SUNDAY 24TH APRIL 2022

THISDAY Group Announces New Appointments Konye Nwabogor replaces Ruth Osime as Executive Editor of Style Magazine Funke Babs-Kufeji serves as Deputy Executive Editor Vanessa Obioha The board of directors of THISDAY Group

has announced new appointments for THISDAY STYLE with immediate effect.

Following the approval of

the board, Konye Nwabogor has been appointed as the Executive Editor, while Funke Babs Kufeji will serve

as her deputy.

Konye Nwabogor replaces Continued on page 10

FG to Boost Crude Oil Production in Two Weeks…

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Nwabogor

Babs-Kufeji

Sunday 24 April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9875

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Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi Dies, Buried in Glory Leaders mourn monarch

Our Correspondents

President Muhammadu Buhari and former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan

have mourned the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who died on Friday night at the age of 83, after 52 years on the throne.

The remains of Oba Adeyemi,

who passed on at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, were committed to mother earth last night according to Islamic and traditional rites.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel

Ortom (Benue), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Gboyega Oyetola

(Osun) have also paid glowing tributes to the late monarch.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Continued on page 8

Atiku,Tambuwal, Lamido Reject Saraki, Mohammed as Northern PDP’s Consensus Presidential Candidates Denounce Babangida-backed Ango Abdullahi’s report PDP summons NEC meeting Wednesday Tinubu, Umahi, others hosted by Aisha Buhari at Iftar

Chuks Okocha, Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; former Governor of Jigawa State, Mr. Sule Lamido; and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, have rejected the emergence of a former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed as the consensus presidential candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North.

Atiku, Tambuwal, Lamido, and Hayatu-Deen, who are all PDP presidential aspirants, have also denounced the report of Prof. Ango Abdullahi, which endorsed Saraki and Mohammed as the North’s Continued on page 5

HALE AND HEARTY AT 82…

L-R: Mrs. Ifeoma Nwachukwu; former Minister of External Affairs, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd); the celebrant, Mrs. Grace Ndiomu; and Mrs. Gwen Nwachukwu, at the 82nd birthday reception for Mrs. Ndiomu in Lagos...yesterday

108 Feared Dead as Illegal Refinery Explodes in Imo...

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PRAYER SESSION FOR LATE ALAAFIN… A cross-section of Islamic clerics during the burial of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, in Oyo town ... yesterday

FG to Boost Crude Oil Production in Two Weeks

Says shocks in oil market difficult to manage Attributes high cost of fertiliser to scarcity of potassium

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government will boost crude oil production through the reactivation of oil wells that were shut down due to massive oil theft, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has said.

Speaking with Bloomberg Television in an interview monitored by THISDAY, Ahmed, also attributed the rising prices of fertiliser to the scarcity of potassium, an important ingredient in the manufacturing of the product.

She, however, stressed that the government was doing everything possible to ameliorate the impact.

Ahmed stated that the commencement of operations in the reopened oil assets would help ramp up daily crude production closer to the quota allocated to Nigeria by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the next two weeks.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, Ahmed noted, has also in recent weeks increased the deployment of security personnel in many of the oil assets to protect them, as well as hobbling the activities of oil thieves.

“We are very hopeful that we will be able to reach our OPEC quota of 1.6 million (1.735 million) barrels per day by the next couple of days or one or two weeks,” Ahmed said.

Nigeria has for months been struggling to meet its OPEC quota despite rising oil prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A THISDAY’s analysis recently showed that the country was under-producing to the tune of 400,000 bpd, resulting in the loss of as much as $1.5 billion monthly.

Crude oil sale is the nation’s biggest foreign-exchange earner. The country’s inability to meet its production targets

is an indication that Nigeria, which has also been battling a dollar shortage is losing an opportunity to build its foreign reserves.

“The security authorities have been doing a lot of work and we have seen the production numbers pick up. In the past month, there was a time it was as low as 1.2 million barrels per day.

Some of the wells that had to be shut in because of the criminality have now been

opened,” Ahmed explained.

Ahmed pointed out that Nigeria had failed to take full advantage of the rising international oil prices because it imports all its petrol products with huge subsidies.

“It’s been one shock after another. It’s been very difficult to manage but the current crude oil prices are supposed to be an opportunity for Nigeria but it’s for us now a mixed bag. Even though we are an oil-producing

country, we also import refined petroleum products.

“So as the crude oil prices rise, we are having to pay more for the products that we import and also in-country, we are still supporting petroleum subsidy, so the net effect for us is nil or negative, depending on how the price goes.

“The Ukraine-Russia war is causing another wave of global economic distortion and we are very much affected in the sense that energy prices

are high which comes with increasing transportation costs, which is also reflected in the cost of food,” she noted.

According to the minister, as a fertiliser-producing country, it has been tough getting a key ingredient in the production of the agricultural commodity, which has led to skyrocketing prices.

“And also, for Nigeria as a producer of fertiliser, one of the major inputs for fertiliser production, potash,

is affected. Now it is scarce and that means that the input is very expensive and we are seeing that reflected in the cost of fertiliser.

“As a government, we are looking at how to mitigate this high cost to support the fertilizer-producing companies so that the price of the commodity is not too out of the reach of the common man who is the farming population,” the minister explained.

ATIKU, TAMBUWAL, LAMIDO REJECT SARAKI, MOHAMMED AS NORTHERN PDP’S CONSENSUS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES consensus presidential candidates with the backing of a former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

As the controversy over the northern PDP presidential candidate deepens, the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, last night held Iftar dinner with presidential aspirants across political divide at the Old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

This is coming as the PDP yesterday summoned a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for Wednesday this week.

According to a statement by the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, "all members of the National Executive Committee of our great party are invited to the 96th NEC meeting” scheduled to hold at the NEC Hall PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, at 2p.m.

THISDAY gathered that the NEC meeting, which would take a final decision on the report of the 37-man committee on the zoning of presidential ticket of the party, was shifted from Thursday last week to Wednesday this week.

Meanwhile, the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, last night held Iftar dinner with presidential aspirants across political parties divides at the Old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

The First Lady invited all presidential aspirants of

all political parties, to the Ramadan Iftar, where he also hosted elected officials of the political parties.

Presidential aspirants in attendance were: National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State (APC), and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Other dignitaries include: Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State; Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio; one-time National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Barnabas Gemade; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; and oil and gas mogul, Tein Jack-Rich.

On the issue of the northern PDP presidential candidate, Abdullahi, a former ViceChancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, had in a report said that Babangida had directed him to conduct a consensus exercise for four northern presidential aspirants Saraki, Mohammed, Tambuwal, and Hayatu-Deen.

The report, which shortlisted Saraki and Governor Mohammed as the two northern presidential consensus candidates, urged Tambuwal and the investment banker and

economist, Hayatu-Deen to drop their presidential ambition.

The report signed by Abdullahi said: "For this exercise, it is hereby resolved that Governor Mohammad from the North-east and former Senate President Bukola Saraki from the North-central be presented as the northern consensus candidates for the moment.”

The report also recommended that: "The two would, in turn, be required to make further concessions so that in the end, one of them would be presented as the consensus candidate, out of the four that presented themselves from the North."

Abdullahi noted in the report that the four northern aspirants had visited Babangida and gave him the mandate to lead the process for a consensus and also agreed to abide by the outcome of the decision.

"The former president encouraged the aspirants to have a resolution within themselves and come up with one candidate, which they reported back to him after some days and asked him to go ahead and pick one out of the four, General Babangida on his part opted for inclusion, through wider consultation and assigned me to design criteria and carry out the necessary consultations with elders and leaders across the three geopolitical zones of the North.

"The process was conducted in the following three stages. In

the first phase, the opinions of six distinguished persons each from the three geopolitical zones were sought with regards to each of the four aspirants, Each of the zonal delegates was allocated two votes to choose the first and second choice making a total of 36 votes overall. The outcome of that consultation was as follows: "7 votes for the candidate (A) Aminu Waziri; 10 votes for the candidate (B) Bala Mohammed; 10 votes for the candidate (C) A-B Saraki; and five votes for the candidate (D), M Hayatu-Deen.”

According to the report, one of the elders deferred his votes on grounds of continuing consultations with traditional rulers and other major stakeholders.

The report also stated that two members did not cast their second ballots bringing the total to 32 votes cast out of 36.

In its recommendation, which was approved by Babangida, the report endorsed Saraki and the Bauchi State governor.

The report also thanked all the aspirants and "former President Ibrahim Babangida for entrusting them with the conduct of this exercise and in the hope that all parties involved would continue with mutual consultations aimed at the overall success of the party.

"For this exercise, it is hereby resolved that Governor Bala Mohammad from the North-east and former Senate President

Bukola Saraki from the Northcentral be presented as the northern consensus candidates for the moment.

"The successful aspirants are hereby urged to work together to make allowance for further consultations to foster understanding among themselves, and the PDP community to ensure a rancourfree primary election in which all eligible candidates would be free to exercise their rights.

"We sincerely commend the sportsmanship and statesmanship exhibited throughout the exercise by all those involved and urge continuous cooperation and teamwork to ensure victory for the party,” the report explained.

But in a swift response, the Technical Committee for the Actualisation of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency in 2023, has dissociated the former vice president from the consensus arrangement.

Atiku’s Technical Committee, in its statement, noted that: "The report clearly stated that the aspirants who presented themselves for the exercise are: Governor Tambuwal, Governor Mohammed, Saraki, and Hayatu-Deen.”

The statement insisted that Atiku was never a part of the purported consensus arrangement and did not subject himself to this process.

Continued on page 6

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NEWS

RESOURCE PERSONS… L-R: Executive Member, Timeless Woman, Ms. Ihuoma Okoroafor; former Regional Director for Gender Equality, United Nations, Dr. Izeduwa Derex-Briggs; Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo; Leader, Timeless Woman, Mrs. Folasade Rowland; Founder, Women in Leadership Advancement Network, Ms. Abosede George-Ogan; and CEO, Trade Master Limited, Mrs. Nkem Sofela, at the Timeless Woman Rebirth Conference in Lagos…recently

108 Feared Dead as Illegal Refinery Explodes in Imo Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt No fewer than 108 people were killed on Friday night, while several vehicles were burnt after an illegal refinery exploded at Abaezi forest in the Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

THISDAY gathered that the fire incident was caused by illegal refining activities at a border community between Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State and Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

The Imo State Government has described the explosion as an act of economic sabotage.

Governor Hope Uzodimma said this while fielding questions from journalists at an event in the state, however, commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the explosion.

The governor who said the incident was unfortunate, advised indigenes of the state to stay away from illegal oil bunkering.

Also commenting on the ugly development, the state Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Goodluck Opiah, who represented Governor Uzidinma of Imo State during his visit to the scene, said the fire consumed the lives of so many youths.

He said: “At the moment, I can’t confirm the number of the deceased because many family members have removed the corpses of so many others.”

Opiah said Okenze Onyewoke, the owner of the illegal refinery, had been declared wanted by the state government.

He said: “Apart from this calamity, the act has destroyed the aquatic life of the community.

Our people before now are predominantly farmers and fishermen.

The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has

also expressed worries over the fire incident.

In a statement issued yesterday, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Olufemi Ayodele, confirmed that over 100 persons died in the incident.

Ayodele stated: "The state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Rivers State Command, Abu Tambuwal, said the command condemns all acts of sabotaging the economy of the nation, environmental degradation, fire outbreak through oil bunkering activities.

"He affirmed that the command under his watch will not leave any stone unturned in the fight against illegal dealings in petroleum products, oil theft and illegal bunkering activities.

"While commiserating with the families and loved ones of the bereaved, Tambuwal commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police and the NSCDC who carried out emergency response, crowd control and adequate security in the environment to prevent nefarious activities by hoodlums."

When the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) visited the site, unidentified burnt bodies littered the area even as family members were seen evacuating the remains of their loved ones.

A community leader and President-General of the Supreme Council of Oil and Gas Producing Areas in Imo, Chief Collins Ajie, described the incident as

‘unfortunate’.

“It is unfortunate. A tragedy no one dreamt of where about 108 people got burnt beyond recognition due to illegal oil bunkering.

“The state and federal governments should step up efforts to stop this illegal bunkering because it has claimed many lives from Ohaji/Egbema and other Niger Delta areas.

“It’s shocking to see these bodies lying down here. Most of them are breadwinners of their families. Most of them are young promising people, undergraduates and graduates,” he said.

The community leader noted that the Imo State Government had some time ago made efforts to stop this illegal business, but

it yielded no fruit.

According to him, some arrests were made, and some trucks and some boats were impounded and burnt, yet it had not been able put the situation under control perhaps as a result of the involvement of prominent individuals in the illegal trade.

He advised the state and federal governments to step up efforts at ending the illegal business.

“On our way coming, you could count about 34 checking points awaiting the illegal bunkers and traders. So, if we have that figure and this illegal bunkering continued daily, then they have questions to answer,” he said.

Efforts to get official confirmation of the incident from

the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Mike Abattam, proved abortive as he didn’t respond to calls put across to him Earlier, an alert statement by a civil society group, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), revealed that the explosion also burnt several vehicles that were waiting to buy the illegal product.

The Executive Director of YEAC, Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, revealed that "Photographs and short videos sent to Advocacy Centre showed several dead bodies, most of them burnt beyond recognition on the ground with those of others who may have been attempting to run from the fire and explosion hanging on some trees branches."

ATIKU, TAMBUWAL, LAMIDO REJECT SARAKI, MOHAMMED AS NORTHERN PDP’S CONSENSUS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES "Therefore, he is not bound by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report. Waziri Atiku Abubakar as a nationalist strongly believes that Nigeria has never been so divided as it is today, and any regional, zonal, ethnoreligious gang-up or consensus-driven in this manner will further deepen and widen the wounds that urgently require to be healed,” the statement added.

Also reacting in a statement issued yesterday, the Director of Organisation and Mobilisation for Tambuwal Campaign Organisation, Nicholas Msheliza has also stated that the Sokoto State governor was not part of the consensus arrangement.

The statement said: "The attention of Tambuwal Campaign Organisation (TCO) has been drawn to a news item that former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State have emerged as consensus candidates from amongst the four of us announced at a meeting in Minna, Niger State.

“This is, to be candid and forthright, not correct.

The correct situation is that the team met on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja and had a review meeting; and unanimously agreed that the consensus arrangement was not working.

"The team further agreed that Senator Saraki should come up with a draft statement on how to communicate this decision to the Nigerian public. This was the last time that members of the team sat and mutually agreed on anything. The proposed meeting to review and vet the statement scheduled for 10 pm on the same day was aborted unilaterally by Senator Saraki via a WhatsApp message.

"However, on Thursday, April 21, 2022, the same Senator Saraki circulated yet another WhatsApp message suggesting that members of the team should head to Minna for a meeting on Friday.

Governor Tambuwal reached other members of the team and

informed them that he stands by the decision of the team that the initiative is not working.

This is the reason Governor Tambuwal was absent at the Friday meeting in Minna. As a result, therefore, the outcome of the Minna meeting has no consequence or any implication on the aspiration of Governor Tambuwal, who had earlier informed his colleagues of maintaining their agreed position that the initiative has collapsed.

"Members of the public should be reminded that what was canvassed for was a consensus candidate and not consensus candidates,” the statement explained.

The statement added that Tambuwal had submitted his Presidential nomination forms, adding that the quest for a consensus candidate out of the four had collapsed.

According to the statement, the Sokoto State governor will go ahead and face screening and indeed contest the PDP presidential primary.

Also denouncing the controversial consensus report, former Jigawa State Governor, Lamido called on all members of the party in the northern states to ignore it.

Lamido, in a statement issued yesterday, argued that the report does not represent the opinions of members of the party in the 19 northern states.

"The attention of key stakeholders of the PDP in the northern states is drawn to reports in the media that some northern elders have shortlisted two of our prominent and deserving aspirants as consensus PDP presidential candidates.

"Having widely consulted party leaders across the 19 northern states and FCT, it is hereby stated to our teeming party members and the general public that what Is reported in the media is only the personal opinion of those who issued the statement and not the position of the PDP members in the North!

"Discussions are ongoing

with all the aspirants in our party to have a national consensus if possible or at least working towards having smooth acrimony-free National Convention. The position of the northern elders is not only injurious to the North but equally injurious to the northern aspirants,” Lamido explained.

In his reaction, HayatuDeen, in a statement by his campaign office, also stated that the process of arriving at a consensus candidate had collapsed.

“The candidates involved could not reach a compromise amongst themselves, resulting in the decision of our principal, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal to discontinue the process," the statement added.

It described the committee constituted by Abdullahi as completely faceless and the evaluation criteria subjective.

“It seems to us that this entire charade was designed to achieve a preconceived outcome," the statement said.

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Clearing Agents to Shut down Ports Tomorrow over 15% Levy on Imported Vehicles Eromosele Abiodun Clearing agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have resolved to embark on a warning strike from Monday, April 25.

The Chairman of ANLCA Taskforce, Mr. Rilwan Amuni, announced the strike action in a circular issued at the weekend in Lagos.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had recently introduced a 15-per cent National Automobile Commission (NAC) levy on used imported vehicles, but this did not go down well with clearing agents in the country’s maritime sector.

The National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Timi Bomodi, said the move was in line with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Common external tariff, 2017-2021.

Bomodi said in a statement that the service migrated from the old version of the ECOWAS CAT to the new version, adding that this was in line with the World Customs Organisation’s five-year review of its nomenclature.

“On Friday, April 1, 2022, the Nigeria Customs Service migrated from the old version of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (2017- 2021) to the new version (2022- 2026). This is in line with WCO’s five years’ review of the nomenclature. The contracting parties are expected to adopt the review based on regional considerations and national economic policy.

“The nation has adopted all tariff lines with few adjustments

in the extant CET. As allowed for in Annex II of the 2022-2026 CET edition, and in line with the Finance Act and the National Automotive Policy, NCS has retained a duty rate of 20 per cent for used vehicles as was transmitted by ECOWAS with a NAC levy of 15 per cent.

New vehicles will also pay a duty of 20 per cent with a NAC levy of 20 per cent as directed in

the Federal Ministry of Finance letter ref. no. HMF BNP/NCS/ CET/4/2022 of 7th April 2022” The Chairman of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited chapter, Abayomi Duyile, while reacting to the hike, said the move could have an adverse effect on the sector.

He said, “As I speak to you now, the NCS has reintroduced the NAC levy, which is a 15-per cent payment on used imported vehicles. That is a major issue; it means an additional 15 per cent on the duty we are paying currently.”

Duyile said he was surprised the service was coming up with the levy in the second quarter of this year.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, PTML Chapter, Mr. George Okafor, said: “This is wrong because there is no way Customs can calculate NAC levy on used vehicles. It should be for new vehicles. The levy is for new vehicles, and not old or used vehicles. We will have to meet

with the Customs command to determine the next line of action.”

But ANLCA argued that the NAC levy is mostly meant for new vehicles, questioning the rationale behind the introduction of the duty on used vehicles.

The ANLCA circular said the warning strike was a fall-out of consultations among critical stakeholders.

TRADITIONAL RECOGNITION… Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi (left); and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi when the Speaker received a chieftaincy title of Ezesinachi 1 of Ohom Orba from the governor's traditional ruler and Uchenna 1 of Ohom Orba Ancient Kingdom, Igwe Everestus Onah, during his first Ofala festival in Udenu Local Government Area of the state… yesterday

ALAAFIN LAMIDI ADEYEMI DIES, BURIED IN GLORY Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II; the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has also mourned the death of the Oyo monarch.

President Buhari in a statement issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, stressed that the Alaafin of Oyo’s 52 years of rule was remarkable in many ways, most significant was the emphasis he placed on human development, thereby encouraging learning as a culture and formal education as a necessity while promoting values of peace and stability.

As a highly revered traditional ruler, President Buhari noted the late monarch’s numerous involvements in national meetings and conferences to shape the future of the country, and the living words of wisdom he shared at every opportunity on unity and people-focused governance.

In his letter of condolence sent to Makinde, Obasanjo said Oba Adeyemi died “at a crucial stage in our nation’s history when his wise counsel and rich experience are greatly needed.”

A copy of the letter was made available to journalists yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, by Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Kehinde Akinyemi.

The former president described the monarch as a symbol of a nation’s epic struggle for selfdiscovery and self-actualisation. He said the late Alaafin was a patriotic and highly respected traditional ruler who had immeasurable love for his people and great faith in a united Nigeria.

Obasanjo said: “He stood out as a voice of forthrightness in national affairs and he was as well a fervent promoter of mutual tolerance and understanding, not only among the diverse people who live in his domain but also across the country.”

Obasanjo prayed that God would grant the family, the people of Oyo land, and the entire Oyo State the grace to bear the heavy loss of the monarch’s death.

On his part, Jonathan has also commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State over the death of the Alaafin of Oyo, describing the late traditional ruler as a great leader who recorded considerable achievements during his long and glorious reign.

In a condolence letter to Makinde, Jonathan noted that the late Alaafin was a skilled custodian of the tradition and culture of his people who had an eventful and epoch-making reign.

“Oba Adeyemi’s voyage on earth was full of notable achievements and epoch-making reign as a highly revered royal father. He was a great leader, bridge builder, and a skilled custodian of the tradition and culture of his people,” the former president said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze. Atiku has also reacted to the news of the passing of the Alaafin of Oyo, describing it as a great loss for Nigeria and African culture at large.

APC’s presidential aspirant and National Leader of the party, Tinubu, has also expressed sadness over the death of the late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi, describing the demise of the revered monarch as

the fall of a big Iroko tree.

Tinubu in a personally signed statement, said the Alaafin brought prosperity and development to the ancient Oyo Kingdom having ascended the throne of his forebears at a young age.

“After ascending to the royal throne at the age of 31, Alaafin became one of the most influential, greatly respected traditional rulers in Yorubaland, Nigeria and indeed Africa and beyond.”

Ekiti State Governor, Fayemi, has also extolled the virtues of the late Alaafin of Oyo Fayemi, on his part, said the departure of the revered monarch has created a big vacuum in the traditional institution in Oyo State in particular and Yoruba land in general.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, said the late Oba Adeyemi was a bridge builder, a patriot, and a courageous leader, who contributed to the unity of Nigeria in his lifetime.

He noted that the late Oba Adeyemi was an authority in history and blessed with a sharp memory that added value and class to his royal duties and day-today interaction with people from different walks of life.

Osun State governor, Oyetola, also described the passing of the Alaafin of Oyo, as shocking, saying it signified the end of an era.

Oyetola also commiserated with his Oyo State counterpart, Makinde, and the entire Yoruba race over the demise of the late monarch.

He described Alaafin’s transition as a personal loss because, according to him, the late monarch was “a good friend of Osun who was always ready to identify with

our government and celebrate our humble accomplishments and achievements.”

In his message, Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State described the death of the Alaafin of Oyo as the fall of a great Iroko.

Akeredolu who is the Chairman of the South-west Governors’ Forum, said the Oba’s death was a rude shock.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Richard Olatunde in Akure.

Akeredolu described the transition of the Oba to the world beyond as a big blow to the Oyo Kingdom, Yoruba race, and the country at large.

“We have lost a quintessential traditional ruler and custodian of the Yoruba culture. His contributions to the development and advancement of the country and Yoruba Land, in particular, are unquantifiable,” he said.

Governor of Benue State, Ortom also yesterday commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State over the transition to the great beyond of the Alaafin of Oyo. In a condolence message to his Oyo State counterpart, Makinde, issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, the governor described the late Oyo monarch as a courageous king who did everything possible to preserve the culture and tradition of his people.

Similarly, the Governor of Edo State, Obaseki, also described the late monarch as, “a great ruler, who displayed kindness and compassion to his people, espousing the virtues of hard work, diligence, and love for humanity.”

In a statement yesterday, Obaseki said: “Brave and cheerful,

Oba Adeyemi embodied the ideals of the Yoruba nation, promoting the rich culture and heritage of the Yorubas and providing wise counsel to those who sought guidance from the throne.”

Delta State Governor, Okowa, commiserated with Makinde, the Government, and the people of Oyo State over the passing of the Alaafin of Oyo. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor noted that the late octogenarian monarch was an influential leader who was committed to the development of his kingdom and beyond.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gbajabiamila has described the passing away of the Alaafin of Oyo, as a sad development that touched him personally.

On his part, Governor Abiodun of Ogun State mourned the late Alaafin In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, the governor described the monarch's death as tragic and occurred when least expected.

"I commiserate with the Oyomesi, the wives and children of the late monarch, and the entire Adeyemi family over this irreplaceable loss. I pray for their comfort and peace at the trying times.

"It is unfortunate that Kabiyesi had to take his leave of us, at this period, when we need his wisdom the most, as we approach the 2023 general election, a critical period in our political landmarks," Somorin quoted the governor as saying.

Gbajabiamila said the death of the paramount Yoruba ruler came to him as a rude shock, describing the late Alaafin, who

had been like a father to him, as a very intelligent father with a sound grasp of traditional, social, political, and international history.

Gbajabiamila, who was recently appointed the Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land by the late Alaafin, said the death of the traditional ruler has created a void too difficult to fill.

In his reaction, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, described the death of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, as the end of a remarkable and glorious era.

Balogun made the assertions in a statement he signed yesterday in Ibadan, following the announcement of the death of the great Oba. The Olubadan, who expressed shock at the news of the death of the Oyo traditional ruler, described the late traditional ruler as “a royal father per excellence, who projected Yoruba culture and civilisation with awe and dignity”.

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Mai-Martaba Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari has also described the demise of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III as a colossal loss to traditional institutions in the country.

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari noted that the 52 years reign of Oba Adeyemi III witnessed a tremendous display of royalty, excellence, peace, and harmony among inhabitants of the ancient town of Oyo and Oyo State in general.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arowona, the monarch stated, "Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi's death marks the end of another era, the world will surely miss the exit of a bridge-builder".

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APRIL 24, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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FARE THEE WELL MOTHER… L-R: Children of the deceased, Mrs. Edowu Bolanle; Mrs. Remi Fanibe; Associate Editor, THISDAY, Mr. Deji Elumoye; at the church service for the burial of their mother, Monisola Elumoye KINGSLEY ADEBOYE in Ife, Osun State…yesterday

APC May Commence Sale of Nomination Forms Tuesday Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Strong indications emerged yesterday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) might commence the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms for various elective positions ahead of the 2023 elections on Tuesday.

The ruling party ought to have commenced the sale of forms yesterday as scheduled but had to postpone the exercise due to what it described as some logistics and administrative challenges.

A party source who preferred to remain anonymous informed THISDAY last night that the party had decided to sell nomination forms to aspirants for the state Houses of Assembly at the state level.

This, the source added, would enable the party to meet up with time and for administrative convenience.

The source said: "The sale of expression of interest and nomination forms will now start nationwide on Tuesday. The National Working Committee (NWC) is conscious of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) June 3 deadline given to all political parties, hence, it was resolved that forms for state

Houses of Assembly be sold at the state level."

"The national secretariat will dispatch the state House of Assembly forms to the states over the weekend to enable them to start on Tuesday."

It was further gathered that the sale of forms for other positions of House

of Representatives, Senate, governorship and Presidency will take place in Abuja.

However, the source noted that these categories of forms to be sold in Abuja would be at a designated place due to the ongoing renovation of the national secretariat of the party.

The source added:

"For those aspiring for other positions for the House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential, their forms will be sold by the National Secretariat at a designated place to be announced by Monday. The ongoing renovation at the Muhammadu Buhari House

necessitated the change in venue of sale."

The source further revealed that but for the delay in the delivery of the forms by the printers, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was committed to concluding all arrangements for the conduct of primaries

as scheduled by INEC. Another party source also confirmed that the party would begin the sale of the forms on Tuesday.

"We are good to go by Tuesday.

Detailed information about the exercise will soon be made known to the press," the source added.

Controversy as Rivers APC again Endorses Cole as Governorship Candidate Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Ahead of the 2023 general election, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has picked Lagosbased businessman, Mr. Tonye Cole, as its governorship candidate in Rivers State.

Ten governorship aspirants from the riverine extraction, including Tonye Princewill and Dr. Dakuku Peterside had signed a pact to support whoever emerges amongst them.

But THISDAY gathered that one of the leaders of the party in the state and Minister of Transportation,

Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, had last week asked all 10 aspirants to halt consultation, saying the party would choose a consensus candidate.

Cole in 2019 had also received the nod of Amaechi, to fly the party’s flag.

But the move was aborted by a court, which stopped the State APC from fielding any candidate for the elections due to multiple litigations that resulted from parallel primaries held by Amaechi’s camp and Magnus Abe factions.

Confirming the party’s choice in a statement issued yesterday, a chieftain of the party and one of the

aspirants, Tonye Princewill, said Cole was not picked by Amaechi but by the leaders of the party.

The statement read, “The decision has just been made for Tonye Cole to fly the flag. It was not made by the minister.

“It was made by the leaders of the party. The 10 aspirants plus two new names that had also indicated interest were asked to excuse themselves, while all of the leaders minus the minister then sat and deliberated. We were just called back along with the minister to be given their decision.”

In a swift reaction, the

Magnus Abe faction of APC in the state described the endorsement of Cole as the party’s flagbearer as “selfishness in the highest order by the Minister of Transportation.”

APC chieftain loyal to Abe, Mr. Golden Chioma, said: “Cole does not have our approval. We cannot be with him; the man is not a party man. He is a business associate of the Minister of Transportation.”

“This entails that selfishness has been taken to the highest order that a man who has no business of playing politics, who has no iota of idea of playing politics is shoved

down the throat of his supporters.”

Chioma said Amaechi is backing Cole because of their business dealings, noting that there are “more credible and experienced candidates in the minister’s faction; he did not endorse them.”

Cole is not an active politician but a rich businessman with an impressive resume.

He is perceived to be Amaechi’s strong business partner and is believed to have the financial capacity to wrest political power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.

of excellence and strong credence in fashion journalism and entertainment reporting.

She has a degree in English from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Edo State, and has attended several courses in journalism and media, both in Nigeria and the UK. Speaking on her appointment, she said, "I joined THISDAY Style in 2010, and fast forward 12 years later, it has shaped my outlook, and I have grown

in ways I could only have imagined. I am proud to say I have been part of a team that has successfully carved its place as the number one-weekly magazine in the country, and even more proud that I have now been chosen to spearhead its affairs. " Her Deputy, Funke Babs Kufeji, is a graduate of English Language from the prestigious University of Lagos.

She joined the THISDAY

Style team in 2007, and her 15-year journey in the organisation has seen her take up roles as a correspondent, Assistant Editor, and Editor.

In 2020, she was appointed the Print Editor of THISDAY Style, a position that has prepared her for her current role.

She has interests in Makeup artistry and holds an IMA Make-Up Certificate from the London School of Beauty and Make-up to that effect.

THISDAY GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS Ruth Osime, the longstanding editor of THISDAY Style, whose 19-year tenure created a standard for Style reporting in Nigeria.

A pioneer of many firsts, Ms. Osime mentored a new generation of fashion and lifestyle writers who today are leaders in different fields of the industry.

"As l pass on this baton to my successor, l advise her to take a leaf from my book by never letting any setback weigh her

down. Rather than see it as a challenge, she should see it as a springboard to creating something better," Osime said.

Nwabogor's appointment marks a generational shift and a strategic one.

She started at THISDAY Style as a Lifestyle Correspondent in 2010.

In 2013, she became an Assistant Editor of the magazine, which she held for seven years.

In 2020, she was

appointed Editor and Digital Lead of thisdaystyle. ng. In this role, she built a strong following for the online and social media platforms of THISDAY Style, driving increased engagement and drawing new audiences in Nigeria and abroad.

She has also been a part of the team at Arise Fashion Week, coordinating communications and coproducing the main event.

