FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2019

CBN Releases Part of N499bn Credit Penalty to Banks To issue new guidelines on charges for cashless transactions Ejiofor Alike and Emma Okonji with agency reports The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has Released to some banks part of the

N499,175,535,097 deducted from 12 banks as additional cash reserves after the affected banks failed to meet a target to provide more credit.

Also determined to remove

all bottlenecks that could slow down the speed of penetration of cashless policy, which the CBN introduced since 2010, the apex bank yesterday, said it would soon release new

guidelines on cash transaction charges.

The new guideline would exempt micro finance banks, mortgage institutions and some financial institutions from

paying bank charges on cash-in and cash-out transactions.

The apex bank had on July 3, 2019, directed banks to maintain a minimum Loan Deposit Ratio (LDR) of 60 per cent

by September 30, 2019.

The LDR, which was being reviewed quarterly to improve lending to the real sector, was Continued on page 8

FG, World Bank to Discuss $3bn Power Sector Loan... Page 8 Friday 18 October, 2019 Vol 24. No 8957. Price: N250

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CCB Asks Court to Void FoI Act Tobi Soniyi

FOR TRANSPARENT INTERVENTION...

L-R: Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), President Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), during a meeting of oil producing state governors with the president in Abuja… yesterday godwin omoigui

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has requested the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, to declare as unconstitutional and, therefore, void the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. The bureau, in a response to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), seeking an order of court to compel the CCB to release public officials’ asset declaration forms, called upon the court to annul the Continued on page 5

To Instill Transparency, Buhari Orders Forensic Audit of NDDC Operations Senate probes alleged inflation of agency’s contract to N65bn Deji Elumoye, Omololu Ogunmade and Chuks Okocha in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The audit, which will cover the commission’s operations from 2001 to 2019, is in response to persistent criticisms of the management of the special intervention agency, set up to address environmental and developmental challenges

in the oil-rich area.

In addition to the presidential order, the Senate has also commenced investigations into the alleged inflation of the contact for the clearing of silts and water hyacinths on the waterways in the commission from 2017 to 2019.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said in a statement in Abuja that the president's order came Continued on page 5

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, during an interaction with market leaders in Alaba, Lagos...yesterday

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Why Recruitment of Constables Sets PSC against IG Nasarawa, IG’s home state, tops list with 528; Katsina, 435; Kano, 403; Bayelsa 71 Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Lopsided recruitment of 9,036 constables, as part of the federal government’s strategy to promote community policing, is the source of the raging crisis between leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Police Service Commission (PSC), THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

President Muhammadu Buhari had recently ordered the recruitment of 10,000 constables for community policing with emphasis on local government councils.

The recruitment, THISDAY learnt, was supposed to be conducted based on the equality of local governments in view of the fact that it was for community policing.

It was gathered, however, that 247 candidates out of the

528 recruited from Nasarawa State, where the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Adamu Mohammed, comes from, did not apply for the job but were allegedly included on the list.

A breakdown of the controversial list obtained

by THISDAY showed that Nasarawa State where Mohammed and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training, DIG Yakubu Jibrin, hail from topped the list with 528 candidates with an average of 41 per local government.

Nasarawa State has 13 local government areas.

Katsina State, the home of Buhari, was allocated 435 candidates, an average of 13 per local government.

Other states include Niger State, 396; Benue State, 368; Akwa Ibom, 332; Osun State,

320; Oyo State, 312, Kaduna, 307; Kogi State, 304 and Jigawa State, 280.

The list showed 274 candidates were recruited from Borno State; Imo State, 266; Rivers State, 259; Adamawa State, 249; Delta, State 225; Anambra, 192; Bauchi, 232; Bayelsa, 71; Borno, 274; Cross River, 188; Ebonyi, 150; Edo, 178; Ekiti, 180; Enugu, 185; FCT, 120; Gombe, 171; Imo, 266; Kebbi, 272; Kwara, 169; Lagos, 196; Ogun, 184; Ondo, 214; Plateau, 208; Sokoto, 192; Taraba, 211; Yobe, 155; and Zamfara, 129.

But the PSC has since denounced the list, describing it as an act of illegality. It said the list fell short of the federal character laws.

A presidency source told THISDAY that the list “violates federal character and even the oath of office sworn to by the

people that released the list.

He said: “Constables are recruited on the basis of equality of LGAs because they are mainly for community policing.

“Look at Nasarawa, the state of the IG and DIG Training, 247 of the bogus 528 allocated to the state did not even apply for the job.

“That is why the list has no local governments attached to the names and no unique number given to those that applied.

“This LGA breakdown is just the average, since it is likely that some will have more than the others. The police are pushing ahead with this because someone is misleading Mr. President if not they should have been called to order.”

Several calls and text messages sent to Force Public Relations Officer and Deputy

Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Frank Mba, were not replied.

When contacted, spokesman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the commission had since disowned the list for breaching the federal character law and for being a product of illegality.

The PSC and the police have been at loggerheads over the power to recruit constables.

The PSC is constitutionally empowered to oversee the recruitment, discipline and promotion of police personnel.

But the police said it derived its powers to recruit under the Police Act. The PSC announced last week that it had withdrawn the delegated powers granted the police to handle issues relating to recruitment, promotion and discipline of rank and file.

The commission, had, in a statement, dissociated itself from the list.

"The Police Service Commission dissociates itself from a purported list of candidates scheduled for training and allegedly released by the Nigeria Police Force in respect of the recruitment exercise into the constable cadre of the Force.

"The commission notes that the list released by the police is an act of illegality and from close observation was in serious breach of the federal character requirements", it said.

The statement signed by Ani urged "the public to be wary of the list as it will soon resume the remaining stages of the recruitment process and release the authentic list of successful candidates, local government by local government.”

TO INSTILL TRANSPARENCY, BUHARI ORDERS FORENSIC AUDIT OF NDDC OPERATIONS while receiving a delegation of leaders from the nine states making up the Niger Delta, who were led by Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson.

According to him, Buhari told the delegation that what is currently on the ground in the Niger Delta region does not justify the huge resources that have been made available to the NDDC. He said: “I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions, especially the NDDC. With the amount of money that the federal government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues.

“The projects said to have been done must be verifiable.

You just cannot say you spent so much billions and when the place is visited, one cannot see the structures that have

been done. The consultants must also prove that they are competent,” the president stated.

He also said developing the Niger Delta area required enormous resources when compared to other parts of the country with firmer land.

“I am acutely aware, with my experience, that projects in your area are very expensive; that is why if any job is given, we must make sure that the company is competent and has the capacity to do it well with experienced consultants.”

The president pledged to wait for the report of the audit before deciding on what next to do with the organisation.

Earlier, Dickson had expressed the disappointment of other governors over the operations of the NDDC, saying they are characterised by poor choice of projects, shoddy handling, uncompleted jobs and lack of required support for the efforts of the

states and local government administration in the region.

"He, therefore, called for the repositioning of the NDDC in order to achieve the objectives for which it was set up," the statement quoted the governor as saying.

Meanwhile, the Senate has commenced investigations into the alleged inflation of the contract for the clearing of silts and water hyacinths on the waterways in the Niger Delta region by the NDDC from 2017 to 2019.

Its committee on Public Accounts, which was yesterday billed to hold a public hearing on the allegation, could, however, not make progress due to the absence of the Acting Managing Director of the commission.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Mathew Orhoghide, said the committee decided to hold the public hearing over allegations that the NDDC expended N65 billion

instead of the approved N2.5 billion to desilt and clear water hyacinth in the waterways in the region.

According to him, the committee is in possession of petitions over the award and execution of the contracts, especially as the contract overshot the earlier awarded contract sum from N2.5 billion to N65 billion.

Justifying the need for the probe, Urhoghide said: "We had invited the acting managing director and management of the NDDC to come and testify before this committee of the Senate on Public Accounts on an issue that has become of national importance, that is, the award of contracts that has to do with the clearing of water hyacinth in the Niger Delta region and of course the desilting contracts that were awarded by the NDDC under their emergency programme.

"We want to be able to

ascertain if due processes were followed in the award of these contracts, particularly the information that we have at our disposal that they exceeded budget limits. Of course, that is a very serious offence.

"What we know is that N2.5 billion was budgeted for this activity, that is, desilting and clearing of water hyacinths.

We are hearing that the commission has spent N65 billion; so, we want to know if it is true. It is an allegation.

It is still an assumption until they come to clear the air surrounding this.

"It is not a case of whether she is the one that was in office or not, and again we are very clear that this committee is not out to witch-hunt anybody.

We want to make sure that all mechanisms, all processes of doing government business, particularly when it comes to expenditure of public funds, are done transparently. This committee is charged with

the responsibility of ensuring that there is transparency, accountability and economy that ensures that there is value for money. Once we are able to ascertain that the commission has done it well, of course they are not going to have any problem. If not, we will recommend appropriate sanctions."

The investigation, however, ran into a brick wall when the commission's Director of Special Duties, Mr. Nosakhare Agbekhare, told the committee members that the acting managing director was indisposed due to ill health.

But Urhoghide rejected the director's request to answer questions on behalf of the NDDC boss and directed that all relevant documents about the contract be forwarded to the committee on or before Monday for the scrutiny of members of the panel ahead of the rescheduled public hearing on Tuesday.

therefore void. The constitution is the supreme law of the land and any law that is inconsistent with it shall to that extent be null and void.

“The power of the CCB to refer suspects to the Code of Conduct Tribunal is discretionary and the courts are circumspect in granting mandamus in respect of discretionary powers and in the circumstances of the case, SERAP has an alternative and effective legal remedy.

This renders SERAP’s case incompetent.”

CCB said SERAP ought to have asked the CCB to investigate allegations of non-compliance with the Code of Conduct and where appropriate refer the matter to the tribunal for prosecution.

“SERAP has failed to show that it has sufficient legal interest in the matter,” it added.

The bureau said asset declaration forms were special documents that have been exempted by section 14 of the Freedom of Information Act, the same statute it said was unconstitutional.

Another objection raised by the bureau is that, “CCB can only make the forms available on the terms and conditions to be prescribed by the National Assembly.

Those terms and conditions

are yet to be prescribed.”

of all presidents and state governors since 1999.

“Asset declarations of presidents and state governors submitted to the CCB are public documents. Public interest in disclosure of the details of asset declarations sought by SERAP clearly outweighs any claim of protection of the privacy of presidents and state governors, as they are public officers entrusted with the duty to manage public funds, among other public functions.

“A necessary implication of the rule of law is that a public institution like the CCB can only act in accordance with the law, as to do otherwise may enthrone arbitrariness,” SERAP said in an averment.

It contended that CCB did not have reasonable grounds on which to deny its FoI request, as it was in the interest of justice, the Nigerian public, transparency and accountability to publish details of asset declarations by presidents and governors since the return of democracy in 1999.

The organisation said disclosing details of asset declarations of public officers such as presidents and governors would improve public trust in the ability of the CCB to effectively discharge its mandate.

It said: “This would in turn put pressure on public officers like presidents and governors to make voluntary public declaration of their assets.

“The right to receive

CCB ASKS COURT TO VOID FOI ACT legislation the group relied upon to make its demand.

SERAP had earlier written CCB to release to it the asset declaration forms of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

It made the request after the bureau released the asset declaration form of the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to a civil society group, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative, which had petitioned the CCB, accusing the former CJN of false asset declaration.

However, besides seeking the nullification of the FoI Act, CCB is also asking the court to dismiss SERAP’s suit, saying that it is not under obligation to release asset declaration forms of public officials to the public.

It argued that except Buhari and Osinbajo give their consent to release their asset declaration forms, it would not oblige any request to make them public.

In its written address opposing SERAP’s suit, filed on its behalf by Musa Usman and Fatima Ali, the CCB stated; “The asset declaration forms of the presidents, vice presidents, Senate presidents, speakers of the House of Representatives, state governors and deputy governors since the return of

democracy in 1999 to 2019 are in the custody of the CCB. But the public officials have not consented to the disclosure of their asset declarations forms.”

The CCB’s response dated October 14, 2019, read in part: “The CCB is not obligated to submit assets declaration forms to any person. The forms are not publicly available. SERAP has not shown that it is in the public interest to disclose the information nor that such public interest overweighs the protection of the privacy of the presidents, vice presidents, Senate presidents, speakers of the House of Representatives, state governors and deputy governors since 1999 to 2019.”

It stated that asset declaration forms contained personal information about public officials and their properties, assets and liabilities and those of their wives/husbands and their children who were under the age of 18 years.

The bureau added that it was not obligated to make available information relating to verification, which it said was an investigation activity to any citizen or institution.

It stated: “The provision of Freedom of Information Act relating to release of asset declaration forms is in open confrontation with the Constitution of Nigeria and

SERAP Wins First Round in Disclosure Battle The trial judge, Justice Muslim Sule Hassan, had earlier ruled that “Going through the application filed by SERAP, supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit, with supporting exhibits, statements setting out the facts, verifying affidavits and written address in support, I am satisfied that leave ought to be granted in this case, and I hereby grant the motion for leave.”

Justice Hassan had granted the order for leave following the hearing of an argument in court on ex-parte motion

by SERAP counsel, Adelanke Aremo.

The suit, filed in June followed the CCB’s claim that it could not disclose details of asset declarations submitted to it by successive presidents and governors since 1999 because doing so “would offend the right to privacy of presidents and state governors.”

In the suit, SERAP is applying for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the CCB to disclose details of asset declarations

Continued on page 8

TOP GAINERS WAPIC CHAMSPLC FCMB FLOURMILLS LAWUNION TOP LOSERS CORNERSTONE UBA WEMABANK

NGN NGN % 0.03 0.35 9.3 0.02 0.24 9.0 0.11 1.70 6.9 0.35 15.10 2.3 0.01 0.49 2.1 NGN % 0.03 0.34 8.1 0.15 5.80 2.5 0.01 0.58 1.6 GTBANK 0.35 26.65 1.3 TRANSCORP 0.01 1.01 0.98 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,220.00 Volume: 144.086 million shares Value: N2.897 billion Deals: 2,347 As at yesterday 17/10/19 See details on Page 41

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NEWS

FG, World Bank to Discuss $3bn Power Sector Loan Ndubuisi Francis, Obinna Chima, Kunle Aderinokun, Nume Ekeghe and Nosa Alekhuogie in Washington DC The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, and other top government officials will exploit the opportunity of the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington DC, United States of America to firm up discussions on the planned $3 billion facility targeted at addressing current challenges confronting Nigeria’s power sector.

Confirming the move in an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing meetings, Ahmed said the facility could actually be up to $3 billion, to be released in tranches for a period of about five years, adding that the planned facility will be designed to address current transmission and distribution problems facing the nation’s power sector.

She said: “There is a proposed $1.5 to $3 billion facility for the power sector development programme in Nigeria. This will include the development of the transmission networks, development of the distribution networks as well as removing the challenges that we have currently in the electricity sector.

We are fully going to discuss the power sector recovery programme. We are going to have a direct meeting with the World Bank to design how it will be implemented.

“We have an opportunity now to have a direct meeting with the leadership of the bank on the funding; to tell them this is what we have, this is how

much we need from now to five years. The funding could be as much as US$3 billion. We are going to look at it to be provided in phases, may be $1.5 billion first. The funding could be in phases of up to five years.”

However, the minister who also reacted to concerns over Nigeria’s burgeoning debt stock, insisted that the country does not have debt problem but that of revenue, which she said, is being addressed through a multifaceted approach.

On worries that the 2020 Appropriation Bill is designed to increase the tax burden of Nigerians, the minister described such as not reflective of the reality, adding that there was never an attempt to introduce any new form of taxation apart from the proposed increase of Value Added Tax (VAT) from five per cent to 7.5 per cent.

She argued that it was abnormal for Nigeria not to use tax as source of financing its budgets, adding that a country’s budget is supposed to be based on taxes it is able to generate.

“It is an abnormality in Nigeria that our budget has not been focusing on taxes.

What we are trying to do in the 2020 budget is to try to harness the potential of revenue mobilisation within our country . The only tax increase in the 2020 budget is just that VAT; everything else is just maximising the potential of the existing tax base that we have, to be able to move our tax-to-GDP ratio from the current 7-8 per cent to 15 per cent.

“We can only develop in a manner that is sustainable when we are using tax revenue to plan our national and subnational

Zainab budgets. It is an abnormality that we are depending largely on oil and gas revenue, which is a resource that is finite; it’s going to go out of existence before we know it. So, we have to develop a domestic tax,” the minister said.

She disclosed the Finance Bill sent to the National Assembly has several proposals, one of which is to legitimise the proposed hike in VAT from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent.

“We believe that the National Assembly will do justice to the bill. Our hope is that the finance bill is passed within the same period that the budget will be passed, so that we can have the capacity to be able to fund the 2020 budget,” Ahmed added.

On efforts to shore up the nation’s revenue base, the minister said: “You would recall that in January this year, we launched the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative which is an initiative put together by all the revenue generating agencies.

Our objective is to be able to harness the existing revenue streams that we have by ensuring that enforcement is guaranteed and to expand the tax base and also to identify new revenue streams that we

can add to expand the revenue base.

“So, in expanding the new revenue bases, we have proposed the increase in VAT but there are also other revenue streams that we have and some of them include the introduction of excise duties on carbonated drinks. But there is a process in doing this—any tax you are introducing will involve a lot of consultations as well as the amendment of some laws for the introduction of a new legislation.

“We are also working together with all the agencies to ensure that we collaborate—that the works of the agencies are complementary to each other as opposed to the past where everyone was working in silos.

We have also found out how we can improve the monitoring and performances of the revenue generating agencies, especially the government-owned enterprises.

“We now have a rigorous monthly reconciliation of revenues and that is ensuring that leakages are limited. There are also other cost cutting measures in the SRGI.” Again, commenting on concerns over what analysts see as over-ambitious annual revenue targets, the minister said the fact that revenue generating agencies are not meeting targets should not be a justification to set lower targets, adding that doing such would amount to endorsing under-performance.

She argued that revenue targets usually set in annual budgets were never the making of her ministry, but those of the agencies, which normally come up with such benchmarks and are requested to justify how

realistic they are before being accepted.

According to her, there will be improved governance, not just in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) but government-owned enterprises because of poor governance results in underperformance, whether it is in revenue or other operational agencies.

The minister disclosed that new measures had been introduced to enhance the monitoring of revenue generating agencies, adding President Muhammadu Buhari had said targets will be set for ministers and heads of agencies.

Ahmed disclosed that when targets are met, there will be commendations, and when they are not met, there will be consequences, adding that what had been missing was that when agencies underperformed, there were no consequences.

On whether the recent border closure was a revenue generation strategy, the minister responded in the negative, saying the federal government needed to close the borders because Nigeria was not getting the cooperation of neighbouring governments.

“We have over the years committed to some alliances, bilateral agreements and our neighbours are not respecting them. And this time when the president had signed Nigeria up to AfCFTA (Africa Continental Free Trade Area) , it is more important for us to make sure that everybody compliments what is in the agreement.

“If it is something that is disturbing our local businesses, we have to make sure that it is stopped. That’s the purpose;

not generating revenues. It’s just to ensure compliance to the commitments that we made between ourselves,” she added.

The minister stated that there was no timeline on when the borders will be reopened, but stressed that doing so would be tied to “when neighbouring countries commit to complying with the commitments that we signed.”

She explained the hope that at some point, “there will be decisions at the level of presidents where we expect strong commitments.”

On what Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing meetings of the IMF-World Bank seeks to achieve, she said: “Apart from statutory meetings, we have some special discussions that will ensue. Few of them are important to us in Nigeria. There are many meetings that are important to us in Nigeria.

One, I am participating in a governors’ corner meeting where we are discussing on domestic revenue mobilisation.

There are a few other finance ministers that have been selected to participate at the event.

“There is also a debt transparency panel to be chaired by the World Bank President, David Malpass where I will also be speaking as a panelist. There is also be a panel on human capital development and job creation where I will also be participating.”

She added that besides, participation would afford Nigeria the opportunity to interface with heads of multilateral financial and credit agencies with a view to harnessing both financial and other resources to create jobs and stimulate development.

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, mobile money operators are not supposed to pay bank transaction charges and they will be exempted in the new guidelines that will be released next week.”

Okojere explained that CBN has put a lot of innovations into the cashless initiative to ensure that things were done in proper perspective and that all parties involved in providing different forms of services are fairly treated.

“In collaboration with Banker’s Committee, we introduced the shared agent network that will boost agent network in achieving the 500,000 agent points across the country before the end of 2020. CBN has recognised the need for agency banking and had since released regulations around it to ensure financial inclusiveness for all Nigerians.

“CBN has since realised that

there has been some forms of misconception about agency banking in terms of what they do and what they are supposed to do. The major role of Super Agents in agency banking, is to aggregate the mobile money operators and provide the platform to manage the agents. But CBN has noticed that some of the Super Agents are already taking over the role of the agents themselves. Some Super Agents now issue virtual wallets, which is contrary to the framework that gave rise to agency banking. They are not supposed to be directly involved in transferring money from foreign countries into Nigeria,” Okojere said.

He however explained that agents were allowed to do cash-in and cash-out transactions and funds transfers in remote areas were banks cannot establish their branches. “To make it easier, a decision was reached that the

cost of US Dollar transaction would be bore by the initiator of the transaction,” he further said.

Managing Director, ITEX, Mr. Ernest Uduje, said the essence of the summit was to bring together, key stakeholders in the financial industry space to address some of the challenges militating against CBN’s cashless policy initiative, and to proffer solutions on how best to deepen financial inclusion in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF), Mrs. Ronke Kuye, who presented the lead speech at the summit, said SANEF was incorporated as a company in January this year, to intervene in the cashless policy initiative to widen and deepen financial access points and services for the purpose of increasing financial inclusion to 80 per cent by the end of 2020.

CBN RELEASES PART OF N499BN CREDIT PENALTY TO BANKS 58.5 per cent as at May. It has since been raised to 65 per cent for the last quarter of the year.

But for not meeting the initial 60 per cent target, the apex bank deducted N499.1 billion from 12 major banks as additional reserves.

The 12 affected banks and the amount deduced are: Citibank (N100,743,055, 321); First Bank of Nigeria (N74,668,880,480); FBNQuest Merchant Bank (N2, 697,456,144); First City Monument Bank (FCMB), (N14, 371,064, 742) and Guaranty Trust Bank (N25, 147, 933, 628).

Others are Jaiz Bank (N7, 525, 165,552); Keystone Bank (N4, 162, 938, 879); Rand Merchant Bank (N2, 823,177,399); Standard Chartered Bank (N30,027,137,984); SunTrust Bank (N1,703,205,427); United Bank for Africa (N99,676,181,916) and Zenith Bank (N135,629,337,625).

But the Head of Banking Supervision at the apex bank, Mr. Ahmad Abdullahi, told Bloomberg yesterday that some of the deductions have actually been refunded to the banks.

He, however, did not name the beneficiary banks or how much was returned.

“Most of them that were involved got a refund,” after they met the requirement at the end of September, Abdullahi said.

“It is not a penalty where a bank is to forfeit money,” Abdullahi added.

The Chief Financial Officer

of UBA, Mr. Ugochukwu Nwaghodoh, also disclosed that United Bank for Africa Plc was refunded some of the N99.7 billion after it increased lending.

However, the Bankers Committee had clarified that the money deducted by the apex bank from the accounts of 12 banks were neither fines nor levies, adding that the monies would be refunded once the banks met the LDR requirements.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, had stated that the monies would be refunded once the banks met the LDR requirements.

"The CBN never stated that the debits were fines. If you go back to the circular, what it said was that at the cut-off point at the event that you do not meet the threshold, funds will be debited from you and added to your CRR. So, what you have there is not a fine rather is it a levy but it's just a shortfall based on the parameters that the CBN has set.

"However, even if at the cut-off point of September 26 adopted by CBN, you were short in terms of what you were supposed to do, CBN is not a closed session, it continues. CBN would look at your figures subsequently and where you achieve a loan growth, you have a refund, if you also have a drop in your deposit compared to that cut-off, you will now have debit."

He said: "So, it's going to be a continued dynamic process where the whole essence is to see that we don't just have a one-off growth but a continued process of creating an enabling credit in the system," he explained.

The apex bank has raised the ratio this month to 65 per cent for a December deadline and said the directive would be reviewed quarterly.

CBN to Issue New Guidelines on Charges for Cashless Transactions

Meanwhile, the apex bank yesterday, said it would soon release new guidelines on cashless transaction charges.

The new guideline would exempt micro finance banks, mortgage institutions and some financial institutions from paying bank charges on cash-in and cash-out transactions.

The Director, Payments CCB ASKS COURT TO VOID FOI ACT Systems Management at the information without any cannot flourish if governments CBN, Mr. Sam Okojere, who interference or distortion operate in secrecy, no matter made the disclosure in Lagos should be based on the how much open discussion at the ITEX Agent Banking principle of maximum and debate is allowed. The Innovation Summit, said the disclosure and a presumption very nature and quality of new guidelines would be made that all information is accessible public discussion would be public by next week. subject only to a narrow system significantly impoverished According to him, “There of exceptions.” without the nourishment is need for clarifications on It argued that it was a settled of information from public what is payable and what principle of law that details authorities such as the CCB is not payable. Financial such as asset declarations of and to guarantee freedom of institutions that generate presidents and governors expression without including accounts for the federal, state should be disclosed if there the right to know would be and local government are was an overriding public a formal exercise. exempted from paying bank interest in having access to “The CCB has an obligation charges. Embassies, diplomatic such information, which it said to proactively keep, organise missions, multinational was clearly so in this matter. and maintain all information or agencies, donor agencies, SERAP said: “Democracy records about their operations,

personnel, activities and other relevant or related information or records in a manner that facilitates public access to such information or record.

“Given that many public officers being tried for or convicted of corruption are found to have made a false declaration of their assets, the CCB should no longer allow politicians to undermine the sanctity and integrity of the asset declaration provisions of the constitution by allowing them to continue to exploit legal gaps for illicit enrichment.”

9

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

FG Not Contemplating Subsidy Removal, Says Sylva Admits subsidy payment is inflated Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Minister of State for Petroleum, Timiprie Sylva, has said the federal government is not in anyway contemplating to remove subsidy, even as

he revealed that crude oil has been discovered in commercial quantity in Bauchi State.

Sylva disclosed this yesterday while briefing the Joint National Assembly Committees on Petroleum Resources (upstream)

PDP Caucus Cautions CJN against Subverting Convention on Election Petition Panel Adedayo Akinwale ín Abuja The House of Representatives caucus of the People Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko, against subverting the convention and integrity of the judiciary on the selection of Supreme Court Justices ahead of the hearing of the presidential election appeal panel.

This was disclosed in a statement issued yesterday jointly signed by the PDP Caucus Leader, Kingsley Chinda, his deputy Chukwuma Onyema; Caucus Whip, Umar Barde, and his deputy, Muraina Ajibola.

The PDP House caucus said the selection of Justices to hear the appeal of the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, must be in accordance with the conventional practice of admitting only the first seven most senior Justices of the Supreme Court.

The caucus insisted that the list must not go outside the following: ‘The CJN, Tanko;

Justice Rhodes-Vivour, Justice Mary Odili, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Musa Muhammad and Justice Kumai Akaahs.

The House PDP member stated categorically that the practice of selecting Justices to hear the appeal is expected to precede the hearing, going by age-long convention.

According to the caucus, “What isn’t conventional is the present attempt to influence Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko, going by reports in the media, to subvert the age-long and time-tested practice, precedent and convention of selecting the most senior Justices of the Supreme Court to hear the presidential election appeal.

“Chief Justices of Nigeria, through time, have never in the selection of the Supreme Court‘s Election Petition Appeal Panel surrendered to the phony dictates of the ruling parties. We are proud to state here that never in our great party’s time in power did it or its personages dictate selection of panel members to Chief Justices, never!”

Says oil discovered in commercial quantity in Bauchi

on 2019 budget performance and the proposed 2020 budget.

He said while the subsidy might not be very clearly captured in the 2020 budget, he assured Nigerians that provision was made for fuel subsidy.

Sylva stated: “I want to state that this government is not about to remove subsidy because it is difficult. We believe that as a government, our people are already going through a lot of suffering, and we cannot, as a responsible government, heap the issue of petroleum price hike or removal of subsidy on Nigerians.

So it is not on the table at all.

We are just looking at how we can manage it. It may not be clearly captured but I can assure you that it is there. If you look

very carefully, you will see it.

“We also believe that the consumption that is being posted on the daily basis doesn’t represent the actual consumption of the petroleum product in this country. We don’t believe that Nigerians are consuming over 60 million litres a day; there is a lot of smuggling and because the petroleum product is cheaper in Nigeria, a lot of our neighbouring countries are taking advantage of the cheaper process in Nigeria.

“So Nigeria is now almost subsidising half of Africa which is very difficult for us to do.

And now, you can see the government doing something about controlling some of these leakages, and once those leakages are controlled, we believe that the

subsidy can be at least bearable.”

The minister explained that the decision of the federal government to shut the Nigeria-Benin boarder has led to the reduction of the daily consumption of fuel in the country from over 60 million litres per day to about 52 million litres per day.

He clarified that the federal government was more concerned about fixing the refineries, which he said would in turn reduce the cost of subsidy on the government, rather than removing the subsidy itself.

Sylva also said work at the Port Harcourt refinery would commence in January, adding that study is also ongoing for the Warri refinery, and assured

Nigerians that maintenance work would soon commence.

Asked why Anambra has not been designated an oil producing state, the minister noted that he has no power to declare any state an oil producing state.

He explained that the crude oil has to be produced, and it has to be seen before the state can become an oil producing state.

Sylva stressed that while a lot of people think that Anambra State is a prospective basin especially for gas, he cannot confirm the status of Anambra basin at the moment, but that no production activity is going on there yet, as he promised to find out.

NICE MEETING YOU ...

US Consul General Hosts IT’S Minister of Finance, Budget, National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (right); and Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, at the Annual Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Washington DC, United States…yesterday 56 Nigerian Mandela Washington Fellows Finally, FG, Labour Reach Agreement on Minimum Wage Segun James The United States Consul General, Claire Pierangelo, yesterday hosted young 56 Nigerians who participated in the 2019 Mandela Washington Fellowship to a reunion conference.

The 56 Nigerians were among the 700 young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa who recently completed a six-week intensive academic and leadership programme at some of the most prestigious US colleges and universities.

Information Specialist, Public Affairs Section, US Consulate General, Mr. Temitayo Famutimi, said in a statement that fellows may also apply for their American partners to travel to Africa to continue project-based collaboration through the Reciprocal Exchange Component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.

Speaking at the opening of the two-day conference in Lagos, Pierangelo urged the fellows to compare notes on their fellowship experiences and explore how they can enhance their community

service and impact in Nigeria.

“I encourage you to continue to work to improve your communities, to mentor young people, to be politically active, and thereby strive to create a Nigeria that will truly be the giant of Africa.”

Pierangelo debriefed some of the fellows to learn about their experiences in the US, while the fellows jointly expressed appreciation for the fellowship and stated their eagerness to get to work in their respective communities.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship began in 2014 and the US government has sent nearly 4,000 young Africans leaders to the US to empower them through academic course work, leadership training, and networking opportunities. Of this number, about 400 were Nigerians.

When they return to their home countries, Mandela Washington Fellows continue to have access to ongoing professional development opportunities as well as funding for projects coinciding with the US Mission’s goals and objectives.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government and the organised labour have reached agreement on the new minimum wage consequential adjustments.

The deal was struck late last night but the actual details across the various grade levels and wage structures were being worked out and documented by both the federal government and the unions.

Under the agreement reached between the federal government and the representatives of the

labour in Abuja, the core civil servants on grade level 7 are to get 23.2 per cent adjustment; grade level 8 (20 per cent); grade level 9 (19 per cent); grade levels 10 to14 (16 per cent); and grade levels 15 to17, (14 per cent).

Others workers on grade level 7 will be given (23.2 per cent) , while grade levels 8 to14 will earn (16 per cent) and grade levels 15 to 17 (10.5 per cent).

While reacting to the agreement, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) described it as “a win-win situation”

In a statement by the TUC President, Quadri Olaleye; and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the union commended the federal government and the organised labour for their patience while the National Minimum Wage negotiations lasted.

The leadership of the labour centre added that although it was a rough road, they were happy that an agreement has finally been signed.

TUC said it was not an easy journey, adding that the government’s team should be

appreciated for their wisdom and sincerity.

“We commend the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan and her team for their sincerity. Though they argued that government cannot afford to meet our earlier demand of N30, 000 minimum wage across board because of the economic situation in the country, but we made them understand that some people cannot be more Nigerian than others. If we are tightening our belts, government should also do so.”

Bandits Kill One Person, Abduct Five in Kaduna Gunmen free abducted school principal John Shiklam in Kaduna One person was reportedly killed while five others were abducted as gunmen launched fresh attacks on communities in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was coming as the Principal of Government

Technical Secondary School located at Maraban Kajuru, Kajuru Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Francis Maji, has been set free by his abductors after six days in captivity.

This was disclosed yesterday in a statement by the Birnin Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance in

Kaduna.

The statement, which was signed by the group’s Chairman, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari, lamented that in the last three weeks, armed bandits have been attacking communities and motorists across the length and breadth of Birnin-Gwari Local Government.

Nagwari said among those abducted by the gunmen, were the Head Teacher of Dangamji, Primary School, AbdulHafiz Abdullahi, and two others who were attacked at Doka Filling Station. He said two others who escaped from being abducted sustained serious injuries from gunshots.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Report: NNPC Spent $396.33m on Refineries TAM in Four Years Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) reportedly spent a whopping $396.33 million between 2013 and 2017 – a period of four years, to carryout repair works under the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) scheme on three of its decrepit refineries in

Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, a new report has disclosed.

Presented to journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) at a workshop yesterday, the report – ‘Reducing losses from refinery operations’, which reviewed the operations of NNPC’s refineries from a cost perspective, efficiency and value

FG, States, LGs Share N693.52bn in September ECA rises to $323.69m James Emejo in Abuja A total sum of N693.52 billion was yesterday shared among the three tiers of government for the month of September.

Speaking at the end of the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris, who chaired the proceedings, also said the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) stood at $323.69 million as at October 17 from the previous value of $133 million.

However, he said the total revenue comprised revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT), exchange gain and gross statutory revenue.

According to him the federal government received N293.80 billion while the states got N186.81 billion as well as the local government councils, which received N140.86 billion in the month under review.

The oil-producing states received N51.53 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue, while revenue generating agencies received N20.51 billion as cost of revenue collection.

Ahmed said gross statutory revenue for the month totaled N599.70 billion, less than the N631.79 billion recorded in

the preceding month by N32.09 billion.

He said gross revenue of N92.87 billion was available from VAT compared to N88.08 billion distributed in August, resulting in an increase of N4.79 billion.

He said the period yielded an exchange gain totaling N0.954 billion.

A breakdown of the distribution showed that from the gross statutory revenue of N599.70 billion, the federal government received N279.98 billion; states received 142.01 billion, while the local governments got N109.48 billion as well as the oil-producing states, which received N51.41 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

The revenue-collecting agencies received N16.80 billion as cost of collection.

Also, from the N92.87 billion raised from VAT, the federal government received N13.37 billion, states received N44.58 billion while LGs received N31.20 billion as well as the revenue generating agencies which received N3.71 billion.

