. If APGA did not win the Anambra ballot, it bears repeating that the party, the only one in which Ndigbo have a stake, would have died unsung and un-mourned. That the party yet lives foreshadows its chance to shake off the viruses that wickedly militated against it, in order to rise to the occasion of a powerful Igbo voice. Only those interested in advertising themselves as intellectual light bantamweights would contest this thesis. In parenthesis, only masters of doublespeak will posit that, after his time in office, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo would be judged on a criterion other than that of where he met the Anambra spirit and the point he led it to. That is the certitude that Governor Obiano and Ndi Anambra lived up to their billing by deciding on a successor, a Charlie Nwangbafor, that knows where his umbilical cord is buried and is proud of it, and yet also has the presence of mind to concede that interred umbilical cords are not a rarity outside his redoubt. It is a fine point underscored by the composition of his transition committee. Yet, there is another angle from which to view Governor Obiano’s legacies. Take the Anambra International Passenger and Cargo Airport at Umueri. It came up during the November 2017 debate by gubernatorial candidates. One of Obiano’s interlocutors, a former Aviation Minister, argued that, with the Asaba Airport around that bend, Anambra did not need one. Another, a serial governorship contestant, posited that the state needed no more than an airstrip. These bizarre interventions made you laugh to cry or cry to laugh. Wisdom ultimately prevailed. Obiano thrashed his opponents to earn a second term. And, as one of the consequences of his resounding victory, the airport at Umueri has since gone into operation, rapidly becoming one of the busiest in the country.

Iloegbunam is a freelance journalist

WANTED: A CLEAN BREAK WITH THE PAST Kayode Ishola writes that it is time for former President Obasanjo to quit the stage

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has now become a self-propelled recurring figure in the delivery ward of the Presidency of Nigeria. Ever since his own maneuvered presidential delivery in 1999 was unceremoniously terminated following abortion of his attempted third term rebirth in 2007, he has repeatedly haunted the process of producing successors like a labour room ghost.

Just when we all thought we had at last come to the post-Obasanjo era, the human ghost that has haunted the presidential labour room persistently since 2007 in aborted efforts to possess three successive emerging Presidents is back again, taking position authoritatively: “How do we prepare for post-Buhari era? What should we do to make postBuhari era better than what we have now? That is our responsibility. It concerns all of us,” he said.

The self-imposed endorser of all presidential aspirants diverted a ‘Retreat on Inclusive Security’ for leaders of socio-cultural organizations organized by the Global Peace Foundation in collaboration with Vision Africa in Abuja the other day, to launch his now familiar ritual of denunciation of President Buhari’s performance as a prelude to anointing his preferred 2023 aspirant: “that is what he can do, if you expect anything than what he is doing, you are kicking a dead horse and there is no need. We must not fold our hands”, the former president who won’t quit the stage proclaimed.

Apart from the political labour room for presidency, the Presidential Villa has been the preferred hang-out for Obasanjo ever since his desperation wrestled the constitutional eight years term limit in 2007, unleashing the legendary “Third Term Agenda” and other related political maladies that infested the National Assembly and almost

derailed democracy. Obasanjo’s frequent denials of any such plot were effectively contradicted by his fierce fixation with dominating the process of emergence of his successors, thereafter parading himself as the power behind the throne!

The former President always advertised his fury whenever the Executive President’s defiant rejection overtook his posturing, writing and leaking numerous letters of protest packaged cunningly as candid criticism of performance. These were the poisonous preludes to all manner of political plots to undermine, overwhelm and eventually disown a President he once promoted proudly.

The criteria for retaining rights of “anointment” has more to do with unwavering loyalty to his personal and political ego than any genuine concern for good governance and democracy which he did not uphold as President for eight years. Obasanjo has been oscillating between anointment and denouncement of sitting Presidents in vain efforts to maintain a domineering influence over Nigeria’s Presidency a decade and a half after leaving office. The fact that the appalling stagnation particularly in the power, roads and petroleum sectors is still regarded as a regrettable reminder of the monumental costly failures of his tenure is conveniently deleted.

The way he has again planted himself into the screenplay for emergence of the next president, sounding like the executive director, is ominous and smacks of denial of any liability for the sorry state of affairs prevailing, notwithstanding that even the seeds of Boko Haram insurgency took root under his watch. We have also witnessed the virtual wrecking of the PDP, the party that actualized his programmed transition from prison-to-presidency, by symbolic shredding of membership cards and

instigating mutiny of state governors, as soon as he lost relevance in party affairs and influence over the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency.

Earlier, towards the end of his second term, the constitution’s term limit provisions were targeted in pursuit of life presidency, with disturbing consequences on integrity of the legislature and stability of the polity. More recently, the former president’s letter-writing wrath, brazen politicization of insecurity and orchestrating “summits” to embolden geo-ethnic agitations signaled his ruinous reaction to the miscarriage of the nPDP stake-seeking invasion of APC, which he spearheaded as a last minute option B to adopt President Buhari at least a step-son.

In all these political plots, subterranean schemes and manipulative maneuvers the webmaster was former President Obasanjo and the overriding objective of achieving political self-perpetuation as the godfather of Nigeria’s politics of leadership, chief anointer of Nigerian Presidents and power behind the throne loomed large. All will be well as long as he has unfettered access to the sitting President and also has his say along with his way on demand. The other side of OBJ comes into force as soon as there is any threat to alter these self-serving scenarios.

Nothing is indispensable and nothing is sacred in the desperate desire to retain a ghostly grip on the jugular of the nation’s leadership.

National interest fades in the blindness of inordinate political ambition as the reactionary rituals of the former President exposed unsettling extremes of self-motivation, whether in the Third Term Agenda’s constitutional crises , the macabre politics of ill-health as qualifying factor for preferred successor, the daring usurpation of the North’s 2011

second term entitlement and the blood –letting it provoked, the crude castration of the PDP, demonization of President Goodluck Jonathan and abrupt switch of loyalty to opposition or the sudden ditching of the APC and the Buhari Presidency which completed the cycle of obsessive compulsive delusion of political indispensability.

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military head of state and the country’s democratically elected President for cumulative 11 years between February 1976 and September 1979 and from May 1999 to May 2007.

Yet 15 years later he won’t let go of the puppet master’s strings, now reduced to a knotty entanglement left by self-liberated puppets and rejected overtures. The most enduring obsessions must however fade in face of unfulfilled indulgences and, though the ego remains bloated, time is the ultimate deflator.

Nigeria’s ambushed politics of leadership and the ego-inflating rituals of anointing successor Presidents with the delusion of obsolete ambition have now finally attained auto-elimination as the godfather himself has had to submit to the exorcism of age. The people have fervently been praying for a post-Obasanjo era, to achieve a clean break from the seemingly intractable challenges of abandoned road and power projects, endemic local insufficiency of petrol refining capacity, Boko Haram insurgency and associated criminality and the ghostly grip of the former President whose legacy they represent.

But, God in His Infinite Mercy has answered our prayers by making the proprietor of presidential politics the terminator of his own tenure of imaginary indispensability.

Ishola wrote from Osogbo

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JANUARY 22, 2022 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

A homecoming to remember...

PDP and the 2023 General Elections

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Kidnapping on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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he security situation in Nigeria is getting out of hand and no part of the country is spared. That is why politicians must stop playing politics with the situation. The emergence of Amotekun in the south west has helped greatly to curb insecurity but I must confess, it has only been the Amotekun in Ondo and Oyo States that has been proactive.

The Lagos- Ibadan expressway that stretches 132 kilometers to Ibadan has become a den for kidnappers as it has large swathes of ungoverned spaces. Only last week two people were killed in a commercial bus when kidnappers attacked commuters after Ibadan. And only recently another kidnapping incident happened around the Isara area with the kidnappers demanding a N20million ransom.

I must confess the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is unsafe and all hands must on deck to solve the security challenge.

Recently the Aare Ona Kankanfo accused the police of lack of cooperation in fighting kidnapping on the

he general elections of 2023 draw nigh. Even diehard Muhammadu Buhari supporters I know over here in Minna are crestfallen and hungry, literally about that hunger thing. For me who they know has a job as a “lecturer,” it is one episode of seeking for handouts from me one way or the other. But my pool of fund is limited, quite so. Almost everyone knows I am nicknamed “Hakimin Talakawa” but I felt the hit on my pocket this past Christmas. Nigerians are hungry!

Pride and religious jingoism are the twin chocks stopping the mass of people in the North from going out in the streets and doing massive anti-Buhari rioting. Here now, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has a fine opportunity to pitch strong campaign slogans targeting the influential voting blocs of the population. The PDP must go all out and be blunt and truthful about what it’d do as soon as it gains power in 2023. Some suggested hard-hitting pitch-slogans are the following: (i) “PDP Will Not Ban Twitter;” this will throw the APC off-balance as it seeks arguments to counter this punch. (ii) “PDP Will Wrap Up the EFCC and Have the SFO of the Nigerian Police do Financial Fraud Investigations;” the PDP must argue that the EFCC is an instrument for arrested economic development. Recent heads of the EFCC seem to “retire” with “billions of seized money” from those willing to invest T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R these funds in the economy. (iii) “PDP Will EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE Domesticate the Anti-Narcotic Fight in the DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU Office of Traditional Rulers.” For once let us MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU empower the traditional institution and give it CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI something meaningful to do. This institution EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN is poised to do counselling and take other MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI reasonable measures (not this harsh-harsh THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE police method of the NDLEA) to discourage narcotic consumption. Counselling is the key here and not the present fashionable demonisation of “South Nigeria” as the bastion T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D of all things bad and evil with respect to EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA “drug abuse.” Buba Marwa is on a course of GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI a distasteful jihad. The traditional institution DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE must also be empowered to fight paganism in DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI the shape of juju “money-rituals” whereby the SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH practice of headhunting fellow humans is now ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI commonplace.

CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO Physics, Federal University of TechnolTO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com ogy, Minna, Niger State

express road and I shudder to hear that because this is not the time to trade blames.

This is the time to work together to stop pervasive insecurity. Lagos - Ibadan expressway is fast becoming another Wild Wild West. I have missed several family visits out of fear. Something should be done.

Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com

Technology Shows Us That Nature Wins

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he volcanic eruption near Tonga has shown us the power of nature and the destruction that it can create. We have already seen satellite videos of the explosion in all of its might, local videos of the Tsunami waves arriving and aerial before and after photos of the islands.

The aerial photos show the lush green islands before and the dust covered blackened aftermath but what we also see is that nothing could be done to stop this. The same changes can be seen in historical photos of glaciers and forests but in this case the changes could have been prevented as they weren’t natural events but the consequence of people destroying nature.

There must be a balance between people and nature if we want to survive because despite all of our technological advances we can do very little to stop natural forces but we are doing so much to destroy the natural environment.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

NEWS Court Remands Rivers Monarch in Correctional Centre over Cult Involvement

Blessing IbungeinPortHarcourt

A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded the traditional ruler of Kono Boue in Khana, King Taalor Tornwe, in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre for alleged involvement in cultism activities.

The 63 years old King Tornwe, is facing three-count-charge of conspiracy, harbouring, financial and material support to cultists.

The matter which was filed by the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, is registered in suit number PMC/91C/2022 before Chief Magistrate A.O. Amadi-Nna. The charge disclosed that the traditional ruler and others at large, allegedly committed the crime on

INFRASTRUCTURAL FACELIFT… President Muhammadu Buhari (M) flanked by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (L), Deputy Governor Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe (R), during the inauguration of Circular Road in Sabon Gari area of Zaria, yesterday

Buhari: UK, Africa Trade Deal Will Create Jobs, Boost Commonwealth Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that a United Kingdom, Africa Trade Deal will create jobs and boost Commonwealth two years after Brexit.

The President, who stated this in an opinion published in The Independent of London Newspaper, said the deal would enable Britain to practice the free trade it has long preached and represent

recognition by a G7 economy of the benefits of African unity.

According to him, two years after the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, Nigeria and her African partners seek a new settlement with Britain which is one based on cooperation in fairer and freer trade.

He, however, said though the purpose of trade deals should be mutual prosperity, favorable

terms can be rejected because little attention has been made to persuade public opinion, adding that on both sides, there will be those concerned over competition and terms of trade.

President Buhari said, “The UK and Nigeria share a deep and special partnership. We are champions for peace and security in Africa. We are custodians of the Commonwealth. Yet in recent years our relationship, particularly on

trade, has been defined by Britain’s membership of the European Union. It meant being part of attempts to cajole individual African nations into lopsided European bilateral economic partnership agreements. Nigeria rejected such a deal in 2018, as it sought only to prioritise beneficial terms for raw commodities export to Europe while erecting high tariff barriers to goods manufactured and processed in Africa – stunting job creation.

or before June 5, 2021, at Kono Boue community in Khana Local Government Area of the state.

On count one, King Tornwe allegedly “conspired with others to commit felony to wit (cultism) and committed an offence punishable under Section 7 (C) of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Laws of Rivers State No. 6 of 2018 as amended.”

The monarch on count two, allegedly “harboured on Christian Kina (alias Abarima), knowing him to be a member of Deywell secret cult and committed an offence punishable under Section 3 (b) of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Laws of Rivers State No. 6 of 2018 as amended.”

Police: Gang Fight in Lagos Island Over Bennett Oghifo The Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, said it has quelled the fight that broke out on Thursday among street gangs in Idumota area, Oke Arin, Kosoko, Oluwole, Martins and Balogun and environ, advising people, especially traders, to resume their business.

The police did not disclose the reason for the bloody fracas that caused traders, commercial vehicles’ drivers and commuters to run for safety at about noon on Thursday.

However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, told journalists yesterday that “The police have

quelled the crisis. Sufficient facilities were deployed in the area immediately we received a distress call and normalcy was restored.

As we speak, the place is calm.

Some arrests have also been made.

Investigation has commenced.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has appealed to the warning parties, which it identified as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), to stop their violent acts.

In a statement issued by Gbenga Oyerinde, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Central Business Districts, the government appealed to the warring gangs to stop.

Nigerians Unhappy with Buhari, Regret Voting for Him, Says Ortom Moses Owoh Passes on at 73 Bennett Oghifo Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has again condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s style of governance, stating that Nigerians are unhappy with him and regretted voting him as president.

Governor Ortom stated this on Arise News yesterday, saying that the president is oblivious of his surroundings and that it has led to needless economic hardship and insecurity in the country.

Ortom said to the handlers of President Buhari: “Nigerians are not happy, they regret voting him as president.”

Benue governor, who has been a critic of Buhari’s handling of the farmers-herders crisis in his state, said he has advised the president on how the farmers-herders crisis should be handled.

“Since 2016, you know I was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I won my first election on the platform of APC

in 2015. I did not stop telling Mr. President the truth. Part of why I had to leave the APC was because of this matter. As I talk to you, Mr. President has badly handled this matter in a manner that is not befitting for a president who believes that he is the president of all Nigerians.

“A president who is not for somebody but for everybody, as he declared in 2015 when he came. I have personally visited Mr. President several times and

I have told him, but as I talk to you, Mr. President believes except there are cattle routes, there are grazing areas, otherwise there can be no peace. So, his thinking is just as a Fulani man and not as a president of Nigeria.

“He believes the Fulani man can live with his cattle, whose evil agenda is to take over the land. He does not believe that the farmers should thrive in this country and do their legitimate farming business which the cattle came to destroy.

Pharmacists Demand Implementation Alumona, AAAN Vice President, of Consultant Cadre Approval Becomes APCON Fellow Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has appealed to the National Council for Establishment (NCE) to commence implementation of the approved Pharmacists Consultant Cadre programme.

The president of PSN, Prof.

Cyril Usifoh, who decried the delay in the implementation over 10 years after it was approved by the federal government, alleged the connivance of some top ofÀcials of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Chief Executives

O΀cers of the Federal Health Institutions for the situation.

Prof. Usifoh, said although the Pharmacists Consultant Cadre had been approved by the O΀ce of the Head of Service of the Federation (HOSOF) and the FMOH which both issued enabling circulars for unhindered implementation of the Consultant Cadre through the NCE after fulÀlling all tenets of due process, its implementation has been stalled for inexplicable reasons.

Vice President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Managing Director of Strategic Outcomes Limited, an integrated brand solutions firm, Jenkins Alumona, has been inducted into the fellowship cadre of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

Alumona was inducted on Wednesday along with 62 other professionals into the highest cadre of advertising practice at the investiture ceremony, which held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos

Speaking at the event, APCON Registrar/CEO, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, noted that the inductees met all the requirements stipulated by law for APCON fellowship.

A seasoned professional with over three decades’ experience spanning print journalism, broadcasting and marketing communications, Alumona has deployed his expertise in building brands such as MultiChoice, Lagos Internal Revenue Service and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) among others.

Obi Felicitates with Bishop Okeke as He Turns 75 The Peoples Democratic Party (PD) Vice Presidential candidate in 2019 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has felicitated with the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Paul Odili Okeke, on the occasion of his 75th and retirement from active service as the Bishop

of Nnewi Diocese.

Obi, who was represented at Bishop Okeke’s Thanksgiving Mass in Nnewi by Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike, former Commissioner for Information and former Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chike Ohamobi, expressed his joy at what he described as a historic

landmark in the life of the bishop.

The former governor of Anambra State praised Bishop Okeke for his dedication and commitment in the Lord’s vineyard over the years.

“Greater part of your life has been dedicated to the service of the Lord right from

your ordination as a priest in 1974. You have left positive legacies in all the places you have had pastoral experiences, whether as a parish priest, a canon lawyer, a writer, a teacher and as the Bishop of Nnewi Diocese. You are indeed a gift of God to the universal Church.

The family of Late Patrick-Eze Owoh, has announced the sudden death of their beloved father, husband, brother and friend, Engr. Moses Nnajiofor Owoh, who died on December 27, 2021. He was 73.

Burial arrangements as announced by his family are as follows; on Friday January 21st, 2022, there will be Christian Vigil Mass by 6p.m. at St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ogbete Enugu. On Wednesday January 26, Christian Wake, by 6p.m. at his home town, Umuene Village, Udi Town.

Thursday January 27, Funeral Mass will be held by 11a.m., at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Udi Town, in Udi Local Government Area, Enugu State.

Interment follows immediately at his family compound.

He was survived by a wife, children and a host of relations, including Amaka Owoh, a Senior Reporter with NTA 2 Lagos Network Centre.

Dangote, Emefiele Commend Gov Abiodun for Making Ogun Investment Friendly Rebecca Ejifoma President of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, have commended the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, for making his state investment friendly.

They made these remarks at the inauguration of the 42-kilometer Sagamu InterchangeAbeokuta dual carriageway by the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

Dangote applauded Abiodun’s feat, style of governance, and his private-sector imprint on governance in the state.

He added: “Prince Dapo Abiodun is coming with a lot of private sector experience and we as industrialists in the state don’t even have to tell him what we need; he is one of us.”

According to Dangote, Abiodun swung into action and fixed the abandoned road linking Ogun State from Epe side of Lagos State. “That road has been abandoned for many years. You

can see how he quickly moved into action to fix it.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 22, 2022

08054699539

Insecurity: Buni and Matawalle’s Songs of Deceit

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was shaken by the absentee governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni flattering President Buhari last Sunday for the “significant improvement in the security situation in the North-east, particularly in Yobe State.”

