SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 2020

Kyari Facilitated Repatriation of $300m Abacha Loot, Says US Archbishop of Canterbury, FT, The Economist, extol late Chief of Staff Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Bennett Oghifo in Lagos The United States government yesterday described Malam Abba Kyari, the late Chief

of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, as a dedicated public servant who played key roles in the repatriation of over $300 million stolen by former Head of State, Sani Abacha.

This is coming on the heels of praises poured on Kyari by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Revd. Justin Welby, and two influential international publications - Financial Times and The

Economist.

In its condolence message to President Buhari in Abuja, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, described the late Kyari as a respected

interlocutor for the American government during the repatriation process.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted Nagy as saying the team appreciated

working with the late chief of staff, disclosing that he came up with the different infrastructure projects the funds would be used for and Continued on page 5

IMF Set to Approve Nigeria’s $3.4bn Drawdown Request… Page 6 Saturday 25 April, 2020 Vol 25. No 9147

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COVID-19: Governors Want Lockdown Relaxed, Endorse Partial Restriction Cases hit 1095 NCDC: Nigeria still in danger zone, some states yet to submit samples for testing Frontline workers get premium life insurance cover Lagos discharges 10, 7 health workers test positive in Borno Fintiri imposes 14-day lockdown as Adamawa records first case Lagos, Abuja hoteliers reject bookings for returnees UK to evacuate stranded 900 citizens First patients injected in British vaccine trial Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Olawale Ajimotokan and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja As the second 14-day total lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari to curb the spread of the Coronavirus ends midnight Monday, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has asked that it be scaled down to partial mode with relaxed restriction.

In a letter dated April 24, 2020, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, the NGF requested for, subject to the president’s approval, internal free movement in all the states, but with restrictions on large gatherings.

The other things the governors want incorporated into President Buhari’s impending pronouncement on the lockdown are: “Interstate lockdown, excluding

movement of essential supplies- food, beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, petroleum supplies and agricultural products; internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies; overnight curfews; lockdown of flights; and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.”

The NGF’s letter, signed by its Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, said its position was a follow up to a teleconference meeting with the Vice President on 22nd April 2020.

The NGF added: “Recall at the meeting it was agreed that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) articulates the issues that it would want to be included in the next Presidential Pronouncement on COVID-19 so as to have a Uniform and coordinated Policy on COVID-19 at both Continued on page 5

CONFRONTING COVID-19...

L-R: Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; and the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, during a press briefing by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 in Abuja…yesterday. razaq abiola

NJC Recommends Compulsory Retirement of Two Judges... Page 16

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SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ˜ ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸

PAGE FIVE COVID-19: GOVERNORS WANT LOCKDOWN RELAXED, ENDORSE PARTIAL RESTRICTION the national and sub-national levels.”

On the same day, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country surpassed 1000, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announcing that the number of people confirmed to be positive now stands at 1095, with 208 discharged and 32 deaths.

This latest data was tweeted by the NCDC at 11.30 PM, last night, stating: “114 new cases of #COVID19 have been reported; 80 in Lagos, 21 in Gombe, five in FCT, two in Zamfara, two in Edo, one in Ogun, one in Oyo, one in Kaduna and one in Sokoto.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday warned that the country cannot afford to relax measures being pursued to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Director General of the centre, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who spoke in Abuja at the media briefing by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, said the country ought to remain focused on implementing key response actions to arrest the spread and damage of the dreaded virus.

Ihekweazu said: "I recognise how difficult things are at the moment, many families I know have not been able to bury their dead, some have rescheduled their marriages, rescheduled their baptisms and have rescheduled everything they are doing. So, it is like life is suspended because we have suspended many things that we hold dear.

“Everyone on this side of the table recognises the great sacrifices being made by Nigerians but we only have to encourage each other to continue till we get to the position where we think we can relax. To get to that point we must continue doing what we are doing now," he said.

Ihekweazu said that among those who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 infection at the moment are the elderly and those with underlying illnesses, adding that this segment of Nigerians deserves to be assisted and protected.

On how the centre has been dealing with the management of the virus spread in Kano, the NCDC boss said that test results for Kano, which was suspended due to exposure of some laboratory staff and subsequent decontamination of the facility, would be out by yesterday’s evening.

While speaking at the briefing, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said that the federal government was worried that a good number of health workers may be knocked down

by COVID-19, thus incapacitating

the health sector, if they do not take adequate measures to protect themselves.

"I urge you to protect yourselves as prescribed and use the PPE judiciously. Do not attempt to treat COVID-19 patients without using adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), or if your institution is not accredited to do so. This is important because we need to keep health workers safe at this time and cannot afford the numbers testing positive to COVID-19. Remain vigilant in the line of duty and maintain a high index of suspicion for COVID-19," he said.

NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who led a team of labour leaders to interface with members of the COVID-19 taskforce yesterday, said that the number of health workers infected by the virus was a source of concern to the labour congress.

He said that NLC and its affiliates had set up a Labour and Civil Society Situation room to monitor developments and to intervene to assist workers where necessary.

On whether the contributory pensions could be used as palliatives, Wabba objected to such a move, saying that the contributed pension fund was solely savings by workers that they hoped to rely on at retirement.

NLC's intervention came on the heels of outcry by some pensioners who have waited in vain for PENCON to release fund to Pension Fund Administrators to take care of elderly Nigerians.

These retirees had sought ways to get the taskforce to intervene and compel PENCON, which they alleged was using the current lockdown as an excuse not act on their case.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has expressed concern over the number of health workers already infected by COVID-19 in the country.

In a statement issued yesterday

by NMA president, Dr. Francis Faduliye, the body frowned at what it described as recalcitrant attitude of some VIPs in the society who are refusing to report to and be admitted at Isolation and Treatment centres, adding that such behaviour was responsible for the level of infection suffered by health workers.

Some States Yet to Submit Samples for Testing The NCDC head also disclosed yesterday that some states are yet to submit samples for test

to know if they have COVID-19 cases.

While speaking during a television programme, Ihekweazu said the NCDC expects a number of tests to be conducted for each state.

As at yesterday, 26 out of the 36 states, in addition to the federal capital territory (FCT), have confirmed cases of the disease.

Ihekweazu said while the NCDC is improving on its testing capacity for COVID-19, it is worrisome that samples have not been sent by some states yet.

“It is a bit like pretending like the problem does not exist because you are not looking for it,” he said.

“In every state, we expect a certain number of people to fit the case definition of an acute respiratory infection without an underlying cause.

“If you take away contacts with travellers and with confirmed cases, the third part of our case definition which says anyone with an acute respiratory infection for which there is no underlying cause should have a sample collected to know whether they have this disease or not.

“So, we expect every state to submit a certain number of samples for testing every day. We have seen that some states have not submitted a single sample.”

Health Workers Get Premium Life Insurance Cover The frontline workers risking their lives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic have received premium life insurance cover to the tune of N112, 500,000.

The Chairman Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha announced the receipt of the massive insurance boost for the frontline health workers during its media briefing in Abuja yesterday.

He said the insurance cover was fully paid for by the Nigerian Insurance industry in line with the principle of No Premium, No Cover.

While thanking the insurance industry for the payment, Mustapha, called on other sectors of the economy to rise up to support the efforts to fight COVID-19.

He also appealed to the frontline health workers to double their efforts, while reiterating government’s assurance and determination to protect them.

Also at the briefing, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama revealed the challenge and delay faced by the federal government to secure hotel accommodation for Nigerians to be evacuated from COVID-19 high burden nations.

He described the challenge a major hiccup to the effort to evacuate the Nigerians abroad, who have indicated interest to return home.

Onyeama lamented that hotel owners in Lagos and Abuja had been rejecting bookings from potential returnees from the UK, out of fear that their hotel reputation would take a hit if they turn positive during the 14- day period of isolation.

“We have Nigerians who want to come back from all over the world .The number in the UK alone is about 2,000.

We just don’t have the isolation centres and hospital beds, hotels to accommodate them all. We have been looking for hotels in Abuja and Lagos. I spoke this afternoon (Friday) with the Governor of Lagos State and his real challenge even as the governor of a state is to find hotels that are willing to take these visitors for 14 days. A lot of hotels clearly feel that it would damage their branding and have some effect on their business if some of them test positive for coronavirus. And that is a big problem for us right now,” Onyeama said.

He stressed further that another alternative was for the people to come back and be isolated in their homes, but the PTF members were worried that large number would be difficult to quarantine and monitor at their homes for two weeks.

“This is the real dilemma that we are facing. And you can imagine when they start coming back and the numbers of positives start spiking, government will be now blamed by the public for bringing so many people back. These are all the issues we are grapping but hopefully we will find a solution to that,” he reasoned.

He also refuted the 72 figures reported as the number of Nigerians that tested positive to the virus in China. The minister gave the official figure tabulated by the Nigerian consulate in Guangzhou to be nine, saying that a number of Nigerians in China were asymptomatic.

Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, has approved the extension of business hours for markets in the territory, from 8a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

This directive, which was issued yesterday, takes effect from the next market day Saturday April 25, 2020 against the earlier approved time of 10a.m. to 2p.m.

The minister also directed the decongestion of the existing markets through the establishment of Neighbourhood Selling Points in the various

districts within the city centre

by Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML).

Lagos Discharges 10

try and prosecute offenders."

UK to Evacuate Stranded 900 Citizens

In Adamawa State, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri yesterday imposed a 14 day lockdown just after the state confirmed its first case of Coronavirus.

Fintiri said the lockdown order would take off midnight yesterday.

He said: “Painful as the decision is, it is the aftermath of the First COVID-19 index case recorded in the State through a returnee from Kano. The Adamawa State Government is therefore left with no option than to go for lockdown in the overall interest of saving lives and to contain the spread. ‘’Government has successfully commenced contacts tracing and testing which will be followed by isolation and treatment of positive cases.’’

The Adamawa Governor also disclosed that movement and gatherings in whatever form are prohibited throughout the period, except for those on verifiable essential duties such as security, media, health and water services, as well as while financial institutions like banks, that will operate skeletal services.

“Others in this category include pharmaceuticals, and those selling food items only, as government will not allow the irresponsibility of a few to lead to the death of many. The Executive lockdown order would be backed by a mobile court to

The United Kingdom (UK) government has said that 900 more British travellers stranded in Nigeria are set to return home on three flights chartered by the UK government.

The Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Christopher Ogunmodede, in a statement issued yesterday said that once completed, these additional flights would bring the total number of people flown back to the UK from Nigeria on government charter flights to around 2,000, following flights arranged last week from Lagos and Abuja to London.

Ogunmodede noted that the additional charter flights had been arranged for British travellers, and their dependents, whose primary residence is the UK, adding that priority was given to the most vulnerable travellers, for example people with health conditions.

The British Minister of State for Africa, James Duddridge, was quoted to have said that, “our next phase of UK government charter flights will mean another 900 British travellers are able to return home from Nigeria.

We appreciate this has been a difficult time and will continue to work closely with the Nigeria authorities to support those wishing to return to the UK.” In a related development, the first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford, United Kingdom.

Two volunteers were injected, the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study.

Half will receive the Covid-19 vaccine, and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus.

The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting, though doctors will.

Elisa Granato, one of the two who received the jab, told the BBC: "I'm a scientist, so I wanted to try to support the scientific process wherever I can."

The vaccine was developed in under three months by a team at Oxford University. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute, led the pre-clinical research.

Gilbert said: "Personally I have a high degree of confidence in this vaccine. Of course, we have to test it and get data from humans. We have to demonstrate it actually works and stops people getting infected with coronavirus before using the vaccine in the wider population."

long-delayed initiatives to restructure the notoriously underperforming oil and gas sector,” the pink newspaper wrote.

FT further wrote: “He was acutely aware of the dilapidated state, and limited capacity, of the public administration in Nigeria. Yet, his experience in business also made him wary of a private sector too often defined by a parasitic relationship with goverment.

“He was sceptical about liberal market solutions to Nigeria’s many problems, in the absence of the rule of law.

That tension underlay much of his time in office, as he rebuffed advice, from the IMF among others, to curtail a controversial exchange rate regime.

“He leaves behind a vacuum in a time of uncertainty, with the price of oil, on which Nigeria depends for export earnings, in free fall, and the world beyond paralysed by the virus that took his life.”

In his own message to Buhari, the Archbishop of Canterbury,

Revd. Justin Welby, said he was saddened by the passage of his Chief of Staff.

In an April 21, 2020 letter of condolence to President Buhari, the archbishop, who is a personal friend of the president, said: “The fact that you entrusted Abba Kyari with your messages to me and to others demonstrates the faith you have in him,” adding, “I am sure that his death is a significant blow to you personally, as well as to your government.”

Welby added: "This letter therefore brings my condolence at the loss of a man who struck me as remarkably intelligent and thoughtful.”

Welby also extended his commiserations to Kyari’s family.

Exactly one week ago, Kyari died of COVID-19 complications.

He had tested positive for the disease after a trip to Germany where he attended a meeting with officials of Siemens to discuss issues relating to the Nigerian power sector.

Ten COVID-19 patients have been discharged from the Lagos State Isolation center.

The state’s governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who announced this via Twitter yesterday, said the 10 discharged patients were three females and seven males, including three foreigners - two Indians and one Filipino.

But in Borno State, seven health workers have tested positive for Coronavirus as confirmed yesterday by Dr. Salihu KwayaBura, Secretary, Borno Response Team on Convid-19's.

Kwaya-Bura, who is also the state's Commissioner for Health said the state had now recorded 15 cases including two deaths.

The commissioner, who thanked Borno residents for complying with the lockdown order issued by the state government, said they were currently working on modifying the lockdown order following the declaration of Ramadan.

Fintiri Imposes 14-day Lockdown as Adamawa Records First Case

KYARI FACILITATED REPATRIATION OF $300M ABACHA LOOT, SAYS US in what parts of the country.

“Kyari was a valued and respected interlocutor for the U.S. government and particularly for our leadership team in Abuja. We appreciate working with him on many important matters, including the return to the Nigerian people of over $300 million in funds stolen by Sani Abacha.

“He envisioned the funds going to three geographically disparate infrastructure projects as a way to unite Nigeria economically,” Nagy said.

Furthermore, the statement said the US Assistant Secretary noted that such vision by Kyari underscored his projection of a solid and prosperous future for Nigeria.

“His dedication to this matter, to fighting corruption, and to countless other investments and policies for the future of Nigeria will leave a lasting impact on your country,” Nagy said.

Describing him as President Donald Trump’s lead diplomat for Africa, Shehu added that

Nagy commiserated with the government and people of Nigeria and the Kyari family on the loss.

He also said Nagy pledged the US government's resolve to stand with Nigeria in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Economist of London says the late Kyari tried to clean up Nigeria before his demise.

In a piece published on Thursday, Kyari was described as “a largely honourable man” who wanted the best for his country.

The Economist said Kyari was often bothered about the degree of corruption in the country and thought of ways to end it.

An instance was cited of how the boss of an energy company “forgot” a bag stuffed with $100 bills at his office but Kyari was quoted to have said: “too much of our work is spent on stopping our own people stealing.”

The Economist’s piece continued: “While Mr Kyari

was alive, others were much less kind. Many saw him as the figurehead for a shadowy cabal that controlled policy and appointments, and granted favours and contracts.

“Cabinet ministers grumbled that they could not get past his door to discuss important issues with a distant and apathetic president. Mr. Kyari’s economic thinking, which seemed stuck in the 1970s, was also criticised.

“There was some truth to these accusations. Yet there is also a broader parable of Mr. Kyari. It is one of a largely honourable man who went to the heart of a thoroughly corrupt and dysfunctional system, aiming to reform it, but who struggled to overcome its inertia amid a series of crises.

“He was known to turned down offers of free upgrades to first class (he thought it vulgar) before taking his seat in business class on British Airways flights.

“The corruption and decay of Nigeria’s state, and the inequality they bred, dismayed and worried him. Nigeria had to change,

he argued. The question was whether it would be through orderly reform or chaotic breakdown.”

The publication said it was unfortunate that Kyari served in a government which took power after crash in oil prices pushed the country into recession.

It said the late chief of staff had hoped that Buhari’s second term “would provide an opportunity to liberalise the corrupt oil and gas industries by making contracts and licences more transparent and taking them out from under the thumb of politicians.”

Also yesterday, The Financial Times of London reported that Kyari was close to launching oil and gas sector reform before his death.

In an article entitled “Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, 1952-2020: A Self-Effacing Intellectual Who Rose to the Very Centre of Power”, FT said his death had left a vacuum in a time of uncertainty.

“He was close to launching

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

NEWS

News Editor Ahamefula Ogbu 08116759810 (sms only) Email ahamefula.ogbu@thisdaylive.com

Nigeria, Others to Lose $445bn as Diaspora Remittances Decline Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

Diaspora remittances to low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Nigeria are projected to decline by 19.7 per cent to $445 billion, signifying a loss of a crucial financing lifeline for many vulnerable households, the World Bank has projected.

Although all regions of the world are expected to see big drops in 2020, remittance flows to the Sub-Saharan region are expected to decline by 23.1 per cent to stand at $37 billion in 2020, having totaled $48 billion in 2019.

Nigeria was among the top five countries in the world, which received about $613 billion in remittances in 2017.

Available data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that remittances from Nigerians in Diaspora rose from $3.24 billion in 2013 to approximately $25.08 billion in 2018, signifying that Nigeria’s diaspora remittances rose by 126 per cent in six years (2013-2018).

This also shows that Nigerians in Diaspora sent an estimated $96.5 billion to the country in six years, a major catalyst for the federal government’s floating of a $300 million Diaspora Bond in 2018.

However, the World Bank forecasts that global remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 per cent in 2020 due to the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.

The projected fall, which would be the sharpest decline in recent history, is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be more vulnerable to loss of employment and wages during an economic crisis in a host country.

With African migrants in wealthier countries across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia losing jobs or subjected to pay cuts due to the coronavirus outbreak and the attendant lockdowns, a significant drop in remittances to their home counties is expected .

The Middle East countries, Asia, the United States of America , France, United Kingdom and China, account

Court Remands Four in Prison for Alleged Killing of Fasoranti’s Daughter James Sowole in Akure Four men standing trial for allegedly killing Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, were yesterday remanded in prison.

The four accused persons, Muhammed Shehu, 26, Mazaje Lawal, 40, Adamu Adamu, 60 and Awalu Abubakar, 25, were arraigned on three count charge of conspiracy to kill, murder and kidnapping.

The charge was read to the accused and interpreted to them in Hausa language.

The charge reads: “that Mohammed Shehu 26, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire together to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 Of Criminal Code, Cap 37; Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State 2006.

“That Mohammed Shehu, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/Ijebu Ode

Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did murder one Olufunke Olakunrin (Nee Fasoranti) ‘f’ aged 58-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That Mohammed Shehu Is an, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12‘“ day of July, 2019 at about 0900hrs at Tollgate along Ore/ljebu Ode Expressway, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did murder one Ogunbiyi Matthew ‘m’ aged 65-year contrary to and punishable under Section 316 of the Criminal code, Cap36, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That you Mohammed Shehu, Mazaje Lawal, Adamu Adamu, and Awalu Abubakar and others now at large on or before the 12th day of July, 2019 at Honorable Court did kidnap one Gerald Igboayaka and thereby committed and offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(ii) (b) of the Ondo State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 2010.”

However, the four accused who had no representation in court pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against them.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kola

Olawoye, who represented the state, announced the readiness of the state to take over the case.

The Counsel to the state before moving the motion for the court to rely on the statement deposed by an official of FSARs, Akeem Ogunjobi, prayed the court to remand the four defendants to Correctional facility in Owo, as the Akure facility had been overstretched.

The Counsel also prayed the court to allow the Nigeria Centr efor Disease Control (NCDC) to conduct COVID-19 test on the defendants before moving them to Owo Correctional Centre.

