SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMBER 2022

Atiku: I’ll Name, Shame, Prosecute Crude Oil Thieves Meets Dangote, Otedola, Ovia, Elumelu, others

Chuks Okocha in Abuja The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, in an interactive session with the leaders of Corporate Nigeria in

Lagos, vowed to name, shame and prosecute crude oil thieves, if elected president in 2023.

The meeting, which took the form of a panel discussion with Atiku and his running mate and Governor of Delta State, Dr.

Ifeanyi Okowa, was attended by prominent Nigerian business leaders, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Tony Elumelu, Jim Ovia, Oba Otudeko, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Herbert Wigwe, among others.

The session, which was moderated by popular financial expert, Tilewa Adebajo, focused on six thematic topics, including security, fiscal and monetary matters, power, oil and gas, infrastructure and manufacturing.

Speaking at the event, the former vice president said he would confiscate all oil blocks allocated to some Nigerians, who have failed to make them operational.

“If you are not going to

develop oil blocks given to you, we will take it away and give it to those who will develop it. We will also assemble the names of those involved in oil Continued on page 5

Nigeria's Debt Service Burden to Soar as Local Borrowing Costs Jump to Five-year High… Pa g e 6 Sunday 27 November, 2022 Vol 27. No 10092

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Don’t Allow PDP Near Nation's Commonwealth Again, Tinubu Tells Nigerians Gboyega Akinsanmi, Segun James in Lagos and Chuks Okocha in Abuja L-R: Anchor, ARISE NEWS Channel, Ms. Adesuwa Omoruan; Chairman/Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Widower/Commissioner of Police, Matthew Egwuenu (rtd); Daughter of the deceased and Anchor, ARISE NEWS Channel, Ms. Ojinika Okpe; and Chairman, Air Peace, Mr. Allen Oyeama, at the burial mass in honour of Mrs. Philomena Ngozi. Egwuenu (nee Ego-Dick Oliaku) in Obionicha, Delta State...yesterday KUNLE OGUNFUYI

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Continued on page 5

PDP Cautions Ariwoola against Partisanship, Utterances Eroding Integrity of Judiciary CJN’s comment was twisted, misrepresented, Supreme Court clarifies Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday cautioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, against partisanship and making utterances that could erode the integrity of the judiciary.

Justice Ariwoola had last Thursday, in Port Harcourt, said he was happy with the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde’s membership of the G-5 governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

But in a swift reaction, the Supreme Court clarified that the comment credited to the CJN was twisted and misrepresented by the media.

The G-5 governors include Governors Wike, Makinde, Samuel Continued on page 5

ANNUAL BANKERS’ DINNER… L-R: President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr. Ken Opara; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman, Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu; and Deputy Governor, CBN, Mrs. Aishah Ahmad, at the 57th Annual Bankers Dinner held in Lagos…weekend

NNPC, Major Marketers Intensify Collaboration to End Fuel Scarcity… Page 8

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NOVEMBER 27, 2022 • T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE PDP CAUTIONS ARIWOOLA AGAINST PARTISANSHIP, UTTERANCES ERODING INTEGRITY OF JUDICIARY Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

The five aggrieved governors are insisting that the National Chairman of PDP, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, must step down to pave the way for someone from the South to succeed him, since the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, hails from the North.

Justice Ariwoola, who spoke during a banquet held in his honour by Wike, had backed Makinde, the governor of his home state, for his membership of the G-5.

Speaking on a lighter note, the CJN, who was in Port Harcourt as the Special Guest of Honour to inaugurate projects completed by the Rivers State Government, disclosed that Wike was threatening to withdraw Makinde’s wife, who is from Rivers, from Makinde.

He expressed the hope that Makinde would emulate Wike to replicate the good works in his state.

Ariwoola said: “That is why we should not be scared to have these men of the Integrity Group.

“And I am happy that my governor is among them because he would try to imitate his friend and in-law because we came here to marry for my governor.

“So, Governor Wike will always threaten that he will call back his sister if my governor fails to play ball. That is why you see him following his Excellency (Wike) because my governor is afraid of his wife being recalled,” the CJN reportedly explained.

Reacting to the comment, the PDP in a statement said while it has the utmost respect for the judiciary and judicial officers, it would not tolerate any action or utterance by any judicial officer, let alone the CJN, that undermines the integrity of the judiciary.

In the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, the main opposition party argued that the CJN delved into its internal affairs with a comment that encouraged division in the party.

The main opposition party described the CJN’s action as unacceptable and inconsistent with his status as the head of the judicial arm of government.

"Our party is worried that such partisan comment by the CJN is in violation of his Oath of Office as the head of the country's judicial arm, which is expected to be impartial and non-partisan.

"Irrespective of the circumstance or situation, the CJN is expected to be circumspect at all times and avoid partisan actions and utterances that are likely to erode the institutional integrity of the Judiciary and bring it to disrepute especially as the nation prepares for the 2023 general elections," Ologunagba explained.

The PDP spokesman further stressed that in Nigeria where there is a separation of powers, the judiciary, which is entrusted with the responsibility of interpretation of the laws, should be seen to be neutral at all times and also endeavour to interpret and review the laws in the context of the case and controversy of the parties before it.

He said Nigerians expect the CJN, with his experience, to be in a position to advise, rebuke and punish members of the judicial arm who get entangled in the political arena.

"The fact that the CJN himself is the one reportedly violating this critical ethic of neutrality, fairness and respect for the Oath of Office for judicial officers raises serious concern in our polity.

"The question is, how do Nigerians and especially the

PDP trust that the CJN will be an even-handed arbiter in any case or matter relating to internal issues in our party or those connected to other political parties?

"It is instructive to note that the test for a Judge to recuse himself from a matter is the “likelihood of bias” and the CJN is expected to be mindful of that test in his public engagements," he added.

CJN’s Comment was Twisted, Supreme Court Clarifies Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday clarified that the comment credited to the CJN was twisted and misrepresented by the media The Director of Press and Information at the apex court, Dr. Festus Akande, in a statement issued in Abuja, titled, ‘Re-CJN: I’m happy Makinde is among G-5 Governors,’ said the CJN never said he was happy that Makinde was a member of the now christened ‘Integrity Group’ or ‘G-5 governors.’

“We wish to state unequivocally clear that the CJN, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, had never at any point said such during his brief remarks at the State Banquet organised as part of the events lined up for the commissioning of the two judiciary projects undertaken by the Rivers State government.

“Issues bordering on misconceptions and misrepresentations of this nature are not always strange in times like this when the country is preparing for a general election, as some people may want to take advantage of every opportunity to score very cheap goals. As we all know, this is the era of aggressive and even unconventional politicking; so, there’s nothing that will not be heard or seen

ATIKU: I’LL NAME, SHAME, PROSECUTE CRUDE OIL THIEVES theft, publish the same and prosecute them,” Atiku told the stakeholders.

On his plans to boost the oil and gas sector, Atiku recalled that the administration of exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo had set a production target of four million barrels per day.

The plan, he explained, would be resuscitated and sustained beyond the projected figure, pointing out that to do this successfully, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and any other enabling law would be invoked.

“When we were in government, we started this process. However, there were hiccups. We were unable to pass the legislation to encourage international oil companies (IOCs) to partake in the sector.

We will go back to where we started,” he said.

He added that the Brass and Olokola LNG projects that started under Obasanjo’s administration will be given more attention under him.

“We will continue if we have the opportunity. As you know, joint ventures are good because they are investor-driven,” he said.

He reiterated his commitment to privatising the refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri, saying, “I swear to God, I’ll privatise them.”

Turning to the fiscal challenges of Forex, and monetary policy, Atiku said, “I believe that we should have a Forex policy that allows a convergence. I don’t believe in a multiple Forex policy that currently applies.”

Atiku promised convergence of the foreign exchange market, ensuring price stability and promoting trade deals that will inject more foreign exchange into the economy, as well as ensuring the independence of the CBN. He said to stabilise the forex regime, loopholes in crude oil production would be blocked,

emphasising that he would encourage local production and “not control of public expenditure.”

“Dollarisation or otherwise of the Nigerian economy depends on the strength or weakness of our economy. If we strengthen our economy, you don’t need the dollar. The naira can be strengthened by the number of jobs created and exports,” he said.

According to him, the monetary policy would be such that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would be independent.

“Monetary policy and other related items would be liberalised. Without price stability, the economy does not work for anyone; and job creation and poverty eradication cannot be attained.”

“CBN will take responsibility to deliver price stability, although inflation is a global phenomenon and a product of strong demand and limited supply.

“But none of these stops the CBN from carrying out its duty of price stability and single window fiscal regime,” the PDP presidential candidate said, pointing out that “some of these economic and financial challenges existed in 1999.”

“We were responsible for enacting the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). We tried to schedule the repayment of debts and we succeeded. If we did that, you can trust us again to address the current problems.

“With this experience, you should trust that we can bring the monetary policy back on track,” he further added, indicating that it is disturbing that “the country is moving backwards.”

“These have grave consequences for job creation and long-term growth. The key sectors are not growing or growing slowly. There are acute fiscal challenges. The

manufacturing sector is declining.

133 million Nigerians are multidimensionally poor, meaning they have restricted access to education, healthcare, housing and rural facilities. These are the reasons we are engaging you today,” he stated.

On power, he noted that his administration would pursue short, medium and long-term projections in the power sector.

In his remarks, Okowa, who listed some problems facing the Niger Delta region as community agitations, high-powered illegal bunkering and breaching of oil pipelines by vandals, said the Atiku administration would embark on technology-driven surveillance and other solutions to tackle the problems.

“On the issue of security around oil installations, it is important that we understand what the issues are and those issues have to be situated properly.

“The engagement with the local communities is very important and while doing that, we don’t leave those communities behind in terms of infrastructure and development, which creates hope and partnership with them,” Okowa said.

The national chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, expressed appreciation to corporate Nigeria for gracing the occasion, assuring them that they are engaging with the right party.

“There is going to be continuing dialogue. When we take over power next year, we will continue to engage you,” he said.

Both Governors Udom Emmanuel and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Akwa Ibom and Sokoto states, who are the Chairman and Director General of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign team, respectively, urged the stakeholders to support Atiku for a better Nigeria.

at this crucial time, especially between now and February 2023, when the general election will be conducted.

“People say whatever they choose to say, just to please their selfish interests and inordinate desires. We can’t really pinpoint where such barefaced falsehood is coming from; and certainly, we don’t also know at what point the CJN said he was happy that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was a member of the now christened ‘Integrity Group’ or ‘G5 Governors.’”

The statement argued that the CJN is a judicial officer and not a politician, and as such, would never directly or remotely make such comments or innuendoes.