A communique released after the meeting further noted that revenue from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Company Income Tax (CIT) decreased, while royalties, import and excise duties and VAT increased considerably.

Jonathan-led AU Observers Declare Mozambique Elections Peaceful, The African Union has described Mozambique’s October 15, 2019 general elections as peaceful and conducted in a transparent manner.

AU, which deployed a team of election experts and short-term observers to the southern African nation’s Presidential, legislative and provincial elections, noted that voting stations opened on time, while polling was largely conducted in a calm and peaceful environment throughout the day.

Head of AU Election Observation Mission and former President Goodluck Jonathan stated this in Maputo yesterday, while presenting the mission’s preliminary report at a press conference jointly held with many other election observation groups.

He recognised notable improvement in the legal framework and management of

the elections, notwithstanding the nation’s political and security challenges Declaring the process of voting as transparent, Jonathan further noted that in “all the polling stations we visited, polling staff were professional, knowledgeable and diligently followed the opening, voting, closing and counting procedures.”

The mission however observed that diligent application of the procedures made vote counting process cumbersome and slow.

He said: “In view of these findings, our initial conclusions are that the 2019 elections were well administered within an improved legal framework, while the political and security context remains uncertain.

The Mission commends the various stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to achieving this milestone so far.”

for money was undertaken by the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC).

The NNRC implements the Natural Resource Charter (NRC) in Nigeria, which is a set of principles intended for use by governments, societies, and the international community to determine how best to manage natural resource wealth for the benefit of current and future generations of citizens. Its activities are equally funded by the United Kingdom.

The NNRC report also indicated that the NNPC spent N276.872 billion on the operating

expenses of the refineries between 2015 and 2018, as well as $36 billion on petroleum products importation between 2013 and 2017.

According to the report, NNPC’s three refineries contribute less than 10 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.

It also noted that they are amongst the league of refineries with the highest operating costs worldwide, adding that their consolidated capacity utilisation dropped to 6.1 per cent at the end of September 2017.

NNRC indicated that in

addition to other sources, it got data for the research on the refineries’ operations from the monthly operations reports of the NNPC, adding that, the strategic goal of establishing local refining facilities and its associated supply chain as a socio-economic gamechanger that results in national development has continued to elude Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

It further explained the $36 billion the country spent on importing petroleum products in four years could have built for her four brand new refineries of similar capacity with the

650,000 barrels per day processing Dangote refinery in Lagos.

Nigeria, it added would have also been able to produce up to 200 million litres per day of fuel from these refineries if they had been built with the $36 billion spent for importation of petroleum products.

The NNRC in the report equally recommended to the federal government to divest up to75 per cent of its shareholding in the three refineries which have the capacity to refine 445,000 barrels of oil, to competent investors under a transparent and fair bidding process.

MAINTAINING PEACE IN THE LAND...

L-R: Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle; Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adewale Ajayi, after the statutory meeting of traditional rulers in Ogun State at the Obas Complex, Abeokuta… yesterday

Alleged $500,000 Bribery: Court Tells Farouk Lawan to Face Trial Justice Angela Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo yesterday ordered a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Lawan, to enter his defence in a case of $500,000 bribery allegation against him.

The court had overruled the no-case submission made by Lawan, through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) concerning the $500,000 bribery allegation against him.

The judge held that the perusal of evidence before the court showed that the prosecution

had made a case sufficient enough for the defendant to make some explanations.

Otaluka, therefore, ruled that the no-case submission made by the defendant was thereby overruled.

The judge adjourned the case until November 11, for the defendant to open his defence.

Ozekhome had on October 10, filed a no-case submission at the continued hearing of the bribery allegation against Lawan.

The senior lawyer in his submission said that the prosecution had failed to solidly

establish the defendant’s intent to commit the offence he was charged with.

He stated that the prosecution’s witnesses gave conflicting statements about the amount Lawan was alleged to have collected as a bribe.

Ozekhome also said that the video evidence the prosecution presented was blurred and could not prove that the content of the envelope Otedola gave Lawan was money.

He stated that the failure of the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest Lawan

immediately was enough evidence that they had no proof.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Lawan was being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for allegedly collecting $500,000 part of a $3 million bribe.

The money was said to have been requested to facilitate the removal of Otedola’s company from the list of firms indicted by the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy in 2012.

Ministers, MDAs Get Dates for 2020 Budget Defence Chuks Okocha in Abuja

With the passage of the second reading of the 2020 appropriation bill by the Senate, all federal ministries, departments and agencies have been given dates to commence the defence of their budgets in the Senate.

According to documents obtained by THISDAY from the Senate Committee on Appropriation titled: “The Senate Committee on Appropriation: Approved Timetable for the Consideration of the 2020

Appropriation Bill,” there would be a public hearing on the budget by the Senate between October 23 and 24, while the submission and defence of budget reports to the committee is expected to take place from October 30 to November 5.

The consideration and harmonisation of all reports of the sub-committees by the Appropriation Committee would take place between November 6 and November 27, while the presentation of the report of the committee to the Senate and

the House of Representatives is scheduled to take place on November 28.

The Senate sub-committees have the following schedules: on October 30, Capital Market, Cooperation and Integration, Downstream Petroleum Resources, Upstream Petroleum Resources, Local Content, Special Duties and National Planning are expected to defend their budgets.

Also to defend their budgets same day are: Trade and Investment, Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions,

Drugs and Narcotics, Anticorruption and Financial Crimes, Privatisation and SDGs. The concerned ministries, departments and agencies are expected to appear before the Senate committees between 10.00 a. m. and 6.00 p. m.

On October 31, INEC, FCT, Local and Foreign Debts, Finance, Marine Transport, Land Transport, States and Local Government, Public Accounts, Culture and Tourism are expected to defend their 2020 budget proposals.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

APC: Buhari Has Ended Era of Private Jets for Govt Officials The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has ended the era of public officials lavishing Nigeria’s

commonwealth on expensive trips.

The spokesman of the ruling party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said in a statement that unlike the era

FG Set to Confiscate P&ID Assets The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the federal government was already perfecting legal instruments to enable it to take over all assets of the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) Limited in the country.

Mohammed stated this yesterday when he led agencies under his ministry’s supervision to defend their 2020 budgets before the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation.

He said the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was working towards achieving total confiscation of all P&ID assets in Nigeria.

He said, “I am aware that the AGF is also working on registering the judgment in which the Nigerian court ordered the winding up of P&ID Nigeria.

“The important thing about it is that when this judgment is registered; it means that whatever belongs to P&ID

now the property of Nigeria.

“I am also aware that we are also working on instituting an action to set aside the entire award of $9.6 billion on the grounds that the award did not take into cognisance the fraud involved in the entire process .

“Some of these problems have just been brought to our notice, and we are actually working on them.

“The Ministry of Justice is going to institute another separate suit in London to ask the UK court to set aside the entire $9.6 billion judgment.

“I am also aware that efforts are being made to prosecute those Nigerians who have been found to be complicit or compromise their position for the P&ID to exploit us.

“Investigation is still going on to apprehend whoever is involved in the entire scandal.”

He said the P&ID had said it would seize Nigeria’s assets in the United Kingdom to enforce the order of a British court against Nigeria.

Lagos Govt, Firms Partner to Build Low-cost Innovation Centres Idowu Sowunmi Two agencies of Lagos State Government and four firms yesterday announced a partnership towards the construction of five innovation centres across the state, saying the initiatives were designed to ensure capacity building, competitiveness and ecosystem among start-ups and budding entrepreneurs.

Addressing a joint press conference in Ikeja yesterday, representatives of Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Versecom Limited, IHS Nigeria, Leadspace by Passion Incubator and Cisco Nigeria listed the five innovation centres to include: Energy and Environment Hub; Financial Inclusion Centre; Smart City and Health Initiative; Agricultural Hub; and Logistics and Mobility Innovation Centre.

They explained that the hubs would be located within different public parks around Lagos.

In his remarks, Co-founder/ CEO at Versecom, Mr. Timilehin Odusina, announced the construction of the Energy and Environment Hub, a low–cost initiative, located at Rafiu Jafojo Park in Shasha, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

According to him, the low–cost hub was created to tackle the cost of office and community barrier to business entry faced by most Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and freelancers in the country.

“This hub offers a seat at N1,000 per day, 50 per cent to

80 per cent lower than current market rates. The hub is targeted at idea stage – pre-seed startups and freelancers around Lagos,” Odusina said.

The Sales Director at IHS (Nigeria) Limited, Olaitan Ogunbiyi, on his part, explained that the Energy Hub located would be officially launched on November 1, saying the hub is the first of its kind, making IHS Nigeria the premier sponsor of this initiative. He added that the telecoms infrastructure giant would provide all the funds required to build the hub in its support for Energy and Environment causes, describing the project as one of IHS’ CSR pillars.

“The hub will be open to everyone, but the community events, challenges, among others will be tailored only towards Energy and Environment startups. In addition to the 500seat capacity dome, IHS Nigeria has funded the construction of an energy laboratory with equipment like transformer winder, oscilloscope and others in a bid to remove the barriers inhibiting innovation within the sector,” he said.

LSETF Head, Startups, Tosin Faniro-Dada, who spoke on behalf of Lagos State Government, commended the firms for embarking on the partnership, assuring that the state government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would continue to create enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when public officials flew private jets or first class at will, Buhari’s government is prudent with the nation’s resources.

The party was reacting to the president’s new directives to top government officials regarding travels.

The federal government has made it clear to public officials that “travel days will no longer attract payment of estacode allowances as duration

of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.”

Ministers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and directors in the ministry were also restricted to two foreign travels in a quarter, except there is approval from the president.

APC said the development showed the president is fulfilling his campaign promise

to “curb leakages.”

He said while the current administration is determined to reduce cost of governance, it would deploy resources saved to critical infrastructure that would benefit Nigerians.

“Clearly, the era of the Peoples Democratic Party, governments when ministers and other senior government appointees splashed our commonwealth on private jet trips, first-class tickets and limousines to ferry family and

cronies around are over,” IssaOnilu said.

“Our public resources are now being rightly deployed to address our national infrastructure needs, social investments and other initiatives that directly benefit the people.

“This is another fulfilment of the president’s election promise to cut the cost of governance, curb leakages, end impunity and ensure adherence to the rule of law by all departments of government.”

EDO 2020 ON THEIR MINDS…

L-R: Director General, Governor Obaseki Support Group (GOSG), Mr. Henry Idogun; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Taiwo Akerele, during a courtesy visit by members of GOSG, at Government House, Benin City, Edo State.

Don’t Blame Saraki for Your Woes, Zakari Cautions Kogi Ex-lawmaker Dike Onwuamaeze Former spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, has described the insinuation that former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is responsible for the current crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, as mischievous and irresponsible.

Zakari, in a statement issued recently, said it was very unfortunate that his former colleague in the House of Representative, who represented Yagba federal constituency, Sunday Karimi, would be linked to a statement that attributed the current crisis in party to Saraki for allegedly offering automatic

tickets to some federal legislators on the platform of PDP in Kogi State in the last general election.

He said Karimi stood the truth on its head and acted as a sore loser by holding Saraki responsible for a decision taken by the national leadership of the party that all National Assembly members who defected to PDP should be given automatic ticket.

According to him, “It was an open secret that both in PDP and All Progressives Congress (APC), after the gale of defections in the National Assembly before the last general election, members who defected to the respective parties and those who refused to defect were given automatic tickets. And except in a few

isolated cases, this directive of the national leadership was respected across board.

“How then can Karimi, who lost in his aspiration to leave the House of Representatives in order to slug it out with Senator Dino Melaye for the senatorial ticket, blame Saraki for his inability to get the ticket? Was it Saraki that conducted the screening and the primaries in Kogi State?

“Karimi is a sore loser. He was being immature and not behaving like a good sportsman.

Why did he not challenge the national leadership of the party when it took that decision? And how could Kogi State case be different when the same directive affected all the party chapters

across the country?”

Zakari, therefore, advised Karimi to desist from dragging the name of Saraki into his personal grouse and loss because “Saraki is not just a national leader of the PDP but also the leader of the party in the North-Central zone.

“We will not tolerate a situation where a Karimi who, because, he could not get the party’s senatorial ticket in the last election would now be sabotaging genuine efforts of the party to win the next governorship polls in the state by making statements aimed at derailing genuine efforts to unite all members behind the party as the governorship election approaches,” he noted.

Fashola Predicts Significant Drop in Food Prices Chineme Okafor in Abuja

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has asked Nigerians to expect significant drops in the prices of food consumed across the country.

He noted that although the price of food was still high, it was expected to come down significantly as supply increased, adding that this would be possible from improved food production in the country.

A statement issued yesterday from the minister’s office, explained that he made these comments when he hosted a United Nations Industrial

Development Organisation (UNIDO) delegation led by the Representative to the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Hub, Mr. Jean Bakole.

At the meeting with the UNIDO team, Fashola, equally noted that the federal government was committed to the renewal of Nigeria’s national infrastructure. He said this would make Nigerians happy.

Citing a data from the August 2019 selected food price watch of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), statement stated that the average price of one dozen of medium sized eggs decreased year-on-year by

2.58 per cent and month-on month by 1.37 per cent to N461.89, while the average price of one kilogramme of rice (imported high quality sold loose) decreased year-on-year by 4.91 per cent and increased month-on-month by 0.14 per cent to N356.61 in August 2019 from N356.10 in July 2019.

Similarly, the average price of one kilogramme of yam tuber decreased year-on-year by -35.13 per cent and increased month-on month by 11.23 per cent to N190.04 in August 2019 from N170.85 in July 2019.

However, Fashola explained that the government’s commitment to agriculture was yielding results in terms

of increase in food production such as rice and cereal.

He added that although the price of food was still high, it was expected to come down significantly as supply increased.

According to him, with the increase in food production, Nigeria was now supplying not only to local markets but to international markets such as the north and central African sub-regions.

The minister stated that the government would be glad to, “see more projects in manufacturing and all of that. Those are at the heart of helping the economy grow in small and medium businesses.”

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Govs, Igbo Leaders Ask Buhari to Declare State of Emergency in South-east President approves N10bn for upgrading of Enugu Airport Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja South-east governors and Igbo leaders yesterday in Abuja urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on decayed infrastructure in the region.

This is coming as the president

has approved N10 billion for the take-off of the expansion and rehabilitation work in Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Rising from a closed-door meeting with Buhari in the State House, the governors, accompanied by Igbo leaders,

Reduction in Oil Exploration May Plunge Nigeria into Long-term Risks, Explorationists Warn Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) has warned that the reduction in hydrocarbon exploration and steady depletion of the oil reserves will drive Nigeria into risks of long-term disruption to oil and gas supplies, power generation, collapse of industries and significant loss of revenue.

NAPE also declared that with Nigeria being a mono-economy that is largely dependent on the proceeds of crude oil for its sustenance, such inactivity in the exploration business will have dire consequences for the country.

The President of NAPE, Mr. Ajibola Oyebamiji, stated this yesterday in Lagos at a press conference ahead of the association’s 2019 Annual International Conference and Exhibition holding in Lagos between November 17 and 21, 2019, with the theme, “Expanding Nigeria’s Petroleum Landscape: Digitalisation, Innovation and Emerging Technologies.”

Oyebamiji stated that the nation’s oil and gas business is being hampered by several factors, including long procurement and contracting cycles, insecurity, oil theft and illegal refining, saying, the later even poses bigger threat to the sector than the fall in oil price.

“Nigeria is at risk of longterm disruption to oil and gas supplies, power generation,

a collapse of industries and significant loss of revenue due to continue reduction in hydrocarbon exploration activities.

Reduction in hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation has dire consequences for a country like Nigeria with a mono-economy hinged on crude oil.

“Procurement and contracting cycles in the Nigerian oil and gas industry is about 36 months, making it the longest and most inefficient in the world. The long contracting cycle results in high level of uncertainties in costing and planning, thereby creating a sluggish business climate.

“Insecurity, oil theft and illegal refining are bigger threats to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria than the declining price of oil. The current low oil price is rather a reflection of an over-supply of oil in the world market. In Nigeria, the low oil price regime has led to dwindling national wealth, more burdens on foreign reserves, pressure on infrastructure and social services, inability to meet commitments to institutional lenders, and the list of untoward outcomes is long.”

The NAPE president, who admitted that technology was the heart of all significant achievements in the oil and gas industry, added that the way hydrocarbon was discovered, developed and produced has been impacted by evolutionary technologies that have emerged since the Drake well of 1859.

Metuh to Face Trial over Alleged Destruction of Evidence A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Metuh, yesterday lost his bid to stop his trial before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

The trial judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, in a ruling rejected a no-case application made by Metuh in his trial for alleged destruction of evidence.

He was said to have committed the offence while he was being investigated by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) in relation to the purported looting of funds meant for the purchase of arms and ammunition during the administration of former President Goodluck

Jonathan.

Channels TV reported that after reviewing arguments by parties in the case, Justice Bello said, “The view of this court is that the application for a no-case submission is lacking in merit and it is hereby dismissed.”

The judge ordered Metuh to enter defence in respect of the prima facie case already established against him by the prosecution, led by Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.

He also adjourned the trial until November 20 for Metuh to open his case.

Metuh entered a no-case submission after the EFCC had called witnesses and tendered evidence in support of its case.

said there is a disconnect between the region and infrastructure, citing the deplorable state of roads in the zone as an illustration.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum and governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, said the delegation drew the attention of the president to the deplorable state of South-east roads as well as the plights of the people of the region, which he said had been worsened by the closure of Enugu Airport.

Umahi said the situation needed immediate intervention in view of the industrious nature of the people of the South-east whom he said had to move

from one place to the other as traders and businessmen.

However, the governor added that the president noted the complaints of the delegation and promised to act on them.

He also said the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, told the meeting that the hitherto impediment against the take-off of the expansion work in Enugu Airport had been addressed and hence, the project would take off without any further delay.

According to Umahi, the necessity to start and complete the Enugu Airport project had become compelling because “what Kaduna is to the North is what Enugu is to the Southeast,” adding that the rail projects in the region would also soon

take-off.

“The good take-aways from the meeting is that we are happy because Enugu Airport will be alive again. We are happy with the hardworking Aviation Minister,” Umahi said.

Following the complaints of the Igbo leaders, the president approved N10 billion for the take-off of the expansion and rehabilitation work in Akanu Ibiam International Airport with a remark that he had the assurance from Sirika that the project would be expeditiously executed. The president, who announced the approval on his Twitter handle, @MBuhari, said: “I have approved the sum of N10 billion for an intervention fund for the upgrade of the

Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. I have the assurance of the Minister of Aviation that the work will be done speedily and to the highest standards.

“Even as we have many items competing for our limited resources, we will continue to prioritise infrastructure investments in every part of the country. It is our responsibility to ensure Nigeria’s infrastructure is fixed; we will keep doing this.”

Umahi also said the attention of the president was drawn to the state of Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, stating that there is a need to expand the runway of the airport and simultaneously carry out an extensive work on the tarmac.

SETTING DEVELOPMENT AGENDA …

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello; Mr. Japh Nwosu; Senator Sola Adeyeye; Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mr. Benedict Alabi; Governor of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola; Dr.Goke Adegoroye; and Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC), Osun State, Prince Gboyega Famodun, during Osun State Executive Council Retreat...yesterday

Report Alleges Inducement of Voters on Kogi, Bayelsa Polls Peter Uzoho As count down nears the climax ahead of the November governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States, a report by a non-profit organisation, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Africa, has revealed alleged inducement of voters by the political actors and their parties to win the election.

The report signed by the Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, and made available to THISDAY, however said that all stakeholders

including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and political associations were building momentum.

According to the report filed in by the YIAGA Africa’s Watching The Vote Long Term Observers (WTV LTO), which was based on INEC’s preparedness, political campaigns, voter education, participation of marginalized groups, and early warning signs of electoral violence, voter inducement was reported in at least one in every three of the 21 local government areas (LGAs)

in Kogi State and in all the LGAs in Bayelsa State.

The report said: “WTV LTOs witnessed or heard of cases of voter inducement in Kolokuma/ Opokuma, Southern Ijaw, Yenagoa, Brass, Ogbia, Nembe and Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa State and in Adavi, Ogori Mangogo, Okehi,Okene, Bassa, Ibaji, Idah, Kabba/Bunu and Kogi K.K LGA in Kogi State”.

It recommended that the INEC should ensure inclusion, especially of all marginalized groups, adding that there is a need for a more proactive and targeted communication, using different

channels of communication on the electoral process.

The report further recommended: “The gubernatorial elections will be having a large number of political parties contesting (23 in Kogi and 45 in Bayelsa). This may increase pressure on INEC and more importantly on polling officials on election day. INEC should, therefore, beef up its oversight and monitoring mechanisms that will further strengthen and ensure compliance to the electoral laws and guidelines, while avoiding unnecessary postponements of polls.

Osinbajo Inspects Farm Founded by Ex-militant in Nasarawa Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday visited the Nigerian Farmers Group and Cooperative Society (NFGCS) farm centre located in Gaa’te village, Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, said in a statement in Abuja, that the vice president was accompanied by Governor Abdullahi Sule on the visit.

Osinbajo commended the communities in Hadari Emirate district in Kokona

LGA for coming together to form a farm settlement for the production of livestock and crop products under the auspices of the NFGCS. He described the NFGCS farm as a true Nigerian story of honesty, hard work and cooperation regardless of ethnic differences and social background.

The NFGCS farm, coordinated by an ex-Niger Delta agitator, Mr. Reston Tedheke, started with three hectares and N1.5 million

in 2017, the statement said.

At present, it occupies 3,000 hectares of land and was worth about a N1 billion with over 300 people employed.

“Just going around today, I have seen a lot of hope that indeed this country can work and work very well again.

“If the people of this community can do all of what we are seeing here today, growing rice, other grains and also selling the products, I am very sure they will soon start

exporting it; I think this is how it should really be.

“Tedheke is inspired by the Buhari administration’s focus on Agricultural diversification of the Nigerian economy; the components of the farm include a ranch, crop farm, poultry and a rice mill, among others. “You can see that Tedheke left Delta State with his family to live here, and they can feel safe here and enjoy everything that the indigenes of this State enjoy.”

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͶ˜ Ͱͮͯͷ

COMMENT

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

A NATIONAL DAY FOR ZIK OF AFRICA

Nnamdi Azikiwe, foremost nationalist, deserves a holiday on his birthday, writes Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

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igerians across all the divides cannot forget in a hurry that the country could not have become independent on October 1, 1960 if not for the resolve of one iconic nationalist. When others were fighting for their ethnic groups he stood firm for one Nigeria against very formidable odds. As a result of his unparalleled efforts Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe would in the course of time become the only black Governor-General of Nigeria, the first President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the only Nigerian whose name appeared in a Constitution of Nigeria, the first Senate President, among many other sterling firsts.

The great one fondly called Zik of Africa remains a binding force of togetherness in Nigeria even in death. He deserves a national holiday on his birthday, November 16, as eminently highlighted

by Chief Willie Obiano, the Governor of Anambra State, by urging President Muhammadu Buhari to declare the birthday of Nigeria’s first president as a public holiday.

Governor Obiano who made the call at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka while marking Nigeria’s 59th Independence celebration stressed that some African nations like Ghana and Tanzania had honoured their pan-African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. He described Dr. Azikiwe as the greatest Nigerian who lived in the last century and argued that with the requisite honour being given to Zik it would enable the people to have a better understanding of Africa and the black race that Azikiwe inspired.

The governor revealed that Zik inspired notable citizens and nationalists, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Bashorun MKO Abiola, with his intelligence, eloquence and public oratorical skills.

Leading from the front, Governor Obiano stated that Anambra State will start to observe November 16 annually as a Work-Free Day in commemoration of the birthday of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. He pointed out that the day would be set aside to reflect on the contributions of Dr. Azikiwe to the growth of the country at large.

There is no gainsaying that Zik remains Nigeria’s foremost nationalist and therefore deserves a national holiday. This comes from the background of President Buhari having set the precedent of honoring the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential vote, Chief Moshood Abiola, with the renaming of the National Stadium in Abuja after him, bestowing on him the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, Nigeria’s highest national honour given to only heads of state, and making June 12 a national holiday.

As the erudite Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said, “Abiola never left anyone in doubt that he was greatly inspired by the nationalism, patriotism and sportsmanlike spirit of Nigeria’s first president, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, GCFR, P C. Abiola remained an avowed Zikist up to his death.”

On his part, Governor Obiano reiterated: “It has become

A NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOR THE LEADER WHO MADE NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE POSSIBLE IS VERY IMPERATIVE. THE NNAMDI AZIKIWE NATIONAL HOLIDAY, OR ZIK’S DAY, IS AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

imperative to remind President Buhari of the request I made to him on behalf of the government and people of Anambra State when he visited Onitsha to commission the newly completed Zik Mausoleum last January 24 that he declare Zik’s birthday a national holiday. Ghanaians observe the birthday of their first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, himself a Zik protégé. Tanzanians observe a national holiday in memory of their first president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, as Angolans do in memory of Dr Agustiono Neto, their first president. The Great Zik of Africa was not just Nigeria’s first president or the man who led Nigeria to independence in 1960. He was Nigeria’s first indigenous Governor General and the first Senate President. He was the first Nigerian to build a bank, thus inspiring his colleagues as regional premiers in the 1950s to establish their own banks. He was also the first Nigerian to set up a university, and consequently challenged his peers to follow in his footsteps. A Nigerian nationalist of incomparable status and a man of letters through and through, the Great Zik of Africa had established as early as the 1950s newspapers in Ibadan, Zaria, Kano, Onitsha, Port Harcourt and, of course, Lagos to fight for Nigeria’s liberation from oppressive colonial rule. Zik inspired a generation of Africans, including the late President Nkrumah of Ghana, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nwafor Orizu, who became Nigeria’s second Senate President. It has, therefore, become a national scandal that a national holiday has yet to be declared in honour of this great African son. The people and government of Anambra State once again call upon President Buhari to end this national blight by declaring November 16 of every year a national holiday in commemoration of Dr Azikiwe’s birthday.”

A quintessential Renaissance man, Zik was a politician, poet, author, orator, sportsman, visionary, nationalist, but above all else, a remarkable human being.

Zik lived and died as the acclaimed Father of Modern Nigeria.

He was the complete Nigerian. Born in the Hausa-Fulani North of Eastern Igbo parentage, Zik spent his most productive years in the Yoruba West. He spoke Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo fluently, as well as other Nigerian languages. He was a welcome presence everywhere in the country.

A native of Onitsha in Anambra State, Zik was born on November 16, 1904 in Zungeru and died on May 11, 1996.

Zik who wore the traditional title of Owelle of Onitsha with uncommon aplomb was the lionized author of books such as Renascent Africa, Liberia in World Politics, My Odyssey etc.

A national holiday for the leader who made Nigeria’s independence possible is very imperative. The Nnamdi Azikiwe national holiday, or Zik’s Day, is an idea whose time has come in celebration of the father of modern Nigeria. It is incumbent on President Buhari to make it happen.

A MAN AND A STAR’

Rajendra K. Aneja pays tribute to Amitabh Bachchan, a renowned Indian actor

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t Lagos airport in Nigeria, after seeing my Indian passport, the Immigration officer announced to me, “You are from the land of Amitabh Bachchan! Another time, “The salesman in the garments shop in Khobar shopping mall in Damam, Saudi Arabia asked me, “You are from India. Do you know Mr. Amitabh Bachchan?” “How do you know Mr. Bachchan,” I queried back, “Oh! We see all his pictures. He is a great actor.”

Later, I was working the grocery retail outlets in Dakar in Senegal. I noticed an African shopkeeper watching the movie “Deewar” with French subtitles. I could not help asking him, how and why was he watching an Indian movie thousands of miles away. “I love Amitabh Bachchan, I watch all his movies,” he told me.

I was amazed at the fan following of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan beyond the boundaries of India.

Now, the Government of India has bestowed the prestigious “Dada Saheb Phalke Award” to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, the renowned Indian actor.

A man, who has learnt to defy defeat, and shows grace under stress. Even though Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is a Big star, he is a fine human being too.

Decades ago, he surfaced from the unknown, as the anguished Dr. Bhaskar, in “Anand”, pitted against the reigning superhero. He was thin, bony and could barely walk straight. Yet, he stirred the chords of our hearts with his anguished eyes, his deep, resonant voice and his portrayal of a sensitive young man, imprisoned by his conscience. He was the actor in ‘Anand’ and the lead hero was reduced to a star.

Over the years he made us laugh, cry, rejoice, dance and sing with him. He impressed us with his versatility. His fiery anger and patriotism in ‘Saat Hindustani’ made us proud to be Indians.

When he walked the last stretch on his torn and

tortured feet, we waited with taut breath for him to reach the Indian border. Our hearts swelled with a mysterious pride, that there could be Indians like the one he portrayed.

We understood his smouldering bitterness in ‘Deewar’. His anguish when his mother and brother desert him. Then he tore to smithereens the deed of the building, he had bought as a gift for his mother. We adored him when he worshipped his mother in ‘Trishul’. We wept at his unshed tears throughout the film. No one could move us, the way he did.

He was among the talented few who spoke volumes through his eyes, without using words. We remember his silent, suffering love for Jaya Bhaduri in ‘Sholay’. We silently admired him, even when he cheated on his wife in ‘Silsila’. We understood him.

How can one ignore the smouldering embers of unrelinquished love in the human breast, said we and rationalised his unfaithfulness.

We understood your suppressed anger when his ego was mauled in ‘Abhiman’, when a look of his, spoke more about his wounds, than a spate of dialogue would have. We were in splits of laughter over his accent and pranks as Anthony Gonsalves.

Then, he had that horrendous accident in Bangalore. He fought a battle in real life, moment to moment. We held our breath, waiting for him to open his eyes and speak. We said that the gods cannot be so unkind or unfair. They cannot hurt a man who made us laugh and forget our sorrows with his smiles and songs.

We followed every nimble step he took in the hospital corridors to test the strength of his limbs.

When he left the hospital on his own feet, with a defiant fist waging in the air, we heaved a sigh of relief.

The burning sincerity of his eyes and the voice resonant with conviction, made him a star for everyone. He could speak volumes with the twitch

of a facial muscle or the flicker of his eyes.

Not everyone is gifted with the ability to make others laugh, enjoy or even weep. Amitabh Bachchan clearly is.

29 December, 1984. The Howrah Mail clattered into the cold Allahabad station. It was 5.30 a.m.

In the streets, darkness shrouded the silhouettes of giant cut-outs of his face, but the town was quivering with life.

Loudspeakers at various junctions were playing songs from his films. For, at midnight, he had been declared elected. Late afternoon, the hotel manager requested me not to leave the premises. “There is a press conference. The gates will be closed. If you go now, you could return only after the press meeting, around 8 p.m.,” he said.

I had always admired his histrionics. So, I stayed on to catch a glimpse of him in real life.

Three hours before the conference, the hotel was encircled by two rounds of policemen, buffered by a third round of mounted policemen. Behind them, the crowd swarmed in hordes. Since I did not belong to the press ilk, I was not permitted in the meeting hall. After the press conference, the proprietor’s family was having tea with him. About 20 policemen guarded the entrance to the lawns.

My colleague told me, “Sir, I will take you in.

However, ask no questions, talk to no one and look straight ahead, authoritatively.” I acquiesced. In a few seconds, I had glided through the policemen, into the lawns. Years later, the colleague told me how he had ‘rustled’ me through – he had just whispered to the policemen, “DIG saheb aayen hain!” (The Deputy Inspector General of Police has come!)

On the lawn, admirers besieged him. “In the film industry, nobody’s ‘sifarish’ (recommendation) can help you,” he was counselling some youngsters.

When I finally met him, I asked, “Can I have a photograph with you?” He sensed that I did not

hail from Allahabad, and smiled. “You see no one will believe that I ever met you!” I added.

He was being inundated for recommendations to film directors and was amused at someone merely wanting a picture with him. He smiled again, and said in his sonorous voice, “Come with me.” He led me by the arm to a corner of the lawn and summoned the photographers. When two of them started photographing us, he stopped them. He insisted that all five photographers be present and take our pictures. A wee gesture. However, I was touched by the concern he showed to ensure that all the photographers took pictures of us.

Suddenly, in the middle of the photographs, he started waving. There was no one in sight that I could see. Then, I noticed that two girls in the balcony of a second floor house, quite some distance away were waving out to him. Once again, I was impressed that he had observed the girls waving to him from afar, and had responded to them. It took me three months and Rs. 1,500 (about USD 23) to finally get the photographs! Finally, I did!

Later, he went through various political and professional tumults. I was sorry when he resigned his seat. Perhaps, because I had seen how joyous he was on the day he had won it.

Later in 1992, I found myself sitting on a table next to his, at an ‘Awards Night’. The company I worked for was sponsoring the function. The theme was ‘Brave New Faces’. However, the entire gathering had eyes purely for him. His very presence was electrifying. Wherever he walked, people stood up in waves to catch his glimpse. He was a star, even for the stars!

Dimple Kapadia, opened the envelope and almost screamed the name Amitabh Bachchan with excitement, as the ‘Best Actor’.

Aneja was Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania and has authored a Book “Rural Marketing Across Countries”

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019

EDITORIAL THE TANKER EXPLOSION IN ONITSHA The authorities must do more about the deplorable state of roads across the country

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or the third time within the past 10 months, and a second time in Onitsha, Anambra State in the past four years, it was another hell on earth for several families on Thursday following the explosion of a fuel-laden tanker. Dozens of residential buildings and hundreds of lock- up shops were gutted by the fire. But the most tragic fall-out was the death of a woman and her daughter in the inferno. According to reports, the vehicle was descending from the Zik’s roundabout end of Onitsha -Enugu expressway when the driver lost control and veered off the service lane. The tanker’s head reportedly fell off and went up in flames after spilling its content within the area.

In January this year, exactly six months after a tanker truck loaded with petrol fell and spilled its contents on the Otedola Bridge axis on LagosIbadan expressway, bursting into flames and killing several motorists, a similar tragedy occurred in Odukpani Local THE FEDERAL ROAD Government Area SAFETY CORPS, VEHICLE of Cross River State.

INSPECTION OFFICERS The tanker was heading outside the AND THE POLICE SHOULD COLLABORATE state capital when IN ENFORCING TRAFFIC the driver reportedly lost control of the RULES ACROSS THE steering in a futile COUNTRY TO STOP attempt to dodge a THESE SENSELESS pothole. While the MAYHEM villagers who had rushed to the scene to scoop fuel from the upturned tanker were still busy filling their jerry cans, an oncoming vehicle was said to have hit the tanker, causing an instant explosion.

In the wake of these tragedies, there has been unending debate about the nightmare that fuel tanker drivers have become in our country in recent years. In four separate incidents within a spate of one

week in 2015, no fewer than 100 people were killed with property worth hundreds of millions of naira destroyed. Four years ago in the same Onitsha, no fewer than 85 fatalities were recorded when a petrolladen tanker lost control and rammed into a public motor park. Several buildings, vehicles and property worth millions of naira were consumed by the fire.

Scores of others with different degrees of burns are also still in various hospitals across the state.

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T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

hile we commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives in the most recent cases, we would like to again restate this newspaper’s position on the dangers posed by tanker drivers. In most countries, petroleum products are transported through pipelines and not by putting thousands of vehicles on the road every day as we do in Nigeria. A solution has to be found to that challenge. Meanwhile, we urge the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and the police to collaborate in jointly enforcing traffic rules across the country to stop these avoidable and senseless mayhem.

