SATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2023

Peter Obi Remains Top Pick for President, Bloomberg News Projects in its Latest Poll Bennett Oghifo A pre-presidential election opinion survey by global business and economic news

platform, Bloomberg News, has projected Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi as the leading runner ahead of Nigeria’s February

25 presidential election.

In the poll conducted

by Premise Data Corp for Bloomberg News, Obi was the preferred choice of the

respondents ahead of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The poll result released yesterday showed that the LP candidate garnered 66 per cent of the 93 per cent of respondents’ votes.

The candidates of the two parties that have ruled Nigeria since the restoration Continued on page 5

Atiku's Campaign Council in Rivers Accuses Wike of Masterminding Deadly Attack on DG... Page 6 Saturday 11 February, 2023 Vol 28. No 10167

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Council of State to CBN: Make New Naira Notes Available or Recirculate Old Ones Ganduje, Akeredolu head to Supreme Court over swap deadline, withdrawal limits Lawan: No need for swap time limit Obaseki prohibits use of cash in Edo govt offices from March 1

Deji Elumoye in Abuja, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The National Council of State (NCS) has tasked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make the new Naira notes available or recirculate the old Naira notes to ease the current suffering of Nigerians.

The CBN had in October 2022 announced the redesign of N200, N500, and N1,000 notes, and asked Nigerians to deposit their old notes before January 31, 2023 when they would cease to be legal tender.

The deadline was shifted to February 10 following difficulties obtaining the new notes.

Thereafter, governors of Kaduna, Zamfara and Kogi states dragged the federal government and the CBN to the Supreme Court over the time limit, and the court gave an interim order suspending the February 10 deadline.

It also emerged yesterday that the governors of Kano and Ondo states, Abdullahi Ganduje, Rotimi Akeredolu, Continued on page 5

BRAINSTORMING ON WAY FORWARD… L–R: President Muhammadu Buhari; former head of state, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar; former President Goodluck Jonathan and former head of state, retired General Yakubu Gowon; at the Council of State meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja....yesterday.

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PDP Expels Nnamani, Fayose’s Son, Others... Page 6

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PAGE FIVE COUNCIL OF STATE TO CBN: MAKE NEW NAIRA NOTES AVAILABLE OR RECIRCULATE OLD ONES respectively, have approached the Supreme Court over the swap deadline, withdrawal limits.

Rising from its maiden hybrid meeting in 2023 yesterday, presided over

by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Council, however, expressed its support for the government’s new monetary policy, but tasked the apex bank to take urgent steps to arrest the scarcity of cash plaguing the country.

These resolutions, at the end of the meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, were made known to newsmen by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, alongside the governors of Lagos and Taraba states, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Darius Ishaku, respectively, and Media Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina.

Malami said the two major issues deliberated by the Council members were the level of preparedness for the upcoming general elections, stating that both the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba, had assured of adequate readiness.

According to him, the briefing on the new monetary policy, including the redesigning of some categories of the naira, elicited reactions and opinions, adding that the conclusion was that the CBN should do more to ensure there was circulation of adequate cash in the system to alleviate the harsh realities trailing the policy.

Malami said: “So by way of conclusion, the two major resolutions that were driven, arriving from the deliberations of the Council, are one that we are on course as far as election is concerned and we

are happy with the level of preparation by INEC and the institutions.

“Two, relating to the naira re-designed policy, the policy stands, but then the Council agreed that there is need for aggressive action on the part of the Central Bank, as it relates to the implementation of the policy by way of ensuring adequate provision being made with regard to the supply of the naira in the system.”

Shedding more light on the proceedings of the meeting, Governor Ishaku disclosed that the most contentious issue was the cash scarcity, which had led to protests in some parts of the country, as a result of the hardships that had attended the new cash-swap policy of the CBN. He said the Council advised the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, to make the redesigned naira denominations of N1,000, N500 and N200 available by printing more or if printing would be difficult, the apex bank should recirculate the old notes.

Ishaku said: “The INEC Chairman briefed the Council of State on their preparedness for the election on the 25th of this month and that of the 11th of next month that they are fully prepared. “Also, the Inspector-General of Police briefed the Council that they are equally prepared for the election and both of them gave us the details of their preparedness.

“Lastly was the Governor of the Central Bank, who briefed us on the monetary change and the monetary issues that have arisen across the whole states in the Federation and to give us the merits of that policy that was implemented.

“Basically, what took more time was that of the monetary issue because of the hardship of money in circulation across

the whole states. Generally, the view across the board is that principally the policy is accepted.

“Just like any new policy or any new change, at the beginning people resist it, even though it's good, but generally it’s accepted. But the major issue across the board, from all the states and most of the speakers, is that of implementation.

So many views were proffered, particularly that the CBN governor should look into making sure that the new money is available in quantum.

“There were suggestions too that if the new money is not in circulation or printing them could be difficult, the old money that hasn't been changed could be re-circulated and pumped into circulation to ease the tension, particularly for the poor people in our society, who’ll just need a little sum of money to buy their food, buy their drugs, on daily basis and they cannot even afford it.

“So the pains and the sentiments across the country are being expressed by different governors, my colleagues, and I think, collectively, all these ideas, Mr. President was present, are to proffer solutions and advices to Mr. President and he was there physically, he was present, so I'm sure that after this meeting, a lot of things will be done, particularly in easing the monetary tension in the society.”

Also speaking after a separate meeting with the President, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, said he informed President Buhari that the National Assembly had resolved that there should be no cap on currency swap policies because of the way the scenario is now playing out and how it impacts the constituents.

According to him: “For us in the Senate, initially we felt that this policy, in the first place, is not a bad one, but we also feel there is no need for a time limit. Allow the old and the new to co-exist until the old is phased out. So, what is wrong with that? This is not going to be the first country to deploy it that way, other countries have been doing the same thing and to say that in three months it will be okay, it is not okay, especially in a country like ours, where maybe 80, 85, 90 per cent of the population have no access to banks.

“When Britain changed their currency, it took them over a year to change and the validity of the old remained a legal tender, so why ours? We are not cashless yet and that society is cashless already and they needed even more time.

“So, we should have an open-ended time, but what will make it quick is for us to have more and more of the new currencies and then they co-exist with the old ones until the old dies a natural death.”

The Council of State is an organ of the federal government saddled with the responsibility of advising the executive on policy making.

The council, which has the President as Chairman and Vice President as Deputy Chairman, has all former presidents and Heads of State, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, as members.

Yesterday's meeting of the Council was attended by former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as former President Godluck Jonathan.

The hybrid meeting had former President Olusegun

PETER OBI REMAINS TOP PICK FOR PRESIDENT, BLOOMBERG NEWS PROJECTS IN ITS LATEST POLL of democracy in 1999 finished in a distant second and third.

Tinubu obtained 18 percent of decided voters and the PDP’s Atiku Abubakar tallied 10 percent.

Obi scored a slightly higher 72% among decided respondents in an earlier Premise poll that was released by Bloomberg in September last year as the official election campaign kicked off.

“San Francisco-based Premise polled 2,384 Nigerians from January 26 to February 4 via a smartphone app. Submissions were selected from quotas developed by age, gender, and location across the country’s six geopolitical zones, the company said. Results were then weighted against the original quotas to ensure national representation,” Bloomberg News said.

Bloomberg reports further on the latest poll result: “While Obi’s campaign has generated a momentum that the two established forces in Nigerian politics were not expecting, the ruling All Progressives Congress and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party insist that he cannot triumph on February 25. They say his appeal is too thinly spread

across the country’s states and have derided polling that has almost universally put the candidate of the much smaller Labour Party in first place.

“Still, Obi has emerged as the most popular candidate in six polls including the two surveys conducted by Premise for Bloomberg. Another poll released this week by Lagos-based media and data company Stears predicted that Obi will win in the event of high turnout, but lose to Bola Tinubu of the APC if participation is weak.

“Dismissed by his opponents as a ‘social media candidate,’ Obi’s rise has been fueled by disenchantment with the status quo. His campaign has attracted an enthusiastic following known as ‘Obidients’ - initially online but increasingly at rallies and marches - even if the man they wish to help to Nigeria’s biggest ever electoral upset hardly has an anti-establishment background.

“A former governor of the southeastern Anambra State and ex-chairman of Lagos-listed Fidelity Bank Plc, Obi is running on the ticket of the Labour Party, whose presidential candidate garnered only 0.02% of votes

in the last election four years ago. The APC and PDP dominate both chambers of parliament, and 35 of the country’s 36 governors come from their ranks.

“While widespread frustration with worsening economic hardship and growing insecurity has propelled Obi’s campaign further than many initially felt possible, his party lacks the nationwide organisational capabilities of the APC and PDP — which are experienced at mobilising voters across the West African country of approximately 200 million people. Vote buying is also common in Nigerian elections which provides an advantage to better resourced parties.

“The constitution also dictates that a candidate acquiring the most votes in the election can only win the presidency in the first round if they secure over 25% in more than two-thirds of the states. If no one crosses that threshold, Nigeria will have its first runoff between whoever polled best overall and the remaining contender who scored majorities in the higher number of states.

“The APC insists the rules make a Labour Party victory impossible as its Christian candidate will not be able

to accumulate a quarter of the votes in states across the predominantly Muslim north or Tinubu’s southwestern stronghold that includes the commercial hub of Lagos.

“Peter Obi cannot win the election,” Nasir el-Rufai, the APC governor of the northern Kaduna State, said in a television interview this month. “He doesn’t have the number of states.” Out of Nigeria’s six so-called geopolitical zones, 43% of the country’s 93.5 million registered voters are located in the northwest and southwest.”

There have been a number of polls conducted for the leading Nigerian presidential candidates.

The LP candidate has won the majority of the polls but the opposition parties are quick to dismiss their outcome.

In September 2022, an NOI poll placed Obi as the leading candidate with 21 per cent of the votes.

Tinubu and Atiku tied in second place with 13 per cent of votes each, while Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth with three per cent.

The result of the poll was dismissed by APC, NNPP, and the PDP.

Obasanjo joining virtually.

About 14 governors also attended the meeting both physically and virtually with some represented by their deputy governors.

Others in attendance included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, two former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.

Kano, Ondo states Sue FG, CBN Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government has filed a suit against the federal government at the Supreme Court over the CBN’s directives on cash withdrawal limits.

The Ondo government asked the apex court to stop the implementation of the policy.

In an originating summon filed and signed by the Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Charles Titiloye, the government prayed the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the directive issued by the federal government through the CBN on limitation of daily cash withdrawals from banks which, it said, had totally paralysed the activities of Ondo State and has adversely affected economic and commercial activities in the state.

The statement issued by the Special Assistant to the AG, Kola Adeniyi, said, “The Ondo State Government contended that the guideline on daily maximum cash withdrawal made by the federal government is an infraction on the legal rights of Ondo State Government and its citizens to access funds for execution of developmental projects, small credit facilities to petty traders (who have no account in banks) and highly detrimental to daily commercial activities in the state.

“Ondo State Government urged the Supreme Court to declare that the federal government cannot by directive issued through Central Bank of Nigeria, amend or vary an existing Act of National Assembly, particularly Section 2 of Money Laundering Act, which relates specifically to limitations on cash withdrawals for individual and corporate organisation to N5 million and N10 million respectively. The updated guidelines issued

by CBN now place maximum withdrawal for individual and corporate organisations at N500,000 and N5 million respectively.

“Ondo State Government is asking the Supreme Court to decide whether the guidelines issued by the federal government on maximum daily cash withdrawal and the continuous suffering and hardship caused by the implementation of the said policy is not in conflict with the express provision of Section 2 of the Money Laundering Act, Sections 20, 39 and 42 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act. “Ondo State Government averred that while it has more than 149 ministries,

departments and agencies to run on daily basis in a state with more than three million people, less than 500,000 people have bank accounts through which bank transfer can be made.

Consequently, the policy of the Federal Government has totally paralysed the economy of the state.

“Ondo State Government averred that the citizens of Ondo State now spend precious hours at bank ATMs waiting to collect the new naira notes, while citizens in the rural areas and villages without banks and Internet facilities have been shut out from receiving or transferring money to meet their daily economic needs.”

The government urged the apex court to intervene and stop further implementation of the said federal government policy.

Also, the Kano State Government on Thursday filed a suit against the federal government at the Supreme Court in respect of the naira redesign policy of the CBN. The Kano State Attorney General, through his Counsel, Sunusi Musa, SAN, is asking the apex court to declare that President Buhari cannot unilaterally direct the CBN to recall the now-old N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes without recourse to the Federal Executive Council and National Economic Council, respectively.

The Kano government is praying for a mandatory order seeking a reversal of the federal government policy to recall the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes from circulation due to the policy affecting the economic well-being of over 20 million Kano citizens.

The applicant is also seeking for a mandatory order, compelling the federal government to reverse the naira redesign policy for alleged failure to comply with the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The applicant is similarly praying the apex court to compel the federal government to reverse the cash swap policy for allegedly not complying with the 1999 constitution and other extant legislation.

Obaseki Prohibits Use of Cash in Govt Offices from March 1 The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said beginning from March 1, 2023, the state government will prohibit the use of cash in government offices.

The governor disclosed this during a Code of Ethics engagement with senior management staff of the Edo State civil/Public Service, as part of the state government’s transformation enhancement programme (Edo STEP), held at the Government House, in Benin City.

He said, “I have issued a circular that effective March 1st, government offices will be prohibited from using cash. The government is pushing toward a cashless economy. So, why must the service dodge transparency?

We should be able to explain every amount we spend and how we earned it.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

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NEWS

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

Atiku’s Campaign Council in Rivers Accuses Gov Wike of Masterminding Deadly Attack on DG Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for Rivers State has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of allegedly masterminding a deadly attack on its Director General, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, in Port Harcourt.

The DG who spoke to journalists on the incident which he said happened a few minutes to 12 midnight last Friday, alleged that security agencies detailed to Governor Wike attacked him along Rainbow, Trans-Amadi axis of Port Harcourt city.

Sekibo explained that he was

on his way to the proposed site for the presidential campaign rally of the PDP standard bearer, Abubakar Atiku and his running mate Ifeanyi Okowa at TransAmadi, after he received a call that the equipments for the rally were on fire, when suspected police thugs opened gun fire on his bullet proof vehicle.

According to the Atiku/ Okowa Presidential Campaign Council DG, the men in the police uniform shattered his vehicle tyres and back seat window glasses with bullets.

Sekibo, who was in company of other members of the party PCC at the press briefing, said

PDP Expels Nnamani, Fayose’s Son, Others Adedayo Akinwale and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expelled the former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and six others from the party for anti-party activities and other offences in violation of the party’s constitution.

Also expelled was Oluwajomiloju Fayose, son of former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

The main opposition party had last month suspended Nnamani, representing Enugu East at the Senate, but he argued that the party violated his rights to fair hearing. But the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in a statement issued yesterday said the decision of the NWC was sequel to the recommendation of the National Disciplinary Committee and pursuant to Sections 58 and 59 (1)(g) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

He noted that the expulsion takes effect from Friday, February 10, 2023.

Ologunagba said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its 566th meeting today, Friday, February 10, 2023, approved the expulsion of the following individuals from the party for anti-party activities and other grave offences in violation of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).”

Those expelled from the party are: Hon. Chris Ogbu (Imo State), Ajijola Oladimeji (Ekiti Central), Olayinka James Olalere, (Ekiti Central II), Fayose Oluwajomiloju John, (Ekiti Central I), Akerele Oluyinka (Ekiti North I) and Emiola Adenike Jennifer (Ekiti South II). The party charged all members of the party across the country to remain united and focused on the mission of the party to rescue, rebuild and redirect the nation from misrule.

Reacting to his expulsion, Nnamani said the Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has no powers to suspend or expel him from the party.

Cash Swap: CBN Assembles POS Operators at Oba’s Palace in Ogun James Sowole in Abeokuta The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in pursuance of one of its policies of cash swap, yesterday, dispensed new naira notes to several bank customers through some accredited Point of Sale (POS) operators in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

The POS operators were assembled at the palace of Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, in the heart of Abeokuta, where several bank customers were allowed to withdraw N10,000 each.

The exercise, which attracted several members of the public immediately the news filtered in in Abeokuta, served as relief for several bank customers.

The CBN team leader, Dr, Adeniyi Adenuga, told journalists that the exercise was carried out to enable people have easy access to the redesigned new naira notes.

Adenuga said, “The essence of today’s programme in Alake’s

palace in Abeokuta is for us to alleviate the suffering of the people of Abeokuta in particular.

“What we are doing here is one of the policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that has to do with the cash swap where you make direct impact to the people and each person is entitled to take the maximum of N10,000.

“If you bring your old notes, the agent will take the old notes from you and then you are given the new notes whether in N200, N500 or N1,000 notes. The essence of this programme is to ensure that we make impact to the grassroots.

“The swapping of the old notes for new notes does not require any charge, but if you want to use the ATM, of course, the agent is expected to charge the normal charges, not like what we are having elsewhere where people are charging arbitrarily like N1,000 for N10,000, Here, they are charging the normal rate that they are expected to charge.

“At about 11:30p.m. to 12: midnight, I received a call, and the caller said, the equipment at the site that was being prepared for the PDP presidential rally are on fire.

“I decided to go there and see for myself, I left my house with three policemen. The location is Rainbow Town by Amadi-ama; as we approached the site, we saw a lineup of police hilux vehicles on the right side of the road and the policemen were looking at the fire.

“As we got close and about to tell my driver to stop so I can talk to the policemen, the next thing we saw was that those policemen who were watching the fire, opened fire on my vehicle, I quickly told my driver to keep going and not stop again, we were shot from all sides as we were escaping.

“As they were firing guns at us, I looked at the Hilux vehicles,

they were police Hilux vehicles attached to the governor of Rivers State.

“They shot one of our front tyres, it became difficult for us to move, I had to ask the driver to clear by a filling station at Trans-Amadi and he cleared inside the petrol station, while we were there trying to figure out what happened and how to leave the area, behold the five Hilux vehicles drove passed us, heading the direction of Ada-Goerge.”

Sekibo, who called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba and President Muhammadu Buhari to call Wike to order, insisted that no amount of attack or intimidation will stop Atiku’s supporters in the state from ensuring the victory of the presidential candidate in Rivers.

He regretted that the police are now being used as a tool

to attack innocent citizens of the state, adding that Wike is allegedly turning the state into a lawless place.

“This is what our state has been reduced to, this governor who said he was giving us the stadium to use, cannot stand the sight of another site being prepared for a campaign rally he does not want to hold?

“He sent policemen attached to him to go and destroy equipment clearing the place. As we speak now, he has barricaded the place with Government House Police, to ensure that media men did not get to the venue to video, record the burning equipments.

“He has used Government House Police, not the regular police but police attached to Rivers State governor, who are the ones that are barricading the place.

“Wike wants anarchy in Rivers

State, he and his supporters have attacked members of Atiku Abubakar in the state over and over, we have been complaining to the law enforcement agencies, we have written to the police, we have done everything we can.

“This time around, it is no longer thugs that did this, it is policemen attached to the governor, going out at night to destroy equipments that are working at a site, to ensure that Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign rally never holds in this state.”

He further stated that Wike cannot intimidate Atiku’s supporters in the state, insisting their continuous commitments, supports and stands for Atiku, without fear of intimidation.

The DG boasted that people of the state will vote overwhelmingly for Atiku in the elections, no matter how much Wike tries.

OUR CONDOLENCES… L-R: Former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba; widower, Adebukunola Kessington Adebutu; Governor Dapo Abiodun; eldest son of the deceased, Oladipupo Adebutu; Senator representing Ogun Central, Ibikunle Amosun and former Governor and APC Senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, at the funeral service of Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu at Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State…yesterday.

Appeal Court Sacks Muhammad Abacha, Recognises Wali as PDP Gov Candidate in Kano Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kano Division of the Court Appeal yesterday set aside the judgement of a High Court that recognised Muhammad Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State.

Delivering the unanimous judgement, Justice Usman Musale-led

three-man panel held that Abacha had no locus to challenge the primary that produced Sadiq Wali since he never participated in the primary election.

The court also ordered that Wali, who was earlier recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), remains the valid governorship candidate of the PDP.

One of the Counsels to Wali, Abdurrahman Mukhtar hailed the court’s verdict saying it restates the position of the law that only the national headquarters of the party has the power to conduct party primaries not the state chapter.

On his part, the counsel to Mohammed Abacha, Saidu Tudun-Wada, said they will obtain the court proceeding, study the

judgement and advise their client accordingly on the next line of action.

It would be recalled that on December 22, 2022, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano declared Mohammad Abacha as the duly elected governorship candidate of the PDP and nullified the primary election that produced Wali as the candidate.

2023 Elections: Nigeria Assures EU It Would be the Best Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Nigerian Government has assured the European Union (EU) that no Nigerian would be denied their human rights, even as it said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been given all needed resources by the government to conduct what will be the best elections in the annals of the nation’s history.

This assurance was given yesterday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, during the 6th Round of the Nigeria - European

Union Human Rights Dialogue.

He said: “The Nigerian government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to work to ensure that all Nigerians are not denied their inalienable rights.”

On the meeting which discussed issues including the upcoming elections, Asset Recovery, Migration, Humanitarian Situations and International Humanitarian Law, the minister said: “These issues are dear to our hearts and I am glad we can provide clarity on issues that the European Union member states will have questions

on and vice versa.”

He added that: “On the topics for discussion today, you must have all noted the strides that the government has made in the past decade to improve the election process and integrity. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received needed resources from the government and is ready to conduct what will be our best elections ever.

The security agencies are also working to ensure that people will be able to carry out their civic responsibility without fear.

They are ready to act swiftly to

protect life and properties around the country during the election.”

He noted that in arranging this dialogue, “my colleagues in the Ministries of Justice, Women Affairs, Police Affairs, Defence, Humanitarian Affairs/ Disaster Management and Social Development, as well as the Office of the National Security Advisers were very involved. I am grateful for their inputs and I hope the discussions today will help deepen the enjoyment of human rights in Nigeria and in all European Union member states, for our citizens and visitors.”

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NEWS 2023: Be Ready to Accept Election Results, CAN Tells Parties Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged all the political parties and candidates seeking elective positions during the forthcoming general election to accept the results at the end of the polls.

In a statement signed by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the body urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that the election is seamless, credible, and violence-free.

Okoh urged citizens to resist any attempt to cause disharmony and disaffection ahead of the

upcoming general elections.

‘We must see the elections as a time of peaceful transition of leadership and not war. Consequently, there’s need for all and sundry to put away religious and ethnic bigotry and allow the will of God to prevail.

“INEC must ensure that this election is seamless, credible, and violence-free. The commission has no excuse to fail. Four years is enough time for it to have perfected the process and eliminated the glitches that featured in past polls,” he said.

The CAN president further urged the authorities to beef up security, especially in communities vulnerable to attacks and ensure that no citizen

is disenfranchised owing to precarious security situation in parts of the country.

“We charge the security agencies to be unbiased and remain neutral while discharging their duties, especially during the forthcoming general elections.

“CAN urges all the political parties and candidates seeking elective positions during the

forthcoming general elections to accept the results of the polls in good faith in the interest of Nigerians and the unity of the country.

“The national leadership of CAN urges all the faithful in the country not to relent in praying for our dear country Nigeria because prayer is the most potent instrument of

warfare at our disposal. Let us remind ourselves that the economic, political and security situations in the country do not give joy to anyone, but keep our hopes alive at this time,” he said.

The CAN leader also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently resolve the issues leading to

the gross shortage of Naira notes in the system, saying the situation is becoming unbearable.

“We note the current sufferings of the people which is gradually becoming unbearable due to the gross shortage of Naira notes in the system and plead with President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts to mitigate the hardship,” he said.

CACOL, Zero Graft Centre, Other Antigraft Bodies Ask Buhari to Fire EFCC Boss Over 40 anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations gathered in Lagos yesterday to protest what they described as the incessant disobedience of court orders by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under Abdulrasheed Bawa and the seeming politicisation of the agency’s activities.

The anti-corruption CSOs alleged that the EFCC, under Bawa, had chosen to become an institution “known for brazenly disobeying orders of courts in such a manner that does not only undermine the institutions of Nigeria’s democracy, but also indicates a contradiction to the anti-corruption agenda of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari,” and came to a conclusion that Bawa must be sacked for the Commission to recover its past glory.

The bodies, led by the Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran; Executive Director, Zero Graft Centre, Kolawole Sanchez-Jude; Chairman, Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, Toyin Raheem; Executive Director, Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemi Lawson; and Ahmed Balogun of Media Rights Concern, among others, spoke at a press conference, themed: “EFCC’s Consistent Disobedience of Court Orders is a Recipe for Anarchy; A Call

For The Immediate Sack of Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa”.

Other leaders include Ologun Ayodeji, Transparency and Accountability Group; Declan Ihehaire, Activists for Good Governance; and Ochiaga Jude, Centre for Ethics and Good Governance, among others.

According to the anti-graft bodies, aside from the EFCC’s penchant for disobedience of court orders, the situation has reached an embarrassing height where the Commission’s boss, Bawa, has been committed to prison more than once within two months for clear breach of the extant orders of the Court.

They said, “EFCC’s Gestapostyle regime of disobeying court orders must stop. Nigeria is not a banana republic. Attempts by institutions of state to ridicule the country and make it seem like a lawless fiefdom must be resisted by all. The EFCC seems to be allowing itself to be used as an instrument of political witchunt as it targets some individuals more than many others.

“Some of our organisations have submitted several petitions to the Commission, which it has refused to act on even when you sit with them to reason on the merits of those petitions.

Once there is a political interest the whole processes of investigation and litigation become politicised.

Lawmaker Tasks Govts on Development of Youths Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan A member of the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/ Kajola Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Hon. Shina Peller, has enjoined government at all levels to provide an enabling environment for the youth to bloom, saying the country is destiny for greatness.

