SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2022

Lekan Balogun Installed 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Promises Not to Let Ibadan Down During His Reign Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan The new Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun Alliwo, Alli Okunmade II, who was installed as the 42nd monarch

on the revered tool yesterday at the historic Mapo Hall, has pledged not to let Ibadan down during his reign.

The monarch, who was presented with his staff of office

by Governor Seyi Makinde, amid singing and drumming at a wellattended ceremony, thanked the people of Ibadan for supporting him to ascend the throne after 36 years as the Mogaji of Ali Iwo.

Shortly before the presentation of the staff of office, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, who is the Osi Olubadan, led other high chiefs to pay homage to the new monarch.

They all took turns to prostrate before the king.

Also, Moshood Ayanyemi, Atookowagbowo led other Ibadan drummers to welcome the guests and well-wishers to

the occasion in a traditional way.

Vice President Osinbajo, who spoke on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, Continued on page 5

Finance Minister: FG Has Quietly Removed All Power Sector Subsidies… Page 14 Saturday 12 March, 2022 Vol 27. No 9832

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US to Partner Nigeria to Stop Gas Flaring By Conversion to Ammonia Nigeria’s energy transition agenda, in line with global direction received a boost on Thursday at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Texas, as the United States’ Government indicated

interest in a bi-lateral partnership that would see the conversion of the enormous gas resources currently being flared to ammonia.

Ammonia has the potential of being a huge revenue earner

for the country especially as the European Union, in pursuit of the net zero-emission programme, has unveiled its long-anticipated plans to make importers and non-EU manufacturers pay for the carbon

emissions associated with the goods and materials they sell in the EU, thus impacting on vessels powered by fossils fuels entering EU territory.

Since running such vessels

during that tax regime will not be economically viable, there is the need to redesign engines of such vessels; and attention is already being focused on ammonia as an alternative fuel source, to replace

heating oil and other fossil fuels.

The resort to ammonia is because it is not just cleaner, but a cheaper source of energy.

Continued on page 5

Buni May Return as APC Caretaker Chair, Emergency NEC Meeting Not Recognised With 21-day notice required, meeting to replace chairman before convention out of time Charles Ajunwa in Lagos, Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) escalated yesterday with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejecting a letter inviting it to the emergency National Executive Committee meeting of the party scheduled for March 17 in Abuja where Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s appointment as caretaker chairman and other vital changes in the party are scheduled for ratification.

INEC said the letter was not signed by the ousted National Chairman and National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and John Akpanudoedehe, respectively, thus, truncating the planned NEC meeting, and ultimately, a threat to the National Convention scheduled for March 26.

Continued on page 5

IBADAN AGOG FOR NEW OLUBADAN… Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (l) and the new Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun Alliwo (Alli Okunmade II), during his installation as the 42nd monarch of Ibadan at Mapo Hall…yesterday

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2022

PAGE FIVE BUNI MAY RETURN AS APC CARETAKER CHAIR, EMERGENCY NEC MEETING NOT RECOGNISED By implication, Sani Bello’s leadership of APC is not known to INEC. As a result, sources said some concerned stakeholders of the party reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered Buni’s removal, to forgive and allow him return as caretaker chairman, so that the March 26 National Convention date would be actualised, and save the party from ruin.

Another source told THISDAY that Buni would be heading to London tomorrow to meet with the President “and sort out all issues about his return as Chairman.”

With the 21-day notice required for NEC meeting, in which changes to the leadership of a party will be effected, the planned emergency NEC meeting of the Sani Bello team is effectively out of time. The National Convention would have taken place and new National Working Committee members in place.

Following the ouster of Buni, as the CECPC chairman last Tuesday and the appointment of Sani Bello, the Niger State Governor (upon resumption) transmitted a letter dated 8th March, 2022, informing INEC about the planned emergency NEC meeting.

Sani Bello introduced himself in the letter as acting Chairman while Professor Tahir Mamman was introduced as the acting Secretary of the party.

Bello and Professor Mamman were said to have signed the letter notifying the Commission about CECPC decision to hold the emergency NEC meeting and invited INEC to come and monitor it.

But the Commission, in a reply addressed to the “APC CECPC Chairman” dated March 9, 2022, drew the party’s attention to some lacuna in the invitation letter.

INEC said the letter of invitation did not carry the signature of Buni and Akpanudoedehe, whom by implication, the Commission is saying, remains the officers of the party known to it.

The INEC letter titled, “Re: Invitation to the Emergency Meeting of the National Executive Committee”, dated March 9, 2022, was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Omoa Oriaran-Anthony.

It reads: “Please refer to your letter Ref.APC/NHDQ/ INEC/019/022/32, dated 8th March 2022. The Commission draws your attention to the fact that the notice for the meeting was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC contrary to the provision of the Article 1.1.3 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Party Operations (2018).

“Furthermore, the APC is reminded of the provision in Section 82 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires ‘at least 21 days’ notice of any convention, congress, conference, or meeting convened for the purpose of ‘merger’ and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any elective office.

“While hoping these issues are noted for compliance, please accept the assurance of the Commission’s warm regards.”

By implication, the stipulated 21-day notice to INEC for the commission to monitor the

planned emergency NEC meeting had not been complied with.

For INEC to monitor the emergency NEC meeting, the APC letter notifying it ought to have been written earlier than March 8.

One of the stakeholders pushing for Buni’s return told THISDAY last night that “two weeks is not too much to give Buni, so that the mess he created can be cleared by him. This is our best option, otherwise, the party will crumble.”

He added: “There is no point keeping Sani Bello as caretaker Committee Chairman. It is obviously illegal and INEC has clearly stated this. We are hopeful about getting a positive result from the President.”

The source further confirmed that Buni, who is in Dubai on medicals, would return to Abuja tomorrow and most likely resume as caretaker chairman on Monday.

Sani Bello Denies Buni’s Letter Meanwhile, Governor Bello has denied knowledge of a letter purportedly written by Buni, asking him to take control of APC’s affairs, while he proceeds to Dubai for medicals.

The letter dated February 28, requesting a leave of absence, signed by Buni and addressed to Bello, copying the CECPC members and INEC, surfaced

last Thursday.

But while fielding questions from journalists after the APC’s CECPC meeting late on Thursday, the Niger governor denied knowledge of the letter.

“I haven’t seen it,” he said.

Sani Bello added that he had been in charge of the committee “for a while.”

Also yesterday, INEC denied receiving Buni’s letter, saying it would have responded if it was in receipt of any letter written to indicate that Buni actually handed over the leadership of the party to Bello.

INEC National Commissioner of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye said: "The Commission has formal ways of communicating with political parties. The Commission is a public trust and any political party or individual that is interested in any communication by the Commission or to the Commission can apply for a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the document.

"If the Commission is in receipt of such a document it will issue a CTC and will also respond if such a communication does not exist."

‘APC Not Going Back on National Convention’ Despite the threats from INEC, the APC National Youth Leader and acting spokesperson, Ismael Ahmed said yesterday that the

"It's very clear and very simple. If anybody has any issues with any of our decisions, you can take it to court. For now we're doing it with the full authority and backing of the law.

So, there is no ambiguity in this.

Absolutely none," Ahmed said.

PDP: APC Lacks Legitimacy to Participate in 2023 Elections The main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said the non-recognition of the activities of the APC

by INEC further confirms its position that the APC lacks the legitimacy and statutory requisites to participate in the 2023 general election.

The PDP stated that INEC’s decision further authenticates its stand that “the APC is a Special Purpose Vehicle in liquidation, preparatory to winding up; that cannot legally produce candidates for the elections.”

This was contained in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

The statement read, “This decision by INEC is, therefore, another unmistaken ‘red flag’ to intending aspirants on the platform of the APC in the 2023 general elections that the APC has become defunct and cannot validly, legally and constitutionally field candidates in the 2023 general elections.”

LEKAN BALOGUN INSTALLED 42ND OLUBADAN OF IBADANLAND, PROMISES NOT TO LET IBADAN DOWN DURING HIS REIGN congratulated the new monarch and the people of Ibadanland and said with the amiable credentials, experience and exposure of the new Olubadan, “there is no doubt about his ability to discharge his responsibilities in collaboration with other constituted authorities to make Oyo State and Nigeria at large better.”

Osinbajo, who traced the political history of the ancient city, extolled the virtues of Ibadan as a city of many firsts, disclosing that whoever is to ascend the throne of the Olubadan must climb 23 chieftaincy steps, a feat which makes the Olubadan succession plan unique in the whole of Yorubaland.

Makinde, in his speech, declared that the event was a victory for Ibadanland and a restoration of the dignity of its exemplary traditional chieftaincy system.

He congratulated the new Olubadan, whom he described as a man of many parts, expressing the confidence that Ibadan would

US TO PARTNER NIGERIA TO STOP GAS FLARING BY CONVERSION TO AMMONIA Invariably, it means there would no longer be an easy and attractive market for heating oil, one of the most highly sought-after products in the configuration of Nigeria’s refineries. The adoption of the Carbon Border Tax by the EU has the potential of hurting the Nigerian economy which is largely serviced with proceeds from its hydrocarbon potentials. This would compound the challenge already posed by the vigorous pursuit of the zero-emission plan by the developed countries, due to the reduced earnings from Nigeria’s refinery configured products such as heating oil (i.e. LPFO, HPFO).

The Paris Agreement and the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change seeks to limit the development of oil and gas projects in the pursuit of more environment friendly energy options - from fossil fuels to green and renewable energy – in the next two decades. This poses enough threat to the country’s major revenue stream, which is why sustaining current revenue drivers and considering other viable options became the major thrust of discussions by Nigeria at the conference.

The energy transition agenda therefore became the centre of focus for the Nigerian delegation, led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Silva and which included the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and the Board Secretary and Legal Adviser to the NUPRC, Barrister Olayemi Anyanechi. The team continued to drive conversations around energy transition in a multi-track approach at the various meetings held with top officials of the global energy circuit.

party would not change the date of its National Convention planned for March 26.

He said: "I'm not only a youth leader or internal spokesperson, I'm also a lawyer and we have served a notice to INEC for the 26th of February earlier. We served that notice on February 5 and that covered the required 21 days.”

Ahmed added that while Buni remained substantive Caretaker Chairman, Sani Bello was only acting.

He said: "Since the inception of this CECPC on June 25, 2020 whenever the chairman is not around and Governor Sani Bello is around, he acts on behalf of the acting Chairman. It has always been the case that has never changed. It has always been the case.

"And now the chairman wrote a letter and transmitted, for his leave to go for medical treatment.

These are two emergencies. He has a medical emergency that cannot wait for convention. We have a convention that cannot wait for him to be healthy. So, one has to leave for another.

The Chairman left, transmitted a letter, Governor Bello has been acting appropriately. What is the problem? Why is it difficult for people to simply understand that? " He stated that Bello was acting with the full authority of the caretaker committee, stakeholders, leaders of the party, and with the full consent of Buni.

It argued that instead of a complete abandonment of further development of hydro-carbon infrastructure and phasing out fossil fuel use within the stipulated period, a multi-track approach where gas would be adopted as transition energy source would be fair and just to be pursued, as that was more practicable and sustainable, particularly in respect of developing countries.

Silva explained that Nigeria already has a transition plan which is predicated on a multi-track approach to developing energy resources. One of those is a focused development of the country’s gas resources during which period a diversified economy would be built around technology and other energy sources. That, he stressed, would help a great deal in boosting the country’s revenue levels and sustaining its economy.

Discussions on the subject were taken from different perspectives, including zeroing-in on gas potentials and the implication of continued gas flaring and reinjection. The effect of flaring on the environment and health of the people of oil-bearing communities was specifically highlighted as the team explored concrete ways of ending the menace.

The point of convergence is the responsible monetization of Nigerian’s gas resources which the American counterparts were in agreement. The US team appreciated the multifaceted approach to curtail emissions proposed by the Nigerian government and made suggestions on innovative ways to develop stranded gas resources in a more responsible manner, some of which include the use of Blue Hydrogen which is obtained when natural gas is split into hydrogen and

CO2 either by Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) or Auto Thermal Reforming (ATR). However, the CO2 is captured and stored, which in return mitigates the harsh impact on the environment.

This the US team suggested would be a good way for Nigeria to utilize its abundant Natural gas resources of over 200 trillion cubic feet (TCF).

During one of the several meetings which involved the US Secretary of State for Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, and a second which involved Honourable Harry Kamian, Assistant Secretary of State for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources, the United States Government showed interest in collaborating with the Nigerian government to develop the country’s gas resources, recognising that Africa may indeed need to be given separate recognition, as long as development of natural gas hastens the net-zero emissions target of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the world at large.

Furthermore, the U.S. DOE promised to support Nigeria with development partners to put through the framework for the development of its gas resources Riding on the optimism of the meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State for Energy, the the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) team met with Brendan Kelly of the U.S. Department of Commerce and Puneet Sharma of CyanNH3 to discuss extensive methane abatement opportunities in Nigeria, in partnership with the United States government, especially in the area of conversion of gas to ammonia, for use either as fertiliser or for export.

The team highlighted the fact

that the proposed EU Carbon Border Tax would put severe financial pressure on the use of LPFO and HPFO by vessels and provide a renewed impetus for producers around the world to accelerate efforts to slash their carbon footprints, thus creating a massive opportunity for the use of ammonia as the fuel of choice.

In response, the US team promised to collaborate with the Nigerian government by funding a study to evaluate the viability of making Nigeria an Ammonia net export nation from the 218 flare sites which flare an average of 0.7 Billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas daily, with skid mounted innovative ammonia production equipment’s and other virtual pipeline development devices.

Moreover, the US Department of State and Department of Trade agreed to collaborate with Nigeria by working together with development partners to fund a study to mature these initiatives into full gas commercialization and convert the waste into a source of federation revenue generation, while eliminating the environmental degradation.

Finally, the successful take off of the project will not only open another massive revenue stream for the country but would tackle the challenges of environmental pollution and the resultant health challenges visited on the people of oil producing communities, as a result of gas flaring. In essence, the success of ongoing discussions with the U.S. government and proposed development partners will not only arrest environmental degradation and guarantee the health of the people, it also has the potential to generate much needed foreign exchange for the country.

grow in leaps and bounds under his reign while charging the Olubadan-in-Council to, as custodians of the cultures and ethos of Ibadanland, protect the sanctity of its chieftaincy system and not allow politicians interfere with it.

According to the governor, the Ibadan traditional system is a time-tested and long-lasting chieftaincy system that has remained a worthy example in chieftaincy succession across the globe.

He also urged the new Olubadan to remain steadfast as the gatekeeper of Ibadan traditional system, adding that if at any point an amendment becomes necessary to the traditional system, such should be self-proposed by the Olubadan-in-Council and not be left to the whims of politicians.

Makinde said: “I want to restate that even though we politicians will come and go, sometimes, to satisfy our political whims, we may make decisions that do not protect our traditional systems.

“This is why the custodians of our culture must always take a stand against us tinkering with age-old traditional systems.

“Our elders, the members of the various councils, the chiefs, our traditional fathers, they are the gatekeepers and they must remain steadfast in their roles.

Remember, no politician can destroy any system without the cooperation of some members of these systems.

“Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to ask that Kabiyesi and the Olubadan-in-Council work to ensure that the laws having to do with the ascension to the throne of Olubadan remain sacrosanct.

“The Olubadan-in-Council should remain self-regulated without any external interference from the political class.

“We rejoice with the sons and daughters of Ibadanland, both at home and in the diaspora. The massive crowd gathered here today, speaks to the importance of this occasion.”

The governor maintained that the new monarch has distinguished himself as an excellent professional and has

contributed and would continue to contribute to the development of Ibadanland and Oyo State at large, having served both in private and public service.

He added that he was assured that Oba Balogun was in a good position to defend the sanctity and tradition of Ibadan people and move Ibadanland forward.

The governor wished His Imperial Majesty, a long, peaceful and successful reign, praying that the land of Ibadan will experience unequalled development and tranquility during Kabiyesi’s reign.

Prominent Nigerians, especially sons and daughters of Ibadanland; politicians, captains of industries, and a flock of tourists and stakeholders - home and abroad, graced the occasion.

Aside Osinbajo, other dignitaries were former VicePresident Abubakar and governors of Ekiti, Ogun and Kano, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, respectively.

Among the traditional rulers in attendance were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad; Emir of Kano, His Eminence, Alhaji Ado Bayero and the Etsu Nupe, Dr. Yahaya Abubakar.

Major roads in Ibadan were closed while markets were shut in honour of Oba Balogun while the installation lasted.

Many associations, in different colorful outfits, were seen within and outside the Mapo Hall premises — venue of the event, dancing to the indigenous Yorùbá music of Ibadanland.

The 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland was ushered into the venue at exactly 11.50am, after which all the traditional chiefs, Mogajis, religious leaders, leaders of various associations in Ibadanland paid homage to Oba Balogun.

Oba Balogun, who is from Ali Iwo Family, became the Mogaji of his family in 1986 and the death of Oba Saliu Adetunji on January 2, 2022 paved the way for his emergence as the new Olubadan.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

NEWS

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

Court Remands BRT Driver Arrested for Bamise’s Murder, Another Victim Surfaces Bennett Oghifo and Wale Igbintade

A Yaba Magistrate Court yesterday remanded for 30 days the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver, Mr. Nice (Andrew) Omininikoron, who allegedly murdered a 22-year-old fashion designer, Bamise Ayanwola, just as another lady accused him of rape in a me-too scenario.

Magistrate O. A. Salawu

ruled that Omininikoron, 42, be kept in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services’ (NCoS) Ikoyi facility pending advice on the matter from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The court made the order following an application by the Officer in charge of the Legal Department at the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti,

Terrorists Kill 3, Kidnap 8 Others in Niger Community Demand N250m for the release of abductees Laleye Dipo in Minna

It was a bloody night in Sarkinpawa the headquarters of Munya Local Government Area of Niger State last Monday when armed gunmen went haywire killing three worshipers at the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in the town.

At least eight other members of the church were among the scores kidnapped by the gunmen.

THISDAY was told that the incident took place when the worshippers whose houses were around the church premises were all asleep when the gunmen struck in their numbers shooting sporadically.

According to the findings, in the confusion that also followed some of the worshipers and others abducted around the church area were kidnapped

and taken into hiding.

The intervention of Mobile policemen stationed at the police station not far away from the church however saved what would have been a bloodbath as the gunmen reportedly ran away with those abducted.

The gunmen THISDAY learnt have made a demand of N250m before those abducted will be released.

The remains of those killed have been interred in Sarkinpawa.

It was also gathered that there was pandemonium at Fuka in the Paikoro Local Government Area of the state on Friday when gunmen in their numbers invaded the community in broad daylight.

As at the time of filling the report, THISDAY cannot confirm if there was any casualty or number of those kidnapped.

Dangote Group Marks Int’l Women’s Day, Pledges Greater Investment in Women To commemorate the annual global International Women’s Day, Dangote Group, through the Dangote Women’s Network (DWN), on March 8 celebrated the various outstanding contributions of its female workforce while hosting all its members of staff across Africa to collectively mark the 2022 IWD celebration titled: ‘BreakTheBias’.

International Women’s Day, celebrated yearly on March 8 since 1911, has become a day set aside for companies to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, while speaking out against inequities including gender-based violence and workplace discrimination.

Speaking at the opening of the virtual event, President/CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, described ‘BreakTheBias’ as “the start for a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination; one that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.”

According to him, “#BreakTheBias is not a slogan but a continuous fight to eliminate gender discrimination, social, cultural, religious or other forms of deliberate or unconscious bias stereotypes that hinder women from fulfilling their potential.”

Dwelling on his personal experience, Dangote revealed, “I personally understand the value of women and the power of having them involved in all aspects of business, including

the boardroom. I have always been a champion of women’s empowerment. I am sure that it stems from being raised by a strong Mother, who taught me about business and philanthropy.

“I am also the father of three women, and grandfather to four girls. I have seen what they can do when given equal access to opportunities. My three daughters, Mariya, Halima and Fatima are all senior executives at the Dangote Group, and I can tell you they are critical to the success of our business. They have challenged, pushed, and made me a better leader. They are not alone in the Dangote Group. We have a strong bench of women leaders across the Group. Our focus is on skills, productivity, and ability to deliver on given assignments. I am confident that they will help drive the organisation through its next stage of growth.”

He disclosed that the company is working hard to completely eliminate any bias against women.

“Within the Dangote group, I am proud to say that women are taking up topmost responsibilities and are doing very well in contributing to the rapid growth and expansion of our conglomerate across Africa. I will continue to support women and depend on their tremendous potential to transform the organisation and societies in positive ways,” he said.

Mrs. Yetunde Cardoso.

The defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge of alleged murder, sexual assault, misconduct and interference with a corpse.

Oluwabamise, 22, was found dead last Monday on Carter Bridge, Lagos Island - nine days after she was declared missing after she boarded Nice’s BRT vehicle. The charge was read to the defendant but his plea was not taken by the court being a murder suspect.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mrs. Yetunde Cardoso, told the court that Omininikoron committed the offence at 8 p.m. on February 26, along Ajah-Oshodi Expressway, on a Lagos State BRT bus with code number 257.

The matter has been adjourned till April 11 for the DPP’s advice.

The four-count charge marked A/26/2022 accused

Omininikoron of murder, misconduct towards a corpse, sexual assault and interference with a corpse.

The charge reads: “That you Andrew Nice Omininikoron and others still at large on 26th day of February 2022 at about 2000hrs, along Ajah - Oshodi Expressway Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit: murder and misconduct to a corpse and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you Andrew Nice Omininikoron and others still at large, on the 26th day of February 2022 at about 2000hrs, along Ajah - Oshodi Express Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, whilst on duty as a BRT driver within the metropolis with BRT BUS CODE NUMBER 257 did, intentionally push one

Oluwabamise Ayanwole. F Aged 22yrs (Now Deceased) forcefully pushed her out of moving BRT Bus, abandoned and absconded the scene, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you Andrew Nice Omininikoron and others still at large, on the 26th day of February 2022 at about 2000hrs, along Ajah - Oshodi Expressway Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, whilst on duty as a BRT driver within the metropolis with BRT BUS CODE NUMBER 257 did, forcefully had sexual intercourse with Late Oluwabamise Ayanwole. ‘F’ Aged 22yrs (Now Deceased) and thereafter, pushed her out of the moving BRT Bus, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you Andrew Nice Omininikoron ‘M’ and others still at large, on the 26th day of February 2022 at about 2000hrs, along Ajah - Oshodi Expressway Lagos, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, whilst on duty as a BRT driver within the metropolis with BRT BUS CODE NUMBER 257 did, improperly or indecently interfere with the corpse of late Oluwabamise Ayanwole. ‘F’ by dumping the deceased along the express concrete pavement, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The late Bamise Ayanwola was declared missing on February 26 when she did not reach her destination after boarding the Lagos State BRT bus driven by Omininikoron, but nine days later, a search party found her corpse on Carter Bridge in Lagos Island.

STRATEGISING ON THEIR AMBITIONS… L-R: Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi with All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, when the governor visited Tinubu in Abuja...yesterday.

NDLEA Intercepts 3 Million Deadly Opioid Capsules at Lagos Terminal Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted three million capsules of opioids at Jaelith Bonded Container Terminal under Tincan Seaport in Apapa area of Lagos.

Opioids are known to be more dangerous and potent than tramadol, popularly abused in the country.

The seizure of the three million capsules of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol weighing 1,500 kilogrammes on Monday, according to the spokesman

of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, followed a similar operation in which anti-narcotic officers of the agency also intercepted 8,613 kilogrammes of Loud cannabis smuggled in from Ghana through the waterways at the Eko Atlantic Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos the previous day, Sunday 6th March.

He said the seized drugs at the bonded terminal were discovered during a joint examination of a 20ft container, SUDU 7774749 with men of Customs service.

Though the consignment was said to have originated from Ningbo Province in China and

falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of “insulating fittings, faucet water closet (WC), industrial office printing machine”, investigations revealed that information on the bill of lading and shipping documents were fake.

Babafemi said further investigations uncovered that the container originated from India and arrived in Nigeria Apapa port on 10th February 2022, with findings showing that the Tramadol found and labelled as Tafrodol 120mg is actually Tapentadol, which is more dangerous and potent

opioid than Tramadol.

It was also discovered that the container, SUDU 7774749 was consigned from India in Nhava Sheva port, then transloaded through Morocco and Ghana to Nigeria.

He said based on credible intelligence, operatives of the Lagos Command of the agency in the early hours of Sunday 6th March intercepted a consignment of Cannabis Sativa (Loud) weighing 8,613 kilogrammes smuggled from Ghana through the waterways to the Eko Atlantic Beach side, Victoria Island.

2023: Edevbie Unfolds Development Blueprint for Delta North Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

A leading aspirant in the 2023 Delta State gubernatorial race, Olorogun David Edevbie, has held consultations with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta North senatorial district with some of the party leaders saying that he has made deep impression with his development plans particularly for

the district if elected governor.