For years, many Nigerians have been at the mercy of these killer-drivers whose daredevilry on the road have claimed the lives of numerous innocent citizens. These drivers have no regard for traffic rules and regulations and under the cover of a strong union that goes on strike at the slightest excuse, they have become laws unto themselves.

The manner in which they go about terrorising other road users had always left the public wondering whether these drivers were under some instruction to break the rules of civilised conduct.

The number of fatalities arising from petrol tanker explosions on our roads is unacceptable.

That is aside the billions of naira that is lost to such fire incidents and the survivors who are scarred for life. If we are not to continue counting body bags, the authorities must do something about the deplorable state of most roads across Nigeria.

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IS COMMUNICATION TAX THE LAST RESORT?

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igeria is in a revenue crisis and the government is looking to create revenue to fund the nation’s expenses. As a result, the government is proposing to increase Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5% to 7.5%. This proposed increase has been widely criticised by Nigerians both locally and from the diaspora. A few economic analysts have come out to explain that the tax will not affect the poor masses but only the rich who can afford luxury items. This view has been criticised by some analysts as well as social commentators. Among the critics of the VAT increment is Senator Ali Ndume. Senator Ali Ndume recently sponsored a Communications Tax Bill which he believes should take the place of the VAT. It is indeed highly commendable that the senator has the welfare of the common masses at heart. At least, the senator claims that his disagreement with the VAT is because the tax increment will affect the over 200m Nigerians, both the rich minority who may not feel it and the poor majority who will bear the brunt. Following this, the senator came up with the Communications Tax Bill.

What is pretty interesting, at the same time confusing, is the rationale for the proposed bill. The senator believes the communications tax bill would only affect the rich minority and a little part of the poor majority. Examining this with reference to data from NCC, there are 173m active mobile lines in Nigeria as at June 2019. The senator who in a recent discussion on Channels TV opined that there are only about 60m mobile subscribers, argues that this number of people should be taxed instead of the whole 200m Nigerians who

would be affected by the VAT. Following his logic, the mobile users in Nigeria are not poor.

He believes that an average Nigerian who has a phone should be taxed because they can afford to pay. It is also hilarious that the senator believes it is discretionary. In this century, the use of telecommunication services is as necessary as feeding.

People make a living from telecommunication services.

Please someone should inform the senator that a majority of the citizens are poor. In this case, the logic that the poor will not be affected is flawed.

What is even more mindboggling is that the proposed communications tax is pegged at 9% while the VAT increment will put it at 7.5%. When asked why 9%, his defence was Ghana’s increased their communications service tax from 6% to 9% this year. What the senator has ignored is that it has taken quite some time for Ghana to increase its telecommunications tax to 9%. The 6% tax was implemented in 2008.

The senator also missed the fact that Ghana does not have multiple taxes on telecommunication as Nigeria has.

The Nigerian telecommunication service has about 39 taxes already. It is also noteworthy to mention that Ghana has the tax remitted to improve the telecommunication sector in the country and not remitted to the government as the senator has proposed.

While communication services are getting cheaper around the world, Nigeria should not be looking to encumber its citizens by placing a consumer tax on the telecom sector which will be paid by the service users.

Ojo Maduekwe, Lagos

THE WAGES OF BAD ROADS

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oad is a very good element of development, it brings rapid growth to an environment. And to farmers, good roads promote commerce and ensure a free flow of the value chain. To an estate manager or investor, when there are good roads in the location of investments, our properties become hot cakes. However, where we find ourselves today has made it very easy to live without good roads.

We have been conformed to believe that road construction by any government is a privilege and never a right. What a configuration!

Most of our roads have become ambush sites for kidnappers as they have discovered one needs to reduce acceleration as he or she drives on such roads. Aside kidnapping, the condition of many of our roads has sent so many commuters back to their villages as they can’t afford their vehicles’ maintenance any further. Many private car owners now spend more on servicing, alignment and even replacement of parts almost every week. How do we place this?

The suffering on these our bad roads is not even limited to the commercial bus drivers, the passengers too are enjoying the vibe.

Passengers pay more on transportation even to a short distance because of bad roads. Drivers now consider the cost of maintenance of vehicle and the quantity of fuel they will use navigating the pot holes and ditches on the road. Ado-Akure is now almost same amount as Akure-Ibadan. No wonder, Akure-Abuja is farther than ever before. No wonder, adolescents with unwanted pregnancy do not go to hospital or use pills for abortions again but now ply our pothole-filled roads to induce abortion.

It’s time we did something.

Yusuff Akinola, akinolayusuff34@gmail.com

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Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

Still on Xenophobic South Africa Caleb Arogundade makes a case for conducive atmosphere for all Nigerians to engage in legitimate activities

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ow that we have chased away the fox in Xenophobic South Africa, it is time for us to admonish the hen in Nigeria’s ‘leaders’. One of the problems that have bedevilled our country since independence is evidently lack of leadership in the true sense of the word.

We have passed through many exchange of batons among various leaders both civilian and military. Unfortunately, none of them can be said to have truly laid a very solid foundation for Nigeria’s greatness. This must not come to us as a surprise because it’s either this one was not prepared for the onerous task ahead or his successor was reluctant in taking over, but still did. In some other instances, choice of leaders had been necessitated by the need to appease some sections of the country and/ or for geographical balancing. Not necessarily for being ‘fit for purpose’.

We have witnessed instances whereby the person who eventually emerged as the President or Head of State just emerged by chance - child of necessity and or circumstance - as they used to refer to themselves. One of them recently wrote that on two separate occasions in the past, he had deliberately handed over ‘power’ to candidates of his choice and not necessarily that of the people. He had the audacity to say that. That their (those stooges) tenures ended in disastrous manners should not come as a surprise to anyone.

It has always been through one political accident or the other that the leaders have been cropping up. Even under the present dispensation, it wasn’t as if President Muhammadu Buhari was the best person to lead the country to it’s Biblical ‘promised land’ in 2015, but of the two ‘articles on display’ then, he appeared to be head and shoulders above his opponent both in stature and status. As a matter of fact, I was one of those who made that error of judgement then. Four years after that choice, the rest is now history. Unfortunately, we are where we are now, what should we do?

Against the backdrop of the recent ugly events in South Africa, there is the need for us to reassess our priorities as a nation. With the human and natural resources at our disposal, there can be no justification for the kind of embarrassment

Most of them are not driven in a year. If that is not madness nothing would be so qualified.

They don’t have any visible means of livelihood other than politics.

Nigerians suffer abroad if we have been having leaders who were and are not bereft of ideas.

Nigerians are doing very well in so many fields of human endeavour in the diaspora. It is quite unfortunate that the yardstick for measuring our capacity and capabilities as a people is the activities of very few individuals who engage in criminal activities all over the world. Travelling with the green passport has needlessly become a nightmare. This is something that should give any government very serious concern.

There is therefore the need to provide very conducive atmosphere for all Nigerians to engage in legitimate activities to enable them eke a living without necessarily travelling out. If any Nigerian now decides to travel out, it would be a matter of choice rather than an avenue to escape from the obviously terrible living (or surviving) conditions at home. We can make this happen if we can start to make those who steal our commonwealth ‘vomit’ them and also

ensure that they face appropriate repercussions in accordance with the laws. It must not be ‘business as usual’. The led (or already misled) should stop fighting over which thief is better, yours or mine. A thief should be treated as one to all intents and purposes. We must not wait until these unwilling returnees start to unleash their pent up anger on the hapless people. The attendant consequences would be unimaginable.

In some parts of the world, they suffer from a number of natural disasters due to no fault of theirs but just because of their geographical locations. In Nigeria, it’s a question of God so loving us that we’re not located along those axis where those incidents happen. Our equivalent of natural disasters in Nigeria are our leaders.

This is very unfortunate. In a country where many people struggle to have ‘one square meal’ in a day, you will get to some politicians houses and you would think you’re in a motor dealers show room with all kinds of cars on display.

What Shall We Do? To start with, our political office holders must no longer be allowed to seek medical attention outside of the country. If this becomes operative, they will be forced to ensure that our hospitals cease from being mere consulting clinics.

Secondly, children of Nigeria’s public office holders must all attend public schools in Nigeria.

If this becomes operative, our public schools will receive adequate attention and so regain their lost glory.

Further more, the use of power generating sets in public officers’ houses as well as offices must stop immediately. If this becomes operative, we can all be assured of uninterrupted power supply all over the country within the shortest possible time.

In addition, no public office holders or public offices should patronize those who supply water through tankers. If this becomes operative, all dry water pipes in Nigeria would have water running from them within the shortest possible time.

The problem is that these privileged few called politicians are very far from the people they govern such that they don’t feel what the masses feel. It was possible for Jesus Christ to feel the pains of the people because he came in flesh and blood otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to feel what the people were feeling.

All the suggestions above should be applicable up to Aso Rock. Recently, I read about one of the governors advising people travelling to his state to travel by air for security reasons. How many people can afford the cost? People are complaining about lack of bread, you’re saying they should try cake instead.

The last but definitely not the least is that our public office holders, including the President, should be travelling on the road when travelling from one part of the country to another. By so doing, they will ensure that our roads are not only motorable, but safe for travelling purposes.

Until we do these, our embarrassment in the hands of lesser nations will continue unabated.

Why Nigeria is Down Nimi Wariboko urges Nigerians to pursue the good by seeking a predetermined outcome

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n Nigeria, the pursuit of perfection or excellence is almost a crime. You have heard that it has been said by the wise men and women that the perfect must not become the enemy of the good. But I say unto you, the perfect must be the enemy of the good. Nigerians, let the perfect become the enemy of the good in our country.

Nigerians, who has bewitched you that you should not trust in the perfect and you have turned your backs to the perfect in the hope of acquiring the mediocre, false good.

One of the major problems of this country is the belief in the good as the avoidance, if not, the destruction of the perfect. When there is a problem, whether at the personal, local, or national level, we are too quick to settle for the “good.” The so-called elders, wise men and women, will tell you not to aim too high, to compromise your ambitions, fudge on your goals, and settle for what is below your genuine expectation. We have made a habit of settling for the “good” because we do not want to shake things up. And where have we ended up after nearly 60 years of independence? We have a broken country: an economy that destroys our potentialities, a political system that is dysfunctional, health system that kills, an educational system that miseducates, and roads that behave like angry blood-thirsty gods.

Until a people are willing to imagine or see the perfect, they can never know if any of

their actions is good in the sense of it being a successive approximation to the perfect, which is always to come. Until we demand for the impossible from ourselves, our systems, and our nation, we can neither do the possible nor actualise our full potentialities.

You should no longer listen to anyone who tells you to go for the good—especially if you are young and want the best for yourself.

The good in Nigeria is a predetermined outcome; a grotesque being that usually crawls out of the morass of mediocrity to destroy potentialities, eat fortunes and destinies, and quenches the fire in our souls.

Nigerian young men and women, do not think that you are getting the good when you compromise your ambitions, your drives for excellence, or settle for less. Do not give up on your dream.

What is called the good in this country is actually a privation, a loss. In the Nigerian context, good is the deprivation of the perfect. The good is the mere absence of the perfect, or its corruption or diminishment.

The good is the loss of the drive toward the perfect. So, you can accumulate all the “goods” you want, bit your efforts will not lead to the realisation of your full potentials.

You will always be mediocre like my generation and those before it. My generation listened to the stupid “do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good” and see the kind of country we are bequeathing to you. My generation, arise and help your children. It is

not too late. I know there are still some of us who have not settled for the “stupid good” as the politically correct solution.

The good in our country is often a “political solution” that accents instant gratification and denies any sacrifice for the common good. What we call the good is never the common good of the country. It is always, at best, a half-measure. The good is the how-Ifor-do option: a disposition that is not open to transforming potentialities. But the perfect is a process that not only sees, but also opens up possibilities for human flourishing. Until as a people we can go for the option which exceeds what the present order of realities offers there will be no avenue to break out of our national woes.

The good is only the push and pull of our broken system’s determination of our collective fate. The perfect is that which will bring creative change and fulfillment, transcendent potentialities and transformations to our goals, experiences, and suffocating national reality. What our so-called wise men and women celebrate as the good is the poverty of ideas and the ideas of poverty. The perfect is the abundance of ideas and ideas of abundance. The good is about making peace with ongoing impediments to national progress, but the perfect is about initiating something new amid ongoing social processes, doing something new in our communities.

The good in Nigeria is a “doctrine” that

functions to exclude enlargement of vision and opportunities for citizens. We should avoid it as a plague. If you are young and you hear “do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good” run. Na dem; the people wey dey destroy future don come for you be dat. Run, my brother and my sister, run! If anyone tells you that you cannot be better than the youth in America, Europe, China, or Japan because you were born in Nigeria, leave that person and shake the dust off your feet. If your rulers or leaders do not tell you how you can be better than them or their children, they are the enemies of your progress. If you work very hard and diligently for any person or institution and you are offered less than what should be equitably due to you, outrightly reject it. The denial of equity is the rejection of the perfect; do not devalue your worth for any person or institution. To accept anything less than equity is to bow to the vicious gods who have held Nigeria down.

We have been searching for the devil in the supernatural realm when all the time he is with us in the guise of all those who are destroying our youth’s future. Nigerian youths do not let the bankrupt generations before yours use religion or ethnicity to divert your attention from the perfect and confuse you.

From this day forward, let the perfect be the enemy of the good in your life.

-Wariboko is a Professor of Economic and Social Ethics at Boston University, USA

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PERSPECTIVE

How Ihedioha is Fixing Collapsed Roads in Imo Chibuike Onyeukwu writes that Governor Emeka Ihedioha is determined to avoid further distortions and more problems

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n the course of a recent interview with a prominent citizen of Imo state and front line politician, a journalist with one of the leading national newspapers in Nigeria posed this question, “Can you talk to Governor Ihedioha in view of the current state of dilapidation and near frustration in Imo?” The politician in question, a very cerebral leader, gave a brilliant answer but it was in the question, itself, that I took interest. Two expressions that struck me in the question were; “talk to” and “State of Dilapidation” By requesting from the interviewee if he could “talk to Governor Ihedioha,” the interviewer tended to suggest that he believed that His Excellency is withholding action in tackling the dilapidation, and needs to be persuaded to do something. Even though it is hard to know whether the interviewer is an indigene of Imo state that aspect of the question tends to reflect a notion held in some quarters within the state.

But nothing can be more misleading.

There is not an atom of inaction or hesitance in pursuing the administration’s programme for tackling the near-collapsed state of infrastructure it inherited. Here, of course, the roads – both federal and state – are the main centre of concern because of their current abysmal state. However, it is already in public domain that in his 100 days in office, His Excellency flagged of 81-Kilometer urban roads rehabilitation project worth N23.4 billion. Fourteen roads are covered in the project in the Owerri capital territory while the state government has commenced discussions with the federal authorities over the rehabilitation of federal roads in the state.

The governor has emphasized at different times that his administration is very much concerned with the quality of work that will be delivered to the people.

The 14 roads earmarked for construction under the project include Nkume/Umuowa/ Owerri Ebiri/Umuna/Orlu; Imo State University Teaching Hospital/Umuna; Mgbidi/ Oguta; Douglas/Emmanuel College/Naze and Naze/Poly/Iheagwa/Obinze.

Others are Control-Post/World Bank; Ahiara Junction/Okpala; IMSU/Bishop’s Court; Okigwe Town/St. Mary’s Catholic Church; MCC/Toronto junction, Aba Branch/Ahiara Junction; Concord/Zuma/Port Harcourt, among others.

These are not inclusive of the N13.8 billion, 380km road rehabilitation projects in 20 local government areas in the state also flagged off by the governor through the RAMP 2 Project, as well as flag off of the N10 billion, Urualla Gully Erosion project in collaboration with NEWMAP. In spite of criticisms in some quarters, we cannot stop making references to what the

people saw in the past, not for pushing back the blame, as some people erroneously say, but in order to constantly remind ourselves that this administration has no option but to give the people a new and better deal. Through his proclamations at several fora, Governor Ihedioha has both inadvertently and deliberately armed the people with the ammunitions to confront him if he fails to live up to his promises, in this particular case on the quality of roads to be delivered to the people. It takes a lot of courage to do such a thing.

A good number of citizens of the state have on their own canvassed for understanding from the people, given, especially, the fact that the administration came in during the rainy season when not much could be done. While that remains a truism, the administration does not necessarily flaunt it. Nothing stops it from toeing the populist line and stampeding contractors into beginning and handing over roads in just a period of one month and get praised to high heavens. But it has since become quite clear to the people that the Ihedioha administration does not have populist tendencies and proclivity for

tentative accolades.

This type of attitude may have its own cost but to the administration, what matters is the ultimate. While stop-gap measures are being taken to provide palliatives, nothing can diminish the importance of the administration’s determination to ensure that the era of shoddy jobs are gone in the state. And it is a matter of time for the people to begin to work on their score cards on the governor and his administration, needless to emphasize that Governor Ihedioha shares passionately in the pains of the people but he is also very much aware of the fact that like all pains, this one is temporary. And for a leader who has a track record of performance, that he will also deliver this time around is like saying that tomorrow will come.

Perhaps unknown to many, most of the infrastructural facilities, particularly roads, that are currently in existence in the state – even if they are now in a state of decay – have inputs from him, either singularly or working in conjunction with other well meaning leaders in the state. For example, as Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, he attracted the 35

kilometres, dual carriage construction of the Owerri-Elele (Port Harcourt) at the cost of N23.5 billion. The approval and award of the contract for the dualization of the Owerri-Aba road, though still ongoing, was largely as a result of his efforts, not forgetting the several rehabilitation and maintenance of the Owerri – Umuahia road. The governor also facilitated various roads across the three zones in the state which are still very much in good shape today.

In Ngor Okpala, the road from Okpala Eziama to the border with Rivers state and the famous Mbaise ring road were courtesy of him as member representing Aboh Mbaise/ Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency. Today, the roads are still in a very good state even though the Rivers state end (from the border to Igwuruta) and which was constructed during the same period, has collapsed. We can go on and on but it is not just about Ihedioha and his “uncommon dexterity” but about the entire people of Imo state who have resolved to be on the same page with their governor as he rebuilds the state.

What led to the current unprecedented infrastructural decay in the state is known even to the school pupil in the state: Poor quality of jobs that were executed without due diligence and expert advice. Take the road expansion project of the immediate past administration, for example. Apart from that the “expanded” roads – Okigwe road, Wethedral road, Orlu road – are all collapsing, less than one year after they were done, the expansion, itself, is the major cause of the unprecedented flooding being witnessed in the state capital, Owerri.

And the reason is simply because, besides that the project was executed without input from experts, it was done in contravention of the provisions of the Owerri Capital City Master Plan that was drawn up right from the inception of the state in 1976; and which every successive administration between then and 2011, had tried to adhere to.

Unknown to many, the consultants that produced the Master Plan were specific on the size of the roads, size of drainages and number of manholes that should be constructed in the city; and warned that any distortion of the Master Plan will lead to disaster especially as Owerri, from reports is situated in a valley. The result of going against that advice is what we are seeing today.

Determined to avoid further distortions and, therefore, more problems, His Excellency has dusted up the Master Plan. A couple of weeks ago, the government set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Land and other Related Matters, covering between 2006 and May 2011.

-Onyeukwu writes from Owerri

Dismantling the Ubas’ Hold on Anambra Politics Azubuike Ubani posits that the era of Uba brothers’ stranglehold on Anambra political terrain is over

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he politics in Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria is an interesting and at times a dramatic one.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, the state has had its fair share of political violence, godfatherism and the citizens left out without a meaningful voice in the selection of the political leaders until the 2003 elections that saw an established banker and businessman Mr. Peter Obi vie for the governorship of the state.

Prior to 2003 a few individuals had always sat and decided who got what whether the person was qualified or not or whether the person was prepared for the position or not. As a result, Anambra State has had reluctant leaders who are either not qualified for or ill-prepared for the office to which they are dragged into.

Political observers say there is one family, which has risen from relative nebulousness to being among top decision makers in the leadership of the state – the Uba family from Uga in Aguata Local Government Area.

History has been kind to the family as it has, within a space of 15 years, loomed large in the political stratosphere of the state and has produced one governor and two senators, with the last of the brothers trying albeit unsuccessfully to get into the Red Chamber thus making them the first family to have produced three senators in the country. Not only have the two senators, at separate times, represented their constituency (Anambra South) in the Senate, they have been credited with being among the ‘godfathers’ that installed a former governor in the state along with all state and federal lawmakers in the state.

There is Dr. Ugochukwu Uba, the eldest of the three Uba brothers, a medical

practitioner in Jos, the Plateau State capital before his adventure into politics under the botched (Sani) Abacha transition programme. He later became a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from 2003- 2007. His brother Senator Nnamdi (Andy) Uba was resident in the United States before he was recalled to serve as former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Domestic Affairs. He later contested in the governorship elections in 2007 on the platform of PDP and won.

The youngest of the Uba brothers, Chris, a businessman and chieftain of the PDP is the self-acclaimed godfather of Anambra politics. He has never held any political office; but political pundits said he presided over an arrangement that produced a governor, all National Assembly seats in the Senate and House of Representatives as well as all members of the state house of assembly in 2003.

He won the ticket to run for the Senate in 2019. If he had succeeded at the polls, then all the Uba brothers would have held the Senate seat for Anambra South.

The dream of Andy for a third shot at the Senate was challenged by Chris who said he would want his brother to support his ambition but their dreams of going to the red chambers was truncated by businessman, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. This was the first time that two brothers tested their strength and popularity at the polls, an exercise that they lost to the incumbent. Of the three brothers, analysts acknowledge Andy as the person on whose platform the Uba family’s dominance in Anambra politics was built.

However, in spite of the clear margin, with which Ifeanyi Ubah defeated the

brothers, apparently dismantling their hold on Anambra politics, they have remained adamant even after losing at the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal. As a result of this, many political gladiators and analysts or even the citizens have actually asked, ‘What do the Uba brothers want?’

Senator Andy Uba and his brother, Chris Uba were among the 26 contestants for the office of Senator Representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Both brothers had come second and fourth respectively in the February 23 senatorial election, which produced Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) as Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

However, both Senator Andy Uba who contested on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his brother who contested under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dragged the winner of the senatorial election, Ifeanyi Ubah and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the tribunal seeking among other things the nullification of Ifeanyi Ubah’s victory.

In their separate petitions both filed on March 16, they alleged corrupt practices and substantial non-compliance with the electoral laws and separately prayed the tribunal to declare them as winner of the poll after what appeared an overwhelm defeat.

Many political observers and analysts are at home and awash with the opinion that the era of Uba brothers stranglehold on Anambra political terrain was over, for good; as Anambra South constituents look forward to better representation.

Consequently, no one was surprised that a more popular Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, contesting on the platform of an obscure party, the Young Progressive Party (YPP), in a situation that could describe him as having contested and won as an “independent” candidate. It is pertinent at this juncture to say that Senator Ifeanyi Ubah who had 87,081 on the platform of YPP to win a senatorial seat, did come a long way more of an “independent candidate” when compared with 21,886 that the YPP’s Presidential candidate garnered, nationally.

Delivering judgment in the separate petitions, the three-man panel led by Justice Okara Thelma in a unanimous decision dismissed the petitions on the grounds that the petitioners in their separate petitions failed to prove the allegations that Ifeanyi Ubah was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast in the February 23 senatorial election.

A copy of the judgment delivered on September 9, 2019 and obtained by this reporter revealed that apart from the inability of the petitioners to prove their cases, witnesses called particularly by Chris Uba muddled up the case of the petitioner by contradicting their own statement and the main petition, particularly on the issue of the smart card reader.

Chris Uba’s petition suffered more disaster when his star witness, Harrison Etaga, an expert who claimed to have analysed and produced a smart card reader report muddled up the case. The smart card report formed the basis of the petitioner’s reply to the respondents and also the additional statement on oath of the witnesses.

-Ubani, a political analyst, is based in Lagos

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T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2019

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO 8.23 % 9.29 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

5.50 % 7% 8.50 %

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

S E P T E M B E R S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

411.53 % 0.05 % 0.36 %

2 7 , 2 0 1 9

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE 2.81 % YEAR TO DATE 15.28 %

EXCHANGE RATE N306.95/1US DOLLAR* ̩

Quick Takes Arik Air Reconnects Owerri

Arik Air has re-launched flight services to Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri the Imo State capital.The airline said daily flights to Owerri fromtheMurtalaMuhammedDomesticAirport;Lagoswouldresume on Monday, October 21, 2019. Arik Air explained that it suspended flights to Owerri early this year, due to operational exigencies, saying since then passengers have been yearning for a return of the leading carrier.

The re-launch of flights to Owerri is coming on the heels of the resumption of services toWarri by the airline on September 6, 2019.

ArikAir’sChiefExecutiveOfficer,CaptainRoyIlegbodusaid,“Wemade apromisetoouresteemedcustomersthatwewillbereturningtothe routes that were suspended earlier in the year and our resumption of flights to Warri and now Owerri is a promise kept.”

Spokesmanoftheairline,AdebanjiOlasaidinthecomingweeks,the airlinewouldbereturningtomorepreviouslysuspendeddestinations as well as opening more routes to cope with passengers’ demands.

Qatar Begins Flight to Langkawi, Malaysia

RENEWED PARTNERSHIP

L-R: Managing Director, Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Oye Hassan-Odukale and Chief Executive Office, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Lamin Manjang, at the Bancassurance partnership relaunch between both institutions in Lagos… recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Travellers Lament Resurgence of Extortion

by Security Operatives at MMIA Chinedu Eze Travellers and other airport users have once more lamented the alleged brazen extortion going on by security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The passengers who complained about the development, said it seemed the illicit act has resurged after a noticeable lull in the last few months. They told THISDAY that the security operatives comprising the Nigeria Immigration Service, Quarantine officials, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) personnel and the Nigeria Police have

AVIATION devised ways to extort money from passengers from the entrance of the airport terminal through the screening areas, including arriving passengers who are allegedly heavily fined illegally for their cargo.

THISDAY findings revealed that in a little cubicle attached to the X-ray machine at the main entrance of the terminal, the security operatives stop passengers and demand their luggage, which they search and sometimes corner some of the passengers to extort money from them.

Also at the central screen-

ing areas, THISDAY gathered that officials of NDLEA and the Nigerian Immigration Service allegedly exploit the ignorance of some passengers by raising trump up charges of misconduct or not having the right documentation and freeing them to board their flights after they have parted with money.

An airline official who works at the airport disclosed in Lagos that the extortion has taken a new dimension, alleging that the officials are brazen and uncouth, “as if there is no authority guiding activities at the airport.”

weeks drawn/ called attention of senior Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) AVSEC officials to the situation of blatant and institutionalised extortion; with receipts o, collection of illegal money from passengers travelling with agro products, plant quarantines officials issue receipts for varying amounts.

“Now they’re like hawks waiting on their prey, joined by SSS, police and Customs. There will be reckoning soon. Remember the BBC expose on MMIA in the late 80s that showed Customs and Immigration Continued on page 22

“I have over the last three

Jos, Funtua Dry Ports to Commence Operations in Three Months Eromosele Abiodun Efforts by the federal government to decongest Lagos ports is beginning to yield the much desired fruits as the government will in the next three months open the Jos and Funtua dry ports for operation.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said the two dry ports would be ready between December this year and January 2020.

According to him, “We have up till December to bring on board Funtua and Jos. Two weeks ago, we had meetings with Funtua and

MARITIME Jos and we gave them the timeline for us to work so we see things are done.”

Bello also said that a lot of progress was being made by Kaduna dry port, but added that the issue remained the slow movement of containers from the seaports to the dry ports through rail.

“Am worried about the capacity of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), they now take containers from Lagos to Kaduna where they are examined. Because they are using narrow gauge, we are worried about the speed which is 60KPH – that is the average.

“We need frequency and certainty so that we can schedule that in every two days, it will take about 40 containers. They are overwhelmed in Kaduna. Many shippers have companies like Nokako in Kaduna, Orland Farms. They want to use Kaduna, but the capacity of the rail is another issue,” he said.

He, however, said that every agency of government has shown commitment to the success of the dry port.

Bello, noted that the NRC was making efforts to increase the number of containers being moved to Kaduna by rail on weekly basis.

He said: “We have upped the number of containers.

NRC has been very committed and the containers are taken there, they are examined there. The Customs Service has upgraded their Command. Central Bank of Nigeria has recognised Kaduna in electronic Form M – Kaduna as a port. Many banks are moving because of the transaction. NDLEA, SON, SSS, Police are in Kaduna.”

Bello, also disclosed that Kaduna was witnessing a lot of export growth because of the dry port.

“Export has grown in Kaduna. Cow horn, Ginger, Hibiscus are being exported through Kaduna. So what NSC is trying to do is to

Qatar Airways has started flight operations to Langkawi, Malaysia, from its hub in Doha. The airline said the first flight to Langkawi International Airport landed on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.

Tocelebratethelaunchofthenewdestination,anextraspecialflight was operated from Doha to Langkawi on Wednesday 16 October 2019, in which a number of VIPS, international media and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker were on board.

Qatar said the special flight was greeted by a VIP celebratory ceremony at Langkawi International Airport which was attended bytheAmbassadoroftheStateofQatartoMalaysia,HisExcellency Mr. Fahad Mohammed Kafoud; Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Malaysia in Qatar, Mr. Mohamad Shahir Sabarudin; Chief Operating OfficerofMalaysiaAirportHoldingBerhad,Mr.MohdShukrieMohd Salleh;ChiefExecutiveOfficer,LangkawiDevelopmentAuthorityDr. Hezri Adnan; and Qatar Airways SeniorVice President Asia Pacific, Mr. Marwan Koleilat, as well as senior airport officials.

Commenting on the feat, Baker said, “I am thrilled to have been on today’s special flight to Langkawi and to be here celebrating our arrival to this stunning archipelago. Langkawi marks the eighth new destinationaddedtoQatarAirways’rapidlyexpandingnetworkin2019.

“Withitsforestedhills,stunningwhite-sandbeachesandglimmering turquoisewaters,LangkawiisfastbecomingoneofSouthEastAsia’s most highly sought-after destinations and the reason why we knew wehadtolaunchourflightshere.Beginningwithafour-times-weekly service that will grow to five-times-weekly from 27 October 2019, we look forward to welcoming business and leisure travellers alike on board so that they may experience the J‘ ewel of Kedah’”.

The National Carrier of the State of Qatar has launched a host of excitingnewdestinationsin2019.ThisincludedLisbon,Portugal;Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Davao, Philippines; Izmir,Turkey; and Mogadishu, Somalia; and will add Gaborone, Botswana to its extensive network in December 2019 with Luanda, Angola; and Osaka, Japan, following in 2020.

Swiss A220 Records Engine Failure

An engine failure on a Swiss Airbus A220 prompted the airline to temporarily ground its fleet for urgent safety checks.

According to airwise.com, the failure happened on a flight from London Heathrow to Geneva on Tuesday, forcing a diversion to Paris Charles de Gaulle.The incident is the third in four months of a Pratt & Whitney powered A220 after failures of the low-pressure compressor rotor on aircraft in July and September.

All the incidents happened on flights between London and Geneva, but on three different aircraft.

French aviation safety investigators, BEA, said the incident was serious and that the US National Transportation Safety Board, as country of manufacture of the engine, would investigate.

Swiss, which has 29 A220s in service, cancelled several flights to inspect the P&W engines in its fleet.

“The ongoing technical inspections of several aircraft will restrict our flight operations. As a result, many flights will be cancelled,” the airline said in a statement.

TheSwisswebsiteshowed43cancellationsonTuesdayandafurther 30 for Wednesday. The airline had already returned some aircraft to service by Tuesday evening.

“Civil aviation is about safety and security. Today Nigeria has shifted from where it was in aviation security.

We have scored 96.4 per cent in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rating” Minister of Aviation,

Senator Hadi Sirika Continued on page 22

22

T H I S D AY Ëž OCTOBER 18, 2019

BUSINESSWORLD TRAVELLERS LAMENT RESURGENCE OF EXTORTION BY SECURITY OPERATIVES AT MMIA officers extorting passengers.

Watch this space. I know a neighbour Customs officer who shot himself because he was caught on camera unbeknownst to him,� the source disclosed in the industry group WhatsApp handle on Wednesday.

Former Commandant of MMIA and currently the CEO of Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu, while commenting on the situation, told THISDAY that extortion would remain at the border posts so long as there are multiple agencies with multilateral level of competing controls. “The US TSA (Transportation Security Administration) at the border posts (land, sea and air) is a single control so also I saw in Rwanda whose Aviation Security personnel were trained by our own FAAN. Why it has become difficult to copy correctly seems to be in our ‘DNA’.

JOS, FUNTUA DRY PORTS TO COMMENCE OPERATIONS IN THREE MONTHS acquire the land adjacent Kaduna dry port so that we have it for processing.

We don’t want these raw materials to be exported. We want ginger to be processed and packaged so that there will be value addition. This will mean employment for people. We want Zobo to be processed and packaged. “We have been working with the Ministry of Finance to have a pre – inspection agency so that what we do, immediately this is done, the ship is waiting because of schedules and train will take these things. Kaduna will be a success story especially with rail coming on. And then we are looking at Kano which unfortunately has not been able to do anything. But we are into it. The moment we do that we will decongest the seaports and we bring shipping closer to the people and we grow the economies where these dry ports are sited. “Am happy with what is happening in Kaduna, I am happy with the regulators, CBN, Nigeria Customs and many others who recognized Kaduna and they are doing business there,�he said

NEWS

Peterside: Nigeria among Top Five to Ratify Ballast Water Convention Eromosele Abiodun and Esther Oluku The Director General of Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said that Nigeria is among the first five countries to ratify the propositions of the ballast water convention.

He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, 2004.

Dakuku, also said NIMASA remained determined to ensure cleaner oceans and a safe, secure and environmentally sound maritime sector.

The Director-General stated these in his keynote address at the opening of a three-day regional workshop on Ballast Water Management for Anglophone West and Central African Countries, hosted by Nigeria in Lagos.

He said growing concerns about the adverse effect on the marine environment of invasive alien species produced by ballast carried by ships gave rise to the BWM convention of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

He stated: “Since the advent of the Convention, efforts have been made to ensure effective implementation of its provisions, among which is this Regional Workshop. The regional workshop, in essence, is to support the timely and harmonised implementation of the Convention in the West and Central African sub-region with priority and emphasis on the ratification and implementation of the Convention by member

states. This is in addition to building capacity in the area of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement (CME), Port Biological Baseline Surveys (PBBC), and risk assessment.�

Peterside disclosed that Nigeria, being among the earliest countries to ratify the Convention, had taken steps to ensure its effective implementation.

Such steps, according to him, include: the development and gazetting of regulations on Ballast Water Management, pursuant to the Nigerian

Merchant Shipping Act, 2007; development of an enforcement and implementation manual on ships’ ballast water; and development of guidelines with reference to relevant IMO documents for ballast water reception facility and exchange areas.

Others are: development of guidelines for enforcement of violations of the regulation on ballast water management; establishment of a globally recognised and integrated ballast water testing laboratory; and development of a home-

grown concept of Ballast Water Management and Ports with Acceptable Risk (PWAR), which was presented by Nigeria to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 74, in May 2019, among other initiatives.

