FRIDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2021

Osinbajo: African Cross-border Trade Worth $93bn Says AfCFTA is indispensable if industrial development is to take off on the continent Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday estimated that the African cross-border informal trade is worth $93 billion.

This is just as the vice president begins a four-day official visit to Arusha, Tanzania today.

Osinbajo, in a message sent to a roundtable on industrialisation in Africa

with the theme: “Positioning African Industries for Economic Transformation and Continental Free Trade,” organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to celebrate its

Golden Jubilee, stressed the need to rapidly operationalise effort by Afreximbank to establish a Pan-African Payments and Settlement Platform.

This, according to him, "will

go a long way in creating the desired continental payments system and also in facilitating cross-border informal trade which is estimated to be about $93 billion per annum.”

The Vice President,

according to a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, also declared that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers Continued on page 8

Bail-out Funds: Kogi Debunks EFCC's Claim, Threatens Court Action... Page 6 Friday 3 September, 2021 Vol 26. No 9643. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UTH

& R E ASO

N

Forensic Audit Uncovers Colossal Mismanagement of N6trn NDDC Funds Shows evidence of substantial compromise in execution of 13,777 projects Criminal investigations, prosecution to follow Nseobong Okon-Ekong in Lagos and Alex Enumah in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that the federal government will

take necessary measures to recover the over N6 trillion allegedly misappropriated in the running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 2000 and 2019.

To this end, the president has directed that the report of the forensic audit on the NDDC be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Justice for necessary action.

The president who spoke

shortly after he received the Forensic Audit Report from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, claimed that there had been evidence of substantial compromise in the

execution of 13,777 as well as the existence of, "multitude of NDDC's bank accounts amounting to 362" which lacked proper reconciliation of accounts.

The Attorney General of the

Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, who received the report on behalf of the president, therefore assured that the Continued on page 10

Masari: Nigeria’s Security Forces Overstretched, Poorly Armed Alleges bandits recruiting more members with as low as N5,000 IG hints at recruitment of 20,000 men across country Police claim rescue of five abducted Zamfara students As 900 more terrorists surrender to troops, says DHQ Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, Francis Sardauna in Katsina and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto In his relentless effort to keep Katsina State safe, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of the state, yesterday, identified as part of the problems, the facts that nation’s security forces were not properly armed and largely overstretched as a result of other security concerns across the nation.

The governor, who lamented the growing insecurity in his state, despite being President Muhammadu Buhari’s homebase, alleged that the situation has become so bad that bandits and kidnappers have infiltrated communities in Katsina and recruiting new members with as low as N5,000 along with Continued on page 8

HOUSES FOR IDPS...

L- R: Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum; Chairman, North East Development Commission (NEDC), Major General Paul Tarfa; Minister of State for Education, Chief Chukwuemeka Nwajuba; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk; Managing Director NEDC, Dr. Mohammed Alkali; and the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Pauline Tallen on Thursday, during the handing over ceremony of the 1,000 houses constructed by the federal government for resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Ngwom in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State

2

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

3

4

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

5

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 08033506821, 08097777322

Price Differentials Fuelling Petrol Smuggling, NNPC Insists

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday maintained that the existing price differential between the amount petrol is sold in Nigeria compared to its neighbouring countries remains a major incentive for smuggling of the commodity across the borders.

A statement by the NNPC spokesman, Mr. Garba Muhammad, quoted the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, to have said this during a presentation at an interactive session by the Joint Senate Committee on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

The NNPC boss noted that concerted efforts by the corporation and some federal agencies to combat the menace of smuggling of petroleum products have been largely hampered by the current arbitrage situation.

The NNPC had always argued that the current fuel subsidy regime remains unsustainable, pointing out as of June this year, it was paying as much as between N120 billion and N140 billion every month, with about N94 under-recovery per litre at the time.

With the country unofficially supplying the needs of some of the neighbouring countries through smuggling, the volume of the product leaving the shores of the country and by extension subsidy paid by the NNPC has continued to increase.

Kyari said with price difference of over N100 per litre now existing between what is sold in Nigeria and in countries surrounding

the nation, it was difficult to monitor the activities of petrol smugglers.

The NNPC GMD said though the corporation, working in concert with other agencies, has made noticeable progress in combating the menace, the battle was yet to be won.

“As long as there is arbitrage between the price that you sell and what is obtainable elsewhere, you can be sure that it is very difficult

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for investigation into the payment of the $418 million Paris Club refundrelated judgment debts to six creditors, which was recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, despite wide spread national objection by stakeholders, including state governors, chairmen of local governments and anti-graft agencies.

The lawmakers in a statement by its leader Hon. Ndudi Elumelu said president Buhari should note that the payment was cloudy, opaque, adding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should investigate the matter.

The lawmakers insisted that the objection raised by the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) and the Nigeria Governor’s Forum, (NGF), in calling for forensic audit into the claims by the creditors, must be taken into consideration.

The house caucus therefore called on Buhari

the GMD reiterated a base oil price scenario of $57 per barrel for 2022, $61 per barrel for 2023 and $62 per barrel for 2024. These were predicated on a base national production of 1.883 million barrels per day in 2022, 2.234 million barrels per day in 2023 and 2.218 million barrels per day in 2024.

Kyari explained that the assumptions were arrived at after consultations with the ministry of finance and other

relevant stakeholders, while also undertaking a careful appraisal of the three-year historical dated Brent oil price average of $59.07 per barrel premised on Platts Spot Prices among other considerations.

He reiterated that price growth was to be moderated by the lingering concerns over COVID-19, increased energy efficiency as well as obvious switching due to increased utilisation of gas and alternatives for electricity

generation.

The Senate Committee session was chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola, with members drawn from the Committees on Finance, National Planning as well as foreign and local debts.

Other members of the committee were drawn from banking, insurance, and other financial institutions, petroleum resources upstream as well as downstream petroleum sector and gas.

NAVAL CHIEF VISITS GANDUJE...

L-R: Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral, Awwal Zubairu Gambo, presenting a souvenir to the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, during a courtesy visit to Government House Kano as part of activities marking the Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference (CONSAC 2021) in Kano...yesterday

House Minority Caucus Demands Probe of $418m Judgment Debts Udora Orizu in Abuja

to contain the situation,” he said.

He emphasised that the activities of smugglers have also made it difficult for the country to determine the actual consumption figures for petrol, noting that the corporation can only know what was trucked out from loading depots across the country but cannot determine how much of that was consumed in-country.

On the MTEF assumptions,

to immediately halt the payment processes until after the investigations.

They stated: "As lawmakers, our caucus insists that the approval to funnel out $418 million out of the national treasure under such hazy consent judgment and in the absence of the forensic audit, smacks of an endorsement of corruption.

“Our caucus urges President Buhari not to allow himself to be misled or entangled in this nebulous enterprise but to listen to the state governors and allow for the audit, particularly on the particulars of claims by creditors as well as the circumstances leading to the suspicious consent judgement.

"The Minority caucus demands that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice should avail himself of the audit to bring the processes and circumstances surrounding the judgment debt to public glare.

“The caucus maintains that the audit should unravel those behind the consent judgment, the propriety of such measures as well as why the objection by the governors was ignored."

Buhari Okays 200% Pay Rise for NIMC Staff, New Conditions of Service Male staff to enjoy paternity leave

Samuel Ohwovoriole in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 200 per cent pay rise and an enhanced conditions of service for the staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Male employees of the agency are now to enjoy paternity leave under the new conditions of service.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, officially conveyed the approvals to both the Chairman, Governing Board of NIMC, Bello Gwandu and its Director General, Aliyu Aziz.

Pantami said the new salary scale was 200 per cent of the total personnel cost of NIMC, which raises the total cost of the agency from about N5.3 billion to N16.7 billion per annum.

He said: "We now have a new condition of service and salary scale approved

by Mr. President for the

National Identity Management Commission. This new condition of service and salary scale increases with over 200 per cent the total NIMC personnel cost, a significant departure from what is currently obtainable."

He said the achievement was through persistence, determination and most important, with the support of the President. Expressing appreciation to the president for the approval and directive to implement the NIMC Condition of Service and Salary Scale, Pantami explained that it was comprehensive.

"The NIMC condition of service is a comprehensive document that, going forward, would serve, as the machinery through which the Commission articulates and implements its personnel policies and programmes.

"NIMC plays a critical role that impacts the life of every Nigerian, and for persons legally resident in the country.

In light of the foregoing, it is imperative that the vibrant

NIMC staff who are tasked with managing one of the nation’s most sensitive and critical asset are provided with the enabling environment to play this pivotal role efficiently and effectively.

"The NIMC Condition of Service is a comprehensive document that going forward, would serve, as the machinery through which the Commission articulates and implements its personnel policies and programmes," the minister said.

According to him, the NIMC plays a critical role that impacts the life of every Nigerian.

He said in the light of the foregoing, it was imperative that the vibrant NIMC staff who are tasked with managing one of the nation’s most sensitive and critical asset are provided with the enabling environment to play this pivotal role efficiently and effectively.

According to him, securing a N25 billion approval from the Federal Executive Council

(FEC) for NIMC to upgrade its infrastructure led to the rapid increase in the number of enrolments from 41 million to over 60 million in less than a year.

"Securing the N25 billion Federal Executive Council Approval for upgrade and replacement of the NIMC Identity Infrastructure, and the implementation of novel initiatives that has increased the registration of persons to over 62 million on the NIDB,” he added.

The Chairman, Governing Board NIMC, Bello Gwandu, the Director General NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, praised the president and minister for approving this new salary scale and new conditions of service.

The Legal Adviser, NIMC, Hadiza Dagabana stated that in the newly approved conditions of service, NIMC male staff are to enjoy paternity leave, adding that staff on Grade Level 14 and below are getting 70 per cent allowance of their salaries.

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

6

NEWS

ADAMASIGBA STADIUM WEARS NEW LOOK...

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, during the unveiling of the remodeled Lekan Salami Stadium Complex, Adamasigba, Ibadan...recently

Illiquidity: MAN Calls for Recapitalisation of Discos Urges unbundling of 11 power distributors to 36 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Basic Metal Fabricated Iron and Steel Products Manufacturers, an arm of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN) yesterday called for the recapitalisation of the power Distribution Companies (Discos) in Nigeria to solve the perennial illiquidity in the sector.

The Chairman of the section, Dr. Kamoru Yusuf, in statement in Abuja, noted that despite the pledge by the Discos to invest in infrastructure, not much had been spent, resulting in weak and obsolete facilities.

According to MAN, in spite of the intervention by government and international organisations, the state of Discos’ infrastructure remains a far-cry from the expected

minimum.

“There is therefore, urgent need to revalue the capital base of Discos and increase same to achieve meaningful investment in their network.

This will largely address the sector liquidity issues.

“There is also need for urgent revaluation of the capital base of the electricity investors in the Discos, and possible increase in the capital base. Over the years, Discos have continuously lamented over paucity of funds.

“This is however at variance with the commitment of the Discos to invest in the area of infrastructure most of which are weak, obsolete and overdue for overhaul and upgrade,” it stated.

It called for further unbundling of the current

Eko, Abuja, Port Harcourt Discos Top June Market Remittances, Says NBET Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc yesterday listed Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) as the highest electricity market payment remitters in the month of June, 2021.

Information from the company indicated that the ranking was for monies received for grid-distributed electricity in the Nigerian power sector, which it said was N28.811 billion in the month under review.

NBET is the administrator of the national power pool and the financial flow in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), with one of the company’s goals being to ensure efficient transactions in the power sector as well as support its growth and viability.

However, the information from NBET showed that no Disco met the 100 per cent

mark, but showed that the EKEDC came close with a 93.4 per cent remittance of its market obligation.

“The June 2021 market receipts from Discos is N26.811 billion, with the three top remitters being Eko, Abuja and Port Harcourt Discos with 93.4 per cent, 86.6 per cent and 76.4 per cent respectively,” a report from the company noted.

Head of Corporate Communications at NBET, Henrietta Ighomrore, when contacted confirmed that the June 2021 market payment had been disbursed to the Generation Companies (Gencos) in proportion to their invoices.

She further stated that NBET was committed to ensuring timely and efficient payment to Gencos to enable the power generators fulfil their obligations and maintain sustainable supply of electricity to the grid.

She also stated that NBET was engaging with all stakeholders in the value chain to ensure payment improvement and viability of the Nigerian electricity market.

distribution part of the value chain as it has been canvased severally that the coverage areas for the Discos are too large and would not make for effectiveness.

MAN suggested that the 11 Discos should be broken up into 36 separate entities to ensure effectiveness as well as better monitoring, insisting that it is clear that most of the Discos do not have the capacity to oversee the large space they are currently operating in.

In addition, it called for the development and monitoring of Discos’ implementation Performance Improvement

Plans (PIP) and a mandate to construct a minimum of 5 kilometres of new lines every month, complete with both Transmission Company Nigeria (TCN) interface projects.

“TCN should also be required to periodically upgrade the equipment and infrastructure. Discos should be mandated to set up and operate electric pole manufacturing companies within their franchise area to meet their pole requirement and support the PIP. “This is practiced in China and other countries of the world, and this has enhanced Discos performance in such

climes. Interestingly, it costs only $2 million to set up a standard concrete pole company with a capacity to produce a minimum of two kilometres worth poles daily.

"This will bridge the deficit in their pole needs and eliminate cases of substandard poles provided international standards for pole manufacturing are complied with,” Yusuf argued.

He further urged the authorities to operationalise the Eligible Customer Regulation (ECR) to take care of the stranded 2000MW, to allow companies purchase the stranded energy directly from

willing Generation Companies (Gencos).

“It is almost four years after the ECR came into effect, yet none of the several applications has been approved by NERC due to bottlenecks. There is need for the regulators and more particularly NERC to urgently simplify the ECR and its processes to make it operational,” he lamented.

While advocating more regulatory consistency on the scheme, the MAN sector urged the regulator to ensure prompt enforcement of policies to achieve the desired change as well as an anti-theft and vandalism legislation.

Bail-out Funds: Kogi Debunks EFCC's Claim, Threatens Court Action The Kogi State government yesterday debunked the alleged conversion of bailout funds meant for salary payment by the Yahaya Bello’s administration.

The state government also said it does not have the sum of N19, 333,333,333.36 or any other sum in a fixed deposit account with Sterling Bank as alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the allegation by the EFCC that part of the bailout fund was not used for the purpose for which it was secured was not only false, but also malicious. He insisted that the allegation wasn’t supported by any records, including bank statements.

The Commissioner also debunked the allegation that the state government authorised the opening of a fixed deposit account wherein it deposited the bailout loan of N20 billion for the purpose of generating interest for itself, describing it as false.

He added that, “the Kogi State government gave no

mandate or instruction to Sterling Bank to open a fixed deposit account on its behalf as it could barely meet the salary obligations for which the funds were received at the material time.”

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, had on Tuesday ordered the freezing of Kogi State salary bailout account.

Justice Tijjani Ringim made the freezing order of the said account pending the conclusion of investigation or possible prosecution by the chairman of the EFCC. While denying the entire allegations, Fanwo said when the present administration came to office in 2016; Kogi State was in arrears of salaries and allowances to civil servants and pensioners in excess of N50 billion.

“The previous administration had applied for bailout funds from the federal government to settle the said arrears, but could not access the funds until the expiration of its tenure. Yahaya Bello therefore pursued the bailout fund applications and secured Mr. President’s approval for the funds which were disbursed in tranches.

“Specifically, in July 2019, the president approved the

payment of the final tranche of the bailout loan to the state which came by way of an on-lending loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria via Sterling Bank Plc. “Sterling Bank Plc disbursed the said loan using the Kogi State bailout account number 0073522756 on the 23rd of July 2019,” Fanwo explained.

Speaking further, he said: “The sum of N19, 999,000,000 of the said N20, 000,000,000.00 was at various times between the said 23rd July 2019, and 25th September 2019, disbursed to Kogi State salary account number 0073499012 with Sterling Bank and the United Bank for Africa salary account number 102089595797 from where the funds were judiciously applied for the payment of salaries and allowances owed to the workers of the state.”

The Commissioner said the current balance in the said Kogi State bailout account and as of the date of the alleged ex-parte order was N999, 190.50.

He said a letter written by Sterling Bank on September 1, 2021, confirmed that Kogi State government does not currently operate or maintain a fixed deposit account with it.

“The letter proceeded to confirm that all the balances in all the accounts operated

by Kogi State government were approximately N46 million. Finally, the letter confirmed that account number 0073572696 cited in the alleged order of the court is ‘an internal (mirror) account operated by the bank for the purposes of managing the Kogi State bailout facility,” Fanwo added.

He said the government was still shocked as to how the EFCC came about the information upon which it had fraudulently or by misrepresentation of facts secured the purported order freezing a non-existent account or a ‘mirror account’ created for administrative purposes by the bank in respect of funds which have since October 2019 been fully disbursed and utilized for the purpose for which it was borrowed.

The Commissioner also regretted that, “at no time during this entire concatenation of unfortunate events did the EFCC invite or question, much less seek clarification, from this government or any of her officials in relation to such weighty matters.”

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

7

8

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

PAGE EIGHT OSINBAJO: AFRICAN CROSS-BORDER TRADE WORTH $93BN limitless opportunities for the industrialisation of Africa, urging authorities to take the right actions to actualise them.

He stated that such actions include the protection of local industries and improving value chains.

According to him, “for certain, the AfCFTA is indispensable if industrial development is to take off in Africa because it offers wider markets and economies of scale which are essential for manufacturing to be competitive.

"We must take policy actions to create an environment in which businesses can thrive. To start with, we must adopt the right type of macroeconomic and industrial policies.

“It is important for African governments to provide a stable macroeconomic environment which avoids and smoothens out volatility in prices, sharp deteriorations in the current account and budget deficits and of course, rapid accumulation in debt burdens.”

Speaking on actions that would boost manufacturing, Osinbajo said, “on the industrial side, policies like tariffs, quotas, subsidies and non-tariff barriers which protect our infant industries so that they can create jobs and enable learning are vital.”

He added that, “well negotiated rules of origin are important in the context of the free trade agreements as they are key to preventing transshipment and the deflection of trade. Without them, firms from non-state parties could set up simple labelling operations in one member-state with a view to shipping already

finished products to another member State without really adding any value.”

Osinbajo observed that it is important for MAN to involve itself in an advisory capacity to government negotiators "as we go further into the rules of origin negotiations (these rules negotiations have, of course, started), but I think as we go on, we should get more contributions and advise from MAN. “Our manufacturers must also strive to become competitive after clearly specified time periods so that they can withstand the ever present danger of stiff competition from imports.

In other words, while our manufacturing industries must be nurtured and supported, they cannot remain infants forever".

Stressing the need to enhance industrial competitiveness, Osinbajo noted that, “one of the ways to increase the competitiveness of African industries is to develop and deepen regional value chains wherein production systems starting from conception and design right through to supply of raw materials, processing, transport, storage, marketing and sales take place within our countries and continent.”

Citing examples of Nigeria and South Africa, he explained, “when we export commodities to the rest of the world, we are also exporting jobs and the positive spillover effects such as learning that come with manufacturing are lost.

"Happily, we are already beginning to see some green shoots emerging in this regard as Nigerian fertiliser

blenders obtain phosphates from Morocco for blending with urea produced in our petrochemical plants.

Similarly, South African car manufacturers already buy leather for car seats from Botswana. We however need much more of such activities.

He identified some other things that need to be put in place "if we are to see the kind of manufacturing activity that we desire. First

of all, we need to develop a strong infrastructural base.

Extensive, cheap and affordable infrastructure is vital for the success of our economies.

“We must build a network of roads, bridges and rail that will facilitate the movement of goods and people just as we build the electricity plants to power our factories and the broadband networks that lubricate modern business. It would also

be essential in the interim to develop sites with dedicated infrastructural and regulatory structures like Special Economic Zones and Shared Facilities for small businesses.”

Osinbajo added that another major objective of policies aimed at preparing industries for AfCFTA “must be to ease payments across borders and implementation of the protocols on free movement of persons”.

Meanwhile, the Vice President is going on a brief official visit to Arusha in Tanzania from Thursday (today) to Monday.

Osinbajo, who is expected to be received by his Tanzanian counterpart, Dr. Philip Mpango, will be visiting the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR), an African Union agency in Arusha, among other engagements before he returns to Abuja on Monday.

IT'S ALL IN HERE ...

Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio (L) presenting the final forensic audit report on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to the Attorney General of the Federation, Malam Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the President at the office of the minister in Abuja...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

MASARI: NIGERIA'S SECURITY FORCES OVERSTRETCHED, POORLY ARMED drugs and other intoxicants to launch onslaught against innocent citizens in the state.

But the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Usman Baba, has said the force was working with the Federal Ministry of Justice to esnure speedy prosecution of arrested bandits and kidnappers across the country in order to serve as deterrence to other criminals terrorising the nation, even as he hinted at plans by the police to recruit 20,000 more men across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.

Also, the Zamfara State Police Command said it has rescued five (5) out of the 73 abducted students of the Government Day Secondary School, Kaya in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

In the same vein, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), yesterday, said 900 more terrorists surrendered to troops in the North Eastern part of the country, bringing the number of insurgents that have so far surrendered in the past three weeks to 5, 890.

Speaking while receiving the police IG, Baba, at the Government House, who was on a courtesy visit, Masari said security personnel were grossly inadequate to tackle the nefarious activities of the bandits and other criminals terrorising the state.

He explained that security personnel, particularly, the police were not enough to police Katsina with an estimated population of about eight million people, while the police haveonly 3,000 personnel in the state.

In addition, the governor claimed that the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) did not have modern equipment to combat criminality, especially,

banditry across the frontline local government areas of the state.

His words: "From my assessment of policemen in the local government areas, I don’t think we have up to 3,000 policemen in the entire state. Let us assume that they are up to 3,000, what it means is that we have a policeman for every 200,000 people. How effective can that policeman be? Then, we come to arms and ammunition, what do the police have?

"And when it comes to modern equipment for combating criminality, how much of it do the police have?

And the same thing goes for all other security agencies.

"They are in South-south battling militants; they are in the Southeast battling IPOB; they are in North East battling Boko Haram and ISWAP and insurgents and they are in the North West battling bandits.”

He, however, pointed out that, "Here, the bandits have infiltrated the communities recruiting young men with as low as N5,000 along with drugs and other intoxicants.

We must stop the culture of not reporting criminals, because of tribal or family affiliations."

Earlier, Baba, who assured the governor of speedy prosecution of arrested bandits and kidnappers, said the Nigerian Police Force under his watch had commenced plans for the recruitment of additional 20,000 policemen across the 774 local government areas of the country.

"We will recruit from every local government in the country. It is the directive of the President that we should recruit 10,000 for 2020 and another 10,000 for 2021 across

all the 774 local government areas. We are going to redeploy these policemen to their local government areas to fight crime," said.

According to him, "I came in as IGP at a very difficult time.

When I came in, it was in the South East and South-South that there were series of killings, including the killing of security personnel and our places of work destroyed.

"While the South-South and South East are stabilising, the situation in the North Central and the North West is getting worse. We are going to work harder to see that citizens go about their lawful businesses unmolested".

However, in a statement by the Public Relations Officer, Zamfara Command, Superintendent Muhammad Shehu, the police said the ongoing search and rescue mission had started toyield positive result as Five (5) of the abducted female students were yesterday rescued.

Shehu noted that the victims were medically checked at the hospital, debriefed by the Police and had been reunited with their families.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba N. Elkana, has assured the people that, the ongoing search and rescue effort would be sustained, so that the remaining abducted students would be rescued hale and hearty.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, which disclosed that addition 900 more terrorists had surrendered to troops, said those that surrendered included Boko Haram commanders, fighters and their families.

It said 560 of them were handed over to Borno State

government after "thorough profiling" even though 40 insurgents were killed while 20 others were arrested by troops.

Also, in a related development, troops of Operation Delta Safe have reportedly deactivated 33 illegal refining sites and 46 refining units in Imo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States.

At a media briefing in Abuja, Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Brigadier-General Bernard Onyeuko, said 900 more terrorists surrendered following intensified air interdiction and artillery bombardment of their enclaves by ground troops and the air force.

He said a total of 52 assorted arms and 1,977 rounds of 7.62mm assorted calibre ammunition including AK-47 and FN rifles with magazines, hand grenades, commando mortar guns, locally fabricated rifles, Dushka anti-aircraft guns, dane guns and Nigerian Police rifles among other items were recovered from them, while the operations held between August 12 and September 2, 2021.

"The counter insurgency efforts of the troops through kinetic and non-kinetic operations compelled the terrorists to surrender in large numbers. Suffice to note that within the last few weeks, more than 5,890 terrorists comprising foot soldiers and their commanders have surrendered with their families to own troops in the North-east zone," he said.

Onyeuko explained that a total of 565 Boko Haram terrorists comprising 12 commanders, their family members were handed over to the Borno State government

in Maiduguri for further management after thorough profiling.

Speaking, also, on the Jos crisis, Onyeuko said troops of Operation Safe Haven had arrested 20 suspects allegedly involved in the attacks, which resulted in the killing of 26 travellers at Rukuba town in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

He said the arrested persons had been handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency for further necessary action, adding that the military had sustained its operations against armed bandits in the North-west within the period under review.

"Troops within the period arrested criminal informants/ collaborators, whose activities have been causing setbacks for own troops’ operations in the zone.

"A total of 15 armed bandits, two armed robbers were neutralised, 13 bandits informants arrested, 15 motorcycles were recovered, two AK 47 rifles recovered, 33 kidnap victims rescued, 66 criminal elements were arrested and some vandalised railway sleepers/tracks were recovered within the period in focus," he said.

From the South-south, Operation Delta Safe claimed the raid on illegal refineries within the period of conducting series of antiillegal oil operations, included such places as Opuoma and Mmahu communities in Ohaji-Egbema LGA of Imo State; Sand Community in Akwa Ibom State; Madangho Creek in Warri South West LGA, Ndoro and Beneside Communities in Burutu LGA as well as Yokri-Egbe Seashore, all in Delta State.

Other operations were executed at Ibaa in Emohua LGA, Iyala, Buguma and Cawthorne Channel Creeks as well as Samkiri, Orutoru and Dema Abbey Communities, all in Rivers and Delta States.

"During the operations, troops discovered and deactivated a total of 33 illegal refining sites with 46 illegal refining units, 94 boiler ovens and nine reservoirs.

"Also, a cumulative total of 139 metal storage tanks and 63 dugout pits, all laden with 440.2 barrels and 1,637,500litres of illegally refined AGO as well as 62.2 barrels and 572,000litres of stolen crude oil and shelter stations were discovered and treated accordingly," he said.

He noted that other illegally refined products intercepted and immobilised were a wooden boat used for transportation of illegal oil products, 321 polythene bags, 16 drums and 15 jerry cans laden with illegally refined petroleum products.

Brigadier-General Onyeuko said the Armed Forces of Nigeria remained steadfast in the fight against all forms of criminality in different parts of the country.

"The military high command appreciates the continuous sacrifices of the troops in the various theatres of operation across the country. It salutes their courage, resilience and commitment towards achieving sustainable peace in the country.

"We appreciate the general public and the press for their continued support and further encourage all to avail the armed forces with credible and timely information that will facilitate proactive engagements in all the theatres of operation across the country," he said.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

9

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

10

NEWS

Olu of Warri Appoints New Traditional Prime Minister Sylvester Idowu in Warri The Olu Of Warri, His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse 111, yesterday revalidated Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Johnson Amatserunleghe

as Itsekiri traditional prime minister.

He also retained 10 other Itsekiri chiefs after a council dissolution.

Chief Amataserunlege emerged as new Prime

Oshiomhole: Late Uwaifo Used His Talent to Put Edo, Nigeria on Global Map Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole has described the late music maestro, Sir Victor Uwifo as a man who used his talent to take Nigeria and Edo to the international community.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the residence of the late Uwaifo where he was accompanied by some chieftains of the APC in the state, Oshiomhole said the late music maestro was an intellectual who tried to bring to reality his thoughts in music and the arts.

According to him, “There are many ways in which he affected the life of those in my generation. As young men in the typical rural village when there was no light, no road, anytime we want to listen to music, we make request through Radio Nigeria, we listen to radio using battery, the number one record we always requested was Victor Uwaifo; Guitar Boy, Joromi and others and we will wear our small knickers and dance and then stories about the exploits of Uwaifo in the music world.

“In this part of the world and at that time, the man who forcefully put Nigeria, put the face of Edo on the world map was Sir Victor Uwaifo through his own creativity, talent and industry. You cannot resist his music.

“We always pray that may God give us long life and good

health because you can live so much and become a vegetable; one is not dying, one is not living. We thank God that he came in the manner he did and he left without being a burden to the family.”

Oshionhole recalled that as governor of Edo State, Uwaifo always oblige invitation to entertain guests at short noticed without complaining.

“As a steward at Osadebe Avenue which you call governor, under 24 hours notice, he will always be there even as a guest but sometimes I will tell him, sir the people want to hear your voice even though he wasn’t invited to play, he will oblige us.

“He was the original musician; in his days, you have to master good English language, you have to have a natural good voice not digitally aided and shopped. You have to either have it or you don’t.

The voice of Uwaifo was not the result of manipulation of modern gadgets, it was a natural gift that God gave him and his music has meaning, when you listen, beyond the entertainment, you also pick a lesson.

“Uwaifo was an intellectual.

Beyond music, Uwaifo was always busy, if he can think it through he will try to create and translate it. Edo people and Nigeria have lost an elder statesman and I am happy that President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged this fact that Uwaifo is one of the few artistes that succeeding heads of states and presidents recognised and invited to state functions," Oshiomhole declared.

Minister as the Olu of Warri at Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral home of the Itsekiris in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, commenced the revalidation and confirmation of the Warri Council of chiefs following a public notice dissolving the council and other committees in the Kingdom.

At the end of yesterday's session, Amatserunleghe, emerged the most senior chief and ‘traditional prime minister’ of the kingdom.

Amatserunleghe has thus displaced Ayirimi Emami, who holds the position of ‘Ologbotsere’ and served as traditional prime minister of the kingdom during the tenure of the immediate past Olu, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli.

Others whose chieftaincies

were revalidated at the colourful event included Gabriel Awala, Kofi Kartey, Robinson Ariyo, Dr. Roland Oritsejafor, Roli Oritsejafor, Edwin Olley, Solomon Arenyeka, Clement Maleghemi, Eugene Ikomi, Omolubi Newuwumi and Billy Besi Giwa respectively.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, had on Tuesday announced the dissolution of all traditional councils, committees, sub-committees, and revalidation/confirmation of chieftaincy titles in Warri kingdom.

In a statement he personally signed, the Warri monarch had noted that in pursuant to the Itsekiri custom and tradition regarding the powers conferred on him as the Olu of Warri and by

the virtue of the provisions of Section 25 of the Delta State Traditional Rulers, Council and Chiefs Law, CAP T. 2 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2008, “I, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, hereby announce, for the information of the public, the Delta State Government and particularly, the traditional rulers and chiefs committee; the dissolution of all traditional councils, committees, sub-committees and the scheduled exercise of revalidation/confirmation of chieftaincy titles effective from September 2, 2021.”

The statement read further: “For the avoidance of doubts, the Warri Council of Chiefs, the Olu Advisory Council (Ojoye Ojisan), the Olu in-Council, all standing, ad-hoc, and sub-committees

are also dissolved forthwith; the mandatory revalidation/ confirmation of chieftaincy titles shall commence on September 2, 2021.”

The statement had restated that the timetable for the revalidation and confirmation exercise shall be made available at the Palace Secretariat from September 1, 2021, and the process of registration of all chieftaincy titles with the prescribed authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 25 of the Delta State Traditional Rulers, Council and Chiefs Law, (supra) shall follow immediately after the revalidation and confirmation exercise.”

The Olu of Warri ascended the throne as the Itsekiri traditional ruler on August 21, 2021.

APPRECIATING TOFA...

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Retd, (L) presenting a souvenir to the Chairman of Kano Elders Forum, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, during a War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), advocacy meeting with the elders in Kano...Wednesday

FORENSIC AUDIT UNCOVERS COLOSSAL MISMANAGEMENT OF N6TRN NDDC FUNDS report would be critically analysed for necessary action and implementation.

Buhari had in October 2019, ordered a holistic forensic audit on the activities of the NDDC from when it was established till August 2019, in response to the yearnings of the people to make the commission more effective and result oriented.

According to the president, there was nothing tangible on ground to show in the region for the huge funds committed over the years through the Commission, which many had described as a conduit pipe for politicians in siphoning trillions of naira.