They concurred with Edevbie’s political camp and teeming admirers that he stood tall as the most competent to consolidate on the gains of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.

On his vision for effective and sustainable industrialisation of the area, Edevbie said that he will “breathe life into the Asaba and Kwale industrial parks, create a

new industrial hub in Ebedei, taking advantage of the 100 hectares of land donated by the people” and use his local and connections in that regard.

The two-time state Finance Commissioner said, “My aim is to spark a beehive of industrial activities in the four points of Delta North, that is Ndokwa, Ukwani, Ika and Aniocha/ Oshimili. I am very conversant

with the terrain and what is required to improve economic life in the area. Luckily, Delta North is peaceful and with the airport in Asaba, the plan is a quick win.

“I intend to take advantage of the huge natural gas deposits to establish a 500MW power plant to provide 24 hours electricity supply to support the industries, investors and local enterprises.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

NEWS

Clark, Adebanjo, Obiozor Flay Constitution Review, Insist on 2014 Confab Report Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF), has described the existing constitution and structure of Nigeria as grossly flawed, demanding the harmonisation and immediate implementation of the reports of the 2014 National Conference

and the 2018 APC Committee on True Federalism.

The Forum made this known in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting in Abuja under the Chairmanship of the leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.

The constituent organisations of the SMBLF were respectively led to the meeting by Chief

2023: Enugu G17 Declares Support for Ugwuanyi Over 600 Local Government, Zonal and Ward executives of G17 in Enugu State, yesterday, paid a solidarity visit to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, declaring their unalloyed support and loyalty to the governor ahead of 2023 general elections.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of G17, Hon. Sunday Ajogwu, commended Governor Ugwuanyi for his administration’s developmental strides in Enugu State as well as its remarkable achievements in the rural areas stating that the governor is “the master of rural roads”.

Hon. Ajogwu, who described Ugwuanyi as a peaceful man and the Grand Patron of G17, disclosed that

“the greatest achievement of this government is the peace we enjoy today in Enugu State,” adding that “we do not take that for granted.”

His words: “It is if you have security on the road that you can move around. If you don’t have security, you cannot move around.

Thank you Your Excellency for providing peace and security in Enugu State. All the things you are doing in Enugu State we cannot start mentioning them one by one here.

“But if you ply through Agbani Road, you will see the hand of the governor there. Anybody who plied Nike Lake Road will see the massive flyover bridge project going on there.

Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere (South West); Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President of the Middle Belt Forum (Middle Belt); Professor George Obiozor, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, represented by the Secretary-General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay (South East); and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, National Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF (South South).

At the meeting, the Forum

said the 2014 confab report “is better than the current cosmetic Constitutional Amendment, which is a drain on the resources of the country and does not address fundamental issues including fiscal federalism.”

It therefore insisted on the fundamental restructuring of the country, to reflect true federalism, and enthrone equity, fairness and justice, before the 2023 general elections.

SMBLF also resolved that

the legislations of the National Assembly granting local governments autonomy are superfluous and exercise in futility, because local government affairs are state matters and that the listing of local governments in the Constitution is inconsistent with the principle of federalism.

The Forum insisted that State Police is a sine qua non in a Federal System of Government, noting that there is no government, properly so-called, that is without

the instrument and capacity to enforce its laws and maintain security within its Territorial Jurisdiction.

SMBLF therefore urged every state to have its own police to complement the federal police.

It demanded, in national interest, the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu and a stop to any further persecution of Sunday Igboho, who is currently on a conditional release in Benin Republic.

EDUCATION ON THEIR MINDS. . .

L-R: Prof. Robert Ikomi of Denis Osadebe University, Asaba; Prof. Emmanuel Nwanze of the University of Delta, Agbor; Delta Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; and Chief Godson Echiejile, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, shortly after the inauguration of the Pro-Chancellors and Chairmen of the Governing Councils of the three newly established universities in Delta State held at Government House, Asaba ...yesterday.

Late Kwara PDP Spokesman, Ashaolu Laid to Rest in Odo-Owa Ekweremadu Declares for Governorship, Insists No Zoning in Enugu State Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Amidst tears and wailing, the remains of late spokesman of the Kwara State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), late Babatunde Dare Ashaolu, was laid to rest yesterday at his home town, Odo-Owa in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.

He was laid to rest at Chief S. J. Ashaolu compound along Erinmope Road, Odo-Owa. Late Ashaolu died two weeks ago 24 hours after celebrating his 47th birthday in Abuja.

Prior to his burial, a candle light and special service was organised for him in Ilorin by members of the family and PDP in the state.

In his sermon, the Archdeacon, Odo-Owa Archdeaconry, Rev. Mathew Adeoti, admonished the certainty of death, urging

Gideon Arinze in Enugu the people to serve God more, live for others and do good to humanity.

He advised the government at all levels to be conscious that there is suffering and hunger in land, calling on them to do everything possible to fulfill their campaign promises as the people are hungry and education only seems to be available for the rich and well-to-do.

He lauded the family, the PDP family, under the leadership of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, his friends at home and in the diaspora and everyone who contributed towards giving him a befitting burial rite.

Rev. Adeoti prayed to God to give the deceased eternal rest.

Some members of the PDP and well wishers that attended the burial of the deceased described him as a quiet and humble person.

Northern Group Begs Emefiele to Join 2023 Presidential Race Francis Sardauna in Katsina As the battle for who will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 gather momentum, the Unified Northern Youths Forum, has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emefiele, to throw his heart in the ring and join the presidential race.

The group at a rally organised in Katsina, the home-state of President Muhammadu Buhari, said the essence of their gathering and street procession was to call on the serving CBN boss to vie for the number one seat in Nigeria.

The North-west Coordinator

of the Forum, Ibrahim Bature, who addressed journalists shortly after the street procession, vowed that the forum would purchase a nomination form for the CBN governor to contest the presidential election.

He explained that the fiscal and monetary policies of Emefiele as CBN governor had helped to massively reduce poverty that was hitherto endemic in the Northern region of the country.

According to him, “The essence of this rally today is to show our solidarity and to call on Mr. Godwin Emefiele to declare his intention to contest for president come 2023 considering his good policies as CBN governor.

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday declared his intention to run for the governorship election in Enugu State, insisting that there is no such thing as zoning in the political landscape of Enugu State.

Ahead of the 2023 governorship elections in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he belongs, has been at loggerheads over the question of zoning of the ticket with senator representing Enugu East, Chimaroke Nnamani

reported to be rallying key leaders of the party to zone the ticket to Enugu East.

Nnamani, who was governor between 1999 to 2007, insisted that the demand for the zoning of the ticket to Enugu East was based on a subsisting rotational zoning arrangement put in place in 1999.

The former governor who represents Enugu East at the Senate has severally been quoted as saying that since the three senatorial districts had taken turns to produce the governor, the ticket ought to return to his constituency in

2023 for a fresh rotation start.

While declaring his intention to contest in the governorship election, yesterday, Ekweremadu who represents Enugu West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, said that there was never any discussion concerning zoning of the governorship ticket in the state.

“Whoever said that there is anything such as zoning Enugu State should come out and say where the discussion was held,” he said.

He noted that contrary to reports, Chimaroke himself

was not a product of zoning when he came into power in 1999, adding that it is treachery of politics for anybody to talk about zoning now that he is coming out with the intention to lead the people of Enugu State.

He maintained that rather than focus on zoning, it should be a question of who will do the job better, a question of capacity.

“I don’t want to be a zonal governor but the governor of Enugu State,” he said. “Whoever is talking about zoning has interest and candidates that they want to put in power.”

Anglican Bishop Sacks Priest, Says He’s Lavishing Church Funds on Women David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Bishop on the Niger, Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, has sacked a priest of the diocese, Rev. Canon Sylvester LumenKristi Eboh over acts of insubordination.

Eboh had earlier this week cried out over his life, saying that some forces in the church were after his life, and had also taken away his wife from him.

He also said he had resigned as a priest in the diocese, and would henceforth concentrate on running his private ministry, God in Action Adoration Ministry, Ogidi.

But the Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Nwokolo who briefed journalists in Awka yesterday through the Deputy Chancellor Diocese on the Niger, Barr. Ben Uzuegbu (SAN) said the priest never resigned, but has been

sacked.

Uzuegbu said: “There have been series of complaints against the priest for a very long time, and all attempts by the Bishop to bring him to answer to allegations against him have been ignored.

“This is a priest who went out of the church’s way to register a separate religious group, without the knowledge of the church.

“The Bishop is the father of all priests in the diocese, and despite all the complaints against this priest, attempts to bring him before the Bishop has been rebuffed.

“We should not have come to the media with this, but since he has already brought the matter before the media, we feel we should call you all to tell you the true story.

Ihejirika, Other Ex-Servicemen Team Up With Emenike to Rescue Abia Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd) has joined forces with the leader of the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ikechi Emenike in the struggle to liberate the state from bad governance.

Ihejirika, who led other ex-servicemen, mostly retired generals sounded the battle cry

at his country home in Ovim in Isuikwuato Local Government Area when he received the state leadership of APC and stakeholders.

Some of the ex-servicemen present at the event include Maj. Gen. Ogbonnaya Okoro, Major Gen. Jackson Okechukwu Nwogbo, Maj. Gen. Chukwunedum Martins Abraham and Navy Commander Ochy Igbokwe.

Gen. Ihejirika said the

decadence in Abia “is giving us sleepless nights” hence the decision of the retired generals to align with the authentic APC leadership in Abia to salvage the situation.

“We are ashamed at the way things have been going down in Abia over the years,” he lamented, adding that the ex-servicemen would no longer sit on the fence in their comfort zones and allow Abia to stagnate in the hands

of bad leaders.

“We have embarked on a victorious journey towards 2023,” Ihejirika assured APC leadership and party faithful.

But he charged them not to go home and sleep but instead intensify their efforts in mobilising Abians of voting age to register and get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) with which they would get rid of those that have been holding Abia down all these years.

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MARCH 12, 2022 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN

Ikenna Emewu argues that we should be careful not to contradict the constitution that provides for equality to all men and women

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t is just proper at this time of heated arguments to draw attention to what has been my concern over the rejection of the bill to allocate a certain quota of National Assembly (NASS), all legislatures, and political positions or appointments to our women in the ongoing constitution amendment.

That little concern is that we are discussing a constitution that has an express provision against inequality or bias against any citizen on grounds of sex, race or ethnic identity, or faith inclination.

This little concern of mine is that any amendment that makes provisions for special rights for women or men has invariably contradicted the same constitution that provides for equality until we first amend that clause on equality.

Section 15[2] and Section 42[1][a] and [b], [2] and [3] of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, prohibit and say a vehement ‘nay’ to discrimination on the basis of sex and ensure that men and women have equal rights. These rights and provisions are quite large and expressly encompassing.

So long as those clauses in our constitution remain intact, I doubt the efficacy of any infusion of special rights to a particular gender in the same document. It would be a serious contradiction in the same document.

And to amend those provisions on equality and non-biases of the constitution would have ripple effects as the interpretation would be stretched to any limit, far beyond just some exclusive rights based on gender. That would also introduce inequality and special favours in so many directions - political power rights, ethnic rights, economic rights, etc.

We also have other applicable laws in Nigeria such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that have grown since 1948 to a universal standard rule and also the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), already domesticated into municipal application all decreeing non-bias on reasons of sex and total equality of the sexes. Article 2 of the UHR is particularly against biases on sex or other considerations, just like Article 13 (1)(2)(3) of the ACHPR. Regardless, there are areas such as the appointment of women based on the state of marriage that need to be looked into, no doubt. It has so many times ridiculed many states canvassing that a woman married in their state from another state won’t be appointed to a particular office.

One of the downsides of that blind fixation is that it overlooks the basic truth that a woman from state A married in state B has children who are native to her state of marriage and whatever she earns in an appointment is what she would invest in raising her children to the benefit of her state of marriage.

For instance, she is dropped and a woman native to State A but married in State P is preferred; simply put, her earnings from her appointment in her state of origin would be invested in raising her children who are from her state of marriage. So who gains from this blind rule? A woman’s state or local government area (LGA) of marriage should be fully hers unless she willingly opts out.

As per marriage to a Nigerian woman by a foreign husband and

TODAY IN NIGERIA IN NON-ELECTIVE POSITIONS SUCH AS THE PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE AREAS, THERE ARE PLACES THAT WOMEN NOW DOMINATE. FOR INSTANCE, I AM PERSUADED THAT IN SOME STATES, THERE ARE MORE WOMEN JUDGES THAN MEN

conferring citizenship on the husband, that should be the choice of the husband to drop his existing citizenship, especially as Nigeria does accept only qualified dual citizenship on certain grounds. And it would not work if the conditions don’t fall within the acceptable range.

Even a Russian or Canadian, Eritrean, or Swiss woman married to a Nigerian also exercises the right to choose Nigerian citizenship that would deny her of her existing citizenship, or not.

In the political parties, for instance, I am sure they are entrenched privileges to female candidates aspiring to elective positions.

Most of the parties exclude them from paying to obtain forms for expression of interest which the male counterparts pay.

But to elevate such privileges to constitutional rights introduces a different thing that would have unfathomable effects and rewrite a lot of balances into imbalances.

Let’s assume women in the next 20 years, by merit, exceed that number stipulated in the constitution, in the intended amendments, would it be fair to say that the “excess” number of women be dropped or stopped from contesting in order not to breach the provision of our constitution, having exceeded the constitutional provisions? Won’t that cause another problem?

I could not see if the Beijing Declaration of 1995 on affirmative action for women was adopted as a Convention of the UN and ratified by state parties. But I, however, saw that the 189 state parties of the UN adopted the agreement, which is good, but technically has some inherent disabilities in adoption or domestication at the municipal application, since it is just an agreement that does not carry the force of law and not declaratory of international law.

Yet, without the Beijing document, there are many conventions and local laws that provide for the equality of the sexes to rights and privileges without necessarily having them as special and exclusive rights of the women in the constitution of Nigeria.

Our problem has been the application or implementation and not the want of laws that guarantee equality of the sexes.

Today in Nigeria in non-elective positions such as the professional and public service areas, there are places that women now dominate.

For instance, I am persuaded that in some states, there are more women judges than men. From the days of Governor Bola Tinubu in Lagos, I have a feeling Lagos has had more female high court judges and chief magistrates than men. Last year December, Lagos appointed nine female high court judges and five male counterparts.

Coincidentally, there are two judges from my very little community of origin. Guess what? Both are women - one at the Court of Appeal and the other at the National Industrial Court (NIC) That is on merit, and we love it and celebrate them to the heavens.

It’s possible women will exceed the number and percentage we aim at today in political positions as the days roll.

But in other areas where women are statutorily unfavoured, there should be a change for balance and equity. The sense of natural justice and fairness support that totally.

Emewu, journalist, wrote from Afri-China Media Centre, Lagos

N5000 AS DIRECT DIVIDEND OF DEMOCRACY The monthly national cash transfer is making lots of difference in the lives of the poor, writes Danliti Goga

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he issue of the value of a monthly N5,000 in the lives of the poorest of the poor has now become the bone of contention thrown up in yet another bid to trivialize the first-time establishment of a federal ministry dedicated to humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, which captures the hitherto neglected aspects of governance most relevant to the plight of the commoners. But, who feels it, knows it.

So, while the perpetually-impoverished beneficiaries of the N5,000 monthly national cash transfer scheme break into emotional fits of excitement and gratitude in appreciating the manna-from-heaven government gesture, criticism has been spewing from estranged elite busybodies who, obviously influenced by dollar-denominated standards of living, wonder how monthly “5K” can ameliorate poverty.

It will take much more than elitist mindsets to devalue the overall life-changing impact of bringing the federal government’s N5,000 monthly national cash transfer scheme into the hand-tomouth existence of the poorest of the poor, many of whom, it must be emphasized, have had minimal, if any, beneficial experience of direct government support. Nigerian commoners were pitiful portrayals of the descent of the masses to the perilous pit of elite-driven (mis)governance, where the defining depiction of democracy became “man’s inhumanity to man”, negating the definitive doctrine of “for the people, by the people”, that made democracy the ideal governance system across the world.

Now that international development partners and good governance institutions have been endorsing the intrinsic necessity and effectiveness of the prudent management and transparent implementation strategies adopted by the supervising minister, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk for the N5,000 monthly national cash transfer scheme, the swelling

population of very poor and vulnerable citizens experiencing the enriching reality of hitherto elusive dividends of democracy render elitist criticism mischievous and irrelevant.

As usual, Sadiya Umar Farouk remained calm and collected as she responded to echoes of the N5,000 cash transfer value question at the weekly ministerial media briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja recently. She said the government had confirmed through direct contact with the beneficiaries that the money has helped the poor and vulnerable to escape from their dire situation, some even making savings.

“If you look at the people that you are taking this intervention to, N5,000 means a lot to them, because these are poor and vulnerable households, and it changes their status; but for you and me, N5,000 is not even enough for us to buy recharge card; that’s the difference. We’ve had cause to go to the field and seen these people crying and shedding tears, because they’ve never seen N5,000 in their lives. So, it goes a long way, it changes their status,” Hajia Sadiya Farouk remarked, dismissing insinuations that the N5,000 monthly national conditional cash transfer to some poor and vulnerable people was insufficient to lift Nigerians out of poverty as “elitist assertions”.

She backed up her declaration with a comprehensive briefing that enumerated various dimensions of implementation of the cash transfer scheme accompanied by updated data and illustrations that also covered other aspects of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and special interventions by the ministry in response to emerging crises situations adversely affecting the lives of the poor and vulnerable populations such as the insecurity and insurgency outbreaks in the country.

In fact the cash transfer scheme is not a

flash-in-the-pan political gimmick but one of the meticulously conceived social inclusion strategies of the Buhari Administration aimed at addressing key social concerns in the country and responding to deficiencies in capacity and lack of investment in human capital, especially amongst our poorest citizens. The programme which commenced in September, 2016 is a component of National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP) supported by the World Bank, to provide financial support to targeted poor and vulnerable Nigerian households. It also has an all-inclusive process featuring State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU) that manages and coordinates the targeted cash transfer and livelihood intervention in states while each local government area has a cash transfer team to implement activities at the community level.

The implementation of the national cash transfer scheme entailed the development of the National Social Register which captures the poor and vulnerable citizens across the country from where beneficiaries are drawn. As at the end of January 2022, the Register had captured over 46 million individuals and also provides a ready reference for related data indicating that currently 1,632,480 households are benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme while 320,000 one off grant of N20,000 was disbursed under the Grant for Rural Women. The Register identifies 109,648 communities in the country and 818, 107 Persons Living with Disability.

Under the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Ministry, a Rapid Response Register (RRR) was designed using satellite imagery and Big Data to target urban poor communities and enumerate the poor and vulnerable in those localities. It currently holds information of 5 million urban poor and vulnerable Nigerians across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT and is the first of its kind

in sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigeria’s first shock response social protection framework, that can be activated promptly in times of crises to reach the affected population with help. The ministry designed the COVID-19 Cash Transfer to reach a million people with N5,000 per beneficiary per month for a period of six months, under this Plan.

Considering the waves of insecurity affecting virtually all sections of the country and the sad fact that the main targets and victims are to be found among the rural poor and vulnerable citizens, the ministry’s humanitarian and disaster management portfolios have been pre-occupied with meeting the needs of numerous displaced Nigerians in different parts of the country and in neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad as refugees.

As a young pioneer ministry, it has been developing policies and plans to address emerging situations with effective response to alleviate the condition of the victims of these crises among which the National Social Protection Policy and Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy are on-going. The National Policies on Ageing, Migration, Disability and Internally Displaced Persons are at advanced stages of formulation.

At the end of the briefing it was obvious that the history of neglect and stagnation in which the nation’s majority population of poor and vulnerable existed is gone for good as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development had vigorously and efficiently laid a formidable foundation of policies and programmes for sustainable provision of essential services for delivering succour in times of natural and human crises. The emotional attachment of the masses to the monthly minted promise of the national cash transfer scheme is a “sure banker” devaluation of elitist assertions to the contrary.

Goga writes from Kano

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INSIGHT

Increasingly problematic...

Nollywood and Money Rituals

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t is particularly painful to witness the level of decadence among Nigeria`s young people. This becomes even more painful when it is considered that the cherished hopes of the Giant of Africa lie on the shoulders of this demographic which by reason of age, intellect and innovation, is primed to live to see another day.

Today in Nigeria, it has become too comfortable and even too convenient to say that children, and by extension young people, are the leaders of tomorrow. In fact, many of those who were consoled or hoodwinked, depending on one`s experience, by this ruse many years ago, have since moved from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Today, they are poised to sign the eternal checkout, and puzzlingly little has changed.

Instead, in Nigeria today, the reality that bites with countless teeth is that children and young people find themselves between a rock and hard ground even before they properly come of age to make sense of the formidable challenge that being from Nigeria and living in Nigeria is.

What is prevalent is that while the stranglehold of sexagenarians and septuagenarians continues to appropriate the levers of power, those who by reason of youth can perhaps offer a breath of fresh air are left lurching about in no man`s land. Those who cite inexperience or exuberance to justify their being left out in the cold cannot in their own defence show that they have been exuding the wisdom that age brings.

As the desperation and despair that have practically become part of being young in Nigeria continue to bite, moral decadence has continued to gain ground sweeping young people into the eagerly waiting arms of all manner of vices considered incurably despicable from the standpoint of every African value. Surely, one of these vices is money rituals.

With the pseudo-Latin song ‘dorime’ amply available as theme, and the energetic but ultimately empty exertions of some Nigerian music artistes, money ritual has come to be gleefully accepted and promoted by many of Nigeria`s young people as the highway to riches. Their aspirations to a better life which they glean mostly from the lives of these artistes many of whom are just exhibitions of fakery find ample expression in the glee with which money rituals are embraced and glorified.

Because these rituals promise quick, cool cash, all that glitters is suddenly mistaken for gold. However, cautionary tales abound along the way about the dangers posed to young people and the dilemma Nigeria is daily

plunged into by this most alluring of dangers.

In a bid to check the rising allure of money rituals, the Nigerian government recently directed Nollywood, Nigeria`s movie industry, to preclude money rituals and smoking from its contents.

Announcing the ban, Mr. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture said that he has directed the National Film and Video Censors Board, the body set up to regulate the film and video industry in Nigeria, to take the issue into consideration while performing its role of censoring and classifying films and videos.

To bolster his position and justify his directive, the minister cited how recently apprehended money rituals suspects blamed social media and Nollywood for influencing their decision to engage in ritual killing.

Nollywood has since queried why it should be made a scapegoat when all it does is to mirror what is happening in the society. It is a question that is set to rage for a while but it would reward handsomely to properly keep the finger pointing where they should be pointed as Nigeria confronts a number of devastating moral crises that permeate practically every aspect of the Nigerian society.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

Ending Witch Hunts in Africa

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ttacks and killings linked to witchcraft beliefs persist in Africa. In Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, alleged witches are subjected to horrific abuses.

Unfortunately very little is being done to stop this violent campaign. In fact the world seems not to care about it. This tragic situation is due to a fundamental misrepresentation of African witch hunts by western anthropologists and their African counterparts.

Since Evans-Pritchard 1902-1973, African witch hunts have been mischaracterized. Western anthropologists have presented African witch hunts as other than witch hunts in Europe. They have made conscious efforts to otherize African witchcraft, belittle it and use African witchcraft tales as forms of entertainment for western audiences.

As a German friend noted some years ago, for Europeans, witchcraft is superstition but for Africans, it is not. This assumption is a categorical mistake, a misconception that persists.

Western scholars arbitrarily made witchcraft a gatekeeping concept, that is, a frame to study and understand African societies. And no scholar dares deviate from this line of scholarship, explanation, and academic legitimation. There is a conflation of African traditional religion, African traditional medicine with witchcraft. Meanwhile, there isn’t such conflation in Christian and Islamic traditions that also contain teachings on witchcraft and treatment of alleged witches. And this conflation has served the interest of these cultural outsiders for too long. It has become standard practice. The time has come for this conflation, which constitutes the basis of authority and scholarship in witchcraft and African studies, to be discarded.

Based on this mistaken and racist representation, western institutions have been reluctant to come out firmly against witch-hunting in Africa. Many in western societies think that witchcraft means something different for Africans. But it does not. Witchcraft is a form of superstition for both Europeans and Africans.

In response, some African scholars romanticize the phenomenon of witchcraft, designating witchcraft as an encapsulation of African philosophy, ethics, T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE and logic. They have forgotten that witchcraft DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU beliefs and witch-hunting exist in other cultures and MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO societies. And if witchcraft is not identified as part of DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU European or Indian philosophies because witchcraft CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN narratives exist in these societies, why should it be MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI different in the case of Africa?

THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE Thus witch hunt, which westerners identify with a darker and less civilized stage in their history is used to make sense of African modernity, rationality, post-coloniality, and contemporarity. This T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D misrepresentation has yielded a situation whereby EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA witch hunts continue to ravage the region. Now GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, some people have wondered if there is an end ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI in sight for witch-hunting in Africa. Yes, there is DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI an end in sight but the world must abandon the SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH misrepresentation, exoticization, and romanticization ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI of African witchcraft. Global and regional institutions CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI need to treat African witch hunts as a wild and dark DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO phenomenon, not as a domesticated, socially useful, TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com and stabilizing mechanism.

Leo Igwe, nskepticleo@yahoo.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

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NEWS

Jonathan’s Kinsmen Drum Support for Diri’s Second Term Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan have drummed support for the reelection of the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, citing the governor’s giant strides in the state.

They also presented a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, to the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) saying he is their best choice for the 2023 National Assembly election for Ogbia Federal Constituency.

Hundreds of the kinsmen led by a former Commissioner for Chieftaincy AͿairs, Chief Saviour Ibegi, presented Iworiso-Markson to the Bayelsa State Working Committee (SWC) of the PDP at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa on Thursday.

They described the zoning arrangement in Ogbia as sacrosanct, noting that since it was the turn of Constituency 1 to produce the next federal lawmaker, Iworiso-Markson remained the most capable person and most popular to win election for the party.

Ibegi said though he nursed an ambition for the position, he decided to concede to Iworiso-Markson because of

his connections and capacity to oͿer a better representation.

He recalled that as a Commissioner for Information, Iworiso-Markson performed excellently and impacted positively on many people especially those from Ogbia.

Ibegi insisted that IworisoMarkson possessed the stable character required to form a formidable team for the reelection of Governor Diri.

Rivers Donates 14 Gunboats to Military to Tackle Sea Piracy, Illegal Bunkering Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Government has donated 14 gunboats to the Nigerian Navy, Army, Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to tackle sea piracy, illegal bunkering and artisanal reÀning activities in the state.

Presenting the boats to the military yesterday, at the NNS PathÀnder, Naval Base, Rumuolumeni in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, Governor Nyesom Wike lamented that the Nigeria’s economy will remain vulnerable and weak if illegal bunkering and artisanal reÀning of crude oil continue unabated.

He said the seeming frustration in the Àght against illegal reÀning of crude oil is caused by security personnel who are deeply involved in the illegal activity or providing cover for the criminals.

According to Wike, “Most of the problem we have with illegal oil bunkering is that security agencies are fully involved in this illegal oil bunkering.

That’s the truth. Civil defence is involved. Army is involved.

Police are involved. The Navy is involved. Let us tell ourselves the simple truth.”

He explained that the oil and gas sector is the mainstay of the nation’s economy and Nigerians owe it as a duty to ensure that the country’s economy is salvaged.

Court Sends Evans’ Co-defendant to 5 Years Imprisonment Over Sales of Firearms Wale Igbintade

HONOUR WELL DESERVED… L-R: Titi Fagbote, Bukola Akinyan, Yetunde Emiola, Hon. Funmi Efuwape (Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development), Chief Adebisi Olaotan (Yeye Mesho of Ajilete Land), Bolanle Adegbemi, Modupeola Arike, Adesola Okunseinde and Khadijat Kazeem, at the first year coronation anniversary of Oba Kazeem Aderibigbe Amosu IV, The Alale of Ajilete Land and conferment of chieftaincy titles on deserving individuals in Ajilete Land, Ogun State...recently

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja yesterday convicted and sentenced Udeme Upong standing trial alongside convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, to Àve years imprisonment.

Justice Taiwo handed down the verdict after Upong changed his plea to guilty.

The convict, Evans, Joseph Ikenna Emeka, and Chiemeka Arinze were arraigned before the court on a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of Àrearms by the state government on October 23, 2017.

They were alleged to have attempted to kidnap the Chairman of the Young Shall Grow Motors, Vincent Obianodo.

It would be recalled that another judge of the court, Justices Hakeem Oshodi had on February 25, 2022, convicted and sentenced Evans and two others, Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment.

In that case, which Upong was not a defendant, Evans and his co-convicts were jailed by Justice Oshodi on a two-count charge of kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu.

The case before Justice Taiwo is one of the four other cases Evans is standing trial for.

Igbo Apprenticeship Model Most Popular FG Contributes N500m for Basic Way to Build Wealth, Says Osinbajo Healthcare Provision in Nasarawa David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described the Igbo apprenticeship model as a good way of building wealth among people.

Osinbajo spoke virtually from Abuja to participants of a national summit in Awka, convened to understudy the model, which is said to have produced several millionaires.

Speaking on the model which is popularly known as ‘Igba boi’ in Igbo language, Osinbajo harped on the need to encourage the scheme to ensure continuation.

“The Igbo apprenticeship scheme ‘Igba boi’ has become the most popular indigenous Nigerian economic institution, globally recognised as the world’s largest business incubator.

“The scheme has the full

potential to do for the Nigerian economy what similar apprenticeship schemes have done in many parts of the world especially in Germany and India.

“I commend the organisers of the event, and I’m hopeful that the summit will improve the growth and possibilities for the Igbo apprenticeship scheme.”

While speaking on the theme: ‘Repositioning The Igbo Appren-

ticeship Scheme For Sustainable Economic Development’, the Keynote speaker and Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo recommended that the scheme should be institutionalised.

Okonkwo attributed his success in life to Igbo apprenticeship scheme which he said he engaged in during the early days of his life at Onitsha Main Market, Onitsha, Anambra State.

Finance Minister: FG Has Quietly Removed All Power Sector Subsidies Says it was done overtime by carefully adjusting the prices at some levels Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The federal government disclosed yesterday that it had quietly removed all subsidies in the power sector, even as it plans to gradually stop similar subsidies on petrol.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who made the disclosure during the 2nd day of a virtual meeting of African Ànance ministers and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said: “We are cleaning up our subsidies. We had a setback, we were to remove fuel subsidy by July this year

but there was a lot of push back from the polity. We have elections coming and also because of the hardship that companies and citizens went through during the COVID-19 pandemic, we just felt that the time was not right, so we pulled back on that.

“But we have been able to quietly implement subsidy removal in the electricity sector and as it is, as we speak, we don’t have subsidies in the electricity sector. We did that overtime by carefully adjusting the prices at some levels while holding the lower levels down.”

Speaking further during

the meeting with the theme, “The Political Economy of Fiscal Reforms in Africa,” Ahmed noted that the current high price of crude oil had further increased petrol subsidy burden on the federal government.

According to her, although the government had a setback in its plan to have subsidies on petrol removed by July this year, it would work with the National Assembly to have it removed in phases.

“Fuel subsidy is a huge problem for us. It has thrown up our deÀcits too much higher than we planned.

What is happening now

with the global oil prices is also going to worsen matters but the current review that we are doing is to hold the subsidy at the level in which we planned.

“We are currently doing a budget amendment to accommodate incremental subsidy (removal) as a result of the reversal of the decision and we want to cap it at that.

“Hopefully, the parliament will agree with us and we are able to continue with our plan for subsidy (removal) otherwise the way things are going we will not be able to predict where we will be,” she said.

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Federal Ministry of Health has contributed over N500 million into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund for Nasarawa State.

Deputy governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, disclosed this yesterday in Lafia at the official flag-off of access to healthcare services under the formal sector programme of the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Scheme.

Akabe, however, said the state on its part also made a contribution of N141 million into the fund, which meant therefore that the most vulnerable in the society could enroll into the programme

without need to pay.

He said, “Facilities are already available in the 147 wards of Nasarawa State where there are designated health facilities that one can go to access basic healthcare services.

“Records available to us show that as far as Universal Health Coverage is concerned in Nigeria, Nasarawa State is one of the leading states.”

The deputy governor concluded that the state has started contributing 0.5 per cent of its consolidated revenue into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, maintaining that the state was one of the first states that had done that in Nigeria.

Nigeria to Strengthen Bilateral Relationship With Cuba through Arts and Cultures Nigeria is poised to strengthen its bilateral relationship with the Republic of Cuba using arts and culture as potential tools.

Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, made this known in his Abuja o΀ce when he played host to the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba, Her Excellency, Clara Escandell, who paid him a courtesy visit.

Otunba Runsewe revealed that Nigeria and the Republic of Cuba have very rich cul-

tural heritage adding that the similarities that exist both in music and dance needed to be explored to create room for easy a΀liation.

According to him, the NCAC has provided a platform for the diplomatic community to gather and rob minds on cultural issues to engender cultural diplomacy.

He further stated that the International Arts and Crafts (INAC) Expo also brought other countries under one umbrella to network their arts and crafts to the rest of the world.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

Ring RingTrue True 08054699539

Buni and the Limits of Unbridled Ambition

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he story of the erstwhile Chairman of the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, flying to Dubai for medicals last week did not come as a surprise. Buni was obviously responding to the shock of his removal as the party’s CECPC Chairman. I was even surprised he was not flown out in an air ambulance. I thought he would collapse. Buni, who is also the absentee governor of Yobe State, believed strongly that he had everything about his selfish agenda well-wrapped. Immediately he was appointed CECPC chairman in June 2020, following the crisis that led to the exit of Adams Oshiomhole, Buni started behaving strangely. This selfish ambition turned him into a vampire.

The Yobe governor was no longer satisfied being just governor. At a point, he wanted to transform into substantive National Chairman of the APC. At another point, he thought he could grab the Presidential ticket of his party, using his chairmanship of CECPC. Buni dreamt of becoming the president of Nigeria.

Later, he was dreaming of becoming a running mate in the 2023 presidential election. He wanted to become Nigeria’s vice president and allegedly had a deal with a presidential aspirant to ensure his emergence as APC’s candidate.

The main job given to Buni and his team was to organise a National Convention that will berth a new National Working Committee for his party. This was never on his agenda because of these weird dreams.

He tactically fought against holding a National Convention with all his might.

Buni succeeded in dribbling President Muhammadu Buhari to have the tenure of the CECPC extended three times. All manner of excuses were given for his tenure elongation in order to actualise his personal ambition. Between November 2021 and January 2022, the APC convention was postponed three times. Buni tactically refused to start the processes required, such as sorting out the zoning of various offices, constituting convention committees and serving the statutory three weeks’ notice to INEC. Even when Buhari, after falling for several deceits, insisted that the National Convention must hold on March 26, Buni was still so sure that it would not hold. The plan was to scuttle it by instigating a last minute court case against the convention. He was so sure he could dribble all the way to the end and conduct APC primaries for the 2023 elections, with the court’s restraining ace.

There is nothing wrong with being ambitious and dreaming big. After all, Buni started his political journey as a local councilor. Today, he is a state governor.

However, there is a lot wrong with trying to dubiously manipulate a process, system or people to achieve an ambition.

That was what Buni was doing with the

Buni

APC Caretaker Committee for almost two years. The party’s national leader, Buhari, suddenly recovered from his slumber last Sunday and activated the drastic leadership change in APC’s CECPC. Buni got the hint three days earlier and the shock sent him to the Dubai hospital. This is the price to pay for unbridled ambition. Well, wishing Buni soonest recovery.

I hope the runaway Yobe governor will be strong enough soonest and return to the state he abandoned for almost two years. This governor has spent virtually the last two years in Abuja, working as APC Caretaker Chairman at the expense of his main job as the elected governor of Yobe State. I was surprised, when in 2021, Buni said governance was not suffering in Yobe State because of his Caretaker job.

Buni simply abandoned his people. This is the truth that must be told. How can a man elected governor be this cruel to the electorates? He once said he visited Yobe at least three times in a month, in defence against the accusation of desertion.

This is preposterous. Buni was clearly not voted to spend just a few days in a month in Yobe State. Project Yobe suffered a great deal while Buni was spending more time on project APC because of his unbridled ambition. The other day when Boko Haram attacked Geidam, he was not even available for a condolence visit to the traumatised people. The Yobe APC stakeholders were right to demand his impeachment because of his unavailability

in the state to discharge his constitutional duties as governor.

Back then, the Chairman, Yobe APC Stakeholders, Hussain Muhammad, remarked: “It has become expedient to draw the attention of the public, especially the state House of Assembly, to the aberration of having a governor who is non-functional. Buni was not elected as APC’s Acting National Chairman, but as Yobe State governor and he swore to obey the constitution. It is our position that he had become a self-serving governor, who failed and betrayed his people when they needed him the most.

“As stakeholders, we have made both individual and collective efforts at letting Buni realise his mistakes, but it appears that as we inch closer to making him realise, he digs in further into his sit-tight plans at the party’s national secretariat. We, therefore, call on the Yobe State House of Assembly to begin impeachment process if he fails to resign as governor.”

Unfortunately, the rubber-stamping and incompetent Yobe State House of Assembly did not take steps to impeach Buni as requested by the stakeholders then. It is not too late. Yobe stakeholders should renew pressure on the legislators to do the needful. Buni has to pay for abandoning Yobe State. I challenge the lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings against this governor as soon as he returns from Dubai.

On the flip side, it is pertinent to note that Buni is a great dribbler. This is what the Yobe governor has benefitted from, resulting in his Caretaker Committee operating for almost two years. This country and Yobe State would benefit greatly if Buni puts his dribbling skills to positive use. In the first place, it is an illegality for a sitting governor to be appointed as Chair of his political party. By virtue of Section 183 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 17 (iv) of the constitution of the APC, it is illegal for a person to hold an executive office in the government simultaneously with an office in any organ of the APC at any level, in whatever capacity.

The Supreme Court affirmed this in the appeal filed by PDP’s governorship candidate in the Ondo State election, Eyitayo Jegede, challenging Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s victory at the October 2020 poll. Jegede rested his case on the argument that Akeredolu was not a proper governorship candidate in the election because his nomination was supervised by Buni “illegally doubling as the APC chairman and the Governor of Yobe State.”

Akeredolu won the legal battle by a fraction with a 4 to 3 decision of the Supreme Court panel in his favour on technical grounds. The majority decision dismissed Jegede’s case on technical grounds, saying it was incompetent as

Still on Insane President Vladimir Putin

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ast Monday, the evil Russian President Vladimir Putin brashly reconfirmed the real reason he invaded Ukraine. He wants the Crimea region, which it snatched from Ukraine in 2014 to be formally ceded to Russia. Putin, during a third round of peace talks in Belarus, also wants Ukrainian government to allow the independence of the Russian-backed breakaway Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. This mad man, as well, demanded that Ukraine must stop fighting Russia, amend its constitution to guarantee neutrality, which would prevent it from joining NATO or the European Union.

Is there any country in the world that will allow any part to secede? For years, Putin has been pumping arms

and money to secessionists in Eastern Ukraine to destabilise the country. Will he allow this in Russia? This is a man that brutally repelled separatists in Chechnya, killing thousands of Muslims. Now, he is funding secession in Ukraine.

Putin is inflicting so much pain on innocent people in Ukraine because of his territorial ambition. At least 2000 civilians have been killed since the conflict began on February 24, with Russia deliberately dropping bombs on innocent civilians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the invasion as “a major humanitarian catastrophe,” which has resulted in the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe for more than 75 years.

Regional Director of WHO in Europe, Hans Kluge, confirmed 16 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine by Russian

troops in 13 days of fighting, leading to nine deaths.

Putin and his troops trivialize life; they are of low minds and have no conscience. I am consoled by the fact that they are also feeling the pain. The Russian military admitted that the Ukrainians killed 498 Russian soldiers within the first seven days of fighting. Two Russian Army Generals - Andrei Sukhovetsky and Vitaly Gerasimov – have also been killed by Ukrainian soldiers.

Malicious Putin thought the invasion was going to be a walk in the park.

Ukrainian soldiers are proving to be a formidable force. I see Putin pulling out in shame or Russian Generals killing him and pulling out of Ukraine. One thing is certain: Forces of good will soon overran Russian forces of evil.

a result of the failure to join Buni, against whom heavy allegations were leveled, as a party to the case.

The minority decision that upheld Jegede’s argument is instructive. It nullified Akeredolu’s election, explaining that Buni breached the constitution when as a sitting governor, he acted as chairman of the APC by submitting Akeredolu’s name to INEC for the election. Contrary to the majority judgment, the minority also ruled that the case was not rendered incompetent by the non-joinder of Buni.

With the APC already joined, Buni, who was merely acting as its agent, needed not be joined, the minority judgement explained.

Despite the fact that the judgment held an uncertain future for the APC if Buni was not immediately removed as Caretaker Chairman, the leadership of the party still fell for Buni’s antics for almost one more year. What a dribbler! He is not fit to continue to hold the office of the Yobe State governor. This state obviously needs a new governor. Perhaps, Buni’s deputy, Idi Gubana will be better.

Bagudu

Frightening Killing Figures from Kebbi

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he latest from the Kebbi State killing field was the murder of 63 Yan Sakai vigilantes by Fulani militias in Zuru, Kebbi State last Monday. The following day, terrorists ambushed the convoy of Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Sama’ila Dabai in Kanya, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state, killing the security aide attached to the Deputy Governor, ASP Idris Libata, alongside 18 other military personnel. The guerrillas were equipped with much heavier weapons than AK-47.

Yes, 82 innocent people killed in two days in Kebbi State. This is the level Nigeria has degenerated.

Hundreds of terrorists move around unhindered, killing and maiming. Musa Arzika, a local, said the terrorists that attacked Kanya “came with around 200 motorcycles riding three on each.” I guess that was why they confidently engaged a combined team of military and policemen with the Kebbi deputy governor. This state joined the club of killing fields about two years ago, with over a thousand lives so far lost All these killings are happening amid lies by the federal government that terrorists have been degraded. The truth that must be told is that in beloved North-east and North-west of Nigeria, terrorists still raid, killing and abducting residents for ransom after looting and burning homes. Blood has been flowing, with thousands of people killed. The last seven years of the Buhari government have been horrendous.

For the military, I’m shocked that they have not gone after the bastards that killed 18 soldiers in Kanya, Kebbi State. This is a big disservice to the soul of the murdered gallant soldiers.

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SATURDAY MARCH 12, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

17

Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Inkblot’s Trailer for ‘The Blood Covenant’ Colourful, Captivating Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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t a time authorities have called for a change, directing filmmakers to eschew contents that glorify money rituals in their movies, a new production from the stables of Inkblot Productions and FilmOne Entertainment has taken it a step further to leverage the power of storytelling, and demonstrate to young Nigerians and the society at large, how damaging the despicable trend can be.

The timely thriller, “The Blood Covenant”, is a gripping tale of the evils of money rituals, which also tackles societal tropes such as greed, peer pressure, and corruption. Set to start screening in cinemas nationwide on April 15, 2022, it marks the first for both firms in 2022. The movie, which was directed

by Fiyin Gambo, announced its release date with a colourful and captivating trailer.

From a script written by Chiemaka Osagwu working with Inkblot co-founder Chinaza Onuzo, the film was produced by Chinaza Onuzo and Zulumoke Oyibo with Maryann Eziekwe serving as co-producer. “The Blood Covenant” follows the lives of Eddy, Jite and Tunde, three ambitious young men in their late twenties struggling to make it in life.

Tired of being looked down upon, they embark on a relentless quest for the high life, chasing easy money, fast cars, and fame; willing to do whatever it takes no matter what it costs them. The film stars Ufuoma McDermott, Erica Nlewedim, Tobi Bakre, Shawn Faqua, and Uzor Arukwe, Alexx Ekubo, Omowunmi Dada, Chimezie Imo, and others.

“In a time where there has been a rise in cases of money rituals, we wanted to leverage the power of storytelling to demonstrate to young Nigerians and the society at large, how damaging this despicable trend can be.

L-R: Shawn Faqua, Shalewa Ashafa, Erica Nlewedim and Tobi Bakre onset of the movie in Lagos

That’s why we tasked writer Chiemaka Osagwu and director Fiyin Gambo to bring the tale of The Blood Covenant to life,” said Chinaza Onuzo, co-founder of Inkblot Productions.

For the film director, Fiyin Gambo, he couldn’t have asked for a bigger platform on which to make this all-important

movie.

“From the message it is trying to pass across, through the intensity of the script and working with the amazing cast, this is truly a dream project for me. I cannot wait for all Nigerians to see this important and timely story,” he enthused.

Filming of the suspense-packed movie

Nonso Amadi Shares Visual for ‘Foreigner’ Ferdinand Ekechukwu

F

ollowing the release of his new single “Foreigner”, Canada-based Afro-R&B, soul singer, songwriter, and producer, Nonso Amadi, shares the colourful music video. This comes after his triumphant return after a two-year hiatus.

Nonso is proudly presented with management team; Jade Busola and Quiet As Kept (Trung Hoang, Gavin Sheppard), alongside label partners Def Jam Recordings stateside and Universal Music Canada, offering the opportunity to strategically focus on a range of key global markets, including his native region in Nigeria.

Directed by Jordan Lee and shot in Toronto, the music video for “Foreigner” offers a glimpse into Nonso’s new world that is bold and sophisticated, putting music in the spotlight.

On the video, Nonso explains, “I wanted the video to represent my reentry to the scene; we decided to start with some silhouette shots in the video before a reveal. We also needed some amazing African dancers to match the energy and life of the song.”

The deep colour juxtapositions blend seamlessly in the captivating video that reflects the layers of the track itself while celebrating Nonso’s heritage.

Director, Jorden Lee describes the ideation behind the visual: “the core of the video lies within Nonso’s deep connection to his African culture and we wanted to represent it in a way that was true to him.

Through our choreography, wardrobe, colour and tones, we tried to capture the

began in October 2021 around critical locations in Lagos. According to the producers, the ramp-up to the release of the movie in cinemas nationwide will come with different activities to sensitize the society to the key messages within. The public is encouraged to be part of the change by joining the conversations.

Hennessy is Searching for Nigeria’s Next Rap Sensation Tosin Clegg

T

Nonso Amadi

essence of his roots while putting our own modern spin on it.”

The track itself showcases Nonso’s duality, a smooth and seductive record which contains African drum-lines, trancelike saxophone instrumentation, and is layered with other soulful jazz elements.

Nonso describes the track further: “during the process of creating ‘Foreigner’ I was driven by the idea of making a song that

addressed both my disappearance from the music scene and the typical love drama my R&B self is typically drawn to making.

“The way I achieved this was by having the song feel like it has emphatic highs and lows. It starts heavy with the drums and chant but then it breathes a little in the verses; allowing me to sing calmly about the topics I mentioned earlier before going back to a heavily drum laid chorus.”

he search for the Hennessy VS Class 2022 winner has begun. The Hennessy Nigeria team and Judges are live on the streets of Owerri, Abuja and Lagos to discover Nigeria’s next rap sensation.

The 2022 live auditions will also happen online. Registrations for audition are open to all and can be accessed via the official website.

Hennessy judges - MI, Vector, Ladipoe and Zoro will be touring Owerri, Abuja and Lagos on the 19th of March, 26th March and 2nd of April respectively, identifying the 32 contestants who will qualify for the finals.

For over a decade, Hennessy has significantly influenced the Nigerian music industry and urban culture, paving the way for some of the biggest names in the Nigerian and global music industry today through its platforms - VS Class, Cyphers and the Hennessy Artistry Grand Finale Concert.

18

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Ninety: I Love Telling Personal Stories Multifaceted creative and FreeMe Digital artiste Ninety, real name Alabo Tuwonimi Tuonims, ahead of his debut album titled ‘Rare Gem’, tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu about the 7-track Extended Play (EP).

Ninety also talks about his music, influence and growing up in Bonny Island, Rivers State…

W

ho is Ninety?

Simply put, Ninety is a creative. Actually, I like to call myself a multifaceted creative or well-rounded musician because I’m a songwriter,asinger,arapper, producer,mixandmasterengineerandinstrumentalist.

I also dabble in photography and videography here and there but at my very core is music. I love telling personalstoriesandwhatbetterwaytoexpressthat thanthroughwritingandmusic.Musicpermitsmeto be my highest self. So, Ninety is all about music and music is all about Ninety.

How did you get into music?

It all started with my dad actually. He was the choirmaster at our church in Bonny, Port-Harcourt soIwasalwaysaroundmusic.Asachildandateenager, IlistenedtoMichaelJackson,DamianMarley,andStyl Plus,andIstartedwritingmyownmusicasearlyasage 15. In Junior Secondary School, I had already learned how to play the drums and by the time I graduated University,Itookacourseinmusicproductionandaudio engineering so my music journey just continued on.

What genre of music do you do?

If I were to pick and decide myself what genre of musicIdo,Iwoulduseacatch-allphraselike“NewWave Music” because I do a lot of really cool things with my music but I guess Afro-Fusion will have to suffice as thegenre.Iknowit’satermorgenreofmusicthathas been used a lot with upcoming African artistes but there really is no other way to categorize what we do when we’re fusing elements of reggae with pop and electronic music while still maintaining that sound

that makes what we do uniquely West African.

Take us through your academic and family background?

I grew up in an Anglican household and I am the fourth of five children and the only son. It was quite a trip growing up in Bonny Island. It wasn’t the easiest experience but I can’t imagine having grown up anywhere else because it made me who I am today. I foundmyselfthere,mypassionthere.Thereisafierce zealandcommitmentinthatcommunitythatteaches youwhatitmeanstobealiveandgothroughwhatever obstacles come your way with positivity.