Peterside told the participants to come up with meaningful recommendations and actions that would help realise the objectives of the convention.

He called for more collaborative efforts in the region to ensure effective protection of the environment.

On his part, Secretary-Gen-

eral of IMO, Mr. Kitack Lim, who was represented by the Technical Officer, Sub-Division for Prospective Measures, Marine Environment Division, Dr. Megan Jensen, noted that the marine environment and marine resources were vital to the global economy and sustainable economic growth.

He said there was an urgent need for implementation of a harmonised ballast water management regime around the world, with special focus on compliance, monitoring, and enforcement.

WOMEN IN MARITIME

R-L: President, WIMAFRICA-NIGERIA, Hajia Bola Muse; representative of Minister of State for Transportation, Hajia Jumai Musa; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, and Director, Special Duties, Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency, Hajia Lami Tumaka, during the Annual Conference of WIMAFRICA-Nigeria, held in Lagos‌recently

Nigeria Must Look Beyond Oil, Says Kwara Gov Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has called for urgent measures to diversify the Nigerian economy and reduce the country’s reliance on crude oil.

He, however, stressed the need to increase investment in agriculture and small and medium scale enterprises.

Abdulrasaq, said this in Ilorin, yesterday, during a meeting with the participants of Course 28 of the National Defence College who were on a study tour of the state.

The theme of the study tour was: “Economic Diversification and National Development in

Nigeria.�

He said that, “the study is very apt as the time has come for us to diversify our economy and drive growth to cope with our surging population. “Our security as a country is directly linked to our ability to engage our population in productive endeavour and guarantee food security.�

AbdulRazaq, said his administration was prioritising small and medium scale businesses and agro-processing.

He added: “Kwara State under us is engaging with various companies to grow small and medium scale businesses. “We are also encouraging bigger corporations to deepen their investments here. Very

soon, the Kwara State Social Investment Programme will come on stream, especially targeted at lifting the poorest out of poverty line, empowering the artisans and small business owners and teaching skills to thousands of others. “We do not claim to know it all. Please feel free to offer us your own insights on how to achieve more in our journey to build a viable state.�

Speaking earlier at an event commemorating the World Food Day, AbdulRazaq, said the state would partner various stakeholders to ensure food security, especially sugar production which he identifies as major comparative advantage for the state.

“The way forward is agriculture and agro-processing.

That is our future. We are in central part of Nigeria and Kwara alone can feed the nation. This is particularly true in sugar production where we have the potentials to feed the whole country,� he said, citing the upcoming $350 million sugar refinery by BUA Group, the coming on board of the Dangote Group and ongoing talks with AMCON to revive the Bacita Sugar Company in the state.

The Governor also restated his commitment to lift as many poor persons out of the poverty line through the Social Investment Programme that is currently with the State House

of Assembly. He expressed optimism that hoping that investments in small enterprises would spread prosperity and comfortably bring more people into the tax net of the state.

Responding, Commodore Henry Hassan, leader of the Course 28, commended the Governor for his giant strides in helping the people, adding that his, “unusual way of mobilising your men to go to the grassroots and see things for themselves� stands him out as a great leader.

Hassan said his team would share their research outcome with the administration as part of the overall national strategy to ensure food security and development.

Chaka, Global Trading Platform Launched in Nigeria Peter Uzoho Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT)

Chaka, a global trading and investment platform has commenced operation to offer customers access to Nigerian and global financial assets. The tech-driven platform otherwise referred to as a digital ‘Investment Passport’ allows users to invest in stocks listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (NASDAQ), the New York Stock Exchange and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

It offers over 4,000 assets and indexes from companies

such as Apple, Alibaba, Google, the S&P 500 index and many more.

Chaka, provides opportunities for local investors to explore international markets and diversify their portfolios into African and global capital markets. it however, offers global citizens access to invest in local capital markets with just a click, thus bridging the gap in accessing viable investment vehicles.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Chaka, Mr. Tosin Osibodu, said “With boom-

ing growth in many nations around the world, investors can now own a stake in the growth of other economies. “Yet, for many Nigerians, this is a daunting task. We created Chaka to fill this gap, and likewise, give the global community access to local capital markets.�

Osibodu, noted that the goal of the company was to provide premium borderless trading and investment opportunities for Nigerian professionals and investors, adding that Chaka facilitates access to assets listed on the

Nigerian stock exchange, American stock exchanges as well as global blue-chip companies from over 40 countries around the world.

According to him, “to provide our customers with compliant access to the US stock market, we have partnered with a U.S-based leader in global digital trading technology, DriveWealth, LLC. Through this partnership, we are ensuring that Nigerians can own a stake in their favourite companies in the US.�

He stated that, in ensuring

regulatory compliance, proper market behaviour and security of investors, all brokerage investments on Chaka are facilitated by Citi Investment Capital Limited, a licensed Nigerian stockbroking firm registered with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).

He further explained that Chaka maintains a user’s brokerage account through bank-grade AES encryption software that protects the communication between the user’s device and the servers.

23

T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2019

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Peace Partners Interswitch One Africa Music Festival Chinedu Eze Nigeria’s biggest carrier, Air Peace, has announced a partnership with the organisers of the Interswitch One Africa Festival, which holds every year in different parts of the world.

The partnership entails that the airline would sponsor the festival, which brings the biggest musicians from all over Africa in an annual fiesta.

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the new deal, Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Allen Onyema, said the Nigerian carrier was willing to partner with the organisers of the music festival as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to promote the growth of music and entertainment in the continent.

“Air Peace is very willing to be a partner of this music fest. We want to be alive to our CSR and we believe that by partnering with this

particular event, we would be showcasing Africa to the world. It would help to, at the end of the day, boost tourism in our country. “So, these are the kinds of things that are very dear to my heart because the wellbeing of this nation is very paramount in all I do.

“So, it wasn’t difficult for me to agree for Air Peace to be the official airline for the programme as sponsor. I think we are moving about 137 of you for free. It is something we are doing with so much joy. “We are not being forced to do it. Because we believe that you guys represent the future Nigeria and the earlier we start getting it right with you, the better for the entire nation in order to make sure that our future is assured,” Onyema said.

He said as time goes Air Peace might take greater responsibility in the promotion of the festival in order

to contribute more to youth development in the country.

“We want to look beyond this moment. We want to look beyond what we are going to do with the music fest. We want to be your partners forever, God willing. You can always count on us at every given time.

“We want to see more Nigerian artistes become international entertainers. We want to do all we can do. We want to look inwards and find out how we can partner with you, not just for the music festival in Dubai; but for other spheres to bring out the best in our midst.

“Nigeria has got the talent.

And if you are thinking of how to develop yourselves, you know Air Peace is willing to stand by you. We want to develop programmes where we stand in getting people out. There are a lot of talents in this country,” the Air Peace Chairman added.

IATA Calls for Greater Use of Technology to Improve Passenger Comfort The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments and aviation industry to work together to make the best use of modern technology to put the passenger at the centre of the journey and to achieve greater efficiency from infrastructure.

The call came during the opening address by IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, at the IATA Global Airport and Passenger Symposium (GAPS) in Warsaw, recently.

The global body said to improve the passenger experience, technology options should focus on what the passenger wants.

The 2019 IATA Global Passenger Survey noted strong preferences by travellers for technology to enable them to track their baggage in real time and to expedite their journey through the various airport processes.

De Juniac noted that the industry has solutions for these passenger expectations—the One ID initiative, and RFID

for baggage tracking. Both need the support of stakeholders, including governments.

He said IATA’s One ID initiative was helping the industry to transition towards a day when passengers can move from curb to gate using a single biometric travel token such as a face, fingerprint or iris scan.

“Biometric technology has the power to transform the passenger experience. Airlines are strongly behind the One ID initiative. The priority now is ensuring there is regulation in place to support the vision of a paperless travel experience that will also ensure that their data is well protected,” said de Juniac.

“On baggage, airlines and airports are working together to implement tracking at key journey points, such as loading onto and off-of aircraft (Resolution 753). In June, airlines committed to the global deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for baggage tracking.

“Implementation of RFID has seen some good progress,

especially in China where the technology has been thoroughly embraced. In Europe several airlines and airports are successfully working together to introduce RFID, notably Air France at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Industry needs to be reminded that in addition to meeting our customers’ expectations, implementation of RFID will help reduce the USD2.4 billion cost to airlines from mishandled bags,” said de Juniac.

He added that infrastructure would also play a key role in meeting customer expectations.

According to him, developing infrastructure that can cope with future demand, without relying on everbigger airports, was essential.

In cooperation with Airports Council International (ACI), the NEXTT (New Experience Travel Technologies) initiative explores important changes in technology and processes to improve operational efficiency and the customer experience.

Emirates Rolls out Nollywood Blockbusters for Travellers Middle East carrier, Emirates has introduced series of Nollywood blockbusters on board its flights, to give Nigerian travellers superior experience.

The airline said with a diverse mix of African and Nollywood films and music, Nigerian customers can fly better and get a taste of home on every Emirates flight from either Lagos or Abuja.

Popular Nollywood movies such as Her Mother’s Man, Chief Daddy, Up North, King of Boys, Papa Joe, and the Intern, can now be enjoyed on board.

The movies for this month

of October features some of Nigeria’s best-known stars such as Banky W, Adesua Etomi, Akin Lewis, Sola Shobowale, Funke AkindeleBello, Folarin Falana and many others.

Nigerian music also features on ice and customers can look forward to D’banj’s ‘King Don Come’, P-Square’s Shekini & Personally, Pana’s Tekno, Davido’s Fall, and Wizkid’s come closer are amongst the special musical selection on Emirates’ ice.

Emirates said it offers passengers the choice to make their entertainment playlist before they fly.

To help customers plan their trip more effectively, Emirates introduced an innovative new function on its app to allow customers to browse the expansive entertainment catalogue, create bespoke playlists ahead of their flight and then sync it to their seats once on board.

With an inflight entertainment catalogue that boasts of up to 4,500 channels, customers are spoilt for choice. The award winning inflight entertainment system, offers up to 1,500 movies from all genres and in 44 languages.

As FG Hunts for New NCAA DG

Kwara Hajj

Usman

Chinedu Eze

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman was at the cusp of handing over to the most senior official of the agency when this story was filed.

Usman may be saying goodbye after a fruitful and historical five years of serving Nigeria at the Director General of the regulatory authority. In addition to many of his achievements, Usman remains the only Director General who has served for full five-year term under whose tenure there was no accident involving commercial airliner in Nigeria.

His tenure did not record controversies and now that government is searching for a replacement, industry stakeholders have stressed the importance of having the right person with experience and pedigree to replace him.

Some of the stakeholders who spoke to THISDAY said over the years, NCAA has failed to assert its autonomy and has allowed the Ministry of Aviation to usurp its authority, but acknowledged that in the area of regulation, the agency has performed well, hence the high record of air safety attained in the industry.

The stakeholders also noted that while NCAA concentrated in regulating the industry, it negated another critical responsibility, which is to ensure the growth of the industry, especially the airlines.

Some other industry observers canvassed that NCAA should fully be in charge of the designation of foreign airlines and not only should it be the agency that should give signatory to foreign carriers, but should play important role in Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) as well as in negotiating for commercial agreements for foreign airlines, ensuring that local carriers are also involved in such negotiation. Currently NCAA participates in these negotiations as observer and sometimes as adviser.

President and CEO of Top Brass Aviation Limited, Captain Roland Iyayi, who spoke to THISDAY recently in Lagos, accused the agency of over regulating the airlines, noting that the two key point agenda of NCAA is to regulate and to create conducive atmosphere for the growth of the industry, but unfortunately the agency concentrates on regulation and has allegedly regulated some airlines out of existence.

“The people at NCAA see themselves as lords. NCAA should regulate and initiate growth of the industry but the only thing they do is regulation and that is why there is no much progress

going on in the sector.

“Their emphasis in the last 10 years is regulation. The industry is over regulated and NCAA has regulated some airlines out of existence,” he said.

Reviewing the tenure of Usman, many airlines operators commended him for the maturity he brought into the job and his inimitable calm mien, which they said is what is needed for such sensitive job.

The Chairman and Chief Executive OAS Helicopters, Captain Evarest Nnaji said, “Captain Muhtar Usman’s performance at the Director General of NCAA is excellent. He has the requisite knowledge to do the job without braggadocio. He is the kind of Director General that is highly desired in the industry.

“In his tenure, there is no political showcasing of himself. In fact, he is totally apolitical because he is a core professional who is determined to get the job done. His tenure is totally devoid of fights and witch haunts, which was the bane of the industry in the past. In my judgment, he is the best Director General in the last 50 years.

He is indifferent to praises and he does not take pleasure in showcasing himself for political visibility,” Nnaji said.

Former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nnamdi Udoh described Usman as gentleman and noted that his prudence saved the agency from insolvency at certain period.

“He has been a gentleman, firm and prudent. Unfortunately, many workers will be happy to see him go because he was too prudent over staff welfare, trainings and sundry staff matters. For the records, we shall miss his sense of accountability, mien and amiability,” Udoh said.

Usman was able to sustain the certification of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through effective regulation of the industry and trying not to make noise in the public space.

THISDAY learnt that around 2010, Nigeria scored 70.85 per cent in FAA audit, but the one that took place in 2015 about a year after Usman took over, Nigeria scored over 96 per cent.

Then closely followed by the safety audit, which Nigeria passed. The minimum set by ICAO is 60 per cent, the global average is 63 per cent and Nigeria scored over 67 per cent.

The first time that was achieved was in 2010, it was renewed in 2014 and Nigeria sustained it again in 2017 ending to early 2018. So under Usman, Nigeria improved significantly in its global certifications.

24

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍśËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

Mendis: Governments Don’t Operate Airlines EfďŹ ciently The Chief Operating Officer of the Africa World Airlines, Sean Mendis, in this interview says it will be difficult for government in Africa to successfully establish profitable national airlines. He also notes that West Africa has the potential to become a huge air travel market. Chinedu Eze provides the excerpts:

H

ow do you see the West Coast Market?

I think the market has depressed in West Africa. This is because economic development in the sub-region has not been strongest. There have been civil war and unrest, Ebola and things like that; all of which have depressed the market for business travels as well as for tourism. There is also the problem of infrastructural development and so forth. So we strongly believe as African airliner and as West African airline, in particular whose goal is to connect the region better; that this is a market that we are going to bear; so we are investing and are looking at long term.

We are fortunate enough that the product we are able to offer to the market here both with our aircraft size and more importantly I think with our reliability and so forth, is something that would allow us get returns early, but we are here for a long term and we genuinely believe that the intra-regional travel in West Africa is where the future is going to be. It has been depressed for too long that the market now ripe for one or two or three well rounded carriers to come in to give the travelling public the service they need and to reap the benefit of doing that.

Ghana seems to be having plans to establish a national carrier; do you think they will continue to be hospitable to AWA when they have a national carrier?

We have discussed this issue regularly with the Ministry of Aviation in Ghana and our public statement is why we support the concept of the home-based carrier, which is what the Ministry calls it. We disagree slightly with what the Ministry stands on what should be involved. While the Ministry wants what the traditional airline should be, which is a legacy model of a national airline, we believe that the home based carrier can be a collection of airlines who are committed to using your home base as the hub. Whether that will involve working in partnership with mergers or in various ways to cooperate, the result is the same as bringing passengers through your airport, using your infrastructure better, creating more jobs for your aviation economy; generally increasing tourism, hospitality and so on. As a result, there is overall benefit to the entire industry and the entire sector rather than if you just had a single government owned airline.

So while we fully support the concept, we believe that there needs to be more commitment towards a hub in Accra and so forth.

We don’t necessarily agree that there should be a nationally owned airline or government in partnership with other airline, but we are not the government; we are working with the government to develop others.

The Director General, Airport Council International (ACI) World, Angela Gittens said that national carriers are usually inefďŹ cient and government strives to fund it, even when it is not doing well. Do you agree with that observation?

I think that is absolutely true. Any company whether is privately or government owned operates for the benefits of the shareholders.

The problem you have is that in a privately owned business, the goal of the shareholders is usually to get a return on investment. To do that it will have to operate profitably, efficiently and so forth. A government has strategic priorities other than just profit, a government may be looking at just creating employment or servicing a region that is traditionally not being served and as a result it may bend backwards to service that route

Mendis

and this will force it to engage in inefficient or market skewing behaviour. The problem is when the government is the shareholders of the company. It becomes the leader rather than followers, even when its airline should not be leading the industry. I think that is where the concept of having government driving the strategy should never be the case as I mentioned during the panel discussion: government’s role should be creating enabling environment.

In your growth trajectory when are you going to start looking beyond West Africa?

AWA is just seven years old, so when we first started our operations in 2012, we had five years business plan and that ran us through 2017 or so and at that point in time the board sat down to look at where do we want to go next. There were three general strategies the board looked at; the first was should we become like an Emirate of West Africa and bring in big plane, using Accra as a connecting hub? We looked at it and said the infrastructure is not really strong here; it is not a Dubai. We do not have the timing it would take to build ourselves up to that, relative to the money we need to invest. We take cognizance of government related investment and other stakeholders; but we know it will take longer for a return on investment right now. So, we put that on one aside, the second option was to go in where there is larger narrow bodies and serving wider Africa with Boing 737 and so forth and that was something we really considered. But once again, we looked at it in terms of what was involved because this would require a certain amount of capital investment and we are not sure that such investment would be very profitable enough. But when we looked into it, we said that would be taking what is now profitable, efficient airline and going into the risk of investing in what might bring losses

for the short term to come out with a bigger profit in the long run. The decision of the board that time was, let’s not take something that is working and change that model; let us build a stronger one. This brought us to the third one, which is basically apparent five-year strategy. We want to become the dominant regional airline in West Africa and we will increase our brand’s presence to the rest of the world by partnering with other airlines. So if you noticed, we have a strategic partnership with South African Airways for almost a year, which has paid off big time for us, we got a lot more connecting passengers for them.

If you noticed in the last few months since January, they have switched from flying four times a week from Accra to Washington to flying three times to Dakar to commuting a 100 percent daily from Accra to Washington.

We have partnered with Emirates, Ethiopia Airlines and we got another partnership with European carrier, which is going to be announced next month. We believe that we have been able to do the last mile delivery for carriers like Emirates that can bring in Boeing 777 worth of passengers into Accra, but you go to smaller markets like Freetown in Monrovia that cannot fly in bigger planes; we are an ideal partner for them by being able to give them airplanes that have international safety and reliability standards. I think by naming our airline, Africa World Airline (AWA), we are African airline but we are also world-class standards and I think it really sums up where we are right now and where we should be in the next few years as well.

Are you optimistic about the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and do you think it will work with the way some countries are reluctant to embrace the open sky for Africa?

I think SAATM is a wonderful concept but I also think SAATM is the Yamoussoukro Decision

and Declaration before that, so a lot of this are in theory; but it is how you execute on them that is the key. SAATM is something we are ready now and I firmly believe that more competition is best for us. We encourage the government of Ghana to have a unilateral open tax policy; if airlines want to fly to Ghana let them fly. I see every new passenger who comes into Accra as a potential partner for me and to ensure onward passenger for them.

So we want that to happen, but at the same time; there have to be reciprocal access and this is where we struggle. You mentioned Côte d’Ivoire. AWA has been trying to get a permit to fly to Côte d’Ivoire for almost one and half years now. We have the highest traffic in Abidjan and we have office, aircraft and crew ready to start flying to Abidjan. These things are sitting on ground costing us money every single month. We have engaged with the government of Côte d’Ivoire, we have our government engaged with their government and authority at that level, but we are not still making enough progress.

However, we are optimistic that we will have a launch date for operations there soon. At the same time, an airline from Côte d’Ivoire flies daily to Ghana. At the same time South Africa Airways is allowed to operate between the markets, Egypt Air flies between the markets, Emirates flies daily; a none African carrier comes with Boeing 777 everyday, lands in Accra picks passengers, takes them Abidjan. Yet, Côte d’Ivoire for reasons they have not made clear to us, is resisting another African carrier from coming in. That is where protectionism exists and would always exist. Everybody, no matter how neutral you are, you want your team to win, I do not mind the situation where you are favouring non-African airlines over your neighbours’ and I stress this to the bureaucrats in Côte d’Ivoire and other places; and this is something I learnt from CEO of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema. Ghana and Nigeria are probably the best examples of people willing to take the lead, but the francophone countries in West Africa, in particular, Côte d’Ivoire is the one I would point a finger that tends to want benefit but without being reciprocal about it. In our society, you know that the person that comes to your house and eats and never invites you back will never be your friend for life and I think that is something that needs to change if we are going to be able to truly implement SAATM going forward.

There has been closure of the Nigerian borders to its neighbours in West Africa to curtail land movement; do you think this is helping your airline’s load factor?

To be honest, a lot of Nigerian markets are very strong, so it would be very hard to know.

But definitely we have seen, I cannot link it directly because we saw this happening from the beginning of summer, say about late July all the way through to now; there has been an obvious increase in passenger demand and we are obviously meeting the demand and we are putting in more flights, continuing to grow our services by 34 times to Lagos, 11 times to Abuja, huge demand on services we are putting in and is going to grow.

The first quarter this year in Nigeria was horrible for us and we were having discussions to reduce flights and our decision was no, if you are committed to market believe me people would remember when times were bad. We cannot be a Ghanaian airline and not consider Nigeria an important market.

It is our second and most important market.

It is on our doorstep. They speak the same language and Nigerians and Ghanaians are brothers.

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T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2019

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Resetting Kebbi for Economic Prosperity Eromosele Abiodun writes on efforts by Governor Atiku Bagudu to transform Kebbi State

U

ntil recently, not many Nigerians knew much about Kebbi, a state in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The state was created out of a part of Sokoto State in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Zamfara State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin.

It has a total area of 36,800 km2.

Since assuming office in 2015, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has transformed Kebbi State from being a purely civil servant state and made it more industrialised. Kebbi State has become one of the major producers of rice in Nigeria. The current participation of more than 70,000 farmers in the Anchor Borrowers Rice and wheat farming is heading towards making Kebbi a new destination and hub for agro based commodities of the Country.

As a matter of fact, Kebbi State has become synonymous with rice production. In 2017, the state earned about N150 billion from the sale of its locally cultivated rice. But rice is hardly the only product grown in the state, whose economy is agrarian. In 2018, the state began the cultivation of 47,000 hectares of cassava as raw material for the production of ethanol biofuel.

“We have partnered Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and we have started ethanol programme in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area and other local government areas will soon join,” the state Governor, Atiku Bagudu, said during his second term inauguration on May 29.

Governor Bagudu’s short term plan to accelerate Kebbi’s development is to create a society with income, thus, the focus on agriculture, which has the capacity to employ large numbers of people.

His government has supported a bee honey farm (which is primed to export Kebbi’s honey to the world) and is at the forefront of improving livestock productivity by providing cattle rearers with required infrastructure such as water and improved veterinary education.

“We want Kebbi honey to be sold around the world. We have two major rivers: River Niger, over 300 kilometres in Kebbi alone; River Rima, from Sokoto down to Argungu, another 300 kilometres; so we should be selling fish. You should go to a restaurant in Japan or New York and order fish from Yauri; that’s my dream. I believe it would happen one day. With taxes from these economic activities, the Governor hopes to be able to provide adequate public infrastructure.

“Maybe by next year, we should have at least a million people registered in farming, livestock, fisheries. I know who they are, their biometrics, their history; then we will request them to contribute to society, so that we can be able to fund the creation of social goods, primary healthcare, primary education and security, “he said.

These social goods are imperative if Kebbi is to improve on its development indicators. For example, according to the 2016/2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted by the federal government, the rate of new-born deaths per 1,000 births is 55 in the state. This is significantly higher than the national average of 37 deaths per 1,000 births. Also, the state has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the country.

The Bagudu administration has responded by working with local and international partners to build primary healthcare centres in virtually all the wards in the state, recruited 2,000 new teachers, and spent N900 million to support Almajiri education in an attempt to pull in more children into the formal learning system. But these efforts are not enough.

“The World Bank recommends that, to run a good primary education system, you need $700 per pupil. If I use up my entire revenue and close down every other thing, I’ll just be about $190 per pupil,” Bagudu said.

Meanwhile, across all sectors of the state the governor has made significant impact with the security, education, agriculture and others standing out.

Ensuring Adequate Security Kebbi state is sharing borders with Republic of Niger and Benin on the Western side of the state. The length of Nigerian/ Niger border is

with IITA Ibadan to boost agriculture production and strengthen the extension delivery.

Bagudu about 190km, which started from Dole Kaina, Dandi Local Government to Bachaka in Arewa Local Government. While the Nigeria / Benin international border has a length of 100km starting from Segbana a border Village near Tsamiya in Bagudo Lacal Government to Dole Kaina in Dandi Local Government.

“As result of land dispute between villages of Madakalli (Benin Republic) and Tunga Kongi of Bagudo Local Government, Kebbi State, the state government has relocated the people of T/Kongi to a farming settlement near Lolo District to bring a lasting peace in the region,” said an official of the state who do not want his name in print.

He added: “Also, 109 house hold were relocated to the new settlement, the state government has allocated the sum of N80 million to the State Boundary Committee, which is a standing committee established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of which the Deputy Governor serves as a chairman.

“Under this Committee 100 houses of two bed rooms units were constructed and allocated to the victims in addition to a mosque. These communities of Mahuta, Wasare, T/Isa and T/ Bagire were also affected by the re-definition of Nigeria/ Benin international boundary. During the exercise a total of 348 households were relocated to a farming settlement around Illo /Bargu forest reserve,” he said.

Kebbi State, he added, has constructed 102 houses of two bedrooms and distributed to some of the affected villagers as phase one.

Maybe by next year, we should have at least a million people registered in farming, livestock, fisheries. I know who they are, their biometrics, their history; then we will request them to contribute to society, so that we can be able to fund the creation of social goods, primary healthcare, primary education and security

“The state also provided one solar powered borehole, two dug wells and a five kilo metre access road provided to the affected communities to facilitated easy movement of their farm products to the near Markets. Kebbi State Government facilitated and sponsored the joint bilateral meetings between Nigeria/Niger and Nigeria/Benin which is ongoing process. Kebbi State Surveyor General Office serves as the Secretariat of Bilateral and State Boundary Committees, “he added.

Agriculture Revolution As part of its effort to make the state number one in agriculture, the state government purchased 225 trucks of assorted fertilizers and distributed to the state farmers at government approved prices since the inception of this administration. Also, implementation of agricultural transformation agenda (ATA) is in progress and for the smooth take off of the project, the state paid N94 million counterpart funds.

At the inception of his administration, Bagudu introduced commercial agriculture loans for the benefit of Kebbi Sate farmers earmarked N5 billion as loan to farmers.

The governor had constituted a committee on agricultural revival in the state to enhance agricultural production and approved N3.5 billion for the purchase of rice and wheat from the state farmers.

Kebbi State had also signed a MOU with Lagos state government for the establishment of special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the development of commodities (rice, wheat, and groundnut oil, onion, maize, sorghum and livestock) value chains.

The government ensured that youths are engaged in farming activities, through provision of agricultural loans to boost agricultural in the state, established IFAD country programme on climate change adaptation and agric business support programmed in the state where the counterpart funding of N40.55 million was paid by the state government.

Other achievement in agriculture include: eradication of Queliar bird’s state wide, purchase of 100 tractors, 80 thrashers, 30 reapers and power tillers to enhance agricultural development in the state; purchase of wheat milling machine from federal government; purchase 100 unit of motorcycle for extension workers as intervention on anchor borrowers programme. And 1.5 Million metric ton of fertilizers are purchased by state government for distribution to Kebbi state farmers.

Others are: purchase of 30,000 metric ton of fertilizer, 5,000 farmers engaged for the production of soya beans at Danko Wasagu Local Government; in Fadama 10,000 farmers were engaged for the production Sorghum rice and soya beans, 450, 000 jobs created by anchor barrowers, 40,000 thousand multi millonaries were raised.

Similarly, in its effort to boost agriculture in the state, the state government engaged wheat farmers for the production of wheat, signed MOU

Social Development The governor has also done very well in the area of health and social development. Recently, the state performed a successful and uncomplicated cereal section for post repaired clients in VVF in the State.

It is important to state that the state’s VVF centre is one out of three that constantly offer routine repair services in the country.

Also, the community mobilisation and stakeholder advocacy in the state has educated significant number of women and families on VVF cases.

The state has introduced a cooperative society for repaired clients for self-reliance and proper clients for self-reliance and proper management of equipment given to discharged patients by state government.

The state has also commenced the training of child protection officers to support people with special needs, procure of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric drugs, supply of mattress, renovation of administrative block, pit latrine at the Jega psychiatric centre.

To develop sports in the state, the government has constructed a mini stadium at Zuguru, revived Kebbi United Football Club and school sports and provide vocational and technical skills for youths.

Similarly, clubs from the state were sponsored to participate in the National Sports Festival, National League games, National Division II and National Division III play off.

The state football Association was sponsored to participate in the Under 17 Football Tournament in Kano as well as the state chapter of the Nigerian referees to fitness test and the promotion examination in Abuja and Kaduna.

Education for All In its drive to provide quality education, the state embarked on the construction of 640 blocks of classrooms for primary and junior secondary schools in the state, renovate 740 blocks of classrooms for Primary & Junior Secondary Schools and procured of 34,120 sets of furniture for primary, junior secondary schools.

Others are: drilling of boreholes, upgrading of schools to model level, supply of 480 computer sets, laboratory science materials for schools, provision of Fist Aid facilities to schools, procurement of books and journals and upgrading of Education Management Information System (EMIS) Centres.

Islamic education is not left out. Annually, the government sponsors both the State and National Qur’an Recitation competitions. In the 2018 state competition, two brand new Toyota cars were donated to the male and female winners of the competition including motor circles, Chinese beds and various prizes.

The government has also constructed blocks of three classrooms at Emir Haruna Rashid Arabic College Birnin Kebbi, renovated the Uthman bn Affan Islamiyya School Argungu, payment of Arabic Examination (NBAIS) and sponsored delegates to attend the conference of Arabic and Islamic Studies Teachers annually.

The governor has also ensured that accreditation fees for course being offered by School of Health Technology Jega, School of Nursing and Midwifery Birnin Kebbi are paid.

He has constructed and furnished 500 capacity female hostel at the permanent site AACOE Argungu, complete 500 capacity male hostel, furnished and construction boundary wall fence, gate and gate house to female hostel at permanent site AACOE Argungu.

Bagudu is also investing in Kebbi’s technology future. The government has signed an agreement with educational non-profit Profuturo, to improve the currency of knowledge in the state’s classrooms.

“Our approach is organic,” he said. “We have to start by teaching so we are not just software purchasers. Profuturo have begun to deliver tablets that will be used in primary schools. And these are not just tablets for educational content. We are going to teach students in primary school robotics, gaming, so that they can have early exposure and we can take off from there. We are not as advanced as other states, so we have to start with an alternative approach.”

26

T H I S D AY ˾ OCTOBER 18, 2019

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Embracing Sustainability, Waste Recycling Culture

Eromosele Abiodun writes on the benefits of embracing sustainability

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n the business world today, sustainability has continued to gain prominence as the importance of sustainable business practices becomes better understood. More companies are adopting sustainable practices to improve their long-term efficiencies and also reduce the negative impact to the business and environment.

Here in Nigeria, the practice of business sustainability has gradually become an integral part of corporate conversations especially among global business corporations operating in the country who set aside a week to observe and promote sustainability annually, aligning it with relevant global commemorative days. More importantly, corporate citizens who feel the growing concern to balance economic and environmental needs find the environmental side of business sustainability even more endearing.

The British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) recently joined the ranks of business organisations in the country further extending contributions to sustainable development when it observed its first-ever sustainability week from September 23 to 27, 2019. The highpoint of the weeklong programme was the launch of the Corporate Recycling Programme, which involved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on September 24, between the company and a foremost waste recycling company, Recycle Points, for responsible disposal and recycling of BATN’s physical waste.

As observed by the Area Director, BAT in West Africa, Yarub Al-Bahrani, in an opening address at the launch, the company, through the activities for the sustainability week, chose to align with the global community in commemorating the International World Clean Up Day, a day set aside by over 157 countries and 18 million volunteers worldwide to clean up the planet from waste of different forms.

While highlighting the company’s efforts on sustainability, Al-Bahrani noted that sustainability is vital to the company’s business and in securing its future.

“On the back of our inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the 18th consecutive year and being the only tobacco company to be included in the prestigious World Index, sustainability for us at BAT is not just a buzzword.

Sustainability is a crucial part of our business and also a key enabler for securing the future of our company and creating shared value for our consumers, our shareholders and our stakeholders,” he said.

Speaking further, he noted that as a multinational business, BATN has long been aware of its responsibilities towards harm reduction, responsible corporate behaviour and the need to address environmental issues on a global scale and within its host communities and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“In our long history of focusing on sustainability and corporate responsibility, we have made significant global progress and continue to drive adherence in our local end market. This week is focused on the key milestones we have achieved towards reduction of our carbon footprint and environmental impact on our surrounding environment.

Over the years, we have partnered with an electronic waste management

company, E-terra for responsible disposal of all our electronic waste, and I am pleased to inform you that we have disposed over 2.4 tonnes of electronic waste with E-terra so far,” he stated.

In his remark, the CEO, Recycle Points, Mazi Alison Ukonu, commended BATN for its impressive

In our long history of focusing on sustainability and corporate responsibility, we have made significant global progress and continue to drive adherence in our local end market.

This week is focused on the key milestones we have achieved towards reduction of our carbon footprint and environmental impact on our surrounding environment

sustainability drive. He expressed delight in observing that a lot of corporate companies have started seeing the need for their employees to get into sustainability and hoped that BAT will be able to influence a whole lot more companies to join the cause.

The sustainability week, which was themed: ‘Inspiring Tomorrow Together,’ also featured exhibitions in BAT offices in Lagos and Ibadan designed to appreciate the economic value that can be derived from recycling. The exhibitions were meant to demonstrate how trash could be turned to treasure or cash.

Other activities for the weeklong programme were ‘The No Print Day and The Biggest Saver ’ internal recycling initiative.

For the No Print Day, the focus was to drive resource use efficiency on paper, as the printers in the West Africa Head office in Lagos and the factory in Ibadan were shut down and there was no printing across both locations for a day. The total amount of paper saved for the day was shared via communications afterwards to motivate and further spur the behavioural change on paper use reduction.

The Biggest Saver ’ internal recycling initiative enabled employees on various floors at the Head Office in Lagosto earn points for efficient and effective recycling.

The BATN sustainability week activities actually began with the formal presentation of ‘Business Sustainability Champion Award 2019 for the E-waste Category’ to BAT Nigeria by E-terra Technologies at the BAT Nigeria head office in Lagos, on Monday September 23, 2019. E-terra Technologies,is a firm that specialises in eco-friendly management of electronic waste and is endorsed by the Lagos State Government.

At the occasion, the Managing Director, E-terra Technologies, Dr Ifeanyi Ochonogor, lauded BATN’s sustainability efforts and particularly its electronic waste management,

noting that business sustainability has not always been respected as much as it should.

“Business sustainability means a lot to all of us who appreciate the need to put a balance to our business processes,” he remarked.

The Human Resources Director, BAT in West Africa, Temitope Akinsanya, in her address during the award, said that BATN’s comprehensive Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) management system had been in place for many years and was based on international standards.

