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OPEC Signs Deal to Fund Feasibility Study of $25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline NNPC slashes cash call arrears by $3.717bn in six years Petrol subsidy payments to raise fiscal deficit to N10tn in 2023 Festus Akanbi in Lagos and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund has announced that it will contribute $14.3 million

to Phase II of the feasibility study for the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline estimated at $25 billion.

This is coming as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has offset its

cash call debts to International Oil Companies (IOCs) to the tune of $3.717 billion in the last six years, a new report by the national oil company has indicated.

However, as the NNPC is

reducing the debts owed the IOCs, rising petrol subsidy claims incurred by the company have continued to take tolls on the economy with analysts projecting that it will raise Nigeria’s fiscal deficit to N10

trillion at the end of the year.

To be directly financed by the OPEC Fund for International Development (IFID), the intervention, OPEC said, is meant to support the Moroccan government’s national

development strategy aimed at transitioning to a low-carbon energy system.

According to OPEC, it will further diversify the country’s Continued on page 10

NLC Sues for Peace, Security, Good Governance on May Day…

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Sultan Declares Monday as Eid-el-Fitr

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

L-R: Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; the couple, Henry and Oprah Ohiaeri; Vice President Yemi Osibanjo; Imo State Governor and father of the bride, Senator Hope Uzodimma; and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege at Governor Uzodimma’s daughter’s wedding ceremony at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, Imo State…yesterday

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared Monday as the day for the celebration of Continued on page 72

Outrage over APC’s Indecision on Zoning of 2023 Presidency Ruling party’s position careless, ill-considered, says PANDEF APC’s claim, an invitation to anarchy, South-south Elders’ Forum warns Withdraw statement on zoning, Arewa youths tell Adamu APC must zone presidency to South-east, Ohanaeze insists Deji Elumoye, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, Segun James in Lagos, Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Condemnations have trailed the claim by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday that

it had not decided on where to zone its presidential ticket for the 2023 elections.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had before the party’s March 26 National Convention, Continued on page 5

CONSULTATIVE VISIT… Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (left), and his Anambra State counterpart, Prof. Charles Soludo, during his visit to the governor's office in Awka, Anambra State...yesterday

Jonathan's Rumoured Ambition Poses No Threat, Say Osinbajo, Tinubu’s Support Groups... Page 72 `| T r >3x Z`n3Ő

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DIVINE OBLIGATION… L-R: Alhaji Ismaila Asuku, Alhaji Rasheed Shittu, former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu, after performing Tawaf, during the Lesser Hajj, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia…yesterday

APC’s Media Sub-committee on Convention Denies Spending N800m Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Sub-committee of the National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied spending a whopping sum of N800 million to carry out its assignment.

The media committee of the March 26 National Convention was headed by the Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Abdullahi Sule, with the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, as the co-chairman.

The Secretary of the Subcommittee, Mallam Garba Shehu in a statement issued yesterday described the media report as strange and untrue.

He said: "If that huge amount of money was spent on media work at the convention, we make bold to say that we were, and still are unaware of the what, who, when and how it was expended.

"The Sub-committee, which I served as Secretary, got the total sum of N100 million only. We thank the governor for giving us a venue, tea and coffee. We submitted a budget of about N360 million."

Shehu explained that when the Finance Sub-committee told the media committee that even the N100 million paid to the committee was more than its budgetary allocation, the media committee scrambled backwards, cancelling commitments duly entered into for billboards, production of documentaries, lamp pole ads and so many other things.

He added: "On the assurances given by our leaders, we negotiated a token of commitment to TV networks for Live Coverage, with everyone agreeing that was a must-do for the convention.

At the very end, we could only pay half of that amount to each of the stations, hoping that the leadership of the party will take responsibility for the payment of the balances due as a matter of honour."

Shehu noted that the expenses sheet accounting for the N100 million and

the detailed report of the work by the Sub-committee had since been sent to the party and shared with the committee leaders and its membership.

He stressed that in the course of doing the work, all payments

to third parties were done by a committee member in the presence of at least two other members, saying this was in a bid to rise above scandal.

Shehu stated: "Given the astonishing revelation of the money allegedly spent by our

committee in this report, we strongly suspect that our account, rendered to the party, detailing every one of our expenses may have been the trigger for the ongoing investigation and the reported suspensions.

"Whatever be the case, we

are absolutely in support of the ongoing probe into the convention finances. To convince anyone that the party is ready to continue with the cleansing of the nation being carried out by the Muhammadu Buhari administration, it must first

cleanse its own house."

The media committee noted that it stands with the Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) as it carries out this exercise, insisting that nothing should be hidden under the carpet.

issue of dividing the country along zonal structures were not wrong.

“Some patriots tried to create six zones for the country and this was done to ensure equity, justice and fairness. That singular action has helped to stabilise the country.

“It is the same wisdom that made President Olusegun Obasanjo to ensure the emergence of a northerner in 2007 even when the odds strongly favoured the then Governor Peter Odili. Since then, power has been moving from North to South.

“This time around, Buhari has to decide and ensure that nothing truncates this process to maintain peace, unity and corporate existence of Nigeria. As the leader of the country and the leader of the APC, President Buhari must demonstrate strong courage by ensuring that power is moved to South-east after him,” the organisation noted.

The organisation, however, warned that anything outside zoning the presidency to the South-east zone would not only boomerang but threaten the nation’s very existence.

“The way APC prevaricates over this issue of zoning is troubling. We however believe that the onus lies on the president; but if he chooses to play the ostrich, he should also bear in mind that history will not be kind to him. He must sail this ship to safe harbour.

“If they fail to do the needful, let them bear in mind that restiveness, insecurity and cries of marginalisation will never cease and those championing such will be right. The President must write his name in gold by doing the right thing,” Ogbonnia explained.

Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, yesterday said he would support President Buhari and APC’s chosen candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

Amaechi expressed his loyalty to President Buhari and the APC. Amaechi, in a statement, said this at a consultative meeting with executives, delegates and another party faithful at the Rivers APC Secretariat at the weekend.

The minister indicated that in his bid to become the President of Nigeria, which he is thoroughly qualified for, he was neither desperate nor disloyal.

The two terms governor of Rivers said it was sad that many politicians do not understand the concept of loyalty.

“Loyalty is not when you are not chosen, you become disloyal, loyalty means you follow the man that leads you, that you have surrendered to his leadership.

“If you don’t follow, it means you are not loyal, you are only benefitting from the man politically and economically. The day he’s not able to give you that economic reality, is the day you become disloyal.

“I am a very loyal person, and those who are disloyal, I wish them well, those who want to do whatever they want to do, I wish them well,” he said.

According to him, the opportunity will be given to everybody and all will run in this presidential election.

“We will run and I am loyal to the President and I am loyal to the party.

“If the party says it is me, thank God. If the party says it is not me, whoever the party chooses, I will support it.

“If the party and President choose anybody, I will support the person, if the party chooses me, I will be glad and say thank God,” Amaechi explained.

OUTRAGE OVER APC’S INDECISION ON ZONING OF 2023 PRESIDENCY stated that even though the ruling party had not decided on zoning the presidential ticket, the swapping of national offices was an indication of where its presidential candidate would come from.

The APC swapped its national offices between North and South, leading to the emergence of Senator Abdullahi Adamu from the Northcentral as the National Chairman in March.

The emergence of Adamu from the North is a strong indication that the presidential candidate of the party will automatically come from the South.

But Adamu, who spoke on the controversial zoning issue after presenting the party’s candidate in the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship election, Biodun Oyebanji, to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, said the party had not taken any zoning decision.

He said such a decision would be the job of the entire party, which he said was bigger than himself as chairman.

He said: “I am today privileged to be the Chairman of the party.

The party is greater than me. The party has not made a decision and I cannot preempt what the party’s decision will be.”

But in a swift reaction, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Arewa Consultative Youth Forum (ACYF), and the South-South Elders’ Forum (SSEF) have condemned the indecision of the ruling party.

This is coming as the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday said he would support President Muhammadu Buhari and APC’s preferred candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

In its reaction to APC’s indecision on zoning, PANDEF described Adamu’s claim as careless and

ill-considered.

Speaking to THISDAY on the issue, PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ken Robinson, noted that with the swapping of positions between the North and South, the understanding was that the presidential candidate of the party would come from the South.

"How can he (Adamu) make such a remark? Do they mean well for this country at all? This is a man who emerged as National Chairman of the party through the instrumentality of zoning," Robinson said.

He noted that all the positions in the party had been switched between the South and North.

"It is an established political stratagem of political parties in the country that any time the national chairmanship position of a party goes to the South, the presidency goes to the North and the other way round. In 2014, the APC zoned its national chairmanship position to the South, and the presidency went to the North; therefore, in 2023, the presidency of the APC, and indeed, any serious political party in Nigeria must go to the South. Anything otherwise would be more than an overture to undesirable cataclysms in the country," he explained.

Also reacting, the SSEF warned that any attempt to deny the South the position of the presidential candidate of the APC would be an invitation to anarchy.

According to the National Leader of the SSEF, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, such a decision will give ethnic nationalities in the South a sense that they are not wanted in the country.

Sara-Igbe expressed the fear that any attempt to jettison the unwritten gentlemen's agreement between the North and the South would lead to a catastrophic reaction, the end of which nobody can predict.

On its part, the ACYF has called on the National Chairman of APC, Adamu, to withdraw his statement that the party had not taken a position on zoning.

The ACYF, in a statement yesterday, said the statement credited to Adamu was capable of heating the polity and spelling doom for the party if not quickly withdrawn.

The group said it was worrisome that the party chairman could come up with such an inflammable statement when all critical stakeholders are already on the same page on the need for the presidency to return to the South in 2023.

“The unfortunate statement credited to Senator Adamu is regrettable just as it is demeaning of his status as the chairman of a ruling party.

“Even a political novice is aware that the consensus from critical political stakeholders is that the presidency must return to the South in 2023.

“His statement that no agreement had been reached on zoning is not in the best interest of the party.

“The statement is capable of leading to electoral defeat for our great party if not quickly withdrawn.

“It is a statement that can confuse, overheat the polity and eventually lead to electoral defeat.

“Leaders must learn to weigh their words and also feel the pulse of the people when making statements on issues as important as this,” AYCF explained.

In its reaction, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate strong courage and leadership by prevailing on his party to zone the 2023 presidency to the South-east.

Speaking through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, the organisation said those who came up with the

I will Support Whoever is Buhari, APC’s Choice, Says Amaechi In another development, the

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NEWS

WORKING IN HIS VINEYARD… L-R: Chairman of St. John Mary Vianney Priest Home Project, Archdiocese of Lagos, Rev. Father Anthony Fadairo; Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Gregory Ehimare Enahoro; Lagos State Governor, Mr., Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins; and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Anthony Idigbe; at SUNDAY ADIGUN the unveiling ceremony and inaugural dinner of St. John Mary Vianney Priest Home Project in Lagos...weekend

NLC Sues for Peace, Security, Good Governance on May Day Atiku, Lawan, Anyim, Sanwo-Olu, Obaseki felicitate workers

Ejiofor Alike in Lagos, Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja As Nigerian workers joined their counterparts worldwide to mark this year’s International Workers Day today, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for peace, stability, security and good governance in the country.

This is coming as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, have felicitated Nigerian workers on the occasion of the May Day celebration.

NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, told journalists yesterday in Abuja, that peace, stability, security and good governance were the constitutional responsibility of the government.

“The constitutional responsibility of every government is about ensuring the peace and security of every citizen.

“This is what is supposed to occupy our political elite today and it is not about the next circle of elections.

“It should be on how we can ensure that there is peace, stability, security in every facet.

I mean in every locality in Nigeria and that has not been the case.

“Therefore, it is a very serious challenge that is why we have to look at the theme of the May Day, to encapsulate all of these challenges that needed answers.

Wabba announced the 2022 May Day theme as: “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and National Development.’’

The NLC president said this would be the focus of this year’s May Day celebration.

He also said that the theme was not all about the

forthcoming general elections, but about the people, good governance and the government that would respond to issues effectively.

According to him, killings, abduction and kidnapping should be a matter of concern to everybody “but right now, all we can only think of is elections, when there are challenges in the peace and stability of the nation.

“In all of these, workers have been on the receiving end, in spite of the insecurity, some of our workers have to frontally engage in the issue of insecurity, such as the police, military and para-military, health workers,” he said.

Wabba also explained that the day was set aside to create awareness on the lack of security and sacrifices of workers and for the political elite to be reminded of what

to be done to be able to secure Nigeria.

He, therefore, said the theme of the 2022 May Day, tried to capture the mood of the moment with the theme: “Labour, Politics, the Quest for Good Governance and Development’’.

According to him, this is to capture the mood of the moment, with its challenges, including the security challenge confronting Nigerians.

“But above all, it is for us to recongise our contributions in creating wealth in Nigeria,” the labour leader stressed.

Also, in a statement, the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) felicitated Nigerian workers and people on the commemoration of the 2022 International Workers Day. This was contained in a statement jointly signed by

Wabba, and the President of TUC, Mr. Quadri Olaleye.

According to the statement, the national celebration of this year’s May Day will take place today, May 1, at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

“The celebration will also hold across all the states of the federation. Given the imminence of the Eid-El-Fitr Sallah celebration, the national May Day commemoration will only be shifted to May 2, if the moon was sighted yesterday, being April 30 “This is to allow our Muslim brothers and sisters observe the Eid prayer,” he said.

“We will communicate with workers, our invited guests and the general public once there is a postponement,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, in a special message released yesterday to mark May Day 2022,

Atiku described as unbearable the pains and pang of hunger, hyperinflation, mass unemployment, and insecurity challenges that Nigerian workers encounter in their daily lives.

Atiku also enjoined workers and all Nigerians to know that he feels their pains and would do the utmost to better their lots if allowed to lead the country.

In his message by his media aide, Ola Awoniyi, the President of the Senate, Lawan appealed to the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to conclude their negotiations on time so that the nation would reopen for academic activities.

In an address to mark the 2022 International Workers Day, Sanwo-Olu commended Lagos workers for their passion and commitment to the development of the state and Nigeria, saying

Nigerian workers are the lifeblood of the economy.

The governor urged public and private workers in the state to remain productive and committed to carrying out their duties.

In a statement to mark the 2022 Workers' Day, the Edo State Governor, Obaseki said that his government would continue to prioritise workers’ welfare, which has continued to improve since the onset of his administration.

Also in his message to the workers, which was released by his campaign office, a former President of the Senate and frontline presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anyim commended the Nigerian workers for their steadfastness and determination to put in their best despite the harsh economic realities of the day.

OPEC SIGNS DEAL TO FUND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF $25BN NIGERIA-MOROCCO GAS PIPELINE energy mix and help it in achieving its renewable energy commitments.

The study will carry out detailed evaluations of the implementation and design process for the eventual construction of the gas pipeline, thus facilitating the final investment decision.

OPEC Fund’s contribution, the organisation added, will specifically co-finance the survey works for the North Area (Senegal - Mauritania – Morocco) of the NMGP. THISDAY gathered that Morocco and the OPEC Fund signed an agreement at the weekend to jointly fund the feasibility study ahead of the construction of the world’s longest offshore pipeline connecting Nigeria to Morocco.

The gas pipeline project would cover 7,000 kilometres through 13 West African countries, and extend to Europe, according to Worley, the company handling the current phase of the project.

It was further learnt that

the London team of the Australian energy firm will deliver the onshore part of the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study, including the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Land Acquisition Studies (LAS), on the proposed pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco.

Morocco’s Economy and Finance Minister, Nadia Fettah, signed the agreement alongside the Director-General of the OPEC Fund, Abdulhamid Al khalifa, and Managing Director of Morocco’s National Office for Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONYHM), Amina Benkhadra.

Co-financed with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the study comprises a body of research on the execution of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, including the technical, financial, and legal aspects, a statement after the event indicated.

Launched through a joint initiative in 2017, the pipeline is set to boost local economies’ competitiveness by providing secure access to an energy

source and aims to deliver gas from Nigeria to Europe as well as supply countries along the way. In December 2021, Morocco and Nigeria signed an agreement to fund the FEED after the project was approved by the IDB. Morocco and Nigeria agreed to provide joint funding for the mega project. The FEED study is projected to cost $90.1 million in total.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2021, held a phone call with Morocco's King Mohammed VI, where the Nigerian leader expressed his country’s determination to bring the pipeline online as soon as possible, according to a report

by Morocco World News.

Based on the 25-year estimate given in 2017, the construction of the $25 billion projects is expected to be completed by 2046.

The pipeline would connect Nigerian gas to every coastal country in West Africa (Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea,

Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Senegal, and Mauritania), ending at Tangiers, Morocco, and Cádiz, Spain.

NNPC Slashes Cash Call Arrears by $3.717bn in Six Years Meanwhile, NNPC Limited has offset its cash call debts to the IOCs to the tune of $3.717 billion in the last six years, a new report by the national oil company has indicated.

Data from the NNPC showed that $3.717 billion has been paid in the last six years out of the $4.689 billion debts owed to the five joint venture partners.

Out of the $3.717 billion paid during the period under review, about $40 million was paid in March 2022, leaving a balance of $971,817,730.

In its presentation to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in April, the NNPC indicated that it has reduced the 2016 renegotiated debt to less than $1 billion.

The five oil majors initially owed by the national oil company were: Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mobil Producing, Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Total Exploration as well as Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

However, the debts owed Mobil and Chevron have been fully paid by the NNPC Mobil and Chevron had a renegotiated debt of $833.751 million and $1.097 billion respectively. Shell's initial $1.372 billion has been reduced to $595.1 million.

Similarly, Total's $610.9 million has been reduced to $152.06 million, while NAOC has a balance of $224 million from the initial $774.66 million in 2016.

Cash calls are requests sent by JV operators to non-operating partners for payment in the light of anticipated future capital, operating expenditures or as additional capital contributions.

The NNPC had in 2016, Continued on page 73

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

BUSINESS

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

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It noted that about 14.4 million people includLQJ ,'3V LQ VWDWHV DQG )&7 RI 1LJHULD DUH DOUHDG\ LQ WKH IRRG FULVLV WLOO 0D\ 7KH DQDO\VLV IRU 0DUFK FRYHUHG $ELD Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, .HEEL /DJRV 1LJHU 3ODWHDX 6RNRWR 7DUDED Yobe, and Zamfara, and the Federal Capital 7HUULWRU\ )&7 /DVW \HDU WKH )$2 HVWLPDWHG WKDW PLOOLRQ 1LJHULDQV ZLOO JR LQWR IDPLQH EHWZHHQ -XQH DQG $XJXVW 7KH UHSRUW LGHQWLÀHG LQVHFXULW\ HVSHFLDOO\ LQVXUJHQF\ LQ WKH 1RUWK HDVW VWDWHV PRVWO\ LQ Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, armed banditry DQG EDQGLWU\ LQ VRPH 1RUWK ZHVW VWDWHV VXFK DV Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states, as ZHOO DV 1RUWK FHQWUDO VWDWHV RI %HQXH DQG 1LJHU as key drivers to the upcoming food crisis. $OVR LW VDLG KLJK LQÁDWLRQ LQ VRDULQJ IRRG commodity prices, which could be associated with an economic downturn, will contribute to the hunger crisis.

“Loss of employment and reduction in KRXVHKROG LQFRPH GXH WR WKH ORQJ WHUP HͿHFW of COVID-19 pandemic and displacement DULVLQJ IURP FRQÁLFW DQG DUPHG EDQGLWU\ DV evident in the crisis-emergency livelihood coping strategies adopted by most households,” it said.

“Among the principal reasons for the increase in the number of people in critical QHHG DV DJDLQVW WKH 0DUFK &\FOH FRXOG EH the objective analysis of inaccessible/hard-toreach areas (Borno and Adamawa), internally displaced persons (Borno), the increased number of displaced (vulnerable populations) due to EDQGLWU\ DQG ÀQDOO\ WKH LQFOXVLRQ RI ÀYH QHZ states, Contextual Shifts.”

Terrorists’ Siege on Farms ,W LV QR ORQJHU D VHFUHW WKDW 1LJHULDQV DUH WUDXmatised by relentless acts of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and sundry criminality that make farming and other economic activities a most deadly adventure for many.Adirect consequence RI WKLV LV D IRRG FULVLV ORQJ SUHGLFWHG LQ D Global Report on Food Crises, jointly released E\ WKH )RRG 6HFXULW\ ,QIRUPDWLRQ 1HWZRUN DQG RWKHU JURXSV 7KH UHSRUW KDG ZDUQHG WKDW 1LJHULD was set to experience a lean food supply crisis DV PRUH WKDQ VHYHQ PLOOLRQ SHRSOH ZRXOG VXͿHU acute hunger.

Later, a World Food Programme report VDLG WKDW FRXQWULHV 1LJHULD LQFOXVLYH ZHUH FXUUHQWO\ D΁LFWHG ZLWK ´YHU\ KLJK OHYHOV RI hunger.” It admonished world leaders to be SURDFWLYH DV FRQÁLFW DQG HFRQRPLF FULVHV FRXOG escalate the situation. Sadly, the advice was not KHHGHG LQ 1LJHULD DV WKH FRXQWU\ LV DOUHDG\ HQPHVKHG LQ D IRRG FULVLV 7KLV LV QRW KHOSHG E\ WKH GHYDVWDWLQJ HͿHFW RI WKH &29,' pandemic on the economy. Already, food prices have risen sharply, worsened by high energy and transportation costs. $PRQJ RWKHU IDFWRUV WKH )$2 LGHQWLÀHG LQVHFXULW\ HVSHFLDOO\ LQVXUJHQF\ LQ WKH 1RUWK (DVW states, mostly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe; EDQGLWU\ DQG FDWWOH UXVWOLQJ LQ VRPH 1RUWK West states such as Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara DQG .DGXQD DV ZHOO DV 1RUWK &HQWUDO VWDWHV RI %HQXH 3ODWHDX DQG 1LJHU DV NH\ GULYHUV WR WKH XSFRPLQJ IRRG FULVLV 1R SDUW RI WKH FRXQWU\ LV free from the insecurity situations which has turned farms into the theatre of death.

It will be absurd to expect farmers back on their farms after their labour in the previous years was destroyed by herders who in some cases raped farmers’ wives and in some cases killed the farmers and their family members in cold blood.

In some cases also, movements of farm produce to the markets also come with threats to lives as terrorists now make inter-city trans-

portation dangerous these days. ,Q VRPH PHGLD UHSRUWV 1LJHULD ZDV VDLG WR EH LQ D YLUWXDO ZDU VLWXDWLRQ 7KLV LW LV DUJXHG has dealt a huge blow to the country’s food production capacity. A tally compiled by a national newspaper indicated that at least IDUPHUV ZHUH NLOOHG RU NLGQDSSHG LQ PRQWKV DPLG WKH ULVLQJ LQVHFXULW\ LQ Way Out Editorials written on the growing inseFXULW\ LQ 1LJHULD VXJJHVWHG WKDW LQVWHDG RI FRQWLQXLQJ WR UHO\ RQ WKH JURVVO\ LQH΀FLHQW overwhelmed and over-centralised security DUFKLWHFWXUH VWDWHV VKRXOG LQWHQVLI\ HͿRUWV WR cobble regional security networks to secure their jurisdictions to facilitate farming.

Aside from the security that scares away farmers, the poor state of infrastructure in the rural areas where a large percentage of the farming population resides is a major GLVLQFHQWLYH WR WKH FRXQWU\·V HͿRUWV DW HQVXULQJ food security.

7KLV LV ZKHUH VWDWH JRYHUQPHQWV VKRXOG FRPH LQ 7KH VWDWHV QHHG WR DFFRUG WRSPRVW priority to rural infrastructure and agriculture with a strong private sector.

Although initiatives like the Central Bank of 1LJHULD·V LQWHUYHQWLRQ LQ WKH DJULF YDOXH FKDLQ KDYH FKDQJHG WKH IRUWXQH RI VHYHUDO 1LJHULDQ farmers, the fact remains that the impact is just like a drop in the ocean.

ACSS was introduced to enable farmers to H[SORLW WKH XQWDSSHG SRWHQWLDO RI 1LJHULD·V DJULFXOWXUDO VHFWRU UHGXFH LQÁDWLRQ ORZHU the cost of agricultural production (i. e. food items), generate surplus for export, and increase 1LJHULD·V IRUHLJQ HDUQLQJV DV ZHOO DV GLYHUVLI\ its revenue base.

However, in an atmosphere of insecurity, where terrorists have taken over most of the QDWLRQ·V IDUPODQGV LW LV GRXEWIXO LI WKH EHQHÀciaries will have the opportunity to deploy the money collected on their farms.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

18

MILESTONE

Adenuga @ 69: Toast to Symbol of African Enterprise 2Q )ULGD\ $SULO &KLHI 0LFKDHO $GHQXJD -U 1LJHULDQ ELOOLRQDLUH EXVLQHVVPDQ DQG IRXQGHU of Globacom Limited, clocked 69 years. Festus Akanbi writes on the activities of the man who has remained at the forefront of the Nigerian economic life with his entrepreneurial wizardry on his promotion of the French language and culture in Nigeria, and also commended Bella 'LVX &KLHI $GHQXJD·V GDXJKWHU ZKR FRQFHLYHG coordinated and executed the Alliance Française SURMHFW The French Ambassador, Denys Gauer, congratulated Dr Adenuga, saying that “his outstanding entrepreneurship and business LQJHQXLW\ KDV WRGD\ FUHDWHG VR PDQ\ MREV IRU Nigerians and, more importantly, value for the country.”

Gauer noted that DrAdenuga has developed a strong business relationship with France through Alcatel in telecoms and Total in petroleum, adding: “I am very happy that your contribution to the development of the French-Nigerian relations and your appreciation of the French culture is in this manner recognised and honoured.”

Chief Mike Adenuga Jnr (left), with the French President, Emmanuel Macron

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hat we are told is that government alone cannot shoulder the state’s responsibility.

All over the world, governments court the support of entrepreneurs who step in to complement the JRYHUQPHQW·V HͿRUW LQ WKH DUHDV RI MRE SURYLVLRQV infrastructure support, and cooperation in terms of tax payment, among others.

However,despitetheirinvaluablecontributions to their immediate environment, entrepreneurs are sometimes seen as non-conformists, always seeking to break new grounds. That, perhaps, explains why Mushambi Mutuma, a United Kingdom-based speaker and leader in entrepreneurshipandbusiness,describedtheentrepreneur as a creator of the new and a destroyer of the old DQG LV FRQVWDQWO\ LQ FRQÁLFW ZLWK FRQYHQWLRQ According to Mutuma, “The entrepreneur inhabits a world where belief precedes results, and where the best possibilities are usually invisible to others. His world is dominated by denial, UHMHFWLRQ GL΀FXOW\ DQG GRXEW $QG DOWKRXJK DV an innovator, he is unceasingly imitated when successful, he always remains an outsider to the ‘establishment.”

There is no doubt that Mutuma’s treatise on HQWUHSUHQHXUVKLS ÀWWLQJO\ GHVFULEHG &KLHI 0LNH Adenuga, one of the world’s wealthiest men, who sits atop what is generally regarded as one of Africa’s largest business empires comprising oil and gas, telecoms, aviation, banking and real estate.

Culture of Excellence In each of these sectors, Dr Adenuga has PRXOGHG KLV FRPSDQLHV LQWR D PDMRU LI QRW dominant, player in all sectors. In the oil and JDV VHFWRU IRU LQVWDQFH &RQRLO 3OF LV RQH RI WKH ODUJHVW DQG PRVW SURÀWDEOH RLO PDUNHWLQJ FRPSDQLHV LQ 1LJHULD &RQRLO 3URGXFLQJ WKH downstream arm of the conglomerate, made KLVWRU\ E\ EHFRPLQJ WKH ÀUVW 1LJHULDQ FRPSDQ\ to strike oil and produce it in commercial quantity.

In banking, Equitorial Trust Bank was one of

WKH IHZ EDQNV WKDW HͿRUWOHVVO\ PHW WKH 1 billion capital requirement without going to the stock market or merging with other banks except Devcom Bank which was also owned byAdenuga, the new entity later merged with 6WHUOLQJ %DQN 3OF In telecoms, Globacom is not only the most innovative network in Nigeria, but it is also the fastest-growing in Africa and the Middle East, with operations in Ghana, Benin 5HSXEOLF 6HQHJDO *DPELD DQG &RWH G·,YRLUH Adenuga’s investment in real estate is worth over three billion dollars. These companies provide direct employment to thousands of workers and millions of others indirectly.

Making History As the nation celebrates Adenuga’s 69th birthday, the fact is that history will not forget this man of means who made history in 2010 ZKHQ KLV WHOHFRPV ÀUP FRPPLVVLQHG LWV LQternational submarine cable, Glo 1. The cable has provided a solution to the long-standing SUREOHP RI LQVX΀FLHQW LQWHUQHW EDQGZLGWK forAfrica and has led to much faster and more robust connectivity for voice, data and video.

As a history maker, Adenuga does not hesitate to change the course of business in favour of the poor population. At a period when other network providers resisted all pleas to adopt per second billing, Adenuga initiated the revolution in the telecom sector WKURXJK WKH KLVWRULF LQWURGXFWLRQ RI 3HU 6HFRQG Billing and the crashing of SIM costs to as low as N100 by Globacom. This led to over 100 million phone connections in Nigeria. The network also pioneered such revolutionary products as Blackberry, mobile internet and mobile banking services in Nigeria.

Harvest of Honours, Recognitions Thankfully, Adenuga is respected at home and abroad. This is because, in recognition of hisbusinessaccomplishmentsandoutstanding contributions,Adenuga has tonnes of awards and honours to show for it. At various times,

Pillar of Sport $ VHOI HͿDFLQJ SKLODQWKURSLVW 'U $GHQXJD -U through his company, Globacom, is the biggest supporter of football in Africa and has raised the SURÀOH RI IRRWEDOO LQ 1LJHULD DQG *KDQD ZLWK WKH VSRQVRUVKLS RI WKH 3UHPLHU /HDJXHV DQG QDWLRQDO football teams of the two countries. The company has so far spent over N9 billion in cash and kind on Nigerian football. It has also transformed WKH DQQXDO &$) $ZDUGV DQG PDGH LW WKH PRVW JODPRURXV VSRUWV HYHQW RQ WKH FRQWLQHQW &$) KDV DZDUGHG $GHQXJD WKH 3LOODU RI )RRWEDOO LQ Africa for his strong support for African Football at both national and continental levels.

He has won numerous other awards in recognition of his personal and business accomplishments amongwhichistheAfricanTelecomsEntrepreneur oftheyearforhiscourageousandrapidinvestment in the telecoms sector. He was early 2010 voted he was honoured by the Federal Republic of 1LJHULD·V 0RVW 2XWVWDQGLQJ %XVLQHVV 3HUVRQDOLW\ 1LJHULD ZLWK WKH 1DWLRQDO $ZDUG RI WKH 2΀FHU LQ WKH ODVW \HDUV RI WKH 2UGHU RI WKH 1LJHU 221 &RPPDQGHU RI WKH 2UGHU RI WKH 1LJHU &21 DQG *UDQG Humble Beginning &RPPDQGHU RI WKH 2UGHU RI 1LJHULD *&21 $GHQXJD ZDV ERUQ LQ LQ ,EDGDQ LQWR WKH the highest individual honour for a private IDPLO\ RI &KLHI 0LNH $GHQXJD 6QU DQG 0DGDP citizen in the country.

Oyindamola Adenuga, a successful trader and +H ZDV RQH RI WKH SUH HPLQHQW 1LJHULDQV <H\HRED RI ,MHEXODQG +H DWWHQGHG WKH IDPRXV who were conferred with the Special Golden Ibadan Grammar School, in Oyo State, Nigeria, -XELOHH ,QGHSHQGHQFH $QQLYHUVDU\ $ZDUGV for his secondary education and studied Business by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2010. Administration at Northwestern State University, He also holds an honorary doctorate conferred Alva Oklahoma, in the United States. He also on him by Ogun State University.

HDUQHG D 0DVWHU·V GHJUHH DW 3DFH 8QLYHUVLW\ 1HZ In 2014, Dr Adenuga was among the three <RUN PDMRULQJ LQ %XVLQHVV $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ ZLWK distinguished Nigerians bestowed with the an emphasis on Marketing. prestigious award in the category of ‘AcAdenuga fondly attributes his business sense FRPSOLVKHG &RQWHPSRUDU\ (QWUHSUHQHXUV· to his mother, who was also a businesswoman.

LQ WKH JUDQG ÀQDOH RI WKH FHOHEUDWLRQV RI WKH Even as a student, the young Adenuga did not centenary anniversary of the amalgamation have things easy, and even had to hustle as a taxi of the Northern and Southern protectorates driver in NewYork to pay for his university tuition. of Nigeria. $GHQXJD PDGH KLV ÀUVW PLOOLRQ LQ DW DJH The other two Nigerians honoured together 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks. In with Dr Adenuga in the same category are 1990, he received a drilling licence and in 1991, EXVLQHVVPHQ $OKDML $OLNR 0RKDPPHG KLV &RQVROLGDWHG 2LO VWUXFN RLO LQ WKH VKDOORZ 'DQJRWH DQG &KLHI ,QQRFHQW &KXNZXPD ZDWHUV RI 6RXWK ZHVWHUQ 2QGR 6WDWH WKH ÀUVW ,Q -XO\ WKH )UHQFK 3UHVLGHQW (P- indigenous oil company to do so in commercial manuel Macron, conferred France’s highest quantity.

QDWLRQDO KRQRXU RI &RPPDQGHU RI WKH /HJLRQ He was issued a conditional GSM licence in RI +RQRXU RQ 0LNH $GHQXJD -U 1999; after it was revoked, he received a second one when the government held another auction Explaining why the French Government in 2003. His telecom company Globacom spread decided to confer the country’s highest hon- quickly and started challenging the giant, MTN RXU RQ $GHQXJD 3UHVLGHQW 0DFURQ VDLG WKH *URXS ,W ODXQFKHG VHUYLFHV LQ %HQLQ LQ legendary business guru is “a true role model and has continued its spread across Ghana and forAfrica” who has contributed immensely to &{WH G·,YRLUH ZLWK PRUH OLFHQFHV FXUUHQWO\ EHLQJ the growth ofAfrican and French economies. prospected in other West African countries.

'U $GHQXJD WKXV EHFRPHV WKH ÀUVW 1LJHULDQ Indeed, Dr.Adenuga has built a public persona WR EH GHFRUDWHG ZLWK WKH DZDUG RI &RPPDQGHU GHÀQHG E\ QHDU LQYLVLELOLW\ ,Q WKH DJH RI VRFLDO of the Legion of honour, a promotion from his media and overexposure, it is a thing of surprise SUHYLRXV KRQRXU DV &KHYDOLHU .QLJKW RI WKH that the man who his admirers and traducers Legion of Honour awarded to him in 2017. often refer to as The Bull, does not make noise According to the French Embassy, it takes 13 on the social media, he seldom attends events, \HDUV WR EH SURPRWHG IURP &KHYDOLHU WR &RP- rarely makes public appearances and hardly mander, but this higher-order for Adenuga does media interviews, yet he is always on the has happened in eight months. pages of our newspapers and on the lips of many 3UHVLGHQW 0DFURQ DSSODXGHG 'U $GHQXJD Nigerians.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

19

ENERGY

LPG tanks

Enhancing the Use of Liquefied Gas in Katsina Francis Sardauna writes that the federal government is enhancing the usage of LPG in Katsina through the National Gas Expansion Programme

I

n 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari-federal government introduced another life-changing project called the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP). The project is being spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. It is a project aimed at embarking on a massive roll-out of small gas retail outlets across the country.