According to Buni, people in the North-east can now sleep with their eyes closed. The Yobe governor, who returned to his state like a guest, to attend a cultural festival, further heaped praises on Buhari, for providing required resources to the security personnel to secure lives and property in Nigeria. Perhaps, Buni is talking about another country. Lives and property in Nigeria are evidently not being protected by our poorly equipped, poorly trained and poorly motivated security agents. Daily, scores of Nigerians are killed and maimed by terrorists in beloved Nigeria. The continuing Buhari years have been the most traumatic.

On Buni’s so-called peace in the North-east, we all know that the problem is largely in Borno State. This state is the epicenter of Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks. Assaults in Yobe State are intermittent and have reduced in the last few months. So, Buni should be talking about the very bad situation in Borno State; not the North-east as a whole, if he truly loves the region. He should stop mingling truth and falsehood, with deliberate intent to deceive.

As at press time yesterday, over half of Borno State was under the servitude of terrorists.

Few days back, Governor Babagana Zulum picked up courage (though, still half-truth) to declare that Boko Haram controls Abadam and Guzamala local government areas of the state.

“Government and people of Borno State, especially those from southern and northern parts of the state, are worried about the increasing number of ISWAP groups who have been terrorising their communities,” declared Zulum. Borno State is still bleeding. This is the crux of the matter. The blood stains in Borno represent the crux of the matter. Boko Haram and ISWAP are inflicting pain, controlling territories and collecting taxes in many communities in this state. This beleaguered state has been in darkness for years due to the tenacious sabotage of facilities supplying electricity to Borno by Boko Haram. Here, the few that can afford it, power their homes and offices with generators. So, how can Buni include Borno people among those happy with Buhari’s performance in the area of security?

This country will never progress with the likes of Buni that goes about playing politics with the lives of human beings instead of putting

Buni

Matawalle

pressure on the President to do the needful about insecurity.

As for blatant Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, he seems to be enjoying the game of terror that has claimed hundreds of lives in his state. He can’t see the terror ending soon because “some people are behind it.”

What Matawalle is telling Nigerians is that the people behind terror attacks are bigger than federal and Zamfara State governments combined. His other unending story is that his government “is investigating those collaborating with terrorists in the state with a view to fishing them out and punishing them.” Matawalle has been saying this for almost three years. Not a single person has been fished out. I thought by now, he should be tired of this hackneyed story.

On the recent terror attacks in Bukuyyum and Anka local government areas of Zamfara that claimed an estimated 200 lives, Matawalle similarly chose to play politics with the death figures. He declared that only 58 people were killed, as if he was not talking about human lives. He avowed: “First, we went to Bungudu and we confirmed from the emir that only 36 people were killed and two communities were razed by these bandits, and when we went to Anka, we met the emir, and he gave us a list of 22 people that were killed, making a total number of 58 people killed. But as I’ve been saying, there are some political bandits

who have been spreading lies, rumours so that they can achieve some political gain.”

This governor should be worried by the killing of just one of his citizens by terrorists; more so, according to his own record, 58 people killed. Of course, Matawalle was just trying to play down the number of fatalities. The 200 death figures from Bukuyyum and Anka have independent verifications. The people directly affected also confirmed the figures. So, what is Matawalle talking about?

It should also be noted that Matawalle, last Sunday, said President Buhari was working on some anti-terror strategies that would manifest in the next 48 hours to provide succour to the people. Six days after, nothing manifested, while the killings in Zamfara persist. Those terrorising residents of Bukkuyum are still living openly in Gando forest. Matawalle knows this. The guerrillas collect levies and carry out deadly attacks on residents that resist. Those killing the people of Anka are not hiding. They are still going about slaughtering innocent people.

Matawalle knows that Zamfara kidnap kingpin, Bello Turji is still roaming unhindered. He lately released 52 people whom he said had been in captivity for too long. The released victims were moved from the forest to an agreed spot and ferried

Irritating Rice Pyramid Celebration The scene was repulsive. It was the unveiling of the so-called one million bags of rice paddy stacked as pyramids in Abuja, driven by the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). They tagged it “a celebration of rice revolution” by the Buhari government. For me, the organisers were simply taunting the masses of the people of this country that struggle to buy this staple food called rice. In fact, many can no longer afford it.

A 50kg bag of local rice sells for between N25,000 and N32,000, depending on the part of the country you are in. This is the same rice that was selling for N7000 for 50kg when Buhari assumed office about seven years ago. Our local rice is now beyond the reach of the masses, yet, Buhari is celebrating a grumpy rice revolution; a revolution that has compounded the woes of the masses of this country. Why should a bag of local rice be selling for between N25,000 and N32,000, in a country where the minimum wage is N30,000 monthly. In this country, many now go to bed without food and wake up not sure of breakfast. Millions have lost their jobs in the Buhari years and many are still losing jobs due to a mismanaged economy.

How do you want these people to buy local rice at this inflated price?

It was a celebration of deceit when the rice pyramid was unveiled by the President last Tuesday. In the last six years, public funds

of about N200 billion had been provided to RIFAN members and Rice Millers Association of Nigeria as loans at a concessionary rate of about 9% to deliver rice to Nigerians cheaply.

The loans’ interest rate was further brought down to 5%, when COVID-19 came. All that Nigerians got in return from the shylock RIFAN and millers was expensive local rice.

They are maximizing profit, while operating with public funds.

There is nothing wrong with subsidising food production. It is common in developed countries and this has helped them to provide food cheaply to citizens. But the reverse is the case in Nigeria. The billions of Naira spent on subsidising rice production has failed to bring down the price of the product. Citizens are not feeling the subsidy enjoyed by the farmers and millers.

What about the story by the CBN of a 95 per cent reduction in rice importation?

Lies, damned lies. Conservatively, about 60% of rice consumed in this country today is still imported. CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele and his boys need to visit Nigeria communities bordering other West African countries like Badagry, Sango Otta, Idi Iroko, Ilaro, Ilela, and many parts of Yewa land, to experience the volume of foreign rice entering this country daily.

They should also take a quick dash to major rice markets in Lagos and compare the quantity of imported rice on the stands

Emefiele

with local rice.

The hint I got yesterday was that the CBN is now pressurising RIFAN and rice millers to process and sell rice at a discounted price. “Our collaboration with the millers association rests on the agreement that they will sell at a discounted price to Nigerians,” said a CBN official last week. Let’s hope that this will work. The masses of this country are in anguish.

to Shinkafi town. I guess the Governor of Zamfara State is still investigating.

Another dizzying dimension to these assaults by terrorists is the rise in the number of attacks in Kebbi State. This week, the hitherto peaceful Zuru joined the list of towns under attack in the state. Scores of residents of DanKade village in Zuru were killed during a raid last Sunday. A resident of the village, Bello Dankade, said: “Many were killed and their corpses burnt. We can’t tell the number of fatalities right now. We are left wondering why terror killings seem to be on the rise, particularly in the North-West region.”

Governor Atiku Bagudu has to raise his game in Kebbi State. This governor has been spending too much time in Abuja while his people are slayed daily.

The statistics from Niger State are equally frightening. In the first two weeks of this month, communities in the state were attacked by bandits at least 50 times, with over 300 persons killed and 200 kidnapped, including security personnel. This is official from Governor Abubakar Bello. Then, just last Tuesday, terrorists attacked a military base in Shinfida community, Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing a soldier and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. This is the same Nigeria Buni said Buhari has been doing very well in terms of security. With men like Buni and Matawalle, attacks by terrorists in Nigeria will continue for many more years. Their deceits and ineptitude are legendary at the expense of Nigerians.

Humiliating Attacks on Military, Police Facilities Fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) confidently attacked the Tukur Yusufu Buratai Institute for War and Peace (TBI), in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State last week, backed with cameramen to record the attack. I find this effrontery extremely embarrassing. I watched the video again yesterday feeling depressed.

In the audiovisual, the insurgents were seen firing in different directions with RPGs and anti-aircraft guns. They pulled down flags on the campus and torched some military vehicles.

The terrorists were in the Army facility for over two hours without resistance from troops. How can this be happening in my beloved Nigeria?

The management of Army University in Biu later claimed that two civilians were killed by the terrorists and shamelessly stated that “the terrorists who came in their numbers were met by superior firepower forcing them to retreat in disarray.” So, how many of the terrorists did the Army kill with their “superior firepower?” Not even one!

Ten days ago, the terrorists, in the same manner, walked assertively into the Mobile Police Training School in Limankara, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State with gun trucks and kidnapped some instructors.

The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Abdul Umar confirmed the attack but denied the abductions. The police chief likewise said the insurgents were successfully repelled by policemen. His men also did not arrest or kill just one of the attackers. This is preposterous.

Umar should be mortified that a police facility was effortlessly attacked. The policemen guarding the school lacked even functional armoured tank that could have aided their fight against the terrorists.

It is furthermore disturbing that the military failed to respond to distress calls at the police facility despite the fact that an army checkpoint is located not far from the school. The point in all of these is that the heads of Nigeria’s security agencies have persisted in their deficit without repercussions. The man who should call them to order is equally sleeping. Nigerians are in a “one chance” bus.

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SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

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Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Paramount Pictures Acquires Tomi Adeyemi’s Book Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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ollowing a bidding competition involving Netflix, Universal, and Amazon, Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to Nigerian-American writer/storyteller, Tomi Adeyemi’s Best-Selling Young Adult (YA) Book Series ‘Children of Blood and Bone’.

Adeyemi will supervise, write the script and serve as executive producer. She was barely 24-years-old and had just graduated from college when she landed a seven-figure book contract for creating and developing the captivating plot.

“Children of Blood and Bone”, released in 2018, is the first novel in a young adult fantasy series, which reached No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

“Children of Virtue and Vengeance”, the sequel, in her fantasy trilogy – Legacy of Orisha, was released in 2019. According to reports, the third book in the series will be released in 2023. The book continues the original story that started in Adeyemi’s ground-breaking debut.

The novel, ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ chronicles the life of teen diviner, Zélie’s quest to bring magic back to the nation of Orïsha after her mother and the rest of the community were murdered on orders of the King. The Forbes “30 Under 30” class of 2020 honoree, took to her Instagram page to share the good news.

She said, “I can finally share the news.

To you guys for being patient with me.

There has been so much going on behind the scenes with the movie and finishing up Book 3, and I have been dying to share every update with you.

“First things first, CBB has a new home!!! I’m going to be working with the incredible team @paramountpics to bring Zélie’s story to life because ya girl is now writing and executive producing the movie. And I’m only a couple drafts away from finishing book 3. I’m turning it into my publisher in a few months, and then it’s straight to print and in your hands in 2023. Thank you again for being patient with me it’s a BIG finale and I am so excited about the final installment in this adventure.

“I can’t wait to take you all back to orïsha. This is all more than a dream come true. I won’t stop till the work is done.

Love you all more than you know for making this a reality and supporting me and the creation of this story is so many ways. See you at the theatres #childrenofbloodandbone.”

Named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020, The

Tomi Adeyemi

28-year-old creative writing coach is best known for her #1 NY Times bestselling book ‘Children of Blood and Bone’, which was also featured on TIME’s list of best Young Adult and Children’s books of 2018, drawing comparisons with everything from Game of Thrones to Black Panther. Adeyemi’s West African-inspired fantasy debut is acknowledged a powerful rumination on race and social justice.

Adeyemi once told The Huffington

Post that she was motivated to write the novel after seeing racist reactions to the casting of actors of colour in The Hunger Games movies. The book has won numerous awards including the 2018 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, the 2019 Waterstones Book Prize, and the 2019 Hugo Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book.

“Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone has not only become a

Banky W, Adesua for Valentine Concert Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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igeria’s top celebrity couple Olubankole Wellington aka Banky W and Adesua Etomi Wellington alongside other celebrity guests will be live at the St. Valentine’s Day edition of Nigeria’s premiere scripted concert, Buckwyld ‘n’ Breathless tagged #TheBAADExperience. The event will be held at the Landmark Event Centre, Oniru on Sunday, February 13, 2022, with the Red carpet opening at 7PM prompt.

The couple have taken to social media to tease their fans about the event with a video ad captioned, “Got any plans for Valentine’s?

Join us for date night on February 13th, 2022”, the post on Adesuwa’s Instagram page reads. The event promises to be a worthwhile experience filled with a lot of music infused with theatrical performances, romance and drama. Fans on social media have shared their excitement toward the

event and are already making plans to purchase tickets to attend.

Banky’s post on his page: “Susu and I are putting together an amazing Valentine’s Date Night experience… Come witness a love story told through music, drama, dance and so much more. Save the date, don’t be late.

Tickets and Tables are limited! No time to waste time.”

Buckwyld ‘n’ Breathless is an event property of Buckwyld Media and is the nation’s most consistent fully scripted production that features deft use of props, elaborate costume, audio-visual content, special effects and a large support cast to deliver an exhilarating concert experience.

The concert has been headlined by some of the biggest stars in the music industry like 2Baba,Tiwa Savage, Flavour, Falz, Flavour and MI as well as Sauti Sol in Nairobi (2016).

This year’s event is organised by Buckwyld Media in partnership with EME and BAAD Productions.

Banky W, Adesua

phenomenon in the YA world, it has transformed every expectation of what world-building fantasy can be,” said CoPresident of Paramount Pictures Motion Group Daria Cercek in a release. “It’s with enormous pride that our studio — along with Tomi and our partners Wyck, Marty and Karen — set out to bring this franchise to life on the big screen. With its thought-provoking and timely themes, we know that this story will resonate with a global audience.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Fiokee Unveils Star-studded 14-track Album Ifiok Effanga, better known as Fiokee, presently Nigeria’s most prominent guitarist, is the man of the moment with ‘MAN’, his debut 14-track and 24 features album, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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s guitarist, Fiokeee – Ifiok Effanga - started playing 21 years ago. He learned to play guitar from a taxi driver for just two months and ended up teaching the taxi driver after one year.

That’s how exceptional Fiokee is. This time, he returned with his smash debut album, MAN. When he announced the album, he wrote, “I am really excited and proud to be releasing my debut album titled ‘MAN’ on the 14th of January 2022. I need all your support for this, as we are about to achieve this huge milestone together!”

Milestone indeed with ‘MAN’, the 14-track and 24 features album, Fiokee sets himself up for constant evolution, upping the ante like like-minded greats such as the Malian Ali Faka Toure, the Congolese Franco, and even Nigeria’s King Sunny Ade. Graduating with a first degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Petroleum Institute of Engineering, Warri, Fiokee has remained a very calculative mind.

His rise-to-fame story, from 2008 Star Quest reality TV show which he won with his then group, Diamonds, down to setting up his record label in 2016, has been a narrative of intentionality and bravery. In the days leading to his debut album listening party, held at Bayroot Bar, Victoria Island, Fiokee turned 40. So in celebration of his propitious birthday, he decided to drop the all star-studded album.

“So, the idea behind the MAN album is I turned 40 on Monday (January 10, 2022)”, he told his guests, made up of select industry personalities.

“So, I’m a full blown man (laughs). So, the reason why I said MAN to the album is because it’s

symbolic of my new age and journey in the music industry since after winning the talent hunt competition sponsored by Nigerian Breweries.

Then Star Quest was all about life-band performances.”

Fiokee played a year’s deal before being signed

by Kennis Music in 2009. From there, he played for Dbanj in 2010 when he recorded Scapegoat.

Moving on, he played with Davido on the song Gobe, and then also on the song Woju by Kizz Daniel. He also played on the album Joromi by Simi and a host of afrobeats hit songs. Continuing, the first afrobeats recording guitarist said: “So I just felt like I have supported afrobeats since 2010. Then I have grown in the industry, I have served. I was guitarist for Dbanj for four years before I joined Flavour in 2014 till date. Then I said ok what next. I mean everybody knows me as the first afrobeats recording guitarist, what next? Because I always believe it’s the next level.

So I said let me start featuring these artistes and some of them actually came through.

“We did the song with Tiwa and Reekado Banks; so we took off from there. I started recording with Flavour, very connected with Flavour… then the latest one ‘Personal’ with Bella Shmurda. The idea about MAN is I’m grown up to be a full MAN. So I decide to title the album MAN. That’s why I said Fiokee is man today.”

The album which appears the first body of work in African music in 2022 sees Fiokee join talent manager, Osagie Osarenz as Artiste and Repertoire rep.

On this album, he stretches the storyline from his array of commercially successful singles, such as ‘Sweetest Thing’ featuring Ric Hassani, to ‘Like’ featuring Reekado Banks and Tiwa Savage, to

Fiokee performing with Guchi, one of the artistes on the album

‘Dumebi’ featuring Davido and Peruzzi, reflecting the realities intertwined in adventure, treasure or love seekers.

From the first track of the album, one already envisions what to expect as the song ‘Good Time’ featuring the Puerto Rican brother duo, Jean and Alex, as well as Nigerian artiste T Classic, is one of the most enchanting project openers in recent times. The song sets the theme for some light-hearted vocal caressing and is followed immediately by the ‘Smooth Operator’ agenda, perfectly engineered by the Dutch singer, Nelson Freitas, as well as Nigerian sound-whiz Masterkraft.

The album soaks itself in the message, melody, and mood-lifting groove, as Fiokee forays beyond the realms of limitation on almost every song.

With non-stop experimentation, he gets ‘Personal’ with Bella Shmurda on the acoustic Amapiano bop, igniting the vibe with his masterful riffs. He sojourns beyond Afro-Pop, Afro RnB, to the plains of Highlife where he taps the fraternal duo, the Cavemen, to serve a soulful bop dubbed, ‘Nne’ Fiokee’s mastery soars in his ability to make his basslines and outros stand out as mesmerizing mood-lifters; becoming so melodic that they even wrestle with the vocals from his collaborators for attention.

Fave Debuts with ‘Riddim 5’ Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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er inviting verse, “My baby bad, my baby good, my baby all things I need…” trended and was pretty hard to miss at the sound of it. So much that it ranked her single, ‘Baby Riddim’ as one of the most popular songs in the country last year. Well, that’s Godsfavour Chidozie, whose moniker, Fave has taken over airplays. From being a regular aspiring artiste on SoundCloud to having the No 2 song in the country, the 21-year old’s breakthrough is inspirational beyond doubt.

To Fave, 2021 was crazy, 2022 will be crazier. The Fast-rising singer/songwriter has got her fans streaming to her debut EP, ‘Riddim 5’ which dropped on Thursday January 20, 2022. This comes after an impressive 2021, which saw the Empawa Africa artiste drop top chart singles. The EP premiered on all major streaming platforms with five solo tracks - Obsessed, S.M.K, Kilotufe, Mr. Man, and her most succesful hit, Baby Riddim. Going by her previous songs, Fave might get listeners hooked to the EP all year long.

Fave has been creating vocal elixirs, such that she would love to take over the world with. She explained during a chat that, “I don’t think my sound or music is restricted to a particular place or territory. There are different people I want to work with; different sounds I would love to explore. And I want to touch not just a few people with my song but also the entire world. So that’s the way I definitely see myself”.

Prior to major industry co-signs, as well as a record deal with Mr. Eazi’s EmPawa imprint, Fave was just another young university student bootlegging her career with favours from studentproducers. A viral freestyle brought her under the radar of Afro-fusion rapper/ singer, Olamide. The single ‘N.B.U’, produced by Lagos based Jinmi Abduls, was a blend of upbeat pop and Afro that soared across playlists and social media during the lockdown.

