FRIDAY 13TH MARCH 2020

Buhari: Exploit Coronavirus Outbreak to Promote Economic Diversification FG advises against non-essential trips to China, four others Presidency denies alleged attack on president in Kebbi Omololu Ogunmade, Akinwale Adedayo in Abuja and Chinedu Eze, Martins Ifijeh in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday appealed

to members of the private sector to join hands with the federal government to maximise the negative impacts of the outbreak of coronavirus on the global economy by intensifying moves to diversify

the economy, reduce reliance on oil and boost investment in agriculture. He told guests on Wednesday night at a dinner in Abuja to conclude the "Going for Growth 2.0

Roundtable Session," that the fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market following the spread of the disease has heightened the country’s economic challenges and orchestrated the necessity

to increase investment in agriculture in the country's drive for self-sufficiency in food production. The day after the president’s appeal, the federal government cautioned Nigerians against

trips to some countries, clarifying, however, that it had not placed travel restrictions on countries with a high level of coronavirus transmission. Continued on page 48

Despite Conflicting Court Orders, APC NEC Holds Tuesday...

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CBN, Banks, Others to Raise N1.5tn to Fund Infrastructure Apex bank rules out devaluation of naira Says microeconomic fundamentals strong Threatens to sanction forex speculators Obinna Chima The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is coordinating commercial banks, pension funds and other financial institutions to raise N1.5trillion to fund road, power and port facilities through a special purpose vehicle in collaboration with the Continued on page 48

Sanusi Sues IG, DSS, Seeks Release from Detention

Davidson Iriekpen in Lagos, Alex Enumah in Abuja, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

Former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, yesterday filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order for his release from his post-dethronement detention and confinement. THISDAY gathered that the respondents to the application Continued on page 48

BUILDING RICE PYRAMID... L-R: Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi; Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Col. Sumaila Yanbe-Dabai (rtd.); former governor, Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero; Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru; President Muhammadu Buhari; Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; General Manager, Wacot, Alhaji Sadiq Kassim; Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, at the Rice pyramid during the Grand Finale of Argungu International Agricultural Show and Cultural Festival in Argungu, Kebbi State…yesterday

Senate Moves to Strip President, Govs of Immunity from Criminal Prosecution... Page 8

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NEWS Despite Conflicting Court Orders, APC NEC Holds Tuesday

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike

Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Presidency informs govs president will attend Court bars meeting without Ajimobi, others Appeal Court to hear suspension suit Monday Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for Tuesday would hold despite multiple court rulings threatening it, a reliable presidency source told THISDAY last night, saying President Muhammadu Buhari had indicated to the party’s governors that he would attend. THISDAY had reported on Monday that the Tuesday date for the meeting was authorised by the president, who in response to a written request by the Acting National Secretary, Chief Victor Giadom, had sanctioned the date. The meeting of the second highest organ of the party had been called on heels of the ruling of an Abuja High Court, confirming the suspension of the National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, by his ward in Edo State. Although the national chairman got another ruling from the Federal High Court, sitting in Kano restraining the party from giving effect to his suspension, the acting national

secretary had insisted that the suspension subsisted. Oshiomhole had also argued that having appealed the Abuja court ruling and filed a stay of proceedings, he ought to remain the national chairman. His appeal, THISDAY learnt would be heard on Monday. However, a couple of rulings had surfaced during the week to compound the crisis in the ruling party. On Tuesday, the National Vice-Chairman, North-east, Mr. Mustapha Salihu, had obtained an order of an Abuja High Court restraining three officers of the party, the National Legal Adviser, Mr. Babatunde Ogala; the ‘National Secretary,’ Mr. Waziri Bulama; and National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, from obstructing the Tuesday NEC meeting. The order came on the strength of the statement made last weekend by the trio that the scheduled meeting was unconstitutional and should be ignored by the relevant stakeholders. Yesterday, the trio returned to court to get their own order from the Federal High Court, sitting

Police Seal off Ekiti PDP Secretariat as Fayose, Olujimi's Loyalists Clash Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Armed policemen yesterday took over the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State as loyalists of the former governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, and Senator Abiodun Olujimi exchanged blows over the conduct of ward congresses. The crisis broke out around 4p.m at the state secretariat located at Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti when the supporters of the two political gladiators were waiting for members of the appeal panel sent to adjudicate on matters arising from the conduct of last Saturday's congress arrived the state. It was gathered that weapons like bottles, cutlasses and stones were deployed as members of the appeal panel sent by Chief Uche Secondus-led national executive arrived. This prompted the police to immediately draft a detachment of policemen to the secretariat. However, before the police could restore order, many persons were said to have been wounded in the fight. The outcome of the congress had elicited controversy, with those loyal to the senator representing Ekiti South, accusing the leader of the team that conducted the ward congress and Taraba State Deputy Governor, Mr. Haruna Manu, of plotting to rig in favour of Fayose. Olujimi's supporters claimed that they overran Fayose's political machinery in the poll conducted on the field. When journalists visited the secretariat, over 30 policemen were at the entrance of one-

storey building, while every door was locked up. Over eight police vans deployed from Okesa and Ologede Police Stations were stationed at strategic locations while all members of the party were dispersed to stop the situation from degenerating. Responding to the attack, Olujimi blamed Fayose and his supporters for allegedly trying to define the PDP with the emblem of violence by mobilising thugs to where the appeal panel was expected to sit. She said: "Because we caught them in that dastardly act at Petim Hotel on Saturday, they thought they could right the wrongs with the appeal panel by being violent. "Just because we caught them, they were on the offensive and they had to put up some violence. I don't like violence and we will not allow violence to define us as a party. Whoever wants violence must either drop that and stay or ship out of the PDP. We won't tolerate that.� Fayose, who responded through his media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said Olujimi was responsible for the attack. According to him, "They went to the Petim on Saturday with thugs and today, they went to the secretariat with thugs while going to submit their petition. So, I have no reason to mobilise thugs because we won convincingly. "I only went to the secretariat to submit how the election went and they went to submit their petition. So, I needed nothing like thugs to do that. They should be held liable for that thuggery."

in Lagos, which ordered that the Tuesday meeting must not go on except a former Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Secretary of APC, Mr. Waziri Bulama and Acting National Auditor, Mr. Paul Chukwuma, were allowed to attend. Justice Mohammed Liman,

in a ruling in an ex-parte motion, filed by the Lagos State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Tunde Balogun, restrained the APC and its officials from “disturbing, preventing or obstructing Waziri Bulama, Abiola Ajimobi, and Paul Chukwuma from carrying out

their duties as acting National Secretary, acting National Deputy Chairman (South) and acting National Auditor of the APC, respectively.� But in a swift reaction, Giadom said the party was not aware of any court order directing it to allow some

persons to be part of the NEC meeting. The Court of Appeal in Abuja, however, has scheduled hearing for Monday in the appeal by Oshiomhole against his suspension. Continued on page 50

GOING FOR GROWTH... L-R: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Chairman, THISDAY Newspapers/Arise TV, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; and President Muhammadu Buhari, during a dinner to round o the Going for Growth Roundtable organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria at the State House...Wednesday

Fayemi Queries 11 Monarchs, Allays Fears of Dethronement Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Fears of dethronement have gripped some monarchs in Ekiti State, following the queries issued by Governor Kayode Fayemi to 11 out of the 16 prominent traditional rulers in the state. The apprehension was rife as the development is coming a few days after the former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, was deposed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. This has caused panic in the state and made people to feel that government wants to deal with some monarchs. However, Fayemi has denied any plan to dethrone the monarchs, saying the State Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs is responsible for the coordination, management and welfare of the traditional council and its affairs. The governor was said to have queried the monarchs for their continued absence from state functions and the monthly council meeting since Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, became the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, few months ago. The query, dated March 11, 2020 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. A.O. Adeoye, was addressed to the monarchs individually. A copy of the query sighted by

journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday said the monarchs must turn in their responses within 72 hours. It stated: "It has come to the attention of Mr. Governor that Your Royal Majesty has not been attending the monthly statutory meeting of the State Council of Traditional Rulers and state official functions since August 2019. “Your conspicuous absence at the council meetings and state official functions, without any excuse or justification, is considered inimical to the proper administration of the chieftaincy institution you represent. "Therefore, Mr. Governor has directed that Your Royal Majesty should forward your representation for this inaction through this office within 72 hours on the receipt of this letter." But Fayemi denied the insinuation that the query was preparatory to dethroning the monarchs, describing it as products of the hastiness and gross misrepresentation of the development. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, said the query was just an administrative issue necessary to know why the traditional rulers had been absenting themselves from official functions. It explained: "The bureau briefed the governor on the prolonged absence of some members of the State’s

Traditional Council at meetings as well as traditional council meetings at the local government level. Mr. Governor directed that the bureau should write the affected traditional rulers to find out reasons for their absence. "The Attorney General wrote to the bureau on Mr Governor’s directives. Consequently, the bureau wrote to the affected traditional rulers seeking for reasons for their prolonged absence at council meetings. The formal nature of the letter is what is being misconstrued to be a query." Fayemi said contrary to the insinuations, the step was just an administrative matter, which is neither contentious nor confrontational. According to the statement, "It is definitely not a ploy or plan to remove any Oba from office. As public officers, our traditional rulers act as the direct link between government and their domains; they have expected duties and functions and as an administrative head, Mr. Governor should be aware of reasons why such duties are not being carried out. "It is on record that some of the Obas had earlier written Mr. Governor to give legitimate reasons for their absence, which have been accepted. The letter in focus was written to only about 11 Obas whose absence could not be explained and not

to the 16 Pelupelu as erroneously reported. "In Ekiti State, our traditional rulers are well respected and revered as custodians of our culture and traditions. The Fayemi administration is committed to the welfare and protection of the cultural heritage of our people, which the Kabiyesis hold in trust. "Any rumour claiming that Governor Fayemi is planning to dethrone any Oba in Ekiti State is a deliberate and malicious misrepresentation of the true situation. It is obviously an attempt from opposition to create chaos and confusion between the Ekiti State Government and the good and law-abiding people of Ekiti State.� Before taking up the gauntlet against the government and resorting to litigation, the Obas had contended that the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law stipulates that the chairmanship of the council should be appointed among the Pelupelu/ Alademerindinlogun Obas, the category they said Alawe did not belong. The monarchs, in the suit with number: HAD/76/2019, filed before an Ado Ekiti High Court, are seeking nullification of the appointment, saying the governor’s action of picking someone outside the 16 Obas as chairman was “a violation of the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law.�

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Senate Moves to Strip President, Govs of Immunity from Criminal Prosecution Okays HND as minimum qualification for executive, legislative positions

Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Senate yesterday moved to strip the president and governors of immunity from criminal prosecution, passing at second reading a bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution as amended for that purpose. Entitled: A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Qualify Criminal Liability for Certain Public Officers under Section 308 and for Related Matters, 2020 (SB. 322), it intends to ensure prosecution of public officers who commit criminal offences while in office. A bill also seeking to amend the constitution to make a Higher National Diploma the minimum qualification

for the president, governors and legislators also passed second reading. The immunity bill, sponsored by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie OmoAgege, would also strip the vice president and deputy governors of their criminal prosecution immunity. It seeks to amend Section 308 of the Constitution and ensure the prosecution of public officers who commit criminal offences while in office. The eligibility bill, sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Plateau State, Senator Isfifanus Gyang, also prescribes National Diploma or its equivalent as the minimum qualification for federal and state lawmakers. The bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide

for the amendment of Sections 65 (2) (a), and 131 (d). It also seeks to amend Section 106 (c) and Section 177 (d) on minimum education qualification for those seeking election into the state legislature, governor, National Assembly and presidency. The bill seeks the alteration of section 65 (2) (a) of the constitution, which deals with the qualifications for intending members of the National Assembly The current law, which the bill seeks to amend reads, “A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if he has

been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.� Section 65 (2) (a) has now been rephrased to read “if he has been educated to at least a National Diploma level or its equivalent.� The bill also seeks the alteration of Section 131 (d), which deals with minimum requirements for anyone running for the office of the governor. The current Section of the Constitution states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent�.

Section 131 (d) is now rephrased to read, “He has been educated up to at least HND level or’ its equivalent.� For House of Assembly, the bill seeks the alteration of section 106 (c) of the constitution. According to the existing law, anyone aspiring to be a member of the House of Assembly must have “been educated up to at least the School Certificate level or its equivalent�. But Section 106 (c) is now rephrased to read, “If he has been educated up to National Diploma level or its equivalent.�

The bill seeks the alteration of section 177 (d) of the constitution for governors. As it is currently, the Section states that the person must have “been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent�. However, Section 177 (d) is now rephrased to read, “If he has been educated up to at least Higher National Diploma Level or its equivalent.� The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, referred the bill to the Committee on Constitution Review after the senators passed the proposed amendment for second reading.

FG, ASUU Agree to Merge IPPIS, UTAS Strike continues, talks adjourned till Tuesday Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday agreed to find ways of reconciling the two salary payment platforms Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the University Transparency and Accountability System (UTAS). Both sides said they have reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to settle the issues, which led to the commencement of a two-week warning strike by the university lecturers last Monday. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who briefed journalists last night shortly after five-hour meeting between government’s team and the ASUU leaders, said that the meeting resolved that modalities would be set out on how to merge IPPIS and UTAS. He said the talks have been adjourned till either Monday or Tuesday next week to enable ASUU to consult with its leadership across board and to come up with suggestions on how to achieve the merger. Ngige said: "I am pleased to inform you that with the four ministers and perm secretaries, Accountant General of the Federation and directors, acting chairman National Income and Wages Commission and ASUU president and executive - we held very fulfilling discussions and where necessary we debated put forward our points and the union side. Issues we discussed we used the memorandum of action which we entered into in February 2019; we used it to look at issues that are outstanding, issues that have not been fully addressed. And both sides were satisfied that we

made reasonable progress in addressing the few issues that have not been fully treated. We moved to the next round of a new contentious issue which is the issues bordering on the non-capturing of some ASUU members on the IPPIS platform, which resulted in withholding of salaries and allowances of most ASUU members, those who did not come under the platform and even some other university non-academic staff members. "Discussions were open and both sides realised that we are working for our country and that whatever arrangement we put in place would be for a better Nigeria. ASUU has developed UTAS, and we have had some preliminary agreements on what is to be done to accommodate the two systems and ASUU have to get back to their members, consult the executive committee first and all their members so that they can agree on the modus operandi of trying to couple the two systems. In that respect, we are continuing discussions. ASUU ‌. So the meeting is adjourned till Monday Tuesday pending on when ASUU is ready,� Ngige explained. On his part, ASUU’s National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi said that the meeting agreed to work out means of accommodating the variations contained in the two systems with a view to marrying them. He said: "From our own side we would say that we had a frank session, frank engagement and issues were thrown up. Those issues like the minister rightly mentioned came from outstanding issues in the February 2019 Memorandum of Action which has tended to be overshadowed by IPPIS. From the discussion we had we agreed that we will go and consult that the proposals that came up we cannot pronounce on them until we consult with our members".

FAAC IN ASABA... Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left), and Chairman, Post Mortem Sub-Committee of Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Mr. Kabiri Marshi, during the committee’s courtesy call on the governor in Asaba‌yesterday

Buhari: Nigeria Experiencing Improved Security President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday stated that Nigeria has recorded progress in restoring peace and security to the north and the entire country. Declaring open the 2020 and 60th edition of the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival in Kebbi State, the president said the revival of the festival after many years of suspension and other international festivals across the country, signalled more confidence in the country’s improved security. He assured that the federal government will sustain investments in security infrastructure to boost cultural tourism, and attract more investments in the entertainment industry. Buhari noted that insecurity created a lull in tourism and entertainment for many years, with ripple effects on the economy. He said it restricted movements, gatherings and investments and promised to promote policies that will stimulate more interest in tourism and entertainment. “Our presence here today is evidence of government’s commitment to restoring security and expanding

domestic food production as core mandate of our programmes. “We are all aware that this important cultural gathering was suspended for 11 years as a result of insecurity. Today, by the grace of God, this festival is back and I hope back for good. “We are not only celebrating the reinstatement of this important gathering, but we are also celebrating the remarkable progress made in restoring peace and security to this region and indeed, our country. “It is also noteworthy that yesterday in Abuja a motor rally across five states, which will terminate here in Argungu, was flagged off.,� he said. The President said many international festivals, such as the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival, were being celebrated across the country, bringing all Nigerians closer together and improving collective appreciation of the nation’s diversity, while projecting the rich history and culture to foreigners. “In both instances, massive jobs are created in the tourism sector, which we all agree is still not fully developed. We must therefore continue

to encourage, support and promote such festivals. The President commended Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu; Emir of Argungu, Sama’ila Mera; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele for the remarkable event. He also commended the organising committee at the local, state and federal levels as well as the people of Argungu and Kebbi State The President said the government is focused on food security by investing in programmes that will stimulate more interest in agriculture, improve system of farming. He highlighed some of the achievements since 2015 to include return of paddy pyramids and multi-billion naira rice mills. “Furthermore, you will all recall that our food security program started here in Kebbi back in 2015. “The many products displayed here are also proof of the progress we have made as a nation in feeding ourselves. “The farming, fishing and pastoral communities truly embraced our programmes

and have proven that we can produce what we need. “We established the National Food Security Council, which I Chair, supported by the Governor of this state, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, to ensure that all our successes to date are continuously improved upon. “I thank the people of Kebbi State for your support to the Governor as he embarked on this very important national assignment.’’ Commending private sector sponsors and international development partners for supporting the 60th Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival, the President said Nigerians have the capacity to solve the challenges facing the country. “For our farmers, fishing communities, those in the livestock sector and agro entrepreneurs, you have truly made me proud. We shall continue to support you all with access to credit, adequate inputs, access to markets and policies that will promote and support your competitiveness,� he said. Speaking in the same vein, the Emir of Argungu urged the President to extend the same gesture he did to transforming local rice production to other produce and crops.

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GOING FOR GROWTH

What they Said at ’Going for Growth 2.0’ The Nigerian economy is currently in dire straits with major economic indicators looking grim amidst increasing vulnerabilities. With the sharp decline in the price of crude oil, the country’s major source of revenue, as well as the raging coronavirus, some policy makers and private sector operators who gathered at the ‘Going for Growth 2.0’ held in Abuja on Wednesday, spent the entire day in trying to fashion out strategies to ensure sustainable economic growth for the country. Obinna Chima and James Emejo bring some of the contributions of the participants. Excerpts:

AHMED

‘ For us it was a shock and unexpected; we didn’t think the price of oil would go as low as $30 per barrel. So, it came to us as a great surprise. These are very strong headwinds and these headwinds reinforce a wake-up call for us as a country to look towards a life without oil and the time to do that is now. But for all of us in this room, we have a responsibility to ensure that we do not spread panic and that we don’t allow speculation, which will not be in favour of our country. We need to put our hands together to weather this storm.’

EMEFIELE

‘One of the critical measures that helped to boost growth in 2019, was the impact of the Central Bank’s new minimum loan to deposit ratio, which was initially at 60 per cent, and subsequently raised to 65 per cent. We also imposed restriction on access to OMO auctions in order to encourage banks to lend to the real sector. Indeed, the banking sector has responded positively with the rise in aggregate industry credit from N15.3 trillion in May 2019 to over N17.4 trillion in January 2020. I am aware that these loans have been granted to borrowers across different sectors at considerably lower interest rates. Although a lot more still needs to be done’

MELE KYARI

‘We used to say when the financial sector collapses, everything collapses. But certainly, it is the other way around. When the oil market collapses, everything collapses. So, oil is the only commodity that the beneficiaries panic when the price goes up‌the assumption for this year was $60 per barrel. Now, we are facing sub $30 per barrel and potentially we haven’t seen the bottom‌Today, I can share with you there are LNG cargoes that are stranded because there is an abrupt collapse in demand associated with the coronavirus. We hope that is the only reason. Today, for Nigeria’s crude, we have about 50 cargoes that have not found landing’

FASHOLA

‘If we make those roads work, then we score a big dent in easing transportation by road across Nigeria. The rail is progressing because the money is there: Lagos-Ibadan, second Niger Bridge and Abuja-Kano are progressing because the money is there. So, the big elephant is how do we find the money?� What we have seen from our 2016 to 2020 budget is that we are getting just under 50 per cent budget releases. And that speaks again to the challenge that the minister had had to deal with: raising revenues in order to fund infrastructure’

AMAECHI

‘When we were to bring in the metals, the iron for the tracks, just to move it from China to Nigeria and I was excited to support a Nigerian company that has a shipping line to bring it from China to Nigeria. And you know the response we got? That there’s a Chinese law that says only Chinese vessels can carry Chinese cargoes. Now, we had that law but either NNPC or the Minister of Petroleum has refused to implement that law‌Now if you want to encourage private sector investment in Nigeria, then that law should be implemented’

OVIA

‘‘In 2004, before consolidation, all the Nigerian banks put together, their total market capitalisation was below N12 billion and all of them put together could not lend one-tenth of what Dangote Cement required. But today, one of the top tier banks is much larger than all the banks’ shareholders’ funds put together in 2004. So, that is a testimony that Nigerian banks are solid. We have even started to export our expertise to West and East African countries. Nigerian banks in Ghana are the ones showing the way. They didn’t know about recapitalisation, until we thought them’

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DANGOTE

‘The diversification of this economy is very important, in fact, we are late. Since 1979 that I came to Lagos, people have been talking about the diversification of the Nigerian economy. You can only diversify the economy through manufacturing and agriculture. Manufacturing actually creates a lot of jobs, creates middle class and also transforms countries. These are areas we need to really focus on. But how do you diversify an economy and go into manufacturing that makes sense and also makes it an inclusive growth, then you need to actually do what we call backward integration or import substitution. Well as you know, for the crash of the oil price, it is imperative that we diversify this economy’

BALA-USMAN

There are clear challenges within our legislative environment that make it difficult for us to achieve some of our priority projects. For example, there is a law in the Philipines that states clearly that certain project would not be interrupted by any form of court injunction‌ that means the project is insulated from legal challenges and it is able to see the light of the day. A lot of instances, we see challenges whereby a project is started and have all manners of interjections and interruptions through legal processes’

ELUMELU ‘Power is extremely important. Access to electricity is key for the development of every economy and we believe that if we can all work together and improve power, it will propel growth in our country seriously’

ADESINA

‘No matter the volume of gas available in the country, no matter the installed and available capacity, no matter the extent to which power can be evacuated, if it is not effectively distributed, it is a waste of time. So, we need to frontally resolve issue around power distribution. You hear a lot of commentators speak to the fact that we have installed capacity of 13,000MW and the transmission company say we can transmit 7,000. However, today, you see the distribution companies supplying just 3,500MW. Nigerians don’t want excuses and all they are looking for is that there should be electricity’

BALOGUN

‘We need to start doing something differently, from what we have been doing in the past, in financing infrastructure in large scale. If the population is growing at 2.6 per cent, this economy needs to be growing at eight to ten per cent and infrastructure spending needs to be growing at 15 to 18 per cent annually. And for you to get to that scale of infrastructure investment, you need to create another intervention that has the ability to bring $3 billion to $5 billion for financing infrastructure every year’

OGBONNA

‘The agriculture sector employs 40 per cent of our population today and continues to be the largest contributor to our GDP and is very important. So, we have to start looking at things around dams, the river basin authorities that existed in the past and how do we bring them to be as efficient as they were in the past. We need start looking at things around irrigation, silos and storage. These are all critical for the agricultural value chain’

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GOING FOR GROWTH 2.0 ROUNDTABLE

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (third left), President Muhammadu Buhari (fourth left) and some of the participants of the roundtable

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin EmeďŹ ele, and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote

L–R: Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed

Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari (left), and Information Security OďŹƒcer, CBN, Mrs. Rakiya Mohammed

Chairman, UBA Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu (left), and Senior Resident Representative, IMF, Mr. Amine Mati

L-R: Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye; Dr. Abiodun Eke-Aluko, and Managing Director, Emzor Pharmaceutical, Mrs. Stella Okoli

CEO, GTBank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje (left), and CEO, UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka

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COMMENT

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

MO IBRAHIM PRIZE AND AFRICA’S LEADERSHIP

The inability to get winner for Africa’s leadership award underlines urgency of rethinking our future, writes Daniel Kamanga

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eadership is about creating a future that will not happen unless it is created. It seems that Africa lacks leaders who can create a future for the continent. For two years in a row, no leader has been found worthy to win the coveted US$ 5million Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Designed to improve the quality of African political leadership, it was last awarded to former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Africa’s first elected female head of state. Sirleaf was one of only four people to have won the award since it was established 12 years ago. Announcing the decision that no person had been found worthy to receive the award in 2019, Festus Mogaeo, Prize Committee Chair and former President of Botswana, said the committee remained optimistic “that we will have the opportunity to award this Prize to a worthy candidate soon.� The inability to find suitable African leaders to win this award speak volumes. It means we have a deep leadership crisis. In the past, Africa has had many great leaders: Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, Alpha Oumar Konara and Samora Machel and Desmond Tutu. Leaders like Kenya’s only Nobel Prize Winner, Wangari Mathai, and the founder of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara, reminded us that Africans are by nature selfless. Sankara named his country “the land of upright men� while Maathai fought against corruption. Have we entered a dry season as far as African leadership is concerned? Where are Africa’s leaders, whose DNA is selfless sense of duty? Where are the leaders who place the rights and needs of others above their own? These are urgent and weighty questions, given the challenges the continent faces and the huge potential we have. Who can help us tackle the challenges of poor governance, corruption, youth unemployment, climate change, terrorism and insecurity? Who can create the future of an Africa that works for everyone? Take the education sector for example. In 2015, the World Economic Forum (WEF) put out a list of critical skills needed for 2020 and beyond. The top skills included complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity; Africa’s higher education is not focused on these three skills. Millions of young graduates are unable to find jobs because the degrees they have are not worth the paper they are printed on. The urgent need for an overhaul of the education sector is obvious. But this requires leadership. Who will provide this leadership? Three of the “atop� African countries are facing humongous challenges that require bold and transformative leadership. Africa’s mostindustrialized economy has had two recessions since President Cyril Ramaphosa came to power at the start of 2018. Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, due to complete his second and final four-year term in 2023, needs to fund the country’s N10.6 trillion (US$29 billion) spending plans at a time when economic growth is faltering. Revenue has fallen short of target by at least 45% every year since 2015 and shortfalls have been funded through increased borrowing.

WHO CAN HELP US TACKLE THE CHALLENGES OF POOR GOVERNANCE, CORRUPTION, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE, TERRORISM AND INSECURITY?

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose second term is also coming to an end in 2022, is presiding over an economy that is technically in recession, with the government practically surviving on borrowing. The country’s current public debt stands at about Ksh 4.884 trillion (USD$49 billion) or 56.4% of GDP. These three countries are representative of a continent that is facing a myriad of other challenges that include poverty, low levels of education and employment. In South Africa, for example, seven million people go to bed without food; in Kenya – at any time – about 10% of the population is facing hunger and famine. Kenya and Nigeria continue to face terrorist-related security threats, with Boko Haram in the North of Nigeria and the Somalia Al Shabaab terror group. Other countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, Somalia and many others – face serious terrorism threats. The vision of the organization I head, the Africa Leadership Transformation (ALT) Foundation, is an Africa that works for everyone. Our mission is to train one million African leaders through a network of African universities and other educational institutions. We acknowledge the many other organizations working to build the capacity of African leaders and seek to strengthen partnerships and synergies with them. The reason for this is that effective leadership development or the transformation of people is not scalable, despite the urgent need in Africa. The ALT Foundation is implementing a six-day program targeting leaders in every level of society, from councilors, NGOs and community leaders, governmental organizations and the private sector. Our focus is to empower leaders that will have major impact wherever they are. The impact one person can have when they have truly experienced personal transformation – being free to be and free to act - makes an immeasurable difference to society. Africa is the youngest and fastest-growing continent in the world. It faces multiple challenges which, if transformed into opportunities, can produce an Africa that thrives and works for everyone. Transforming these challenges requires a transformation in the level and quality of leadership. What if, in the future, there are so many worthy recepients that the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership had to split the prize between two worthy candidates? What if other donors and philanthropists started similar awards, simply because there are now many worthy leaders – not merely at the political level – but in science and education, music and the arts, business and commerce? With more transformative leaders, the challenges the continent faces would be resolved: young people would find jobs and self-expression, the climate would be restored, democracy would be thriving and security challenges would be addressed. We would have an Africa that works for everyone. Kamanga is the Executive Director of the ALT Foundation

LAGOS AND QUALITY HEALTHCARE Adekunle Johnson writes that there is no room for quackery in the state

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t was recently in the news that the Lagos Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) shut down 20 health facilities in the state in January for noncompliance with regulatory standards. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Abiola Idowu, disclosed this in a statement by the Lagos State Ministry of Health on Sunday, February 23, 2020. Warning that the state would not tolerate illegal practices, Idowu said: “health security is an integral part of public security which is the primary duty of the government.� She also urged Lagosians to report owners of dubious health facilities to relevant government agencies. “I advise Lagosians to be cautious and desist from patronising uncertified service providers and if you suspect a foul play or notice illegal operations in your community, do not hesitate to contact HEFAMAA for prompt action,� she said. The dangers of quackery in the healthcare sector can never be over-emphasised because of sanctity of human life. In February, Alex Ogbonna, an undergraduate at the Federal University of Gombe, died as a result of anaesthesia complications when a dental therapist who passed himself off as a dental surgeon gave Ogbonna a ‘wrong injection.’ The President, Nigerian Dental Association, Dr. Evelyn Eshikena, said that Ogbonna died as a result of irresponsibility on the part of the dental therapist. “We can confirm that the anaesthesia was administered by a dental therapist who ordinarily was not qualified to administer such treatments,� she said. “The dental team comprises dental surgeons (doctors) and other support staff like the therapists, technologists and nurses. All have their specific job descriptions and are not expected to overstep their line of duties. Anaesthesia is a

procedure that should only be administered by qualified dental surgeons. “Alex lost his life due to a failure in our health system. Reports reaching us suggest that the dental surgeon attached to that hospital was on leave. The therapist saw the gap and decided to overstep, an action we strongly frown against.� In March 2019, Lagos State closed a private clinic, HJ Clairoowen Medical Centre, located in Egbeda, Lagos. The reason was that Taye Adetunji, a 15-month-old baby, had died there during a blood transfusion. According to a report, the referral was by a paediatrician at the General Hospital, Igando, whose name was given as Dr. Joy. It was alleged that this was because of lack of bed space at the public hospital. The child’s parents, Mr and Mrs Adeola Adetunji, said that Dr. Joy said the baby needed blood and oxygen urgently. In a statement, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Adeola Salako, said: “For the purpose of clarity, it is important to mention that safety of lives and the well-being of citizens is of utmost importance to the Lagos State government and as such the avoidable death of 15-month-old baby Taye Adetunji is regrettable.� She went on to say that the private hospital was not registered and urged Lagosians to watch out for signage of HEFAMAA certification. “We advise the public not to patronise any health facility not bearing the HEFAMAA logo and to channel complaints and petitions in respect of unprofessional conducts by healthcare providers or health facilities to the HEFAMAA Office, Ministry of Health, Alausa, Ikeja,� she said. “We wish to also note that it is against the norm and highly unethical for general hospitals or any government health facility to refer patients or cases to private health facilities. The public is, therefore, to take note of this and report any health worker or government

facility that indulges in this unprofessional act.� In October 2019, a 56-year-old man, Salahueen Jamiu, posing as a doctor conducted an illegal abortion that resulted in the death of Kehinde Olakitan. The incident happened at his ‘clinic’, Mojisola Maternity Clinic, at Onipanu, Ogun State. Of course, he was arrested. But this was after Kehinde died. According to the police reports, Jamiu “confessed that he was not a trained medical doctor, and that he learnt the practice from the street.� In 2016, a man, Opeyemi Adesina, was caught impersonating as a consultant gynaecologist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). When he was arrested, Adesina had in his possession seven forged certificates. LUTH disowned him, but Adesina had masqueraded as a doctor to unsuspecting patients. Healthcare is important to human life and lip service must not be paid to it. Already, Nigeria is in short supply of medical workers and the ugly trend is that the little number of doctors the country produces quickly find their way outside the shores of the country. There is an awful disparity in the doctor-patient ratio in the country. In January, during the maiden matriculation of the Bayelsa Medical University, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said that Nigeria needs about 300,000 doctors to meet the doctor-patient ratio of 1:600 recommended by the World Health Organisation. Speaking at the event, Rasheed said: “With less than 40,000 registered medical doctors practising in Nigeria, the doctor-patient ratio in the country is about 1:3,500.� In many rural, semi-rural areas and even urban areas in the country, there is a dearth of qualified doctors, nurses and even medical laboratory technicians. While the quacks fill a void, they must not

be allowed to continue. It is wrong and we must not forget the atrocities and evils that these quacks commit. Hence, I support the closure of the 20 healthcare facilities by the Lagos State government. Lagos occupies a special place in Nigeria. Nearly every Nigerian wants to come to Lagos. With the smallest land mass, it also has the highest population for a Nigerian state. Surely, it doesn’t help that its resources are so stretched thus. Just last week, Lagos had to contend with Nigeria’s index Covid-19 patient who flew into the state from Italy. Some years ago, it contended with another patient who brought Ebola into Nigeria when he visited Lagos. Surely, Lagos’ position as a global hub and megacity attracts foreigners and locals. In Lagos, a visit to the public hospitals shows that the facilities are strained. Last week, the Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat, stated that about 42% of the patients receiving treatment in the state hospitals are from other states. While Lagos strives to ensure its residents register with the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRA) to enable it in its planning, it cannot deny those without these registrations healthcare. Lagos State is bothering about delivering quality healthcare to its residents. It should not be made to bother with quack hospitals or medical personnel. Already, the state government has instituted health insurance to assist indigent patients and safeguard each other’s health. But there is need for the federal government to actualise a special status for Lagos. Lagos as a state should not be made to bear federal burdens alone. But, in the long run, Nigeria must encourage qualified medics to stay back and practice. The place of infrastructure and equipment needed for modern healthcare delivery must be addressed to ensure we don’t just produce doctors that’ll be poached by other countries.

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EDITORIAL THE RISING NUMBER OF CULT GANGS The authorities should do more to curb the menace

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ore than 15 persons were killed across Edo State recently following cult clashes between two confraternities. Few days after the Edo incident, a similar disorder was foisted on Lagos by members of another rival gangs, which clashed in Ajegunle. The mayhem resulted in bloodshed and injuries. That dozens of young people have had their lives brutally terminated as a result of cult activities in recent weeks should worry the authorities. That cult wars and gang violence have exacerbated the climate of lawlessness and fear in our country is no longer in doubt. There is hardly a day when some young men and women would not fall victims to this goring spectre of criminal violence, most of them as a result of battles for turf between rival cult groups. In many states, especially in the southern part of the country, gang wars are now almost a daily fair with several innocent bystanders becoming victims. What is more worrisome CULTISM IS ADVERSELY is that members AFFECTING OUR YOUTHS. of many of these LIVES OF MANY OF THEM cult gangs are also ARE WASTED IN THEIR involved in armed PRIME IN GANG CLASHES robberies and kidnappings. The authorities should be concerned by the dangerous path which many of our young people seem to have chosen. In several towns and cities across the country, hardly a day passes without reports of clashes involving cult gangs in supremacy battle and reprisal attacks, sometimes for the flimsy reasons of being snubbed by a student of opposite sex, leaving in its wake heavy casualty. Young men, and in some instances, women now take solace in cult gang instead of engaging in positive enterprise. The rate at which they hack themselves to death without restraint, with cudgels, machetes, axes and other dangerous tools,

should make critical stakeholders shudder in fear. ars, night clubs and gardens where innocent people gather to relax are not spared from this atmosphere of lawlessness. These public spaces have become the hideouts for these criminal elements to disrupt the social order and unleash terror on members of the public after becoming high on drugs and alcohol. This menace, which otherwise should be conscripted to the stone-age is debasing our ethos and social values. Although it is more entrenched in the southern parts of the country, it has since become a national menace to the extent that secondary school children are now routinely initiated into cultism. They operate freely on our streets and higher institutions of learning where they have splintered from the original confraternity into Black Axe, Eiye, Aye, the Vikings, Buccaneers, Mafia, Eternal Fraternal Order of Legion, Consortium, Trojan Horse, Iceland Group, Jurists, Black Scorpion and White Bishops, to name a few. Besides killing and maiming innocent people, cultists also rob, rape and commit brazen arson. Some powerful elements in society are also known to be fuelling this malady, using the cult boys as political thugs to settle scores against their adversaries. These influential public figures are the unseen faces that provide the funds used to acquire arms and support the egregious lifestyle of this band of social misfits. We call for the arrest and diligent prosecution of these miscreants and their backers for the crime of gang violence to dissuade many young people from venturing into it. Gang war is an internal security issue which the police should be able to deal with. They should fish out those responsible for the recent cult killings in Edo and Lagos States and bring them to justice. Cultism is adversely affecting our youths. Lives of many of them are wasted in their prime in gang clashes. Many of them also either become social destitute or end up in jail after being caught by the long arm of the law. We must put an end to the menace.