He said this became necessary because of the Coronavirus disease that was ravaging the globe, adding that it became necessary to know the health status of the four accused in order not to infect other inmates at the facility In her ruling, the trial Magistrate, Victoria Bob-Manuel, granted the prayers of the prosecution Counsel to remand the accused at Owo facility centre and their samples to be tested before being remanded at the center.

The Magistrate however, said that the court lacked the jurisdiction and power to try the defendants and adjourned to June 3, 2020, for the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution.

Arogbo Ijaw Community Passes Vote of Confidence on Success Torukerijo Tolulope Ibukunoluwa

The Arogbo Ijaw Community Organization of Ese-Local Government Area of Ondo has passed a vote of confidence on the lawmaker representing the Ese-Odo State Constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly.

The umbrella body of top Ijaw Organizations and the traditional institutions of the community took the decision to encourage the lawmaker with a resounding vote of confidence after widespread consultations in a statement on Friday.

The Chairman of AICO,

Deacon James Ashidi, noted that the lawmaker did well in adhering to the cardinal principle of effective representation when he cried out against the repeated marginalization of the Ijaw people by the Akeredolu Government in a statement on Friday.

He stressed that the lawmaker spoke the mind of his people when he decried the unacceptable exclusion of the Ijaws from the State COVID 19 palliative committee constituted by the State Governor in a recent interview.

He said that the lawmaker was left with no better option

than to speak out in defence of the deprived people of Arogbo in view of the pattern of the Akeredolu Administration to carry out governance in Ondo State without in inkling of minority recognition and protection.

The group noted that what the lawmaker did what was expected of him as the Assembly member fate had picked to speak for the ruthlessly oppressed Ijaw community in Ondo State.

The groups stressed that the lawmaker did not act on his own as he only carried out the bidding of those who sent him to the Assembly.

for up to a quarter of all funds remitted to African countries.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has already projected that disruption to the world’s economies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to wipe out 6.7 per cent of working hours globally in the second quarter of the year – the equivalent of 195 million jobs.

Studies show that remittances alleviate poverty in lower- and middle-income countries, improve nutritional outcomes, are associated with higher spending on education, and reduce child labour in disadvantaged households.

A fall in remittances affect families’ ability to spend on these areas as more of their finances will be directed to solve food shortages and immediate livelihoods needs.

The World Bank Group President, David Malpass, said: “Remittances are a

vital source of income for developing countries. The ongoing economic recession caused by COVID-19 is taking a severe toll on the ability to send money home and makes it all the more vital that we shorten the time to recovery for advanced “Remittances help families afford food, healthcare, and basic needs. As the World Bank Group implements fast, broad action to support countries, we are working to keep remittance channels open and safeguard the poorest communities’ access to these most basic needs.”

The World Bank is assisting member-states in monitoring the flow of remittances through various channels, the costs and convenience of sending money, and regulations to protect financial integrity that affect remittance flows. It is working with the G20 countries and the global community to reduce remittance costs and improve financial

inclusion for the poor.

Remittance flows are expected to fall across all World Bank Group regions, notably in Europe and Central Asia (27.5 percent), followed

by Sub-Saharan Africa (23.1 percent), South Asia (22.1 per cent), the Middle East and North Africa (19.6 per cent), LatinAmerica and the Caribbean (19.3 per cent), and East Asia and the Pacific (13 per cent).

The large decline in remittances flows in 2020 comes after remittances to LMICs reached a record $554 billion in 2019. Even with the decline, remittance flows are expected to become even more important as a source of external financing for LMICs as the fall in foreign direct investment is expected to be larger (more than 35 percent). In 2019, remittance flows to LMICs became larger than FDI, an important milestone for monitoring resource flows to developing countries.

Falling Oil Price Drowns Nigeria’s Independent Producers Peter Uzoho with agency report

The unprecedented oil price slump is destroying Nigeria’s independent crude producers, who pump about a fifth of the nation’s supply between them, and risks inflicting severe pain on the local banks that finance them.

“The impact is a complete and utter disaster,” Kola Karim, Chief Executive Officer of Shoreline Group, the thirdbiggest independent producer told Bloomberg, adding, “We’re under water, without adding the cost of finance. If you add the cost of financing, we’re drowning.”

While Brent crude futures plunged to a 21-year low of $15.98 earlier this week, the

brutal reality for Nigeria is that its barrels have been fetching even less because a glutted world oil market means physical cargoes -- including Nigeria’s -- are being sold at deep discounts.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought transport systems to a standstill in many parts of the world, killing demand for fuels like petrol and jet fuel.

Brent crude, the global oil price benchmark traded at $21.11 a barrel as of 4:15 p.m.

London time.

However, the rout has been bad for all the country’s producers but the pain has been particularly acute for the independents who mostly acquired assets about six years ago. Unlike oil majors operating

in the country, whose average cost of producing is about $22 a barrel, these companies need between $35 to $40 a barrel if they are to stay in business.

Nigeria’s independents pump roughly 400,000 barrels a day out of the nation’s average daily output of about 2 million. However, they account for almost 90 per cent of the N3 trillion, or $8 billion, of all debts owed by companies producing oil in Nigeria, most of it to local banks.

While a portion of the loans are hedged at as much as $50 a barrel, the bulk are not, raising the risk of a default that’s being exacerbated by the threat of production halts because of the dire state of the market.

IMF Set to Approve Nigeria’s $3.4bn Drawdown Request Nume Ekeghe with agency report

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will recommend the approval of $3.4 billion in emergency funding to Nigeria when the lender’s executive board meets next week.

Bloomberg, which stated this, quoting two people with direct knowledge of the plan, said the drawdown scheduled to be repaid in a maximum of five years, would be the largest allocation yet by the IMF to an African country to assist with the Coronavirus pandemic. The lender approved a disbursement of about $1 billion to Ghana earlier this month.

The outbreak was reducing demand for and prices of Africa’s commodities, while domestic lockdowns have shuttered industries and trade.

Nigeria’s request for $3.4 billion will be considered on April 28, an IMF spokesperson said, but a Finance Ministry spokesman declined to comment on the issue.

Hit by crashing oil prices and

lockdowns, Nigeria requested the amount under the Rapid Financing Instrument, which offers funding without the strings of a full programme, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is not yet public. Nigeria also requested another $3.5 billion in total from the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

The oil producer’s economy could shrink the most in almost half a century this year after the collapse of the price of crude, which makes up more than haft of government revenues and 90 per cent of exports.

The IMF would mobilise more than $18 billion to respond to more than 40 African countries who have requested assistance to battle the pandemic, Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva said last week.

The federal government recently clarified that Nigeria was not indebted to the IMF, a clarification it made because of insinuation that the delay in the federal government securing

financial support from IMF was because the country was indebted to the multilateral institution.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had said Nigeria’s application for new IMF financing was under consideration and receiving attention.

Ahmed had explained: “It is true that Nigeria is not a beneficiary of the recent IMF debt relief for 25 countries. This is because as stated in the IMF Executive Board statement the relief provides grants to our poorest and most vulnerable members to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months. Since Nigeria is not indebted to IMF, there is no outstanding debt obligation to be forgiven. Nigeria’s current financial position at IMF is public information on the IMF website.

Nigeria’s application for new IMF financing is under consideration and receiving attention.”

She added that Nigeria was entitled to access up to 100 per cent of its quota under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Initiative (RFI).

SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸ͺ͸

NEWS

COVID-19... COVID-19... COVID-19...

Job Loss Looms, Says NECA Dike Onwuamaeze The Nigeria Employers Consultative Assembly (NECA) has predicted that massive job losses would be inevitable unless the federal government would undertake to implement definite measures that would enable the private sector to cope with the aftermath of the COVID-19 on the economy, warning that these measures must be taken “now and not belatedly, to save jobs in Nigeria.�

The warning was contained in a public statement issued yesterday the Director General of NECA, Dr. Timothy Olawale, which demanded the establishment of COVID-19 job retention scheme where government would pay up to “60 per cent of private sector salaries until June as long as workers were not laid off, as done in other climes i.e. UK, France, and Denmark, etc to reduce

David-Chyddy Eleke Ă“Ă˜ ĂĄĂ•Ă‹ the negative impact on businesses and slow the rate of job loss.â€?

Other measures advocated by the assembly include government’s direct intervention on direct wage or income support, wage subsidies, tax credits or tax deferrals, short-term work schemes and moratoriums on loan payments.

NECA noted that much had been said and understandably so about the need to safeguard or protect jobs both in the interim and in the long term after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It, however, added: “Employers of labour are not sadists or trigger happy when it comes to making the hard decision to part ways with employees.

However hard business decisions as these are seldom unavoidable if the needful is not done. A stitch in time they say saves nine.�

It observed that the long-standing inclement environment for doing

business in Nigeria had been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the follow-up effect of the unproductive lockdown which understandably was necessary to reign in the blight and protect lives.

It stated further that although the government had spoken well in urging businesses to continue to bear the brunt without recourse to staff rationalisation, “the truth is that five weeks of the economic and business shutdown has overstretched the limits and businesses are beginning to buckle under the weight of the burden it is carrying without corresponding productivity from workers and necessary support from government.�

The NECA, therefore, called on the government to strike a balance between the protection of lives and economic survival. “While protection of life should

take precedence, the need to protect the economic foundation of the nation cannot be discounted as the economy will ultimately sustain life. While the government takes decisive steps to protect lives, efforts should also be made to keep productive activities going. “Without delicately balancing the scale, the consequential negative effects of the pandemic will not only include unimaginable loss of lives, massive job losses and heightened insecurity, it might also lead to unnecessary social revolt,� it said.

It also called on the government to be more decisive in taking and implementing actions needed to stimulate the economy, adding that the announced stimulus, “to a large extent had not addressed the critical needs of businesses that would guarantee sustainability and protection of jobs.

Olu of Warri Hails Rone for Emadeb, Others Donate Donating to Warri Kingdom Palliatives to Satellite Town The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli has praised the public-spiritedness of billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Julius Rone for his donation when the country was grappling to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Olu of Warri, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Ene Dokpe, read, “On behalf of His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, the Olu of Warri, the Warri Council of Chiefs and the good people of Warri Kingdom, we want to place on record our gratitude to you and members of your family and Team UTM for your very generous donation to the very vulnerable (old, young, disabled and the sick) of the Kingdom. May God richly bless you�.

The statement added, “For your information, your donation helped us in providing the under listed items for our communities. 11 Cows, 300 Tubers of Yam, 24 Gallons of

Vegetable Oil and 50 bags of Rice.

These were shared to the under listed Communities and villages; Ugbori, Ekurede Itsekiri, Ugbuwangwe, Orugbo, Ode-Itsekiri, Inorin, Usele, Ikpisan, Okere-Ajamimogha, Ajigba and Ugbolokposo�.

Rone had recently donated N20 million to Delta State Government to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Praising the visionary leadership of Dr. Okowa, Rone said he was “humbled and incredibly impressed by the quality of medical facility the governor has put in place within a short time to ensure that Delta indigenes remain safe and healthy. “I can’t but be moved by the tireless efforts of Governor Okowa and the state healthcare workers who are at the forefront, fighting every minute to keep the people safe and the state functioning in spite of the threat posed by the virus.�

Ugo Aliogo Emadeb Energy Services, AA Rano and Menj Oil Limited have donated palliatives to Satellite Town community, Lagos State to cushion the effects of the 14-day COVID-19 lockdown.

The palliatives which included 1,000 bags of rice, (10kg each), 1,000 cartons of Indomie Noodles and 1,008 litres of vegetable oil were presented to the community, Local Community Development Area (LCDA) and the families of Alagbo and Agbojojoye in Ijegun-Egbe/Ibassa.

Speaking during the presentation in Lagos yesterday, the Secretary, Ijegun-Egba Tankfarm Owners and Operators Association, Mr. Eshiet Eshiet, lauded the community for accepting the palliatives, stating that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a great toll on the global economy and Nigeria as a country.

Eshiet said the pandemic had affected business and social environment, “which has led government to restrict movement and keep citizens indoors.�

He further stated that in keeping people indoors, there was need to provide them with what to eat and survive in this difficulty period.

Receiving the palliatives on behalf of the community, the Chairman Satellite Town Forum, Governor Imitini, expressed delight with the kind gesture from the oil marketers, stating that it would help in mitigating the effects of hunger in the community caused by the lockdown directives of the federal government.

He stated that the provision of the palliatives would not end the agitation in the community, noting that the marketers should not forget the duties and responsibilities they owed the community.

Ugwuanyi Directs Total Land Boundaries Lockdown Enforcement Determined to ensure containment of Coronavirus spread in Enugu State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has charged the security agencies to enforce total lockdown of all land boundaries in the state except movement related to essential duties.

Ugwuanyi spoke when he visited Enugu-Benue and EnuguKogi land boundaries to monitor compliance with his directives closing all land boundaries and inter-state transportation, among other precautionary measures, to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

The governor stressed the strict enforcement of the restriction order at the state’s boundaries and other precautionary measures were in the best public interest.

This came as the Nigeria Army, at its checkpoint in Nsukka, intercepted over 30 vehicles loaded with passengers who were passing through the state.

The intercepted passengers were consequently escorted out of the state by the military with the assistance of the police.

Some of the passengers who were mostly from Northern parts of the country, according to the security

officials on duty at the Nsukka Military Checkpoint, disguised and covered themselves with bags of food items, which are allowed into the state as essential commodities.

One of the intercepted passengers, Peter who was coming into the state from Benue State revealed that they trekked from the state land boundary in Inyi, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area to Obollo Afor in Udenu LGA, where they boarded bus to their destinations.

Other offending passengers from Port Harcourt heading to the North, disclosed that they passed through the Bonny River to cross

the Rivers State’s land boundaries to be able to board buses through Enugu State, to their destinations, stressing that they were desirous to return to their native homes and face the inherent challenges occasioned by COVID-19.

The security officials who escorted the passengers out, warned other intending travelers to stay at home and keep away from Enugu State, as the security agencies in compliance with the directives of the state government would not condone further breaches of the lockdown order in the state.

Lalong Calls for Calm, as Plateau Begins Contact Tracing of Index Case Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed an index case of COVID-19 in Plateau State.

The case, according to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ninkong Lar Ndam, the index case arrived Jos from Kano on 17th April 2020 and has been on

Anambra Traders Beg Obiano to Intervene over Alleged Extortion

quarantine since arrival.

He said, “Upon exhibiting symptoms, nasal and oropharyngeal swab was taken and sent to NVRI Vom Laboratory for COVID-19 testing. “Sadly, the result which was released on Thursday, 23rd April 2020 returned positive thereby making the patient the state’s index case.�

He said that the patient had since

been isolated and was stable and in good medical condition.

Ndam added that the State Surveillance Team had immediately commenced contact tracing to investigate the case further and institute other public health measures, including contact tracing, to curb the spread of the disease in the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong has implored the public not to

panic, but to continue to imbibe good personal and respiratory hygiene, social distancing and avoid crowded places as well as stay at home.

He also called on the citizens to be vigilant and report any suspicious case while assisting the government to enforce the border closure directive which is one of the key steps adopted in curbing the disease.

Traders in Anambra State have lamented the extortion of N5,000 each from shop owners before they were allowed to open for business as a result of the lockdown order of the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano.

THISDAY gathered from traders in Eke Awka Market, the most populated market in the state capital that each trader was usually made to pay N5,000 before they were allowed to conduct business for the day since the lockdown order commenced.

The traders who said they made the payment to market leaders on Tuesdays and Fridays, which are the two days markets in the state are permitted to open begged Governor Obiano to intervene. “If you pay N5,000, they will let you open your shop. If you do not pay, you will not be allowed to open.

Another option is to pay N2,000 and you will be allowed to open your shop and take some goods, which you can sample along the road and

hustle for customers,� a source told THISDAY on condition of anonymity.

The payment of the levy contravenes the order of the state governor, who during a state-wide broadcast stated that markets would open only twice a week, but would be limited to only those dealing on food items.

The source said, “Even though we who sell food stuff are supposed to be the only people to open, the market leaders let anyone who wants to open to do so, no matter what they sell, as far as they can pay the levy.�

Market officials who were involved in the collection of the levy when interviewed could not explain the reason for it, but simply said they were acting according to orders from above.Attempts by our correspondent to reach Mr. Uchenna Okafor, the state Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, who also heads all the markets in the state for reactions was not successful as his mobilephone rang out severally,. without answer.

Betara Distributes Palliatives in Biu, Bayo, Kwaya-Kusar, Shani Michael Olugbode Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă“ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“

People of Biu, Bayo, Kwayakusar and Shani local government areas of Borno State have received N80 million worth of rice to enable them alleviate their suffering during the lockdown ordered by the state government to stem the spread of COVID-19.

The palliative, six truckloads of rice (3,600 x 50 kilograms), were donated to the people of the four local governments by their representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Muktar Betara.

The rice was the first major palliative to be distributed in Borno State, which was totally lockdown on Wednesday night.

Speaking during the beginning of the distribution in Biu yesterday, Betara said: “There is no better

time to come to the aid of the less privileged than now, that is why governments, corporate bodies and privileged individuals are already working round the clock to bring succour to our teeming population whose livelihood have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the global lockdown of cities making live difficult for the people.�

The lawmaker, who lamented that the stay at home order has no doubt started taking a toll on the general public, said: “The economies of virtually all the countries of the world have been grossly affected, therefore, there is the need to extend hands of fellowship to those who are worse hit by this measure with some palliatives that will reduce the pains they are going through in this trying times.�

Ogun Community Seeks Makeshift Market from Govt Oluchi Chibuzor

As part of efforts to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in their community, Freeman Estate Loburo, Community Development Association (CDA) in Mowe, Ogun State has requested a makeshift market from the state government.

The CDA also said it distributed food items to vulnerable people within the community to enable them cope during the extended lockdown period inposed by the federal government.

According to CDA, beneficiaries included widows and the elderly, as they remain the focus in the community-sponsored palliative measures.

Speaking at the donation exercise, the Chairman of the CDA, Dr. Olayemi Olufemi, said the lack of the market has caused them hardship. “There is no government make shift market except the Mowe market that people are allow to visit every other day of partial lockdown. How do we buy from there when we can

not earn income due to the lock down?� he querry. “As a CDA we realised that what Ogun State government distributed was not enough to meet the need of our people. Hence we resulted into buying few bags of rice and some crates of eggs to ameliorate the suffering of our people. “The peculiarities of vulnerable are similar everywhere but in my community, we have those that can hardly fend for themselves. Some are old and pensioners, while others have lost their breadwinners with children to feed. We have another category that depends on others to survive and small small petty daily surviving which is now hampered by the total lockdown. “The food items given were just a pack of 2.5kg of rice, garri and beans, with three sachets each of ground nut oil and tomato paste with five maggi cubes in a packed Baggco bag. This we considered not sufficient for even a family let alone a while community,� he explained.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ 2020

08054699539

Getting Nigerians Back to Work C oronavirus is definitely not a pun. I agree that there should be a degree of lockdown to tackle this evil.

However, I don’t agree with the total lockdown imposed by the federal government in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. There is also a total lockdown forced on some states by their governors.

Complete lockdown can’t end COVID-19 in months; for me, Coronavirus is another form of fever that will remain with us for a long time. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, agrees, saying the virus will be around for a long time. Government should impose what I call tactical lockdown and expand access to testing, isolation and treatment. We should swiftly embrace a broader rollback of the lockdown without harming the war against COVID-19. This will even give us a better result if implemented with commitment. I will go into this in details later.

We have already created a monster with the ongoing total lockdown. We will be creating a bigger one as the total lockdown persists. Already, there is hunger, unemployment, violence by hungry people/ delinquents and frustration in the land. These kill faster than COVID-19 and will slay more Nigerians than the virus. This is because we operate a “chop as you go” economy. It is pertinent to balance the risk of this virus against these other monsters. Most people must go out daily before they can feed. It is only in government ministries, departments and agencies that people get paid without working. Of course, our over-pampered political office holders at all levels will also get paid for not working. It is not like that in the private sector. Factories that are not producing are not paying workers forced to sit at home. Businesses that have been stalled by the total lockdown will not pay sedentary staff locked at home.

