SATURDAY 30TH JULY 2022

Benin Youths in Massive Protest against ‘Obaseki’s Museum’ Demand immediate commencement of work on Royal Museum Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Youths in their numbers in Benin City, Edo State, under the aegis of Coalition of Benin Socio Cultural Organisation,

yesterday, protested the planned establishment of Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) by Governor Godwin Obaseki, as home for stolen Benin artifacts being

returned from Europe.

They called on Benin sons and daughters and the palace of the Oba of Benin to commence the construction of the Benin Royal Museum

which the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II had proposed to house the artifacts looted by Britain in 1897.

The group, led by its Coordinator General Osaze

Amos-Edobor, started the protest march from the ancient Benin Arousa Church along Akpakpava Road to the palace of the Oba of Benin and then to the proposed site for the

Royal Museum, which is situated opposite the palace of the Oba. The protesting youths, who Continued on page 5

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Startled By Terror Attacks, Army Repositions, Appoints New Commanders... Page 8

Wike Breaks Silence, Says Atiku Told ‘Many Lies’ on Arise News Declares he still loves PDP and had never contemplated leaving the party

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State yesterday reacted to a recent interview granted

Arise News by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party ((PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on his choice of running mate, saying Atiku told many lies against him

on the programme.

“Governor Wike was not rejected. Nobody was rejected in the party. But you must understand that it’s the prerogative of the candidate

to pick his running mate - a running mate he believes he can work with amicably, and then also deliver the policies of the party, and also try to unify the country,” the PDP

candidate said in the interview.

But the Rivers State governor, who spoke at the Port Harcourt International Airport, shortly after his arrival from Spain, described

as unfortunate all the comments credited to Atiku against him after the conduct of the party’s presidential Continued on page 5

Babachir, Dogara Convene APC Northern Christian Leaders’ Meeting, Resolve toVote against Tinubu, Shettima Babachir: The PVC and our prayers will be our weapons, we will massively deploy them in 2023 Dogara: Tinubu, party made fatal error of judgment on Muslim-Muslim ticket Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the former Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, led a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Northern Christian Leaders in Abuja yesterday, where it was resolved that Christians should vote against the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling party in the 2023 presidential election.

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party picked Senator Kashim Shettima, the former governor of Borno State, who’s also a Muslim, as

his running mate for the 2023 presidential election, a development that continues to elicit outrage from APC’s Christians stakeholders.

Speaking at the forum tagged, “APC Northern Christians Political Summit, Abuja 2022”, with the theme, "Righteousness Exalts a Nation, But Sin is a Reproach to Any People", Babachir alleged that there was an agenda to politically, religiously and economically suppress and oppress Northern Christians, but assured that such agenda would be resisted.

He said Northern Christians were ready Continued on page 5

CBN Reassures Nigerians on Forex As Naira Gains at Parallel Market... Page 6

MORE GAS FROM AFRICA TO EUROPE… L-R: Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab; and the Nigerien Minister of Petroleum, Mohamane Mahamadou, at a meeting in Algiers on how to pipe more gas to Europe through the proposed Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline… Thursday

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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 30, 2022

PAGE FIVE BABACHIR, DOGARA CONVENE APC NORTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERS’ MEETING, RESOLVE TO VOTE AGAINST TINUBU, SHETTIMA to battle the politics of exclusion and oppression, but open to discussions with anyone who wants to engage with them in good faith.

Babachir stressed that northern Christians’ opposition to MuslimMuslim ticket had some historical basis, adding that there were times in the past when Christians produced the Deputy Governors in Kebbi, Niger and Kaduna States, “and now it is wholly Muslim-Muslim tickets in most places.”

The former SGF said it was worth noting that all these were happening in the APCcontrolled states, stressing that they were threatening to do likewise in Gombe, Kogi and Adamawa states.

Lawal said the proof of its anti-Christian agenda was that APC had completely eliminated Northern Christians from its National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Council (NEC), noting that all their protestations as party members have been completely ignored by the leadership.

He emphasised that as members of APC, they have the right to continue to express their indignation at these happenings and would not give up until they secure the justice that is due them.

Lawal states: "The main purpose of this historical narrative is to let you know that for the APC, a Muslim-Muslim ticket has been a long-term political strategy and not a one-off decision. Thus, all this talk of competence as the reason for the choice of the Muslim VP is balderdash and diversionary. This is a calculated anti-Christian exclusion agenda that is being implemented.

"One might ask: why is the APC itself mute about our rejection of this Muslim-Muslim ticket? And why has none of the other perpetrators of this crisis reached out to Christians for a dialogue? Why are they instead hiring fake Bishops and taking church groups to further embarrass the Church? Why are they embarking on a vicious media war against CAN and the Church instead of seeking reconciliation? Truly, things are not adding up.

"So why are Christians, Northern Nigerian Christians in particular against the Muslim-Muslim ticket? I will try to enumerate just a few more reasons in addition to the ones I have already enumerated above."

Babachir stated categorically that they see the Muslim-Muslim ticket as an assent to the current and continuing educational,

economic and political marginalisation of Northern Christians.

He noted that Christians all over the country see the Muslim-Muslim ticket as a deliberate and premeditated attempt to introduce and firmly entrench religion into the politics of this country.

The APC chieftain noted that this would further lead to disharmony in the hitherto fragile coexistence of the Nigerian society, disrupt peace and hamper both social and economic development of the country.

He added: "Implied in this ticket is the insinuation that Northern Muslims are not willing to vote for a ticket that has a Christian on it and on which they are not represented. It is our belief that Northern Muslims would have seen the justice in a Muslim-Christian ticket and would have given it their overwhelming support, had the party been inclined to do so.

"A corollary to this mindset is that Christians should also not vote for a ticket in which they are not accommodated.

Unfortunately, this is the message we get loud and clear from this MuslimMuslim ticket. This is truly a wakeup call for all Nigerian Christians. We didn't start this religious politics. APC and its candidates did; so, all of us should take note and act as appropriate.

"So, our dear APC colleagues, spare us these sanctimonious lectures on competence and the cliché, ‘religion of the candidates does not matter.’ The truth is that the 2023 presidential election will be all about religion, and sadly, you started it; religion does matter in this context, so be ready for the consequences.

"It is important to reiterate that we Nigerian Christians, want to live in peace and harmony with all practitioners of other religions. We want to enjoy social and economic developments like other parts of the world but without peace, justice and religious harmony, this is not possible.

"On our part, we neither seek to oppress nor dominate anyone or any religion. But we will also resist any one trying to discriminate against us and our religion. We were not the ones that started this fight. The APC started it and must be ready to carry the cross it has created. Blaming Christians and heaping insults on CAN will take them nowhere.

"For how do they expect Christians to keep silent when a Northern state governor publicly states that they pressured Tinubu to

get a Northern Muslim VP because they did not believe him to be a good Muslim?

Is the VP going to be the National Deputy Imam?

“How do they expect us to keep silent when another Northern state governor goes to Osun State and urges them to vote for someone just because he is a Muslim? Was he there for the election campaign or ‘dawah’? What can be a better example of religion in politics than demonstrated by these governors?

"Clearly, there is an agenda to politically, religiously, and economically suppress and oppress the Northern Christian. But we are up to the task. We will protect ourselves. The PVC and our prayers will be our weapons of choice and we will massively deploy them in 2023."

Tinubu, APC Made Fatal Error, Says Dogara On his part, Dogara said the adoption of a MuslimMuslim presidential ticket by APC was capable of leading Nigeria to disintegration like Yugoslavia.

He said the opposition of Northern Christians to all Muslim ticket should not be understood to be objecting to Muslims or that they don’t want Tinubu to be president, “neither is it about Senator Kashim Shettima. It is about what is right and what is wrong, it is about justice, fairness and equity.”

Dogara continued: “It is about Nigeria; its diversity and how it can be harnessed in an inclusive manner for the greater good of all of us.

Be that as it may, some of

us really wanted Asiwaju to be president because he has sacrificed much for our party, the APC and for what he represents to so many people. So, our position cannot be against Muslims or Islam. That fact cannot be denied in any way.”

Dogara recalled that he couldn't have been the Speaker of the 8th House without the support of his Muslim colleagues who believed that the nation's diversity must be reflected in national positions for the unity, peace and advancement of our dear country.

He said: "In 2015, when we were called “janjaweed party”, my response was usually very simple. I could then say that, HE John Oyegun was the chairman of my party and the VP was Pastor Yemi Osinbajo. We don’t enjoy that luxury anymore as the President, Senate President, Speaker and his deputy; Senate and House Leaders; National Chairman and the Deputy National Chairman; Presidential and the VicePresidential candidates are all Muslims, leaving the Christians with just the position of VP Osibanjo and Deputy Senate President Omo-Agege at that level in a country whose population is fairly split between Muslims and Christians.

“Granted this scenario, can any God-fearing Muslim, Christian nay even the amoral and the atheist say this is fair, just and righteous? Does this represent the act of a just God? This is the real context of objections from the Christian community, not just the Presidential ticket and the VP slot.

the construction of the Benin Royal Museum. It is only the Benin Royal Museum that we the Edo people know."

According to Iyamu, "We are at the permanent site for the museum to show to the world that Omo N’Oba already has a place for the construction of the Benin Royal Museum which is just opposite the palace.

"We don’t know of any other museum for our artifacts apart from this. We want to also thank President Muhammadu Buhari for giving his nod to ensure that our artifacts are given the rightful recognition and the necessary support.

"We, therefore, call on all Benin people to support this

ignores the fact and reality that Nigeria is evenly split on religious lines.

“These pundits are still not smart enough to tell us what is in the Muslim-Muslim ticket for Southern Christians. The argument also ignores the fact that our official policy excludes religious affiliation from census data. There is therefore no scientific basis for these bizarre conclusions.

Let us now look at a model for managing diversity."

Dogara said he considered the decision by the APC to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket as not a bold, but a bad decision because it fuels inequality.

He noted: "We must always bear in mind that the liberty we enjoy is as rare as it is fragile. Inequality has a way of upsetting the balance due to the universal law of cause and effect. Throughout history, every revolution has been waged to either consolidate or destroy inequality. Just like all revolutions, they first seem impossible and then improbable until they become inevitable.

“Let us go out from this summit with the resolve to seek out our Muslim brothers and sisters who believe in unifying our people in order to usher in the much-needed peace and advancement for Nigeria to unleash her true potentials.

“I am sure we will jointly agree on a platform that would advance our collective search for unity, peace and development.”

Elisha Abbo, a serving senator from Adamawa State and Solomon Dalung, a former Minister of Youths and Sports, were present at the event.

WIKE BREAKS SILENCE, SAYS ATIKU TOLD ‘MANY LIES’ ON ARISE NEWS primary.

Wike alleged that Atiku used the occasion of the unveiling of PDP’s vice-presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and his appearance on Arise News to lie against him.

He said the right thing Atiku and the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, ought to have done after the presidential primary would have been to reach out to him, but that they did not.

Wike said: "But there comes a time that people will understand and know the facts. So, obviously, whether I will speak is not in doubt; to let Nigerians know the actual truth. Having known the truth, whatever they decide to do with it is left to Nigerians.

"Because, you can imagine, Atiku, when he unveiled his vice-presidential candidate, no right-thinking lover of this party would say that

the speech he made on that day was fair. Forget about the favour seekers. Forget about the scavengers. But I never reacted to it. That is because this party belongs to all of us.

"Thereafter, he appeared on Arise Television, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and you said I should not react to some of those issues. That would not be fair.

"Assuming today, I am not alive, obviously what they have said would be accepted as the truth. Look at his (Atiku) attack dogs, Sule Lamido, Babaginda Aliyu, Maina Waziri. Look at the statements they issued. Look at the abuses they rained on me, but I never reacted.

"And Nigerians will ask, you mean these things happened?

So, it is important that as a person and for my own future, and for those who rally around me to say, look, this is not

BENIN YOUTHS IN MASSIVE PROTEST AGAINST ‘OBASEKI’S MUSEUM’ defied the early morning rain, bore placards of various inscriptions, saying Obaseki’s EMOWAA is alien to them.

Secretary of the group, Osaro Culture Iyamu said: “Today, we are here to inform our great Oba, the Oba of Benin Kingdom to appeal to him not to be deterred and disturbed. We are here to appeal to him to commence work on the proposed Benin Royal Museum.

"We are appealing that work should commence next week. We have great sons and daughters who have the wherewithal and we are also using this medium to advise them and appeal to them to join the palace to commence

"For me, it is a rude awakening and I am so happy it happened sooner than later. The very fact that they said we should not worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket while a Muslim-Christian ticket gave them sleepless nights should make you worry the more. To worry about a Muslim-Christian ticket while counselling others not to worry about a Muslim-Muslim ticket is the very textbook definition of cognitive dissonance and an attempt at gas lighting gullible Christians.

"The other funny argument in the media is the claim that without a Northern Muslim on the ticket, elections cannot be won. The implications of that argument are quite unambiguous - Northern Muslims don’t vote for the South - even if the candidate is a Muslim like them - and, of course, don’t vote for Christians. However, nothing can be further from the truth.

“If you stretch this argument further, it may lead to questions such as, ‘if Muslims in the North don’t trust a Southern Muslim for any reason(s), why should Christians in Nigeria trust a Muslim from the South and North?’ These are the kinds of arguments I hate to engage in and which we must avoid if we hope not to injure the health of our Republic.

"Other unhelpful framings of the debate by the so-called pundits posit that Christians in the North are so small in number that their votes don’t count. This strange argument seeks to reinforce the satanic agenda of dividing the church in Nigeria into North and South, and also

project as we expect more to be returned because we are aware some have been returned and taken back to where they were stolen from.

We are expecting more than 1,000 more from the German government.”

Last week, at a World Press Conference, the leaders and stakeholders of the Coalition had opposed moves by Obaseki to house the returned stolen Benin artifacts in his proposed EMOWAA which they say is alien to the Benin race.

The leaders accused Obaseki of disrespecting and undermining the Oba of Benin, regarding the museum for the artifacts and

insisted that he keeps to his promise to support the idea of a Benin Royal Museum for the artifacts.

The Coalition thus raised a number of posers for Obaseki: “We would like to ask His Excellency, who owns the proposed EMOWAA, which is alien to the Benin race “Is the proposed EMOWAA project owned by the Edo State Government or owned by your Private Venture called Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd? “If EMOWAA belongs to your Private Venture known as Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd with its Office in Lagos, then why are you as our governor treating it as a Government project using state resources?”

fair. So, I will make sure that I react to them, line by line, of the statements made by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar himself and his attack dogs."

Wike said he would not tolerate being disparaged, as he contested the presidential primary squarely and emerged second.

"Look at it, a presidential candidate who believes that he wants to win the election, and somebody who contested fiercely with him that has never raised any issue. I just kept quiet, just minding my business, to see how my state can move forward.

"But every day, his people come up to attack me, to say one thing or the other. That's quite unfair and so I should let Nigerians know at the appropriate time; that will be after the commissioning of projects that we have lined up.

"We will say look, this is not correct, so that posterity, history will be on our side, that we have been able to keep the record straight. So, nobody should be in doubt whether I am going to speak on the issue of PDP, issues of the primaries and other related matters.

"Nigerians will know what happened, Nigerians will know those who love this country, Nigerians will know what went behind. And that is to assure you that I am going to speak on that."

Wike clarified that Senator Bukola Saraki met with him in Spain, but said he was not sent

by Atiku, so nobody should think in such a direction.

He further wondered why Atiku who visited him at his place to solicit his support would not visit after the primary.

Wike also said that he was not aware of any committee that has been set up by PDP or the party's presidential candidate to reach out to him.

He said: "I want to tell members of the public, as far as I am concerned, I love this party, I have remained committed and I have been able to play my part. I'm not talking about leaving this party.

"I am not one of those who are running around the presidential candidate to say I want to be this. I am not one of those favour seekers, scavengers looking for how they will survive.

"I am not a slave, and I will not be a slave, am a free born of this country. I must be able to say how things are, whether it suits you, or it does not suit you, is immaterial.

"So, members of the public should please bear with us that we must put the records straight. If we don't put the records straight, history will not be happy with us."

Wike, who had remained silent after the primary and subsequently, the choice of Okowa as vice-presidential candidate, explained that after the PDP primary he returned to Rivers State to focus on fulfilling the remaining promises that he made to Rivers people.

He said, already a number of completed projects had been outlined for inauguration and when that was done, he would respond to all the lies peddled against him.

"After the commissioning of projects that we have lined up, we will be able to speak to Nigerians and tell them what happened. It doesn't matter who is involved,” said the governor.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

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NEWS

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

Nigeria, Algeria, Niger Sign MoU for $13bn Saharan Gas Pipeline ([[RQ0RELO &KHYURQ VKDWWHU SURÀW UHFRUGV Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report Algeria, Nigeria and Niger have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a natural gas pipeline across the Sahara Desert, Algeria’s Energy Minister, Mohamed Arkab, announced yesterday.

In a related development, ExxonMobil and Chevron yesterday smashed profit records in Q2 as the surging energy prices that followed the war delivered a windfall for the oil supermajors.

The three countries had agreed in June to revive decades-old talks over the project, a potential opportunity for Europe to diversify its gas sources.

Arkab told reporters after the signing ceremony that the three countries would continue talks to achieve the project as quickly as possible.

The Trans-Saharan gas pipeline

is an estimated $13 billion project that could send up to 30 billion cubic metres a year of supplies to Europe.

The pipeline is expected to span around 4,000 kilometres and has been slated to start in Warri, Nigeria, and to end in Hassi R’Mel, Algeria, where it would connect to existing pipelines that run to Europe.

The idea was first proposed more than 40 years ago and an agreement signed between the countries in 2009, but progress had stalled, a Reuters report stated.

Algeria exported 54 billion cubic meters of gas in 2021, mainly to Italy and Spain.

The MoU was signed in Algiers by the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Arkab; Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and Niger Minister of Energy and Renewables, Mahamane Mahamadou.

In 2009, an accord was signed

by Nigeria, Niger, and Algeria to build the Trans Saharan gas pipeline project which was to be completed in 2015. But for various reasons, including growing security concerns, the project was stopped temporarily.

The proposed pipeline will source natural gas from Nigeria and traverse north through Niger, and further to Algeria.

The revival of the project is coming against the backdrop of pressure from the European Union (EU) on African countries to ramp up production, following the supply distortions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, as Nigeria continues to grapple with crude oil production and petrol subsidy

challenges, ExxonMobil and Chevron yesterday smashed profit records in Q2 as the surging energy prices that followed the war delivered a windfall for the oil supermajors.

The huge earnings came as consumers reel from sky-high fuel costs that have helped drive inflation to levels not seen in decades across the US and Europe, Africa and other parts of the world, threatening a political backlash against energy companies.

Exxon’s second-quarter net profit was $17.8 billion, beating analysts’ estimates of $16.9 billion, according to data compiled by S&P Capital IQ. The previous record quarterly profit for the company was $15.9 billion in

2012, another year of elevated oil prices.

Chevron’s Q2 profit was $11.6 billion, also its highest quarterly profit and easily surpassing consensus estimates of $9.9 billion.

“Earnings and cash flow benefited from increased production, higher realisations and tight cost control,” said Exxon Chief Executive, Darren Woods.

The blockbuster profits came after UK-based Shell on Thursday reported its second consecutive record-breaking quarter with adjusted earnings of $11.5 billion.

France’s TotalEnergies on the same day said profits in the quarter surged to $9.8 billion, almost triple

the same time a year ago.

The five western oil supermajors — Exxon, Chevron, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies — are together on track to generate well over $50 billion in profits in the three months to the end of June.

Italian rival Eni yesterday also announced bumper quarterly results, boosting returns to investors after a fourfold year-on-year rise in adjusted net profit to €3.81 billion, the Financial Times reported.

Exxon and Chevron’s “downstream” oil refining businesses drove their soaring results after profit margins from selling refined fuels above the cost of buying crude oil exploded to record highs.

Ortom Backs Impeachment Move against President Buhari Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has lauded the National Assembly for issuing a six-week ultimatum on President Muhammadu Buhari to step up the fight against insecurity or risk being impeached.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus of the Senate led by the Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda, on Tuesday, walked out of plenary to protest the failure of President Buhari to end insecurity in Nigeria.

Senator Aduda and his colleagues later addressed the Senate Press Corps where they issued a six-week ultimatum after which they will initiate impeachment proceedings against President Buhari if he’s unable to end insecurity in the country.

Governor Ortom gave the commendation yesterday at the State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, when he received a delegation of some members of the National Assembly led by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Aduda who came to brief him.

The governor described the

decision of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to impeach the President as “patriotic” and, particularly commended some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who have opted to do the ‘right thing’.

According to Governor Ortom, President Buhari has performed far below the expectations of Nigerians in solving both the security and economic challenges of the country and so needs to give way for a more competent person.

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Aduda had earlier told Governor Ortom that as a leader of the PDP in the North Central, the delegation considered it appropriate to brief him on the decision of the National Assembly to impeach the President.

Aduda told the governor that although the impeachment move was initiated by the Senate, the House of Representatives as well as a good number of the APC members had also joined.

He was joined by Senator Orker Jev and Hon. Samson Okwu among others.

Magnus Abe Joins SDP Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Former representative of Rivers South East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, has officially joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State.

In a statement yesterday by his spokesperson, Parry Benson, Senator Abe officially disclosed the new development on his personal Facebook page.

Abe, who expressed his commitment to the growth of internal democracy in the politics of Nigeria, stressed that such ideals had driven his style of politics over the years.

The statement reads in parts: “Yes I am and I have

been a member of the social Democratic Party SDP. “I remain irrevocably committed to the ideals that have driven my politics through the years. And will continue to do all we can to improve internal democracy in the politics of our country and focus on the people.”

Abe, who was a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently stated that he left the party in order to seek fortune somewhere else.

He said he had no stake in the APC in Rivers State and would not continue to remain in a place where he is not recognised or will not achieve his political dreams.

ENTRENCHING BEST PRACTICES… Governor of Enugu State and Chairman of Council, State Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (middle) with the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Miletus Eze (left), former Chief of Staff to the Governor, Festus Uzor (2nd left), the Director General, EoDB, Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo (2nd right) and the Resource Person/Partner and Principal Consultant, Drakkevista Global Services, Lagos, David Uzosike, during a Council Meeting and Workshop with the Technical Working Group on EoDB, held at the Government House, Enugu... yesterday.

CBN Reassures Nigerians on Forex As Naira Gains at Parallel Market Obinna Chima and Nume Ekeghe In the face of rising demand for foreign exchange (FX) for both goods and services by Nigerians, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised Nigerians to resist the urge of succumbing to the speculative activities of some players in the foreign exchange market.

The Director, Corporate Communications at the CBN, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, in a statement, explained that the central bank remained committed to resolving the FX issues confronting the nation and as such had been working

to manage both the demand and supply side challenges.

This is also coming as the parallel market pressures eased yesterday with the naira selling at N715 against N720 which it sold on Thursday having crossed the N700 mark on Wednesday.

However, while admitting that there was huge demand pressure for FX to meet the needs of manufacturers as well as those for the payment of tuition, medical fees and other invisibles, Nwanisobi said the bank was concerned about the international value of the naira, adding that the monetary authority was strategising to help Nigeria earn more stable and

sustainable inflows of FX in the face of dwindling inflows from the oil sector.

Specifically, he noted that recent initiatives undertaken by the bank such as the RT200 FX Programme and the Naira4Dollar rebate scheme had helped to increase FX inflow to the country.

According to him, the bank’s records showed that foreign exchange inflow through the RT200 FX Programme in the first and second quarters of 2022 increased significantly to about US$600 million as at June 2022. Similarly, he disclosed that the Naira4Dollar incentive also increased the volume of Diaspora

remittances during the first half of the year.

Continuing, he said interventions such as 100 for 100 Policy on Production and Productivity, Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) and the Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF), among others, were also geared towards diversifying the economy, enhancing inflow of FX, stimulating production and reducing foreign exchange demand pressure.

Nwanisobi therefore said that the bank would continue to make deliberate effort in the foreign exchange sector to avert

Former Eunisell MD, Amadi Denies Defrauding Company of N2.9bn Wale Igbintade Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Eunisell Limited, Kenneth Amadi, has told Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court Lagos that he did not steal N2.9 billion as alleged by the federal government.

Amadi made the clarification when he opened his defence in an alleged N2.

9 billion fraud charge filed against him by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

He said he joined the

company sometime in 2000 based on an oral agreement and that he helped grow Eunisell’s business from a paltry sum of N8 million to billions of naira when he was about exiting the company in 2016.

Amadi said that there was no problem between him and Mr. Chika Ikenga, Chairman and owner of Eunisell Nigeria Limited throughout his 16 and a half years he was with him until 2016 when he decided to leave the company and concentrate on his own company.

The defendant, a Chemical Engineer by profession, said in his testimony that when he decided to leave the company to concentrate on his own business, he went to meet Mr. Ikenga to inform him about the development.