The primary focus of the widely accepted project is the need to bring the dispensing and availability of gas to the remotest settlements in the country, ensuring that the retail outlets would be properly equipped with dispensing machines, measuring equipment and safety measures.

According to the initiators of the project, the intention of the project is not to drive the existing retail marketers out of business; rather, it is to partner with them to boost their capacity and ensure their safety from the associated risks.

The objective of the federal government’s project is to reinforce and expand gas supply as well as stimulate demand in the country WKURXJK WKH HͿHFWLYH DQG H΀FLHQW PRELOLVDWLRQ and utilisation of all available assets, resources and infrastructure in the country.

Thus, it seeks to ensure easy access and DYDLODELOLW\ RI OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP JDV LQ WKH states, create job opportunities for 1,279,442 unemployed youths through the selection of EHQHÀFLDULHV IURP WKH SURMHFW DQG DVVLVW WR VFDOH up the business of entrepreneurs as well as individuals who are already in the business RI /LTXHÀHG 3HWUROHXP *DV /3* It also ensures that individuals, families and groups get proper knowledge on the use of OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP JDV DQG LWV EHQHÀWV VXFK DV FXUELQJ GHVHUWLÀFDWLRQ WKH IDOOLQJ RI WUHHV WR EH XVHG DV ÀUHZRRG DQG SROOXWLRQ WKURXJK ÀUHZRRG VPRNH It is against this backdrop, that the National Gas Expansion Programme, in collaboration with the Katsina State Government, recently

RUJDQLVHG D WUDLQLQJ IRU LWV EHQHÀFLDULHV ZKR were carefully selected across the 34 local government areas of the state, held at the Tourist Lodge, Katsina.

The one-day capacity building training sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board ((NCDMB), provided the participants with prerequisite NQRZOHGJH RQ KRZ WR XVH OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP JDV LGHQWLÀFDWLRQ DQG VWRUH /3* products in their respective communities.

7KH EHQHÀFLDULHV ZHUH DOVR WUDLQHG RQ SURSHU VWRUDJH RI WKH OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP gas (at the domestic and commercial level), KD]DUGV RI XVLQJ OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP JDV SUHYHQWLRQ DQG PDQDJHPHQW RI ÀUH DQG DFFLGHQWV PDQDJHPHQW RI ÀUH LQFLGHQWV related to the use of LPG, sales, distribution and marketing of the product.

In a bid to avert illegal transactions of the product across the state, especially in rural areas, the participants were taught about the legal aspect of running an LPG business and its distribution, insurance and tax, health and safety measures in the use RI WKH OLTXHÀHG SHWUROHXP JDV Speaking on the hazards of using LPG, $PLQD 6DGD <XVXI VDLG /3* FDQ FDWFK ÀUH very easily and if leaks, it will evaporate and form a large cloud of gas, which will settle in low spots such as drains or basements DQG FDQ FDXVH D ÀUH RU VXͿRFDWLRQ KD]DUG She, therefore, urged the participants and other users of the LPG to always ensure that there is the availability of safety equipment within and around their houses and ensure UHJXODU WUDLQLQJ DQG ÀUH GULOOV IRU PHPEHUV of their households to prevent the hazards of the LPG. Another resource person, Dr Abdullahi Muhammad Maigari, who spoke on proper storage of the LPG, said necessary measures must be put in place in the storage of the LPG at both domestic and commercial levels and cross ventilation is needed “because the

majority of the commercial points are storing gas cylinders under heated conditions”.

According to him, “It is important to adhere strictly to all the safety rules in the storage of gas at both domestic and commercial level to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizens”.

In his presentation titled, “The Legal $VSHFW RI 5XQQLQJ /LTXHÀHG 3HWUROHXP *DV Mr Ibrahim Isah, said the LPG is a trusted, H΀FLHQW DQG FOHDQ VRXUFH RI HQHUJ\ IRU XVH in residential, commercial and industrial sectors that requires legal backing by retailers.

He said the government must make sure that individuals who are interested in running an LPG business must obtain a CAC registration to run the LPG business.

Addressing the participants, the DirectorGeneral of the Katsina State Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA), Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, gave a brief overview of the National Gas Expansion Programme, especially on the rapid roll-out of micro-distribution FHQWUHV DQG LWV H[SHFWHG HFRQRPLF EHQHÀWV to the people of the state.

He expressed the readiness of the state government to give all necessary support to the success of the National Gas Expansion Project, saying the project would create more employment opportunities for the teeming youths across the three senatorial zones of the state.

He added that the government was committed to ensuring that the programme is tailored toward industrialising the state through disregard, automotive and other applications, stressing that natural gas is a catalyst for the industrial and economic growth of any developed nation.

To show the commitment of the state government to the programme, he said, his department mobilised some of the relevant stakeholders that attended the event, to tap into the project and ensure its full utilization for the people of the state, and achieve the

general aims and objectives of the Project in the state.

He, however, lauded the Nigerian Content Development Board (NCDMB) for its role in ensuring that the National Gas Expansion Programme achieves its domestic expansion plan in the state through the sponsorship of the project to ensure positive impacts on the socio-economic development of Katsina State.

In his remarks, Yahaya Adamu said the NGEP programme showcases available conversion issues and training of Nigerians on the gas XWLOLVDWLRQ SURJUDPPH XUJLQJ WKH EHQHÀFLDULHV to step down the training in their various comPXQLWLHV IRU WKH HͿHFWLYH DQG H΀FLHQW XVDJH of LPG in the state. +H HOXFLGDWHG WKH GDPDJLQJ HͿHFWV RI WKH VPRNH IURP ÀUHZRRG RQ WKH KHDOWK DQG ZHOO being of women, adding that recent research KDV VKRZQ WKDW VPRNH IURP ÀUHZRRG KDV contributed to the death of so many women in rural areas leading to high mortality rates in the country.

Meanwhile, all the presentations at the event were followed by an interactive session, in which the participants were allowed to ask questions, comment or make suggestions that will aid the rapid roll-out of the distribution centres.

Recall that the National Gas Expansion ProJUDPPH ZDV IRUPDOO\ ÁDJJHG RͿ LQ WKH .DWVLQD State on October 9, 2020, with the engagement of critical stakeholders in communities across the 34 local government areas with regards to the rapid roll-out of micro-distribution centres in the state which is in furtherance to the achievement of the set aims and objectives of the project.

The event had 65 people in attendance consisting of representatives from all the 34 local government areas of the state, women in registered cooperatives, representatives of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN) representatives of the gas retailers association, Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) as well as members of youth groups in the state.

20

MAY 1, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

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

AYO AROWOLO

GOLD

INVESTING

WEALTH CAPSULE 13

Employee or Self-Employed: Wealth Building Requires You to Stay Focused on Building A Solid Investment Portfolio All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them. – Viola Davis Hustle beats talent when talent doesn’t hustle – Ross Simmonds

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on the side at weekends and in their spare holidays.

Skills such as making shoes, belts, fashion design, fish, snail, pig farming, trading ventures, etc. These are areas in which an employee can be both employed and selfemployed and, in the process, build savings towards acquiring solid investment portfolios along the line”.

“Knowledge is key to wealth building, especially for employees and self-employed folks, who want to gradually build investment portfolios on the side. Even with business system owners, the continued acquisition of knowledge is important to ensure their business systems’ continued sustainability. Very importantly, wealth-builders with investment portfolios must constantly acquire knowledge to sustain their investment portfolios and protect their investment from the possibility of insolvency in the long run”.

y Billionaire Friend was at his best element this particular evening during our usual weekly conversation. Our discussion paddled around his comfort zone: how an individual in paid employment can build wealth legitimately without compromising his privileges at work. While still in paid employment, my Friend had, through meticulous planning, built a solid base of investment portfolios. He also parcelled his portfolios into several income streams from which he could create a comfortable lifestyle and a couple of legacy projects before stepping out of paid CHOOSE A PATHWAY THAT FITS YOUR employment.

TEMPERAMENT My conversation with him was centred on whether he could share the model he used and if it is replicable. I also “There is one common mistake I see people in paid wanted to find out why he chose that particular model employment make. Without evaluating whether they and not the other options available to him, especially as Artist Impression of my Billionaire Friend have the qualities and temperament required to build a explained in Robert Kiyosaki’s classics: The Cashflow business, some employees often resign prematurely to Quadrant. start their things, as they normally call it and in most After exchanging initial pleasantries, my Friend led they end in embarrassing situations”. the conversation: “First off, my key advice for cases “You don’t have to own a business if you don’t “My Boss, I won’t call it a template as such; it was anyone who wants to build have the temperament to run one. The truth is that something I figured out over a while after I had, fortunately, generally, wealth-builders must always avoid copying and early enough in my career, read two books: The Richest wealth from any of those two and pasting what others do. Copying others is not the Man In Babylon and Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert way to success in life. Humans must identify their innate Kiyosaki. Following the suggestions and recommendations positions, whether employee traits, strengths, and weaknesses before deciding to from those two books and my permutations, I created or self-employed, is to stay remain employees, self-employed, or business system something that worked out very well.

This is because these three elements in the So based on the path I took, I could offer tips that focused on building a solid owners.

Robert Kiyosaki quadrants require different inherent would be helpful to any wealth builder who desires to and talents to help navigate the pathways to the follow the same pathway. The tips are also applicable investment portfolio to ensure natures success of wealth builders. An employee should better to individuals who want to build wealth from the selftheir sustainability in their be advised to remain an employee if he is someone employed status”. cannot very well withstand strong business risks.

“First off, my key advice for anyone who wants to build years of sunset. These two who In such a circumstance, an employee should remain wealth from any of those two positions, whether employee employed and have their money work by gradually or self-employed, is to stay focused on building a solid positions in Robert Kiyosaki’s building a solid investment portfolio from his salaried investment portfolio to ensure their sustainability in their four quadrants are the riskiest, savings. A naturally trusting employee would discover years of sunset. These two positions in Robert Kiyosaki’s into self-employment or business systems that four quadrants are the riskiest, tasking and vulnerable tasking and vulnerable to going he would eventually have himself to blame. I knew to dependency than others. For instance, an employee, from the start that I was too trusting. I rely on people in some cases, whether he is of good performance and dependency than others. a lot and delegate with less than necessary monitoring. commitment to his job, may still find his stay on his Sadly, with these attributes, it is better to remain an job greatly dependent on the pleasure of his employer. employee in the Nigerian environment, where trust An employee could be very committed, meticulous and I mentioned early in my career, especially George and integrity are not very common. I knew from my diligent but could still be fired by his/her employer for Clason’s book. Both books gave me very good insights, early beginning that I would have my fingers burnt good reasons, bad reasons, or no reason at all, once this and I saw the need to always build an investment portfolio by being prudent, frugal, saving consistently if I left my employee quadrant for self-employment can be justified legally”. and applying my savings in investment areas that I or the business system fully. Even as an employee, I tried to restrict myself to remaining an employee but How is the scenario different from a self-employed could afford at my different levels of employment.

These various investment instruments, which I used, performed to some extent in self-employment in Robert status, I asked. have been discussed extensively in our previous series.

Kiyosaki’s second quadrant. At those few times when I mistakenly ventured out of my best employee quadrant, My Friend: “With self-employment, this risk can also be I suggest readers refer to our previous series to see I had my fingers burnt by Nigeria’s large number of enormous since every decision and business risks rest all the solid investment vehicles. Such include putting deceitful, low integrity and low reputation people, who squarely with the self-employed. They take all decisions aside 20% of my salary income not only in ordinary are always out as predators to hurt employees who and carry all business risks. They carry all business burdens savings, which attracted very poor returns, but later in delve into entrepreneurship and self-employment. This that are not usually shared and they bear all the risk of fixed deposits, commercial papers, bankers’ acceptances, is why I prefer to remain an employee and technocrat. business continuity. Therefore, from the overconcentration treasury bills, and so on. It was a gradual process until Decidedly, I was conscious of my weakness of of such high burdens comes the high risk of sustainability I built my investment portfolio in high investment over-trusting and reliance on people and therefore of the businesses of self-employed wealth builders. Hence, value content instruments and assets as I progressed chose that part to keep myself safe from Nigeria’s it is advised that in such circumstances, the self-employed on my ladder of employment”.

“I found myself combining my employee situation growing reputational predators. Notwithstanding all must always focus on building solid investment portfolios with some self-employment initiatives at different times. my attempts to avoid the predators, I still had my on the side of their wealth-building drives”. fingers burnt many times”.

“It is because of the inherent high risk of the uncertainties This again re-emphasises the need for an employee of his employment status, and the risk of sustainability of not to relax and be dependent on the salaries alone”.

Reason for his decision to stay on the employee path the business by the self-employed that I counsel, as Robert Kiyosaki suggests in his book, that; those who want SKILLS ACQUISITION IS KEY “It is critical for success that a wealth builder knows and to build wealth from both must remain focused on appropriately identifies his strengths and weaknesses. In gradually building solid investments for themselves “I have always advised that every employee, apart my case, since I have a weakness of over-trusting people, by always eyeing and closely associating with Robert from his academic or professional background, ought to acquire some skills on which he can rely to generate cannot take too much risk, can be easily affected by the Kiyosaki’s fourth quadrant”. tensions involved in personally running a business, I “This approach may not be critical for business system self-employed incomes on the side to support his took the route of being in paid employment for a long owners. A business system owner is assumed to have employee status. The same goes for self-employment. time, and this has paid off for me. I have succeeded run his corporate entity in such a way that, even where Such wealth builders must always build solid investment in meeting my aspirations and needs and playing my he completely disengages from the daily operations of portfolios as they sustain their self-employment status. philanthropic roles, both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. the business for over a year - it would be found that All these can be done outside official working hours”.

“A typical example is for employees to learn skills I am also fulfilled in having built my aspired referential on his return, the business would be found to have performed even better than when the business system owner was personally involved in the operations of the There is one common mistake I see people in paid employment business. Building a solid investment portfolio is less make. Without evaluating whether they have the qualities and important to the owner of a business system than to the self-employed and, more particularly, to the employee”. temperament required to build a business, some employees HIS OWN PATH “As I said, I was fortunate to have read those two books

often resign prematurely to start their things, as they normally call it and in most cases they end in embarrassing situations

legacies, which will outlive me many years after I must have departed this world”.

I decided to majorly play in the employee quadrant after my first few failed attempts at entrepreneurship. For instance, as an employee, I invested in a finance house and badly got my fingers burnt. Even my personal life was endangered by the person who collected my money to run a finance company. He made me a non-executive chairman of the finance house in which I thought I was investing for my future. He defrauded the company and its depositors and ran out of Nigeria while leaving me to carry the brunt of his fraud. The same applies to my attempt to invest in a proposed bank while I remained an employee. The chief promoter of the bank had approached me to invest in the proposed bank, with me as a non-executive director, only for me to discover he had personally converted and defrauded us of the funds borrowed from parties meant for deposit to obtain a banking licence. Some of these life lessons made me decide to remain in a comfortable quadrant as an employee. I, however, took advantage of my strengths to invest and build investment portfolios while remaining in my comfortable employee quadrant in my long career life. In doing this, I concentrated on investing in viable and good investment portfolios that were within my control and avoided the risk of being further defrauded”.

“My advice to employees, therefore, is to carry out a self-reflection to determine whether they have similar weaknesses as I have. My strengths are my ability to gather knowledge and identify and gradually but continuously make and build solid investments while remaining employed. With this process, I built solid investment portfolios that have become very fruitful”.

TIPS FOR BUILDING WEALTH AS AN EMPLOYEE OR SELF EMPLOYED “There must be a consistent drive to acquire knowledge in virtually all areas in which a wealth builder chooses to engage for his wealth-building goal. The identifiable success factors are hard work, diligence, integrity, reputation and continued focus on acquiring knowledge and using such knowledge daily for investing in areas in which the employee can effectively control investment outcomes.

Control is very important for an employee engaged in this way, an employee who invests in portfolios”.

I did a bit of that, and I got my fingers burnt in all instances I veered from this rule. But that is not to state that one should not try. In my case, I overcame one or two of them by refocusing and re-strategising to ensure that I was less exposed to investment in portfolios that are outside my effective control, and also by consistently building my professional base and financial/economic literacy, gathering knowledge, monitoring macroeconomic developments, environmental developments, socio-economic developments around me, around the world and taking good advantage of investing in portfolios that are within and outside Nigeria that I could effectively control their outcomes”.

HIS WEALTH-BUILDING STRATEGIES? “I have mentioned this earlier elsewhere in this series, but I can summarise them as looking for investment portfolios that compensate each other in terms of risk. I built my strategies to balance the various high-risk elements of each investment instrument with that of another investment instrument of low same risk exposure. This ensures, for instance, that while a particular investment instrument may have very high liquidity risk, I would invest in another instrument with low compensation liquidity risk to keep my investment portfolio well-managed against various risks with optimum returns for my total investment portfolio. This strategy is used to optimise the returns of my investment portfolio against each of the operational, foreign exchange, market, economic, systems and interest rate risks of the contents of my investment portfolios. The general strategy is to look for investment portfolios that ensure that you are regularly kept immune as much as possible from the various risks to which investments are subject. Each of those risks has its different levels. For each instrument of investment that a wealth builder chooses, he must be well knowledgeable and aware that every form of investment has one form of risk.

In balancing one’s investment portfolio, one must therefore ensure that he regularly picks investment instruments with different compensating factors over the risk of their other investments”.

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

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T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 2022 2414, April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9883

OPI NION

127 TR

Remo is excited and supportive of the prospects of an Osinbajo Presidency, writes OPEYEMI AGBAJE

MIKE ADENUGA AT 69 T

See Page 22

ETHNICITY, ZONING AND THE 2023 ELECTIONS Zoning and ethnicity should not take precedence over issues of leadership, argues FREDRICK NWABUFO See Page 51

PARADOX OF GENERATIONS, POLITICAL ILLITERACY AND LEADERSHIP Samuel Akpobome Orovwuje canvasses leadership with vision to actualise the country’s development agenda See Page 51

EDITORIAL MONETISATION OF POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS

See Page 52

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TONI KAN pays tribute to Mike Adenuga, billionaire businessman and Africa’s second richest man

YEMI OSINBAJO IN REMO

SITUATING THE PETER OBI PHENOMENON EMEKA ALEX Duru contends that Obi is the right person to take leadership of the country

& RE A S O

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

See Page 22

UT H

he year was 1990 and Nigeria had a military president and a medical doctor turned oil man was in charge of the nation’s oil ministry. With zero oil industry experience, the brilliant doctor set himself three quick tasks; midwife indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry, increase reserves as well as deep water production.

To achieve the first, he supervised a discretionary oil licence bid round. At the end 11 Nigerian businessmen who had achieved success in other areas were issued licences.

One of them was named Mike Adenuga. He was 37 years old and had become a millionaire selling soft drinks and lace materials. The son of a teacher father and business woman mother, he had earned two degrees in America where friends say he drove a taxi to augment what his parents sent him.

One year after the licence round, Mike Adenuga’s Consolidated Oil (now known as Conoil) was first among the 11 to hit first oil and in commercial quantities. Conoil quickly validated the federal government’s thinking that Nigerians could play big in the oil and gas industry if given the opportunity. Thirty two years down the line, Conoil is the standout success story from that exercise with six oil producing blocks highlighting Adenuga’s doggedness, diligence and entrepreneurial acumen. Conoil engine oils and lubes are nationally recognized as some of the most pocket-friendly in the market in a clear instance of the company adhering to the business principle and brand purpose of putting people over profit.

On Friday April 29th Dr. Mike Adeniyi Adenuga Jr, GCON, mercurial businessman, quiet philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, Africa’s second richest man and one of the most garlanded Africans in France marked 69 years on planet earth. The occasion was marked in the public domain with outpourings of tributes riffing on his business acumen, innovative business approach and large heartedness.

The occasion of this birthday however provides a good opportunity for one to look past the man friends and foes like to call “The Bull” in order to critically analyse his place and significance in Nigeria’s business ecosystem.

Why focus on the business and not the man? The answer is a simple one; while much is written about Adenuga so little is really known about him because he is, in many ways, an enigma wrapped in a conundrum.

So how best to celebrate him than to focus on the businesses he has built and the impact he has had through them.

When people mention or hear the name Mike Adenuga, the quick reference is to his industry defining and paradigm shifting Telecom Company which was established in 2003 two full years after MTN and Airtel had made quick gains in the market by leveraging their first mover advantage.

Every time the story of Glo’s emergence in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is told, the raconteurs always seem fixated on Glo’s disruption of the industry with the crashing of the costs of acquiring SIM cards as well as its introduction of the per second billing which

the earlier players had claimed was impossible.

Many analysts consider the disruptive move as no more than a clever marketing gimmick but in focusing on what was seen as gimmickry they fail to reckon with what has over the years become apparent as Adenuga’s unique approach to business.

In throwing his hat into the telecom ring, Adenuga seemed clear that it was to be in the service of the common people of Nigeria who had been denied access to telecom services.

In putting the People first he was living his brand Purpose of offering Nigerians a service that would help them access the information super-highway and thus place them in pole position to rule their world. This was at the heart of Globacom’s enormous investments in the Glo1 cable which earned the company the endearing sobriquet; Grandmaster of Data.

Glo’s crashing of the SIM price and introduction of the per second billing have since become modern business marketing case studies but for the discerning observer, they were statements of intent from a peopleoriented businessman.

Today, Nigerian stars of screen and stage have become darlings of corporate Nigeria as brand ambassadors and models in advertising campaigns. But many forget that it all began in

Glo’s crashing of the SIM price and introduction of the per second billing have since become modern business marketing case studies but for the discerning observer, they were statements of intent from a people-oriented businessman

earnest with Globacom, which was deliberate and intentional in its use of actors and actresses and sundry Nigerian entertainers as Brand Ambassadors.

Glo did not just latch on to freshly minted and trending stars like Dbanj, PSquare, Basketmout, Flavour, Omawumi, MI and the like. The company reached out to older stars, whose time in the limelight seemed over. Glo introduced the likes of Amebo, Madam Kofo, Zebrudaya, Nelly Uchendu, Bright Chimezie, Bimbo Oloyede, Femi Jarret, Victor Uwaifo, Segun Odegbami, Lagbaja and many others to a whole new audience by using them as Brand Ambassadors. Glo has also been instrumental to the continuing successes of singers like Teni and Simi whom the company has, as we say in Nigeria, helped to BLOW! Away from entertainment, Glo’s indelible footprints have been left on the sands of Nigerian and African football from the company’s sponsorship of the Nigerian and Ghanaian football leagues as well as the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Glo has emerged in its almost 19 years of existence as a keen patron and promoter of arts and culture but the oft ignored fact is that the company’s corporate social responsibility interventions have never been tokenistic.

The intention has always been to empower as was the case with the just concluded Glo sponsored Battle of the Year Nigeria which made millionaires of many Nigerian youths in 13 short weeks. The interventions have always been strategic and well thought-out and anchored inexorably on the people and purpose principle.

Adenuga’s belief in Nigeria and focus on uplifting Nigerians has not gone unnoticed and was aptly captured in the 69th birthday message from President Muhammadu Buhari who noted “Chief Adenuga’s nationalist and patriotic position of always putting Nigeria first in his investment options, expanding opportunities for employment and business in banking, telecoms, oil, and more recently, focusing on empowering younger generation in entrepreneurship.”

To conclude, it is easy for many reading this to ask how a man who is rarely seen in public can be referred to as “a man of the people”. The answer is a simple one that lies in an aphorism we all internalized as children; actions speak louder than words. Mike Adenuga is a man not enamoured of public adulations or applause, preferring, it seems, to give in line with the scriptural counsel: “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.”

In doing all these he has never lost sight of the fact that money will be made even if Profit remains the least consideration. That approach is unique but not novel because scholars of social enterprises tell us that where people-oriented brand purpose is aligned and properly executed, profit is inevitable as is evident from Forbes early 69th birthday present naming him Africa’s 2nd richest man with a $7.3 billion fortune.

Toni Kan, journalist and writer works at Globacom

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EMEKA ALEX DURU contends

YEMI OSINBAJO IN REMO Remo is excited and supportive of the prospects of an Osinbajo Presidency, writes OPEYEMI AGBAJE Remo is one of the original four divisions of Ogun State-with the Ijebu, Egba and Yewa, previously known as Egbado, being the other three. Historically Remo was made up of 33 towns (referred to as the Remo Metalelogbon) which formed a unique federation out of their desire for shared prosperity, security and governance. The founders of the Remo federation understood the political, constitutional and economic case for federalism even in those bygone times!

Today, new towns have evolved and we now believe Remo is made up of as many as 42 different semi-autonomous towns who all pledge allegiance to His Royal Majesty, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland.

The Remo people are originally descended from Ile-Ife, the shared source of the children of Oduduwa traced directly to Iremo Quarters in the ancient city of Ile Ife. Remo has been frequently blessed with the choice of Akarigbo, the last four Akarigbos, representing different epochs in the evolution and development of Remoland-Oba William Christopher Adedoyin, Anoko 11 reigned from 1916-1952 and was the architect of Remo Independence and the so-called Martindale Report of 1933; Oba Moses Sowemimo Awolesi, Erinwole 11 reigned from 1952-

1988, a period of peace, stability and progress; Awolesi was succeeded by the high socialite Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, Erinjugbo 11 aka Emperor who was on the throne of his forefathers from 1990-2016. The current Akarigbo and Paramount ruler of Remoland is Oba (Dr) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, FCA, LLM Torungbuwa 11, a lawyer and chartered accountant, who became Akarigbo on December 7th 2017.

Oba Ajayi’s reign so far has been nothing short of remarkable-he has presided over the election and re-election of two Remo sons Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, and Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governor of Ogun State respectively; he is the current Chairman of the Ogun State Council of Obas; he has received a Honourary Doctorate degree from the Tai Solarin University of Education; and has been appointed by the federal government as Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State. In his short reign, Oba Ajayi has attracted the establishment of a Federal Passport Office in Sagamu, the capital of Remoland and seat of the Akarigbo as well as an Arbitration and Mediation Centre. He has commenced a unique development in community mobilization for development with the establishment of the Remo Growth and Development Foundation (RGDF) through which he has stimulated the elite and youths of Remoland to unite and work towards development of Remoland. It may yet be Oba Ajayi’s good fortune to witness the election of a Remo son as President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces. On Tuesday April 26, 2022, literally the whole of Remo gathered under the auspices of the Akarigbo to receive that highest placed of all Remo sons, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who it is no longer news seeks election to the Presidency under the All Progressives Congress (APC). As a proud son of Sagamu and Remo, I received an invitation to the

event from the Remo Palace and decided it would be worthwhile to attend the meeting.

I know Professor Osinbajo quite well. He is a senior Igbobian, that distinguished group of Noble Nigerians who attended the great public school, in Yaba, Lagos, Igbobi College.

Indeed, he holds the merit award of the Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA).

He is a senior lawyer and indeed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria; and he is a Christian and Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He hails from Ikenne, one of the towns in Remoland and home of the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo, into which family “Prof” married from - his wife Dolapo is a grandchild of Awo! As some of my readers may be aware, I share many of these affiliations with Osinbajo-Remo, Igbobi College, ICOBA merit award, law and significant aspects of my Christian journey and training! In addition, I am an Otunba in Ogijo, Remo, one of the more contemporary evolutionary “cities” in Remoland and indeed the one with the largest population in Remo due to its proximity to Ikorodu and Lagos State.

Apart from my several affiliations with Osinbajo, my “journalistic” and political analyst instincts made me very interested in attending the Remo reception - to gauge Remo interest in and support for Professor Osinbajo’s aspiration to Nigeria’s presidency.

Charity begins from home, they say, and all politics is said to be local! Well, the answer at least judged from the events of April 26, 2022 would be a resounding demonstration of support by the majority of Remo elite and masses for their son. With just 24 hours’ notice, Remo turned out in huge numbers to the Hall at the Akarigbo’s Palace-elite, political leaders and members, professionals, market women, artisans, youths and most resoundingly the traditional institution. Apart from the Akarigbo himself, virtually all Remo Obas-Elepe of Epe, Ewusi of Makun, Odofin of Soyindo, Alakenne of Ikenne, Alaperu of Iperu, Alaye Ode of Ode Remo, Ologijo of Ogijo, and more; the Akarigbo-in-Council and a large retinue of the Baales across Remo were present. From the turnout and enthusiasm at the event, it does appear Remo is excited about and supportive of the prospects of an Osinbajo Presidency!

Osinbajo in his brief remarks spoke about his resume-from law teacher at University of Lagos and Lagos State University; volunteer teaching during the foundations of the Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) Law Faculty; his service under Prince Bola Ajibola at the Federal Ministry of Justice and at The Hague; his excellent performance as Attorney General of Lagos State; work at the United Nations Law Commission; and finally the last seven years as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Osinbajo spoke about his dedication and loyalty in all these positions and how he had put his personal and professional reputation on the line for those he worked for in some of those positions. His Royal Majesty, the Akarigbo prayed for Osinbajo’s success and Governor Dapo Abiodun pledged to repay Osinbajo’s support and steadfastness during his journey to Oke Mosan Government House in Abeokuta. Former Governor of Ogun State, the redoubtable Otunba Gbenga Daniel was present to lend his weight to Osinbajo’s visit.

On the whole, I think Osinbajo laid to rest any doubts about his degree of home support as he seeks the presidency of Nigeria in 2023.

His visit to Ogun State on April 26, 2022 was to include stops in Abeokuta and Ilaro, after the tumultuous and successful reception in Sagamu. Professor Osinbajo will seek in the weeks ahead to persuade the leaders and members of APC to support his aspiration. I wish him luck and the grace of God.

Agbaje is Founder and CEO of leading VWUDWHJ\ DQG EXVLQHVV DGYLVRU\ ÀUP 57& Advisory Services Ltd.

that Obi is the right person to take leadership of the country

SITUATING THE PETER OBI PHENOMENON A particular trend ran through the inaugural addresses of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama of the United States of America and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. They resonated with hope and demands on the citizens to keep faith with their nations, even in the face of odds.

The three assumed offices at momentous periods in their countries’ histories. On January 20, 1961, when Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th US President, the world was reeling under the uncertainties of the Cold War between the East and the West. Obama came on board at a time America was going through obvious economic challenges. Mandela’s election signaled the end of apartheid regime in South Africa.

The three thus faced the challenges of galvanizing their people and focusing them on the path of building greater societies. It was on that basis that Kennedy made what many consider to be the most memorable and enduring call on all Americans to commit themselves to service and sacrifice: “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Obama followed suit 48 years later, when on January 20, 2009, he called on Americans to unite and look towards their common national heritage as a guide for facing the challenges of the future, declaring, “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”

Mandela brought the message nearer home on his inauguration in 1994, when he assured South Africans that the worst was over. He said; “We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the breasts of the million of our people.

We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world”.

These were leaders speaking to their people, urging them to close ranks in rebuilding their countries. Nigeria is in such dire situation, presently. With spiraling security challenges in all parts of the country, deplorable infrastructure base, widening corruption index, crippling economic uncertainties occasioned in youth unemployment, dwindling fortunes of the national currency and debilitating poverty among the people, Nigeria is without doubt, on a sorry curve. The copious absence of disciplined leadership class to steer the ship of state on the right course, makes the situation more worrisome. The signs, as they say, are not encouraging.

But former Anambra State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, has stepped forward, literally baring his chest to take the bullets in fixing the broken segments of the country. In 2003 when he took similar steps in Anambra, moving against an incumbent, Dr. Chinweoke Mbadinuju, with his phenomenal question –“Is Anambra cursed or are we the cause?” – many considered him running against the tide of established political culture.

But he dared and the people listened to him.

Eight years after, Obi left a record that continues to blossom in many parts of the country. From a piteous position of 26th in Nigeria’s educational ranking, Anambra was taken to the first position.

Kidnapping which had driven the indigenes out of the state, was tamed. Apart from not owing the workers, contactors or any person or group that had financial dealings with the state, he bequeathed to his successor money to pay three months’ salaries, run schools for a year and start more projects. To cap it, he left in savings, N75 billion ($156 million, and the rest in naira) with documents to prove same.

He is asking his party men and women to give him the opportunity of flying the PDP flag

in 2023 presidential election, and replicate such feats at the national level. But even in his patriotic desire to reposition the country, Obi is not oblivious of the task ahead. The system, he admits, is broken but can be fixed.

In his recent meeting with the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) in course of his nationwide consultation processes with stakeholders of the party, he reminded them of the dangers at hand and the need to make informed decisions in choosing the presidential candidate at their national convention.

He said, “Today, Nigeria tops the list of fragile, failing states and ranks third on the list of most terrorised countries in the world. We have, since 2019, become the world poverty capital.

“We now have an army of 50 million out-

of-school children, out of which about 60% of them have not been to school at all. Nigeria is now the most stressful country to live in, according to the stress level index”.

In Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, he told the party’s delegates that unless critical decisions and actions are taken by Nigerians, the country is headed for deeper crisis. In Akure, Ondo State, he identified rising spate of insecurity as a major challenge to Nigeria’s development.

He echoed similar warning in Abuja on Monday, April 25, when he observed that the country was drifting to collapse and needed to be rescued. In Osogbo, Osun State, he decried the high cost of governance as stumbling block to providing leadership.

He made similar remarks in Niger and other states.

For Obi, it is not all about woes and lamentations. He offers suggestions on how to make the situation better. His main concern is how to pull the country out of its current crisis. Doing this entails moving Nigeria from a consumer society to a productive nation.

The first step in this regard, he said, is to cut the cost of governance.

He recommends job creation and empowerment of youths among measures to end the rising insecurity in the country.

For him, the ugly situation, manifested in insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, farmer-herder clashes in North Central, kidnapping and other forms of criminality in the South is holding down the country. He pledges to end the monster if elected president.

He also makes the point that the country needs wealth creators and not sharers. This is an aspect of his pledge that deserves attention. For long, Nigerians have lived with the illusion of sharing the so-called national cake - a queer disposition that encourages drawing from the common wealth, without giving back. Obi has vowed to put an end to that faulty orientation. He did it in Anambra with resounding success.

Besides, he has a pedigree to showcase.

“I am a businessman. I have chaired corporations in this country, including the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and so many quoted companies and I have been a governor.

“It is for you to go and check all those places and see what I was able to do and ask yourself who is the right person to take leadership of this country at this difficult time,” he asserts.

Facts, they say, speak for themselves.

