SUNDAY 2ND APRIL 2023

FG Extends NUPRC's Mini-bid Round Deadline to July 28 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government has approved the amendment of the calendar for the 2022/2023 deep offshore oil block mini-bid round as part of its efforts to boost confidence in the transparency and continuity of the process.

A statement issued yesterday by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said the move was to accommodate the concerns expressed by both local and international investors over the closeness of the schedule to the terminal date of President

Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

According to the statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, the president made the approval in his capacity as the Petroleum Resources Minister.

Komolafe said the commission

revised the deep offshore oil block bid round schedule by extending the deadline for the submission of Technical/Commercial bids to May 19, 2023.

In addition, he disclosed that the timeline for concluding activities of contract negotiations and signing is now between July

3 and 28, 2023.

He explained that 2022/23 deep offshore oil block mini-bid round was progressing under the bid round schedule.

"The outstanding activities for the conclusion of the exercise include the technical/commercial bid submission and the ministerial

consent/contract negotiation and signing.

"The technical/commercial bid submission involves data access, purchase, evaluation, bid preparation, and submission; bid evaluation and publication of Continued on page 5

Senior Journalist Accuses Onanuga of Insurrection against Independent Media… Page 6 Sunday 2 April, 2023 Vol 28. No 10217

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N400

N

APC Awaits Tinubu’s Return Before Zoning N’Assembly Leadership… Page 5

Interim Govt a Plot By APC, DSS to Subvert Election Tribunal, Says PDP Challenges secret police to arrest politicians behind alleged plot Vows to prove its case in tribunal PDP suffering from post-election trauma, APC claims

Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The controversy over the alleged plot to install an interim government

in the country has continued unabated as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described it as a covert plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and

the Department of State Services (DSS) to subvert the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

The main opposition party, which has also restated its opposition to

an interim government, describing it as unconstitutional, also charged the DSS to work covertly like its counterparts all over the world to unmask the politicians plotting to

truncate the swearing-in of a new government on May 29.

But in a swift response, the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the APC has said that

the main opposition party was suffering from post-election trauma.

The National Publicity Secretary Continued on page 5

Police Arrest Electoral Fraud Evidence in Rivers, Free Lawyers Cole cries out to Buhari for intervention NBA, Falana, SERAP express outrage Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt In what appeared to be a plot to frustrate the filing of election petitions against the alleged fraud in the just-concluded elections in Rivers State, the police authorities in the state yesterday arrested lawyers preparing election petitions for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The police officers also seized all their documents containing the evidence of the alleged fraud in the elections in an apparent bid to stop the lawyers from appearing before the election petition tribunal on Monday.

The arrested lawyers include Aondo Jerry, Dr. Nelson U. Sobere, and Odum C. Eyiba.

However, hours later, the Rivers State chapter of the APC said the lawyers have been released following the public outrage that trailed the action of the police.

The spokesperson of the APC in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, confirmed that “the lawyers were granted bail on self-recognition while Continued on page 5

PAYING LAST RESPECTS… L-R: Editor, THISDAY Lawyer: Mrs. Onikepo Braithwaite; Senior Journalist, Mrs. Modele Sarafa-Yusuf; THISDAY Ombudsman, Mr. Kayode Komolafe; Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc and Anap Foundation, Mr. Atedo Peterside; Chairman, THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; and Anchor, ARISE NEWS Channel, Ms Ruth Osime, during the funeral ceremony for Professor Beatrice Olabimpe Aboyade in Ibadan…yesterday

2

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

3

4

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

5

APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

APC Awaits Tinubu’s Return Before Zoning N’Assembly Leadership South-south, South-east favoured to produce Senate president

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to have worked out a zoning formula for the election of the presiding officers of the 10th National Assembly ahead of its inauguration in June 2023, THISDAY's investigation has revealed.

The ruling party, it was learnt, is now awaiting the return of the President-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu, for a final decision on the matter.

This is coming as strong indications have continued to show that the South-south and South-east are favoured to produce the Senate President.

THISDAY gathered at the weekend that the party's National

Working Committee (NWC) already has a draft of the zoning formula for the selection of the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House Speaker, and Deputy Speaker, among the returning members of the two chambers.

It was learnt that the party's NWC at a recent meeting agreed on the template for choosing the presiding officers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives but is only waiting for input from the national leader of the party and President-elect, Tinubu.

A member of the NWC of the APC, who spoke to THISDAY last night, disclosed that the party’s leadership has worked out a proposed formula for sharing the principal officers of the incoming

National Assembly.

“The party has not been sleeping.

Consultations started before the governorship elections and a proposed template is ready and will be presented to the President-elect,” he said.

He told THISDAY that for the office of the Senate President, the party is looking in the direction of South-south and South-east.

It was learnt that the senators from the two zones have stepped up their lobby at the level of the party’s leadership by selling their candidature to the leaders and members of the NWC in the last few days.

Tinubu had last month travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj from the United Kingdom and is said to be in

Paris, France at the moment, where he is said to be holding consultative meetings on his proposed cabinet ahead of his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

THISDAY gathered that the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who joined him earlier yesterday in France, also broke the Ramadan fast with him in the evening.

Before he travelled, Tinubu had revealed that he had no preferred candidates for the leadership of both chambers.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, disclosed this at the meeting with the new members-elect

of the National Assembly.

It was gathered that in the proposed zoning formula, only the South-west and the North-east zones which produced the President-elect and Vice President-elect, respectively, are exempted from vying for the leadership of the legislative arm of government.

Though the South-east and South-south are said to be favoured, the North-west and North-central zones are also eligible to vie for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

The APC currently has 57 Senators-elect as against 27 by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while the Labour Party has eight seats, NNPP and SDP got two seats each while APGA and YPP

won a seat each.

Eight senatorial elections have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and are to be concluded on April 15, 2023.

Already, some Senators-elect have made public their intention to vie for the Presidency of the 10th Senate.

They include Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Southeast); former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio (South-South); Senator Sani Musa (North-central); Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Barau Jibrin (North-west); former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari (North-west) and outgoing Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi (South-east).

materials,” he said.

“The primary purpose of the latest display of naked power is to frustrate the opposition from filing an election petition against the rigging and violence that marred the March 18 governorship election in Rivers State.

“Since there is no legal justification for the arrest and detention of the lawyers, we are compelled to call on the inspectorgeneral of police to order their immediate release.

“The Rivers State Commissioner of Police should publicly apologise to the lawyers. Those who claim to have won the governorship election in Rivers must be prepared

to defend their mandate without any intimidation or harassment of lawyers and witnesses,” Falana explained.

On its part, SERAP urged President Buhari to direct the police to release the detained lawyers.

SERAP also condemned the arrest of the lawyers, describing it as “impunity” “President Buhari must instruct the police to immediately release three lawyers who are reportedly arrested while filing processes to challenge the just concluded governorship election in Rivers State. This impunity must STOP,” SERAP tweeted.

POLICE ARREST ELECTORAL FRAUD EVIDENCE IN RIVERS, FREE LAWYERS members of the support staff were granted conditional bail.”

The arrested persons were three lawyers and five support staff.

He, however, alleged that the election documents and the laptops with which the lawyers were working were still being detained at press time.

The APC governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Tonye Cole, has sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to President Muhammadu Buhari regarding the arrest of evidence of electoral fraud in the state.

In the message, Cole said: “Today in the morning hours the police in Rivers State arrested three lawyers that are standing for APC in Rivers State with regards to the justconcluded governorship election.

“Just this night after much effort by the leaders of the party, the police released the three lawyers but are still withholding all the electoral documents collected from the lawyers.”

As at press time, Cole was still at the State CID headquarters.

He vowed not to leave the facility until the documents are released.

While the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has vowed to take legal action against the police officers who arrested the lawyers, a human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has also condemned the action of the police officers, whose motive was to prevent the lawyers from appearing before the election tribunal on Monday.

Also, a civil advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Buhari to direct the police to release the lawyers.

The ordeal of the lawyers started

in the early morning of yesterday when the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force unlawfully and illegally arrested the lawyers and the support staff of Tuduru Ede (SAN) &Co, who were preparing Election Petitions for APC candidates who INEC claimed lost the elections of March 18, 2023, to the Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to a source who gave the account of the incident on condition of anonymity, the arrests were made in a hotel along Tombia Road, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt.

“The lawyers owing to tight timelines to file petitions quartered in the hotel to meet filing periods of 21 days.

“They only had Forms EC8As and related forms issued by INEC and committed no offences for accepting and working their briefs.

“Their clients who are APC and APC candidates have the right of access to the tribunal which the Police in collaboration with PDP are aggressively trying to obstruct by arresting and humiliating the lawyers.

“The arrested lawyers include Aondo Jerry, Dr Nelson U. Sobere, and Odum C. Eyiba.”

“They are currently held at a Police Station in Port Harcourt without access to them even upon several efforts of their principal Tuduru Ede (SAN) and other APC chieftains,” the senior lawyer explained.

Items seized from the lawyers include laptops and exhibits required for their petition defence, such as the agent’s copy of Form EC8 and CTC of INEC documents.

NBA, Falana, SERAP Express Outrage Reacting to the incident, the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), in a statement issued yesterday vowed that the body would move against the police officers that were behind the arrest of the lawyers.

Maikyau stated that it was unfortunate and disturbing for police officers to be used as tools for contravening the rule of law.

He said though the police authorities had assured him of their release, NBA would ensure that those involved in the lawyers’ arrest would face the law.

The statement read in part: “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) strongly condemns such unwarranted harassment of lawyers in the lawful performance of their professional duties to their clients.

“Situations, where the instrumentality of the police is apparently being used to harass and intimidate lawyers, is a direct affront to the rule of law and a threat to our democracy; it is an invitation to anarchy and chaos, as people would rather resort to self-help than approach the civil and constitutional means provided for the resolution of disputes.

“I reached out to the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the Commissioner of Police (CP) Rivers State, and I have been assured of the release of our colleagues.

“We shall also take up the matter to ensure that any person(s) including police officers, who may be found complicit in the events leading to the arrest of our

FG EXTENDS NUPRC'S MINI-BID ROUND DEADLINE TO JULY 28 results as well as commercial bid conference and announcement of winners," he added.

Komolafe reiterated that the commission was fully committed to conducting the bid round in a manner that would guarantee the achievement of the objectives of the exercise, pointing out that participation would be robust and beneficial to key stakeholders.

According to him, constant interrogation and oversight of the process revealed two concerns, which he said the commission felt might impact the success of the exercise if not immediately addressed.

"The concerns are the plan to conclude the bid process before the transition to the new government and the need to guarantee the participation of qualified indigenous companies, working collaboratively with multinationals and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to leverage technology, funding, and expertise in the deep offshore," he added.

The commission, he recalled, had already announced the requirement for the Joint Venture (JV) arrangements between the IOCs and indigenous companies, stressing that it had also amended the guidelines, accordingly.

This measure, the NUPRC chief executive said, has not only addressed the second concern but also supports the Nigerian content requirements of the bid round.

"It is also in accordance with Section 16(1)(a) of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that resources of the nation shall be harnessed in a manner that promotes national prosperity and efficient, dynamic, and self-sustaining economy.

"The extension of time is also to afford interested multinationals and IOCs enough time to enter into, and conclude the necessary joint venture arrangements as well as allow for proper evaluation of relevant data by all bidders," Komolafe concluded.

Nigeria, which targets 3 million barrels per day of crude oil production and a reserve of 50 billion barrels, has been struggling to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota of 1.8 million barrels per day.

NUPRC had announced in January that the winners of the mini-bid for the deep offshore licensing round would be announced in four months to bring the process to an end.

However, all awardees, the

commission said, must be duly registered in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and may participate either as an individual company or as a consortium In the bid round, seven Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) are up for grabs while Wood Mackenzie was contracted as the consultant for the mini-bid.

The listed seven deep offshore open blocks include PPL-300-DO, PPL-301-DO, PPL-302-DO, PPL303-DO, PPL-304-DO, PPL-305DO, and PPL-306-DO. The seven deep offshore blocks covering an area of approximately 6,700 km2 in water depths of 1,150m to 3,100m are intended to be the first in a series of bid rounds aimed at further development of Nigeria’s prospective petroleum basins, according to the NUPRC. In the last bid round held in April 2007, a total of 45 blocks were put on offer under a different regulatory regime, the Petroleum Act, of 1969.

The mini-bid exercise was designed to attract competent investors from across the world who have the capability and competence in operating in the deep water environment.

colleagues, is sanctioned for any possible abuse of office.

“I will continue to talk with Mr. Tuduru (SAN) and shall keep you posted on further developments in this matter.”

Also reacting, Falana called on the Inspector General of Police (IG), Usman Baba, to order the release of the three lawyers detained in Rivers State.

Falana argued that their arrest and detention had no justification in law.

“I have just confirmed that the police will drag the detained lawyers to a magistrate court on Monday, April 3, and charge them with the forgery of electoral

INTERIM GOVT A PLOT BY APC, DSS TO SUBVERT ELECTION TRIBUNAL, SAYS PDP of PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, who blamed the APC for the DSS alarm, in an interview with THISDAY in Abuja yesterday, argued that the ruling party was aware that it did not win the presidential election held on February 25.

According to the main opposition party, the ruling party is working covertly to suggest that the opposition parties are clamouring for an interim government, knowing full well that both the Presidentelect, Bola Tinubu and the party cannot survive the outcome of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

“The entire idea of an interim government is a plot by the APC and the DSS to subvert the outcome of the presidential election tribunal.

Why should the PDP be part of it? We know the PDP won the presidential election. We are at the presidential tribunal to prove we won; so, why must we follow all illegal routes?

"As a party of due process and a party that believes in the Constitution of Nigeria, we are in the presidential election tribunal challenging the illegalities that took place on February 25.

"Why should we opt for a short option? Look, the idea of the interim government is the brainchild of the APC, because they knew what they concocted with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); the APC knew that the election is nothing but a sham and therefore cannot stand the test of time.

"This explains its theory of Interim government with the DSS, trying to find a way out of their awful rigging. Have you been reading international journals and newspapers and seeing how Nigeria has become a laughing stock as well as begging serious democratic nations to congratulate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president-elect?

"If the presidential election was credible, international communities will on their own congratulate the winner of the election," Ologunagba explained.

He urged the DSS to stop making unnecessary claims and statements, reminding it that as secret police, it should engage in covert operations to unmask those

behind the alleged plot to install an interim government.

"We, in the PDP, will advise them to emulate their counterparts all over the world. They don't make unnecessary claims and statements.

The DSS is a secret police. They undergo covert operations. They are not to be seen, their actions are secrets and are louder than voices.

"We challenge them to arrest and prosecute those politicians with entrenched interest,” he added.

PDP Suffering from Post-election Trauma, APC Claims Reacting to the PDP’s allegation, the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the APC told THISDAY that the main opposition party was suffering from post-election trauma.

The spokesperson of the campaign, Mr. Festus Keyamo, (SAN), while reacting to PDP's allegation, said there was no correlation between Interim National Government and Election Petition Tribunal because the invitation comes before the court’s decision.

He said: "There is no correlation between the court and the interim national government because the court decision will not come before the inauguration. So, there is no correlation, it is a corkless statement.

How does it affect it? They are afraid Asiwaju will lose in court; how does it affect it? The statement does not make sense. There is no logic behind that statement.

"Except you can't tell me the logic; maybe, I'm not seeing it, but when you explain the logic better, I can see, but I am not seeing the logic.

"How will cooking up a story of interim national government help the court case? How does it help the court case? PDP, they are suffering from post-election trauma, that's what they are affecting from.

When somebody is suffering from trauma, there is no logic behind what they are saying,” Keyamo added.

PDP Directs State Chapters to Submit Reports in 2023

General Election Meanwhile, the main opposition party has directed all the state chapters of the party to submit a comprehensive report of the outcome of the general election, to enable it to form and take decisions.

When asked when the party will summon the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Ologunagba said, "at the moment, the National Working Committee (NWC) has directed all our state chapters to give us a comprehensive report of what happened during the general election, it is only upon after that can we contemplate a meeting of NEC." In a related development, the South-south zone of the PDP has hailed the party over the amicable resolution of the crisis that emerged from the suspension of the party’s chairman, Senator Iyrochia Ayu, and his replacement

by Alhaji Iliya Umar.

The zonal committee has also called for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation committee to achieve lasting peace in the party.

The resolutions of the SouthSouth chapter of the party followed a meeting of the Chief Dan Orbih-led zonal branch at the zonal headquarters in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

The party in a statement issued by its zonal publicity secretary, Bishop Etim Ante while commending its candidates who won in the 2023 general election, also commended the NWC for its handling of Ayu’s suspension saga and the subsequent assumption of office by the Deputy National Chairman North, Alhaji Iliya Umar Damagum as acting National Chairman.

“The zone calls for an amicable resolution of all lingering crises bedeviling the party.

“The zone recommends the setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to achieve lasting peace and unity for the progress and growth of the party,” the South-south PDP said following the decision of Ayu to step down as national chairman,” it added.

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 2, 2023

6

NEWS

FINISHING STRONG… L-R: Immediate past Chairman of Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN); new Chairman, Body of Benchers, Justice Mary Peter-Odili (rtd); and former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), at a send-forth dinner in honour of Olanipekun in Abuja…recently

Senior Journalist Accuses Onanuga of Insurrection against Independent Media Says it's a reminder of Abacha’s dictatorship Wale Igbintade A veteran journalist and rights activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, has raised the alarm that the incoming government of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be intolerant of the free press.

Akinnola vowed that Nigerians would resist any planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way they fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.

Akinnola in an open letter dated April 1, 2023, written to the Director of Media of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All

Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Bayo Onanuga, expressed dismay that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) slammed Channels Television with a N5 million fine, following a petition allegedly written by Onanuga over an interview by the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.

NBC had last week slammed a fine of N5 million on Channels Television for allegedly breaking the broadcasting code in a programme with Baba-Ahmed.

The sanction came a few hours after Tinubu petitioned the station over its interview with the LP vice

Media to Inaugurate Complaints Commission Tomorrow James Emejo in Abuja The Nigerian media will tomorrow inaugurate the board of the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC) as part of the efforts to strengthen public confidence in the media as a credible barometer of public opinion.

The nine-member board of the NMCC is also known as the National Ombudsman.

The information was disclosed in a statement dated March 31 and signed by the President of Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) and Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Kabiru Yusuf.

The nine-member board will act as the National Ombudsman and will be drawn from various fields, including media, bar, academia and civil society groups.

They include: Emeka Izeze, former Managing Director, Guardian Newspapers (Chairman); A. B Mahmoud (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna, Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Academics) Paul University, Awka, Anambra State.

Others include: Dr Hussain Abdu, a Development Specialist and Country Director, Care International (Nigeria); Lanre Idowu, Editor-inChief, Diamond Publications Ltd. and Founder, of Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

Also, Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA); Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo, a journalist, Lawyer and Arbitrator,

Eugenia Abu, Broadcaster, Author, and Columnist, and the Chair, House of Representatives Committee on Information.

The inauguration, according to the statement, is a major step by the media industry to strengthen public confidence in the media through prompt resolution of issues bordering on ethical breaches in media content.

The commission will also act as a credible barometer of public opinion.

Yusuf noted that the process is being driven by the NPO comprising the NPAN; Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON); Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) alongside other strategic media partners and the civil society, in particular, the MacArthur Foundation.

“The commission will serve as an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press quickly, fairly, and free of charge; maintain high standards of Nigerian Journalism and journalistic ethics; and defend the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know,” the statement noted.

Media organisations have earlier been directed to institute at the newspaper level, a local Ombudsman before February 22, when the commission was created.

The National Ombudsman will serve as an appellate body for the local Ombudsman as well as a court of first instance, Yusuf said.

presidential candidate.

While fielding questions on a Channels Television programme, Baba-Ahmed asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, not to swear in Bola Tinubu as president.

The LP vice-presidential candidate said there is no president-elect because Tinubu did not allegedly meet the requirements of the constitution.

However, Akinnola, who in his letter reminded Onanuga of their long-time friendship, accused him of violating all the principles they both fought for under the military, particularly against the military onslaught on the free press.

He warned that Nigerians would resist any planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way they fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.

The letter read: "I hope you are now happy and satisfied that NBC has sanctioned Channels with a N5 million fine, following your petition over Datti Ahmed’s interview on Channels Television.

"Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Dr. Olu Onagoruwa (both of

blessed memories) were the best of friends for several years but that friendship was truncated when the latter decided to join the Abacha junta as the Attorney-General, churning out despicable Decrees.

Their relationship ended and Gani publicly upbraided his erstwhile friend.

"You and I have been friends for several years, fought many battles together against the military, particularly against their onslaught on the free press. I, therefore, feel pained that l have to publicly upbraid you for your recent public statements, particularly your petition against Channels Television, to NBC. “Et tu, Bayo? I’m still trying to wrap my head around your sudden 360 degrees against all you fought for under the military. You are yet to be in government and you have started exhibiting intolerance against the independent media, the same thing you fought for all your years like Dr Onagoruwa did. I’m sure your principal, who has been a lover of a free press, would be embarrassed by your position.

"I watched the interview under reference and I must say, you are

very unfair to Seun Okinbaloye, the anchor man who repeatedly cautioned Datti Ahmed for making some seemingly inciting comments, to the anger and discomfiture of Datti-Ahmed. So, in all conscience, what then is the basis of your petition to NBC? Can you compare that to your recent incendiary post against an ethnic group? Why are you making enemies for your principal, instead of friends, in a country so polarised? While your principal is preaching unity and healing, you are busy trying to make more enemies for him.

Yesterday, it was ARISE NEWS Channel; today, it is Channels. Is that a foretaste of what to experience in the incoming government? So, we should be fixated on NTA and TVC? Isn’t that what you are trying to say proverbially? To say that I’m totally embarrassed by your silly conduct would be stating it mildly.

"For eight years, despite all vitriolic attacks on the president, Femi Adesina, as Special Adviser, Media to the president, did not petition against any medium but you wey never enter, don dey censor the media. What a shame! I can

expect the disaster that awaits us if you become the presidential spokesperson. Do l subscribe to unfettered press freedom? No. I believe every freedom comes with responsibility. However, when you create a perception that the incoming government would be intolerant of the free press, we need to sound the alarm bell.

"My dear Bayo, it is often said that until a man tastes power or has access to money, you can’t judge his character. That may not be true because one of our mutual friends, Tunji Bello, has tasted both but has been the normal self that l have known for over three decades. His decent character has not changed, in and out of government. So, could it be that your real character is just unfolding? Just because you are now at the periphery of power, you are ready to obliterate all the values and principles you held all these years. What a shame!

"Take notice that we would fight this your planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way we, including you, fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.”

Tinubu: INEC Hires Ex-NBA President, Eight Other Senior Advocates to Defend Election Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appointed no fewer than nine Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to defend its conduct of the February 25, 2023, presidential election, THISDAY has learnt.

The team, according to City Lawyer, is to be led by former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud (SAN). Other members of the team are Stephen Adehi (SAN), Oluwakemi Pinheiro (SAN), Miannaya Essien (SAN), and Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN).

It was gathered from a member of the legal team that four SANs who are staff of INEC’s Legal Department are also members of the legal team alongside Messrs Garba Hassan, Musa Attah, and Ms. Patricia Obi. Last week, it was revealed that the electoral umpire had

budgeted over N3 billion to defend the results of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as the March 18 governorship and state House of Assembly polls.

It would be recalled that the commission had on March 1, 2023, declared Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

NEC declared that Tinubu polled a total of 8,794,726 votes and also scored over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, while Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 6,984,520 votes to take the second position.

According to the electoral umpire, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi came third in the election with a total of 6,101,533 votes, while

Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

However, Atiku, Obi, and two other presidential candidates Solomon Okangbuan of the Action Alliance (AA) and Chichi Ojei of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) have challenged INEC’s declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election by filing their petitions at the Presidential Elections Tribunal in Abuja.

The election, which was criticised by many observers and the opposition parties as having been fraught with some irregularities, was adjudged to be free and fair by the APC and its supporters.

Obi in his petition claimed that Tinubu “was not duly elected by the majority of the lawful votes castt the time of the election.”

The former governor of Anambra State further alleged that there was rigging in 11 states,

vowing that he would prove his claim in the declaration of results based on the uploaded results.

The petition reads: “The petitioners shall show that in the computation and declaration of the result of the election, based on the updated results, the votes recorded for the second respondent (Tinubu) did not comply with the legitimate process for the computation of the result and disfavoured the petitioners in the following states: Rivers, Lagos, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, Imo, Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and other states of the federation.”

Obi and LP said INEC violated its regulations when it announced the result, although, at the time of the announcement, the totality of the polling unit results had yet to be fully scanned, uploaded, and transmitted electronically as required by the Electoral Act. Continued on page 12

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

7

8

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

9

10

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 2, 2023

NEWS

COMING TOGETHER… L-R: Enugu State Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Governor-elect, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah; state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, during the funeral mass of Chief Thomas Uzor at Iwollo Oghe, Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state… yesterday.

Agbakoba: I've Lost Confidence in the Courts Says apex court dishing out incongruous decisions lately Alex Enumah in Abuja A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, (SAN), has expressed his waning confidence in the Nigerian courts.

Agbakoba blamed his discouragement on the recent judgments coming out of the courts, which according to him are baffling and unexpected from justices at that level.

The senior lawyer who spoke as a guest at a television programme monitored by THISDAY, recalled times when one could easily predict the outcome of a case by analysing available facts with the law.

He said: "I have lost a bit of confidence in what the courts have been doing lately.

"There was a time you could say oh, on the facts and the law, this is the likely outcome; today you cannot because there have been all kinds of silly decisions. The silliest was that concerning the President of the Senate, who in order to become Nigeria's president rushed off to buy the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that meant he did not take part in the senatorial.

"Lo and behold he lost; he now ran back after the horse has bolted.

Clearly to anybody who has any brain which the Supreme Court justices might have had and they say no, the man actually should be the senatorial candidate. That is the most ridiculous decision that I have ever heard that the Supreme Court has delivered", the former NBA President pointed explained.

Besides the case of the Senate President, Agbakoba also pointed at the apex court's judgment on Imo State, where according to him, “everything was turned upside down.”

He further posited: “So, I don't have the sort of confidence that I used to have in the judiciary and I will not be surprised if this thing goes one way or the other; I cannot forecast the outcome."

The constitutional lawyer said that with the legal tools and the factual issues at his disposal, he already knows what should be the outcome of the presidential election petition.

"But I am not part of the panel; so, I don't know whether the justices will see it the way I am

seeing it. But I can tell you from my own perspective as a lawyer of 45 years at the bar, that the answers are glaringly obvious.

"But, as Oliver Weldinhome said in the realist school of jurisprudence, it is the prophecy of what the court does in fact and nothing more potential that is the law.

"So, if you ask me what is the outcome of the petition; first of all, I cannot say because it is subjudice, and secondly, I cannot even say because the Supreme Court itself is unpredictable.

"They ought to be predictable, which is why people are beginning to question; there is a new school of thinking coming up to say 'should the Supreme Court really be final?' 'You see what they are causing now; should they be final or should their decisions be subject to parliamentary review?' It is an argument that is now growing in judicial circles."

"The confidence that is eroding for people to begin to think; 'can't we do something to these people, they are subservient; seven men just come out, sit down on the chair and will read something and we will say ok, that governor is sacked, why, who are these people, they should be taken seriously.'

"That would not have happened 20 years ago, when these people are coming out you will fear them and when they speak they speak without fear or favour. Is it the same thing now? I don't".

However, Agbakoba stated that Nigerians would have to wait for the outcome of the suits filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, and three others to know the position of the apex court on the matter.

On the issue of substantial compliance with the Electoral Act, Agbakoba observed that in the history of presidential petitions in Nigeria "not a single election has been overturned," adding that the closest was when the Supreme Court split four to three in a petition by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2007.

He further pointed out that one of the Supreme Court justices on the panel had made a very profound statement when he held that, "looking at the legal framework of Nigeria's electoral law and the number of witnesses

required to be called, I doubt if any presidential candidate can ever win a petition because the bulk of evidence and the burden required to satisfy the court that you were the person who should have been declared the lawful winner is so heavy and the time frame in my view is insufficient."

The senior lawyer explained that the above reason was why the Muhammad Uwais panel which he claimed he was a member, recommended that INEC must be impartial.

"The big problem is INEC's culpability," he said, adding that being a defendant, adding would do everything to protect the outcome of the election it conducted.

"So in the petitions that have been filed the key defendant were INEC not Tinubu or anybody else.

The duty of INEC is to say here are the documents and INEC withdraws but INEC is actually an active defendant and INEC would obviously want to show that the elections were conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act. That is the problem.

"Had the Uwais recommendations been legislated we won't be in this problem. But it is in the interest of those who won elections not to have it passed, the politicians; so, they have sat on it at the National Assembly.

Besides Agbakoba accused the National Assembly of insincerity in the passage of the Electoral Act, claiming that "the National Assembly told us a lie.

Even I was caught up with the misrepresentation the National Assembly made. I thought that

the representation of the National Assembly in respect of electronic voting has consequences; it has no consequence.

"So, if you didn't use BVAS and so what; the electoral framework allows two parallel processes manual and electronic; so, I could hear INEC say well, okay it failed and so what?

"It failed, but, don't forget we are doing manual collation and that manual collation is exactly what you scanned into the BVAS; so, what are we talking about?

What is the difference between the manual scan and the electronic scan? Those are going to be the challenging issues that INEC will present.

"And INEC in my view will present it strongly because they see themselves as having a duty to defend the election we conducted

but if that burden was not on them then they will tell the truth.

"But I don't know in any petition from 1999 that INEC has not absolutely been dishonest; that is the problem. I have seen in past petitions where INEC and the respondents are working together; so, how can you win; how are you going to win?

"INEC ought to be a neutral body; the court would summon INEC to say 'yes you conducted this election; so tell us what happened,' because INEC is not a party; so, INEC would then bring everything. There would be no burden to defend with their sweat and blood; no burden to lie and the court can see it from a neutral witness. But if INEC is a party it changes the picture, that is the problem," Agbakoba explained.

I Won’t Honour Any Loan Given to Ganduje after March 18, Says Kano Governor-elect I’m still in charge, Kano gov replies Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kano State governor-elect, Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, has warned all subsisting and prospective lenders to the state government to desist from giving the Governor Abdullahi Gandujeled administration loans, saying his government won’t honour or pay back any loans given to the state government after the March 18 elections.

The governor-elect also urged the people of the state to stay off public buildings and to avoid constructing anything on government lands, schools, and other public places.

But in a swift reaction, Ganduje reminded the governor-elect that he was still in charge of the state.

Yusuf also said all existing loan facilities taken by the Ganduje administration shall be renegotiated by the new administration and guided by the utilisation audit/ review of each loan facility.

The governor-elect’s stand was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, and made available to journalists yesterday.

According to the statement, “the Governor-elect of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has directed that this public advisory be issued to all subsisting and prospective lenders to the Kano State Government viz: ‘Effective from March 18 to May 29, no lender (domestic or international) shall approve and issue any loan facility to Kano State Government without the express consent of the incoming administration.

‘Any such loan facility approved and issued to the Kano State Government between the date of election and the date of swearing-in without explicit knowledge and consent of the incoming administration will not be honoured by the new administration; “All subsisting lenders to the Kano State Government shall take notice that all terms and conditions for all existing loan facilities shall be renegotiated by the new administration guided by the utilisation audit/review of each loan facility.