According to Amadi, immediately he informed him (Ikenga) about the position, Ikenga got angry and started threatening him saying that it was not possible for him to start a business that will compete with his own.

He added that Mr. Ikenga vowed to make sure that he

destroyed him and the business.

Going further Amadi said on October 28, 2016, the chairman invited him to his office where he met him and one of his friends, adding at that meeting, the chairman again repeated his threat to destroy him with all the means at his disposal.

Amadi added that while this was going on, the chairman’s friend who was at the meeting was videoing what was happening and that it was at the meeting that Ikenga asked him to tender his letter of resignation, despite the fact that he was not given any letter of employment.

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Startled By Terror Attacks, Army Repositions, Appoints New Commanders

Insecurity: Nigeria in critical moment, says Tinubu Kingsley Nwezeh and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Nigerian Army has announced the appointment of new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and reshuffled other senior officers in a major shake-up apparently aimed at halting the spate of killing of its men by terrorists.

On the same day, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, lamented the raging insecurity in the country, saying “Nigeria is in a critical moment where misguided and terrible actors attempt to destroy social harmony and reign violence on us all.”

A statement issued by the Army Spokesman, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the changes, approved by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, were designed to reposition the Nigerian Army for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

“In an effort to reposition the Nigerian Army (NA) for operational efficiency and proficiency, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army to command, instructional and staff appointments across NA formations and units.

“Those affected in the rede-

ployment released on Thursday 28 July 2022, include some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers, amongst others,” it said.

Some of the senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) are Major General UT Musa from

Headquarters 81 Division to Headquarters 82 Division and appointed GOC, Major General TA Lagbaja from Headquarters 82 Division to Headquarters 1 Division and appointed GOC, Major General OC Ajunwa from Nigeria Defence Section Brasilia to HQ 81 Division and appointed GOC, while Major General AS Chinade was redeployed from Depot Nigerian Army to Headquarters 2 Division

and appointed GOC. The statement said the Chief of Army Staff directed all the newly appointed senior officers to redouble their effort and commitment to duty in tackling the security challenges bedeviling the nation, as they assume their new appointments.

Meanwhile, Tinubu yesterday lamented the raging insecurity in the country, saying “Nigeria is in a critical moment where misguided and terrible actors

attempt to destroy social harmony and reign violence on us all.”

He stated this in a statement by his Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman, in which he congratulated the newly-elected President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Daniel Okoh. Okoh who was elected on Monday to succeed the highly respected Rev. Samson Olusupo Ayokunle, upon completion of his tenure as head of CAN.

Again, One Soldier Killed

by Terrorists Near Abuja Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja One soldier attached to the 102 Battalion was killed when Boko Haram terrorists attacked a military checkpoint around Zuma Rock Resort, near Madalla, a few meters from Zuba in the outskirts of Abuja Thursday night.

The attack is coming after the killing last week of some presidential guards by rampaging terrorists in Bwari.

But in a swift response, the troops, in a joint operation with the Nigerian Air Force, killed 30 terrorists in the same location.

The checkpoint, close to the Abuja-Kaduna highway, was attacked by the terrorists at about 7p.m.

The insurgents opened fire on the checkpoint as soon as they arrived, killing one soldier.

A competent security source confirmed the death of the unnamed soldier.

“They took control of the area for about 30 minutes and kept on shooting before heading towards Kaduna axis of the expressway,” the source said.

THISDAY gathered that more soldiers and policemen were later deployed to the area to take charge of proceedings.

2023: INEC Cautions against Subtle Harassment of Officials by Police Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned security agencies against harassing of its officials ahead of next year’s general election.

The commission was reacting to the reported invitation of its Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Dr. Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, by the state Police Command over a matter not deserving of such invitation.

National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, Festus Okoye, in a statement yesterday said the commission’s attention was drawn to reports that the REC was invited and detained by the Edo State

Police Command in connection with matters arising from the recent primaries conducted by a political party in the state.

According to Okoye, “The Commission can confirm that the REC was invited. However, the Edo State Police Command has issued a statement to clarify the situation, saying that the REC was only invited to provide insight into some technical issues regarding our processes and nothing more. He was neither detained nor is he personally under investigation as media reports suggested.

“While we welcome the clarification by the Police Command, we wish to point out that any other official of the Commission assigned by the REC could have provided the required insight. Alternatively, a visit to our state “

Bauchi Records Outbreak of Monkeypox, Says No Cause for Alarm Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA) has confirmed an outbreak of Monkeypox in the state.

Executive Chairman of the agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, made the confirmation while speaking with journalists yesterday in Anguwan Galadima, Tirwun, shortly after flagging off OBR for the month of July.

Mohammed said that, “Yes, there is an outbreak of monkeypox in Bauchi, one person has been diagnosed with the disease while two others are still under close observation, therefore, they are suspects of

the disease for now.”

He added that, “The victim is not from Bauchi State, he came from Adamawa State, he is presently receiving medical management at one of the facilities.

We will not allow him to go until we are satisfied with his condition.”

According to him, “Unlike Cholera where you have to wait for about 15 cases before you declare outbreak, with just one confirmed case, you can declare outbreak of Monkeypox”. He however assured that his agency in collaboration with others concerned about healthcare delivery services were working round the clock to ensure that the disease did not spread beyond what it is at present.

SECURITY ON THEIR MINDS… L-R: Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun states, Bode Adeleke; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, after the governor received them in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta ...yesterday.

Five States Still Owing N2bn NECO Registration Fees Since 2012, Says Registrar Uchechukwu Nnaike The Registrar, National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof.

Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, has appealed to the states still owing the council for the registration fees of their students to remit their money to keep the examination body afloat.

The NECO boss said this while briefing journalists in Lagos after monitoring the conduct of the ongoing NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in some schools, as part of his nationwide monitoring exercise.

A total of 1,209,000 candidates are currently sitting for the examination.

He said following the council’s renewed relationship with the defaulting states, some were responding considerably, but five states are still owing the council to the tune of about N2 billion since 2012.

He stated that the council executes its capital projects and overhead from such money because the federal government does not provide capital expenditure and overhead, but only pays staff salaries.

“We have challenges all around the country as far as our offices, equipment and other things are concerned. So we are letting them understand the importance of their paying us to remain afloat, as well

as paying for the students to get their results to enable them to get admission into tertiary institutions so as to be useful to themselves and the society.”

He commended council’s officials, school principals and states for the smooth conduct of the examination.

In terms of security, Wushishi said the council made adequate arrangements for the security of the materials for the conduct of the examination. He added that the council made arrangements with security agencies across the country to continue to monitor the movement of the board members and staff and materials.

“We also have centres where we employed security agents to guard our custodian points. As far as the movement around is concerned, we have not encountered any security challenge and we have not received any report from any part of the country,” he said.

Asked when the results will be released at the end of the examination on August 12, the registrar said in about 45 days the results will be out.

He also refuted claims that NECO certificates were not recognised in some African countries, saying that the council conducts examinations in five African countries.

Buhari Congratulates New CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church (Odozi-Obodo), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on his election as the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The President, in a release issued yesterday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, noted

that the election of Most Rev. Okoh by the very important Christian body was a testament to his devotion to the church of God in the country and beyond, distinguished vocation as a Christian leader and abiding commitment in promoting ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue.

Acknowledging the role CAN plays in fostering religious unity and harmony, the President

expressed hope that the incoming President will continue to provide the needed leadership for the church, affirming the Scriptural truth: ‘‘That they all may be one.’’

(John 17:21a).

President Buhari, who has fond memories of his interactions with CAN leadership, valued the counsel and spiritual contributions of Christian leaders to nation building by encouraging, advising,

strengthening, correcting and criticising those in authority.

The President prayed that the tenure of Archbishop Okoh, in this new phase of ministry, will be marked with success, urging the blocs that make up CAN to kindly give the cleric every needed support to excel.

He also wished the outgoing President, Rev. Dr. Olasupo Ayokunle, best wishes in his spiritual and secular endeavours.

Suspected Yahoo Boy Kills, Buries Girlfriend inside His Room in Bayelsa Olusegun Samuel Hell was almost let loose yesterday when the lifeless body of a young girl was discovered in a hurriedly dug shallow grave in a room apartment of his boyfriend in the Okaka area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Residents of the area who discovered the body buried by a suspected Yahoo boy later ap-

prehended him and almost beat him to death before police came for his rescue and subsequently arrested him.

Many of the residents who trooped out in large numbers expressed anger and anguish over the development, just as a vehicular movement along the busy Okaka road was at standstill for over two hours as people rushed to catch a glimpse of the

girl as she was being dug out of the shallow grave by police.

The deceased was said to have been missing for days and the boy friend identified as Joseph deniedknowledgeofherwhereabouts.

The family of the lady reportedly confronted him yesterday morning and demanded he must provideher dead or alive.

After much pressure, he admitted that he killed her and buried the

body in a shallow grave dug in his bedroom. The suspect was beaten by the community and later handed over to the police from Ekeki Police Station.

Confirming the sad incident, the spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, said the culprit has been arrested and cooling off his heels at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

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NEWS Gov Sanwo-Olu Commends Runsewe’s Patriotism in Promoting Unity through Arts, Culture

TALKING CULTURE… L-R: Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, when the NCAC boss led a delegation of select members of the Technical Committee of NAFEST on national dialogue to Governor Sanwo-Olu...yesterday

Emirates Cuts Flight to Lagos Due to $85m Trapped Revenue Chinedu Eze

action, to mitigate the continued losses it is is experiencing as a Middle East mega car- result of funds being blocked rier, Emirates Airlines has LQ 1LJHULD The airline made this known announced that it would UHGXFH LWV ÁLJKWV WR 1LJHULD LQ D OHWWHU LW ZURWH WR WKH 1Lfrom August 15 2022 due gerian Minister of Aviation, to its failure to repatriate its Senator Hadi Sitika, dated July revenue earned from ticket 22 2020 and signed by Sheik Majid Al Mualla, the DSVP VDOHV LQ 1LJHULD The airline said it would be ,QWHUQDWLRQDO $ͿDLUV The letter explained that as IRUFHG WR UHGXFH ÁLJKW IURP Dubai to Lagos from 11 times of July 2022, Emirates had $85 per week to seven times per million of funds awaiting repaweek, saying that it does not triation due to non-availability have any choice but to take this RI GROODUV LQ 1LJHULD DQG WKLV

ÀJXUH KDV EHHQ ULVLQJ E\ PRUH than $10 million every month, as the ongoing operational costs RI WKH DLUOLQH·V ZHHNO\ ÁLJKWV WR /DJRV DQG ÀYH WR $EXMD FRQWLQXH WR DFFXPXODWH The mega carrier said the funds “are urgently needed to meet our operational costs and maintain the commercial viability of our services to 1LJHULD µ It adds: “We simply cannot continue to operate at the current level in the face of mounting losses, especially in

the challenging post COVID-19 FOLPDWH (PLUDWHV GLG WU\ WR stem the losses by proposing WR SD\ IRU IXHO LQ 1LJHULD LQ naira, which would have at least reduced one element of our on-going costs, however this request was denied by WKH VXSSOLHU 7KLV PHDQV WKDW not only are Emirates’ revenues accumulating, we also have to VHQG KDUG FXUUHQF\ LQWR 1LJHULD WR VXVWDLQ RXU RZQ RSHUDWLRQV Meanwhile, our revenues are out of reach and not even HDUQLQJ FUHGLW LQWHUHVW µ

The Lagos State Governor, 0U %DEDMLGH 6DQZR 2OX \HVterday commended the Director *HQHUDO 1DWLRQDO &RXQFLO IRU $UWV DQG &XOWXUH 1&$& 2WXQED 6HJXQ 5XQVHZH for his dogged patriotism in SURPRWLQJ 1LJHULD·V XQLW\ and cohesion through arts DQG FXOWXUH Governor Sanwo-Olu, who gave the commendation when KH UHFHLYHG 5XQVHZH DQG VHOHFW members of the Technical ComPLWWHH RQ 1DWLRQDO )HVWLYDO RI $UWV DQG &XOWXUH 1$)(67 in Lagos, insisted that Lagos State will bring a new vista WR KRVWLQJ RI 1$)(67 DOVR known as Unity Festival in 1RYHPEHU QRWLQJ WKDW WKH XQLW\ RI 1LJHULD VKRXOG EH SDUDPRXQW LQ WKH HͿRUW RI using culture as a vehicle of promoting national unity and FRKHVLRQ The governor, who was KLJKO\ HODWHG DW 5XQVHZH·V SURPRWLRQ RI 1LJHULD LQGLJenous fashion especially in full revelation of the beauty of South-south dress pattern, SUDLVHG WKH 1&$& ERVV IRU DOZD\V SXWWLQJ 1LJHULD ÀUVW LQ his manner of speech, public conduct, dress sense and above all consistent call for the best of 1LJHULDQ FXOWXUH DQG WUDGLWLRQ Earlier in his address, 5XQVHZH GLVFORVHG WKDW WKH 7HFKQLFDO &RPPLWWHH IRU 1$)EST 2022 was in Lagos to put ÀQLVKLQJ WRXFKHV WR SUHSDUDWLRQ on the iconic cultural event, appreciating the governor for

hosting the technical committee and making all participants IHHO DW KRPH LQ /DJRV He assured Governor Sanwo2OX WKDW 1&$& ZLOO QRW IDLO in the mission to use culture DQG DUWV WR EULQJ 1LJHULDQV together, vocalise the advocacy for love and temperance among 1LJHULDQV DQG EULQJ DOO VKDGHV RI RSLQLRQ LQ 1LJHULD WR ORYH DQG UHVSHFW HDFK RWKHU 0HDQZKLOH WKH 1DWLRQDO Technical Committee of the WK HGLWLRQ RI WKH 1DWLRQDO Festival of Arts and Culture 1$)(67 GXULQJ LWV PHHWLQJ in Lagos held between Monday 25th and Friday 29th July, 2022, MRLQWO\ KRVWHG E\ WKH 1DWLRQDO Council for Arts and Culture 1&$& DQG WKH /DJRV 6WDWH Government, agreed that culture has remained the CJOXHC WKDW KDV KHOG 1LJHULD together despite widening gap of distrust between WKH GLͿHUHQW HWKQLF JURXSV and tribes that make up the FRXQWU\ A communiqué after the meeting which was attended by state Commissioners of Arts and Culture, Chief Executives of Culture, Permanent Secretaries in the states Ministries of Culture, VWDWHV 'LUHFWRUV DQG VWDͿ RI 1DWLRQDO &RXQFLO IRU $UWV DQG Culture as well as other key stakeholders from 25 states and Federal Capital Territory said culture is an important tool that has continued to drive peaceful FRKDELWDWLRQ LQ 1LJHULD

FX Scarcity: EFCC Storms Bureaux de Change Operators in Abuja Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

We Need Inter-Religious Dialogue to Prevent War, Says CAN President, Okoh

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Ayokunle, during a ceremony at the Christian Ecumenical 1HZO\ HOHFWHG 3UHVLGHQW Centre in Abuja, yesterday, of the Christian Association said that he believed in RI 1LJHULD &$1 0RVW 5HY GLDORJXH DQG WKDW 1LJHULDQV Daniel Okoh, has said he and have to adopt dialogue to the new team will explore UHVROYH LVVXHV “I will use my experience more avenues of dialogue with their Muslim counterparts to as someone who has been in resolve contending issues so &$1 IRU WKH SDVW \HDUV DV WR DYHUW ORRPLQJ FRQÁLFW I committed to ensuring Okoh, who spoke in an religious dialogue with the interview shortly after he 0XVOLPV :H QHHG GLDORJXH took over the mantle of QRZ LQ RUGHU WR DYRLG ZDU leadership from the former Let us talk now so that we &$1 3UHVLGHQW 5HY 6DPVRQ FDQ DFWXDOO\ DYRLG ZDU :H

don’t have a choice, we have to keep talking even in the midst of all the confusion, we will continue to dialogue to increase the mutual understanding we have for one DQRWKHU DQG 1LJHULD ZLOO EH PXFK EHWWHU µ KH VDLG On insecurity and the current public apprehension over safety of lives amongst residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Okoh said the association still trusts the capacity of the security DJHQFLHV WR DUUHVW WKH VLWXDWLRQ

Okoh, who spoke to journalists at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, said the high level of insecurity was a source RI PDMRU FRQFHUQ WR 1LJHULDQV “The high level of insecurity in the country is a source of concern, but as Christians ZH UHPDLQ FRQÀGHQW WKDW ZH have the presence of God who UXOHV LQ WKH DͿDLUV RI PHQ :H believe that God will prosper WKH HͿRUWV RI JHQXLQH R΀FHUV who are working day and night to ensure that there is SHDFH LQ 1LJHULD

Tambuwal Mourns as Terrorists Kill 28 Persons in Sokoto Village Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

anonymity last night, said WKH WHUURULVWV FDPH LQ ODUJH numbers on motorcycles 1R IHZHU WKDQ SHUVRQV and carried sophisticated have been killed following ZHDSRQV Sources in the village an attack by terrorists on Duma village in Tureta Local said over 20 of the victims Government Area of Sokoto died attempting to escape the attack by diving into a 6WDWH Locals said the bandits river where most of them attacked the village as early drowned because they could as 8:00 AM on Wednesday QRW VZLP The villagers said large and stayed till 7:00 Pm terrorising them and rustling herds of cattle were rustled and some community OLYHVWRFN Another source, who members were forced to spoke on condition of lead the livestock out of

WKH WRZQ Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal has led a team of security personnel and other government functionaries on a condolence YLVLW WR WKH YLOODJH The governor observed the juma’at prayers where special prayers were held for the repose of the souls RI WKH YLFWLPV They said some of the youth the bandits forced to lead the livestock out of the town are still with the terrorists who are demanding

that they be given premium motor spirit (petrol) in large quantities before the youth ZLOO EH UHOHDVHG Tureta is one the local government areas in Sokoto WKDW KDV VXͿHUHG D VHULHV of attacks with a number of travellers abducted and VRPH ORVW WKHLU OLYHV The police public relations R΀FHU LQ WKH VWDWH 'HSXW\ Superintendent of Police '63 6DQXVL $EXEDNDU FRXOG QRW EH UHDFKHG WR FRQÀUP the incident, at the time of ÀOLQJ WKLV UHSRUW

Zone 4, near Sheraton Hotel and 7RZHUV Operatives of the Economic The anti-graft agency is and Financial Crimes Commis- believed to be working on sion, (EFCC), yesterday stormed intelligence that some forces with Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, home to PDVVLYH 1DLUD LQÁRZ PRELOLVHG most bureau de change operators resources and are busy buying in the Federal Capital Territory, up available foreign currencies in what a source said was a especially the United States dollar covert operation to dislodge to either hoard or smuggle the currency speculators who are VDPH RXW RI 1LJHULD alleged to be massively mopping Some operatives of the ComXS DYDLODEOH IRUHLJQ FXUUHQFLHV mission have also been spotted THISDAY gathered that the at major airports in the country raid is a product of weeks of in what a source said was a surveillance in which agents coordinated nationwide operation of the EFCC monitored the that would be extended to all activities of most of the Bureau the major commercial cities such de change operators in the Wuse, .DQR /DJRV DQG 3RUW +DUFRXUW

Stakeholders Demand Final Harmonisation of Devt Plans in Niger Delta Ndubuisi Francis and Deji Elumoye in Abuja Stakeholders have called for WKH ÀQDO KDUPRQLVDWLRQ RI DOO WKH GHYHORSPHQW SODQV LQ WKH 1LJHU Delta region, and the need to secure the concurrence of states and other development partners IRU HͿHFWLYH LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ This came as the Minister RI 1LJHU 'HOWD $ͿDLUV 8PDQD Okon Umana, described the issue of unpaid contractors of WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD 'HYHORSPHQW &RPPLVVLRQ 1''& DV ¶YHU\ PHVV\ · Such development plans

LQFOXGH WKH 1LJHU 'HOWD $FWLRQ 3ODQ 1LJHU 'HOWD 5HJLRQDO Development Master Plan 1'5'03 DQG ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 2LO &RPSDQLHV· ,2&V SODQV In a communique issued at the end of a two-day top management retreat organised E\ WKH 0LQLVWU\ RI 1LJHU 'HOWD $ͿDLUV 01'$ DQG WKH 1LJHU Delta Development CommisVLRQ 1''& WKH VWDNHKROGHUV also called for the setting up of a framework for partnership with states and other stakeholders for joint need assessment, prioritisation and SURMHFW PRQLWRULQJ

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INSIGHT

Waiting for the Ministry of Education...

AYO AJAYI

Lessons from the Philippines

F

erdinand Marcos Sr. was the President of the Republic of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986.

During his reign, he was reputed to be a kleptomaniac, as it is estimated that he embezzled about 10 Billion US Dollars of the country’s funds. Marcos Sr. is also described as a dictator, as during his reign more than 60,000 people were detained arbitrarily, another 30,000 tortured and an estimated 3,000 killed. His wife Imelda Marcos also held lucrative government positions, for instance, she was the Minister of Human Settlements and Ecology from 1979 to 1986. President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was forced to flee the country in 1986, as a result of the rising unpopularity of his government because of corruption and economic stagnation, and he was discredited by both domestic and the international community when he claimed victory in an election that was marred with fraud. He was given asylum in Hawaii, USA; he remained there until his death in 1989.

More than three decades later, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the disgraced dictator won the presidential election in the Philippines by a landslide victory. This victory was not achieved overnight, as after the death of his father, the family returned to the Philippines, and he has been in public service for more than 25 years, where he first served as a Congress man in 1992 to 1995. As a Congress man, his most notable achievement was the championing of a law creating the Philippines Youth Commission. He also played a major role in advancing the cause of cooperatives, in this respect, he allocated most of his Countryside Development Fund (CDF) to organizing cooperatives of teachers and farmers in his constituency.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was also elected as a Governor of his Province (Ilocos Norte) which he served for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2007. He is credited with transforming the Province into one of the best in the country, as he turned it into a hub of wind power technology, which it currently not only serves as an alternative source of energy in the Province, but also the northern part of the country as well. In 2007, he again returned to Congress and in 2010 moved to the Senate, in 2016, he unsuccessfully ran for the seat of the Vice President. However, in 2022, despite being the son of a reviled dictator, he has clinched the Presidency, and appeared to have done so relying on his good track record of public service.

Are there lessons for Nigerians to learn from the ascension of “Bongbong” into the Presidency of the

Philippines? Indeed, there are. First of all, we should choose our leaders based on their capacity to govern, as in the case of the Philippines, despite the atrocities committed by the father of the current President, he was able to distinguish himself, and showed evidence of being able to deliver. While in our case, most candidates are elected on the basis of their huge financial war chest or where they come from, hence most times once in office they are mostly concerned with what they can gain and not what they can deliver to the people. Also, voting in candidates on party lines has contributed to our woes, for instance, in 2015, in some states, especially the far North, the candidates of the APC were voted into office without consideration if they had the competence or experience to hold office.

The rest as they say is now history.

As we march towards the 2023 general elections, there is the need for people to shine their eyes, let us vote in people with proven track records, we need to be party blind and be selective. Let’s vote in competent people for a better Nigeria.

Aliyu Ibrahim, Ph.D, aliyudanmusa@gmail.com

Between Reporting and Propagating Terror Continued from page 12

The German guidelines are unequivocal about not giving airtime to criminals involved in ongoing criminal activities and for very good reason. The BBC’s editorial guidelines are waterier, perhaps explaining why the BBC Africa Eye team is able to be cavalier about such a critical issue. But even these guidelines say “any proposal to approach an organisation (or an individual member of an organisation) designated a ‘terrorist group’ by the Home Secretary under the Terrorism Acts, and any proposal to approach individuals or organisations responsible for acts of terror, to participate in our output must be referred in advance to Director Editorial Policy and Standard and also any proposal to broadcast content made by perpetrators of a hijacking, kidnapping, hostage-taking or siege must be referred to a senior editorial figure.’’

The questions to answer therefore include: did senior people in London at the BBC fully understand that they were authorising the recording of terrorists who are still active and who between them have been responsible for the abduction, rape and killings of thousands of people including school children?

There are other questions. When homeland terrorists committed the inconceivable crime of hacking British soldier Lee Rigby to death in May 2013, would the BBC have considered it in the public interest to interview these terrorists? To compare apples with apples, imagine that hero Rigby’s murderers were never held for their crimes, continued butchering people and collecting seven figure ransoms, would the BBC dare to send reporters to film the murderers gloating about collecting ransom, and then hold Twitter Spaces and bask in views, clicks and likes?

The answer is NO. The BBC would never dare. Why then is the BBC okay to fund, then publicise the glorification of practising murderers still butchering hundreds across Nigeria and the Chad Basin? How did this three-year disregard for African lives come about, and why is this acceptable?

By their own admission, the BBC Africa Eye producers claim their reporting occurred over three years. This is clearly well before the crime T H E SAT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE against the schoolgirls in Jangebe occurred. These DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU bandits and their factions commit cross-border MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO crimes. Therefore, as a matter of urgent national DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU and regional security, other questions which the CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN BBC must answer publicly, in the actual interest MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI of the public include: THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE In all these years it was conducting these ‘investigations’ of terrorists, did the BBC harbour information on potential criminal or or actual crimes they happened and did the BBC withhold T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D this information from the relevant African security EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA authorities?