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T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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THE IGBO ‘AMOTEKUN’ SHOULDN’T BE IN CONVOY

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ecurity crisis has become an existential threat in Nigeria. The SouthWest zone had been at the forefront of the campaign to restructure Nigeria to true federalism, arguing that such model would lead to a more progressive and safer nation. However, the campaign stalled on the altar of parochial political interest after the All Progressives Congress (APC), the majority party in the region, captured power at the centre. But all that changed after July 12, 2019, the day bandits murdered Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-cultural group, in cold blood. Tongues have been waging on why the South-East Governors Forum reneged on its initial plan to launch a regional security outfit in Igboland, similar to the Amotekun of the South-West. But the people should ponder no more: the sudden u-turn has everything to do with sheer selfishness. Recognising that their people must first survive before they can prevail, the South-West governors put politics aside and floated a revolutionary regional security network, codenamed Operation Amotekun, an arrangement that mirrors a true federal structure. The genius is that the South-West governors could no longer fold their hands and wait forever on the long-awaited restructuring of the country or continue to rely on inept federal police before securing the lives and property of their people. Make no mistake about this: The Amotekun is not a bulletproof solution to the security crisis, but it is common knowledge that the mere emotion of fear stokes deterrence. The elaborate style in which the Amotekun was launched, coupled with its unique name, not only demonstrated unity of purpose in the region, it is also an eloquent statement that it is no longer business as usual. The optics quickly sent shivers down the spines of criminals who may entertain the thought of venturing into Yorubaland. More importantly, the Operation Amotekun would provide a new layer of security in the South-West, amid waning public confidence in the Nigerian police.

Despite initial critics, the Amotekun has enjoyed broad support from the Nigerian people and beyond. The major socio-cultural organisations in the country, representing the six political zones, namely, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Northern Elders’ Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, and the Middle Belt Forum, lauded the development. It did not take long before a group in Northern Nigeria launched a regional security network dubbed Shege-Ka-Fasa. In view of the worsening wave of insecurity in Igboland, the consensus, therefore, was that the South-East governors would emulate their counterparts in the West to float a regional security outfit. But the South-East chief executives looked the other way. Rather, they pandered to the federal government on the basis of a naïve political expediency and agreed to wait on a community police model that was proposed circa 2006 but is yet see the light of the day. To these governors, the status quo trumps a regional security apparatus. Ironically, such view is coming from the same Igbo leaders who have been going around in recent times, heaping every blame for the lack of development in the zone on the long-awaited restructuring of Nigeria, which they insist must feature regional autonomy. But there comes a time shenanigans give way to common sense. The truth is that the South-East governors decided to discard a new layer of security in Igboland, because the victims of insecurity are typically the ordinary people. Unlike their counterparts in the South-West, where the gruesome murder of the daughter of a prominent politician provoked a sense of urgency in Yorubaland, the Igbo politicians have had no cause to question their own sense of invincibility. The nonchalance, of course, is hinged on the fact that the Nigerian rich and famous enjoy maximum security by maintaining a retinue of large convoys of police personnel for the protection of their families and estates. Not surprisingly, a convoy of vehicles — with sophisticated sirens accompanied with police escorts — has not only become a status symbol in Igboland, it has also emerged as the most common security alternative in the region. Felix Oladeji, Lagos

A PLASTIC PAST

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licking through recent headlines I saw a birthday photo of a 61-year-old ‘woman’ without any blemishes and very smooth skin - Barbie - the Mattel doll. It is surprising to see that she is still in very shop when the retirement age for many is 60. It’s time to put her to bed and let her rest. Her work as a role model has been rather chaotic with Wikipedia listing over 200 different occupations, including US President - might be an improvement, TV Chef - well everyone else has tried that, McDonalds Cashier - a job many young people start with, and even a Bee Keeper - there might be a sting in that job though. With the changing world and the need for good role models there should be a wider range of possibilities beyond one piece of plastic. We need to look for role models in the real world but therein lies a problem as so many ‘stars’ and ‘influencers’ have complicated histories and a few stories to hide. It’s time to move beyond the influence of social media and find a better inspiration that a plastic one that has a body shape that is physically impossible. I don’t know who it should be, but I can give a long list of who it shouldn’t be. Dennis Fitzgerald,Melbourne, Australia

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FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020

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Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

Making Heavy Weather of Political Matters Before the Courts

Kayode Ajulo cautions that political sentiments must not be allowed to destroy the fabrics of the Nigerian judiciary

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udges, individually and collectively, attach great importance to maintaining the confidence of the public. Public confidence is invoked as a guiding principle in relation to the conduct of judges, on and off the bench, and in relation to the institutional conduct of courts. And it is a value that plays a part in the development of legal principle; it is necessary for the effective performance of the judicial function. The general acceptance of judicial decisions, by citizens and by governments, which is essential for the peace, welfare and good government of the community, rests, not upon coercion but upon public confidence. The importance to the rule of law of such a state of confidence in the judiciary that people and governments, routinely accept and comply with judicial decisions is self-evident. And this acceptance is most necessary in the case of decisions that are controversial and unpopular. In the celebrated case of Metropolitan Properties Co. (F.G.C.) Ltd. v. Lannon D (1969) 1 Q.B. 577 at 599, the legendary Lord Denning succinctly explained the quiddity of public confidence in the judiciary. He said, “The reason is plain enough. Justice must be rooted in confidence; and confidence is destroyed when right-minded people go away thinking: ‘The Judge is biased’. On the Sacred Office of Judicial Officers I have deemed it pertinent to reiterate that as judicial officers, judges have the sacred constitutional duty to endeavour to uphold and preserve the rule of law. As aptly asserted by the Supreme Court. The judiciary cannot shirk its sacred responsibility to the nation to maintain the rule of law. It is both in the interest of the government and all persons in Nigeria. The law should be even handed between the government and the citizen. See Governor of Lagos State Vs. Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR (Pt.18) 621, per Obaseki, JSC. As priests in the sacrosanct hallowed temple of justice, judges are under an onerous duty to administer the laws with utmost degree of fairness and justice to all and sundry. Recall, the trite time -hallowed doctrines: (i) Fiat Justitia Per eat Mundus (Let Justice be done though the world perish); and (ii) Fiat justitia ruat caelum (Let justice be done though the heavens fall). It should be noted that the provisions of the constitution are so clear and circumspect that before a Legal Practitioner is appointed as a judge of various superior courts of record, he must be, at least, 10 years post call. Moreso, the need to be fit and proper has been inculcated in prospective lawyers from law school and various mechanism have been put in place to ensure the independence, sanctity and sacredness of the judiciary. Take for instance the incumbent Chief Justice of the Federation, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad who has been in the judiciary for over three decades and has assiduously risen through the rank and file of the judiciary from a Magistrate to become the Chief Justice of the Federation. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, His Lordship was the youngest justice among the 12 Justices elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1993 and he was at the Court for more than one decade. During that time, his companions at the Court of Appeal were Hon. Justice Mamman Nasir, Justice Sulu Gambari, Hon. Justice M.M. Akanbi, Hon. Justice Commaisse, Hon. Justice Ayo Salami and a host of other erudite and astute legal luminaries who his Lordship communed with between 1993 and 2006 before he went to the Court of Appeal. Conversely, it is apposite to state that

other noble Lords at the Apex Court and other superior courts of records possess these enviable experience and finesse. It is interesting to also note that Hon.

Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad was at the Court of Appeal several years before the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Hon. Justice Onnoghen was appointed as

Applauding Akpabio’s Repositioning of the NDDC Anietie Ekong reiterates why President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission

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n his continuing effort to deliver a more development-driven Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Muhammadu Buhari on March 10, 2020 inaugurated the Advisory Committee of the Commission. The committee is made up of the nine governors of the Niger Delta states and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and his Environment counterpart. Similarly, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio had also inaugurated the Presidential Monitoring Committee of the NDDC. Recently, the President approved the enlargement of the Interim Management Committee of the Commission from three to five. Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei was announced as the new Acting Managing Director, replacing Barrister Joi Nunieh while two ladies: Mrs. Caroline Nagbo and Cecilia Bukola Akintomide were added to the Committee. Chief Ibanga Etang (Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration) and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh (Acting Executive Director, Projects) retained their positions. These are measures put in place to strengthen the Commission to achieve its mandate. Inaugurating the new Committee, Akpabio said the story of NDDC in the last 19 years has not been rosy. “You have a stunted child who could have been a six-footer. We need to find out the reason why the child could not grow. That is why he ordered the forensic audit of the Commission. As soon as the forensic auditor was appointed, there was need to inject new blood into the Interim Management Committee. The NDDC must change and we will all work together to achieve that,” Senator Akpabio said. There is a general consensus that the NDDC has not lived up to the expectation of the Niger Delta people and other Nigerians. There is an agreement that what is on

ground in the Niger Delta region does not justify the humongous resources that have been made available to the Commission. A Commission with the potentials of changing the development narrative of the Niger Delta region has, according to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, turned into an automated teller machine (ATM) to politicians and few privileged individuals who have access to the men in power, while the ordinary Niger Delta people are left to bear the brunt of environmental degradation, poverty and underdevelopment. All the governors of the Niger Delta states agree that the NDDC has not lived up to the expectation of the people. It was in response to their complaints about the humongous sleaze that have been perpetrated in the interventionist agency over the years that made President Buhari to order the forensic auditing of the Commission from 2001 to 2019. The decision has been hailed as a courageous step by the President to redirect the Commission on a path of development. With all the financial inflow from the Federal Government, the International Oil Companies, development partners and other sources, the current debt profile of NDDC stands at about N2 trillion. This has led to the littering of the region with over 12,000 uncompleted and abandoned projects. Typically, jobs done by the NDDC contractors are shoddy and sub-standard. It is the expectation of the Niger Delta people that the forensic audit as ordered by president Buhari will unravel what went wrong in NDDC and moving forward, how things could be done right. -Ekong is Chief Press Secretary to the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

a Justice of the Court of Appeal. However, due to quota system, Onnoghen was elevated to the Supreme Court before Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad. It may also interest you to know that the Chief Justice of the Federation is a wellread, astute and circumspect justice whose decisions have contributed immensely to the progressive development of the Nigerian legal system. The case of DokuboAsari v. FRN (2007) LPELR-958(SC) easily comes to mind in this regard, wherein his Lordship eruditely held that: “The corporate existence of Nigeria as a united, harmonious, indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation, is greater than any citizen’s liberty or right. Once the security of this nation is in jeopardy and it survives in pieces rather than in peace, the individual’s liberty or right may not even exist.” Though as crystal clear and as eloquent as the above pronouncement is, we are aware that it has been misrepresented in some quarters. However, the indelible impact of the pronouncement in our jurisprudence remains undeniable. What this presupposes is that the soundness of a judge is only known by his judgment and it is quite sad that most people do not take time to read these judgments and rulings before making uninformed conclusions. The Imperative to Safeguard Confidence in the Judiciary It suffices to state that the court is not a timorous institution that would be cowed into ineluctably withdrawing into its shell in a snail-like manner whenever allegation of bias or likelihood of bias is made against it. If it were to be so, the society at large and the law in particular would be the worse for it. The judicial oath of the judex enjoins him to do justice to all manner of persons without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. Thus, aspersion must not be cast on the judiciary on the heels of political hoax. It is necessary to also stress that the exalted bench is not a place for every Tom, Dick and Harry but distinguished members of the bar. This informs the reason why judges are revered as demi-gods and regarded as infallible. See the case of Ajonuma & Ors Vs Nwosu & Ors (2014) LPELR 24015 (CA), where it was held: “I think this is one appeal that throws up the need to emphasize that every judge should act the master of his own court, and should not allow any counsel/person (no matter how high) to teleguide and dictate to the court, how to conduct its proceeding/ procedure, in the light of its rules and law.” See the case of MFA & Ors Vs Inongha (2014) 22010 (SC), where my lord, Ngwuta JSC said, “The court has a duty to guard against an attempt by any of the parties to make an ass of the law and its rules.” One must also emphasis the fact that the litmus test for the determination of the confidence or otherwise of the public in the judiciary should not be based on political matters or sentiments in order not to bend the truth by its elbow. As a legal practitioner with several matters at the three tiers of court (High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court), I know as a fact that the cause list of these various courts are filled with cases ranging from banking, matrimonial, criminal, contract to other non-political matters and the decisions of the courts are being obeyed without parties making a heavy weather of same. -Dr. Ajulo is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Egalitarian Mission for Africa and Managing Partner, Castle of Law, Abuja NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020

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PERSPECTIVE

Building a Genderbalanced World Cherry Eromosele draws attention to the few girls in schools, fewer girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classes and much fewer women taking up STEM careers

of ANTHONY KILA

Lessons from Kwara Anthony Kila

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he International Women’s Day celebration started as a strategy to promote equal rights, including suffrage for women. Though the battle against women suffrage may have become largely won globally, there are other issues women come together to advocate for, or against. It is for this reason that the United Nations declared the International Women’s Day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - while also making a call to action for accelerating gender equality. Around us we have seen women making ground breaking achievements, contributing and advancing important global issues. However there are still some issues that have limited the advancement of women. This year ’s theme for the International Women’s Day - #EachforEqual - couldn’t be more apt, considering the giant strides women are making individually and collectively, especially in the technology industry. And the message is simple: we are an important part of a whole, collectively making change happen. However, building and sustaining this balance world especially in Nigeria, might be more challenging than we imagine, what with over 60% of the 13.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria being girls. This is alarming and makes the genderbalanced world aspirations look quite far-fetched. The good news however is that countries such as Finland, South Korea, Ethiopia and Niger are reducing their out-of-school rate, and consequently the number of illiterate girls, by prioritizing education. This simple lesson can be emulated and replicated in Nigeria. In support of prioritizing education, especially the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in Nigeria and the Africa continent, the Interswitch Group launched a CSR initiative –The InterswitchSPAK Switch-a-Future initiative - aimed at inspiring and rewarding the study of STEM subjects in secondary schools. Interestingly the percentage of girls that registered last year, relative to that of the boys, was 49.4% and 50.6% respectively, a ratio of almost 1:1. This however represents a 0.4% increase in the number of girls that registered the previous year. As the competition progressed and the contestants reduced, the ratio of boys to girls increased (4:1). This shows that it is not just about prioritizing the education sector, but also about mentoring our girls to aspire to achieve new feats at school, especially in STEM. Our realities increasingly reveal to us that the importance of technology in this balanced world cannot be overemphasized. Technology is changing how we live. It is making us live more sustainable, efficient and empowered lives. The bedrock of technology however is STEM. It is therefore important that the study of STEM is encouraged, especially among our girls, as few girls are seen in STEM classes and fewer women in the STEM fields. It makes one wonder, why the disparity? Why do we have few girls in schools, fewer girls in STEM classes and much fewer women taking up STEM careers? A lot of

EPISTLES

research have been conducted to address the gender gap issue, one of which was a meta-analysis conducted across Europe. The research revealed that gender gap was not socially constructed, rather traits such as anxiety, self- confidence and gender stereotypes were likely causes. This position is further accentuated by children psychologists who posit that at the age of 6, girls tend to think that boys are smarter. As such, the girls naturally gravitate towards subjects which they feel they are more competent at - Health, Elementary, Education and Domestic (HEED) subjects. A further research revealed that male dominance and isolation are major deterrents for girls. Even incentives such as financial scholarships for the girls, did not yield much difference. While the gender gap in STEM classes and careers still remains wide, it is interesting to note that there has been a consistent increase in the number of girls in STEM classes. A research by UNSW revealed that if girls are taught by brilliant female STEM teachers, they will be easily motivated to continue to study STEM. This is the reasoning behind the InterswitchSPAK Masterclass, InterswitchSPAK Volunteer Network and the Interswitch Masterclass Series. These initiatives have successful Nigerians and staff of Interswitch Group volunteer to teach, mentor and inspire young students, including girls, to study, and eventually pursue a career, in STEM. At Interswitch, we believe that, if as young adults, girls are mentored by real-life role models, they will be inspired to eventually take up STEM careers and achieve similar feats. So, as we celebrate the IWD 2020, it is important that women begin to see their individual actions, struggles and successes as acts that culminate in collective efforts in advancing equality and humanity in the long run. Equality is not a women’s issue, it is a business issue. Equality is essential for the development of economies and communities. Economies and businesses should deliberately invest more in the womenfolk. Consequently, we should begin to see gender-equal boardrooms, gender-equal governments, gender-equal media, gender-equal classrooms and gender-equal workplaces, as typified by the Interswitch Group. -Eromosele is the Group Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at the Interswitch Group

Dear Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu, This epistle is directed at you because you are the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly that recently passed into law the Kwara State University (KWASU) (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Amongst other things, the bill in question also reverted the name of the university from Abubakar Sola Saraki University to Kwara State University. The passage of this your bill has so far have elicited feelings and reactions within and beyond Kwara State, such feelings and reactions range from “again?” to “the Governor is behind it,” to “this is just to fight Saraki,” to poor Saraki,” to “thank goodness,” and to my own hurray to printers! Feelings aside, there are some key considerations that we all need to do about naming our collective assets, be they buildings, institutions, roads or street and with your recent bill, Kwara State now willingly or unwillingly offers a good case to study. Let us start from the simplest of all lessons: Finance for rebranding. Before going into the merit of the name change, Iet us ask you some simple questions: In your decision to change the name of that university, did you consider the cost of doing so? Did you and your fellow honourable members of the house calculate how much it will cost to change signposts, signage, letterheads, stamps, logos and even repaint cars and buildings into the new name? Did you consider what else could be done with

From all indications, when in 2017 the then Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed decided to rename a university he did not build nor had dramatically funded, he did so without consulting anybody, at least, not formally. A proper consultation and debate wherein reasons are brought forward and options weighed would have left us with documented, justified and articulated positions from opponents of the change of name and eventual opponents of such change. An immediate consequence of such process would have been the ethical and symbolical recognition of the supremacy of reason over whim as well as showing the world that the governor understands that the state university like every state building, institution, road or street belongs to the commonwealth and cannot just be changed without justification and consent of all or at least a majority

such an amount to meet existing need of students, staff and the university generally? Did you and your colleagues in the house check to see if the required amount is available in the coffers of the university or where you intend to get it from? A law is called a bill also because most times it requires financing; so please when talk about bills, let us remember to talk about money. From all indications, when in 2017 the then Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed decided to rename a university he did not build nor had dramatically funded, he did so without consulting anybody, at least, not formally. A proper consultation and debate wherein reasons are brought forward and options weighed would have left us with documented, justified and articulated positions from opponents of the change of name and eventual opponents of such change. An immediate consequence of such process would have been the ethical and symbolical recognition of the supremacy of reason over whim as well as showing the world that the governor understands that the state university like every state building, institution, road or street belongs to the commonwealth and cannot just be changed without justification and consent of all or at least a majority. There is also a functional lesson here from Kwara for all: A detailed, robust consultation and debate would have laid in stone reasons for naming the university Saraki University instead of something else or after someone else and removing such name today would have become at least more difficult if not impossible. The new name changers under your speakership have not done awfully better, just like those before them, those at the helm of affairs in Kwara today have not taken their time to explain what is wrong with the current name of the university; they like their predecessors have not shown us what other alternatives they considered before choosing the name they choose. Changing the name of a university twice within two years should certainly tell all right-thinking people that there is something wrong with the way we manage the naming of our buildings, institutions, roads or street. From this back and forth in Kwara, it seems rather clear to me that we need to put in place rules and processes aimed at guiding how we name our public spaces and institutions. Many do not consider it as so grave, but I have news for you: Naming of public spaces is their nearest thing to deification or sanctification in modern secular societies. A big lesson from Kwara is that we should not leave things like the these to the whims or even discretion of politicians. It is my personal view that amongst truly civil free citizens, the honour of being immortalised with resources of the commonwealth should be reserved to martyrs of the republic, innovators, inventors, and people of outstanding talents like artists, artistes and athletes. We can even use dates of significant events. Everyone should be able to aspire to such immortality based purely on measurable merits. Elected and nominated public office holders should be excluded from such honours because regardless of their performance, they will always have a place in history. If we exclude the influence of greed and an exorbitant ego, a place in history is enough for any human being. -Prof. Kila, Centre Director at CIAPS can be reached at @anthonykila

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Quick Takes Paga Partners Visa

CHANGE OF GUARD

L-R: The new Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Chudi Offodile; Executive Director, Operations, Shehu Ahmed; Board Chairman, Okorie Asita; new Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, and Executive Director, Cabortage Services, Victor Onyekachi Ochei; during the official handing over ceremony held in Lagos...recently

CompulsoryYellow FeverVaccination Not Connected to Coronavirus, Says NCAA Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has explained that the reinforcement of the directive that any traveller leaving the country must have yellow card document to show that he has been vaccinated against yellow fever, meningitis and others has nothing to do with the Coronavirus epidemic ravaging the world currently. The General Manager, Public Affairs of the agency, Sam Adurogboye in a telephone interview with THISDAY, said it was a wrong impression for travellers to link the yellow card with Coronavirus, which scientists are yet to find a cure for, but noted that it is

AVIATION to indicate that the travellers have been vaccinated against other deadly diseases. THISDAY also learnt that the Ministry of Health had issued a circular that yellow card must be a compulsory travel document and it is working in collaboration with NCAA to stem the spread of potential diseases like yellow fever and others that are vaccinated against for travellers. Foreign airlines operating to the country have started full implementation of the policy by NCAA to make it compulsory that every traveller must have the yellow card and few days

ago many Nigerians returning to the country from the UK were barred from boarding their flight without the card, thus leaving them stranded at the airport. The challenge Nigerians living abroad are facing now is how to get vaccinated so that they would obtain the card. Report indicates that yellow fever vaccine cost about £60 per dose in the UK and it describes yellow fever as a serious and potentially fatal viral disease that is spread by mosquitoes in tropical parts of Africa and South America. It occurs in both jungle and urban environments and is particularly common in the rainy season. It is expected that the travel-

ler would be vaccinated 10 days before embarking on his trip; the yellow fever vaccine lasts a lifetime and most people won’t need any boosters for future travel. But Adurogboye told THISDAY that the policy had always been there and that it is not only Nigeria that made it compulsory; other countries do not admit foreign passengers into their country without the yellow card. This in the past had caused diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa and Nigerians travelling to other countries have been embarrassed and some Continued on page 22

Stakeholders Seek Capacity Development to Close Gender Gap in Maritime Eromosele Aniodun Capacity development programmes and other selfimprovement routines for females would close the gap of gender inequality in the nation’s maritime sindustry, stakeholders have said. This was one of the conclusions drawn at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) when the port management, together with females from other organisations in the industry, joined the world in the celebration of the 2020 International Women’s Day tagged, “I am Generation Equal.” Addressing participants in her welcome address, the Port

MARITIME Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu, said that although women have contributed to the growth of the sector, more females need to professionally distinguish themselves if equality for all at the workplace would be realised. She said there was room for women to be outstanding and to hold leadership positions in the industry but that this can only be gotten through hard work and self-development. Citing examples from the NPA administration led by Hadiza Bala-Usman, Olotu said the contributions of the management in realising

gender equality is glaring and impressive. She said the first female General Manager Marine and Operations in the 64 year history of NPA was appointed at the watch of Bala-Usman as well as many other females who today hold various responsibilities in the port industry. Olotu, who noted the importance of the #EachforEqual advocacy, also called on stakeholders to emulate the NPA management and give female professionals a chance, as their contributions will advance the sector. “We should collectively place premium in the discharge of our duties, give prompt responses to our duty demands,

even as little as responding to mails. It goes a long way to defining your professionalism. “The beautiful thing is that, give a task to a woman, she does it in a unique way, she pays attention to details and she is stylish even in the discharge of her duty. She is creative. Like today, we gave awards to cleaners, past port managers, maritime amazons. “I was very pleased to also see that staff working with me planned an award for me too. It only goes to show the beauty of encouraging and celebrating one another. “We are challenging women out there to go out, rule your Continued on page 22

Paga,anemergingmarketsmobilemoneyandpaymentplatformhas announcedanewstrategicpartnershipwithVisa,whichwillenableboth companies work closely in accelerating mobile payments in markets wherePagaoperates.ThepartnershipwouldbeinlinewithVisa’sgoals todrivealternativepaymentchannels,inthiscase,mobilewallets,within itsglobalecosystem. ForPaga,partneringwithVisaisonestepfurtherin itsglobalexpansionplansandthroughthepartnership,“allPagaaccount holderswouldhaveaccesstoVisacredentials(physicalandvirtualcards) tiedtotheirPagaaccountsandthustheabilitytotransactanywherein theworldVisaisaccepted.” Bothcompaniesarealsoworkingtogethertolaunchanumberofinnovative merchantacceptancesolutions,whichrangefromQRcodesandNFC for instore merchant payments, online payments, and international remittancesallprocessedthroughVisa’snetwork. Speakingonthenewpartnership,FounderandGroupCEO,Paga,Tayo Oviosusaid,“WeareexcitedtopartnerwithVisa,aleaderinpayments globally,astheyareconstantlybuildingworld-classsolutionsforconsumers andbusinesses. “Our goals are well aligned. As we scale our wallet across emerging markets such as Nigeria, Mexico, and Ethiopia, partnering with Visa togivebothconsumersandbusinesses,whohavebeenunderserved, accesstoVisa’sglobalnetworkmadesensetous.Furthermore,itwas clear to us in all our engagements the alignment of our goals towards solving the issues of cash, digitizing cash transactions and delivering financial services using new and innovative approaches. We are very happytohavesignedalong-termrelationshipwithVisa.” Merchants who use Paga’s payment collection suite will also benefit fromthispartnership.

Cabo Verde Suspends Washington Flights

CaboVerdeAirlineshastemporarilysuspendedflightstoWashington fromMarch8toMay31,2020,duetosignificantlyreducedcustomer demand, that was prompted by global health concerns related to coronavirusCOVID-19. Inastatementbythemanagementoftheairline,itsaidpassengerdemand hasdecreasedbecauseoftheCoronavirusepidemic,whichhasimpacted operations,hencetheneedtotemporarilysuspendsomeflights. Accordingtothestatement,“CaboVerdewilltemporarilysuspendflights to Washington from March 8 to May 31 due to significantly reduced customer demand prompted by global health concerns related to coronavirusCOVID-19. “Thecoronavirusoutbreakischangingworldwideaviation.Asaresultof theoutbreak,passengerdemandhasdecreased.Consequently,airlines havebeentrimmingservicesandthisalsoimpactsCaboVerdeAirlines. “As other aviation companies in general, CaboVerde Airlines is paying attentiontodestinationswherethefocusofCOVID-19isincreasingand affected customers will be contacted to accommodate travel needs. Thosewhobookedthroughatravelagentwillbecontactedbytheiragency directlybeginningMarch09,ortheycanreachouttotheirtravelagency. “Uptonowitisnotprovenscientificallythathotdestinationsaremoresafe forCOVID-19contagion,thereisnocaseofCOVID-19inCapeVerde,so CaboVerdeAirlinesbelievesthatSalIslandisasafedestinationfortourists andwillcontinuetoflyinotherroutesaccordinglythemarketdemand. Thecompanyhasalreadypublishedonitswebsitethecontingencyplan forpassengerprotectionandcontinuestobeattentivetotheoutbreak worldwideinordertorestarttheoperationaftertheendedoutbreak.”

ATQ Unveils Nominees for Travel Awards

ATQNewshasreleasedthelistofnomineesforthe2020BalafonAwards toberecognisedatthesixthAccraWeizo,theWestAfricantourismand travelfair,scheduledtotakeplaceinJune. VotinghascommencedonlineonATQNews.com,whilenominationsfor theA ‘ wardoftheDecade’shouldbesenttoadedicatede-mailaddress. NominationsandvotingwillcloseonMay11,2020. TheAwardofexcellencehasbeenreceivedbyseveraldeservingindividuals and corporate bodies in the West Africa. Past winners included the Director General of the National Council for Arts & Culture of Nigeria, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe (2019 Tourism Man of the Year), Captain Solomon Quainoo (2019 Aviation Man of the Year), and Stella Fubara ofDubaiTourism(2018TravelPersonalityoftheYear).Pastcorporate winnersinclude:CarnivalCalabar,AirPeace,KotokaInternationalAirport, KempinskiGoldCoastHotel,Accraandmanymore.

“Nigeria once again is on top with the identity of its index patient with coronavirus, which is impossible with most socalled developed democracies that were unable to identify theirs” Travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market,

Ikechi Uko

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COMPULSORY YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION NOT CONNECTED TO CORONAVIRUS, SAYS NCAA

MASPAN Urges Jamoh to Ensure Adherence to Local Content

of them quarantined for not having the document. “Compulsory yellow card as travel document is not a new thing really. It has always been there. We are having health issues and we want to check the spread. Besides, some countries are taking it very seriously; so we expect full compliant because of yellow fever outbreak. “Some countries will vaccinate you on entry into their country without the yellow card; so it is one of the travel documents that you must have,� NCAA spokesman, Adurogboye said. THISDAY also spoke to the General Manager; Corporate Affairs of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, who confirmed the enforcement of yellow card as a compulsory document but disclosed that in addition to having the yellow card, every passenger coming to Nigeria must have health declaration form, where detailed information about him must be factually filled.

Stories by Eromosele Abiodun

STAKEHOLDERS SEEK CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TO CLOSE GENDER GAP IN MARITIME world and conquer; make diamonds out of your charcoal, because diamonds are made out of clusters of charcoal that stay out of sight for a long time. Whatever challenges we may have been facing for a long, we should manage them properly and at the end of the day come out the best,� he said. Addressing participants at the event, the Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Vicky Haastrup said women have the innate gift and strength to balance work and family and should appreciate themselves and not be intimidated. Specifically, she said: “Women are celebrated because we are carriers of so much grace. Women have so much potential as wives, as mothers and professionals in different fields. Women are able to manage businesses in spite of her job or owner of businesses. Women must know that gender is not an obstacle to perform to recognizable levels on duties.�

Group Business Editor

ĂŒĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă‹ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă‹ Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Ă—Ă—Ă‹ Ă•Ă™Ă˜Ă”Ă“ Senior Correspondent

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Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Finance) ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? åÙÔÓ (Insurance) Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ăœ (Energy) Reporters

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Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) has called on the newly appointed Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, to ensure that local content laws are strictly adhered to with a view to growing the industry. Speaking to journalists in Lagos the General Secretary of MASPAN, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, said the NIMASA helmsman must ensure local laws and policies are in place to galvanise industry growth adding, “no matter how good the policies are, as long as assets are not secured it will be bad for business.� He recommended the formation of a directorate of maritime security so as to combine all security issues in one place with a view to having a strategic maritime security policy adding, “The new NIMASA boss is an advocate of maritime security.� Maiguwa, also said NIMASA must look into the issue of indigenous development and deploy indigenous capacity to develop the industry. According to him, “The

appointment of Jamoh is placing a square peg in a square hole. I will like to say that the Federal Government has taken a right step in the right direction. “Jamoh is fit to run the Nigerian maritime administra-

tion in a complex country like Nigeria and the person that has been given this opportunity is a system person. I also believe that there is no better person to be so appointed than Bashir Jamoh that will be able to listen to the stakeholders.

“I want him to look at local content with regards to oil and gas industry, policies, regulations and codes that usually govern the maritime industry and shipping are instruments of the International Maritime Organisation,

(IMO), so countries are forced to enforce these convention because they are obliged to enforce them. He has spent a good number of years in the industry and seen policies that have affected the industry positively.�

CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRRESPONSIBLE DRINKING

L-R: Financial Secretary, Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), Mr. Umoren Akpan; Executive Secretary, Mr. John Ichue; Public Aairs Director, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Jimoh Abubakar; Member, Technical Committee, DIBAN, Mr. Mobolaji Alalade, and Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Mr. Sheri Olagunju, during the inauguration of BRT Buses for DIBAN campaign against underage drinking in Lagos... recently

Border Closure: Customs Arrests Illegal Immigrants The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that it has arrested about 697 illegal immigrants and seized contraband goods worth N7.4 billion seven months into the partial closure of the nation’s borders. The Comptroller General, NCS, Hameed Ali (rtd), said this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, NCS, Mr. Joseph Attah.

Ali said the border closure had saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security. “The importation of drugs and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which usually fuelled terrorism and other forms of criminality in the country have been considerably curtailed,� the Customs boss also said. He pointed out that the

agricultural sector had also received a boost due to the restriction placed on the importation of rice and other prohibited food items. He said: “The Office of the National Security Adviser which is coordinating the exercise has continued to record large number of seizures and arrests from the four sectors of the North-West, North-Central, South-West, and South-South

geopolitical zones. As of March 6, 2020, 697 illegal migrants had been arrested. “Seizures included 86,60250kg bags of parboiled foreign rice; 695 bags of NPK fertiliser; 1,172 vehicles; 2,997 drums filled with Premium Motor Spirit; 16,771 empty 200 litre drums of PMS; 90 engine boats..� He added: “Others are 68 drums of groundnut oil; 26

trucks (33,000 litres) of PMS; 14,604 jerricans of PMS; 656 motorcycles; 15,089 jerricans of PMS, vegetable oil. “The estimated monetary value of the seizures is N7,350,818,657.70.� Ali reiterated the commitment of Nigeria to ongoing diplomatic engagements to finding lasting solutions to the concerns that necessitated the partial border closure.

‘26 Insurance Firms Likely to Meet New Capital Requirement’ Dike Onwuamaeze Agusto and Co., a research, credit ratings and risk management firm, has envisaged a significant reduction in the total number of players in the Nigerian insurance industry by at least 50 per cent on December 31, 2020. It stated this in its latest report on the insurance industry, in which it predicted that at least 26 out of 59 insurance firms licensed to underwrite risks in the non-life, life and composite business segments, would be

able to meet the new minimum capital requirement stipulated by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) for operation of insurance business in Nigeria. The report also predicted a stable outlook and anticipated 26.5 per cent growth in total assets of the industry between now and December 31. “We expect marginal improvement in the near term and significant growth in the medium term on the back of the recapitalisation. However, the fragile macroeconomic environ-

ment remains a constraint,� the report added. The new minimum capital requirements stipulated by NAICOM increased the capital base of four categories of insurance licenses from N3 billion to N10 billion for non-life insurance; N2 billion to N8 billion for life insurance; N5 billion to N18 billion for composite insurance and N10 billion to N20 billion for reinsurers. The deadline for meeting the new minimum requirement is December 31, 2020. The report on the Nigerian

insurance industry, which was titled “Recapitalisation: The Journey to Consolidation,� was unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday, by the Senior Analyst, Financial Institutions Ratings, Agusto and Co., Ada Ufomadu. Ufomadu stated that 13 insurers out of 28 players in the non- life segment of the industry would comply before the December 2020 deadline through private placements, rights issuances and business combinations. She also tipped eight life

insurers to meet the new capital base before the December 2020 deadline. Similarly, “we expect five composite insurers to comply before the December 2020 deadline,� she said. The report stated that three out of the 28 non-life insurers and three out of 14 players in the life insurance sector had met the new minimum capital requirements. However, the report stated that only one out of 13 players in the composite insurance has met the new minimum capital requirements.

Intermarc Consulting Partners Kenyan Agency on Insurance Ebere Nwoji lntermarc Consulting Nigeria in partnership with OB Advisory, Kenya, is organising a Micro-insurance Study Mission, aimed at bridging the existing gap in the supply side of the micro-insurance market in Nigeria as well as to help insurance operators tap huge opportunities in the micro insurance market. The study mission, which has the theme: “Harnessing

Opportunities for Growth through Micro Insurance,� will hold next week in Kenya. A statement from the organisers said the mission, was informed by the need to explore untapped opportunities that exist in micro insurance. “The study mission is therefore, designed to help participants understand the approaches for low-income customers’ penetration. “To serve the low-income market successfully, insurance

companies have to think differently about meeting the needs of large numbers of low income consumers, operating and transaction costs, product design, delivery systems, and business models,� it added. The statement explained that the study would be a week-long series of classroom sessions and field visits to micro-insurance companies with a view to help stakeholders in the insurance industry acquire skills necessary for

galvanising uptake of insurance products at the level of micro/low income earners. It further said the study mission, would also look at the different distribution models for micro-insurance in Nigeria and other landscapes, with a focus on understanding the opportunities available in leveraging the agent networks for the distribution of microinsurance. According to the organisers, the micro insurance study mis-

sion would be in line with the federal government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy which aims at increasing access to insurance services by 40 percent of the Nigerian population, which translates to about 43 million people of the adult population to be covered by insurance products by the end of 2020 in order to stimulate growth in the insurance sub-sector especially the retail end market and drive insurance penetration.

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Controllers Call for Human Capital Development Stories by Chinedu Eze Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) have said the major reason why there is inefficiency in the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is due to the paucity of technical personnel, insisting that the parastatal has failed to adequately train the core staff of the organisation over the years. The controllers expressed fear that the widening training gaps might ultimately jeopardise safety and impair ratings from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The National President of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Abayomi Agoro, who made this known, said that technical, operational trainings for relevant personnel have not been given the much-needed attention they deserve by the agency. Speaking at a one-day interactive session in collaboration with Flight Crew Association of Nigeria (FCAN) and National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) held in Lagos recently, Agoro said many Air Traffic Controllers (ATCO) hardly go for On-TheJob-Trainings (OJT) because of paucity of funds.