“We wish to set the record straight by making it clear that the CJN and other senior judicial officers, drawn from different parts of the country, were in Port Harcourt on Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25, 2022 to commission the two buildings to accommodate the Federal Judicial Service Commission’s South-South

Liaison Office and the Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili Judicial Institute, that was conceptualised and constructed by the Rivers State government,” the statement said.

The statement noted that even at the State Banquet organised as part of the events, the CJN made it clear in his brief remarks that he was not in Port Harcourt for the State Banquet, but simply to commission the two projects as a mark of honour for the judiciary and Justice Mary Peter-Odili (rtd).

“Similarly, he said he was very surprised to see the ‘G-5 Governors’ (Integrity Group Governors), just as he equally expressed the same surprise when he saw them in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the reception organised in his honour by his state government in October 2022.

His surprise particularly stemmed from the fact that he saw his own State Governor, Seyi Makinde (who incidentally is a member of the G-5 Governors), at the Port Harcourt occasion. He equally stated jocularly that being that Makinde married from Rivers

State and is equally very close to Nyesom Wike, he would be able to replicate the developmental strides of the latter in Oyo State for the good of the citizenry.

“This, of course, is a comment that, ordinarily, ought to elicit applause and not myopic misrepresentations, as governance is all about positive comparisons and healthy competition. Anyone or group of individuals making these unconscionable assumptions and pervading the misinformation are by implication, creating the impression that it is now a crime for the CJN to have come from Oyo State, which coincidentally, has a member of the group, Seyi Makinde, as the governor.

“Let it be noted that anything said, assumed, presumed, reported or placed in the public domain outside the above facts, is simply a mere figment of the imagination of such authors and doesn’t in any way represent what the CJN said in Port Harcourt, as we are not ready to join issues with such purveyors of misinformation,” the statement explained.

DON’T ALLOW PDP NEAR NATION'S COMMONWEALTH AGAIN, TINUBU TELLS NIGERIANS Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called on Nigerians not to allow the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) anywhere near Nigeria's commonwealth again because of the destruction the party wrought on the country.

Tinubu, who made the call yesterday in Lagos at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere venue of APC presidential campaign's mega rally, also described his counterpart in the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, as an ungrateful wretch who repays good with evil.

But in a swift response, the former vice president, through the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has said with the series of allegations of narcotics trafficking, forgery, perjury, identity crisis and certificate scam against Tinubu, the former Lagos State governor has no integrity left to hold office as the President.

The former Lagos State governor also vowed that his detractors can’t kill him, stressing that any attempt to do so would be disastrous.

The APC presidential candidate said his party’s campaign is a broom revolution, and invoking the spirit of his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the Iyaloja-General, he followed up with a folksong, singing in Yoruba, "Dagunro o se je, Tinubu o se pa," meaning literally that he cannot be killed.

Tinubu, who spoke partly in Yoruba, told his detractors that he is like Dagunro, a poison ivy, which cannot be eaten as a vegetable, and that any attempt to do so would be disastrous.

The former Lagos State governor, who became emotional during his speech, accused Atiku of waging a campaign of calumny against him, describing him as a serial defector who keeps running from one political party to the other, and yet, never shows gratitude to those who had helped or accommodated him along the way.

He described Atiku as a veteran aspirant, who should go home and rest.

He also mocked the PDP for not having anything to show for their 16 years at the helm of the nation's affairs.

He said in the years that the PDP was in power, the party never completed any major projects that can be pointed to.

"This election will be about the broom revolution. You can't kill me as you did kill others.

I know one man, Atiku, who has been contesting since 1999.

He ran under the PDP, under the Action Congress (AC), we gave him the platform but they repaid us with evil. Tell him to go

and sit at home. Use your PVC to retire him this time around in 2023."

He urged Nigerians never to allow him and his party near the country's commonwealth.

"Atiku has been running. Use your PVC to vote him and his party out. Use your votes to retire him permanently this time.

We must never again allow the rapacious and visionless gang of Peoples Destroying People to come near our commonwealth again. They were in government for 16 years, they didn't remember Badagry Expressway, they didn't remember East-West Road, they didn’t remember Second Niger Bridge," Tinubu said, according to a statement by the head of his Media Office, Tunde Rahman.

Speaking to the mammoth crowd that witnessed the rally, he said the PDP in their 16 years never remembered to construct the Second Niger Bridge to the eastern part of the country or the East-West Road that connected the South-south to other parts of the country.

Tinubu said he would continue with a progressive government, where Nigerians would not be forgotten in education, healthcare and employment generation.

To underscore his support across the country, Tinubu noted that the Governors of Kano, Kastina, Kaduna, Kwara, Kebbi and other APC governors were with him, unlike his opponent, who could not hold his party together.

Tinubu again used the opportunity of the rally to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the development of Nigeria and Lagos State.

Addressing the rally on the importance of sustaining the progressive governance in Lagos State, Tinubu urged Lagosians to vote for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, for a second term.

Present at the rally were the party's National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, and Chairman, Nigeria Governors' Forum and Governor of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu.

Others were the DirectorGeneral of the Tinubu/ Shettima Campaigns and the Governor of Plateau State, Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, as well as Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa),

Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti).

Also present were Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, and former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, among others.

Speaking, the Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Committee and Plateau State Governor, Lalong, said Tinubu is the best among the candidates jostling for the presidency, saying that he stands above all others.

Welcoming the dignitaries and people of Lagos, SanwoOlu thanked Tinubu for the foundation he laid in the state and the legacies he left behind as governor, saying he is the right man for the presidency in 2023.

Bagudu, who spoke on behalf of all the progressive governors, thanked the Lagos governor for the successful rally.

"Our party leaders and governors believe in Tinubu and for the right reasons.

The world economy has been challenged, Nigeria inclusive.

We need someone of Tinubu’s standing and pedigree to take over to help the country wade through,” he said.

Also at the presidential rally, Gbajabiamila took a jab at those asking questions about the age of the APC presidential candidate.

In an apparent reference to the controversy over Tinubu's age, the speaker declared: “His age is what his mother said he is. And if they are in doubt about his age, they should go and meet his mother to reconfirm.”

Besides, Gbajabiamila told the APC supporters to educate the undecided Nigerians about Tinubu, saying he is the greatest politician in modern-day Nigeria.

He said: “They will ask you how old he is. Tell them he is the age his mother said he is.

And if they are in doubt of his age, tell them to go and meet his mother to reconfirm. If they say he is not educated.

“Tell them he is more educated than all the contestants put together. If they tell you he is wanted in America. America has said repeatedly they do not know what they are talking about.

“When they say he is corrupt, tell them he is the most investigated in Nigeria’s history and nothing has been found against him.”

Your Campaign Has Failed Integrity Test, Atiku Mocks Tinubu Reacting to Tinubu’s attacks Continued on page 10

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 27, 2022

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NEWS

APC CAMPAIGN RALLY IN LAGOS… L-R: Vice presidential candidate, All Progressives Congress, Senator Kashim Shettima; National Chairman, APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; APC presidential candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu; and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the APC presidential campaign rally and Sanwo-Olu’s re-election campaign flag-off at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in Lagos…yesterday

Nigeria's Debt Service Burden to Soar as Local Borrowing Costs Jump to Five-year High Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja with agency report Nigeria's growing borrowing costs on local bonds have jumped to a five-year high,

adding pressure to a debt service burden that consumes more than two-thirds of the country’s revenue.

A few days ago, the World Bank in its new report said the

Court Fines Kola Abiola for Late Submission of Documents Alex Enumah in Abuja A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has slammed the presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (APC), Kola Abiola, with a fine of N20,000 for his failure to file his court documents within time.

Justice Fadima Aminu, in a ruling, also fined the PRP for its delay in filing its counter affidavit in opposition to the aggrieved presidential aspirant’s amended originating summons.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Justice Aminu had fixed November 25 for a definite hearing in a suit filed

by Madam Patience Ndidi Key, a female presidential aspirant in the June 5 primary election conducted by the party.

The judge, who granted the application filed by Madam Key to amend her originating summons on November 18, ordered all parties to file their processes before the next adjourned date and adjourned to Friday for a definite hearing.

The plaintiff, Key had on June 28, sued PRP, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Mr. Latifu Abiola as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, respectively.

Key, in her earlier originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/1001/2022, had challenged the emergence of Abiola as the party’s presidential candidate.

She had prayed to the court to nullify the poll that produced Abiola as the PRP’s presidential candidate.

She also prayed for an order setting aside the declaration of Abiola as the winner of the primaries conducted across the country.

Upon resumed hearing in the matter, the plaintiff’s counsel, Magnus Ihejirika, informed that the matter should be adjourned for a definite hearing.

Ihejirika said that the defence

lawyers were yet to serve on him their counter-affidavits to enable him to respond appropriately.

Lawyer to the 1st defendant (PRP), Regina Audu, explained that there was a network failure on Thursday at the FHC filing office when she tried to file her application.

According to her, there was no network to generate a REMITA for us to pay the filing fee yesterday (Thursday) for our counter affidavit.

The lawyer, who said she could only do that on Friday, prayed to the court for an adjournment.

Also, Ijeoma Madu, who appeared for Mr. Abiola, spoke in the same vein.

But Ihejirika described the defence counsel’s act as “a deliberate attempt to stall proceedings in the suit.”

The lawyer said that the case was filed on June 28 and that, “time is of the essence in its determination.”

He said by provision of the constitution, the court had only 180 days to dispose of the matter, adding that the court has less than a month to have the case determined He argued that the defendants were only employing a delay tactic to stall the hearing and determination of the suit.

Ihejirika, who told the court that he comes to the court from Kebbi State, said if the court would be inclined to grant the defence application, a cost should be imposed.

He asked for a cost of N200,000.

The defence counsel, who disagreed with him, prayed the court to dismiss the request.

In her ruling, Justice Aminu said an award of cost should not be a punishment but compensation.

The judge, consequently, ordered the PRP (1st defendant) and Abiola (3rd defendant) to pay the sum of N20,000 each to the plaintiff’s counsel.

She adjourned the matter until December 2 for a definite hearing.

country ranks consistently among the world’s poorest-performing countries in terms of public revenue mobilisation, with total revenues averaging just seven per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2015 and 2021 — far below the global average of 24 per cent.

The bank had stated that low tax rates and poor utilisation of tax bases, weaknesses in tax administration, and large deductions from oil revenue were constraining Nigeria’s inability to generate enough revenue.

But according to Bloomberg, average yields for local-currencydenominated sovereign bonds have risen to 14.84 per cent as of Thursday from 11.79 per cent in May, the month the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) started hiking its benchmark interest rate to curb accelerating inflation that hit a 17-year high in October.

Since May, the apex bank had lifted rates by 500 basis points to

16.5 per cent, boosting interest rates on government paper.

The federal government last week sold N199 billion ($500 million) worth of 364-day bills at a yield of 14.84 per cent, the highest since February 2019.