The president noted that his administration was however concerned about the colossal loss occasioned by uncompleted and unverified development projects in the region, in spite of the huge resources made available to uplift the living standard of the citizens, hence the forensic audit of the Commission.

According to him, "It is on record that between 2001 and 2019, the federal

government has approved N3, 375, 735,776,794.93 as budgetary allocation and N2,420,948,894,191 as Income from Statutory and Non Statutory Sources, which brings the total figure to the sum of approximately N6 trillion given to the NDDC. "It is evident that considerable resources have been channeled by the federal government to the development of the Niger Delta from 2001 to 2019. It is therefore important for the federal government and the public to be properly informed of what has been spent and how that has been spent.

"The essence of the forensic audit is to ensure probity and accountability in the use of public funds. It is against this background that the federal government will without hesitation strategically implement all aspects of the audit exercise that will promote probity and greater prosperity for the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria as whole," he added.

Specifically, Buhari disclosed that his administration would

apply the law to remedy the deficiencies outlined in the audit report as appropriate.

"This will include but not limited to initiation of criminal investigations, prosecution, recovery of funds not properly utilised for the public purposes for which they were meant for review of the laws to reposition and restructure the NDDC for the efficiency of better service delivery amongst others. In all these instances of actions, legal due processes will strictly be complied with," he added.

Earlier, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, while submitting the report stated that the exercise was not done to witch-hunt anyone, but to ensure that the huge sums of funds committed to the area yearly are justified.

He lamented that the region had remained backwards since 1958 in spite of successive governments’ efforts through the creation of various interventionist programmes and projects.

According to him, the report of the audit committee showed that their

were over 13,000 abandoned projects in the Niger Delta, adding that even before the submission of the report some contractors have returned to site on their own and completed about 77 road projects. According to Akpabio, the name and identity of a vast number of beneficiary companies were also captured in the report.

“Via Field Verification, the Forensic Auditors established the exact status of all contracts for projects and programmes in all constituent states during the period under review classified into completed, ongoing, abandoned, terminated, taken-over and non-existent, " he declared The Minister disclosed that the auditors also focused on funding gaps, irregularities, mismanagement and due process violations/conflicts of interest.

He added: “A Personnel Audit and Review of the governance and organisational structure of NDDC was also carried out.

An operational guideline/ manual and a fit-for-purpose organogram that would aid the transformation of NDDC

to a globally competitive development agency has been developed as well.

“Available financial records of the commission were analysed with the aim of establishing the total amount of funds received by the Commission from all sources, both statutory and non-statutory and the total funds and other resources paid to contractors as well as the total amount outstanding as debts with regards to such projects within the period under reference.

“The auditors have also provided policy recommendations, in terms of measures that should be taken to ensure the prevention of such irregularities and mismanagement, going forward."

The Lead Forensic Auditor, Alhaji Kabir Ahmed, in a brief overview of the report, said that the team recommended managerial as well as structural changes, chief of which was the downsizing of the NDDC's board.

He also said to reduce cost, the team recommended

that members of the Board should henceforth be appointed on part time basis.

While disclosing that oil companies in the country were still in default of their contributions to the Commission, Ahmed recommended that the government should withdraw the licence of any oil company that defaults for a period of three years.

The report also recommended the deduction of 50 per cent ecological fund at source, which should be paid to the Commission because both the federal and state governments had failed to make payments to the Commission.

In addition, the auditors recommended as a measure of effective revenue collections, the Federal Inland Revenue Services should collect funds on behalf of NDDC from oil companies in the country.

The report further called on the government to recover from contractors and former and present staff of the NDDC, who have been indicted for short changing the NDDC.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

11

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

12

NEWS

INAUGURATION OF EKITI TRADITIONAL COUNCIL...

L-R: Immediate past chairman, Ekiti State Traditional Rulers Council/Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, HRM Oba Ajibade Alabi; Ekiti State First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; new chairman/Onisan of Isan Ekiti, HRM Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon; his wife, Olori Funke Adejuwon, and Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, during the inauguration of the State Traditional Council, led by Oba Adejuwon in Ado-Ekiti…yesterday

El-Rufai Bans Transportation of Livestock ‘In and Out’ of Kaduna John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna State government has banned the transportation of livestock from the state to

other parts of the country as part of efforts to tackle insecurity.

The government also prohibited the transportation

Buni: I Wasn't Restrained

by Delta’s Court Order Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, has dismissed reports that he restrained by the High Court order in Delta State.

Buni, in a statement yesterday by his Director General of Press, Mr. Mamman Mohammed, added that the restriction of the forthcoming local government congresses was also limited to Delta State and did not affect other states.

He, however, noted that some mischief makers, who never wished the party well, had continued to misrepresent the facts without having access to the court ruling.

Buni explained that one Mr. Elvis Ayomanor and seven others had on August 19, instituted a case against the APC and its leadership in a High Court of Justice, Asaba, Delta State, challenging the outcome of the party's Ward Congresses of July 31, 2021.

He said the seven applicants prayed the court to among other things issue and serve the originating summons on 15 defendants including the party, Buni and members of the national caretaker committee as well as, the chairman of the party in the state.

Buni added that applicants also sought the court to issue an interim injunction to restrain him and members of the committee from acting or parading themselves as leaders of the party, pending the determination of the case against the outcome of the ward Congresses in Delta State.

He noted that they also prayed for an interim injunction restraining the party from conducting the local government and state Congresses slated for 4th September in the state

pending the determination of the case before the court.

Buni, however, clarified that the High court in its wisdom, ruled: "This court has looked at the motion Ex-Parte dated 18th/8/2021 and filed 19/8/2021 seeking the reliefs as set out on the face of the motion paper.

“This court has also looked at the supporting affidavit along with exhibits attached as well as the written address containing legal arguments in support of the prayers sought. Reliefs 1, 2, 3 and 4 have to do with issues of service of processes on all parties in this suit.

"Relief 5, 6 and 7 are injunctive reliefs being sought in the interim. The affidavits in support contain sufficient grounds for the grant of the reliefs being sought. Reliefs 1,2,3,4 and alternative prayer 5 of the motion Ex-Parte are hereby granted.

“Alternative prayer 5 is granted only in relation to the 15th defendant (Jones Ode Erue, Chairman APC, Delta State). In compliance with order 39 Rule 7(3) of the Extant Civil Procedure Rules of this court, this order of injunction granted shall abate after 7 days. It shall not operate ad infinitum. This matter stands adjourned to 7th September, 2021 by 10.00 a.m on agreement of counsel.”

Buni, therefore, contended that, "From the above, it is apparently clear that the court ruling only affected the 15th defendant (Delta State Chairman of APC) and not the National Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni and other members of the committee.

"It is also clear that the restriction of the forthcoming ward Congress is limited to Delta State and does not affect other states."

of livestock from other parts of the country to state.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Kaduna by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.

“After wide consultations and thorough security reviews, the Kaduna State Government has banned the transportation of livestock from the state to other states in the country.

“This ban also prohibits the

transportation of livestock into Kaduna state from other states. Both bans take effect immediately, from today 2nd September 2021.

“The government also wishes to reiterate that the transportation of donkeys into the state is a criminal offence and anyone found engaging in this will be prosecuted accordingly.

“Furthermore, the Kawo weekly market, which usually holds every Tuesday in

Kaduna North LGA, has been suspended with immediate effect.

“The previous directives suspending weekly markets and selling of petrol in jerrycans in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kajuru LGAs, as well as banning the felling of trees for timber, firewood and charcoal and other commercial purposes in Birnin Gwari, Kachia, Kajuru, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and Kauru LGAs, are still in force,” the statement noted

It added that the directives would be vigorously enforced by security agencies.

Kaduna is one of the states worst hit by activities of bandits with cases of invasion of communities, killings and abductions almost on a daily basis.

Currently, 31 of the 121 students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna, who were abducted in their school on July 5, 2021, are still in captivity.

At 79, Iwuanyanwu Retires from Active Politics, Addresses Nation’s Challenges Amby Uneze in Owerri Publisher of the Champion Newspapers and Chairman, Peace Committee between the North and South of Nigeria, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has announced his desire to bow out of active politics, where he had made tremendous impact in reshaping the country.

The businessman and construction mogul, who had over the years played an active part in the business and construction sectors of the nation's economic life also stated that he had no regrets over his actions in several attempts to become the president of Nigeria.

Iwuanyanwu maintained that the only way to have peace and stronger security in Nigeria was for the country to be restructured, which would give the federating units

enough power to control her resources while maintaining a weaker centre.

He also said for security to be more effective in the country, there was need to have state police so that the governors can have adequate powers to answer for the crimes perpetrated in their states.

He observed that what the country was passing through presently has overwhelmed herleadership and the security architecture, and therefore called for a stronger synergy to be able to contain the scourge.

Iwuanyanwu maintained that at the rate the bandits have continued to attack the northern part of the country, it was a matter of time such criminal elements would penetrate the South, hence the Southern leaders should be active and alive

to prevent the movement of inherent bandits, and other criminals.

On health issues, Iwuanyanwu, who has just turned 79 years, expressed dismay that the quest by the nation’s leadership to travel overseas to access health care portended danger, adding that as a nation, nothing stopped the leaders from building and equipping health facilities and pay the doctors and other medical personnel adequately as a way to prompt Nigeria’s health care to be appreciated.

He, however, decried the unemployment rate in the country and deplored a situation whereyoung men and women graduates roam about the streets looking for job without finding any.

Iwuanyanwu, who spoke to Journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, gave details of his sojourn in life as well

as his numerous contribution to the development of the country and humanity.

He expressed satisfaction towards his effort, especially, for attempting to be President of Nigeria in his bid to redeem the ills confronting the nation.

On his retirement from active politics, he maintained that being kingmaker as the Chairman of Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he has everybody as his subject and no longer on party line.

"As the Chairman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo council of Elders and having groomed and mentored many young politicians across the country, who belong to different political parties and are doing well, at 79, it is only neat and imperative for me to quit the stage and allow the younger ones to grow forward with relevant advice," he stated.

UNICEF: Zamfara Students’ Abduction is Horrifying Michael Olugbode in Abuja United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has described as horrifying, the recent abduction of some 100 students and a teacher of the Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Reacting to the development, UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria,

Peter Hawkins, while stating that school must be safe for students, lamented the endless attacks on schools especially, in the North.

Hawkins, in a statement, said UNICEF was horrified by yet another attack on an educational institution in Nigeria, following the Government Day Secondary School abduction.

He said of the abducted students, 23 escaped and returned home – two of

them with bullet wounds, lamenting that they were aged between 14 and 19 years.

Hawkins said: “We strongly condemn this attack, which has happened just a few days after kidnapped students of a school in Niger State, North Central Nigeria, were freed,” adding that: “We call on the authorities to take expedited action to rescue these students and reunite them with their families.

“We reiterate that attacks on schools and abduction of learners are a gross violation of children’s rights, and a horrific experience for children to go through – one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and overall wellbeing.

“Schools must be safe. No child should experience any harm, because they went to school, and no parent should come to grief for sending their children to learn.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

13

14

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

COMMENT

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

HOW ITALIAN POLICE ARRESTED MY HUSBAND If he has committed any offence, take him to court, writes Wendy Igwema

I

t all happened one morning, 4am to be precise, on the 28th of October 2020. We were just waking up from sleep in our home in Torino. Suddenly there was knock on the door. When I opened I saw about nine Italian policemen. One of them was a woman.

I asked them what they wanted. ‘We want to take your husband in for questioning,’ one of them said to me. They said they were arresting him on a mafia-related crime in Italy. They proceeded to search the entire apartment and they did not find what they were looking for.

As they took my husband away, I requested to go with them to their station but they refused, saying that all they want is to interview him. They said they would let him go afterwards. Before they took him away, my husband called his lawyer, and told him about the presence of the police in our house. He advised that we closely watch them so they wouldn’t plant anything in our house. We did.

Let me quickly state that my husband is not a mafia member. He has worked here in a hospital as a nurse in Vias Palato Capa GS in Torino for over 12 of the 16 years that we have lived here in Italy. He is a law-abiding person who has no criminal record whatsoever – no 419, no internet fraud, nothing.

After about a two-hour search of our house where they found nothing, they took him away. On that same day around 11am, I got a call from the Italian police, that they have decided to remand my husband in prison. I requested to know why. They didn’t tell me why. So I requested to speak with my husband, who told me that the police accused him of belonging to a mafia group in Italy. ‘Are you a mafia member’, I asked my husband.

‘No, but I am a Norseman’, he said to me.

So I met the lawyer again, an Italian. The Italian police did not allow him to see my husband. After about 14 days of my husband being in detention without access to his lawyer and family, I was eventually to find out that they also arrested anyone remotely or close to him. They arrested them all, about 50 of them in number. It was a massive raid in Bologna, Milan, Torino, Rome, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia.

Information that reached me indicated that the whole raid was just about rival groups in Italy who fought against one another sometime ago. Our lawyer, Emmanuel Pergas, met the police and demanded to be

THE NAME OF THE PRISON WHERE MY HUSBAND IS BEING DETAINED ILLEGALLY IS VALLETTE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF NIGERIANS HELD IN THIS PRISON AND MANY OTHER PRISONS IN ITALY WITHOUT CHARGE

shown proof that my husband was part of the group that participated in that brawl. The police told our lawyer that they had monitored meetings that cult groups in Italy have had over a long period. In all of the about video surveillances, my husband was not in any of them.

They said though that my husband participated as a boss when he intervened and made peace between two Nigerians having an altercation on the streets of Torino.

My husband has been in prison over 10 months without charge. Each time he is taken before a judge, the Italian police always argued for an adjournment which they always got. Most of the said court appearances were online, and only the lawyer makes an appearance.

I go to see my husband every week, and the last time I saw him, he was looking very unwell. I was pregnant when they came to arrest him, and the sudden nature of the affair led to my losing my pregnancy.

The name of the prison where my husband is being detained illegally is Vallette. There are hundreds of Nigerians held in this prison and many other prisons in Italy without charge. Over 52 Nigerians were arrested in Italy on the day my husband was arrested.

I am basically surviving on the stipends that come from the hospital my husband works. There’s no other assistance whatsoever from any source. He has a life contract with the hospital. They cannot sack him. The hospital has also made a case for my husband that he has worked with them for over a decade without blemish of any kind. They have agreed to testify in court to my husband’s good name in Torino.

These people (Italian Police) have worked to cancel the next court appearance in September. They are bent on just keeping our people in jail to rot and languish. In the year 2019 after I lost my twins, friends and well-wishers came to the cemetery for the burial of my twins. They wore black clothes. Because of that, most of them were arrested as Mafia members.

Please let the Italian police release my husband and the many other Nigerians languishing in jails in Italy. We their wives are suffering. If they are alleged to have committed any offence, let them take them to court to prove their innocence.

Mrs Igwema wrote from Torino, Italy

GOODLUCK JONATHAN: DON’T DEFECT TO APC Etim Etim urges the former president to retire from partisan politics and focus on peace building activities

F

or the sake of openness and transparency, let me start by stating that I am a bona fide and registered member of the APC and a strong supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration. I am one of the leaders of our great party in Akwa Ibom State, but I am not too beclouded by partisan interests to discuss national issues objectively. I have been quite distressed to learn that former President Goodluck Jonathan is considering defecting to APC. I don’t know how credible this story is, but the persistence of the rumour and Dr. Jonathan’s unwillingness to issue a categorical denial have fueled further speculations of his intention to join the governing party. The recent defection of Senator Stella Oduah, from Anambra State, who was his Minister of Aviation to APC and the recent flirtatious activities of Femi Fani Kayode around some APC chieftains have created the impressions that they are the advance party of the former president in APC. FFK has been a brutal critic and abuser of the President, Vice President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and indeed APC itself since Dr Jonathan left office in 2015. Initially, it seemed like FFK was mortally and irreparably hurt by the defeat, but in recent times, he too has been hobnobbing with certain APC leaders, fueling speculations that he’s soon joining the party.

I concede that many Nigerian politicians are fair weather folks who indulge in bread and butter politics. They lack ideological DNA, but only flock to whatever government is in power. For this reason, I will like to advise former President Jonathan to stay put in PDP, no matter the pressure on him to defect. He should resist the urge to join the growing tribe of bread and butter politicians by joining the

APC. His reputation and respect would be greatly demeaned if Jonathan defects. In the first instance, the ‘’owners’’ of APC will never give him a presidential ticket. So, of what benefits would his defection serve? Privately, APC members, including the president himself, consider the Jonathan presidency as a woeful period. Even with crude oil selling at above $100 per barrel during most of his five-year tenure, Jonathan failed to achieve much. Rather, there was massive looting of the treasury and round tripping of foreign exchange in the system. The massive looting of the CBN vaults in the last days of his tenure to fund the 2015 elections remains a major stain on his reputation. Many people in my party do not have much respect for the former Nigerian leader.

I insist that President Jonathan will better maintain whatever remains of his prestige as a former Nigerian leader by continuing to serve the nation and our continent as a statesman. In fact, he should retire from partisan politics and focus his time and energy on peace building activities across the continent. I must commend him for what he has been doing in Mali as the Special Envoy of ECOWAS. If at 63, Dr Jonathan might feel too young to resist the excitements of partisan politics, he will do well to restrict such endeavours to the PDP. But if the former president yields to the soothing cajoling from APC chieftains and defect, he will regret it. PDP members will pour all sorts of insults and abuses on him. They will throw the kitchen sink at him, including possibly alleging that he defected to avoid EFCC prosecution.

They will then mention all the foibles associated with him. Don’t forget they have the dossiers.

Yet APC will never give him the presidential ticket he is looking so eagerly for. Our party has its own tendencies and intrigues, just like every political platform, mind you. How does Jonathan expect to move into a party filled

with political engine blocks like Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rotimi Amaechi, Babatunde Fashola, Godswill Akpabio, Yemi Osinbajo and collect a presidential ticket at the drop of the hat? My suspicion is that there are people in APC who just want to lure Dr. Jonathan out for the final humiliation. It is up to him to be wise.

All over the world, former presidents keep away from partisan politics and maintain a dignified presence in the affairs of their nation.

They play fatherly roles and use back channels to offer advice to the government in power.

They also get involved in charity work and international engagements. Dr. Jonathan should follow this pattern. First, he should continue his commendable work as the initiator of West African Elder statesmen Forum on which he is working with former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. That forum will help in stabilizing fragile political situations in some countries in the sub region. Two, President Jonathan should raise money to build his Presidential Library Complex. It is a tradition in the US for former Presidents to build their libraries. They serve as major research, civic and educational facilities for the communities and other citizens. Former President Obasanjo, ever so filled with good ideas, has built his own Presidential Library complex in Abeokuta.

Recall that when he left office as a military Head of State in 1979, Obasanjo set up African Leadership Forum which has been involved in leadership development, capacity building, enterprise building and economic empowerment since 1988. I am therefore mortified that instead of thinking about his legacy in similar areas, Goodluck Jonathan, a PhD holder and former university professor, is flirting with the idea of moving from one political party to another. Who advises him on matters personal brand positioning, please?

Another preoccupation for Dr Jonathan

should be the lecture circuit. He should travel the world and around the country delivering lectures on contemporary issues like Climate Change and Dwindling Resources in Africa; Nigeria and the Challenge of Crypto currencies; the Clash of Ancient Cattle Routes with Nigeria’s Chequered Quest for Modernity, among other issues. Jonathan can also take up international assignments in the UN system, leading peace missions and other duties. He should spend his time coaching African leaders on the importance of sticking to constitutional term limits. There are indeed so many things our former leader could do to help humanity beyond partisan politics.

Even in the political front, Dr Jonathan could help to rebuild his party. With another election cycle looming, the PDP has been thrown into a tumultuous crisis. Gov. Nyesom Wike is fighting tooth and nail to control the Party so that he could hand over the Presidential ticket to his good friend, Aminu Tambuwal. Wike is looking to be Tambuwal’s running mate, and to achieve that, the Rivers governor is bulldozing all obstacles on his path. The PDP is being suffocated to death as more and more of its members are moving into the governing APC. I am half -heartedly excited that my party is growing in leaps and bounds. But I am also conscious of the fact that our democracy will never be strong and healthy if we end up with one major Party like the ZANU-PF of Zimbabwe or ANC of South Africa. Their history is different from ours. Our country needs two or more strong parties to give the citizens alternative platforms and the governing party a good competition. A strong opposition party serves as a good check to the excesses of those in power. This is why I don’t want the PDP to die; rather Dr. Jonathan should stay back in his party and provide a veritable rallying point for its resuscitation.

15

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

EDITORIAL

CONTAINING LASSA FEVER The authorities could do more to stem the viral disease

E

ven though many Nigerians may not be paying attention, Lassa Fever, a deadly disease that took its name from one of our communities, has within the last two months claimed the lives of dozens of our citizens. The death toll as at last week, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), was 73, all within the past two months. The total number of confirmed cases nationwide is now 354. Of this number, Edo State has 158, while Ondo State trails with 117. Of the fatalities, Ondo has the highest, with a total of 38 deaths, followed by Edo with 14. Others are Taraba, 12; Ebonyi, two; Bauchi, two; Kaduna, four; and Enugu, one.

It is noteworthy that Lassa fever has been a serious challenge for Nigeria’s health authorities since it was first diagnosed in Lassa (the village for which it was named) in Borno State in 1969.

Even though there WITH EFFECTIVE have been efforts in COORDINATION, THE the past to contain the scourge, it is DISEASE CAN BE unfortunate that CONTAINED BEFORE we have been IT BECOMES ANOTHER NATIONAL EPIDEMIC AT A witnessing frequent outbreaks in recent TIME WE ARE BATTLING years.

THE THIRD WAVE OF Lassa fever is an COVID-19, AND CHOLERA acute febrile illness INFECTIONS which is caused by a virus with an incubation period of between six to 21 days. The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, before being followed by headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, cough, and bleeding from mouth, nose, etc.

However, because the symptoms of Lassa fever are so varied, clinical diagnosis is often difficult,

especially early in the course of the disease. For that reason, steps should be taken by the government, at all levels, to emphasise routine infection prevention and control measures. Healthcare workers should also be advised to be careful to avoid contact with blood and bodily fluids in the process of caring for sick persons.

E T H I S DAY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGED ENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO

xperts have advised that people should ensure their food (cooked or uncooked) is properly covered in addition to regular handwashing. The bush around the home should also be cleared regularly while windows and doors of the house should be closed especially when it is nighttime. The public should also be adequately enlightened on the dangers posed by rats in their homes. This should be the responsibility of both the Federal Ministry of Environment, and that of Information which can deploy the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for a public awareness campaign on the issue.

Against the background of repeated commitments by various stakeholders to prevent a recurrence of this disease, what the current outbreak has shown clearly is that if indeed there have been any preventive strategies, they were not implemented. We therefore believe that the authorities need to do more if we are ever to rid the nation of the disease that claims the lives of dozens of our citizens on an annual basis.

With effective coordination, the disease can be contained before it becomes another national epidemic at a time we are battling the third wave of Covid-19, and cholera infections. But the real challenge is to work towards its total eradication from Nigeria as it has been done in many other countries. We hope the authorities will take both preventive and long-term measures this time around so that we do not continue to lose our citizens to the virus that has become another emblem of shame.

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Letters to the Editor

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

PRESIDENT BUHARI AND NEW MINISTERS

F

ollowing the sacking of Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono, and his counterpart in the Power Ministry, Saleh Mamman, President Muhammadu Buhari said: “In due course, substantive nominations will be made to fill the consequential vacancies in accordance with the requirements of the constitution.”

In most democracies, ministers are selected from technocrats with strong professional track records. A cabinet is not just a team, but a collection of great thinkers - silicon-valley-thinkers; men and women who can move the government with the speed of imagination of most Nigerians and their sense of judgment must be centered on the challenges of unlocking the future for ordinary Nigerians. And also bring new thinking and synergy to the public sector’s role in providing the needs of all Nigerians. Nigerians expect people that will add value to the cabinet - propellers for greater equality of opportunities for all Nigerians. They must be able to build a system that will swing the government away from the traditional methodology of concentrating on only ‘off-the-shelves’ way of improving our society. However, a right-thinking president also brings on board topnotch grass-root politicians to hold the political front when the need arises. President Buhari and the APC should as a matter of ‘need’ reinvigorate that area.

Apart from the two ministers who lost their jobs, many Nigerians still expect more heads to roll in the cabinet of President Buhari. Some sources said that those penciled down to be axed were more than the two eased out and that more ministers would be shown the exit any moment from now. The president has also indicated that the cabinet reshuffle would be a “continuous” exercise - this will definitely ginger the minister to do more work in contributing to national development.

Anyone nominated by the president must know what is expected of him or her. A ministerial appointment is a national assignment. Nigerians expect

ministers not to only saddle themselves with the responsibilities within their respective portfolios, but also be team players that will bring new and feasible ideas.

On the political side- apart from supporting the president, ministers should see themselves as the ‘faces’ of the APC from their respective communities – their political presence and contact with locals are very important. During the 2019 presidential elections, most of Buhari’s first term appointees especially from the north became mere spectators in their states due to their weak link with the grassroots. Buhari’s personality won him the north. Some of the current ministers are in the same shoe as those first term ministers - weak link with the grassroots and poor rapport with the public.

The president should look for the youth in making his new nominations; if that opportunity is slim, the president should expand his cabinet with 12 young people between the ages of 25-50, two from each of the six geo-political zones, as Senior Special Assistants with full cabinet status. This will greatly impact the youths’ perception of the government and give the government the ‘strength’ to boast that youth are adequately represented in the government.

This will also create a strong link between the government and the youth, who form more than half of Nigerian voters. This would also serve as an impetus for a good image and a sound political strategy for the All Progressives Congress (APC) towards the 2023 elections. Young people political participation and engagement in governance is essential at this moment.

Lastly, President Buhari should be firm in assessing every member of his cabinet. Non-performing ministers should be replaced quickly so as not to lose time, and also keep others on their toes. For the incoming ministers, especially Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar and Abubakar D. Aliyu, the Agriculture and Power portfolio is a golden opportunity to make a mark and serve the people.

Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja

DON’T BE STUPID

T

here is a common perception that many criminals are of a lower intelligence level than the general population.

Further evidence to support this is shown by a woman trying to sneak into Hawaii with a fake vaccination card. The first piece of evidence is that she is not vaccinated.

The second was that she had a vaccination card with a spelling error with Maderna rather the correct Moderna.

She may be receiving either a large fine or some free government accommodation in a prison which might serve as a warning for other people considering ignoring the COVID restrictions designed to keep us as safe as possible.

Some people argue about their freedom to do whatever they want to including not being vaccinated but most want to be free to first actually stay alive and then to enjoy that life. Do the intelligent thing and get vaccinated if you can.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

16

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

17

18

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

AUTOGRAPH

What’s Ikpeazu Doing With 1000 Bibles?

Nseobong Okon-Ekong interrogates the combined attributes of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State as a teacher, preacher, politician, and engaging speaker

W

e had just finished talking. The interview session went well; far beyond the expectation of his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka.

Of course, Governor Ikpeazu Okezie of Abia State is a busy man and was not supposed to spare more than 30 minutes, fielding questions from a journalist, but the conversation became mutual, as soon as we concluded the opening formalities. For close to two hours, the Abia State Chief Executive gave forthright answers to my interrogation and even volunteered information that would address all areas of my concern.

As I got up to leave the Government House Annexe in Aba, my eye caught an array of books on the shelf. I was particularly attracted to the different versions of the Holy Bible. On further enquiry, I was told there were many more at home and other locations where the governor spends time to work or relax.

The Ikpeazu administration is known for a couple of unusual things that stands it out for commendation. For instance, when Coronavirus forced a lockdown on the world, he rolled out a radio school programme and put himself on the frontline; teaching Biology. It was a huge encouragement to teachers, students and their parents who all tuned into the Abia State Broadcasting Service to listen to Mr. Governor teach.

Teaching comes naturally to Ikpeazu, who was a university lecturer before he dabbled into politics. From the look of things, chances are that he may return to the classroom at the end of his tenure as Number One Citizen of Abia State.

There is little wonder then that education has a special place in the scheme of things in the Ikpeazu administration. The governor particularly has a sentimental reason for his enduring effort to change the narrative about education in the state.

Among the Igbo states, Abia is home to Aba, the famous home of copied goods, derisively known as Made-in-Aba. Abia is also famous for used clothes, called Okrika or Bend-down-select on the streets of many Nigerian cities. Stories abound of a wealthy Abia man, from Abiriba part of the state; Abiriba has been nicknamed Small London because of abundance of well-appointed houses, hitherto owned by extremely wealthy but uneducated indigenes. As the story goes, there was this rich Abiriba man who hired an educated Onitsha man to keep the books in his business.

Of course, the Onitsha man handled all his letters with his trading partners abroad. On a scheduled visit to Nigeria, the Europeans who had the impression that the Onitsha man owned the business paid all courtesies to him, completely ignoring the Abiriba man, who was told by his employee that white men only shook hands with people who could write and speak their language. And a warm handshake from his white business partner was all the valued gesture that the Abiriba man wanted. He had told his people that he will not wash his hand for days after shaking the white man! It was, therefore, a most disappointing and humiliating experience for the affluent Abiriba man who vowed that his sons will not only learn to write and speak like the white man, but live in their type of houses. So, Ikpeazu continues to push the envelope for Abians in the area of education.

The new portrayal of Aba is a burden Ikpeazu has chosen to shoulder. Starting with his decision to wear Made-in-Aba clothes and footwear always. He has raised the psyche of the shoe and garment manufacturers in Aba by taking them to trade shows in the major commercial capitals of the world; getting them to understudy manufacturing processes in a shoe factory in China and bringing home the machines to them at no cost. To understand the unfolding history of the planned and sustained economic and professional turn-around for the Aba skilled tradesman, consider the over N100 million mansion owned by Ikpeazu’s personal tailor.

Mr. Governor, as always, has chosen to lead from the front by enrolling for a period of apprenticeship in an Aba-based shoe making factory. But the real McCoy is the Enyimba Economic City, designed by the same people who shaped Dubai. This is Ikpeazu’s eternal signature on Aba and Abia, as a whole, like Donald Duke did with Tinapa in Calabar, Cross River State.

Aba means many things and everything to the people of the South-east and many parts of the South-south. Any governor of

Abia State may be scored a success or failure depending on what he does or did not do in Aba. Aba is a behemoth; a deep ocean that shallows anything thrown into it. Ikpeazu can live eternally in Aba or the Enyimba City can be a grave that will bury the Abia Governor’s reputation. While the adjoining roads around Ariaria Market may have been given a face-lift, but the market itself has been enmeshed in all kinds of controversies that has put a cog in Ikpeazu’s progressive wheel. Again, Aba roads and ubiquitous heaps of waste have become the Abia Governor’s Achilles heel.

When a governor builds roads, builds schools, provides healthcare facilities and the like; it’s all good, but largely rudimentary. Going into the realm of grandiose legacy projects like Enyimba Economic City catapults the governor’s reputation to dizzying heights of fame.

While he is scoring high marks in urban renewal of Aba and Umuahia; and transformative investment in the whole the gamut of heath care- from primary health centres, general hospitals, emergency response, maternal and child health, geriatric and tertiary health care, it is in the field of education that Ikpeazu stands tall.

The current regime in Abia State has constructed 482 new classroom blocks, built four new model schools, retrained teachers-using international education providers, maintained first position in the West African School Certificate Examination back-to-back for four years, empowered education inspectors for effective monitoring of students, launched school feeding programme, improved public school enrollment from 142,000 to 650,000, improved rating of Abia State University to the Second Best among state-owned universities and launched Education for Employment programme. These are some of the pages on his brilliant scorecard in the education sector.

There is another kind of teaching assignment that he is engrossed with, as well. These days, Ikpeazu is beginning to yield more and more to the compelling pull to teach from the pulpit. The attraction to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ became stronger when Governor Ikpeazu was hit with COVID-19. Everyday came with the dark uncertainty of living through the valley of shadow of death. By God’s grace, he pulled through one of the most traumatic experiences of his 57 years on earth. Many had given him up

Aba is a behemoth; a deep ocean that shallows anything thrown into it. Ikpeazu can live eternally in Aba or the Enyimba City can be a grave that will bury the Abia Governor’s reputation. While the adjoining roads around Ariaria Market may have been given a facelift, but the market itself has been enmeshed in all kinds of controversies that has put a cog in Ikpeazu’s progressive wheel. Again, Aba roads have become the Abia Governor’s Achilles heel

for death. The temptation to be bitter and hold in contempt those who wished dead was most overwhelming but he remembered what Jesus would do in similar circumstance; and he did just that-forgive!