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, After the particular interviews in which the ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI murderers admit their collection of ransoms, and DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI committing acts of kidnap, did the BBC hand SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH over any of these footages to the authorities, and ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI do so in a timely manner?

CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI Kadaria Ahmed, a former Senior Producer DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO at the BBC in London, is now CEO at TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Radio Now 95.3FM Lagos

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

RingTrue 08054699539

yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com

Yemi

Adebowale

President Buhari is Overdue for Impeachment

A

large number of senators, across party lines, showed a bit of courage last Wednesday by pushing for President Muhammadu Buhari’s impeachment in the face of the appalling security situation of beloved Nigeria. But the coldblooded President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan tactically stalled the motion to give the inept Buhari six weeks to improve the country’s security or face impeachment.

It is appalling that Lawan did not allow the senators to discuss the raging insecurity in the country as agreed during an earlier Executive Session. He knocked it off the day’s Order Paper, preemptively, making it impossible to accommodate the debate on this vital issue at plenary. I was not shocked

by Lawan’s action. This man has never been on the side of traumatised Nigerians. The senators eventually walked out of the red Chamber in protest, chanting “Buhari must Go,” “Lawan Must Go”.

Outside, Philip Aduda led his colleagues to the Senate Press Centre where they declared that Buhari would be shown the way out if he failed to tackle insecurity within the next six months: “We have come here in protest to let Nigerians know that we are with them, that we are worried. We staged a walkout from the chambers to register that the security in Nigeria is out of hand and urgent steps need to be taken so that the issues are addressed immediately.”

Nigeria, in all its years as an independent country, has never had it so bad with security.

The Nigerian state has never been this weak; it can no longer protect its citizens. Leadership has collapsed. Buhari has simply messed up this country. He has been saddled with a job he has no capacity for. Our President repeatedly shows that he is incapable of functioning as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, resulting in the sorry state of Nigeria’s security agencies. The same man, while in opposition, led protests against insecurity during the Jonathan era. Then, he was elected President, and he simply handed over the entire country to insurgents.

Terrorists are roaming freely, maiming and killing. Fulani militias, criminal herders and kidnappers continue to maul Nigerians.

Boko Haram has also become emboldened, expanding territories with intense carnage.

Nigeria is broken. Seven years of the Buhari Presidency have broken this country.

The heartbroken Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah once remarked: “With everything literally broken down, our country has become

The weakest link in this dwindling war against terrorists is the Commander-inChief himself. Buhari is responsible for these unending security glitches, no thanks to his ineptitude and clannishness. Once the Commander-in Chief is prostrate, every other thing will fail. Our gallant soldiers are poorly equipped, poorly motivated, with no stark instruction to take out the terrorists one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy. Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken.

Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, and infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken.

Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken.

Only corruption is alive and well.”

Our President, who promised that he would lead the war against terrorists from the front, has spent the last seven years sleeping. Suddenly, he said he was tired of the job and eager to return to his farm in Daura. Buhari repeatedly shamelessly said this. So, why is Lawan against sending him off with an impeachment?

The weakest link in this dwindling war against terrorists is the Commander-in-Chief himself. Buhari is responsible for these unending security glitches, no thanks to his ineptitude and clannishness. Once the Commander-in Chief is prostrate, every other thing will fail. Our gallant soldiers are poorly equipped, poorly motivated, with no stark instruction to take out the terrorists. In fact, they have been fighting with their second hands hooked to the back. Our president has apparently compromised. I stand to be corrected. A compromised leadership makes it difficult for security agencies to deal with terrorists. This is why those behind most of the gory terror attacks across Nigeria are hardly arrested. This is also why Buhari

is opposed to the use of foreign military contractors.

Virtually, all heads of Nigeria’s military and para-military bodies are headed by Buhari’s kinsmen. These heads of security agencies are not punished for failings. This is another factor responsible for alarming security glitches. For example, seven days after terrorists ambushed troops of the Guards Battalion along Kubwa-Bwari Road in Abuja, killing three of them, nothing visible happened in terms of dealing with the killers. Last Thursday, the defence headquarters released a statement full of deceits that 30 of the terrorists had been killed. Thirty terrorists arrested with just three weapons? They could not provide a single corpse. A forward-looking Commander-in Chief would have given the army chief a deadline to apprehend the terrorists or lose his job. This did not happen.

With Buhari as Commander-in-Chief, weeks after the embarrassing Kuje prison attack, no news yet on apprehending any of the culprits. I doubt if security agents even went after them. An estimated 300 well-armed ISWAP fighters strolled into Abuja unhindered and straight to Kuje to free 64 of their members; yet, heads have not rolled. The scale and the audacity of the attack are startling. How can this happen in a country with a government?

An advance presidential team to Daura, hometown of President Buhari, was attacked

Benin Artifacts and Gov Obaseki’s Mischiefs

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overnor Godwin Obaseki is unrelenting in his silly war against the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, over where to house the stolen Benin artifacts returned from Europe. This is the same Obaseki that supported the palace’s idea of setting up Benin Royal Museum as home for the artifacts in 2018.

Suddenly, Obaseki, evidently for selfish reasons, is now proposing the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA), as home for the artifacts. Haba! What nonsense. This governor has been struggling to convince Edo people that the managers of the proposed EMOWAA (Restoration Trust) is not owned by him.

I agree that there is nothing wrong with the Edo State Government setting up a museum, if indeed, EMOWAA is the state’s government project. However, it cannot be home to the Benin artifacts returned from Europe. These artifacts rightly belong to the Oba of Benin and the entire Benin Kingdom. Or, has Obaseki forgotten that the artifacts were made for the palace by various royal guilds of Benin, and were looted from Oba Ovonranmwen in 1897? The current Oba of Benin, as the custodian of Benin culture, customs, and traditions, remains the owner of these artifacts.

So, they should be returned to the palace and

Obaseki

kept in the proposed Benin Royal Museum.

It was heartwarming seeing the leaders and stakeholders of Coalition of Benin Socio-cultural Organisations, challenging Obaseki’s plot to corner the returned artifacts. This coalition also accused the Edo State governor of disrespecting and undermining the Oba of Benin.

The coalition led by Osazee Amas-Edobor threw a number of posers to Obaseki, which I am

challenging the governor to swiftly respond to.

It states: “If EMOWAA belongs to your Private Venture, Legacy Restoration Trust Ltd with its Office in Lagos, then why are you as our Governor treating it as a Government project using state resources?”

I am happy that the coalition has vowed to collectively fight Obaseki’s move to hijack Oba of Benin’s artifacts.

My dear Obaseki, the most honourable thing to do is to allow the Benin Royal Museum to take custody of these Benin artifacts. I urge you to follow this part of honour and stop your shenanigans over home for the returned artifacts. You must show utmost respect for the Oba and the Kingdom. This idea that you can bamboozle everybody because you are the governor is preposterous. Remember that you are only governor for a fixed period.

The good news is that all returned artifacts, including the legendary Okukor, from Jesus College, Cambridge are still with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM). I urge the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and the DirectorGeneral, NCMM, Professor Abba Isa Tijani, to ensure that returned artifacts are handed over to the Benin Royal Museum, once completed.

by terrorists in Dutsinma, Katsina State.

Nobody is talking about arresting the assailants. These things are really depressing.

In this same Nigeria, with a Commanderin-Chief, terrorists attacked a Kaduna-bound train on March 28, killing eight passengers and abducting 68 others, yet, there were no consequences. The emboldened terrorists have been holding scores of abductees for over four months, while traumatising them. At a point, they openly flogged these hapless Nigerians. Those so far freed, paid about N100 million each.

The former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, was apt when he described President Buhari as an “uncaring” Commander-in-Chief.

He adds: “The tragedy of our current crisis is that President Buhari is neither present nor capable of providing leadership. Even worse, he does not care, in my respectful view. You cannot have, with all profound respect, personnel of the Presidential Guards Brigade being killed in Abuja and the President travelling to Liberia to deliver a lecture on security, are you serious? There is only one element in the job of the President that can never be delegated as long as the President is terrestrial, that is a Commander-in-Chief… when the Commander-in-Chief is as lazy and uncaring as the one that Nigeria has, the country is exactly where it deserves to be.”

I can also vividly recollect that former President Olusegun Obasanjo said expecting Buhari to do anything positive about unending killings is akin to beating a dead horse. So, Buhari must go immediately for this country to end insecurity. This President has nothing to offer Nigerians other than pain.

FG Must Halt Further Sale of Power Assets

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atriots must move to stop the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE) from going on with plans to sell five National Integrated Power Plants - Benin Generation Company Limited, Calabar Generation Company Limited, Geregu Generation Company Limited, Olorunsogo Generation Company Limited and Omotoso Generation Company Limited. I am glad that the House of Representatives’ Committee on Finance has ordered the suspension of the process. But this is not enough. For me, the federal government must end any further sale of this country’s power assets and even map out strategies to recover all the ones already sold.

Nigeria has not profited from the sale of its numerous power assets over the years. The performances of the private guys who took over with 60 per cent ownership have been slipshod, with generation and distribution deteriorating. We find Discos rejecting load, while they go about terrorising consumers with estimated bills and collecting money for services not rendered. They care less about our nation being enveloped in darkness. The most painful aspect of the sale of Nigeria’s power assets is that most of the new owners bought them without any cash of their own. They used largely bank loans.

As a result, while struggling with repayment of the loans, they are unable to inject funds for the development of the companies.

That was why Fidelity Bank recently took over management of the Kano, Benin and Kaduna electricity distribution companies. The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had earlier taken over Ibadan distribution company, while the management and board of Port Harcourt Disco is being restructured by the BPE to forestall the imminent insolvency of the utility.

So, with this development, why is the BPE moving on with plans to sell the five NIPP plants? A big No to further sale of Nigeria’s power assets. Our country remains largely in darkness after previous privatisations. This is the massage we should all hammer into the heads of those running the show in Abuja.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

PERSPECTIVE Mele Kyari: The Strides of an Achiever Mohammed Salihu Danlami

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rom all indication, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Managing Director of the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and now the Group Chief Executive Officer of The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is undeniably a game changer. He is a hard working gentle man with a perfect magical touch, full of versatile knowledge, ideas and experience, which he has used to transform the NNPC from what it was to an exceptional power house in Africa and the world over.

Immediately he assumed office as the 19th GMD of the then NNPC, this focused and visionary leader rolled out what he called TAPE (Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence) a blue print to ensure the continuous success of the NNPC both at home and overseas. Just few years into his stewardship, Kyari has made significant increase to the national crude oil reserves to achieve the 40,000 billion barrel target through focus and commitment. The NNPC GCEO has pushed up exploration work in some basins and drilling of certain oil wells. The drilling of Kolmano River II & III wells, Seismic data collection in the Bida and Sokoto Basins are a few examples.

With the national crude oil reserves on the high side, the nation’s oil production was pursued with one sole aim, which was to boost its production to a target of three million barrels daily, through peaceful negotiations. Similarly, production shortages revolving around oil blocks were dealt with, while sabotage that were decreasing the country’s oil production were accurately managed. With respect to the country’s oil production, Kyari led NNPC LTD to a future investment worth N10bn for the development of the Bonga South-East Field after reaching a peaceful conclusion and agreement of a deep offshore block, OML 118.

The GCEO has led the NNPC LTD to secure a number of alternative funding facilities for the NPDC and some of the Joint Ventures projects to facilitate further development of assets.

These include the N875.75m NPDC OML 65 Alternative Funding and Technical Services package with CMES-OMS Petroleum Development Company and the $3.15bn Alternative Financing Package with Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and other partners for the development of NPDC’s OML 13.

To reduce the burden of petrol importation, Kyari made sure the NNPC LTD keyed into the decade of gas initiative, led by Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, to launch the autogas initiative. Kyari’s foresight led him to investing heavily in the gas sector with a bid to effectively changing the nation’s trajectory to a gas driven economy.

This was done with the signing of NLNG Train 7 project, a future promising project, with the hope of delivering over $20bn in revenue to the government and creation of 50,000 direct and indirectly jobs. With the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Nigeria is now on the verge of being one of the world’s largest gas exporting country all over Africa and Europe.

It is also on record that the Kyari led NNPC LTD saw the successful commencement of the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project with a saving of $300m from the initial amount. The AKK project has the capacity of making available around 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day with expansion of the pipeline systems to double delivery capacity from 1.5BCF/D to over 3.5BCF/D. In order to fully cater for the demands of gas domestically, the GCEO also commissioned the Oredo Integrated Gas Handling Facility (IGHF) and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage and Dispensing Unit, with the ability to deliver over 200 million standard cubic feet of dry gas per day and 330 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) which is equivalent of 16 units of 20 tonnes LPG trucks per day into the domestic market.

Kyari

Similarly, Kyari saw to the Final Investment Decision (FID) of the Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company for the $3.6bn Brass Methanol Plant in Odioma, Bayelsa State. He also spearheaded another investment with the signing of a $260m financing agreement for the Assa-North Ohaji South (ANOH) Gas Project with Seplat, promising about 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day and 1,200 megawatts of electricity to the domestic market. The NNPC Boss also facilitated the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Grant which will assist in the upgrade of 1350MW AbujaIndependentPowerProjecttoWorld Bank Standard for bankability.

Since Nigeria relies heavily on petroleum products importation, proper measures were needed to manage its importation, supply and distribution to get to Nigerians without difficulties where ever they may be within the country, hence Kyari introduced the “Operation White” which has ensured a steady fuel supply. This explains the fastest detection of the root cause of fuel scarcity that hit the country in the early months of this year. It was quickly detected that there were cargoes with high methanol content. Immediately, the menthanol blended petrol cargoes were removed from the market and this was what created the vacuum that led to petrol scarcity.

In response to the scarcity, under the leadership of Kyari, the NNPC LTD imported huge quantity of petrol that bridge the supply gap created and in no time, normalcy was returned and the scarcity disappeared.

The rehabilitation of refineries is another key area where Kyari has performed very well, investing billions for the reviving of the long deteriorating refineries that have been in a state of neglect. The Port

Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri refineries are all marked for rehabilitation. This, he did, to reduce the cost of importing petroleum products for the country and create more jobs for the teeming youths.

The NNPC has also invested in the Dangote Refinery, which is set to produce 650, 000 barrels of crude petroleum daily, making it the largest such refinery in the world. As such, it will meet the country’s demand for 57 million litres of petrol per day, 27 million litres of diesel daily, 11 million litres of kerosene daily and nine million litres of aviation jet per day.

It is instructive to say that this investment is timely and in tune with the new direction and structure of the NNPC as a public limited liability company. Furthermore, this will strengthen the domestic refining capacity and improve petroleum products supply from local refineries. This is one of the six refineries in which the NNPC LTD seeks to invest in line with the vision of improving domestic refining capacity, strengthening petroleum products supply from our local refineries and becoming a net exporter of petroleum products to give the economy a more solid boost.

Kyari also provided an oil reservoir to save the country in-terms of its needs untill things revert back to normal. Under his watch, the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act came to be, after the country has not been able have this legislation for almost two decades despite its importance. The Petroleum Industry Act provides for the transitioning of the NNPC into a fully commercial entity, a Limited Liability Company incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), known as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. Just as the World Bank had advised, Kyari believes that subsidy removal, though a tough decision, will end up helping the government financially and doing more good to the economy, as it will boost investments across the oil and gas sector.

In the area of financial transparency, Kyari had

The GCEO has led the NNPC LTD to secure a number of alternative funding facilities for the NPDC and some of the Joint Ventures projects to facilitate further development of assets. These include the N875.75m NPDC OML 65 Alternative Funding and Technical Services package with CMES-OMS Petroleum Development Company and the $3.15bn Alternative Financing Package with Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and other partners for the development of NPDC’s OML 13

made public the audited financial statements of the NNPC LTD, with the Company recording its first ever profit in its 44 years history.

Subsequently, the management continued with the Publication of the Corporation’s Monthly Financial & Operations Reports (MFOR) in line with his TAPE vision, thus placing the NNPC LTD as the only national oil company that publishes its financial and operations reports monthly globally.

As far as Transparency is concerned, the GCEO spearhead the enlisting of the NNPC LTD with the Global Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative as an EITI Supporting Company which places NNPC LTD in the group of over 65 extractive companies, state owned enterprises that commit to observing transparency and accountability standards defined by EITI. The Kyari’s stewardship also saw the construction and rehabilitation of 21 roads under the FG’s Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.

Provision of jobs and inclusion of relevant stakeholders is another area the GCEO has placed his magical touches, aside recruitment of over a thousand graduate trainees. Indigenous Nigerians were also engaged in carrying out jobs for the NNPC LTD. Still under the able leadership of Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, the NNPC has commenced the construction of a 50-megawatt gas turbine power plant, the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP), expected to generate electricity to the capital city and its environs following the sabotage of the existing facilities by insurgents.

The GCEO’s achievements have reflected in all areas, even outside the oil and gas sector as during the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, he facilitated the sum of N21bn from the oil and gas sector to support the COVID-19 fight.

Under the leadership of Kyari, 26 per cent of the fund was deployed for the provision of logistics and in-patient support equipment such as ambulances, ventilators, isolation centres, etc.

Other notable achievements of the exceptional NNPC GCEO include, implementation of various International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 9, 15 and 16 across NNPC LTD Group to ensure regulatory compliance as well as implementation of the Centralized Invoice Processing System, integration of systems, applications and products to Remitta, SAP Funds management and issued conditions for financial autonomy of NNPC LTD SBU. The GCEO’s administration has also inaugurated the NNPC LTD Delivery Team charged with the responsibility of ensuring the effective performance tracking of top five priorities across the business as well as launching the NNPC LTD Code of Conduct and Tip Portal.

Also, Kyari launched the Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimization Programme (NUCOP) to drive down the cost of crude oil production in the country so as to remain competitive in the global market.

These are some of the achievements of the GMD for the period he has steered the ship of the NNPC LTD. Indeed, the GCEO is the best man for the Job. To his credit, he has received award for the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, the Leadership Newspapers Group Chief Executive Officer of the year award for 2021, Sun Man of the year and CEO of the year at the African Energy Awards.

A winner of the Prestigious African Leadership Magazine’s 2020, Special African Business Leadership Award and a recipient of Honorary Doctorate Degree of Engineering. Kyari is surely not the first GMD of the NNPC, but he has certainly proven himself to be the best, using his vast wealth of experience to revolutionise the oil and gas sector, showing exemplary, unique and rare leadership style. These qualities fully explains all the efforts, sacrifices, transparency, the GCEO is making to transform the oil and gas sector to a standard that can stand the challenges of this present time.

Indeed, with Kyari, the dream, hope and vision of leading the oil and gas sector in the continent and around the world is not only alive but close to realization.

Mohammed Salihu Danlami is the Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly and writes from kaduna. mohammedsalihu3@gmail.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

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Ferdinand Ekechukwu 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Tems Continues Giant Strides Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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hereismuchhappeningforTems as she gets nominated in the Best Hip-pop category for the 2022Video Music Awards.The award-winning singer made it to the nomination list for her contributions to Future’s his hit single, “Wait For U”. The single is one of the songs on Future’s 9th solo studio album ‘I Never Liked You’ and it features Drake and also samples Tems’ ‘Higher’.

This follows her appearance as a songwriter on Beyoncé‘s “Renaissance” album and her prologue in Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The footage begins sound track by Tems’s No Woman No Cry before transitioning into Alright by Kendrick Lamar. It is another win for Tems. She featured on the soundtrack for Black Panther 2 trailer.

Sharing the trailer on his Twitter page, Tems’ manager, Muyiwa Awoniyi, wrote, “Grateful to theamazingpeopleat@MarvelStudios.Biglove to the legend Ryan Coogler. It’s @temsbaby on the official Black Panther 2 trailer. My father in heaven. Thank you once again. Rest in peace @chadwickboseman”.

Listing the singer’s current wins, a fan, @ eyavicente, tweeted, “In one year, Tems went to have a collaborate with Future and Drake, won best international act (BET Awards), has a featuring on Beyonce’s upcoming album and now Tems covers Bob Marley ‘No Woman No Cry’ for the official trailer of Marvel’s ‘Wakanda

Tems

Forever’”.

This surprise was revealed when Marvel released the trailer for Wakanda Forever on Sunday 24th July 2022. The soundtrack album for the first installment of Black Panther was curated by Kendrick Lamar and it featured artists

such as The Weeknd, SZA, Travis Scott, Future, Khalid, School Boy Q, Jorja Smith, Swalee, and James Blake, amongst others.

The choice of Tems is perhaps aimed at correcting this and giving the movie more African representation. Why Tems? Tems is currently one of the hottest Nigerian and African artistes internationally.

She also made her solo debut on Billboard Hot 100 chart with her 2020 song, “Free Mind” off her For Broken Ears EP. “Free Mind” made it to the chart last Monday, a day after Tems featured on the soundtrack of the trailer for Marvel’s Black Panther sequel, “Wakanda Forever”. Tems had debuted earlier on the Hot 100 last October, with her feature on “Essence” remix.

When on Tuesday, 26th July 2022, Barack Obama released his annual summer playlist for the year, Tems was on the list that also has Pheelz’s ‘Finesse’; Burna Boy’s ‘Last Last’ and Tems’ ‘Vibe Out’. This is not the first time Afrobeats acts will be featured on the famous summer playlist of the 44th United States president. In 2019, Rema’s ‘Iron Man’ made the playlist while in 2020, Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ also made the list.

The former U.S. president released his annual summer music playlist on his social media handles with a caption explaining how happy he is to share his favourite summer songs. He tweeted: ‘‘Every year, I get excited to share my summer playlist because I learn about so many new artists from your replies—it’s an example of how music really can bring us all together’’.

LR: Emeka Ossai, Theophilus Akatugba, Anita Agarry-Oke, Amina Mohammed, Jibe Ologeh (President), Adeniji Omirin, Stephen Alayande T., Longe Omolaja and Chinedu Ugwu...all members of EMCOAN

EMCOAN Launches Exhibition and Awards Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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he Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) in collaboration with Broadcast Media Africa (BMA) has announced the Nigeria Electronic Media Content Exhibition and Awards (NEMCEA) event for the electronic media content and film industry scheduled to hold in Lagos from August 29 to August 31.

The 3 in 1 NEMCEA event will witness three main components; exhibitions/content market, conferences, and awards which registration for participants is open via www.nemcea. net. According to the President of EMCOAN, Mrs. Jibe Ologeh, NEMCEA event is open to all broadcast content producers and other stakeholders across media, in television, radio, online, and movie, etc.

She further stated that exhibitors as well as content aggregators from across Africa,

Europe and America are expected to attend this novel event. NEMCEA is a very important and strategic media content event which will hold annually to bring global stakeholders in the media industry within and outside Nigeria together to buy, sell, collaborate, aggregate, exchange ideas around content and also bring to fore issues and perspectives bordering on the media industry in Nigeria in particular and across Africa as a whole.

The 3-day event expected to be flagged off by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu, would put the Nigeria Media industry in her rightful place amongst the comity of media stakeholders globally. Keynote address for the opening ceremony will be delivered by the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Senator. Ovie Omo-Agege.

Nigeria, one of the biggest electronic media content markets in Africa, has

no content market to cater for its big and ever-growing electronic media content and film industry; this is the vacuum NEMCEA is here to fill, so says the organisers.

On the need for the event, the Event Director, Mr. Theophilus Akatugba, stated: “In a country with over 150 public and private television channels and more than 350 independent television media content and film production companies, the presence of global and local content streaming platforms like Netflix, Showmax, IrokoTV, dvdexcite etc., it is high time we had a very well organised electronics media content and film market to serve as a market place for the trading of media content, film and development of co-production partnerships locally and internationally.”

NEMCEA is expected to have hundreds of delegates attending the market from Africa, Europe, the USA, Latin America, Asia and the 36 states of Nigeria who wish to buy content from Nigeria or distribute their content into Nigeria, Africa and globally.

SHOWBIZFLAIR Sir IB: I Have Flair for Developing Talents Ferdinand Ekechukwu

“M

y fond memory growing up was a Nigeriawherethings worked. There was relative peace and security unlike what we have in the country today”, Ibezim Okehi, stage name Sir IB recalls his days back home over two decades ago before he moved to NewYork.That was about same time his interest in music picked. Growing up in the City of Port Harcourt, his father was an employee of the old Nigerian Railway Corporation and ventured into business after retirement.

Hismotherwasmostlyahousewifebutalso did a little trading. The last of 12 siblings, the Mbieri, Imo State born singer, interestingly, is not alone musically in his family: “My elder brother loves Jazz music and also had a collection of different old school Jazz records like Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis”. For him, music has always been a passion. He gets inspired by good music and uses music as a source of therapy to relax.

He has also recorded a couple of songs both in the United States and in Nigeria which include “Fire in Nigeria”, “Work” and “Africa”.