He said NAMA, the agency saddled with the responsibility of providing Air Traffic Control services and ensure safety has not been able to deliver on her core operational trainings, rather, attention is continuously being given to the support staff. “So much confidence had been reposed on our aviation industry and we cannot afford to fritter resources away, considering the goodwill the sector has built over the years. In my candid opinion, the time is right to reflect on some salient issues, one of which is the training of operational/technical staff in the sector. “Our personnel need training and re-training. We have to draw the attention of the relevant aviation authorities to the deficit in training and requisite exposure that has been lacking lately. “These training programmes are important so as to meet up with ICAO recommendations and ultimately give our staff the knowledge, skill and technical exposure to tackle whatever challenges, may come up in the course of duty. “As we all know, NAMA is the recognised aviation agency saddled with the responsibility of providing Air Traffic Control services and ensure safety, but sadly NAMA, with all due

respect, has not been able to deliver on her core operational trainings. “We are all living witnesses to the very fact that Technical / Operational trainings for relevant personnel have not been given the much-needed attention they deserve. Rather, and ironically too, priority attention is continuously being given to support staff. The training fund allotted to Technical/ Operational staff are grossly inadequate, while NAMA expends a lot to train support staff on administrative courses abroad,� Agoro said. He said it was sad to note that Air Traffic Controllers are not exposed to the requisite training regime and the few training programmes that were done were inadequate to meet the set target. “Note also that many ATCs hardly go for On-The-JobTrainings (OJT) as and when due for reasons of paucity of funds. These trainings are standard operational requirement and in conformity with global best practices. This is an unwholesome development and if care is not taken, the widening gap in what is supposed to be a regular training programme could ultimately jeopardise safety and impair our ICAO/ FAA ratings,� Agoro said.

FAAN Holds National Aviation Conference The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has concluded plan to organise a national aviation conference to chart ways for the development of the sector. The conference is slated for April 1st to 4th, 2020, in Abuja. The conference, with the theme, ‘Advancing the Frontiers of Possibilities for Safe, Secure and Profitable Air Transport,’ aims at providing a veritable platform for brainstorming and knowledge sharing and ideas on contemporary developments in the global aviation industry. According to FAAN’s spokesperson, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, the conference would bring together captains of industries, top government

functionaries, seasoned aviation experts and key stakeholders like the Minister of Aviation – Senator Hadi Sirika, state governors and chief executives of aviation agencies. Some of the speakers lined up for the event are Ms .Yewande Sadiku, Otunba Segun Runsewe, Nick Fadugba, Capt. Roland Iyayi, Dr. Anne EyinnayaEgbadon, Peter Onyeri, among others. The conference would also feature an investment forum, which would focus on attracting local and international investors in order to apprise them with the investment opportunities in the Nigerian aviation industry. Some of the topics that would be treated by aviation experts

at the conference include; implementing Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM): Prospects and Challenges, Collaborative Service Delivery in Nigeria Air Transport Industry: The way forward, Aviation and National Security: Emerging Trends, Addressing Nigeria’s Unviable Airport Syndrome, Nigerian Airports: Gateway to Developing and Managing Tourist Destinations in Nigeria, among others. Other attractions at the conference include a career fair, that is aimed at arousing the interest of children at choosing and developing careers in aviation, essay competition exclusive to officers ofaviation parastatals, and others.

Emirates Introduces Waiver Policy Emirates has announced that it is providing customers more flexibility, choice and value through its newly introduced waiver policy for all booked tickets issued from March 7 to 31, 2020. This is to allow customers across its network the choice of changing their travel dates without change and reissuance fees. The move provides Emirates’ customers with peace of mind should they decide to change their travel plans due to the evolving COVID-19 situation. Customers can change their booking to any date for travel within an 11 months date range in the same booking class without change penalties.

Difference in fare, if applicable applies. The policy covers all existing destinations across the Emirates network. Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline, Adnan Kazim, said, “We want our customers to feel fully supported, comfortable and confident when making travel plans, while offering them the best fares, without incurring change fees should they decide to delay or adjust dates. “The situation remains dynamic and we will continue to look at ways to provide flexibility, convenience and peace of mind for our customers.� Emirates Skywards would also be providing more flexibility to its members who have been impacted by the outbreak of the

coronavirus through imposed travel restrictions and flight reductions. Skywards Platinum, Gold and Silver members can maintain their current status by fulfilling 80 per cent of their tier travel requirements between 31 March and 30 June 2020. In addition, Skywards members booked to travel between 1 March and 30 June 2020 will be able to benefit from an additional 20 per cent bonus Tier Miles. For additional peace of mind, Emirates is also taking its aircraft cleaning process to the next level through additional precautionary measures of implementing enhanced disinfecting procedures after flights from destinations most affected by COVID-19.

Combating Drug Menace

Abdallah

Oluchi Chibuzor The 2017 report by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) stated that West Africa remains a key transit point for drug trafficking. Other than cannabis and cocaine, seizure data indicate trafficking in precursors like ephedrine in Nigeria and in the synthetic opioid tramadol, which is not under international control but is increasingly being misused in Nigeria and in the broader West African region. The report also noted that the illicit manufacturing of amphetamines and cultivation and production of cannabis are also area of concern for Nigeria. This, and among other recent trends in the country necessitated the gathering of the authorities of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other stakeholders in the fight for a drug free society at Badagry, Seme Command of the agency recently and the destruction of 100 tonnages; precisely 143.218 kilograms of drugs and psychotropic substances. This figure comprised seizures and forfeits made across its formations in Lagos State which includes: State Command with 7 Area Command, Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Apapa Sea Ports, Tin Can Island Ports and Seme Special Area Command, which is the land border between Nigeria and Benin Republic. Chairman and Chief Executive, NDLEA, Colonel Mustapha Abdallah (rtd), said the battle to create free drug society involves all stakeholders’ effort. “Every family is really bound to bring up children according to its values. There is no way we are going to make head way if we forget that parenting is a full time job, do your part before you let your children come into the streets. “We are determined to get the traffickers wherever they. We know that barons have conspicuous tails that you can follow, I see no tails but whatever little information I get

The report also noted that the illicit manufacturing of amphetamines and cultivation and production of cannabis are also of concern for Nigeria

I follow it,� the NDLEA boss said. Abdullah told the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, that demography that make up Lagos population of over 20 million are youths who are prone to drug use; so drug trafficking and consumption is real in Lagos state. “The United Nation 2018 drug use survey carried out in Nigeria showed a high drug prevalent use in Lagos, which requires stronger collaboration between NDLEA and the government of Lagos to surmount. I therefore, crave the indulgence of the governor for more robust initiatives to be put together by NDLEA and your government in the interest of the large population of Lagos. “The Lagos State Kicks against Drug Abuse (LASKADA) is a good initiative but requires more efforts and investment to meet the need of Lagos state. In summary, there is still much to be done for instance, the state is expected to have a functional State Drug Abuse Control Committee to complement the current efforts. “The State Drug Abuse Control Committee is a veritable platform for all stakeholders within the state to come together as one body to reach out and effectively mobilise communities and sensitise them on the devastating consequences of the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking,� Abdallah said. According to the NDLEA boss, the agency is looking forward to a treatment and rehabilitation Centre in Lagos State to handle cases of drug dependent persons. Reiterating the position of his boss, State Commander, NDLEA, Lagos Command, Mr. Ralph Igwenagu, stressed that rehabilitation is very important. “Rehabilitation is an important aspect of our job; we carryout rehabilitation of drug users and drug addicts. We do this a lot and it is a sustainable project that is part of our operations. We in NDLEA have centers in every area commands, there is a mini-rehabilitation centres, but some states have also established their own rehabilitation centres where they work with health workers and some NDLEA officers to carryout rehabilitation. “In Lagos State for example, we are requesting the state government to establish a rehabilitation Centre that would work with other health officers to ensure that drug users are rehabilitated,� Igwenagu said. Speaking on the number of arrest and suspects within the year in review, Igwenagu explained that the Lagos State Command in the past one year had arrested over 450 suspects and no death as a result of swallowed drug. “In our state command in Lagos State we have arrested 450 drug suspects; some are on prosecution, some of are still ongoing, but so far we have convicted 85,� he stated.

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Abdulsalam: Nigeria Needs Young Pilots The Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalam, in this interview at the MRO Africa Conference in Addis Ababa, said Nigeria needs young pilots to succeed the ageing ones in the profession. Chinedu Eze brings the excerpts:

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then you get about 50 per cent to 60 per cent maximum, released to us and then that amount, by the time you translate it into dollars it is very little. And we have a dollar denominated contract such as the re-fleeting and purchase of the simulator and some of the spare parts that we buy. So it limits what we can do. So what I have done since I came into NCAT three years ago is to try and finish up what was started. So we concentrate in completing all the ongoing projects before we embark on new ones. I have to thank the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika because he understood the challenges we are facing over this capital grants. So he was able to approve some funds to the college from the BASA (Bilateral Air Service agreement) funds and that was why we were able to come this far with the simulator and re-fleeting projects.

hat are the take away from this conference? Actually I have been here for the last five days. We hold council meetings of the association of aviation training organisations; NCAT is a council member so we always hold one of our council meetings at the back of the MRO event. So we have been here since Saturday and council meeting started on Sunday, before we now continued on this. As you have seen this MRO event is co-located with African aviation training, we have recently developed a road map for training in Africa with the support of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). And throughout this period we have had consultations with ICAO, AFCAC (Africa Civil Aviation Commission) on the way forward, on how this roadmap can be presented to African states and implemented. We are also soliciting for support from these big original equipment manufacturers because everybody benefits from training, training saves money even though it costs money but eventually it saves you money. So we see this as an opportunity to get the support that we need from these organisations. Looking at what has been discussed here, NCAT was mentioned as one of the organisations in Africa that have contributed to training of pilots, engineers and others, apart from that, what arrangement do you have with other big training institution or partnerships? All the training organisations that have been here, we have had meetings with them and one of the objectives of ATO (ICAO Approved Training Organisation) as we mentioned is harmonisation and standardisation and promoting collaboration with ATOs because we don’t want to duplicate efforts. We want a situation where if a certain type of training is provided in NCAT for instance, there is no need for the Ghana academy to go and embark on similar type of training. So we want to be able to collaborate so that we can have a more effective utilisation of these equipment and we learn to share resources, which has been absent throughout the years that we have been operating. One of the reasons that have been adduced for a lot of people not coming to NCAT for training is the high cost fees and again the security aspect of it. Do you think that the fees are on the high side? Our fees are not high. NCAT is about the cheapest place that you can train in the world because of government subsidy. We are not a profit-making organisation. Recently as part of the procedure for us to become a regional training centre of excellence, we had to develop standard training packages. This standard training package has given NCAT a lot of publicity and we have started attracting students from other parts of the world. Sometime last year we had students from Thailand and Kenya who came to participate in some of the programmes. And this year we have published a programme where we intend to attract more foreign students. The issue of insecurity is just a perception, NCAT itself is secure and there is no issue with Zaria. What people are afraid of is how to connect to Zaria from either Lagos or Abuja. So for students who fly through Lagos, we encourage them to fly to Kaduna where we now arrange to have them picked up and taken to

Abdulsalam the college. And for those who arrive through Abuja, we either pick them in Abuja or at the train station in Kaduna. Like I said, Zaria is secure. Right now we have the contractors who came to Kaduna to install the fire simulator. They started work on Monday and they are from the UK and they have similar fears about security and the feedback I am getting is that they are quite satisfied with the arrangements we made for them and what they have seen they feel very, very safe and secure in Zaria. So Zaria and its environment are not the problem it is just on how to get there.

aircraft types flying in Nigeria, so you cannot have a simulator for everyone. And simulators are very costly, they need to be run on 24 hours basis for you to be able to recover you investment. But NCAT is aware of these requirements in Nigeria; that is why when we started building the complex that will house the Boeing 737 simulator, we made provision for two bases. So we have made provision for a second simulator and NCAT is looking at the possibility, once the Boeing 737 simulator is installed, we will now look at which other simulator we will identify and install in Zaria.

Do you still have good patronage from state governments? Yes, we have some state governments that are still sending students. We have developed some training programmes for skills acquisition, targeted at out unemployed youths and we have sensitised the states on the availability of these programmes. Youths can learn in such areas as repairs of diesel engines, solar power, electric installations and refrigeration. Currently we even have students from Yobe state in the college that started training two weeks ago. But we are increasing our efforts to sensitise because of the way our political systems works. Every four years you have a new set of people in government so you still have to keep going round to sensitise them and we hope that when we have our open day this year on May 27, we will have greater participation from some of these states so that they will now become more aware of what training opportunities are available at NCAT.

You know that Nigerian airlines are now moving to Embraer, they are now getting the right aircraft for the distances for local destinations, would you consider having Embraer simulator? We will consider all the options, we have to look at the market and see if there are more requirements for Embraer aircraft or ATR, depending on the aircraft type national carrier will choose. I think largely our decisions will be based on what the national carrier and what equipment the management would decide to utilise. This is because you want to identify and plan with a carrier that has the potential for growth.

What bold steps are you taking to add more stimulator to the one you have already acquired? As you know for each aircraft it needs its own simulator. And we have too many

What is the level of investment that has gone into NCAT, looking at the NCAT of today and NCAT of yester years, how have you been able to move the college ahead in collaboration with government to turn around NCAT as the center of excellence in Africa and the world? As you know, we get our capital grant from the federal government, so the annual capital budget for NCAT on average has been about N3.5 billion to N4 billion. That is what is appropriated. And

Would you advise a would-be pilot to go and train as a pilot because there will be a job for him in the industry, looking at the fact that we are yet to have a national carrier? Somebody asked me this question; that why are we bordering to train pilots when there are no jobs. We have a lot of jobless qualified pilots in the country but then you look at the industry, you look at the outlook, we have a lot of huge aging workforce, a lot of people are going into retirement. And then you have new airlines coming up and all these figures you are hearing about growth in the industry, these are only based on aircraft orders. So there is demand for pilots worldwide. What we have is because of the problem we have in the country, there has been stagnation in the sector. That is why people are unemployed. But once things pickup you will find that there will be employment opportunities for these pilots. If you can recall, Ethiopian Airlines academy said they are trying to increase capacity to 1000 pilots a year and that is quite a lot. And I was very happy when he mentioned that of all the pilots they are using right now, only 15 per cent are expatriates; the rest are all locals. But you can’t say that of Nigeria, more than half of our pilots are expatriates. So, it means that there is employment opportunities for our pilots, all they have to do now is try to get jobs. I keep stressing that you don’t insist that you want to go and fly with the big carriers, you start from the bottom. Try and build the hours, build the experience in the general aviation, get the minimum requirement that the industry needs and then the rest is history. Three days ago I had a very proud experience here that I wont forget for a long time because I had a call from some Ethiopian Airlines pilots, who heard I was around and came to visit me in the hotel and it turned out to be my ex-students. One of them I trained him from scratch, he joined Virgin Nigeria straight from school and I trained him and mentored him, he is now a training captain in Ethiopian Airlines. The other one, I flew with him, he was my co-pilot in Arik Air and he is also doing well, he is a captain on the Airbus A350. These are young men that have done very well for themselves. This also goes to show that, yes, Nigerians can work anywhere. So we train quality pilots, they are issued with ICAO licenses that are recognised worldwide, so they can go and work anywhere. We have some of our products who are captains in Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines.

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T H I S D AY ˾ MARCH 13, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

MARITIME

As Chinese Vessel is Rescued Eromosele Abiodun writes on the rescue of a general cargo ship, the Hungarian Glory managed by Tianjin Xinhai International Ship Management by OMSL in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy

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ate December last year, a gang of pirates kidnapped 19 sailors after waylaying then boarding a VLCC, named Nave Constellation, which was loaded with oil. The tanker vessel was moving crude oil when it was attacked by the pirates who abducted 18 Indians and one Turkish crew, leaving only seven crew members aboard the ship. In a related development, pirates attacked a container vessel about two weeks ago barely two months after a bulk carrier, Vinalines Mighty was attacked 40 nautical miles off Bonny. The attack, which occurred two weeks ago, was on a vessel operated by Hamburg-based Bernhard Schulte Ship management. “The Maersk Tema was attacked by two speedboats off the Nigerian coast,” a spokesman for the company said. The company’s spokesman who said the crew followed emergency procedures, however, did not say whether the pirates had boarded the ship. Maersk Tema was at 200 nautical miles South West Bonny and was underway from Point Noir to Lagos when it was attacked. Two unknown men are believed to have boarded the vessel and two skiffs were seen in the vicinity of the attack. The attack was the fifth incident to occur within the Nigeria – Sao Tome JDZ since November 2019. A major player in the industry told THISDAY that pirates operating within this area were assessed to be seeking to exploit the relative lack of established security presence in the waters beyond the Nigerian EEZ. “Pirates have shown a capability and intent to attack large vessels underway, indicating a high degree of confidence and capability. It is assessed as highly likely that pirates operating within this area have originated from within Nigeria and are likely to do so with support from a larger vessel. The conduct of deep offshore pirate operations beyond the Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone was a significant feature of West African piracy throughout 2019,”he said. According to the International Maritime Bureau(IMB), nine out of 10 maritime incidents of piracy and kidnappings for ransom are reported in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, which stretches 5,700 kilometres (3,500 miles) from Senegal to Angola. “As the number of crew members kidnapped by pirates worldwide decreased, the number reported in the Gulf of Guinea increased from 78 in 2018 to 121 in 2019,” the IMB stated. OMS to the Rescue Stakeholders and major players in the industry have as a result of the frequent attacks wondered why the government cannot seek alternative means to secure the nation’s territorial waters. They told THISDAY that the company could partner Nigerian security companies who operate in the sector and have the technical competence and assets to man the waters. For instance, they said a Nigerian company, Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL), is well known globally as having the competence and assets to rid Nigerian waters of pirates. The recent recue of a Chinese vessel by OMS Limited give credence to the claim by stakeholders of the company’s competence. According to a news report on the website of Fleetmon, builders of the world’s first public vessel data collection, which helps organisations deliver better logistic reports, a general cargo ship, the Hungarian Glory, managed by Tianjin Xinhai Intl. Ship Management was attacked by pirates on March 5th on the coastal side of Lagos. The report stated: “The ship was drifting after the attack, not responding to contact requests. The ship started moving at around 1300 UTC, March 6, after about an hour and went adrift again. As of 1500 UTC, March 6, the ship was still adrift or moving at slow speed, Nigerian Navy patrol boat NNS SPARROW approaching – in nearly 24 hours after the alert, in the vicinity of Lagos with 23 crew reportedly all Chinese.” The NNS Sparrow is one of the patrol boats

of the OMSL audited and approved by the Nigerian Navy and fitted with comprehensive communication equipment, enabling full situational awareness for clients’ enhanced protection. It executed the rescue mission and safely brought the vessel back to Lagos. A source in the company told THISDAY that: “The vessel is not our client’s vessel but the Navy beckoned on us to assist considering the amount of bureaucracy it would take for them to execute. We work with the Navy and they are in charge of our vessels so it was easy for them to divert our vessel from Secure Anchorage Area(SAA) for the rescue. They only informed us of their decision because it is of national interest.” This feat has, understandably, elicited local and international maritime operators. According to a Chinese operator, “We are glad that when it was necessary, Nigeria had a company it could call on for such emergency operation. We applaud the OMSL for their prompt, proactive and professional intervention.” Over the years, the OMSL, established to enhance the safeguarding of maritime-related commercial investments by offering expert advice and real-time solutions to security problems, has gone further by providing premier security solutions that help to promote a safe business

OMS as an indigenous company has a broad objective of promoting local content in the maritime industry and has been collaborating with the Nigerian Navy in carrying out its statutory duty to promote, coordinate, enforce maritime laws and safety regulations in Nigerian waters

environment not only in Nigeria but the entire West African Coast. It is Nigeria’s leading asset protection company dedicated to protecting her natural resources from graft and illegal activities; and has a successful track record of securing strategic national infrastructure and stopping illegal bunkering, vandalism and oil theft. Private Maritime Security Providers There have been arguments in recent times as to why the government cannot man its territorial waters and has to rely on the help of private maritime security providers to do the job. However, experts believe such are arguments at misplaced stressing that the norm is a global practice. According to a study published by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies, titled: “Combating Piracy: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional and Private-Sector Involvement,” the international community is supportive of the idea of assisting government forces in combating sea crimes. For instance, the study identified with local Somali forces in combating piracy. The study said: “Private industry may represent an opportunity to fill this vacuum by assisting local governments in building their law enforcement capacities. The private sector is already involved in combating piracy at sea and has met with a degree of success in filling counter-piracy roles that traditional forces have been unwilling or unable to take on. “In recent years, the deployment of private security forces—referred to as Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP)—on board ships traveling through high-risk areas has been greatly expanded. These armed teams serve as both a deterrent as well as an active defense against pirates and have met with praise from the US Department of State as effective and professional. As of March 2012, no ship employing PCASP has been successfully hijacked.” However, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) does not take a position on the carriage of arms on board ships. It is the responsibility of individual flag states and coastal states to determine if the use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) is appropriate, legal and under what conditions. The organisation has issued guidance to flag, port and coastal states; as well as to ship-owners, ship operators and shipmasters on the use of PCASP on board ships in the High Risk area. Speaking on the matter recently, an official of the company told THISDAY that, “OMS as an indigenous company has a broad objective of promoting local content in the maritime industry and has been collaborating with the Nigerian Navy in carrying out its statutory

duty to promote, co-ordinate, enforce maritime laws and safety regulations in Nigerian waters. “This collaboration for the past 12 years has significantly improved security in Nigeria’s maritime domain. At the height of piracy, armed robbery at sea and the proliferation of illegal arms importation into Nigeria through the Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian Navy invited OMSL to help improve security within the Lagos Harbour Approaches. Senate Seek OMSL Help Following reports of the company’s effort in partnership with the Navy to secure Nigeria’s waters, the Nigerian senate had recently commended OMSL and asked for its assistance to solve the nation’s security problem. The senate also praised the company for investing over $400 million in securing Nigerian Waterways. The Senate also called for proper funding of the Nigerian Navy to enable it procure over one hundred and fifty vessels needed to undertake their constitutional responsibilities of securing the country’s territorial waters While praising the company, the Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator George Thompson Sekibo said shippers and vessel owners used to hire a minimum of three armed mercenaries for Security when coming to Gulf of Guinea (Nigeria) at a minimum of $7,500 per day before the company came on board. Lawmakers such as Senator Baba Kaita (APC, Katsina North) and Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe, Central), in their separate contributions, praised the company for its help in providing security for Nigeria’s territorial waters. According to the lawmakers, the country’s territorial waterways would be exposed to pirates and other forms of insecurity without OMSL. Chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, said stakeholders such as the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) while appearing before the Joint Committee were indicted over their inability to independently secure the country’s waterways. “All agencies and stakeholders that have anything to do with this were indicted, and testimonies were received from all of these agencies. One of the critical stakeholders, the Nigerian Navy, came out clean and wrote to the committee that they don’t have the necessary capacity and equipment to secure our waterway. “It was crystal clear that there was shortage of over 150 vessels and for them to take full charge and responsibility of Nigeria’s waterways, these things are required. OMSL only provides its vessels to the Nigerian Navy. These vessels are taken charge by Nigerian Navy to secure these waterways,” he said.

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Bridging Financial Literacy Gap in Nigeria ‘Debola Osibogun

Introduction ver the past decade, the Nigerian Financial Services landscape has seen the largest representation of women at the helm of affairs: three successive female Finance Ministers in government, a female Director of Currency Operations and two female Deputy Governors at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and an increasing representation of women on the boards of financial services institutions including female chairpersons of three of the country’s largest banks. These alongside other developments send a clear message across the industry that financial services are no longer the forte of the male gender. It is with this knowledge that we celebrate the 2020 International Women’s Day. Given this year’s theme, I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights, there is the need to examine subthemes such as female financial empowerment to make progress towards achieving equality for women in today’s Nigeria.

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Financial Literacy The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) summarises financial literacy as, “the process by which consumers improve their knowledge of financial products‌develop skills to become more aware of financial risks to make more informed choices‌and improve their financial well-beingâ€?. Financial literacy is therefore key to developing individual financial stability. However, a financial literacy gender gap exists worldwide, where women lag men in the knowledge and management of finances. In understanding the importance and impact of financial literacy to achieve gender equality, there are two distinct levels of female financial literacy in Nigeria to consider – firstly, the case where there is no awareness of the financial system and it benefits; and secondly, a scenario where a female is financially included but has a poor knowledge of financial management tools that could improve the quality of life for her and her family. Despite the increasing representation of females in financial services leadership, recent studies suggest that female financial inclusion is rising slower than males, with 36% of women still financially excluded compared to 24% of men - putting the current financial inclusion gender gap at around 12%. To put this into context, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) formulated the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) in 2012 with the mandate to reduce the level of financial exclusion from around 46% in 2010 to 20% by 2020. Evidently, more progress has been made in achieving this for males than for females and there is little doubt that lack of financial literacy has hampered the CBN’s efforts to achieve its 2020 inclusion goal. A 2015 survey by the apex bank in conjunction with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) found that Individuals in rural areas with little or no formal education and low incomes tend to develop a low level of trust in dealing with financial institutions and as such are unlikely to be financially literate. The report also found that there is a bias for women, particularly female farmers and females in rural areas of the North-West and North-East regions of Nigeria compared to Southern regions. A large proportion of these women also remain unbanked as a result. The other consideration is for

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women who are financially included but not ‘financially savvy’, meaning that beyond the basic bank account, they lack financial capabilities or competencies that allow them to plan for a better quality of life. It might appear that these women have been ignored in Nigeria given the more targeted focus on improving financial literacy to drive financial inclusion. However, the commercial viability of these women presents a stronger proposition for private financial institutions and there have been efforts by these institutions to capture, nurture and evolve with this demographic segment. With the female population of Nigeria at around 49%, and 36% of them currently financially excluded, the impact of improving the financial literacy of women could significantly impact their contribution to economic growth and socio-economic development of the country. Reducing Financial Literacy Gender Gap Efforts to achieve a higher rate of financial literacy for unbanked females in Nigeria have mainly been driven by partnerships between regulators and developmental finance institutions. The CBN in partnership

In the past two years, we have seen a resurgence of the agent banking network of ďŹ nancial institutions which have addressed one of the major challenges of ďŹ nancial literacy and inclusion being the previous inadequate level of access to ďŹ nancial services

with organisations like Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), has launched various initiatives aimed at accelerating financial literacy and inclusion such as face-to-face training in numeracy skills and basic financial management. The apex bank also launched its inaugural National Financial Literacy Conference in 2019 bringing together key stakeholders in the industry to develop strategies for improving financial literacy across the country. More recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also launched a training programme aimed at improving financial knowledge in agriculture for females. Concurrently, for the females already captured in the financial services system, financial institutions have championed efforts individually and in partnerships with women empowerment platforms such as ‘Women in Business (WIMBIZ)’ and ‘Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR)’ focused on improving their knowledge of finance and entrepreneurship skills. Examples include ‘FirstGem’ by FirstBank, ‘Womenpreneur’ by Access Bank, ‘Z-Woman’ by Zenith Bank and more recently ‘Alpher’ by Union Bank, etc. These initiatives usually involve hosting various events and workshops that are designed to inspire and empower women so that they do not become complacent with their finances but begin to take deliberate actions to plan for a better financial future. Whilst these are all welcome developments, there is always more that can be done to drive female financial literacy particularly on the part of private financial services institutions, to augment the efforts of the government and other organisations towards improved financial literacy. In the past two years, we have seen a resurgence of the agent banking network of financial institutions which have addressed one of the major challenges of financial literacy and inclusion being the previous inadequate level of access to financial services. These agent networks could prove to be even more valuable if leveraged to deliver more targeted training, particularly in the rural North of Nigeria, to educate women on financial services. This interaction with women could potentially have several benefits as follows:

r *NQSPWF UIF DPOGJEFODF XPNFO have in the banks which should translate to trust in the financial system. Currently, that trust resides only with the head of their home who they believe will always make the best decisions for the family. r &OIBODF UIF GJOBODJBM JOTUJUVUJPO T knowledge of this demographic segment and enable them to develop better strategies to make them more commercially viable and bankable r "T B SFTVMU PG UIF QFSDFJWFE female role in rural communities as the carer for the family, they are also likely to share her newly acquired financial knowledge with friends and family, creating a multiplier effect that results in a higher financial literacy rate Mobile money penetration is also key to improving financial literacy. While the adult literacy rate in Nigeria is 62% , mobile phone penetration rate is 87% , reinforcing that individuals need only a basic education to make use of phones. Therefore, driving the mobile money penetration will not only make banking services accessible to these women, but also empower them to take charge of their personal finances through subscription of mobile money without having to leave their local communities in search of a bank. Financial services innovation will also be a major enabler to improving financial literacy for all. Leveraging digital technology to create financial management is one way this can be leveraged to improve financial literacy. With the dawn of the internetof-things, such tools can be tailored to suit the lifestyle of each individual user so that it recommends products and services that the consumer would need. For the already banked women who require further financial management skills, this allows them to acquire such skills discreetly and positions them to create a better and more stable financial future. Involvement of non-banking financial services institutions such as insurance, asset management, pension fund administrators etc.is also key to improving financial literacy. So far, the onus has been on banks to drive efforts of financial services institutions, but this does not present a robust catalogue of financial services for women. Pensions for example will allow women to plan for retirement better rather than rely on an ordinary saving account or inheritance to survive. In conclusion, there is a lot to gain economically from the improved financial literacy of women either through increased financial inclusion or economic activity from the increased number of financial transactions that will follow. Also as important, is the confidence and independence that women will gain from owning their financial journey and being able to make better decisions for their well-being and that of their family. It is important that financial literacy is not looked at only as the need to educate women of low socio-economic status about the banking system as this is only the beginning of the financial literacy journey. There must be a deliberate and measurable effort to continuously engage women throughout the various seasons of life so that they are always able to make the best and most informed decisions regarding their finances and well-being. Only when this is achieved can the financial literacy gap begin to tighten, and it can be said that Generation Equality has been achieved. -Osibogun, the President, Consumer Awareness and Financial Enlightenment Initiative, wrote in from Lagos

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 08038901925

Ada Ehi: Music is My Life t*OUFSOBUJPOBM (PTQFM 4JOHFS t4POHXSJUFS t3FDPSEJOH BOE 1FSGPSNJOH "SUJTUF

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COVER

Ada Ehi: Music is My Life r*OUFSOBUJPOBM (PTQFM 4JOHFS r4POHXSJUFS r3FDPSEJOH BOE 1FSGPSNJOH "SUJTUF Nigerian-born international gospel singer, songwriter, recording and performing artiste Ada Ogochukwu Ehi, popularly known by the stage name ADA, started her musical career at the age of 10 as a backup singer for child star, Tosin Jegede. Since she professionally started her music career under Loveworld Records in 2009, she has increasingly gained local and international popularity through her songs and music videos, inspiring and lifting a lot of souls with her song. In this interview with MARY NNAH, she talks about her latest works and how she has evolved in the gospel music sector

A

s a gospel singer particularly, you always stand out in your mode of dressing. What do you always have in mind when dressing up you for a show or produc-

tion? I really love fashion. I love looking good and I love to see people look good. Personally when I see you look good, it tells me a lot about you and whatever you want to tell me, I want to hear because you seem to be well put together. I don’t know where that notion came from; maybe from the time when churches think Christians should not really be cool in their dressing; they just felt that any one that carries the message of God should look a certain way. But I don’t think so because my Bible tells me that He paints the streets with gold. But I think fashion is an outward expression of an inner person. And I feel that if you are representing someone, you should look like the person you are representing. The God of the rainbow, the God of the seasons, the mountains and the beautiful forests is not a one styled Being. He is the same God that made red hair, brown eyes, green eyes, tall and short people; varieties is His order of the day. So, that same God cannot be represented in one certain way. For me, if it is gospel on the stage, it should be gospel of the stage. What I can’t wear off stage, I shouldn’t wear on stage. So, in this dispensation of Christ, God lives in me, so if I cannot wear what I wear in my house where God lives, that means I cannot wear it elsewhere. So, I just feel that the most important thing about anyone’s dressing is to be decent but good looking. I mean, if for nothing else, be like the person you represent. You represent God. I don’t think there is anything wrong in looking good. The problem should be indecency. What has been going on with you and your music? I have been working on a new album and I‘ve been also taking my time to grow as an individual and to improve on myself. Now, I think I’m almost ready for a new album. It is like how you go through phases and develop into a more matured craftsman, in my own case, music – a better musician and as a Christian, spending more time with the word of God, get to know this Person that I believe in better and inevitably become a better person. Talking about being ready for another album, tell us, when was the last time you released content? Last year, I put out an EP, precisely on April 26, ADA’s EP Volume 1. I had a lot, like five songs and I couldn’t make up my mind on which one, so I had to put out all of them. Then I also released some videos from my tours. It hasn’t been long you released some contents and now you are preparing for another round. Is it that easy? Well, it is not like it is easy but you know like I have given myself to what I do, to music and to my ministry. I have invested myself into it. So, it is a part of me, I put everything in it, so it is the life that I live. It

Ada Ehi

is not like leave it and come back to it later. Music is my life. So let’s talk about the songs that are still in the making. Right now I am putting out some singles up until the main album comes. The first single I am putting out is titled, “Settledâ€?. It has just been released. “Settledâ€? is about the name of Jesus settling all things. In the name of Jesus it is settled. For me, it is a prophetic prayer song. When you say prophetic for those who don’t understand this biblical term, it is to speak ahead, so “Settledâ€? means that whatever it is would be settled in Jesus name. The song says, everything has changed and I would never be the same again. It’s settled in the name of Jesus. That’s what the song says. What inspired the song? I have had that song for a while. I have actually produced it in different ways with different producers giving different expressions. There were all excellent expressions but I just felt that this is the right sound for the song and I just found the best direction for the expression for the song. It is the beginning of another year, so rather than just making New Year resolutions, you need to have a mindset that everything has changed and I would never be the same again. So, change is a process - it is not just about money or hard time but also your outlook to life. Change is something that is constant, so you have to constantly indulge in things that will help you change, so that you don’t decline. What next after “Settledâ€?? Like I said, I am working on an album and a lot of singles are coming out this year. I am really excited about these contents because they are coming from a more personal place. It is not just what I feel. These are songs that I have experienced, they have blessed me, and so I can’t wait to share them with the world. What would you describe as the challenges in the process of coming up with your latest songs? There was a time I used to look outward but the moment I realised that if you can conquer the person within – whatever fear, whatever challenge, if you can win within, in the physical, it is a walk over. If I can make up my mind enough to do something ‌ So, I didn’t have challenges, I just went through

a process encountering God in different ways. And then making a conscious effort to committing more to my work with God, to understand Him, and try to know Him beyond what I have known – going deeper and insisting on seeing God in every situation. I insist on seeing God in every situation because it changes a whole lot. I am a better minister because I have a deeper relationship with the message I have. I can say that I am one with my message right now. Not like I wasn’t before but I have come deeper. So, I am very excited about the songs because they are different. I believe that the impact would be much more than what I can even imagine. So, I didn’t have any external challenges, the challenges were within. I just had to take time to understand this message much more. There is a difference between where I am coming from and where I am right now. What differentiates your recent songs from the ones you have had in the past? I have evolved as a musician and there is something I always take pride in ‌ when I listen to my past works and current works, there is always a distinct improvement all round. From the writing, singing, the arrangement to the production and then my understanding and relation to what I am singing, is truer for me and not just some religious things put together to make religious people all over the world feel good. When I look at what I have done in the past and when I look at my present songs, I personally can see the improvement. I can hear it, feel it and for me that is priceless. So, that’s why I am more excited because I owe myself to improve constantly. Were there times you made songs and then felt disappointed after listening to them? There are so many songs that you hear in your head and your heart and them when you make them, they don’t quite sound like what you heard in your mind. These are part of what you experience in your growing process. So, like I said, these are not the first version of the songs that I am putting out now and not even the third version but I have learned patience – like to follow through the process. There was a time when you feel like, yes, I have already done it and I would put it out there and then you find out that they turn out to be a waste. But now I have come to realise that songs have times and seasons. And to get the best expression of anything, you have to be patient. I have a song right now but I don’t like the way it is sounding that does not mean it’s a bad song, especially if I believe in the message and melody; I just have to re-approach it. There was a time that it was like a big deal when a song doesn’t sound like I wanted but I have grown to know that is not the end of the world. I move on to another song while I try to examine the song, trying to find out why I am not satisfied with the output. So, from experience and maturity, we have learned that every song has its own expression; you just need to find the best expression to that song. How do you feel when you put a song out there and it is like boom! And then

it’s like an anthem on everyone’s lip? It’s just amazing. It is just like when God says He will bless you and then He blesses you and you are like wow! It is like a boost that you can never explain. I think it adds 10 years to my life each time it happens so. It just gives you this confidence that of a truth there is God because it doesn’t happen all the time, so when one song someone sings resonate with everybody, especially when it starts to unfold, you would then start to question yourself whether it is really your song for real. So, it’s priceless and it is beyond an award. It is something nobody can take away from you and then it has a way of humbling you because somethings are just beyond you. As a wife and mother how do you cope with work and taking care of your home? It is a lot sacrifice. Like I was speaking to a group of women the other day, I told that that when you are a career woman and you want to be at the top of any industry, you have got to pay the price and forego a lot of things that would have ordinarily give you some pleasure. There is no woman that is more of a woman, we are all same- women, it is just that some women are willing to sacrifice more. Some women are willing to wake up earlier; some are willing to give up those Indian or American series on TV, which some other women watch from day break till 12 midnight. The few times I tried following a series, I paid heavily for it because I was trying to catch up leaving other things undone. So, I was telling the women that these things are good but you have to weight it against where you are going. We are wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends, so every of these people needs us, they cannot suffer because of our career. But then, some of these things, like idle chats, will have to leave the table to make room for other things. So, it is sacrifice. So, I try to manage my time to the best of my ability. Like when I am not working, that time should be for the family, friends, home work, cook and all of that. By the time I am done with all of that I am very tired. So, it’s sacrifice. As a gospel artist, would you say music has been ďŹ nancially fulďŹ lling for you? Oh, yes, very well! As for me, the goal wasn’t to make money, not that we didn’t expect to make money. But I am not singing for money so we don’t talk about the money, so people feel like oh, they are not making money and because that is not the goal, you don’t find it reflecting, maybe when you check our social media. We are just simple people, so it seems like we are not making money. You know, when you are a gospel artiste it simply means that the Lord is your boss. Trust me, He pays the bill, He doesn’t just pays the bills, He supplies much more, pressed down, shaken together and running over and that’s what He does for me. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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NEWS

Osun Identifies Education of Females as Tool to National Development

Heatwave: Schneider Electric Sensitises Alaba Market on Safety Practices

L-R: Onyedika Okonkwo, Retail Sales Mgr; Christophe Begat, GM and; Omobolanle Omotayo, Ag Marketing Communications Mgr, and others at the Roadshow

Chief of Sta to the Executive Governor of Osun State, Dr. Charles Diji Akinola and Nike Davies Okundaye anked by the women who got trained on various crafts

Stories by Mary Nnah The Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Osun State, Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, has identified education of females as the most potent empowerment tool to national development. He said this as Nigerian women joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day at Nike Art Gallery, where 120 women were empowered in the traditional Aso-Ofin skills to propagate culture and equally create a livelihood. He enjoined the Nige-

rian society to create better educational opportunities for women as this will aid progress in the country. “Education is a very useful tool. It becomes easier for women and policy makers once they have the right education. Women who are not educated enough may not have the critical thinking skills nor the knowledge of the world around them and how things work to actually discern but with the right education they can address such�, he noted. He said therefore that Nigerian women and government at all levels should brace up in accelerating

gender equality in Nigeria by creating programmes and avenue to propagate women, adding that empowering women translates directly into national development. ‘’When you empower women, you have empowered the nation. As a matter of fact, there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women. “It is also a fact that government cannot do this alone. Hence I profoundly commend my sister Nike for making her replicate on a subject she is versatile on�, he said while encouraging more women to be involved

in empowerment schemes to enable other women live fulfilled lives. He described Nike as a woman who is committed to empowering women and girls, as well as all other residents across the globe. The Artist and Designer, Nike Davies Okundaye said the workshop was held on traditional Nigerian textiles to celebrate IWD as 120 women were empowered under the auspices of the Nike Gallery. The 120 women across Nigeria were trained by women from Kogi to use chicken feathers on the traditional fabric.