Duru D -RXUQDOLVW ZULWHV IURP /DJRV

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ETHNICITY, ZONING AND THE 2023 ELECTIONS Zoning and ethnicity should not take precedence over issues of leadership, argues FREDRICK NWABUFO A plus ca change. Leadership fails, followership fails; society atrophies and nothing changes. Why? We keep reinventing purgatory because we are either too complacent or too selfabsorbed to interrogate the real issues of leadership, divorcing provincial proclivities. We want change and good governance but have refused to levitate above the insular mentation that has kept us bound in the abyss of retrogression.

Why are concerns over ethnicity, region and religion the nominators of conversation on the 2023 elections? Why are these societal retardants the leading matters of debate on the elections? In every election cycle, these misnomers have become the fundamental benchmark for selecting leaders by political parties and for electing the same by citizens.

Are we predestined to remain on this primrose path? Is there no hope for a change? Why are conversations not primarily on proven administrative competence, but on which region, ethnic group and religion the next president must come from? Yes, even if consideration should be given for the ethnic and religious backgrounds of the next president, this should only be secondary. The priority should be on who can deliver the goods for all Nigerians. Who are those candidates that can nurse and heal a divided Nigeria back to health? Who are those candidates with more than smattering knowledge of everything – security and economy especially? And these individuals must have proved their worth, capacity, character and competence in previous RIÀFHV $QWHFHGHQWV PDWWHU :KLOH ZH À[DWH RYHU SULPRUGLDO concerns, we lose sight of the most important matters. We dispense too much energy on trivialities, and leaving little to interrogate those who have come forward to represent us.

Many Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity and religion, belong in the axis of competence. Political parties should zone presidential ticket to this “region”.

Character, antecedents, history of demonstrated patriotism and respect for diversity, proven leadership competence should be the leading issues as we head for the 2023 elections.

There is a winning argument for inclusion as regards zoning of political RIÀFHV EXW LQ RXU FDVH LW DSSHDUV ]RQLQJ is just an end and not a means to better governance.

As I said earlier, even if ethnicity, region and religion are to be criteria for selecting Nigeria’s next president for the sake of ‘’justice, equity and fairness’’ as propounded by those calling for an orbiting in the geography of power, this should not take precedence over the principal issues of leadership.

On Wednesday, I shared my thoughts on variegated issues leading to the 2023 elections on the popular television programme, “Village Square Africa” on News Central TV, hosted by veteran and award-winning broadcast journalist, Sulaiman Aledeh.

I will reproduce a bit of what I said here.

Sulaiman: On the issues guiding the elections, what do you have to say on what is playing out in the country?

Fred: “It is an interesting time; I believe we will have an election in 2023 where an incumbent president will not be running, and it makes it much more interesting because it is an open ticket.

Any party or anybody can take it because the power of incumbency is limited in this case. We have clamours for political parties to cede the presidential ticket to

the south, and of course, it has been a back and forth. There are arguments for and against that.

“Personally, I believe what we should be talking about now is competence. Political parties should zone their presidential tickets to the geography of competence.

If I should rephrase that, political parties should zone their presidential tickets to the axis of competence, capacity and character.

“This is the problem we have had over the years. We emphasise ethnicity and religion. Some of the presidential hopefuls that have shown interest have been toeing this path. We have a problem of putting emphasis on what should be secondary and not on primary matters of competence, character, ability, antecedents and proven track record of leadership — which should ordinarily be the issues that should guide the 2023 elections. But unfortunately, we are seeing religion and ethnicity being the topmost issues in this season. The questions are — what has zoning done for us over the years? How has zoning changed Nigeria? ‘’The problem is when you cede a presidential ticket to a particular zone on the basis of ‘it is our turn’, the person who is coming to contest is coming to represent his region and not Nigerians. We should be talking about a Nigerian president not an Igbo president. That is why I totally repudiate the phrase — Igbo presidency

Character, antecedents, history of demonstrated patriotism and respect for diversity, proven leadership competence should be the leading issues as we head for the 2023 elections — it is wrong to say Igbo presidency.

These are some of the things we need to correct.

“We need a Nigerian president not a president of the south-east, the southwest or the north. A president that will represent all Nigerians; that will be for all Nigerians.

“We have been through this path before.

When you start ceding or start amplifying ethnic agenda and issues, the person who emerges will want to favour his own side of the country because he believes that he is at the presidency to represent his region.”

If we want to do better, we must know better. Making the 2023 elections about an ethnic group or region is reinventing a bogey. We should elevate our thinking and conversations beyond the crude and primitive.

Nwabufo is a writer and journalist

PARADOX OF GENERATIONS, POLITICAL ILLITERACY AND LEADERSHIP SAMUEL AKPOBOME OROVWUJE canvasses leadership with vision to actualise the country’s development agenda “Those who do not move do not notice their chains” - Rosa Luxemburg Years of military rule and political chaos have caused Nigerians to be trapped in the wasteland of inept leadership. The unevenness in authentic public leadership continues to flourish, leaving us with no remarkable evolvement in our nationbuilding efforts. This is the judgment of Nigeria!

Over the years, Nigerians have hardly paid attention to the relationship between generational political mismatch, the organisation of political parties, authentic leadership recruitment and credible representation at the various levels of governance. As we approach the 2023 general elections, citizens must remember that Nigeria’s advancement and success start with the selective recruitment of appropriate leaders. Therefore, for collective responsibility of such importance, much effort is required to consider leaders with a long-term vision and mission in order to actualise Nigeria’s development agenda.

This article aims to provoke conversation on the new awakening in order to ascertain the effects that political party systems and recruitment have on the kinds of men and women who enter public life, as well as the policies they espouse. It further interrogates the disconnect among the four generations, political illiteracy and contradictions in our internal democracy, the lack of clear ideology and structural weaknesses in party organisation vis-à-vis the final outcome of those who become public leaders.

Today, empowered interest groups, particularly citizens, shape the outcome of credible leaders. The connections too often overlooked in the rush to the 2023 general elections and previous ones are the need to communicate across Nigeria’s Four Generations, the question of political illiteracy amongst voters, the unreasonable messaging of the treacherous and uncaring political class across the divide to undermine genuine nation-building efforts.

Unequivocally, four distinct generations are found across the continuum, and understanding this generational clash of interest is very important to citizens’ decisionmaking process in electing credible leaders.

The Traditional Generation (also known as the Silent Generation) refers to those born between 1900 and 1945, who are supposed to be retired. They are often referred to as the “cabal” or “owners” of Nigeria. Many of them are involved in or re-entering politics in order to maintain their hold on illicit wealth. In my view, they do not mean well for the country.

The second generation, and the most critical, is the Baby Boomer Generation. They are those born between 1946 and 1964, and they make up the largest segment of the political class (moneybags). They manipulate the process with their godfathers (the Traditional Generation) to perpetuate themselves in power, deploying a high dose of religious, ethnic and primordial sentiments to hoodwink Nigerians. Going forward, citizens must understand the dynamics of negative political elite power play so as to forge a new consciousness.

The next is Generation X, those born from 1965 through the 1980s, and they are the smallest segment of the Nigerian society.

Nevertheless, they make up today’s bulk of senior management positions, entrepreneurs, senior public servants (military and bureaucrats), and they represent the majority of rent-seekers and the corrupt in collaboration with the Baby Boomer Generation. They are wired with military outcropping and command management style to manipulate the system for their personal gain above the public good.

The youngest and most critical group is the Millennial Generation, or Generation Y, referring to those born in the 1990s and 2000s.

This generation is both the most controversial and the leading light of the four generations.

The millennials are technologically savvy, extremely confident, demanding and multidimensional in outlook, and they embrace social cohesion.

Understanding the distinguishing characteristics and clash points of each generation is critical to forging a new leadership template. We must be intentional about projecting leaders that can take on tougher assignments and successfully deliver on the task at hand. The presidential candidates in particular must demonstrate fine quality on issues of evidence-based national development policy. They must also portray uncommon competence, courage, compassion and capacity to resolve the national question, find workable and durable solutions to Nigeria’s security challenges and strengthen institutional capacities to sustain peace and democracy.

The national debate on evolving credible leadership must go beyond the rhetoric of empty promises, and the pathway, going forward, must revolve around sustainable development ecosystems and evidencebased policy templates, which must include development management, economics and rural development, the environment, poverty reduction, conflict and reconstruction, social policy and social development.

Nigerians cannot afford to underestimate the power of the treacherous political elite to lobby themselves into power again by all means possible. However, like

We must be intentional about projecting leaders that can take on tougher assignments and successfully deliver on the task at hand previous elections, it should be considered a challenge, not an insurmountable obstacle, in electing a credible leader. The challenges of mass mobilisation, national spread and organisational capacity will be germane to rescuing Nigeria. Nevertheless, citizens have to revive the required drive to build a coalition of like-minds.

Sadly, with each episodic election cycle, voter attendance is becoming appallingly low and worrisome. A number of explanations have been given for this, including voter indifference (due to lack of confidence in the electoral process), insufficient civic education and poor leadership recruitment ecosystem, among other factors. The trend from 1999 to date is abysmal and worrisome. According to INEC, registered voters stood at 57.9 million in 1999, with only 30.3 million (52.3 %) voter turnout; in 2003, 60.8 million with 42.0 million (69.1%) voter turnout; in 2007, 61.6 million with 35.4 million (57.5%) voter turnout; in 2011, 73.5 million with 39.5 million (53.7%) voter turnout; in 2015, 67.4 million with 29.4 (43.7%) voter turnout; in 2019, 82.3 million voters with 28.6 million (35.6%) voter turnout.

Citizens must instill credibility and trust in the political process by voting.

Let us start now by weeding out those without good intentions to set the template for a credible leadership evolution.

Orovwuje is Founder, Humanitarian Care for Displaced Persons, Lagos. He can be reached via Orovwuje50@gmail.com

4 54

T H I S D AY SUNDAY MAY 01, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

MONETISATION OF POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS The cost of nomination forms charged by political parties is excessive. And there are consequences

T

he high nomination fees being charged by leading political parties to secure their tickets for the 2023 general election have reawakened the conversation around the monetisation of politics in Nigeria. To run for president in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), an aspirant must cough out a whopping sum of N100 million just for the nomination IRUP ZKLOH WKRVH ZKR DVSLUH WR WKH RIÀFH RI JRYHUQRU would pay N50 million. Aspirants for the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly are charged N20 million, N10 million and N2 million respectively for forms. Costs of nomination forms in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are relatively lower, though still high: N40million for presidential; N21 million for governorship; N3.5 million for senatorial; N2.5 million for House of Representatives; and N600,000 for House of Assembly.

The main argument for the high nomination fees is that the conduct of the primaries would cost money with the dues used as a necessary deterrent to unserious aspirants who might crowd the political VSDFH 7KHVH MXVWLÀFDWLRQV GR QRW PLWLJDWH WKH negative impact of the unwholesome monetisation of politics with the effect of excluding a large section of the populace from governance. This exclusionist tendency is particularly objectionable because the constitution has foreclosed independent candidacy. $QG WKH SHUIXQFWRU\ FODLP WKDW WKH ÀHOG LV ZLGH enough is at best cynical as even many of the smaller parties have bitten the bug of charging high participation fees.

To worsen matters, some shadowy groups are now paying for, on behalf of prominent presidential candidates, these prohibitive nomination costs.

Yet, section 91 (9) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) states that “No individual or other entity shall donate more than one million naira (1,000,000) to any candidate.” The punishment for those who violate this provision is spelt out thus: “A candidate who knowingly acts in contravention of this section commits an offence and on convictions shall be liable –

D LQ FDVH RI SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ WR D PD[LPXP ÀQH RI N1,000,000.00 or imprisonment of 12 months or both.”

7KH UDWLRQDOH EHKLQG WKH ÀQDQFH FDPSDLJQ ODZV PD\ EH PDQ\ EXW RQH VWDQGV RXW 7R SUHYHQW RIÀFH seekers from being captured by special interest groups should they win. Sadly, nobody knows the memberships of these shadowy groups, their main objectives and how they came about the money with which they are purchasing forms for these aspirants as well as their own expectations.

Meanwhile, it is the obvious unreasonableness of these fees and their possible exclusion of otherwise FRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\ TXDOLÀHG FLWL]HQV IURP SDUWLFLSDWLRQ in the nomination processes of the political parties that have made them condemnable.

These prohibitive fees just to purchase nomination forms are simply unconscionable given how they narrow the space only to politicians who may have deep pockets but may be low in the talent required to help UHVROYH WKH GHHS FULVHV DIÁLFWLQJ WKH QDWLRQ 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ WKH ODZ RQ FDPSDLJQ ÀQDQFHV KDV always been treated with contempt by practically all politicians, especially by the big parties in our country. For instance, the electoral act prescribes limits to how much candidates can spend on their elections but not only has the law been observed in the breach with elections EHFRPLQJ D ED]DDU ZKHUH VWXSHQGRXV DPRXQWV of money are spent, the whole issue of campaign expenses in Nigeria is riddled with unwholesome practices. Besides, in almost all instances where an incumbent president or governor is seeking reelection, it is public money that is used for such purpose. Far more worrisome is what these ill-gotten funds are most often used for: to buy consumables which are distributed at campaign rallies, pay off some local operatives, procure the services of muscle PHQ FRPSURPLVH HOHFWRUDO DQG VHFXULW\ RIÀFLDOV DQG then buy votes on election days.

To the extent that these huge costs have alienated the ordinary Nigerians from participation in politics which now looks like a cult of the wealthy, there is an urgent need to demonetise political aspiration in Nigeria.

To the extent that these huge costs have alienated the ordinary Nigerians from participation in politics which now looks like a cult of the wealthy, there is an urgent need to demonetise political aspiration in Nigeria

Letters to the Editor

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

LETTERS AFRICA, WHITHER THE JOBS? Africa, with the world`s youngest population and median age of 19.7 years, burns with a raging question of what to do with its teeming young people who grapple with unemployment as a daily reality.

For many of Africa`s young people spread across its 54 countries, unemployment engenders a number of inevitable implications which can count lack of adequate engagement, penury and poor human capital development among them. Because unemployment breeds stagnation which in turn perpetuates vicious cycles of backbreaking poverty and underdevelopment, it must be highly undesirable to any continent that is serious about its development. And Africa is serious, or should at least be serious with its development, especially in the IDFH RI VHQVHOHVV FRQÁLFWV DQG GHYDVWDWLQJ instability.

Of course, with labour issues, as long as the question has to do with employment, there is always the problem of underemployment as well as nagging issues about conditions of

work which necessarily embrace concerns about remuneration, work hours and other EHQHÀWV WKDW DUH QHFHVVDU\ WR VWULNH D ZRUN life balance.

But just how many jobs does Africa QHHG WR NHHS LWV \RXQJ SHRSOH VXIÀFLHQWO\ HQJDJHG DQG GHIXVH WKH FRQÁLFWV WKDW ZUHDN havoc on the continent and its great hopes?

According to The People`s Charter on Jobs in Africa over 15 million decent jobs must be created annually for youths before 2025. People`s Charter, created by the Jobs Now Africa coalition as part of its ‘ JobsNowAfrica’ campaign is an interactive tool designed to encourage the public to petition governments and nonstate partners to prioritise jobs. The 40 organisations behind the coalition warned that the continent is at the tipping point of what could be the economic breakthrough from the pandemic, but only if investments DUH PDGH WR SULRULWL]H MRE FUHDWLRQ Noting that Africa`s population might double to 2.5 billion by 2050, it said Africa`s

jobless youth risks casting a pall over its economic growth.

The organisations warned that the continent risks losing its youths if it failed to tackle unemployment by investing in tech and digital industries, green job RSSRUWXQLWLHV PRGHUQL]LQJ DJULFXOWXUH DQG implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Enter South Africa, Namibia and Nigeria – three of Africa`s most iconic countries and unfortunate models of unemployment. In an August 2021 Report by Bloomberg, South Africa had the highest unemployment rate on a global list of 82 countries as the jobless rate increased to 34.4 per cent in Q2 2021 from 32. 6 per cent in Q1 2021.

Namibia ranked second behind South Africa with unemployment rate at 33.4 per cent, while Nigeria ranked behind Namibia with an unemployment rate put at 33.3 per cent. Outside the top three African countries on the list, Jordan came

in fourth place with unemployment put at SHU FHQW ZKLOH &RVWD 5LFD UDQNHG ÀIWK with an unemployment rate of 18.1 per cent.

Of course, because there is a link between crime and unemployment, it should come as no surprise that South Africa has the third-highest crime rate in the world with Namibia and Nigeria not so far behind.

When young people whose faculties are still intact are left with nothing meaningful to do, they do anything at all that is available and most times, that which is available to them is that which is undesirable to their immediate societies.

7R À[ LWV MRE GHÀFLW $IULFD PXVW JR EDFN WR the drawing board. There must be conscious and conscientious investments made to create jobs that are sustainable. There must also be strident efforts made to ensure that the African worker acquires the skill suitable to the labour market of the future.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

1.5.2021

Antonia Ally Touching Lives Across Borders In this encounter, Antonia Ally, the CEO of Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW) Foundation, a non-profit organisation reveals to Vanessa Obioha the benefits of having the right kind of mentors for younger ones through a glimpse into her life and her work at the foundation.

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

56

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 1, 2022

COVER

It’s very difficult to find the right kind of mentor in Nigeria The COVID lockdown period was very painful to see honestly. I remember we were given out food in Sura, Ikoyi. The people that came out first were all the young agile people that I’m sure could get food. We had to go into people’s huts where there were sick and old people who hadn’t eaten in days, especially the widows. It just opened my eyes to the amount of poverty that is around us. Some people don’t even have money to open an account. They can’t even afford the N1000 opening fee.

Ally

O

n the day we met, snarling traffic characterised the Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis. Being highbrow areas where drivers are supposedly saner, a minimum degree of reckless driving was encountered. Everyone moved as if they were in an orchestra, waiting for the next sign before they progressed.

Antonia Ally was already seated in a posh restaurant in Ikoyi where we had scheduled our meeting, thankful that she escaped the traffic yet sympathetic to this reporter’s plight. Looking resplendent in a flowing African print gown with her hair styled in a long curly ponytail, Ally looked like a fashion model rather than the woman in charge of Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (HOW) Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe. The foundation is built on the core values of education, health and empowering young people.

Since the foundation’s six years of existence, Ally has traversed different parts of the country to achieve the objectives of the foundation. From sponsoring the building of the Hope Centre in Makoko to donating an e-library to Aguda Grammar School in Lagos; distributing mosquito nets and other malaria treatment

essentials in different communities; creating awareness of prostate cancer through a charity football match; to organising empowerment and mentorship programmes for youths such as the ‘Be the Best series.’

During the pandemic lockdown period in 2020, the HOW foundation provided palliatives for many. On one occasion, Ally recalled she had to take food supplies to the people of Isiokpo in Rivers State.

The day of her arrival coincided with the day the governor, Nyesom Wike declared restriction of movement in the state. Ally revealed that she was scared of running into the governor who is known for his ‘no-nonsense’ demeanour.

On another occasion, the native of Cross River State lamented the economic privation of the country when she visited the Sura community in Ikoyi.

“The COVID lockdown period was very painful to see honestly. I remember we were given out food in Sura, Ikoyi.

The people that came out first were all the young agile people that I’m sure could get food. We had to go into people’s huts where there were sick and old people who hadn’t eaten in days, especially the widows. It just opened my eyes to the amount of poverty that is around us. Some people don’t even have money to open an account. They can’t even afford the N1000 opening fee.”

Experiencing such poverty first-hand

somehow motivated Ally to do more.

“I feel like some people are benefitting from the failure of Nigeria. I am definitely going to continue pushing and be among those who would not want it to get that bad or to the point where we no longer exist. That’s not an option for me.”

She gave a profound interpretation of the current situation in Nigeria.

“I think most Nigerians are selfish.

We always put ourselves first before others. What we however fail to understand is that the neglect of the strangers around us is going to affect every single individual. The suffering we are experiencing now, everybody is affected. Even the billionaires are affected. I think now, people are beginning to wake up to the reality that our success story is going to be a collective effort.”

Ally lost her mother at the age of two.

As the only child of her parents, she was raised by her grandmother whom she inherited some of the values she lived by.

Still, their personalities differed. While her grandmother was the reticent and routine type, she was adventurous and spontaneous. Therefore, going to remote areas to push the cause of the foundation was no headache to her, nor adopting a dwarf crocodile from the Green Fingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative for the foundation as part of her mission to help in teaching the younger generation how to live sustainably within the ecosystem.

Like her grandmother, she is practical and not materialistic.

“I drive a Hilux,” she laughed. “I think I’m the only girl in Lagos that drives a Hilux.”

“Of course, I love fine things but not to the extent of compromising my morals or values, which I see a lot in my environment” she added.

Ally, who is a graduate of Business Management and Marketing from Brunel University, United Kingdom, often found herself playing the role of an older sister to her 12 cousins. They filled in the gap of siblings and made her feel responsible, a role she relished.

Ally found this trait of mentorship lacking in society today.

“Looking back to when I was younger, I feel one of my biggest issues was mentorship. It’s very difficult to find the right kind of mentor in Nigeria. The mentors we need to move this country forward are not many and somehow, younger people nowadays do not really look up to the leaders anymore. Maybe because of the lack of mentorship so they are making use of what is available and more accessible.”

A passionate Nigerian, Ally may not readily accept that she is playing the role of a mentor to many young people, but she is already walking as one. For instance, it is easy to conclude that with her pretty face, she is materialistic and probably has access to the good things of life. But when people see her work

tirelessly at the foundation, they evoke two kinds of reactions. The first is shock which slowly turns into admiration. Oftentimes, younger girls approached her to mentor her on how they can build a career of their own instead of living the ‘baby girl’ life.

“These girls are at the same time dealing with sexual harassment at the workplace and dealing with the mentality that some men and women see women as prostitutes particularly when you are good-looking. So they really want to find out how they can get respect in such an environment,” she said bluntly.

Still citing her experience, Ally who has over five years experience in Sales and Marketing said most women do not readily mentor young girls because they often feel like they are threats or are more interested in their personal life than imparting knowledge.

To this end, the UN Global Peace Ambassador advocated the need to protect the girl-child who are often victims of sexual violence or harassment. Ally’s stance is that the boy-child needs to be disabused of victimblaming girls.

“They should understand that it is their duty to protect them in society. There is a lot of education that needs to be done.”

She cited Wigwe as one of the few men who understands what it is to be a woman in today’s world.

“In his own capacity, he educates his fellow men on what sexual harassment is.

We need more people like him. Again, if you look at developed societies, the better the relationship between the men and the women; the more mutual respect between both genders. In my opinion, the average Nigerian man does not respect a woman as a fellow human being.

“There are women who are comfortable using the bottom power to get what they want but we need our society to get to the level where women have equal opportunity to acquire certain goals based on experience and merit,” she opined.

Despite the various achievements by the foundation, Ally stated that the impact recorded is still in trickles compared to the capacity of the founder.

“He started the foundation while he was the Managing Director of Access Bank. He has had to limit himself to things that he gets involved in when it comes to the foundation to avoid controversies and rumours. He had just tried to make an impact based on my capacity. I believe now that he has stepped down, we can make more impact based on his capacity.”

By capacity, Ally meant leveraging the large network of the founder. Her ultimate goal is to fly the Nigerian flag high through the foundation.

“My goal is to make the HOW foundation one of the most respected non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Nigeria. Having that ideology that Nigerians are fraudulent, I would like the foundation to be known as a Nigerian brand that everyone can be proud of.”

“Personally,” she added, “I would like to be in a position where I can make more impact.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 1, 2022

57

GLITZ FOCUS

Tobi Adegboyega: Grandmaster of Glamorous Evangelism Designer wears and flashy cars are the hallmarks of the flamboyant lifestyle of Tobi Adegboyega, the Senior Pastor of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, popularly known as SPAC Nation.

For always being in the news for one controversy or the other, Azuka Ogujiuba recently had a candid conversation with this Man of God where he addressed the public perception of him as well as the rationale behind his persona.

Adegboyega

“M

any are called, but few are chosen” goes the popular biblical saying but in today’s world, the selection process to climb the pulpit has been watered down, thus the gospel can be found in the hands of many who considered themselves worthy to spread the message of God. Gone are the days when conventions are followed to the tee.

Nowadays, people serve the Supreme One in whatever way they deem best. The implication of this is blistering criticisms from the public. One preacher who has continued to be under constant public scrutiny for his unconventional ways is the Senior Pastor of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church, popularly known as SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega.

Tall and dark, the Nigerian born UK-based preacher is one whose lifestyle raises eyebrows. Whether he is displaying his luxury cars or making philanthropic gestures on social media, his actions usually spark conversations.

Recently, he was captured on camera spraying bundles of money (pounds) on Nigerian musician Davido at a wedding reception of one of his church members which generated a social media frenzy.

Reacting to the news, Adegboyega explained himself thus: “David came for a wedding of one

of my daughters and pastor, and he came by himself—he wanted to support the lady that got married. We had a restaurant party and David had just sold out the 02 Arena. He has made Nigeria proud and he deserves triple of all he got. Every Nigerian should spray them money and encourage them and that’s what and how we will do it. It wasn’t a nightclub as people are saying, it was a well-deserved honorarium to David for a job well done, for being a good ambassador of the country.”

For Adegboyega, being generous with his money to whoever he chooses is his prerogative and no one else’s.

“This is public knowledge; we have lost count on the number of people we have sent to school on scholarship. We have built water cisterns in Makoko; the number of mosques that we feed is much, so it is endless the amount of money we spray on Nigerians,” he said.

“I don’t tell Nigerians how to spend their money, or how to put their resources to use, so I don’t think people can wake up and tell us how to spend our resources.

We have spent a lot of money to support the less privileged and the people we believe in. I’ve seen how people put money together; how young people contribute money to vote for people on Big Brother Nigeria, how they support them, how they send them money, how they buy them a gift, houses according to what we read in the media. So, are you saying Davido does not deserve that?! Or he doesn’t work as hard as that?” he queried.

Adegboyega believes that Davido deserves triple of his kindness and is likely to do more if he gets an opportunity. He stressed that the singer who hails from a wealthy family is not the only beneficiary of his largesse.

“I support what he does, like we support many other artists as well— artists, musicians, widows, orphans, and scholarships. I think Nigerian youths have way more situations to deal with other than that because I have never received anything from Nigerians. Nigerians have never given me anything in this lifetime, so it is impossible for them to be the ones to tell us how to spend our own resources. We don’t tell them how to spend their resources when they use them to vote for their loved ones on BBN – when they buy them gifts, we don’t tell them how to spend, so they are not the ones to tell me what to do, and again I repeat, we have done a lot in that country, I can’t begin to count, there are public knowledge, home and abroad about what we have done to help humanity. So, let’s keep our focus on how many more people we can be of help to.”

He further disclosed that SPAC Nation runs a programme Wealth Nation which empowers young people. According to him, the church has spent close to N30 million on young Nigerians with ideas and

problems. About 30 youths were given N1million each and the church intends to help 100 youths with their businesses. He clarified that he is not after public praise but genuinely wants to help people with needs.

To be sure, Adegboyega comes from a Christian family. His father was a preacher.

He came to the United Kingdom at the age of 25 after studying law at Ogun State University.

“When I got here, I realise that they had problems with young people. Young people were going astray including guys that grew up in church. I started talking to the churches. In my Uncle’s church, I told them that these young people are not stubborn; they have labelled them already. They are not just connecting with the church. I realised that we can stop teenagers’ death which is what London is popular for; among the black community, young people between the ages of 13 and 14 years die on the street of London. I felt that we could stop it, so I started gathering people in Queen’s Road and Peckham.

At that time, they were very notorious areas. I took up a job, washing plates.

Whatever I got from there I was giving to that community to encourage them and then the work started to grow. That was how I became a preacher. It was almost by default. I have always seen a line that if I am going to reach the community (we grew up in community houses being a pastor’s kid), it will be through church, it can’t be through music, I am not a musician or a footballer.”

SPAC Nation became a reality in 2008. Adegboyega’s preaching has been described as uplifting and transformational. His messages are seen as enlightening and soul-lifting, and with his practical expression of God’s words, he has helped in changing the mindset of a lot of faithfuls in his church and beyond to better position them for God’s glory and manifestation in their lives.

However, not many are comfortable with his unconventional ways, particularly his luxury lifestyle to the extent that many doubt his calling to the altar.

Addressing the controversy over his extravagant fashion taste, Adegboyega said: “Well I’m sorry, I didn’t get the memo, I didn’t know that there was a dress code for being a Man of God. You see the problems with Africans, and that is why we have such a dark continent, are that we embrace cultures and traditions we don’t know about. Pastors wear suits and tie under the sun. There was no suit and tie in the Bible. Jesus dressed according to the order of his day as a Jewish man. So, for me, I dress according to my generation and the people I am trying to reach.

“The people I am trying to reach are what I look like and so if people say it’s funny - because it makes you wonder how people process thoughts - if your pastor wears suits and ties, you should doubt that he is a man of God!? People dress according to their generation. Imagine Jesus dressed like people dressed 100 years ago or even dressed like Adam in the garden of Eden, it makes no sense. I deal with a generation that wants to follow actors and rappers and if we are going to change them to God’s glory, we have to look like them. Do you remember the scriptures where Paul said, ‘to all men, I became all things? Just in case I might be able to gain some?’”

Adegboyega added that most of the things he wore are from his members. It is his way of promoting and supporting their business. He thumped his chest that he is probably the only Nigerian in the UK who has taken many young people off the streets.

“It amazes the police system in the U.K how many times people and how many young people have come to the church, trying to kill or stab someone and then drop their knives on the altar—the highest ever and they did this because they heard the word. They are pastors now and they are multi-millionaires. How many drug dealers have been taken off the streets? Go and do the research, sometimes they are on BBC news and other news platforms the number of young people that left their guns and decided to follow Christ, so let me not speak for myself on that let the result and the work speak.”

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GLITZ PERSONALITY

As Mary Odili Prepares to Bow Out… Vanessa Obioha chronicles the illustrious career of Justice Mary Ukaego Odili who will gloriously bow out from the Supreme Court on May 12, after 44 years of meritorious service on the bench, 11 of which she spent at the apex court

Justice Odili

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ext week, precisely May 12, 2022, a great mind, peaceful soul, dedicated and amiable wife, loving mother and one of the intelligentsia in the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Ukaego Odili, will bow out after 44 years on the judicial bench, 11 of which was spent in the apex court. On that day, she will attain the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Justice Odili, who for the past one year has been the second most senior justice of the Supreme Court and second-in-command to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has also been the Vice Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

As it is customary, events have been lined up to celebrate her, beginning with a special Valedictory Court Session in her honour to be led by the CJN, Justice Muhammad, at the Supreme Court Complex, Abuja by 9.a.m on May 12.

After the valedictory session and the refreshment that would follow immediately at her Abuja residence, other celebrations will continue in Port Harcourt on May 15 where Odili and her household will have a Thanksgiving service at Our Lady of the Holy Chaplaincy Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) and on May 16, the retiring justice will present her new books at the Rivers State Judicial Complex.= From the Magistrate’s Court where she started her career, to the High

Court and Court of Appeal, Justice Odili did not only deliver landmark judgments, but conducted herself with decorum and dignity. These attributes of hers took her to the Supreme Court where she held sway for 11 years.

At the apex court, she delivered many judgments, which helped to enrich the country’s jurisprudence and redefined the political space.

She also in no small measure delivered judgments that put judicial imprimatur on many political, electoral, business and family disputes.

She was born as Mary Ukaego Nzenwa into the noble family of His Royal Highness, Eze Bernard Nzenwa and Ugoeze Bernadette Nzenwa of Amudi Obizi, Ezinihitte-Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. Her father was a renowned lawyer of international repute, who worked in the United Kingdom before he was made Secretary of Nigerian Airways.

She attended several primary schools, including St Benedict’s Primary School, Obizi Ezinihitte, St. Michael’s Primary School, Umuahia, St. Agnes Primary School, Maryland and Our Lady of Apostles Primary School, Yaba. She briefly attended Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, also in Yaba, Lagos.

Following the outbreak of the civil war in 1967, Mary and her parents relocated to the South-east of the country. There, she continued her education at Owerri Girls High School until her family moved back to Mbaise. She then attended Mbaise Girls Secondary School and later

enrolled at the Queen of the Rosary College in Onitsha. In 1972, she passed with Grade I (aggregate 6) in the West African School Certificate Examination.

The same year, she gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus where she read law. In her second year at the university, she earned a scholarship for maintaining the second class upper division league with higher scores.

Mary met Peter, a medical doctor, at a campus party and the two began a romantic relationship. In 1976, she graduated with an LLB (Hons) and was rated the best student in the department of commercial and property law. Shortly after, she attended the Nigerian Law School and received her B.L. certificate in 1977.

After participating in the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where she served as Pupil State Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Abeokuta, Ogun State (1977-1978), and Pupil State Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Benin-City, Bendel State, Justice Odili commenced her career in the judiciary as a Magistrate Grade III in November 1978.

She tied the knot with Dr. Peter Odili in 1979 and they moved to Port Harcourt where her husband established his medical centre, Pamo Clinics. Between 1980 and 1988, the jurist served as Chief Magistrate Grade I; Chairman of the Juvenile Court; President, Marine Board of Inquiry into the 1979 Buguma Boat disaster; Chairman, Constitution Drafting Committee of the University of Nigeria Alumni Associates; Inaugural Chairperson of the International

Federal of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Rivers State; and Secretary, Nigerian Horticultural Society.

With her support, Peter went into politics and served as a member and leader of Rivers State Delegates to the Constituent Assembly. In 1992, while she was a High Court Judge, Odili served as the Deputy Governor of Rivers State.

In 1999, following her husband’s election as governor, Justice Odili became the First Lady of Rivers State, serving until May 29, 2007.

Although as First Lady, Mary continued to perform her duties as a High Court judge and Justice of the Court of Appeal but that did not stop her from playing her motherly role to the state by devoting her time to developmental projects. She established ‘The Adolescent Project (TAP)’ which touched many lives in the state and beyond. The skill acquisition programme of TAP trained more than 30,000 women and girls while generating self-employment for the trainees who were usually equipped after undergoing apprenticeship.

The gains of the Ribbon Alliance for safe motherhood were legendary. It received both local and international awards. The project was initially planned for Ndoni but had to be expanded due to festering child abuse, teenage pregnancy and other juvenile delinquencies in the various communities of Rivers. Her expansion paid off handsomely as more and more persons benefited from her humanitarian outfit.

Mary held the offices of Justice, Court of Appeal, Abuja Division and Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division. On May 3, 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan nominated her and two other Appeal Court Justices to the Supreme Court. She was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) on June 23, 2011.

She was conferred with National Honour Commander Federal Republic (CFR).

Justice Odili has delivered many important judgments for which she would be remembered and contributed immensely to Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

She was the leader of the five-person panel at the Supreme Court that nullified the governorship election of David Lyon after his deputy was found wanting for submitting fake certificates during preelection screening after they were declared winners on November 16, 2019, Bayelsa State gubernatorial election. The judgment has helped political parties in Nigeria to thoroughly scrutinise and vet candidates’ certificates and their backgrounds before fielding for elections.