This began opening doors for features that would eventually lead her to appear on two tracks (Want and Pon Pon) on Olamide’s UY Scuti Carribean sound like released last year. “Throughout her appearances on multiple tracks, Fave manifested a novel warmth in her

lyricism, added with an ease with vocal delivery that ultimately won the hearts of more notable artistes and a Gen-Z audience hungry for more young female singers following Tems’s ‘Try me’, a music columnist remarked of Fave’s iconic rise-to-stardom.

Now, with several top-chart singles, including the acclaimed love ballads, Beautifully, aFave is steadily expanding the league of breathtaking female voices in Nigeria’s music scene. From her debut dubbed, Me or Mask My Sins (MOMMS), she has charted a course within herself, mapping her discoveries with these vocal documentaries that is her music.

About the EP, Fave says she’s pretty confident of her records and level of acceptance. “I think I say that I’m ready because my sound definitely has improved. I’ve done a lot as an artiste. If I’ve dropped an EP maybe some months back, it will definitely be different from what I’ve been dropping now. So I’m happy with where I am right now and there are a lot of people, and I also have lots of people’s attention at the moment. And people want to hear more of my sound. So I think I’m pretty confident.”

Fave

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

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EVENTS

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t was colourful celebration galore at the 33rd anniversary of Ile-Oluji Day, held recently. Ile-Oluji National Merit Award (INMA) was given to the Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu. Here are some of the sons, daughters and the invited guests at the occasion PHOTO: ABAYOMI AKINYELE

L-R: Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Kiladejo; Jegun Olu-Ekun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin; and Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Ogunlade Oguntoyinbo Aladelusi

L-R: Lisa of Ile-Oluji, High Chief Johnson Fagbamiye; and Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Ayedatiwa

L-R: Akinsefunmi Akintunji; and Chairman, Ile-Oluji Day Planning Committee, Dr. Afolabi Adewakun

L-R: Prof. Bola Akinterinwa; Mr. Sam Adegboyega; and Dr. Olu Akinmoyewa

L-R: Ondo State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa; his wife, Remi; Chief Esan Ogunleye; and his wife, Folake

L-R: Ondo State ALGON Chairman, Oloruntogbeja Augustine; Ondo State Commissioner for Infrastructure, Land and Housing, Mr. Aminu Olayiwola; Chairman, State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Tolu Adegbie; and Special Adivser to the Governor on Union Matters and Duties, Mr. Dare Aragbaye

L-R: Sasere of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, High Chief Adewale Akinfolarin; and Lobun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Mrs Victoria Akinmayowa

L-R: Chief Mrs Elizabeth Akintunde Akinseye; Mr. Akinfisoye Kehinde; and Chief Moses Adewakun

L-R: Dean, Cathedral of St. Peter, Ile-Oluji, Venerable Olumide A kindoyeni; and CAN Chairman, Ile-Oluji, Venrable Solomon Akinseye

L-R: High Chief Nat. Adelayi Adesiyakan; and High Chief Oyebade O. Adeoba

L-R: Mr. Sunday Akingbohungbe; Mr. Olufemi Fagoroye; and Mr Akin Akingunsade Adeoba

L-R: Dr. Joseph Akinuroju; Chief Santos Ayokunle; Mrs Taye Akinuroju; and Chief Henry Akinsuroju

L-R: Jegun Olu-Ekun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin; presenting Ile-Oluji National Merit Award to Mr. Kenny Akinnowo; and his wife, Wumi

L-R: Mrs. Laide Adewakun; Dr. Akinsefunmi; and Mrs Carol L-R: Ms. Oluwakemi Akinterinwa; Mrs. Oluwabunmi Osho; and Funmilola Akintunji Mrs. Kemisola Akinbohun

L-R: Mr Tunde Ajayi; Mr Akin Akinrelere; Mr. Oladunjoye Oyewumi; Mr. Henry Akinsuroju; and Mr. Selemo Akinade

L-R: Mrs Ejiola Akinsola; Mrs Cecilia Adepoju; Iyaloja of Ile-Oluji, Mrs. Mofesola Adegbemigun; and Mrs Oseyemi Omoniyi

L-R: Mrs. Angelica Akindejoye; and Mr. Sola Akindejoye

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SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

SUPER SATURDAY Ibinabo Fiberesima

My Only Man Now is God… If You Have Him, Trust Me, You Won’t Settle for Less Actress, model and events manager, Ibinabo Fiberesima is no stranger in the creative and hospitality world. Starting out as a model, Ibinabo transitioned to acting which steered her to a sterling career path that paved way for her other ventures. In this exclusive interview with Ferdinand Ekechukwu, the ex-president Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) bares her heart on the state of the industry, recounts her journey as she enthusiastically makes “active” return to the screen. Excerpt

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ou played the lead role Mary Slessor. How interesting was it? What does the movie remind you of?

First of all, when I learned of the unexpected privilege of playing such iconic figure, I literally couldn’t describe the feelings that coursed through me. I was a melange of emotions: happiness, pride, duty and of course palpable fear. Would I carry the role well? I mean this was a woman whose life still resonates through the ages. I thought of several actors that played legends in elite movies I had watched and the enormous work that had to go into depicting such historical figures that resulted in Oscars for many. For example, Jamie Foxx playing Ray Charles, Daniel Day Lewis playing Abraham Lincoln, Forest Whitaker playing Idi-Amin Dada and even the awesome Cate Blanchett that played Queen Elizabeth of England amongst others, all larger than life method actors per excellence. Recently, there was the wonderful performance by Eyinna Nwigwe as Ibrahim Babangida in Badamasi: Portrait of a General. I was worried if my performance would fly, especially given the fact that Mary Slessor was a Scot. But then, Mary Slessor is a woman of virtue that I had always admired and read up on and a can-do attitude was one of her key attributes. That did it for me. So, I prayed about it and with the support of my family and friends I took the opportunity.

Playing the role eventually ended up being more interesting than challenging. Of course, I had already prepped myself for the challenging part of it all. I tell my close friends that I eventually didn’t act the part.

No. The spirit of Mary Slessor herself took over. I say this because a lot of miracles literally did take place on location. Sick children got healed and sometimes very knotty issues were resolved inexplicably.

On my part, there were many times when all I heard was ACTION and CUT but could not really recall the in-betweens. The movie Passion of Mary Slessor reminded me of a lot of things. It reminded me of humanity and courage. It reminded me of the need to step up for what you believe in, no matter the cost. It reminded me that the quest for the uplifting of humanity must take pre-eminence over base desires.

Passion of Mary Slessor appears a charity project of some sort, what is it all about?

Ha! It is not a charity project o! The film is produced by EtiJay Concept, new comers to the industry and while they are using their resources to tell a story of an iconic heroine they love, they are also in it to make money. Movie making remains a business, though it depends on what you would want your return on investment to be. I know the producers want money shaa. The movie to the best of my knowledge is funded privately and I think they deserve kudos.

We need more investors in this industry

Ibinabo Fiberesima

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

SUPER SATURDAY We Now Have New Age Popular Actors that Frustrate Production Crew and I think it is commendable when they do get involved. People criticize Nollywood, and rightly so, but I think it is also good for them to come in and help contribute to its growth, so kudos to EtiJay Concept and Dr. Joseph N. James.

The movie was reported to mark your return to the screen, how so is this?

Correction, the movie is marking my ‘active’ return to the screen. In a way, the Passion of Mary Slessor has ignited new ideas which I am currently working on. So I’m asking Nigerians and the world to hold their breath because in a few months you’ll probably see and appreciate firsthand what Passion of Mary Slessor revived in Ibinabo Fiberesima.

Why did you take a break from acting?

Like I said, I never really took a break from acting. I took a break from ‘active acting’, because over the years I have taken on some roles. But then I decided to dedicate my time to a pet project of mine. These days, I am an environmental advocate with an organization set in propagating sustainable practices aimed at preserving the earth and reducing acts of degradation to its ecosystem. I also decided to breathe more energy into my annual pageant also themed towards the environment, the Miss Earth Nigeria Beauty Pageant which has featured since 2002, turning beautiful, intelligent young girls to accomplished women. I scored a major point late last year with one of my newest franchises, the Miss Eco-Tourism World and I’m proud to say that Nigeria won its maiden edition.

I also got involved in politics, engaged in some charity work and I’m at the forefront for the revivification of the Ijaw race. And yes I published a book too titled, Inner Springs: The Hope Series Volume 1. You should read it; it is basically my life in parts at a glance. So you can see it’s been quite busy for me.

stories too and taught me the Yoruba language. That is my fondest childhood memory, those childhood moments spent with grandma.

Which one of your movies easily comes to your mind and why?

One of the most recent comes to mind because it was fantastically done. ’76 a fiction based on some loose

I’m always in front of the camera. Whether delivering speeches at events I’ve been invited to, or on stage for my Miss Earth Nigeria programmes, I’ve always been in front of the camera. It’s not a reality that will ever fade. I once joked that even when I undertook a delicate surgery last year, I was being filmed on the surgeon’s table for a documentary

Did you in any way miss being in front of the camera?

I’m always in front of the camera.

Whether delivering speeches at events I’ve been invited to, or on stage for my Miss Earth Nigeria programmes, I’ve always been in front of the camera. It’s not a reality that will ever fade. I once joked that even when I undertook a delicate surgery last year, I was being filmed on the surgeon’s table for a documentary given the severity of the disease Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation, PAVM.

In general, what do you think is lacking in Nollywood and how would you love to see it addressed?

I think we are beginning to digress in Nollywood. There is an arrogance sweeping across the clime and if it is not addressed it will see to an irredeemable rot. There is this unsustainable idea I’ve been arguing about on our industry platforms which borders on flooding a picture with a deluge of A-List celebrities interpreting weak stories with gaping plot holes. I am happy it is beginning to get the disdain it deserves, but will our producers take the hint is a question that remains to be seen. How long do you think you can hoodwink people into seeing awful films at the cinema or on any paid platform simply because you have the resources or the connect to do so? That I love Denzel Washington does not mean I will tolerate sitting down in a cinema to watch two hours of any nonsense he decides to get himself involved in.

This is where producers take the Nigerian audience for granted. Instagram followership is fast deciding who takes lead roles irrespective of talent or whether they even fit the role. There are many successfully skit merchants, comedians that can’t properly interpret a script or even understand the professionalism of the industry. The real talent are sacrificed for these ones.

Funny enough we try to sweep under the rug the fact that platforms, even the Nigerian cinema always demand for ‘known faces’ or your story no matter how good, is discarded for those with a line of ‘popular actors’.

It’s a ludicrous cycle. We now have new age popular actors that frustrate production crew, arrive on set whenever they please, throw tantrums and delay productions. These are the faces platforms and cinema wants at all costs. Come on, let’s have a bare it all in the industry where the platforms and the cinema will allow producers and even crew talk and trust me, 85% of your current darling artistes will never grace the set of any production again. I am disappointed. Nollywood is meant to have grown from how we started all those years. On the face of it, it looks like our early days are even much better than the contemporary even in the face of improved knowledge and technology.

What’s a typical day like for Ibinabo?

I wake up in the morning, pray and read my bible. I source the news and then I prepare a schedule for the day fitting in any other unresolved issues. I’m presently studying right now too

Tell us a bit of your journey into acting and what attracted you?

My journey into acting is a well told story. I first started out in the creative and hospitality industry where I started out as a model and ended that path with an enviable glut of modelling awards. I was the 1st runner up, Miss Nigeria, 1991 and 2nd runner up at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) beauty pageants. I was named Miss Wonderland in 1992. Then I made my debut in the budding Nollywood industry with the action thriller MOST WANTED to commence a career in acting.

That first movie led me down a sterling career and I am most grateful. I guess I was attracted to the industry because it presented an opportunity to make a change in people’s lives. Actors are change merchants and we work to sway the public perception, fight societal ills and teach through the interpretation of our roles.

I’ve always craved altruistic ideals so when same presented itself through the screen I took it.

Growing up did you have the flair for acting, singing or dancing? What fond childhood memory do you hold?

Oh yes I’ve always had a flair for acting.

I loved singing and dancing and I still do. I always look for an opportunity to dance and I have friends that perhaps suspect same. Every meeting no matter how serious is a reason to turn on a little music.

I used to sing with my grandmother back when I was a young child. She told me

historical facts. It was directed by Izu Ojukwu and starred my darling sister Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah and Chidi Mokeme.

It was an intense thriller whose cinematography was top notch. We live in times when details are spurned by film practitioners but ’76 was precise, well framed and a watcher’s delight. I am proud to be part of that movie.

What are your low and high moments in life?

My high moments were the birth of my beautiful children and my low moment… well everyone knows that. It still haunts me till date. I don’t like talking about it anymore.

Your birthday comes up on Thursday.

What’s the plan? Any gig?

Oh, I’m going to spend the day in commune with God. I intend to put him first on my birthday. Without him I wouldn’t even have made it to 50. By His grace I survived a major surgery last year. He delivered me from PAVM even when the odds were stacked against me. He saw me through. To Him I give all the glory. I will commit to charity too. I have some selected beneficiaries.

Looking at your Instagram posts and pictures, you pretty much rock at your age. What’s the secret?

Na God! Nothing else…

Ibinabo Fiberesima

You seem to be favoured by men that one can hardly talk about you without that part of your life… who’s the man in your life now?

My only man now is God. If you have Him, trust me, you won’t settle for less.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 22, 2022

POLITY Al-Makura: The Man Who May Become APC’S National Chairman As more reports and pundits tip Senator Tanko Al-Makura to emerge a consensus choice of the party’s leading power blocks for the National Chairmanship of the APC, Olaoluwakitan Babatunde takes a look at the person and political record of the former governor of Nasarawa State

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inally, the All Progressives Congress (APC), this week, announced the February 26, 2022 date as well as the guidelines for the national convention of the party.

To say that the convention has been long in coming since the disbandment of the ex-Governor Adams-Oshiomole-led National Working Committee of the party in June 2020 is to state the obvious.

However, long before the announcement, the consultations and horse-trading for the National Chairmanship seat of the party had long begun.

This is expectedly since that choice holds massive consequences for both party and party chieftains in the run up to the 2023 general elections and even beyond. Therefore, many party big wigs have thrown their hats in the ring. There were about 11 of them at the last count.

But among these eminent party personalities, it is easily observed that reports and pundits have continued to put a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, ahead of the pack as the candidate to beat and even possible consensus candidate.

The January 17, 2021 edition of “Monday Discourse”, Thisday’s flagship political report, recalled that Al-Makura is popularly referred to as the ‘’first political son’’ of President Buhari, being the first elected political office holder on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – floated by the President Muhammadu Buhari. It also noted that political chieftains of the APC see Al-Makura as a levelled-headed politician, who is said to enjoy the full support of President Buhari and his successor, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.

A top source in the party said: “While Al-Makura was being favoured by most of the governors, some strong forces in the Presidency and the Senate were backing Musa”. Al-Makura is being tipped as the next chairman because he is a safe option and has no problem with any of the governors. He was the only CPC governor in 2011 and he resisted all temptations to defect to another party but remained loyal to President Buhari. And you know Buhari cherishes loyalty.

“Also, he is a former governor so his emergence will correspond with APC’s longstanding tradition of electing former governors as national chairmen.

The APC national chairmanship position will not be given to a newcomer or anyone that is having a crisis in his state.”

Against this backdrop, many Nigerians seek to know more about the man, who could become the National Chairman of the ruling party in about a month from now. Who is Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and what makes him thick?

The man Al-Makura

Born November 15, 1952, Al-Makura attended Keffi Teachers’ College and College of Education, Uyo before heading to Ahmadu Bello University where he bagged Bachelor of Education degree. He later ventured into the business world in the 1970s and set up empires in the real estate development and hospitality industry, among others.

In 2016, a Nigerian online news platform, Naij. com, now known as Legit, listed Al-Makura among five Nigerian governors, who were already multibillion naira businessmen before holding any public office.

Al-Makura started building experience in party administration in 1980 as the Youth Leader of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State during the Second Republic. AlMakura was elected into the 1988/1989 Constituent Assembly. He emerged the State Secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) and served in that position from 1990 to 1992. He later merged forces with likeminded political associates in the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) during that fateful General Sani Abacha’s transition programme.

Buhari, and went on to beat Aliyu Doma and PDP federal might in an epic victory. Al-Makura trounced Doma 394,823 to 320,938 votes in what was clearly the biggest upset in that year’s general election.

The attempt by the PDP, which had 20 out of the 24 seats in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, to secure through impeachment in 2014 what it could not secure at the polls in 2011 also failed by virtue of Al-Makura’s popular support and deft political strategies. This political adroitness won him Leadership Newspaper’s “Leadership Politician of the Year 2014” award.

Having gained ground, Al-Makura was able to secure a second term in 2015, but this time, as a founding member of the APC, an offshoot of the mega merger of the CPC and other legacy parties in 2013.

The man, the merger, and jinx breaking

Al-Makura

Well spoken of as a great political mobiliser, Al-Makura was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998. He is reckoned to have paid his dues, serving as one of PDP’s moblisation machines and financiers in Nasarawa State. However, the party was said not to have paid him in deserved coin. At the end of former governor Abdullahi Adamu’s two-term, people like Al-Makura, who laboured for the party were ditched, as the governorship ticket went to the late Aliyu Doma, who was only brought into the party for that purpose in 2006. Also, Doma was PDP’s main challenger in the 1999 and 2003 Nasarawa governorship election on the platform of the All Peoples Party (APP/ANPP).

However, Al-Makura remained loyal to the party, willing to contribute his quota to the success of the Doma administration. But amid his sidelining and the floundering performance by that administration, he decided to challenge the incumbent for PDP’s gubernatorial ticket in the 2011 general election.

He however lost the bid for the PDP ticket in what many deemed controversial circumstances.

The Al-Makura Campaign Organisation, which would have non of that, however, insisted that Aliyu Doma’s emergence and administration in 2007 was a mistake that must be corrected in the 2011 election.

“We cannot fold our arms and watch while the state is drifting into a bottomless pit. We want to rise up now to get him out of office through a popular mandate. This is the time to correct the error that was made in 2007”, it said.

However, dislodging a sitting PDP governor on any other party platform was a mission impossible, Nasarawa being a PDP endemic state at the time.

Analysing the chances of other parties against the PDP in August 2010, the political desk of a major national daily rightly wrote: “Since the advent of democracy in 1999, Nasarawa has been governed by the PDP. This total domination of power by the PDP has led to the near absence of viable political parties in the state, as virtually the entire political force congregate under the PDP in a stiff contest for control of power. The calculation is that a ticket of the PDP to contest for any position is as good as a victory in the general elections. On the face value, the PDP looks set to retain the governorship seat in 2011”.

Nevertheless, Al-Makura proved pundits wrong as he picked the governorship ticket of the CPC newly formed by its presidential candidate, Muhammadu

One of the primary qualifications for parties, which wished to join the merger talks that transformed into the APC was that such a party must boast of at least one of the 36 governorship seats across the country. That was how important AlMakura’s victory in the 2011 governorship election became for the CPC, as it was the party’s sole governorship seat.