In her various roles, Konye has built a track record

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TRIBUTE

The Life and Times of Oba Adeyemi The death of the longest-serving Oyo monarch, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has created a vacuum in leadership on the home front, in the Oyo Empire and the nation at large, writes Yinka Olatunbosun

W

hen the news of the GHDWK RI $ODDÀQ RI Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III at 83 years broke out in the early hours of yesterday, many RI KLV DOOLHV ZHUH LQ GHQLDO DW ÀUVW $ IHZ hours after the news of his death was deEXQNHG DV D UXPRXU WKH 3DODFH RI $ODDÀQ RI 2\R WKURXJK WKH $ODDÀQ·V 0HGLD DQG 3XEOLFLW\ 'LUHFWRU 0U %RGH 'XURMDL\H FRQÀUPHG WKH GHDWK RI WKH ORQJHVW UHLJQLQJ Yoruba monarch having reigned as king IRU \HDUV 2ED $GH\HPL ,,, EUHDWKHG KLV ODVW DW $IH %DEDOROD 8QLYHUVLW\ 7HDFKing Hospital Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and had been buried yesterday according to Islamic rites after consultations with the ERG\ RI NLQJPDNHUV 8SRQ WKH GHPLVH RI WKH $ODDÀQ WKH %DVRUXQ RI 2\R ZKR LV WKH KHDG RI the kingmakers in the town, known as Oyomesi, Chief Yusuf Akinade Ayoola, is expected to take over the traditional rulership of the town, till a substantive $ODDÀQ ZRXOG EH DSSRLQWHG Early Life and Pedigree The late monarch was born on October 15, 1938, into the Alowolodu Royal House, and as a member of the House of 2UDQPL\DQ WR 5DML $GHQLUDQ $GH\HPL +LV IDWKHU EHFDPH $ODDÀQ LQ DQG ZDV GHSRVHG DQG H[LOHG LQ \HDUV after, for reportedly sympathising with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens 1&1& $GH\HPL ,,,·V JUHDW JUDQGIDWKHU ZDV Oba Atiba Atobatele, who founded New Oyo while his great-great-grandfather ZDV $ODDÀQ $ELRGXQ D GLUHFW GHVFHQGDQW Late Oba Adeyemi of Oranmiyan, the founder of the Oyo (PSLUH His paternal grandfather, according to KLVWRULDQV ZDV $ODDÀQ $GH\HPL , $ORwolodu, who ruled during the infamous .LULML :DU DQG ZDV WKH ODVW LQGHSHQGHQW UXOHU RI WKH 2\R (PSLUH EHIRUH %ULWLVK FRORQLDOLVP %HIRUH DVFHQGLQJ WKH WKURQH RI KLV IRUHIDWKHUV $ODDÀQ ZDV ZRUNLQJ DV DQ insurance clerk and also loved boxing but had to retire before his coronation RQ 1RYHPEHU DV WKH VXFFHVVRU WR $ODDÀQ *EDGHJHVLQ /DGLJEROX ,, LQ ³ MXVW DW WKH HQG RI WKH 1LJHULDQ &LYLO :DU ³ GXULQJ WKH JRYHUQRUVKLS RI &RORQHO 5REHUW $GH\LQND $GHED\R Ascension to the Throne Expectedly, his coronation was preceded by a series of contention for the coveted VHDW RI WKH 2\R PRQDUFK\ ,Q VWHS ZLWK WKH Monarch and his wives FXVWRP RI VHOHFWLQJ WKH QHZ $ODDÀQ DIWHU WKH GHDWK RI $ODDÀQ %HOOR *EDGHJHVLQ the Yoruba ancient shrine that Oba WKH 2\RPHVL FRQWDFWHG 2UDQOROD %DED Adeyemi III made a covenant with ,ZR RI $ORZRORGX WR EHFRPH WKH $ODDÀQ the illustrious Yoruba ancestors that He then called for a meeting within the he would defend, protect and add $ORZRORGX UR\DO IDPLO\ +H LQIRUPHG glamour to the Yoruba norms and be them of his meeting with Oyomesi and DQ HPERGLPHQW RI <RUXED FXOWXUH WKDW KH VXJJHVWHG KLV VRQ 6DQGD ¶/DGHSR All the members of the family agreed to Monarchy and Privileges WKLV H[FHSW %DED 6DODPL 'XGX 'XGX Ten years after his coronation, VXJJHVWHG WKH GHFHDVHG LQ 2ED $GH\HPL ,,, ZDV DSReportedly, the contention for the throne SRLQWHG DV WKH FKDQFHOORU RI 8WKPDQ RI WKH $ODDÀQ EHFDPH VR LQWHQVH WKDW VRPH GDQ )RGLR 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ 6RNRWR D of the princes from the larger royal families SRVLWLRQ KH KHOG WLOO 7ZR \HDUV LQ 2\R EHFDPH FRQWHQGHUV $PRQJ WKHVH ODWHU 3UHVLGHQW ,EUDKLP %DEDQJLGD ZHUH $UHPR 6DQQL *EDGHJHVLQ 3ULQFH DSSRLQWHG KLP $PLU XO +DMM LQ UHF2ODQLWH $MDJED 3ULQFH $IRQMD ,ODND WKH ognition of his commitment to the ODWH $GH\HPL DQG 3ULQFH ¶/DGHSR FRQVROLGDWLRQ RI ,VODP LQ 1LJHULD After all the intrigues, Oba Adeyemi III 7UDGLWLRQDOO\ $ODDÀQ ZDV WKH HPHUJHG DV WKH $ODDÀQ RI 2\R DQG ZDV permanent Chairman of the CounFURZQHG RQ -DQXDU\ cil of Obas and Chiefs in Oyo until 5HFRJQLVHG DV RQH RI $IULFD·V PRVW 0D\ ZKHQ IRUPHU *RYHUQRU SRZHUIXO DQG PRVW LQÁXHQWLDO NLQJV Adebayo Alao-Akala (now late) anOba Adeyemi III was inducted into deep nounced that the state government cultural ethos including the Ifa and the had passed a law that introduced 6DQJR P\VWHULHV +H ZDV GHHPHG DV WKH URWDWLRQ RI WKH 2΀FH RI &KDLUPDQ direct representative of these deities EHWZHHQ WKH $ODDÀQ DQG WZR RWKHU on earth and empowered by the rich kings in the state – the Olubadan knowledge of the oral tradition such as of Ibadanland and the Soun of FKDQWV SURYHUEV DQG PRUH ,W ZDV GXULQJ 2JERPRVR WKH YDULRXV SXULÀFDWLRQ DQG FOHDQVLQJ It was said that the measure, inprocesses at the hallowed grounds of

troduced by the state assembly with the 3HRSOH V 'HPRFUDWLF 3DUW\ 3'3 PDMRULW\ was in response to the Oba's support for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) GXULQJ WKH $SULO HOHFWLRQV 7KH $&1 EHDW WKH 3'3 GHFLVLYHO\ LQ WKDW HOHFWLRQ Contrary to the tumultuous history of WKH 2\R .LQJGRP WKH $ODDÀQ WKURXJKRXW KLV UHLJQ QHYHU KDG D PDMRU WKUHDW WR WKH 2\R HPSLUH +H FRQWLQXHG WR ZRUN VWULFWO\ in accordance with the oath he took in the SUHVHQFH RI WKH 2\RPHVL IRU KLV SHRSOH Death and the King’s Housewives Oba Adeyemi is known for his colourIXO OLIHVW\OH ZLWK ZRPHQ $W RFFDVLRQV they turned up in style with the monarch ZHDULQJ PDWFKLQJ RXWÀWV $ODDÀQ KDG RQFH WROG MRXUQDOLVWV WKDW KH QHYHU SURSRVHG WR any of his wives but earned their love and loyalty after sponsoring their university HGXFDWLRQ $ODDÀQ ZDV PDUULHG WR $\DED $ELEDW $GH\HPL KLV VHQLRU ZLIH ,W ZDV EHOLHYHG WKDW KH KDG PDUULHG WZR RI KLV ZLYHV $OKDMD Olori Abibat Adeyemi (Iya Dodo) and $OKDMD 2ORUL 5DKPDW $GHGD\R $GH\HPL (Iya Ilekoto) before his ascension to the WKURQH RI KLV IRUHEHDUV 0RVW UHSRUWV KHOG that he was married to 13 wives in total,

ZLWK WZHOYH MXQLRU ZLYHV ZKR RIWHQ DWWHQGHG SXEOLF HYHQWV ZLWK KLP +LV MXQLRU ZLYHV DUH $\DED 5DKPDW $GHGD\R $GH\HPL $\DED 0XMLGDW $Geyemi, Ayaba Rukayat Adeyemi, Ayaba )RODVKDGH $GH\HPL $\DED %DGLUDW $MRNH $GH\HPL $\DED 0HPXQDW 2PRZXQPL Adeyemi, Ayaba Omobolanle Adeyemi, $\DED 0RML $GH\HPL $\DED $QXROXZDSR $GH\HPL DQG $\DED 'DPLOROD $GH\HPL The late monarch displayed yet again his ORYH IRU ¶DOO FUHDWXUHV EULJKW DQG EHDXWLIXO· when at 82 he took a new wife, Chioma $GH\HPL +LV PDUULDJH WR \RXQJ ZRPHQ had always been hot gossip for the tabloids DQG EORJ VLWHV ,W ZDV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKLV QHZ EULGH·V HQWU\ LQWR WKH SDODFH FDXVHG VRPH anger in the palace perhaps because of the manner in which they were confronted ZLWK WKH GLVFRYHU\ .LQJ :DVLX $\LQGH 0DUVKDOO ZDV entertaining at the palace when he paid KRPDJH WR 2ORUL &KLRPD $GH\HPL 0DQ\ ZRQGHUHG ZKR WKDW ZDV ,Q WLPH WKH\ IRXQG RXW WKDW &KLRPD ZDV WKH .LQJ·V QHZ ORYH LQWHUHVW 5HSRUWHGO\ VKH EHFDPH WKH ÀUVW HDVWHUQ TXHHQ LQ WKH SDODFH ,Q WKH SUHYLRXV \HDU $ODDÀQ KDG PDUULHG a 23-year old woman- Damilola and the ZLYHV ZHUH MXVW DGMXVWLQJ WR WKH QHZELH ZKHQ $ODDÀQ GLG LW DJDLQ EULQJLQJ LQ &KLRPD 7KH XQLRQ GLGQ·W ODVW ORQJ DV VKH was sent packing from the palace over WKH DOOHJDWLRQV RI DGXOWHU\ 4XLWH QDWXUDOO\ 2ED $GH\HPL ,,,·V GHPLVH KDV UDLVHG TXHVWLRQV DERXW WKH IXWXUH RI KLV KRXVHKROG 7KH ZLYHV DUH expected to undergo a cleansing rite of freedom before they can move on to ‘future HQWDQJOHPHQWV · $OVR LW LV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKH $ODDÀQ KDV numerous children, but the exact number LV XQNQRZQ WR WKH SXEOLF 5HSRUWV VD\ WKDW KH KDV IDWKHUHG PRUH WKDQ FKLOGUHQ Some of his notable children are the ODWH $OKDMD .XGLUDW $NRIDGH (UHGLXZD %DUULVWHU %DEDWXQGH $GH\HPL 3ULQFHVV Folasade Arewaomoba, Princess Taibat Adeyemi, Prince Nurudeen Adesegun Adeyemi, Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi (Skimeh), Prince Adebayo Fatai Adeyemi DPRQJVW RWKHUV

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

BUSINESS

Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed

Editor: Festus Akanbi 08038588469 Email:festus.akanbi@thisdaylive.com

Executive Director, Cordros Capital, Femi Ademola

DMO DG, Patience Oniha

Again, World Bank Raises Red Flag over Nigeria’s Oil Subsidy Payment For the umpteenth time, the World Bank has warned that the high cost of subsidies, due to the spike in RLO SULFHV PD\ GHWHULRUDWH 1LJHULD·V ÀVFDO EDODQFH VD\LQJ WKDW VKLHOGLQJ WKH 1LJHULDQ FRQVXPHUV IURP the high cost of fuel will pile up more debts for the country, reports Festus Akanbi

F

or a nation with a lot of economic baggage on the eve of a general election, it is understandable why the Nigerian economy is open for scrutiny by members of the international economic community. Besides this, the nation’s economy has been tottering as a result of a chain of economic developments which include the instability in the international crude oil market, the backlash of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the attendant reduction in the ÁRZ RI IRUHLJQ LQYHVWPHQW LQWR 1LJHULD DQG RI course, the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, which have continued to put pressure on the commodities market globally.

Amidst these unfavourable economic realities, the current administration is expected to start winding down for a transfer of power after the next year’s general election. In the light RI WKHVH HFRQRPLF DͿDLUV FRPPHQWDWRUV VDLG WKHUH DUH TXLWH D VHYHUDO XQÀQLVKHG EXVLQHVVHV that if not properly handled may turn out to be landmines to the incoming administration.

Two of such issues are the controversial policy of fuel subsidy payment and debt sustainability. In its latest report on Nigeria’s HFRQRP\ WKH JOREDO ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQ WKH World Bank cautioned against the continued retention of the controversial policy, warning that fuel subsidy payments by Nigeria could VLJQLÀFDQWO\ LPSDFW SXEOLF ÀQDQFH DQG SRVH debt sustainability concerns.

Nigeria’s bank credit to the government surged to N14.9 trillion as of February 2022, an uptick from the N14.2 recorded in January 2022.

The concern of the global lender was contained in its new biannual report known as Africa’s Pulse, where the World Bank said the increasing fuel subsidy puts the Nigerian economy at high risk.

It said Nigeria is projected to have a 3.8 per cent growth in 2022, adding that as an oil-dependent country, weak oil production hampers economic recovery.

Apart from the red signal from the World Bank, another multilateral institution that raised the alarm was the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which stated that there is a reason to worry about this nexus between banks and governments.

“Large holdings of sovereign debt expose

EDQNV WR ORVVHV LI JRYHUQPHQW ÀQDQFHV FRPH under pressure and the market value of government debt declines,” it stated.

The bank stated that a crisis with the credit to the government could force banks, especially those with less capital “to curtail lending to companies and households, weighing on economic activity.”

Debt Sustainability Meanwhile, the World Bank said increasing fuel subsidy puts the Nigerian economy at a KLJK ULVN DV VXEVLG\ SD\PHQWV FRXOG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ LPSDFW SXEOLF ÀQDQFH DQG SRVH GHEW sustainability concerns.

Although the World Bank and economic analysts have continued to raise concerns over the surging external debts, the Debt Management Organisation (DMO) insisted that Nigeria’s public debt remains within a VXVWDLQDEOH SURÀOH EXW LV VXVFHSWLEOH WR UHYHQXH shocks.

In the just-released report of the 2020 Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) posted on its website, the DMO noted that the Risk Rating from the 2020 (DSA) revealed that Nigeria’s external debt remains at a Moderate Risk of Debt distress, but is sensitive to export shocks.

World Bank: Fuel Subsidy Poses High Risk Meanwhile, the World Bank’s latest observation contained in a new biannual report known as ‘Africa’s Pulse’, said Nigeria is projected to have a 3.8 per cent growth in 2022, adding that as an oil-dependent country, weak oil production hampers economic recovery.

It added that the increasing fuel subsidy poses a high risk to the country’s economic growth, despite the increase in oil prices.

The bank said: “Growth in Nigeria is forecast to increase to 3.8 per cent in 2022 and stabilise at four per cent in 2023-24. Real GDP growth was revised by 1.2 percentage points for both periods compared with the previous forecast.

Nigeria’s economy is still dependent on the oil sector. Oil-related revenue contributes 40 to SHU FHQW RI ÀVFDO UHYHQXH ZKLOH RLO DQG JDV account for 80 to 90 per cent of total exports.”

Unfortunately, Nigeria is still battling with the twin problem of oil theft and low productivity at a period when other oil producers are making a kill of the spike in the price of crude oil.

The World Bank nevertheless warned that “Risk remains high on increasing fuel subsidies, ZKLFK FRXOG ZHLJK KHDYLO\ RQ SXEOLF ÀQDQFH and pose debt sustainability concerns.”

It noted that the high level of oil prices will DͿHFW FRXQWULHV WKDW DUH VKLHOGLQJ WKH LPSDFW on their consumers through fuel subsidies, such as Nigeria and Ethiopia, warning that the high cost of fuel subsidies, due to the increase LQ RLO SULFHV PD\ GHWHULRUDWH 1LJHULD·V ÀVFDO balance.

In 2021, the NNPC Limited put the cost of fuel subsidy at N1.43 trillion. However, the National Assembly has approved N4 trillion as of the fuel subsidy bill for 2022, which is an increase of 179.72 per cent over the previous year’s subsidy bill. Experts have warned the federal government that the N4 trillion IXHO VXEVLG\ ELOO ZRXOG DGYHUVHO\ DͿHFW WKH country’s economy.

Analysts: There is a Cause for Alarm Despite the assurances from the government quarters that all is well, Group Executive Director, Cordros Capital Limited, Mr. FemiAdemola, believed the fear raised by the World Bank is a very real one. According to his explanation, “When proposed in October 2021, the budget RI 1 WULOOLRQ KDG D GHÀFLW RI 1 WULOOLRQ ZKLFK ZLOO EH ÀQDQFHG WKURXJK GHEW ,Q -DQXDU\ WKH GHÀFLW ZDV IXUWKHU increased by about N1.1 trillion when the National Assembly approved a budget of N2.55 trillion for fuel subsidy. The increase to N4 trillion now would result in an additional burden of at least N600 billion to the federal budget for 2022 and a reduction of the state’s share of federal allocation by the balance of N900 billion.”

He pointed out that most of the revenue JDS ZRXOG EH ÀQDQFHG E\ GHEW WKXV LQFUHDVing the country’s debt burden in the face of reducing revenue accruable to the federation.

This, according to him, will threaten Nigeria’s ÀVFDO VXVWDLQDELOLW\ DQG SXW IXUWKHU SUHVVXUH on prices and exchange rate stability.

He believed it is politically impossible to consider the removal of the fuel subsidy at this period, saying however that if the economy has a consideration, it would be a better deciVLRQ WR SODFH WKH HͿHFW RQ WKH HFRQRP\ DERYH political calculations.

“I agree that the argument that the country should focus on improving revenue generation WR FRYHU WKH GHÀFLW JDS LV D YDOLG RQH +RZHYHU since this is taking a longer time than required, we should streamline expenditure in the short WHUP WR PHHW WKH FRXQWU\·V ÀVFDO UHDOLWLHV µ he said.

Speaking on options available to the government, Ademola explained that “Sustaining the subsidies to the end of the year or even forever is not the problem in itself. Very many oilproducing economies do that for their citizens and it is considered a way to share part of the country’s commonwealth with all the citizens.

“The problem in the case of Nigeria is that RI DͿRUGDELOLW\ 1LJHULD·V ÀVFDO VLWXDWLRQ DSSHDUV WR LPSO\ WKDW WKH FRXQWU\ FDQQRW DͿRUG to continue to subsidise fuel consumption for its citizens. There is a need to create a more FRVW HͿHFWLYH VRFLDO ZHOIDUH VFKHPH RU SURJUDP to redistribute national wealth to the citizens.

Ademola thinks that one of the options available to the government is to increase revenue drive through increased taxes and complete stoppage of the theft of the country’s natural resources, especially oil, aggressive taxing of the citizens may be counterproductive while ending the oil theft would take some time to EH VX΀FLHQWO\ FRQWDLQHG 7KH FKRLFHV IRU WKH federal government are very limited.

Reacting to the debate on the dangers of retaining subsidy payment on petrol, a leaderVKLS VWUDWHJLVW DQG &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU Leading Strategies Consult Limited, Dr. John Ekundayo said: “Now that Nigeria is on the eve of the election year, it would be politically foolhardy to reverse the earlier.”

He added: “In my perspective, the governPHQW DW WKH FHQWUH ZRXOG ZDQW WR NHHS ÀQDQFLQJ the subsidy for peace to reign even when it is obvious that the globally existing price of PMS does not make sense.”

According to him, one implication of this decision is indirectly oiling the wheels of VPXJJOLQJ RI 306 DFURVV WKH ERUGHUV SRVVLEO\ part of the reason oil theft runs rampantly and riotously to the chagrin of state actors. $V GL΀FXOW DV WKH ZLWKGUDZDO RI WKH IXHO subsidy regime is, the current administration will not be forgotten if it fails to face the reality by ending the policy which has proven to be a serious drain pipe to the nation’s economy.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

18

MARITIME

Customs e-Valuation, Benchmarking, and Anger at the Ports With a revenue target of N4.1trillion for the year, the policy of e-valuation, duty benchmarking, and now 15 per cent National Automotive Council levy by the Nigeria Customs Service have led to high duties at the ports, a development that has consequently drawn the anger of importers and their customs agents, writes Francis Ugwoke Protest by Customs Agents Customs agents had in February protested against the VIN Policy by embarking on a WZR ZHHN VWULNH :LWK WKH HͿHFW RI WKH VWULNH the customs service had to suspend the policy promising a review after one month. The onemonth grace period ended onApril 8 with importers and agents waiting on what happens next.

But indications were that nothing was going to change going by the statement credited to the &RPSWUROOHU *HQHUDO +DPHHG $OL ZKR MXVWLÀHG the VIN valuation policy. At a function, before he went on annual leave, he made it clear that the Service would not stop the implementation VIN policy after the one-month suspension. Ali was quoted saying, “It is now one valuation for the same type of vehicle anywhere. We are moving forward; we can’t be retrogressive.

When the freight forwarders came up with their issue of not liking the platform I was surprised because these were the same people that put us on the edge. So, I think it has come to stay and we will make sure it succeeds. Anytime I come to the port, there has been this issue of uniformity for values. They have complained of multiple valuations when they go to Apapa port, Tin Can, DQG 370/ ZKHUH WKH\ JHW GLͿHUHQW YDOXHVµ

Some containers awaiting clearance at a Lagos port

T

here are indications that the federal government is expecting so much from the NigeriaCustomsService(NCS) through various taxes. This is evidenced by the high revenue target given to the service to come from importers for this year. This is despite the foreign exchange restrictions placed on goods under the 41list. Already, importers and their customs agents are beginning to feel the impact of about a 300 per cent increase in customs duties.

Customs Revenue Target With a revenue generation of N2.23trillion last year from a target of N1.67trillion, the Customs Service this year set a target of N4.1trillion. This is N1trillion more than the N3.1trillion target that the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise had set for it in January soon after details of its revenue generation for last year were made public.

The new revenue target has been described as too high at a time that hard economic time has impacted negatively on imports. Observers believe that with the target, the customs will only end up over-stretching importers through various hikes in duty calculations.

As if pre-determined, there have been signs of higher duties to be paid this year from late last year. The service had enforced new duty rates on imports, ranging from bulk cargoes, and containerised goods to Tokunbo vehicles.

The result has indeed been lamentation from the importers and customs agents. When importers pay high duties, they also look for ways to recoup it. This has in turn pushed up the prices of goods in the market in the past few months.

Duty Benchmarking Late last year, the customs service introduced a duty benchmark under which it no longer calculated duties to be paid by importers based on the value of the goods as a global practice. Under this regime, customs assume that the container and its content must be within a particular value range in the international market. Based on this,

the service can therefore decide that the duty to be paid must be like N5million for instance, and cannot be calculated on the value of the goods. In other words, under the policy, every 20ft or 40ft container pays a uniform duty rate irrespective of the value as contained on the invoice.

Importers and customs agents argue that the prices of goods in the international market depend on negotiations outside the advertised online price tags. But the customs management insisted that this was the only way to check fraudulent practices by importers who are accused of under-valuing their goods to pay fewer duties. The Deputy National 3XEOLF 5HODWLRQV 2΀FHU RI WKH 1&6 0U 7LPL Bomodi defended the duty benchmarking on imported goods.

He insists that the customs service has in its system data range on prices of goods internationally as a guide. To him, the policy of benchmarkingwasintroducedfollowingcases of under-declaration, under-invoicing, and concealment of goods by importers. Bomodi argues further, “The WCO nomenclature and WKH H[SODQDWRU\ QRWHV WR WKH WDULͿ DUH IXUWKHU guides which help agents and importers classify their goods correctly”, he said. Bomodi accuses agents of “misrepresenting facts with the obvious intention of evading the payment of appropriate customs duty”.

0DQ\ KRZHYHU DUJXH WKDW WKH SUREOHP RI under-declaration and under-valuation have been there over the decades and wondered why the Customs Service kept quiet until recently. To freight forwarders, the customs deliberately introduced the policy to meet its WDUJHW IRU WKH \HDU 0DQ\ IUHLJKW IRUZDUGHUV opined that the pressure on the customs to generate more revenue was in connection with the 2023 election that requires so much funding.

To freight forwarders, the policy of customs benchmarking which started in the last quarter of 2021 was simply to achieve a multiplier revenue generation for the year. The former

Dilemma With the one-month suspension on VIN valuation implementation over, it would appear there is confusion as to whether anything has changed or not based on Ali’s words. Just some days into the one month, there was a report that the customs had reduced duty payable on imported vehicles from 35% to 20%. As many were celebrating this, the Service cut short their joy saying that this was not true. Bodi had said the report on President of the NationalAssociation of Gov- duty reduction was simply a mix-up but said ernment Approved Freight Forwarders, Dr it would be sorted out.

Eugene Nweke said the policy exposes the Last week, the customs introduced the new customs service as toeing the line of illegality version of the Economic Community of West and unprofessionalism for the sake of more African States (ECOWAS) Common External revenue generation.

7DULͿ &(7 DV UHTXLUHG E\ WKH :RUOG &XVWRPV Nweke argued that this was without Organisation which will last from this year to considering the consequences on Nigerians 2026. Bomodi explains that under the new since importers will introduce higher prices policy and in line with the Finance Act and the to recoup their investments. He argued that National Automotive Policy, NCS has “retained the policy throws to the wind professionalism a duty rate of 20% for used vehicles as was DQG H[SHFWDWLRQV RI WKH YDOXDWLRQ R΀FHUV transmitted by ECOWAS with a NAC levy whose responsibility is to calculate duties of 15%. New vehicles will also pay a duty of based on the value of the goods before them. 20% with a NAC levy of 20% as directed by Nweke, while condemning the decision WKH )HGHUDO 0LQLVWU\ RI )LQDQFHµ VDLG LW ZLOO WULJJHU LQÁDWLRQ DQG EULQJ PRUH Observers believe that indeed the customs harm to the ailing economy than good. boss has had his way since the duty to be paid He called on the CGC Hameed Ali to save on vehicles would still be high considering Nigerians such hardship by halting the the 15 per cent NAC levy. Aggrieved about policy of benchmarking. the new NAC levy some customs agents are already considering embarking on a fresh Duties on Vehicles protest.

Perhaps, part of the benchmarking policy The Chairman of the National Council of was the duty hike on imported cars. The 0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRUV RI /LFHQVHG &XVWRPV SROLF\ LV NQRZQ DV 9HKLFOH ,GHQWLÀFDWLRQ $JHQWV 3RUWV 7HUPLQDO 0XOWLSXUSRVH Number (VIN) valuation under which Limited chapter, Abayomi Duyile, was duties on vehicles went up by about 300 quoted as saying this will hurt the industry. per cent. As against the rate in February He was quoted saying, “ I am surprised now when duty for instance in the case of a that towards the second quarter of 2022, the Toyota Corolla car was about N550,000, Customs is coming back with the NAC levy. this has since changed. A customs agent Former President of the National Association said the current duty and cost of clearing a of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Corolla car for instance is N1.8million. This Dr Eugene Nweke argued that the Service has is outside the traditional settlements at the been unfair to the trading public, challenging ports. The agent may decide to pay the money them to point out the economic impact of the in a central unit from where the money will two per cent NAC levy that has been collected be transmitted to others or decide to ‘pay for over two decades before the current 15 per cent as you go’ (from the terminal to the gate, hike. He argued further that the 16 per cent NAC then others on the road outside the gate). levy was a clear pointer to what he described as This trend has made the cost of vehicles and “the inherent administrative incoherence and other goods very high. Now, there is hardly confusion” on the part of the government. He any clean Corolla car whose market price is FKDOOHQJHG WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR RͿHU WKH JHQHUDO below N2.5million. This has in turn made the public an analytical positive impact of the NAC market very dull for traders. The high cost levy considering that even with the payment of clearing, including duties payable, also the nation’s automobile industry has remained applies to other imported goods. under-developed.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

19

MEDIA

Sterling Bank: When Creativity Goes Awry The groundswell of condemnation that greeted a controversial Easter Holiday advert placed by Sterling Bank Plc last week shows that some PR stunts can seriously be detrimental to a company’s image, reports Festus Akanbi

A

ll over the world, businesses and governments worry about their perceptions from the members of the public. For businesses, it becomes necessary to reach out from time to time not only to their existing customers and business partners but also to the potential ones.

7R JHW WKLV GRQH HͿHFWLYHO\ FRPSDQLHV adopt various forms of public relations stunts in advertisements and promotions in such a way to bring them into the consciousness of their target customers.

Brand communications operators believe that if executed well, a PR stunt can catapult an unknown brand into the media spotlight but, as we have seen time and time again, not all PR stunts land with the intended impact and this can be seriously detrimental to a company’s image.

This is why Abigail Outwaite, a United Kingdom PR practitioner explained that PRs should be cautious when it comes to stunts, not only because they have the potential to go wrong but because if they are not delivered properly, they can leave a brand in worse place reputationally than they were before.

To watchers of the unfolding drama over the controversial advertisement placed by Sterling Bank to commemorate the Easter holiday last week, one cannot but conclude that when it comes to publicity stunts, there seems to be a very thin line between huge success and incredible failure.

Stirring the Hornet’s Nest 6WHUOLQJ %DQN 3OF FDPH XQGHU ÀUH for putting up a post that compared the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the rise of Agege bread on its social media page and subscribers’ mail. The bank which had stirred the hornet’s nest with LWV RͿHQGLQJ DGYHUW DOVR FRPSRXQGHG its problem with its more provocative response which critics described as a PHDVXUH RI WKH GHÀDQFH RI WKH EDQN·V handlers.

In its Easter celebration messages, the bank shared a post with the quote, “Like Agege Bread, He Rose” across its social media handles, but the message has drawn widespread criticism from many Christians.

Public Outcry On Sunday, social media users lampooned the bank and described the message as insensitive and insulting to Christians. Many users demanded that the post be brought down immediately and an apology be tendered by the bank.

A leading Marketing Communications expert, Mr. Chido Nwakanma, had counselled Sterling Bank management to throw its Corporate Communications team overboard at the earliest possible time if they wish to plead ignorance of its distasteful advert.

“Unless they are equally complicit, the management of Sterling Bank should clear its Corporate Corporate Communications team on Tuesday. Everyone involved in preparing and placing that obnoxious DG WKDW SRNHV QR[LRXV ÀQJHUV LQWR WKH eyes of all Christians in Nigeria should not be involved in communications one day extra”, Mr. Nwakanma stated on his social media page.

He recalled that Sterling Bank comPLWWHG D VLPLODU RͿHQFH LQ ZLWK LWV “In shooting for the moon, men become stars” ad for which according to him,

CAN Gives Condition for Settlement The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body for Churches in Nigeria, on its part, demanded the VDFNLQJ RI WKH &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, over the controversial advert.

In a statement signed by the National Secretary, Joseph Daramola CAN stated that the advert was “wicked and insensitive” towards Christians.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been drawn to an ungodly, wicked, insensitive and deliberately provocative advertisement of Sterling Bank, comparing the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to ‘Agege bread’ amidst the Easter celebration.

“In case the management of Sterling Bank is not aware, the Resurrection of Jesus witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the Resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has the power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not worthy of our faith and worship.”

CAN advised Christians to be wary of the banks they patronise, insisting that Suleiman and the management of the bank showed “hostility and hatred” for the Christian faith.

According to CAN, “The purported apology did not come from a penitent heart. How can someone in his right mind describe the risen Christ as a loaf of bread?

That is insulting, ridiculous and a mockery of Jesus Christ. We advise Christians to EH ZDU\ RI WKH EDQNV DQG RWKHU ÀQDQFLDO institutions they are patronising.

“We learnt that the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has reportedly intervened in the matter to impose some sanctions against Sterling Bank. The Christian Association of Nigeria is waiting for the decision of the organisation.

“However, in the interim, we call for the immediate removal of the Chief Executive of Sterling Bank; Mr. Abubakar Suleiman with his management whose actions have clearly shown their hostility and hatred for the Christian faith,” the stated further read.

Suleiman

it similarly apologised. “Is that the Sterling Bank tradition? Put two feet in the mouth and then say sorry? Not good at all”, he submitted. ,QLWLDO 'HÀDQW 5HDFWLRQ In its reaction to the harvest of criticisms, the bank pulled down the post on its social media page and subsequently uploaded another copy of an opened WRPE VLJQLÀFDQW WR &KULVW·V GHSDUWXUH from the grave and added the caption, ‘…let the one who has never sinned WKURZ WKH ÀUVW VWRQH«·,W SRVWHG LQ D new message, citing Jesus Christ’s response to those who accused a woman of adultery in the Bible.

“Forgive us in the spirit of Easter!”

It added.

7KH GHÀDQW WRQH RI WKH LPPHGLDWH response of the bank’s management to WKH RͿHQGLQJ DGYHUWRULDO DGGHG IXHO to the public anger.

APCON Bares Fangs The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), in its reaction, GHVFULEHG WKH DGYHUW DV RͿHQVLYH DQG provocative.

APCON also said the advert copy was not submitted for approval before it was made public.

In a statement on Monday signed by its Registrar and Chief Executive, Olalekan Fadolapo, APCON said the advert was distasteful, noting that Sterling Bank Plc would be punished for the action.

APCON described the advert as blasphemous and in bad taste.

“The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has observed with displeasure the insensitive and provocative Easter celebration advertisement by Sterling Bank Plc which compared the resurrection of Christ with Agege bread.

“The distasteful advertisement was neither submitted nor approved for exposure by the Advertising Standards Panel, the statutory panel charged with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements conform with the prevailing laws of the federation as well as the code of ethics of Advertising in Nigeria.

“APCON will take necessary actions to ensure that Sterling Bank is sanctioned for the exposure of such RͿHQVLYH DGYHUWLVHPHQW DFFRUGLQJ to law and that no religious belief or faith is ridiculed or any blasphemous advertisement exposed in any guise,” APCON said in a statement

Last-Minute Effort Although the chief executive of the bank, Mr, Abubakar Suleiman finally succumbed to heated criticisms from members of the public by personally signing an unreserved apology last Monday, communications experts said, the management of Sterling Bank will need to take some practical steps to convince the banking public that it is UHDG\ WR DFFHSW EODPH IRU LWV JDͿH According to Suleiman, “the content of the infographic and the message it contained was insensitive and failed to consider the very sober nature of the event being commemorated, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

He stated that “While the message had no malicious intent, there is no place for content that fails to fully account for the feelings of billions of people all over the world. Our honest intent was to join our millions of customers in Nigeria and worldwide in celebrating this solemn event, but our execution fell short on this occasion.”

Analysts said whatever decisions are taken by the bank in the days ahead will determine whether or not Sterling Bank will warm itself back to the hearts of its customers.

20

SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 2022 2414, April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9876.

OPI NION

121 TR

THE HIGH COST OF ACCESSING POLITICAL POWER

“

T FROM KINSHASA’S LINGALA TO NAIROBI’S SWAHILI Rwanda and Uganda should lead the mobilisation of Africa investment fund for the reconstruction of DRC, writes OKELLO OCULI See Page 28

CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN The constitution has explicit provisions against inequality or bias, argues IKENNA EMEWU

See Page 53

THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION SEUN AWOGBENLE contends that the funding of public universities by the government is no longer sustainable See Page 53

EDITORIAL RENEWED VIOLENCE ON THE PLATEAU

See Page 54

N

The cost of nomination forms for various political posts is excessive, writes Ayo Baje

The current price placed on participation is the very height of political insensitivity and an open invitation to thievery by anyone who could only corruptly meander himself to power.”

Afenifere, a Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation

See Page 28

& RE A S O

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

TINUBU AND THE LIMITS OF AMBITION GOZIE IROGBOLI contends that Bola Tinubu has nothing new to offer the nation

UT H

he waves of public outrage ignited by the high costs of nomination forms for the various political posts as announced by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with that of the president going for N100 million as against that of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic party(PDP) of N40 million is understandable. Can you fault the patriotic stand of the Pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere?

Given the dark socio-economic background of the country, Nigeria which according to the data from the World Poverty Clock as at March 2022 has over 70 million people currently living in extreme poverty, representing 33 per cent of the country’s population, the costs of nomination forms are a direct affront and insult on the sensibilities of the long-suffering Nigerians. According to Business Insider Africa media platform only India has surpassed Nigeria with 83 million people living below the U.N. estimated poverty line in 2022.

Worrisome still is that the country, with the highest number of school-aged children still out of school, put at 10. 5 million, representing one-third of Nigerian children and one in ÀYH RXW RI VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ LQ WKH ZRUOG DUH politicians not worried by this scandalous scenario? Neither are they concerned that the beleaguered country has overtaken Iraq as the most terrorized in the whole wide world!