Despite his busy schedule, the Seventh-day Adventist World Church has increased his work load with regular assignments to preach.

Because of his disposition to spiritual things, he does not mind bending over backwards to discharge the task. Ikpeazu is influenced by the understanding that being a governor is good, but his earnest desire is to go to heaven when Jesus Christ comes again. To him, going to heaven, is more important than anything on earth. With these combined attributes as a teacher and preacher, Ikpeazu is an engaging speaker. Add his current vocation as a politician, then it becomes clear why he is able to speak easily and confidently, and to persuade people.

I have heard it said on doubtful authority, quoting a twisted version of a Biblical scripture, that it may easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a Nigerian politician to go to heaven. Could it be that Ikpeazu inclination to collect these variety of Bibles; is a search for another way to heaven that is unknown to the multitude of churchgoers; while not jettisoning the fact that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life?

Studying 1000 versions of the Bible may be a difficult task; that is, if you are not a teacher and/or a preacher. The wholesomeness and relevance of the Bible in human circumstances aptly sums up the manual that anything that is complete and offers a one-stop information is its bible. Public office holders like Ikpeazu are obliged to take an official oath on assumption of office.

I wonder if the Bible that the Governor held up as he swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was among the ones on his bookshelf in his Aba office.

For Ikpeazu taking an official oath on the Bible would not have been necessary, since he has already vowed before His Maker to be upright, in all his ways. Even the social drinking and clubbing that he used to indulge in sparingly are in the past. That is why he was very upset when Senator Smart Adeyemi put a question mark on his honour.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

19

PERSPECTIVE

Jide Adediran is Already Crossing the Line President Hassan’s Wrong Take on Female Footballers Chido Nwangwu puts Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on the spot for her disparaging sexist remarks against female football players

A

lmost in any major city in the United States, you will see African heritage girls who play soccer also popularly known as football — around the world. They play the game for the love of the sport. Just the same way so many of our young men and women love basketball.

I believe that soccer is the most popular sport in the world! By the way I love soccer and I play and I watch the game. The women who play soccer deserve our support.

They do not deserve sexist stereotypes and derogations which do not help anyone. Especially when such negative castigations of young and aspiring women are made by older women — who should be fountains of inspiration for this impressionable demographic. Moreso, it is an appalling minimization of some of our worthy ambassadors of sports excellence from Boston to Dakar, from Aba to Atlanta, from Dar es Salaam to Djibouti when such harsh comments are made by a country’s President who also is a woman.

You will therefore understand my disappointment when I read what Tanzania’s (Madam) President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at a ceremony on Sunday, August 22, 2021 to celebrate the victory of a national men’s team in a regional football championship about women footballers having “flat chests.’

For proper context, let me quote her statement at the event: “For those who have flat chests, you might think they are men and not women…. And if you look at their faces you might wonder... because if you want to marry, you want someone who is attractive, a lady who has the qualities that you want.”

She continued that for the women soccer players “those qualities have disappeared.”

Just when you thought that she had delivered enough body blows, she dropped another bomb: “The life of marriage is like a dream to them. Because even if one of you here takes them home as your wife, your mother will

ask if they are a woman or a fellow man.”

Madam President Hassan made a couple of observations and closed with a question: “Today, they are making us proud as a nation when they bring trophies to the country but if you look at their lives in the future, when the legs are tired from playing, when they don’t have the health to play, what life will they be living?”

Hassan and Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde are the only female heads of State on the African continent.

The great pan-Africanist and progressive Julius Nyerere was the founding President of Tanzania, in 1964, formed when Zanzibar and Tanganyika merged.

It is a very progressive country therefore her comments remain very jarring to many people.

At a sociological level, it has been said that women are the most harsh critics of other women. Consequently, I agree with the Tweet made by Catherine Ruge, the head of the women’s wing of the opposition Chadema party and former member of the Parliament of Tanzania, that “The comment by President @SuluhuSamia on women footballers is a humiliation to all women….

All women deserve respect.”

Or, is that too much to ask, Madam President?

-Dr. Nwangwu is the Founder & Publisher of USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline. com, first African-owned, U.Sbased newspaper published on the internet

The women who play soccer deserve our support. They do not deserve sexist stereotypes and derogations which do not help anyone. Especially when such negative castigations of young and aspiring women are made by older women — who should be fountains of inspiration for this impressionable demographic

Poverty of ambition kills progressive politics, reckons Lukman Erogbogbo “We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”

-Cesar Chavez

P

erhaps, Cesar Chavez, an American civil rights activist, knew that characters like Mr. Jide Adediran, the visioner at Lagos4Lagos, a movement conceived to drive his poorly-put-together governorship bid, abound in Nigeria’s political turf.

Although as a former US President, Senator Barack Obama, once posited, “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself, because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realise your true potential.” what is missing in that submission, however, is the fact that timing is as critical to every ambition or thought process.

Indeed, the Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes 9:11, submits that, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, not the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

Sentiments aside and let’s sling the cards as plainly as possible on the table, how much chances, really, does a Jide stand in a fair contest with the current occupant of the seat of power in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu? Sincerely, none! Even in a contrived political and electoral setting, he bears no consequences and this is speaking straight to the facts.

That he’s carried on as though he has a grudge match to settle with certain interests in the party and the state is the reason his desire to be governor of Lagos State, comes with a big question mark.

Bitterness and progression do not share space. One, ultimately, would have to yield and give cause to the other and this is where Jide and his co-travellers, have continued to miss the point.

The Yoruba have two contrasting sayings, both of which apply to the study of Jide with regards to his misguided ambition and in the political equation of Lagos – if at all he is considered in that shade.

The first, the Yoruba advise that a mad man should be allowed to savour the momentary joy of being addressed as the suitor, just so the real celebrants could have a free pass to their own event or doing.

However, in a flip, knowing that excessive freedom granted an unstable fellow could signpost harm for all, the Yoruba propose a second saying, which controverts the first.

And what did they say? If you allowed a mad man to bury his mother whichever way he chooses, he might as well roast her for a meal if it pleases him.

This is the point Jide needs to be called to order except, truly, as he too has always promulgated, there is the absence of leadership in the state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He professes to be a member of the APC in Lagos and has stealthily sustained his governorship movement immediately after the current governor was elected into office, not minding the obvious fact that his activities constitute huge distraction to the mandate of the governor to deliver to all.

Jide cannot continue to take the piss with his ill thought out choices at the expense of the collective people of the state that he also seeks to govern. He has a lot to learn let alone strutting the turf as though it’s some drinking get-together.

You cannot be rooting for equity, justice and fairness in the party and at the same time, constituting nuisance to the big picture in the name of ambition. Those goading him on are certainly not doing him any favour, because at the end of the day, he would be

alone to contend with the consequences of the path he has chosen.

How do you explain his going around seeking endorsements from individuals and institutions, when it’s not as if the incumbent governor is serving out his second term or has declared he was not interested in a re-election or has underperformed? Who does that?

Pause a moment and ponder this: what is the capacity of this new age politician and emergency big man to reflect deeply and speak truth to himself? He obviously lacks that endowment and unable to critically analyse both the simple and intricate political situations hence his disruptive choices all along.

From his first day in office, Sanwo-Olu has battled crises of different types and forms, coupled with those of leadership and performance and in all, he has always come out tops, surprising both his critics and cynics that, indeed, nothing is esoteric about leadership and governance - put together.

How then, does a Jide, who sauntered from nowhere, because he was privileged to be close to a former chairman of a federal agency, through whom he made some money to set up a rather struggling Core Media, think the governor of Lagos is for his ilk at a time like this?

Or shall we remind him of Sanwo-Olu’s rising profile, just so he knows what he is up against? The facts do not even show a promising, much less a fair competition between them. As a matter-of-factly, it would be unjust, if not wicked, for a Sanwo-Olu, with his present rating and well-off resume to stand in a competition with a non-starter like Jide.

That some greedy and inane few enjoy the lucre of the emergency wealth you throw around is not a proof of your qualification, not to talk of acceptability before even pondering validation. Jide is not a factor and would not be one for now in the subsisting Lagos equation.

Lagos has transcended his infantile disposition and he should therefore grow up first, learning to crawl before walking and running. No feeding-bottle politician is a preference in the state of aquatic splendour, even if there’s a godfather somewhere remote-controlling his missteps.

Lagos does not have the patience for the suasion of his like, which often submits: “He’ll learn on the job.” Hell no! Only the ready-to-hit-the-ground-running is eligible for the office of the governor of Lagos. It’s important to sink that in.

But, even more important is that, Jide’s actions, utterances and activities, are not only a distraction to the current focus of the emerging mega Lagos, they are no less antiparty movements, liable to reprimands.

This is where, without prodding, the leadership of the party in the state should call such abnormality to order, except of course, they are a part of the plan to make the state more difficult for Sanwo-Olu to superintend.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

20

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

21

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

S E P T E M B E R

S & P INDEX

2 , 2 0 2 1

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

15.50%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

558.25%

1/4 TO DATE

4.74%

N411.00/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

15.75 %

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

0.43%

YEAR TO DATE

-16.71%

*AS AT LAST WEDNESDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

3.91%

With 115m Tons Annual Import Deficit in Air Cargo, Nigeria May Lose Benefits of AfCFTA

Chinedu Eze Nigeria may not benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which favours countries that export high volume of products and services, as records indicate that the country exports only about 13 per cent of its cargo imports, which amounts to 115 million tons annual import deficit.

According to 2019 records of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria’s annual air cargo import stands at about

131 million tons, while it exports only 16 million tons by air.

Aviation expert and specialist in cargo freighting Mr. Amos Akpan, warned that Nigeria is losing income it could have earned from export by air cargo because it did not build capacity for export.

He regretted that most cargo flights that bring goods to Nigeria fly back empty because there are not products to take out of the country.

Akpan who is the Managing Director of Flight Logistics

Solutions Limited said, “Official data records 131 million tons of air cargo arrived Nigeria as imports, while 16 million tons of air cargo left as exports (FAAN data for Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt). This leaves a gap of 115 million tons between air cargo imports and exports.

“This implies that most aircraft that bring in air cargo into Nigeria return empty. The revenue Nigeria could have earned is lost in this imbalance. Furthermore, there is unrecorded trade going on by unregistered agents within

the air cargo terminals. Cargo moved from Lagos to West and central African cities are not captured in the trade records.”

“Food items are exported through scheduled flights daily to Nigerians living in Europe and America but not captured. We need to address hindrances to export and properly situate air cargo export in our trade records so we can build a system that will participate in regional, continental, and global trade arrangements like African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA),” he said.

Akpan said air cargo remained critical for every country’s economic development because it is the fastest way to move urgent goods and it is a denominator of countries that enjoy robust economy.

“The World Trade Systems capture air cargo as integral part of the entire logistics chain. As at 2020, air cargo accounted for 35 per cent of the movement of goods worldwide. Air cargo is critical to world economy; International Air Transport Association (IATA) records

six trillion dollars as airlines contribution out of which air cargo generated $111 billion. The resolution from the 73rd AGM of IATA is to equip air cargo to benefit from the anticipated $1 trillion increase in trade growth in the next five years. All sectors of our socio-economic life depend a lot on air cargo. In medicine, air cargo is relied upon to deliver vaccines and body organs on-time to save lives,” Akpan said.

He said that over the years Continued on page 22

FG Loses $100m in One Year over NPA, INTELS Pilotage Contract Stalemate Eromosele Abiodun One year after the expiration of the boat service pilotage contract between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) Limited in August 2020, steps to re-award the contract have stagnated with the implication that the federal government may have lost a whopping $100 million (N41.11 billion) in the last twelve months.

This loss of revenue is a curious development given the financial pressures on the federal government, which has led to a growing debt burden that has become a source of concern to Nigerians.

THISDAY learnt that the NPA does not currently have the capacity to carry out the service. With INTELS not being able to continue with the job following the expiration of its contract and the dispute arising from NPA’s attempt to re-award

the contract following a bidding process, Nigeria is losing the much-needed revenue in foreign currency.

INTELS, it was learnt, is supposed to remit same to the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) as collected. But since August last year when the contract with INTELS finally came to an end after fourteen years, nothing has been going on as regards the boat service contract.

Documents seen by THISDAY

indicate that the NPA had in December 2019, initiated a public tender process in compliance with the Public Procurement Act. This, according to sources was in anticipation of the expiration of the contract in August 2020 and the appointment of a contractor to provide the service for which INTELS levied the NPA a whopping 28 per cent service charge.

According to the documents, INTELS, alongside other

companies, submitted bids to qualify for the tender in line with the criteria spelt out in the public advert.

INTELS, it was learnt, was however disqualified for violating one of the criteria advertised for the tender process.

Regardless, THISDAY learnt that submissions, which included the names of pre-qualified companies from the tender process were made by the agency to the Federal

Ministry of Transportation for onward transmission to the Federal Executive Council for consideration, but these have remained unattended to.

In addition, INTELS had in the aftermath of its disqualification from the public tender process instituted a lawsuit to stop the NPA from proceeding with the process.

However, early this year, the Minister of Transportation, Continued on page 22

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 1 FGN BONDS DESCRIPTION 11.150 FGNSB 11-SEP-2021 12.364 FGNSB 12-SEP-2021 12.175 FGNSB 10-OCT-2021 11.244 FGNSB 16-OCT-2021 10.296 FGNSB 13-NOV-2021

Price

Yield

BILLS Change (%)

MATURITY

OTC FX F U T U R E S

Discount Yield

Change (%)

100.20

2.78

0.00

NTB 9-Sep-21

2.77

2.77

0.01

100.26

2.79

0.00

NTB 16-Sep-21

2.81

2.81

0.00

100.94

2.97

-0.03

NTB 30-Sep-21

2.88

2.89

-0.02

100.98

3.01

-0.04

NTB 14-Oct-21

2.95

2.96

-0.07

NTB 28-Oct-21

3.03

3.04

101.38

3.18

CONTRACT TENOR (MONTH) 1

Contract

Current Rate ($/₦)

NGUS SEP 29 2021 420.93

2

NGUS OCT 27 2021 422.38

3

NGUS NOV 24 2021 423.83

-0.04

4

NGUS DEC 29 2021 425.28

-0.06

5

NGUS JAN 26 2022 426.73

C Ps MATURITY

Discount Yield

Change (%)

DUFL CP III 3-SEP-21 UNCP CP IV 6-SEP-21 CMBL CP XIII 7-SEP-21 MTNN CP III 20SEP-21 MREP CP XXXIX 20-SEP-21

5.26

5.26

0.01

5.71

5.71

0.00

3.75

3.76

0.00

5.95

5.97

-0.01

16.85

16.99 -0.01

22

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

WITH 115M TONS ANNUAL IMPORT DEFICIT IN AIR CARGO, NIGERIA MAY LOSE BENEFITS OF AFCFTA

there has not been any revamp in the process in cargo handling at the airports and remarked that for Nigeria to overcome the existing trade imbalance, it must do everything possible to export more goods, especially perishables that are in high demand in Europe and the Americas.

“We need to manage air cargo shipments in an accelerated and competent manner so that we key into the global economic

development and aviation profitability in the post covid-19 era. It is more convenient now to discuss transactions via electronic communications but end with order for goods to be shipped by air.

“Software solutions in passenger processing is far more developed and applied than it is done in cargo processes. Indeed a lot of paper work is still in use in cargo processing. This is not in conformity with the

aviation greenhouse program.

DHL and FEDEX are ahead in the application of software solutions to logistics with particular attention to air cargo.

“Our Freight forwarders are not synchronised with freight forwarding associations in major air cargo logistics hubs like: Hong-Kong, Guangzhou, Heathrow/Hounslow, Dubai, Houston and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. I recently visited the offices of Association of

Nigerian freight forwarders and clearing agents of Nigeria located at the cargo terminal of Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

Their documentations were 90 per cent paper work, ”he further said.

Akpan expressed regret that government agencies at the airports, especially on the export desk, were not executing current government pronounced economic programme, noting that as a practitioner, he received

order to quote for the movement of pineapples, bananas, mango to a European city. One agency desk at the airport officially requested for N20 per kilogram.

After summing up the charges from the government agencies per kilogram, and adding the freight charges, the order was cancelled because of unreasonable cost.

“If you pay N20 per kilo to process shipment of pineapples at one desk, you end up with

about 150 naira per kilo as export processing fee; add air freight charges of N1000 per kilo (N1, 150 per kilo). How much is one bulb of pineapple? That will be at most one dollar. Another interesting experience this year is with the department that supervises import of seedlings.

A farm management wrote to seek permission to import four thousand seedlings of avocado and macadamia seedlings from another African country.

NIPOST Clamps Down on Four Illegal Courier Operators in Lagos, Begins Prosecution Process Emma Okonji The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), through its Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD), on Wednesday, clamped down on four courier operators in Lagos for allegedly defrauding the federal government and the general public.

CLRD said it was able to establish that the courier operators were operating without valid courier licence through surveillance.

The illegal operation, the CLRD added, amounts to defrauding the federal government of the one-off licence fee that they were supposed to pay into government account.

Also, NIPOST said it has put plans in place to prosecute the courier operators whom they accused of defrauding the general

public by collecting jobs worth millions of Naira and ending up not delivering the items that have been paid for since they operate without regulation and licence.

The courier companies, According to NIPOST, include: FTD Logistics Ltd, located in Surulere; SWIFTEX Logistics Limited, located in Anifowose, Ikeja; Massive Solaric Limited, located in Ikeja and Zibia Speed Limited, located in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to NIPOST, the one-off licence fee is N100,000, while the yearly renewal fee is N250,000 for the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) category of courier operators.

Reporters Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy) Ugo Aliogo (Development)

General Manager, CLRD, Mr. Gideon Shonde, who gave details of the raid and why it was carried out, said the clampdown was meant to sanitize the courier industry, where unhealthy and sharp practices have been going on for for time.

“The federal government is losing huge sums of money to illegal courier operators that operate under cover to also defraud customers. They disguise themselves as genuine courier operators, collect jobs worth millions of Naira from customers, and will not deliver on the jobs and it will be difficult for customers to trace them because

of their questionable identity.

The Post Master General of the Federation is worried about this development and has ordered the enforcement team of CLRD to go after illegal courier operators, in a bid to clean up the sector of all illegal activities,” Shonde said.

“Most of the illegal courier operators are recalcitrant and they are not ready to abide by the rules of courier operations in Nigeria, ”he added He gave instance of the action of the management of Massive Solaric Limited, which he said had been earlier raided and the office sealed by CLRD, but that its management jumped

bail, broke NIPOST seal and forcefully opened the office and continued with its illegal operations.

Shonde explained that such action amounts to double offensive, which he said would be interpreted by the court, during prosecution.

He advised the general public to desist from patronising illegal courier operators.

He also advised licensed courier operators who may have decided to close office for some reasons, to follow due process by informing CLRD, three months before the expiration of their licence.

NCS Intercepts N643.73m Worth of Donkey Hides, Charcoal in Lagos Eromosele Abiodun

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji Aviation Editor Chinedu Eze Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy)

The clampdown team, which comprised of a special enforcement team from CLRD, and Police officers from Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Lagos, was led by the Assistant General Manager in charge of Ethics, Complain and Strategy at CLRD, Mr. Worimegbe Banks.

Items confiscated from the courier operators, which were proof of courier operations, include, used invoice booklets, receipt booklets, parcel weighing machine, and dispatch motorbikes. Their managers were also arrested.

Operatives of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Strike Force, Zone A, has announced that the tram intercepted N643.73 million worth of poisonous Doneky hides and skin, charcoal and wood positioned for export in Lagos.

The seizures, the NCS said, were already stored in a warehouse in Apapa, and were at the verge of being moved into the port for export when it was intercepted.

Showcasing the seizures at

the Nigeria Customs Export terminal, in Ikorodu, the Controller CGC Strike Force, Zone A, Ahmadu Shuaibu, said the seized items were discovered stacked in a warehouse not too far from Apapa port and that those behind the illegal storage took to their heels on sighting the customs team Shuaibu revealed that the seizures would have been exported, but for the concerted and delebrate efforts of officers and men of the unit.

He insisted that effort was ongoing to ensure that all those

behind the stockpiling of the seizures are brought to book.

He said the export prohibition guideline is in tandem with the federal government’s policies for the protection of endangered species, protection of the local economy and to promote the National Forest Policy that was approved by the Federal Executive Council, which according to him, is aimed at greatly assisting the nation’s sustainable management of it’s vast forest resources against deforestation.

“In the course of duty,

the following goods were seized. 1,372 bags of foreign parboiled rice (25kg each(, 5×20ft containers of unprocessed logs of woods, 2×40ft (12,500 prices) containers of donkey hides and skin, 6×40ft and 1×20ft (3,891 sacks) containers of charcoal, 229 sacks of shoes, 167 pieces of used tyres and one unit of Mazda bus, with a commutative duty paid value of N643,727,837.00.

“For the period of the time the Co-ordinator took over the mantle of leadership of the team, the sum of

N3,001,226,794 was collected as revenue through issuance of Demand Notices. This feat was achieved through meticulous documentary checks of the ICT Component, “he said.

Reacting to alleged attempt by smugglers to cash in on the Mber month to flood nation’s market with smuggled items, Shuibu said more men have been deployed to policy the country’s waters and land borders.

He insisted that the strike force zone A is determine to deplete finances of smugglers and their sponsors.

FG LOSES $100M IN ONE YEAR OVER NPA, INTELS PILOTAGE CONTRACT STALEMATE Rotimi Amaechi weighed in on the matter demanding that the restoration of all INTELS related contracts and an amicable settlement of all contentions.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021, Amaechi requested the restoration of all contracts between NPA and INTELS,

which according to him, are now subject to legal disputes between the parties.

The minister also requested the withdrawal of all matters

currently in court or at the arbitration by both parties in order to enable him resolve all pending issues “administratively,” a request

that was granted by the president on January 22, 2021.

The stalemate however remains to date with the nation losing billions of naira.

23

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

NIMET Decry Vandalisation of Weather Forecast Equipment at Airports Chinedu Eze The Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Professor Bako Mansur Matazu, has expressed worries over the vandalisation of weather equipment located at different airports in the country and warned that such damage could erode accurate weather forecast, critical for air safety.

According to industry experts, 35 per cent of general aviation accidents are caused by weather and 75 per cent of those mishaps involve fatalities.

Also in Nigeria, most of the tragic accidents recorded had weather contribution to them, which has prompted the federal government to deploy more funds to NIMET to purchase equipment and modernise its facilities.

Some of the equipment include; including the Doppler Weather Radar and others.

Matazu said when he started work as Director General in April this year, the first challenge he faced was the effect of the vandalisation of NIMET’s safety- critical equipment, which could erode accurate weather prediction that pilots need in order to operate safely.

He said the wind shear alert system equipment costs N100 million and when damaged, it costs about N55 million to repair and wind shear is dangerous type of weather that operates at the low level of the airspace, which affects flights and had caused the crash of many aircraft, including the well-known Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 that crashed at the Port Harcourt Airport runway on December 10, 2005.

The NIMET Director General who made this known in a recent interview with THISDAY, said: “Basically, the major challenge I encountered immediately on arrival at NIMET was the issue of vandalisation of our airport safety equipment across the country. In order to reduce the risk of negative weather phenomenon like low level wind shear system and other possible moving weather system, NIMET installed instruments, which are very sensitive and capital intensive like Doppler weather radar system, Runway Visual Range (RVR) across all our 24 airports and specifically for the four major airports, we have independent weather forecast offices.”

He said some of these instruments have sensors installed in them, even at airports that have perimeter fences, “we have very serious challenges of vandalisation and I will give an example of this.

Low Level Wind shear Alert System (LLWAS) has eight sensors, if more than three are down, it will not give a clear picture of the wind shear and this is a major hazard to aircraft either landing or taking off”.

With such frightening situation, Matazu said the agency came up with a model of integrating communities around in securing some of these installations, disclosing that his administration instituted a task team on airport operations and part of the task of the team was to engage host communities where the airports are located, urging them to help secure the NIMET equipment and provided them with incentives to do that.

“On the other hand, we came up with an alternative method of monitoring and forecasting these wind shear without using a sensor, rather we use a Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) system.

Air Peace Emerges Exclusive Sponsor of National Football Team Chinedu Eze Air Peace has signed a partnership agreement with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as the exclusive airline sponsor of the country’s national team.

The deal is coming ahead of the world cup qualifiers where Nigeria is drawn against Liberia, Cape Verde and the Central African Republic (CAR) The sponsorship deal, which was signed at the Marriot International Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, recently, is for four years with the initial funding at N300 million,renewable after a year.

President of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Melvin Pennick who was at the signing ceremony in the company of Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi, Tyron Ebuehi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Joe Aribo, said the partnership was apt and

Nigerian players would fly to the Cape Verde onboard the airline’s brand new Embraer E195.

Pennick said the N300 million was in both cash and kind, which according to him, would enabled the NFF to attain 75 per cent self-funding He said: “We are happy because Air Peace epitomises unity, Air Peace epitomises warmness, Air Peace epitomises humanity, Air Peace epitomises nationality and Air Peace is all about safety. We have been approached by many international airlines but we believe in this brand that is now established. What we have signed and what we have we will protect it and we will manage it and our dream has always been to be fully independent and with these and other signings we will get there.”

Also speaking, Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, explained that the contract would run for four years and would be renewable. He therefore charged the Super Eagle to buoy the hope of the country by going to Cape Verde and trouncing them and eventually qualifying for the world cup in Qatar.

While preaching unity among team players, he said he had used all his businesses to promote nationalism and oneness, adding that the core of Air Peace’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to promote unity and restore hope among the citizens.

“I have decided to be part of NFF not only because the Amaju Pinnick leadership is breaking barriers, but to also use the platform to restore hope to our country,” Onyema said.

Ethiopian Airlines Positioned as Africa’s Aviation Hub Chinedu Eze Ethiopian Airlines Group and the Boeing Company of USA have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will help position Ethiopia as an aviation hub for Africa.

Building on the two parties’ over 70 years of shared history in aviation, the MoU aims at positioning Ethiopia as Africa’s aviation hub - “Ethiopia for Africa”. Boeing has recognised Ethiopian as a global aviation leader in the continent. The MoU is indicative of Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines interest to establish a mutually beneficial world-class aviation partnership.

To realise their shared vision, Ethiopian and Boeing

have agreed to work in partnership in four areas of strategic collaboration namely: Industrial Development, Advanced Aviation Training, Educational Partnership, and Leadership Development in a span of three years. To this effect, joint multidisciplinary teams have been established to implement the strategic partnership and important milestones have already been registered.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said: “I am very much thrilled not only to sign this historic MoU with our long-standing aviation partner, Boeing but also to the implementation of milestones.

We have been working in

collaboration with Boeing on different large-scale projects in aviation for more than 70 years to serve the continent of Africa and this partnership expands and builds our capability in multiple fields.

I have firm conviction that with our dedication in its implementation, the MoU will successfully attain its goal of positioning Ethiopia as the continent’s aviation hub.

We highly value the critical role of our American partner companies in accomplishing our goals and we will continue to work with key American aviation players like Boeing, GE, Pratt and Whitney and Collins Aerospace etc… in our journey towards excellence in aviation.”

Why AIB-N is Establishing Aviation Safety Centre

Chinedu Eze

R

ecently, the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria (AIB-N), held a conference in Abuja to x-ray some accident reports, safety recommendations and implementation and concluded that there should be single accident reporting through one channel so that concerned authorities will have access to the report in order to avoid gaps.

Another major milestone that bureau has set out to do is to establish aviation safety centre to modernise accident investigation reporting and enhance safety in flight operations.

This, the agency said, would also enable airlines and other stakeholders to have easy access to accident reports, which currently is difficult to access because piles and piles of such reports that are stored together in the traditional documentation system.

Commissioner and CEO of AIB-N, Akin Olateru, disclosed that the Bureau before the end of this year, would change the face of serious incident and accident reporting system in Nigeria by improving on the existing Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which deals with Accident Investigation.

The new reporting system would be digital and be web-based that would appear in graphics and in animated style.

Olateru said once completed Nigeria would be the first country in the world to adopt the system and disclosed that the bureau had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia on this, while also collaborating with ICAO. Olateru said: “AIB-N will very soon be in the world news. We are going the extra miles to come up with different reporting style from the Annex 13, which gives us the right to investigate serious incidents and accidents in the sector.

“We need to move to the 21st century of accident reporting. With the new style we are coming up with, AIB-N will be the first organisation in the world to improve on the Annex 13. We are already discussing with ICAO and we are at the procurement stage at the moment.

However, we hope to start the new system before the end of the year.”

He said the major objective of the new system is to enhance safety and to find out what really happened and the causal factor that led to the accident or incident and see how reoccurrence

could be prevented.

“Now, the point is that the world standard which is the ICOA has a format of reporting this final reports, which is, you write theses, hundreds of pages of documents. You present it to the world, you put it on your website. And what we are trying to do is to challenge the status quo to actually find a better way of getting this to the public.

“Today, look at it very well, how many people actually read? So, you have this report, 300-page document of what happened, safety recommendation, etc. By the end of the day people don’t read. So what we are trying to do is to digitalise in a graphic way with a database to see how we can report this same text in word. This same word document that we have produced, see how we can put it in a graphic digital format. And that is simply what we are going to be doing very soon. That way, it makes it very simple for the airlines to read. It makes it simple for anybody of interest to go to a particular section rather than flipping through pages of pages of documents,” Olateru explained.

He said the new digital would be made in such a way that one can just zero in on the particular topic or theme that one wants.

“If it is on human factor, you just click on the animation on the graphic.

You just click on it, and it tells you everything about human factor. If it is about the engine that interests you, you just click on that point and it gives you everything on that engine.

It is about simplifying the way we communicate to the world in terms of our by-product and that has been discussed at the highest level in ICAO, and it has been accepted. By the time we are done, Nigeria will be the first country in the world that will come up with this format. And that is what I mean by Nigeria will lead the world very, very soon in terms of accident investigation reporting system.

Olateru said for institutions to progress and remain relevant they need to invest in research and development.

“You need to have a feedback system to evaluate, re-evaluate, how you do things, check your processes systems and procedures and come up with a better way of doing things or a simplified way of doing things to enhance productivity and that is what we are doing in AIB,” he said.

24

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Between Safety and Fear of Arbitrariness A fortnight ago, an operator brought to the fore lingering complaints by airlines against the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority over an alleged personalization of the rules in its dealings with domestic carriers. Chinedu Eze examines these allegations against the position of the regulator

T

he management of Tropical Arctic Logistics (TAL), led by its Chief Operating Officer, Femi Adeniji, recently accused the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) of frustrating the company from renewing its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).

According to Adeniji, TAL applied for the renewal of its AOC on September 7, 2020, which was seven days before the expiration date and in accordance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation requirement Part 9.

“With all our post holders that we have different departments in NCAA. Some of them go above the board to help. There is abundant evidence that all the manuals we submitted and resubmitted with amendment it was said that some were lost by the NCAA Airworthiness Standards Directorate. And as proof, two manuals were brought back last weekend out of seven that we reprinted. They just found them after seven months of submission. It is on record that futile attempts were made to heap the blame on COVID-19,” Adeniji narrated.

He said that new manuals were however reprinted and resubmitted, but surprisingly, the lost manual, despite meeting the regulator’s requirements, the AOC renewal was still delayed by the Directorate of Airworthiness and Standards.

“Consequently, (our) operation has been grounded, which delayed the process of the AOC too. We did apply for extension to avoid grounding of our operation, but we were denied on the 16th of December. Up till date, NCAA still has our maintenance control manual at the Airworthiness Directorate and our AMP, which is the Aircraft Maintenance Programme.

“The department claimed that its refusal to approve the manual was based on the fact that we do not have post holders on manuals submitted in September 2020. Yes, presently some post holders have resigned because when you don’t have operation for 18 months, and we still pay salaries, how do you justify that and pilots and engineers, based on what their profession is, need to put their hands to work,” he said.

Adeniji alleged that the Directorate was corrupt and cited an example. “Generally, why does Airworthiness Directorate replicate manuals?

When you submit manuals they expect you to put them in CDs, USB and Word document because they use that, copy paste to work for somebody else when they are supposed to be a regulatory body. Indeed, I have never seen a situation where initial certification is the same process as renewal when the regulator already has information of the company with you,” he alleged.

NCAA REACTION

However, the Director General of NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, in his reaction, said that the NCAA has no reason whatsoever to refuse the renewal of anybody’s application. He said TAL did not meet the requirement for renewal of its AOC, stressing that its AOC would not

be renewed until the company met all the regulatory requirements.

