SATURDAY 16TH JULY 2022

At Monetary Policy Retreat, Emefiele Demands New Ideas, New Strategies Says Nigeria overcame recessions with bespoke, homegrown policies Inflation hits 5-year high at 18.60% James Emejo and Nume Ekeghe The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele yesterday stated that with the rising global trend of

digital economy, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to chart a new policy direction for the Nigerian economy.

He said this in his opening

remarks at the 2022 retreat of the MPC held in Lagos, where members convened to discuss “Monetary Policy Implementation in a DigitallyEvolving Developing Economy.”

On the same day, it emerged that the consumer price index (CPI), which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services, surged to 18.60 per cent in June 2022, up from 17.71 per

cent in the previous month, the highest since January 2017.

Emefiele noted that in the last eight and a half years, the CBN had done bespoke monetary policies, which had seen Nigeria

overcome recession twice in four years.

He said: “The evolution of FinTechs, cryptocurrencies, digital Continued on page 5

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Masari to Christians: Politics is about Good, Fair Leadership, Not Religion Northern Christians take protest to Buhari Obi can only become a President in Igboland, Says Shettima Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State yesterday waved aside the disapproval of the

Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by its Christian members, declaring that “politics is about good and fair leadership not religion.”

On the same day, protesters under the aegis of All Christians Community of Northern Nigeria marched to the Presidential Villa to submit a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari

over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Also yesterday, the party’s vicepresidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, tore to shreds Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, declaring that he

could only become a President in Igboland, “but definitely not in Nigeria. Nigeria is too big for him to handle.”

Masari, who spoke while responding to questions from

journalists shortly after a meeting with President Buhari at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State, threw his weight Continued on page 5

Oyetola, Adeleke Go Head to Head as Osun State Votes PDP claims APC planning to rig election INEC promises free, fair poll Police deploy 21,000; NSCDC positions 11,226 men

Charles Ajunwa in Lagos, Chuks Okocha and Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo After weeks of acrimonious campaigns, the people of Osun State will today decide whether Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should continue for another four years or elect a new man to succeed him.

Fifteen political parties are fielding candidates for today’s election, but it is evidently a straight fight between Oyetola and Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This would be the second time the two candidates would be meeting. Both Oyetola and Adeleke contested for the Osun governorship position in 2018, which Oyetola won after a rerun.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

has assured the people of a free and fair poll and spent most of yesterday moving sensitive voting materials to the 332 registration areas across the 30 local government areas of the state.

The election umpire restated its readiness to announce the result in less than 12 hours after the poll.

The two leading political parties are desperate to win today’s contest to signpost readiness to dominate the 2023 elections.

To underpin the importance of the poll, the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu led a final campaign for Oyetola last Tuesday. He was accompanied by party chieftains like the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima and Continued on page 5

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OYETOLA

Strengths Power of incumbency Adored by civil servants, pensioners Strong leadership skills Seen as a team player Access to ‘Lagos cash’ with federal might Weaknesses Seen as Tinubu’s stooge Perceived as rigid War with Aregbesola, a minus Failings of APC federal government, a drawback

ADELEKE

Strengths Big war chest Strong grassroots mobiliser Dedicated, dogged From marginalised Osun West Broad support base Seen as having common touch Weaknesses Perceived as an ‘unserious’ character, a dancer Weak on policy Limited political experience ‘Night’ education background

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

PAGE FIVE OYETOLA, ADELEKE GO HEAD TO HEAD AS OSUN STATE VOTES several APC governors.

The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar also led a powerful campaign team to the state on Thursday assuring the people that Adeleke is sure of victory in the poll, and that “an end has come to the reign of the ruling APC” in the country.

Atiku was accompanied by the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Vicepresidential candidate of the party and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and some governors of the PDP. For most of yesterday, tension remained very high across Osun State, with voters bitterly divided among the two leading candidates.

Fear of violence was palpable, considering the rancorous campaigns before the poll.

The allegations by the PDP that the APC was working to rig the poll dominated discussion across the state.

Police Deploy 21,000 Operatives

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba has assured Nigerians that today’s poll would be violence-free.

Baba, who spoke last Tuesday, said to accomplish the task, no fewer than 21,000 operatives would be deployed across the state.

Baba warned that the police would not allow any person or group of persons, no matter how highly and lowly placed in the society to derail the electoral process, and vowed that “vote-buying or any form of inducement would not be allowed as they remained serious offences.”

The IG adds: “The police will be deployed to protect the facilities of INEC and its personnel. This deployment is not meant to intimidate any law-abiding citizens; rather it is to deter misguided elements that may threaten the conduct of the election and violate the electoral act. It also serves as a strong warning that government is determined to protect the citizens.”

The IG has also deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Johnson Kokumo, for the governorship

election.

Also deployed to the state are four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, four Commissioners of Police, 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police, and 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police.

Baba also moved the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode (temporarily) to the Force Headquarters until the conclusion of the election.

NSCDC deploys 11,226

Similarly, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Audi, has deployed 11,226 officers and men to cover the 3,763 polling units, collation centres, flash points, as well as critical national assets and infrastructure during today's poll.

The deployed personnel were drawn from the national headquarters and nine state commands; Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi and Edo to supply manpower for the election.

The NSCDC said the objectives of the corps in the election were to create a secured environment for its successful conduct and enhance the general security in the state before, during and after the election.

Oyetola and Adeleke

The leading candidates for today’s poll remain Oyetola and Adeleke.

Oyetola, who is seeking reelection for a second term, enjoys the privileges that come with being incumbent. He is also enjoying the perks of ‘federal might’ and the backing of Tinubu.

His chances in today’s poll has been brightened by his good relationship with Osun civil servants. Unlike his predecessor who owed salaries for months, Oyetola has been consistent with salary payment and also improved the welfare of the civil servants. All of these, pundits argue, will work in his favour.

However, the cold war between Oyetola and Rauf Aregbesola, his predecessor, may reduce the former’s votes in LGAs controlled by the latter.

The disharmony within the party left it with factions - the Ileri Oluwa group is loyal to Oyetola while TOP pledges allegiance to Aregbesola.

Notwithstanding, Oyetola

stands a very good chance of getting a second term today.

Adeleke, the “dancing senator”, says he is determined to recover his “stolen mandate” from the APC. He is in the race with a big war chest. He also has a broad support base.

A lot of people from Adeleke's Osun West Senatorial District, which is yet to produce a governor since the fourth republic, are agitated. Adeleke will gain from this, but may not be enough to make him governor.

The crisis in Osun PDP may also affect Adeleke’s chances.

The party is also divided into factions. One is recognised by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) while the other is backed by Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of the state, whose political sway in the state cannot be overlooked.

Strengths on Senatorial Basis

Oyetola looks good to win Osun Central where he is from.

Besides, many prominent Osun political stakeholders are from this senatorial zone, and they belong to the APC. They include former governor, Chief Bisi Akande and the current Senator, Ajibola Basiru, who is also the Oyetola campaign chairman.

Osun Central is good-to-go for Oyetola.

Adeleke is from Osun West, with Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party. Here, Adeleke will have an upper hand, but not enough to make him governor.

Oyetola will still get substantial votes here.

In Osun East, Adeleke will benefit greatly from the influence

of Francis Fadahunsi, the Senator representing the area, who is a PDP member. Oyetola’s good performance during his first term will give him victory in Osun East.

INEC Chairman Charges Staff on Good Conduct

The Chairman of INEC, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu yesterday charged the staff of the Commission to remain neutral and repeat the transparent conduct exhibited in Ekiti State governorship election four weeks ago.

In a statement he signed, the INEC chairman, said: "Exactly 27 days ago, we conducted and concluded the Ekiti Governorship Election that was widely adjudged to be free, fair, credible, and inclusive.

"The feat was happily an elongation of the earlier successes recorded in Edo and Ondo states on 15th September and 10th October 2020, and in Anambra State on 6th November 2021. The sheer determination, resilience, and competence displayed by all of you, our members of staff, made it possible for the Commission to achieve these lofty goals."

He reminded the staff of the commission of the need to maintain the same impartial conduct exhibited in the other states.

Yakubu said: "I have assured our stakeholders and the people of Osun State that the Commission will not do anything to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate. We have

hear their testimonies about his performances of being a just and fair leader."

Northern Christians Take Protest to Buhari

Protesters under the aegis of All Christians Community of Northern Nigeria yesterday marched to the Presidential Villa to submit a protest letter to President Buhari over the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by the APC. The leader of the group, Moses Adams said the sensibilities of the Christians had been insulted by the ambition of a select few that elected to throw caution to the wind with the decision.

The Christian group said it wondered why the APC elected to toe a path of dishonour, which it described as deliberate, to relegate the Christians in Nigeria into oblivion, Adams stated: "Mr. President, since the return of democracy in 1999 in Nigeria, the tradition has been a Muslim-Christian or Christian-Muslim paring by all political parties. And this has, to a large extent, ensured religious harmony in the country.

"However, the move by our party to adopt a Muslim-Muslim ticket is most insensitive and the height of discrimination against Christians in our country.

This is on the heels that other

PDP Claims APC Planning to Rig Election

The PDP yesterday alleged an orchestrated plot by the APC “to derail the nascent democratic process by compromising the integrity and sabotaging the will and desire of the people for a free, fair, transparent and credible electoral process” in today’s election in Osun State.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba alleged that the APC had accentuated its rigging programme by deploying billions of naira to compromise some security and electoral officers to intimidate

voters, manipulate electoral process and inordinately favour Oyetola, against the will of the people.

The PDP alleged that huge money had been funneled to certain compromised security and INEC officials “to execute this ignoble scheme.”

According to the PDP, "the said INEC and security officials are reported to have been bought over to, among other things, criminally assist and provide cover for APC agents to prosecute a well-oiled vote buying and violence-triggering scheme."

Ologunagba adds. "Our Party has information on how two prominent APC governors from the South-west, a former APC National Chairman from the South-south, certain federal minister and a particular member of the House of Assembly from Lagos State are coordinating the release of billions of naira to bribe electoral and security officials, as well as fund heavily armed thugs imported from Lagos, Ondo, Ogun and other South-west states to unleash violence and help the APC to rig the election."

The PDP said that it had however been made aware that some patriotic INEC and Police officials vehemently rejected the poisonous offer by the APC. The PDP called on the IG and Yakubu “to take immediate decisive steps to check the activities of police and INEC officials deployed to Osun State so as to avert a breakdown of Law and Order, especially given the manifest determination of the people of Osun State to resist the APC on its evil scheme.”

AT MONETARY POLICY RETREAT, EMEFIELE DEMANDS NEW IDEAS, NEW STRATEGIES payments, artificial intelligence and machine learning, have changed the functioning of the financial and banking sectors, both globally and domestically.

Therefore, the urgent call for the need to rethink financial system regulation, supervision and monetary policy implementation.

“While the innovations come with a lot of risks and uncertainties for the sectors, they also have many benefits for positive economic transformation and particularly, financial inclusion which has been the principal catalyst for inclusive growth, poverty reduction and employment generation.

"We have seen what is happening in the global economy and we are going to be addressing those issues and see if we can chart a new course and what next we should do in the coming years to see to it that we provide monetary policy direction for the Nigerian economy. So, we would be expecting new ideas, new strategies on monetary policy in a digitised global economy, what we are going to be doing in light of the challenges posed by fintech, cryptocurrencies agents globally and what direction to take.

“I can assure you that after

MASARI TO CHRISTIANS: POLITICS IS ABOUT GOOD, FAIR LEADERSHIP, NOT RELIGION behind the choice of Shettima as running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The governor explained that what the nation needed at the moment “is good leadership, a just, competent and fair leader, irrespective of his religion, tribal or geo-political affiliations.”

He said: "Shettima is a former governor, serving senator and a very brilliant person who has all the qualities to be the vicepresident. So, I fully support his nomination as the running mate of Tinubu for the 2023 presidential election under the platform of APC. "He is very qualified. So, I am pleased with his nomination.

It is better to have a good Christian than a bad Muslim likewise is better to have a good Muslim than a bad Christian.

So, it is about the person, not his religion really.

"I know that there are some perceptions out there, but I think as important as perception is, let us understand the reality. When they say a particular person will be this, let us examine the person; his antecedents."

Masari described Shettima as a non-religious extremist and accommodating politician: "If you talk to the Christian community in Borno where he had the opportunity of being the governor for eight years, you will

made adequate arrangements for the election. We have promised a level playing field for all. The security agencies have assured us of safety.

"The people of Osun State and Nigerians will understandably hold us to our promise on election day. They will observe our attitude and behaviour from the opening to the closing of polls. They will particularly observe our management of the election results and measure the extent of our adherence to the extant laws through every stage of the electoral process.

"I appeal to you to uphold our Code of Conduct, display your usual sense of commitment and professionalism, remain above board and firmly resist any unethical behaviour. You must also stick to the Oath of Neutrality to which we have all subscribed. I have the confidence in your ability to consolidate on our recent successes."

political parties indeed reflected the religious balance in the composition of their presidential team.

"The two major religions in the country are Islam and Christianity. And these have defined our way of life since the country attained independence in 1960.

"We are therefore alarmed with the decision of the APC to disregard the Christian community in the choice of its vice- presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential elections.

Without mincing words, this is unacceptable and a recipe for creating sharp divides between the Muslims and the Christians in the country."

"Your Excellency Sir, we the Christians in Northern Nigeria are displeased and angered by this insensitivity. By their action, the APC sent a strong message that Christians are not relevant in the scheme of things in the country."

Obi Can Only Become a President in Igboland, Says Shettima

Meanwhile, Shettima, speaking on a television programme yesterday, declared that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi “cannot become president of Nigeria.”

According to him, Obi can only be president of Igboland and not Nigeria.

Shettima declared: “The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has no political base and structure to win the next election in 2023.

As far as I am concerned, he’s politically structureless with little or no experience to lead this country.

“Nigeria requires a technocrat and a sound administrator who will continue from where President Muhammadu Buhari stopped, not someone who will come to take us back to the era of PDP. Nigerians don’t want that.

“Our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the right person needed for this position in a time like this. He’s a unifier, an administrator, a technocrat, name it. That is why Nigerians both old and young are rallying round him to ensure that he wins the forthcoming election.

“Presidential position is not for the unprepared neither is it an all comers’ affair. Peter Obi can only become a President in Igboland but definitely not in Nigeria. Nigeria is too big for him to handle. He has no leadership ideology nor experiences like President Muhammadu and our incoming President in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

this meeting, we would see a new improved monetary policy and a new and improved CBN that would provide direction for monetary policy in Nigeria.”

On how Nigeria overcame recession twice in four years, he said: “While the Nigerian economy has been engulfed with many crisis, just like many other countries of the world, we have been able to relatively withstand the storm overcoming two recessions within four years and have performed far better than many of our peers, courtesy of our bespoke, homegrown and ingenious approach of adopting well thought-out and homegrown policy measures aimed at addressing our macroeconomic challenges.

“Monetary policy has been severely challenged, as its policy space narrowed significantly, in some cases, paradoxically and necessitating the need to rethink monetary policy in the context of emerging challenges and economic transformation.”

Furthermore, he noted that digital financial services created 95 million job opportunities and boosted the GDP of emerging economies by 6 per cent and that digital finance supports greater financial inclusion by making possible the extension of financial services to nonfinancial sectors, and to individuals with minimal access to smart electronic devices.

“The central banking and monetary policy relevance in the digital ecosystem are sometimes challenged as the regulatory oversight functions are largely eroded or weakened by impotency of traditional tools in carrying out those functions.

“In order to ensure the relevance of monetary policy and the role of monetary authorities in the new digital world, MPC members must embrace advanced level understanding of the interplay of digitalisation with monetary policy objectives, targets and tools.”

On his part, Deputy Governor Economic Policy Directorate, Mr.

Kingsley Obiora reiterated the importance of policies suitable for the global digital economy.

He said: “A global payment report for 2021 showed that last year was the first-time payments by digital wallets preceded payments by cash worldwide and the data shows that only 13 per cent of payment would now be moved by cash.

“Another trend globally is the explosion of the electronic and digital trends themselves. And lastly, the rise of digital currencies.

These trends and movements that we are seeing are the main reasons why it is important for a retreat by the MPC to discuss how we would respond to these changes. We have to respond so we can make policies that would affect economic growth, inflation and all the intermediate macroeconomic factors.

Inflation Hits 5-year High at 18.60%

The consumer price index (CPI), which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services, surged to 18.60 per cent in June 2022, up from 17.71 per cent in the previous month, the highest since January 2017.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said this in its consumer price index (CPI) report for June 2022, released yesterday.

The figure is also 0.84 per cent points higher compared to June 2021, which is 17.75 per cent.

The development means that the headline inflation rate increased in June 2022 when compared to the same month in the previous year (June 2021).

According to the report, increases were recorded in all classifications of individual consumption according to purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the headline index.

“On a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate increased to 1.82 per cent in June 2022, this is 0.03 per cent higher than the rate recorded in May 2022 (1.78 per cent),” reports the NBS.

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News Editor Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Humanitarian Crises: Ortom Calls for Intervention of International Community George Okoh In Makurdi Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has appealed to the international community to intervene in the humanitarian crisis rocking many states of Nigeria leading to the displacement of millions of people from

their ancestral lands.

Governor Ortom made the appeal yesterday while speaking at the headquarters of the International Christian Concern (ICC), in Washington DC, United States of America.

The governor said the attacks

Tension As Angry Youths Shut ConOil Facility in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa There is rising tension in Koluama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State following the invasion and shutting down of crude oil facilities operated

by ConOil Producing Limited by angry youths over alleged non-implementation of Memorandum of Understanding with host communities.

It was gathered yesterday that the oil facilityknownasAngo2field andoperatedbyConoilsince2013,has a crude oil production capacity of over 30,000 barrels per day.

The aggrieved indigenes including women, youths, and elders, caught security personnel stationed on the facilities unaware and invaded the facility with placards with inscription such as ‘No MoU, No Crude oil exploration’, ‘ConOil pack, and go, we are tired of suffering’ and ‘Koluama people are suffering’, demandedtheshutdownofoperations at the facility.

The decision of the aggrieved community indigenes were also backed by the members of the Koluama Oil and Gas Committee, insisting that the oil multinational have failed in the implementationoftheMemorandum

of Understanding by Conoil, which spelt out social obligations of the oil firm to its host communities.

The Chairman Koluama Clan Oil and Gas Committee, Chief Jonathan Amabebe, who spoke to THISDAY from the breached oil facilities, said some of the community’s demands includes, clean-up of oil spill sites in the various communities and carrying out medical outreach to communities affected by oil spill.

Others include the issuance of employment letter to one of the community’s qualified indigenes, who was successful in Conoil’s last employment exercise in 2015 and award of contract across the five host communities, in Koluama Clan, namely, Tamazo, Koluama 1, Koluama 2, Olobia and Kalaweiama, embedded in the MoU amongst others.

Alsospeakingonthedevelopment, the Technical Assistant to Special Adviser to the Governor on Oil and Gas, Prince Tare Ekubo, said that despite several warnings from the community, intervention by government, meetings and letters sent to Conoil, to ensure that the relationship by both parties does not degenerate, the oil company has refused to implement those decisions which angered the community into taking such the action.

Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Northern CAN Youths Threaten Lalong Segun Awofadeji in Gombe The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWI-CAN) in the 19 Northern states and Abuja has sent a warning message to the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong of their readiness to come all out against the Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a strong worded press release signed by its Chairman, Evangelist Musa D Misal and Secretary, Sarafa Adekunle Oyewo, sent to journalists in Gombe yesterday, the youths who rejected the APC’s Tinubu/ Shettima ticket in all its ramification promised to mobilise their teaming members to distance themselves from what they described as “evil and satanic plot to Islamise Nigeria.”

Apart from calling on chairman of the Northern Governor’s Forum to call for a meeting of all Northern APC Christian members to chart a way forward or he be termed a puppet of the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy, they also called on all Northern APC Christian members to withdraw their support for Tinubu/Shet-

tima candidacy.

According to them, “ We call on our father, the Executive Governor of Plateau State and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong to convene a meeting of all APC Northern Christians to chart a way forward or else he may be seen to be a puppet of the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy.”

They expressed shock with the choice of Senator Kashim Shettima as the running mate of Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite all calls by well-meaning Nigerians of both faiths to the contrary.

The YOWI-CAN group said, “Now that the die is cast and the APC has come out to tell us that there is no credible and competent northern Christian worthy to be Vice President of Nigeria, we the entire northern Christian youth reject this in all its ramification and will mobilise our teaming members to distance themselves from this evil and satanic plot to Islamise Nigeria.”

Parts of the release reads thus, “Furthermore, we shall ensure that we strategise and protect the votes so that the evil plotters will not rig the elections. I assure you that we have millions of voters to make the change possible.

on innocent Nigerians by Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province, ISWAP (Nigeria) and armed herdsmen have forced millions of people to flee from their homes with many of them now internally displaced while some have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

The governor said Benue and some other states in the North-central part of the country like Plateau and Niger had been badly affected by terrorists’ attacks, while other states in

the North-east and North-west including Adamawa, Bornu, Yobe, Kaduna and Zamfara have also faced sustained attacks and killing of thousands of people in the last couple of years.

He lamented that in some situations, the displaced persons face serious health challenges arising from malnutrition and inadequate healthcare.

Ortom stressed that if the terror attacks were not curbed, the future of the country’s children would be jeopardised as many

schools have been destroyed and members of the agrarian communities are not able to access their farms which have been taken over by the terrorists.

He said the body language of the federal government has emboldened the terrorists who now come within a few kilometers away from the seat of power in the Federal Capital Territory to launch attacks and free their detained members from prison, citing the recent attack on Kuje Correctional

Centre as an example.

Ortom said the pardon granted to the arrested terrorists and their reintegration into the military in some instances was a clear case of complicity on the part of the present government at the centre.

He stated that the intervention of the international community would put pressure on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to act decisively to end terrorism in the country.

CELEBRATING LONGEVITY… L-R: Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Nigeria’s first Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Theophilus Ogunlesi cutting his 99th Birthday cake at the celebrant’s residence in Sagamu...Wednesday

Voter Registration Ends July 31, Says INEC Chuks Okocha in Osogbo With the judgement of the Federal High Court and all legal encumbrances removed, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the continuous voter registration exercise will officially end by July 31.

This was contained in a statement by INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Chairman, Voter Education, Festus Okoye.

According to Okoye, “The CVR is hereby extended for another two weeks until Sunday

31st July 2022, thereby bringing the total duration of the extension to 31 days (1st - 31st July 2022).

“The exercise has also been extended to eight hours daily from 9.00a.m. - 5.00p.m. instead of the current duration of six hours (9.00a.m. - 3.00p.m.) daily; and “The exercise is also extended to include weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) as against only weekdays,” Okoye disclosed.

According to the INEC national commissioner, the commission “appreciated that the timeframe may be tight for

many prospective registrants, but said that there is a lot that the Commission was required to do under the electoral legal framework in relation to voter registration and compilation of the register that will require time to accomplish. For instance, the Commission is required to: “Clean-up of the register to remove multiple registrants using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS); “Consolidate the national register of voters (existing voters and new registrants) and display same on Polling Unit basis for each of the 8,809

Registration Areas (Wards) across the 774 Local Government Areas nationwide for public scrutiny.

This lasts for a period of one week. On the basis of a new projection of 95 million voters, on the basis of 10 voters per page, the Commission has to print 9,500,000 pages for the display.”

He further disclosed that INEC will within the period under review “Print millions of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for all fresh registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs;

Ugwuanyi is Our Leader, PDP Our Party, Say Uzo-Uwani People The people of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State have reassured Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of their unflinching support, loyalty and solidarity towards his senatorial bid come 2023 general elections, stressing that the governor is their indisputable leader, in whom they are well pleased.