“This advisory is made in the public interest, please,” the statement added.

However, Governor Ganduje

warned Yusuf that he was still in charge of the state.

Speaking through the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, Ganduje asked Yusuf to desist from making official pronouncements to avoid confusion.

He said: “The action of the governor-elect amounts to jumping the gun by issuing a directive on a matter affecting the government's laid down policy, while the incumbent is yet to run his full term.”

Ganduje added that he remains the governor with executive powers until May 29 and reserves the right to carry out his functions in the public interest, even on the eve of his exit.

“Until he subscribes to the Oath of Office as governor on May 29, he remains what he is, a governor-elect, and does not have the powers of the governor. All he can do is reverse some of the actions taken by his predecessor when he assumes office if there is a valid reason to do so. No governor-elect has the constitutional or legal powers to determine the direction of a state until he is sworn

in,” the statement added.

Ganduje stated that as governor, he wields enormous powers to allocate plots of land, emphasising that every government had undertaken such exercise, including the previous administration which the governor-elect served under.

He also stated that based on available records, the previous administration had made land allocations in some of the public places the governor-elect categorically mentioned.

Ganduje identified such places to include the City Wall, with the allocation of land from Kofar Nassarawa to Kofar Mata; shops at the Kofar Mata Eid Prayer Ground facing the Orion Cinema and from Kofar Mata to ‘Yan Yashi opposite the Eid Ground; and from Kofar Kabuga to Kofar Famfo facing the old Campus of Bayero University.

But hours after the governor’s response, Yusuf issued another public advisory, stating that: “I wish to issue this public advisory to prospective and subsisting lenders (domestic and foreign) that effective from 18th March to 19th May 2023, approval of loan facilities to KNSG should be with the consent of our incoming government.”

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

11

12

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 2, 2023

NEWS

EXPLORING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES…

L-R: Head, UK Digital Access Programme, Mr. Idongesit Udoh; Political Director, UK Government, Mr. Jonathan Bacon; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami; Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; CEO, Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof. Mohammed Bello Abubakar; and Senior Policy Specialist, Policy Innovation Centre (PIC), Mr. Mayokun Adediran, at the inauguration of the Digital Economy Community of Practice, organised by the Policy Innovation Centre of the NESG in Abuja…recently

World Bank: Nigeria, US, Mexico Top List of Leaders in Global Reduction of Gas Flaring 2022 decline lowest in 12 years

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Nigeria, Mexico, and the United States of America accounted for most of the decline in global gas flaring in 2022, new satellite data compiled by the World Bank's Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR), has revealed.

Two other countries, Kazakhstan and Colombia, stand out for consistently reducing flaring volumes in the last seven years, the report indicated, according to the report.

However, despite this progress, the top nine flaring countries continue to be responsible for the vast majority of flaring, with Russia, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico, Libya, and Nigeria accounting for nearly threequarters of flare volumes and under half of the global oil production.

The World Bank's GGFR data revealed that progress in reducing gas flaring resumed in 2022, with flared gas worldwide falling by five billion cubic metres (bcm) to 139 bcm, its lowest level since 2010.

Commenting on the data, the World Bank Vice President for Infrastructure, Guangzhe Chen, said: "After a decade of stalled progress, global gas flaring volumes fell in 2022 by around three per cent, which is a welcome drop, especially during a time of concern about energy security for many countries.

"We continue to encourage all oil producers to seize opportunities to end this polluting and wasteful practice."

The report stated that Nigeria, Mexico, and the United States accounted for most of the decline in global gas flaring in 2022, while Kazakhstan and Colombia— stand

TINUBU: INEC HIRES EX-NBA PRESIDENT, EIGHT OTHER SENIOR ADVOCATES TO DEFEND ELECTION Among other prayers, the petitioners urged the tribunal to “determine that, at the time of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, the second and third respondents (Tinubu and Shettima) were not qualified to contest the election; “That it be determined that all the votes recorded for the second respondent in the election are wasted votes, owing to the non-qualification of the second and third respondents; “That it is determined that based on the remaining votes (after discountenancing the votes credited to the second respondent) the first petitioner (Obi) scored a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and had not less than 25 per cent of the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and satisfied the constitutional requirements to be declared the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election; “That it be determined that the second respondent (Tinubu), having failed to score one-quarter

of the votes cast at the presidential election in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was not entitled to be declared and returned as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.”

The petitioners also argued that Tinubu, “at the time of the (presidential) election, was not qualified to contest the election.”

Obi and LP further alleged that the former Lagos State Governor was fined $460,000 for an alleged offence involving dishonesty, particularly narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in case No: 93C 4483 between the US and Tinubu.

They added that for this reason, the votes purportedly recorded for Tinubu at the presidential election were wasted votes and ought to be disregarded.

The petitioners are also asking the tribunal for an order cancelling the election and compelling INEC to conduct a fresh election in which Tinubu, Shettima, and APC shall not participate.

But Tinubu’s camp has insisted that he won the election fairly.

out for consistently reducing flaring volumes in the last seven years.

"In addition to the overall reduction in flare volume, global flaring intensity—the amount of flaring per barrel of oil produced— also fell to its lowest level since satellite data began, due to the five per cent increase in oil production in 2022.

"This indicates a gradual and sustained decoupling of oil production from flaring."

However, despite this progress, the top nine flaring countries continue to be responsible for the vast majority of flaring, with Russia, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico, Libya, and Nigeria accounting for nearly threequarters of flare volumes and under half of the global oil

production," the report observed.

The satellite data show that decreased Russian gas exports to the European Union (EU) did not increase gas flaring in Russia. Throughout 2022, the European Union significantly increased its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from the United States, Angola, Norway, Qatar, and Egypt, and via pipeline from Azerbaijan and Norway.

Of these countries, only the United States, Angola, and Egypt have made substantial progress in converting associated gas that would otherwise be flared into LNG exports.

GGFR estimates that in 2022 gas flaring released, 357 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, 315 million tonnes in the form of carbon dioxide, and 42 million tonnes in the form of methane.

The report also considers the ‘state of the science’ and the uncertainty surrounding how much methane is released from flaring. It disclosed that methane emissions due to flaring could be significantly higher than previously estimated.

For example, if the average flare is just five percentage points less efficient at combusting methane, then globally, the amount of methane released would be three times higher than currently estimated.

"We're concerned by the amount of methane emitted through flaring, particularly from flares that are not working properly. Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in the short term. So we need to understand this more and are ramping up our efforts to

help developing countries tackle methane emissions," said the World Bank's GGFR Programme Manager, Zubin Bamji.

Gas flaring is the burning of natural gas associated with oil extraction.

This wasted gas could displace dirtier energy sources, increase energy access in some of the world's poorest countries, and provide many countries worldwide with much-needed energy security.

The World Bank's GGFR is a trust fund and partnership of governments, oil companies, and multilateral organisations working to end routine gas flaring at oil production sites around the world.

GGFR helps identify solutions to the array of technical, economic, and regulatory barriers to flaring reduction.

WAEC Releases 2023 WASSCE Results for Private Candidates, Withholds 413 Segun James

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria has announced the release of the results of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates, 2023 first series.

The Head of National Office at WAEC Nigeria, Patrick Areghan, in a statement made available to journalists at the weekend said that 8,348 candidates sat for the examination conducted in Nigeria between Tuesday, January 31, 2023, and Friday, February 17, 2023.

“It is noteworthy that the results are being released barely 42 days after the end of the examination,” he said.

In addition, Areghan said that out of the total number of candidates that sat for the examination, 8,253 candidates, representing 98.87 per cent have their results fully processed and released while 95 candidates, representing 1.13 per cent have

a few of their subjects still being processed due to some errors on the part of the candidates.

He, however, assured that efforts were being made to speedily complete the processing to enable all the affected candidates to get their results fully released subsequently.

“The analysis of the statistics of the performance of candidates shows that 2,960 candidates representing 35.46 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics); 2,003 candidates representing 23.99 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“The percentage of candidates in this category in the WASSCE for private candidates in 2021 and 2022 were 30.11 per cent and 26.32 percent respectively for candidates that obtained credit and above in a minimum of five (5) subjects, including English

Language and Mathematics. Thus, there is a marginal decrease of 2.33 in performance in this regard,” the statement read in part.

Of this number, 971, (48.48 per cent) were male candidates, while 1,032 (51.52 per cent) were female candidates. Amongst the candidates that sat for the examination, 27 candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, were registered for the examination.

Out of this number, eight were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and four were Albinos. All these candidates with special needs were adequately provided for in the administration of the examination, the statement said.

According to the statement, 8,738 candidates represented an increase of 16 per cent, when compared with the 2022 entry figure.

The results of the 413 candidates, representing 4.95 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat for the

examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.

According to the statement, the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of the council for determination in due course.

He said: “The results of 413 candidates, representing 4.95 per cent of the total number of candidates that sat the examination, are being withheld in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice. The cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for determination in due course.”

WAEC urged the candidates who sat the examination to visit its website to check their results.

Candidates are also required to apply for their certificates online, through the WAEC Certificate Request Portal (e-Certman) website.

13

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2 , 2023

BUSINESS Cushioning Impacts of Planned Removal of Fuel Subsidy

Editor: Festus Akanbi

08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

With Nigerians coming to terms with the inevitability of the fuel subsidy removal anytime from now, discussions are being zeroed in on the nature and scope of palliatives designed to mitigate the anticipated spike in the cost of living, reports Festus Akanbi

A

ll things being equal, the federal government will remove the controversial policy of fuel subsidy this month as the outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari winds down its activities.

The planned action aligns with the decision of the federal government to deregulate the downstream sector of the oil industry for optimum performance.

The downstream sector operations cover FUXGH RLO FRQYHUVLRQ LQWR UHÀQHG DQG SHWURFKHPLFDO SURGXFWV DQG ÀQHU FKHPLFDOV gas treatment as well as transportation and marketing of the petroleum products.

Nigeria currently runs two forms of subVLG\ 7KH ÀUVW LV WKH SD\PHQW RI WKH GLͿHUHQFH between the actual pump price of petrol, which is arrived at after calculating the landing cost and the extant margins. The other is the cost of transportation (about N30) paid on every litre to ensure that the price of petrol is similar across the country.

The subsidy regime, largely blamed for some of the expenditure challenges by successive administrations, according to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, is to come to an end in April, one month before the handover to the new administration.

Upward Price Adjustment The calculation of stakeholders in the nation’s downstream sector of the oil industry is that the subsidy removal will balloon the cost of petrol.

The initial cost, according to the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo, could be up to N750 for every litre of petrol after the full implementation of the subsidy removal, adding, however, that, the pump price is likely to drop to around N500 if the government encourages the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide forex to marketers at the R΀FLDO UDWH However, as narratives shift to the removal of subsidy this month, some stakeholders have called on the various organisations in the petroleum industry to begin a massive sensitisation campaign on the gains of the planned action. They argued that the degree of understanding of the issues that make the removal a non-negotiable decision will determine the nature and severity of the response of the people to the policy.

Protecting the Vulnerable Responding to THISDAY inquiries, Chief Economist and Head of Research, Africa and Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan said that given the vulnerability of the SRRU HVSHFLDOO\ LQ D GL΀FXOW WLPH OLNH WKLV and the pervading fear of the unavoidably high cost of goods, the time has come for the government to announce its plans to protect them from the harsh realities of the subsidy removal.

According to her, “Ideally, some sort of social safety net, cushioning the most vulnerable Nigerians from the impact of the subsidy removal would have been good.

The IMF favours cash transfers. In practice

A fuel attendant on duty though, there may not be enough time to have this fully in place, with pressure for the subsidy to be removed imminently.”

Corroborating Khan’s view, the IPMAN President, who spoke at a stakeholders’ workshop last week urged the government to channel expected savings from subsidy removal to the provision of palliatives for the masses. He advised the government to be alert and sensitive to resentment from Nigerians.

Other industry stakeholders who attended the workshop called on the government to implement appropriate palliatives in the form of public transportation and freight of agricultural produce, ensure transparent DQG HͿHFWLYH FRPPXQLFDWLRQ DQG LPSURYH access to foreign exchange. They also urged the government to address issues around WUDGH ÀQDQFH JXDUDQWHH VWUDWHJLF VWRFN DQG SURYLGH DFFHVV WR FUXGH RLO IRU UHÀQHULHV ahead of the plan to embark on the total removal of the petrol subsidy.

In his own submission, partner and chief economist of KPMG Nigeria, Oyeyemi Kale, said a holistic and well-phased approach is needed for petrol subsidy removal.

The former statistician-general of the federation spoke on a recent programme on ARISE NEWS Channel.

Asked whether he supports the deregulation of petrol prices, Kale said petrol subsidy UHPRYDO KDV VLJQLÀFDQW HFRQRPLF DQG VRFLDO implications although he maintained that WKH VXEVLG\ KDV VLJQLÀFDQW HFRQRPLF VRFLDO and environmental costs.

“I prefer the holistic approach. Look at the entire system and then, determine what is overall best for the country because any policy, including this one, will have positives DQG QHJDWLYHV 6RPHERG\ ZLOO EHQHÀW DQG other people will lose out from the policy,” he explained. .DOH DGGHG WKDW LW LV D FRVW EHQHÀW DQDO\VLV that ultimately determines what is best for

the economy.

He said conversations must take place to determine how the government will provide SDOOLDWLYHV IRU DͿHFWHG FLWL]HQV WR PLQLPLVH WKH QHJDWLYH HͿHFWV RI WKH SROLF\ Taming Organised Labour $QDO\VWV EHOLHYH WKDW ZKDW ZLOO VWDYH RͿ D serious confrontation from organised labour is the promptness of the government’s decision to identify, and unveil policies that ZLOO FXVKLRQ WKH HͿHFWV RI WKH SULFH KLNH RQ petrol when the subsidy is totally removed.

“By now, the government should begin to tell Nigerians the alternative to subsidy on fuel. Nigerians, especially the downtrodden would like to know in specific terms, programmes, and policies that will alleviate the pains of the higher cost of fuel.

“By keeping the social safety net to itself, the current administration is only arming the labour unions who have promised to call out Nigerian workers in protest,” said a bank executive who prefers to be anonymous.

Organised labour has always threatened to resist any attempt to remove subsidy on petrol without full restoration of the refineries in the country. Although the current leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is yet to make a categorical statement on what to do should government announce the stoppage of fuel subsidy in the country, analysts said their body language showed that he would not mind calling for a nationwide strike.

The position of the labour is that the naWLRQ·V IRXU UHÀQHULHV VKRXOG EH IXQFWLRQDO before subsidy removal. Last year, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) tasked the federal government to take into consideration the attendant economic impact on the masses. ´7KHUH PXVW EH DVVXUDQFHV WKDW UHÀQHULHV are fully overhauled and establishment of PRGXODU UHÀQHULHV HQFRXUDJHG µ LW DGGHG 7KH WUDGH FRQJUHVV QRWHG WKDW WKH HͿHFWLYH

policing of the nation’s borders to stem the rate of petroleum products smuggling must also be implemented.

Boosts to Government Revenues On its part, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise believes that one of the gains of the planned subsidy removal is the improvement of Nigeria’s revenues by at least N6 trillion annually.

A statement signed by its Director, Dr. Muda Yusuf, titled: ‘Tweaking the 2023 Finance Bill and Options for Unlocking revenues in 2023,” noted that the Nigerian economy is heavily burdened and encumbered by two major subsidy regimes: the fuel subsidy regime and the foreign exchange subsidy regime. The CPPE boss added that huge sums of revenue put at a minimum of N6 trillion annually can be realised from these subsidy programmes if appropriate reforms are implemented.

“There is a plan to discontinue petroleum subsidy, which is a positive development.

This action would unlock a minimum of N6 trillion in revenue into the federation account annually. Additionally, there would be an end to the several years of plundering of the nation’s resources through the subsidy regime,” the CPPE statement said.

In the nation’s 2022 budget, capital expenditure stood at N5.4 trillion while subsidy payment was initially N4 trillion but rose to about N7 trillion before the end of the year. In the 2023 budget, the subsidy from January to June when the government said it would stop the subsidy stands at N3.6 trillion.

With debt of about N77 trillion, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said this month that the federal government was borrowing money to fund petrol subsidies. “Fuel subsidy cost was a very high one; we have been funding it from borrowing,” she said.

This unfavourable situation informed the decision of the two multilateral institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to press for subsidy UHPRYDO DV RQH RI WKH ÀVFDO UHIRUPV QHHGHG WR lift Nigeria’s development outcomes, which DUH VHYHUHO\ FRQVWUDLQHG E\ WKH LQH΀FLHQW use of resources.

Speaking in this regard, the World Bank President, Mr. David Malpass once said: “Nigeria’s government urgently needs WR VWUHQJWKHQ ÀVFDO PDQDJHPHQW FUHDWH D XQLÀHG VWDEOH PDUNHW EDVHG H[FKDQJH rate, phase out its costly, regressive fuel subsidy and rationalise preferential trade restrictions and tax exemptions.”

Similarly, the IMF, in a statement at the end of its Article IV consultation with Nigeria last year, said: “Directors also urged the removal of untargeted fuel subsidies, with compensatory measures for the poor and transparent use of saved resources. They stressed the importance of further strengthening social safety nets.”

The outgoing administration is bent on removing the subsidy, which stakeholders have described as a draining pipe because it thrives on corruption. The way the current administration sensitises the public on the JDLQV DQG SDOOLDWLYHV WR FXVKLRQ WKH HͿHFW RI the attendant increases in the price of petrol will determine the success of the policy shift.

14

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2 , 2023

FINANCE

Polaris Bank’s Financial Inclusion Initiative

The Nigerian youth population is fast emerging as a strong, vibrant community of social, economic, DQG HYHQ SROLWLFDO HYROXWLRQ GULYHUV +HQFH LQFXOFDWLQJ ORQJ WHUP VRFLDO HFRQRPLF DQG ÀQDQFLDO VXVWDLQDELOLW\ FRQVLGHUDWLRQV LQ WKHLU ÀQDQFLDO GHFLVLRQV FDQQRW EH RYHU HPSKDVLVHG Nume Ekeghe H[DPLQHV KRZ 3RODULV %DQN &HQWUDO %DQN RI 1LJHULD DQG RWKHUV DUH SXVKLQJ WKH ÀQDQFLDO LQFOXVLRQ IURQWLHUV WR SURPRWH ÀQDQFLDO VXVWDLQDELOLW\ GHHSHQ VDYLQJV DQG LQYHVWPHQW FXOWXUH DQG ÀQDQFLDO HPSRZHUPHQW DPRQJ \RXQJ 1LJHULDQV

N

igeria is Africa’s number one country with the highest number of young people.

According to the population tracking body Worldometer, about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated 221 million population is made up of persons under the age of 25.

Noteworthy also is that Nigerian youths are increasingly establishing a presence and relevance beyond the traditional domains of sports and entertainment.

7KH H[SDQGLQJ LQÁXHQFH RI \RXWK GHmographics is rapidly impacting most sectors–consumer goods, retail sector, ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV ÀQWHFK DQG LQQRYDtion, enterprise, media, and very recently, politics.

For them to continue to play their key UROHV DQG PXFK PRUH KRZHYHU ÀQDQFLDO education is a key need that young people must acquire. The reason is that a lack RI ÀQDQFLDO OLWHUDF\ DQG DZDUHQHVV LV responsible for low-level money management skills in individuals, families, and businesses. It also results in poor planning for essentials like children’s education, healthcare, home ownership, savings, investment, and retirement.

The launch of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in 2012, is one among several steps taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase ÀQDQFLDO HGXFDWLRQ DPRQJ WKH FLWL]HQV the youths inclusive. The target of the NFIS policy is to reduce the number of XQEDQNHG DQG XQGHUVHUYHG FLWL]HQV E\ 95 per cent, by 2024.

With the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) PDLQVWUHDPLQJ ÀQDQFLDO LQFOXVLRQ ÀQDQFLDO HGXFDWLRQ LQWR WKHLU FRUSRUDWH social initiatives, the NFIS has continued to garner the needed attention among banks in Nigeria.

Over the years, Polaris Bank in particular as a youth-friendly brand has continued to accord recognition to the rising power and limitless potential of the youth segment by rolling out numerous initiatives that empower young people in the country WR IXOÀOO WKHLU GUHDPV DQG DVSLUDWLRQV DV ZHOO DV FRQWULEXWH VLJQLÀFDQWO\ WR QDWLRQDO Some of the students that attended the bank’s Global Money Week…recently development.

Thus, the Bank used the occasion of the commemoration of the 2023 Global the GMW and donated books to Money Week (GMW), held from Monday, the young learners to gain knowledge the libraries of all the 37 schools March 20 to Sunday, March 26, 2023, to and understanding of topics such as: how money works, how someone can they visited.

UHD΀UP LWV FRPPLWPHQW WR WKH 1LJHULDQ *OREDO 0RQH\ :HHN ² D ÀQDQFLDO \RXWK E\ GHHSHQLQJ LWV ÀQDQFLDO DGYRFDF\ earn or make money as well as money management, including – planning and literacy sensitisation campaign is role of educating and inculcating in young an annual programme organised Nigerians the culture of savings, invest- budgeting – and how to invest money, amongst others. worldwide to raise awareness and PHQW DQG ÀQDQFLDO DZDUHQHVV Polaris Bank, in partnership with the sensitise students on the need to In line with this year’s GMW theme, CBN and programme execution partner, EH ÀQDQFLDOO\ LQGHSHQGHQW DQG ‘Plan Your Money, Plant Your Future’, empowered. This year’s theme fo3RODULV %DQN FDUULHG RXW ÀQDQFLDO OLWHUDF\ Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN), reached and educated over 4,000 students cused on sustainability and raising sensitisation campaign in select 37 schools awareness of the implications of DFURVV WKH VL[ JHRJUDSKLFDO ]RQHV DV ZHOO in 37 schools across Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

GXDO ÀQDQFLDO EHKDYLRXU QRW RQO\ as in all its branches countrywide.

6LPLODUO\ VHQLRU R΀FLDOV RI WKH EDQN RQ RQH·V ÀQDQFLDO IXWXUH EXW DOVR Employees of the bank visited schools during the school visit interacted with on the environment and society.

WR HGXFDWH WHHQV DQG VWXGHQWV RQ ÀQDQFLDO The theme also aimed to inspire literacy. The interactive sessions allowed students and teachers to commemorate

young people to develop and cultivate SRVLWLYH EHKDYLRXU RQ VXVWDLQDEOH ÀQDQFH and more broadly, on the importance of ORQJ WHUP VRFLDO HFRQRPLF DQG ÀQDQFLDO VXVWDLQDELOLW\ FRQVLGHUDWLRQV LQ ÀQDQFLDO decisions. The theme was focused on prompting young people to be forwardlooking and to have a broad view of the HQYLURQPHQW DQG VRFLHW\ LQ WKHLU ÀQDQFLDO decisions.

Since being established in 2012, the Global Money Week campaign has reached over 53 million children and young people in 176 countries worldwide.

Polaris Bank has also created a wide range of products and solutions that can promote savings and investment culture. These include interest-yielding instruments such as Polaris Fixed Deposit, Long-tenured Fixed Deposit, or Priority Fixed Deposit.

It also encourages its customers–old and new – to buy government investment instruments such as Treasury Bills, bonds, and debentures because of a good yield.

Through its numerous CSR and social investment initiatives, Polaris Bank, in addition to rolling out innovative banking products and services for customers across different strata, has demonstrated a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians outside of its traditional function of providing financial services.

Polaris Bank is a future-determining bank redefining banking products and services that meet the needs of individuals and businesses. As a digitally-enabled bank IRFXVHG RQ SURYLGLQJ VXSHULRU ÀQDQFLDO solutions and products to its customers DFURVV VHFWRUV ZLWK LQGXVWU\ VSHFLÀF DQG individual needs, the bank was adjudged Digital Bank of the Year in 2021 and 2022.

15

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 2, 2023

SOFT FINANCE with AYO AROWOLO The only column you may need to read on everything personal finance, money, investing -and other life matters

EMAIL: AYO.AROWOLO@THISDAYLIVE.COM PHONE: 08086447494( SMS ONLY)

Reflections On Wealth and Life I asked my good friend, Tim Akano, Managing Director of New Horizon System Solution, who is 60 today, to share his thoughts with me on the growing dominance of ICT as the king of wealth. Since 2005 when the franchise was launched in Nigeria, New Horizon has done a lot in the area of ICT-enabled wealth, especially through its ICT centres in more than 10 universities in the country which has produced several tech start-ups.

Tim did more than just share his thoughts on ICT and wealth, he also forwarded to me his short reflections on life generally. I found both interesting and just thought I should share them with you. Please enjoy.

FORTUNE KEEPS CHANGING HOUSE ADDRESS!!!

On my table, as I pen this short piece, are copies of the August 2nd ‘’1999 GLOBAL FORTUNE 500 magazine’’ and FORBES 2022 richest people, which respectively listed names of the 500 largest companies in the world in 1999 and the list of richest people in 2022.

The most restless, unpredictable of God’s creation is FORTUNE (I didn’t say money, no, because God didn’t create money, man did!).

In the beginning, when our forefathers lived inside the Cave, STONE was the symbol of fortune because from it they got fire which was crucial for their survival. However, not all STONES can produce FIRE! The ability to distinguish between useful and useless stones determined who survived and who perished.

On August 20th, 1619, the Portuguese kidnapped 20 Angolans who were shipped to the British colony of Virginia and were bought

by English colonists. At a time in world history, fortune was determined by how many SLAVES a person had!

In the 17th century during the period of the Agrarian revolution, FORTUNE relocated again to Agriculture. The more land, machines and hands a person had on the farm, the more FORTUNE the fellow controlled.

In the 18th century, during the Industrial Revolution, FORTUNE befriended the industrialists, the accent was on manufacturing, oil and retailing. Among the most prosperous businesses of the era were oil, steel, textile, railroad and food production industries. That was the era that gave birth to the automobile and aviation industries. In 1901, the United States Steel Corporation was incorporated at a value of $ 1 billion. It became the world’s largest corporation.

Back to the August edition of ‘’1999 Global Fortune 500’’ companies on my table. Of the 12 largest companies in the world just about 20 years ago, none of them was an ICT company; they were in the manufacturing and retail sectors.

They were: General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor, Wal-Mart, Mitsubishi, Itochu, Mitsui, Exxon, General Electric, Sumitomo, Toyota and Royal Dutch/Shell Group. The only ICT Company that could rub shoulders with them then was IBM, which was number 14 on the league table.

Today, the narrative is completely different.

The 12 richest people in the world by Forbes 2022 are Elon Musk with $239 billion, Bernard Arnault with $198.6 billion, Jeff Bezos, $187.3 billion, Bill Gates, $187.3 billion, Larry Page, $118 billion, Warren Buffett, $116 billion, Sergey Brin, $113.7 billion, Larry Ellison $99.9 billion, Steve Ballmer $97 billion, Lukesh Ambani, $90.5 billion.

The above shows that 80% of the world’s richest today are in the ICT sector. Indeed, during the C-19 pandemic, statistics showed that the wealthiest 1% captured $26 trillion representing 63% of the total world’s wealth while the remaining 99% captured $16 trillion representing 37% of the total wealth.

Interestingly, the bulk of the wealthiest 1% is in the technology space.

We can confidently say that FORTUNE’s new profession is ICT but it has no fixed residential address, which makes it interesting. In 1999, most of the top 12 companies were either American or Japanese but today ICT has no residential address. Even though it is currently in Silicon Valley, that is a transit address, not permanent.

The ICT professionals in India, South Korea, China, Kenya, Nigeria, etc have equal opportunity to build the next Amazon, the next Uber, and the next Google as their counterparts in Silicon Valley. What is required are skills, infrastructure and innovation. And those three have no ethnicity or nationality or religion or race.

In 2022, New Horizons Nigeria scanned the

Tim Akano

global ICT job opportunities and discovered that the volume of jobs available today globally for competent and well-trained ICT professionals is limitless. For instance, in Artificial Intelligence, there were over 3 million vacancies, in Data Analytics, 2.2 million vacancies, Big Data, 1.5 million vacancies, Cloud Computing over one million job vacancies, Project Management with 500,0000 job vacancies, Blockchain with over 400,000 job vacancies and the Elephant in the room, Data Science with over 6 million job vacancies. And all of them keep growing.

Some of these skills attract salaries ranging from $50,000 per annum to $250,000 depending on the level of skills and experience and certifications.

This means there is no reason why anyone who is trainable and teachable should be poor or hungry. The opportunities in the ICT sector are humongous. Indeed, there are some skills in ICT today that have ZERO UNEMPLOYMENT according to the January 2023 research carried out

by New Horizons Nigeria: Artificial Intelligence and a few others, such as DevOps, Platform Engineering, Data Science, Digital Project & Product Management, Design Thinking and Artificial Intelligence among others.

You can say the world is not fair, you are correct as the top 10 per cent own 85% of the wealth while 90% own the remaining 15%. The fastest way to join the ‘’Wealth Champions league is through the instrumentality of ICT skills’’.

As of today, over 90% of the available jobs globally require digital skills while over 60% will require sophisticated digital skills by 2030.

The ICT sector contributed about 10.4% of the global nominal GDP in 2022 amounting to US$346.8 billion in 2021, US$537.8 Billion in 2022 and it is expected to reach US$696.4 billion in 2028 a projected growth rate of 4.2% yearly, but India is growing at 9.47% yearly. Nigerians and Africans should not be on the ICT balcony, they deserve a seat in the living room!

13 HOTTEST OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE IN TECHNOLOGY 1. Programming, Web and App Development (new apps are required to power the emerging AR and VR technologies.

2. DevOps/ Platform Engineering (as hot as hot potatoes with ZERO unemployment!)

3. Data Analytics/ Data Science: The Elephant in the Room. Data Science experts earn up to $250,000 yearly – depending on their level of certification and experience 4. Cybersecurity 5. Cloud architect 6. Quantum computing 7. Artificial Intelligence - tomorrow’s king of the jungle, the lion of the tribe of ICT! 8. Blockchain 9. Digital Marketing 10. Design Thinking and Data Visualisation 11. Digital Project/Product Management/ Business Analysis (No coding skill, no hassle, no problem - earn up to $150,000 yearly with these triple skills) 12. Green Technology. From 2030, Europe and America will end the production of combustion engine vehicles - Green takes over from oil.

Green Tech Engineers would rule the world.

Become the First Mover!

13 Complex Problem-Solving Professionals (CPSP): ICT, Climate change are creating complex problems for humanity which a new set of professionals with critical thinking, creativity and complex problem-solving skills will be required to tackle.

In conclusion, when FORTUNE changed her house address from Manufacturing to ICT, it kept the door to her abode open for anyone with ICT KEY to enter and become prosperous without limit. Just 4 things are required: ICT skills, internet, laptop and FOOD! Still, wondering what the correct FORTUNE house address is?

Her new house address is in your BRAIN! THIS LIFE! MY PERSPECTIVE 1. Whatever happens, no one will get out of this world alive.

2. The same fate awaits both the mega achievers and the underachievers at the departure lounge to the Headquarters.

3. But the rewards are not the same. To live in the hearts of people long after our assignment is done here is the reward for our struggle of today.