DMSI to Create 2 Million Jobs by 2030 Following the rate of unemployment and an outcry to create jobs for Nigerian applicants especially youths, Digital Marketing Skill Institute (DMSI) has enormous opportunities that abound in digital marketing. DMSI specialises in training people in digital marketing to gain employment or become self-reliant to curb unemployment in the society. During a media chat with the management of the institute, it was said that the institute trains as well engages some of its best hands after training for employment while many others are linked to corporate organisations for employment. It was also revealed that in 2030, the institute must have reached one million people and create 2 million jobs. “This is the only way we can help our youths gain employment and also impact in the Nigerian economy and globally because we are a global company registered in the US and also in Nigeria. “Today, most of our students have started companies employing people and some are working for companies earning reasonable salaries around the world,� DMSI Founder, Tobi

Asehinde, a UK qualified Computer Engineer from the University of Portsmouth said. He added that the institute is a global training institute that empowers people on digital marketing skills because “ we discovered that it is more powerful to train people on digital marketing so that they can earn a living from providing digital marketing services to businesses that need it�. According to Asehinde, “I moved back to Nigeria because I wanted to make impact in our environment by training Nigerians especially young people on digital marketing skills, looking at the level of unemployment ravaging the country “Again, one key to fight insecurity in the country is to create platforms that create jobs for youths and engage them in training from time to time. This is what we expect Nigerian government to do in order to harness potentials embedded in our youths.� Commenting on job opportunities in digital marketing, Asehind said it creates a lot of job opportunities and some business owners prefer to hire digital marketers because they don’t have the time, and some other business even outsource their

online advertising, website development, social media and others to people with digital marketing skills. Continuing, Asehinde said, “Considering the fact that digital marketing in Nigeria is growing very fast owing to the number of internet users increasing on a daily basis, business owners are finding no other means to get customers than to rely on digital platforms, and that has increased demand for digital marketing services; those who acquired the skill would definitely earn a living.� On how those trained in digital marketing can begin to earn income, he said adverts on bill boards are very expensive these days, but with digital marketing platforms you can begin to run adverts as low as N1, 000 and get people to know about your business that would help you make money or help other business owners to advertise and make money. Again, he said, “Digital marketing provides you the opportunity to earn a living without being in a working environment and also hire other people. As a digital marketer, you can work with a company on a full-time basis; you can work as a

freelancer and also become an agency where you begin to hire additional hands thereby creating jobs. “Digital marketing creates job, and we are on the right track. We have a goal to train one million people in the next decades and that can easily create 2 million jobs especially if this 1 million trained people can hire two or more people.� Asehinde said those that completed their training with the institute can easily work with 10 customers that pay N100, 000, while he or she stands to make N1m a month and N12m a year, and by hiring one or two people, that basically takes two people out of unemployment. He said because digital marketing is not bound by location, some of the institute’s graduate are earning their income in dollars. Responding to challenges in training people here, he said, “The challenge is human capital. We had to hire people and train them to develop a system in order to be able to keep our sanity. We had to ensure we get good hands and have processes that validate someone before they can work for us, by giving them projects to do before we hire them and things like that.�

Following the recent spike in temperature which has resulted in intense heatwaves affecting residents across Lagos, Schneider Electric has concluded an electrical safety sensitisation campaign to avert possible hazards at home and work places. The road show which was held at the Alaba international market, Lagos, was aimed at enlightening members of the public on electrical safety. Speaking during the event, the Marketing Communications officer of Schneider Electric, Mrs Omobolanle Omotayo enjoined members of the public to always ensure they carry out safety measures such as switching off all electrical appliances upon closure at their business places so as to prevent fire outbreak and other avoidable hazards. She further stated that the essence of the roadshow was to raise awareness on electrical safety through installation of electrical safety products like the Residual Current Devices to help improve safety of lives and properties. Emphasising the importance of safety to the large audience, she called for caution in the use of electrical appliances which has since increased lately. “We understand the need to regularly keep your cooling appliances on at most times due to the heatwaves, but there’s a need to exercise precaution by sourcing your original products from accredited Schneider Electrical retailers in the market�, she stated. The event also provided an avenue for Schneider Electric to support and promote her partners in Alaba Market, and to launch new products such as the Mobiya Lite, Cable Reels, Test Meters and Mobiya Solar Inverters.

MoukaMarksIWD,ChampionsGirl-child Education,GenderEqualityinWorkPlace Chiamaka Ozulumba One of Africa’s leading foam-based mattress and other bedding products manufacturers, Mouka, is marking this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) with a message of hope for women across the continent and the entire world. The mattress market leader of Africa’s largest economy has advocated for gender equality in all spheres of influence as it aligns itself with the beliefthat this is required for businesses to thrive. Speaking at an event in Lagos marking this year’s celebration, the company’s boss, Raymond Murphy, said women have the potential to influence their environment to inspire positive change, adding that those of the feminine gender should not relent in engaging all necessary and legitimate means of empowering themselves. He also stated that education for the girl child must not be wished away, noting that access to education remains the most valid means of self-empowerment. He added that the work place policy should be such that gives room for women to aspire to positions of greater influence in the corporate environment. “Girl-child education is a springboard for undeniable influence to the women folk. It creates an avenue for attainment of greater heights even in the larger society. And women if empowered through an all- inclusive policy, have the ability to create positive work environment that can enhance productivity,� Mouka’s helmsman said. He therefore implored women to emulate notable feminine figures who have set enviable records in their society while encouraging them to engage all necessary and legitimate means of self-empowerment in pursuit of their personal development. This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #EachforEqual – An equal world is an enabled world. The theme is hinged on the United Nations Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality which marks the 25thanniversary of the Beijing Declaration Platform for Action, considered the UN most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere. It is therefore on this premise that the industry leader advocates for inclusion of women in virtually all spheres of influence with particular reference to the corporate environment. The company also holds the belief that a gender equal environment would foster more happiness and harmony, which will in turn give rise to a new optimism, including advancement in health and wealth amongst people.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

‌Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

Celebrating Nollywood’s Giant Strides

Funke Akindele-Bello at AMVCA 2017

Vanessa Obioha

T

heNigerianfilmindustry has continued to grow despite the country’s economic uncertainty. According to ‘PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2017 – 2021’, the industry contributed 2.3 per cent (NGN 239 billion) to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016 and has a planned export revenue of $1billion by 2020. Its track record of improvement in both business and storytelling is a testament to the hard work that has made this possible. As impressive as these statistics are, it is pertinent to note that the industry hasn’t always been this rosy. Nollywood’s current boom could be traced to the early 2000s when new cinema screens emerged in Nigeria. It coincided with the dwindling fortunes of fossilised VHS tapes and DVDs, which formed the pivot of the primary distribution formats. Back then, the industry faced numerous challenges, including low funding, technical deďŹ ciencies, a nonexistent structure, and piracy.The problems persisted enabled by the lack of government support and the existence of creative factions (and cliques) which made it impossible for unity. Despite this, enterprising men and women laboured to tell Nigerian stories through ďŹ lm. They continued to innovate around difďŹ culties, exploring creative ways to improve their business.Consequently,they kept the industry aoat.Today, the scene continues to expand, contributing 2.3 per cent to Nigeria’s 2016

GDP, according to the PWC report in 2017. Another United Nations report released in 2013 revealed that the nation’s ďŹ lm industry made N590 million annually.That number has since experienced changes, with the accelerated growth rate experienced in Nollywood attracting new sources of investment.Today, Nigerian ďŹ lms go to the box-ofďŹ ce and come out with hundreds of millions of Naira in revenue and proďŹ t. A crucial contribution to Nollywood’s current success story was made by MultiChoice.Two decades ago, the video entertainment company harnessed the potential of local ďŹ lmmakers eager to tell visionary stories and established a platform named ‘New Directions’. Directors and scriptwriters who participated in the project were equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to make the art of ďŹ lmmaking a viable business. Participants of that project—including maestros like the late Amaka Igwe, Tunde Kelani and Femi Odugbemi—became masters in the ďŹ eld of storytelling. Through their eyes, other ďŹ lmmakers gained an improved understanding of the craft and business of ďŹ lmmaking.They also ramped up the numbers, creating content that drew in new audiences from all around the continent. In 2003, the company launched Africa Magic, a dedicated entertainment channel focused on African programming with an endless stream of local TV shows and movies. It changed the game for ďŹ lmmakers who were grappling with marketing and distribution challenges. Africa Magic offered a platform to showcase content. Today, MultiChoice boasts of seven Africa Magic channels that broadcast television shows, movies and general entertainment to over 50 countries in Africa through the DStv

and GOtv platforms. The expansion also made indigenous language ďŹ lms accessible. Africa Magic Yoruba services the movies primarily made in SouthWest Nigeria. Africa Magic Igbo and Hausa also meet the entertainment demands of tribal viewers from other parts of the country. On Africa Magic channels, ďŹ lmmakers enjoy a wider reach, but more importantly, it tasks them to produce high-quality content. Perhaps, the greatest contribution of MultiChoice Nigeria to the ďŹ lm industry is the launch of the Africa MagicViewers’ Choice Awards. Birthed in 2013, the awards recognises and celebrates ďŹ lm and TV talent in the industry. Prior to the launch of AMVCA, few award platforms existed. Over time, the ceremony has been referred as Nigeria’s equivalent to the Oscars because of its celebration of outstanding cinematic works. Hence, ďŹ lmmakers are tasked to produce high quality ďŹ lms that reect true African stories.The submitted ďŹ lms are reviewed by a judging panel comprising seasoned industry practitioners. Furthermore, the awards recognises ďŹ lms in all forms be it features, documentaries or online shorts. Now in its seventh edition, the AMVCA is ready for a memorable show. This year’s edition has a robust list of ďŹ lms that excel both in storytelling and production quality.There is the stunning visuals of ‘God Calling’ which fetched 11 nominations.There is also the sequel of Nollywood’s classic ‘Living in Bondage’ by Ramsey Nouah which also is in a tie with‘God Calling’.The list parades younger actors such as Swanky JKA, Zainab Balogun and Timini Egbuson who will have the opportunity to win their ďŹ rst AMVCA. Odugbemi who spearheaded the jury for the fourth time described this year’s selection

as a perfect storm. “Over the course of seven editions, it’s plain to see how the quality has improved; in new storytelling, cinematography, sound especially and in quality of performances.The AMVCAs is a celebration of Africa’s untold stories.The world is ready for Africa and there are many Africans in the diaspora who are longing to hear stories of their own heritage. I think we have something like a perfect storm right now. The audience is there right now and is spread across the world. Also, culturally, Africa is a place of interest.â€? One of the additions to this year’s celebration is the MultiChoice Talent Factory Award that will recognise ďŹ lms made by the past students of the academy in each region where it has an Academy Hub.That is, East Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa. It was in 2018 that the company announced the initiative, which is similar to ‘New Directions’, only that it targets young talents whose interest lie in ďŹ lmmaking. Of the 28 categories, seven are open to the public for voting.This include the Best Actor in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series), Best Actor in a Drama (Movie/TV Series), Best Actress in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series), Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series), Best Supporting Actor (Movie/TV Series), Best Supporting Actress (Movie/TV Series), and Best Short Film or Online Video. This gives the viewer power to determine who goes home with the coveted trophy in these categories. Voting opened on Thursday, February 6 and closed on Saturday, March 7. The main ceremony slated for Saturday, March 14, 2020 will be hosted by media personality IK Osakioduwa and Kenyan TV and radio presenter, Amina Abdi Rabar.

A 13th Contestant Emerges On AccessThe Stars Following the nationwide auditions in which 12 contestants were chosen from six regions, an unexpected twist was introduced to the Access The Stars competition. A 13th contestant will join the chosen 12 at Bootcamp. Contestants unable to participate at the regionals were encouraged to post a 60-second video audition on social media.

With hundreds of hopeful contestants submitting their entries, the public helped choose the top entries. The top 27 videos with the highest likes were announced. Celebrity judges Seyi Shay, Kaffy and Tee-Y Mix narrowed down this pool to the most talented five, and with further elimination, a lucky contestant was chosen.

The stars aligned for Anna James, a certified accountant and an aspiring artist who has been chosen to be the 13th Access The Stars contestant. Her cover of Peruzzi’s Majesty went viral last year. She recently released a video for her debut single “You�. Anna James will join the 12 contestants chosen during the regional auditions in the Access The

Stars Bootcamp. To watch auditions and performances each week, tune in to Views Channel (8 pm), Wazobia Max (7 pm 9 pm), Africa Magic (6 pm, 5:30 pm), Sound City (7 pm) and ONTV (7 pm) every Saturday and Sunday respectively. To catch up on all the action, watch repeat shows on Accelerate TV.

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ETRENDS

I Go Dye Plans Big for Silver Jubilee

Stories by Vanessa Obioha

Veteran comedian Amb Francis Agoda, popularly known as I Go Dye will be marking his 25 years on stage this year with a platinum edition of ‘I Go Dye Standing: Kinging with the Kings’. The signature event according to the comedian will be the mother of all as he plans to throw everything in the ring to make it a memorable one. Over the years, I Go Dye has become an iconic name in the comedy scene. He was among the few comedians who elevated the art of comedy in the industry. In the past two decades,he has toured the world, entertaining millions of people from different races with rib-cracking jokes. Also, the visionary comedian gained recognition as a social crusader right from childhood. He was the ďŹ rst high school student in Africa to build a ying helicopter, a hovercraft ship, radio transmitter and a solar table fan which earned him a scholarship to study structural engineering at the prestigious NewYork University. But his passion for comedy brought him wider acceptance and popularity which he realized was a means to address challenges

Nollywood stars I Go Dye

affecting millions of Nigeria youths. He was a victim of the Warri crisis between the Ijaws and the Itsekiris, where he was shot and lost some of his friends.This experience made him shoot a documentary, ‘Peace in

Sight’ in 2008 for the United Nations to promote peace and rural development. That same year, he toured the world with America Point Gate to promote peace and ďŹ ght against drug abuse and racism. I Go Dye has always been at the forefront of youth development and empowerment, a charge he has also extended to top Nigerian professionals “It’s a refreshing experience, celebrating 25 years on stage,â€?says the humour merchant. “It’s been a journey, that was made possible by God Almighty and with your inspiring cheers and love.â€? The grand event which is scheduled for Easter Sunday, April 12 in Benin City is part of a series of events to mark I Go Dye’s 25 years on stage. It will be heralded by a series of events across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Warri. Known for pooling A-list music stars to his show like he did in 2009 when he ďŹ rst held the show with the entire crew of the defunct label Mo’Hits, this year will not be different. The King of Jokes will be featuring top music stars to mark his silver jubilee. ‘I Go Dye Standing: Kinging with the Kings’, platinum edition is in partnership with Prime View Records and Seaside Entertainment.

Mofe Boyo Draws International Attention Urban-classic singer and songwriter, Mofe Boyo, has drawn the attention of Europe and Portuguese music Artist and Repertoire (A&R), Arthur Brandao, who ew into town to be at Mofe’s EP listening session recently. Brandao who came in with some top label executive confessed he was a fan of Simi but got interested in Mofe Boyo when he heard one of her songs,‘Boogie Down’, and would have sworn he was listening to Simi. He said this was the reason he reached out and insisted on making the trip to Nigeria and listen to Mofe in person. According to Brandao, Mofe’s hits are infectious and will be great for the global music market.“Simi’s voice is like chocolate while Mofe’s voice is like adding cream to chocolate, I think I like chocolate and cream betterâ€?. Mofe who just dropped a chart-buster

titled, ‘Gbotemi’ which in Yoruba means hear me out, admitted it wasn’t the ďŹ rst time she would hear such comparison between her and Simi but stated they were different artists. “I look at the mirror but I can’t seem to see the similarity but I get that a lot when people come up to me and say you look and sound a lot like Simi. Somebody even said you and your sister have a great voice whereas I am the only singer in my family but I understood where they were going with it so I just said thank you.â€? Mofe’s current song was produced by Gabiz,The song has been getting massive streaming and downloads online. Aside from the foreign guests at the EP listening party, the CEO of Bestfood Restaurant, Ikong Ijebe Cyril who hosted the listening session was present among other music buffs.

Mofe Boyo (m) with Arthur and Cecilia Brandao

2 Baba, Niniola, Tantalise Taste Buds on ‘Off the Menu’ Second Season Iyke Bede

Beloved for its laidback banters, heartfelt laughter, and the insider look into the culinary skills of guest celebrities, ‘Off the Menu’ returns for a second season with the cream of the entertainment industry, offering a peek into how they whip up some of their favourite comfort meals just as they would in their private spaces. A brainchild of AccelerateTV; the show’s second season is exclusively available on their ofďŹ cial website.This season showcases the cooking prowess of 2 Baba, Niniola, Sound Sultan,Dr Sid,Beverly Naya,Timini Egbuson, Kemi Adetiba, and Chef Fregz among others. Anchored by Chef Soliat Bada, the host interacts with the guest stars to reveal insights into their lives, careers, and goals as they unveil recipes and take viewers through the delicate processes of preparing some of their favourite dishes straight from the Miele Kitchen located on Victoria Island, Lagos. “’Off the Menu’season one proved to be a very popular lifestyle show for our viewers, so we were very excited to bring back season two,â€? says Head of Accelerate TV, Colette Otusheso. “Cooking, eating, gisting, and laughing are deďŹ nitely some of our favourite things to do. And so, it was important for us at Accelerate TV to bring back the hottest cooking show in Nigeria to our audience.What makes this

Beverly Naya and Chef Bada in ‘O the Menu’

show even more of a treat for the fans is that it promises to be a truly exciting, fun ďŹ lled cooking and interview experience.â€? With an eclectic range of new recipes from all over the world, and a special focus on African dishes, this season’s ďŹ rst episode which aired onThursday, March 5, featured producer and actress Beverly Naya. She was joined by Bada in creating some mouthwatering Jerk chicken, a popular Jamaican delicacy. Popular for being one third of internationally acclaimed dance group CEO Dancers, Bada spoke on her experience on set with

the guests. “I am truly excited about the guests we have and the dishes we have created this season. We had a lot of fun on set and I am super grateful to the whole team at Accelerate TV for helping me create more fond memories this season. Making‘Off the Menu’is always so much fun as I love showcasing my passion for cooking.� New episodes of ‘Off the Menu’ are uploaded every Thursday at 5pm. Fans of the show are encouraged to recreate recipes and join in on the conversation across all their social media handles.

ULTIMATE LOVE UPDATES WITH VANESSA

What’s Rocking Jelo’s Ship? The tension between Jenny Koko and Louis keeps getting palpable everyday. Their attitude towards each other shows their unhappiness. If they are not arguing, they are probably staring at each from a distance. During their session with Aunty this week, the couple unpacked their issues. While Louis was frustrated by the manner in which Jenny Koko treats him, the latter argued that Louis doesn’t pay her attention which is one of her key love languages. Louis also complained about Jenny Koko’s raising her voice at him. In her defense, Jenny Koko said she grew up watching her step mother always shouting and indirectly she found herself exhibiting a similar trait. However, she wished that Louis will allow her voice to be heard once in a while because he always wanted things to be done his way. Louis concluded that if he didn’t see any change in her character, he may check out voluntarily. Aunty urged them to ďŹ nd a meeting ground and work things out.The couple were among the nominated couples this week. Although they took part in the Monday Mission with PreshDavid, Aunty however saved the latter.Thus,Jelo alongside Bolar, Roksie and Chivia are up for possible check-out this Sunday. Tried as much as they can to be civil with one another, the love guests are visibly affected by nominations.Last week,after Jeriton’s eviction, the nominations announcement saw Bolar taking the lead followed by Roksie.Love guests spent the week trying to analyse the nomination pattern. Intheirusualmanner,LouisandChiddy discussed the nomination immediately after the live show in the courtyard.They are conďŹ dent that they are strong allies and will continue to strategise to nominate other threats. Chris and Rosie also discussed PreshTalker’s attitude towards nomination over a meal. Chris revealed to Rosie that PreshTalker believes that Rosie and her partner deliberately place them up for nomination because of the love triangle with David. Rosie opened up that she harboured no vengeful feelings towards the couple but despised the side remarks of David such as calling her a sugar mummy. Rosie is not the only one who is uncomfortable with David’s attitude. Jay who is free from nomination fever this week conďŹ ded in her partner Nkechi that David is a show guy.According to him,he doubted David’s affection for PreshTalker.He felt David is doing it all for the camera and may probably not continue his relationship with Presh Talker after the game. After the shocking revelation by Rosie that she had two children during the couple session with Aunty, the couple was among the most trending topics onTwitter the past few days. Kachi was praised for not judging Rosie.They got many hearts swooned by their affection for each other such that some tagged them the Ultimate Couple of the season. With this new development, fans are certain that nothing can rock their ship.

Jelo

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POTPOURRI

Osun Festival to Award Cultural Champions, Emancipates Women Rebecca Ejifoma The Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola; the Aare Onakankanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Oba Moses Oyediran, Ajonbadi III, and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III are among dignitaries to be awarded at the maiden edition of the Osun Festival in Modakeke, Osun State for their ethnocentrism over the years. The festival, which will run from March 28 to 30 at the Yeye Asa Centre, Modakeke , Osun State, is on the theme ‘African

Spirituality and its Values’. It is geared towards women emancipation and empowerment through culture. According to the Yeye Osun of Modakeke, Florence Trautman, at a media parley, although the Osun Festival aims to equip the women, it is also an avenue to recognise some figures for their undiluted contributions to the development of culture and tradition in Yoruba land. “The significance of celebrating the Osun Festival is perception of what the deity represents to the people of Osun State which includes special blessings to the women folk, healing and providing

children to the barren women facing challenges in their husbands’ homes�, she added. Trautman expressed that in Yoruba religion, the deity called Orisa is associated with water purity, fertility, love, myths and sensuality that speak against the ills in the society concerning women. “Osun is a powerful deity. That is why at the festival, we will do prayers and offerings to the deity for women believing God for children among other activities.� As a trained musical artiste and caterer, Trautman highlighted that women would be trained in diverse skills: bead-making and catering;

exhibitions and special workshops for women and men on self-reliance; language competition among women, drama, film show, innovation, and music. “Some of the deities in Yoruba land like Sango, Ogun, Obatala, Obaluaye and Eshu will be showcased as well as here some of our cultural costume of the deity�, she said. She beckoned on individuals, corporate organisations and the governments to support the festival, adding, “brand owners should use the opportunity of the celebration to display their products and services that reflects the value of the African tradition�.

Viju Industries Gets LGDI’s Award for Humanitarian Support Ayodeji Ake The culture of corporate social responsibility of Viju Industries Nigeria Limited, makers of Viju milk brands again recently came to a limelight. This happened when the LUCIANO Global Development Initiative (LGDI), a non-profit making organisation committed to welfare of the less privileged children, widows and girl-child development in the country, visited the company to honour it for always rendering financial support to humanitarian bodies in achieving its objectives. The Lagos-based nongovernmental organisation showed appreciation for Viju Industries’ disposition towards lending its support for orphanage projects and children from indigent homes in order to uplift their living standards. Since the inception of the LGDI in 2017, Viju Industries has always demonstrated commitment towards supporting noble projects of the orgainsation. At a low-key ceremony held at Viju Industries head office in Ikeja, Lagos, recently, members of the Board of Directors of LGDI, led by its Chairman, Mr. Richard Ogumola and the visioner, Mrs. Adekemi Lucy Adetiwu-Olaniyi, were on ground for the award pre-

R-L: Mr. Samuel Olaniyi, Chairman LGDI Board o Directors, Mr. Richard Ogumola, Visioner of LGDI, Mrs. Lucy Adetiwu-Olaniyi, Hd of Media/Sponsorship, Viju Ind. Mr. Raphael Osiomwan & Manager Info/ Tech, Viju Ind, Mr. Onochie Ugezuh at the award presentation ceremony held recently in Lagos

sentation to the benefactor company at the instance of some Viju Industries officials. Speaking on the purpose of the visit, founder of the LGDI initiative, Mrs AdetuwoOlaniyi, said Viju Industries has demonstrated steady responsibility in assisting her organisation, adding that it was in recognition of the company’s getures towards LGDI that the NGO came to honour the company with a recognition award. She pointed out that despite financial constraint, the LGDI has remained relentless in meeting its objectives of raising the

living standards of underprivileged children in the areas of education, accommodation, health, food and clothing etc. Commenting on the occasion, the Chairman of LGDI’s Board of Directors, Mr. Richard Ogumola remarked that Viju Industries has a good reputation of supporting NGOs, whenever approached, citing LGDI as a beneficiary. Ogumola encouraged the company to continue to do more in uplifting the living standards of the less privileged in the society. In his response, Head, Media/Sponsorship, Viju In-

dustries, Raphael Osiomwan, expressed delight that the company’s corporate social values was appreciated by one of its beneficiaries- LGDI initiative. “We are humbled at your visit to our company. Your thank you visit is unprecedented in the history of our organisation, because no NGO we have helped so far has ever come back to show us appreciation, but LGDI.� Osiomwan revealed that LGDI initiative ranks first in the Viju Industries priority list of NGOs because the Humanitarian body is focused.

RCCG Forum IdentiďŹ es Solution to Economic Crisis Ayodeji Ake Participants at the maiden edition of an economic summit organised by the Christ the Lord Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province 20, Lekki, have identified effective production as well as creativity as ways out of the current economic malaise facing the country. They particularly tasked the church to increase knowledge base of members by sensitising them on the need to think out of the box by embracing activities that will change the narrative of total dependence on the government for survival. Speaking on the topic, “Economies of the new decade - The winning agendaâ€?, the keynote speaker, Dr. Biodun Adedipe said one problem

Nigeria is faced with is that she consumes what she does not produce, and a change to this narrative is urgently needed. Manufacturing, according to him, is a viable way to grow the Nigerian economy, just as he added that it is wise for the country to utilise. Adedipe, who is the Chief Consultant of B. Adedipe Associates Limited explained that there is always a problem in the society, waiting for solution, and anyone who utilises the “opportunity� is on his way to being a business success. “There is always a business that you can do. You just have to find the difficulty in your locality and solve it, making it your business.� Adedipe said. For Dr. Chidi Okpaluba, a creative entrepreneur and transformation speaker, what

one gets in life is not what he sees, but what he or she is actually looking for. Speaking during the panel discussions, he said that “87 per cent of the wealth you make in life depends on how you relate with people� adding that “wealth is not created; it is manifested by the personality that you have built�. Okpaluba further noted that a successful entrepreneur must know how to take risks and accept failures in life because there will be failures in the journey to the top. He further advocated that knowledge is the way to go for youths to get the best out of life, because “it is lack of knowledge that destroys you, not the devil�. Mr. Afioluwa Mogaji, popularly called “African farmer� noted that agriculture

is the way to go. He further advised the congregation, especially youths to ask the right questions always, while in the process of life. Speaking at the end of the programme, the Pastor in Charge of Province, Lagos Province 20, Pastor Tunde Netufo said the summit was designed to eradicate poverty. He said “the only way we thought to help our people in this tough times is to equip them with knowledge, that when they apply them, they will go into the market place and make the most of opportunities that are there. “The key role of the church is to expose people to knowledge that they need. Knowledge is power. It is not for the church to give people money or rent offices for them, but to equip people with knowledge on how to make money.�

100 Children to BeneďŹ t From ‘FregzDucation’ Sunday Ehigiator Executive Chef and Owner, Chef Fregz, Gbubemi Fregene, has partnered Slum2School through the FregzDucation initiatives, to sponsor no fewer than 100 indigent children from the slum back to school. At its maiden annual charity fund raising dinner, recently held in Lagos State, and attended by over 40 guests including the MD/CEO Sterling Bank, Abukaka Suleiman; ExecutiveChefandOwner,ChefFregz, Executive Vice Chairman, Gbubemi Fregene Globacom, Bella Disu, and Co-founder Sahara Group, Tonye Cole amongst others, Fregene revealed that FregzDucation is an annual charity fundraising dinner to raise money to send a minimum of 100 children to school who ordinarily cannot afford education even at a grassroots level. “These are kids particularly from the slum areas in the metropolis of Lagos State, Nigeria. This initiative seeks to further throw the spotlight on the cause of Slum2School; showing that it is possible to give more children across lower social strata a chance at winning in life. “It took a village to raise me and I realised one day that I have a platform, a voice and I thought it was time to do something. I saw this is an opportunity to not just raise money but share my craft and impact communities while at it. “FregzDucation is beyond teaming up with Slum2School. It is an empowerment programme that puts children in schools. As the brand expands, we will help children achieve their dreams and give them a real chance at life. FregzDucation is really about educating and empowering children who really do not have the opportunity to go to school and I relate with this because I was once that child.â€? Fregene likewise expressed optimism in drafting some of the children into taking entrepreneurship classes, side by side their education with a view of them having opportunities to express their skill sets and talents even as they enjoy free education in the four walls of a school. Speaking on the Slum2School vision, Chairperson of the Board of Directors Slum2School, Mrs. Alero Ayida-Otobo said, the Slum2School vision was borne out of the need to help the individual child, and it’s committed to putting over 13 million children in schools. “Slum2School is committed to the vision of putting over 13 million children in schools and transforming their destinies. “Slum2School is a volunteer-driven development organisation transforming the society by empowering underserved children in slums and remote communities with quality education, entrepreneurial skills, and psychosocial support to enable them to realise their full potential and become social reformers.

‘60 Million Jobs Underway from Continent Building’ Ayodeji Ake AsAfrican Union seeks a unitedAfrica to deliver prosperity to the continent, the Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana BeachResort,OtunbaWanleAkinboboye,hasassuredofthecreation of over 60 million jobs if the right things are done in the actualisation of the Agenda 2063 of the African Union - Economic Social and Cultural Council, known as AU – ECOSOCC – Nigeria. Akinboboye made this known at the close of the brainstorming session the AU – ECOSOCC led by the country Representative, Honourable John Oba Olasunkanmi, on partnership with Continent Building Initiative, which is an activation founded byAkinboboye. Akinboboye, who was recently made an advisor to AU – ECOSOCC – Nigeria, to help the body in achieving its Agenda 2063, said there exists the prospect of creating over 60 million jobs in various sectors within the continent through the intervention of AU – ECOSOCC – Nigeria. He said: “We are hoping to create over 60 million jobs with this initiative, that is our aim, hope and aspiration,� he said, stressing that all that is needed is to ensure a peaceful continent, which will then bring about the creation of wealth. “We will create peace in the continent of Africa through wealth creation. Because to have peace you begin first by creating wealth and not through buying of arms and ammunition.� He further advised that the billions spent on the purchase of arms and ammunition by the 54 countries in the continent should be converted to creating wealth and the result will be amazing. “The billions of dollars you use in buying arms and ammunition use it to feed the people of Africa by creating wealth and when the people are well fed they will be afraid to fight or die, therefore, the commitment of this platform is to ensure that this message gets across to everyone and the governments of Africa.� He then revealed that the 10 focal points devised for the platform during the session was aimed at wealth creation for the continent, stressing that culture will be a critical part of that element as the content of Africa’s culture is so rich and diverse that it needs to be harnessed through creativity. “We will leverage our culture and creative asAfricans must create a platform for the world to patronise Africa,’’ he said even as he admonished that ‘‘it is not time to get angered but to get even with the world by using your advantage to your advantage�. His message to the continent leaders is that it is time to give purposeful leadership that will ensure economic growth and prosperity for the people of the continent.

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ART WEEKEND

‌For pure art enthusiasts

Madueke’sAction-packedChronicles

Yinka Olatunbosun describes the autobiography of Admiral Alison Madueke titled“Riding the Storms-with God in my Sails�as a treasury of a turbulent but cherished history Of all the titles and accolades accorded to this retired Chief of Naval Staff, Biafran war veteran, former Military Governor of Anambra and Imo States during his “pulling out� parade on March 30, 1995, a storyteller couldn’t have been one of them. In late 2019, he published his autobiography titled “Riding the Storms-with God in my Sails�, thus sealing his place amongst Nigerian literati with a demanding book that’s surprisingly entertaining. The volume of the book itself is as intimidating asthe career of the author, Rear Admiral Alison Madueke. Perhaps it was intentional on his part to write a book that will earn a distinguished place on the shelf, in a library or wherever it can fit. In an almost cinematic experience, the story takes the reader on a life-long sail through the early days of a very ambitious young Nigerian of Igbo heritage to the pinnacle of his career. A master storyteller, Madueke expresses self in “Riding the Storms�, sometimes simplifying naval vocabulary with his down-to-earth conversational style, yet devoid of pedestrian language. A reader doesn’t need to love the sea to appreciate the depth and power of imagination roused by the writer. Maduekedemystifies the life in public service by unearthing the pains and pleasures of being a Naval Staff, traversing all the continents, building international relations and watching his beloved country develop at an excruciatingly slow pace. “Riding the Storm� is a mentor’s bible, replete with copious instances where the narrator ’s

Madueke’s autobiography

integrity, courage, resilience and loyalty were put to test. What’s most incredible is the author ’s unsentimental account of his role in the civil war days as a BiafranNaval staff. Deliberately cautious and conscious of not making the same mistakes of finger-pointing or some biased ethnic defense of the morality of the warthat is the preoccupation of most writers who document that dark history of Biafra, Madueke highlights the humanitarian crises of the periodincluding details of neardeath experiences at the Murtala International Airport and at the battlefront. Away from that, his legendary delivery of three ships from Germany to Nigeria and his phenomenal rise through the ranks portray him as a heroic protagonist who sings the virtues of meritocracy, pragmatism and honesty. His portrayal of other characters in the book says much his

persona as a free-spirit. Madueke’s fatherwho is a devoted Jehovah’s witness and a successful entrepreneur constituted a role model and catalyst forthe author ’s self-determinism in the story. His love for his mother shone through his account of his childhood days as he demonstrates a strong power of recall in this book. Madueke dedicated separate chapters to his two wives, Uche (late) and Diezaniwhich strikes a reader as a clear delineation of the roles each played at different times in his life. Generally, Madueke is not too critical of his characters even when he subtly hints at a few strained personal relationships but on national issues from the point of view of one who had held the reins of power at the state and federal government level, his poignant submission is evident in the matters of resource control, federal character, rule of law, infrastructural development and inclusive cabinet. Like a smooth navigator, Madueke courted the tricky corners in his episodes of his encounters with former Military heads of state who were deemed as “tyrants.� He revealed the unreported yet interesting sides to their personalities without attempting to whitewash their perceived negative images. Undoubtedly, “Riding the Storms� is a captivating read, succinctly told with slices of humour, complemented by a good measure of archival materials such as pictures of iconic moments, history-defining speeches and life-changing letters.This revealing autobiography is packed with themes of survival, self-discovery, ambition, nationalism and national unity.