The so-called COVID-19 palliatives for the weak and exposed people are still not getting to a large number of people. The states are struggling with their intervention programmes; governors are still not reaching a large number of exposed people.

The Social Investment Programme of the federal government is not doing better. It’s a big flop. The SIP disbursements aimed at assuaging the plight of poor Nigerians against COVID-19 have been abysmal, while most of the beneficiaries are largely ghosts.

I remember the leadership of the National Assembly telling the Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Farouq, that the SIP must be urgently reformed to genuinely impact on lives.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan recently voiced concerns during the encounter Hajia Farouq: “I want to tell you that the majority of those who are supposed to benefit have no access to power. They have no access to Internet. They have no bank account, so no BVN. In fact, many of them don’t even have phones and these are the poorest of the poor. Yet, some of the conditions or guidelines which you set inadvertently leave them out.”

Well, things have not changed and will most probably not change in SIP’s mode of operation while COVID-19 lockdown lasts.

Total lockdown in an under-developed country like ours destroys the people and the economy. We can’t afford to adopt fully this lockdown strategy of the Western world. There is already so much frustration in the country; we have to ease restrictions on businesses and the economy. In these organised Western systems, the palliatives are logically dished out. No fuse, no stress. For example, in the United States, any adult that did not earn up to $100,000 in 2019 automatically gets $1200 stimulus credited to his account. There is also $500 stimulus per child in a family.

In the United Kingdom, full time workers in the private sector will be paid 80 per cent of their wages by the state for the next three months. Part time workers, self-employed workers and businesses are also getting some help from the British government. That’s how a decent government can retain human beings

If basic livelihoods cannot be secured, a comprehensive lockdown is not practical. Poor people will prefer the lottery of infection over the certainty of starvation

at home without risking hunger, lawlessness and massacre. In these Western countries, people can afford to be fully locked without having to worry about what to eat. Nigerians can’t just be locked with no cash, no foodstuff and their source of revenue shut. There will be a natural resistance. Some will be bloody as we are experiencing in some parts of Lagos and Ogun states. Here, hungry people are walking into homes in search of food and money, and attacking people. Some shops with food are being forcefully opened. Criminal gangs are going about in Lagos and Ogun communities, stealing and maiming. We have also started witnessing protests in places like Delta State, where Sapele women came out angrily and in Anambra State. Security agents are not helping matters. In the last four weeks of enforcing the lockdown, they have gunned down 23 innocent Nigerians across the states.

Evidently, we can’t practice a decent total lockdown. So, Nigeria has to partially open the economy and allow people to return to

work while applying “tactical” lockdown.

Offices and factories can operate with prescribed strict social distancing; highest level of hygiene with adequate protective wears. Public transport will also adopt these strict measures. With tactical lockdown, mass gatherings like religious services, sports, festivities and bars will remain suspended.

Schools at all levels will remain shut. Local and international flights/inter-state movement will remain suspended.

Tactical lockdown should be accompanied by expanded access to testing, isolation and treatment. All tertiary and accredited private health institutions should be involved in testing, isolation and treatment; and these should be free. Of course, with tactical lockdown, the weak will still be exposed. There should be pragmatic stimulus for them. Some people have talked about using BVN to reach out to exposed Nigerians in the towns and cities. This makes sense. People with less than N5000 balance in their accounts should have at least N20,000 credited to them and not a miserable N5000 being speculated.

Credible community leaders/Community Development Associations should be used to hand out cash to exposed Nigerians in rural areas.

Fellow African country, Tanzania, has partly adopted this tactical lockdown. The result has been impressive. In fact, the World Bank Group applauded Tanzania’s unique approach to containing the COVID-19 pandemic and thanked President John Magufuli for not duplicating policies implemented in advanced countries, as pasted by some African countries. It described Tanzania as one of the best examples that considered the best for its political economy and well-being of the society in rolling out anti-COVID-19 measures.

With 32 COVID-19 confirmed cases, three deaths and five recoveries, Tanzania, unlike other African countries, has not locked down businesses and its citizens. The country has not also closed its borders but initiated strict

testing and 14 days quarantine of all arrivals from abroad. The World Bank report warns of catastrophic consequences to sub- Saharan countries that have copied and pasted anti COVID-19 policies of Western countries.

I also find a piece titled, “Why lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa,” published recently by bbc.co.uk, instructive. The piece, authored by Alex de Waal and Paul Richards, contends that lockdowns may be simply unworkable in Africa. They wrote: “It is clear that each African country will have to design its own response, suitable for its own need. Only a few African countries, such as Rwanda and South Africa, have the capacity to administer a centralised strategy…If basic livelihoods cannot be secured, a comprehensive lockdown is not practical. Poor people will prefer the lottery of infection over the certainty of starvation.

African countries cannot close its fresh produce markets or people will starve. But market goers can readily work out how to reduce the risks of transmission, through measures such as better hygiene, crowd control, and physical barriers such as polythene sheeting at point of sale.”

The writers urged African leaders to involve ordinary people in choosing the solutions that will work for them and to also explore local variants of isolation, movement restriction, contact tracing and quarantine.

I guess this is why Northern governors are opposed to a total lockdown of their states. They argue that “total lockdown of the region will come at a very high cost since most of its citizens are farmers who need to go to farms since the rains have started.”

So, the federal government should not extend the current total lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. The growing resistance by the people might throw the entire anti-COVID-19 war into crisis if pragmatic actions are not taken. My prescribed “tactical lockdown” should be cuddled in the interest of the masses and the economy.

A Word for Tukur Buratai My dear Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, I have spent quality time reading your remarks, while speaking to troops at Ngamdu Special Super Camp in Borno State on April 13, during the Easter celebration. You vowed not to return to Abuja until the war against Boko Haram is completed. Was this not the same Boko Haram you told Nigerians had been defeated about three years ago? I can still remember you presenting Abubakar Shekau’s flag and Quran to President Buhari, as a symbol of the victory. Well, at least it’s now clear that the war is far from over. Your speech to the troops was quite inspiring after relocating fully to the North-east to oversee the whole operation in the theatre of war. I heard you telling the troops at Ngamdu Special Super Camp that you regretted the insurgency had lasted for too long but gave assurances that in no time, Boko Haram would be defeated.

You declared to the battle-weary troops: “We are here; we will not leave this camp until we substantially degrade these criminals. God willing, we shall be there with you, no going back once we commence. We will be with you in the valleys, on the hill, in the jungle, in the river and so on. As I speak now, we have some elements providing us necessary intelligence and once we start, no going back. We are here and we will make sure that we get ourselves properly motivated, properly equipped and I assure you will have the best of time.

“We want the best out of you. We need your courage and determination. I want you to have at the back of your minds that Mr. President is solidly behind you. We have

already started getting the consignment of what we require for us to handle these insurgency and terrorism. It is a matter of time and a very short time.”

Beloved army chief, you have to go beyond these verbal assurances. The truth that must be told is that these gallant soldiers are poorly motivated and poorly equipped. This situation has been very bad under your command. It’s not enough telling them that you had started getting the consignment of requirement for handling the terrorists. You must deliver quality equipment and quality motivation. We’ve had so many incidents of soldiers protesting against poor equipment. The morale of our gallant soldiers is low because of the failed military leadership. I will never forget a scene at the Maiduguri airport few years back when soldiers resisted posting to the war zone over a number of genuine issues. Most of them have over-stayed on the war front, contrary to the professional standard. There are also issues with tactical air support for your ground troops.

The war against Boko Haram has been on for too long. It’s going to be 11 years this year. Many see you as a major hindrance to the war against the terrorists.

You have stayed for so long with very little result to show. I also see you as a major problem. Many believe the big boys in the military don’t want the war to end because they are benefitting from it. I also hold that very strong feeling.

I sincerely hope that this time around, you will prove us wrong. I am hoping that you would truly not return to Abuja until the coldblooded Boko Haram fighters

Buratai

are decapitated. Nigerians are tired. The pain in the North-east is unprecedented.

Close to a million people in this area are languishing in IDP camps. They can’t go home because their villages and towns are dominated by terrorists. Thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed, with thousands of women turned to widows and children to orphans. An estimated 2000 soldiers have been killed by the terrorists.

Buratai, you must end this madness this time around. Just do it.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

SUPER SATURDAY

Uche Nnanna is Still E n j oy i n g M a r i t a l B l i s s When great Nollywood movies like Point of Intimacy, Holy Love, Mama Ukwu Goes to School, The Voice of the Poor, Ifunanya the American Nurse and Money Miss Road are mentioned, Uche Nnanna’s name readily crops up. This is because this Nolywood actress/producer played treasured roles in these movies. She was in the news for most of this week not because of her movies but her matrimonial life. Her wedding, that some thought would “soon crash”, was six years old last Tuesday. This inspiring actress and her husband, Richard Maduka, spent most of the week celebrating. writes. Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Uche

I

t is noteworthy that wedding anniversaries are a great feat for many couples and often, times to look back on where they started with their spouse and where they are. Nollywood actress, Uche Nnanna and her husband, Richard Maduka, have penned lovely messages to celebrate their 6th wedding anniversary. The couple took to their individual social media accounts on Tuesday, April 21 to commemorate the union while sharing their unique moments together over the years.

According to Maduka, it’s amazing that he and his wife have continued to act like honeymooners six years after they got married.

He went on to describe the actress as a virtuous woman who has changed his life positively since they met. “How wonderful it is that we are celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary and we’re still acting like honeymooners. I love you so very much, I will never trade the six wonderful years that we had for anything else. I love you, and I always will; happy six years anniversary to both of us. Hubby to a virtuous woman, grateful heart, six years anniversary, God is good,” he wrote on Instagram.

Uche took to her page to share a lovely picture she took with her husband. “Happy 6th year Wedding Anniversary to us. God gave me the best and I shall forever remain thankful. Six years down and forever to go with my real gee,” she wrote. The couple tied the knot in April 4, 2014. The union has so far been blessed with two children.

In the mood of celebration, Uche posted throwback wedding photos. The mother of two boys said it had been six years of God’s faithfulness, mercy, protection, favour, and blessings.

Uche also posted a photo showing that her family had multiplied in two years. In the photo, the actress was seen with her husband and two handsome

Uche and Richard

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

11

SUPERSATURDAY Uche Nnanna’s Still Enjoying Marital Bliss... boys. The film star also noted that the love she shares with her husband was unimaginable. Still excited about the new feat her marriage attained, she shared a video of how she started with her husband and their happy moments as the family got bigger. Uche and her husband, Richard hail from Abia State.

The actress stated: “My husband and I are from Abia State. I studied Theatre Arts at the University of Uyo. I came from a family of nine and I’m the sixth child.”

Uche and Richard walked down aisle on April 21, 2014 after their traditional marriage on September 28, 2013. The ‘Point of Intimacy’ star met Richard through a friend. “I met my charming husband, Richard Uchechukwu Maduka, a native of Isukwu-Ato, while I hail from Arochukwu, both in Abia State, through a friend. Gradually, we became friends, fell in love and got married to live happily forever.”

But that was after dating for six months. “It was for just six months. You don’t have to date someone for like two years before walking down the aisle.

When you see someone that you feel you are compatible with, spend time with that person for one month you would know if he or she is the one or not. I knew my man was the right one for me just after three months.”

For Uche, it was love at first between them, though she had confessed that she thought he was a playboy. “It was kind of love at first sight because when you see my husband going by his looks and his dressing, he would quickly draw your attention. I even thought he was a playboy but by the time we got intimate, I knew he was the one for me.”

Uche was pretty much drawn to his looks at first, though she claimed the attraction was their love for God. “Our love for God is our greatest attraction, aside love. I admire his charming looks; his hardworking nature, humility and respect for others. Inclusively, he is such a caring husband and I pray God garnish our union with continuous affection, long life and prosperity.

Though, we didn’t court for eternity for him to realise my place in his life, which is part of the reasons I love him dearly for believing in me.

“However, we share the same chemistry and our bond is incomparable, which was a driving force on our marital decisions. Also, as an optimistic woman with visions, I discovered he has the right keys to open the doors of success for me through the grace of God. Above all, we share the same dreams, so God has used him immensely to discover my potentials as a career woman, wife, mother, daughter in-law and sister-law.”

The screen diva naturally went off movie scene after marriage to make babies and bounced back afterwards, featuring in countless movies such as ‘Mama Ukwu Goes to School’, ‘The Voice of the Poor’, ‘Ifunanya the American Nurse’, and ‘Money Miss Road’ among others.

The last couple of years have been eventful for actress turned moviemaker.

So far, she has featured in over a hundred Nollywood productions following her emergence in 2003. Uche later ventured into making her own movies. Her first movie as a producer was ‘Bond of Bondage’. Between 2004 and 2005, Uche got her break out role in the movie, “Holy Love.” She started acting from a very tender age when she was in primary school. She was always picked by her teachers to represent her school even ahead of her seniors though she was very small.

The star later joined the acting club and did a lot of stuff. That was where it all started for her acting wise. As a Theartre Arts student, she didn’t experience fright first time on set because she had all that was required down her path. “Sometimes in school, we had as much as 3000 people watching us on stage. So, I wasn’t shy or afraid in front of camera the first time.

And my foray into Nollywood began from the scratch; I started from the scratch. My first movie role was a waka pass role but when we were through, the producer and director called me aside and said they were not sure if it was really my first time because I did justice to the role I was given. I told them that I was a Theatre Arts student.”

Uche and family

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ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

KYARI: A MAN OF STRONG CONVICTION Jalal Arabi pays tribute to Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to the President

F

rom what I have read about the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, in recent days, it is obvious that Nigerians are now coming to appreciate his hidden qualities and attributes that were hitherto largely misunderstood and grossly misrepresented.

It is indeed most fitting that those who associated with the man some of us knew as Ya’Abba are finally speaking up for who he was as distinct from the way he was misrepresented by a section of the media before his passage.

Having worked with Ya’Abba in the last five years, I recall many conversations we had, almost on a daily basis on infrastructural developments, cost of living in the country, the security challenges confronting Nigeria as well as the breakthroughs in some of the sectors, especially agriculture. Passionate about Nigeria and its development, this was a routine conversation I had with Ya’Abba every morning.

After that, it was coffee time. This latter period was always sobering as we would discuss how the government was faring and the need to expand the frontiers of success.

Most times, we would carry the discussions to lunch where other members of the “family” would join. The congregation included, until recently, Ahmed Rufai, Musa Shafi’i, Fola Oyeyinka, Amina Ado, Bode Oyetunde, Yahaya Lawal, Francis Anatogu, Faruk Gumel, Abdulmutallab Muktar, and Mohammed Salisu Adaya. On most occasions, we were also joined by Ya’u Darazo and Garba Shehu. If any dignitaries visited Ya’Abba during the period, he would insist they eat with us.

Usually, lunch time provided him the opportunity to tap our brains, share his experience on sustainable development and the way forward for our country. We always looked forward to these engagements. And he would usually apologise if for any reason he delayed coming to table on time. That was vintage Ya’Abba.

I was fortunate to meet Ya’Abba in June 2015, following the political change of guards at the Villa. I was among the remnants of the administrative staff left behind by the previous administration and so had the task of welcoming them in. Unassuming as he was till the end, we would meet in the Villa Mosque and on the walkway and exchanged pleasantries. Although he had not been given any appointment at that time, it was clear he would work with the new administration. But he minded his business and once he had met with the president, he would take his leave.

With his appointment as Chief of Staff to the President on 29th August, 2015, destiny brought us together. As was standard practice, he had to undertake an overview of his areas of responsibility and undertake a tour of units within his purview, one of which was the office of State House Counsel, which I was privileged to be occupying then. Subsequently, I would be giving him a daily briefing on where we were policy-wise and level of implementation. From the first day he assumed office, he would direct immediate follow ups and where necessary drafts for quick update to Mr. President for appropriate action. I continued on that trajectory even after being elevated to the position of Permanent Secretary.

From that vantage position, I came to respect Ya’Abba as a consummate technocrat who wanted results. He was never bothered by the loads of books and journals in and around his office that can

YA’ ABBA’S LOVE FOR THIS NATION WAS NEVER IN DOUBT. HE LOVED ENGAGING ON ISSUES AND POLICIES AND WAS PRO-PEOPLE, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF SOMETIMES BEING DISMISSED AS A SOCIALIST

easily qualify same as a library of intellectualism. The other side of this however, is you can never at will borrow or ask him to lend you of any of these treasures except he was sure you would truly read, utilize what you gained therefrom and add value to the discourse. I came to appreciate the style otherwise the “shelves” would have been emptied.

Ya’Abba was on the list of first takers of any released publication on Politics, Economics, Philosophy and Social Developments before they are publicly unveiled. He was truly a books man.

Ya’ Abba’s love for this nation was never in doubt. He loved engaging on issues and policies and was pro-people, almost to the point of sometimes being dismissed as a socialist. At all times, he always made it clear to everyone the purpose for which President Buhari entrusted with people’s mandate. The nation and its less privileged, he would argue, came first before the elites. It was not that he had any disdain for the elites of which he was a member (given his own accomplishments in the private sector) but he detested exploitation, unfairness and injustice. He therefore made sure that where necessary, he got aside the bureaucratic processes and procedures to achieve quick results that would translate into the common good. He believed that government policies should be geared towards bettering the lives of the majority so that way he subtly challenged any slow pace of implementing an infrastructural development and socio-economic policies.

Dear to his heart as legacy projects for the current administration include the National Council on Food Strategy; Presidential Fertilizer Initiative; Presidential Infrastructure Fund; Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative; Completion of Second Niger Bridge; Initiation for the Funding of 18 Key Road projects across the country; Rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road Network; Presidential Power Initiative – Siemens; 10MW Grid Solar Power Project In Kano; Planting of 26 Million Trees to address Desertification; Establishment of 16 Federal Science and Technical Schools in the States; Creation of Special Public Works Program to provide part time employment to 40,000 Nigerian Youths across eight states on a pilot basis; and federal government’s Covid-19 palliatives; etc. Once those heavy structures and projects are completed or attained to satisfactory levels, he believed Nigeria and Nigerians will be the best for it. It was in the quest of achieving his wish to see to the rescue of the power-sector that he took ill and subsequently died.

However, like every mortal, Ya’Abba was not perfect. He was rather reticent and restrained. He was also rather wary or at times suspicious of civil servants. These two traits seemed to have tainted his orientation and outlook; and might have, in some ways, contributed to limiting what he could accomplish. But whatever may have been his imperfections, Nigeria has lost an illustrious son who was detribalized, patriotic and honest. From him, I learnt family virtues and communal relationship and fraternity.

I condole with Mr. President, Baba Mamman and most especially, his wonderful family over the irreparable loss, believing that Allah will have mercy on his soul and on ours as well. I now truly believe that “every job is easy when you are not the one doing it”. Allah ya maka Rahama Ya’ Abba, Sai Munzo.

Arabi, is the outgoing Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja.

AFRICANS AND THE GUANGZHOU TREATMENT To end the series of abuse abroad, the Nigerian government must rekindle citizens-centered diplomacy, writes Emeka Nwagwuna

G

oing by the viral videos which show how Nigerians and other African nationals are forcefully being evicted from their apartments in some parts of China, it amounts to a flight of fancy for anyone to absolve the Chinese authorities of any wrong.

Confirmed reports have it that one or two members of the black community in the city of Guangzhou came down with Covid-19 infection.

Instead of limiting its intervention to carrying out contact tracing, testing and subsequent isolation or quarantine of suspected cases for treatment, the Chinese authorities abdicated the established protocol to act out a state sponsored racialist script against black Africans.

As a result of this, Nigerians and other Africans are currently being denied entering into their apartments in Guangzhou without recourse to their subsisting rental contracts. Hotels have been directed by city officials to deny access to their African guests. Supermarkets and restaurants are not left out. These have also been directed not to allow Africans especially blacks come near their facilities for fear that they are now the new and only possible “carriers” of Covid-19 in the city. This is the scenario partly captured in the viral videos on social and conventional media.