Theirs is that of battling for political power by all means - good and crooked.

The grave implication is that Nigeria’s brand of democracy has skewed completely from “a government of the people, by the people and for the people”, to that of the rich, for the rich and by the rotten rich political juggernauts. This is plutocracy, a society that is ruled or controlled by people of great ZHDOWK RU LQFRPH 7KH ÀUVW NQRZQ XVH RI WKH term in English dates back to 1631. Now, you should understand where we are heading back to as a greatly pauperized state!

It would be recalled that yours truly had warned Nigerians that one of the root causes of our current political woes stems from the humongous costs of accessing political power.

So, as we continue to bemoan successive inept, ineffective and clueless political leadership we must not lose sight of how most of our SROLWLFLDQV JRW LQWR SRZHU LQ WKH ÀUVW LQVWDQFH They spend huge sums of money, with some politicians having to sell some valuable physical assets, borrow money from banks, commit ritual murders or bend to the weird wishes of some powerful godfathers to get HOHFWHG LQWR RIÀFH 7KHLU DOOHJLDQFH ZKHQ they eventually succeed, would obviously be to their paymasters rather than the electorate who they lie to during sundry electioneering campaigns. The piper dictates the tune.

As a former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara once alluded to the fact that politics is

more like business in Nigeria. You invest huge sums of money so as to reap bountifully, by way of fat pay packages, spurious allowances DQG LQÁDWHG FRQWUDFWV :LWK DOO WKHVH ÀUPO\ LQ place can that intelligent, patriotic but poor citizen ever get to the pedestal of political power? And will our type of democracy ever favour those on the lowest rung of the societal ladder?

Unfortunately, this is one aspect of the presidential system of government we have willy-nilly adopted from the United States. Hence, the clamour for a return to parliamentary system devoid of bicameral legislature by some concerned Nigerians.

According to Adebowale Olorunmola who has looked critically at this rather troubling issue, former United States President, Barack Obama in ‘The Audacity of Hope’ (2006), touched tellingly on the power of money in politics when he wrote that “Peter Fitzgerald had spent $19 million of his personal wealth to unseat his predecessor, Carol Mosley Braun”.

Also, John C. Green (2006) highlighted the VLJQLÀFDQFH RI PRQH\ WR SDUW\ SROLWLFV DPRQJ other resources and factors which political parties utilize in the process of trying to control the levels of political power.

Now is the time to de-emphasize money politics and push for clear-cut party manifestoes that seek lasting solutions to the people’s most pressing needs

Though the 1999 Constitution (as DPHQGHG VSHFLÀHV LQ 6HFWLRQ WKH conditions and the scrutiny of the sources of funds and expenses of political parties these are never followed to the letters. For instance, Section 225 (3)(a) and (b) as well as 225 (4) forbid political parties from foreign funding of any kind. Section 226 (1-3) demands annual reports of account from political parties. Also VLJQLÀFDQW LV WKDW WKH (OHFWRUDO $FW VWLSXODWHV the ceiling of expenses by candidates and SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV IRU VSHFLÀF HOHFWLYH SRVLWLRQV It is on record that the fund raising, as was carried out by both the APC and the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections were done with little or no regard for existing legal provisions.

Campaign expenses, for both presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP overshot the N1 billion limit.

Allegations were rife that cash was illegally used to buy votes and permanent voter cards. State administrative resources were XVHG E\ LQFXPEHQW RIÀFLDOV WR IDFLOLWDWH SDUW\ activities. This mentality of winning at all cost is injurious to the health of the Nigerian economy.

With regard to the academic exercise on campaign funding in Nigeria, (Falodi, 2016) VWDWHG WKDW ¶WKH SUREH LQWR WKH 2IÀFH RI WKH National Security Adviser (ONSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan revealed that public funds to the tune of US$2.1billion meant for equipping the Nigeria military ZHUH GLYHUWHG WR ÀQDQFH SDUW\ DFWLYLWLHV IRU the 2015 general elections’. In a similar vein, former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state allegedly diverted state ecological funds to campaign activities of his party, the PDP. As the 2023 general elections inch closer by the day, much has to done to redress the anomalies that have only those with the cash to throw around to buy their way into HOHFWRUDO RIÀFHV 0XFK DV ZH KDYH WLQNHUHG with the Electoral Act 2002, 2006 and 2010 there are still some loopholes. For instance, though Section 91(9) states that “no individual or other entity shall donate more than one million naira to any candidate”, Section 93(2) (b) gives political parties leverage to receive unlimited amounts above the threshold. This is contradictory!

Each party is required to record and keep “the name and address of any person or entity that contributes any money or assets which exceeds one million Naira”. Some candidates latched on the lacuna to technically overshoot the limit by transferring the extra cash to their party. Other donors also took advantage of the provision to donate funds running into billions of Naira, on behalf of several unnamed friends.

The way forward is for INEC to prosecute anyone found wanting for infringing on SROLWLFDO ÀQDQFH UHJXODWLRQV 7KH JURVV ODFN of deterrence is a huge factor contributing to the rising cost of elections in Nigeria. Now is the time to de-emphasize money politics and push for clear-cut party manifestoes that seek lasting solutions to the people’s most pressing needs.

Baje writes from Lagos

2 22

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022

TINUBU AND THE LIMITS OF AMBITION GOZIE IROGBOLI contends that Bola Tinubu has nothing new to offer the nation As the countdown to the 2023 general election began following the release of timetable by INEC, there is increase in the intensity of political consultations and intrigues in the country. Many have declared their intention to contest for the RIÀFH RI WKH 3UHVLGHQW $QG DV H[SHFWHG among those aspiring to lead the nation are statesmen, democrats, achievers, political jobbers, pettifoggers, as well as pretenders.

But, the person whose declaration has elicited more reactions and concerns from Nigerians is that of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Jagaban), the erstwhile Lagos State governor and leader of the All 3URJUHVVLYHV &RQJUHVV $3& 7KH QHZV RI KLV H[SUHVVLRQ RI LQWHUHVW WR FRQWHVW IRU WKH H[DOWHG RIÀFH ZDV PDGH SXEOLF RQ WKH 10th of January, 2022. And ever since, the main stream media and its social media counterparts are agog with the news. And H[SHFWHGO\ 7LQXEX VXSSRUWHUV DQG DOOLHV have gone full throttle telling anybody who cares to listen, that Tinubu is coming.

Interestingly, Tinubu’s supporters have not adduced any strong reason nor highlighted any qualities of Tinubu that would make Nigerians entrust their future into his hands other than that he is the godfather and the leader of the worst political amalgam as well as the ardent promoter of the worst government in the history of Nigeria.

On the other hand, there are some voices of dissent, vociferous and clear, declaring WKDW 7LQXEX LV QRW ÀW WR EH 3UHVLGHQW RI Nigeria on account of his age, status, health condition, controversies and idiosyncrasies.

Many Nigerians think and rightly too that installing Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is like the continuance of Buhari. Many have argued in many platforms that Tinubu is another variant of Buhari because of the apparent similarities between the two.

First, Tinubu’s tacit and overt endorsement of Buhari’s policies is an indication that he would not be different from Buhari if given the chance to lead the nation. He was the chief promoter of Buhari. It was he and his lackeys that repackaged Buhari and dressed him in the garb of “a man of integrity, honor and valor”; a born-again democrat and a messiah. He was quoted to have said that when Britain had problem they turned to Gen. Winston Churchill and when America had problem it was Gen. Dwight Eisenhower they turned to and so Nigeria should turn to Gen. Buhari for liberation.

And ever since, he had maintained sealed lips while the country is in a state of topsy-turvy under Buhari and while his button boys have taken every available platform to praise and celebrate the monumental failure that the Buhari administration is. It was shocking to many that the once vociferous Tinubu and his men who were always critical of government policies and actions KDYH UHIXVHG WR FULWLFL]H WKH $3& DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ EHFDXVH RI KLV VHOÀVK ambition. This means that he values his personal interest over that of the nation. $QG KH LV ZLOOLQJ WR ÀJKW GLUW\ IRU LW DV he has recently declared. Obviously, his blind support for Buhari in the face of his woeful performance indicates that Tinubu has wrong notion of leadership and governance and therefore will not make a good president.

It is public knowledge that most of those who committed the blunder of foisting Buhari on us have since made a volte-face, regretting their roles and apologizing to Nigerians but not Tinubu because of his political ambition. Even when Buhari soldiers massacred innocent protesting youths at Lekki Toll Gate, Tinubu’s own backyard, he was unperturbed. Instead he made an arrogant “I-dey-kampe” EURDGFDVW LQ D IXWLOH ELG WR H[WULFDWH KLPVHOI

from the crime.

One similarity between Buhari and Tinubu is about their health status. Early in Buhari’s regime when the pressure of states matters weighed down on him, he had traveled to London wherein he spent RYHU GD\V RQ D VLFN EHG DW WKH H[SHQVH RI WKH WD[ SD\HUV· IXQGV $QG HYHU VLQFH KH frequents London on medical check-ups.

Those close to Tinubu know that he has health challenges too. In January, just after three weeks of his consultation he jetted out of the country. And while his cronies tried vainly to conceal his health status, his statement recently in the media seems to FRQÀUP LW +H ZDV TXRWHG DV VD\LQJ WKDW leadership and governance will be done with his brains, not his physical power.

I agree to that, though. There is an Italian proverb that says that if leadership is a matter of brains then physical desirability is no problem. But Tinubu’s case is different.

Again, many Nigerians believe both Buhari DQG 7LQXEX DUH IDU ROGHU WKDQ WKHLU RIÀFLDO age that each declares.

Apart from being children of the lost empires whose loyalty primarily is for their HWKQLF DIÀOLDWLRQV ERWK DUH DXWKRULWDULDQ DQG have the same attitude to opposition and

free speech. Buhari believes in command and control and not dialogue. Tinubu is said to be interested in absolute loyalty to himself. And this can be attested to by those who had fallen out with him in the SDVW³0UV %XFNQRU $NHUHOH )HPL 3HGUR Governor Ambode, Senator Mamora, inter alia.

Beyond all these, the most worrisome thing is his crude political philosophy which tends towards self-centeredness.

No doubt, Jagabanarchy, Tinubu’s political philosophy is a superannuated political philosophy based on godfatherism, winner-takes-all, blind loyalty, ethnic dominance and primitive accumulation.

It is clear that Buhari’s 95%:5% GLFKRWRP\ ZDV D UHÁHFWLRQ RI KLV SDUW\·V discriminatory zoning policy and winnerstakes-all mentality. Before the election, all SROLWLFDO RIÀFHV ZHUH ]RQHG RXW 6R 7LQXEX ZDV SULY\ WR WKDW REQR[LRXV SROLF\ WKDW polarized Nigerians and deepened the crack of disunity in the polity.

For almost four months now he has toured round the country making what he called consultation. He has even traveled abroad but he has not given it a thought to visit South East or South-South region. Is it guilty conscience or part of Abiola’s “I can do without the Igbo” syndrome?

Evidently, those routing for Tinubu know that he has nothing to offer just like those who promoted Buhari did but just to push out Jonathan. Tinubu and his ilk are outdated. They don’t think about, technology, innovation, nation-building, national productivity, national unity or taking us to the space but just to acquire power.

Irogboli is an economist, a novelist and public policy analyst

Rwanda and Uganda should lead the mobilisation of Africa investment fund for the reconstruction of DRC, writes

OKELLO OCULI

FROM KINSHASA’S LINGALA TO NAIROBI’S SWAHILI 7KH V\QFKURQL]HG H[SORVLRQV RI ERPEV RQ .DPSDOD·V VWUHHWV LQ 8JDQGD LQ may have echoed birth yells of ‘WOMAN AFRICA’ giving birth to a baby with a 0DVDL DQG /XED SDUHQWV IURP .HQ\D DQG Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); a EDE\ ZLWK RQH IRRW ÁDSSLQJ LQ WKH ,QGLDQ Ocean in the east and the other foot in the Atlantic Ocean in the west.

That historic moment of birth was that of the East African Community (EAC) welcoming DRC as the seventh member of a new political family at dawn. The DRC has a vast total of 2,345,000 square kilometres with a population of 99 million people is a little smaller than the 2,464,992 sq.km as the combined total of Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan DQG .HQ\D ,Q D OLWWOH QRYHO WLWOHG ¶·.$17$ 5,7,·· D child marked by a celestial rivalry between Sun and Moon, is destined to have one foot grow into Ruwenzori Mountain on the Congo-Uganda border in the west and WKH RWKHU IRRW JURZ LQWR .LOLPDQMDUR RQ WKH .HQ\D 7DQ]DQLD ERUGHU $V D UHZDUG IRU KLV H[HUWLRQV KLV VZHDW DQG WHDUV GULS WR IRUP the vast inland pot of water, Lake Nalubale.

7KDW H[SDQVH RI ZDWHU PLJUDWHV WR VXSSRUW a civilization in a distant land on the lower

The DRC is a land much abused by many for holding abundant minerals and agricultural resources. Its tall frame from Lubumbashi on the Zambian border in the south, to Juba in South Sudan, cries out for a railway line covering 2,848 kilometres eyelid of the Mediterranean Sea to the north.

The DRC is a land much abused by many for holding abundant minerals and agricultural resources. Its tall frame from Lubumbashi on the Zambian border in the south, to Juba in South Sudan, cries out for a railway line covering 2,848 kilometres. ,WV EHOO\ H[SHFWV D UDLOZD\ EHOW IURP .LYX LQ WKH HDVW WR .LQVKDVD IRU D GLVWDQFH RI kilometres. The enormous wealth which a United Nations Committee accused 83 multinational corporations of looting from the country would have built those railroads several times over. Greed by foreigners continues a brutal cruelty to DRC. &KLQD KDV ÁRDWHG D YLVLRQ RI D UDLOZD\ OLQH ZKLFK UXQV IURP 0RPEDVD RQ .HQ\D·V Indian Ocean coastline to oil-rich Lamu to its north (having traversed Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan beckons D OLQN WR .LQVKDVD LQ '5& (WKLRSLDQV DOVR dream of building their ‘’Renaissance Dam’’

to produce electricity to run those railway lines. Ethiopia and Eritrea may also be lured by the seductive economic beauty of an East African Community pregnant with a DRC elephant.

3DXO .DJDPH DQG <RZHUL 0XVHYHQL have lost sleep over armed groups attacking them from elusive bases in eastern DRC. Sharing a common political space with DRC will remove huddles of borders drawn by colonial cartographers behind which their attackers have sheltered.

2I WKH VL[ PHPEHU VWDWHV RI WKH (DVW African Community, only Tanzania – ODUJHVW LQ WHUULWRU\ DW VT .P DQG population size (of 59.678,000 in 2020) – has QRW H[SHULHQFHG GHVWUXFWLYH FRQYXOVLRQV due to poor governance. Tanzania’s founding father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, came from a tiny ethnic group and yet ruled for over 20 years; leaving power despite popular demands for him not to go.

1\HUHUH FRXUDJHRXVO\ KRVWHG ÀJKWHUV for liberation from Zimbabwe and Mozambique in the east to Namibia and Angola in the west. His government’s defensive corruption-free and creatively democratic politics has much to offer for the rehabilitation of a severely tortured DRC polity. :LWK WKH ÀUVW IHPDOH 3UHVLGHQW LQ WKH region, the Tanzania leader should push demands for accountability by barbaric criminals who shoved broken bottles and RWKHU KDUPIXO WRROV LQWR VH[XDO RUJDQV RI women to drive communities in eastern Congo from lands rich in cobalt, coltran, diamonds and other resources valued by multinational corporations and rogue states.. .HQ\D LQKHULWHG IURP (XURSHDQ immigrants a rudimentary industrial sector. Its private sector leaders should link with Tanzania’s promotion of self-reliance to boost investments into blooming inventions by Congo’s women in areas free from terrorism by militias. Rwanda and Uganda should lead the mobilisation of ‘All Africa investment fund for the reconstruction of DRC’.

Mombasa and Dar- es- Salaam have HYROYHG DV SRUWV IRU H[SRUW DQG LPSRUW trade for eastern DRC. A truck travelling IURP 6RXWKHUQ .LYX YLD .LJDOL WR Mombasa covers 2160 km, and 2399 km WR 'DU HV 6DODDP 7R UHDFK .LQVKDVD it would add 2160 km and 1,567 km, respectively. As a member of EAC the ports would not charge fees, thereby saving valuable funds.

3UHVLGHQW 0REXWX·V SROLF\ RI ¶·$87+(17,&,7<·· LQ SRS PXVLF drove Euro-American pop music out of nightclubs and radio broadcasts. He DVVHUWHG WKDW ¶*2' .1(: $)5,&$1 NAMES before the Catholic Church imposed foreign names on Congolese’. The ¶%/$&. /,9(6 0$77(5 029(0(17·· validates his project. It should not be buried under silence.

3DXO .DJDPH DQG 0XVHYHQL KDYH boldly and creatively opened political doors for women’s talent into governance and legislative bodies. Injecting that virtue into Congolese women need those entries.

Prof Oculi writes from Abuja

23

APRIL 24, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

CONVERSATION WITH MY BILLIONAIRE FRIEND ayo.arowolo@thisdaylive.com 08086447494 (SMS only) PERSONAL FINANCE SAVINGS BUDGETING COMMODITIES

AYO AROWOLO

GOLD

INVESTING

WEALTH CAPSULE 12

Regardless of the Pathway Chosen, You Need to Work with Financial Advisers to Build Enduring Wealth No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team – Reid Hoffman

Without sharing the full details of his action with his wife, there was a particular man who invested the savings running into millions of naira from their school business in the stock market on the strength of the investment tips he got from some of those unqualified stock advisers. This man was told he could double the amount in less than six months. Things went very bad. He lost virtually everything, which led to marital complications when his wife eventually got to know the true situation

I can do things you cannot, and you can do things I cannot; together, we can do great things – Mother Teresa Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much – Helen Keller Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? – Ecclesiastes 4: 9-11

I

was at my Billionaire Friend’s place as usual. This time, our conversation paddled around Financial Intelligence - how investors who are not willing to pay for quality financial advice hold the bad end of the sticks in terms of their expectations.

In retrospect, there was an experience a friend of mine, Artist Impression of my Billionaire Friend the CEO of a stockbroking firm in the days of the stock “Somewhere in our conversation, we had discussed the market boom (2008), shared with me. Back then, everyone, even taxi drivers, became emergency stock analysts. Without need for wealth builders to have some basic understanding sharing the full details of his action with his wife, there was and knowledge to help them appreciate and better a particular man who invested the savings running into utilise the advice of professional experts as it pertains millions of naira from their school business in the stock to their wealth building endeavours. With such basic market on the strength of the investment tips he got from literacy and understanding, it would thus be easier some of those unqualified stock advisers. This man was for wealth builders to make informed judgments and told he could double the amount in less than six months. take appropriate decisions to successfully catapult their Things went very bad. He lost virtually everything, which wealth-building goals”.

“Being solely self-dependent and assuming knowledge, led to marital complications when his wife eventually got especially with intricate issues that would arise from time to know about the true situation.

We generally talked about why anyone who truly wants to time, could be self-destructive. Wealth builders should to build wealth should surround himself or herself with engage professionals for their input concerning intricate decision-making issues, promising investments, returns, quality advisers.

My Billionaire Friend chipped his views. “My boss, compliance with existential laws and regulations, and this subject is quite tricky. What happens when an adviser prevention. Wealth builders in consulting and regularly you have engaged with turns out to be fake? You can also paying for the quality advice of professional experts lose out. A typical example is my investment in properties stand to gain in multiple returns of wealth, business outside Nigeria. I engaged the services of a professional buoyancy, enviable business reputation and the attraction estate surveyor, who had an office in several parts of the of quality personnel”.

“Generally, wealth-builders stand to gain innumerable USA that spiked my interest. He ended up purchasing some properties on my behalf through a sub-agent. Unfortunately, benefits in getting the best obtainable business results for his sub-agent also used part of my purchase funds to their business investments and succeeding in building gamble in Las Vegas and sent us fake title documents. an enviable generational lasting successful brand.”

My surveyor, in good faith, relied on the authenticity of the title documents provided to me, by his sub-agent. WHAT KEY PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS The point I am making is that getting qualified advisers SHOULD WEALTH BUILDERS CONSIDER around you on your wealth-building path could be a bit ENGAGING? “This varies with the different businesses and investment tricky. However, with some care, one can still win, largely.”

After the preliminaries, we settled on the subject for goals of wealth builders. For instance, lawyers are key for advising wealth builders about their best suitable the week: REGARDLESS OF THE PATHWAY CHOSEN, YOU incorporations. Incorporations could be formed to insulate NEED TO WORK WITH SMART ADVISERS TO BUILD wealth builders against possible losses of their wealth in cases of future avoidable liquidations. Yes, lawyers ENDURING WEALTH. The conversation with my Friend was based on the are best qualified to advise wealth builders in this area of expertise. Wealth builders generally have the following questions: 1. Why do you think a wealth builder should be willing option to choose after obtaining legal advice, to form sole proprietorship enterprises, partnerships or private to pay to hire quality advisers?

2. Who are the key advisers a wealth builder needs limited liability, or public limited liability companies or to consider engaging? Stockbrokers? Lawyers? Financial companies limited by guarantee. With private limited Planners? Real estate agents? Financial coaches? What are company arrangements, a minimum of two directors are required to be registered with Nigeria’s Corporate the quality alternatives?

3. What happens when a wealth builder chooses to go Affairs Commission. Wealth builders with such registration alone or, worse, engage cheap and incompetent advisers? would be insulated against the bearing further liabilities 4. What qualities should one look for in engaging advisers? above their company’s registered capital, which may 5. In your case, you chose to acquire the relevant skills occur in building their wealth”.

“However, this immunisation is subject to the absence personally. Do you still engage the services of a professional?

If you do, why? Why not rely on your acquired knowledge? of illegality of operations by such registered wealth 6. How have you engaged the services of the experts builders’ companies. Again, wealth-builders would only be so immune if they do not engage in the business in your wealth acquisition process?

7. Has there been situations where quality advice saved of fraudulent activities and do not trade with enemy countries in their wealth-building activities”. you from embarrassment. Explain a few, if any?

“Financial planners are also important for successful Below are the responses of my Friend: wealth building because financial planning is the blood of wealth building. Without proper financial planning, WHY SHOULD A WEALTH BUILDER HIRE wealth-builders would inevitably head for insolvency.

QUALITY ADVISERS? “On the question of why you think wealth builders Therefore, financial planning is key for wealth building, should be willing to hire quality advisers, the straightforward as this has been severally stated in our previous series. answer is that if a wealth builder prefers to be self-dependent, he would be heading for failure in his quest. Humans’ successes are best achieved through the utilisation and coordination of the expert inputs of others to optimally achieve set goals. Nobody should think he is a master of all; only God almighty is the master of all. - the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. Therefore wealth builders must seek the prized expertise of professionals of all spheres, in their wealth building endeavours, to optimise the expected outcomes of their search for wealth.

Financial planning includes good budgeting, forecasting, monitoring the cash flow of wealth builders’ entities, optimising returns on assets, proper management of company liabilities, and good investment planning”.

“Wealth-builders must always keep their eyes on the going concern status of their wealth-building entities.

Once the going concern positions of their wealth-building entities are threatened, adequate measures must promptly be taken to get accounting and auditing experts to arrest the going concern threat and keep such entities afloat and healthily operating”.

“Real estate valuers and planners are needed when investing in properties. These experts are needed to select the best location for wealth-builders to optimise the return of their investments. Location is the prime factor in wealth-building exercises for optimal returns.

Poor locations give poor results. In essence, wealth hunters need experts during the process of wealth building. As wealth builders encounter intricate issues and have to make informed decisions, wealth-builders should seek the opinion of experts, including financial planners, lawyers, stockbrokers in terms of investing in company equities, financial planners, accountants, e.t.c. Depending on the areas of engagement of wealth builders, these are necessary”.

“More importantly, wealth-builders must seek tax consultants. Tax consultants help to determine tax liabilities for wealth builders and look at areas by which wealth builders can gain capital allowances and tax exemptions to avoid undue tax liabilities and take advantage of the provision of tax laws for optimisation of the returns on investment by wealth builders. These experts are all important in their different ways depending on the wealth-building engagement of wealth builders”.

“The number of experts required is unlimited and cannot be pre-discussed. It all depends on the wealth builders’ journey in building their wealth. Wealth-builders should not be miserly in not wanting to pay for the services of experts, as may be necessary for wealth building. To do so would be termed foolish. Successful wealth-builders like Bill gates, Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede, and industrialist Prince Adedoyin would attest to the importance of financial and other professional advisers in their wealth-building journey.”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A WEALTH BUILDER CHOOSES TO GO INTO IT ALONE? “This depends on the wealth-builders plan. A wealthbuilder who decides to be a sole proprietor can go into it alone. A sole proprietorship offers wealth for builders who desire to do it alone. And in doing that, you can register ordinary business enterprises. But, they will not be protected against legal consequences against such sole proprietorship, thus endangering their wealth. The sole proprietorship is not a recommended model for successful wealth-builders in terms of its limitations for raising needed large capital funds and protecting wealth builders from personal liabilities if their businesses were to fail”.

“Successful wealth builders generally build wealth using investment vehicles such as private or public limited liability companies (LLC). And this gives them the opportunity of raising funds through capital investors( with private limited liability companies-LLC)-or long term equity funds from the capital market, through the stock exchange, with public limited liability companies

So, if I were to give general advice on this subject, it would be that; not only should a wealth hunter engage quality advisers in his wealth-building endeavours, but he should also acquire some basic financial literacy to be able to interpret the advice being given

(PLLC), for zero-interest capital equity funds for their wealth-building goals. To go it alone is to achieve it alone and die alone.”

“Whereas to form wealth-building entities in companies of PLLC’s or LLC’s, are the best options available to wealth builders who aim to grow big corporate entities and achieve long-term successes. However, the process of building wealth through LLCs and PLLC makes wealth builders lose some degree of ownership control of their businesses in various possible degrees. The laws guiding private limited companies(LLC), for instance, do not allow single ownership. The ownership of LLCs must be shared between a minimum of two people. You thus cannot run sole proprietorship under a private limited liability company arrangement. Therefore you will need to lose some element of control over other company shareholders. However, wealth-builders can arrange their wealth-building vehicles, whether private or public limited liability entities- such that their articles of association and percentage of equity holdings can allow them some varying degree of voting controls at board meetings. And this is by ensuring that they continue to control their entities along with other shareholders of their companies.”

“The issue about obtaining cheap, incompetent advisors would only lead to obtaining poor consistent results and ultimately result in insolvencies and bankruptcies. Wealth builders that run their businesses by being unduly miserly in using incompetent professional advisers would eventually have themselves to blame.”

“Another investment structure that can be used by wealth-builders outside private and public limited liability vehicles is a partnership. Partnerships can be ordinary or limited. However, partnerships do not immunise or protect partners against personal liability in case of business failures and collapse. For partnership, once the business goes into bankruptcy, the partners will be personally liable for all the losses that may have been accumulated. This same personal liability goes with a sole proprietorship.”

ON QUALITIES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN ENGAGING PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS? “Wealth-builders must use professional consultants for quality advisers. Quality advisers can be obtained from the professional associations of different professions. For instance, wealth-builders that need the services of engineers should get the Nigerian Society of Engineers, and other technical advisory consultancy organisations, to give them a select list of experienced and proven engineering experts to pick from. The same applies to accounting experts from ICAN, expert issuing houses from the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers and the Stock Exchange.”

“The qualities of professional expertise to look out for are; proven competence, the size of projects that such advisers have handled, the length of service provided by such advisers, the quality and size of the entities that have been advised, and the quality of the financial position of such professional advisers.

“In my case, even though I took the trouble to be professionally versatile, I still engage the services of professional advisers to better achieve my wealth-building projects. I cannot claim to be an expert in all the skills I have utilised in my wealth-building journey. Even with my professional competence in some areas, I still have to use professionals to help me wade through the various challenges I have and am facing. Experts in different professions who are more experienced than I have had to be consulted. However, my competence and knowledge levels in different professions have helped me to relate to and quickly understand the inputs of various professional experts with whom I have. I am still relating in my life wealth-building journey. It has also allowed me to cross the t’s and dot the i’s faster and better than those wealth builders without professional versatility”.

Read the full article at https://www.thisdaylive.com

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SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R APRIL 24, 2022

INTERNATIONAL UK-Rwandan Asylum Deal and African Security: Mitigating Recolonisation and Obnoxious Migration

T

he United Kingdom-Rwandan Asylum Deal (UK-RAD) is a manifestation of a terrible thing in righteousness.

It is doing a wrong thing to promote righteousness using the diplomacy of stick and carrot approach.The deal reminds one of the observation of diplomacy as the art of telling someone to prepare to go to hell and the person will be eager to go there.The UK-RAD is not in any way different: the United Kingdom has asked Rwanda to accept self-enslavement, obnoxious international migration, and recolonisation. Rwanda, probably for economic insolvency, happily accepts to do so. African leaders wither thou art? African ancestors, what is happening to your descendants? When there are only two ethnic groups, the Tutsi and the Hutus, there was a genocidal war.

Now efforts are being internationally made to introduce a third multiracial group in Rwanda. Why are African leaders becoming so myopic?

On Friday, 8th April 2022, the UK signed a deal on illegal immigrants.

The sum of N120m ($156 million) is to be given to the Government of Rwanda within the framework of a 5-year economic development partnership programme to tackle the problem of unwanted illegal migrants seeking refuge in the United Kingdom. The deal, which was appended to by the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, and Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Vincent Biruta, in Kigali, allows for issuance of a one-way ticket to Rwanda and giving priority to single men who arrived on boats or lorries to the UK. All illegal migrants or asylum seekers who accept to go to Rwanda are to be integrated into Rwandan communities, protected under Rwanda law, and given equal access to employment and enrolment in the healthcare and social care services.

Without doubt, several perturbing questions cannot but be raised in understanding the ratio decidendi of the deal: Why the choice of Africa, and particularly Rwanda? Admittedly, the United Kingdom is seriously challenged by irregular migration: 8,404 migrants arrived in the UK in 2020 and the number increased sharply to 28,526 in 2021, thus representing an increase of 29.46 %. Where did these people come from? Are they all illegal migrants coming from Africa? The mere fact that priority will be given to migrants arriving in small boats and lorries suggest that some of the migrants might be crossing the English Channel to the UK, implying that the illegal migrants are also from Europe? In this regard, why should European illegal migrants be exported to Rwanda or any part of Africa for colonisation? European migration to South Africa led to introduction of obnoxious apartheid policies. British migration to Zimbabwe ended up in Chimurenga policies that remained an unresolved issue between Robert Mugabe before he died and the UK. What will the new UK-RAD lead to?

DimensionsofUK-RAD Migration in international law and relations is a very critical issue, particularly between the developed world and the developing countries.The developed world is generally very hostile to migration, regular or irregular, to their countries, while the developing world supports it for various reasons. Even when migration is not irregular, the problems of integration, especially in terms of xenophobia, racism, unequal access to social security, abound. Consequently, the UK-RAD is not simply an issue between the UK and Rwanda, but more generally between the developed countries and Africa.

For some African scholars, the impoverishment of Africa is largely traceable to colonisation, and therefore, the impoverished Africans who are now seeking greener pastures in the developed world do have the legitimate right to seek refuge in the developed world, in protest or otherwise. Besides, the colonialists are believed to have bred leaders that enslave their followers in Africa. They oppress their people. It is democracy à la manu militari in Africa. To escape merciless dictatorship at home, people seek to migrate to where they believe they can get succour. Migration is therefore about survival. Put differently, migration, though unwanted by the developed countries, is a burden that many African elite believe is inevitable for the developed world.

And true enough again, the international community has been seized with the question of migration but to no avail. The Delegation of Nigeria recalled at the 92nd Session of the Council of the International Organisation for Migration in New York, held on 28 November 2006 that,‘at the High-Level Dialogue in New York from 14 to 15 September 2006, many States affirmed that international migration was a growing phenomenon, intrinsic to human nature and a key component in both developing and developed countries.’

“

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Biruta ‘In this regard,’ Nigeria further submitted, since migration holds opportunities and at the same time a challenge to all countries, whether as countries of origin, transit, or destination, ‘partnerships between governments and the private sector, employers and trade unions, civil society and local governments, as well as other stakeholders, are critical in addressing migration and development issues. Partnerships are needed to address capacity building in both countries of origin and destination to formulate coherent migration policies on the need to combat brain drain, enhance the protection of the rights of migrants, promote integration of migrants into host society…, fight against human trafficking and people smuggling, stem irregular migration and deal with the root causes of international migration.’The import of Nigeria’s submission is that there is the need for mutual understanding through partnership in addressing the challenges and opportunities of migration.

At the level of the UK-RAD, the main problem of illegal migration is, à priori, that of insecurity and how to learn from history.

Learning from history is necessary because land cannot but become an issue in the aftermath of the UK-RAD. The illegal migrants going to Rwanda may also seek the acquisition of land which has always been a major rationale for conflict in Africa. The Fulani are being encouraged to flood Nigeria and they are currently at loggerheads with indigenous farmers over their titled land.

In Zimbabwe, land was the first reason for the country’s Chimurenga. The word chimurenga, is from Shona language. It is generally synonymous with sustained revolutionary struggle for equality, human rights, political dignity, and social justice. It is used to refer to the first, second and third Zimbabwean struggle against the British colonialists for review of land ownership policy which was discriminatory and very detrimental to the

The question to ask is why Britain wants self-preservation in terms of self-identity and culture, but is encouraging illegal migrants to go to Africa? What are the nationalities of the would-be migrants? How do we know the extent of their radicalism? Are jihadist terrorists not among them? Why are efforts spiritedly being made to Fulanise and Islamise Nigeria? Are the people who refused to acknowledge that black people who were escaping war in Ukraine and seeking safety at the Polish borders and others have right as Europeans to survive not part of the refugees coming to Rwanda? If not, will the refugees not become destabilisation agents? There was the time Morocco made efforts to Join the ECOWAS apparently to be used as conduit pipe for EU products to the ECOWAS so that the EU products can qualify to be considered as originating from the ECOWAS region. Today it is another strategy, UK-RAD, the long-term objective of which cannot but be to lay new foundations for a new recolonisation and hegemony. This agenda is not acceptable and should be promptly completely nipped in the bud. In doing so, a gradual process of mitigating all efforts at recolonisation in whatever form, beginning with the illegal and obnoxious migration of the UK-RAD type, should be set aside

interest of African Zimbabweans.