Poet, Activist Odia Ofeimun Set for 70th BirthdayConference Yinka Olatunbosun A party of words and wit is on its way as the distinguished Nigerian poet, political essayist, journalist, dance-drama producer, critic, columnist and public intellectual, Odia Ofeimun marks his 70th Birthday Celebrations of Odia Ofeimun, on Monday, March 16, 2020. Titled, ‘Taking Nigeria Seriously: A Conference in Honour of Odia Ofeimun,’ the celebrations will end with a Special Dinner in honour of the celebrant on March 17 at the University of Lagos Guest House. The Odia Ofeimun at 70 conference will be a gathering of intellectuals, scholars and academics from within Nigeria, Africa and as well as North America and Europe. The keynote will be given by Professor Biodun Jeyifo, a reputed literary scholar and globally recognised cultural theorist, who until recently was with Harvard University, USA. The opening ceremony of the

Ofeimun

conference on March 16 at the same venue will be chaired by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Honourable Minister of Interior of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while the dinner on March 17 will be chaired by the renowned civil rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria,Olisa Agbakoba. For over four decades, Ofeimun has exerted a phenomenal pres-

ence in the Nigerian cultural, creative, intellectual and political space. He served as Private Secretary to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Nigerian nationalist and politician between 1978 and 1981; was a member of the editorial board of The Guardian from 1983 to 1988, Chairman of the Editorial Board of The News, Tempo and AM News from 1993 to 1999, and President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) from 1993 to 1997. Ofeimun’s Hornbill House of Culture represents a platform to execute his multi-dimensional activities including writing, dance-drama production, book publishing, cultural promotion and political interventions. He has at least 40 published books which include volumes of poetry, collections of critical essays, anthologies of cultural and political interventions, and compilations of journalistic writings. In 2010, Odia Ofeimun won the Fonlon Nichols award for excellence in writing and human rights activism. He is an exemplary man of letters.

Fmr.THISDAYCSO,OkoloLaunches BookletonRestitutionFormula Yinka Olatunbosun Jacob Odewu Okolo, a retired officer from the State Security Service and a fomer Chief Security Officer for 14 years at THISDAY Newspapers has launched his booklet, a commentary on Nigeria’s peaceful existence. Titled, “Nigerian Triangular Repentance and Restitution,� the author described the book as a liberation formula that would cleanse Nigeria of the lingering consequences of the bloodbath recorded during the civil war era. The booklet is a blend of social commentary and personal account and its overall tone is prescriptive for the writer offers certain recommendations for true reconciliation to take place. He blames the problems associated with governance in Nigeria on some of the unresolved issues of mutual distrust among the three major ethnic groups. Of course, he suggests practical ways in which the government can resolve the insecurity in North-east which is gradually creeping up on other parts of the country. “Mr. President should as a matter of urgency plan to occupy the Sambisa forest completely. This is because there are enormous military and economic advantages that would accrue to Nigeria and North East sub-region locally and internationally,� he advised in the booklet. The 89- page booklet is an easy read with its legible print. In reaction to a few typographical errors in the booklet, the author has promised that the next edition which will be out soon will be spotless.

Book Cover

Egerton-Idehen Embarks on a National Book Tour With eyes on promoting gender equality, increasing female representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and providing support and direction for professional women, Jane Egerton-Idehen, a Tech Executive, Author and Speaker has launched ‘Be Fearless, Campaign’ a national campaign focused on highlighting the hurdles that prevent women from fulfilling their potential. This campaign features a book tour coveringabout 20 tertiary institutions in Nigeria, book reading sessions at some leading book stores, scholarships to female students in STEM courses and a formal launch of her new book. It is designed to encourage leading entrepreneurs and businesswomen in Nigeria to share their experiences on building successful careers, the challenges they encountered and to inspire and empower young African women. Egerton-Idehen is concerned about the gender gap that still undermines the economic security of most Nigerian women which limits their ability to work and pursue a career. For this reason, she advocates for gender equality focused on enabling higher growth, productivity and economic stability. According to her, Nigerian women still have just three-fourths the legal rights and opportunities of men. At the online release of her new book “Be Fearless: Give yourself permission to be You�, Egerton-Idehen who is also the Country Manager Nigeria/Regional Sales Manager, West Africa for Avanti Communications emphasized the underrepresentation of women in corporate Nigeria and challenges young women to pursue their dreams. “There is a significant gender imbalance in corporate Nigeria, especially in the technology industry where ratio of women to men is as high as 1:5. We must now deliberately work towards a more balanced sector where everyone is enabled. The theme of the International Women’s Day ‘Each for Equal’ reminds us that there is still more to be done towards improving gender equality and fostering a healthier, wealthier and more harmonious world. We hope to encourage more young girls and stimulate gender-equality discussions, via this campaign, my new book, endowments to girls and the experiences of many African women who are contributing to this campaign�, she said. The book “Be Fearless: Give yourself permission to be You� chronicles the author’s remarkable experiences,challenging gender roles and stereotypes, from her rise from the slums of Ajegunle in Lagos to brokering million-dollar deals for global telecoms giants. Egerton-Idehen opens up about her lessprivileged background, education, career journey, marriage and motherhood stories, exploring the cultural expectations, biases, and impossibilities that turn dreams of career success into wishful thinking and demystifies them. The book is available online.

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with DR. KEMI AILOJE Info@lifelinkfertility.com; Ă?ĂŒĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ?Ë? lifelinkfertility.com 08033083580

BALANCED NUTRITION TO ENHANCE FERTILITY(Part 1)

After such a concentration on the clinical side of infertility, this week, we will take a look at Nutrition and its vital role in fertility. Maintaining a healthy diet is essential at every point in a person’s life but it is especially important and recommended for all couple trying for conception, via natural process or Assisted Reproductive Techniques such as IVF. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 10 women will experience infertility. While there is no such thing as magical fertility diet, our nutrition plays a vital role to the body’s functions, fertility and general wellbeing. Adequate nutrition will promote optimum weight, hormonal balance which eventually enhances spontaneous ovulation for the female and quality sperm production for the male. Numerous studies have shown that specific changes to diet can improve fertility, prevent recurrent miscarriages, support a healthy pregnancy and enhance delivery of a live healthy baby. WHAT IS FERTILITY DIET? A fertility diet contains natural balanced food products that are known to support your body in its reproductive functions. It includes foods which are dense in some specific nutrients needed for hormonal production/ function and balance, fetalhealth development, egg / sperm health, blood health and much more. It is a diet that is designed to help your body to balance fertility issues that may exist, build up nutrition stores and provide all of the building blocks for a healthy child.

r 5IF OVNCFS POF USFBUNFOU GPS CBMBODJOH Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and getting pregnant despite PCOS is majorly diet? r0OF NBKPS DBVTF PG JOGFSUJMJUZ JT BOPWVMBtion (lack of ovulation) and that it can often be corrected by changes in our diet?

THE BENEFITS OF EATING RIGHT FOR EFRTILITY WHY EATA NATURAL FERTILITY DIET? r1SPWJEFT BOUJPYJEBOUT WJUBNJOT BOE NJOFSBMT DO YOU KNOW: which help to protect eggs and sperm health r 5IF GPPET ZPV FBU UPEBZ JNQBDU UIF IFBMUI from the damage caused by free radicals. of your sperm and eggs 90 days from the day r)FMQT UIF CPEZ NBJOUBJO IPSNPOBM CBMBODF eaten? by providing the fat necessary for hormonal r)PSNPOFT CVJME UIFNTFMWFT GSPN UIF JOHSFEJ- production and function ent you provide through your diet? r1SPWJEFT UIF CPEZ XJUI UIF BCVOEBODF r5IFSF BSF TQFDJĂ D OVUSJFOUT UIBU BSF OFFEFE of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants by the young fetus (growing baby in the womb) necessary for optimal health before you can even detect pregnancy and der .BZ EFDSFBTF UIF DIBODFT PG NJTDBSSJBHF ficiency of these nutrients can cause serious resulting from insulin resistance and damage birth defects? from free radicals to the eggs or sperm and DNA

r4VQQPSU B IFBMUIZ SFQSPEVDUJWF TZTUFN that improve female reproductive organ, sperm and helps to build important nutrient store quality and motility. Also it helps the body to for pregnancy continually re-use the antioxidants in the body. r1SPNPUFT FOFSHZ BOE WJUBMJUZ Food sources: Small amount is obtained from potatoes, spinach and lean red meat. DIETARY INTAKE /FOOD SOURCES TO BOOST FERTILITY r 7JUBNJO # *U JT POF PG UIF NPTU JNQPSUBOU r8BUFS vitamins for human life, it is necessary for making Drink lots of clean water daily. Approximately blood and helps convert food eaten into energy. -JUFST SFDPNNFOEFE It is useful for production of sex hormones and Avoid fizzy, sugary drinks. stress counteringhormones from the adrenal r "OUJPYJEBOUT .JOFSBMT BOE 7JUBNJOT glands Food sources: Mushrooms, eggs, avocados, r $02 5IJT FO[ZNF JT OFDFTTBSZ GPS FOFSHZ oily fish,beef, chicken, turkey, lean pork, cheese, production at the mitochondrial level, improves and sweetpotatoes. eggs and sperm health and motility. Protect r 7JUBNJO # 6TFGVM BT B IPSNPOF SFHVMBUPS cells from free radical thus preventing DNA It may also help to regulate blood sugar, alleviate EBNBHF $02 BNPVOU JO UIF CPEZ EFDMJOFT pre-menstrual syndrome and may be helpful with age, hence supplementation of the prepared in relieving symptoms of morning sickness. EPTFT PG BCPVU NH PS NPSF EBJMZ NBZ CF 'PPE TPVSDFT #BOBOB UVOB Ă TI TBMNPO Ă TI SFDPNNFOEFE BGUFS BHF JO IVNBOT XIFSF liver, spinach, cabbage, garlic, broccoli, peppers, percentile depreciation of health is more visible. turkey, cod, mustard greens. Food sources: Sea foods from clean/fresh r 7JUBNJO # 'PMJD BDJE GPMBUF 5IJT JT water sources and organic meat. the best known vitamins for pregnancy. It r 4FMFOJVN UIJT JT BO BOUJPYJEBOU UIBU IFMQT prevents birth defects like neural tube defect, to protect the eggs and sperm from free radicals congenital heart defects, cleft palate, cleft lips, which can cause chromosomal damages known limbs defect, and urinary tract abnormality in to be a cause of miscarriages and birth defects. the developing fetus. Deficiency of folic may It is an essential vitamin for sperm creation. increase the risk of preterm labour, fetal growth retardation (baby stops growing suddenly), Food sources: liver, cod, shrimp, mushroom, low birth weight baby and can predispose UVSLFZ #SB[JM OVU UVOB Ă TI TBMNPO Ă TI TBSEJOF to other complications for the mother such fish. as spontaneous pregnancy loss, placenta r ;JOD *O XPNFO [JOD XPSLT XJUI PWFS abruption and pre-eclampsia. different enzymes in the body to maintain Food sources: Liver, lentils, pinto beans, body functions and processes. Without it our spinach, kidney beans, black beans, green body cells will not divide properly, and may leafy vegetable create imbalance between the female fertility r 7JUBNJO # *NQSPWFT TQFSN RVBMJUZ hormones (oestrogen-progesterone) and this and production. It may also help to boost the alters reproductive function. Research has preparation of the endometrium lining (baby proven that low level of zinc was associated bed), boost fertilization and decrease the chance XJUI FBSMZ QSFHOBODZ MPTT ;JOD DBO CF EBNBHFE of miscarriage. Deficiency has been proven to by cooking so it is important to eat some food increase the incidence of irregular ovulation high in zinc in their raw forms. and in some cases cessation of ovulation. Food sources: calf liver, oyster, beef, lamb, Food sources: Fish, meat, egg, milk, liver, pumpkin seeds, yoghurt, green peas, shrimps, sardines, tuna, fortified cereals, clams. turkey r -JQPJD BDJE " WFSZ JNQPSUBOU BOUJPYJEBOUT TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

Agile Way of Working is the Future of Work Mary Laniyan 50%": 4 76$" XPSME 7PMBUJMF 6ODFSUBJO Complex,Ambiguous) calls for a rethink on how we organise, perceive our work and execute to deliver value speedily to the customer, because the volatile environment would very quickly invalidate innovations if you rest on your laurels. A few giants have fallen already in an environment where the fast would eat the slow. Speed trumps size and if not carefully reviewed, size may actually be an impediment to agility and ultimately to success in the long term. Once upon a time, big in the physical sense, by number of branches and employees, access to funding, etc was synonymous with success. Presence in every nook and cranny- bringing business closer to the communities- was a game changer, especially for the financial sector. Setting up a new branch was always a strategic imperative. Today, however, having the agility to pivot speedily to the changing needs of the customer with outstanding customer experience is the differentiator. Agile, as a way of working, has its roots in software development. It emerged when a group of software developers with common challenges in software delivery came together in UP Ă OE B XBZ UP PWFSDPNF UIFJS DIBMMFOHFT and develop better software. While they could not agree on a single framework as a standard for better software development, they came away with a manifesto and set of principles by which any framework considered to be an Agile framework complied. What Is Agile? Agile is an iterative and incremental approach to product development. The iterative approach allows for the speedy delivery of value to customers in increments called a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) until all

Laniyan

functional features are delivered. It ensures quick feedback cycles for the next iteration and subsequently an improvement in the quality of the next increment delivered. These short cycles mean the changing needs of the customer can be factored into the next cycle, ultimately ensuring the customer gets the right product speedily, one that is usable and adds value to the customer. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional way of managing projects and delivering products, where requirements are gathered upfront as much as possible and baselined for a major one-off delivery, during which time the needs of the customer may have changed and the deliverables no longer add value. These, among others, are the shortcomings Agile addresses, and beyond Agile practices, the real benefit comes from Agile being a mindset. BeneďŹ ts of Agile With Agile, you achieve speed to market, more customer involvement, capture changing

requirements, get frequent feedback and achieve high quality deliverables through the collaboration of an independent high performing Agile team with latitude for creativity and innovation. Most importantly, Agile being a mindset, helps create a conducive environment in which psychological safety can continue to improve for knowledge workers to think and apply themselves. State of Agile Adoption in Nigeria Agile, as a way of working and a mindset, is still very much in its infancy in Nigeria. Start-ups, however, are kicking off with agility ingrained in their model. Some progressive organisations in the private sector are already experimenting with their software development teams. The private and public sectors in Nigeria would benefit greatly from this way of working, especially for the shift in mindset it provides. Nigeria, with a population of over 190 million, has its strength in its people, but this is a resource that is yet to be fully leveraged. The sub optimisation of our human resource can be partly attributed to old organisational cultures created from the influence of our national cultures and the practices handed down from the industrial revolution and scientific era of standardisation of work, an era where little or no thinking was required, needing only to follow a standard procedure or do as directed, a culture that stifles thinking, learning and innovation. Government, as a major employer of labour, would benefit greatly from the Agile way of working, through establishing Agile teams that are organised around a value stream, an Agile team with an entrepreneurial mindset committed to the delivery of value to better serve its citizens continuously. The Future is Business Agility The future is business agility. To achieve business agility, you need organisational agility. Essentially, beyond the development teams, all

levels, business segments and support functions need to key into the Agile way of working. The benefit of organisational agility lies in the fact that the entire organisation is aligned and in sync on strategic priorities and a consistent brand strategy, as well as sprinting forward as one unit. The alternative is the wider organisation constituting an impediment to business agility, often only giving the illusion of agility, where an idea moves ever so slowly through the hierarchical system, eventually making it to the team for execution, by which time speed is an illusion and value dissipated. Challenges To Agility The Nigerian society is very strongly patriarchal and hierarchical in power relations. This is reflective of our corporate culture and tends to be top heavy with information mostly flowing in one direction (a do as directed culture) and one in which psychological safety in the workplace is still very much in its infancy. In a knowledge economy, which, without a doubt, Nigeria is today, where employees are supposedly paid for their brains, we need to question the hierarchical structures and the associated mindset with which we govern, given that we need to create an environment in which knowledge workers can think, be creative and innovative. Does the status quo currently constitute an impediment to change and business agility? Every change is a challenge, and Agile is no exception. Many management fads have come and gone, but Agile is not another management fad and it is here to stay, because it is all about emotional intelligence and psychological safety ultimately, and that is most definitely a good concept to embrace. 5IJOL "HJMF (P "HJMF #F "HJMF r Laniyan, an Agile Enterprise Transformation Coach/SAFe Programme Consultant, writes from Lagos

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COLLAGE EVENTS

NIWA Boss Muoghalu Receives Award of Excellence in Public Service

The Iloka Matriach, ‘Silver Nwanyi’ Goes Home

The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Chief George Muoghalu was recently recognised by the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award following his vital contribution to the growth of the Nigerian economy. Speaking during the award presentation in Abuja, the founder Nigeria EntrepreL-R; Founder,BusinessAgilityInstitute/Speaker,Mr.EvanLeybourn;Founder/ChiefExecutiveOfficer,Chairman,AgilePractitionersAssociationof neurs Award Mr Joshua Uwabor, said Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award is a platform Nigeria, Mrs. Abiodun Osoba; Director, Cognetiks Consulting/Speaker, Mr. Hardish wilkhu; and Director, Agile Practitioners Association of Nigeria, created in 2014 to celebrate and recognise the outstanding contributions of Mr.Tunde Giwa, at the DevOps conference during the 2020 Annual Agile Nigeria Conference in Lagos...recently organisations and individuals in public service supporting SMEs and also improve the economy of the country. According to him, Chief George Muoghalu has been able to reshape NIWA within a short time because he has a bigger dream for the authority. “Chief George Muoghalu has also been in public space for a very long time and we have also seen his passion for growing people, the economy and the agency. So we are here today to recognise his outstanding contributions.â€? The NIWA Managing Director, who was recognised with the Award for Excellence in Public Service while receiving the award in Abuja, said “I rarely accept awards because the process of award has been bastardised to the extent that everybody want to give award. But when I made enquiries, asked about the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award and I was very impressed. “On behalf of my colleagues at NIWA, I want to thank you for the recognition, I see recognition like this as form of encouragement. There is nothing gratifying as people from outside seeing that you are doing well. According to Muoghalu “I am barely four months as NIWA, Managing Director and I believe that I was sent here for a purpose which part of it is to improve on the achievements of NIWA by joining hands ďŹ rmly with the people I met on ground.â€? Further, he said, this is an agency with about 15 general managers manning dierent areas. “I believe that what I am is the captain of the team. So I am receiving this award on behalf of the team that I am working with at NIWA. Mr President has placed L-R; Senior Brand Manager, Home and Hygiene, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Princess Nnaji; Managing Director, Wembay Bakery and winner of Sunlight/ conďŹ dence on me as a person by the appointment and conďŹ dence in NIWA as an WIMBIZN1m‘EmpoweraWoman’Grant,TosinBamiro;CorporateCommunicationsManager,UnileverNigeriaPlc,GodfreyAdejumoh;ProgramOfficer, institution, it is now our responsibility to work very hard to justify this conďŹ dence.â€? WIMBIZ, Sylvia Omenukwa and Brand Manager, Sunlight, Bilqees Odewale at the cheque presentation in Lagos‌recently The Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award is an initiative of Emagez Solutions, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network-Nigeria, Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), and African Entrepreneurs Foundation.

Piggyvest Spearheads Discussion on Wealth Creation at SMW Mary Nnah VP of Product Strategy at Piggyvest, Layo Ogunbanwo at the just concluded 2020 Social Media Week, led a panel that discussed “Wealth Creation in This Digital Ageâ€?. The panel was moderated by Piggyvest’s V.P Product, Layo Ogunbanwo and had as panelists: SolaAdesakinC.E.O,SmartStewL-R; Procurement Manager, International Breweries (IB) Plc, Florence Justus-Oni; People Director, IB Plc, Marilyn Maduka; Managing Director, Terra ards, Ayo Bankole (Lagos SME Culture, Bolanle Austen-Peters; Procurement Director, IB Plc, Wilfried Fameni; Country Solutions Manager, IB Plc, Oluwafemi Akintilo and Country Lead, Sustainability and Stakeholder Management, IB Plc, Temitope Oguntokun at the 2020 International Women’s Day celebration by IB Plc at its Booth Camp Convener), Kayode head office in Lagos....recently Oyewole, Partner at Ventures Platform and Odunayo Eweniyi, Ogunbanwo Co-founder and COO, Piggyvest. During the session, Odunayo Eweniyi emphasised monetising the digital space as a means to wealth creation and in her words “Your product, skill, or service needs to ďŹ nd just one unifying factor that everyone is excited about to grow digitally.â€? The ďŹ nance expert Sola Adesakin spoke about the four types of wealth we should all be interested in - ďŹ nancial wealth, ďŹ t wealth, time wealth and social wealth. She also shared useful insights on the three M’s of money – make money, manage money, and multiply money. On the other hand, C.T.O AppConnect, Ojimaojo Udale-Ameh, unveiled new updates to the Piggyvest app at the event.These updates were made with insight and are designed to build on the preexisting yet exciting functionalities Piggyvest users are accustomed to. On the list of what it means to be a millennial today is ďŹ nancial consciousness - what to do with money, when to spend it, what to spend it on, and particularly how to make more. Wealth creation is an ongoing conversation that would continue for as long as ďŹ nancial independence remains a primal goal for almost everyone to reach. SMW Lagos - a platform Piggyvest is glad to partner with- is a week-long conference that hosts thousands of attendees and panelists with diverse skills and preoccupations from across Nigeria and around the world with a mission to spotlight Africa’s brightest individuals and organizations while creating opportunities for the continent’s most innovative minds. Widow, Mrs Nosen Omoluwa and children at the internment of late Sir Lucky Omoluwa at the Military Cemetery, Abuja...recently

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Atedo Peterside: Good Reputation Personified Seye Adetunmbi

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ne of the most refreshing good news coming from the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) is the investiture of Atedo Peterside CON as Honorary Fellow of the professional body of City Gentlemen in Nigeria. He is the sixth person to be so honored. General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Aliko Dangote Mr & Mrs Atedo Peterside; David Adekoje, President of CIS and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the made the list. This recognition is not only Guest of Honour at the Investiture well earned, it was long due and thank God it YinkaSanni,ManagingDirectorofStanbicIBTCandcolleagues happened on February 27th, 2020 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria-Island, Lagos. Atedo N. A. Peterside (ANAP) founded Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC in 1989 at the age of 33 years. He is also the founder of ANAP Business Jets Limited while he is the Founder and President of ANAP Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting good governance. Mr Peterside is currently serving as a Director of Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Standard Bank Group Limited. ANAP is the Chairman of Cadbury PLC from April 2010 till date and Art X Collective Limited, January 2019 till date. He sits on the Board of Directors of Flour Mills of L-R:AriyoOlusekun,CISPastPresident(CPP);HRHOladipoAina,CPP;MikeItegboje,CPP; A cross-section of guests at the Investiture Nigeria from March 2010 till present, Nigerian Seye Adetunmbi, Convener of Capital Market Roundtable; Henry Olayemi, CPP and Tola Mobolurin, CPP Breweries PLC (Heineken Subsidiary) from August 2018 till present and Unilever Nigeria PLC, January 2008 till date. He served as the Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Governance of Public Companies in Nigeria; in 2011 to 2015, he was a member of the National Council for Privatization (NCP)and Chairman of NCP Technical Committee; he was a member of the National Economic Management Team in 2007 to 2010 and a Federal Government Delegate at the 2014 National Conference. ANAP was appointed the Alternative Private Sector Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council. The Rivers-State of Nigeria indigene Atedo Peterside and Seye Adetunmbi has passion for boating, polo, reading and Citation of Atedo Peterside in session travel. Chief Emeka Anyaoku, The Chief Guest of tio tions in the newspaper during the difficult Honour acknowledged the fact that Atedo m military era days when it took a lot of guts to Peterside is a man of good reputation. For cr criticize the despots not to talk of placing full this reason and the fact that Mr Gamaliel pa page advert in the national newspaper. He Onosode who was his Best Man when he re replied my letter appreciating my initiative got married, was the 1st President of CIS, an and disposition too. he was delighted to be the Guest of Honour It is not difficult to know genuine and sincere at the Investiture ceremony. pe people, they are responsive without pretenses On behalf of the Body of Fellows, oga Tola an and acknowledge mails or messages sent to Mobolurin, the 2nd President of CIS spoke th them. His crusade then later gave birth to very well about oga Atedo Peterside and said th the Concerned Professionals Group that was that it is a privilege having him on board as bi birthed in the 1990s in Nigeria. one of the distinguished honorary Fellows After convening the Capital Market Roundof CIS. ta table in August 2008, I contacted him and In his response to the honour CIS has done he joined us in the preeminent all-inclusive him, Atedo Peterside spoke briefly to say it fo forum for capital market operators and all on the economy, financial market, best pr practitioners in Nigeria. He has been part practices and contemporary ethical issues. of us till date and when it comes to sharing His speech was long enough to be refreshing, id ideas and perspectives on national, economic value adding and candid in his usual character an and capital market matters, he will do justice The IBTCTeam in 1989 when the Investment Banking firm started of saying things the way they are. to the subject matter clinically. He asked the memorable gathering to What else can I say about the distinguished observe a minute silence in memory of “Mr happened in 2007 IBTC was not affected. other people may approach you to give you ec economist, financial market guru and investIntegrity�, Baba Onosode who gave him the They didn’t get into trouble because all the business transaction for who you are as a m ment banker of repute than to ask for good first job opportunity to work under him at pressure from his colleagues for IBTC to principled player. He recalled his encounter he health and long life with peace of mind for the age of 22 years. Learning under such a join others in proprietary trading, he turned with Sir Rufus Foluso Giwa who gave him th the husband of Mrs Abiodun Peterside. God distinguished master was a rare privilege them down. He challenged them to focus on a Capital Market Issue mandate because w will continue to bless his marriage that has clients mandates and grow their portfolio he was the only one who was bold enough be indeed. been endowed with children who are doing to say the truth in the keenly sought after th Takeaway from the response of the vin- and business generally. the family proud. His recollection of when he critiqued mandate. That was vintage Chief RFG, my tage ANAP includes giving whatever he It was a beautiful evening and it was refreshmight have achieved to teamwork while he policies, political decisions and told clients unforgettable Chairman. in ing for me joining my fellow colleagues in the I first knew oga Atedo by reputation as a ca focused on timing and business direction. For candid truth and the consequences of such capital market to sing our song in his honor, instance he didn’t venture into stockbroking action in a competitive market character- remarkable professional, one of the few who “F “For he is a jolly good fellow...� Yes, Atedo business until mid 1990s because before then ized with intrigues, is quite instructive. He inspired my passion for investment banking Pe Peterside is a good man. You are welcome the whole market value was too small and said that while one or two people may not and capital market generally. I later wrote on board sir. it was not worth the trouble. Also when the give you job for disciplined disposition and him a commendation letter in early 1990s “bubble burst� in the Nigerian capital market tough professional inclination, three, four when I saw and read his progressive inclinarAdetunmbi wrote in from Lagos

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ENTREPRENEUR

SakalaniPhiri: AccountingisPreparingmeforLeadershipinZambiaandBeyond Leading energy conglomerate, Sahara Group has an exceptional track record of being an organisation that recognises and celebrates the achievements of its employees, especially the young professionals. Aconsiderable portion of Sahara Group’s operations across the globe are propelled by innovative millennials who are outstanding in their professional calling as they are outside work. In this interview, Sakalani Phiri a Finance and supply chain officer at Asharami Energy Zambia, a Sahara Group company, speaks about his achievement as the best student in Advanced Management Accounting and Advanced Financial Management in the Chartered Accounting examination organised by the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants and how the culture of excellence in Sahara is fueling his ambition for more laurels as a foremost accountant in Zambia

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I have found the Sahara Culture and work environment to be dynamic, diverse and fastpaced, presenting one with a platform to grow, learn, develop and innovate. It pushes me to be my very best and this is evident in the way I take tasks at work as well as my professional examinations

hatInformed Your passion for accounting? My passion for accounting was developed when I was in eighth grade and this was equally the time I heard of the chartered accountants. I took time to find out what it was all about and I decided that I wouldn’t want to be just an accountant but a chartered accountant. You emerged as the best student in Advanced Management Accounting and Advanced Financial Management in your CA examination. Can you describe how you achieved this and how the feat makes you feel? I must say it is a good feeling. Throughout my studies, I pushed myself to do my very best and utilize each given opportunity. It took a couple of sleepless nights and late-night studies and classes with my lecturer as I was the only student that had decided to take the business route (which meant taking the said courses) while others opted for the public sector route at the institution I was enrolled. Most of my classes where pushed to weekends and that meant little to no social life. When I look back, I feel so delighted that I gave this everything I had. It was worth each moment.

How has Sahara Group influenced and enhanced your performance and approach to work? I have found the Sahara Culture and work environment to be dynamic, diverse and fast-paced, presenting one with a platform to grow, learn, develop and innovate. It pushes me to be my very best and this is evident in the way I take tasks at work as well as my professional examinations. Sahara Group embarks on several initiatives aimed at transforming the lives of people at the company’s various locations across the globe. How important is it to you that Sahara has provided this platform for you to give back? It is important to me as it echoes the values and culture of the Group and that they Interested in the wellbeing of its work force to keep aiming for higher. I intend to use the volunteering platform Sahara Group provides to add my quote to the development of Zambia. I am always inspired by the platform and the potential offers to transform the lives of young people in Zambia.

Who are your role models in the accounting profession? Mr. Mulunda (in Zambia’s Auditor General’s Office) and Mr. Kiran Naik (Owner of KN Associate and the Senior Partner of PKF Audit Firm). They are well rounded and have worked on becoming experts in the accounting profession. The two men have played a pivotal role in my journey thus far. They have challenged me each step of the way and every interaction with them, has always left me striving to do my best. Added to my list is my now Line Manager, Mr Ita Onofiok. What are the values that drive your lifestyle? I believe in using each opportunity that I am presented with and giving it my very best. This is one value that I have held at the core. How do you plan to use your profession to facilitate growth and development in Zambia? I am of the strong belief that the accounting profession will remain at the center of development not only In Zambia but the world at large. I will endeavor to participate in national development matters through different platforms that are available and add my voice and most importantly execute my duties in my workplace in a better way because I know every bit of innovative and productive work done across the nation will end up facilitating the development of my country.

Phiri

Zambia has a great history in Africa. If you become the President of Zambia what would be the three major areas of intervention for you? Presidency is of a limited time frame to 5 years and at most 10 years in Zambia and given the limited time, the three major areas of intervention would be, the Energy Sector, Agriculture and Health Sector. The energy Sector is currently facing one of its most difficult times in the history of the country, I would foster a sector that is more future oriented and more proactive than reactive. There is an urgent need to diversify away from the hydro-power driven economy. Without addressing this need, we shall be certainly pushing the country back into the stone age. The mining sector has remained the backbone of the

economy and I believe we now need to move towards agriculture and tourism. The Agriculture sector can birth other industries such as food processing. A healthy people will ultimately translate to a healthy nation. I will definitely focus on creative ways of transforming the health sector through investment in technology and capacity building from primary to tertiary health care. As president, I would ensure that the country is integrated with the latest technology and keep training the best medical doctors. Furthermore, with the increase in the number of lifestyle diseases in the country, I would champion campaigns that would be aimed at dealing with the root cause of lifestyle diseases, which is simply, lifestyle.

As a young Zambian, what do you think the continent and the world need to do to secure the future of young people in Zambia and across Africa? I believe there is a need to invest in the potential that the young Zambians and Africans have by providing them with the necessary mentorship and skills set. How do you unwind seeing you come across as a bookworm? I have never really viewed myself as a bookworm but nonetheless, I am simply taking it easy while trying to play catch up with the hobbies (among them playing the keyboard) that I had surrendered due to time constraints. What are your plans for the future? My immediate plans are to learn more about the oil and gas industry as well as to ensure that I fulfill my dream of acquiring the designation of Chartered Accountant.

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METRO

‌Your city life in print

Celebrating 30 Years of God’s Faithfulness Mary Nnah ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă’ĂœĂ“Ă?Ăž Ă’Ă‹ĂšĂ?Ă– Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ă’Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă”Ă™Ă•Ă™ĂœĂ™ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?ÞËÞĂ?Ëœ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă?Ëœ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ ĂœĂ™Ă–Ă–Ă?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŽĂœĂ&#x;Ă—Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?ĂŒĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ? ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ĂžĂ’ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ?Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?âÓĂ?ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă? ÞÙ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă“ĂžĂŁ

Members of the community picking items of their choice during CCIC’s reach out programme to mark its 30th anniversary

Centre Pastor, CCIC, Ojokoro, Ayodele during the donation of chairs and tables to Ijaiye Ojokoro High School to commemorate the church’s 30th anniversary

CCIC giving out meals to members of the community as part of its anniversary event

Chairs and tables donated to Ijaiye Ojokoro High School

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to me with all of your hearts; if you seek me and call on me, I am going to do a reversal of your fortunes and I am going to bring you back to a place of restoration where everything I have for you will begin to reveal and manifest.â€? Speaking confidently about the promises of God for Nigeria, the clergy further said: “In Nigeria, specifically, I dare to say that Nigeria is yet to experience a greater glory. Only those who have spiritual discernment can see it. Right now, everybody complains, cries and throw abusive words but if we look beyond the realities of our circumstances ‌ this time will pass and the glory will yet be revealed. But it’s for only those who would be ready to partake of it.â€? He urged therefore that, “our leaders must seek God. They must return to God otherwise, they may see it but may not partake of it.â€? Apart from grooming humans spiritually, the church has also impacted on its environment tremendously over the years. “We believe that as a church, our primary purpose is to bring people to the knowledge of Christ; preparing them for heaven. But at the same time, God wants us to be blessing to every human on the face of the earth particularly our neighbours. So, in our own little way, we have awarded scholarships to students of secondary schools in the past; we have gone on medical outreaches, touching the lives of people in this community. Even recently, we had an outreach where we distributed food items, cloths and other materials and people came in large numbers to be a part of that. We have had empowerment programmes where we empower women in some vocations, giving them not only financial support, but also

t was a period of merriment and jubilation for the entire members of the Christ Chapel International Churches (CCIC), Ojokoro Housing Estate, Ojokoro, Lagos, when they rolled out drums recently to celebrate 30 years of God’s faithfulness to them as individuals and the church as a whole. The 30-year journey started in 1990 with a fellowship in the estate holding meetings in a room. It was led on the hearts of the members then to start a church from the fellowship and thereafter it moved to a primary school within the estate before it finally relocated to its present site where the church operated first under a canopy for many years before God proved His faithfulness and they moved to their edifice. “We grew not only numerically, but we also multiplied in terms of our personal and spiritual lives and the edifice we are seeing today is a product of God’s faithfulness upon the people worshipping here. So far, it has been the faithfulness of God that has kept us because in that little beginning we never despised God. And God says we should not despise little beginnings. So, the people that were here at that point, were faithfully committed, hardworking and dedicated to what they believed in and that gave life to this fellowship, made it to continue to grow and for people to continue to come�, recalled the Pastor, Dr. Ayo Ayodele during the ceremony. He revealed further that centre in the course of 30 years, has also given birth to two other centres – one at Sango-Ota and another at Abule Iroko, both in Ogun State, adding, “These are the products of God’s faithful upon our lives�.

Speaking on the theme of the celebration, “The Glory of the Latter House�, Ayodele said it was based on scripture from Haggai 2:9, where it is written: “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of host: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.� He noted, “our believe is that the Glory of God spoken of in that bible verse, is actually about our human lives, which the Holy Spirit has already given to us but which is going to be activated in a dimension that we have never seen before such that we would operate at a higher spiritual level; to get more results – spiritually, physically, materially and financially. “So, our celebration of this year is actually, one, to look back and thank God for what he has done – there was glory no doubt, but also to look ahead and to see the greater things that He would still do�. Relating the anniversary theme to the present situation in Nigeria, he said, “Certainly, Nigeria is a blessed country. Nigeria has had glory. Nigeria is blessed in resources, and human materials. We had once been the cynosure of all nations – people ran to Nigeria because we are blessed. But what we are seeing today is the product of the challenges we are going through, which makes Nigeria to appear as if the glory has departed. “But the truth is this, if we return to God, if we seek his face, God will do greater things here. He has promised that what He would do for Nigeria, eyes have not seen, ears have not heard; neither has it entered into the heart of any man. “And in many other scriptures, God is urging His people to return to him, saying, If you return

buying equipment for them, so that they can bu also al have means of livelihood. We have just gone go to equip a classroom at the Ijaiye Ojokoro High School. Last year we equipped a Home H Economics laboratory for the very school from Ec where the church started; we went to give back w to the school. We have done these bearing in mind that if we cannot affect our community, then we become ca irrelevant and the gospel that we preach may irr not no make sense�, Ayodele noted. The General Worker Coordinator of the church, Blessing Ukute said it has been great being a Bl member of the church from inception. m “God has been faithful and it has been a wonderful journey. Everything I am today, I w owe ow it to God through this church�, he noted, ad adding, “The driving force for me is that you don’t do change a winning team. I have been here right rig from the day the church started. And since th I have seen my life transformed positively then and an moved higher�. Speaking on what it took to put the anniversary together, the Chairman, Planning Committee, to Omobolaji Salako, said, “Basically, it was a colO lective and team effort. If you have a team who lec are ar up to the task and knows what it takes to get a jjob done, basically your job will be made easier. “So we have got people who are willing and ha the drive to get a job done, so basically, it is have ju almost like a piece of cake. That is because just ev everyone amongst us knows what to do and th are well abreast of what needs to be done they at a particular timeline and that’s exactly what we w did.� Highlights of the anniversary were donations of items to schools and food stuff to people in the th community where the church is located.