While the bills were oversubscribed, the Debt Management Office (DMO) only allotted about half the amount it planned to sell, pushing back on the higher yields demanded by investors.

Though interest rates have jumped, they still lag inflation at 21.1 per cent, a discrepancy the central bank said it planned to correct by raising rates until the gap is closed.

The risk of having negative real interest rates is that it discourages investment in the domestic market, said Hassan Mahmud, Director of the monetary policy department at the CBN. “We need to sanitise the market so that the government can also

in the future have a domestic source where it can raise the funds,” he said.

Bids at government debt auctions are already faltering due to the lower-than-inflation yields on offer.

The subscription rate for a 14.5 per cent bond due in 2029 was 9.8 per cent of the N75 billion debt offering in October, the lowest since December 2018.

The weak appetite for shorttenured debt forced the DMO to make more allotments in the longer-dated 15 to 20-year issuances, where investors sought more than the government was willing to sell - but at higher yields.

The DMO sold the bond due in 2037 at 16.2 per cent, the highest yield since August 2017. That raises the pressure on the government’s debt service costs even further.

As of August, debt service consumed 84 per cent of

revenues and the World Bank projected that it could rise to 169 per cent of income by 2025 if the government fails to implement fiscal reforms.

The apex bank is concerned about how inflation is shrinking disposable income but doesn’t plan to ease policy until it sees inflation declining to around 12 -15 per cent.

According to Mahmud, “so long as inflation is going up, the real value of income is also eroded."

The federal government has ruled out selling bonds on international debt markets this year after it shelved a proposal to raise about $950 million in May, citing unfavourable market conditions after Russia invaded Ukraine.

“I think this would be an opportunity for the government to find other alternative channels of raising funds," Mahmud added.

It’ll Be Tough for APC to Defeat You in Oyo, El-Rufai Tells Makinde Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has said it would be difficult for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defeat his Oyo State counterpart, Mr. Seyi Makinde, in the 2023 governorship election.

The Cable reported that El-Rufai spoke at the weekend at the commemoration and send-off ceremony organised for Nteranya Sanginga, the outgoing Director-General of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), held at the IITA Conference Centre, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Kaduna State governor said the APC would try its best to unseat the Oyo State governor, adding however that it would be tough because Makinde governed well.

Both governors recounted how they argued at a sitting of the National Executive Council (NEC) on whether to lock down states in the heat of the COVID-19

outbreak in 2019, but resolved to do what they felt was best for their respective states.

“After that debate, I went back to my state and I locked it down. Seyi went back to his state and did what he called a partial lockdown, but he locked himself down because he got COVID-19,” el-Rufai said.

“The beauty of Nigeria is its diversity. In my state, I did what I felt was the right thing and he did what was best for his state.

“We’ll do our best to defeat you. But I know it will be tough because you’ve been a good governor,” el-Rufai added.

The governor lauded Sanginga for the courage and hard work he put into transforming IITA. “As Nigerians, we’re very grateful to you for what you have done here because every state in Nigeria is a beneficiary of the groundbreaking research that you have done,” he said.

“Both of you (Sanginga and Akinwumi Adesina of AfDB) are breaking ground along

with others and you give our children hope that Africa can be anything it wants to be if it works hard,” the Kaduna State governor explained.

Also speaking, Makinde said it was exciting to have worked with IITA on several projects in line with his administration’s vision to expand the state’s economy through agribusiness and to encourage youths to exploit the opportunities in the sector.

“There are so many lessons to learn from this great man because of his brilliance, passion and leadership style. We have worked together on several projects and I have no fears or worries about letting IITA lead projects such as the STEP,” Makinde said.

“He asked me to come down to Fasola and I saw the pictures of ‘before and after’ and the students fried chin-chin, baked cake, which got me thinking that I used to have the same opportunity at Bishop Philips Academy but we lost it along

the line.

“So, I asked him to extend the programme to all the senatorial districts in the state and we picked one school per senatorial district; and now, the programme has spread to 13 schools in Oyo state.

“This is the electioneering period, and I want to use this opportunity to tell the people of Oyo State that if I am given another opportunity to serve, we will take the Start Them Early Programme to more schools in the state.”

The event also witnessed the launching of Sanginga’s autobiography, ‘Leadership in African Agriculture.

Other dignitaries present at the event include the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja; and representatives of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi

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UNVEILING AGENDA FOR BUSINESS… L-R: Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Chairman, Zenith Bank, Mr. Jim Ovia; and former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at the meeting of the PDP presidential candidate with leaders of Corporate Nigeria in Lagos …yesterday

NNPC, Major Marketers Intensify Collaboration to End Fuel Scarcity Festus Akanbi The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited have intensified collaboration to end the current nationwide scarcity of petrol across the country.

This is as the oil marketers and petroleum depot operators, under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), has called for a quick intervention by the federal government to improve petrol supply.

Chief Executive Officer of MOMAN, Mr. Clement Isong,

N’Assembly Staff Members Fault Lawan, Kick against Recall of Clerk Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has written to the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), asking it to stop the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan from recalling the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Olatunde Ojo, who commenced his threemonth pre-retirement leave since Monday, November 14, 2022.

Lawan had directed the Chairman of NASC, Mr. Ahmed Amshi, through a letter, dated November 17, 2022, to recall Ojo so that he could spend his pre-retirement leave in office, citing the "exigencies of the time."

Ojo is due to retire from service on February 14, 2023.

But the Senate President wanted him to spend his terminal leave in office so that the acting CNA, Sani Tambuwal, could understudy him on how to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the CNA. Lawan specifically cited the authentication of the clean copy of the budget and its transmission to President Buhari for his assent as reasons for his recall.

The Authentication Act, according to the Senate President, could only be done by a substantive CNA. But the members of staff of the National Assembly under the auspices of PASAN, have said all the reasons given by Lawan to recall Ojo were not

tenable.

The union made its position known in a letter to the NASC chairman, dated November 24, 2022, a copy of which was obtained by THISDAY in Abuja, PASAN's letter to the NASC chairman was signed by its Secretary General, Awobifa Hammed, who also sent a copy to the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the National Assembly.

In the letter, the union insisted that the letter by the Senate President was in direct violation of Section 7 of the NASC Act, which states that “in exercising its powers to make appointments or exercise disciplinary control over persons, the commission shall not be subjected to the direction or control of any authority or persons.”

The union said it found it strange that both the Senate President and the commission contravened the commission’s rule.

PASAN while reacting to the Authentication Act cited

by Lawan, explained that two former clerks to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori and Salisu Maikasuwa, signed and transmitted bills, including that of appropriation, while they were in their acting capacities.

The union added that as acting President, Vice president Yemi Osinbajo signed numerous bills, including the 2017 Appropriation Act and argued that if an acting president could sign bills, what would stop an acting CNA from transmitting bills?

said this in Lagos yesterday against the backdrop of the current scarcity of petrol and long queues at filling stations.

Isong said the association had been holding a daily logistic emergency meeting with the downstream management of NNPC on how to improve the supply of petrol.

According to him, the collaboration with NNPC will enhance the distribution of petroleum products in the country.

“We are doing depot to depot check-in and check-out to enhance efficiency, also having logistic supply meetings with NNPC. “There is also collaboration among our members to cushion supply to various MOMAN’s stations.

“We arranged it in a way that any MOMAN member who does not have product can pick from fellow members’ depot to minimise supply gaps,” he said.

Isong also said the effort was to improve the supply of

petrol at filling stations across the country.

“NNPC had an operational meeting with MOMAN to ensure that products are effectively distributed across the country.

“The logistics meeting was to ensure adequate distribution of products to stations across the country,” he added.

The helmsman said MOMAN members would be working at night and during the weekend to bridge product supply gaps.

He said MOMAN had been pushing out more products than it normally did.

He added that the scarcity was as a result of delay experienced at the point of receiving products from offshore to onshore at the port.

He, however, said the logistics challenge had been resolved and members were currently trucking out products.

Meanwhile, DAPPMAN has called for quick intervention by the federal government in the ongoing fuel scarcity being experienced across the country.

Its Chairman, Mrs. Winifred Akpani, urged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to comply with the federal government’s directive to end payment of port charges in dollars for petroleum products brought into the country.

Akpani maintained that accessing forex through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) window would enhance their capacity, facilitate seamless supply of petrol, and birth a regime of sustainability in terms of storage, distribution and supply across the nation.

“DAPPMAN hereby calls on the government to establish a level-playing field in the sector by giving petroleum marketers access to forex at the CBN exchange rate for their operations,” Akpani explained.

He emphasised that accessing FX at the official rate would boost fuel supply across the country.

She added that the burden

of sourcing forex through the parallel market for transactions domiciled in Nigeria had left petroleum marketers in dire straits.

She said, “accessing dollars for our operations has been an insurmountable hurdle for petroleum marketers.

“The difference between CBN exchange rate and the parallel market exchange rate continues to get wider by the day.”

Some filling stations owned by major oil marketers were seen selling petrol at regulated price of N170 per litre, while stations belonging to IPMAN members sold between N220 and N260 per litre.

Many filling stations that have fuel collect N100 at the entrance before vehicles are allowed to enter filling stations, and additional N100 to sell product to vehicle owners.

‘Black’ marketers have taken advantage of the situation to hoard products and sell to desperate motorists at exorbitant prices

House Summons Customs CG over Sale of Impounded Vehicles Michael Olugbode in Abuja The House Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), in connection with the sales of impounded vehicles as scraps by the service.

The Ali was directed to appear at the House on Tuesday, following his failure to show up last Wednesday.

The invitation followed a petition by the National President, Nigeria Association of Auctioneers, Alhaji Musa Kurra, to the committee.

Kurra had in the petition alleged the sales of hundreds of vehicles seized from smugglers by the customs at below market prices through what the NCS called direct auction allocation.

After the publication of the allegation, the NCS summoned Kurra to appear before a panel

on November 8 with documents to buttress his allegations against the agency.

He, however, refused to honour the invitation, insisting that the customs should address the allegations of selling seized assets without following the due process.

In the summons, Ali was directed to appear in person with one soft copy and 10 hard copies of his brief on the sales of impounded vehicles at below the market prices.

The letter signed by the committee Chairman, Jerry Alagbaoso, was titled, “Nigeria Association of Auctioneers (petitioner) against Nigeria Customs Service on direct auction allocation of scrap vehicles and other items.’

It read: “Whereas the abovenamed petition is now pending before this committee and the particulars of the petition

aforesaid are already within your knowledge whereas, the petition has been assigned to be heard committee for determination.

“You are hereby required to note section 88 and 89 (c) of our constitution (as amended) and appear in person before this committee on Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 2pm or so soon thereafter as the committee shall direct. Please, bear in mind the NCDC protocols. Venue: house of Representatives Room 429 (new wing).

“You are to submit one soft copy and 10 hard copies of your brief on the matter. And further take notice that if you do not attend the hearing as required, the case may be heard or determined in your absence.’’