His brand of music is dancehall and afrobeat.

“I always had an attraction to dancehall and reggae musicians as a young boy growing up and developed the passion to become one as time went on.” These genres of music, he opines, blend with all other genres easily.

“You have dancehall artists around the world, like Bennie Man, Sean Paul, Mavado and others collaborating well with even Rap and R&B artists. This is no different here in Nigeria.”

Sir IB believes he has put in so much work into developing his music as a business and an entertainment product. Hence his dream in the next 5 to 10 years definitely to be the CEO of a major record label in the Nigerian music scene.

In addition, “I also have a flair for finding and developing young talents that will eventually dominate the Nigerian music industry.

This is certainly my plan for the future, moving forward. I am already in the process of setting up a record label and opening a recordingstudio.ThislabeliscalledPackSong Entertainment. We are also going to venture into film production, promotion and general entertainment services as time goes on.”

Reminiscing on the music industry, the businessman cum artiste noted that the Nigerian music industry has evolved over time from when he was growing up. Our music is now globally recognized and accepted.

You couldn’t hear Nigerian music when I moved to the US many years ago but you cannot go a day without hearing our music now. It’s everywhere.

The early Nigerian artist paved the way for the younger generation to take it to the next level and I am proud to come from that early generation of Nigerian artistes.”

He looks forward to working with Tiwa Savage. “I like her work and her growth in the Nigerian music scene since her debut.

She was also based in the United States and has been able make a solid mark in the Nigerian music industry since she returned back home.”

Sir IB

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Olatunbosun Amao Unveils Trailer for ‘Troublous Weekend’ Ferdinand Ekechukwu

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anada-based Nigerian filmmaker, Olatunbosun Amao has unveiled a first-look at ‘Troublous Weekend’, his feature film directorial debut set to launch on a streaming service. The chilling first-look trailer labels the film plot as dark, creepy and edgy, from the stable of Bosun Amao Productions. Shared via his Instagram handle @buzzmanamao, the clip attracted rave comments from folks.

Starring Stan Nze, Anthony Monjaro in the ‘Troublous Weekend’ thriller set on the gripping tale of a weekend getaway,

the movie follows mysterious events that force them to fight for their lives from the enemies within. Shot last December, the upcoming title experimented with key elements of the thriller and horror genres laced with suspense.

The Pol. Science University of Ilorin graduate further explained in a chat with this reporter that “The initial idea of the movie was to have a haunted house but I didn’t want a full horror in the sense of it. Just something that will be a mix of thriller, suspense and horror. So I decided on a story of a young man and his cousin visiting their grandma’s house where the unex-

pected happened”.

With several years of leading highly successful stage productions within and outside Nigeria has seen the filmmaker “turn his passion into magic”.

Amao is co-executive producer of the multiple award-winning feature film ‘Blackmail’ which is currently set for an unprecedented theatrical release in over 100 cinemas in the UK and Nigeria.

In 2021, he released ‘Different Lens’, a short film he wrote, produced and directed. The short film went on to garner multiple accolades including the Jury Award for Best Short in North America at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival.

Olatunbosun Amao

Damo K: I am My Biggest Inspiration Oluwadamilare Christopher Dairo, known professionally as Damo K, is a singer and songwriter. Inspired by the need to motivate his peers, his single “Grind”, featuring Rasaqi NFG & Last Born, gained widespread recognition early in 2022. Few weeks after a successful introduction into the music scene, Zlatan Ibile co-signed Damo K and also gave his blessings with a verse on ‘Grind”. The Afrobeats/Afro-fusion artiste is set to drop his debut EP titled “Kilalala” with the first single off the EP “Cast” ft. Candy Bleakz already streaming. He tells Ferdinand Ekechukwu about his music, family and background

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ho is Damo K? Damo K is a multitalented vocalist and songwriter and is in love with his grind and that’s my music. I am a very straightforward person with no time for sentiment when it comes to how I put food on the table. I’m an outdoor person and that’s how you see the lifestyle.

When did you start making music?

I’ve loved music since I was in primary school. I remember I wrote a song for a girl, my classmate in primary school. I would drum on my desk and sing out loud, and then one day I sang the song I wrote for her and she reported me and that got me in trouble with my principal. I had my first studio recording session in 2012.

The song title was “Lubu Lubu” I remember I was still very young.

Can you take us through your academic and family background?

I went to Tesam Primary School, Chris College and Comprehensive High School both for my JSS & SSS. I’m currently a student of Yaba College of Technology. I am happy to let you know that I’m the first child from a noble and humble Christian home and although I’m not from a rich background, I’m trying to make things straight. My family supports my music all the way and that’s why I put in extra effort to make sure I make them proud. Family is everything for me.

Who are your biggest inspirations?

Musical influences?

Nobody, I am my biggest inspiration. For musical influence, Olamide and Wizkid are the two artistes whose sound I know has influenced mine to a large extent. I can also say the same for Fireboby and Omah Lay. Are there challenges you face as a rising star?

Yes, the constant need to prove myself to have a place as a superstar in the industry and this is a good challenge I need.

When I meet new people they’ll say they like me for my charisma. Most of my friends say the same thing. Some will say they like the way ‘I dey Buga’.

What’s your process? How do you go about creating a song?

I create music with things that happen around me in that particular time but most times, I write my songs then I can call my producer to do a beat for my idea.

Other times, I listen to beats and create something heartfelt in the moment.

My creative process is always the best part since I get to see people’s reaction instantly.

Damo K

What do you feel stands you out from the rest of the current Artistes right now?

I don’t know. I just feel I’m different.

What kind of songs do you do?

I do songs that are relatable to people in situations I have been in. I pass my messages through Afrobeats and a mix of Afro-fusion.

I just feel like creating songs that will inspire and motivate the youth. Goal is to make music that’ll stand the test of time and leave a mark. You know these things.

Your first EP drops this week, tell us

about it and what your experience was making it?

Creating the EP (Extended Play) was due to me having back to back studio sessions. Some sessions I held in my hotel room and some at Dapper Music Studio.

First was the fact that I had to be in the right mindset for the EP to happen. If I am not calm ‘I no go fit create better songs for my people’. So for me, the experience was great, wonderful and I am grateful for the outcome.

Have you got any songs out before the coming EP? Yes, I released “Odo” and “Your Way” in 2021 and “Winner” in early 2022 before I got signed to Dvpper Music.

What do you enjoy the most about being an artist and creative?

I enjoy the fact that everything I’m involved in starts from an idea then it becomes life through process. I believe every artist is gifted with creative insight to see ideas before it happens. It’s beautiful to see your plans turn out to be successful and when it not, we go again and that’s the process.

Yaw Leads ‘My Flatmates’ Cast to Launch Sparadise, Another StarTimes Original

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arcastic, amusing and commotions are the best term to define Sparadise, a new comedy series that mimics the intrigues that happen in a spa.

The sitcom, produced by Steve ‘Yaw’ Onu and another original production by StarTimes, premiered on Thursday in Lagos.

On StarTimes, fans will be treated to the same level of laughter on ‘My Flatmates’ as Sparadise parades some of the original casts and crew on the popular ‘My Flatmates’ series like Buchi, Yaw, Senator, Tomama, and Tony Akposheri, among others. The series is directed John Njamah and Patrick Nkamiang; and written by Steve Yaw Onu, Buchi, Senator and I Go Save, among others.

A cross-section of corporate bigwigs including CashToken’smanagementteam,Nollywoodactors, comedians and the press had a foretaste of the series. The general public will be treated to the

sitcom from August 4, Mondays to Fridays on ST Nollywood Plus Channel on StarTimes as well as the StarTimes-ON mobile app.

Sparadise captures the intrigues and happenings that play out in a spa, from the gossip to all the madness, banters and quarrels that ensue, comically told using notable comedians.

Featuring Buchi, Kunle Remi, Senator, Tony Akposheri, Yaw, Ngozi Nwosu, Ernest Donald, Lolo1, Tomama, Ada Muorah, Bofie Itombra, Dianne Chukwu, Davidsyn Eboigbe, Ese Idia, Eseosa Benard, Godwin Ovy, Imaobong Cletus, Omotunde Adebowale, David Odiaka Onyeka Favour, Onukwube Chukwube, and Roby Ekpo, Speaking at the premiere, the producer of Sparadise, Yaw said, “For the choice of cast, some of the actors were specifically written for the role KunleRemi,NgoziNwosu,thealbinoguy,Expatriate, Buchi, Senator, Lolo. Some of the characters were written for them.

“It’s comedy and whether you like it or not, you

can never have enough of laughter; and with the situation of things in the country, we need more of it. So Sparadise is an educational, interesting, interactive, and real-life situation that you just bring in to bear.

“Don’t forget that 90 per cent of the sitcom that you see on TV is our day-to-day reality.

It is what is happening to everybody. So, this everyday reality is delivered differently using comics,” Yaw said.

Also speaking, Alex Jian, CEO, StarTimes Nigeria said that the entertainment provider is keeping to its words of growing original content locally with a view to giving Nollywood fans something juicier to enjoy at a pocket-friendly price.

Lai Labode, CEO of Cash Token remarked that his business was proud to support the Sparadise project. “It is always important to support projects thatwillimpactthepeople.Thisnecessitateswhile Cash Token, a social enterprise, is supporting StarTimes on this project.”

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

SHOWBIZFLAIR

Tosin Clegg

07062816737 e-mail: tosinclegg@hotmail.com

Theresa Edem

Streaming Platforms Have Benefitted Nollywood Theresa Edem-Isemin is an actress, voice-over artiste, writer, model and filmmaker. Her passion for the performing arts started at a very young age and this found expressions in school dance troupes, drama clubs and in a church’s drama department. In 2012, Theresa decided to follow her passion and pursue acting professionally. She talks to Tosin Clegg about Nollywood, her supporting role in a Netflix block buster and much more Starting professionally y professional career started by attending Royal Arts Academy.

After graduation, I pursued acting full time. My big break came playing Angela on ‘’Tinsel’ for seven months. My career soared to new heights after that, and my first silver screen break came after I played Princess Ama in ‘Ayamma’. And of course, ‘My Village People’ made over N100 million at the box office and I was listed amongst the Top 10 highest grossing actresses of 2021.

Growing up was fun I was very imaginative as a child, and still is.

I grew up in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. As a child, I had so many dreams. I wanted to be a pilot, singer, writer, actor, aeronautic engineer, and s Vet V doctor. I ended up studying Animal Science and Technology at FUTO. I’d like to think e I’m living out some of my childhood dreams.

My greatest asset is my talent and I have God G to thank for that but I think it’s important to t spend time training, even if one possesses raw r talent. Proper training helps actors to harness their talents and therefore, opens h more m opportunities. As they say, luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Also, I’m very o tenacious and committed to self-improvet ment.

What I bring is the ability to become m any a character. I am working on ‘’Killed’, my directorial debut. I also have some amazing d projects coming out this year, including ‘The p Olive Season 2’, ‘Km17’, and ‘Trepidation’. I’m O directing my first film this August, publishing d my m book soon, and acting. I’m always acting.

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Things that give me joy I would love to win all the prestigious awards in Nigeria, Africa, Hollywood, and the world at large. But what I would love the most is to continue to put out works that entertains, educates and brings joy and happiness to my fans. I have too many actors I love and would want to work with. If I start to name all of them, we won’t finish today. Big up to all our iconic and legendary actors.

Theresa Edem

lywood to a wider audience, and in turn, exploded our reach. Take, for instance, ‘My Village People’ just came out on Netflix worldwide and the outcome has been very positive.

First, this is a new source of income for the filmmakers and by extension, everyone involved in the project. Also,

So proud of Nollywood I’m super proud of Nollywood and how far we’ve come. The industry has grown immensely. I have a dream that one day, in the not-so-far future, a purely Nollywood film will win the best picture at the Oscars. Amen! I would also say streaming has opened Nol-

the film is seen across the world, which means our talents and skills are exposed to millions.

This can translate to a lot of good things like more jobs in Nollywood and other parts of the world.

The various streaming platforms allow us to tell our African stories our way and offer us creative freedom.

Dealing with negative feedbacks If the feedback is constructive, I take it as a learning opportunity and see what I can do to improve in that area – and this isn’t only for film but for all areas of my life. If, however, someone is just trolling or being hateful, I sidestep that, lol! That said, in the end, you can’t please everyone. Even Jesus had haters.

If I know I’ve done my best given the circumstances, I can live with that.

Pencil is Set for ‘Pencil Unbroken’ in Abuja Don Crucifixto Spreads Love in Tanzania

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aving hosted a successful show in Lagos, Ace comedian Ogechi Nwanevu Cyril better known as Pencil says all is now set for the Abuja edition of his show come September 17 at Transcorp Hilton.

Those expected to excite guests with rib-cracking jokes are Mr. Funny, Gordons, Lasisi Elenu, Forever, MC Bob, Shortcut, Kenny Blaq and I go Save. Music sensations, Arrya Starr, Asake, Chike and Alternate Sound have assured guests of a night of fun and bliss.

Speaking on the forthcoming show, pencil said, “as a normal tradition, it is important to put smile on the faces of my Abuja supporters. I am bringing a lot of new elements and stage craft for my performances and I believe that it will be a delight to watch.”

Pencil has graced many concerts with his witty quips both in Nigeria and abroad.

His style, which is simplistic and original, has earned him an enviable spot among the elite class of comics.

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Pencil

hemanagementsofDonCrucifixto Entertainment and Life is Us Inc have announced their partnership with TAWI Development to spread love and support humanity in Taznaznia.

Life is Us Inc based in the United States and Don Crucifixto Entertainment are affiliated organisations providing outreach to other nations.

Meanwhile, after a successful outreach in Nigeria, the United States and United Kingdom, and more, the train is heading to Tanzania. While speaking on the recent development, the Don Crucifixto boss, Tumi Oluyole, said, “Life is Us Inc is a universal innovation for reducing child poverty across all areas including health, education etc and consequently Tanzania was chosen.

We will support the Tanzanian people with basic necessities such as food, healthcare and also contribute to other infrastructural projects like good water.”

The two organizations are partnering with TAWI to “empower all special groups such as women, youths, children, people with disabilities, older persons,” said Mr. Naswibu Rweyemamu Idrisa, the TAWI Executive Director.

Don Crucifixto

Binny Boy Announces New Project

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Binny Boy

ince February 14, 2019, when he made a re-entry into the Nigerian and the global music scene with “Odo”, a serenade to a reluctant love interest, Ubin T. Mackson, now known as “Binny Boy” has not slowed down his trajectory.

Riding on the acceptance his music has garnered so far, the Taraba State-born artiste hinted that he is set to release a new project.

Tentatively titled ‘Ma Laide’ or ‘Pop to your Speaker’, the singer stated that the new project

draws from his emotions; pain, joy, sorrow, losses and conscious growth.

“I see my music as a tool for sending messages to people. A message of peace, hope and inspiration.

All of these elements have weighed in strongly in the new project. It is my own contribution to building a better society. As humans, we can never stop trying,” Binny Boy said.

He is currently signed to and co-owns Luminary Vision Records, a label which

has grown to be a beacon for independent artistes who want to take their music to the next level.

In 2021, he released ‘Summer After Lockdown’ a compilation of his thoughts and feelings throughout the lockdown of 2020. So far, his biggest songs are ‘Nonokuno’ and ‘Flavour’ with over 100k views on YouTube.

Binny Boy’s dream has always been to be a musician. A singer, songwriter, audio engineer and business mogul. He started his musical journey at the age of 15 along with his friends.

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SATURDAY JULY 30, 2022 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY JULY 30, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

PEOPLE Ayodele Ogunye

I am Grateful for Turning 80; I Have Achieved Everything I Set Out for in Life Prof. Ayodele Francis Ogunye is a legend whose indelible imprints in academics and oil and gas have continued to resonate for over five decades. Ogunye is a gifted and destiny child who, despite having uneducated parents’, raised in the village yet attained greatness. He completed his secondary at 18, won scholarship to Imperial College, London where he studied engineering and became the first Nigerian in his field to earn PhD in 1970 shortly after the civil war. A committed family man. Ogunye got married early, combining marriage with education and still reached the top as he bagged a PhD at 28 and became Head of Department and a Professor at 37 before retiring at 53. His preference for knowledge and its transfer made him to endow all his gratuities which stood at N120, 000, 000 for research and grants. As he turns 80, Ogunye takes Funke Olaode and Sunday Ehigator down memory lane on his life path

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hat is it like celebrating 80?

I was born on July 31, 1942 in Ajabandele in Ogunye village. I feel great turning 80. And not only that, I have achieved all I wanted in the world. Two, I have set a record in my family, because my father died at the age of 67, while my mother died at the age of 73. And as you have said, considering life expectancy in Nigeria is about 52 years, which means, I have already added 50 per cent of life expectancy to my age. What else do I want? The only thing left for me in this world that I pray for, is for my two last children, Ayodele, who will be 28 in October, for him to get married, but he would do his engagement during my 80th birthday. After that, I look forward to the marriage of the younger sister, who just completed her National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). Once they get married and I see my grandchildren from them, I now believe that I am fulfilled in life.

You said you had achieved all in life. What were those things you wanted to achieve while navigating through life? And at what stage did you nurse the ambition to study Chemical Engineering?

Well, I wanted to be a professor, I am already one. It was my first year at the university; Imperial College of Science and Technology, the University of London that l made that decision. Those days, only in Imperial College that you have more than a professor in a department. There were six professors of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College in my days; three of them would only give about five lectures during their three years of stay at the university, while the other three were giving regular lectures.

But (Professor KG Dembe), the father of Chemical Reaction Engineering handled the introductory course in Chemical Engineering, and when he comes into the class, a white man in a white robe, a janitor, will follow him and when Dembe has written to the half of the board, the janitor will clean the board. I had to ask myself, why is this person so special?

He was special; he was the contract professor occupying the chair of the professor that was endowed in Imperial College by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). That was how I had the ambition of wanting to be a professor of Chemical Engineering and when I completed my PhD, I had three jobs in the country. The first was the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Lagos, the salary was 1350 pounds; the second was the University of Ife, at the Department of Chemical Technology, which was changed to Chemical Engineering the following year, which gave me a job of a lecturer Grade 2 at a salary of 1575 pounds; thirdly, Shell BP at 2750 pounds.

You had great opportunity to begin your career in oil and gas sector. Why did you prefer academics?

It was a personal decision to embrace academics and accepted the University of Ife offer. I doubt if we have many that will do that because of the salary gap. And this was because the only way I could achieve my ambition of becoming a professor which l had nurtured at the inception of my academic journey was lecture in a university. Luckily, I met a good boss. I still call him boss till today, Prof. Sanni, he was the one that gave me the letter of appointment as a lecturer.

You became a professor at a relatively young age of 36. Was it part of your plans?

Yes in a way. The next of my ambition then was not just to be a professor but a timeline. In those days, the average age of a professorial appointment was 45. After listening to the foremost statistician in this county, Prof Biya Aja, at his inaugural lecture, I promised to work hard to be a professor before I was 40. To God be the glory, I became a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos at the age of 36. So, what else in this world have I not achieved? I have very resourceful children.

Growing up, what were the building blocks that contributed to who you are today?

I was an over-pampered child. My mother was not pregnant for 16 years before I was born. So you can imagine how the woman will treat me. When I was born in the village, I am not ashamed of the village in Ajabandele in Ogunye Village. It was a rural setting where palm leaf was the roofing material. It was when I returned to the country after graduation that I changed the roofing to aluminum.

So you had a privileged beginning?

My mother gave me anything I liked. So in November 1947, I was just five years old when the Anglican Mission wanted to start a primary school in our town, Ijapara in Ijebu-Igbo. They needed to populate the new primary school.

My two uncles, my mother’s immediate juniors, were lay readers in the church. So, the senior one came to the village to inform my mother that I should be one of the foundation pupils of the school. My mother objected. I was told there was a fight between him and his sister, eventually, he had his way and he took me to the town to school on November 10, 1947. The other pupils with me in the class were ten years and above my senior.

My cousins from my uncles were also older than me and it was said that I was always crying.

I was living in my maternal grandfather’s house with my other cousins. My grandfather’s house was in another part of the town too though about a two-minute walk. So my aunty, the wife of my mother’s second junior brother,

Prof Ogunye

would make sure she coached me after school.

But I will run to my father’s house, this woman will come there to pick me up and tell me that I must finish my assignment and lessons before going to play.

Have you always been a gifted child?

Not really. I am a child destined for greatness.

I must say my academic beginning was rough. I was pushed to the next class and in those days, it was class one and two and standard one and two. By the time I got to Standard Two, I had improved; I was no more a bloomer. But we had to go to senior primary school in another town that had the same boundary as Ijapara. We got there and that was where my talent started to show. I was representing my school in the scripture quiz and when we got to Standard Five, the only thing was that I never came first although I was outstanding. There was a man

then, who had very good handwriting. He did not allow me to come first. Luckily when we were in Standard Five, the modern secondary school started and he was not from a rich family. So, he was now transferred to the modern school, which was 35 pounds while Molusi College was charging 60 pounds, which was an elite college.

It was after this man left that I became first.

You won several scholarships. How did it happen?

In those days, Government College education officers often came to our school to interview pupils and they could pick two or one, and sometimes if none qualified, none would be taken. Although this man has left, I had two other competitors who joined Standard Six. They were the children of elites, their father had been a nurse working across the country and the man decided to return home after retirement

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

PEOPLE I Attained the Highest Level in My Profession By Becoming a Professor and these two boys were his children. So when Government College education officers came and they interviewed two of us, within me, I knew I would not be taken, because the spoken English of this Osinubi boy was outstanding. You will think he was born in England.

Finally, I was not taken, it was one of the Osinubi that got admitted to Government College Ibadan.

So, I decided to write a common entrance examination to two secondary schools in Ijebu; Ijebu Ode Grammar School and Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo. I passed the common entrance for Ijebu-ode Grammar school and was number one on the list of people invited for the interview.

When I got to the interview panel, the panel was headed by the principal, one Ghanaian, Mr. Nicholas and the Vice -principal NB Osisanya.

Immediately I got in and standing in front of them, Mr. Osisanya asked what my relationship with Mr. Ogunye of Bola Street is and I said he is my uncle. I lied; I have never met Mr. Ogunye before.

Reacting to my response, they looked at each other’s faces and maybe because I came first, I was asked to go, and that was how I left. and I was admitted to Ijebu-ode Grammar School.

Then Molusi College is in ijebu-Igbo, and ijebuode Grammar School has no science laboratory but the first principal of Molusi College, late Professor Awokoya, made sure that we had a well-equipped laboratory. The fact that there are subjects not being taught in Ijebu-ode at Molusi spurred me to go to Molusi College. And at Molusi College, I was loved by my teachers.

The junior teachers’ hostel was where you will find me when my other classmates will be doing the school chores. So, I had a good time at Molusi College and that is the reason I am so much involved in Molusi College affairs.

As I said, my father was rich. He provided my needs. When I was going to college in January, he would count the school fees and place them on my palms. You can also see a trusting father and he never paid my school fees twice. Unfortunately, a very bad incident happened in the late 40s.

My father had planned to send me overseas to study. This was even before I started primary school because out of the children born by my big aunty, the children were dying until I was born.

You experienced a lot of setbacks before you attained greatness. You lost your father along the way. What has been your staying power?

It is power of vision, being focused and commitment. My father’s desire was to send me abroad to study. So, he was saving up to achieve that goal. When I had just started in Form 1, the total money he kept in the arctic was 1200 pounds but one of our relations stole all his savings.

All my cousins live in a very big compound with everybody having his room. So my father went to his village. By the time he returned, he wanted to add more money to the ones at the arctic, that was the bank in those days, he did not see a kobo of the money he had kept.

There was a suspect and he was invited because they knew he was pilfering and was told to return the money but he refused. This man (the suspect) later became the neatest person in Ijebu-Igbo, and he was a Washerman. Whenever you give him clothes from Dolphin Estate, he would wear them to Parkview. Probably out of the money he stole from baba, he went to have a relationship with another man’s wife in another town. They killed him and kept his corpse at a T-junction.

When the news got to our quarters, his siblings accused my father of masterminding the act and the district officer arrested my father. For six months he was beaten but when he did not confess to an offence he did not commit, that was when they left him off.

But by then, the brain damage had been done to the extent that when he became very sick in 1958, we had to take him to Dr. Salau’s hospital in Lagos. After about 15 months in the hospital and all the money he had been saving had been depleted, he asked that we take him back to Ijebu-Igbo. We took him back and by October 1959, he died. Before then, three months earlier, he invited me home from school and he prayed for me and all the prayers, God has heard them.

His ambition was for me to travel overseas to study. Despite the fact of his death, it happened.

In Form Five, my mother was able to pay for my school fees easily.

When I passed my HSC, the Ijebu-Igbo Local Council scholarship was available for me. That

Prof Ogunye, wife, and his children

local council had given only a scholarship and it was given to me. That scholarship covered tuition and 75 pounds allowance. Fortunately for me, when I gained admission to Government College, the principal, even though I did not pay my school fees, did not reject me. I have a halfbrother through my mother, which he had before my father married her. He told me to collect the two years fee from my mother for him to plough it into his business, produce buying, and that he would give it back to me by January 1961 when I would be resuming at Government College.