The first Chimurenga, generally considered as the first War of Independence, is about the Ndebele and Shona uprising against the administration of the British South Africa Company in 1896-1897. It was a resistance struggle against‘stolen dignity, land and heritage by blacks.’The British were ‘attracted by fertile lands, rich minerals and cheap human resources,’in setting out to conquer Zimbabwe.

While the Zimbabweans were still challenged by rinderpest and drought, the white settlers arrived and appropriated their land. This prompted the M’Limo-led revolt. The number of casualties at the end of the revolt is thought-provoking: the Europeans had only 188 injuries and 450 deaths, while 8000 Africans lost their lives because of their inferior weapons. As noted in https://revision.co.zw‘the whites had dynamites, maxim guns and powders whilst the Africans have bows, arrows and spears.’ The whole essence of the revolt was to resist the acquisition of their fertile land by the foreign aggressors. r The second Chimurenga was fought from 4 July 1964 to 12 December 1979 because the problems of land deprivation, cattle D keeping k restrictions, inequalities in the education and health sectors t were yet to be addressed. The struggle therefore moved from mere m or non-violent agitation for reform to violent armed struggle.

Besides, the need to bring colonisation to an end was considered B another a desideratum. This second Chimurenga led to the removal in i 1980 of the Rhodesian government. In fact, the crescendo of the t struggle was the Third Chimurenga which essentially focused on o Land Redistribution and Reform. It was initiated under Robert Mugabe on 15 July 2000.

M What is important to note here is that the Land Tenure Act of 1969 repealed and replaced the Land Apportionment Act, and divided r land l into European, African and National Land. Minority Europeans were w given 45,000 acres while majority Africans were also given 45,000 acres. 6,500 acres were reserved as National Land. More 4 d disturbingly, the area of land given to the whites under colonisat was the most fertile. That of Africa Zimbabweans was horrible. tion C Consequently, Robert Mugabe reversed this situation on the side o equity, fairness and justice, a situation that partly prompted the of U to promise the Mugabe government compensation. The UK did UK n pay fully the compensation mutually agreed to. The problem not o land allocation in Zimbabwe is still recidivist. of In fact, in Rwanda, 75% of the land is for agriculture of which 1 is for permanent crop land, and of which 0.6% is irrigated, 10% 6 is marshland. 19% of the total land is forest. This means that 6% t impending influx of illegal migrants from the UK to Rwanda the will impact on this agricultural structure. Besides, Rwanda had a population of about 13.26m in 2021. Rwanda ‘is the most densely populated mainland African country among countries larger than 10,000 km2. 12.6 million live on 26,338 km2 or 10,169 sq mile of land.

Perhaps most notably, the biggest problem in Rwanda has been the issue of demographic pressure. It has been observed that‘since 1959, Rwanda’s political and social instability has had serious economic repercussions. Intense demographic pressure, the shortage of arable land, and lack of access to the Indian ocean have been three critical problems in Rwanda’s economic development.’

With this problem of shortage of arable land and demographic pressure, where is common sense in seeking to deepen the demographic pressure? The illegal migrant coming to Rwanda to seek legality of their status will be authorised to struggle for the share of the small arable land. They will surely engage in the subsistence agriculture in which 90% of the current working population contribute more than 40% to the GDP. There is no way the prescription of Nigeria’s Afro-beat maestro, Fela Anikulapo, will not come true in Rwanda: ‘when trouble sleeps and Yanga go wake am, wetting idey find, palaver idey find, palaver idey find oooo.’This type of palaver must be prevented because of its deeper implications of potentiality for recolonisation and general insecurity

ImpendingRecolonisationandInsecurity UK-RAD is a pointer to an impending recolonisation of Africa by proxy and illegal migration within the framework of globalisation which exists in several dimensions: economic, political, cultural, technological, banking industry, diplomatic, and automotive industry globalisation. The most critical tools of globalisation are internet; communication technology; especially with the introduction of 4G and 5G technologies; IoT and AI technologies; blockchain, which facilitates the secure access to data required in the healthcare, banking industries and others.

With this technology-driven globalisation, we observe that the UK-RAD has the potential to serve as a counter-order to the existing order in Rwanda, the outcome of which cannot but be disorder.

Explained differently, Rwanda may have a new wave of insecurity that can surpass the 1994 genocidal crisis in the foreseeable future.

Currently, the Rwanda environment is apparently peaceful, but this situation may not be so with the likely implementation of the UK-RAD. According to https://www.theglobaleconomy.com, the crime statistics in Rwanda show that kidnappings in the period from 2008 to 2013,haveanaveragevalueof0.1kidnappingsper100,000peoplewith a minimum of 0.1 kidnappings per 100,000 in 2008 and a maximum of 0.2 kidnappings per 100,000 in 2013. The latest value from 2013 is 0.2 kidnappings per 100,000 people. The world average in 2013 based on 83 countries is 1.7 kidnappings per 100,000 people. This simply means that kidnapping is not really a big deal in Rwanda with a figure quite below the global average of 1.7.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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351

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022

CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN The constitution has explicit provisions against inequality or bias, argues IKENNA EMEWU

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

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

This little concern of mine is that any amendment that makes provisions for special rights for women or men has invariably contradicted the same constitution that provides for equality XQWLO ZH ÀUVW DPHQG WKDW FODXVH RQ equality.

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

So long as those clauses in our constitution remain intact, I doubt WKH HIÀFDF\ RI DQ\ LQIXVLRQ RI VSHFLDO rights to a particular gender in the same document. It would be a serious contradiction in the same document.

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

We also have other applicable laws in Nigeria such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that have grown since 1948 to a universal standard rule and also the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR), already domesticated into municipal application all decreeing nonbias on reasons of sex and total equality of the sexes. Article 2 of the UHR is particularly against biases on sex or other considerations, just like Article 13 (1)(2) (3) of the ACHPR. Regardless, there are areas such as the appointment of women based on the state of marriage that need to be looked into, no doubt. It has so many times ridiculed many states canvassing that a woman married in their state from another state won’t be appointed to a SDUWLFXODU RIÀFH 2QH RI WKH GRZQVLGHV RI WKDW EOLQG À[DWLRQ LV WKDW LW RYHUORRNV the basic truth that a woman from state A married in state B has children who are native to her state of marriage and whatever she earns in an appointment is what she would invest in raising her FKLOGUHQ WR WKH EHQHÀW RI KHU VWDWH RI marriage.

For instance, she is dropped and a

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

As per marriage to a Nigerian woman by a foreign husband and conferring citizenship on the husband, that should be the choice of the husband to drop his existing citizenship, especially as Nigeria GRHV DFFHSW RQO\ TXDOLÀHG GXDO FLWL]HQVKLS on certain grounds. And it would not work if the conditions don’t fall within the acceptable range.

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

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

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

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

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

I could not see if the Beijing Declaration RI RQ DIÀUPDWLYH DFWLRQ IRU ZRPHQ was adopted as a Convention of the 81 DQG UDWLÀHG E\ VWDWH SDUWLHV %XW , however, saw that the 189 state parties of the UN adopted the agreement, which is good, but technically has some inherent disabilities in adoption or domestication at the municipal application, since it is just an agreement that does not carry the force of law and not declaratory of international law.

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

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

Today in Nigeria in non-elective positions such as the professional and public service areas, there are places that women now dominate. For instance, I am persuaded that in some states, there are more women judges than men. From the days of Governor Bola Tinubu in Lagos, I have a feeling Lagos has had more female high court judges and chief magistrates than men. Last year December, Lagos appointed nine female high court MXGJHV DQG ÀYH PDOH FRXQWHUSDUWV Coincidentally, there are two judges from my very little community of origin. Guess what? Both are women - one at the Court of Appeal and the other at the National Industrial Court (NIC) That is on merit, and we love it and celebrate them to the heavens.

Emewu, journalist, writes from AfriChina Media Centre, Lagos

THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION SEUN AWOGBENLE contends that the funding of public universities by the government is no longer sustainable Nigeria is a country of many contradictions, almost everywhere you turn, there is something that just does not add up. For a long time, it is this illogic that has underpinned our policies and national life. What is however confounding is that, even when there is a consensus on what is expectedly the way forward, there is either a lack of political will, courage, or the outright complicity of the political class.

Take the petrol subsidy for example, which is expected to take about N4 trillion, almost Nigeria’s total revenue in 2021. By the time you consider the N3.8 trillion that is also expected to be expended on debt servicing, it is easy to conclude that Nigeria is spending if not all its revenue on petrol subsidy and debt servicing.

This is even at a time, when we all agree, that the petrol subsidy is no longer sustainable, but the government has continued to dither and can hardly muster the courage that is required at a time like this. Contradiction.

In addition to the petrol subsidy, the government is also currently subsidising either in part or fully, Agriculture, Health and Education. I have written extensively on Education in the past, this is because I have a conscious awareness of what we can achieve, as a nation if we can get both basic and higher education right, it is the most sustainable way to reduce poverty and create shared prosperity, but events like the ongoing ASUU strike, which is the 17th time, since 1999 continue to cast a dark cloud on the suitability and sustainability of our higher Education.

At the centre of the strike debacle, is the funding of higher Education and the role of government. The primary reason for this contradiction is that Nigeria currently spends more than four times on higher education than it spends on basic education. But despite this funding, it has remained insufficient and ineffective, so much that between 90-95% of budget allocation to Tertiary institutions are spent on personnel cost, there is therefore hardly anything left for research and innovation which should be the raison d’etre of tertiary education.

Nigeria is perhaps the only country, where it is more expensive to access basic education than it is to get a higher education; whereas in other parts of the world, the emphasis is on free and compulsory basic education, because it is this level of education that provide students with, literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills, which are the core objective of learning. Higher education is not a right and should presumably not be tuition free, the challenge however is that the government over the years, have decided to subsidise higher education as an attempt to cover up the failure of our basic, post basic and senior secondary education to meet its objectives.

When you look at our higher education PRGHO QRERG\ DSSHDUV WR EH EHQHÀWWLQJ neither the government, parents nor the VWXGHQWV DUH EHQHÀWWLQJ IURP WKH SUHVHQW arrangement, because matter of factly, what is the essence of an education that is free, but lacks the quality that should prepare graduates for the future of jobs?

To situate the current challenge within the right context, there are at least three H[LVWHQWLDO LVVXHV WKH ÀUVW LV WKH IHHGLQJ ERWWOH ÀQDQFLQJ DUUDQJHPHQW IRU SXEOLF higher institutions which has made higher institutions heavily dependent on JRYHUQPHQW 7KH RWKHU RQH LV RXU ÁDZHG model which places funding priority on higher education than basic education, and ultimately the political courage that is required to implement the necessary reforms that are critical to reimagine higher education funding in Nigeria.

Prof. Tunde Rahmon Bello, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, has been widely referenced, for his

categorisation of funding sources for XQLYHUVLWLHV DFFRUGLQJ WR %HOOR WKH ÀYH key funding sources for a university include proprietor’s fund, endowments, research, and innovation grants and, investments and businesses. However, Nigerian public universities draw their funding majorly from the proprietor’s fund, in this instance the government.

This has created what I earlier described DV D IHHGLQJ ERWWOH ÀQDQFLQJ DUUDQJHPHQW overreliance, and overdependence on the government, when the other funding sources have been left untapped.

A simple fact that we can all agree on is that the funding of public universities by the government, is no longer sustainable and does not conform with global SUDFWLFH RQ KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ ÀQDQFLQJ This is the simple truth and bitter reality, no matter how uncomfortable it may sound. Our public universities must be allowed some level of autonomy to be self-governing.

The question then would be how we can reimagine higher education funding in Nigeria to the point that it can be sustainable and deliver the expected outcome? Fundamentally, the solution is not entirely a standalone or isolated from the broader challenge. My point is that we must start by bringing our post basic and senior secondary education to the point where the products can become valuable, this would mean that we must reform our education to the

Going forward, one thing we all must acknowledge is that, if we must end the strike debacle and reimagine our higher education for the future of jobs, the present funding model for higher education in Nigeria must change point where, every young school leaver does not necessarily need a university education as a minimum requirement to access opportunities. This would have addressed the pressure on both the students, parents and even the universities. I also think this would also create a greater sense of purpose for anyone who is willing to attend a university. The universities on full autonomy, must be compelled to explore funding options such as endowments, research, innovation grants, investments, and businesses. I am convinced that if the universities can be self-governing, they can be considerably self-sustaining.

However, the government can repurpose part of the funding directly to students, through merit-based scholarship and state backed loan.

Going forward, one thing we all must acknowledge is that, if we must end the strike debacle and reimagine our higher education for the future of jobs, the present funding model for higher education in Nigeria must change Seun Awogbenle, seunawogbenle@gmail.com

4 52

T H I S D AY SUNDAY APRIL 24, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

RENEWED VIOLENCE ON THE PLATEAU

I

All the stakeholders should stand united behind the peace deals

n the aftermath of recent gruesome attacks highlighting renewed insecurity in Plateau State, dozens of persons from 10 communities in Kanam and Wase local councils were on Monday buried in a mass grave. Some gunmen riding on motorbikes and wielding sophisticated weapons had earlier invaded the communities, shooting sporadically, killing, and setting alight homes. We commiserate with the families that have now been thrown into mourning and wish speedy recovery for the injured. We also condemn in the strongest terms this bestiality. And since the sanctity of life means nothing to these blood-thirsty criminals, no effort should be spared in tracking them down and bringing an end to their madness.

While the Kanam attack was perhaps the worst since the beginning of the year, Plateau State - which prides itself as the ‘Home of Peace and Tourism’ KDV IRU ORQJ EHHQ ÀWWLQJO\ described as the home of violence. The latest attack has created a huge humanitarian crisis in the communities.

More than 5000 people are reportedly currently rendered homeless. “It is devastating,” said Dayabu Garga, chairman of the Kanam local council. “These people require at least protection. First and foremost, we need to have security outposts, either MOPOL or Army, because if we don’t stop who is going into the forests, there will be more attacks in the future.”

For more than 20 years, sporadic killings have become a recurring staple, almost crippling the state’s once thriving economy that is boosted by temperate climate and tourism.

7KH YLROHQFH LV RIWHQ WUDFHG WR LVVXHV UDQJLQJ IURP ÀJKWV over indigeneship to clashes between farmers and herders over access to land. Last August, about 90 travellers who attended an annual prayer session of the Islamic New Year were waylaid and attacked by persons described by the police as ‘suspected Irigwe militants and their sympathisers’. The body count was 27 dead. Besides, some 35 persons were killed in Yelwa Zangam, which prompted mourners to take the corpse of a deceased to the State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Miango district of Bassa local government has become a graveyard of sorts. Only last January, some gunmen killed 15 in an attack on Ancha

village, the third in 2022. Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong described the incident as ‘another sad tale in the unending cycle of violent attacks’ in the area despite several measures taken by the government to tackle it. President Muhammadu Buhari who made some feeble statement at the time has merely now just asked everyone to “expose the perpetrators of such incidents, their sponsors and those who encourage such criminals who carry out these dastardly acts of murder, so that the law will take its course.”

What is particularly worrying is that because of these LQFHVVDQW FRPPXQDO FRQÁLFWV PDQ\ FRPPXQLWLHV across the country are self-arming either to protect themselves or for reprisal attacks as bloody battles for supremacy and for the control of land become increasingly alarming. It is one other repercussion of a growing culture of elite indifference to a scourge that has become a vicious cycle.

Yet we are ready to spend more money to investigate ZKDW ZH DOUHDG\ NQRZ EX\ PRUH JXQV WR ÀJKW ZKDW ZH FDXVHG DQG \HW GR QRWKLQJ VFLHQWLÀF WR HQJDJH WKH problem.

Hence the culture of impunity persists because the relevant security agencies have not succeeded in apprehending the entrepreneurs of violence to bring them to justice. There are several questions begging for answers: Why has there been no successful prosecution of anybody involved in this orgy of violence and bloodletting? Also, both the federal and the state governments have, at different times, established judicial commissions and administrative panels of enquiry to LQYHVWLJDWH WKHVH NLOOLQJV ZKDW DUH WKHLU ÀQGLQJV DQG recommendations? What actions have been taken on the reports?

Our inexplicable tin ear to the increasing carnage in the land - by moving on unperturbed - is fast depicting us as a people who place little premium on human lives. Yet when such bestiality becomes a way of life, as it is now in Plateau State and many other centres across Nigeria, those who kill would want to recreate the scenes more often almost like any addict who goes on the high by reliving his addiction. That today is the tragedy of our nation.

Our inexplicable tin ear to the increasing carnage in the land - by moving on unperturbed - is fast depicting us as a people who place little premium on human lives

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

AFRICA AND THE HORN OF HUNGER It has become clear for all to see that Russia`s costly folly in Ukraine is reverberating far beyond the borders of the heroic Eastern European country which has taken a courageous last stand against a shameless dictatorship. Many people around the world who were roasting in the ÀUH RI KXQJHU IRU ORQJ PXVW QRZ ODPHQW WKH coming of the harmattan season blown their way by the war in Ukraine among other factors. The projections are as dire as they come.

According to the United Nations, 20 million people could starve this year after delayed rains worsened already brutal droughts in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.

The droughts in the Horn of Africa which has destroyed crops and livestock forcing many people to leave their homes in search of food and water has left the region on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.

Amidst nature`s fury, the situation of many people caught in the clutches of hunger is simply heartbreaking. According

to the World Food Programme, if current conditions do not abate, six million Somalis, or 40 percent of the population, would be facing extreme levels of food insecurity and there would be a very real risk of famine in the coming months.

In Kenya, about half a million people precariously stand at the lips of hunger with communities to the north of the country in grave danger given their reliance on livestock. Many Kenyans need assistance with food and food security.

In Ethiopia, amidst the truculent tyranny that continues to terrorize the Tigrayan people, malnutrition rates in drought-hit southern and southeastern Ethiopia have leaped above emergency thresholds with the 17-month war between government forces and Tigrayan Rebels showing no signs of abating.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, parts of the drought-hit Horn of Africa region were already reeling from the effects of ongoing

FRQÁLFW SRYHUW\ DQG ORFXVW LQYDVLRQ 7KH FRQÁLFW LQ 8NUDLQH DV ZHOO DV FOLPDWH FKDQJH KDYH DOVR EHHQ ÀQJHUHG DV FXOSULWV in scorching the pots and pans of many families in the Horn of Africa.

What can be said about a continent of such rich gifts but blinding poverty? What can be said about a continent where the poverty of children and their families has become so personal that they go hungry while staring down the bottomless emptiness of bare plates?

Experience has never failed to teach humanity that at the end of the day, it is the most vulnerable people anywhere that are left with the dregs, with the craps that fall from the children`s table.

Across much of the horn of Africa, conflicts as senseless as the savagery of those who stoke them, fueled by arms that make unaccountable journeys from Western arms industries.

7KHVH FRQÁLFWV GHYDVWDWH FRPPXQLWLHV ZLWK

massacres, rapes and sow hunger. In spite of the heroic efforts of many humanitarian organizations, unless the root causes of these FRQÁLFWV DUH DGGUHVVHG DQG WKRVH ZKR IXHO them put away for good, treatment will continue to be reserved for symptoms and not causes.

Urgent efforts must also be made to address climate change at the world level and every country that has the interest of children as well as unborn generations at heart must key in. Experience has shown that as the world`s climate keeps changing, it is the circumstances of the most vulnerable children and their families that change for the worse.

The urgency of the situation must receive the stridency it deserves so that someday, cheers can rise for a continent and a world where no child lives hunger as a daily harrowing reality.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

24.4.2022

R

evered for her impeccable sense of style, Mrs. Funke ArthurWorrey has built an enviable personality of a style icon in her heydays that resonates till now.

She looked radiant in her floor length wine floral dress as she received this reporter into her sprawling Victoria Island home. Her wellmanicured fingernails were eye-catching, olive green themed. And her skull cap wig adorned her oblong face.

For Mrs. Arthur-Worrey, April 23 of every year is a unique milestone in her life. This year, she turned 95. The ‘birthday girl’ is excited about her new age. “I feel happy and good to be alive to witness my 95th birthday. It is not by my power but by my maker. It is a wonderful feeling because when you start life as a youth, you don’t know where you are going. But my youth was wonderful in Lagos because I was always surrounded by all my relatives and family.”

For those who have followed her life trajectory, Mrs. Arthur-Worrey is often referred to as a rare breed because of her youthful nature.

Is there any special diet that has kept her over the years? “As said earlier, my God has been gracious to me. Also, I don’t have any special diet. You will be surprised, ask the children, I eat anything unless it is something I don’t want to eat. Let’s say I come to you now, whatever you cook for me to eat, I will eat. But then if I don’t like something I don’t eat it.

“Anyway, I eat well. Anytime I go out and somebody says to me, ‘grandma you still eat meat?’ I eat meat but the thing is, I eat everything in moderation and I drink a lot of water. I was so afraid that one day I had to ask my doctor. And I told the doctor the way I drink water. I hope it is not too much. And he said no, it is not too much that I should keep on drinking. But I love our vegetables. We are so blessed with varieties of vegetables that are organic and fresh.”

She lost her parents earlier in life. Invariably, this pain had helped to deepen her appreciation of life.

“My father died at the age of 57 and my mother died at the age of 60 plus. Then my grandfathers on both sides, my step brother, and grandmother lived up to a 100-year plus.”

Mrs. Arthur-Worrey has a rich pedigree having been born into the popular Ogunmade Chieftaincy House of Onilegbale, Olowogbowo, Isale-Eko on Lagos Island and her mother, Mrs. Ibironke Davies nee Oluga hailed from Kenta Okebode in Agbo-Ile Untowa, Abeokuta in Ogun State. One of her siblings was the popular late Lagos lawyer, H.O Davies.

“My father was Ezekiel Akindele Davies Ogunmade. My grandfather, my great grandfather, are both from Isale Eko. Lagos was my oasis because of the radius of Lagos from Tinubu to Obalende and Obalende to Olowogbowo and Isale Eko. Lagos people then were like a family. I remember having cousins, aunties in Idumagbo – Oyingbo. So it was wonderful. I did not know anybody more than my people and friends in Lagos at that time.”

Talking glowingly about growing up in the Lagos of ‘old’, she described the experience as a communal living rooted in the word of God. “It was a communal living in those days because what we grew up to know is that our grandparents were there for us. Both my paternal and maternal grandfathers were living at Olowogbowo. And from day one, their house was like a house of birds, that have children and families. You have to go there to see them, your husband and wife, and they set good examples.

You have to be a Christian one, and a solid Methodist. You have to go to Sunday School, and on Sunday while you are in the house with my father, you have to pray at 6 o’clock in the morning. We ate together. And then these people were disciplined. They inculcated good

OLUFUNKE ARTHUR-WORREY

Cascade of Memories at 95 Her animated nature as well as the remarkable ability to infuse humour into any situation has been an asset in her 95 years of existence. Quick-witted, Mrs. Funke Arthur-Worrey has the physique and agility of a woman in her late 60s. Her recollections are as vivid as assessment of current global developments. Age hasn’t slowed her down; she rocks every day. As she turns 95, the nonagenarian tells Funke Olaode she is excited about her new age and hopes for a better Nigeria- one that is more inclusive of women.

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

54

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

COVER In My Life Time, My Only Desire is to See Women Becoming Nigeria’sVice-President

Arthur-Worrey with son, Fola (left) and Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo during her 90th anniversary in 2017

Arthur-Worrey at age 16 in 1943

L-R Late husband, Steady, son, Fola, late daughter, Biola and Mrs Arthur-Worrey in England

character and values in us.”

“Lagos was beautiful. You know our Lagos, we were so close, there was no discrimination whether you are from Oyo, Calabar, or from whatever place. Once you come to Lagos and manage to have contact with any one of us or you come to my door here, and have a baby by accident, you are my family. And things were so cheap and there was no security like this. Lagos was so safe and clean, I remembered our gutters, we had these sanitary inspectors going round.

The street must always be clean. Lagos was beautiful. It was fantastic, safe and friendly.

Now, you don’t trust me and I don’t trust you.”

For Mrs. Arthur-Worrey having educated and prosperous parents was a plus for those growing up in that era. “It was a privileged beginning. My father was a produce examiner, he was working with the Ministry of Produce. And my mother as far as I can remember was trading in clothing.

Then suddenly with a friend, whose name I cannot remember now, they got this contract. They used to go to Apapa and buy all these military wears, like the shirts, trousers, caps and I think after the Second World War, all those materials were being sold around. Like this seal cap, the helmet, belt, shoes. It was so popular in Nigeria because of the material, especially from the north, they used to come and buy from everywhere, because my mother’s shop was at Idumota. They would bring all these things to that shop and then they sell them again in bulk to traders. Some people used to use helmets to cook or boil water because it was so strong. I remember she had about three of her siblings selling with her and we were going to school of course.”

Mrs. Arthur-Worrey began her early education at Olowogbowo Methodist School on the Island. From there, she proceeded to Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba. She had a job at a Bata Shoe company where she worked. She married her late husband, Mr. Steady whom she met in 1950. During her sojourn abroad with her husband, she developed herself further. She is a qualified secretary by profession and also holds a diploma in Fashion and Design from Paris Academic of Fashion and another diploma in Social Studies from Ohio State University, United States.

Recalling the tales of how she met her late husband through her elder brother,

the late Lagos famous lawyer, Hezekiah Oladipo Davies, she said it was love at first sight. “My brother and his wife returned from England and we were all excited to see them. And one day he said, ‘Our son is coming’ and for some time he used to say ‘If steady was here, he would have done this.’

For about six months, we kept hearing about this Steady, we did not have a clue who Steady was but we had to listen to them. Then one day they called us and said Steady is coming to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Steady’s father, Arthur-Worrey and brother H.O. Davies were friends in England when they were students. And then he had to come back to Nigeria, because he was a Miner in Jos so he came back to Nigeria. When the elder Arthur-Worrey was going to England, he took his three boys, Andrew, Peter and Steady to go and watch the coronation of King Edward. They ended up in England schooling.

But then two of the boys married whites. Steady, who later became my husband said he would never marry a white woman. That he is going back to Nigeria to marry a Nigerian. He was just harping on this. Eventually the opportunity came and they said he was coming, so eventually Steady arrived.

When the car brought him, we all had to line up because then I had my three sisters with me and two nephews and relatives. My brother was happy to meet this Steady, and introduced us and said this is Jumoke, Tokunbo, then when he came to me, he said this is Funke. So Steady held my hand and said, ‘Funke how are you? And he said, ‘You are going to be my wife.’

“If the young Funke was embarrassed by Steady’s blunt attitude, the flame of love was already burning inside of her. She loved him too.

Steady went to his primary assignment as a teacher in Birnin Kebbi in the present Kebbi State where he taught for nine months. The harsh weather coupled with the love of his life in Lagos, Steady quit his job in the far north and relocated to Lagos to the love of his life.

“While he was away in Kebbi, we communicated via letters and telegraph. Steady returned from the north and asked for my hand in marriage and he promised my family that he would look after me. He travelled back to England in 1950 and I joined him in 1951. I boarded a ship to London and arrived in Liverpool Street after 13 days. My husband was posted outside London but I was in London for some time with the popular Mrs. Sholanke of the West African Students’ Union (WASU). Before I left for England, I had been tutored on etiquettes by the famous half-cast from the West Indies, Mrs. Ferguson Rennyk of Tinubu Square for about two weeks on how to handle the fork and knife, and courtesies. This was in 1951.”

How would she describe the culture shock?

“Thank God, I was lucky. Mrs. Rennyk has made a woolly coat and I was prepared for the winter, this was in February. The weather was bad and the atmosphere was just dark even in the afternoon. I said no, I am going back to Nigeria. But Mrs. Sholanke encouraged me to stay so that I would get used to it. By that time, they were all there, the room was warm. From there my life changed, and Steady was going up and down, and all families in London and our friends were all there. That is how I started my wonderful life with Steady in London.”

After many years in England, the ArthurWorreys returned to Lagos. Her husband got a job with the Ministry of Justice and having qualified as a secretary in England, she also joined S.O Oil Company. She later moved to Irvin and Burner, a law firm where she spent the next nine years. Her husband moved from the Ministry of Justice to become the legal adviser for defense.

“Our lives were on a roller coaster. My late husband was a good man who didn’t joke with his family. When we were in England, we made a little money. I was working on and off.

The man just loved travelling. We were always going on these small holidays on weekends.

We used to go round. So at that time I had that opportunity of going round England and then to Europe, to Paris, Scandinavian. It was a pleasure knowing and marrying him.”

Life they say is not a bed of roses. Mrs. Arthur-Worrey has had her own fair share.

She had suffered personal tragedies in the past having lost her husband 12 years ago.

But more devastating was the loss of her only daughter, Biola in 1967; a pupil of Queens College, Lagos. It was a wound which the passage of time has refused to heal. But being surrounded by her only surviving son and former Solicitor-General of Lagos State, Fola Arthur-Worrey, her loved ones and her church, St. Saviour Church’s unending love, she is eternally grateful.

Voicing her view on the state of the nation, Arthur-Worrey was diplomatic in her response. “First of all, it is not only Nigeria that is changing, the world is changing and the world has changed. But then when you hear or read about the other countries, even in Africa they are still managing to make their people comfortable. They have enough water, they have enough food, they have enough electricity.

And things are too expensive for the ordinary people, I don’t know how they manage. I am proud of our women in Nigeria. When you go

out, you see them in the morning about 5 o’clock, they go from here to Oshodi, they go to Osogbo, Ilesa to buy things. And then when you go out, especially on this street, you go out there in the morning, 6 o’clock, 7 o’clock, who are the people feeding the nation? It is the women. So I look at them and ask ‘’how do they manage?”

She thought the government could do better.

Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has been abundant in human and material resources. She still remembered the hope for Nigeria on that special day in history.

“We were so happy, but now honestly I don’t know whether we made that mistake. But I should not say that because we have been enjoying this freedom and there is nothing as being free. But now we don’t trust each other. Before we used to go to Badagry from here to buy fish, port around and look at artefacts and enjoy ourselves and come back, there was no problem. We used to go to Osogbo, I remember I and the International Women Society then used to take people around especially when I was the treasurer for Museum Society. We travelled round Nigeria freely, we will go to Osogbo, we will go to Jos, we will go to Benin especially to see our fabulous artefacts the way they were kept. The way they are still making it.

Considering the wealth we have in Nigeria, we should not suffer. We have food, the weather is good but now people can hardly eat.”

Gender equality is still a subject of global discourse and for Nigeria in particular, it has become worrisome that no remarkable progress has been recorded for women inclusion in governance. Mrs. Arthur-Worrey said Nigerian women have come a long way and they deserve the best.

“Nigerian women are wonderful, brilliant.

We have been fighting since, what is wrong with having a woman president? Okay if they don’t want to give us a woman president, give us a vice president, the women of Nigeria deserve to have that. Look at India, and Germany, Markel just left recently. And then in Sri Lanka too. Women deserve to be the vice president especially in Nigeria. We have so many brilliant women, everything they touch is good and they are the ones that are pushing our economy. It is about time men let us have the chance of letting Nigeria to enjoy the good of Nigeria.”

Giving tips on life lessons, Mrs. Arthur Worrey echoed the popular saying ‘whatever will be, will be.’ “That is my life lesson because whether you are brilliant or not, you don’t know your tomorrow but be content with what you have. First of all you must believe whether you are a Muslim or Christian, you must believe in God. Once you believe in God and you are faithful to God, your life will be easy. Be faithful to yourself and be kind to your neighbours.

You must be a bit generous, think of your neighbours, try to help and be content with what you have.”

At 95, her life has been on a roller coaster and she said she is not afraid of death. “Of course I am ready, unless it is not my time. If it is my time, I am ready with joy to meet my God. My life has been good, I thank my God almighty that I have had a wonderful life.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

55

GLITZ PERSONALITY livelihood to over 100,000 Nigerians.

A Man of High Ethics

I

f Mike Adenuga’s story reads like a business legend, it’s probably because he has always been an enterprise stylist. Adept at combining grit with desire, his life espouses crucial entrepreneurial anecdotes by its metaphorrich manifestations of his hard work. At work and at play, Adenuga shifts gear seamlessly between the whimsical and the earnest, demonstrating time and over again his ability to tame challenges and ride out storms - without falling prey to Scylla and Charybdis of cynicism and failure. All in the pursuit of glory.

At the cusp of his 69th anniversary, the social and business landscapes pulse with milestones he has achieved thus reasserting his worth as a rare force of nature. As family and friends join him in celebrating his 69th birthday, the image that pops in the head is that of the genius, and the passionate intensity he brings to entrepreneurship. Typically, he would not roll out the drums in celebration as he is widely known as patently self-effacing.

However, the day would avail his family and friends, mentees, employees, associates, and admirers worldwide, a rare opportunity to extol, recall, and recount the virtues of the man fondly called the Pillar of Prosperity.

A smart business person, Adenuga is a bold disrupter of the telecoms model. And Nigeria and Africa are the better for it. He enables telecoms in a way no other magnate has done. His forays into the business sector are richly layered and iconic.

Inspiring, moving, pleasurable, and transcendent, Adenuga ultimately does create a composite image of endeavour and an ideal ethic of manhood. His style is driven, prudent, empathetic and boundless.

The Stormrider

In the mottled landscape of Nigerian businessmen, Dr Mike Adenuga, the trillionaire Chairman of Globacom, is like a burst of the rainbow through a very cloudy sky. He is audacious and innovative, and despite the size of the telecommunications company, very hands-on and almost omnipresent in every department. He was quoted as saying in a tribute to celebrate one of his past birthdays; “You cannot be in my position and be oblivious of developments around you.”

Tales abound of how, since its incorporation, Globacom has never had an advertising agency for its commercials and promotional materials, as is the case with big companies. These are created in-house and underscore the creative bent of the man popularly called ‘The Bull.’ He’s a tireless hard worker. He signs off on all promotional materials and has a hand in every brand ambassador because, despite his legendary self-effacing nature, he is in tune with contemporary culture and trends.

Not surprisingly, millions of youths see him as a quintessential mentor because of his guarded and understated lifestyle amidst business successes.

Also, at Globacom, there are no permanent goodbyes. It is more about ‘see you later.’ There is something about the company that makes former workers return years after leaving.