Documents obtained by THISDAY indicated that 338 vehicles were sold for N3,380,000 by the Committee on Direct Disposal of Condemned Scrap

Vehicles and other items, Customs Headquarters, Abuja.

Several companies were allocated hundreds of vehicles via a letter signed by the Chairman, Direct Disposal of Scraps Committee, Comptroller A.D Sanusi.

Kurra, who described the practice as illegal, said he has all the documentary evidence needed to prove his allegations against the NCS. On the allegation that he was an imposter made by Aliyu Kiliya, a factional leader of the auctioneers association, Kurra said, “I am not fighting for myself but for Nigeria and the generality of auctioneers in the country. What the customs is doing is illegal and even the e-auctions they are doing is illegal.

Kiliya knows that we are in court with him and his allegation that I’m an imposter is in contempt of the court.’’

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ICAN’S END-OF-THE-YEAR RETREAT… L-R: Chairman, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter, Mrs. Ifeoma Catherine Otiji; Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Peter Mbah; and his running mate, Mr. Ifeanyi Ossai, during the ICAN’s End-of-the -Year Retreat at Nike Lake Resort in Enugu…weekend

Again, Obi Tells Nigerians Not to Vote for Tribe, Religion Says his ambition for country’s future

Gabriel Emameh in Abuja The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has again urged Nigerians not to vote for tribe and religion in 2023 elections, pointing out that his presidential ambition is for the future of the country irrespective of ethnic and religious affiliations.

Obi said this at the weekend in Enugu at a ‘Shape the Future” conference organised by a group called the Boys Champion (BC).

BC was founded by UN award-winning Nigerian, Noel Alumona, to support young boys

and men on their journey to manhood through mentoring and training.

Obi advised the youths not to vote for tribe or religion, stressing that no tribe and religion would buy bread or rice cheaper than it was in the country.

“I am an applicant seeking for job; that is why I appear before you my employer (youths) and it is the turn of Nigerian youths to take back their country.

“I am committed to the job and hold me responsible if I fail you. If you do the wrong thing today, future will take revenge on you,” he warned.

Obi urged the youths to vote only competent and credible leaders that would change their future.

“Eighteen of us will say the same thing but you must verify what they are telling you. There is no room for experiment in 2023.

“We will remove their structure of criminality and replace it with structure of development,” Obi added.

The former Anambra State governor said that he would provide security for all Nigerians to enable farmers go back to their farms to reduce food inflation.

PDP Accuses Police of Disrupting Campaign Flag-off in Nasarawa Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused the Nasarawa State Police Command of disrupting its campaign flag-off in the state.

The party had at a media dialogue scheduled the flag-off of its presidential, governorship and national/state assemblies’ zonal campaign for Monday, November 28, in the Toto Local Government Area of the state.

However, the Director General of the state PDP Campaign Council, Mr. Labaran Maku, at a press briefing yesterday at Mararaba in Karu Local Government Area of the state, accused the police of conniving with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to disrupt the campaign flag-off slated for tomorrow.

Maku alleged at the press briefing that the police acted strictly on a directive from the Chairman of Toto Local Government Area, Abdullahi Aliyu Tashas, to stop the PDP campaign in his council area.

He said the PDP was deeply disappointed at what had happened, insisting that democracy requires absolute neutrality from the security agencies.

He explained that the main opposition party had notified the police on November 18, 2022.

“Now they are telling us

we cannot go to campaign on Monday,” he said.

Maku continued: "We understand the role security agencies played in enforcing the law is to ensure there is peace.

It is strange that 48 hours, or so, to go to our campaign rally, we suddenly received a letter from the Commissioner of Police that the Toto Local Government chairman has just informed him that he is not aware and had not permitted us to hold a rally in Toto.

"It was established that this party was the first to notify the Police of our schedules. The electoral law understanding is that elected members of the executive are partisan in the electoral process and also campaigning for their parties.

"So it did not make it incumbent on political parties to seek the permission of state governors and local government chairmen because they would not allow opposition parties to campaign in their states? They are also contesting in the same election and they cannot be the ones to permit us," Maku explained.

Maku argued that security agencies do not issue a permit, but are notified to provide security.

However, the Director General of the Nasarawa State PDP Campaign Council said it was strange that they were not called to sit with

APC. "Ideally, if the APC had a conflict with us, the police authority will invite the APC and the PDP and resolve. No such meeting has been called between us and the APC. So it is clear to us that this is an attempt to disrupt the campaign in Nasarawa State.

"This campaign is for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, governorship candidate, National and Houses of Assembly candidates. So, it is one campaign. We notified the police on November 18, 2022, by their letter. Today (yesterday) is November 25, 2022, and they are telling us we cannot go to campaign on Monday." Maku explained.

But in a swift reaction, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ramhan Nansel, refuted the allegation that the police directed the PDP to stop plans towards its campaign flag-off rally in Toto Local Government Area scheduled for November 28.

Nansel, however, said there was a clash of date and location with the APC, adding that the state police commissioner, CP Mohammed-Baba, only advised the PDP to shift its rally to the next day to avert clashes among supporters and to enable the police to provide security for the two events.

“We will provide manpower in the security by employing more police and equip them to tackle insecurity.

“This is the only way we can move Nigeria from consumption to productive society by investing in youths and Nigeria must feed itself.

“My government will remove fuel subsidy and use the money to create jobs for the youths and this is the future we want

to bring,” he added.

Obi, who rejected an award presented to him by the group, saying they should present it to him when he won the election and finished his tenure as president.

According to him, “I will value the award if I perform well in office at the end of my tenure and Nigerians are happy with me.”

Earlier, Alumona said he

brought the conference to Enugu to spotlight the talents of the young people in Nigeria.

He explained that it was time for Nigerian youths to commit to sustainable action that would change their future and reshape the way things were being done.

Alumona beat over 400 contestants to be the first African to win the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens since its inception in 1914.

Immigration Directs Passport Offices to Work Saturdays The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays to clear backlog of passport applications.

This is contained in a statement made available by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, in Abuja yesterday.

Akuneme said that the Comptroller-General, Mr. Isa Jere, who gave the directive also approved the deployment of the Passport Controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo was moved to NIS Zonal office in Ibadan.

The NIS spokesman stated that going forward, the CG will hold passport officers accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officers under their watch He added that the directive was to enable the Service reduce the backlog occasioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The C-G has directed that Passport offices across the country with high volume of pending applications to work on Saturdays.

“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday

commencing from December 3, 2022 to January 28, 2023 between the period of 10 am to 2 pm.

“This is to enhance our service delivery to out esteemed clients.

“The Saturday proceeding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted, ” he said.

The spokesman said passport offices that fall within this category should contact him

by Monday for further details.

Akuneme reiterated the resolve of the C-G to make passport services available and stress free to the traveling public, especially during the festive season.

DON’T ALLOW PDP NEAR NATION'S COMMONWEALTH AGAIN, TINUBU TELLS NIGERIANS on him, the former vice president, through the Atiku/ Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, has said with the series of allegations of narcotics trafficking, forgery, perjury, identity crisis and certificate scam against Tinubu, the former Lagos State governor has no integrity left to hold office as the president.

Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation has also described Tinubu as the “drained, disconnected, blundering and day-dreaming aspirant, who has shown a scandalous lack of energy, capacity and presence of mind to stand the rigours of a presidential campaign, let alone the demands of the office of the president.”

In a statement issued yesterday, the spokesperson Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, described it as laughable that Tinubu,

who cannot comprehend current political dynamics or articulate any meaningful conversation within the demands of contemporary Nigeria, is asking others to go home and rest when such is an advice he ought to give to himself.

“Nigerians are in agreement that if there is any presidential candidate that must go home and rest as demanded by Tinubu, it is Tinubu himself, who has been reported as requiring support to stand, whose speeches are grossly incoherent and who has become the butt of weird jokes among Nigerians for his many blunders.

“Moreover, Tinubu cannot face Nigerians and the international community having forfeited a whopping sum of $460,000 to the United States of America. The least an individual with such a record should do is go home and rest because Nigerians will not

have such a person as President.

“Is it not pathetic that Tinubu that needed to forcefully lock all markets in the entire Lagos State to get a motley crowd to attend a rancorous rally is contemplating winning a Presidential election in Nigeria?,” he queried.

He advised Tinubu to accept the reality that an overwhelming majority of Nigerians have already reached a consensus on electing the presidential candidate of Atiku given his energy, competence, capacity, will power and understanding of the issues troubling the country as well as his readiness to provide the solutions.

“Nigerians already know that Tinubu is full of frustration and jealousy for Atiku, but resorting to insults instead of activating any form of the issue-based campaign will not help him,” he added.

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AUGUST VISITOR IN IMO… L-R: Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma; former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Nnamdi Anyaehie; and Businessman, Chief Tony Chukwu, during the burial of the mother of Senator Athan Achonu, Madam Martha Achonu, at St. Charles Catholic Church, Umunomo, Ehime Mbano, Imo State....yesterday

Danbatta: Spectrum Auction will Democratise Broadband for Nigerians Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said the ongoing process to auction two additional lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum for Fifth Generation (5G) is part of efforts to further democratise access to highspeed mobile broadband for

all Nigerians.

The Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, stated this in Lagos at the weekend at the 10th Annual Brands and Marketing Conference of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN) where the NCC was conferred with the “Regulator of the

Amnesty Programme Yet to Achieve Its Objective, Gov Diri Tells FG Olusegun Osahon in Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has appealed to the federal government to jettison any plan to end the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), saying the programme has not achieved its objectives.

Diri who insisted that PAP is yet to achieve its mandate argued that even the disarmament phase of the scheme has not been fully realised as arms and ammunition remained in the wrong hands in the Niger Delta.

The governor, who spoke when he received the Interim Administrator, PAP, Major-General Barry Ndiomu (rtd), in Government House, Yenagoa, warned that any attempt to shut down the programme would plunge the region into another round of unrest.

He said: “The amnesty programme has three legs. The first is disarmament, a process, said to be completed; then the demobilisation leg and finally, the reintegration leg.

On the issue of disarmament, can we completely convince ourselves that we have been able to completely disarm the Niger Delta of armaments in our region?

“So, while we are in the final stage of reintegration, you and I know that within our Niger Delta, we still have very many arms, non-state actors have arms, well that has been said to be completed but I like to state clearly here that the process is not 100 per cent completed.

“Now I will like to look more at the issue of reintegration. The reintegration is more like a continuous process of building human capacity and for you to continue to build human capacity, it follows that the amnesty programme must be on and I’m happy while listening to you that you have already taken

that up.

“It will be wrong for anybody at this point to bring the amnesty programme to a close. That will amount to being insensitive to what is going on in the region.”