And that is immortality when one’s LEGACY DOESN’T BECOME DUST LIKE THE BODY. 4. We are here as God’s Co-workers, Cocreators. Specifically for a unique assignment in continuation of the perfection of God’s CREATION. 5. When we were born, THE TRUTH i.e. our assignment or message to the world was inside of us. Every one of us was born with his/her own TRUTH! 6. The vanity of life is not in dying, no. The spirit doesn’t die, it transits, and it changes form. life of vanity is one that passes through this path without discovering his/her PURPOSE in life or fails to fulfil it after discovering it or fails to stay in his/her lane.

7. We have different roles in life, some are like the ROOF of the House. Some are like the LINTEL, some are WINDOW, some are CEILING while some are WALL and some are FOUNDATION. But we are all useful if we discover our purpose and fulfil it and stay in our lane.

People don’t see the Foundation, but people only see the ROOF. But without the foundation, there is no roof.

8. People like Dora Akinyuli, Steve Jobs, Mandela, Obama, Aliko Dangote, Zelensky

Today, the narrative is completely different. The 12 richest people in the world by Forbes2022 are : Elon R Musk with $239 billion, Bernard Arnault with $198.6b, Jeff Bezos, $187.3 B, Bill Gates, $187.3b, Larry Page, $118B, Warren Buffett,$116b, Sergey Brin,$113.7b, Larry Ellison $99.9b, Steve Ballmer $97b, Lukesh Ambani, $90.5B

of Ukraine, etc are the roof. However, they didn’t choose that role for themselves, that is the role God created them for.

They were/are the REASON WE HAVE A GREAT AND AMAZING WORLD. They use their respective lives to fertilise the world and make the world a better place than they met it. The recognition and awards and respect people give them in appreciation are not their driving force. The journey is joy, the journey is LIVING, and the journey is the reward.

Steve Jobs said he set out to put a dent in the universe He did. So, at the level of the spiritual plane, Steve Jobs lives! Why? There’s Steve Jobs in many homes globally, even though he died at 53 his life and achievements were not vanities.

Dora Akinyuli dedicated her life to fighting fake drugs. She put her life on the line fighting those killer businessmen who import fake drugs. Dora delivered her message Dora lives!

Mandela’s message was to use his life to free the 40 million helpless, hopeless South Africans from the yoke of apartheid. Mandela delivered. Mandela lives on!

9. It is incumbent on all of us to search for OUR PURPOSE on earth and struggle to fulfil it.

The day I discovered I was sent to this world to light the candles and prepare the way for African youths who will eventually transform Africa was the day I discovered the true joy of living. And I have managed to stay in my lane.

10. Why do we struggle, when we are going to drop everything at the end? We are not our body, the body is dust, and it goes back to dust. The real us is the spirit and it lives on after parting way with dust (body).

The spirit does not need all those cars, gold wristwatches, private jets, awards, etc. But the body needs them while we are here to help the spirit to fulfil its purpose on earth. A happy and fulfilled body compliments the spirit.

But the THINGS i.e. all the TOYS would go the way of dust, after serving their purpose for the appointed time but the spirit lives on.

11. Yes, we must struggle because struggle is part of our message in life. For each of us that is reading this piece, you are a SURVIVOR. For every life that is born, it competed and overpowered 40 million sperms. Put differently, each of us outwitted and pushed away 39.99 million sperms to be born. In other words, some of us jumped the sperm-long queue, we pushed all the sluggish sperms away to allow us to arrive at the womb first. And we blocked the way for other sperms to come in, unconsciously. The struggle is in our DNA. So, before we were born, we struggled to come to a world where we had zero ideas of what it looked like.

12. We must encourage our children and grandchildren to struggle and go for mega achievements. As long as we are fair to our fellow human beings and we do not destroy others in an attempt to become mega achievers, success is sweet.

Imagine the world without Steve Jobs, Africa without Mandela, the Black race without Obama or Nigeria without Aliko Dangote, Pastor Adeboye, Fela Anikulapo, Dora Akinyuli, Azikiwe, Yoruba race without Awo, Fulanis without Ahmadu Bello! Just imagine.

Life is not vanity; life is a game of discovering one’s message and fulfilling it and staying in one’s chosen lane. God would not have created a vanity world. King Solomon used the phrase to describe how he personally felt after marrying those countless wives and concubines and drinking all those champagnes. Solomon didn’t get fulfilment in those things.

Fulfilment is in a PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE i.e. an intentional life juxtaposed with love and intensity Happy birthday Tim!

16

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

17

18

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 14, 2022 2 April, 2023 Vol 27. No 10218

OPI NION

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

THE REALITY OF NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY

A great warrior also makes preparation for defeat, writes DANLADI BAKO

The 2023 elections did not reflect the will of the people, contends CHEKWUBE NZOMIWU

I See Page 20

BUHARI’S LOST CHANCE AT BEQUEATHING A LEGACY O. JASON OSAI argues that Buhari failed to provide a level playing field for the 2023 Election

See Page 20

EDITORIAL

A STRONG VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY

See Page 45

119

TINUBU’S MANDATE AND THE HUNTER’S CALL

t is not only unfathomable but also preposterous and downright stupefying that some fellow Nigerians and their foreign sympathisers are still engaging in arguments about the veracity and authenticity of the outcome of the February 25 Presidential election results.

It even gets to most irritating levels that in their hearts and genuinely in their private moments they admit to themselves that from the campaigns, the rallies, the recruitment of new voters and the execution of their campaign strategies both at the communication and logistics levels, there was no iota of hope towards a pathway to victory of any sort. Yet after the denouement of electoral failure they are now hell bent on clutching at straws hoping they can pull down the house if they can’t occupy it. The intelligence community has duly alerted Nigerians and stakeholders alike about the deadly plot by some disgruntled politicians to truncate our long suffering 24-year-old fourth democratic journey. The hunter has sounded his whistle calling his dog to return to base! The Department of State Services has QRW IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH DSSHDOHG WR DOO GHWUDFWRUV to toe the line of peace and tranquility in their response to their electoral calamity.

Even the Abdusalami Peace Committee extracted a commitment from these political combatants to uphold the peace before, during and after the elections. Yet, we had violence in some deep country precincts. The hunter’s dog, it would seem has lost its way.

For them because it’s raining in their villages, they ignorantly conclude that it’s raining all over the world. They shut their minds to the fact that it might not be raining elsewhere.

Let’s us recall how we got here. It was common knowledge that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party startedits campaign early and seemed to have gathered some PRPHQWXP E\ WKH ÀUVW PRQWK RI EXW alas the fallout from its Presidential primaries caused an irrevocable angst between some governors and the candidate for reasons of non-adherence to the rotation principle entrenched in the party’s constitution as well as the “parapoism” of Gov Tambuwal’s stepping down for candidate Atiku much to the chagrin of Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike whose chances of victory was dealt a deadly blow by Tambuwal’s action. PDP never recovered from the opprobrium and “internal war” that ensued.

Secondly, non-political, non-card-carrying YRWHUV ZKR FRQVWLWXWH DERXW SHUFHQW RI the populace were torn between voting for another eight years of another Fulani president after Buhari or choosing a southern candidate.

In comes the Labour Party whose poster boy is a southern candidate Peter Obi. He ÀWWHG WKH ELOO 6R 3'3·V VWURQJKROG LQ WKH

south east of Nigeria where it used to reign supreme was further decimated. PDP was in trouble. As if that wasn’t enough, the master strategists of the APC Presidential candidate Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu took him into the creeks of Gbaramatu Kingdom to meet Tompolo in Okerenkoko as part of search for votes. Government Emuopolo alias Tompolo is “government” of his own if you know what I mean. Even the dreaded Asari Dokubo jumped on the “Sell Tinubu” train courtesy of Asiwaju’s magnanimity to his wife and children while Asari was in custody. $V WKH ÀQDO QDLO RQ WKH FRIÀQ WKH 3'3 OLWHUDOO\ gave up campaign in the south west and seemed to rely on Fulani hegemony and a few northern APC governors to betray the ruling party and vote PDP. Of course the APC governors of Kwara, Kogi, Jigawa , Zamfara , Niger and Borno all delivered as expected and Sen George Akume wrestled Benue from PDP and gave Asiwaju as a bonus. How could PDP have won the presidential election with these uncertainties and topsy-turvy rollercoaster journey? Not in the wildest dreams.

The other dog of our famed hunter that is not listening to the hunter’s whistle is the Labour Party and its candidate Peter Obi. Whoever thought Peter Obi was going to be president was living in some extraterrestrial bubble oblivious of realities on JURXQG LQ WKLV VTXDUH NLORPHWHUV of land called Nigeria. Indeed the large population of non-card-carrying voters come from a culture where a voting pattern bequeath to them by their grandparents and parents have been entrenched in the family psyche and sub-culture over long decades. For instance most Yorubas would vote UPN, AD, ACN or its current version RI $3& 7KH DSSHODWLRQ ´SURJUHVVLYHVµ ÀWV the Awo philosophy they grew up with,

so on election day they are not going to wake up and change because a certain Peter Obi has shown up. Likewise numerous Hausa Fulani will go the Northern People’s Congress route and it’s modern version of the National People’s Party (NPN). There is a history to the voting behaviour of every family. Of course some of today’s youth generation will break the ranks, but it has now dawned on Peter Obi that they don’t form the critical mass needed to upturn voting pattern and long standing behaviour in his favour.

The Labour Party needs another four years of mobilisation to get the remote villages of Konshisha (Benue), Jekanadu (Sokoto) Yorla ( Rivers Ogoni), Ipokia (Ogun Stare) Rikoto (Kebbi) and Dawakin Tofa( Kano) and all VXFK FRPPXQLWLHV ZKHUH SHUFHQW RI Nigerian dwell. Not on the internet.

The party needs another four years to JHW IRRW VROGLHUV LQ WKH SROOLQJ XQLWV who will go on election eve and appeal to the locals from house to house to come out and vote, sometimes coax them, sometimes induce them! That’s how it works, my friend.

The trajectory of the media and internet simulation in favour the Labour Party was exaggerated and misdirected. Be that as it may, for the six months effort of Peter Obis resurgence of the Labour Party to produce RQH JRYHUQRU DQG PRUH WKDQ 1DWLRQDO Assembly members is commendable, but it also accentuates the volume of humongous work and gargantuan goodwill Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Sen Kashim Shettima have built over the decades for them to amass eight million votes on February 25.

From the forgoing the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party have no reason to claim they won the elections.

Asiwaju had 22 governors at his disposal for heaven sake with all their resources and voter strength. Tinubu picked his mandate in style, grand style with a gap of close to two million votes.

The path of self destruction that the disgruntled politicians the DSS mentioned are embarking on is needless, irresponsible DQG WRWDOO\ VXLFLGDO 7KHVH ÀIWK FROXPQLVWV who have no capacity to handle failure are refusing to heed the call of their huntermaster. When you prepare for war, you crave for victory but also make provision for possible failure. That’s the mark of a great warrior. This is the time to sheath their swords and prepare for the next elections in four years’ time. The democratic journey we seem to be nurturing successfully does not need this aberration of already doomed idea of “interim government”. As we say in Hausa “Wanda bai ji bari ba ya ji hoho” (one who refuses to listen to advice will feel the pain later).

Dr Bako OON is an APC chieftain and member, Media Directorate, Presidential Campaign Council

20

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023

THE REALITY OF NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY

BUHARI’S LOST CHANCE AT BEQUEATHING A LEGACY

The 2023 elections did not reflect the will of the people, contends CHEKWUBE NZOMIWU

7KH PRVW FRPPRQ GHILQLWLRQ RI GHPRFUDF\ RIWHQ DWWULEXWHG WR $EUDKDP /LQFROQ LV ´JRYHUQPHQW RI WKH SHRSOH E\ WKH SHRSOH DQG IRU WKH SHRSOH µ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´'HPRFUDF\ DQG $QDUFK\ µ +H SRVLWHG WKDW ´'HPRFUDF\ LV D OLH LW LV RSSUHVVLRQ DQG LV LQ UHDOLW\ ROLJDUFK\ WKDW LV JRYHUQPHQW E\ WKH IHZ WR WKH DGYDQWDJH RI D SULYLOHJHG FODVV %XW ZH FDQ VWLOO ILJKW LW LQ WKH QDPH RI IUHHGRP DQG HTXDOLW\ XQOLNH WKRVH ZKR KDYH UHSODFHG LW RU ZDQW WR UHSODFH LW ZLWK VRPHWKLQJ ZRUVH µ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·V QH[W SUHVLGHQW ZDV HOHFWHG E\ IRXU SHUFHQW RI WKH HQWLUH SRSXODWLRQ RI WKH FRXQWU\ ,I KH HYHQWXDOO\ DVVXPHV RIÀFH KH ZLOO EH IDFHG ZLWK OHJLWLPDF\ FULVLV 3ULRU WR WKH HOHFWLRQV YRWHU WXUQRXW KDV EHHQ LGHQWLILHG E\ UHVHDUFKHUV DV DQ LPSHGLPHQW WR GHPRFUDWLF FRQVROLGDWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD Nzomiwu writes from Awka, Anambra State

O. JASON OSAI argues that Buhari failed to provide a level playing field for the 2023 Election

:KHQ , ZHQW WR YRWH GXULQJ WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ , WKXPEHG WKH LQN SDG UHDG\ WR YRWH EXW UDWKHU VWUDQJHO\ , IUR]H $V D SURYLQFLDO SROLWLFDO NLQJSLQ RI 3HRSOHV· 'HPRFUDWLF 3DUW\ 3'3 LQ ZKRVH KRXVH XQSULQWDEOH WKLQJV ZHUH KDSSHQLQJ LW ZDV D QDWXUDO DVVXPSWLRQ WKDW , ZRXOG YRWH 3'3 %XW WR P\ FRPSOHWH DPD]HPHQW P\ WKXPE DFTXLUHG D PLQG RI LWV RZQ DQG SUHVVHG WKH ER[ RI $OO 1LJHULD 3HRSOHV 3DUW\ $133 RQ WKH EDOORW SDSHU 6R LW FDPH WR SDVV WKDW , YRWHG IRU 0XKDPPDGX %XKDUL LQVWHDG RI 0XVD <DU·$GXD /LNH PDQ\ XQVXVSHFWLQJ SDWULRWV , EHOLHYHG WKDW %XKDUL KDG ZKDW LW WDNHV WR SXW 1LJHULD RQ WKH SDWK WR SURJUHVV 7KRXJKWV UXQQLQJ ULRWV , WRRN VRODFH IRU WKDW DQWL SDUW\ DFW NQRZLQJ WKDW 1LJHULD QHHGHG D SHUVRQ ZLWK WKH DQWL FRUUXSWLRQ SHGLJUHH ÀUPQHVV DQG IRFXV RI %XKDUL WR JXLGH KHU WRZDUGV HFRQRPLF UHFRYHU\ +RZ PLVWDNHQ , ZDV 6DGO\ XQGHU WKH ROG DJH DQG LOO KHDOWK LQGXFHG IHHEOH ZDWFK RI 3UHVLGHQW 0XKDPPDG %XKDUL FRUUXSWLRQ EHFDPH K\GUD KHDGHG DQG VXIÀ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ÀUPLW\ LQ WKH IDFH RI WKH DUGXRXV GHPDQGV RI SXEOLF RIÀFH 1LJHULDQV H[SHFWHG 3UHVLGHQW %XKDUL WR EH SDWULRWLF HQRXJK WR VWHHU WKH QDWLRQ RII WKH LJQRPLQLRXV DQG UHWURJUHVVLYH SDWK RI DQ LQÀUP ([HFXWLYH 3UHVLGHQW LQ WKH PROG RI 3DXO %L\D RI &DPHURRQ *UDQWHG WKDW RXU FXOWXUDO QRUPV GLFWDWH HPSDWK\ IRU WKH DGYHUVLWLHV RI RWKHUV LW ZRXOG EH D JURVV GLVVHUYLFH WR WKH QDWLRQ IRU FDQGLGDWHV ZKR DUH FKDOOHQJHG E\ HLWKHU ROG DJH RU LOO KHDOWK WR SXW IRUWK WKHPVHOYHV IRU SRVLWLRQV ZKHUH VXFK LQÀUPLWLHV ZLOO REYLRXVO\ KLQGHU WKHLU SHUIRUPDQFH 7KLV LV ZK\ WKH HOHFWRUDWH LQ DGYDQFHG GHPRFUDFLHV WDNHV VWXGLHG LQWHUHVW LQ WKH VWDWH RI SK\VLFDO DQG PHQWDO KHDOWK RI ZDQQDEHV GXULQJ HOHFWLRQV 7KRXJK %XKDUL IDLOHG 1LJHULDQV LQ YLUWXDOO\ HYHU\ IURQW KLV SURQRXQFHPHQW UHJDUGLQJ HOHFWLRQV OHIW D JOLPPHU RI KRSH IRU D OHJDF\ +LV SURPLVH WR SURYLGH D OHYHO SOD\LQJ ÀHOG IRU SROLWLFDO SDUWLFLSDWLRQ DQG SXEOLFO\ HQFRXUDJLQJ SHRSOH WR JR RXW DQG YRWH IRU D FDQGLGDWH DQG SDUW\ RI WKHLU FKRLFH VSHOW KRSH IRU D FUHGLEOH HOHFWLRQ 6DLG KH ´0\ DLP LV WR PDNH VXUH WKDW 1LJHULDQV EHOLHYH WKDW ZH UHVSHFW WKHP DV DQ DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ«1LJHULDQV VKRXOG YRWH IRU ZKRVRHYHU WKH\ OLNH IURP ZKLFKHYHU SDUW\ 1RERG\ ZLOO EH DOORZHG WR PRELOL]H UHVRXUFHV RU WKXJV WR LQWLPLGDWH SHRSOH LQ DQ\ FRQVWLWXHQF\ 7KDW·V ZKDW , ZDQW WR JR GRZQ LQ 1LJHULD·V KLVWRU\ IRUµ $JDLQVW WKH DERYH EDFNGURS WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ SUHVHQWHG D YHULWDEOH RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU 3UHVLGHQW %XKDUL WR OHDYH D SRVLWLYH OHJDF\ LUUHVSHFWLYH RI WKH LJQRPLQLRXV WZR WHUP WHQXUH WKDW EURXJKW 1LJHULD WR LWV NQHHV ORFDOO\ DQG LQ WKH FRPLW\ RI QDWLRQV +H FRXOG KDYH DFKLHYHG WKLV E\ LQVLVWLQJ RQ DQG HQVXULQJ WUDQVSDUHQF\ LQ WKH HOHFWRUDO SURFHVV 7KDW ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ %XKDUL·V PRPHQW LQ KLVWRU\ 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ WKDW QHYHU KDSSHQHG ,QIRUPHG E\ D SDQRUDPD RI UHDFWLRQV RQ (OHFWLRQ E\ QHZVSDSHUV DFURVV WKH ZRUOG /DVLVL 2ODJXQMX RIIHUV WKDW ´7KH ZRUOG LV QRW SOHDVHG ZLWK >WKH (OHFWLRQV@µ 7KH (FRQRPLVW FDOOHG LW D ´FKDRWLFDOO\ RUJDQL]HG YRWH DQG PHVV\ FRXQWµ DQG IRU 7KH )LQDQFLDO 7LPHV LW ZDV ´GHHSO\ ÁDZHG >DQG WKH ZLQQHU@ D ZHDOWK\ SROLWLFDO À[HUµ ZKR 7KH *XDUGLDQ 8. GHVFULEHG DV ´DQ LPPHQVHO\ ZHDOWK\ YHWHUDQ SRZHUEURNHU WUDLOHG E\ FRUUXSWLRQ DOOHJDWLRQVµ 1HZ <RUN 7LPHV UHIHUUHG WR

WKH WRXWHG ZLQQHU DV ´D GLYLVLYH ÀJXUH LQ 1LJHULDQ SROLWLFVµ ZKLOH &DQDGD·V *OREH DQG 0DLO VDLG ´%ROD 7LQXEX·V HOHFWLRQ LV DQRWKHU WULXPSK IRU 1LJHULD·V FRUUXSW ROG JXDUG µ )RU 7KH 7LPHV RI /RQGRQ %ROD 7LQXEX LV ´D ZHDOWK\ NOHSWRFUDWLF ¶JRGIDWKHU· RI SROLWLFVµ 5HVXOWLQJ IURP WKH DERYH GLVPDO SHUIRUPDQFH 3URIHVVRUV DQG -XGJHV WZR SURIHVVLRQV KHOG LQ KLJKHVW HVWHHP JOREDOO\ KDYH EHHQ EURXJKW WR ULGLFXOH LQ 1LJHULD 5HY 1RVD - , $VR FDSWXUHV WKH GHFDGHQFH LQ WKH 1LJHULDQ DFDGHPH LQ KLV SRHP ´3URIHVVRULDO ,OOLWHUDWHVµ $W D UHFHQW ZHGGLQJ DWWHQGHG E\ PDQ\ SURIHVVRUV LQ 3RUW +DUFRXUW WKH 0& PLVFKLHYRXVO\ VDLG WKDW ´WKHVH DUH UHDO SURIHVVRUV QRW WKRVH ZKR FDQQRW FRXQW FRUUHFWO\µ³DQ REYLRXV DOOXVLRQ WR WKH FXUUHQW FRQWURYHUV\ RYHU WKH HOHFWRUDO IUDXG DOOHJHGO\ SHUSHWUDWHG E\ PDQ\ SURIHVVRUV $JDLQ ´*R WR &RXUWµ KDV WDNHQ WKH IRUH LQ VRFLDO EDQWHUV ,Q DQRWKHU JDJ WKH 0& VDLG WKDW KH KDV ´SURIHVVRULDOO\ FRXQWHG ÀYH KXQGUHG DQG ÀIW\ WKRXVDQG JXHVWV KHUH DQG LI \RX GRQ·W DJUHH *R WR &RXUWµ 5HDFWLQJ WR WKH FXUUHQW VKRZ RI VKDPH LQ 1LJHULD -RKQ 'XPHOR VDLG WKXV ´,Q *KDQD RXU SROLWLFLDQV IHDU FRXUW D ORW EXW LQ 1LJHULD SROLWLFLDQV ZLOO HQFRXUDJH \RX WR JR WR FRXUW EHFDXVH WKH\ FDQ EULEH 1LJHULDQ MXGJHV µ 6DGO\ WKDW·V ZKDW %XKDUL ZLOO ´JR GRZQ LQ 1LJHULD·V KLVWRU\ IRUµ 7R SURYLGH D OHYHO SOD\LQJ ÀHOG IRU WKH (OHFWLRQ ZDV %XKDUL·V ODVW FKDQFH WR EHTXHDWK D SRVLWLYH OHJDF\ WR 1LJHULD $V D UHVXOW RI KLV IDLOXUH LQ WKDW UHJDUG 1LJHULD LV RQ WKH FXVS )ROORZLQJ ÀYH GD\V RI UHDGLQJ ZHLJKW\ FRPPHQWDULHV DFURVV WKH ZRUOG 2ODJXQMX VDLG ´, KDYH QRW VHHQ UHDG QRU KHDUG D VLQJOH SRVLWLYH UHYLHZ RI WKH HOHFWLRQ LQ DQ\ FUHGLEOH PHGLD LQ DQ\ FRXQWU\ RI WKH ZRUOGµ +H FRQFOXGHG WKDW ´7LQXEX·V PDQGDWH LV ULYDOHG LQ FRQWHQW WH[WXUH DQG UHYLHZ SUREDEO\ RQO\ E\ 6KHKX 6KDJDUL·V 9HUGLFW ¶ PDQGDWHµ 3RVWHULW\ EHFNRQHG RQ 3UHVLGHQW %XKDUL WR UHFRJQL]H WKDW WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ LV D VWUXJJOH EHWZHHQ WKH QDWLRQ·V FRUUXSW ROLJDUFK\ YHUVXV SURJUHVVLYH 1LJHULDQV $OVR SRVWHULW\ EHFNRQHG RQ KLP WR GHPRQVWUDWH SDWULRWLVP E\ FKRRVLQJ FRXQWU\ RYHU UHOLJLRXV HWKQLF DQG SDUW\ DIÀOLDWLRQV 3RVWHULW\ IXUWKHU EHFNRQHG RQ KLP WR MRLQ WKH RYHUGXH GHPRFUDWLF UHYROXWLRQ WKDW 1LJHULDQ PDVVHV \HDUQHG DQG VWLOO \HDUQ 6DGO\ %XKDUL ORVW WKDW FKDQFH WR EHTXHDWK D SRVLWLYH OHJDF\ WR 1LJHULD Professor Osai writes from Port Harcourt

45 T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023

EDITORIAL

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

A STRONG VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY

T

Those interested in wielding power must use the platform of electoral politics

he 2023 general election may have come the state and dealt with according to law. and gone but some Nigerians are yet to Yes, the 2023 presidential election has polarised come to terms with the outcome. That Nigerians along ethno-religious lines. We are also perhaps explains some of the bizarre not unmindful of some of the challenges thrown up incidents that may also be provoking by the elections. But the enduring lesson that our overreaction from the authorities. politicians must begin to imbibe is that democracy In a controversial statement last week, the matures when the will of the people is vindicated no Department of State Services (DSS) raised the matter how thin the margins of victory may be. And alarm over what it described as a plot by some to the extent that the 1999 constitution in operation “misguided political actors” to foist an interim leaves no space for any arrangement that involves government on the nation. The DSS “considers the military, we condemn those who carry their the plot, being pursued by these entrenched demonstrations to defence headquarters with weird interests as not only an aberration, but a suggestions for undemocratic interventions. Such mischievous way to set aside the constitution and desperation is a gross deviation from the rule of law undermine civil rule as well as plunge the country and is off limit. into an avoidable crisis”.

As we reiterated before The statement from the concluded elections, Only the democratic process unhindered by extraneous machinations the DSS is too sweeping, democracy may not be political and laced with perfect but the idea that offers the society and the state opportunity for periodic change of threats. We hope that leaders can be peacefully the agency is not trying replaced weakens all government. To interfere with that process is to deny the nation the to justify surreptitious attempts at arbitrariness attempts to trample that were at the core of the opportunity of peaceful transition and sustainable self renewal on the rights of the other forms of government opposition as being we tried in the past. We suggested in some quarters. Recourse to judicial are also aware that to entrench constitutional process by aggrieved parties after an election is a democracy, credible periodic elections must be democratic right that cannot be denied. Neither sacrosanct with the liberties and political rights should non-violent civil protests be criminalised. of citizens guaranteed and protected. As we keep The security agencies must understand that we are reminding Nigerians, the democracy that we now under a presidential democracy which guarantees HQMR\ WRRN WKH VDFULÀFH RI IDU WRR PDQ\ SHRSOH maximum expression of the fundamental rights of There is therefore an urgent need for responsibility citizens. Therefore, security reports must not be a on the part of our politicians and their supporters weapon to scuttle or abridge those civic rights, even to guard against the mistakes of tempting dark when we admit that some political groups may be thoughts from an ugly past. exceeding the bounds of decency by their actions On several occasions before and after the and utterances. elections, President Muhammadu Buhari has For those who may be disappointed by the outcome come out to state that he is not in support of any of the 2023 general election, the idea of an interim undemocratic move that will roll back all the government is clearly an odious proposition. Calling gains Nigeria has recorded in the last 24 years and for election annulment or holding people inside an could set in motion actions that can destabilise aircraft hostage are also reprehensible actions. Only the country and our fragile subregion. But if there the democratic process unhindered by extraneous are anti-democratic forces around him as it is machinations offers the society and the state also being suggested, the president must rein in opportunity for periodic change of government. To VXFK SHRSOH $V 1LJHULDQV UHDIÀUP WKHLU IDLWK LQ interfere with that process is to deny the nation the the inbuilt self-correcting capacity of the current opportunity of peaceful transition and sustainable democratic order, those interested in power must self renewal. Any such plan, if established as true, use the platform of electoral politics to realise their must be treated as a treasonous attempt to subvert ambition.

Letters to the Editor

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

LETTERS

RIPPLES FROM THE ADAMAWA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION The Independent National Electoral &RPPLVVLRQ ,1(& KDV À[HG Saturday, April 15th, 2023 as the day for the Adamawa State governorship supplementary election in 69 polling units across the state. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is going into the supplementary election with a margin lead of 31,249 votes.

Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani needs a miracle to dilute this margin from the 37,706 expected votes in the 69 polling units where the supplementary election will be conducted.

Despite the anti-party activities from some members and executives of her party, her disregard for the very important aspect of politics – collaborations with everybody, plus her failure to send an olive branch to some of the APC governorship aspirants who lost to her during the APC governorship primaries, including the indifference to her candidacy exhibited

by some stakeholders of the Adamawa APC, Binani has proved a point - she shook Governor Fintiri in a way he never expected.

Candidate Fintiri came to the March 18 JRYHUQRUVKLS HOHFWLRQ RYHU FRQÀGHQW EXW with poor calculations and with so many off-the-shelves strategies. For instance, he thought that his 2019 bloc vote was still intact, but he was wrong. Many people in the bloc-vote have realized that they’ve nothing to gain from it. It was mainly Fintiri’s ‘cousins’ and close associates who enjoyed the goodies meant for the bloc vote. Fintiri’s second mistake was the poor deployment of logistics – this is obvious from how he performed in the Adamawa North Senatorial District - his primary constituency. Fintiri got only 53% of votes, losing three of the five LGAs. Though, Binani also performed poorly at her central zone - she got only 45% of the total votes – winning only three of the

seven LGAs. When the controversial Fufore LGA result was announced, the governor was pictured celebrating with his aides. However, a few PLQXWHV ODWHU ZKHQ WKH ÀQDO UHVXOW ZDV declared inconclusive – Fintiri was pictured LQ D GHÁDWHG PRRG 6WXGHQWV RI SROLWLFV DQG history should study INEC’s declaration of Adamawa 2019 and 2023 governorship elections as inconclusive relative to the man ‘Ahamdu Umaru Fintiri’- it always brings out ‘the punctured man’. In 2019 when the election was declared inconclusive, Fintiri ran to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for help, and equally, in 2023, when his reelection was also declared inconclusive, Fintiri ran back to Atiku for help. In fact, in 2019, it was former governor Boni Haruna that saved the day for Fintiri. Boni in a press conference highlighted the difference and the importance of registered voters and PVCs collected, which today has become a working document for all political parties

and INEC itself.

Fintiri often boasts that he is a man of great political sagacity, he often claims to have retired many people or has ‘shaved’ their heads from politics. But whenever he is faced with an intricate political situation, he suddenly becomes punctured, running to people for help.

As earlier mentioned, Binani needs a miracle to upstage Fintiri’s from a pool of just 37,706 votes. Nevertheless, whoever wins the 2023 Adamawa governorship election, will face a legal tussle, that’s why people were shocked when Fintiri and his convoy were seen going and coming back from Fufore LGAs, in the name of collection of results to the state collation center. It is simply bizarre when a contender in an election turns himself into the collation RIÀFHU Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2, 2023

46

INTERNATIONAL Humility in Diplomacy and Terrible Things in Righteousness: The Case of Ambassador Bello Kazaure

‘H

umilityinDiplomacy’wasthetitleofAmbassador Bello Hussein Kazaure’s autobiography, which was reviewed by Professor Bola A. Akinterinwa, and presented in his absence

by Dr (Mrs) Tola Ilesanmi of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs onThursday, 30th March, 2023 at the Conference Hall of the Tafawa Balewa House (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). At the Conference were very notable dignitaries including many Ministers, Foreign Service Officers and traditional Rulers.