Some say it has to do with job security and a convivial environment. Others say it is because Adenuga quadruples as a teacher, leader, father, and mentor even as an employer. Adenuga’s rise to acclaim reads like an emotional orchestra.

The symphony is a tour de force—a stunningly acute, intense, and intelligent manifestation not just of his manhood, but also of his dreams, challenges, the pluses and minuses of endeavour, friendship, the vital necessity of creative boredom, the phenomenology of watching his dreams erupt to fruition, and anything and everything else towards which Adenuga directs his supple imagination.

Mike Adenuga at 69: Transcendent Exploits of An Enterprise Stylist Just a few magnates refine the merchant tropes of endeavour, like Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jnr). Through grit and hardwork, he built an octopus-like conglomerate that employs thousands of Nigerians nay Africans in profitable, futuristic endeavours. Despite his achievements, Adenuga nurses no frantic lust for acclaim. With tact and humility devoid of pretence and ostentation, he musters the most heartfelt humanitarian gestures. As the Globacom boss clocks 69 in a few days, Lanre Alfred examines his brilliant manifestations as Africa’s most coveted business icon.

Invested With The Highest National Honours In homage to his humanity and relentless strides at rewriting the African business narrative, the French government invested him with a

Philanthropy is at the heart of everything that Adenuga does. Why a lot of elite philanthropy is about elite causes is not so for Adenuga. Through his eponymous Pan-African philanthropic foundation, the Globacom Chairman helps Nigeria and other African countries to achieve social and economic independence while contributing to an improved future for Nigerians and other African citizens. The foundation puts smiles on people’s faces by creating or supporting initiatives that deliver knowledge, skills, resources and infrastructures that will stimulate innovation, facilitate commerce, drive enterprise and improve living conditions. Its core programme interests are entrepreneurship, education, health, and rural development. The education programme aims to support the study of disciplines that drive innovation and development.

As the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the world, Adenuga dug into the depth of his humanity to support every effort of the federal government to combat the virus, particularly, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s private sector Coalition against COVID-19, donating heavily. In a letter to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Adenuga applauded the federal government’s measures to tackle the pandemic’s impacts on the country, commending the bank for its worthwhile initiatives.

He donated generously to the Lagos government, various bodies, and institutions. Nigerians are still talking about it even as you read.

His Love for Arts, Football

Adenuga’s love for the arts is intrinsic and invaluable. Aside from direct financial commitments, including massive sponsorships, Globacom currently retains the largest number of key players in the entertainment industry as brand ambassadors while upholding that by actively engaging them.

Many entertainers, both established and unheralded, have been blessed immeasurably by this love and patronage.

Though very elusive, he once drove himself to the album launch of Paul Play Dairo, a phenomenon in the Nigerian music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, to the amazement of guests.

When Paul Play fell sick in 2009 and took a long break to treat what many thought was cancer, he confessed that he didn’t try to publicly raise funds because “people like Dr Mike Adenuga were there for me.”

Another major beneficiary of his generosity is Juju music maestro Ebenezer Obey whose eye surgery was sponsored abroad by the Globacom boss. Adenuga also blessed the Miliki exponent with an Escalade SUV.

Journey to Selfhood

Born to the illustrious Adenuga family of Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State on April 29, 1953, growing up in the household, for Adenuga, was like evolving in a brilliant world of dazzling mirrors. Even now, he relives the sparks of magic and tufts of grace wrought in his psyche by his exceedingly principled and loving parents. Adenuga learnt a lot from his parents. From his father, Pa Mike Agbolade Adenuga Snr, he learnt humility, sacrifice, tact, wisdom, and patience. Whatever he learnt from his father was reinforced by his mother, Madam Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga. Both parents taught him to value every human life and relationship.

Adenuga attended Ibadan Grammar School.

After that, he studied Business Administration at Northwestern State University, Alva, Oklahoma, in the United States. He earned a master’s degree at Pace University, New York, majoring in Business Administration.

His sojourn in the U.S. added an inspiring chapter to his impressive history. He attracted national attention as far back as 1991 when his Consolidated Oil Limited struck oil in a commercial quantity, having distinguished himself in the business of importation at the age of 22.

Meets Challenges Head-on, Triumphs in Real Time

Becoming an entrepreneur extraordinaire, Adenuga understands, is never so easy. It takes consistent effort, focus and astounding genius for him to become the modern-day general of commerce that he is today. It took incredible focus, courage and intentionality to carry himself the way he did. To use his gifts and talents, his brilliance and platform, to honour the preciousness of humane enterprise and nationhood. It took humility and grace to seek beyond entrepreneurial exploits, and improve lives via selfless, and fortune-changing philanthropy.

And nothing excites him as much as his octopoidal conglomerate. But while some are busy pushing status and their immense bulk in a desperate dash for socioeconomic and political acclaim, Adenuga affects tact and humility without ostentation or pretence.

Philanthropy

Philosophy

Adenuga

Knight of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Legion d Honneur), the highest French decoration and one of the most famous in the world. Adenuga is the only and first-ever Nigerian to have received the award since its inception. He was recognised and honoured for his “remarkable contribution to the development of the French-Nigerian relations and appreciation of the French culture.”

Not long ago, he was decorated with Ghana’s highest civilian national honour, the Companion

of the Star of Ghana (CSG), “in recognition of your unique and outstanding contribution to business enterprise both in Ghana and the continent of Africa at large.”

Similarly, in 2012, he was decorated with the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s second-highest national honour after the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), for contributing immensely to the growth and development of the economy and providing a means of

Virtue, according to Adenuga, should be, in the popular estimate, the rule guiding human conduct in business, social and political circuits rather than the exception. “A man is nothing without his virtues,” he argues. Thus he endeavours to do good. But his deeds are done not as an apology or extenuation of his fortune and citizenship of the world. While many rich men propagate virtues as penances for the inaction of the world’s privileged divide, Adenuga imbibes and perpetuates the culture of goodness out of an intrinsic part of his manliness.

Champions often write history. Sometimes they rewrite it. But very few champs excite the splendid tribute of a cheer in the wake of their most glorious feats. Nonetheless, Adenuga strikingly commands the relentless tribute of a cheer.

It reverberates as deafening applause for the extraordinariness of the man who taught Nigeria and Africa to trust in his entrepreneurial depth.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

HighLife

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

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

Political Siamese: The Bond Between Governor Diri and His Predecessor To every rule, there is always an exception.

For the gubernatorial lines of succession in Nigeria, the rule is to have the successor throw the predecessor to the curb. Sometimes, it is a deliberate scheme (although the reason is not clear). Other times, it is just the Nigerian political spirit clearing out the old baggage.

Few times, if any, has it happened that no rift occurred between an incumbent governor and their predecessor. For this, we might have to praise the successive governments of Bayelsa State.

Governor Douye Diri, the incumbent governor of Bayelsa, has once again denied every allegation that there is a conflict between him and his predecessor, Seriake Dickson.

According to him, any falling-out that has been reported by supposed media personnel is imaginary and intended to bring harm to the good names of him and Dickson.

Oba Elegushi

A Peep into the World of Oba Saheed Elegushi Say what you will about equality in the human race, kings and queens are made different. Their royal majesties customarily adorn themselves in colours so brilliantly colourful that they put peacocks and rainbows to shame. Yet, even among this colorful lot, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi is different.

In this 21st Century, there aren’t a lot of truly traditional monarchs around. But Oba Elegushi, Kusenla III, grand lord of the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, wears this title with such fantastic stylishness that all the others that came before him appear to have worn workers’ uniforms in comparison. Indeed, many kings there sit on earthly thrones, but the Elegushi’s kingship cannot be placed near these.

Nigerians tend to overdo things, and the people of the South-west are even more outrageous when they want to be.

Elegushi is the most stylish king to walk the lands of the South-west, cast his eyes towards the East and North, and raise the bars of fashion and fascination. It may be because he has the roots for it, descending from the bluest of blue blood from the Kusenla Ruling House. Or it might be innate as it is generally believed since he was stylish even before ascending the throne.

Have you seen the Elegushi at a high-octane event? Once he passes through a section of the place, it is as though a perfect riot of colours has walked past. Such style is it that even the most conservative and soul-satisfied person would sigh in amazement and envy.

Indeed, there are some destined to walk the earth like rainbows, reminding the rest of us that there is such a thing as luxury and splendor. This is a summary of Elegushi’s lifestyle.

And it all fits him. It fits him oh so well.

Dickson, from his end, also declared unflinching support for Diri and his government. He went ahead to label every rumour of conflict between him and Dickson as hogwash, something to be entertained by briefly and then dumped forever. As a result of this position, Dickson also addressed the issue of past conflicts between them, colouring these alleged conflicts with the same brush of hogwash.

As it now appears to everybody that Diri and Dickson are in this together, people have taken to minding their business rather than trying to throw a wrench into the relationship between the former governor and his successor.

The informed have learned that Diri and Dickson had promised to stay by each other’s side, come rain come sunshine. Thus, it should come as no surprise that every rumour of a rift between the proud gubernatorial figures is

Diri

being snuffed out.

So, with Diri and Dickson, an exception has emerged. And as a reward for this, political figures outside the state have begun referring to the duo as Siamese twins since they appear to be inseparable despite having fairly conflicting opinions.

Vistas of Hope: Jubilation in Lagos as Sanwo-Olu Gets Second Term

Sanwo-Olu

The old saying goes as follows: one good turn deserves another. This maxim, brief though it be, captures the essence of the latest development regarding the prospects of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, especially concerning his second term in government.

The highest authority in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) has given its approval regarding Sanwo-Olu’s second term.

There is no doubting the administrative strength of Governor Sanwo-Olu. Barely three years into his administration, the man has revolutionised the city of Lagos. The fondly expressed motto that Lagos will continue to be fresh and flourishing has really come to life thanks to Sanwo-Olu’s many merits and commitment to the good of the land.

Thus, it was not all that surprising when GAC unanimously declared that Sanwo-Olu is qualified to get a second term due to his good works.

This may just be the first time that the GAC is

coming to such a resolution without resorting to endless hours of argument. The apex body of the political ruling class understands that getting an administrator of Sanwo-Olu’s variety, who will slave away his time and energy for the betterment of the people, and also employ others to share the burden with him, is a rare fortune. Why not let it repeat itself? Why not let Lagos shine among its peers for another 4 years?

The APC primaries are only a few weeks away, so this decision that has been published by the GAC is unparalleled in its influence.

Essentially, except something indescribably untoward happens, the Lagos governorship seat is going back to Sanwo-Olu. Moreover, outside of a few people who dislike him for their reasons, Sanwo-Olu is a darling to the people of Lagos, great and small alike. So, if even the elite body has surrendered their stamp of approval, there is no obstruction worth mentioning that has any chance of holding him back.

Presidential Race: Is Kola Abiola a Contender or Pretender?

Abiola

“I have gone back to the history of Nigeria to look at the party that truly represents Nigeria. I have gone back and I have found out that the oldest living party is the PRP; it still holds those ideals of what Nigeria and democratic practice

should be like.” These are the words that the eldest son of the late MKO Abiola, Kola, spoke a few days ago as he prepared to declare his presidential ambition to the world.

2023 is indeed going to be a very interesting year. As this is the year slated for the presidential election, all kinds of people are making moves to take advantage of the crumbs that fall under the table. Others, of course, have placed themselves at strategic points, happy to eat the fruits of the labour of their father. Kola has been described as being a member of the second category, although he could still fit within the first.

Under the calculations of whoever advises him, Kola has declared his intention to compete with the others for the presidential mantle in Aso Rock, Abuja.

Being the eldest son of the highly regarded Abiola, Kola has won the sympathy of

fellow Nigerians. After all, it was his father that introduced us to these dreams, only he could not take Nigeria very far.

So, will his son be doing that? That is not even the question.

The question is whether Kola is truly interested in transformative governance or is the latest joker to join the house of cards? As one analyst explained it, Kola very likely belongs to the others who have nothing to offer Nigeria but are spending more and more of the country’s wealth in an attempt to secure a place for themselves.

So, it is agreed that Kola will not be getting any mantle, except the mantle of disappointment. To this point, the agreement is that Kola is only motivating others to take up the mantle of overall leadership, and he has no serious interest in the matter. And that is all there is to it.

Finally, Rita Dominic, Fidelis Anosike Tied the Knot Time, for all the importance that we attach to it, is not everything. Who said that a young, beautiful and talented lady has to be married by age 23 or 25? Who said that a man that is around the same age should not consider anything other than building a business and a massive house with parking spaces and fine cars? When did women become furniture and men become carpenters? Well, it is a joy and a delight that legendary Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic, has broken these stereotypes with the darling of her soul, Fidelis Anosike.

It was a very happy day on April 19, 2022, in Imo State when Dominic tied the knot with her heartthrob, Anosike. The wedding ceremony had all categories of notable personalities across the country, especially Nollywood personalities and business people shutting down Owerri. They were there to see beauty among beauties and talent among talents finally get married after being subject

to many speculations and the recurrent “God when!” that is declared on her behalf.

For those who are just following the story, there are several reasons Dominic’s and Anosike’s wedding drew the attention of all and sundry. For one, Dominic has been a notable presence in the Nollywood scene since donkey years. Her beauty and talent always marked her for greatness, and indeed she has achieved it to a great degree. The only problem, according to people who refused to mind their business, was the fact that she remained unmarried.

The reason for Dominic’s abstinence remains a secret known to her and those she deems qualified to know. What is known everywhere is that she found love in the arms of Daily Times boss, Anosike. And they have been together for quite some time, choosing only to make their relationship public sometime in 2020.

Rita Dominic and her husband, Fidelis Anosike

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

HIGHLIFE Money makes strange bedfellows of people, and so does politics. Thus, when both of these factors are involved, their characteristic bizarreness is amplified and even the mute would not be able to stop their mouths from murmuring something. This is the case for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Philip Aduda and the businessman and media influencer, Obi Cubana (real name Obi Iyiegbu). Both of these appear to be nurturing a friendship based on mutual admiration, although folks are bewildered regarding what they have in common.

The old quote goes like this: “I went out to find a friend and could not find one anywhere.

I went out to be a friend and friends were everywhere.” This is one way to describe the charm that has evolved out of Obi Cubana’s increasing popularity in recent days. He might have been a well-known character in the East, but it was only in the last 12 months that the Anambra man came to the national stage.

Cubana is friendly to all, so he does not lack friends. However, it seems like more and more of those he would call his friends are individuals who might not have turned

Ladi Adebutu’s Reckless Talk

What Does Senator Philip Aduda and Businessman, Obi Cubana Have in Common? their heads to look at him a few years ago. Take Senator Aduda, for instance. In recent months, Aduda has been sighted time and again with Cubana, as the budding pair attend social functions together.

A few days ago, Aduda was one of the political dignitaries that attended Cubana’s 47th birthday bash. Alongside other political bigshots like Rochas Okorocha, Aduda was treated with the utmost regard. And when Cubana tweeted about it, he called Aduda his “bro and friend.”

The term ‘5 and 6’ is no longer in vogue but it describes the growing friendship between the Senator and the businessman.

Cubana

Whatever the case, it seems Cubana and Aduda have more in common than ordinary people know.

Segun Opeke: Hardworking DMD of Polaris Bank, Who Works Without Noise

Opeke

The Nigerian corporate block is currently replete with scores of individuals who are trying their best to bear the mandate of their respective organizations. Segun Opeke is one of these individuals and he is indeed bearing the marks and expectations of Polaris Bank and its growing sea of customers. Despite his high status, however, Opeke remains a silent presence in the corporate world, letting only his actions speak on his behalf.

When Polaris Bank climbed out of the ashes of the defunct Skye Bank, there were speculations as to whether the new bank would be able to survive. Given that several such banks had undergone a rebirth only to collapse under the weight of debts and other dastardly economic situations, it came as a surprise that Polaris was able to survive.

Then again, with Opeke and his crew in the thick of things, nobody should have been surprised by Polaris’ stellar performance.

And Polaris has indeed become an institution that performs with stellar ratings thanks to committed workaholics

like Opeke. Since the latter joined the policymakers at the bank, Polaris has experienced one big win after another.

And when Opeke climbed to the rank of Polaris Deputy Managing Director (DMD), it became clear that nothing could hinder the bank from sharing the same space as the Big Names of Nigeria’s elite banks.

Opeke is not the only Polaris executive with over two decades of active banking experience. However, there is virtually no other person with as influential a position in the minds of the bank’s staff. But Opeke will not be heard raising his voice at a soirée to draw attention to himself. Instead, he clicks his wineglass with the members of his progressive Polaris team, offering toast to their health and success.

No wonder Opeke is recognised as one of the best banking whiz kids at Polaris. His humble corporate persona is admirable indeed.

Sterling Bank Has Taken the Joke Too Far There are considerations in matters and activities involving corporate entities. In Nigeria, where everyone likes to pretend that sincere religious tolerance exists, every spark that looks like a slight against one religious belief or another is the beginning of a hurricane. That is what Sterling Bank has done with their outrageous if not blasphemous advert about Easter.

For those who are just coming to know about it, Sterling Bank posted an Easter advert in which they inadvertently compared the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the rise of Agege Bread. Or, as some are reporting it, where Sterling Bank compared Agege Bread to Jesus. In truth, what the bank posted was “Like Agege Bread, He Rose” by which they were referring to the historical resurrection of Jesus.

Of course, the advert has not gone down well with many Nigerians. The majority had taken to referring to Sterling Bank as the den of the devil, the silo of

Time heals all wounds. This is what time has taught humanity and one of the reasons we are always grateful for the progression of the days, weeks, months, and years. Just imagine that we were all stuck in the same loop of time, unable to leave, subject to the same things again and again. And so it is with a sigh of relief that the public welcomes back Idaere Ogan, fondly called Ambassador, back into its arms.

Death comes to teach us lessons about the frailty of life. When death came to the household of the Ogans, it taught this lesson in very vivid colours and took the life of Ogan’s son, Toku, as evidence of its lesson and payment. As most people know, it was a devastating blow, especially considering the situation reported to have surrounded the death of the 25-year-old.

From the rumours that floated in the streets around the time of the passing of Toku, it was gathered that he had led a

satanic schemes, and several other titles that are best kept out of print.

But the question must be asked: was this a joke gone too far or is there something sinister in the background? One cannot imagine how a prestigious banking institution like Sterling Bank would commit such a miserable error. As the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is calling it, Sterling Bank has joined hands with those who have nothing but evil in mind for Christians in Nigeria. Thus, words like hostility, hate, etc. are being thrown around as descriptions of Sterling’s advert.

As things stand now, it is not looking good for Sterling Bank. CAN has even called for the resignation of the bank’s Chief Executive, Abubakar Suleiman. Whether or not this request will be granted to appease the association remains unknown.

What is known is that Sterling Bank has crossed a religious line, and nothing good comes from such things.

For Idaaere Ogan, Weeepin ng May Endu ure for a Nigh ht, Butt Joy y Co ometh in the Morning

Ogan

Suleiman

brilliant life. However, his death was both suspicious and sad, following which his father, Ambassador, lost his sight of all good things in the world.

Rather than mingle with everybody else until the memory of that pain disappears, Ogan decided to embrace the life of a recluse, and so it has been for a while now.

However, recent reports claim that Ogan is out of the shadows and has courageously stepped into the light.

Time, it seems, has helped him better bear the loss of his dear son, and the sudden disappearance of the many expectations he had of the late Toku.

After all, as reports claimed, Toku was being groomed to be like his father and eventually take over from him.

Alas, death came.

Nevertheless, these things should be forgotten. What matters now is that Ogan is back. A joy that only he can bring has come.

Adebutu

The wealthiest king to ever rule over the ancient kingdom of Israel, Solomon, cautioned rich people to be careful of subsequent generations. In his argument, he explained that such people have no idea whether their children will be good or terrible, so why not spend everything on everybody else?

This is the same argument that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun to use in their censure of the son of billionaire business mogul, Chief Kessington Adebutu.

Honourable Ladi Adebutu, the subject of APC’s incendiary comments, is to blame for everything, says the APC. According to the latter, Ladi’s unnecessarily braggadocious comments in a video that has begun to make the rounds on social media have no standing whatsoever. This is so considering that Ladi is not a child but a grown man who is expected to have outgrown such childish desires to boast about wealth that is not his but his father’s.

From inquiry, the video that broke the camel’s back showed Ladi boasting about the fact that his father is immeasurably wealthy and all of that wealth belongs to him, and that the many philanthropic donations made by his generous father over the years will bear fruit in the form of the unconditional (forgive the irony) support of Ogun State people for him. And because Hon. Ladi is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it is only expected that his APC rivals would be the first to point out the absence of deliberation and good sense in his comments about his father’s philanthropy and debt owed by the Ogun people on account of this largesse.

As some of the officials of the APC have concluded about the issue, Hon. Ladi has nothing to offer the good people of Ogun.

That was why he was rejected the first time and will continue to be rejected. Perhaps, he needs to grow up first before electing to represent them as their governor.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Chrisland Sex Scandal: Too Much Too Soon In the frenzy, Nigerians totally forgot that it was criminal to view, hold or distribute child pornography. The viral video captured the imaginations of Nigerians and turned the whole nation into a cauldron of disgust, anger, pain and resentment.

The Lagos State Government in its usual knee jerk reaction to things like this, shut down the school but did not fail to remind us of the 14-year jail term for viewing or distributing. My people did not listen o.

The video made its rounds. Whether you wanted it or not, it hit the phones as it continued its journey throughout the nation.

As expected, everybody has had an opinion. Everybody has turned into child psychologists, proffering all sorts of explanations, suggestions and prayers as we continue to wallow in a national stagnation.

I have no solutions but many reasons and suggestions like most Nigerians. It is our style. We are a country of talkers. Empty talking heads. We are the modern day babel- a country of loose-mouthed denizens without a hope when it comes to execution.

All stakeholder groups are to blame for this: parents, educational system and government. I know where my mind is on this matter and I have said it several times

and they keep abusing me but I know what I believe and no matter the level of abuse I will stand by my position.

For me, the Commissioner of Education should immediately step down. I have said this and they have abused me and I will say it again.

A child cannot lose his life under her watch and less than how many months, we are seeing a sex orgy still under her watch.

We must begin to learn how to take responsibility for things under our watch.

We cannot just be jumping and shutting down schools every time something happens and when everything has calmed down, we will open the school and mummy will be wearing make-up and be strolling around playing politics instead of looking at the system under her purview.

This does not absolve society and parents but my own is that every Nigerian child of school age is thrown into an educational system and who runs that system? Is it not government and if government cannot put certain things in place to ensure safety, good grooming and mental health plus a robust educational curriculum, what are we talking about?

Let me ask mummy, was she even aware

of this trip? What background checks were made on the promoters? What guidelines have been issued by the ministry to guide such international excursions?

My people, as a parent you will feel my pain.

If these children had won the competition, these people in the ministry would be the first to jump and claim it as part of their achievement. Today, the children have gone to audition to join the porn industry. They pull back and shut the school.

Please let madam just go. Even if we don’t achieve anything with her going, it will send strong signals and assuage our pain.

I have children in the system and as a taxpayer and fee-paying parent, I demand responsibility from all stakeholders. It is enough of these stupid games. We cannot be exposing our children and then go and hide under one finger and be pointing at bad parenting.

Oya I am a bad parent, I do not have the ability to groom so why am I paying so much for the ‘bad parenting’ to continue at the level of the educational system.

Please no space to continue with my tirade, if you want to hear me more, attend my zoom session tagged ‘Chrisland Sex Tape – Why the

APC’S ‘KALO KALO’ SEASON This All Progressives Congress (APC) na conglomerate. It should be quoted on the Lagos Stock Exchange. It has never been a political party but a conglomeration of ideas and positions aimed at the continuous entrenchment of narrowminded interest to benefit a few. Na dem be that, a rubbish entity.

Today, they have shown their true nakedness. They have damned all consequences and exposed their crawly underbellies.

Asking presidential aspirants to pay N100million for forms, governorship N50million and senatorship N20million and the rest just exposes the ‘Neronian’ tendency that makes up the construct that is the ruling party.

Please make una no vex, anytime I am angry I will be forming my own English.

Before you ask which one is ‘Neronian’, let me say very quickly that me sef, I don’t know. The anger is just pushing me.

Outwardly, it will look like the policy is aimed at regulating the space and sifting the boys from the men. Well, my response is why won’t every Tom, Dick and Okorocha not want to be President, when the position has been so demystified and rendered almost valueless by the battering it has received these eight years.

They even tried by saying women and people with disabilities can get the forms free. Knowing the kinds of people that populate that party, you will begin to see ‘Sex Change’ operations happening or someone pushing Bobrisky to go and collect form.

For me, it is not their fault. It is the ‘fools’ who clog social media as roadside politicians who will not mobilise themselves and throw all these ‘rubbish’ away and give us credible leadership.

Let us continue. Me, I know that no matter what, I will eat my Agege Bread in this Nigeria. Tired. Angry and frustrated. Na wa.

walk around with long faces, no hope and no dignity anymore. I was sad. The last time I was in Warri, it was a lovely town. It was bubbly but today the whole town is sad.

I listened to the Olu of Warri speak of rejuvenation, I hear some candidates speak of the same and I hear some leaders speak of the same. They should quickly put action to words. The people are tired.

My advice is very clear: Okowa should have no say in his successor. How can a man who has superintended this kind of desolation in a proud state even dream of seating at the table when succession is being decided? Shame begets him, that is all I will say. I weep for my Warri.

Adamu

Okowa

IFEANYI OKOWA: WHAT A ‘WARRI’ Please, I am just coming from Warri where I went to have my play ‘Ogiame Erejuwa II’ and with all respect to the people of the place, the place get as e be.

A drive around the city will begin to make you ask just what exactly has this governor done in the last eight years.

Is this a governor? Is it to wear glasses and speak English and now be fighting for a successor of his choice that is governance?

I will not mince words and I will apologise to the very good people of Warri who gave me warmth and gave me Egusi pepper soup – mbok you should try that soup- I will say that Mr. Okowa failed them.

The place looks like a terrible war zone.

Derelict, dirty and desolate. The people

OGIAME EREJUWA II: AN EXPLOSION IN WARRI My pain is the contradiction of the reality that I am faced with. A proud people, a rich culture and a beautiful monarch all come out to celebrate their rich history but have to drive through a ‘desolate’ city brought to its knees by years of ‘wicked’ governance.

As the former Governor of Delta State Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan walks into the hall and greets me, I look at him with one eye. Did he drive through these streets? Does he live here? Oh my God, he even refused to take all of my calls and letters telling him of the job creation possibilities for his children until this production all fell on deaf ears and yes he was the first to arrive. God.

Pinnick

Adefisayo

Commissioner Should Go.’ It is taking place this Sunday at 7p.m. My number is at the top of the page. Call me, I will send the link.

I cannot fear commissioner again na?

Abeg let her fall on her sword; it will be a good start. I have said my mind, deal with it.

My pain aside, Warri came out. Their beautiful royal couple came out with a retinue of beautifully dressed Chiefs escorted by two First Class Rulers with the Dein of Agbor in tow.

The play which was written by William Benson who incidentally is from Agbor showcased the true beauty of Itsekiri culture. It pushed for unity and peace amongst all the peoples of the Niger Delta and ended with a climatic dance sequence involving the Eyo Masquerade from Lagos and the very beautiful Bini damsels which brought the audience to their feet.

AT THE END, OLU OF WARRI, OGIAME Atuwatse III in an emotion-laden voice talked about his plans for a rejuvenation, his plans for peaceful cohabitation and the renaissance of Delta, stating very clearly that once Delta is repaired, Nigeria will be repaired.

God who put him on that throne, will answer his prayers. God help us all.

AMAJU PINNICK: COMES TO THE RESCUE Amaju is the football honcho. He is a thoroughbred Itsekiri free born and a passionate believer in the renaissance of the city.

He had agreed to support this production very massively because according to him, “it falls very squarely

Enechi

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LOUD WHISPERS into his plans and believe in the rejuvenation of the city along the lines of infrastructural developments, youth empowerment and a concise wealth creation and redistribution structure.

Just before the play started, he was called up on stage to speak. He used the opportunity to unveil his massive projects in hospitality among others.

These projects, apart from creating job opportunities for the youths, will trigger a massive developmental frenzy in the city as it will pull in other such allied industries.

If what I have seen about this project is well executed, then the tears in Warri will dry up and they will turn to tears of joy all during the reign of my favorite monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse III. God will give us all long lives.

DAVID EDEVBIE: ALOOF IS HIS NAME “Edgar, no go there o, the man too dey do.” That was the advice I got when one of my big brothers dropped his name as a potential supporter of my play.

Mr. David Edevbie is the mainstream contestant for the governorship of Delta State. He is said to be aloof, elitist and not on the ground. But somehow, he has done very well in Delta State. He has been Commissioner and Chief of Staff and now he is in a pole position to be the next governor of the state if all permutations work out well.

How he is going to run the state with this his ‘aloofness’ na something wey dey worry me. So as they say in Warri, ‘na from sleep, we dey know death’.

Oga walks into the Hall, greets those he ‘needs’ to greet and totally ignores the people whose votes he is looking for. I watched him throughout the three-hour spectacle and he no greet one single soul that was not a VIP. Call Tinubu anything, you will marvel at the way he will work that hall. Is it Sanwo-Olu? Sanwo-Olu has the people’s touch. He will run inside that hall shaking and hugging and getting the people into a frenzy. This one just siddon like Prince Charles cross leg dey look him phone. I tire.

I had called him earlier and he picked after like 600 attempts and after I had dropped a name he would not dare to ignore. He listens and very coldly pushes me to ‘Clem’. Clem is his DG and that one even just finished me off.

That night as both of them sat in front at the show, I stared and wondered how they would run a state with so much ethnic complexity. A state that is a microcosm of Nigeria that must be managed with expert balancing. Is this how they will do it? Me I tire o.

into the workforce who cannot even string a sentence together to make sense. I am beginning to just tire for this country. 736 First Class graduates my foot. If you give these ones WAEC to do I can bet my ass that 50% will fail. Fail in such a way that we will all be ashamed.

Please, the NUC or whoever is in charge should just go and recertify these 700 and let us know their true quality. It is

BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU: GOOD NEWS, BUT… People have said, Edgar, be careful.

Do not write anyhow, especially now that you are in partnership with the state government on your productions. Don’t you want the governor to attend the command performance? Be careful o.

My people, what does Mr Governor’s attendance of a twohour show have to do with the lives of 22 million people? Me I don’t run like that o. It is not today that we have been poor o. I have sold bread on the streets of Shomolu and have done mechanic work at Bajulaiye road, buying Amala for my oga, Baba Raimi.

I will say my mind. Mr. Governor, I first engaged your administration with a lot of doubt, simply because of the way you emerged. I love Ambode and believed he was doing well. Your Lords felt otherwise and they moved against him and you emerged so you will understand my skepticism when you first emerged.

But slowly you began to win me over. Your passion, your fearless ‘jump at’ things not minding how they will impact you won me over. Ever since, I have watched very closely your strides in the State. Your handling of Covid, your initial alignment with the youths during #EndSARS, the infrastructural development in Lagos and the general upbeat nature of the state had made me call very early for your second term.

I also know that you have had to play a delicate balancing act in the state – every Governor of

ROCHAS OKOROCHA: OH HOW I WISH! As I stared at the picture of my brother on the cross depicting Jesus on the cross, I began to pray that the people who ‘nailed’ him on the cross would forget him there overnight.

Kai, I can just imagine the great Owelle in true pain, with his pot belly growling from hunger. By midnight when the mosquitoes descend, he will start praying in Igbo and begging for forgiveness to the people of Imo. A state which he ran with worldclass incompetence. A state he left with nothing but statues built to massage a funny ego.

What a beautiful way for the people to get back their pound of flesh. When they come back in the morning, they will meet true repentance forged by a barrage of mosquitoes who would be doing us a great favour.

If only wishes were horses.

LAUTECH: FIRST CLASS DOUBT Have you seen the report that this school is about to graduate over 700 students with First Class degrees? If not that this is a very serious matter, I would have laughed. Granted that this is over six sessions, but the simple fact that they could not even perform this ceremony for six years shows a system that I can swear on my grandmother’s grave cannot graduate these number of First Class graduates in true quality.

That is how they will unleash quantity

then and only then, that we can agree that they are truly First-Class graduates.

Mbok, I hereby challenge the Vice Chancellor of this school to send these students to come and do a small aptitude test that will be conducted by independent assessors and if 50% pass, I will give N10m over 30 years to the school.

We cannot continue to joke with the

Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State has to worship Baal and Marmon if you know what I mean to survive. For this, I give you kudos for you have done a wonderful job hence this news of a second term ‘approval’.

Mr. Governor, the work just started.

When you are sworn in, your dedication must now be fully for the people.

They say it is the GAC – don’t know them- who have sanctioned this your second term, well I greet them and thank them. Mbok buy them chocolates and kolanuts if they still have teeth to bite and tell them “Guys, thank you so much for this second opportunity, now stand back and watch me work for the people of Lagos.”

If you cannot say it, send me. I will say it and run away before dey knock me. I will say it.

You must ramp up developmental initiatives no matter whose ox is gored. Power lies with the people and the fact that the people have been lethargic does not mean that they will not stand up to defend a people centered governor.

I like you personally as you come with the vigour, youth and positive restlessness that we have not seen in a bit. I rate you quite highly but it is not my rating that should count, it is the rating of the generality of the people that matters.

I believe in you. I believe in your capacity and ability to deliver a Lagos for the 21st century at the end of your tenure. God be with you, keep praying, eat well, exercise well and you will be ok.

We got ya back bro! Congrats.

future of this country. Oya Mr. Vice Chancellor are you ready?

DEMOLA OSHODI: A BUDDING CICERO It was my brother’s birthday during the week. For those of you that do not know him, Demola is in the think tank that is driving the massive Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign.

So, I wrote a beautiful post to mark his birthday – the man had bought Afang for me at some point, so I felt the best way to pay him back was to say Happy birthday in my own little way o. In the article, I had used the word ‘cerebral’, which I truly think he is.

That is how Osa on the Duke Summit started abusing me. That me I am using the word ‘cerebral’ anyhow and that I have been using the word on everybody.

Before, I could say anything that is how Theo and Wole joined o. These people abuse me o. That as things are hard in Nigeria for me, I am finding a way of surviving by calling people ‘cerebral.’