She noted that as a “responsible company that accords a high priority to EHS, BATN has worked in partnership with relevant organisations such as the Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), among others, to impart additional knowledge on environment, health and safety measures to its employees.”

Speaking further, she observed that the company’s production had been growing year-on-year with progressive reduction in waste generated, adding that recycling effort had increased with a gradual reduction in waste to landfill.

Speaking in the same vein, the Corporate Affairs Head, BAT in West Africa, Abimbola Okoya, said that it was an honour for BATN to be considered for such a prestigious award. While recalling that BAT also won an award from E Terra Award in 2018 for the ‘Best International Standards in the Handling and Disposal of Electronic Waste’ as well as Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)’s ‘Best Kept Industrial Premises’ awards 2016, among others, she enthused that sustainability is ingrained in the company’s DNA. It is hoped that BATN’s sustainability drive will further galvanise the interest of more business organisations in the country to achieving a self-sustaining recycling economy with a bid to encouraging innovation and wealth creation.

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

Dunsin Oyekan: The Worshipper and Song Writer

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 08038901925

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͶ˜ Ͱͮͯͷ

COVER DUNSIN OYEKAN: THE WORSHIPPER AND SONG WRITER

Dunsin Oyekan is a Nigerian contemporary Christian, a worshipper, singer-songwriter, producer, multi- instrumentalist and recording artist popularly referred to as‘The Eagle’. Oyekan, who is the convener of the Code RedWorship Experience started playing the bass guitar at age 10. His love for music and song-writing can be attributed to his late father who also loved music and encouraged him to learn the guitar. Generally described as an erudite and prophetic worship minister, his lyrics and music are born from the place of encounter and personal walk with God. With over 30 songs to his credit, his debut album Code Red, a 14-track album was released in 2016. Currently on a ‘Victory Tour’ worship experience with Abuja and Lagos done and dusted, while Kaduna edition is loading with details to be released soon, Oyekan in this interview sheds more light on his career as a gospel artist. CHIEMELIE EZEOBI brings excerpts: Dunsin Oyekan has over 30 songs to his credit including Open Up, Imole De,Keiyadosh stiring up revivals everywhere they are heard and sang. In 2016, he performed his single ‘Na You’ with Kim Burell at The Experience

(gospel concert), Africa’s largest gospel music concert held annually in Lagos, Nigeria. He has shared stage with gospel music notables including Tasha Cobbs, Kurt Carr, Don Moen, Byron Cage, Tye Tribbett, William Murphy,

Kim Burrell, Sinach, FrekeUmoh, Micah Stampley to mention a few. He has been named by Ynaija as one of 100 Most Influential People in Christian Ministry in Nigeria.

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hat inspired you into doing gospel music?

I started singing and playing the guitar at age 10 but my love for music and songwriting can be attributed to my late father. He was a lover of music and worship, in fact he was the leader of the music group called Spiritual Singers and he really encouraged me to learn the guitar. So growing up all I had ears for and access to was gospel music.

I can say that has shaped me and my mind, coupled with the teachings I was exposed to.

truth has been and still is God has been and always faithful. He meets the needs Himself and I am grateful for it. Crossing over is not an option. The assignment is clear and we are following the One who gave the call so until He tells me “I can’t meet the needs anymore” which is never going to happen. We are still here.

How many Albums, tracks and how well were they received?

God keeps giving songs and we have recorded a few of them, done mostly live on different platforms. I have released just one album titled Code Red with 14 tracks and a number of singles.

The second album is due for release any moment from now.

Do you have the support of your parents, friends and the industry?

My father always wanted me to do music. In fact, he wanted me to study music in the university but my mother wanted something else. She felt daddy alone should face the ministry thing because of the challenges that comes with it I guess were her reasons. But I kept at the it,always rehearsing and practising my guitar. Few years down the line, mummy realised this is what God had called me for and trust me that today I can tell you I have never enjoyed support from anyone like I have from my family, and also from friends who believe in what I do. As for the industry, well I am in God’s industry and support has been great.

What has been the story so far since you ventured into gospel music?

So far I would say God has been good to me. I have just been following Him as He leads. We are not running any man’s race. For me seeing Jesus lifted up is the greatest fulfilment. So every time I have the opportunity to stand on any platform or work on any music project, the ultimate is that God is glorified. So the story has been from glory to glory.

Yes there are prices to pay, especially if you are one like me who doesn’t joke with excellence and we do our best to pay the price.

What is your desire?

My desire is to see another moment of AZUZA revival in this end time as Jesus is lifted up. He has a large heart yearning for youths of his generation as he hopes to see them understand the essence of power and glory that only God can give.

Do you have specific as well as general challenges as a gospel artist in Nigeria ?

Well I think one of the major challenges gospel artists in Nigeria face

What are some of your popular tracks and what is the genre as well as central theme(s) and message(s) of your songs?

Popular tracks at the moment I can say are Imode De, Open Up, Keiyadosh, Amazing, If all I say is Jesus, among others actually. It is humbling when I get to places to minister and I raise a song and the whole place is filled with voices from the worshippers.

Glory to Jesus. Also, the central theme/ message of my songs is the Revelation of Jesus. That Jesus be seen as and for who He truly is to mankind. All I want to see is Jesus Glorified. That’s why you’ll always catch me saying “We don’t sing songs, we sing Revelation”

Oyekan

today is getting our songs to play on radio and our videos on television. If you check the ratio compared to secular contents, it’s quite discouraging. Thank God for the few Christian tv networks who readily accepts our videos. Terres-

One of the major challenges gospel artists in Nigeria face today is getting our songs to play on radio and our videos on television. If you check the ratio compared to secular contents, it’s quite discouraging.

Thank God for the few Christian tv networks who readily accepts our videos. Terrestrial radio in Nigeria love to play gospel contents mostly on Sunday

trial radio in Nigeria love to play gospel contents mostly on Sunday morning when people are on their way to church, and I ask what happened to other days and belts like they call it in the media.

For me that’s a major challenge, every other challenges are the usual expected or that any gospel artist should prepare ahead for, it differs too based on persons and kind of music.

It has always been financially challenging for most gospel artists that they end up embracing or crossing over to the secular music.

Do you think you can adopt that strategy for financial stability?

With due respect to those who have found themselves in that shoes, for me the answer is a NO. I won’t even be thinking about such strategy. Faithful is He that calleth who also will do. God doesn’t send you on an errand without adequate supply of all you will need.

Am I saying there won’t be times that it looks like there are no supplies, No, but fact is different from truth and my

Any planned concerts, collaborations and ongoing projects?

For me collaborations are born from relationship, as much as I haven’t done so much of that, I have done a few with some of my close buddies in ministry.

By God’s grace we have been hosting a worship experience called CODE RED and we have about nine editions already. We kicked off a Victory Worship Experience Tour just recently with Abuja and Lagos edition done, Kaduna is up next because plans are in progress.

Our album release concert is slated for November 3, this year, plans are ongoing as well.

What are the possible opportunities, projects and future plans?

We take it one step at a time. There are more songs to write and release to the world, there are more worship meetings to host, so we don’t stop working as God gives us grace. We have plans to create mentorship avenues to build the next generation of ministers.

Some times in future, there may be a foundation attached to our ministry just to give back to the people as we are enabled. Once the blue prints have been delivered fully by God, we will set to work.

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍśËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

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Digital Media Pertinent to Economic Transformation, Says Expert Stories by Mary Nnah Wale Adetona, popularly known as Slimfit, a revered digital media practitioner, social commentator and social media influencer, has identified the role of digital media in national transformation and advices Nigerians to pay more than a cursory look at the industry.

Speaking exclusively with THISDAY recently, Adetona described digital marketing as an umbrella term used to encompass all marketing activities used in creating awareness and increase engagement on digital platforms, which include: blogging, email marketing, web marketing, SEO, SEM, PPC, mobile marketing, Google Display Banners (GDBs) and social media marketing. “Social media marketing is then a branch of digital marketing and includes content creation and engagement on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest etc�, he added.

Also the convener of Lagos Digital Summit (LDS), an annual convergence of digital eggheads in Lagos, with a profound passion for teaching young professionals how to maximise the limitless potentials inherent in the digital media space for the advancement of their businesses, Adetona in trying to encourage more Nigerians to take full advantage of the digital media innovation, has partnered a couple of like-minded individuals to establish the Lagos Digital Summit.

Now in its third-year, LDS was established to harness the constant innovations for the advancement of the society and the enrichment of its burgeoning population especially the millennials. The

Adetona

support received over the years has been overwhelming from notable speakers to sponsors and attendees.

Besides LDS, Adetona engages in other activities such as a bespoke Twitter hashtag to support local SMEs. “People promote their businesses with the hashtag on specific days and it gets to trend on the platform. There was a deluge of appreciative messages received after the first attempt which spurred me into further episodes. “Also, it was featured in a renowned international platform lately about how businesses benefitted from the free exposure. “Lastly, I engage in an an-

nual outreach with my folks to prisons, orphanages and correctional homes, to show love to people out there and give them a hope for a better tomorrow�, he noted.

Speaking on how Nigerians can position themselves to take full advantage of the opportunities in the industry, Adetona explained that acquiring the necessary skills will go a long way in ensuring Nigerians, and other professionals from around the world, extract optimum value from the sector. “I candidly believe that regardless of anyone’s field of practice or course of study, digital skills are a must-have for everyone. Just like I was sharing with my Twitter followers some

few days ago, the pivotal skills that are indispensable and lucrative in this digital age, include mobile app development, data science, website development, search engine optimisation, social media marketing, search engine optimisation and UI/ UX design. Endeavour to learn at least one of these skills and you will never go broke again.�

While advising government to revamp the primary and secondary school curriculum and ensure that these skills are taught from scratch, Adetona stressed, “These skills, I strongly maintain, hold the key to the advancement of this nation.�

Calling on Nigerian youth to get their acts together, the digital media expert said social media should be utilised more effectively for profitable venture. “We need to start devising innovative ways to use social media to solve the problems confronting the country. It goes without saying that we have witnessed some courses championed by social media and if we can add to those in a strategic manner, maybe we will change the perception of the public�, he noted.

Speaking further he explained that, “When a person’s usage of social media is intentional and purpose-driven, they tend to not engage in distracting conversations. “LinkedIn for instance is a platform for corporate executives and there is a plethora of testimonies about individuals securing gainful employment through the platform. Also, societal movements have started on social media as well, Twitter especially. Nevertheless, you find a couple of errant individuals who misuse on frivolous endeavours.�

Group Encourages Financial Accountability in Faith-based To ensure accountability, transparency and good governance in churches and other faith-based organisations, Christian Financial Accountability Association (CFAA), has called on church leaders to deepen financial accountability, ethical and governance standards among churches in the country.

CFAA is a self-regulatory associationof churches and Christian faith-based organisations aimed at fostering accountabilityand good corporate governance among churchesand faith based organisations.

Cognisant of the role of the church in the society, CFAA exits to educate and strengthen the capacity of the church as she takes on her mandate to preach the gospel and transform the nations.

CFAA was officially launched with an inaugural conference recently in Lagos.

The conference featured notable speakers like Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Ibukun Awosika; Prinicpal, Alder Consulting, Leke Alder; Senior Pastor, Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi; Partner PWC, Taiwo Oyedele and Managing Patner, Ivory Solicitor, Tomi Vincent.

Speaking during the maiden media briefing and conference of CFAA, Pastor Adeyemi said although churches do not owe the government any responsibility in terms of the management of their finances, the formation of the body was a deliberate step to help them improve on their financial management skills. “We must admit that most church leaders don’t have the financial management skills. When we help the churches and other Christian faith-based organisations to structure better, their finances will improve�, he noted further.

A financial expert and economist, Mr. Yinka Ogunubi said the objective of CFAA was to ensure that churches ensure accountability, transparency and good governance. “You cannot say you are championing the cause of Christianity and at same time you are afraid of being accountable because the basis of Christianity itself is accountability to God�, Ogunubi added.

Ogunnubi said the organisation run by professionals would focus on education and enlightenment on corporate governance and accountability.

Lagos Commends RCCG on Impacting on Society

Another First Class RegusWorkplace CentreTakes Off in Lagos Regus has yet again launched its newest center in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos.

The launch, which took place on last week, is the second center launch in the space of four months as part of Regus centre wider strategy to bring the workplace closer to businesses in Lagos.

Set on the sixth floor of the Landmark Towers, Water Corporation Road, Victoria Island, Lagos, Regus newest centre launch kicked off with a press conference featuring brokers and the Executive Vice Chairman, Regus, Ayo Akinmade in one of the well-furnished and embellished meeting rooms of the Victoria Island centre of Regus.

Speaking in at the event, Akinmade said “we look forward to having another centre next year in Banana Island and we also intend to introduce another brand of the International Workspace Group called ‘Spaces’ on the Lagos Mainland for businesses to take advantage of its products offerings�.

Stressing that all sizes of businesses can take advantage of the offerings as the prices can be afforded by one man businesses and multinationals alike, Akinmade noted that the demand for a flexible workspace is on the increase following the value added services clients benefit from using the products.

Regus had earlier launched two new centres in Abuja and Port Harcourt in July 2019.

These offices are designed to enhance productivity and con-

L-R: Assistant Pastor in Charge of Lagos Province 44 (CSR) RCCG, Pastor Ajibola Opeoluwa-Calebs; Pastor In Charge, Amos Emovon and Principal, Akintan Senior Grammar School, Surulere, Mrs. Florence Bisiriyu, during commissioning

The Executive Vice Chairman, Regus, Ayo Akinmade

nect like-minded professionals, and reduce cost of owning and maintaining an office space.

Akinmade who said Regus centre situated at V.I Waterfront is an instant global community and a place to belong, added, “our network of workspaces enables businesses to operate anywhere, without the need for set-up costs or capital investment�.

Sales Director at IWG, Karim Ahmed said Regus will continue to provide customers with immediate cost benefits and the opportunity to fully outsource their office portfolio.

Also present at the event was the Chief Executive Officer, Landmark Africa, Paul Onwuanibe, who said, “Landmark Towers presents an incredible

ambience to live, work, and play�.

The Victoria Island Waterfront Center is set within the Landmark ecosystem where clients have exclusive discounts and priority access to a range of facilities that include gym, hotel, leisure beach, retail shops, cinema, restaurants (including the famous Hard Rock Cafe), spa, medical centre, and sporting facilities.

The range of products available at Regus covers individual workspaces, lounges, co-working spaces, virtual office, meeting rooms and shared workspaces.

Ayo further stated that these products offerings can be accessed at any centre across the 4000 locations situated in 120 countries around the globe as

a registered member for free.

These centres are in airports, cities, and other strategic locations.

Other centres include: Mulliner Towers,Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; Lekki Admiralty center, located along Admiralty Way, Lekki phase 1, Lagos and the Africa Re Building at Karimu Ikotun Street off Sanusi Fafunwa, VI, Lagos.

There is also the Port Hacourt office at Old Michelin Compound,Trans Amadi Industrial Layout, Rivers State, Port Harcourt, Rivers as well as the Abuja of located at the Churchgate Towers in Abuja Constitution Avenue 4th Floor Tower C; the Rivers House on the 4th floor, Building 2 in the City center.

The Lagos State Government has commended the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 44, Surulere for impacting positively on the society especially localities where the church operates.

Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Hon Wahab Alawiye-King who stated this during commissioning of renovated and equipped block of 12 classrooms by the church at Akintan Senior Grammar School, Surulere, recently noted that government alone should not be left to provide social amenities in public institutions.

Wahab, represented by Deputy Director, School Support Services Department, Mrs. Adekemi Sofowora, particularly lauded the church for its numerous Christian social responsibility initiatives, saying its impacts are being felt in the localities and beyond. “The church and education are operating in the same realms of moulding souls. This reflects in the society. When we have better pupils, the country will be better for it�, he said.

While appreciating the church for the gesture, he called for effective maintenance and proper handling of the facility.

Pastor-in-charge of Lagos Province 44, Amos Emovon said the renovation included supply of 150 units of chairs and tables for the students use, supply and installation of 20 doors for the classes, replacement of damaged PVC ceilings in the classrooms, supply and installation of writing boards to 12 classrooms, repairs of electrical and civil works in the classrooms as well as painting of entire block.

The gesture, according to him, was in alignment with the vision and mission of the Church which regularly embarks on various CSR Initiatives as a way of positively impacting the quality of lives within the communities the parishes are located. “The leadership of the province strongly believes that sound education is the bedrock of any nation’s development. Our deliberate and intentional investment in this initiative is to cause a positive change in the education trajectory of our nation. “We strongly believe that this investment is another right step in the right direction at developing sound and well-rounded leaders for future nation building�, he said.

Principal of the school, Mrs. Florence Bisiriyu, appreciated the church’s gesture saying the renovation of the facility will have positive impact on the academic performance of the students.

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E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

Echoes of Fela’s Legacy at Felabration Symposium

Bobi Wine at Felabration

Stories by Vanessa Obioha t was his first time in Nigeria but the Ugandan singer-cumactivist Bobi Wine has amassed quite a number of fans here.

When he was first introduced by the host at the Fela Debates — the annual symposium that kicks off the week-long festivity of Felabration — the NECA Event Hall where the event held erupted in cheers.

By the time he finished his presentation on the topic ‘Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense’, the applause reached almost a deafening crescendo. It didn’t end there, human rights activist Femi Falana lauded him more and told him that there are young Nigerians who are as fearless like him, fighting for the people.

His statement hinted at the founder of Sahara Reporter Omoyele Sowore, who was detained for attempting to lead a revolutionary protest.

The symposium is one of the rare places where the activist born Robert can make public speeches. In his country, he would have been arrested or tortured. His music is not played in public places and he is not allowed to make public appearances.

Wine’s visible sin is that he dared to challenge the Ugandan government. He dared to request for a change that will better the lives of the poor masses. Prior to his arrival in the country, he escaped a house arrest by soldiers who were ordered to prevent his planned concert from holding.

Defying all odds, he still left the cold winds of Uganda for the erratic weather of Lagos state.

Wine however didn’t come to bore the rarefied gathering of intellectuals and artistes with his acts of bravura which was clearly visible in the signature red beret that he donned. The beret in recent times has drawn the ire of the Ugandan government such that they labelled the head

I

A cross section of the panelists at Fela Debates

gear a military outfit and barred civilians from wearing it. His message was to urge African artistes to follow the footsteps of the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who used his music to fight for the freedom and justice of the people.

“I probably would have come to Nigeria as an artiste or an activist for any other reason but to see that we are here to celebrate a man that touched me personally and I believe touched thousands if not millions of Africans is a great thing.”

Wine didn’t grow up listening to Fela or watching his videos. He was introduced to the Afrobeat legend through a friend.

Through the magical hands of technology and history, he was able to learn about Fela and his message of justice for the people.

His songs he said gave him the courage to challenge the autocratic government in Uganda through his People Power Movement. His songs are politically charged just like Fela’s, urging the masses to reject dictatorship.

The Ugandan singer born Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu radical change didn’t happen overnight.

“When I became an artiste, my desire like any other artiste was to sing about fancy things. So my music started out as a confidence in the ghetto, singing about parties and pretty girls. And as we grew up, I personally noticed that we are teachers and influencers. I noticed that so many young men are influenced by the fancy life and alcohol and many other things.

“It came to a time where corporate companies were even paying us to pose with their drinks because that was the kind of influence we had on the youths. So if I pose with a brand, they were sure that the generation would follow in our steps.

We were teachers, teaching our generation nonsense. It’s either by mistake or deliberate that artists or activists attain to teach what is not beneficiary to the status quo.”

It was only a decade ago when he took the conscious step to change the direction

of his music. He started by singing about social issues, the behavioural change and guiding youths against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“Slowly I found the need to talk about leadership. There is one interview I read where the great Chinua Achebe was asked what the problem of Nigeria is and he said the problem of Nigeria is not the people but the leadership. It got into me and I probed deeper into the leadership that we were having and indeed that answer was alive and continues to be alive where I come from in particular.

“We started talking about leadership and challenging the leadership, talking about things that matter. I have been discussing with my friends back home and here that Fela is the man that lived before his time. I wish we had a Fela today or many other Felas. This is a guy that lived when there was no social media, no internet, a time where it was easy to silence a critical voice like Fela. Only God knows the beatings that he took or how many times he was incarcerated but ultimately he stood and spoke for what believed in.”

Wine urged African artistes, mostly Nigerian to emulate the footsteps of the legend.“You realise that sometimes out of fear or out of ignorance and many times deliberate for us as teachers to be teaching nonsense. However, it is important for not just artistes from other parts of Africa but also in Nigeria today to make sure that they are not teachers continually teaching nonsense.

“We know that our people listen to us as artistes, some pay to listen to us, it is a big blessing. It has been widely reported that Africans have not impressed with the culture of not reading to the level we should.

We have been ridiculed many times but again nobody can say that African art have not been effective enough.

“It is my hope and desire that the would-be Felas of this generation continue the belief that the great Fela had. We are

celebrating a man who did not use his music to sing about parties but to criticize those that hold the power on our behalf.

“My fellow artistes to remember that they have an incomparable power in their hands and in their mouths to send messages out there and continue with the cause that was started by our fathers and inspiration like Fela or Bob Marley. “ Fela did not mince his words, we know it is challenging to criticize the status quo and very rewarding to hobnob with them but again for those among us who doubt if it is possible, we have an example that lived in the same place that we live today and his name was Fela. May we tap into his greatness, may his spirit which I believe as an African man is still alive among us guide us.”

Wine’s words were echoed by other members of the panel which included Prof. Akin Oyebode who described Fela as an indestructible avatar that used his music to educate the masses and showed how African values are eroded Nigerian author Sefi Atta who moderated the panel advised that artistes should not contradict the messages of Fela with commercialism.

She argued that the custodians of his works should also protect his messages as many are using them for their personal gain. British journalist and artist Akala urged Africans to not limit their knowledge to what they were told, rather, carry out research to get a robust understanding particularly of their history.

Celebrated author Chimamanda Adichie on the other hand emphasised the need to teach young ones our history, calling for an overhaul of the educational curriculum.

The week-long celebration which kicked off on Monday will reach a climax on Sunday, October 20, with musical performances. The festivity is taking place simultaneously at New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja and Freedom Park in Lagos Island.

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E-TRENDS

AfroGourmands Excites Foodies at Workshop

Saheed Osupa at Orijinal Nights

Enugu Wows Judges at People’s Hero Auditions Known for its indigeneity, premium herbal alcohol drink Orijin wowed the city of Ibadan with a special kind of music and cultural event to mark the Independence Day celebration.

Tagged Orijinal Nights, the event saw the residents troop into the Trans Amusement Park in large droves to celebrate their culture.

Decked in colorful and stylish African prints, beads and hand crafted accessories, they displayed the beauty of our arts and culture

with melodious performances by King Saheed Osupa, 9ice and Qdot.

QDot opened the event, showing off his lyrical prowess and rhythmic flows with a performance the crowd couldn’t get enough of.

QDot’s performance was only the beginning of a night that took live performances to a mind blowing level as 9ice blew the roof off the open air venue with his powerful performance of crowd favourites like‘Gbamu Gbamu’,‘Promise’and

‘Street Credibility’.

King of fuji Osupa closed the evening with his energy-packed fuji classics, delivering crowd-pleasing hits back to back, and keeping the audience on their feet in prolonged ovation. With the critical acclaim of Orijinal Nights, Orijin continues to blend the best of old and new, the best of culture, tradition and the contemporary, to create something truly fresh, original and connected to our roots.

More Contestants Emerge in People’s Hero Auditions in Owerri Following the qualifications of 11 contestants from Enugu to participate in the live show of the new reality talent show, People’s Hero, a total of 24 contestants were recently given the good news of advancing to the next stage of audition.

The lucky contestants were among the almost thousand talents who gathered at Owerri this past Saturday for the audition.

These contestants have survived the pre-selection stage and the judges have found them worthy to proceed to the next stage of the auditions. The selected talents include four spoken word artists, seven singers, eight dancers and five actors.

The judges at People’s Hero Owerri audition

Describing the experience as exciting and fulfilling, the three judges, Illbliss, Racheal Okonkwo and Marc Swagz unanimously admitted the contestants’performances were a mix of the excellent, the good and the ugly.

According to them, the quality of the talents from the Enugu auditions were better than those at the Owerri auditions. They claimed this made their decision quite easy in selecting the contestants who qualified for the next round.

The selected contestants will have to go through another round of auditions for the final nine to emerge and participate in the live shows happening this month.

Designed by Hero lager beer

to identify the best talent in the Southeast and reward the winner with a cash prize of N7 million with a consolation prizes of N2 million and N1 million for the first and second runner up, the Marketing Manager of the brand, Obumneke Okoli said the brand has always claimed there is a hero in everyone and what happened in Owerri just confirmed Hero’s claim.

He said this explains why the brand is providing platforms to enable Nigerian youths bring forth their best. He reiterated his confidence that whoever emerges ‘The People’s Hero’ will indeed be a huge performer in the entertainment industry.

The event hall of the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos was bubbling with excited food and beverage enthusiasts and professionals on a recent Friday morning. The reason for the excitement was not far-fetched. For the first time, AfroGourmands, an event that showcased and encouraged the infusion of European dairy products in African cuisine visited Lagos.

The campaign which kicked off in June saw the team comprising internationally acclaimed Chef Christian Abégan, and Pierre Gay, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Fromager (Best Cheesemonger in France) visit Dakar, Abidjan and Douala in June and July respectively. Lagos is the final tour for the threeyear program that is organised by the European Commission in partnership with the French Dairy Interbranch Organization (CNIEL).

According to CNIEL, the program will promote the knowhow, diversity and excellent quality of the European dairy products – milk, butter, cream and cheese - used in the African cuisine.

Speaking at the event the Chief Operations Officer of CNIEL, Laurent Damiens said the event was organised to highlight through the Afrogourmand’s program, European milk and dairy products that are exported to meet the everincreasing demands in the Nigerian market.

“In 2018, over 248 tons of French cheeses and 178 tons of milk and dairy beverages were exported to Nigeria,’’ he stated.

Laurent added: ‘’The purpose of the campaign is not to displace the use of local produce, rather it is to show the culinary possibilities that can be achieved with a fusion of local and international produce”.

Chef Abégan, who is also a Cordon bleu trained Chef and fervent promoter of African cuisine to the world hosted a tasting workshop at the event, and recreated the local Nigerian food favourite- Ofada rice, using some European dairy products. Abegan said “Incorporating European dairy products in local cuisine will improve and upgrade the African food culture. It will also increase the demand and interest in African cuisine”.

When Del-York Creative Academy Made Its Debut at Warner Bros Studios Recently, the Del-York Creative Academy had the distinguished honor of being hosted at one of the world’s largest landmark entertainment studios, Warner Bros. Studios.

The two-day event organised and presented by the Business Resource Group took place in Burbank, California where selected students from the 2019 class of the institution and past alumni experienced and participated in workshops focused around the entertainment industry.

Projects from DCA students were also screened on the lot, followed by a panel discussion featuring DCA, University of Southern California (USC), Warner Bros. and other partners from various studios. Also, DCA alumni and special guests went on a full Warner Bros. Studio tour, going behind the curtain into the operations of one of the world’s largest and most successful studios.

The President and Founder of the Del-York Creative Academy, Linus Idahosa said that “Jack Warner, the esteemed head of Warner Bros. for many years was once quoted as saying, ‘If I am right 51 per cent rof the time, I am ahead of the game.’ I believe this visit will give voice to the potential that lies within Africa’s Creative economy.

“The knowledge exchanged here will also prove itself profitable in the years to come when Africa not only becomes the largest market for media consumers in the world but creates the largest and most effective outsourcing workforce on the globe.”

The Del-York Creative Academy is Africa’s foremost capacity building institution for film, media, animation and technology.

It is pioneering the growth of the African Creative Industry, through its intensive hands-on training programs while bridging the gap between creatives in the United States and Africa.

In almost a decade of its existence, the academy has successfully flown in 85 lecturers from Hollywood to Africa and trained 1,800 students.

Linus Idahosa and the DCA students

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Oriflame Marks Five Years Anniversary, Launch Anti-aging Cream Sunday Ehigiator It was a week of fun and excitement as Oriflame Nigeria, recently celebrated her five years anniversary, with a courtesy visit by the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana and ECOWAS, Carl -Michael Gräns, as well as the launch of an anti-aging product.

The company which was founded in Sweden with operation in over 60 countries, is known for its inspiring and innovative natural beauty products being sold by over three million independent consultants.

The event had in attendance top leaders, senior management staff and other key stakeholders of the organisation.

It was also celebrated with sizzling hot rewards for top successful consultants, some of who won all expense paid conference trip to Los Angeles, San-Francisco and huge cash awards.

In his address, Carl-Michael revealed that, Oriflame, has been in business in Nigeria since 2014, creating unique business opportunity and scientifically innovative products inspired by nature, this has impacted the lives of thousands of people in Nigeria.

L-R: Managing Director, Oriflame Nigeria, Isidore Ogunjiofor, flanked by Deputy Head Mission, Sweden Embassy, Fanny Nylander and, Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ghana and ECOWAS Carl Michael Gräns, during the Oriflame Nigeria 5th Anniversary Press Conference

According to him, “It was recently recognised as the fastest growing mid-size market in the world, and we are committed to enriching lives, as evident in our recent donation of over four million naira to the ‘SOS Children Village’ to send kids back to school.

“The brand has the capacity to showcase greater Swedish business collaboration opportunities in Nigeria. The embassy of Sweden will con-

tinue to support the partnership between Sweden and Nigeria, while enhancing establishment and investments of successful Swedish businesses, such as Oriflame in Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Oriflame Nigeria Isidore Ogunjiofor, asserted that Oriflame is “not just a business but a platform to enrich lives and fulfill dreams.

“We have launched a new product highlight, which is an

anti-ageing beauty product, which is scientifically proven to reduce wrinkle by 49 per cent.

“We will keep working on impacting the lives of thousands of Nigerians through its unique business opportunity.

We will not relent in our effort to continually support young people especially women and less privileged in the society through the company’s various interventions and programs.”

Lions Club to Commence School Feeding Ayodeji Ake The Lions Club Otta Zone has revealed plans to commence public and private schools breakfast feeding in Otta, Ogun State, noting that it will promote healthy living of the pupils.

Speaking at the Lions Club Investiture, Fund Raising and Installation of Club President, Otta Zone, the new President, Lion Temilade Amadi noted most kids do not take their breakfast before leaving for school, which is unhealthy.

Amadi further said that although Lions Club has been

recognised for its services to humanity, her regime as the 19th president of the Lions Club Otta Zone will include breakfast feeding of the pupils to complement the government’s school feeding program.

“Otta Lions Club over the years have been able to serve humanity by helping the less privilege. We have done a lot in terms helping our immediate community. “I won’t want to believe that Lions Club is not doing anything in our community. It’s glaring, every community you go to, you will feel the presence of Lions Club.

We are not so loud in the sense that we don’t take credit for assisting the community, we do a lot. “Despite the economic situation, we still have the love to serve humanity in our heart and we make it a point of duty to help as much as we can.

“For me, what’s really after my heart is the feeding of the school pupil. I found out that the children hardly eat before going to school. Like my children for example wants to rush to the school bus and do not want to take breakfast.

“So we have decided to take the food them right inside

their classroom. So they will be feelings our impact in Otta environment.

“We know the government is already feeding the school pupils but ours will be breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day. For now, we will be doing the public and private primary schools.”

She urged all members of Lions Club to be steadfast in their services to humanity.

“My advise to the Lions Club members is that they should keep serving because the more we serve , the more we are impactful” she added.

“Why I use Peak Milk for Baking” – ICES Boss Renowned cake expert and country representative for the International Cake Exploration Society (ICES), Nigeria, Mrs Susan Ogunbayode, recommended to cake makers, sugar artists and baking students to use Peak Milk for baking recipes that require milk. The assertion was made during a cake making class at the ICES 11th Annual convention, held in Lagos on October 2 – 3, 2019.

According to Ogunbayode, asides the heritage and inherent qualities of Peak Milk, its creaminess plays a vital role in moisture, structure and leavening of your cake. “For cakes that require milk, there’s a distinctive texture Peak gives when used to bake. It is different from any other I have used and my customers over the years really cherish the unique look, feel and taste of my cakes.

Susan Ogunbayode oversees the Nigerian chapter of The International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES), a non-profit organization and international

Child Protection Network Inaugurates Office in Amuwo-Odofin Rebecca Ejifoma Following the underreported cases of child abuse in AmuwoOdofin Local Government Area, a child right advocacy group, Child Protection Network, has inaugurated an office in the LGA to further curtail the menace.

The office was inaugurated in the premises of the LGA where CSOs, NGOs, police and other stakeholders in the fight against child abuse of all forms were present.

According to the Chairman of the LGA, Mr. Oluwaseyi Buraimoh, it is time to act and protect the child. “Let’s make Amuwo child-abuse free. Every child has a right to life, education and freedom”.

He further warned that it was an offence for any child to be abused on any form or his right be violated. “I have zero tolerance for perpetrators. We will take such case to the necessary quarters for appropriate actions”.

The chairman, however, warned parents present not to hesitate to report such abuse on their children. “It is a crime for you to shield such criminal act against a child”.

He enlightened them that by reporting they would not be causing any harm to their family name as many believe.

Speaking also, the State Coordinator of CPN, Mrs. Ngozi Okoro, encouraged the stakeholders to roll their sleeves and be the ambassadors they pledged to be. “With this inauguration, I hope to see positive changes in Amuwo-Odofin LGA”.

Eko Disco Marks Customer Service Week at House of Gold Children’s Hospice Iwonume Ekeghe The management and staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on Thursday, October 10, visited the House of Gold Children’s Hospice in Surulere, Lagos State to mark customer service week.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the activities that shows the premium EKEDC places on its host community and the people around its operations, hence the visit.

Commemorating this year’s customer service week themed “the Magic of Service”, they went to the hospice to show support for children with special needs in the society.

The team was led by the Chief Finance Officer of EKEDC, Joseph Esenwa and Chief Legal Officer, Wola Joseph were received by the founder of Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice, Theresa Omolaja.

Explaining the purpose of the visit, Chief Legal Officer of EKEDC, Wola Joseph said “Customer Service Week is a week-long celebration of customers all around the globe and we chose today to come to celebrate with our children with special needs. CSR is what we do because empowering the quality of lives is our mantra and we want to touch everyone around us”.

Omolaja, in turn, thanked the management and staff of the company for their visit, kindness and support. She then showed them around the facility.

She also mentioned the ways the children are taken care of and their peculiarities, just as she shared her dream of starting a school for the children in the facility and EKEDC keyed into her idea by promising to meter the school for free immediately the school is completed.

Omolaja appreciated the company for the kind gesture and promised to keep the company in the loop of activities going on in the facility.

Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospice was established in 1990 to house and cater to children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses. The hospice houses children with special needs with an emphasis on children with autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, dyslexia and other neurological conditions associated with mental disabilities.

Firm Unveils Online Mall Ayodeji Ake

network of sugar and cake artists who have promoted the sharing of baking and sugar art skills for over 30 years.

Its members include noted authors, teachers, judges, manufacturers and television personalities, as well as home

bakers and small business owners.

“Professionally, I’ve been baking cakes for over 18 years and can tell you authoritatively that milk has several crucial roles in baking. It not only moistens the dough but also

gives your cake structure, so it doesn’t collapse in the oven.