In other reported instances, some Nigerians that were on quarantine for 14 days, were forced into multiple quarantine periods and were meant to pay for such services. The effects however is that blacks, mostly Nigerian businessmen, women and students are stranded in many places in Guangzhou. Hardly able to get food, apartment or mobility, Nigerians now shelter under bridges in Guangzhou where

they are exposed to varying risks.

Blacks are now treated as city outcasts in China especially in Guangzhou. This same China that is yet to convince the world of her innocence in certain cloak and dagger delinquencies around Covid -19 should not be the one meting out such unacceptable behaviour to anybody.

It would be recalled that their refusal to come out clean early in December of 2019 misled WHO into delaying the proper classification of Covid 19 as an international emergency until late in January 2020.

This single act of state deceit has led to millions of positive cases across the world.

The question which the Chinese authorities have not been able to respond to is: How come blacks are now the only ones treated with such dubious urgency? Are the airports in China open to only blacks? Are there no other nationals in Guangzhou requiring a combination of urgent eviction, forced destitution and multiple isolations?

At the last check, the blacks still constitute less than 0.1percent of infected cases in Guangzhou.

Why the harsh treatment to blacks?

The position held by authorities in Guangzhou that a comprehensive testing of all blacks became necessary because one or two black persons tested positive to Covid-19 is as crooked as dog hind legs. It does not represent the whole truth in the unfolding racialist episode.

Even in Nigeria, we did not go making destitute of all Italians in Ogun or Lagos States just because our index case for Covid 19 was an Italian. We simply did contact tracing in line with established protocol and it yielded the right result.

Something more must be accountable for this

unacceptable treatment our people are receiving in the hands of China. It could well be that the Chinese authority learnt how to treat Nigerians from their government. Will China be expected to treat Nigerians better than our government does? In Nigeria for instance, overzealous law enforcement officers have extra-judicially killed 20 citizens in just 20days for allegedly flouting the lockdown directive by various states government. This number may even increase as the effects of the lockdown bites harder.

Similarly, Nigeria’s weak response and ignoble inability to hold South Africa to account or at least make her prosecute known actors in the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in Johannesburg and elsewhere may have also emboldened the Chinese.

They sure know our government lacks interest in citizens-centered diplomacy.

No wonder our minister of foreign affairs’ first reaction on the treatment against Nigerians in China was to wave it off as a mere communication issue. In the interview he granted Channels TV, he struggled to play down the attacks even when faced with a viral video where a Nigerian consulate was making patriotic efforts to retrieve seized international passports from some daring Chinese officials. Rather than consolidate the move by putting in the public space what government’s plan will look like in the coming days, he spent airtime justifying Chinese unbecoming behaviour.

Nigerians do not expect government to cross swords with the Chinese but at least, the minister of foreign affairs should be able to shout on China.

And set diplomatic processes in motion to restore the dignity of those stranded, iron out whatever

communication misplacements at the core of this and immediately evacuate those ready to return home. Anything short of these will not make sense. To sit idly by and expect China to alter her discriminatory programme against Nigerians and blacks is to be asking for the moon. Nigerian government needs to come down to earth and do the needful.

Everyone understands Nigeria government is walking a tightrope regarding China’s usual behaviour, it should however not provide a cover for abdicating call for national duty. Many believe that Nigeria government has gone ape on the huge loan and other relief offers from China that it is willing to let this abuse on our citizens go the way of other reported abuses by foreign nations and even China in the past.

To end the unending series of abuse of Nigerians abroad, government must reinvigorate its interest in citizens-centered diplomacy. Every Nigerian should feel safe anywhere in the world knowing that there is a government at home that will deliver for him.

A government that is dependable and predictable, not one that will wax and wane in different occasions.

Nigeria must not fall asleep at the switch that Covid 19 presents. Indeed, as nations the world over are placing export restrictions on basic items, it is time we reposition our micro and small-scale subsectors to take up the production of things we can create at home. This will help to create self-sufficiency in basic things and of course national pride which is at the core of all the abuses we suffer in foreign lands. emekanwagwuna9@gmail.com

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ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

What’s the problem?

5G And Other Tales

Hard Work Brings A Profit

I

n one popular song entitled ‘WORK,’ by a talented Nigerian musician, Adekunle Gold, people are encouraged to work hard. This is just as God’s Inspired Word, The Bible, says at Ecclesiastes Chapter 9, Verse 10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might . . .“ Work - whether paid or unpaid, is good for our health and well-being. It contributes to our happiness, helps us to build confidence and self-esteem, and can reward us financially. Work is an essential tool through which individuals can achieve their goals, flourish, and live happy, meaningful lives.

One simple definition of work, according to the Cambridge dictionary, is: “an activity, such as a job, that a person uses physical or mental effort to do, usually for money.” This definition fondly reminds me of a time when I was opportune to discuss with a class of Primary Four pupils on the topic ‘Work.’ My source material was a textbook in which work had been interestingly distinguished into two types, for better assimilation by the pupils. The textbook presented work as either ‘physical work’ or ‘mental work.’ It explained the two types of work, and went on to list common examples of each of the two types of work, which were familiar to the pupils. It was such an interesting and enlightening class - even to me!

Work has different dimensions such as work for making a living and work for developing one’s talent and potential. For example, a little girl in one of the corners of the world who goes to the kindergarten and learns how to count, draw or write, is working. Likewise, an adult, who goes to his/her job every day from 8 to 4 or 5 o’clock, and gets paid for that, is also working. Thus based on the age, circumstances, needs and desires of individuals, work takes different shapes.

Work is a virtue and necessity, which requires the utilization of time and energy. Man is in control of his time and energy when he voluntarily and constructively works. In fact, The Holy Scriptures also emphasize the importance of work, when it says, among other things, at 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 3, Verses 10 - 12, that: “ . . . if anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat . . . “ This scripture condemns laziness. We need to work to make a living and provide for our families. Work provides the individual with the ability to be independent, to flourish, to develop, and most importantly, to find a meaning to life.

However, there are many issues seriously affecting work and workers in Nigeria today.

They include the issues of unemployment, poor remuneration/wages, poor working environment and conditions, casualisation of workers, among others. Many people experience poverty and

unemployment through no fault of their own.

Many who are able to work, willing to work hard, and even actively searching for work, are still unable to find work - they are unemployed!

Unemployment and poverty are two of the major issues currently affecting Nigeria’s economy and its society. In fact, according to the National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) data on unemployment, it was discovered that unemployment increased in Nigeria from 21 million in 2018, to 23 million in 2019. Nigeria has also been ranked as the nation with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty, with 93.7 million people measured to be living on less than $1.90 (N684 at the time) per day, by June 2019. This is disheartening, and calls for urgent measures to be put in place, in order to reduce the high rate of unemployment and poverty in the country.

Nevertheless, despite the high rate of unemployment, the situation is not necessarily hopeless.

People can still find some meaningful work to engage in, even though it may be small. If you are unemployed, or cannot find a job in your area of particular interest, it is wise to consider looking for a job in other areas, even if the job is considered ‘menial’ by the standards of some people.

Daniel Ighakpe, FESTAC Town, Lagos

T

he industrial revolution which made the United Kingdom the most powerful nation on earth in the 19th century experienced a very stiff opposition from the factory workers and their union leaders.

The Luddites as the aforementioned were called fiercely resisted the industrialization as their fear was that the new machines would render them jobless.

They fought with all their might the factory owners who they saw as evil as they wanted to hurriedly replace their labour with machines.

Nothing can stop an idea whose time as the Luddites were roundly crushed by the tide of the age.

Not long after, some residents of London opposed the bid by the government to put street lights in the city.

That also was roundly defeated.

There have been rumours awash in the new media that there is a link of the 5G to the dreaded corona virus. The rumour mongers went to town to say that the raison d’etre by the government in locking down the city is that they want to lay down the cables for the 5G. This rumour was accentuated by the popular Founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome who lent credence to the thinking that went viral on the new and social media.

Some Christian fanatics went on to opine that the end of the world was near, quoting the Book of

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKU MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Revelations in the Holy Bible that the presence of the anti-Christ or the beast had come in the 5G. Their theory was that a micro-chip would be implanted in every human being which was akin to the 666 number for the beast. This opinion is now the new mantra especially among the ill-informed hoi polloi or proles who have access to cheap data which has made them an ‘authority’ of anything scientific.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has come out repeatedly to debunk the 5G theory.

They have told the public that there are no cables of the genre in the country and that there is no nexus between 5G and corona virus. The 5G theory is a brazen attempt to demonize China who is the major promoter of it. The once poor nation which is now standing shoulder to shoulder to Uncle Sam is feared for its growing influence in all spheres of life especially with its sturdy presence in the African continent which was hitherto the playground of the west.

There is nothing permanent in life and change is the only thing which is constant and predictable. Once upon a time there was the 1G, then 2G, 3G and now 4G. Why didn’t these inventions cause a worldwide ailment or come with the insertion of a bodily chip?

The old sayings that ‘If you think education is expensive then try ignorance’ comes to play tragically here. Why should the 5G which will make the internet usage superfast be the source of hatred and nauseating misunderstanding? Why the link between one of the best inventions of man and the dreaded virus from Wuhan? How tragic!

The 5G is a hundred times faster than the 4G and can download 10 gigabits per second. Think of the numerous things that we do online – the downloading of movies, books, music, the use of the internet for browsing, etc. The speed of this will make the internet a much more attractive thing to use. Think of the snail speed internet on some occasions that is our pain! All this will be history with the introduction of the 5G. Why do mortals especially lesser minds resist change when it is one of the few things in the life of man that is as constant? Technology is not a bad thing even though it has some side effects. However the gains far outweigh the pains and so it is imperative that there must be a mass education of the masses that the 5G is indeed a blessing to the globe and it will be for their ultimate interest in liberating themselves from the stranglehold of poverty and destitution. The National Orientation Agency should see this as an opportunity to embark on a gargantuan education of the have nots and even some of the haves who have bought into the ridiculous school of thought. This is the 21st century and we cannot still be behaving like cave men or else we will be left behind and be forced to spend the rest of our lives in playing catch up.

Tony Ademiluyi, Lagos

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸

14

NEWS

RAMADAN… RAMADAN…RAMADAN…

Atiku Greet Muslims, Says this is Moment of Trial for All Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on all Muslims to use the Holy month of Ramadan to pray for all because what was happening now was a moment of trial for humanity.

In a his Ramadan message, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that what was happening had not been the best of times for all as a people, as a nation and the global community.

According to Atiku, “This is a moment of trial because for the

first time in our recent history, we have never seen anything like this in terms of limitations on the activities we once performed without hindrance.

“Unlike previous years, the 2020 fasting features such as Iftar meal that Muslims share together every day and every evening after breaking their fast would be affected because of the lockdown and social distancing policy brought about by the virus outbreak,” he stated.

However, he urged all Muslims to make sacrifices.

“But we’ve had to make sacrifices, and much more is required

El-Rufai Seeks Understanding from Muslims as Fast Commences John Shiklam in Kaduna Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai, has appealed to Muslims to see the special circumstances under which Ramadan is being observed this year as a necessary sacrifice to safeguard public health.

In a statement on the commencement of Ramadan fasting, the governor expressed gratitude to Allah for His Mercy even in this difficult moment.

He urged ‘’Muslims to pray for the country, peace in the land and the containment of COVID-19 as they observe the discipline of fasting, worship and spiritual renewal in the holy month.

The governor also commended the commitment of Imams and other

leaders of faith to ensure that the activities connected to Ramadan are conducted without mass gatherings and congregational worship, noting that “this rational approach to the practice of faith as exemplary.”

The governor said ‘’the severe challenges posed to lives and livelihoods make it impossible to relax the quarantine conditions at this time.’’

He said ‘’if the necessary sacrifices are made now, and everyone observes public health advice such as social distancing, regular hand-washing with soap and water, wearing face masks in public, avoiding large gatherings and the practice of respiratory hygiene, then we will be nearer to fully containing COVID-19.’’

Katsina Senator Donates N30m to Constituents Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Senator representing Katsina South, Bello Mandiya, has donated N30 millions to his constituents for Ramadan fast as parts of efforts to assuage their sufferings during the holy month.

The beneficiaries of the cash donation are the 117 All Progressives Congress (APC) ward executives in the zone, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women leaders and local government executives of the 11 council areas that make up the senatorial zone.

Speaking while distributing the funds to the beneficiaries in Musawa Local Government, Mandiya said the gesture was aimed at alleviating the hardship

being experienced by Muslim faithful, particularly the lessprivileged during fasting.

The senator, represented at the occasion by the Funtua Zonal APC Chairman, Alhaji Bala Abu Musawa, affirmed that the beneficiaries were drawn across the 11 local government areas that made up the constituency.

He said: “Each ward executive in the 117 wards in the zone will receive N200,000, local government executives in each of the 11 local governments of the zone will receive N200,000 each, while state executives will collect N500,000. While stakeholders, Imams, District heads, youth and women leaders in this constituency will receive N15, 000 each.”

of us in the days ahead if we must defeat the scourge of this plague.

Our social life has been disrupted by lockdown of sections of our country and practice of social distancing.

“In the last three weeks, we have been unable to gather to fulfill our religious obligations to worship the Almighty Allah. The lesser hajj

Social Mobilisation Foundation Bulletin, Chaplain John Lawal Isyaku, has enjoined Muslims to pray fervently to God during this year’s Ramadan for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the entire world.

He also enjoined Muslim to pray during the Holy month for leaders at all levels for the needed support in good governance, unity, peace and developments nationwide.

“May the Almighty Allah heal those that have been affected with

worldwide, and may He grant those that have died eternal rest in paradise,” said.

“May the Mighty Allah grant you all the ability to start and finish the fast faithfully and successfully.”

Apart from playing an active part in organising prayers for Nigeria, Isyaku said his organisation supports every patriotic policy and programmes of governments at all levels in taking the country to the next level.

“And as you commence the fasting period - one of the mandatory sacrifices required of us - bear in mind this year’s Ramadan comes at an extraordinarily tough moment for the Muslim Ummah because of the severe restrictions the Corona Virus has imposed on us.”

He explained that other activities that may be affected include the

Tafsir or the gathering of Muslims to listen to Qur’anic recitation and interpretation by scholars.

Against this background, he, urged Muslims to be steadfast and adjust to the new reality imposed by the Coronavirus disease, adding that these challenges are a test of faith and resilience in the face of tough times.

Oyetola: We’ll Come Out of COVID-19 Stronger Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State yesterday felicitated with Muslim faithful in the state and around the world on the commencement of the 1441 AH (2020) Ramadan fasting, saying the observance of fasting amidst the battle against Coronavirus is not a mere coincidence.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world challenged humanity and its faith in Allah, urging the Muslim Ummah to hold fast to their faith in their creator in both times of prosperity and hardship in order to validate the sincerity of our faith.

Oyetola was however quick to add that, considering the huge blessings that come with the holy month, Nigerians and indeed the world would come out of the COVID-19 war stronger and better.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, yesterday Oyetola, who drew inspiration from Q29: 2, where Allah says “Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘we believe’ without being put to test,” urged the Muslim faithful to seek maximum benefits of Ramadan by engaging in more acts of worship that would draw them closer to Allah. This, he

said, was the true essence of the holy month.

“Allah allows challenges to make us better and stronger Muslims. Once we overcome this challenge of COVID-19 successfully, we will never remain the same, as we will be better prepared for further challenges. We will have stronger belief in Allah and be more hopeful of success.

“Ramadan is a period for spiritual rejuvenation. We must, therefore, take advantage of this month to renew our commitment to the service of God and humanity by upholding the teachings and virtues of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“We must engage in additional acts of worship that will draw us closer to God. I pray Allah accepts all our acts of worship in this glorious month and reward us all abundantly.

“Certainly, with measures taken so far and with our acts of worship in this holy month, we will come out of COVID-19 war stronger and better,” he added.

The governor, who noted that Ramadan was a month of reflection, forgiveness, and generosity, encouraged the more privileged and well-meaning members of the society to remember and extend hands of support to the less privileged.

Gombe Governor Enjoins Muslims to Intensify Prayers Segun Awofadeji in Gombe As the Ramadan fast begins today, Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has enjoined the Muslim Ummah to use the opportunity provided by the Holy month to pray fervently for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic as well as for unity, peaceful co-existence and development of the state.

The governor who made the call in a goodwill message to mark the

commencement of the Ramadan fast, noted that this year’s holy month was coming at a time the world was battling to contain the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, hence the need for all to intensify prayers and seek Allah’s intervention against the plague.

He said, “ as one of the five pillars of Islam, Ramadan fast avails the Ummah a golden opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation and devotion through supplication and other acts

of worship”.

Governor Yahaya added that “We therefore must use this opportunity to pray fervently for our dear state and the nation as well as for those in authority as we collectively battle to combat the threat of the global pandemic and many challenges facing the world and humanity today.”

He also urged the people to continue to observe the standard safety guidelines and other protective measures against COVID-19 such as

avoiding mass gatherings, maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene while undertaking their daily routines, expressing optimism that ‘we will surely overcome the new challenges and emerge stronger”.

The governor admonished the Muslim Ummah to always demonstrate in their lives the spirit and ideals of Islam by living according to the tenet of the religion, which promotes peace, kindness and obedience.

Osun Speaker Urges Muslims to Remember Needy Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye has urged Muslim faithful and Nigerians to remember the lessprivileged in the society during the holy month of Ramadan.

Owoeye held that Muslims should heed Allah’s commandment which directed them to freely give of what they have to those in need.

The Speaker in a statement by his

Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Alabi said this act of giving would help the less-privileged in the society and reduce hunger and misery engendered by the lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

He also stated that as a nation, what the people, leaders and followers needed to do in time like this was to come together and forge a harmonious relationship to fight the community transmission of

Coronavirus.

The Speaker admonished that Ramadan’s evening prayers could be performed at home if it could not be done at mosques due to the precautionary measures taken by government against the spread of the virus.

According to him, “We should at this period of Ramadan heed the commandment of Allah and let the significance of the holy month reflect in our relationship

with one another, we should give special consideration to the needy and the poor by providing for them, by so doing, we will be cushioning the effect of the pandemic.

“It is not in doubt that this year’s Ramadan will be more subdued than usual, Muslims must have to balance the need to worship with the social distancing and stay at home orders that governments have imposed because of coronavirus pandemic.

Islamic Welfare Foundation PDP Urges Prayers, Unity Kola Ologbondiyan reflected that Harps on Social Distancing the coming of Ramadan at this Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Hammed Shittu ÓØ ÖÙÜÓØ

Group Enjoins Muslims to Pray forChairman EndandtoFounder, COVID-19 Global the Coronavirus in Nigeria and

has been suspended”, he stated, urging all Muslims to accept it as a reality they have to face as they commence this year’s Ramadan.

According to Atiku, “I urge the Muslim faithful to pray for the country at this difficult moment when the COVID-19 plague has paralysed every aspect of our social lives.

The National Coordinator, Islamic Welfare Foundation(IWF), Alhaji Abu Salami has advised Muslims nationwide to continue to respect the social distancing protocol and the personal hygiene recommendations during Ramadan fast so as to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.

Alhaji Salami who spoke with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State capital on the sidelines of the annual Ramadan fast said that, “these are in accordance with the ethics and prescriptions of Islam and in compliance with extant protocols on COVID-19”.

According to the statement, “it has pleased Almighty Allah that Muslims all over the world will be witnessing 1441 Ramadan in a few days’ time.

“It is coming at indeed a trying time for all Muslims because of the current COVID-19 pandemic and this will be a very unique experience in that Ramadan will be celebrated without the usual and traditional commemorative rituals such as congregational Tarawih prayers, joint Iftar and Tafsir at the mosques.