When we resumed, my brother never gave me the money though he was the one that took me to Ibadan, he never gave me the money till today.

So, I was in a dilemma as I could not go back to meet my mother for another school fee. But the principal of Government College never sent us away; we were two in that dilemma.

Miraculously l won the scholarship, the school fees, 42 pounds, the local government paid and 75 pounds was given to me as pocket money and out of that, I paid my friend, Adefunwa’s school fees of 42 pounds and what was left was still big money then and people started to see me in designer wears. And you can see how pleasant my days have been.

We finished the school certificate exam and the next was to travel overseas but at Molusi College, I had a very bad incident. The day we were to write the English Language examination, I abused one of my older classmates, I called him a monkey and he beat the monkey out of me, to the extent that when I got into the examination hall when I was to write A or B, I wrote both A and B questions. When our principal saw me and asked which essay I wrote, I said 7 A and B, he said I have failed.

And that was what happened.

When the school certificate examination result came out, I was given a pardonable failure in English and that pushed me to Grade 2. I am sure nobody else was given a pardonable failure after me, the reason being that I was the best at Molusi College. In those days when your school has just one Grade 1 school certificate examination, you are considered a great school, except in Government College.

But in Molusi College, in my class, 12 were in Grade 1 and if I had Grade 1, we would have been 13 out of the 47 of us that left that year. So, I could not apply for an overseas scholarship.

Luckily, the scholarship I have could take me for my university education. So, I was okay with that.

You got married early joggling education with marital life. How did you cope?

My wife and I started dating when I was in Form 3 and 1963, she wanted to travel overseas and I said if that is the case, I needed to travel overseas myself. I wanted to study Aeronautical Engineering, but my uncle said no that I should look for another course. My senior and mentor, Prof Babajide, a former president of Chemical Engineering was studying

in Medford then and he advised me to study Chemical Engineering. There was no counsellor in the schools in those days, that was how I came back to look at all available information.

How did you get to Imperial College, London?

In Britain then, there were 26 Departments of Chemical Engineering. In those days, if you wrote to England, you were sure to get your reply, at the latest one week. I wrote to all the 26 departments of Chemical Engineering. The first 25 said admission had closed and the only one that sent me a form was Imperial College.

Immediately, I ran to Ibadan to fill it and asked my chemistry master, who if you had a block or stone head you would get credit to write the recommendation letter. He loved me and had been my teacher at Molusi College before moving to Government College.

When I got to Government College, he had already announced it to everybody. So I went to meet him for my recommendation letter to Imperial College and I went to drop it off at the Post Office. And within a week, Imperial College replied that the condition of my admission was that I must have a minimum of two distinctions and a B. But when the result of the GCE A level came, I had four distinctions so it was easy for Imperial College to admit me.

When I was admitted, the last hurdle was that I must have a Federal Government scholarship, because in those days the total number of Nigerians at Imperial College was about 15, who were either on Federal Government scholarship or shell scholarship. So, I applied for the FG scholarship and in those days there was still merit. We were graded on the number of As produced at HSC or GCE A level and school certificate examination.

I did the selection examination and l scored 22 points. So I was very confident that I would get a scholarship. Eventually, that year, four of us were awarded a FG scholarship to study chemical engineering and I was on top of the list. That was how I travelled to Imperial College, England. That has been my early years, I never suffered and that is the reason I did not allow my children to suffer. None will say he or she suffered.

What was the transition like for you, moving from academics to the industry?

It was never my wish to leave academia, it was never my wish. I was a political element at the University of Lagos. And it started from Ife, I served as Assistant Secretary to the then Union of Universities Teachers, and I learnt how to campaign to win from Ife. So, when I got to the University of Lagos when a new department was to be started in August 1973, four of us were to start the new department, a foreign Professor myself, a senior lecturer and two lecturers Grade 1. Along the line I got involved in campus politics or academic politics and I had to leave. I have no regrets because I made a mark in the academic community.

Would you say you have achieved all your life aspirations?

Absolutely. I have no regret. I attained the highest in my profession by becoming a professor.

I have resourceful children who responded to training. While climbing the ladder, my Magodo house was built within eight months and I bought a brand new Mercedes car. Would I have done that if I was in university? To build a house, buy a new car and plan my son’s wedding all at the same time without borrowing a kobo. My children were angry initially when I left the university, but when they started to enjoy the plum of a businessman, they changed their minds. I still kept my faith in the university, mostly UNILAG because the platform made me what I am today.

It was that opportunity that I was given when I was 31 years that made me popular in engineering throughout Nigeria and the world. And to show my appreciation to UNILAG, when I retired, my gratuity and pension till today have been ploughed into the Professor Ayo Francis Ogunye Trust Fund, professor of chemical engineering endowment. The endowment has about N120m today, which gives prizes, scholarships and research grants to eligible candidates every year. Part of the programme on the day of the book presentation was the endowment of prizes and research grants.

There are beliefs that Nigeria’s progress has been retarding because the gown is not providing the lead, do you agree?

It is not the fault of the gown, our government does not believe in the university system to turn around the country. In 1978, we were in a better position than China. Look at the history. What did China do, let us do the same in Nigeria? China closed their doors to importation and challenged its engineers. You must produce this and that.

Academics in China are the backbone of the progress in China. When I was the president of the academy, my last address to this nation was on that. Let them give us the challenge but until we have a president that will believe in such things, Nigeria will never make progress.

We have an academy of science, engineering pharmacy and many others. The government should call on them and let us close our doors to importation. You will see how this country will be transformed. So, it is not the fault of the gown but that of the town. We have first-class brains and you can never have better brains than we have in Nigeria.

How will you describe yourself outside academics?

Prof. Ogunye is a family man who loves his profession. He is a very humble person. I would like to be remembered as a professor of Chemical Engineering that singlehandedly established the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos. I want to be remembered as a humane person, I do not hold a grudge, I will shout at you but in the next seconds, I have forgotten. I am also a community man.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

24

POLITY

Ogun Harnessing Transportation Infrastructure with Lagos Several transportation Infrastructure jointly initiated by Ogun and Lagos states, will ease commuting between the people of the two states, writes JAMES SOWOLE

T

he world over, the importance of transportation infrastructure be it rail, air, water and road in an economy, cannot be over emphasised. And one of the yardsticks being used in measuring development of any government, is this infrastructure of moving people and goods from one place to another. When one enters any city, the transportation facilities, that leads to that city, is the first attraction, before assessing any other infrastructural facilities like water, electricity, housing and other amenities. For this reason, any serious government always pay attention to the development of this critical transportation infrastructure.

For Prince Dapo Abiodun Administration in Ogun State, a lot of attention is being paid to the transportation sector as the administration, in the last three years, had initiated and executed policies in the sector. In the area of road transport sector, the administration, had either reconstructed or constructed several kilometres of road in the three Senatorial districts of the state. While some of these roads, are what can be described as feeder roads within urban centres, others are roads that lead to industrial area of Agbara in Ogun West Senatorial District, those that lead to major towns and some that linked the state with neighbouring states, particularly, Lagos State.

With the development of transportation infrastructure, the bond between Ogun and Lagos states, was being strengthened for mutual benefits of the two states. In pursuance of the need to take advantage of the state’s proximity to Lagos, which is the largest economy in the country, the Dapo Abiodun’s Administration has completed the 14km Ijebu- Ode -Epe Expressway. Similarly, the administration, completed the reconstruction of the 42km Abeokuta-Sagamu Interchange, to fastrack commuting from the Ogun State capital to Lagos.

These two roads, were part of the projects, inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari, during his official visit to the state on January 13 ,2022.

In the same vein and barring any change due the unforseen circumstances, the Ogun State Cargo International Airport located at Ilisan Remo may be ready for flight take-off and landing by the end of 2022. The Commissioner for Works, Ade Akinsanya, who dropped the hint while conducting journalists on inspection of works at the airport under construction, said the runway, would be completed by the end of July 2022.

According to the commissioner, the size of the airport runway is 4 kilometers which makes it longer than the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos declaring that the works on the runway had reached 90 percent completion. Akinsanya said the airport when completed and inaugurated, fall into Category E Class status which will make it accessible to aircraft as big as B777 and Airbus 350 for landing easily.

The project when completed, according to the government, would lead to diversion of some cargo from Lagos Airport and would ease the movement of such cargo to hinterlands just as export of agricultural products, would be made possible and eased The completion of the Cargo Airport, would also lead to springing up of many industries in the area.

Expectedly when industries spring up, this will definitely increase the Internally Generated Revenue of the state as companies and workers that will be engaged in these industries, will pay their taxes to the state as it will be economically wise for them to live within the state.

Another very significant and direct project aiming at harnessing benefits of the cooperation between Ogun and Lagos states for mutual economic benefits, is the 31km Redline Rail Project that will connect the two states. Already, the two states, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on the

Sanwo-Olu

Abiodun

project, which would run from Oyingbo in Lagos to Agbado area in Ogun State.

Speaking during the signing of MoU, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Tokunbo Talabi, said the passenger train, would begin operations in the First Quarter of 2023. He added that the development was another achievement from the robust understanding and synergy between the governors of Lagos and Ogun States in taking advantage of their proximity to better their economies and the lives of their citizens.

Talabi noted that significant achievements had been made by the two states through the Lagos/Ogun Joint Commission in the areas of waterways and security, saying “this is yet another testament of more initiatives to be undertaken by the joint commission”.

The SSG said that “the two states have the understanding that what benefits one, benefits the other and what brings convenience to one will mean the same for the other due to their close proximity. Integration of the transport system between the two states is highly probable for the benefits of both states.” While pointing out that the transport system of any nation or state is critical to its civilization, Talabi affirmed that Ogun State is committed to taking advantage of the sector to improve the livelihood of commuters and citizens alike in Ogun and Lagos.

Also speaking after signing the MoU, the Commissioner for Transportation, Lagos State, Dr. Frederick Oladeinde, explained that the redline rail project is 31km, with the first phase of 25km stretch from Oyingbo to Agbado already being constructed and would be completed by the end of 2022 while passenger operations will commence in the first quarter of 2023. Oladeinde added that a train station and depot, was being built in Ogun State, noting that the project will create a lot of employment opportunities and huge investment within the corridor for the states.

Also, the Ogun State Commissioner for Transportation, Gbenga Dairo, hinted that the Ogun Government intends to latch on to the initiative to extend train services beyond

Agbado to other parts of the state such as Ijoko, Kajola among others.

Dairo acknowledged the Lagos State Government’s initiative in investing massively in rail infrastructure, saying “the two states are already taking advantage of the significant investment of the Federal Government through the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) along the Lagos/Ibadan standard guage railway infrastructure to ensure transportation is effective and efficient to serve the economic needs of Lagos and Ogun as the commercial nerve and industrial hub of the nation respectively”.

Determined to address issues concerning a major transportation infrastructure that linked the state with Lagos State, Abiodun threatened that his government would take over the reconstruction of the 52.5km Abeokuta-Sango Ota-Lagos Expressway if the Federal Government failed to fix the road within two weeks.

Abiodun, who spoke after inspecting some bad portions of the road, said the action had become necessary after the state’s government, alongside Lagos state made frantic efforts several times to draw the attention of the Federal Government, through the office of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to the bad shape of the road without any positive response.

The governor who expressed worry over the hardship motorists are being subjected to on the road, declared that his administration, would l not fold its arms and allow its citizenry to continue to suffer due to the negligence of the authority in charge of this road.

While appealing to the people of the state, particularly those living along the road to be patient, the governor said he inspected the road to examine the level of infrastructural development in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts with a view to ascertaining the level of damages done to some of the major roads in the areas so as to fashion out the best way towards their reconstruction.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

BetKing Tackling Unemployment Through Entrepreneurship Simon Fakemi

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igeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world and, according to the World Bank, the country will have one of the largest working-age populations by the end of the decade. However, current employment opportunities are far from catching up with this boom. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Nigeria’s unemployment rate has risen from 27.1% in the second quarter of 2020 to 33%.

Aside from making it the second highest on the global list, the NBS report, going by analysis, shows that more than 60% of Nigeria’s working-age population is younger than 34. This statistic alone tends to produce serious economic consequences such as the high rate of poverty, reduction in national output of goods and services, rural-urban migration increases, an increase in debts, wastage of resources, and promotion of criminal behavior, which leads to social unrest.

So, what is the solution? Only one word comes to mind – entrepreneurship. According to a report by the Global

Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), Nigeria is the foremost country for business and entrepreneurial growth, due to the bone of contention which is unemployment. Many key players in the private sector are creating opportunities every day for the Nigerian grassroots to elevate their standard of living with good sources of income, be it by fixed salary or per gig.

Over time, the companies have had to use creative means of creating entrepreneurial opportunities as a means of fighting unemployment. Take, as an illustration, BetKing, who is not only redefining the face of digital entertainment in Nigeria and Africa at large; but also creating jobs through one of Nigeria’s greatest entertainment platforms and national unifiers – sports.

As a prominent player in the field of sports betting, BetKing views sports as a unique blend of entertainment and opportunities. Not only is the company helping the Nigerian sports industry to thrive with the participation of fans, but they have also made it possible for the youths amongst these fans to see sports betting as not just a game, but a business. BetKing’s vibrant agent network offers interested individuals the unique opportunity of owning their personal business by partnering with the fastest-growing sports betting platform in Nigeria.

In addition to creating the opportunity for thousands of

young Nigerians to be their own boss, recent initiatives undertaken by BetKing have been instrumental in making a solid impact in the lives of their agents. One of these is their recently launched ‘100 BK Shop Giveaway’ initiative in June 2022 where they provided 100 long-standing cashiers and agents with fully furnished shops to help them upscale their businesses. Another is the BetKing partnership with DSTV, to provide new agents free DSTV equipment in addition to a welcome package.

This will greatly reduce the cost of setting up shop for the new BetKing recruits. The free DSTV equipment also came with a one-month subscription to explore any DSTV channel of their choice, which also helped to boost engagement and entertainment.

These initiatives have proven invaluable for the youths in turn, as many have attested to the impact of BetKing. The general consensus of most is the platform’s impact as a reliable source of income with fast payouts, an improved standard of living, and most importantly, a great means of combatting unemployment. With over 20,000 betting shops and an evergrowing network of agents across Nigeria, BetKing is bringing about a positive wave of change in securing gainful employment for many of Nigeria’s youth.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

25

POLITY Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike

Nigeria Tired of PDP, APC; 2023 is for Green Horns Like Me Mazi Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike, stalwart and former presidential aspirant under the APC, surprised many when he quit the party in the run-up to the presidential nomination contests and joined the National Rescue Movement (NRM). On June 2, 2022, he emerged as the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2023 election. In this interview with THISDAY, the Imo State-born politician with business interests in over five countries, speaks on his chances in the contest and how the NRM is resolving its crises Most people who know you, associate you with the ruling APC. Why did you leave the party for the National Rescue Movement?

As you said, I am a founding member of the APC and many people know me and have followed my activities since the party was formed. I founded the APC Grassroots and co-founded the APC Fan Club Worldwide. I believe I contributed in giving the party the strength it enjoys today.

I was the DG for Nyerere Anyim during his governorship campaign in Abia State and was a leading member of Hope Uzodinma governorship campaign in Imo State in 2019.

Why did you leave the APC and what informs the choice of your present party, the NRM? I decided to leave the APC because it became obvious to me that in practice, the ideals on which it is founded are not being implemented. I left the party based on principle.

All what should define a truly progressive party are lacking in the APC and the government it heads and I could no longer identify with it. So, I decided to pursue my political interests in the NRM mainly because the APC has derailed on its founding philosophy and also because the NRM is founded on a lofty ideology.

Some say you left because as a presidential aspirant, you didn’t have the chance of making an impact in the APC? That’s not true. Like I said, I left the APC on principle.

And the fact that the party has derailed from its ideals manifested fully during its presidential primaries in Abuja this year.

Does NRM have the political strength to seriously challenge for the contest against the bigger parties?

If you read the manifesto of the NRM, it is focused on the citizens. Our philosophy puts the Nigerian citizen in the central focus, and this appeals to the larger population, especially the youths and women. Our manifesto will inspire national cohesion, patriotism and growth and our message has mass appeal. We have no doubt that it will propel us to victory.

There’s a controversy surrounding your emergence as the NRM presidential candidate?

There is no controversy whatsoever in my emergence and in my candidature. The NRM primaries which produced me as presidential candidate on June 2, 2022 was one of the most transparent. It was conducted in Abuja; it was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies and televised.

There was a rumour at a time that you have withdrawn from the race and may be replaced by another candidate?

This is just a rumour, totally unfounded. I did not withdraw and I do not intend to withdraw. What has happened is that national Chairmen of the NRM, Mr. Isaac Ude and the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Danbuba, were the ones that started circulating the rumour and were indeed fingered in the nefarious act of trying to illegally substitute me and trade off my presidential ticket. They said they want the ticket to go to someone who has a stronger financial muscle but the party leaders insisted that politics should be about character and pedigree, not always about the highest bidder. Definitely not when someone has clearly emerged and handed the flag of the party. So far, it has led to their indefinite suspension by the National Executive Committee of the party and the police are investigating the alleged act of forgery of my signature. Beyond that callous act, we are moving forward, planning our campaign across the country from September.

What has INEC done on this matter if indeed your purported letter of withdrawal was forged?

I have written a counter letter to INEC, even the chairman of the party’s BOT, Senator Saidu Dansadau has also written affirming my candidature and to be fair to INEC, it has not implemented the forged letter of substitution. We have also written to the police Inspector-General and the Department of State Security. Someone copied or forged my signature and put a letter to INEC saying I have withdrawn. It was mere forgery. We are still looking at all options including going to court to ensure the illegality does not stand.

Is there any reason why the party may be having a rethink whether or not you are good enough to fly their presidential flag?

No. When the suspended National officers who are suspected to have perpetrated the illegal acts were arrested by the police, their claim was that I was owing the party, but there is nowhere in our constitution where it is so provided. We were nine in number that indicated interest for the Presidential ticket and only about three persons put money down for the nomination form. We all contested based on a negotiated understanding which brought the nomination fee down from N17.5 million to N7.5 million for the form and N1 million as expression of interest form, which I paid in full. It does not form a basis for trading off the ticket I duly won, definitely not to someone who does not even belong to the party.

The NRM appears to be in a constant state of crisis?

Well, when I joined the party and emerged as one of its leaders, I inherited several of the lingering problems and we are dealing with them one by one. After emerging as the Presidential candidate, I appealed to NRM members to come together in the interest of the party and Nigerians who have placed their hopes in good governance to be provided by our party.

Considering the stature of candidates in the PDP, APC and Labour Party, how do you rate your chances in the Presidential contest?

The people you call political giants actually belong to the past. The Nigerian of today knows that the candidates of the PDP, the APC and even Peter Obi of the Labour Party all come with old baggage. Don’t forget that Obi has moved from APGA to the PDP and only recently crossed over to Labour. The 2023 election is for the new breeds like me not for old wines that are being packaged in new wineskins. I have no doubt that my candidature enjoys the support of Nigerians across regional boundaries in Nigeria so we are confident. The crises in those big parties, rather than getting resolved, will get even worse and people will prefer Mazi Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike who is not one of the recycled candidates.

The down side is that most Nigerians will consider a candidate like you inexperienced?

It is not true. They want a break from the ugly past. Nigerians prefer politicians like me who are accessible, untainted and without the stain of malfeasance and corruption. In the 2023 election, it will be NRM versus the rest. Nigerian are tired of recycled political leaders, tired old men dripping with scandals and controversies.

Is the performance of the party in the recent Osun State governorship elections a yardstick for measuring its strength?

We actually did better in Osun than we did in Ekiti and increasingly the popularity of the party is spreading across the country. However, there are so many factors which will not lend the Osun election to be used as a yardstick for measuring our strength.

They want a break from the ugly past. Nigerians prefer politicians like me who are accessible, untainted and without the stain of malfeasance and corruption.

In the 2023 election, it will be NRM versus the rest.

Nigerian are tired of recycled political leaders, tired old men dripping with scandals and controversies

Okwudili Nwa-Anyajike

Recently, the Deputy National Chairman of the party, Abubakar Jikamshi resigned. What efforts are being made to get the party together before the campaign takes off?

We have been working hard on that. We have sent the National Chairman and the National Organizing Secretary on indefinite suspension not only because of the issues raised

by Abubakar Usman Jikamshi but also because of actions of theirs that do not portray the party in positive light. We will replace them in due course in the interest of the party.

Jikamshi shouldn’t have resigned because the party’s National Working Committee members do not support the actions of those two men. We will have our quarterly exco meeting early in August and we will address all the controversies at the meeting. Thereafter, we will inaugurate all our zonal campaign structures before the campaigns start.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticized for poor leadership, for instance in handling the recent attack on members of the Brigade of Guards. What is your take on this?

I sympathize with the families of those members of the Presidential Guard killed and I want to say that many of us are not aware of what actions the president may have taken in that regard. While I am totally disappointed about some of the actions of this government, I will not condemn the decision of the President to travel for a scheduled visit to Liberia as some people have done.

Do you think the Federal Government has been decisive in handling the crisis foisted on the country by the lingering ASUU crisis?

In my opinion, the ASUU crisis should have been better handled. On my watch as President, an issue like this will not last beyond one week, maximum, but having said that, I must also say that ASUU has not conducted its disagreements with the government well. While I agree that government has a duty to honour its agreements, ASUU should also factor the effects of their actions on students whenever they decide on industrial actions. It does no good to their image that so much of their personal interests are subsumed into their official demands.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

26

POLITY

Nigeria’s Journey into Beneficial Ownership Disclosures Orji Ogbonnaya Orji

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igeria’s journey into Beneficial Ownership (BO) disclosures did not happen, it was caused.

Increasing citizens desire to push the boundaries of oil, gas and mining industry reforms beyond disclosure of company payments and government revenue receipts led to the need for more specific information and data on who owns what. The public demands for this challenging disclosure were also based on the increasing public trust in the extractive industries transparency initiative process in Nigeria.

There was also the perception that NEITI’s disclosures so far have been incisive, bold and courageous. The public demand for information and data on beneficial ownership was also considered key in shaping the direction of resource governance reforms in a transitional economy like Nigeria.

Besides, many believed that BO disclosure was important if Nigeria must plan to use verifiable and credible data.

In most countries, citizens disquiet over exclusion from access to information and data on who owns what in the industry often led to resource wars and conflicts.

Many of the conflicts are linked to perceived suspicion of elite capture of natural resource generation, mobilisation, allocation and utilisation that tend to alienate the citizens and throw many into avoidable poverty and deprivation in resource-rich countries. Agitations for information and data also fuel suspicion of elite parasitism, rentier-state culture and insensitivity to generational equity considerations in the share and allocation of natural resource assets for the benefit of the citizens.

The citizens that seek BO information as part of extractive industries independent reports further argued that BO disclosure will help to widen the scope, content and dimension, the potential to use the reports for constructive civic engagements that would yield visible impacts. They further argued that unmasking the identities of the real owners of oil, gas and mining assets, determining how those assets were acquired, the quantity, quality, location and real value of the assets were critical success factors if the EITI process was to be really effective in tackling opaqueness in Nigeria’s natural resources management.

From our engagements, the citizens’ growing interest in BO disclosures revolves around the strong linkage between ownership of these assets, revenue flows into the federation account from the sector, prudent utilisation, support for national development and poverty reduction. The point being made by the citizens was specifically that except information on beneficial owners of extractive industry

assets in Nigeria is put in the public domain, any other reform in the extractive industry would be undermined by resource capture to the detriment of the citizens.

Against this background, in 2013, Nigeria volunteered, alongside 11 other EITI-implementing countries, to pilot the reporting of BO in the oil, gas and mining sector. Hence, in the NEITI Oil and Gas and Solid Minerals Audit Reports of 2012, which were released in 2014 BO information was published. However, the request for BO disclosures attracted instant resistance within the industry. Many opposed this additional request and questioned NEITI’s real motive. They argued that the request conflicted with the confidentiality clause in the agreements usually signed as part of NEITI’s rules of engagement with covered entities.

It was therefore a welcome development for implementing countries when the global EITI in 2016 made it a requirement for disclosures of information and data on who owns extractive assets in resource-rich countries.

The EITI 2016 Standard provided wider clarity on the concept, context, content, and comprehensiveness of BO implementation. It equally defined its meaning and scope, stakeholders mapping, rules of engagement, issues, challenges, desired outcomes, benefits and impacts. Companies and covered entities were required to provide information and data strictly on basic excel spreadsheets as part of NEITI industry reporting. An in-depth analysis of the information disclosed provided credible justifications for citizens’ demands that BO information disclosure would be useful for EITI implementing countries largely in sub-Sahara Africa, who are struggling with challenges of institutions that are too weak to address complex issues in the extractive industry.