He made the call during the maiden talent exhibition, themed, “Idanilaraya Talent Act”, which he sponsored, held at the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP) Mini Stadium, Saki.

The talent exhibition which drew participants from all the 33 local government areas of the state, saw Habeeb Opeyemi Adisa, emerging the winner.

According to the federal law-

maker, talents abound among the youth who if properly motivated would be pride to the country, stating that the governments have a duty to encourage them to display their talents.

He said, “My appeal to government at all levels is to do everything possible to make our youths blossom with their talent and I believe that the country stands to benefit from them as they are there to make it proud.”

Peller, who is the Accord candidate for Oyo North senatorial district in the forthcoming general election, showered praises on all the participants at the event which he said would be annual to discover more talents in the state especially in the Oke-Ogun axis, urging them not to relent in their area of focus just as he assured of doing everything humanly possible to assist their aspirations.

MARITAL BLISS… L-R: Bride, Felicia; bride-groom, Pastor Ayodeji Eniola-Oni and Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, after the solemnisation of the wedding between Felicia and Ayodeji at Ibadan North LG Registry, followed by reception at the Officers’ Mess of 2nd Division Nigeria Army, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State…recently.

FG Condoles with Turkey On Earthquake that Killed Over 20,000 Persons Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has commiserated with the government of Turkey over an earthquake that has devastated the country and killed over 20,000 people.

The minister paid the condolence visit to the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria,

Hidayet Bayraktar, on behalf of the federal government.

She was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, Director Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji Ali Grema, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ahmed Mustapha Habib and the Special Assistant to the

Buhari Meets with Tinubu at Villa President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, at his official residence at the State House.

Tinubu had abandoned the ‘Meet the mentor’ dinner held in his honour by the APC Progressives Sisters Network at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, and apologised to the organisers that he had an important meeting with the president at 9.45p.m.

He said, “I have a superior appointment. Late yesterday, the president called that I should be at his place by 9.45 pm this evening (Friday). What do I do? Cancel it and disobey my president?

And it is a command, more or less. (He said) see me at 9.45pm.

“I can’t say I would boycott this event or downgrade it. I have got to be here to, first of all, seek your understanding.

That is why there is always a pair for races like this. I have a vice presidential candidate.”

Although the agenda of the meeting Buhari had with Tinubu was not made public, sources said it might not be unconnected with last-minute strategies and logistics connected with the presidential election scheduled to be held in two week- time.

This is Tinubu’s first known meeting with the president after the latter pledged to continue drumming support for him at a rally in Sokoto State on Thursday.

The Buhari/Tinubu meeting at the State House ended at about midnight. No statement on the meeting was issued.

President on Humanitarian Affairs, Group Captain Shehu Sadique.

She described the earthquake and its aftermath as devastating.

“We received with sadness the news of the devastating earthquake in your country. On behalf of the federal government, we are here to commiserate with you in this trying time. It is a natural disaster and unforeseen.

We pray that families of the

victims affected by the earthquake and especially those of the dead will find strength to bear the loss. This is very sad and devastating.

“The President, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari sends his condolences and prayers at this time. Once again, accept our condolences as we pray for the peaceful repose of lives lost in the disaster,” Farouq said.

JOHESU/AHPA Threaten Industrial Strike Over Lingering Welfare Disputes Nigeria’s healthcare delivery sector may be plunged into crisis if the workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) make good their threats to embark on industrial action over welfare demands.

The workers are aggrieved over the failure of the federal government to resolve a decade old issues, warning that they are ready to down tools before the forthcoming general election if it failed to resolve the lingering dispute.

In a letter to the Minister of Health, titled ‘Looming Industrial Action Over Non-Implementation of Adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) And Other Pending Demands’, JOHESU and AHPA urged the federal government to expedite action on the matter to avert an

imminent crisis.

JOHESU/AHPA drew the attention of the minister to the omission of its members during the payment of COVID-19 Hazard Inducement Allowance in 2020.

According to the document, the joint professional bodies had written several letters to the Federal Ministry of Health on the lingering issues without positive response.

“We find it necessary to remind the federal government that Hazard Allowances were approved after months of negotiation for a total of 13 months. While nine out of 13 months have been paid, we request the immediate payment of the outstanding four months which are pending,” the letter signed by the Acting National Secretary, Comrade Matthew Ajurotu on behalf of Josiah Biobelemoye, the National Chairman, read in part.

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FEBRUARY 11, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

THE ELECTIONS ARE HERE

It’s up to Nigerians to choose the next leaders, writes Mary Beth Leonard

E

lections are a celebration of freedom and choice. The Nigerian people are fortunate to live in a country where they hold the power to determine the country’s next leader, but with that comes the responsibility to be involved, informed, and make their votes count. The U.S. Embassy urges all registered Nigerians to vote in the elections of February and March.

Since 1999, Nigeria has demonstrated a strong commitment to peaceful, credible, inclusive, and transparent elections. Having arrived in Nigeria over three years ago, I’ve witnessed critical changes that reinforce elections that can reflect the will of its citizens. Last year President Buhari and key stakeholders signed the Electoral Act of 2022, strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system and cementing Nigeria as a democratic leader in a region that has been experiencing backsliding. The U.S. government applauds that Act, which formally granted INEC the ability to use “BVAS” – the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System – to accredit voters and transmit election results electronically.

This type of system is a proven method to significantly reduce the potential for electoral fraud. We also welcomed the law’s provisions that facilitate voting by persons with disabilities, which are an important step towards ensuring accessibility for all voters. These developments are just some of the reasons the United States has confidence in Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) ability to organize and conduct credible and transparent elections.

The U.S. also welcomes the work of the National Peace Committee, a vital player in helping to ensure that the electoral process is carried out in an environment of calm and respect for the rights of others. I was among the many observers at the late September signing of the first of the NPC’s two peace accords, and was reassured by the pledge of all 18 political parties and presidential tickets to run campaigns free of violence and inflammatory rhetoric. As election day nears, I urge the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge. There will soon be another opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the democratic

THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE ARE FORTUNATE TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE THEY HOLD THE POWER TO DETERMINE THE COUNTRY’S NEXT LEADER, BUT WITH THAT COMES THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE INVOLVED, INFORMED, AND MAKE THEIR VOTES COUNT

process by signing the second peace accord, in which they pledge to accept the results of the elections as announced by INEC. As part of the U.S. commitment to robust and transparent elections, I want to reiterate that we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions against those responsible, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in the past, and remain willing to do so again going forward.

The commitment to peaceful, credible elections does not rest solely with politicians and nongovernmental organizations. The Nigerian public must remember that with the power to elect leaders also comes the responsibility to do so peacefully at the ballot box. How can voters do their part to ensure successful elections? There are several steps: Remember to bring your valid PVC to vote on election day.

Know your polling unit ahead of election day. For more information regarding your polling unit, visit INEC’s website.

Be informed. Find out where the candidates stand on issues that matter to you.

On election day, VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE. Remember: the only election poll results that matter are the ones that INEC will announce after the voting is finished. Election days often bring surprises, and no outcome is preordained by pre-election predictions.

I would like to conclude by emphasizing that the United States does not support any single candidate. Our only interest is in a fair democratic process that reflects the will of the Nigerian people. Participating in elections is a key freedom that many people in countries around the world do not have. No matter which political party you support, your vote matters. Go vote in February and March 2023.

In doing so, you will make Nigeria proud as a leader and beacon for democracy.

Mary Beth Leonard is United States Ambassador to Nigeria

ENUGU RANGERS AND THE ALLURE OF SOFT POWER Chidi Anselm Odinkalu chronicles the inspiring story of the football club which represented the hopes of a people in search of dignity “It was as if the football club wanted to regain through football what the Igbo ‘lost’ during the war.”

Segun Odegbami, MON

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early every Nigerian who was alive then remembers where they were at the end of 1976 when Alyufusalam Rocks met Enugu Rangers International in the finals of what was then known as the Challenge (Football Association) Cup. With a history going back to the Governor’s Cup, the first finals of which took place on 7 November 1945, the Challenge Cup was the premier knock-out competition in Nigerian football.

Although strictly inferior to the football league, the win-or-go-home traditions of the Challenge Cup captured public imagination in a way that the league did not.

The teams involved embodied the hopes not merely of players but, even more, of the parts of Nigeria from where they came.

Writing on the contagion effect of the nationwide passion for the Challenge Cup in his History of Football in Nigeria, Wiebe Boer observes that “there is hardly a man, woman or child in the whole country who has not been, in some way or another, connected with the magic of the ‘silver pot.’”

With their base in Ilorin, Kwara State, until then not exactly a by-word for soccer excellence in the country, the Rocks were a new phenomenon in Nigerian football. They had momentum on their side having eliminated more established names on their way to the finals. Rangers went into the finals with low morale having just lost in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Champion Clubs competition to Algeria’s Moloudia Chalia.

As Nigeria sundered into war in 1967, the Challenge Cup took a back seat. Until then, no team had managed to establish sustained dominance over the football scene in the country. All that was to change after the war with the emergence of a new phenomenon, until then unknown in Nigerian football.

Five days after the end of the Civil War, around 20 January, 1970, two young men separately walked into the office in Enugu of Jerry Enyeazu, the Germany-trained graduate

in physical and health education who would emerge after the war as the leading sports administrator of his generation in the region.

They were Godwin Achebe and Dominic Nwobodo. Achebe and Nwobodo were survivors from a talented bunch of young footballers and athletes lost to the war. That meeting inspired the idea of a football club, about the only enterprise left to a region whose journey of recovery looked impossible.

Towards the end of the war, as the Biafran side was depleted in both morale and materiele and began to consider options for mobile warfare, Timothy Onwuatuegwu, a Major in the Biafran Army, assembled a collection of young men who were supposed to undertake operations behind enemy defences.

Initially known as the “Strike” or “S Force”, survivors from this squad formed the core of what became the Rangers International. The team made Enugu its home in the capital of the then East Central State, becoming known as “Enugu Rangers International” with the pay-off line was “never say die!”

Four months after their formation, on 30 May 1970, Enugu Rangers played their first match. On that date three years earlier, then Military Governor of the Eastern Region, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Nigerian Army, had proclaimed Biafra into being. Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon took notice and so did Ukpabi Asika, then the Governor in Enugu. Jerry Enyeazu managed to avoid a charge of treason on the accusation that he had organized the match to mark the anniversary of Biafra. He explained it as a coincidence. Into these trying circumstances, Enugu Rangers was born.

Within three years, the Club was a mainstay of the Nigeria’s gold-winning team in the football event at the All Africa Games in 1973.

In 1974, the Club won the Challenge Cup. They retained it in 1975. This was the context going into the finals in 1976. If Rangers won, they would achieve the unprecedented feat of winning the cup thrice in a row a nd for keeps.

In those days, Nigeria had an energetic football ecosystem. Introduced into the country by European missionaries, football

had arrested the passions of the country by the time Nigeria gained Independence in 1960. Dr. Boer credits it with “a huge impact on creating community spirit and interaction across the length and breadth” of Nigeria. The 1960 edition of the Challenge Cup drew 80 teams from all over the country, each channeling the hopes of their communities.

Teams carried their origins with pride.

Mighty Jets of Jos; Raccah Rovers of Kano; Niger Tornadoes of Minna; Stationery Stores of Lagos; Sharks of Port Harcourt; Bendel Insurance of Benin; IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan; Calabar Rovers; Spartans of Owerri; Enyimba of Aba; Vasco da Gama of Enugu.

Companies invested in football teams to uplift their host communities and offer young men redemption. The Defence Industries Corporation inspired the DIC Bees of Kaduna where the company was based. Benue Cement Company gave birth to BCC Lions of Gboko.

The New Nigeria Bank sired an eponymous football club in Benin offering fierce competition to Bendel Insurance. African Continental Bank, originally founded by Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, himself an accomplished sportsman, equally funded an eponymous football club at its headquarters in Lagos. Moshood Abiola, the leading businessman of his day, founded Abiola Babes in his hometown, Abeokuta.

Enugu Rangers was different, however.

They represented the hopes of a people in search of dignity. They travelled across the country carrying the hopes of recovering Igbo communities who unleashed songs in praise and thanksgiving for the club’s accomplishments. They also had a unique brand-builder in Ernest Okonkwo, then the leading sports journalist and football commentator in the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), who made urban legends of the exploits of the club and its leading players, ensuring that they were etched in the consciousness of the country.

Okonkwo was the commentator on that day in 1976 when Rangers International became the first team to win the Challenge Cup thrice by a two-goal margin, conceding none. The following year, the team won the African Cup

Winners Cup, beating IICC Shooting Stars in the semi-finals. Seven years after the war, a team of young men whose future was at best uncertain were at the seat of power in Lagos to present their African diadem to the country led by the man who ended the war. It was a script that the authors of “no victor; no vanquished” could not have imagined.

In 1979, Jim Nwobodo, the teacher-turnedimpresario parlayed his credentials as Chairman of Enugu Rangers into a successful run as Governor of Anambra State. He would later testify that “Rangers FC was the key tool in the final process of our people’s rehabilitation, reconstruction, and return to Nigeria.”

Ugochukwu Ekemezie, who studied the club in a dissertation at the University o f Windsor in Canada in 2022, agreed.

In 1980, Nigeria’s Green Eagles became kings of African football with a backbone from the Rangers International and IICC. To crown it all, the songs that serenaded the Green Eagles on their way to victory were nearly all originally coined in support of the Rangers on their march to football conquest of the country. Nigeria had willingly learnt to commit them to heart and sing them too in Igbo.

Where the violence of the war had failed, the soft power of the indomitable spirit of the Rangers International had persuaded Nigeria into a love affair with their origins.

Today, that spirit of constructive competition between communities on the back of which the legend of Enugu Rangers International was forged lies in ruins. Companies and ambitious men willing to invest in the healing power of sports have been replaced mostly by buccaneers. Instead of devastated young men being channeled into the glory of sports excellence or communities into reconstruction, we have now accomplished young men addicted to destruction and communities living in devastation. Remarkably, Rangers International still exists and many of those men who inspired a people and a country nearly half a century ago continue to “never say die!”

A lawyer & a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu

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FEBRUARY 11, 2023 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

One too many...

Witch Persecution and Dream Experiences in Nigeria

Bakori and Butchers of Nigeria Every country that aspires to elite status in the league of developed countries is usually clear about one thing: security is an irreducible ingredient that goes into the making of that status.

It is until people feel safe and secure within a country and are able to have some degree of certainty over their properties and interests at all times, they cannot really be said to enjoy the citizenship of a developed country.

Nigeria’s independence in 1960 could not have come at a better time. As an independent country whose independence was won not by the barrel of a gun but by the tenacious tides of the time, Nigeria went on to hit all the right notes for seven years until the cataclysmic civil war of 1967-70 when darkness swooped on an entire country and has never managed to lift since then.

The war may have officially ended in 1967 but it has never really ended. The factors that foisted war on a fragile country remain as ferocious as ever and every day now, they still lurk in the corners waiting for the perfect opportunity to flare into flames and force a stream of blood to issue.

In the last 10 years, terrorism has come to form a key cog in Nigeria’s utterly excruciating experience as a country. What Boko Haram started like some heinous joke in 2009 has since become a source of many existential problems for the country.

Bandits have since bulldozed their way into the grim conversation to up the ante of attacks on defenseless Nigerians. Children and their families have been torn apart as communities have been forced to learn new ways to survive the surge of terrorism that has been as sudden as it has been savage.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, insecurity has become the topic of a raging debate in Nigeria. All around the country, people are genuinely concerned about how rampaging insecurity would affect the outcome of the general elections. Would people troop out to vote? Would people feel safe enough to vote? How much can the integrity of the elections be guaranteed given that many people would be forced to vote under an atmosphere of insecurity?

Even as these questions rage, and return unanswered by those most complicit in fanning Nigeria’s most complicated problems into uncontrollable flames, it appears there is no let-up for the butchers who have continued to march through rural communities leaving

a trail of death and destruction in this time and causing blood to flow.

On Sunday February 5th 2023, terrorists ambushed some local vigilante groups in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State while the vigilantes were chasing the terrorists to recover cattle rustled from their communities. The police have confirmed that at least 41 vigilantes lost their lives during the deadly attacks in an area that has been subjected to violent attacks in recent times.

For many of those who live in rural communities around Nigeria, Bakori’s story is a familiar one; of terrorists who launch lethal attacks on defenceless communities and go on to enjoy a field day; of heroic local vigilantes who get mowed down as they try to defend their communities and do what Nigeria’s security forces come up short in.

It is a measure of just how insecure Nigeria has become that every day news of attacks like this makes the round and people shrug it off as routine.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

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he Advocacy for Alleged Witches welcomes the arrest of a young man, Joseph Friday, who allegedly murdered his father for witchcraft in Akwa Ibom. The development represents some of the best ways the police could help end impunity and beat back the tide of witch-hunting in the country. The suspect told the police that the father used to appear to him in a dream. He said that the father would hypnotize him before depositing a spell in his body. Mr. Friday said,“My Father used a charm on me; he appeared in my dream and hypnotized me. Whenever he appeared, something like a tortoise entered my body, and I would start to behave abnormally”.

Akwa Ibom is one of the states in Nigeria where witch persecution is pervasive, and abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs are widespread. As in this case, many cases of witchcraft accusations are linked to dreams, mystical interpretations of dreams. It will take more than arresting suspects and perpetrators to end these savage acts.

In Akwa Ibom, people are taught to take their dream experiences seriously. They believe or are made to believe, that those who appear in dreams are witches or agents of the occult. People are taught that dream experiences are revealing; they disclose potential harm and harmers. So people believe that their dreams point to what would happen to them or their families. So, whenever a person sees someone threatening or attacking them in a dream, they confront, attack, or kill the person when they wake up. Some people have noted cases where they have seen people pursuing them with a machete, or pressing their chest in the dream. And they felt horrified upon waking up. People who see others in a dream prefer to expose and kill them before they wreak further havoc.

People take the dream experiences as realT H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE life experiences. Incidentally, this mistaken DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU idea of dreams is real and dangerous. And MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO as this case has illustrated, the mystical DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU idea of dreams leads to horrific abuses.

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI To end witch persecution, Nigerians EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI need to change their attitudes towards THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE dreams. Nigerians should understand that dreams are natural, not supernatural phenomena. Dreams are a stream of images and sensations that well up in the T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D mind whenever a person is asleep. They EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA have nothing to do with witchcraft or GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, magic as popularly believed. People dream ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI because their brains are not dead. Dreams DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI are rooted in thoughts and imaginations SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH that the mind entertained while awake.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI It is grossly mistaken to attack or kill CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI someone based on another person’s dream DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO experiences.

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Leo Igwe, nskepticleo@yahoo.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

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NEWS Bwacha Re-Emerges Taraba $3& *XEHU &DQGLGDWH Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

OBIOZOR INTERED… Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma (second left); Mrs. Chioma Uzodimma (third left); Mr. George (Jnr); Chidi Obiozor (left) and wife of the deceased, Mrs. Grace Obiozor, during the burial ceremony of late Amb. Prof George Obiozor at Awo-Omamma, Oru East Council, Imo State... yesterday

Buhari, Uzodimma, Others Pour Encomiums on Obiozor, Late Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General Amby Uneze in Owerri The late President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador George Obiozor was yesterday laid to rest at his Awo Omamma country home in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, with President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Hope Uzodimma and other prominent Nigerians agreeing that Nigeria, the diplomatic community and Ndigbo will miss him deeply.

President Buhari and Governor Uzodimma spoke in their separate remarks at the Maria Assumpta

Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, where the burial Mass for Prof. Obiozor conducted by Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese, His Grace Moses Chikwe, was held.

In his condolence message, President Buhari, represented by the Minister of State Science and Technology, Chief Henry Ikoh, described Prof. Obiozor’s passing as a “great loss to Nigeria, the diplomatic Community, Ndigbo and particularly the Igbo people.”

Buhari told the congregation that “Prof. Obiozor was a renowned academician, a diplomat par excellence who served Nigeria in

different capacities as an ambassador in three countries where he gave a good account of himself.”

The President added: “Late Prof. Amb. George Obiozor was a Nigerian Patriot of the highest order and a famous Igbo Leader who, when it mattered most, led the Igbo socio-cultural group called Ohanaeze to cater for the interest of the Igbo Nation.”

He then concluded that the deceased left “an indelible mark in the sands of time,” emphasising that “the Igbo Nation will indeed miss Prof. Obiozor, Nigeria will miss him and the diplomatic Community

will miss him a great deal.”

President Buhari urged the Government and people of Imo State, Ndigbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and Nigerians in general to bear the irreplaceable loss with fortitude.

On his part, Governor Uzodimma said that “Nigerians, the diplomatic community will miss Prof. George Obiozor greatly.”

Uzodimma, who described death as “very very wicked” said “the Igbo race has lost a gem, Nigeria has lost a star, and the world has lost a man that can be described as a global encyclopedia.”

Fuel/Naira Scarcity: Ogun Begins Distribution of Food to Vulnerable Residents James Sowole in Abeokuta

professionalism and deeper maturity.

“Indeed, these are trying times for all of us. I appeal to all of us to exercise patience because the much desired relief is around the corner. Let us give peace a chance,” he said.

Abiodun who also reiterated that violence can never resolve issues, called on the people of the state to join hands together with the government to solve the lingering problems, adding that attacking banks or any public facility would not do anybody any good.

newly appointed Social InvestPHQW 2΀FHUV EHJLQQLQJ IURP 3RLVHG WR FXVKLRQ WKH HͿHFWV today (Saturday).

He expresses the belief of fuel and naira scarcity, the Ogun State Government has that the social intervention announced its readiness to programme would provide the begin the distribution of 400,000 needed succour to the people food items to the vulnerable of the state, especially in the face of the cash crunch and residents of the state.

The Governor,Dapo Abiodun, fuel scarcity.

Abiodun while apologising disclosed the plan of rhe government,at a press confer- to the people of the state for ence held at the Presidential the inadvertent hardship and Lodge in Abeokuta,saying the inconveniences the naira swap 400,000 food items would be policy has caused them, apWKH ÀUVW SKDVH RI WKH SDOOLDWLYHV pealed to security agencies to be distributed through the to handle the situation with

more professionalism and deeper maturity.

He said, “We will be distribXWLQJ WKH ÀUVW SKDVH RI food items through our social LQYHVWPHQW R΀FHUV LQ HDFK /*$ to the communities starting from this weekend.

“We hope this social intervention provides some succour to our people. Again, we apologise for the inadvertent hardship and inconveniences this policy has caused all of us.

“Let me also appeal to our security agencies to handle this situation with more

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Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

to commemorate the 2023 International Day for Women President of the Association and Girls in Science, themed, Demonstrate. of Women Engineers of Ni- ‘Innovate. geria (APWEN), Dr. Elizabeth Elevate. Advance. I.D.E.A: Jumoke Eterigho, yesterday, Bringing Communities Forward called for more representation for Sustainable and Equitable of women in leadership roles Development.’

She expressed concern that LQ WKH VFLHQWLÀF FRPPXQLW\ DV well as more support for girls’ policymakers do not involve HGXFDWLRQ LQ WKH ÀHOGV RI 6FL- women in developing STEM ence, Technology Engineering policies, saying that there was a need to address the dearth and Mathematics ( STEM).

She also stressed the need for of funds and facilities needed increased funding for research for innovative research work projects led by women and which is very far out of reach the provision of equal access from women and girls.

“Scholarships for women to resources and facilities for and sponsorship for female female scientists.

Eterigho made this call scientists are also extremely while addressing journalists rare, APWEN is advocating at a press conference in Lagos, that more should be instituted.”

stop them and their agents/ assigns from implementing the monetary policy.

But in its ruling on the A human rights group opposed to the controversial suit marked FHC/AWK/ currency redesign policy of CS/195/22 contained in the Central Bank of Nigeria WKH FHUWLÀHG WUXH FRS\ RI (CBN) has failed in its bid to the Enrolled Order dated secure a court order to stop the 31st January, 2023, obtained implementation of the policy, yesterday, the court presided which it deemed harmful to over by Honourable Justice 50 million Nigerians who have H. A. Nganjiwa, struck out the case. no bank accounts.

The judge took the judicial The Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative Against Abuse action after considering the of Public Trust (AIAAPT) had circumstances and arguments in November 2022 dragged of the counsels to the parties.

The court awarded the the CBN, its Governor, Mr. *RGZLQ (PHÀHOH DQG WKH N0.3 million as costs to the Attorney General of the Fed- SODLQWLͿV LQ IDYRXU RI WKH ÀUVW eration (AGF) to the Federal and second respondents, CBN High Court Awka seeking to DQG (PHÀHOH UHVSHFWLYHO\

and the State Director of State Security Services.

The deputy governor of Kogi Senator Emmanuel Bwacha has re-emerged as the Taraba State, Chief Edward Onoja, who State gubernatorial candidate of is a member of the electoral the All Progressives Congress committee conducted the sorting (APC) for the 11th March 2023 and counting of the votes casted.

The Supreme Court had governorship election.

Bwacha was declared the HDUOLHU QXOOLÀHG WKH JXEHUQDWRULDO winner of the rerun guber- primaries of the party held natorial primary election by last year and ordered a rerun the Chairman of the Taraba IROORZLQJ D VXLWH ÀOHG E\ RQH State APC gubernatorial rerun of the aspirants Chief David primary election, Lt. Gen. Tukur Sabo Kente.