While acknowledging that the federal government has soft-pedalled in its decision to shut down the programme, Diri said the best gift the government could give to the Niger Delta people is to allow the continuity of PAP. The governor urged Ndiomu to deal with the challenges in the programme and write his name in gold, insisting that the problems are huge enough to contemplate closing the scheme.

“Let me use this opportunity of your courtesy call to call on the federal government that the best thing and the best gift to the Niger Delta is to continue to support and keep the Presidential Amnesty Programme going.

“If you have come and found certain challenges, we know you have the capacity to confront those challenges. Whatever you can do to ensure that the Amnesty programme will continue to exist, please do them and let our people be the final beneficiaries of this programme,” Diri explained.

The governor called on Ndiomu to avoid the temptation of politicising the amnesty office, saying that before the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the people were the same.

He said: “I’ve always reminded us that before APC and PDP, we were the same people. Those, who sacrificed their lives, as Boro did, didn’t do that for political reasons and therefore, I’ll like to call on you not to politicise the amnesty programme”.

Decade” Award Represented by the commission’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu, the EVC noted that the ongoing process, for which arrangements are in top gear, followed the successful auctioning of two bands of the 3.5GHz spectrum in December of 2021.

Danbatta disclosed that the commission is currently reviewing the licences and frameworks for fixed broadband to update them in line with current challenges and make them more effective as part of the pivotal initiatives deployed by NCC that are already bearing fruits.

He was emphatic that the commission, in pursuit of its mandate, has been relentless in

creating a conducive atmosphere for the rollout and adoption of new technologies, adding that the government has taken the firm position that the country must leverage digital technologies to grow the economy.

He cited the development of policies such as the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030 and the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, which the NCC and other agencies and partners are assiduously implementing.

Danbatta informed the participants at the conference that content creation and consumption have grown around the telecommunications infrastructure provided by technology, which Nigerian

entertainers have leveraged to become global brands.

“Due to heavy leverage on digital platforms, the Nigerian entertainment industry has gone global. Nollywood is one of the biggest movie industries in the world. In fact, more movies are produced by Nollywood yearly in comparison to Hollywood.

“Nigerian music stars are in hot demand worldwide because of their popularity and brand recognition on social media. We should add that many of these global superstars emerging from Nigeria launched into stardom by leveraging Caller Tunes and other mobile content platforms to grow their brands and huge followers online,” Danbatta said.

He declared that “Digital platforms are fostering different

types of systemic change, creating new brands, eroding the value of some brands, whilst at the same time increasing the value of other brands. The innovationtransformation-disruption cycle has come to stay and will be exacerbated as technology continues to evolve.”

The NCC boss further said: “Let me assure you that the NCC will continue to aggressively drive the roll-out and seamless operation of infrastructure to drive new digital technologies for the benefit of all sectors of our economy. We hope that Nigerian brands will continue to leverage on robust infrastructure to grow their value and ensure that our country derives maximum benefit from unfolding digital transformation efforts.”

Mbah Woos Investors for Planned $30bn Economy for Enugu Gideon Arinze in Enugu The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Mr. Peter Mbah, has rallied foreign governments and investors towards the exponential growth of the state's economy from the present $4.4 billion to $30 billion in eight years.

Mbah also said his administration would make skills and vocational education compulsory for all indigenes and residents of Enugu State from the age of 12 to effectively address the challenge of unemployment and service the planned economic growth.

He made this known during the official opening of the Geoffrey Okoye University–European Business Park and Centre for Practical Skills (CPS) at Ugwuomu, Nike, Enugu.

Speaking at the event, which had in attendance the Ambassador of Hungary to Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Schlesinger; Minister Counsellor of Germany in Nigeria, Mr. Martin Huth; Country Director of the German Agency for International Cooperation, Mr. Markus Margner; Executive Secretary, National

Universities Commission, Prof.

Abubakar Rasheed; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga, among others, Mbah said the initiative was in sync with his plans to catalyse skill and vocational education and de-risk investment inflow and make Enugu State a preferred destination for investment, for business, and living.

He said: "One of our strategic plans is the transition of Enugu State from a public sector-driven to a private sector-driven economic growth.

“Our goal is that shortly, this CPS and indeed the European Business Park would constitute one of the hubs for the emergence of small and medium scale businesses in our state.

“We have therefore proposed a humongous vision to the people of Enugu State that we are going to grow our economy from the current $4.4 to $30 billion. Such a proposal was tagged as crazy when such proposal was made, the reason being that in the last 21 years, we have only marginally grown the economy, and here we are saying we are going to have

an exponential growth from $4.4 billion to $30 billion in eight years.

“Again, we want to create an environment for the private sector to thrive. So, we simply said that our mission is going to make Enugu State the preferred destination for investment, business, and living. So, we understand clearly that as a government, we are going to have to de-risk investment flow by the private sector into Enugu.

He added that “Made-in-Enugu” products would serve both domestic and foreign markets and would address the problem of unemployment, eradicate poverty, and also create opportunities for investors to explore other areas such as the new energy and mineral resources sector his soon-to-be administration is exploring.

On his part, an international energy investor from Europe, Mr. Jens-Christian Moller, expressed confidence in Mbah’s ability to achieve the “ambitious $30 billion economy”, adding that his company would be willing to invest in the state once he is elected.

He said the European contingent was interested in training Enugu people in Europe and bringing them back so that they could replicate the technical know-how and other skills in their home state.

In his intervention, the Danish Consulate General in Nigeria, Per Christensen said they had their corporate investments and activities in Lagos state and one in Northern Nigeria, stressing that with the right policies, they were willing to have one in Enugu State to serve Eastern Nigeria as they had no corporate investments in the region yet.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Dr. Michael Spindelegger, said that the CPS and Business Park opened in the university was a unique collaboration meant to bring together migration expertise, a local university and the private sector to open up prospects for the local population, business location and companies, to attract small and medium-sized enterprises to Nigeria with its large and growing market of over 220 million people.

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News Editor: Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com,08152359253

Amaechi Squandered $308m Proceeds from Sale of State Power Plants, Wike Alleges Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said the former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi lacks the rectitude to speak on the affairs of the State Wike has also alleged that Amaechi has failed to account for the $308 million proceeds from the sales of the state power plants, saying a plot by Tonye Cole and the former governor to plunder the state’s resources again will never materialise.

He made the allegation yesterday, at the inauguration of the Rukpakwulusi/Eliogbolo internal roads.

He said Amaechi’s criticism of the ongoing projects inauguration and flag off in Rivers State smacks of enviousness and malice.

“Why should we not celebrate, when you sold our gas turbine for $308 million? Convert it today at even N500, how much will

it be? What can you show for the money? Certainly nothing.”

He urged the people of Rivers to be wary of the antics of the former minister who desperately wants Tonye Cole, his business partner to become governor so that they can continue to allegedly loot the resources of Rivers State.

“Where are all the gas turbines that Dr. Peter Odili bought? So, you think Rivers people are foolish to see that you are bringing your business partner to come and be governor so that you will continue to loot where you stopped. It will never happen.”

He advised the former minister to perish the thought that there would be a re-enactment of the foiled attempt to use the Nigerian Army to rig general election in the State in 2023.

Wike recalled that on May 27, 2015, while he was still governor-elect, Amaechi who was then the state governor had bragged at Obi Wali International

NNPP National Treasurer Resigns Segun Awofadeji inBauchi The National Treasurer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Shehu Barau Ningi, has resigned from his position.

He also resigned from his membership in the party in Bauchi State.

This was contained in a terse letter he wrote and personally signed which was addressed to the Chairman of the NNPP, Ningi Ward in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, and was obtained by our correspondent.

The letter which was dated November 25 was titled: “Resignation as a member and National Treasurer of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).”

The letter was copied to the NNPP Chairman, Ningi LGA; Chairman, Bauchi State Chapter; the National Chairman, the NNPP Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Engineer Buba Galadima.

In his resignation letter, Ningi said he was leaving his position

and membership of the party for “personal reasons. ”He was a one-time Bauchi State Chairman of the NNPP. Barau said: “For personal reasons, I wish to inform you of my decision to resign from the party as a member and, concomitantly, as the National Treasurer, with effect from today, Friday, November 25.”

When contacted on the phone, Ningi confirmed the development to our Correspondent.

Asked about the next move and what party he’ll be joining, he said: “I’ll let you know my next move next week.”

Ningi was in the APC, dumped the party and went to the PRP; he later dumped the party and went back to the APC before joining the NNPP. He was a member of the All Progressives Congress and later became a Commissioner of Budget and Planning under the administration of Mohammed Abubakar, resigned from his appointment on December 23, 2016, claiming that he was being “marginalised” by the governor.

Family, Associates Hold Lecture for Late Saraki The family and associates of Second Republic Senate leader, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki will Monday hold a public memorial lecture in honour of the late medical doctor and politician who died on November 14, 2012, at the age of 79.

The lecture titled ‘The Leadership and Followership Debate’ will be delivered by the popular Kenyan anti-corruption crusader and public intellectual, Prof. Patrick Lumumba at the Chida Events Centre, Utako Abuja. It was earlier scheduled for the International Confer-

ence Centre, Central Business District, Abuja, before the shift of venue.

The public lecture headlines the series of activities marking the tenth anniversary of the transition of the man widely known as ‘Oloye’ among his numerous supporters across the country.

Other events earlier held in his hometown as part of the memorial celebration included a medical outreach for the less privileged and a prayer session witnessed by a mammoth crowd inside the premises of the Ilorin Central Mosque.

Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, that the incoming government would not have money to pay salaries and execute projects.

“By the grace of God, we are not only paying salaries. We are not only paying pensioners. We are not only paying gratuities that he did not pay. We have

gone beyond that to carry out projects, which he failed to carry out. We should celebrate it, let him know that nobody is God.” The governor said: “It is disheartening that while as a federal minister, Amaechi never attracted any project

to the state. Amaechi’s supporters have begun to desert him because he lacks integrity.

“I’m not the one who says people should leave your party. We have used projects to demystify you and the Federal government now knows that you are a bloody liar. They appointed

you as a minister, what did you bring to this State?

“Even in your community Ubima, you said you are going to bring the University of Transportation, is it there? You said you are going to give us a narrow gauge rail line, have you given us?”

NATIONAL INNOVATION WORKSHOP… L-R: Hajiya Amina Ibrahim; Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna; Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Uçhe Lilian Ekwunife; and Senator Kola Balogun, at the 2022 National Innovation Workshop on Promotion of Local Inventors in Awka…yesterday

NASENI to Commercialise, Promote Local Inventions, Says Haruna Alex Enumah in Abuja The Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna, yesterday disclosed that the agency would commercialise and promote local inventions.

Haruna said local inventors in developed nations of the world are critical mass of the human capital needed for socio-economic development.

He said the agency is also is

developing a talent harvesting scheme for the benefit of local inventors and innovators who may or may not have formal education but are gifted.