It is recalled that Buhari had consistently performed so well in three consecutive presidential elections before 2015. He polled 12,710,022 votes against Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, then 6,605,299 votes against the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007 and 12,214,853 against Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. It was therefore not surprising that with good politics by Buhari and his disciples like Al-Makura, he won the APC’s presidential primary and fly the party’s ticket in 2015. The party must have reckoned that with a popular candidate like Buhari guaranteeing at least 11 million votes, mostly in the already discontented North, it only needed some hard work in the South to record the jinx-breaking feat of defeating a sitting president and ruling party. And they were right.

The rest is history. But that history, many believe, will never be complete without a good mention of Al-Makura because while the Senator, who was the sole CPC governor was very disposed to and worked for the merger rather than feel threatened, a few CPC national officers were opposed to the merger at the time.

However, one thing remained – although Buhari won the presidential election nationally, he/APC lost to Jonathan in Nasarawa by 236,839 to 273,460.

It is also recalled that Buhari, as CPC candidate, had also lost to PDP’s Jonathan in the 2011 presidential election as he polled 278,390 votes as against Jonathan’s 408,997. But by 2019, Al-Makura had sufficiently plotted PDP’s fall in a presidential election in Nasarawa State for the first time. Buhari garnered 289,903 votes to subdue Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, who polled 283,847 votes.

Hurricane Al-Makura would not stop there, as the APC equally took all the three senatorial seats. That included the Nasarawa South seat where Al-Makura, then the outgoing governor, won one of the seats to represent the people of Nasarawa.

But beyond these feats seen by many as demonstrable capacity to put the PDP in its place, many have even more importantly spoken about the fact that Al-Makura is not aligned to any of the feuding factions in the APC. This, they say, put him in good stead to do justice to all. They speak of his humility, pan-Nigerian dispositions, and that being a founding member of the APC, he is in a best position to reformat the party to its original vision and arrest the gales of trouble within. He is reputed as a promise keeper and selfless leader and arbiter.

Yet, despite what pundits say and despite AlMakura’s bright chances, February 26 is still a long distance to go. A day in politics is a long period and it is never over until it is over.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 22, 2022

25

POLITY

Has Sanwo-Olu Finally Broken the Traffic Jinx?

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agos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is obviously on a path to rewriting the problematic traffic history in Lagos state. During the week, the governor in far away Milwaukee in the United States of America announced to the world that his administration has achieved a quantum leap with its successful acquisition of two new sets of trains with each train carrying 10 cars manufactured by Spanish Talgo with a speed of 330kmph for the Lagos Red Line project.

It was unarguably a huge dream come true for Sanwo-Olu and his team who, just a little over two years ago on assuming office, started the train project from ground zero in line with his administration’s commitment to traffic management and transportation.

In choosing to place traffic management as a major thrust of his administration, the governor was highly conscious of the huge losses recorded by the state as a result of the impediments encountered by residents and businesses seeking to commute as well as move goods and deploy services across the state.

The absence of a well articulated intermodal transport system which would incorporate the use of water, land, air and rail transportation was not only frustrating but threatened the race to achieve the megacity status that Lagos has become.

Indeed, the Sanwo-Olu’s Midas touch culminating in today’s success story took too long in coming. About 39 years ago, the late Governor Lateef Jakande’s administration conceptualised the metro line project in 1983, but for reasons bordering on suspicion, pettiness, lack of foresight and vision, General Muhammadu Buhari, military head of state then, scrapped the project.

It needs recall that after the Nigeria versus Biafra civil war which ended in 1970, lots of easterners and others seeking greener pasture headed to the South west, a region that remained intact and untouched throughout the period of the hostilities.

The rural to urban drift brought with it lots of problems for Lagos which at this time doubled as the federal capital territory and Nigeria’s biggest commercial hub. From accomodation, lack of intermodal transport system, security, to sanitation, Lagos suddenly found itself struggling to cope with these new menace.

Meanwhile, unable to bear the escalating security threat which resulted in the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed and the exploding population in Lagos, the

federal government decided to relocate the federal capital to Abuja to free up Lagos.

Regrettably, the situation got worse as more influx of people from the hinterlands including neighbouring countries like Ghana flooded into Lagos. Faced with the dire consequences, the then Lagos government led by Lateef Jakande (between 1979 and 19832) first mulled the initiative of metro system, it was a projection into the future.

Although belonging to an opposition party, Jakande approached the civilian government of President Shehu Shagari for help. After initially showing no commitment, Shagari eventually backed the project and instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to grant the required monetary support.

By then, a Japanese company and a consortium of 19 French companies, Interinfra — each of them first-class companies — had been engaged by the state government.

A 10 per cent essential contribution of about $70 million was also readied with the expectation of more funding from the CBN. Preliminary preparations were ongoing until General Muhammadu Buhari came into the picture. A successful coup that terminated the civilian rule of Shagari enthroned Buhari as the military Head of State, leading to the beginning of the end of a high-impact project that would not only have equipped the state to solve the perennial traffic challenge it still faces, decades after, but would also have pushed other states to follow suit and propel the country’s development.

According to George Etomi, the transaction lawyer who consulted for 17 of the French companies engaged to handle the metro system project in 1983, “It would have addressed 80 per cent of the chaos we are seeing today.

“At that time, the Buhari government set up a mass enquiry against all the civilians because there was this notion that many of them were corrupt and needed to be brought to justice”, he pointed out.

Buhari’s thinking was that the UPN government merely used the metro line as a cover to sponsor their political party.

So, he set up the Justice Famakinwa Tribunal of Inquiry to investigate the project, check origins, check all the payments that were made and so on.

In the end, nothing was found and the federal government had to pay heavily for reneging on its commitments to the companies. Eventually, Nigeria spent money for the wrong reasons and no metro line.

Undaunted, the Tinubu administration brought back the

Obi Cubana: From Grace to Grace Majeed Dahiru

T

hrough a mutual friend, I met Obi Cubana for the first and last time at his Ibiza restaurant sometime in 2008; a year before the opening of his Cubana night club in 2009. I was publishing a soft sell magazine that was focused on making celebrities out of the bourgeoning Abuja businessmen, politicians and entertainers. I felt that the celebrity scene in Nigeria was overtly dominated by Lagos “boys” and “girls” whilst Abuja with a lot of success stories were grossly under reported and not well celebrated.

One of such success stories was that of then 33 years old Obinna Iyiegbu, aka Obi Cubana. Long before he recently became world famous, Cubana, who was fondly called “Okpole” by his friends and associates, was a successful food, entertainment and hospitality entrepreneur. His flagship business was the popular Ibiza restaurant, bar and night club.

Ibiza is located on the very busy Porthacourt crescent of Garki Area 11 in the heart of Abuja city.

After many years of selling street foods from open parks and gardens to neighbourhood corner shops, Cubana, a political science graduate of University of Nigeria Nsukka, who chose entrepreneurship over paid employment, opened his Ibiza restaurant on a plot of rented land in Abuja sometime in 2006. Starting on a temporary structure of wooden frame, which was covered with plain roofing sheets on a floor that was barely covered with chippings of gravel, there was nothing so attractive or special about Ibiza restaurant except its food.

At Ibiza, Cubana and his team of dedicated staffs offered to the eating public the best of culinary services with specialization on the very rich cuisine of Nigeria’s south east region. Assorted dishes like Abacha, Nkwobi, Isi ewu, Ukwa, Ji akukwu nni, Utala na ofe nsala, ofe olugbu, ofe ora, ofe akwukwo, etc., were readily available on demand during the day and night.

For lovers of sea food, Cubana introduced the innovation of “point and kill”: any specie of choice from his large pond at Ibiza and it will be served hot on a dish in quick time.

Ibiza was and is still one of the most popular destination for Abuja night crawlers as in addition to the food, all manner of drinks and alcoholic beverages are readily available on demand. The opening of Ibiza restaurant coincided with a period of relative economic prosperity in Nigeria, massive infrastructural expansion in Abuja and a boom in the housing construction sector of Nigeria’s federal capital city.

Cubana With an annual GDP growth rate of 6% in 2006 and general improvement in the economy at the time, there was a substantial restoration of Nigeria’s middle class with a reasonable margin of disposable income, many of whom resided in Abuja. With the surge in Abuja’s urban population, Ibiza became for many a kitchen away from their mother’s kitchen at home, where their cravings for the most delicious and sumptuous native Nigerian delicacies are served.

In addition to the prevailing clement economic climate at the time, Cubana along with his well-motivated staffs worked very hard to build, sustain and expand his customer base by his continuous innovation through massive reinvestment into his business to give it a competitive edge in the food and hospitality industry of Abuja. Also, Obi’s reputation as an amiable, humble and generous young man attracted massive good will and well wishes from people across the country.

These qualities combined to transform Ibiza from a shanty vendor to a food, entertainment and hospitality edifice, and Cubana from a tenant to the landlord of Ibiza premises. It was this phenomenal success story that led me to the young business man and seeking to feature him on the cover of the second edition of my magazine.

However, my meeting with Cubana wasn’t as fruitful as I had hoped. Whilst he received me warmly, Obi Cubana was a bit media shy and appeared more pre-occupied with quietly growing his business and we bade each other farewell on a friendly note and promised to keep in touch. By the following year when he opened his Cubana night club on the highbrow Adetokunbo Ademola crescent of Abuja, I knew I saw

THEFRONTLINES JOSEPH USHIGIALE jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

rail project in 2003, but the project has stalled after failing repeatedly to meet it set delivery deadlines occasioned by slow pace of work and complaints of paucity of funds. There is however, a silver lining in the horizon following a recent pronouncement by the administration that the blue light rail line started by former governor Bola Tinubu is to commence in 2022, years after the euphoria that greeted the launch has long died off.

In a statement released during the week, Sanwo-Olu said he had completed the deal at a public event inside the Milwaukee facilities of Spanish train manufacturer, Talgo Incorporated in the United States.

Thereafter, the trains will be heading to Lagos, for the Red Line, a 37-kilometre track rail project started by his administration. The project will have 11 stations, and when completed, it will be the first operational metro system in West Africa; which is why the state government said it is excited to complete the purchase of the two brand new trains.

Describing the sweet deal he just sealed in Milwaukee, the ecstatic governor pointed out that “A train is not something you can just go on the shelf and pick up. We are very lucky to get brand new trains. We have seen our beautiful white and red trains. Coincidentally, the rail line is called Red Line, and you can see they have given us the colour. We are just going to brand it and put up our seal there.

“We hope that this (purchase of the trains) will be the beginning of a mutually beneficial business relationship. Providing source of livelihood for our citizens is all about providing jobs for our people, and that is what we are doing. It is about ensuring that we can build our economy, people can move from one location to another and businesses can grow.

“Part of what we have done in the last two and half years is to have what we call integrated urban mass transportation system, where we will be using road ≠≠, waterway infrastructure and rail infrastructure so that we can move over 20 million Lagosians within and around the city.”

Sanwo-Olu has specifically promised Lagosians that the first phase of the Red Line will begin by the last quarter of 2022 or first quarter of 2023, with a capacity of 500,000 passengers daily.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Cubana’s today; yesterday.

It was Cubana’s night club that separated Abuja men from Abuja boys due to its exclusivity and class. Before the opening of Cubana, it was a common happenstance for a “Daddy” who was supposed to be away on a business trip to “Lagos” to bump into his young “brother in law” who was supposed to be in school, in a night club. Obi’s Cubana solved this problem by meeting the need for privacy and fun for this category of high profile night crawlers.

Once again, Obi’s Cubana will make the difference by becoming the place of choice for Abuja’s super rich, middle age night life patrons away from the glare of their children, nieces and nephews. Therefore, when some people expressed doubt about the legitimacy of Obi Cubana’s money, after the carnival like burial ceremony of his late mother in his home town of Oba, Anambra state, where naira notes of different denominations rained, some of us who knew him before the Oba event didn’t have such doubt.

Like every one of us, Cubana is not without sin. But the notion that behind every wealth is a big crime may not always hold true in every case. Cubana is not the richest man from Oba, Anambra or even Nigeria. He is simply a manifestation of the Igbo philosophy of “onye nwere nmadu ka onye nwere ego” [he who has people is richer than he has money].

Cubana’s charity begins at home with family, friends and the general public.

And what played out at Oba was an open show of love and support in appreciation for a successful young man who remained level headed, kind and genuinely generous despite his astronomical economic rise. Judging From his humility and friendly association with people of different status [both high and low] including those that are lower than him in terms of material possessions, Cubana also personifies another Igbo philosophy which says “onye kakwam akolamu onu” [he that is richer than me should not mock me].

And for those who understand Igbo cosmology, Cubana’s phenomenal blow out after the Oba burial carnival from obscurity to global fame and subsequent his rise from grace to grace is actually an answered prayer of a dying mother for her beloved son who spared nothing to make her comfortable and happy in her life time. He has never been interested in spotlight. In fact, before his mother’s burial, only close friends and business associates knew the big masquerade behind the Cubana brand.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JANUARY 22, 2022

POLITY

Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce Xrays 2022 Economic Outlook Bennett Oghifo

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uilding on a slew of successes in 2021, the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce recently hosted leading members of Nigeria’s business community and stakeholders from various sectors of the economy at its January Breakfast Meeting, themed, “2022 Economic Outlook”.

Welcoming delegates to the event, which provided a platform for analysis of the economic, social and geopolitical trends expected to impact Nigeria’s economic performance this year, the President and Council Chairman of the Chamber, Mrs Bisi Adeyemi highlighted the Chamber’s understanding of the challenges posed by an unstable global market, and the ramifications for Nigerian businesses.

“A major objective for hosting the 2022 Economic Outlook is the imperative to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the opportunities, challenges and indeed the threats that businesses should expect to contend with this year. I am sure that like me, many of you would like to have a crystal ball to give you a sneak peek into what the year holds, and I certainly would like to know how the permutations of a pre-election year will impact the economic indices.”, Adeyemi noted.

Taking a deep dive into Nigeria’s projected fiscal outcomes, keynote speaker and economist, Mr Bismarck J. Rewane hinted that economic activity in 2022 will be similar to 2021, owing to global inflationary trends linked to COVID-19, such as the lingering global supply shortage, which will weigh on the supply of imported raw materials and continue to impact Nigerian businesses.

“We can expect to see sustained cost-push factors, including a planned fuel subsidy removal, new electricity tariffs and additional taxes; alongside legacy issues, such as increased debt service burden and exchange rate conversion. Inflation will remain structurally high at an average of 13.3%, with an increase in Q1 and Q2.” Rewane observed.

He however noted that the economic outlook for the country was not gloomy, despite its continued dependence on oil.

“The World Bank projects economic growth of 2.5% for Nigeria, with a 3.4% annualised growth rate, driven by the ICT, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Trade and Construction sectors. Government expenditure will increase especially because of election spending and the Naira will effectively

L-R: Past President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Michael Olawale-Cole; Chief Economist, Coronation Merchant Bank, Chinwe Egwim; President/Chairman of council, NBCC, Bisi Adeyemi; Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited/keynote speaker, Bismarck Rewane; and Chairman, Programmes Committee, NBCC, Wole Oshin, during the NBCC January Breakfast Meeting, with the theme “2022 Economic Outlook” in Lagos… recently. appreciate in the informal market” He concluded.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Ben Llewellyn-Jones delivered a goodwill message underscoring the strong bilateral ties between the two countries and the United Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening existing trade relations, including its continued support for Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy and open up additional areas for potential investment.

The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce is the foremost

bilateral Chamber in Nigeria and was established in 1977 to promote Trade and Investment between Nigeria and Britain.

The Chamber currently has over 400 members from diverse sectors of the economy. We are an international affiliate of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) which gives us access to a network of 53 Chambers of Commerce across the United Kingdom and 71 other international affiliates around the world.

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Son of the deceased, Damiloa Faloye; Lace Superior Elder Sister, Akinsanya; wife of the deceased, Mother Celestial, Abiola Faloye; her daughter, Bolanle Araromi; Miss Ayomikun Faloye; and the deceased’s younger brother, Senior Evangelist, Adeyemo Faloye, at the burial of late Superior Evangelist Olubode Faloye, held at CCC Amazing Grace Parish, Papa-Ajao, in Lagos… recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Past President, Rotary Club of New Benin, Osahon Woghiren; Past Assistant Governor, Nosa Edo-Osagie; Past President, Magdalene Odigie; and President Rotary Club of New Benin, Meshaic Okhumeode, during the Humanitarian Service award presentation to Nosa Edo-Osagie at the first Rotary Club of New Benin fellowship, held at Urban Oasis Hotel, Benin City… recently.

L-R: Registrar, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), Sidney Ogodo; President and Chairman of Council, NIMN, Idorenyen Enang; Registrar/Chief Executive, Association of Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON), Olalekan Fadolapo; and Director, Registering Career Matters and corporate Licensing, APCON, Joe Eugene-Onuora, during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) between the NIMN and APCON in Lagos… yesterday

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

22.1.2022

NEWS

MORE THAN A DERBY PAGE. 29

Samuel Kalu

Rescue Mission to Vicarage Road

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 22, 2022

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Samuel Kalu

Rescue Mission to Vicarage Road

Samuel Kalu tries to outpace PSG’s Neymar during a Ligue 1 game

With four Nigerians already in their fold, Watford’s egg heads are again putting their trust on another Nigerian international in their quest to swim out of relegation waters. Samuel Kalu moved to Vicarage Road during the week from French side, Bordeaux, with a mission to salvage Hornets side that are 17th on the Premier League log

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remier League strugglers Watford are on the verge of signing Samuel Kalu after a deal was agreed with Bordeaux, with a fee believed to be in the region of £2.5-£3.5 million and the Nigerian international is expected to sign a contract until 2026.

The 24-year-old was due to carry out a medical at London Colney on Wednesday before completing the move to the Premier League.

It’s understood that Watford have been tracking Kalu for a number of years and made the decision to move now.

Club sources initially played down links to the winger, saying that attack was not an area they were looking to bolster this window.

However, the opportunity to move now and sign someone they have been tracking for some time, for what they consider to be a good price, has changed their minds, especially after they managed to identify and secure defensive targets early on.

So far this season, the attacker has one goal and one assist from 12 appearances in all competitions.

Overall, he has 10 goals and eight assists from 86 games for Bordeaux.

The Nigerian winger will be Watford’s fourth signing of the January transfer window after Samir, Hassane Kamara and Edo Kayembe.

All three featured in manager Claudio Ranieri’s starting line-up for a crucial relegation clash with Newcastle last Saturday.

The Hertfordshire club currently sit 17th in the table, one point clear of the relegation zone.

The new signing from Bordeaux arrives as a similar proposition to his fellow Nigerian. Kalu

was out of favour in France needing a fresh start, just like Dennis when he left Belgium for Watford in the summer. The club’s hierarchy have rolled the risk dice again, but with a recent case study to give them confidence.

“When you participate in a transfer you always hope that it will be a success,” a source close to Kalu tells The Athletic. The initial outlay on the 24-year-old is understood to be in the region of £500,000, with add-ons taking the value of the transfer up to approximately £2.5 million over the course of a five-year contract.

Kalu has been on the club’s radar for a number of years. They scouted him closely towards the end of the 2019-20 season but the club’s relegation from the Premier League meant interest wasn’t followed up. Other attacking targets, including Dennis, were then preferred after promotion back to England’s top flight, but they revived their interest in Kalu at the start of January.

Kalu collapsed in the sixth minutes of their Ligue 1 match against Marseille at Stade Velodrome late last year, but the Nigerian international got up after players from both side and medics rushed to attend to him.