The former COAS said that Buratai (Rtd). after polling 778 votes to defeat his closest rival, a total of Six aspirants includSenator A.Y. Yusuf who polled 5 ing Chief David Sabo Kente, votes to come a distant second. Senator Yusuf A. Yusuf, Engr The primary election was Saleh Maman, Senator Emheld on Friday at the Shield manuel Bwacha, Dr, Anthony Hotels in Jalingo and was Manzo and Mr. Danladi Kifasi witnessed by a mammoth contested for the ticket of the crowd of APC supporters and party ahead of the March 11 R΀FLDOV LQFOXGLQJ WKH 6WDWH election although some of the Resident Electoral Commis- aspirants had earlier pulled out sioner, Alhaji Umar Mukhtar of the election.

EU’s Programme Resolves 14,141 Disputes in Borno Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri European Union (EU) said it has resolved a total of 14,141 disputes in Borno State through the traditional institutions.

The resolved disputes were from 18,420 recorded cases and this has encouraged dialogue among disputants and brought peace to their communities in the state which has had the Boko Haram crisis for over a decade.

The project was funded by the European Union, supported by the British Council and implemented by the Managing &RQÁLFW LQ 1LJHULD 0&1 The Technical Lead, Managing &RQÁLFW LQ 1LJHULD SURMHFW RI the British Council, Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, disclosed this during WKH R΀FLDO FORVXUH RI WKH 0&1 Programme implemented by the British Council and funded by the European Union between 2017-2022 in Borno State.

He said that MCN enhanced the alternative dispute resolution capacity that encourages and

facilitates mediated outcomes to disputes before they escalate or turn violent.

Ukiwo said: “This project enabled traditional rulers to understand the limitations of their powers and which cases need to be referred to other authorities. We trained traditional rulers and community groups in Borno State and have resolved 14,141 disputes out of 18,420 cases from the emirates between February 2018 and November 2022.

“The most common types of cases are family related, followed by disputes over land and property. Around 30 per cent of cases are brought by women, more of whom now see the traditional Justice system as fair to everyone, with evidence of the historical patriarchal system.”

He stressed that the projects had strengthened the capacities and security management actors including 951 traditional rulers in the four emirates of Borno, Biu, Dikwa and Gwoza.

Leverage on Available Facilities to Improve 3URZHVV $]LEDROD &KDUJHV (QJLQHHUV Entrepreneur and founder of Zeetin Engineering Limited, Azibaola Robert, has charged young engineers to take advantage of the company’s expertise and array of machines to improve their practical knowledge in engineering and contribute to the technological advancement and infrastructural development of Nigeria.

He gave the charge while taking members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Abuja branch, on a facility tour of Zeetin Engineering complex in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja.

“Our engineers have learnt a lot in schools. Now, Zeetin is the right place for our young engineers to come and hone their skills; they can come here and practice what they have been taught in schools,” Azibaola, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) said,.

“They will come here and demonstrate their ability to design and carve metals into

GLͿHUHQW VKDSHV DQG VL]HV ZLWK these machines.”

With its installed machines, of most modern technology, in its factory, Azibaola told the touring engineers Zeetin’s ongoing plans.

“We are also building capacity; we are open to collaboration in engineering with Nigerian engineers across the globe, as we continue to work with our technical partners to achieve all these,” he said.

“In Zeetin, we want to make as many spare parts as possible and ultimately, make car engines – both hydrocarbon-based and electric engines – and that will change the narrative that we are not just about automobile assembly. Some of the machines we have here are the same machines that are used abroad to do your jets.”

The entrepreneur advised Nigerians to discourage the practice of sending faulty machines, equipment abroad for repairs, instead of patronising 1LJHULDQ ÀUPV WR À[ WKHP

16

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

NEWSXTRA Masari Inaugurates 13-member Judicial Panel to Probe Killing of 100 Vigilantes Francis Sardauna in Katsina

ROADMAP… Abia APC governorship candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike unveils his manifesto, flanked by his deputy, Mrs. Gloria Akara...recently

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has inaugurated a 13-member judicial commission of inquiry to probe the recent killing of over 100 members of the outlawed Yan-sakai (volunteers) group in some communities in Kankara and Bakori local government areas of the state.

The panel, according to a statement issued to journalists yesterday by Masari’s DirectorGeneral on New Media, Al-amin Isa, is headed by Hon. Justice A.B. Abdullahi, and is expected to investigate and determine the cause or causes of the killing in WKH DͿHFWHG ORFDO JRYHUQPHQWV

Other terms of reference of the judicial commission of inquiry include, inquire into, investigate, and determine the actual lives and properties lost in the killings and to ascertain WKH SHUVRQV GLUHFWO\ DͿHFWHG E\ the incident and identify groups or individuals directly connected or involved in the incident.

Members of the commission are also charged with the responsibility of ascertaining the roles played by such groups or individuals in instigating, aiding, and or abetting the LQFLGHQFH DQG PDNH VSHFLÀF recommendations as to the appropriate action to be taken on those found to be responsible for the incident.

We Killed Couple, Son, for not Kogi Commissioner Refutes Report, Increasing My Salary, Says Suspect Says No Plan to Sack Teachers James Sowole in Abeokuta Lekan Adekanbi, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of the late Abeokuta couple, Kehinde Fatinoye, his wife Bukola and their son in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has confessed that he masterminded the dastardly act because they refused to increase his salary.

Kehinde was a deputy director with the Central Bank of Nigeria, while his wife, Bukola, was a staff of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

After killing the couple, the assailants burnt their remains and house, located within the Ibara Government Reservation Area, Abeokuta.

Adekanbi confessed that he organised a robbery in the early hours of January 1, 2023, which later resulted in the murder of the couple and their son, in order to forcefully get money from them after they refused to increase his salary and grant him a loan.

The prime suspect, who had been the couple’s driver since 2010 explained that he invited two others, Ahmed Odetola, a.k.a Akamo, and Waheed Adeniyi, a.k.a Koffi, to join him to rob the couple.

Adekanbi, revealed what transpired during an interview with journalists, after he was paraded at the state police command, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

He said, “I took the step because the couple refused to increase my salary, and when I approached them for a loan to buy a motorcycle, they didn’t oblige.

“The three of us waited for the couple until they came back from crossover service. We pounced on them immediately after they entered the house.”

He added that they had access to the house despite an alsatian dog at the gate because the dog is familiar with him being the person who always fed it.

Speaking further, he said, having gotten hold of the couple, they forced the husband, Kehinde

Fatinoye to transfer money from his account to the “Kuda” Bank account of Ahmed Odetola, but the transfer failed.

“Since that failed, I gave the deceased my Access Bank account to which the sum of N1,102,000 was transferred, at gunpoint.

“When I realised that my identity had been known through my bank account, I decided with others to terminate the lives of the couple. That was when Waheed Adeniyi, a.k.a Koffi, took a knife from their kitchen and slaughtered the husband Kehinde Fatinoye, while I used sledge hammer to hit the wife Bukola Fatinoye on the head and she died on the spot.”

APC Urges Ogah, Other Stakeholders in Abia to Unite behind Emenike Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged a former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah and other party stakeholders in Abia State to sheathe their swords and unite behind the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike, to win the forthcoming election.

This is as the Abia APC gov-

ernorship candidate, Emenike, KDV RͿHUHG DQ ROLYH EUDQFK to his opponents after going through 24 cases at the High Courts, nine cases at Appeal &RXUWV DQG ÀYH FDVHV DW WKH Supreme Court which were consolidated into one.

The Supreme Court had RQ 7KXUVGD\ SXW D ÀQDO VWRS to several litigations in Abia $3& ZKHQ D ÀYH PHPEHU panel of the apex court Justices D΀UPHG (PHQLNH·V FDQGLGDF\

in a unanimous judgement GHOLYHUHG RQ ÀYH FRQVROLGDWHG appeals.

Ogah and others had gone to court to challenge the candidacy of Emenike for the governorship polls.

Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, APC National Welfare Secretary, Sir Friday Nwosu, appealed to Ogah to put the past behind him.

He said: “This morning, I have written to my brother

and young friend Uche Ogah.

You have tried, taking your matter to the highest level, to the highest court of the land and the highest court of the land have turned against you.

“Please, sheathe your sword and come with your supporters and let us support our candidate to win. Nobody will lose. Governorship is not one man thing and the party is also in control. If all of us go and work together, we will win.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said yesterday that the federal government KDV DFKLHYHG IXHO VX΀FLHQF\ and clearing of queues in 18 states of the federation.

Sylva disclosed this to journalists in Lagos after his inspection tour of some key ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV LQ ,NHMD ,NR\L and Victoria Island areas of the state, adding that the current pump price of petrol remained N184 per litre, which is the price sold by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited Limited (NNPCL).

6RPH RI WKH ÀOOLQJ VWDWLRQV

The Kogi State Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Mr. Wemi Jones, has described as absolute falsehood the report making the rounds in some sections of the online media that Governor Yahaya Bello has ordered the sack of Kogi teachers who are not All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters.

Jones in a statement issued yesterday in Lokoja while reacting to the misinformation, described the news as fake, baseless and D ÀJPHQW RI WKH LPDJLQDWLRQ of unscrupulous individuals masquerading under the guise of opposition with the intention WR FUHDWH GLVDͿHFWLRQ DPRQJVW teachers and workers in the state.

The commissioner said as a

matter of fact the state government is about releasing the list of 1,500 successful applicants to be employed as teachers in the VWDWH VHFRQGDU\ VFKRROV LQ WKH ÀUVW phase of ongoing recruitment exercise for teachers, describing the report as one from the pit of hell.

He explained that it will interest the authors of the sponsored report to note that in the just concluded transparent exercise carried out to recruit teachers in the state, “nobody was asked to show his or her party membership card, whether he is APC or PDP”, rather he said everybody that was interviewed, “what mattered was whether the applicant possesses WKH UHTXLVLWH TXDOLÀFDWLRQ WR EH a teacher in the state.”

Abuja-Kaduna Corridor: FG to Implement Farreaching Security Strategies for Passengers’ Safety Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government yesterday assured Nigerians that it will implement far-reaching, all-round security strategies to ensure the safety of passengers, personnel and assets along the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor and other rail corridors in the country.

The government through the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, gave the assurance at a meeting with members of

the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers in Abuja.

Sambo said part of the strategies to be adopted is a 24/7 online real-time monitoring of the AbujaKaduna rail corridor.

He said a command centre will be set up for the Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor to monitor the movement of the train. Also, a monitoring device will be installed in the train which will enable the train captain to view the rail tracks up to two kilometers ahead.

Again, Council Fingers Activities of Quacks to Daily Increase of Building Collapse in Nigeria Ngor Okpala, Ideato LGs Intensify Zero crises, President Muhammadu Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation visited were TotalEnergies by Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Sylva: Fuel Queues Have Ended in 18 States Peter Uzoho

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Sheraton and Timac Global

by Ikeja Cantonment, NNPC Mega Station Ikoyi, and Ardova Filling Station by Falomo Roundabout.

The minister maintained that fuel was available everywhere at the moment and that they were happy to have achieved fuel availability and zero queues in 18 states.

As directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, Sylva vowed that the committee set up by the president to address fuel shortages and queues across the country must ensure that queues disappear within the shortest possible time.

The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) KDV DJDLQ ÀQJHUHG DFWLYLWLHV RI quacks as the major contributor to increasing numbers of building collapse in the country.

The Council also urged Nigerians to as a matter of necessity stop encouraging the activities of quacks by patronising them on daily basis Dr. Samson Ameh Opaluwa, the Chairman of Council, CORBON, stated this in Abuja during the induction ceremony of newly 373 registered professional builders.

Speaking shortly after the induction, Opaluwa noted that based on the building collapse

Buhari in 2022, “charged them to end building collapse and the Council has taken steps to address that.”

According to him, “We set up nationally a Project Evaluation and Monitoring Unit. This is a unit that is deployed all over the country and manned by registered builders.

“This unit will ensure all buildings across the country meet TXDOLW\ VSHFLÀFDWLRQV 7KH\ DUH also to monitor the practices onsite to conform with the National Building Code, and relevant laws setting up the arms of various professionals in the construction sector. They are also to ensure safe practice at the site and meet international conventions.

Amby Uneze in Owerri As the United Nations mark the anniversary of zero tolerance of female genital mutilation (FGM) on February 6th of every year, two local governments in Imo State have intensified effort to the elimination of the scourge in their various communities.

To this end, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and her development partners; the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Imo State, and the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) embarked on field mission to document and report the current situation and progress being made to end FGM practice in affected

communities in Imo state.

In Ngor Okpala local government, the palace secretary of Imerienwe community, Michael Alozie who spoke on behalf the traditional ruler, Eze Augustine Ekechi, commended his people for adhering to the zero tolerance of FGM.

15

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

RingTrue

Yemi

Adebowale Kankara Killings: Fulani Militias Still Enjoying Free Rein 08054699539

yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

F

amilies across Bakori and Kankara local government areas of Katsina State are still burying bodies of their loved ones 11 days after a clash between Fulani militias and Yan Sakai, a vigilante group set up by Hausa communities. The Hausa vigilantes are found in Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto states. Between Wednesday and Thursday last week, in several villages in the two local governments mentioned, the Fulani militias killed scores of people. So far, over 100 bodies have been picked up, largely Yan Sakai members. Yes, over 100 people, mainly Yan Sakai vigilante members, killed in two days. Dead bodies are still being picked.

Just like in previous extra-judicial killings, none of the killers will ever be apprehended.

It is obvious that there will be no justice for the victims. I was not surprised when the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah confirmed the killings and added that those killed were members of the “outlawed Yan Sakai (volunteers) group” from 11 villages in Bakori LGA. He did not talk about apprehending the killers. His emphasis was on the fact that Yan Sakai is an illegal vigilante group. Governors of Katsina, Zamfara and Kebbi states, apparently protecting their Fulani brothers, outlawed Yan Sakai.

All the security agencies in Katsina State know the Fulani militias wreaking havoc in this state. Kankara is home to terror leader Dogo Nahali, based in Yar Tsamiyar Jno village, Kankara LGA. He is one of the 19 terror leaders declared wanted by the military last year. Nothing concrete happened thereafter.

The group led by Nahali is suspected to have carried out killings in Kankara and Bakori LGAs last week. Security agencies are clearly not interested in taking him out.

Other Fulani militia leaders operating unhindered in Katsina State are Isiya Garwa based in Kamfanin Daudawa village, Faskari LGA; Abu Radde in Varanda village, Batsari LGA; Dan-Da in Varanda village, Batsari LGA; Sani Gurgu in Varanda village, Batsari LGA and Mamudu Tainange in Varanda village, Batsari LGA. Yan Sakai is a response to the murderous activities of Fulani militias who have been killing and appropriating lands of Hausa crop farmers in a desperate search for more grazing land for herders. They became emboldened under the Buhari government.

Fulani militias fight for herders that want unfettered access to farm lands. Herders often call them when they suffer in the hands of

Masari

distressed crop farmers. Yan Sakai retaliates for Hausa farmers when their farm lands are destroyed and farmers killed. Fulani militias sustain their bloody operations with ransom from abductions. This is the tragedy of the country called Nigeria with a legitimate government.

Fulani militias have openly confirmed that they are the much-talked about bandits ravaging the entire country. They are truly Fulani militias as I have persistently identified them in my articles. The expeditions of cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi to the strongholds of the militias in the North-west, two years back, further brought this to the fore. Now, I guess nobody is in doubt about who the bandits are.

They are the militias that brutally intervene on behalf of Fulani herders. Fulani militias are emboldened by the Buhari government that deliberately looks the other way while atrocities are being committed by them.

The headquarters of the Fulani militias in Zamfara State is in the forests of Tubali and Makkai in Shinkafi Local Government Area. When Sheikh Gumi visited Tubali and Makkai in February 2021, the quantity of arms and ammunition displayed by the outlaws was frightening. Close to 750 militias were seen with AK47 assault rifles and RPGs in the two camps. They mount road blocks and carry out operations fully dressed in military camouflage. How

did the Fulani militias acquire military camouflage? How did they acquire the quantity of arms and ammunition displayed? The forests of Tubali and Makkai are about 3,000 hectares all under absolute control of these Fulani militias.

How come they are running the show in this vast empire unhindered? Nigeria is in a big mess. This is happening in a country with a legitimate government.

So, why can’t this government assert itself? Very simple. It has a soft spot for the lawless Fulani militias.

What are the complaints of the Fulani militias? Why are they shedding the blood of innocent Nigerians? Why are they abducting and collecting ransom?

They told Sheikh Gumi largely lies, damn lies; that Hausa crop farmers have been killing Fulani herders with Yan Sakai; that the Nigerian state has been unfair to them. They also talked about frequent killings of their loved ones by security agents, cattle rustling that is denying most of them and their parents their legitimate means of livelihood and failed promises of governments to support them after losing cattle to rustlers.

Militias that have killed hundreds across the country are complaining about being killed by security agents and someone says it’s a legitimate grievance. It can only happen in Nigeria. Yes, it is very painful that governments, over the years, have failed to deal with cattle rustling; it is also depressing that government again has failed to fully support victims of cattle rustling. However, responding to this by taking up arms and killing thousands of innocent Nigerians is not justifiable. So, the Fulani militias are unable to stop cattle rustling with all their AK47 rifles? These arms and ammunition are evidently not exclusively for stopping cattle rustling.

Back then, Sheikh Gumi went in search of peace. He met with the Fulani militias and appealed to them to embrace peace.

Gumi spent time preaching the words of Allah to them, speaking about the sanctity of preserving human life, how Islam forbids terrorism and revenge.

He encouraged them to always seek knowledge of their religion, to worship Allah and to avoid taking laws into their own hands. Gumi also pleaded for their understanding and urged them to cease all hostilities and allow him to reach out

Agony of Muna Garage IDPs in Borno

T

he Muna Garage camp for Internally Displaced Persons on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State, is home to thousands of distressed people, largely from the Northern part of the state. They had to flee their homes to avoid being killed by terrorists. Sadly, they can’t return home because Boko Haram and ISWAP still dominate their communities. In the Muna Garage camp, they are also persistently hounded by Borno State Government officials, determined to force them back home and into the hands of the terrorists. This is why this site is designated as “unofficial camp.” It is pertinent to note that the part of the Muna Garage IDPs camp designated as “official” has been forcibly shut by the Borno State Government.

There is hunger and disease in this “unofficial” Muna Garage camp, where IDPs struggle for a meal a day. There is also persistent fire outbreak in the camp. Last Monday, an early morning fire razed about 200 houses in this camp. Eyewitnesses, who could not ascertain the cause of the fire, said it flared up, sweeping

across the all-thatched houses by 11am.

“I lost everything comprising all my three rooms, wearing apparels, beds and beddings, and one sack of guinea corn,” lamented Modu Maina, 70, who hails from Bale in Mafa Local Government Area, and has two wives and three children.

“My two rooms, beddings, and all food items were all burnt,” Gubo Lawan, 60, who has a wife and six children, mourned.

“My three rooms, two sacks of maize and two grinding machines were all lost to the fire,” Modu Malam Aja, 65, who has one wife and eight children, grieved. Aja estimated the cost of his property lost to the fire at N300,000, including the two grinding machines each of which he said cost N50,000.

While the fire was raging, because Muna Garage is an “unofficial” camp for IDPs, nobody came to the rescue of the traumatised people.

The National Emergency Management Agency and other emergency responders refused to do their jobs. I guess the message to the IDPs in Muna Garage is that they must return home even if their communities are still controlled

Zulum

by Boko Haram. This is the height of man’s inhumanity to fellow human beings. Who will save Muna Garage IDPs? A tough question begging for an answer.

to the President to see how their legitimate grievances will be addressed immediately.

Gumi simply wasted his time. Unfettered access to farm lands for herders remains the major agenda of Fulani militias. They persistently kill to actualise this agenda. These militias are also making huge money from kidnappings. These guys can’t stop tasting blood. So, no one can preach to them to put their guns down and accept peace.

Our security agents know the locations of the Fulani militias across the country. As was seen from Gumi’s meetings with the militias, there are military outposts bordering Tubali and Makkai forests. Even the then Divisional Police Officer of Shinkafi, Abdullahi Ahmad, accompanied Gumi to the forests. In Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Niger states, security agents know the precise locations of these Fulani militias. In Kaduna State, it is an open secret that one of their residences is Birnin Gwari forest. So, what are we talking about? These bad guys have been killing and maiming largely in five local governments in Kaduna State - Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kauru.

In Katsina State, local government areas like Jibia, Safana, Tsafe, Batsari, Dutsinma, Faskari, and Dandume are strongholds of the Fulani militias. For how long will the Buhari government allow these militias to continue killing innocent Nigerians?

Gumi thinks Fulani militias can be encouraged to drop their guns by providing them with means of livelihood, including jobs, working capital, entrepreneurship training, clinics and schools. He must be joking. Is this cleric not aware of how much the governors of Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna have spent on these Fulani militias without result? The solution is beyond providing money and jobs. They have been exposed to the kind of money that would not encourage them to leave the business.

Of course, their other motive of securing more grazing lands for their kinsmen is also there. Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and his Niger State counterpart, Sanni Bello, were apt when they said the efforts of Gumi to woo the militias to lay down arms and embrace peace was an exercise in futility.

Two years ago, El-Rufai noted: “My administration is at war with the bandits and so we cannot negotiate. Eliminating them is the only solution to banditry. I never believed that a Fulani herdsman who ventured into banditry and is collecting millions of naira as ransom will repent. I spoke to Dr. Gumi, who is my friend. I explained that majority of these bandits don’t believe in the religion. That is why they kill mercilessly.

Anybody who thinks a Fulani herdsman that was used to only getting N100,000 in a year after selling a cow, but now is getting millions through kidnapping for ransom will stop, is only wasting his time.”

For me, Fulani militias have persisted with their murderous activities because the Buhari government has failed to perform its constitutional duty of protecting the lives and property of every Nigerian. The Buhari government can end killings by Fulani militias within a month, if it so desires. Let our President give honest/clear instructions with deadlines and see if the military will not destroy the militias in a matter of days.

What is lacking is the political will on the part of the President to take out Fulani militias. This is the truth.

The herders looking for unfettered access to farm lands must be firmly told that this is intolerable. As for the governors in the North, they should establish mega ranches and compel herders to settle there. Nomadic cattle rearing must be stopped. This is the only way forward for Nigeria.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

17

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

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The Garden Theatre Unveils ‘Over The Bridge’ Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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Deyemi, Segilola, Ozzy, and Joke Silva

Rich Jewell

I Just Want to Do More Gospel Songs Musician Cyril Odijie, who goes by the name Rich Jewel, after years of soul-searching, is back with a new song titled ‘Testify’. The budding gospel artiste also shares some of his experiences and challenges in this chat with Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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What is the song ‘Testify’ all about? ,W·V DERXW *RG·V JRRGQHVV DQG PHUF\ XSRQ P\ Do you feel you are doing a music genre that OLIH +RZ KH OLIWHG PH DQG FKDQJHG P\ VWRU\ you are naturally good at or have the calling?

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

18

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Omotola Ekeinde@45 Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde recently set the internet on fire with her stunning birthday photos. The mother of four turned 45 on February 7. ‘Omosexy’ is so joyful turning 45, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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ooking sexy and radiant, there is no doubt Omotola Jalade Ekeinde oozes calm and FRQÀGHQW LQ KHU ELUWKGD\ photo session. The photo shoot has taken time. But it is worth it. It’s her 45th birthday prep. When she celebrated her 40th few years back, it was exclusively a VWDU VWXGGHG DͿDLU 6KH UHPLQLVFHV LQ D SRVW about her new age: “As I grow older, I have EHFRPH HYHQ PRUH FDOP DQG FRQÀGHQW , have surprisingly even to myself become less fussy. I love the woman I am still…

Becoming…”

6KDULQJ WKH VWXQQLQJ ELUWKGD\ SKRWRV Omotola expressed how joyful she is at 45, adding that she is “+1. Joyful”. At beautiful age 45 appears to have opened a new vista of opportunities for the star actress who has put smiles in many homes and won hearts through her acting. Interestingly, a couple of days to her birthday, Omotola got a birthday present from the “Man Upstairs”, she wrote alluding to God. 6KH ZDV DSSRLQWHG DQ H[HFXWLYH PHPEHU of the Actor’s Branch of the Academy, also NQRZQ DV 2VFDUV 6KH PDGH WKH DQQRXQFHment via an Instagram post on her page. ´6R WKLV 0DQ 8SVWDLUV DOZD\V PDNLQJ VXUH WR JLYH PH P\ ELUWKGD\ SUHVHQWV ÀUVW EHIRUH anyone else… Won’t you just serve Him and chill! An honour to now be inducted as an Executive Member of the Actors Branch for the Oscars and Academy.”

Married to a pilot, Matthew Ekeinde, Omotola since relocating to the United 6WDWHV ZLWK KHU EHORYHG IDPLO\ KDV NHSW tabs with happenings at home, expresses her views and opinion in contrast to her new OLIHVW\OH LQ WKH 86 :LWK KHU QHZO\ IRXQG business in real estate, Omotola appears to have followed her academic path by venturing into the real estate business in $UL]RQD D VWDWH LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI America.

‘Omosexy’, as she is popularly known, studied Estate Management at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, and it appears she has chosen to pursue a career along that line. From modeling to acting and singing, 2PRWROD KDV WRXFKHG RWKHU ÁDLUV ZRUWK\ of note. ,Q 'HFHPEHU ÁRDWHG 'RXEOH 'RRUV 6WXGLRV /RFDWHG LQ /HNNL /DJRV 'RXEOH 'RRUV 6WXGLR LV DQ DOO LQFOXVLYH VWXGLR ZKLFK comprises an eight-room boutique hotel, ample studio space for any set build, a bar and a large terrace. It also has a costume/ makeup and green room, ultra-modern R΀FHV ZLWK D FRQIHUHQFH URRP ZLWK DQ additional 20-room hotel within walking distance. )URP KHU ÀUVW DFWLQJ H[SHULHQFH ZKLFK VKH stumbled upon in 1995, having accompanied a friend to an audition, Omotola has had tremendous run with roles back to back.