The renowned jurist is a remarkable woman of success who quietly attained feats within record time. She is a paragon of beauty, an ideal mother and a career woman.

Even as she steps into the septuagenarian world and retires from her calling, her name will continue to ring a bell beyond the courtroom.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 01, 2022

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GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

Stories by Vanessa Obioha As voting for the eighth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) wrapped up at the weekend, the official countdown to the main ceremony has begun. Unlike previous editions, this year’s ceremony is preceded by a week of different activities that celebrate every part of the creative sector. From fashion to technology, the organisers have set out a day to celebrate the storytellers using different platforms to push the right African narrative.

The one-week celebration starting on May 8, is a reiteration of Africa Magic’s commitment to recognise and celebrate authentic storytelling on the continent. A major recognition at this year’s event is digital content creators. Creatives in this field gained popularity during the lockdown period of the coronavirus pandemic. As the world shut down, these creatives carved a niche for themselves, created a persona, and consistently rolled out engaging content for their community. They constantly set trends, created catchphrases, entertained and educated their audience during the process. Many of them amassed millions of followers on their social media platforms.

Therefore, the AMVCAs this year deemed it fit to acknowledge their impact.

A new category for Best Online Social Content Creator was unveiled this year. The nominees in this category included Mr Macaroni, Elozonam Ogbolu and Edem Victor among others.

“We are very excited about the Best Online Social Content Creator category as we believe this will further underscore our commitment to represent all content creators and inspire new talent. There is no better time than now to recognize and celebrate this growing digital community as

A scene from Night Nursery screened at iREP 2022

we stage the eighth edition of the awards,” said Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola at the time of announcement.

How Davido, Peruzzi, Others Scored Big with Heineken Trophy Tour

Peruzzi

The assertion that football and music are like Siamese twins is very correct, at least going by the happenings at the recent Heineken Trophy Tour held in the two cities of Lagos and Abuja. Though meant to primarily showcase the iconic Champions League trophy accompanied to Nigeria by football legend, Clarence Seedorf, Nigeria music stars led by the multi-award-winning superstar Davido added glamour and a whole new vibe to the

occasion.

The star and Reekado performed in Lagos while Peruzzi and Lojay gave riveting performances in Abuja.

The popular musicians were on hand to delight the crowd with half-time entertainment and after-party displays which capped off a memorable experience for fans and loyal Heineken consumers.

Davido demonstrated he is the best of two worlds with his performance in the faceoff challenge in which he led the likes of Austin Jay Jay Okocha and Daniel Amokachi against Team Heineken captained by the legendary Seedorf in a fivea-side football contest. Other music stars like MI and Darey Art Alade were also part of his team.

Marketing Director Nigerian Breweries Plc, Emmanuel Oriakhi succinctly captured the importance attached to the Heineken Champions League trophy tour which remains one of the biggest events on the calendar of the international premium beer brand.

“A lot of people argued that maybe the timing would have been more perfect concerning the disappointment Nigeria suffered a few weeks back. But we are resilient as a people and we are always positive and believe tomorrow will be better.”

Although this is not the first time the UEFA Champions League trophy is coming to Nigeria, however, it enabled fans globally to get closer to the UEFA Champions League competition and the trophy itself with the campaign titled, “Cheers to All Fans”, highlighting that football belongs to all passionate fans and challenges the stereotype that football belongs to men.

Fair and White Renews Agunbiade’s Brand Ambassadorial Contract

L-R: General Sales Manager, Fair& White Nigeria, Mr Sunday Adekoya; Brand Ambassador, Fair & White range of cosmetics, Esther Agunbiade; and Online Sales Manager, Fair & White Nigeria, Ms Chiamaka Chibueze

The ambience at Fair and White Nigeria premises, Ikoyi, Lagos was gay and electrifying last Wednesday during the contract renewal of a beauty queen, Esther Agunbiade as the brand ambassador for the Fair and White range of beauty products.

Agunbiade, a 2019 housemate of the famed Big Brother Naija TV reality show is making a rebound as an ambassador of the brand for two straight years.

She was first signed on in February 2020. According to Fair and White Nigeria’s

Media Adviser, Chief Ingram Osigwe, “the renewal of her contract is the definitive definition of the popular saying, “one good turn deserves another”.

The brand ambassador, he said, performed exceedingly well in her first contract hence Fair and White deemed it fit to renew it.

Speaking shortly after signing the contract renewal, Agunbiade urged beauty enthusiasts and all those who want the best for their skin to switch brands and be Fair and White compliant.

Beaming with satisfaction as she displayed the brands, Agunbiade counselled that “for Fair and White to work for you, you need to first know your skin type and then go for the brand’s variant that suits it. There is Fair and White for every skin. I have been able to sensitise consumers on this” Continuing, the brand ambassador said: “Fair and White is the brand for all those who care for great skin and beauty. Fair and White is a brand that works.

Just use it according to the instructions” On his part, Osigwe who is the CEO/MD of FullPage International Communications Limited and who anchored the event explained that shortly after Agunbiade signed the first contract in February 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and inhibited most of what she was to do for the brand but she was not deterred as she took on to social media to educate ladies on the imperativeness of using Fair and White rather than resorting to brands that damage their skin.

In his address, the General Sales Manager of Fair and White Nigeria, Mr Sunny Adekoya, said the company will not relent in taking care of the beauty of African women by making sure that it gives the best of Fair and White at all times.

The event organisers have also designated May 12 as Digital Content Creators’ Day to engage with the growing number of online content creators in Africa. The main ceremony is slated for May 14.

Afrobeats Goes Eclectic with the Sultry Sounds of TyStringz

TyStringz

New Afrobeats artist, TyStringz, is set to upend the industry with his new single entitled, ‘Shy’.

He teamed up with popular artiste, L.A.X. in the single which was produced by Marphy Jay. Released on Friday, April 29 across all digital platforms, the song is distributed by fast-rising media and marketing outfit, Defabs Digital founded by Ayodeji Badmus.

“In my new song, sincerity bleeds through my songwriting. My new Afrobeats single centres around empowering women to realize what beautiful creatures they are. With percussion being paramount, the beat allows me to become loose and free. You could call it a sunny infusion of tropical fun mixing with lush instrumentals, melting away any insecurities,” said the artist.

He continued: “‘Shy’ redirects flowing positivity into empowerment allowing my listener to feel confident and blossom upon hearing such an inspirational song. The writing process was instantaneous. On my first listen, I could feel the energy along with emotion which helped me create the lyrics and melody which gave the song a direction. This was the same energy for my collaborator, L.A.X. On hearing the song, he could automatically connect to it. It was pretty smooth for him to write his part to such beautiful music and with a great message.”

The attention-grabbing TyStringz is blossoming with youthful exuberance, which he consistently wields to achieve his bevy of accomplishments. In no way is he just another Afrobeats artist. When he isn’t busy molding his musical talent or playing one of the six instruments he mastered, TyStringz, born Oretayo Fatokun is a leading Software Developer at tech juggernaut Microsoft.

The first of four children to Dr. and Mrs. Fatokun, TyStringz was always a brilliant mind blessed with an affinity for academic excellence and an innate love of music. He maintained a pristine academic record right up to university.

Born on December 6, 1993, at Agosasa, Ogun State. He had his primary education at King Solomon Academy and proceeded for Secondary Education at The Ambassadors College, both located at Ota, Ogun State. By age 19, he graduated with a degree in Computer Science from Covenant University in Nigeria. After serving his mandatory year-long teaching requirement, he enrolled in the prestigious Loyola University in Chicago where he obtained a master’s in Information Technology with specifications in Cyber Security and graduated Summa Cum Laude at the age of 22.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 1, 2022

HighLife

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

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

Ngozi Ekeoma: The Stunning Portrait of a Savvy and Shrewd Businesswoman at 50 Celebrated poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins asked in his antithetical poem, ‘The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo’: “Is there any known bow or brooch or braid or brace, lace, latch or catch or key to keep back beauty from vanishing away?”

Hopkins answered that there is none.

And to a degree, he was right. The margin within which he was wrong is where you will find Mrs. Ngozi Ekeoma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Oil and Gas Services Limited. At 50 years of age, she simply glows.

It has been a while now since Ekeoma was mentioned in the news. As one of the leading women in Nigeria’s corporate corridor, she has an impressive collage of corporate credits that marks her as different from the rest. Even so, you would expect her to be subject to the dispassionate claws of time. But no, Ekeoma Adelegbe

Timehin Adelegbe Raising the Bar of Legislation, Set to Re-contest Again Ondo State is unique. It is unusual for any political figure - other than the governor - to have the attention of the media. This was the case for former Governors Adebayo Adefarati, Olusegun Agagu, and Olusegun Mimiko. However, in the time of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, there is a name that is always mentioned that is neither gubernatorial nor senatorial in position. That is Otunba Timehin Adelegbe, the federal lawmaker representing Owo/Ose Federal Constituency at the National Assembly.

Now, it is not because Akeredolu is weak that the norm of a one-man political figure in Ondo has been broken. In fact, it is because Akeredolu is generous and decided to take Adelegbe under his wings that the latter is shining brighter than a diamond. A few days ago, Adelegbe revealed that he intended to represent his constituency once again and asked for the support of the people.

Adelegbe’s declaration was not without an acknowledgement of Akeredolu’s support over the years.

Then he went on, as is his tradition, to appreciate up to 100 other individuals in Ondo and outside who have helped him to serve Owo/Ose Federal Constituency since he took up the mantle a few years ago.

One can see that the fact that Adelegbe is liked all over Ondo and across political parties is not without reason.

The man has sincerely built a network over the years so that he has the ear of practically everybody who is somebody.

Thus, Adelegbe can fill the gap he was elected to fill without worrying about obstructions from other people.

It must also be noted that Adelegbe is not only liked because of his connections.

The man expends a lot of effort to be responsible to his people and conscience.

This is why the projects he has proposed, implemented, and supervised are so many that his predecessors cannot possibly compare. No wonder there are no qualms about his wanting a second term in office.

continues to look stunning.

Ekeoma may have one of the best faces in the oil and gas industry, at least when considering those at the apex of the sector.

Thus, her reputation as a corporate Amazon is consolidated by her facial features, letting her have the best of both worlds and suppressing her peers, male and female alike.

In the last few years, it has not been easy to be Ekeoma. It was first alleged that Ekeoma had defrauded the country of $10 million. Against this allegation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was brought in along with Nigeria’s judicial system. All of the stress gradually showed in her public outings to the point that Ekeoma no longer appeared in the limelight as she used to.

Nevertheless, her 50th birthday a few days ago at the Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos brought her back to the attention

Ekeoma

of people, with all her alluring beauty and sophistication. At 50, she simply glows.

Tayo Ayeni Plans High-Octane Wedding for Daughter

Ayeni

There are individuals who will likely never be forgotten in Nigeria. Senator Abiola Ajimobi, former Governor of Oyo State, is one of such people. Even though he is late now, the various political engines and engineers he set in place in Oyo continue to come up in conversations to the point of contemplating contesting against other governorship candidates for the position once occupied by Ajimobi or senatorial position.

The people of Oyo are reasonable.

Like folks from other states, they often know what is best for them and will not waste time haggling over other things. So it is with the latest report on the street that these Oyo people are clamouring to have the only son of the late senator Abolaji, become governor come 2023.

According to the reports, the people asking for Abolaji are convinced that he is the next best

“Don’t get it twisted, love is a beautiful thing.” These lines by Nigerian musician, D’banj, are true to scale. However, they do not include the joy often felt by the family of lovers, a joy that is often accompanied by an immeasurably colourful celebration of the present and the future. This is the kind of joy that the Chairman of Skymit Limited, Tayo Ayeni, is feeling at the moment.

The month of May may not be a big deal to other people, but this is not true for the Ayeni family. According to the word on the street, come Saturday, May 7, 2022, the successful auto-dealer family will give out their daughter, Mathilda, in marriage to the love of her life, Olamide Akintayo. And like every family that is privileged to arrange such an event, Ayeni and the rest of the Ayenis are ready to go big.

According to the preparations so far released to the public, the event is set to take place at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. And

In His Father’s Shoes: Why People of Oyo are Clamouring for Ajimobi’s Only Son

because the Ayenis are not a shy lot, there will be a lot of eating, drinking, and dancing at the high-octane event. More so, the top of the corporate food chain in Lagos and Nigeria will be present to raise a cup to the bride and groom and everybody else who would attend the wedding to celebrate with them.

From all indications, Ayeni will shut down Victoria Island in recognition of the incalculable worth of his daughter. This is the natural course of action when you have billionaires for associates and top-serving politicians for friends.

This is a really good year for Ayeni. His Skymit Motors Limited continues to record high revenue sales. And now, his beloved Mathilda, who is an Executive Director on the Skymit board, is getting married to her heartthrob. Indeed, it is important to shut down Victoria Island. After all, the father of the bride is a big deal in Lagos. thing to his late father. He is reportedly just as compassionate and nice as the late chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Moreover, Abolaji has the right qualifications, including a degree in Management Consultation from a UK (United Kingdom) firm, as well as graduate degrees in International Relations and Business Management from King’s College London and Staffordshire University, respectively.

Abolaji is also the typical family man.

With his wife, Fatima Ganduje-Ajimobi, he is already leading the kind of life that would make any father proud, not to mention one like the late Ajimobi who heavily invested in each of his children.

If things go according to plan, Abolaji would have to play a major role in Oyo politics in a few months. He would have to rely on the support of the people clamouring for him and continue what the Ajimobi patriarch started before he was succeeded by Makinde.

Fatima and idris Ajimobi

Influential Dame: Uju Ifejika Signposts Her Odyssey as a Tycoon to Cheer Time changes everything. As every individual who was once oppressed knows, time is one of the most reliable factors to recover glory and fortune. Of course, for brave souls like Uju Ifejika, the Chairperson and CEO of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited (BUNL), there is no need for the sands of time to cover unpleasant situations and events.

No! She forges ahead with more courage than reputable Nigerians who have never been entangled in corporate or political controversies or scandals.

There are women and there are women.

Ifejika is a woman like no other. In the corporate industry, she wields enough power to capsize a generous portion of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. In fact, one report published back in 2015 stated that Ifejika is one of the top six most powerful women in the oil and gas sector in the world.

Such a reputation does not come from sitting in a corner and pointing fingers at

passers-by. However, she and her company, Brittania-U, were dragged to court a few months ago on account of an allegation of petrol adulteration. To those who paid attention to the case, it was more than messy.

From the proceedings, it was reported that Ifejika decided to take advantage of gaps in the petrol-testing processes of agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) which acted as gatekeepers in the industry. Thus, it was alleged that she imported petrol that was blended with methanol into the country, a serious offence no matter how you stretch the rule book.

But Ifejika denied it to the chagrin of her detractors. And she did not go into hiding as most people in her position would have done.

And she did not cry to any journalist to write her a sentimental piece that endeared her to the public. Ifejika simply ignored the negative feedback from the case and moved ahead with her life.

Ifejika

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾MAY 1, 2022

HIGHLIFE

The Return of Osazemen Imagbenikaro

Governor Seyi Makinde and Tales of Many Burials in Oyo State There are incidences that make us stop and think: Is this a coincidence or is there a divine grand momentum at work here?

This is the question that some observant individuals have started to ask following the death of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi last week. Curiously, some of these inquisitive individuals are looking toward the executive seat of government in Oyo and asking whether Governor Seyi Makinde’s governorship is truly a turnaround in history.

When the Alaafin of Oyo passed away, there were more than a handful of people who realised that his death was only the latest in a list of many other deaths in the last three years. In the last five months, apart from the Alaafin of Oyo that just succumbed to death, there have been two other prominent Yoruba traditional leaders: the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, and the Olubadan of

Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji.

While some people believe that it is a coincidence, others refuse to. The latter claim that Governor Makinde’s regime has the most deaths of prominent figures in the history of Oyo. And because those that can refute this claim have more things to do with their time, this notion is becoming the word on the street.

Of course, the three traditional leaders are not the only ones to go. In fact, the first person to leave the earth for Governor Makinde, as some have described the happenstance, is Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the former Governor of the State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). There was also Madam Angela, the wife of Senator Teslim Folarin, and Alao Akala, another former Oyo Governor.

A notable Ifa priest has already explained that there is nothing strange about these deaths,

Makinde

but this has not exactly allayed the issue.

So, there it is — Makinde at the centre of propaganda while the people wait for 2023 to reaffirm his position or chase him out of the governorship seat.

Tonye Cole as Consensus Candidate for Rivers Governorship Election… What is Next for Dakuku Peterside?

Peterside

If there is any activity that should be described as not for the faint of heart, it would be politics.

Politics is what takes a young man out of the house and sends him back as an old man. The Rivers State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stirred the waters of controversy, leaving some Rivers people excited, some aggrieved, and others entertained.

A few days ago, there was a meeting of 19 APC leaders in Rivers. The meeting was a very important event since it was centred around deciding who the consensus governorship candidate would be in 2023.

It would have been nothing if there were only two or three aspirants, but there were 12, including businessman Tonye Cole and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Peterside Dakuku.

Thus, it was expected that the meeting would certainly knock heads with whatever conclusion it came to. And it has.

The official report from the meeting showed

that Cole is the governorship candidate for the APC in Rivers. In other words, of the 12 individuals aspiring for the ticket, Cole was considered to be the most qualified candidate who will serve the interest of the Rivers people and APC for a term or two.

Of course, tongues have been wagging since the announcement was made. Some people have cussed out the Minister of Transportation and former Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for setting up his business partner, Cole, for such a sensitive position. Others, like Dakuku, have remained silent.

Anyone who knows Dakuku is undoubtedly aware that the heart of the man beats for the Rivers governorship seat and has been doing so for many years. Moreover, the man is vocally loyal to Amaechi, so many observers expected the party ticket to go to Dakuku. Now that it did not, what is to become of him and his governorship dreams?

Only time will tell for Dakuku.

Trail Blazers as Emmanuel Emefienim, Joins the League of Golden Boys of Banking At the end of the day, time is the bystander that witnesses all our lives and activities and decides to mark them rather than tell them.

For the MD and CEO of the Premium Trust Bank, Emmanuel Emefienim, time has a lot to say about him. At present, Emefienim lives one of the most admirable and enviable lives in Nigeria’s corporate corridor. In fact, calling him a man of rare constitution would be no exaggeration It was in 2022 that some Nigerians came to know that a new bank was coming over from the horizon. The bank, Premium Trust Bank, was advertised as one of a kind. It would not be overly focused on alert and ATM charges but would work towards delivering speedy services. When the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) finally approved the bank’s existence, goal, and resources, it was only right for someone of true merit to be the

Despite all that the philosophers and truth seekers of the past have said about the uncertainties of the future, how often we still take the present for granted. If we knew, for instance, that the human race would cease to exist in a handful of years, would we still loaf around? Probably not. Thankfully, there is no concrete evidence for humanity’s extinction. The same, however, cannot be said of the prestigious title of Aare Basofin of Yorubaland that was supposed to be granted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.

Different people were hit hard by the death of the 44th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi Alowolodu III. When the monarch passed away at the age of 83, several things went with him. Considering that the deceased king was in power for 52 years, just 10 years short of Nigeria’s existence as an independent nation, the magnitude of the loss as felt by the Oyo people cannot

face of the latest commercial bank in the country.

And that’s how Emefienim got the position of MD/CEO. Emefienim is perhaps the best choice for Premium Trust Bank. He has been active in the banking industry for over 30 active years. He started with Oceanic Bank Plc (now Ecobank Nigeria) and gradually touched base with so many others, including United Bank for Africa (UBA), Savannah Bank, FSB International (the Fidelity Bank of today), Equitorial Trust Bank (ETB), and Sterling Bank.

It was at Sterling Bank that Emefienim truly shined until he was appointed the Executive Director of the Institutional Banking Group at the bank. It was from this position that he retired to take up the Premium Trust Bank MD/CEO position.

So, as 2022 unveils gradually, Emefienim’s colourful merits have gotten him into a fantastic

What Next for Gbajabiamila’s %DVRÀQ·V 7LWOH"

Gbajabiamila

Emefienim

position. It is only a matter of time before he starts rubbing shoulders with the true giants of banking in Nigeria and Africa.

be quantified in words or numbers.

As would any other ordinary person, the late monarch made arrangements for the future. One of these arrangements was to appoint Gbajabiamila as the Aare Basofin of Yorubaland (the Supreme Lawmaker of Yorubaland). The installation was supposed to take place on May 27, 2022 — a little over a month away. Alas, with the demise of the Alaafin of Oyo, things have been thrown into chaos.

The late Oba had announced his decision to make Gbajabiamila the Basofin last October. Gbajabiamila accepted the responsibility, knowing that it was an honour to serve in that capacity. But that choice has likely left a dull aftertaste in the Speaker’s mouth.

Now, although there is talk that the installation event has been suspended, we don’t know if the appointment still holds. After all, the appointer has gone to his fathers in the great beyond.

Imagbenikaro

When does the show of politics end, we hear Nigerians ask. It does not end. The show must go on. And this is indeed the case for the majority of self-styled politicians who will do nothing but implement schemes that deliver the greatest benefits for their stomachs. Thankfully, this is not the case for every single Nigerian politician. Some insist on representing their people because they feel the need and want to introduce transformative governance, the kind that will wipe the tears of the people and bring calm to their hearts. Hon. Osazemen Imagbenikaro is out again.

For those in the know, Imagbenikaro is one of the most strong-minded political females in Nigeria. Hailing from Edo, saying too much about her internal strength and all-round confidence would be a waste of time. What we can confirm is that she is respected far and wide concerning her activism and support of gender inclusion in the political circles of Nigeria.

According to some reports (and several printed cards bearing her image), Imagbenikaro has begun making moves in her bid to stand in for her Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency in Edo in the seat of the House of Representatives. The goal, as some of her campaign managers have expressed resoundingly, is to have truth over falsehood and commitment to the people over selfish considerations.

Those who remember Imagbenikaro from when she was the Secretary of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) would remember that she is a dogged fighter for women’s development, empowerment, and inclusion in the policy-making corridors. She is also someone who invariably enjoys breaking stereotypes and the phenomenon of women’s under-representation in party politics.

Imagbenikaro would be the very first woman competing for the House of Representatives in the constituency. So, history may be made in the coming days in Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency.

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LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

A Stern Warning to Jonathan It’s like you do not really know what they call a legacy.

It is looking like that walk you walked as a kid without shoes is still disturbing you hence these kinds of funny things you have been doing. You are consulting, you are watching, you may decamp and contest? Does this even make sense?

Look, sir, let me talk to you in a language you will understand. I will talk to you the way I will talk to my paddy- Lami because you are toying with the lives of over 200 million people.

You must think this is a joke,

playing ‘tumbo-tumbo’ with our fates. Do you know the implication of this move?

A former President, decamping to another party to recontest?

This will be the ultimate banana republic move.

This — if effected — will finally destroy what is left of our ‘mumu’ democracy.

A democracy that has been played without principles, without ideology and without long term concerns for the long-suffering masses.

So because people have been saying, “in Jonathan’s time

dollar was…” you sef, you are thinking you have a messianic streak and want to come and save us. Mbok, whoever is sending you, tell the person that you are not at home. It is not your kind of ‘weak’ leadership that we would be fighting for after eight years of pestilence.

What we need is a visionary and sure-footed Moses to lead us out of the wilderness and not a bowler hat-wearing, soft-spoken, ex-Zoologist abeg.

Mbok, mummy come and collect your husband o, ‘jangrover’ play is over abeg. We are no longer playing.

TONYE COLE: ABOUT TIME I hope I am hearing correctly. My brother the great Mr. Tonye Cole has been nominated as a consensus candidate for the APC in Rivers State.

If this news is true, I will be happy o. What better time to sneak into Wike’s backyard than now when he is all over the country pushing for a presidential run that is more comic than anything.

For me, Cole represents a new crop of vision-driven leadership that we pray this election cycle should throw up.

Cole went back to school and when I asked him why? He said he needed to arm himself before jumping into politics. He went to Harvard, came back and enrolled at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies or something at Kuru near Jos. He took his studies very seriously – he never came for any of my plays during the period.

The people of Rivers now have the opportunity to put principled leadership in their Government House. Let’s see how it pans out. I really do pray Cole emerges.

With Akan Udofia in Akwa Ibom, and Cole in Rivers, the revolution just may be starting. Let’s keep praying and keep our fingers crossed.

they call Gucci asking for fair play and equity regarding the presidency and its relations to the South-east.

Although the concept is stale, I am still very impressed with the route they have taken. You see politics is about politics and influence. These are very influential actors and they have decided to use their popularity and influence to sway public opinion towards a position very dear to their hearts and my heart.

Instead of rooting for violence or wearing Biafran in scripted caftan and sharing bread near the Onitsha market, they have decided to be strategic and systematic.

Not that the mumu people who control these things would listen, it will at least go a long way to affect and attempt a change in the narrative, especially in the minds of the youths who have been assailed with the negativity of secession and all that long story of the so-called marginalisation of the Igbos.

Truth is that if something deliberate like zoning is not executed at the levels of the main parties, it will be hard for us to see an Igbo presidency.

Simply because of their numerical disadvantage and their inability to throw up their very best. Shey you see the people coming out from the South-west and see the ones Igbo people are throwing up. In a free and fair election, can Okorocha or Orji Kalu hold a candle against even Dele Momodu before we even mention dem Osinbajo?

Peter Obi is there o, they will not rally

around him. Instead, every spare part dealer and small Igwe is declaring up and down watering that one’s base in the East.

But the Igbos have a lot to offer this country in terms of entrepreneurial leadership, especially at this time when things are awry with the economy. They have a lot of strong human capital and energy they can bring to bear on the presidency if given the opportunity.

I am very big on the Igbo presidency and sincerely do hope that like these artists they would eventually put their act together and make a concise and robust approach to the issue. You cannot cry and beg for the presidency, you must deliberately want it. Simple.

Ozokwor

Douglas

PATIENCE OZOKWOR, ZACK ORJI AND FRIENDS Someone sent me a clip made by these legendary actors including the one

Cole

ORJI KALU: A SENSIBLE DECISION One of the greatest news I heard during the week, was the withdrawal from the presidential race of Mr. Orji Kalu. Kalu amid a controversial corruption trial declared his intention to run for the presidency.

For me, that declaration made a total mockery of our processes, our system and our democracy. Not that he didn’t have the right, but you sef look am na. Can this man stand for election in Britain or the US or even South Africa for our backyard?

I don’t even know what they have said about his conviction, I just see am for TV one day as he dey celebrate. But even with that, will he be able to scale through a tiny screening exercise?

Would DSS have cleared him in good conscience? E be like say he himself

Jonathan

knew and was just rabble-rousing so let me calm down abeg, before my Afang cold.

Whatever the case is, I am very happy that this has happened and I pray it will open the doors for the rest who have the same tainted life to spare us the pain and just back out. A cleansing of the system must happen if we are to move forward as a nation. People like this should be featured in a TV documentary ‘Police and You’.

EMEKA NWAJUIBA: REGRETS! REGRETS! REGRETS! I am man enough to know where I have messed up. I messed up big time with this bobo and I hereby issue a full apology to all Nigerians and will not stop at that, I will suspend eating Afang for a whole one week in penance.

So, I have known Emeka for years now through my former best friend, Ebiere Raine now Ibekwe. He was our customer at Habib Bank and had just won the elections to the House of Representatives. He was young, handsome and visionary. He talked a lot about a different Nigeria and we connected. His arguments were persuasive, giving us hope.

Then he tried to be Governor of Imo State and failed woefully; went into oblivion and emerged as Buhari’s Minister of State for Education.

Now my regrets. I had scanned the

Kalu

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LOUD WHISPERS environment and at some point, this year zeroed in on him as a perfect candidate that could tick all the boxes.

Young, urbane, intelligent and smart, right positioning and finally Igbo.

He would solve all the issues. So, I went to town throwing up his names in different circles. But people were hissing and doing ‘mtchew’ as I spoke. I didn’t know why. When I asked, they would say “Who? Emeka?

Abeg call another person.”

So today, my stupidity has dawned on me. Emeka as junior Minister of Education superintending a comatose sector with ASUU on an indefinite strike now has the guts to go and collect form with N100m as reported.

Even if they borrow him the money or na grant from the association of deaf and dumb of his village, he will not have the common sense to see that the optics was not right? ASUU on strike, federal education at its lowest with some students in captivity and no real concrete achievement since appointment to respect himself and go and eat Isi ewu and rest?

So, you see my regret. Emeka please go and collect that money back and go and use am open microfinance bank because that will better serve the people.

Presidency not for ‘little men’. Yes, I said it, come and beat me and I will run and hide inside ASUU National Secretariat. Come there na. Ntoiiii!.

YEMI OSINBAJO: BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Remember I had said that his declaration didn’t make a thud.

Be like say someone had told him and he decided to disgrace me.

His latest move in Ogun State was massive.

It showed that a boy is now becoming a man. A man who is ready. Now, this is what we have been saying since. Show some spine mbok. So, they appointed you Attorney General and they supported you to the presidency, they must now come and be holding your balls?

Yemo has grown balls o! Oya read his latest salvo: “I will not spend two years trying to decide what to do.”

That na Buhari he shag so ooo.

Here is another one: “Everywhere I have served, I have served with utmost loyalty and commitment. I have put my reputation on the line – sometimes my life.”

THAT NA TINUBU. My people, are you not all excited?

Yemo don wake up and he is not taking prisoners. Everybody must be cleared as we progress towards the Presidency.

This is what we have been saying since o. Let the ‘roforofo’ begin, because me, I don’t understand all that - he made him.

Made who? Person that was a full Professor of Law before we came back from Chicago. Person that was a full SAN before they completed Third Mainland Bridge and they will be saying someone made him and he too will be doing like it’s true they made him.

The climax will be a full debate between father and son, then we will know that we are ready for true democracy.

Mbok between these two, who made who? Me, I know the answer and will tell anyone who can buy me Afang with snails and ekwong. I will sing. I no get principles.

MAKINDE ADENIRAN – LET ME SAY SOMETHING I have never written about this gifted gentleman, maybe because his huge Wole Soyinka type grey hair scares me. I had met him through Prof Ahmed Yerima just as we were about to start work on ‘Aremu’, my play on Chief Obasanjo.

HERBERT WIGWE: CONVERSATIONS ON THE PENINSULA I was expecting something from Access Bank. In case you do not know, they were one of the major sponsors of our play ‘Ogiame Erejuwa’ which played in Warri last Easter.

Na so I dey look for phone, waiting and expecting an alert. They had shown significant interest — they always do when the project hits their vision of youth empowerment and capacity building, especially amongst SMEs. That was how I saw a text message.

Thinking it was the alert, I quickly opened it and it was an invitation to join other SMEs to have a conversation with their Group Managing Director, Mr. Herbert Wigwe.

I walked in late and the room was filled to the brim. Herbert was already on the rostrum with the mic and taking questions. The women in that room were very beautiful o. Their beauty distracted me o. I didn’t know which one was Access staff or SME. As I looked for a seat, people were greeting me o. Duke! Duke! Duke!

When is your next play? I hear you are owing Access; I saw you last week at Obalende, Duke, my Duke, great guy. Duke, you worry o. See as you yab Osinbajo last week, no yab me o.

That was what the people were using to hail me as I walked the room. In reply, I said to them, “make una leave me o, make Herbert no command them to stop my alert o.

Abeg make we quiet, listen to the

Wigwe

Prof told me that we will need Makinde but when Makinde showed up at my house, I ran away. At the University of Ibadan, I had snatched one pirate girlfriend so anytime I see people that look like Prof Soyinka, fear used to catch me. But at second glance, he was lean. I can beat him in a fight.

I loved his work ethic, the

lord abeg.”

Seriously, what I saw that day was novel. It was the demystification of corporate power in full recognition of the power and influence of the mid-market in building sustainable institutions in the near term and in strengthening the economy at the macro level.

Herbert took the questions, laughed when he needed to laugh, took hits very well and showed a great presence without losing composure or looking like an Emperor.

The atmosphere was loose and people said their minds – positive and negative and they took feedback, promised to get back and even took names of those with more stringent issues.

I didn’t talk o. Me? I was looking at my phone; I had over 200 young actors to pay from the alert. A whole community of actors were waiting to be empowered so I remained focused on my prayers.

It was a brilliant evening not only for Access Bank but for a whole catchment of economic champions who were refuelled by the session and gingered to go back and contribute to the economy.

As I drove home that night, I was still staring at my phone for the alert.

Finally, it came at Adekunle bus stop and I released a huge celebratory fart, daring my driver to complain – I sack him straight, make him go join the ASUU strike.

Brilliant outing guys.

audiences crying and clapping. Mbok, if you did not see ‘Awo’ you have really missed. But don’t worry, we are bringing it back in December.

So, it was only just a natural trajectory for me to tap him again to deliver ‘Baba Kekere’. My people, Makinde said there will be no script. It will be derived. I said abeg no fear me o.

First Bank and Purple have dropped money o. No joke o.

The man said don’t worry. But I was worried. I should not have. When he delivered ‘Baba Kekere’ at the prestigious Muson Centre, the world came to a standstill. He recreated the Kuramo beach on stage, complete with Jakande’s famed Toyota crown.

Come and see the applause. The Jakande family in attendance stood in rousing welcome and saluted his creativity.

Well done my brother. I know you will kill it again at the Glover Hall this Sunday when the command performance will be held. Wow. BIKIYA GRAHAM DOUGLAS: BEAUTY IN PAINS Bikiya is my favourite person. My sister, confidant and collaborator.

She is in pain as I write. She just lost her great father, former minister and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tonye Graham-Douglas.

He passed away in Abuja last week after a brief illness. I have spoken to Bikiya and she is keeping strong.

A strong lady o. You people don’t know her o. She is one of the most wonderful people you can ever find.

My condolences to the whole family and my sister Ibiso. Pele, it cannot be easy but Allah will wrap you in His huge wings. It is well.

YUL EDOCHIE: A TALE OF TWO WIVES Nigerians have started. Every week, a new scandal. This week, it is actor Yul who has come out to celebrate his new son and his second wife. The first wife has said, she leaves them to God and the puritans have gone to town in their white garment in the usual hypocritical rants.

You see people like me and Yul have outgrown all that rubbish.

The Duchess had once long ago gone to report me to her pastor and that one summoned me.

“Mr. Edgar, we hear that you have a child outside.”

“I don’t understand the word ‘outside’.”

“You took a vow.”

My curt reply was “So?” I should throw away my pikin because of a vow? Mbok, the President didn’t take a vow to protect us? Have bandits not finished all of us, Has the vow killed him? Mbok, leave me o.

You see, what we have today are ‘weak’ men and that is why society is like this. So, a man will wake up, carry himself and go and give someone bele and be hiding because of what people will say. So, the woman you gave bele is not someone’s child? The pikin she born for you does not have rights?

Please, I respect Mr. Yul. He came out boldly without any shame to celebrate his wife and son. That is the right thing to do. If you can dip it, you must stand by it.