The 24-year-old, who collapsed from severe dehydration during a Nigeria training session at the 2019 African Cup of Nations, resumed playing several moments later but appeared groggy and was eventually substituted.

According to the doctor, “it was just a dizzy spell,” “It gave us a bit of a chill and it’s still quite shocking. We inevitably thought about what happened with (Denmark midfielder

Christian) Eriksen, the whole team and everyone was scared.

His impressive performance with Gent of Belgium culminated French side, Bordeaux to splash €8 on the 2019 AFCON bronze medalist in the summer of 2018 and the Nigerian prodigy did not disappoint initially.

When the Nigerian international moved from KAA Genk to French Ligue 1 side to replace Brazilian winger, Malcom, who had left for Spanish giants, Barcelona at the summer of 2018, he had a dream to take the French league by storm.

Though he indeed started on a high note and at a stage made the Ligue 1 Player of the Week, but could not sustain the momentum as he fell in the pecking order of the Bordeaux team after just managing three goals in 26 games in his first season.

Kalu’s mark at Bordeaux might have been less than indelible but erstwhile Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr praised him for his role in easing young forward and international teammate Josh Maja into the Bordeaux squad.

Rohr believef that the striker was able to settle quickly in France, thanks to his international teammate Kalu who played a big brother role. ” When he arrived in Bordeaux, he was not alone; there was another Nigerian, Samuel Kalu.

So, his integration, carried out in good working conditions and surrounded by a good staff, was facilitated,” Rohr had noted.

The German tactician said he had been monitoring Kalu’s performances since his days at Gent where he struck a good understanding with Nigerian midfielder Moses Simon, but did

not pick the player for the 2018 World Cup in Russia because he had good players in his role.

“I never selected him. I saw him play for in his team. I took another, which is Simon Moses.

He has been in my group since two years ago.

He is also a winger and fast. He’s almost the same, but I found him better than Kalu,” the former Gabon manager said.

“Samuel Kalu is a good dribbler, and he’s an overflowing winger. He’s explosive; he gives a lot of good balls. He overflows, he can play on both sides. I hope Bordeaux will have the satisfaction of seeing him evolve with these qualities,” he had said then.

Reacting over the signing of Kalu by Bordeaux, club president Stephane Martin, revealed to French newspaper Sud Ouest, “He is a player that the recruitment team followed for a while. His choice was validated

by Gustavo Poyet.”

Kalu moved to Ligue 1 champions after dazzling displays since joining the Ghelamco Arena outfit from AS Trencin in January 2016.

For Kalu it may have been a shattered dream when Rohr did not look at their direction during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but it was a dream come true when he made his debut for the Super Eagles in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles.

Prior to the encounter, Kalu was keen to shine with the team, as he said: “I’m prepared to give everything to the Super Eagles. It’s my first call-up and I want to make the country proud. I’m expecting us to win the game and nothing more. It’s an important game that we cannot afford to lose. We have to work hard and do whatever we can to win the game.”

With the likes of Odion Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ogenyi Onazi failing to truly seize the opportunity to prove critics wrong, Kalu was the standout performer, playing 84 minutes of brilliant attacking football that won the heart of many fans back home.

Kalu’s deft touches on the ball were a joy to behold, while his dribbling and trickery were also impressive.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 22, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

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

22 21 23 22 19 20 21 20 21 19 21 21 20 22 20 19 22 20 20 17

41 37 28 11 4 8 5 2 0 -3 -1 -8 -5 -11 -15 -10 -32 -17 -23 -11

56 45 44 37 36 35 35 31 29 25 24 24 23 23 22 19 16 14 12 11

Premier League TODAY

Everton12:30 Brentford v Leeds Utd v Man Utd v Southampton v

Aston Villa 12:30 Wolvers 15:00 Newcastle 15:00 West Ham 15:00 Man City 17:30

SUNDAY

Arsenal v Burnley Crystal Palace v Liverpool Leicester v Brighton Chelsea v Tottenham

Hot Shot

Chelsea Antonio Rudiger tries to stop Tottenham Hotspur Son Heung-Min from causing any damage

Can Chelsea Get Title Dream Back on Track with Tottenham Visit?

With 12 points adrift of leaders, Manchester City, Chelsea will be hoping to revive their first Premier League title dream in five years as the Blues welcome London neighboursTottenham to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.The Thomas Tuchel’s side got the better of Spurs in the League Cup and would hoping for a repeat tomorrow. However, Antonio Conte’s side would be boosted by their dramatic comeback win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, midweek and the fact that they are yet to taste defeat in a league game under the Italian

C

helsea will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Tuchel’s side suffered a 1-0 defeat to leaders Manchester City in the league last Saturday before drawing at Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, which has left them 12 points behind Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Blues have now only won one of their last seven Premier League games during a disappointing run of form, but they have already beaten Tottenham twice this month in the EFL Cup. However, fresh from a magnificent comeback win over Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to renew hostilities with Chelsea.

Antonio Conte’s side were on the verge of defeat at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday night before a dramatic late double from Steven Bergwijn completed a remarkable turnaround.

The Lilywhites have given their topfour hopes quite the boost with that 3-2 victory and now sit one point behind West Ham United - who have played three games more in the final Champions League spot.

Weeks ago, the notion of Chelsea’s visit of bitter rivals Tottenham being anything close to a potential battle for the top four would have sounded strange.

Still, such has been the nature of their differing runs of form, Sunday’s Premier League meeting could be a huge one in the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Clearly, Chelsea aren’t exactly fighting for their lives on that front but a loss would make things interesting. With their

title challenge collapsing and Tuchel struggling to rediscover a winning formula, Spurs could take advantage.

While the German-born manager will take heart with how easily side beat Conte’s men in the Carabao Cup, Spurs’ dramatic win over Leicester City will surely give them confidence heading to Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Premier League leaders Manchester City will be looking to claim their 13th successive league victory when they face Southhampton at St Mary’s this evening.

The Saints, who played out a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season, could move into the top 10 if they were to secure all three points on home soil.

After Raul Jimenez and Conor Coady put the hosts two goals in front, set-piece king James Ward-Prowse scored an astonishing 35-yard free kick six minutes from time to give the Saints hope of a comeback; only England legend David Beckham (18) has scored more Premier League free kicks than Southampton’s captain.

However, Wolves managed to restore their two-goal cushion and claim all three points when Adama Traore netted in stoppage time. That result has seen Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men slip to 12th in the table, 11 points clear of the relegation zone and the same number of points behind the top seven.

Hasenhuttl’s side also suffered defeat against Wolves on home soil earlier this season, but that has been their only league loss in 10 games at St Mary’s this campaign – drawing six and winning three of the other nine, a record which will give them confidence ahead of today’s clash with the champions.

The Saints will also take note of their

resilient display at the Etihad Stadium in September last year when they played out a goalless draw, though many would argue that the visitors were unlucky not to come away with all three points on that occasion.

Another impressive defensive performance will be required today if they are to avoid defeat in both league meetings with City for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.

However, since keeping a clean sheet against the Citizens, Southampton have only recorded three shutouts in their last 16 league matches, shipping 27 goals in the process.

Kevin De Bruyne haunted his former club with the decisive strike in the 70th minute to seal all three points for the Citizens, who now sit 11 points clear of Liverpool in second place, having played a game more.

City seem to be unstoppable at present and without a recognised number nine, Guardiola’s men continue to excel in front of goal, netting 34 times during their 12-game winning streak in the league.

However, the Sky Blues were unable to breach Southampton’s backline on home soil earlier this season, taking 16 shots on goal but registering only one on target.

City have in fact failed to score in two of their last four league meetings against the Saints despite finding the net in each of their previous 16 against them.

Guardiola’s buoyant bunch will be anything but concerned about such a statistic, and having opened the scoring in more different Premier League fixtures than any other side this season, going on to win all 17 matches in the process, another potential opener today should give them the platform to secure yet another top-flight victory.

PLAYERS

14:00 14:00 14:00 16:30

CLUB

Mo Salah Diogo Jota Jamie Vardy Emmanuel Dennis Michail Antonio Cristiano Ronaldo Heung Son Emile Smith Rowe Raphinha Sadio Mané Mason Mount Raheem Sterling Neal Maupay Bernardo Silva Riyad Mahrez Bukayo Saka Conor Gallagher Luiz Jorginho Maxwel Cornet Callum Wilson

Liverpool Liverpool Leicester Watford West Ham Man Utd Tottenham Arsenal Leeds Liverpool Chelsea Man City Brighton Man City Man City Arsenal Palace Chelsea Burnley Newcastle

GOALS

16 10 9 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6

Head to Head 21-09-25 Chelsea 0-1 Man City 21/19/09 Tottenham 0 - 3 Chelsea 21/ 04/02Tottenham0 - 1 Chelsea 20/ 29/11 Chelsea 0 - 0 Tottenham 20/22/02 Chelsea 2 - 1 Tottenham 19/22/12 Tottenham 0 - 2 Chelsea 19/27/02 Chelsea 2 - 0 Tottenham 18/24/12 Tottenham 3 - 1 Chelsea 18/01/04 Chelsea 1 - 3 Tottenham 17/20/08 Tottenham 1 - 2 Chelsea 17/04/01 Tottenham 2 - 0 Chelsea 16/26/11 Chelsea 2 - 1 Tottenham 16/02/05 Chelsea 2 - 2 Tottenham 15/29/11 Tottenham 0 - 0 Chelsea 15/01/01 Tottenham 5 - 3 Chelsea 14/03/12 Chelsea 3 - 0 Tottenham 14/08/03 Chelsea 4 - 0 Tottenham 13/28/09 Tottenham 1 - 1 Chelsea 13/08/05 Chelsea 2 - 2 Tottenham 12/20/10 Tottenham 2 - 4 Chelsea 12/24/03 Chelsea 0 - 0 Tottenham 11/22/12 Tottenham 1 - 1 Chelsea 11/30/04 Chelsea 2 - 1 Tottenham

La Liga SUNDAY

Levante Villarreal Sevilla Atlético

v v v v

Cádiz 13:00 Mallorca 15:15 Celta Vigo 17:30 Valencia 20:00

v v v v v

Osasuna 13:00 Elche 15:15 Bilbao 17:30 Getafe 17:30 Barcelona 20:00

SUNDAY

Granada Madrid Vallecano Sociedad Alavés

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 22, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

R-L: Founder of Ceniplug; Tosan Lori, MD of Captival Bank; Mr. Oscar Ede, and the runner-up, female singles, Mrs. Chineye Oguejiofor during the VGC Badminton Open in Lagos recently

Kekechi Iheanacho’s lone strike was enough to sink Egypt

AFCON 2021

Eguavoen Expects Tough March against Tunisia Erameh Sets New Oba of Benin Golf Tournament’s Record Nigeria’s manager Augustine Eguavoen says he countenances a tough duel between his Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 encounter in Garoua.

Tunisia’s campaign has been somewhat ravaged by positive COVID tests and the team only qualified for the knockout stage as one of the best losers, finishing in third place behind The Gambia and Mali, and winning only one of their three matches while losing the other two.

“I expect a very tough

game against the Tunisians.

Our group will not be lulled into any sense of superiority over any team here until we do the business on the field. Tunisia is a big name in African football and we must acknowledge that, despite the manner in which they reached this stage.

“We have watched some of their games and from what we know of them in the distant past and in lucid memory, they are never a team to take for granted.”

Eguavoen was head coach of the Super Eagles when Nigeria upended the Carthage Eagles on penalty

shootout in Port Said in Egypt 16 years ago to send the Cup holders out of the tournament at the quarter final stage.

On Sunday at the Stade Roumdé Adjia, Nigeria will file out with three wins in three from their group phase campaign. The Tunisians were only able to defeat Mauritania while losing to Mali and The Gambia.

The match will be Eguavoen’s 16th for Nigeria across three stints, during which he has walked off the pitch victorious in 13 of the previous 15, with only two narrow defeats

Lagos State Viewing Centres Come Alive with AFCON Round of 16 Matches The 10 viewing centres established by Lagos State Government across the state to enable residents have easy access to the games of the Cameroun 2021 African Cup of Nations will once again comes alive with the Round of it matches kicking off tomorrow.

Viewer can therefore watch the Round of 16 matches between Burkina Faso versus Gabon and the Super Eagles versus Tunisia.

According to the Lagos

State Sports Commission, the centres were established with sponsorship from the private sector. It is part of the state government’s bid to make following the championship easy for Lagosians.

The viewing centres, which are adequately secured, are located at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Island, Abesan playground, Naval Yard Ajegunle, Bishop Aggrey Youth Centre, Mushin, Epe

Recreation Centre, Italewa Ikorodu, Badagry Grammar School, Badagry, Agege Stadium Agege and Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba.

The Sports Commission said in a statement, “The idea of the private sector partnering with Lagos State government is to bring football closer to Lagosians, which will be more fun and entertaining, as fans watch all the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations 2021.”

Runsewe Extols Virtues of Late Jacobson The president of Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) and Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe has condoled with the family of Late Kolawole Jacobson, a renowned golf icon in Nigeria.

In a condolence message to the family, Runsewe described Late Jacobson as an accomplished Nigeria, a talented golfer and lover of children who was passionately concerned about the grooming of young

Nigerians in the game of golf.

Runsewe noted that late Jacobson made very remarkable contribution to the development of golf in Nigeria, a game he loved with passion.

“He was an outstanding Nigeria known for his honesty, integrity and committed hardwork” the NGF president noted, lamenting that he will be missed for the several good things he stood for.

Consoling the family, Runsewe said that in this moment of grief, the consolation should be that he slept in the Lord as a man of good conscience and therefore shall be received in heaven by God Almighty.

Responding on behalf of the family during visit, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Shola Jacobson expressed appreciation for the visit.

She thanked Runsewe for sympathizing with the family and for honouring her husband even in death.

Ikukuoma Unity Cup Ends in Style It was an occasion of bliss and glitz as the long awaited 2021/2022 Ikukuoma Mbaise Unity Cup was kicked off at Ezeagbogu Secondary School in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.

The tournament, being initiated and sponsored by High Chief Dr. Summers Nwoki.

The opening ceremony of the football competition

in the entire Mbaise Nation was well attended and truly lived up to the expectations of the organizers.

Prominent dignitaries graced the occasion in solidarity for the sporting event.

Leading the pack of the distinguished personalities whose presence added glamour are, member in the House of Representatives, Emeka Chinedu,

Professor Waziri Erameh has set a record as the oldest man to have emerged overall winner at the Oba of Benin Golf Tournament held over the weekend at Benin Club Golf Section, Edo State.

The University of Benin Professor of Optometry, aged 64 proved the bookmakers wrong after playing a net score of 148 over 36 holes in two days to win the 8th edition of the tournament, hereby went home with the biggest bronze head, giant trophy and television set.

Placed second was AdegokeAdesoji Benson who played 151 net thus beat Jude Igbinadolor on count-back while Felix Aganmwonyi placed fourth with 152 net. Osazee Iyare

recorded 163 gross to win the best gross award as Debby Otabor won the ladies best gross with 178 gross.

Erameh in his victory speech thanked the organisers of the event and attributed his victory to constant practice and determination to add the Oba trophy to his collection of trophies.

Also, Chairman of the tournament Organising Committee, Peace Anunah noted that the tournament was organised to show the close relationship between sports and tradition, adding that Oba Cup was to promote golf game at BCGS, and to honour and show loyalty to Oba of Benin Kingdom, Oba Ewuare II, as Grand Patron of

Benin Club.

Similarly, Captain of BCGS, Mayer Ologbosere in his goodwill message commended the originators of the tournament, Prince Aghatise Erediuwa, Dr. Charles Ajayi and Sir Tony Aghedo for their foresight.

He also appreciated the organising committee as well as sponsors saying the next executive would leverage on organising another wonderful edition in 2023.

Other winners were Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki with 74 net in the Men’s hcp 19-28. Ehis Igbinadolor won the ladies hcp 0-28 over 36 holes with 145 net, while Edith Edeki won the ladies hcp 29-36 with 72 net.

Winners Get N1m in Ceniplug VGC Badminton Open With a view to growing badminton in Nigeria, sports marketing firm Ceniplug has held the 2021 edition of VGC Badminton Open, with winners receiving one million naira prize money and souvenirs.

The event, which was held at Victoria Garden City, Lagos, recorded about five hundred participants.

In the male category, Obinna Igwe emerged winner of the male singles while Jacob Ife was runnerup.

In the female category, Ruth Toju Danbaki emerged winner of the female singles while Chineye Oguejiofor

got the silver medal.

In the mixed doubles category, Obinna Igwe and Thelma Ajomiwe got the gold medals while Mr. Osuyi Ik and Ruth Danbaki were runner-up champions.

Speaking on the essence of the event, Tosan Emmanuel Lori, founder of Ceniplug and coordinator of the VGC Badminton Club said, “keeping fit through physical activities and sports have many benefits for the body.

Sports is also a lucrative business at the professional level. Grooming talents that can represent the country on the global stage is a laudable activity that one

can be proud of. This badminton open serves as both a recreational activity and a talent grooming event.

“We are a badminton club with a focus on training and developing players whether they are completely new to the sport or at the professional level. We have a proven track record. Our facilities have outdoor artificial grass turf courts that feature lighting and airflow flooring design to prevent injuries. We also provide a party room for private events and a studying/working area for members and residents.”

Captain’s Day Golf Tournament Ends Today Captain’s Day Golf Tournament comes to an end today after over two hundred golfers gathered to honour Captain of Benin Club Golf Section, Mayer Ologbosere in a twoday tourney.

The event, which is taking place at the BCGS golf course, Benin City, is holding a week after successful conclusion of the 8th Oba of Benin Golf Tournament which golfers attested to be the best organised tournament in the recent time.

The Chairman Organising Committee of the Captain’s Day, Stephen Ebaretonbofa on Wednesday stated that the two-day event teed-off yesterday with men’s hcp 19-28, ladies hcp 0-36, all veterans and super veterans, while cocktail was held by 6pm.

Ebaretonbofa, who also is the club competition and handicap officer stated further that men’s hcp 0-18, and all guests will be on course today,

after which will be presentation of trophies and prizes as well as dinner party.

He explained that the Captain’s Day golf tournament is a special event in the club, set aside to honour the outgoing Captain of the club and to appreciate his immense contributions during his tenure. Having served meritoriously will officially handover the leadership baton to the incoming captain.

Mark D Ball Women’s Basketball Championship as Men’s Event Begins House of Assembly member, Anyadike Nwosu; the General Manager, Heartland Football Club, Promise Nwachukwu amongst many others.

The game was between the two finalists of the last edition, Okpofe football FC and Nnarambia Football FC and the match ended in a deadlock as the teams scored a goal apiece.

Best of basketball, entertainment, funfair and other side attractions come alive at the closing ceremony of Mark D Ball Basketball Championship today; as Nigeria Customs Ladies and First Bank of Lagos, will contest the final of the 2022 edition.

The one-week women’s basketball championship which featured 16 teams across the

country has been hailed by key basketball stakeholders, as the best thing to have happen to the slam and dunk game in Nigeria following the dearth of domestic basketball.

The closing ceremony/ opening ceremony for the men’s Mark D Ball version will see 2 Face, Goya Menor, Daddy Showkey,

MC Smart, Pastor Nicodemus, Chucks D General and other Artists performing live at the ceremony.