Peak Milk particularly does the magic for me. I’ve had Peak Milk since my childhood and I dare say their quality is consistent and unmatched”, said Ogunbayode.

Succor, an online shopping mall for products and service delivery has been unveiled.

The co-founder of the Partus Group, Mr Seun Edun, in a statement, said the online platform is a one-stop mobile and web-application solution which makes it possible for consumers to shop directly from all outlets, merchants and service providers on the platform.

He said: “The application is set up such that consumers can shop and pay directly to chosen outlets. This mobile and web application is a cutting-edge technology solution and platform for consumers in the country.

“Succor.ng will house outlets and service providers in wide categories including restaurants, electronics, gadgets, fashion, home appliances, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians. Consumers will also be able to shop fresh foods in open markets and purchased products get delivered to them immediately.”

He added that consumers using the platform will be protected as their transactions will be insured.

“It is essentially Nigeria’s first online shopping mall as the platform provides access to qualified and verified artisans and service providers in closest proximity to requesting customers.

Succor.ng through its dispatch partners provides instant and real-time deliveries to products purchased from Outlets on the platform. Consumers will also see their purchased products transit to them virtually real-time,” Edun said.

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

CBN’s Looming Financial Liberation for Creative Industry

Art Downpour for SNA Lagos ‘October Rain’ Exhibition

YINKA OLATUNBOSUN argues that the Creative Industry Finance Initiative initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria is one good step forward in liberating artists from the crippling crisis of funding News about the N21.9 billion intervention fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Bankers’ committee to the creative sector had gone viral since the recently held Creative Nigeria Summit in Lagos.

Add to this the plans to develop creative industry parks and hubs in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu. Interestingly, the vast expanse of land around the once vibrant but now flood-prone National Theatre is expected to be rebuilt for the purpose of driving job creation, training and capacity building and foreign exchange generation.

A recent tour of the facility by the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele alongside the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat and the MD/ CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe sent a clear signal to the creative community that perhaps, this is no mere wishful thinking. Contrary to fears, National Theatre is not about to be converted into a luxury hotel.

Meanwhile, the Creative Industry Finance Initiative (CIFI) targets four key areas namely the movie, music, fashion and information technology sectors which are considered as the strongest pillars in Nigeria’s burgeoning creative economy. For

Bruce Onabrakpeya’s work Nollywood Stars

obvious reasons, the visual artists felt excluded. Prior to CBN’s intervention, the British Council had embarked on a survey to help map the lucrative potentials in the creative industry.

Due to the under reporting of income in the visual arts, it was difficult to ascertain the sectors’ contribution to the Gross Value Added (GVA). But Nigerian artworks are some of the bestselling in leading art auction houses in the UK. Anyway, in that survey conducted in 2013, the Nigerian film industry was found to contribute 61 per cent, while fashion contributed 26 per cent and music was estimated to have contributed 13 per cent to the GVA. Still, this result did not show the actual contribution of music sector as many of the targeted respondents such as Psquare, Tubaba and other top earners were not available to fill the questionnaires. But then, some facts are undeniable: these key

sectors possess the power of value chain. For instance, if you empower a theatre director, you have created jobs for actors, dancers, singers, costumier, make up artist, fashion designer, musicologist, royalty for playwright and more personnel that are typically involved in a production process.

UNESCO has recognized that Nigeria’s home video industry, otherwise known as Nollywood, as the world’s second largest with potential annual revenue of N522 billion. Despite this realisation, professionals in the creative industry still run around to secure corporate sponsorship for their projects. It is not unusual for the corporate sponsor to dictate how their product placement will be done. In an almost shylock affair, some sponsors demand to have their brand logo as stage backdrop, which is unethical in real theatre practice. There is really no freedom for an artist who

has to dance to the sponsor’s tunes as a matter of financial necessity. With CIFI, creatives now have financial options. Creatives are eligible for the CIFI if they have businesses that can create jobs, build capacity and be able to make loan repayment within 10 years.

Some of the factors that had crippled the National theatre include lack of security, poor administration and infrastructure. It is a given that cultural life can only be alive in the presence of security, accessible roads and good power supply.

Ask culture buffs in Bonn, Berlin, New York, and most cities of the world where nightlife is lit, infrastructure plays a major part. No one wants to drive on poorly lit Lagos roads with potholes covered with flood waters at night.

With CBN taking a good step forward, it is expected that the Lagos State government follows next with pliable roads.

Muson Festival Glams Up October Stories by Yinka Olatunbosun All is set for this year’s edition o the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Festival which is an annual week of super-charged performances, conversations and powerful artistry. From dance to orchestral music, the festival which is in its 23rd year has been a mix-bag of creativity drawn from music, drama and visual arts. Initially conceived as a mini-festival in the mid-90s, the festival has morphed into a full-scale project that features classical music concerts, art exhibitions, art auctions and masterclasses.

At a press conference held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, the Vice Chairman, MUSON, Louis Mbanefo revealed that two distinguished international artistes Walter-Micheal Vollhardt, a visiting conductor of the orchestral and another international virtuoso, Nigerian-Romanian Painist, Rebeca Omordia will participate in this festival. Mbanefo described the festival as the rallying point for the realisation of artistic dreams

Rebeca Omordia in concert

and a socio-cultural venue.

“The festivals have pointed the way to the path that MUSON is destined to follow, namely to become the centre for all the arts at the highest level and the premier venue for the arts in West Africa,’’ he said.

The festival’s curtain raiser is “MUSIC meets Art”, an art exhibition in partnership with the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) at the Shell Hall on October 16. The next day, the animated music conversation session called “My Kind of Music’’ will feature select personalities such as Mrs. Dupe Ajayi, HRH Erelu Dosumu Abiola,

Mr. Akinmolu Opeodu and Mr Babatunde Ajijedidun.

On Friday October 18, the Danjuma Festival Opera titled, “Don Pasquale” by Gaetano Donizeti will hold the Lagos audience spell-bound at the close of work inside the Agip Recital Hall.

One of the most anticipated specials at the festival is the Chevron Festival Drama. This year, a two-hander protest play, “What’s Dis All About?” directed by Toyin Oshinaike will be performed on Saturday October 19 and Sunday October 20 at the Agip Recital Hall. According to the director, the play is a Nigerian adaptation of the classic anti-apartheid themed political satire, “Woza Albert” which premiered at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1981. It was written by Mbongeni Ngema, Percy Mtwa and Barney Simon. Incidentally, Oshinaike had performed in the play as a member of a Repertory Theatre.

“My attempt is not only to showcase a satirical commentary on the “Common Nigerians” but also to present in caricature form, the critical issues of survival in a state of

political and economic depression which have grossly deprecated our moral values and conscience,’’ the director explained.

On why this adaptation is timely, Oshinaike showed how the repressive apartheid regime in South Africa mirrors the socio-economic and political realities in Nigeria.

“Politicians want change-but only in their pockets! And this must change,’’ he added.

Produced by African Radio Drama Association (ARDA) and performed by OneSix Productions, the play with two runs daily is based on the hilarious idea of the coming of a messiah to Nigeria and the bizzare expectations of the common man for a better life.

The MUSON School Alumni Concert will feature a musical titled, “Igbeyawo’’ on Monday October 21 in the morning and evening. A glamourous International Cultural Night that parades dances from China, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Columbia is slated for October 23 and the following day, Rebeca Omordia and MUSON artistes on the bill of Fourchiefs Media UK will thrill the audience.

Another raining season is here where Lagos will be flooded with artworks from 110 artists in this edition of “October Rain Exhibition.’’ With the theme, “When Thoughts Become Reality,’’ the Lagos chapter of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) in collaboration with Freedom Park will showcase iconic artists alongside emerging ones from October 26 till November 3.

It is an annual exhibition that is organized to promote art professionalism amongst members. The exhibition which is in its ninth year has also made it a tradition to honour some of the biggest contributors to contemporary arts in Nigeria. In 2016, Sammy Olagbaju was celebrated. In 2017, SNA Lagos celebrated Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi and last year, two art scholars Prof. Yusuf Grillo and Prof. Abayomi Barber were honoured.

At this edition, the global citizen and founder, Centre for Contemporary Art, Bisi Silva and the renowned wood carver, Bisi Fakeye will be honoured for roles in the development of contemporary art.

The Chairman, SNA Lagos, Idowu Sonaya, also revealed that Fakeye’s work titled, “Bembe Drummer’’, produced in 2014, will be auctioned at the show.

Other great masters whose works will be featured at the show include Dr. Bruce Onabrakpeya, Dr. Kolade Oshinowo, Prof Abayomi Barber, Abiodun Olaku, Duke Asidere, Duke Igbinedion, Olu Ajayi, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Idowu Sonaya, Dotun Popoola, Olojo Kosoko, Dotun Alabi, Animu Oboirien, Damola Adepoju, Stella Ubigho, Bolai Ogunwo, Omovo Ayoola, Dr. Stella Awoh Mofunanya, Anthony Nwalupue, Ibrahim Afegbua, Ato Arinze, Ayoola Mudashiru, Oladele Ogbeyemi, Adebiyi Ayobami, Janet Seweje, Bunmi Lasaki, Rasheed Amodu, Sholarin Omokorede, Obayuwana Augustine, Albert Ohams amongst others. SNA Lagos also frowned on the exclusion of the visual arts sector from the top four selected sectors in the creative industry that the CBN will empower with the intervention fund.

ArrivalofLagosPhotoFestival2019 From October 27 to November 15, lovers of photography will converge on Lagos for another edition of the first international art festival of photography in Nigeria, LagosPhoto. With the aim of reclaiming public spaces, engaging the general public with multifaceted visual stories of Africa, the festival which is organised by African Artists Foundation unite local and international artists through images that embody individual experiences and identities from across Africa.

The 2019 edition marks the 10th anniversary of the LagosPhoto Festival which has as its theme, “Passports.”

Some of the exhibiting photographers include Adeoku Osibodu, Alexis Fiasco, Anaka, Chukwuma Nwobi, Dan Halter, David Baptiste, Dustin Thierry, Ella Eduozor, Gaelen Pinnock, Halima Abubakar, Jamil G. Baldwin, Jenevieve Aken, Joana Choumali, Johnny Miller, Kelvin Haizel, Magda Biernat and Ian Webster, Mahmoud Hojeij, Maimouna Guerresi, Nelly Atina, Obayomi Anthony, Yinka Babalola etc.

In partnership with Canon, the festival offers a multivenue panel discussion, workshops whilst its grand opening on October 27 will take place at the Federal Government Press Liasion Office on Broad Street.

According to the curator, the theme of “Passports” delves into the constraints and prospects of the most defining official documents one can possess. The possession of it confers certain values, ideas, liberties and restriction.

LagosPhoto Festival, founded by Azu Nwagbogu is a laboratory of ideas and a safe place for experimenting with open forms of identity. The festival is supported by US Consulate General, Lagos; Ford Foundation, TECHNO, Mike Adenuga Centre, LASPARK, Alliance Franchise amongst others.

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COLLAGE EVENTS

‘That Yoke Must Break’ Set to Hold Mary Nnah

L - R: Rector, Federal Polytechnic IIaro, Dr. O.O Aluko; Governor of Ogun State,Prince Dapo Abiodun; Best graduating student from the polytechnic from the Department of Office Technology and Management Studies, Ms. Akintola Esther ; and Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, during the 19th convocation ceremony and 40th anniversary of the polytechnic, Ilaro...recently

Daughter of deceased, Mrs. Omorinsola Afolabi (middle) flanked by friends during the funeral reception of her late mother, Deaconess Yemisi Abigail Oseni at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos... recently ETOPUKUTT

L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi ; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon Biodun Omoleye; during presentiation of cheque to one of the beneficiaries of the Social Security Scheme for elderly citizens, Madam Moriyeye Kayode, at the relaunch of the scheme in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday

L-R: Executive Director, British American Tobacco Foundation (BATNF), Abimbola Okoya; BATNF Technical Committee member, Prof Chidi Ibe; Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Wasiu Gbolahan Lawal; BATNF Technical Committee member, Mr Fatai Afolabi; and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwola Onasanya, during the 2019 World Food Day Lagos Farm Fair in Lagos...recently

Plan has been concluded for the long awaited international programme titled, “That Yoke Must Break”, scheduled to hold on Saturday October 19th to and Sunday October, 20 2019 at The Chosen Revival Ground, Along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, by Ijesha, bus stop, Lagos from 8am daily According to a press release signed by the Public Relation Officer for the church, Pastor Louis Chidi, the programme which is interdenominational is divinely designed to break every yoke and bondage that has constituted limitation and stagnation in the life of the participants and at same time the nation.

“God has determined that through this power packed programme our freedom shall be actualized. Comes this weekend as we go to God in prayer during this special crusade, all yoke shall be broken and our story positively re-written anew.”

“No participant will go home empty handed because God Almighty has seen the socioeconomic suffocation the people of this country are subjected to and therefore has scheduled the crusade to liberate them from all entanglement. The crusade will bring to an end the era of apprehension and general strangulation prevailing in the society in recent times”, it stated..

The programme which will be presided over by the icon of revival evangelism Pastor Lazarus Muoka, will witness salvation, sanctification, Holy Ghost baptism, breaking of yoke from spiritual limitation, demonic possession, barrenness of the womb, intellectual and financial barrenness, it will also address physical challenges such as paralyses of all kinds, diseases, sicknesses, economics and political problems. Surely, the anointing will break all yoke in their lives.

The crusade is expected to attract an unprecedented crowd so participants are advised to come on time in order to secure vantage position. Pastor Muoka is inviting all to come and witness the demonstration of God’s power for a total liberation. He assured God has chosen that day to give freedom to as many as will come and present their problem to Him. Free transport arrangement has been made by the ministry to convey people to the venue from any location within the Lagos metropolitan city. And most importantly provision has been made for a digitalize security measure that will address any breach of order.

Chemstar Group Appoints Chairman/ CEO, GMD, Others A major change has been announced at the top management echelon of Chemstar Group.

In the new changes as announced by the Board of Chemstar Group, Mr. Emmanuel Aderemi Awode, has been appointed as the Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of Chemstar Group.

Until his new appointment, Awode was the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of Chemstar Paints Industry (Nig.) Ltd. A graduate of Chemistry from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Awode is a creative and talented Paint Chemist with peculiar passion for paints technology in the areas of building paints, industrial coatings, marine coatings, automotive paints, and wood finishes.

Also, the former Deputy Managing Director (DMD), Mr. Adedayo Olusesan Paseda, has been appointed as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Chemstar Paints and its subsidiaries.

Paseda, an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration (Marketing Specialisation) from the University of Lagos, Lagos. He has attended several courses on Polymer, Adhesives and Sealants and Paints Technology at the Paints Research Association Institute, Teddington, and the Polytechnic of North London, both in the United Kingdom.

He started his working career in January 1989 with Premier Paints Plc, where he rose to the position of Technical Director before joining Chemstar in May 2007. Other changes announced by the Board include Mr. Fola Laguda, former General Manager Sales & Marketing, who now becomes the Executive Director, Sales & Marketing. Laguda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. He is a Fellow of Institute of Marketing, Nigeria and has attended a Leadership course at the Oxford Brookes University Business School, London.

Also, Dr. Tunde Olaniya, former General Manager, Strategy & Business Development, has been appointed the Executive Director, C-PIN Industries Limited. Olaniya holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Ibadan. He had his Postgraduate programme in Business Administration at the University of Wales (Robert Kennedy College), United Kingdom and his Advanced Management Programme at the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos. He also attended a Leadership course at the Oxford Brookes University Business School, London. The board, which said that the new appointments had since taken immediate effect, however, expressed optimism in the new appointees that they will deploy their wealth of experience and expertise to contribute immensely to the development of the Group and the nation’s economy at large.

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LIFE

Wole Shenbanjo: Redefining the Potentials of the Tourism Industry Wole Shenbanjo is the Chief Executive Officer of ShenbeeTravels, a travel and tourism agency, located in Ikoyi area of Lagos. With experience in investment banking, enterprise risk management, mergers and acquisitions, PFAs, across AXA Mansard and GTB, he brings a shrewd knowledge of financing and management to the travel and tourism industry. As one of the sponsors of the last Pan Atlantic University’s EDC Small and Medium Enterprise Week, Shenbanjo speaks about the challenges and opportunities in the travel and tourism industry locally and globally. He spoke with CHARLES AJUNWA. Excerpts:

T

pr promoting tourism in Nigeria. The honest tru is that outbound tourism is what we truth ca push for now. There is the issue of incan se security, bad road network which serves as a great disadvantage to local tourism.

W are a registered and active member of We th National Association of Nigeria Travel the A Agencies (NANTA) which is our pressure gr group in Nigeria and we lend our voice w where necessary to the progress of the tra travel and tourism industry.

We also participate in travel exhibitions ar around the world. We were at the Arabian Tr Travel market earlier in the year and are al already scheduled to attend the World Tr Travel Market exhibition in London next m month.

At these exhibitions, strategic pa partnerships are established with various tra travel suppliers from all over the world to br bring very amazing yet affordable packag to our dynamic clientele in Nigeria. ages

he travel and tourism industry in Rwanda is said to contribute 4.5 per cent to the country’s GDP while Nigeria only garners 1.7 per cent from same. Why is Nigeria lagging behind even in the travel and tourism industry in Africa?

The poor state of airport infrastructure and stringent visa policies in Nigeria are some of the major constraints affecting the travel and tourism sector. However, this is being addressed as the government recently announced ease of obtaining visa on arrival in Nigeria.

Can you please tell us some of the features, both natural and economical, that make a destination attractive to tourists and travelers?

By definition, a tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. The features that attract tourists to a particular destination are Good climate (which Nigeria enjoys), beautiful scenery, good and clean beaches, zoos, museums, nice shopping areas and of course all of this within a relatively safe and secure environment.

Obviously, the world has seen constant changes, but more than ever new trends are emerging to challenge pre-existing traditions across industries; what are the trends that will dictate the pace in the travel and tourism industry within the next decade?

In terms of trends, the world is constantly evolving and the effect is being felt in virtually every industry. As a matter of fact, some of the businesses we have today did not exist a couple of years ago and the ones that will change the world haven’t even yet been formed.

In the travel and tourism industry, technology has come in to play a major role in how we conduct our businesses. Currently, travel industry market research reveals that 41 per cent of the business and 60 per cent of leisure travel arrangements are nowadays made online. These statistics is bound to grow.

Any business that is not leveraging technology is at a great disadvantage. We are at a point where more people than ever are traveling or are interested in traveling and now more than ever they want to do it from the comfort of their homes or offices or even their phones while on the move. Another trend now is more people are looking to explore what we refer to as the less conventional or less popular destinations and want these tour packages personalised. So over the next decade, we would see a lot more online bookings, a lot more tour interests to diverse destinations around the world and heavy reliance.

How can Nigeria, and its African

Shenbanjo

neighbours, position themselves to take advantage of the trends?

A. What we need to do is to position ourselves to capture this new emergence.

Let’s take a look at the global travel giant Thomas Cook who recently slipped into liquidation and filed bankruptcy, one of

The government has a huge role in terms of policies, regulation and support. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism needs to live up to expectations as to why they were set up. I travel around the world attending travel exhibitions and I meet people who are eager to come to Nigeria. What’s not to love about Nigeria?

923,768sq km of land area with 200 million population with amazing attractions. There is a huge potential for inbound tourism

the challenges they faced was that they refused to go with the trend. They were still investing in brick and mortar while the world had moved online. So we as Nigerians and by extension Africans need to develop our own progressive digital strategy to make the most in the market.

What roles do the government and bodies such as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and businesses play to stimulate any meaningful advantage?

The government has a huge role in terms of policies, regulation and support. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism needs to live up to expectations as to why they were set up. I travel around the world attending travel exhibitions and I meet people who are eager to come to Nigeria. What’s not to love about Nigeria? 923,768sq km of land area with 200 million population with amazing attractions. There is a huge potential for inbound tourism. Travel and tour companies in Nigerian have the capacity to create packages but the government needs to fix certain things for inbound tourism to thrive.

As a business and active player in the industry, kindly tell us what is Shenbee Travels currently doing to ensure local and foreign tourists get the best experience?

Shenbee Travels is at the forefront of

Basically then, what differentiates Sh Shenbee Travels from the competitio tion?

Shenbee Travels is a full-service travel co company.

We offer services in the area of business travels, retail travel services, to packages, cruises, visa advisory tour se services and tickets to numerous destinatio in the world. Our vision is clear, to tions de demystify the myth around travels and br bring it closer to home so that everyone ca afford it. We have a very strong social can m media presence and a fully functional w website where clients can book their trips en to end and are assured of a 24hour end ac active customer service. With as low as N N300,000-N350,000 people can actually ge tickets, hotel accommodation, airport get tra transfers and tours with payment plans th enable them to “travel now and pay that la later”.

We are at the peak period for travel an tourism; what specifically is and Sh Shenbee Travels proposing to ensure to tourists and travellers get the best ex experience, considering the hailing ec economy and security threats all over th world? the Like I said, Shenbee Travels has a cl clear focus, which is to always deliver am amazing pocket-friendly packages to ou our clientele. For the festive period co coming up, we have carefully created to tour packages to a couple of destinatio tions and have begun rolling them ou out on all our social media platforms an and our website. We have packages to Dubai, Kenya, Turkey, Singapore, M Mauritius and a couple more destinatio tions. Most of these destinations are to tourist-friendly and very minimal se security threats.

It is been a pleasure talking to yo you. What do you wish the country si since it just celebrated her 59th in independence anniversary?

I wish Nigeria the very best as we just ce celebrated our 59th year of independe dence. I am an incurable optimist and a fi firm believer in this great country. We ac acknowledge the great efforts of some ke key principal officers in this administratio tion and I am particularly confident that th though it might take time, Nigeria will be gr great again.

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36

METRO

…Your city life in print

Call for Transformation ÒÏ ÏÖÏÝÞÓËÖ ÒßÜÍÒ ÙÐ ÒÜÓÝÞ ÜÏÍÏØÞÖã ÜÙÖÖÏÎ ÙßÞ ÞÒÏ ÎÜß×Ý ÐÙÜ ÓÞÝ ͿͺØÎ ËØØÓàÏÜÝËÜã áÙÜÖÎáÓÎϘ áÒÓÍÒ áËÝ ËØ ÙÚÚÙÜÞßØÓÞã ÞÙ ËÎàÙÍËÞÏ ÐÙÜ ÞÜËØÝÐÙÜ×ËÞÓÙØ ËØÎ ÜÏÝÞÙÜËÞÓÙØ ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÎÏÜËÓÖÏÎ ÝÚÓÜÓÞßËÖ Ó×ËÑÏ ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÍÒßÜÍÒ˜ REBECCA EJIFOMA ÜÏÚÙÜÞÝ

I

ndeed, it is believed that when character is lost, all is lost. In this age and time where ills are embraced by the society, the church certainly thirsts for a rapid awakening.

Now, this was the turbulence in the mind of the Most Senior Evangelist-cum-member of the Board of Celestial Zion International Bible Centre Lekki Phase 1, Mr. Ezekiel Adegor, when he spoke to THISDAY on the solutions to these lingering issues the leadership of the church is faced with.

First, he narrated the essence of the establishment of the church 72 years ago, then swiftly gave a balm to the whirlwinds raging the spiritual growth.

“This year marks the 72nd Anniversary of the establishment of the church since September 29, 1947. It is a journey that started on 23rd May same year when the late pastor founder, S.B.J Oshoffa received a visit from the Heavenly bodies,” he recounted.

Adding that the Celestial Church is mandated to propagate the Grace of Christ to the entire world, he listed the many morals expected of the church.

“Our pastor founder departed on September 10, 1985. This is the 34th year and we are also celebrating his transition to higher glory” he said.

Expressing that although Celestial exemplified so much of God’s glory in the past, he bemoaned that the church had derailed from its original root.

His words: “We must be truthful. Things have not been as rosy as it was. Instead of us moving forward spiritually, regrettably, we could say that the Celestial church – on the primary message of regenerating people’s lives and people’s mindset after the likeness of our Heavenly Father - is going the opposite direction.”

While the eloquent senior minister was explicit in his narrative, he seconds the opinion that everyone has to undergo character, attitudinal and behavioral reformation. “Celestial comes with a message parable – Cleansing the world.

This means cleansing the world through our Christlike character, attitude and behavior.

So, we’ll be able to influence other people who are not yet in the light of Christ to receive and believe in him” he said. For the audacious board member, this is the mission that has regrettably derailed. “Instead of us to forge ahead in cleansing the world, Celestial church today is battling with so much internally”, Adegor said.

tend to read what the leaders do more than what they say.

He spoke further on leaders practising what they preach. “They will do what they see us practicing and therefore leaders must practice holy divine love like Jesus Christ did teach and show his disciples.”

Of course, Adegor also advised that the church must learn to kill carnality and worldliness within. Adding, he said when they do so, then the army of followers with them will see they don’t exalt worldliness.

“Gradually, they will follow us in exemplifying this holy divine love wherever they find themselves”.

Among other things, he urged parents, especially fathers, to train their children to recognise right and wrong. “Partake Actively in their Upbringing and retraining them to become Godly children”.

The Most Senior Evangelist, Ezekiel Adegor

Undoubtedly, celebrating its septuagenarian year for the church is all about trying to take a deep reflection of who they are and who God expects them to be.

According to the senior evangelist, who is also a clergy at Zion Parish located in Lekki Phase 1, when individual members are able to exemplify the lifestyle of Jesus Christ daily, he is sure “we can start repositioning the church and a gradual transformation will be noticed in the society.

Message to Members Indeed, he has one message for Celestial members worldwide – defining who a Celestial is.

Adegor soon urged members: “You must define who a Celestial is and then practice what God expects from those called Celestial. A Celestial member is not just about wearing white garment or one who fulfils his lithological services in the house of God.” He, however, described a Celestial as one who is immersed in the lifestyle of Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit to achieve

great exploits through the Word of God at all times.

Sadly, he went further to underline the unfortunate rapid spread of worldliness and carnality in the church as the reason that is eating up our Spiritual and moral identity.

He added: “Members owe it a duty to themselves that after 72 years, considering the mission God has placed on this church – to walk in the light Christ expects us to walk and to work for the Harvest of God’s kingdom.”

Message to Leaders With the style of leadership taking a toll in the country, Adegor recalls an adage that leadership is very important in every society. “For me, in any religious setting, leadership is everything. In a religious setting, leaders influence lives either positively or negatively,” he noted.

While he explained that followers look up to the leaders for character, attitudinal and behavioural direction, he said followers

The Bible Centre Now, the Celestial Zion International Bible Centre - a theological school - is focused on the delight of the word of God in the lives of members and nonmembers.

“We found out that the reason Christianity is going backward is that so many people who call themselves Christians don’t have the word of God in them,” he expressed.

Currently, the centre offers programmes in basic and advanced diploma.

Interestingly, Celestial Church worldwide held its ‘Declare His Righteousness’ in the Church and Nigeria with a one day prayer chain on Sunday 29, September for all Nigerians.

“Whenever society was economically or politically feeling bitter, we must not look anywhere else but the church. When the body of Christ takes back its flavour, then things will go well In society.”

Final Call The senior evangelist believes in solution ministry. “Let us stop complaining and start actioning solutions to problems in society and Christianity,” he said boldly.

Continuing, he said: “People like Professor S. O. Odeyemi, the former DVC of UNILAG and a Sup. Evangelist R. D. Adelu the Senior Shepherd at Zion Parish have devoted their lives to implementing solutions that will transform celestial church. We all must emulate them to achieve even greater transformation in the Body of Christ”.

Ultimately, Adegor says it is a time for sober reflection among Christians worldwide for the good of all.

NECA’S Entrepreneurial Women Builds Mentorship Network Chiamaka Ozulumba NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) sixth annual summit tagged ‘Power Up, NoLimitations’, was a two-day event aimed at empowering and encouraging women to embrace entrepreneurship, prosper in business for the general good of the society and achieve total well-being while impacting others.The organisation is geared towards being the perfect network for budding generations of successful women entrepreneurs, as it aims to empower the businesses of female entrepreneurs to make a tremendous leap using what was learnt from experiences of other successful entrepreneurs.

The group seeks to effectively influence and apply government business policies while getting exposure to various venture capital and investment opportunities. Thus, the summit

focused on enhancing the businesses of female entrepreneurs with this year’s objective aimed at equipping women with the key tools and mentoring that will give them an edge and nudge them higher on the scale to do their utmost best without hindrance or distraction.

The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs). Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Dr. Mrs. Grace Igbokwe in her goodwill message, extoled NNEW’s impact in promoting, nurturing and impacting entrepreneurship amongst women, especially taking up pertinent issues as they relate to how women can successfully run their businesses She said: “It is for this reason that I profoundly commend this network, which I have been told has greatly metamorphosed into a force to be reckoned with in the area of economic empowerment for women, since 2005 when this network was established under NECA”.

According to the first lady, NNEW has supported over three thousand beneficiaries with soft loans through the NNEW Microfinance Bank and corporative multipurpose society as well as business training, network forum, capacity building, business linkages, mentoring and consultancy services amongst others. “The theme of this year’s summit ‘Power Up, No Limitations, is profoundly germane and it is a topic that we must intentionally pair up to encourage women out there, that they must not allow anything, whatsoever to limit them from achieving their aims of becoming successful entrepreneurs. “I reckon that one of the objectives of this summit is to foster collaboration for business growth, the truth is that women must first key partners and work with such individuals or organisations to make a mark in business”.

Speaking to THISDAY, Mrs.

Audrey Joe-Ezeigbo, President of Nigerian Gas Association, Cofounder and Executive Director Falcon Corporation Limited emphasised the importance of women being the ‘Eagle Entrepreneur’. “To be an eagle entrepreneur, you must be relentless in setting and achieving your set goals with perseverance and tenacity as key factors when things go south with a ‘plan B’ always on the table.

“You need to be focused, tenacious and no be distracted when ‘storms’ surface in your business but to preserve work towards building businesses that will stand the test of time rather than crumbling when the founder no longer holds the reins.

“As an eagle entrepreneur when faced with new business opportunities, the first thing you do is ‘quint’ which is not born out of uncertainty but of focus to aid in planning, strategising different ways to achieve those goals,” she said. Princess (Dr)

Vicky Haastrup, the Executive Vice-Chairman of ENL Consortium Limited and President Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria spoke on the importance of being an ‘Eagle Entrepreneurs’ by pushing to be the best in their fields. Speaking with THISDAY she said, “Women should not be fazed by the gender inequality that strives in our country rather they should create a niche for themselves where they cannot be oppressed and surpass all obstacles in their path as they have the same ‘brains as men’ and as such should stand out in all they do.”

According to her, “women should not be intimidated by any man rather they should ‘fight’ and ‘rise up’ for what they believe in, irrespective of where they find themselves sincewhat a man can do a woman can do even better.”

Speaking to THISDAY, the president of NNEW, Mrs. Modupe Oyekunle said: “NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women

was established in 2005 with five chapters spread across the country; Lagos, Kwara, Abuja, Rivers and Ogun state under Nigeria Employers Consultative Association.

“We are their women’s wing and their major focus it that, we create a platform for women entrepreneurs to be able to network amongst themselves to grow their businesses and the organisation boasts of a women’s own micro financed bank.”

Other speakers at the event include; Mrs Toun Okewale Sonaiya, CEO Women Radio 91.7FM; Mrs. Janet Temitope Adetu, Chief Executive and Lead Consult of JSK Consulting Group; Engr (Mrs) Chioma Okoli-Chima, MD, Olivet Cloud Solutions Nigeria Limited; Mrs. Ifeanyi Julian Etuokwu-Oludumila, Founder, Grow Your Business WithFabulousJulian; and Hajia Aisha Ali-Ibrahim, Global Convener and Chairperson WiLAT, CILT Nigeria.

a e n e l e l g e . e e

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͶ˜ Ͱͮͯͷ

POLSCOPE

D

ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

Is Sanwo-Olu Really Missing?

uring the week, some social media messages on the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, went viral.

The messages were rather a mockery of what was perceived as the inaction of the governor. One of the messages simply came like public service announcement proclaiming: “Missing Person: One Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the elected governor of Lagos State has been declared missing”, with a plea that the public should help look for him.

The other message was even more of a lampoon, spiced with the oodles of sex. It says: “New Sex Position: ‘Sanwo-olu’… You get on top and do nothing”.

The posts did not make much meaning to me until I had cause to drive through some major routes in Lagos last Tuesday, especially on the mainland.

I had seen video records and read of the tales of woes of many Lagosians in the last few days, especially those on the so-called island. Arising from the after-effect of the huge down pour that had threatened to submerge Lagos in the last few days.

I had tried to connect Ladipo market from Costain area. For over six months, I hadn’t gone on that route, and so was eloquently ignorant of the state of the road. Gosh, it was heckish! If there are road networks in hell (considering its vast size), they couldn’t be worse. Every inch of the road was a challenge. On three spots, the Agege motor road had literally cut into two,, separated by deep and wide gullies all filled with dirty muddy water; forcing motorists to navigate through adjoining filling stations, with higher ground levels.

Needless to mention the huge man hours lost in the ensuing traffic snarl.

It was simply a pepperish nightmare driving on Lagos roads.

Perhaps, the agony would have been less bitter if motorists were contending with just the bad state of the roads.

But no. Motorists, in the midst of all the contention, also have to contend with the ever-increasing volume of motor-bikes (also called Okada), the ubiquitous auto-cockroaches called Tricycles (aka Keke Marwa), not to talk of the notorious Danfo drivers, without forgetting the menace caused by tanker and trailer drivers. This is why the average Lagos driver is under tremendous stress and pressure. Some had died on the steering.

The challenge of effective manage-

A

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ

Minimum Wage, Maximum Rage

T

he Federal Government is about shutting down again and it calls for serious concern to discerning and patriotic Nigerians.

Why would there be a shut down?

Are you not hearing of the threat to go on full strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)?

Let them go. We are tired of their daily threats. Are they not Nigerians?

Are they not seeing how the economy is wobbling? Where is the patriotism expected of them? Haba!

Don’t talk like that. Don’t you know the civil service is the engine of the government?

Sanwo-Olu

ment of the traffic troubles in the city has appeared enigmatic. No administration in Lagos seems to have a solution, even as the problem gets more and more complex every succeeding year. Not even the introduction of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), by the Bola Tinubu administration, has really solved the problem.

Indeed, Lagos now collocates with the tag of traffic snarl.

Gov Sanwo-Olu had promised to deal with the traffic issue within sixty days of assuming office. But midway, he recanted and claimed that he was misquoted by the press, settling rather for the offer to review the situation. It’s well over 100 days now! What has the governor reviewed? What are his strategies in tackling the agony Lagosians go through everyday on the roads?

It is bad enough contending with the huge traffic on the roads everyday, but it is doubly punitive having to contend with the terrible state of the roads, replete with gullies and craters all the way, both on the inner and outer roads in the city.

It is the seeming inaction by the state government that is thus prompting the announcement that is declaring the governor missing. You really cannot but ask if there is a sitting government in the face of the decrepit road networks across the city.

I am aware of the recent statement from the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, saying that the state governor

understands and sympathises with Lagosians on what they are going through, promising that immediate repair works have been ordered by the state governor.