My people, I vex o. I abuse Osa like there is no tomorrow. Wole and Theo fear, come dey deny that they did not mean to fight me o. In fact Wole said I should learn how to pick my battles. I abused them even Oga Lanre put mouth that I should calm down. The Duke’s Summit on Whatsapp is really an interesting place. We fight to resolve and continue to fight.

Well, I call Demola cerebral, not because he bought me Afang. Even if Osa buys me all the Afang in Akwa Ibom, I cannot call him cerebral. He is intelligent, sharp, smart and quick on his thinking feet, but cerebral I will not call him not because he does not deserve it but because his head goes dewy and the head is already too big.

Happy birthday my brother Demola, please don’t vex that the fourth pillar is trying to distract me. You remain a great brother and friend and that day you bought me that Afang you sealed the bond of friendship between us that no matter what happens to Asiwaju’s political future we will continue to be friends and brothers.

Please greet your lovely wife Titi for me and your kids. God will continue to bless you and protect you for us with a long life. Please I am free on Friday next week, you can still come and buy me Afang again. That last one I ate fish, I hear they have started putting crayfish in the thing.

Don’t mind them, you are too cerebral.

Na you finish the cerebral sef. Kai. I am just mad. Lol. SEBASTINE ENECHI: A STAR IS BORN I have heard so much of what this young man born just this 1982 has been doing for burn victims through his foundation – BURN2GOLD — for a bit.

So, when the opportunity to meet up with him at the famous Cactus Restaurant came, I grabbed it with both hands.

He is a firebrand Fintech expert.

Founder of the influential Shago Payments Limited which promotes e-commerce and payments through technology. He comes with over 10 years of massive experience in the space culminating as one of the pioneers in agent distribution.

He says, ‘Edgar, I don’t want to talk about those things. Let’s talk about burn victims and what the foundation is doing for them. After a personal experience, Seb as he is called has devoted the rest of his life to cater for burn victims all over the nation.

His Foundation supports both financially and otherwise burn victims all over. The fact that the foundation is fully funded by this young man makes him quite remarkable.

I really want to celebrate him today as a major impact agent. The figures being rolled out regularly in support of this dream are humongous and amazing with lives being transformed and touched. Kai, I really do respect him for the guts and fixated pursuit of this vision. I wish him well in this endeavour and God’s tremendous blessings. Wow.

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Zaynab Obanor’s Senator Solomon Adeola’s Ambition Unsettles Ogun Politics Incredible Style and Poise In the beginning, it was discussed in a hush-hush tone, but recent events have proven otherwise. Now, Senator Solomon Adeola representing Lagos West in the Senate has made his intention to contest for Ogun West Senatorial District in 2023 known.

The declaration has not only sent shock waves to Ogun West as well as the entire state, but it has also raised its political temperature. It has sent many political analysts to the drawing board intending to predict who gets the ticket of the parties and becomes the eventual winner of the seat to represent the local government that makes up the Ogun West Senatorial District.

It was also disclosed that the senator, who is currently representing the constituency, Tolu Odebiyi, had been running from pillar to post over this new development.

Our source revealed that the odds against the incumbent, Odebiyi, are huge and mountainous. It was also gathered that apart from his popularity, intimidating and impressive political profile, heavy and aweinspiring financial war chest, Adeola, fondly called Yayi by his fans and admirers, is an experienced politician who has not lost an election since he came into the murky water of Nigeria’s politics.

Obanor

Ravishingly beautiful, Zaynab Obanor’s style and poise are incredible. She is endowed with extraordinary philanthropic gestures that many have benefited from in the past.

The aristocratic woman is often described as a restless soul, who is constantly driven by an ambition to rule her world. As far as she is concerned, opportunities abide everywhere, except for those who have set some limitations for themselves.

On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, the widely travelled Edo Stateborn woman added another year to her age in a blaze of glory.

However, the birthday celebration was devoid of the usual fanfare, as she spent the greater part of the day in prayers.

“Interestingly, many don’t really understand that in spite of her successful career, she has not allowed fame, success and stardom to turn her head. She recognises that only God is the unseen hand behind her success story, and she submits absolutely to His will,” a source revealed.

Despite her very engaging daily schedule, she worships God as would be expected of a grateful soul. She spends her spare time in total worship of God, and she doesn’t make any move or take any step without seeking divine guidance.

Indeed, her armour against failure is ceaseless prayers. And many of her friends are always amazed at her humility and her total dependence on God in the most critical decisions of her life.

The light-skinned business woman had joined other privileged individuals in the country, who complimented the efforts of the governments across the country, to lessen the burdens of the citizenry occasioned by the outbreak of the Covid-19.

Adeola

At the moment, Odebiyi is at cross purposes with the incumbent governor of the state,

Prince Dapo Abiodun, following his alliance with Senator Ibikunle Amosun. But he will be running against an established political tradition in Ogun West Senatorial District since the dawn of our nascent democracy in 1999.

A source, who is a member of Ogun West Elder’s Forum said: “The chances of the re-election of the incumbent is slim going by the established tradition beyond the issue of his opposition to the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun. Since 1999, Ogun West has had six senators, including the incumbent Senator Odebiyi.”

He stressed further that all Ogun West senators beginning with Prof.

Afolabi Olabimtan (1999-2003), Senator Iyabo Anisulowo (2003-2007), Senator Kola Bajomo (2007-2011), Senator Akin Odunsi (2011-2015) and Senator Gbolahan Dada (20152019) served only one term of office, adding that “I see no way Senator Odebiyi will break the tradition.”

The former legislator stated that the same tradition is obtainable in the two other senatorial districts of the state namely Ogun Central and Ogun East, stressing that there had never been a senator who served two consecutive terms in the senate from those districts.

Applause for Police Spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi “Reward for hard work”, according to a famous saying “is more work.”

The recent elevation of Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, as the substantive Force Public Relations Officers (FPRO) has proven the truism in this quote.

His appointment, earlier in February this year, had been applauded, particularly in recognition of his oratorical power and public communication skill. Those who have been following his career progression are quick to talk glowingly about his days at the Ogun State Police Command, Abeokuta; Zone II Command, Onikan, Lagos and Lagos State Command, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had proven his mettle as a gifted image maker.

Since his appointment, Adejobi’s Facebook wall, in particular, has been flooded with congratulatory messages from family members, colleagues, friends and public-spirited individuals, many of whom had followed his career trajectory as a proactive image-maker of the police with a

distinct record of exploits.

He has been described by many as one of the best spokesmen the Nigeria’s Police Force has produced in many years.

The string of industry awards that litters his ornate office and home is evident of his success story in what he does. He has bagged more than 200 awards, locally and internationally, in the course of his official duties and social engagements.

Aside from individual wishes, his home state, the Osun State Government, has issued a statement, wherein Adejobi’s professionalism and dedication to duties were commended.

Adejobi, who is also a prince, graduated in Archaeology and Geography from the University of Ibadan. He observed his National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), in Anambra State, where he was eventually appointed as the Corps Liaison Officer (CLO) in Nnewi North Local Government.

Adejobi

Of Otunba Segun Runsewe and His Ingenuity

Runsewe

According to the late American business magnate, Steve Job, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

Undoubtedly, the Director-General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba

Segun Runsewe has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that he is indeed a leader with great ideas and innovations. His bundle of ideas and ingenuity has made him shine brilliantly everywhere he goes while the agency he manages is one of the most admired and popular in the Ministry of Culture.

In a bid to strengthen the cultural and bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the Republic of Gambia, the highly intelligent DG has declared his intention to launch the Nigeria/Gambia friendship club.

He made this known in his office when he played host to a delegation from the Gambian Radio and Television Services, who were in his office as part of their working visit to Nigeria.

Runsewe, who expressed delight over their visit to the council, said he had tremendous respect for the people of Gambia for their unwavering efforts in sustaining their good cultural heritage.

According to Runsewe, the good

relationship between Nigeria and Gambia was visible when both countries collaborated effectively during their participation in some international tourism events when he headed the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), adding that the Gambian Embassy was the first to pay him a courtesy visit when he assumed duty as the Director-General of NCAC. “The best way to promote any nation is through its brand identity. If the Gambia develops a strong brand identity, it will be easy to market the brand”, Runsewe maintained.

Earlier in his address, the DirectorGeneral, Gambian Radio and Television Services and the Head of the delegation, Mr. Malik Gyang, said they were on a working visit to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to explore areas of mutual partnership, experience sharing and networking.

When King of Nightlife, Obi Cubana, Celebrated His 48th Birthday Apart from the usual frenzy about him, Obi Iyiegbu, famously known as Obi Cubana, loves to live a very low-key life devoid of unnecessary media attention. Before he hugged the limelight, after the burial of his mother over a year ago, the consummate businessman and head honcho of Cubana Groups loved his privacy.

With massive investments in several pies of business tied around entertainment, Iyiegbu, who until recently loved to engage in philanthropic works by proxy, is gradually getting used to the buzz created around him and also adjusting pretty well.

Weeks ago when the Political Science graduate from the University of Nigeria Nsukka celebrated his 48th birthday, the whole social media was literally on fire. His congratulatory pictures were all over the place, just as his phone buzzed with copious messages, in addition to several newspaper advertorials.

A lavish soiree was hosted in his honour as top politicians, celebrities, friends and wellwishers gathered to celebrate him, amidst fanfare. The man enjoyed so many accolades on his birthday because he has invested so much in people.

Late last year, he constructed the strategic Afor Oba old Road linking the Oba community to the new road in Anambra State without making any noise about it.

As if that was not enough, he also offered a scholarship to a viral traffic hawker, Ekuma Jeremiah, who gave out money to inmates in a black maria. He took up the reinstatement of his studentship with a full scholarship at the Ebonyi State University and also offered him a job in his firm when he graduates.

To crown it all, at his secondary school reunion event, Obi also promised to give N2 million each to 20 of his struggling classmates as

Cubana

a startup fund for investment in petty business for financial sustainability.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

24.4.2022

BETWEEN THE LINES OF PROGRESS, ADEOLA BALOGUN READS A TRANSMOGRIFICATION A subtext of caution lurks beneath the babel of 2-D and 3-D offerings in Adeola Balogun’s ongoing solo exhibition, says Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

T

ransmogrification? It’s all about change, as the artist Adeola Balogun affirms. Yet, something nuanced about this “change” hints at the undesirable. This is especially when the change being alluded to is not only extraordinary – or better still, unexpected – but also verges on the humorous or the grotesque. For the Yaba College of Technology art lecturer, no other word would, in any case, have been better suited for his solo exhibition’s title than this t-word. Therefore, it does make good curatorial sense that he appropriated it as an umbrella word for these otherwise dissimilar offerings.

Dissimilar indeed best describes the series of works that are displayed at the exhibition, which was declared open on Saturday, April 16 at the Signature Beyond Art Gallery on the arterial Awolowo Road in SW Ikoyi, Lagos.

Among them, metal sculptures – especially those from the “Rare Species Series” – seem to call out to the viewers from their strategic positions amid a miscellany of mixed-media paintings.

A few words about these metal sculptures: Balogun depicts them as large-sized imaginary fishes with bulging eyes as a metaphorical allusion to the possible discovery of hitherto unknown hidden life forms thanks to technological advancements. As for the mixed-media paintings, print reproductions of his previous 3-D works are painted over with thick brushstrokes, thus “transmogrifying” them into newer forms of expression. Nonetheless, the foreboding of an impending matrix-like scenario lurking behind the gloomy monochromes of these 2-D offerings cannot be ignored.

Clearly, these works have been so painstakingly contrived to illustrate the intrusion of technology into the lives of average people. Even as the positive enhancement of their lifestyle through modern gadgets is being extolled, it would be reckless to overlook the flip side, which borders on the devastation wrought on society by their impact.

Thus, the artist rightly reads between the lines of these dazzling technological breakthroughs while separating the gold mines from the land mines.

A compelling reason not to disregard the potential pitfalls of this much-touted progress is its origin in the human intellect, which, as a product of the frontal brain, is designed by nature to make man’s physical life easier. Sadly, an exclusive earth-bound vision restricts the human creature because it distracts him from his real goal, which transcends his material existence. Since his animating core is spiritual, it has its origin in a much higher and lighter world that is different from the one where his physical body dwells. Only when he can cast his gaze far beyond this earth in recognition of the true purpose of his existence, will he be able to release the desire to

Goldmines and Landmines I, mixed media, 104cm x 135cm, 2020

A Body in Motion (Simone Biles series), mixed media, 2021

Rare Species I, mixed media 2020

shed his material coverings and return to his homogeneous kind.

Perhaps this could be why it is hard to resist drawing parallels between the exhibition’s title and the fallout from the biblical allusion to mankind’s failure.

The latter made the coming of a Saviour, Who could mediate help for their liberation from the consequences of their wrong decisions, a necessity. Indeed, man’s opposition to the natural ordinance—by subjecting his living core to the dictates of his intellect, which is just an earthly tool—has wrought untold misery throughout his history. Consequently, all human endeavours already bear the seed germ of collapse within them from the outset because of this sorry state of affairs. And all so-called change or progress can only be made in a downward direction.

Thus, the choice of the exhibition's title seems to have vindicated the caveat against the flip

sides of the tech-driven transformations.

Of course, it is left to the intention or disposition of the end-user how these modern gadgets are put to use.

“What technology does is to expose so-called ‘de facto’ mysteries,” says the artist.

Back to the metal works—some of which are displayed in the exhibition, which ends on Sunday, April 25—they are products of Balogun’s finds during his junk-hunting in a junkyard. From the repurposed metal scraps, he breathed new life into both realistic and stylised forms that adorn the walls of his home and studio in a Lagos mainland neighbourhood off the Abeokuta Expressway.

As for their rendition, it is agonisingly painstaking. Could this possibly be because of an apparent conscious effort on the part of the artist to distance himself as far as possible from the innovationweariness plaguing the industry? In the process, even discarded electronic “innards” inveigle their way to the sides of giant animal skin drums as decorations. Unsurprisingly, this amalgam of

craftsmanship and technological detritus ends up moving up the value chain.

Besides, there is little doubt about the fact that Balogun’s academic and administrative duties are standing in the way of his studio practice, which is mostly during the weekends. This is understandably so because, between the demands of his job as a lecturer and his position as the head of the Fine Arts Department of the Yaba College of Technology’s School of Art, Design, and Printing, much of his time during the working days is taken. The artist wakes up daily by 4 am to do some stretching exercises, go for long walks, and meditate. Then, his programme adjusts itself to the demands of the day.

Perhaps the only constant in his busy schedule is the fact that he works from dawn to dusk.

Balogun's illustrious track record in the exhibition circuit – having held solo shows and participated in group shows both within and outside Nigeria – earns him bragging rights as one of the local art scene's torchbearers.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\MUSIC

ADA OUR COUNTRY MUSICAL THROUGH THE GENDER LENS Yinka Olatunbosun

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ealing. That’s the emotional space that the producers of the star-studded musical Ada Our Country created for many women at the Shell Hall, MUSON last weekend in Lagos. For the men, it was a mixture of torture and admiration to watch each female character on stage re-evoke her life struggles through dramatic monologues and passionately sung lines that speak to themes of sisterhood, grief, women’s emancipation, and humanity.

Directed by Kemi Lala-Akindoju and powered by Doyenne Circle Productions, the 100-cast show was a switch from screen to stage for most of the popular faces of Nollywood in the drama, namely Joke Silva, Tosin Adeyemi, Rikiya Graham-Douglass, Kate Henshaw, Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, Oluchi Odii, Imoh Eboh, Kemi Lala-Akindoju and Patience Ozokwor. Atest of true artistry, the musical is built on the strength of the acting and singing skills of each character. With a romantic twist to the tale, the plot is an assemblage of stories of women that are all too familiar: the jilted girlfriend, the divorcee, the single mother, the working-class woman ambushed by toxic masculinity and patriarchy in the workplace, as well as a grieving mother.

Written by the award-winning poet-playwright, Titilope Sonuga,Ada Our Country revolves around WKH PDLQ SORW RI $GD D ZRPDQ ZKR VXͿHUV WKH WHUULEOH ORVV RI KHU FKLOG LQ D ÀUH $V D UHVXOW VKH becomes depressed. With the help of other women drawn from two generations who have had their share of pain, she is able to heal and rekindle her marital bond with her husband.

Ultimately, the stories in the musical are not curated to antagonise men but to help them understand the plight of women. Men have mothers, sisters, daughters, and nieces, and they are aware of domestic violence against women, rape, kidnapping, and murder of young women, as well as a workplace culture that positions women as second-class citizens, either through discriminatory pay structure or limited managerial positions for women.

Alongside the comic relief from Omeruah, the actor-director, Lala-Akindoju, put up a stellar

A scene from the musical

MUSICAL performance on stage with her reverberating voice as she took on the antagonist character to the protagonist, Ada. While Henshaw reinforced Silva’s delivery of the sung lines with her own voice, it was clear that the performance style was collaborative as much as complementary. The mothers-in-law, Silva and Ozokwor, embraced with grace the roles of the "elders in the room"—the much-needed intervention to set things straight amongst feuding couples and rival siblings.

Though written in 2019, the play rings true, especially in the light of the current abominable culture of using social media to settle scores with spouses, ex-lovers, or celebrity siblings.

Using the power of choreographed dance interludes, music, and beautiful costumes, the director helped to curb the fatigue that long monologues could bring to the audience. Perhaps the Achilles’ heel for the musical was the lighting.Ada’s marital home was poorly-lit; most of the facial expressions to communicate the agony of the grieving couple were lost but made up for by the allure of the

male voice—Ada’s husband’s—radiating from the upper chamber of the thoughtfully built set.

The multi-unit home was simple yet purposeful, reviving the tradition of building sets through a careful, technical interpretation of the plot.

At curtain call, Marian Ogaziechi, the Executive Producer of the play revealed that she was inspired

by Bolanle Austen Peters to pursue a career in the theatre. Her mother thought she was a failure when she abandoned her study of sciences to embrace theatre. But the urge to tell her story to shape the future of women overtook the fear of displeasing her mother.

“I did this out of an experience I had. I’m a theatre artist. One of the ways that we can reach out to people is by storytelling. I found that there was a gap in reaching the urban woman. It’s as if they don’t go through problems- all rosy just as you see online. One of the characters played my story. I felt it was time to share the experiences of every urban woman. From the university days to NYSC to the boardroom, women go through a lot. I believe everyone here can relate to the experiences of all the superb cast that we have shown,” she said.

ART FESTIVAL Onobrakpeya, Others from Africa, Europe for Recycled Art Festival in Lagos

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recycledartfestival–thefirstofitskind in Lagos – will hold in from Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 1 at the Ebonylife Place, 1637 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island. The festival, whichistaggedArtMiaboInternational ArtFestival(AMIAF)2022,willdisplayamiscellany ofexpressions,whichincludephotography,painting, videoart,installation/sculptureandperformanceart.

Featuring at the event, which is being sponsored byJcDecaux,VandykeSports,OrijinandMultichoice Nigeria, withThis Is Lagos as media partner, are the works of 24 artists from across Africa and Europe, withgalleryrepresentationfromFranceandSouth Africa. There will be works by such artists as Bruce Onobrakpeya,AdeolaBalogun,JohnOnobrakpeya, TamaraemiLarry,OlufunkeEsekhaluOjukwu,Segun Okewumi,OladipupoAdesina,YusufDurodola,Muni King-Keazor,Adebisi,MiaboEnyadikeandYetunde Ojatula.

Ofcourse,therewillalsoshowingbyTheArtRoom GalleryfromJohannesburg,SouthAfricaoftheworks ofRobinField,PhumzileButhelezi,LeratoMutau,Neil Neuwoudt and Thabo Motseki; International Art Caravan representing Clement Maduako Nwafor, Frank N’Goran, Judah Jubrin, Willem Vermeer and Iwa Kruczkowska-Król.

This maiden edition, themed Remake the World, positionsitselfasapreludetoBruceOnobrakpeya’s muchanticipated90thbirthdayandwillbecurated by a Netherland-based curator,WillemVemeer.

"Recycling,re-purposing,up-cycling,callitwhatyou want,isournewrealityanditsendsoutamessagethat wecanremakeourenvironmentwiththedisposable and renew our minds on how art plays a major role in that space,” said Miabo Enyadike, Founder/CEO of ArtMiabo. “Audiences can enjoy paintings, video, photography, objects of art, sculpture and free art marketing workshops by industry experts.”

Artist John Onobrakpeya, Founder AMIAF, Miabo Enyadike presenting a gift to Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya ahead of the ArtMiabo International Art Festival 2022, in Lagos

JAMES EZE AND UDALA NATION UNLEASH SOUL-STIRRING MUSIC Yinka Olatunbosun

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MUSIC

he surround system inside a lounge at the Bukka Hut Surulere, Lagos boomed with sample tracks from a yet-to-be-released music album titled Daybreak. A Nigerian journalist and award-winning poet, James Eze has set his poetry to music with his music collaborators, Dallie and Masthamind making up the collective Udala Nation.

Before relocating to Anambra State to work with Governor Willie Obiano as his media aide, Eze had a robust career in public relaWLRQV FRUSRUDWH DͿDLUV DQG PHGLD (]H WKH author of the award-winning poetry volume Dispossessed was persuaded by a friend to record his poems. Always of younger friends, he sought out male and female singers. Prior to meeting Eze, Dallie and Masthamind had been friends at the university with shared interest in music. It was purely accidental that both of them would work with Eze on this new project The Udala Nation Trio, L-R: Masthamind, Eze ZKLFK LV DGGLFWLYH DW WKH ÀUVW SOD\ $ ÀQH EOHQG and Dallie of R&B, soul and alternative music, the new album is a seamless production as each one SOD\V KLV RU UROH HͿRUWOHVVO\ PDQ RI ZRUGV EXW RI ÀJXUHV DV KH ZDV D 5HFRXQWLQJ WKH ÀUVW HQFRXQWHU (]H VDLG LJQRUHG ÀQDO \HDU VWXGHQW RI PDWKHPDWLFV ZKLOH ZKDW VHHPHG WR EH D VWDQG R΀VK UHVSRQVH Dallie studies zoology. The best that the from Masthamind. “I called him. He sounded poet has achieved so far with this project is disinterested. He didn’t have a conversational to create a body of work that is not dictated voice but his singing is peerless. He weighed by pop culture but evokes timelessness. it, calculating. And then he came. They both The ballads are deeply emotional; concame fully made. And they worked almost necting the listener to the story that each without supervision,” he recalled. tells. “When the producer sent me the He would also learn that Masthamind is not a song, ‘Tears on My Pillow,’ I was aboard

a plane to Manchester. I listened and cried,” he continued.

Udala Nation is christened after the Udala tree and it alludes to the productive nature of the artist’s cultural experience.

“Whatever materials I need for artistic expression are there in my culture. Udala in the Igbo cultural context is a symbol of innocence. The traditional Igbo society used to be a place of gathering and play for children. Under the Udala fruit tree, while waiting for the fruits to drop, the ripe ones would fall and children would run to pick Udala. I look at that encounter in my childhood. Udala Nation is about pleasant music, a kind of entertainment that is wholesome. They are poetry cast in songs.”

For Dallie Nnabuife, the project was a whole QHZ H[SHULHQFH ´'RLQJ WKLV ZDV GLͿHUHQW because it challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I needed to tap into the VWRU\OLQH ÀUVW DQG WKHQ EH DEOH WR H[SUHVV LW in my own words,” she said.

On his part, Masthamind considered the Udala Nation project as a learning experience even though he is an experienced guitarist who, like Dallie, honed his skills at the church.

“I will say this experience has made me improve in certain areas of my career. It is a good journey so far,” he added.

The music collective formed by the poet who won the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) prize for Poetry in 2021 is an addition to the growing list of soul-stirring singers from Nigeria like Johnny Drille, Chike, Lady Donli, Yela, Falana, Bez and Etcetera.

BOOKS Introducing…Becoming President of Nigeria

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new book focused on how to become president of Nigeria, written by Magnus Onyibe, a development strategist, public policy analyst, and media columnist, has just been released to the public and will beformallylaunchedinAbujaonMay10.

The357-pagebookchroniclestheevolutionofpolitical leadershipinNigeriaandoutlinestheturningpointsinthe nation’s checkered political history. With keen eyes on theethnicandreligioussensitivitiesresponsibleforthe mutualsuspicionofoneanotherbythemultipleethnic nationalitiesthatmakeupthecountry,theauthorshines light on how Nigeria is practising zero-sum politics via the rotation of presidential power between the north and south, an agreement that has inadvertently been underminingtheunityofthecountryandisresponsible forthelackofrealsocioeconomicprogressevenasitis fuellingethno-religiousdisharmonyinNigeria.

ProfessorBolajiAkinyemi,ex-foreignaffairsminister (1985–7) and deputy chairman of the 2014 National Confab, writes in the book's foreword that "Nigeria is notazero-sumpoliticswherewhatonegains,theother loses"andcomestotheconclusionthat"itcanbeamultisumpoliticsinwhichstructureandgainsaresharedwith equity." The book is illustrated by Tayo Fatunla, an award-winning politicalcartoonist, andispublishedby lnspire media services limited, which is located at lnspireAutomotive City,(FormerLapal HouseShowroom) no 235, Igbosere Road, opposite Igboseremagistrates court, Lgbosere, LagosIsland.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Magashi’s Strange Call for Divine Intervention against Insecurity Amid sustained attacks by terrorists that claimed at least 1,974 lives and led to 1, 844 cases of abduction in the 2022 first quarter, the federal government last week again called for divine intervention to end insecurity in the country. While acknowledging God’s role in building a new Nigeria, Gboyega Akinsanmi writes that no serious government relies on divine intervention to tackle security challenges

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or the second time in 2022, the federal government last Monday called for divine intervention to stem the rising spate of insecurity nationwide, especially in the North and South-east.

The call was a strong indication of government’s inability to guarantee public safety and internal stability in a world gradually drifting towards a new order with the Russia-Ukraine war.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on January 8 called for God’s intervention to defeat nonstate actors, whose activities and operations had completely thrown Nigeria off the balance. Buhari, through his Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Babai at a national prayer session in Kano, observed that there “is need for divine intervention despite support to the armed forces.”

The latest of such defeatist’s call came from the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi shortly after terrorist groups had fired mortar at some civilian targets in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, barely three weeks after bandits attacked an Abuja-Kaduna passenger train.

In his Easter message, specifically, Magashi recommended two non-military antidotes to restore public order and put Nigeria on the path to economic growth. He first emphasised the imperatives of embracing religious harmony among Nigerians across all faiths. He equally asked Nigerians “to pray that God give Nigeria victory in all its campaigns against security threats.” Magashi’s concern was an indication that socio-economic and political grievance, as shown in the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), a project of the Council on Foreign Relations, has precipitated a rebellion by the downtrodden in the North.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also rightly observed that unlike any time in its recent history, Nigeria “is currently in a situation that has overwhelmed Buhari’s administration,” which won election in 2015 and re-election in 2019 on a tripod of anti-corruption war, economy and security.

Nothing more pragmatically delineates Magashi’s concern than the frequency of abduction and killing that daily take place across the federation.

Global Rights, an international non-governmental organisation founded in Washington D.C. in 1978, mapped out the magnitude of insecurity in Nigeria

Defence Minister, Major General Magashi in the first quarter report of its Mass Atrocities Casualties Tracking.

In January, for instance, 740 persons fell to armed attacks across the federation; 593 in February and 641 in March. In aggregate, as shown in the tracking report, at least 1,974 lost their lives to armed violence in the 2022 first quarter. When compared to 1,403 casualties recorded in the 2021 first quarter, its variation represents an increase of about 40.69 per cent.

Within the same timeframe, the trajectory of abduction also calls for national concern. In January, according to Global Rights, 586 persons were kidnapped nationwide, 604 in February and 654 in March. Cumulatively, 1,844 persons were kidnaped in the 2022 first quarter, which indicated an increase of 4.12 per cent above 1771 abduction cases recorded in the 2021 first quarter. Emeritus Professor of Comparative Politics, Prof. John A. Ayoade recently argued that the figures suggest that there is a gap, which the governments – federal, state and local – have failed to fill to avert citizens’ resort to armed struggle or violence. There should be no justification for Magashi’s call for divine intervention, if the governments has not failed to discharge

their responsibilities enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. Also, there should be no basis for making pleas to God to step into a situation, which a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana claimed, is an outcome of criminal diversion of public funds by unpatriotic political class.

Falana’s argument is premised on the disconnect between the governing elites and the core values of the 1999 Constitution they were elected to uphold. In its preamble, for instance, the 1999 Constitution states that the people of Nigeria resolve “to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God… for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people.”

Also, in its Chapter II, the 1999 Constitution documents in detail the obligations of the governments to the people and that of the people of the governments. Section 14 (2)(b), specifically, declares that the security and welfare of the people “shall be the primary purpose of government…” In the same way, Section 18 states that government “shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are

equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.”

As the emeritus professor has observed, the governments have not just failed to address the physical security of the citizenry. He further argued that they have equally failed to provide them social security, which should, as a matter of national priority, be their core responsibilities under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. Citing a study by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Falana established strong relationship between the growing figure of out-of-school children and insecurity in the North, a region that currently accounts for about 66.91 per cent of 10.19 million out-of-school children, as indicated in the data obtained from the Universal Basic Education Commission.

In its 2018 study, specifically, UNICEF put the estimated number of out-of-school children between five and 14 years at about 10.5 million.

Falana had lamented that these children were roaming the streets without hope for their tomorrow. Obviously, according to him, such children are always ready to be recruited by the criminal gangs and take up arms against the federation.

The governments have equally breached public trust due to what other credible reports described as their failure to create an environment that offers unlimited opportunities. This failure, as shown in the Nigeria Poverty Assessment 2022, a report by the World Bank, compounded the challenges of extreme poverty and inequality across the federation. According to the World Bank, as many as four in 10 Nigerians now live below the national poverty line. The Bank further analysed diverse socio-economic triggers that forced 95.1 million citizens into the cycle of extreme poverty. This trend had created a horde of hopeless citizens despite Buhari’s promise to pull 100 million out of abject poverty, which further reinforces Ayoade’s argument that the governments have failed to duly discharge their obligations.

While divine intervention is desirable in the affairs of all nations globally, Ayoade correlated the country’s worsening security challenges to the failure of the governments to discharge their core duties under the 1999 Constitution, which according to him, triggered rebellion of the frustrated citizens to embrace criminalities as a means of living.

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

APC’s Outrageous N100m Presidential Form

Adamu

The moment it unabashedly priced its 2023 presidential form for N100 million, the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) has come under genuine and patriotic attacks, since the only thing the party had going for it, was its ostentatious integrity, even though it has never truly lived a day in decency, honour and credibility.

Nothing, however, puts the atrocious N100 million presidential form of the APC in proper context than an anonymous, but instructive post, which went viral, because of its posers.

Here: “The annual salary of the Nigerian president is N14,058,820.00k. In 4 years, it would be N56,235,280.00k. I don’t understand how anyone will apply for a job with N100m, just to

earn N56,235,280.00k.”

In 2014, Buhari, while purchasing the N25 million nomination form at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, lamented the high cost of the form. But, he didn’t stop there, he further claimed to have procured a bank loan through the assistance of an unnamed bank chairman, to buy his form. He didn’t even think Nigerians needed to know how and when he paid back.

Unfortunately, such lies were easily discernible by a majority of the people, who but gave Buhari a benefit of the doubt to either prove or disprove his rather untested integrity, which expectedly, has continued to trip in the face of truth.

However, with Nigeria’s tottering economy

to rising inflation and hugely declining purchasing power, Buhari and his ruling party, have established something and very clearly too – that official corruption is indestructible, no matter who is selling the fight against corruption.

A mere form for N100 million in a richly corrupt, yet, poor country like Nigeria, is resentful, appalling, disappointing, hypocritical, insensate, insensitive and utterly indefensible. The balderdash by the APC National Women Leader, Beta Edu, that it was a ploy to discourage some aspirants, is even the more, reprehensible. The APC is a party of jokers, whose clueless leadership is nothing but a curse.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

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BRIEFINGNOTES

Atiku

Tambuwal

Saraki

PDP Leaders’ Anti-zoning Stance Ejiofor Alike writes on how some PDP leaders who destroyed the party by defecting to the APC to protest againstformerPresidentGoodluckJonathan’sallegedrefusaltorespecttheparty’szoningarrangement, have returned to agitate for a breach of the party’s constitution with their anti-zoning stance

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ollowingtheobviousmarginalisation of other Nigerians by one section of the country since Independence in 1960, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 1999 enthroned the principleofrotationofthepresidency between the North and the South to end any form of marginalisation of any section in power sharing arrangement. To ensure that this principle is not breached, the founding fathers of the party also made sure that it was entrenched in the party’s constitution. It is on record that PDP lost power to the All Progressives Congress (APC) when some of its governors, National Assembly members and other chieftains defected to the then opposition APC in protest against the alleged refusal of former President Goodluck Jonathan to honour this zoning arrangement ahead of the 2015 general election.

Shortly before the elections, PDP was deeply divided over whether Jonathan should seek reelection in 2015 due to its zoning arrangement.

Jonathan had in September 2010, hit back at pro-zoning presidential aspirants in the party and accused them of jettisoning zoning in the past by contesting against a southerner in the 2003 and 2007.

Some of the PDP leaders, who destabilised the party and defected to the APC had accused Jonathan of planning to renege on a promise he allegedlymadein2010tostanddownafterasingle term as president.

On November 26, 2013, five PDP governors ChibuikeAmaechi(Rivers),AliyuWamakko(Sokoto), Rabi’uKwankwaso(Kano),MurtalaNyako(Adamawa)

and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), defected to the APC. In a bid to justify their planned defection, seven PDP governors (G7) under the chairmanship of the then Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, some senators and other chieftains of the party had broken away from the party to form a splinter group headed by Abubakar Kawu Baraje to give the impression that the party had a faction.

But for some strange reasons, Governor Aliyu of Niger State and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa StateremainedinthePDPwhilefiveothersdefected totheAPC.AmonthlaterinDecember2013,thegale of defection also hit the House of Representatives when 37 PDP members of the lower legislative chamber defected to the APC. One month later in January 2014, the rank of the APC in the Senate swelled with the defection of 11 PDP senators to the then opposition party.

The senators that defected included: Bukola Saraki(KwaraCentral),ShabaLafiagi(KwaraNorth), Mohammed Ndume (Borno South), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Magnus Abe (Rivers South East), Wilson Ake (Rivers West).

Others were: Bindo Jubrilla (Adamawa North), Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and Alhassan Aisha Jummai (Taraba North).