Initiator of the Mark D Ball, Igoche Mark has promised basketball lovers of more domestic games, stating that the closing ceremony will be opening for the men’s championship that will run for three months.

31

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾JANUARY 22, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

The Super Eagles are soaring high in the Africa Cup of Nation in Cameroon

Super Eagles World Cup Opponent Emerges Today The final route of Super Eagles of Nigeria and nine other African nations to the finals World Cup in Qatar would be decided this afternoon with draw ceremony scheduled to hold in Douala, Cameroon, Femi Solaja in this report takes a look at Nigeria’s likely opponent and the Super Eagles’chances

I

n what looks like a little ‘distraction’ from the on-going African Cup of Nation in which Nigeria is already among the top contenders to win the tournament for the fourth time by the much awaited play-off draw to the Mundial is as important as the AFCON tournament, meaning the International Congress Hall in Doula will hug the limelight during the 30-minute session.

Having made it to the top-five African teams based on the FIFA ranking last November, Nigeria, is among the five countries seeded and the implication is that it will avoid playing against the other top ranked side and also enjoy the privilege to play the all-important return leg at home.

The other seeded nations which Super Eagles will not be pitched against are Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.

However, that is not to say the other unseeded team in the playoff schedule are easy sides especially going by the performance of the teams at the on-going AFCON tournament. The Super Eagles are primed to face one of the following: Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali and DR Congo.

All the same, none of the five potential home-and-away opponents of Nigeria an easy take. They are all tricky sides.

Pharaohs of Egypt The Pharaohs of Egypt belong to the class of super powers in the continent. Their record speaks clear. Currently ranked number 44 in the world and sixth in the continent, they are the most successful African sides in the

African Cup of Nations, having won a record seven times.

However, their records in the World Cup is not a reflection of their strength on the continent. Despite being the first African country to feature in the World Cup, they have only featured three times in 21 editions.

They seem to be afflicted when it comes to the World Cup. They are yet to make a consecutive appearance at the tournament. They hold the record for the longest gap between two appearances and the oldest player to have ever played at the World Cup. After their first appearance in 1934, they have to wait for 56 years before another appearance at Italia ’90. From Italia ’90, it took another 28 years before they qualified for Russia 2018. Will another 10 years elapse before another World Cup qualification?

Poor historical background may be their sole disadvantage. But the strength of the team with which Super Eagles opened their AFCON event with a lone goal strike off Kelechi Iheanacho in Group D centre in Garoua is still fresh. Another day reckons should their path cross one another in a two-leg affair.

Nigerian teams have traditionally been poor travellers to Egypt and have never defeated the country in their territory.

Now under Portuguese coach, Carlos Queiroz who led Portugal to defeat Nigeria at the U-20 World Cup in 1989, Egypt boast of key players like Mohamed Salah, Mohamed Elneny, Ahmed Hegazi and Mohamed El Shennawi.

If drawn against Egypt, the Super Eagles

will do well to make the result a manageable one in the first leg with the hope of finishing up in Nigeria.

Both countries have met 20 times with Egypt winning eight times and Nigeria winning five and five draws.

Ghana Black Stars A disastrous AFCON tournament is an indication of total overhauling of the squad.

However, Ghana Black Stars have been long-time rivals of the Nigerian national sides even in the colonial era. Fixtures with Ghana, although lately latent, command high tension.

The Black Stars have been early football superpowers in Africa and were the first to win eternally, a trophy for the Africa Cup of Nations following their hat-trick achieved in the 1963, 1965 and the 1978 editions. They followed up with a fourth title in 1982.

But like Egypt, they have not had good runs in the qualification for the World Cup. But they are perhaps the African side with the nearest opportunity of getting into a World Cup semi-finals before their dream run in the 2010 was punctuated by poor marksmanship from the penalty spot.

Currently ranked 52 in the world, seventh in Africa, they boast of top players like Andrew Ayew, Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey.

Nigeria have played more matches with Ghana more than with any other country.

The pendulum however skewed in favour of Ghana.

Eternal rivalry will play a key factor if the

Super Eagles are drawn to play Ghana in the World Cup qualifying playoff.

They are the team against which Nigeria played their first ever World Cup qualifying match on 28 August 1960. Nigeria lost the match 4-1 in Accra. They have had to meet at the World Cup qualifying series for the 1970, 1974 and 2002 editions.

Indomitable Lions of Cameroon The current host of AFCON tournament led by their inspirational captain, Vincent Aboubakar, has been improving from match to match just like the Super Eagles.

Interestingly, Aboubakar is still the highest goal scorer with five to his credit after Group phase matches.

Although in head-to-head confrontations, Nigeria have edge over Cameroon, no match-up with the Indomitable Lions is ever considered an easy one. Until the June 4, 2021 defeat of the Super Eagles in a friendly match, the Nigerian side had had a three-decade of not losing any match in regulation time to Cameroon. One of the biggest wins over Cameroon was in the qualifying series for the 2018 World Cup when the Indomitable Lions crumbled miserably in a 4-0 defeat in Uyo. But the team had since regained their composure and are considered one of the most dreaded sides on the continent.

Besides, they were the first African sides to scale the group stage in the World Cup when they got to the quarter finals at Italia ‘90.

Read full article online - www. thisdaylive.com

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMIFULA OGBU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

32

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

33

34

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

AUTO WORLD

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

TIPS OF THE WEEK

Why Wheels Come Loose with Vehicle in Motion

Jaguar Land Rover Sport and FX

Third Quarter Sales Still Constrained by Semiconductor Shortages, Says JLR

J

aguar Land Rover retail sales for the three-month period to 31 December 2021 continued to be constrained by the global semiconductor shortage, though the Company started to see some improvement in chip supply and wholesale volumes compared to the preceding quarter.

According to a statement issued by the automaker, “Underlying demand for Jaguar Land Rover products remains strong and the Company has proactively managed semiconductor supplies to maximise production of higher margin products.

“Retail sales for the quarter ending 31 December 2021 were 80,126 vehicles, down 13.6% (12.6k units) from the preceding quarter ending 30 September 2021 and 37.6% (48.3k units) from the quarter a year ago ending 31 December 2020. Retails were lower across all regions compared to the preceding quarter, including China (-6.9%), Europe (-6.8%), North America (-11.8%), UK (-24.3%), and Overseas (-25.4%).”

It said, however, wholesale volumes were

69,182 units and production volumes were 72,184 units in the period (both excluding China JV), up 8% and 41% respectively compared to the preceding quarter ending 30 September 2021. The increase in production in particular reÁects a start in improved chip supply. Compared to the preceding quarter, Range Rover wholesale volumes were up by 91.8%, Range Rover Sport by 64.0% and I-Pace by 34.5%.

Retail sales for the calendar year 2021 were 420,856, down 1.2% compared to the calendar year 2020 with Land Rover sales up 3.4%.

Despite the impact of the semiconductor shortage on production and sales, the Company continues to see strong demand for its products with global retail orders at record levels. The total order book has grown to over 154,000 units, up about 30,000 orders from the prior quarter for the New Range Rover, while demand for the Land Rover Defender remains strong with about 36,000 orders.

Commenting on the sales results,

Lennard Hoornik, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Commercial O΀cer, said, “The New Range Rover is the embodiment of Jaguar Land Rover’s vision for Modern Luxury

by Design. We are delighted that positive feedback at launch has led to a strong order intake for this Àrst all new modern luxury model. Furthermore, the Land Rover Defender continues to contribute to a record order bank next to our all electric Jaguar I-PACE. Semi-conductor supply challenges continue within the industry but our wholesale volumes are improving. We look forward to completing delivery to global customers as supply improves in 2022.”

At the end of January, Jaguar Land Rover expects to report unaudited results for the three months ending 31 December 2021. Initial estimated cashÁow for the quarter is around £150 million positive.

Looking ahead, the chip shortage remains dynamic and di΀cult to forecast, however, we expect supply to continue to improve in 44 of the Àscal year ending 31 March 2022.

Investigations into hundreds of wheel separation incidents reveals that whether it was loosened wheel fasteners or failed bearings due to improper installation or loss of lubricant, better maintenance could have prevented all but a few of the incidents.

In 643 incidents reported between 2000 and 2003, loose wheel fasteners were to blame 65% of the time while wheel bearings were the cause in 26% of the cases. The remainder were a mix of axle and/or suspension structural failures and other causes.

One Canadian report revealed that 83% of the incident reports noted that repairs or maintenance had been performed on the suspect wheels just a short time prior to the separation.

Impact wrenches are fine for running wheel nuts up onto the studs, but a torque wrenches must be used to set the nuts. Retorqueing is highly recommended, but few, apparently, get around to it.

Investigations into hundreds of wheel separation incidents reveals that whether it was loosened wheel fasteners or failed bearings due to improper installation or loss of lubricant, better maintenance could have prevented all but a few of the incidents.

In 643 incidents reported between 2000 and 2003, loose wheel fasteners were to blame 65% of the time while wheel bearings were the cause in 26% of the cases. The remainder were a mix of axle and/or suspension structural failures and other causes.

One Canadian report revealed that 83% of the incident reports noted that repairs or maintenance had been performed on the suspect wheels just a short time prior to the separation. Wheel-end failures result from over- or under-tightened bearings or lack of lubrication. Under-tightening (excessive endplay) can cause the wheel to wobble on the spindle, damaging the seal, which can lead to a loss of lubricant and eventual failure of the bearings. Over-tightening (excessive preload) can damage the bearing causing overheating, seal failure and lubricant loss.

Where fasteners are to blame, several factors can cause nuts to work loose. Excess paint, rust, scale or dirt between mating areas of wheel end components will lead to low clamping force.

Failure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for specified torque, the correct tightening sequence, and routine in-service torque checks have all be cited as causes for loss of clamping force on wheel nuts.

Improper use of impact wrenches and noncalibrated tools have resulted in wheel studs being stretched beyond their yield point. Fractured or worn out nuts with deformed threads have also been linked to loss of sufficient clamping force at the nut flange.

You might think that trailers would fare worse than tractors, since they are typically in the shop less frequently. But the percentage split between tractor and trailer incidents is about even, with trailers representing about 6% more than trucks.

(Source: HDT TruckingInfo)

Kia Partners Fixit45, Set to Offer Genuine Auto Parts

K

ia Nigeria has partnered with Fixit45 to offer customers genuine spare parts and exceptional after-sales service. The commitment to provide the very best after-sales service delivery and customer experience to thousands of customers nationwide is at the core of this partnership as both companies are raising the bar in offering Kia Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) auto parts, quality repairs, and best-in-class service delivery to provide amazing value-added service to all Kia customers.

The shifting consumer interests and the need to meet their expectations with exceptional service delivery has propelled Kia Nigeria to extend its reach by signing a new partnership agreement with Fixit45 to continue to offer genuine spare parts and the delivery of cutting-edge services in the country. The partnership is aimed at keeping pace with consumers’ evolving wants and needs in order to remain competitive.

From inception, the vision of KIA Nigeria is to bring world-class facilities closer to customers and offer quality service delivery that exceeds

customers’ expectations. Hence, the partnership with Fixit45 is to further expand Kia’s market reach and ease of access to teeming customers in the country.

“Customer-centricity is at the epicenter of everything we do at Kia and our partnership with Fixit45, is aimed at giving optimum value to customers to ensure that they have access to the value-oriented service and genuine spare parts.

Our goal is to make quality Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) auto parts accessible and affordable to our teeming customers to ensure they have an exceptional ownership experience with our Kia vehicles”, said Sanjay Tatpati, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Nigeria.

Justus Obaoye, CEO and Co-Founder, Fixit45: “At Fixit45, we are firm believers in the power of mobility to not only enable socio-economic development and inspire ideas but also facilitate value-creating interactions that make society better.

Convenience and curating a service experience that is best-in-class is what we are all about. This partnership is a testament to our collaborating ethos and our passion to move the automotive aftermarket industry forward.

Kia Sportage 2022

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

AUTO WORLD

Toyota Land Cruiser customers in Japan Face Four-year Wait

M

otor industry giant Toyota has warned customers in Japan that they will have to wait for up to four years to take delivery of its new Land Cruiser SUV. The world’s biggest carmaker says the delay is not related to the global chip shortage or the supply chain crisis, according to BBC. However, it refused to comment on the reasons behind the long delivery time.

Meanwhile, Toyota says it is slowing production at up to 11 plants in Japan due to rising Covid-19 infections among its workers and at parts suppliers.

“As Land Cruiser is very popular, not just in Japan but around the world, we apologise it is expected to take a long time before we can deliver the product,” Toyota said on its website.

“There is a possibility it could take up to four years if you order now. We will continue to shorten the delivery time and we appreciate your understanding.”

The company also said “This delay is not related to current semiconductor shortage or supply chain issue.”

The BBC understands that there has been

strong demand for the new model of the Land Cruiser and that Toyota is considering ramping up production in the medium and long-term.

Launched in 1951, the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s longest-selling vehicle, with a total of 10.6 million sold as of August last year.

In recent months - like many of its rival car makers including General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Daimler, BMW and Renault - the Àrm has been forced to cut vehicle production.

Last month, Toyota announced that it would extend stoppages at some of its factories in Japan as it continued to feel the impact of supply chain issues.

The Àrm said its components factories in South East Asia had faced disruptions due to the pandemic, with Land Cruiser and Lexus production being hit by the delays.

Earlier last year, the company said it would slash its worldwide vehicle production by 40% in September because of the chip shortage.

Toyota’s shares were around 2.7% lower in Tokyo trade on Friday.

The latest announcement came after a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Japan since the start of this year.

Toyota Land Cruiser

BMW Manufacturing Says it Set Production Record in 2021

B

MW Manufacturing has said it set a new production record during 2021, producing 433,810 BMW X vehicles during the year.

The automaker said in a statement that “This is a 20 per cent increase over last year’s production and breaks the previous record of 411,620 units set in 2019.” Additionally, the plant produced a record number of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) last year with about 70,000 units shipped.

“The fact that the Plant Spartanburg team set a production record during a very unpredictable year is a testament to the commitment and flexibility of our associates,” said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “Our associates continue to build premium quality products that are in high demand by our customers around the world.”

The 2021 production year marked the fourth time the South Carolina plant has topped 400,000 units. This milestone was also achieved in 2015 (400,904 units), 2016 (411,171), and 2019 (411,620). A breakdown of 2021 production by model is below: BMW X3: 113,831 BMW X3 M: 4,418 BMW X4: 52,935 BMW X4 M: 2,555 BMW X5: 165,704 BMW X5 M: 4,976 BMW X6: 35,421 BMW X6 M: 3,184

BMW X5

BMW X7: 50,724 BMW Plant Spartanburg saw a 48 percent increase in the number of electrified vehicles produced last year, as about 70,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles were shipped to customers around the world. The number of X5 xDrive45e vehicles produced totaled 39,883, while over 30,000 X3 xDrive30e vehicles were built in 2021.

“Electric mobility is becoming a growth driver and success factor for the company,” said Dr. Engelhorn.

“Our plant is fully on board to support BMW Group’s electrification strategy. We look forward to adding the all-new BMW XM to the Plant Spartanburg family of X models. Series production of the BMW XM, the first plug-in hybrid high-performance model in the BMW M portfolio, will begin in late 2022.”

BMW Manufacturing contributed significantly to the company’s U.S. sales success during 2021. Last year, 179,840 Plant Spartanburg vehicles were sold in the United States, making up 53.4 percent of all BMW brand U.S. sales. The top two BMW models sold in America were the BMW X3 and BMW X5.

Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested about $11.9 billion in its South Carolina factory. BMW Manufacturing is the largest BMW Group plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day.

Guarding Against Excessive Speed in 2022 (II) Last week, I reminded you of the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulations which spells out the speed limits for various categories of vehicles on our roads. While the law specifies 100km/h for private cars on the expressway, the same law specifies a speed limit of 90km/h for taxis and buses. Trailers and Tankers have a maximum speed of 60km/h and 45km/h for towing vehicles, while in a build-up area, the speed limit could be between 20km/h and 30km/h to 50km/h, but the current global campaign is to achieve a maximum of 30km/h in built up areas.

Despite this prohibition on speed, excessive speeding remains on the increase even though research findings indicate that at a speed of 100km/h, your vehicle does 28 metres per seconds. This is why I need to again remind you that road traffic crashes yearly kills 1.35 million people, meaning that an average of about 32 – 42 people are killed daily on the world’s roads while 20 million to 50 million people are injured or disabled in road collisions.

According to the World Health Organization, 90 per cent of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries where 5,098 people or 81 per cent of the world’s population lives and own about 20 per cent of the total number of vehicles in the world. Nigeria has its fair share of this madness called road traffic crashes. This explains why the leadership of the FRSC is constantly rejigging various strategies, such as the deployment of technology to enhance enforcement, the driver’s licence scheme, standardisation of driving schools and the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme, RTSSS, among others to redress the trend.

SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

Meanwhile, the WHO maintains that the African Region tops the worlds road accident index with the highest mortality rate of 28.3 deaths per 100,000 populations. More than half of all global road traffic deaths occur among young adults between 15 and 44 years of age. It notes that 73 per cent of all global road traffic fatalities are males. Vulnerable road users- pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, it further notes, account for a much greater proportion of road traffic collisions in low income and middle income countries than in high income countries.

As a response to this epidemic, the WHO report on Road Traffic injury identifies a number of risk factors influencing crash involvement which amongst others are inappropriate and excessive speed, presence of alcohol, medicinal or recreational drugs, fatigue, travelling in drunkenness, what we call night travel, defects in road designs, layout and maintenance, having youth driving in the same car and poor eye sight of road users. The same report identifies non-use of seatbelt

and child restraints, inappropriate or excessive speed among other factors influencing crash severity.

The column is today still focusing on the effects of speed on crashes and crash severity and the need for Speed enforcement because WHO identifies speed enforcement, mandatory seat belt for adults, child seat belt or restraints, alcohol and drugs control as the three most vital road safety interventions that work. The global concern is over speed enforcement especially in built up areas which is why the United Nations is clamoring for a speed limit of 30km/h in built-up areas. Speed is at the core of the traffic injury problem.

The physical layout of the road and its surrounding can both encourage and discourage speed. However, crash risk increases as speed increases especially at road junctions and while overtaking. A good number of road users are guilty of this even though we would rather blame the other driver for our errors.

We must always remember that the higher the speed of a vehicle, the shorter the time a driver has to stop and avoid a crash. We must equally note that a car travelling at 50km/h will typically require 1.3 meters in which to stop, while a car travelling at 40km/h will stop in less than 8.5 metres.As a driver, you need to know that an average increase speed of 1km/h is associated with a 3 percent higher risk of a crash involving an injury.

A vehicle travelling at 5km/h above a road speed limit of 65km/h results in an increase in the relative risk of being involved in a casualty crash that is comparable with having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05g/dl as contained in the WHO document. For car occupants

in a crash with an impact speed of 80km/h, the likelihood of death is 20 times what it would have been at an impact speed of 30km/h.