I stand by it. I have no shame; I stand by the results of my activities and I think if every man can be like this, we will have a stronger society.

Not like that Sammie Okposo who was grovelling and apologising to everybody including his errant smoothness of his delivery and organ for being a man. Coward from his transparency. So, the morning the Lilly Valleys. after we delivered Aremu, as I Yul, you are a man. Stand by your was coming out of Chief Obasanjo’s family. Stand by your wife and son. private quarters, I saw Makinde Talk to your first wife, don’t allow her standing there. I said “Bro, can you deliver ‘Awo’ for me” and he gave me to go anywhere. She has four children for you. Contain your family, cordon a confident “Sure.” them off from the Pharisees and make Makinde went ahead to deliver the them whole. very powerful ‘Awo’ which got

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Osun Chief of Staff, Akinola Shines Again

Akinola

The Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor, Dr. Charles ‘Diji Akinola was recently honoured with the 2022 Cocoa Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s edition of the Nigerian Cocoa Awards ceremony held in Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to the organisers of the award, the Eti-Oni Development Group, Akinola was honoured on account of his tremendous personal contributions to the development of the cocoa industry in Nigeria.

“This award has been given in recognition of Akinola’s work over the last 27 years in the area of cocoa development during his time as the Country Director of Technoserve between 1993 and 1998; Founder/ CEO of Enterprise for Development International (EfDI) between 1999 and 2008; Nigerian National Coordinator of the Sustainable Tree Crop Programme (STCP) – an innovative multi-agency, public-private sector effort involving the USAID and the chocolate industry in facilitating the improvement of smallholder agricultural systems focusing on cocoa and cashew in West Africa between 2001 and 2005.

“His work also pioneered the development of homegrown protocols for certification of organic cocoa as well as being the founding Director, Community Development Foundation (CDF), Nigeria’s premier wholesale development finance agency; DirectorGeneral of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships and Team Leader in the Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme from 2010 and 2018”, the organisers noted.

While presenting the award on behalf of the organisers, Oba Dokun Thompson, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, noted that Akinola was selected as the only lifetime achievement awardee on account of his immense, selfless, and significant contributions to the cocoa industry.

He said the process of the award was through open nomination by all stakeholders, including the farmers and consumers of cocoa products.

Thompson urged Akinola to do more to develop the local cocoa culture and economy in a manner that will subsequently transform cocoaproducing communities and bridge the gap with consumption regions.

Has Senator Andy Uba’s Political Empire Crumbled?

Do you wish to write a book about a certain Nigerian politician whose political career seems to have been buried before his very eyes in the current dispensation?

Then, your subject should be no other than the Anambra State-born politician and former lawmaker, Senator Andy Uba. Before now, he was one of the most dreaded politicians in the state as well as neighbouring states. His name resonated with power, influence and wealth. And he was so powerful that his words were law. When he sneezed, many politicians caught a cold, and many young and aspiring politicians literally worshipped the ground he walked on.

But as the saying goes: “Power is transient.’’

Uba did not enjoy the power for so long, as it gradually slipped out of his fingers. His pathetic story began sometime in 2007 when he experienced his first baptism of fire.

His hope of becoming the Number One citizen had been dashed when the Supreme Court nullified his governorship election victory. Since then, either by design or accident, the most soughtafter position has eluded him.

The billionaire politician suffered another humiliation of his life in 2018 when he lost the All Progressives Congress primaries to a political rookie, Tony Nwoye.

Uba

So desperate for his long life ambition, Uba has had to jump from one political party to the other to realise his goal, all to no avail.

This was evident last year when he left his former political party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling party, All Progressives Party (APC) in the bid to realise his dream in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

He came a distant third, as the election was won by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo. This further confirmed that he is no longer a force to be reckoned with in the political circle of the state.

Undeterred, he vowed to reclaim his mandate in the court of law. But the Supreme Court last week voided his participation in the last governorship election in the state as the APC flag bearer.

A five-member panel of the court, last Tuesday, ruled that APC breached its guidelines for the conduct of primaries and thus, failed to conduct a valid primary from which Uba emerged as the party’s candidate in the Anambra governorship election.

The Supreme Court affirmed the February 23, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the December 20, 2021 judgment by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Who’s Distracting NPA Boss, Mohammed Bello-Koko?

The current Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko is a great achiever by all standards. His intimidating profile is said to be envied by many of his counterparts.

Bello-Koko had worked in the banking sector for a long time, rising to become a Deputy Regional Manager at Zenith Bank Plc. In 2016, he was appointed Executive Director of NPA, after he had proceeded on a leave of absence from the bank in 2015. He was in charge of finance and administration under the sacked MD, Hadiza Bala-Usman. Though one cannot rule out the grace of God in his life, his resilience, hard work, sagacity and ingenuity are some of the reasons he has continued to shine.

Could this, therefore, be the reason those who feel threatened by Bello-Koko’s achievements have allegedly launched a smear campaign against him?

Society Watch gathered while the brilliant

man is busy repositioning the NPA, his detractors have gone to town to claim that he bought a house worth £1,750,000 in the United Kingdom.

However, a credible source, who sought anonymity, confirmed that the allegation “is baseless and spurious”, adding that it was only to distract Bello-Koko from rewriting the story of the NPA. It was revealed that the mansion located at 2A Beech Hill, Barnet, Greater London, EN4 0JP, was bought by Bello-Koko on November 06, 2015. It was also gathered that he actually bought the property in the UK when he was still with Zenith Bank before he was appointed into any position at the NPA. The property, the source added, was declared with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) before he was appointed into public office, while the mortgage loan, which is to be repaid over 25 years, was signed in June 2015.

Bello-Koko

Adekunle Olayinka’s New Dream

Olayinka

The CEO of Kunle Olayinka Peace Initiative (KOPI), Adekunle Olayinka is a man who is passionate about touching lives. He has got the nod of his people at the Ifako-Ijaiye federal constituency to represent them in the House of Representatives.

Olayinka is not a new entrant in Nigeria’s politics. He has always been active in politics, even in the diaspora. He was brought back home by the trio of Senator Bola Tinubu; a former governor of Osun State and former National Chairman, APC, Chief Bisi Akande, as well as a former Lagos APC Chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale.

Shortly after his return to the country, he worked at the state’s party secretariat for a few years as Special Adviser and Chief of Staff to

Ajomale, who was the state Chairman of the party then. He was later appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters and Special Adviser on Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He once worked in Siemens ICN, MTN Nigeria, NITEL accounts and Ericsson international, Sweden. He was Director, Planning and Strategy, South African College of Business and Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.

The father of three is currently studying Public Administration for his PhD. He is a distinguished humanitarian, as he is a Paul Harris Fellow of the prestigious Rotary U.S.A.

Banking Hotshot, Akinsola Akinfemiwa’s Happy Moment His name, Akinsola Akinfenwa (OON), is synonymous with banking. The former Managing Director of Skye Bank has etched his name in gold in the financial industry.

Today, the history of business in Nigeria cannot be complete without the Ondo State-born banking wizard’s name appearing many times.

He was part of those that brought dynamism and rewrote the story of the country’s financial sector and launched it into the global map.

As a banker, he was a darling and inspiration to so many people. He would later become a phenomenon. It is on record that after he took over Prudent Merchant Bank, with just a branch, he successfully transformed it into a leading commercial bank with branches all over Nigeria.

Prudent Bank went on to become the lead legacy bank in the Skye Bank consortium postconsolidation. That feat further projected him as a major figure in financial institutions in Africa.

Though he quit the industry following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s guidelines in 2011, he returned in 2013 to become the Chairman of Heritage Bank. His expertise came in handy as the bank grew impressively, a few years after its

establishment.

Upon his retirement, the brilliant banker took a deserved rest before he became the Chairman of the newly established Heritage Bank. Apart from banking, he is also the Vice-Chairman of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), having been appointed by the federal government. For all these and more, the banking guru, on Friday, April 25, once again, literally climbed the mountain top to thank his Creator, as he added another year to his age in a blaze of glory.

Given that he dislikes throwing an elaborate party, he dedicated the day to praising and glorifying God. Akinfemiwa, who obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Osun State in 1980, is a versatile professional whose areas of expertise include Corporate Finance, Lease Financing, Risk Management and Strategic Planning.

He has attended various professional courses, locally and internationally, including an internship at the First National Bank of Chicago

Akinfemiwa

Leasing Corporation.

The alumnus of the European Institute of Business Administration, Manchester Business School, Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School is the Chairman, AAG Management Resources Limited.

He sits on the Board of various other companies, including Genesis Electricity and Petroleum Products International Limited.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

1.5.2022

IN THE LONELY WORLD OF A CREATIVE ACTIVIST

With a strong sense of purpose, albeit dogged by pecuniary challenges, the Lagos-based artist challenges the cultural stereotypes of masculinity and gender roles. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke writes

S

erenaded by the waves and at the same time savouring the serenity of his backside studio, Victor Ayara enjoys working in his backside studio in the Ajah area of Lagos. “I can only connect and create in solitude, and this gives me the leverage to be at my peak when creating,” the self-described multidisciplinary artist explains.

He begins his typical day with prayers after rising from bed at 6 or 7 a.m. After breakfast, which comes after a brief timeout in the gym, he sets to work in this studio. Sometimes boredom sets in, and he takes a break by strolling out onto the beach and moving closer to the surging waves. Here, he listens not only to the sounds of the waves but also to music. Now and then, he exchanges banter with a few people around the beach before heading back to the studio to work until tiredness or boredom forces him out again.

“I do not have an inspiration bank where I store ideas,” the Ondo State-born artist says.

“Just as we all know, it’s all there in the air and all one has to do is to lift his spirit and leap in the air to catch it. Meanwhile, there is nothing new XQGHU WKH VXQ :H FDQ RQO\ UHÀQH DQG PHUJH ideas, but most of the inspiration comes from adaptation. For me, I am as inspired during the hard days as I am during the good ones. I just ORYH WKH SURFHVV DQG WKH ÁRZ WKDW FRPHV ZLWK living life.”

Art, or rather the inner urge to express himself as an artist, has always stalked Ayara since his childhood years. There was, of course, the KXJH LQÁXHQFH RI FRPLFV FDUWRRQV DQG JUD΀WL art, which seemed to ramp up this budding juvenile inclination. This was further aided by his somewhat introverted nature in primary school and the consequent self-distancing from KLV SHHUV ´(YHQWXDOO\ , ÀQG P\VHOI VFULEEOLQJ and trying to recreate the things I see around me.

Thus, art has been my escape route whenever I ÀQG P\VHOI DORQH DQG LW PDNHV PH KDSSLHU WR FUHDWH DUW WR ÀOO WKH VSDFH LQVLGH PH µ Looking back to those years, he recalls the inner WKULOO KH H[SHULHQFHG VHOOLQJ KLV ÀUVW DUWZRUN WR D secondary school acquaintance, who, though he didn’t pay much for it, still appreciated the value he had for it. On the downside, his secondary school teachers looked down on his choice of art as a course of study in a tertiary institution.

As he grew, his drawings and use of colour got better and better until, in 2021, he eventually obtained a Higher National Diploma in painting from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. $\DUD LV QRZ IRUFHG WR ÀJKW IRU UHOHYDQFH LQ a talent-glutted Lagos art scene. For him, there can be no question of basking in old glories or climax moments. “I am constantly competing with – and against – the best version of myself.

This means that I have to keep honing my skills.”

Of course, it would be too early to expect him to have been part of many exhibitions at this stage of his career, though he was featured at last year’s edition of the Signature Beyond Art Gallery’s Sogal auction. Yet, on the bright side, he has done up to four private portrait comPLVVLRQV IRU QRWDEOH ÀJXUHV 7KLV LV LQ DGGLWLRQ to the mural commissions, which he receives more frequently.

When the 26-year-old paints, he visualises himself in every character and, somewhat playfully, inserts dandelion stalks in their mouths or somewhere around them. Take, for instance,

Masculinity Is Royalty, acrylic and spray paint on canvas

Peace, Bond, Royalty, acrylic and spray paint on canvas

Ayara in his studio

one of his paintings, titled “Peace, Bond, Royalty”. It was done in acrylic and his favoured spray paint on canvas and depicts two anime-like topless muscular PDOH ÀJXUHV ZLWK JOD]HG H\HV GRQQLQJ purple berets. Somehow, the dandelion stalk that seems to stick out from nowhere between them lightens the ambience of the painting and thus tones down the menacing presence of the duo.

Another painting, which is as purplethemed as the former, is titled "Masculinity Is Royalty". It depicts a lone muscular male ÀJXUH ZLWK KLV KHDG VOLJKWO\ WLOWHG LQ D pensive mood, sporting an unbuttoned violet shirt over a white singlet.

“As a result of this personal connection I have with my works, the subjects thus far have been African black people,” Ayara discloses. “I convey messages bordering on toxic masculinity, spirituality, purpose, identity problems, depression, solitude, amongst others, in relation to how they VSHFLÀFDOO\ DͿHFW WKH EODFN FRPPXQLW\ My work is also a channel for activism as I am passionate and emotional about variRXV VRFLDO LVVXHV DͿHFWLQJ PHQ·V KHDOWK µ

Beneath the artist’s obvious romanticisation of black people and stories lurks his inner aspirations for an idealised self. Perhaps this is what explains his tendency to explore this whim through the diversity of black people embedded in their different social and cultural settings.

Meanwhile, simplicity – in both form and content – sets the tone in the artist’s paintings. One SUHGRPLQDQW FRORXU ZKLFK LV SXUSOH LQWHQVLÀHV and blurs where necessary. This is while at the same time contrasting with the skin colour of the male VXEMHFWV $QG VSHDNLQJ RI WKHVH PDOH ÀJXUHV WKHLU facial expressions seem undecided between serenity and loneliness. But there seems to be a deliberate attempt to tone down with macho attributes by inserting rings in their ears and even noses.

Thus, Ayara delves into the male identity issue and questions the cultural stereotyping of masculinity and gender roles. For instance, why, for instance, should the male sex be forced to labour under the burden of societal dogmas? Who assigned these gender roles? Why shouldn’t men be allowed to express their emotions like their female counterparts? Why is there too much pressure on men, which often leads many to depression? $V WKH VHFRQG HOGHVW RI WKH ÀYH FKLOGUHQ RI his parents, he does what he can to ignore these

pressures and focus on his art practice. Not even KLV SUHGRPLQDQW XVH RI VSUD\ SDLQW VWLÁHV WKH urge to explore new mediums. “The process of researching and working with the medium brings a challenge every single time, which I enjoy,” he says. “I continually look forward to discoveries born out of curiosity and new ways to tell stories.”

6WLOO DERXW KLV XVH RI VSUD\ SDLQW KLV ÀUVW H[perience of the medium was in 2013, just after he left secondary school. “Even though I never had enough money for materials back then, I always knew what would work for me. It was fun and I made lots of mistakes, which I felt bad about, but that was just the beginning. I have loved every part of it, from making mistakes to engaging in the suspense the medium creates every single time I practise with it.”

Meanwhile, daily subsistence, which he says has been "majorly bad," remains a struggle for KLP DQG VRPHWLPHV KH ÀQGV KLPVHOI EHVHW ZLWK doubts as to whether he will ever thrive in this Mammon-worshipping environment. But he never let such thoughts get in his way.

Plodding on nonetheless, he looks up to such artists as Victor Ekpuk, Victor Ehikhamenor, and Uche Joel Chima.

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

66

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\BOOKS MUSIC

NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR RETURNS WITH 2022 HYBRID EDITION Yinka Olatunbosun

H

BOOK

ealing. That’s the emotional space that the producers of ing voice as she took on the antagonist the star-studded musical character to the protagonist, Ada. While Ada Our Country created Henshaw reinforced Silva’s delivery of for many women at the the sung lines with her own voice, it Shell Hall, MUSON last was clear that the performance style was weekend in Lagos. For the men, it was a collaborative as much as complementary. mixture of torture and admiration to watch The mothers-in-law, Silva and Ozokwor, each female character on stage re-evoke her life embraced with grace the roles of the struggles through dramatic monologues and "elders in the room"—the much-needed passionately sung lines that speak to themes intervention to set things straight amongst of sisterhood, grief, women’s emancipation, feuding couples and rival siblings. and humanity.

Though written in 2019, the play rings Directed by Kemi Lala-Akindoju and powered true, especially in the light of the current

by Doyenne Circle Productions, the 100-cast abominable culture of using social media show was a switch from screen to stage for most to settle scores with spouses, ex-lovers, of the popular faces of Nollywood in the drama, or celebrity siblings. namely Joke Silva, Tosin Adeyemi, Rikiya Using the power of choreographed dance Graham-Douglass, Kate Henshaw, Chioma interludes, music, and beautiful costumes, ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, Oluchi Odii, Imoh Eboh, the director helped to curb the fatigue Kemi Lala-Akindoju and Patience Ozokwor. that long monologues could bring to A test of true artistry, the musical is built on the audience. Perhaps the Achilles’ heel the strength of the acting and singing skills for the musical was the lighting. Ada’s of each character. With a romantic twist to marital home was poorly-lit; most of the tale, the plot is an assemblage of stories the facial expressions to communicate of women that are all too familiar: the jilted the agony of the grieving couple were girlfriend, the divorcee, the single mother, the working-class woman ambushed by toxic masculinity and patriarchy in the workplace, as well as a grieving mother.

Written by the award-winning poet-playwright, Titilope Sonuga, Ada Our Country revolves around the main plot of Ada, a woman who VXͿHUV WKH WHUULEOH ORVV RI KHU FKLOG LQ D ÀUH $V a result, she becomes depressed. With the help of other women drawn from two generations who have had their share of pain, she is able to heal and rekindle her marital bond with her husband.

Ultimately, the stories in the musical are not curated to antagonise men but to help them understand the plight of women. Men have mothers, sisters, daughters, and nieces, and they are aware of domestic violence against women, rape, kidnapping, and murder of young women, as well as a workplace culture that positions women as second-class citizens, either through discriminatory pay structure or limited managerial positions for women.

Alongside the comic relief from Omeruah, the actor-director, Lala-Akindoju, put up a stellar performance on stage with her reverberat- The book fair planning committee members

lost but made up for by the allure of the male voice—Ada’s husband’s—radiating from the upper chamber of the thoughtfully built set.

The multi-unit home was simple yet purposeful, reviving the tradition of building sets through a careful, technical interpretation of the plot.

At curtain call, Marian Ogaziechi, the Executive Producer of the play revealed that she was LQVSLUHG E\ %RODQOH $XVWHQ 3HWHUV WR SXUVXH D career in the theatre. Her mother thought she was a failure when she abandoned her study RI VFLHQFHV WR HPEUDFH WKHDWUH %XW WKH XUJH to tell her story to shape the future of women overtook the fear of displeasing her mother.

“I did this out of an experience I had. I’m a theatre artist. One of the ways that we can reach out to people is by storytelling. I found that there was a gap in reaching the urban woman. It’s as if they don’t go through problems- all rosy just as you see online. One of the characters played my story. I felt it was time to share the experiences of every urban woman. From the university days to NYSC to the boardroom, women go through a lot. I believe everyone here can relate to the experiences of all the superb cast that we have shown,” she said.

DJ AB

DJ AB’s Nigerian Music’s Next Big Thing Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

D

JAB?That’sHarunaAbdullahi,aNigerian rapper, music producer, songwriter, and performer. Undoubtedly one of NorthernNigeria’sleadingartists,the 28-year-oldAhmaduBelloUniversity, Zaria quantity surveying graduate owes his nationwide renown to his rich repository of rap music.

ForDJAB,hispromisingmusicalcareerallstartedin 2011withthemusicalgroupYaranNorthSide(YNS).

Thiswasevenwhenhehitthelimelightin2014.Back then,thebandmembersboughtmusicalequipment andstartedmakingbeatsaswellasrecordingvocal references.Afewyearslater,herecordedandproduced songs like "SuBaba Ne", "Yar Boko", "Babarsa", "Her Love" and "Soyayya", among others.

In 2021, the Kaduna State born-and-bred artist waspickedtoshowcasehismusicaltalentbyoneof Nigeria'smostfamoussingers,knownasMr.Eazi,on theemPawaAfricaplatform,abrandwhichpartners withindependentAfricanartistesandlabelstoreach their full potential through marketing, distribution, label services, finance, publishing, and managing of musical artists. He would win an award for ‘Best NorthernNigerianArtisteoftheYear’ontheNorthern Pandora Awards platform in 2017. He was among thenomineeslistedforA ‘ rewaBestDancehall/Afro HipHopArtisteoftheYear’Award,andA ‘ rewaMusic ArtisteoftheYear(Male)’AwardontheCityPeople Music Awards platform in 2018 and 2019. He was alsonominatedonthesameplatformofCityPeople Music Awards forA ‘ rewa Best Hausa Rap Album of the year’ Award in 2020.

Thisyear,DJABreleasedanEPtitled‘SUPA’featuring twoofNigeria’smostnotableartists,Mr.EaziandDi'ja, witheightsongsallcomposedintheAfrobeatsgenre.

EXHIBITION

SIBLINGS COLLABORATE ON NEWBOOK

To Fight Soot, Artists Clear the Air

Yinka Olatunbosun

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Reindeer Kingdom," explores the value of teamwork and unity, while the second story, Q D ZRUOG WKDW LV LQÁXHQFHG E\ VRFLDO "The Death of an Old Culture," highlights the importance of obedience and the the need to replace archaic, non-progressive media popularity, young children virtues of hope, perseverance, and systems with fresh perspectives that promote are still making their parents proud GLOLJHQFH 7KH ÀUVW VWRU\ %DWWOH RI WKH peace, inclusivity, and progress. When asked by pursuing useful skills like writing.

Erioluwa 8, and Toluwani Salako 10, what really inspired these stories, the younger born of the same parents, have a shared of the two siblings responded. passion for writing. During the COVID-19 "I was inspired by my mom,” Erioluwa said. lockdown, they had ample time to be play"There was a day that I was using toys to play ful and creative. Their pharmacist mother at home. I was using them to act as characters. ensured that she created a schedule for both My mom then asked why I couldn’t write of them while she was away from home. the story down, and so I started to write Fortunately, their father was very hands-on my stories. From where I stopped playing with parenting, following up on what the with the toys, I started writing the story.” children did in their spare time.

Erioluwa would also illustrate the characters Toluwani, who is a student at the International that he wrote about in his original manuscripts, which he showed to this reporter. He School of the University of Lagos, disclosed is probably the youngest known published that her old pile of books was revisited during the lockdown, which propelled her to writer in Nigeria since he wrote the story become her own storyteller. At school, she was at the age of six. introduced to storytelling through the book Although he and his sister would sometimes read the same books, they had developed their club. His brother joined the music club instead to learn to play some instruments. Eventually, individual tastes in literature independently of each other. the school approved her writing and her Their mother, Mrs. Salako, explained why brother's, but the cost of publishing each book was quite overwhelming – N200,000. she is very supportive of their writing project "I spent three months writing the book," even though she is not into literary art herself.

“I believe in investing in children, especially Toluwani recounted during a recent interview at this age. If you invest in them, by the time session in Idi-Araba, Lagos, which included her brother and mother. they grow up, you begin to reap the fruit of your investment. At the end of the day, Her brother, Erioluwa, explained that they they would be independent and not become decided to pay for their own book instead of two. That was the genesis of their new a liability. At the end of the day, they will be able to impact their world positively, " book, The Tale of Two Kingdoms.

New Book Cover she said.

7KH ERRN LV D ÀFWLRQDO QDUUDWLYH WKDW WHDFKHV

I

BOOK

I

n a recent exhibition in Port Harcourt, artists joined forcestocombatthemenaceofsoot,anenvironmental pollutioncausedbyillegaloil-refiningactivities,among other causes, in not only Rivers State, but also the NigerDeltaatlarge.

The exhibition, organised by the Port HarcourtbasedMoririGallery,featuredsculpturesandpaintings, whichsoughttosensitisethepublictotheconsequences oftheseillegalactivities.

InachatwithTHISDAY,thedirectoroftheMoririGallery, Mr.KayodeAdeoti,duringtheexhibitioninPortHarcourt, toldTHISDAYthattheartcommunitybelievesthatifthere isanabundanceofpetroleumproducts,theissueofillegally refined products will not be there, stressing that it will discourage the unnecessary risk taken by job-seeking youths. "If we had an abundance of all these products, wewouldhaveabetterandcleanersocietywithcleanair tobreathe.Wewouldnothaveallthispollution,"hesaid.

He explained that the exhibition, which recorded about 165 visitors, was aimed at sending a message forcleanairintheregion."ThethemeisClearingtheAir, anditisonethatimpactsallofus,whetheryouarerichor poor, a resident here, an executive,whoeveryou are,itimpactsyou.

“We in the art world believe there is no way we can sit back and do nothingaboutthisthreat.

Itwouldbesacrilegious to do so.That is why we cameupwiththetheme.

It is an exhibition of contemporaryartwork, periscoping problems, and solutions to soot in thearea.”

67

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

All Eyes on Buhari as List of APC’s Presidential Aspirants Grows With the growing list of presidential aspirants in the All Progressives Congress, all eyes are on President Muhammadu Buhari to name his preferred successor before the party is torn apart, writes Louis Achi

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has so far given his “blessing” to a number of aspirants seeking to become the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s presidential election.

As at last count, over 12 candidates have openly expressed their intentions to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the party. They include: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu; Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Dave Umahi; former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha; Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello; Minister of State for Education, Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba, who became the first aspirant to purchase the party’s N100 million forms; and former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who recently withdrew from the race.

Others are former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani; Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, amongst others. A former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has also scheduled to declare on May 5, while Governor Kayode Fayemi is also being expected to make a pronouncement on his undeclared presidential ambition.

All those who consulted with the president, according to available information, were said to have received his “blessing” to the extent that he did not ask any of them not to proceed with their presidential project.

It is believed that the president, however, has his trump card, his most preferred successorin-waiting, close to his chest.

He will require the buy-in of state governors who are critical stakeholders in the party to provide significant support his preferred candidate. No fewer than 7,800 delegates will vote at the party’s presidential primary election and the governors control the delegates in their respective states. Buhari had in January hinted that it would be too early to anoint a successor, adding that if he disclosed his preferred candidate, the person may be eliminated before the

Buhari

2023 general election.

“I don’t have any favourite for 2023 and if I do, I won’t reveal his identity because if I do, he may be eliminated before the election. I better keep it secret,” he reportedly said in a live TV programme.

Many political analysts have contended that the president must be compulsorily interested in who succeeds him. It is also expected that he will very likely settle for someone who shares the same vision with him about Nigeria - someone who will step in the saddle to sustain the tempo of his agenda.

Many have wondered why the president would always throw his doors open for all presidential aspirants when he knows that he has his trump card close to his chest. It is feared that his action could tear the party apart at the end, especially if the aspirants are allowed to make huge financial commitments in pursuit of their ambitions before

the president names his preferred choice.

As Nigerians await Buhari’s decision, speculations are rife that he had shortlisted Osinbajo from the South-west zone; Amaechi from the South-south zone; and Nwajiuba from the South-east zone. Nwajiuba was the first and only aspirant that has picked the N100 million forms for the party’s nomination and Expression of Interest.

Nwajiuba has enjoyed very close relationship with President Buhari since the past 20 years and has remained a committed and reliable member of a group of Buhari’s loyalists.

There is also a strong speculation that Buhari is considering former President Goodluck Jonathan, as his successor. According to feelers, Buhari is said to be quite appreciative of Jonathan’s gesture in accepting the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

The president, it was learnt, considers Jonathan’s nationalism a great asset that

can further be deployed in stabilising the country and strengthening national unity.

The sale of forms in the APC began on April 26 and ends on May 5. Anybody who is interested in the APC presidential ticket is circumscribed within this time frame to indicate interest by stepping out to procure the expression of interest and nomination forms. After that, the only window that is available for significant intervention is substitution of candidate.

Whether Jonathan runs for the seat or not, President Buhari has other competent hands to choose from, to wit: Tinubu, Osinbajo, Amaechi, Nwajuiba and others who have indicated interest. As the list of aspirants for consideration in the intricate and gritty succession race continues to grow, the aspirants make deeper commitments, which may make it difficult for them to withdraw for any candidate that emerges as the president’s choice. Apart from the payment of the N100 million forms, aspirants also make huge financial commitments in their nationwide consultations. Such aspirants may dare Buhari and push ahead with their ambition, either in APC or any alternative platform. This may spell doom for the ruling party.

Already, an unconfirmed report had already alleged that Tinubu had hinted that Buhari was not backing his aspiration. Nevertheless, he was also said to have vowed to pursue his presidential project. Having prepared for the presidential project for close to 20 years, Tinubu is no doubt the most prepared aspirant with formidable structures and followers nationwide. He has a very huge war chest and if he dares Buhari, the ruling APC will not recover from the resultant crisis.

Governors in the party are also said to be mounting pressure on the Buhari and the party executive to ensure that one of its members is given the ticket to fly the party’s flag. Buhari should therefore act expeditiously and save the ruling party from any self-inflicted crisis and embarrassment.

Buhari had waited for so long before anointing Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the consensus National Chairman of APC. The party’s presidential aspirants can’t afford to be kept waiting any longer.

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

Osinbajo: Sifting Facts from Lies

Osinbajo

TheVice-Presidentandpresidentialhopeful,Professor YemiOsinbajo,lastweek,tookaboldstepwhenhereviewed thestoryofhowhewasnominatedasPresidentMuhammadu Buhari’srunningmatein2015.Thiswasnotbeforethemob supportersofhisnowestrangedformerboss,BolaTinubu, haddescendedandclassifiedhim,notjustasabetrayer,but one in the category of Judas Iscariot.

AlthoughbeforeOsinbajochosetounveilthemasquerade during Iftar with the State House Press, he had also sent a subliminalmessagetothesame‘enemyquarters’whilston consultationtourtoOgun,hishomestate.Hesaidtohispeople withoutequivocationthat,heheldnoallegiancetoanyone asideswearingaconstitutionaloathtoNigeria.Themessage, of course, resonated crystal clearly with the concerned.

This, ironically, is likely to come off as a revision of his own narrative, because Osinbajo had personally in 2016,

when the controversy initially began, openly admitted to the fact that Tinubu nominated him to that position. But you can pardon Osinbajo. That was not an outright lie, but aconsciousdecisionto“coveruptheshame”ofhiserstwhile principal as an Omoluabi, when clearly, there was no need to throw him under the bus.

Indeed,hewasnotaloneinthisresolve.Many,ifnotallof those,whohadworkedwithTinubuinthepastandsecured appointmentintoBuhari’scabinet,gotthepositionswithout a finger lifted by Tinubu, yet, they all either kept quiet or conceded the glory of their nominations to him, just so it could boost his ego, since that’s all he lives on as a political maker of men.

FromBabatundeFasholatoLaiMohammed,SundayDare, RaufAregbesola,OlorunimbeMamora,MuizBanire,Tunde Fowler,BenAkabueze,YemiOsinbajoandahostofothers,

thosewhounderstandtheVillapowergameknewTinubuhad no hand whatsoever in the emergence of anyone of them, yet,theylookedawaywhenhissupporterslumpedthemas madeandre-madebyTinubu.Osinbajowasavictimofthis politicsofdecency,albeitbychoice,untilhewaspushedto the point of saying the truth.

Heopenlytoldthemediathatallhecouldrecallwasthat AregbesolaandaformergovernorofOgunState,Senator Ibikunle Amosun, made his nomination possible, at least, fromallthattranspiredtothebestofhisknowledge.That, without a doubt, shares nearly accurately with the true account of what really happened. He finally succeeded in separating the lies from the truth as he knew it. It doesn’t mean these mob supporters of Tinubu would stifle from their venomous politics though, with the truth out, that accountoftheirmutilatednarrativecannowrestforgood.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

68

BRIEFINGNOTES

Jonathan’s Last Political Gamble A recent revelation by former President Goodluck Jonathan that he was giving a thought to the pressure being mounted on him to throw his hat into the ring for 2023 presidential election may be his last gamble that could make or mar his political career, which has just recovered from the vicious campaigns of the All Progressives Congress, Ejiofor Alike reports

I

t is no longer news that the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) deployed all forms of propaganda, half-truths and outrightliestostampedeformerPresident Goodluck Jonathan and the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power in the 2015 general election.

Following PDP’s years of perceived arrogance on the corridors of power, those described as disgruntled opposition elements and other strange bedfellows, who had suffered real and perceived injustice in the hands of the then ruling party, found a common enemy in Jonathan and hurriedly formed a coalition to oust him.To dismantle PDP’s 16-year-old formidable political structure, APC wooed Nigerians with fake promises and lied against Jonathan and his party.

APC’s alleged penchant for deploying outright lies in its campaign of calumny against Jonathan’s administration even many years after it had won the election, made Nigerians to attach ‘Liar’ to the name of a top official of the party.

The promoters of APC used all kinds of derogatory words such as ‘clueless,’‘dumb,’and ‘drunkard’ to describe Jonathan’s administration. Jonathan, at a stage, had to point out that he was the most insulted sitting president. His administration was portrayed by the APC as the most corrupt government in Nigeria’s history.

Allkindsofliesonhowofficialsofhisadministration stole ‘mind-boggling’ sums of money were peddled by the leaders of the APC. A serving governor who was part of the then newly inaugurated President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to the United States lied to Nigerians that a US official told him that one of Jonathan’s ministers was found with $6 billion in the United States.

He, however, hid his head in shame when the US reacted to his false claim. Unfortunately, most of the Jonathan’s aides, who could have countered all the lies of APC were too arrogant to meet the press or respond to enquiries and were only jolted to the reality when Jonathan had lost his position.

When it eventually sacked PDP, the APC-led administration displayed the worst form of cluelessness when it spent almost six months without forming a cabinet. Within those months, the country was merely ruled by what became known as ‘Buhari’s body language.’

Many analysts have described the period as the early warning sign, which exposed APC’s cluelessness. Strong indications that the party would throw Nigerians under the bus emerged when top officials of the party claimed that they no longer understood the meaning of restructuring, which was one of the party’s campaign promises.

It took sustained pressure by Nigerians for the party to set up a committee headed by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State. However, the setting up of the committee only served to hoodwink Nigerians as its major recommendations such as the devolution of powers, resource control, and the creation of state police were swept into the dustbin. All other promises about strengthening the Naira against the dollar, crashing the price of

Jonathan petrol by making Nigeria a refining hub, ending the subsidy regime, eradicating corruption, creating jobs and fighting insecurity all turned out to be a ruse.

Insecurity,forinstance,whichwasrestricted to the North-east when APC took over, has spread like wildfire as no part of Nigeria is safe today. Bandits, which have since joined the list of terrorists ravaging the country, now collectransom,imposetaxesandlevies. These terrorists recently released the picture of a baby delivered by a woman in their custody, who was one of the passengers abducted during their attack on Abuja- Kaduna train.

When fuel subsidy jumped from the budgeted N286 billion to nearly N1 trillion in 2011, the chief promoters of APC went to the streets in protest, describing fuel subsidy as non-existent fraudulent scheme.The same party has funded the same fraudulent scheme under different nomenclatures for the past seven years. Petrol subsidy jumped to N672

billion between January and March this year aloneandtheAPC-ledadministrationrecently earmarked N4 trillion for the scheme.