The public presentation of the book at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is quite interesting because the MFA is a diplomatic village in itself. It is a place where diplomacy in all its ramifications is hatched like an egg. It is a zoo to borrow the expression from the sagacious Leslie Harriman. But, it is an altar of injustice on which the prayers of deceit are placed, and more interestingly, it is also the terra cognita of well-baked professionals and Directors.The Ministry has the highest number of Level 17 Civil Servants or Directors.

Consequently, when discussing humility, the question that quickly comes to mind is whether the MFA really plays host to humility, especially in light of the many terrible things in righteousness that happen there. The book has examples of terrible things in righteousness, that is, cases of people punished for trying to do what is just, fair and humanitarian.

Apart from the MFA being considered as a depository of institutional humility, there is no qualm in any Foreign Service Officer adopting the culture of humility in the course of performance of his or her duties. In international diplomatic practice, the Japanese and Chinese ambassadors are noted for their show of humility by bowing in spite of the institution of sovereign equality. The application of the principle of sovereign equality does not allow for humility. The practice is mutual respect, and non-intervention in the domestic affairs that fall under the exclusive competence of other sovereign States. This is why Ambassador Kazaure’s book is particularly interesting from the perspective of the remarks made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama. He was reported to have said that humility achieves better result than bullying. This statement is valid if it is qualified by ‘under normal circumstances’and‘not always.’It was humility-driven faithfulness in the performance of official duties that almost completely destroyed the NIIA even under the watch of Mr Onyeama. Consequently, what really is humility in diplomacy?

The Book and the Truth Let us begin with the book and art of book review. The word ‘review,’has two main functional challenges: examination and result.

The examination is explained by the first three letters: R, E, and V while the result is explained by the three other letters: I,E,W. In terms of intellectual challenge therefore, a REVIEW simply requires compliance with the meaning of the six letters: letter‘R’means‘Read the Book; E means Examine the sources, logical consistency of data in the various chapters, especially the organograms, tables, etc.; V means Verify the extent of scientificity of arguments put forward in the book; I means Inform the august audience and the generality of the public about the outcome of finding; E signifies Engage the author in the determination of extent of his contribution to existing knowledge; while W means What recommendation?

The reading and examination of the book, in terms of format and content, is quite interesting in many ways. Format wise, it is a standard book of journal size, 9”by 6”. All the printed copies were in hard binding, with the international rules on margins, running head, etc. well respected. There were no soft copies. In terms of lettrine, type of font and size, photographs, etc. they were attractive and legible. The chapterisation and content analyses are particularly noteworthy. For example, in the preliminary pages of the book, the author recognized the collective efforts of his parents in bringing him up‘in the best traditions of the Hausa/Fulani culture, and therefore, dedicated the book to them, especially for their encouragement in the pursuit of Western education. This also means that both the parents and the author do not share the anti-Westernisation philosophy of the Boko Haramists.

The foreword, written by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, His

with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Kazaure Excellency, Mr. Geoffrey Onyema, is noteworthy. In the words of the Minister,‘I have worked closely with Ambassador Bello over the years. In course of my engagements with him, he has demonstrated a huge sense of loyalty to Nigeria, unalloyed dedication to the Foreign Service, and high-level commitment to his demanding schedules. Commendably, he has done all these with humility.’

And More importantly, he said the author ‘particularly promotes relations with members of the diplomatic corps, makes difficult issues appear simple due (to) his serio-comic style of dealing with such issues, and remains an invaluable asset to Nigeria’s foreign policy exertions.’Without whiff of doubt, an autobiography is essentially a self-account. The foreword by the Foreign Minister is an evaluation from a distance, which clearly projects the author beyond self-evaluation.

In terms of structure of the book, it is chapterised into thirteen which we divided into three main parts: up-bringing and marriage; diplomatic experiences, and his diplomatic philosophy. As regards his up-bringing, this is covered in the first four chapters of the book.

In chapter two, which is on childhood and family life, emphasis was placed on environmental conditionings as a major dynamic of the goodness or otherwise of every individual, and that what the author is today, particularly in nurturing courteous relationships with everyone, is necessarily a resultant from his environmental background. As Ambassador Kazaure put it,‘our ultimate experiences in life are largely dependent on the kinds of relationships we build and the alliances we forge. Whenever we get the opportunity, we must intentionally build relationships and forge alliances, for they will add to the quality of the experiences that we will eventually have in our quality.’ As a member of the royal family, the author noted the challenges of being of a royal blood: ‘having a certain image

Foreign Minister Onyeama reportedly said: ‘very often, over the past seven years, we hear scholars and others in international relations and foreign affairs writing about what the Ministry should and should not be doing, as well as what the diplomats should and should not be doing. They expect us as a big country to be banging the tables hard and throwing our weight around. Humility in diplomacy is very apt, especially in the context of a lot of what is happening globally. Yes, you might be big, but ultimately, humility is very important…’ More importantly, he added that ‘you very often find that humility can actually help you to be more successful and achieve those interests rather than throwing your weight around, being a bully and being extravagantly proud.’

This statement is ideal because of its consistency with biblical injunctions. However, the Minister misses the point: humility to whom? Should there be humility to South Africa in the face of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians? Is it an extravagant pride to contest government’s nepotistic policies, Fulanisation agenda, and lack of foreign policy focus? Should there be silence over punishing diplomatic careerists who are qualified to be appointed ambassadors but denied because of politics? In defending the national interest, there is no room for moralism which humility is all about. Besides, no Minister, like the scholars he referred to, has monopoly of knowledge. Protection of core foreign policy interests is not by politics of humility The Minister should therefore, first of all, put an end to his own extravagant pride and diplomatic braggadocio by sharing other people’s ideas and learning about how people have been recalled from posts without any jot of fault: terrible

“

“

VIE INTERNATIONALE

hanging on one’s shoulders can be constraining and overwhelming sometimes, we must look beyond the pressure and instead use that as an opportunity to build a life that is far removed from the pedestrian for it comes with its unprecedented blessings.’

Chapter three was about the quest of the author for Western education. Three main dynamics were identified for the quest: parental experience and impact, interest of the author to wear smart uniforms like the older ones, and government’s mass education programme. He began his primary school education in September 1975 at the Kudu Central Primary School, Kazaure.What is noteworthy in this chapter is the discouragement the author had in the quest for education and how‘God made it up for (him) in intelligence and expertise in sports.’As the author put it,‘I had stellar performances in both academic and extracurricular activities. I also found favour with my teachers because of my academic performance, who (sic) often showered me with positive comments such as “you have a bright future”, “you will go places,” and “this boy will make it.’

Becoming a husband and father was the title of chapter four. The author says marriage provides emotional support and companionship, as well as fosters personal growth and development. He began his journey as a husband in 1992 after his convocation ceremony at the Bayero University, Kano. The challenges of how not to pollute the royal blood with bad choice of a wife, early marriage, and more interestingly, how the author accompanied a friend to the house of a relation and ended up finding his first wife to be, and who eventually had six children for him, were explicated in this chapter.

He married a second wife, Hajiya Maryam on April 7, 2017 through another friend. The second wife has two children, meaning that Ambassador Kazaure has eight children to his credit.

Chapter 5 is on the Ambassador’s service to the fatherland in return for what the system had given him. It is an ‘attempt at actualizing my dream of giving back to my people for their investment.’ He worked with his State Public Service and crossed to the Federal Civil Service. He began his diplomatic career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 11th of March, 1993. He passed through the Foreign Service Academy and noted his experiences before he was deployed to the headquarters along with the Group 62 (G-62) in April 1994. Life at the headquarters was more challenging than ever before, the author explained. The chapter concludes the first part based on our typology.

Part two, which deals with the author’s diplomatic experiences, begins with chapter six focusing on the making of a diplomat. It is titled ‘the emergence of a diplomat.’ He was posted out along with the other members of G-62 who graduated from the Foreign Service Academy in 1994. The posting was in compliance with the policy on newly recruited staff. More interesting were his posting to Zimbabwe in 1998 and his return to Abuja in September 2000.

The one-year training programme at the Foreign Service Academy was converted to a regular posting and the author was posted to the Trade and Investments Division of the Foreign Ministry.

Truth and Terrible Things Ambassador Kazaure served in India from 2003 to 2007. The story is covered in chapter seven. Politics of choice of where to be posted to, because of meager Foreign Service Allowance, was discussed.

He was advised by a friend who had served in India not to accept the posting to India because of poor service allowance, but he accepted posting to India even though he had the opportunity to lobby against the posting, the then Minister being a relation and from the same State with the author. Indeed, Ambassador Kazaure was Counselor, Senior Counselor, as well as Head of Chancery, with the assignment becoming more ‘engaging because it was more ‘managerial than operational.’

After India, he was deployed to the Directorate of Technical Aid Corps (TAC), where he served from June 2007 to June 2009. He served as Personal Assistant to Ambassador Mamman Daura, the then Director of TAC, with additional responsibility of working with the technical team that undertook the selection, recruitment, and posting of volunteers to different countries within the framework of the TAC. He was also charged with the responsibility of logistical arrangements for the volunteers until June 2009 when he was posted to Kuwait.

Diplomatic life is the focus of chapter eight of the book. He served as Head of Chancery following the reopening of the Embassy of Nigeria, following its closure from 1990 to 2009 as a result of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The posting to Kuwait not only raises the internal struggle for juicy posts, but also how official positions are used to victimize people. Two points are noteworthy in this chapter. First is that Ambassador Kazaure, as Head of Chancery, still performed other functions in light of the limited number of home-based staff. Second is the insolvency of the Embassy and the reason identified by the author is cause for concern. As he put it, ‘member of the Kuwaiti Royal Family owned our chancery. He was also the mission’s main contractor. He was so influential that his bills were not subjected to scrutiny at all.’ And perhaps more commendably, Ambassador Kazaure insisted that the mission be relocated to a more economical property. ‘This move saved the Mission’s financial burden and eventually cleared the huge debt and set the pace that enabled the Mission to meet up its (obligations) as at when due. When the author returned to the headquarters, he was deployed to the Office of the Vice President, State House in Abuja.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

47

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

BBTitans Season Finale: Six Finalists, Two Countries, One Winner Stories by Vanessa Obioha As the sun sets on the Big Brother house, the remaining six finalists prepare for the biggest night of their lives. With three Nigerians and three South Africans left in the game, the competition is fiercer than ever, and tensions are running high. The question on everyone’s mind is: who will be crowned the ultimate winner of Big Brother Titans? Will it be a Nigerian or South African contestant? Will a male or female housemate emerge victorious? These are questions that fans are eager to find answers to when the show draws its curtains tonight.

The finalists Ipeleng, Ebubu, Tsatsii, Yvonne, Kanaga Jnr and Khosi played the game well to earn a spot in the final. While Ipeleng won the supreme veto power that gave her immunity to the finale and chose Ebubu to enjoy the same privilege, the rest have been riding on sheer luck as fans have kept them in the game.

Khosi who has never missed a nomination is favoured to be the winner of the show by most fans. But Kanaga Jr is another strong contender as the young Nigerian is regarded as the season’s most strategic.

The Big Brother Titans show which had 28 housemates play the game for 70 days has been one full of twists and turns. From pairing the housemates to situationships in the house, the season kept fans glued to the screens as they voted for their preferred contestant.

Ebubu, Ipeleng, Kanaga, Jnr, Khasi, Tsatsii and Yvonne

Interestingly, of all the ships in the house, only Kanaga Jr and Tsatsii made it to the finale. But will their friendship end in the house or will we see it blossom?

Also, this season recorded no disqualification.

The Big Brother finale is always a highlight

‘New TV Host Search’ Offers Budding Talents a Chance to Shine Iyke Bede

L-R: Head of CSR, Sponsorship and Partnership, Itel Mobile, Taiwo Ogunpaimo; CEO, Notes Inc Media, Damola Adewole; and representative of Ladycare, Bolanle Olaitan, at the announcement of New TV Host Search at ATG House, Ikeja, Lagos... recently

Notes Inc Media, a media production company with a presence in Lagos and Austria, recently announced the launch of a television host reality show ‘New TV Host Search’ at ATG House, Ikeja Lagos.

Deviating from the traditional television format of its other productions to an Instagram-only format, the new show powered by Itel Mobile and Ladycare is conceived to allow budding talents to gain their big break.

Optimistic about the prospect of the show, the CEO, Notes Inc Media, Damola Adewole expressed confidence in the project’s potential to positively impact the careers of aspiring television hosts.

“The company is committed to the continuous delivery of creative, intelligent and professional content. A lot of Nigerians are massively talented, working to make sure they rise in the ranks. We’ve seen this gap, and we decided to fill it in collaboration with our partners that believe in the dream of the Nigerian youths,” he said.

Entries for ‘NTHS’ close on April 5, 2023.

X3M Ideas Exhibits Unusual Talents at ‘The Xperiment’ Listening Party Iyke Bede As the sun dipped below the horizon, with a build-up of traffic along Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, scores of music lovers and critics streamed into the Mood Lagos, a fancy rooftop bar, evincing palpable excitement in anticipation for the listening party of a one-of-a-kind album, ‘The Xperiment’.

While most album listening parties have a common defining feature — a traditional artiste or band, this unusual album assembles a team of young creatives culled from the staff directory of creative agency X3M Ideas. Although perceived as rookies with over 70 per cent of the contributing act making their recording debut, they managed to woo and impress guests with the final body of work.

A compilation of eight tracks that runs for 24 minutes, ‘The Xperiment’ features nine creative minds who traverse the expansive scope of the modern-day afro-fusion

genre, to deliver pockets of head-bopping bangers paired with laid-back mid-tempo songs that showcase authentic penmanship.

Throughout the album, they were able to express different emotions: ‘Broken No More’ is a deeply introspective track that alludes to melodic Rap of the ‘90s that is often backed by female vocalists.

On an edgier note, the upbeat, 2000s-esque ‘Flex’ served as the night opener. It follows a similar path as ‘Broken No More’, except with more torque.

Touted as the night’s best, ‘Soco’, a feel-good, traditional afrobeats joint with a catchy chorus rendered in pidgin, could easily fit into the discographies of the likes of Davido and Wizkid.

However, nothing comes close to mirroring the spirit of millennials and Gen Zs present than ‘Tanana’. It had them mouthing, and singing to the satirical lyrics reminiscent of afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.

More specifically, it bears the signature style of Falz, who

Steve Babaeko (far right) at ‘The Xperiment’ party

has also capitalised on the artistry of the Kuti to produce music for the contemporary palate.

The writing process was deeply personal, as revealed by each contributor. To express the communal spirit that informs the culture of X3M, the house was shut down with a cypher performance of ‘X Cypher’, marking the close of the listening party. It was the sole performance.

Seated in the crowd witnessing the entire expression were Kennis Music Boss, Kenny Ogungbe, and Steve Babaeko who doubles as CEO of X3M Ideas and

producer of ‘The Xperiment’.

Babaeko recalled the yearlong journey of producing the album seeded by the idea of initially producing one track.

He also noted that the plug on the album was almost pulled on different occasions as it was put on the back burner in favour of servicing clients.

Regardless, Babaeko asserted that the drive to put out the album never died, especially with the outfit’s imminent 10th anniversary.

“Creativity is the only thing we know how to do. That creative energy can take any turn and any direction,” he concluded.

of the season, with fans tuning in from across Africa to watch the drama unfold. It’s a testament to the show’s popularity and its ability to bring people together in a shared experience.

As the show ends today, not a few await to see who will take home the coveted title of BBTitans winner and a cash prize of $100,000.

Musicians’ Advancement in Focus at PMAN, NCC, and MCSN Roundtable Following the successful three-day music festival, Visà-Vis, organised by the Spanish Embassy, the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Musical Copyright Society Of Nigeria (MCSN) collaborated to hold a roundtable for the advancement of the local music industry. The roundtable was held at The Nigerian Music House - PMAN’s corporate headquarters in Lagos recently.

Vis-à-Vis, with a presence in over a dozen African countries, is aimed at fostering healthy cultural exchange between Nigeria and Spain for increased revenue generation and artistes’ remuneration through the protection of copyrights, showcasing of local talents, and creating an enabling environment to break onto the international scene.

With the roundtable themed ‘Maximising the International Dimension of Music as a Vehicle of Culture’, stakeholders discussed issues affecting the local music economy, highlighting the impact of the cultural exchange programme on economic growth, and routes to maximise monetisation of content.

“The programme, Vis-à-Vis, has been one that we are running through our public diplomacy institution, CASA Africa,” Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio explained.

He continued: “We have opened up a platform where Nigerian musicians have uploaded their music. And out of the more than 150 entries we have, the jury has chosen 12 that have been playing live for the jury, and out of them, two will be invited to play in the Sin Sal Festival in Spain.”

The partnership, according to President, PMAN, Pretty Okafor, is a start to exporting and monetising talents, improving existing structures, and strengthening the copyrights systems in Nigeria.

The initiative comes on the heels of the newly signed copyrights bill housed in The Copyrights Act 2022, which provides effective administration, regulation, enforcement, and protection of copyright in the digital environment.

“Copyright is the oil that makes the creation, distribution, and exploitation of music to be frictionless, and if we must continue to produce music, we must have functional and efficient copyrights in place for sustainability,” DirectorGeneral, NCC, Dr John Asein said, alluding to the impact of the act.

Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Juan Ignacio; President, PMAN, Pretty Okafor; and Director-General, Dr John Asein, at a roundtable organised by PMAN, NCC, and MCSN at The Nigerian Music House recently in Lekki Lagos.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

2.04.2023

S

EYAKENOABASI BOB-HASSAN NIGERIA’S BLING CONNOISSEUR Creativity and ingenuity have been her guiding principles since she ventured into jewellery making.

Her ability to transform rough gemstones into stunning pieces of jewellery won her a national laurel at the recently held Lagos Chapter of Women in Mining Gold and Gemstone where she emerged a winner. Welcome to the world of Eyakenoabasi Bob-Hassan, the brain behind Eno Bassé Diamonds. Funke Olaode writes

he is a chip off the old block. Her father, Senator Effiong Bob is a successful Nigerian lawyer and politician who has served Nigeria from the state to the national level. Her mother, Comfort is a renowned lace and gold merchant in Akwa Ibom State. In a way, Eyakenoabasi BobHassan must have cut her teeth under the tutelage of her successful parents.

“Of course, I grew up with politics,” she began. “My father has been through by God’s grace all the ranks in Nigerian politics. He has served the state. He also served at the federal level. He has been a very hardworking man; he still is very hardworking, and very agile and my mother is as well. So, I always grew up seeing my parents working. My mother was a lace merchant from the 90s to the 2000s and was very popular in Akwa Ibom for that. Also, she sold gold. I have always watched my parents not only in politics but in business. They have always been goalgetters, trying to achieve the best they can.”

Engineer, Gemologist, Jeweller and Goldsmith, Eyak as she is fondly called has had a keen interest in gemstones since she was a little girl watching her mother sell jewellery. She has an eye for spotting beautiful gemstones and transforming them into innovative designs.

“My love for jewellery started from my mother. She used to love jewellery a lot and used to sell gold. So that is where it really started. In university, I studied civil engineering, and then eventually I got my masters in Project Management. I came back to Nigeria to work in a multinational for a while and then I decided to venture into this full-time. Even when I was in graduate school, I think that was where selling really started. I used to do it as a parttime hustle just to have extra cash. I was just a trader doing buying and selling and that is where I really got to harness and understand the different metals, list for jewellery, silver, gold, and stainless steel, I really got a full understanding from trying bits and pieces here and there. Obviously, there are not so many jewellers in Nigeria.

It is a niche aspect of fashion but it is very interesting. It takes a lot of creativity to come up with designs and come up with pieces that people would like.”

The brain behind Eno Bassé Diamonds, a jewellery design company where unique and timeless pieces are created, Eyak founded the brand with the vision of procuring gemstones to create gorgeous, one-ofa-kind jewellery; a place where she creates beautiful, luxury, timeless, and antique jewellery pieces, which could be passed down through generations.

Each of her designs is a piece of true work of art made with the world’s finest and most precious gems crafted by the world’s best goldsmith. It has access to over 1.5 million GIA-certified

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/victoria.olaode@thisdaylive.com.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

49

COVER STRENGTHENING NIGERIA’S NON-OIL ECONOMY BY UNLOCKING PRECIOUS STONES IS MY PRIMARY GOAL. diamonds, which are embodied in its stunning creations.

Eyak is very ambitious. She possesses the zeal, talent and qualifications required to grow her brand successfully. There is no doubt that the experience garnered while working as a civil engineer in a multinational company where she successfully handled several projects came in handy in her jewellery business.

A well-grounded young entrepreneur with a vision, Eyak earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Civil Engineering at Swansea University, Wales and also a Masters’ degree in Project Management at Keele University, England. To equip herself with the requisite skills in her new field, she attended Certified Goldsmith at Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School, Italy. She was also a Gemologist (Gemstones, Pearls and Diamonds) at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), California.

Eyak’s craft is already gaining national recognition. At the 2022 jewellery design competition organised by the Lagos Chapter of Women in Mining Gold and Gemstone, she shone brilliantly.

Contestants were given a task to design jewellery pieces that portrayed the beauty of Unity.

Among the four contestants, she stood out with her traditional brooch, the type worn by Southsouth men in their traditional outfits. She eventually emerged as the winner of the competition.

Eyak said the winning piece was with nine-carat gold and diamonds worth USD6,000. The renowned international designer who was among the panel of judges, AdeBakare of Ade Bakare Couture, London said Eyak won because she adhered to the guidelines for the competition, which is mainly to promote and encourage designs in the Nigerian jewellery industry, and to act as a platform for jewellers to communicate and share their creative ideas.

While embarking on this newfound trade, Eyak has one thing in mind.

“My sole aim is to accelerate the development of our mining sector and provide much needed support to the value-addition process while connecting the sector to local and global opportunities,” she said.

While she could be tagged an emerging Queen of ‘bling’, Eyak’s skills go beyond creating jaw-dropping designs as she possesses skills and competence in gemology, gemstones identification, diamonds grading, diamonds and jewellery pricing, diamonds and jewellery purchasing, repairs and goldsmithing. She also works with clients on custom order designs, creating unique designs for collections.

“We prioritize beauty and luxury. We offer consultation services relating to gemstones and allied services. We deal with the trading and export of gemstones to various countries.

Eno Bassé is allied with the mining and marketing of natural rough gemstones.

“We are unique. We design pieces. We design all sorts of jewellery ranging from earrings, wristwatches, bracelets, all sorts that have to do with jewellery and custom made. We are opening our store before the first quarter of this year in Lagos. We are going to have a couple of these pieces on

Nigeria is blessed with a lot of gemstones and a lot of us don’t know their value. So it also took me leaving the country and getting this education for me to actually know and understand the value of what we have in Nigeria

Bob-Hassan

display in our store. We also authenticate gemstones, all types of gemstones. For example, if you do not know what type of stone you are carrying, if you want to authenticate your diamonds, we could help. So, our aim is to of course have an international standard manufacturing house here in Nigeria so that all our pieces from beginning to end will be done in Nigeria. Some of our pieces are done here, some are done with our partners and organisations in Europe. That is what we do. Our winning piece for the women in mining jewellery event was actually made here in Nigeria. We are proud to say we are also a Made in Nigeria brand; from gemstone cutting to jewellery making.”

Aside from her passion for designing one-of-a-kind fine jewellery, she is also keen on educating the youth and women on gemstones, precious stones and metals.

“The company is also affiliated with training and educating the youths and women on the value of gemstones, precious stones and metals through the ‘Dirt to Wealth’ initiative. We do this through enlightenment and awareness campaigns in nine states - using the gemstone industry to eradicate poverty and diversification from the oil and gas sector, the exhibition of raw materials, and linking artisanal miners to stonecutters and Identification and training of miners within the region.

“As a company, we are committed to this. It is very important to let people

know what we have in Nigeria. It is also a part of beneficiation on the gemstones we have to add value to what state we had even before exportation.”

With this initiative, she is educating people, especially women and the youth on how they could make money for themselves and add value to the gemstones in Nigeria. Moved by the need to divert attention from the oil and gas sector, the mining industry and of course the jewellery industry is the next cash cow with glowing examples of this in India.

“India is a major exporter of jewellery and that is a major source of income there. I would love to especially as we have a ton of beautiful gemstones that we get from Nigeria. I think we should really look into that jewel-making and producing aspect, even just producing for Nigeria alone could go a long way. We need to talk more about this thing, educate people more and try our best to bring people on board. That is what we are doing.

It is a collective vision and of course, I cannot do it on my own.”

In 2021, she organised a couple of training sessions to build capacity in this growing sector of the economy.

“Even my team had worked with people, or rather I have worked with

over 500 people on gemstone cutting.

I will really love to partner with more organisations to tell people about this thing. I did that in our facility in Abuja.”

As Eno Bassé Diamonds is set to capture Nigerian markets, she assures its prospective clients of authentic ‘blings’ which will stand the test of time.

“All our products are genuine. We source the gemstones that I used locally.

Diamonds are not in Nigeria, so they are imported. Africa is trending in everything. So from the music, fashion, to come into the jewellery space.”

Eyak is carving her own niche. But what were her parents’ initial reactions to her new career?

“The Africanness, through my eyes and my creativity is actually really amazing. So I am grateful that I really have supportive parents, without them I wouldn’t be here. I am very grateful to have amazing parents that understand the vision. Once I was able to communicate effectively to my father what I wanted and I had to tell him that this is the trajectory I am looking at, he gave me all his support. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of gemstones and a lot of us don’t know their value. So it also took me leaving the country and getting this education for me to actually know and understand the value of what we have in Nigeria which a lot of people do not have a clue about. I am sure anybody that is reading this now would not actually have an idea of the fact that we actually have gemstones that are possibly more expensive than those diamonds.”

Apart from her parents, Eyak also praised her darling husband for his support by giving her the wings to fly and follow her passion. “My husband is extremely supportive. His name is Olufemi Hassan. We got married last year and he has been supportive from day one and I am so super grateful to him.”

Though trained as an engineer, her love for bling is palpable throughout the conversation. “It feels amazing doing something entirely different and knowing that I am learning as I am growing. Things like this women in mining award of course gave me the courage to let people know what I am doing. As we set to open our shop somewhere in Lekki this February, we are going to focus on engagement and wedding rings. So it is open to everybody, it is open to people that love art and appreciate quality jewellery.

Because we only do jewellery with silver and gold and natural gemstone and diamond. We are super excited that we are adding value to the Nigerian economy through our trade,” she stated.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

50

HighLife

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

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

Dejare Tunde Ayeni Dissociates Self from Adaobi Alagwu Adegbenro at 50

Adegbenro

Fairness is not a myth. For those that have patient eyes and would observe the waves of life in this world, it is clear that the times are a good fit for the people. This is why high-profile individuals like notable businessman Dejare Adegbenro are doing so well.

Having sown good seeds ahead of time, it is only reasonable that they benefit from the harvest.

Adegbenro’s happy celebration of his 50th birthday derives from this understanding.

Seeing the man reach new heights in life has undoubtedly inspired new people to lead better lives, take note of other people, and give as much support as they can. But Adegbenro’s secret to acclaim is not a big secret at all: he simply uses his head as much as he uses his mind, enabling him to compete in influence and philanthropy with his peers from the other end of the world.

Whether it is in the area of business or politics, Adegbenro who is the Otunba Laje of Owu Kingdom in Ogun State has made it clear that having a true understanding of life helps the individual see beyond their nose. As a result, he is a man of few words and many actions.

Unsurprisingly, the same can be said about his foundation, the Otunba Adejare Adegbenro Foundation (OAAF), which is unreserved in its doings, especially in the area of lifting the helpless.

Granted, many of Adegbenro’s views in recent times have offended a lot of people, so much so that they considered him an ethnic bigot. But what a person like Adegbenro sees while sitting would trump his detractors 10 times out of 10. So their brief discontent with him is understandable.

Even so, at 50, Adegbenro continues to march deeper into greatness.

Notable Nigerian industrialist and corporate lawyer, Tunde Ayeni, has rubbished the reports linking him with one Miss Adaobi Alagwu. Describing the report as “mere sensationalism”, Ayeni in strong terms refuted any emotional entanglements with Adaobi.

In a statement released by his media office, Ayeni said that he has moved on beyond Adaobi even though the past linked them together.

“Ordinarily, the recent series of media reports linking my name with a lady, Adaobi Alagwu, should not deserve a response from me since the section of the media that is feasting on the issue seems to be uninterested in fact-finding, but mere sensationalism. But given the possibility of even some discerning readers placing some values by the story, this short clarification and disclaimer become necessary,” Ayeni said.

While he admitted that he had a relationship with Adaobi in the past, Ayeni said he has effectively put the past behind him.

“I wish to state that, indeed, Ms Adaobi Alagwu, and I had a relationship, which has since ended and, as well-meaning Nigerians can imagine, it was a mistake that has caused my family much pain which I regret and do not wish to continue reliving as a section of the media continues to make me do.”

On the paternity of the Adaobi’s child,

the reputable businessman explained that the issue “is being resolved and will be resolved in due course but whichever way it is resolved, will never mean a rekindling of the ended relationship between myself and Ms Alagwu. As a reputable businessman, industrialist and corporate player, I have no time for frivolous and sensational stories and should not be distracted by such publications.

“I sincerely wish that the media will, with this statement of mine desist from any further maligning of my person, my family and all that I represent in the society,” Ayeni stated.

Ayeni’s rebuttal came on the heels of reports in which he was portrayed as running after Adaobi still after allegedly losing his properties to her. However, close sources rubbished the reports and labelled them as “figments of the writer’s imagination” which represented the opposite of what was going on.

A source revealed that it was Adaobi who was trying all within her power to hold onto Ayeni, who has made it clear that it was over between them. Adaobi was reportedly caught unawares with Ayeni’s decision to call it quits with her and has therefore been trying to manoeuvre her way back into Ayeni’s heart, an attempt the source described as “very impossible.”

“I can tell you authoritatively that

Heartbroken as Billionaire Businessman, Taiwo Afolabi Loses ‘Godfather’ Life is a bed of roses for the individual whose eyes are fixed on the sky. For others, it is a habitat of nails and stones. As such, the loss of human life is like an unquenchable fire in the gut, burning the innards until there is nothing left. Taiwo Afolabi is strong, but even he has been touched by the death of relatives, friends, and mentors.

And the recent passage of General Oladipo Diya has left a permanent scar in the heart of the SIFAX Group boss.

Afolabi has always been a peculiar individual. Even with his strong character and understanding heart, it is almost difficult to think of him as someone who would break down in tears for anything. After all, he virtually built up the conglomerate SIFAX from the ground up. But life is not something that anybody has grasped, so pain and sorrow are certain for even the greatest

Afolabi

Ayeni

Tunde Ayeni has concluded plans to take possession of the said office building mentioned in the report,” the source revealed.

Meanwhile, the latest findings have shown that Ayeni was not responsible or involved in the arrest of some journalists made some time ago. Sources revealed that he had already severed ties with Alagwu at the time the journalists were being arrested.

of men. So it is for Afolabi Being so well known and having lived a brilliant life, many people mourned the passing of Diya who was 78. However, very few of these people could feel the pain of Diya’s passing as deeply as Afolabi. It is no secret that Afolabi admired Diya greatly.