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CRIME&SECURITY

Conferment of Paul Harris Fellowship on the Chief of Naval Sta, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas by the Rotary Club of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja--

Navy Chief Engages Officers, Outlines Roadmap for Operational Success Chiemelie Ezeobi There was a recent meeting of commanders of forward operating bases, commandants of naval hospitals and schools with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas to outline a roadmap for continued operational success. At the meeting, the CNS charged commanding officers of forward operating bases, commandants of naval hospitals and schools to prioritise training, integrity and teamwork towards sustaining the current levels of operational achievements. Speaking during his maiden meeting with these frontline naval commanders, some of whom were newly appointed, Ibas submitted that sustained operational successes were dependent on an effective operational framework involving senior leadership, principal staff officers at the service headquarters, flag officers commanding and resourceful frontline commanders. He warned that the practice of ratings solely bearing the brunt of

Chief of Naval Sta, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas

misconduct would be discontinued, adding that commander’s would be held

responsible for the conduct of their men. The CNS furthermore informed the

commanders that they will be assessed periodically, assigned key performance indicators and would be expected to judiciously and legitimately deploy resources allocated to them. Additionally, the CNS advised the commanders to reinvigorate the Nigerian Navy divisional system towards effective management of men and their welfare. While congratulating the newly appointed commanders, commandants and commanding officers, Ibas seized the opportunity to remind them that their appointment was in recognition of their potentials, hence, enjoined them to strive hard to uphold the image of the Nigerian Navy in all their endeavours. The CNS further enjoined the commanding officers and commandants to acquaint themselves with the CNS Strategic Directives and relevant Nigerian Navy statutes guiding their various responsibilities. He also cautioned that the service would impose severe sanctions for any act of indiscipline, fraud or connivance with criminals in the performance of their duties.

NGO Campaigns against Violent Protests in Abia Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia With the rising penchant for sundry groups to embark on street protests in Abia over one grievance or the other, Life Savings Assistance Response and Rescue Support Foundation, a non governmental organisation, has commenced campaigns to make people understand the need to make protests peaceful. The foundation which describes itself as “an organisation that cares for

lives and properties of people� said that people have the wrong notion that protest must be violent to make the desired impact. Addressing journalists at Aba, the legal adviser of the group, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye said people need to be educated and enlightened to imbibe the spirit of pouring out their grievances without hurting the public. He said that the organisation was worried by the likely disastrous effects of protests being planned by some groups, which he didn’t name.

“We are not against protests, but we are for peaceful protests,� he said, adding that people have constitutional right to protest. The legal practitioner explained that nobody benefits from violent protests because “if a protest turns violent lives and properties are at risk�. He noted that Abia State has always been a peaceful state and it should not lose such enviable status just because people feel they have the right to express their anger over an issue.

“We don’t want the current peace that the people of Abia state are enjoying to be disrupted,� he said. Nwoye stated that the campaign against violent protests would be sustained, adding that all well meaning individuals and groups should join the campaign for a peaceful society. He urged the police and other security agencies to be at alert and ensure that organisers of any protest are identifiable and should ensure that nothing went wrong during and after the protest.

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POLSCOPE

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åÓÞÒ ĂŽĂŽĂŁ ĂŽĂ“Ă ĂĄĂœĂ“ Ă?ĂŽĂŽĂŁË›Ă™ĂŽĂ“Ă ĂĄĂœĂ“ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ă™Ă—Ëœ ͸΀͸ͽ ͝͸͞ Π͝ͽ͞

Sanwo-Olu’s Lagos, Now A Huge Construction Yard

looked carefully at his head, as we sat close to each other, to see if, like his last but one predecessor, the army of grey hair, has invaded his head. The grey hairs were not there. Perhaps not yet. But his head seems to be filled with ideas on how to grow Lagos, how to make Lagos an enchanting commercial hub of the country. He spoke with so much confidence on his plans, illustrating it with occasional graphic diagrams on the diary he had on him. In few minutes, he had rolled out a long chain of projects he planned to execute. And you will think he has a 15-year tenure. But he sounds both serious and almost convincing that he’d deliver on the projects before the pack-your-bag bell rings. It was my first close encounter with Mr Babajide Olusola SanwoOlu(BOS), since he became the executive governor of Lagos State, ten months ago. He looked simple and business-minded. He had no airs. He explained his commitment to completing the first phase of the complex ten-lane Orile-Okoko expressway which was started by former Governor Babatunde Fashola. The immediate past governor of the state, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode neglected the project, thus causing the many people living on that axis huge and crushing pain, all the years he was in office. Apart from explaining that the project is solely a Lagos State government project contrary to the belief that it is World-Bank assisted, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he has already committed some billions of Naira to the furtherance of the work and is committed to completing it very soon. “Apart from the rail tracks which we have laid up till Mile 2, what is left of the road up to Okoko is not so much�, the governor explained, noting that his administration is determined to ensure that the first phase of the project (ending in Okoko) is done with as soon as possible. He however added that what will cause a little delay will be the building of the terminal buildings between Mile 2 and Okoko. Indeed, to have a first-hand understanding of the level of work done and left undone, the governor, few months ago, undertook an extensive tour and inspection of the highway stretch, assessing the present state of work. Work has since resumed on the project and as the governor assured, “soon�, Lagosians in that part of town, will heave a deep sigh of relief. But more than the Orile-Okoko

Emir Sanusi’s Brighter Pages Yet to Open

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keep wondering if those in power actually hate intellectuals who tell the truth not minding whose ox is gored.

How? What do you mean?

Are you not in this country? Have you not always observed how vocal intellectuals are axed midway? Do you not remember how the late Dr Chuba Okadigbo was axed as the senate president by former President Olusegun Obasanjo? Do you not remember the many running battles the late Gani Fawehinmi fought with the military goons? Is it not the same pattern that just played out with the former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11 now?

Sanwo-Olu

road project, it appears like the entire Lagos state is a huge construction site; what with lots of work and construction going on in several places. Last Tuesday, I drove through many places in Lagos. The traffic snarl was punitive. But perhaps for good reason. Many roads were blocked because one form of construction, expansion or repair is taking place. I was shocked to notice that the Allen Round about by Awolowo Way in Ikeja has been knocked down. I noticed that the Oregun road connecting Ojota bus stop has been blocked off because of some road construction works. Even the Ojota bus stop is not spared, So much reconstruction work is going on there. The lanes have been narrowed down. If the scope of on-going works amaze you, you will be further pricked by the standing ambition of Gov Sanwo-Olu to construct the 4th Mainland bridge. Yes, another one like the third Mainland bridge, to connect Ikorodu (through Isawo road) and Epe . Did he say 39 kilometers? I can’t remember. The groundworks have been completed, he said. The bid for the work had long been opened. Over thirty companies, some of them foreign, have sent in their bid for the job. And soon, the job will be flagged off. How does he intend to fund this and many other ambitious projects like the Blue, Yellow, Purple and

Green rail Lines, which he is sure would be built soon? “We are using PPP (Public Private Partnership)�, he pointed out, adding “don’t forget I am an Investment banker�. In return, such roads and bridges will be tolled, so the investors can recoup their money within a reasonable time frame He explained that the private operators are eager to partner with the state government on the projects. That all the foundational, clerical works for the take-off, are being concluded and that before he clocks one year in office, many of the projects would have crystalised for commencement. He sounded upbeat about the projects as if he’s about replicating the Chinese feat of multiple-floor hospital building in ten days. By the multiple projects running simultaneously in the state; patch up of many bad portions of the roads (many are yet untouched though); the banning of motor cycles and tricycles in parts of the state (even though enforcement is still a challenge); plus the responsive handling of the coronavirus index case in Lagos, the Lagos State governor is fast changing the narrative around him few months ago: that he came atop government with no plan of what to do. If you are in doubt, listen to the growling noise of the many bulldozers and graders reworking the tapestry of the metro roads.

ASUU: When Strike Loses Its meaning and Essence

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f care is not taken, when we ask the younger generation the full meaning of ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities), they will declare that it means ‘strike’. Last Monday, the varsity union called out its members on a two-week “warning strike�. Who are they warning? Their employer! Granted that over the years the federal and state governments have not paid sufficient attention to the welfare of teachers and quality of education in our universities, the truth remains that things are no longer as bad as they used to be, if the lecturers want to be honest. But in the instant case, the lecturers have been unduly obstinate and cocky. Your employer says in order to track all salary payments and ensure accountability, all lecturers should register under the IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System) scheme. And then the employee claims that such registration will violate certain rights of the lecturers. How? How does registering under the scheme rob the lecturers of their rights? What right are

Canticles‌.

ASUU President—Prof Biodun Ogunyemi

they even talking about? They basically do not have respect for their employer simply because they can make noise and whip up wry sentiments. How many of them having a private business, for instance, will tolerate what they are doing ,from their employees? It is like a lecturer fixes a test in a particular course and a student says it violates the

time of his/her rest and so refuses to write the test. What kind of affront is that on constituted authority? Good news is that over 90 per cent of the lecturers have registered under the IPPIS scheme. So it is the negligent less than 10 per cent lecturers that are causing the glitch, if not nuisance level. ASUU, I dare say, by their frequent and needless recourse to strike actions, have done even more harm to the Nigerian system of education than the so-called negligence of the federal government. They are the reason why private universities are thriving despite the huge cost. They themselves did not attend private universities. They must be seen as partners in progress in nation building, NOT agents of destabilisation, all in the name of reckless “Aluta�. This strike action is a perfect case of abuse of strike action. Strike ought to be a last resort in trade dispute. But with ASUU, if rain fails to fall early January, they are wont to call a strike. Surely, they have made strike action lose its meaning and essence.

No, no no. They are not the same thing. Look, nobody who considers himself an intellectual should attempt to ride roughshod over government and its structures. Who can be more intellectual than the erudite Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the sitting Vice President? Has the system crushed him because he is an intellectual? Point is intellectualism must be guided by propriety in all matters. Governments, all over the world, have immense powers to crush and grind all caustic opposition who has/ have become an irritant. The former Emir of Kano refused to accept Governor Abdullahi Ganduje as his boss. He thus did not accord either him or his office as Chief Executive Officer of the state, the requisite respect and regard. So in that sense, he deserves the treatment he got. You are talking like a dictator. Hold on, is it not this same Gandollar‌ em, sorry, Ganduje that was caught on camera stufďŹ ng away bails of dollars last year before the elections? Did Kano people not forgive his atrocities and allegedly voted him again? How can he suddenly turn so puritanical as to swiftly announce the dethronement of such a renowned and vocal traditional ruler in the country? The singular voice who has been speaking hard truth to the northern elite. Is that not reckless use of power? Is Ganduje God? What is even worse, without giving him the right of self defence. Let’s not be sentimental unduly. The dethroned Emir was accused of not attending state traditional council meetings. He was accused of financial mismanagement. He was accused of illegal land deals and sales worth billions of Naira. And do you also know that he was against the re-election of the sitting governor last year? Do you know he not only worked with the opposition , he also funded them against his boss? Is that not the height of disloyalty? Not even the Pope will tolerate that degree of intransigence. Those are mere cooked-up allegations. Was he given the chance to defend himself? Does the constitution not guaranty the Emir the right of fair hearing? How can Ganduje be the accuser, the Police, the judge and the executor, all rolled up in one? Is that fair? Look, Gov Ganduje acted within his rights as enshrined in Kano Emirate laws, as long as Emir Sanusi breached Part 3 section 13 (a-e) of the Kano Emirate Law 2019. Open your eyes. Be circumspect. Don’t trust these politicians. The newness of the so-called Emirate Law 2019 tells you it is recently passed and targeted at Emir Sanusi. You quote Kano Emirate Laws. What does the Nigerian constitution say? Which law book is superior—Emirate Law or Nigerian Constitution? Don’t forget that this same governor had balkanized the Kano emirate by creating

Emir Sanusi

four different emirates last year. Ganduje has been battling to do Emir Sanusi in. I can tell you it is all in continuation of the grudge ďŹ ght between Ganduje and his former boss, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, under whose governorship, Emir Sanusi was enthroned in 2014. Do you know how many times the banished emir was invited and he kept shunning the invitation of the investigating panel? He felt he was too royal to be answerable to society’s plebians. So who gave the governor the right to banish a citizen from the state? Is it not bad enough ordering his dethronement? He goes ahead to banish him to a remote village—Loko, and later Awe in Nasarawa State. What degree of wickedness is that? Do sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended, not guaranty every citizen the right to freedom of movement and association? Look, let me tell you, Sanusi will have the last laugh. No one battles him and smiles home enduringly. If you doubt me, ask former President Goodluck Jonathan. The latter suspended him as Governor of Central Bank, and the next page that opened for Sanusi is becoming an Emir. And have you not seen the signs already that the brighter pages for the Emir are yet to open? In 48 hours, he’s got two prized appointments from the neighbouring Kaduna State: ďŹ rst as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA) and then as Chancellor of Kaduna State University (KASU). What greater honour can an oppressed man have? You are crying more than the bereaved. The fallen emir has taken it all in his strides. Didn’t you listen to his short statement saying nothing is permanent and that it is God who made him Emir and who also approved that he be removed? So why are you becoming more Catholic than the Pope? The Emir has to be seen as appearing and sounding religiously correct. Is he not the same person who briefed his lawyer to challenge his banishment in court? It is not unusual that dethroned kings have to be banished. Find out why sacked Oba Ovoranwen Nogbaisi of Bini Kingdom died and was buried in Calabar. Find out why Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki was banished to Jalingo in 1996. Look, those were either under colonial rule or military rule. Need I remind you that this is a democracy? (Streching forth his little ďŹ nger) Bet me, Sanusi would have the last laugh. Ganduje would eventually be at his mercy. Don’t joke with fate. Bright pages will soon open. Let us watch and see

FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍąËœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

CBN Mulls Including Hand Sanitisers among Items Not Valid for FX Obinna Chima The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has said the Bank may consider including the importation of hand sanitisers amongs items not valid for foreign exchange (FX) from its official forex window. The CBN governor said this while speaking at the ‘Going for Growth 2.0,’ roundtable that took place in Abuja. Emefiele, said this while responding to complaints by the Chief Executive of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industrials Limited, Mrs. Stella Okoli, that most of the hand sanitisers seen in the country since the outbreak of the coronavirus were imported. The price of hand sanitisers

in the country have spiked since the first case of coronavirus was announced. Emefiele said: “It is naira that we pay to buy sanitisers, rather than using dollars to import sanitisers from China. And I’m sure, as you all expect, that very soon, sanitiser will get into the list of items that are banned.� Earlier in his address, Emefiele had said addressing domestic and external challenges to growth required input from critical stakeholders who could generate great and workable ideas and solutions. “We must all work together in order to harness the true potential of our nation. This one-day roundtable session will address some of the

measures needed to drive double digital growth rate in Nigeria. “These include, improving productivity in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Second, how to develop funding models that would support improvements in the quality of our energy and transport infrastructure. “Third, how Nigerians operating in the creative industries space, such as ICT, can expand and capture the value of their works, while creating jobs and generating export revenues for our nation,� he added. The findings generated from the roundtable session were presented to President Muhammadu Buhari, at the end of the summit.

Court Fixes April 9 to Hear Bank’s Request to Sell Obat’s N5bn Hotel A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja, has adjourned till April 9, for the definite hearing of a case filed by Ecobank seeking an order authorising it to sell an Abuja hotel belonging to Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited. The bank said it had reached an agreement with Obat Oil, which is owned by a popular monarch, the Olugbo of Ugboland in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Fedrick Akinruntan, to sell the hotel, to offset a N5billion debt it is being owed by the firm. The hotel, Febson Hotels & Malls, is located at Plot 2425, Herbert Macaulay Way, Abuja. The presiding judge of the court, Justice Hassan Babangida, who had earlier adjourned on a couple of occasions to enable the parties to settle the case outof-court, however, fixed April 9 for definite hearing. While reporting on the settlement efforts to the court on Wednesday, Obat’s lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), confirmed that “not much had been achieved�.

But the bank’s lawyer, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), said the talks had broken down completely as he had yet to receive any correspondence or any documents to indicate that such negotiation was going on. Responding, the judge fixed April 9 for definite hearing but added that he would not foreclose the right of parties to decide to settle out of court. The bank had filed its application on October 18, 2019, saying the agreement to offset the N5billion debt with the proceeds from the sale of the Febson Hotels & Malls is contained in a consent judgment of the High Court of Lagos State on March 15, 2017. It said the agreement between it and Obat was adopted by the court as its judgment. The bank, however, regretted that despite the consent judgment and the registration of the judgment, Obat Oil had prevented potential buyers from paying for the said property by demanding unrealistic amounts for the sale of the property. Meanwhile, Obat Oil, in its

defence filed before the court, prayed for the dismissal of the bank’s application. In its counter-affidavit, Obat Oil said the bank no longer had any right to assert in respect of the Lagos N5billion judgment debt, on the grounds that bank had in a letter dated April 5, 2017, assigned its rights and interests in the case to a third party, ETI Specialised Finance Company Limited. Accusing the bank of concealing the fact to the court, Obat Oil stated that “the applicant did not disclose to the honourable court the fact that it had assigned the judgment debt to ETI Specialised Finance Company Limited and informed the respondent of the said assignment�. It contended that by virtue of the alleged concealment of the assignment of its rights to the judgment debt to ETI Specialised Finance Company Limited, the bank “no longer had any right or interest in the judgment debt sought to be enforced before the honourable court.�

Strategic Management National Conference Holds in July Maduabuchi Ubani Plans have been concluded for the Rivers State Chapter of the Institute of Strategic Management (ISMN) to host her 2020 annual national conference/ general meeting. This year’s event which is slated to hold from 29th to 31st July, 2020, is anticipated to accommodate more than 2,000 delegates across the globe. In a statement at the formal inauguration of the Local Organising Committee ( LOC), the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter, Davies Okarevu, disclosed that the annual national conferences has always been a platform for critical analysis and deep intellectual discussions that seek holistic and practical solutions to issues of National importance. Okaveru, further noted that ISMN remains the premier institute promoting the strategic management profession in Nigeria and Rivers State chapter is its most successful, vibrant and highly performing chapter.

“In more than ten years of the Chapter’s existence, it has hosted high profile events attracting large audiences and dignitaries across all spheres of our society. “From our records, we have consistently provided a platform for the Institute to showcase its intellectual and professional capabilities and shape the policy thrust of both the government and the organised private sector,� he stated. While delivering a message from the Governing Council, the first Vice National President of the institute, Mr. Alex Enebeli, recognised the Rivers State Chapter of as its beautiful bride who is not given to half measures in its commitment to the strategic management profession and the growth of the institute. With Port Harcourt being his home chapter, he charged the LOC to leave no stone unturned in delivering a world class conference. He further pledged his undivided support and urged them to replicate once again the professional excellence in project delivery for which the chapter was known for.

The LOC chairperson, Mrs. Lyna Okara, in her remarks, stated that Port Harcourt would witness a business boom as a result of the conference. She further noted that the conference would also offer governments at all levels and stakeholders in the region the platform to change the narrative on the region’s image. “There has been too much negative publicity about Port Harcourt, and that has to change. “When people come in and see how welcoming residents here are to visitors, then visitors will appreciate that there are opportunities to explore further and businesses will continue to build because the state is safe for them to invest,� she stated. The inauguration ceremony had representatives from both the National Secretariat and the Institute’s Governing Council which was presided over by Enebeli, who represented both the Institute’s Registrar, Mr. Obitunde Obiyemi, and the National President, Dr. Emman Oyeka.

L-R: Anthony Agbakwuru; Stanley Marshall-Uwom; Silva Opuala-Charles, and Mrs..Lyna Okara, all of the Institute of Strategic Management, during the formal inauguration of the Local Organising Committee for the institute’s 2020 annual conference and general meeting, held in Port Harcourt...recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

11,007,422.79

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY, 9 MARCH 2020

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $34.71 a barrel on Monday, compared with $48.33 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

43

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍąËœ 2020

MARKET NEWS

ASHON Boss Urges Investors to Take Advantage of Falling Stock Prices Goddy Egene The Chairman of Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Chief Oyinyechukwu Ezeagu, has said investors should take advantage of the current bear market to beef up their portfolios. The market has dipped by over within four days following global effects of Coronavirus and slump in crude oil prices. Some investors have hit the panic

button and dumping shares. However, Ezeagu said rather than panic, investors should take advantage of the bearish trend to increase their investments in stocks, noting that the market would soon stabilize and bounce back. Although ASHON acknowledged the high level of downswing on the market in the last couple of days, it stated that fundamentals of the quoted companies remained strong. Responding to media en-

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

quiries, Ezeagu explained that Nigeria’s stock market remained part of the global exchanges and as such any development in the global market would impact on its operations. “The effect of the coronavirus is gradually affecting trading all over the world and whatever happens elsewhere reflects in our market. The centre of it all is China and being a major world power both in productive and consumption capacities, any ill wind affecting China would

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

naturally cause a big sneezing to the rest of world. Investors should not panic. The share prices will bounce back. “The companies’ fundamentals remain strong. Many investors are taking advantage of the bearish run to beef up their portfolios,� said Ezeagu. Commenting on why the market had in the early part of the first quarter enjoyed rally only to be moderated by prolonged bearish trend, Ezeagu said: “ There were a lot of positive policy

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

pronouncement which influenced investors’ perception, hence the rally. These are attributable to the policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN ) on Open Market Operation (OMO) Bills, the new national budget cycle , the expectations of members on the outcome of the demutualisation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and generally the traditional optimism following a new year which was our own January effect. Meanwhile, the market dipped

O F

further as the NSE All-Share Index fell by 3.7 per cent to close at 22,695.88, while market capitalisation shed N457 billion to be at N11.8 trillion. Activity level also declined as volume and value traded fell 23.9 per cent and 44.4 per cent to 1.1 billion shares units and N9.8 billion respectively. The most actively traded stocks by volume were Zenith Bank (433.2 million shares), UBA (371.3 million shares) and GTBank (62.2 million shares).

1 0 / 0 3 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

44

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Transcorp Records N76bn Revenue, N3.7bn Profit after Tax Goddy Egene

with a profit before tax (PBT) of N7.9 billion and profit after tax (PAT) of N3.7 billion. According to the company, its hospitality business, Transcorp Hotels Plc (THP), grew notably by 17 per cent in its revenue and had a gross profit increase

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp) Plc has reported a revenue of N76.36 billion for the year ended December 31, 2019. The conglomerate ended the year A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return. An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

of 19 per cent in comparison with 2018. Revenue from power business, Transcorp Power Limited (TPL), however, declined during the period due to gas supply, transmission, commercial and technical issues.

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 11Mar-2020, unless otherwise stated.

Commenting on the results, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp, Valentine Ozigbo, said: “Our full year 2019 result attests to our resilience and long-term commitment to the sectors in which we play as we have had

to focus on creating value for our shareholders while contending with significant operational challenges including severe gas shortages, mandated reduction in generation from the National Control Center and importantly, revenue exposures

from delayed payment of receivables in our power business.” Ozigbo explained that on their part, they have taken several actions aimed at proactively and sustainably addressing these issues.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 122.83 12.38 -16.29% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 6.63% Nigeria International Debt Fund 305.81 305.81 -2.18% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.88 0.89 4.65% ACAP Income Funds 0.76 0.76 34.25% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.60% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.41 2.47 -1.92% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 13.26 13.66 -13.42% ARM Discovery Fund 315.95 325.47 -8.54% ARM Ethical Fund 26.10 26.89 -10.25% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.42% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 89.92 90.56 -6.41% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.01% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 1.97 1.97 8.60% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.07 0.06 7.33% Paramount Equity Fund 10.85 12.05 -9.34% Women's Investment Fund 107.44 108.36 -2.71% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.50% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 96.72 97.17 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 103.21 103.76 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.18% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.83 0.84 -10.54% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.33 1.33 0.23% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 5.61% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.85% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,191.64 1,194.24 2.57% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund 132.99 133.96 -9.42% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.05% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 114.65 115.26 -3.85% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 115.41 116.02 -3.69% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 108.01 109.30 -17.00% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.22% Legacy Debt Fund 3.71 3.71 1.40% Legacy Equity Fund 0.99 1.01 -12.40% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.09 1.09 0.85% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,867.55 2,899.83 -3.84% Coral Income Fund 3,130.97 3,130.97 14.22% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 6.30% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.26% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 116.12 116.78 7.47%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.98% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.07 2.10 -3.89% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 10.97% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 139.14 139.57 11.47% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.15 1.17 -1.42% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,122.80 1,122.80 2.21% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 7.94 8.02 -18.96% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 4.39% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.34 1.36 9.64% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.28 12.30 8.55% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 7.50% PACAM Equity Fund 1.10 1.10 PACAM EuroBond Fund 100.37 102.28 SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 122.87 125.41 1.86% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 2.21% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 -3.09% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 1.29% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -8.43% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 1.65% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 -7.00% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.16% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -8.90% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 1.13% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.13 1.15 -9.78% United Capital Bond Fund 1.77 1.77 2.06% United Capital Equity Fund 0.64 0.66 -14.44% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.36% United Capital Eurobond Fund 113.36 113.36 1.38% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 -4.35% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.35 9.47 -8.99% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.19 11.32 -3.61% Zenith Income Fund 23.19 23.19 4.33% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.54%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

3.20 120.62 52.41

-66.85% 1.28% 0.69%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

7.97 80.51 61.88

8.07 82.21 63.03

-8.43% -12.95% -16.07%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.52 3.79 10.88 11.01 169.18

2.56 3.87 10.98 11.21 171.18

-28.93% -35.67% -10.05% 5.87% -9.54%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.69

17.60%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

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

45

˾ FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

All Islam Ever Wanted was Freedom - 2 Spahic Omer/IslamiCity (Continued from last week)

Musa wanted to trigger a chain reaction that would start with the emancipation and freedom of people’s minds and souls, leading up to their physical freedom and the freedom of their total being. And that spelled a disaster for Pharaoh, for nothing could stem the tide of freedom and its vast ramifications for injustice and tyranny. The situation manifested itself in the Magicians’ instantaneous prostration to God - following Musa’s triumph as well as Pharaoh’s emphatic defeat – sincerely repenting and rejoicing at their discerning of truth and their tasting of the true meaning of life and liberty. When Pharaoh threatened the magicians that he will punish them for their betrayal by cutting off their hands and their feet on opposite sides, and by crucifying them on the trunks of palm trees, they - as finally free people enabled to distinguish truth from falsehood and to think freely - calmly responded to Pharaoh and his threats: “Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and (over) He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us (to do) of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring” (Ta Ha, 72, 73). Moreover, when Musa miraculously left Egypt with his people (an event called the Exodus), and when they stood at the threshold of the Holy Land, the meaning and significance of true freedom again came to the fore, perhaps most dramatically. The Children of Israel were asked to enter the Holy Land and fight their enemy, the land’s occupiers. They were promised victory if they did so. However, they declined, rebelled and defied the divine orders. In reality, there was more to the insubordination and rebellion of the Children of Israel than meets the eye. The incident demonstrated that for the Children of Israel, true freedom was a farfetched proposition. Though physically free, they were still saddled with a spiritual and mental bondage. Consequently, they were denied entry to the

Holy Land for forty years. That was a punishment, firstly for their appalling spiritual and psychological state, and secondly for their resisting of Allah’s command, resulting in them wandering in the wilderness uncertain of where they should go and what they should do. After forty years have elapsed, only then were the Children of Israel allowed to go in. Yet, there is another dimension to the episode. The Children of Israel were taken out of Egypt to the Holy Land with the aim of settling therein and creating a civilization of their own. The age of slavery, ghettos and diaspora was over. However, they proved incapacitated and well short of the qualifications required for the fulfilment of the task. If they were allowed to proceed in such a state to their destination to undertake the demanding process of civilization-building, they would have caused in the long run more damage and pain than benefit and overall goodness, not just for themselves, but also their future generations. Unquestionably, such are the gravity, intricacy and two-sidedness of the civilization-building enterprise. During the forty years of life in the wilderness, a new completely free generation of the Children of Israel was raised. They were not part, nor did they carry the scars, of the Egyptian bondage, and were raised under the watchful eye and painstaking guidance of Prophets Musa and his brother Harun (Aaron). As such, they were qualified to enter and inhabit the Holy Land and perform what was expected from them.

Lessons learned The message conveyed thereby is that great civilizations are engendered and built, not copied, imported or purchased. To do so, power, armies, land, people, resources and other sheer quantitative variables are not enough. What is needed most is all-inclusive human development steeped in complete and authentic freedom. A corollary of this blend is creativity – freedom’s sister - that recognizes no imposed false boundaries, nor point of reference.

The strength of a civilization depends on the strength of its people’s creativity, freedom and holistic human development. A deterioration in any, or all, of the three leads to a commensurate deterioration in the body of a civilization. Perhaps, today’s Muslims could learn an invaluable lesson from the history of the Children of Israel. Repetitive calls for a renaissance of Islamic civilization could be heard loud and clear almost in all corridors of the Islamic and Muslim cultural presence. Much efforts, time and resources are poured into the idea. Nonetheless, very little progress has been made thus far; the reason being either the total negligence, or merely partial treatment, of the three most critical components, the triplets: freedom, human development and creativity. Apparently, the priorities have been misconstrued and mixed up. There is no Islamic renaissance as long as the interests of politicians and political parties, governments and their narrow agendas, royalties, and certain institutional entities, are venerated and served at the expense of the interests of the Islamic message and the Muslim Ummah (community) en bloc. The two are simply incompatible. For example, how can there be a renaissance in education when many new universities are built but no adequate academic freedom is ensured, and the last thing students are taught in their curricula is creativity and creative, along with critical, thinking? Or how can there be a renaissance in politics, economic development, art and architecture when corruption and diverse forms and levels of dishonesty are rife at every level of countries’ institutional presence and operation? In this way, freedom and creativity become highly politicized and maltreated, and so, turned into forms of suppression and banality. If openly promoted, freedom and creativity may yet become dangerous for the establishments. Some people just seem to be happy about ubiquitous hypocrisy, and about building castles in the air and leading an unrealistic existence removed from the pressures and challenges of everyday life. Most Muslim countries are well into the second and third post-colonial generation. Yet, they are still wandering in their socio-economic, political, cultural and educational wilderness, not knowing exactly where to go and what to do. They are being mercilessly tossed about by modern ideological and cultural undercurrents. If the Children of Israel needed the lifespan of one generation to turn things around, one wonders how long today’s Muslims need to do the same. Certainly, getting rid of cultural and intellectual colonialism will be the best thing to start with.

The case of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his mission When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) migrated from Makkah to Madinah with his companions, he did so – as is often emphasized - due to the pressing

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NGOZI JACINTA ILECHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NGOZI JACINTA NNAEMEKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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safety and security concerns, which to some extent is true. However, he did so, primarily, because he realized, after thirteen years of trying, that Makkah - ill-disposed and hostile as it was - was proving deficient for the implementation of Islam as the religion of freedom, cultural refinement and civilizational consciousness and growth. Other alternatives, therefore, had to be sought. Madinah turned out to be everything Makkah wasn’t. It was an epitome and receptacle of the earliest manifestations of Islamic civilization. Central to this new culture was the liberation of people from worshipping and submitting themselves to anything and anybody other than the Almighty Creator. People were governed by higher spiritual and moral standards than such as pertained to their own personal, tribal, or traditional interests. The stage was set for the new code of conduct when the Prophet at the beginning of the Charter, or Constitution, of the multi-ethnic and multireligious city of Madinah clearly stated that its citizens, Muslims and non-Muslims, formed one nation – ummah. The content of the Charter oozed throughout the assurance and facilitation of peace and concord, combined with human freedom, dignity and productivity. Madinah was a truly free and progressive society. It was a model that all subsequent Muslim societies and urban centers tried to emulate. It was a stage where integration, supreme justice and human rights prevailed, where equal opportunities for all were provided, and where, perhaps for the first time in human history, inter-faith dialogues and positive interactions - especially between the followers of the Abrahamic religions - on a regular basis transpired. The new traditions have been enumerated in the following Qur’anic words: “Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded” (al-Nahl, 90). It should be observed that the emphasis in the verse is on a communal, reciprocal and all-embracing good behavior, transcending for a while the parameters of religion, traditional customs and social mores. It was owing to that that Madinah was thus called. The name “Madinah” is derived from the words “maddana” and “tamaddun”, which mean “to civilize” and “civilization” respectively. Apart from the word “tamaddun”, the word “hadarah” is also employed in Arabic to imply civilization. “Hadarah” (civilization) is derived from the words “hadara”, “hudur” and “hadir”, which mean “to be present”, “presence” and “he who is present” respectively. That denotes that in Islam, for a civilization to materialize and grow, the presence of enlightened, free, visionary and dedicated people is essential. Their mere presence will ensure the provision of conducive conditions and facilities for a civilization. To Be Continued

CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME S CHIOMA and IMADE SUCCESS CHIOMA refers to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OTA-IMADE SUCCESS CHIOMA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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46

FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

Anger, Confusion in Europe as Trump Issues Coronavirus Travel Ban Travel to the United States from most of Europe will be suspended for 30 days beginning on Friday, President Donald Trump announced yesterday, citing a need to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Trump’s move on Wednesday came amid rising global panic after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the spread and severity of the illness, now considered a pandemic, was due to “alarming” levels of inaction. The ban applies to the 26-country Schengen Area. Among the countries excluded from the ban as they are not in that zone are infection-hit countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus.https:// www.schengenvisainfo.com/ schengen-visa-countries-list/ “The restriction applies to foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area, 26 countries in Europe with open borders agreements, in the last 14 days,” a White House statement said. “Those who are exempt from these restrictions, such as American citizens, will be directed to a limited number of airports where screening can take place. “There is extensive travel

back and forth between Europe that heightens the risk here in the United States.” The response to Trump’s move in Europe ranged from anger to confusion. “The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to improve a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation,” Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, the respective presidents of the European Commission and European Council, said in a joint statement. “The European Union is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus. “The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.” Trump said on Thursday that he did not notify EU leaders because “it takes time” and he had to move quickly. He added that he excluded the United Kingdom because the country was doing a good job at controlling the spread of the coroanvirus. Many had concerns over the economic impact of travel bans. The news hit financial markets hard, with stocks diving and oil slumping, as investors were disappointed by the lack of broad measures

to offset a likely fall in consumption. British finance minister Rishi Sunak played down the prospect of the UK imposing similar travel restrictions, but acknowledged the US decision could have a knock-on effect on the British economy.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “With regard to flight bans, we are always guided by the science as we make our decisions here, and the advice we are getting is that there isn’t the evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel

bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of the infection.” Meanwhile, many observers said the ban lacked clarity and could be interpreted as a political move. “Non-Schengen and UK excepted: this is not about

containment, this is about sending a political message. In a time where the EU is challenged to its core, the US is closing its borders and turning its back on allies,” tweeted Benjamin Haddad, director of the Future Europe Initiative at Atlantic Council.

WORKING VISIT... Coronavirus is a Controllable L-R: MD/CEO, National Inlands Waterways Authority, Dr. George Moghahi; and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, when the NIWA delegation paid a working visit to the governor’s office in Abeokuta...yesterday Pandemic, Says WHO Canadian Prime Minister Self-isolates as Brazilian The new coronavirus outbreak “is a controllable pandemic” if countries step up measures to tackle it, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday. Its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, acknowledged on Wednesday that the global outbreak of the new coronavirus could now be considered a pandemic — a disease actively spreading globally. But he told diplomats in Geneva that describing the outbreak as a pandemic should not mean that countries give up the fight to stop it spreading further. “This is a controllable pandemic,” he said, according to a statement of his remarks. “We are deeply concerned that some countries are not approaching this threat with the level of political commitment needed to control it. “The idea that countries should shift from containment to mitigation is wrong and dangerous,” he stressed. More than 4,500 people have died, according to an AFP tally, while the WHO said some 125,000 cases had been reported from 118 countries and territories. “To save lives we must reduce transmission,” Tedros insisted. “That means finding and isolating as many cases as possible and quarantining their closest contacts,” he said, urging states to test every suspected case of COVID-19 in a bid to slow transmission. “Even if you cannot stop

transmission, you can slow it down and protect health facilities, old age homes, and other vital areas — but only if you test all suspected cases.” The majority of cases have been in China, where the outbreak emerged in December, but major hotspots have also emerged in South Korea, Iran, and Italy. Together, those four countries account for more than 90 percent of all reported cases, according to the WHO. The pandemic has disrupted cultural and sporting events around the world as authorities try to prevent large gatherings. Tedros said countries needed to find the right balance between protecting health and preventing social and economic disruption. However, “containment” needed to remain the central pillar in any plan to tackle the spread, he said. “You can’t fight a virus if you don’t know where it is. That means robust surveillance to find, isolate, test and treat every case, to break the chains of transmission.” Tedros urged unaffected countries to prepare their health facilities, and pressed all states to innovate and share any new ways to prevent infections and minimise the impact of the outbreak. More than $440 million (390 million euros) has been pledged towards the WHO’s strategic preparedness and response plan, he added.