Although she played a lead role in that movie, Venom of Justice, which set the VWDJH IRU D ÁRXULVKLQJ DFWLQJ FDUHHU IRU KHU LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ ÀOP LQGXVWU\ LW ZDV KHU UROH LQ WKH FULWLFDOO\ DFFODLPHG ÀOP 0RUWDO Inheritance that shot her into limelight.

In the movie, she played a sickle-cell patient who fought for her life despite the odds of survival. The mother of four would later star in several hit movies including, %ORRG 6LVWHU *DPHV :RPHQ 3OD\ $OO 0\ /LIH 0\ 6WRU\ 7KH :RPDQ LQ 0H /DVW Wedding and a host of others with her ÀUVW FLQHPD PRYLH UROH LQ D ÀOP ,MH which she co-starred with Genevieve Nnaji.

Beyond her career accomplishments, she was also applauded for her remarkable KXPDQLWDULDQ HͿRUWV $IWHU VRPH PRPHQW break in acting, Omotola made a comeback

in the Moses Inwang’s 2017 movie, Alter Ego alongside British-Nigerian trained DFWRU :DOH 2MR 7HQ \HDUV DIWHU KHU ÀUVW screen appearance, the Nollywood diva had launched a music career in 2005 with the release of her debut album titled “gba”.

The album produced the singles “Naija Lowa” and “The Things You Do to Me.” Her second album – Me, Myself and Eyes, EURXJKW LQ SURGXFWLRQ IURP 3DXO 3OD\ and Del B but was not released. It was supported by the songs “Feel Alright”, IHDWXULQJ IRUPHU 6WDU DUWLVWH +DUU\VRQJ and “Through the Fire”, featuring Uche.

Later in 2012, Omotola began working on her third album and enlisted the help of The Bridge Entertainment.

It was reported that she went to Atlanta to work with a few prominent producers and songwriters who could help create a sound that would resonate with American audiences. Following in early 2013, she took her career to another level when she DSSHDUHG LQ D 8 6 WHOHYLVLRQ VHULHV 9+ ·V scripted series, Hit the Floor. Due to her exploits in the world of showbiz, Omotola in 2013 made the list of Time magazine’s PRVW LQÁXHQWLDO SHRSOH LQ WKH ZRUOG alongside Michelle Obama, Beyonce and Kate Middleton.

The impact of her career strides at home across the years, up to launching her own reality show, Omotola: The Real Me, on Africa Magic, was recognised in 2014 when she was honoured by the Nigerian government as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR for her contributions to Nigerian movie industry. Omotola in 2018 was also honoured as one of the top 100 LQÁXHQWLDO SHRSOH LQ $IULFD IRU WKH \HDU E\ 0,3$' LQ 1HZ <RUN &LW\ IROORZLQJ WKH opening of the 73rd UN General Assembly.

Omotola’s biggest recognition came when she was made a voting member of the $FDGHP\ RI 0RWLRQ 3LFWXUHV $UWV DQG 6FLHQFH SRSXODUO\ NQRZQ DV WKH 2VFDUV in 2018. Omosexy was listed among the record-breaking 928 members admitted that year. According to the organisers, Omotola’s invitation stemmed from the recognition she got in the 2010 romantic GUDPD ´$ 3ULYDWH 6WRUPµ DQG WKH thriller “Last Flight to Abuja,” directed DQG SURGXFHG E\ 8. EDVHG ÀOPPDNHU Obi Emelonye.

Reacting to her inclusion then, the leading Nigerian actress noted that she was optimistic, and happy for Nigeria and Africa.

“This is an olive branch stretched out to us, and I believe that they are trying to let us know that we are welcome and that they are looking forward to us coming in,” the actress told CNN. That year’s Oscar’s membership invitees were the largest and most diverse in the Academy’s history, which signals Hollywood’s seriousness to address WKH 2VFDU6R:KLWH FRQWURYHUVLHV It included professionals from 59 countries, almost half of whom were women, aligning with its aim of doubling the number of women and minority members by 2020.

6KH IXUWKHU WROG &11 WKHUH ZDV D FXULRVLW\ DERXW WKH LQGXVWU\ DIWHU PHHWLQJ 6WHYHQ 6SLHOEHUJ DQG 'DQLHO 'D\ /HZLV DW D GLQQHU to celebrate her Time Magazine honour years back. “I know that they are very inquisitive and they’ve been inquisitive for a while.

“Even in 2013 when I went for Time 100, I came back and I told colleagues about the discussions I had with Daniel Day Lewis DQG 6WHYHQ 6SLHOEHUJ , WROG WKHP DERXW how curious they were to get to know us and know about our market and how to work with us in future, but obviously we did not explore as much as we should have to draw them in.”

Omotola

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

19

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Filmone Studios Appoints General Manager Mary Nnah

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ilmhouse Group Holdings has announced the repositioning of its FilmOne Studios division, which will now operate as a standalone SURGXFWLRQ RXWÀW VHSDUDWH IURP FilmOne Entertainment, with Mimi Bartels, formerly Head of Production at FilmOne Entertainment, appointed as General Manager.

7KH R΀FLDO DQQRXQFHPHQW ZDV PDGH RQ February 7, 2023, at an event celebrating key milestone achievements of FilmOne in the past year.

Bartels brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her new role, having midwifed D QXPEHU RI IHDWXUH ÀOPV LQFOXGLQJ ´%DWWOH RQ %XND 6WUHHW µ ´$NL DQG 3DZ 3DZµ DQG VHYHUDO others.

She is well-known for her ability to bring together talented production teams and has a VWURQJ WUDFN UHFRUG RI GHOLYHULQJ VXFFHVVIXO ÀOP projects in Nigeria.

As General Manager of FilmOne Studios, Bartels is committed to creating equal opportunities for ZRPHQ LQ WKH ÀOP DQG SURGXFWLRQ LQGXVWU\ She believes that diversity in leadership and

on-screen representation is key to creating compelling and authentic storytelling. Under her leadership, FilmOne Studios will release PRUH WKDQ ÀOPV LQ DORQH LQFOXGLQJ KLJKO\ DQWLFLSDWHG WLWOHV VXFK DV ´'RPLWLOOD 7KH 6HTXHOµ DQG ´-RXUQH\ WR WKH (DVW µ Group Managing Director of Filmhouse *URXS .HQH 2NZXRVD VDLG ´0LPL LV D JUHDW professional and we have full trust in her ability to lead FilmOne Studios to great success. She has been with the company for nearly seven years, DQG ZH DUH FRQÀGHQW WKDW KHU H[SHULHQFH DQG passion will drive the studio to new heights. We are thrilled to have her at the helm of FilmOne Studios and look forward to seeing the impact VKH ZLOO KDYH RQ WKH $IULFDQ ÀOP LQGXVWU\ µ Responding to the announcement, Mimi Bartels VDLG ´, DP KRQRUHG WR WDNH RQ WKLV QHZ UROH DQG , DP H[FLWHG WR OHDG )LOP2QH 6WXGLRV LQWR WKH future. The past few years have seen women LQFUHDVLQJO\ GRPLQDWH WKH ÀOP DQG SURGXFWLRQ LQGXVWU\ , ORRN IRUZDUG WR KDUQHVVLQJ WKHLU SRZHU while helping to promote the hard work of young FUHDWLYHV DFURVV WKH FRQWHQW , DP FRQÀGHQW WKDW with the support of Filmhouse Group Holdings and the talented team at FilmOne Studios, we can achieve great things.”

Mimi Bartels

PANAF Makes Case for Artistes, Meets Showbiz Stakeholders Tosin Clegg

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he Pan-African Network for Artistic Freedom, PANAF, an advocacy group launched in Nigeria two years ago has asked the federal government to enshrine in the country’s constitution a law that would guarantee the creative rights of Nigerian artistes.

This was contained in a document the group presented to some top showbiz stakeholders during the week, in Lagos.

Addressing the stakeholders at the forum WLWOHG ´7KH YDOLGDWLRQ RI 3$1$) 5HVHDUFK IRU Nigeria”, the country’s coordinator, Mr Fidelis Duker explained that PANAF was established in 2021 in response to the need of an active and inclusive regional voice in the creative sector that could raise awareness of incidents of artistic freedom violations and collaborate with artistic rights advocates in regional and Some PANAF members at the forum QDWLRQDO DGYRFDF\ HͿRUWV Duker cited instances of artistes’ rights being IRU KLV SOD\ ´7UHHV *URZ LQ WKH 'HVHUWµ DV violated in the past, such as when playwright well as Fela who was jailed for his protestant and former minister, Rasheed Gbadamosi was songs. He maintained that artistes have the arrested and thrown into prison during the undeniable rights to express themselves, which military regime of General Yakubu Gowon is why the advocacy group was established.

Speaking further, Duker said the essence of the meeting was to intimate the stakeholders of a report the group carried out recently on how best to project the rights of the creative people.

´:H FRPPLVVLRQHG WKUHH XQLYHUVLW\ GRQV including, Dr Charles Okwuowulu of the Alex Ekwueme University, Abalkiliki; Dr. Aliu Abdallah ( Bayero University) and Dr. Tunde Olaifa of the University of Lagos, to carry out a research on what kind of law do they want to see, what kind of society do they want to see: what do they expect going forward. ´,W ZDV DQ H[WHQVLYH UHVHDUFK FDUULHG RXW E\ these university dons. The cross-checked our laws to see if artists’ rights are protected and at the end of the research, they came out with a position that apart from the freedom of expression which is enshrined in our constitution, there’s need for the enactment of creative law that will guarantee artistic freedom of expression,” Duker explained.

This, he said, will enable creative ideas to be communicated not partly or partially but fully in order to actualize the true purpose of artistic works.

Meanwhile, the document proposes the HQDFWPHQW RI D ´FUHDWLYH H[SUHVVLRQ OLFHQFH ODZµ ZKLFK LW VD\V ´LI XSKHOG E\ WKH 1LJHULDQ government will give the creative artistes in Nigeria the liberty of expression and mitigate against brutalization and humiliation by some government leaders in the Nigerian society.”

Africa Magic Debuts First Original Hausa Series

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frica Magic has announced the premiere of a Hausa series, ‘Dala Dala’, on February 13, on GOtv. The indigenous series, originally produced by Africa Magic, follows the story of Farouk who is in constant

battle with his conscience after receiving $120,000, to hold in secret, from his close friend Hamisu who gets murdered. He is forced to make a quick decision with a lurking unseen enemy who threatens his family and life.

Commenting on the premiere, Executive Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Tope Oshunkeye, said Dala

Dala is another quality local content that will provide life lessons and entertainment for customers. ´'DOD 'DOD LV DQ LQWHUHVWLQJ LQGLJHQRXV series that tells a captivating story of money in relation to human values and how these values are put to a test in the face of temptation. This is DQRWKHU ORFDO SURGXFWLRQ WKDW UHÁHFWV RXU

high-quality standards at MultiChoice.

The entire twenty-six episodes of this series will surely provide life lessons and entertainment to GOtv customers,” he said.

Dala Dala will be airing on Africa Magic Hausa (GOtv Channel 4) every Monday at 8pm. The series will be open WR *2WY -ROOL 0D[ DQG 6XSD VXEVFULEHUV

StarTimes Unveils ‘Valentine Boost’

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WDU7LPHV OHDGLQJ DͿRUGDEOH pay-tv provider has unveiled DQ H[FLWLQJ 9DOHQWLQH·V RͿHU for customers this season of love.

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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2023 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

POLITY

Tinubu and the Price of Assertion Chucks Nnamdi

A

s Nigeria’s 2023 presidential candidates begin to oil their campaign machinery by engaging the populace at various platforms across the country, one political traction that will remain indelible in the minds of Nigerian voters is the unbridled gaffes of the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who on Wednesday, January 25 alleged that there was a plan to sabotage his campaign.

Tinubu, the APC standard bearer and self-acclaimed national leader of the party, who was speaking during the APC presidential campaign held at the MKO Abiola stadium, Abeokuta, Ogun State cited the lingering fuel crisis and naira redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria as part of the plot to scuttle his expected victory.

However, the major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party and oil marketers faulted, and berated, the exLagos state governor’s allegations. The PDP argued that Tinubu was simply exposing the failures of the APC regime, insisting that his defeat in the election was imminent.

Speaking in Yoruba language, Tinubu stated, “They don’t want this election to hold. They want to scuttle it.

Will you allow them?” He equally used the opportunity to encourage Nigerians to defy the fuel scarcity and exercise their franchise, stating that the poll would be a superior revolution (whatever that means).

However, one person among other well-meaning Nigerians who will not allow these ugly and confusing developments lie, is one astute broadcaster with Arise Television and former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati, who swiftly criticised Tinubu, for saying that the 2023 election is going to be a revolution and also for attacking President Muhammadu Buhari and his party.

Tinubu said on Wednesday: “This is a revolution. This election is a revolution. We shall take over from them.

They don’t want election to take place, but we won’t accept. They want to hide under fuel scarcity to cause the crisis so that there won’t be an election,” Reacting, Abati wondered how Tinubu would be talking about a ‘revolution’ in respect of the 2023 election when he already made that promise in 2015.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu says the next election is going to be a major revolution. ‘Vote them out, take power from them’. He is saying they should take power from his own party. I mean, that is contradictory” Abati said on The Morning Show recently.

“He (Tinubu) said he will do a revolution in Nigeria. He told his people [that] what is coming is a massive revolution in Nigeria. The same massive

Tinubu revolution that he promised in 2015? He led the campaign. He said he put President Muhammadu Buhari there, and they promised all kinds of revolution. One Naira to one dollar, we have not seen that revolution. So, what is the guarantee that the revolution that he promised in Abeokuta will happen?

“He was telling his audience, ‘if they don’t give us fuel, we will trek’. Who is going to trek?”, Abati further asked.

Tinubu also received another knock from Farooq Kperogi, an academic and serial columnist, who wrote in his widely circulated opinion published on both social and traditional media that: “It was always obvious to keen, disinterested observers that Bola Tinubu’s gamble

in helping Buhari to ascend to power won’t pay off in the end; that his opportunistic political love affair with Buhari won’t be requited; and that the brittle, delicately thin thread that held their relational dynamic would snap sooner or later. I wrote countless columns on this.

“Tinubu won the nomination of the APC not because of Buhari and the cabal of provincial power brokers that prop him but in spite of them. Tinubu was compelled to ventilate his famously impassioned “emi lo kan” outburst in Abeokuta (in the Yoruba language, no less) when it became nakedly apparent that Buhari and his cabal had perfected plans to edge him out of the APC presidential primary contest.

“When the cabal was plotting to exclude Tinubu from the APC presidential contest, I had an informal chit-chat with a higher-up who had some associational affinities with the cabal. I told him that based on what I’d learned about Tinubu’s childhood and teenage years (some of which I can’t disclose publicly) and which seem to have endured into his adulthood, he would rather be dead than give up the APC nomination.

After the “emi lo kan” blow-up, which shook Buhari and his inner circle to their roots, my older acquaintance called to tell me I was right. The speech—and, of course, the support of APC’s northern governors, and his deep pockets— caused him to win the battle, but he is now in danger of losing the war, if he hasn’t already lost it.

Here’s why.

Tinubu’s fervent, arrogant, and vaguely vituperative speech in Abeokuta at once unnerved, humiliated, and alienated Buhari and his inner circle in ways they had never been since 2015. But, Buhari never forgives. He is also diffident, hates direct confrontation, and evades taking responsibility. That’s why he is such an ineffective but dangerous leader.

“All indications clearly point to the fact that Buhari is still nursing the hurt of his well-justified humiliation by Tinubu. His inner loop of advisers is also waiting in the wings to exert revenge against Tinubu, which is frankly inexplicably self-indulgent, even hypocritical, because they would not have supported Tinubu even if he didn’t humiliate them on national television, even if he praised them to high heaven from now till kingdom come. Well, they seem to be now out for Tinubu in full force...”

Kperogi was simply spot on! Arrogance is an extreme confidence in one’s own abilities and knowledge with the thinking that everyone else is less capable. There is no accompanying humility, and an arrogant person’s perception of themselves is often inaccurate and instead covers for feelings of insecurity.

Sadly, it may be too late for Tinubu to retrace his steps as the horse seems to have bolted.

Nnamdi sent this piece from Enugu

Friends, Allies Back Funso Ayeni for Senate Friends, families, allies, associates and political representatives gathered at the fundraising dinner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ekiti North, Prince Funso Ayeni as he officially kicked off his senatorial campaign on Wednesday at the Mariott Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

Ayeni previously served in different leadership capacities at the Nigerian Breweries for 19 years including sales manager, senior brand manager, district manager, and head of trade marketing until he made the decision to vie for Senate, Ekiti North Senatorial District which covers five constituencies: Idoosi, Moba, Oye, Ikole and Ilejemeje in Ekiti State under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

Speaking at the occassion, Ayeni revealed that his decision to delve into politics was borne out of his passion for supporting people, making things work, and seeing people live better lives.

He said: “For me, in all of these, the people come first because their interest has to be protected. And that is what I have been doing for a very long time, keeping the interest of the people at heart, before I ever even dreamt of going into politics. I want to make the right laws that will support lifting and removing the current sufferings of the people as we are seeing. I have highlighted a few programmes that I will definitely want to do, in terms of law making, in terms of bills that I intend to sponsor at the national assembly.

“Some of these bills will be co-sponsored. My belief is that all of the promises I’m making now in the form of a manifesto will come to reality by getting people to support such bills.”

Expressing his confidence in Ayeni’s senatorial aspirations, Oludare Olateju, a musician and marketing communications professional told THISDAY: “We are all here to show our support for someone we believe in by registering our presence because we all know he is on the right course.

Ekiti people deserve representatives who have the love of their communities at heart. Funsho and I met way back in the course of my career and we developed a brotherly relationship that was beyond work. I saw in him a typical Ekiti man who is not ashamed of where he came from.

“He told me about a foundation he was running, and on a yearly basis he is doing things to support the needy and less privileged in his immediate community, and I think that is quite thoughtful for a young man. Most people of his age and status, once they are up there, they tend to forget those that are behind, and everyone close to Funso knows he isn’t doing it because he is rich, he is doing what he is doing because of his love for his people.

For him to bring them together and use his status to solicit for help from friends and vendors.That says a lot about the kind of person he is.”

Noting that politics in Nigeria has transcended from voting based on the bias of party preferences to voting for people with clear cut transformative ideas, Olateju added: “He has a role to play, based on his age, experience, and exposure. So, if you are clamoring for a new Nigeria and a new order, it is not going to be a sudden flight. So, this is the right next step for him and he should be supported.

A leader needs incentive, and where he is not encouraged, he can’t perform.”

Ayeni incorporated The Funso Ayeni Foundation (FAF) in 2018 in Ikole Ekiti. The Foundation’s ‘Hope for All’ initiative was launched to renew the hope of the common man and rekindle optimism in their existence. Through the initiative, many hopes have been restored and reawakened.

To further raise the standard of living of indigenes and the ‘active poor’ in the society, Prince Funso Ayeni also introduced ‘Atewo Eni’, an initiative which aims to alleviate poverty by encouraging those that can work and make a living for themselves to do petty trading rather

Ayeni than begging, through the support from families, friends and other charity organisations Through the Funso Ayeni Foundation, donations from the fundraiser will be used to support Ayeni’s campaign, intensify his humanitarian efforts to give hopes to thousands of indigenes and improve their life through eradication of poverty, improvement of security, and access to high quality education, gifts and other opportunities for youths’ expression in the community.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

POLITY

Emenike Releases Manifesto, Pledges to Develop Abia Charles Ajunwa

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he Abia State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), High Chief Ikechi Emenike, has released his manifesto. During the week, the book-sized manifesto with 23 deliverables, titled, “The Emenike Movement... To Rescue and Develop Abia State”, was presented to the public at his Umukabia Okpuala country home in Umuahia North Local Government

Area.

Emenike talked about why he tried to serve the state in 2007, but he didn’t succeed. Now, he wants to save Abia, which he says is in bad shape: “The general consensus is that Abia is in a bad situation. The extent of the state’s decay shocks and even dehumanizes residents. However, it did not occur overnight. Indeed, one anticipated it and formulated a plan for intervention to stop the rot and propel the state to greater heights. Because of this, I made an offer to serve the people of Abia State as governor in 2007,” Emenike said.

Emenike explained why he decided to make a comeback in 2023 by stating that Abia was too big for what he called “a one-man show,” and that the state needed to work together to help her reach new heights.

“It shouldn’t be a solo effort. The deck should have all hands on it. Everybody plays a part. We refer to it as ‘The Emenike Movement’ because it is a people’s movement. It is a movement of people in Abia for the benefit of the state of Abia. We have conducted extensive consultations over the past few months. As a result, the Abians are ready to break free because they are fed up with the current situation,” he said.

Concerning zoning, the economist maintained that each of the state’s three senatorial zones has contributed to the state’s development. Emenike, who is known for his truthfulness, honesty and integrity, said, “The time has come for men and women who care about the well-being of the Abia people and have the right vision, character, competence, and courage.”

Emenike stated that he has offered himself once again as a vessel to rescue and develop Abia as a result of popular demand and divine guidance. He stated that the first step would be to win the governorship election in 2023 and free Abia State from what he referred to as “the fangs of incompetent, cruel, and corrupt men and women who have held the state down for 24 years.”

This would enable him to realise his goal, he added. “We shall propel the state onto a fresh highway of socio-economic development. We will work diligently to make the entire state of Abia human. This candidacy for governor is solely based on a single goal: the complete development of Abia State.”

He was of the opinion that his government would be one that was determined to create a lasting legacy in every aspect

of life.

“We can be referred to as the Legacy Government. Priority would be given to paying workers in the public sector their wages. We hope to train and retrain public servants at all levels. Employees will not be owed their monthly pay or pensions by my government. We will vigorously pursue Abia’s economic growth.”

The fact that governments in other parts of the world view themselves as instruments for the economic and social development of their territories is something High Chief Emenike finds regrettable given the opposite situation in Abia.

He frowned, saying that over the course of the past 24 years, nearly every government in Abia became an agent of underdevelopment. However, he believes that his government will position Abia State to become the South-east’s financial capital.

He stated that leading by example, demonstrating discipline, hard work, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the new Abia State will be the foundation of his government, as well as ensuring that everyone in Abia is on the same page.

Emenike said that Abians will be the means (agents) and the end (beneficiaries) of his government’s economic development initiatives or projects, as he pledged to restore high moral, ethical, competent, and godly standards to governance.

“As a result, the government will vigorously pursue the people’s value reorientation as the foundation of the new Abia,” he said.

Regarding his state’s dream, he added, “This dream has two components: We will work hard to make it possible for every Abia State resident to thrive; and the citizens and the government will collaborate to ensure that each generation in the state has a higher standard of living than its predecessors.

“To ensure that our children and grandchildren live better lives than we do, we will collaborate diligently. We will institutionalize professional, compassionate, and competent governance to achieve this goal. All Abia citizens will be loved, cherished, and respected by our government.”

Without dehumanising any Abian, Emenike disclosed that his government would not hesitate to take tough decisions and demonstrate what he called “zero tolerance” for corruption, criminals, and criminality.

“The current state budget of under N200 billion will not make the necessary difference in the development of the state,” he stated, emphasising the necessity of increasing the quality and size of the Abia budget.

He made it clear that his administration’s annual budgets will be carefully crafted and implemented to ensure that every community in Abia is represented.

Emenike also put youth employment, empowerment, economic advancement, and entrepreneurship first by giving them a top-notch education, equipping them with skills for the 21st Century, giving them the resources they need to

Emenike succeed as entrepreneurs, and creating opportunities for Abia youths locally, nationally, and globally.

In his manifesto, High Chief Ikechi Emenike discussed every aspect of human and structural development. He also said that his government would not play with health and would modernise and intensify state-wide value-added agricultural practices.

He stated that his government will directly encourage the cultivation and processing of ginger, bitter cola, cashew, and palm trees, among other things.

In addition, Emenike stated that his government would serve as a foundation for sustainable development in the areas of agriculture, finance, industry, technology, and infrastructure.

He hoped that each state local government area would have an industrial zone, and each senatorial zone would have an industrial cluster for small-scale businesses and artisans.

Nigeria’s Economic Crisis Caused by Incompetent Leadership Gbenga Adeoye Over the years, government agencies have been led substantially by people with insufficient education, experience and exposure. What we fail to understand is that in Latin, we learnt that you cannot give what you don’t have. (Nemo dat quod non habet) The worst aspect of it is the interpretation of a Yoruba proverb that described unfit leaders as someone who ought to be sleeping on the floor but suddenly finds himself on the bed with a good mattress. Misbehaviour and foolishness occasioned by pride becomes inevitable from such people when they occupy leadership positions.

Let us take a look at the following to underscore my view. National Assembly since 1999 has refused to touch the most important aspect of our Constitution which is restructuring. There is no one among Senators and House of Representative members who does not know that the only way to move forward is devolution of powers. As a matter of fact, the party in power today had a committee that came up with recommendations on the need to restructure Nigeria.

Even Jonathan led government spent money on the conference, but it was never implemented.

Who does not know that security is local? Why would it take us 24 years to remain at the level of talking without acting on just one important solution to our security problem? State policing. How do we explain the policy of Naira redesign that has caused more harm to the poor than the rich.? How do we describe the quality of the new notes compared with the old ones?

How do we explain the exchange rate in Nigeria.?

How do we explain the cases of multiple taxation where non-state actors collect road taxes, make arrest and impound vehicles.? Why would it take eternity to rule on VAT collection right of states and stop multiple tax such as consumption tax from hotels and

eateries?