According to the legends, Diya played a significant role in helping Afolabi remove himself from the path of mediocrity to the path of greatness.

As a result, Diya was an idol to Afolabi. Thus, his death rang more bells in the heart of Afolabi than in the heart of the average person.

This is even more sorrowful considering that Afolabi also lost his twin brother, Kehinde, a few months ago. And even though it is reported that the latter passed away in his sleep, there is no reconciliation with death in this life.

Because Afolabi understands this, the pain was no less than shoving nails into his heart. This is why Afolabi is heartbroken at the moment, having endured one loss only to have another explode in his heart.

SandraSoleboSoftPedals

Solebo

Who said that life is a difficult stream of hardship after hardship? Who said that one has to develop a hard exterior to face life, gradually growing from the shyness and conservativeness of youth to the pride and arrogance of blind adulthood? Whoever said these things was unable to get to the wife of Femi Solebo, Sandra. After all these years, she has maintained her original heart, unblemished and unstained from the monster-making chores of high society.

Say what you will about the limelight, the truth is that it can gradually blind an individual to the failings of their character and personality. Why else would they want to remain where only the colourful light touches them? But this is not the case for Sandra. Since she was introduced into high society as a true flower girl, a beauty without comparison, and one of the elegant Edozien sisters, she has remained herself.

One must celebrate Sandra’s resolution to be different. Many charming women like her have attempted to maintain a low profile and distance themselves from the fussy waves of society life. But she refused, preferring to be the beautiful wife of Solebo and the brains behind Homeshop. Even now that she could swagger into the limelight once again and steal the eyes and hearts of the people with her unchanging beauty, her heart is not in it.

Indeed, it is said that people born with a silver spoon will find it difficult to live ordinary lives. Maybe this is also true for Sandra. After all, the norm for someone of her calibre is a life lived in flashing colours, running from scandal to scandal. But not so for her. She is the simple embodiment of grace, leading a life that others can be inspired by.

Such soft pedals, this is the way of Sandra Solebo.

51

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

HIGHLIFE

Glad Tidings as Ndidi Nwuneli Becomes StanbicIBTC Director Great things are set to happen in Standard Stanbic IBTC, the bank that recently started using the ‘It Can Be’ tagline. One must recognise the bank’s far-sightedness and its decision to stand at the top of the banking chain in the country.

After all, it is this decision that led them to appoint the highly accomplished Ndidi Nwuneli as the new independent NonExecutive Director. With her influence, Stanbic IBTC, ‘It Can Be’ tagline will soon become ‘It Now Is.’ Set to replace Ngozi Edozien who has completed her tenure at the bank, there is a lot of expectation from Nwuneli. But the bank is not the only party looking forward to what Nwuneli will accomplish; every corporate female and intellectual person in the country is trusting her to show the rest of the world what a brilliant and visionary woman can do.

It is no secret that Nwuneli is one of the most versatile individuals in Nigeria.

Refusing to live in the mould of the mediocre, she has dedicated her life to positive change and impact, gradually evolving from an observer and disciple of these things to an active participant and progenitor. As a result of her continued work as a social entrepreneur above all other vocations, her name is forever inscribed on the golden pages of African agriculture and nutrition, philanthropy, and social innovation.

With more than 25 years of international development experience, Nwuneli is not the kind of Director that would sit back and watch things unfold however they want to. She is far more likely to get involved and adapt her experience from her work in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, bringing in high-impact initiatives and

Another Moment of Pride for Ebenezer Onyeagwu

Nwuneli

policies, and raising a new seed of hope in the banking sector.

For Nwuneli as Stanbic IBTC, new Director, things are about to change for the bank. What great times.

Julian Osula as the King of Luxury

Osula

There is something about human nature that is delighted in abundance and luxury.

This is why those that have managed to get a grasp of the ascetic life remain models for the rest of us. Look at Julian Osula, for example. Privileged to drink directly from the wellspring of luxury, he does not hesitate to drown himself in it, demonstrating that kings can be born through their efforts.

They say that those who have lived the oldest have the strongest grasp of reality.

In Osula’s case, it is a matter of benefitting from the experience of others, letting him know what he needs to do and who he needs to be friends with to stand out among his peers. Surprisingly, such a path of humility has brought Osula to heights never before reached in his proverbial hometown. Perhaps this is why he has no qualms about bathing in luxury.

One can obtain a PhD in automobile finance by visiting Osula’s garage in Victoria Garden City (VGC). It is said that his car

park is a land of dreams for car lovers.

Have you never seen a BRABUS Mercedes or Lamborghini? A trip to Osula’s VGC garage would enlighten you about the luxury of supercar wheels and leather seats.

For Osula, timing and position dictate everything. During the time of General Sani Abacha, Osula was loyal to the thenhead of state. Also, he was one of the biggest friends of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Of course, knowing that Osula runs Julian’s Luxury, one of the leading brands for all things high-end and luxurious, is enough to diagnose Osula’s view on life.

Moreover, it helps that he is charming and humble, making others rest at ease in his presence and eventually wish to endear themselves to him. What is not to like about him?

Between Governor Lalong and Mutfwang Life and time are like two bean stalks from the same source. Although they differ in colour, they are entwined in such a way that the far-seeing farmer does not hurt one to placate the other. If Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State knew this fact, perhaps he would not have been so heavy-handed in the past, especially in his dealings with Caleb Mutfwang, the governor-elect of Plateau.

The matter between Governor Lalong and his successor, Mutfwang, is going to make history buffs clean their glasses and put on an air of having seen it from afar. In reality, even they could not have known that things would turn out like this, let alone the usually jovial Lalong. But seeing as things have reached this point, the incumbent Plateau State governor can only swallow his pride and wait for Mutfwang to do whatever he likes.

The victory of Mutfwang at the gubernatorial poll in Plateau came with a lot of celebration. However, in the camp of

Lalong, it is reported that there is only silence.

This is not because there is something like an irreconcilable difference between Lalong and Mutfwang. No. It is only that history looks to be repeating itself, removing Lalong as the main character this time and fixing in Mutfwang.

Mutfwang was sworn in as Plateau Governor in 2014. However, about six months later, Lalong came along and overthrew him.

Then Lalong, a proud and happy member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) went on to remove 17 elected Local Government Chairmen, all of whom belonged to Mutfwang’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Moreover, the chairmen still had two years to go and Mutfwang tried to plead with Lalong to let them finish it. But Lalong reportedly refused.

And so things ended.

And now, Lalong will be handing over Plateau to Mutfwang. One wonders if the latter is going to imitate Lalong and also wipe out his influence upon becoming governor. What interesting times we live in.

Gida’s Good Example

Lalong

Mutfwang

How Top Politicians in Ogun Ganged up against Abiodun and Failed

Abiodun

One’s enemies will be the relatives of one’s house. These words are true even today. Despite the odds stacked against Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, he did not consider that he was truly alone because of the support of friends and allies. But allies are for sunny days whereas friends come and go. Fortunately, Abiodun’s influence in Ogun was enough to help him transcend the tribulation, enabling him to return as Ogun State Governor once again, even without the support of old allies like Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

It is no secret that Abiodun is the strong man in Ogun. As the governor of the state, Abiodun has always done his best to protect the interests of his people. One thing that he has not prioritised, however, is protecting the interests of some thieves and robbers in the guise of fellow politicians. And these politicians ganged up against him, hoping

People that have taken the bold step of living impactful lives are inspirational. They do things differently and let the echoes of their steps sound for others to heed and follow to greatness.

The GMD/CEO of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, is one such person. According to recent reports, the Zenith Bank boss has been awarded a new doctorate recognising his meritorious achievements in the area of finance in Nigeria.

The degree was awarded to the Zenith Bank CEO by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). According to the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious institution, Onyeagwu deserves the doctorate in Business Administration considering how committed he has been to the growth of the financial services sector in Nigeria and Africa, leaving few stones unturned.

Being a person with a strong character and a visionary attitude, Onyeagwu did not hold back from expressing his gratitude Onyeagwu to the management of UNN. He explained that he felt honoured by the institution and the award, especially since he had no prior relationship with the school.

Furthermore, the Zenith Bank CEO dedicated the award to his overall boss, Jim Ovia, the founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, as well as the staff of the bank. He also promised to turn up the gear on his and the bank’s doings in Nigeria and beyond, seeing as people are taking notice.

Indeed, Onyeagwu has done well in Zenith Bank. Despite the murmurs against his bank during the currency revival policy that spilt over into a cash crunch situation, Onyeagwu has done much to ensure that Nigerians are not embittered about the whole thing. Thus, many positive things can be said about Onyeagwu’s accomplishments since he took up the CEO mantle at Zenith. The greatest evidence of his good work is this doctorate from Nigeria’s first indigenous tertiary institution.

to seize his gubernatorial mandate and elect a puppet they would control. But that did not work.

Granted, it was a close run during the gubernatorial polls. Abiodun came first with 276,298 votes, while the runnerup, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu, polled 262,383 votes. That caused the hearts of many to flip, especially because it seemed that Abiodun was running alone, even without the help of his old friend, Daniel.

Interestingly, Daniel allegedly did not do much to assist Dapo. After winning the Ogun East Senatorial District and being declared their senator, he is reported as having left things to fate. But Abiodun did not bow to pressure and soldiered on, refusing to kneel to unreasonable demands or allow his detractors to have their way.

Great leaders never have to imitate other people. Instead, they are committed to blazing their trails with their fires. And where the rules allow it, these individuals shine and go on shining. The governor-elect of Kano State, Abba Yusuf (popularly known as Gida) has shown that he is not made of the same stuff as many of his peers in politics. Instead, even before taking the Kano governorship seat, he is going to do things in a way that shows that he has the interests of his people as the leading motivational factor for his administration.

Many Kano people have expressed great joy and satisfaction following the emergence of Gida, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidate, as governor-elect. Due to the man’s strong sense of morality, the people in Gida’s camp have never stopped hailing him as someone with only the best interests at heart. And although Gida does not similarly hail himself, he recently proved to the people that he really is cut from a different mould.

According to Gida, one of the marks of his administration would be the purity of the officeholders. Gida noted that he does not intend to include his wives, children, or any other relative in his administration and the same goes for his deputy. In other words, Gida will not make any decision on account of his relatives or give them the right of way in all things concerning Kano.

One has to admit that Gida’s words have a relaxing effect. Considering the informal but widely accepted culture of handing over power to other people because of blood relations, Gida’s promises count as something spectacularly different. Even before coming in, he is already looking the part of a governor set to assuage the tears of his people, bringing much relief after many years.

Gida’s example is good. This is something that others can and should imitate.

52

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Afe Babalola’s Gift and His Pain My first reaction when I heard of the huge donation our oga just made to a British university was to shout ‘what the f….k?’ Did he just gift a British university N5billion or thereabout for the study of African something as I have read? My people, the more I think of this thing, the more the nonsense of the act slaps me. You know me, I don’t know how to hide my mouth; this is the dastardliest ignorant thing to do especially in the face of the crises the sector is facing in the country.

People have said, ‘Duke of Shomolu, is it your money?’ ‘Duke, he has built a university, supported a lot of indigent students and educational initiatives’

and finally -they end it with the proviso – ‘it is his money and he alone can decide how he can use it.’

My response is, “and so? Mbok and so?” Even the school that he built, didn’t breeze blow away the roof the other day?

You see the continuous quest of our accomplished people to be playing this game is becoming very frustrating. With over 20 million children out-of-school, dilapidated educational infrastructure, ASUU wahala and the rest, the problem in the sector no dey finish. It can never finish. So going to ‘throw away’ this money, simply because it is his money or because he has built a school beggars believe.

Please don’t tell me, ‘he is not government’ like some people have been saying. I may not be able to really express my disgust at this thing and I am very sure that most of you will smash my arguments on this matter to bits, but the truth is that it can never make sense to me and will never make sense to me and I will call it what I really think it is – a crappy and very annoying ego-driven smelly thing, especially in the face of the carnage in his backyard.

If you see the way, this thing is paining me ehnnnn. I will slap anybody that asks me again, ‘is it your money?’ I swear I will really slap ooo!!!

Tinubu

Late Diya

Ekweremadu

ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU: I WASH MY HANDS OFF It was Pontius Pilate, the lame Emperor who saw justice and instead of him to stand firm, asked for water and detergent to wash his hands off. In the same vein, me I have washed my hands off the Interim Government contraption we have started hearing in whispers.

I never believe that in this my life, I will stand with the DSS on any matter especially after they carried my dear late Erelu and kept her in their office for over seven hours because she ‘jammed’ their madam bumper some years ago.

I strongly support their statement kicking against any interim government arrangement and will ask for my own gun and black uniform to join the fight to preserve democracy if it ever comes to that.

All these na INEC fault. If they had done a brilliant job instead of that shoddy thing they called an election, shebi we will all be jubilating right now. Today, they have coordinated the worst election in the history of the world and did not stop there, they have even dared us by saying – go to court.

With the kind of things we are seeing in that place - the courts and the wheelchair bound people in that place, confidence in that structure is at its lowest ebb leading to Nigerians seeking alternative solutions to the quagmire.

So far, we have seen women protesting naked in front of INEC offices. Others have gone on the streets, to force us to congratulate the BAT; this one really made me laugh. We are saying we no

believe in your victory and you are saying we must congratulate you, something dey do una head. But in all of these, an interim government structure is a big NO. It cannot be acceptable and instead of that, I will support very fervently Mr. Tinubu’s swearing-in despite my misgivings.

Our democracy be like my marriage. E no dey work, e dey shake, but he still dey there. At least on a good day, I go get afang eat and I go get action for the other room, once in four years but e still dey.

Our democracy na government of the mumu, for the mumu and of the mumu but at least he still dey. Make we manage am like that abeg.

So, my brothers in the DSS, please when you are ready, send me the list of these people, I owe them a better slap. No matter their age or juju level, I will slap and stand. No to any interim anything and yes to our mumu democracy, please swear in the man who has the victory and no mandate. Make we manage am like that abeg.

Thank you.

clearly to all the candidates both at the federal and state levels and emphasis was not placed on this sector at all.

Today the mortality rate is dropping and this is why we are having outward medical tourism on the rise putting pressure on the forex allocation. We are in a big mess and we are joking about it. The Ekweremadu saga is only the beginning because this kidney thing that put him in this mess could easily be sorted assuming there was a credible push towards revitalising the sector.

We must begin to look at a more robust approach to this issue. An approach that would involve both private and public sector platforms pulling in legislative engagement so that reforms can be immediately executed within the sector.

Failure which, we may begin to look at the possibility of engaging herbalists, seers and those kinds of people to augment.

This is really sad. Very, very sad.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY: HERBALIST, PROPHETS AND SEERS TO THE RESCUE I saw a report yesterday and my heart sank. Kai! Only 24,000 doctors practising in Nigeria. We are over 200 million people and we have just these numbers practising and we are still here sending money to a British university because we are ‘private’ individuals.

The report also said that we produce only 3,000 annually out of which 4,000 ‘japa’ leaving us with an annual deficit of 1,000.

We are in real trouble. I listened very

GENERAL OLADIPO DIYA: A DELAYED ASCENSION He passed last weekend and then the NTA news footage of his sentencing started making the rounds. I was a fullgrown adult when that thing happened.

It was called a ‘phantom coup’ and indeed it was as you can see that the man outlived all those who wanted to ‘kill’ him. From Abacha, who ate apples and disappeared to Victor Malu who read that caricature of a verdict, Diya outlived them and survived another 25 years until God called him.

That news footage showed the dark

Babalola

Oseni

days we were in as a country under the dark googled illiterate. To think that his man Friday, even dared to stand elections in this country after all that mayhem?

From the dining table that they used a white cloth to cover, to the rubbish paper they read the ‘judgment’ from with no law book insight, you begin to see the gravity of a lawless regime.

You aim to take the lives of people, without going through the legal sagacity that is needed for such a weighty decision. Instead, you sit at a dining table – the type we use to eat Afang and be using native intelligence to try people for treason?

May we never see this kind of thing again in this country and as you can see, even the Almighty intervened by saving Diya and his merry men from the hangman’s noose and also keeping him alive to see his grandchildren and to see the internet and artificial bum that is all the rave now. May God continue to rest his soul and keep him beside him, before Abacha will go and waylay him now on the road to heaven. Na wa oo.

WHITNEY ADENIRAN: I AM CONFLICTED Whitney, for those of you who do not know, is the very beautiful young girl who lost her life at the Chrisland School during the inter-house sports.

It was such a sad occurrence that shocked the nation.

Chrisland School which is such a strong institution has in recent times,

53

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023 been dogged by a series of mishaps. From sexual assaults to sexual perfidy and now this. It has moved from one crisis to the other.

The Lagos State Government has announced that it would be prosecuting the school, the vendor and specific teachers for the loss of the sweet life. It’s like a hex has been placed on the school with all of these unfortunate things happening there.

You see the school is such a wonderful place of learning. I should know because my extremely beautiful daughter Annette attended the school, but it just seems to bumble from one scandal to the other, hence my conflicting stance on this matter.

So, I think the government is right to prosecute and again, I also think that this good school and a strong legacy of education should not be killed just yet.

If you ask me, I think that government should strengthen the regulation of the sector. This has always been my stance since the young girl decided to go and shoot a porn clip in faraway Dubai.

Strengthen regulation and monitoring as a first step. Chikena.

RUFAI OSENI, I STAND BY YOU Kai, they have finished my brother o. He is today the most popular Nigerian after the President-elect and dancing Governor Adeleke. For Rufai, there is no middle ground. Either you like him for his courage and boldness or you hate him for his seeming partisan position on issues.

The other day, former Governor Fayose was screaming at him. “Rufai, you cannot talk to me like that, I had told Abati that I will not come o if that boy will be there and Abati assured me that he will rein him in, see you now. See as you are talking to me, are you mad? I will slap you ooooh,” Fayose shouted.

Rufai is angry and I don’t blame him.

He is reflective of how most of us feel. We have been traumatised in this country by all the looting. They have not only looted material things but are also looting our brains. So, you will forgive Rufai if he cannot sit down there with a sheepish smile and listen to Fayose blow some fat lies or sit down there and be listening to Keyamo try for his entry into the Guinness Book of lie-lie records.

Rufai is not the brown envelope-loving moron that litters our media space.

Those ones, you give them a brown envelope and submit questions that they will in turn ask you verbatim and you will now sit down there and cross your legs and answering with Nigerians the fool.

Going to ARISE TV with Rufai there, you know you are going to face fire and it is not compulsory you go. If you cannot stand the heat in the studio, mbok go and let Sam Omatseye interview you. It’s that simple. Why come to Rufai and he fires you and you start to shout and cry? Did they force you there? Mbok make I rest.

Rufai, when you are free let’s do afang, there is a new Afang joint at Lekki Phase One owned by Etim Inyang, the former Inspector General of Police pikin. The afang can even make you kiss Asiwaju fully on his lips if you taste it. Oya call me.

TEARS ON THE FLOOR FOR IKE EKWEREMADU Godddddd!!! This is really painful. This story will make a very teary stage play. The love of a child, jail, and country are all tied together in despair and sadness. Please, which father will sit down and watch his daughter go through all that and possibly lose her life and not do something about it?

Then again, whose father will also watch his son being used as a cadaver to save the life of another man’s child? Which country destroys its medical system to the point that all of these can take place?

Please let’s not look at only this case o.

This thing is happening all over. People out of extreme poverty and frustration are selling their organs to those who desperately need them. The underlying blame is the system that has been raped and eroded by a string of vacuous leaders who have nothing but their pockets to think of.

Some will say that Ekweremadu is part

of this leadership and as such, ‘good for him.’ But then again, how do you say good for him as a father as he faces a minimum of 10 years for trying to save his child albeit illegally?

This is tragic and even Williams Shakespeare could not have written such an excellently sad play. Kai! EBENEZER ONYEAGWU: A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE My brother has just been awarded a doctorate by the famed University of Nigeria, Nsukka and he immediately dedicated it to Mr. Jim Ovia for his inspirational leadership. For me, Ebenezer continues to be an inspirational figure

in the space in which he operates.

His dedicated leadership, clarity of purpose and astute leadership has continued to give the huge boat that is Zenith Bank the market leader it is today.

The other day, I saw him at the mighty ‘Techfair’ organised by the bank at the Eko Hotel. He was holding a bottle of water and getting ready to host thousands of tech enthusiasts who with the support of the bank continue to gift the nation with their resourcefulness.

I said, “bro how are you?” and he said, “Duke, you seem to be making all of the money,” and I looked at him and hugged him and said, “if you

Iwuayanwu

EMMANUEL IWUAYANWU: WHERE ARE THE RASCALS? You know we like to be fooling ourselves in this country. We will be seeing the truth and we will be doing like crayfish. Is it today that Yoruba people and Igbo people don’t like themselves? Is it today that Igbo people have been calling Yoruba people rascals? Just enter Oyingbo spare parts market and see the way Igbo people will be yabbing Yoruba people. The words used pass this Iwuayanwu own o.

Same with Yoruba people, if you enter the Iddo market, you will be hearing words like – yamiri, aje okuta ma mu omi and omo kobo kobo. The Igbos will return with their own. By the way, we Ibibio people call Yoruba people – atar uduang ku ufok. Kai. See my people, Igbo and Yoruba matter na to stay clear. They don’t like themselves but cannot do without each other. They are in a loveless marriage. They will be fighting ‘kunkunu’ fight but love themselves o. The rascals. Oya, say

all Igbo should go, you will see Yoruba people begging them not to go ooo. If they go who will be selling bleaching cream to Yoruba girls, who will be selling spare parts to Yoruba people and who will be running all the chemists that they used to go and buy drugs for STD? Oya another one. Everybody knows that it is Yoruba people that used to get pile because of their penchant for stew and pepper.

So, if you go to Ajegunle, a fully ‘Igbotic’ jungle, you will see that most of the herbalists who advertise a cure for pile are Igbos.

So you see, this Yoruba and Igbo matter na like marriage. Make we all just stay clear. And yes, whether Iwuayanwu said it or not, I am saying it now that Yoruba people are rascals and Igbos are bigger rascals. Just enter any beer parlour in Lagos on a Friday and you will see rascality with no tribal boundaries play out.

continue yabbing me like this, I will ask your village head to withdraw your chieftaincy.”

Congratulations my brother and may God continue to bless you in this way and many more ways, amen.

AVM EMMANUEL OMBU – A POWERFUL 75 My Lord is very good-looking at 75.

His own is not of the variant where you need to be held up or where you need to drawl while speaking. He is very spritely, energetic and positively engaging. He called to invite me to his 75th birthday and I carried myself there.

It was at a very elegant restaurant in Victoria Island and I met a lot of very distinguished people. The first person I saw was General Ike Nwachukwu looking very handsome and well put out. Kai, I rushed to take a picture o. Then I saw my Oga, Chike Ogeah who was looking casually elegant and then I saw Pastor Itua Ighodalo and his moustache. The way that one dey fine dey always confuse me. Then across the table was my sister Eno Udoh. The everlasting beauty had just come back from Uyo where she had gone to support our candidate Akan Udofia in a very spirited battle for the Government House.

Anyways, we hugged and talked small and I went ahead to greet such legends like Ruth Osime and one very beautiful lady who kept gushing, “Duke we belong to the same WhatsApp groups and they keep kicking you out.” She was so beautiful that I kept smiling and hoping she would stand up and hug me.

She no gree o. So I leave am.

The highlight of the party for me was when screen legend – Ruth Benamaisia came out to hug me: “Duke, I do not miss you on Sundays,” and I said, “Oh, let me just hug you.” She gave me a very tight hug and I felt like all my misery was gone.

Then I asked, “Is Sienne here?” And she said yes.

That was how we ran in o. Kai, come and see classical beauty. These two remain everlasting beautiful and I just hugged both of them and closed my eyes. Heaven o.

Kai, AVM thank you for the opportunity and even though afang was not served to show that my invite was an afterthought, didn’t spoil the evening for me.

On your 76th, I will bring my own food flask with afang and fufu, because me I did not understand that thing wey you been dey give people chop that night o.

Kai. MUSTAFA CHIKE-OBI – A WARM MEETING You know I am looking for money for my new plays “Zik” and “Ladi Kwali.”

That was how I went to my big brother Collins Chikeluba. Collins remains one of the most sociable and prominent people I will ever know. I do not joke with him. If you see the way he used to walk, you will think he has been a bouncer before in Abriba market.

Anyway, the debonair gentleman said to me, “Let’s go see Mustafa, Fidelity bank should be able to bite.”

That was how we entered the man’s office in Ikoyi. He was on the phone and kept looking at me. I am sure it was my dada and earring that was confusing him.

It always does. Anyways, he finished his call and took us to more comfortable digs and we had our meeting.

As is the case when these kinds of meetings are held, the discussions moved to politics and business and I got my head opened. Listening to Chike-Obi is like listening to a prophet. Even Collins could attest to it. His ringside positioning of the recent events during the election has given him a stronger platform to better dimension our situation as a nation, especially the recent ethnic strife that engulfed Lagos.

He promised to support the play and bade us bye. I enjoyed those 30 minutes with him but much more importantly, I think I should stick closer to Collins if he will be opening these kinds of doors for me.

I think the next will be the prophet Idumuje who just announced that his time on earth will soon be up. Oya Oga Collins, when are we going?

54

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Otti’s Long Journey to Victory

Otedola

Again, Otedola Shoots for the Top Quintessential businessman, Femi Otedola, is the real definition of the man with the Midas Touch, a mesmerising maestro in the art of money-making.

For him, everything good seems to conspire in his favour. He has made good for himself as a businessman and one of Africa’s wealthiest. But there are lots yet unknown about the taciturn entrepreneur - His towering disposition and unequalled business wisdom.

What this unassuming businessman has going for him is that despite conquering the business world like a volcano, he does not allow the frills and thrills of vulgar materialism to erode the more sublime traits that are prime requirements in an astute businessman.

His razor-sharp intellect, to a large extent, has made a great impact in the broadcast communication industry, thereby taking his businesses to enviable heights.

In 2009, Otedola became the second Nigerian after Aliko Dangote to appear on the Forbes list of dollar-denominated billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. But in 2017, the mogul fell off the ranks of the richest black people on earth as a result of the plunging share price of his then oil company, Forte Oil. But this never bothered the savvy entrepreneur who instead prefers to tread the quiet side of life.

However, the astute magnate has regained his spot on Africa’s richest list. Society Watch was able to reveal that since the long-awaited listing of his power-generating company, last year October, Otedola has seen his fortune grow in leaps and bounds as his stake in Geregu Power approaches a valuation of $2 billion. Notwithstanding the eclipse, fluidity and uncertainty hovering in the country’s business terrain, the listing of the shares of his power-generating company has proved highly lucrative for Otedola, with his stake experiencing a substantial increase in market value.

Geregu Power owns three natural gas-fired power plants generating a combined capacity of 435 megawatts representing 10 per cent of Nigeria’s total power generation capacity.

As the company establishes itself as a formidable player in Nigeria’s energy generation sector, it is also poised to significantly increase its total capacity, over the next two years, from 435 megawatts to a remarkable 1,300 megawatts. The strategic move not only demonstrates the company’s commitment to meeting the energy needs of Nigerians but also aims to boost its earnings and revenue through continued growth in the power sector.

This year alone, Otedola’s stake has surged by more than $900 million, propelling him to return to the exclusive ranks of Africa’s richest billionaires.

“We shall not fail - if we stand firm, we shall not fail. Wise counsels may accelerate, or mistakes delay it, but, sooner or later, the victory is sure to come.’’- Abraham Lincoln.

These words of wisdom from one of America’s iconic leaders may have had the likes of Alex Otti in mind. Otti’s journey to the Abia government house tells the story of a man full of grit and determination. Not a few were taken aback when Otti resigned from his plumb job as Managing Director, Diamond Bank Plc, to venture into politics. The fears in some quarters were that the Abia State-born gentleman is too polished for the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

But rather than entomb his living dream, he pursued them all with unimaginable vigour. As fate would have it, he was able to worm himself into the hearts of his people in the state. He proved to all that it was a well-thought-out plan; he campaigned far and wide, courting those who matter in the state.

He was over joyous when he emerged as the governorship candidate of his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2015, but the joy was cut short when he was defeated at the May polls on April 25. No doubt, he suffered what many described as a baptism of fire of sorts

at the polls when he was forced to bow for the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s candidate, Dr Ikpeazu Okezie.

Society Watch gathered that after the defeat, he was distraught and heartbroken and it took him a long time to get over the shock, particularly because of the huge amount of money he expended on the aborted ambition.

Although he petitioned the Election Tribunal citing irregularities in the polls, the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, nullified the election and declared Otti the winner of the April 2015 governorship election. However, his did not last long as the Supreme Court eventually quashed the judgment and upheld Ikpeazu’s election as the governor.

Like the incurable optimist that he is, he refused to stay down for long as he came back in 2019 and contested for the same position.

But like in 2015, he was also defeated by the incumbent, Ikpeazu. While some of his friends advised him to quit politics, the ex-banker followed the quote of the late 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, he stood firm to his belief and braced up for another time.

Like the phoenix, the brilliant man rose and refused to be shaken by the temporary setback

Otti

surprisingly. He came back in 2023, wiser and more experienced. This time, the Economics graduate of the University of Port-Harcourt fought like a warrior and finally emerged with the trophy as the governor-elect of Abia.

Unfulfilled Dream of Globe Motors Boss, Humphrey Anumudu

Late Anumudu

Until his untimely death last week, if you asked the Chief Executive Officer of Globe Motors and governorship aspirant of the Labour Party in Imo State, Humphrey Anumudu about his most cherished life ambition, he would have told you without thinking twice that it was to rule his state. However, the billionaire businessman was unable to achieve this as he reportedly died in his Lagos home under mysterious circumstances. It was revealed that the automobile top shot was found dead in his house on Friday evening, March 24, 2023, after returning from a meeting at the Labour Party secretariat in Abuja.

Humphrey was the younger brother of the late Chief Willie Anumudu, the chairman of Globe Motors. He was a lawyer and a native of Mbieri Ancient Kingdom in

Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. Until his death, Anumudu was a billionaire businessman cum politician who had been contesting the coveted governorship seat of the state since 1998.

In 1998 when the ticket he had earlier won under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship was later ceded to Achike Udenwa who ruled the state between 1999 and 2007, he did not bow out without a fight. Since then, he had been contesting for the number one seat of the state.

In 2019, he was the Zenith Labour Party governorship candidate in the state. He would later decamp to the popular Labour Party in the anticipation of grabbing the party’s ticket for the state governorship election billed to hold on November 11, 2023.

Aviation Top Player, Allen Onyema, Celebrates at 59 Take a cursory look at his profile, and you will not agree less that Allen Onyema, the Chairman of Air Peace is a businessman blessed with a clear vision. For him, the journey on the boulevard of fame and mega success began some eight years ago. He only grew higher at the time having tasted success from his first love, law. At that time, he was prodded by the desire to leave his imprints on the sands of time.

He would later conceptualise Air Peace.

When the company was birthed, little did he know that in no time it would redefine the aviation industry. Before his eyes, the company has grown to become one of the most successful airline companies in Africa.