On the allegation of replication of manuals to use for other operators, Captain Nuhu said, “It does not make sense; there is no logic in that. All manuals are specific to an operator.

I cannot use airline X manual to process the AOC for another airline because they are not the same, the context is not the same.”

On the alleged vindictive delay in the renewal of AOC for airline operators, the Director General denied this, and said that all the airline operators in Nigeria, most of them renewed their AOC within the last one year and some were delayed but “we gave them extension due to COVID-19 shutdown. Have you heard any airline operator complaining that we refused to renew their AOC? Let him bring evidence, you can’t go to the market and start yelling, fronting all sorts of accusations and there is no evidence,” Nuhu said.

THISDAY spoke to some officials of NCAA and airlines who threw more light on the vexatious issues raising controversy in the industry as it concerns regulation.

DURATION OF AOC

Like Adeniji stated, senior airline officials who spoke to THISDAY disagreed with the NCAA’s policy of renewal of AOC every two years, and also complained that it is the same process which a new airline goes through to obtain the certificate that an existing airline that has been operating also goes through despite the fact that NCAA regulates the airlines and appointed officers that monitor the activities of the operators.

A top official of one of the major airlines in Nigeria, who has worked with two well-known mega carriers in the world, told THISDAY that in many countries AOC is for life for the airline, unless if the regulatory authority rescinds it. The source said that NCAA hurts the airlines through stiff regulations and also introduces stringent measures that may not even be necessary for the operating environment.

The source frowned at the situation of repeating the same process for initial AOC on airlines that are renewing theirs.

“Every process they use for airlines that want to get new AOC is what they use for renewal. The same process; that is what we do every two years and the problem really is that Airworthiness Standards Directorate has few experienced hands who worked with the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited (NAL), but the others started work with NCAA from the university,” the source said.

The source said that NCAA does not think about the survival of airlines, unlike the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which looks at financial implication of processes for airlines, noting that as regulatory authority NCAA ought to also look at financial implications of its directives

to airlines and review those that do not have bearing on safety and may not also be urgent.

The source recalled that when EU introduced resolution alert 7.1 for Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), due to the heavy traffic in the European airspace, FAA did not insist that its airlines should install the software because its airspace does not have such congestion. Rather, it directed that every new aircraft manufactured must have the software. This is because it considered the high cost of airlines installing the software in their existing aircraft fleet.

Adeniji also asked, “Why do you have to renew licences every two years? Why do you have to go through the five steps?

Every three or six months, you amend your manuals; so why are you still required to go through step one to step five when you want to renew? It doesn’t make sense. In the US, they come every month to look through your manuals and every year, you are bound to do a comprehensive audit, the same thing in Brazil, Venezuela and other countries.”

OVERSEA AIRCRAFT INSPECTION

The operators also criticised the policy of flying NCAA inspectors overseas to go and insect aircraft after maintenance or during the acquisition of new equipment.

Former Director General of NCAA, the Late Captain Muhtar Usman told THISDAY that the policy does not improve safety but it was a policy decided by the Nigerian regulatory body, which need had been overtaken by events with ICT. He cited the instance of Brazil where the regulatory authority would specify to the airlines what it wants in the aircraft and it would be brought into the country and the civil aviation authority would inspect it and approve or disapprove if the conditions given were not met.

But in Nigeria, an airline that has aircraft on maintenance overseas would pay NCAA about N3 million (it could be less, depending on the country where the aircraft is being maintained) for business class flight and accommodation. But THISDAY learnt that even after paying the money to NCAA, the airline still gives money to the inspector and most of the time pay for his accommodation and daily allowance of $500 for the five days he is to inspect the aircraft.

“NCAA creates tough situations to arm-twist airlines. Sometimes, they give contradictory directives - the source showed THISDAY two memos on the same subject with different directives and signed by two different persons with dates indicating one week apart. NCAA inspectors are not supposed to travel overseas for aircraft

inspection because there is nothing they do overseas they cannot do in Nigeria. This is because aircraft inspection is about documentation. The inspector will just look at the document. If it is on maintenance, he will inspect the sign off of every check by the maintenance organisation that checked the aircraft.

“NCAA charges airline for five days. The airline will pay about N3 million, depending on the destination. The inspector, if satisfied, will certify for the release of the aircraft for service, but despite the payment to NCAA, airlines pay inspectors unofficially and the inspectors rarely spend the five days. Most often they spend only two days and also airlines pay for the inspectors’ accommodation. The airlines really pamper the inspectors because if you don’t treat them well, they can just give you ferry permit, which enables you to bring the aircraft to Nigeria and not to operate it. They can keep your aircraft on the ground for as long as they want,” the source told THISDAY. The source also commended the Director General of NCAA, Captain Nuhu, saying that since he took over he has been very professional but regretted that the Airworthiness Standards Directorate has been making things tough for the airlines, adding that although the Director General can overrule the department but they rarely do that.

The source also added that since the Covid-19 pandemic broke, the Director General has stopped overseas inspection of aircraft.

RENEWING AOC

THISDAY also spoke to a senior official of NCAA and a former Director General.

The senior official said that if it is difficult for an airline to meet the conditions of obtaining AOC, it is denied; that if an airline is not given an AOC it means it did not meet the requirements.

He said that 80 per cent of the AOC process is under the operations department and not Airworthiness, adding that the process could be delayed because Airworthiness officials have a lot of documents to review.

The official also insisted that an airline seeking to obtain a new AOC and the one under operation that wants to renew its AOC do not follow the same processes.

“A lot of operators don’t even understand how it works. Your documentations must be correct.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) looks at the documentation,” he said.

On why AOC is renewed every two years, the official said that it is possible to elongate the period for AOC renewal, but airlines should understand their environment, adding that if an airline is doing its C-checks as at when due and abide by the rules, AOC renewal is not tough.

He added that airlines and NCAA are partners, stressing that the authority cannot shove out the “people you are doing business with.”

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

25

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

BUSINESSWORLD

COMMERCE

Strengthening Nigeria, Britain Bilateral Relationship Raheem Akingbolu writes that recent inauguration of the multipurpose plaza of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) in Lagos, will serve as a tool for the promotion of trade and investment in Nigeria, Africa, and across the world.

A

s a former colony of Britain, Nigeria surely occupies a very important socio-economic position among the countries of the world that deal with Britain in the area of international business and education. After Nigeria got her independence in 1960, the relationship continued because of many developmental ties the two countries shared, especially in the area of education and commerce.

In 1977, the Nigerian- British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) was established to promote trade and investment between Nigeria and Britain.

NBCC currently has about 400 members spanning all sectors of the economy made up of Nigerian and British businesspeople. Headquartered in Lagos, NBCC maintains an NBCC-UK Network in London and is developing a network of local branches across Nigeria.

Recently, the bilateral organisation recorded a landmark achievement with the inauguration of a new multipurpose plaza in Lagos. The story behind the successful completion and the concrete existence of the plaza was said to be embalmed in purpose, mission, and destiny.

The NBCC Plaza, which is the first of its kind amongst Chambers in Nigeria, is a record to reckon with, especially as it is targeted to be a tool for the promotion of trade and investment in Nigeria, Arica, and across the world.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ben Llwellyn-Jones, who spoke at the event commended the Chamber for this lofty achievement. He said: “We see this very much as both a practical building but also a symbol of the excellent trade-investment cooperation that exists between Nigeria and the UK. From our side at the British Deputy High Commission, I reaffirm that commitment, I reaffirm the commitment of the British Government to not simply supporting the chamber, but to bring in new business into Nigeria, and to supporting our two-way trade and investment.”

For Chairman, Coscharis Group and a member of the NBCC and major donor to the Plaza, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, “Today is a great day for us.

We are here in honour of all Past Presidents of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, and you can see that these are men of honour, who believed deeply in their goals; and this edifice would not have been possible without their commitment. They worked hard to ensure this became a reality.”

For the Chamber, creativity has been a culture

that is intrinsically embedded at its core.

Little wonder NBCC always weaves great, inspiring stories around its activities and the success of its members. This goal has always pushed the team to discard long-standing limitations, generally accepted notions, and norms to create success stories that truly inspire.

In all spheres of human activities, there are two types of players: those who dictate the pace of the game and those who simply follow its upheavals. It is obvious that NBCC, with its trailblazing efforts, is clearly the former.

To commemorate the achievement, a unique gathering of major stakeholders in Nigeria’s trade and investment sector rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the accomplishment that started with the dream of the late Past President and Patron of NBCC, Chief Amzat Beyioku Adebowale tenure (1993 – 1997). Chief Adebowale strongly believed that the Chamber deserved to have its own permanent building, and he took steps towards securing a piece of land for the project in 1994. Fortunately, the finger of posterity drew the heart of the former Governor of Lagos State, Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola to approve the chamber’s original request for the allocation of land in the Central Business District in Alausa, Ikeja.

However, the consensus of council members was that the secretariat should be located in Lekki, hence the former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, graciously approved the allocation of a new land on Olubunmi Owa Street, Lekki Phase 1 in 2000, where the Multipurpose Plaza is presently located.

The achievement of becoming the first bilateral chamber to have its own building indeed became a reality through the Chamber’s culture and belief in the intrinsic transformation of minds to their highest level of performance. Great ideas are processed at the speed of thought, based on imaginative and virtuous values that propel noble thinking to flourish and manifest in concrete actions. That is the story of the NBCC Plaza - obviously achieved largely through the deployment and re-enforcement of the core values of responsibility, tenacity, integrity, and excellence.

In all, it has simply been demonstrated

that where tenacity plays, ambition fosters unrestrained. This is the case with the NBCC plaza. Indeed, the President and Chairman of the Chamber Council, Kayode Falowo, revealed this in his address when he said: “It took us several years and over nine tenures of Past Presidents and Patrons to achieve this milestone.” Most probably, successive cerebral leaders of the Chamber must have taken the good counsel from popular billionaire TV celebrity, Oprah Winfrey, who admonished that to achieve requires that we “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”

Looking at the NBCC edifice, one would need to turn the table of imagination and shift one’s gaze for an optimal experience.

It has a good dose of youthful appeal for its highly passionate people. The Plaza is indeed not just a building to house the Secretariat of the Chamber, it is a multipurpose hub featuring facilities such as a Business Incubator, the British Trade Center, a Seminar Room, Members’ Lounge, Training Suites, a Digital Library and meeting rooms for its members and the general public in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Most of these facilities will be income-generating and will ensure the financial sustainability and independence of the Chamber. The various activities that will take place in these facilities will also reinforce the position of NBCC as the clear leader amongst the bilateral Chambers in Nigeria.

Speaking at the landmark event, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu thanked the President of the Chamber, Kayode Falowo, for the invitation and honour extended to him to commission the Plaza. He said: “It is gratifying to note that, the President on his assumption to the office, promised to complete this edifice, and he fulfilled his promise. Kayode is truly a goal-getter, and we are all very proud of him in Ondo. I also applaud him and his team for their commitment to achieve this great goal at this time of economic challenges in Nigeria, and across the world. We know that if availed with more resources they will do more.”

He also commended the entire Chamber and Council for a great achievement in delivering NBCC office Plaza as promised.

Earlier in his address at the formal unveiling of the plaza, the Immediate Past

President and Chairman, Council of NBCC, Mr. Kayode Falowo, acknowledged that the event was not really an occasion for long speeches, but about celebrating the emergence of an excellent dream. He expressed profound gratitude to all the organisations who partnered with the Chamber to ensure seamless execution. In Falowo’s words: “The actualisation of the Plaza project in the last two years could not have been successful without the support and dedication from the Council, the Executive Committee, and the hardworking Secretariat of the Chamber. I am pleased to convey our special thanks to the Plaza Committee headed by Past President and Patron Asiwaju (Dr) Michael Olawale-Cole, CON, MFR, and actively supported by several distinguished members of the Chamber. I thank you all for making today a reality.”

Describing the plaza as an ‘edifice’, Falowo expressed thanks to the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who commissioned the building, for his consistent support to the Chamber, while pledging to work closely with the Ondo State Government in the process of making the State a strategic hub for commercial investments.

The new NBCC Plaza was designed and built by a number of construction firms including Pyramid Plc, Stretford Hills Limited, Case Projex and Construction Kaiser Limited, The major sponsors of the project are Otunba ‘Tunji Durosinmi-Etti, Access Bank Plc, Dangote Group, Coscharis Group, Greenwich Merchant Bank Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Co., Chicason Group, Lead Capital Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, CON, OFR, FCA, MOC Consulting Limited, DCSL Corporate Services, ANAP Foundation and Custodian Investment Plc. Applauding the milestone achieved by the construction of this edifice, Asiwaju (Dr) Michael Olawale-Cole, Past President and Patron, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce said, “Everybody played a role or the other in the success of this project. I think the ultimate role was played by Kayode Falowo for completing the building. It can’t be said to be the legacy of one person because different people did different things to bring it to where it is. This building will be very useful to underscore the importance of our relationship with Britain, and also further solidify our togetherness as those coming from Britain can come to the Chamber to learn about doing business in Nigeria.

26

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, ͰͮͰͯ ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

FG to Partner EPAIL to Manufacture Bullet Proof Vest, Defence Gadget for Police The federal government through the Ministry of Police Affairs is set to partner with Equipment Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL), an indigenous engineering research, design and development company engaged in manufacturing of defence and equipment and security solutions to produce locally made Bullet Proof Vest, Ballistic Helmet and other security defence gadget.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, disclosed this during an official visit to EPAIL manufacturing facility located at Mowe, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State by the leadership of the Ministry and the Nigerian Police Force including the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba and other senior officials of the Ministry and the Police Force.

Dingyadi who was speaking after a tour of the factory and a shooting test procedure for the Bullet Proof Vest, Ballistic Helmet made by EPAIL expressed satisfaction with the performance of the company and the quality of its products.

“I choose to speak at this time having heard and seen all that we are suppose to see. Our visit here today is a multi-purpose one, when the President came to Lagos

recently; he was able to see some of your products and In line with the vision of this administration to promote local content, we received a letter from the Ministry of Trade and investment to come here for a firsthand assessment of your capacity and the quality of your products, ”he said.

He added that the visit will not only benefit the Nigerian Police Force but also other security agencies including the Army, Navy, Customs and Immigration. He commended the management of the company for upholding the local content drive of the country.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Equipment & Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL), Kola Balogun thanked the Minister, the IGP and the entire team for taking time out of their busy schedule to visit the factory. He assured them that the company has the capacity to meet all the defence equipment, surveillance systems and technological solutions.

Balogun stated that EPAIL was established out of the desire to deepen technology research and development indigenously to service the ordinance and technological needs of the security agencies, armed forces and private security firms.

While making her presentation, the Managing Director,

Equipment & Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL), Zulaykhah Aileru revealed that the mission is to provide adequate

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE…

Lawal, Founder of Amputees United Initiative and Author; Ify Mogekwu, food blogger, founder of Ify’s Kitchen and Mamador Ambassador, as they discussed the theme of Limitless possibilities, and explored the immense potential of the Nigerian woman.

Head of Marketing, PZ Wilmar, Chioma Mbanugo, explained the vision behind the initiative, describing it as “a platform that will enable women from all walks of life and social class and ethnic backgrounds, discuss, share experiences, encourage, support and push each other to overcome barriers and limitations, discover their potential, see the endless and limitless possibilities of life and inspire one another to achieve fulfilment in their chosen endeavours.”

“Mamador prides itself as the brand that brings more flavours to life, allowing women to experience life outside of routines, motivating them to see life’s limitless possibilities

and empowering them to achieve fulfilment in their chosen endeavours. We are desired to make an impact; to start a process of change that will ultimately shape the transformation and empowerment of Nigerian women,” She said.

The guests and audience at this year’s edition of the Mamador August Women Meeting were left inspired by unique stories of each panelist, notably that of Betty Irabor who opened up about her eight-year long battle with depression and encouraged women to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing even as they chase their dreams.

Further demonstrating its commitment to women empowerment, Mamador with the support of Utiva and Simon Page awarded scholarships to sixty women for Digital Marketing and Product Management Masterclass while female entrepreneurs were supported with appliances and equipment for their business.

Tshisekedi Lauds Sahara Group, Urges Robust Collaboration in Africa President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has commended Sahara Group’s leading role in spearheading enhanced intra-African trade, capacity development, seamless access to products, and deployment of innovative solutions to boost Africa’s march towards energy security.

Describing Sahara Group as a, “shining light for Africa” in terms of providing global energy solutions, Tshisekedi said more cooperation between African nations and

businesses would enhance the continent’s competitiveness and ultimately stimulate sustainable development in Africa.

According to a statement, Tshisekedi, who addressed the Board of the Sahara Group virtually as part of events to mark Sahara’s 25th anniversary recently, stated that Africa has a huge potential in the energy sector, He added: “We have what it takes to transform Africa for the benefit of all Africans.

It is an honour to join Sahara

industry.

Aileru noted that the company though an indigenous company is manufacturing with international standards.

She disclosed that the EPAIL Bullet Proof Helmet is best in class manufactured in compliance with NATO, STAGNAT & NIJ standards.

L-R: First Vice President, Institute of Directors (IoD), Tijani Borodo; Founder, H. Michael & Co., Dr. Adeyinka Hassan; Guest Speaker & Managing Director/CEO, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Yemisi Edun and Immediate Past President of IoD, Chief Chris Okunowo, during a conference on Corporate Governance organised by H. Michael & Co. in Lagos… last Tuesday

Mamador Restates Commitment t o Wo m e n E m p o w e r m e n t Mamador, the premium food brand from PZ Wilmar, hosted Nigerian women to yet another inspiring and impactful edition of its innovative event, Mamador August Women Meeting, themed ‘Limitless Possibilities’, an initiative of the brand aimed at empowering and supporting the Nigerian woman, fostering both individual and collective growth, which held on Friday, the 27th of August, 2021, in Lagos.

The gathering, which had a live audience and was also live streamed online via a number of social media platforms, had in attendance women from various walks of life and ethnic backgrounds. The meeting featured a panel comprising distinguished women like the moderator Ufuoma Ejenobor, former Beauty queen and Mamador Brand Ambassador; Betty Irabor, Founder and Publisher of Genevieve Magazine; Ngozi Nwosu Nollywood Veteran Actress; Adenike Oyetunde-

protection to our client leveraging on technology and drive indigenous innovations and development in the defence and security

Group to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

“The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country with enormous potential, and we are happy to play an important role in the transformation of Africa, working alongside companies like Sahara Group and other African countries.”

In his comment, the Executive Director, Sahara Group, Kola Adesina, said the energy conglomerate was delighted at the support it continues to receive from the DRC.

27

˾ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

BUSINESSANALYSIS WIGWE’S VIGOUR SUSTAINS ACCESS BANK’S POSITIVE MOMENTUM WITH N87BN PROFIT Access Bank Plc maintained a positive trajectory in its financial performance for the first half of 2021 amidst the headwinds, write Obinna Chima

A

ccess Bank Plc sustained its momentum, recording a strong performance in the first half (H1) of 2021.

In the period under review, the Group recorded an improvement in gross earnings by 14 per cent year-on-year, to N450.6 billion, as against the N396.8 billion it recorded in same period in 2020, just as its profit before tax grew significantly by 31 per cent year-on-year to N97.5 billion, up from the N74.3 billion it posted in the comparable period of 2020. Also, profit after tax (PAT) grew by 42 per cent year-on-year to N86.9 billion, higher than the N61 billion it realised in the first half of 2020. The profit growth was buoyed by a 30 per cent year-on-year growth in interest income, 45 per cent year-on-year increase in net fee and commission income, and interest expense remaining flat (-0.7% y/y).

The assets base of the Group remained strong with total assets of N10.1 trillion in June 2021. This represented a growth of 16 per cent year-to-date, from N8.7 trillion in December 2020.

In addition, despite the inflationary environment and increased regulatory costs, the financial institution’s cost-to-income ratio stood at 60.1 per cent, a 570-basis point reduction from the 65.8 per cent it realised in the first half of 2020.

Also, the bank which has been on an aggressive expansion drive in the continent and beyond, saw its retail banking business continued to grow with a 24 per cent year-on-year increase in gross earnings to N118.6 billion, up from the N95.8 billion recorded in the first half of 2020.

The growth was driven by a 46 per cent year-onyear increase in interest income and a 37 per cent year-on-year growth in revenue from its channels and digital businesses.

During the review period, Access Bank also recorded progress in its financial inclusion objective to bank one in every two Nigerians as it added 2,371,832 new customers as well as 16,428 new agents, creating more employment and providing convenience to our customers.

According to a report from the bank, the strides in its retail business resulted in growth in its savings deposits to N1.4 trillion, which was a four per cent growth, from the N1.3 trillion it recorded in December 2020, and a cost-of- funds reduction to 2.9 per cent, as against the 3.7 per cent posted in the first half of 2020.

Furthermore, the bank explained that its push for digital innovations to improve efficiency for its customers resulted in significant increase in its USSD transaction volume (+62% y/y) and its mobile and internet banking transactions volume (+67% y/y).

Also, despite the challenging economic environment, Access Bank maintained strong asset quality with a stable non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 4.3 per cent, same as of December 2020.

It also expanded its loan portfolio, supporting sectors with the highest impact on the economy, with good quality assets as reflected by the growth

in its net loans and advances to N4 trillion yearto-date, as against the N3.6 trillion recorded as of December 2020.

Furthermore, it maintained robust capital and liquidity positions well above regulatory levels, with a Capital Adequacy Ratio of 21.3 per cent and a liquidity ratio of 50.7 per cent, which positioned the bank to support its customers and execute its growth strategy.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe,

pointed out that over the last few months, the financial institution has successfully completed acquisitions in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia, emphasising its footprint in key markets around the globe.

“We will continue to grow our presence in geographies with significant growth potential, especially where they support our global customers. As we become Africa’s Gateway to the World, we would also seek markets which supports our trade and payments aspirations and the African Free Trade Agreement.

“To further enhance our operating efficiency and ensure strong returns on invested capital, we will bring the best of our group assets, specifically our digital banking capabilities that support individuals and businesses, enhance financial inclusion, and deliver the benefits of a strong network effect across our enlarged Group.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have been able to demonstrate our ability and willingness to support our customers, our communities, and our colleagues.

“As the outlook improves, and as business returns to a new normal, we will continue to support our communities in order to stimulate growth and create new opportunities,” the bank chief added.

According to him, to accomplish the vision to be the World’s Most Respected African Bank, Access Bank is working together across the Group on the back of its robust balance sheet, increased retail momentum and efficiency.

“Finally, I would like to thank our staff, shareholders, and other stakeholders as we could not have achieved these results without their dedication, commitment, and support,” he added.

From Nigeria to Rwanda, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Zambia, among several others, the expansionist adrenaline rush in the Chairman of the Body of Bank Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) has remained on the rise. Wigwe is not about to slowdown anytime soon.

In a string of expansion across the African continent, the bank has said it intends to leverage the AfCFTA to expand its footprint in Africa and beyond.

From a tiny bank in 2002, Wigwe who took over from his close friend and business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, in 2014, has completely transformed the bank which then was ranked 65th among 89 banks operating in the country.

Over the years, Access Bank has evolved from an obscure bank into a world-class African financial institution.

Presently, it is one of the five largest banks in Nigeria in terms of assets, loans, deposits and branch network; a feat which has been achieved through a robust long-term approach to client solutions – providing committed and innovative advice.

Access Bank has built its strength and success in corporate banking and is now applying that expertise to the personal and business banking platforms it acquired from Nigeria’s International Commercial bank in 2012.

Wigwe has helped to develop some of Africa’s biggest companies in the construction, telecommunications, energy, oil and gas sectors through Access Bank.

According to Wigwe, across Africa, there is an opportunity for the bank to expand to high-potential markets, leveraging the benefits of AfCFTA. He believes AfCFTA, among other benefits, would expand intra-Africa trade and provide real opportunities for Africa.

“We believe that we are best positioned to basically do all of that. Our focus is to become an aggregator in Africa and we are building a global payment gateway and providing trade finance support and correspondent banking across the continent. We are focusing on the key markets.

“The approach would always be that in the country we wish to go to, that we have the right skills. We would not just be a drop in the country in which we are present, we would make sure that we have an impactful presence in each of the major countries in which we are present.

“In doing this, we are also mindful of the country we are going to so as to make sure that it is of benefit to the bank. As we do this, we are working with our friends and partners.

“We are diversifying our earnings away from volatile markets as well and we are orchestrating our operations from the global payments gateway and ensuring that using Access Bank UK, providing corresponding services from digital platforms, the overall profitability of our franchise,” he explained.

To Wigwe, Access Bank South Africa Limited which recently commenced operations is positioned to deliver a robust banking operation that connects key African markets.

He said the acquisition in South Africa sealed Access Bank’s commitment to delivering its strategic aspirations of becoming Africa’s Gateway to the World, in line with its vision to be the ‘World’s Most Respected African Bank.’

“We look forward to the many opportunities our collective experience and deep understanding of the African market brings to our valued clients, and the journey ahead being one of great promise for our institution and the continent,” he added.

Access Bank’s market entry in the country as well as the sub-region, is expected to further solidify its strategy as, a strong banking partner in key verticals across retail and corporate banking, including especially supporting trade in payments across southern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa more broadly.

28

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

29

30

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

31

32

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 07010510430

Alhaji Ali Yusuf Madobi: Rise from Grass to Grace

34

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

COVER

Alhaji Ali Yusuf Madobi: Rise from Grass to Grace Alhaji Ali Yusuf Madobi, a Kano-based fertiliser production mogul, was born in a town called Madobi in Jigawa State but moved to Kano as a young boy with nothing but hope and determination in search of opportunities.

It was at Kano fortune smiled on him. The Kano billionaire, who started off by selling oranges on wheelbarrow, shared his rise from grass to grace in this interview with MARY NNAH Tell us how you started and then become so big like this? ou know Kano was a thriving business hub before Nigeria got her independence in 1960 and every young man growing up in the north, and even other parts of the country wanted to come here in search of opportunities.

Kano was a thriving commercial town with many people doing different things. Then, Kano was quite big, although not like it is today. But it was big and people from all over the world were coming here mainly for trading and commerce.

At the time I arrived here, the present day Jigawa was still a part of the larger northern region, so it was like moving from one part of a state to another and being the commercial capital of the north, everyone wanted to come here and find something for himself.

It is sometimes strange talking about how things were then, but I would say it was not easy to start off a business then as it still is not easy even now. I came to Kano with nothing except hope and a determination to make something for myself. I also believe that God was with me because back then, I was not sure that my path in life was going to take this turn, and that is why, I always tell my children and other friends to work hard and believe in God. I say this because after my arrival in this state, it took me a long time to even figure out what to do. But I knew I had to start somewhere. One of the things I did in my early days was to buy oranges and sell wheelbarrows on the streets.

Y

You sold oranges here?

Yes, I was an orange seller in Kano and there is nothing to be ashamed of about it. I bought these oranges and sold them along the streets, moving from one place to another, depending on where I sense there are heavy gatherings of the people. I did this for many years and at some point, I began to think of going into other businesses and because of my love for agriculture, and there were many people in farming around Kano, I thought that doing something in that area was going to help me become better.

Fertiliser appears to be the biggest of your investments now. How did you get into the business?

You’ll be surprised. I started right from the grassroots. I started by buying one or two bags and selling them to farmers. As time went on, I began to buy bigger volumes and when people saw that I was determined, they began to trust me and that was when some of them who were big business men then began to give me fertilisers in trucks and immediately after selling them, I returned their money to them. Trust is very important in business. When people trust that you are honest, they go out of their way to help you grow. It was therefore from this level that I got to know some people at the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) and with their help, I started obtaining small allocations of fertiliser.

At this time, I did not even have a shop. So they would give me just a few bags. If I buy, I resell to those that have shops in the major markets. In 1992, I saw an opportunity to acquire a fertiliser plant that was originally owned by Alhaji Aminu Dantata. Because I had been in this business for years, I knew there was something good to be made out of it. So between me and two other friends, we reached a partnership to acquire this plant. Even after acquiring this plant, I was still a major distributor of many of the fertiliser companies in Nigeria then.

Then later on, I and my other partners separated, but I remained in the business. It was not easy and at a point, I wanted to collapse the entire business and go into something else but God in His infinite mercies helped me to recover and gradually I began to pick up. God in his own infinite mercies made me what I am today. It’s a story of rising for grass to grace and it’s just a miracle; the work of Almighty Allah. Today, I have five blending plants. There are two in Madobi town here in Kano, one in the Kano municipality and another one is coming up in Madobi, my hometown in Jigawa State. We also have another plant in Gusau, Zamfara State. But it is the one in Madobi Kano that gave birth to all the plants.

Madobi seems to feature quite a lot in your business. Any reason you have your businesses in the two towns bearing the

Madobi same name?

You know, like I told you, I was originally from Madobi in present day Jigawa State. That is primarily the reason I adopted that name as surname, Ali Yusuf Madobi. People call me Double Madobi because of that and I think I like it because the name of the town seems to have brought blessings to my business.

What is your company, Al-Yuma doing differently that is making it very important in the overall Nigerian agricultural landscape?

What we are actually doing differently here at Al-Yuma Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited with a popular brand name of Nagari Fertiliser is that, in the first place, whenever you are operating in a competitive environment, there is need for one to be studying competitors’ activities so that you’ll always look at the areas you have a competitive advantage.

Presently, the office of the National Security Adviser are the ones controlling the movement of urea fertiliser, which is one of the major complementary inputs in blending NPK, as the source of nitrogen in the form of ammonia.

Unfortunately, the insurgents, Boko Haram, are using it in the making of explosives.

Presently, we have established a blending plant in the North-east, in one of the states there, in Gombe State. But the office of the National Security Adviser said no, we cannot move urea into the North-east. So, as you said, what are we doing differently from our competitors so that we take the competitive

Trust is very important in business. When people trust that you are honest, they go out of their way to help you grow

advantage? That’s why, at present, since fertiliser comprises of four complimentary inputs, which are urea, the major source of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, the diammonium phosphate, which is the source of phosphorous, in the form of phosphorus penta-oxide that is in a compound form and then the Muriate of potash, MOP; they have to dissolve in the soil so that the root of the crop plant can be able to absorb those major primary elements which is the nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K).

And taking into cognisance that our soil here in the ecological zone of Northern Nigeria is a little bit acidic because of the high rate of leaching and erosion, which is different from that of southern Nigeria. How are we going to reduce the soil acidity so that the crop plant can be able to absorb those major primary elements? So we used to add other things that reduce the soil acidity as a soil conditioner. It contains an element calcium oxide that reduces the soil PH so that the crop plants can absorb those major primary elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

If you scoop a sample, you can easily separate all the four complementary inputs.

You can move the urea, you can move the di-ammonium phosphate, which is the DAP, you can move the MOP which is red in color and limestone. So, when the office of the NSA said that Boko Haram used to separate the urea and use it as an explosive, we sat down at our own level to think of what are we going to do differently? We came up with an element that is less explosive compared to urea but does the same thing as urea that supplies the nitrogen. From 21 per cent to 26 per cent nitrogen, which is the granular ammonium phosphate. So we are using it in place of urea. That’s why in the formulation of our triple15, NPK 15:15:15 that is widely spread and acceptable, we can move our fertiliser to the North-east because there’s no more urea inside the fertiliser.

At the same time, we came up with another strategy. Since all these four complimentary inputs, looking at them physically you’ll be able to separate them. At times we look at

it and ask: What if we apply a dyeing agent, either brown or white so that instead of all those heterogeneous mixtures that you can separate, it can be uniform. They’ll look homogenous. That’s another thing. Boko Haram cannot separate the urea if they look homogenous. So by applying a dyeing agent be it brown, red or any color, the whole mixture will just be a homogenous, uniform color. Then we came up with another strategy. If we turn it into liquid fertiliser the urea cannot be separated.

So, you are behind the liquid fertiliser?

Of course! We are doing it on a small scale but gradually because we always tried to look at our marketing strategy in such a way that we always tried to do things differently from that of our competitors. And we always create a synergy with research institutes like The Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, The Centre for DryLand Agriculture here in Bayero University Kano and many more. We are always in constant contact, asking questions, giving them a lot of findings so that they give us feedback. We give them the fertiliser, and they give it to smallholder farmers. We have our own pilot farms and we used to go to some of our out-growers to convince them in things like the Small Plot Adoption Technology (SPAT) systems, to convince them so that they adopt the use of our fertiliser. We say, ‘take some area of land, apply our fertiliser, then same area of land, apply your own and see.’ Then we monitor till the end of the harvesting season. We’ll just compare the yields. It shows the difference. So in fact, there are so many things we are doing differently and we don’t joke in the area of research and development.