“All in respect for the protocol put in place by the government and the medical personnel to stem the tide of COVID-19”.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians to use the period of the Ramadan to pray fervently for the nation as well as instill acts of selfrestraint as commanded by the teachings of the Holy Prophet Mohammad.

The party noted that the Holy month of Ramadan presented a divine opportunity to mankind and Nigerians in particular, to draw near to the Almighty Allah in supplication to bring solution to the challenges of life, especially the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The PDP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary,

trying time was yet another divine signal of Allah’s love and mercy to deliver mankind from tribulations According to PDP, “Our party therefore urges all compatriots to set aside every primordial difference and unite as one people in sober reflection, prayers and support to one another in this quest to defeat the pandemic.

“It is also instructive that we all use the holy month to rekindle our spirit of brotherliness by redoubling our efforts in reaching out, supporting and caring for one another, particularly the vulnerable and the downtrodden.”

SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ ͰͮͰͮ

NEWS

NJC Recommends Compulsory Retirement of 2 Judges Alex Enumah in Abuja The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended for compulsory retirement, Justices Francis Abosi, Acting President, Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State and Aliyu Liman of Bauchi State High Court.

The NJC took the decision at its 91st meeting presided over by the Chairman of the NJC and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad.

“Council at the meeting also recommended the compulsory retirement of Hon. Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, Acting President, Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State and Hon. Justice Aliyu Musa Liman of Bauchi State High Court of Justice with immediate effect.

“Hon. Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, was recommended for compulsory retirement following the falsification of his date of birth from 1950 to 1958.

Findings showed that he

was supposed to have retired in November, 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of Sixty-five (65) years”, a statement by the Director, Information, NJC, Mr. Soji Oye had said.

The statement said that the Council decided to recommend for his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and to also deduct the salaries he had earned from November, 2015 to date from his retirement benefit.

On his part Justice Liman was recommended to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed for compulsory retirement for failing to deliver judgment in suit No BA/100/2010, between Abubakar Isa and Sheik Tahir Usman Bauchi within the three months period stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The body viewed the failure of Justice Liman to deliver judgment for nearly four years as a misconduct, contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the Constitution of

the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and Rules 1.3 and 3.7 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the National Judicial Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, has suspended the two judges from office pending the approval of their compulsory retirement by their respective State Governors.

In a related development, the NJC however dismissed petitions against the following Judicial Officers; Justices O. A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, and Muhammed Sambo and Sa’ad Ibrahim Zadawa both of the High Court of Justice, Bauchi State for either lacking in merit or being subjudice.

The NJC in another decision also decided to report Messrs Apeiyi Clement, Ifeanyi Egwasi, Nwafor Orizu, Godwin Chukwukwere, Akopde Ukuku, Chief Emefo

Etudo, Osamudiamen Obarogie and B. S. Onuegbu to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for various acts unbecoming of a Legal Practitioner ranging from unruly behaviour, walking out of Court in the cause of proceedings to submission of false documents to Court.

Meanwhile the NJC at the online meeting held on April, 22 and 23, 2020, also constituted a 10-man Committee to develop practical strategic measures to be put in place in order to ensure Courts continue to function despite the lockdown and COVID-19 challenges.

The Members include; Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, - Chairman, Justice M. B. DongbanMensem, Justice J. T. Tsoho, Justice B. B. Kanyip, Justice Ishaq Bello, Justice Kashim Zannah.

Others are Justice O. A. Ojo, Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, Mr. A. B. Mahmoud, SAN and Mr. D. D. Dodo, SAN.

Foreign Investors' Dollars Trapped in Nigeria’s Debt Market Foreign investors have had their money trapped in Nigeria’s debt market as dollar liquidity dries up due to a lack of fresh inflows, a report monitored on Bloomberg has said.

Some bondholders who sold local-currency securities in March have been unable to repatriate their proceeds weeks after. Dollar inflows in Africa’s largest oil-producing nation have taken a hit from a plunge in crude, which account for 90 per cent of foreign-exchange earnings.

The investors and exporters market where foreigners buy dollars is trading $20 million a day on average compared with when it used to trade $300 million to $400 million per day two months ago, Stanbic IBTC equity analyst Akinbamidele Akintola said by phone.

“Everyone is a buyer of dollars but there is hardly any seller” after the central bank stopped dollar supply since March 20, Akintola said in a separate note earlier this month.

Trapped investors are reinvesting

funds in high-yielding central bank bills while they await enough liquidity to get their funds out, said Samir Gadio, London-based head ofAfrica strategy at Standard Chartered Plc. Yields on the long-dated papers now average 10% to 12% having rallied about 20% in March.

Some central bank debt auctions in late March and early April recorded zero bids across certain tenors. Subscription levels revived again in the past two weeks after foreigners started reinvesting stranded money, Akintola said by

phone from Lagos.

Reserves have fallen 12% this year to $33.8 billion, raising concerns that the central bank would soon run out of firepower to defend the currency.

The naira has weakened 11% to 425 in the parallel market since March 20 when the Abuja-based regulator stopped foreign exchange interventions, according to abokifx. com, a website that collates street rates in Lagos. The local currency unit traded for 389 naira per dollar on the interbank market as of 3:45 p.m. in Lagos.

Kogi Health Workers Reject 50 Per cent Pay Cut Ibrahim Oyewale ÓØ ÙÕÙÔË TheKogiStateChapterChairman of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Gabriel Amari, has rejected the proposed 50 per cent salary payment for health workers in the 21 local government areas of the state .

He also cried out over alleged coercion of the Union in the local government councils by government functionaries to accept percentage salary in the

State for the month of April.

Amari explained that the members and other unions in the state were being coerced by the Directors of Local Government Administration (DLGS) in the 21 LGAs to accept a dummy that the State Government had directed a reduction in the already ridiculous 50 per cent salary paid to LG workers in the state, describing the attempt to use the governor's name to cause more hardship on local government workers as wicked and inhuman.

He expressed reservation at the alleged directives, saying it was not only a manipulation of the DLGs to further impoverish local government workers in the state, but it is also an unfortunate way of dragging the name of the state government in the mud adding that such a plan was totally unacceptable to LG workers in the state.

The Union Leader argued that there was no reduction in the monthly allocation of the state that could warrant any percentage

Council Boss Eulogises Fintiri for Granting Full Autonomy to LGs Wole Ayodele in Jalingo Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, has been commended for granting full financial autonomy to local government councils in the state.

The Chairman of Shelleng Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Alhaji Danjuma Abdullahi who gave the commendation while fielding questions from newsmen weekend urged other state governors to take a cue from the Adamawa governor and replicate same in their various states.

Alhaji Abdullahi noted that by granting financial autonomy to the local government councils

in Adamawa State, the governor had fulfilled the promise he made to the people of the state that he would ensure every kobo belonging to the local government goes to the local government.

The Chairman maintained that since coming on board, the state government had neither taken a kobo from local government allocation nor interfered with the management of their funds.

According to him,"Our Governor, Fintiri has always said before his election that he would give LGs full autonomy if he wins and since he came on board, he has been fulfilling his promises by ensuring that every kobo belonging to the

Local Government goes to the local government."

"The autonomy in Adamawa is real. The governor has never interfered with our funds and he's never tied us down. He left everything to our discretion.

"As the executive chairman of my local government and having seen what he's done, I can only say 'thank you, thank you,, thank you,,, and may God continue to bless you."

Abdullahi further revealed that due to availability of funds, he had developed a working document tagged 'vision 2020' which contains all the projects to be executed in all the ten wards of the local government.

salary payments stressing that the DLG's should stop hiding under the guise of COVID-19 to deny workers in the local government their legitimate right amidst the hardship in the country.

According to Amari, ”if the state government is not directing the Accountant General to pay percentage salary payment to state workers ,why should DLGs think of this unpopular and inhuman move against the overstretched and impoverished LG workers.?”

The chairman particularly lamented the plight of LG workers as exemplified by the functions and daily activities of health workers and noted with concern that despite their vulnerability and dangers in line of duties especially in the current global health challenges COVID-19, there are no PPE s, or incentives to encourage them.

Gunmen Invade Kaduna Communities, Kill 7, Abduct 1 John Shiklam

Seven people have been killed while one person was abducted following attacks by suspected herdsmen in three communities in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Five others who sustained injuries were said to have been taken to the Sabon Tasha General Hospital, Kaduna.

The attacks, according to Peter Aboki, President of Gbagyi Development Union (GDU), started in the early hours of Thursday up till about 4:00p.m. as the bandits went from village to village.

He said the affected villages are Akwunakwo, Kabirasha and Damba.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Friday, Aboki said two people were killed in Akwunakwo where the attack started in the early hours of Thursday.

“The attack started in Akwunakwo in the early hours of Thursday, two people were killed. The herdsmen then moved to the neighbouring Kabirasha Village.“I have not received information about any casualty there, except the abduction of a deaf and dumb person by the invaders.

“This is because by the time the gunmen got there, the villagers had fled following news of the attack on Kwunakwo.

“Damba village was attacked at about 4:00pm and five people were killed.

We suspect that the attack was by the same people” he said.

Aboki said the bandits burnt houses, food stuffs and vehicles during the attacks on the villages.

He said communities along that axis were becoming a no go area as a result of the deadly activities of bandits. “We know that government is doing its best to address the security situation, but we want government to do more because people are being killed or abducted almost on a daily basis.

“Those areas are becoming a no go area as a result of the deadly activities of bandits and we want government to do everything possible to stop these frequent loss of lives and destruction of property” Aboki said.

Muhammad Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna State police command, could not be reached as he did not respond to telephone calls nor text message when contacted.

NCDC Eulogises, Mourn Kyari The National Council for Democratic Development (NCDC) commiserated with President Muhammadu Buari over the demise of Kyari whom they described as first rate civil servant and the greatest loss by Nigeria so far to Coronavirus.

The NCDC through its Executive Director, Prince Onu Nweze, condoled the President, the Appl progressives Congress, Borno State and Nigerians, pointing out that such a loss should galvanise the country to fight the pandemic “The death of President Buhari Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, was one of Nigeria's greatest loss as our Nation continued to combat the dreaded Novel Corona Virus.

A disease that spares no border, health care system and personality.

“Malam Abba Kyari died in Service to our Father land.

A life full of meritorious

contributions as he had served and worked for the law firm Fani-Kayode and as a Lawyer, as an Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna, served as a Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State in the 1990s and held several management positions, in the Banking and oil industry.

“As a foremost Democrat, Malam Abba Kyari participated in the deepening of Nigeria Democracy and respect to her Democratic institutions, had made huge contributions to Nigeria match for democracy, through NADECO of which NCDD were partners and shares with him, in spirit and letter in that regard.

“As Duty called, duty took him away. He died in active service to our father land and shall be remembered for his huge contributions, calmness and candour that he brought to bear in his service to Mr President as his loyal Chief of Staff,” Onu said.

Alaafin Celebrates Adenaike at 80 The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III has sent a goodwill message to Mr. Felix Adenaike, former MD of defunct Sketch Newspapers and Editor in Chief of Nigerian Tribune on the commemoration of his 80th birthday.

He wrote: “I rejoice with Mr. Felix Adenaike as he turns 80.

He has no doubt distinguished himself as a pride not only to his family but to the whole country as a professional journalist where

he put his mark down both as an administrator and also as a practitioner. He along with his two peers, the late Peter Ajayi and Segun Osoba can best be described as the torch that beamed light into the professional journalism in modern time. This can be shown in their incorruptibility and untiring honesty in their pursuit of the profession. Whether as General Manager of the defunct Sketch Newspaper or as Editor

in Chief of the Tribune, he was uncompromising in the pursuit of truth, rather than sensational reporting by which the two papers under his leadership became readers' toast. My prayer for him is that God should continue to guide, protect and provide for him in his old age so that the new generation of journalists and Nigeria at large can continue to enjoy his wealth of experience for a long time to come.”

Plus Efe Irele I Left My HR Job Because I Realised My Place is in Front and Around the Camera

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾APRIL 25, 2020

PLUS You’ve been in the limelight for a while now, how has that changed your life?

T

o be honest, not very much. It’s the same Efe friends have always known, although people tell me I can no longer do the things I used to do because I’m now known by many people.

But I really don’t see any difference.

Maybe when I grow really big and I can’t move without people mobbing me, then maybe I will be able to see clearly that things have changed.

At what point did you go from being a commercial advertiser to being an actor and what necessitated it?

I used to do a lot of modelling and advertising for brands from my secondary school days to my university days. I took a break when I went to the United Kingdom for my studies.

When I came back, I decided to turn things up and I went into acting. I looked at doing other things in front of the camera besides modelling and advertising. I started acting about four years ago when I met my mentor, Mary Njoku and she gave me a role in one of the films she was producing.

Which actors in the world have influenced you and why?

Quite a few of them. On the foreign scene, I love Kerry Washington and Viola Davis. In Nigeria, I adore Marry Remmy and Genevieve Nnaji.

The reason I love these people is their acting, film production and entrepreneurial abilities. I don’t want to be just an accomplished actress. I want to be a successful producer and entrepreneur.

I Left My HR Job Because I Realised My Place is in Front, Around Cameras Not every hero wears a cape. Efe Irele might not be the regular type of hero you see but she is definitely one. The young filmmaker and entrepreneur has more to her titles than obvious. Irele, who has been on the screen for over a decade, has carved a niche for herself not just as an actor but also as a filmmaker. In 2017, she produced her first film, “Stronger Together” which was a huge success. Efe is currently working on a horror movie called ‘Manifestation.

She talks to Azuka Ogujiuba about her journey so far, fears and challenges as a filmmaker, how she has been a caregiver to her special brother who has autism and why she’s passionate about autistic people, which led to the birth of ‘Efe Irele Autism Foundation’

How do you juggle being an entrepreneur and filmmaker?

Well, it is not the easiest thing to do in the world, but you have to do what you have to do. Apart from that, I actually don’t see it as a difficult thing to do. I honestly believe that when you love what you do, even though things can be tough at times, one won’t see it as too much stress. I love acting. I love making films and I absolutely love being as sister to my siblings.

What’s your take on the quality of movies Nollywood is putting out at the moment; do you think we are getting it right?

If we make a movie with $10,000 there is no way we can compare with those making movies with $10 million. Without adequate funding, there is not much we can do. Even if you find an organisation to fund a big budget movie for you, how do you hope to make your money back? The most successful films are grossing less than $500,000. Imagine spending $5 million and earning $500,000. There is no director that doesn’t want to use the best camera. There is no producer that does not want to hire the best virtual and special effects experts.

Directors would love to use the best locations. All actors will like to go and film at the Tyler Perry Studios for example. But you know what all I said means? Money. With a budget of $10,000 and sometimes less, we are making magic with what we are doing in Nigeria.

Tell us about your formative years?

Normal; quite normal. School was very important to my family and I had to ship in. I’m glad for that.

Give us an insight into your educational background and career?

My primary education was at Corona Schools. I went to Queens College and then to Bowen University

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

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PLUS There Are Challenges Every Day...They Make Me Better, Tougher ` What was your most embarrassing moment as an actor?

The first time I forgot my lines on a movie set. But I was encouraged by my senior colleagues that it was a normal thing and was more common with new actors.

You have a special brother. When did you discover he was autistic and how has the journey been so far?

I think he was between two to four years old then. Over the years, we had gone to different hospitals when he wasn’t talking and hitting the milestones as a child. My mom always took me along; so I have a good memory of it all. The doctors all had no idea and said he was completely fine till we finally met a doctor who told us about autism and referred us to a special school. It was a tough period for us. The journey started then.

You started the “Efe Irele Autism Foundation” due to your experience with your brother. Tell us more about the foundation and its activities Yes, having an autistic brother and facing the daily challenges of caring for him inspired me. Our first objective at the foundation is to get more people to be aware of what autism is. Even though there are a lot of challenges as regards autism, the biggest challenge is the ignorance surrounding it. It’s the ignorance that is causing the maltreatment of special children; maltreatment from both the relatives and the public. We have to make people aware that autism is not a disease. That is our major focus area. We have other activities though. We organise an annual social gathering of autistic children.

We understand that a lot of autistic kids are kept at home by their family. This is a chance to get the kids out and have some fun too.

Another thing we have started doing is getting support for those who can’t afford the resources needed to take care of special children.

For example, taking them to special schools and therapy can be expensive. We try to raise funds to support families that are struggling to financially care for their autistic children.

Irele

where I got a Bsc in Sociology. I also have an MSc in Human Resources Management from the University of Chester, United Kingdom. I worked briefly in the Human Resources Department of a company in Lekki, Lagos. I knew I belong in front and around the camera. I had to leave to pursue acting fully.

Can we say you were born with a silver spoon?

No. I come from a typical middle class home. My dad is a building contractor and my mum is a fertility specialist. They provided for their children. I can’t complain. I appreciate them.

How did your background shape your life?

My parents value quality education and they spared no expense in making sure I attended the best schools. It was not easy paying those fees but they

did it. That gave me a great foundation. They are giving my little sister the same quality education.

What was the best gift you remember receiving as a child?

A dog; I love dogs.

What was the most difficult thing that has ever happened to you in all your years and how did you overcome it?

It was when my brother was diagnosed with ruptured aneurysm.

He is autistic, but we didn’t know early. He had to undergo surgery. We were told he may not survive it. It was very difficult for all of us but we stuck together and pulled through.

What do you consider the biggest mistake you have ever made?

Nothing in particular. There are challenges everyday and they make

me better and tougher.

Are there things you still desire?

I’m human. No matter what you have in life, there will always be something else you will desire. For me, it is long, happy, healthy life. I am satisfied with everything I have now.

What are some of the lessons life has taught you?

Family is everything and great friends are essential.

What are your plans forward?

I just want to remain consistent. I understand longevity matters in my profession. I still want to be here in 40 years. When I see people like Pete Edochie, Iya Rainbow etc, I see myself in them.

What’s your biggest fear in life?

Loss of loved ones; It never heals.

What’s your major challenge as a sister of a special child and founder of an autism foundation?

Discrimination and maltreatment from the public. That is why I am very protective of my brother. The public is making things difficult for us with nasty looks and remarks. Some parents we have met told us different stories from physical bullying to tortures in religious homes in the name of healing them. You would normally think the biggest challenge would be caring for these children. No. The biggest challenge is from the public.

What does your brother do now?

Is he learning anything?

He makes beads and he is getting better and better at it.

What do you intend to do with your Autism foundation in the nearest future?

We just want to keep spreading the word that autism is not a disease. We want everyone to get educated about it so the discrimination and maltreatment can stop.

Tell us a little about your parents Mr. Bolaji Irele and Mrs Margaret Irele are protective and fiercely loyal parents. When they get behind you, you can soar as high as you want.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

TRIBUTE/POLITY

Abba Kyari: The Man They Loved to Hate Mariam Mohammed Maktoub

T

here are moments in life that leave you questioning its nature. For me, a few minutes past 1am on April 18th 2020 was one of such. My private WhatsApp phone was ringing incessantly. It’s the only WhatsApp number I never switch off, I leave on for family and close friends to reach me during emergencies.

Considering the late hour, I felt a pang of panic. I looked at the phone screen and it was my brother, Mohammed, calling. I quickly picked up and the next thing he told me brought my world to a standstill for a moment.

Mo (as I often call my brother) said, “Have you heardAbba Kyari is dead?” The pause that followed was a hundredth of a second before I bellowed, ‘Noooooooo!’. I immediately hung up the phone with trembling hands. My thoughts were whirling and my heart was pounding furiously - as though it would fly out of my body. I experienced the inevitable “five minutes of madness” With my thoughts a little collected, I made a few calls to those I believed should be in the know of such a weighty matter. I learned that, indeed,Abba Kyari had died!