It is because of the grave risk involved that countries the world-over, including Nigeria set and post speeds limit, because controlling vehicle speed can prevent crashes from occurring and reduce the impact with which they occur, thus lessening the severity of injuries sustained by the victim. In Nigeria, the maximum speed on the expressway is 100km/h for private cars and 90km/h for taxis and buses while at built up areas such as commercial and residential areas, 50km/h is the speed limit. However, a safe conscious driver is always counselled to adhere to the common sense limit by adjusting his speed to suit the environment, his mental state, vehicle condition and level of expertise. A drive across most Nigerian roads would shock you, even at built up areas, the appropriate speed is not posted to guide motorists.

Since human behavior is dictated by the structures, it is important that apart from posting speed in relevant traffic regulations, our road signs must also reflect specific speed allowed. Countries like France and the Netherlands have employed this approach and seen it work especially in France where speed was used to reduce death by 20 percent.

However, it must be noted that setting and posting speed limits must be accompanied by sustained vehicle enforcement of these limits. However, we must note that to solve the speed problem or other traffic behavior, there must be a change in infrastructural design, which makes surveillance easy and effective.

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson Awoyinka; Elegushi of Ikate land, Oba Saheed Elegushi; CEO of Victoria Crest Homes, Mrs Ichechi-Okonkwo and Founder, Dr-Kennedy-Okonkwo at the inauguration of Capital Gardens Estate in Lagos...recently

L-R: 1st Vice President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr. Ken Opara; National Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Joseph Obayemi; President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, Dr. Bayo Olugbemi; and his wife Mrs Fadeke Olugbemi; CAN Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite; and Registrar/CEO, CIBN,Dr. Seye Awojobi, at the CIBN Evening of Songs 3.0 and Carol held in Lagos... recently

World Remit Proffers Digital Remittance as Panacea for Financial Insecurity Cross-border payment company, WorldRemit has suggested embracing digital remittance payments to enhance Ànancial security of Nigerians.

Head of UK at WorldRemit, Karen Jordaan expressed this during a media parley in Lagos, where he asserted that a growth in digital remittance payments would translate to Ànancial independence and economic opportunities for Nigerians.

He noted that the event of COVID-19 had expedited growth in remittance, spiced with new developments and innovative solutions that could have ordinarily taken years to build.

He explained that as a result of innovations in payments service, expectations

by Nigerians and counterparts across

the globe had leaped, with customers considering advanced providers who oͿer a selection of diverse services, low fees and competitive exchange rates.

“In response to consumers’ high demand, digital providers are oͿering Áexible and customisable payment options in addition to cash pick-up, including secure bank-to-bank transfers, mobile-to-mobile money transfers and pay-as-you-go mobile top-up facilities.

Some providers are even facilitating cash withdrawals from locations such as shops and supermarkets.

“This shift towards online payments is a trend that is predicted to continue as the world enters a ‘new normal,” he submitted.

Jordaan noted further that the evolution of internet-capable devices in developing countries, including Nigeria has also deepened growth of digital payments.

He said, “This evolution means that the populations of countries such as Nigeria and India which are United Kingdom largest remittance destinations – are able to take advantage of these digital services.

“In Nigeria, Statista has projected that the number of smartphone users is expected to hit over 140 million – out of a total population of 206 million – by 2025”.

He urged deeper broadband penetration to make the prospect of online payments spread to more population that will yield more beneÀts to the economy.

ProjectGiiVRestates Commitment to Charity, Better life Nigeria’s Àrst digital charity platform, ProjectGiiV has rea΀rmed its commitment to meeting the needs of the needy using technology.

Founder and Executive Member of the organisation, Olamide Jasanya stated this in Lagos recently when brieÀng the media on the achievements of the organisation since it sets out a year ago.

According to him, the platform has received over 2,900 items from donors across Lagos which were presented to charity homes.

He explained that the feat was achievable through the power of technology that made it easy to connect donors to beneÀciaries across the globe. He said, “ Since

its establishment in January 2021, ProjectGiiV has continued to champion the cause of charity, promoting the culture of charitable giving in Nigeria and beyond, providing an avenue for people to conveniently donate items such as: food & groceries, clothes, books & stationeries and shoes, among others to charity homes and need centres.

He further expressed satisfaction at the support received during the Àrst year of operations, coupled with the dedication of teammates.

He added, “Our ambition right from inception is to provide a hassle-free and seamless process where people can make donations without having to step out of their homes or o΀ces.

“From research, we discovered that one of the major challenges of donation is the time factor and stress faced by intended donors in sorting out items and sending them to the need centres.

“As a result, ProjectGiiv was birthed to bridge the gap by providing a more convenient way for people to make donations through the Giiv mobile app and website where customers can easily identify what they want to donate and schedule a date for pickup of the items, which will ultimately be delivered to the choice charity homes. We are thankful for the accomplishments in 2021 and we look forward to aͿecting more lives in 2022.”

WildAid Launches Campaign against Illegal BushmeatTrade Conservation organisation, WildAid has unveiled a campaign to kick against the demand of illegal bush meat in urban centres.

In realising the objectives of the campaign, the organisation also partnered with other private Àrms including Optimum Exposures, JC Decaux, Pulse Out-of-Home advertising companies and over 15 media houses in Nigeria to further drive the message of the campaign.

According to the organisation, the exercise further aimed to support enforcement activities to tackle illegal wildlife trade and raise awareness on disappearing wildlife using the slogan “Keep them wild, keep us safe” and “Poaching steals from us all”.

The campaigns, which have active involvement of Ministry of Environment and other government agencies, featured popular artistes, footballers, religious leaders and government representatives, among other stakeholders to strengthen the eͿect of the exercise.

Shedding more light on the exercise, Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor stated that the move was a deliberate

one intended to stop wildlife exploitation and tra΀cking.

“The Federal Government is committed to protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of our biodiversity. We will support the sustainable management of forests, combat desertiÀcation, land degradation and half biodiversity loss,” she said.

“Our collaboration with relevant agencies and stakeholders to stem the tide of wildlife overexploitation and tra΀cking has led to the development and implementation of strategies to combat corruption risk associated with transnational organised wildlife crime,” she said.

Founder and President of WildAid,Peter Knights reiterated that the awareness campaign was aimed at stopping the illegal consumption of bush meat and ivory trade in Nigeria.

He said, “With its dynamism and cultural inÁuence, Nigeria can turn things around for wildlife and become a regional leader in wildlife protection which will consequently boost the economy through tourism and safeguard the Nigerian public from zoonotic disease.

STEM METS Partners A.G. Leventis ITPN Charges Members on to Train Students on Robotics Professional Practice Social enterprise, STEM METS Resources Limited has joined hands with A.G Leventis to train students on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Robotics in Lagos.

The gesture is a long- term commitment of the sponsors to educate, empower and elevate young minds while ensuring accountability through measurable outputs.

The sponsors explained that the training was inspired by the growth and advancement in technology that is presently shaping prosperity of nations.

Speaking on the workshop, Chief Executive Officer of STEM METS, Jadesola Adedeji said, “Now more than ever, there is a need for Nigeria and Africa to expand the capacity and diversity of the STEM workforce pipeline to equip the younger generation with requisite skills for jobs of the future.

“Also, with the pandemic outbreak in 2020, a lot has changed in the workforce. The resolve to work

and learn remotely introduced global cross-functional teams. This has reinforced the need to educate the next generation to help them compete on a levelled playing field against their international contemporaries in the global job market.”

She stated further that the wide acceptability of technology and its influence on economy of nations has made STEM education imperative for all.

“Exposing these young minds to it at an early age is a guaranteed way to build a generation of innovators and thinkers who will sustain and strengthen the evolving position of Nigeria and Africa at large,” Adedeji maintained.

Also commenting, Group MD of A. G Leventis, Ms Seun Oni said, “The future is digital, and we believe that strategic partnerships such as this will provide a conducive learning environment around STEM and ensure a ready pipeline of skills for young minds.

Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN) has urged tourism professionals in the country to always uphold the standards and principles of the institute, towards a vibrant and viable industry.

President of the institute, Abiodun Odusanwo gave the admonition in Abuja recently at the induction of Ayo Olumoko as ITPN National Vice President for SouthWest zone.

At the event which was well attended by tourism stakeholders, the President urged members to work in unity towards achieving the ideals of the institute.

He reiterated the key objectives of the institute as promoting professional ethics and efficiency in tourism administration and practice as well as provision of continuous professional development and education aimed at guaranteeing excellent standards, amongst others.

Odusanwo while presenting the Certificate of Office to Olumoko extolled the exemplary qualities of the new National Vice President, as he urged others to emulate him.

He said, “I implore every one of us to remain steadfast as ambassadors of ITPN in the promotion of its aims and objectives to the larger Nigerian society and importantly, to critical key players and stakeholders in the travel, tourism, culture, hospitality, and creative industry as well as allied branches.”

Responding, Olumoko who is also the Chairman of Infogem thanked the leadership of the institute and sought the cooperation of stakeholders.

He maintained that tourism, especially cultural tourism remained one of the country’s untapped goldmines which if properly harnessed would lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty and create employment opportunities.

SATURDAY JANUARY 22, 2022 • T H I S D AY

37

38

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

Hold in Store, Not ‘Stock’

“O

ur investment in amateur sports is beginning to reap fruits— Dare” (THE NATION SPORT, December 28) I can stake my employment that this couldn’t have come from my superactive and cerebral minister. “…Chief Olusegun Osoba, in response to a question, has (had) jokingly….”

“In place of the temporary and barely perceptible relief offered by stray sand bags….” Be on the alert: ‘relief’ connotes temporariness. So, to write ‘temporary relief’ smacks of sub-literacy “Armed robbers paid him a noncourtesy call at about 7.30 p.m.”

Back to the basics: either at 7.30 p.m or about 7.30 p.m, depending on context. No mix-up, please. And what is ‘non-courtesy’ all about? Do bandits pay courtesy calls?

“As it was remarked sometimes (sometime) ago...”

“Waking up in the morning of Wednesday, January 25, 2012, had not been too problematic for Hafiz Ringim, at least not in any way that the day had given him any hint of what the day had in stock (store) for him.”

“It is a make-belief story” Get it right: make-believe. “...it cuts in from the next street whether along the very busy Broad Street or at the outskirts of the city.”

Travelogue: on the outskirts, on (not in) the island, on (not in) campus, on (not in or at) the premises “The sweet look of the cards

do (does) not give any inkling of a country….” A manifest case involving error of attraction “Beside the African Union dastardly act which shocked and outraged the world.…” There is a world of difference between ‘beside’ and ‘besides’ (which applies here).

“In fact, a dangerous development such as cultism needs not to be (need not be) treated with a kid’s glove”.

Get it right: kid gloves.

“The impression I was given was that IBB had morbid fear of the wild, wild west, and would never cross the River Niger again, talk less (let alone) coming to Lagos. “…the heads of these institutions did not like the carnage that went on in the university campuses but they were handicapped.” The cultists’ challenge: on (not in) university campuses.

“Anything to create a reasonably safe distance between us and the governor’s siren was alright.” This way: all right, if you subscribe to formal (standard) English. ‘Alright’ is an unacceptable spelling in classical environments. “…he has indeed made remarkable damages on earth with a little help from its inhabitant. ‘Damage’ is uncountable except in legal reparations.

“What this therefore calls for is (are) clear-cut criteria for determining who goes and who is retained at the end of the pruning exercise.” What is the function of ‘exercise’ here?

And this: criterion (singular); criteria (plural). The same standard applies to summons (singular) and summonses (plural) “If each civil servant had at least

a two-bedroom house in Abuja, very few Nigerians could have raised any eyebrow on the furniture allowance for lawmakers as was done not too long ago.” Our mandate, their meal ticket: raise eyebrows (fixed expression). Once again, ignore some obsolete dictionaries that still endorse this and mislead some of my hypercritics! “…and that money spent on the comfort of the executive and legislative members of government does not extend into (to) the pockets of civil servants or other members of the civil society” “Lagos Chamber of Commerce President…receiving momemtos as....”

Till eternity: mementos “Merger of Japan’s three banks elicit (elicits) reactions” A recurring case of subject-verb disagreement.

Proximity does not come in here.

“He is frank to the point of recklessness and does not bath (bat) an eyelid about sensibilities once he is convinced about what he is doing.”

“Successful candidates in the exam are placed into (in) universities depending on their performances and choices.”

“The picture one is likely to get is that of lawmakers yet to come to grip (grips) with the seriousness of what their duties entail.”

“Both palatable and heart-rending news are (is) most often broken there.” “…his skin must have toughen (you mean toughened?) such that nothing can stir his emotion as to make him cry.”

“They were, in their primes (prime), sent on a journey from which nobody

Perceptions 2023: Bukola Saraki

T

he journey started last week... seeking perspectives via objective perceptions of acts and trajectories of major and minor actors angling to foist on Nigerians their dreams to run for the position of the President. We identified a little over 20 aspirants, and we admitted it was not an exhaustive list - though only a sprinkling have somewhat declared their interests. After the preambles, our first torch was on Owelle Rochas Okorocha. Today, we continue the steady survey of the busy highways that lead to Aso Rock in May, 2023.

BUKOLA SARAKI, 59: At a glance, Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki comes across as a well-groomed aspirant fit for the presidency: he has served as a state governor for two terms (2003 to 2011); moved over to the Senate in 2011 representing Kwara Central district; elected as the 13th president of the Senate at the 8th session in 2015. He entered the Senate as a PDP member in 2011; led a faction of the PDP to form the new APC in 2014, and returned to the Senate as an APC member, before he was decorated with the Senate presidency.

Interestingly, he took the senate seat from his younger sister, Gbemisola in 2011 after a brutal political fratricidal “bloodbath”. He left the Senate, in some kind of tumult, as a result of his political volte-face - his return to the PDP amidst blistering accusations and prosecution.

In 2019, Senate President Saraki tried to foist his image as the leading opposition figure in the vacuum created within the out-of-power PDP, so as to become its presidential flag bearer. He lost to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and magnanimously accepted to serve as director general of the Atiku/PDP campaigns to wrestle power from the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari. Both failed handsomely.

Bukola Saraki’s yeoman effort to rev back his formidable political foundry so as to return to the Senate in 2019, as a PDP man, backfired spectacularly. He was summarily whipped at the polls, surprisingly losing the Kwara Central kingdom that had been in the family’s grip since his

father’s victorious run at the Senate of the third republic (1979-1983). It was a shellacking: Bukola reportedly scored 68,994 votes at the 2019 senatorial election to APC’s Ibrahim Oloriegbe (123, 808 votes). His calamity was not personal; all the candidates of PDP across the entire state lost without remiss, and Buhari also won in virtually all the local government areas. It was a defining and chastening wipeout. Incidentally, his sister remained in APC, and is today a junior minister in the current administration.

Before he ventured into politics, Saraki, a trained medical doctor, barely practised for two years before he was drafted into management, in one of his father’s business concerns, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN), in 1990. Ten years later, President Obasanjo, a keen pessimist of young talents, considered him suitable to serve as his Special Adviser on Budget.

Less than three years in Aso Rock, the dapper doctor decided to leverage on his father’s enormous socio-political pedigree. He wanted to unseat incumbent ANPP governor of his state, Kwara, Rear Admiral Muhammed Lawal (rtd).

Lawal was also a protege of the older Saraki. But blood (family) was thicker than water (politics), and Lawal was kicked under the bus, as Saraki Snr somehow performed a double whammy - a continental masterstroke - on Kwarans. The Waziri of Ilorin emirate ferried his son to the governor’s lodge, and his daughter (already a federal legislator), as one of the state’s three senators, in 2003!

It is not preposterous to point to this political quagmire, and post-tenure round-robin hassles in the hands of Nuru Ribadu’s bulldog agency, EFCC as catalysts of his ill health, which ultimately led to his demise in November, 2006, at a London hospital.

What signposts, for me, the flaws that make Bukola Saraki a dangerous presence on the presidential seal, was, among other things, the way he turned on his father, the same famed strongman of Kwara politics. By the end of his second term as governor in 2011, Bukola Saraki desired to have his friend, Abdulfatah Ahmed, supplant him as governor, instead of his sister, Gbemisola, whom the father preferred. They had turned Kwara into some sort of personal fiefdom with which they

viciously hunted and preyed on one another. His dexterous moves and countermeasures practically forced the father and her beloved daughter to dump PDP, and seek refuge in a new party.

Bukola Saraki basically retired the Waziri from politics, alongside his entrenched and well-oiled machinery during the 2011 electioneering campaigns. Bukola’s choice, PDP’s Ahmed trounced the pick of the senior Saraki, and ACPN’s Gbemi Saraki! It may have whittled considerably in significance after serving as a special purpose vehicle designed singlehandedly by the senior Saraki, but it stands for Allied Congress Party of Nigeria… not sure if it still stands for anything now, even with Dr. Oby Ezekwesili’s ill-fated romance with it in 2019.

Well, the old man never recovered from the various scars of that devastating electoral trouncing in the hands of his own “beloved son”.

The former Senate Leader, who also contested the presidential primaries of SDP in 1992, one of two military-established political parties constructed during the meandering Babangida transition programme, passed away in November, 2012. The official reason was cancer.

Bukola Saraki’s brutally incisive political mindset, and caustic effectiveness in knocking off any opposition against his vaulting ambition would be well-regarded and compensated within the internecine corridors of boardroom politics.

He cuts for me an image of a man prodigiously consumed by a desire to rule, to dispense patronage, and to be at the apex of the biggest proverbial cake - irrespective of the manner and size of crumbs that may trickle to others below.

He appears an individual impervious to complaints and pains of others, whether genuine or contrived; unperturbed with general apprehensions of ordinary people, or the possible devastation of the private economies of simple folks far away from the blinking entrails of high offices.

More worrisome was his alleged implication in the heinous bank robbery in Offa, Kwara South - a town reputed as a cauldron of progressive opposition to the Saraki’s political machinery for as far back as the 70s. Though nothing has been proven to substantiate his alleged cozy relationship with

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

returns.”

“Its police, too, began investigation culminating into (in) the arrest of some suspects….”

“We do not have to wait till these bloody miscreants would think of going for a minister of education or a very top government personnel (official)….” ‘Personnel’ is strictly for collective usage. For example: the Nigerian Police service personnel who mount roadblocks are corrupt and disobedient. Remember that past IGPs had ineffectively abolished checkpoints. This is hoping that in the future, an active Inspector-General of Police will succeed especially in those areas where his predecessors had bungled.

“Since last week Tuesday….” Either last Tuesday or Tuesday, last week “Our politicians should realise that if they can hold the country into (to) ransom for their jumbo pay, then civil servants should not be blamed if they do same (the same).”

“Manchester City girds lions (loins) for Man U and stems-up for record” For sports journalists (who cherish language abuse): phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation. “…the paper’s new printing machines which had been lying at the ports for sometime (some time)….”

If you must remain Nigeria’s largest daily sale, distinguish between ‘sometime’ and ‘some time’.

“In Nigeria, it was designed by the military dictators as bait to divert the attention of the people from the enormity of their loots.” No questions: ‘loot’ is non-count.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON

fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

the Offa criminals, it was bad enough that his name and that of some elements within the state government were mentioned.