I come from a very beautiful and loving family.

My sisters are everything to me and I have a solid foundation and support from my entire family. So, I’meternallygrateful.IattendedKings&QueensHigh SchoolandSpringFoundationSchool,bothinBonny Island, Rivers State, for my primary and secondary education respectively. In 2016, I graduated with a BachelorofScienceDegreeinInformationTechnology fromtheAccraInstituteofTechnology,Accra,Ghana andafterIgraduatedschoolinJuly2016,Ireturnedto PortHarcourt,tookacourseinmusicproductionand audioengineering,andlearnttoplaythekeyboard.In 2017,afterIfinishedthemusicproductionandaudio engineeringcourse,Iwentontoset-upmyownstudio, which I commercialized but used mostly for myself.

In 2019, I moved to Lagos with the aid of Magnito after he heard my music and here I am hustling and doing my thing under Freeme Music.

In terms of writing and approach to lyrics, who do you admire or look up to?

Oh definitely Frank Ocean and Burna Boy. Frank Oceanbecausehislyricscarryimmensepowerandhe

Ninety Ni

has a gift of creating true poetry out of his music. He isveryintentionalwithhissongwritingandhisability to produce such imagery out of his lyrics that really touch your soul is just amazing. Burna Boy because his music is spiritual; it’s really cool listening to this artistewithreallydeepideasandthenyouremember like, “he doesn’t write!” How does he come up with this stuff? It’s Gold! That’s a gift few of the greats have; people like Biggie, Jay-Z and Michael Jackson.

He’s a leader in our industry and I truly admire him.

What project are you working on right now?

I’m working on my debut EP right now, titled “Rare Gem.” It’s a 7-track project with some really special songs and I can’t wait for the whole world to hear it.

It’s been almost three years in the making and I’m extremely excited. It drops April 22nd so be sure to look out for that!

What songs do you have out there?

Currently,Ihaveafewsinglesavailableonallstreamingplatforms.Ihave“Unruly”whichIreleasedin2020.

“Touch & Follow” was quite a hit when I released it in Marchlastyear.ItalsohasavideoonYouTube;myonly musicvideooutatthemoment.Ialsohave“Somebody” and my most recent single, “Piano”. I also have some other songs I featured on, “Sunday ‘’ with Magnito & Zlatan. This song also has a video on YouTube. I’ve also got “Ohema”, “Ungrateful”, “Something Must

Kill A Man”, and “Naija Musicians’ ‘ all with Magnito.

Tell us about your music and what’s the experience as a rising artiste?

MymusicisarepresentationofhowIfeelorwhere my mind space is at. As I mentioned, I like telling personal stories through my music and hopefully that can connect to someone who’s also feeling the way I was feeling when I made a particular song and that connectioniseverything.Thiswholeartisteexperience is really new to me so there are quite a few things I literally have to learn how to do on the spot right in front of a camera.

Whoareyourmusicalinfluencesandrolemodels?

BesidesFrankOceanandBurnawhichImentioned earlier, I’m heavily influenced by the entire Marley Family - one word: greatness. I’m also very much into the music styles ofTy Dolla $ign, Drake, 6LACK, and ofcoursemyveryownpeerstoofromPort-Harcourt like Omah Lay. Big up PH! PH artistes are really doing their thing in this industry and it’s so beautiful to see.

Which Nigerian artistes do you have topmost on your list to work with?

Wow!Thisisatoughone!Iloveeveryone,particularly the new set of artistes coming out like Buju, Lojay, Tems, Arya, etc. They’re all so crazy talented but I think it’s definitely got to be Burna Boy!

How Davido Shut Down 02 Arena

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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ertifiedsoldout.Notsurprising though. No doubt his March 5, 2022 concert at the 02 Arena was definitely going to be, going by his largely acclaimed status and his large fan base. This was a second-time achievement for the singer Davido, who also sold out the O2 Arena during his January 2019 concert. The show saw the likes of Nigerian celebrities and fans travelling all the way to London. Hours before the show, the official Twitter page of the O2 Arena confirmed that the venue was sold out.

They said, “@davido has officially sold out at #TheO2 #DavidoatTheO2”. Davido performed most of his hit songs with fellow African artistes like Patoranking, Popcaan, Skiibii, Ckay, Adekunle Gold, Reekado Banks, Teni, Pheelz, DJ Ecool, Victony, Stonebwoy, Focalistic, Mayorkun, and a couple of artistes from around the world.The O2 Arena, an indoor venue in Southeast London has long been yoked with the destiny of Nigerian pop music.

The O2, since opening in 2007, has provided the stage for Nigeria talent. D’Banj, 2face, Tiwa Savage, and Wizkid, are some of the nation’s loftiest names to have performed at the venue, the latter of which became

Davido

the first Nigerian to enjoy a sell-out at The O2 in 2018, for his Afrorepublik concert.

In like fashion, Wizkid’s achievement was replicated by Davido the following year, in January 2019, when he too had The O2 Arena

filled to the brim.

Though his just concluded ‘We Rise By Lifting Others’ concert is Davido’s third run at the venue and he has since grown used to performing there for the singer and his large

fan base. In continuation of his decade-old music career, which kick started with Dami Duro in October 2011, the afro-pop giant had boasted before mounting the stage to thrill the large audience that turned up for his much anticipated show that he was going to shutdown London, but also, he would make “history tonight”.

And true to his claims, he made history at the popular O2 Arena in London, was renamed after the Nigerian pop singer for that spectacular one night. “To celebrate the return of Davido back in London with his Champion Sound for one night only. The O2 will become The Davido 2,” the Arena notice read on all the board. Prior to his sold-out show, the singer procured the services of legendary American actor and narrator, Morgan Freeman.

Freeman noted for his distinctive deep voice, gave the DMW boss’ O2 Arena promotional video a great boost.

The popular iconic American media personality with his voice-over drove home the singer’s “We rise by lifting others” mantra.

The 29-year-old singer had also made plans for fans who could not attend by partnering with uduX, a digital streaming platform for the global Live stream of the concert. According to the ‘Champion Sound’s singer, “I want my fans worldwide to be a part of this moment as we take Africa to the world.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER FEBRUARY 26, 2022

FEATURES

In Search of Justice for Murdered Bamise The kidnapping and gruesome murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwole during a trip on a state-run Bus Rapid Transit vehicle on February 26 has left many shattered, but one question sadly hangs on: Who killed Bamise?

Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

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here are three men and one womaninthebus.Thewoman is sitting at the back. That’s thenumberofthebusincase.

Please pray for me.’’ Those last words of Miss Bamise Ayanwolebetraysglimpseof hope of her survival as she was snatched while on transit. For days, her case raised concern among members of the public as well her family members opinedthatshemusthavebeenkidnappedforritual purpose.

Hercorpsewaslaterdiscoveredninedaysafteron Carter Bridge, Lagos Island. Recall the 22-year-old was declared missing on her way from the Lekki area of the state. Bamise who worked as tailor was kidnapped while returning to Ota from Ajah on Saturday, February 26 when she boarded a Bus Rapid Transport bus going to Oshodi at about 7 p.m. at Chevron Bus-Stop. After boarding the bus, she noticed that there were only three other passengers – all men.

Sensing danger as the bus did not stop to pick any more passengers, Bamise, according to reports, became worried and alerted her friend, Felicia Omolara, via WhatsApp recording and voice notes sent to her. The voice notes showed that the bus driver said he liked Bamise and asked for her name and other details. She told her friend to pray for her as she became suspicious of the bus driver and in response,thefriendtoldhertoalightatOworonsoki bus stop — before Oshodi.

Bamise had also sent a video to her friend showing howdarkitwasinthebus.TheBRTdiverwasarrested last Monday at Ososa, Ogun State by SSS operatives. The BRT driver Nice Andrew Omininikoron, suspected to have abducted and murdered the young lady, when interrogated said his bus was hijacked by three armed men who threatened to kill him. Upon arrest, the driver said he picked Ms Ayanwola, and three male passengers later joined the bus.

Mr. Omininikoron claimed that the men pointed guns at him and told him to cooperate while the deceasedcriedforhelp.Thedriversaidhewasafraid when he saw guns and followed their command.The BRT driver also claimed he thought the deceased was still in the vehicle when he drove off because he saw her hold on to the iron in the vehicle while the kidnappers were dragging her. “I picked her from Chevron, and the other three guys at…when those guys show me his weapon as I was inside, I can’t be myself anymore,” Mr. Nice said.

“Fearshavecomein,so,whateverthemanwiththe gun told me, I do. I followed that Carter Bridge, that overhead bridge, they ordered me to stop there, they say I should open the door, when I open the door, then when they come down, they now start dragging her, when I saw that she was crying for help, actually, I was helpless.”

Following her death, the Lagos State Government lastTuesdaysuspendedBusRapidTransportoperations as a precaution after intelligence on “planned attacks”. This left many commuters stranded at various bus stations in Lagos on Tuesday due to the state directive to suspend operation in sympathy of Bamise Ayanwole. The Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, was heavily guarded by armed security men – officers of the Nigeria Police Force, theNigerianArmy,andDepartmentofStateServices (DSS) – over proposed protest to demand justice for slain Bamise.

But sympathisers in their numbers besieged Bamise’s residence to condole with the family.They carried placards with inscriptions, “We want Justice for Bamise”, “Do not sweep under the carpet, we want Justice.”They called on Lagos State Governor Sanwo-OluandtheCommissionerofPolicetoensure justice is served. Some activists also stormed the LagosStateHouseofAssemblywiththeimmediate

B i Bamise

elder sister of the deceased, Damilola to lament the gruesome murder of Bamise.

NarratingBamise’slastmoments,Damilola said, “Governor Sanwo-Olu, I am challenging you. My family is not wealthy, we are not influential but we have God. We work hard and struggle to survive.We are content with what we have.We are Christians to the core.

Whyhasourlastbornbeenusedforthethings of the world? This is a money ritual case.

“They made her (Bamise) to suffer, they removed her private part. They did not kill her o, she suffered the pain and hell on earth before she moved to her destination. They forced her to stop at the bus stop she was not supposed to stop.” Describing the late Bamise,shesaid:“Bamisewaspatient,joyful person, she makes everyone happy in the family”.He(driver)saidallthesethatitwasan attack, why didn’t he report to their terminal that there was an attack? He didn’t report to the police station or his superiors.

“HenowresumedbacktoworkonMonday, please if this was an attack, why was he able toresumebacktoworkonMonday?Wemet a man at the park who said Bamise had gone to enjoy herself that she will call us, and that

she does not want to call now, because she was enjoying herself, while in pains where they were cutting her private part.

“They did not kill her before they cut her private part. My sister experienced hell-in-cell situation like that of wrestling before her last breath on earth. My mum who is 74 years old, and my Dad 84 years old, in the morning time, they didn’t mourn over any one of us the children, at this phase of their life, they are enjoying the little token that we are rendering to them.

“They used the death of Bamise to cause sorrow for the family. She had a dream to become a fashion designer and she was doing brilliantly well in the training but look at what they’ve caused. Please we want Justice.” The distraught mother, Comfort, who spoke withThe Nation, said “All I want is justice which must be the truth and not anything that will cause those at the helm of affairs to tamper with the truth.

“I’m from Otun Ekiti, I call on the Ekiti State government to help us. Bamise is a prominent daughter of Ekiti. Please Lagos State and Ekiti State governments should collaborate and come together. I don’t have anyone except God. If not for God that had said that her (Bamise’s) time is up on earth, the handset she had before her demise was a

Bamise may just be one of the BRT bus victims as another victim of the driver arrested in connection with the murder presented extremely critical evidence. The female victim, whose name was not given, revealed that she was sexually molested inside the same BRT by the same driver in November 2021

new one because the one she was using was faulty.”

Bamise may just be one of the BRT bus victims as another victim of the driver arrested in connection with the murder presented extremely critical evidence. The female victim, whose name was not given,revealedthatshewassexuallymolestedinside thesameBRTbythesamedriverinNovember2021.

She claimed that she was subjected to sexual molestation after the suspect “switched off the light of the bus” while inside his BRTfrom the Alesh Bus Stop in Ajah to Jakande. He called the victim to sit at the front seat where he started perpetrating his heinous act. She stated that when the driver started making advances at her which she rejected, he brought a knife and “threatened to kill” her.

Thenewrevelationcameamidangerandawhirlpool ofemotionssurroundingthedeathofBamise,whose body was found with some vital organs allegedly missing. The BRT driver, Ominnikoron has been arraigned at a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State and remanded for 30 days. Magistrate O.A. SalawuheldthatOminnikoronwasremandedpending legal advice from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution.

The defendant is charged with conspiracy, murder, rape and misconduct with regards to corpses. The charge was read to the defendant but his plea was, however, not taken by the court. Salawu adjourned the case until April 11 for DPP advice. Earlier, the Officer in charge of the Legal Department at the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti, Mrs. Yetunde Cardoso, said that Ominnikoron committed the offence at 8 p.m. on February 26, along Ajah-Oshodi Expressway, on a Lagos State BRT bus with code number 257.

The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of sections 411, 223, 260 and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). Sections 223 stipulates death penalty for the offence of murder, 260 provides for life imprisonment for rape and 165carriesfiveyearsimprisonmentformisconduct with regards to corpses.

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SATURDAY MARCH 12, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY MARCH 12, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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SATURDAY MARCH 12, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

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POLITY Osun: Positives Stick Out Amid Political Upheavals Samuel Ajayi

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uring a recent visit to Osogbo, the Osun State capital, this writer saw a state many wrongly equate with political squabbles.

But behind them are discernible moves by the hardworking but reserved Governor Gboyega Oyetola to change the economic, educational and social narratives of the state. Driving from Lagos, and about savouring the serenity of Osogbo, the google map indicated there could be some ten minutes delay due to a sudden traffic snarl, the reason for which this reporter could not fathom. But as it wore on, the reason became obvious: it was the Owode market day which runs every five days. The slight delay did not take anything away from seeing the beauty of a city at peace with itself and a people who seem to be enjoying a new lease of life under their new political superintendent.

Osun is a state whose economy revolves round public service and that is why the economic well-being depends, ironically, on the payment of salaries of public servants. And should payment of workers’ salaries be counted as an achievement? Perhaps, in the case of Osun, it should be. And the reasons are obvious.

When Prompt Salary Payment Becomes Key…

Before the coming of the Oyetola administration, there was a slogan in virtually every city and town in the state which was ‘Afusa’. The name ‘Afusa’ is actually the ‘Yorubanised’ version of Hafzat, an female Islamic name. However, ‘Afusa’, in the Osun context, actually means ‘half salary’.

“Before the coming of this administration, workers used to ask themselves if they had seen their own ‘Afusa’,” an aide to Oyetola told THISDAY. “What they actually meant then was if they (their colleagues) had received alerts of their own half salary because that was what the last administration used to do before Oyetola came in.”

Today, Oyetola is said to have turned the joke around and usually tells workers and other stakeholders that ‘Afusa’ had gotten married to a man from another state and has since relocated from Osun. In fact, by March 2nd, workers had received bank alerts for their February salary. When asked what the government did differently to arrest the situation, the state Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode said it was simply the blockage of wastages.

“Don’t forget that the governor was a very successful businessman and good manager of resources before veering into politics. What we did was to block leakages and ensure good and proper application of scarce resources. We are aware that Osun State is very low in the federal allocation. Therefore, we have to manage these scarce resources and the governor is also aware of the positive spiral effect of prompt payment of worker’s salaries.”

It goes beyond that. Egbemode explained that it does not make sense if salaries of workers are paid and pensions of retirees are not paid.

She explained that the present administration actually met backlogs of outstanding pensions and gratuities and they did not make any good reading at all.

She disclosed that the state pays a minimum of N600 million every month to pensioners.

She said:“Oyetola came in and put his credibility on the line and said he was going to change the narrative of half salary syndrome. And what he did was to tweak the priorities of government and everyone gets paid at the end of every month.”

Stepping into the ‘Golden’ Era…

Osun State has quite a number of big towns, if not cities. These include Osogbo, the state capital, Ile-Ife, Ilesha, Iwo and even Ikirun. However, even with this Osun cannot claim to be in same league with Oyo State in terms of industrialisation. Even if there is a brewery in Ilesha and the Oshogbo Steel Rolling Mill, the economy of the state is still agrarian. That perhaps also explains why payment of government workers salaries is strategic to the economic well-being of the people.

But this has to change.

And that also explains why the Segilola gold project is not only pivotal to the economic development of the state, but one which many indigenes of the state have become emotional about. The state is home to Nigeria’s only large-scale commercial gold mine and it has started producing gold bars. This was facilitated by a Canadian-listed gold developer, Thor Explorations, and its local subsidiary, Segilola Resources Operating Limited. The Segilola Gold Mine is situated at OdoIjesha and Iperindo. The high point of this project was the unveiling of unrefined gold samples by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in late last year, December 2021 to be precise. Ironically, many outside Osun State do not even know that the state has very large gold deposits.

Personally, I am emotional about this gold matter,” Egbemode enthused. “We have plenty of gold and solid

L-R: Osun State’s Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi; Governor Gboyega Oyetola; and the former Chief of Army Staff, Alabi Akinrinade, all holding gold bars produced from the Segilola Gold Refinery.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola; and the former Chief of Army Staff, Alabi Akinrinade, all holding gold bars produced from the Segilola Gold Refinery. minerals in Osun. We have gold deposits in Ife-Ijesha axis. The governor is working on the foundation laid by the administration of former Governor Oyinlola who got licences across the country. Now we are corporate entity in the solid minerals sector and not just a political entity. We have partners with Badger Mining Company. When some senior media executives came to see the place, the white guys working there actually made us stand and watch gold particles becoming gold bars and they handed them over to us. It means that with the right kind of leadership, we can make things happen. That day, the governor was in awe. He was very proud. Now, if there are three gold refineries in Nigeria today, Osun has one that is functioning.”

Balancing the Political Act…

Osun has had its own fair share of political crisis.

Being one of the nine states created on August 27, 1991, the state was carved out of the present Oyo State and taking off was into turbulence going by the crisis the state faced on the fracas between the Executive and Legislature during the ill-fated Third Republic. And by hand of fate again, the state is one of the states whose gubernatorial elections don’t fall on the year of general elections. For instance, the governorship election in the state would be held in July this year.

The bad blood between Governor Oyetola and his predecessor Rauf Aregbesola is well documented. But sources close to the politics of the state told THISDAY that Oyetola had bent backwards to accommodate different political tendencies in the state.

“Are you aware that we have about three commissioners who served under the former governor and who were retained by Oyetola,” the source said. “The governor is well aware of the need to accommodate all and be father to everyone. But you should also know that if anyone wants total control, if you give him ninety-five percent, it won’t still be enough. I guess that is the issue they have with Oyetola.”

Correcting the Education Policy Anomaly…

If there was one issue that nearly set Osun State on fire couple of years ago and which nearly caused religious crisis, it was the new education policy introduced by the former governor, Aregbesola. While the governor and his team did everything to convince a bewildered citizenry that they meant well for the state, much as they tried, the state was toying with the idea of becoming an educational pariah state.

Not only was the state not benefiting from any educational grant, the confusion that set in nearly caused sectarian commotion.

The governor had practically abolished single sex school and moved students from boys only to girls only school. He also introduced same uniform for all schools in the state and the traditional 6-3-3-4 system gave way to primary, middle school and high school. But the one that nearly disrupted the religious harmony in the state was the introduction of wearing of Islamic female headgear, ‘hijab’, in traditionally Christian schools. And what happened after was that Christian students started wearing choir robes to school and traditional worshippers started coming to school with their traditional worship regalia.

“It was a very low period in Osun, but unfortunately, those superintending over our affairs did not seem to care,” an aide of the governor told THISDAY in Oshogbo.

Egbemode said it was one move by the former government the whole state, irrespective of political leanings, felt was not necessary. And they had their reasons.

“I had all my education here. But you woke up one day to see that your school did no longer exist but only on paper. This was because the last administration tweaked the education policy that kind of educationally-exiled Osun State. We were no longer doing 6-3-3-4 system. Boys only schools now woke up and had girls in their schools and you see a guy whose certificate was from a girls’ school. There was abolition of single sex schools and so many other anomalies. Boys and girls only schools were cancelled and girls were put in boys only schools and boys were put in girls only schools.

For instance, St. Charles was boys only school; they added girls, changed the name and gave uniforms.

People were so emotional about this.”

She said what Oyetola did after coming to office was to go on a ‘Thank You’ tour and used the opportunity to ask the people of the state what they would want his government to do for them. While many asked different things, one constant decimal everywhere he went was the reversal of the educational policy of the former administration.

And it was deeper than that. THISDAY findings showed that one particular school which many thought its alumni didn’t do enough to stop the governor was Ilesha Grammar School which produced the likes of revered cleric and head of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Adejare Adeboye, former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and former governor of Lagos State, late Lateef Jakande.

Upon coming in, however, Oyetola did not just reverse the policy. He put together a technical committee that included former Vice-Chancellors and a former Registrar of WAEC who came to explain the nitty-gritty of the situation. For instance, WAEC was said not to be informed of the change in the education policy in the state and they kept issuing certificates in the name of the old schools.

“So you have an ‘Isiaka’ whose certificate would bear the name of a girls only school. Ilesha Grammar School former students always celebrate this governor. As an editor and columnist, I complained even to the former governor. So many of us are emotional about this,” a former old student of St Charles College told THISDAY.

The 332 as Special Figure…

While many Nigerians, especially those in the rural areas usually die of preventable deaths, the Osun government decided to tackle this by “renovating, re-equipping and revitalising and making functional” 332 primary health care centres in the state.

“We have 332 wards in Osun State and we have renovated, re-equipped, revitalised and made functional 332 primary health care centres in the state and that was one per Ward. When two weeks ago people were going to vote in the APC governorship primaries, people have to pass through their primary health care centres,” Egbemode chipped.

There is also the palliative for over 35,000 indigenes of the state, which is now in its twelfth month. The idea was to ensure that they too benefit from government one way or the other.

Oyetola’s mandate is up for renewal in July. It remains to be seen if he has done enough to get that renewal. But if you ask that market woman at that Owode market, she would tell you probably, he does.

But time will have to tell.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

POLITY

Kemi Adeosun: Financing the Needy at 55 Amidst a deluge of congratulatory messages in honour of former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, who clocked 55lastWednesday, Festus Akanbiwritesthattheformerministerhasbeenconsistentwithhercarefortheneedy through various charity programmes such as Share Your Bread, (a prison feeding programme), and recently the Dash Me Foundation where she raises funds for orphans, vulnerable children, disadvantaged youth and victims of domestic violence

K

emi Adeosun has found many new reasons to smile. This week, she clocked 55. Since leaving office in 2018, she has been busy.

Apart from clearing her name in court and setting the records straight over the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) issue, she went back to the classroom, topping the class at the prestigious London School of Economics in the Executive Masters of Public Administration programme. But this lady has always spread her sphere of influence beyond her personal needs. Few people know that for four years, she ran a prison feeding programme called ‘Share your bread’, sending meals for over 3500 prisoners in Ikoyi prison every week.

In 2021, she took her charitable efforts even further with the high profile launch of the Dash Me Foundation.

Chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and attended by many prominent persons, the Dash Me Foundation is registered in New York, the United Kingdom and Nigeria and raises funds for orphans, vulnerable children, disadvantaged youth and victims of domestic violence.

The first project was the establishment of a Charity Thrift store, Dash Me Store, online and in Lekki Phase 1.

The Lekki Phase 1 store, looks like an upscale boutique, but uniquely all the stock is donated by well-meaning people in

London, New York and Nigeria. Some of the items are brand new, whilst others have been gently used. Clothes, shoes, jewellery, phones even furniture has been donated.

Bargain hunters flock there for good value items, with the added knowledge that all the money raised is helping the poor. The trend is growing. As at last month, another branch of Dash Me Store, in Ogba, was opened.

The ex-Minister is directly involved with Dash Me Foundation. Apart from a few international consulting projects, Dash Me is her main endeavour and it is not unusual for the ex-Minister to be seen in the Dash Me stores. However, most of her work is behind the scenes, calling her extensive contacts including captains of industries, governors, bank managing directors and others, and encouraging them to donate cash and declutter their wardrobes and send it to Dash Me Store.

Adeosun has also been able to use her knowledge of the tax system to secure tax exemption status and tie up corporate donations of excess stock from several brands that are keen to take advantage of tax relief whilst helping Nigeria’s needy.

The efforts are paying off, and the list of orphanages and other groups working with the needy that receive financial support from Dash Me Foundation just keeps growing. Kudos to her at 55.

Adeosun

Iyom Chizuo Omalu: 1934 – 2022 Onyekwelu Omalu

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he death of one’s parents is usually painful and leaves one with a deep sense of loss and deprivation. For the late John Omalu Family in Urunnevo, Enugwu-Ukwu, the news of our dear mother’s death was devastating.