Uzo-Uwani people, who were led by their political leaders, traditional rulers and elder statesmen such as Chief Maxi Ukuta and Chief Michael Ajogwu, SAN, on a Thank-you

visit to Governor Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, yesterday, said that their total support and loyalty to the governor were in recognition of his unprecedented interventions in their council area in terms of massive infrastructural development and human empowerment, after decades of neglect.

The elated people, who disclosed that Uzo-Uwani LGA had seen light under Ugwuanyi’s administration, stated that no past government had remembered the council area, until the present state government stepped in and

changed the narrative.

The people reaffirmed their commitment and faith in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and assured the governor that the PDP remains their party come 2023 general elections.

Speaking, the Chairman of Uzo-Uwani LGA, Chukwudi Nnadozie, told Ugwuanyi that they came to thank him for the good works of his administration in Enugu State and particularly, in their council area.

Nnadozie, who pointed out that since 1998 the PDP was

formed, Uzo-Uwani LGA has never and will never go to another political party, told the governor that “come 2023 it will not be different because we are not serving the PDP in vain.”

Enumerating the numerous achievements of Ugwuanyi’s administration in Uzo-Uwani LGA, such as massive road projects, health and education facilities, political appointments and security, in spite of the nation’s economic challenges, the Council Chairman maintained: “PDP has shown us love through you (Ugwuanyi).

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16 2022

NEWS

Court Orders FG to Pay CJN N10m Monthly, N9m for S’Court Justices N8m for High Courts’ CJ, N7m for High Courts’ judges Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, yesterday held that the current salaries and allowances of judicial officers in the country “is not only abysmally low but embarrassing” and accordingly ordered the federal government to put machinery in place for the immediate review of the salaries and allowances of the judicial officers.

To this end, Justice ObasekiOsaghae ordered the federal government to commence a monthly payment of N10 million to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), N9 million to other justices of the apex court,

President of Court of Appeal, N9 million while other justices of the appellate court N8 million, Chief Judges of both Federal and States HIgh Courts N8 million while judges of the Federal and States HIgh Courts N7 million, Heads of Sharia Court of Appeal and its counterpart in the Customary Court, N8 million and N7 million for the judges in both courts.

The judge in addition held that the federal government shall continue to carry out a yearly or once in two years review of the salaries and allowances of the judicial officers.

According to Justice ObasekiOsaghae, the refusal of the government to review the judicial officers’ salaries and

allowances for 14 years was unconstitutional, unlawful, adding that the Industrial Court has the power to compel the government to do the needful.

Obaseki-Osaghae, lamented that it was unfortunate that justices and judges who are ministers in the temple of Justice have become “victims of great injustice” in the country.

A senior lawyer, Chief Sebas-

tine Hon, SAN, who claimed to be an aspiring Justice, had dragged the National Assembly and the Executive arm of government to court over the poor pay of judicial officers, which he noted has remained the same in the last 14 years despite the harsh economic conditions in the country.

His main plea was for an order

compelling the defendants to forthwith increase the salaries and allowances of judges in Nigeria.

The National Assembly, Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, Attorney General of the Federation and National Judicial Council are 1st to 4th defendants, respectively.

In a supporting affidavit to

the originating summons, the plaintiff stated that as a legal practitioner, “who has practised in all the levels of courts in Nigeria, I know that poor pay for judicial officers is seriously affecting the quality of judgments and rulings those officers are delivering and the discharge of other functions associated with their offices.”

Police Arrest Two Kuje Prison Escapees in Katsina Francis Sardauna in Katsina Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command have arrested two escapees of the Kuje Correctional Centre in Danmusa and Bakori local government areas of the state.

The rearrested inmates- Kamala Lawal Abubakar, 33, and Abdulkadir Musa, 30-year-old - were nabbed by the police operatives at different criminal hideouts in the local governments.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, while parading the escapees alongside other suspects, said Abubakar was arrested at a criminals’ enclave in Unguwar Sale Quarters of Danmusa while Musa was apprehended in Bakori town.

He explained that the duo were nabbed in their respective hideouts on Thursday and Friday respectively following intelligence reports received by the divisional police officers of the councils.

Isah, a superintendent of police, explained that in the course of investigation, the suspects

confessed to have escaped from Kuje Custodian Centre, Abuja, during the recent invasion of the medium prison by heavy armed hoodlums suspected to be terrorists.

He added that after preliminary and thorough investigation by the Command, the suspected escapees would be handed over to the Nigerian Correctional Service for further necessary action.

He said, “On 14/07/2022 at about 1800hrs, based on credible information, DPO Danmusa, and team carried out raids at suspected criminal hideouts in Danmusa LGA and succeeded in arresting one Kamala Lawal Abubakar, aged 33yrs of Unguwar Sale Quarters, Danmusa LGA, a suspected fugitive from Kuje prison, Abuja.

“In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to have escaped from Kuje Prison, Abuja, during the recent Kuje jailbreak.

Some quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was also recovered in his possession during police search.

Two Catholic priests have been abducted in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The priests - Rev. Frs. John Cheitnum and Donatus Cleopas were said to have been abducted yesterday at about 4:45p.m. at Gure parish, Lere LGA. Their abduction was confirmed in a statement yesterday night by Emmanuel Okolo, Chancellor of the Kafanchan Catholic diocese.

The statement said the priests were kidnapped shortly after arriving at the parish rectory of Christ the King Catholic Church, Yadin Garu, in Lere LGA. Okolo said, “It is with great pain that we announce to you the kidnapping of two of our Priests; Rev. Frs. John Mark

L-R: Hon. Sam Onuigbo, Member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, displaying his Certificate of Nomination as a possible Most Valuable Parliamentarian (MVP) of the 9th Assembly after a presentation by Oke Epia, Executive Director, OrderPaper Nigeria at the National Assembly...yesterday

Buhari: I will Retire to My Forefather’s Farm After Leaving Office Next Year Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday hinted about his life after leaving office in May, 2023 saying he will retire to his forefather’s farm in his home town, Daura, Katsina State, to engage in full scale farming.

He also disclosed that the introduction of Treasury Single Account (TSA) by his administration ensured that Cheitnum and Donatus Cleopas. public funds running into “The sad event of their abduc- millions of Naira were saved tion occurred around 5.45p.m. of July 15, 2022, shortly after the two priests who were on their way to a function at a different parish (Gure), arrived at the parısh rectory of Christ Blessing Ibunge in Port the King Catholic Church, Yadin Harcourt Garu, in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Rivers State Police “As we solicit for an intense Command has confirmed prayer for their quick and safe the kidnap of two foreigners release, we equally wish to call in Port Harcourt by suspected on all and sundry to refrain gunmen. from taking the laws into their The state Police Public hands.

Relations Officer, DSP Grace “We will use every legitimate Iringe-Koko who confirmed the means to ensure their quick and incident to THISDAY, said the safe release.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. “May Jesus crucified on the Eboka Friday, has deployed Cross, listen to our prayers a tactical team to apprehend and hasten the unconditional the perpetrators and rescue release of His Priests and all the victims. other kidnapped persons.”

According to Iringe-Koko,

Two Catholic Priests Abducted in Kaduna John Shiklam in Kaduna

RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE…

from unscrupulous government officials in the last seven years.

Addressing elected local government chairmen from Katsina State on a Sallah homage to him, President Buhari; said the farm in Daura, handed to him by his forefather was the next thing on his mind when he leaves office next year.

He also played up the successful implementation of the Treasury Single Account, saying money had been saved

from unscrupulous government officials.

According to him, “I found a tough man (Hamid Ali) for the job at the Customs. One day, he came to me and saying that they had intercepted 20 fuel tankers about to cross the border. I said to him sell the fuel and the tankers and put the money in TSA. Before this time, that money would have found its way to the numerous mysterious ‘government’ accounts.“

The President lauded the nation’s farmers for the record production of rice and other food commodities, expressing satisfaction that the agricultural policies of the administration are working to good effect.

He said his administration had taken various decisions including the closure of land borders for two years for the benefit of farmers who were the driving force of the rural economy, expressing happiness that these had worked well for the nation.

Police Confirm Kidnap of Two Expatriates in Rivers “The CP has deployed adequate tactical team to ensure they are released while the investigation is ongoing to arrest the perpetrators.”

It was gathered that the expatriates were abducted on Thursday, by armed men who escaped with the victims through Ndoki Street waterfronts in the state capital.

According to an eye witness, the suspected gunmen behind the operation drove in two Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and a Hummer bus all with tinted glasses into

Ndoki Estate at about 2p.m. and kidnapped the victims.

A source from the area who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the plate numbers of the SUVs were concealed and the occupants in the bus were in military camouflage.

According to the source, none of the occupants of the three vehicles alighted as they stayed a while and later drove off.

Another source who gave his name as Lucky, revealed that about 7p.m., they saw some armed men wearing military uniform with two white men

suspected to be Chinese at the end of Ndoki Street heading towards the waterfront.

“Suddenly, there was a sporadic shooting in the air and one of the gunmen ordered the whitemen, who look like Chinese people, that if they ran, they would be shot dead. It was then we knew they were kidnappers and not real soldiers.”

According to him, the shooting lasted for about 15 minutes and residents and shop owners scampered for safety in fear of being hit by stray bullets.

SATURDAY JULY 16, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

NEWS Emenike: Struggle for Abia Liberation Remains on Course Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

BRIANSTORMING FOR THE ECONOMY… L-R: Dr. Robert Adoga, Mrs. Aishah Ahmad, Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Mike Obadan and Professor Mohammed Salisu. Standing L-R: Mr. Adebisi Sonubi, Professor Aliyu Sanusi Rafindadi, Mr. Edward Adamu, Dr. Mo’ Omamegbe, Dr. Kingsley Obiora, Dr. Hassan Mahmud Isa, all members of the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN at a retreat in Lakowe Resort, Ibeju Lagos …yesterday

Kuje Jailbreak: FCTA Gives Illegal Kuje Squatters One-Week Ultimatum Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Days after a terrorist attack on Kuje Correctional Centre that led to the escape of several inmates, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has given illegal squatters of Kuje one-week ultimatum to evacuate the community after which it will embark on massive demolition of illegal structures.

The directive was served yesterday by the FCT Ministerial Task Team on Environment at a Stakeholder Engagement and Sensitisation Meeting.

The Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Haruna Jibrin and the Chairman

of Kuje Area Council, Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo, who attended the stakeholders’ meeting, both consented to the planned demolition by FCTA. The Traditional Ruler said he was in support of the clean up exercise, because it would restore sanity and security to Kuje.

The Gomo said he had always LQWHUDFWHG ZLWK GLͿHUHQW VWUDWD RI the Kuje community to maintain peace and order and was looking forward to more collaborative HͿRUWV IURP DOO JRYHUQPHQW agencies.

The Chairman Kuje Area Council was represented at the parley by the Principal

Secretary to the Area Council, Abdullahi Sabo.

He said although the council was in support of forthcoming demolition of illegal structures, more time should be given to allow residents salvage their property before the bulldozers were rolled in.

The Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, who convened the meeting, however, admonished that after the expiration of the ultimatum, the demolition exercise would go ahead.

He said that FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello,

who visited Kuje recently had expressed angst over the deterioration of both environmental infrastructure and security in the area.

He added that the planned demolition exercise to restore order and sanity and as well remove all illegal shelters that provided criminal elements covers was authorised by the minister.

The minister urged all the stakeholders, to take advantage of the one-week window to evacuate from all the illegal places to avoid unnecessary losses as nothing would stop the clean up exercise.

2023: I’m Still Sad with Outcome of APC, PDP Presidential Primaries, Says Umahi

Benjamin Nworie inAbakaliki

Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Dave Umahi, yesterday, reiterated that he was still sad with the outcome of the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that produced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar respectively.

Speaking in Abakaliki when he received members of the Ebonyi State founding fathers, the

governor expressed displeasure over the roles of the people of South-east during the primaries, explaining that their roles raised a question mark on the sincerity of their agitation for a President of South-east extraction.

Led by the former deputy governor of old Imo State, Chief Francis Orji, Governor Umahi noted that the people of the South-east zone couldn’t demonstrate the clamour of the South-east presidency.

New Medical University: Odinma Nsukka Hails Ugwuanyi Members of the Odinma Nsukka have applauded Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for the giant development strides of his administration in the state in spite of the harsh economic realities in the country and the state’s lean resources.

The group, comprising notable sons and daughters of Nsukka zone, said they are pleased with the peaceful atmosphere in Enugu State entrenched by Ugwuanyi as well as his unprecedented infrastructural development in the rural areas of the state.

Speaking when Odinma Nsukka paid a Thank-you visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, the Chairman of

the group, Chief Engr. Vita Abba, expressed gratitude to the governor for the establishment and licensing of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Chief Abba, who commended the governor for “the remarkable and highly commendable feat”, revealed: “We were, indeed, merely looking forward to the ESUT Medical Campus, but you were thinking bigger for Ndi-Nsukka. It was just like the Federal Polytechnic Ohodo that came as a surprise to all of us. Our gratitude knows no bound”.

Umahi was quoted by his spokesman, Francis Nwaze as saying: “My heart is saddened by the outcome of the APC and PDP presidential primaries because when we were saying that we are clamouring for South-east president and it was time to demonstrate it, the South-east people couldn’t demonstrate it, so, it caused a lot of doubts on the sincerity of South-east on their quest but if not for anything else, I have achieved a state with proven

character and content, we must be very proud of ourselves and we know that in God’s time, it will come to pass.

“My defection to All Progressives Congress, APC, was in the interest of the state and South-east in general but it was misjudged because if our people had taken my reasons seriously, probably, we would have been differently treated especially in the party that we have invested so much in since 1999.”

African Voices Changemakers Features Olu of Warri, Elba Globacom-sponsored African Voices Changemakers, this ZHHN SURÀOHV RQH RI 1LJHULD·V foremost traditional rulers, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III who has been employing his royal stool to better the lot of his people.

The 30-minute magazine programme equally features Sabrina Elba, model, actor and rights activist of Kenyan descent.

Ogiame Atuwatse III ascended the throne in August 2021. Born 2 April 1984 as Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko, also known as Tsola Emiko, he is the 21st Olu of Warri. A 2006 graduate of International Studies and Political Science from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, he also

obtained a Master of science degree in Management from the same university’s Weatherhead School of Management in 2007.

He currently uses the platform of his traditional stool in the establishment of new projects and traditions therefore creating new employment opportunities and business ideas for his subjects who include an appreciable number of youths with talents in the creative arts and entertainment.

Elba, on her part, reconnects with her African roots by assisting small-scale farmers with funds in order to expand their farms and enhance their \LHOGV DQG SURÀWV $IULFDQ 9RLFHV Changemakers will be on the DSTV Channel 401 at 9.30a.m. on Saturday.

The governorship standardbearer said that people had often confronted him with the question The struggle for the liberation of why he has remained in the of Abia State from the forces of struggle for the liberation of Abia, stagnation remains on course and adding that he won’t rest until would be successfully concluded Abia truly becomes God’s Own with victory at the polls in 2023, State not just in name but in the governorship candidate of deed. the All Progressives Congress He said that once Abia is (APC), Chief Ikechi Emenike removed from the hands of those has said. who have been mismanaging the He stated this during a meet- VWDWH LW ZRXOG EHFRPH EHQHÀFLDO ing with aspirants of Abia APC to everybody once the state is who were not successful at the put in proper shape with good party primaries, saying that they governance. should remain steadfast with “If Abia is repositioned we the goal of the party “which will all triumph. It is going has always been to uplift Abia to be a win-win situation for State”. everybody,” he assured.

The Abia APC leader told the Emenike lamented that Abia former aspirants that losing the has degenerated so bad that no party tickets was not the end of $ELDQ FRXOG DͿRUG WR VLW RQ WKH the world as they would still be fence and watch bad leaders rewarded in other ways if the run their beloved state aground. main opposition takes control He stated that the ruling of Abia in 2023.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “We must work together as was already jittery and has been a team,” he told them, adding doing everything to undermine WKDW WKH SRVLWLYH VDFULÀFHV PDGH Abia APC which it sees as its by every party member would only threat, adding that APC resonate and ensure electoral remains the only party in Abia triumph for all the party can- today that PDP has failed to didates come 2023. control.

Liberian War: Armed Forces to Immortalise Nigerian Military 2ͿFHUV :KR 'LHG RQ 'XW\ Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have concluded plans to LPPRUWDOLVH R΀FHUV DQG VROGLHUV of the Nigerian military, who SDLG WKH VXSUHPH VDFULÀFH GXUing peacekeeping operations in Liberia.

7KH &KLHI RI 6WDͿ &26 Armed Forces of Liberia, Major General Prince Charles Johnson III, made the disclosure yesterday during a courtesy call on the &KLHI RI $UP\ 6WDͿ &2$6 Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking during the visit, the Liberian military chief conveyed the appreciation of the Armed )RUFHV RI /LEHULD IRU WKH VDFULÀFHV rendered by Nigerian troops to the people of Liberia in restoring peace during the Liberian war.

He eulogised the Nigerian Army for the technical assistance rendered through Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) support team, which he said ushered in a new

Armed Forces of Liberia.

The Armed Forces Chief called for more collaboration and bilateral relations in the area of training.

7KH &KLHI RI $UP\ 6WDͿ (COAS), Lt. Gen. Yahaya while responding, noted that the NA will continue to leverage on the experiences gathered during peacekeeping operations in Liberia, in the discharge of its constitutional roles.

He assured the visiting Chief RI 6WDͿ $)/ RI FRQWLQXRXV VXSport, especially in the area of capacity development, adding that the Nigerian Army had a long standing relationship with the Liberians and will continue to extend the warm hands of friendship to the AFL. The event was witnessed by SULQFLSDO VWDͿ R΀FHUV RI WKH Army Headquarters.

Highpoint of the visit was the exchange of souvenirs by the COAS and the AFL Chief RI 6WDͿ

FG Gives Free Agric Inputs, Equipment to Edo Small Holder Farmers Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

In order to address food crisis occasioned by insecurity, the government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources distributed free farm inputs and equipment to Small Holder Farmers in Edo State.

In a keynote address and flagoff of the distribution in Benin City, capital of the state, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, said the move became necessary as a result of the crisis borne by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the rising insecurity and the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) which has made food security in Nigeria a growing problem.

Dr. Umakhihe also added that the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine further contributed to the rising food crisis in the country

and worsened both poverty and food insecurity in the nation.

According to the him, for the past seven years issues relating to food security had constituted a major focus of the policy thrust of the Nigerian government and formed part of the major Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which world leaders initially agreed to devote resources to actualise by 2015 but now shifted by 2030 with the aim to ensure no poverty and zero hunger.

He listed the items donated as food hydrators, motorised oil palm harvesters, cashew cracker, 3HP water pump, knapsack sprayers, agro chemicals and growth enhancers.

Others include power tillers, cashew and groundnut seeds, coconut and oil palm seedlings, cassava stems, planters, cassava processing equipment, seed yams, maize and cocoa seedlings among others.

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JULY 16 , 2022 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

NNAJI AT 66: HISTORY VINDICATES THE JUST C. Don Adinuba pays tribute to Bart Nnaji, distinguished professor of Engineering, and former Minister of Power

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s Bart Nnaji, globally acknowledged engineering professor and Minister of Science and Technology from August, 1993, to November, 1993, who was to become the Minister of Power from July, 2011, to August, 2012, marked 66 years on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, many Nigerians, on taking a critical look at the electric sector today, are likely to borrow an expression popularized by Nigeria’s founding president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, to pay homage to him: History vindicates the just. Much as Nnaji cannot be happy that the power sector has nosedived since 2012, the truth remains eternal that history has vindicated his strong opposition to the manner in which the authorities were privatizing the successor companies to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) a decade ago. The 2013 privatization is the albatross of electricity development. As The Economist of London stated on September 12, 2012, Nnaji’s exit from the Ministry of Power was “a spark of light has been extinguished” in Nigeria.

Not satisfied with his exit from the government, the authorities, believing the funny rumour that Nnaji was the owner of Manitoba Hydro Electricity Corporation, announced a unilateral termination of the management contract which this firm signed with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), just to get at him. The government buckled only when the international community expressed outrage at the cancellation and, more importantly, the reason. Of course, Manitoba Hydro is owned entirely by the government of the state (or province) of Manitoba in Canada. Worse, the authorities brazenly descended on Nnaji’s personal enterprise, the 188megawatt Geometric Power project in Aba, Abia State.

The government deliberately ignored the terms of the 2004 agreement between Geometric Power and the federal government which led to Geometric Power’s multi-million dollar investment in the power plant and distribution network within the Aba ringfenced area prior to Nnaji’s appointment as Minister of Power. Nnaji’s vision was to turn the ringed area into a true industrial city, generating and providing reliable electricity to all consumers within the ring fence. The new government surprisingly decided to do away with the approval granted by the President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration for the ringed fence area to become a separate distribution area. This action led to the erroneous and costly inclusion of the Aba Ring Fence in the Enugu Electricity Company, despite constant reminders to the federal authorities about the existing agreement signed since 2004 between the federal government and Geometric Power.

The good news is that the Geometric Power project in Aba is now back on track, after a whole nine years of being almost in limbo. The greater news is that the project, which has now cost $600m (N360bn), is scheduled to be commissioned later this year. No less significant is that it will provide steady, quality and affordable power to Aba City as well as nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State. Geometric Power has, thanks to a $50m facility from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), paid, on behalf of the federal government, a huge multimillion dollar refund and other charges to Interstate Electrics and the EEDC for the Aba ringfenced area.

At least 90% of the Aba Power project has long been completed. Oilserv Ltd, Nigeria’s most successful indigenous petroleum pipeline building firm, will anytime from now complete the 27-kilometre natural gas pipeline from the Shell flow station at Owaza in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State to Osisioma Industrial Estate, where Geometric Power is located. The three thermal turbines, built by General

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE GEOMETRIC POWER PROJECT IN ABA IS NOW BACK ON TRACK, AFTER A WHOLE NINE YEARS OF BEING ALMOST IN LIMBO. THE GREATER NEWS IS THAT THE PROJECT, WHICH HAS NOW COST $600M (N360BN), IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMMISSIONED LATER THIS YEAR

Electric (GE), the world’s biggest electricity equipment manufacturing company, are back from Houston, Texas, where they were sent by Geometric Power for scheduled maintenance and have already been reinstalled. Work has been completed on the 150-kilometre overhead power lines installed by ABB Powerlines while rehabilitation work is being completed on the four brand new power substations. What is more, three old power substations inherited from the PHCN have been refurbished, upgraded and modernized ones.

The decision to build the Aba power project was borne out of sheer patriotic instincts. Shortly after she assumed office as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance in 2004, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, now the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), took her boss at the World Bank, James Wolfohnson, to Ariara Market in Aba which has hundreds of thousands small and medium industrialists who produce impressive clothes, footwear and belts but are handicapped by poor electric power supply. Both the then World Bank President and Nigeria’s finance minister appealed to Nnaji to consider building a 50megawatt power generation plant in Aba to supply electricity to manufacturers there. Aba is considered the Japan of Africa on account of its embrace of indigenous technology.

Nnaji was approached because he had led a team to build in 2001 a 22megawatt emergency power plant in Abuja for the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA); it was commissioned by Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The plant supplied power to State House, the Abuja Central Business District and the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), among other places, for 30 months without blinking. Nnaji did not bat an eyelid before accepting the challenge to build a dedicated power plant in Aba largely on account of personal experience. At the inception of democratic governance in 1999, Nnaji, a preeminent mechanical and industrial engineering professor in the United States, had acquired a large swath of land in Enugu to set up a factory to build, in conjunction with a group of industrialists from South Korea, world-class vehicle components, including engines. The parts would be exported to auto manufacturers in Europe, United States and Asia. But the deal couldn’t be finalized because of the power situation in Nigeria.