Onyema, in eight years, has taken the airline to many countries across the world and refused to be drawn back by naysayers. In fact,

he has surpassed the expectations of many who had earlier thought nothing good could ever come from Nigeria. The trained lawyer has continued to make the country proud as he hoists its flag in many countries of the world via Air Peace. Despite his rising profile, the indisputably influential businessman has refused to rest on his oars. He recently announced his plan to fly Air Peace to all the continents of the world. Those who are familiar with his antecedents say it was not a tall dream in any way.

Last week Tuesday, the ingenious aviation top player clocked 59, although he didn’t roll out drums in celebration of the day, his families, friends, close associates as well as staffers made the day a memorable one for him as he was greeted with an avalanche of goodwill, laudation and encomium.

Onyema

The Return of Wale Edun

Edun

No doubt, not many in Lagos State would fail to remember Wale Edun, the former Finance Commissioner when Bola Ahmed Tinubu held sway as the governor of the state. The former banker that knows his onions understands the terrain like the back of his hands.

He has featured prominently and glaringly too and contributed meaningfully in all instances when he manned the finance ministry of the most populous state in Nigeria.

This further endeared him to the heart of his boss.

Society Watch gathered that since Tinubu left the seat of government, their relationship has gone from boss and subordinate to two close allies.

It was revealed that twice, Tinubu in the past had recommended him for a federal job and on the two occasions, the astute banker was eased out. A

source disclosed that the brilliant former banker was then getting set to hit the limelight once again in 2019 when indications were rife that he was being tipped to be one of the new members of the federal cabinet with the sure bet of clinching the Finance Ministry portfolio, on account of his very good job as a former finance commissioner in Lagos. But again, for reasons unknown, he was shoved off by the powers that be in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

However, this is a happy time for the brilliant and vibrant economist. A source disclosed that he could be brought back to perform his magic in the nation’s financial climate. It was also gathered that since Tinubu won the presidential election on February 25, 2023, Edun has become a go-to person based on their relationship.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

2. 4. 2023

Good Reason Why EMOWAA Should be on Front Burner A proclivity for academic research explains the recent appointments of Chika Okeke-Agulu and Andrea Emelife by the Edo Museum of West African Art, which is also known as EMOWAA. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

An artist impression of EMOWAA

A

mongthelocalcognoscenti, the acronym EMOWAA, which stands for Edo Museum of West African Art, resurfaces in their collective memory with its penumbra of distinction DQG VLJQLÀFDQFH )RU LQGHHG WKLV ZDV D PXseum—designed by Ghanaian-British architect DavidAdjaye OBE, whose other projects include the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), a Smithsonian Institution museum—that earned its name recognition in the industry’s consciousness soon after Germany announced its intention WR UHWXUQ WKH ORRWHG %HQLQ DUWHIDFWV LQ LWV FROOHFWLRQ Even though this cultural depository, whose WUXVW ZDV VHW XS LQ DV D QRQ SURÀW IRXQGDWLRQ incorporated as a company limited by guarantee, is still in the planning stages, the location of its building complex in the ancient city of Benin VHHPV WR EH D VHWWOHG PDWWHU $FFRUGLQJ WR LWV website, its architectural vision leverages archaeology to connect the new museum with the local landscape by revitalising and incorporating the surviving remains of historic Benin City’s walls, moats, and gates, which can be seen throughout WKH PRGHUQ FLW\ WRGD\ 7KLV LV LQ DGGLWLRQ WR the fact that it includes, among other things, a FRXUW\DUG ZLWK D SXEOLF JDUGHQ IXOO RI ORFDO ÁRUD When it becomes operational, the museum will gather, preserve, and exhibit works from West Africa’s artistic heritage, particularly the UHQRZQHG VFXOSWXUHV RI WKH %HQLQ FRXUW ,W ZLOO also serve as the hub for the planned Benin cultural district, providing infrastructure, research, and education, as well as capacity-building opportunities for scholars and creative workers IURP DFURVV :HVW $IULFD 7KLV LV WKHUHIRUH D JRRG UHDVRQ ZK\ WKH PXseum’s recent announcement of the appointment RI WKH 1LJHULDQ ERUQ DUW KLVWRULDQ 3URI &KLND Okeke-Agulu and the Nigerian-British curator Aindrea Emelife as senior advisor and curator, respectively, should reignite enough interest in the museum to return it to the front burner of WUHQGLQJ QHZV LQ WKH DUW VHFWRU $V IRU WKH GXR·V appointment, it aligns with the art space’s predilection for modern and contemporary art, even ZKHQ LW KDVQ·W ORVW LWV IRFXV RQ WUDGLWLRQDO DUW Its executive director, Phillip Ihenacho, echoed

Okeke-Agulu

Emelife

this in a recent statement, arguing for WestAfrican modern and contemporary art amid the din of the FODPRXU IRU WKH VXE UHJLRQ·V FXOWXUDO OHJDF\ ´2QH of the key for museums and heritage institutions in Africa is relevancy to contemporary African VRFLHW\ µ KH VDLG ´:H QHHG WR EXLOG LQIUDVWUXFWXUH and programming to celebrate the rich traditions of the past, but also connect to the present arts scene and invest in the skills and knowledge that enable opportunities for contemporary creatives DQG KHULWDJH SURIHVVLRQDOV µ No doubt, the inclusion of Professor OkekeAgulu and Emelife to the EMOWAAModern and &RQWHPSRUDU\ WHDP HͿHFWLYHO\ FRPPXQLFDWHV the organisation’s intention to concentrate on advancing academic study in contemporary and PRGHUQ :HVW $IULFDQ DUW ,Q DGGLWLRQ (02:$$ is working on creating its collection strategy, creating the curatorial framework for the creative district it is creating in the centre of Benin City, and creating fresh, multi-faceted narratives and LQWHUSUHWDWLRQV RI :HVW $IULFDQ DUW DQG KLVWRU\ 7DNH 3URIHVVRU 2NHNH $JXOX IRU LQVWDQFH +LV lustrous antecedents as an artist, critic, and art historian, whose specialty is indigenous, modern, and contemporary African and African Diaspora art history and theory, stand him in good VWHDG IRU KLV QHZ UROH &XUUHQWO\ VHUYLQJ DV WKH Robert Schirmer Professor of Art, Archaeology,

and African American Studies as well as the Director of the Programme in African Studies and the Director of the Africa World Initiative at Princeton University, US, he is also the 2022–23 6ODGH 3URIHVVRU RI )LQH $UWV DW 2[IRUG 8QLYHUVLW\ 8. %RUQ LQ WKH VRXWKHDVWHUQ 1LJHULDQ FLW\ RI 8PXDKLD KH KROGV DQ 0)$ LQ SDLQWLQJ IURP the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a PhD IURP (PRU\ 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ WKH 86 In addition to working in numerous institutions around the world, he has co-organised a number of exhibitions, including the travelling survey (O $QDWVXL 7ULXPSKDQW 6FDOH DW WKH +DXV GHU Kunst, Munich (in 2019), which he organised ZLWK WKH ODWH 2NZXL (QZH]RU His many other exhibitions include Who .QRZV 7RPRUURZ 1DWLRQDOJDOHULH %HUOLQ LQ WKH )LIWK *ZDQJMX %LHQQDOH LQ 7KH Short Century: Independence and Liberation 0RYHPHQWV LQ $IULFD ² 0XVHXP Villa Stuck, Munich, 2001); Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa (Whitechapel Art Gallery, /RQGRQ DQG WKH 1LJHULDQ VHFWLRQ RI WKH )LUVW -RKDQQHVEXUJ %LHQQDOH LQ +H LV RQ WKH FXUDWRULDO WHDP RI WKH 6KDUMDK %LHQQLDO LQ “A project like EMOWAA is long overdue,” enthused Okeke-Agulu in reaction to his apSRLQWPHQW ´,W KDV EHFRPH LPSHUDWLYH WKDW ZH ÀQG D ZD\ WR VWXG\ DSSUHFLDWH DQG FHOHEUDWH

contemporary and modern art from the African FRQWLQHQW ,W LV H[FLWLQJ WR MRLQ (02:$$ DQG SOD\ a part in advising on how we can develop new institutional infrastructure to support advanced knowledge and appreciation of the role of art and artists in connecting our rich cultural histories WR ZKR DQG ZKHUH ZH DUH WRGD\ µ Emelife, who studied history of art to postJUDGXDWH OHYHO DW 7KH &RXUWDXOG ,QVWLWXWH RI $UW LQ London, UK, has previously, as a curator and art KLVWRULDQ OHG VHYHUDO KLJK SURÀOH SURMHFWV IRFXVHG RQ PRGHUQ DQG FRQWHPSRUDU\ DUW 4XHVWLRQV bordering on colonial and decolonial histories in Africa, transnationalism, and the politics of representation have been the central themes DURXQG ZKLFK WKHVH SURMHFWV RUELW %ODFN 9HQXV D survey of the legacy of the Black woman in visual FXOWXUH LV RQH RI KHU PRVW UHFHQW H[KLELWLRQV ,W GHEXWHG DW )RWRJUDÀVND 1< LQ DQG ZLOO tour to the Museum of the African Diaspora, RU 02$' LQ 6DQ )UDQFLVFR &DOLIRUQLD LQ HDUO\ April, and Somerset House in London, United .LQJGRP LQ -XO\ Emelife was named to the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm LQ (PHOLIH LV D 1HZ &XUDWRUV 7UXVWHH 6KH LV SUHVHQWO\ ZRUNLQJ ZLWK 7KDPHV Hudson on her second book, which will be SXEOLVKHG LQ DIWHU KHU ÀUVW ERRN $ Brief History of Protest Art, was released by 7DWH LQ 0DUFK 6KH KDV ZULWWHQ HVVD\V for several publications, the most recent of which is Revisiting Modern British Art (Lund +XPSKULHV 6KH ZDV DSSRLQWHG WR WKH Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm in 2021 and also serves as a WUXVWHH RI 1HZ &XUDWRUV ´2QH RI P\ SULQFLSDO goals as EMOWAA’s newly appointed Curator, Modern and Contemporary is to build on WKH HͿRUWV WR WHOO RXU VWRULHV DQG WKH LQWULFDWH connections and links that exist, starting with Nigerian modernism and boldly reaching to the many corners of West African modern and contemporary art history [that are] yet to be GHYHORSHG DQG GLVFRYHUHG µ (PHOLIH SOHGJHG “I am honoured to be part of building the legacy RI PRGHUQ DQG FRQWHPSRUDU\ $IULFDQ DUW µ 7KHVH DSSRLQWPHQWV DORQJVLGH (02:$$·V other surefooted steps, signal the beginning of a thriving museum culture in the Nigerian art scene, DORQJ ZLWK (02:$$·V RWKHU VWHDG\ PRYHV

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

56

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2, 2023

ARTS & REVIEW\\POT POURRI

0\ -RKQ :LFN 3UREOHP LekkiFILMMAKING Film Summit Oris Aigbokhaevbolo

I

DGPLW WKDW , KDYH DOZD\V KDG D SUREOHP ZLWK -RKQ :LFN³DV FKDUDFWHU DQG DV ÀOP 7KH LGHD RI D VLQJOH PDQ NLOOLQJ HYHU\ERG\ HOVH KDV DOZD\V IHOW QRW TXLWH ULJKW 2I FRXUVH QHLWKHU WKH ÀOP nor the man is alone in this lethal HQWHUSULVH EXW .HDQX 5HHYHV ZKR KDV QRZ SOD\HG WKH FKDUDFWHU LQ IRXU ÀOPV LV WKH FXUUHQW KROGHU RI D FKDPSLRQVKLS EHOW RZQHG E\ suchonscreenlaconicluminairesas 6FKZDU]HQHJJHU 6WDOORQH 6HDJDO A screenshot from the film and so on.

3DUW RI WKH DQQR\LQJ UXOHV RI WKLV ZRUOG LV WKDW WKHUH DUH QR UXOHV except rules that help the main character stay alive to kill and kill 7KRVH ZKR KDYH IROORZHG WKH DJDLQ LQ WKH PRVW FUHDWLYH ZD\V VWRU\ VLQFH WKH ÀUVW SDUW XQGHU,Q D SUHYLRXV LQVWDOPHQW RI WKH VWDQG WKDW LW ZDV WKH NLOOLQJ RI D GRJ IUDQFKLVH ZH OHDUQ RI D UXOH JRY- JLYHQ WR :LFN E\ KLV ODWH ZLIH WKDW HUQLQJ SHRSOH OLNH -RKQ :LFN WKH\ EURXJKW RQ WKH NLOOLQJ VSUHH 6LQFH DUH QRW VXSSRVHG WR NLOO DQ\ERG\ WKHQ KLV PRWLYDWLRQV KDYH EHHQ HOVH DW WKH &RQWLQHQWDO D KRWHO WKDW less connected to uxoriousness. In VHUYHV DV D FRQVHFUDWHG JURXQG IRU WKH QHZ ÀOP LW LV IUHHGRP IURP WKH -RKQ :LFN DQG FR 7KLV UXOH LV VR ZRUOG KH EHORQJHG WR KH VHHNV $V VDFURVDQFW WKDW EUHDNLQJ LW OHDGV WR H[SHFWHG KH ZLOO NLOO WR JHW LW 7KLV LPPHGLDWH H[HFXWLRQ :HOO WKDW LV VKRXOG JLYH 6RFLDO -XVWLFH :DUULRUV XQWLO 0U :LFN EUHDNV WKH UXOH +H D FDXVH EHFDXVH ZK\ LV RQH ZKLWH HVFDSHV EHFDXVH WKH KRWHO·V RZQHU PDQ NLOOLQJ SHRSOH RI DOO UDFHV" ,Q DOORZV KLP WR 1RW ORQJ DIWHU KH LV SDUW $UDEV EODFNV $VLDQV DOO IDOO VKRW VRPHZKHUH DURXQG KLV WRUVR E\ 0U :LFN·V WLUHOHVV KDQG :KLWH WKH IRUFH RI ZKLFK SXVKHV KLP RͿ PHQ DUH DOVR NLOOHG EXW WKDW·V QRW D EXLOGLQJ +H GHÀHV WKH UXOHV RI OLNHO\ WR WURXEOH 6-:V SK\VLFV DQG ELRORJ\ EHFDXVH QRW %HFDXVH LW LV QR ORQJHU SRVVLEOH RQO\ GRHV KH GLVDSSHDU IURP WKH WR VHH ÀOPV RI WKLV VRUW ZLWKRXW JURXQG XSRQ ZKLFK KH VKRXOG WKLQNLQJ OLNH DQ 6-: , UHFDOOHG D KDYH ODQGHG KH GRHV VKRZ XS WURSH DERXW +ROO\ZRRG WKDW KDV VRPHZKHUH HOVH 7KHUH DUH RWKHU UHFHLYHG VFKRODUO\ WUHDWPHQW ´WKH H[DPSOHV RI WKLV UXOH EUHDNLQJ WKDW EODFN GXGH GLHV ÀUVWµ ,Q -: 0U :LFN FRPHV WR EH TXLWH OLNH H[FHSWLQJ RQH PLQRU JX\ LQ WKH WKH 1LJHULDQ ELJ PDQ SROLWLFLDQ GHVHUW DQG RWKHU IDFHOHVV IRONV LQ /LNH H[HPSODUV RI WKDW JURXS KH WKH VDPH GHVHUW LW LV D EODFN JX\ LV DERYH WKH ODZ RI KLV RZQ ZRUOG ZKR GRHV GLH ÀUVW

FILMS

2I FRXUVH QRZ WKDW +ROO\ZRRG KDV EHHQ VKDPHG IRU LWV WUHDWPHQW RI QRQ ZKLWH SHRSOH DQG FKDUDFWHUV \RX GRQ·W KDYH WR VWUDLQ to see racial compensations in PDMRU ÀOPV ,Q -RKQ :LFN DQ $VLDQ PDQ DQ $VLDQ ZRPDQ DQG D EODFN $PHULFDQ PDQ ZLWK VHPL VXEVWDQWLDO UROHV :KHQ , VDZ 'RQQLH <HQ LQ WKH ÀOP·V WUDLOHU SUH UHOHDVH , ZRQGHUHG LI WKH\·OO PDNH KLV FKDUDFWHU OLNH 0DUN 'DFDVFRV·V LQ -RKQ :LFN %XW , DOVR WKRXJKW <HQ PLJKW HVFDSH WKDW IDWH EHFDXVH KH LV D ORW PRUH IDPRXV LQ $VLDQ FRXQWULHV :K\ LV WKLV LPSRUWDQW" :HOO EHFDXVH &KLQD QRZ KDV D PDVVLYH VD\ LQ KRZ +ROO\ZRRG SOD\V WKH ER[ R΀FH JDPH HVSHFLDOO\ IRU ÀOPV VHHNLQJ MXLF\ RYHUVHDV UHYHQXH $VLDQ VWDUV ZLWK FXUUHQF\ PXVW EH WUHDWHG QLFHO\ QRZDGD\V 9LHZHUV ZLOO QR ORQJHU VHH WKH WRNHQ $VLDQ FKDUDFWHU NLOOHG RͿ GLVPLVVLYHO\ ,Q WKLV ÀOP EHVLGHV <HQ ZKR LV +RQJ .RQJHVH WKHUH is also the Japanese action-man +LUR\XNL 6DQDGD 7KLV DOORZV D FHUWDLQ W\SH RI YLHZHU JXHVV ZKR

ZLOO UHFHLYH WKH WKUHH PDLQ IDWHV SRVVLEO\ IRU QRQ ZKLWH DFWRUV RU FKDUDFWHUV ZLWK VRPH FORXW GLH JUDFHIXOO\ EH NLOOHG RͿ ZLWK VRPH GLJQLW\ SUREDEO\ E\ VRPHRQH RWKHU WKDQ WKH ZKLWH KHUR VXUYLYH 8QVXUSULVLQJO\ ZKR JHWV ZKDW ZRXOG EH GHFLGHG E\ WKHLU VWDWXV DQG UHSXWDWLRQ LQ $VLD :H FDQ RQO\ KRSH WKDW $IULFD JHWV LQWR D VLPLODU SRVLWLRQ %XW WKDW ZLOO QRW KDSSHQ ZLWKRXW +ROO\ZRRG FRQVLGHULQJ KRZ PXFK PRQH\ LW FDQ JHW IURP RXU FRQWLQHQW 7KLV PHDQV WKDW .HDQX 5HHYHV DV KLV NLOOLQJ PDFKLQH FKDUDFWHU KDV WR NLOO ZLWK PRUH SROLWLFDO VWUDWHJ\ LQ WKDQ KH GLG LQ 3DUW EDFN LQ 0DQ\ IDFHOHVV SHRSOH ZLOO GLH RI FRXUVH Those ones have no real race DQG FDQ EH NLOOHG ZLWK LPSXQLW\ 7KRVH ZLWK YLVLEOH IDFHV PXVW EH NLOOHG ZLWK FDUH VRPHWLPHV literally.

And this is the main issue ZLWK ÀOPV OLNH -RKQ :LFN 7KH VXVSHQVH LVQ·W LQVLGH WKH ÀOP LW LV EDUHO\ FRQQHFWHG WR WKH SORW 7KH UHDO VXVSHQVH LV RXWVLGH RI WKH IUDPH EHFDXVH WKH ÀOP LWVHOI LV SUHGLFWDEOH WKH KHUR ZLOO GHÀQLWHO\ VXUYLYH 2U KH·OO UHFHLYH D WUDQVFHQGHQWDO GHDWK DIWHU NLOOLQJ DOO KLV HQHPLHV 7KH RQO\ TXHVWLRQ ZLWK D ELW XQFHUWDLQW\ LV +RZ ZLOO WKH ÀOP KDQGOH WKH VRFLDO MXVWLFH DQG HFRQRPLF SROLWLFV RI WKH UHDO ZRUOG LQ " :K\ LV WKLV WKH SHUWLQHQW TXHVWLRQ" :HOO WKDW·V EHFDXVH HYHQ WKRXJK WKH VWRU\ LV ÀFWLRQDO LQ +ROO\ZRRG PRQH\ HVSHFLDOO\ &KLQHVH PRQH\ LV LQFUHGLEO\ UHDO

$LJERNKDHYEROR ZULWHV IURP Lagos

,Q $ͿQLW\ $UW *DOOHU\ :RPHQ $UWLVWV :HDYH &XOWXUDO 1DUUDWLYHV Yinka Olatunbosun

C

KLZHQGX .HOHFKL D JUDGXDWH RI history and international studies at WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 1LJHULD 1VXNND KDV DOZD\V EHHQ IDVFLQDWHG E\ KLVWRU\ :HDQHG RQ 8OL FXOWXUH KHU FKLOGKRRG ZDV LQÁXHQFHG E\ VXUURXQGLQJ DUW IRUPV DV ZHOO DV KHU H[SHULHQFH ZDWFKLQJ KHU EURWKHU GXULQJ KLV GUDZLQJ DQG SDLQWLQJ VHVVLRQV 8SRQ KHU JUDGXDWLRQ VKH GHOYHG LQWR D GHHSHU VWXG\ RI FXOWXUDO KLVWRU\ FRPSDULQJ FXOtural practices across continents. ,W ZDV OLNH WDNLQJ D ELWH RI WKH IRUELGGHQ IUXLW ´6RPH DFFRXQWV RI KLVWRU\ DUH QRW WDXJKW LQ RXU VFKRROV )RU LQVWDQFH WKH WHDFKHUV LQ WKH HDVW DUH IRUELGGHQ IURP WHDFKLQJ XV DERXW WKH %LDIUDQ ZDU ·· VKH UHYHDOHG DW WKH RSHQLQJ RI WKH QHZ JURXS H[KLELWLRQ LQVLGH $΀QLW\ $UW *DOOHU\ LQ /DJRV :LWK WKH RYHUDUFKLQJ WLWOH ¶7KH 7KUHDG 7KDW %LQGV · WKH VKRZ LV DLPHG DW UHFRQWH[WXDOLVLQJ KLVWRULFDO QDUUDWLYHV ZLWKRXW ORVLQJ WKH DXWKHQWLFLW\ )RU .HOHFKL KHU ERG\ RI ZRUN FRPSULVLQJ SDLQWLQJV GHSLFWV RQ DQFLHQW IHUWLOLW\ LPDJHV DFURVV WKH ZRUOG 7KH FROOHFWLRQ H[SORUHV WKH VLPLODULWLHV LQ DHVWKHWLFV IXQFWLRQ DQG XVH RI REMHFWV ´7KH SDLQWLQJV DUH GRQH LQ P\ 8NDUD 2KXUX VW\OH ZKLFK VHUYHV DV D FRQWLQXDWLRQ RI WKH XVDJH RI FORWK DV VWRU\WHOOLQJ DQG UHFRUG NHHSLQJ PDWHULDO LQ WUDGLWLRQDO ,JER VRFLHW\ µ VKH H[SODLQHG ´7KLV FROOHFWLRQ RI

A screenshot from the film

EXHIBITION DQFLHQW IHUWLOLW\ LPDJHV LV D SDUW RI P\ RQJRLQJ UHVHDUFK LQWR WKH VLPLODULWLHV RI DQFLHQW FXOWXUDO SUDFWLFHV V\PEROV DQG DHVWKHWLFV ZRUOGZLGH µ 7KH VKRZ ZKLFK UXQV IURP 0DUFK WLOO $SULO DOVR IHDWXUHV WKH ZRUNV RI D 7LY DUWLVW :DQJHU $\X ZKR PRYHG WR /DJRV WZR \HDUV DJR LQ SXUVXLW RI IXOO WLPH VWXGLR SUDFWLFH $ 8.

WUDLQHG ODZ\HU :DQJHU $\X·V MRXUQH\ LQWR DUW EHJDQ ZLWK KHU SDVVLRQ IRU IDVKLRQ DQG WKH NHHQ H\HV IRU IDEULF GHVLJQV $IWHU VKH ZDV FDOOHG WR WKH EDU VKH EHJDQ FKDVLQJ KHU GUHDPV LQ WKH DUWV 7KH &29,' ORFNGRZQ ZDV her opportunity to paint more.

(YHQWXDOO\ KHU ZRUNV FDXJKW WKH DWWHQWLRQ RI VRPHRQH ZKR LQYLWHG KHU WR EH SDUW RI D JURXS

VKRZ ´,QWHUHVWLQJO\ WKRXJK , GLG RLO DQG WKHQ , ZRUNHG ÁXLGO\ ZLWK DFU\OLF DV ZHOO ·· VKH H[SODLQHG ´%XW WKHQ , VWDUWHG LQWHUURJDWLQJ IDEULF SDWWHUQV µ 7KLV SHUVSHFWLYH IXHOOHG KHU LQWHUHVW LQ WKH FRQFHSWV RI FRQQHFWLQJ WKUHDGV DQG ERXQGDU\ OLQHV ´7KLQJV OLNH ERXQGDU\ OLQHV ZHUH QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHDOO\ GHÀQHG EDFN WKHQ LQ HDUO\ KLVWRU\ , IHHO ERXQGDULHV WKDW LV ERUGHUV DQG GLYLVLRQV DUH DUWLÀFLDO DQG HFRQRPLF µ ,Q KHU PL[HG PHGLD VHULHV WLWOHG ´:KR LV LQ WKH *DUGHQ"µ VKH examines the societal pressure on ZRPHQ WR JHW PDUULHG 7KURXJK WKH SLHFHV VKH DUJXHV WKDW D ZRPDQ·V VXFFHVV VKRXOG QRW EH PHDVXUHG RQO\ E\ WKH DELOLW\ WR JLYH ELUWK ´&KLOGEHDULQJ VHHP WR EH D SDUW RI WKH HFRQRPLF SODQ IRU WKH IDPLO\ µ VKH FRQWLQXHG ´7KH PRUH \RX KDYH WKH PRUH you can harvest. Cultures are ÁXLG DQG VKLIWLQJ $ ORW RI WKHP DUH PDQ PDGH $W ZKDW SRLQW GR ZH VLW DQG WU\ WR QHJRWLDWH WKLV" 2EYLRXVO\ WKLV LV QRW WR GRZQSOD\ RQ PDUULDJH LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR WKH VXUYLYDO RI WKH species in a controlled manner DV DJDLQVW HYHU\RQH MXPSLQJ DURXQG DQG KDYLQJ NLGV ´$W WKH VDPH WLPH ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR DͿHFWLQJ WKH SV\FKRORJ\ RI WKH ZRPDQ LQ WKH VRFLHW\ ZH ELUWK PRYHPHQW DQG ZH ELUWK LGHDV 7KH WKLQJV WKDW \RX SODQW that can outlive you are just as LPSRUWDQW DV KDYLQJ D KXVEDQG and children. It is more or less WR FKDOOHQJH WKH QRWLRQ DQG WR OLEHUDWH WKH ZRPDQ µ 7KH 6RXWK $IULFDQ DUWLVW 1LNLZH

Dlova also explored textile art WR SUHVHQW DQ LQFUHGLEOH ERG\ RI ZRUNV WKDW DUWLFXODWHV FXOWXUDO KDLUVW\OHV DQG LWV HPEHGGHG V\PEROLVP +HU ORYH IRU IDVKLRQ LV ZRYHQ LQWR KHU KDLU PRWLIV ´([SUHVVLQJ WH[WLOH DUW WKURXJK SRUWUDLWXUH KDV PDGH PH DZDUH RI WKH SDVW DQG KRZ , FDQ PHUJH LW ZLWK WKH SUHVHQW WR FUHDWH D YLVXDO ODQJXDJH WKDW FDQ OLYH LQ WKH IXWXUH WR UHPLQG SHRSOH WR QHYHU IRUJHW $IULFDQ FUDIWVPDQVKLS LQ KDLUVW\OHV ZHDYLQJ DQG $IULFDQ PDVNV V\PERO ZULWLQJ DPRQJ RWKHUV ·· VKH UHYHDOHG LQ WKH DUWLVW·V VWDWHPHQW ,Q WKH VDPH YHLQ D VHOI WDXJKW SDLQWHU DQG PL[HG PHGLD DUWLVW 6WHSKDQLH 8QDH]H XVHV KHU DUW to express and document the QXDQFHV FRPSOH[LWLHV DQG OD\ers that surround the modern $IULFDQ OLIHVW\OH 8VLQJ SDWWHUQV JHRPHWULF GHVLJQ DQG FRORXUV VKH HYRNHV WKH VWURQJ ÁDYRXUV RI WKH $IULFDQ FRQWLQHQW 6KH H[SORUHV IDFHOHVV ÀQJHUV WR SURMHFW WKH LGHD WKDW WKH VHOI LV DOZD\V SUHVHQW WKURXJK FXOWXUDO VKLIWV QHZ IRUPV RI H[SUHVVLRQ DQG VRFLHWDO FKDQJHV +HU ZRUN LV D UHPLQGHU WKDW DV LQGLYLGXDOV ZH DUH D VXP RI PDQ\ PRYLQJ SDUWV 6RPH RI KHU SLHFHV LQFOXGH ¶6HOI 3UHVHUYDWLRQ· ¶/DJRV · DQG RWKHU SLHFHV WKDW allude to cultural history. ´, DP WU\LQJ WR VKRZ 1LJHULDQ SRSXODU FXOWXUH LQ WKLV ERG\ RI ZRUN , ZDQW WR VKRZ WKDW ZH KDYH RXU RZQ SRS FXOWXUH WKDW LV QRW ZKLWHZDVKHG DXWKHQWLF WR XV DQG LQÁXHQFHV XV µ :LWK UHIHUHQFH WR )(67$& · VKH VHHNV WR UHD΀UP FXOWXUDO KHULWDJH DV DQ LQWHJUDO SDUW RI QHZ WKLQNLQJ

Opens April 24 Lekki International Film Festival ODXQFKHV WKH ÀUVW LQ D VHULHV RI LQWHUQDWLRQDO ÀOP VHPLQDUV WKH PDLGHQ HGLWLRQ RI ZKLFK EHJLQV on April 24 and continues daily WR $SULO 7DJJHG WKH /HNNL )LOP 6XPPLW LW LV D JDWKHULQJ RI ÀOP SUDFWLWLRQHUV VSDQQLQJ WKH HQWLUH VSHFWUXP RI VSHFLDOLVWV IURP SURGXFHUV WR GLUHFWRUV DFWRUV WHFKQLFLDQV DQG GLVWULEXWRUV ´3UDFWLWLRQHUV LQ WKH ÀOP LQGXVWU\ DUH FRPSOHWHO\ LQYROYHG SHRSOH µ VD\V 0UV 2OXZDWR\LQ $ZROHVL GLUHFWRU RI PHGLD DW /HNNL ,QWHUnational Film Festival. “You can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have the time or opportunity to LQWHUDFW DQG JHW WR NQRZ ZKDW V JRLQJ RQ RU ZKDW V QHZ µ 6KH DOVR H[SODLQV WKDW ZLWK VR PXFK HYROYLQJ LQ WKH ÀOP ZRUOG SHRSOH DUH VHHNLQJ QHZ ZD\V DURXQG ROG REVWDFOHV ´1HZ GRRUV DUH RSHQLQJ HYHU\ GD\ 7KLV LV WKH UHDVRQ IRU WKLV NLQG RI LQWHUDFWLYH IRUXP $QG LW FRPHV ZLWK PDQ\ RWKHU EHQHÀWV µ 7DONLQJ DERXW WKRVH EHQHÀWV VKH DOOXGHV WR QHWZRUNLQJ IURP ZKLFK VKH EHOLHYHV JUHDW LGHDV DQG RSSRUWXQLWLHV JURZ ´:H DUH ORRNLQJ IRUZDUG WR WKH SURVSHFW RI SHRSOH ZRUNLQJ WRJHWKHU DFURVV FRXQWULHV DQG UHJLRQV µ VKH HQWKXVHV ´,I \RX OLNH GLͿHUHQW KDQGVKDNHV

Y

Dapo Adeniyi DFURVV WKH $WODQWLF RU WKH 3DFLÀF VRPHWKLQJ OLNH WKDW µ 7KH ODVW WLPH WKH IHVWLYDO KHOG LWV IXOO RXWLQJ ZDV EHIRUH WKH RXWEUHDN RI WKH &29,' SDQGHPLF 7KH SDQGHPLF IRUFHG WKH RUJDQLVHUV WR SRVWSRQH HYHU\ SURJUDPPH LQ WKH SLSHOLQH 7KDW ZDV DOVR ZKHQ WKH PDQDJHPHQW WKRXJKW WKH GUDZEDFN ZRXOG EH SXW WR JRRG XVH 7KXV WKH LGHD RI WXUQLQJ DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO FRQIHUHQFH LQWR D YLUWXDO HYHQW FDPH DERXW ´2ULJLQDOO\ WKH LQWHUDFWLYH DVSHFW RI WKH PDLQ IHVWLYDO HYHQW ZDV JRLQJ WR JURZ LQWR DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO FRQIHUHQFH µ 0UV $ZROHVL ZKR is also a radio personality and ZULWHU H[SODLQV ´7KDW ZDV RQ WKH GUDZLQJ ERDUG 2XU RYHUDOO GLUHFWRU 'DSR $GHQL\L ZKR EHORQJV WR D FRPPLWWHH RI GLUHFWRUV LQ (XURSH ZDV LQ FRQVXOWDWLRQ ZLWK VRPH RI KLV IULHQGV ZLWK WKH DLP RI PDNLQJ WKDW D UHDOLW\ here. A stand-alone event that ZLOO LQYROYH SDUWLFLSDQWV IURP all over the country and around WKH ZRUOG µ Lekki Film Summit 2023 aims to JHQHUDWH LQWHUDFWLRQV D FRPSDULQJ RI QRWHV DPRQJ SUDFWLWLRQHUV LQ WKH DUHD RI ÀOP GLVWULEXWLRQ (DFK OHDG VSHDNHU V SUHVHQWDWLRQ ZLOO EH IROORZHG E\ GLVFXVVLRQV ZKHUH SDUWLFLSDQWV FDQ WDON DERXW SUDFWLFDO SUREOHPV DQG DSSURDFKHV LQ open-ended discussions.