What of your family, are they involved in your business?

Of course! As we speak, two of them are working in that plant, learning the rudiments of the business and being useful for themselves.

I am training all of them to be useful because I worked hard to become this successful and they also have to work hard. Although I don’t wish for them to start from scratch like me, they have to learn what it takes to manage businesses.

ͱͳ

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

Summer Gets Exciting as RaveWarri Returns in Grand Style Stories by Mary Nnah Warri’s finest and energetic individuals were hosted to a specially curated and memorable summer experience, with a mix of good music, colourful fashion and vibrant youth of the city of Warri recently.

RAVE, which is an acronym for Recreational Adult Vibing Event, is a social mixer and outdoor event created with the aim of bringing together a matured and sophisticated class of individuals and delivering on the best event experiences bi-annually.

The event which was held at Ogunu Golf Resort, formerly known as Shell Club, enforced strict COVID-19 protocols.

This edition tagged, “Rave of The Summer”, delivered on all its promised awesomeness. It was all about networking, bonding, partying, and celebrating summer in an unassuming way while enjoying good company, electrifying music and great food.

Guests were treated to unlimited fun with various activities which included interesting board and group

games, dance offs, parties, giveaways, pop-up sales with Warri’s finest vendors etc. It was a great avenue for attendees to unwind and connect, and all of the activities displayed contributed to creating a memorable experience.

The right music, which set the tone for what was described as one of the most exciting moments to look forward to, were carefully selected from a lineup of the best and talented DJs around Nigeria including Superstar DJ Lambo, DJ Switchy amongst others.

The DJs ushered in the capacity to a rich blend of non-stop music.

This year’s “Rave of the Summer” attracted international brands like Diageo (Cîroc), Nigerian Breweries Plc (Desperados Tequilla Flavoured Beer) and Nestle’s (Maggi NG) who brought in their uniqueness, style and professionalism to spice up the event.

FounderofRaveWarri,OmatseyeOmamofe said “I’m excited to mark the 5th year anniversary which is set to happen on the 19th of December 2021, and I’m excited about what the Franchise intends to achieve

in the next 10 years.”

He also said that rave is more than just an event but a lifestyle brand and that he was here to make a dif-

ference.

With the massive success of this edition, the Rave Warri brand remains unflinching, in its vision of

recovering and putting the city of Warri on the outline where partners and investors can keep being part of and bolster the development and

socio-economic opportunities within Delta State. More information about upcoming events is available on www. ravewarri.com.

RAVE Warri... Guests being entertained by one of the DJs at the event

Expo 2020 Dubai Offers Africa a Huge Opportunity to Shape a Better World For six months, from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, Africa will have a global stage as it has never enjoyed before – a platform to showcase its potentials to change the future, not just of Africa, but of the world.

Expo 2020 Dubai will be an unmissable opportunity to respond to how our world has altered a launchpad for countries to share their desire for positive change, to broaden their horizons and exchange ideas that inspire action to tackle real-life challenges and Africa must play a leading, active role.

The world’s population is predicted to rise from 7.7

billion in 2019 to almost 11 billion by 2100 – with SubSaharan Africa accounting for most of the growth over the coming decades.

The youngest, fastestgrowing continent on the planet is brimming with promise. How Africa embraces its accomplishments and overcomes its challenges, ranging from the global health pandemic to climate change, sustainable food supply, and equal access to the basic human rights of education, digitalisation and healthcare, will have enormous implications worldwide.

Many of Expo’s partici-

pating nations are eager to widen and deepen their ties with Africa, and Expo 2020 will be a global forum where Africa can share its plans and achievements, seek investments and solutions to its challenges, forge new relationships across the continent and across the globe, and continue its shift from donor-dependency to productive partnerships.

For the first time in the 170-year history of World Expos, every African nation will participate, each with its own pavilion, while the African Union will also host its own pavilion at Expo 2020 – a colourful

arena devoid of national borders that will showcase Africa’s vast potential and ambitions, reflected in its Agenda 2063 aspirations, which address agriculture, transport, science and technology, and health.

Commissioner General of the African Union at Expo 2020 Dubai, Dr Levi Uche Madueke, said Africa has a lot to offer adding “With our rich natural resources, ingenuity and youthful population, there are many potential areas for growth.

“It is time for us to reach out to the world, for the world to understand us and see how they can

collaborate with us. Expo provides the best platform for us to tell this story and promote a continent that is ready to move forward and a secure place to do business”.

Expo 2020’s sub themes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability go to the heart of the continent’s future aspirations: ensuring jobs, education and healthcare for all; offering easy and equitable access to transport and ideas; and balancing development with preserving the environment for future generations.

Building on the longstanding friendship between

the UAE and Africa, one based on mutual respect and a shared vision, Expo 2020 offers African nations the opportunity to showcase their individual visions for the future.

Expo 2020’s Opening Ceremony on 30 September 2021 will herald the start of this incredible opportunity.

From October 1, 2021, the UAE looks forward to jointly laying the foundations for a cleaner, safer, healthier and more prosperous tomorrow.

Africa’s participation at Expo 2020 can only help bring that exciting, optimistic new future a big step closer.

Laurels for Women Making Impact in Digital Space The world is going digital and women are making good use of this opportunity. Digital social media is making it easier for women to manage both work and family-related communication. In fact, this is transforming the way businesses are done.

For Mojisola Sesan-Aina and Patience Bamidele Amaebite, women can be empowered to achieve success and make an impact. These two impeccable women are not resting but proving their mettle in the digital space.

For Sesan-Aina, Business Growth Specialist and Founder of People in Business Network, Women in Digital Africa and Vendors Connect, she has created a platform for women to be entrepreneurial giants online.

According to her, women have a great role to play in national development and they are not excused from being in the digital space.

The new age of marketing

Amaebite and Sesan-Aina is digital and everyone has a right to be in the space because it gives more room

to be seen and discovered.

Jisolabrandboss as she is popularly known over

the years, armed herself with skills in Media and Communications, a stint

in Journalism, Marketing and Business with 15 years working experience in her endeavour, she had been able to make a name for herself and continue to guide entrepreneurs on the path to success.

Sesan-Aina said that women are currently making waves digitally and have become giants in their fields and it is worth celebrating.

She said that it is no longer a male dominated territory.

She advised young women who want to work in digital marketing to be prepared, set goals, don’t give up and strive towards success. For her, progress is possible and it is never too late to make an impact.

In her view, Amaebite, a leading product launch strategist and marketing expert in Nigeria, often referred to as “The Springboard” due to her expertise and strategy deployed into launching

businesses and facilitating upscale is passionate about building and nurturing entrepreneurs to growth.

With her one-on-one coaching, online courses, mastermind programmes and speaking engagements, she has been able to help start-ups and growing entrepreneurs within and outside Africa discover themselves and excel in their businesses.

Amaebite who has had over 16 years corporate experience in the finance and oil and gas sector before her foray into product launch and business coaching said her mission is to train five million entrepreneurs in the next 10 years to build profitable global brands.

Her five-book series titled: “The Boss Series” specifically designed for startups and entrepreneurs who want to emerge winners in their businesses and build a successful team is available on global platforms and local book

36

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

The Elder Musicians Sing Nunc Dimittis Vanessa Obioha writes that the last three decades have seen several Nigeria’s great musicians depart the earthly plane

O

ne by one, they are leaving us behind. The musicians who pioneered sounds that are now identified as African and truly Nigerian are succumbing to the inescapable hands of death. The latest to sing Nunc Dimittis — a Latin phrase coined from the Gospel of Luke that means to depart — is Victor Uwaifo.

The man of many hats bowed to the Grim Reaper on Saturday, August 28 after a brief illness. Uwaifo was an exceptional musician, a man who, musician Ade Bantu described as a renaissance man for the effortless way he wore multiple hats “be it as a musician, sculptor, inventor, politician or educator.”

He was fondly called the Guitar Boy due to his deftness on the musical instrument. More so, he invented one for himself which he played lovingly. Of his vast catalogue of music, ‘Joromi’ was the most popular and sampled but people still remember the sweet melodies of ‘Mammy Water’, another hit song of his.

Uwaifo was a proud Bini man. He not only sculpt visual art pieces with clear Bini themes, but he also delivered many of his songs to the world in his mother tongue. His stagecraft was something else. Arguably, he was the first musician to share his performance space with a midget, the popular King Pago, who he lovingly introduced with a lot of flourish and drama at each show. Both men would hold the audience spellbound with varying degrees of stunts. King Pago was later absorbed into Majek Fashek’s band, the Midget featured prominently in the ‘Majek Fashek in New York’ video.

His musical career which spanned over six decades was decorated with more laurels than scandals. It is on record that Uwaifo is the first musician to win gold discs on the continent, the first to be awarded the National Merit Honours of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), and the first musician to become a member of a State Executive Council as Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism. He was also able to become an outstanding academic, teaching at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Benin, Edo State.

Uwaifo belonged to the class of musicians who promoted Highlife in Nigeria, although he formed his own sounds which included the Akwete rhythm, Ekassa, Sasakosa and Shadow. This set of musicians worked with bands and honed their skills in not only singing but understanding the concept of music from production to delivery. To an extent, their music was identified by the musical accompaniment.

For instance, Afrobeat is largely known for the saxophone, keyboards, drums and funky melodies; Highlife is characterized by jazzy horns and multiple guitars. The late Tunde King who is credited as the founder of Juju music used the Sekere, Tambourine, Guitar Banjo and the Talking Drum to develop the sound which was later expanded by the likes of King Sunny Ade and of course, Sir Shina Peter who popularised Afro-juju, a combination of afrobeats and juju. There is also Fuji, Waka,

Apala and other traditional genres of music.

For all his dexterity and creative ingenuity, Uwaifo was not able to stick to a particular sound for an enduring period that could inspire other musicians to follow in his track and shape that style into an acknowledged one. He was a restless creator, who only spent fleeting moments on a new sound before moving on to another.

These musicians enjoyed international fame as well despite the technological limita-

tions at that time. For example, if not for patriotism, Mary Afi Usuah would have been one of the world’s most renowned opera musicians to come out from Nigeria.

But our elders are leaving us. Senescence is getting the best of them. Some of them have had their lives truncated. The last three decades have seen these great talents depart the earth. We lost Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Afrobeat pioneer in 1997, Sunny Okosun in 2008, Fatai Rolling Dollar in 2013, Chris Ajilo

in 2021, Majek Fashek in 2020, Chief Stephen Osadebe in 2007, E.C. Arinze in 2015, Oliver de Coque in 2008, Victor Olaiya in 2020, one-half of the Lijadu Sisters, Kehinde in 2019, Nelly Uchendu in 2005, Christy Essien-Igbokwe in 2011 and Uwaifo this year. There are many more departed that can’t be mentioned due to space constraints.

Sad as their passage is, the comforting news is that while they may have left the earthly plane, their music lives on forever.

‘King of Boys: The Return of the King’ Slightly Loses Thrust with Overly Ambitious Plot Twists Iyke Bede The Kemi Adetiba standalone 2018 film ‘King of Boys’ returns as a sevenpart series ‘King of Boys: The Return of the King’ on Netflix last weekend.

The series continues where the original left off with the homecoming of Eniola Badmus (Sola Sobowale), a ruthless underground ruler whose

sole intention is to grab the highest position in the state – the office of the governor.

However, her return to the country presents a rather tamed Eniola, who mourns the loss of her children, and as a result of her direct involvement in their deaths, constantly chastises herself. In a similar vein, she restricts herself from retaliating against others by shunning her inner demon that

appears in the form of her younger self (Toni Tones). At this point she acknowledges her advancement in age, telling the shrewd Reverend (Richard Mofe-Damijo), “I am old…

I am tired.”

To achieve her aim, she leverages other means, such as paying a clandestine visit to the incumbent president, presenting alternate facts to tarnish the image of her opposition

(the Randles), while maintaining an affable persona in public. All these, mirror the political landscape. Left like that, the script makes a perfect film built on real-life logic, but the hunger for plot twists soon manifests with the reincarnation of the character Makanaki (Reminisce), Eniola’s archenemy.

Makanaki finds his way back into the new script, five years after a skir-

mish that left him dead. No doubt, the character is a bold, unforgettable one that served its purpose. However, his return to inflict revenge on his enemies wasn’t fully achieved, especially after reaching a truce with Eniola. Of course, there is a certain nostalgia that comes with reviving a lost loved character, however, in his case, backstories and flashbacks would have achieved the same effect.

Gulder Ultimate Search Breaks Five-Year Hiatus Vanessa Obioha The survival reality TV show Gulder Ultimate Search will be back on our airwaves next month after a five-year hiatus.

The show, created and sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc, was last aired in 2016 after 11 seasons.

With the theme ‘The Age of Craftsmanship’, the organisers are looking forward to the show

dominating the airwaves like it did when it premiered in 2004.

“We are really excited to be bringing back the Gulder Ultimate Search for the viewing pleasure of Nigerians who have over the years continued to call

for the return of the show,” said the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan. “The planning team have put in place everything necessary to give the fans exactly what they enjoy about

the show, and I am confident that everyone will be pleasantly surprised and delighted with what we have in store.”

Registration began on September 1 and will close on September 8 and eligible

participants must be Nigerians between the ages 21 and 35.

The first screening session will start on September 13 in Abuja and Enugu, while the second screening session on September 16 in Lagos.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

37

ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

A Literary Lens on Leadership

Mydrim Hosts Fagorusi’s First Solo Show, In his new book titled‘Leadership Turnaround,’the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Honours the Elderly of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo articulates his banking experience and entrepreneurial foresight in this conscientious commentary on leadership

Segun Olabode

A

consummate Nigerian banker and entrepreneur, Ifie Sekibo has the track record of returning moribund companies to the path of sustained profitability. Since 2012, he has been the helmsman at Nigeria’s most innovative bank, Heritage Bank but his journey towards leadership was at a steady pace since 2002 when he became a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

The graduate of Accountancy at River State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt started his career as an Auditor with the Rivers State Government’sAudit department in 1988 before joining KPMG in Lagos as an Audit Trainee in 1989 before moving to ELF Nigeria as a Cost Controller.

He moved to Investment Banking and later veered into insurance as the Executive Vice Chairman of International Energy Insurance (IEI) and in 2003, Sekibo and his team acquired the Global Assurance Company Limited from the National Insurance Commission. As its leader, he steered the company into a front line position. Under his leadership, he undertook successful capital raise which saw the company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. After serving as the Executive Vice Chairman of IEI, Sekibo became the pioneer MD/CEO of Heritage Banking Company Ltd. As an individual who enjoyed sharing his experience, Sekibo wrote his book ‘Leadership Turnaround’ out of his need to tell his story of climbing the rung of success to clinch leadership positions. Expectedly, it was a journey fraught with challenges. From his successful revival of Societe GeneraleBankofNigeria(SGBN),amassivesuccess by any metric, to the creation of Heritage Bank, he hasdemonstratedastrengthofcharacterinbusiness.

Thus, ‘Leadership Turnaround’ is a condensed commentary from a leader who has recorded remarkable successes, failed in some instances along the way, picked himself up with a sense of duty. It is the story of a leader, reputed for turning around failed enterprises with a knack for spotting and nurturing SMEs. The book downplays on the regular leadership clichés, adopts the language of experience, while presenting the issues with a conversational tone.

Tossingasidetheoreticaldiscourse,theauthorseeks a practical approach in writing this book.

In building brands, for instance, the author admonished Nigerians to build businesses that will outlive their generation. Citing the case of the Arthur Guinness family, the author shared the remarkablestoryofhowtheenterprisewashanded downgenerations,throughvision,faith,valuesand commitment.

In ‘Leadership Turnaround,’ the author made

One of the works by Fagorusi

Yinka Olatunbosun

Book cover

a brilliant analogy of the processes in the fractional distillation column of a refinery, and the process that distils an individual from his raw talent into a fine leader. Further, he revealed that he set up a solid training school that reached beyond just banking, to teach etiquette, relationship, social assets, law, and many more.

Leadership Turnaround stirs up an interesting conversation of globalization and the coined concept, ‘glocalization.’ The author admonished young people to substitute the mindset of globalization with that of ‘glocalization,’ so they can customize their global outlook to solving local problems.

While recounting the revival of the defunct bank, Societe Generale Bank, the author wrote that apart from the vision, commitment, positive thinking and resources, he also relied on faith to get over 200 bank customers to withdraw their cases in a single day and settle out of court. This account

was intriguing, and loaded; albeit, told with such simplicity.

The author reached for examples, case studies and scenarios from different perspectives. Using biblical allusions, he showed the role of faith in leadership.

The book has several “Take Action” stopovers after each chapter; where readers are refreshed with simplified but impactful action points to advance one’s career. The lessons that follow each are drawn from the real world of successful business enterprise. Some of these include lessons on the complexities of the world of mergers and acquisition; dealing with soft issues; emotional intelligence; having the right mindset; lessons on visioning and the kinetics of visioning; lessons in entrepreneurship; the importance of hitting the road, and gaining traction. t 0MBCPEF XSPUF JO GSPN -BHPT

Kehinde Sanwo Leads Affordable Art Online’s Plein-Air Painting Yinka Olatunbosun It may have started in the 1830s in France, but plein air painting has been the toast of landscape artists over the centuries. Outdoor painting is a refreshing way to work for artists which explains why Affordable Art Online kicked off a two-day painting project called plein air Painting with Kehinde Sanwo.

Markedly different from studio work, plein air painting has its own unique challenge. In a brief encounter with one of Nigeria’s finest landmark documentarists, Kehinde Sanwo, he revealed how Affordable Art Online is inspiring a project to celebrate plein air painting at a recent encounter in Lagos.

“Plein art painting was actually part of our training when we were in school. Normally you would expect that artist would paint in their studio. The difference there is that you are on

the spot to capture the essence of the moment and to express what you feel at that point in time concerning what you are observing. You have this beautiful scenery before you and you have to capture. Compared to studio practice, you don’t have the luxury of time. The weather changes drastically.

“One of the objectives of plein air is to be able to capture the sunlight, moon at that point in time. You may have just three or four hours before the weather changes and there is a cast in the shadow. It is a practice that is recommended for landscape artists. It helps you to hone your craft and you are being forced to think fast and make decisions about what to capture at that moment. It is a training to help you become stronger and that experience you can take back to the studio to develop yourself more. We can liken it to a marathon runner who is constantly practicing in anticipation of that big event to showcase himself,’’ he revealed.

The two-day event featured artists such as Gbemileke Adekunle, Elizabeth Chioma Ekpetorson simply known as Eleez; Ifeoluwa Olojede and Stephen Oni Olamide. Their minds were prepared for the challenges that could be encountered during the outdoor painting in a meeting preceding the event. Supported by the Lagos Motor Boat Club in Ikoyi, the lagoon-front experience was mind-blowing for the artists.

The lead artist, Sanwo explained that weather is a crucial factor to the painting process.

“It could be sunny then it can change to rainy.

The other part of it is the human element. There is no way that you won’t attract attention when you stand out especially in this environment where that is not common. An artist is very careful about moving around,’’ he said. Street urchins often try to extort artists who do outdoor painting in some locations in Lagos. But some experienced artists know how to overcome this challenge and get to work.

This is exciting news for the elderly. A realist artist, Segun Fagorusi is honouring them with his latest body of works at his first solo exhibition titled ‘Ibile.’ The graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife began his painting as a child inspired by his brother ’s cartoon sketches. Art was all around him- he was weaned on books, music and oral poetry. His mother, an English teacher ensured that the house was a library of sorts- filled with African literature from authors like Cyprian Ekwensi, Wole Soyinka, Elechi Amadi and Chinua Achebe. He was also weaned on jazz from Yanni to Agboola Shadare.

But he had to convince his parents that his rich baritone voice and clear enunciation would not be used in the court room. He loved the arts and so, he was very reluctant to study law. Then he found an alibi.

“In 2006, law was not accredited in OAU so I switched to Fine Arts,’’ he said.

Upon his graduation, he stayed back in Ife, enjoying the purity of the traditional culture of the people and cultivated close relationships with many elderly ones.

Fagorusi spoke about a recent experience where an elderly woman- when alive, barely received visitors and the day after she died, her relations came in droves for a flamboyant party. He lamented the plight of these older ones who seem to want to enjoy life but have been left alone to die “instalmentally”.

With Ibile, he documents the experiences of the elderly and how they relate to life after retirement. He was first inspired to do a body of works after participating in a church outreach programme where free medications were donated to the elderly.

Many of them just needed basic medications like paracetamol which they could not afford yet they have children who could afford to provide these. Fagorusi reasoned that the only way to communicate the plight of these elderly to society at large is through his painting. This phase of life is challenging. For some, health deteriorates. But there is much to learn from them because they embody wisdom.

“What I realise is that the society is gradually failing in its responsibility to take care of these ones. Politicians use them for votes.

And pensioners faint and even die in queues for their pension. Now, it is no longer news,’’ he said.

Some elderly ones often come to watch him paint. Some are women who attend his church and sadly, in their prayer requests, they usually pray for their children- to remember them.

Influenced by Kelani Abass and Jonathan Imafidor, Fagorusi works mainly with oil and acrylic showcasing portraits of the elderly. In some of the works, he captures the emotions of his subjects with techniques such as drip painting.

The show which opens on September 11 is preceded by a private viewing scheduled to hold on September 9 and 10. During the press preview, the curator of the show, David Oluwatoyin revealed that Fagorusi had participated in three editions of ‘Future Masters’ group exhibition at Mydrim Gallery.

On those being targeted by the exhibition, he remarked that people of all age groups to remind them of the responsibility they have towards their elderly.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

ͱͶ

Schneider Electric Ranked World’s Most Sustainable Company by Corporate Knights Stories by Precious Ugwuzor Leading company in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, Schneider Electric, has been ranked the world’s most sustainable corporation, in a prestigious annual list compiled by Corporate Knights, a media and research company focused on corporate sustainability performance.

The recognition which coincides with the Schneider Electric’s announcement of its accelerated sustainability programme marks a big jump from 29th place the previous year and represents a high-profile external acknowledgement of the company’s longstanding commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric Jean-Pascal Tricoire, while reacting to the achievement in a press statement, said the award was a reflection of the company’s drive towards sustainability and making the world greener and more inclusive.

“We are honoured and grateful to be ranked number one by Corporate Knights. It is a major encouragement for our teams and partners, and a great recognition of more than 15 years of engagement to make our company and the world greener and more inclusive. Sustainability is a journey that we accomplish with our people, partners, suppliers, customers and communities where we operate. This recognition goes also to all of them.”

Corporate Knights’ 2021 ranking was based on an assessment of 8,080 companies with more than US$1 billion in revenues. Performance indicators include evaluations of how much renewable energy and waste companies generate.

The Toronto-based company identified Schneider Electric’s steady shift towards products

Akindele

and services that help customers manage their energy needs more efficiently and safely.

According to the CEO of Corporate Knights, Toby Heaps; “In recent decades, Schneider Electric has shifted its focus to data centres; storage and other distributed energy resources; and smart solutions that

Montblanc Opens First Boutique In Nigeria Luxury Maison has expanded its footprint in West Africa with new Neo2 interior concept boutique in the nation’s financial capital.

Montblanc, the leading global Maison for luxury business lifestyle, has opened its first standalone boutique in Nigeria, together with longstanding partner Polo Luxury.

Located in The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos – Nigeria’s premier lifestyle and shopping destination, the boutique offers an immersive retail experience with dedicated areas for watches, writing instruments, leather goods, accessories and Montblanc’s growing range of technology devices.

The luxury Maison adds a new dimension to the mall’s luxury offering with its Neo2 design concept by French designer and interiors architect Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance.

Currently being rolled out globally, the design articulates the Maison’s long-standing passion for craftsmanship and presents a pure and uncluttered aesthetic, mixing black, white and wood for a contemporary retail environment that engages and inspires.

Home to a wide selection of Montblanc’s core writing instruments, the boutique also showcases a variety of sought-after collections. These include the latest Montblanc Meisterstück Around the World in 80 Days collection that pays homage to the great literary adventure by French author Jules Verne, and brings to life the fantastical story of world circumnavigation through elegant design elements inspired by the themes of the classic adventure.

The section of the new boutique dedicated to the exceptional quality leather goods

advance electrification, energy efficiency and renewability. It now earns 70% of its revenue from, and directs 73% of its investments toward, sustainable solutions, Schneider Electric also performs strongly in racial and gender diversity and in resource productivity and safety.”

Miele LaunchesWashing Machine,Vacuum in Nigeria Rebecca Ejifoma

crafted by Montblanc, includes a variety of iconic collections and travel accessories designed to meet an urban explorer’s every need with their sleek, modern designs and refined functionality. Watch enthusiasts will relish the extensive range of high complication timepieces, including the Montblanc 1858, and for those bridging timepieces and tech, the latest edition of Montblanc’s elegant smartwatch Summit Lite is also available in the boutique’s growing section of classy tech products.

The new boutique also includes a collector’s corner showcasing a number of sought-after collector pieces that will be generating interest across the continent, and an immersive ink bar experience offering customers the chance to test the full spectrum of Montblanc writing instruments, nibs and inks.

“We are delighted to be opening our first standalone boutique in Nigeria, and to be doing so with our longstanding partner in this key African city. We have been pioneers in luxury on the continent, having introduced Montblanc here al-

most 30 years ago, and we have full confidence in our long-term future here,” said Alain Dos Santos, Regional Managing Director of Montblanc Africa.

Jennifer Obayuwana, Polo Luxury, said: “Polo has enjoyed a long partnership with Montblanc for the past three decades, and we are proud to celebrate what is a significant milestone with the opening of this boutique. This is a point in history for Polo and Montblanc in Lagos, one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and one that is home to a growing population of ambitious, sophisticated men and women who appreciate the craftsmanship, design and assured status that the Maison offers. Together with our knowledgeable, passionate and personable team, we can be sure of delivering the best possible experience for our customers, and look forward to welcoming them to their new Montblanc home.”

The Nigeria boutique adds to the Maison’s growing presence across Africa, which include standalone boutiques in Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa and Morocco.

In another development, General Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Process Automation, Schneider Electric, Ajibola Akindele, has called on stakeholders of Nigeria’s power sector to augment investment in the power sector so as to enable the country achieve her industrialization goal.

Akindele who gave the charge recently, in an interview with Arise TV, averred that the country needs to create the necessary framework for private sector investments.

“We have had several years of underinvestment in the power sector.

If you look back at the last 30 years, particularly between 1989, to 2007, there was no major investment in the power sector. The country was just spending enough to stabilize the grid infrastructure.

The sector needs investments in order to accelerate GDP growth and create jobs,” said Akindele.

He further noted that based on general consensus by experts in the power sector, the country needs between $3-5 billion annual spend over the next 15 years to achieve industrialisation. While these are huge amounts, he expects that some funding could come from Government, International Development Agencies and from the Private sector. All available funding options must be explored and investors should be given the necessary incentives and where necessary guarantees to ensure they can make a decent return on their investments.

In conclusion, he highlighted that though there has been some positive developments in the power sector recently; these are not enough and we need to move much faster to improve electrification rates and reliability of the grid.

A German lifestyle brand, Miele, has launched two domestic appliances - washing machine, and floor vacuum cleaner - as its flagship products in Nigeria. The firm announced this at a media briefing held at its Victoria Island office in Lagos, ahead of the unveiling.

According to the MD of Miele Nigeria, Mr. Mustapha Olorunnimbe, Miele is giving Nigerians an artful lifestyle backed up with several benefits for their delight.

While operating on its three values - performance, durability, and aesthetics - the MD enthused that their cutting edge technology, with superior

quality, has a unique feature that gives them an edge over their competitors.

For Miele, Olorunnimbe expressed that bringing better means they want to offer their customers excellent quality and outstanding services.

“This is why we are the only manufacturer who builds all machines to last at least 20 years and ensures that the most important spares are available for equally as long,” says the MD. Now, since its establishment in Nigeria nine years ago, Olorunnimbe assured newsmen that Miele has the property knowledge to produce the best washing machine globally. He emphasised: “We are focused on domestic machines for now. However, since 1899

Miele was founded in Germany, it has been inventing several appliances. And our washing machine is the first choice.”

Today, Olorunnimbe continued, Miele boasts of domestic, professional and hospital appliances. Hence, its clients in Nigeria have continued to rate its services premium. As a result, the German firm is set to launch the Miele Member Club for Nigeria and West Africa.

“Our business is growing.

We feel like when people buy brands like Miele, it’s beyond buying, but investing.”

The MD, however, described the club as a loyalty scheme for customers. “It’s a private club to foster relationships and treat our clients right.”

The Yacht Hotel is Lekki’s New Xanadu Vanessa Obioha After the pandemic halted its launch last year, the Yacht Hotel opened its elegant doors to well-heeled guests recently in a classy event tagged ‘Luxury in Tranquility’. The luxury boutique hotel nestled in the vibrant entertainment and business hub of Lekki Phase 1 treated guests to wine tasting and an art exhibition from Omolayo Gallery.

A brainchild of Eyitayo Fakehinde, the optician cum hospitality mogul is a Xanadu in its own rights with 25 rooms, spa, restaurant, art gallery, and a helipad lounge that speak volumes of luxury. The lounge according to Fakehinde is the hotel’s most exclusive lounge reserved for its elite class club, known as The Admirals.

The rooms come with breathtaking views. On one end are the Seaview suites

which allow guests to bask in the panoramic view of the Five Cowries Creek — the sliver of water that separates Victoria Island and the Lekki environs from Ikoyi — and the iconic Lekki-Ikoyi bridge.

The other end boasts suites with city views. Here one can appreciate the dynamic landscape of the city and enjoy the sunset.

The sea and city views suites come in deluxe and executive packages. For instance, the Deluxe City View, a 33m2 room, comes with spainspired bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, rainfall walk-in glass showers and balconies to enjoy the sea breeze and take in the sunset. Only two adults and a child can share the room. The Executive City View, on the other hand, offers more space and amenities.

However, the most luxurious of the accommodations is the Executive Seaview with its

king-size bed, spectacular sea views and calming elegance.

The Yacht offers a range of culinary experiences. One can choose to sit at the Cowry Creek Restaurant or the Cowry terrace where they can enjoy an array of continental or local cuisine with vast beverage options.

The hotel also boasts art pieces.

They adorn the walls of the hotel, creating an ambience where art meets luxury.

Each detail of the boutique hotel is well thought out to replicate an actual yacht.

It is not the first time Fakehinde, who prefers to be addressed as a Captain, has played with the concept of water. He is the owner of the popular Sailor’s Lounge in Lekki. For the hospitality mogul, it’s all about making use of the available opportunity.

Lekki, he said, is surrounded by water but no one seems to be creating facilities to depict its essence.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

ͱͷ

Paddy Partridge: Building Sustainable Solutions for Africa’s Mobility Sector through Bolt Since the introduction of ride-hailing in Africa, the mobility sector has seen tremendous growth, primarily due to technological innovations by players in the industry. Bolt has since become the e-hailing market leader and has established its presence in seven African countries and over 70 cities. In this interview, Bolt’s Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East, Paddy Partridge, speaks on the company’s expansion plans, sustainable and innovative solutions the platform is looking to develop on the continent. Chiemelie Ezeobi brings excerpts Since the launch of Bolt in Africa, you have established your presence in seven countries, driving the sector and economy towards growth. What are the potential market expansion plans for Bolt? n the African markets we operate, we see an opportunity for growth, especially in enhancing our quality of services and providing quicker access for riders, leveraging the continent’s growing infrastructure and increased internet access. For example, in Nigeria, we presently operate in over 30 cities with plans to expand to other cities.

We also actively research new markets and have put plans to announce two to three new countries before the end of the year.

Our goal is to improve the convenience and affordability of transport across the region. We continue to focus our efforts on providing the best value proposition for our drivers and riders. We further constantly prioritise investing in initiatives that can foster socio-economic benefits to the markets we serve.

I

What new products and solutions are you looking to develop within the continent to enhance the company’s growth further?

We recently launched Bolt Food in several African markets, including South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, with plans to begin operations in Nigeria soon. Bolt Food SA currently enlists 700 active restaurant partners and 2,500 courier partners in Cape Town to expand to Johannesburg. Our focus with Bolt food is on improving the range of restaurants we work with and the cities we are present in to provide customer satisfaction continuously.

Drivers are also a significant part of our business operations, and we constantly look for ways to improve their overall experience. In Nigeria, we launched an early withdrawal option for drivers to withdraw cash on card trips to enhance their liquidity and welfare.