And sheer patriotism led Nnaji to scale the power plant in Aba from 50MW for only industrialists in the city to 188MW to accommodate commercial off-takers such as hotels, hospitals, laboratories and offices in nine out of the 17 LGAs in Abia States.

What does it say about our collective conscience that the Geometric Power project, which is bound to change Nigeria’s socioeconomic development trajectory, was forced to undergo a hiatus for a whole nine years by the authorities?

In his magnificent 2014 book, Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy, Francis Fukuyama, one of the world’s most influential thinkers, describes Nigeria as a country where top public officers routinely frustrate history-changing projects in their place out of sheer personal greed.

It baffles most citizens how Nnaji has remained calm and optimistic about the country in spite of all he has gone through in the last decade, including having to pay N30m monthly for the nine years to maintain the nearly completed power plant and other power assets without any revenue from the project.

Adinuba is the immediate past Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment, Anambra State.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE EKITI STATE GOVERNOR-ELECT Biodun Oyebanji has started on a good note, reckons Ade Ebimomi

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ermit me to briefly interrupt and take a minute or two from your expectedly packed schedule, as you prepare to take the reign of office as the next Executive Governor of Ekiti State.

In the last couple of weeks, I have watched your Excellency reach out (and still reaching out) to great men and women of Ekiti State extraction, and in varied walks of life, their political leanings or persuasion notwithstanding.

I was particularly enamoured with the picture of you going on all fours in front of your elders, particularly the veritable and iconic Afe Babalola. No, not even winning a governorship election would make you forget who you are or where you are coming from.

An Omoluabi is an Omoluabi any day.” Omo ti abire ko le gbagbe orisun re” (a well-brought child will never forget his source). Deeply grateful for the pride you made me feel upon seeing that particular photograph.

I have seen you offer the olive branch to leaders, men and women of opposing parties, including those who fiercely contested the election with you directly. To you, there was

no victor, no vanquished. Wish our political gladiators in Nigeria will take a cue from this.

I have seen your Excellency leave the comfort of your home and surroundings to go meet these men and women at their own stations, in their own comfortable environments.

How truly humble and unassuming!

I have seen your Excellency come down from your new elevated height, to the humble levels of the common Ekiti man and woman to show and express your appreciation to these people for giving you the opportunity to lead them. To you, every Ekiti man is important and has a role to play somehow, irrespective of their station in life.

These things are not usual in our polity, your Excellency.

Governance is never easy (sadly, many in your shoes pretend it is) and, like the proverbial saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”, his Excellency is duly, even before being sworn in, letting all and sundry know that he alone doesn’t know it all, that he alone doesn’t have the answers and, therefore, would need the contribution of the entire village to build a better Ekiti.

Your Excellency has recognized the enormity of the task before you and wisely seen that, to succeed in this onerous task, one would need the brains, the knowledge and the experiences of those that came before you - sort of, we’re all in this together; for Ekitiland to grow and become the Ekitiland of our dreams, we need every hand on deck.

That, in any language, is the definition of humility and generosity in leadership and, because of its uniqueness in our political space where winner usually (but utterly wrongfully) takes all, I find that deeply heart-warming, highly commendable and definitely worthy of emulation by others.

Ekiti people are blessed to have you for the next four years, at least, and the next eight - by God’s grace.

Your disposition further builds in people like me, the hope and the confidence that, somehow and in the not-too-far future, this country of ours will achieve its potential as a great and wonderful country. We only need to have more BAOs everywhere throw their hats into the ring of governance.

Your Excellency, I am certainly not given to

praise-singing anybody, but it will be remiss of me not to acknowledge that you are truly a breath of fresh air in this tainted political space of ours.

I dare say this also, that because you’re the very first of the hundreds of thousands of the products that our alma mater has produced in its exactly 40 years of existence to become a governor anywhere in the country, I am pretty certain that every graduate of Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti/University of Ado Ekiti/ Ekiti State University (OSUAites/UNADs/ EKSUites) everywhere will be watching you with pride and expectant of the legacy you have obviously set out to build in governance.

Current students of our alma mater will certainly be looking up to you for the height you’ve reached and taking a cue or two from your slowly evolving enviable leadership disposition.

We sure are proud to call you one of our own.

Ebimomi, an Economist and CEO of FDIB Ltd, a foreign investment consulting firm, writes from Abuja

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JULY 16, 2022 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

May the best win...

Atiku, Wike and the PDP

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he 2023 presidential elections present the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a golden opportunity to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, the PDP faces a daunting challenge in how to utilize this opportunity. To do this, the PDP needs to present a common interest from the party’s wide, and sometimes, varying interests so as to secure for the party, sufficient internal and external support during the elections.

PDP got its calculations right. The All Progressives Congress (APC) picked its presidential candidate from the South, the Southwest - Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is APC’s presidential candidate The emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate for the main opposition party —– (PDP) was a product of three things. The party has settled for someone who has the national outlook; the party wants to outwit the ruling APC in one of the latter’s strongholds— the North, and lastly, the party needs a strong war-chest for the 2023 presidential elections.

Atiku’s emergence was smooth, despite the political intrigues that occurred before and during the presidential primaries. The selection of Ifeanyi Okowa as Atiku’s running mate had appeared also a smooth one. But two weeks after, it is causing dangerous stirs in the PDP camp that had appeared united, initially after the primaries.

Former Governor Ayo Fayose scratched the ‘ old-wound’ of the call for a southern presidential candidate; Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is fuming, while Governor Nyesom Wike’s camp is causing more ‘commotion’ within the party by threatening the much-needed unity in the party.

To be nominated or selected as a Vice Presidential candidate, the person must bring something to the table —votes, a daring war chest, well-established political structures, or influence in the political party.

Had Atiku picked Wike, the PDP would have appeared to opt for someone that will bring a massive war-chest and “home votes”. At the same time, the PDP would appear to have succumbed to pressure and tried to calm ‘a bull in a china shop’.

The APC, on the other hand, would have been happy, if Wike had emerged as the PDP vice presidential candidate. Firstly, it would have ‘balanced’ its controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket. Secondly, the APC would have used Wike’s candidacy to consolidate its votes in one of its strongholds — the North. In the 2019 presidential elections, the APC used Peter Obi’s Vice Presidential candidacy to de-market the PDP in the north. Peter Obi’s deportation of northerners was massively used against him. Like Peter Obi, Wike doesn’t have longtime friends, political associates or structures in the north, to defend him. However, to be fair to Wike, during the campaign for the PDP presidential primaries, he was able to tour the

Nigeria’s Population Explosion

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here is a sense in which Nigeria is an unplanned country; a sense in which things have continued to head south because there has been no proper planning at best and poor planning at worse.

Countries where things work are marked by meticulous planning, the kind that takes everything into consideration including even the minor details which others would overlook. Such countries make provisions for practically every possibility.

Such countries where things work know the invaluable benefits of planning and as such they factor planning into every facet of their national lives. The population is planned, the economy is planned, healthcare is planned, education is planned, and so on.

This kind of meticulous planning is also what is at the heart of efficient management and distribution of resources to preclude many a conflict even before they arise.

Nigeria has however proven to be particularly bad at planning.

Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, and while the citizens of the country have been well within their rights to expect that the Giant of Africa would make giant strides each year towards the achievement of a peaceful and prosperous life for all, what the years have brought by is a cascade into chaos that has grown more forceful with each passing year.

T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE In today`s Nigeria, it is insecurity that DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU engages citizens more than any other MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO challenge. But it has not always been DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU insecurity. In fact, many years before CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN insecurity became the central challenge, the MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI patience of the citizenry had been worn THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE thin by the slow pace of development, and of course, systemic corruption.

All these had something to do with poor planning, going back to the very foundaT H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D tions of the country. There can be no EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA country without people populating it. But GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, there can very well be people who have ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI no country, or at best, people who can DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI lay claim to a country as theirs but in the SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH actual sense are excluded from practically ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI every benefits of living in such a country CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI even when they do everything they can DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO to participate in the life of that country.

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

country, thus making some new networks and contacts. Furthermore, if Atiku had picked Wike, the former would have had to work extra hard in the north, because Wike will be a good recipe for APC’s strategy in the North. With Wike as VP, those people who are unhappy with APC or have not decided, may not want to thumbprint a ballot paper with a “Wike.”

The selection of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as Atiku’s running mate is a product of PDP’s strategy to consolidate its footings in its strongholds—the Southeast and the South-South while not jeopardizing its attempt to strike the APC in the North. Okowa is controversy-free and the north will not have any issue with him.

The window created by Atiku for the PDP to setup a committee to select for him the vice-presidential candidate, was an error on Atiku, so to say. The selection of a running mate is the absolute right of the flagbearer. Since Atiku already had someone in his mind, that committee was unnecessary. Though, it appears it was an honest attempt to bring everybody on board in making or taking a decision.

When it comes to elections, every political party has its own strategy. Had Atiku accepted the choice of the ‘VP Selection Committee’, it would have been the first time in the history of Nigerian politics, that a political party will solely determine the VP candidate for its presidential candidate.

Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

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NEWS

2023: Court Dismisses Suit against A’Ibom PDP Congress Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Obiora Egwuata of the Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday dismissed a suit challenging the validity of the April 30, 2022 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Congress in Akwa Ibom State.

Justice Egwuatu dismissed the suit on the grounds that the court lacked the requisite

jurisdiction because the plainWLͿIV ZKR LQLWLDWHG WKH FRXUW action lacked necessary legal backing to do so.

According to the judgment, the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/ CS/606/2022 brought by Friday Iwok and 30 others was incompetent, devoid of merit and liable to be struck out.

Defendants are; the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC), the PDP and the elected ad-hoc delegates who emerged from the ward congresses conducted as 1st to 331st defendants respectively.

3ODLQWLͿV VSHFLÀFDOO\ VRXJKW an order nullifying the said convention as well as the outcome of the April 30 ward congress that produced the ad-hoc delegates who voted in the primaries.

However, Justice Egwuatu in his judgment held that the suit lacked merit because the plainWLͿV KDYLQJ QRW SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ the delegates’ election of the party in the state, lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

According to him, for a party to have a locus standi, he must have participated in the election to which he is contending the outcome.

Lagos to Host Biggest NAFEST, Says Sanwo-Olu The Lagos State Government says it has concluded plans to host the most colourful National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) 2022.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, gave this assurance when he received in audience a delegation from the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) led by the Director General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, who were in his office to formally present a blueprint of the festival and ascertain the level of preparedness of the state in hosting the festival.

According to Sanwo- Olu, a delegation from the state had visited the NCAC for a pre-NAFEST maiden meeting in Abuja to interact and obtain details of hosting the festival which will bring together contingents from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to Lagos State.

Based on the report, the governor said that the State government had to improve on their facilities to meet all criteria set by the NCAC that will enable the state not only

to host the biggest and most colourful festival but also emerge the overall winner of the fiesta.

He revealed that as a prelude to the festival, Lagos State will hold a pre-NAFEST event for seven days which is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of all the local government areas in the state which will therefore herald the Eko NAFEST 2022.

In his response, Runsewe congratulated the Lagos State Government for winning the hosting right for NAFEST 2022 which he noted was keenly contested by three other states, adding that the festival which is the foremost cultural event in Nigeria has hitherto been a platform to unite the nation through arts and culture.

Runsewe reiterated that the festival which grows richer, bigger and better with every edition would provide a strong platform for Lagos State which is the Centre of Excellence to bring its well-known finesse to bear in making the Eko NAFEST 2022 the best of its kind in the history of the festival given her track record.

CONUA Denies Embarking on Strike Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

CULTURAL PARTNERSHIP… L-R: Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and President, World Craft Council, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe presenting ‘The Partnership That Works’ symbol to Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Governor’s Residence, Marina, Lagos...recently

LP Promises to Support Youth Seeking Elective Positions James Sowole inAbeokuta Labour Party (LP), has said it would continue to support Nigerian Youths in their quest to bring positive change into governance in the country due to their unparalleled patriotism and intelligence.

The National Publicity Secretary of LP, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi said this in Abeokuta during the unveiling of the House of Representatives Candidate for Abeokuta South Federal constituency, Tolulope Phillips.

Arabambi expressed his excitement that majority candidates being paraded by the Labour Party for the 2023 elections are youths who possessed great quali-

ties needed to salvage Nigeria from the current turbulent situation.

He said the present reality of politics in Nigeria undoubtedly portrays a system that was under siege by the actions, inactions and reactions of the ageing political drivers of this country in policy making and implementation.

He said “The current crop of leaders driving the economy of this country is a pragmatic shift from what was obtained in the post-colonial era where the nationalists who agitated and achieved independence from Britain were in their youth, but in Nigerian politics today, the reverse is the case.

“The Youths are the leaders of tomorrow” is an aphorism

that contradicts the leadership monopoly practised by ageing Nigerian kleptocrats because the Nigerian government of present is led by gerontocrats who have continued to sideline the youth in the political and economic climate of Nigeria.

“With the coming of Peter Obi and array of youths being paraded by Labour Party for 2023 general elections, we are going to shame gerontocrats in present-day Nigeria who have made participation and representation unattainable and inaccessible to Nigerian youth with policies that alienate them.

Also, the House of Reps Candidate for Abeokuta South Federal constituency, Hon. Tolu-

lope Phillips said as a youth who feels impacts of misgovernance and maladministration of the aged politicians, he is assuring members of his Constituency of adequate and quality representation if given the mandate.

He said as a true born Egba man, who was born, trained and had established in Egbaland and Abeokuta South in particular, he knowns where the shoe pinches and will definitely work on ways to ameliorate the suffering of his people by attarcting more Federal government presence into the area.

He enjoined youths and other residents of the area to create a movement and be hungry for power by obtaining their permanent voters card.

Akeredolu Donates 50 Patrol Soludo Seeks N100bn Loan as Assembly Vehicles to Security Agencies in Ondo Passes Revised 2022 Budget Fidelis David in Akure

codenamed ‘Amotekun’, in Akure, the state capital.

Ondo State Governor, Mr. The governor explained Oluwarotimi Akeredolu that the inauguration and (SAN), yesterday, donated handing over of additional 50 ÀWWHG SDWURO YHKLFOHV WR patrol vehicles was a further all the security agencies in demonstration of the committhe state. ment of his administration Akeredolu, who said the towards providing the needed move was as part of the support for all security agencies commitment of his admin- operating in the state. istration to further strengthen He said, “We still recall with the security of lives and trepidation the dastardly act property of the people in of last month when some the state, vowed to smoke daredevil terrorists who have out all criminals in the state lost their souls to the devil from their hiding places and launched an attack at the make the state uncomfortable St. Francis Catholic Church, for them.

Owaluwa in the ancient city Governor Akeredolu of Owo. One of my promises handed-over the patrol then to the people of Ondo vehicles to heads of the State was to do everything security agencies including humanly possible to strengthen the Army; Navy, Nigeria the capacity of our security Police, the Civil Defense agencies to be able to anticiCorps, Department of the pate, prevent and combat a State Services and the Ondo recurrence of such man’s State Security Network Agency inhumanity to mankind.

Anambra State Governor, Prof.

Chukwuma Soludo, has written to the state House of Assembly seeking the approval of a loan of 100 billion naira for the state.

The loan facility, according to the letter, will be for construction and refurbishment of key infrastructure in the State.

The governor’s letter, dated July 5, 2022, was read at the plenary yesterday by the Speaker, Hon. Uche Okafor.

The Speaker said, “Mr. Governor, was seeking approval to secure a N100 billion Global Limit Multiple Term Loan Facility for the construction and refurbishment of key infrastructure in the state.

“The letter is referred to the House Committee on Public Accounts for consideration.

“They would report to the House on Thursday, July 21, (next week Thursday).”

Meanwhile, the lawmakers,

yesterday, passed the state 2022 Revised Appropriation Bill of N169.6 billion.

The approval came more than 55 days after Governor Soludo presented the bill to the Assembly for approval.

The passage followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, led by Hon. Obinna Emeneka, during plenary.

While presenting the report, Emeneka (Anambra East Constituency), said that the revised budget was made up of N108 billion capital expenditure and N61.3 billion recurrent expenditure.

He said, “After thorough scrutiny and review, we recommend that the size of the 2022 Revised Budget be retained except for little adjustments in some ministries, departments and agencies’ allocation.

The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has dissociated itself from the ongoing strike in Nigerian universities.

This is contained in a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the union, Dr. ‘Niyi Sunmonu and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ernest Nwoke.

Youth Leaders Laud Ortom for Dispassionate Views on National Issues EmmanuelUgwu-Nwogoin Umuahia

Youth leaders in the South-east zone have commended the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for always expressing dispassionate views on national issues which have portrayed him as “a man of truth and integrity”.

The youth leaders under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) made known their feelings about the Benue governor in a statement signed by the President General, Hon. Goodluck Ibem and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru.

Prunedge CEO Wins African Prize for Leadership Excellence

Prunedge Chief Executive Officer, Joel Ogunsola, has been honoured at the third edition of the RoyalAfricanYoung Leadership Forum (RAYLF) for his impact on advancing technology in Nigeria.

Ogunsola, who is also the Founder and Director for Development at Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative (Tech4dev) – a non-profit social enterprise that creates access to decent work and entrepreneurship opportunities for Africans through digital skills empowerment and advocacy, has been at the forefront of bridging the digital technology skills gap while enabling businesses and governments digitize their processes and contributing to their growth and overall African digital economy.

Each year, the RAYLF recognises 100 youths through the Global Outreach Initiative of His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M), Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife, and its Grand Patron,former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, and is focused on unveiling the greatness of Africa’s future by inspiring, celebrating and empowering its brightest young leaders who have made an immeasurable impact in society.

The statement reads: “The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) would like to seize this opportunity to announce its independence as a union of academic staff in Nigeria’s public universities.

“Being a separate and independent union, it has never been part of the decision to embark on the industrial action which has paralysed academic activities in our universities for five months now.

“Our strongly-held view is that strikes wreak great havoc on the university system, and the concessions that are earned after every strike, over the decades, have amounted to pyrrhic victories when weighed against the systematic destruction of the local and global image of university education in Nigeria.”

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

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SUPER SATURDAY

Hadiza Buhari Finds Love again

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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adiza Nana, 41, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari from Safinatu, his late first wife, on July 8 wedded Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami. The wedding took place at a closed-door Nikkai ceremony held at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. Although the ceremony was marked with a Nikkah, it went with no official wedding festivities.

Hadiza married to Abdulrahman Mamman Kurfi and divorced the northerner after a union that produced six children. Hadiza is now the third wife of Malami with Aisha being the first and Fatima, the second.

Hadiza attended First Essence International School, then Cobham Hall, Kent, United Kingdom. She also attended the University of Buckingham. She had previously obtained education at the National Teachers Institute, Kaduna; as well as a master’s degree in international affairs and strategic studies, at the Kaduna Polytechnic.

Buhari has conducted three previous weddings for his children since he assumed office in 2015, including Zahra, Yusuf and Aisha.

Hadiza Nana and Husband Abubakar Malami

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SATURDAY JULY 16, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

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Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Kenny Ogungbe to Discover Next Afrobeats Superstars Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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ldie ‘Keke’ Ogungbe is on the verge to hit big a second time on the Nigerian music scene.

Ogungbe, remarkably known for successfully discovering talent and making a major impact with his Kennis Music, AIT Jamz, later Primetime Africa Jamz, is set to mould a new generation of Nigerian music acts that will reign supreme on the global scene.

The ace Nigerian music producer and Chief Executive Officer of Kennis FM will bring his exploits, experiences, panache and global knowledge of the industry to the fore as the lead judge on The Naija Star Search Reality Show powered by StarTimes, which audition ends tomorrow Sunday July 17. The eventual winner will go home with N10m cash prize, as well as other consolation prizes.

Speaking on the music reality show, Ogungbe said, “It’s the Joy of seeing Africa setting standards on music mainstream across the globe. The his-

Kenny Ogungbe

tory we have created as Africans, especially Kennis Music being one

of the major pioneers of the evolution of Afrobeats, is truly priceless.

“The history is not complete without mentioning some of our artists that played prominent roles in achieving this great height. The likes of 2baba, Dbanj, JJC Skills, Sound Sultan, and many others popularly known across the globe, who do not only print Afrobeats in gold in the hearts of many, both home and abroad, but also make Nigeria Proud.

“This has also opened opportunities to Nigerian youths today doing really well in music, with the likes of Burna Boy who is not just nominated for Grammy but brings it home to us. This joy for me transcends just being part of history but also being able to give platforms to Nigerian youths with great talent to showcase themselves.

“Thus, this July, we are introducing Naija Star Search. Naija Star Search is a reality show aimed at discovering the next generation of afrobeats superstars, courtesy of StarTimes.” ‘Baba Keke’ as he’s fondly called bestrides the Nigerian music scene, airwaves and continues to shine having emerged as one of the pioneer modern broadcasters and music producers in Nigeria.

‘The Set Up 2’ Confirmed for Cinema August 12 Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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ith the date confirmed for August 12, 2022, Inkblot Productions is set for the cinema release of its most anticipated movie, ‘The Set Up 2’. ‘The Set Up 2’ is produced

by Inkblot Productions, Film One Entertainment and Anakle Studios. The first part produced by Onuzo and Isioma Osaje was released in theatres in August 2019 to positive reviews grossing over N50 million in box office.

The film production house recently shared a teaser on its social media pages confirming yet another sterling cast for the thriller including Kate Henshaw, Nancy Isime, and Stan Nze. On the cast list also are Lota Chukwu, Tope Olowoniyan, and Lilian Afegbai. They will join original cast members Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Kehinde Bankole, Jim Iyke, Tina Mba and Uzor Arukwe in the sequel.

This time, Niyi Akinmolayan hands over the directorial reins to Naz Onuzo who doubles as

the sequel’s writer and co-executive producer.

“The Set Up” followed the story of Chike (Adesua Etomi-Wellington) a young drug smuggler who gets more than she bargains for and is drawn into a web of deceit when she is hired by a socialite (Jim Iyke) to assist with his scheme to marry a wealthy heiress (Dakore Egbuson-Akande).

For ‘The Set Up 2’ official synopsis, “Four years later Chike (Adesua Etomi Wellington) has barely come to terms with her life as Agent for an international organization, when she is forced to risk everything she holds dear once again to go after a criminal, Usi (Nancy Isime) Who kidnaps Grace’s (Kehinde Bankole) daughter in order to blackmail Chike into doing her bidding.

“Chike and Grace must reunite and build a new team to take down Usi and save Grace’s daughter.

But it’s the Set Up and as you would expect things aren’t always what they seem.” ‘The Set Up 2’ is expected to wow viewers just as its original part did. The sequel is expected to head to Amazon Prime Video after its theatrical run.

Kehinde Bankole, Adesua Etomi-Wellington and Stan Nze... on set of the movie

Remembering Legendary Sound Sultan Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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omarktheoccasionofhisdeathanniversary, the management of the late iconic singer, Olanrewaju Fasasi, best known as Sound released his posthumous album on Monday July 11. They were joined by his fans, friends, family and colleagues to remember him. The singer was working on the project before he passed on a year ago.

Titled ‘Reality CHQ’, the album listening party was held across three different cities of the world last Sunday night, including New York, London, and Lagos. The album was described as a special endeavour in a video posted on Sultan’s page by his brother, Baba Dee, who spoke from the listening party in New York.