A party, which stigmatised the PDP and its members in 2015, using anti-corruption war as a ploy, is now being led by former chieftains of the PDP. It was not surprising when it was reported that the leaders of the APC visited Jonathan in 2020 to woo him with an offer of the party’s 2023 presidential ticket.

AmongAPCleaders,whovisitedtheformer president on his 63rd birthday in November 2020 included the then Chairman of APC Caretaker Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mallam Mala Buni; Kebbi State Governor, Mr. Atiku Bagudu, Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, and the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Dave Umahi.

Though it was claimed that the visit was just to felicitate with him on that occasion, the fact that it was the first time the leaders of APC accorded him such respect since he

lost power in 2015 made it suspicious.

Before the visit, tongues were already beginning to wag over sudden visits of Jonathan’s wife, Patience, to the First lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari at the Villa. Despite all the corruption allegations against Jonathan’s administration, no assets were traced to him in the orchestrated war against corruption by the APC-led administration.The new-found love between the First Lady and her predecessor had alreadyunsettledsomeforcesintheAPCwhenBuni and his team made the surprise visit to Jonathan.

Nigerians have concluded that the approach to Jonathan by the ruling party was a validation of the claim by his supporters that he was unjustly removed from power despite his excellent performance. It also confirmed the claim by the PDP that all the accusations against Jonathan’s administration were false.

The question is: Will Jonathan accept this offer, which many have also described as a poisoned chalice?

Many analysts had expected the former president to quickly dissociate himself from the 2023 presidential election and the APC’s alleged offer.

Strong indications that he was giving APC’s offer a deep thought emerged when he boycotted the activities of the PDP, including its last national convention.

As many Nigerians were still confused over his next political move, the former president last week gave a stronger indication that he was considering the offer when he hosted a large crowd of supporters, mostly youths and women that stormed his office in Abuja on a solidarity march to request his declaration, and persuading him to declare for the 2023 presidential poll.

Responding, Jonathan pleaded that they should give him more time to finalise his consultations.

While Jonathan is considering the offer, the leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, had declared that he had allowed himself to be disgraced by coming out to say that he was even considering whether or not to enter the contest.

“The unfortunate thing is that President Goodluck Jonathan allowed himself to be disgraced by mentioning the fact that ‘I am considering whether tobepresidentornot.Forwhat?”Adebanjoqueried.

Jonathan has three choices. If he succumbs to the pressure and loses the election, he will face the worst humiliation in his political life.

If he throws his hat into the ring and wins the election, it will be the most glorious moment of his political career.

Finally, if he rejects the offer, his reputation will continue to recover from APC’s vicious attacks but his political career remains unfulfilled due to his failed bid to be re-elected in 2015.

Perhaps what Jonathan does not realise, is that being a statesman is by far more valuable to him. Since he left office, he has more stately respect than former military President General Ibrahim Babangida that every presidential aspirant is today going to meet for his blessings, and now he is set to put it to risk.

NOTES FOR FILE

Lagos Playing Politics with ‘Okada’ Riders

Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State is currently groaning under the yoke of criminal and other lawless activities of commercial motorcycleriderspopularlycalledokada.Theirlawlessness and impunity in the state have gone overboard. These motorcycleoperatorshavedominatedeverymajorroad in the state where they ride against the traffic. Whether itisAirportRoad,IkoroduRoad,Ikoyi,VictoriaIsland,Eko Bridge,LekkiRoad,theyarethere,operatingwithimpunity andabovethelaw.Thestategovernmenttoleratesthem and uses them to play politics while they wreak havoc.

Though the current administration in the state inherited the problem from the past administration, which had watched as relative sanity instilled on the highways between2010and2015revertedtolawlessnesswhen itrelaxedenforcementofthetrafficlaws,thesituationhas

since degenerated to a dangerously chaotic level to the dismayofLagosresidents,whohadrelishedthefewyears of relative orderliness on the highways after decades of a harrowing traffic nightmare.

Now, unruly riders, capitalising on the laxity and lack of consistency in enforcement, have taken lawlessness to newheightsandrenderedLagosroadsunsafe.Apartfrom flagrantviolationsoftrafficrules,commercialmotocycles have become a vehicle of choice for armed robbers and violent rival cults.

ToconvinceLagosiansthatitisnotplayingpoliticswith the riders, the state government must strongly enforce the law against them. No serious government relaxes or looks the other way when laws are broken.This loophole emboldenedallmannerofpersonsfromstateswhereokada

hadbeenbanned,includingneighbouringcountries,toflood thestate.Theinfluxofdare-devilcommercialmotorcyclists hasblightedthecity’sclaimtomegacitystatus.Itcomeswith higheconomicandsocialcosts,andhasaddedsignificantly to the cost of goods and services and the disruption of social activities.

Eachtimeagentsofthegovernmentattempttoenforce thetrafficrules,theyaremetwithviolentresistancefrom the riders. They have attacked and killed policemen and torchedtheirvehicles,andpolicestations.Itisamessthe governmentbroughtuponitself,whichitmustfixurgently.

Theridershavedeformedmanypersons,lefthouseholds inanguishafterfatal,needlessaccidents,whilemotorcycles are increasingly used to perpetrate crimes. The state government must rise up quickly to save the state

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

CICERO/ISSUES

Rivers APC Reopens Old Wounds The die is again cast for another battle between Senator Magnus Abe and a businessman, Pastor Tonye Cole, in the primary election to determine the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, writes Ejiofor Alike

A

nother battle has erupted in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State as Senator Magnus Abe and Pastor Tonye Cole seek fresh bid to clinch the governorship ticket of the party in the 2023 elections.

The leadership of the party in the state stoked the fresh fire when news broke out last Saturday that it had picked Cole, a Lagos-based businessman as its governorship candidate in the state, without any primary election.

The development came days after Abe’s declaration to run for the 2023 party ticket was unanimously adopted by his faction of the party in the state, chaired by a former Rivers lawmaker, Golden Chioma.

THISDAY gathered that 10 governorship aspirants from the riverine extraction, including Tonye Princewill and former Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside had signed a pact to support whoever emerged from their faction.

A factional leader of the party in the state and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was said to have earlier asked all the 10 aspirants to halt consultations, to enable his camp to choose a consensus candidate.

Cole, with the backing of Amaechi had in 2019 emerged as the party’s candidate in a similar controversial circumstance. His ambition was aborted by a court, which stopped the state APC from fielding any candidate for the elections due to the irregularities exposed in the primaries, which had fuelled multiple litigations instituted by Amaechi and Abe’s factions.

Confirming the party’s controversial choice in a statement, a chieftain of the party and one of the aspirants, Princewill argued that Cole was not picked by Amaechi but by the leaders of the party.

The statement read: “The decision has just been made for Tonye Cole to fly the flag. It was not made by the minister. It was made by the leaders of the party. The 10 aspirants plus two new names that had also indicated interest were asked to excuse themselves, while all of the leaders minus the minister then sat and deliberated. We were just called back along with the minister to be given their decision.”

Disclosing how the consensus agreement was reached, a former Commissioner for Transport in the state, George Tolofari, who was the arrowhead of consensus arrangement for Amaechi’s camp, stated that 19 leaders of the party met in Abuja with 13 aspirants and unanimously adopted Cole as consensus candidate for the Riverine-Ijaw aspirants to face any other aspirant that may wish to contest the party primaries on the APC. Tolofari, however, noted that other aspirants outside their fold who would like to contest the governorship election would be free to face Cole in probable party primaries.

“Nineteen leaders of our dear party met in Abuja with the 13 aspirants and unanimously adopted Tonye Cole as consensus candidate for the Riverine-Ijaw aspirants to face any other aspirant that may wish to contest the party primaries on the APC,” he said.

But in a swift reaction, the Abe’s faction of APC in the state described the endorsement of Cole as the party’s flag bearer as “selfishness in the highest order by the Minister of Transportation.”

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

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

Abe down the throat of his supporters.”

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

Soon after Chioma’s reaction, Abe while responding to the endorsement of Cole as the consensus governorship candidate of the APC during the inauguration of BATS Vanguard in Okrika Local Government Area of the state, declared that no amount of gang-up would make him drop his ambition to govern the state in 2023 or change the will of the people.

He noted that the people of the state cannot be enslaved by anyone, and advised his supporters to brace up for the fight ahead, which he said would not be easy.

The former federal lawmaker added that as a democrat, he would always respect the decision of the people if there was a fair and just process by which people took a decision that did not him. He however insisted that he would not respect illegal decisions taken by some people.

In his words, “I am a democrat. If there is a fair, just process by which our people take a decision and it is not me, I will respect that decision. But if people go and gather and do kangaroo and say it is this person or that person, I will not agree.

“For APC to succeed in this state, we must show a clear, transparent and honest process by which everybody who is entitled to genuinely have a say. If they cook up a process and you think that process will crown a king, you will end up with a king that will never be crowned.

“Let me assure you all that the road ahead will not be easy. Challenging the powers that have been established will not be easy, but you have the power, you have the capacity, you have the audacity if you’re willing to stand up and fight for what you believe.

We are not afraid; I know that no amount of gang-up can overtake the will of Rivers people if we make up our mind.

Cole “I have said before and I want to say it again, Rivers people have never been slaves to anybody and nobody no matter the amount of money you have, nobody can enslave us here in Rivers State. We can chart our own destiny.

“We are having an election and people are already bringing in their partners; you all should look for your own partners so you can enjoy the dividends of a good leadership when the time comes and that is the reason I am here today to tell you that I am ready to serve you and I pledge that my kind of government will make sure you eat before I eat.”

Also speaking, the former AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Wogu Boms, added that the endorsement of Cole as the consensus governorship candidate of the party would fail.

“Do not tell me anything; I know everything, we experimented with Dakuku, we failed spectacularly; we experimented with Tonye Cole, he could not even enter the ballot; we used Awara, we failed woefully again, now we still want to experiment with Tonye Cole again, it will not work,” he said.

Similar tussle between the APC faction loyal to Amaechi and the camp led by Abe had made the court to disqualify the party from participating in the governorship election in the state in 2019. At the end, both Cole and Abe lost the party’s ticket.

While the national body of APC had recognised Cole as the governorship candidate of the party, Abe had vehemently kicked against Cole’s controversial emergence as the party’s candidate and filed a case in court. The case ultimately went to the Supreme Court which upheld the disqualification of the party from the 2019 governorship election.

Cole had blamed Abe and his allies for the quagmire the party found itself then.

Cole’s faction had also accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of meddling in the affairs of the APC. Abe, in turn, had blamed those who imposed Cole on the party as

the governorship candidate through an illegal process. He had also argued that the party would not have been caught in the confusion if the national body had listened to the cries of aggrieved voice, and not “flowed with the illegality that was being perpetrated in the state” when the issue of exclusion was taken to court beginning with the congresses, which produced the sacked Ojukaye Flag Amachree-led state executives.

He reportedly said: “I didn’t create the problems Cole has. His problem was created by those who brought him. We went to court because clearly from the onset what the other faction was doing was putting them in direct confrontation with the Nigerian judicial system.

“Because of the powerful interest of some individuals the party at the last minute decided to ignore that reality and flowed with the illegality being perpetrated in the state.

“What they are just doing now is to punish all members of the APC in Rivers because they feel people acted against the powers that be, but these were innocent members of the party who were simply fighting for their right to participate in a process guaranteed by the party.

“At any point in time that right could have been respected. Even when the court made that order initially, it was trying to tell the party to resolve that issue of exclusion, but people went on national television to say those orders must not be obeyed. That is what they are still doing till now.”

The recent controversial emergence of Cole has reopened the old wounds, which are capable of exposing the party to similar humiliations it suffered in 2019 general election.

To avoid a similar tragedy in 2023 general election, the factional leaders of Rivers APC should end the regime of imposition of candidates and enthrone transparency, justice and fair play in the election of the party’s candidates.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

CICERO/REPORT

As Gov Ganduje Mulls Successor As North’s most politically conscious turf, Kano State looks to its change of leadership, all eyes are on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to annoint a worthy successor to lift the state even higher, writes Louis Achi

Ganduje

A

s the governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, mulls his successor, several permutations are fogging up the state’s succession politics. But while some think the unfolding scenario may pressure the governor into making a wrong succession choice, others believe this is misreading the man who has changed Kano State’s human and infrastructural development narrative over the past seven years.

Ahead of the governorship primaries of the major political parties, efforts by some governors to influence who emerges as their successors in 2023 are not unexpectedly facing some hurdles as contending interests enter the fray.

Significantly, over the years, it has become a practice for outgoing governors to determine their successors. As long as this plays out within the ambit of laws that govern the related political processes, it is not illegitimate. A state chief executive who has delivered genuine transformative governance cannot be expected to stand by and watch a laissez faire successor emerge to reverse his achievements and plunge the state into development abyss.

As things stand, the All Progressives Congress (APC), incidentally Kano’s ruling party has revealed its governorship aspirants would be screened on May 12 and the primary scheduled for May 18. For the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), April 26 is the date for the screening of its governorship aspirants while the primary would hold on April 28.

In Kano State, no fewer than 12 APC contenders and pretenders are reportedly in the race to succeed Governor Abdullahi Ganduje next year. Prominent among them are the deputy governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna; a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurun; Senator Bala Maliya; a former governor of the state, Senator Kabiru Gaya; a former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Garo; and a former Chairman of the state’s Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado.

Garo Beyond the usual motives politicians use to seek power, Kano’s uniqueness makes it a particularly special state that needs special leadership. If it is misgoverned, this negatively impacts the North and by extension, Nigeria.

Ganduje is from Kano North Senatorial zone, while former governors Rabiu Kwankwaso and Ibrahim Shekarau are from Kano Central. Many aspirants are, therefore, insisting that it’s the turn of the South to produce the next governor, but Garo, who is also from Kano North, is said to be the governor’s choice.

But many stakeholders are said to be uncomfortable with Ganduje’s speculated choice because his profile is said to be out of sync with what a future governor of Kano and potential successor to high-flier Ganduje should be. This has reportedly prodded a very sensitive Ganduje to back off from that course, leaving the field currently unclear. This scenario suggests that a dark horse with the right profile is in the offing and it is Ganduje’s duty to identify and unveil this personality.

Kano State is certainly blessed with a surfeit of capable and progressive politicians. Against this backdrop, who to pick as successor becomes something of a daunting task but certainly not a Gordian knot to cut. Out of these politicians, an emerging, quiet spoken, demonstrably effective and subtle political personality from the state is Senator Basheer Garba Lado from Kano Central which is Nigeria’s largest senatorial constituency with the voting numbers to boot. He was a demonstrably impactful member of the 7th Senate and young colleague of the current national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Although reports indicate Lado is targeting a return to the 10th Senate, but some progressive stakeholders believe Ganduje could easily change that political course by considering him as successor.

With a hugely promising national legislative trajectory on course, political

Lado realignments denied him a second senatorial term. But nevertheless he remained steadfast and kept faith and today has vastly matured and entering a crucial phase of his political odyssey with head held high.

Lado who navigates without the baggage that dog many of his peers and vibrates with the political sagacity and sophistication of his native Kano, served as Director, Contact and Mobilisation, North, in the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council. A former Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, he was subsequently appointed Director General of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), by President Muhammadu Buhari.

As a rookie Senator (2011-2015), Lado who was vice chairman, Senate Committee on Works, attracted over 113 constituency projects that border on health, education, infrastructure and more - with 100 per cent rate of completion. This remains unmatched. Of the many projects he attracted to Kano, perhaps two enjoy flagship status - and Kano folks will never forget these in a hurry.

These are the N2.5 billion Kundila Flyover Bridge Kano, which ecstatic Kano citizens fondly call Gadan Lado.

This major project immediately decongested the traffic gridlock, which was then an unseemly feature of the area.

It was commissioned by then President Goodluck Jonathan who named it Ado Bayero Bridge but Kano folks thought better and fondly call it Gadan Lado.

The other is the N14.5 billion, 171-km Kano-Katsina road dualisation project.

This game-changing project takes travellers to Sokoto, Katsina, Gusau and Niger Republic. It could be recalled that an appreciative Katsina State delegation visited Kano to fete Lado on this account.

Over time, Lado has demonstrated that he is a personality and leader not swayed by extraneous emotionalism

and parochial cant. He remains driven by principle. This footing, many speculate, may put him on Ganduje’s succession radar - if that is not the case yet.

Today, at a critical period of leadership change, Kano State stands on the brink of substantial opportunity as it transitions to another political leadership. As it were, only tested pathfinders with vision, humility, knowledge and courage can provide the critical and inclusive leadership to ensure both stability and progression.

The position of a state chief executive carries considerable weight, especially in charting the course of bold engagements with the critical elements in a democratic mix as well as providing astute governance. This requires political and organisational transformation, especially in a political space that has long been driven by traditional metrics. More, it requires bold, game-changing leadership.

As it is, Lado has wielded power and is still deploying his influence with alluring humility and exemplary focus. With his life’s trajectory, the Bayero University political Science graduate has demonstrated that philanthropy, business and politics fundamentally address transformation of the human condition for good.

Perhaps these consistent qualities have also kept him on the radar of the ruling party’s top hierarchs in Abuja. An unwavering sense of loyalty and duty, rigorous professionalism, stern discipline, demonstrable integrity and almost a child-like faith in his beloved Allah stand him out as a leader for higher political responsibility.

According to renowned AustrianAmerican management sage, Peter Drucker, the greatest danger in times of change or turbulence is not the change or turbulence - it is to act with yesterday’s logic. Ganduje’s sterling stewardship requires that his successor would be a capable, pragmatic patriot who will govern with a sense of high responsibility and history.

In effect, as circumspect Ganduje looks for a worthy successor, this ‘dark horse’ quietly waits in the wings.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

GAVEL

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

Will Senate’s Ransom Prohibition Bill Stem Kidnapping Scourge?

Udora Orizu writes that members of the Senate at plenary, last week, amended the Terrorism Act, prohibiting payment of ransom to kidnappers in the country in terms of infrastructural development across all partsofthiscountry,butbecausesecuritysituation isnotthekindofsituationthatweallwant,thistends to overshadow all the tremendous and massive developments in our country.

“I believe that the Executive will waste no time in signing this bill into law, and it is our hope that this additional piece of legislation will achieve the purpose for which it has been worked upon by the Senate,and,indeed,theNationalAssemblyand,for the reason for which it would also be signed by Mr. President. Let me make it very clear here, that the fight against insecurity, whether it is kidnapping, terrorism or whatsoever, is not the sole role of a government.Thecontributionandsupportbycitizens isessential,becauseoursecurityagenciesneedvital andcriticalinformationagainstterrorismandother things that make life difficult for us.”

The Senate chamber

T

he Senate last week passed a billseekingtoamendtheTerrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, to prohibitthepaymentofransom to kidnappers in Nigeria.

Thewordkidnapisassociated withthecriminalactivityinwhich a person is taken away usually against the his/her will, and this is usually done for ransom. Kidnapping has become a serious threat to Nigeria. Between January 2015 and May 2020, no fewer than 4,962 persons were reportedly kidnapped across the country.The figure may not be accurate as security agencies tasked with the primary responsibility of investigating and tackling kidnapping, sometimes do not always record incidents of kidnapping.

InJuly,2021,about140studentswerekidnapped fromaBaptistHighSchoolforransominnorthwest Kaduna.InSeptember2021,about73studentswere abducted from a state-run high school in Zamfara’s Maradundistrict,onFebruary17,agangofgunmen kidnapped more than forty students, teachers, and administrators from a secondary school in Niger State. In December, “bandits” kidnapped some threehundredschoolboysfromaschoolinKankara, locatedinKatsinaState.In2014,thekidnappingof more than 200 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok acquired international notoriety.While there have beenseveralothermasskidnappings,themostrecent which shook the nation to the core is the March 28, terrorists attack of a Kaduna-bound train, during which eight passengers were killed, 41 injured and scores of others kidnapped. The terrorists in a video which surfaced online had threatened to kill the abductees if government fails to provide what they want.

Fordecadesthiscriminalact,hasbecomealucrativebusiness,withthefederalgovernmentstruggling tofindasolution.Previouslythesekidnappingswere consideredtobepoliticallymotivated,howeverthis dastardly act have gone beyond the initial political nature.

In these recent instances, kidnappers are after

ransom, they ask for a ransom regardless of the victim’s socioeconomic status, because they are well aware that families will do whatever they can to guarantee the safe return of their loved ones.

AccordingtoareportbyaLagos-basedresearch consulting firm, SB Morgen Intelligence, between June 2011 and March 2020, Nigerians paid kidnappers an estimated $18.34 million as ransoms (N8.98 billion).

Senate Amends Terrorism Act Inabidtodiscouragetherisingspateofkidnapping and abduction for ransom which is fast spreading across the country, the Senate at the plenary last week passed a bill seeking to amend theTerrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, to prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers in Nigeria.

Thepassageofthebill,followedtheconsideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, laid by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).

Bamidele,inhispresentation,saidthebillseeksto outlawthepaymentofransomtoabductors,kidnappersandterroristforreleaseofanypersonwhohas beenwrongfullyconfined,imprisonedorkidnapped.

Accordingtothelawmaker,“theoverallimportof thisbillistodiscouragetherisingspateofkidnapping and abduction for ransom In Nigeria, which is fast spreading across the country.”

He disclosed that in the memoranda presented totheCommittee,plethoraofissuesrelatingtothe subjectmatterofterrorismandterrorismfinancing in line with global best practices were raised.

HeassuredthattheamendmenttotheTerrorism Act would set standards and regulatory system intended to prevent terrorist groups from laundering money through the banking system and other financial networks.

Headdedthat,“havingpoliciesinplacetocombat financingofterrorismwillsurelyreduceoreliminate privacyandanonymityinfinancialandothersundry transactionsasitrelatestothesubjectinoursociety.”

Heexplainedfurtherthattheneedtocomprehensively review the Terrorism Prevention Act arose from the unfavourable ratings of Financial ActTask Force(FATF)recommendationsofNigeria’sMutual Evaluation Report and consequent placement of Nigeria in FATF’S International Cooperation and ReviewGroupProcesswithitsimpendingsanctions on Nigeria’s economy.

HestatedthattheNationalTaskForceonimprovingNigeria’sAnti-MoneyLaunderingandCountering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime in Nigeria, proposed improvement on the Act in order toaddressthedeficienciesnotedinitsprovisionsso astoalignwiththerequiredstandardasobtainable in other jurisdictions.

He emphasised that the proposed repeal and enactment bill was geared towards improving the effectivenessofcountermeasuresagainstterrorism, terrorism financing and proliferation financing.

The lawmaker noted that the repeal is aimed at providing adequate framework for improved internationalcollaboration,inter-agencycooperation and freezing of terrorist funds/assets.

Bamidele said: “The passage of this bill will save Nigeria from being included among countries in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List with its attendant negative consequences, which might ultimately result to international sanctions that would affect the image of the country in the comity of nations.”

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks after the bill was passed, said the bill would compliment the federal government’s efforts in the fight against insecurity when signed into law by the president.

Hesaid:“ItisourbeliefhereintheSenate,thatthis bill,bythetimesignedintoanActbyMr.President,will enhance the efforts of this government in the fight againstterrorism,kidnapping,andotherassociated andrelatedvices.Thisisonepieceoflegislationthat can turn around not only the security situation in Nigeria, but even the economic fortunes of our country. We have done so much as a government,

Will the Bill Stem Kidnapping Scourge?

While the proposal by the Senate to enact a law banning payment of ransom to kidnappers and making it a criminal offence for those connected withsuchpaymentsmaybelaudableandintandem withinternationalbestpracticeagainstkidnapping, unfortunately, it is not so possible in Nigeria, as the countrylacksthestructuretoprevent,mitigateand rescue victims.

Thelawmakersareexpectedtobemoreworried about the failure of official security architecture that has made kidnapping so easy for the criminals and hence should task the federal government to takemoreproactiveactionstoputinplacearobust securityapparatusthatwillmakekidnappingimpossible for the perpetrators and where it happens, a prompt and efficient system to neutralise them.

Many have said the bill is tantamount to putting thecartbeforethehorse.Theythinkthelawmakers were just playing to the gallery. They also wonder how government will outlaw payments of ransom when that is the only choice we have?

Tobereal,whowillhislovedonebekidnappedand notwillmovemountainstogetthepersonreleased.

Even if it means selling all his belongings to see his loved one alive and happy.

“Currently, over 1,000 people in the country are in the hands of bandits and terrorists and so far the country cannot rescue them.That’s a simple truth.

Unlesswewanttocontinuedeceivingourselves,out of every 10 persons released by terrorists, at least 8 were because the ransom was paid and maybe one managed to escape.

“For over a month, over 30 Abuja-Kaduna train passengers are still in the hands of terrorists. The most heartbreaking story was about one of the victims who gave birth in captivity. The picture of thebeautifulbabybroketheheartsofmany,shewas oblivioustohersituation.Thesecurityagencieshave notbeenabletosecuretheirrelease.TheManaging Director of Bank of Industry that was released I am sure paid the ransom.

“In an ideal situation, the law would have worked.

Payingransomtokidnappersemboldensthem.They get more money to finance their illicit operations.

The bandits use the money to buy more weapons and bikes. But we are not in an ideal situation in Nigeria, The Nigeria Police Force cannot handle issues of kidnapping by terrorists. The armed forces have been overstretched as they have practically taken over internal security in the country. So, where do Nigerians go from here?

The thing the National Assembly needs to first fight for is to strengthen the country’s security agencies with more equipment and investment in modern technology. With modern equipment, fewer men are needed to achieve more results,” said an analyst.

This is why observers have describedtheamendment as waste of time and a law that is only good for the book shelf.

They noted that in a country where security agencies are ineffective, many have wondered if theSenateinpassingthenewlaw,wantstheirloved ones who have been kidnapped to die in captivity?

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MAY 1, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

N E W SX T R A

FOSTERING NIGERIA-THAILAND RELATIONS… L-R: Vice President for Student Development, King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Prof. Chaowalit Limmaneevichitr; Vice President, Internationalisation, KMUTT, Prof. Pornapit Darasawang; President, KMUTT, Prof. Suvit Saetia; Nigeria's Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. Oma Djebah; Minister, Economic, Trade and Investment, Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok, Mr. Mohammed Haidara; Counsellor, Consular, Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok, Mr. Olushola Seriki; and First Secretary, Education, Embassy of Nigeria, Bangkok, Mrs. Sonari Uraih, at the end of a meeting on strategic partnership between the Embassy of Nigeria and KMUTT in Bangkok…recently

Jonathan's Rumoured Ambition Poses No Threat, Say Osinbajo, Tinubu’s Support Groups Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The support groups of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu have declared that the rumoured presidential ambition of former President Goodluck Jonathan on the platform of the APC poses no threat to their principals.

Jonathan had recently revealed that he was still considering the call on him to contest the 2023 presidential election.

However, the support groups of the various presidential aspirants contesting on the

platform of APC have insisted that the purported entrants of Jonathan into the race would not scuttle the chances of their principals ahead of the presidential primary of the party slated for May 30 and June 1, 2022.

Reacting, the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) said that it remained unperturbed about the speculation that Jonathan would contest on the platform of APC. TSG Head of Media, Mr. Tosin Adeyanju noted that Tinubu was already focused on the presidential primary and has been reaching out to delegates.

He stated: "The more the merrier. We welcome everyone to the race. Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu is a democrat that believes in a democratic context. We are focused on the primaries, which is what the party constitution stipulates. We are equally reaching out to all delegates coming for the primaries.

"Other aspirants before him have equally dropped the president's name as the anointed one. “Therefore, he will not be the last to say so moving towards primaries. The party must choose the most popular aspirant at the primaries in other for APC to be able to win the general election

and our principal fit into this.

Adeyanju thought that the purported coming of Jonathan to APC would not jeopardise the chances of the former Governor of Lagos state.

He added: "He will not (scuttle Tinubu's chances) because he would have to submit his credentials and records to the party delegates for scrutiny.

Asiwaju's record speaks for him and that is why he is running on his record and his democratic credentials."

Also, Osinbajo Support Movement, said it has no reason to be jittery over the purported coming of Jonathan.

The Convener, Mr. Badmus Olawale, said the law signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 forbids Jonathan from contesting in 2023.

The Act intends to ensure that where a Vice President succeeds that president and where a deputy governor succeeds a governor, he can no more contest for that office more than once more.

Olawale said: "We have no reason to (be jittery). First, the law signed by Mr. President about a sitting Vice President completing the tenure of his/ her principal has stipulated that such a person can only contest

Only National Chairman, Secretary Can Authenticate Membership Cards, Says PDP Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday clarified that only its national chairman and the national secretary are vested with power to authenticate the party’s membership cards.

The party made the clarification in a statement by

its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.

It stated this while making clarification on the membership eligibility to participate in congresses to elect the three-man ad hoc delegates who shall in turn elect party candidates for the 2023 general election.

The party noted that

the clarification became necessary following reports of misinterpretation in some chapters, particularly in Lagos State, where some party stakeholders are reportedly demanding that membership cards have to be authenticated.

The statement added that the stakeholders were reportedly

demanding that membership cards had to be authenticated by ward chairmen before the holders would be eligible to participate in the three-man ad hoc congresses schedule for Saturday, April 30.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the only authority vested with the power to authenticate party

SULTAN DECLARES MONDAY AS EID-EL-FITR Eid-el Fitr.

The Sultan made the declaration in a statement issued yesterday by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Prof.

Sambo Junaidu.

He said the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee did not receive any report from various Moon sighting committees across the country confirming the sighting of the new moon of Shawwal 1443AH, on Saturday, April 30, 2022, which was the 29th day of Ramadan 1443AH. “Therefore, Sunday, May 1, 2022, is the 30th day of the month of Ramadan 1443AH. “The Sultan has accepted the

report and accordingly declared Monday, May 2, 2022, as the first day of Shawwal 1443AH, Day of Eid-el-Fitr,” he said.

The Sultan felicitated with Nigerian Muslim Ummah and wished them Allah's guidance and blessings.

He urged the Muslim Ummah to continue to pray for peace, progress and development of the country while wishing all Nigerians happy Eid-el-Fitr.

Sighting of the new moon signified the first day of Shawwal in which the Muslim Ummah celebrate Sallah and end the compulsory fasting of Ramadan.

Also, the Secretary of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), Mallam Yahaya Muhammad Boyi, said in a terse statement last night,

that: “The Sultanate Council, Sokoto, has declared Monday 2/5/2022 as the first day of Shawwal 1443 AH.” The development comes after Haramain Sharifain, an Islamic news agency in Saudi Arabia, declared that the crescent moon was not seen on Saturday, and consequently, Monday will be the day of Eid-el- Fitr.

The Director of Administration of the NSCIA, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, had in a statement on Friday, urged Muslims across the country to look for the new moon of Shawwal yesterday.

This year’s Ramadan also continues today in Saudi Arabia and some other countries across the world.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court as saying that the

Shawwal crescent was not sighted yesterday and thus, Ramadan would continue today.

The oil-rich kingdom also announced yesterday that Muslims in the country would celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr on Monday.

“Monday… is the first day of the blessed Eid al-Fitr for this year,” with Sunday the last day of Ramadan, the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing a royal court statement.

The UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain, among others, also said that the first day of Eid-el-Fitr would be on Monday, May 2.

The sighting of the crescent moon yesterday would have marked the end of Ramadan and the start of the next month of Shawwal today.

membership cards for eligibility to participate in congresses, including the three-man ad hoc delegate congresses, are the national chairman and the national secretary through their signatures on the cards.

“The PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended) in Chapter 2, Part 1, Article 8(7) is clear in providing that ‘the membership card shall be produced by the National Headquarters and authenticated by the National Chairman and the National Secretary,” the statement said.

The party said that PDP members holding membership cards duly authenticated by the national chairman and national secretary did not require any further authentication.

“No further authentication is required by ward chairmen or any other officer of the party at any level whatsoever before they can participate in the three-man ad hoc delegate congresses and party primaries.

“A member with a duly authenticated membership card by the national chairman and national secretary and who is up to date in his financial obligation to the party shall be eligible to participate and vote in the three-man ad hoc delegate congress,” the statement added.

once more - which means he cannot swear an oath for the office of the President more than twice. GEJ has completed the tenure of late Umar Yar'Adua and he has equally contested on his own and won in 2011.”

On the speculation that Jonathan might be anointed

by Buhari, Olawale insisted that every aspirant contesting on the platform of APC needs the blessings of the President, adding that Jonathan is not a member of the APC. He noted that it was laughable to abhor the thought that Jonathan's entrants into the race would scuttle Osinbajo's chances.

His words: "It will be laughable to even think such. How do we market him to the delegates, party members, and Nigerians in general despite our campaigns against him in 2015? Is the APC going to say, oh! we are sorry it was an error removing Jonathan and we want to bring him back?"

On her part, the Head of Media, Governor Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, Ms. Yemi Kolapo said the former President was welcomed to the race just like other aspirants.

She added that regardless of the number of people that showed interest, Bello would be on the ballot.

Kolapo said: "Jonathan is welcome to APC just like others.

The space is enough for all to fly. However, regardless of the number of people who show interest in the APC presidential ticket, Governor Yahaya Bello will be on the ballot."

In his response, the Personal Assistant/ Head of Media to the former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Dr. Ebere Nzewuji said Okorocha stands out among all the aspirants given the mood of the nation now and his antecedents.

He said the ruling party knows Okorocha's credentials, adding that it doesn't matter if former President Jonathan joins the race.

Nzewuji noted that while the nation was threatened by people agitating for separation, insecurity, and a dwindling economy, Okorocha has his signature in all the nooks and crannies of the nation.

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FMN Completes Acquisition of 71% Stake in Honeywell Flour Mills Gilbert Ekugbe Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) has announced that it has completed the acquisition of a 71.69 per cent stake in Honeywell Flour Mills Plc (HFMP).

The company, which made this known in a statement issued yesterday by its Corporate Communications Officer, Mrs. Modupe Thani, said it had obtained the required regulatory approvals to perfect the acquisition.

It also acquired a 5.06 per cent stake in HFMP held by First Bank of Nigeria Limited.

According to Thani, the transaction, which has now been consummated by the parties, would create a strong national champion for the food industry in Nigeria.

The acquisition has been approved by all relevant regulators, including the Federal

Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria (SEC).

“An announcement was made on November 22, 2021, regarding their agreement to the transaction, which would bring together two businesses with shared goals to create a more resilient national champion in the Nigerian food industry.

“This acquisition enables FMN to extend its reach across Nigeria, provide enhanced manufacturing capacity, and create synergies to deliver improved products to consumers.

“At a total enterprise value of N80 billion, Honeywell Group disposed of a 71.69 per cent stake in HFMP to FMN. “Given FMN’s parallel negotiation for both stakes, culminating in the agreements

being executed, the transaction was concluded at N4.20 being the final equity price per share,” the company revealed.