The 11 senators communicated their decision to decamp to the APC in a letter addressed to the then Senate President, Senator David Mark.

Intheirtwo-pagedefectionletter,the11senators argued that: “This action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalisation in the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored our election into the Senate.” Saraki submitted the letter to Mark

during the plenary session. Barely one month after Saraki led the PDP senators to join the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also joined the opposition APC in February 2014.

Though Atiku had debunked speculation that he was joining the APC to run for president, he eventuallycontestedtheparty’spresidentialticket withPresidentMuhammaduBuhari.Someofthose who defected to APC with him also contested the party’s presidential primary.

ThedefectionofthefivePDPgovernors,National Assembly members and Atiku gave victory to the APCinthe2015generalelection.ThethenChairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo State, Mr. Rochas Okorocha, had acknowledged this in May 2015 when he noted that the November 2013 defection of five PDP governors was a major factor for APC’s victory in the 2015 general election.

Speaking at a valedictory dinner organised by the PGF, and held in honour of the then outgoing governors, Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Messrs Kwankwaso, Amaechi and Wamakko, the then Imo State governor said “make no mistake about it, without the five governors that joined the APC in 2013, we would not be here today”.

“The moment the PDP lost five governors was the moment it lost the presidency and its planned 60 years in power,” Okorocha reportedly said.

However, after these defectors had reduced the former ruling PDP to an opposition party with their pro-zoning stance, some of them, who have sincereturnedtothePDP,havebecomeanti-zoning elements for obvious selfish reasons. Jonathan contested the 2015 presidential election against

the agitation of these elements who wanted the PDP to zone the presidential ticket to the North.

He lost the election to President Buhari of the APC. With Jonathan’s loss, power returned to the North, in line with the aspiration of the defected PDP governors and National Assembly members.

These elements had wanted Jonathan and the PDP toconcedethepresidentialticketandbyimplication, power to the North for eight years.

With Buhari, a northerner, enjoying the eightyear tenure, which Jonathan had wanted to enjoy underthePDPin2015,justicedemandsthatpower should return to the South through any political party. The ruling APC has aligned itself with this popular clamour. But in a strange twist, some of these former PDP defectors, who have returned to thePDP,nowinsistthatthepartyshouldditchzoning in a veiled move to ensure that the North retains power for another eight years, which is against the spirit and letters of the zoning principle in PDP’s constitution. To realise their selfish mission, they have used a 37-man committee set up by the party to throw the presidential ticket open to aspirants from all the zones of the country.

The 17 southern governors, some of their northern colleagues and other prominent northern leaders, as well as the ruling APC have insisted on the need for power to return to the South in 2023.

But the few PDP leaders, who destroyed the party in their agitation for zoning, have returned to the party to mount selfish campaign against zoning the presidency to the South.

The question political analysts have asked is: Did they return to the PDP to bury it after they had reduced it to an opposition party?

NOTES FOR FILE

Still on the Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack

Amaechi

Fiveweekshavepassedsincetheill-fatedAbuja-Kaduna train attack, yet no suspect has been arrested, nobody lost his job and nobody resigned. The country is moving on as if nothing happened.

Whileeightpersonsdiedduringtheattackandseveral othersinjured,overahundredothersarestillinthecaptivity of the terrorists.

What is most annoying is that some of those who are supposed to take responsibility for the attack are busy declaring to contesting for the presidency in 2023 and promising Nigerians adequate security when they have not justified the position they have held.

But what Nigerians have seen is that the Chief Imam of the National Assembly Quarters’ Jum’mat Mosque, Abuja, Sheikh Muhammad Nura Khalid, who spoke the

truth to power about the worsening state of insecurity in the country was sacked.

In 2019, Egypt’s Transport Minister, Hisham Arafat resigned after a deadly train crash in Cairo killed at least 25,andleft50injured.Itwasnottheministerthatpiloted the ill-fated train, but he resigned.

InIndia,theRailwayMinister,NitishKumar,resignedafter twotrainscollided.Theaccidentwasconsideredmoreof criminal negligence than human error.That human error, washowever,notcommittedbytheministerhimself,but he resigned.

ManyhadexpectedtheMinisterofTransport,Mr.Rotimi Amaechi to resign but his supporters have argued that unlike the incidents in India and Egypt, the Abuja-Kaduna train tragedy was not caused by operational failure but

insecurity.

Tothem,AmaechiisnotresponsibleforsecurityinNigeria.

Thequestionis:Hasanysecuritychiefbeenforcedtoresign?

WhatNigerianshaveseentwoweeksaftertillnoware a series of declarations for presidency in 2023 by APC aspirants while the train passengers are still languishing in captivity.

The question many are asking is that if President MuhammaduBuhariwhoisfromtheNorthcannotsecurethe region and bring peace, what can these southerners do?

Canthepeoplewhoarepartofthosewhoputthecountry into a ditch promise to bring her out of the ditch? Should allthesecharactersthatsoldthepresentadministration to Nigerians be allowed to benefit from the failure of the administration?

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

CICERO/ISSSUES

FG, States on Collision Course over $418m Paris Club Refund With an appeal pending at the Court of Appeal, the 36 states of the federation are contesting the federal government’s excessive speed to begin the deduction of the $418 million judgment debts from the London/Paris Club Loan refund, writes Vanessa Obioha

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he 36 state governors of the federation last Monday warned the federal government against going ahead with the planned deduction of $418 million from the federation account to settle debts purportedly owed to consultants engaged by the states and local governments on the London/Paris Club refunds.

They said they were not parties to any suit on the London/Paris Club refund, and thus were not liable to any person or entity in any judgment debt being relied on by the federal government.

The controversial payment of $418million to consultants over the Paris Club refund had become a contentious issue among the three tiers of government. Consultants had laid claim to the amount as a percentage of the payment of services rendered to the states and local government councils.

In March, the Attorneys-general of the 36 states had appealed a judgment that dismissed a suit seeking to restrain the federal government from effecting the planned deduction of $418 million from states’ funds.

The appeal was borne out of the fact that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja had dismissed a suit filed by the 36 states, through their Attorneys-General to stop the federal government’s decision to deduct $418million from the funds standing to the credit of the states to pay debts owed the consultants engaged in relation to the Paris Club refunds made to states. The judge held that the suit was without merit.

Justice Ekwo, in the judgment on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1313/2021, also held that the states’ Attorneys-General lacked the locus standi to bring such a suit that sought to challenge the acts and decisions taken by their governors, through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON).

The judge noted that since the debt, which the federal government sought to repay arose from the contracts entered by the state governors, who are members of the NGF and local government chairmen under ALGON, the Attorneys-generals, who are appointees of the governors, cannot, on their own sue to challenge the actions of their appointors.

“Looking at the subject matter of this suit, I can see that it is beyond such matters covered

by Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) where the Attorney-General has power to engage in suo motu (on its own volition) or upon the directive of the governor. Without demonstrating express consent of the respective state governors, who are members of the NGF, whose action they challenge in this suit and who they say they represent, the plaintiffs have not established the locus standi to bring this action in the first place,” Justice Ekwo said.

The judge further held that the state AGs, having admitted that the debt arose from the contracts entered with the consultants by the NGF and ALGON, they cannot claim that such contracts were not binding on the states.

Before the case was taken to the court, Malami had boasted that there was no going back on the federal government’s decision to deduct the fund from the 36 states’ accounts to pay private consultants for the Paris Club refund.

Malami said it was too late for the governors to backtrack on the indebtedness they had earlier acknowledged and committed to pay.

Tracing the genesis of the dispute, Malami said the NGF and ALGON, as well as the consultants, entered into a consent judgment of

Some governors $3.2 billion in 2013, which they made a commitment to pay and actually made part payments between 2016 and 2017.

He recalled that because the federal government was suspicious of the huge claim the NGF and ALGON made on behalf of the consultants, which was about $3.2 billion, the federal government invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department State Services (DSS) to verify the services rendered by the said consultants.

“So, when eventually the services rendered were confirmed, out of further abundance of caution, the federal government took steps to demand confirmation in writing from ALGON and the governors.

“The governors individually wrote to the effect that they were liable. ALGON wrote to the effect that they were liable.

And eventually, this payment commenced as far back as 2016. Now, nothing untoward happened thereafter until perhaps of recent when the governors wrote seeking to avoid their liability.

“The implication of that, taking into consideration that the federal government was indeed sued as a party was that at the end of the day the liability will be placed exclusively at the door step of the federal government, where in actual fact, this is a liability that was incurred by the governors’ forum; this was a liability admitted by the governors’ forum.

“This is a case in respect of which the governors’ forum and ALGON conceded to judgment by way of submitting to a consent judgment before a court of law.

So, what I am labouring to say in effect is that one, the engagement that gave rise to this liability was an engagement that was factored by ALGON and the governors’ forum.

“Two, arising from such liability, by way of creating a contractual obligation, parties submitted to the jurisdiction of the court in the form of the case instituted by consultants against the governors’ forum and against ALGON, and the parties submitted to the consent judgment.

“Three, the governors have indeed each provided a letter of commitment to the

google.com federal government that they were indeed liable, the same thing with ALGON.They wrote individually; the governors wrote, individually directing the federal government to effect payment of this amount. And we have the letters at our disposal, perhaps copies could be made available to you after this session.

So, what we are saying in essence, is that this is a self-induced problem arising from the concession, arising from the consent, arising from agreement of the governors’ forum and arising from the agreement of ALGON. “And then four, over and above all these, payment has indeed been effected over time without any objection on the part of ALGON and the governors’ forum over time. So it is indeed amazing that the governors are now belatedly, after having serviced the same claim for over a period of four-five years, are now belatedly turning round to raise objections in respect of the payment,” he said.

But speaking through the Body of Attorneys-General of the Federation last Monday, the states warned further that should the federal government proceed to make any such deduction, it would be acting illegally and in contempt of their appeal challenging the judgment. They gave the warning in an April 4 letter as part of their response to a November 11, 2021 letter from the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, advertising the commencement of the deduction for the liquidation of the alleged judgment debts.

The 36 states in their response to a November 11, 2021 letter from the minister, advertising the commencement of the deduction for the liquidation of the alleged judgment debts, and signed by the Body of Attorneys-General of the Federation Interim Chairman, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) of Lagos State and Interim Secretary, Dr. Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana of Nasarawa State as well as the Attorneys-Generals of Rivers, Abia, Taraba, Benue and Zamfara states, for and on behalf of all the state Attorneys-General, warned the federal government not to tamper with funds accruing to them and the 774 local government councils under the guise of satisfying an alleged $418 million London/Paris Club

Loan refund-related judgment debts.

In the letter, it was noted that the deduction of the allocations due to the 36 states of the federation from the Federation Account to liquidate the London/Paris Club Loan refundrelated judgment debts is the subject of an appeal filed by the 36 states at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

The letter explained that: “The appeal challenges the Federal High Court (per Honourable Justice I.E. Ekwo) judgment delivered on 25th March 2022 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/ CS/1313/2021 between A.G Abia State v.

President, Federal Republic of Nigeria & 42 Ors. Therefore, the issue is sub judice.”

In addition, it noted that the states have also filed a Motion on Notice for an Order of Injunction pending Appeal. The letter added that the Body’s legal representatives had published a public caveat in National Dailies notifying the public of the pending Appeal, which also advised concerned parties “to desist from dealing with the subject matter thereof pending the hearing and determination of the Appeal and the application for Injunction pending Appeal.”

It said that given the above, “the law requires you to restrain from taking any step whatsoever that is capable of interfering with the rest of the suit, which is now a subject of an appeal.

“Accordingly, Nigerian case law enjoins you to refrain from effecting any deduction whatsoever from the allocations due to the 36 states from the federation Account for the liquidation of the London/Paris Club Loan refund-related judgment debts purportedly on behalf of the 36 states of the federation and the 774 local government areas, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal by the states of the federation. Doing otherwise in the face of the pending appeal and motion on notice for injunction pending appeal shall be at your peril.”

As it stands, since the state governments have appealed the case, it is expected that Malami and the federal government should exercise restraint and wait for the right of appeal to be fully exhausted before any further action is taken. The AGF needs to ward off pressure from the consultants in the overall interest for justice

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

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CICERO/ISSUES

Controversy Lingers as Appeal Court Overrules Malami on Electoral Act With the Court of Appeal in Owerri ordering the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and others to suspend the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, which struck down Section 84 (12) of the newly amended Electoral Act, the controversial section has remained in vogue, writes Alex Enumah

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he Owerri Division of the Court of Appeal last week ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and others to suspend the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, which struck down Section 84 (12) of the newly amended Electoral Act. Malami had on March 22, after a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, nullified Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act on March 18, foreclosed possible appeals by vowing to promptly enforce the verdict.

But a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Rita Pemu, last Monday issued an order putting the execution of the High Court’s decision on hold. The court made the order in a ruling granting a request by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be joined as a party to the appeal challenging the judgment of the lower court.

The appellate court, in its ruling, ordered parties to refrain from taking steps capable of frustrating the pending appeal against the contested judgment.

“Upon reading the application herein filed on 23-3-2022 with an affidavit in support sworn to by John Eronini on the same date and after hearing D.C. Denwigwe (SAN) for the applicant and Chief Emeka Ozoani (SAN) for the 1st respondent, order is hereby granted as follows: ‘Leave is hereby granted the applicant (PDP) to appeal as person interested in this appeal CA/ OW/87/2022. Due to the exigencies of this appeal and its constitutional colourisation, there is need to hear this matter expeditiously.

“Accordingly, the appellant is hereby given up to Tuesday 12th of April, 2022 to file its notice of Appeal and the parties are to file their respective briefs of arguments within three days from the date of service of the notice and record of Appeal on the respondents.

“There shall be a further three days given to the appellant to file a reply. Parties should desist from taking any step to frustrate the hearing of the appeal. The matter is adjourned to the 4th of May, 2022, for the hearing of the appeal.

Fresh hearing notice to be issued on the 2nd to the 12th respondents”.

Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act bars serving political office holders, including commissioners, ministers and special advisers, from participating as delegate of the primaries in their respective parties or as candidates for any election.

It further prescribes a reprimand in Section 84 (13) as a consequence for the disobedience of the Act, thus: “Where a political party fails to comply with the provision of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.”

The contentious clause was included in the Electoral Act despite resistance by President Muhammadu Buhari. However, based on the assurances made by the leadership of the National Assembly to the President that lawmakers would revisit the clause as soon as the president signed the bill into law, the president appended his signature to the bill.

Unfortunately, it was a shock to Buhari when the two chambers of the National Assembly rejected the bill he sent to them to remove the section considered as belligerent by him and his allies.

The unanimous refusal of both chambers to remove the clause after it had been passed did not only bruise the ego of the presidency, it also had far-reaching implications for the AGF, who was rumoured to have interest in becoming the governorship candidate of the ruling party in

Malami Kebbi State. Other ministers and commissioners, who also have stakes within the ruling party, realised it could be a move by the lawmakers to disempower them ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In fact, the president expressed concerns in his letter to the National Assembly that the clause in the Electoral Act would disenfranchise serving political officers. The president suggested that a 30-day grace be given for political office holders interested in contesting or participating in politics to relinquish their offices.

And while there was pressure on the lawmakers to honour the gentleman’s agreement they reached with the president, the opposition PDP filed an ex-parte motion against the federal government at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop attempts to tamper with the Act. Defendants in the suit were President Buhari along with the AGF, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives, Clerk of the National Assembly, Senate Leader, House of Representatives Leader and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Also joined as defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/247/2022 were the Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Deputy Senate Leader and Deputy House of Representatives Leader.

The main opposition party prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining Buhari and other defendants from refusing to implement the duly signed Electoral Act or in any manner withholding the Electoral Act from

being put to use, including the provisions of Section 84 (12) of the said Act pending the resolution of the suit.

It also applied for an order of the court stopping the National Assembly from giving effect to President Buhari’s request to remove Section 84 (12) or take any step that will make the provision inoperative pending the resolution of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

The grouse of the PDP was that President Buhari having assented to the bill, cannot give any directive to the National Assembly to take immediate steps to remove Section 84 (12) or any section of the Act on any ground whatsoever.

In his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo restrained the National Assembly from tampering with the Act. He said the Electoral Act, having become a valid law, could not be altered without following the due process of law.

Specifically, the court restrained President Buhari, the AGF and the National Assembly and other defendants in the suit from removing Section 84 (12) or preventing it from being implemented for the 2023 general election.

While the order by Justice Ekwo had sparked debate as to whether the court can bar the National Assembly from performing its duties, a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia on March 18 declared the disputed section of the Act as “unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

Justice Evelyn Anyadike who presided over the court directed that the section “be struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of

the clear provisions of the Constitution.” She ordered the AGF to “forthwith delete the said sub-section 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act, 2022”.

The judge while delivering judgment in a suit marked: FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 held that Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1) (f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election and that any other law that mandated such appointees to resign or leave the office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution.

It was shocking to many Nigerians was that all the court processes were achieved within 10 days from the filing of the suit by top chieftain of the Action Alliance (AA), Nduka Edede, to the date of the judgment. It was also very shocking that the National Assembly which passed the bill was not joined in the contentious suit.

As if he was waiting for the relief, hours after the judgment, Malami said he would accordingly give effect to the court judgment in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment. He further pledged that the judgment would be recognised by government printers in printing the Electoral Act. “The Act will be gazetted factoring the effect of the judgment into consideration and deleting the constitutionally offensive provision accordingly.

“The provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not part of our law and will be treated accordingly.

“This is in line with the dictates of chapter 7, Part 4, Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on enforcement of decisions that make it a point of duty and obligation on all authorities and persons to have the judgment of the Federal High Court, among others, to be enforced.

Even the National Assembly has filed an appeal to challenge Justice Anyadike’s judgment at the Court of Appeal. It said the High Court lacked the powers to order the deletion of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022. It urged the appellate court to order the retention of the section, adding that the judge erred in law when she ordered the AGF to delete it.

In the appeal, the federal lawmakers raised five grounds of appeal on why the court should set aside the March 18 judgment. It is also asking that the case be heard before the political parties hold their national conventions to select candidates for next year’s general elections.

They said the trial judge erred in law and acted without jurisdiction by hearing the suit of Edede without joining the necessary parties. They argued that the judge erred in law and consequently violated the National Assembly and the Clerk to the National Assembly’s (appellants’) right to a fair hearing when being conscious of the existence of their interest It said the provisions of Section 66(1) (f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(g), and 182(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) relied upon by the judge only relate to public servants and does not include political appointees.

The National Assembly contended that not determining the appeal before the deadline for the submission of the list of candidates will defeat the purpose of the law, the National Assembly said.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 17, 2022

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Kukah and Caeser’s Untidy Robe

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ishop Hassan Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese has a robust definition of his flock. His patriotism is predictable.

His preoccupation with matters of good governance, responsible statesmanship and the welfare of ordinary citizens has become axiomatic. Above all, his abiding preoccupation with the ultimate moral burden of political leadership has been consistent and unrelenting. Equally unmistakeable is his insistence on the common good as the measure of leadership relevance.

On the ancient divide between church and state, Kukah is crystal clear: God and Caeser may have their different pathways but their aims do not collide. The designs of the Almighty can only come true on earth if Caeser rules wisely and does right by the people placed under his watch. So, Caeser and God are conjoined by an ultimate common moral purpose and civic responsibility.

Their common aims include order, peace, contentment among men on earth and hope for blessings from above.

In a landscape littered with a vast array of sundry prophets and religious merchants, a high priest and credible ambassador of the Pope who defines his flock as his nation deserves national gratitude and universal appreciation. Bishop Kukah has maintained a consistent excellence in navigating the treacherous balance between his duty to God and his responsibilities to fellow men as a citizen of a specific country, Nigeria. On this score, Kukah has earned his stripes as one of the more credible moral guardians of the Nigerian nation. He is above all also a notable ambassador of the papacy and of God on a troubled Nigerian nation space.

For what he means for us, Bishop Kukah deserves our unstinted gratitude not just as a leading icon of our national Christian priesthood but mostly as a moral asset and civic institution.

Predictably, the Bishop’s very incisive and patriotic Easter message has in the last few days been greeted by a torrent of poisoned darts and a barrage of insults from the prime town criers in Aso Villa. The pair of court messengers paid to speak no evil from the corridors of presidential power have themselves taken to the pulpit to heap opprobrium on Nigeria’s most enlightened and credible man of God and moral asset. These gentlemen have usurped the cassock of unlicensed priesthood with decontextualized biblical quotes to counter a whole Bishop.

Against the backdrop of Buhari’s shrinking leadership, diminished moral profile and vastly eroded governance and political credentials, the infamous Aso Rock pair have even mounted an alternative pulpit, quoting copiously and blasphemously from the scriptures to justify their utter disregard for respect, decency and sensitivity to popular feelings.

Let us not deny the laborers some due work for their privileged station and generous rewards. An understandable obligation to their servile duty of disrepute management is clearly understandable.

In fairness, the infamous duo could be excused for springing to quick attention in choreographed defense of their besieged principal. That is why they get paid and pampered with our tax money. But court messengers charged with defending a crumbling unpopular emperor have a clear wise option: hide under the immunity of the Bishop’s saintly cassock to maintain dignified silence.

In his Easter message in question, Bishop Kukah did what he does best. He spoke truth to power as he is so often wont to do. The content of his Easter message is neither novel nor far-fetched. The content and general drift reflects exactly the dominant subject at every motor park, beer parlor, board room or kitchen table. Every traveller who has suffered kidnap or abduction is now a Kukah. Every school leaver who can neither find work nor purpose in life is a Kukah. Communities condemned to har-

Kukah vesting corpses from farms and town centres are subscribers to the Kukah message. The nation’s ever growing choir of mourners in a new national industry of death are singing the same dirge as Bishop Kukah at Easter. An ever expanding roll call of orphans and widows all over the land are united by the Kukah message and spirit. In every poor home where the next meal has become an uncertain conjecture, the Kukah message has become a banner of protest and an anthem of despair. At Easter, then, the eminent Bishop spoke for all and to all of us.

And yet, Kukah, the man of God, was not being an unapologetic prophet of the apocalypse. He chose the timely symbolism of Easter, the promise and possibility of renewal, the gift of redemption and salvation through the mandatory requirement of penitent sacrifice to appeal to Nigeria’s uniqueness. Bishop Kukah spoke from a place of crystal patriotism and uncommon concern for nation and fellow citizens.

He appealed to our ability to retrace and retract from the brink, to heal, to course correct and self-repair. In this regard, Kukah’s message was ultimately one of hope and conditional optimism. If our leaders hear our wailing and heed wise counsel, we can be saved.

It is also at a politically auspicious moment. A million hands have been raised by aspirants to the presidency.

This crowd at the gate of national salvation indicates so many things: a multitude is clamouring to right the wrongs of the last seven years. There can be no clearer indication of how bad the times are. It may in fact also indicate that in a nation with boisterous energy and infinite resourcefulness, most channels of productive exertion are shut, leaving only a thriving political industry swarming with mostly desperate hustlers and fake messiahs.

In this situation, to insist, as the presidency has done, on a separation of pulpit and soap box would therefore

be immoral. We are now in a situation where the populace are groping for meaning in a place where basic survival has become a daily ritual requiring prayerful supplication. The pulpit has become a soap box. Either is now both. In our daily lives, a new set of prayers and good wishes have crept into our faith suffused national psychology. ‘Happy New Month…Happy New Week’. All this is totally new. ‘Happy new year’ is perhaps too far away now. No one knows what might chance tomorrow.

We now live day by day, week by week, month by month. People now pray to get to their destinations, to live to the next day and to grow into tolerable mid age since old age has become a far fetched hard to attain luxury.

It is patently cruel to deny the existential manifestations of this bad season.

Official privilege and the pomposity of public office should not inflict blindness and numbness to widespread anguish.

Nor should we be hectored into blaming anyone else other than the current leadership and regime for the bad times in which we live. Somebody and something has abridged our happiness and replaced it with bitterness.

Ordinary citizens are not the ones breaching the national power grid every other day. We are not the ones allowing terrorists and bandits free passage to interrupt schools, invade airports, bomb rail lines, abduct passengers on highways, kill our soldiers or rape our kidnapped wives and daughters. We are not the ones who have allowed the national currency to degrade to worthlessness or elevate basic good living to the exclusive preserve of a privileged few. The calamities that now assail us from every direction are the handiwork of the sovereign we elected, pay tax to and surrendered our rights to.

In return for our collective obligations in this fractured social contract, see what we have! This is hardly the way to compensate a willing and forbearing people.

In bad times, religious leaders have an obligation to call the attention of leaders to the things that irk the people and stand in their way to heavenly salvation.

The people remain the reserve bank of

a committed priesthood. Without us, the pews will be deserted and the message of salvation will echo in empty chambers with sepulchral silence.

Make no mistake about it. Bad leaders cannot but have an adversarial relationship with socially conscious men of God. I do not expect Mr. Buhari to give Bishop Kukah a hug any time soon. They are more likely to shake hands from a detached distance. If a dinner ever became expedient or required by courtesy of the ceremony of state, the butlers will need to order many long spoons for Kukah to dine with Buhari!

Bad leaders value docile followers and a sedated citizenry. But socially and politically conscious and committed men of God crave followers who are alive to their civic obligations. The gospel is meant for the living! Priests need an audience of secure, content and fulfilled men and women to fulfill God’s divine mission and plan on earth.

God’s purpose on earth cannot be fulfilled if the citizens are broken and battered, live in a broken homes, a broken society and a dysfunctional polity.

In fact, a broken nation is an outright derogation of the divine intent and plan for a wholesome universe. It may be wise to give unto Caeser his due but only if Caeser tidied up his robe and held his end of the rope by ensuring an orderly, secure, peaceful society in which the people are content.

If Caeser Buhari defaults in his earthly obligations as a leviathan, he vicariously invites the representatives of God to invade his domain by assuming a more combative role.

The existence of bad leaders is the origin of Liberation Theology or a politically conscious clergy. Latin and Central America became the epicenters of Liberation Theology because they were also the headquarters of some of the most bloody and fearsome dictatorships in world history.

Bishop Kukah is neither the first nor will he be the last of a breed of men of God who embrace popular causes and seek to balance their obligations to fellow citizens with their ultimate responsibility to God. It is a long tradition that has seen good men burnt at the stake or administered hemlock for believing differently from Caeser. On the scale of these more gruesome fates, the insults from Aso Rock court messengers in Bishop Kukah look rather meek and mild.

People-oriented commitment is not the preserve of just the Christian priesthood.

The Muslim Ulama and Imams share this binding moral obligation. A few weeks ago, the Chief Imam of the Apo mosque in Abuja, Nuhu Khalid, was instantly sacked for calling out President Buhari on the serial failings of his administration. The sack was needless and foolish. The imam had made his point which merely amplified a pervasive discontent. Imam Khalid was walking in the path of a great tradition in Islam which recognizes that great religion as first a way of life in which matters of the spirit and the polity are inseparable. In times past, rebellious preachers have been expelled for believing and preaching differently from kings.

In contemporary Christendom, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pope John Paul, Mother Theresa and Pope Francis belong to this great tradition in which the relevance of a person of God begins on earth. They all come in a lineage of priesthood for whom goodness on earth is the greatest act of devotion to God. For the politician, the soap box is the pedestal for marketing his programmes and defending his stewardship. On the other hand, the pulpit is the stage for men of God to defend the faith and expound the gospel.

Incidentally, the pulpit can become the fountain of hope for congregations seeking succor in a bad place. That is where we are now in Nigeria and men of God like Bishop Kukah are right to weaponise the pulpit to right the wrongs when Caeser derails.

If king Buhari desired friendlier Easter messages than Bishop Kukah’s latest one, he should have tidied up his robes much earlier. Unfortunately for this administration, it is now quarter to midnight.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

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NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

Oil Licensing: Stakeholders Seek Cancellation of Automatic Pre-qualification for IOCs Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) at the weekend concluded the phase one of its consultations prior to the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), with stakeholders backing the cancellation of waivers for International Oil Companies (IOCs) during oil licensing rounds.

Specifically, oil and gas industry operators at the three-day event in Abuja, noted that the practice of automatically pre-qualifying the big oil companies interested

in obtaining operating licences for oil assets should be halted henceforth.

Although the PIA was passed in August last year, it is mandatory that oil and gas industry stakeholders meet to discuss the administrative and operational rules before a proper take-off of the legislation as it concerns certain clauses.

Some issues dealt with during the consultative meeting centred around royalties, licensing rounds, fees and rentals as well as the implementation of host community fund.

They also focused on finalising the 2020 bid round through issuance of Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs), making regulations on the Nigerian upstream fee and rent regulations, petroleum licencing round regulations, domestic gas delivery obligations regulations as well as Nigeria conversion regulations.

In a draft communiqué presented to participants at the end of the event, the stakeholders noted that if accepted, the move

will guarantee a level-playing field and equal access for all prospective bidders during oil licensing rounds in the country.

“The proposal is aimed at ensuring that no bidder is allowed undue advantage over others in acquiring the country’s oil assets during future oil licensing rounds,” the draft communique noted.

Other key proposals made by participants

during the forum bordered on licensing bid round guidelines, financial capacity of prospective bidders, and criteria for disqualification of prospective bidders, among others.

The forum resolved that all bidders for operating licences should be subjected to the same bid guidelines to be issued by the commission prior to the commencement of the bid process, rather than give some

companies special waivers.

The event drew stakeholders from oil producing communities, IOCs, indigenous operators, contractors among others.

It was resolved that rather than follow permanent guidelines stipulated in the PIA, the commission shall issue fresh guidelines in respect of any announced bid round, spelling out specific terms and conditions guiding the exercise.

Dogara Vows to Appeal Judgment Sacking Him from House Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has vowed to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering him to vacate the House for his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara, who represents Bogoro, Dass/ Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State in the House, was sacked on Friday

by Justice Donatus Okorowo.

The former speaker defected from PDP to APC in 2020 following a disagreement between him and the incumbent governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed.

Following his action, the PDP filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/20 against him and four others at

the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice Okorowo in his ruling, held that having defected unlawfully, the former speaker could no longer retain his seat.

The judge declared that having defected from PDP, the party that sponsored him, to the APC before the expiration of his tenure, Dogara is no longer qualified to retain his seat in view of the provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.

He upheld the argument by the plaintiff that, having defected from the PDP that sponsored him, Dogara ought to vacate the seat.

While holding that Dogara’s action was prohibited by law, the judge noted that the aim of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution was to check political prostitution among members of the legislative arm of government.

Governors Condemn Plateau Killings, Donate N50m to Victims Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) yesterday condemned the recent massacre of over 100 citizens in Kanam Local Government Area, Plateau State.

NGF, a non-partisan platform created to enhance collaboration among the governors, donated N50 million to the victims of the recent massacre in Plateau State.

The Chairman of the Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi revealed the figure at the Government House, Rayfield Jos on behalf of all the governors of the federation.

Fayemi, also the governor of Ekiti State, condemned the gruesome murder of the innocent citizens by the terrorists, saying this was another attempt to

destroy the efforts put in by the Lalong administration to consolidate peace and security in the state.

He said the forum was outraged over the killings and would continue to do everything possible to support Lalong to overcome the situation and deal with those who are bent on causing chaos in his state known to be a natural destination of choice to many.

He, therefore, announced a donation of N50 million to assist in meeting the needs of victims and supporting those who are displaced, also condoling Lalong over the death of the Statistician General of the Federation, Dr. Simon Harry, who died recently.

5,000 IDPs Return Home in Niger Laleye Dipo in Minna At least 5000 internally displaced people in Lavun and Gurara Local Government Areas, Niger state, have returned home following restoration of peace in their towns and villages.

The Director General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Mr Ibrahim Inga disclosed this at the distribution of relief materials to the IDPs, some by proxy last Friday.

Inga said some of the relief materials for the former IDPs in Lavun LG had been distributed to the beneficiaries through their community leaders and in the

presence of the Deputy Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Mr Ndagi Baba.

The director general added that the Chairman of Gurara LGA. Alhaji Yussuf Wali and one of the councillors also witnessed the distribution of the relief materials at the local council.

Also, in a statement yesterday, NSEMA explained that the relief materials were distributed after bandits attacked the communities late last month.

It explained that the communities in Gurara LGA affected by the March attack were Kabo, Iwa, Kutayi, Zabedna, Baradna, Gufana and Sabon Gari.

WELCOME ON BOARD… L-R: Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo; new Managing Director/CEO, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Hamman Madu; Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr. Chukwunwike Uzo; and Chairman of the Board of Directors, FMBN, Mr. Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, after the inauguration of the new Board of Directors and executive management of FMBN at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja…recently

DMO Auctions Three New FGN Bonds Valued at N225bn Festus Akanbi The Debt Management Office (DMO) has offered three new Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds valued at N225 billion for subscription through auction in April.

They are a N75 billion FGN bond at 13.5 per cent interest rate, due in March 2025 (10 year reopening) and a N75 billion FGN bond, due in April 2032 (10 year

new issue).

A statement by DMO said the third one is a N75 billion bond at 13 per cent interest rate, due in January 2042 (20 year re-opening).

The bonds are valued at N1,000 with a minimum subscription of N50 million, and in multiples of 1000 units thereafter.

Auction date is April 25, while successful bidders have April 27 deadline to pay up.

“For re-opening of previously

issued bonds, successful bidders will pay a price corresponding to the yield-to-maturity bid that clears the volume being auctioned, plus any accrued interest.

“The bonds qualify as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act. “They also qualify as government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act and Personal Income Tax Act for tax exemption, pension

fund amongst other investors.

“They are listed on The Nigerian Stock Exchange Ltd. and FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange,’’ the DMO stated.

It added that all FGN bonds qualify as liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks.

“FGN bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the FGN and are charged upon the general assets of Nigeria,’’ the statement added.

Lagos Economy Critical to Nigeria’s Growth, Says Udom Segun James A presidential aspirant of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Udom Emmanuel yesterday said the drive for industrialisation in Lagos State would jump-start the economy of Nigeria.

Udom, a governor of Akwa Ibom, canvassed a special status for Lagos, promising that under his leadership, he will pursue policies that will make the Lagos economy to blossom.

He made these remarks yesterday when he visited a former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, saying the development of Lagos economy would have a multiplier effect on the economy of the country.

Udom stormed Lagos as part of his consultation and mobilisation tour of PDP chapters nationwide. He visited George, and other chieftains to solicit their support for his ambition.