What may seem surprising about my violent reaction is that it wasn’t long before that I got to know the late Chief of Staff. My acquaintance withAbba fondly called “AK“ by friends and close associates was fortuitous, barely years ago. But is it not said that a day can be like a thousand, and a thousand can be like a day to the discerning? I remember vividly the fateful day I metAK. I was in the hallway in the Presidential Villa leading to JalalArabi, Permanent Secretary, State House Office, on my way to meet with Garba Shehu, Presidential MediaAide.As I walked the hallway leading to the stairs that lead to Garba’s office, I met Jalal and the CoS. I stopped to say exchange pleasantries with Jalal whom I’m quite familiar with and offered a perfunctory curtsey to the CoS. I inwardly judged him, as many have done, as the architect of Nigeria’s unending troubles and the one who has set out to stagnate every effort to rejig the system for the better.

Arabi, oblivious of my thoughts, quickly introduced me to the CoS. AK was gracious enough to initiate some sort of conversation and proceeded to extend an invitation to his office. I offered my thanks and headed to my meeting with Shehu whom I immediately told of my encounter with the CoS. He looked askance, and after like about 30 seconds, said, “what are you doing here if the CoS asked you to come?”

I replied “I came to The Villa for a reason, which is to have a meeting with you and I will see him after meeting with you.”

Just as the late CoS was a mystery who feared to be understood than misunderstood, He very quickly realized I wasn’t the typical person who is fazed by power or position. In the few instances occasion permitted me to meet with him, I would question and probe him on some issues in the public domain.AK would lay bare the pros and cons.

By this honest discourse, I was opportune to experience his uncommon intelligence.

Also, when the Naira was on a free fall and it seems as if the halt was never going to happen, again the president alongside AK and the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, drew up the plan for the apex bank to intervene dollar-wise and shore up the value of the Naira. It is instructive to make the point after the trio had fashioned out the policy, the president fell ill and it was on the then Acting President to oversee the intervention and gain the accompanying accolades

Kyari He found it intriguing that I was attuned to the issues of governance and national advancement than seeking for personal favours. He made it known that he had read my articles on varied issues in some national dailies and reads Maktoub Magazine which I publish.

I remember one instance where I deemed it fit to remind him of having scheduled an appointment with me and not honouring it. His response: “Mariam, my time isn’t mine but that of the President whom I work for, or do you want the President to work for you?” I replied, “The President works for me because he gets paid from my tax.”

An exasperated, “I’m running late to meet the President at the airport”, was his clincher.

That was MallamAbba Kyari’s world. It was all about the President.

Intrigued by his unflinching loyalty, which was doomed to be termed “rigid, inflexible, uncaring,” by those who misconstrue it as such, I took it as a challenge as a writer to embark on a journey to know more about the man,Abba Kyari. Why was he so controversial, his traducers say, divisive? Owing to what I had undertaken to do, I called a mutual friend and informed this individual that I’d be writing an article onAK headlined, “The man they love to hate.”

For me, it was incumbent that the other side of theAK coin be made public, rather than the narrative of his being the arch troubler of Nigeria.

Having realized this of him, and committing time and resource to know more about him, I was persuaded it was time to do a piece onAK. But since nothing is certain about the future, I am left to write on him a piece he will never get to read! Now, here I am instead of having an article in the present continuous, I am compelled to change the wording in my headline from “love to hate” to ”loved to hate”.And in this moment I am reminded that life is really fragile like a piece of China ware.

AK was the ultimate workaholic. If he was working, it did not matter what time of the day. He was oblivious of time in hours. He was more passionate about Nigeria and for this country, he toiled ceaselessly and relentlessly with his team to drive the BuhariAgenda for Nigeria.

He was never one for heads in the clouds, he was as reticent as he was averse to media blitz and paparazzi, so it was easy for others to wear the accolades of his effort and push. Because Kyari was committed to working for Nigeria, no task was too small or great. Every endeavour was approached with a single-mindedness aimed at success. It was that result-driven desire that saw him led the federal government’s delegation to Germany and UK for an energy deal that would significantly impact the country’s energy demand.

Some have queried must he have made the trip? To those, I say, matter of statecraft is not simplistic. It has never been. In the business of governance, trade and investment, certain clout and influence is required.And these qualitiesAK possessed. His was a pedigree rich, not just in journalism, but in banking and finance as well as corporate

governance. He understood negotiation and bilateral engagement.All of these he brought to the table without whining or wincing, even when it was not convenient. Perhaps, that was his hubris, his tragic flaw - not knowing when to slow down.

Only but a few people are aware of his immense effort through the direction of President Buhari, his role at stabilizing local fuel supply and putting an end to the near-incessant petrol shortages and its attendant economic implications and social disharmony. He brought his zest and zeal as a board member of the NNPC to promote the oil swap deal which has seen the country enjoying uninterrupted fuel supply.

Also, when the Naira was on a free fall and it seems as if the halt was never going to happen, again the president alongsideAK and the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, drew up the plan for the apex bank to intervene dollar-wise and shore up the value of the Naira. It is instructive to make the point after the trio had fashioned out the policy, the president fell ill and it was on the thenActing President to oversee the intervention and gain the accompanying accolades.

As it common with humans to dwell on the salacious and flowery, they never bother to talk of the Spartan Kyari, theAK that was averse to ostentation. From 2015 to 2019, he drove one car, a BMW seized from a former minister during the Goodluck Jonathan administration. How many government officials, even directors in MDAs, will drive one car for that long? I remember a time when the car had issues and was up for repairs,AK was offered another armoured plated vehicle but declined because it had a staff flag on it. He rather settled for a non-armoured plated car even with the attendant security implications.

That was the vintage, self-effacing and frugal Kyari. He was simply fine with his traditional white ‘sokoto’ and red cap! To him, material accumulation was an anathema no matter how some persons tried to paint him otherwise.

It is a shame that the media failed abysmally in its investigative role to unearth the realAbba Kyari. Rather, the media guzzled spins, feasted on innuendo and relished in half-truths and absolute falsehoods. It simply abdicated its responsibility and fed into the narrative of a cabal and who the two-headed monster was. I am somewhat perplexed that it never occurred to anybody that with the enormous resource of state at his disposal, the deceased Chief of Staff could jolly well have used it to influence and buy favorable media. He was too refined for that.

Dear President Buhari, that was your brother and friend,Abba Kyari. I know you knew him for over four decades, but sometimes, it is good to be reassured of the qualities of those closest to us because time and proximity can deface even the purest of forms. However, given your unflinching stance in the face of all that was said of him, I am comforted that you never doubted who he was.

To Kulu and the children, it is in the nature of some men to dwell on the trifling and impugn the characters of those either better than them or whom they aspire to emulate. None of you should be dissuaded by what some malignant souls dare write. What they write of your husband and father should merely reinforce your faith that he was trustworthy and loyal.

For the Fantastic Four (you know yourselves) you worked from sunrise to sunset and even beyond with him. You heard his silent chuckle and irritation. He believed in you as you had faith in him.

And to those who gloat, to what end is your gloating?Are you still unnerved by his having been here? If you are still so vexed, it is advised that you remember that life is fleeting, and only TheAlmighty can determine who is next to joinAK in his new place of abode. Repent!

AK, God must have needed an angel the night He took you away.

Now that you have made your peace with your Maker, no man can trouble you anymore. Your essence is a rarity and not even those who disagreed with you can deny you were indeed The Best Man.Adieu!

–––Ms Maktoub is Abuja-based Political PR Consultant and publisher of Maktoub Magazine. She can be reached on 08100000965, mariam.c.mohammed@gmail.com

How Bandits Killed 73 in Katsina Francis Sardauna writes that for the past three weeks, tension has heightened in four Local Government Areas of Katsina State, following renewed attacks orchestrated by bandits on some communities in the areas

I

n the past three weeks, more than 73 people were killed in fresh separate attacks orchestrated by bandits in some villagers in Dutsin-Ma, Danmusa, Safana and Faskari local government areas of Katsina State. The multiple attacks, which started at Kuraichi village of Dutsin-Ma Local Government spread to 12 other villages across the four local government areas. The latest attacks were coming on the heels of the peace pact reached by the state government and the marauding bandits. The rapprochement saw significant reduction in massive attacks on the state’s rural communities.

But the resurgence of the heinous activities in some local governments in the state, despite the peace accord, observers said, might not be unconnected with how some of the repentant bandits refused to surrender their weapons. The recent invasions which forced hundreds of residents to flee their ancestral homes, rendered thousands homeless and left dozens with varying degrees of injuries as well as properties worth millions of naira were been destroyed by the men of the underworld.

Although, the cause of the fresh onslaughts on the villages still remained sketchy, it was gathered that it was a reprisal by the hoodlums over an earlier attack by some villagers.

However, sources said during the attacks the bandits were demanding for foodstuff and other items shared to the villagers by the federal government to cushion the hardship faced by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the areas. Residents said the bandits invaded the affected villages on motorcycles, firing shots into the air and then started moving from one house to another killing people. Shortly afterwards, they left with some of the villagers they abducted through forest path.

One of the residents, Turaki Sedique said: “The bandits killed 5 persons at Kuraichin Giye, 6 at Kuraichin Malam. They also killed 1 person at Dogon Ruwa and 7 persons at U/Bera. All these villages are in Dutsin-Ma Local Government. While in Danmusa Local Government, they killed 17 at Gurzar Kuka and 13 at Gurzar Gamji. In Safana Local Government, the bandits killed 19 people at Makanwaci village and 5 were also killed at Daulai village. The total number of dead bodies evacuated

in all the villages is 73”. He explained that the bandits attacked Kuraichi village but were repelled by residents and the vigilante, saying “some residents went after Fulani houses, burning them and their foodstuff, which resulted in multiple attacks”.

The spokesman of the State Police Command SP Gambo Isah said it was a clash between the local vigilante groups known as Yan-Sakai and the armed bandits that resulted in the deaths.

Isah, in a statement said: “On 18/04/2020 at about 00:30hrs, bandits in their numbers, armed with AK47 rifles attacked Kurechi village of Danmusa LGA of Katsina state. The villagers summoned courage and chased away the hoodlums.

“Later the villagers started burning empty corn stalk to keep their animals safe and to keep the hoodlums at bay. Subsequently, the situation changed when some Yansakai group started setting ablaze some Fulani settlements at Aibon Mangwaro Village of Danmusa LGA of Katsina state. Consequently, on the same date at about 03:00hrs, there was reports of organized and simultaneous attacks in villages in Danmusa, Dutsin-Ma and Safana by groups of armed bandits.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Simi Dedicates Song to Unborn Child Pete Edochie’s ‘Unroyal’ Steps

pg. 23

Africa Magic Launches Two Reality TV Series pg. 24

22

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Simi Dedicates Song to Unborn Child In Simi’s new video for the single title Duduke, she sings passionately in anticipation of her baby with promises of love, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

Simi and Adekunle

“D

uduke”. That’s the title of Simi’s latest single. A blend of afro-pop and highlife, Simisola Ogunleye (Simi) dedicates ‘Duduke’ to her unborn child. One had wished the love song features a guest artiste; preferably her hubby Adekunle Gold, to assist in carrying out the chorus. So they could both sing in anticipation of their first child.

The joy is overwhelming as the beautiful visuals for Duduke, which was released last Sunday, shows Simi dancing to her music, singing that she’s been waiting to meet her precious baby and can’t wait to kiss her.

Describing her baby as her beloved, Simi said she loves it dearly.

“First let me say to you, I cannot wait to see you, You are the treasure I’ve been waiting for

Do you know, do you know, How much I really need you, I dey pray for the day when I can finally kiss you,” the expectant mum croons.

Released under her record label, Studio Brat, “Duduke” is Simi’s first official single in 2020. The song opens with a pop piano riff and then came the switch to highlife with smooth guitar riffs andAfrican percussions.

In the visuals, Simi can be seen playing piano in front of the beach shoreline while rocking her baby bump in a silky, flowing, yellow gown. Simi’s amazing and unique vocals did a lot of justice to this record.

She sang so passionately and beautifully with amazing melodies, nice vocal dexterity, and good lyrics. Coming four months after her single, Selense, the release of the video also coincides with the singer’s 32nd birthday. Adekunle Gold in celebration of his wife made a loving post on Instagram to mark the special day. The music couple is one of the favourites of fans. The couple

tied the knot in a private ceremony in January 2019.

And to celebrate the songstress on her birthday, Adekunle Gold took to his Instagram page to share a tribute to his wife. First, he shared the part of the lyrics of his 2016 hit song ‘Orente’ which he then revealed he had written for her. The singer also promised to one day write a book about how his wife Simi changed his life completely.

“You make me happy in every sense. You are the reason I write the best love songs. If you ended up with someone else, my life would totally suck ngl. You are my source of peace, my strength, my favourite love.

I’ll write a book someday about how my life changed completely and it’ll have your name written all over it. Happy birthday to you, my one in a lifetime. Love you. Eba mi ki Orente mi”.

“I wrote this song for you six years ago - Orente. As a young man that was just

trying to figure life out, you had just come into my life and my world started changing magically,” the 33-year-old said in his post.

“God must have looked at my unworthy ass struggling through life and decided to bless me with a good luck charm. You are my source of peace, my strength, my favourite love,” Gold also said. Simi responded in the comment section, saying “Big girls do cry.

I love you Champ. Forever and 200 days.”

The soon-to-be parents had banter on Twitter Thursday morning on whose gene their unborn child will inherent. It started when Adekunle Gold bragged about his excellent grades in subjects like Christian Religious Knowledge and Fine Arts: ‘’Some of us, Na CRK and Fine Art we dey pass well for school. lol. My childhood was such a cruise.’’

Simi saw his tweet and dropped a hilarious response: ‘’ Lord, I come to you today. You know the genes we don’t want. Have your way Father.’’

23

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

IK Ogbonna, Maltida Lambert, and Blossom Chukwujekwu with the crew members on set of Unroyal

Pete Edochie’s ‘Unroyal’ Steps Nollywood movie ‘Unroyal’ shows a seemingly weak king played by Pete Edochie, a queen in despair, and a kingdom on the brinks of collapse. Ferdinand Ekechukwu reports

“I

t was premiered in PH on the 15th and released on the 20th of March,” prolific filmmaker Moses Inwang tells this reporter. “It ran for a few days before the lockdown”. The award winning cinematographer steered the making of the movie Unroyal.

The star studded movie had started showing at designated cinemas before the lockdown following the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. Unroyal is not alone. Nollywood has witnessed inactive days with the stay at home order.

Movies have pushed back release dates. While cinema halls are left empty as movie showings stopped. Would there be any form of re-launch after the lockdown to buzz up the movie before it starts screen-

ing again at the cinemas? “Yes there would,” Inwang noted.

“There has to be.”

Produced by Maltida Lambert, Unroyal stars veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie, alongside a host of other Nollywood stars like Shaffy Bello, Blossom Chukwujekwu, IK Ogbona, Linda Osifo, and a host of other actors.

Shot in the cities of Lagos and Port Harcourt (with the rich Okrika culture displayed), the movie is a contemporary royal drama with all the glitz and glamour of the modern day palace and royal lifestyle.

Unroyal is a riveting drama of a vile princess. It follows the story of a princess Boma (played by Matilda Lambert) who is from a strong royal family. She has everyone and everything at her beck and call.

This privilege makes her arrogant without respect for anyone or anything. Fate, however,

turns her fortune around and in her dying state, she is relegated to the same position she enjoys putting others. As portrayed in the movie, Unroyal projects a seemingly weak king played

by Pete Edochie, a queen in despair, and a kingdom on the brinks of collapse. “You will address me as your majesty,” the princess of Okrika says in one of the scenes.

That is truly “Unroyal” as never before has subjects address female offspring of a royal kingdom in such custom.

Unroyal is Maltida Lambert’s second movie as a producer after her first titled ‘Deepest Cut’. The beautiful actress, a fashion freak, is one of Nollywood’s fastest rising actresses.

The University of Abuja Philosophy graduate within a short while in Nollywood has featured in a good number of movies including ‘Career Woman’, ‘Barrista Anita’,

‘Blood and Conscience’, ‘War Against Men’, ‘De Bishop’, and ‘Rough Riders’.

Her journey into Nollywood started in her final year in school during one of ASUU’s indefinite strikes.

Her mum then advised that she learn fashion designing to keep her busy since she loves fashion. The next day she went out in search of a good tailoring shop and got one, getting there the manager of the shop told her the requirements. And when she was about leaving, he called her aside and said, “but why fashion design, your good looking and I know you’ll make a good actress, please join the movie Industry”. She laughed it off but later he introduced her to a production house and then the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria-AGN, Abuja Chapter and the rest like they say is history.

24

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Africa Magic LaunchesTwo RealityTVSeries Tolulope Ibukunoluwa

M

ultiChoice has launched of two new reality TV shows - Mercy and Ike which kicks off on Sunday, April 26 and Judging Matters which kicks off on Monday, April 27, 2020, on Africa Magic Showcase on DStv channel 151.

Mercy and Ike reality TV show follows the love life of Mercy Eke, the winner of Big Brother Naija Season 4 and Ike Onyema, her fellow housemate, who began a relationship during their time at the Big Brother house. Their unlikely bond during the show makes for a great love story as they continued to entertain viewers with their pranks and an affection that took everyone by surprise.

Judging Matters is a reality TV show that is aimed at addressing small claims and minor cases in Lagos which present a huge challenge for the established courts to deal with, often resulting in cases being in courts for long periods without an amicable resolution. This is a recorded reality TV show of real people getting justice from minor claims court in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

While the show promises to be entertaining, it will also be a source of education and information on the Lagos State Justice system. There will be no lawyers’ fees, no filing costs, no long delays or adjournments. It will be a forum for cases to be heard without fear of it being insignificant and with immediate judgement. An actual Judge and a counsellor will work together to ensure that justice is dispensed accordingly, without favour or rancour.

The Judge who will be tasked with handling these cases is Justice Olusola Williams: a retired Judge in Lagos State.

Her role is to listen and probe where required while the counsellor brings out the finer points of the case to enable her to make a final decision.

The counsellor in this Show is Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, a compere, TV host and Lawyer. With his understanding of the finer points of the law and how to deal with some of the issues at stake, Ebuka will be witty yet firm and his job is to bring out the emotional, entertaining and local elements of the show based on the cases presented.

Speaking on the launch of these new shows, Channel Director, Africa Magic, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “We at Africa Magic are passionate about ensuring that our viewers are presented with the best entertainment. The relationship between Mercy and Ike is both entertaining and exciting and we would like the viewers to see that love can be found anywhere.”

On Judging Matters, she said the show was created to solve problems that have not received sufficient attention in court. These cases can be easily deliberated on and resolved by Lagos State Justice.

Mercy and Ike will air every Sunday from April 26, 2020, at 6:30 PM while Judging Matters will air Mondays at 6:00 PM from April 27, 2020. Both shows will go live exclusively on Africa Magic Showcase, DStv channel 151.

Ike and Mercy

Justice Olusola Williams and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͽ˜ 2020

25

SHOWBIZFLAIR

KCee and the Gang Singer/song writer Kingsley Okonkwo aka KCee was a year older on April 18. KCee who has always kept his family away from attention, had a photo session with his wife and two children and shared the beautiful photos online to celebrate his birthday. He wrote on the photos: “I found the greatest fortune on earth by having you all as my back bone, thank you all for being everything I wanted in a family. Thank you all for being steadfast all the times I was absent giving to the nature of my job, thank you all for always loving me excessively even in the midst of my imperfections. This is showbizflair’s pick from the photos shared

26

˜ ˞ APRIL 25, 2020

JOE/FAJ

THEFRONTLINES

Abba Kyari: The Saintly Villain?

JOSEPH USHIGIALE

I

n the history of this country, since the return to democratic rule in 199, there has never been a presidential subordinate or aide whose passing, recently, attracted so much attention, stirred controversies, provoked countless commentaries and eulogies like the death of Mallam Abba Kyari, the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

To Buhari and some of his close associates including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, Fani Kayode, Simon Kolawole, Reuben Abati and a host of others, the late Abba was a saint. He was without a doubt an intellectual, intense, introvert, loyal and a true professional, charismatic and a transformational chief of staff in whom the President reposed his all to.