Although she departed at the very ripe age of 87 years, we wished and prayed that she would attain 100 years and even more. However death is an inevitable end for every mortal and Mummy has answered the call. We remain eternally grateful to our Almighty God for the fulfilled life she lived, for the great impact she made on our lives, the testimony of exemplary Christian life full of love, hospitality and goodwill to all.

Iyom Chizuo Caroline Chinwude Omalu was born in Aba on April 12, 1934, as the first child of seven children, into the family of Nwammadu Okoye [Ezenwa, Ochendo, Onwanetiliora] and Catherine Ekwutosi Okoye [Nwanyigbuefi, Mama Aba, Ochiliozua] of Umunri kindred, Obeagu Village, Agukwu Nri, Anambra State, Nigeria.

She received her primary school education at Holy Rosary Primary School, Aba, where she excelled in her studies and graduated two years early with a distinction in her First-School-Leaving-Certificate. She was admitted into the Holy Rosary Secondary School, Aba, but as fate would have it her father, Nwammandu Okoye, died suddenly and unexpectedly from an illness which was wrongly diagnosed by his doctors.

Iyom gracefully gave up her education, and made an ultimate sacrifice, like she always did in her entire life, to work and assist her mother to take care of her younger siblings, send them to school and pay for their education. She forfeited her education so that her siblings would have same. Everyone who was blessed to encounter this good woman, Iyom, would vividly acknowledge that she was a woman of immense love and peace, who never tired of making every sacrifice she could to alleviate the plight, pain and suffering of another soul.

She enrolled in a two-year trade school to learn how to become a seamstress, and as soon as she completed her training, she began a tailoring business. She opened her first store in front of the family house at 29 Ehi Road in Aba. She burnt the midnight candle, worked hard, and gave it her all to make a difference in the lives of her mother, brothers, and sisters. She wholeheartedly assumed the role of her late father and helped to take care of her family. As expected, she became successful given her brilliance and highly sophisticated intellect and intuition. In less than five years, her business had grown to three stores with over 25 apprentices and 18 sewing machines of different brands and applications.

Despite her success, she remained humble and took care of her mother and her brothers and sisters who now took her like they would take a mother. She provided all she could and made every sacrifice that was

Iyom Omalu necessary to see her younger siblings succeed. She denied herself even the most basic social life of her peers at such a young age. At a very young age she had begun to answer to the call of Christ, to be thy brother’s or sister’s keeper. This she did all through her life. Iyom Chizuo was her mother’s keeper, her brother’s keeper, she was her sister’s keeper, she was her husband’s keeper, her children’s keeper, and the keeper of every soul whose life path crossed hers. She extended her special gift of love and kindness to all.

Iyom Chizuo had many suitors who wanted to marry her, but her heart fell for a young mining engineer from Urunnevo, Enugwu-Ukwu, Oba John Donatus Amaechi Omalu. They got married in 1958 in Aba, at the same cathedral where Iyom Chizuo attended and practised her Roman Catholic faith.

Oba Omalu was working at the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power and was posted to the Ministry’s state office in Jos, Plateau State. Oba Omalu’s work in a Federal Ministry enabled them to live in different towns and states in Nigeria when he was transferred and re-posted across the country. In addition to Jos, they lived in Minna, Ibadan, Lagos, Enugu, and Ilorin. With time Iyom learnt to

speak Hausa and Yoruba fluently, a very good example of a Wazobian Nigerian.

Iyom Chizuo and her dear husband Oba John Omalu, who died in 2014, were blessed with seven children, Onyekwelu, Chinyelu, Uchenna, Ikemefuna, Chizoba, Ifeakandu and Kenechukwu who are doing very well in their various stations in life. It is our wish that in our next world we will still become the offspring of this wonderful couple.

Iyom was simply called Mummy, and yes, what a wonderfully good “Mummy” she was. She became the quiet strength, center, and pillar of her wonderfully blessed and successful family. All you need to do is to look at who her children are, and have become, and look at who her husband became. Luckily for us, her peaceful life permeated her family and we all lived as one united and peaceful unit. Iyom Chizuo was never the loud type; she was never the trouble making type. She lived a very peaceful and deliberate life, and she loved boldly and quietly. She was as solid and impenetrable as diamond, yet she was as soft and cute as a puppy. She was as invigorating as the rising sun, yet as calming as the morning dew.

She loved, she loved, and she loved. Her heart and soul were pure. She was never miserly with love, and she made every sacrifice and denied herself of even the most basic conveniences of life so that the people around her would feel loved, have a sense of purpose and be happy. Her life’s focus was neither on the mundane vanities of life nor the possession of monetary wealth.

But once someone teased her and asked her why she and her husband built only one house, she calmly and happily replied, look, each of my children is worth many skyscrapers. This was Iyom Chizuo. The more she gave, the more she received. She was ever happy and at peace with her life journey. She was simply one of the happiest persons you could have ever met. Her beautifully unique smile and dance steps would brighten up every heart.

No wonder her peers and members of her extended family and those of her husband’s family joyfully called her Iyom Chizuo, Nne Ifunanya and College Umuagbala. She was a peace maker and a woman of peace who gathered everyone together to celebrate love, to celebrate what we all share together rather than what divides us.

She brought and gave peace to all who encountered her.

Iyom was honoured with several awards and in January 2022, just before she went home, the Saint Francis Catholic Church, Enugwu-Ukwu, presented Iyom Chizuo with the “The Great Grand Patroness Award” of the church. This is her legacy as she rests eternally in the bosom of Abraham in the heavenly glory. The angels of heaven sang out loud the day she came home.

Mummy we miss you. Mummy we love you. Mummy we cherish you. Mummy we are deeply thankful for the gift of you, and we thank God for blessing us with you.

Mummy, rest in eternal peace. We shall all see you again.

God will continue to bless you, even in the heavenly glory. Amen.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

25

POLITY

Appraising Gov Abiodun’s Tour of Egypt, Ethiopia Femi Ogbonnikan

T

he last two and a half years have not been the best of times for Nigeria. The reasons for the challenges are already well known. The seismic up and downturns of the economy occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic almost threw the global system off guard.

Coincidentally, the present administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State had barely settled down in the office when the dreaded disease cast a tragic pall over the nation. And now that the usual stock-taking session is effectively on, preparatory to the next general elections, one can only do an objective analysis of the performance of the administration vis-à-vis Abiodun’s avowed commitment to sustain the reputation of the state as an investment destination of choice based on this background.

Nonetheless the disruptive effects of the pandemic, Governor Abiodun has taken the challenge of governance in a dwindling economy in his own stride, remaining focused in his mission to take the state to the next level in its drive towards being an industrial hub, not only in Nigeria, but in the West Africa sub-region.

Owing to its combined advantages of proximity to Lagos and availability of readymade market, Ogun State currently houses perhaps the largest manufacturing companies in the sub-region. According to the 2021 second-quarter report of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), investment in Ogun stands at $500 million, representing 30 percent of the total figure for the country, while Lagos State, with $441.3 million worth of investment, represents 26 percent for the period under review.

Further statistics released by the World Bank also placed Ogun State in a prime position in the ease of doing business index, ranking 3rd among 37 states in its latest report. In a similar report compiled by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2021 on capital importation into the country, Ogun State equally emerged as the 5th top destination of capital investment in Nigeria, coming behind Lagos, Abuja, Abia, and Niger states respectively.

It, therefore, goes without saying that there are still enormous potentials to be harnessed for development. And, of course, the governor, as a proactive person with private sector background, has not been resting on his oars. Apart from his determined effort to sustain the tempo, he has also been making concerted efforts to break new grounds by building private/public partnerships for infrastructural development

Abiodun necessary for sustainable industrial growth. And he is doing so with zest and gusto.

Governor Abiodun, speaking against the background of his commitment to building an enduring environment for investment in the state, in his inaugural address, said: “Our state remains the best place for investors to open business.

Besides our natural geographical location as Gateway State to Nigeria, we share borders with four other states and we share international borders with the Benin Republic, which is a window to the West African sub-region. My administration is providing focused and qualitative governance and creating the enabling environment for a public-private sector partnership, which we consider fundamental to the creation of enduring economic development and individual prosperity of the people of Ogun. We are very investor-friendly. We are putting reforms in place to ensure that we are even more investor-friendly. We are trying to ensure that we become number one in the ease of doing business in this country and it is incontrovertible that we house the largest number of industries in the country.”

He is already walking the talk. The evidence of that is his recent business tour of Egypt and Ethiopia aimed at attracting pan-African investors and partners to further boost the state’s revenue profile. While in Egypt, the governor met the Chief Business Development Officer of Áfríkà for Wadi Degla

Holding, a Cairo-based multi-business conglomerate that is into real estate, telecoms, and sports services. With a special interest in creative arts, entertainment, and sports development, Wadi Degla Holding is exploring the African market and wants to invest especially in Nigeria. Abiodun believes that, as the Gateway State, Ogun should be accorded utmost consideration due to the existing ease of doing business and other socioeconomic transformation ongoing in the state.

In his insatiable quest for investment opportunities, Governor Abiodun also had a meeting with Mr Gagan Gupta, a renowned entrepreneur, who is also co-founder, ARISE IIP, ARISE IS and ARISE P&L, as part of his effort to develop sustainable industrial, infrastructure, and logistics solutions. His motivation derives from the fact that the tripartite pan-African company has a record of developing sustainable industrial ecosystems, supported by infrastructure and logistics solutions in Gabon, Togo, and the Benin Republic.

To that effect, the Senior Minister of Economy and Finance in the Benin Republic, Romauld Wadagni was there to share his experience with the Governor in the Republic, which resulted in the successful implementation. The meeting centred on building a partnership in the area of Agro-Processing and Industrial Zone and the development of the Olokonla Port, a vital component of the administration’s integrated multimodal transport master plan.

In furtherance of his search for sustainable investment flow into the state, Abiodun also met with the management of Elsewedy Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Egypt with significant investment opportunities across Africa and Europe. In this context, the governor sought partnership with the group in the areas of healthcare, industrial park development, real estate, intelligent transport systems network and management, tolling systems, and the power sector.

According to the Governor, who spoke at the end of the meeting, the CEO of the company is expected to be in Ogun State to sign the necessary documents that would consummate the deal: “The group is the largest producer of prepaid meters in the world. After this meeting, the investment team would be hosted in Ogun State to further evaluate and structure these investment opportunities, after which the President & CEO of Elsewedy Group, Ahmed El Sewedy, who was on the ground to receive us, would come to Ogun State to sign a document in these areas and execute relevant definitive transaction agreements on these investments.”

– Ogbonnikan wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

PHOTO NEWS

L-R: Divisional CEO, Interswitch Financial Inclusion Services, Titilola Shogaolu; CEO/platinum winner, Fatima Abidoye; and Group Head, Growth Marketing Inclusion and Paytoken, Interswitch Group, Chidike Oluaoha, at the Quickteller Paypoint double up promo prize presentation, held in Lagos … yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: First Lady of Borno State, Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum; wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Interventions, Dr. Mariam Masha; and Member, House Representatives, representing Bama/Ngala/Kala Balge Federal Constituency, Dr. Zainab Gimba, during the visit of Mrs. Osinbajo to The Learning Centre Maiduguri .... recently

The celebrant, Mr. Abiodun Ogunlana and his wife, Mrs. Dolapo Ogonlana, during Ogunlana’s 60th birthday thanksgiving service ceremony and retirement from Federal Inland Revenue Service, held in Lagos … recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Chairman, Communications and Publicity, Compliance Institute, Nigeria, Abímbólá Adeseyoju; newly appointed CEO, Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), Dr Vincent Olátúnjí; and Isah Aminu Buhari, during a courtesy call to the Bureau in a bid to foster and promote partnership with the new agency in Lagos … recently

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

‘Electioneering Campaign’ Wrong

L

ET us take off from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital: “APC Convention: Crack (Cracks) in caretaker committee” (NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Front Page Screaming Headline, March 7) “President billed for 2 weeks (weeks’) medical check in London” “APC chairmanship: Buhari rejects governors’ opposition against (to) Adamu” “I felicitate with the founder and General Overseer of….” Yank away ‘with’ “Russia’s unwarranted invasion of Ukraine: One way or the other….” Get the context right: one way or another—because the possibilities are more than two, which the extract wrongfully implies. ‘One way or another’ indicates multiplicity.

“A little glimpse of the condition of the layout during his electioneering campaign visits to the area….” Not my opinion, but the register (language style): ‘electioneering’, in whatever form, encompasses ‘campaign’. So, use either ‘electioneering’ or ‘campaign’—the two cannot co-function!

“We’re not owing any scholarship student— PAP” (NATIONAL NEWS, March 2) What is the meaning of this?

“Atiku felicitates with Adeboye at 80” This way: Atiku felicitates Adeboye at 80 “Not like others, who begin to have wrinkle (wrinkled) skin, but yours keep (keeps) shining….”

“In Jesus (Jesus’) name, Amen!”

Recently, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), marked—not celebrated!—his 80th Birthday. Of course, there was a harvest of congratulatory adverts and articles from all walks of life. Out of all the anniversary contributions published in most truly national newspapers, one stood out—copy (particularly) and design: An extract as contained in one of the national newspapers (no free advert!) last

week: “The Redeemed Christian Church of God under your watch has become a study in the dexterity of human organization and institution building. For us in Ogun State, we are proud to be host to the Church and Redemption Camp and will continue to savour the collateral benefits of the association.”

From this columnist: many more years to this most respected and humblest cleric in Nigeria, if not on our continent. Your reputation is without blemish. May your supra-national citizenship, boundless spirituality and borderless eschatological advocacy continually salvage humanity. I take off my hat to you as you win innumerable souls for the Lord. Daddy, please facilitate more access to you—innumerable multitudes crave your attention and intervention for multifarious redemptive reasons.

The foregoing tributes underscore the fact that this column is not just about media gaffes only, but all forms of communicative initiatives.

I equally appreciate classical writing and engaging communication—which is usually rare in my fraternity and clime.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jnr., ‘an individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.’ This aptly encapsulates the attitudinal disposition/character of this especial, meek and quintessential cleric. Many happy returns, sir, as we look forward to the inevitability of an epochal centennial anniversary of your existential flourish.

Back to our language clinic: “N’ Assembly suspends new number plates” This cannot be true! Our so-called lawmakers suspended the issuance/policy/exercise—and not the plates!

“Alumni awards (award) pioneers” (THE NATION, March 1) “This is unlike before when elections are (were) held every four years” (Source: as above) “…series (a series) of public hearings and probes of federal agencies’ activities….”

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

(BUSINESSDAY, March 1) “This time around (round), the government should be well equipped to call….” (THISDAY, March 1) The excerpt is exclusively American English! Of course, you know my standpoint on the informal nature of non-British English.

THISDAY of February 29 contained the type of error you find mostly in provincial newspapers: “The absence of such emergency agencies often contribute to the high casualty figures….” Death and the waterways: The absence…contributes “Gunmen kill vigilante (vigilance) group leader in Potiskum” “Air passengers stranded at Port Harcourt airport” Why not ‘Passengers stranded at Port Harcourt airport’? They could not have been sea passengers!

THE NATION of February 29 issued just two indiscretions: “It has been more than three weeks now and they said they are (were) investigating him.”

“In the past two decades, the government has (had) not made tremendous effort to develop….”

Back to the above edition of THISDAY: “FG to handover Almajiri schools by June” A rewrite: FG to hand over (take note) Almajiri schools in (not by) June—except if the government is unsure of the handover date.

Lastly from THISDAY under review: “Seven years jail term await exam cheats” Another rewrite: 7 years’ jail term awaits (not await!) exam cheats.

“Kogi: Post election blues” (Vanguard, February 27) Towards a better life for the people: post-election blues.

“Pele released from hospital after treatment” (THISDAY, February 27) The most eminent football idol was discharged—not released! But for environmental issues in language usage, this would have been acceptable even in Nigeria. Do they discharge someone from hospital before treatment?

Perceptions 2023: Atiku Abubakar

W

hat more can we say about this man? He has been struggling to rule this nation as far back as 1992 when he was compelled by forces led his mentor, late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, to step down for MKO Abiola to hoist the presidential flag of the defunct SDP in the ill-fated 12 June, 1993 elections.

Atiku Abubakar has tried unsuccessfully, on many occasions, in different political parties, to get elected as the leading man, in spite of his famed prodigious connections and stupendous wealth. The closest he came to the “jackpot” was as the running mate to former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, who won in 1999 after his release from the Sani Abacha gulag, on the platform of the PDP. He somehow managed to hang on as vice to Obasanjo for about eight years of two terms.

However, the locus (or shall we say the Sword of Damocles) that will subsequently besmirch his ambition and prospect was cemented during his first tenure as the VP (1999-2003). He became so centrally powerful, and astute organisationally, that his political moves nearly checkmated the second term ambition of his boss.

The fractious relationship that ensued between 2003 and 2007, and the resultant casualties, have been codified in Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, rather unflatteringly. The volume of expletives and unprintable words lavished on Abubakar in the book - and at several public fora thereafter - has forever framed in the minds of discerning Nigerians the malignant typecast that Abubakar represents. Unfortunately, those damaging revelations have consigned Abubakar and his caravan of hopeful adventurers to a Sisyphean perambulation, of tragic proportions. You will remember the Grecian mythical strongman who was cursed by the gods to perpetually roll a huge rock up and down a hill...ad infinitum.

Abubakar As a corollary of the rivers of bad blood, the incendiary statements, and self-indicting circumstances and scenarios - both in private and public - have assured many Nigerians that despite the admirable tenacity and audacity of Abubakar to rev his presidential campaign machinery every election circle - in the past 22 years of this Fourth Republic - the Adamawa professional politician would continually suffer electoral defeats in urban Nigeria, again and again...until age, reality or Providence would eventually convince him to find relevance on retirement within the confines of his mansions and millions.

PERCEPTIONS 2023: PETER OBI - Part 2 Long after the brouhaha of the 2019 elections, there emerged the most damning disclosures with potential to undermine the rising profile of Obi as an acceptable entity across the board. An exhaustive investigative report, culled from the ‘Panama Papers’ leaks,

by Premium Times in October 2021, exposed Obi’s offshore deals that supposedly contra-

EBERE WABARA

vened a number of Nigerian extant laws, and provisions of the constitution.

This is how the online newspaper framed the accusations: “Mr Obi is one of the individuals whose hidden business activities was (sic) thrown open by the project. Indeed, he has a number of secret business dealings and relationships that he has for years kept to his chest. These are businesses he clandestinely set up and operated overseas, including in notorious tax and secrecy havens in ways that breached Nigerian laws...

“The former governor admitted that he did not declare these companies and the funds and properties they hold in his asset declaration filings with the Code of Conduct Bureau...

“He said he was unaware that the law expected him to declare assets or companies he jointly owns with his family members or anyone else...

“However, our investigation, based on records obtained from the UK Companies House shows that Mr Obi continued to be a director of Next International (UK) Limited for 14 months after becoming the governor of Anambra State, thereby breaking Nigeria’s law. The politician resigned from the company on May 16, 2008, 14 months after he assumed duties as Anambra governor. He took office on March 17, 2006...

“Mr Obi did not dispute the records Premium Times cited but he claimed he “resigned immediately” by handing his wife his resignation letter. He suggested that his company might have failed to effect the changes on time or the UK Companies House did not immediately document his exit. But the UK Companies registry said Mr Obi indeed resigned on May 16, 2008, and that it received his notice of resignation for electronic filing on June 16, 2008.

“Nigerian public officers are required to declare “immediately after taking office and thereafter all” their properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his (or her) unmarried children under the age of eighteen years...”

Among other weighty allegations, with

Except it is a case of outright rejection ab initio for multifarious reasons.

DAILY INDEPENDENT of February 28 offered readers two solecisms: “As soon as the negotiated settlement with labour was achieved in January thereby ending the strike action, the government should have clarified the position.” Please, expunge ‘action’.

“The manner of the clarification by the President himself bothered on the farcical.”

‘Bother’ for ‘border’ in an editorial? Could this malapropism be a function of half-literacy or sheer carelessness?

“Abia, Anambra take step to combat Lassa fever” (Vanguard, February 28) Fixed expression: take steps.

“Ukrainian invasion: Two arrested over (for) plot to kill Putin” (Source: as above) THE NATION of February 28 misquoted the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on two occasions: “…Sanwo-Olu said the estate contains (contained) all the facilities that the government can (could) provide in a....”

“He said the government’s model pursues (pursued) sustainability of housing development….”

“Immigration, importers, agents trade blames over cargo clearance” ‘Blame’ is uncountable.

THE GUARDIAN of February 28 joined the crowd: “Family source (A family source) indicated that the late (sic) former director of press died on Sunday at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano during prolong (a prolonged) illness.”

DAILY INDEPENDENT of February 24 disseminated two goofs: “To assume a wider role, the Euro will have to first of all flourish in (on) the continent and survive….”

“The sensible caveat placed at the onset (outset) is now hunting or is it hurting the Euro?”

There is a clear distinction between the words.

No mix-up, please.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON

fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

somewhat feeble defence reportedly from Obi’s camp.

Obi was not significantly disturbed, if his rebuttal in the media, on 7 October, 2021, is taken into context. He said: “On the allegation that I violated the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, as well as Sections of the 5th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), by not declaring any alleged assets in companies registered outside the Nigerian Federation, I think that the authors displayed ignorance on matters of Trust and International Investment Practices.

“I did not in any respect whatsoever violate any law before, during and after my stewardship as the governor of Anambra.

“In all matters relating to my investments and declaration of my personal assets, wherever they may be found, I proceeded, pursuant to professional opinions and advice of investment experts both locally and internationally.”

Well, it may be worthwhile to note that Obi was not accused of the common disease amongst his contemporaries: fleecing their states’ coffers and irresponsible mismanagement of state resources; It is nonetheless disturbing that he didn’t see the no declaration of “all his assets”, half-owned or fully owned, as a big deal, and thus indicative of the usual compulsive Nigerian political practice of subterfuge and dodgy ambivalence in pursuits of self-driven agenda and populist manifestos.

Our advice is simple: If Obi is serious about offering himself in service to Nigeria, he should mount a more serious defence against the damaging allegations in the Panama Papers as published extensively in the Nigerian media...before uncomfortable tales become an enduring stigma.

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

12.3.2022

NEWS

BATTLE FOR TOP FOUR PAGE. 29

Joe Aribo From ‘Sunday League Player’ to Perfect Role Model

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Joe Aribo From ‘Sunday League Player’ to Perfect Role Model Joe Aribo celebrating one of his goals

For someone who was seen as not good enough to make it to the professional rank in football, but only suited for a ‘Sunday League Football’, Joe Aribo has not only proved critics wrong by going on to play for a top club but is now regarded as a perfect role model by the foundation that produced him

H

e was not seen as someone that could make a career out of football, but against all odds Joe Aribo who was once described as a ‘good Sunday League player’ has gone on to play for a top club and at international level, and today, he’s hailed for his discipline, focus charitable character.

Owner of the foundation that produced the Super Eagles midfielder has described him as a great personality who’s grounded and humble.

Harry Hudson said when Aribo joined the Kinetic Foundation as a young footballer, he was described as a ‘good Sunday league player’ but he has since turned the corner and emerged one of their biggest products.

Hudson said Aribo’s interests are clear and he’s not about the fast life, despite having enough to afford it.

He said this has continuously made him a good example of the players coming through the ranks at the foundation.

In an interview with Football Scotland, Hudson said Aribo always comes through for the foundation when needed.

“Joe is a lovely young man. He’s so

grounded and so humble. He’s a real credit to his family and such a lovely young man. When Kevin Ciubotaru signed for Rangers I asked Joe to go and say hello to him and make him feel welcome and Joe would come back to me straight away,” he said.

“If we have any events he’ll do it, he did an Instagram Live for us. He’s always helping us wherever he can.

He always stays in contact and if I ever ask him for something it might not be immediate but he’ll always get back to me and we’re really grateful for him to support us whenever he can.

“The challenge we have in society is for most of the young people their role models are either footballers or rappers.

“They are the two things they’ll look up to. Some of the footballers are negative role models. Even if I look at someone like Karim Benzema and what he releases on social media. It’s a mini film of him driving mad cars with Balenciaga shoes and £200k watches and that’s what the young people believe is success.”

Aribo has indeed expressed his desire to improve his goals and assists, contributions for Rangers as

the Scottish Premiership enters its final stages.

The 25-year-old has been a key figure for second-placed Rangers, contributing seven goals and five assists in 27 matches so far this season.

Ahead of the Scottish Premiership match against Aberdeen, Aribo noted that he is doing everything to climb out of his recent dip in front of goal.

Aribo said: “For me personally, I have wanted more numbers in terms of goals and assists. I’ve not been at my best compared to how I was before January.

“But in football, you have these dips and forms and I will move past that by working my hardest every single day.”