How do you explain the statement by certain persons in the name of religion where human lives does not mean anything again to people? How do you explain that our best brains at all levels cannot get tickets to run for office? Only those who have money can get it even if they are incompetent?

How do you explain that you need billions to win election as a governor, and yet we say they are corrupt.? Why would they not take back their investment? How do you explain the level of ignorance and the level of illiteracy in the North? How do you explain that Nigerians travel a lot, yet we cannot set up our National airline in 24 years of democracy and after the death of Nigerian Airways killed by mismanagement.?

How do you explain the timing of Naira redesign and the hardship on the people? How do you explain the level of migration of our youths to Canada, United Kingdom and USA? Doctors and Nurses and now teachers are leaving. How do you explain the poor quality of graduates from our colleges of education, polytechnics and universities.?

How do you explain the level of ignorance in the church where a pastor asks people to raise their phone up, and he prayed for miracle bank alerts?

How do you explain underage marriage and out of school children in the North? How do you explain that most leaders go for medical treatment abroad.? How do you explain the poor treatment of our security agents (Police, DSS, Army, Civil Defence and all of them)? How do you explain that people retire for over a decade but not paid their gratuity.?

How do you explain that pension and cooperative deductions are not remitted for years? How do you explain the jumbo salary of politicians and cost of governance? Why should someone suddenly become a billionaire after winning election or after taking an

appointment.

How do you explain that a presiding Judge while sitting in court can be killed right inside the court?

How do you explain that some judges had to file a writ to make their claim from government? What signal are we sending to those in the bench as they hear such matters.

How do you explain the level of poverty in the land? How do you explain that able-bodied young men are thugs without work and at just little spark they ensure crisis erupts in cities? How do you explain the destruction of properties in Lagos during EndSars Protest?

How do you explain that most Federal medical centres and state’s general hospitals do not have MRI and other Scan facilities? How do you explain cultism in secondary schools?

How do you explain the increasing numbers of girls around our cities working as harlots or doing runs or whatever they call it?

How do you explain the number of jobless graduates in Nigeria?

How do you explain that we deliberately ignore technical education?

How do you explain that up till now, electricity problem is yet to be resolved? Without power, can any country be industrialised?

The only way to answer these 31 questions is to conclude that wrong people have been in leadership for too long and at various levels whether it be Federal and State agencies, office by election or by appointment. To move Nigeria forward, we must ensure that incompetent, selfish and arrogant people are not allowed to lead at any level again.

Dr. Adeoye is a Lawyer and a Chartered Accountant, and he believes that the development of any country or organisation depends largely on the quality of people in leadership. He can be reached via email on dga@gbengaadeoye.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

POLITY

‘Ojoro Cancel Ojoro’ Unfit to Rule Nigeria Eddie Mbadiwe I have pinched the title of this contribution from the beautiful article written by Abimbola Adelekun, the fearless staff writer of PUNCH Newspaper. Abimbola is a worthy ambassador from the prestigious University of Ibadan to Nigerian journalism. It is refreshing to realize that the University of Ibadan is maintaining the high standards of the days when we were undergraduates.

As we have now changed to speed gear and started sprinting to February 25th, it may be wise to apply the brakes and have another look at two of our presidential candidates. i.e. Atiku Abubarkar and Bola Tinubu.

The handlers of both Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubarkar are bending over backwards to convince Nigerians as to why each other’s principal should be disqualified, probed and possibly prosecuted. Up to now they have generated so much heat and very little light; What a pity. Their arguments and counter arguments are well documented in the public space so it will be a waste of time to rehash them.

What is troubling and this is a tragedy for Nigeria is that the so called educated elite do not give a hoot about what happens to Nigeria in the long run. It is cash and carry immediately, even if the country has to go to hell eventually.

In better and calmer societies of both Europe and America, both ‘Ojoros’ would have been disqualified at the primary level. The response you get should you bother to ask is “That is the way we do it in Nigeria”. Is anybody really surprised that as a Nation, we take one step forward and ten steps backward. Every Nigerian should get this etched to their psyche “Bad governments are elected by good citizens who don’t vote”. One cannot fail to observe that the so called Nigerian elite are not seriously concerned with the future well-being of Nigeria otherwise the campaigns would have been more civil and issues based.

‘Every nation gets the government it deserves’ so to all those who are apathetic about February 25th simply condition your minds to be comfortable with whatever INEC announces. Another factor that must be of concern to intellectuals in justifying the behavior of educated

people who jump from platform to platform defending what they know from logic to be wrong and totally indefensible.

In law it may be difficult to disqualify any of the major gladiators but what of the bar of public opinion. This is a latent force which cannot be ignored.

Former Head of State Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has written off both major gladiators – Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubarkar but Chief Obasanjo does not control South-west votes, not to talk of the whole nation. A lot more of Obasanjos should speak up.

INEC still has an uphill task to convince Nigerians to accept the results they put out after February 25th. Let them do an honest straw poll. Right now the trust factor for INEC is less than 50% If Nigeria does not get it right this time around, it would portend another eight or more years of blabbering in the wilderness. God forbid bad thing.

Nigerians Shine Your Eyes.

Rt. Hon. Dr. Eddie Mbadiwe writes from Abuja

Wema Bank Builds Capacity for Owners, Managers of SMEs in Enugu In its bid to equip small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Enugu with adequate knowledge and skills to boost their businesses, Wema Bank Plc, Nigeria’s most innovative bank, is hosting its maiden Business Growth and Innovation Conference in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.

The conference, being organised in partnership with the Enugu SME Center, the Enugu State Government’s SME development agency, will hold on Wednesday, February 15th and Thursday, February 16th, 2023.

The Head, SME Banking at Wema Bank, Arthur Nkemeh, said that the two-day conference, which will cover key areas of business management, such as strategy and innovation, digital transformation, sales and marketing, and financial management, will upskill business owners and managers and boost the capacity and growth of SMEs in Enugu.

“The Enugu Business Growth and Innovation Conference is intended to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in the SMEs space. It will equip

attendees with best-in-class knowledge and skills in business management. The capacity building program will be delivered by world-class facilitators who are subject matter experts in various aspects of business management, in keeping to our position as the leading bank in the SME Advisory space in Nigeria,” Nkemeh said.

He noted that, being the leading bank in the SME banking segment in Nigeria, Wema Ban has been a champion of the growth of the SME sector in the country through its various financial and non-financial (business advisory) services for SMEs. “As a champion of the growth of the SME sector in Nigeria, Wema Bank has put in place many initiatives that will drive the growth of the sector in the country. We not only have low-cost banking products that speak to the needs of SMEs, but we also ensure that the managers and promoters of

L-R: Assistant Director, SEAD NYSC, Delphina Eze; Camp Director, Elisha Zira-Dia; first Runner of Accessprenuer competition, Aina Esther Boluwatife; Team Lead, Consumer Youth Banking, Access Bank, Oladipupo Omotiola; and Managing Partner, Good Worth’s Limited, Onakoya Oluwaseum during the presentation of cheque to the best 10 Accesprenuer competion winners held at the NYSC orientation camp in Abuja…. recently

L-R: Programme Officer, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Gomina Hamza; Project Formulation Advisor (JICA), Mr. Miyoshi Hiroki; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Olatokunbo Emokpae; and Team Lead/ JICA Chief Representative, Mr. Yuzurio Susumu during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Agriculture at Alausa in Lagos… yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

these businesses are equipped with top-notch knowledge and skills that will ensure that their businesses thrive in any given situation they find themselves.”

Nkemeh called on owners and managers of small and medium-scale enterprises in and around Enugu to avail themselves of the opportunity that this conference presents to build their capacity and ensure that their businesses growth potentials are achieved.

“The needs of the SMEs in Nigeria are enormous and range from access to capital to talent acquisition and retention, to management operation and so on.

These needs, as diverse as they are, could be better and more effectively addressed through adequate capacity building. This is why it is imperative that SMEs owners and managers, especially those in and around Enugu, endeavour to participate in the Conference to learn new strategies that they can use to grow their businesses,” he said.

L-R: Executive Director Technical, Anchor Insurance Company Limited; Mr. Adebisi Ikuomola; Head, Jury/ Convener, The Lagos CEO Awards, Amb. Ayo George; MD/CEO, Anchor Insurance Company Limited, Mr. Ebose Augustine; Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Mr. Ime Umoh; and Controller, Business Development, Mr. Valentine Afegbai during the presentation of the Insurance CEO of the Year 2022 award to the MD/CEO Anchor Insurance by The Lagos CEO Award team in Lagos… ..recently

L-R: Chairman Committe of Vice-Chancelors of Nigeria Federal Unuversities, Prof Lilian Salami; INEC Chairman, Prof. Mamood Yakubu and Executive Secretary NUC Prof Abubakarn Rasheed during a meetng between INEC Chairman and Vice-Chancellors of Federa Universities held yesterday in Abuja.... recently Julius Atoi

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

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MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

‘Remand in Prison’ Wrong

“L

AGOS auto dealer, Ogbonna, remanded in prison over wife’s death” (DAILY Sun, February 1) For the umpteenth time, please delete ‘in prison’, which is encapsulated in ‘remand’, technically speaking etymology.

“The rector had in some fora alluded to this when he stated that the costs of some of the equipment in the polytechnic laboratories are (were) higher than those of the buildings housing them.”

“Reps’ fury over CBN’s cat and mouse game” Get it right: cat-and-mouse game” You can also do away with ‘game’.

“The CBN has been engaged in a hide and seek game with the parliament since December last year.” This way: just hide-and-seek—no ‘game’ whatsoever in this case unlike the preceding extract.

“3 arrested for illegal sale of children in Abia” Who can help me: is there legal sale of children in Abia and indeed Nigeria? “…has given graphic details (a graphic detail or graphic details, depending on context) on how her husband was killed.”

“He’s (His) presence has raised the profile of football in the kingdom….” This is not sports at its best!

THISDAY of February 4 almost sentenced the English language to death: “He was giving them scorpion when they demanded for fish.” An appeal: delete ‘for’ “The need for the participation of extracurricular activities such as after school (after-school) tutoring is at par with….” “…House Committee on Judiciary has been involved in the day to day (day-to-day) activities of the House.”

Lastly from The Saturday Newspaper: “Okowa cries out to FG for N10bn to reconstruct flood damaged (flood-damaged) facilities”

Vanguard Viewpoints of February 7 contained some diseased lines: “Coming on the heel (heels) of this embarrassment was the sentence by….”

“It is a big paradox and acquiescence to (in) the thesis of….”

“This is classical case (a classical case) discrimination that is….”

“Prof. Isaac Adewole, ex-Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria, is formerly a provost of the College of Medicine of the institution.” A rewrite: Adewole was a provost of…. “…to call for assistance and receive same (the same) in record time.”

“Previous (Prior) to this, women had been deemed not sensible enough to vote.…”

“Rather, the mobilization of sophisticated naval vessels and armed-to-the-teeth military men to the Niger Delta by the JTF are (is) being worked out in the name of protecting oil installations and oil workers.”

“Now, as human beings, we live in either of two tents: content or discontent.” Simply either of tents (never ‘either of two,’ which is indicative of illiteracy).

“This will assist in ensuring that only candidates with the zeal for grassroot (grassroots) development eventually make it.”

“Indeed, this formed one of the major plank (planks) of achievements rolled out during their first year anniversary.”

“Whatever you find out about him Everyday Woman wishes you the very best in your decisions”. ‘Best’ has reached the end-point of intensification and cannot, therefore, be amplified in any formal (standard) writing.

“Our managers quarrel about the quality of their offices, furniture, air-condition cars.…” Get it right: air-conditioned cars. “…one difficult reading in the annals of Nigerian political history is the number of attempted republics.” Deleting ‘annals of’ from the excerpt shows word economy (management) and class.

“The saying that ‘many cooks spoil the soup’ is very apt here.” Basic knowledge: many cooks spoil the broth (not the soup!).

“Though no incidence of violence or hooliganism was reported at the Kano launch.…” Correct report: no incident of violence.

“Indigenous contractors face the problem of acquiring sophisticated construction machineries (machinery) which usually had to be imported.”

“Well, to be sure, one thinks we have taken so much for granted in this country, so much so that, without knowing it, we acquiesce to the degradation.…” I do not acquiesce in the degradation….

“Thirteen (13—professionally) cops arrested in Ogun over (for) extortion” “The less-than-wholesome attitude of referees to matches have (has) also contributed to fans’ loss of interest in these tournaments.” “…even series (a series) of losses punctuated by occasional flashes of wins….”

“The police said yesterday that no court of law could stop it (them).”

“So, the formation of all manners (manner) of parties is neither here nor there.”

“Lets get spicy with pepper soup” A la carte: Let’s get spicy….

“Sometimes (Sometime) last year, a foreign organisation (organization, preferably) declared Nigeria the most corrupt country in the world.”

“To these category of senators….” Not an opinion, but a fact: this category or these categories, depending on context. “…he is presenting himself to them for matured (mature) leadership.”

“The last but not the least….” Still on fixed expressions: the last but not least (no second ‘the’).

“APC: The alignments necessary for the survival of a political association has (why?) started.”

“He also stated his grouse against (about) Buhari.” “…these crises and efforts for its (their) resolution.”

Under the Climate of Pain

I

t seems every Nigerian is frightened by the prospect of having money in the bank and yet unable to collect cash, except pittance that you have to fight tooth and nail to get - including the august members of the highest judicial body in the land, the Supreme Court. Mid this week, the worried justices voted unanimously to throw into the trashcan the nonsensical idea to demonise (or demonitise) the old naira notes in favour of the thinly dyed and inscrutably evasive new notes. Based on their mandatory injunction, you have to accept the old and new notes side by side, like most sensible countries run by stable and compassionate people who do not gloat at the anguish and dehumanisation of their people. Three states, Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara dragged the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to the Supreme Court on 3 February to stem the nonsense.

It hurts my sense of being recounting the countless stories of losses, suicidal attempts, chronic collapse of hitherto healthy bodies and corporates, and several other incidents of needless distresses and dislocations that the CBN gang and their cahoots in the presidency, or wherever their evil lieutenants hibernate while they torment Nigeirans, and foment seemingly deliberate catastrophes, ostensibly, to unsettle and imperil the coming general elections and the national census.

While banking oligarchs wail that the CBN had not pumped enough money to meet even a third of their customers’ needs, the Godwin Emefiele led coven of money changers insist that there were sufficient deliveries, and that sabotage was likely at play.

While this blame-game drama subsists, Nigerians, wracked by fear of sudden emptiness and acute disenchantment, resort to stripping themselves naked to impress the banking vampires that they were ready to shed their own blood; on the streets of

Ibadan and Abeokuta, protests fueled by the present anger and lack have detoured to shooting and reported deaths; videos abound of multiple millions of well-stacked new notes hidden from the public counters by unscrupulous bank staff. Also prevalent are videos of bank staff fleeing their duty posts by the backdoor and high fences, to escape the rampaging anger of distraught and daredevil customers who were ready to overrun any opposition to their survival.

Yet all we have seen or heard directly from the father of the nation is this tweet, a week ago on 3 February: “I am aware of the cash shortages and hardship being faced by people and businesses, on account of the Naira redesign. I want to assure that we are doing everything to resolve these issues. Nigerians should expect significant improvements between now and the February 10 deadline.” Instructively, he forgot to mention the twin pain of ‘fuel shortages’ or the agonies attending the collection of PVCs. As if the cash queues are not long, needless and unsightly enough, there is also the longer lasting scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS. The fuming pain started late last year, and as at the point the president, or his handler, was writing the tweet, the queues for fuel have grown longer, wilder and costlier - pump price, man hours, exigencies.

I was listening to the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC Ltd.), Mele Kolo Kyari on the television earlier this week, spewing imponderables about the complexities and dynamics of supplying and distributing a product that his company is the sole importer of. The smug calmness and unperturbed flow of figures and oily jargons project a man completely adrift from the pains and distress of his people, despite his pretensions to the contrary.

About two weeks to the 25 February presidential elections, the government

of the day is calmly stoking two injurious campaign “black eyes” for the slugging pleasure of opposition parties. How is it defensible that the twin game-changing scenarios of a nationwide emasculation of the voting populace from access to their own money, and the fuming threats to their means of survival and well being… and let us not forget the stressful queues at PVC collection centres? The ravaging discomfort of inadequate electricity, and the graveyard silences of fuel-starved generators… all of that in one devastating quarter - as our leaders work tenaciously to build and sustain a climate of pain and despondency in every nook and cranny of Nigeria - what a government!

A Searing Pain… Loss of a True Brother He is the younger brother I never had. He loved cooking, and looking good. He could be an overwhelming host sometimes insisting one had to eat his specially cooked delicious concoction, and drink his glittering array of liquids…he wouldn’t mind running out to get me a non-alcoholic wine; just so, I would stay a bit, and jolly with him.

Olukayode Willoughby was a free and fair spirit… I doubt if he could hurt any other man - in business, friendship, acquaintanceship, or what-have-you. Tall, dark, well-built and handsomely bedecked in his sundry well-tailored kaftans which were mostly designed by his friend and celebrity clothier, “Mastay Dollars” on Ishaga Road, some metres from where he breathed his last - Idi Araba’s LUTH. A warm and guileless son of the Lagos soil, Kayode had little or no pretensions…and was not confused about what he wanted in life.

He worked hard, and enjoyed life the best way he understood it.

Intensely affectionate of his only sister, who happens to be my wife (Ireolwatunde), Kayode would do anything to make her smile, and brighten up when they had their almost daily phone conversations… asking about this and that… and

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

“American administration at loggerhead (loggerheads) with California over electricity costs.” “…technocrats on (in) the corridors of power who are better known by their ever-readiness to concur must have concocted this.”

“The findings of the work of the committee has (what’s the meaning of that?) given birth to the zonal presentations currently in vogue….” How does ‘currently in vogue’ sound, please? Collocation demands sound cerebral processes; not carelessness and loose thinking. ‘Vogue’ implies, deductively and by inherence, currency. Shall we continue with this illiteracy? ”…the South-East geopolitical zone will have its own presentation on April 30 at Enugu while the North-East zone will hold hers (why the gender insensitivity?) in Bauchi on May 3.” This is known as feminization of the English language. “…the North-Central zone will round up (off) the presentations at (in) Abuja on May 29.” This reminds one of Onitsha literature series of yore!

“Here are some of the faces at (on) the occasion.”

“The government, he said, is (was) putting everything into the soil to boost its fecundity ….”

“Zambians must congratulate themselves for (on/upon) this turn of events, but they….”

FEEDBACK “Super Eagles scale (sail) through to semi-finals.”

(AIT News Scroll, February 3) “THANKS for educating Nigerians through your column. It is amazing how careless many Nigerians have become in the use of the English language. There is no excuse for journalists since most computers have electronic dictionaries which can be consulted for spelling and correct word usage. Please keep up the effort.” (Prof. S. O. Afolami/08068060864/Abeokuta) “THANKS for your column. To my friends, colleagues, family and club members, it is a must-read. We take off our hats to you for this rare ingenuity.” (08062925996).

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08033622806- (SMS Only)

the usual “H n h n, did you hear about…”.

Kayode loved children - his own and many he had fretted over as adopted children, ‘aburos’ and street boys who are now responsible adults with their future bright and steady. To appreciate Kayode’s intrinsic essence and popularity is to witness the flow of friends, street ‘aburos’, colleagues, who flocked the first clinic where he was rushed to when he slumped that Saturday (21 January) while supervising a site project.

The family had to quickly arrange his relocation to nearby LUTH for better treatment and much more controlled “courtesy” visits. Remarkably, his friends showed unusual loyalty and reframed for me the true meaning of friendship. Quite a number of them mingled with Kayode’s immediate family members to get him to LUTH, and to sundry diagnostic centres where we were forced to get scans and other tests which the foremost teaching health institution in the nation was curiously unable to provide in-house, and promptly.

A lot of time was wasted in getting proper diagnoses and prompt intervention that could have prolonged his life.

The case of the first clinic he was rushed to is best left in the hands of God. Kayode drifted away six days after his slump (27 January). He was buried at Ebony Millennium Cemetery, Atan, Yaba, on Wednesday, 8 February, 2023.

Though his exit is painful…though he is no longer able to quip his favourite saying (ká dup mi - ‘let’s thank God for life’)... though he was the youngest amongst us… we are succoured by the lingering memories of his brilliant sunshine and throaty guffaws of his laughter these 58 years.

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

NEWS

NPFL STILL LACKING SPONSORSHIP

11.02.2023 PAGE. 29

Paul Onuachu

Will He Save the Saints?

28

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Paul Onuachu Will He Save the Saints?

Inspite emerging top scorer twice in the Jupiler Pro League, Paul Onuachu did still not enjoy the kind of accolades bestowed on top clinical finishers since the Belgian League is not highly rated as one of Europe’s big leagues. With his move to the Premier League last week, the challenge ahead of the Nigerian striker is not only to prove the doubters wrong but take Southampton out of relegation waters with his ruthlessness before goalkeepers in England. The big question on the lips of watchers is if the striker is the one to save the Saints from sinking into relegation

N

igeria international, Paul Onuachu signed for Southampton on transfer deadline day from Belgian side, Genk, after amassing a tally of 16 goals in 19 Jupiler Pro League games this season. Standing at 6ft 7in tall, it comes as no surprise that the majority of his goals have been scored with headers.

His physical presence should become an asset for a Southampton side that are languishing at the foot of the Premier League table with just 17 goals from their 21 matches so far. Onuachu, who has spent 10 seasons in the Danish and Belgian top-flights before a dream move to England, believes his physique is suited for the Premier League, especially with the likes of set-piece master, James Ward-Prowse alongside him.

He told the Southamton website: “I think it had to be now or never. I think I’m at the right age and I think I had to take this challenge and test myself, to impact my team. Hopefully we do something great together.

“It’s a decision I took because coming to Southampton and playing in the Premier League, the best league in the world, I’m coming to really impact my own team – it’s something big for me in my career.

I have always followed the Premier League, watching it week in week out, seeing the games. It’s a whole different ball game, the intensity, the duels. Every

Onuachu had a taste of the Premier League as a second half substitute against Brentford

player dreams of playing in the Premier League, and of course I’m happy to be here. I think I have the physique, I have the height, I have the size. Let the battle begin.

“Of course it helps a lot, having this height. I’m in there with my height to make a difference in the box, so I think that’s why God gave me this height! If I have the right balls in the box, of course you can see my height will tell. James (Ward-Prowse) is one of the best in the league with his service and his kick, so of course I’m happy to be coming here with someone like him. I think it’s going to really help the team and me a lot.”

Onuachu was given his first taste of Premier League football last Saturday when he came on for the second-half against Brentford. Saints were trailing 2-0 at the time but Manager Nathan Jones said he certainly made a difference in the 45 minutes he featured, with Onuachu managing to win six aerial duels, which is more than any Saints player has managed in a single half of a Premier League game this season.

However, he could not make the impact needed to prevent a 3-0 defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Saints now on a run of eight defeats in their last nine Premier League games.

Wins for Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend have made the challenge of survival more difficult, with Southampton now three points adrift

from safety.

Onuachu is aware of the task at hand and he is looking to make a difference.

“I’m very motivated, it’s a huge challenge,” he said. “Coming here we are last on the table and everybody is working to really try to leave the relegation zone. It’s a huge challenge, not just for me but for everybody in the team. I’m going to give it all if I have the chance to play, and try to help the team to survive.”

The Nigeria international netted 29 league goals in the 2020/21 season and was on track to match that record with 16 goals in 19 games so far this season before his move to St Mary’s after Southampton and Genk agreed on a £15.8m deal plus add-ons for the lanky striker, who was also linked with another Premier League club, Everton.

Onuachu has been in top form for Genk since joining them from FC Midtjylland in 2019.

The Saints will be hopeful he will continue his scoring form to lift them out of relegation as they are bottom of the Premier League table with 15 points from 21 matches.

Southampton have been searching for more firepower as they endeavour to climb off the bottom of the Premier League table, striking deals for midfielder Carlos Alcaraz, winger Mislav Orsic and full-back James Bree earlier in the window.

Winger Kamaldeen Sulemana has also

joined from Rennes, sealing a club-record move on Deadline Day. Speaking in a press release about the signing, manager Nathan Jones said: “Paul is a significant signing for us and completes what has been an extremely positive month in terms of recruitment.

“He’s a handful to play against, has got a tremendous record throughout his career and he’s also someone who brings great experience with him, so he’ll be a really positive addition to the squad.”

The Nigeria international has been in the headlines over the years as a result of his goal-scoring feat for the Belgian Pro League outfit.

Two seasons ago, when he scored 34 league goals and was awarded the Best Player in Belgium, the Super Eagles striker was expected to seal a move away from the club. However, despite links to Lyon, Arsenal, and West Ham, Genk kept him.

Onuachu has never hidden his desire to leave Genk but he has been professional about it.

A €6 million arrival from Midtjylland in 2019, Onuachu found the back of the net a whopping 21 times last season despite the spate of injuries that denied him of playing time, making him one of the best performing centre forwards across Europe.