It added that the Group Managing Director of FMN, Mr. Boye Olusanya, expressed delight that approvals had been received, and that the company was ready for execution.

He said the landmark transaction would strengthen Nigeria’s food security architecture and overall competitiveness.

“Our combined brands and businesses will mean an expansive scale of food production for both Nigeria and

Africa and together, Flour Mills of Nigeria and Honeywell Flour Mills will be able to achieve rapid growth while maintaining high-quality products serving the evolving needs of our consumers.

“The acquisition will further serve as a catalyst for an even stronger stream of innovation that is focused on local content offerings, enabling our customers across the nation to seamlessly benefit from improved access to a wider product range and a robust pan-Nigerian distribution network.

“Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, will benefit from

the group’s renewed focus on developing agricultural value Chains and backward integration imperative.

“This focus is further heightened by unfolding global events, and we are responding, among other initiatives, with the set-up of regional expansion platforms, ultimately geared towards improving food security and employment opportunities across Nigeria,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Honeywell’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Obafemi Otudeko, was also quoted as saying that the deal struck would create a business that would serve

Nigerian consumers better.

“As we entrust Flour Mills of Nigeria with building on Honeywell Flour Mills’ strong legacy, we will work closely with them to ensure seamless integration, setting the combined company up for a successful future.

“We thank the NGX, FCCPC, and the SEC for their support, and will continue our close collaboration with them across our various businesses and investments to deliver on the national vision of building a resilient economy through successful enterprise,” he said.

15% Levy on Imported Used Vehicles Illegal, Clearing Agents Tell Buhari Eromosele Abiodun Clearing agents under the aegis of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), have told President Muhammadu Buhari that there is no provision for the National Automotive Council (NAC) levy of 15 per cent in either the 2020 or 2021 Finance Act, stressing that its implementation by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is illegal.

President of NCMDLCA, Mr Lucky Amiwero, who stated the position of these agents in a letter to Buhari, also argued that the NAC levy was not part of the the10-year implementation plan of the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on October 2, 2013, which is expected to expire in 2023.

Amiwero, who was also a member of the presidential committee on the review of customs laws, therefore, called for a review of the auto policy.

According to him, the Finance Act 2020 specifically approves for motor vehicles the amendment of the First Schedule to the Act, which is amended by inserting and replacing duties and levies.

He said: “Duty on Tractors (Heading 8701) from 35 per cent to five per cent; duty on motor vehicles for the transportation of more than 10 persons (HS

Heading 8702) from 35 per cent to 10 per cent; levy on motor vehicles for transportation of persons (cars) (HS Headings 8703) from 35 per cent to five per cent and duty for motor vehicles for transportation of goods (HS Heading 8704) from 35 per cent to 10 per cent”.

“Finance Act provides for five per cent levy for Motor vehicles of Chapter 8703, that is cars; there is no provision for NAC levy of 15 per cent in either 2020 and 2021 Finance Act passed by the National Assembly and signed in to law.

“NAC levy was not part of the 10-year implementation plan of NAIDP approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on October 2, 2013, which is expected to expire in 2023 and never being included in the process of duty assessment and levies.

Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) Act Section subsection 1(a) specifies two per cent as collection and not part of the Finance Act 2020 and 2021, which was referred to in the circular by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) “But with the collapse of the auto policy in 2021 and the removal of the protective regime of duties and levies, there is the need for a total review to ascertain the possible shortfall within the seven years of the implementation of the auto policy,” he stated.

NOW THE RACE HAS STARTED… National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (left), and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, displaying their APC’s nomination forms for presidential and governorship primaries in Abuja…yesterday

OPEC SIGNS DEAL TO FUND FEASIBILITY STUDY OF $25BN NIGERIA-MOROCCO GAS PIPELINE signed a cash call repayment agreement with its JV partners to defray cash-call arrears within five years after many years of its indebtedness to its partners.

Before then, it had consistently for years failed to meet its indebtedness to the IOCs, a situation the operators said caused a loss of new investments in the oil and gas sector.

Petrol Subsidy Payments to Raise Fiscal Deficit to N10tn in 2022 In another development, rising petrol subsidy claims incurred by the NNPC have continued

to take tolls on the economy with analysts projecting that it will raise Nigeria’s fiscal deficit to N10 trillion at the end of the year.

The development, according to economic analysts from Afrinvest Securities Limited, will weigh heavily on Nigeria’s growing debt profile with a correspondent fall in capital expenditure.

In the April edition of the Afrinvest Monthly Market Report, which was released yesterday, analysts from the research firm noted that a revised expenditure plan passed by the National Assembly in April brought about a 702.0 per cent surge in the provision

for petrol subsidy payment for 2022 to N3.6 trillion.

This, the report said, followed the 18 months postponement of the implementation period of the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which ought to have ended the subsidy regime

by February 2022.

According to the report, the revised expenditure plan showed that the federal government’s revenue projection for 2022 was lowered by N772.9billion to N9.97trillion, thus expanding the estimated fiscal deficit for the year by 15.1 per cent to N7.4trillion.

The report, however, maintained that given its weak optimism about the likely

improvement in revenue from oil and gas, and the independent revenue from other sources, the actual deficit for 2022 will be in the threshold of N10trillion.

The report stated: “First, on the domestic scene, the National Assembly in April passed the revised N17.3trillion expenditure plan for the executive in 2022, which translates to an increase of N192.5 billion over the amount earlier passed in December 2021.

“The revised expenditure plan saw non-debt recurrent expenditure and debt service provisions rise by 2.9 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively to N7.1trillion and N4 trillion, while provisions for statutory transfers and capital expenditure

were lowered by 6 per cent and 1 per cent to N800 million and N5.4 trillion respectively.

The increase in the non-debt expenditure was largely due to the 702.0 per cent surge in provision for petrol subsidy payment for 2022 to N3.6 trillion, following the 18 months postponement of the implementation period of the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which ought to have ended the subsidy regime by February 2022.”

The report said the increase in debt service provision is to cushion the knock-on effect of the rising interest rate environment in the external and domestic debt market amid

rising inflationary pressure.

It noted however that “Sadly, the federal government’s revenue projection for 2022 was lowered by N772.9 billion to N9.97 trillion, hence, expanding the estimated fiscal deficit for the year by 15.1 per cent to N7.4 trillion.”

The report maintained that “Given our weak optimism about the likely improvement in revenue from oil and gas, independent revenue, and revenue from other sources as earlier captured in our January 2022 macroeconomic outlook report (A Mix of a Boom & Gloom), we maintain that actual deficit for 2022 may top N10 trillion.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R MAY 1, 2022

INTERNATIONAL Nigeria’s Political Magouilles and Increasing Threats to National Unity: The Foreign Policy Dimensions

P

ThePoliticalMagouilles First is the current effort being made to make Nigeria the home for all Fulani in Africa. Allegations of a Fulanisation Agenda under the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) administration have been made in the past. No one took them seriously. The allegations remain speculative until party primaries began and the agenda was uncovered during a Channels Television interview by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Bala Mohammed.

As explained by the Governor, efforts are being made‘to bring the Fulani in one-fold in Nigeria… The Fulani is a global man and settles anywhere he can feed his cattle.’In an answer to a question on why the Federal Government should be funding private businesses and whether the‘one-fold’would be an enclosure for reasons of security, the Governor answered it would not be an enclosure but a colony, which does not normally have fences. On funding, he admitted that Government had already been doing just that because they are Nigerians. When did they become Nigerians? When did they come to Nigerians and how? There was the time illegal immigrants in Nigeria, many of whom were rightly or wrongly believed to be Fulani from West Africa, were given six months to regularize their stay in Nigeria rather than querying how they entered Nigeria or overstayed beyond the 90 days allowed by the ECOWAS Treaty.

This Fulani agenda, most unfortunately, has the potential to create more fundamental problems in the foreseeable future, especially if the sponsors of the agenda, including the Bauchi Governor, were to be elected to any public positions. That any Fulani can settle anywhere should not imply the use of force to settle down on titled land. It should not mean forceful occupation of titled and occupied land. That right of settlement does not cover usurpation of people’s land. PMB has tried fruitlessly by seeking new cattle routes and talking about RUGA to help his Fulani brothers. There is absolutely nothing wrong in helping one another, but the approach must not

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VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Onyeama be manu militari. The truth is that Nigeria does not belong to the Fulani or to any ethnic group. Besides, there is nothing like terra nullius which can be occupied at any time by a Fulani herdsman.

Governor Bala Mohammed made it clear that the Fulani can settle down in the forest, as not enabling that will only subject the forest to being used for criminal activities.The problem again here is that the forest in every state is held in trust by the State Government for the people of the State. Consequently, the Bauchi Governor’s effort at sponsoring an agenda of Fulanisation will only create unprecedented obstacles to national unity in the future. The experience so far has been the mistreatment by the Fulani herders of local farmers, destruction of their farmlands, raping their women, and children. This cannot be expected to continue. If you ask the Government why this is so, one ready answer is that the Fulani aggressors are not the Nigerian Fulani.

But when asked how the foreign Fulani entered Nigeria, there is no answer beyond speculations that immigrations are remiss in their duties.

Second issue is institutional corruption, which has become the hallmark of the PMB administration. It is galloping and deepening. In fact, it has scientifically now been done to discriminate against some less privileged Nigerians. For example, the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress is selling its presidential for N100 million, that is, N30m for expression of interest form and N70m for nomination form. What is noteworthy here is that the form is made free for women and handicaps. More important, the cost of the APC nomination form for the House of Assembly is N2m, while it is N10m for House of Representatives, N20m for the Senate, and N50m for governorship.

When compared with the PDP, life is still bearable for the aspirants: N600,000 for House of Assembly, N2.5m for House of Representatives, N3.5m for Senate, N21m for Governorship,

Nigeria may be the next example because PMB wrongly and myopically believes in the indissolubility and indivisibility of Nigeria. A more populous, economically vibrant Nigeria, very stable and secure is quite better than being smaller. However, the mania of political governance in Nigeria shows the strengthening of Fulani hegemony through PMB’s nepotism which is being resisted peacefully and violently. True, the Yoruba agitation for separation has been peaceful so far through their membership of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) in August 2020. However, there is nothing to suggest that the agitation will not turn violent in the future because of the continued military enslavement of the peaceful agitators and recklessness with which their leader, Sunday Igboho, has been treated. Additionally, on Monday, 4 October 2021, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-General Kabiru Yahya, announced in Enugu the holding of special military operations in four regions: North Central (Middle Belt), Southwest, Southeast, and Southsouth. Coincidentally, these are regions where resistance to Fulanisation agenda is strongest and where the military operations are seen as terrorization of their peace. Why are there no terrorisation of the Northeast and Northwest where insurrectional and bandit terrorism is at its peak? Threats to national unity are increasing and Nigeria is already seen internationally as a failed State. Most unfortunate!

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olitical governance in Nigeria is heavily fraught with lack of patriotism, intrigues, incompetence, and wickedness. The notion of Nigeria being a geographical expression does not even mean anything anymore as efforts are consciously being made to consciously destroy Nigeria.The issue of boko haramists being in government was first raised under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. But attention was hardly given to it. This is one way of killing Nigeria softly. What the people of Nigeria have been witnessing is the reckless killing of patriotic Nigerian soldiers when they were sent to theatres of war to defend Nigeria.

They were always ambushed because the enemy has an advanced information about the movement of the patriotic Nigerian soldiers.

What do we do with the enemy within government which makes whatever strategy adopted to be shamefully neutralized?

Apart from the enemies within, the Nigerian military have also been accused of aiding and abetting the Boko Haram insurgency, incroyable mais vrai (unbelievable but true), the French people often say. Why is this so? When have we come to nursing an unpatriotic military? Nigerian soldiers with international record of always fighting gallantly when they are engaged in United Nations peace enforcement activities, have suddenly become another military that lacks patriotism. What is responsible for this new development?

In Nigeria, public administration as a course of study has become questionable. People who are managing public businesses have studied business or public administration. But who taught them and from where did they get their education from? These questions are raised because on 11 March 2022, an Ibadan-bound train from Lagos had a breakdown because of insufficient fuel. Even though the Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidelis Ukhiria, said the incident occurred due to a faulty gauge that was fixed within one hour, the House of Representatives has decided to investigate the incident for reasons of‘operational incompetence.’

Honourable Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta) who moved the motion of urgent public importance, to investigate the Ibadan-Lagos train fuel saga ‘exposes the carelessness, irresponsibility and incompetence of the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation to effectively and efficiently manage the sector.’ More disturbingly, the new Nigerian trains often carry more illegal or non-officially checked-in passengers. Why is the number of passengers carried not always consistent with the number of checked-in passengers on a train? Magouilles par excellence? Truly, Nigeria is on a fast track to disintegration by force of necessity and the foreign policy implications cannot be far-fetched.

and N40m for presidential. The implication of this is that presidential contest can only be for the rich. Can Nigerians sustain a presidential democracy? Without doubt, this is the first time since 1999 that the cost of a presidential application form would be so prohibitive: N100m. It is the costliest. While this amount can help generate funds for the party, it also prevents non-money-bag aspirants from seeking to come nearer the contest. How much does the aspirant that accepts to pay a nomination form of N100m pay as tax? Does he even pay tax? The amount is very discriminatory and can induce uncommitted people to engage in corruption.

In fact, more thought-provokingly, people have asked how an aspirant who pays N100m for nomination form, will be able to recoup his investment when the totality of his legitimate income for his four-year tenure as president will not be more than N56m.

It is expected that he would make for it when he assumes duty as president.This is a foundation for anticipated institutional corruption. p TThis explains the meaningless of PMB’s anti-corruption agenda.

TThe means being used is defeating the purpose. The revelations o on institutional corruption in Kaduna State by a Human Rights Activist, Mahdi Shehu on Arise News, are very embarrassing. He A rrevealed the re-appointment of 16 Permanent Secretaries who left Government after 35 years of service. They now earn salaries and G p pension contributions. The main purpose is to cover institutional ccorruption, especially how one billion naira is withdrawn in a day ffrom different banks how the banks cover them up. Government ccannot successfully combat corruption selectively and at the top llevel. The foundational roots of corruption must be simultaneously aaddressed through public enlightenments.

Third, on insecurity, it is on daily basis deepening to the extent tthat there have been calls on Government to engage mercenaries aand seek foreign help. Sophisticated weapons have been acquired but they have been to no avail so far. Kidnapping is the new order b o of the day in Nigeria. Nigerians, and particularly the relations of kkidnapped people, often appeal to PMB to please deal with the tterrorist kidnappers as if PMB had not been doing anything. True e enough, PMB has been reportedly doing his best to control terrorism iin Nigeria. The problem, however, is that Nigerians do not appear tto believe that he is genuinely committed to any anti-Boko Haram sstruggle.

Without doubt, PMB has always given instructions to the Service C Chiefs to deal squarely with the terrorists. He is on record to have o ordered the shooting of people carrying AK-47 rifles illegally.

W Whenever there is a terrorist attack, PMB never failed to renew his call for rededication. But immediately such instructions were given, the terrorists have always responded more fiercely to the chagrin of Nigerians.

Imagine, the case of a woman with 8-month pregnancy, kidnapped on 28 March 2022 in the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train. She was delivered of a baby girl through a caesarian section in captivity. A doctor was invited by the terrorists to come and help deliver of the baby. Who was this doctor? Did the doctor not know that he was invited by a terrorist group? Where did the delivery operation take place: in the forest or in the hospital of the doctor in the community?

There is no disputing the fact that the doctor knows the location of the terrorists and that there is an acquaintance between the doctor and the terrorists. Why is Government claiming ignorance of wellknown facts? The doctor came from the community. The doctor and the terrorists are well known in the community. If this is so, how do we explain the inability of Government to contain terrorism?

Good enough, Government wants to avoid killing civilians.When the operational base of the terrorists is well known, does the argument of avoiding civilian casualties tenable? Asked differently, when the kidnapped victims are released, what happens to the base? Why is the whole area surrounding the base not completely neutralized by the Nigerian military after release of those kidnapped? Can Nigeria survive in this type of political chicanery?

ForeignPolicyDimensions Probably to nip terrorism-driven insecurity in the bud, the National Assembly wants to criminalize payment of ransom to terrorists.

International tradition discourages payment of ransoms, which is believed to be strengthening the terrorists.This policy is good only to the extent that a country has the means to decisively with terrorism.

In Nigeria, the purpose of the legislation is not clear: Government is not able to release kidnapped victims and relations of the kidnapped have, as a result, always negotiated settlement with the terrorists without necessarily carrying the Government along. How will the Government know who has paid any ransom? More important, even if the identity of a ransom payer is known, why must it be a crime for relations to save family lives when the Government is not able to ensure security? What is the offence or crime to be levied against the Government for its inability to secure the polity?

Additionally, is the international responsibility of the Government of Nigeria not raised if it is admitted that some Nigerian soldiers are assisting the terrorists to frustrate the PMB administration? Nigeria has signed many international agreements done to neutralize terrorism, and their sponsors. In fact, terrorism funding through money laundering is also being fought vigorously and Nigeria is also a signatory to the anti-money laundering accords. How will the Government of Nigeria not to know about the international implications of its soldiers assisting terrorism? Is Nigeria not a terrorist country by so doing?

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Digital Sex and Make-Up Wonders

T

he rave of the moment is not only the raging politics of presidential stampede. We have to admit that the ongoing pageant of presidential aspirants is an impressive circus with limitless comic value.

The material of good political entertainment. Underneath all this, however, two other endemic obsessions have recently crept in and taken root among us.

The first is an obsession with sex as a form of national sport that unites young and old alike both online and in real time. The other is a new fascination with externals, with appearance and make belief. The latter is marked by the emergence of make-up artists as mobile illusionists and new aesthetics wonder workers. There is now an explosion of make-up and disguise artistry as a vibrant new economic sub sector.

Suddenly, the strange things that have sneaked in on us have acquired their own language and assumed new names. Transgender, cross dressing, LGBTQ are the names of a strange animal in town. These are the fancy names for an open sex regime in which even toddlers are playing what has become a national game. Sometimes it takes place in full public glare or via viral social media posts in full digital colour. To compound the confusing picture, we have entered an age in which things are no longer what they seem. A make-up epidemic has come to muddle the divide between appearance and reality, between beauty and ugliness and between modern and ancient.

Ancient and Modern used to be a catch phrase to capture the divide of time. Not anymore. The divide has been breached and rudely bridged by a new art form whose canvass is the human face. Welcome to the age of illusion, the season of masks. Everything looks like its opposite and everything is nothing in the final analysis.

For a long time, hardly anyone in authority seemed to care about the societal moral implications of the new epidemic of gender and sex code violations. While officialdom was preoccupied with more weighty issues of pocket books and bread and butter, a clandestine gay culture emerged and crept under the radar of law enforcement and legislative surveillance. In that hazy moral underground universe, rape and under age sex abuse and other sordid violations grew into a national virus.

The police has been overwhelmed and shocked into opening novel files to accommodate new forms of deviance and sexual criminality. How does the law deal with a pastor who commandeers a squad of hapless women and converts them into a temporary harem on lease for a short while. How does the law judge the wonder of miracles wrought in the process? Or, for that matter, how does the law deal with a man who sleeps with both his wife and their daughter until a neighbor lodges a complain? Worse still, what does the system do with a healthy young man who is a normal male in the day and an alluring ‘female’ at night , complete with a real female voice, coyness, bums and boobs of real texture? Not to talk of the money tree that thrives in between his groins at night with immense transactional value and lavish returns? So, as things stand now, no one seems so sure anymore as to whether sexual deviance and perversion constitute immorality, criminality, digital age entertainment or democratic freedom turned into license.

Gradually, a curious cultural aberration called ‘cross dressing’ emerged. It was first part comedy and part fashion until it took root as a disguise for sexual perversion and other trespasses across a badly perforated national moral canvass.

Underneath the canopy of ‘cross dressing’, crimes like narcotics peddling and money laundering dropped abundant hints. A cult of dubious ‘celebrity’ emerged to decorate these aberrations into a fad.

Something was bound to give in a society where ‘celebrity’ has become another name for embarrassing emptiness and glorified mediocrity.

A daughter who dropped out of an undergraduate programme in a local university but has the temerity to go periodically naked in a fourth rate a movie set becomes a ‘celebrity’. It gets worse if she is paid enough to buy some fake designer atrocities that scream “Gucci”, “Fendi” or “Ferragamo” committed in some Shanghai backyard, the home of intellectual property desecrations.

That is how our ‘celebrities” are born! Disturbing the peace of innocent people on multiple social media platforms follows logically. The routine

IG of Police, Usman Alkali Baba dishing and flaunting of videos of half clad youth is forced down our throats. A new profession called ‘twerking’ emerges which is no more than a relentless swirling of near naked backsides to the beat of wild esoteric beats. Forget the brain; no one cares what is in hour head.

Sometimes the boys fare even worse.

“Junior” returns home on vacation hiding his bad grades under the disguise of braids, natty dread locks, countless dangling ear rings, nasty nose piercings and an annoying accent that is neither male nor female, neither Anglo Saxon nor African American, neither Indian nor Ajegunle Nigerian. It is time to look mum and dad straight in the eyes and tell them the new truth: junior has found a new passion: music, dance, entertainment with excessively ripped jeans to wit. But let us leave fashion and life style outrage to the spirit of the times, the grip of modernity and the license that unlimited freedom breeds. We are in an individualistic society; it is a free world. People now walk about as islands of legalised insanity. The mad man in rags at Oshodi a few years back never knew he was prophesying a future in which tattered clothes would become the fashion rave.

Cross dressing is in a somewhat different class. It is the new phenomenon of youth who start out dressing like the opposite sex.

Healthy young men dressed like women or women dressed like men who gradually abandon their original sexuality and adopt the opposite. Cosmetic surgery, sex change, voice alteration therapy, elaborate make-up, severe physiological alterations follow. The result is a quaint creature that mocks the original intent of nature and embarrasses the cult of parenthood. “Oga, your son is now a girl o!’, is the spontaneous outcry of hapless passersby and neighborhood busy bodies.

Some of the transformations are disarmingly real or surreal. In the more common ones of ‘men’ turned into ‘women’, the results can be curiously seductive and deceptively tantalizing. Hips retract. Sumptuous backsides emerge overnight and gyrate.

Rebellious bosoms and breasts are held in check by retraining harnesses and extreme bras variously called ‘waist trainers’ and ‘body shapers’!. False eye lashes blinker and hallucinate the unsuspecting. Lips drip in deepest red lipstick and the practiced voice of a real damsel lures the unsuspecting into unprintable indulgences. The phenomenon of cross dressing has become a short hand for a clandestine thriving gay culture and sundry sexual ‘419s’!

Other associated industries and merchandise have grown in response to the new wave of demand. A thriving trade in false buttocks, lush hair extensions, natural hair of dead Indian and Latino women, false eye lashes and fake boobs is booming. Your reporter once wandered into a part of Balogun market in Lagos that houses shops dealing in these oddities and ‘cosmetic’ wares. The itinerant marketing foot soldiers of these products are a theatre unto themselves.

“Oga, you want buy …bum or boob? What size?”

Just as you try to recover from the initial shock, another more aggressive voice comes along: ”We get plenty boobs o!… This one soft well well o!” The sheer volume and variety of the merchandise on display is a disarming confirmation that there is a new rave of sexual enhancers and illusion paraphernalia.

Happily, some important people have noticed our slide into a moral wilderness. A draft legislation is reportedly in the offing at the National Assembly to ban and punish the aberrant practitioners of cross dressing and related aberrations. Known and proven cross dressers are liable on conviction to months and even years of imprisonment. Just the mere hint of that approaching legislation has sent some of the faint hearted cross dressers scampering.

Some of the ‘boys’ have quickly cleaned up their dressing and returned to their smart suits, trendy jeans and T-shirts. But the more ardent ones have already invested too heavily in irreversible alteration surgeries and gone too far into the wild to come back now.

The intervention of the House of Representatives is a welcome direction in our legislative history. The House has woken up to a matter of urgent national moral importance. As a human society, we are not just a collection of economic and political animals. We are first and foremost a human society, a moral community that ought to be held together by agreed norms and values.

We are kept sane by a certain stability of values and clear moral boundaries. It is those moral guardrails that keep us all clothed, forcing us indoors when we seek to copulate or procreate.

I hear the loud voice of liberal democratic advocates. After all, it is a free society. People are free to look however they like, free to love whoever they like and anyhow they feel. What I eat does not make you fat! Strict insistence on the traditional boundaries between male and female indicate an unfree society. So, the argument goes, transgender is good and cool!

After all, the gay and transgender people are not bullying the straight and compliant majority.

In a free society, my freedom to swing my arms ends where your nose begins. So, why harass the cross dressers and trans people thereby limiting their freedoms as citizens?

I also hear the contrary voice of conservative African cultural nationalists in our midst. We are first and foremost Africans. Matters of sexuality belong in the privacy of individual life. Women and men are wired and sculpted differently.

Men marrying men or women marrying women are abominable taboos for which the gods are bound to visit transgressors and the society that permits them with apocalyptic vengeance and incendiary calamity. African gods would smite today’s gay rights advocates and practitioners with a thousand poxes and a million maladies too gruesome to name. We should insist that the sexes remain what they were intended to be. Let men be men and women be their kind. Matters of sex and sexuality should be left behind closed doors.

There is an even more aggressive source of moral reservations. The religious army mostly of Christendom. In a country where religion is easily the largest industry, the fellowship of ‘casting’ and ‘binding’ priesthood are not finding this cross dressing, gay and trans gender epidemic funny.

The emergence of this cultural curiosity has been variously used as evidence that the end is nigh. The signs and wonders of biblical end time describe a season when strange happenings become the norm. The more recent misguided and primitive versions of end time signs and harbingers of the apocalypse include the global spread of commercial pornography, the coming of 5G technology, the rise of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and the advent of jihadist terrorism.

A key enabler of the cross dressing and LGBTQ hurricane is the cosmetics industry. It has birthed the new age industry of make-up artistry. A new breed of itinerant young men and women armed with attaché cases replete with assorted concoctions, brushes, concealers, dyes, sprays and false eye lashes are on the prowl. Prior to any social event, they have a capacity to banish decades and even generations with strokes of brushes and the magic of their trade secret concoctions.

Ahead of a television appearance, men already blessed with several years in excess of the biblical three scores and ten are transformed into dashing youngsters. See what magic a talented make-up artist can perform with the freckled and wrinkled visage of the great grandma around the corner who is instantly transformed into a glamourous damsel and star of the next wedding party.

Digital television, digital photography, multiple internet Apps and the necessary nuisance of the social media have stepped in to assist the makeup warriors in their onslaught against our sense of reality, beauty and the inevitable passage of time. You can now filter, fade, highlight, air brush, photoshop, tint, slice, tighten, pull in, spread out or mangle a captured face to the extent that the unsuspecting will swear that the illusion is the reality. Make-up artists are a cross between plastic artists, graphic artists and magical illusionists.

The make-up revolution has drastically altered our sense of aesthetics for both good and for grave ill. The striving for beauty, the natural attraction for the physically attractive and the repulsion of the ugly is part of our natural wiring. That accounts for the current universal appeal of make-up artistry.

Arguably, make up artistry is making the world a lovelier place to live in. Suddenly everybody touched by a make-up artist is either extremely handsome or supremely beautiful. A mix of the right concealers, covering of faders, the right combination of sprayers and brushes erases decades from the ageing tired face. Add a matching hairdo or wig as the case may be and the right eye lashes, lip gloss and a sprinkling of skin energisers and Mona Lisa is reborn!

But the blossoming of make-up artistry is also creating other unintended problems in a world ruled by the eruption of new recognition technologies. Digital security technologies use facial recognition to enhance security across international boundaries. With elaborate make-up on faces, people are no longer who they originally said they were. Security technologies are using techniques like iris recognition to overwrite the reliance on facial recognition alone. It is even worse with your new generation cell phones. They now use face ID in addition to numerical codes to get activated. Too elaborate a make-up can deny you access to your very own phone if you forget your numeric ID. If your phone can no longer recognise your face, you are literally lost.

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NEWS

News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

PDP’s Decision on Zoning is Supreme, Say Emmanuel, Obi Chuks Okocha in Abuja Two presidential aspirants of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel and former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi yesterday said the decision of the party regarding zoning is supreme.

The presidential aspirants said the party’s decision on zoning of political offices would be obeyed by all aspirants, once it is announced.

The aspirants stated this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja

immediately after their screening by the PDP Presidential Screening Committee, chaired by former Senate President David Mark.

Speaking on recent position of the Southern governors that the presidency should be zoned to the South while the party’s position seems unclear, Emmanuel said that “party is supreme.”

“Party is supreme, if the party has spoken we will all abide by what the party says,” he said. He added that the delegates to the party’s national convention would determine who would emerge as the party’s presidential candidate

for the 2023 elections.

The governor also said that he did not foresee any problem arising at the party primaries for presidential elections because of the large number of aspirants contesting the party’s ticket.

“If there were not many aspirants, I would have been worried. Honestly, that is where it would have been boring.

“You see this as a new spirit, a new wave of PDP, where everybody is allowed to express

himself or herself.

“So allow us to express ourselves on that day at wherever the venue will be.

“I think the delegates will determine who will rescue and restore this country.

“But trust me, whoever they will bring up as the candidate of the party will be one of the best that this country has ever produced, because look at the people that we are parading, who

are aspirants.

“I think it is just one of the best that we are waiting for,” Emmanuel added.

The governor, who said all the PDP presidential aspirants were eminently qualified to emerge PDP candidate, however, said that all factors were working in his favour.

“I want to believe that so many things are to my own advantage. “Because if you look at my antecedents, my training,

my capacity and above all, I think, age is also on my side, because the problem with Nigeria today needs a very strong, agile young man.

“All around, I think so many factors are in my favour and that will be decided by the electorate at the primaries,” he said.

On his part, Obi said that the party has the final say on issue of zoning but should care about what Nigerians are saying or looking for.

Total Blames Disruption of Communities for Planned Sale of Onshore Assets Festus Akanbi TotalEnergies has blamed the unabated spate of disruption of local communities for the planned sale of its stake in an onshore oil production joint venture in Nigeria.

The Chief Executive of the French energy giant, Patrick Pouyanne, said last week that the Total is planning to offload its 10 per cent interest in a joint venture that holds 20 onshore and shallow water permits in Nigeria.

He attributed the company’s decision to join the bandwagon of other oil majors and sell its stake in an onshore oil production joint venture in the country to the disruption of local communities which has become a source of great concern.

“Disruption of local communities is a source of great concerns in the country,” Pouanne said during a call conference, Bloomberg has reported.

Other International Oil Companies (IOCs) like Shell and ExxonMobil, had several months ago, announced plans to divest from their Nigerian oil assets.

According to Bloomberg, Pouyanne said, “Disruption of local communities is a source of great concerns.”

The licences are being operated by another supermajor, Shell, which is also looking to divest Nigerian assets as it has been reported that it was already considering bids from four indigenous oil firms for its 30 per cent shareholding of the joint venture.

Senior Lawyer Seeks Intellectual Property Reforms to Create Wealth Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja A former Director General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Prof. Adebambo Adewopo (SAN) has said youths occupy a strategic position in search for suitable and effective innovation and creativity using intellectual property (IP) architecture to deliver on national developmental aspirations.

Adewopo, however, said to guarantee sustainable national wealth creation and development, there is a need to speed up the reform of the country’s IP legal regime for effective IP protection and empowerment of the youth population.

He made the remarks a two-day

intellectual property symposium organised to commemorate the World Intellectual Property Day in Lagos recently At the symposium, Adewopo said: “It is as if the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has launched a prognosis into the Nigerian demographic strength and enormous creative force for development as a point of reference.

“Given the current state of affairs, there is assurance that the innovative youths will benefit enormously from a significantly improved IP framework including enhanced enforcement measures that would not only harness their creativity but also protect their products in both the copyright and innovation space.

Ekpebu, Africa’s First Harvard Graduate, Goes Home Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Africa’s first graduate at the prestigious Harvard University, Prof. Lawrence Ekpebu was yesterday interred at his hometown, Okoloba, Sabagreia in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

Ekpebu, also a former Nigerian Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, was given a state burial by the state government.

Ekpebu, who died on January 2 at the age of 87, also attended Princeton University, another Ivy League institution in the United States

The late accomplished scholar, diplomat, public administrator and intellectual colossus set an enviable academic record at Harvard yet to be broken more than 50 years after.

Speaking during his funeral service at the Saint Paul’s Deanery, Okoloba, Governor Douye Diri described Ekpebu as a man of many parts, who distinguished himself as an African icon, legend, intellectual and a transgenerational elder statesman.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, Diri said Ekpebu, with all his qualities, humbled himself to impact on mankind and called on all to see him as a role model.

PARTY AFFAIRS… L-R: Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi; member, Enugu State National Electoral Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okey Ahiwe; Chairman of the committee, Vincent Yandev Amaabai; member of the committee, Adetokumbo Pearse; Chairman of Enugu PDP, Augustine Nnamani; and INEC official, Perpetual Onyia, when members of the electoral panel supervised the party’s Ward Congress at Umuenwene Ward, Enugu East Local Government Area…yesterday

UN: Over 3,000 Africans Died, Missing While Crossing to Europe in 2021 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja No fewer than 3,000 refugees, migrants and asylum seekers died or went missing last year while trying to reach Europe through the Mediterranean and Atlantic sea routes, a United Nations refugee agency report has shown.

The UN, which noted that last year’s number of casualties was the highest toll in recent

years, lamented that the number had continued to rise, even as the record of those that died or got missing along land routes was not included.

Thousands of Africans take long, perilous journeys to Europe each year often traversing the Sahara desert and leaving the North African shores on small, inflatable boats fleeing hardship or seeking a better life.

Last year, the United Na-

tions Human Rights Council (UNHCR) reported 3,077 people as dead or missing, nearly double the 2020 toll, a Reuters report stated.

“We are seeing the increases soar,” UNHCR’s Shabia Mantoo told a news briefing, describing it as “alarming.”

UNHCR began releasing consolidated tolls in 2019 and the number of lives lost has risen each year.

So far in 2022, 553 are reported dead or missing and consistent with previous years, most have died on the Central Mediterranean route, the data showed.

The tolls do not include those lost along land routes such as through the punishing Sahara Desert nor those lost in smuggler-run detention centres where survivors have reported sexual violence and forced marriage and labour.

Lalong, NUJ, Women Protest Attack on Senator, Journalists Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Plateau State Governor, Senator Simon Lalong yesterday protested an attack on the senator representing Plateau South District, Prof. Nora Dadu’ut and some journalists by irate youths of Namu in Quan Pan Local Government Area.

The lawmaker had invited journalists to cover the inauguration of an ICT HUB/E-

Library she constructed as part of her constituency project in Namu when the irate youths attacked.

The hoodlums were protesting the kidnapping of some persons in the area when the Senator’s convoy ran into them, leading to the burning of one of the security vehicles, damage of her official vehicle and the burning of the bus that conveyed members of the union.