“I have wanted more numbers in terms of goals and assists. I’ve not been at my best compared to how I was before January,” he said.

Aribo is expected to feature for Rangers in their remaining four matches in the league against Dundee, Celtic and St. Mirren.

Rangers are currently three points behind bitter rivals Celtic with their derby coming on the penultimate match week of the season.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal star

Charlie Nicholas has berated Aribo for his dip in form since he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles star was one of the best players in Scotland, especially after Giovanni Van Bronckhorst replaced Steven Gerrard at the helms of affairs of the club.

Prior to the AFCON, the 25-year-old had six goals and five assists in 32 appearances. But since his return, he has found the net only once and assisted three times in 20 appearances.

His dip in form has also coincided with a poor Rangers run. The Gers, who are in a title dogfight with rivals Celtic, have dropped eight of a possible 24 points in their last eight Premiership games.

Nicholas, who made his name playing in Celtic colours, believes Aribo should do better, especially at this crucial point of the season.

“Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side deservedly won plenty of plaudits for seeing off Borussia Dortmund in the last round,” Nicholas told Daily Express.

“They now face Red Star at Ibrox in the first leg, and there is no doubt expectation levels have been cranked up again.

“I can see Kent and Alfredo Morelos both having an appetite for this game, but I do think it is time Rangers got a performance out of Joe Aribo again because he hasn’t kicked his own backside since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in late January.

“Up to that point, he had been the player of the season, but that is now up for debate.”

The Gers sit second behind Celtic with three points separating the two in the Scottish Premiership.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Man Utd Host Tottenham in Top-four Battle Manchester United will this evening welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford in top-four battle. Both teams had contrasting results in their last Premier League games. While the Red Devils were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by neighbours-Manchester City on Sunday and would want to bounce back as quickly as possible to keep their Champions League spot hope alive, Spurs pummelled Everton by five unreplied goals and would want to keep the momentum

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

28 27 27 25 28 28 26 28 27 28 28 25 27 27 28 28 25 26 28 28

50 51 37 12 7 11 8 5 3 -8 1 -3 -6 -15 15 -35 -18 -14 -27 -44

69 63 56 48 47 45 45 43 36 35 33 33 33 31 27 23 22 21 19 1

Premier League TODAY

Brighton v Liverpool Brentford v Burnley Man Utd v Tottenham

12:30 15:00 17:30

SUNDAY

Chelsea v Newcastle Everton v Wolves Leeds Utd v Norwich City Southampton v Watford West Ham v Aston Villa Arsenal v Leicester

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

MONDAY

Crystal Palace v Man City

20:00

La Liga TODAY

Levante v Espanyol Granada v Elche Villarreal v Celta Vigo Getafe v Valencia

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

SUNDAY Battle of the captains...Tottenham Captain, Harry Kane skipped past his Manchester United counterpart, Harry Maguire

A

mouthwatering encounter between two top-four rivals will take place at Old Trafford this evening, As Manchester United face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

The Red Devils fell to pieces in a 4-1 defeat to rivals Manchester City last time out, while Antonio Conte’s side put five unanswered goals past Everton.

If the cracks were not already apparent for Rangnick at Man United, they certainly are now, as amid multiple reports of discontent behind the scenes, the Red Devils were outclassed and outfought at the Etihad Stadium last weekend in a 4-1 humbling to derail Man United’s Champions League bid further.

The Red Devils were clinging onto fourth in the table but have now been surpassed by a blistering Arsenal, who also possess three games in hand, but victory for fifth-placed Man United here will see them return to the Champions League spots before the Gunners face Leicester City a day later.

There is also the small matter of the second leg of their Champions League knockout tie with Atletico Madrid to come, but having now failed to win any of their last three in all tournaments, optimism cannot be high among the Old Trafford fanbase right now.

Rangnick’s side can take some solace in the fact that they have strung together a four-match unbeaten streak at home in the Premier League - conceding only one goal in that stretch but that may count for nothing against a man with Alan Shearer’s record in his sights.

Antonio Conte is the name, inconsistency is the game. The Premier League and Serie A-winning coach has overseen a batch of impressive as well as dismal results in North London, but

his side needed no second invitation to sweep aside Everton last time out.

In a very welcome sight for all Tottenham supporters, Harry Kane surpassed Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in the all-time Premier League goalscoring charts with his 175th and 176th strikes in the competition in the 5-0 Spurs’ romping of Everton.

Conte’s side have reignited their pursuit of a top-four place after claiming emphatic back-to-back Premier League wins - also putting four past Leeds and Spurs could rise back into the top four with a win at Old Trafford, but they would need to do so by a five-goal margin.

Of course, Spurs have recent experience in prevailing on the Manchester turf, and they have made a habit of winning one then losing one away from home since the turn of the year, which bodes well for them after defeat to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup earlier this month.

Man United stormed to a 3-0 win on Spurs’ turf in a game that cost erstwhile Spurs manager, Nuno Espirito Santo his job earlier in the season, but Jose Mourinho embarrassed his former club with a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford last term, and Tottenham’s recent hot streak in front of goal means that such an astonishing scoreline is not entirely beyond the realm of possibility here.

Meanwhile, facing an uphill battle to end a four-game losing streak in the Premier League, Brighton welcome Liverpool to the Amex Stadium earlier today.

The Seagulls went down 2-1 to Newcastle United last time out, while Jurgen Klopp’s side sealed their spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in midweek.

It is certainly ironic to see Brighton and Liverpool locking horns at 12:30pm

once again - nearly two years on from Klopp’s impassioned rant at the Amex over lunchtime games following his side’s European endeavours - but the Seagulls do not enter the contest in the best of form.

Graham Potter’s side have lost their grip on a top-half spot after a dismal run of results and could not stop the Newcastle United juggernaut at St James’ Park in a 2-1 defeat.

The Seagulls did at least manage to end a three-game streak without a Premier League goal, but a fourth successive defeat in the top flight leaves them down in 13th on the log.

The two-point gap to 10th-placed Southampton is by no means insurmountable following the Saints’ midweek loss to Newcastle United, but Potter’s side have lost their golden touch in recent weeks and have also conceded at least two goals in each of their four recent defeats.

Brighton have also picked up just one win from their last 10 Premier League matches at the Amex since the start of October - taking just two points from the last 12 on offer at home and scoring a mere 10 goals on familiar territory all season - and Liverpool are in no mood to let up.

Indeed, a 1-0 win over West Ham United last Saturday marked the Reds’ seventh triumph on the bounce in the Premier League, although they remain six points behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand, and every game is now a cup final for the quadruple-chasing visitors.

Liverpool’s seven-game winning run in the Premier League has also seen them concede a mere two goals while scoring a whopping 19, although they have failed to win any of their last three against Brighton, who managed to rescue a 2-2 draw at Anfield earlier this season.

Vallecano v Sevilla Real Betis v Bilbao Sociedad v Alavés Barcelona v Osasuna

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

MONDAY

Mallorca v Madrid

Hot Shot PLAYERS

20:00 CLUB

Mo Salah Liverpool Diogo Jota Liverpool Sadio Mané Liverpool Heung Son Tottenham Riyad Mahrez Man City Harry Kane Tottenham Jamie Vardy Leicester Raheem Sterling Man City Bruno Fernandes Man Utd Emmanuel Dennis Watford Kevin De Bruyne Man City Cristiano Ronaldo Man Utd Emile Smith Rowe Arsenal

GOALS

19 12 12 11 10 11 10 10 9 9 10 9 9

Head to Head 21-10-30 Tottenham 0-3 Man Utd 21-04-11 Tottenham 1-3 Man Utd 20-10-04 Man Utd 1-6 Tottenham 20-06-19 Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd 19-12-04 Man Utd 2-1 Tottenham 19-01-13 Tottenham 0-1 Man Utd 18-08-27 Man Utd 0-3 Tottenham 18-01-31 Tottenham 2-0 Man Utd 17-10-28 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 17-05-14 Tottenham 2-1 Man Utd 16-12-11 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 16-04-10 Tottenham 3-0 Man Utd 15-08-08 Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 15-03-15 Man Utd 3-0 Tottenham 14-12-28 Tottenham 0-0 Man Utd 14-01-01 Man Utd 1-2 Tottenham 2013-12-01Tottenham2-2 Man Utd

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Leon Balogun

Iheanacho and Vardy

Not Yet Uhuru, Balogun Warns Rangers Teammates after Victory over Red Star

Iheanacho Hailed as Leicester Best Finisher

Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun gave an important cushion to Glasgow Rangers on Thursday as they thrashed Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of their Round of 16 Europa League tie.

Balogun, who has been invited to the Super Eagles ahead of Nigeria’s World Cup playoffs against Ghana said the Gers are one foot into the quarterfinals but must be wary of the dangers posed by their opponent.

“You could say we have one foot in the quarter-finals but we still have to go to a difficult place,” he says. “It’s a good team in a tough place, so it’s going to be a challenging game next week,” he said.

He said the first two goals scored at Ibrox on the night had created a perfect ambience for the team to charge with as they searched for an important third to sit in a more comfortable

According to Leicester City goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, Kelechi Iheanacho is the best finisher at the club.

Former Leicester attacker, Emile Heskey quoted Schmeichel to have told him that the Nigerian finishes better than anyone in the team.

“Kasper Schmeichel says Iheanacho is the best finisher at the club and that is fantastic.

position.

“The goals from Tavernier and Morelos set us up for the rest of the night, and after we got the third goal it was a case of managing the rest of the game.

“The game was not over at 2-0. We said at half-time that this was not over. It was very important to get a third goal,” the Super Eagles star told UEFA’s official website.

Meanwhile, Rangers gaffer Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has hailed Super Eagles star Joe Aribo for his ability to switch roles comfortably in Rangers’ 3-0 Europa League victory over Partizan Belgrade.

The former Charlton man has played more of a creative role since Van Bronckhorst took over from Steven Gerrard earlier this season. Nonetheless, the Dutch tactician opted to alter his team, giving Aribo an inverted winger role.

However, Aribo was brilliant on the night, playing an important role to help the Gers to a first-leg victory over their Serbian opponents.

The 25-year-old had 50 touches, a 100 perncent dribble rate, three interceptions, and two clearances.

After the game, Van Bronckhorst affirmed his belief in Aribo’s ability to fit in any midfield role.

“Kamara played a different role, Joe played a different role today, and I think he played in that role before I came, so I knew he was capable of doing that,” Van Bronckhorst told Rangers TV. “I think the midfield was key today because we had to change sometimes our defensive shape…”

Van Bronckhorst would hope that Aribo’s performance on Thursday would be the springboard to better displays as the season draws to an end.

Ortiz Wants to Stand-in for Usyk against Joshua Anthony Joshua could be looking for a new opponent with his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in doubt after the Ukrainian returned home to help fight against Russia’s invasion.

However, Luis Ortiz “would love” the opportunity to face Anthony Joshua, if the Brit requires an interim opponent while he awaits a rematch with Usyk.

Joshua activated a rematch clause to fight again for the

WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles after Usyk stunned him last September, but it is unclear when the Ukrainian will be ready to return to the ring amid his country’s invasion

by Russia.

Earlier this week Joshua dropped his biggest hint yet that he is considering taking on another opponent in the short-term, as he name-checked the likes of Otto Wallin and Joe Joyce during a series of tweets.

A name Joshua didn’t mention, but has been linked with,

is veteran Cuban Ortiz, who took his professional record to 33-2 with a knockout win over ‘Prince’ Charles Martin in January.

Ortiz’s manager Jay Jimenez said: “Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz would love an opportunity to step up to the challenge of facing Joshua.”

Both the defeats on Ortiz’s record came against former world champion Deontay Wilder, but the Cuban otherwise possesses an impressive list of victories.

Djokovic Prepares for French Open Title Defence with Carlo ATP Masters Novak Djokovic is aiming to kick off preparations for his French Open title defence next month at the ATP Masters event on clay at Monte Carlo.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January after being deported from the country in a furore after being initially admitted to the tournament despite not being vaccinated against coronavirus.

The 34-year-old will also miss this month’s ATP 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, unable to enter the United States without a proof of vaccination.

But Monaco, where Djokovic resides, allows international travellers with a proof of recovery from Covid-19 in the last six months. Djokovic has said he tested positive for the virus for

a second time in December.

“Novak will open his 2022 clay court season in Monte Carlo, where he won the Masters 1000 title twice, in 2013 and 2015,” a post on his website said.

The Monte Carlo Masters, which runs from April 10 to 17, will be the second tournament in the 2022 season for Djokovic, who lost in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event in Dubai last month.

Ghana Yet to Release Players’ List against Nigeria A week after the Nigeria Football Federation and Austin Eguavoen announced the players invited to prosecute the World Cup qualifier doubleheader clashes against Ghana, the Black Stars are stalling on naming a list.

According to reports making the rounds in the Ghanaian media, Black Stars coach, Otto Addo has submitted the list of players he wants to have against

Nigeria but a committee in the football association has kept the squad close to their chest.

The reports say that a review of the list is being conducted by the committee in the GFA. Other reports have also stated that the list is being held because the management wants to be sure of the players that’ll accept invitation and

those that won’t with an announcement expected next week. It was gathered invited players have been sent their invitations and their decisions are expected to be communicated to the management in due course.

So far, only Nigeria and Cameroon have released their squads for the World Cup playoffs with the first leg to be held exactly two weeks from now.

The finish was not easy at all,” Heskey said on BT Sport after the Nigerian scored the Foxes’ second of the night in the 93rd minute.

“It’s great for him to score, especially with Jamie Vardy being out. The club rely on Vardy but it’s not just about him.”

Iheanacho scored his 6th goal of the season in the game as he

hit target from his first shot on the night to put Leicester in a stronger position ahead of next week’s visit to Brittanny.

He has racked up nine assists this season but has had lesser minutes in comparison.

With Jamie Vardy out injured, Iheanacho will hope to have more minutes as he vies for a place with Zambian attacker, Patson Daka.

Club Cricket Committee League to Complete Season Chairman of the Club Cricket Committee League Mr. Akin Denton has noted that a total of 60 matches across Division 1 and 2 have so far been played and 40 remaining matches are left to be completed in the 2021/2022 Season.

Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, at the Tafawa Balewa Cricket Oval, Denton explained that the Honorable Gbolahan Olusegun Yishawu sponsored cricket league has 35 matches left in Division 1 and five more games in Division 2 for the completion of the season.

Denton reaffirmed that efforts are in place by the CCC executives to get more financial collaborators to sponsor the proposed Super 4 play-offs but the primary objective is to ensure teams complete the 100 games for both divisions before the commencement of rainy season.

The CCC Chairman also used the occasion to thank participating teams, umpires not also forgetting players who play for different clubs but hail from Ghana, India and Pakistan which reaffirms the fact that

Lagos league is the best in West Africa. ‘’We are proud to say that the Yishawu CCC League is not only the reservoir from which players are selected to represent Nigeria’s men senior national cricket team- The Yellow Greens but also best in West Africa’’.

He noted that they are just one year into the administration that at the end of our two-year tenure people would be proud of the level they’ve taken club cricket to in Nigeria.

Iyare, Akpieye Emerge Winners at Orodje of Okpe Golf Tourney It was celebration galore once again as General Oscar Iyare (rtd) and Lady Captain, Lucky Akpieye confirmed their supremacy at the 4th Orodje of Okpe Golf Tournament concluded last weekend at the golf course, Sapele Athletic Club (SAC), Delta State.

Exactly a week to the Orodje tournament, both Gen. Iyare from Benin Club Golf Section (BCGS) and Akpieye, lady captain, Sapele Athletic Club (SAC) Golf Section won the Okakuro Peter Asagba, Captains Day Golf Tournament which served as a prelude to the Orodje tournament.

The two-day tournament was sponsored by Seplat Energy as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to the Sapele community and to commemorate the 15th Coronation Anniversary of Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Major General Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), an avid golfer, and the Grand Patron of the club.

The veteran Iyare played a net score of 69 to beat Sunday Okukere from Ogunnu Golf Resort, Warri on count-back in the men’s category while A. Yusuf from Arsenal Golf Club, Owerri

placed third with 70 net.

Akpieye on the other hand in the ladies category recorded a straight victory with 69 net.

Former Lady Captain, UBTH Golf Club, Sandra Emina placed second having beat Biodun Hassan from Ikeja Golf Club on count-back as they both played 72 net respectively.

Julius Okojie from SAC and S. T. Ebunilo from UBTH won the best gross award with 73 gross and 92 gross played respectively. Also, Augustine Odigie from SAC won the men’s longest drive while Biodun Hassan won the ladies cadre. O. Elijah and Ebunilo won nearest the pin.

PoloLuxury Becomes Official Timekeeper of Lagos Polo Tourney With the return of the prestigious Lagos International Polo Tournament, PoloLuxury rekindled its wealth of experience in sports timekeeping to the 2022 edition of the competition as the official timekeeper.

The sponsorship agreement provides a unique opportunity for PoloLuxury to bring to the iconic game over three decades of experience in delivering precise and reliable results.

As Nigeria’s foremost connoisseurs of luxury, PoloLuxury records the

dreams of athletes who have travelled from far and wide to compete for glory in the three-week long tournament.

Popularly called the ‘Game of Kings,’ the Lagos International Polo Tournament has become the flagship of polo competition in Nigeria and across the world. Received into Lagos, Nigeria with great passion, the game has continued to attract the country’s royalty, elites, politicians and other highly influential dignitaries.

Speaking at a press confer-

ence to flag off the tournament, Mr Oluwaseyi Oyinlola, Tournament Manager, said the 2022 edition of the game marked a grand return to form after a two-year break occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are excited about our partnership with Polo.

We have been working on this for a number of years and this seems to be the best tournament we’ve hosted because of the commitment of the sponsors. It’s super encouraging,” observed Oyinlola.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Onome Ebi shields away a South African opponent

Onome Ebi An Inspiration to Women Football With just nine games short of a century appearances for Nigeria and five World Cups under her belt- the only African player to achieve the feat. It came as a little surprise that Onome Ebi was recently recognised as one of Nigeria’s 100 most inspiring women

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uper Falcons veteran defender Onome Ebi has been announced as one of Nigeria’s 100 most inspiring women.

Ebi, who plies her trade for FC Minsk in the Belarusian Premier League was chosen by the Leading Ladies Africa for the recognition.

The 38-year-old defender is the only African player to have played at five World Cups and has spent 19 years in the Super Falcons.

She is nine games short of a century appearances with the Falcons and has proven herself as one of the team’s most dependable defenders for many years.

“I’m thrilled to be announced as one of the honorees on Leading Ladies Africa’s #100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria List.

Happy international women’s day, ” she tweeted.

Ebi is part of the CAF Woman’s Team of the Decade and has won four AWCON titles with Nigeria.

She was also a member of the 2008 Super Falcons Olympics team and has represented Nigeria’s women’s team in every competition.

The former Bayelsa Queens defender has played in Sweden, Turkey and Belarus in Europe.

Before the Morocco 2022 Qualifiers against Cote d’Ivoire, Ebi had assured she and her teammates will avoid another loss to Cote d’Ivoire in the race for qualification for the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations billed for Morocco.

Nine-time African champions, Nigeria, were stopped from qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics Women’s football event by the

Ivorian Ladies and for Ebi, the Falcons will not allow a repeat as they eye a spot at Morocco 2022.

“I can tell you that we are still nursing the pain of missing out on the Tokyo Olympics as a result of the loss to Cote d’Ivoire in the qualifying series.

“This time, we will repay them in their coins. I want to play in the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup, and I know it is the same for my teammates.”

Ebi had declared “I want to thank the NFF for this kind of camping which we have not had before now with the blend of foreign and home-based players. On behalf of everyone, we want to say that we enjoyed the camp.

“With this kind of camp, Cote d’Ivoire are going to hear from us as we are not leaving anything behind. We know what’s at stake as we all want to play at the AWCON and World Cup,” the veteran defender had warned.

The Super Falcons defeated the Ivorians in a home-and-away final elimination fixture for the 12th Women AFCON slated for Morocco in the summer of next year.

Ebi comes from humble beginnings to represent Nigeria in five World Cups. But her difficult journey to the top has made her want to help other promising young female footballers make it to the top.

Like most African superstar athletes, she came from humble beginnings. She started life in a slum community in the Nigerian capital of Lagos but has gone on to beat the odds and enjoy a thriving career in Europe and China.

“I started playing football when I was in

my mom’s womb... I was so little when I started!” exclaims Ebi, who played the game just for fun as a child until her first coach discovered her talent and advised her to pursue a professional career.

Despite having a mentor by her side, Ebi found it hard to establish herself as a female footballer in a country where it isn’t considered a traditional or legitimate career path and her coach had to convince her parents that they should allow her to play.

“Our parents don’t want women to play,” Ebi said. “Society as a whole doesn’t want women to play. People think that football is for men and women are supposed to just get married and feed the children.”

Perspectives are slowly changing but it’s still rare to see older women playing football.

Every morning when Ebi goes out to train, she’s usually the only female among the men.

Not only does she have to work extra hard to gain recognition as a woman in a male-dominated sport, but she also has to defend her ability to still play at the age of 37.

But she remains very athletic and her experience and speed still outshines many of the younger players coming through.

Ebi hopes to make her sixth appearance at the next World Cup in 2023.

Meanwhile in Nigeria, she is always looking for new ways to give back through charity and community initiatives. Ebi has a foundation that is focused primarily on helping young girls who want to play football professionally and she is involved in supporting Nigeria’s struggling female football league.

Beyond her personal foundation, Ebi also donates one per cent of her income

to Common Goal, an initiative that supports high-impact NGOs that use football to drive progress towards the Global Goals.

Through Common Goal, Ebi discovered that YEDI (Youth Empowerment Development Initiative) was operating in Lagos on projects she seeks to support, including raising awareness among young people on health topics, like AIDS. Ebi agreed to join YEDI on one of their rural outreaches and when she arrived at the location and met the girls, her heart melted.

Off the field, many people may not recognise Ebi. The girls had never heard about her before but they were happy to see her, and after the outreach session Ebi gave them a group hug. She also presented them with gifts and assured them that they can achieve whatever they want to, regardless of their background.

“Being here today really reminds me of my childhood,” Ebi said as she smiled and watched the little children playing.

“It’s just like I’ve gone back to being a child again. I loved the experience I had talking to the girls, I’m glad I had the opportunity to come here today.”

Ebi may have achieved so much in her own career, but now it’s time to give back.

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 ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ MARCH 12, 2022

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

AUTO WORLD

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

Nissan Nigeria Introduces New Navara to Customers

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tallion NMN Limited, Nigeria’s exclusive representative of Nissan brand, has o΀cially revealed the new Navara pickup truck to its Nigerian customers.

The Navara Customer launch, held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, attracted corporate, government and individual customers from across the country.

In his keynote address at the occasion, the General Manager of Stallion NMN Limited, Mr. Amit Sharma, described the launch of the new Navara as a continuation of his company’s journey towards transforming Nigeria into a notable hub for manufacturing and distribution of Nissan vehicles.

According to him, Stallion-Nissan is ever conscious of what he described as Nigeria’s incredibly huge potential, hence its resolve to keep investing in the nation’s automobile industry.

He recalled: In 2013, Stallion NMN Limited, a subsidiary of Stallion Group, partnered with Nissan Motor Corporation with the aim of transforming Nigeria into a notable hub for manufacturing and distribution of Nissan vehicles.

Barely a year after the Stallion-Nissan agreement, Nigeria’s then newly revived auto policy received a boost of a Nissan Assembly

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Some of these maintenance tips include: Replacing filters on time Keeping an eye on your tire tread Changing your oil regularly Keeping the interior clean Fixing scratches quickly Maintaining your brakes Not smoking in the cabin Maintaining your car not only ensures it lasts longer, and that each component operates as it should, but it also protects its resale value.

The new Navara pickup truck plant located at our VON Automobiles complex in Lagos.

From the plant, the Àrst locally assembled Nissan Patrol was rolled out in 2014. Since then, we have signiÀcantly invested in local production of other vehicles, including Nissan Almera, NP300 Pickups and Urvan NV350.

The foregoing has meant enormous economic beneÀts to Nigeria and Nigerians, especially in

Body Strength In the process of making the Star 9 mini bus, Changan took the body through integrated stamping technology (a process of making sheets or plates of diͿerent thicknesses into the desired shape by mechanical stamping or ramming and does not change the thickness of the original material during the manufacturing process). As a result, the mini

Changan Star 9 bus

terms of 100s of direct and indirect jobs and enhanced technical skill for a good number of Nigerian workers via provision of world class training.

As a result, the Nissan brand recorded a signiÀcant boost in market share. And, in 2015, Stallion NMN won prestigious Nissan Global Sales Award for exceptionally growing the market share by 18%.

bus comes with an improved steel formality and body strength.

With a dimension of is 4430 mm long, 1655 mm wide with a height of 1935 mm, Star 9 rolls out with a body held in place by panels made with integral stamping technology, which means an improved torsion resistance. Practically, when driving, you can clearly feel a sense of heaviness from the inside out.