With a move to the most competitive league in the world, how well Onuachu would fare remains to be seen.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER NPFL TABLE GROUP A TEAM

D L 1 0 0 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 4 1 2 3 1 4 1 5

Pts 16 12 10 10 10 8 7 5 4 1

P W D L Lobi Stars 6 4 1 1 Rivers Utd 6 4 1 1 Abia Warriors 6 4 0 2 Sunshine 6 2 3 1 Doma Utd 6 2 3 1 Tornadoes 6 2 2 2 Rangers 6 1 2 3 Bayelsa Utd 6 1 2 3 Dakkada 6 1 1 4 Wikki Tourist 6 1 1 4

Pts 13 13 12 9 9 8 5 5 4 4

Bendel Remo Stars Enyimba Akwa Utd Plateau Utd Shooting Gombe Kwara El Kanemi Nasarawa

P W 6 5 6 4 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 2 6 1 6 1 6 1 6 0

GROUP B TEAM

ROUND 7 FIXTURES

Mfon Roland of Dakkada challenges Chidiebere Nwobodo of Enugu Rangers

NPFL’ll Still Lack Sponsors With Poor Television Coverage, Says Former LSFA Chairman The Nigeria Premier Football League kicked off on January 8, after some initial setbacks that led to the postponement from the initial kickoff date of December 28, 2022.Yet, the league has not been able to attract sponsorship. Former Lagos State Football Association (LSFA), Waidi Akani, explained to Kunle Adewale, that the league not enjoying quality television coverage and security, amongst many others were some of the reasons the NPFL has not been able to attract sponsors, excerpts

I

f there is one commendation that has been given the 2022 /23 Nigeria Premier Football League, it is the number of away wins it has recorded so far, something that was never witnessed in times past.

However, the major challenge before the Interim Management Committee (IMC) is how to attract sponsorship to the league.

Adducing reasons for lack of sponsorship for the league, former LSFA Chairman, Waidi Akani said as long as clubs were still recycling players the NPFL would never attract sponsors.

“The league still parades bunch of old men that have been playing for15 years or more which is something that is not good for the game. Rather, it should be

a mixture of both young and old players and until be go back to the basics which is schools’ sports, we will continue to sing the same song every time. If you look at the major leagues in Europe you will see players of age 18/19 breaking into the league, “ Akani said.

Continuing, the Yaba College of Technology Engineering graduate said,” We need to go back to schools’ sports if we want our league to be attractive and get sponsors’ attention.

“Players like late Stephen Keshi, Henry Nwosu and the likes were known when they were playing Principals Cup and people followed them to the league. I know I number of spectators I attracted to the stadium while I was playing for

NEPA FC, because they’ve been following me right from the time I was playing the Principals Cup.” The former Nigeria international is of the opinion that the league would never attract sponsorship untill the matches are shown on popular medium. “ The Nigeria Television Authority NTA, has proven it does not have the necessary equipment and capacity to televise a football match. The management of the league should therefore partner with an independent television. “ I am not saying compulsorily the league management should go back to Super Sport, but there are still some very good independent television with

Abia Warriors v Wikki Tourist 16:00 Gombe v Enyimba 16:00 Nasarawa Kwara 15:00 Enugu Rangers v Doma Utd 16:00 Bayelsa United v Rivers Utd 16:00 El Kanemi v Akwa Utd 16:00 Lobi Stars v Dakkada 16:00 Remo Stars v Plateau Utd 16:00 Shooting v Bendel 16:00 Sunshine Stars v Tornadoes 16:00

PLAYER

TEAM

C. Obioma Enyimba E. Onyebuchi Plateau Utd I. Osehenkhoe Bendel Ins. Y. Taiye Gombe Utd C. Duru Rivers Utd B. Lukman Abia I. Seriki Bendel Ins. K. Suur Lobi Stars U. Abba Lobi Stars

GOAL 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2

massive equipment they can partner with.

Akani also advocated on good security at our different stadiums before any any organisation or company can think of coming to sponsor the league.

“Until our stadiums can boast of adequate security where people can bring their family to watch football matches without fear of molestation, no rightthinking organisation would want to partner with our league. No organisation would want its name rubbed in the mud,” the former NEPA of Lagos midfielder noted.

For our league to attract sponsorship, officiating must be top notch and the managers of the league must be people of unblemished character that sponsors could trust. Transparency should be their watchword.

Remo Stars Backs Akinsanmiro to Shine at Internazionale

T

he General Manager of Nigerian football club Remo Stars has few doubts that Inter will be very happy with the decision to sign young midfielder Ebenezer Akinsamiro.

Speaking to Italian news outlet FCInterNews, the GM Michale Onikute explained the kind of player that the 18-year-old has shown himself to be in his time developing in the club’s youth ranks, and expressed confidence in his potential, even comparing his style of play to Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne.

Akinsanmiro signed a contract with Inter’s youth system during the January transfer window.

Whilst it was hardly the most high-profile transfer of the window, it was regarded as an exciting piece of business given that the Nerazzurri had been far from the only club interested in signing Akinsanmiro, who had also been a target for Real Madrid, Juventus, and Benfica.

For his part, Remo Stars General Manager Onikute feels that the Nerazzurri have done well to sign the 18-year-old, and will reap the benefits as the player shows his true potential.

“We’re talking about an elegant, well-disciplined player,” Onikute said of Akinsanmiro.

He called the 18-year-old “A cultured young man, calm off the pitch, precise and intelligent on it.”

“He’s strong in both heart and head, he’s a truly determined footballer.” As far as Akinsanmiro’s best qualities, Onikute named “A great vision of the game and the ability to pick a pass.”

“He’s skilled at reading the game, he also has a great shot from distance, and he can change a match in an instant,” the GM said.

Asked if there was a particular player whose style of player he would compare Akinsanmiro’s to, Onikute named “Kevin de Bruyne.”

Then, asked whether he has spoken with the young midfielder since he signed his contract with Inter, the GM replied “Yes, we talked. It’s time for him to start standing up on his own.”

“In a few years, you will understand what Inter saw in Ebenezer because he can reach the top level, it won’t be easy for him, but we have guided him well, we have educated him well in our system here in Nigeria, so

much so that he earned the attention of the Nerazzurri,” Onikute said.

“Now he will further his footballing education with the Nerazzurri, and can reach the top level of world football.” Asked why Inter were the club who Remo Stars agreed a deal with, Onikute explained that “Inter made their intentions clear right from the end of [the youth football tournament the Viareggio Cup].”

“They contacted us to ask us for permission to bring Ebenezer into their youth system,” he continued, “they showed that he would be a part of the project, and this was interesting to a young player naturally.”

Asked if other clubs had also been keen on signing Akinsanmiro, Onikute said that “Yes, at the beginning there were Juventus, Inter, and Roma interested in the player, but on the Nerazzuri’s interest persisted over time.” “Then there was interest from Benfica and Sassuolo, until the day he signed for Inter.”

Onikute closed by noting of Akinsanmiro that “He’s signed a four-year contract with the Nerazzurri, this means that they have a place for him, he can grow into a place in their first team and win trophies there.”

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Arsenal Set to Increase Lead with Brentford Visit

Seeking to avoid a third successive defeat across all competitions, Arsenal return to the Emirates this afternoon for a London derby against Brentford in the Premier League Premier League Table TEAM

P

GD

PTS

Arsenal Man City Man Utd Newcastle Tottenham Brighton Brentford Fulham Chelsea Liverpool Aston Villa Crystal Palace Nottm Forest Leicester Wolves Leeds West Ham Everton Bournemouth Southampton

20 21 22 21 22 20 21 22 21 20 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21

28 32 8 22 10 11 7 2 1 6 -6 -10 -18 -5 -15 -8 -8 -12 -24 -21

50 45 43 40 39 34 33 32 30 29 28 24 24 21 20 19 19 18 17 15

PREMIER LEAGUE TODAY

Arsenal defender, William Saliba tries to stop Brentford striker, Ivan Toney when both sides met in the first leg

M

ikel Arteta’s side were stunned 1-0 by relegationthreatened Everton last time out, while the Bees cruised to a 3-0 triumph over Southampton to further their European ambitions.

The ingredients for an upset were there, and Arsenal were served a slice of humble pie at Goodison Park - a ground that has not treated them well in recent years - as a physically dominant Everton side deservedly handed the Gunners just their second league defeat of the season.

Under the tutelage of football pragmatist Sean Dyche, Everton put in the hard graft that would have delighted the ex-Burnley boss to no end, and they got their reward on the hour mark as James Tarkowski easily out-muscled Martin Odegaard to head home from a corner.

However, the whole of North London was cheering on Sunday when Tottenham Hotspur edged Manchester City 1-0, leaving the Gunners five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, and an eight-point lead will temporarily be theirs should they return to winning ways.

The threat of sanctions against Man City following their series of charges for alleged financial breaches is music to the ears of Arsenal fans, but any potential punishments - including points deductions - will not be administered for some time yet, so keeping the champions at bay for now is of paramount importance before the two sides clash at the Emirates on Wednesday.

Still unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season - only Newcastle United can also boast that feat - Arsenal welcome Brentford to the Emirates having won eight and drawn one of their last nine home fixtures in the top flight, albeit while keeping just two clean sheets in that time.

The Gtech Community Stadium also played host to a match between a capital side and basement battlers, but there was to be no reprieve for Southampton at the

home of the buzzing Bees, who strolled to a 3-0 win over their South Coast counterparts.

Ben Mee’s brave header, Bryan Mbeumo’s finish and Mathias Jensen’s third capped off a brilliant afternoon for Thomas Frank’s side, who are taking full advantage of Chelsea and Liverpool’s misfortunes to put themselves right in the European mix.

Indeed, Frank’s crop travel to the Emirates sitting pretty in seventh in the table, just six points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand and one below Brighton & Hove Albion, although the Seagulls have played one game fewer too.

Victory over Southampton extended Brentford’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to an impressive nine games, and Frank’s staunch defence have only conceded one goal in their last five top-flight matches - keeping clean sheets in each of their last three. However, Brentford have won just twice away from home all season - although one of those successes did come at Man City - and Arsenal eased to a 3-0 win at the Gtech Community Stadium in September, a game that will be best remembered for the introduction of the Premier League’s youngestever player, 15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.

Having experienced one of the most turbulent weeks off the field in their 143-year history, Manchester City return to Premier League action with the visit of Aston Villa to the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out, while the visitors are looking to bounce back from a defeat of their own after going down 4-2 to Leicester City.

Keeping players focused on the topflight title race has been a thankless task for Guardiola in recent days, as Man City take to the pitch for the first time since being charged with over 100 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules relating to sponsorship income, revenue and operating costs.

While the Citizens have emphatically

denied the charges - which have now been passed on to an independent commission - a sombre atmosphere would have surely been present at the training ground this week, as players and staff rack their brains regarding their futures in Manchester.

There will be no rapid decision regarding the accusations, but City could be hit with unprecedented sanctions if found guilty - from points deductions and fines to expulsion from the league - and Guardiola will no doubt be dreading the questions coming his way as City aim to avoid falling further behind Arsenal at the summit. The reigning champions could not take advantage of the Gunners’ slip-up at Everton last time out, as their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hoodoo continued courtesy of Harry Kane’s record-breaking 267th Lilywhites goal, leaving them five points behind Mikel Arteta’s side having played a game more.

The gap at the top will increase to eight points should Arsenal put Brentford to the sword today, so extending their winning run at the Etihad to five games in all competitions is of paramount importance to City, whose fans are in desperate need of something to cheer.

Unai Emery’s time at Arsenal was not a congenial affair, but the ex-Gunners boss can give his former club another major helping hand in the title fight by taking advantage of the Citizens’ predicament this weekend.

The Spaniard’s positive impact has been well and truly felt in the West Midlands since taking the reins from Steven Gerrard, but his luck ran out when Leicester City came to town, inflicting an unexpected defeat on the Lions in a six-goal thriller.

Ollie Watkins and a Harry Souttar own goal put Villa ahead twice in the game, but James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho, Tete and Dennis Praet all breached the Lions’ backline to prevent Emery’s 11th-placed side from usurping Chelsea and Liverpool into the top half.

West Ham v Chelsea 12:30 Arsenal v Brentford 15:00 Crystal Palace v Brighton 15:00 Fulham v Nottm Forest 15:00 Leicester v Tottenham 15:00 Southampton v Wolves 15:00 Bournemouth v Newcastle 17:30 SUNDAY

Leeds Utd Man City

v Man Utd v Aston Villa

14:00 16:30

v Real Betis v Mallorca v Bilbao

15:15 17:30 20:00

v Vallecano v Atlético v Osasuna v Barcelona

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

LA LIGA TODAY

Almería Sevilla Valencia SUNDAY

Getafe Celta Vigo Valladolid Villarreal

Hot Shot PLAYERS

Erling Haaland Harry Kane Ivan Toney Alek Mitrovic Marcus Rashford Rodrigo Miguel Almiron Martin Odegaard James Maddison

CLUB

Man City Tottenham Brentford Fulham Man Utd Leeds Utd Newcastle Arsenal Leicester

GOALS

25 16 13 11 10 10 9 8 8

Aston Villa can proudly boast a threegame winning run in Premier League away matches - seeing off Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham and Southampton in that hot streak - but not since 2009 have the visitors collected more successive victories on the road.

Gerrard was so close to winning the Premier League title for Liverpool at the Etihad last term, but Man City produced a sensational comeback on the final day of the season to triumph 3-2, although they missed their shot at a 10th consecutive success against Villa earlier this season in a 1-1 stalemate.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

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GLOBAL SOCCER

From left, Legal Compliance Officer, Interra Networks, Emmanuel Moemeke, Representative of the winner, Mohammed Adekunle and Managing Director, MegaMillions Naija, Okwy Okeke during the presentation of N2m cheque to the winner of the lottery in Abuja on Thursday.

Christian Atsu yet to be found

Newcastle Hero, Asprilla Says No Basis for Comparison with Osimhen Newcastle United hero, Faustino Asprilla has stressed that he should not be compared with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.

The Nigeria international has often been likened to Asprilla due to his playing style and he also possesses some of the attributes of the Colombian.

Asprilla first made his name with Italian Serie A club Parma, with whom he scored 43 goals in 150 all-competition appearances in two different spells, before sealing a transfer to Newcastle United The two-time World Cupper

has made it clear that it doesn’t make sense comparing him with Osimhen because he faced legendary central defenders such as Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini during his time in Italy.

Asprilla is impressed by the leading marksman in Italy, Osimhen, but suggested that it’s easier to score goals now in the Serie A. “Napoli are a team that I like and Osimhen is really talented. Is he better than me? Don’t be stupid,” Asprilla said to La Gazzetta

dello Sport, via Football Italia.

“I played in Serie A when there was Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Baggio… To score a goal, I had to get past the likes of Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Pietro Vierchowod.

“There’s no comparison between the football I played in and nowadays”.

Osimhen was named Serie A Player of the Month for January 2023 after netting five goals in five matches.

Flying Eagles Settle Down in Casablanca Ahead of U20 AFCON Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles have now settled down in Morocco’s commercial and economic capital, Casablanca for a one-week final training camp ahead of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations starting next week Saturday in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Head Coach Isah Ladan Bosso and wards are staying at the Novotel Hotel in Mohammedia, just outside Casablanca, and the head strategist is upbeat about the readiness of his boys to sustain their winning mentality when the tournament kicks off in nine days.

“We have been able to sustain the same mood we had in camp before going for the WAFU B U20 Championship in Niamey, which we won. Since then, we have played a series of matches and scored plenty of goals, and that is immense for a winning mentality to stay within a team.

“However, we are not going to under-rate any of our opponents.

Defeating Zambia in Abuja was good for confidence but we know championship mood would be tougher. We will be ready to do the country proud.”

Nigeria’sfirstmatchofthecampaign, astheyattemptaneighth continental

title, will be against Senegal’s Cub Lions at the Cairo International Stadium starting from 9pm Egypt time on Sunday, 19thFebruary.

The Flying Eagles, two-time FIFA World Cup runners-up and onetime bronze medallists, will then face hosts Egypt on Wednesday, 22nd February (same time and same venue) and Mozambique on Saturday, 25th February (same time and same venue).

All four semi-finalists at the 12-team championship in Egypt will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals to be staged in Indonesia 20th May – 11th June this year.

Turkey-Syria Earthquake: Atsu’s Partner Calls for Equipment to Aid Rescue The partner of footballer Christian Atsu, who has been missing since the earthquake in Turkey on Monday, has called for equipment to be sent to the collapsed building where he was living.

It was reported Atsu, who plays for Turkish club Hatayspor, was rescued from a building “with injuries”.

But a day later his agent confirmed his whereabouts are unknown.

“I still pray, and believe that he is alive,” Claire Rupio, who lives in Newcastle, UK, told BBC News.

Rupio says conflicting reports about his whereabouts have been “confusing” and “quite shocking”, revealing their children heard on the radio that he will still missing.

She said: “I appeal for the Hatayspor club, the Turkish authorities, and the British government, to send out the equipment to get people out of the rubble - especially my partner and father of my children.“They need the equipment to get them out - they can’t get that deep without the equipment. And time is running out.”

More than 21,000 people have died in southern Turkey and northern Syria since the earthquake and aftershocks that followed.

Atsu - together with Taner Savut, the sporting director of Atsu’s club Hatayspor - has not been seen since Monday’s quake.

On Tuesday, Hatayspor’s vice-president told Turkish media that Atsu had been found alive, but on Wednesday other figures from the club, as well as Atsu’s agent Nana Sechere said they had not been able to confirm this.

Man City Already ‘Condemned’, Says Guardiola Manchester City have been “already sentenced” over alleged financial rule breaches, says manager Pep Guardiola.

The Premier League charged City with more than 100 breaches of its financial rules on Monday.

A two-year ban from European competitions for breaching Uefa’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in 2020.

“The club proved they were completely innocent,” said Guardiola.

“What’s happened since Monday is the same as what happened with Uefa. We have already been condemned.

“You have to understand that 19 teams in the Premier League are accusing us without us having the ability to defend.

“We are lucky we live in a marvellous country where

everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

“We didn’t have this opportunity, we are already sentenced. I am fully convinced we will be [proven] innocent.”

The Premier League has referred City to an independent commission over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, during which time the club won three of their six Premier League titles.

Abundant Talents in Super Falcons Excites Waldrum Ahead of FIFA Women’s World Cup Head Coach Randy Waldrum has reflected that there is an abundance of talented players in the Nigeria senior women squad, Super Falcons, as the nine-time African champions continue their preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand this summer.

Each passing week, the Super Falcons squad seems to be bolstered, with a number of young talents making waves in Europe and other parts of the world. Such is the strength of the Nigeria senior women national team that many football strategists and enthusiasts, including Waldrum, have been pondering how the team will file out at the

biggest stage come July.

The American tactician, while speaking with thenff.com exuded excitement and optimism with the surge of new talents emerging from within and outside the country in recent times and is optimistic of a good outing at the World Cup. He also lauded the efforts of the NFF in getting quality friendly matches and tournaments for the team, such as the Revelation Cup coming up in Mexico this month.

“I think the current Super Falcons squad is loaded with so many talented players. There are a lot of players that have much to offer in the team and I am reasonably excited and hopeful,” Waldrumtoldthenff.com

“AsisatOshoalaisingreatformandwe allknowwhatshe is capable of. When youaddplayerslikeDesireOparanozie, who is also very much in the mix, as well as Ifeoma Onumonu, Rasheedat Ajibade and Esther Okoronkwo, no doubt, we have so many effective weaponsoffensively.

“I am confident that we can build something special with this squad. We have also got some bright players like Rofiat Imuran coming in, in her twenties, same with Tosin Demehin, to go along with experienced players like Osinachi Ohale. Ashleigh Plumptre has also been a great addition for us at the back. I think I love the strength of the team; it’s just about getting the best eleven to play on the pitch.”

New Estate Baptist School Holds Inter-House Sports February 14 New Estate Baptist School, NEBS, Adisa Bashua Street, Surulere, Lagos, will on Tuesday, February 14, hold its 16th biannual inter house sports at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Center at 9 am.

According to the Principal of the school, Mrs Uche Agbazue, everything has been put in place to make the occasion a memorable one.

“The pupils have been having several training sessions since the school resumed for the second term and the participants are in good shape and rearing to go,” Agbazue said.

The four houses that will

be competing are Good News, Faith, Salvation and Grace, and the various house masters are optimistic that with the kind of training that the participating pupils had gone through, new records will be set come Tuesday.

Some of the events that the pupils will be participating in include, 100m race, lime & spoon race, sack race, 4*100m relay, bursting the balloon, tug of war and cycling.

Others include, 400m, football and table tennis.

For the Principal, Mrs. Anthonia Muogbo, she noted that the school is conscious of

the security situation in the country and is therefore not taking anything for granted as far as adequate security is concerned.

“We are not unconscious of the security situation in the country, and are not taking chances. We’ve held several meetings concerning the kind of security that would be in place and the school can can assure parents of adequate security of their children and wards,” Muogbo assured.

Meanwhile, medical personals will also be on standby in case of injuries or accidents to any of the students.

Dolphin Swimming League Comes Alive Today at CIS The third leg of season four of the Dolphin Swimming League will take place on today at the Children’s International School (CIS) in Lekki, Lagos.

Grange School, Ikeja has hosted the first two legs of the first private school inter-school swimming competition and top

swimmers from the participating schools will converge on CIS for the third leg which precedes the final for season four of the annual tournament.

Principal of CIS, Stewart King said the school would be ready to welcome all the competitors. “It is always a privilege to host such events, but this

is particularly the case after a period where, understandably, opportunities for inter school competitions have been limited.

Competition amongst schools and pupils is a fundamental part of the education of each child imbued as it does qualities such as resilience, sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork,” he said.

Barcelona, Napoli, EPL Matches to Air on GOtv Italian Serie A leaders, Napoli and Spanish LaLiga table toppers, Barcelona, will be aiming to extend their lead at the top of the table when they take on their opponents this weekend.

Victor Osimhen’s Napoli will aim to extend their lead when they face Cremonese on Sunday, live on SuperSport Select 1 (GOtv channel 33) at 8:35pm.

In the Spanish LaLiga, Barcelona will also be aiming

to extend their eight points lead at the top when they travel to sixth placed Villarreal on Sunday. The match will be live on SuperSport LaLiga (GOtv Channel 32), at 9pm.

Other week 21 LaLiga actions on GOtv include, Sevilla vs Mallorca today, live on SuperSport LaLiga (GOtv Channel 32), at 6:30pm, followed by Valencia vs Athletic Club Bilbao on same channel at 9:30pm, while Celta Vigo vs Atletico Madrid will be

live on SuperSport LaLiga (GOtv Channel 32), at 4:15pm on Sunday.

Today, Empoli will face Spezia, live on SuperSport Select 1 (GOtv channel 33) at 2:50pm, Roma will travel to Leece, showing on SuperSport Select 1 (GOtv channel 33) at 5:50pm. Thirty-six times champions, Juventus, will face Fiorentina, live on SuperSport Select 1 (GOtv channel 33), at 5:50pm on Sunday.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾FEBRUARY 11, 2023

GLOBAL SOCCER

Tolu Arokodara scores on his debut for Genk

Tolu Arokodare: A Big Shoe to Fill Replacing a striker with an averaged of 0.81 goals per game would never be an easy task, but for Tolu Arokodare, he would not be daunted by the challenges ahead and to prove his reediness, the Nigeria international was on target on his debut for Genk

N

igeria international, Tolu Arokodare, completed a stunning switch from Amiens FC to KRC Genk in Belgium on the brink of the January transfer

deadline.

Following the departure of their star player, Paul Onuachu, who made a “dream” move to Southampton, the Smurfs were able to sign the striker for somewhere around €5 million.

After moving to the Luminus Arena, Arokodare said it was the finest professional decision he had ever made.

The Nigeria striker recently started out on the bench for the Belgian team and scored on his first effort.

Following this, Wouter Vrancken, Arokodare’s new manager, praised him, claiming he is “more explosive than Onuachu.”

Before making his debut, the head of football for Genk, indicated that the Nigerian is the best stand-in for Onuachu, and there is no one better.

With all these supportive remarks, it seems that Genk as a whole is merely using this move to conceal their sadness about losing their star player and dry their tears.

For Amiens SC, Arokodare was not at his best during last season, and his scoring ability was not up to pace. The Nigerian averaged 0.36 goals per game, converting just 11% of his goal chances into actual goals, while scoring 21 goals and dishing out four assists for the French team.

For a striker who started out as a true goal

hacker at Valmiera FC in the Latvian league, with 22 goals in 34 games, they are by no means remarkable numbers. But after that, Arokodare failed to demonstrate his ability as a productive and efficient striker at either FC Köln or Amiens SC. He was particularly unsteady in France, and his attacking stats throughout his stay at Amiens were below par. Compared to Onuachu’s stats in three and a half seasons at KRC Genk, they are glaringly different.

The Super Eagles attacker averaged an absurd 0.81 goals per game. With a target effectiveness of 25%, Onuachu was likewise quite effective in scoring goals.

However, he was leading the Belgian Pro League with 16 goals prior to his transfer to Southampton, so it could take Arokodare longer to catch up this season.

Indeed, if the former Valmiera player was given a clean slate and a huge performance gap to cover, perhaps, he will.

Earlier in the week, former manager, Philippe Hinschberger aimed cheap shots at Arokodare after the youngster completed his move from Amiens to Genk.

In France, Arokodare worked together with Hinschberger for a year and a half where he scored 21 goals and added four assists in 63 matches.

While admitting that the young Nigerian has talent, Hinschberger is not unhappy that Arokodare has left Amiens.

And the former Metz manager is full of knocks for Arokodare, insisting that he found it hard to work with the forward because he was not open to learning.

“Tolu is a player who needs a lot of time and energy. He is still in raw form,” Hinsch-

berger said hours after Arokodare left for Belgium.

“From time to time, you want to make him work on passing, control, or his backto-goal game. I think he has to get it into his head that he’s a young player, who needs to develop. From time to time, he forgets it and he trains like a pro who has a 15-year career.

“The misunderstanding that we both may have had was that I was asking him to work on his qualities. He’s still a youngster who needs to do a lot of basic things, and that’s not too much into it.

However, after a few training sessions with Arokodare, Genk’s manager is already singing the praises of the 22-year-old.

Throwing Hinschberger’s claims into the trashcan, Vrancken is delighted that Arokodare is ‘eager’ to take in new knowledge.