Furthermore, earlier this year, we launched a #Drive4WITech, a programme for young women to foster diversity and participation in the Technology industry. The aim was to bridge the gap and create more opportunities for gender inclusion in the sector by offering internship opportunities in Operations, Engineering, and Product Design.

Africa experiences a myriad of challenges from its industries to the larger society, affecting economic growth. How is Bolt looking to create an impact across the mobility and transport sectors?

One of our goals is to make urban transport safer, more convenient, and more responsible. We are set on becoming the most significant micro-mobility player in Europe, investing over 100M Euros in electric scooters and bikes. In some African cities, we also see an opportunity to roll out other forms of micro-mobility and hope to have them cropping up over the next 6-12 months.

We also have many exciting product enhancements in the pipeline to further improve the quality of service to drivers and riders.

We are also looking to impact by providing accessible ways to earn money in economies where unemployment rates are remarkably high. We have over 700,000 drivers earning via our platform in Africa, with plans to grow this in the next few months.

Africa’s population continues to skyrocket. As much as this provides more market for ride-hailing, it can also translate to higher levels of gas emission.

What are Bolt’s plans for eco-friendly transportation on the continent? Do you

Partridge

One of our goals is to make urban transport safer, more convenient, and more responsible.

We are set on becoming the most significant micro-mobility player in Europe, investing over 100M Euros in electric scooters and bikes foresee the introduction of electric vehicles soon, and do you think the continent is ready?

Bolt has a Green Plan on how we make mobility more environmentally sustainable. This consists of offsetting our rides, accelerating the transition to electric mobility and reducing the ecological footprint of our offices. Bolt is still early in this journey in Africa, but we believe we have a significant role in accelerating the transition to electric vehicles.

We recently launched our first green category in Africa in Nairobi using electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid cars.

We have also recently launched electric bikes and bicycles as a core part of our food delivery service in Kenya and South Africa, with e-bicycles integrated into the courier modes of transport.

We also understand that some African markets are more ready than others in terms of costing infrastructure, financing partners for EVs, import costs of EVs and cost of electricity. In general, we are increasingly seeing a solid business case for our drivers, especially those using motorbikes, to transition over to electric vehicles.

We are establishing partnerships for better financing solutions for our drivers so that they can afford electric

cars. We are also engaging government on better incentivising the import and adoption of EVs versus petroleum-based vehicles.

Although Africa’s economy has recently been among the fastest-growing, the continent still has a high percentage of unemployed people. Are there plans to increase earning potentials for drivers in Africa?

Growing driver earnings is a priority for us as we intend to add and retain more drivers on our platform. We aim to do this in a few ways - we are actively driving up utilisation (the rides a driver can do per hour) by aggressively investing in rider growth and ensuring our value proposition to riders is the best in the market. We also try to make sure our commission levels are competitive in the market and find new ways to reduce the main costs for drivers.

For example, the weekly rental fee for drivers is something we are establishing partnerships for to enable more affordable schemes where drivers can own vehicles.

Another example is the Vehicle financing scheme introduced in Nigeria, where our driver-partners get to pay in instalments at a reduced rate while they own the cars.

40

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

METRO

…Your city life in print

Olaniyi Oyatoye: How I Ply my Cultural Promotion Trade For over a decade, culture enthusiast and promoter, Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye has been in the spotlight, marketing Yoruba culture and tradition all over the world. Precious Ugwuzor reports

Prince Oyatoye, Nollywood actress, Lizzy Anjorin; Yeye Toyin Adegbola, and others during the 2018 Asa Day

Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye; Apala music Maestro, Musiliu Haruna Ishola; Nollywood actress, Bimbo Oshin, and others at the 2019 Asa day

.Prince Olaniyi Oyatoye, popularly known as Baba Asa

P

rince Olaniyi Oyatoye is passionate about promoting the Yoruba culture. In fact, for over a decade, he has taken a big leap in cultural promotion by making efforts in exporting those cultural ideas to the global world.

Oyatoye, who is also the convener and president of Asa Day World Wide Incorporated, Canada, has had a fair share of testimonies, and is continuously bent on lauding the values of culture of the Yoruba people.

For the Canada-based Nigerian, wherever he is, you can hardly ignore the unrivaled passion with which he discusses anything that has to do with the various Yoruba culture and traditions.

For the Kwara State-born culture promoter, the reason for his passion is not far-fetched; the Yoruba language abd culture would be extinct if it is not promoted. Also he has been able to translate his passion to global business by exploring the movie and music industry in the most amazing way.

Going down memory lane he said, “In 2015, we started the promotion of Yoruba culture after reviews and research in diaspora. We observed with surprise that Yoruba language and cultural values have been going into extinction and if nothing is done it will surely go into extinction.

So we decided that something urgent needed to be done to revive and restore our cultural heritage.

“While abroad, I formed a unit and encouraged children and adults from Yoruba backgrounds in Canada to attend so they can learn more about Yoruba culture and traditions. As a broadcaster, I also used my social media platforms to host and interview people about Yoruba culture. This great idea was later incorporated by our parental company Yatniy Communications International led to the creation of Asa Day with a vision to export Nigeria’s culture abroad and also make Asa Day a global project. “ I have invested a lot of time, I resigned from my job in Canada so as to give me ample and enough time to promote this culture in full swing.

Also, I spend personal funds on this project, which is largely tourism and cultural promotion.

“To the glory of Almighty God, I have singlehandedly sponsored about 100 cultural ambassadors to Canada where I was responsible for their flight ticket fees, visa fees, hotel accommodations and even feeding fee. This is just to ensure that we enhance the cultural tourism globally. So that we can revive and restore our cultural heritage.”

To show his love for the Yoruba race and the entertainment industry, Oyatoye, in 2018, took a

big leap with a cultural programme titled Asa day- to expose many of the Nigerian Nollywood artistes and musicians to the global community and ensuring that they display their talents at the world stage.

The 2018 Asa Day, held in Manitoba Canada, was in fulfillment of his long term dreams and that of others as he sponsored five Yoruba movies stars to the global event. The artistes include Yeye Toyin Adegbola, popularly called Ajoke Asewo; National President of Theatre Arts and Motions Pictures Practitoners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) Bolaji Amusan, also known as Mr. Latin; Lizzy Anjorin and a few others.

The event became an instant success as the following edition in 2019 triggered a global applause with many artistes on the train.

“What we do normally, is that we sponsor our artistes, mostly Yoruba sons and daughters both in the Nollywood and the music industry to Canada to explore their God-given talents.

We take care of all the logistics and we make sure that they are comfortable during their stay abroad”.

“It is always my dream to explore the talents, especially, in the movie and music industry to promote our culture. What my organisation is doing with Asa Day is not new, but we are doing it differently in order to add value to what is truly ours.

“The Asa Day event is never a jamboree but a project that focuses more on pure Yoruba culture and tradition. We have people who appreciate our language, our tradition and heritages all over the world, especially, in

Brazil and Canada where Yoruba are mostly appreciated. “ It is for this reason that I came out with the Asa Day event to transform the initial idea of using movie and music to entertain audiences and also make it a marketable and appealing venture that attract foreigners and people from other parts of the world.

“For instance, our first experience in Canada was exciting and it was the success that became the leeway to the second edition which was held the following year, that is in 2019 and by the Special grace of God, we are making progress on all fronts” The attendance that greeted the second event in 2019 was massive, because we took about seven Nigerian artistes to Canada and the visitors did a wonderful job.

Oyatoye insisted that Asa day was a complete project designed to take the Yoruba youths off the streets, adding that the youths represented the strength of every race and if the southwest governors could key into the programme, it would add to the value and create the needed market for the youths .

“There is a global template to showcase the content of Yoruba culture to the world. We have made significant progress with the Canada events but Asa day is a brand on its own,and as a global event, it transcends beyond Nigeria and South West. It is our plan to extend this to other South-west states, including Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun States”.

Music and movie veterans like Toyin Adegbola,and Alhaji Musiliu Ishola, in their

In 2015, we started the promotion of Yoruba culture after reviews and research in diaspora. We observed with surprise thatYoruba language and cultural values have been going into extinction and if nothing is done it will surely go into extinction.

So we decided that something urgent needed to be done to revive and restore our cultural heritage

separate remarks commended the efforts of Prince Oyatoye, adding that the promoter has been a strong voice in the entertainment industry and he is at the vanguard of restoring the hope and aspirations of Nigerian artistes, making sure that Yoruba race regains its lost glory.

“I am a regular traveller, and I know what it takes to explore the world of entertainment industry. I have had a brief stint in America, United Kingdom and a few number of the European countries, but my Canada experience was evergreen because it was a reflection of hope and success that up till date, I still have fond memories of how that experience had really catapulted my career to the spotlight.

The Yoruba Nollywood actress said Asa day was organised in Canada in order to promote the cultural identity of the Yoruba race and it went out to be the turning point of her career and that of the five others.

“I felt fulfilled by that experience because the organisers explored the unique cultural templates of the Yorubaland to sell the Yoruba culture to the people of the diaspora. If many of our music and film promoters could learn from the trail- blazing idea of prince Oyatoye, I think Yoruba movie artistes would be the kings and queens of the Nollywood industry.

“For me, it was an experience of a life time because it exposed us to many good things that ordinarily cannot be overlooked, especially, the culture of the Canadian people, the way they sell and appreciate their culture and that of others.

Manitoba people are wonderful people,”she noted.

Meanwhile, Apala music maestro, Musiliu Ishola said the idea of the promoter was to sell the Yoruba culture to the people in the diaspora, adding that he was impressed by the way Oyatoye does his business.

“I am very sure that with people like him, the future of our race looks bright, especially,with his cultural promotional idea and plans. Baba Asa is a complete gentleman, very unassuming and humble. He was very passionate about promoting the Yoruba culture and tradition. He has received several awards for being at the vanguard of projecting Yoruba culture at a global stage.

“His ideas of promoting local contents and products to the world also came to the fore recently in Ibadan Oyo State where he launched the Asa day Cultural Fiesta in Ibadan, Oyo statye. It was the Canada template that had opened a new vista of opportunities for the Kwara born promoter and I wish him well in all his future endeavours, “he said.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱ, 2021

41

POLSCOPE The Politics of Ban on Open Grazing

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

Canticles….

Who is Running the South Eastern States, Governors or IPOB?

D

id you hear that those our brothers have spoken again?

Our brothers? Who are our brothers?

You don’t know the Nnamdi Kanu disciples?

Nnamdi Kanu disciples? Which people are so called?

Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? You don’t know of the ubiquitous members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)?

Ohhhh, Of course I know of IPOB, those trouble maker boys.

Hmmm, be careful in your language. They are everywhere.

Don’t let harm befall you.

So what did they say again? I thought they have been outlawed.

Gov Akeredolu

L

ast Tuesday, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, made good the threat of the 17 Southern governors to formally ban and outlaw Open Grazing in any and all of the 17 southern states in the country. This he did by signing into law the Bill that prohibits Open Grazing in Ondo State.

At that, the governor who is often hailed as Alakurinhas become the first state, down south, to outlaw the controversial ancient practice of Open Grazing.

Last May, the 17 Southern governors had gathered in Asaba, the Delta State capital and reviewed the security situation in the country and resolved among other things to collectively ban Open Grazing in their states. The epochal resolve has since become known and referred to as the Asaba Declaration.

The governors were upbeat in their declaration. Many stakeholders hailed them and commended their courage in rising up to the occasion. Between May and the September 1 deadline, the governors were expected to go back to their various states and work on the legislation that should be debated and passed by their various State Assemblies.

But it does appear that not many of the southern governors paid so much attention to the resolution after the euphoria of the Asaba Declaration died down. Were it not so, more than Ondo State would have announced the outlawing of the Open Grazing practice in (if not all) then in many states of Southern Nigeria.

It is not certain why the other governors are suddenly lethargic about it. Not even Lagos State which hosts the official secretariat of the Southern governors has passed the law.

Few weeks after the Asaba declaration, President Muhammadu Buhari had granted an interview toArise Newstelevision condemning the resolution of the southern governors, as it concerns the said ban on Open Grazing. President Buhari had argued that there is an ancient gazette that provided for grazing routes in Nigeria and thus it was somewhat irresponsible of the governors to outlaw what had always been backed up by law.

Across board, the governors and many other stakeholders condemned the position of Mr President in trying to re-invent a colonial gazette in a 21stcentury Nigeria. He was further faulted for the backwardness of his thoughts, pointing out that whereas many developed and even developing countries are ranching cows with modern technology, our president was trying to search out a

pre-colonial gazette that provided for open grazing.

Perhaps it wouldn’t have attracted much fuss if the said open grazing had remained peaceful and innocuous as it had been many years ago. But no!

Open grazing in the last ten years or so had become as problematic as a plague can be, especially in the last five years.

Suddenly, Fulani herdsmen had become a terror machine, troubling and threatening the entire Southern states, nay the entire country.

It was not for nothing that the Asaba Declaration resonated with such a loud national echo. For countless times, Fulani herdsmen had transmuted into terror machines, harassing, intimidating and indeed endangering the lives of innocent citizens. If they do not rape the women either in the farms or in their homes, they will kidnap them and their husbands and children for ransom and on many other occasions, they have outrightly killed people. It got so bad that farmers were so scared of going to their farms as the herders were always lying in wait in the forests for the farmers. In Uwheru community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, for instance, farmers had been so deeply terrorized that they had begun contributing money and sending to the herders so they would be allowed to get to their own farms.

This practice was already taking root in many communities, including even Niger State, so that the herders would spare the natives when they go their farms.

It got really so bizarre and frustrating as the security agencies seemed either helpless or chose to look the other way as communities yelled and moaned in oppressive agony.

Ondo State it was, that also led the pack when it ordered that Fulani herdsmen in the forests should move out, as it attempted to open a register of herders in the state. Surprisingly, it was faulted by the presidency when the spokesman of the President, Garba Shehu , quoting sections of the constitution to argue about the freedom of every Nigerian to choose to stay in any part of the country. But Ondo State government was clear.

Fulani herdsmen who wish to graze in the state should file out of the forests, be known and registered and then do their business, as the criminal elements among the herders were hiding under the cover of the forests to perpetrate crime and despicable evil.

It was against this background of collective angst against the Fulani herdsmen that the Asaba Declaration

was made and that explains the loud applause it received across the length and breath of the country.

Indeed, the menace of the herders who have translated into banditry, kidnappers, armed robbers, cattle rustlers among many other crimes have become a national menace, not just a problem for only southern states. Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai had asked that the forests be bombed and anybody found thereof should be killed. His Kano State counterpart, Ibrahim Ganduje, had long farmed out a large expanse of land in the state for cattle ranching. Jigawa State had recently done so too.

This week, Katsina State, the home state of President Buhari has outlawed interstate cattle grazing and movement. Katsina State had come under heavy attacks of the bandits and Fulani herdsmen leading to several cases of mass kidnappings, even of school children.

So, in the light of the foregoing, many Nigerians are wondering why the Southern governors have not picked up the gauntlet in legalizing the ban on Open Grazing.

Some have argued that some of the state governors are deferring to the “body language” of President Buhari which seemed to have frowned at the move to ban Open grazing.

So, what are the governors afraid of? Would they rather defer to Mr President and imperil the lives of the people who elected them into office?

What can Mr President do them? Ain’t they the heads of sub-nationals? It is even more curious that none of the PDP governors in the South, including the garrulous Gov Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has passed or signed such a Law. The Gov Akeredolu who has signed the Law is an APC governor. What is worse, many of the 17 state governors are rounding off their second terms in office like Mr President himself. So what is the fear about? Apart from Bayelsa and Imo States, all other governors are well into their second and final terms in office as governors. In fact, the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, is practically on his way out, as a new governor will be elected in less than three months from now.

Is it therefore correct to say the governors who have not signed the law banning Open Grazing are seeking to avoid incurring the ire of Mr President? Would they rather be in the good books of the presidency at the expense of the lives, welfare, security and peace of their own people, who actually voted them into power? Nigerians are watching!

Outlawed? Hmmmm, what does it matter to be outlawed? Did Abubakar Malami outlaw Boko Haram? In any case, whether they are outlawed or not, is inconsequential. What is crucial is that they are a separatist group.

They have and command a large following. They believe that some day, sooner or later, their wish will be granted or enforced. In fact , the non IPOB members in the South Eastern States, defer to them. Or have you not been observing how they (IPOB) has been controlling the states, dictating when they should go to work and when they should not? Don’t you see that whenever IPOB issues a Sit-at-home order, the people obey peremptorily?

You have come again with your grammar. Which one is perem… perem…what?

Come on, don’t make a joke out of this serious matter. Look, as I speak to you, IPOB has once again ordered that, on September 13, every body in Igbo land should sit at home. Do you know the social and economic implication of these sit-at-home orders?

But I thought the sit-at-home order, every Monday, has been suspended

by IPOB. Beside, the various state governments in the South East have been saying the IPOB orders should be ignored and that people should go about their normal businesses. So what’s the fear you are generating?

Me? Am I the one generating the fear? I am merely telling you what is ahead . Be open minded and be circumspect about the propaganda of government and its people. Ask yourself whether the advice by the state governments that people should ignore the sit-at-home orders is being obeyed. Who are the people obeying—IPOB or Governors? Did you not hear that whenever the IPOB gives the order even banks, schools, filling stations, markets, private shops and even transport operators suspend action and stay away from the streets? Have you not seen how stripped and bare the streets are whenever the order is given? Even in Nsukka, Enugu, Awka, Onitsha, Abakaliki, Aba etc., there is huge compliance.

Even when the Ebonyi governor, Dave Umahi, threatened to sack workers who stayed away from work and seize shops that did not open on such days , as ordered by IPOB, the people had chosen to dare the governor and obey IPOB . My brother, it is not a joke o.

Nnamdi Kanu

But Nnamdi Kanu their leader is in detention. How come he is able to have such a strong hold on the people? Is it not said that when you strike the Shepherd, the flock will scatter?

Ahhh, not in all cases. These flocks have refused to scatter. In fact, the incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu has further bonded the people to the ideology of Biafra.

Many of them argue that he that is down needs fear no fall. That they are already down in the Nigerian state and so they do not really care what happens next. That is why they are becoming more and more fanatical about the Nnamdi Kanu/Biafran phenomena.

But you and I know that the idea of a Biafran republic is dead on arrival. It won’t work and it will never work. Nigeria is better off as one indivisible country.

On such matters my brother, Never say never! There is no where in history where selfdetermination groups and agitations got what they wanted on a platter of gold. But over time, they are able to achieve their aim, long after the process had begun. Do you think it was easy for Ethiopia to let Eritrea break away? Or you think the split of Sudan or even the old Russian federation was a tea party?

Are you implying that Biafra is feasible and we should get ready for a Biafran federation?

I didn’t say so. All I am saying is that never say never on such matters.

But don’t you know that many of the people complying with the IPOB order are doing so not because they believe in the argument and demand for Biafra Republic, but because they know that the Biafran agitators are violent and could visit harm on anybody they find on the streets, especially as the Nigeria Police and other security agencies are themselves scared and not on ground to protect the people in the real sense of the word?

Well, I won’t dispute that. But what I would add is that the many Igbo elite do not want Biafra, not because they think the idea is silly , but because it would affect their own economic interest. Once beaten, twice shy.

The cold from a second rain catches feverishly. They do not want to remember the pangs of the Nigerian civil war and the measly twenty pounds aggregation of all they had before the war.

We can live together as one. The terms of habitation can be looked into and reviewed from time to time.

That is why we have representative democracy. All issues are discussable.

There are no-go-areas in the search for peaceful co-existence.

Absolutely! Let’s sheathe the swords and let’s jaw-jaw.

42

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Report: Manufacturing Sector Recorded Highest Expansion Rate in August Dike Onwuamaeze The StanbicIBTC Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) for the month of August 2021 has revealed that the manufacturing sector recorded the strongest growth among the sectors that were surveyed in the monthly report.

The PMI report also stated that the productivity of the Nigerian private sector grew in August for the ninth month running, although the pace of expansion softened notably when compared to the increase that was recorded in July. It said that productivity in the economy grew marginally at 52.2 in August, down from 55.4 in July, adding that readings above 50.0 signaled an improvement in business conditions on the previous month, while readings below 50.0 show deterioration.

The report stated that business conditions in Nigeria’s private sector improved modestly midway through the third quarter, but the rate of growth slowed to a six-month low. It also stated that employment; sales of goods, and inflation grew during the month under review as firms passed the increase in their input prices

to consumers. The report said: “Sub-sector data indicated that manufacturers recorded the strongest expansion. Of the four monitored sub-sectors, two recorded growth. Manufacturers registered the steepest uptick, followed by wholesale and retail. Meanwhile, services saw a marginal decline, while agriculture recorded a sharp contraction.”

The report also showed that weak demand in the international market marginally lowered the volume of Nigeria’s export in August when compared with exports in July.

It said: “Following series record increase in July, private sector firms in Nigeria recorded a fractional uptick in exports during August. The pace of growth moderated considerably from that in the previous survey period with weak international demand often mentioned by surveyed respondents.”

“However, new orders received by private sector firms in Nigeria, according to the PMI report, rose for the fourteenth month in succession. Nevertheless, “the rate of growth was the softest since February and below the

long-run trend level. Where growth was reported, panelists mentioned greater demand, while those seeing a fall attributed this to steep price increases and the pandemic,” the report said.

The PMI reported that the employment index of Nigeria’s private sector firms rose for the seventh month running in August.

The rate of growth was only marginal as five per cent of the firms added to headcounts, while the vast majority of 93 per cent were unchanged. Those firms recording an uptick mentioned new store openings and efforts to ramp up production, adding that “wholesale and retail trades saw the quickest increase in employment.”

The quantity of purchase index of the StanbicIBTC’s PMI said that buying activity in the Nigerian private sector increased in August, although at a rate that was softer than the previous survey period.

The report attributed the increase to fear of future price hikes and shortages and adding that, “manufacturers recorded a robust uptick in the quantity of purchases, which contrasted with a solid decline at service sector firms.”

CIS Unveils Honour Roll, Seeks Funding Support The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has unveiled Roll of Honour for 57 companies and 24 individuals that supported its acquisition and renovation of a new corporate headquarters even as it is seeking grants and other forms of financial support from the market regulators.

As part of its strategic positioning for enhanced training and certification of securities professionals in Nigeria, the Institute has acquired and renovated a state-of -the art Office at highbrow Ikoyi axis of Lagos.

Welcoming guests at the unveiling of the Roll of Honour and inauguration of Special Facilities in the new Head Office, the President and Chairman of the Council, Mr Olatunde Amolegbe appreciated all institutions and individuals that contributed towards acquisition and renovation of the new Secretariat and appealed for others’ support.

Amolegbe explained that the Institute needed more funds to enable it operate optimally, given its strategic roles of capacity building, certification and advocacy.

“As the training and certification body within the Capital

Market, our Institute requires sustainable financing that goes beyond members’ annual subscription. I therefore, request that our regulators take a second look at the funding structure within the capital market with the objective of accommodating the CIS in the structure. “ By this, an arrangement could be made that provides CIS with annual grants from the various regulatory bodies and platforms within the market. This will no doubt enhance the Institute’s ability to discharge its statutory roles optimally, ”Amolegbe said.

In his goodwill message, the Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Lamido Yuguda explained that the Institute played crucial roles in Nigeria and its influence in the market had continued to grow.

Yuguda who was represented by the Commission’s Director of Monitoring, Mr Isyaku Tilde, noted that the Institute had through its training, produced seasoned professionals who had contributed in many ways to the development of the market.

“I am confident that with the acquisition of this new secretariat, the Institute will be more efficient

and better empowered to effectively and efficiently perform its duties and responsibilities. The CIS plays an important role in the Nigerian Capital market and over the years. Its influence on the market has continued to grow. In particular, the CIS, has through its training programmes produced seasoned professionals who have in several ways contributed to the development of the market and the improvement of standards and practices, ”said Yuguda.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Mr Oscar Onyema stated that The Nigerian Exchange Limited would continue to support the Institute in various capacities, given the relevance of stockbrokers to the nation’s economic growth and development.

The Special Guest of Honour and Nigerian oldest practising stockbroker, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun in his remarks said his establishment of the first Nigerian wholly owned Stockbroking Company, CSL Securities had continued to endear him into the capital market operations and pledged to remain committed to the ideals of the Institute.

JCI Set to Organise Africa, Middle East Conference The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Nigeria Senate Association, has announced that it is prepared to welcome citizens of the world to Lagos for its 2021 JCI Africa and Middle East (AMESA) Conference, themed, “Building Emerging Leaders for Africa and the Middle East.”

The association, in conjunction with the Lagos State Government, through its Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, will be showcasing the best of Nigerian hospitality to JCI members from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Jordan, Southern Africa, Togo, Turkey, Western Europe

between 2nd and 5th September 2021.

As Honorary Chief Host, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu would pitch the immense ecological, human, business and investment assets and potentials of the coastal state to the nearly 300 guests and friends of the association who will be converging in Lagos for this 4-day hybrid event.

The JCI signature event is hosted by a different city in the Africa and Middle East region every year and it provides the host a unique opportunity to showcase the hospitality,

economic and commercial assets and potentials of their people and countries.

Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Teju Abisoye will deliver the opening keynote address titled “Trust Funds and Shaping the Future of Jobs.”

Speaking during a media parley to herald the forthcoming AMESA event, Director of Communication, Junior Chamber International Nigeria Senate Association, Muyiwa Moyela said as Africa’s fastest growing commercial hub, Lagos is a confluence of cultures and commerce.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $71.27 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $71.43 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

43

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͱ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Access Bank Total Assets Hits N10.05trn, Declares N0.30 Interim Dividend Darasimi Adebisi Access Bank Plc has announced a total assets to N10.06 trillion for the half year ended June 30, 2021 as against N8.68 trillion reported in full year ended December 31, 2020 indicating 16 per cent increase.

Impressive increase in total assets was driven by 11.3 per cent growth in Loans and advances to customers to N3.99 trillion as at June 30, 2021 from

N3.6trillion reported in 2020, while Deposits from customers appreciated by nearly seven per cent to N5.97trillion as at June 30, 2021 from N5.58trillion reported in 2020.

The financial institution in its audited H1 2021 showed 1.2 per cent increase in profit before tax to N97.5billion as against N74.31billion reported in prior H1 2020 result and accounts.

With the increase in profit, the Board of Directors proposed

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

interim dividend of 30 Kobo per ordinary share of 50 Kobo each (H1 2020: 25Kobo) on the 35,545,225,622 issued ordinary shares of 50k each.

The Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe in a statement said the pan-African bank recorded a very strong performance in H1 2021, through its unique business model that supported the corporate and retail value chains throughout the African continent and

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

beyond.

According to him: “With improving profitability, resilient capital position and a robust, diversified balance sheet, the Group is on track to deliver on its vision to be the World’s Most Respected African Bank.

“The Group recorded an improvement in gross earnings by 14per cent y/y to N450.6billion (H1 2020: N396.8billion), while the profit before tax saw a significant

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

increase of 31per cent y/y to N97.5billion (H1 2020: N74.3billion). Despite the inflationary environment and increased regulatory costs, our Cost-to-Income Ratio stood at 60.1per cent, a 570-basis point reduction from 65.8per cent in H1 2020.

“Our retail banking business continued to grow with a 24per cent y/y increase in gross earnings to N118.6billion (H1 2020:

O F

N95.8billion), driven by a 46per cent y/y increase in Interest Income and 37per cent y/y growth in revenue from our channels and digital businesses.”

“During the period, we recorded progress in our financial inclusion objective to bank 1 in every 2 Nigerians. We added 2,371,832 new customers as well as 16,428 new agents, creating more employment and providing convenience to our customers.

0 2 / 0 9 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

44

˾ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

Friday, September 3, 2021

s

Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index fell roseby by14bps 20bps The dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϮϬďƉƐ ƚŽ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

at 1,674.89ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ϭ͕ϲϱϴ͘Ϯϳ points ĚƌŝǀĞŶ due to sell-pressure ďLJ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ on ŚƵŶƟŶŐ ZENITHŝŶ (-0.6%), GTCO WAPCO ;нϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ (-1.3%), ZENITH and ;нϬ͘ϮйͿ UBAĂŶĚ (-0.7%).

DANGCEM These ;нϬ͘ϮйͿ͘ stocks cumuladŚĞƐĞ

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϯ͘Ϯй͘ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϮϮй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

ASI ĂƌŐĂŝŶ up 11bps ,ƵŶƟŶŐ as DANGCEM ĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ Gains ƌŝǀĞ 3.3% WŽƐŝƟǀĞ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘​͘​͘

ASI up 0.2% zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕

ƉƌŝĐĞ

ƵƉƟĐŬ

ŝŶ

,KEz&>KhZ

(+9.8%), E' D Yesterday, the local bourse ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ reversed ĂŶĚ & E, its bearish (+0.7%)runbolas stered ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ investors hunted for bargain inthe DANGCEM local bourse (+0.8%), as the ACAllCESS Share;нϮ͘ϴйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ UBA index(+1.3%). Accordingly, rose the All-Share by

Price Previous Current Change Price YTD Weighting Change

Price Change Index to Date

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

1,658.27

0.20%

13.0%

65.8%

15.0%

3.5%

750.00

0.0%

29.6%

-12.0%

-12.0%

12.3%

4.4%

68.00

0.0%

10.6%

-12.1%

-12.1%

19.1%

11.2%

32.7x

6.2x

27.50

0.2%

8.5%

-15.0%

-15.0%

26.6%

4.3%

4.0x

1.0x

10.9%

25.2% 30.8%

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 BUA Cement Plc 3 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC 4 Zenith Bank PLC 5 Dangote Cement PLC 6 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

5.2x

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

0.7x

5.5%

ot Applicable

2.2%

15.5% 3.1%

24.05

0.2%

7.0%

-3.0%

-3.0%

21.8%

2.9%

3.2x

0.7x

12.5%

245.00

0.8%

6.5%

0.0%

0.0%

44.7%

17.5%

12.3x

5.3x

6.5%

8.1%

172.50

0.0%

5.3%

1.5%

1.5%

143.0%

12.4%

13.9x

17.5x

6.1%

7.2%

1,400.00

0.0%

3.9%

-7.0%

-7.0%

143.5%

17.1%

28.4x

48.6x

4.4%

3.5%

22.00

0.0%

3.7%

4.5%

4.5%

9.9%

7.1%

9.9x

1.0x

4.5%

10.1%

16.4%

1.4%

2.5x

0.4x

9.3%

40.3%

2.3x

0.4x

6.8%

44.2% 28.6%

/ŶĚĞdž 11bps to ƌŽƐĞ 39,550.36 ďLJ ϭϳďƉƐ points.ƚŽ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ϯϵ͕ϮϱϮ͘ϭϵ zd points, ůŽƐƐ YTD ŝŵͲ

8 Lafarge Africa PLC 9 Access Bank PLC

9.25

2.8%

3.3%

9.5%

9.5%

loss proved moderated to -1.8%to while -Ϯ͘ϱй ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ŝŶͲ ďLJ

10 United Bank for Africa PLC 11 FBN Holdings Plc

7.70

1.3%

2.6%

-11.0%

-11.0%

7.50

0.7%

2.7%

4.9%

4.9%

10.6%

1.0%

3.5x

0.4x

6.0%

12 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

48.00

0.0%

1.9%

-14.3%

-14.3%

5.6%

2.2%

40.2x

2.3x

1.9%

2.5%

41.00

0.0%

2.3%

8.6%

8.6%

20.7%

2.9%

7.3x

1.4x

8.6%

13.7%

-5.9%

-2.5%

ĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ േϯϱ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϱƚŶ͘ േϮϯ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ĂƐ volume ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ and valueďLJ traded Ϯϭ͘ϲй rose ƚŽ ϭϭϬ͘ϴŵ 54.8% and ƵŶŝƚƐ 40.3% ǁŚŝůĞrespecvalue ƟǀĞůLJ ƚŽ ϮϲϮ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ േϮ͘ϬďŶ͘ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ The The most most traded stocks by volume volumewere weredZ E^ KZW MBENEFIT;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ (17.7m units), & E, SOVREN(11.1m INS ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ (16.8m ĂŶĚ K E K units), and ;ϳ͘ϯŵ UNITYBANK ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ (15.0m E ^d> units) ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕ while ACCESS E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϰϳϭ͘ϮŵͿ͕ ZENITH ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ ;േϯϮϵ͘ϭŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ GTCO ;േϭϳϵ͘ϯŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ Bearish Sector Performance Mixed Sector Performance Across sectors under our coverage, performance was WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌͲ bearish as 4 indices lost, 1ĂĐƌŽƐƐ index ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ gained ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ &Z-/ d ĂŐĞ ĂƐ Ϯ indices fell, 3 indices gained while the AFRŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ ICT index remained ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ indices, Oil & Gas and 4.6% Consumer er 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ Insurance down and Goods ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϲďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚ-ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> (ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ K E K ;-6.5%) and ,KEz&>KhZ ;-ϰ͘ϵйͿ͘ ,ŽǁͲ 9.1%), hE/> s Z (-3.5%), >/E< ^^hZ (-6.4%), ever, the Insurance index led the ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ gainers, up 1.1% on the and D E^ Z (-Ϯ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶ D E^ Z ;нϯ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ E D ing indices fell byŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů;нϮ͘ϲйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Industrial Goods and ĂŶŬŝŶŐ indiŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K (-0.8%), E/d, (-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͘ ĐĞƐ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϰϰďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϭϵďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ĂŶĚ er, up 1.8% driven;нϬ͘ϴйͿ͕ by ^^ price ;нϮ͘ϴйͿ͕ appreciah (+1.3%). ƟŽŶ in E' D (+3.3%).