He was accompanied by

Senator Gabriel Suswan, former governor of Benue State, Col. Habib Shuaibu, his campaign manager, and Information Commissioner Ini Ememobong.

Addressing the state’s party leaders yesterday, Udom said Lagos, as the former federal capital, deserved good federal attention like its counterparts across the globe.

Udom promised to stimulate the private sector for economic growth, explaining how he had

administered Akwa Ibom and established Ibom Airline, which had acquired the reputation for being the best airline in the country.

The presidential aspirant said there could only be good governance when things are done rightly, urging the party to settle for tested contenders, saying he had attracted direct foreign investment by creating a conducive enabling environment in Akwa Ibom.

Gunmen Kidnap 10 Herders in Anambra, Demand N4m, AK-47 Rifle David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Suspected gunmen have allegedly kidnapped 10 persons, suspected to be herders in Anambra State, with a demand for N4 million and an AK-47 rifle as ransom.

The Chairman of South East Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidado Siddiki revealed the demands at a session with journalists yesterday.

At the session, Siddiki explained that the incident happened at Obene community in Ogbaru

Local Government Area, and that those kidnapped were his members.

Siddiki said the incident took place at Fulani settlement at exactly 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, while the herders and their cattle were asleep.

“The cattle herders were attacked at their settlement while asleep, and their herds numbering about 300 forcefully taken away by the gunmen numbering about 40.

“The men invaded the area with sophisticated weapons, including guns, cutlasses, sticks

and charms. The kidnappers have established contact with their victims’ families, demanding N4 million and one gun as ransom.

“As I speak to you now, I have reported the incident to the Police and DSS for prompt action,” the chairman said.

He appealed to the kidnappers to release his members and their cows, stressing that those kidnapped were mere herders, who were struggling to eke out a living.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra

State Police Command, Mr. Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident Tochukwu, Deputy Superintendent of Police, urged the leadership of Miyetti Allah in the state to come up with more information that would enable the Police to commence aggressive investigation into the matter.

He said: “We are aware of the incident, but we want the Miyetti Allah leadership to supply us with more information, since the Kidnappers have established ransom contact with the victims’ families.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ APRIL 24, 2022

NEWSXTRA Oshun Faults APC Nomination Fees, Demands 75% Reduction Gboyega Akinsanmi Amid protracted nationwide criticism, the National Chairman of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Hon. Olawale Oshun yesterday lashed at the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for fixing its nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential and governorship aspirants at N100 million and N50 million respectively.

Oshun, a founding chieftain of the APC, described the fees

fixed for all elective offices as exorbitant and outrageous, thus asking the National Working Committee (NWC) to immediately reduce the fees by 75 percent across the board.

He expressed grave concern about the party’s nomination fees, pointing out that the fees by all standards contravened the sensitive nature of negotiations that culminated in the birth of the APC on February 6, 2013.

The APC had, in a statement by its National Publicity

Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, had set the nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential candidates at N100 million naira.

The party had also fixed the nomination and expression of interest forms “for governorship aspirants at N50 million, senatorial aspirants at N20 million, House of Representatives aspirants at N10 million and

the State House of Assembly aspirants N2 million.”

The decision of the ruling party had drawn the ire of the pubic as the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu claimed that the high cost of the fees cast the APC in the image of rogues and hypocrites.

Faulting the party’s deci-

sion yesterday, however, Oshun asked the APC-NWC under the chairmanship of Senator Adamu Abdullahi to review the presidential nominations and expression of interest form fee from N100 million to N25 million, representing a 75 percent reduction.

As a founding member of the ruling party, Oshun said:

“I believe the fees should be reviewed. The party leadership should not be ashamed to review it. I am totally against it. The criticism is everywhere.”

According to him, a responsive party must, as a matter of fact, take into consideration the general feelings in the public.

There must be a review of the nomination fees immediately in response to public criticism.

Herdsmen Attacks: Death Toll Rises to 46 in Benue, Taraba George Okoh in Makurdi and Wole Ayodele in Jalingo The death toll of Easter Sunday’s attack on Kwentwen, a community in Ussa Local Government Area, Taraba State by suspected Fulani militia yesterday increased to 24.

Likewise, the number of casualties of Thursday’s attack on communities in Kwande and Gwer West Local Government Areas (LGAs), Benue State by armed herdsmen rose from 20 to 22.

The figures were revealed yesterday respectively by the Chairman of Ussa LGA, Rimansikwen Karma during a telephone conversation with THISDAY and in the list of the victims released by the Chairman of Gwer

West Traditional Council, Chief Daniel Abomste.

In conversation with THISDAY yesterday, Karma revealed that 10 persons sustained serious injuries in the attack, which occurred at about 4.00am on Easter Sunday.

Although the Taraba State Command described the attackers as unknown gunmen, Karma insisted that they were Fulani herdsmen, who were heard by survivors of the attack saying, “kill all of them and let us see how they will continue to kill cows.”

He, however, urged security agencies to halt further attacks on the community by the militia group, saying the group had threatened to sustain the attack on the communities in the local council.

Fayemi, Ooni Urge Nigerians to Embrace Peace, Harmony Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi yesterday identified peace and harmony as the greatest catalysts for development, urging Nigerians to embrace one another and fight for the unity and stability of the country. The leaders added that no locality could develop while being embroiled in crisis, noting that peace and unity are required to uplift the country’s to the pedestal of development that could benefit all citizens.

They made the remarks in Ilawe Ekiti yesterday during the 10th Coronation anniversary of the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti and the Chairman of Ekiti State Traditional Council, Oba Ajibade Alabi.

At the coronation, the town inaugurated the establishment of N500 million Banana Processing Industry in Ilawe Ekiti to tap the comparative advantage the Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area has in the production of banana and plantain.”

Addressing the gathering, Fayemi described Alabi as an erudite scholar, who combined royalty with intellectualism, which according to him, reflected in the ways he superintended over the Ekiti State Traditional Council as Chairman and Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti.

The governor posited that the banana industry initiated by the community will help in processing agricultural products in the state to a finished product and boost the economy at the local level.

Police Arrest Five Kidnappers in Yobe The Yobe State Police Command has disclosed that it has arrested five suspected kidnappers in the state.

The command gave the figure in a statement its spokesman, Dumgus Abdulkarim issued in Damaturu yesterday Abdulkarim, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the police clamped down on some criminal hideouts that specialised in kidnapping and related offences in Fika, Potiskum, Gujba and Gulani Local Government Areas of the state.

Dungus said the operation led to the arrest of five members of the kidnapping syndicate, adding that the command had

intensified efforts to apprehend four other suspects now at large.

“This development came after the police rescued a 56-year-old man, Idi Isa, of Karem Village in Fika, who was kidnapped on March 31.

“Consequently, on April 2022 at about 0600 hours based on credible information, detectives from Fika Divisional Police Headquarters mobilised to a hideout of suspected kidnappers at Nafada LGA of Gombe State.

“The police trailed the suspects to an isolated house used in keeping kidnapped victims until ransom were paid,” he said, adding that two other cases were under investigation.

WELCOME TO LAGOS . . .

L-R: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Mr. Rob Oliphant with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina... weekend

Gaban, Agunloye Emerge SDP National Chairman, Secretary Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) carried out major reorganisation in the hierarchy of its leadership yesterday with the ratification of its former National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gaban as the National Chairman.

As part of the reorganisation, the SDP adopted its former National Chairman, Dr. Olu Agunloye as the National Secretary, a position

that Gaban was occupying before he emerged the party’s national chairman yesterday.

This was revealed in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Rufus Aiyenigba, noting that the National Working Committee (NWC) had resolved to the position in the South to the North and those in the North to the South.

In his statement, Aiyenigba said the resolution of SDP-NWC “has moved the positions in

the south to north and north to the south respectively, thereby effecting the change of the leadership of the party ahead of the 2023 general election.”

He said the National Secretary, Shehu Gaban who hails from Bauchi State, North-East who was the National Secretary of the party, “is now appointed as the new national chairman.

“While Dr. Olu Agunloye, who comes from Ondo State, South-west and held the office of the National Chairman, is now

appointed as the new National Secretary of SDP,” the national publicity secretary.

“The two new appointments of National Chairman and secretary, respectively, were done by a motion moved by Hon. Chukwuma Ogbonna Uchechukwu, National speaker, youth parliament (National Youth Leader) and was seconded by Maggie Batubo, the National Speaker women parliament (National women Leader).

Nigeria’ll Be Better with Igbo Presidency, Says Ohanaeze Ndigbo Segun James The Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that Nigeria will be better if any of the Igbo candidates from the South-east and the South-south succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

In a press statement issued by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Igbo group stated that its members were very committed to Igbo aspirations for the presidency, adding that the next leadership of Ohanaeze

Ndigbo would also be coming from Rivers State in 2025.

The statement read, “it became necessary for the Igbo to jettison artificial separation through boundary adjustment by the military and then reunite with our kith and kin in the Niger-Delta region.

“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution written by our founding fathers, in their wisdom, enshrined that Anioma in Delta and Ikwerre in Rivers State are part of Igbo-speaking states, as we have seen in the late Ambassador Raph Uwechue

and late Colonel Joe Achuzia from Anioma in Delta State, who led Ohanaeze Ndigbo as President-General and Secretary-General, respectively, likewise Dim Uche Okwukwu from Ikwerre in Rivers State, who is the immediate past Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo”.

“Governors Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi have not abandoned the quest for the Igbo to succeed President Buhari in 2023 through their perceived support for

the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, rather both South-east governors are reading the writing on the wall that the 2023 presidential election might be APC Ikwerre vs PDP Ikwerre (Amaechi vs Wike).

“Moreover, Obio Akpo and Mbiama are part of Ikwerre, Igbo-speaking part of Rivers State, and we are very committed to Igbo aspirations for the presidency. You also know that the next leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo will come from Rivers State in 2025.

Lagos Reopens Chrisland School After Sex Tape Scandal Funmi Ogundare The Lagos State Government yesterday directed Chrisland School across the state one week after its abrupt closure over alleged sexual misconduct by five pupils of the school during an international trip.

The Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo gave the directive in a statement yesterday, saying reopening the school follows a review

of the ongoing administrative investigation into the viral sex video involved five students of the school.

After the sex video went viral on the social media, the state government had on Monday announced the closure of all the branches of the school in the state.

The state government justified its decision on the ground that the closure became necessary towards ensuring safety of the

students and staff, “and to ensure unhindered investigation of the incident.

The state government issued the directive after a meeting with representatives of the Nigeria Police, Education Quality Assurance, Directorate of Public Prosecution and Chrisland School on the viral sex video of some students of the school during a trip to Dubai, UAE. In the statement yesterday, the statement said the Lagos State

Ministry of Education “has directed that all Chrisland Schools shut for alleged misconduct of some students in Dubai be reopened from Monday, April 25, 2022.

“The directive “follows a review of the ongoing administrative investigation into the incident.

Besides, it is to ensure that students are not denied access to learning when the new term begins on Monday 25th April, 2022.”

APRIL 24, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX did not bother to monitor her activities?

Could it be that of all the vices they expect from a child, this one blindsided them?

Girl X needs counselling and rehabilitation.

All the boys involved should also undergo therapy. Their parents need to be supported as well. This sort of scandal can damage some of them for life.

There are suggestions that the parents should be held solely responsible for her conduct. I would not go to that extent.

Yes, I would say a child’s upbringing is the responsibility of the parents. They cannot outsource parenting to schools and government. Yes, the parents should have seen some flashes of the red flag if they cared enough. Something about Girl X’s dressing and make-up should have aroused their curiosity. It could be argued that maybe they dropped the ball at some stage. Still, there is a limit to how intensely you can police your child. We would be lying to ourselves to say we know our children 100 percent. An African adage says it takes a village to raise a child.

I am very uncomfortable with suggestions and comments in certain quarters that tend to treat the girl as mature enough to take decisions by herself. The argument is that nobody should be held liable because she allegedly walked with her own legs to the boys’ room. There is no country in the world where an 11-year-old who performs a sexual act is treated as “mature”. A kid is a kid.

That she has got things twisted doesn’t give her the status of an adult. The only redeeming feature is that she apparently willingly had sex with fellow minors, so a case of rape or statutory rape cannot be established. But it is ill logic to say an

11-year-old is responsible enough to take such a decision.

Blames have been well shared — to the school authorities, the parents and the regulators — and I do not intend to go on and on with that. My take is that we have a big problem and all of us should use this opportunity to reflect and see how we can start doing things differently. My first call would be to the government to improve its monitoring of schools. Our public schools are not up to scratch and well-to-do parents are sending their children to private schools to get quality education.

But how much of inspection, supervision and assessment is going on? I would like to know the rules and regulations and how they are enforced. It appears government pays little or no attention to this.

Shutting some branches of Chrisland School — as the Lagos state government did — may be good for the optics but the rot in the wider system is what we really need to address. How do we make sure the regulatory system is strong enough to enforce the duty of care? The tragic case of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, who appeared to have been bullied and tortured by fellow students before losing his life last year, generated public interest, but we need to take care of the core issues through a regulatory framework that actually regulates. Nigeria is generally lawless: government agencies seem interested more in revenue collection and extortion than enforcing standards.

Government should develop a robust safeguarding policy for schools. The policy should offer concrete measures to keep students safe from harm, abuse and neglect. There should be a whistle-blowing

mechanism by which fellow students can report suspicious activities, including sexual harassment and grooming by teachers. But it is not just about sex. It should also cover bullying, drugs and cultism. Young people are exposed to too much these days and they need protection. It is not enough to throw them into the classroom and pretend not to know that they are already seeing and experiencing things, especially in this age of smart phones. Development comes with challenges.

We are in the social media age. Rather than run away from the challenges or play the ostrich, we have to confront and deal with the issues to the best of our ability.

A lot of age-inappropriate and potentially damaging things are being picked up on social media, as evident in the conception and actualisation of the sexual act to the recording and sharing it. What can be done by parents, guardians, content producers, government and the larger society to protect minors? This should be a major assignment for all concerned. One pastor said we shouldn’t buy phones for young people, but this tends to suggest, wrongly, that this is the only way they access inappropriate materials.

While I commend the Lagos state government for taking these issues seriously — at least by having laws in place and taking prompt actions when they get to the media — I am saddened that this is not the same attitude across Nigeria. Some states do not just care about sex crimes and violence against women and children. In 2018, we took up the case of a 10-year-old girl who was being sexually molested by a neighbour in Mowe, Ogun state. We got the

pervert arrested. After much noise (I had to tweet about it), he was charged to court.

The last I heard was that he had managed to set himself free without trial. We had to relocate the victim and her family to elsewhere to deal with the stigma.

Back to the case of Girl X. Beyond judging the parents or passing blames around, we need to take a broader look at the issues.

The first school for all of us is home. We must let go of the traditional inhibitions and start discussing sex with our children before they go and learn it the wrong way from predators and depraved people outside.

Gone are the days when we mystify the topic and create a taboo around it. I prefer women talking to the girls and men talking to the boys to start with, and at some point, fathers will have to talk to their daughters and mothers to their sons. Girl X was clearly tutored by the wrong people and she started experimenting with the extremes at this tender age.

The title of this article is from a 1992 hit song by Salt-N-Pepa, an American hiphop group. They advocated discussing sex because it “keeps coming up anyhow/Now we talk about sex on the radio and video shows”. Let’s be honest: no parents want to know that their children are already having sex. We would rather not broach the topic. But whether or not they have become sexually active, sexuality should be part of the curriculum of home training.

At all times, we should put ourselves in a position to win the confidence of our children so that they can feel free enough to open up and have a meaningful and edifying conversation with us. Sex education, like charity, must begin at home.

And Four Other Things…

THE N100M QUESTION Many Nigerians have been fuming over the N100 million price tag on APC’s presidential nomination and expression of interest forms. It is scandalous. PDP’s N40 million tag now looks like a bargain. By some credible calculations, no serious candidate will spend less than N2 billion in a presidential run — and this is on campaign logistics, publicity and payments to agents. It does not include under-the-table expenditure which on its own will be far in excess of another N2 billion.

The extortionate N100 million pales into chump change. I am happy more Nigerians are beginning to pay attention to these details.

We analyse grand problems but the little details are even more damning. Outrageous.

PRAYER WARRIORS Don’t you just love Zamfara state? When meningitis killed 215 residents in 2017, the then governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, blamed it on fornication. That was one of the most profound scientific-cum-religious findings in human history. His successor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, recently distributed 360 cars to traditional rulers in a state where poverty and banditry have combined to make life a living hell for residents. To shame his critics, Matawalle has now sponsored 72 clerics to Saudi Arabia to go and wage spiritual war against banditry in the state. Actually, these things happen when you have more money than sense, but at least Zamfara state is now the comedy capital of Nigeria. Shame.

MORE THAN MONEY President Muhammadu Buhari believes his government has invested “more resources” to tackle insecurity than past administrations.

“We have acquired advanced equipment for our armed forces and the police to strengthen their capacity to confront terrorism and banditry. We have made adequate budgetary allocations for security,” he told traditional rulers at an Iftar event on Thursday. Since the heavy investment has not curtailed insecurity and is even now more widespread, this may support the argument that the problem is more than spending money. We need to spend, sure, but some things are still missing. Architecture? Strategy? Personnel?

Equipment? Accountability? Think.

AGEGE BREAD Sterling Bank Plc did an Easter advert that was quite distasteful, likening the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the rise of Agege bread (artificially enhanced with yeast). When I saw the advert, I flinched. Amid the backlash, the bank asked whoever had never sinned to cast the first stone — trying to adopt a biblical injunction. It was a poor attempt at humour and the MD, Mr Abubukar Suleiman, had to issue a proper apology. That settles it? Not so fast. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will never let go of any opportunity to play politics and has asked that the MD be sacked. I won’t be surprised if the advert is now treated as part of the “Fulanisation and Islamisation agenda”. Politics.

be, giving as many people as possible an equal opportunity to aspire is much better than erecting sky-high barrier to entry. The party should feel flattered that many still find it a viable platform and it should trust the delegates to be sensible enough to do

the weeding.

A truly progressive party would not use money as the first gauge of seriousness of aspirants. In fact, the party should actively be recruiting and grooming and incentivising credible, competent, honest and innovative people to fly its flag at different levels. Of course, having money or being able to raise money is not necessarily at odds with these attributes but APC seems to have prioritised money ahead of all else, irrespective of the provenance of such money, which in itself is another unfortunate development.

A big party can afford to stand on ideals and should be leveraging its spread to raise resources to support its eventual candidate.

It should be more concerned about the marketability of its candidates across the board than the depth of their pockets or goodwill. It should be focussing more on the capacity of its candidates to deliver good governance and use that to cement its place among the voters and to further project its ideals.

I chose to focus on APC not because the other leading parties are markedly different but because I believe that a ruling party can afford to take some positive risks and should be setting the tone for the others.

With this outrageous fee, APC has however set the wrong tone. It has, wittingly or unwittingly, deepened the entrenched belief that public offices are prebends, sought at great expense for the benefit of office holders and those proximate to them. Asking aspirants to pay N100 million just to compete to be its candidate for a position where the eventual office holder will earn N14.06 million per annum in cash commodifies the most exalted office in the land, raises the cost of running for offices, and eliminates any pretence to transparency, accountability and good governance. It hurts more than the party involved. It is retrogressive and reprehensible, and should be reversed.

ON APC’S N100M FEE FOR PRESIDENTIAL FORM and the additional harm being inflicted on a political culture already damaged by a predatory, patronage and prebendal proclivity on the other.

It is worth restating that APC has the word Progressives in the middle of its name and that it came to office in 2015 as the party of “Change”. There is nothing progressive about a party asking aspirants to pay N100 million just to contest to be its candidate.

And if there is anything counter-change, this status-quo entrenching move is. Rather than diligently pursue a different way of politicking, the party has chosen to solidify and elevate politics as usual. Lacking both in self-awareness and in a sense of its history, the party has undermined its own true believers who kept insisting that progressive and change meant more than mere vote-catching buzzwords.

In any currency and even with Naira’s battered state, N100 million is a hefty amount. It is clearly beyond what many, including the fabulously wealthy, can easily stake just to have a chance of competing to fly the flag of a party and, ultimately, to serve their country. APC has thus effectively shut out many from the basic democratic right to just aspire. It is a sad restatement of the pervasive tendency to denominate everything in money. Following Davido, the musician, APC is contemptuously telling its less endowed and less connected members that: “if no get money, hide your face.”

Even when it is clear that the equality promise of democracy is undercut by unequal material endowments, a party sworn to progressive ideals should always strive to reduce barriers and disparities, not to promote and glorify them. Telling people to run for positions that suit their material status or to go to parties for their like is a really unfortunately cocky thing to say in a party that flaunts a progressive identity, even if only in name.

Buhari Yes, the party needs to raise money and needs to have a manageable number of aspirants. But if a ruling party waits till the primaries before trying to raise money, it betrays a resource mobilisation deficit.

As inconveniencing and costly as it may

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER APRIL 24, 2022

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Arsenal’s Top Four Finish on Course, Beat Man Utd in Emirates Thriller Ronaldo scores his 100th Premier League goal in 3-1 defeat Duro Ikhazuagbe

A

rsenalsteppeduptheirclaimsfor a place in the Premier League’s top four at the expense of Manchester United’s ambitions in a 3-1 thriller at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners came into the game on an upswing after ending a run of three successive defeats with victory at Chelsea, while United were attempting to bounce back from a humiliating 4-0 loss at Liverpool.

And Arsenal took three crucial points as the visitors paid the price for shambolic defending and a missed penalty by Bruno Fernandes that undermined an enterprising attacking display.

Nuno Tavares put Arsenal in front after only three minutes following errors from Raphael

PREMIER LEAGUE Varane and Alex Telles, the defender turning in a simple finish after David de Gea saved Bukayo Saka’s shot.

Eddie Nketiah then had an effort ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside but after being called to look at his pitchside monitor the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Telles on Saka immediately before Nketiah’s shot, and Saka converted from the spot.

United were a real danger in attack, the returning Cristiano Ronaldo deservedly pulling a goal back before the break for his 100th Premier League goal.

Elsewhere, Gabriel Jesus scored four goals and made a fifth as Manchester City thrashed Watford 5-1 to move four points clear at the top of the

Premier League.

With a month of the season to go, City know they will be champions if they win all their remaining league games and they will hope for more afternoons like this one, where their victory was never in doubt.

Watford tried their best, but they were outclassed by a rampant City team and remain anchored in the bottom three, seven points adrift of safety.

InWest London,Tottenham’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by Brentford, with Bees midfielder Christian Eriksen impressing against his former club.

The Denmark midfielder, facing Spurs for the first time since he left for Inter Milan in January 2020, was given a warm reception by players and fans before kick-off in west London.

Bayern Munich Wins 10th Consecutive Bundesliga Title Bayern Munich secured a 10th consecutive Bundesliga title by easing to victory over secondplaced Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side have once again dominated domestic rivals this season and this win opened a 12-point lead at the top with three games left.

SergeGnabry’ssublimetouchandvolleyopened the scoring before Robert Lewandowski coolly added a second.

EmreCan’spenaltycuttheleadbutJamalMusiala added a third late on.

The 19-year-old slammed home from close range to send the Allianz Arena into celebration as Bayern delivered a 32nd league title.

ItcomesatatimewhereNagelsmannhassaidhe hasbeensubjectedtoonlinedeaththreatsafterhis team’ssurpriseChampionsLeagueexittoVillarreal.

Whilst they have been unable to replicate the success they enjoyed in winning Europe’s elite club competition in 2019-20, domestically Bayern remain untouchable.

ForwardThomas Muller, who became the first player to win 11 Bundesliga titles, said:“It was an opportunity to set the record straight. There has been a lot of frustration recently and it was an opportunity to let off steam. Now everything is wonderful.“

AFN Fixes April 28 and 29 for 2nd All-Comers Competition in Lagos

Bukayo Saka (middle) celebrating his goal in Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat of Manchester United...yesterday.

PHOTO: EPA

Uzodimma Tees-off Arsenal Open Golf Tournament 2022

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he Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma has described golf as a game that helps to nurture the spirit, soul and body and promised to partner with golfers to serve Imo State and the society better.

He spoke at the tee-off ceremony of the first Arsenal Open Golf Tournament at the Obinze Golf Course field, near Owerri on Saturday.

Performing the opening ceremony, the Governor thanked the organisers for choosing Owerri the Imo State capital for the tournament.

He also thanked the management of Polaris Bank for sponsoring the event that attracted captains of industries, local and foreign investors to Imo State.

He described the tournament as a thing of joy, noting that it is holding at a time those who are not aware of the real security situation in Imo are scared of coming to the State.

“With the tournament taking place in Owerri you are able to see that after all, there is peace in the State and the people are at home doing their normal businesses without fear of molestation or harassments.”

Governor Uzodimma thanked the Golf Captain and organisers for their support always and assured them that he will do everything within his powers to give the golfers, the organisers and Polaris Bank the support and encouragement they need to have a memorable outing in Imo. Welcoming the Governor and his entourage to

the ceremony, the Captain of Imo Golfers, Chief Cliff Orjiakor appreciated Governor Uzodimma for gracing the ceremony and recalled the experiences of Imo golfers and their other colleagues across the country in the past at Obinze Golfers field.

Highlight of the ceremony was the tee-off by the Governor of ‘Hole 19’ described as the “excellent golf hole in the tournament” and the

touring of the golf field.

The Governor was accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku, former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, the Chief of Staff, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, the Deputy Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu and other members of the Imo State House of Assembly, members of the State Expanded Executive Council and other dignatories from the State.

L-R: Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma (left) having a handshake with Arsenal Golf Course Ambassador, Miss Maryanne Cephas, MD Polaris Bank, Mr Innocent Ekeh and Chief Ernest Nwapa when the Governor visited the Arsenal Golf Course, Obinze, Owerri...recently

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has fixedThursday April 28 and Friday April 29, 2022 for its second All Comers competition.

In a release signed by the federation’s Secretary General,PrinceAdisaAdeniyiBeyioku,thetwo-day event will hold at theYaba College ofTechnology Sports Ground in Yaba, Lagos state.

“The event will serve as selection trials for home-based athletes for the 22nd African Senior Athletics Championships holding from 8 to 12 of June, 2022 in Mauritius.

“All states, clubs and institutions intending to participate in the competition are expected to comfirm their entries upon arrival at the venue on Wednesday,27thApril,2022,”thereleaseaddressed to states director of sports, athletics chairmen, coachesandMiliraryandParaMilitaryclubsstated.

Samuel Onikeku, the technical director of the AFN says the AFN All Comers competition will also afford athletes wishing to participate in the championship the opportunity to achieve the qualification standard before the window closes on Saturday April 30, 2022.

“The bulk of the team that will represent Nigeria attheAfricanChampionshipswillbehome-based athletesandthiscompetitionwillaffordthefederation the opportunity to select those who will go to Mauritius in June,”he said.

Drogba Knocked out of Côte d’Ivoire FA Presidency Chelsea legend Didier Drogba’s bid to become President of the Côte d’Ivoire Football Federation (FIF) has ended after he was knocked out in the first round of voting in Saturday’s election.

Drogba was one of three contestants in the election which took place in the West African country. The other two contestants wereYacine Idriss Diallo and Sory Diabate.

And after the first round of voting, Drogba finished third with Diallo and Diabate coming first and second respectively.

The recent inductee into the Premier League Hall of Fame, polled 21 votes and was eliminated in the race.

Diallo got 59 votes and Diabate has 50 votes and both advanced into the second round.

Drogba was hoping to emulate Samuel Eto’o who is the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT).

Sunday April 24, 2022

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Price: N400

MISSILE

APC Chieftain to Cole “Cole does not have our approval. We cannot be with him; the man is not a party man. He is a business associate of the Minister of Transportation. This entails that selfishness has been taken to the highest order that a man who has no business of playing politics, who has no iota of idea of playing politics is shoved down the throat of his supporters” – APC chieftain in Rivers State, Mr. Golden Chioma, rejecting the endorsement of Tonye Cole as APC governorship candidate.

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simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

Let’s Talk about Sex

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hat would you do if your little child asked: “Dad, what is sex?”

That was the awkward situation a couple found themselves when their six-year-old boy dropped the question during dinner.

Startled, and heaving a sigh of “well, the time has finally come”, the parents started mumbling the metaphor and euphemism of “the birds and the bees” — how bees carry and deposit pollen into flowers and how female birds lay eggs and all that.

After over 10 minutes of the storytelling, the bemused boy retorted: “So how do I squeeze all this information into this little box?” He pulled out a form given to him at school where he was required to fill his sex in either of the tiny boxes marked “M” and “F”.

I read this joke several decades ago, long before I became a parent. My initial reaction was that even if he was not talking about gender, there was no way a six-year-old could understand sex and there was no need trying to explain it. I was raised by my grandparents in a very conservative setting. We could not discuss sex, not even while I was in secondary school. I recall adults saying proverbs that contained lewd expressions right in front of us, but we dare

Minister of Education , Mallam Adamu Adamu not repeat them. We would be considered rotten. We were seen as kids who should not touch such topics. Even if they suspected

that some of us might have become sexually active, the topic was still a taboo. Don’t ask, don’t tell.

Most of what we knew about sex came from older siblings and uncles who discussed their escapades to our hearing. There was no internet, much less Google. I first saw a pornographic video while at the university.

Some naughty students were playing it in the Common Room when I walked in. I was not religious or anything but I was so shocked and embarrassed I quickly retreated.

And I am not relating events of the 17th century but as recent as the 1980s and early 1990s. Today, the story is different. While new-generation parents are less conservative with their children, the internet is now everywhere. Pornography — and all its perversion — is now at everyone’s fingertips.

So much so we learnt that an 11-year-old student of Chrisland High School, whom I will refer to as “Girl X”, was engaged in a full sexual act with her agemates while on a trip to Dubai last month. There were many things about the scandal that I find disturbing. One, she reportedly sneaked into the boys’ room for a sex-themed game. Two, there were four boys in the room. Three, the sexual act was reportedly filmed. Four, the video was posted online. Ordinarily, sex was never meant to be a spectator sport.

All these are products of the dark side of

the world wide web which is turning our world upside down. Only God knows how widespread these things are among our young people.

Chrisland has come under scrutiny over the duty of care, which I think may be alien to the Nigerian society. We copy a lot of things from the West, but mostly the bad ones. Under duty of care, you have a moral and legal obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of others, particularly those under your care or in your employment.

The school said it kept the boys and girls on separate floors — seven floors apart. That was quite an effort, but it is not the distance that is now in question. It is the security.

If Girl X could leave the fourth floor for the 11th floor unnoticed and unchallenged, she could as well have been kidnapped.

She could have absconded. Where was the duty of care?

Quite logically, attention has also been on her parents. If it is true that Girl X had a TikTok account with an explicit name and had been positing suggestive videos, then people are bound to ask questions of her parents. Could it be that they are not social media-savvy and did not get a hint all along — assuming the reports are true?

Could it be that they were so trusting they Continued on page 70

WAZIRIADIO On APC’s N100m Fee for Presidential Form POSTSCRIPT

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he ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) indiscreetly raised the bar midweek when it set N100 million as the price tag for the chance to compete in its presidential primaries.

While there may be a few good reasons for such a high fee, that decision is, all things considered, a very bad idea.

It is a tactless move that has done a grave damage not only to the party’s name and pedigree but also to the finer norms that undergird democracy and good governance.

It should be seriously reconsidered.

The N100m that APC is asking from its presidential aspirants is quite some hike over what the party charged for the same position in two previous election cycles.

The new fee is 122.2% higher than the N45 million that the party asked for in 2014 and 270.3% higher than the N27 million price it sold the same form in 2018. Also, it is a major leap over the amount demanded by other high-charging parties for the same position: almost three times the N35 million charged by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and two and a half times the N40 million demanded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

To be sure, inflation has been soaring but

it is a major lapse in mindfulness for the party that has superintended over a period of double-digit inflation to be imposing price hikes in multiples of official inflation figures. And while APC may want to use the high price to project its might, a more sensitive approach to differentiation would have been desirable. This format screams of pure hubris and tone deafness.

Some people, including those not officially designated to do so, have rushed to defend the N100 million fee. Some of their arguments are valid, but most are not. I will quickly go over a few of the points that I have come across and some that I can think of.

One, political parties need money to run effectively; and the bigger the parties, the bigger the money needed. Since we don’t have a culture of party members dutiful paying dues to fund their parties, sale of forms for elective offices becomes a golden opportunity to raise money for party operations and electoral campaigns. It is also a better way of funding parties than through patronage or mainly by godfathers.

Two, it costs a lot of money to organise primaries, especially presidential ones.

According to a recent story in Daily Trust, APC has 7,800 delegates. Organising indirect or consensus primaries for such a high

number of delegates will definitely cost a tidy sum, and much more with direct primaries in the 36 states and FCT. This argument and the previous one seem reasonable but they do not justify asking for more than a leg and an arm just for the chance to compete to be the presidential flagbearer of the party.

Three, setting a high fee can help the party to weed out unserious aspirants and can make the process of selecting the party’s candidate less clumsy. As the argument goes, a crowded field of aspirants has logistics and bandwidth implications. The high fee thus prevents every Tom, Dick and Harry from wasting the party’s time and resources.

Though Section 84 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022 stipulates that political parties cannot impose additional conditions for qualifying or disqualifying aspirants outside the ones contained in the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution, political parties are free to set fees for selling forms for various positions. Fees are thus not used for screening aspirants, but as a pruning mechanism.

Four, and related to the above, it can be argued that the ability to raise N100 million provides a way of gauging if the aspirants can raise the huge amount needed to run a successful presidential campaign.

Section 88 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 sets the maximum a candidate can spend on a presidential campaign at N5 billion. If we use this limit as a default, it can be argued that those who cannot raise 2% of the amount needed for presidential campaign from their savings and their friends and associates probably have no business competing in that category.

The fifth argument is that there are positions with significantly much lower price tags and there are concessions already for the historically disadvantaged groups like women, youths and people living with disabilities. For example, the form for state Houses of Assembly is N2m, and discounts still apply to the relevant groups. And six, APC is not the only party that aspirants can run on. In truth, there are 17 other political parties, including those charging aspirants no fees at all.

There may be some other arguments. Most likely they will fall somewhere between the reasonable and the ridiculous. Apart from the fact that they are contestable, the valid arguments on this outrageous fee are vitiated by what APC and some of its chieftains should represent on one hand Continued on page 70

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