“He is more explosive than Onuachu, who of course already has more experience as a finisher,” Vrancken said, as per VoetbalKrant.

“But Tolu is a young player with a lot of potentials, he was at the top of our wish list.

He has a good bounce and is very eager to learn. He asks a lot of questions, which I think is very positive.

“We are patient with him because all our game principles are new to him. Both offensively and defensively. He was used to being played on his body, after which they would see what happened. That is why we will work intensively with him in the coming weeks.”

Arokodare could not have asked for a better debut in the Jupiler League as the striker came off the bench to score in Genk’s 3-2 win away to KAA Gent at the weekend.

The Lagos-born attacker could not hide his pleasure at how fantastic everything has gone in his first few days in Genk.

“I can’t even explain how much I feel, scoring on my debut, we win away from home, it’s unbelievable,” Arokodare said.

“My first days at the club went very well, on and off the pitch. My teammates are great, they help me a lot. I think that like me you could see the level of the team; it is quite high. Even Paul Onuachu gave me some advice when I saw him just before his departure. The goal is obviously to be champions.”

Arokodare has big shoes at Genk to fill as Onuachu registered 85 goals and 10 assists for the Smurfs before departing for England.

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

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

IMAGES

M

rs Lola Omotoso, a senior Nurse at New Cross Hospital,Wolverhampton,UnitedKingdom,recently joined her siblings to pay the last respects to her father, Rev. Olabisi Timothy Adeyemo who died at 77. At the funeral service at Living Faith Church Zonal Centre, Alausa Ikeja, Matron Omotoso was supported by her husband, Lanre, a medical doctor also based in the UK. Family members and friends were entertained at Haven Event Centre, GRA Ikeja, Lagos PHOTOS: KOLAWOLE ALLI

L-R: Dr. Lanre Omotoso; Matron Lola Omotoso; and Toyosi Omotoso

L-R: Temilola Emmanuel; Dr. Victory Emmanuel; Matron Lola Omotoso

L-R: Temilola Emmanuel; and Dr. Victory Emmanuel

L-R :Mrs.Modupe Osunlakin; Mr. Adewole Abdul Lateef; and Mr. Abiodun Omotoso

L-R: Adeola Olowe; and Adeyemi Adeyemo

L-R: Teniola Balogun; and Engr. Lere Omibiyi

Mr. and Mrs. Olusooto; and Mrs. Adeola Ademiluyi

L-R: The widow, Mrs. Adeyemo; and Sister to the widow, Mrs. Rosaline Akinola

L-R: Mrs. Ohunyeye; Mr.. Demilade Odewale; the widow, Mrs. C. Adeyemo; Brig. General Felix Ohunyeye

Mr. Odewale and family

L-R: Doyin Kukoyi; Toyin Anjorin; and a guest

Brother to the Deceased, Barr. Femi Adeyemo

L-R: Funmi Balogun and a guest

A guest

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

AUTO WORLD

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

NAJA Awards: GAC GS4 is Nigeria’s Car of the Year, TIPS OF THE WEEK 10 Transmission Symptoms Every Range Rover, Toyota, Mikano, Others Win Big Car Owner Should Know About

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6HQVRUV DOO DURXQG \RXU YHKLFOH FDQ WULS the warning system. Even something as LQFRQVHTXHQWLDO DV D ORRVH JDV FDS FDQ VHW LW RͿ :KHQ WKH WUDQVPLVVLRQ VHQVRUV VHW RͿ WKH FKHFN HQJLQH OLJKW LW·V D FDXVH IRU FRQFHUQ 7KH sensors detect minute jerks and tremors that \RX ZRXOGQ·W RWKHUZLVH QRWLFH 'RQ·W ZDLW XQWLO you do notice them when a simple diagnostic scan could give you peace of mind.

First Plug-in Hybrid Mercedes-Maybach the battery charging state in the instrument panel.

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7KH HOHFWULF PRWRU·V PD[LPXP WRUTXH RI 1P LV DYDLODEOH LPPHGLDWHO\ IURP WKH ÀUVW

engine revolution, resulting in rapid acceleration and dynamic handling. The 0HUFHGHV 0D\EDFK 6 H DFFHOHUDWHV IURP NP K LQ VHFRQGV $Q N: FKDUJHU LV ÀWWHG DV VWDQGDUG IRU WKUHH SKDVH FKDUJLQJ IURP WKH $& PDLQV $ N: '& FKDUJHU IRU IDVW charging with direct current is available as an option. Even when the battery is almost completely empty, a full charge can be achieved in around 30 minutes using the latter.

5. No Response $ IXQFWLRQLQJ WUDQVPLVVLRQ ZLOO VOLGH ULJKW into the proper gear. If your car is hesitating or JLYLQJ \RX QR UHVSRQVH VRPHWKLQJ·V ZURQJ DQG LW·V RIWHQ WKH WUDQVPLVVLRQ In a manual vehicle, this delayed shifting is accompanied by an RPM surge and engine QRLVH WKDW GRHVQ·W PDWFK \RXU VSHHG ,W PLJKW just be your clutch, but the only way to know for sure is to take it in for service.

(Source: AAMCO)

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

AUTO WORLD

Updated New BMW X5, BMW X6 now in Luxury Segment

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Updated new BMW X6

2023 Hyundai KONA Wins ALG Residual Value Award Third Year Consecutively

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year in-a-row. ´:H DUH KRQRXUHG WR DFFHSW WKLV DZDUG ZKLFK GHPRQVWUDWHV WKH KLJK TXDOLW\ RI RXU SURGXFWV as well as their competitive resale value,” says 6WHYH )ODPDQG H[HFXWLYH GLUHFWRU RI SURGXFW DQG corporate strategy, IT and digital at Hyundai Auto &DQDGD ´,Q WKH FURZGHG VXEFRPSDFW FDWHJRU\ LW·V LPSRUWDQW WR RIIHU WKH SHUIHFW EDODQFH RI XWLOLW\ DQG YDOXH :H·UH WKULOOHG WR UHDIILUP WKLV ZLWK RXU .21$ FXVWRPHUV RQFH DJDLQ YDOLGDWHG E\ - ' 3RZHU µ Annual Residual Values titles are awarded E\ $/* D GLYLVLRQ RI - ' 3RZHU UHFRJQL]HG DV

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The 2023 Hyundai KONA

The Penalty Points Lara Jones (not real name) relocated to the United Kingdom over ten years ago. In 2014, Lara bought KHU ÀUVW FDU %DUHO\ VL[ PRQWKV DIWHU EX\LQJ KHU car in 2014, she was caught on camera doing 43 PSK RQ D PSK URDG )RU WKLV LQIUDFWLRQ VKH received 3 points on her licence. The 3 points ZHUH PHDQW WR FDQFHO RXW LQ IRXU \HDUV )LYH \HDUV DIWHU KHU ÀUVW FLWDWLRQ LQ /DUD was caught speeding but was sent to take a speed awareness course as it was just 3 mph above the VSHHG OLPLW $OWKRXJK VKH ZDV QRW JLYHQ D ÀQH VKH ERRNHG WKH FRXUVH DW D FRVW RI SRXQGV which is equivalent to over N50,000.

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SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu

amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

36

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

Mega Millions Naija: Lottery Firm Presents N2m Cheque to Winner ,QWHUQDWLRQDO *DPLQJ DQG (QWHUWDLQPHQW /LPLWHG ,*( SURPRWHUV RI ´0HJD 0LOOLRQV Naija lottery scheme says it is obligated to sustain its core value of integrity to subscribers that emerged as lucky winners of the mega PLOOLRQV QDLMDµ ORWWHU\ VFKHPH 'LUHFWRU RI ,*( 0U 2NZ\ 2NHNH VDLG WKLV at the presentation of a two million Naira FKHTXH WR D OXFN\ ZLQQHU 0U 2OXVH\L /DVLVL LQ $EXMD RQ 7KXUVGD\ ,*( LV OLFHQVHG E\ WKH 1DWLRQDO /RWWHU\ 5HJXODWRU\ &RPPLVVLRQ WR RSHUDWH D QDWLRQDO lottery promotional scheme, “Mega Millions 1DLMD µ Okeke said, shortly after presentation of WKH FKHTXH WR WKH ZLQQHU VDLG “If you are regulated and your licence is current with the National Lottery Regulatory &RPPLVVLRQ LW PHDQV WKDW \RX DUH OHJLWLPDWH and legal.

“Mega Millions Naija is actually a messenger platform, that simply helps people to buy tickets for the lottery played either in :HVWHUQ (XURSH 1RUWK $PHULFD RU $XVWUDOLD DQG %UD]LO DQG ZRXOG DOVR KHOS \RX FROOHFW the money at no extra commission.

“And when you win, we help you collect, so you don’t have to travel , without us \RX ZLOO KDYH WR Á\ WR PDQ\ FRXQWULHV WR participate in any of their lotteries, but with us, you send us as messengers and we get LW GRQH IRU \RX µ He said the company via its activities was also contributing to the growth of the economy via job creation and provision of corporate social responsibility. ´:H DVVLVW 1LJHULDQ HFRQRP\ DQG 1LJHULDQV in more ways than one. ´:H HPSOR\ PDQ\ 1LJHULDQV DQG IRU

every naira worth of lottery people buy, we dedicate a percentage to charity ,we are still in the process of building a school EORFN DW 6HXQ QHDU 6DJDPX LQ 2JXQ VWDWH so we also engage in charity.

“From the point of view of the economy,money won comes into Nigerian economy, and money won has a way of VKRULQJ XS WKH YDOXH RI WKH 1DLUD µ He explained that the company was involved in facilitation of playing of multiple lotteries for subscribers every single day. ´7KUHH WR VL[ ORWWHULHV DUH GUDZQ RQ RXU platform and very soon we would also start a local draw of every week, we would give out million Naira to a roundom player, Monday WR 6DWXUGD\ ZH KDYH PXOWLSOH ORWWHULHV GUDZQ D JRRG H[DPSOH LV WKH 86 SRZHU EDOO GUDZ µ He said it was important for the media to be aware about the winnings by Nigerians IRU SXUSRVH RI GRFXPHQWDWLRQ FRQÀGHQFH building by, local and international regulators, third parties, adding that lottery thrives on trust.

He said the winner, Mr Oluseyi Lasisi played the category of the Euro jackpot lottery for which he marked four cards that resulted in his winning of over four WKRXVDQGV (XURV ZKLFK ZDV DQ HTXLYDOHQW of two million Naira.

Lasisi, winner of the two million Naira DW WKH SUHVHQWDWLRQ RI WKH FKHTXH ZDV represented by his friend, Mr Adekunle 0RKDPPDG ZKR UHFHLYHG WKH FKHTXH RQ his behalf.

0RKDPPHG WKDQNHG PDQDJHPHQW RI ,*( promoters of Mega Million Naija lottery for its contributions to growth of the economy via the lottery project.

L-R: National Chairperson, Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT) Nigeria, Dr. Abiola Adimula; Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of The Gambia, Seedy Keita; Commissioner General of Gambia Revenue Authority, Yankuba Darboe; Vice President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Samuel Agbeluyi; and Conference Chairperson, International Professional Women Conference (IPWC), Dr. Titilayo Eni-Itan Fowokan at the 2nd edition of IPWC held in Kairabi Beach Hotel, Senegambia, West Africa.... recently

Rite Foods Pledges Commitment to Innovative, Sustainable Products Indigenous food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited has restated its commitment to sustainable and innovative products to enhance consumers satisfaction.

0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRU RI WKH ÀUP 0U 6HOHHP Adegunwa declared this while addressing the press in Lagos He revealed steps taken by the organisation towards the realisation of its objectives.

He disclosed that the organisation is committing huge investment to ultra-modern factory with up-to-date-technology as well as research.

He explained that this was important to enable the company maintain and consolidate its leading market position in the country.

He said, “Research is critical to us, and we value that a lot. Our products are leaders in ÁDYRXU LQQRYDWLRQ 2Q WKH &ROD EUDQG WKHUH is a clear edge over the competition, and we OHDG RQ ÁDYRXU OLNH LQ WKH $SSOH DQG 7URSLFDO

segments.

L-R: Co -Founder of 9ijakids, Yeside Ogunremi; overall winner 13-15 years category of the Bible Challenge, Josh“Our brands are enhanced by having many products under them, which is why they look ua Eseigbe and Co- Founder of 9ijakids, Titi Adewusi at the 2nd edition of the Bible Competition organised by EROGHU DQG ELJJHU RQ WKH VKHOI DPRQJ FRPSHWLWRUV µ 9ijakids, in collaboration with SIATO Foundation in Lagos...recently 6SHDNLQJ RQ WKH FRPSDQ\·V QHZ HQWUDQW 6RVD )UXLW 'ULQN $GHJXQZD PDLQWDLQHG WKDW WKH EUDQG LV D V\PERO RI TXDOLW\ DQG D QHZ way the company has attained excellent reviews. +H VDLG ´, WKLQN RQH RI WKH WKLQJV ZH DUH known for and the important thing that we must EXLOG RQ LV WKDW V\PERO RI TXDOLW\ /RRNLQJ WR the future, we are ready to ensure that anything concerning our logo is of a very high standard, and we are strongly committed to that cause Indigenous event management firm, Jodot 6KH VDLG µ 6XUYLYLQJ \HDUV LQ D YHU\ WR SURGXFH ZRUOG FODVV SURGXFWV µ Events has announced a corporate rebrand competitive industry is not a child’s play, hence, +H UHLWHUDWHG WKDW WKH FRPSDQ\·V VORJDQ ¶7UXO\ as part of activities to commemorate its 21st we found this milestone worth celebrating. :RUOG &ODVV DQG 3URXGO\ 1LJHULDQ· DSWO\ GHVFULEHV anniversary in the Nigerian event industry.

“Jodat came in when the industry was not its goal to compete favourably at the global level, In marking the anniversary too, the organisa- so popular but we were able to weather the with a DNA and heritage that are completely tion unveiled its new event space, Jomafab storm through determination, hardwork, and Nigerian. *DUGHQ LQ ,VROR /DJRV LQ DGGLWLRQ WR WKH ZLWK *RG VROLGO\ EHKLQG XV

Jodot Events Marks 21st Anniversary, Rebrands

SWIT Defends Women’s Role in Economic Development 7KH 6RFLHW\ RI :RPHQ LQ 7D[DWLRQ 6:,7 has emphasised active women’s participation in economic activities to enable growth and development.

7KH JURXS VWDWHG WKLV DW WKH MXVW FRQFOXGHG ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 3URIHVVLRQDO :RPHQ &RQIHUHQFH ,3:& WKDW WRRN SODFH LQ *DPELD XUJLQJ ZRPHQ to embrace leadership mindset.

7KHPHG ·%XLOGLQJ 3URIHVVLRQDO :RPHQ /HDGHUV for the Future’, the programme had professional women groups across Africa continent that graced the second edition. $GGUHVVLQJ DWWHQGHHV 1DWLRQDO &KDLUSHUVRQ RI 6:,7 1LJHULD 'U $ELROD $GLPXOD FKDUJHG women to strive for leadership positions as to H[SHGLWH WKH UHDOLVDWLRQ RI 6XVWDLQDEOH 'HYHORSPHQW *RDO 6'* RQ JHQGHU HTXDOLW\ 6KH VDLG WKH FKRLFH RI WKH FRQIHUHQFH WKHPH was deliberate to prepare women for leadership roles and challenges.

6KH VDLG ´7KH WKHPH LV DQ DWWDLQPHQW RI WRPRU-

URZ ZLWK DGHTXDWH SUHSDUDWLRQ WRGD\ WRZDUGV DFKLHYLQJ WKH 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV 5HVROXWLRQ RI year 2000, on women, peace and security, in the area of participation of women in decision making SRVLWLRQV DQG DOVR LQ WKH SXUVXLW RI JRDO RQ JHQGHU HTXDOLW\ RI WKH VXVWDLQDEOH GHYHORSPHQW JRDOV µ Adimula said conference sessions were designed to help participants boost their self-belief DQG VHOI FRQÀGHQFH ERWK LQ WKHLU SHUVRQDO DQG professional life.

(DUOLHU &RQIHUHQFH 3ODQQLQJ &RPPLWWHH &KDLUSHUVRQ 'U 7LWLOD\R )RZRNDQ LQ KHU ZHOFRPH DGGUHVV GLVFORVHG WKDW ,3:&·V YLVLRQ ZDV FRQFHLYHG over half a decade and came to materialise in 2022 under the leadership of Adimula with its PDLGHQ FRQIHUHQFH LQ &RWRQRX 5HSXEOLF RI %HQLQ 6KH DYHUUHG WKDW WKH UHDOLVDWLRQ RI 6'* KDG EHHQ IXUWKHU PDGH SRVVLEOH ZLWK WKH HͿRUWV RI professional organisation who support their women wing to set up societies or associations to achieve their goals.

launch of a new corporate logo.

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Harris said, “Entrepreneurs need to be more daring by taking giant steps and communicating their value in a way that’s valuable to their customers LI WKH\ PXVW PD[LPL]H SURÀWV LQ WKHLU EXVLQHVVHV µ 2Q WKH UHFRJQLWLRQ KH FRPPHQGHG 6PDUWbrandsmedia for the honour, and further restated his commitment to startup development. &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU RI 6PDUWEUDQGVPHGLD Oluyinka Padonu said Harris was ranked among the top 10 experts to watch in 2023 for his considerable impact directly and indirectly to entrepreneurs across the globe with laudable results to show for it.

37

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

PERSPECTIVE Peter Mbah’s Epic Homecoming Paul Onu

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lthough a prophet is not without honour, except in his hometown and his household, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah and his running mate, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai is an exception. For over three months, Mbah and Ossai toured the 68 development centres across Enugu State where they interacted with the people at town hall meetings and heard directly from them about their peculiar needs. They also respond to questions on their manifesto during these tours.

The initiative- which is the first of its kind in the history of political campaigns in Enugu, began in the four Development Centers of Aninri LGA on November 8, 2022, and ended in the four Development Centers of Nkanu East LGA, where Dr Mbah hails from. If the massive turnout and the pump and circumstance that greeted the grand finale of the tour in Amankanu, Nkanu East Central, Nkanu South and Asu Nkanu Development Centers are anything to go by, then Mbah is not only a prophet in his own home but also a hero among his people.

At the Amankanu Development Center, which is Mba’s immediate homestead, the venue of the tour was filled and overflowed as the people of Amankanu, Ubahu, Amechi Idodo, Oruku, Umuode, and Owo, left their homes and business to express their support for the PDP candidate. As Mbah, Ossai and their entourage walked a distance of over two kilometres, the people took over the Enugu-Abakaliki Road, drumming in ecstasy as they accompanied them into the arena.

Rather than reel out requests, the people of Amankanu were full of praise and appreciation to the Enugu State chapter of the PDP and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the emergence of their son as a candidate of the party and the grant reception he has received, together with his running mate.

For them, it was a carnival of appreciation, with fewer speeches and more drumming and displays by bands, masquerade groups, and chanting by an overjoyed crowd in bright uniforms, glamorous outfits and cultural regalia.

They wielded placards, support insignias, PDP umbrellas and posters with different support messages celebrating the homecoming of their son and governorship hopeful.

From one Nkanu East Development Center to the other, Mbah’s message was the same and that was his resolve to grow the state’s economy from a $4.4 billion economy to a $30 billion economy in eight years when elected. While he expressed gratitude for the exceptional confidence reposed in him and Barr. Ossai did not fail to extend his deepest gratitude to the governor, the party leadership and the good people of Enugu State for trusting in his capacity to turn around the fortunes of the state.

“They have found us worthy for the job because of our antecedents in the private sector,” he told the teeming supporters. “They knew we have the capacity to transform the economy. They’ve confidence in us that we’re going to rescue the state from the dwindling national economy and speed up the industrial revolution.”

Speaking further he said, “We have toured the development centres. We have talked about how we intend to achieve the growth plan, growing our economy from where it is to N30 billion and ensuring that we achieve a zero per cent rate in our poverty headcount index. This means zero poverty, which also means eradication of poverty and zero hunger.”

Mba also told the people about how they intend to tackle insecurity, provide inclusive governance and ensure that young people are no longer job seekers, but wealth creators.

“We have also discussed how we are going to revamp our agricultural sector from food to exports,” he said. “I know our people are predominantly farmers and we are blessed with rich, arable lands. But besides transforming our agriculture, we will take it even a notch

L-R: Deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai; governorship candidate, Dr. Peter Mbah; Council Chairman, Nkanu East LGA, Sydney Okechukwu Edeh; House of Assembly candidate, Nkanu East State Constituency, Okey Mbah; Director, Women Mobilisation, Rita Mbah, at the town hall meeting of the governorship candidate in Amankanu Development Area, Enugu State... recently

higher by catalysing agro-allied processing industries in all the senatorial zones to capture the value chain in production such as harvesting, processing, packaging, storage and export.”

Part of what he also discussed was how his administration will expand its revenue spheres by tapping into the energy and mineral resources as well as revamping dormant industries and scaling up production in the state.

“We plan to transform Enugu from a public sector-driven economy to a private sectordriven economy”, Mbah reassured the people.

During the tour, different speakers took turns to extoll the leadership qualities of Mbah and thanked the Enugu State PDP for granting him the opportunity to fly the flag of the party in next month’s election.

Among those who spoke was the Council Chairman of Nkanu East LGA, Okechukwu Edeh, who said the mammoth crowd was not only an expression of the people’s gratitude to the PDP and Ugwuanyi but also a demonstration of their faith in Mbah’s capacity to take Enugu State to greater heights.

“This is our project, and we have taken ownership of it. We are ready and indeed committed to delivering every single vote from Nkanu East to Mbah’s election and PDP’s successes during the general election. Mbah becoming the governor will salvage the situation of our people. Nkanu East has been so backward in terms of infrastructural development. So, we believe his coming will be a very big solution to our development challenges,” Edeh said.

On his part, the traditional ruler of Mbuluowo community, HRH Igwe Okeke Arum, said that it was fulfilling for him to live to

see the redemption of Owo, Nkanu East, and Enugu State.

The administrator of Nkanu South, Hon. Edeh Nweze and a former Council Chairman of Nkanu East, Hon. Ejike Ani said that Mba understands the challenges of the people and remains the only one who can adequately attend to them.

“The Peter Mbah Foundation has been intervening through road construction, the building of a hospital, skills acquisition, revolving loans, and scholarships, among others,” they said.

Also, a stakeholder and community leader, Barr. Osinachi Nnajieze described Mbah’s manifesto as a detailed masterpiece that would put the state’s economy on the global map through disruptive innovation.

The story was the same at Amagunze, headquarters of Nkanu East Central Development Center where the Administrator, Hon. Uche Mbah, Member representing Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Paul Nnajiofor; the State Assembly candidate, Hon. Okey Mbah; Member representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji; Chairman, Enugu East zone of the PDP, Hon. Nnamdi Nwafor and spokespersons for the Development Area, such as Chief Frank Anioma expressed their gratitude to the PDP and reiterated their confidence in Mbah.

“I want to promise and state unequivocally and in clear terms that Dr Peter Mbah will never fail our people. He will never fail the people of Enugu State. He succeeded as a Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Finance, and a private investor. He took Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd to the apex position in the country’s economy. He is in Enugu State to do wonders

At the Amankanu Development Center, which is Mba’s immediate homestead, the venue of WKH WRXU ZDV ÀOOHG DQG RYHUÁRZHG DV WKH SHRSOH of Amankanu, Ubahu, Amechi Idodo, Oruku, Umuode, and Owo, left their homes and business to express their support for the PDP candidate. As Mbah, Ossai and their entourage walked a distance of over two kilometres, the people took over the Enugu-Abakaliki Road, drumming in ecstasy as they accompanied them into the arena

with our economy”, Nnajiofor said.

At Mburubu, the venue of the Nkanu South town hall meeting, the people of Nomeh Unataeze, Mburubu, and Nkereffi rallied massively for their son and insisted that only 100 per cent of the votes for Mbah and the PDP candidates was good enough.

Articulating the views of the people, former Secretary to the Government of Enugu State and Chairman, of Enugu State Science, Technical, and Vocational Schools Management Board, Dr Gabriel Ajah, said that all the stakeholders and leaders of Nkanu South met and resolved that 100 per cent of their votes will go to Mbah and all PDP candidates and that anything short of that will not be acceptable.

On his part, the Deputy Director, Mainstream Media, Enugu PDP Campaign Council, Uche Anichukwu, said: “We are here for a sacrifice of appreciation and thanksgiving. There is no time to count the number of projects and appointments and other opportunities made possible by the PDP in this area and Nkanu land either through the state government or various PDP legislators. So, 2023 is a payback time because one good turn deserves another.”

A former Deputy Chairman of Nkanu East LGA, Mrs Ngozi Ogbonna and the Director, Women Mobilisation, Enugu State PDP Campaign Council, Rita Mbah, thanked Mbah for a manifesto that addresses the needs of women. Speaking to newsmen, Mrs Ogbonna said the St. Cecilia Memorial Hospital Owo, built and furnished with modern equipment

by Mbah was a demonstration of his love for women and children.

Administrator, Nkanu South, James Oji; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Peter Mbah Grassroots Movement, Prince Lawrence Ezeh; Chairman, Nkanu East PDP, Prince Emeka Nwatu, said Mbah’s track record and manifesto had given him a wide head-start before the polls.

In Asu Nkanu, former deputy governors of the state, Dr Sunday Onyebuchi and Bishop Ralph Nwoye; former Council Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Nwobodo; business mogul, Barr. Joshua Mbah; State Youth Leader of the PDP, Hon. Patrick Okoh; Administrator, Asu Nkanu, Hon. Emma Edeh, among others, said Mbah was divinely prepared for a time like this.