Comfort and Space Named according to seating capacity available for sale in Nigeria, Changan Star 9 is by no means ‘mini’ inside. Rather, it is magically spacious, with versatile sitting formations.

A spacious multiple-seater, Changan Star 9 is not only roomier than its peers it oͿers multiple seating arrangements for 2, 5, 7, 9, 11 passengers, thereby maximizing space e΀ciency.

For instance, its middle row of seats, which comes with simple adjuster, can be completely Áattened.

Its rear seats also come with Áexible and simple adjuster, thereby making it easy to adjust the load space according to the needs of passenger or load.

Power Positioned as a leader for business passengers and urban logistics, the Star 9 mini bus is powered by the highly reliable 1.5L I4, MPI gasoline, 14G15S engine mated to a traditional 5-speed manual gearbox.

Stallion Auto KeKe Reiterates Support for Women

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tallion Auto Keke Limited, a member of the Stallion Group and the Sole Distributor of the world-leading Bajaj 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers in Nigeria has expressed its desire to continue to assist women in achieving their goals.

Managing Director, Stallion Auto KeKe Limited, Mr Manish Rohtagi, gave the assurance Tuesday, while addressing women on the occasion of International Women Day 2022, held at their assembly plant at the VON Automobiles Nigeria in Ojo, Lagos State with the theme: “Breaking The Bias”.

Mr Manish said that the company has the plan to have women occupying 50 per cent of their workforce.

Already, Stallion Auto Keke is delivering huge value to the Nigerian society through their various initiatives. One of such initiatives is its commitment to the empowerment of Nigerians in general and especially young women through the company’s expansive Stallion Empowerment Initiative (SEI) programme focused on female three-wheeler drivers, mechanical training and assembling.

Speaking further at the event, Manish advised the women to always support their families as most of them are already in the position of power.

Noting that women should complement each other, the MD, equally urged them to work hard,

Essential Car Maintenance Tips Keep your car’s resale value as high as possible with these simple, actionable tips on how to maintain your car properly.

Cars are expensive, there’s no doubt about it, and if you’d like to ensure your investment lasts as long as possible, you should do your best to take care of it.

Changan Star 9 a Game Changer in Nigeria’s Mini Buses Segment hangan Star 9 has been positioned as a game changer in the nation’s mini buses segment by Zahav Automobile Co., Nigeria’s ofÀcial representative of Changan automobile brand.

The vehicle is characterised with safety, body strength, practicality and powerful engine with fuel e΀ciency,

TIPS OF THE WEEK

L-R: Mrs. Marcus Yetunde Victoria; Mrs Adebisi Odeleye; Mrs Damilola Fanimo Nwabuzor; Managing Director, Stallion Auto KeKe Limited, Mr Manish Rohtagi; Mrs Femi-John Adebola; and Mrs Helen Omojola, during the International Women Day 22 celebration hosted by Stallion Auto KeKe Limited, at the VON Automobiles Nigeria in Ojo, Lagos State… recently learn skills and improve in whatever they do.

“I want to have 50 per cent of our workforce as women. As women, you should complement each other. If you want to do something, make eͿorts to train. You can also reach out to your supervisors

and we will support you.”

In her presentation, Guest Speaker and Human Resources expert, Mrs Femi-John Adebola concurred, that there are always biases when it comes to gender equality.

Replace Your Filters On Time Every Time Regularly replacing the filters in your car is one of the best ways to ensure it lasts a long time.

Each of these is in charge of removing contaminants before they continue on to cause harm. Over time, these particles will build up in filters, and you’ll need to replace them, or they’ll become clogged.

Some of these include the following: Fuel filter (replace every 2-years or 30,000 miles) (Source: AutoChimps)

Chery Tiggo8, assembled by PAN Nigeria

Chery Tiggo8 Bags Quality Product Award

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hery Tiggo8 won the “Quality Product Award” at the just concluded 43rd Kaduna International Trade Fair. The award was presented by Dr. Haliru Musa Soba, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Technology, Kaduna State at the closing ceremony witnessed by dignitaries from both the public and private sectors of the country.

Responding to pressmen after the event, the Managing Director, PAN Nigeria, assemblers of Chery vehicles in Nigeria Ms Taiwo Oluleye congratulated members of the Kaduna Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (KADCCIMA) for their consistency and tenacity in organizing the Trade Fair event every year.

She went on to proclaim that the Trade Fair was a successful event despite the challenges of the operating environment, which was rather reassuring to all exhibitors at the Fair. In commenting on the Tiggo8 award, Ms. Oluleye iterated that, “In the last 50 Years, PAN has continued to produce durable and quality vehicles with our customers in mind and the award-winning Tiggo8 is an attestation to our commitment to excellence.”

Earlier, at the opening ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Otumba Adeniyi Adebayo had commended PAN Nigeria for the introduction of Tiggo8, for its distinct features and robust style, anticipating the model will serve the needs of the targeted segment.

As PAN’s Áagship, the Chery Tiggo8 is a seven-seat SUV produced at PAN’s Kaduna plant.

The Tiggo 8 is packed with luxury and safety features adopting the most modern technology.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R Sitting: Coordinator, Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT), Lagos Chapter,Cecilia Odibo; Pioneer Chairperson, SWIT, Justina Okoror; Immediate Past President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN),Olajumoke Simplice; National Chairperson, SWIT, Ruth Adimula; President, CITN, Adesina Adedayo; Chairperson, Conference Planning Committee, Titilayo Fowokan; National Chairperson, Professional Women Accountants of Nigeria(PROWAN), Elemaya Ebilah and other members of SWIT at the just concluded SWIT maiden Int’l conference that held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin...recently

L-R: President Nominee of Rotary Club of Gowon Estate, Rotn. Edward Ojobo being welcomed to the elite group of Rotary Foundation by District Governor, District 9110, Rotary International, Rotn. Remi Bello during tha annual dinner of Rotary Foundation in Lagos.... recently

Goodlife Introduces New Zobo Ginger Variant Beverage brand, GoodLife, a Áagship brand of Tolaram Nutri Beverage has entered the market with new Goodlife Zobo Ginger variant.

The new variant was unveiled in Terra Culture, Lagos during the February edition of a popular comedy show- ‘Showtyme Friday Show with TEE’ that holds every last Friday of the month.

The new drink was unveiled stylishly to a cheering audience who snacked on a bottle of the drink as they enjoyed the comedy show.

Also present at the launch were renowned comedian, Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, better known as Alibaba and singer, Teniola Apata simply known as Teni, both of who

hosted the comedy show.

According to the organisation, the new variant is made from a blend of hibiscus leaves extract popularly known as Zobo, and ginger Áavors.

The launch was also spiced up with a dancing competition involving male and female after which prizes were presented to winners.

Speaking on the product, National BTL Manager of Goodlife Magik, Isaac Egbe stated that the new drink packs refreshing, nutritional and health beneÀts for overall consumers’ enjoyment.

He said, “The drink is designed for everyday nourishment as it contains vitamin C amongst other beneÀts, and a good refreshment drink at parties.

This drink has many advantages- it

is readily available, aͿordable, tasty, refreshing, and beautifully packaged in handy pet bottle.”

Egbe added, “This is more than the taste of zobo. It is the ginger that drives you to be yourself. It is the drive on days when you need a taste of nature to calm your itchy nerves.

It is the ginger that relieves, reÀlls, and refreshes you on hot afternoons.

“It is cocktail-inspired, easy to drink, and full-Áavored, yet highly refreshing. It’s nothing compared to any beer or pre-mixed cocktail out there. And we are conÀdent that it will be loved and enjoyed across all age brackets, awarding them the opportunity to taste the good life in a drink.”

21st Century Concludes Deal with Siemens Energy Foremost indigenous information technology company, 21st Century Technologies Limited has signed an agreement with Germany-based energy company, Siemens Energy to build 2 X 10MW SGT 400 turbine power plant for its data centre facilities.

The turbine plant will be stationed at 21st Century’s Data centres in Ikeja and Lekki, Lagos.

According to the ICT company, the power project which will be ready for installation and commissioning by Q4 2022, will run on gas, diesel and hydrogen, to complement other sustainable energy sources on the facility.

Speaking on the deal which was consummated at 21st Century Technologies corporate headquarters in Lekki,

Lagos, its Chief Executive O΀cer, Wale Ajisebutu, said that the project was part of the organisation’s expansion plans to seamlessly and e΀ciently manage communications networks across the country and beyond.

21st Century choice of turbine technology further solidiÀes its leadership status in a highly competitive IT space and raises the proÀle of its data centre facilities designed above Tier IV standard and rated the largest in West and North Africa.

In addition to turbines, the data centres draw power from a host of other sources including direct connectivity to the national grid, solar panels and array of generators to drive seamless and uninterrupted operations.

Commenting on the innovation, Ajisebutu said: “We built the Àrst data centre in Nigeria in 2004. We are very proud indeed to mention that the facility has been successfully running for the last 18 years. Many thanks to our team, technical partners such as Schneider Electric and numerous customers for the trust repose in us. Their support and best wishes will forever remain source of encouragement to our entire team.”

Also speaking on the deal, Vice President of Sales - Region Africa at Siemens Energy, Marcus Nelle expressed delight on the new deal and further reiterated the company’s support for 21st Century Technologies in its quest to improve infrastructure in Nigeria and Africa.

SystemSpecs Clocks 30, Competition Heightens in Smartphone Unveils 2 Subsidiaries Market with Redmi Note 11 Africa’s software and Ànancial technology giant, SystemSpecs has announced the launch of two new subsidiaries as part of activities to mark 30 years in business.

At a press conference organised by the company recently, its Group Managing Director, John Obaro also announced the appointment of Dr. Ernest Ndukwe as the new chairman of the organisation.

Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and chairman of MTN Nigeria took

over from Dr. Christopher Kolade who had served on the board of the organisation for 15 years.

In marking the anniversary too, the organisation also unveiled a series of year-long initiatives which included the 30th Founders’ Day commemoration, SystemSpecs’ Graduate Internship Programme, awareness health walk, anniversary gala, a special Children’s Day essay competition, and a summer coding boot camp.

With its new subsidiaries, SystemSpecs now operate as three distinct entities:

The competition in the Nigerian smartphone market has taken a new trend with the launch of new Redmi Note 11 series by Xiaomi.

The series included- Redmi Note 11 Pro, Redmi Note 11S and Redmi Note 11.

According to the organisation, the new oͿering would give smartphone patrons stronger specs and features. “Redmi Note 11 series again brings powerful upgrades to its camera system, charging speed, display, and SoC³making Áagship-level smartphone performance more accessible than before”, the Àrm stated.

Xiaomi at the devices launch also unveiled three AloT products: Redmi Buds 3, Redmi Buds 3 Pro and Redmi Watch 2 Lite to enhance smart experiences for diͿerent facets of users’ lives.

Commenting, Xiaomi West Africa Director, Leo Liu revealed that the new producst come with a Áagship-level camera setup to deliver outstanding photography.

He added that the devices feature 108MP primary sensors, allowing consumers to capture and share moments in high resolution and true-to-life details.

SWIT Charges Women on Self-Empowerment at Confab The Society of Women in Taxation (SWIT), has urged women across all sectors to continue to develop themselves and aspire for leadership roles where ever they belong.

The group gave this admonition at its just concluded maiden international Professional Conference that held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin themed- “The Role of Professional Women in Nation Building”.

A former Deputy Governor of Osun State and ex-Minister of Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada while speaking at the three days programme, lamented that despite global and national move for women emancipation, discrimination against women still persist in this clime.

She noted that unlike the agreed target that was set in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for balanced power-sharing between women and men in decision-making, Nigerian women are still being marginalised and underrepresented in key sectors.

“Bias such as old stereotype, fewer connections, discrimination and lack of flexibility have prevented our women from taking up apex role”, she said.

At this period, Obada urged women to come together in

oneness, while enabling and supporting women’s organisation movement to be able to change the narratives.

National Chairperson of SWIT, Dr Ruth Adimula restated the commitment of SWIT to promoting socio-economic development and therefore urged women to be strategic and deliberate about stirring economic growth in the society.

She said, “We need to be strategic to know what we ought to do and be available to act as agent of change in our respective spaces towards national development. Hence, the need for the conference to deliberate on what we need to do positively to impact each and every aspect of our lives.”

On her part, Chairperson of Conference planning committee, Dr Titilayo Fowokan advised women to invest meaningfully in themselves by developing their professional and technical skills.

She also urged government to make provision of enabling environment a priority to be able to catalyse productivity among women.

She said, “Sustainability of women’s businesses and contribution to economic growth will thrive in an enabling and conducive business environment.

SBI Media Ties up with Stagwell to Strengthen Global Presence An independent media agency, SBI Media has expanded its footprint in global marketing service with its a΀liation with international marketing and communications group, Stagwell global.

SBI Media o΀cially announced its partnership with Stagwell at a media parley in Lagos, recently.

Stagwell, a challenger holding company and a global network boasts top-Áight creative, research, and media expertise built to transform marketing.

Both organisations will be leveraging their expertise and strengths to deliver top-notch service to growing sophisticated consumers.

By the partnership, SBI Media will be able to collaborate with agencies across Stagwell’s network to scale omnichannel media, content, and production

capabilities for top brands while Stagwell would harness SBI’s rapidly growing digital and traditional media environment with a hyper-localized approach.

Speaking on the partnership, Group Managing Director of SBI Media, Rotimi Bankole stated that the the new development was apt given the commonality of vision between organisations to transform marketing communications.

“Our strategic a΀liation with Stagwell is now activated . We are proud to take on the next level of our business growth with such partnership across the board that will not only extend to clients with the best in class performance that they expect, but also clearly fulÀls our vision to share SBI’s outstanding insights into African audiences, media, and markets.

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

EVENTS

I

twasamomentofjoyrecentlywhenChief Olugbenga Obisesancelebratedhis60thbirthdayinLagos.

Photographs below show the family, friends and well-wishers who rejoiced him .

PHOTO: ABAYOMI AKINYELE

L-R: Celebrant, Chief Olugbenga Obisesan and his wife, Bimpe

L-R: Former Bishop of Ilesa Diocese, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Olabayo Sowale; and The Lord Bishop, Diocese of Lagos, Rt Rev. Dr. James Olusola Odedeji

R-L: Adekanmi Laoye and his wife, Damilola

L-R: Mr. Olawuyi Solomon Olawale; M.D. THISDAY Newspapers, Eniola Bello; and Mr. Paschal Madu

Mr. and Mrs. Tunji Adewoyin

L-R: Mr. Adeola Mayegun and his wife, Oludayo

L-R: Mr. Gabriel Akinyemi; Mr. Olusegun Sunday; and his wife, Esther

L-R: Engr. and Mrs Ben Nnaji

L-R: Hon. Kamon Sunmonu; Mrs. Sade Famakin; and Mr. Sola Famakin

L-R: Otunba Olaniyi; Pastor Seyi Famogbele; and Mrs. Tolani Olatoye

L-R: Tola Osuya; Adebimpe Amedu; Dolapo Oluwasola; and Bukola Aina

L-R: Funmi Aremu; and Tinuola Ayanbolu

L-R: Mowumi Ajadi; and Mosurat Adekoya

L-R: Idowu Awobusuyi; Marijdee Obalan; and Mojisola Akinsola L-R: Dr. Babatunde Adewale; and Prince Steve Laoye

L-R: Olori Pamela Laoye; and Mrs. Ronke Lukman

L-R: Soluade Morakinyo; Victoria Oyenuga; and Hakeem Mudasiru

L-R: Mrs. Bose; and Mr. Adeleye Alogbo

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH 12, 2022

PEOPLE Talban Musawa’s Aiding Vulnerable People in Musawa, Matazu LGs Abdullahi Aliyu Ahmed (Talban Musawa) is meticulously tackling the challenges afflicting vulnerable people in Musawa and Matazu local government areas of Katsina State, writes Francis Sardauna

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atsina State-born politician and philanthropist, Abdullahi Aliyu Ahmed (Talban Musawa) has over the years impacted positively and transformed people’s lives, particularly the vulnerable in villages and communities across Musawa and Matazu local government areas of the state. He has also exhibited the courage to speak truth, challenge national policies and decisions which tend to exploit the people, thus standing out as the most articulate fearless voice of the voiceless.

Born in Musawa in 1975, the Talban Musawa grew up in a family where giving and humanitarian services were given priority and he has continued this passion as he reaches out to peoplethroughempowerment,scholarshipsand developmental projects. Many are so amazed why Ahmed is so passionate about charity and philanthropy. What they are not familiar with is that he learnt the art of philanthropy from his father who was a community leader who invested heavily in helping people within his locality.

For his love for giving, most especially in educational excellence, Ahmed popularly known as ‘General’ in his ancestral home, has created an educational scholarship for vulnerable children whose parents cannot afford education and drastically reduced the illiteracy ratio in the areas as he believes education is the bedrock of every society. With years of consistency seeing those he had invested in grow bigger in life, the silent achiever has rededicated his life to cheerful giving.

In protecting and defending the interest and welfare of the residents of the two local governments irrespective of religion, tribal or political affiliations, the young Talban Musawa became a legendary example for his fearless commitment to always stand on the side of the people of the Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency as their champion and his humane and benevolent spirit especially for the vulnerable has been unparalleled in the last ten years.

His endless assistance to victims of banditry and natural disaster in Musawa and Matazu, arguably the first and only political gladiator to have done this within his constituency, is well gazetted. He has also provided resettlement packages for displaced communities in the constituency and other parts of the state, given financial support to families of those who lost their loved ones; he also recognized and rewarded academic and creative excellence.

In the area of education, the strategic interventions of the community philanthropist in the last ten years, in the construction, upgrading and expansion of secondary schools across Musawa and Matazu local governments, have continued with remarkable results. He has upgraded some dilapidated primary and secondary schools in the zone as part of his effort at supporting the Governor Aminu Bello Masari-led government in the state.

One important project in the education sector, which even his critics will reluctantly admit, is the construction and equipping of an amazing block of two classrooms with a befitting staff room and a store at Jikamshi Community Secondary School in Musawa local government area of the state.TheTalban Musawa’s regional importance and growing national stature as a politician, a visionary game changer and a developmental leader, has grown in leaps and bounds.

He has also transformed Kurkujan community in Musawa by constructing a block of two classrooms at Dankande community secondary school with one staff office and a store for the take-off of the community school.

WhenTHISDAYrecently visited the community,

Talban Musawa there was jubilation by residents over the project which they described as first-of-its kind and problem-solving in the community.

One of the residents, Usman Bilya, said: “Talban has rescued us from educational bondage by bringing education closer to us.This will address our educational need”.

In a bid to boost Islamic education and inculcate the culture of moral upbringing among children in Matazu, the ‘Civilian General’ has constructed two-block of four classrooms at Dissi community Islamiyya School. The Islamic school is expected to admit over 300 pupils in the farmers-dominated community thereby tackling the spate of out-of-school children in Matazu Local Government and the state at large.

In the area of healthcare delivery, he renovated the Maternity ward, Isolation centre and laboratory and purchased hospital beds at the

Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centre in Matazu Local Government. The community service provider also promised to buy scanning and microscope machines, Genotype testing machine and two power generating sets for efficient and effective service delivery.

Apparently disturbed by the alarming rate of drug abuse in the state, the Talban Musawa, has built and inaugurated a state-of-the-art centre for the rehabilitation and reformation of drug addicts and offenders. The centre, located in Musawa General Hospital, is expected to provide counseling, rehabilitation and treatment of drug users in order to stem the tide of drug addiction among youths in the area. The drug rehabilitation centre will also focus on patient detoxification and social reintegration by assessing their physical and mental health.

In water supply and hygiene, Ahmed has constructed six toilets and a motorised borehole at Government Day Girls Secondary School, Musawa and six other boreholes at different cemeteries and in some strategic locations in Musawa, Matazu and in other adjoining villages in the constituency. In the past three years, the young Talban Musawa distributed 8000 bags of millets, rice, sugar and spaghetti to vulnerable people in the two local governments to tackle their hardship during the Holy months of Ramadan.

As part of efforts to ensure food production is not affected by the devastating effect of COVID-19 and to ensure a more sustainable and resilient food system in the constituency, the Talban Musawa has been distributing free fertilizers to smallholder farmers. Currently, he has purchased and stored over 600 bags of fertilizers for onward distribution to farmers across the constituency for this year’s farming season to enhance food production, create employment and enable the farmers to recover quickly from sudden shocks of the COVID-19 Pandemic as well as sustain food supply.

At a time where most leaders in the country used the COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity as excuse for non-performance, theTalban Musawa

has not only became well-referenced in the developmentalnarrativeofMusawaandMatazu but has left many social commentators in the state, gushing with sincere conviction that he is the only person who can realistically beat the impressive developmental records of a serving senator or House of Representatives member.

However, for not abandoning the constituency in the face of dwindling resources and providing meaningful development through the provision of humanitarian services to residents, Ahmed has won accolades and endorsement of residents of the two local governments to vie for the seat of Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency election come 2023.

Therefore,itispertinentfortheTalbanMusawa to answer the clarion call of the chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and youths in the constituency by throwing his heart in the ring for the House of Representatives race to pave the way for democracy-oriented representation in the Green Chamber.

The Talban Musawa attended Yero Primary School from 1980-1987 before proceeding to Government Secondary School Musawa and later transferred to Government Science and Technical College Funtua where he completed his secondary education.

He had a brief stint with the defunct National Guard and later left to continue his educational pursuit in Isa Kaita College of Education DutsinMa from 1996 -1997. From there, he enrolled into Bayero University Kano (BUK) for Political Science and graduated in 2003.

Upon completion of his university education he ventured into business and joined the services of D Radda Ventures as its General Manager. In 2015, he was appointed as Personal Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Katsina Government House, Dr. Umar Dikko Radda, and when his boss was appointed to head the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), he was again reappointed as his Personal Assistant, a position he holds till date.

Gov Sani Bello Lifts Tourism with Shagunu Beach Resort

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ffort of the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello to boost tourism has received a major fillip with the decision of a major financial group to bank-roll the project.

The decision of the foreign investor to invest in Shagunu Beach Resort was the outcome of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s foreign investment drives in recent times. The beach resort, located in Borgu Local Government Area of the state has been a major investment centre on the priority list of the Sani Bello administration in the state.

Disclosing this in a statement mid-week, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Chidawa Rifkatu Adamu said: “It is the desire of the Sani Bello led administration in the state to make Shagunu Beach Resort one of the country’s top tourism sites and a destination of first choice .’

“Governor Sani Bello has been committed and consistent in driving growth and developments in Niger State, and one of his focal points is how to make Shagunu Beach Resort come alive as one of Nigeria’s top tourism sites.’’

Speaking in a similar vein, Lead Consultant/ Chief Executive Officer of Marcom Support Services Ltd, Mr. Hakeem Adewale Akintunde said it gladdens the heart that Shagunu Beach Resort had gotten attention of a global financial player, noting that for over three years now, the state government has embarked on aggressive infrastructural development of communities in

Sani Bello the area.

He revealed that empirical evidence of the master-plan of the resort shows that Shagunu would be promoted as a rising riverside resort destination of choice in the Sahara. He stated that the project which is conceived as a Public-Private Partnership on Build, Operate and Own Model is aimed at putting Niger State on the global tourism map while boosting the internally generated

revenue of the state. ‘’It is our mandate to market and project this God given resort to the outside world and investors with the hope of making the Beach the first of its kind in Nigeria and South of the Sahara,” Akintunde revealed.

The beach, situated in the widest part of the River Niger occupies 1000 hectares of land as the river spans 34km across River Niger.

Shagunu is a rich natural environment which projects excellent opportunities to attract further economic development. As a riverside, it portends limit less prospects for positive growth associated with tourism industry development. It links up with Timbuktu in Mali, newly built Baro Ports in Niger State as well as connecting to the Niger Delta Region through the water ways.

Other side attractions and landmarks of Shagunu Beach are: Kainji National Park, the Largest National Park of Nigeria which contains Kainji Lake; the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve.

The state government has been committed to aggressive infrastructural development of the state with special focus and attention on road construction and massive electrification of communities in Borgu Local Government and other parts of the state.

Niger State is a multi-culturally rich and agriculturally-well endowed. It is a state with diverse ethnic groups, peace-loving, accommodating and industrious.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R •SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2022

BACKPAGE CONTINUATION MY KOBO ADVICE TO REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD (RCCG) Ahmed Tinubu and also because of his admirable credentials, ability and capacity.

His religion was necessarily a factor, because a Northern Moslem must perforce pick a Southern Christian as his running mate in the current Nigerian clime. That was the only reason religion came into it, I believe. It had nothing to do with the fact that he is a senior pastor of the RCCG. Even if the Vice President has now decided to bear his own father’s name.by dropping that of his avuncular godfather, the church will still face a moral crisis if it wishes to jump on the bandwagon by drumming up support for Professor Osinbajo on religious grounds alone for many reasons, some of which I will now highlight.