He said, “We are having the one year remembrance of Sound Sultan, the great iconic Nigerian singer and we are having his official listening party for the album, Reality CHQ. This was the album Sound Sultan was working on before he answered the call of the Almighty. This is a very special project.

“I promised myself this project will come

out and people will get to hear the voice of Sound Sultan and it’s coming out on the 11th of July.”

Days back, the first posthumous single by the artiste was released across streaming platforms prior to the album listening party. The 3-minutes-13 seconds long single titled ‘Friends’ was released on Friday and was the first offering from his posthumous album.

The accompanying music video shows basketball players, an activity he was passionate about. Same the likes of Basketmouth, IK Osakioduwa, ID Cabasa, and a few others were captured holding a photo of the singer in tribute to him towards the end.

Produced by ID Cabasa, the song digs into the late singer’s Afrobeats prowess with a beat reminiscent of Fela’s ‘Water No Get Enemy.

He sings about friends who turn around to stab people in the back, noting that it is better to have that one true friend than several secret

Sound Sultan

enemies. Known by different monikers, prominent among which is the Naija Ninja, Sultan passed away at 44 on July 11, 2021, after a “hard-fought battle” with throat cancer. The late Sound Sultan

was reputed for using his music to speak against poverty, corruption, bad governance and societal ills in Nigeria.

At 44, the age he passed on, not a few of Nigeria’s political class can be said to have impacted lives as Sound Sultan. He was regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern music in Nigeria. A 1999 graduate of Lagos State University where he obtained a degree in geography and regional planning, by same year had won multiple talent shows.

In 2000, he released his breakthrough hit ‘Mathematics’ — a song on which he used BODMAS to advocate a new approach to governance in Africa. After independently releasing other singles, the musician joined Kennis Music. Under Kennis Music, Sound Sultan made four studio albums. In total, eight studio albums were credited to him, including Kpseeeeew (2001), Textbook (2004), Naija 007 (2007), Back to The Future (2010), Me, My Mouth, and Eye (2012), Out of The Box (2016), and 8th Wondah (2020).

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Obi Emelonye’s ‘Black Mail’ Opens in 100 UK Cinemas Ferdinand Ekechukwu

O

bi Emelonye’s multiple award-winning cybercrime thriller, ‘Black Mail’ is set for an unprecedented simultaneous release in cinemas across the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Starring OC Ukeje in the lead, WKH ÀOP ZLOO EHJLQ VFUHHQLQJ DFURVV RYHU 100 UK cinemas from August 26, 2022, DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH 8. EDVHG 1LJHULDQ ÀOPPDNHU ´%ODFN 0DLO· PRYLH LV &RPLQJ µ Emelonye wrote in a post.

Nothing that “It is with a mixture of excitement, gratitude and fear that I anQRXQFH WKH UHOHDVH RI RXU PRYLH ´%ODFN 0DLOµ LQ RYHU 8. FLQHPDVIURP )ULGD\ WKH WK 2) $XJXVW 8Qprecedented, humongous but frightening RSSRUWXQLW\ µ :ULWWHQ DQG GLUHFWHG E\ Emelonye, the feature length film based RQ UHDO OLIH HYHQWV IROORZV WKH JULSSLQJ tale of Ray Chinda (O.C Ukeje), a world famous action star embroiled in a messy EODFNPDLO WKDW FRXOG UXLQ KLV WKULYLQJ career and family.

The film’s stellar cast include Netflix’s Top Boy actor Alessandro Babalola, Nicolay Shulik, Julia Holden, Natalia

1\XG\XUEHJRYD -HOHQD %RURYVkaya, Tony Richardson and Emma Fletcher. Since its official outing DW WKH %ULWLVK 8UEDQ )LOP )HVWLYDO (BUFF 2021) where it screened as the opening film, Blackmail has maintained a steady trajectory, recording nominations and wins at LQWHUQDWLRQDO DZDUGV DQG IHVWLYDOV The film won the Best Film by an $IULFDQ /LYLQJ $EURDG DW WKH $IULFDQ 0RYLH $FDGHP\ $ZDUGV (AMAA) in Nigeria. It also made the official selection for the 2021 edition of the Halifax Black Film )HVWLYDO LQ &DQDGD 0HDQZKLOH ´0RQH\ 0LVV 5RDG µ DQRWKHU 2EL Emelonye‘s action-comedy, is heading to the big screens this July.

The thrilling new film produced by Joy Odiete will launch in cinemas nationwide on July 22. Starring Jidekene Achufusi, comedian Josh ‘Josh2Funny’ Alfred DQG YHWHUDQ HQWHUWDLQHU &KDUOHV ‘Charly Boy’ Oputa, Money Miss Road, the Emelonye directorial, follows the story of two downon-their-luck friends Josiah and Joseph. The film had its original title as ‘Hunt’.

Obi Emelonye

Tu Baba, Reminisce Others to Perform at Destalker ‘Laughter Crusade’ Funmi Ogundare

A

Ahead of the Destalker Laughter Crusade,Tu baba, Reminisce and other surprise artiste are set to perform at the event. Born Oghenekowhoyan Onaibe Desmond, Destalker has remained a force to reckon with in the Nigerian comedy industry.

In 2019, he won Naija Fm Comedian of the Year Award and ever since he hasn’t relinquished that award to any

other comedian. Late last year, he also emerged Humour Awards comedian of the year as he was nominated alongside the likes of Kennyblaq, Acapella, MC Edo pikin etc.

Destalker recently unveiled his plans for his comedy show happening on the 7th of August at the Eko Hotel and Suite.

He said: “I laugh hard when I hear people say I came out of nowhere.

Have been in Lagos for almost 14 years doing comedy but Grace finally found me about 4years

back and now I’m the Destalker you know.

He also spoke about his upcoming event Destalker Laughter Crusade: “My show coming up on the 7th of August, 2022 will be one of the biggest comedy event to happen this year. Destalker Laughter crusade as the name implies is more than a comedy show but a crusade.

We will be having two shows, one on the red carpet and the other in the main Eko Hotel Hall. It promises to be all shades of fun and excitement as the likes of Alibaba, AY, Gordons, Gbenga Adeyinka d 1st and many others will be present.”

Destalker

I Don’t Just Want to Make People Laugh, I Want to Make Them Happy

Bovi Ugboma is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer. Over the course of his career, he has hosted several sold out shows, featured on several movie productions, won notable awards and a lot more achievements. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, Bovi talks about his forthcoming show, Bovi Naughty By Nature, his style of comedy and performance, his exceptionality and a lot more

B

ovi Ugboma is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer.

Over the course of his career, he has hosted several sold out shows, featured on several movie productions, won notable awards and a lot more achievements. In this interview with Tosin Clegg, Bovi talks about his forthcoming show, Bovi Naughty By Nature, his style of comedy and performance, his exceptionality and a lot more Ability to make people laugh and relax You have to have the ability to make people laugh and relax. It’s not easy for people to bring out money and say they want to pay for somebody to make them laugh. So, for me, I ensure people get value for their money. When we started doing stand-up comedy, we realised that it’s not just entertainment but also has health benefits to make people laugh and unwind. So, if you ask me, it’s a form of therapy and Doctors should be put in front of our names.

Producer of happiness I’m at the stage I like to live life on my own terms. I try my best not to depend on too many people to make me happy. So, I try to be a producer of happiness and if you accept me, it’s all well and good but if

are specials which is what I have always done. Anybody you see on my show is more or less a surprise act but if my show says, Bovi Naughty By Nature that means you are coming to see Bovi.

Bovi Ugboma

you don’t it’s fine. I’m beyond judging people and depending on people for my own person life. I want to be an ambassador for happiness and I don’t just want to make people laugh I want to make them happy.

The templates of my show starts with opening acts and after them, I would come up. The opening acts is to one hand show them to the world and the other to entertain. There are different types of shows as there are shows that are jamborees which features a lot of things and there

The Brand is Bovi The Brand is Bovi, the album is Naughty

By Nature. There was Bovi Man On Fire part 1-4 and now there is Bovi Naughty

By Nature. I did the first edition in Warri then Canada now I’m doing it in Lagos. So, the next time you see me, it wouldn’t be with this theme as I would on another for my next special. For my show this Sunday, we are actually building a theatre inside Eko Hotel so there is no cheap ticket even if it looks like it because there are risers round the hall and can’t wait for you guys to see it. Those risers alone is a huge budget and I should be making down payment for a house with it. But this just shows my commitment to quality and my team’s belief that this would fly.

Stand-up Comedy has evolved Stand Up Comedy is a genre that is quite dicey. It has evolved from just making someone life to do saying topical issues. So, stand-up comedians are more on the spot right now and quite frankly I think it’s a phase that would pass. Kudos to have stand-up comedian that have held their game because it’s really not easy

and to get even sponsorships for these shows isn’t easy. It’s not easy for a comedian to do a show because Nigerians have a voracious appetite; they want comedy, music and all that. But these are distinct acts of their own and I believe time would come when you are going for a comedy show you know you are going for a comedy show. Yes, we would have music but not the major acts because the major acts are not cheap to come by, and now they are beginning to have their own shows. Over the years I have worked towards making my Specials a Special comedy wise.

Too much circulation makes your price go down.

If you are doing a special, every year you would water down because comedy is beyond its commercial look. So, for a comedian to perform for one hour non-stop and having people laughing for that one hour, then choose to do it every year then you have to be a genius. And I don’t want to have a show that goes by name and I’m not the one doing the jokes. For a fact if I advertise that you are coming to see me and only see me for five minutes, then I become the MC of my show, that’s not me anymore. So, I believe just as a musician, comedians should all have their albums but for me I’m not going to advertise a show and not do the job. That’s why I don’t do that every year.

sho ma W I ha wh I ha

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

INTERVIEW

Adewole Adebayo

We Don’t Examine Records in Nigeria, We Examine Titles Prince Adewole Adebayo is a successful lawyer and businessman. He is on the ballot of the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Adebayo, in an interview on Arise News, states that Nigerians must check the records of all candidates in the coming elections, which he believes, would give the electorate a better perspective about the kind of person they want to vote for. Excerpts

H

as your faith, in the midst of the discussion going on about the balance of both faiths for all political parties in the coming presidential elections, ever been questioned?

The person who questions my faith the most is me, because I know the precept of what it takes to be a Christian. As Christians and Muslims, it is important that what we do in private and public life should speak for us. We should not use religion to claim employment and votes. Religion should be used as moral guidance. Former president of the United States said the presidency is a lonely place, and that sometimes your last recourse is to be on your knees.

Perhaps that’s why president Buhari said KH ZDV HDJHU WR OHDYH WKH R΀FH" We saw it before you guys saw it. :KR LV \RXU YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWH DQG KLV IDLWK" The faith of my vice-presidential candidate isn’t the reason. Let me tell you how the SDP behaves and our perspective on it. We do not question people’s religion but we are sensitive to the country, because we are a diverse community, so you have no shortage RI JRRG SHRSOH PHQ DQG ZRPHQ DQG GLͿHUHQW faiths. In SDP, we believe that Nigeria is not only about Muslims and Christians. We also recognise other faiths. We respect everybody’s sensitivity, identity and beliefs and it is our hope that one day, we would not push this argument to a ridiculous point where people will begin to ask if you are the only two people here. I am happy to be a Christian because it is a religion I have serious faith in, and I grew up in an environment where half of my cousins are Muslims, so it is not an issue for us. As a lawyer, both here in Nigeria, America and other places, I have confronted very good Muslims and very good Christians.And I have prosecuted very terrible Muslims and very terrible Christians. My message to Nigerians on this issue is that we can raise this argument only for one reason, to judge the ability of that person who is going to hold the public R΀FH WR KDYH D VHQVH RI VHQVLWLYLW\ EHFDXVH that’s the only reason with which you can MXGJH KLP 7KH ÀUVW GXW\ RI D SHUVRQ ZKR wants to be president is the choice of the vice- presidential candidate.

7KDW·V ZK\ , DP DVNLQJ ZKR \RXU YLFH SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWH LV DQG KLV RU KHU IDLWK" We would announce that, because my party must be there when the announcement is made. What I want you to understand is that since we came in 1999 into civil rule, Christians have ruled, Muslims have ruled. In fact, both have ruined us. So, we should not use religion as a major criterion. All the evil that has been done in the last eight years was done by a nominal Christian; that government didn’t look like a government ruled by Christian, but history will judge that. Next was Yar’Adua who did a bit. Then we have the last seven years being ruled by a practicing Muslim.

This is not how I know Muslims to behave.

This government doesn’t look to me like a government under a good Muslim. Same with WKH ÀUVW SHUVRQ UXOLQJ XV WKHQ D &KULVWLDQ

who even had a Chapel inside the Villa, but I can tell you that is not a good standard of a Christian, because when the righteous rule, the people rejoice, we haven’t rejoiced since 1999. Maybe 10%, or 15% parameters of choosing our leaders is to show whether this person has broad-based sensitivity to a diverse environment like ours. :K\ DUH ZH À[DWHG DERXW WKH SROLWLFV RI UHJLRQ VXFK WKDW LW·V EHFRPLQJ RQH RI WKH SDUDPHWHUV EHIRUH RQH FDQ DVSLUH WR UXOH 1LJHULD" In politics, whatever argument you want, it’s available in abundance. What politicians GR LV ÀUVW ORFDWH WKHLU LQWHUHVW ZKHQ WKH DUJXment is found, it then helps their aim. But when you are working for the people as I am doing, I don’t have a permanent interest other than good governance, making sure we have an accountable government, and as Black people, Nigeria should not be the headquarters of shame in the world. I always ask myself, are we concerned about politics of region? I see that the fear could be because of marginalisation. Secondly, people have been wrongly educated or I should say miseducated into believing the presidency is D UHZDUG ,W LV D YHU\ GL΀FXOW MRE <RX FRXOG see president Buhari complaining the other GD\ ,W LV QRW DERXW WKH KRQRULÀF DVSHFW RI LW that is, waving at children, going to Eagle Square and watching the army march past, WKDW LV MXVW RI WKH MRE ,W·V D YHU\ GL΀FXOW job because he is carrying the burden of millions of people. So, if it’s about service, people won’t be too concerned about who is there, whether he is from my place, they would think more of the deliverables. So, it is my mission in politics to interact with people who have this kind of primordial perspective to say, yes it is important for identity sake, we have tried. President Buhari has been in power for the past seven years, I am from Ondo kingdom. We have had a better time than people from Katsina. :KDW H[DFWO\ DUH \RX RͿHULQJ 1LJHULDQV EHFDXVH \RX VDLG ZH VKRXOG IRFXV RQ MRE FUHDWLRQ 1DWLRQDO VHFXULW\ LQFOXGLQJ IRRG VHFXULW\ <RX MXVW UHWXUQHG IURP D WRXU RI WKH 86 ZKDW H[DFWO\ VKRXOG ZH EH IRFXVLQJ RQ :KDW DUH ZH GRLQJ ZURQJ" What we are doing wrong is that we don’t have a government. We are having incumbents who spend four years and go and be replaced by their friends. Just like you know, when you go to your hometown where the Local Government chairman there is not relevant to you, a counsellor in your street is not relevant to you, because your amenities within the environment isn’t working, and when you talk to the counsellor or the Chairman, they say they don’t have money or say the governor has taken the money. These are the ones you could see with your naked eyes, so with that, you know that the local government has collapsed. Let me tell you, the federal government too has collapsed in Nigeria. But because the federal government is hiding inside the Villa, they blow sirens and make a lot of noise when they are passing.

You think they are busy, it’s a lie, they are not busy. What I want to bring along is to replace these bunch politicians who are going

Adebayo

Our chances are quite bright. Let me tell you why we are not making noise. We have refused to become a refugee camp for the decampees. Even the people who went to /DERXU FDPH WR XV ÀUVW 3HWHU 2EL FDPH WR 6'3 ÀUVW :H VHW H[DPV IRU DOO RI WKHP EXW WKH\ DOO IDLOHG WKH H[DPV 3HWHU Obi failed our exams. Bola Tinubu failed the exams to the villa to collect campaign rewards with a functioning government. :KDW GR \RX PHDQ E\ WKDW" $ IXQFWLRQLQJ JRYHUQPHQW ÀUVW RI DOO ZLOO VHFXUH the people. And the parameter of keeping your job, whether you are Chief of Army, Chief of Air Force, Chief of Navy, head of police, head RI '66 WKDW WKH ÀUVW WKLQJ \RX DUH WROG LV WKDW LI D single Nigerian is missing and unaccounted for, they will be held to account. Remember what IBB said to Etim Inyang, then IG of the police, “my friend where is Anini?” Because they were looking for Anini, the armed robber at that time.

They were going to the council meeting when IBB saw him and asked him where the armed robber was. That is what you will say to your IG. ,I \RX ZHUH WKH SUHVLGHQW DQG WKH .XMH &RU

UHFWLRQDO )DFLOLW\ ZDV DWWDFNHG ZKDW ZRXOG \RX GR GLͿHUHQWO\" It would not be attacked if I were president.

7KH ÀUVW WKLQJ D JRYHUQPHQW GRHV LV WR KDYH intelligence. Secondly is to have the ability to process intelligence. They are doing all sorts of things in the Villa. They are even holding weddings in the Villa now. They don’t have time to pursue intelligence, process intelligence because their recruitment is faulty. They are not even complying with the Terrorism Act 2011.

When I was overseas, people were giving me intelligence. Why is it that they appear careless about the problems? Because everything to them is an opportunity to make more money.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

PEOPLE Lucky Igbokwe

My Biggest Mistake Was Not Marrying Before 30 Lucky Igbokwe, also known as Don Lulu, is the Chairman of 2Flame Media, a media and entertainment company in Nigeria and Kedu TV in US. He is also the CEO of other ventures like the Lucion Towers Construction company, the Don Lulu Foundation, and Green Peace Nigeria. Igbokwe, sets out very early in life to conquer his world. With hard work and dedication to his passion- entertainment - he is now a household name within Nigeria and beyond. Igbokwe participated in the just concluded governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State where he came second. In a very conducive environment at his Umuawa country home in Umuahia, Igbokwe told Charles Ajunwa and Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo about his growing up, family and business What were your formative years like? grew up in Lagos. When I was growing up, between the age of one and four, my father was transferred to Onitsha and from Onitsha we went back to Lagos. I lived with my grandma a lot and that’s how I got to learn some native wisdom. First, at the beginning it was very okay but at a time, it was very difficult. My mum, she really tried and my dad as well, he did very well.

My mum was a business woman. She was always trying to make us look like others. She was into okrika (second hand clothes). At first, she started with a restaurant and then went into okrika business. She travelled to Cotonou to buy her goods. She always made sure we dressed fine; from the okrika, she selected the best for us to wear.

So, it wasn’t that easy at a certain time. That also developed my passion for entertainment. I remember when one of my uncles, when he was coming back from America, asked me what do you want? I said I would need a list of recording labels in America. I started writing them as a little boy. I could remember at a time when I started writing them, I had to find a way, struggle and make my way from where I was living - Akowonjo in Egbeda, trekking to Silver Bird at Jakande Estate to look for this man (pointing at his uncle). It was pager then. I remember there were lots of business centres where you just go and pay N20 per minute.

I will go to him so that he would play my artiste’s music.

He is my uncle, Alozie Uzoukwu, known as Alonzo in the industry, head of entertainment in Silver Bird and part of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) organisers. That was when the struggle started.

Even before my uncle, Petals Cosmetics and Apple Cosmetics-there was a guy called IK but he’s late. He was living on our street. Every time he was going to work, I would go to his office and say, ‘I can help you market this thing.’ He would asked how? And I said in the universities and schools I would bring artistes and you people would sponsor it and part of the attraction is ladies making hair.

So he started bringing money, having spent my pre-degree money my parents gave me. I used it to sponsor those Igbokwe fairs, boys in the entertainment world. It became a problem and even brought problems with my parents until I started In fact, I brought everybody to Abia. Now I’m into digital. generating funds through those cosmetic companies. And I own Kedu TV Channels in America, an IT-based TV and that was the beginning of my success till date.

I’m trying to build it to the level of Netflix exclusives and having a live TV on it, having channels in one App. When Where did you get the inspiration at that young age?

From my parents and anybody from Umuawa, Umuawa you subscribe you can watch Channels, CBNC, everything through the APG. This thing is a generational thing. And we is like A Lane. Anybody from Umuawa has the gene of have a license for radio - two radios, one community, one entertainment with all sincerity. My uncle, Wilfred Ogu commercial. They are about to be launched in Umuawa, in had a hotel just in front of there doing events - Ogu Miliki.

Alonzo is my mother’s cousin; he’s into entertainment. One my village because I recognise where the bloodstream started from. So, I brought it home in order to enhance the young of my uncles again, Obire, he’s my mother’s cousin, had ones coming up. We are going to train them in all aspects of been with Fela supporting his Movement. Abomark Hotel, digital communications. Please, Abians should just wake up he built it at Umuawa, he’s into entertainment, hosting and let’s just do what we have to do. shows in the village. I have Charles Ndudim, one of my brothers, coordinating Cross River Carnivals from inception.

Were you born with a silver spoon?

So, we have a lot of them. My father loved music. Even if No. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon. My parents were we didn’t have TV, my father had a good radio. There was average people. At a time, things were so tough, as I had a time my father bought speakers and placed them on top of native pot for bass effect. As a child I would sit down and told you. My mother had an accident because she was strugbegin to imagine. On weekends when he didn’t go to work gling to raise money to feed us. So, it wasn’t easy. And that’s -he didn’t work Saturdays and Sundays- he would wake us why I cannot sleep having neighbours hungry. Just step out and ask around, ask anybody you see about me not just in up with music. my community but the whole of Ohuhu, even strangers. If you go to my Facebook page most people that write to me What type of music? are from outside. You see people that I don’t even know (Yvonne) Chaka Chaka, Lucky Dube, Boney M, (Sonia) praying for me and wishing me well. They say, ‘we know Spencer - all those old school, Ghana highlife, Nigerian you can do it’, they feel that it’s easy but they don’t know highlife, you talk of Joe Nez. I still play it and when I play the processes. I don’t even know them but I believe in their it, it seems like I’m in another world because it brings me prayers and I know it is time. That thing that gave me the childhood memories. I started with that and it had been guts to go and obtain the PDP governorship nomination entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. I started form and that same God that has been leading me will see moving around with that. People thought I was not gonna me through: Freedom for Abia. be useful. I went into entertainment; I was doing shows.

I

Did your background in any way contribute in shaping your life?

A lot. There’s one article that I saw and I even posted it on my Instagram. It says, hunger teaches you how to save, hunger teaches you how to arrange yourself. Do you know what it means? It may make you go and beg. That’s why I cry; I don’t want it to happen to my people, Ndi Abia. They’re gonna to be part of me. I’m going to make Abia the number one state in the South-east. Indeed, Abia is Lucky. Abia is lucky to have Lucky Igbokwe.

What was your father into?

My father was a civil servant. He worked with the Ministry of Steel before he left and then started his transport business and after that he started to produce soaps. Then the responsibility fell on my mother. She started selling okrika, she would bring bale. On weekends, I used to sell for her and do clearance. There’s what they call ‘clearance’. After they sell and sell, they now do clearance. She would give me a target and I would still save some and buy sugar (laughs).

Among the three - your mother, father and grandmother who influenced you most?

(Laughs) How did you know about my grandmother?

She is late now. She died a year ago. I don’t know how to say it. She had more influence on me. She tried. I loved her so much. She named me Obinwa. It was a natural love from birth. My mum had me at a very tender age. So, even when I mistakenly poured water from a bucket, I received heavy beating. My grandmother would hear it and would take a bus

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

21

PEOPLE MY BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS NOT MARRYING BEFORE 30

Igbokwe, wife and kid to Lagos. When we were at Onitsha, she would come to Onitsha, scold my mother. That was how she took me away.