NASENI boss pleaded with local inventors to engage with NASENI on prioritized intervention areas of reverse engineering, agric based equipment, processing plants, nanotechnology and material and others.

He sought for collaboration with NASENI on over 40 inventions from its Institutes.

Haruna unfolded the plans of the agency in Awka at the 2022 National Innovation Workshop on Promotion of Local Inventors, which was organized by the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

The workshop was for the overall developmental and transformation of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystem in Nigeria.

He said: “The local inventors in developed nations of the world are critical mass of the human capital that are comprehensively harnessed for overall

socio-economic development of countries. “The New NASENI will advance the commercialization and promotion of local inventions and innovations.

We are deliberate about taking actions at our headquarters and institute level in this regard.

“The technology business development department of the agency is presently empowered to promote the local inventions and secure commercialization contracts with local and international investors.

Ekiti Victims Recount Ordeal, Say Captors Abduct for Survival Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Freed kidnap victims, who were abducted recently while traveling along Irele-Oke-Ako road, have revealed that the hostage takers told them they were into the criminal business to survive the hard-biting economic situation of the country.

The victims, comprising a school principal, two classroom

teachers and a nurse, were last week held hostage by kidnappers at Irele Ekiti, a border town with Kogi State and were kept in their custody for over a week.

They disclosed this yesterday while recounting their ordeals in the hands of the gun-wielding bandits to the Chairman, Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Hon. Michael Ogungbemi, who paid them a visit at the

hospital.

They were receiving medicare, after being let off the hook due to bodily bruises sustained during the long and tortuous night trek.

The victims, who are government’s workers, told the council chairman that their captors were non-Yoruba and majorly illiterates, who could hardly read or write.

Narrating their odyssey,

the victims, who spoke under anonymity, said they were forced to trek throughout the night to neighbouring states covering over 50 kilometres inside a sprawling forest between Ekiti and Kogi.

“We trekked several kilometres.

This actually created psychological trauma for us. We sustained bodily bruises, as we walked under the dark in the thick and thin forests.

Buhari’s Daughter, Hanan Decries Low Rape Reporting Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hanan, has decried the low reporting rate of rape cases in the country.

Hanan reiterated the need to address the issue of rape while stressing the need to break the “culture of silence.”

She noted that there had been an increase in rape cases in the country from 63 per cent in 2015 to 72.1 per cent in 2016.

She spoke during the launch of the Hanan Buhari Foundation at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja.

While giving her address, she said: “According to a 2018 statistical report on women and men in Nigeria using data obtained from the police force and Ministry of Justice, it was revealed that the rape incidences from women and girls is on the rise. With an increasing trend of 63 percent

in 2015 to 72.1 percent in 2016.

“Despite increase in activism, cases of rape go largely unreported. According to data from the Nigerian National anti trafficking agency, only 32 percent of cases were reported between 2019 and 2022.

“Undoubtedly we need to rise and break this culture of silence. Especially now that more women are beginning

to have the courage to speak out about their victimization.”

Speaking on her newly launched foundation, She said: “I can say the foundation would work with other prestigious bodies for this cause. We will focus tackling violence, assault and rape.”

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Paullen Tallen said 34 states have domesticated the child rights Act.

17

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

BUSINESS

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

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18

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

FINANCE

Emefiele (left) presenting the new naira notes to President Buhari in Abuja…recently

As New Currency Notes Rekindle Battle to Save Naira The unveiling of the new currency notes by President Muhammadu Buhari, the tightening of interest rates by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the renewed resolve of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to tackle currency speculators were some of the measures rolled out last week to tame the value of the naira, reports Festus Akanbi

L

ast week, the ongoing efforts to rein in the value of the naira gained a higher momentum with a cocktail of actions taken by the monetary authority in line with the hint given in October by the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin (PHÀHOH WR UHGHVLJQ WKH QDLUD DQG KDOW WKH falling value of the local currency.

Many Nigerians were taken by surprise on Tuesday when the governor announced the planned unveiling of the new currency notes by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday far ahead of the earlier dateDecember 15, announced by the CBN. (PHÀHOH JDYH WKH KLQW DW WKH SUHVHQWDWLRQ of the decisions of the Monetary Policy Committee of the apex bank which raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 100 per cent basis points to 16.5 per cent.

1LJHULDQ ÀQDQFLDO DQDO\VWV ZHUH VWLOO GLVVHFWing the implications of the hike in the interest rates on Wednesday when President Buhari, at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja formally presented the new currency notes, N200, N500 and N1000 to Nigerians. $W D EULHÀQJ DIWHU WKH FHUHPRQ\ EHIRUH the Federal Executive Council meeting, the CBN governor disclosed that there will be a heavy restriction on the volume of cash that people can withdraw over the counter, as it works with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the purpose of any heavy transactions.

The redesigned currency notes, he asserted can never be counterfeited, adding that to

forestall such occurrence, the CBN will redesign the notes after every ÀYH WR HLJKW \HDUV Following the unveiling of the new notes which began circulation as of Wednesday last week, the CBN governor announced that the apex bank is now more determined to make Nigeria a cashless economy, as in other climes.

During the ceremony which was held before the council meeting, President Buhari underscored the importance of re-designing the new naira notes. He explained that it will aid the country to address the issue of LOOLFLW ÀQDQFLDO ÁRZV DQG FRUUXSWLRQ improve the nation’s economy, as well as ensure advancement in the value of the naira.

The president, however, appealed to Nigerians and urged them to embrace the new policy to re-design the naira.

For most of last week, Naira closed unchanged at N780 per dollar at the XQR΀FLDO PDUNHW IROORZLQJ PRGHUDtion in demand for the dollar. Naira had depreciated against the dollar at WKH SDUDOOHO DQG R΀FLDO PDUNHW IROlowing the shortage of the greenback, RFFDVLRQHG E\ GHFOLQLQJ LQÁRZV KLJK import demand, oil theft and subsidy, among others.

After the CBN announced plans to redesign and replace the nation’s banknotes, the local currency weakened to as low as N890 per dollar at the XQR΀FLDO DQG 1 DW WKH R΀FLDO

market, known as the Investors and Exporters (I&E) forex window.

Analysts described Wednesday’s event as WKH LFLQJ RQ WKH FDNH LQ D FRRUGLQDWHG HͿRUW WR halt the current slide in the value of the naira after the authorities had earlier unleashed the EFCC against currency speculators and hoarders.

EFCC Reads the Riot Act to Speculators Chairman of EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who expressed his belief that the new naira policy would lead to the appreciation of the currency, reiterated the EFCC’s determination to crack down on currency speculators as the countdown to the deadline on the exchange of old notes for new ones continues.

“We assure Nigerians that we are always ready to receive reports of any person with suspicious hidden money, and if investigated DQG IRXQG WR EH WUXH ZH ZLOO JLYH ÀYH SHU cent of the money to them,” Bawa said.

Analysts Upbeat on CBN’s Monetary Policies Looking at the CBN decisions, from the international perspective, Managing Director, Chief Economist, Africa and Middle East Global Research of the Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, told THISDAY that what is needed at this juncture is foreign exchange reforms in Nigeria.

5DOO\LQJ VXSSRUW IRU WKH RQJRLQJ HͿRUWV WR shore the value of the naira, She said: “In our YLHZ ZLWK VLJQLÀFDQW SUHVVXUHV DKHDG ² WLJKWHU global conditions, the risk of slowing global growth, weaker oil prices and pressure on FX reserves, FX reforms are more important than ever. While the CBN has taken comfort

IURP WKH 2FWREHU VORZLQJ LQ P P LQÁDWLRQ we’re not sure how much can be read into WKLV ² HVSHFLDOO\ JLYHQ WKH OLNHOLKRRG RI IXHO subsidy reforms post-election and ongoing agri-pressure given recent climate-related ULVNV /RZHU LQÁDWLRQ VHWWLQJV DQG WKH UHVWRUDtion of a better-functioning FX market would serve Nigeria well, given these challenges.”

The reform, according to her should include a better-functioning I&E window, so the parallel rate becomes marginal in the determination of pricing.

Speaking on the MPC decision, the Executive Director, of Cordros Capital, Mr. Femi Ademola stated that under normal circumstances, the decision of the MPR is in the right GLUHFWLRQ ,W LV PHDQW WR FXUE LQÁDWLRQ DV LV currently being done globally, adding that the Nigerian action is also aimed at curbing exchange rate volatilities.

“It is expected that the increase in MPR will lead to an increase in lending rate and thus make cash expensive for frivolous spending and exchange rate speculations.

“Whether the decision will have the intended consequences is another matter HQWLUHO\ 'XH WR WKH VL]HDEOH GLͿHUHQFH EHWZHHQ WKH R΀FLDO DQG SDUDOOHO LW LV SUREDEOH IRU people to make more returns than borrowing costs, no matter how expensive. It, therefore, means that this decision may not make any VLJQLÀFDQW LPSDFW µ KH VWDWHG $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRU &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 0' &(2 6' ' &DSLWDO Management Limited, Mr. Idakolo Gbolade, the CBN’s decision to raise the interest rate LV SUHGLFDWHG RQ LWV FRQVWDQW HͿRUW WR WDPH 1LJHULD·V VWXEERUQ LQÁDWLRQ ZKLFK KDV QRW relented despite consistent increases in interest UDWHV LQ SDVW VL[ 03& PHHWLQJV 7KH HͿRUW he said, is also geared towards mopping up excess liquidity in the economy.

He believes the CBN, by its decision, is also DLPLQJ DW ERRVWLQJ LQYHVWRUV· FRQÀGHQFH DQG SURÀWDELOLW\ SURMHFWLRQV DV UHJDUGV IRUHLJQ LQÁRZV ZKLFK FDQ LPSDFW SRVLWLYHO\ RXU foreign reserves.

He, however. expressed the fear that the MPC decision could further cause the value of the Naira to continually decline due to the persistent scarcity of dollars.

On the other hand, Gbolade maintained that “If the foreign investors positively appraise the new MPC decision, it could signal a turnaround for the Naira as the much-needed investment in a foreign currency will start coming into the system.”

ABCON Lobbies for Role in Forex Market Last week also, the Association of Bureau de Change Operators renewed their lobby WR JHW D SURPLQHQW SODFH LQ WKH &%1·V HͿRUWV to sanitise the foreign exchange market in a way to reposition the local currency.

The ABCON President, Aminu Gwadabe, in an interview with THISDAY, said he is FRQÀGHQW LQ WKH FDSDELOLW\ RI WKH DSH[ EDQN to halt the current slide in the value of the naira because according to him, the CBN has an array of monetary policies to mitigate the impacts of foreign exchange rate volatility, LQÁDWLRQDU\ SUHVVXUHV GZLQGOLQJ EXͿHUV HWF He held the view that the harmonisation RI ÀVFDO UHVWUDLQWV DQG PRQHWDU\ SROLFLHV LV OD\LQJ WKH IRXQGDWLRQ IRU HͿHFWLYH SROLF\ framework implementation.