Yet, others like erstwhile foreign affairs minister, Bolaji Akinyemi, Steve Osuji, Buba Galadima, the late Abba was a villain. To them, behind the deceptive demeanor of the former presidential aide were hidden his scheming and cunning character with which he deployed to run the presidency like a personal estate.

They mirrored him as ruthless, a power monger who was insensitive to the feelings of mostly southern Nigerians; a usurper of unimaginable hue who saw power not as a platform to serve but to even scores with those who disagreed with his principal or the administration.

Abba to them was nepotistic, divisive, vile and carried on as if Nigeria and Nigerians belonged to him and indeed were in his pocket. He was a demigod presiding over Nigeria while the President abdicated his responsibilities.

Now let us be clear. This treatise is not a referendum on the late Kyari; on the contrary, it is to capture succinctly the chain of events that followed immediately his passed on and also to document, for the records, the standard expectations of the people on future occupiers of that office.

Graduating from Warwick, Cambridge where he bagged degrees in Sociology and Law, Abba paraded enviable track record. He was coming in with the wealth of experience garnered from the private sector especially his sojourn in the media where he rose to the peak as an Editor, a stint in banking and in the public service. With these credentials, there could not have been a better choice for that role.

Onyema described Abba as a “pan-Nigerian and global citizen, who recognized no boundaries between peoples, be they racial, ethnic, religious, class or political. He made friends with everyone.�

In reality, what Onyema referred to as the pan-nigerianism in Abba was indeed a disparate collection of pals whom he had

Kyari

known way back in school or whose paths have crossed either in the public service or private sector as attested to by Fani Kayode with whom Abba worked with in his father’s chambers.

Aside the closely guarded number of associates, Abba was a recluse, impenetrable, anti-social, inaccessible. His cult like mein which essentially built a Berlin Wall between him and other major stakeholders, severely battered his public image.

On a personal basis, he did not help himself either. It was clearly evident that with the enormous power entrusted on him by the president, he suddenly saw himself as an Island and failed to reach out to build bridges across the country by reaching out to other critical stakeholders across the country. Where he tried to reach out, he carried on as if he was doing them a favour and not rendering public service.

Reading Mamman Daura’s tribute yesterday where he disclosed that Abba was side stepped by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to pick Atiku Abubakar for Vice President in 1999, it was now clear why Abba already conducted himself as a de facto president. Worse of all and to underscore his impudence, he dismissed all the controversies that swirled around him.

As explained by Simon Kolawole of TheCable, he never bothered to provide answers publicly to the allegations of corruption leveled against him. To him, so long as he could successfully explain to the president that he was taking bullets from his traducers on behalf of the President, nobody else mattered or anything

jushigiale@yahoo.co.uk, joseph.ushigiale@thisdaylive.com 08023422660 (sms only)

else could go to blazes.

He did not care and was quoted at some point of saying that if only Nigerians knew the sacrifice he was making on their behalf they would thank him. Yet, Abba failed to give Nigerians a hint of these sacrifices, if he did, perhaps the negative public perception about his personage would have been different.

Alot of things went wrong for Abba. Some were self inflicted while others were not. Overall, he was a victim of circumstances.

His principal was weak, clueless and distrustful of those he did not know directly. Therefore, he entrusted a portfolio far above Abba’s official capacity. That made him what people now refer to as de facto president. It was Buhari’s style of abdicating responsible that put Abba on the spot.

Regrettably, Abba despite his exposure and intellectual sagacity, was not a good student of politics. He allowed himself to be carried away by the allure of power and failed to insulate himself against the boomerang effect of what had gradually evolved into an authoritarian rule.

Many have described the late Chief of Staff as a loyalist to the President. My question is, did he have a choice? But what is loyalty? Loyalty in a loose definition is a strong feeling of support or allegiance. What does it mean to be loyal in a democracy? To whom are you supposed to be loyal to ultimately, the President or the country?

As a lawyer, Abba needed to deploy his knowledge of the law to intervene, assuming he was innocent of what was going on, in some major thorny legal issues which outcome eventually turned out to haunt the administration, casting it in bad light as a despotic regime.

Under a Constitutional democracy such as is being practiced here and guided by separation of powers, the several cases like those of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, Omoyele Sowore, El Zaky and others wwould have been long dispensed with and the accused set free as ordered by the courts.

Yet, even in death, controversies have not allowed his gentle soul to rest in peace. First is the issue of his age. There are about three different ages ascribed to the late chief of staff. Depending on how close you were to him, some would write 65, others 75 and 81.

Readers can continued online www.thisdaylive.com

Timely Warning for a Groaning Nation

N

ow that President Muhammadu Buhari has graced us with his second national broadcast within two weeks, with regards to the complexities and intolerable disruptions that trail the surge and spread of the novel Coronavirus disease, COVID-19, it is important we highlight the critical notes of the moment as the nation hunkers down, hoping for the end of a second two-week isolation.

Admittedly, it makes sense to extend and expand the lockdown... yet the possible indefinite period inserted into the footnote of President Buhari’s speech, which still foretells a further period of agonising do-nothing-but-watch-NCDC-risingtemplate-of-calamities, is distressing... even when, deep down our frightened hearts, we suspect that there is some merit to it.

However, on the heels of bare-faced stealing, robberies, maiming and killings the few days just after the extension of the lockdown, around Lagos and Ogun states, one is worried about the underlying eruptions searing just beneath the surface. These staccatos of criminal violence were supposedly triggered by extreme unemployment, police/army high-handedness, creeping hunger, lack of access to funds to stockpile foodstuffs, and many other legitimate reasons.

Of course, nothing justifies criminality and lawlessness.

However, the government, at all levels, must roll up their sleeves... creatively design and sensibly deploy impactful palliatives and “anti-depressant� measures to quickly cushion the viral effects of the current self-imposed joblessness, frustration and idleness...in our national bid to de-escalate the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

We now see in bold relief the sorry consequence of our eloquent and long-lasting inefficiency, corruption and maladministration. Our major worry should be the wastage of human capital, also known as unemployable and uneducated army of Nigerian youth, who are rearing to express their mindless anger and violence on anything in their sights... Not even excusing poor Nigerians who are equally choking under the weight of governmental neglect and corruption. Yet, anarchy and wanton destruction is not the answer to our sundry problems.

Miscreants whose daily “hustles� have been cut off by the lockdown, and are now terrorising our streets, should be identified, hunted down and taken off the streets. The Nigerian police, though stressed and inadequate as they seem now, should brace up, and bring order and tranquility to our communities. Lest the barricades be flung wide open for frustrated and angry lawabiding citizens adorn themselves with the garb of vigilantes, usurping the power and associated excesses of law enforcement and crime prevention.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

AKINTUNDE-JOHNSON fajalive1@gmail.com 08182223348 - (SMS Only)

Buhari

The people and government officials who are vested in the success and survival of Nigeria must act quickly to prevent anarchy, and acts likely to escalate the crippling devastation that we basically fear from Coronavirus.

And to the political and economic class, this is the time to step up, and be counted on the side of the ordinary people of Nigeria. This is not a window to misappropriate or siphon badly needed resources. Or inflate costs of consumables, or create artificial scarcity.

I suspect the air this time will nurture curses and ill-will that will spontaneously hit the roof of complacent carpetbaggers and wheeler-dealers in swift and riotous tidal waves.

Let our rulers and leaders be vigilant, proactive and responsive to the wailings and worries of the vulnerable and the poor amongst us.

Just this once, let us act like human beings.

One Lesson From Coronavirus

One of the revelations of COVID-19 in these climes is the abject lack of ideology almost 60 years after independence.

We do not know if we are capitalists, or part socialists, part welfarists. We are not sure if communalism to us is same as communism... while our idea of humanism is often confused with idealism. All the “isms� get us so thoroughly misbegotten that everyone who finds himself in power, at different levels of the power grid, foists his or her pet-projects and fancy phrases on us... experimenting with all sorts of Brentwood philosophies, Harvard inspired gobbledygook... and all that arcane theories.

That is partly why COVID-19 met us grossly unprepared to meet the needs of a mere three states in so-called lockdown... where businesses, trades, professions and other commercial activities are grounded, and yet our health-inspired self denial should not be a death sentence or self-inflicted punishment. This is the first quandary: how do we stop people from working or earning a living, yet are expected to obey the restriction order of government, stay safe for their own sakes, and maintain a level of sanitary conditioning, while being manageably well fed? That is a stretch for the best run economies, talk less of a tactless entity.

Even if we have the means as a nation, which is doubtful, to assuage the basic needs of most Nigerians in 37 geographical entities, we hardly have the composite data, the political spunk and sustainable infrastructure to help the needy and vulnerable in moments of extreme anguish.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, recently stated that the Federal Government had biometric details (I suppose) of about 11 million Nigerians considered vulnerable in 35 states.

In a country estimated to be bursting at the seams of 200m, that figure from Farouk is not only laughable, but flies in the face of the suspected 20 million inhabitants of Lagos alone; not to mention that of other two “quarantined� locations, Abuja and Ogun State.

The paucity of sterling administrative and political engineering of Nigeria in the past 50 or more years has become evident in our inability to cope with emergencies and other social distortions. Our police personnel and soldiers are grossly incompetent in effecting restrictive measures... they are barbaric in correcting and coercing violators...some people have been reportedly killed in bloody skirmishes. Our governments are indecisive or unimaginative in pre-enforcement modalities...they are insensitive and negligent in the forceful seizures and wanton destruction of uncontaminated goods and foodstuffs, in a nation cowering in widespread hunger.

The big picture of our national circumstance is sometimes captured in the following sentiments: we lack nothing, yet we have neither...a beggarly waste of space in a land frothing with dynamism and creativity.

If Coronavirus does not reset our thinking and trajectory, as a nation and a people...I’m afraid, nothing will, not even a greater pandemic.

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

25.04.2020

Joshua Zirkzee

Super Eagles not on His Mind?

NEWS

EYE ON SUPER EAGLES’ TOP JOB PAGE. 31

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾APRIL 25, 2020

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Joshua Zirkze Super Eagles not on His Mind?

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr was among the 30,150 spectators that witnessed the Bundesliga clash between Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich at the PreZero Arena sometime in February. His mission was to persuade German-born Nigerian teenage sensation, Joshua Zirkzee, to look at the direction of Nigeria as against the Netherlands-the country of his birth. With the Bayern Munich striker’s recent revelation that his dream is to play for the Netherlands, Nigeria may have been dealt a deadly blow

W

henBayernMunichteenage sensation Joshua Zirkzee went the distance on his full German Bundesliga debut,Rohrwasdefinitely impressedbywhathesaw of Nigerian eligible, most especially when Bayern Munich number 35 scored just 15 minutes into his debut.

Although he was born in a European country, the teenage sensation is eligible to turn out for the Super Eagles on the international scene, but Nigeria has been dealt a blow in their chase for Zirkzee with the Bayern Munich striker revealing his dream to play for the Netherlands.

Zirkzee born to Nigeria parents in the Netherlands attracted interest from the threetime African champions after finding his way into Bayern Munich’s first-team this season.

Despite playing for the Dutch youth teams, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Super Eagles coach have reportedly approached the Bayern Munich forward over his international future.

Following the postponement of the European Championship to 2021, Zirkzee now fancies his chances of playing for the Dutch national team.

When asked about playing for the Netherlands in the competition, he told VTBL; “No, I’m not really working on that yet. I’m not

a regular based player here, so I don’t think I should think about it then, but I have also seen how fast things can go, so of course, it is very secretly in the back of your mind.

“Oranje is a dream and as a young footballer I think it makes sense to dream about it.”

The 18-year-old made his Bayern Munich debut in a Champions League match against Tottenham back in December, and he has scored three goals in five Bundesliga outings since then.

He is hoping to cap his maiden campaign in the first-team with silverware.

“Certainly, that is the first step,” he added.

“But we also really want to win the Champions League, the whole club longs for that. Even though we first have to see how it will all end. We all hope that we can go again soon, to start.”

Zirkzee, scorer of three goals in four Bundesliga games this season, led the Bavarians’ attack in the absence of the club’s leading scorer Robert Lewandowski.

Giving reasons for selecting 18-year-old Zirkzee ahead of Lewandowski against Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick said: “Things worked really well in the Chelsea game, (in the Champions League) so I wanted to change things as little as possible in the team,” Flick was quoted as saying.

“By doing that, the understanding between the players and automations are still there.

Joshua’s trained well, and he’s showed in training that he’s got good quality and is a good finisher.

“He can hold the ball up well and has the physicality to do so, which is important when things are tight up top. So that was our thinking, to make a like-for-like replacement for Lewandowski. It was good.”

Meanwhile, Netherlands legend Willem van Hanegem is convinced that the Bayern Munich super kid deserves to be promoted to the Dutch senior squad and has urged Dutch coach Ronald Koeman to invite the striker for the upcoming international friendlies against United States and Spain.

“I hope that Ronald Koeman will really summon that boy for the upcoming international matches against the United States and Spain, (which was called off as result of Coronavirus pandemic)” “I saw at Bayern how Thomas Müller gets to work with him. He plays with Zirkzee, makes him really grow. Zirkzee is only 18, but already deserves a chance at the Oranje. I think it will be soon with him.”

The 18-year-old Zirkzee became provisionally cap-tied to the Netherlands when he made an appearance off the bench in a European U-17 Championship qualifier

against Hungary in October 2017, and has also been capped at U-15, U-16, U-18 and U-19 levels.

Without Lewandowski, there were concerns that Bayern Munich would struggle without their main source of goals, but they had no reason to worry. Academy player Zirkzee looked right at home.

Just 120 seconds in and the teenager’s instinctive touch set Bayern on their way to their first goal. Five minutes later, his blocked shot led to Bayern’s second. It wasn’t long after that the teenager making his starting Bundesliga debut scored one of his own. Like much of his so far young career at Bayern, Zirkzee didn’t need any time at all to make his impact.

Bayern needed just a quarter of an hour to silence any concerns. Flick’s side were as ruthless as they have been all season, pressing and pushing for more in a manner that Bayern haven’t really done since the Pep Guardiola years. This was a demonstration of power, a reminder of who the real sheriff in Bundesliga town is, and a young Dutchman was at the heart of it.

At 1.93m, Zirkzee is a bigger figure than Lewandowski. He used that strength to hold off Sebastian Rudy before turning the former Bayern and Germany midfielder around.

Keeping his composure, the 18-year-old simply waited for the space to open up in the box. When it did, he didn’t hesitate to use his weaker foot to apply the necessary finish.

Bayern’s hosts played their part, but Bayern also did more than accept the invitation. They took the vibe to another level.

Philippe Coutinho went from looking down and out to scoring two goals, while Thiago continued to conduct proceedings with his usual mastery. Bayern were so relentless that they scored one minute after the restart and even at the arrival of the hour mark, they looked desperate for more.

The Dutchman never forced the issue because he didn’t need to. He was in rhythm with Bayern’s beat. His touch and feel for the ball looked like those of a more experienced player. Zirkzee ran, he passed, he slipped in and out of the channels, he even delivered a crunching tackle on the edge of the box he was attacking. He was everywhere.

After scoring the winner against Freiburg with his first touch off the bench on his debut in December, Zirkzee needed just three minutes to break the deadlock against Wolfsburg three days later. In Sinsheim, the teenager needed a quarter of an hour to prove that he is at home at this level.

Just a day after Bayern Munich celebrated their 120th birthday, the real gift for Bayern wasn’t another rousing performance but the long-awaited unleashing of an academy talent in a position they so desperately need depth in.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have commenced training in small groups with the club following the German government’s guidance on Coronavirus precautions.

Zirkzee is in a group of four with Alphonso Davies, David Alaba and Robert Lewandowski, and he reveals how Hans-Dieter Flick’s side makes the most of their time at Sabener Strasse.

“We train in separate groups of four, maximum five people. Group 1 must be at the club by 10 am and start when group two has to change. We are now also using the changing rooms of the second team, so actually you always change alone,” he said.

“Every day, we actually follow a course in which everything is included. Technique, condition, finishing, everything is discussed.”

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR CHIKA AMANZE-NWACHUKWU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL25, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

How Joshua’s Amateur Rival, Haqq, Died for Islamic State As the last man to bring a boxing silver medal back to his home country in 2010, Haqq should be revered in Trinidad and Tobago, but a descent into religious extremism has tarnished his ring career.

Haqq headed to Syria to fight for Islamic State four years later - and would be killed in 2015.

Trinidad and Tobago has since discovered a new super-heavyweight contender in the towering form of Nigel Paul, an expectant entrant in the Tokyo Games, but he is unlikely to match the exploits of Haqq, a former opponent for Britain’s Olympic 2012 star, Anthony Joshua.

“To stand in there with Anthony Joshua and show a good account of himself,” recalled Haqq’s national coach, Reynold Cox. “I think if Tariq had continued, he would probably be doing really well over the next few years.”

As a standout amateur, Haqq had given his nation fleeting success in the sport, leading to a tense first round fight with Joshua at the World Championships in 2011. And only months earlier, he had delivered a humbling defeat to New Zealand’s highly-rated youngster, Joseph Parker.

A talent for combat sports could be traced back to Haqq’s teenage years when he was hailed in a local newspaper as a ‘schoolboy gladiator’, having competed in Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo and boxing, while also studying to become a lawyer.

“When I am not at school or training, I just like to eat and sleep,” Haqq told The Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

“This might sound strange for someone my age, but my friends are very supportive in what I do. I also believe everyone has certain choices to make and I choose to do these things right now.”

Haqq’s aunt was an attorney-at-law, but his father Yaqub was a boxing coach,

and education was set aside while he channelled his aggression solely into sport. At 6ft1inch tall, he was not a particularly imposing fighter, although the teenage national champion had caught the eye with a string of impressive wins, including a 45-second knockout of a visiting Puerto Rican.

On his senior debut in 2009, Haqq received a harsh tutorial from Erislandy Savon, an accomplished Cuban who inflicted a second-round stoppage loss, and would push Joshua to the brink of early elimination during a razor-thin points loss at the London Games.

Undeterred, Haqq secured his place on the Trinidad and Tobago team for the Commonwealth Games and would far exceed expectations in Delhi.

Haqq outclassed his opening opponent from Pakistan in a 10-1 victory. Up next was Parker, the Kiwi powerhouse who would later claim the WBO heavyweight title in the professional ranks.

“I was there with that fight,” said Cox, who was now overseeing Haqq’s amateur career. “It was a really good fight for us - and I think what won the fight for Tariq is - his determination. He kept going at Parker.

“Parker was probably dependent on his punching power to win the bout where Haqq really tried to get the points on and used really, really good defence. It was a really good bout to watch.”

Haqq’s accurate punches were preferred by three of the five judges as he received the slenderest of victories after ending the bout tied with Parker at 7-7.

A narrow points win over Cameroon’s Olympian Blaise Yepmou would then set up a fight against home favourite Paramjeet Samota for the gold medal.

But the Indian fighter benefited from the few points on offer in the final as he closed out a 5-1 victory. Haqq was still

crying while the silver medal was draped around his neck, possibly due to frustration more than pride.

His final fight of note would come against Joshua. They would be drawn together in the first round of the World Amateur Championships and Haqq, hampered by a persistent nose injury, still stood firm in the early rounds.

“He was a tough opponent, and if you look back at it, AJ was really still pretty much a novice at the time, because of his late arrival into the game, and then to go into the worlds,” Team GB coach Paul Walmsley told Sky Sports when reflecting on the opening fight in Azerbaijan.

“It wasn’t the easiest of bouts to start with. I’ve got a little inkling that I might have given him a b*****king to step the pace up as the bout went on.”

With only a few points separating both fighters, Joshua responded to words of urgency and demonstrated the fight-ending power that would later blaze a path to world titles in the pro ranks. Haqq was halted in the third and final round. His boxing career was nearly over.

On his return to Trinidad and Tobago, Haqq became embroiled in a row over funding and ruled himself out of the qualifiers for the London 2012 Games.

“I feel as if boxing in Trinidad makes no sense and no one really cares,” Haqq told The Trinidad Guardian.