The suggestions and imputations need not be true or factual, such scents are stuff that become guillotines and deadly darts on the campaign trails, and at the polling units. Every election circle, there will be a vivid recall of the viral tape where a voice claimed to be Saraki’s was lamenting his frustration with Buhari’s style of governance post-2015 elections; that despite spending hundreds of millions each, in about 30 states, Kwara didn’t get the expected political appointments! There were also the allegations of collecting irresponsibly humongous ex-governor’s pension benefits from Kwara State between 2011 and 2015 - even as a serving public servant (senate)...therefore, taking from the public till double for nothing! And that is in a state staggering under the wicked weight of poverty, impoverishment, inadequacies, and more deprivations. It was for such indiscretions that he was paraded on a number of occasions, on national television, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

It is immaterial if these allegations were halftruth or holy grail...his persona had been tragically crushed and deformed. The image of Bukola Saraki as a self-serving spoilsport and unconscionable power-broker remains unscratched.

It will serve him well to channel all his efforts into rebuilding his Kwara Central homestead by restituting all he had taken from the people, and repairing bridges he had bombed or thrashed while in power... and then hope the people’s proverbial forgiving spirit would be roused enough to put him back in the Senate, where he can start rewriting a fresh template that may become tenable and appreciable in about four election circles. But he won’t listen...and thus may continue to fail, fall and flounder.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JANUARY 22, 2022

39

INTERVIEW/ TRAVEL AND LEISURE

Biodun Oyebanji: I Deserve Gov Fayemi’s Endorsement Biodun Oyebanji, a former Commissioner and immediate past Secretary to the State government has thrown his hat into the Ekiti governorship ring on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. In this interview with newsmen where Victor Ogunje was present, Oyebanji insisted that he deserves Governor Kayode Fayemi’s backing while also debunking the insinuation that he was dragged into the race by powerful forces and not vying on his own volition. Excerpts:

S

omehavedescribedyourasahome boy.Inwhatcontextareyoureally a home boy?

This is another issue that can be interpreted based on the perception of the speaker. Some have described measahomeboybecauseIhadalmost all my early education, in fact, to the first degree level in Ekiti State. I have put in at least 15 years of my working career into Ekiti development, first as University lecturer and later in government. I am also married an Ado Ekiti Princess, who is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ibadan. So, you can call me a homeboy with the right education, exposure and network of friends across different strata.

What actually spurred your decision to vie for governorship of a complex state like Ekiti?

If I may use your language, I threw my hat into the ring because I saw an opportunity to impact my people positively and contribute my quota towards the development of Ekiti and our people. With the experience garnered over the years, in academia, the private sector and in public service. I have been involved in the government of Ekiti State holding different positions for 11 out of the 25 years of the state’s existence, and I have not been found wanting in terms of competence, character and delivery. I believe I have sufficient understanding of the issues that are deartotheheartsofourpeopleinEkiti-boththeyoung and old, male and female. I have a clear understanding ofthevisionofthefoundingfathersofthestate,having worked closely with them during the agitation for the creation of the state.

Is ittruethatyouareGovernorFayemi’sanointed candidate for the governorship seat?

Idon’tunderstandwhatyoumeanbybeinganointed but if it means the same thing as endorsement or support I think I deserve it if I get it. I say this because having served under Fayemi for two terms without

Biodun Oyebanji blemish and with a record of performance to show for it, if I show interest in the governorship race and he chooses to support me, I think I have earned it.

In fact, people should be very concerned if I don’t get his support, or he cannot vouch for me, having worked closely with him for over seven years in different capacities and having known him for over 20 years. However, let me quickly add that this is not my exclusive right because many people also served under Governor Fayemi and they can equally enjoy the same benefit. In fact, almost all the people contesting now must have approached him for endorsement or to get his support in one way or the other. Beyond the gubernatorial race, at least three of the aspirants have been supported by Governor Fayemi to be elected to the National Assembly at various times. So, to answer your question, his support is highly coveted and I would be honoured to get it.

Is it true that you were forced to join the race

and not on your own volition?

That is an interesting thought, but I understand because that is the perception some people have of politicians. I have also heard from some people, including journalists that the speculation about me contesting this election has been on for over a year.

The truth of the matter is that those who are close to me can confirm that I’m not the type that could be forced to contest if I don’t have the wherewithal to govern. The question I think people should ask is why it took me this long to aspire for elective office. My style is different, I don’t venture into any business if I am not grounded. Today, I can beat my chest and tell you that I’m one of the most qualified with the required capacity, exposure and experience to strengthen the developmentalstridesinEkitiandcontinuefromwhere the present leadership will stop on October 16th.

At an early age I was involved in the drafting of the Master Plan for Ekiti State. That was during the build up to the creation of the state and I think this will help verywellinbuildingonwhatsuccessiveadministrations have done.

Now, coming to the other part of your question that some people want to use me to remain in government or cover their tracks. That is quite laughable, but we are dealing with serious issues of governance so I will not laugh. One, let me tell you something, the Governor Fayemi I know is not someone who is hungry for power and so the idea of him governing by proxy doesn’t add up at all. It will interest you that after the controversial 2014 election, some individuals were desperate to get the mandate back by any means possible but he insisted on the rule of law. Then you spoke about covering tracks? Which tracks? Perhaps track record of performance and delivery of quality service to Ekiti people. Governor Fayemi is not a frivolous person; he’s transparent, respects the rule of law and he’s ever committed to lift Ekiti to its desired heights. He has run one of the most transparent administrations in this state, winning the Open Government Partnership awards in 2020. What “tracks” does he need to cover?

Such claims are from those who may feel they are losing out because of the ground swell of support my candidacy is garnering daily. There is no substance in it at all.

Do you think Ekiti people will be willing to elect the candidate of the APC come June this year?

Ekiti people are not only willing but are earnestly waiting for the day because the APC has done well in the state. Forget the distractions here and there through propaganda; the party has brought about stability in business, politics and other areas. I’m sure we will still get to discuss in more details what the party has been able to achieve under Governor Fayemi but one other thing I want to add is that there is peace in Ekiti and that is essential. There is progress and there is prosperity under the Fayemi - led APC government. There is no victimization of members of opposition parties and there is good atmosphere for people to go about their businesses. These are in addition to the huge investments in education, health care delivery and infrastructure development. For this, the people have good reasons to support and vote for APC come June 18th 2022.

Narrowing it down to Governor Fayemi, in your view, has the governor performed so well to justify Ekiti people voting the candidate of his party again this time?

Sincerelythisparticularquestionexcitesmebecause it gives me the opportunity to shed more light on the details of Governor Fayemi’s achievements. It is now over three years since Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, was sworn in for the second term of office after an interregnum of four years. When he came on board on October 16, 2018, the state was in a state of total despair and despondency. So, when JKF assumed office on October 16, 2018, his job was cut out for him. He made a promise to ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions to the workers.

Read full interview online - www. thisdaylive.com

When London Opened its Doors to the World The recently concluded three-day World Travel Market in Excel, East London, United Kingdom where over 100 countries converged to showcase their travels and tourism potential was an eye opener that Covid-19 pandemic may be an impediment to human movement for a short while; it can never restrict human existence for too long.

Funke Olaode who was part of the well-attended global travel exhibition reports

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n 2020, the global atmosphere was envelopedbyfearasCOVID-19rippedeverything andanythingonitspath.Thepopularcliché then was, “the fear of Covid-19 is the beginning of human movement.” What started asamerediseasethatallegedlyemanated from China later exploded causing global meltdown and lockdown. International airports were deserted, borders were closed, and people werelockeddownintheirhomes.Itwasamoment that would remain evergreen in the generation involvedasitalteredthewaytheylived,interacted and associated.

Since its debut 41 years ago, the World Travel MarketusuallyorganisedinLondon,hasremained an avenue for 187 countries across the globe to share ideas on how to improve the tourism and travel industry – but more important, to deal in multimillion-pound tourism enterprise.

The gigantic exhibition Centre situated in Excel, East London, is an avenue that attracts common interestsandoffersstakeholderstheopportunity to keep up with latest insight on travels. Since its establishment, at least 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, business people and top government officials and international press, visit Excel-London every November to network, negotiate and discover latest opinions and trends on travels enterprise.

With recession facing many countries and the dip in oil prices, not a few countries are exploring theirtourismpotentialassupportsystemtoboost

their economy.

BetweenMondayNovember1-3,2021,traveland tourism experts across the globe again headed to London, to showcase their travel and tourism potential. This was after the UK government had relaxed its travels restriction.

The three days event was superlative as there were lots of activities. “What a momentum days as WTM London in its physical form is fully back.

Travel professionals from around the world can oncecometogetheratExCeltohostallimportant businessmeetingsandattendinspiringconference sessionoverthreeopportunity-packeddays”,said SimonPress,exhibitiondirectorforWTMLondon.

He continued. “This year’s event is a ‘must attend for delegates wanting to conduct business meetings in person, listen to thought leaders and, of course, catch up with old friends and colleagues face-to-face. WTM London was the last International travel event to take place in 2019 and it is the first to come back.”

WTMLondoneventactuallylivedtoexpectations with various programmes and sessions designed to showcase the industry’s next generation tech and meeting opportunities with more than 50 innovation solution providers. The Buyer’s Club Speed Networking took place every morning, with a focus on buyers interested in Europe while LondonTravelWeekalsoreturnedwithacalendar of events celebrating future of travel. With the airline industry, one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, there was WTM’s Big Airline session.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the turnout was huge. The host country, Great Britain was visible.

The United States, Hungary, Poland, Ireland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia amongst others were physically present. African countries such as Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa also registered their presence. Unfortunately, Nigeria has shunned the global exhibition in the last six years.

It is unfortunate that in spite of these benefits of tourism, the Nigerian government, investors in tourismbusinessandpromotersandeventhehost communitieswherethesetourismattractionsare located seem not to bother much in developing and promoting tourism in the country.

Thetop10touristdestinationsinAfrica,according to the United Nations World Tourism Barometer in2013areMorocco,SouthAfrica,Tunisia,Algeria, Mozambique,Zimbabwe,Kenya,Uganda,Namibia and Senegal in that order. Nigeria is nowhere to be found in African tourism ranking.

For so-called ‘Giant of Africa’ –Nigeria – with its vast tourist destinations and human resources, things are falling apart in travels and tourism as it faces kidnapping, terrorism, corruption and lack of ingenuity.

According to an expert, this is a bad omen for a country struggling to make tourism one of its exports besides oil and agriculture.

KenyaisaregularcountryatWTMLondonevery year.Andinspiteofdomesticchallengesbackhome, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have not failed to

take advantage of the WTM. The trio marketed themselves as a single destination for the first time at joint stand at WTM London 2016 under the banner, “East African countries opt for joint marketing,BorderlessBorders,OneDestination.”

The single East Africa Tourist Visa launched that year, enabled travellers to visit Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda under one visa.

According to the East Africa Tourism Platform, themoveisinlinewiththevisionofmarketingEast African Community (EAC) as a single destination.

It has continued to wax stronger.

AscountriescometogethereveryyearinLondon, theyareononevisionandmission:“todrawtourists totheirtents.”Sowiththeirjawdroppingpavilions, countries like Qatar and UAE were cynosure of all eyesatWTMLondon2021.Thisisbecauseoftheir impressive range of hotels and restaurants which make it a must-visit holiday destination for every type of traveler. Whether visiting on a stopover or staying for longer, visitors can enjoy thrilling adventures, all in the space of one trip.

Having been part of WTM London over the past 10 years, it was an eventful journey for me late last year as I watched new deals being made, contacts exchanged opening news frontiers and vistas in travel industries.

Itwasalso aneyeopenerthatCovid-19pandemic may be an impediment to human movement for a short while, it can never restrict human existence for too long as future of travels and tourism have come to stay.

Saturday, January 22, 2022

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Kaigama on Endless Killings “We have become too uncertain about many things; unsure each day about what will become of our people if they go to the farms or streams, what may befall villagers at night, or even in broad daylight in the cities, where people get abducted in exchange for raw cash” –The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama lamenting endless killings in Nigeria.

OKEYIKECHUKWU Governors, Just Look at Wike EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

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few days ago Governor Nwesom Wike of Rivers State directed all 23 Local Government Chairmen in his state to hire bulldozers and destroy the illegal refineries in their respective local government areas.

Four days before the directive, he said to the LG bosses: “Now, every council Chairman must go and identify illegal refineries … and you’re given 48 hours to go and identify all illegal refineries sites, and those who are in charge of them.”...

Our people are dying and we owe our people the responsibility to protect them, to save them from death.”

With that, Wike did something that every state governor should endeavour to emulate. That is if such governors are serious about genuine representation of the people by their elected leaders, as well as socially accountable leadership, effective service delivery and sustainable security. His directive to the 23 Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State puts responsibility for some aspects of environmental awareness and security squarely at the door step of those who are supposed to be closest to the people: and who should therefore know what is going on at any point in time.

The LG bosses will now be forced to wake up their largely idle Ward and Council Chairmen. We cannot continue to pretend that it is the business of the federal government in Abuja to address all local issues that a passing knowledge of one’s living environment should be able to deal with. The security situation in the North would since have changed dramatically if the governors had stopped their repeated lamentational media engagements to a conscious effort to actually earn the title “Mr. Governor”? For now, they blame everything on Buhari and the military, even as they parade the expended monthly budgets of many local government areas that have been without any form of government presence for years.

The beauty of Wike’s intervention does not lie in the mere fact of his having given an ultimatum to LG Chairmen, no. It lies, instead, in the fact that he is calling out politicians who are in office as servants of the people to do their work.

Hebis saying that must not take a special, supposedly “crack team,” from Abuja to deal with every domestic problem. Is is also, metaphorically speaking, asking his fellow governors and their LG Chairmen to do their jobs. They are being told that they have a duty to identify criminality and propose ways of dealing with same, in their largely closely-knit communities where everyone knows what everyone else is doing. He is saying that it is not right that people should carry official titles/cars and have their names on the government payroll, without actually being on the job.

That is one major takeaway from Wike’s ultimatum to the LG Chairmen in his state. Another major takeaway is that he is doing what his fellow governors should do with their LG Chairmen. He is telling everyone that being a governor,

Wike

or a local Government Chairmen is a job.

There are role expectations in every job. LG Chairmen should know their people and their environment. They should remember that they are an indispensable chain in the machinery of public administration, national security and good governance.

But that is not all. Wike is also saying that his colleague governors and LG Chairmen should feel ashamed and embarrassed if the territory under their watch acquires a reputation for malfeasance. It does not mean he denies the challenges facing them and their various peoples. It is simply his way of saying: “Hey, enough of everyone pretending that we don’t know what’s going on here; and who is doing what.

Either you become part of the solution, or I get you fired.”

In this regard, Governor Wike refused to take the more travelled road of setting up yet another Task Force on illegal refineries. That would have required him to provide equipment, procured at great cost. He would also have appointed a CEO and accompanying personnel. The Task Force would then liaise with other already existing platforms, in order to “move security forward.” A further delineation of duties and logistical issues would have ensued, along with frightening monthly overheads. It would also have meant setting up some kind of office, with clear chains of command and the full complement of personnel. The job of the Task Force would have been to “Root out all illegal refineries in Rivers State,” with the possible addition of “and sundry unpatriotic acts of sabotage and banditry.”

Meanwhile this very task, for which the state would have followed the largely ineffective approach of the Federal Government and other State

Governments, would then have gulped hundreds of millions of Naira, which can be deployed to better purposes. Well, Wike has refused deceive Rivers’ people into believing that Committees and Stakeholder meetings should be set up to deal with what is actually the business of regular law enforcement agencies and known public office holders.

Had Wike set up a Task Force, it would not have occurred to anyone, especially the LG Chairmen, to ask why and whether a Task Force was necessary in the first place.

The LG Chairmen would all most probably have attended the flag-off ceremonies and celebrated same as yet another wonderful initiative, and major achievement, of the Wike Administration. One of the LG Chairmen would then probably even have stood up on the occasion to thank and praise the governor for the initiative, on behalf of his colleagues. But Wike can be understood, by his actions, to be saying: “Enough tomfoolery around here in the name of serving the people of Rivers State.”

He is taking the people back to the roots of all the governance issues bedeviling the nation today. He is taking them back to the foundational underpinnings of responsible leadership. It is back to the backbone of effective service delivery for LG Chairmen all over the country, most of whom have been coasting for the last 20 years of democracy. Yes, there is the outstanding matter of autonomy and frequent dissolution of local government governance machinery, but that is beside the point at issue here.

It is instructive that Wike gave the first order when he met with the council chairmen and heads of the Army, Air Force, the Navy, the Police, the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the state. At that event, he challenged the Chairmen to prove that they were not complicit in the illegal businesses, especially bunkering and illegal refining of petroleum products. He pointed out how this had become a major threat to the environment and the health of citizens. He also drew attention to its negative impact on the national economy, as well as the earning of Rivers State when compared with some other oil-producing states in the region.

The governor also tendered a mouthwatering incentive of two million naira per refinery identified and reported to the authorities. This is very likely to introduce an interesting variable in the equation. What do you expect if all it would take for any LG Chairman to earn two million Naira per refinery in his area is to send in the names and locations?

We are likely to end up with an absolute pestilence of revelations. Some will even cheerfully, yes cheerfully and “dutifully,” report on illegal refineries outside their respective jurisdictions. The problem that would arise from both the fact of reporting and also of reporting “sans frontiers” is that one or two LG Chairman may not be alive to enjoy the reward. Yes, the news

of who brought what, and who received what, will always get out.

Wike deserves commendation for insisting that a responsible government cannot fold its hands and do nothing to protect residents of Rivers State from the death forced upon them by illegal oil-related activities. By taking the Local Government Chairmen to task, he is forcing them to prove that they are not complicit in the revenue-draining and health-endangering activities that are worsening the environmental challenges facing Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta Region.

Is Wike’s frustration and reaction understandable? The answer is “yes.”

Beyond the question of revenue is the fact that, according to him, some security personnel and agencies are aiding and abetting criminality in the oil sector, “by providing cover for the operators of the illegal refineries in the State.” Based on this allegation, he openly urged the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Eboka Friday, to “redeploy a particular Divisional Police Officer (DPO) accused of operating an illegal refinery in the area.” This is what Wike was reported to have said publicly to the Commissioner: “It’s unfortunate for this country how security people will be involved in illegal bunkering. I can’t believe it.”

We join Governor Wike in saying, as he did during his first meeting at which he called for a roll call of illegal refineries: “Mr. CP, I thank you for transferring the DPO in Rumuji, who owns a refinery.”

We also join the governor in saying “… the man must leave this state. I can’t be governor here and a security man owns an illegal refinery. No, it is not possible… the man has to go. Take him to wherever they allow bunkering.” To the head of the Rivers State command of the NSCDC, this is what Wike said concerning personnel in charge of vandalisation of pipelines in the state, whose performance was most probably found to be unsatisfactory: “Transfer the man, and tell him to leave.

He is a complete saboteur. I mean, how can security men be the one involved in this. What kind of country are we?”

We agree with Wike’s expression of dissatisfaction with the actions of the supposed DPO, or anyone else for that matter. But we need much more than redeployment, advise or warnings as penalty for possibly proven cases of economic sabotage. Since he asked the CP to “…immediately arrest Chief W. J. Wocha, Fubara Ohaka and chief Promise Ezekwe accused of operating illegal refineries deep inside the forest of Ibaa community in Emohua Local Government Area,” he should also review his position of the other cases.

Notwithstanding, the governor got it right in his directive to the LG Chairmen.

Other governors should please pay attention. Leadership is for service delivery. Let the example of the bold and ebullient Wike e the raised bar others should aspire to.

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