These issues include complex ownership structures that aid tax evasion, capital flight and fraudulent allocation of these valuable assets.

All EITI-implementing countries were expected to publish a beneficial ownership roadmap by January 2017 and commence full implementation by January 2020. The need to develop an implementable roadmap on BO reporting in Nigeria and to seek wider inputs and ideas from stakeholders necessitated a one-day consultative workshop which was held on the 31st of October 2016, with funding and technical support from the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI).

The road map unfolded by the EITI provided more specifics that helped Nigeria to develop a workable home-grown approach peculiar to our circumstances.

For instance, the 2014 guidance note issued by the Financial Action Task Force defined BO as the natural person or persons who directly and ultimately own or control the corporate entity. It equally specified that disclosure of this

information is essential to build public trust, track utilisation of revenues derived from the sector, and curb incidences of crime such as money laundering, terrorism financing, tax evasion, sponsorship of insurrection and outright economic sabotage.

On legal framework, Nigeria initiated the amendment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) to include provisions on mandatory disclosure of beneficial owners.

The amended CAMA was signed into law on August 7, 2020. One striking feature of the amended legislation was its deliberate specific provision to widen the concept and scope of BO disclosure to cover persons with significant control leveraging on the United Kingdom model. Under the new CAMA, disclosure of BO information became wider, more specific and obligatory. Besides, the Corporate Affairs Commission was equipped with the required mandate to establish and publish a national register of beneficial owners of all companies in Nigeria. The project is being supported with a World Bank grant of over $400,000 under the Open Government (multi-donor) Trust Fund. The national BO Register project is seen by the anti-corruption community in Nigeria as an expansion of the web-based BO Portal launched by NEITI in 2019.

The NEITI BO portal, the first by any EITI implementing country globally and the first of such initiative available in the public domain in sub-Saharan Africa, has BO information publicly disclosed by 43 oil and gas, and 189 solid minerals companies respectively. As of the time of writing this report, the portal is being updated with additional BO information. The specific information required includes the real names and identities of the real owner/shareowners of the companies, their date of birth, and national identity number. Information is equally required on politically exposed persons. However, stringent measures are taken to protect legitimate rights, liberty and freedom of the asset owners in managing the disclosures and use of the information. Any intention to misuse this information for any purpose other than public interest is discouraged. Data gathering by NEITI on BO in the ongoing 2021 report is currently being managed under the new automated process that guarantees efficient data security and reliability. The 2021 Report is expected to be released by the end of 2022.

Dr. Orji is the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) www.neiti. gov.ng @Drorjioorji. He wrote from Abuja.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

L-R: Non Executive Director, Unity Bank PLC, Dr. Oluwafunsho Obasanjo; Company, Secretary, Mr. Alaba Williams; Chairman , Alhaji Aminu Babangida; Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Tomi Somefun; and Non-Executive Director; Hafiz Mohammed Bashir .at the 16th Annual General Meeting of the Bank held in Lagos.... yesterday L-R: Pastor, RCCG Jesus House Washington DC, Pastor Ghandi Olaoye; Director General, NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye; Senior Pastor Trinity House; Pastor Ituah Ighodalo; former governor of Anambra State, and Presidential Asirant of Labour Party Mr. Peter Obi; and his wife Margaret at the 12th anniversary service of Trinity House held in Lagos ….recently

L-R: Managing partner, Duale, Ovia and Alex-Adedipe (DOA), a Specialised commercial law firm in Lagos and Abuja, Adeleke Alex-Adedipe; Partner, Duale, Ovia and Alex-Adedipe (DOA)/author of the book,: ‘Nigerian Merger Control: Principles and Practice’, Seye Ayinla; Minister of industry trade and investment, (R-L): Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Wahab Olawale Alawiye- Otunba Adebayo Adeniyi during a courtesy visit to the Minister by the DOA team to officially present the King presenting the Best ICT Solutions Provider of the Year award to the Divisional CEO, ipNX Business, book to the minister in Abuja.

Segun Okuneye, during the Titans of Tech Awards held in Victoria Island in Lagos ..... SUNDAY ADIGUN

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ APRIL 24, 2011

GLOBAL SOCCER A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

NEWS

MORE THAN A CHARITY

30.7.2022

PAGE. 29

Tobi Amusan The World at Her Feet

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GLOBAL SOCCER

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

Tobi Amusan

The World at Her Feet Tobi Amusan sets two world records in one day

When Nigerians were already thinking it would be another disastrous outing for the country at the just concluded World Athletics Championship in Oregon, USA, Tobi Amusan did the unthinkable. She not only won Nigeria her first gold medal in the history of the Championship, she also broke the record in the 100m hurdles twice in one day (semifinal and final)

A

lmost prophetic, Tobi Amusan in November 2016 had tweeted: “Unknown now but soon I will be unforgettable, I will persist until I succeed.” Many of her rivals must have discarded it as a wishful thought by an emerging athlete.

Almost seven years later, the Nigerian has not only come to fruition but has written her name in gold.

Amusan caused a stir after smashing a world record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in the semifinals at the WorldAthletics Championship on Sunday, when she returned a record time of 12.12 seconds, beating Kendra Harrison’s 2016 record of 12.20 by 0.8 seconds.

She went on to bag gold in the final, though her initial finishing time of 12.06 was ruled out due to strong wind speeds.

After fourth-placed finish at both the 2019 World Athletics Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Amusan’s persistence has finally seen her engrave her name into the track and field record books.

However, it always seemed as if the odds were stacked against her running career from the beginning. “My parents are both teachers, they are strict disciplinarians,” Amusan told BBC Sport Africa.

“When you grow up in such a family, they feel you should focus on school. And being a female, they think you are going to go astray, lose focus and all of that.

“But because my mum saw what I didn’t see in myself, she felt she could give me a chance.

And she kept telling me not to disappoint her.

“My mum would tell my dad I was going to church while I sneaked to practice or tell him I was going to a school debate while I went to an out-of-state competition. That’s where it all started.

“My dad got really mad one time when he

found out I was running. He burnt all my training gear and told my mum that’s the last time he wanted to see me in a stadium.”

Fast forward several years, and tears of joy flowed freely asAmusan stood on the top step of the podium at Hayward Field on a historic day for Nigeria, which saw the country’s national anthem played at the World Athletics Championships for the first time ever.

“It has not sunk in yet, maybe the magnitude of what just happened will hit me later,” she said.

“I go out there and put 100 per cent in every championship and it’s just never enough. Every time it’s a fourth-place finish.

“Then this time my 100 per cent is not only a gold medal but a world record. Trusting myself just made everything easier. I’m thankful to the man above for keeping me healthy. When God says it’s your time, it’s your time.”

Amusan’s world record sent shockwaves through the athletics world.

“Wow” tweeted Jamaican track and field great Usain Bolt, while 200m champion and American record holder Noah Lyles tweeted: “12.12 are you kidding me?” Both congratulated her on Twitter.

In November 2016, the now-25-year-old tweeted: “Unknown now but soon I will be unforgettable, I will persist until I succeed.”

“I could not believe it when I saw it on the screen after the semis. But it was just a matter of time,” Amusan told reporters after the race.

Her win, which is Nigeria’s first gold at such an event was met with joy, with congratulations pouring in from well-meaning Nigerians.

However, some have expressed skepticism at the race, which saw numerous competitors run their best times ever.

“I don’t believe 100h times are correct. World record broken by .08! 12 PBs set. Five national records set,” four-time Olympic gold medalist and BBC commentator, Michael Johnson wrote on Twitter, adding that Great Britain’s Cindy Sember commented that she had been running

slow at the time of her personal best and national record. The semi-finals saw numerous athletes set their best times.

“All athletes looked shocked,” the former 200 and 400 meter runner said.

“Heat 2 we were first shown winning time of 12.53. Few seconds later it shows 12.43. Rounding down by .01 is normal. .10 is not,” he said.

Johnson received swift and fierce backlash for his comments, and later returned to Twitter to clarify further, pointing out that he had predicted that Amusan would win.

“As a commentator my job is to comment.

In questioning the times of 28 athletes (not 1 athlete) by wondering if the timing system malfunctioned, I was attacked, accused of racism, and of questioning the talent of an athlete I respect and predicted to win. Unacceptable.

I move on,” he said.

Her journey into athletics started as somewhat of an accident at Our Lady ofApostles Secondary School in Ogun state, Nigeria.

“I used to be on the soccer team, but I would be all over the place on the pitch,” Amusan said.

“My coach suggested I go try out on the track team and I became the fastest girl on the team, and that’s how I got on the school relay team.”

She went on to make the national squad for the 2013 Africa Youth Games in Nigeria, but she missed out on a place on the relay team and went on to win a bronze in the long jump instead.

Competing over hurdles was another unexpected switch in Amusan’s journey to stardom, and is where she would truly break through on the senior stage. “The officials were always picking who they wanted in the relay team.

Sometimes they would say I didn’t have the experience so they would pick whoever was their favourite,” she explained.

“It was a lot of pressure on a young athlete.

I considered quitting. I really wanted to travel with the senior national team and some coaches told me to try the hurdles.”

She had to overcome doubts from officials

in Nigerian athletics before picking up her first senior hurdles title at the African Games in Congo-Brazzaville in 2015.

“The typical Nigerian approach is to make you feel like you cannot make it,” she said.

“I wasn’t expected to medal at those Games.

There were so many voices saying I couldn’t but I used that to show that I could - and that title changed my life.

“That’showIgotascholarshipstotheUnitedStates.

Icansaythat’sreallywhenmyathleticscareerbegan.

I never dreamt of going to the United States. I just wantedtorunfastandbeoneoftheNigeriangreats.”

SincemovingtoattendtheUniversityofTexas,El Paso,Amusan has not looked back.

She won gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, and later the sameyeartookherfirstAfricanChampionshipstitle on home soil inAsaba.

She agonisingly miss out on medals - finishing fourth at the World Championships in Doha three years ago and then again in Tokyo last year.

“2019wastoughbecauseIrememberrunningthe fastest time in the qualification rounds, around the sametimeinthesemi-finalsandthesametimeinthe final,”shesaid.“Iransofastbutwasn’tfastenough to get a medal. I was broken, I was devastated.

That was one of the most horrible experiences.

“I moved on, and then came the Tokyo Olympics. Things just crumbled a month before when I strained my hamstring at practice.”

She has constant support from her mother, but her father has remained unfazed by her exploits.

“Honesty, he still doesn’t support me doing track,” she said.

“He just feels like there’s more to life than running around. Every time I call him when I’m at a competition he just says ‘Okay, do your best, God will help you’ and that’s it.”

The newly-crowned world champion and record holder - who also picked up a cheque for $100,000 for her blistering showing in Oregon - will now defend her Commonwealth gold in Birmingham that is ongoing.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

City, Liverpool Renew Rivalry with Community Shield With the last five Premier League titles between them and just one point separating the two teams last season, Manchester City and Liverpool will begin another season-long rivalry beginning with the Community Shield. As part of their readiness to outwit each other, both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have made some reasonable signings some of which could be unleashed today. No doubt the encounter would be more than a charity

Liverpool duo of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson try to stop Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne

T

he annual English football curtain-raiser takes place at the King Power Stadium in Leicester today, as Liverpool and Manchester City lock horns for the chance to lift the Community Shield.

Jurgen Klopp’s side got their hands on both domestic cups last season, but it was the Citizens who finished as top dogs in the Premier League yet again.

With the England Women’s team seeking to go one better than the men did at the European Championships, the 100th Community Shield will be staged away from Wembley while the Lionesses face off against Germany for a shot at glory.

Instead, Leicester City’s King Power Stadium - a turf where Liverpool suffered one of their rare losses in the 2021-22 season - will host the charity match, as the Foxes prepare to relinquish the crown they won last year by overcoming Man City in the final.

Liverpool have been crowned outright winners of the Community Shield on 10 occasions - sharing the honour in another five seasons - but not since 2006 have the Reds got their hands on that particular piece of silverware.

Klopp’s side had their penchant for penalty shootouts to thank for their FA and EFL Cup double over Chelsea last season, but both of Liverpool’s last two Community Shield defeats have actually come from 12 yards, most recently to Arsenal in the 2020 edition.

Two wins and two defeats have

come the Reds’ way in pre-season so far, but preparations for the reunion with City did not go according to plan in Austria during a 1-0 defeat to Red Bull Salzburg, and Strasbourg will also pay a visit to Anfield 24 hours after the Community Shield.

Lightning literally did strike twice at the Lambeau Field during Man City’s recent friendly with German champions Bayern Munich, as the game was delayed by 15 minutes before being shortened by a further 10 due to stormy conditions in Green Bay. Before players were taken off the field, there was time for Guardiola and the City faithful to witness Erling Haaland score his first goal in sky blue to hand the Premier League holders a 1-0, adding to their previous 2-1 success against Club America thanks to a Kevin De Bruyne double.

Man City’s pre-season period is now technically over, but Guardiola will renew hostilities with Barcelona for an ALS charity friendly at the end of August, and the Citizens have an added motivation to come out on top in the annual curtain-raiser.

Indeed, Leicester prevented Man City from getting their hands on the trophy last year, which would have represented the Sky Blues’ seventh outright triumph in the one-off match, but they have now lost more Community Shield matches than they have won.

Meetings between City and Liverpool in the latter stages of cup tournaments are commonplace nowadays, and the 2021-22 season saw the two powerhouses play out a pair of pulsat-

ing 2-2 draws in the Premier League before the Reds survived a scare to win their FA Cup semi-final by three goals to two.

Goalscoring in the Premier League last season wasn’t exactly a big issue for City and Liverpool - they scored 99 and 94 goals respectively, while the n e x t h i g h e s t t a l l y i n t h e league was Chelsea’s 76.

H o w e v e r, b o t h s i d e s h a v e spent big on their forward line.

H a v i n g a q u a l i t y, o u t - a n d out striker has long been a talking point for City and they ended that discussion by signing Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a deal w o r t h £ 5 1m.

The Norwegian is only 22, but has been prolific for club and country for some time. Haaland has 20 goals in 21 games for Norway and left Dortmund having scored 86 goals in 89 games.

Big things are also expected of Argentine striker Julian Alvarez. The 22-year-old joined from River Plate in January but stayed at the club on loan, and has only properly linked up with City since July. He has been tipped as a potential successor to Sergio Aguero.

In addition, manager Pep Guardiola strengthened his midfield with the signing of England international Kalvin Phillips, 26, from Leeds for £45m.

Liverpool’s main signing of the summer was Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez, who joined from Benfica for a club record £85m.

The 23-year-old has adapted well

since moving from South America to Europe and scored 34 goals in 41 matches for the Portuguese side last season.

The Reds also signed exciting young Portuguese forward Fabio Carvalho from Fulham and 18-year-old Scottish right-back Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen.

Liverpool needed to bolster their attacking options given the departure of Sadio Mane after six trophy-laden seasons at Anfield.

Despite being offered a new contract after scoring 23 goals in all competitions last season, the Senegal striker decided to move on and joined German giants Bayern Munich for £35m - and his goals will certainly be a miss.

Other notable departures included Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino.

Manchester City’s headline departure was Raheem Sterling.

The England forward joined Chelsea in a £50m deal in July, leaving City with a record of 131 goals in 339 games, with 13 goals in the Premier League last season.

City will also come up against another of their former players in the forthcoming campaign, with Gabriel Jesus having joined Arsenal this summer for £45m.

The Brazil forward had never been prolific at City - he scored 58 goals in 159 Premier League games - but he did provide eight league assists last season, the joint most of any player at the club along with Kevin de Bruyne Injuries aside, the Community Shield should provide some indication of what Guardiola and Klopp view as their strongest XI.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Team Nigeria 94 athletes taking their turn in the march past at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Taiwo Adeniyi forrest

Nigeria in Desperate Bid for Commonwealth Games Kits after Team Let Down by Supplier

Awoniyi Vows to Attract Nigerian Fans to Forrest

Nigeria’s delegation of 94 athletes arrived in the UK this week to take part in the Commonwealth Games – but had to scramble to secure some kits to use during the event.

A British sportwear brand stepped in to help Nigerian athletes who were let down by their original kit supplier just days before the start of the Commonwealth Games.

The Nigerian delegation arrived in the Midlands ready to gun for Commonwealth Games glory over the next 11 days. But a major problem soon emerged as it became clear they were going to be let down by the company due to supply their outfits.

And so they had to scramble to find-a last minute supplier to make sure they could still compete. In stepped Kidderminster firm MG Sportswear, who were approached to manufacture

hundreds of pieces of clothing with an extremely tight deadline.

After telling the BBC he originally thought the call was “a wind up”, manager Gino Ruffinato said: “As it progressed I started getting emails with orders on, so at that point I thought, hang on, I think this is serious.

“When they hit us with the deadline saying it needs to be there for Friday and today was Tuesday... there’s all the fabric, the print, the designs to get out in two days. It was a bit hair-raising.”

Such a monumental task meant Ruffinato and his staff of 14 were at “panic stations” as they worked around the clock to make sure everything was made in time. Needed by the Nigerian athletes were 200 pieces of kit and 400 badges to be placed upon them.

“Everybody’s embraced it,

they’ve worked hard and done many hours to make sure it happens,” he added, before setting off to deliver the items to Birmingham personally. “I still pinch myself – I’ll be looking on the telly and seeing the MG Sportswear brand for a national team. It’s wonderful.”

Nigeria is confident of a decent medals haul over the next 11 days. One athlete to watch will be Oluwatobilola Amusan, who set a new world record time of 12.12 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships this month.

Long jumper Ese Brume is also fancied after winning a silver medal in Oregon. Other medal hopes come in the form of both their men’s and women’s relay teams, while wrestling could also yield glory after a strong showing from Nigeria at the Tokyo Olympics.

Otabor Emerges Winner at Ehiorobo 50 Birthday Golf Tourney Eghosa Otabor has emerged overall winner at Osasuwa Ehiorobo @ 50 Birthday Golf Tournament concluded last Saturday at Benin Club Golf Section (BCGS), Edo State.

The weeklong birthday golf tournament which teed-off from Monday through Saturday was organised by Committee of Friends, and it featured over a hundred golfers across Nigeria.

Otabor, the BCGS House Officer played 70 net to win the event seven years after he last won a major tournament.

Also, in the men’s category, Julius Nwachukwu won the category with 71 ahead of General Oscar Iyare (rtd) who had 72 net while former BCGS, Mayer Ologbosere placed third with 73 net.

Osazee Iyare won the best gross award with 80 gross.

Similarly, LGAN National Vice President, South-South Zone, Sandra Emina won the ladies trophy with 72 net. Foluso Oboro placed second beating former LGAN National Vice President, SouthSouth Zone, Debby Otabor on count-back as both played 74 net.

M. Azugbene with 70 net and Omosefe Osaghae with 74 net won the veteran men’s and ladies while super veteran trophy was won by Dr. John Ogbeide with 39 net. Also, Dr. Monica Obaedo with 77 net and Barr. Onobrapeya Rex with 69 net won the guest ladies and men.

Other winners included Chukwudi Okoro with 69 net to win the professional category. Kennedy Ajogbor won the eaglets cadre with 75

net while S. Monica won the ladies, Ossai Isoma won the junior, and Isaac Oyekan won in the senior cadre in various caddies category.

The nearest to the pin hole 14 winners were Mrs. P. Irabor and Peace Anunah just as longest drive hole 10 ladies and men’s award went to UBTH Golf Club Lady Captain, Ehis Igbinadolor and Osazee Iyare.

Meanwhile, golfers in their admonitions praised Almighty God for the life of the celebrant, Hon. OZ, and for attaining the golden jubilee in good health. “A gentleman to the core, reliable person who keep on doing good things he is known for.”

In his vote of thanks, Hon. OZ said: “I don’t think I deserved such huge attendance of golfers.

This is not by my making, but God.

German Super Cup, Women’s Euro 2022, Copa America Finals Air Live on StarTimes Sadio Mane is set to make his competitive debut as a Bayern Munich player in today’s Supercup against RB Leipzig at 7:30 pm live and in HD on StarTimes.

Meanwhile, StarTimes has launched W-sports, the first of its kind channel that provides sports fans with live coverage of various women’s sports.

W-Sport offers up to 7 live football games a week from the best leagues in the world.

On Sunday, the finals of Women’s Euro 2022 and Women’s

Copa America will air on the W-Sports channel.

Host nation England will take on Germany in the Euro final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday at 5 pm. England reached their first major tournament final since 2009 after they thrashed Sweden in the semi-finals. Goals from Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, Fran Kirby and Alessia Russo were enough to see off the Swedes in Sheffield.

Their opponents, Germany beat France 2-1, thanks to a brace from the in-form striker

– Alexandra Popp. The Germans will be looking to spoil the party this Sunday and clinch their remarkable ninth-ever Women’s EURO title.

Meanwhile, the final match of the Women’s Copa America, between Colombia and Brazil will be played early Sunday morning at 1 am.

Other women’s sports on the channel include motorsports, basketball, volleyball and cycling, among others. The channel is currently available to dish users (DTH) on StarTimes.

Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi believes his arrival at newly-promoted Nottingham Forest will attract fans from Africa’s most populous nation to the club.

The 24-year-old striker, who scored 20 goals in 43 games across all competitions last season, joined Forest from German club Union Berlin for a club-record fee in June.

Nigerians are, like most of the world, obsessed with England’s Premier League and clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have large fan bases in the West African

nation.

“Our fans love to watch and support Nigerians playing in the Premier League and I believe some of them will try to create a Nottingham Forest fanbase, too,” Awoniyi told BBC Sport Africa.

“I know Nigerians like some clubs already, but when you have one of their own and play attractive football, you will automatically get them on your side.

“I believe they will support us, and of course I have my friends and family who were already waiting for me to play

in England. It will be an exciting one for them.”

“The Premier League is very big in Nigeria because of players like Kanu, Jay-Jay Okocha, Yakubu Aiyegbemi, Joseph Yobo, Osaze Odemwingie and many others who all played here,” Awoniyi added.

“Many people pick their clubs depending on where a Nigerian is playing or teams the family like. We all grew up watching it and love it, and it is actually a dream come true to know that millions will be watching me now.

Andy Ruiz Jr says he has unfinished business to settle with Anthony Joshua after the two-time world heavyweight champion looks to win back his belts in next month’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

The Ukrainian - who beat Joshua on points in September, will stand where Ruiz did in 2019 when the American travelled to Saudi Arabia to defend the world titles he had stripped from Joshua earlier in the year.

On that occasion Joshua returned with refined tactics to assert his authority against Ruiz.

He faces a similar task this time around of rectifying a flawed approach in his first meeting with Usyk’s technical nous.

Ruiz, who admitted at the time he did not prepare as he should have for his rematch against Joshua, believes Usyk will fare better than he did but has tipped the Brit to adjust accordingly.

Ruiz has however not forgotten about Joshua.

“Of course, that’s something we should have done,” he said.

“Once he beat me over there, there should have been a trilogy.

I should have had one more opportunity to get back those belts just like we gave him the opportunity with the rematch.

“Things happen, he lost again to Usyk and the best man wins.

“Of course, there has to be a trilogy. Even if he loses or wins, or if I lose or win, there has to be a trilogy some day and somehow.”

Nigeria-eligible Wonderkid Joins Onyeka at Brentford English Premier League side Brentford have confirmed the signing of Nigeria-eligible forward Michael Olakigbe on a four-year deal.

Olakigbe was brilliant at Fulham last season, registering eleven goals and three assists in 22 Under-18 Premier League games.

The witty and pacy rightwinger was one of the standout performers for Fulham U-18,

helping them to a sixth-place finish in the league.

His performance prompted last season’s Premier League new boys Brentford to swoop in for him.

The Bees announced the arrival of the 18-year-old wunderkind via their website.

Olakigbe joins for an undisclosed fee, in a four-year deal with the option of a one-year extension.

Olakigbe will join the junior

Ronaldo Set for Man Utd Friendly against Vallecano Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated he will be involved in Manchester United’s friendly with Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Portugal forward wants United to let him leave this summer and missed the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia due to personal reasons.

Ronaldo, 37, was also left out of United’s squad for Saturday’s friendly with Atletico Madrid in Oslo. But he suggested on Instagram he will face La Liga side Rayo Vallecano.

Commenting on a post by a Ronaldo fan page about him missing the game

in Norway, he wrote: “Domingo o rei joga” which translates as “Sunday the king plays”.

United said players not in the 21-man travelling squad for the Atletico game - which includes new signings Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen - “will take part in Sunday’s game against Rayo Vallecano, while others are ill or injured.”

Ronaldo met with United manager Erik ten Hag on Tuesday and is understood to have reiterated his desire to leave the Old Trafford outfit. He also missed Wednesday’s match against Wrexham that was held behind closed doors.

team, but he could get the opportunity to play alongside Super Eagles star Frank Onyeka in the senior team if he impresses Bees boss Thomas Frank.

Olakigbe is born to Nigerian parents, but he has spent his entire life in England. He currently features for the English youth teams, but he can still change allegiances to Nigeria as per FIFA rules.