She would quarrel with my mother because she used the heart of a teenager to handle me. My grandmother had her own way; she was a meek woman in heart, tender, loving, caring and she was a politician. She was not educated but she handled situations more than educated persons. She had foresight as well. She knew how to count her money, and she could be very diplomatic. So, she was my love; my mother is my love too but I miss my father. I lost him at a very young age and sometimes I still cry over him.

So, what lessons did you learn from these three persons?

On my father’s side I learnt a lot but I understand that he made some mistakes. At the beginning, my father was very fantastic. Sometimes, I used to blame him for certain things but now that I’m grown up, I would say to myself, ‘oh it could be that that made my father react in certain ways.’ So, I felt like I could change it, reason like that with him and say this thing I feel you did it out of mistake and I feel you could do better now. So, it still hurts me that he is not here for me to correct it now. Learning from those mistakes, I cannot use it on my wife. I can just talk to my wife and get angry, maybe leave her, stay away for a long time and it would have a negative impact on the family. On my mother’s side, I used my mother to know how to handle my wife because I understand that women sometimes have their own nature because that’s how God created them. They have their own perspectives and it’s not our own perspectives (as men). Sometimes I don’t judge my wife. If I want to do that, I would remember my mother; I never judged my mother. I loved her unconditionally. So, I apply same to my wife. Then on my grandmother’s side I learnt patience. She was very mature. She was very mature in handling issues and didn’t speak fast in judgment. My mother can just out of anger say something, same with my father. So, they were not mature and it was not a plus for them. My father had me when he was in his 20s and my mother was not up to 20 years. I grew up with them. At a time, me and my daddy were wearing the same clothes. My grandma gave me my calmness, my maturity.

What was the best gift you received as a child?

Exposure. I would say exposure and I thank my father and my mother for going back to Lagos from Onitsha. It’s not that Onitsha people are not doing well but Lagos is next to New York. It has a boundary with New York - mega cities. They have a boundary. Somebody who holds a PhD from ABSU and never gone to Lagos, a Lagos boy can sell him. So, the best thing my parents did to me was to take me to the streets of Lagos. That’s the best gift, it’s not money.

Somebody might say, look at this, don’t we have billionaires in Onitsha. There are a lot of billionaires there but everything is not about money. You can have a hundred billion naira but somebody who has N200 million naira lives better than you. So, life is the length you can see, your vision. So, if you are in Lagos, see New York. Those things are not moi moi .

You cannot learn it from the walls of a classroom. Classroom will only give the knowledge to be able to communicate.

Education is communication not until you have a PhD. PhD doesn’t mean you will have the highest foresight to build the best industries. You can have a PhD and we give you the same material to build the same house. My designs that are allowed on the walls of New York, you can’t take that away from the streets of New York. That is my best gift. Then that took me back again to Lagos, taking me back again to my grandmother as well to the streets of Lagos. And I thank my grandmother for giving me native intelligence. So I’m complete.

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

Losing my father was very difficult. Losing my father was so painful but every other thing is achievable.

I could just go and join my friends taking risks, following them to the stream and jumping into water.

You took to philanthropy early, did it come to you naturally or you were influenced by someone?

It came to me naturally; I didn’t take it from anyone.

Honestly, it’s something that came from my childhood.

I always share what I have and it’s my passion. When I give it makes me happy. It’s not a show off. My friends at a point started saying I was showing off but I said, no. I replied them, you try and show since it’s easy.

What do you consider the biggest mistake you ever made?

Not marrying before 30. Because the way my son relates to me now, I am so grateful to God. Sometimes when I calculate when I’m 50, he is going to be 15 (he is five now). But when my father was 50, I was already twenty something. A big boy!

He died at 57 and I buried him.

What are your values in life?

My values are investments and respect. You know when you respect somebody you will know your boundaries.

You respect somebody you will not want to encroach into the person’s life. When you respect somebody, you give the person what belongs to him or her and take what belongs to you. When you respect the person, love will guide you.

You can love somebody but you don’t respect the person.

What is your biggest fear in life?

Not helping my people and another thing is failure.

What age were you when you got married?

Thirty-four plus.

Is that the reason you are so successful?

Yes, I work so hard.

How did it happen?

I knew her when she finished secondary school and my father met her though my father wasn’t there when I married her. She is a humble girl. My parents after many years have continued asking after her. She is a calm person and homely woman. She behaves like a mother. Her father calls her Nne Nkem (my own mother) because of her maturity.

She behaves like my grandma too, she is very mature.

Even when there is something to do if I come back, she says oh I’m sorry but I should have presented it this direction. So, we basically train each other. At a time, we cut off but any time I’m anywhere I still tell people I have a wife and I was referring to her. But she keeps talking to my parents not talking to me but once in a while as a Soji boy any time, I call not to lose her finally, she would say why are calling me? Go and finish your game. I would say don’t you know you are my wife. At the end of the day, we became husband and wife.

What informed your decision to go for greener pastures?

What do you mean by greener pasture?

Leaving for New York?

That has nothing to do with greener pasture. You remember I told you about my humble beginning, how I launched my cosmetics business into my entertainment business and then funding it. Is it not a greener pasture? That was the beginning of my greener pasture, organising shows- Ayangba Girls Are Dangerous, Baba Fryo, Tu Face Idibia and many others. I’m an old ‘G’ in the industry.

What are some of the lessons life has taught you?

If I follow what life has taught me both good and bad, life will not be interesting. So, I live with God’s grace and wisdom.

What are some of the motivations for your business ventures?

Something you have passion for. Passion is the greatest motivator. I do everything within me with passion. A lot of people have asked me to come into the oil and gas business. In Nigeria, they like to jump from one thing to another and that is why we are where we are. You take your car to a mechanic, another thing before you know your car is being destroyed.

Everybody should maintain their lane. If it’s craft you know how to do, go into craft and it can take you to the streets of New York. I keep calling New York because that is where the World Trade Centre is.

Would you say you were pliable or stubborn as a child?

I was very stubborn. But I wasn’t fighting, I mean creative stubbornness. Normal kids ahiriha, not fighting on the streets, fighting my elders and bringing problems to my parents. Maybe

What really attracted you to her in the first place?

Her composure. When I saw her as a child, me too I was younger and you know I started on time.

What are your guiding principles as a father?

Not to joke with them, to give them enough time, love them and to be there as a father. You know even if you are far, give your family enough time. If you don’t give them time that can distract you and once you are being distracted before you know it some damage may happen.

How do you relax?

Hmmmm! Hanging out with people and always with people both young and old- we talk, weshayo. I’m a human. I love to watch musicals, sometimes entertainment discussions and politics.

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SATURDAY JULY 16, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY JULY 16, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

24

POLITY

Robert Azibaola: Actioning Climatic Change Campaign Through Grassroots Mobilisation He started life as an environmentalist cum human rights activist and the singular effort at development and preservation is a testimonial to undying love for his passion, hence, sparing no effort and resource at saving it. Last week, Robert Azibaola, Chief Executive of Kakaarta Engineering and Zeetin, a precise engineering technology incubator went back to his roots to sensitise his people towards saving their environment to sustain quality living. Ahamefula Ogbu was there to witness the campaign which highpoint was a bonfire at the Otakeme square where the villagers melted into their natural lifestyles

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hat started out like a mission impossible has gradually morphed into a global issue as while he had been preaching on preservation of the environment, often taking on oil companies in the Niger Delta his main aim was to save depleting natural endowments of his people. At a point, it appeared his childhood obsession of engineering and science had beclouded his desire for a cleaner and safer environment.

However, it turned out that he had only gone back to his drawing board and to change strategy.

Being one who grew up mostly in his village, he watched as things were degraded before surmising that petitions and fighting the oil giants may not yield the needed result and decided to draw the attention of his people to the existential threats posed by activities of environmental profiteers.

Azibaola first mooted and followed up with the idea of going back into the forests of his community to see whether the thick rain forest had taken a hit and how far it was surviving. He organised a two week-expedition into the forest, a dangerous if not suicidal venture given the reality of the times. With the courage and conviction of an activist, he organised and went into the forest that used to house the wealth of the people. At the end, he came back in tears as the present generation had been divested of the rich content of the rain belt through deliberate activities of man and at that, without any attempt to give back either to nature or the people of his area.

He discovered that trees, flora and fauna, animals and other rich contents of the rain belt that were exclusive to the forests of Ogbia, Bayelsa State had become endangered species as they were going extinct in other parts of the globe had also suffered same fate in his remote village. He also discovered wood loggers were not sparing economic trees that use to create wealth for the people and he immediately raised the alarm. Knowing full well that those environmental predators were not within his locality alone, he decided to compress his experience in a documentary which he beamed to the world for all to see.

Done with raising the alarm through the media, he decided it was time to go back to his roots to also sensitise and mobilise them to join the effort to save the rain belt and by extension, themselves. On his way to Bayelsa, he stopped over at his primary school, Baptist Day Primary School, Port Harcourt where he motivationally charged pupils to be focused and nothing would stand on their way to success citing his own humble background. He said the school gave him the foundation upon which he has built till this moment.

He assured them that with perseverance, their future would be bright, adding, “aim high and God willing, you will succeed. No child is too dull to succeed. Showing you a good example in myself is the best gift to the young generation. I am here to give back to my alma mata”. In his usual manner, he gave without announcing his contribution to the school which when he asked of their pressing need to enable him intervene, gave him a long list which he would either choose from or do all. To show his children his trajectory, he visited the school with one of his children, Yepaye who described the visit as the highest point of her life and mixed freely with the pupils.

Robert thereafter proceeded to Bayelsa where the sensitisation had been on for a while in what would be like the grand finale of his nature’s preservation campaign. Since he was carrying the entire Ogbia Kingdom along, he had stopovers visiting the elderly, his inlaws and traditional institutions where he subtly confirmed that the people had bought into his ideas. Prominent among those visited was the mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, Iyayi who cuddled him as a child.

Of the Otakeme squares, rounds were made to choose the one to use. In the process, one observed that everyone had access to him and made open suggestions. Infact, the people, both old and young claimed him as their own and he stopped to listen to every whisper. This prompted one

Azibaola at Otakeme square with Royal fathers on saving the raib forests to call aside one of the youth to ask what endeared him to Robert and Odiaye Wilson replied, “I grew up facing a lot of hardships personally and in our community. One day when I went to school fearing I would be driven back because I had not paid my school fees, I discovered that the teacher no longer came with his cane to drive some of out of the class; instead, books were distributed to us and we were told not to worry again, that a son of this town has paid for all of us. =“He helps everyone, both old and young with their complaints and problems; he built our roads, provided all these solar lights you see that light up the entire village at night. He bought generators and fuels them to give us light when there is power failure. He provides for us more than any government can provide. Whatever he said we should do, we will do it because he has been a good example to all of us. Before now, our youths used to be restive but see how peaceful the place is now, we are grateful that God blessed us with someone like him. Even before now, he used to engage the oil companies and ensure they conform to the best methods of working without destroying our place. We

Azibaola first mooted and followed up with the idea of going back into the forests of his community to see whether the thick rain forest had taken a hit and how far it was surviving. He organised a two week-expedition into the forest, a dangerous if not suicidal venture given the reality of the times. With the courage and conviction of an activist, he organised and went into the forest that used to house the wealth of the people

love him.”

Finally, by late Saturday, July 9, 2022, after the venue of the bonfire and carnival had been decided on, a local dance group stormed Robert’s lodge and entertained all night with music and dances. Even young girls accompanied the boys playing flutes and drums, stopping after every few steps to wiggle their waists in a vibrating fashion reminiscent of the local dance steps to the pulsating sounds. Food and drinks flowed freely till the early hours of the D-day which was July 10.

The activities seem to have been dogged by natural inhibitions as rain threatened to disrupt the event, transiting from drizzles to downpour; however, Robert was undeterred and exhibited stoic stubbornness in insisting that everything had to take a natural bent. He insisted that there could not be a proper bonfire under a canopy while he dismissed with a wave of the hand accompanied by his usual smile, a suggestion that he should appease rainmakers with N150,000 which though affordable, he declined to do. It rained till the ground became soft while barbeque points smoked endlessly. Some improvisation saved the day as disused roofing sheets were used to cover the ovens while though dressed in suit, he stood under the rain to flag off the event.

Being one the community see as showing the light, once he stood in the rain, every other person joined him including royal fathers from all Ogbia clans. The support and submission to the natural elements was humbling and a pointer to deference to natural order and belief. Intermittently, the flame of the bonfire under the rain went up as fuel was poured in the flame showing an unyielding resolve to carry the programme through.

Meanwhile, both local and international media were well represented at the occasion while different music groups and disc jockeys plied their trade in turns. However, the local group that had stormed Robert’s lodgement the previous day defied the rain to sing and dance round the square. On their second round, Robert who had been nodding from the sidelines could no longer resist it as he joined them singing and dancing, an action which buoyed the dexterity of both players and dancers and the arena was instantly electrified.

Locals made rounds carrying sand to pour on places where puddles of water from the rain had gathered which infact could be said to demonstrate defiance of nature and resolve of the people to carry the programme through.

Midway into this defiance of nature, it bowed and the sky became clear.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

25

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

POLITY

What Does the North Want?

L

ast Wednesday, two WhatsApp posts from my brother and activist Agba Jalingo with the following messages: Cross River State has a thriving Hausa community with senior government appointees and Sarkin Hausawa. Which one is Emir of Cross River again? Emir over which Emirate? What is all this provocation? another post read: We have a Sarkin Hausawa of Calabar. There is a Sarkin Hausawa in Ogoja, Ikom, Obudu, Ugep etc.

Who is creeping this Emir title into our State? Where is the Emirate in Cross River state? got me thinking and set the tone for this piece today.

Indeed what does the north want in Nigeria? In recent times, especially under President Muhammadu Buhari, there have been frightening rumors of an imminent jihad soon to be declared across the country by renegades who are infiltrating our porous borders from Niger, Chad, Mali, and other volatile countries.

Apart from that, on the ground are morbid accounts and physical pieces of evidence documenting the killing of local farmers by these marauding foreigners most of who are identified to be of the Fulani ethnic group. It is the activities of these renegades that have heightened speculations and provoked fears of both Islamization and territorial occupation plots in the country.

From Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and Kogi states in the north, Enugu, Delta, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti states in the South, these renegades invade farming minority communities, destroy their farms by unleashing their cows to eat up their crops; kill, maim and dispossess original land owners of their ancestral land rendering them homeless as internally displaced persons. In all these, the security agents are either watching without intervening or in some instances protecting the militia as they wreak havoc on these helpless farmers.

What does the North want? The North has never hidden its preference to perpetuate itself in power to lord it over the south forever. So as 2023 beckons, the intrigues are getting more brazen and the schemings have reached a crescendo. Its struggle to perpetuate itself in power is regardless of the fact that Buhari, a northerner, is in the terminal stage of his two-term tenure. Even a party like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which

had enshrined zoning in its scheme of things suddenly did a volte-face by giving its presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar another northerner.

So what emboldens the North to always spite the South when it comes to power-sharing? On the surface, the north prides itself on having the numbers and flaunts its landmass as twin advantages it maintains over the South. According to the National Population Commission, Nigeria’s population as of 2019 was 201m out of which the North has 128m and the South 92m with the north controlling about 70% of the land mass.

So how has this benefited the north? The north is interested in power solely as buccaneers to control resources that it contributes almost next to nothing to generate.

Every month, the 19 states benefit from almost 56 percent of revenue from the federation account and contribute less than 5% to the federation account while the south with 17 states which generates almost 100% is left with a paltry 34 %.

The most painful part of this arrangement is that revenue sharing is based on land mass and population which the north flaunts with reckless abandon. At what point would the north wake up from its slumber and put both its population and landmass to work, generate revenue, and contribute to the federation account?

Three prominent northerners, Aliko Dangote, Sanusi Lamido, and Balarabe Musa, expressed their apparent frustration at the abject condition of the 19 northern states at the fourth edition of the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit recently. Dangote pointed out that “60 percent” of northerners lived in abject poverty in a region with vast arable land for agriculture, adding that “in the next 10 years, it can generate more revenue and prosperity than oil” with the right commitment. He queried the region’s pathetic contribution of only 21 percent of the total sub-national internally generated revenue in 2017, despite its claim to having 54 percent of the population and 70 percent of its landmass.

Sanusi lamented that whereas 20 percent of every 100 poor Nigerians lived in the South, the North accounted for almost 80 percent of the poverty-stricken people. The same sentiments were echoed by the former governor of old Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, who also placed the blame on the state governors, who, according to

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

him “engaged in massive stealing and waste of public resources.”

The claim of having the numbers promoted by the north is just a myth and very dubious. Right from the colonial days, controversy dogged the last census conducted by the British before they relinquished power. Many in the South see the population figures which are periodically updated along the same parameters as skewed in favor of the north against the south. Even the claim that Muslims outnumber Christians in Nigeria is a fallacy that is conveniently used by the north to prosecute its religious and political agenda.

Let’s face it, what has the north benefited with power even from the Buhari administration? Do you just struggle for power just for the sake of it without adding value? The northern elites consistently promote One North when it wants to bamboozle the Tivs, Taroks, Kataf, Nupes, Zurus, and Chiboks to give the false impression of a monolithic north.

The so-called monolithic north is a contraption created by the minority Fulani tribe to perpetuate its feudal hegemony and further its political agenda of grabbing power. In all the Hausa states where Othman Dan Fodio succeeded with his Jihad, all the traditional authorities have been replaced and it is on record that all political offices are occupied by people of Fulani extraction in these states.

The most bizarre part of this grim reality is that even the Fulani tribe does not recognize other ethnic muslims as pure Muslims and are not Muslims themselves. But religion is being elevated to an art form when it comes to politicking because it is used to divide the population to mobilize voters. But the time has come for the north to reverse its current narrative. How would the north react if population and land mass are used as criteria for the generation of revenue for contribution to the consolidated fund?

Indeed the time has come for the north to change its current rhetoric of rent-seeking and being a liability to a productive hub where its land and people would represent its biggest assets and strength. That would be the day.

L-R: Group Managing Director/CEO, Mojec International, Chantelle Abdul; the Akarigbo of Remo Kingdom, HRM, Oba Babatunde Ajayi; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Managing Director /CEO, Coleman Technical Industries Ltd. George Onafowokan; and the Compa- L-R: Governor of Ogun State, Dr. Dapo Abiodun; Founder, FCMB Group, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun ny’s Executive Director, Michael Onafowokan at the official commissioning of Coleman CTIL and Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the Ojude-Oba Festival held at IjebuOde, Ogun State .... recently Wires and Cables in Arepo, Ogun State… yesterday SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Principal Manager, Credit Risk Guarantees, Nigeria Incentive- based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Leading, Akinola Baiyewu; Sustainability and CSR Manager, The Heinkeen Company, Annabelle Umoetuk; CEO, A4&T Power Solutions, Ayodeji Ademilua; Founder Eko Innovation Centre and Curator of EkoClimathon 1.0, Victor Afolabi; Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Nigeria and Generation Unlimited Lead, Celline Lafoucriere; Chairman/Founder, Lekki Urban Forest and Animal Shelter, Desmond Olumuyiwa Majekodunmi; and Sustainability Stakeholder Engagement, Reporting and Communications, Access Bank, Mofifoluwa Olawumi at the EkoClimathon 1.0 Launch organised by Eko Innovation Centre, Eko Carbon and Commodity in conjunction with Generation Unlimited 9Ja in Lagos…. yesterday

L-R: Legal Adviser, Gravitas Investments Limited, Chidiebere Odiba; Chief Financial Officer, 9mobile, Phillips Oki; Chief Executive Officer, Gravitas Investments Limited, Olufemi Babalola, and Head of Legal/Acting Company Secretary, 9mobile, Angela Arinze during 9mobile’s Management Visit to Gracefield Island, a smart city under development by Gravitas at Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos,..... recently

26

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

MEDIAGAFFES

EXPRESSION

Blissful Ignorance

A

NAMBRA: We’re rapidly restoring security in (to) 8troubled LGAs—Govt” “Kwankwaso disowns Tinubu: I never endorse (endorsed) APC candidate, he says” Apart from the verbal error, there was obviously no need for ‘he says’ as it is clearly implied. Newspaper readers are largely not toddlers! “…while one personnel (official) of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and four inmates were killed.” ‘Personnel’ is a collective word that cannot be individualized.

“The attack occurred barely two weeks after the Senate alerted the Nigerian Army of (to) the existence of terrorists’ enclaves in communities within three local government areas of Kwara and Niger states, respectively.”

An anonymous respondent sent a telephonic message to me in which he declared that ‘belongings of one person are property’ while ‘belongings of two persons admit properties’. He cautioned me to take note of the information!

This was in respect of last week’s edition of this column where I made an authoritative comment on the count and uncountable nature of ‘property’. I have never seen this kind of blissful ignorance and shallow audacity before. If you don’t understand the etymological nuances of a language, you ask questions. What I do here is not a mechanistic, an emotive or a whimsical self-assignation. This is a research-based, borderless and multidisciplinary market-place (column) for exchange of verifiable ideas with input

from knowledgeable language activists and latest reference online (especially Grammarly.com) and offline materials.

Lest I am misconstrued, I have not foreclosed marginal fallibility on the part of this columnist or contributors to this language clinic. Even Shakespeare and Churchill were not infallible!

Ordinarily, I ignore silly contributions from faceless and cowardly readers who, unsure of themselves, pigeon-hole their combative and usually moronic identities! Even if you are critical of views canvassed here, do not be afraid to put your name as it confers responsibility on the feedback. For readers who may not know, let’s take the full meaning of that word (property) and some examples from Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary: ‘Noun (plural: properties) 1. Uncountable: a thing or things that are owned by somebody; a possession or possessions.

Examples: The building is government property. Be careful not to damage other people’s property. 2. Uncountable: land and buildings. Example: The price of property has risen enormously. 3.

Countable: a building or buildings and the surrounding land. Example: There are a lot of empty properties in the area. 4.

Countable and usually plural (formal): a quality or characteristic that something has. Example: Compare the physical properties of the two substances. My own example: Any plant with medicinal properties should be therapeutic.

The choice is yours in the usage of ‘property’/’properties’, but be informed in your decision.

This columnist usually runs away from the preceding didactic form of column

writing because this space could be turned into a virtual classroom! Apart from consuming scarce space and precious time, it could be boring and lead to misconceptions and unwarranted hypercriticisms.

For Mr. Seith Akintoye, a distinguished member of our pen fraternity and an advocate of language purity: I have undertaken the research you suggested on ‘sack’ (sacking). Its application conveying ‘dismissal from work/company’ is quite all right in both verbal and gerundial contexts.

The singular form of a count noun should be preceded by a determiner, but a cross-section of the media deliberately omits determiners without any justification—or maybe out of sheer ignorance.

In grammar, there is no room for mass appeal or convention. Our intuitive abilities or fundamentalism cannot supplant the dynamism of the English language. The distinction—and this is where some journalists have problems most—between count (countable) and non-count (uncountable) nouns should not be interpreted literally. It does not refer to the possibility of the object designated by the noun being physically countable. This is where the confusion arises. Rather, it refers to the grammatical characteristics of the noun. A noun is count if it makes a morphological distinction between singular and plural.

Of course, it is non-count if such a distinction is not made. Some words, interestingly, have dual manifestation. In dealing with such words, extreme care should be exercised.

In another environment, it is wrong

Olu Jacobs: An Icon Amongst Giants

A

n apology is in order; for readers who have been following the series on the ‘Three Hunchbacks’, there is an urgent need to digress, this week, and bring up a matter of national, in fact, of international interest. Kindly indulge us.