Disillusioned with his nation’s regard for the sport, Haqq drifted away and would only reappear years later, in articles and a documentary about recruits for Islamic State.

Jürgen Todenhöfer, the first western journalist to be granted access to ISIScontrolled territory in Syria and Iraq, was taken aback by his meeting with Haqq,

who had arrived in December 2014.

“We saw people from all over the world, from Sweden, France, and the United States,” Todenhöfer said in his documentary ‘Inside IS’.

“There was a guy from the Caribbean.

Very good looking. Very charming.

Stylish, Ray-Ban glasses. And I said, ‘what are you doing here? What have you done before?’ He said, ‘I’m going to do whatever the caliph (Islamic State ruler) is asking’.”

Haqq was among an alarmingly high number of men who had travelled from Trinidad and Tobago, which had one of the highest recruitment rates for Islamic State.

He was accompanied by his wife and his sister, Aliya, who revealed how the death of their father in an accidental shooting had been the catalyst for Tariq to become immersed in religious extremism.

“My brother came home one day and he said he was going to Syria,” she told Simon Cottee for Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Cottee has confirmed to Sky Sports that Haqq was killed in 2015, but months earlier he sustained severe injuries during a bombing in Syria, losing one of his hands, the source of his greatest talent.

Haqq’s name is still mentioned back in Trinidad and Tobago, although only for his sporting achievements, and Coach Cox is optimistic that Paul, an athletic 6ft4in tall fighter, could also appear on a podium at a major tournament.

The affable 30-year-old made a fleeting appearance at the Rio Games where he suffered an early exit, but Cox is hopeful that Paul can enhance the region’s reputation for boxing.

“Boxing needs nice guys and role models to actually get more people involved in the sport.

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 25, 2020

GLOBAL SOCCER

Dutch Eredivisie hot shot Cyriel Dessers

Sadio Mane and Ederson

Chelsea Still Keen on Osimhen’s Move to Ezenwa Hails Mikel, Says He was a Special Captain Stamford Bridge, in Contact with Lille According to a recent report by French news outlet Le10Sport, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to have contacted Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille to discuss the potential summer transfer of Nigerian international striker Victor Osimhen. The report suggests that the French club have received multiple firm offers for the striker’s services and that Frank Lampard’s Chelsea are certainly among the clubs said to be interested in his signature.

Contrary to rumours floating around which state that Chelsea are going to hold back on spending amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the report suggests that the reality of the situation is actually the opposite. It has been clarified that the Blues are still

extremely eager to sign players in the summer and that they are in a good position regarding the Victor Osimhen signature. Despite the excellent relationship between the two clubs, the Ligue 1 side are said to believe that they can get more than the €80m they got for Pepe from Arsenal.

The West London club started the campaign with three recognised strikers for Lampard to choose from.

Despite the decent form displayed

by Tammy Abraham, the position gradually became an area of concern for the staff and fans alike. For all the excellent work that Abraham did in the early part of the season, an unfortunate back injury forced the Englishman out of the side for quite a

while. The gaffer’s alternate options for the role included Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi.

The Belgian was given the opportunity to prove himself first. Although he did get a couple of decent goals along the way, the former Valencia man struggled to have any sort of meaningful impact on the pitch. Olivier Giroud was then brought into the team, and despite his advancing age, the Frenchman came good for the Blues when it mattered most. Although this could be perceived as a good thing, the fact remains that the Blues were uncertain with their striking options for the more than half of the league season, and that’s one mistake they don’t want to make again.

Vieri Recounts Taribo’s Confrontation with Lippi at Inter Milan West said God wanted him to play Former Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri has recalled an encounter between Taribo West and former coach Marcello Lippi, with the Nigerian legend claiming to have heard God’s voice to play in a match.

West joined Inter Milan in 1997 from French outfit Auxerre, and he spent two seasons with the Nerazzurri, winning the Uefa Europa League, before leaving for AC Milan in January 2000.

He made over 44 appearances for Inter Milan before his exit, however, Vieri in a social media interaction with Marco Materazzi revealed a hilarious

event between the 46-year-old and 72-year-old Lippi.

Before a particular fixture, West was dropped from the starting XI, and he approached Lippi saying God wanted him to play but the Italian manager responded that he did not hear it.

“It was Saturday morning, we were all standing around and Lippi told us the line-up so we could go out and get the practice session in,” Vieri said in an Instagram live.

“Taribo West stood up and with

this big deep voice said: ‘Mister! God told me that I have to play!’

“I was already doubled up laughing before Lippi gave his reply: ‘That’s strange, He didn’t mention it to me.’ I nearly wet myself.”

Vieri joined the former Nigerian defender at Inter Milan at the start of the 1999-00 season, and they were teammates for just six months.

After quitting football in 2014, West has answered his ministerial calling, and he is the founding pastor of a church in Lagos, in the Southwestern part of Nigeria.

Dessers Becomes the First Nigerian to Win Dutch League Top Scorer Heracles Almelo striker Cyriel Dessers has become the first Nigerian in history to win the top scorer award in the Dutch Eredivisie after scoring 15 goals in 26 matches.

The Dutch government has banned all sporting activities in the Netherlands until September 1, paving the way for Dessers and Feyenoord’s Steven Berghuis to be crowned top scorer after finishing with the same number of goals.

In doing so, the Nigerian has joined an illustrious list of players to have won the top scorer

award in the past including Marco van Basten, Romario, Dennis Bergkamp, Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suárez.

When asked to name the most beautiful goal he scored this season, Dessers picked his game-winning strike against the champions Ajax Amsterdam in February.

“Yes, Ajax-home was the most beautiful. The moment was fantastic because it was against Ajax and also decisive,” Dessers said to Voetbal International.

“On the other hand, the one against Twente was also fantastic.

The atmosphere in that game was incredible.

“Everything that was going on around that match was really a very special moment and a very special goal for me. “ Having put himself in the shop window, Dessers is expected to move on to pastures new in the summer transfer window and a debut for the Nigeria national team is also on the cards next season.

Super Eagles goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa has described John Obi Mikel as a special player who was more than a captain during his time with the Super Eagles.

Mikel retired from national duty following Nigeria’s third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he battled a knee strain and was restricted to just two appearances.

Ezenwa played alongside the former Trabzonspor midfielder during his 14-year international career, and he revealed his drive to seek knowledge from him whenever they met in camp.

“He doesn’t know whether you are home-based or foreign-based, he tries to bring everybody together in camp,” Ezenwa told Goal.

“He is not the type that talks too much, he knew what was at stake, and he tried to carry everybody together. He made me realise that you can achieve whatever you want if you are determined and you believe in yourself.

“He is a special person, and he made everybody realise that one day in football, you can get to his level and the only way to do that is all about self-confidence.

“I found time to go to his room when we were in camp, so he opens up to me, and the way he talks and advises is just one of the things I’ve pocketed.”

Mikel endured some unfortunate incidents with his father kidnapped twice, in 2011 and in 2018, before the country’s last group match against Argentina at the Fifa World Cup in Russia.

Despite the challenges, Ezenwa believes the 33-year-old is loved

by Nigerians, and he gave an instance on why he thinks he is an outstanding leader.

“After the Algeria defeat when we returned to our base, he tried to encourage one or two players. He is a calm person who knows what to do at the right time, and he speaks on behalf of everybody,” he added.

Mane’s Liverpool Future Threatened as Three Others Face Decisions Sadio Mane and three of Liverpool’s Champions League-winning squad are facing decisions on their future with differing degrees of urgency.

The club has more pressing things to deal with than finalising new deals or departures for Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana.

However, in Mane’s case, with no prospect of contract talks in the current climate, there is no sign of the link with Real Madrid disappearing either.

The figures being talked about to prise him away range from £130m to £150m. Good money for a 28-year-old. But does his value to the team and a strike rate of around one goal every two games mean more than the potential profit on the £34m Liverpool paid Southampton four years ago?

Warnock believes it does.

“It is important that they try and tie him down because you want to keep your best assets at the club to help bring other big players in,” he said.

“Those players want to play with the best not second best.

“From Mane’s point of view he’s got a manager there that adores him, fans that adore him and he knows the system that he’s playing in.

“Don’t forget the way Liverpool have grown over the last four to five years under Jurgen Klopp. In the last two years they’ve elevated themselves into an elite team now and Mane is arguably Liverpool’s crown jewel in all of that.

“I’m sure if he was to knock on the door and ask for a new contract he’d be rewarded for it as well.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾APRIL 25 2020

31

GLOBAL SOCCER

“F

Finidi George Positioning for Super Eagles’ Job The success he recorded as a footballer could not be undermined. He was once regarded as the best crosser of the ball, won the UEFA Champions League and played at the World Cup. Finidi George is currently assistant manager at Real Mallorca, little wonder the former director of international football at Real Betis believes he has what it takes to manage the Super Eagles, Kunle Adewale writes

inidi George not only has the right to want to manage the Super Eagles, he also has what it takes to manage the team. The two teams he played in the finals of last year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt-Senegal and Algeria were managed by their former players and I don’t see them as better than Finidi,” former Nigerian international Paul Okoku said in a chat with THISDAY. “As a player, both coaches- Aliou isse of Senegal and Algeria’s Djamel Belmadi were not in the class of Finidi that I know for sure. If both could manage their respective countries why not Finidi,” Okuku further added.

Former Nigerian international Finidi George has expressed his desire to coach the Super Eagles in the future and former Nigeria safe hand, Christian Obi his backing the former Ipswich player for the senior national team top job.

“For me, Gernot Rohr has not done too badly, but with the kind of money he is earning and the support he is enjoying from the football federation much more is expected of him. I would therefore back a Nigerian for the job after the expiration of the German’s contract,” Obi told THISDAY. “And since Finidi George had made his intention known to manage the Super Eagles, I don’t see any reason he should not be given the job after Rohr must have seen his contract through and he should also enjoy the same support given to Rohr by the federation. He should also be paid reasonably, even it’s not the same as the German,” the 2005 World Youth Championship bronze medalist opined.

“With Finidi’s level of exposure and knowledge of the game, managing the Super Eagles should not be a big deal for him,” Obi noted.

The 49-year-old had a successful career as a winger having won the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.

George, who was also a key player for the Super Eagles, helped his country win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

“We are ex-players, we are coaches, we had played this game and we know how to interact with players,” George told a radio station.

“We also know how to manage them which is important as well, so if the opportunity arises, I would take it with open hands.

George served as an assistant manager at current Spanish La Liga side Real Mallorca.

“I have been handling the youth players and it’s always good to do what you know how to do best, actually I have been an assistant coach in Mallorca,” he added.

George has also served as the director of international football at La Liga club Real Betis.

George indeed feels that Rohr should have had a clear starting eleven and formation by now.

He believes that the German coach has not elevated Nigeria to the required level because of the inconsistent team selections and playing identity.

“We don’t have the best formation and this is the major cause of the team not having its best eleven players today,” Finidi said.

“You can’t look at the team now and say the team has an obvious formation today that its playing which is very transparent.

“When we were playing you can tell which of the players that suit a particular wing and you can tell your formation and your team from there.”

The former Ajax Amsterdam player is concerned about what Rohr has been doing in terms of building perfectly fitting players for specific positions after four years as coach.

“For the coach to have failed to ascertain his first eleven for four years now, after he had been handling the team, shows he does not have the right players in place in their positions that’s why with the pool of players we have, he kept changing and not finding the right eleven in place,” George added.

He retired having played 62 games for the Super Eagles and scored six goals.

Saturday, April 25, 2020

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MISSILE

Ayade on Lockdown “With prices of oil falling, locking out is far better than locking down because another two weeks of lockdown will find this country under siege by young people. There is no way you can hold down these young energies for too long” – Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, warning against any further extension of the lockdown in response to the ravaging COVID-19.

PENDULUM DELE MOMODU

dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Malam Abba Kyari and the Deification After

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ellow Nigerians, it has been a week of mourning and jubilation in Nigeria, depending on which side of the divide you are, since the sudden, devastating and unbelievable departure to the eternal beyond of the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari. The deluge of reactions to his death was neither surprising nor unexpected. What shocked and surprised me was the manner some never known friends of the departed suddenly swamped on all of us and began to write copious words of oleaginous hagiographies in honour of the sadly departed Malam Abba Kyari.

I was not surprised to read the fulsome praise ventilated by his Godfathers, President Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Mamman Daura. It was only to be expected. They trusted and believed in him and his capacity.

On account of this they elevated him and his position as Chief of Staff to the President to almost a position of de facto Deputy President, if not President himself. They obviously had their reasons for doing so.

He clearly did not disappoint either of them. He took the flak for the President from all flanks silently and effectively, as all proper acolytes and loyalists would do.

However, my surprise came from his old time friends. Some of them have been close personal friends of Kyari for more than 40 years. In a partiparticular case we heard the gushing story of how this Northerner, perceived as a Northern jingoist and irredentist had been best man to a Southern Christian, with a friendship that had endured for so long. Indeed, in their early days the bond of their friendship could be seen by them posing for a picture in the same snazzy pants. Another story of a relationship with the late Abba Kyari was equally compelling and was just as profusely fawning. They had met at Cambridge University and both had worked together. Their friendship was such that whenever one needed to call in political favours he had gone to Abba Kyari for help.

Abba Kyari had obliged unquestioningly regardless of whether this had to do with ameliorating the lot of people in the South or not. Those who raised their voices in defence of Abba Kyari and eulogised him were united and spoke with one voice. Here was a patriot, a philanthropist, aa pillar of the administration who had been much maligned when he was alive but who was in reality responsible of any direction or achievement that a government perceived as lacking purpose and capacity had been successful with. Perhaps no higher tribute could be paid to this late administrator than that of Malam Mamman Daura when he said this of Kyari “In point of intellect, he stood above all Ministers and Special Advisers in this government. But personally, he was modest, ever willing to learn, ever willing to help others.”. There are those who would say that this pours scorn and derision on the Ministers and Special Advisers in this government seeing as the government is perceived as having been lacklustre to date. However, I choose to take the view that Malam Daura was simply extolling the virtues of this late scion of the Northern establishment, this

Late Kyari

noble, eminent and indefatigable elite of the Northern intelligentsia, Malam Abba Kyari and saying without any inhibitions and reservations that he was a cut above the rest and simply the best. I say this because there are within the ranks of the Ministers and Special Advisers in this government intelligent and capable hands, proven leaders of men who have accomplished and achieved so much in their chosen careers and in government.

Some have even risen to the pinnacle of their professions. I believe that Malam Mamman Daura is gracious enough to recognise the worth and abilities of these men and women but was merely saying that Malam Kyari was a top dog.

The unexpected was how some critics, obviously angry and frustrated people, descended mercilessly on the dead man and tore him to shreds. As for me and my house, I will never partake in such wicked misadventures. My attitude has always been to let the dead Rest in Peace, no matter our disagreements in the past.

Fortunately, I have no personal disagreements with Abba Kyari and any problems that I have with this government is with the government as a collective. Occasions will arise when an assessment of his person and his role in this government will arise, but the event of his passing can never be the appropriate time for such assessment or critical scrutiny. The immediate period and aftermath of his death cannot be the time when scurrilous, scandalous and offensive write-ups about the man and his position in the government of President Buhari will suddenly start to surface. To me it smirks not only of crass insensitivity, but also great cowardice to read some of the gross character assassination and spate of irresponsible vitriol that has been directed at the eminent and irrepressible personage called Malam Abba Kyari. Whatever view you hold of him and his role in this Government for almost 5 years, one thing you can say is that he was a colossus who was larger than life in this Government. At this time, one can only thank him for his service to his Fatherland. Only history can tell and judge the quality of that service. On this note, please permit me to add my personal condolences to the overflow and pray for the repose of his soul.

I was not close to Malam Abba Kyari.

You would have known for long if I was.

It is not in my character to hide my friends when they are alive. I will lift them high for everyone to see. I may be abused and pillorised for this, but better to stand up for your friends when they are alive than to eulogise them to high heavens when they have gone. Those on earth will only be amused and the heavens will certainly pay no heed. Better to praise a man to his face than when he is on his back and six feet under. No one can kill you for showing off your friends. Indeed, they will envy those friends for having a staunch ally like you. The lesson in this for all of us is that no one knows when the end would come. We should always do what we can when we can.

The last time I remember seeing Abba Kyari was in Abeokuta at the celebrated wedding of then Governor Amosun’s daughter and Abike Dabiri’s son. Malam Abba Kyari was in company of then Minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau. I exchanged pleasantries with both of them and they were very warm to me despite my sometimes discomforting criticism of their government. Mr Kyari had a childlike innocence on his face that appeared disarming. So, I’m not doubting that he may have been a good man behind the facade of power-thirsty man. As I wrote when he took Ill, it cannot be his fault that he wielded so much power. The power was donated to him by his boss. The only problem was he could have managed his image better. The seemingly subjugation and total annihilation of the office of the Vice President could have been better handled with tact and diplomacy. The same result could have been assured without the sort of brinksmanship demonstrated by the Presidency. The vile hatred many had and still have for him in death partly stemmed from the perceived persecution of Professor Yemi Osinbajo. This may not even have been true, because Professor Osinbajo was magnanimous and generous in his tribute to this later stalwart of their administration.

What attracted me to Abba Kyari was his academic prowess. I have serious soft spot for cerebral people. For me, quality education usually makes the difference in human conduct. It is remarkable that he had already demonstrated his outstanding literary and academic qualities by rising to become the Editor of the redoubtable and impressive New Nigerian newspaper. It was only natural and inevitable that he would proceed to such distinguished and famous Universities such as Warwick and Cambridge.

I expected that the leadership skills acquired from those premier Universities would make all the difference in his assignment in both the private and public sectors. He clearly distinguished himself on both accounts, rising to be Managing Director of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and its Vice Chairman, as well as latterly, before his demise, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria. This sheer intelligence and craftsmanship would have been visible to keen watchers of the shenanigans in the State House, but unfortunately not to the teeming mass of Nigerians. Anyway, he has gone to rest peacefully and that is all that is important in the end as we must all make this supreme sacrifice and pay this final price.

In my view, what happened to Kyari was the lack of concerted and consistent public relations to highlight and showcase his efforts and achievements. I read in some of the tributes that he just couldn’t be bothered about what people felt or said about him. Wow, I wish I was that tolerant and kind about this. My policy is simple and straightforward. In this era of the internet, and in particular Google and social media platforms, practically every good, bad and ugly of your person are captured and recorded against you. I can’t afford such. I have found myself in certain situations at foreign airports where the internet and Google saved me from imminent disgrace and likely deportation back to my country of embarkation. No one should ever ignore issues that have to deal with public perception.

May God forgive us all our sins...

Dele Momodu’s Instagram Live is the New Rave in Town If you’re not on Instagram, or any social media for that matter, at this time and age, you’re missing a lot. Instagram’s popularity comes from its simple strategy of coming up with your own television station on the go. You can even broadcast to the world free of charge once you have good internet connection.

Since this lockdown began, I have seized the opportunity offered by Instagram Tv to set up a wave-making television program that makes it possible for me to interview distinguished African personalities. Since last week, I have had the honour and privilege of interviewing The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Vice President of Liberia, Dr Jewel HowardTaylor, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Peter Obi, famous actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde, Pastor Tobi Adegboyega of SPAC NATION London, Mrs Edwina Baaba Asoma-Banda,

wife of Ghana’s foremost business icon, Alhaji Asoma Banda, Innocent Idibia the phenomenal artist also known as 2Baba, Real estate and affordable housing sensation Engineer Dr Becky Olubukola Esther, Professor Benedict Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation. Each of them brought individual flavour to the great delight of my viewers.

More interviews have been lined up including foreign and local dignitaries, governors past and present, politicians, entrepreneurs, businessmen, entertainers, artistes and just up and coming young people. Guests expected in the coming week include, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, amongst others.

Instagram Live with Dele Momodu promises to be the in-thing during this lockdown and beyond. Stay tuned.

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