Dr Mbah used the opportunity of the tour of Nkanu land to pay a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler of Ihuokpara, HRH, Igwe Fidelis Nwatu (Eze Agabi), who along with his cabinet and stakeholders of Ihuokpara, pronounced royal blessings on the governorship project.

Onu is a political analyst

38

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

TRIBUTE Segun Ayobolu: Grit, Quality, Versatility On Diamond Eve Tunde Olusunle

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or all his staggering attributes as a very formidable scholar, a distinctly rigorous inquisitor, a sound and profound political scientist, an inimitable reporter, an engaging writer, a perspicacious editor, he savours his reticence and unobtrusive carriage. In a world where dunderheads, impostors and wannabes hug the klieg lights, posturing as modern day standardbearers, stars and men of letters, coveting conferments and adulation, he cherishes his quiet.

He prefers to immerse himself in his study, lapping up multidisciplinary knowledge, further enriching his subsisting, even overflowing intellectual capital. His elected choices to remain “backstage” in a manner of speaking, receives authentication from his minimal photographic prominence, even on the internet. And we are talking about a colossus in his own right.

Reporting for work on my first day at the good old Daily Times of Nigeria Plc in August 1990, the singular acquaintance I had was Gbenga Ayeni. Ayeni, now a professor of mass communications at the East Connecticut State University, (ECSU) in the United States, and I were classmates, brothers and best of friends at the University of Ilorin. He was already on the staff of the Daily Times about two years before me and was excited I was joining him at what then was Nigeria’s largest media organisation. While I was going to serve in Sunday Times in the Agidingbi, Ikeja address of the establishment, Ayeni operated from the Kakawa, Lagos Island headquarters of the organisation.

He had been redeployed to the Lagos desk of the London-based West Africa magazine, which was owned by the Daily Times conglomerate. Paxton Olu-Idowu was bureau chief of the Nigerian office of the publication and Ayeni worked with him.

While I would yet link up with him, I was a momentary loner in Agidingbi. I would subsequently meet the likes of Maurice Ogar, Wole Olatimehin, (now a clergyman) and Edwin Baiye (now in the US), who were all schoolmates at Unilorin. Tunde Rahman, and Hakeem Bello, media advisers to Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola, respectively, joined us later. This, however, could not substitute for reunion with Ayeni who was both my course mate and roommate in school, and with whom I played quite some school pranks for years together.

My initial loneliness was not going to persist for long, however. I’m told I’m an extrovert, that I make friends and integrate myself into newfound spaces seamlessly. I didn’t need a chaperon as I walked that long TPD corridor, flanked on both sides by a million doors, all leading to the offices and desks of different departments. I spontaneously met new colleagues and began my acclimatisation. There were iconic names one had encountered as an avid reader of Daily Times publications, which numbered over a dozen at some point. And here I was, meeting them live and direct, in flesh and blood! Segun Ayobolu was one of those salient, select bylines which had become recurring fixtures, engraved on the minds eye for his very insightful political analyses and resourceful intellectual investments in Daily Times publications.

Ayobolu’s desk was on the immediate left once you opened the door of the voluptuous hall called the newsroom. Writers and reporters were scribbling, typists were busy on their Olympia typewriters. The audio of television sets could be heard in the background. The slight creak from the hinges of the door I opened, stirred Ayobolu and he looked in my direction. He nodded approvingly and I returned the gesture. I let go of the swing door and walked up to him.

I introduced myself as the newest Johnny

Ayobolu

Just Come, (JJC), as we shook hands and introduced ourselves. “You worked with “The Guardian,” I believe,” he asked me.

“I’ve read you on the arts and literature review pages.”

I smiled and told him I was but a contributor who desired to be heard in the assembly of A-list professionals. While teaching in a rural secondary school in the erstwhile Oyi Local Government Area of the preAugust 1991 Kwara State and working on my masters in English, I told Ayobolu, I had unfettered access to some of Nigeria’s unsung literary figures who could stand neck-to-neck with their colleagues elsewhere. They didn’t receive the breadth and constancy of attention which scholars in the Lagos-Ibadan-Ife tripod of institutions, enjoyed. David Cook, (British); Zulu Sofola; Olu Obafemi; Oludare Olajubu; Akanji Nasiru, were some of those eggheads. While doing my masters work, I interviewed them and sent the manuscripts to The Guardian, I said to Ayobolu.

We hit it as colleagues and friends from that moment. I would subsequently make more acquaintances thereafter. One could see Ayobolu’s most dutiful application to his work, his untiring commitment, the enviable fervour he deployed. Information technology was not as advanced as

we have today, so the entire newspaper production system was almost totally manual. Political activities were gaining pseudo-traction under the administration of former President Ibrahim Babangida, and the newspaper sustained a daily section in the tabloid, and the political desk trusted to generate front-page or backpage reports.

Ayobolu attended the daily “editorial meeting” chaired by the superintending editor who included Onyema Ugochukwu, Femi Sonaike, Dapo Aderinola at various times, in our generation. He then rallied his team including Emeka Nwosu, Basil Obi, Tunde Rahman among others, to generate content for the political pages. He routinely functioned as sub-editor, wielding that famous metal ruler to allocate space to various essays, reports and photographs.

The library was adjacent the newsroom where relevant photographs and illustrations. Ayobolu slept in the office on a number of occasions, trying to get the job done. We were basically quasi-bachelors and could take some risks. But such was Ayobolu’s immersion in his vocation.

Ayobolu’s intellectual versatility, his voracious appetite for knowledge, his scholastic expansiveness, his free-range mind of the prototype academic, find expression in his journalistic oeuvre. He gobbles poetry,

works of prose, literary criticism, biographies, speeches, with the appetite of one facing an examination everyday. His insights into wisdom’s broad-spectrum, ooze from his journalistic output. To make assurance doubly sure, Ayobolu has reviewed four of my published books and written the Foreword to my upcoming aggregation of essays and articles. As in other instances, Ayobolu leaves you in no doubt about his depth, infinite vistas and abundance of capacity. Very few, ranking professors anywhere in the world, will do a better job of the laurel-deserving dilation of my works, than Ayobolu has done in all instances.

Joe Ibekwe one of our colleagues at the Times who now wields a doctorate, it was who reminded us on the Daily Times Alumni Platform, yesterday, that the date, Tuesday January 17, 2023 was the birthday of this beloved brother, exemplary colleague and inimitable professional, Segun Ayobolu.

Across the road in our good old Agidingbi Daily Times office was White House, a restaurant and bar so christened by we the regulars, after the colour of the building.

Typically, whenever our “travel claims,” “continues honorarium” or “out-of-state” travel allowances were paid, or whenever some generous emolument was extended to us for genuine professional help, White House was the instantaneous converge.

As desks in the newsroom emptied to an unspoken signal for assembly one of those days, Femi Ajayi, who was the science editor, remarked cheekily to the hearing of some of us: “Those guys have made a kill. They are going to their rendezvous!”

Milestones such as Ayobolu’s yesterday, would have engendered spontaneous congregation at White House, our famous watering hole. Gboyega Okegbenro, Emeka Nwosu, Lawal Ogienagbon, Musa Ebomhiana, Adamson Momoh, Bayo Oladipo, Yemisi Fadairo, (Basil Obi, Femi Olatunde, Imokhuede Ogunleye, Edna Aguocha, the last four sadly no longer with us). We were quite a bunch. Friends from elsewhere joined us on a day yesterday, including Ohi Alegbe, Reuben Abati, Gabriel Omohinmi, (Ademola Babajide, Eddie Ayo-Ojo, also gone to be with the Lord).

The waiter at White House would be deployed in an endless relay, serving an assortment of drinks, going and coming, coming and going, regularly quizzed about the tepid temperature of lagers and similar liquids. The kitchen, would eternally simmer with the aroma of pepper soup, peppered meat and allied delicacies. The chant of “O yes ooooo” will seize the space. Title editors will be glad we all had turned in our copies before plunging into such revelry, which could well spillover to “point and kill” joints in Ogba, Alausa and similar places!

Segun Ayobolu was born January 17, 1964.

His father, Elder Bamidele Samuel Ayobolu was one of the earliest sets of graduates from the Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, in the 1950s. Baba also obtained a diploma in administration at the London School of Economics, (LSE). The very bright and brilliant Segun Ayobolu therefore got off to a pacy educational start, obtaining his bachelors’ and masters’ degrees in political science at the University of Ibadan in quick succession, between the ages of 21 and 24. His lecturers conceived of retaining him for his doctorate, so he could pursue a career in the academia. The young and restless Ayobolu, however, voted for the media as a career which could find fulfilment even as a budding scholar. The mammoth “invasion” of newsrooms by academics and technocrats heightened by the inauguration of The Guardian in 1983, was a compelling inspiration for many of us.

Ayobolu’s intellectual versatility, his voracious appetite for knowledge, his scholastic expansiveness, his free-range mind of the prototype academic, find expression in his journalistic oeuvre. He gobbles poetry, works of prose, literary criticism, biographies, speeches, with the appetite of one facing an examination everyday. His insights into wisdom’s broad-spectrum, ooze from his journalistic output.

Tunde Olusunle, PhD, poet, journalist, To make assurance doubly sure, Ayobolu has reviewed scholar and author is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE). four of my published books and written the Foreword to Read full News online - www.thisdaylive.com my upcoming aggregation of essays and articles

39

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 11, 2023

MILESTONE Elucidating Elumelu’s Passion for Young Entrepreneurs Chidiebere Nwobodo

Give back! I was born in Africa, raised in Africa, studied in Africa, worked in Africa, and achieved success in Africa. Beyond business success, always look for ways not only to give back, but also to empower the generation coming behind us, so that they can go even further than we have.

It can be big or small, as simple as giving advice, becoming a mentor, broadcasting your success – yes broadcast, we need more beacons of African excellence, share your experience, let your voice be heard.” —Tony Elumelu, CFR.

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frica remains an embodiment of poverty, underdevelopment and backwardness when compared to the rest of the world because principles of wealth creation has not been democratised in the continent. Often times, the prism at which Africa is viewed through by foreign media platforms, especially Western media, is that of hunger, deprivation and penury.

Why we might not be comfortable with such negative perception of our continent, but we have to acknowledge the fact that perception is stronger than reality. Until Africa lifts herself from the valley of downward spiral of squalor, lack and primitivism, and begin to project her endowment and wealth to the rest of the world, we will continue to be object of pity and symbol of poverty in the eyes of the rest of the world. And the only thing a needy attracts is aid cum denigration.

Paraphrasing Albert Einstein, a solution to a challenge cannot be generated by the same thought process that created it. Tony Elumelu, CFR, is championing a paradigm shift via entrepreneurship, by inculcating our youths into club of wealth creators. Africa can overcome its poverty by harnessing huge human resources in the region, as represented by the youths to create wealth for the continent. As an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, Elumelu has shown enormous interest not only in producing more wealth for himself but in training, mentoring and funding young entrepreneurs to enable them find their life’s trajectory and ensure shared prosperity. Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), in the last decade has done tremendously well to empower over 16,000 young entrepreneurs across 54 countries in Africa by training, mentoring and funding them with start-up capital of $5,000 each. It has literally given hope to the hopeless.

In 2015, the Foundation launched the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, a $100 million by Tony Elumelu to empower 10,000 African entrepreneurs over next 10 years. The unparalleled success of the Foundation in the last decade has attracted partnership of reputable foreign organisations like United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Red Cross, etc.

Governments of some African countries have copied the model of Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) and are using it to pull their people out of poverty. I have heard one of the leading presidential candidates in Nigeria’s 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, in his campaign speeches recommended entrepreneurial model of the Foundation as a tested and trusted system to groom entrepreneurs, create jobs and pull people out of poverty.

The million-dollar question is: what is the driving force propelling Tony Elumelu, CFR? The honest answer is: unequivocal passion for young entrepreneurs! extending the ladder of success for up-and-coming entrepreneurs to climb. It cannot be for personal gain because the former chief executive officer (CEO) of United Bank of Africa (UBA) has succeeded in every

Elu Elumelu lu ume mellu lu

ramification of life. He is the chairman of Heirs Holdings—an African proprietary investment company, with interests in power, oil, gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate and health care, culminating into impactful presence in 20 Africa countries with over 400,000 jobs created. At the age 34, he became the CEO of Standard Trust Bank and one of the youngest bank CEOs in Nigeria.

Today, Tony Elumelu is one of the Forbesrecognized richest people in Africa. He has created wealth to the extent of becoming an exemplar of success, but he does not want to stop there—he is mentoring young entrepreneurs on how to replicate similar success, or even bigger ones—not only in Africa but at global levels.

According to Elumelu, a continent of 1.2 billion people needs to have at least 10 million successful entrepreneurs to change the futune of Africa. He exemplifies the philosophy that development partners

should concentrate more in investing in the African young entrepreneurs than just handing out aids to the continent. It is akin to teaching a man how to fish instead of giving him fish when he is hungry. Tony Elumelu believes that Africa can redefine standard and recreate herself by turning full attention on developing the region’s potential in entrepreneurship via its youthful population. While we cannot wait on government alone to do it, government should create enabling environment for business ideas and entrepreneurial exploits to thrive, but the enduring wealth for Africa can only be produced and sustained by her future generation entrepreneurs.

Young Africans in their productive age are losing faith in the continent.

Acute joblessness, lack of opportunities and palpable sense of despon-

dency are factors strangulating our youths.

It has resulted to mass exodus of the youths to Europe, United States of America (USA), Canada, United Arab Emirates (UAE), etc., In 2022, Nigerian Immigration Services reported that 1.8 million Nigerians processed new passports. The Japa wave is growing stronger. Africa is losing her best brains to other continents in an unprecedented level of brain drain. Tony Elumelu is that sliver lining in the dark cloud. He is encouraging African young entrepreneurs not to give up on the continent—that all hope is not lost.

Apart from thousands of young entrepreneurs Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has helped to establish themselves, Elumelu is using social media effectively to share his stories on how he rose from pedestrian level to olympian height of success, just to encourage young entrepreneurs to believe in themselves.

To Tony Elumelu, CFR, having become one of the influencial entrepreneurs and shrewd investors in Africa, it is not enough to give back via philanthropy but to help raise new generation of successful entrepreneurs in Africa that will in turn empower others. It cascades to chain reaction which democratises wealth across the region.

While speaking to students at Columbia Business School in 2022, he espoused his philosophy further: “our success should not be calibrated or measured by the profit we make or the money we have in our bank accounts. More importantly, our success should be measured by the lives we are able to touch.” Elumelu has demonstrated organic passion for the youths, his burning desire to see young entrepreneurs replicate similar successes is contagious and unequalled.

He has never hidden the divine role played by destiny helpers in his on career voyage to greatness. While being interviewed

by The CNN’s Richard Quest, he stated it explicitly: “All of us are where we are today because at some point in our business development, entrepreneurship journey, we got opportunity; we got a helping hand; we got a platform to support us.” Elumelu’s humility and generosity stems from the belief that luck played a vital role in his rise to stardom. Despite his hard work and sacrifices, he has never played down the place of grace in his life. In one of his media outings, he asked a rhetorical question: am I blessed or am I lucky? Tony Elumelu is not only lucky, he is blessed. Only a truly blessed man will be this passionate about young entrepreneurs. A certified blessed man will not only show others the way but will take the pain to lead them through the path of greatness.

One of the sterling characteristics that sets Tony Elumelu world apart from other successful entrepreneurs when it comes to mentoring young people, is that he is always eager to share what some people might perceived as weaknesses cum limitations he overcame while climbing the mountain of success. He does it with such candour and humility. While encouraging ex-corp members who passed out recently, Tony Elumelu shared a very inspiring story on social media on how he applied for a banking job despite not having stipulated qualification.

“A few years later, after my Masters, I saw the application for graduates with a minimum of 2:1 in All States Trust Bank, this aligned with what I wanted for my life, but my 2:2 grade did not make me qualified, still, I applied, because I identified what I wanted in life and I was going to work towards it. I put in my application and said “Even though I do not meet these requirements if you give me that chance, I will prove myself”. I got this job and spent every day proving myself and earning my luck in the bank.”

One of the sterling characteristics that sets Tony Elumelu world apart from other successful entrepreneurs when it comes to mentoring young people, is that he is always eager to share what some people might perceived as weaknesses cum limitations he overcame while climbing the mountain of success.

He does it with such candour and humility. While encouraging ex-corp members who passed out recently, Tony Elumelu shared a very inspiring story on social media on how he applied for a banking job Chidiebere writes from Abuja via chiGHVSLWH QRW KDYLQJ VWLSXODWHG TXDOLÀFDWLRQ dieberenwobodo@yahoo.com

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TUC on Naira Scarcity “Nigerians have never been subjected to the nightmare of being unable to access their hard-earned money in the banks leading to business closures and inability to pay for food, transportation and medical bills amongst other necessities” –The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) lamenting about Naira scarcity.

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LAW MEFOR When a Nation Threw Ekweremadu Under a Bus GUEST COLUMNIST

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inally, the trial of the former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, and others over the alleged conspiracy to traffic an initially ‘15-year-old’ in London is underway. But while the trial goes on, the curious role played by Nigeria in the Senator’s matter should be a lesson that citizens must ponder. The tales of woe by Nigerians abroad are commonplace. But citizen abandonment is not even the case in Ekweremadu’s ordeal. His case is worse.

The emerging details of the key role of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Ekweremadu’s failed bail applications, as contained in the recent ruling by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, is a typical case of a nation throwing its citizen under the bus, which lessons should not be lost in the heat of the 2023 electioneering.

Ruling in the application brought by Lloyd Ekweremadu against the interim forfeiture order on 40 properties allegedly linked to his father, Justice Ekwo agreed that the UK authorities relied on an 18th July 2023 letter by the EFCC to convince the court that Ekweremadu was a flight risk and thereby deny him bail. He also affirmed that the ex-parte assets forfeiture application by the agency was brought in bad faith to help the UK authorities secure a continued detention of a Nigerian citizen. According to Ekwo, “The facts of this case present a heart-rending scenario and prompt me to say this- no Nigerian should be made to go through this kind of travail whether at home or abroad”.

But excerpts of the ruling will help the reader to appreciate his points better. Ekwo ruled: “It is not hard to reason that the essence of the application for interim forfeiture by the Respondent (EFCC) is to give credence to the letter of 18th July 2022 (Exh. SIE 2) to the Crown Prosecution Service and to give them the further reason for continued custody of Senator Ike Ekweremadu in the United Kingdom.

“In this case, the respondent (EFCC) wrote Exhibit SIE 2 (a letter) to the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom which letter was used as evidence to deny Senator Ike Ekweremadu bail in the criminal proceedings. At the same time, the respondent filed an ex-parte application for interim forfeiture, which upon the order being made thereon required Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife to show cause in Nigeria why an order for final forfeiture ought not to be made.

“I have been asking myself the question repeatedly: How can a citizen of Nigeria who is incarcerated outside the country to the knowledge of the respondent, be expected to show cause in an action in Nigeria brought by the respondent? In other words, how do you help tie down a man and initiate a fight and demand that the same man you helped tie down must defend himself?

“This, in my opinion, is an unconscionable act. The act of the respondent clearly shows that this action was brought in bad faith. In law, bad faith entails dishonesty of belief or purpose. I find that the application for forfeiture, going by the facts of this case has not been brought in good faith and ought to be struck out”

Ekweremadu He went on to say: “Another evidence of bad faith is that the Respondent (EFCC) represented in this case that it’s a matter of interim forfeiture order against the assets in various locations belonging to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Power Properties Limited, Ikeoha Foundation, and Beatrice N. Ekweremadu.

“However, developments after the court have given a different picture. I have noted that there are affidavits to show cause respectively from one Uni-Medical Health Care Limited and Anambra State Government claiming to be owners of some of the properties, which ownership has been attributed to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Power Properties Limited, Ikeoha Foundation, and his wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu. These respective Affidavits to show cause are indicative of bad faith on the part of the Respondent (EFCC)”.

Although the EFCC claimed that it only responded to an enquiry by the London Metropolitan Police, the anti-graft agency did not just write that they were investigating the lawmaker, it unequivocally indicted him and also said it would move to court against him immediately. But reasonable people have continued to wonder how an agency that could neither indict nor charge Ekweremadu to court after many years of investigation suddenly found it auspicious to do so while he is in custody overseas over an unrelated matter. By sending such a damning letter, proceeding with assets forfeiture at this material time as it promised London, and concealing material facts that negated the granting of its ex-parte application, the EFCC descended into the arena and breached all known principles of justice, especially the principle of fair hearing and full disclosure.

Clearly, the EFCC has internationalized a political disagreement that began with the 2015 election of Senator Bukola Saraki and Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy President of the Senate, respectively. We cannot forget in a hurry the alleged assassination attempt on Ekweremadu on his way to the National Assembly on 17th November 2015, the arraignment of both men

over trumped-up charges of forgery of Senate Standing Rules in June 2016, the invasion of Ekweremadu’s official guest house by men of the Inspector-General of Police’s special squad in 2017 purportedly in search of fictional stockpile of IPOB arms and ammunition, and the persecution and malicious assets forfeiture attempts against Ekweremadu by the Okoi Obono-Obla-led Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Properties of which he prevailed in court.

It is also worth pondering that Ekweremadu’s first encounter with the EFCC was on 24th July 2018 when operatives of the agency and other security agencies took over the entire Apo legislative quarters and laid siege to Ekweremadu’s residence without a prior invitation; and this happened exactly at the same time security agents also laid siege to Saraki’s residence in the failed attempt to hold them hostage and impeach them. The siege to the National Assembly in August 2018 and invasion of senate chambers by hoodlums who made way with the mace while Ekweremadu presided in April 2018 can’t easily be forgotten.

Here is a man whose daughter is critically ill and needing a kidney transplant. One David Nwamini Ukpo allegedly offered to assist. Yes, Senator Ekweremadu wrote a visa support letter to the UK High Commission, Abuja, in favour of Mr. Nwamini Ukpo where he made full disclosures about the young man’s trip, stating clearly the purpose of the trip. He even disclosed the London hospital involved. The young man travelled in February 2022 only for us to hear in May, at the point of departure to Nigeria, that he was a trafficked and enslaved minor. While we wait for the court to distil the truth from the eventual evidences of both the prosecution and defence before it, we will not stop wondering what man intending to break the law of another land writes to inform the government of his plan to break their law.

This is an era when very many Nigerians are trying to escape (japa) from the excruciating economic realities. During a recent Ministerial Briefing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that whereas 150 Nigerians renounced their citizenship between 2006 and 2021 (a period of 15 years), a screaming 150 denounced their citizenship in 2022 alone. Nigeria also issued an unprecedented 1,899,683 passport booklets in the same year. Common sense will therefore tell professional and unbiased law enforcement authorities that the temptation of a young Nigerian turning around to take advantage of those he had offered to help is high, especially after tasting life in the UK for nearly four months.

It was for such reasons that many Nigerians also expressed concern over Nigeria’s handling of the situation. They wonder how possible it was that the Nigerian Intelligence Service in the UK was oblivious of the arrest and detention of the Ekweremadus for the 24 hours before the breaking news. In a Thisday newspaper article of 6th August 2022, which he entitled “Ekweremadu: Imperatives of Diplomatic Intervention”, Sadiq Obanoyen listed several grounds why Nigeria should have taken a bold and proactive diplomatic step on the Ekweremadu matter, at least to secure him a bail.

One, he believed that the London Metropolitan Police disrespected Nigeria by discountenancing the

information on Nwamini’s international passport and heading to the media and courts with the “15-year old minor” tale without any iota of investigation. He frowned at the initial protracted adjournments in the trial of a Nigerian Senator and denial of bail on the ground that he was a flight risk. He wondered how Ekweremadu would flee the UK, abandoning his sick daughter, wife, and children.

He expressed concern over what many already saw as a grave assault on the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as it concerns bearers of diplomatic passports and wondered if the British Government could have accepted such treatment on a British MP or citizen. It is the standard practice in international relations for countries, including Britain, to go all out to secure relief and possibly freedom for their citizens, who found themselves in such difficult circumstances in foreign lands.

To buttress his point, he listed the frantic efforts by the Joe Biden administration to secure the release of the USA NBA star, Brittney Grinner, charged with smuggling narcotics into Russia. She had since returned to the U.S. He cited the case of Samantha Orobator, a British citizen arrested for heroin trafficking in Lao and for whose sake Britain entered into a prisoner swap treaty in the course of her trial. Obanoyen also cited the case of former UK army officer, Simon Mann involved in the plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea. He mentioned Mark, son of former Prime Minister, Margret, who was implicated. But Britain put up a serious diplomatic fight. On one occasion of the legislative interventions, Rt. Hon. Julian Lewis told UK Parliament that “Quiet diplomacy has failed and we now have to save Mr. Mann, whatever he has or has not done”. And Britain did save him, not minding that it was a case of treason against another sovereign.

Consequently, it is a big discredit that a nation like the UK that goes this far to secure freedom for her citizens would let a few unprofessional elements in her law enforcement service to take deliberate steps to benefit from an old local war on the institution of the legislature represented by Ekweremadu and Saraki just to deny a Nigerian citizen bail. It is a huge irony that a country that prides itself as a paragon of democracy, justice, and rule of law could allow Nigeria’s dirty politics to taint its otherwise brilliant examples. And going by the recent revelation by the former minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, it is most traumatizing that a country that pontificates on the sanctity of human life would rather have Sonia, a young lady that undergoes dialysis thrice a week, go through the rigors of trial than get an organ transplant from a deluge of donors, including residents of the UK, that want to save her life. Does the outcome of the trial supercede her right to life?

Back home, it must be stated that undue precedence being set in the Ekweremadu matter today can haunt anybody tomorrow. If this could happen to Ekweremadu, what then is our fate as ordinary citizens?

•Dr. Mefor, a Forensic/Social Psychologist, is a fellow of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.

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