The recognition and annunciation of a global ambassador of Nigeria’s art and culture: the inimitable actor, director, producer and mentor to multitude, Olu Jacobs, in the week he turned 80!

I met the Jacobs a little over 30 years ago as a reporter with The Punch Newspapers.

They were barely four years old as a married couple, and I was intrigued about the disparity in their ages, and yet the strange courtesy and mutual respectful affection flowing in their Ikeja, Lagos home. The spark of their home was the angelic Dayo, their first child, a beautiful and inquisitive girl. She had a magnetic appeal in her childlike penchant for knowledge, her natural proclivity for warm and wondrous conversations. She held a lovely admiration for life and the interactions with interesting strangers that infrequently crossed her path.

Dayo was a star performer at my children’s party, in March 1996, when she came with her parents to our humble home. She danced, pranced about and thoroughly soaked in the ambience and chaos of the celebration - not for her the reticent watchfulness of going to a stranger’s party. She was up, front and wherever else she chose as she further gladdened our hearts with her cherubic openness and joie de vivre.

Shortly after, July 18,1996 precisely, she left us abruptly while undergoing a medical attempt to correct a bandy leg. Dayo died - at 10 years old…and for some time the Jacobs wavered and wobbled, expectedly, by the great loss.

My family were so distressed that I dedicated an edition of Counterpoint (in Fame Weekly of August 6-12, 1996) to memorialise this exceptional child. A brief recall of the article’s concluding paragraph: “For her 10 years, she

was lucky to meet good parents - few of those who believe in filial negotiations: for Dayo was a consummate negotiator, an irrepressible conversationalist and a consistent sunlight in a gloomy world. If all I remember is her ever-ready smile, if all I remember is her innocent probings, if all I remember is her pleasant matronly effusiveness; if all I remember is her mother-hen disposition; if all I remember is her Go-for-gold-but-stay-with-fold attitude; Dayo is indeed a living child; a child that inspires her parents to stay with the fold and go for gold - for more sun and more joys. Certainly, she will continue to win gold, more hearts and stay within whatever fold she now finds herself: the ultimate consolation.”

But the Jacobs sauntered and soared back to life with the grace of God, and their immeasurable shared love and understanding…with Soji, the second child and first son… Soon, Pamilerin came, and the house of Jacobs regained its full shine and sheen. Thereafter, they moved to their own house in Ajah area, and we were subsequently divided by distance, and the rigours of Lagos living - but we never entirely cut off the mutual link of regard and admiration.

On Sunday, 10 July, 2022 a deeply memorable party was held to mark his 80th birthday inside the innards of the iconic and restored Glover Hall - of course, the oldest cinema in Nigeria. Symbolic. It was a resplendent display of Joke’s love and strength of character in standing stoically beside her immensely famous and affable husband, business partner and co-thespian. And the social media world hollered in admiration.

Well, in further celebration of a man of the arts whose entire occupation and investments are principally on the business and vagaries of entertainment, we present this excerpt from my book on the 100-year trajectory of the Nigerian

movie industry (1920 to 2020 - ‘Reflections: Anthology of Thoughts…’ - 2021).

“Big in all ramifications. Nigeria’s most regarded active actor (male or female) is an icon on stage, film, television and video.

Oludotun Bayewu Jacobs has passed the great portals of the British National Theatre; has worked with some of the fathers of British post-modern feature films and television adventure dramas. With credits in Ashanti, Dogs of War, Pirates and Vigilante, few if any, can measure up to the pearly acting skills of this Ogun State-born thespian. Let’s look up some of his big-screen credits for clarity - Movies: Customs Officer in The Dogs of War (1980), Col. Nsogbu in Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985); Boomako in Pirates (1986), and the crime celluloid, Vigilante (1988).

Longevity doesn’t necessarily bestow prestige; it’s deep in his haystacks of creative credits. Look and see his bulging TV series portfolio: The Goodies (1971), Spyder’s Web (1972), Till Death Us Do Part (1974 and 1981), The Venturers, Barlow (both 1975), Centre Play, The Crezz (both 1976); Musa Ladipo in Angels (1976-1983), 1990, The Tomorrow People, Storyteller in Jackanory (all 1978), Ashanti, Sylvester in The Professionals, Not the Nine O’Clock News (all 1979); President Gadin in Squadron (1982), African Doctor in The Mad Death (1983), Rumpole of the Bailey, Mr. Alabaster in The Witches and the Grinnygog (both 1983); Play for Today (1984); and Inspector Best Idafa in The Third Eye (1990–1993).

OJ-Naija, as pals of yore were fond of calling him, is married to the talented veteran actress, Joke Silva since 1985, and has consistently worked hard at his craft to amaze his audiences in every of his performances - irrespective of the locale or the culture.

When he deigned to check out what all the fuss about Nollywood was, he got sucked in...to the tune of no less than 500 flips! He had an uncanny capacity to morph into the Igbo cosmology, and typecast a troubled or somnolent Eze (king) effectively… helped by

EBERE WABARA

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

to use reflexive pronouns in place of reciprocal pronouns. The former indicate actions which take place mutually or severally. For example: the two girls have not been talking to themselves since they quarrelled. Here, ‘each other’ ought to have been used instead of ‘themselves’.

According to J. E. Metcalfe, ‘poor English is with us everywhere, on the radio and television, in newspapers and books, our speech and correspondence.

Of course, we cannot all have the same magnificent command of our language as Shakespeare or Churchill, but we all need a thorough grounding in the basic elements of English.’

The objective of this column is to identify, as hard as possible, the errors committed by journalists and contributors in their use of the English language. To avoid the boredom that often characterizes conventional (textual) grammar series, a bit of intelligent humour accompanies the racy critique. I expect exchange of ideas on all aspects of the English language, including its literature. Let me emphasize here that I am not a grammar pedagogue. This three-decade-old concept has to do with professional interest and being a public platform, therefore, reactions by way of observations, corrections, suggestions, contributions, condemnations, commendations or general comments are welcome. You are free to responsibly and meaningfully disagree with me. I usually take it all in my stride and with equanimity. I frown at baseless contributions via SMS or any other channel for that matter.

COUNTERPOINT

FEMI

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

his imposing gait and big tremulous voice. Here is another shortlist: Iva (1993), Another Love (1996), Obstacles (1998), Twins of the Rain Forest (short), Endtime, Oganigwe, Aba Riot (all 1999); Private Sin, The Kingmaker, Ago Kan Oru, Mission to Africa (all 2003); Eye of the Gods, Turn Table (both 2004); Soul on Fire,To Love a Stranger, Ultimate Crisis, Women in Power, A Time to Die, Omaliko, One God One Nation, Opin Irin Ajo (all 2005); The Prince and Me, One-Bullet, Royal Doom (all 2006); A Can of Worms, Beauty and the Beast, Chief Obielum in Perfect, Alhaji Sanni in Smoke & Mirrors, The Return of Ogidi, Throne of Tears (all 2008); Chief Kolade in Last Mogul of the League, League of Gentlemen, Forest of Tears, and A Weeping Soul (all 2009).

The phrase “home alone” was non-existent for Jacob in 2007 with almost 40 videos shot that year alone! Here’s a deep cut: Mirror of Beauty, African Soldier, Burning Kingdom, Eewo Orisa, Kingdom Apart, Lost in the Jungle, Mountains of Evil, Odudu Kingdom, Royal Destiny, Show Me Heaven, Slave to Lust, The Prince and Me, and Warrior’s Heart.

About 12 years ago, getting close to 70, the chief-incarnate began to slow down, a little; but he still gave us a handful: Bent Arrows, Bitter Generation, Power of a Kiss (all 2010); Sacred Lies (all 2011), Potomanto, Covert Operation (both 2013); Oba Ekpen in The Antique (2014), Oloibiri (2015), as Richard in The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (2017).

It is therefore not out of place that most of today’s budding (and established) stars gaze at O. J. as a beacon, an inspirational fire-fly whose influence on the acting world is phenomenal. It feels really great to have an Olu Jacobs amongst us.

He would be 80 on July 11, 2022.”

Belated Happy birthday, OJ-Naija!

GLOBAL SOCCER

3

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

16.7.2022

NEWS

NIGERIA ON HIS MIND PAGE. 29

Paul Onuachu Will Big Move Finally Come His Way?

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

28

GLOBAL SOCCER

Paul Onuachu Will Big Move Finally Come His Way? With 55 league goals to his name in the last two seasons for Genk, it is almost shocking that Super Eagles striker, Paul Onuachu, is still playing outside the top five leagues in Europe despite several top European clubs being linked to his name. That may however change this summer as English Premier League side, Wolverhampton Wanderers seem desperate to bring the goal machine to the Molineux this summer

Paul Onuachu...Jupiler Pro League goal machine

S

uper Eagles striker, Paul Onuachu could be plying his trade in England next season having been linked with a move to English PremierLeague side,Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The striker has been outstanding for Genk in the last two seasons, but he could be on his way to the Molineux this summer.

Onuachu has been a standout performer for the Limburgers in the last two seasons.

Two seasons ago, the Nigerian striker recorded 34 league goals and his exploits did not go unnoticed, as he was awarded the Best Player in Belgium.

After his achievement, the Super Eagles striker was expected to seal a move away from the club. However, despite links to Lyon, Arsenal, and West Ham, Genk kept him.

Onuachu never hid his desire to leave Genk for another club. But he has been professional about it.

The speculation surrounding the big Nigerian striker have not ended, as he also performed well last season where he recorded 23 goals in 41 appearances last season.

Atletico Madrid, West Ham, and Fiorentina have all been linked to the towering striker. Nonetheless, they could face major competition, as SportsMole reports that Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in Onuachu.

Bruno Lage’s side had a decent campaign last season. But they are looking to improve

on that. Wolves are set to loan striker Fabio Silva to Anderlecht and would be shopping for a replacement.

Also, Onuachu could provide Wolves with another dimension. The 28-year-old is quite dogged and is dangerous in aerial situations.

Meanwhile, Onuachu averaged a much-more impressive 7.19 rating for his performances in Belgium; and while it is difficult to compare the two leagues given the difference in quality, he would certainly arrive at Molineux in confident goal-scoring form, which is exactly what Lage needs.

A move away from the Jupiler league was largely expected when the 28-year-old scored 34 league goals penultimate season, but it didn’t happen largely due to Genk’s valuation but they have since dropped their asking price. A source who approached the player with a deal from a Serie A side was told by his management team that he is heading to the English Premier League next summer as an agreement is already in place.

“We had an offer for him to consider. So, he directed us to his new management team. They toldusGenkhavereachedagreementforhissaleto ateam in the English Premier League,” Several reports in the Belgium media tends to also agree with that stand as it was widely reported that Onuachu who has 19 goals this season will leave the team in the summer with fellow Nigerian Cyriel Dessers as his replacement.

Dessers has impressed mightily on loan to Feyenoord but the Dutch side don’t have the €4m required to make the deal permanent and Genk are not willing to compromise on

their stand.”

The KRC Genk forward was tipped for a big-money move to a top club in the summer following a highly successful 2020/21 campaign in the Belgian top flight.

A €6 million arrival from Midtjylland in 2019, Onuachu has found the back of the net a whopping 19 times this season despite the spate of injuries that denied him of playing time, making him one of the best performing centre forwards across Europe.

Speaking to Genk’s official YouTube page, Onuachu said : “For me you never know what the future holds but I think scoring a lot of goals this season for KRC Genk and of course my career it is going to be one of the most important periods for me.

“It is going to be difficult to say I’m going to repeat it where I am going but I think the players we have in this team really make all this possible for me, but like I said earlier you don’t know what the future holds.

“As it is now I think I’m really happy for the figure I have in the league and of course for KRC Genk.”

The Nigerian international struggled in his first year in Belgium but won the hearts of many after delivering numerous excellent performances.

Onuachu indeed admitted that the Belgian First Division A is a challenging championship, but the determination to push himself beyond the limit helped him become the best in the country.

The 28-year-old only managed nine goals in 22 matches in his maiden campaign two

seasons ago after completing his switch from Danish side FC Midtjylland.

But his turnaround in fortunes, 12 months later, has been evident for all to see. Onuachu is clear about how he was able to improve his efficiency in front of goal.

“I struggled a bit when I arrived here. At the start of the season, I said to myself that I had to push myself more and give more.

“I am proud of myself and my team, and I am happy to have the support of my companion, who is always behind me.”

Lazio, Sevilla, and Lyon are among the top European clubs already looking to lure Onuachu to one of the continent’s big five leagues.

The big striker, however, refuses to hide his affection for English Premier League giants Arsenal. “Arsenal is the club of my dreams,” Onuachu continued.

“It is the club that I support, that I like to watch, and whose style of play I like.

“However, I am still in Belgium, and I am still a player of Genk.”

The forward has a year left on his current contract but he is unsure of seeing out the deal with a number of European clubs believed to be interested in signing him in the summer.

Onuachu has been with Blue and White since the summer of 2019 when he teamed up with the side from Midtjylland.

The attacker delivered scintillating performances in front of goal during his time with the Danish club to earn a move to Genk.

Still, for a move to go down for Onuachu, the club would have to put down at least €20 million.

29

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Schade

Kevin Schade

Nigeria on His Mind Though he was born and lived all his life in Germany, Freiburg’s flying winger, Kevin Schade, has expressed his desire to play for the country of his father as he is eligible for Nigeria inspite of having played for Germany at the U21 level

H

e began his professional football career with Energie Cottbus which he had joined as a 13-year-old boy.

He joined Freiburg at 17 and began with the second team which gained promotion to the third division for the first time when he starred at the club. His stock soon rose and was seen by the team’s handlers as a player that can make things happen.

Schade is fast, and has a keen eye for goal. His strong heading ability and willingness to get the final ball through incisive runs have stood him out as one of the best youngsters in the German league.

Already a German U-21 international, he featured 20 times for Freiburg last season as they pushed for a place in Europe, scoring four goals and assisting once. He played a total of 813 minutes in the league last season.

The Bundesliga is one of the foremost leagues in the world and if the 20-yearold keeps working hard, the league may soon become his to conquer.

Schade is one of the brightest youngsters in German football and won’t be allowed to leave without a significant financial compensation for the club.

The 20-year-old breakout star played 813 minutes across 20 games in the Bundesliga last season. He scored four goals and assisted one but had done enough to inspire interest from Brentford who want to add him to their

attacking troop.

German publication, Kicker, has said the Bees have prepared another bid after an initial €15m offer was rejected by the Bundesliga campaigners.

Freiburg Sporting Director, Klemens Hartenbach is reluctant to sell Schade as he has potential to become an even bigger player at the club.

The flying winger who is also eligible for Nigeria missed the last two months of the 2021/22 season after an abdominal muscle injury.

Freiburg are also in the driving seat as there’s no clause on his contract necessitating discussions if an offer comes for him.

The winger was the fastest player last season in the league, clocking 36.7km/h. He can also play in a variety of positions across the attack and in the midfield and is rated as one of the best young players in German football.

Schade has insisted he is leaving any talk of a move to Brentford this summer in the hands of his agent for the time being.

Brentford are believed to be keen on the 20-year-old forward, who enjoyed a ‘rapid ascent’ in the Bundesliga last season.

That was halted by an injury which curtailed the end of the campaign, but he remains highly rated and has admirers in Europe.

One of them are Brentford, with a recent report stating that Freiburg had

rejected an ‘enormous offer’ of €15m for his services.

Whether that’s the end of their efforts is, as yet, unknown, although the belief is that the Bees may make more bids as they continue building for a second season in the Premier League.

It is a situation that is likely to develop in the coming weeks, although it seems Schade is not interested in any talk of a transfer for the time being.

“Many friends are sending me this, but I really can’t deal with it right now,” he told BLID. “I have more important problems.

I feel comfortable here, so I can’t say much about it. That’s up to my manager.”

According to previous reports, Liverpool had monitored the development of the Freiburg winger very closely. An explosive winger who predominantly likes to play on the right wing and is capable of beating his opponents with ease, Schade is a quintessential Jurgen Klopp player, and it is no surprise that the Reds would be interested in his services.

However, it seems Liverpool are not the only club interested in the 20-yearold as Brentford have bid €15m for Schade, and hope to lure him to the Premier League this summer.

Still extremely raw as a player after just one season in the Bundesliga, Brentford’s transfer move could work in Liverpool’s favour. With Mohamed Salah’s contract extension, there is no

immediate need to add another rightwinger to the squad, but with Salah not getting any younger at 30 years of age, in a few years’ time that may change.

By then, if Schade moves to Brentford, Liverpool will have been able to observe him and measure his quality in England to get a better judgement of him as a player and whether he would be suited to a move to Anfield.

Schade’s underlying numbers of five goal contributions in just seven starts and 813 minutes in the Bundesliga are certainly impressive. In total he averaged 0.58 goal contributions for Freiburg in all competitions last season, which is not a bad number considering Freiburg predominantly played counter-attacking football.

In a more attacking team at U21 level for Germany, Schade thrived more last season, scoring three goals and registering two assists in four appearances for the national team.

With Freiburg having qualified for Europe, giving that up to move to the Premier League will be a difficult dilemma for Schade, but perhaps the promise of more minutes at Brentford could be enough to convince him.

Wherever he moves, there is a lot of potential in the 20-year-old, and Liverpool should keep an eye out. If he continues to improve he could just provide the solution at right-wing for the Reds in a future beyond Salah.

30

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

L-R: Winner, Gordon Imadiyi, the celebrant’s, Edward Aibangbee; Edo State Acting Governor, Rt Hon. Philip Shaibu and former Captain, BCGS, Kingsley Okunbor during the Edward Aibangbee @ 55 Birthday Golf Kitty held at BCGS, Benin City, Edo State

Ajibade shoots Super Falcons into Wafcon 2022 semifinals

WAFCON 2022

Waldrum Sets Target for Falcons ahead of Morocco Test Super Falcons coach Randy Waldrum has revealed that his target is to win the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria continued their push for a tenth continental title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Cameroon. The Super Falcons started the tournament on the wrong foot, losing their opening match to South Africa.

However, they have picked themselves up since that defeat, securing emphatic wins against Botswana and Burundi.

The Super Falcons continued with their brilliance in the quarterfinals, beating one of the tournament favorites Cameroon.

Rasheedat Ajibade’s perfectplaced header which sailed into the goalposts ensured a semifinal spot at the WAFCON and a World Cup berth for Nigeria.

Nigeria take on hosts Morocco for a place in the finals, but Waldrum is looking farther than that.

“Above all, I am proud of my team,” Waldrum said after the game against Cameroon as per Africa top sports.

“The most difficult thing for a team is to get to this point (semi-final).

“We had difficulties from the beginning, to overcome pitfalls. But the players defended

themselves and found a way to win. Honestly, we are very excited to be qualified for the 2023 World Cup. “Tonight, we celebrate this success in a minimal way because we are preparing for the next goal is to win the tournament.

The game against Morocco promises to be an interesting matchup, as they would have the home advantage.

Also, the Moroccans have won all four of their games in the tournament. However, the Super Falcons would look to show their superior quality when both teams square off on Monday.

…Experience Gave Nigeria Victory, Says Cameroon A disappointed Cameroon Gabriel Zabo believed his team were Nigeria’s equals in their TotalEnergies WAFCON 2022 quarterfinal, but that the Super Falcons’ experience helped them prevail.

“The game was won on fine details. They were not stronger than us, but they used the experience they have in the big competitions. And in this game, when it comes to utilising their experience, they

are unbeatable,” bemoaned Zabo after his team’s 1-0 loss to the Nigerians.

The coach refused to blame refereeing decisions on the loss, but instead turned his attention to the FIFA World Cup match Cameroon will play on Sunday against Botswana.

“It’s not all over, we still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup this Sunday.

My players showed by their level of play tonight that they

were happy to be globalists,” said Zabo.

He knows, though, he will have to quickly remobilise his troops.

“We have a few hours to watch the video of this match, see what was going on and what was wrong. I will give the girls some time to digest this elimination. But I assure you that we will get back on track very quickly,” he concluded before leaving the press conference room.

Aribo Handed Southampton’s Iconic Number 7 Jersey Southampton have handed Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo the iconic jersey number 7 ahead of the new Premier League season.

Aribo just arrived in England this summer, leaving Rangers for Southampton in a deal worth €7.1 million. The Nigerian midfielder played an important role for the Gers last season, featuring in 57 games.

Southampton boss Ralph

Hasenhüttl has made glowing remarks about the 25-year-old, and it seems he would make Aribo a key fixture in his lineup next season.

The Super Eagles star has been handed the iconic number 7 jersey at Southampton taking over from Shane Long who just left the club for Reading.

Aribo takes over from striker Long who made 243 appearances for Southampton,

notching 37 goals and 27 assists.

The number 7 jersey has been donned by some of the deadliest strikers that have graced the Premier League.

Belgian striker Matthew Le Tissier who scored 101 Premier League goals wore the shirt for Southampton. Also, Kevin Phillips who registered 93 Premier League goals wore the number between 2003-2005 for the club.

‘Match Fixing’ Alleged after Bizarre Penalty Kicked to Throw-in by Remo Stars Thursday’s Ogun State Cup final has come under scrutiny after Remo Stars appeared to throw in the towel against Ijebu United after the match had ended goalless.

For one of Ijebu United’s spot kicks, the Remo Stars goalkeeper stands on his line and remains perfectly still.

He then appears to allow his opponent to direct a fairly tame penalty into the bottom corner.

Things got even more bizarre when a Remo Stars player stepped up to take a penalty and then blasted his effort sideways, with the ball flying off the side of the pitch. He then held his hands on his head in an apparent effort to make the miss appear genuine.

The video, which has gone viral on social media, has left fans baffled with some supporters accusing the players

of corruption.

“They could have done it without making it so obvious,” wrote one Twitter user.

Another added: “Match fixing of the highest order.”

However, Nigerian podcast host Ibukun Aluko, who himself had accused the players of matchfixing in an earlier tweet, later claimed that the Remo Stars squad had deliberately missed their penalties in protest at the officiating in the match.

Imadiyi, Onwuzurike Win Edward Aibangbee @ 55 Birthday Golf Kitty Gordon Imadiyi was given a standing ovation for winning the Edward Aibangbee @ 55 Birthday Golf Kitty held at Benin Club Golf Section (BCGS), Edo State, over the weekend.

The birthday celebration started with a thanksgiving service at St. Matthews Catholic Church, Ogba, off Airport Rd, Benin City while the golf kitty teed-off with over 90 golfers across the south-south and other parts of the country.

Imadiyi, hcp 18 played a net score of 67 to lift the men category while Steve Zhang (hcp 21) settled for second place with 73 net just as Soji Benson (hcp 11) picked the third spot based on 74 net. Also, Emmanuel Ighodaro won the best gross with 84.

In the ladies event, Julie Onwuzurike (hcp 32) with74 net emerged winner ahead of Ehis Igbinadolor (hcp 12) who recorded 77 net, while LGAN National Vice President, South South Zone, Sandra Emina (hcp 14) landed in third place with 82 net.

Furthermore, the veteran men’s trophy was won by Monday Ikhureigbe (hcp 14) with a net score of 73. The guest men and ladies trophies were won by Obina (hcp 26) with 76 net and Rita Izoje (hcp 11) from Ibori Golf and Country Club (IGCC) having played 74 net.

Also, the best endeavor awards for ladies and men went to the duo of L. Iboi (hcp 36) with 99 net and C. Nzenwa (hcp 28) with 97 net respectively.

In his address, Aibangbee appreciated all golfers that came across the country to honour his birthday kitty, adding that the turnout attested to being in the right sport and with the right people of great minds.