Official Tests Positive after Meeting Trump Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada is currently in self-isolation over coronavirus fears. His office confirmed this on Thursday, saying Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, his wife, began to show symptoms of illness after speaking at a programme in the UK on Wednesday. “She is being tested for the virus and both she and Trudeau are staying home until the tests results are returned,” BBC said in a report. Trudeau was scheduled

to hold meetings over the next two days in Ottawa with provincial premiers and First Nations leaders but the meetings have been postponed. Meanwhile, Fabio Wajngarten, communications secretary to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, has tested positive for coronavirus. This development is coming few days after the official met and took pictures with US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.

On Saturday, the Brazilian officials had met with the US government at Mar-aLago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss economic issues. According to Washington Post, Wajngarten showed symptoms of the virus after he returned to Brazil. After medical tests were carried out on Thursday, results showed that the official had contracted the virus. He is currently awaiting the results of a second test. Sophie, Wajngarten’s wife,

confirmed the development on a Whatsapp group. “My husband returned from a trip to the United States yesterday and tested for covid, which turned out to be positive,” she wrote. The Brazilian president who was also on the US trip, is reportedly being monitored for any symptoms of the virus. The US president had earlier announced a suspension of travel from Europe to the US in a bid to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Iran Asks IMF for Loan to Combat Coronavirus Outbreak Iran said on Thursday that it has sought immediate financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help it combat one of the world’s deadliest coronavirus outbreaks. According to a tweet by Iran’s top diplomat, IMF chief Kristina Georgieva had “stated that countries affected by #COVID19 will be supported via Rapid Financial Instrument (RFI)”. “Our central bank requested access to this facility immediately,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif added on his Twitter account. Iran has not received assistance from the IMF since

a “standby credit” issued between 1960 and 1962, according to the fund’s data. Zarif said the IMF and its board “should adhere to fund’s mandate, stand on right side of history and act responsibly”. The various loans that can be granted by the IMF must be approved by the institution’s executive board, where the United States practically has a veto on decisions. The United States is currently pursuing a policy of “maximum pressure” aimed at crippling the finances of Iran’s government. In an Instagram post picked up by state news agency IRNA, central bank governor

Abdolnasser Hemmati claimed to have formally requested access to RFI by letter on March 6. “Given the widespread prevalence of coronavirus in our country and the need to continue to take strong measures to prevent and cure (the disease), and to address its economic impact,” Iran was asking for “about $5 billion” in assistance, Hemmati wrote on his Instagram account. Iran on Thursday reported 75 new deaths from COVID-19, the highest single-day toll since the Islamic republic announced the first deaths from the outbreak on February 19. It took the overall death toll to 429 out of a total of more

than 10,000 confirmed cases of infection. The World Health Organization called for Iran to be given more support in its fight to bring the outbreak under control. “Iran is doing its best… We are trying to mobilise more support for Iran,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, adding that the country needed more supplies. According to the IMF’s website, the RFI “provides rapid financial assistance, which is available to all member countries facing an urgent balance of payments need. ”

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PAGE FOURTY EIGHT CBN, BANKS, OTHERS TO RAISE N1.5TN TO FUND INFRASTRUCTURE greater synergy between the private and public sectors as a veritable platform to address the challenges militating against growth. The CBN governor said participants had promised to raise the N1.5 trillion to fund critical infrastructure in the country, adding that six key roads and seaport projects would later be identified for funding. According to him, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) conceived by the participants to fund the projects is currently being designed and would be presented for implementation in October. He listed the benefits of the SPV to include the reduction in the cost of transporting goods and improvement in the efforts to attain a double-digit growth rate. The CBN boss also highlighted suggestions made by the session to improve broadband penetration, agricultural production and manufacturing. He said: “Participants stressed the need for greater collaboration between the public and private sector in addressing some of the emerging challenges to growth. "One key highlight was the need to ensure that

the Nigerian economy is selfsufficient in the production of key goods and services, as this would strengthen our buffers and insulate our economy from external headwinds. “Participants from the financial sector agreed to create a special purpose vehicle working with the federal government, and key development finance agencies. The well-structured SPV, will be used to mobilise close to N1.2 trillion in funds from banks, pension funds and other financial institutions, to fund road, power, and port infrastructure. Six key road projects and the seaport projects would be identified for funding. "The framework for this SPV is currently being worked on and will be ready for implementation by October 2020. When implemented the SPV will help to reduce the burden of government financing of infrastructure projects and enable the government to focus on funding other priority areas. It will also reduce the cost of transporting goods across the country for farmers, SMES and manufacturers. More importantly, it will help improve our ability to attain double-digit growth rates."

Participants at the event included the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman of Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia, and notable captains of industry. The event was also graced by top government functionaries such as the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and the Minister of Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo.

Again, Central Bank Rules Out Devaluation of Naira Meanwhile, the CBN last night insisted that news making the rounds that it was about to devalue the naira was untrue. The central bank, which disclosed this in a statement, also stated that Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals were strong. It disclosed that a robust and coordinated investigation in collaboration with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and related agencies to uncover unscrupulous persons and foreign exchange

(FX) dealers, who were creating panic in the country, saying the full weight of its rules and regulations would be meted out to them, including, but not limited to, being charged for economic sabotage. The CBN disclosed this just as it emerged that the naira depreciated to N370 to a dollar yesterday on the parallel market, lower than the N367 to a dollar it closed the previous day. Also, on the Investors’ and Exporters’ Window, the naira closed at N374 to a dollar, lower than the N368.63 it opened yesterday. Since the crash in the price of crude oil on Monday, there have been speculations of a possible naira devaluation. But, the central bank, in the statement explained that it had noted with displeasure, the rumours and speculative activities of unscrupulous players in the FX market, borne out of the impression that it was on the verge of devaluing the naira, thereby triggering panic in the market. “These rumours are false, unwarranted and calculated to serve their dubious and selfish ends. We have begun a robust and coordinated investigation in collaboration with the NFIU

and related agencies to uncover the unscrupulous persons and FX dealers who are creating this panic, and the full weight of our rules and regulations will be meted out to them, including, but not limited to, being charged for economic sabotage,� it said. According to the banking sector regulator, for nearly four years, the CBN successfully maintained relative stability in all segments of the FX market, which enabled investors, households and other economic agents to plan and to conduct their genuine foreign exchange transactions with relative ease. Furthermore, it pointed out that the introduction of several FX management measures sideby-side with complementary interventions in food production and manufacturing drastically reduced food importation, which hitherto constituted a large chunk of the pressure on the FX market. “Although the outbreak of the Coronavirus led to a global economic slowdown, fall in the price of crude oil, and less inflow of dollars into Nigeria, the associated public health concerns have also led to factory closures in China, a substantial drop in imports, widespread travel

restrictions around the world, and cancellation of many conferences, sporting events, business travels, and FX orders,� it added. It maintained that the size of Nigeria’s FX reserves remains robust and comfortable, given the current realities of Nigeria’s genuine and legitimate FX demand. “As such, the CBN remains able and willing to meet all genuine demand for foreign exchange for legitimate transactions; and for the avoidance of doubt, the CBN is also working with the fiscal authorities to properly and accurately dimension the immediate and expected impacts of the Coronavirus in order to respond comprehensively and at the same time, ensure a sound and stable financial system conducive for job creation and inclusive growth. “In light of current circumstances and macroeconomic fundamentals, the CBN has not devalued the naira. Consequently, the CBN will invoke the full weight of applicable sanctions on any persons and authorised dealers found to be involved in such disruptive and speculative market behaviour,� it warned.

the governor, along with the Emir of Lafia, visited the guest house of Awe local government chairman, where Sanusi has been kept since his dethronement. Sanusi’s lawyers are challenging his banishment in court. It was also gathered that the number of security agents guarding the house in Awe has been beefed up. Visitors and journalists are not allowed access to the vicinity.

former emir as authoritarian. Soyinka, in a statement, said the Kano State governor lacked friends, who could have saved him from himself, adding that the Sanusi he thought he had humiliated has demonstrated that he is one of the greatest reformers even of the feudal order. He said Ganduje’s conduct was part of the repudiated colonial order, which was characterised by “authoritarianism of the crudest temper.� Soyinka described Sanusi as “a one-man EFCC sanitisation squad in the banking system taking on the powerful corrupters of that institution.� “By contrast, confidence in immunity has catapulted his tormentor to the ranks of the

most notorious public faces of the disorder that Sanusi strove to eradicate. Obviously, vengeance lay in wait, and he was not unaware of it. The signs were omnipresent and Sanusi acknowledged their imminence� he added. He also stated that Sanusi was one of the early warning voices against religious extremism whose bitter fruits Nigeria is currently reaping. “Why, I am not certain, but I do have the feeling that the palace gates of the Kano emirate are not yet definitively slammed against this Islamic scholar, royal scion and seasoned economist. It is just a feeling. Closed and bared, or merely shut however, the doors of enlightened society remain wide open to Muhammad Sanusi,�

SANUSI SUES IG, DSS, SEEKS RELEASE FROM DETENTION Federation. Sanusi, who was dethroned on Monday by Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has been in isolation in Awe in Nasarawa State. Sanusi’s team of lawyers, led by Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/357/2020 before the Federal High Court in Abuja. In the suit, Sanusi prayed for an interim order releasing him “from the detention and confinement of the respondents and restoring the applicant’s rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria, (apart from Kano State) pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s originating summons.� The former traditional

ruler said his banishment and subsequent confinement infringed on his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. Sanusi in the fundamental human rights suit instituted yesterday, is, therefore, praying the court to void his banishment and order his release so that he can enjoy his fundamental rights as provided by law. The former emir wants the court to restore his right to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of association and movement in Nigeria apart from Kano State. The suit is brought pursuant to section 34, 35, 40, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution and Order 4 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court. Sanusi's legal team of about

30 lawyers, including 12 SANs, is headed by Fagbemi. Responding to the growing outrage over Sanusi’s banishment, the state’s Attorney General, Mr. Ibrahim Muktar, had said the state government was not behind the former emir’s forcible relocation to Nasarawa State. But the Kano State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Habu Sani Ahmadu, had said contrary to the belief in some quarters that the movement of the deposed emir from Kano to Nasarawa State was illegal and infringed on his fundamental human rights, his movement was ‘spelt out.’ THISDAY also gathered that the Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Abdullahi Sule, also visited the deposed emir. Investigation revealed that

Ganduje’s Conduct Authoritarian, Says Soyinka In his reaction to Sanusi’s ordeal, a Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday described the conduct of Ganduje against the

BUHARI: EXPLOIT CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION It listed nations Nigerians should avoid non-essential travels as China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran, which have a high level of transmission. The coronavirus pandemic has also forced mega carriers of the world to drastically reduce their international destinations. Speaking at the dinner with the participants at the roundtable, the president said country's reliance on crude oil for 60 per cent of its revenues in the face of the ravaging effect of COVID-19, will result in the downward slide in the country's move to address its infrastructure deficit and human capital challenges. He said external challenges threatening the economy provided a platform to propel Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in the production of strategic goods, pledging the federal government's commitment to boost economic growth despite the threats. The president said the last recession witnessed by the economy was conquered by the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government, which according to him, aided Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth through steady performance by key sectors of the economy in the past 11 quarters. He said: "This government remains steadfast in seeking to promote the growth of the Nigerian economy, and by extension, the growth of the Nigerian private sector. I am glad to note that following recent recession and supported by growth-enhancing fiscal and

monetary policy measures, GDP growth has remained in positive territory for the past 11 quarters. The positive growth has been driven in key sectors of our economy such as agriculture, industry, oil and gas, as well as ICT. “A key focus of this administration has been the diversification of the Nigerian economy and improving Nigeria’s level of self-sufficiency in food production. These measures would help support faster economic growth, create employment opportunities for our teeming youths and reduce our import bill. “The onset of the coronavirus in December 2019, which has spread to over 100 countries, is having a significant impact on global growth, as well as commodity prices such as crude oil, which has dropped by over 45 per cent since January 2020. “These external challenges have only served to reinforce the importance of ensuring that Nigeria is self-sufficient in the production of strategic goods. “They have also highlighted the fact that we need to continue to implement measures that would enable growth in other sectors of our economy and reduce our dependence on earnings from crude oil. For these objectives to be achieved, the vital role of the Nigerian private sector cannot be disputed or overemphasised." The president assured the private sector that the federal government would pay attention to their recommendations in the overall efforts to evolve policies

and programmes aimed at promoting economic growth and creating jobs. He also assured the nation that his administration will pay close attention to the recommendations made by the participants.

FG Advises Against Non-Essential Trips to China, Four Others In the meantime, the federal government has said that even though it has not placed travel restriction on countries with a high level of coronavirus transmission, it would advise against non-essential travel to China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran, which have a high level of transmission. The coronavirus pandemic has also taken a toll on the aviation industry, forcing mega carriers of the world to drastically reduced their international destinations. The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, at a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps in Abuja, said the health ministry had intensified the screening of all incoming international travellers with the use of scanners, adding that travel history of passengers are now obtained using selfreporting screening form provided to all airlines. Besides, the federal government is renovating the treatment centres in the states where international airports are located - Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt while Enugu airport, once it is re-open for

use, will also be on the list. The minister noted that clinicians from these states have all been trained on case management while the government is also expanding capacity to other states. In addition, Nigeria is developing a stockpile of essential medical supplies in the event of an outbreak. According to him, Nigeria has five laboratory testing capacity presently: Reference Laboratory in Abuja; Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Irrua Specialist Hospital; Nigeria Institute for Medical Research and the Africa Centre for Excellence and Genomics, noting that there are plans to expand to more laboratories in the country. He stated: “Nigeria has not yet placed travel restriction, but as strongly advised against non-essential travel to countries with a high level of transmission, which we define now has China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran. We also routinely required travellers from these countries to be in isolation for 14 days after entering Nigeria. This will be revised always according to the assessed level of risk.� The minister explained that travellers from other countries are not expected to undertake special measures, but are advised to report immediately to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) if they have symptoms. He urged countries, especially those with a high rate of transmission, to conduct travel departure screening and restrain

travellers with obvious signs of being unwell from boarding aircraft. “We have observed cases of passengers arriving at our airports with signs of severe flu who have had to face the inconvenience of being taken for testing. Though all but that index case has proved negative so far, they do unnecessarily weigh on our resources, which are scarce. And those visitors without symptoms again, we need to understand that they would adhere to the rule of self-isolation for 14 days,� Ehanire added. The minister said as at Wednesday, there were two confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease in Nigeria, but no death or serious illness. Ehanire explained that the country confirmed and reported the first case in the country on February 27 when an Italian consultant arrived from Milan through Lagos and travelled to Ogun State and reported sick just under 48 hours later. According to him, “He has since been under care at the infectious disease hospital in Lagos and we have continued to test his viral load. He's doing very well and we are ready to discharge him as soon as his viral load reached an acceptable limit.� The minister said the second confirmed case was a direct contact of the index case in Ogun State, who prior to the confirmation of COVID-19, had been under quarantine.

Airlines

Cut

Down

International Operations Meanwhile, mega carriers of the world have drastically reduced their international destinations due to the pandemic that is ravaging the world. THISDAY gathered that the airlines cut down their operations for two main factors - as part of precautionary measures to stop the spread of the disease and due to the fact that passenger traffic is low. Continued on page 53

TOP GAINERS CAVERTON SKYAVN STANBIC TOP LOSERS AFRIPRUD FIDELITYBANK FLOURMILLS

NGN NGN 0.21 2.31 0.23 2.57 0.95 29.30 NGN 0.40 3.60 0.17 1.53 2.20 19.80 NIGBREW 3.30 29.70 OANDO 0.21 1.89 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś915.30 Volume: 1.058 Billion shares Value: N9.806 billion Deals: 5,501 As at yesterday 12/03/2020 See details on Page 43

% 10 9.8 3.3 % 10 10 10 10 10

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NEWSXTRA

Quarantined Family of Four, Teacher Test Negative to Coronavirus Martins Ifijeh The Lagos State Government has stated that the recently quarantined family of four children and their teacher at the Infectious Disease Centre have tested negative to Coronavirus. Sharing the on his Twitter page yesterday, the Commissioner for

Health, Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi said the five cases came into Nigeria from the United States where they were presumed to have had contact with a suspected case of Coronavirus. Abayomi was silent on the sixth person quarantined at the isolation centre, whose result was also being expected.

SGF Rallies Support of Religious Leaders to Fight Covid-19

In a related development, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said the country was already feeling the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak as barrel of dollar has slumped from N58 per barrel to N30 per barrel. Ihekweazu who spoke to the media during his visit to the NCDC Centre in Yaba yesterday, said China, which is the epicentre of the outbreak, was heavily depended on by many countries, including Nigeria, for

goods and services, but that the country’s productivity has reduced significantly because of the disease and its impact. He said: “One significant thing about this disease is that it does not respect status. It affects both the rich and the poor. We have heard of the Minister of Health in the United Kingdom coming down with the virus. Today, we heard of a Hollywood super star. So, it cuts across everyone. “It is not yet time for us to be happy because we have had only two cases. The threats are

still there. A lot of countries are experiencing large outbreaks, and this also makes us vulnerable. But we will continue to do our best to ensure the outbreak is contained. “If you check the pattern of travel by Nigerians you will understand we travel more to Europe than Iran, South Korea, Japan and other countries where the outbreak spread earlier. With Europe experiencing large outbreaks of Coronavirus, we still have cause to be alert. We are not out of the woods yet,” he added.

The DG, who explained why China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Italy have been put on watch list said passengers coming into Nigeria from these countries were given extra vetting during point of entry, adding that these passengers were also asked to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days before integrating into the country. He also called on Nigerians to postpone none essential travels, and that it was every one’s duty to ensure basic hygiene behaviours were been followed.

Sultan asks Nigerians to remain united against terror Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha has sought the cooperation of religious leaders in the campaign against further spread of Covid-19 infection across the country. This is coming as the Sultan of Sokoto, His. Eminence, Saad Abubakar II has urhed Nigerians not to allow themselves to be divided by the terrorists’ antics. The SGF while speaking at quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), yesterday in Abuja, urged religious leaders to continue to promote peace and unity in the country. “At this point, I wish to remind you that the world is under siege from the novel Coronavirus, which has infected over 100,000 people and spread to over 110 countries. This is a global emergency, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a pandemic. Two cases have been confirmed in Nigeria and containment measures are being taken. We must as a nation, get prepared for tackling the virus collectively

to prevent its spread among our population,” he said. Mustapha also said that the issue of drug and substance abuse still remained a challenge because the menace has continued to ravage the youths, fuel crime, banditry and insurgency. On the part of government, he said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the institutional strengthening and reform of existing relevant agencies in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigeria and will launch a National Campaign Against Drug Abuse in the 2nd Quarter of 2020 to underscore his commitment. Against the background of religious crisis in the country, the SGF cautioned religious groups and organisations against fueling disunity, adding that no one would escape the consequences should crisis envelope the country. He said the religious leaders should join government in the creation of awareness among their adherents and within the communities using local languages where possible to educate the people on the importance of observing personal hygiene at all times.

TWENTY SEVEN HEARTY CHEERS…

L-R: Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic, Mr. Samuel Sogunro; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, during the 27th Convocation and Award Ceremony of Lagos State Polytechnic at the Convocation Ground, Ikorodu Campus, Lagos... yesterday

IPPIS Won’t Undermine University Autonomy, Buhari Tells ASUU David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to accept the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS), insisting that it won’t undermine the autonomy of the university system. Buhari, who spoke yesterday in his address at the 14th convocation

ceremonies of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, described ASUU’s protest against the payment system as “needless”. Represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, Buhari said IPPIS was not meant to diminish the university autonomy. “I should not end this address

without touching on IPPIS, which has been a bone of contention, and a needless one at that, between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities. “I assure you all that the IPPIS is not intended to trample upon university autonomy nor is it designed to subsume the university into the civil service. “The primary intention of

IPPIS is to enhance greater efficiency, transparency and better management of university finances. And this should be an important moral pillar of all universities where students are graduated based on character and learning. “All universities must be committed to these cherished values if they are to serve as a moral compass to the larger society.”

Sanusi Absent at UNIZIK Convocation for His Honorary Degrees

FG to Fix 43 Internal Roads in Tertiary Institutions

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Former Emir of Kano, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, yesterday failed to attend the 14th convocation ceremony of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, where he was billed to be conferred with an honorary Doctoral degree by the university. Sanusi was last Monday removed as the Emir of Kano by the Kano State Government, and banished to Nasarawa State, where he was taken by security agents. Ironically, on the same day Sanusi was removed as emir, the Vice Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof Charles Esimone, briefed journalists on the choice of Sanusi and two other persons for the conferment of honorary doctoral degrees in various fields. Esimone, while speaking on the choice of Sanusi for the award, said: “You do not just choose people

for honourary Doctorate, you have to consider their contribution to education, particularly the institution. “I can tell you that Sanusi has contributed a lot to education in Nigeria and to this institution. It was while he was the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that most structures in this institution were erected, through his efforts.” THISDAY reports that there were high hopes in the university yesterday that he would grace the convocation ceremony for his honourary degree, however, sadly, his picture and that of two other honourary degree recipients, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma and Dr. Daniel Chukwudozie, adorned some parts of the university. Chukwuma, the chairman of Innoson Motors, a vehicle manufacturing company in the state, and Chukwudozie, chairman of Dozzy Group, were awarded doctor of industrial engineering and doctor of commerce respectively.

The federal government will fix no fewer than 43 internal roads in some tertiary institutions across the country. The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola, stated this in Offa, Kwara State, yesterday at the inauguration of the rehabilitated 2.23 kilometre road within the Federal Polytechnic Offa. Fashola, however, added that “to date, 18 out of the 43

interventions have been completed, and today, we are inaugurating this one in the Federal Polytechnic Offa as a critical contribution to support for education.” Represented by the Kwara State Federal Controller of Works and Housing, Wasiu Atitebi, the minister said with the interventions “we are expressing a renewed enthusiasm with regards to attending classes because some bad roads have been rehabilitated. “And the point must be made that although this is a civil works

project, it is an investment in education. It is un-debatable that quality education will be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and learning environment, and those who doubt this should simply listen to some of the feedback from students in the schools where this type of intervention has taken place. “During the construction, 41 people were employed in the process, contributing to job creation initiatives of the government, and

it is hoped that the school will ensure that this asset is used properly.” The minister added that “the gap in infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways, which has also touched the higher institutions.” Earlier, Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Lateef Olatunji, hailed the government for the intervention, as her sought more of such interventions.

India Suspends Tourist Visas over Coronavirus The Indian Government has announced the suspension of all tourist visas into the country as part of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The move comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday declared the outbreak

a pandemic, with countries worldwide already scrambling to contain the spread of the disease. A statement issued by the India Ministry of Health on Twitter yesterday said: “All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, United Nations-international organisations, employment, project visas, are

suspended till April 15, 2020. “Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid and they may contact the nearest FRRO/ FRO through e-FRRO module for extension/conversion of their visa or grant of any consular service if they choose to do so. A notification to this

effect is being issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BOI),” it stated. The statement also said all incoming travellers would be quarantined for 14 days before being integrated into the country. Coronavirus cases have doubled to 73 in India.

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NEWSXTRA

Police Arrest Benin, Niger Republics Nationals for Kidnapping Chiemelie Ezeobi Foreign nationals from Benin and Niger Republics have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for separate cases of kidnapping, as well as breaking and stealing wares from shops in Balogun market in Lagos. In the case of kidnapping, 26-yearold Jerome Ukena, a Beninnois was arrested at Ilaje community in Bariga area of Lagos. He was alleged to have led a gang that kidnapped a woman, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Makinde and her six-month-old daughter at their Ikorodu residence on February 16. It was gathered that a gang of kidnappers stormed the couple’s residence shortly after the victims returned from overseas and whisked mother and child away. The woman’s husband, Mr. Abidemi Makinde had reported the incident to the police who launched a manhunt for the kidnappers. While the mother and child, who

were kept at separate locations by the kidnappers, were released days after their abduction, Ukena who was the gang leader, was picked up at the Ilaje waterside a week after the kidnap by policemen attached to Bariga Division. Upon his arrest, the suspect led detectives to the gang’s hideout at Ajegunle, Ikorodu where a threeyear-old baby was also found and rescued. According to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, the phone used to demand ransom from different victim’s families were recovered from the suspected kidnapper. In another development, two Beninnois Isa Seidu, 21; and Tairu Melaye, 25; and their Niger Republic accomplice, Ahmad Abubakar, 30; with their Nigerian accomplice Lucky Chukwudi, 43, were paraded yesterday for alleged burglary and looting of shops at Balogun market. The suspects were said to be

PDP BoT Chair Condemns Dethronement of Sanusi John Shiklam in Kaduna Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, has condemned the recent dethronement of Mohammad Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano. Sanusi was dethroned on Monday by the Kano State Government and banished to Awe in Nasarawa State. Jibrin, in a statement he issued yesterday in Kaduna, faulted the manner in which Sanusi was removed and banished to Nasarawa State and claimed that the development has confirmed that “the All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by President Muhammadu Buhari has now politicised the traditional institution.” He called for the amendment of the constitution to provide

for procedures for removing traditional rulers from the throne. He also urged traditional rulers in the country to join politics. According to him, the former emir was a highly respected traditional ruler that did not deserve to “be treated as if a rat was being pursued.” Jibrin, who also holds the traditional title of “Sarkin Fulanin Nasarawa,” declared that his primary aim of joining party politics was to protect the integrity of traditional institutions. He regretted that “it is very unfortunate that our current traditional rulers are only used as fire brigade to solve conflicts,” and declared that: “What happened in Kano recently where the governor, within two hours only, dethroned the first class emir and banish him to far away Nasarawa State is very disturbing.

Tears as IG Distributes N4.6m to Families of Deceased Policemen in Kano

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Some widows of the deceased police officers yesterday observed emotional moment as the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) of zone 1 headquarters, Sadiq A. Bello, distributed cheque to them in Kano State. The beneficiaries, numbering 29, who were drawn from Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States, received their respective cheque, amounting to N40,628,956 million as benefits of the fallen heroes. Speaking while crying profusely, Mrs. Asma’u Mustapha, a widow to late officer Mustapha from Katsina State, said her husband died about three years ago and left her with children. According to her, the money would help her to take care of her children, especially in the area of education and healthcare. She thanked the InspectorGeneral of Police (IG) for the kind gesture which according to her, would help the beneficiaries

cushion the effect of widowhood and suffering. Another beneficiary, Tortyom Mbakaren Theresa, who collected a cheque of over N1 million, expressed delight for such amount of money. According to her, she did not expect the money, despite the fact that she applied for it, “but suddenly received a call to come and collect my cheque. “I am a happy person today. I was always thinking on how to take care of my three children, but now the IG has provided succour to us. “I am very happy, and I pledge to use the money judiciously to help rise my children.” Speaking after giving them the cheque, AIG Bello said the gesture was part of the deceased officers entitlements, assuring them that the remaining benefits would be distributed to them when the IG, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, approved them.

notorious in shop looting after which they move the stolen wares to Cotonou and Niger Republic where they sell them. It was gathered that their last escapade was at around 2a.m. on

February 10, when they allegedly broke into a shop where they stole shoes, clothes and handbags. The police said 97 pairs of shoes, seven fabrics, children wears and lady’s bags were recovered from

them. Confessing to the crime, Isa told reporters that he was once sent to prison for a similar offence and was released after three months.

He said he usually sold the items and sent the money to his mother through people, adding that they also stole from one of the plazas that gutted fire at Balogun market in January.

PROMOTING EDUCATION…

L-R: Member, Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund, Chief Fidelis Agbiki; Executive Secretary, Dr. Alice Atuwo; Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri; and the Chairman, Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund, Prof. Turner Isoun, during a meeting with members of the Bayelsa State Education Trust Fund, at Government House, Yenagoa… yesterday

DESPITE CONFLICTING COURT ORDERS, APC NEC HOLDS TUESDAY In the ex-parte motion before Justice Liman, argued by Balogun’s lawyer, Mr. Gani Bello, the plaintiff prayed the court to compel the APC to recognise Bulama as the party’s acting National Secretary; Ajimobi, as the acting National Deputy Chairman (South) and Chukwuma as the acting National Auditor of the party. He told the court that after the three offices became vacant and were zoned to different geopolitical zones, Bulama was nominated by the North-east; Ajimobi, by the South-west and Chukwuma by the South-east. Balogun said the nomination of Bulama was ratified at the meeting of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) held on January 14, 2020 while those of Ajimobi and Chukwuma were ratified at the NWC meeting of March 4, 2020. “By virtue of the ratification stated above, the nominees have become members of the National Executive Council and are entitled by the constitution of the defendant (APC) to work and operate in acting capacities in their respective offices pending their swearing-in at the national convention of the party. “In spite of the foregoing, the defendant (APC), acting through its officials and officers, particularly, the deputy national secretary has not allowed the nominees to perform their duties as members of the National Executive Council,”

Balogun said. He told the court that the APC National Executive Council could not effectively operate unless Bulama, Ajimobi and Chukwuma were allowed to perform their duties. Balogun prayed the court to compel the APC to recognise them. After listening to the applicant’s lawyer, Justice Liman granted the prayers and adjourned till March 25, to take the motion on notice. A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had on Wednesday restrained the party’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, and two other executive members of the APC from interfering with the scheduled NEC meeting of the party slated for March 17, 2020. Also restrained alongside Ogala are the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, and ‘National Secretary,’ Mr. Waziri Bulama. Justice S. U. Bature restrained the trio while ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the party’s National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Mr. Mustapha Salihu. The motion marked: CV/1385/2020 was filed and argued on behalf of Salihu by his lawyer, Mr. Afamefuna Ekekwe. Party Denies Receiving Any Court Order However, Giadom said the party was not aware of any court order directing it to allow some persons to be part of the NEC meeting. Giadom told journalists at the end of the National Working Committee

(NWC) meeting yesterday that if the party received the court order, the party would refer to its constitution and take it up from there. He stated: “As NWC, we just concluded our meeting just to inform the public that the NEC meeting scheduled for the 17th March will still hold and every preparation towards that meeting is in top gear. I want to use this opportunity to invite all NEC members to attend the meeting.” He explained that every member of the NEC is prepared to attend the meeting. Asked if he was aware of any court ruling that certain people must be part of the NEC meeting, otherwise, it becomes irrelevant, Giadom said: “Not to my knowledge. We will like to see the court order and if that happens we refer back to our constitution. We will take it up from that point.” Signs that the APC crisis was not abating emerged yesterday when the billboard and a banner displaying Oshiomhole’s picture and that of President Muhammadu Buhari were removed by the party. It was gathered that the billboard was replaced last night with Buhari’s banner ahead of the emergency NEC meeting. Appeal Court to Hear Oshiomhole’s Suspension March 16 Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled hearing for Monday in the

appeal by Oshiomhole against his suspension. Oshiomhole is, by his appeal, seeking among others, the reversal of his suspension by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Court of Appeal’s Registry yesterday communicated the hearing date to parties via hearing notices sent to them earlier this week. Oshiomhole, in his appeal, raised four grounds on which he is challenging the ruling by Justice Senchi. He argued that the judge erred in law and arrived at a wrong conclusion, which occasioned a miscarriage of justice, when the court placed him on suspension at an interlocutory stage of a suit instituted against him by some aggrieved members of the party. Oshiomhole also argued that the court further erred in law when it decided that he, in the performance of his duties as APC national chairman would interfere in the court action filed against him by the aggrieved members. Respondents in the appeal are: APC National Vice Chairman (Northeast), Mr. Mustapha Saliu; Edo State APC Chairman, Hon. Anselm Ojezua; Alhaji Sani Gomna; Mr. Oshawo Stephen, Mr. Fani Wabulari and Mr. Princewill Ejogharado. Others are the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Army Hands over Rescued Corps Member to NYSC in Taraba WoleAyodeleinJalingo

The Nigeria Army has handed over a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who was kidnapped by gunmen on Wukari-Jalingo road in Taraba State to the authorities of the corps. Sunday John, 28, who is serving at Benue State, was kidnapped on March 4 at about 8.30 p.m. when

the vehicle he was traveling on from Ukum in Benue State to Jalingo ran into a check point mounted by the gunmen. He was thereafter blind folded and taken into the bush on a motorcycle from where the kidnappers established contact with his father whom they requested to pay the sum of N5 million as ransom to secure his release.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists, Okoye said he was denied food for several days and was beaten mercilessly by his abductors who stripped him of his NYSC uniform and left him naked for days. According to him, “On March 4, I was traveling from Ukum to Jalingo after getting clearance to go for medical treatment because I am asthmatic. At about 8.30 p.m.,

our vehicle ran into a supposedly police checkpoint mounted by the kidnappers. “Our vehicle was flagged down and everybody on the vehicle was ordered to alight from the vehicle and forced to lie down on the road. They collected all our money, including my own N22,000, before they eventually blindfolded me and dragged me into the bush.”

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$22.79bn Loan: South-east N’Assembly Caucus Protests Exclusion of Zone Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The South-East National Assembly Caucus, yesterday protested the exclusion of all the five states in the zone in the list of beneficiaries of the $22.79 billion foreign loan approved for the federal government by the Senate last week. The caucus made up of Senators and House members drawn from the geo-political zone and headed by the zonal leader and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, took their grievances to the doorsteps of both the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The group met separately

with the leadership of the two chambers for over three hours and language expressed their disappointment over the total exclusion of South-east as a beneficiary of the $22.79 billion external borrowing request made by President Muhammadu Buhari. While the Senate on Thursday, March 5, passed the $22.79 billion loan request of the federal government amid strong protest by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the House of Representatives had on Wednesday stepped down the consideration of the report to deliberate on the external borrowing request to another legislative date. Briefing journalists after the close-door meeting with the National Assembly leadership,

Ekweremadu said the reason for the meeting was to ensure equitable distribution of the loan facilities. According to him, the caucus is satisfied with the assurances from the Senate President and the Speaker, saying that they believe the appropriate thing will

be done to assuage the fears of the South-east people. “We believe that equity should be the way for our country to make progress. Our thinking is that what the federal government presented was a borrowing plan; so, there is time for us to look at the distribution, that every part

of Nigeria will have a sense of belonging. We believe every part of the country should be part of the payment and benefit from the utilisation of those funds. “The House of Representatives will still consider the request. Under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, you are required to get the

approval of National Assembly to borrow; that’s why it’s tabled before the people’s parliament where every part of Nigeria is represented to have a conversation and discussion. That’s why we are trying to ensure that the proper thing is done.”

Osinbajo Laments Absence of Skilled Workforce to Drive Economy James Emejo in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday expressed concern that a greater percentage of the country’s workforce is not currently engaged because of absence of requisite skills. He said the recent skills gap survey carried out by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) revealed that though vacancies existed in all sectors of the national economy, Nigerians lacked the requisite competencies to fill the positions. Speaking at the opening of the maiden National Skills Summit in Abuja, he said the country’s labour force of over 69 million people represented the largest in Africa and the ninth largest in the world, citing a report by the World Bank. Represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, the vice president said the availability of labour remained a critical component of industrial and economic potential which positions Nigeria as leading

candidate for industrial-related investment. He said the development of requisite skills and worker productivity is however critical to maximising the benefits of the country’s large working population. While commending ITF summit, Osinbajo assured of the willingness of the federal government through the ministry of trade to collaborate with any organisation that shows the capacity to equip Nigerians with relevant skills for employability and growth. He said if the problem of skills shortage is resolved, government’s efforts at tackling unemployment and creating jobs would have been half solved. Osinbajo said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated its commitment to turn around the fortunes of the country from dependence on oil by diversifying the economy as evidenced through robust policies by the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the implementation of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDP) and the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).

Court Sentences Herdsman to Prison for Open Grazing in Benue George Okoh in Makurdi The Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court, which was presided over by Mr. Isaac Ajim, yesterday convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old herder, Danladi Damess of Doka village, Shandam Local Government Area of Plateau State, to one year inprisonment for violating the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue State. The trial Chief Magistrate, however, tempered justice with mercy and gave the convict an option of fine of N500,000 as a first offender. Ajim warned those who want to engage in livestock business to ranch their animals or stay

away from Benue State, adding that the judiciary has a duty to protect the citizens against the violators of the law prohibiting open grazing. Earlier, the Prosecuting Police Officer, ASP Hyacinth Gbakor, told the court that on March 9th, 2020, the leader of the livestock guards in Gwer West Local Government Area, Otor Emmanuel, and his team while on patrol saw the herdsman with cows grazing, and they arrested him for contravening section 19(2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. The herder pleaded guilty to the charge. As at the time of filing this report, the convict was being conveyed to Federal Correctional Centre in Makurdi.

OPERATION DECLARE YOUR ASSETS…

Chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Prof. Mohammed Isah (left); and Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, during the handover of certificate to the governor for participation at the CCB’s workshop on strict compliance with assets declaration and code of conduct for public office holders, held in Enugu…yesterday

Okowa: I’m Not Treating Herders’ Problem With Kid Gloves Omon-Julius OnabuinAsaba The Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has debunked insinuations in certain quarters that he has been treating the issue of Fulani herdsmen menace in the state with kid gloves, sayingthe fact that he was not playing to the gallery does not mean that his administration was not handling the issue with the seriousness it deserves. Okowa observed that such misconceptions might not be unconnected to his well-known political style of never grandstanding

on any critical national issues, especially with a sensitive security matter of this nature. The governor, made these remarks while fielding questions from newsmen on yesterday at the quarterly media parley at the Government House, Asaba, He noted that a lot had already been achieved and much was being achieved by his administration on the menace of herdsmen, which has been a major source of security concern across Delta State. According to him, the issue

of clashes between herdsmen and farmers was not peculiar to Delta State. He stressed that it was important that stakeholders, including traditional rulers, shouldalwaysbeconsciousofthe“technical” dimensiontotheissue,whichisrelatedto theseasonalmigrationofherdsmenfrom the northern parts of the country due to desert encroachment and deforestation. The governor disclosed that: “A lot of arrests had been made. There is a lot being done. But a lot needs to be done. There is certainly a lot that has been done.” Commenting on the recent

agreement by the South-south Governors Forum to form a common security outfit, Okowa said that the decision was a collective one reached through a democratic process by the governors at a meeting in Asaba, which he presided as the chairman of the forum. He explained that the regional security body being fashioned by the South-South leaders would not necessarily be fashioned after the Amotekun model of the South-west geopolitical zone.