Although Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a Muslim, his dear beloved wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu is a staunch member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and one of the leading lights of the Church. Asiwaju, her husband, is a frontline Presidential aspirant on the platform of APC, just like his godson, the Vice President. Even if the RCCG has a preference in Professor Osinbajo, mainly because of his status in the Church and his current position in Government, I expect the RCCG to “pretend” a little and behave as if it is not so. Not to do that would be tantamount to picking a child out of one’s children and say, “this is my favourite!” It is simply not right or proper for the RCCG to demonstrate such blatant and flagrant partisanship.

As if that is not a tough cookie to handle, there is the fact that that there is a third contender, yours truly, Dele Momodu, who’s also a member of the RCCG and the youngest of the contending Church aspirants so far. I’m also the only member of the RCCG aspiring on the platform of PDP, as far as I know. Would the Church then ask its congregation to vote for one party over the other merely because it has decided to support one candidate in preference to the other regardless of the strong points one may have over the other? What a conundrum and crisis this portends for the Church and its unity and peace.

The church cannot even afford to ostracise any aspirant on the basis of religious persuasion or denomination.

It is the job of the church to seek out and promote the best candidates and then pray for them and galvanise support for them perhaps clandestinely.

I also imagine that there is some degree of unconstitutionality to this attempt by the RCCG to descend into the political arena. Nigeria is a secular state as the constitution provides. To suggest that one candidate is the preferred candidate of a particular church or religious group and is being effectively sponsored by that church will breach not just the morality and ethos of the Church but also the deeply enshrined principles and grundnorm of our constitution, which are embedded and engraved for good reason.

Furthermore, there are no guarantees that being a church Pastor or otherwise would make you a competent and truthfully honest leader. The church is too massive and extremely influential to reduce itself to such a level of myopia. Since what most Nigerians desire today is good and accountable leadership, our Churches should smartly work towards identifying the best materials in different political parties and support us spiritually and materially from the humongous resources it has pleased God to bless them with.

Specifically, it is my belief that our churches should avoid anything that could further escalate the huge religious and socio-political conflagration already ravaging our long-suffering nation. Just imagine what would happen if other church denominations or other religions decide to support their own members only. It would be palpable anarchy in the making. Nigeria will then end up with a Babel of voices and a cacophony of noises which would not augur well for the wellbeing of us all, but only cause misery and upheaval.

I sincerely hope and pray that our Church, the RCCG, will douse this unnecessary fire and recant and retrace its steps before it is too late.

NIGERIA AND THE MANY THOMASES I doubt if there’s any other country in the world where the rich and poor citizens alike moan, groan and lament like the

Biblical Jeremiah and yet feel totally helpless in changing the terrible situation with which they are confronted. This is even more surprising and infuriating when you realise that the power to rewrite their own history and change their own fortunes lies completely in their hands.

I often recollect an occasion when the African Giant, Ambassador Chief Antonio ‘Deinde Fernandez flew me from London to Edinburgh, Scotland, for lunch and we sat down in a fantastic Seafood restaurant with his American wife, Chief Mrs Olufunmilayo Aduke Fernandez, later estranged and now deceased like her husband. Rather than eat and savour our meals in peace, Chief and I went on endlessly into discussing the many problems of Nigeria. At a point, his wife was so miffed that she pointedly asked why if we were so concerned about our country, how come we are so helpless about changing things. Even as I traverse everywhere on my second voyage towards the Presidential race, the questions I encounter are so disturbing.

Many Nigerians have given up hope on our country. They believe nothing good can ever come out of it. You would think the Biblical Thomas was a Nigerian.

Most of our armchair analysts waste so much time and energy on why Nigeria’s case is eternally hopeless without trying to proffer a solution and better still see that the ultimate change agents are right in front of them, and it is they themselves. Therefore, I always disagree with them. All you and I need to do to change Nigeria for the best is for each and every one of us to invest our kobo kobo in good and capable candidates.

No miracle will happen when we all sit in our comfort zones talking plenty of ‘turenchi’ and gibberish instead of contributing our little time and cash, and campaigning from door to door for our preferred candidates. We have seen this work in other places. A thousand naira from one million people will provide one billion Naira. Just imagine what this can do to booster fresh candidates without access to government coffers. Instead, what we see is the ironic disparaging and denigrating of such fresh and able candidates on the basis that they have no money and cannot therefore compete.

How can you say youreyou’re my friend if you can’t support my lofty dream? And when I win, the same friends will make a willow cabin at my gate.

The simple reason for the overconfidence of some aspirants is their limitless access to our commonwealth. There is no level playing field for those competent candidates with imaginative and innovative ideas of truly resolving the myriad of complex problems that confound our present crop of avaricious and clueless leaders. Only a few of our rich men truly care about changing Nigeria. They often believe since they are lucky to have enough for themselves and immediate families, others can go to blazes. I always say no one knows tomorrow. We live in an environment where one wrong policy of a bad government can ruin the fortunes of any successful entrepreneur.

I always wish many Nigerians would be like me. I try strenuously to back my words with action by investing in good people, as a means of encouragement.

A young Presidential aspirant walked up to me in 2018 seeking my support. I knew he was not likely to go far since he was not in a mainstream political party, but that did not deter or stop me from giving him a handsome financial package as my backing for him. His future is very bright. Before a serving Governor won his court case, I made significant contributions to his legal fees which had become too onerous for him to bear alone. I have never visited him in his state since he became a Governor.

When a political party of professionals was to be formed, I was invited by a former bank Managing Director to make financial contribution, which I made gladly and cheerfully. I have never been a member of the Party. We all need to imbibe this culture and habit of investing in good governance and competent leadership.

Our friends who love to contribute to funding birthday parties and funerals should start investing in the future of generations unborn. And not in fleeting moment of “useless enjoyment” as my older brother would say. Then they will truly know what satisfaction and contentment means.

This is an appeal to all patriotic Nigerians...

the nuances of pastoral caregiving to secondary traumatic stress, with emphasis on the potential risk factors among catholic priests and a critical look at Ehusani’s “Prophetic Imagination, respectively. These are followed by a chapter seven that says, in Ehusani’s words concerning the role of the priesthood in the face of the failing promise of Nigeria: “Prophets are visionaries of their time. When all others are blind prophets are the ones granted to see the handwriting on the wall, to interpret the signs of the time and to see the light beyond the tunnel. Equipped as they are with superior knowledge and perception, prophets analyse the situation on the ground in the light of the common good and in the light of God’s wisdom and commandments.

Prophets refuse to be defined by the corruption of the moment; they refuse to be engulfed by the darkness of the surrounding environment.

In chapter eight of this academically enthralling work, titled “Peacebuilding and the Imperative of Ongoing Interfaith Dialogue and Conflict Management, we see the value of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. We also see the irreplaceable role of Fr George in it. quoting from author Song’s work, we are told, correctly I dare say: “The interaction between the majority and minority religious, ethnic, social and political groups highlights the interconnection between majority and minority groups,” which has implications for cultural conflicts.” We are further told here that “a deliberative approach to particular cultural (social and political) dilemmas has several advantages over other approaches that give or no role to the participation of those affected by the dilemmas in question.”

Chapter nine, titled “A Critical Appraisal of Social Activism in George Ehusani’s Writings,” presents the latter’s “subjective assessment” of various discursive issues, as shown in his writings, as indicative

of his “attempt to challenge various vices that have hitherto hampered the growth and development of Nigeria.”

Captured here as part of our national problems, as seen by Fr Ehusani, are: (1) Leadership Quagmire and the challenge of governance, (2) A warped electoral process and socio-political instability, (3) Quest for social mobilization and lack of patriotic responsibility and (4) religious hypocrisy. This chapter is aptly followed by chapter ten, which is titled “Psychological Healing as Panacea for the Societal and Psychological Distress in Nigeria,” wherein specific remedial intervention s are also mentioned.

Chapter eleven is mostly a welldeserved tribute to Rev Ehusani’s “digital orientation” in his chosen line of work.

After pointing out that we live in a dynamic world with serious advances in technology, and after saying that “Bishops and superiors should permit and encourage priests to use traditional and social media to purge the secular society of all its ills, the chapter declares thus: “It is against this backdrop that Fr George Omaku Ehusani broke with all erstwhile resistance to the use of media, thus becoming a seasoned communicator and friend of the media in Nigeria.”

Chapters twelve and thirteen, which are respectively titled “Truth in the Lens of Trilogy: George Ehusani’s Poesies” and “Rev Fr George Ehusani: The Torch Bearer,” dwell on his poetic works and his loyalty to his Chosen Feld of Work at various levels. All said, these concluding chapters connect very well with the opening sections of the book, for a man who is faithful to himself and his conscience in everything he does. The Afterword, at the end of the book tells the truth about this priest who works out of his heart: “Fr George, you are truly appreciated and loved.” Thus say the friends of this faith merchant and activist.

EHUSANI: FAITH MERCHANT AS ACTIVIST example of how anyone who claims to be serving the Almighty in the church should go about his job.

This is what Prof. Jideofor Adibe said about Fr George in the Foreword to the book, which was edited by the following four distinguished individuals (1) Taiwo Abioye, (2) Arua Eke Arua, (3) Anthony Okeregbe and (4) Emmanuel Ojeifo: “As I came to know more about Fr. Ehusani – from his book, lectures, TV programmes and social engagement – he reminded me more of liberation theology …. which was rooted in priests, especially Catholic clergy in Latin America, consciously taking the side of the poor, the voiceless and oppressed, while not abandoning their calling as priests.” What Adibe probably should have added is that, besides homilies, television programmes and other social engagements, Fr George also actively deploys music and the dexterous use of musical instruments to propagate some of his edifying offerings.

The brilliant profile of the priest by Taiwo Abioye dovetails into the first chapter, also by the author of the Profile, in this 13 chapter book that does genuine credit to all the contributors. The title of this first chapter is sufficiently arresting on its own: “Imagery and Dialectics: A Priest’s Civic Engagements from the Pulpit.” The essence of the second chapter, which gives us a philosophical appraisal of George Ehusani’s “African Christian Humanism,” is captured thus: “…humanist principles, like universal human dignity, individual freedom, rational enquiry, conscience and the important of happiness are consistent with, and are essential components of, the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

The third chapter is more than interesting in its focus. Drawing our attention to Ehusani’s music as a tool for social engineering and didactic Christian interventions, this chapter looks beyond the aesthetic appeal of the sounds and lyrics of his music,

Ehusani

to its impact on the inner man as salve for the soul. It presents the liturgical value and goals of the reverend gentleman’s music, beyond his being a multi-instrumentalist, and also beyond his being a man who also enjoys his own musical renditions.

The relationship between this chapter and the next, which is “An Expository Analysis of the Human Person and Human Dignity in George Ehusani’s Christian Humanism,” can be seen in the fact that the divide between and honest existentialist evaluation of the impact of music as deployed by Ehusani and the humanistic implications of the overall conceptual framework of his endeavours is a tenuous one.

Chapters five and six take us into

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER MARCH12, 2022

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NEWSXTRA IWD: Girl Guides Advocates All-female Political Party Uchechukwu Nnaike The Nigerian Girl Guides Association (NGGA) has called for an all-female political party in the country to further address the bias against women.

This was part of the decisions reached at an event to mark this year’s International Women’s Day with the theme ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow- #BreaktheBias’.

The Chief Commissioner of the association, Mrs. Rhoda Olufunmilola Thomas, said a woman can eͿectively oversee any position of authority.

According to her, women are

‘Orji Has No Anointed Governor for Abia in 2023’

WELCOME ON BOARD… L-R: Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Abia APC Leader, Chief Ikechi Emenike and state Chairman of APC, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu, at the event to welcome the former COAS into APC...recently

FCCPC, ICPC and NITDA Raid Illegal Online Lenders Offices Dike Onwuamaeze The Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Mr. Babatunde Irukera, yesterday led a team of investigators and enforcers to swoop on alleged operators of illegal online lending and loan recovery through the use of Apps in a manner that exploits and damages the reputation of their victims.

Some of the alleged online lenders that were raided in

Opebi, Ikeja, in Lagos State by the FCCPC, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency, were GoCash, Easy Credit, Speedy Choice, Kash Kash, Easy Moni, Sokoloan and All Cash.

At the Sokoloan, which occupied two floors at 21 Opebi Road and was alleged to be owned by Chinese businessmen, the workers refused to open their

doors and constrained the FCCPC operatives to break their locks.

The Sokoloan is said to have over 5,000 employees that earned a minimum of N50,000 per month.

Irukera told journalists that the FCCPC started gathering information on the activities of these alleged unscrupulous lenders in 2020 during the peak of COVID-19 lockdown when people needed easy loans to cope with.

He said, “Some time at the end of last year after gathering

quite some information, the FCCPC engaged other agencies including the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), ICPC, National Human Right Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, and Nigerian Communications Commission, to create a joint regulatory task force to look into these businesses.

“The key two things that were subject of concern, were, what seemed to be naming and shaming or violation of people’s privacy with respect to how these lenders recover the loans.

Foundation Gives Scholarship, Wheelchairs Emmanuel Yawe, ACF to Indigent Students in Ogun Spokesman is Dead

JamesSowoleinAbeokuta

The Gateway Front Foundation (GFF), being promoted by former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has awarded scholarships to some indigent students of the state studying in various tertiary institutions in the country.

The foundation also presented wheelchairs to some physically challenged persons of Omu Ajose in Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state.

The presentation of scholarship and wheelchairs, were part of activities to commemorate the inauguration of a new office for

Gateway Movement at Omu Ajose, which is also being floated by Daniel.

While speaking at the event, Daniel said the movement is a charity organisation whose mission is to advance the cause of humanity and make life more pleasant for residents of the state.

Daniel, who was the governor of the state from 2003 to 2011, declared that the movement in collaboration with GFF would bring succour to the people. The event had in attendance several All Progressives Congress (APC) members who came from the nine local government areas of the state that made up Ogun East Senatorial District.

John Shiklam in Kaduna The spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Emmanuel Yawe is dead.

Yawe, a veteran journalist from Taraba State, died in his sleep on Friday morning.

Secretary General of the ACF, Murtala Aliyu, confirmed his death on the ACF’s WhatsApp media platform.

“It is with heavy heart that I bring to your notice the passing away of our Publicity Secretary Chief Emmanuel Yawe this morning.

“I have intimated the Chairman Audu Ogbeh and he instructed that I should bring it to the notice

of members.

“We will be visiting the family and will keep you informed about the burial arrangements. May his gentle soul rest in peace,” Aliyu said.

Yawe was elected spokesman of the forum in 2020.

He graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1979, with a degree in Political Science.

He started his journalism career with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in 1980 and was later appointed Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Gongola State in 1983.

He held several top editorial positions in several media organisations.

Africa Magic Set to Unveil Nominees Nigeria, Senegal Partner on New for Eighth Edition of AMVCAs African Tourism Broadway Initiative On Saturday, 19 March 2022 this edition of the AMVCAs and nominees for the eight edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards will be unveiled in a special broadcast on all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv from 9p.m. WAT. Nollywood actors, Adesua EtomiWellington and Daniel Etim-Effiong, will announce the nominees in all 33 categories for this edition.

Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Dr. Busola Tejumola, speaking on the broadcast said, “We received a good number of quality entries from across the continent for

we are pleased to reveal the final shortlist of nominees, which we are confident embody the excellence the awards is renowned for”.

For this edition, Africa Magic announced a new category for Best Online Social Content Creator and the return of the Best Africa Magic Original Drama Series and Best Africa Magic Original Comedy Series bringing the total number of categories to 33. 12 categories will be open to viewers’ vote and 21 decided by the AMVCA panel of judges headed by veteran filmmaker, Victor Okhai.

more sympathetic and passiondriven, noting that there are certain activities that women cannot engage in. “A woman will always think of how to comfort her children, neighbours and others.

“We have women who are principals of schools and they are running it very well. We have women who are vice-chancellors, registrars, bursars and they are doing it very well.”

She regretted that in all facets of life, women are being relegated and the opportunity is not there except they struggle for it. Women have to put in extra work to achieve anything.

Mary Nnah

Reigning champions of Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal, has reached out to Nigeria’s biggest and most influential travel and tourism trade group, the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) in efforts to ramp up mutual beneficial intelligence and market capacity sharing relationship on the tourism trade.

While NANTA will bring the massive presence and experience of its over six thousand members across Nigeria to stimulate the Senegal

and Nigeria tourism handshake across the vast west coast of Africa, the Senegalese team represented by its fledgling government powered Tourism Board, will fund expansive and exclusive trade workshops on Senegal tradocultural and sport tourism offerings.

With eyes on Nigeria’s active trade and adventure market, NANTA will help navigate the destination Senegal expects, a notable tourism feat the association has championed as part of its Africa to Africa tourism diplomacy under its current leadership.

Former governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has not anointed anybody to succeed Governor Okezie Ikpeazu come May 2023.

Orji, who represents Abia Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, had insisted recently that he was more interested in power rotation as enshrined in Abia Charter of Equity.

The former governor who was instrumental for the emergence of Ikpeazu as candidate

Lagos Plans Big for NAFEST 2022 The Lagos State Government and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) have pledged to work in tandem with each other to make the 35th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) the best of its kind in the history of the festival.

This understanding was reached at the preliminary meeting between o΀cials of the Lagos State Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Council for Arts and Culture in preparation for the 2022 edition of NAFEST held at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.

Abia APC Mourns as Late Chairman is Buried Amid Tributes EmmanuelUgwu-Nwogo in Umuahia High profile politicians, church leaders and professionals yesterday paid glowing tributes to the late chairman of Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Enyinnaya Harbour as his remains were laid to rest.

Harbour, who died on December 8, 2021, aged 57 shortly after he was elected party chairman, was mourned by a huge crowd of people from diverse groups that gathered at Aro Ajatakiri community in Ikwuano Local Government of Abia State.

The funeral service which was conducted by the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) Ihie Ndume Ibeku, Umuahia, roused the sleepy community which had not witnessed such a huge crowd of mourners from across the nation.

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, which culminated in his eventual victory as governor of Abia State.

In a statement titled ‘Ndi Ukwa La Ngwa Elders Council In Equity We Stand’

by Chinweuba Wachukwu, he said “I read with dismay the publication by a group known as Ukwa La Ngwa Council of Elders, stating that Senator T. A. Orji should allow the incumbent governor anoint his successor.

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NBA to Governor Umahi “To put it plainly, this is impunity of the highest order and executive rascality taken too far” –The Nigerian Bar Association chiding Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State for mocking the judge that sacked him and his deputy on the grounds of defection.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

My Kobo Advice to Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)

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ellow Nigerians, let me state clearly that I consider myself a bona fide member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) even if I don’t attend church services regularly due to my absence from home arising from my enforced itinerant lifestyle as an international journalist. For clarity, I have lived partly in England since about 27 years ago when I was forced into exile by the Abacha military regime in July 1995. Once we settled into our home in Cricklewood more than two decades ago, my Family and I attended the JESUS HOUSE in Brent Cross, the headquarters of the RCCG in the United Kingdom, ably led

by Pastor Agu Irukwu, a respected and respectable gentleman. Indeed, I celebrated my 50th birthday at JESUS HOUSE on May 16, 2010, and I felt truly blessed.

My Family still attend the Church to this day and whenever I am in England on Sundays, I venture to attend too.

Beyond this, I have been a son of our General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye and his very selfless wife, our Mummy G O, Mrs Foluke Adenike Adeboye for many years. I take this opportunity to congratulate Daddy G O on the occasion of his 80th birthday which occurred on 3rd March 2022. I pray for longer life in good health with much happiness, prosperity

Adeboye

contentment and peace. Their first son, Adeolu Adeboye, is also very close to me, right from our time in England. I have had the privilege of sailing on.a cruise ship with Daddy and Mummy for a full week from Florida to Cozumel in Mexico to Cayman Island to Ocho Rios in Jamaica. Mummy

had given me tips on that exquisite trip on how to improve the sales of Ovation and I was truly gratified and grateful.

Naturally, I feel that I owe it a duty to tell our Church leaders, and our Church in general, the Gospel truth and nothing but the absolute truth. In the light of my relationship with the RCCG, this duty is even more imperative and compelling.

I believe the leaders of the RCCG have laboured so hard to build one of the most formidable churches in the world. Nothing must be done to inadvertently cause a cataclysmic storm in the House of God. And the easiest way to create trouble in Nigeria today is any attempt to mix religion with politics. It goes beyond lighting the blue touch paper. It is like combining some highly combustible ingredients together in a chemical laboratory. It is not just that the effect may not be too pleasant, it is that the result and consequences will be catastrophic. God forbid.

As soon as I read the memo establishing a political arm of our Church, I realised this was nothing but an invitation to Armageddon, if true. For that reason, at first, I assumed the memo was a joke, a fake document that was merely meant to stir the hornets’ nest, so I did not pay too much attention to it. However, when it started flying in from every direction to

my phones, I knew someone had touched the tiger by the tail. I started working the phones to speak to a few contacts who should know about it and be able to confirm the veracity or otherwise of the document. The outcome was a resounding yes, the document had emanated from the Church and was acquiesced to by the upper echelons.

I asked for what the motive(s) could have been, and the general conspiracy theory was that our church was setting up an extensive network for the obvious Presidential ambition of the current Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, although couched in terms which ostensibly suggested that the Church wished to support all of its congregation who wished to contest the next general elections and made their aspirations known to the newly formed Church department. Personally, that theory didn’t jell with me. To the best of my knowledge, Professor Osinbajo is not the only member of the church contesting the Presidential election. And it was not the church that nominated him as running mate to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He got the job primarily because of his closeness to his former Principal, then Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Continued on page 38

OKEYIKECHUKWU Ehusani: Faith Merchant as Activist EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS

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e once debarred a governor from entering his church, because the latter violated the rule on lateness. He was to later calmly explain that the rules were clear from the beginning, that they were repeatedly explained to everyone and that his homilies were usually not interrupted by movement, due to lateness.

Rev He was always uncompromising in understanding of his role as a priest, the tradition of exemplary behaviour that had taken root in his parish and why he must be seen as one who served the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth.

The implication, and one that Ehusani has always upheld without any pretensions or airs, is that the validity and influence of earthly authority does not extent to his Parish where he answers to Another.

Let us just say that the governor in question never turned up late at his church thereafter. Let us also note that state officials and other dignitaries do not enter his homily with guns and security details. Not for him, the standing around conspicuously in corners and surveying worshippers by gun totting CSOs and

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

similar personnel of the high and mighty in society. That is what you find in his church, located in Asokoro, abuja.

At the peak of the COVID-19 crises, the Lux Terra family under him devised a method for members to register ahead of every Sunday worship. The registration, and particularly the time of registration, made you eligible or not eligible for worship; given the limited number of seats. It was always on a first come first served basis. So, everyone in that parish has internalized Ehusani’s no-nonsense approach to his pastoral duties. But it is a no-nonsense approach that is neither brash, offensive, nor designed to attract attention or applause. The man is just doing his job the way he understands it, and as a determined servant who is dedicated to helping nurture a better humanity, within and outside the church.

Rev Ehusani’s activities, through the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, cuts across interreligious harmony, leadership development and mentoring, providing guidance to school prefects and teachers and driving dialogues for national development on various

public platforms. That is the man for you. Energetic, dedicated, self-effacing and forever unwilling to let evil escape unchallenged wherever he finds it. He would travel anywhere in Nigeria “in the line of Duty.”

At the peak of the Naira Marley challenge to values and propriety among our youths, Ehusani was at hand to organize a programme for the students of Regina Caeli Secondary school, among others, in Abuja. I was his guest resource faculty at the event. So concerned was he about the penetration and impact of the menace in our schools, including the discovery, then, that some 70% of the students of a particular school were confirmed “Marlians,” that he also arranged a training programme for members of his Parish, for which he contracted an organization with a strong brief on effective parenting, mentoring and proper youth development. The programme, titled “How to Take back Your Children from the Marlians” was a runaway success, and a great help to the parents who participated. I still look back with joy and relief at our recent joint engagement

in Enugu, where about 140 teachers of Christ the King College (CIC) were taken through a hands-on training programme on contemporary 21st century youth issues and the mentoring role of teachers in an increasingly confused world.

Today, this reverend gentleman is launching a book titled “Between Faith and Social Activism.” It is one out of seven book, in what he has termed a “Maiden Book Festival.” The other six book, making up the septuplets so to say, are: (1) Nigeria: More Years Eaten by the Locusts. (2) The Gospel Challenge: 30 years of Christian Social Teaching.

(3) Conversion to Christ. (4) Growing in Christ. (5) Sunday Homilies (Year A).

(6) Sunday Homilies (Year B). (7) Sunday Homilies (Year C). Readers may wish to access and read these works of the reverend gentleman, while I deal with the business of X-raying the first of the seven books, which is actually a collection of essays about the priest by many reputable individuals who have come to know him over the years and who see in him an Continued on page 38

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