However, Stephen Ebaretonbofa, BCGS competition/ handicap officer showered encomiums on the celebrant, Aibangbee for marking his birthday with golf event, and having done well and won trophies within a year of becoming member of the BCGS. The highlight of the kitty was presentation of trophies and other prizes to golfers who distinguished themselves, while entertainment of guests lasted till late night.

Ejukke Vows too Takee Herthha Berliin to New Heeight Super Eagles forward Chidera Ejuke has stated that he wants to help his new side Hertha Berlin improve on their performance of last season.

Ejuke joined Hertha-Berlin from six-time Russian champions CSKA Moscow on a season-long loan transfer. The Super Eagles star moves to the Bundesliga after two successful seasons in Russia.

The talented attacking midfielder joins a Hertha Berlin that

have barely avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth in the last two seasons.

In fact, the Alte dam were the third-lowest scoring side in the Bundesliga last season.

Still, Ejuke is excited at the prospect of playing in the German top flight and wants to create a lot of memories at his new employers.

“I know that last season didn’t go to plan,” Ejuke told the Hertha website.

“But we’re all here together now to start a new campaign, and I want to have some great moments with the team.

Hertha Berlin scored a paltry 37 goals last season and had to play in the Bundesliga playoffs to survive relegation.

Nonetheless, Ejuke would look to change his side’s fortune and help them with his jaw-dropping dribbles and brilliant attacking plays.

Coaches Storm Lagos ASCA Swimming Clinic The first edition of the international swimming coaching clinic began during the week at the Children’s International School, Lekki , Lagos with over 100 swimming coaches participating.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the week-long event, Managing Director of Insight Sports Limited, Idowu Otukoya, said he was excited that after months of rigorous planning, the programme has taken off eventually.

“We are determined to contribute

to the development of sports, particularly, swimming in Nigeria,” Otukoya said, adding, “we are even more excited with the calibre and number of coaches that turned up for the programme. And they too are excited and hungry to learn.”

Otukoya said the target was Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

“We intend to raise swimmers that can win medals for Nigeria.

Remember, Nigeria is yet to win a medal in swimming since participating in the Olympics. We

want to change the narrative.”

Otukoya said.

Nigeria’s first rower, Babajide Egbele, said he was delighted to see the ASA (American Swimming Coaches Association) certification programme taking place in Nigeria for the first time.

“Normally, when you want to do the ASCA programme, you go through levels one, two and three. But here we have it, happening right here in Nigeria, everything lumped in one.

WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Nwokocha Battles Olympic Champion for 100m Q’final Ticket Tokyo Olympics 100m semifinalist and reigning Nigeria queen of the track, Grace Nwokocha has been drawn to run in the same heat with reigning Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah.

The duo will go head-tohead in heat three of the first round of the women’s 100m event which starts on Saturday at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA as the 18th World Athletics Championships enter day two.

Nwokocha will be seeking to finish in the top three in the event to secure automatic qualification for the semifinals.

The Nigerian, with her 10.97 seconds personal best she achieved this year prior to the championships is the second fastest in the line up behind Thompson-Herah who holds a personal season’s best of 10.89 seconds.

The Jamaican is also expected to go through to the next round of the event.

Meanwhile the two other Nigerians who made the standard to compete in the event, Favour Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma are not registered for the race.

Ofili has opted to concentrate on the 200m despite

holding a 10.93 seconds best in the blue ribband event.

The 19 year old feels she has a better chance of making the podium in the 200m event where she is one of only seven women who have broken 22 seconds so far this year.

Ofili’s 21.96 seconds personal best is a Nigerian record and the second fastest by an African in the event.

Chukwuma on the other hand could not make it on time to Oregon for the event due to visa hitches and only left for the USA on Friday night. She was subsquently withdrawn from the event.

31

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Tyronne Ebuehi ready for Empoli’s challenge

Emmanuel Dennis Will St. James’ Park Come to His Rescue?

Nigeria international, Emmanuel Dennis has never hidden the fact that he wants to continue playing in the Premier League despite failing to save Watford from being relegated to the Championship last season. However, his £20 million price tag could be a hindrance to his dream

W

atford sporting director, Cristiano Giaretta has revealed that Emmanuel Dennis will leave the club if a sizable offer

arrives this summer.

Dennis has been linked with a move to Everton in recent weeks as Frank Lampard looks to freshen up his squad. The former Club, Brugge star is under contract at Vicarage Road until June 2026.

The forward scored 10 times and claimed six assists in 35 games last season – his first campaign in English football. But that wasn’t enough to prevent Watford from being relegated to the Championship.

Giaretta claims Dennis is not causing the club any problems despite informing the Hornets of his desire to leave the club.

He and Ismaila Sarr were the standouts for Watford last season but have both been linked with moves away from Vicarage Road as a result.

Sarr has been linked with Newcastle United since January and Dennis has recently been offered to the Magpies following the Hornets’ relegation. The Watford chiefs reportedly value the Nigerian striker around the £20-30 million mark, despite picking him up for £3-4 million last summer.

The 24-year-old was the top scorer for the Premier League strugglers last season, scoring 10 goals and notching five assists.

Dennis also famously scored a brace at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid in the Champions League but has been unable to hit those lofty heights.

Speaking to the Watford Observer, Giaretta said: “It’s highly likely that if they are here when the season starts, they will be available for first-team games if Rob chooses to select them. They would like to leave and have been looking at potential moves, but they are not causing us any problems.

“They are not banging on our door to get away as soon as they can. They will stay at the club if the market doesn’t

deliver something we think is acceptable, in the same way Sarr stayed with us the last time we were in the Championship.”

Meanwhile, Football Insider has reported that Everton are not lining up a move for Dennis, after the 24-year-old has been linked with a switch to Everton this summer as a potential replacement for Richarlison.

Newcastle United and West Ham have also been suggested as potential destinations.

However, Everton are not currently prioritising the capture of Dennis, even though Watford have confirmed he wants to leave.

The Nigerian international has not travelled to the Hornets’ pre-season training camp in Austria as he seeks a move away from Vicarage Road.

A price tag of £20 million will reportedly be enough to prise Dennis away from the Hertfordshire club this summer following their relegation from the Premier League.

Lampard is in the market for a striker following the departure of Richarlison last

season after the Brazil international joined Tottenham for a reported guaranteed fee of £50 million – with a further £10 million in add-ons potentially payable.

Everton’s only summer signing thus far has been a free transfer swoop for centreback James Tarkowski and Lampard will be targeting a number of further additions as the Merseysiders attempt to put last season’s relegation scare firmly behind them.

Leeds United had earlier shown interest in Dennis after securing their top-flight status and are looking to rebuild an attack that failed to flourish last season.

Transfer insider, Dean Jones then claimed that the Whites could potentially look to sign Dennis ahead of next season.

Aside from having the worst defence, Leeds possess a lame attack that has only outscored seven other teams in the division, with only Brazil’s Raphinha managing double figures of goals.

The top priority for the club’s chiefs will be strengthening the defence and attack, and transfer expert Jones believes Dennis is one player Leeds could make a move for to boost their output in the future.

Dennis can play anywhere in attack, is fast, tricky, and was recently crowned the nutmeg king in the Premier League.

The former Cologne star took the Premier League by storm last season, scoring 10 goals and registering five assists in 27 league matches, directly involved in almost half of Watford’s goals this term.

Indeed, his performance also caught the eye of a number of big clubs, including Spanish LaLiga side, Villarreal, according to a report on Daily Mail.

Dennis has emerged as one of the bargain signings of the summer transfer window, with Watford paying four million euros to Club Brugge to sign the striker.

West Ham captain Mark Noble labelled Dennis’ early strike in the Hammers’ 4-1 rout of Watford a great goal when the Hornets suffered their fifth successive loss in the Premier League despite their Nigerian talisman giving them the lead.

Dennis fired a rising shot into the top corner to break the deadlock after evading the challenge of Craig Dawson, taking his tally in the top-flight to eight goals in the process.

Speaking to BBC Sport post-match, the Hammers captain said: “They started with a great goal from Dennis but then I think we controlled the half and deserved to go 2-1 up.”

Only Liverpool’s Egypt winger Mohamed Salah has had more goal involvements than Dennis in the Premier League last season.

Indeed, Arsenal icon Ian Wright highlighted the importance of Dennis to the Watford side after the red-hot striker scored again in a 4-1 loss to West Ham United in a Premier League clash at Vicarage Road.

The Nigerian international had a hand in 66.7 per cent of the goals Watford scored last season.

Statistically, those numbers clearly show Dennis’ importance to Watford.

Speaking on Premier League Productions’ Premier League Wrap, Wright said: “At the start Tim Sherwood mentioned that Dennis is the one if anything could happen it’s probably going to come from him.

However, despite being linked with several clubs none have shown serious intent to price the Nigerian away from Vicarage Road.

G LO B A L S O C C E R ASSISTANT EDITOR KUNLE ADEWALE THISDAY ON SATURDAY EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMIFULA OGBU THISDAY NEWSPAPERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

AUTO WORLD

Bennett Oghifo 07052343083 Email:bennett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

TIPS OF THE WEEK

How to Keep Car’s Water Pump in a Good Condition

The All Th All-new Toyota T t Crown C

Toyota Performs World Premiere of All-new Crown Series

T

oyota yesterday unveiled the all-new Crown for the first time in the world, and will release the Crown (Crossover type) as the first model around the fall of this year, according to a statement issued by the automaker.

The Crown made its initial debut in 1955 as Toyota’s first mass production passenger vehicle created with Toyota’s own domestic technology. The DNA of “innovation and limit-pushing” that led to the creation of the first independently developed luxury car in the early postwar period has been passed down to successive models of Crowns for the past 67 years, always pursuing new values that are one step ahead of the times and loved by many customers. However, the times have changed even faster, and the Crown has become unable to fully meet the diversifying needs of its customers, and its presence as a flagship vehicle has become less significant.

In designing the new Crown, the development team thoroughly reexamined what “Crown” is, and as a result of their pursuit of a “Crown for a new era,” they have created four completely new models. In addition to the Crossover type,

a new style that combines a sedan and an SUV, the Sport offers a sporty driving experience with an enticing atmosphere and an easy-to-drive package. The Sedan is a new formal design that meets the needs of chauffeurs, and the Estate is a functional SUV with a mature atmosphere and ample driving space. The new series will be rolled out in about 40 countries and regions.

The details of the new Crown (Crossover type) are as follows.

majestic design. /DUJH GLDPHWHU WLUHV WKDW EUHDN ZLWK WKH conventional idea of a sedan have been adopted.

By applying innovations to the body structure to create an underbody that extends outward close to the sides of the body and carefully examining the balance of the spaces between the body and the tires, we have created a powerful style that is neither a sedan nor an SUV with the sense of stability representative of an elevated sedan.

Vehicle Outline The “Crown” for the future reimagined from the ground up with a high-quality minimalist design

Interior Design Horizontally integrating the display and operating equipment creates a functional layout that can be operated intuitively from any seat. The wrap-around form from the instrument panel to the doors also give a sense that all seats are special, enabling the driver to focus on driving and providing comfortable and enjoyable mobility for passengers.

Meticulous attention to every interior component, including the understated and welcoming decoraWLRQV RI :$50 67((/ DQ LQYLWLQJO\ VKDSHG DQG comfortable shift knob, seats that focus on instantly recognizable finishing and provide a sense of security when seated, and other features, helps create a space with a sense of quality and richness.

Exterior Design The stylish, coupe-like silhouette is combined with elevated styling that conveys a sense of strength, achieving both fluidity and dynamism and expressing a completely new form of a flagship vehicle for a new era.

The headlights and taillights, connected from left to right in a single straight line, and the side view that expresses sophistication through surface variation without relying on character lines, combine to create a simple yet refined and

MINI Combines Open-air Driving with Electric MINI is combining maximum open-air driving fun with locally emission-free electric mobility for WKH ÀUVW WLPH ZLWK D RQH RͿ QRW IRU VDOH 0,1, Cooper SE Convertible. World premiere at “MINI takes the States” in the USA. Sunshine, rising temperatures, fresh green scenery: Right on time for summer, MINI is presenting the all-electric MINI Cooper SE as a convertible for WKH ÀUVW WLPH 1RW DV D VHULHV SURGXFWLRQ YHUVLRQ but as a unique specimen that shows how the path to an all-electric premium brand could continue and also electrify classic sporty open-air driving in the future. As an open four-seater, the MINI Cooper SE Convertible is the world’s only premium convertible with a fully electric drivetrain in the small car segment. With this frontrunner, the British premium brand combines classic sportiness, maximum open-top driving fun and locally emission-free electric mobility IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH 7KH RQH RͿ PRGHO ZLOO EH VKRZQ WR WKH SXEOLF IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH DW WKH WUDGLWLRQDO FRPPXQLW\ event “MINI Takes the States” in the USA. The winding roads between Burlington in Vermont and Greenville-Spartanburg in South Carolina are perfect for giving the assembled MINI comPXQLW\ D ÀUVW LPSUHVVLRQ RI WKH W\SLFDO 0,1, JR NDUW IHHOLQJ LQ WKH RXWÀW RI D 0,1, &RRSHU SE Convertible.

The unique specimen is based on the body of WKH 0,1, &RRSHU 6 &RQYHUWLEOH 7KH HOHFWULÀHG MINI Convertible also shares the dimensions of 3,863 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,495 mm, a width of 1,727 mm and a height of 1,415 mm.

The load volume in the luggage compartment also remains unchanged at 160 l.

A car’s water pump undoubtedly SOD\V D VLJQLÀFDQW UROH DV LW KHOSV the engine to run smoothly. But, it is often the most overlooked part. If you want to save your car’s engine from overheating and prevent engine damage, you have to take care of the water pump.

A water pump is powered by the car’s engine and circulates coolant through the radiator and the engine’s cooling system. It is the job of the pump to maintain the engine temperature within the acceptable range while the vehicle is running.

If your car’s water pump has started leaking or is making screeching sounds it is getting close to failing. Another sign that your pump is not working properly is when the engine temperature warning light is illuminated on the dashboard. But, before you replace the water pump, it is important to know the reason behind the failure.

By avoiding certain activities, you can save your car’s pump from failure and extend its life.

Some of the things that you need to be careful about are: Avoid dry run of the water pump The coolant plays an important role to keep the engine cool. It also helps WR IRUP DQ H΀FLHQW VHDO LQVLGH WKH water pump. When the pump operates, liquid can leak even from the small gap between the seals. Therefore, to avoid OHDNDJH LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR IRUP D ÁXLG barrier with the coolant. Dry running the water pump can permanently damage it.

Regularly check the cooling components You need to check the cooling components like the radiator, thermostat, coolant, and water pump of your car at regular intervals. Always maintain the correct level of engine coolant so that it keeps the engine cool and safe from damage.

Stop using improper coolant Contaminated coolant, mixing coolant RI GLͿHUHQW FKHPLVWULHV RU XVLQJ FRRODQW non-compatible to your vehicle can lead to the premature damage of the water pump. Harmful contamination is a common cause behind water SXPS IDLOXUHV &RQWDPLQDQWV DͿHFW the seals and form the pathways for leakage. Non-compatible coolant cannot protect the components from rust and corrosions and leads to damage of the parts.

The interior of electric MINI

The drive technology comes from the BMW Group’s electric mobility competence FHQWUHV LQ 'LQJROÀQJ DQG /DQGVKXW 7KH 0,1, Cooper SE Convertible uses the same drive components as the three-door MINI Cooper SE. The exceptionally harmonious axle load distribution due to the small electric motor favours agile and easily controllable handling.

With the top down now in the future, too.

The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor, like in the MINI Cooper SE, transfers the agile handling with the hallmark go-kart feeling to the world of electric mobility and enables

acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds. With a range of 230 kilometres GHWHUPLQHG LQ WKH :/73 WHVW F\FOH RSHQ DLU excursions in urban environments as well as well beyond the city limits are possible. The MINI Cooper SE Convertible combines opentop driving fun with clever functionality. The fully electric and thus particularly quiet textile soft top can be opened and closed within 18 seconds. At the touch of a button, the soft top can be activated when driving up to 30 km/h and allows three settings: open, closed or as a sunroof.

Avoid defective belt You cannot overlook the relationship between the water pump and the belt that drives the system. If the belt is worn out the pump will stop functioning. So, if you are changing the water pump, replace the belt at the same time. It will minimise the risk of premature failure of both the components.

A water pump if maintained properly lasts for the entire life of a car. So, take good care of the pump and extend the life of your engine as well.

(Source: waterpump)

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

AUTO WORLD

Suzuki Motors, Automedics Collaborate to Train Female Auto Technicians

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R-L: General Manager of CFAO Suzuki Nigeria Limited, Aissatou Diouf; and Chief Executive Officer of Automedics Nigeria Limited, Kunle Shonaike, after both companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train female auto technicians in the country… recently

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Hyundai IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner Debuts

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SAFE DRIVING with Jonas Agwu amnipr, mcipr,mprsa,arpa Assistant Corps Marshal Zonal Commanding Officer Federal Road Safety Corps.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 16, 2022

36

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R : Legal Adviser, Chike Ekwueme; Vice President , Mrs Funmi Ekundayo; President and Chairman of Governing Council, Taiwo Owokalade; Registrar/ CEO, Mrs Taiwo Olusesi and Honorary Treasurer, Francis Olawale all of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) at the institute’s Annual General Meeting and quarterly media briefing of in Lagos....recently

Inventa Moves to Strengthen NigeriaPortugal Business Relationship Intellectual Property Law Firm, Inventa has led a discussion around directing more foreign investments to Nigeria at the Nigeria Portugal Investment Trade Forum.

The move is to further consolidate Nigeria’s impressive performance with regards to import of investment into the country in recent times.

According to report, Nigeria attracted a sum of $223.3 million as foreign direct investments (FDI) between January and May of 2022, representing a 3.7% increase compared to $215.3 million recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Representatives of inventa present at the forum met with President Muhammadu Buhari to chart path on how Nigeria can LPSURYH LWV SURÀOH DQG PDUNHW LWVHOI WR foreign counterparts, especially Portugal.

Also present at the meeting was Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Foreign $ͿDLUV -LGHRIRU .ZXVLNH DQG 1LJHULDQ Ambassador to Portugal, Alex Kefas.

Speaking, Managing Director of Inventa, Tiago Reis Nobre stated that there was an urgent need to renew the ties between Nigeria and Portugal in the interest of the economy of both countries. +H VDLG ´$V WKH ÀUVW LQWHUQDWLRQDO Intellectual Property company to begin operations in Nigeria, with over 50 years of experience in Portugal, the European Union and Africa, we discussed the importance of renewed cooperation between the two countries and the importance of building an ongoing dialogue with 1LJHULD WR HQVXUH GHÀQLQJ MRLQW VWUDWHJLF priorities for the future” Nobre further restated the organisa-

tion’s commitment to professionalism in delivering top-notch service to clients across.

“We are a leading Intellectual Property Law Firm, specialized in the protection and internationalization of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, copyright and domain names. With over 50 years of experience in Portugal, the European Union and all the African jurisdictions, Inventa has served thousands of clients holding large trademark and patent portfolios, and other entities dealing with R&D daily.

“Due to our wide network of contacts DQG DVVRFLDWH OHYHO ZH RͿHU RXU FOLHQWV D highly specialised team of professionals LQ WKH ,QWHOOHFWXDO 3URSHUW\ ÀHOG DQG related strategic sectors. Our professionals JXDUDQWHH SHUVRQDOLVHG DQG H΀FLHQW accompaniment in all our services”.

Firm Gets Recognition for Commitment Nigerian youths have bestowed recognition award on the Chief Executive 2΀FHU RI 1HZ +RUL]RQV 1LJHULD 7LP Akano for his contributions to youth development.

The youths, comprising nine groups came through their representatives to present the award at New Horizons KHDG R΀FH LQ /DJRV UHFHQWO\ Akano was honoured for several youth- focused initiatives and huge investment in youth empowerment and development.

Among the groups that honoured Akano were League of African Development Students (LEAD Africa); National

Association of Mathematical Science Students of Nigeria (NAMSSN); InterFaith Youth Council of Nigeria (IFYCN); Association of Northern Nigeria Students ( ANNS), and Coalition of Nigerian Young Patriots (CNYP)amongst others.

Speaking, National Secretary of ANNS, 1DÀX 'DQODPL H[SUHVVHG DSSUHFLDWLRQ to Akano for his gesture to youths, adding that the youths will be glad to reciprocate his good deeds.

He said, “We are sincerely grateful for your interventions to youths in Nigeria and Africa at large. We make bold to say that you have given us a platform to showcase Africa to the

Firm Unveils app to Support Artisans &OLFNDÀ[ D WHFKQRORJLFDO platform that connects skilled artisans and professionals to service seekers, has been ODXQFKHG LQ DQ HͿRUW DLPHG WR boost the income of vocational professionals in the country.

In view of this, the company noted it partnered with some knowledge organisations to help ensure quality and safety are not compromised.

Speaking on the move, Founder and Director of &OLFNDÀ[ 0U $UXQ *RVZDPL said that the app seeks to help users solve a lot of problems around getting access to good VHUYLFH HVSHFLDOO\ IURP TXDOLÀHG skilled artisans.

“A lot of Lagosians, who are most of the time in need of competent and reliable profesVLRQDOV WR À[ IDXOWV LQ WKHLU KRPHV DQG R΀FHV FDQ QRZ DWWHQG WR

those faults with peace of mind. ´&OLFNDÀ[ LV D VHFXUH SODWIRUP WKDW KDV HQUROOHG RQO\ YHULÀHG artisans on whom a thorough background check has been carried out to ascertain competence DQG FKDUDFWHU WKHUHE\ RͿHULQJ peace of mind to service seekers.

Explaining how the app works, he noted that users are expected to download the app and enter their phone numbers to get access to a large array of services such as plumbing, electrical repairs, hair and beauty, carpentry, haircuts, air conditioning and refrigerator repairs, generator repairs, and appliance repairs.

On his part, Co-Founder of the organisation, Mr. Pawan Bhandari stated that the organisation was in partnership with select top-quality training institutes in Lagos, and also enrolling graduates from these institutes.

world through what we produce on the continent and also earn money from.

On his part, Vice President, IFYCN, Daniel Friday said, “We present the Ambassador of Peace Award to Mr. Tim Akano because we see him as a leader with innovative mind and his impact in the lives of youths, that once took to violence but now embracing peace” The federal government recently named Akano as Nigeria’s Icon of Youth Empowerment through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Skills Acquisitions and Empowerment Department (SAED).

Women Charged on Resilience at SheCan Conference Nigerian women have been urged to remain focus and determined in the face of obstacles to be able to achieve their goals.

Experts gave the advice at the fourth edition of SheCan Nigeria conference that held in Lagos, recently.

According to the organisers, SheCan is an initiative that aimed to empower and mentor women and girls all over Nigeria and beyond.

This year’s edition saw over three thousand attendees, young and old, from all walks of life who gathered at Harbour Point in Victoria Island, including participants from within and outside the country who joined virtually.

The event was also graced by industry leaders and experts from diverse backgrounds who imparted participants from their

wealth of experience and took attendees through teaching and mentoring sessions.

Speaking, prominent motivational speaker, Lanre Olusola engaged audience on how to overcome career and life obstacles, advising them to work hard and avoid demotivations capable of making them to lose focus. He also taught attendees the power of dispelling negative energy in everyday life’s activities.

On her part, Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw shared her unsuccessful foray into politics, adding that her failure did not deter her from life’s purpose and journey.

Earlier during her welcome address, Founder, SheCan Nigeria, Ezinne Ezeani thanked attendees and partners for making the event happened, promising that the next edition would be richer.