Investor ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ to 0.9x fromĂƚ0.6x as ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ 1.6x 16 stocks gained while 17 stocks lost. MANSARD (+3.5%), ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ stocks JBERGER ACCESS ;нϮ͘ϴйͿ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ advanced (+3.0%), while 15 and stocks declined.

MRSůĞĚ (+9.9%), MAYwhile (-8.6%), OANDO (-7.0%), UBN (BAKERUNITYBANK (+9.8%), and HONYFLOUR (+9.8%) and led gainers ϲ͘ϱйͿ ƚŚĞ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ /Ŷ ƚŚĞ LASACO ĮŶĂů ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ƚŚĞ while ůĞĚ ABCTRANS (-8.3%), (-6.7%), andĨŽƌ LIVEǁĞĞŬ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ performance to be sustained STOCK (-4.8%) led losers. Today, we expect the market ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞĚ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ͘ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĂƐ earnings season gradually winds up.

14 International Brew eries PLC 15 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC 16 SEPLAT Energy PLC 17 11 PLC 18 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

0.0%

1.3%

-21.8%

-21.8%

0.0%

1.2%

11.0%

11.0%

759.70

0.0%

2.1%

88.8%

0.0%

19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 Ecobank Transnational Inc 21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc

88.8%

3.1%

1.7%

-100.0%

7.4%

3.2%

0.8x

-13.8%

0.7x

5.7%

20.2x

0.6x

5.7%

5.0%

110.00

0.0%

1.0%

20.9%

20.9%

37.4%

23.6%

8.1x

2.8x

6.8%

12.3%

2.40

-0.4%

0.7%

-4.8%

-4.8%

11.4%

1.1%

2.4x

0.3x

9.2%

41.8%

5.20

0.0%

0.6%

-13.3%

-13.3%

1.5%

0.1%

17.3x

0.2x

17.75

0.0%

0.6%

0.9%

0.9%

25.6%

12.1%

6.9x

1.6x

8.6%

14.6%

3.00

5.8%

-1.6%

0.5%

-9.9%

-9.9%

23 Sterling Bank PLC 24 NASCON Allied Industries PLC 25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.51

-1.3%

0.3%

-26.0%

-26.0%

8.9%

0.8%

3.8x

0.3x

3.3%

14.15

0.0%

0.4%

-2.4%

-2.4%

20.7%

5.9%

14.1x

2.9x

2.8%

7.1%

0.89

-2.2%

0.4%

-1.1%

-1.1%

-1.3%

-0.3%

0.5x

1.1%

-2.4%

26 Presco PLC 27 Unilever Nigeria PLC 28 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

79.50

0.0%

0.3%

12.1%

12.1%

#VALUE!

#VALUE!

1.9x

2.6%

13.50

0.0%

0.2%

-2.9%

-2.9%

-6.2%

-4.1%

1.2x

5.80

0.0%

0.2%

9.4%

9.4%

29 United Capital PLC 30 Guinness Nigeria PLC 31 Custodian and Allied Insurance 32 AIICO Insurance PLC 33 Total Nigeria PLC 34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

-5.1%

2.2%

0.3%

55.8%

55.8%

35.5%

4.2%

5.6x

1.8x

9.5%

0.0%

0.4%

63.2%

63.2%

1.7%

0.8%

53.7x

0.9x

1.5%

1.9%

6.55

0.0%

0.2%

12.0%

12.0%

24.7%

7.5%

3.2x

0.8x

8.4%

31.0%

21.6%

3.3%

4.4x

0.5x

1.03

0.0%

0.2%

-8.8%

-8.8%

199.20

0.0%

0.3%

53.2%

53.2%

26.00

3.0%

0.2%

47.5%

47.6%

18.3%

2.4%

5.2x

23.2%

37 Oando PLC 38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd 39 Beta Glass PLC

4.10

3.7%

0.2%

-6.5%

0.0%

-7.0%

0.1%

10.8%

2.1%

15.8%

0.8x

1.5%

19.1% 20.7%

23.2%

11.7%

0.7%

4.8x

0.5x

4.7%

7.5%

0.9%

5.5x

0.6x

5.1%

10.8%

14.5%

2.6%

1.8x

0.2x

5.4x

0.7x

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-38.7%

-9.5%

52.95

0.0%

0.1%

-4.4%

-4.4%

12.8%

8.7%

5.17

0.0%

0.0%

43.6%

43.6%

#VALUE!

#VALUE!

2.1x

-21.2% 2.0%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

CHA M S

0.22

4.8%

A C C ESS

51.1

2.8%

P R EST IGE

0.48

4.3%

T R A N SC OR P

36.1

-2.2% -4.9%

WEM A B A N K

0.85

3.7%

H ON YF LOUR

18.6

M A N SA R D

0.89

3.5%

M B EN EF IT

17.7

-3.1%

26.00

3.0%

SOVR EN IN S

16.8

-3.8%

A C C ESS

9.25

2.8%

UN IT YB N K

15.0

-8.6%

N EM

2.00

2.6%

Z EN IT H B A N K

13.7

0.2%

LIVEST OC K

2.18

2.3%

UB N

10.8

-6.5%

UC A P

7.34

2.2%

UB A

10.6

1.3%

2.0%

GT C O

6.6

0.2%

0.50

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

UN IT YB N K

0.53

-8.6%

A C C ESS

471.2

2.8%

OA N D O

4.10

-7.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

329.1

0.2%

UB N

5.00

-6.5%

GT C O

179.3

0.2%

F T N C OC OA

0.49

-5.8%

D A N GC EM

171.9

0.8%

H ON YF LOUR

3.90

-4.9%

M TNN

97.6

0.0%

VER IT A SKA P

0.23

-4.2%

UB A

80.9

1.3%

SOVR EN IN S

0.25

-3.8%

D A N GSUGA R

78.2

0.0%

C OUR T VILLE

0.30

-3.2%

H ON YF LOUR

72.4

-4.9%

M B EN EF IT

0.31

-3.1%

UB N

53.6

-6.5%

10.50

-2.8%

UC A P

39.7

2.2%

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

18.4%

0.9x

P ric e C hg %

WA P IC

18.1% 56.6%

P ric e

J B ER GER

17.8%

22.8%

6.3x

-100.0%

T o p 10 G a i n e r s T ic k er

26.3%

7.34

0.85

40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

5.0%

31.00

35 Wema Bank PLC 36 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

UA C N

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

4.65 28.85

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021• T H I S DAY

45

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 01Sept-2021, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS

AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 160.69 162.04 -0.75% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 5.17% Nigeria International Debt Fund 324.06 324.06 -15.98% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 110.39 110.39 -1.51% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.71% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.30 3.46 -2.85% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.77% Anchoria Equity Fund 138.51 140.18 4.14% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 -13.73% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.53 20.12 7.71% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 431.29 444.30 7.72% ARM Ethical Fund 38.15 39.30 13.17% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.09 1.10 -0.60% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.97 0.98 -7.16% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.42% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 106.01 106.01 4.23% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,030.73 1,030.73 3.07% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.03 2.03 -8.18% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.12 2.16 -7.82% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Paramount Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Women's Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.63% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 118.34 119.08 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.07 108.07 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.94% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.21 1.22 0.68% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.41 1.41 -10.83% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 7.83% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 7.68% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,157.11 1,173.86 0.45% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,409.56 1,409.56 11.54% FBN Balanced Fund 191.31 192.55 1.93% FBN Halal Fund 112.16 112.16 9.53% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.11% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund Coral Money Market Fund

126.98 158.21

126.98 3.48% 160.43 4.65% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.97 1.59 1.19

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 5.81% 3.97 2.53% 1.62 4.16% 1.19 4.39% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 3,752.04 3,358.16 100.00

Offer Price 3,806.96 3,358.16 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 0.18% 2.50% 4.47%

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria Entertainment Fund N/A N/A N/A GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.81% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.79 2.85 -2.41% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 152.76 153.04 -1.76% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.53% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.10 1.10 0.62% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.42 1.44 4.17% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,147.17 1,147.17 5.64% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.41 11.45 9.02% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 9.10% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.66 1.69 7.17% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.56 11.56 -4.93% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.10% PACAM Equity Fund 1.64 1.65 3.56% PACAM EuroBond Fund 113.01 114.89 2.89% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.60 134.17 8.84% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.05 1.05 10.02% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 3,290.12 3,324.83 2.44% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 232.65 232.65 3.47% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.22 1.24 4.24% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 306.62 306.62 4.06% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 226.06 229.40 3.57% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.58% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,456.87 10,604.07 -0.36% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.27 1.27 3.65% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 115.47 115.47 3.95% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 103.41 103.41 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.31 1.33 2.34% United Capital Bond Fund 1.91 1.91 4.46% United Capital Equity Fund 0.87 0.89 9.57% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 9.14% United Capital Eurobond Fund 120.05 120.05 4.88% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 3.83% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.06 1.06 6.11% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.85 12.96 8.27% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.25 14.40 16.73% Zenith Income Fund 24.33 24.33 1.43% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.22%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

125.54 51.92

11.09% 2.90%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

13.29

13.39

0.51%

120.78 96.34 17.39 18.26

123.79 98.45 17.49 18.36

0.45% -2.90%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.88 5.45 17.36 1.00 19.39 157.92

3.92 5.53 17.46 1.00 19.59 159.92

2.81% -4.23% 6.97% 0.00% -5.50% -28.20%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

13.11%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

46

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

47

48

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 • T H I S D AY

49

50

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Okiro Urges FG to be Proactive in Fighting Criminals Deji Elumoye in Abuja Former Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro has advised the federal government to be “two steps ahead of criminals”, in its resolve to address the rising security challenges facing the country.

He also advised the government at the centre to adequately equip and train the nation’s security agencies in line with international standards.

Okiro stated this yesterday while speaking on the forthcoming inauguration of Old Seminarians Association of Nigeria (OSAN) scheduled for Saturday in Abuja.

According to him, the security problem is nationwide and not limited to any particular sector or organisation.

His words:” What we have to say is that the federal government really have to look into the security agencies and put them at par with what is happening in the outside world.

“In fact, the government should be at least two steps ahead of the criminals, if you are a security agent. What the government should do is to equip the security agencies and train them very well.

“The government should equip them, fund them. When

we were small, we used to see policemen riding bicycles with baton. But that is gone, you can’t see policemen again riding bicycle with gun. You can’t even see a policeman again with Mac 4, it’s AK 47.

As the technology is developing,

criminality is also developing.

“Security challenges is not limited to Nigeria but worldwide issue, even in America. The current issue now is the use of technology in insecurity. The Federal Government should look at the security agencies

and put them at par with their counterparts all over the world.”

Asked if he believed that some security personnel may have been compromised, Okiro said, “I will talk like a human being, for every 12, there must be a Judas. There must be a Judas.

You can expect that also, that answers your question.”

According to him, rights activist and senior lawyer, Femi Falana, and Justice Centus Nweze among others members of OSAN would lead discussions the association’s inauguration.

The former Chairman of Police Service Commission, said insecurity had persisted in Nigeria because some security personnel may have been compromised because “for every 12, there must be a Judas.”

TOWN PLANNERS’ VISIT…

National President, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde (left) being presented with a plaque by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit by NITP to the commission at Lagos House, Marina...yesterday

FG to Carry out Civil Senate Raises the Alarm as SEC Declares Servants Verification N9bn Deficit in Three Years from September 9 Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The federal government will from September 9, 2021, commence the nationwide verification of all civil servants recruited by the Federal Civil Service Commission from 2013 to 2020.

The Director of Recruitment and Appointment, Federal Civil Service Commission, Ibrahim Anjugu, stated this in a circular dated August 27, 2021.

The circular reference number: 3171/S.7/ T3/101 was addressed to all permanent secretaries and heads of extraministerial offices and signed on behalf of the Chairman of the commission, Mr. Wakil Bukar.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, also, on

August 30, acknowledged the receipt of the document on the proposed workers audit.

The circular added that the mandatory verification exercise would hold across the six geopolitical political zones of the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The commission threatened that any officer who fails to turn up for the verification exercise would have his or her salary automatically stopped.

Each affected officer is required to bring along documents which include the original and copy of letters of employment or temporary appointment; letter of employment regularisation/ permanent appointment, and original and copy of last promotion.

Sanwo-Olu Charges Youths to Be Global Leaders Segun James Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has charged Nigerian youths to strive at becoming global leaders, even as he said that those living in the state should be worthy ambassadors and real leaders of tomorrow.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who reiterated his ministration’s commitment to programmes that would benefit youths, said Lagos State Government would create a platform for youths in the state to be global leaders and not divisional leaders.

The governor, during a courtesy visit by the Lagos

state and divisional youth ambassadors at the Lagos House, Marina, said his administration is building a great future for the youths and other Lagosians with various interventions under the THEMES agenda of the government.

He said: “We are not only building youths for greatness but to be real champions and advocates in their various communities and leaders of tomorrow.

“We are creating a platform for our youths not just to be divisional ambassadors or state ambassadors but global ambassadors because the future is about the youth.

The Senate has raised the alarm over the reported insolvency of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as the capital market regulator declared deficit of N9 billion in three years.

It also expressed concern over the special salary structure

being enjoyed by the senior management staff of SEC. The upper legislative chamber’s Joint Committees on Finance, National Planning, Petroleum Upstream, Downstream and Gas chaired by Senator Adeola Olamilekan, made the observation yesterday, during an interactive session with revenue generating

agencies where the Director General of the SEC, Lamido Yuguda, made a presentation.

According to the document submitted to the Committee by SEC DG, in 2019, the agency recorded N2.9 billion deficit while in 2020, it recorded deficit of N4.3 billion and as at June 2021, the agency has already

recorded deficit of N1.7 billion bringing the total deficit from 2019 to 2021 to N9 billion.

Worried about the development, the Committee Chairman drew the attention of his colleagues to the personnel cost of the Commission which has remained on the high side in the last two years.

Cybercrime: Court Jails Offa Poly Student in Kwara Hammed ShittuinIlorin A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin yesterday sentenced Mr. Olaleye Rosheed, a student of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, to one year imprisonment over offences bordering on attempted cheating and internet fraud.

Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission, (EFCC) had arraigned Mr. Rosheed over an offence bordering on attempted cheating and internet fraud.

The charge reads:“That you, Olaleye Rosheed (Christiana Lopez) sometime in January, 2021 at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court pretended to be one Christiana Lopez a white female with a gmail

account christianalopez105@gmail. com and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 95 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code’”.

The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.

Following his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Sesan Ola, reviewed the facts of the case through an

operative of the EFCC. The witness narrated how intelligence report led to the arrest of the defendant on July 24, 2021.

The witness further told the court that several fraudulent messages were printed from Olaleye’s email including the iphone recovered from him at the point of arrest were tendered and admitted in evidence.

FCTA Arrests 49 Suspects in Raid on Criminal Hideouts

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Ministerial Task Team on City Sanitation of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has arrested 49 criminal suspects in Gwarimpa Estate during a raid on their hideouts.

They were arrested yesterday during the continuation of the ongoing demolition exercise at

Yan Kasuwa on 6th Avenue, Gwarimpa Estate.

The criminals were arrested for looting and dispossessing passersby of personal items after the demolition exercise.

The Chairman of the Task Team, Ikharo Attah, condemned the act of looting and assault on innocent residents by criminals who took advantage of the demolition exercise.

He regretted the rate of which shanties were sprouting in the FCT, warning that the present administration under the FCT Minister Muhammad Bello would not allow illegality to become the order of the day.

“This shows why we are demolishing Illegal structures, there are illegal structures, shanties and fence almost everywhere in Gwarimpa

Estate. These are also being converted into criminal hideouts, which we are willing to condone,” he said.

Mohammed Awwal, who works for the Nigerian Immigration Service, decried the spate criminality in the area.

He said the criminals attacked him and made away with his mobile phone, food stuff and cash.

Four Arrested for Stealing Dangote’s Truck with 900 Bags of Cement in Delta Sylvester Idowu in Warri The operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested four suspects who reportedly hijacked a truck carrying 900 bags of cement belonging to Dangote Group.

The suspects allegedly hijacked the truck with registration number DAS 690 ZY at Okpella

in Edo State from the driver, one Bature Ibrahim, whom they tied to a tree alongside his conductor after inflicting machete cuts on them.

The suspects thereafter, made away with the truck. But acting on a tip off, the patrol team of Illah Division in Delta State trailed the truck to where it was parked along Illah-Asaba Road.

On sighting the patrol team, the suspects were said to have fled into the bush.

However, combined effort of the police and local vigilante led to the arrest of the four suspects including Ozioma Umez,, Uchenna Idenyi, Chibuike Nwamgbo and Chiolada Nomha.

Acting Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP.

Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrest in Asaba and said that two cutlasses were recovered from the suspects, adding that investigation was ongoing.

Edafe also confirmed the arrest of one Musa Kabiru (42) with one locally made pistol, one live cartridge and four mobile handsets around Issele-Uku axis of Agbor-Asaba Expressway.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

51

NEWS XTRA

Enugu House of Assembly Passes Anti-open Grazing Christopher Isiguzo and Gideon Arinze in Enugu The Enugu State House of Assembly has passed the anti-open grazing bill into law.

The law, which is to be known as the Enugu State Prohibition of Open Grazing and Regulated Cattle Ranching and Connected Purposes, was passed after the acceptance of the report of the public hearing by the joint committee of the House.

Speaking after the passage of the bill, speaker of the assembly, Hon Edward Ubosi, thanked its sponsors, noting that the people of the state have been clamouring for the law for a long time.

He expressed optimism that the state governor,

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi would not waste time in accenting

to the law, especially giving its relevance to the people.

Ubosi insisted that the law was not intended to witch-

hunt anybody or group but for the good of the people

of the state and others that live in the state.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT…

L-R: Managing Director, Fortesoft Systems Limited, Mr. Adedokun Oduyemi; Director, Sustainability and Corporate Communications, IHS Nigeria, Mrs. Cima Sholotan; Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hon. Hakeem Fahm; Director, Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations, IHS Nigeria, Mr. Bond Abbe; and Sustainability Manager, IHS Nigeria, Mrs. Funmi Awelewa, at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of Streets2Click Beneficiaries in Isale-Eko Community, Lagos…recently ETOP UKUTT

Oyo Govt Refutes Report Alaafin, Joint Security Task Force Neutralises 15 Bandits in Niger Recovers 15 motorcycles, arms Olubadan Denied Access at Salami Stadium Unveiling Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Oyo State Government, on Thursday, explained that two first class monarchs the state, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, were not denied access to the Lekan Salami Stadium Complex during the unveiling of its main bowl on Wednesday.

The government, in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said the two foremost royal fathers were too important to the state to be prevented from attending the event, to which they had been duly invited.

According to the statement, the inability of the monarchs to gain access into the main bowl was because of the huge enthusiastic crowd that swarmed on the stadium and obstructed the movement of the monarchs’ convoys to the designated VVIP

Drop Off zone, which was the easiest channel to their reserved seats.

“What happened was that security operatives advised that the drivers of the revered monarchs make their way through another gate, since their convoys were unable to access the VVIP Drop Off Zone from the gate they entered through.

“From the VVIP Drop Off Zone, it would be easy for the monarchs to access the VVIP box without meandering through the stairs, as that would have unduly stressed them given their age,” the statement stated.

It added that the seats of the monarchs were already reserved, and that the government valued their presence.

“It is unthinkable that some individuals would try to create a wedge between the palaces of the respective monarchs and the state government, which holds them in high esteem,” it noted.

Not less than 15 suspected bandits are believed to have been neutralised in an encounter between the bandits and men of the Joint Security Task Force in Niger state.

The battle was said to have taken place in the early hours of yesterday after the bandits stormed Bassa Community in the Shiroro Local Government area of the state.

Fifteen motorcycles belonging to the bandits and some food items which they (bandits) had earlier looted from a neighbouring community,were said to have been recovered.

It was gathered that some of the bandits escaped into the forests with bullet wounds while a number of sophisticated weapons, mostly AK47 rifles, were reported to have been also recovered from the fleeing

bandits.

The bandits, it was gathered, had first invaded Basa community on Wednesday afternoon where they looted shops and houses, and carted away food items but did not kill or kidnap any of the villagers.

However, on receiving the distress call, the Joint Security Task Force, comprising the Police, Civil Defense, and local vigilantes stormed

Open Grazing Ban Will Promote Healthy Living in Delta, Says Commissioner Goddy Egene Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, yesterday said the law to ban open grazing in the state would promote healthy and harmonious living among farmers and herders.

Speaking on ‘The Morning Show’ on ARISE News, the

broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, Aniagwu said that the law was not targeted at any section of the society but to provide a healthy living among stakeholders in the farming and cattle rearing business.

He said that the constant clashes between farmers and herders in the country necessitated the call

for legislation to ban open grazing especially in Southern Nigeria.

The commissioner blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for not providing adequate leadership in resolving the crisis, adding that State House of Assembly had conducted public hearing on the Bill before going on recess.

He said the Bill would be

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has declared that unregulated goods and products are harmful to human health.

Adeyeye made the declaration yesterday in Benin City, Edo State, at the continuation of the nation-wide sensitisation programme of the agency, saying that it has become apparent to let the public know the dangers posed by the consumption of substandard goods.

The director general, who was represented by the Director of Nacotics and Controlled Substance, Dr. Unar Musa,

said the campaign is meant to address public health challenges such as buying medicines from hawkers rather than purchasing from licensed pharmacies and medicine stores.

She said: “The advent of COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the problem with the challenges posed by substandard and falsified Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

“The sensitisation effort would also look at the abuse of codeine and self-medication especially among youths, the dangerous effects of using kerosene tanker to load groundnut oil, dangerous practice of using potassium bromate to bake bread and the use of azo-dyes in palm oil which causes cancer.

passed as soon as the Assembly members return from their annual recess.

“Let us take away the politics and the primordial sentiments from the crisis. I do not blame these individuals who are opposed to ban on open grazing. I blame the President because I assume that he should be able to understand.

Mining: FG Acquires Two Mini Aircraft for

NAFDAC: Unregulated Geophysical Survey Activities Goods, Products Harmful Kasim Sumaina in Abuja (ZS-XAR) and ZS-XAS at the on ground, which “is a very Nnamdi Azikiwe International basic method of acquiring to Health The federal government Airport, Abuja, the Minister of data through geophysical

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Basa only to be informed that the bandits had escaped to Magami, a neighboring community.

The TaskForce reportedly chased the bandits to Magami where they (bandits) were waiting to cross the river, and engaged them in a gun duel which eyewitnesses said lasted for more than two hours but resulted in heavy losses on the part of the mauraders.

yesterday took delivery of two small aircrafts that were fitted with sensors earmarked for Airborne Geophysical Survey Activities across the country.

During the inspection of the two survey aircrafts with registration number N580kr

Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, hinted that the project was part of a program to acquire data on the minerals in Nigeria.

Adegbite said that the aircrafts have equipment in them that could monitor certain parameters

measurements.”

He explained that the project is part of the World Bank’s Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification Project in Nigeria.

He said: “There was an open competition and this company

from South Africa, Xcalibur Multiphysics, won it, and they are here now with their aircrafts.

“We had to go through a lot of security process. The National Security Adviser has given his go-ahead. The Nigerian Air Force is aware they are here and 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been earmarked for the project.

FG Seeks Media Support to Eradicate Child Labour in Nigeria Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Federal government has said that it will partner with journalists and the mass media in the campaign to eliminate and prevent child labour in the country.

Against the background of the rising incidence of child

labour and abuse of children in the country, government said there was need to create more awareness on the dangers of child labour, and the efforts to prevent and eliminate this hydra-headed monster are now more imperative than ever.

While declaring open

a one-day workshop on Reportage of Elimination of Child Labour organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment yesterday in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Mr. Yerima Tarfa, said that Nigeria is working on achieving a significant milestone in the

elimination of Child Labour practices.

He said that child labour and other forms of modern slavery are issues of grave concern in the global arena on account of their dire consequences, and the persistence of those consequences through generations of families.

52

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS XTRA

Court Freezes Ex-Bank PHB MD, Atuche’s N19.1bn in 24 Banks Wale Igbintade

Justice Lateefat Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court has frozen assets and funds to the tune of N19.17 billion allegedly kept in 24 banks by the convicted former Managing Director of the defunct BankPHB, Mr. Francis Atuche.

The order was sequel to an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Charge No. ID/1549/2011, between the federal government and Atuche and Mr. Ugo Anyanwu as first and second defendants.

Anyanwu, a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, is serving time in jail following his conviction and sentencing to six years imprisonment last June 16 for N25.7 billion fraud alongside Atuche.

The ex-parte application was brought pursuant to Sectons 6(D). 20. 24, 26(1), 30 and 34(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act. Sections 290, 294 and 297 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State 2015, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

The order reads in part: “An order is made freezing any bank accounts being run and operated by the first defendant, Atuche, personally or jointly, whether in his

personal name or otherwise or with the Bank Verification Number: 22295357230 in any of the respondent banks to the tune of N19, 178, 253, 050:00 (Nineteen billion, one

hundred and seventy-eight million, two hundred and fifty-three thousand, fifty naira only) pursuant to the restitution order made by this honourable court on the 16th

day of June, 2021.”

The banks where the funds were lodged include Access Bank Plc, Citi Bank Ltd, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc,

STRENGTHENING EDUCATION…

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State Chapter, Mr. Pius Okhueleigbe; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie; Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Board Member, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), representing Edo Central, Hon. Stevenson Ehimhen; and SUBEB Board Member, representing Edo Central, Hon. Elizabeth Ighodaro, at the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Benin City… recently

COVID-19: 80% of African FG Hands over Projects in Borno Countries May Miss Vaccination Goal, Says WHO Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday said that 80 per cent of African countries might miss the goal of vaccinating the most vulnerable among their populations against COVID-19 before the end of September.

This is as WHO data shows that 42 out of 54 African countries are far away from meeting the global target set in May by the World Health Assembly(WHA), going by the current rates of vaccine deliveries and inoculations.

The WHA, which is the world’s highest health policysetting body, had challenged all governments to vaccinate 10 per cent of their population by the end of September.

But nine African countries, including South Africa, Morocco and Tunisia, have so far met the goal, with three more countries

likely to be joining them going by their pace.

According to WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, two more additional countries could meet the target if vaccinations are sped up.

“With less than a month to go, this looming goal must concentrate minds in Africa and globally. Vaccine hoarding has held Africa back and, we urgently need more vaccines but as more doses arrive, African countries must zero in and drive forward precise plans to rapidly vaccinate the millions of people that still face a grave threat from COVID-19,” she said.

Africa received nearly 21 million vaccine doses in August through the COVAX solidarity initiative: an amount equal to the previous four months combined.

Bauchi Gov Swears in 25 New Commissioners, Warns against Corrupt Practices Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday reconstituted his cabinet, as he swore in 21 commissioners, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff (CoS) and Principal Private Secretary (PPS), who will form the State Executive Council (SEC).

The governor also gave a stern warning to them to shun corrupt practices, as his administration is focused on taking the state to higher level before the end of its four year tenure.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc, First City Monument Bank and Globus Bank Ltd, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Ltd, Keystone Bank Ltd, Lotus Bank Ltd, Mainstreet Bank Plc.

Speaking immediately the commissioners, SSG, CoS, DCoS and PPS were sworn in at the new Governor’s Office, Mohammed reminded them that they were either reappointed or appointed based on merit and their various contributions to the development of the state.

He further stated that the appointees must live above board and bring in their wealth of knowledge and experience into play in order to accelerate the developmental efforts of the administration, stressing that time is fast running and the wheels of progress must not slow down.

The federal government has handed over projects constructed in troubled Borno State to government of the state, University of Maiduguri and it’sTeaching Hospital (UMTH).

The projects were constructed by the North-east Development Commission (NEDC).

The projects were

inaugurated and handed over yesterday in Maiduguri by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq She also used the occasion to distribute both food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge at various camps in the state.

Speaking during the

occasion, the minister said the projects would go a long way to improve economic activities and improve the social wellbeing of the most vulnerable among us.

She lamented that COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, low rain fall, poverty among others, are responsible for these situations of high cost of food stuff, relative hardship among others that we presently found

ourselves in the country.

She said that President Muhamadu Buhari has put a lot of policies and programmes towards enhancing socioeconomic activities in the country.

She said also added that the office of the Vice President has put a lot of polices and protection programmes in place to enhance socio-economic activities in the country.

Ekiti Approves N7.6bn for Road Construction of the State Executive Council construction of bus terminals the Bureau of Public Procurement Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Ekiti State Government has approved the sum of N7.6 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of strategic roads in the state.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Akin Omole, in a statement yesterday, said the decision was reached at the weekly Exco meeting

(SEC) that was presided over

by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Omole said the council approved the sum of N921. 24 million for the construction of Ikole township roads while a sum of N4.32 billion was also approved for the construction of the Ado/Iworoko Road.

He said: “A sum of N2.329 billion was approved for the

and pedestrian walkway/drain covers along Ijigbo Road to Okeiyinmi Roundabout in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti.

“The contractors handling the roads have been given a timeline of 10 and 12 months to complete the projects.

“The approval for the award of contracts, which followed due process and diligent vetting by

was a demonstration of the commitment of Fayemi’s administration to advance the economic and industrial revolution in the state.

“These strategic road projects will provide enabling environment for businesses and investments to thrive, and the safety and security of lives and property.”

ICPC Ordered to Pay N40m for Illegal Detention of A’Ibom Businessman Okon BasseyinUyo An Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo, the state capital, has awarded N40 million as damages against the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) over the arrest and detention of a businessman in the state.

Justice Nsemeke Daniel gave the ruling in a suit filed by the Uyo-based businessman, Ubong

Williams, challenging his ‘illegal’ arrest and detention by the ICPC. The court in suit number: HU/ FHR.67/2021, filed by the applicant held that the arrest, torture, harassment and intimidation of Williams by operatives of the ICPC was illegal and infringed on his fundamental rights as contained in 1999 Constitution as amended.

It also held that the detention of the applicant from March 18, 2021, till April 8, 2021, a period of 22 days,

was illegal, and an infringement on his fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.

The court maintained that the notice of seizure issued by the ICPC to freeze the account of Williams in a second-generation bank was illegal and an infringement on his right of interest in a movable property.

Accordingly, the court, ordered the ICPC to withdraw the notice of seizure dated March 25, 2021,

on William’s account while also nullifying the lien placed on the account by the anti-graft agency. art of the court ruling read: “That the respondents are hereby restrained by an order of perpetual injunction, either by themselves, agents, servants or privies from further arresting, harassing, intimidating and detaining the applicant in any manner whatsoever in connection with the subject matter of this suit.

Abiodun Launches Business Premises e-Registration Abolade Sokunbi in Abeokuta In an effort to remove the bottleneck involved in business premises registration as well as improve the ease of doing business, the Ogun State Government has launched the state business premises registration portal.

The state Governor, Prince

Dapo Abiodun, while speaking during the launch held at Ogun TechHub in Abrokuta, said the launch was as a result of different reforms and digitisation of the present administration aimed at creating enabling environment for businesses to strive.

The governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Finance,

Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, added that through the business premises registration portal, the state government would be able to plan for the provision of infrastructure, security, power, and manage the environment as well as provide other relevant facilities for businesses in the state.