“The recent backing of the CBN Naira redesign policy by the president is very commendable in this regard,” he said.

According to him, the news of oil discovery and other minerals export in the northern part of the country is a good omen, adding that harnessing the gains with good coordination ZLWK ÀVFDO GLVFLSOLQH ZLOO JR D ORQJ ZD\ LQ uplifting the fortune of the naira”.

He disclosed that the apex bank’s consistency with the interest rate increase to rein in LQÁDWLRQ DQG DWWUDFW IRUHLJQ FDSLWDO LQ KLJKHU investment yields instruments has started yielding positive impacts in the bonds and WKH VWRFN PDUNHW H[SUHVVLQJ WKH FRQÀGHQFH WKDW WKH HͿRUW ZRXOG HQKDQFH WKH YDOXH RI the local currency. .

Calling for collaboration between the CBN and ABCON, Gwadabe said: “The CBN can leverage the existing relationship in line with our cardinal objectives of deepening liquidity and establishment of a market clearing rate in the economy.”

He recalled that the Association and its members had partnered with the CBN in currency disbursement between 2016 and ODWH VD\LQJ WKH HͿRUW KDG VXFFHHGHG LQ closing the gap between the two exchange rates in the system.

19

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

INDUSTRY

NBC’s MPI Index: How SME’s Moved Abia into Top Rich State By taking the lead in the marketing of made-in-Aba products, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has paid his due in providing the catalyst for the transformation of the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Abia State, the NBC’s MPI Index has shown, reports Festus Akanbi

W

hen the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), released a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) survey report that measured deprivations related to education, health, and living standard of the people and Abia State was among the top states, many did not pay attention to what happened.

Nobody in Abia State can comfortably say that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has done it all but the NBS publication has shown that after all, Ikpeazu’s promise of delivering a better life for the people of the state is a clear reality.

Abia is a state where people are well known for their industrious lifestyle and hard-working nature. It did not start under Ikpeazu but the coming of the governor became a catalyst for the rapid growth and development of all those involved in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Aba. 2QH FRQFUHWH LQÁXHQFH ,NSHD]X KDG RQ SMEs in Abia State is his becoming their Chief Marketer, changing the narrative about madein-Aba products. The governor completely rewrote the age-long story of Aba shoemakers, and other designers and made them proud to say their products were made in Aba. He vowed to wear only made-in-Aba prodXFWV WKURXJKRXW KLV VWD\ LQ R΀FH 1RW RQO\ GLG he do that but he also took their products to important government agencies like the army, police, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, thereby creating serious and available markets for them.

When he noticed the lack of modern equipment available to Aba shoemakers which will not allow them to compete favourably with the rest of shoemakers over the world, he set up the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) where individual shoemakers can bring their designs and have them produced by advanced machines.

The government equally went ahead to launch an online business directory for small and medium businesses in the state, a development that is currently boosting the growth of E-commerce in the state making it possible for customers all over the world to buy products in Aba. Ikpeazu exposed SMEs in the state to the world because the Abia SME directory contains business names, addresses, telephone numbers, locations, contact information, the type of service or products the business provides, and the number of employees among other things.

Ikpeazu restored the Abia SME and equally became a pacesetter in human capital development in Aba, the commercial hub of the state, a situation that has given youths impetus to go ahead with production. $ELD XQGHU ,NSHD]X EHFDPH WKH ÀUVW VWDWH to have the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development that serves as a clearing house for all SME-related activities.

The ministry forms the catalyst for business development, marketing and empowerment. $ELD LV DOVR WKH ÀUVW WR HVWDEOLVK DQ 60( bank tailored towards helping small businesses thrive. These achievements are among the reasons why the rating of Abia has improved in many ways.

7KH $ELD 60( EDQN RQ LWV RZQ LV 0LFURÀnance Bank meant to meet the needs of Abia Small and Medium-sized Enterprises owners that are currently not being met by numerous commercial banks.

7KH EDQN LV VSHFLÀFDOO\ SURYLGLQJ PLFUR credit to SMEs to enhance economic growth in line with the Ikpeazu-led administration macroeconomic policy of empowerment and

Ikpeazu with some made in Aba products wealth creation for Abia people and others doing business in Abia State. :KDW PDNHV WKH $ELD 60( 0LFURÀQDQFH Bank located at No 17 Ngwa Road, Aba very unique is that despite providing micro-credit WR $ELD 6WDWH 60(V LW HTXDOO\ RͿHUV H΀FLHQW DQG LQQRYDWLYH ÀQDQFLDO VHUYLFHV DQG SURGXFWV to the economically viable SMEs segment.

Today, many areas of businesses in Aba in particular are having specialised clusters where their businesses are meant to thrive without restrictions, as the government equally says it will construct more roads with economic importance to ease trade and commerce in the state.

3HUKDSV WKH HͿRUWV RI WKH FXUUHQW DGPLQistration in Abia State in SMEs will be appreciated more when one visits the Cameroun Park through the Powerline axis of Ariaria International Market to see how people from Central and West African cities like Bangui, Libreville, Bamako, Malabo, N’Djamena, Bioko and Kumba come to buy made in Aba goods for their numerous customers back at home in their countries.

Undoubtedly a rich nation by every standard, one-third of the over 200 million population size of Nigerian citizens is terminally poor and confronted with existential challenges.

To ameliorate the poverty level, the Federal Government introduced a poverty reduction template which targets lifting 100 million Nigerians from the poverty belt zone by 2030.

This is a task the government says is attainable if stakeholders play their expected UROHV HͿHFWLYHO\ Regrettably, poverty is ballooning in Nigeria rather than receding.

A poverty report released last week by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)- Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) survey is the latest in poverty indices measuring Nigeria’s ranking in the poverty ladder.

According to the NBS’ MPI, 63 per cent of persons living in Nigeria (about 133 million

people) are multidimensionally poor.

Put in proper context, the report which has elicited wide reviews, showed that poor people in Nigeria experience over one-quarter of all possible deprivations.

3RYHUW\ OHYHOV YDU\ VLJQLÀFDQWO\ DFURVV and by extension regions.

When it comes to states, the incidence of multidimensional poverty is low in Ondo State at 27 per cent and highest in Sokoto at 91 per cent.

The report said over half of the population of Nigeria is multidimensionally poor and cooks with dung, wood or charcoal, rather than clean energy. High deprivations also appeared nationally in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing.

The MPI report was collaboratively conducted by the NBS, the National Social 6DIHW\ 1HWV &RRUGLQDWLQJ 2΀FH 1$66&2 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).

When aggregated by zone, the MPI showed 65 per cent of poor people—86 million—live in the North, while 35 per cent—nearly 47 million—live in the South. The report indicated that nutritional deprivations are highest in the North West, but food insecurity is relatively more frequent across the South.

Poverty breakdown about regions are as follows: North West, 45.5 million, North East, 20.5 million; South West, 16.3 million; North Central, 20.2 million, South-South 19.7 million and South East 10.5 million.

Unemployment, according to the report contributes more to MPI in South-south than in other zones, whereas security shocks contribute more in South-south, North-central and North-east.

It noted disparities between zones which it said were greater than those between rural and urban areas. For instance, in the least-

poor zone, the report indicates in the South West poor people experience 15 per cent of possible deprivations, while in North-east and North-west 0.324 shows they experience over 32 per cent of possible deprivations.

“Overall, 65 per cent of poor people—86 million people—live in the North, while 35 per cent—nearly 47 million—live in the South. In general, a disparity between North and South is evident in both the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty, with the North being poorer.

However, the level and number of poor people need to be addressed in all zones—each of which is home to between 11 and 20 million poor people except North West, which has 45 million poor people due to its larger population and a higher level of poverty “, NBS explained in the report.

On the level of nutritional deprivation, the report indicates North-west was the worst hit, noting that food insecurity was relatively more frequent across the South. Unemployment contributes more to MPI in South-South then in other zones, whereas security shocks contribute more in South-south, North-central and North-east.

When it comes to housing, the MPI survey showed housing deprivations were highest across the North. The report revealed school attendance was particularly problematic in North-east and North-west.

“Overall poverty is higher in the North, the VKDUH RI WKH SRSXODWLRQ ZKR PD\ EH DͿHFWHG may be higher in the poorer regions even though it appears smaller”, it said.

The Nigeria MPI (2022), is designed to be used as a policy tool. It aims to monitor poverty reduction, guide the coordination of multisectoral policies, target vulnerable groups and the poorest households, evaluate policies, and guide budget allocation to support the initiative lifting 100 million people out of poverty by 2030.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

20

INFOTECH

Again, Controversy Trails 3.5GHz Spectrum Auction, 5G Rollout Less than a month to the planned auction of the 3.5GHz Spectrum by the Nigerian Communications Commission and the rollout of the 5G network, controversies over pricing and the timeline for the processes are already causing ripples among stakeholders in the Nigerian telecoms sector, reports Emma Okonji

T

he desire of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator, is to deepen broadband penetration and encourage fair competition in the rollout of 5G services

across Nigeria.

However, there are fears that this goal may be truncated unless the regulatory authorities can process a gale of complaints trailing the planned rollout of the 5G network as well as the auction of the 3.5GHz spectrum band for 5G deployment.

It all started with the exhumation of the claim by some Nigerians that the electromagnetic emission from 5G mast could cause health hazards like cancer and skin burn.

After several sensitisation workshops carried RXW E\ WKH 1&& ZKLFK FRQÀUPHG WKH KDUPless nature of the 5G electromagnetic emission on humans, NCC decided to approve telecom operators to carry out a trial test on 5G deployment, which they successfully did last year.

NCC, in December last year, auctioned the initial two slots in the 3.5GHz spectrum to MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and Mafab Communications Limited, a development that led to the commercial launch of the 5G network in Nigeria by MTN Nigeria.

Following the successful auction of the 5G spectrum in December last year, and the successful commercial rollout of the 5G network this year by MTN Nigeria, NCC decided to auction additional two lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum, to further drive broadband penetration and * UROORXW LQ 1LJHULD DQG KDV À[HG 'HFHPEHU 19, 2022, for the next round of auction, but a group, known as Network for Best Practice and Integrity in Leadership (NEBPRIL), has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly on the NCC should be prevailed upon to stop the planned spectrum auction.

The Controversy The Chairman of NEBPRIL, Honourable Victor Ogene insisted the auctioning of another spectrum for the 5G rollout must stop. He argued that engaging in such an end-of-tenure bonanza in a critical sector such as telecommunications, at a time that the nation was toiling to chart new pathways in non-oil revenue, was selfserving, dubious, unethical and a brazen act of economic sabotage.