Tima Set to Defy Gravity with Debut Single ‘Angels’ Yinka Olatunbosun $ VLQJHU VRQJZULWHU 7LPD PDNHV KHU GHEXW LQ PXVLF ZLWK WKH VLQJOH ¶$QJHOV · 7KH LQFUHGLEOH VLQJHU EHJDQ WR ZRUN RQ WKLV PXVLF SURMHFW earlier this year in January. This QHZ UHOHDVH KDV $IUREHDWV SRS DQG KLS KRS LQÁXHQFHV ZLWK D SRWHQWLDO WR UHYROXWLRQLVH WKH JHQUH ¶$QJHOV· VLJQDOV WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI WKH PXVLF FDUHHU RI 7LPD VWUHQJWKHQHG E\ WKH FRPSHOOLQJ O\ULFV LQ KHU QHZ (3 1R GRXEW VKH LV VHW WR ´GHI\ WKH ODZ RI JUDYLW\ µ 7KH JHQUH GHVFULEHG DV D PL[ RI $IUR UK\WKP DQG EOXHV ZLWK D WRXFK RI VRXO HXORJLVHV WKH SRZHU DQG EHDXW\ RI LQQHU FRQYLFWLRQ DQG DWWHQWLYHQHVV WR WKH VPDOO JHQWOH voice. ´,Q D ZRUOG ZKHUH PDQ\ \RXQJ SHRSOH DUH XQGHU D ORW RI SUHVVXUH WR FRQIRUP RU JUDYLWDWH WRZDUGV WKH FURZG , EHOLHYH WKDW UHÁHFWLRQ LV D YDOXDEOH DVVHW µ 7LPD VDLG ´,W·V LQ OLJKW RI WKLV WKDW , UHSHDWHGO\ GHVFULEHG P\VHOI DV D ¶UHEHO· LQ WKH SLHFH µ 7KH (3 DOVR IHDWXUHV 3ULQFH 0LDK D \RXQJ 1LJHULDQ DUWLVW EDVHG LQ -RV 3ODWHDX 6WDWH 7LPD ZKRVH IXOO QDPH LV )DWLPD 1GD ,VDLDK LV DQ $EXMD EDVHG VLQJHU 6KH VWDUWHG KHU VLQJLQJ FDUHHU DV D SHUIRUPHU LQ KHU VFKRRO EDQG EXW RQO\ VLQJLQJ FRYHUV RI PXVLF E\ RWKHU DUWLVWV $V WLPH ZHQW RQ VKH GLVFRYHUHG KHU SDVVLRQ IRU

Tima

MUSIC ZULWLQJ PXVLF DV ZHOO DV VLQJLQJ ´7KLV (3 LV D ZLQGRZ LQWR WKH W\SH RI PXOWL WDOHQWHG DQG YHUVDWLOH SHUVRQ 7LPD LV µ D VWDWHPHQW E\ KHU SURPRWHU UHDG Tima said her desire is to make D PDUN RQ WKH $IUR PXVLF JHQUH ´,·P DZDUH WKDW WKH EHDW LV YHU\ LPSRUWDQW WR \RXQJ SHRSOH EXW , DOVR VSHQG D ORW RI WLPH WKLQNLQJ DERXW O\ULFV µ VKH VDLG ´, EHOLHYH WKDW PXVLF DSDUW IURP EHLQJ UHODWDEOH VKRXOG DOVR FRQYH\ D SRVLWLYH PHVVDJH µ 6KH SODQV WR UHOHDVH D VHTXHO WR ´$QJHOVµ LQ 0D\ 3ULQFH 0LDK ZKR DOVR IHDWXUHG LQ ´$QJHOVµ LV DYDLODEOH RQ PDMRU VWUHDPLQJ SODWIRUPV

57

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2 , 2023

CICERO

Editor: Ejiofor Alike SMS: 08066066268 email:ejiofor.alike@thisdaylive.com

IN THE ARENA

PDP in the Throes of Post-election Crisis The removal of Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party has not only aggravated grave concerns about the future of the main opposition party, but also threatened the country’s democracy with the weakening opposition, Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

L

ess than two weeks after the conclusion of the 2023 elections, a fresh crisis has struck the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The latest crisis that hit the main opposition party is obviously an offshoot of its perennial internal conflict, largely traceable to the political intrigues associated with its National Convention held on October 31, 2021 in Abuja.

The fresh dispute came to public knowledge on March 26 with the resolution of the Igyorov Ward Executive Committee of PDP in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State to suspend the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. This brought Ayu to the club of its sacked leaders caught in the web of the unending quest of its gladiators to control its national structure rather than build a viable opposition.

No fewer than 12 of its executive members ratified a claim that Ayu engaged in anti-party activities in contravention to Article 59(1e) of the PDP Constitution. In the resolution, they also ratified another claim that the PDP national chairman reneged its financial obligation to pay or remit his membership dues at the ward level consistent with Article 8(10) of the PDP Constitution.

Specifically, the article mandates all registered members of the party “to pay their monthly subscription fees at the Ward level, which must be reflected on their membership cards, and where a member consistently fails to pay his subscription fees for six months, such membership will be deemed to have lapsed.”

The dust raised by Ayu’s suspension had hardly settled when a court order affirmed the resolution of the ward executive committee. The litigation was filed before a Benue High Court and hinged on the resolution that suspended the national chairman.

Consequent upon these claims, on March 27, the court granted an ex parte application, which restrained Ayu from “parading himself as the PDP national chairman.” This added an entirely new dimension to the party’s intra-party conflict in the postelection era when all hands should be on deck to reconcile all its warring factions.

Armed with the court ruling, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) promptly effected a minor change in its rank on March 28. In compliance with the ruling, it appointed its Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Umar Damagum as the acting national chairman pending the determination of the suit, which the court adjourned till April 17.

On his part, Ayu is fighting back as confirmed by his Special Assistant on Communications, Mr. Simon Imobo-tswam, who disclosed that the former President of the Senate had approached the Benue court to challenge the resolution that penalised him for allegedly violating the two provisions of the PDP Constitution.

But why have PDP leaders failed to work out a common ground not just in the interest of the party, but also for the country’s budding democracy?

First, some analysts explained the latest crisis on the post-elec-

Ayu

tion decision of the NWC that suspended the party’s prominent members in quick succession for not supporting the party during the 2023 elections. This decision further deepened the party’s internal crisis rather than resolving it.

On March 23, for instance, the NWC had first suspended former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; erstwhile President of the Senate, Chief Ayim Pius Ayim; former Commissioner for Education in Benue State, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar and one of its active chieftains in Zamfara State, Dr. Aslam Aliyu.

The gale of suspension did not just start on March 23; it started with the suspension of former Enugu State Governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani on January 20 and consequent expulsion on February 11, a fortnight before the National Assembly election in which he was a candidate.

Second, other analysts believed that the latest crisis took its root in the pre-election dynamics that spurred five aggrieved governors - Mr. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Mr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Dr. Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State - to create G-5 due to Ayu’s refusal to resign from his position as their condition to support the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The governors then argued that the North could not produce

the national chairman and at the same time its presidential candidate, which they believed, breached Article 2(d) of the PDP Constitution.

All these unresolved issues viciously triggered the post-election crisis that aggravated the internal rift that finally claimed the job of the national chairman. Wike, as a result, is already rejoicing without taking cognisance of what PDP’s dwindling strength means for the country’s democracy.

Rather, Wike ascribed Ayu’s fate “to the works of God.” In specific terms, he observed: “All those people who were plotting evil against us, they are now the ones suffering it.” Other members of G-5, especially those who were suspended and lost elections, are heaving a sigh of victory that Ayu, their perceived common foe, has been axed.

Did Ayu actually run foul of Article 59(1e) of the PDP Constitution that precluded all the party members from engaging in anti-party activities? Did he also fail to perform his financial obligation as enshrined under Article 8(10) of the PDP Constitution.

With respect to the first question, the Igyorov Ward Executive Committee, in a resolution read by its Secretary, Mr Vangeryina Dooyum, claimed Ayu worked against the success of the PDP during the general election. It further alleged that Ayu did not even vote during the governorship election.

The executive committee did not however make public evidence of the offences committed by Ayu. It is also not certain if Ayu possesses electoral values that he can leverage to win elections for his party in his ward or local government. But many believe that the G-5 governors were more culpable of anti-party activities than Ayu. The other issue borders on Ayu’s non-compliance with Article 8(10) of the PDP Constitution on payment of subscription fees.

The committee specifically cited its extant records to buttress its resolve that Ayu actually breached the provision of the party’s constitution. Ayu has not personally disputed this claim. But he had approached the court mainly to challenge his removal. If perhaps he has not been fulfilling his financial obligation to the party, Ayu has obviously ceased to be a member of the PDP in line with Article 8(10).

This is truly a slippery provision, which according to analysts, most party chieftains and national officers at different levels neither pay sufficient attention to nor really know it ever exists.

But with the escalation of PDP’s internal rift, what does it mean for the party in particular and democracy at large?

Obviously, analysts are unanimous about its interrelated consequences for the polity. They argued that the failure of its leaders to resolve its internal conflict will further decapitate the capacity of the party to play the role of a viable opposition that often oils the wheel of every democracy. They further claimed that the country risks the rise of an autocrat if a viable opposition is not available, especially now that the PDP has failed to position itself for this role.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Another Case of Judicial Rascality in Benue?

Uzodimma Ariwoola

One of the reasons why Nigerians have been kicking against the establishment of state police is the fear of the overbearing attitude of state governors. It is this same overbearing behaviour that the state governors exhibit when dealing with their state judiciaries.

They seek to exercise control over state High Courts. With just a phone call, governors procure ex-parte against their opponents.

It is not surprising that many believe that the sack of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu by the courtmayhavebeeninfluencedbypoliticalleaders.

Ayu was said to have been suspended by the executive of Igyorev Ward in Ipavin Gboko Local Government Area of the state. Shortly after, the state High Court issued an ex-parte order against him to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the party.

Manybelievethatthespeedwithwhichtheorder of the court came may have been influenced by an external interest. Those who hold this view insist that the judge should have asked the petitioner to put Ayu and the party on notice before issuing the order.

Now that a group known as Expanded Igyorov Ward Executives of Igyorev Ward in Ipav has pledged their support for Ayu, and disassociated themselves from his suspension, analysts have concluded that the court was misled for the purpose of settling political scores.

The group which stormed the Wadata Plaza, headquarters of the party, in Abuja on Tuesday in solidarity with the suspended national chairman of the PDP, expressed their support for him while going further to pass a confidence vote on the embattled him.

The questions begging for answer are: Can a

Ward Secretary, Mr. Vangeryina Dooyum, singlehandedly suspend a national chairman of a party without theWard Chairman, Kashi Philip and other members of the executive? Did JusticeW.I. Kpochi, who gave the interim order interrogate the locus standi of the applicant, Terhide Utaan in suit No. MHC/85/2023?

This clearly shows that some state High Court judges do not bother about their career. Three years ago, some state High Court judges whose orders were procured to remove the former National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, were sanctioned. Many would have thought Justice Kpochi of the Benue State High Court would learn a lesson from this. But this is not the case.

This is why the National Judicial Council (NJC) shouldinvestigatethejudgeandtakeactionagainst him where necessary.

58

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2 , 2023

BRIEFINGNOTES :KHQ $ELD·V 5HWXUQLQJ 2ͿFHU 6WRRG RXW

If all the permanent and ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission were like the Returning Officer in the just-concluded governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Abia State and Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof Nnenna Oti, the 2023 general election would have been more credible, Ejiofor Alike reports

N

nenna Oti, a professor of Soil Science and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri, Imo State is not new when it comes to earning accolades.

She made a first class at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and also became the first female substantive Vice Chancellor of FUTO. But these accomplishments did not bring her to the national limelight until she served as the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abia State in the March 18 governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

As the collation of the results of the governorship election in the state was ongoing, there were reports that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were attempting to re-write the results for Obingwa Local Government Area (LGA) to overturn the original results as already collated by INEC. Oti became a hero of the election when she refused to declare the false results, despite all the alleged pressure on her.

The FUTO vice chancellor insisted that the votes of the people of Abia State must count even when her fellow academics, politicians, security agents and officials of INEC had tainted the credibility of the 2023 general election.

Narrating her experience, Oti told the members of staff and students of FUTO who gave her a hero’s welcome after the elections that: “I have never in my life participated in any election. But duty came calling. I made enquiries from Abuja and I said ‘if I perish, I perish’.

“They came with their threats; they came with their money; they came with their intimidation.

I am unshakable.”

“I didn’t start today. I stand here before God and Jesus Christ. I have never defrauded anyone. Under me, votes must count; under me, the people’s mandate must be upheld…,” she explained.

Oti’s refusal to announce the fraudulent results forced the electoral commission to suspend the collation of governorship election results in the state.

Before the ruling PDP in the state allegedly attempted to rewrite the results in Obingwa LGA, the collation of results from 16 out of the 17 councils of the state had been concluded.

Following the allegation that the ruling PDP in the state attempted to induce her financially and through intimidation to announce the falsified results for Obingwa, which she resisted, INEC suspended the collation on Monday, March 20.

With the suspension of the collation, the battle shifted to Abuja where INEC was said to be reviewing the results.

Oti Apparently frustrated by Oti’s refusal to accept the manipulated results from Obingwa LGA, the Abia State Government called for her immediate sack.

In the false allegation by the state government, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Eze Chikamnayo, in a statement issued on March 21, alleged that she has family ties with the LP candidate.

But Oti is from Ebonyi State and has no blood ties with Otti, who is from Abia State.

As the review of the results was ongoing in Abuja, the Labour Party candidate, Otti had declared that no amount of manipulation would alter the party’s victory in the state.

The LP governorship candidate, in a press conference in Abuja, said the use of BVAS had exposed the fraud perpetrated in Obingwa LGA over the years by the ruling party in the state.

Otti said: “What has happened this time around is that the BVAS has demystified

Obingwa Local Government in Abia State.

“You recalled that in 2015, when I contested for the first time, the PDP produced 82,000 votes from Obingwa and overturned the victory that Abia people gave us. This time around, they want to do the same thing but the BVAS proved that there are no more than 30,000 votes in Obingwa.

“Sixteen local government areas have been collated out of 17 and the total votes that Labour Party scored out of the 16 local government areas is about 172,000 and that of PDP is less than 80,000. So, anyhow you flip and dice it with the numbers they have written, it still doesn’t have the support that would upturn our victory,” Otti added.

However, the final collation of governorship election results resumed on

Wednesday, March 22 in Umuahia, Abia State.

During the resumption of the collation exercise, Oti vowed that she would protect the rights of the people and democratic values.

“I shall stand squarely and unapologetically on these principles. The people’s votes and mandate shall stand.

“The pastor and the mother in me will not permit me to do anything that will adversely affect the future of our children,” she vowed.

She later declared Otti as the winner of the election. Otti trounced his opponents like Mr Okey Ahiwe of the PDP and Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party (YPP).

Otti scored 175,467, Ahiwe polled 88,529 while Nwafor got 28,972.

Few hours after the Returning Officer declared Otti as the winner, the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, made a U-turn after the state government’s earlier false accusation against the Returning Officer.

In what many described as a confirmation of the unblemished reputation of the Returning Officer, Ikpeazu congratulated Otti on his victory at the poll.

According to a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor also advised other contestants not to distract Otti with election petitions.

Since the declaration of the governorship results, the Returning Officer has received a lot of accolades for her exemplary integrity.

While an Abuja-based businessman, Mr. Steven Ukpabi has reportedly given her an exotic Toyota Prado SUV for her exemplary courage and integrity, an appreciative Otti has praised her for standing firm and refusing to be compromised to work against the will of the people.

Speaking on Thursday when he received his Certificate of Return, the Governor-elect said: “Let me put it on record, my thanks to the Returning Officer, Prof Nnenna Oti, who by no means is related to me. I’ve read a few things, saying that she is my sister. I’ve never met her. From available records, she is from Ebonyi State.

“Be that as it may, we must put on record her forthrightness. She has shown that with people like her there’s a lot of hope for Nigeria,” Otti added.

On their part, the staff and students of FUTO had also given Oti a hero’s welcome back to the institution.

In a video that has since gone viral, the students and members of staff of the university were seen dancing and chanting songs with a banner with the inscription: “Welcome back Nnenna Oti, Heroine of Nigeria Democracy.”

If all other officials that participated in the elections were like Oti, the 2023 general election would have been more credible.

NOTES FOR FILE

Obafemi Hamzat and Sophistry

Hamzat

Many Lagos residents were shocked recently when the state Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, said the Chairman of the state Parks Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, would be prosecuted if found guilty of breaking the law during the 2023 general election in the state.

The question in the lips of many residents was: Who are they deceiving?

MC Oluomo, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, recently threatened Igbo people resident in Lagos State against coming out during the elections if they would not vote for the APC. A large number of touts had trooped out in the state during the March 18, 2023 governorship

and state House of Assembly elections to unleash terror on voters; harass INEC officials; cart away ballot boxes; and destroy already thump printed papers.

Though MC Oluomo later denied threatening Igbo voters, insisting that he meant no harm, the violence unleashed on non-supporters of APC during the elections was believed to be linked to his threat.

However, Hamzat, while speaking in an interview, said MC Oluomo must pay if he is found guilty of violating the law.

The deputy governor cannot say he does not know the level of terror thugs unleashed on Lagos residents during the governorship and state assembly elections on March 18,

2023.

He also knows MC Oluomo is untouchable due to the powerful forces behind him.

The state cannot say it is not aware of the implication of his threat. The state government is aware of what drivers of commercial vehicles are going through on a daily basis because of extortion by touts masquerading as transport unions. Last Wednesday, commuters were stranded in Ojo parts of Lagos as commercial bus drivers vacated the roads in protest against extortion by touts.

Many Lagosians are very disappointed with Hamzat. Instead of coming out to apologise on behalf of MC Oluomo, he came to speak tongue-in-cheek.

59

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2 , 2023

CICERO/ISSUE

Tinubu

Obi

Ariwoola

Obi’s Petition as Tinubu’s Nightmare Despite all the steps taken over the years to resolve the issue of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 in Chicago, United States, the issue has continued to linger. It is hoped that the petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to challenge his victory in the February 25 election will eventually put it to rest permanently, Alex Enumah writes

T

he recent petition filed by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, at the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to challenge the victory of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 election has again thrown up the much reported forfeiture of $460,000 by the former governor of Lagos State over an alleged drug case in the United States.

Tinubu’s drug case is among the key grounds for which Obi is seeking his disqualification in the election petition the former Anambra State governor filed against the declaration of the former Lagos State governor as the Presidentelect following his victory at the February 25 presidential election.

In his petition, Obi argued that Tinubu, “at the time of the (presidential) election, was not qualified to contest the election.”

He stated that the former Lagos State Governor was fined $460,000 for an alleged offence involving dishonesty, particularly narcotics trafficking imposed by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in case No:93C 4483 between the US andTinubu. He added that for this reason, the votes purportedly recorded for Tinubu at the presidential election were wasted votes and ought to be disregarded.

Since Obi filed the petition, the members of the Obidient movement have fully resurrected the issue of the forfeiture of $460,000 by Tinubu.

All over the social media, the issue is a recurring decimal as they argue that it is a veritable ground for the tribunal to annul Tinubu’s victory.

The matter got to a head last week when in a tweet, a former human rights activist, Ayo Obe, taunted them, saying the move by Obi to sack Tinubu on account of the forfeiture case cannot stand, being that it is now statute-barred.

Obe cited Section 137 (1)e) of the Constitution that said a Nigerian cannot be elected president within 10 years of a conviction for offences brought by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

“A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President, he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or he has been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct,” the section said.

While responding to Obe last weekend, the Director of Media in the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, argued that his principal’s alleged drug case in the US happened more than 10 years ago and cannot,

therefore, be used as a basis to truncate his victory at the polls last month.

“The Obi supporters don’t read. They live in a cocoon of falsehood and contrived propaganda,” Onanuga said.

However, Tinubu’s traducers have insisted that Section 137 (1)(d) disqualifies anyone who had been fined for any offences in the past from becoming president.

They also argued that the subsection did not give any timeline under which a convict can be released to run for Nigeria’s presidency.

The subsection specifically reads: “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal.”

Opponents of the former Lagos State governor have also pointed out the January 17, 2014 judgment of the Supreme Court where it defined forfeiture as punishment for an offence under the Nigerian criminal statutes may compound his problem.

The judgment, which was delivered in the case of Mohammed Abacha versus the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the current Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, while serving as a Supreme Court justice, declared that forfeiture means “the loss of a right, privilege or property because of a crime”.

“The word ‘forfeiture’ means the divestiture of property without compensation. The loss of a right, privilege, or property because of a crime, breach of obligation, or neglect of duty,” Justice Ariwoola held in a majority decision.

He noted that any person who has forfeited property on the basis of a crime cannot be entitled to indemnity, adding that forfeiture is a form of punishment, and that there is no indemnity in Nigeria’s criminal procedure.

While many legal experts have argued that the Tinubu’s case is quite different from that of Mohammed Abacha, others stated that the peculiarities of the case would need the court to determine if the US court’s ruling has relevance in Nigeria.

Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, did not include the Chicago drug case in their petitions challenging the declaration of Tinubu as President-elect, the party’s Presidential Campaign

Council had in January threatened to drag Tinubu to court.

The party’s campaign council had argued that he should not participate in the February 25 presidential election on the premise of an alleged criminal case of trafficking in drugs that led to his subsequent forfeiture of the sum of $460,000 to the US authorities.

The spokesperson of the Atiku/ Okowa Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke in Abuja, had expressed the determination of the campaign council to file for an accelerated hearing in the case in the interest of the nation.

According to him, Nigeria’s laws do not permit an alleged convict, let alone an individual convicted on account of the international crime of trafficking in narcotics, to stand election at any level, adding that Nigeria cannot afford the embarrassment of having an alleged convict hold office at any level.

He added that the campaign council would ask the court to “declare Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC, having been allegedly convicted, as ineligible to contest the Presidential election under section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution; “Compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately delist Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the APC or any other political party for that matter and expunge his name from all materials and documents related to the 2023 presidential election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the United States Court in sentencing Tinubu ordered, ‘that the funds in the amount of $460,000 in the name of Tinubu represents proceeds of alleged narcotics trafficking or were involved in financial transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. S1956 and 1957 and therefore these funds are forfeited to the United States pursuant to 21 U.S.C. S881(a) (6) and 18 U.S.C S981.’

“From the declaration of the court and the sentencing, it is clear that Tinubu was summarily convicted by the court, took no step to challenge the judgment but acceded to the forfeiture of the $460,000 found to be the proceeds of narcotics trafficking,” it stressed.

Ologbondiyan further noted that “Nigeria is a signatory to such international conventions and therefore is mandatorily obligated to implement the consequential effect of the conviction imposed on Tinubu by a court of competent jurisdiction in the criminal case of trafficking in narcotics.

“The import of the foregoing is that under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), having been so convicted and fined and having acceded to the sentencing by way of forfeiture of $460,000 and have not received any state pardon or acquitted by any court of competent jurisdiction, Asiwaju Tinubu remains a convict and the consequential effect is that he cannot contest the election at any level in Nigeria.

“The effect is that the listing of the name of Bola Tinubu, who stands allegedly convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction on the ballot for the 2023 presidential election is by the virtue of Section 137 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) fundamentally illegal, invalid and must be expunged immediately,” he further explained.

But responding to the PDP campaign council’s press conference, the spokesman for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, had described the Atiku/Okowa Organisation as a body that was deficient in ideas and originality.

He noted that until its APC counterpart took Atiku to court for alleged confession to have fraudulently helped himself to state resources while serving as Vice President, the PDP campaign council did not know the road to court.

He said: “Why did they wait all these months until we filed before they are now rushing to court? I challenged them more than two months ago, yet they did nothing. It shows a team that is lacking in originality, lacking in ideas, and lacking in vision.

“It is just an attempt to create a counter-suit to our own. Unfortunately for them, Nigerians have seen through them already. They are Special Purpose Vehicles advocates that are trying to turn the tide of public opinion. Nigerians have decided; Nigerians have rejected them. This is so laughable that Nigerians are beginning to see that these are remorseless people; leopards that cannot change their skin.”

While Tinubu’s traducers have argued that his victory would be upturned by the courts, his supporters think otherwise, given the fact that he has never been convicted by any court anywhere to warrant his disqualification from occupying elective offices.

However, no matter the outcome of Obi’s petition in the election tribunal, the final decision on his petition will put the issue of Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 to rest permanently.

60

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 2,2023

ENGAGEMENTS

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

Scare Tactics and Interim Fiction

U

nder the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, Nigeria’s security police, the DSS, has gradually acquired a political costume. Like all adept political masquerades, the DSS chooses its moments and sides. At one such moment during this president’s first term, the agency woke up one morning and sent out hooded goons to invade and barricade access to the National Assembly. The aim was ostensibly to prevent PDP opposition legislators from assembling to impeach embattled Senate president Bukola Saraki of the APC. That was a politically defensive posture and an open foray into the partisan fray.

The images unsettled local and foreign audiences. Government under acting prefecture of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was embarrassed and quickly fired Director General Lawal Daura. Buhari was reportedly uncomfortable with the turn of events and appointed a successor of his own choosing who is the current head of the agency. The rest is a known story.

Just before the last elections, the DSS instituted a surprising court action seeking permission to arrest CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele for, among so many unprintable allegations, terrorism financing. The nation was shocked that the man who holds and signs all our money could be associated with such nefarious meddling. It would be recalled that Mr. Emefiele was at one point both incumbent CBN governor as well as a card carrying APC presidential aspirant with an elaborated well oiled campaign apparatus until hounds in the Villa reportedly shot him down mid air. The court case miraculously died on arrival or is still in suspended animation. Mr. Emefiele survived to resume presiding over our money and its plight.

The next day, a pack of organized political jackals was out on public prowl, threatening hell fire against the DSS and stiffly defending Mr. Emefiele as a man who could do no wrong. Shortly afterwards, an emboldened Emefiele resurfaced from hiding and appeared in Aso Villa to the warm embrace of president Buhari. The president ushered him back from his vacation and back to his duty post. Thereafter, the duo conspired and unleashed the largest currency confiscation project in our history. Our cashless and hapless public is still bleeding from that thoughtless gambit.

In the run up to the last elections, the atmosphere of general uncertainty and imminent threat to national security was palpable. Fear was high that pre-existing fault spots could be aggravated by election tension to unsettle our fragile national security even further. The public expected the DSS and other security agencies to be at their best. They probably were. But their best delivered an election full of crisis, violence, intimidation and open abuse of the electoral process.

Worse still, the nation came under severe security stress as we witnessed the worst type of ethnic profiling and divisive hate tactics during the governorship election especially in Lagos. Voters were injured.

Some were killed or maimed for life. Animosities tore neighbourhoods apart. The many casualties of the election fiasco are still being counted. A revamped reign of armed thuggery has emerged and literally transformed into an untidy ethnic militia.

Innocent victims are still counting their losses. A new version of ethnocentrism which president Obasanjo has recently described as ‘Igbophobia’ has emerged.

One of our strategic nationalities has been under consistent ethnic profiling and targeting from emboldened arsonists and armed thugs. The freedom which democracy ought to confer on all citizens has been severely curtailed in Lagos especially.

Fear thy neighbour has replaced love thy neighbour!

Interestingly, the DSS remained silent in the face of these inter ethnic aggravations and blatant threats to the security, peace order and unity of the nation. I am not aware

Bichi

that the DSS issued any cautions to the ethnic warlords who profiled and filtered voters by ethnicity and party in Lagos. I am also not sure whether the DSS has managed to compile its own classified list of polling units where the worst electoral criminalities occurred all over the country. Maybe those findings remain ‘classified’ or ‘secret’ as usual!

The election is over. Outcomes have been announced. The nation is looking forward to a peaceful handover of power to a new president and government on 29th May. Those who lost or are aggrieved have since headed to tribunals and courts to get a hearing. As in every healthy democracy, there are post election after shocks. Partisans have mildly protested the announced outcomes.

Party officials have issued all manner of conflicting statements. The public has remained calm, having gone back to their lives while politicians duel mostly in words.

Meanwhile, some Nigerian politicians and their trumpeters have been true to type.

Predictably, winners and losers have engaged in incendiary exchanges. That is in the nature of partisan democracy. Winners tend to be triumphant while losers bear an abiding bitterness that lasts until the courts deliver judgments on election cases and scheming for the next election commences. The heat of these exchanges has now bred a new level of concern. People fear that angry exchanges among politicians could unsettle a fragile and factious polity. But even then, nothing has been said or heard that detracts from the normal run of anger and disappointment among parties in a democracy.