I am sure that Mr Governor understands that governance in an elite community like Lagos demands far more than “showing understanding”. Lagosians would rather have a governor who shows understanding and takes urgent and practical actions that addresses whatever the issues are. I thought the governor, had a governance template before assuming office. He almost had a near parallel government with committees on almost all areas of governance, during and after the campaigns. Lagosians need to see and experience the outcome of those templates. We hope he will not be overwhelmed by the flood of godfather interference in the running of Lagos.

He should be building on the gains of previous administrations. He seems to be in a quandary, not knowing which way to go. The talk about what to do with the Okada riders seems to be neither here nor there. The laws banning them from certain roads in the state, by the Fashola administration is still in force, but it appears to have been consigned to operational archive. Nobody talks about it anymore. Lagosians are groaning. And the governor is quiet, or so it seems. Some believe he is missing. But is he? If he is not, let him show up on all the issues that beset us as a people.

Will the Police Ever Change?

t about 10.20pm last Tuesday, my phone rang. I was already in bed and was very reluctant to yet take any call. It was my nephew on line. He just lost his dad, some five weeks ago. I ignored the call. But he kept calling. I managed to pick when he called the fourth time. It was a distress call. He has just been arrested by some policemen. “What did you do”?, I asked. “Nothing”, he replied. I asked three times, and he reiterated his innocence three times. I offered to talk to any of the policemen who arrested him, but they wont take any call. My nephew explained that they were about twelve persons just rounded up at a bus stop in “Boundary”, in Ajegunle area of Lagos. They handcuffed all of them. My nephew was just alighting from a bus. He was returning from work, still dressed in his overall work outfit. He showed his ID card, but the policemen would not listen. They were all thrown into a waiting Danfo bus and straight to the cell in Ajeromi Police station.

The police call the exercise/operation “raiding”. I asked him what the police are accusing him of. He said something like “late night movement”.

Moving around at 10.15pm is late night movement, and that is an offence?

Nobody answered. All attempts to

Canticles….

Zubairu

speak to higher police authorities proved abortive. Choiceless, they all had to sleep in the cell. By Wednesday morning, my niece who went to see the arrested brother in the station was not allowed to see him unless she parts with N1,000. A policewoman, Corporal Mary Ogbeyi insisted she must be paid the money before she’d allow the sister to see her brother in the cell.

I had called the DPO of the station, one Mr Busari who claimed that “all the people raided last night have been

transferred to the state command”. It was wrong information. My nephew was yet in his cell. I told him so and he promised to get back. When he did, few minutes later, he claimed my nephew had been released, going by the report he was given. Again, it was not true.

The fellow was yet there in the cell. I asked the DPO what the offence is/was that warranted the arrest in the first place. He was somewhat mumbling and stammering. He suggested that “they may have been found in a black spot area”. The bus stop is the black spot area. And anybody found at the bus stop, aka Black spot area at 10.15 pm is a criminal that must be clamped into the cell even when he is able to identify himself. But Mr Busari explained that, “it was when I saw him in his overall this morning, that I asked them to release him, because that showed he was coming from work”.

I demanded that the N1000 charged

by Corporal Mary Ogbeyi be refunded immediately. They complied. And my nephew was released.

But what about the rest of the raided victims who had nobody to call the police? Is this policing or terrorism of the citizenry? It is actions like this that perpetually give the police a bad image, and as my mother would say, “no matter how much you wash it, the nose of the dog can never be white clean”.

What kind of engine? This pushand-start engine?

They just want all the income of government to be spent on them. Which responsible government anywhere in the world will take that?

Do you realize that out of the N10.3 trillion budget of the federal government, N3.8 trillion is going for salaries and emoluments? That is 76% of the budget. It is just a measly 24% of the budget that will be devoted to capital projects. How does a country grow like that?

But how can a realistic government that wants the best of service delivery be arguing about N30,000 minimum wage? Is that right? How many people can really live with less than $100 a month?

Don’t miss the argument. Government has already begun the implementation of the minimum wage for levels 1 to 7. What is being argued now is the percentage increase for higher cadres of the civil service, otherwise called consequential adjustment. What the Labour is asking for is unrealistic. A figure that will swallow the entire budget.

They are as unfair as it is unpatriotic.

Yet they will not support a cut in work force. Do they want government to seek loan to pay staff salaries?

Why are you demonizing the poor workers?

Are they not part of the same society with the bourgeois lawmakers? Do their wives not shop in the same market? Why are you demanding this so-called patriotism and sacrifice only from the common workers? Why are the national lawmakers not part of that sacrifice? Are the Nigerian

Ngige

workers more Nigerian than the fat cats in the National Assembly?

Pray, did you not hear that Mr President is going to spend N1.5 billion to upgrade his plane this year? Upgrade, remember!

Did you not hear that Mr President and his Vice have scheduled to spend the sum of N3.3 billion on local and foreign trips next year?

Are these the expenses profile of people who are making sacrifices?

Look, let me tell you, what is good for the goose is good for the ganders. Haba!

You forget that their roles differ. Do you know many of the workers you are defending are a bunch of lousy and indolent folks, many of whom spend most of their official hours watching Zee World, Telemundo and African Magic, after which they have their lunch and go home, after they have hidden some contractors’ files? Are these the category of people that the treasury should be shut down for?

You are taking the exceptions for the rule. Many of the civil servants are a dedicated workforce that actually run the policies of government. so you cannot dismiss them with such parochial and biased assessment.

The state of the Nigerian affair is a direct coefficient of how well the civil service has been running the policies of government. If you ask me, they are the very ones ruining the policies of government. And that is why we are as we are: stagnant. Yet, they are super rich, at the expense of the ordinary people, whom they pretend to be serving. (in hushed tone) Or how else can we explain how the former female Civil Service chief, could amass the whopping sums linked to her which have been ordered forfeited to the Federal Government? And tomorrow, such ones will be agitating for pay rise, right?

Look, two wrongs don’t make a right. Government should do what is right. Let them harmonise all the twelve different pay structures in the country . How can a Third Class officer earn 300 times more than a First Class personnel simply because the one works in Customs or NIMASA or FIRS while the other earns pittance because he works in Ministry of Establishment. Is it fair? Where is the ethos of reward for hardwork and brilliance?

Go and tell them in government that consequential or no consequential, Nigerian workers are ready for maximum rage over this minimum wage brouhaha. Enough is enough!

38

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 •T H I S D AY

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 • T H I S D AY

39

40

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍśËœ 2019

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Six Banks Extend Market Dominance Obinna Chima The Concentration Ratio (CR) of the six largest banks in Nigeria with respect to deposits and assets stood at 60.31 and 59.74 per cent at the end of December 2018 respectively.

This showed an increase, compared with the 57.68 and 63.68 per cent recorded as at the end of June 2018.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed this in its Financial Stability Report as at December 2018, posted on its website yesterday.

Although the banking sector regulator did not disclose the names of the banks, the six largest banks in the country are Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa Plc and Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

According to the central bank, the market shares of the largest bank with respect to deposits and assets stood at 13.54 and 14.35 per cent respectively. “The remaining 20 banks had market shares ranging from 0.09 to 4.89 per cent, in deposits, and 0.14 to 4.89 per cent in assets, reflecting the skewed structure of the banking industry.

“The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI)7 for the industry stood at 783.35 and 774.58 for deposits and assets at endDecember 2018, compared with 846.14 and 732.72 at end-June 2018, respectively, indicating high concentration,� it stated.

During the review period, seven banks were categorised as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).

The banks were selected based on the D-SIB supervisory framework, given their size, interconnectedness, substitutability and complexity.

The D-SIBs accounted for 63.80 per cent of the industry total assets of N35.10 trillion and 65.23 per cent of the industry total deposit of N21.73 trillion as well as 66 per cent of the industry total loans of N15.34 trillion.

The examination revealed that the D-SIBs were largely in compliance with the regulatory requirements, including capital adequacy and liquidity ratios.

The average capital adequacy ratio (CAR) for the D-SIBs stood at 19.82 per cent, while liquidity ratio stood at 46.29 per cent.

It also showed an improvement in non-performing loans ratio from 11.31 per cent as at

the end of June 2018 to 9.82 per cent as at the end of December 2018.

The report also noted that in response to global and domestic economic developments, the Bank maintained its non-expansionary monetary policy stance in 2018.

Monetary aggregates trended upwards in the second half of 2018 as broad money supply (M3) grew by 16.58 per cent at end-December 2018, compared with 2.35 and 0.59 per cent at end-June 2018 and end-December 2017, respectively.

According to the report, aggregate credit to the domestic economy (net) grew by 6.42 per cent to N27.594 trillion as at the end of December 2018, as against the decline of 16.29 per cent as at the end of June 2018.

The growth in aggregate credit was attributed to the 33.77 and 1.96 per cent increases in net claims on the federal government and claims on the private sector, respectively. Consequently, aggregate.

It also showed that commercial banks’ outstanding credit at the end of the second half of 2018, showed that maturities below one year accounted for 47.10 per cent, compared with 44.10 per cent in the first half of 2018.

Analysts Set Agenda for Economic Advisory Council Peter Uzoho A Senior Research Analyst at the FXTM Limited, Mr. Lukman Otunuga, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s newlyconstituted Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to advise the president to focus on steps to mitigate Nigeria’s exposure to oil price shock.

Otunuga, also said the EAC should specifically proffer suggestions tailored towards diversifying the economy away from oil.

The analyst gave the advice in Lagos, on Wednesday, during an interactive session with journalists where he made predictions on Nigeria’s economic outlook for 2020.

Commenting further about the EAC, he said: “They should focus on diversification, because we need to look at the problem and, it’s not really a problem, it’s a curse or blessing. Nigeria

is still heavily dependent on oil. “The new economic team, what they should be looking for should be matrix they can put into place to mitigate Nigeria’s exposure to oil price shock. “I know we speak about agriculture, you know when we look at the population and the unemployment rate, we have a youth unemployment rate of about 25 per cent. “We have a population that is pushing over 190 million and we have fertile land, and Nigeria has the ability to grow some produce from agriculture. “So, like everyone is asking: Is the government taking a step?

When are we going to see the impact of those steps? “Sometime this year, the IMF in a report warned that Nigeria was not doing enough to diversify the economy. It is still the same economic matrix that we are talking about - the heavy reliance on oil.�

While commenting on the 2020 Appropriation Bill the president submitted to the National Assembly recently, he said the revenue target was going to be exposed to external risks, pointing out that, “should the oil price falls below the $57 per barrel benchmark, the budget would be adversely affected.�

Otunuga added: “I have come at a very interesting time in Nigeria, I have come at a time when everybody is speaking about the 2020 budget.

It always has a beautiful name, optimistic name – ‘Budget of Economic Growth and Job Creation’ “So when we look at the budget, we are going to spend around N10.33 trillion. Government revenue is projected to be around N8.155 trillion and that leaves Nigeria with deficit of about N2.1 trillion or so. So, to plug that hole, Nigeria is going to continue to borrow.�

Sanwo-Olu, Okonkwo Parley ASPAMDA,Trade FairTraders The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday met with market leaders from Alaba, Trade Fair axis in Lagos West senatorial district.

The consultative meeting, which was at the instance of the Governor and coordinated by the Managing Director Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, lasted for about 90 minutes and it was centered around the State Government’s plans to improve security and upgrade infrastructure around the markets.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu said the discussion was aimed at fostering collaboration with the traders and to carry them along in the plans of the government.

The Governor said he was

satisfied with the conditions under which businesses were conducted in the markets, expressing disappointment over the state of roads and absence of relevant public facilities around markets.

In fulfilling his campaign promises to the traders, SanwoOlu said his administration was prepared to change the condition by investing in infrastructure that would improve the quality of lives and commercial activities in the area. He added: “We have just finished an interactive meeting with the leaders of various markets around Alaba, ASPAMDA, Trade Fair areas in Lagos West Senatorial District and the discussion was coordinated by our friend in the banking sector, Fidelity Bank. We

all agreed that we all have roles to play to address infrastructure and other challenges around the markets. “As a government, we are taking up the responsibility to design an all-inclusive model that will improve the economic wellbeing of people around the markets. Once we put infrastructure in place, not only would businesses flourish, employment will also be created. “Aside constructing network of roads surrounding the markets, the Governor said part of the Government’s long-term plans was also to complement the efforts with provision of amenities, including fire stations, clinics, general hospitals and security protections that would aid commercial activities in the markets.�

L-R: Wife of the President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Hajiya Salamatu Aminu Gwadabe; Graduand, Bachelor of Arts Advanced Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, Maryam Aminu Gwadabe, and ABCON President, Dr. Aminu Gwadabe, during the graduation ceremony of Maryam held at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada‌recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018 Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,093,619.43

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month Inter-Bank Call Rate

March 2018 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

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ÍŻÍ´ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $59.28 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $59.62 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), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (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).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

41

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͶ˜ Ͱͮͯͷ

MARKET NEWS

All-Share Index Falls Further as Market Extends BearishTrend Goddy Egene The Nigerian equities market declined further following losses by banking stocks. The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index fell by 0.06 per cent to close at 26,456.29, while market capitalisation shed N7.7 billion to close at N12.9 trillion.

However, activity level was mixed as volume traded rose 4.1 per cent to 144.1 million shares while value traded declined

19.6 per cent to N2.9 billion.

In all, eight stocks declined led by Cornerstone Insurance Plc with 8.1 per cent, trailed by United Bank for Africa Plc with 2.5 per cent. Wema Bank Plc shed 1.6 per cent and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc lost 1.3 per cent.

The depreciation in the price of GTBank Plc came a day after the bank released its financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

GTBank announced a decline of 3.0 per cent in gross earn-

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

ings to N324.262 billion, from N334.711 billion in 2018.

Net interest income rose to N172.937 billion from N170.641 billion in 2018, while net fee and commission income rose to N46.497 billion, compared with N37.84 billion in 2018.

Loans impairment charges increased from N1.736 billion to N2.761 billion. Profit before tax (PBT) stood at N170.651 billion, up 3.9 per cent from N164.245 billion, while profit after tax (PAT) grew by 3.4

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

per cent to N146.989 billion as against N142.224 billion in 2018.

According to analysts at Cordros Capital, the GTBank’s result was in line with expectations as gross earnings declined while profitability expanded moderately. The performance was underpinned by non-funded income growth, as interest income growth continues to lag the prior year.

“Interest expense also declined by 23.4 per cent to

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

N32.63 billion, as the bank shed high cost deposits during the year, interest on deposits from customers declined by 20.4 per cent, to N42.90 billion, while zero cost on debt securities relative to the prior year (N4.34 billion) also contributed. Consequent on the higher pace of decline in expense relative to income, the bank’s net interest income settled higher by 1.3 per cent.

Similar to many banks, the GTBank’s non-interest income

O F

growth has outpaced interest income growth, as non-funded income grew by 3.0 per cent at N100.07 billion. This was supported by fees and commissions income which grew by 22.9 per cent to N46.50 billion.

Notably transaction volumes have continued to grow, supporting E-business income (+63.1 per cent to N11.04 billion), while credit related business charges (+37.1 per cent to N9.08 billion) have also boosted the bank,” they added.

1 5 / 1 0 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

42

˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019

Friday, October 18, 2019

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Declined 40bps Yesterday, the Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index declined 0.4% to ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϭϱϯ͘ϵϮ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ GUARANTY (-ϭ͘ϯйͿ͕

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ZENITH (-Ϭ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ UBA (-Ϯ͘ϱйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞͲ ůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϯϱ͘ϰй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

Local Bourse Extends Bearish Run͙ ASI Down 6bps zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƚŚŝƌĚ ĐŽŶƐĞĐƵƟǀĞ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ͘ dŚĞ ^/ ĚŝƉƉĞĚ ϲďƉƐ to Ϯϲ͕ϰϱϲ͘Ϯϵ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ GUARANTY (-ϭ͘ϯйͿ͕ UBA (-Ϯ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ ZENITH (-Ϭ͘ϴйͿ͘ Ɛ ƐƵĐŚ͕ YTD loss stood at -ϭϱ͘ϴй ǁŚŝůĞ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ůŽƐƚ Eϳ͘ϳďŶ͕ ĚƌĂŐŐŝŶŐ ĚŽǁŶ ŵĂƌͲ ŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƚŽ EϭϮ͘ϵƚŶ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϰ͘ϭй ƚŽ ϭϰϰ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭϵ͘ϲй ƚŽ EϮ͘ϵďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĂĐƟǀĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ GUARANTY ;ϯϱ͘Ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ FBNH ;Ϯϰ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ FIDELITY ;ϭϰ͘Ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ NESTLE

;Eϭ͘ϯďŶͿ͕ GUARANTY

;Eϵϰϲ͘ϳŵͿ ĂŶĚ ZEN-

ITH ;EϮϭϯ͘ϬŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Price Price Previous Current Change Change Price Weightin YTD Index to Change g Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1,153.92

-0.40%

-21.4%

15.4%

18.6%

5.8%

4.7x

0.6x

7.2%

1 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

26.65

-1.3%

19.0%

-22.6%

-22.8%

32.9%

5.4%

4.0x

1.3x

10.3%

24.8%

2 Zenith Bank PLC

17.70

-0.8%

12.2%

-23.2%

-23.2%

24.8%

3.4%

2.9x

0.7x

15.7%

34.4% 16.0%

3 Dangote Cement PLC 4 Nestle Nigeria PLC

17.8%

145.00

0.0%

8.8%

-23.6%

-22.0%

51.6%

23.4%

6.2x

3.0x

11.0%

1,220.00

0.0%

8.6%

-17.8%

-17.3%

105.8%

29.7%

20.2x

21.1x

4.8%

4.9%

46.05

0.0%

4.2%

-46.1%

-41.2%

8.5%

3.8%

25.4x

2.2x

5.3%

3.9%

5 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 6 FBN Holdings Plc

5.30

0.0%

4.5%

-33.3%

-33.8%

9.4%

1.0%

3.9x

0.3x

4.9%

25.8%

15.85

0.0%

4.7%

-18.3%

-18.3%

5.8%

5.4%

6.3x

0.6x

2.7%

15.9%

8 United Bank for Africa PLC

5.80

-2.5%

4.2%

-24.7%

-25.6%

15.5%

1.7%

2.5x

0.4x

14.7%

40.6%

9 International Brew eries PLC

12.60

0.0%

1.9%

-58.7%

-60.0%

-23.2%

-2.3%

517.00

0.0%

3.7%

-19.2%

-19.2%

13.7%

8.7%

3.7x

0.5x

3.7%

27.0%

6.8%

7 Cement Co Northern Nigeria PLC

10 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

3.8x

11 Access Bank PLC

7.40

0.0%

4.7%

8.8%

13.8%

22.8%

2.2%

1.9x

0.5x

12 Ecobank Transnational Inc

7.00

0.0%

1.8%

-50.0%

-51.0%

15.9%

1.1%

2.0x

0.3x

-7.2%

53.1% 50.4%

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

36.25

0.0%

2.6%

-24.4%

-24.4%

28.0%

4.4%

5.7x

1.4x

5.5%

14 Unilever Nigeria PLC

26.70

0.0%

2.2%

-27.8%

-27.8%

12.2%

7.5%

16.2x

2.0x

5.6%

15 Lafarge Africa PLC

15.30

-0.3%

2.6%

22.9%

27.5%

2.1%

0.7%

16 Guinness Nigeria PLC

29.35

0.0%

0.7%

-59.2%

-59.2%

6.2%

3.5%

11.7x

0.7x

5.3%

17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

54.95

0.0%

1.2%

-27.9%

-27.9%

18.2%

13.5%

10.3x

1.9x

6.1%

9.7%

18 Total Nigeria PLC

123.20

0.0%

1.0%

-39.3%

-39.3%

9.2%

1.8%

16.4x

1.6x

14.3%

6.1%

19 11 PLC

147.90

0.0%

1.3%

-20.3%

-20.3%

24.8%

10.9%

6.6x

1.5x

5.9%

15.1%

15.10

2.4%

1.0%

-34.6%

-32.0%

3.1%

1.1%

13.3x

0.4x

7.9%

3.41

0.0%

1.0%

-31.8%

-29.0%

14.3%

2.5%

1.5x

0.2x

20 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC 21 Oando PLC

1.1x

17.5% 6.2% -0.1% 8.5%

7.5% 64.6%

22 Fidelity Bank PLC

1.70

1.2%

1.2%

-16.3%

-16.3%

12.4%

1.4%

2.0x

0.2x

6.5%

23 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.01

-1.0%

1.0%

-23.5%

-21.7%

14.2%

3.2%

4.3x

0.6x

3.0%

23.2%

24 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

10.20

0.0%

0.8%

-33.1%

-31.1%

20.7%

11.4%

6.0x

1.3x

10.8%

16.7%

26 FCMB Group Plc

1.70

6.9%

0.7%

-10.1%

-5.6%

9.2%

1.2%

2.0x

27 UAC of Nigeria PLC

6.70

0.0%

0.5%

-31.3%

-29.8%

-6.9%

-3.3%

50.3%

25 Diamond Bank PLC

Mixed Sector Performance WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ͘ KĨ ƚŚĞ ϲ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ͕ ϯ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ͕ Ϯ ůŽƐƚ ǁŚŝůĞ ϭ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ ƵƉ Ϭ͘ϴй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŐĂŝŶƐ in WAPIC ;нϵ͘ϰйͿ ĂŶĚ AIICO ;нϭ͘ϲйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ the AFR-/ d ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ϮϬďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϳďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ MTNN ;нϬ͘ϰйͿ and FLOURMILL ;нϮ͘ϰйͿ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƐŚĞĚ ϴϲďƉƐ ĂŶĚ ϴďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƐĞůů-ŽīƐ ŝŶ UBA (-Ϯ͘ϱйͿ͕ GUARANTY

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϰdž ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϲdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚͲ ĞĚ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐůLJ ĂƐ ϭϭ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϴ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ WAPIC ;нϵ͘ϰйͿ͕ CHAMS ;нϵ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ

ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐΖ ƌŝƐŬ-Žī ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ƚŽ ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚ͕ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĨŽƌ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ͘

1.80

0.0%

0.6%

-5.3%

-5.3%

8.1%

0.8%

5.9x

0.5x

0.0%

0.3%

-40.0%

-40.0%

7.3%

4.6%

11.4x

1.5x

5.8%

30 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

14.85

0.0%

0.4%

-17.5%

-17.5%

35.9%

12.1%

10.7x

3.7x

6.7%

31 Forte Oil PLC

16.00

0.0%

0.2%

-41.8%

-42.9%

49.7%

8.1%

3.6x

1.2x

16.9% 8.7% 9.3% 27.4%

32 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.00

0.0%

0.5%

25.0%

25.0%

7.0%

1.1%

11.3x

0.9x

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

18.55

0.0%

0.3%

-7.7%

-16.1%

21.8%

2.5%

3.4x

0.7x

107.3x

0.5x

2.5%

0.9%

117.5%

38.3%

9.0x

10.9x

11.4%

11.1%

34 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

8.9% 10.8%

29.5%

6.15

0.0%

0.2%

-49.2%

-50.0%

25.55

0.0%

0.2%

-26.7%

-26.7%

36 Wema Bank PLC

0.58

-1.7%

0.2%

-7.9%

-7.9%

7.8%

0.7%

5.6x

0.4x

5.2%

17.9%

37 Beta Glass PLC

53.80

0.0%

0.2%

-21.2%

-21.2%

16.8%

11.3%

5.4x

0.8x

2.7%

18.6%

38 Dangote Flour Mills Plc

23.00

-0.9%

0.7%

235.8%

248.5%

-30.8%

-9.1%

39 Transcorp Hotels Plc

5.40

0.0%

0.1%

-11.5%

-11.5%

5.1%

2.6%

14.3x

0.7x

40 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

1.70

0.0%

0.1%

-7.1%

-7.1%

9.4%

2.6%

8.6x

0.8x

35 Chemical and Allied Products P

T o p 10 G a i n e r s T ic k er

4.0x

-9.2% 3.0%

P ric e C hg %

WA P IC

0.35

9.4%

CHA M S

0.24

9.1%

FCM B

1.70

F LOUR M ILL

15.10

LA WUN ION J A IZ B A N K A IIC O

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

GUA R A N T Y

35.2

-1.3%

FB NH

24.3

0.0%

6.9%

F ID ELIT YB K

14.0

1.2%

2.4%

Z EN IT H B A N K

11.9

-0.8%

0.49

2.1%

UB A

10.0

-2.5%

0.51

2.0%

LA WUN ION

9.1

2.1%

0.64

1.6%

T R A N SC OR P

4.2

-1.0%

F ID ELIT YB K

1.70

1.2%

WA P C O

3.3

-0.3%

UC A P

2.10

0.5%

WA P IC

3.0

9.4%

C ON T IN SUR E

2.31

0.4%

FCM B

2.8

6.9%

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

C OR N ER ST

0.34

-8.1%

N EST LE

1253.8

0.0%

UB A

5.80

-2.5%

GUA R A N T Y

946.7

-1.3% -0.8%

WEM A B A N K

0.58

-1.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

213.0

26.65

-1.3%

FB NH

130.8

0.0%

T R A N SC OR P

1.01

-1.0%

UB A

58.2

-2.5%

D A N GF LOUR

23.00

-0.9%

WA P C O

50.8

-0.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

17.70

-0.8%

F LOUR M ILL

37.9

2.4%

WA P C O

15.30

-0.3%

M TNN

32.4

0.4%

F ID ELIT YB K

23.7

1.2%

ST A N B IC

20.2

0.0%

Asset Management

Investment Research

Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

Brokerage

7.0% 11.6%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

GUA R A N T Y

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

49.6% -27.6%

38.40

FCMB ;нϲ͘ϵйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ CORNERSTONE (-ϴ͘ϭйͿ͕ UBA (-Ϯ͘ϱйͿ and WEMABANK (-ϭ͘ϳйͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ tĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ

8.2% 9.6%

29 Presco PLC

28 Sterling Bank PLC

(-ϭ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ WAPCO (-Ϭ͘ϯйͿ͘ >ĂƐƚůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘

0.2x 0.3x

43

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

NSE, Securities Dealers Pledge More Collaboration for Market Growth Goddy Egene The Nigerian Stock Exchange has restated its confidence in Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria ( ASHON) as a body that upholds highest standard of professionalism in handling capital market issues.

Besides, the exchange which

commended ASHON’s efforts in ensuring the success of the ongoing demutualisation of the market for enhanced competitiveness, has sought more collaboration with the professional body at post demutualization period.

Addressing the executive members of ASHON during their courtesy visit to the exchange to sound the

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

closing gong and sensitize members towards its annual general meeting (AGM), the Executive Director, Regulation, NSE, Ms Tinuade Awe, explained that ASHON had always collaborated with the exchange in all areas of market development.

Awe, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema specifically lauded ASHON

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 16Oct-2019, unless otherwise stated.

for its dynamic leadership and efforts at broadening the market. She lauded the association’s collaborative roles towards the success of the ongoing demutualisation of the market.

Presenting the symbolic gong to ASHON’s chairman, Chief Patrick Ezeagu, for future reminder of the historic visit, Awe urged the members to continue to support

The Exchange for the overall development of the market.

Responding, Ezeagu expressed the members’ optimism in the exchange’s management and assured the regulatory body of continued support to ensure the success of demutualisation project. He stated that ASHON had commenced rebranding of its operations and

processes to enable its members sustain their businesses after demutualisation.

Ezeagu, who described ASHON’s visit and beating the closing gong as the first of it’s type by any council, urged its members to attend the AGM and come up with relevant suggestions to move the market forward.

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 N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 0.88 0.88 4.41% ACAP Income Funds 0.76 0.76 33.16% 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 12.48% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.37 2.41 6.91% 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 14.19 14.61 -14.50% ARM Discovery Fund 329.08 339.00 -7.73% ARM Ethical Fund 28.03 28.88 -0.73% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.02% 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 92.15 92.80 -8.93% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.66% 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 1.88 1.88 11.33% 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 0.13 0.11 13.08% Paramount Equity Fund 12.07 12.18 2.23% Women's Investment Fund 107.86 108.56 4.17% 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 11.85% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 94.47 95.12 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 95.04 95.89 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 11.36% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.85 0.85 -0.80% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.26 1.26 12.08% 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 12.09% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 11.90% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,114.45 1,121.86 12.17% 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 N/A N/A N/A FBN BALANCED FUND 138.40 139.29 -3.07% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.35% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 120.95 122.50 -19.37% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMNET LIMITED (FCMBAM) fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 10.72% Legacy Debt Fund 3.57 3.57 9.90% Legacy Equity Fund 1.03 1.06 -15.17% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.07 1.07 4.06% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,984.58 3,014.84 0.02% Coral Income Fund 3,028.13 3,028.13 10.49% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 12.34% 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 100.00 100.00 11.27% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 111.57 111.98 3.61% 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 10.00 10.00 11.93%

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 11.36% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.16 2.18 -0.18% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.97% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 138.85 138.98 11.12% 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 1.15 1.17 4.97% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,100.67 1,100.67 10.59% 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 9.38 9.47 -11.93% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.00% 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 1.29 1.31 4.80% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.09 12.13 8.05% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.98% PACAM Equity Fund 1.01 1.01 PACAM EuroBond Fund 99.61 101.53 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 122.89 123.57 1.83% 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 1.00 1.00 10.96% 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 2,357.77 2,368.81 1.83% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 206.60 206.60 11.02% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.82 0.83 -13.16% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 268.61 268.71 10.71% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 143.59 145.12 -12.01% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.03% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,401.84 7,481.49 -12.86% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.15 1.15 5.91% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 100.97 100.97 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.15 1.16 -0.93% United Capital Bond Fund 1.69 1.69 15.45% United Capital Equity Fund 0.66 0.68 -7.51% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.58% United Capital Eurobond Fund 110.42 110.42 8.51% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.05 1.05 5.28% 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 9.73 9.79 -14.17% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.17 11.34 -10.76% Zenith Income Fund 22.44 22.44 11.04% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.85%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.40 117.58 53.38

-44.85% 5.82% 3.17%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.00 84.13 67.03

8.10 85.96 68.31

-19.37% -25.50% -21.75%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

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 Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.23 5.09 11.45 10.46 149.74

3.27 5.17 11.55 10.66 151.74

-19.13% -33.08% -21.50% -15.23% 13.29%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.34

17.40%

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.

44

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

We Never Indicted Ambode Before Lagos Assembly Panel, Say Ex- Commissioners Former Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Olusegun Banjo, and his Energy and Mineral Resources counterpart, Mr. Olawale Oluwo, in the administration of former Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, have denied reports that they indicted Ambode before an ad-hoc committee of the state House of Assembly.

The Accountant-General of Lagos State, Mrs. Shukrat Umar, has also buttressed the claims of the former commissioners when she appeared before the ad-hoc committee on Wednesday, confirming that the State Executive Council (SEC)

approved the budget for the purchase of the 820 vehicles.

The commissioners debunked the reports in separate statements Wednesday night, noting that the reports were a deliberate misrepresentation of what transpired during at the proceedings of the investigative committee probing Ambode’s administration.

The Assembly Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obada, had constituted a nine-man ad-hoc committee under the chairmanship of Hon. Fatai Mojeed (Ibeju-Lekki I) to probe the procurement of 820 vehicles by the Ambode administration

under the Bus Reform Initiative (BRI).

The Assembly had also claimed that the administration did not seek approval from the lawmakers for the procurement of the vehicles, and directed the committee to invite Banjo and other top functionaries that were involved to state their roles in the purchase.

Reports had claimed that Banjo indicted the former governor, saying Ambode sidelined his ministry in the controversial purchase of 820 mass transit buses and that the way the ministry was structured under Ambode did not allow

him to function well.

Banjo, in a statement yesterday, however, denied the reports, noting that he did not say anything before the committee to condemn or indict the Ambode administration under which he served as the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning between February 2018 and May 2019.

He explained that he appeared on October 15 before the committee based on a letter of invitation dated October 11, requesting him “to answer some questions on the purchase of 820 buses as they relate to the function of the Ministry of

Economic Planning and Budget headed by me during the last administration.”

At the proceedings, Banjo said he told the committee that he was appointed in February 2018 when the issue of bus purchases had already been on the ground, pointing out that the bus issues were not contained in the budget he managed, though it could have been in earlier budgets.

The former commissioner said: “I am deeply saddened and disappointed by such sensationalism by hitherto section of the press and by its uninhibited and deplorable abdication of a basic tenet

Women May Constitute 50% of My Cabinet, Says Ogun Gov Idowu Sowunmi Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday gave a hint of the shape of incoming state Executive Council, saying women may constitute between 40 and 50 per cent of his cabinet.

The governor also promised to prioritise road construction and rehabilitation as well as education for Ogun West Senatorial District

as the 2020 budget is being prepared.

Roads in the senatorial district were described as the worst in the state when the state government held a town hall meeting with critical stakeholders of the zone at Ilaro yesterday.

Speaking at the town hall meeting, the governor said: “I want to assure you that my cabinet will have if not 50 per

cent of women, it will have at least 40 per cent. You voted for me to give you good governance and we will ensure that it cuts across the nook and crannies of the state. We will ensure we give over 100,000 women loan without interest.”

Abiodun promised that the era of non-implementation of budget estimate was over, adding that he would ensure proper

Catholic Charismatic Renewal Goes Spiritual to Tackle Nigeria’s Challenges Sunday Okobi In an effort to submit all the worrying challenges, mostly insecurity and hopelessness, in Nigeria before God, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Church of Nigeria has announced its final preparation to hold an ‘unprecedented’ Grand Lagos Archdiocesan Conference in Lagos on November 7 to 10, 2019 with the theme: ‘Stand Your Ground’ at the Trade Fair Complex, Badagry expressway, Lagos State.

At a press conference held in Lagos to usher in the event, one of the organisers and AST Chairman, Uche Anyanwu, told journalists that the event is significant and urgent as a result of the situation the country has found itself right now, and that it is necessary for the church to take the lead

in seeking the face of God to abate the unprecedented level of insecurity currently ravaging Nigeria.

According to him, many Nigerians are presently confused if God has abandoned the country “as strange things keep happening by the day in the country, so the conference which has taken the past six years to organise will be used to reach out to the people that God is still with us, and that the Egyptians you see today, you will see them no more.”

Anyanwu, who announced that 50, 000 worshipers are expected at the conference, stressed that many cleric from around the world would be on hand to teach and pray with worshippers, as “it is important that from time to time, we need to leave our parishes and come together

and teach and pray because iron sharpens iron. So it is our expectation that all Christians an non-Christians grace this occasion for redemption.”

He noted that the conference is to sensitise Nigerians that God is still with the people, adding that: “We want Nigerians to know that we need to ‘Stand our Ground’, and believe that God is still with us because the enemy you see today is for a while. We want Nigerians to open their minds to this event, which, beside its spiritual content, is educational and economical empowering.

“The organisers have also made provision for accommodations for all participants as well as their security. We have secured all the available rooms in the hotels in the area for the safety and comfort also.”

Onyeama: We Lack 21st Century Communication Gadgets in our Missions Adedayo Akinwale ín Abuja The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyema, has revealed that Nigeria’s missions around the world lacked 21st century infrastructure, especially information and communication technology (ICT).

Onyeama gave the hint yesterday when he appeared before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

He stated: “A foreign ministry really has to function in a global community of the 21st century and this requires certain architecture, especially ICT. When you are operating a hundred offices around the world, communication becomes absolutely key – real time communication - when you are also dealing with sensitive

information, the capacity to also maintain that confidentiality. And in all honesty, the infrastructure that is in place is certainly not 21st Century infrastructure.