Rite Foods Powers Ojude Oba 2022 Festival After two years of hiatus from the celebration of its annual rich cultural heritage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ancient city of Ijebu-Ode was agog on Monday with spectacular displays of splendour, pomp and pageantry at the OjudeOba Festival, a colourful event that was energised

by Rite Foods Limited, the R΀FLDO EHYHUDJH VSRQVRU RI the festival.

Tagged ‘The Return of the Ojude-Oba’, the OneDay celebration of culture, fashion, glamour, candour, beauty and royalty by sons and daughters of Ijebu-land was spiced with dynamic ÁDYRXUV RI UHIUHVKPHQW IRU every moment of the festival.

Speaking at the festival, Seleem Adegunwa, Managing Director, Rite Foods /LPLWHG UH D΀UPHG KLV company’s commitment to the arts, cultural promotion and community development, particularly in areas where it operates. The Rite Foods’ boss stated that his company holds the festival in high esteem by paying homage to the paramount ruler of the land, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II, for being the custodian of the

traditional institution of his people, which aligns with his company’s values.

The festival committee which had earlier commended the company for its commitment to promoting arts and culture through the sponsorship of the festival, also showered encomiums on the brand.

Visitors, tourists and guests from Nigeria and the world stormed the ancient city to experience a taste of this sponsorship and to witness an age-long cultural celebration characterized by horse riding, gunshots, folklorish and contemporary PXVLF FRORUIXO DQG ÁDPboyant dressings, dances, drumming and competitions, all of which represents the gaiety and artistic style of the festival.

The Ojude-Oba [in Ijebu dialect means ‘’the King’s forecourt or frontage’’] and it is a major festival in Nigeria that began over 100 years ago. It brings together all sons and daughters of Ijebu-land in Nigeria and the diaspora for a carnival-like celebration of the traditional, cultural, spiritual accomplishments and other values of the Ijebu nation.

Firms Urged to Imbibe Sound Corporate Culture Speakers at the just concluded Technovation Conference 2022 have stressed the importance of sound corporate culture to organisational growth.

The conference being put together by Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), gathered Fintech leaders, innovators, disruptors, and enthusiasts who rubbed minds together and proffered solutions to challenges ZLWKLQ WKH ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV sector.

While addressing participants, Managing Director of Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL), Deremi Atanda who spoke on the theme, ‘Best Practice Approaches to Building a Winning Organisational Culture’ described a winning culture as one that delivers overall success to organisa-

tions and businesses. +H IXUWKHU GHÀQHG organisational culture as the practical and pervasive implementation of norms, practices, ideals and values within an organisation.

He noted that RPSL has remained relevant in the market place due to its adopted corporate culture.

“Remita currently processes over N21 trillion (US$46 billion) annually and serves as the Payment technology infrastructure for Nigeria’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) and major merchants and businesses.

“And as a 30-year-old business, it is humbling that we have some customers who have been with us from day one who have folORZHG WKURXJK WKH GLͿHUHQW iterations of our business.”

37

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 16, 2022

TRIBUTE Isoken, The Force of a City Nkanu Egbe

B

enin City was the playground of a little girl, Isoken, who was the daughter of a medical doctor and a market trader.

Let us rephrase that: Benin City was the workspace of a little girl who was born to a medical doctor - Dr. Efemwenkeankean Yellow Igbinigie and his wife - Enegbegbana Stella Igbinigie, a market trader. Workspace, because at a very tender age, soon after the death of her father, when her mother had to work to raise money to fend for the family, Isoken was introduced to trading in the most basic way – hawking. She did not have to, for her mother’s income was fairly stable and could adequately take care of her and her older brother, John.

“Nobody knows what the future will be,” her mother reasoned.

Her mother’s uncle’s wife even once admonished the mother, “But this is your only daughter.”

“Yes, even if she’s the only one, I have to put her right,” Mrs Igbinigie responded, “I can’t think that because I have money today, I’ll always be there for her.”

Her mother schooled her well so that she would not fall prey to male human predators and so she was wellguarded even as she was that young.

It was as if Isoken’s mother saw the future, for as the years would go by, she lost her vision and her only maternal brother Tony, (her father had children from another wife, but they would be separated at the man’s death) would be very sickly, leaving Isoken to increase her trading energies to contribute to their upkeep.

And so, Isoken applied herself to a task, which many would ordinarily look down upon, but which she did with enthusiasm and decency. She hawked different wares during her teenage years and when she would relocate to Lagos after secondary school in search of more fulfilling income, just armed with a secondary school certificate, it would be hawking that would sustain her. She started with hawking Elephant detergent powder at Mile 2.

Her hawking background would lead her to become a successful salesperson, vending fire extinguishers and then hair products. When she branched out into her own business, she was not afraid to dare to trade in commodities that most people would be terrified of venturing into.

She sold stationery and printing supplies. She set up a fashion business. She ran a beauty and wellness salon.

And she sold motor spare parts! She was successful in all because she thrived in them for many years before switching goods or services to sell. The only business that was a slight setback was, ironically, selling of gold trinkets, because she had not done what she would term her ‘due diligence’. Otherwise, everything she touched turned to ‘gold’. She had native insight and was intentional and calculative about whatever business she went into, except jewellery.

Her guide was primordially her mother, who in her heyday was a dealer in food commodities and butcher.

Yes: butcher. Her mother killed animals and supplied the meat to the markets. Stella Igbingie, not daunted by her

Isoken

husband’s passing, threw herself into enterprise and was so successful at it that she was able to buy land and build their own home from her profits.

Unfortunately, Madam Stella’s eyes would be affected by glaucoma, and she would lose her sight first in one eye and then years later, in the other. Nevertheless, she struggled through it all, not allowing herself to be considered an invalid. Isoken, unfailingly, made monthly trips from Lagos to Benin as she had promised her mother when she was first leaving for Lagos to start life.

It was on one of such trips that she would meet her future husband, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka.

Benin City holds some significance. It not only has been home for Isoken and her mother, but the city also once lodged Emotan, who was, herself, a market woman, who ran what has been ascribed as Nigeria’s first day-care centre. Emotan is a legend because she quartered Prince Ogun and assisted him to become Oba Ewuare I. Incidentally, the present Oba of Benin is Oba Ewuare II. In this instance, Emotan is mentioned because she was first, a market trader.

Benin City is where Isoken returned when she was to be trained in the basics of microfinance by LAPO, a microfinance organisation. After having been an accomplished businesswoman, she had previously sought self-development by studying for a first degree in English and then, a master’s degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies. Added to these, she had been IMP-certified (International Management Programme) by the Lagos Business School. But when her husband, while with the UN, convinced her to consider going into microfinance, himself, a microfinance consultant who had

been working with microfinance organisations and small groups in Nigerian communities, she saw the opportunity of making an impact in the lives of women, especially market traders and artisans. It was from this crucible of a city that Isoken and a group of women returned to Lagos to start the Grooming Centre for Better Livelihood in 2006 at an open hall in a suburb called Ejigbo.

It was a daunting task at first because she and her team had to deal with the fears of the horde of market women who had previously fallen prey to fraudulent people. But when she got their confidence, Grooming Centre would go on to meet the needs of at least 700,000 women, the centre establishing no fewer than 600 branches across Nigeria. They have thrived for 10 years, and Dr. Godwin Nwabunka has since retired from the UN to become the CEO, Grooming Centre. Today, Grooming Centre can boast of assisting struggling market women, who in turn have been saving their kings as Emotan did Oba Ewuare I. But Isoken is not done yet. Apart from authoring a book, Isọkan, which has all the nuggets needed to make a young entrepreneur succeed, she looks forward to mentoring a community of young persons – male and female in the fine art of entrepreneurship. She comes from a place of hard work and success and has seen it all – ‘been there, done that’. As she has done with Grooming Centre, where she started with 26 clients, she would start from small numbers, and then grow her world. Her trajectory can only be up.

Nkanu Egbe is the publisher/editor of the Lagos Metropolitan newspaper.

Sola Akinsiku Becomes 55th President of Rotary Club of Ikeja

R

otarian Sola Akinsiku has been installed as the 55th President of Rotary Club of Ikeja. The colourful investiture which also witnessed the induction of the new board of Directors for the 2022/2023 Rotary year held at the Lagos Sheraton hotel Ikeja last Sunday July 10, 2022.

The event also afforded the Club the opportunity of presenting awards to deserving personalities. The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, was awarded Peace Ambassador.

Also, Advertising Guru, Dr. Abiodun Olusina Shobanjo was conferred with a Special Recognition Award for Commitment to Humanitarian Services while the father of the day and also a Past President of the Club, Past Assistant Governor, (Chief) Olabintan Famutimi as well as the Guest Speaker, pioneer Managing Director of Seplat PLC and now Founder and Chairman of AA Holdings, Austin Avuru also received Special Recognition Awards for Commitment to Humanitarian Services.

Four other distinguished personalities namely, President Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) Chief Emmanuel Ajufo, serial entrepreneur, Babatunde Fagade, Group Chief Executive of Monumental Holdings, Oluwole Odubanjo as well as Philanthropist and Realtor,

The immediate President of Rotary club of Ikeja, Gbenga Badejo, congratulating the new President, Sola Akinsiku, to the delight of Past District Governor, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi (right), wife of President, Mrs Damilola Mercy Akinsiku, Past Assistant Governor, Tunji Ola; Past Assistant Governor, Ade Oyenekan; Assistant Governor, Goke Olayinka and Past President, Muyiwa Fagbola at the investiture of Akinsiku as 55th president of the club and induction of Board of Directors for the 2022/2023 Rotary Year on July 10, 2022 in Lagos.

Dr. Smith Ezenagu were also conferred with the Honorary Membership of the Club The guest speaker spoke passionately about the relevance of the Rotary Club in the face of today’s socioeconomic realities where the real economy and the

secondary economy, influenced by criminal activities are both in operation, with the latter pulling many, especially youths, making the work of Rotary increasingly important.

Speaking on how he felt about the day, the new President expressed his joy that the day finally came after much preparation, giving thanks to God. He described Rotary as a platform through which public spirited individuals come together to serve humanity, being the helper of the helpless, giving hope to the hopeless and meeting the needs of the needy.

Akinsiku said, ‘’A number of projects that are designed to make positive impact on well-defined targets would be executed by Rotary Club of Ikeja within the 20222023 Rotary Year. Such included building and donating blocks of Classrooms to some secondary schools within Ikeja community. ‘’The Club will also build and equip sick bays for a number of schools. Additionally, the Club will also donate medical equipment to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.’ ’ Prominent attendees at the event included the District Governor, Rotary International District 9110, Omotunde Lawson as well as Past District Governor, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi.

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SATURDAY JULY 16, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY16, 2022

39

SPORTS XTRA

Ajax Lead Race for Bassey’s Signature

P

remier League side Brighton and Dutch champions Ajax have held initial talks with Rangers over the potential signing of defender Calvin Bassey.

No formal bids have been lodged, but the Ibrox club want at least £20m for the 22-yearold, who is being tracked by several clubs across Europe.

Bassey was a standout for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side last term as they reached the Europa League final.

The Nigeria international has two years remaining on his Rangers contract.

The versatile defender, who can play left-back and centreback, signed a four-year deal at Ibrox in the summer of 2020 after joining from Leicester City.

The Rangers board sanc-

tioned a deal for Bassey’s international team-mate Joe Aribo to leave the club and join Southampton last week.

Van Bronckhorst’s men begin their competitive campaign in a fortnight, when they travel to Livingston on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season.

Another report however stated that Ajax are set to close a deal for Bassey next week.

It’s claimed the Dutch giants are expected to trump Premier League side Brighton in the race to sign the Rangers star.

The 22-year-old is attracting serious interest from both clubs and The Telegraph report it’s the Eredivisie champions who are poised to prevail with a bid worth up to £20million.

The report states Brighton will only go as high as £15m but that Ajax are willing to pay more.

The Amsterdam club have already splashed the cash this summer but are set to make a substantial profit on defender Lisandro Martinez as he closes in on a move to Manchester United. It’s believed Bassey is being viewed as a ready-made replacement for the Argentine centre-back. Brighton are also looking for a potential successor for left-back Marc Cucurella, who is a target for English champions Manchester City.

A £20m deal would smash Rangers ‘ previous record fee - a deal for Nathan Patterson which could rise as high as £16m following an initial

£11m payment from Everton in January this year. Bassey rose to prominence in the latter half of last season as he inspired an Bronckhorst ‘s side on their run to the Europa League Final and in winning the Scottish Cup. Van Bronckhorst wants Bassey to continue his development at Ibrox for another year but it’s looking ever more likely he will be heading for the Netherlands. A former Leicester City youth, he arrived at Rangers under Steven Gerrard in 2020 for around £230,000, meaning the club are set to make a substantial profit on their investment.

Wilshere Hands Two Nigerian Descents Start in His First Arsenal Start

Bassey

Osimhen Scores First Pre-season Goal Italian Serie A side Napoli began their pre-season friendlies with a goal fest on Thursday, thrashing Anaune Val di Non, a team that compete in the Eccellenza local championship.

Luciano Spalletti’s men reached double figures, scoring 10 without reply, and the club’s record acquisition Victor Osimhen picked up where he left off last season with a goal in the 68th minute.

The Nigeria international has reported for pre-season training despite speculation linking him with a departure from The Azzurri.

Four goals by Napoli inside 38 minutes killed the game as a contest by the end of the first half as Rrahmani,

Kvaratskhelia (2) and Anguissa got their names on the scoresheet.

Spalletti switched to a 4-2-31 formation at halftime, with Osimhen leading the attack.

The number 9 hit a firsttime shot inside the area to make it 6-0 before goals from Politano (2) and Fellini (og) saw the Naples side go nine goals ahead after 86 minutes.

Ambrosino fluffed a penalty won by Osimhen at minute 91 but redeemed himself when he scored the game’s final goal a minute later. Napoli manager and full-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo agree that Victor James Osimhen is a fantastic striker who can even get better with time.

Osimhen worked with manager Gennaro Gattuso in his first season at Napoli and managed 10 goals in 30 matches across all competitions.

The 2021-22 campaign was even more challenging for Osimhen, with the Super Eagles striker missing nearly two months due to a freak head injury that required surgery.

Still, the 23-year-old forward contributed 18 goals and six assists in 32 games for Napoli.

Spalletti admits Osimhen is fantastic, and the Napoli boss expects the youngster to improve further with more time spent on the pitch.

“He is a fantastic player who can become extraordinary because he has so many things to learn,” Spalletti said at a press

conference, as per Tutto Napoli.

“Having him available from the start and more time on the pitch, it will be easier to catch those things where he needs to improve.”

Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo agrees with Spalletti that Osimhen is an excellent striker who can deliver more goals next campaign.

“He is very strong; he has room for improvement,” Di Lorenzo said.

“This year, despite some injuries, he had a good championship. We hope that he will repeat himself and score many goals.” Napoli are doing their best to keep Osimhen in Naples amidst interest from England and Germany for his services.

Dare Celebrates Falcons’ World Cup Ticket, Urges Team to Go for 10th Title The Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare has congratulated Nigeria’s senior women national football team, the Super Falcons for picking a ticket to next year’s FIFA Women World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.

The Falcons picked one of the four automatic World Cup tickets available at the African Women Cup of Nations tournament by defeat-

ing bitter rivals Cameroon 1-0 in the quarterfinals decided on Thursday.

I congratulate you, your coaches, the NFF and all Nigerians who have shown good will and support to the team Sports Minister Sunday Dare while celebrating the feat, urged the team to now go all out and ‘add the icing to the cake’ by winning the tournament for the 10th

time.

“You(Super Falcons) have never missed out of any FIFA Women World Cup finals. I celebrate you for keeping to your high standards by qualifying for next year’s event in Australia and New Zealand.

“This is heartwarming and you have made yourselves and Nigerians proud. I congratulate you, your coaches, the NFF and all Nigerians

who have shown good will and support to the team.

“While celebrating this world cup ticket, let me urge to do a little more.

Win your next game and the one after it and you will be the queens of African football for the tenth time,” Dare said.

Up next for the Super Falcons will be the hosts, Morocco in the semifinals of the competition.

Jack Wilshere handed starts two players of Nigerian descent in the form of goalkeeper Brian Okonkwo and Ethan Nwaneri in his first game in charge as Arsenal U18s boss - a pre-season fixture against non-league side Hendon at Silver Jubilee Park on Friday evening.

Wilshere was appointed head coach of the Gunners U18 squad four days ago, shortly after calling time on his footballing career.

Brian is the younger brother of Arsenal first teamer Arthur Okonkwo and is in the first year of his scholarship, while Nwaneri is a midfielder who has been tipped for big things having made his competitive debut for the U18s while still a schoolboy.

David Diedhiou slotted in at the back post to give the Southern League Premier Division South club the lead but Green’s close range effort brought the game back to parity Alexei Rojas replaced Okonkwo at halftime and his replacement did well to keep the score level as Arsenal were forced to play with ten men following the dismissal of Bradley Ibrahim in the first half.

Young professional Henry Timi Davies and first year scholar Chido Obi were left out of the first matchday squad announced by Wilshere.

Arsenal U18s will continue their pre-season preparations with a training camp in Edinburgh, playing friendlies against Hearts and Hibernian.

Mahrez Signs Two-year Man City Extension Riyad Mahrez has signed a new two-year contract extension with Premier League champions Manchester City with his deal now running until 2025.

Mahrez’s old deal was due to expire in 2023 but the Algeria winger has now committed his future to the club he joined from Leicester for £60m in 2018.

“I’ve enjoyed every single minute of my time here,” said Mahrez, who has won three Premier League titles with City. “It’s a pleasure to be part of such an incredible club.” Mahrez, 31, has scored 77 goals in 254 Premier League appearances for Leicester and Manchester City.

He has four Premier League titles in total after playing his part in Leicester’s top-flight success in 2015-16.

On his time at Manchester City, Mahrez added: “To have helped us achieve the success we have enjoyed in the past four seasons has been unforgettable and made us all hungry to look to achieve even more.

“Now I just want to try and play my part in helping us be successful next season and beyond.”

Since being crowned champions of England in May, City boss Pep Guardiola has signed Norway striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and Leeds United’s England midfielder Kalvin Phillips as well as German keeper Stefan Ortega.

City have sold Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal and England forward Raheem Sterling to Chelsea.

Guardiola’s side start the defence of their title at West Ham on 7 August.

Saturday, July 16, 2022

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MISSILE

ACF to Buhari

“Buhari lacks the willingness and courage to hold his appointees responsible; the vast amount of money and other resources being pumped into the security agencies have largely been ineffective” –The Arewa Consultative Forum chiding President Muhammadu Buhari over his inability to tackle insecurity across the country.

UZOR MAXIM UZOATU GUEST COLUMNIST

Soyinka Strikes 88 in Fine Fettle

W

ednesday July 13 was the great man’s 88th birthday. Given all the battles he fought over the years, hardly any prophet could have prophesied that Professor Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka would live to the age of 88. The towering writer who stunned the world as the very first black man to win the coveted Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986 is still in good shape.

Talking of prophecies, back in time, my crystal ball did not hide anything when it revealed to me that Soyinka would win the Nobel, a first for Africa, in the year 1985. I told not a few friends that the Nobel was definitely coming that year, and it was such a shocker when the prize went instead to the obscure French novelist Claude Simon.

Well, it’s remarkable that Claude Simon’s first novel bears the very unfunny title, The Cheat. There was no denying Soyinka the very next year, 1986, when the Nobel Prize for Literature landed in our shores. Soyinka had just made the flight from Cornell University, New York where he was then teaching to the International Theatre Institute (ITI) in Paris to attend the executive meeting of the world body which he headed.

His plan was to spend quiet time at the apartment of his cousin, Yemi Lijadu. He found his cousin giddy with joy – “The news just broke that Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka had won the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, thus becoming the first African to win the coveted award.”

Even in the anonymity of his cousin’s apartment Soyinka could not hide away from the invasion of the world press. He made quick plans to return immediately to Nigeria. He wanted his entry into Nigeria as quiet and uneventful as possible, but his friends were quick to sniff out that he was on his way back home.

His bosom friend, the insurance magnate Femi Johnson sent a car and driver to ferry him from the airport.

The government of Babangida provided a presidential jet for the ferrying of Nigerians to the Nobel award ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden, even as the government was under strong suspicion of being behind the killing of ace journalist and friend of Soyinka, Dele Giwa, through a parcel bomb delivered to his home days earlier.

Soyinka’s Nobel lecture entitled “This Past Must Address Its Present” was dedicated to the then still imprisoned

Soyinka

Nelson Mandela. The Irish playwright and Nobel Prize winner George Bernard Shaw had said that he would readily forgive Alfred Nobel his invention of the evil dynamite but not the diabolical Nobel Prize for Literature that almost always leaves its winners with no time to work.

The aura of the prize overwhelmed Soyinka soon after the award such that he could not make out time to write.

He hoped that the din of the Nobel would end after the crowning of the next winner only to be reminded in Cuba by novelist and 1982 Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author

of One Hundred Years of Solitude, that “it never ends, my friend. It never ends.”

For reasons no one can really explain, the name “Kongi” has stuck with Soyinka amongst his friends and colleagues even though the character in question in the eponymous play is highly detestable.

Behind Soyinka’s back, some of us his students call him “Langage”, pronounced as “Longage”, taken from his Inaugural Lecture at Ife entitled The Critic and Society: Barthes, Leftocracy And Other Mythologies.

Soyinka’s collection of poetry, Samarkand and Other Markets I have Known, was published by Crucible

From teaching the art of wine to a young Italian girl to setting a trap for wine-stealers in his then Ife home, Soyinka is the master of his universe.

Soyinka even pokes fun at himself, as can be seen in the depiction of his failure to secure a job as a journalist which he wrote of in his 1994 memoir, Ibadan – The Penkelemes Years

Publishers Limited, Lagos, in 2002 and was launched at the National Theatre under a tree that is now known as the Samarkand Tree.

It is a matter of great joy that Soyinka as ever continues in the onerous task of supporting younger writers. The hardback copy of The Second Genesis: An Anthology of Contemporary World Poetry which features some of Soyinka’s poems alongside those of mine and my dear compatriots Obari Gomba and the late Ikeogu Oke thrills me no end.

The book which features poets of 60 countries from Albania to the United States is indeed a heavy feast of comparative humanity, a cause to which Soyinka has dedicated his venerated life.

Beyond all the seriousness associated with the man, Soyinka is at heart a jovial soul.

From teaching the art of wine to a young Italian girl to setting a trap for wine-stealers in his then Ife home, Soyinka is the master of his universe.

Soyinka even pokes fun at himself, as can be seen in the depiction of his failure to secure a job as a journalist which he wrote of in his 1994 memoir, Ibadan – The Penkelemes Years: “His goal was journalism but he failed to secure a place on one of the main newspapers – the Daily Times.

All applicants took a written test. They were required to report an imagined market fight as they would expect to read it on the pages of a newspaper.

He proceeded to cover eight foolscap sides of lined paper with an elaborate account that spanned the background lives of the combatants, the histories of their extended families, their business dealings, etc, etc. Others had long finished but he was carried away by a reality that had taken such a hold on his imagination, forgetting the context into which his account was expected to fit. The European invigilator looked at his watch several times with increasing ostentation, and took to walking up and down in front of his desk until finally, without a change of expression, he snatched the reams of paper from him, snarling, ‘I need my lunch. You were not asked to write up the entire newspaper, just report an incident.’”

Soyinka’s title as the hardest working writer in the world is unbeatable as he has recently released his acclaimed third novel Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth.

It’s incumbent on the celebrated master WS to celebrate 88 in style – and in fine fettle.

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