The DSS has now weighed in to cry and warn out about a ‘plot’ by some political interests to generate enough heat to discredit the outcome of the election. According to the secret police, there are plans by yet unnamed entities to procure conflictual court orders to discredit the elections especially at the

presidential level. By the phantom plot. There are plans to arrange subversive protests to destabilise social order. By this same script, the authors of this toxic trend hope to secure an ungovernable public space leading to a state of emergency and a logical formation of an ‘interim government’.

The logic and sequence is an acceptable Nollywood plot line.

It however drips of a scare tactic that could tempt the lame duck administration to believe that the DSS is up and about. Not exactly.

By any serious definition of pre -emptive intelligence, this interim government alarm is a superficial hoax. All the elements of the socalled plot fall squarely within the confines of normal democratic expressions. Those who lost elections are bound to go to court. The courts will pronounce a diversity of judgments some of which may overturn some received outcomes.

Some political groups and parties are likely to organise protests to air their grievances or reinforce their confidence in victory. Some protests at home or abroad could exceed the bounds of civil protest but the police and other security agencies are paid to contain such situations. All these are well within the normal expectations of a post election scenario in a democracy.

See what happened in Brazil after the recent elections. Even the post election anger in Kenya is still alive in riots and protests all around the country.

Unconsciously, the DSS may in fact have entered the Nigerian post

election conversation through a political back gate. By a curious coincidence, the DSS argument and warning sounds similar to those of the spokespersons of the APC. Both Mr. Festus Keyamo and Femi Fani-Kayode have been issuing the same warnings and threats to the major opposition parties. They have even crossed the line to issue ethnic oriented threats, with Mr. Fani-Kayode warning against a possible ‘Kigali scenario’. Both the DSS and the APC hawks are targeting the leaders of the two major opposition parties. What unites the APC town criers and the DSS is their joint concern and informing logic that nothing must disrupt the swearing in of Mr. Bola Tinubu on May 29th. The APC people are predictably defending the interest of their party. The DSS is , on the other hand, out in defense of the constitutional requirement that you swear in the winner while the losers go to court in the hope that justice could vindicate their contention.

Common sense and the constitution make any mischief outside this logic unthinkable.

The constitution is clear. No sensible opposition political leader can seek to prevent the May 29th event at Eagle Square. That is in line with our constitutional order and serves the interest of an orderly democracy.

However, there is an implicit threat in the DSS statement of alarm that could stoke national unrest. If they play according to the script of the APC hawks and proceed to arrest either or both Mr. Atiku or Mr. Obi to prevent them and their followers from disturbing the peace on May 29th, then comes trouble in battalions. Partisan mobs will be incensed. Public order will be disrupted. The nation will splinter into disruptive gangs of angered partisans. Ethnic war mongers will have a field day. Free ranging anarchists will take over the streets. In the general drift towards anarchy, uninvited power adventurers wearing frightening but familiar uniforms may even be tempted to walk a familiar path. The new government, if it manages to survive, will enter office with the poisoned chalice of a divided and violently rowdy nation. No one in the present configuration of interests and forces wants any of this. The unwritten consensus among all interests is that we all want Nigeria to survive so that we can continue to advance our interests and fight our battles.

As for the kite of the possibility of a socalled ‘interim government’, that is as far fetched and foolish as can be. The elaborate democratic edifice of the nation remains firmly in place. There is a federal government both incumbent and impending. There are 36 elected state governments both incumbent and imminent. There are 774 local governments deriving their powers and legitimacy from an elective sovereignty. It is therefore something of an insane flight of fiction to imagine a serial disruption of this elaborate edifice in favour of some transient contraption. I think our politicians and their associate mischief makers are a little more serious and sensible than to make a mess of this in the name of some interim government.

The last time we tried that path under the military, it produced a disaster that the courts later ruled out of order.

As for the DSS, we expect a higher level of scare mongering and fictionalizing from an intelligent security outfit. This interim government joke does not do sufficient credit to the long institutional heritage and memory of what used to be the SSS and is now the DSS. If indeed there is any such plot backed by credible factual intelligence, let the DSS, as the United States FBI would do, come out with the details, make arrests and file charges in court against the suspects.

Institutional fiction writing and amateurish creative mischief are unbecoming of a serious security agency entrusted with the security of the Nigerian state. In it all, what in fact could actually destabilise the nation and unhinge the state is the adoption of conspiracy fiction making as the basis of a national security strategy. It is time to get serious, please.

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • APRIL 2, 2023

61

B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N A NATION IN NEED OF PEACEBUILDERS multi-religious society such as ours, conflicts are inevitable. And I am realistic enough to accept that they will not disappear overnight.

The real challenge is how to manage them.

In 1999 or 2000, I attended a training on alternative dispute resolution with focus on mediation. One major take-away that has shaped my general attitude to life is that there are conflicts that can never be resolved.

Therefore, don’t be in denial: you have to admit it. For instance, Christianity says Jesus is the Son of God. Islam says God does not have any son. Both faiths can never come to an agreement on this, so it is a waste of time trying to reconcile their theologies.

What you do, in this instance, is to foster tolerance and mutual respect for each other’s beliefs. That is why I am at home knowing that not all our conflicts in Nigeria can be resolved. I am more interested in how we can manage them.

Pray, what do we benefit from fuelling turmoil that can set the country on fire? I was not yet born when Nigeria went to war in 1967, but from all the accounts I have read, it was not a picnic. Military officers who fought during the war have told tragic stories of friends killing friends and course mates decapitating course mates. I am also told that there was hardly any Igbo family that was not affected in the ensuing devastation.

People speak bitterly about the pogroms and what led to the pogroms till this day. Those who witnessed the Civil War, either on the Nigerian or Biafran side, are not very eager for a repeat — but much of the hotblooded Tweeter generation fantasises war as a Netflix series.

In my life, I have witnessed inter-communal crises and street riots, including the End SARS uprising, and I would not participate in promoting anything similar to these till I die.

The consequences of unrests are multifarious.

Where do we start from? Is it the dislocation?

Having to hurriedly move from one part of the country to the other not because you killed somebody but simply because of your tongue or creed? Or is it the uncertainty? I was an adult when the June 12 crisis engulfed Nigeria from 1993 to 1998. Only God knows how many times I left home for office and ran back midway as vehicles started driving against traffic to escape sporadic shootings by the security forces.

Is it the economic devastation? Millions of Nigerians rely on daily income to sustain their lives. Many market women feed their families from daily sales. In the event of violence and instability, their lives will be ruined. How many offices, banks, markets and shops will open when soldiers are patrolling the streets and shooting at random? Promoters of strife need to sit down and count the costs.

Maybe they do not have the mental capacity to understand the consequences. Maybe they cannot be bothered: it is either their way or the highway. Those trying to push the country into war are like a child vowing to give his mother sleepless nights: he too will not sleep. There will be no winners.

I will say this again: we need a peaceful country before we can talk about progress and prosperity. You cannot even be talking about justice without the peace. Comfort for the tree is comfort for the bird. If the tree is inhospitable, the bird will not perch at ease. It is in the interest of the bird for the tree to be cosy and comfortable. I wish those stirring strife can understand this fact of life. If you sow discord and instability, neither you nor your family will know peace too. The desire to propagate hate may look intoxicating now but when the consequences hit, there will be no medals to

be distributed. Therefore, the protagonists and antagonists will do us a world of good by beating a retreat.

I pray day and night for Nigeria to have more peacemakers than rabble rousers.

Peace-building seems to be going out of fashion. We now appear to have entered an era when those who should promote peace, mutual respect and understanding are the ones stoking the fire of hate and strife — all because of the political emotions of the moment. People who should call hate mongers to order and make genuine efforts to help heal our wounds are the very ones pouring fuel on the naked fire. Some are doing it openly and brazenly while others are at the backend engineering things, with their hands barely hidden. The penalties for this mischief, borne out of desperation, will sadly not spare anyone.

Nigeria urgently needs peace builders — old and young, men and women, southerners and northerners — irrespective of “tribe and tongue”. Desperate and unconscionable demagogues and ideologues are on the rampage and are rapidly expanding their fanbase and reach. Go on social media and you will understand what I am saying. We need a new army of peace builders to counter this disturbing affliction. We need Nigerians who are determined to work for the peace and progress of Nigeria without regard to ethnicity, religion and political affiliation. We need them to step up to the plate not just to dilute but also to overwhelm the hatemongering and ethnicity-baiting.

As for me, I made up my mind ages ago to be an agent of peace. I was a guest at the CORA Book Trek session a week ago to read and discuss my debut book, ‘Fellow Nigerians, It’s All Politics’. The book, a collection of essays on the Nigerian project, attributes the

underdevelopment of the country largely to political intrigues that are not targeted “at the greater good of the society”. One question I was asked was why I was always “sitting on the fence”. I’ve been getting this accusation for years apparently because I don’t ignore the different sides to an argument. The truth is that I don’t sit on the fence — just that I don’t say what some people want me to say.

I don’t amplify their prejudices.

As I told the audience, I didn’t jump into journalism. When I chose to be a journalist, I had a purpose in mind: to be a promoter of peace and national development. There is, thus, a method to what I write. I don’t just boot my laptop and start typing like a headless chicken. And I can boldly say that I have never promoted ethnic or religious hate even when I have been a victim myself. It is not that I am such a wonderful patriot, but I recognise that these things are part of life and the best option is to temper your own emotions so that you can see clearly and proffer solutions with a sense of responsibility.

The cheapest thing is to take sides and be hypocritically blinded to your own faults.

Today, I plead with well-meaning Nigerians to raise their voices and drown out the noises of those currently working overnight to pitch Igbos and Yorubas against each other in the name of politics. It is time to break the monopoly of hate mongers. Warning: if you choose to be a peace builder, there is a price to pay: you may be accused of being politically correct or sitting on the fence. Refuse to be blackmailed by the merchants of strife.

Above all, people are free to demand justice if they feel aggrieved. People can support any candidate they like. But nobody has a right to provoke or attack others because of their choices. We must put our primordial emotions in check for the greater good.

And Four Other Things…

INTERIM JOKERS Do we ever learn anything in Nigeria? In 1993, the June 12 presidential election was annulled.

Under pressure, the military left power and appointed an interim national government (ING) to run the country and conduct fresh elections. The military overthrew the ING within 100 days and Nigeria went into prolonged political crisis that crippled the economy and turned the country into a pariah.

Thirty years later, some people are on the streets of Abuja asking for the annulment of the February 25 presidential election and the appointment of an ING again. Freedom of speech is part of democracy, I know that very much — but so also is winning or losing an election. Democracy.

MUTTAWALE’S MUTINY Mr Bello Mutawalle, governor of Zamfara state, has blamed the naira recolouring policy for his loss to Mr Dauda Lawal, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the March 18 poll. No, it was not because he didn’t have naira. He said because he was critical of the policy and joined other governors in suing the federal government, over 300 truckloads of soldiers were moved to Zamfara to rig the election. He said the soldiers informed voters that anyone supporting APC, his party, would not be allowed to vote. While I won’t doubt his story, it is instructive that just three weeks prior, APC won the presidential election in Zamfara while PDP won President Buhari’s home state. Confusing.

FOR FUNSO Hearty congratulations to Mr Funso Aina, MTN Nigeria’s senior manager, external relations, on being named the ‘Innovator of the Year’ in Europe, Middle East and Africa at the SABRE IN2 awards — regarded as the Grammy or Oscars of the PR industry. He is the first African to win in the brands category.

The award, presented at the PRovoke EMEA Summit in Germany, is a fitting crown for his industry and intellect. Funso and I have been friends for decades and we always enjoy a joke or two together, so I teased him: “What did you invent?” Of course, the top-notch MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP), a programme for Nigerian media professionals, is a winner any day. Felicitations.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS In my article, ‘Yoruba vs Igbo: The Battle for Lagos’ (March 26, 2023), I incorrectly stated that Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe had a PhD from the US. In fact, he started the programme but did not complete it. He later received honorary doctorates. Also, I gave the impression that Mr Funso Williams had an Igbo daughter-in-law in 2003, whereas his son was not officially married to Dr Walter Ofonagoro’s daughter until 2005. Finally, Prof Eyo Ita actually lost the premiership of Eastern Region to Zik after an internal war in the NCNC over the 1951 Constitution. Meanwhile, I was wrongly accused of saying NCNC “members” crosscarpeted to the AG, but I only said “allies”. Even that was disputed. History.

have had many instances in which the courts have upturned decisions of the electoral body, including Senator Baba-Ahmed’s victory over Senator Ahmed Makarfi in the 2011 elections.

By the way, he was inaugurated as the senator for Kaduna North before the court decided he was not the rightful winner of the election based on the evidence provided by his opponent.

Making compelling argument before the courts is the proper lead for Baba-Ahmed and his party to follow, not what appears a desperate call for chaos.

Equally concerning is the spirited attempt to pile pressure on or discredit the judiciary.

A lawyer to one of the candidates at the tribunal is running newspaper commentary on a case already before the courts. Another senior lawyer says he no longer has faith in the Supreme Court based on some recent rulings. Some media houses are alleging that the CJN disguised to meet the president-elect in London and are circulating images of the CJN on a wheelchair at an airport as proof of the grievous allegation. Some people are calling on or encouraging the United States of America and other countries to impose visa bans on Nigerian judges.

If a case is in court, commenting on it is sub judice, whether you are a party to it or not. But especially if you are party, or attorney to a party, in the case, the place to argue your case is in the court rooms and not in the media. You can run your commentary or express your opinion after the case is decided. But doing so while the case has been filed amounts to trying to influence the outcome or force the hands of the judges. This is wrong. But even more egregious is trying to discredit the entire judiciary as an institution.

To be sure, the judiciary—including the Supreme Court—is not beyond reproach, and we all won’t always agree with its decisions.

There are always provisions for appeal, but once the court of last instance rules, all parties move on, as part of democratic practice. In 1979, Chief Obafemi Awolowo clearly did not fancy the decision of the Supreme Court on the 12 2/3 matter. In 2000, Vice President Al Gore clearly would have preferred the US Supreme Court to rule otherwise on the recount of the Florida ballots. Neither Awolowo nor Gore tried to discredit the judiciary before or after the rulings. Trying to discredit the judiciary or even democracy itself, as now is becoming fashionable with some, is a slippery slope. It is a danger to all.

MOVING BEYOND SEASON OF FEAR AND LOATHING this kind of expedition is a capital NO-NO. The military has no legal or constitutional role in resolving electoral disputes.

We have had two episodes of military rule, lasting about half of our 62 years as an independent country. We know how that went, especially the five years when General Sani Abacha held sway following an annulled election. Anyone who thinks that the military is an option for resolving their grievance needs a close reading of our history in case they were not born or old enough during the military interregna of 1966 to 1979 and 1983 to 1999. The fact that military rule is no longer a rare exception, especially in our neighbourhood, is an extra reason why such careless talks and moves should be taken more seriously.

Another deeply worrying development is a series of interviews granted by Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party. He said based on Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did not meet the conditions to be declared the winner of the 25th February 2023 election. For context, Section 134 (2) (b) is about whether or not the winner of the presidential election needs to secure 25% of the votes in the Federal Capital Territory.

This is one of the grounds on which the Labour Party is contesting the announced result of the election at the tribunal. So, this is a matter already in court.

But Senator Baba-Ahmed, who claimed in one of the interviews that he is not a careless and reckless speaker, said that swearing in the person that INEC declared the president-elect would amount to swearing in the military and ending democracy in Nigeria. He called on the president not to organise the inauguration event and the Chief Justice of Nigeria not to swear in anyone on May 29th.

These are not only extreme views, as one of

the interviewers pointed out, but also constitute extremely careless and reckless talk. And as a former lawmaker, Senator Baba-Ahmed should know better. Apart from the fact that he is trying to engage in self-help on a matter his own party has taken to the appropriate quarters for resolution, he is offering an open invitation to anarchy. Has he taken time to think about what will happen if President Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t hand over on May 29th?

There is no provision in our laws for a candidate declared as elected not be sworn in until the courts decide otherwise. And we

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾APRIL 2, 2023

62

NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

PERFORMANCE REVIEW… L-R: Chief Operating Officer, 11Plc, Mr. Ramesh Virwani; Managing Director, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji; and the Company Secretary, Mr. Olumayowa Maseko, during a media chat at the company’s terminal in Apapa, Lagos…weekend

DSS Arrests Igbo Leader Who Threatened to Invite IPOB to Lagos Peter Uzoho with agency reports Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the Eze Igbo of Ajao Estate, Lagos, Fredrick Nwajagu, who vowed to invite members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos to secure properties of Igbo people in the state.

The Igbo leader was picked on early yesterday in a joint operation by the DSS and the police.

It was gathered that the team had traced Nwajagu to his palace, but he fled.

He was said to have been tracked to a hotel in Ejigbo where he was apprehended.

Daily Trust had reported how

Nwajagu, in a 49-second video, shared on Twitter on Friday by @DeeOneAyekooto, threatened to invite IPOB members to Lagos, justifying the move in the wake of attacks on some Igbo people in the state.

The Igbo leader said he stood by his words, insisting that his people must have a stand in Lagos.

“IPOB, we will invite them.

They have no job. All of the IPOB will protect all of our shops. And we have to pay them. We have to mobilise for that. We have to do that. We must have our own security so that they will stop attacking us in the midnight, in the morning, in the afternoon.

“When they discover that we have our own security, before they

Low Patronage Greets Abuja-Kaduna Train Service Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS), has been greeted with low patronage by passengers due to skeletal operations in the corridor.

THISDAY checks yesterday showed the train service only run one trip to and fro daily. The train leaves Idu, Abuja train station by 9:40 am to arrive Rigassa, Kaduna by 12pm and return from Kaduna to Abuja by 3pm.

This move have left commercial activities in the corridor crippled as the service has gone from operation of eight trips to one daily.

THISDAY checks also showed that at Kubwa station, there was no passenger in sight, rather, few cars parked by workers and security men, who were unw illing to speak with this reporter.

However, a top NRC official, who spoke with THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, hinted that full service would be restored soon.

The source noted: “Like someone who have been sick for a long time, you don’t expect him to recover and be fit immediately.

We all know what happened that threw the country into a confused state. The kidnapping, but, we are recovering and will be on our feet with full blast operations.

“Like the Minister said, every-

thing have been put in place and the insinuations out there about lack of security installations at our track ways is laughable.

Everything around the stations and track corridors are captured.

Concerted effort were being made to secure the safe release of the abducted passengers being held hostage by the terrorists. This, was being done out of public domain for strategic security reasons, so we have to leave gadgets installations out because it’s purely security matters.

“Nigerians should pray for us to overcome these challenges,” the source pleaded.

Recall, the insurgents had blown up the rail track and bombed the moving train, killing some and abducting more than 60 passengers. The unprecedented attack attracted international and national outrage.

But, on Wednesday, 5th of October, 2022, the seven-man Presidential Committee assembled by the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General L E O Irabor, secured the release and took custody of all the 23 remaining passengers held hostage

by Boko Haram Terrorists following the attack on the Abuja to Kaduna train on the 28th May, 2022.

will come, they will know that we have our own men there. I am not saying a single word to be hidden. I am not hiding my words, let my words go viral. Igbo must get their right and get stand in Lagos State,” he had said in the video.

Replying to the post, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state,

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the command would resist IPOB presence in the state.

“To start with, the ever-ready @LagosPoliceNG will never fold its arms and allow such within the state,” he wrote.

When our correspondent contacted the PPRO to know whether Nwajagu had been

invited by the police in respect of his remarks, he said, “we will give further update at the right time.”

Daily Trust reports that there has been a frosty relationship between Igbo and Yoruba ethnic groups in the state in the buildup to the 2023 general elections.

The situation degenerated after the presidential candidate

of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, defeated his counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state in the presidential poll.

Igbo voters in the state complained of being intimidated during the March 18 governorship election and that many of them were prevented from exercising their franchise.

Prosecute Plotters of Interim Govt for Treason, ACF Tells FG A leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday called on the federal government to arrest and prosecute proponents of interim national government.

He said the agitation, in some quarters, to foist interim government on Nigerians, after Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been declared President-elect, was the height of unpatriotism for the country.

The chairman, Kwara State chapter of ACF, Dr. Mohammed Ghali-Alaaya, who made the call, while addressing journalists at the Annual Weekend Ramadan Lecture of Kwara State Television Authority, which held in Ilorin, on

Saturday, insisted that Nigerians chose their preferred candidate among the array of presidential flag-bearers during the general elections.

He therefore wondered why those canvassing an interim government were yet to come to terms with the reality of that choice.

Ghali-Alaaya explained that it was the resolve of stakeholders in the North, particularly governors from the region, for power to shift to the South, since President Muhammadu Buhari, who is from the North, is rounding off his second term of office.

The ACF chairman, who is an

associate of the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, observed that the call for power shift gathered momentum to allay the fear that the country was on the brink of breaking up, should the Northern region continue to hold on to power.

He maintained that the fact that the President-elect, pulled the majority of his votes from the North, reflected the commitment of the region for power rotation.

Ghali-Alaaya remarked, “The Northern governors, when they spoke, they did so, bearing in mind that, the trouble and expectation of this country is so clear;

that governance must shift from the North to the South.

That is not far-fetched. There have been insinuations that Nigeria will break up and everybody is afraid in the country.

“That decision (power shift) was made purely on a very good platform. They (governors) had a very good intention and everybody fell in love with that decision. We have seen that since 2019, and you can see the preparation of the people, including those in the diaspora.

Every stakeholder in this country wanted the governance to shift from the North to the South, so that, this country will remain.

Criticisms Trail Sylva’s Alleged ‘Improper’ Resignation from Buhari’s Govt Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The groundswell of criticisms trailing the resignation of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration continued yesterday, with a former majority leader of the Bayelsa House of Assembly, Stephen Ereboh, insisting that he (Sylva) did not resign properly..

Ereboh, who spoke when he appeared on ARISE NEWS Channel, THISDAY’s broadcast arm, also called on the former minister to keep to his word not to contest in any governorship election.

“I will not run for governorship of Bayelsa again. I have said it.

That chapter of my life is closed.

If I were to run for governorship

of Bayelsa State, I would have done so in 2019.

“But at that time, I presented David Lyon who won the election but lost at the Supreme Court.

This time again, we will look for a very credible Bayelsan and he will run under the party.

“But since you asked me a categorical question, I will answer you in a categorical manner: That the candidate will not be me,” Sylva had reportedly said during a session with a local radio station in 2022.

But Ereboh stated that Sylva made a U-turn by choosing to run after he made comments to the contrary, stressing that the former minister even breached the law and procedure for resignation.

According to him, a government appointee must first resign

30 days before the primary process commences, including before screening, pointing out that Sylva was already deep into the process before his ‘purported’ resignation.

It was close to three weeks after he left the Buhari’s administration that the federal government finally publicly confirmed the junior minister’s resignation from the government on Friday.

Traditionally, when senior government officials leave government positions, the administration ordinarily announces their exit.

However, it was unclear why the resignation of the minister, who had gone to vie for the governorship seat in Bayelsa State, was treated as top secret before the announcement.

In an apparent last-minute effort

to douse the controversy generated by the refusal of the authorities to make the announcement, a Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmad, disclosed via his Twitter handle, that Sylva had resigned to pursue his gubernatorial ambition.

“Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, has resigned his appointment to contest in the next Bayelsa governorship election,” Ahmad tweeted.

But THISDAY gathered that Sylva handed his resignation letter to Buhari on March 14 and had stopped coming to the office since then. The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Bayelsa is scheduled to take place this April.

SUNDAY APRIL 2, 2023 • T H I S D AY

63

75

TR

Sunday 2 April, 2023

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N400

MISSILE

Agbakoba to Judiciary

87 +

5( $ 6 2

1

\HDUV

“There was a time you could say oh, on the facts and the law, this is the likely outcome; today you cannot because there have been all kinds of silly decisions. The silliest was that concerning the President of the Senate”– Former President of NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, expressing his waning confidence in the Nigerian courts.

4*/$&

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

A Nation in Need of Peacebuilders

C

hief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, prominent Igbo politician and businessman, was in the news last week for his comments on the Yoruba-Igbo face-off in Lagos. Speaking at the first anniversary of Prof Chukwuma Soludo’s governorship of Anambra state, he appeared to be pursuing a reproachment between the two largest ethnic groups in southern Nigeria. But he started with a tough tone, saying: “Never, never again can we allow anybody to take the life of any innocent Igbo person. All of us are going to bite the person.” He then switched to a heartening tone that, in my opinion, was more conciliatory: “I want to tell those in Lagos to realise that there is no war between us and Yorubas.”

What he said next, or didn’t say, is the matter we are still trying to settle. “Yorubas are—,” he said, appearing to pause before continuing: “There are just political rascals and we are going to handle them.” Initially, I thought I heard “they are just political rascals”. But given the flow of his speech, I was circumspect. I shared the video with a friend, an Igbo who lives in Canada. We often try to discuss ethnic matters dispassionately.

He thought he heard Yorubas are rascals.

Although I also felt it sounded so, I took it more like a cheeky comment not meant in a sinister way. My colleagues at TheCable and I went back and forth on it and concluded

Iwuanyanwu Iwuanyanwu said “there are” not “they are”.

Iwuanyanwu later issued a statement denying saying “Yorubas are rascals”, disclosing that one of his children is, in fact, married to a Yoruba. Sadly, the simmering tension between Yorubas and Igbos over the elections, exacerbated by anti-Igbo comments by MC

Oluomo, the glorified motor park tout, only got worsened after the “rascals” news went viral. While some Yorubas felt offended and wanted an apology, many latched on to it for political use. I do not know Iwuanyanwu personally but having watched him from afar for over three decades, I would say I have

never seen him as an ethnic bigot or a rabble rouser. He is a proud Igbo, sure, but he doesn’t come across as a promoter of hate.

However, lost in the “rascals” storm is what Iwuanyanwu said about addressing the issue.

“The elders have directed secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to set up a commission of inquiry to find out things destroyed, and people are going to pay,” he said. I have my reservations with this approach. When there is a conflict with intense emotions as we have witnessed in the last few weeks, I believe the process of mediation and reconciliation needs to be deeper and wider than that.

There is nothing wrong with finding out what happened and seeking compensation for the affected, but a one-sided approach will not solve any problem. We will only be dealing with symptoms and side effects.

As I have written a million times, maybe more, conflict is part of any human society.

Children born of the same parents have conflicts. As Iya Kola, my grandmother, used to tell me when I was a kid, even the tongue and the teeth quarrel — as close as they are. “When your teeth bite your tongue, that means they are fighting,” she would say.

In various societies, there are conflicts along different lines: racial, gender, class, inter-ethnic, intra-ethnic, religious, ideological, and so on and so forth. More so, in a multi-ethnic and Continued on page 61

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

Moving beyond Season of Fear and Loathing

T

he days after the 2023 general election have been defined by a high dose of toxicity. Some of it was expected. Given the way the presidential race was set up, the manner in which combustible identities got inserted—either by design or default—into the contests, and the level of emotions invested in and generated by the electoral outcomes, some of the post-election reactions are normal.

They go with the terrain. But some of the actions and counter-actions are not, and are dangerous. Simply put: they go beyond the pale. And there is a grave risk of escalation, which doesn’t bode well for the democratic project, for the country, and for its citizens.

It is thus time to press pause, and stop the dangerous dance on the precipice.

As critical stakeholders in both the Nigerian and the democratic projects, we need to have a binding consensus on certain things. The first is that every qualified Nigerian voter, irrespective of tribe or faith or status, has a right to her preference. Others do not have to agree with or understand that preference, but they have to respect it. No one’s right is superior to another’s.

So, this is patently wrong: preventing some Nigerians of Igbo extraction and others from voting in Lagos on 18th March and

attacking them for their assumed choices. It is undemocratic and it constitutes a serious infringement on their constitutional rights.

Those responsible for these reprehensible acts should be fished out and prosecuted. Equally deplorable is saying or insinuating that Igbos and others do not have a right to vote in Lagos. Any Nigerian should be free to vote for any candidate of her choice wherever she resides and is registered to vote.

The second thing I think we need to agree on is that as equal citizens, we have an equal right to see things differently. While some Nigerians believe that the results announced

by INEC are a true reflection of how Nigerians voted, some other Nigerians believe the results were tampered it. We all have a right to our views. But none of the sides has a right to shout down or demonise the other. In the public sphere, there is a huge space for persuasion and decorum. Drowning out opposing views and resorting to ad hominem rob the society of reasoned engagement, which is vital to both democracy and development.

For example, I do not subscribe to the strongly canvassed position that the 2023 general election is the worst set of elections in the last 30 years or in our history, and I have said so on this page, including highlighting the dramatic shifts in this electoral cycle and the not-well-acknowledged role that the adoption

of technology has played in reducing the scope for electoral mischief by our politicians. But do I expect everyone to agree with me? No. Others have the same right that I have. All Nigerians should be able to freely express their views without fear of being attacked, ridiculed or cancelled.

The third is that those who are dissatisfied with the results announced by INEC have a right to seek redress and a right to register their displeasure through all the lawful means available to them. Expressing contrary opinions, protesting, and going to court are all guaranteed by the constitution and they all accord with democratic practice. And it is right and commendable that some of the candidates and their supporters have exercised these options. People should not be condemned for exercising their rights.

Lawful dissent should not be demonised.

The last minimum consensus that I want to mention here is that we need to agree that we are better served in a democratic, peaceful and equitable Nigeria. In this wise, there are certain actions by some of the combatants on all sides that go beyond the elasticity allowed by democratic practice and may put both democracy and the country at risk. We should always mind the gap.

And irrespective of whether or not we are committed officially or unofficially to any

side of the political divide, we should be able to agree on where the lines are.

Beyond the emotions and partisanship that we are all entitled to as humans and citizens, there are certain developments of the last few weeks that should get all of us worried. I will highlight a few here.

The first is that a few days ago, some people went to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja to protest the results announced

by INEC. The leader of the protesters said they had come to reject the results and that they knew that Nigeria’s defence would not fail. They knelt down to sing and make their plea. For those who may not know, Defence Headquarters houses the top echelons of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Airforce and the Nigerian Navy. I don’t need to spell out what they were suggesting.

I am still traumatised by the clip that has made the rounds, as I think all reasonable Nigerians should be. I am shocked that the military authorities have not issued a strong statement warning protesters to stay clear of openly or secretly taking their case to the military. I am equally appalled that all the major opposition political parties have not dissociated themselves from the ill-advised and dangerous move. We need to agree that

Printed Limited.

Lagos:35 35Creek CreekRoad, Road,Apapa, Apapa,Lagos.

Lagos.Abuja: Abuja:Plot Plot1,1,Sector SectorCentre CentreB,B,Jabi JabiBusiness BusinessDistrict, District,Solomon SolomonLar LarWay, Way,Jabi JabiNorth NorthEast, East,Abuja Abuja. .

Printedand andPublished PublishedininLagos Lagosby byTHISDAY Leaders &Newspapers Company Limited . Lagos: AllCorrespondence Correspondenceto toPOBox POBox54749, 54749,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,Lagos.

Lagos.EMAIL: EMAIL:editor@thisdaylive.com, editor@thisdaylive.com,info@thisdaylive.com. info@thisdaylive.com.TELEPHONE TELEPHONELagos: Lagos:0802 08022924721-2, 2924721-2,08022924485.

08022924485.Abuja: Abuja:Tel: Tel:08076290487, 08155555292, 08076290488 08155555929 All 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com

61