“In the ministry, we don’t have direct linkage with our embassies around the world and even the most basic technology that will provide that is not even there.

Even if we look at just within the ministry, the intranet system for communication has also become a real challenge.”

He urged the committee to address the challenge of poor funding for the ministry and decried the delay in the remittances to the country’s missions, adding that the minsitry is collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ministry of Finance to find a solution to this perennial problem.

Onyema noted that some

of the country’s missions were finding it extremely difficult to operate optimally due to late arrival of fund.

The minister told theommittee that the federal government could not implement the closure of some of its embassies and missions around the world in order to save cost because the cost of doing so would be absolutely prohibitive.

He said: “It is almost cheaper to keep them operating at a certain level. We have managed to close two or three but we can’t even afford to close a mission because as you are laying off the staff and the local staff, their entitlements and so many other costs are really prohibitive.

He explained that it does not speak well of the ambition of the country for Nigeria to be closing its missions.

implementation of the 2020 budget when passed into law.

The governor explained that Ogun State Government was taking full advantage of its strategic geographical location and as the industrial hub of the nation to improve its socio-economic development and create wealth for the people.

He described Ogun West as the engine room of the state. “We are taking maximum advantage of our geographical location as the largest economy in Africa and a window into the West Africa corridor.

“It is self-evident truth that without Ogun West Senatorial District, we cannot be Gateway State. I therefore consider this district a priority, not only because

you are the engine room of the state, but the people are our priceless jewels.”

The governor noted that the people of the zone have been in the forefront of the socio-economic development of the state with its status as the industrial hub, with increase in the number of industrial establishment and level of commercial activities.

He said the meeting would strengthen the partnership of government with the people, as a way of having good input into the 2020 budget.

“We have come to learn how to ensure strategic allocation of our commonwealth to cover projects and programmes that would have most meaningful impact on the people.

Fayemi Sets Target for Teachers in 2020 WAEC, NECO Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has tasked the teachers to be focused and diligent for the state to be ranked among the best five states in the country in public examinations in 2020.

Fayemi said the state government was not comfortable when Ekiti State came 12th in a recent ranking by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results in 2019. He assured that his government would play complementary roles by providing enabling environment in all public schools for teachers to deliver optimally.

Fayemi spoke yesterday while commissioning a block of classroom built by the Universal Basic Education Board at Methodist Nursery/Primary School in Ikere-Ekiti to mark the first year of his administration.

The governor, who was represented by the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, said: “We are not comfortable with that 12th position. Education was on the bare ground in 2010 when we came for the first term. We lifted it to be one of the best before 2014.

“We renovated about 182 public schools and substantial improvement came before 2014, but Ekiti went to sleep thereafter.

There is a new sheriff in town.

That is Dr. Kayode Fayemi and education will be back to its pride of place.

“If you look at the trajectory of Ekiti, education is our pride.

Education is coming back and we will be one digit in ranking in

external examinations in Nigeria, if not first.”

Fayemi said he has started taking concrete steps to turn around the education sector by erasing taxes and other anti-people policies that could reduce enrolment in schools.

of professional journalism impartial reportage.

“I wish to state that I am not in a position to know what exactly transpired on the issue of the buses as I was not in government when the issue was tabled and approved by the State Executive Council and neither was I drafted into the bus steering committee on assumption of duty in February 2018.

“My response to questions asked by the committee under oath was intended to explain technical issues pertaining to the operations of the ministry and explain the anomalies they noted and seek explanations to, and nothing said by me there was intended to or said in any manner as to condemn or indict anyone.”

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

45

NEWSEXTRA

Nigeria Loses N18bn to PPP Arrangement, Says Immigration Boss Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, has faulted the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement signed by the Interior Ministry with private companies for the establishment of passport application support centers in United States, Canada and nine other countries.

Babandede told the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Interior that the agreements were skewed in favour of the private companies to the detriment of operational efficiency of NIS.

He told the committee that attempts made by the NIS to jettison the agreement was frustrated by the companies by going to court and securing N18billion judgment against NIS. “The sharing formula in the agreement between NIIS and the private companies was skewed in favour of the companies, which to us is economically injurious to the nation.

“Expectedly, NIS as a body has vehemently protested against the whole arrangement but the fact that the agreement was signed on our behalf by the Interior Ministry, the private companies have continued to have upper hand,” he said.

The CG, however,

informed members of the joint committee that President Muhammadu Buhari has already taken up the matter with operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to thoroughly investigate the agreement.

Babandede, refused to explain in details what the contractual agreements were all about and the companies involved in the

agreement while responding to a question from the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kashim Shettima, on why the agency gave N18billion to one the companies in 2017 and another N16billion in 2018.

The Immigration boss also said that any of the irregular migrants that failed to do biometric capturing

by January 20, 2020, would be arrested and deported.

His words: “President Buhari has given them six months grace of Amnesty which started from 18th of July this year and ends on 19th of January, 2020. During this period, biometric data of concerned migrants are to be taken and documented.

Information to that effect has been sent out to all the affected migrants that whoever refuses to

comply, will from January 20, 2020, be on the radar of immigration operatives for arrest and deportation.”

He added that while the agency received only N3.4billion out of the N13.175 billion capital votes appropriated for it in 2018 budget, not a single dime, has been released from the N8.214 billion appropriated for capital projects in 2019.

PDP Demands Explanation on Funding of First Lady’s Office Chuks Okocha in Abuja Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to lead by example by ending the alleged profligacy that pervaded his Presidency in order to give validity to his directives to ministers and other functionaries.

In the same vein, the PDP tasked the Buhari Presidency to explain the basis and source of presidential support for the Office of the First Lady including the appointment of aides, contrary to his promise not to run that office PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the President should be held responsible and answerable for his presidential assurances and Nigerians expected an explanation on the violation of such sensitive undertaking.

“While the PDP is still monitoring the implementation of directive to government functionaries on cost cut, the party tasks President Buhari to take the first step by immediately fulfilling his promise to reduce the Presidential fleet, as well as cut his over-bloated entourages and curtail the opulent lifestyle in the Presidency, which is daily flaunted before suffering and

impoverished Nigerians,” the opposition party said.

The PDP urged Nigerians to note that the Buhari Presidency has proven to be extremely expensive and a major draining pipe for valuable resources, while millions of compatriots, who look up to government for solutions, wallow in hunger and acute poverty.

It said the alleged profligacy that permeated the Buhari Presidency has further manifested in the public fight between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and President Buhari’s nephews over issues of opulent accommodation in Presidential Villa.

The party urged Nigerians to note that the Buhari Presidency has failed to make the details of its budget public, despite demands by our party and other well-meaning groups in Nigeria.

“The failure to make the details of the Presidency budget public places a huge burden on the Buhari Presidency, particularly in the face of allegations of budgetary corruption and financial sleazes.

“Unless the Presidency budget is made public for Nigerians to see, any directive on cost cut remains cosmetic,” PDP stated.

Oyetola Congratulates Ooni at 45 Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State has congratulated the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on the occasion of his 45th birthday anniversary.

Oyetola, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, praised the monarch for being consistent in national discourse, most especially on issues of contemporary importance in the nationbuilding since ascending the throne. The governor described Ooni as a versatile source of intervention in the nation’s contemporary challenges, saying the monarch is a critical partner of government on issues of governance and development.

According to him, “On this

auspicious occasion of your birthday anniversary, I join your family, friends and well-wishers to thank Almighty God for your life which has been marked by outstanding accomplishments and enduring contributions to national discourse.

“Your royal interventions are notable in entrepreneurship, youth engagement, scholarships and agriculture, where you have regularly deployed your means and influence to impact the people on an annual basis.

You are a pride to the royal institution and Osun State. We cannot thank you enough.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Osun State, I congratulate you and pray that the Almighty God give you wisdom, peace and happiness. Enjoy this day to the fullest! Happy birthday to you.”

OILY AFFAIR …

R-L: President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mr. Ajibola Oyebamiji and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Abdullateef Amodu, at the media briefing on NAPE’S annual international conference and exhibition held in Lagos…yesterday ETOP UKUTT

BUHARI: THE ‘CONVERTED DEMOCRAT’ Buhari has detained many without trial and where the courts have ordered their release, he has simply ignored them. Any form of protest or even a summit that the government feels will be antagonistic to its stance on any issue is prohibited. He is now a law unto himself; the country, a conquered territory. He is the accuser, the prosecutor, the judge and the jury. Omoyele Sowore is learning the hard way that the man he helped to power isn’t about to tolerate his activities and allow him the freedom he once enjoyed and took for granted under the last government. The former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki has practically been forgotten in prison. The list goes on.

Not a few saw through it, when in an extreme

demonstration of his ironclad contempt for democratic norms, Buhari came for the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, retired Justice Walter Onnoghen under the guise of none declaration of some assets, just a few weeks to the presidential election that was certainly going to get to the Supreme Court as it has now, but those who should have spoken out kept quiet.

Some protested feebly. Others applauded it, saying in the fight against corruption, there should be no sacred cow, even when they knew in their heart of hearts the political undercurrent involved. Justice Onnoghen was thrown to the dogs.

It was Nathan Robinson, the Editor of Current Affairs who wrote some time ago that “authoritarianism doesn’t come

all at once. It creeps slowly, normalising itself bit by bit, until you don’t realise that it’s too late”. Let me also remind you of this extract from the powerful and provocative poem by the late Pastor Martin Niemoller. He used it to capture the cowardice and collusion of the German intellectuals in the Nazis’ rise to power and the targeted purge of group after group that followed: “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Socialist.

“Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.” Sowore

never thought Buhari and his goons would come for him someday.

As he continues to ride roughshod over us and our democratic institutions, and those who should speak out against his actions keep quiet or applaud him, let me also remind them that democracy dies in darkness. In the immortal words of Martin Luther King Jr, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Buhari is neither a saint nor a messiah, nor the one to take Nigeria to the next level. Instead he is the one taking Nigeria backward. And the trouble is, no one can tell the end point in the storyline.

But the horror of our lives is the unfolding tragedy of Nigeria.

MOTOPOL Rewards Another Police Officer Ezekiel Okpuzor The Officer in charge of the Lagos State Traffic (MOTOPOL), CSP Titilayo Oriyomi, has rewarded another police officer, Sergeant Akatu Owoicho, at Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja, for resilient efforts towards traffic management in the state.

According to Oiyomi, few weeks ago when she rewarded, Inspector Jumai Musa at Maryland, she promised Lagosians that it would be a continuous exercise to encourage traffic officers

to be dedicated in their duties.

“When I rewarded a female police officer at Maryland, I told my officers that our duty is to free Lagos of gridlocks, and that I would reward anyone who key into my vision of ‘free Lagos of traffic’. I went around Lagos and spotted a few good officers doing wonderfully in traffic control, and today, I have come to give honour to whom it is due. ”What I gave may not be big, but it is a way to show appreciation, and to let him know that the Force is proud of him.

We want to let him know that as he controls the traffic, members of the public are watching him. I want him to know that his service to humanity is not in vain, and that I want him to be proud of his job because he is appreciated,” she said.

The Motopol boss also pointed out the mandate given to her

by Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, on the current traffic state in the state She said: “During this rainy season and ember months, he has given me the task to free

the state of traffic; he wants the people to move freely in the state, as well as a free flow of traffic. So anyone who helps to free traffic is my friend, and I will extend my appreciation to the person.

“It is painful that after many hours in the office or business centre, one would end up in traffic, and it may be as a result of bad road, but I think the state government is addressing the issue by repairing some bad potions, as there will be an improvement in the flow of traffic.”

46

˾ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Who Can We Trust? - 1

Danish Qasim/MuslimMatters

Spiritual abusers are con-artists, and if they were easy to spot then they would be far less successful.

That is why you must exercise vigilance and your own judgment above that of public opinion.

Never let the person’s position make you trust them more than you would without it.

Spiritual abusers work covertly, present themselves well, and use their service as a cover beneath which to operate. The way to avoid them is to recognize their tactics and avoid being caught by them.

Blurring Lines Spiritual abuse often begins with hard-to-spot precursors, with manipulators exploiting grey areas and blurring boundaries to confuse targets.

For example, when setting someone up for illicit relations or secret marriage, teachers may begin with inappropriate jokes that lower boundaries.

They may touch others in ways that confuse the person touched as to permissibility, for example, men touching women on their hijabs rather than direct skin. They may inappropriately touch someone in ways that leave him/her wondering whether or not it was intentional.

There may be frivolous texting while the premise of engagement is ‘work only’. Boundaries may be blurred by adding flirtatious content, sending articles praising polygamy, or mentioning dreams about getting married. The recipient may struggle to pinpoint what’s wrong with any of this, but the bottom line is that they don’t have to.

While these tactics may be hard to prove, you don’t need to prove that you don’t want to be communicated with in this way and that you will not tolerate it. You can withdraw from the situation on the basis of your own boundaries.

One of the key challenges in standing up to spiritual abuse is the lack of confidence in calling out bad behavior or the need for validation for wrongs. We may be afraid to question a teacher who is more knowledgeable than us when he is doing clear haram. However, halal and haram are defined by Allah and no human has the right to amend them. If a religious leader claims exemption

to the rules for themselves or their students, that’s a big, bright, red flag.

Beware of Bullying When you witness or experience bullying, understand that a Muslim’s dignity is sacred and don’t accept justifications of ‘tarbiyah’ (spiritual edification/character reformation) or breaking someone’s nafs (ego). If you didn’t sign up for spiritual edification, don’t accept any volunteer spiritual guides.

If you did sign up, pay attention as to whether these harsh rebukes are having a positive or negative effect. If they are having a negative emotional, mental, or physical effect on you, then this is clearly not tarbiyah, which is meant to build you up.

When abuse in the name of tarbiyah happens, it is the shaykh himself or the shaykha herself who needs character reformation. When such behavior goes unchecked, students become outlets of unchecked anger and are left with trauma and PTSD. This type of bullying is very common in women’s groups.

Islamic faith and we have to take responsibility for our own faith and actions. There is no need to be suspicious without reason, but nor is there a justification for blind trust in someone you don’t know, just because they lead prayers or have a degree of religious education.

It is natural to ask ourselves whether people can be trusted after experiencing or learning about spiritual abuse. The answer is yes – you can trust yourself. You can also trust others in ways that are appropriate for the relationship. If you know someone well and they have proven over a long period of time to be trustworthy, keep secrets, and do not use you or take advantage of you, then it makes sense to trust that person more than a stranger or someone who has outward uprightness that you do not know well. That level of trust is earned through long-time demonstration of its characteristics.

Seeing someone on stage for years or relying on testimony of people impressed by someone should not convince you to lower your guard.

Even if you do believe someone is pious, you still never drop your better judgment, because even saints are fallible.

Trust Built and Trust Destroyed Don’t Fall for Reputation There are different levels of trust, and as it relates to religious leaders, one does not need to investigate individuals or build trust for a perfunctory relationship. You do not need a high degree of trust if you are just attending someone’s general lectures and not establishing any personal relationship.

If you want to study something with an Islamic teacher, do so as you would with a school-teacher, understanding that their position does not make that person either exceptionally safe nor exceptionally harmful. Treat religious figures as religious consultants who are there to answer questions based on their knowledge. Give every teacher a clean slate, don’t have baseless suspicions, but if behavior becomes manipulative, exploitative, cultish, or otherwise abusive, don’t justify it either.

Personal accountability is a cornerstone of the

Never take other respected leaders praising or working alongside an individual as proof of his or her trustworthiness. It is possible that the teachers you trust are unaware of any wrongdoing. It’s not a reasonable expectation, nor is it a responsibility for them to boycott or disassociate themselves from another religious figure even if they are aware of them being abusive.

Furthermore, skilled manipulators often gain favor from respected teachers both overseas and domestically to gain credibility.

If one shaykh praises another shaykh, but you witness abusive behavior, don’t doubt yourself based on this praise. The praise may have been true at one time or may have been true in the experience of the one giving the praise, but no one knows another person’s current spiritual state as spiritual states can change.

Even if the abusive individual was previously

recognized to be a great wali (saint), understand that there are saints who have lost their sainthood as they do not have isma (divine protection from sin or leaving Islam) like the prophets (upon them be peace) do. What was true yesterday, may not be true today.

Often praises of integrity, courage, and inclusiveness are heaped on men who support influential female figures. However, men who are praised as ‘allies,’ and thanked for ‘using their privilege’ to support female scholarship and the participation of women in religious organizations and events are no more trustworthy than those who don’t.

Abusers are often very image-conscious and may be acting to improve their own image and brand strength. Influential male and female religious figures also help one another with mutual praising and social-proofing. That is how the misdoings of men who are supportive of women are ignored, as long as they support the right politicized causes such as inclusive spaces and diverse panels.

Don’t be tricked into trust through a person’s credentials. An ijazah (license) to be a shaykh of a tariqa is purportedly the highest credential. It’s a credential that allegedly has a chain that goes all the way back to the Prophet (pbuh), but that does not impart any of the Prophet’s character or trustworthiness in and of itself. A shaykh has to continuously live up to the ijaza and position.

The position does not justify behavior outside of the sharia or any form of abuse. Scholars are inheritors of the Prophet (pbuh) only to the degree to which they embody his character.

When a teacher who hasn’t spent adequate time with righteous shayukh abuses, they are said to lack suhba (companionship of the pious), and that is why they are abusive.

The truth is many of the worst abusers in traditional circles are highly certified, have spent adequate time with shayukh, are valid representatives of them, and are able to abuse because the previously mentioned credentials lead to blind trust.

To Be Continued

47

FRIDAY OCTOBER 18, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

FIFA Set to ‘Compensate’ Injured S’Eagles Keeper, Uzoho, with €20,548 Femi Solaja Super Eagles’ goal keeper, Francis Uzoho, is set to be the first Nigerian beneficiary of FIFA’s compensatory sum to players injured while on duty with their respective country during official window.

The FC Anorthosis of Cyprus Loanee keeper in an attempt to save a cross in the international friendly match against Brazil landed awkwardly and thus raptured his anterior crucial ligament (ACL) and was subsequently replaced

by Germany-based Fortuna Düsseldorf goakeeper, Maduka Okoye who thus made his debut

for Nigeria.

The unfortunate incident would confine the towering goalkeeper to the bench for at least six months thus almost out for the rest of the season.

However THISDAY gathered yesterday that FIFA’s Club Protection Programme will compensate the former Elche of Spain keeper with the sum of €20,548 which is an amount set aside for players who get injured for their country as maximum daily compensation.

The fixed amount is meant for players who would be ruled out for minimum of 28 days and same applies to Brazilian super star, Neymar Jnr who limped

out of the match after just 10 minutes and would be out of action for four weeks.

The money is a fixed salary that the club was to pay to the player for that period and the player must be sidelined for more than 28 days before a claim can be processed.

Uzoho will not be part of the

Super Eagles’ opening qualifying matches for AFCON 2021 finals against Republic of Benin at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin and away to Lesotho next month.

Since the international retirement of Vincent Enyeama and the illness of his replacement, Carl Ikeme who also had to

retire, Super Eagles have had to contend with goalkeeping headaches.

Ezenwa who stepped l in a World Cup qualifying match with Cameroon two years ago turned to be a mere flash.

While Daniel Akpeyi who was in action at AFCON 2019 tournament in Egypt last summer

has not also fared better as a substitute to either Enyeama or Ikeme.

Unfortunately, Uzoho was warming himself back to regain the top man between the sticks suffered a major injury in a match he saved several goal opportunities by the Brazilian side.

ZENITH WOMEN B’BALL LEAGUE

Final 8 Starts Today in Lagos The Final 8 of the 2019 Zenith Bank Women Basketball League is scheduled to start today at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

This is the fourth stage of the women basketball league which is wearing a new look this year with a fresh format introduced by the Musa Kida –led board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation.

Four centres- Abuja, Zaria, Ibadan and Akure hosted the first two phases with 27 teams on parade while Ibadan and Abuja hosted the third phase which was the Atlantic and savannah conference centres. Eight teams were in each of the conferences and the best four in each of the conferences made it to the final.

The defending champions, First Bank of Lagos, remain unbeaten in the current campaign

from the Atlantic Conference and they led the four teams from Ibadan. Other are MFM, Dolphins and Asaba-based Delta Force.

In the Savannah Conference played in Abuja, Air Warriors stayed true to their name as they defeated all seven oppositions to qualify for the National Finals on a high while Customs finished second.

Zenith Bank sponsored league debutants, Blackgold Queens, and Plateau Rocks will also be in Lagos for the finals.

The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has congratulated all the qualifiers for the final phase.

Onyeagwu said: “All those in Lagos for the finals are winners because other who fell in earlier stages would have loved to be in the final.

2 0 1 9 F I R ST B A N K / K A D U N A

Emir of Katsina,Umar Hail First Bank on Centenary Polo Milestone The huge involvement of Nigeria’s premier banking giants, First Bank Nigeria, in the development of the noble game in Nigeria and beyond, has received official commendation from the Traditional Council of Katsina State.

Chairman of Katsina State Traditional Council and Emir of Katsina, HRH Alhaji Abdulmumuni Kabir Usman who made the commendation, praised First Bank for partnering Kaduna Polo Club in the promotion of the noble game and for positively touching the lives of Nigerians in so many ways.

The Royal father who is also the Life Chairman of the Nigerian Polo made this declaration at the legendary Murtala Sqaure Polo Ground, venue of the ongoing Georgian Cup Centenary Polo Tournament in Kaduna, noted that the partnership with the noble game of polo has positively impacted the promotion of sports generally around the country.

He stated that the unequalled involvement of First Bank in the promotion of polo and sports spanning a century in

Kaduna and other states of the country has helped in redirecting the energies of the youth and engaging them positively.

He expressed happiness at the commitment of the banking giant to achieving this milestone of a century long sponsorship, and urged the foremost banking institution to do more, given the unifying and the diplomatic credentials of sports in Nigerian political history.

“We the entire Nigerian polo family are happy with First for engaging our youths positively in the area of polo and I would urge them not to rest in this highly commendation partnership that turns our people away from negative tendencies,” the royal father stated.

Former military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Dangiwa Umar (rtd,) who salute First Bank on the centenary milestone, expressed delight at the huge turnout for the prestigious festival confirmed that “First Bank has been at the forefront of sports development with several sponsorship initiatives spanning polo, golf, soccer, amongst others,”.

Francis Uzoho

Unseeded Nigerian Quadre Upset Number Eight Seed at Lagos Open Tennis Femi Solaja Unseeded Nigeria’s Barakat Oyinlomo Quadre was the hero of the day at the ongoing Lagos Open Tennis tournament at the Lagos Lawn Tennis court after the brilliant win against number eight seed, Serbian Curovic Tamara who could not continue the second round match in the second set.

Against the form book, the Nigerian with full support from the stand was in her best performance as she dominated play before Tamara signaled to the referee that she could not continue the match, Qaudre had already won the first set 6-2. The highly rated Tamara complained of fever thus made

the match to be called off and the Nigerian land in the next round which will continue this morning at the same venue.”It’s amazing winning this match and qualified for my first-ever quarter final of the Lagos Open Tennis.

It’s like a dream come true for me because before this competition, I had it at the back of my mind that I want to get to at least the quarter final stage of this year tournament. I was a set away from achieving this last week during the first leg as I lost my second round match in the third set.

Though disappointing, I had to brace up for the challenges ahead.“I am so happy that I achieved my set target for the

Lagos Open this year and going forward, I am aiming higher for better performance that will get me to play in the final. “I’m so glad with the motivation I received from my parent and my coach.

My dad encouraged me that if Sada Nahimana, the Burundian lady, who won the first leg Women’ Singles, who is incidentally my roommate at the ITF Centre in Morocco, could get to this height, I too could also achieve that,” Quadre said after the heroic feat last night.In other top matches, the ambition of winner of Women’s Singles in the first leg, Sada Nahimana to repeat the feat of winning the tournament back to back

was cut short abruptly as the unseeded Burundian star lost gallantly to tournament number 4 seed, Slovenia’s Kolar Nastia.I In another development, Nigerian youths are to enjoy moments of training and tournament at the event courtesy of the partnership between the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Genesis Tennis Academy, Arizona, USA.Convener of the youth clinic, former Nigerian tennis champion, Jonathan Igbinovia told journalists that the clinic and mini tournament became very important in order to bring back the lost glory of the sport as was in his playing days in Nigeria before he retired.

Gotv Ready to Thrill Subscribers with Matches in EPL, Laliga A series of exciting Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A matches will be available on GOtv this weekend.

For as low as N2,600, customers on lower GOtv packages – Plus, Value and Lite – can step up to GOtv Max to enjoy the select premium matches from the top football leagues which will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

The Premier League returns on Saturday, 19 October after a two-week international break.

The match between Tottenham Hotspur and Watford at the White Heart Lane will air live on SuperSport Select 2 at 3pm.

Spurs are currently besieged by crisis after losing two of their last five Premier League matches,

as well being defeated in their recent League Cup and UEFA Champions League fixture. The team led by Maurico Pochettino is currently ninth on the table.

Watford, on the other hand, are languishing at the bottom of the table, despite changing their managers. The return of Enrique Sánchez Flores does not seem to have improved the fortune of the Honets The pick of the LaLiga games is the encounter between Eibar and defending champions, Barcelona. The game, which kicks off at 12pm on Saturday will be live on SuperSport Select 4. Eibar, who have the third best defense in the LaLiga, will aim to lengthen their unbeaten run from four to five games when

they host Ernesto Valverde’s men at the Estadio Municipal de Ipurua. The Catalans, who started their title defense in sloppy form, will be aiming for a win to enable them topple leaders, Real Madrid, who are only two points better.

Also on Saturday, Atletico Madrid will host Valencia in their ninth game of the season at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Spanish capital. The match will air live at 3pm on SuperSport Select 4.

The day’s schedule will be rounded off with the broadcast of the match between Mallorcaand Real Madrid on SuperSport Select 4 at 8pm. Real have shaken off their indifferent early season form and currently

top the table in Spain.

In the Serie A, defending champions, Juventus, will seek to widen their advantage over Inter Milan when they host Bologna at Juventus Stadium in Turin. The match will be live on SuperSport Select 5 at 7:45pm. In their last match, the defending Serie A champions defeated their major rivals Inter Milan 2-1 away from home to seize the leadership of the league from Antonio Conte’s team.

On Monday, 21 October, the Premier League action returns as Arsenal travel to Bramall Lane to battle newly promoted Sheffield United. Arsenal will seek to continue their climb up the table.

Friday October 18, 2019

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MISSILE

Ndume to FG “We are in a war. When you are in a war situation and you are budgeting N10.3 trillion and you are allocating less than one per cent to defence, that does not show seriousness” – Senator Ali Ndume berating the Federal Government, while lamenting that 847 soldiers have been killed by Boko Haram from 2013 till date.

SHAKAMOMODU THIS REPUBLIC

shaka.momodu@thisdaylive.com

0811 266 1654

Buhari: The ‘Converted Democrat’ I was having a quiet time on the internet researching an unrelated subject when I stumbled on the then presidential standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari’s Chatham House speech delivered in February, 2015. Glancing through it, so many amazing statements jumped out at me. Just go back and read Buhari’s Chatham House speech and get a sense of how this man and his handlers fooled the nation and indeed the world. That the speech and the reality of his presidency are light years apart stirred righteous indignation in me.

It was our one and only Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka who, toeing the praise singer’s line, described Buhari as a born-again phenomenon in just four months of his ascendancy to power and at a time the red flags had started sprouting all around us.

With no evidence on the ground to substantiate such claim then and now, it beats me why he so generously sweetened his assessment of Buhari’s performance, barely four months in office. I can’t tell why he was so eager to lavish on Buhari credit he did not deserve.

Except he wanted to reinforce and justify his earlier endorsement of Buhari in the run-up to the 2015 election that he had observed him from a distance, questioned those who had interacted with him at close quarters, dissected his key utterances both past and current and came to the conclusion of Buhari’s plausible transformation from a jackboot military despot whom “the nation cannot call to order”. Again, I have continued to ask which key utterances Soyinka dissected that swayed him to endorse Buhari in 2015.

I still haven’t found any. The key utterances of Buhari I have found, only reinforced why he should never have been supported. But I believe Soyinka knew better than I did.

Remarkably, Soyinka had this to say about then President Goodluck Jonathan in the build-up to the 2015 election: “The predator walks stealthily on padded feet, but we all know now with what lightning speed the claws flash into action. Of course the tendency did not begin with this regime, but how eagerly the seeming meek have aspired to surpass their mentors!” I thought then and said so loudly that his description of Jonathan was more fitting for Buhari who had been repackaged by pseudo-progressives as he walked “stealthily on padded feet”, and sold to a wilfully blinded public as the messiah. Have the last four years not been revealing of Buhari’s true persona?

Having received the undeserved accolades, and without atoning for his past misdeeds, Buhari added the clincher by declaring himself a “converted democrat”. After his Chatham House speech, the media was buzzing with talk of his transfiguration. Really? What has come over our people, I wondered? It was just impossible to reason with people about the danger a Buhari presidency would pose to our individual and collective destinies.

But I took refuge in the saying in the land of my fathers that you “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”.

In my first article against Buhari’s presidential ambition, just days after he emerged the standard-bearer of the APC in December 2014, titled: Buhari, When Facts Become Contrived,

Buhari I cautioned Nigerians that the only reason he was aspiring to be president was to right the perceived “wrongs done to the North” and that he had nothing to offer this country to progress it. You see, in the mad hysteria of 2015, Intellectuals, clerics, journalists, the business community, retired generals, the young and the old willingly gambled with everything for the illusion of change anchored by a man stuck in prehistoric past. It was one of the most telling moments I have ever witnessed, as otherwise highly educated and intelligent people we had previously ascribed knowledge of history and were therefore more discerning of danger - that a leopard no matter how domesticated never changes its spots - all joined forces to endorse a man lacking in competence for the presidency.

He was eulogised as a hero, the incorruptible one, the messiah, the one to right all wrongs.

Those who urged caution were quickly put down and labelled as beneficiaries of “16 years of rot” by the mob. Over four years down the line, Buhari’s APC-led government has been an unmitigated disaster. Its litany of broken promises litters the landscape. Its economic policies are Janjaweed in nature, unsuitable for a progressive future. Security under Buhari has simply collapsed. The country is at the mercy of a witches’ brew of gangsters, bandits, kidnappers and terrorists.

His government’s lying and megalomania have become a permanent sore on our psyche.

Here is just an excerpt from that Chatham House speech: “On insecurity, there is a genuine cause for worry, both within and outside Nigeria. Apart from the civil war era, at no other time in our history has Nigeria been this insecure. Boko Haram has sadly put Nigeria on the terrorism map, killing more than 13,000 of our nationals, displacing millions internally and externally, and at a time holding on to portions of our territory, the size of Belgium.

“What has been consistently lacking is the required leadership in our battle against the insurgency. I, as a retired general and a former head of state, have always known about our soldiers: they are capable, well trained, patriotic, brave, and always ready to do their duty in the service of our country. You all can bear witness to the gallant role of our

military in Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur, and in many other peacekeeping operations in several parts of the world.

“But in the matter of this insurgency, our soldiers have neither received the necessary support nor the required incentives to tackle this problem. The government has also failed in any effort towards a multi-dimensional response to this problem leading to a situation in which we have now become dependent on our neighbours to come to our rescue. Let me assure you that if I am elected president, the world will have no cause to worry about Nigeria as it has had to recently; that Nigeria will return to its stabilising role in West Africa; and that no inch of Nigerian territory will ever be lost to the enemy because we will pay special attention to the welfare of our soldiers in and out of service, we will give them adequate and modern arms and ammunition to work with, we will improve intelligence gathering and border controls to choke Boko Haram’s financial and equipment channels, we will be tough on terrorism and tough on its root causes by initiating a comprehensive economic development plan promoting infrastructural development, job creation, agriculture and industry in the affected areas.

“We will always act on time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester, and I, Muhammadu Buhari, will always lead from the front and return Nigeria to its leadership role in regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.”

Follow Nigerians, has Buhari delivered on any of those promises? Talk is cheap. Under this prehistoric, nepotistic and clueless general, who boasted about his military rank, eight local governments in Borno State are today under the control of Boko Haram and ISIS West African Province, ISWAP, has established a foothold in our country. Has Buhari led from the front? The man is marooned in Aso Rock enjoying the perks of office while doing nothing to pull the country back from the edge of the abyss. Banditry, kidnapping, mass killings are now so rife, that travelling by road around the country has become a death wish.

Recently, his Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, provided a revealing glimpse of the mindset of the upper echelons of the military when he declared that only spiritual warfare can defeat Boko Haram which the government had repeatedly claimed had been defeated. Now, is it not ironic that Buratai himself has now waved the white flag of surrender years after he presented a useless flag purportedly captured from the leader of Boko Haram to Buhari as an indication that the terrorists had been defeated?

Back to the Chatham House speech: On corruption, Buhari declared: “There will be no confusion as to where I stand. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed to my administration. First and foremost, we will plug the holes in the budgetary process. Revenue-producing entities such as NNPC and Customs and Excise will have one set of books only.

Their revenues will be publicly disclosed and regularly audited. The institutions of state dedicated to fighting corruption will be given independence and prosecutorial

authority without political interference.” Talk is cheap indeed!

Buhari’s cabinet is not only bristling with people with allegations of corruption hanging over their heads, the NNPC has become the ATM of the APC-led government. The state oil coy is a conduit for dispensing favours to political cronies and close family members.

Buhari’s former Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu had once raised the alarm that contracts worth a whopping $25 billion were awarded without due process or the approval of the board. Again and strangely, figures of the daily consumption of fuel in the country have been going up, diametrically opposite to the level of economic activities and the purchasing power of the average Nigerian, because people are milking the policy of under-recovery for as much cash as possible.

Cunningly, the government continues to shout transparency and accountability from the rooftops to hoodwink the wilfully blind. The anti-corruption agencies, viz. the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal are now part and parcel of the APC, acting on the whims and caprices of the presidency. They have become instruments of blackmail and coercion. The moment you join the party, your sins are forgiven, or the moment you do what the government wants, all corruption-related cases against you will suddenly be dropped by the anti-corruption bodies.

This African Union’s (AU) champion of anti-corruption is a false crusader against corruption and money laundering. When it suits him, he looks the other way. We are witnesses to his aloofness in matters of corruption when it affects those close to him. With an eye on his own reelection, he endorsed Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State for a second term despite the damning video recordings of him accepting wads of dollars in bribes.

Buhari promised to abide by democratic norms in that Chatham House appearance. At the heart of democratic norms lies the rule of law and a free democratic space that allows for dissent. But now, all the institutions of state are being used to drive one man’s desire to perpetuate a feudal hegemony on everyone else. In pursuit of that burning desire, anyone who stands in his way is a marked man. No sooner had he started his media campaign on corruption and had given indication that he would not obey court orders, than some members of the intellectual class started to goad him to violate the rule of law.

Professor Femi Odekunle, a professor of criminology, and a members of Buhari’s Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) declared that “one of the problems we have in this country is that we put the interest of the individual above the interest of the collective; I am not for unmoderated democracy, I’m not for unmoderated rule of law in which the rights of the individual will be so hyperbolised and override those of the collective”. Since then, trampling on the rule of law has become the government’s new normal.

Continued on page 45

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