Court Fixes April 9 for Hearing in N1.26tn Suit over National Theatre Chiemelie Ezeobi A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned until April 9, to hear a suit by a company, Topwideapeas Limited, against the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation among others, challenging nullification of its concession over the National Theatre Complex. In its court processes, Topwideapeas Ltd is a special purpose entity for the acquisition of the undeveloped land adjoining the National Theatre in Lagos.

In the new suit filed by plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Chijoke Okoli (SAN), and marked /2392/19, the plaintiff wants the court to declare as unlawful, the termination of its concession over the theatre. Joined as defendants are the National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria Board; Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission; Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation; and theAttorney General of the Federation. Also joined are the Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank and Herbert Wigwe.

When the case was called yesterday Mrs Perpetual Onwunma appeared for the plantiff. Miss Ibukun Owa appeared for the sixth and seventh defendants while Mr. Charles Nwabulu appeared for the fifth defendant. Onwunma informed the court that parties had been duly served on March 4 and proof of service was in the court’s file. However, since parties were still within time to respond, she requested that the case be adjourned to a short date for hearing of the Plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory

injunction. Plaintiff counsel urged that a date before the court’s Easter vacation be considered due to the facts and circumstances of the suit. There was no objection from other counsel. The court consequently adjourned the case until April 9, for hearing. In the suit, plaintiff is seeking a declaration that it is unlawful for the fifth to seventh defendants, to purport to truncate and nullify its rights as the concessionaire of the fallow land at the National theatre by inducing a breach of its contract.

No Confirmed Case of Coronavirus in Plateau,wash Says Govt your hands with soap Health, Dr. Nimkong Ndam, the 43 isolated cases. Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Plateau State government yesterday declared that there is no confirmed case of coronavirus in the state, noting that the 43 persons that were earlier quarantined in the state came up with no symptom to suggest that they have the disease after they have been under observation for 14 days. The state Commissioner for

while briefing journalists in Jos said, “all the 43 suspected cases that were confined to 14-day investigation period did not have any Convid-19.” He said the powerful team led by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and security agencies were in Wase Local Government Area to review

Ndam said, “the 14-day investigation period to monitor the symptoms of Convid-19 in the suspected cases ended on March 10, for some and March 11, for others, and we are happy to say we do not have the virus in Plateau State.” He however cautioned the citizens to take preventive measures, saying “at public places, have hand sanitizers,

and water, if a person is coughing, use tissue paper or handkerchiefs and avoid using unclean hands to touch your face.” He also cautioned school authorities and o w n e rs of public places to make available water with soap, to enable school children, and the general public to wash their hands.

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IG Seeks Support of States to Halt Cultism Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, yesterday called on the state governments to join the fight to eradicate cultism in the nation’s tertiary institutions and the general youth population. This is coming as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command called on communities in the nation’s capital to rise to the occasion by supporting the police in the fight against crime

and criminality by making their communities inaccessible to criminals. Speaking at the national launch of the Police Campaign against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), Adamu called on state governments to join the police in combating the menace of cultism. He said the campaign was part of “an initiative aimed at saving the youths from the scourge of cultism, having realised the correlation between cultism and

violent crimes involving our youth population”. “We encourage the states to partner us,” by demonstrating the resolve to fight the menace. Meanwhile, the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Bala Ciroma,

has called on communities in the territory to support the police in the fight against criminality in Abuja. The FCT Police boss said the residents should demonstrate their support

by making their communities inaccessible to criminals. “All communities must rise to the occasion and unanimously team up against criminals by exposing their activities to the police.

“If we must enjoy a crime free society, members of the public must deliberately make their respective communities inaccessible to criminals by exposing them”, he said.

ATBU ASUU Joins Two-week Warning Strike Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi Chapter, has joined the two weeks warning strike called by ASUU’s National Secretariat to press the federal government to implement its 2019 agreement and resolution. The warning strike commenced on Monday, March 9. The union has been at loggerheads with the government since last year over the introduction of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), which was meant to ensure transparency in salary payment. The Chairman of ATBU’S ASUU Chapter, Dr. Adamu Babayo, in an interview with newsmen yesterday said that after the National Executive Council meeting, which was held at the Enugu State University on Monday, the union held its congress on Tuesday and resolved to join the strike. Babayo said: “Yes, we have joined the strike. We are in full compliance with the resolutions of the NEC. We invited our members for a congress on Tuesday. And the congress resolved to join

the two weeks warning strike. This (Wednesday) morning, we inaugurated a monitoring team and it has started working on the campuses to ensure strict compliance by our members. “Our members are fully agitated even from the mobilisation we did in January. Our members are seriously agitated over the issues and we have maximum support because ATBU is a strong branch when it comes to struggle in the union. So, our members have complied and are fully motivated for that action.” He said that no activities are going on in the school and even the Post Graduate Examinations that were going on had to be stopped because of the industrial action. The chairman also said that the monitoring team was very vigilant and that disciplinary action would be taken on erring members. He accused the federal government of not being sensitive to the memorandum of action it signed with the union in February to fund the Nigerian universities, talk to state governors on proliferation of state universities and mainstream their academic allowance.

Police Parade 15 Suspected Criminals in Ondo James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Police Command yesterday paraded 15 suspected criminals for alleged offences ranging from armed robbery, piracy, cultism, child theft to possession of human body parts. The suspects were paraded at the state command headquarters in Akure by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Undie Adie, who was represented by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Tee Leo. The commissioner, who said the police also recovered arms, ammunition, vehicles and phones from the suspects, added that the suspects have confessed to the crimes and would be prosecuted soon. Giving details of the arrested suspects, Adie said a 50-yearold man, Idris Sule Shaye, was arrested for unlawful possession of fresh human head and hands. The suspect was said to have committed the offence on February 27, 2020, in Owani via Idoani, Ose Local Government Area of the state, adding that Shaye was

arrested following the report made by his landlord. According to Adie, “On February 27, 2020, one Ahmed Odere aka Teacher, who has a farm land at Shinabole camp in Owani via Idoani returned home and discovered that there was a bad smell emanating from the house he lives with three other tenants. “When anybody could not explain where the odour was coming from, he told his landlord, Abu Abedo about is. The landlord later followed teacher to their house to unravel the mystery. “Every other tenant, except Shaye, who was not present, searched everywhere. Abu Abedo then ordered the tenant to fetch for Shaye. They got him from his hiding place and brought him to the house.” According to him, when the suspect (Shaye) was asked to bring out his belongings in order to unravel where the smell was coming from, he brought out a sack containing a burnt flesh human head and two hands.

MAINTAINING SAFETY ON THE ROADS…

L-R: Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu; and Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, at the close-out workshop on the Nigerian Road Safety Strategy 2019-2023 (NRSS II) in Abuja... yesterday

Again, Atiku Asks FG to Restrict Flights from Some Countries over Coronavirus Chuks Okocha in Abuja A former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has again asked the federal government to suspend flights to and from countries with high prevalence of coronavirus. Atiku had asked the federal government to temporarily suspend flights from affected countries when Nigeria first recorded coronavirus. The index case is a man who

flew into the country from Milan, Italy. One of those who had contact with him has also tested positive, making two confirmed cases in the country. In a statement issued yesterday, Atiku said the economic impact of a widespread outbreak of the disease in Nigeria will be “catastrophic”, while calling on the government to err on the side of caution in order to prevent further spread. “Two weeks ago, when Nigeria

recorded its index case of the coronavirus, I had cause to urge the federal government to restrict flights from nations with a high prevalence of the coronavirus plague. This is in line with global best practices,” Atiku said. “This is a patriotic call on the federal government of Nigeria to take every reasonable step to protect the citizens of Nigeria, by temporarily suspending flights to and from such countries, until we build up our ability to contain the

coronavirus. Our borders should however be open to Nigerian citizens, regardless of their status. “Despite the commendable efforts of our patriotic health officials, it will be recalled that to date, we are yet to identify and or locate multiple passengers who flew in with the index case from Italy. They could be anywhere. We must, therefore, err on the side of caution. We cannot afford to broaden the possibility of future infections.

Withdraw Social Media Bill Now, 135 CSOs Tell Senate About 135 civil society organisations have asked the Senate to withdraw the social media bill, noting that the groundswell of opposition against it showed that Nigerians are against the proposed law. The Protection from Internet Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, better known as Social Media Bill, prescribes sanction for abuse of social media. It was sponsored by Senator Muhammad Musa representing Niger East senatorial district. The CSOs argued that the majority of views and arguments canvassed against the proposed

law indicated that it had no place in the country. They expressed satisfaction with the opposition to the bill by Nigerians during the public hearing at the Senate on Monday. This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Centre for Liberty, Girl Child Africa, Global Rights; Enough is Enough Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development, Civil Society Legislative, Advocacy Centre, Oxfam Nigeria, Transition Monitoring Group and others in Abuja on Wednesday. It read, “It has now become

abundantly clear to everyone, and particularly to Senator Muhammed Musa – the sponsor of the Social Media Bill – and other senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the majority of views and arguments canvassed during the public hearing overwhelmingly indicates the resistance, disapproval, condemnation, and outright rejection of the bill as it has no place in Nigeria. “From the public hearing, which was broadcast live in Nigeria and to the world, the fair conclusion of the majority of views collated is that the bill must be withdrawn

and trashed by the Ninth National Assembly.” While appreciating the efforts of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, the group further urged the committee to report to the Senate the overwhelming condemnation of the Social Media Bill by Nigerians during the public hearing. It pledged to monitor the deliberations by the Senate on the bill “to ensure that we resist any attempt to undermine the established principle of rule of law and protection of fundamental human rights.”

Navy Intercepts 316 Drums of Diesel Conveyed by Smugglers to Cameroon Okon Bassey in Uyo The Nigerian Navy has stated that in its efforts to rid the waterways of all forms of criminal activities to allow legitimate economic activities to strive, the heat on criminals operating in the country’s waterways will not be relaxed. The Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Akwa Ibom State, Captain Peter Yilme, made the pledge yesterday in Ibaka. Speaking while handing

over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) 316 drums of illegally acquired diesel seized from hoodlums at the Agbani Offshore, he warned those involved in illicit trades to repent and embrace legitimate businesses. He said the seized drums which contained 300 litres of diesel each were being conveyed to the Republic of Cameroon, but were intercepted on March 8, 2020, at about 0400 hours during a routine patrol by the navy gunboats.

Yilme, who explained that on sighting the navy gunboats, the suspects abandoned the medium sized wooden boat used in carrying the product, lamented that the smugglers have continued with the illicit trade despite the navy efforts in making daily arrests. He commended the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, for providing the necessary logistics to the Base which he said had enabled them in making numerous arrests and seizing

smuggled goods. The commanding officer noted that without the support of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral David Adeniran, the Base would not be able to achieve its operational mandate. According to him, “I hand over 316 drums of illegal refined diesel (containing 300 litres each) today, being March 12, 2020, to the Assistant Commandant of NSCDC, Bodinga Bawa.

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Ihedioha Cancels Scheduled Return to Imo A former Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has cancelled his scheduled return to the state. He said the cancellation was due to alleged plans by the state government to cause mayhem and arrest his supporters. The All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state had Wednesday accused Ihedioha and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) of plotting to use his return to carry out another protest against the Supreme Court review judgment with a view to visiting mayhem on the state. The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Bolaji Fafowora, had also issued a statement warning against any gathering, stating that the ban on protests and rallies was yet to be lifted. But, in a statement he personally signed yesterday, the former governor said contrary to what the government wanted the public to believe, the government was planning the arrest and detention of his supporters. He alleged that there were plans to visit mayhem on the expected crowd coming to welcome him as well as

turn around to stigmatise his party with the toga of violence. He said the postponement of his return to the state was in line with his non-violence stance, insisting his visit was not worth the life of any citizen of the state. Ihedioha noted that since the January 14 judgment that ousted him from office, he was yet to visit the state. He said he was unaware that he had been banished from the state. He said he had planned to participate in the ongoing Congresses of the PDP on Saturday. “Unfortunately, the statement by the Imo State government, made several spurious allegations, including that I plan to lead violent protests as well as import thugs to perpetrate violence. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am not, and have never been, a violent person. My reputation is that of peace and fair play. I have never propagated or tolerated violence. And I never will. “On the contrary, I have been informed that the government of Imo State, acting in concert with some rogue elements within the

security apparatus, is planning the arrest and detention of many of our supporters and to visit mayhem on the expected large crowd which they anticipate will come out to welcome me back home.

By judging me by their own character, their scheme is to stigmatize and garb us in the toga of violence. These are the tendencies of unpopular and illegitimate regimes. “It is therefore for the

foregoing reasons that I have decided to postpone my trip to Owerrri so as to frustrate their evil plans and machinations. My visit is not worth the life of any Imo citizen. However, the massive deployment

of security personnel by the government as well as thugs cannot deter us and the majority of our people from pursuing our collective vision for a better Imo State,” he stated.

EXPORT PROMOTION…

Belgium’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Dargent (left), and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Segun Awolowo, displaying Export magazine, during the ambassador’s visit to NEPC’s office in Abuja ...yesterday.

BUHARI: EXPLOIT CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION Besides travellers on business and essential duties, leisure travel has drastically reduced globally, as nations are putting on measures to restrict the spread of the pandemic. Reports indicated that airlines have cut down their flight operation by 60 per cent in many Asian, European and Middle East destinations. On Wednesday German mega carrier, Lufthansa, announced the cancellation of about 23,000 flights over Coronavirus The airline said it would cancel 23,000 flights from March 29 to April 24 due to the pandemic. “Further cancellations are expected in the coming weeks,” Lufthansa said in a statement. It added that the adjustments mainly affect Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Europe’s biggest operator, Turkish Airlines, said it had taken the decision to temporarily cancel flights due to COVID-19 outbreak, especially to various cities in China, as well as Italy, South Korea and Iraq, which have seen outbreaks of the virus. “Flights to China’s Xi’an, Guangzhou and Shanghai cities are cancelled until 29 March 2020. “As the airline that always puts the travel security at the forefront, Turkish Airlines will continue to monitor the latest developments on the situation with the national and international health authorities and take appropriate precautions,” the airline said in a statement. On its Nigerian operations, Turkish Airlines said due to the Coronavirus outbreak in various countries, it had been changing its flight schedule to several destinations around the globe in accordance with international and national authorities. “We would like to inform our passengers that due to the lowered load factors caused by the suspension of other routes, several of our flights to/from Nigeria would be undergoing cancellations in March,” it said.

Also, the UK based airlines, BA and Ryanair, announced they have cancelled hundreds of flights between the UK and parts of Europe and the US due to Coronavirus outbreak. The BA cancellations include journeys between Heathrow and Italy, France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and Switzerland - plus New York’s JFK. The airline has also cancelled flights between Gatwick and Italy, France and Albania - and London City flights to and from Italy and Germany - after another spike in Coronavirus cases in the UK. BA said the changes to its timetable as a result of the outbreak would see “a number of flights merged between 16 March and 28 March.” A spokesman for the airline said: “We will be contacting customers on cancelled flights so we can discuss their travel options, including re-booking on to other carriers where possible, full refunds or booking with BA for a later date of travel. Earlier in March, Emirates Airways asked some of its staff to take unpaid leave for up to a month at a time due to the rapidly spreading Coronavirus that has led to flight cancellations around the world. In Nigeria, Air Peace, the only indigenous carrier that operates international destination, said it was studying the situation. The airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Toyin Olajide, told THISDAY that Air Peace would abide by any decision taken by the federal government in response to the coronavirus concerning air travel. “Whatever decision taken by government will guide the next move we will make in terms of our operations,” she said. Reviewing the economic and social impact of coronavirus in Nigeria, an aviation consultant and the CEO of Aglow Limited, Mr. Tayo Ojuri, told THISDAY

that industry experts have been monitoring how the disease would affect not only air travel but the global economy. “Oil price is down; this means that government expenditure would reduce and the government is the biggest spender in Nigeria’s economy. “When the economy is down, it will affect the disposable income of individuals, which means that there will be a reduction in the number of people that travel by air because many people travel with their disposable income. So, the economic downturn will affect the capacity of airlines. “With reduction of capacity, airlines will face difficulty in earning the revenue that will enable them to maintain their aircraft because 80 per cent of airline operation is dollardenominated. So, it will be difficult for them to maintain their equipment, retrain their personnel, especially their pilots and engineers, and also acquire spares,” he said. Ojuri urged airlines to synergise their operations, embark on partnerships and review their operational aircraft, by selecting the ones that are most economically efficient at a point in time. He noted that out of $113 billion airlines would lose globally, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa would lose about three per cent of the total sum. EU Condemns US’s Travel Ban as Italy’s Death Toll Passes 1,000 The EU has condemned Donald Trump’s unilateral ban on travel from 26 Europe countries over the widespread of Coronavirus. This is even as death toll from Italy has climbed to 1,016 with over 15,000 persons infected. Ireland, Austria, Turkey and Norway on Thursday joined the growing list of countries to close all schools, universities and kindergartens, while Italy – by far the hardest-hit European

nation – had its infection rates jump by 21 per cent. In a joint statement, the presidents of the European Commission and European Council defended Europe’s record in managing the pandemic and sharply criticised the White House for its failure to consult its allies. Travellers scrambled to rebook flights and global markets slumped after Trump imposed sweeping restrictions on travel from the passport-free Schengen zone on Wednesday night, battering airlines and further straining ties with Europe. The US president restricted travel from the zone, which does not include Britain or Ireland, for 30 days from midnight on Friday. The ban does not apply to American citizens or legal permanent residents of the US and their close family members. “The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent, and requires cooperation rather than unilateral action,” Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel said in a strongly-worded statement. They said the EU “disapproved” of the fact that the US decision was taken “unilaterally and without consultation”, adding: “The EU is taking strong action to limit the spread of the virus.” CEOs: Infrastructure Spending Key to Sustainable Economy Earlier at the final concluding presentation at the “Going for Growth 2.0,” roundtable in Abuja, on Wednesday, chief executive officers (CEOs) and private sector leaders had advised the federal government to spend between 15 and 18 per cent of its annual budgets in the next six years on infrastructure. Doing so, they said, would achieve about 10 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and maintain

a sustainable economy. Their position was expressed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, who gave the final presentation. He said currently, only infrastructure spending could solve the problems relating to economic sustainability, adding that though other policy frameworks around monetary policy may provide some palliatives, long-term issues will be addressed through massive investment in infrastructure. According to him, the current economic predicament, coupled with the threat posed by the spread of coronavirus, the knockdown effect on the country could be monumental without a sustainable economy at this point in time. Wigwe said if the challenges in the power sector were resolved, the overall cost of production in the country could drop by as much as 30 per cent to 40 per cent. He added that power and transportation remained absolutely critical to the resuscitation of the economy because “once you address those two things, you will see the multiplier impact on the economy.” He said: “If these elements are addressed, the larger issues around security, getting more jobs, SMEs will get better. We will have a much more diversified economy, there will be significant import substitution and of course, greater production competitiveness.” He said following the “Going for Growth 2.0,” the federal government must therefore, prioritise investment in infrastructure that can create the largest multiplier impact in a sustainable manner. While noting that countries

such as Italy, United Kingdom and United States have been able to withstand the coronavirus pandemic because they have self-sustaining economies, he said Nigeria could be worse hit as the reverse is the case. A c c o rd i n g t o h i m , Nigeria will need about $100 million over the next six years to address infrastructure deficit. In another development, the presidency yesterday denied an alleged attack on Buhari in Argungu, Kebbi State. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said in a statement that Buhari was in the state to declare open the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival. He said the event was the first time the international tourism event would hold in eleven years, as security considerations had rendered it impracticable. “As the President went around the arena to inspect rice pyramids on display, and take photographs with farmers, a young man was so very excited to see his president so close. He made an attempt to get to him. World over, such would not be allowed by security details. The young man was prevented, and he protested that he should be allowed to greet his president. Now, professional contortionists are making mischief of the event. They are passing the video clip off on social media as an attempt to attack the president,” he explained. He accused those he described as malicious people of twisting things to give a negative narrative. “But they simply dash their heads against the wall. The country moves on,” he added.

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FRIDAY MARCH 13, ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Coronavirus: Inter Milan Ban Victor Moses, Others Former Super Eagles winger, Victor Moses, and his Inter Milan teammates have been banned from all competitive activities according to statement released by their Italian club yesterday. Inter in a statement early Thursday morningsaid while they are taking steps to put all the necessary procedures into place, all competitive activities by the club have been suspended until further notice.

The statement on the Inter Milan website reads: “Following Juventus FC’s

announcement that their player Daniele Rugani has tested positive for COVID-19, FC Internazionale announce that all competitive activities have been suspended until further notice.

“The club is currently taking steps to put all the necessary procedures into place,” the statement added. Juventus late Wednesday nightconfirmed that one of its players, Daniele Rugani, has tested positive for

COVID-19. Rugani was an unused substitute in the team’s last game, at home against Inter Milan last Sunday Juventus announced the result carried out on the defender on its website

and social media channels. The club said Rugani and “those who have had contact with him” are being isolated. It also said Rugani is not showing any symptoms of the virus.

Victor Moses

D E AT H I N L A F I A

LMC Suspends Matches at Lafia Stadium, Bans Match Commissioner

Fines Nasarawa Utd N6m, Six points deduction if breach is repeated

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

conduct capable of bringing the league to disrepute.

Following a review of the incident that led to the death of Chineme Martins last Sunday during the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Matchday 23 fixture between Nasarawa United and Katsina United, the League Management Company (LMC) has amongst other stiff sanctions ordered that no matches shall be hosted at the Lafia Township Stadium until medical requirements and measures stipulated in the League Rules are fully complied with. The LMC also wrote to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) requesting that the Match Commissioner in the said fixture, Mr. Christian Mbah from Enugu State Football Association, be withdrawn permanently from further participation in NPFL matches, for his failure to perform his statutorily duty to ensure all requirements including medical personnel and equipments are in place before allowing the match to go ahead and for also failing to submit his match report within the stipulated time frame despite the aggravated incident from the match. Nasarawa United was charged for breach of Rule C1 of the Framework in that as the home team, it failed to comply with mandatory terms of the league rules and the club licensing regulations, including the provision of fundamental safety and medical requirements, which constituted

In it’s ruling, the LMC said it took cognizance of the club’s compliance with the mandatory medical examinations and records of contracted players under Rule B12.10 in imposing sanctions. Nasarawa United was fined N5million to be paid within 10 working days and another fine of N1million for conduct capable of bringing the league to disrepute. The LMC also made a suspended order of six points deduction/forfeiture which will be activated should a similar breach occur before the end of the 2020/2021 season. The club is required within 48 hours of the date of the notice, to either accept in writing, the summary jurisdiction and the sanctions or elect to be dealt with by a Commission. As part of measures to ensure no repeat of death of any player in the domestic league, a tripartite committee of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, NFF, LMC and other key Stakeholders it to be constituted by the NFF in consultation with the Minister of Youth and Sports. The committee is expected to review the incident in Lafia and make recommendations on how to improve matchday medical services and general security of players, officials and fans among other steps aimed at improving the NPFL match day organization and experience across all venues.

Ighalo Inspires Man Utd to Big Win in Austria Manchester United took control of their Europa League last-16 tie Thursday night with a resounding first-leg win at LASK, in front of a crowd of 500 people. Odion Ighalo’s superb goal set United on their way inside a largely empty Linzer Stadion after the Austrian government had restricted the attendance in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The 30-year-old Nigeria striker has now scored four goals in three starts United, who are now unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions. However, he will have scored few better, or in a more surreal

atmosphere than the opening goal, with the forward collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass and juggling the ball from right foot to left, before dispatching it into the top left corner, off the underside of the crossbar. Despite making five changes to the side that started their Manchester derby victory on Sunday, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side appeared confident and fluent throughout. Juan Mata, Daniel James and Harry Maguire all had chances to add to their tally, before James strode on to Ighalo’s second-half pass to drive a right foot effort into the bottom left corner.

Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo (centre) celebrating his goal against Austria’s LASK during their UEFA Europa League Last 16 Round...last night. United won the first leg 5-0. Photo: Reuters

Edo 2020 NSF: SuperSport Named Host Broadcaster SuperSport Nigeria,a Pan-Africa group of television channels has been named the host broadcaster for the 20th National Sports Festival which begins March 22in Benin City, Edo State. Chairman of the Marketing Sub-committee of the Edo 2020 Festival, Mike Itemuagbor disclosed yesterday in Benin that SuperSport has been appointed by the Local Organising Committee for the Festival to provide the content and broadcast signals of the events of the Festival. “SuperSport will provide the broadcast signals for all the events of the Festival with special emphasis on the opening and closing ceremonies, the male and female football finals as well as the finals of the male and female 100m, 200m and relay events in track and

field,” stressed Itemuagbor who further disclosed that the signals produced by SuperSport will be available for willing broadcast stations in Nigeria and elsewhere for a fee. “The signals will be available for broadcast stations here in Nigeria and elsewhere and it will be on first come, first served basis. There will also be highlights of the events of the Festival which will also be on offer for those who are interested. They should contact the marketing sub-committee of the Local Organising Committee for talks on the modalities for the use of the broadcast signals,’ he explained and revealed the choice of SuperSport is based on their proven track record in the production of quality signals for major international events including the 2019 Africa Cup

of Nations in Egypt, qualifying games for both the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the on-going 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. “ In addition, we are also looking at contents produced with high definition cameras as well as personnel who have the experience to undertake such a huge task.The company has trained so many Nigerians who will be available to produce what will probably be the best ever National Sports Festival content in history.’’ Itemuagbor is confident Nigerians will be able to watch the football and track and field events of the Festival in particular and other events and feel they are watching a FIFA World Cup match or that of the World Athletics Championships. “ What Edo 2020 is bringing

to the table this month will be refreshingly different from what Nigerians are used to in terms of everything that has to do with the organisation of the Festival includng of course the television content available for either live broadcast, delayed broadcast or highlights. And we have a ‘brand new, world class,” television-friendly Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to make this an experience of a lifetime’. “His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Philip Shaibu has stated unequivocally that the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival will redefine National Sports Festival in Nigeria and part of the redifinition is the production of world-class content and broadcast signals for the event,” Itemuagbor concluded.

Delta Will Win at Edo 2020, Says Gov. Okowa Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured Deltans that the State will successfully defend the National Sports Festival title at the 20th edition starting in Benin City, Edo State on March 22. Speaking at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on Wednesday shortly after receiving the festival’s Torch of Unity, Okowa said although he realized that Edo State was determined to host and win the national sports festival, Delta was also leaving no stone unturned to “storm Benin in Grand style” and ensure it maintains the winning streak as in previous editions.

“We’re going to Benin in grand style; we’re going to Benin to win laurels with”, Okowa assured Deltans, adding, “I believe, and I hope Delta State will continue to maintain a commanding and leading role in sports development in the country.” Okowa who also pulled the curtain on the 2019/2020 edition of the Delta State School Sports Festival that Wednesday, describes the basic and post-primary schools as the foundation for sports development even in the advanced countries of the world. The governor noted that his administration was revamping sports through discovery of talents at those levels as well as the development of sports

facilities across the state. Okowa while appreciating ‘the enthusiastic performance of the young athletes”, however, cautioned against all forms of malpractices from sports officials, teachers as well as the young athletes, noting that “sports is not a must-win affair,” they must make fairness in the spirit of sportsmanship their watchword. The state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Patrick Ukah, noted that the 2020 edition of Delta schools festival was the second since the revival of the annual event began under the Okowa administration. Ukah expressed gladness that this year’s festival was an improvement over the previous edition because the

challenges identified had been adequately addressed. “Following our experience in the maiden edition, we have invented a number of innovations to further showcase the uniqueness of the of the festival,” Ukah disclosed, stressing sports like hockey and cricket were added to the list of game to be competed for honours. He revealed that the festival mascot - Ogaga - depicts the ‘Stronger Delta’ vision of the Okowa administration. Tagged “Greater Delta Games”, the festival comprises three categories namely Primary, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary, with over 2,000 schools registering for participation in the games whose preliminaries began on January 27, 2020.

FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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Friday March 13, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Lawmaker to Amaechi

“All around Amaechi in the federal cabinet is evidence of prebendalism of the most extreme and unconscionable type, but the minister is either too fixated on promoting the binary fissures of retrogressive politics at home to understand or simply lacks the requisite self-awareness to do” – Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Solomon Bob, taking a swipe at the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi for saying that Rivers State was not being considered for federal projects because of insecurity.

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

Obasanjo at 83 O

ne of the more dramatic political developments in contemporary Nigeria is the review and reexamination, President Olusegun Obasanjo felt compelled to undertake on the fundamentals of Nigerian politics. It is an indication of the extremist politics of incumbent major political actors- who have invited the rest of us to see Nigeria in all its ugly nakedness and dare us not to come to terms with it. In the process he has had to stake political positions and make pronouncements with the unintended consequence of hurting or bringing out the worst in otherwise admirable compatriots. I have dignified personalities like Malam Ahmed Joda in mind. I believed so much in Joda that I opened myself to the degenerate possibility of getting into fisticuffs in his defence as Pan Nigerian Northerner. My antagonist swore on the evidence he garnered from his friendship with Joda’s son that Joda is as Northern irredentist as they come. The latter soon provided the evidence in his heartfelt rejoinder to the ‘Fulanisation’ debate sparked by his close friend and associate, in and out of government namely Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. According to Joda, “there is sufficient evidence that the much-touted Fulani political domination is mere hallucination with political motives designed to achieve certain objectives. That is why I cannot understand how this dying clan can fulanise not only Nigeria but the whole of the West African sub region”. I was quite taken aback not so much at his protest as the malicious language he employed in serving the notice. I don’t know how much damage this turn of events had dealt their close and fruitful relationship after this exchange but I got an indication indirectly from Obasanjo. In one way or another, his publicised controversial visit to Kaduna recently had to do with Joda who couldn’t fulfill his obligation as the Chancellor of Bells University (to chair the graduation ceremony-Obasanjo is the proprietor of Bells University) on account of acute ill-health. I extracted the Joda quote from a long extenuating missive on how the Fulani in Nigeria are more sinned against than sinning. My disappointment at Joda is that nowhere is it indicated in his long essay that action and reaction may be equal and opposite; that Nigeria has endured enough provocation since 2015 and it is time to call the bluff of the agent provocateur. In vain do we search for any self-critical acknowledgement that perhaps, the current Fulani personification in Nigeria is negatively spotlighting the Fulani identity as never before; that this action will dialectically generate the antithetical equal and opposite reaction. It is this self- indulgent attitude and entitlement syndrome that has been the bane of the escapist defenders of the indefensible. Where my clan members are implicated, it is see no evil, hear no evil and say no evil. The point I want to make is Obasanjo’s preparedness to make sacrifice including sacrifice of personal relations, in pursuit of the goal he believes in-and none more so, now, than the admission (and willingness to confront it) that the constitutional article of the potentially disintegrative political structure of Nigeria is not etched in concrete. Were he to be less offensive, adamant and truculent in pushing his radically conservative ideological standpoint, many of his critics down

Obasanjo South would have been proportionally more inlined to lend him a sympathetic hearing. Like we all are, he is a product of his unique history. And that history is rooted in the baptism he received from the politics of the coup and counter coup of 1966. The fate that spared him of implication in the Nzeogwu coup was the same fate that birthed him in the embrace and sanctuary of Northern hegemony politics. “Hassan Katsina had made a prophetic statement about Obasanjo. We must do everything to protect Obasanjo from harm. Nigeria will need him in future.” “....Obasanjo was always in touch with Hassan Katsina. Then Hassan asked us to prepare to move to Maiduguri. We left our house for the Kaduna air base in a car protected by three armoured cars in front and another three behind,” rendered his wife. The same logic that persuaded the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Yoruba political establishment to team up with the Northern controlled federal military government in the civil war was the same logic that informed his adoption of the vision that views Nigeria from pro-Northern lenses. And in this vision, he has been confirmed and vindicated by the providential role he played in the civil war. Whoever receives the surrender of Biafra should be excused for a near fanatical commitment to the unity of Nigeria. Whichever Yoruba became

military head of state in the circumstances in which Obasanjo did in 1976 is the least likely to warm up to the idea of rocking the boat of Nigeria’s political status quo. Fate seemed to have grounded and handed him over in silent conspiracy with the status quo powers. As it has been benevolent to him, so has he been of indispensable utility to the heirs of British colonialism. As captured by his former deputy “No living Nigerian has given as much to Nigeria in peacetime and in war as you have”. The open secret of the success of Northern hegemony is knowing when to coopt and when to go into recessive and elusive mode. It was this strategic thinking that informed the adoption of General Yakubu Gowon as the cross cutting Northern face of the civil war. “Faced with the threat of an alliance between the Yoruba West and the Igbo East, the Northern-controlled Federal Military Government became visibly alarmed....Gowon studiously drew Chief Awolowo closer to himself....By this act, the East-West alliance foreshadowed by U.P.G.A. was destroyed, and a new North-West alliance was born, lamented Ralph Uwechue. Equally, this was the strategic mindset behind the projection of Obasanjo as the provisional Principal of Northern hegemony-the vaunted Nigerian unity being Northern hegemony writ large. And as I have argued elsewhere, there would have been little wrong with the hegemony were it not for the cardinal sin and double jeopardy of its ruinous incompetence- standing in the way of the cultivation of productivity driven development ethic as of national essence. In the notion rather than actual existence of a Kaduna Mafia (the fabled personification of Northern hegemony), he has been both the mentor and protege. In the crude but effective intervention of Buhari, this minimally tolerable status quo is under siege and the resolution of the crisis it has spawned, one way or another, will determine the future of Nigeria. Obasanjo has been a soft target for many wannabe Yoruba nationalists and Nigerian progressives. Yet, howsoever you want to judge him and his political history, he was the one who gave concrete meaning to the opposition against the relentless excesses of the Buhari government and the ominous direction the country is being driven. If he was willing to lend himself to this role in full awareness of its potential consequences especially the tragic

Obasanjo has been a soft target for many wannabe Yoruba nationalists and Nigerian progressives. Yet, howsoever you want to judge him and his political history, he was the one who gave concrete meaning to the opposition against the relentless excesses of the Buhari government and the ominous direction the country is being driven

Abacha precedent, then he merits a respite and positive salutation. Contrast this with his traducers, especially the idle California domiciled lions and tigers of the social media stratosphere who have nothing to lose beyond being called to order on the penchant for beer parlour criticism. The theory of the step he has taken going forward is as follows: He has come to terms with the knowledge that predicating the formula for the viability of Nigeria on the right leadership tantamounts to waiting for godot. Anticipating the emergence of the elusive good leadership as the panacea to the problems of Nigeria is the best case scenario- but science is predicated on the worst not the best case scenario. The worst case scenario anticipates all that can go wrong including bad leadership and proceeds to recommend a (near fullproof) formula with an inbuilt mechanism to limit the damage that bad leadership can wreak on society. In Nigeria, this perhaps is the most important practical purpose federalism would serve- limiting the capacity, to the irreducible minimum, of the leader at the centre (in Abuja) to violate the country. The most amenable analogy to this theory is the design of the aeroplane- which proceeds from the premise of anticipating all that can go wrong. And in the words of Professor Wole Soyinka ““Centralisation, in short, has been the bane of the nation – on any level you choose – and nothing will answer the necessity of a harmonious relationship and development of its parts other than a severe curtailment of the control of the Centre over the functioning of its parts”Thus I responded to his (Obasanjo) exasperation with the relentless sinking of Nigeria- when he posed the question-”Now what do you really believe is the way forward for Nigeria and you never mind my preferences?. Well, better late than never. I concluded with the considered opinion of Oye Ibidapo Obe-who was old and perceptive enough to know “It is clear that we were individually and collectively happier prior to 1966 than now”. If this assertion is true, it is an indication that the departure point for the downward spiral of Nigeria was the abrogation of the independence constitution. The last I saw him, he left me with this resolve ‘If the assumptions we have held on Nigeria in the past 60 years is now being questioned, then it is time to take a look at the political structure of the country. And one of those critical assumptions is that that the headship of the three tiers of government- the executive, the judiciary and the legislature must not come from one section of the country By way of my mundane obligation towards wishing him a happy birthday, I adopt the sentiments of an admirer “What is more instructive about the retired General’s unsuccessful run for the office of the chief executive of the world body is the fact that he did not withdraw into self abnegation or pity, but decided to retool himself in the tiny details of international diplomacy”. “Perhaps it is on account of his abiding love for the youth as the leaders of tomorrow that life has favoured Obasanjo with enormous grace, such that he remains young in heart and body, never aging and refusing to be caged by adversities or vicissitudes of daily living”.

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