Lalong condemned the attack and also directed security agencies to conduct thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that the culprits are fished out and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, women from Plateau South Senatorial Zone under the aegis of Women for Positive Movement have protested that attack on the Senator, describing it as condemnable.

Also, the women condemned online media reports that the angry youths attacked the senator as a result of poor representation, describing it as untrue.

The spokesperson of the women group said: “We condemn the attack on the senator and some journalists.

We also condemn the false report by SaharaReporters that a lawmaker was attacked because of poor representation.

Gunmen Kill Five, Attack Soldiers in Anambra Communities David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Gunmen have killed five persons in an armed attack on Orsumenyi, a community in Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State.

Another set of armed men also attacked soldiers at a checkpoint in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area, which is the hometown of PDP presidential aspirant, Mr Peter Obi. In Orsumenyi, multiple sources revealed that four men were drinking in a beer parlour at about 8:30pm when men bearing guns

arrived and shot them to death.

One of the sources said the victims, four in number, were Indigenes of the town, who had just returned for a burial ceremony.

The fifth victim was said to be a lady, who is the operator of the drinking joint.

The source said the victim decided “to relax in a local joint in the town, but while they were there discussing over some drinks, the gunmen arrived and shot four of them, including the woman that was serving them, who is the owner of the shop.”

Meanwhile, gunmen too attacked soldiers at a checkpoint in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area, Anamb r a State, the home town of Obi, PDP’s presidential aspirant.

A source said the gunmen wielded automatic rifles, cutlasses and o t her dangerous weapons, just as they came in their numbers.

The gunmen reportedly arrived at the checkpoint, which was manned by soldiers and started shooting at them, causing

the soldiers to reciprocate in a bid to save themselves.

The source said the gunmen came in exotic automobiles numbering about four, suspected to have been snatched from unsuspecting members of the public for their nefarious operations.

Another source claimed that the victims confronted the soldiers for over 10 minutes, causing residents of the area to scamper for safety, and after a long shooting match, the men overpowered the soldiers, and they had to withdraw.

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NEWSXTRA Okorocha: I’m in Presidential Race to Address Fiscal Crisis Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha has disclosed that he is contesting presidential primaries on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) to resolve Nigeria’s deepening fiscal crisis.

Okorocha, currently representing Imo West in the Senate, observed that if Nigeria “does not create additional avenues for wealth, the current government would be venerated as one of the best that ever ruled Nigeria.”

He made the disclosure at the weekend after the New Nigeria Team presented him the N100 million APC presidential expression of interest and nomination forms in his Unity House office in Abuja at the weekend.

During the presentation, Okorocha maintained that he “remains the right candidate to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari,” promising that his government would be pro-people.

Insisting that Nigeria’s biggest challenge “remains the inability

to create wealth, Okorocha promised that he would initiate diverse policies and programmes that would the country’s fiscal and economic crises.

In other words, Okorocha said: “We do not have a normal nation. We have an abnormal nation associated with so many challenges. So, a normal and ideal person is what is required

to champion the affairs of this country.

“I want to make it clear to all of us that now Nigeria requires a builder, not a manager, Nigeria requires someone who can create wealth for this nation because summarily speaking, our problem is lack of resources, adequate resources to champion the cause of the nation,” he argued.

The former governor pledged to engage the youths, saying although past and present leaders did mean well for Nigeria, they had not been able to raise the level of the country’s wealth. He pledged to fix the economy and increase Nigeria’s revenue sources.

Okorocha argued that Nigeria’s problem “lies in

the fact that very meagre resources are sustaining a large population, tracing the insecurity and restiveness in the country to the level of poverty in the nation.

“If any of the aspirants has any plan to create wealth for Nigeria, I will not bother himself about running. I am the only one who has the vision to create this wealth.”

Gunmen Kill Two Vigilantes in Taraba Wole Ayodele in Jalingo Gunmen have killed two members of a vigilante group at a checkpoint in Yangtu Development Area, Taraba State.

THISDAY gathered that the incident occurred at about 1.00am yesterday at Kwanbai, headquarters of Yangtu Development Area.

The gunmen were said to have arrived at the checkpoint in a Hilux vehicle. When they were accosted by the vigilantes, according to THISDAY, they opened fire killing two of them instantly.

The remaining two vigilantes took to their heels while the gunmen carted away the local guns of the dead vigilantes whose names are Jonathan Usman Yashe and Kurutsi Apwenaba.

An uncle to one of the deceased, Douglas Kisaba told

THISDAY that the killing of the two Vigilantes was unprovoked and it’s already causing serious tension in the areas.

According to him, the vigilantes were four at the checkpoint. When the gunmen saw them, they just opened fire on them killing two of them on the spot while the remaining two escaped into the bush. The attack was unwarranted.

Confirming the incident, the Coordinator of Yangtu Development Area, Emmanuel Madaki said the community decided to form a vigilante group due to the recent insecurity challenges in the area, which had led to the killing of scores of people.

He said the youths of the community become uncontrollable when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) arrived the community for an on the spot assessment as they almost lynched the policemen.

JAMB Directs Candidates to Print Notification Slips Funmi Ogundare The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed all candidates sitting for its 2022 examination to begin printing of their notification slips for the exercise.

The board gave the directive in a statement its Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr Fabian Benjamin issued in Abuja yesterday.

JAMB said that all candidates, who registered for the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), could start printing their 2022 UTME notification slips from April 30 ahead of the exercise.

“The notification slip is available for printing by all candidates who had registered for the 2022 UTME scheduled to hold from

Friday, 6th May, 2022 to 14th May, 2022.

“Printing of examination notification slip is compulsory for all candidates, as it enables them to know the venue, date, session and time of their examination.

“All candidates are advised to print slips on time so as to know the location of their examination centres, date of their scheduled sessions and time of the examination beforehand, especially with the adjustment in examination schedules this year.

“This would guide them in making necessary arrangements ahead of the exercise as the board frowns at lateness to its examination and no excuses would be entertained from any candidate, as a stitch in time, saves nine.”

Rema, Lagbaja Set for Joint Performance at 8th AMVCA Pepsi Nigeria has announced that legendary Afrobeat artiste, Lagbaja and popular rapper, Rema will bring to live its Confam Gbedu experience at the eighth Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA).

In a statement by its General Manager, Marketing, Segun Ogunleye, Pepsi said the star artistes would be live at the awards show, which would hold on May 14.

Ogunleye expressed delight at Pepsi’s involvement in the AMVCA, which he said, was an extension of the brand’s passion point.

He added that Pepsi “is passionate about promotion of Nigerian pop culture by

creating memorable and unforgettable experiences.

The AMVCA celebrates outstanding achievements in the continent’s film industry.

“On our part, we see the partnership with the AMVCA as an opportunity to celebrate our sterling performers in entertainment by providing our consumers and the watching public with an experience they can make a memory of.

“We are excited to announce that Afrobeat icon, Lagbaja, and Pepsi Ambassador, Rema, will headline the maiden edition of the Confam Gbedu musical concert.

UNVEILING IBADAN BUS TERMINALS . . .

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; his Edo State counterpart, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan and Managing Director, Planet Project Limited, Mr. Biodun Otunola, during the inauguration of Challenge and Ojoo Bus Terminals in Ibadan, Oyo State ...recently

NUATE Faults FG’s Proposal for Concessioning Airports Chinedu Eze The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) yesterday faulted the proposal of the federal government to concession four major airports in Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

NUATE, consequently, asked the federal government to review its plan on concession and the welfare of workers who would be affected when investors take over the management of the nation’s

four major airports.

This was revealed in a statement NATURE’s President, Ben Nnabue issued yesterday to commemorate Workers Day, saying the union “stands by the decision of workers not to accept the proposals by government agencies on the aforementioned issues.”

In his statement, Nnabue said the union “is not satisfied with ongoing discussions around airports concession, as government has not made it clear that it had accepted the workers proposal on

their severance payment after the take over of the airport facilities.

“The twin big issues of minimum wage consequential adjustment and conditions of service for the aviation agencies are currently raging. We stand firmly by the decision of workers not to accept continuing shifting of the goal post by government agencies on these issues.

“Therefore, this week has been set out for major decisions and subsequent decisive actions that will bring these issues to a foreclosure.

In a similar vein, our union is not satisfied with ongoing discussions around the big question of airport concession.

“We are unclear as to the government’s actual response to the demands of aviation unions on labour issues and many lapses in the concession program.

“In the coming weeks, important decisions will be made to chart a clear path towards ameliorating already stated demands of workers,” the union’s president said.

SDP, ENDSARS Group Agree to Sack APC in 2023 Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Youth Democratic Party of Nigeria (YDPN) has merged with the Social Democratic Party to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress.

This was revealed at the national secretariat of SDP at the weekend after the Chairman of YDPN, Zekeri Hashim held a strategic meeting with the leadership of the party.

YDPN, one of the groups that protested against the defunct

Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 2020, comprises young Nigerians, who are in need of a political platform to fully engage in politics in order to reform Nigeria.

Among others, the National Chairman of SDP, Shehu Gaban; its National Secretary, Dr. Olu Agunloye and National Youth Leader, Chukwuma Udechukwu attended the meeting at the national secretariat.

After the meeting, Hashim said the movement was formed with the hope of being registered as a political party, but was not

registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) He said: “After the protest, we came together and decided to register our voice. We applied to the INEC for registration. When we did not get registration, we then decided to look for a platform to get involved in participatory politics. When we look at all the political parties, we realise that the SDP is the one that has what we need.”

Hashim, also, explained that the group “has a database of

over three million members. The APC led administration has failed Nigerians. The federation needs young leaders that can transform its potentials into success.”

In response, Gaban accepted the request of the group, lamenting that the weak leadership in the national assembly was responsible for many shortfalls in the country.

He urged Nigerians “to vote for competent persons from any part of the country. As you know, parties are not easy to build. As you try to build, others are trying to collapse it. So, you have to battle both sides.

Airtel Africa Gets CBN’s Approval for Full PSB Licence Emma Okonji Airtel Africa yesterday disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had approved its subsidiary, SMARTCASH Payment Service Bank limited (‘Smartcash’) as a full payment service bank (‘PSB’).

Airtel, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in 14 countries across Africa, added that the approval would afford it the

opportunity to deliver a full suite of mobile money services into Nigeria.

Pleased with the approval, the Chief Executive, Airtel Africa, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya said more details regarding the commencement of operations would be presented with the company’s full year results announcement in May 2022.

“I am very pleased that Smartcash has been granted

approval for a full PSB licence to operate a service bank business in Nigeria and we are now working towards commencement of business.

This licence enables us to expand our digital financial products and reach the millions of Nigerians that do not currently have access to traditional financial services. We are delighted to be able to pursue our shared agenda with

the Nigerian Government, the CBN and traditional financial institutions to further deepen financial inclusion in the country for the benefit of all citizens and the Nigerian economy,” Ogunsanya said.

With its expansion rate acres Africa, Airtel Africa offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally.

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B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N WANTED: A PRESIDENT TO SOLVE THE ASUU PUZZLE amount could “revamp this system”. But this is part of the ASUU Puzzle: he did not suggest that our universities should start charging tuition too in order to improve funding. The average tuition fee for foreign students in the UK is about £18,000 per session — roughly N14 million. Home students pay close to £10,000. Compare that with the tuition fee in our federal universities: officially zero kobo. How then can we compete with “any other university in the world” without adequate resources?

If we want to get a Rolls-Royce Phantom for the price of Keke Marwa, someone else will have to pick the full bill.

I have used the UK as an example because that is the most popular destination for Nigerians, apparently because of the colonial links and lingual comfort. However, a study of fees and funding in other advanced countries will reveal something similar: that students pay for higher education.

Only a dozen wealthy countries do not charge tuition fees for home students. The UK government policy is quite clear: we owe you only free primary and secondary education so that you can have the basics of literacy and numeracy to fit into a modern society — but if you want university education, that is an “extra” and you have to pay part of the cost, mate. This obtains in most rich countries.

So, are we saying the children of the poor should not receive university education?

Not in that sense. In the UK, you can apply for a student loan for higher education. It is open to all. You will not start repaying the loan until you have graduated and started earning an income within a defined band. It, therefore, doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor — you can still receive university education. No one is left behind.

But you will have to share the cost. The

era of government underwiring the entire budgets of public universities is gone in most countries. Economists say wants are limitless but the resources are scarce. You have to prioritise how you will allocate and distribute these resources.

Back home, Nigerians who can afford private universities would rather go for that option. And tuition is not free or cheap. Nigerians go to neighbouring countries for higher education. They pay for it. I know of two sisters who studied medicine — one in Ghana, the other in Nigeria. Tuition is $13,000 per session in Ghana. Tuition in Nigeria is officially zero kobo (not to be confused with the token levies for health, accommodation, etc). The sister in Nigeria started before the one in Ghana, but the one in Ghana finished first. Why? ASUU strikes. There is a correlation between quality of service when you pay and when you don’t pay.

Let’s stop fooling ourselves in the name of aluta.

Am I suggesting that tuition fee is the magic wand that will bury strikes, revive our universities and make them compete with Harvard and Oxford? No. That is not my point. Many things have to change. I am not an education expert but I have read a number of insights and proposals by those who know better and I am inclined to agree with them. The starting point is that we need a genuine conversation devoid of ego and emotions.

Many of those shouting “aluta” have their children in private or foreign schools. They are not badly affected if the strikes continue forever. The teachers will still get paid.

Therefore, we must all be open to an honest conversation on the ASUU Puzzle.

I have synthesised two major ideas from experts on how to create a better

education system in Nigeria. One, public universities need autonomy. They cannot be run like ministries. Recruitment and compensation have to be competitive — to attract the best. The governance structure must be in line with modern trends and conform to global best practices. The current clamour for autonomy, it appears, is for government not to look into the finances of the universities, even though it is the one funding them. ASUU also seems to want a payment software that will conceal ghost workers and also help teachers evade tax.

Autonomy without accountability should not be the goal.

I believe the key to university autonomy is solid financial footing. The opportunities to be economically viable are there. The opportunities to be competitive are also there. But the current system is so warped and fuzzy that it is difficult to make any progress with it. The system worked in the 1960s and 1970s but state capacity has regressed fundamentally and it would be counter-productive to keep insisting on maintaining the status quo. It is like saying government should be funding NITEL in order to make it compete with Globacom, Airtel and MTN. It is not going to happen.

Maybe it will work in Togo but it won’t work in Nigeria. Let’s navigate our realities with sense.

Two, funding for university education must come from different sources: government, endowments, ventures/projects and tuition fees. Government grants should be well targeted: to fund research, infrastructure and scholarships. The current system where almost 100 percent of government funding goes into personnel costs is un-Oxfordlike.

Government can calculate how much it costs to train a student and decide to fund a percentage of that. That way, it

would be paying for the education of students, not just the salaries of teachers.

Government can also set up a student loan scheme but it should be managed by financial institutions to avoid the bureaucratic challenges.

Apart from student loans, there could be other options for the less-privileged, including work-study programmes and scholarships based on needs and merit.

This is how it is done elsewhere. The universities themselves must become creative and develop revenue-generation projects, programmes and ideas. Alumni networks are major source of funding for Harvard-like schools, but it takes a lot of work and accountability. I don’t think our universities have any incentives for that when they can be collecting guaranteed allocation from government. A worldclass system will help the government, the teachers and, most importantly, the students. Let us begin to think differently.

As we get set to elect another president, one question that every potential candidate should answer is: how would you solve the ASUU Puzzle? An old edition of Sketch went viral recently. The headline was ‘ASUU May Call Off Strike’. That was November 26, 1981! ASUU is always within a five-word radius of “strike”. The “s” in ASUU appears to stand for “strike”. We cannot continue like this. ASUU needs to change approach. If their strike strategy was the ultimate solution, we would not be here today. They have been at it for over 40 years! Let us tell ourselves the home truth, no matter how much it hurts.

Thankfully, Osodeke says he has a dream.

Let the government and the teachers have an honest conversation — devoid of muscle flexing — and make this lofty dream come true.

And Four Other Things…

BURNING HELL Over 100 persons were burnt to death when an illegal refinery in Abaezi, Imo state, caught fire. Apparently, there are a number of illegal refineries operating around oil-producing areas, especially in communities where crude oil pipelines pass through. Fire disasters around illegal petrol production and theft from tankers and pipelines are quite common in Nigeria. The Jesse tragedy of 1998 that consumed 1,000 lives remains the most tragic. How can we combat this illegality and prevent more tragedies? Ordinarily, this is what government officials and policy makers should be discussing. But we are waiting for the next tragedy. And the next one after the next one. Nigeria!

DOUBLE DANGER The news that a pregnant woman who was abducted by terrorists on the Kaduna train has been delivered of a baby hit me differently.

While I was happy that mother and child are alive, another part of me is worried sick about the health of the other passengers in captivity.

I am worried about those who have high blood pressure and do not have their medications with them. Some are likely diabetic. These are common conditions for which people need regular medication. Missing their doses can complicate their health conditions.

Things may become irreversible. These are little details that mean a lot. I hope and pray we will rescue them on time. This is a nasty experience. Distressing.

ON SECTION 84(12) Are you as mortified as I am that ministers are declaring presidential and governorship ambitions up and down without resigning within the timeline stipulated in section 84(12) of the Electoral Act? As things stand, the law is valid. Although curiously nullified by a high court, it has been reinstated by a higher court which put the nullification on hold while the appeal by the national assembly is being heard. Aside the legal argument is the moral one: why are the appointees afraid or reluctant to resign and face their political ambition? Is the “ogbono” soup in office so sweet that they want to keep licking it till the last minute? And why is Buhari not asking them to do the needful? Risky.

TESTING TESTING When Brig Gen Buba Marwa (rtd), chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), proposed that political aspirants should undergo drug tests, I did not expect anyone to openly oppose it, at least to avoid the impression that they have something to hide. However, Alhaji Yabagi Sani, chairman of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of political parties, is livid. “It is absurd. It is an affront to the political class,” Sani told Leadership. “I’ve never heard of a country where people who want to rule the country are asked to undergo drug tests. That pronouncement is outlandish!” Truth be told, it is a controversial proposal and it won’t fly.

Stoned.

2023: OF PRETENDERS, SPOILERS AND CONTENDERS 20% to 30% of those on the scene today.

The spoilers come in different colours too but their unifying factor is that they are usually in the race to dilute or enhance the chances of others. They have some political clout, not substantial enough to make them front-runners but not insignificant enough to be totally dismissed.

This is especially so because the votes they could get in the primaries would be the votes that someone else would not be getting. Thus, their value is enhanced by the fact that electoral politics is a game of addition, not subtraction. Their weight can be further enhanced when outcomes are likely to be determined by fine margins. And even when the outcomes can be predicted miles before the race, they can still enjoy enhanced value because politicians don’t like leaving anything to chances.

Some of the spoilers set out by themselves, hoping that a potential victim or beneficiary of their presence would reach out to them either to drop out or to stay in. Some are other people’s projects from the get-go.

They are propped up for a purpose and are likely to stay course as long as that purpose is still valid or viable. No matter how it pans out, no one plays the spoiler for free.

The game comes with either immediate reimbursement for sundry expenses with some built-in margin, and the promise of future returns, which may or may not be redeemed even if the puppeteer wins in the general election.

From my reckoning, pretenders and spoilers make up about 80% of those running in the two leading parties now. Some of them will stay in the race till the end. But some will make a show of withdrawing for

Tinubu others. And as we approach the general election, some candidates in some registered parties will even step down for or endorse the candidate of another party (in fact, some political parties are backup projects of some politicians in the leading parties).

It is a silly optical game that our politicians play. And it is a game they will continue to play in different ways like getting people to buy forms for them or even begging

them to run for office. A school of thought believes that high participation fees could limit such irritation. But the outrageous N100 million set by APC has not stopped frivolous or propped-up aspirations.

The contenders—the last broad category— are roughly about 20% of the aspirants in the main parties today. Depending on the final number of aspirants in these parties, we are talking about four to eight aspirants in all. These are people who through different permutations can win 15% and above of the votes in indirect primaries in their parties.

Like the pretenders and the spoilers, they also fall into different sub-categories.

The first subset is made up of individuals who, all things being equal, are in clear lead to win their parties’ primaries if held today.

They are either in control of most of the party structures in the states where their party is and not in power or they have most of the governors and the parties leaders in those states in their corner, especially the states with the highest number of delegates. The popular narrative is that these individuals enjoy such an advantage because they can buy the highest number of delegates on account of their stupendous wealth.

But while delegates don’t vote because of theory, to paraphrase an urban philosopher, delegates do not necessarily vote for only the highest spender. There is the small matter of long-term investment, prolonged association and earned loyalties. In our politics, delegates from a state mostly vote as a bloc, and the direction of that vote is usually determined long before a vote is called.

The second subset are those banking on the elements to align for them. This can

happen in two ways: one, and this applies only to the ruling party, if the president endorses them and gets the party to line up behind his decision, as happened recently when the party chairman and others were elected; two, if majority of the power centres insist on stopping the leading aspirants and manage to settle on this subset of contenders as the least disagreeable ticket in a form of indirect consensus.

The last subset of contenders includes those who stand a good chance if the two parties decide to embrace not just zoning but micro-zoning. Ordinarily, those in this category will not have a great chance based on the commitments of power structures across the country. But a consensus on microzoning changes the picture, especially if they are seen as not just the most marketable but most acceptable from their micro-zone.

A day, it is said, is a long time in politics.

We have a whole month of permutations and power-plays before the primaries.

There will be the nerve-wracking drama of horse-trading, based on how power centres within the parties calibrate and recalibrate their interests. There will be chance to return favours and seek revenge.

There will be alignments and realignments.

There will be multiple games and sundry games within games. In the ensuing swirl, things may stay as they are now, and they may change so swiftly. But while 80% of the aspirants—the pretenders and the spoilers—are likely to remain in their weight categories (except a tectonic shift occurs), the contenders may move up or down from one subset to another. It will be an interesting month of politicking, no matter how the delegates eventually decide.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER MAY 1, 2022

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Super FIFA Football Agent, Raiola, Dies at 54

Carlo Ancelotti being serenaded by Real Madrid players after winning his 21st trophy in a 27 years football coaching career career...yesterday yesterday

Ancelotti Makes ‘Grand Slam’ History as Real Madrid Wins 35th Title Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report

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arlo Ancelotti entered history books yesterday as the first manager to win all the five top major leagues in Europe as Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 4-0 to nip the La Liga title.

Ancelotti has also won titles in Italy’s Serie A, France’s Ligue 1, the Premier League in England and the German Bundesliga.

Two goals from Rodrygo and strikes from Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema confirmed Real’s 35th Spanish title.

Real Madrid are 17 points clear of second-placed Sevilla with four games to play.

Real needed only a draw to win the title, but victory was never really in doubt once Rodrygo

LA LIGA stroked home from just inside the area.

The Brazilian doubled Real’s lead a minute before the break when he robbed Sergi Gomez of possession on the edge of the penalty area and fired low into the bottom corner.

Asensio finished off a rapid counter-attack before Benzema - rested with Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against Manchester City in mind - came off the bench to sidefoot home from Vinicius Jr’s cutback.

Ancelotti was lured back for a second spell at Real last summer following the departure of Zinedine Zidane, quitting Everton after 18 months at the Premier League club.

The 62-year-old won five major titles in two

years at the Bernabeu between 2013 and 2015, including ‘La Decima’ - their 10th European Cup - but the Spanish title eluded him.

His first league title as a manager was with AC Milan in 2004, the club where he won the league twice as a player in the 1980s.

The Premier League with Chelsea followed in 2010, before Ancelotti lifted Ligue 1 with Paris St-Germain in 2013 and the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2017.

Ancelotti’s season could end in more glory, although Real must overturn a 4-3 first-leg deficit against City at the Bernabeu.

If they do reach the final and lift the trophy Ancelotti would become the only man to win the European Cup or Champions League four times as a manager, having also led AC Milan to the trophy in 2003 and 2007.

Mion Raiola, the renowned Italian football agent, has died at the age of 54 years.

Raiola, a popular figure in the football world, had beensickformonthsbeforepassingawayonSaturday in the hospital where he was admitted.

He had reacted to rumours of his death with a furious rebuttal on Thursday.

The football agent’s family confirmed his death via a statement released on his Twitter handle.

“In infinite sorrow, we share the passing of the most caring and amazing football agent that ever was,”the statement reads.

“Minofoughtuntiltheendwiththesamestrength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players.

As usual, Mino made us proud and never realised it.

“Mino touched so many lives through his work and wrote a new chapter in the history of modern football. His presence will forever be missed.

“Mino’s mission of making football a better place for players will continue with the same passion.”

Fabrizio Romano, the Italian football journalist, also confirmed Raiola’s death, describing it as“terrible news”.

Raiola, respected and feared by major European clubs, has been a revolutionary figure in the transfer of players between clubs.

Before his death, the Italian was negotiating the mega-transfer of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund to a top club. Manchester City are reportedly close to sealing a transfer that would have fetched Raiola tens of millions in agent fees.

Raiola was the agent of many superstar players including Pavel Nedved, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, MarcoVerratti, Matthijs de Ligt and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Mino Raiola Raiola...died died yesterday

Seeks Establishment of Moses Simon, Osimhen, Chukwueze on Scorer’s Sheet as City Extend Lead Soludo Bayern Academy in Anambra

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uper Eagles winger, Simon Moses was at his best mettle as he bagged a brace in Nantes’ 2-2 draw against Lens in Saturday’s Ligue 1 game.

The Nigerian international, who was making his 28th appearance in the colours of Nantes, has scored four goals and had eight assists.

The Super Eagles star grabbed the opening goal in the 8th minute before netting his brace in the 32nd minute with a great finish.

He was however, substituted in the 70th minute for Coulibaly after a decent performance.

Elsewhere in Italy, Victor Osimhen was on the scorer’s sheet as Napoli defeated Sassuolo 6-1 to maintain hold on the third spot of the Serie A. In Spain, Samuel Chukwueze’s 47th minute strike was not enough to earn Villarreal a share of the booty as Deportivo picked all three points with the 2-1 victory.

In England, Manchester City produced the perfect response to Premier League title rivals Liverpool by outclassing Leeds United 4-0 to regain top spot.

City needed the win after Liverpool had overtaken them earlier in the day with 1-0 victory at Newcastle- and they produced a highly impressive display in Elland Road’s hothouse that also prolonged the relegation

RESULTS PREMIER LEAGUE Newcastle 0-1 Liverpool Aston Villa 2-0 Norwich S’thampton 1-2 C’Palace Watford 1-2 Burnley Wolves 0-3 Brighton Leeds 0-4 Man City

LA LIGA Deportivo 2-1 Villarreal R’Madrid 4-0 Espanyol Valencia 1-1 Levante Bilbao 2-0 Atletico

SERIE A Moses Simon worries for Jesse Marsch’s side.

The reigning Premier League champions went ahead in the 13th minute when Rodri glanced home Phil Foden’s free-kick and while Leeds were spirited, they barely tested visiting keeper Ederson until the game was lost.

Cagliari 1-2 Verona Napoli 6-1 Sassuolo Sampdoria 1-0 Genoa Spezia 3-4 Lazio

NPFL Dakkada 1-0 Plateau Enyimba 3-0 Gombe Utd Tornadoes 2-1 K’Pillars

AnambraStateGovernor,Prof.ChukwumaSoludo, has urged Bayern Munich FC of Germany to consider establishing an Academy in Anambra as part of an effort to deepen the game of football in Nigeria.

Soludo made the request while welcoming the Bayern Munich technical team who were in the state for the National Youth Cup on Saturday.

The governor who spoke throughTony Oli, ChairmanofAnambraSportsDevelopmentCommission, said the state was happy to have provided a good football stadium which qualified the state to play host for the programme.

He said Anambra was home to football and promised to provide the enabling environment for a successful outing while expressing hope that youthsfromthestatewouldmakethefinal10players that would be selected for nurturing.

“Anambrahasarichhistoryinfootball,wehavethe talent and we have the facility, so we are calling on Bayern Munich to consider establishing an academy here in Anambra, because we will like to continue to have you.

“Just tell us what will be required and we will put them on ground,”he said.

Obinna Edeh, Proprietor ofVOE Foundation and representative partner of Bayern Munich in Nigeria said no fewer than 100 budding talents of age range 15-16 years from 10 football clubs across the country were selected for the tourney.

Edeh said 10 successful players from the event wouldbesentabroadinOctoberlaterthisyear, would be nurtured by the Bundesliga side and mentored to stardom.

TR

Sunday May 1, 2022

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Ozekhome to Falana “It is clear that those deliberately misinterpreting the clear position of the law may be baying for Jonathan’s blood, possibly as a potential candidate who may subvert the chances of their preferred candidates” – Rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, faulting the stance of Femi Falana over the widely speculated 2023 candidacy of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

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Wanted: A President to Solve the ASUU Puzzle

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rof Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has a dream: that one day, Nigerian universities will be able to compete with the best in the world; that our universities will attract the best students and best teachers; that students will start trooping to Nigeria from all over the world; that our academics and researchers will be celebrated globally for their contributions to knowledge; that our universities will be competing with the Oxfords and the Harvards; that the N1.6 trillion Nigerian students spend yearly on schooling abroad will be redirected to the Nigerian university system; and that Nigerian universities will become centres of excellence.

Osodeke, at a meeting of the central working committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja on Wednesday, cut the picture of a passionate and frustrated man who wants nothing but the best for Nigeria. He made key statements that got me excited. In-between the lines, I saw many pointers that can lead to a meaningful discourse on the way forward. Noting that Nigerians spend “at least N1.6 trillion every year as tuition fee to schools outside the country”, the ASUU president lamented that the “humongous amount” could have helped address the crisis in the Nigerian

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke university system as “our education system is fast deteriorating and falling from global standards”.

The professor of soil science said: “Let’s work on the system in such a way that if it works our university can compete with any other university in the world in terms of staff and students. When you go to other

universities, even in Benin Republic, you have multiple people from different countries at the university with multiple ideas... No foreign student is coming here. So many of our Nigerian students are moving abroad. A report earlier this year by the Central Bank stated that Nigerians spend N1.6 trillion every year to pay school fees outside. That money could revamp this system if we allow it to work. So those are the major reasons why we are on strike.” Well said.

There are obstacles to actualising his dream. ASUU desires a world-class public university system BUT it has to be funded by government AND must, at the same time, be free of government control. Otherwise, “warning strikes” and “total strikes” will continue until the world comes to an end. They want government to pay the teachers well, pump N200 billion into the universities yearly as well as give universities the “autonomy” to spend the funds and run the system as they like. Meanwhile, striking teachers must be paid their full entitlements. Herein lies the ASUU Puzzle: the notion that strike is always best the way forward. Is this how Nigerian universities will compete with Harvard?

For starters, why are Nigerians willing to “steal, beg or borrow” to spend N1.6 trillion on schooling abroad? There are so many reasons: the stability of the academic calendar, the quality of instruction, the wealth of

research resources, the transparent assessment system (devoid of victimisation, sexual harassment and “sorting”), marketability of the certificates and, increasingly, the opportunity to “japa”. I did my first degree in Nigeria and my second in the UK and I know the system that treated me as an irritant and the one that treated me as a human being. Excellent facilities and resources and respect for human dignity by authorities and teachers provide an awesome learning experience.

The just-released ‘Nigeria Market Sentiments & Study Motivations Report 2022’ reveals the top five preferred destinations for outbound Nigerian students as the UK (32.71 per cent), Canada (16.67 per cent), the US (16.54 per cent), Germany (10.60 per cent), and Australia (7.96 per cent). In all these countries, state-owned universities are not solely funded by government.

In the UK, for instance, universities are funded through three sources: government, endowments and tuition fees. Government funding is targeted at research, innovation and infrastructure. Endowments, mostly by charities, pay for teaching, research and public services. Significantly, students co-pay for tuition.

Osodeke is worried that Nigerians pay N1.6 trillion on tuition abroad, saying this Continued on page 78

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

2023: Of Pretenders, Spoilers and Contenders

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t the last count, more than thirty aspirants have signified interest in becoming the next president of Nigeria.

Most of these aspirants are battling to be the flagbearers of the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is not unexpected. Despite the successful media narrativization of the two parties as two rotten peas in a pod, the next general election is still likely to be a straight fight between the two; thus, snapping their tickets comes with tremendous initial advantage.

While APC and PDP constitute a meagre 11% of the 18 registered political parties, the two parties between them control more than 95% of the current elected offices. This is a veritable proxy for political spread and electoral structures. As at today—and this is unlikely to change in the next ten months when we head to the polls—spread and structure are the most salient predictors of electoral outcomes in Nigeria. The two parties are thus likely to maintain their dominance in the next general election, even after due account has been taken of

possible post-primaries fissures and likely anti-party voting next year.

The argument that Nigerians will reject the two parties just because they are tired of the status quo is one that I personally find attractive. But it is an argument not grounded in politics; it is erected on hope, not on the terra firma of realpolitik. But hope is not a strategy. Not when the goal is to uproot parties entrenched in the nooks and crannies of this diverse and complicated country. This doesn’t mean that APC and PDP will maintain their dominance for ever.

No. But displacing them won’t be through a dash commenced close to an election year. It will be a long-distance race, run with good and consistent pace and grit.

For now, APC and PDP thus maintain real attraction to those who are running to win, not just trying to put up appearance or merely to prove a point or just content with winning just a few thousand votes. It is thus expected that even more aspirants will throw their hats into the ring on the platform of the ruling party because the window for expressing interest there is still open.

However, most of those aspiring to be the presidential candidates in the two parties

don’t stand any chance of getting the tickets.

Most of them know that. Some of them are deluded. Some are betting on the possible direct or indirect benevolence of others. And some are playing other games either by themselves or in league with others. Based on a review of the landscape, I have come up with three broad typologies of aspirants for presidency in 2023 on the platform of these parties. They are: the pretenders, the spoilers, and the contenders.

The pretenders are in the majority, representing between 50% and 60% of the current crop of aspirants. They are united by the fact that they stand a very slim chance of getting the tickets of their parties, but they come in different hues. Some of them are actually interested in other elective positions, not the presidency. Some are merely positioning for appointments in the next government. For these two sub-categories, expressing interest in the presidency is a form of bargaining. Nothing more.

But some of the pretenders just want to be relevant or to stay relevant as politicians.

The easiest way to melt into oblivion as a politician is when no one reckons with or talks about you. So, force or renew your relevance by pretending to be running

for what you are not running for. Even when your bid is patently laughable and everyone else can see through it, they will still talk about you and you will manage to be relevant, even if in an exaggerated sense. Politics is as much about reality as about perception, even when that perception is built on a transparent fiction.

Then, there is a group of pretenders who carry absolutely no weight as politicians and some are not even politicians or have no known political pedigrees or strong political patrons. Some of them can’t even make a successful bid for the head of a local government area. But they see the opportunity that can be leveraged in being called a former presidential aspirant of a major political party. For this group, pretending to be running for the highest office in the land is a deliberate publicity stunt. The audacious presidential bid earns them some media space and mindshare, and they make hay by making some right and wrong noises. That itself is enough reward.

We also have the spoilers. That is the second broad category, constituting about Continued on page 78

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