According to him, “In the past, business permit

registration had hitherto been done manually. But when the Business Environment Council was established, the Technical Working Group on starting a business started working in line with our digitisation initiative, and we decided that this registration process must be automated. The automation process has been tested, and this portal is very interactive.”

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

53

NEWS XTRA

WORLD OF ISLAM

Maritime Crimes are Serious Threat to Nigeria, Says Chief Explainer: What is Sharia Law? of Naval Staff

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Zubairu Gambo, has described maritime crimes as a serious threat to the wellbeing of Nigeria as a nation.

Speaking at the opening of the “2021 Chief of Naval Staff Annual Conference” that was held at the Government House, Kano State, yesterday, Gambo expressed worry that criminal activities in Nigeria’s maritime environment were directly targeted at the economic lifeline of the country.

He said that the scourge of illegalities in the maritime sector, such as sea robbery, piracy, crude oil theft, poaching,

human and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs, among others, constituted serious challenges to the development of Nigeria and Africa region at large.

Gambo said: “Characteristically, the maritime threats have become of major concern and are evolving and challenging the combat capability of the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders.”

He noted that the emerging maritime’s security situation called for increased demand for effective collaboration in maritime policing.

“The present situation calls for constant reappraisals, greater collaboration as well as inter-agency cooperation

within stakeholders.

“In recent times, some federal and local initiatives were initiated towards ensuring greater productivity of security efforts. These initiatives testify to the political commitment to security and developmental imperatives in our maritime domain.

“In the recent past, a huge capability gap has emerged amongst stakeholders in the efficient discharge of their constitutional mandates. I, therefore, believe that this conference would prove a veritable platform to proffer workable solutions in finetuning the Nigerian Navy’s efforts at securing our maritime environment,” Gambo said.

‘Danger Looms over Sunday Igboho’s Continuous Detention’ A diaspora pro-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Oodua Worldwide, has told the federal government that the continuous detention of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho and his aides is a looming danger.

The group stated this in a statement titled, ‘Oodua Worldwide Calls For Igboho, Others Immediate Release’, yesterday.

Igboho, who was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on July 16, 2021 with his wife, while travelling to Germany and has is currently in a detention facility in Benin Republic while four of his aides are in the detention of the Department of State Services.

CHANGE OF NAME I formally known and address as OKAFORMBAH FRANCESCA IJEOMA JOY, now wish to be known and address as MICHAEL FRANCESCA JOY. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SAKA ANUOLUWAPO SEUN now wish to be known and addressed as SAKA OLUWASEUN ONUOLUWAPO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

But the President of the Oodua Worldwide, a Canadian based organiation, Adewale Julius Ojo, urged Yoruba traditional rulers and leaders, not to relent on efforts to get Igboho freed.

Ojo said the government of Nigeria blundered by the “crude invasion and should fast track the release of Igboho and his four aides, still in detention”.

He explained that “prompt and unconditional release of Igboho is what can give a credible and unbiased face to a government that is now being seen by many as one with a mission to subdue other nations in Nigeria to favour one.”

He condemned the approach of releasing some aides while their leader is still in a Beninoise detention.

Ojo said: “Self-determination agitation is a fundamental human right that should not be met with stiff resistance as being demonstrated by the Nigerian government”.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as MISS EKENNA KELECHI JOY, Now wish to be known as MRS MADUABUGHICHI KELECHI JOY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS IKPAH, SCHORLASTICA CHINENYE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IGBRUDE, SCHORLASTICA CHINENYE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ANTHONIA AINA SAMUEL, now wish to be known and address as ANTHONIA AINA NGOYE. All former documents remain valid. Please public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OTEBE CLETUS, now wish to be known and address as OTEBE CLETUS OKWENYA. All former documents remain valid. Please public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS JOAN OMOTAYO AKPOMEDAYE. now wished to be known and addressed as MRS JOAN OMOTAYO ARUNA. All former documents remain valid.

Please public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as JOSHUA TAIWO OLANIYI, now wish to be known and addressed as ADESUNLOYE JOSHUA TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS LINDA EJIROGHENE UDOAFA, now wish to be known and address as MS FAITH EJIROGHENE UDOAFA. All former documents remain valid.

Please public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AYANDA OLUWADAMILOLA ELIZABETH now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNDIPE OLUWADAMILOLA ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

This is to notify the general public that AIKPEHAE, KAREN KARACHI is the same person as OKOROKA, KARACHI KAREEN. All documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

“We are making this urgent demand that Igboho and his remaining aides in detention should be released immediately to avert a looming danger hovering around Nigeria, if swift, urgent steps are not taken on the right track. We still can’t reconcile why known national tormentors, walk the streets of Nigeria unmolested while those on a popular struggle suddenly became objects of intimidation by our government “We are appalled that the nation is fast degenerating and no one seems to care about what would become of a once fledgling country which seems to have lost its soul to petty politicking by those ordained to guide it to fruition.

“We maintain that the only way peace and tranquility can reign in Nigeria is for government to restore hope that a new Nigeria is still a possibility. Anything to the contrary will pose a serious danger to the unity of our country, Nigeria.”

Stop Dragging Obaship Tussles to Court, Fayemi Begs Royal Families Victor OgunjeinAdoEkiti Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has appealed to royal families in the state to exercise restraint in dragging Obaship tussles to court.

However, Fayemi said his appeal doesn’t connote that he has no confidence in the judiciary, warning that such tendencies often breed bad blood and acrimony which can stunt the development of the towns.

Condemning the rampancy in obstructing the installation of traditional rulers due to lingering litigations by aggrieved parties, Fayemi clarified that he would henceforth enforce the state Regency Law, which stipulated that no royal vacancy should be allowed to drag beyond two years without a successor.

Fayemi stated this yesterday in Ado Ekiti during the inauguration of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers 2021-2023, to be chaired by the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon.

By: Mehmet Ozalp and Zuleyha Keski/The Conversation/IslamiCity

W

ith the world still in shock over the Taliban’s lightning-fast takeover of Afghanistan, Afghan people, especially women, wonder what kind of life awaits the nation. When pressed about preserving the rights of women, a Taliban spokesperson said the Taliban would not discriminate against women and would give them their rights “within the bounds of shariah”.

These seemingly moderate messages from the Taliban give the impression they might have changed. But their track record in the 1990s, their interpretation of Islam, and the events that transpired in the past two decades give us a good idea of how they are likely to implement shariah.

What is shariah and how did it come about?

Shariah literally means “the way to a watering source” in Arabic. It came to denote a unique legal system based on the sources of Islam.

When Prophet Muhammad established the first Muslim community in Medina in 622, there was a need to have a legal system better than the crude customs of the tribal Arabian Peninsula. The revelations of the Quran and the Prophet’s own reforms set out the legal principles and practices that laid the foundations of shariah.

The legal approach of the Prophet was progressive and moderate for its time. Prophet Muhammad’s wife Ai’sha said whenever he was confronted with a matter regarding people, he would always choose the easier option for people and he never took revenge. This is an important point for the Taliban to keep in mind.

When Islam grew rapidly from Spain to India by the end of the seventh century, the need for a common legal system became paramount. Instead of replicating the Roman and Persian legal systems, caliphs and Muslim scholars built a complex and detailed legal system on the foundation laid by the Quran and Prophet Muhammad.

Scholars identified higher objectives of the law.

In the 14th century, influential Muslim jurist Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi identified the highest objective of law as: “to promote good and to benefit human beings and to protect them from evil, from harm and from subsequent suffering”.

Muslim jurists deduced five basic human rights for Islamic law to guarantee – the right to life, property, freedom of religion, freedom of mind (including speech) and to raise a family. Caliphs and sultans could not violate these individual rights.

Legal pluralism was also practised in the Muslim world. Many schools of law were established, having developed over centuries, and implemented in much of the Muslim world. Five such schools survived – Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i, Hanbali and Jafari. The last is for Shiite Muslims, and the others for Sunnis.

Shariah became the most sophisticated and developed legal system in the world from the eighth to the 17th century. It served as the common legal code across the vast Muslim lands and populations characterised by racial, cultural, religious and geographic diversity.

Why does shariah appear backwards today?

Why, then, does Islamic law appear to have a medieval flavour and appear backwards when it is implemented in modern times? There are five main reasons.

First, from the 11th century onwards, Muslim scholars declared the closure of the gate of ijtihad (legislation) and discouraged new legal interpretation.

The 11th through to the 14th centuries was the era of the Crusades, Mongol invasion of Muslim heartlands and the plague. It was not the time to make new interpretations with so many crises taking place. Anyway, scholars reasoned, Islamic law was quite developed.

Second, European colonisation of the majority of the Muslim world from the 19th century onward collapsed the political, legal and religious institutions.

Busy with independence movements and dealing with the onslaught of modernity on conservative society, Muslim leaders and scholars had no time to develop Islamic law.

Third, when Muslim nations gained their freedom, mostly after the second world war, they began nation-building. The political leadership were mainly secular modernists who wanted to westernise and modernise their nations. There was no place for Shariah in their vision. The new Republic of Turkey, for example, implemented direct translations of Swiss civil codes instead of Shariah. Many Islamic countries adopted a more progressive set of laws.

Fourth, the historical role of Muslim scholarship

has shifted. Newly established secular nation states nationalised rich endowments that belonged to religious institutions. Muslim scholars were persecuted for fear of dissent and opposition.

Islamic scholarship was reduced to a small, underfunded university faculty. Talented Muslims chose professions other than Islamic law.

The result is a major loss in the quality of scholarship and a gap of at least 150 years with no practical development in Islamic law.

The last attempt to align Islamic law with a modern legislative framework was made by the Ottoman Empire in its Majalla civil code project.

Completed in 1876, Majalla consisted of 16 volumes and 1,851 articles. Since then, the world has changed dramatically without an adequate theoretical and practical response from Islamic law.

A fifth factor is the influence of puritanical Salafism among jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Islamic State. These groups often ignored the vast Shariah legal literature, scholarship and historical experience. They cherry-picked and implemented certain Quranic verses and prophetic traditions as Islamic law.

So, Islamic law appears relatively underdeveloped when compared to other legal systems. It simply did not have a chance to develop in the modern era.

Contemporary Muslim views on shariah Muslims have differing views on the contemporary application of shariah law.

One view held by secular and modernist Muslims is that shariah was more suited to classical agrarian societies. Given the world and Muslim societies have changed dramatically, shariah is no longer applicable.

The opposite view is held by ultra-conservative Muslims and Islamists. They insist shariah is complete and perfect as it is, and modern societies should be changing to conform with shariah.

A third group, holding perhaps the majority view, believes Shariah is applicable at all times.

The key is to know how to apply it correctly, given the changes in time and place.

The third view considers the complexity of the world and proposes committees made up of Islamic scholars alongside scientists and sociologists to fully examine Islamic law. Using the principles and methodology of Shariah, old legal rulings could be evaluated and, if there are grounds, modified.

New issues not found in classical Islamic law would also be responded to.

Taliban’s idea of shariah and Women Almost certainly, the Taliban holds the second view – society has to change in line with the shariah. This means a move away from the liberalism Afghans grew accustomed to in the past two decades.

The next important question is whether the Taliban will follow the puritanical Salafism or a more traditional Islamic legal school?

In the 1990s, with its support of Al-Qaeda and use of harsh punishments, the Taliban appeared to follow puritanical Salafism. Their fall in 2001, Islamic State’s demise in 2019, and regression of Al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden’s death would suggest they have learned a lesson or two.

During the first Taliban rule, women and girls had almost no rights. Will it be the same again?

Muslims of the subcontinent and central Asia traditionally follow the Hanafi legal school, which is one of the more liberal of the four Sunni Islamic legal schools. Even if this legal school is implemented, its most recent form is the 150-year-old Ottoman Majalla legal code. It will be curious to see if Taliban will consider Majalla at all.

An important consideration is the degree of change the world and Afghanistan have gone through since the first Taliban rule. The Taliban were isolated when they first came to power. But now all of their officers have smartphones connected to the internet and social media. Most importantly, they are using them effectively. Online access to the world would certainly have a moderating effect.

In the first Taliban rule, women had almost no rights. Women had to cover their body and face with the burqa, and they could not get education or work. They could only travel with a male chaperone.

The Taliban today claims to be more inclusive and tolerant of women. While wearing the burqa may not be imposed, women (and men) will be required to cover the rest of their bodies, much like in Iran.

Girls would be allowed to receive an education in girls-only schools staffed by female teachers and administrators. Women would be able to work in a narrow list of professions where there will be limited or no mixing of genders.

In short, life for women in Afghanistan will be better than during the first Taliban rule, but worse than the liberal rights they enjoyed in the past two decades.

54

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Super Eagles Flight to Qatar 2022 Begins with Lone Star in Lagos Players to wear black armbands in honour of Usiyen, Oneya Femi Solaja Nigeria’s quest to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar begins today as the three-time African champions take on the Lone Star of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos this evening.

Since making their debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in 1994, the Super Eagles have only missed participation in the finals once – the 2006 edition in Germany. They were denied of that berth courtesy of CAF’s head-to-head rule that favoured Angola.

In 17 previous clashes with Liberia’s Lone Star, the Super

Eagles have won 10 matches, drawing three and losing four.

One of the four losses was in Monrovia in July 2000, when a team led by the man who is now that country’s President (George Ousmanou Oppong Weah) shot 2-0 ahead before SundayOliseh pulled one back for a 1-2 loss for Nigeria in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

That win catapulted the Lone Star to the top of the group, and the Eagles had to battle hard to snatch the ticket with wins in their last three matches, including away to Sudan and home to Liberia and Ghana.

However, in a 2013 Africa

W O R L D C U P Q UA L I F I E R S Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, the Eagles rallied to a 2-2 draw in Monrovia and stung the Lone Star 6-1 in the second leg in Calabar.

Friday’s match will see the Eagles leap to top of the group with a win, after group mates Cape Verde and Central African Republic battled to a 1-1 stalemate in their Day 1 encounter in Douala, Cameroon on Wednesday. Central African Republic are playing their home games in Cameroon as CAF has certified none of their home venues worthy of

hosting international matches.

As a result of the global coronavirus pandemic and preventive measures, protocols and guidelines, CAF has allowed that only 5,000 spectators be accommodated at the Teslim Balogun Stadium for the match.

A total of 29 players out of the 30 invited by Coach Gernot Rohr for the two games against Liberia and Cape Verde (defender Kevin Akpoguma was knocked out by illness) trained in Lagos for the two matches.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has approved

a request by the Nigeria Football Federation for the players to wear black armbands at the match, in honour of Nigeria legend Thompson Usiyen, who died in the State of California, USA on Tuesday. Usiyen, described as a goal-a-game forward for the Eagles in the late 1970s, died of colon cancer.

The gesture also simultaneously honours the memory of Brigadier-General Dominic Obukadata Oneya, former Chairman of then Nigeria Football Association who died early August.

After Friday’smatch, the players from the United Kingdom will fly back to base, with the rest travelling to the island of Mindelo on Sunday nightfor Tuesday’s clash with the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde in a Day 2 encounter.

RESULTS Niger

0-2 B’Faso

Algeria

8-0 Djibouti

Kenya

0-0 Uganda

Namibia

1-1 Congo

Morocco

2-0 Sudan

DR Congo

1-1 Tanzania

Madagascar

0-1 Benin Rep.

TODAY Mauritania v Zambia Tunisia v E’Guinea Nigeria v Liberia Mo’bique v Ivory Coast Cameroon v Malawi Zimbabwe v S’Africa Ghana v Ethiopia

MTN,NFFSealN1.5bnThreeyear Strategic Partnership on National Teams

Super Eagles...set to pick all three points to lead Group C

Lagos Set to Host Eagles in Lagos Again, Says Aiyepeku The Lagos State Sports Commission has declared that is is set to host the first game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying series against the Lone Stars of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos today.

Speaking on preparations for the game, the Executive Chairman of the LSSC, Sola Aiyepeku, said the commission is working with the CAF, NFF and other several agencies to ensure a hitch-free and victorious return to Lagos for the Eagles. “ As you know, we hosted the Super Eagles in March, that was 20 years after they last played in Lagos and we are quite proud of how the various agencies worked together to deliver a largely safe game within very difficult and unique circumstances.

“What really made it all

worth it was the excitement and enthusiasm of Lagosians at the return of the Eagles. We are building on that experience to ensure that the game on Friday (today) goes really well,” enthused the LSSC boss.

Aiyepeku also explained that only 5,000 fans will be allowed in the stadium and that tickets will not be on sale.

“CAF only gave us approval for 5,000 fans. As you know, COVID-19 is still a significant challenge and we have a responsibility to protect Lagosians and all parties involved in the game.

“To that extent, we are not going to sell tickets to the general public. Only few people will be allowed in on invitation. We don’t want a situation where we run afoul of CAF and FIFA instructions.

“We are working hard to ensure that there is a system in place to adhere strictly to

the limits approved by CAF and FIFA. We implore fans to stay at home and watch the game on TV and support the team,” pleaded Aiyepeku who understands the sentiments of Lagos fans to the senior

national team.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria take on the Lone Stars of Liberia at the Teslim Balogun Stadium today as the race to determine Africa’s representatives at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 begins.

Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola (left) and President, Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick at the official signing ceremony of MTN Nigeria as Official Communications Partner of the Super Eagles and other National Teams in Lagos...yesterday

MTN Nigeria and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday signed a three-year, renewable contract worth N1.5billion for the telecommunications giant to become the exclusive Official Communications Partner to the federation.

The N500million-a-year deal makes MTN the official communications sponsor of the Super Eagles and other national football teams.

Speaking at a formal signing ceremony at Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, with MTN board members led by its Chairman, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe in attendance, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare, called on other corporates to emulate MTN by supporting the development of other sports in the country.

“All hands must be on deck to strengthen our competitive position not only in football, but in other sports.

“Through this partnership, MTN is building a sustainable legacy of support, partnership and exciting soccer experiences for Nigerians, and I seize this opportunity to call on other well-meaning Nigerian businesses to join us in achieving a paradigm shift in the development of all our sporting federations.”

President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, expressed optimism saying, “I am delighted to welcome Nigeria’s largest mobile operator as a partner to the NFF and the Nigerian national football teams, and grateful for their long-term commitment to working with us to support the ecosystem. Today is just the start of a new journey for Nigerian football, and we’re so excited to be on it. Over the coming weeks and months,

we’ll be revealing more about our plans and how you can engage.”

Commenting on MTN’s growing relationship with Nigeria’s dynamic football ecosystem, MTN CEO, Karl Toriola said: “Football is a unifying national obsession.

It brings people together, breaks down boundaries, creates conversations and inspires. We are privileged to have this opportunity to partner the NFF and to be able to support all Nigeria’s national football teams over the next three years.

“This is the start of what we hope will be an inspiring, productive and value adding partnership that can combine the role that technology plays, with the incredible experiences that football provides for the millions of Nigerians who follow the national teams.”

Also at the occasion were Mallam Shehu Dikko (NFF 2nd Vice President/Chairman, LMC); Chief Obinna Ogba (Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports/NFF Board Member); Ms Aisha Falode (NFF Board Member/Chairman NWFL); Dr. Omobola Johnson, Mohammed Ahmad and Andrew Ali (Directors of MTN); Mr Tobe Okigbo (MTN Chief Corporate Services Officer); Daniel Amokachi (SA to Mr President on Sports); Mr Charity Kadiri (NFF Director of Finance); Mr Ademola Olajire (NFF Director of Communications); Barr. Okey Obi (NFF Director of Legal); Mr Dayo Enebi Achor (NFF Head of International) and; President/CEO of HotSports, Mr Taye Ige. Super Eagles’ captain Ahmed Musa also led William Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Osimhen to the epochmaking event.

FRIDAY, ͻ˜ ͺ͸ͺ͹ ˾ T H I S D AY

55

SPORTS

Team Nigeria's victorious Para-Powerlifters were amongst the first set of athletes to return to Lagos from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan... yesterday

Sports Minister, Amokachi Welcome Heroic Paralympians from Tokyo The first batch of Team Nigeria’s athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Japan were given heroic welcome at the Murtala

Mohammed International Airport in Lagos yesterday.

Youth and Sports Development Minister, Sunday Dare, and Daniel Amokachi,

the Special Assistant on Sports to President Muhammadu Buhari, led the rousing welcome for the first batch of paralympians to touch

down in Lagos.

The athletes, mainly parapowerlifters, arrived in Lagos aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight to the warm welcome

Ronaldo Regains United’s Number 7 Jersey from Cavani Cristiano Ronaldo will wear the Number 7 shirt for Manchester United, the club confirmed yesterday.

The 36-year-old takes the number, which he wore in his first stint at Old Trafford, from Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani - who moves to number 21.

Ronaldo will begin training with the Reds when he has completed five days isolation.

On Thursday, he was released early from international duty by Portugal because of suspension.

"I wasn't sure if it would be possible to have the number seven shirt again, so I would like to say a huge thank you to Edi (Cavani) for this incredible gesture," Ronaldo said.

"The Portuguese superstar famously wore the legendary shirt number during his first spell at United and we can

now confirm that Ronaldo will have it on his back once again," United said on their website.

Ronaldo completed a shock move back to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day and is in line to make his second debut for the Red Devils against Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday, 11 September.

Ronaldo became the all-time

leading men’s international goalscorer with two goals against the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, but was booked by the referee for removing his shirt.

Ronaldo scored two late headers to take his tally to 111 for Portugal, surpassing the record previously held

by Ali Daei, who scored 109 goals for Iran between 1993 and 2006.

...CR7 Return to Old Trafford to Cost Fans £700

Desperate football fans have started the mad scramble for tickets to see Cristiano Ronaldo's historic second Manchester United debut next weekend.

The Portuguese superstar is set to make his Old Trafford homecoming on Saturday, September 11, when United host Steve Bruce's Newcastle in a 3pmkick-off.

Ronaldo's return however has sparked a chaotic surge in ticket demand, with unofficial re-sale websites now witnessing prices reach just shy of £700 to see the 36-year-old pull on the famous red shirt once again.

According to a report in the Times, ticket prices on re-sale platform Stubhub reached an astronomical £2,500, but now appear to have been swiftly removed by the service

provider.

At present time of writing another of the ticket re-sale sites, Live Football Tickets, advertise 198 available tickets for the match, with prices ranging from £265 to £699.

United however have urged fans not to buy from ticket resale websites, in order to avoid the possibility of being left out of pocket or face complications in getting their tickets.

“We strongly discourage fans from purchasing tickets from unauthorised sources,” a spokesman told the Times.

“These tickets are often invalid, leaving fans out of pocket, disappointed and unable to see the game.”

Ronaldo himself has been drumming up hysteria ahead of his emotional United return

by reminiscing about the past and speaking of his close relationship with legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ronaldo this week outlined that Ferguson’s phone call to him had been a crucial deciding factor behind him agreeing to return to United.

The pair grew close during the forward’s first spell at Old Trafford from 2003-09 after the Scotsman signed him from Sporting Lisbon, fending off interest from bitter rivals Arsenal in the process.

Ronaldo told MUTV: “Since I signed for Manchester (United) at 18, Sir Alex Ferguson was the key.

“He is like a father in football for me. He helped me a lot, he taught me many things and, of course, he had a big role

because of the relationship that we had.

“We keep in touch all the time and he’s an unbelievable person. He was the main key for me to be in the position that I am, that I signed for Manchester United.”

Despite now being in the Twilight of his career Ronaldo will have a dramatic impact on United’s chances of landing a Premier League title this season, according to leading football analysts, who have crunched the numbers on his sensational return.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner’s reunion with United will not only boost their prospects of a league title from seven percent to 12%, but significantly increase the likelihood of a Champions League triumph, too.

of all.

At the short reception held at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Sunday Dare and Daniel Amokachi praised the athletes for giving their best and doing the nation proud.

The Sports Minister would also commend them for competing fairly and holding their own against some of the best Paralympians in the world.

Dare said: "You have done us proud. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is happy with you. Nigerians

are happy with you and all we can say now to all of you is 'thank you'.

"It is not just about the colour of medals around your necks. Whether you have a medal round your necks or not. You have demonstrated that you have great abilities inspite of your challenges.

"You should also be happy and proud of yourselves.

You broke records, set some new world records, received standing ovations many times and held your own against the best and kept your heads up," Dare concluded.

Zenith Bank Tennis Hits Final Stages The 2021 edition of the annual Zenith Bank Tennis competition at the Ikoyi Club, Lagos, continues today with several quarterfinal and semifinal matches taking place across several categories.

All the finals expected to take place on Saturday, the final day of events with competitors in the ladies singles final already out.

Julie Kpamor, who defeated Ejehi Effiong in the first semifinal 6/0, 6/2, will be taking on Maryann Chuks, the conqueror of Eniora Oshiga for a place in history as the 2021 champion of the ladies singles.

Bola Ayorinde will be up against Dele Oshiga in the men’s singles B semifinal after wins against S. Osoba and Muyiwa Kayode respectively.

Ayorinde defeated Osoba 6/2, 6/2 in their quarterfinal game played on Wednesday with Oshiga recording a 6/4, 7/5 win against Kayode.

The second semifinal will be between M. Morang and Sesan Dada after their quarterfinal win against Idris Belo-Osagie and E. Aware respectively.

Some other winners are expected ahead of the semifinals and finals on Saturday to wrap up this year’s edition of the showpiece.

It would be recalled that the competition failed to hold in the year 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the world.

According to the Tournament Director, Mr Ekene Nwaokolo, fans, friends and other club members have all been enjoying themselves since the start of the competition.

He however called on the members to look forward to a mouthwatering final as he described everyone who took part in the tournament as winners.

TR

Friday September 3, 2021

TR

UTH

& R E ASO

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Onuesoke to Big Brother Naija “BBNaija is an exhibition of recklessness. We are encouraging it so badly that we allow it to be displayed openly on TV. It is an invitation to chaos and exhibition of nudity.

We now idolize idleness and immorality. What do we gain from open vulgarity, open nudity, the spread of shamelessness? For me BBNaija is ‘an abomination” – Former Delta State PDP Governorship aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, condemning the TV reality show, and called on the federal government to ban it.

UT H

& RE A S O

N

26 years

PATUTOMI GUEST COLUMNIST

Remembering Ahmed Joda I

knew Alhaji Ahmed Joda. I first met him in 1980. From what I know of him, it is clear they don’t seem to get as well made as he was, anymore.

He was wise, smart, compassionate and passionately committed to Nigeria.

But he was more, much more, than these gifts. Much more.

Just a few recollections from more than 40 years of paths intersecting may throw a little light, just a little light, on the extra ordinary nature of the personage and why I see a problem in the leadership manufacturing process in today’s Nigeria.

It sure varies markedly from that which gave us men like Joda.

To what do I owe the privilege of getting to know well this remarkable person?

The pursuit of understanding of society set me on a course, as a doctoral candidate in the United States, as the 1970s pulled to close. That led me to curiosities about how countries are built to prosper and last.

At first I was attracted to the views of a number of Latin American scholars and technocrats. Two of them were from Argentina. One was Raul Prebisch who was executive secretary for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) in the season of the wind of change that brought Independence to much of Aftica. His work gave the world what is either referred to as the Prebisch thesis or the import substitution industrialisation strategy.

The other Argentine of interest was Guillermo O’Donnell who proposed an idea known as bureaucratic authoritarian thesis. The hypothesis dared to suggest that excluding coalitions dominated by bureaucrats/technocrats and authoritarian political elites, like the military in power, could accelerate modernisation and development.

I wondered if the super permanent secretaries much talked about for good or for ill, in Nigeria, and the military brass in our country, could have formed the bureaucratic authoritarian coalition to push development in this patch of God’s real estate on the West coast of Africa.

I chose therefore to study the policy process in Nigeria from 1960 to 1980 and the consequences for the well-being of Nigerians.

That effort brought me face-to-face with the permanent secretaries and the leading soldiers in power during that season.

That is how I met men like Ahmed Joda , Philip Asiodu, Allison Ayida, Edwin Ogbu, Ime Ebong and so on.

For 40 years my path and that of Alhaji Joda continued to cross.

A candle loses nothing when it lights another candle. Alhaji Ahmed Joda would prove that again and again by not only sharing deep insights on problems of nation building in Nigeria with me, but in providing perspectives on dignified humanity.

Joda

Several decades after my PhD thesis was done, he actively sought to incorporate me into some of his personal efforts to direct Nigeria right.

When Gen. Sani Abacha’s government jailed Generals Obasanjo and Shehu Yar’Adua, he spoke to me severally about the problems. At the point when prisoner Obasanjo was moved to correctional facilities in Yola, Alhaji Joda more or less relocated to his hometown of Yola to ensure the incarcerated former Head of State got visits and general support.

On one visit to Lagos the man who had worked for Sarduna when he was Premier of Northern Nigeria, served in colonial times and then the military, suggested to me the imperative of getting foreign pressure to bear down on Abacha to free his captives. He also suggested I had enough contacts and goodwill in western capitals to drive the process. I took cue and flew out

to canvas that position and in some cases set up appointments for him to follow up.

When the outcomes of the 2015 elections resulted in his being asked to chair the transition committee he called to invite me to join in the work. His primary desire was for us to jointly craft an inauguration speech that will capture the sense for national transformation that would pull in the work of committee and the aspirations for a new order.

He had made a similar request of me when President Obasanjo was elected in 1999 and I offered Margaret Thatcher’s service compact models in the UK as a pathway forward.

Even though things did not go as he envisaged, in 2015 implementation, he handled it all with equanimity.

Last year, in the throes of despair about the Nigerian condition , he called to ask that I meet him at his Victoria Island hotel.

Most of what he shared with me will have to await the writing of my memoirs, if God gives enough living time.

But he was enormously animated about a simple idea of football competition they had started in Yola to facilitate interaction between the ethnic communities living there and with his being asked to be special guest at the New Yam festival of the Igbo community in Yola just last year.

He was also quite excited by how large the community was.

When the National Consultative Front (NCF), desired to arrest the polarisation of Nigerian society it called a zoom conference of 70 noted elders from around the country.

One hundred and 30 of them showed up.

I asked Alhaji Joda to do us the honor of opening remarks. What came forth was a profound speech that set the tone for reflecting Quo Vadis Nigeria.

It reminded me of the times I shared in the company of Alhaji Ahmed Joda and

We will miss the simple but truly great man who touched our lives without seeking to be noticed or rewarded. Small in physical build but a true giant of a man, this man of integrity and service exemplified our paradise lost. To his son Abu and members of the family, the fortitude we pray for them to have will be much burnished by the humanity and dignity of their worthy forebear

his friend Ajie Ukpabi Asika who, along with Dr Pius Okigbo were my primary mentors. Such scope of maturity and vision to see the forest beyond the tree.

My bouquet of gratitude for how these men shaped my worldview and rounded off my education, is so large I would need a crane to lift it.

The super troika of Ahmed Joda, Allison Ayida and Philip Asiodu who defined the forward thrust of the emerging Nigeria remains a great gift to a country that never fully valued their contributions to nation building.

I am forever grateful for the privilege of knowing them well. Several years ago, the Centre for Values in Leadership which I founded in 2004 honoured Joda and Asiodu with its Leader Without Title Tribute Colliquium to discharge only a small part of the debt we owe these extra-ordinary men that I have celebrated elsewhere in suggesting that superheroes do not always wear capes.

At that LWT colliquium in their honor, a highly regarded professor at the University of Lagos broke down in tears as he told the story of coming out of the war and was desperate for a scholarship to go to university. He went to the Ministry of Education and simply ran into the Permanent Secretary who made it happen without thinking twice.

That Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education was Ahmed Joda.

It so reminded me of how Joda treats people with deep regard for their humanity.

And the classic example was his main man friday, Apollo.

For years this protocol man and fixer ran all kinds of errands for Alhaji Joda and was like family.

On one of Alhaji Joda’s last visit to Lagos, just a few months ago, I joined him and Apollo for lunch at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Victoria Island and it was clear the burden of those who are unable to see the humanity in others as they play big men was not a load Alhaji Joda had to contend with. It endeared me further to him.

We will miss the simple but truly great man who touched our lives without seeking to be noticed or rewarded. Small in physical build but a true giant of a man, this man of integrity and service exemplified our paradise lost.

To his son Abu and members of the family, the fortitude we pray for them to have will be much burnished by the humanity and dignity of their worthy forebear.

May his peaceful rest be granted by the creator for he ran a good and noble race as man on earth. r1BU 6UPNJ 1PMJUJDBM &DPOPNJTU BOE 'PVOEFS PG UIF $FOUSF GPS WBMVFT JO -FBEFSTIJQ JT B 1SPGFTTPS PG &OUSFQSFOFVSTIJQ

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com