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

GLOBAL SOCCER

Ademola Lookman joins Atalanta

Ademola Lookman

Bergamo to the Rescue

Ademola Lookman made a good impact during his time on loan at the King Power Stadium, something which Leicester City manager, Rodgers promised to take up the option to buy the Super Eagles forward on a permanent deal.The Irish manager has however been dallying on the future of the Nigerian with the Foxes, while his parent club-RB Leipzig insists the U20 World Cup winner is not in their plans and Lookman has been in a dilemma since then. With Serie A side-Atalanta coming to the mix, the Super Eagle can gladly embrace life at Bergamo

S

uper Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman joined Ambitious Serie A club, Atalanta for 15 Million Euros from RB Leipzig, as the Londonborn player is set to quit the Bundesliga side after making just 24 appearances for them since joining from Everton, initially on loan, in 2018.

The 15 Million Euros transfer fee includes add-ons.

Lookman, 24, has spent the last two campaigns back in the Premier League - being loaned by Fulham and then Leicester.

He is now set for his first taste of Italian football.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, a deal taking Lookman to Atalanta is “imminent”.

He claims that the Nigerian international has agreed on personal terms, with just the final

details of the deal to be finalised.

Lookman started his career at Charlton after coming through the ranks with the South Londoners.

After 12 goals in 49 appearances, he was bought by Everton in January 2017 for a fee potentially rising to £11m.

He got off to a dream start at Goodison Park, netting in the Toffees’ 4-0 victory over Manchester City just days after signing.

Lookman made 48 appearances in total for Everton before being sold to Leipzig.

He suffered relegation with Fulham during the 2020-21 campaign, but enjoyed a better spell with Leicester last term.

The winger managed eight goals and five assists for Brendan Rodgers’ men in all competitions.

While Atalanta are set to bolster their squad with Lookman, their proposed deal for Arsenal flop Nuno Tavares looks set to fall through.

Atalanta joined the race to sign

Lookman, with the Italian Serie A side looking to beat Leicester City to the exciting attacker.

Gian Piero Gasperini is in market for an offensive player and Lookman fits the bill.

The Foxes number 37 scored 6 goals in 26 appearances, as well as giving offensive quality both in the Europa League and in the Conference.

Leicester are the overwhelming favourites to land Lookman on a permanent deal from German side RB Leipzig this summer.

Lookman was born in West London to Nigerian parents. He represented England from U-19 through U-21 levels, winning the FIFA U-20 World Cup with the Three Lions in 2017.

He made his Nigeria debut in March’s World Cup qualifier against Ghana in Kumasi, where he came off the bench and started the return leg at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.

When asked about his decision

to play for Nigeria rather than England, the RB Leipzig winger said: “It was a tough decision. A decision I had to make because obviously it was my country’s call. My parents are Nigerians and I came to Nigeria a lot of times growing up and Nigeria wasn’t new to me.

Being around the coach, players and people wasn’t strange.

“Making decisions wasn’t a tough decision in terms of knowing where I was going. Coming into the team, the squad has been great and everyone has been very receptive and welcoming. I love this group and the people.”

Lookman came on as an 81stminute substitute against Sierra Leone in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match. The winger scored his first goal for the Super Eagles against Sao Tome and Principe in Nigeria’s second Group A match.

“Whenever I step out onto the pitch, I give 100 per cent but for Super Eagles, I give 150 per cent and that is because I know what it means to the people.

“I hope to endear myself to Nigerians by playing well and winning as many games and laurels.” he added.

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 30, 2022

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JULY 30, 2022

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

AUTO WORLD

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

TIPS OF THE WEEK

Power Steering Fluid Leak: Causes, Symptoms, Fixes Cars are designed to run perfectly with the proper functioning of various components.

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OMODA, the first SUV model of Chery Automobile

OMODA Adopts New Design Concept, Deeply Integrating Surrealism, Arts

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MODA, the first SUV model of Chery Automobile targeted towards the global market, is also the first new model developed under the brave new “Art in Motion” design concept.

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international automobile design.

In terms of the body modeling, every design detail in “Art in Motion” reflects fashionable elements. With the golden ratio of Pythagoras, the designer has made the height-width ratio of OMODA accurate to 0.8677. The light shines from the dome to the front face, showing a fashion beauty of great visual impact. The flowing light and shadow, like an artist’s engraving, outlines the sharp waist line and creates flexible lines with a strong sense of strength and movement. The flowing lines continue unbroken across and terminate at the tail in the change of the light and shadow, outlining a perfect fastback shape, providing the whole body with elegant and fashionable lines and radiating enough momentum to take off.

When OMODA runs in the metropolis in light and shadow, the movement of the 18-inch twocolor blade wheels highlights the characteristics of fashionable and modern.

Stallion Targets 20% Market Share with MG ZS Crossover

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tallion MG has expressed a conÀGHQFH WKDW LWV UHFHQWO\ ODXQFKHG MG ZS would, in 2022, capture between 15% and 20% share of the Nigeria’s A-SUV market*.

Anurag Shah, General Manager, Stallion MG Automobiles Ltd., 1LJHULD·V R΀FLDO UHSUHVHQWDWLYH RI WKH %ULWLVK brand Morris Garages, made the assertion recently in a media statement.

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Shah explained, “this is a car that stands 'HVLJQHG DQG EXLOW ZLWK %ULWLVK KHULWDJH LQ out everywhere it goes.” mind, MG ZS, a striking Crossover characterDoubtless, with the new MG ZS, reversing ized by a contemporary design, comes with and parking is made easy, as it comes with a a redesigned front-end, which features a new rear parking camera. Owners are also spoilt KH[DJRQDO JULOOH ZLWK D EODFN ÀQLVK DV ZHOO DV with other modern equipment, including, slender headlamps with LED daytime running a 8-inch HD touch-screen display, which lights. connects to Apple CarPlay, enabling access Its rear end also features LED light clusters, to smart-phone apps on the go. which give it a sporty and powerful appearance In addition to cruise control, air conditionin line with the Dark Rider theme. ing, and keyless entry, the Crossover is also “With 17-inch alloy wheels and a selection

Why Is My Power Steering Fluid Leaking?

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No matter what, safety must not be compromised when driving a car because a slight malfunction can sometimes be disastrous. Some malfunction may not be apparent initially but can be dangerous in the long run.

So, concerning driving with a leaking SRZHU VWHHULQJ ÁXLG WKH V\PSWRP PD\ continue and not alter the proper running of a vehicle. However, once a vehicle’s steering pump runs dry due to constant ÁXLG OHDNDJH LW ZLOO KLQGHU WKH SURFHVV RI turning the steering to corners (left or right).

If serious care is not taken in managing the GL΀FXOW\ LQ WXUQLQJ D IDXOW\ VWHHULQJ V\VWHP GXH WR D VWHHULQJ ÁXLG OHDN LW FDQ OHDG WR an accident. So, in a nutshell, it is not safe WR GULYH ZLWK D OHDNLQJ SRZHU VWHHULQJ ÁXLG Symptoms Of Power Steering Fluid Leak Identifying when there is a problem with D YHKLFOH·V SRZHU VWHHULQJ ÁXLG GRHV QRW require professional knowledge. A vehicle’s SRZHU VWHHULQJ ÁXLG OHDN V\PSWRPV DUH HDVLO\ noticeable, and they include the following.

HTXLSSHG ZLWK 86% SRUWV VR WKDW HSDVVHQJHU can stay connected.

“One of the global attractions to the new MG ZS is its extremely comfortable interior,” 6WDOOLRQ 0* $XWRPRELOHV· ERVV D΀UPHG adding, “Its curved surfaces, exclusive soft materials and an unmatched spaciousness make the cabin comfortable. Complementing its premium interior is a high-resolution 8-inch touch screen infotainment system and soft-touch dashboard, giving you a luxurious experience.”

)OXLG RQ WKH JDUDJH ÁRRU When a vehicle’s steering system becomes IDXOW\ GXH WR D ÁXLG OHDN \RX ZLOO DOZD\V ÀQG ÁXLG EHQHDWK WKH YHKLFOH HQJLQH DUHD RQ WKH ÁRRU RI \RXU JDUDJH 7KLV RFFXUUHQFH will usually be noticed in the morning when you start the car to drive out.

So, ensure to check around your garage to see whether there are oil stains on the ÁRRU GXH WR D SRZHU VWHHULQJ ÁXLG OHDN ZKHQ D FDU LV RͿ 7KLV FDQ EH D VLJQ WKDW \RXU FDU·V VWHHULQJ V\VWHP LV OHDNLQJ ÁXLG

(Source: rxmechanic)

35

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

AUTO WORLD

Kojo Motors, Yutong Bus Manufacturers Promise Quality Service, Original Parts

0

anufacturers of Yutong %XV DQG .RMR 0RWRUV D reputable auto distributor RI YHKLFOHV LQ 1LJHULD have pledged to ensure that buyers of the sturdy bus get good returns on

investment.

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teething economic challenges.”

The company presented a new range of Yutong PRGHOV GLVFXVVLQJ WKH LPSURYHPHQW LQ WKH SODQning and quality of customer maintenance work to reduce the failure rate of customer vehicles “so as to improve the operation rate of the vehicles.”

The day’s programme also provided an opportunity for the audience to discuss “the LPSRUWDQFH RI SURPRWLQJ GHDOHU SDUWV FRQVLJQHG SDUWV WKDW KDYH QRW EHHQ VROG IRU D ORQJ WLPH DV well as service spare parts that have not been cancelled for a long time.”

2΀FLDOV DQDO\VHG VWHSV WKDW VKRXOG EH WDNHQ towards improving the popularity and reputation of Yutong buses in the country and enhancing WKH LQÁXHQFH RI GHDOHUV ZKLOH LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW intending customers and sales promotions was gathered. $W WKH HYHQW SUHVHQWDWLRQV DERXW <XWRQJ VHUYLFH SURJUDPPHV LQFOXGLQJ WHFKQLFDO WUDLQLQJ GULYHU DQG SHUVRQQHO WUDLQLQJ DQG <XWRQJ JHQXLQH spare parts promotions were also discussed.

Yutong Bus

Hyundai IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner Debuts

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\XQGDL 0RWRU &RPSDQ\ has launched the eagerly DZDLWHG ,21,4 (OHFWULÀHG Streamliner.

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Drumbeats for Boboye Oyeyemi The red carpets were rolled for seven solid days.

The sound of the African drums orchestrated by the Federal Road Safety Corps band followed suit in celebration of the man referred to as ‘the last man standing’. It was a weeklong event; WKH ÀUVW HYHU LQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI WKH &RUSV 7KH ZHHN ORQJ DFWLYLWLHV NLFNHG RͿ RQ 0RQGD\ WKH -XO\ DQG ODVWHG WLOO 0RQGD\ -XO\ 7R FRPPHQFH WKH DFWLYLWLHV D PHHWLQJ ZDV KHOG ZLWK WKH 6SHFLDO 0DUVKDO 1DWLRQDO ([HFXWLYH &RPPLWWHH RQ 0RQGD\ -XO\ 7KLV ZDV IROORZHG RQ 7XHVGD\ WKH WK -XO\ ZLWK WKH H[SDQGHG PDQDJHPHQW PHHWLQJ RI WKH Federal Road Safety Corps. The meeting was a precursor to a recap of the stewardship of %RER\H 2\H\HPL WKH ÀUVW LQGLJHQRXV &RUSV 0DUVKDO RI WKH &RUSV ZKR WRRN WKH GULYLQJ VHDW DIWHU \HDUV RI WKH HVWDEOLVKPHQW RI WKH &RUSV 1LJHULD·V OHDG DJHQF\ RQ URDG VDIHW\ PDQDJHPHQW DQG WUD΀F DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ 2Q :HGQHVGD\ WKH WK WKHUH ZDV WKH &RUSV 0DUVKDO 6WUDWHJ\ 6HVVLRQ ZLWK WKH )56& +LJK &RPPDQG FRPSULVLQJ WRS PDQDJHPHQW DV ZHOO DV WKH ÀHOG FRPPDQG RSHUDWLYHV OHDGHUV 7KXUVGD\ WKH VW -XO\ ZDV WKH UHDO GHDO WKH ÀUVW &RUSV 0DUVKDO /HFWXUH VHULHV ZKLOH D SDUDGH FKXUFK VHUYLFH DV ZHOO DV D VSHFLDO &RUSV 0DUVKDO :DON H[HUFLVH ZDV KHOG RQ )ULGD\ QG -XO\ DQG 6DWXUGD\ WK -XO\ UHVSHFWLYHO\ SUHFHGLQJ WKH SXOO RXW FHUHPRQ\ KHOG RQ WK -XO\ DW the old parade ground in the Federal Capital 7HUULWRU\ $EXMD The pull out ceremony had the crème de OD FUqPH UDQJLQJ IURP 8VPDQ $ONDOL %DED ,QVSHFWRU *HQHUDO RI 3ROLFH WKH &RPSWUROOHU *HQHUDO RI WKH )HGHUDO )LUH 6HUYLFH -DML 2OROD $EGXOJDQL\X DV ZHOO DV $KPHG $EXEDNDU $XGL WKH &RPPDQGDQW *HQHUDO RI 1LJHULD 6HFXULW\ and Civil Defence Corps. Others included Boss 0XVWDSKD WKH 6HFUHWDU\ WR WKH *RYHUQPHQW RI the Federation and representatives of the Chief RI $UP\ 6WDͿ 1LJHULD &RUUHFWLRQDO 6HUYLFHV 1LJHULD ,PPLJUDWLRQ 6HUYLFH DQG WKH )&7 5RDG 7UD΀F $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 3DVW OHDGHUVKLS RI WKH Corps were fully on ground to own the fruits of the seed sowed years ago. They included SDVW &KDLUPHQ RI WKH &RPPLVVLRQ SDVW &RUSV 0DUVKDOV DQG &KLHI ([HFXWLYHV DV ZHOO DV $FWLQJ &RUSV 0DUVKDOV $PRQJ WKHVH ZHUH 3URI :ROH 6R\LQND ZKRVH DUULYDO WKUHZ WKH FURZG LQWR a frenzy of celebration in acknowledgement of his role in birthing an Agency that has survived all odds since 1988. Others were Vice Admiral

SAFE DRIVING with

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

$NLQ $GXZR UWG $OKDML $GDPX :D]LUL 0DLQD $PEDVVDGRU *UHJ 0EDGLZH &RORQHO /DZDQ *ZDGDEH UWG 'U 2OX $JXQOR\H DQG 0DOODP <DNDVDL ZKLOH %XNKDUL %HOOR WKH FXUUHQW &KDLUPDQ of the Commission and other members of the Federal Road Safety Commission and a litany RI 6SHFLDO 0DUVKDOV DQG 5RDG 6DIHW\ 2΀FHUV Wives Association (ROSOWA) were also on ground to honour the celebrant. So colorful was the gathering assembled to bid farewell to a man who had given his all from 1988 to SURMHFW )56& 1LJHULD DV D ZRUOG FODVV PRGHO I was barely a year old in the Corps when RXU SDWKV FURVVHG LQ $V D \RXQJ 2΀FHU DQG D QRYLFH SHUKDSV RQ WKH MRE , UHFDOO WKH ÀUVW time when based on an assigned research work , VXEPLWWHG IRU RQH RI WKH &RUSV SXEOLFV KH LQYLWHG PH WR KLV R΀FH LQ 2SHUDWLRQV 'HSDUWPHQW and verbally commended me and said “please NHHS LW XSµ 7KH QH[W ZDV LQ GXULQJ WKH WASA to mark the 9th anniversary of the &RUSV , KDG MXVW URXQGHG XS WKH SURJUDPPH as compere in the absence of retired Assistant &RUSV 0DUVKDO <DNXEX $WWDK ZKHQ KH SXOOHG PH DVLGH DW WKH 2OG 3DUDGH JURXQG WKH YHQXH of the event which incidentally was the venue RI KLV ÀQDO SXOO RXW IURP WKH &RUSV DQG LQ KLV EDULWRQH YRLFH DVNHG ··ZKHUH KDYH \RX EHHQ·· KLV WUDGHPDUN DFNQRZOHGJPHQW ZKHQ D VWDͿ·V performance such as mine on that day meets H[SHFWDWLRQ In 1999 when I was appointed acting VSRNHVSHUVRQ IRU WKH &RUSV KH PDGH LW KLV SRLQW RI GXW\ WR PRQLWRU P\ PHGLD DSSHDUDQFHV HVSHFLDOO\ RQ 17$ DOZD\V JXLGLQJ PH RQ WKH need to speak authoritatively by quoting the VSHFLÀF VHFWLRQV RI WKH 1DWLRQDO 5RDG 7UD΀F 5HJXODWLRQV WR EXWWUHVV P\ SRLQWV +LV JXLGDQFH , GDUH VD\ ZDV LQVWUXPHQWDO LQ EXLOGLQJ P\ FDSDFLW\ LQ )56& HVSHFLDOO\ LQ P\ DVVLJQHG role as spokesperson.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner

36

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

INTERVIEW Sampson Oloche

Heineken Has Set High Standard in Beer Market Heineken, a centenarian premium lager beer brand on the stable of Nigerian Breweries Ltd has survived generations of beer consumers the world over. In its many decades of existence, the beer brand has continued endearing itself to teeming consumers of discerning beer drinkers, increasing in brand equity while recording huge profits for its investors. In a chat with select journalists, including Bennett Oghifo, Sampson Oloche, Head, Premium Portfolio at Nigerian Breweries says the secrets behind the phenomenon growth of Brand Heineken are its unique brand building strategies and unbeatable innovative ideas

A

sacentenarianbrandwithpresence in over 192 countries, how has the brand sustained its market relevance and equity in the Nigerian beer market?

Basically, I think Heineken sets itself a very high standard and so it starts right from the product level. The ingredients for beer, we use the highest quality ingredients across board and the process is very standardised. It is set up from the centre. So, it is controlled centrally from Amsterdam. The quality standard is really very high.

For any company to qualify to brew Heineken anywhere in the world, it has to go through a very rigorous process. We have eight breweries in Nigeria and Heineken is produced not in everyone. That is just to give you an example.

That means that the quality expected to produce Heineken is high. That is what has been set up as a standard globally. Every brew of Heineken has to be approved in Amsterdam before it goes out to the market. There are lots of quality checks and that’s why even if the demand for Heineken is very high, we cannot produce it too much. We can’t rush the process. It has to go through a certain number of days; the ingredients have to be of certain quality and the brewery that produces it has to be of a certain quality and also the brewers have to be master brewers.

So, it is the highest-level beer you can make; that’s what Heineken is. If that standard is set globally and the market complies with it, then the result is what you’re seeing. You can hardly have Heineken having any quality complaint anywhere all over the world. That has been the major success factor. It is the first child of the company and it is treated as such.

Heineken has continued to evolve overtime with new innovations, how will you describe the market response to Heineken’s 33cl sleek and impact on the brand equity?

It is not a regular pack type for beer in Nigeria because if you have noticed, energy drinks are known for sleek cans most times; and then recently soft drinks. As such, it is not what we will call the regular pack type for beer; and so, going into it, we were very skeptical. But then, I think what we call a winning design led to something I will call a winning proposition.

The response for it has been very positive. It is now contributing a significant portion of the Heineken volume already. I will be honest to say that we were pleasantly surprised that it worked out the way it is working out currently and it has been such a big discovery for us; and we intend to keep it that way. Basically in Nigeria, beer consumers like large volume hence the 33cl; you will think it’s small but not for a premium brand like Heineken. The design of the can and the look of it the consumers have accepted and will want to be seen with it. It has been a prominent feature at parties and events; and so it has been great.

A prominent feature on the Heineken’s sleek can is the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Would you describe this as a strategic way to appeal to your sports fans alone or part

Champions League.

The “Never Watching Alone” campaign accompanied the launch of the new sleek can; would you say that your strategic intent to drive a connective and communal message through celebrities still resonates?

The ‘Never Watching Alone’ campaign was the global campaign for the year (2021). In fact, it is running for the second year now and what you saw with celebrities in Nigeria was a local tour spring where we got some celebrities to drive the message home, to also make it resonate more with the consumers.

The sleek can, of course, was featured in there but that was not the primary purpose. The ‘Never Watching Alone’ campaign is a global campaign forUEFAChampionsLeaguethatweusedin2020 and 2021. It is a COVID era campaign because you are talking about people not being able to go out; they sat at home to watch football and we are telling you that with Heineken, you are not watching alone because you are connected to millions of fans all over the world; and the sleek can is a very relevant pack type on that occasion.

Sampson Oloche

For any company to qualify to brew Heineken anywhere in the world, it has to go through a very rigorous process. We have eight breweries in Nigeria and Heineken is produced not in everyone. That is just to give you an example. That means that the quality expected to produce Heineken is high. That is what has been set up as a standard globally of the partnership deal?

The trophywas usedlastyearand I think weplan to bring it back again. We have been sponsoring the Champions League for many years and I think it is just to bring that association to the consumers at first hand level. That is why we put the branding on it. It is not a permanent fixture; so, we put it there for a month at the peak of a Champions League season; and they will take it out again. So, basically it is a way of driving our association with the platform because, of course, if you know Nigeria very

well, football, generally speaking, is one of the biggest passion points for our consumers and the Champions League is the highest level of football that we can have on an annual basis.

Of course, you have the World Cup that comes once in four years. But on the yearly basis, this is the highest level of football and it has delivered a lot for the Heineken brand and we are proud to be associated with the platform. In the advert you see on outdoor, on billboards, TV, digital, radio, this is also a way of driving that partnership.

It is a way of driving the association with the

What’s the difference between “Better Together” and “Never Watching Alone” campaigns?

The ‘Better together’ is promoting the associationoffootball,ChampionsLeagueandHeineken.

That was a pre-COVID campaign. That is to say we are better when we are together. The ‘Never Watching Alone’ is related to that because we say you are better together and now you cannot come together. We are saying even though you are alone, you are watching not alone. So, it is like a continuation of that campaign to say although we are better together but now, we cannot be together, we are still not alone.

With changing consumer behaviour exacerbated by the global pandemic, Is the sleek can achieving its set goal of creating new associations with football and develop among sport enthusiasts?

Yes, it is exceeding all expectations. If you noticed, the regular Heineken is in a 60cl bottle.

It is drunk mostly on premise and so here you have a pack type that people can buy and travel with; take to the beach; have parties without bothering about deposits; and with the increase in food consumption due to COVID and people staying more at home, the pack type just came at the right point in time.

So, I will not say it is meeting its objectives; rather, I will say it is exceeding all our expectations and it is currently one of a major contributor to the Heineken volume. The interesting thing there is the main Heineken bottle, the existing pack type, the volume did not drop. It means this is driving penetration for the Heineken brand and getting us more users.

What informed the “Never Watching Alone” campaign which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic despite that fact that precautionary restrictions had hindered public viewing of the UEFA Champions League matches.

Read full Interview online - www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

37

MARKET PLACE with Omolabake Fasogbon... 08155131874

L-R: President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Tunji Adeyinka; Delta State Chief of Staff, Festus Ovie Agas; member, Board of Truste, EXMAN, Kehinde Salami; Financial Secretary, EXMAN, Shola Antwi and member, Board of Truste, EXMAN, Rotimi Olaniyan, during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Delta State, as parts of activities marking the association’s ninth annual general meeting in Asaba...recently

L-R: Managing Director, Hubricks Development, Adekoya Gbemileke; Portfolio manager, Ijeoma Lulu Ugwuegbulam; Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Hassan Ismail; Chief Operating Officer, Sodiq Kosoko; of all Eystone Development; and Managing Director, RealtorHomms Brokerage, Ozoh Elijah Esse at the launch of Gemstone 2 and 3 Estates, Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos...recently

Eystone Expands, Trophy Stout Takes ‘Black Floats New Estates Party’ to Lagos, Abuja )DVW ULVLQJ 1LJHULDQ UHDO HVWDWH ÀUP Eystone Development has announced a business expansion with the launch of two new estates in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos.

The two estates make the second and third phase of the company’s recently unveiled Gemstone estate, at Eleko in Ibeju-Lekki.

The launch of the project attracted over 500 realtors, business partners, investors and prospective landowners from across Lagos.

According to the organisation, the choice of Ibeju-Lekki for the project was apt, given the rapid development and prospects in the area. &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU DQG FR IRXQGHU of the organisation, Hassan Ismail stated

that Ibeju-Lekki boasts the largest Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos and yet, one of the most sparsely populated.

He stated that the renewed focus on the area raises expectations of it becoming a future central hub for business, manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.

Some of the major proposed and ongoing projects in the area include: the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote 5HÀQHU\ /HNNL 'HHS 6HD 3RUW /HNNL International Airport, and Eleganza Industries.

Ismail expressed the readiness of the company to identify with the ongoing developments on the site and also help Lagosians realise their dream home.

He said, “Gemstone 2 and Gemstone 3 estates are sequel to our sold-out

Gemstone estate brand, which continues to attract numerous property investors to the Ibeju-Lekki axis due to our seamless DFTXLVLWLRQ SURFHVV DQG ÁH[LEOH SD\PHQW structure.” &KLHI 2SHUDWLQJ 2΀FHU RI WKH FRPSDQ\ 6DGLT .RVRNR DGGHG WKDW WKH ÀUP UHmained committed to innovation and adapting to people’s needs.

He said, “We continue to evolve even as the property acquisition ecosystem changes in Lagos. We have therefore, been consistent in delivering value to our customers, while ensuring fast and seamless acquisition.”

Eystone was recently awarded Africa’s most innovative & outstanding real estate investment brand in 2022 at the African innovative real estate brand awards.

Multichoice Launches Initiative to Enhance Quality of Content Pay TV Service Provider, MultiChoice has revealed plans to commence a training initiative that is meant to boost skills in the industry, while improving content quality for audiences.

According to the organisation, the overall motive of the initiative is to revolutionise the African TV sector.

Speaking further, MultiChoice Africa CEO, Fhulufhelo Badugela explained that in implementing the project, the organisation will be partnering with other local television channels within African territories, MultiChoice Talent Factory, as well as MultiChoice industry development and training programme.

According to her, the training programme will consist of online learning courses,

masterclasses, and practical training.

She said, “It will include certified short courses in critical production skills such as post-production, sound, screenwriting, 3D animation, and cinematography “Our vision is to upskill production professionals and to raise the standard of productions right across Africa. This will boost Africa’s film and television industry exponentially, because as you capacitate more people, more people are motivated to start projects, and everybody benefits, including the viewers.

“This is an investment in the future of our industry, and investment goes beyond financial investment, it also requires skills, time, and a core understanding of the consumer

needs, but the most immediate impact will be to raise the standard of production across Africa.”

Badugela added that the initial stage of the programme will reach no fewer than 300 broadcast workers who are already producing content in their local markets through e-learning.

“They will then be able to instantly apply their learnings to domestic productions.

Local broadcasters are the grassroots of the TV industry in every country, so by building the industry we are enabling local job creation, enabling an industry to contribute to the economy and responding to the ongoing consumer demand for quality local entertainment.

Indigenous beer brand, Trophy Stout has announced that it will be launching ‘ Black Parties’ in Lagos and Abuja, as part of its ‘No DNA Needed’ campaign.

The theme for the Black Parties according to the organisation is ‘Future of Black’.

Trophy ‘No DNA Needed’ campaign which was launched recently aimed to celebrate exceptional leadership and originality traits in Nigerians and Africans at large.

Marketing Director of International Breweries Plc, Tolulope Adedeji explained that the Black Party, which will hit Lagos and Abuja soon, is an extension of the recently launched campaign.

She said, “The campaign is built on the ideology of ‘The Originals’. This ideology rides on the platform that, like Trophy Stout, there are born rulers in Nigeria and Africa who walk their paths by creating and innovating LQ WKHLU ÀHOGV DQG EHFRPH leaders despite the hardship and challenges of a third-world country.

“The rulers still triumph and compete

ZLWK LQQRYDWRUV LQ ÀUVW world countries and beat them at their game. The campaign is directed at Nigerian inventors who are originals in their sphere of business and pass on their leadership from one generation to the other.”

She added that the campaign theme resonates with the attribute of a typical African.

“Often times we are asked why we chose the name ‘No DNA Needed, Originally Black’. It is an inborn attribute of Africans to be natural leaders. Leadership is taken very seriously in Africa and this is taught to the child from birth to adulthood. The typical Nigerian believes he or she is capable of anything they want to do. They never have to prove their identity and do not need a DNA test to identify themselves anywhere they go.”

Marketing Manager of Trophy Stout, Bamise Oyebami added, “We do not just sell brands, we sell movements, these movements assist in building on our cultural KHULWDJH DQG D΀UP RXU love for who we are”.

CEF Partners Foundation to Improve Snapchat Extends Education Outputs in Makoko Service to Web

A Non-government organisation, Children Empowerment Funds (CEF), in partnership with DOXA Foundation has hosted a Spelling Bee contest in Makoko slum, Lagos.

According to the organisers, the competition aimed to enhance quality education among students DQG VSHFLÀFDOO\ WR LPSURYH spelling and pronunciation of students in the axis.

CEF is a sister organization to Mission Enablers Africa, a movement with the mission to ensure that children in underserved communities and highly remote areas in Africa get access to proper hygiene and education.

The competition held among four selected primary schools namely: Makoko Primary School,

Ayetoro Primary School, Adekunle Primary School, and Fazil Omar Primary school.

Speaking on the initiative, Programme Manager of CEF, Tope Akinrotimi said the competition was part of the organization’s strategies at reducing the number of out school drop-outs in the environment.

She said, “Our focus should not only be on setting them on the path to making a better future.

We also need to encourage them today as getting an education in Makoko is challenging enough.

The Spelling Bee will help focus on getting the best out of school while encouraging those who are out of school to get an education.”

At the end of the contest, Ogbonna Ebube and Adam Noah

RI )D]LO 2PDU 6FKRRO FDPH ÀUVW and second while Dele Ogooluwa from Makoko Primary School came third.

The overall winner was presented Educational Tab, School Bag, and Lunch Box, among many other gifts, while the second and third positions were rewarded too.

Speaking further, Akinrotimi said, “Recognising that every FKLOG KDV LQÀQLWH SRWHQWLDO EXW too many children have only limited opportunities.

Moreover, only 0.1% of those who access these opportunities in remote areas access the necessary educational materials to make the most of the educational opportunity. This reality informed the choice gift presented to the winners. “

Popular Messaging and photo app, Snap has extended its services to the Web, thus allowing users to send messages and make video calls to their contacts from their computers.

The company had initially targeted young users with a viral photo-sharing service on their phones/ mobile tablets.

By its latest move, Snap is acknowledging that its users have advanced, with many of them working on big screens at KRPH RU LQ WKH R΀FH Co-founder and CEO of Snap, Evan Thomas Spiegel explained that the new desktop version of the DSS ZLOO JHW ÀUVW PDGH DYDLODEOH to subscribers in Australian and

New Zealand as well as Snapchat+ subscribers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. ´7KH ZHE RͿHULQJ ZLOO EH D more stripped-down version of the mobile app, primarily focusing on the app’s messaging feature as opposed to its Stories feature.

“Like the Snap app, messages will disappear after 24 hours, and any Snaps users watch from their desktop computers will delete right after viewing, Spiegel revealed in statement.

It stated further that the Snap will bring more features of the app to the desktop version, including the ability for users to liven up their video calls with the use of lenses.

38

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

NEWSXTRA

Primary School Teacher, Others Forfeit N120m, Exotic Cars to FG Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

as at the time of her arrest in 2020 by ICPC had N540 million A Federal High Court sitting stashed in her bank account LQ $EXMD KDV RUGHUHG WKH ÀQDO with Guaranty Trust Bank.

Further investigations by forfeiture to the federal government of N120 million traced ICPC revealed her alleged to a primary school teacher, complicity in money laundering Mrs. Roseline Egbuha and her thereby prompting the commisaccomplices by the Independent sion to place a Post-No-Debit Corrupt Practices and Other (PND) on the account.

It said the PND was lifted by 5HODWHG 2ͿHQFHV &RPPLVVLRQ Egbuha and her accomplices (ICPC).

A statement by ICPC said with a court order purportedly the forfeited money as well from a Federal High Court, as cars form part of the N540 Abuja, and the money promptly million proceeds of crime traced split and moved into multiple to Mrs. Egbuha, a teacher with bank accounts owned by Bureau Ozala Primary School, Abagana, de Change operators and private individuals.

Anambra State.

“The accomplices, one James The teacher, who was on a monthly salary of N76,000 Erebouye, Emon Okune, Chisom

Iwueke, Alonge Ojo, Maureen Chidimma, Owoyemi Mayowa and Ejeaka Ifeoma, including two private companies, were charged to court for their involvement in fraudulent activities and warehousing proceeds of crime by the commission,” it said.

Counsel to ICPC, Adesina 5DKHHP LQ D PRWLRQ ÀOHG in 2021 before Justice D. U. Okorowo, alleged that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities stashed away in six new generation banks by Egbuha and her associates.

He prayed the court to RUGHU WKH ÀQDO IRUIHLWXUH RI WKH money and cars to the federal government.

2023: Abia APC Chieftains, Stakeholders Commend Party for Choosing Emenike as Guber Candidate Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia With 2023 drawing closer by the day, stakeholders and party chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State have continued to applaud the choice of Chief Ikechi Emenike as the standard-bearer of the main opposition party.

Emenike had emerged to lead Abia APC to do battle with other parties in the forthcoming general election following his triumph at the party primary held in Umuahia on May 26, 2022.

His candidacy was lauded and appreciated by party chieftains and stakeholders at a meeting held at Ntalakwu Oboro in Ikwuano

Local Government Area of the state during which they expressed their feelings on Emenike’s emergence.

The common string that ran through their speeches was that APC has finally got it right in its choice of governorship candidate, hence the party has “a very good marketable and electable product” in the person of Emenike.

Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said that Abia APC has “for the first time got it right in its choice of governorship flag bearer”, noting that “Emenike has fought very hard to sustain APC in Abia.”

She stated that Emenike’s candidacy was all the more pleasant and satisfactory given

the fact that the party made its choice through a seamless internal democratic process of primary poll devoid of any imposition.

“The crux of the matter is for us to become the ruling party in Abia come 2023,” the representative of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency said.

According to her, Abians have tried the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for over 20 years and have got their hands burnt and now they are looking up to APC for salvation.

“Dividends of democracy have been hanging somewhere; they would be brought down to Abia State by Emenike (when he becomes governor in 2023),” Onyejeocha said.

Health Care Providers Insist on Paul-Ozieh’s Election Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) Lagos State branch, has insisted on the validity and constitutionality of Mrs. Biola Paul-Ozieh’s election as Chairman of the association as LW IDXOWHG WKH QXOOLÀFDWLRQ RI WKH election by HCPAN President, Dr. Jimmy Arigbabuwo.

Paul-Ozieh and Dr. Emma Onyenuche were elected Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively on Thursday, July 14, 2022, during the Elections/ Annual General Assembly (AGM) held at the National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos.

Reacting to the development, a group under the aegis of ‘Concerned Members of Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) Lagos State Branch’ dissociated itself from WKH FDQFHOODWLRQ QXOOLÀFDWLRQ RI the results of the election, saying Dr. Jimmy Arigbabuwo acted unilaterally.

The health professional groups comprising nursing, physiotherapy, medical laboratory science, radiographers, optometry, and pharmacy, insisted they totally believe and stand by the results of the election of July 14, 2022 and declared Dr. Arigbabuwo

DFWLRQ DV JURVV DEXVH RI R΀FH ´:H ÀQG LW QHFHVVDU\ WR SXW on record that the purported unilateral annulment made

by Dr. Jimmy Arigbabuwo (National President, HCPAN) is unconstitutional and a gross DEXVH RI R΀FH DQG DV LW ZDV GRQH in his private capacity without the necessary endorsement and approval of the AGM,’’ the document read.

According to the association, the election followed due process as the AGM had approved the election procedures by voice vote as presented by Dr. S.T. Akintadeled Electoral Committee.

Rose Ndong Wins Oil, Gas Women in Leadership of the Year Award The Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ms Rose C. Ndong, has been honoured with the Women in leadership Award of the Year IRU KHU LQGXVWULRXV HͿRUWV LQ the oil, gas and energy sector, at the just concluded Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition.

The award was received in person by the Commissioner at the Gala and NOG award ceremony held at the ICC Abuja.

The NOG Women in Leadership Award instituted in recognition of women with proven leadership skills; that foster growth and development in the energy industry is a testament of Ms Ndong’s humble contribution to the extractive

industry in Nigeria.

With her background training in Geology, Mining, Mineral Exploration and Hydrogeology, Ndong brought to bear her dynamic managerial expertise to both the solid minerals and the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy, positively LPSDFWLQJ WKH UHYHQXH SURÀOH RI the nation, while safeguarding the investment of private sector player in this industry.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER JULY 30, 2022

39

NEWSXTRA

Sanwo-Olu Loses Aide, Omotayo Sanyaolu Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has mourned the passing of his Senior Special Assistant on Tertiary Education, Youth DQG 6WXGHQW $ͿDLUV 2PRWD\R Sanyaolu.

Sanyaolu, who was the immediate past Youth Leader of the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), died yesterday after his involvement in an auto crash in Lagos.

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a

condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the family of Omotayo Sanyaolu, who he described as a “loyal, committed, hardworking and dedicated co-worker in the Greater Lagos agenda.”

The governor said the death of Sanyaolu is a personal loss to him and the Lagos State Government, as well as the deceased family, friends, Lagos APC and tertiary institutions

within the state.

He said, “The death of a loved one is usually painful as it is irreparable but we must thank God that Omotayo Sanyaolu made a positive impact during his short but eventful lifetime. He served our party, APC passionately and meritoriously as a Youth Leader and contributed to its victory in many elections.

“Tayo as my Special Assistant on Tertiary Education, <RXWK DQG 6WXGHQW $ͿDLUV

was very instrumental to the Greater Lagos agenda.

He contributed positively to LVVXHV DͿHFWLQJ WKH \RXWKV DQG students in the state.

“I sympathise with his widow, children, siblings, friends and the entire family as well as Lagos State and the APC family. I pray that God will grant the late Omotayo Sanyaolu eternal rest and grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. We will miss Tayo.”

Delta Committee on World Bank Assisted Immunisation/Malaria Inaugurated Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba The Delta State Government has inaugurated a 12-member Steering Committee on World Bank Assisted Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress for Accelerated Coverage and Transformation Services, IMPACT Project.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the inauguration of the committee, the Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Co-Chairman of the project, Dr. Barry Gbe, said that the state keyed into the Immunisation Plus’ component of the project owing to its invaluable benefits for the state’s healthcare delivery system.

Gbe said, “IMPACT is designed to achieve a balance between the need and to achieve rapid results through priority programmes affecting under-five health and the requirement of strengthening primary healthcare for long-term sustainability.

“As the first phase of a 10-year engagement the project invests, among others, in launching and evaluating bold innovations in service delivery, improving demand for health services, improving facility performance and health systems management and accountability more broadly and increasing data-driven decision making.

Okowa: PDP Will Overcome Works on Makurdi Port to Commence Soon, Says Chime It’s Challenges Before Elections Former Malawi President, Joyce Banda, Calls George Okoh in Makurdi “all issues would be resolved.” and Quality Assurance of Argo- Chuks Okocha in Abuja Okowa noted that the for Elimination of Practices against Women Allied Products as a Panacea for Vice Presidential candidate Governor of Rivers State, The Executive Secretary of Increased Export’, said the new Nigeria Shippers Council, Mr. Emmanuel Jime, has said that work on the Makurdi River Port would soon commence as the port had been earmarked as one of new River ports that would be developed around the country.

Mr. Jime gave the indication in Makurdi at the weekend after the inauguration of the Council’s R΀FH According to him, an assurance has been given by the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) that work would soon start on the Makurdi River Port.

Jime, who also attended one-day seminar with stakeholders with the theme ‘Appropriate Packaging

port will boost economic activity in Benue State which he said would lead to job creation for people in the state.

He urged the business community in Benue State to take advantage of the export promotion drive of the federal government to access the international market with non-oil exportable goods and produce.

Jime pointed out that as the Food Basket of the Nation, Benue KDG D ORW WR EHQHÀW IURP WKH non-oil export promotion drive of the government especially when such exportable agro-allied goods and products were packaged and preserved properly in line with international best practices.

of the PDP and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has given assurances that the party will go into next year’s general elections as one united family.

Okowa gave this hint yesterday at Benue State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja while speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with Governor Samuel Ortom.

He said the reconciliation process initiated by leaders of the party to resolve all issues that emanated from the Presidential primaries and his subsequent emergence as the Vice Presidential candidate was on, stressing that at the end,

Nyesom Wike “is a strong party man who have worked very hard for the success of the PDP and would not want to work for another political party.”

In his remarks, Ortom corroborated the position of Okowa, saying leaders of the PDP were still discussing to correct whatever that may have gone wrong during the Presidential and Vice Presidential tussles.

Ortom however stated that as a critical and major stakeholder of the PDP, Wike needs to be placated to ensure that the reconciliation process was easy and smooth.

Rebecca Ejifoma

Former Malawi President and second female democraticallyelected president in Africa, Dr. Joyce Banda, has called for the elimination of practices and systems that are detrimental to women across Africa.

She said this at an intimate evening powered by ElectHER and Platform Capital that was held in Victoria Island, Lagos, with the theme, ‘The Future Is Feminine: How Can African Women Position Themselves as Change Agents in Life, Business and Politics’.

According to Banda, “The future is feminine is about

propagating values of equality, justice and fairness for both sexes in every sense and dimension.

“It is about eliminating all practices and systems that disadvantage women. It is not an infringement or disturbance to the world order. Rather it is about correcting what is fundamentally wrong with the current world order,” the ex-president said.

She hinted that the theme is about having a new world order that is built on the principles of equality, fairness and inclusivity and, accordingly and effectively, putting an end to the world order that is built and based on gender prejudices, predispositions and constructions.

Saturday, July 30, 2022

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MISSILE

Ortom to Buhari “Mr. president, if you are listening to me, I want to say that you are not doing well, you have violated the oath of office you took, Nigerians are in pains, they are suffering, the socio-economic lives of the people have gone down the abyss” –Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom chiding President Buhari over nationwide insecurity.

OKEYIKECHUKWU EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

The Call for Authenticity I

n the words of Parmenides: “What is, is; and what is not is not”. And he is right. If an umbrella exists, then it exists. If it does not exist, then it does not exist. But, wait a minute! How about something that exists “becoming” something else? An egg can become a chicken, `for instance.

A student may one day become a teacher, an engineer, an armed robber or a priest.

A seed may one day become a tree, or a shrub. So, where does that leave us with Parmenides? Perhaps we should just tell the gentleman philosopher that he is wrong in his further statement that “for something to come into being, it must have been in existence before then”. He forgot, or denied, the concept of development.

Unlike Parmenides, Aristotle said: “Everything is what it is” at any particular point in time. A chair is a chair. A table is a table, and not a chicken. But the table was made from pieces of wood, nails, gum and some vanish. None of the components is a table. Putting all of them together in a room will also not give you a table. There must be a process that transforms the possibilities of these disparate objects into a new actuality. We must, therefore conclude that everything is what it is at a particular time, in a particular place, and under particular circumstances, provided the conditions for activating all or some of its other possibilities are not fulfilled.

That is why a basic fact of logic and critical thinking is that a thing cannot be one thing and also not be that thing “at the same time, in the same place and, particularly, in the same respect”.

That is the basic pillar of the Laws of Thought in traditional logic. It is the element of Sub oedum respectum that ends the debate, making it possible for the concepts of development, transformation, act and potency to be part of all logical and metaphysical thinking. So, let us go really philosophical today and talk about authenticity and inauthenticity; with an eye on the ongoing switching of identities between thieves, leaders, bishops and mechanics.

A political party that is, to all intents and purposes, the Patron Saint of Mediocrity and national decay cannot also ‘at the same time’ successfully pass itself off as an agent of national development” Also, political party that says it is in opposition, but which has nothing that really distinguishes it from the ‘bad guys’ it is trying to replace has a very bad case. A presidential aspirant with controversial antecedents and credentials cannot, ‘at the same time’, be a presidential aspirant with credible antecedents and credentials. A person who calls himself a bishop when he is not one is simply not a bishop. He cannot, ‘at the same time’ that he is not a bishop transmute

Tinubu

into one by self-proclamation. The simple issue here is about reality and illusion, truth and falsehood. criminality and good behaviour. So, let us talk go deeper int authenticity and inauthenticity.

To be authentic is to be real. An authentic wooden chair is different from a fake plastic chair that is given a coat of paint in order to pass it off as a wooden chair. A person is said to be authentic when he is what he claims to be at any particular time, and completely so. To be inauthentic, on the other hand, is to have your identity, values, statements and avowed beliefs contrived to present “what is not” as “what is”. It boils down to the absence of any true identity. A chimerical being.

The “Not this” that claims to be a “this”.

The inauthentic person will rather strive to create an illusion and present same as truth, than take steps to remedy a perceived lack and become real and authentic. This is where falsehood, no matter how thinly cloaked, will prance forward through the manipulation of public opinion. It is all a question of doing everything possible to ensure that popular opinion and made-up reality create a shroud for the non-being to hide inside and masquerade an identity.

Utter bunkum! What is not is not, at any particular time.

When an inauthentic person makes statements, or claims, about right, wrong, development, etc., it is all likely to be grounded on assumptions, expectations, views and ideas whose prevalence is mistaken for indubitability. Personal conviction is rarely ever part of the equation. Such a person will say ‘I know’, but will not bother to ask what it means ‘to know’. While one person will say ‘I know’ and mean ‘Mr. X told me…’, another will say he knows while he means ‘It is

generally said and believed that…’, or even ‘I have the impression that’. See? There is also profound inauthenticity in the domain of knowledge!

The victim of an inauthentic life may not be aware of his predicament at all. He will be absorbed in his everyday concerns, feeling quite important and indispensable amidst it all. Yet he is dispensable in every sense of the word, without the world being the worse for it. What the inauthentic person takes himself to be is very often the agglomeration of claims, conjectures, flatteries and opinions put out by himself and his ‘factory workers’; as he sits in the conventional boat of his environment, his financial status and what is generally called public opinion.

But can what is said by a misguided public ever become the truth?

An inauthentic person is actually no longer in a position to table new ideas, or question anything. “What will my people think of such a thing”, he would probably say in a shudder. His nakedness is there beneath the perfectly imaginary clothing of artifice. But it is precisely this artifice that is being marketed as reality, in the firm belief that all will be well in the end.

Now, let us carefully note that an inauthentic person is usually not under any visible physical coercion, no matter how subtle. Yet he seems to be the victim of some kind of ethereal tyranny, as he falters and stabilizes involuntarily. He is always afraid of what people would say if he did this, or failed to do that. He is worried that they may consider him foolish, unserious, etc. Yes! But who is this “they”? Terrible, is it not? That the “they” cannot be individualized. It does not really refer to this person, or to that person. It does not even refer to all the people put together; or to everyone except me. It is not something like a universal subject from which the individual can be abstracted, no!

But there it is! They want this and not that!

Unlike the authentic self which has taken hold of itself, and which consciously determines its own possibilities, a “they” self is not localized. That is why it is true to say that to have your day-to-day life defined by the ‘they’ is to have all your genuine possibilities annulled; because your life is dispersed into undefined channels, as you wallow in the anonymity of collectivism. When an inauthentic person says “I”, he actually means “the others, whose ways prescribe mine”. Pitiful, is it not? That the amorphous group, the self-enclosed homogenous group, with its unthinking rhetoric, buries personal volition.

If you doubt that the inauthentic person unconsciously, and often totally, depends on the “they”, watch out for the constant care he takes to see how he differs from

others; and whether that difference is one that should be maintained or evened out; whether he is lagging and needs to catch up, and whether he has some advantages he must strive to maintain. It is a desperate struggle for a life defined by average everydayness. A life lived with very little self-possession.

This is how the tyranny of the “they” unobtrusively robs people of their individuality. The choices about pleasure and displeasure are dictated by the prevailing preferences. It just happens to be “the done thing”. Thus, does true knowledge get undermined and undervalued. Nobody then needs to justify anything he says or believes, other than by saying that everyone is in the same boat. Thus, you find people strutting about as leaders, statesmen, chieftains influencers, on air personalities, etc., either after they have held public office, or because they have read a few books and talked a lot.

It is sometimes in this way that the impetus to free thinking and independent enquiry is either dampened, or extinguished completely for many people. That is because ‘they’ articulate he referential context of the significance of everything. Thus, it gets spread around that there is no need to be different. Evasion of self and ignorant presumption become the norm. “Just drift along”. Do not make a nuisance of yourself, by raking up issues that will make people think, reflect, or ask questions. As Martin Buber said: “Having become uneager and inept for such living intercourse that opens up a world, the have imprisoned the person in history and his speech in a library”.

But it is all coming to a head in Nigeria today. Inauthenticity has been our welcome companion around here for too long.

Many of those attacking Tinubu today either attended his recent 70th birthday celebrations, sent him congratulatory messages, or were part of newspaper adverts to mark the occasion. And how many of them do not know the man’s actual age and the age of his eldest and youngest children? What makes the fraud called PDP any better than the disaster called APC? Inauthenticity walks the land! In Aso Rock, in the National Assembly, in the judiciary, in state government houses, in state Houses of Assembly, in local government headquarters, in churches and mosques, in institutions of higher and lower learning. We walk through a maze and claim to be walking under bright lights. Debauchery has been given a new name, in the hope that the discerning will no longer keep watch over disappearing values. No, the relevant eyes are still wide open, even if fewer in number than hitherto. The call for authenticity is real.

It is the fire behind the upsurge in youth registration for the 2023 elections.

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