NEBPRIL, in a statement, said it had it on good authority that some powerful interests in the corridors of power are currently armWZLVWLQJ R΀FLDOV RI WKH 1&& WR DXFWLRQ WZR additional lots of the 3.5 GHz spectrum on * VHUYLFHV EDUHO\ HLJKW PRQWKV DIWHU WKH ÀUVW auction produced two investor-companies at $275 million each.

It said the government should rather encourage more competition in the telecommunications industry by urging the NCC to introduce and licence additional Mobile Virtual Network Operation (MVNO) services, which has the potential of stimulating increased activity in the sector, especially given its potential in creating more employment opportunities and wealth in the nation.

“We, therefore, call on President Buhari and the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, to urgently take steps to SXW D VWRS WR WKLV REYLRXV DWWHPSW DW R΀FLDO malfeasance in the telecommunications sector, to save the nation from further self-serving, national economic harm being orchestrated by some unscrupulous individuals in the corridors of power,” Ogene said.

NCC Headquarters, Abuja NCC’s Desire To further drive its intention to auction the additional two slots in the 3.5GHZ spectrum for 5G rollout, NCC last week, held a stakeholders’ consultative forum in Lagos, where it presented the draft Information Memorandum about the auction, to stakeholders, for their input.

Addressing the stakeholders in his opening remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said: “As a world-class communications regulatory agency, we believe that our actions must be guided by decisions that take into cognisance the input from stakeholders in the industry.

Therefore, we seek your active participation in these deliberations towards the licensing of the available two lots in the 3.5GHz mid-band spectrum for the rollout of 5G services in Nigeria. ´$ULVLQJ IURP WKH VLJQLÀFDQW LQFUHDVH LQ broadband penetration in Nigeria, it has become vital for us to move to the next phase of global development of the sector, given the opportunities that abound for all stakeholders in the industry and the economy at large.”

Danbatta further said the commission intends to further deepen broadband penetration and encourage fair competition in the rollout of 5G services in Nigeria by auctioning the available lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum band.

Hike in Spectrum Price During the presentation of the draft IM, the Head of the Spectrum Administration Department at NCC, Abraham Oshadami announced the reserve bid price for the auction as contained in the draft IM, which NCC pegged at $273.6 million, high above the $194.7 million reserve bid price for the same spectrum band that was auctioned in 2021, a development that elicited reactions from operators who kicked against the hike.

Worried about the hike in the reserve bid price, a representative from Huawei Technologies, expressed surprise that NCC could raise the reserve bid price from $194.7 million in 2021 to $273.6 million in 2022, and called on NCC to cut down on the bid price, to enable more

operators to participate in the bidding process.

In its submission at the stakeholders’ forum, Airtel, which took part in last year’s bid, but withdrew at the eleventh round, when the bidding process was at its peak, told the NCC to consider its participation in last year’s bidding process and grant it the administrative privilege to buy one of the lots at the reserve bid price, without bidding with other operators.

MTN, which is also interested in the next 3.5GHz spectrum auction, told NCC that it would be unfair if it is not allowed to bid for the next auction, having paid a premium to attain the 3.5GHz lot it currently has.

MTN, Mafab and Airtel, had last year, participated in the auction of the initial two lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum, and all three commenced bidding from a reserve ELG SULFH RI PLOOLRQ À[HG E\ 1&& until they reached a winning bid price of $273.6 million.

Responding to stakeholders’ reactions, the Executive Commissioner of Technical Services at NCC, Mr. Ubale Maska, said the KLNH LQ WKH UHVHUYH ELG SULFH ZDV MXVWLÀHG because the spectrum licence has appreciated after it was auctioned last year. According WR KLP WKH PDUNHW SULFH IRU WKH ORW RQ RͿHU has been determined by the last auction.

He also said it would only be fair to all operators if Airtel would participate afresh in the next auction.

MTN’s Position on 5G Spectrum Disregarding the perceived fears envisaged by the telecoms industry regulator and the industry stakeholders that MTN Nigeria may dominate the 5G space and create a market monopoly for itself, if allowed to participate in the next 3.5GHz spectrum auction that is coming up on December 19, 2022, the telecom operator has said it will participate to clinch another 3.5GHz spectrum licence that will enable it to expand its operations and 5G network rollout.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum, the *HQHUDO 0DQDJHU 5HJXODWRU\ $ͿDLUV DQG

Corporate Relations at MTN, Mr. Ikenna Ikeme, said the Information Memorandum (IM) restricts operators who participated and won in the 2021 auction of spectrum in the 3.5GHz spectrum band from participating in future licensing processes.

He however insisted that such winning bidder can also participate in the spectrum licensing processes, including the proposed auction of additional spectrum in the 3.5GHz spectrum band without any hindrance.

MTN is of the view that if allowed to participate in the December 3.5GHz auction, it will further engender a more robust and highly competitive spectrum auction process.

MTN, therefore, recommended that successful bidders in the prior auctions of spectrum in the 3.5GHz or indeed any other spectrum band, be allowed to participate in other spectrum auctions in the country, to ensure that all spectrums are DVVLJQHG DQG XVHG H΀FLHQWO\ 5G Commercial Rollout Determined to take the market by storm, MTN had earlier this year, launched its commercial 5G network in Lagos and Abuja, with plans WR ODXQFK LQ DGGLWLRQDO ÀYH FLWLHV QDPHO\ 3RUW Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri.

7KH &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2΀FHU RI 071 1LJHULD Mr. Karl Toriola, had said customers with certain enabled devices would be allowed to connect with and try out the new service where coverage is available.

7R DFFHVV WKH * QHWZRUN DQG HQMR\ LWV EHQHÀWV customers will need compatible devices, such as routers and mobile phones, which can be preordered from designated MTN walk-in stores and online via the MTN Nigeria website and e-marketplace. The pre-ordered devices can be picked up or will be delivered to customers post the launch event scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

The advanced technology promises to extend the reach and capacity of MTN Nigeria’s data network in Nigeria and enable much faster speeds and lower latency, giving customers near-instant access to the things they care about and downloads that take seconds, instead of minutes.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27, 2022

21

PERSPECTIVE Time Flies and Changes Everything Tivlumun Nyitse

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 27, 2022

SOFT FINANCE with AYO AROWOLO The only column you may need to read on everything personal finance, money, investing -and other life matters

EMAIL: AYO.AROWOLO@THISDAYLIVE.COM PHONE: 08086447494( SMS ONLY)

How Should Couples Handle their Finances?

N

ot too long ago, I stumbled on a conversation where a retired magistrate was sharing his experience with a few friends, some of whom were couples. The key highlight of the conversation was that more than 70% of divorce cases referred to his court had to do with money matters and he suggested that if those who are planning to get married can acquire adequate financial education, the rate of divorce in marriage would reduce drastically.

In one of our series, Conversation with My Billionaire Friend, my Billionaire Friend touched on the need for precedent acquisition of financial intelligence: “Those who desire to build wealth in the way we are presenting it must do what is required to acquire the language of the trade. As wealth builders, we are guided by the simple English adage that says: do not go near water unless you have learned to swim.

Generally, good basic financial knowledge, therefore, is a very necessary prerequisite for successfully building and sustaining wealth. Interestingly, it does not require too much classroom schooling; but involves continuous commitment and dedication to acquiring the necessary financial knowledge as far as possible”.

Last week, while trying to expand the dimension of this topic, I engaged a top manager in a wealth management company and our conversation centred around how couples should handle their finances. We considered several questions and scenarios: Should couples maintain joint accounts? How should they finance joint projects? What happens when only one of the couples is working? What works and what doesn’t? What are the general suggestions for couples who desire to take control of their finances?

His responses were captured in my notes as follows: “You cannot generally come up with a one-size-fitsall prescription on how couples should handle their finances. For instance, opening a joint account is not the issue but what is tied to the account, the purpose.

We find that it works better when couples agree on the purpose of the account and each takes responsibility for making it work. There must be agreement and mutual understanding. From my experience as a wealth manager, I would like to suggest that certain things are necessary if couples must maintain joint accounts: The earning capacity of the couples; the agreement between them, and the joint projects they both agreed they are going to fund. When all three are discussed and carefully and thoroughly sorted between couples, there is likely to be less friction.

WHAT WORKS, AND WHAT DOES NOT? We decided to engage some married couples who can be considered successful in their partnership wealth-building to share their experiences. I spoke to men and women separately. In this edition, we shall be publishing the views of men on personal finance between couples. Here we go!

SAM OHUABUNWA

Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a successful entrepreneur, happily married was the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc. TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY ARE REQUIRED If they are so minded and are willing to be transparently honest and they truly love each other.

Otherwise, to avoid predictable “money palaver” that may arise when one spouse wants to spend money on certain items, especially on family members that may be resisted by the other, couples should maintain individual accounts.

They can agree on what each spouse will contribute to each project depending on their earning ability and assigned responsibilities. There should be dialogue and agreement, nothing forced.

WHAT OF IF ONE OF THE COUPLES IS NOT WORKING When only one spouse is working, especially if it is the man, then he naturally will carry the financial burden of the family. This is natural for men generally though but more so for older men than the younger generation. The spouse not working should show sufficient empathy and must keep encouraging the one bearing the burden. His or her demands must be minimal and if he is male, he must find a way to supplement - look for contracts (minor or major), seek business opportunities, do consulting, volunteer service and expertise. No marriage can remain stable for too long if the woman continues to bear the full weight. The one bearing the burden, especially if she is female, must not allow the burden to break her down. She must continue to give wifelyhonour to the man and give him help to secure something to

BUNMI ONI

Bunmi Oni, a former CEO of Cadbury Plc, currently teaches at the University of Lagos postgraduate school.

ON JOINT ACCOUNTS It’s up to each couple to decide what works for them and I don’t think one can prescribe what couples SHOULD do when it comes to a joint account. What is important is openness and alignment of values.

One halfway model is to have a joint account (for routine home expenditure, and they decide what is covered - e.g. domestic staff salaries, food, etc., and they decide how that will be topped up. Invariably the man does, but if he suffers reverses in his earnings or loses his job, the wife steps in) and still maintain individual accounts. This allows each to exercise some discretion but which is also disclosed. There’s a potential problem where there’s secrecy about what each earns.

Ohuabunwa

Lemo

Oni

keep him busy. An idle man is a danger to himself and the marriage.

they must learn to dialogue regularly. Seventh, they must pray together regularly.

WHAT HAS WORKED FOR ME? I am the typical man who believes that the woman’s primary role should be to support the man and nurture the children.

My wife is a trained teacher and counsellor. I do not ask her to contribute to any financial burden on the family. I give regular housekeeping allowance. She runs her accounts and I run mine.

I decided to make her an alternate signatory to my accounts, just in case.

But she has never drawn any cheque on the accounts for over 25 years. I know that she spends her earnings supplementing the housekeeping allowance. I also know that she spends much of her income on supporting the children and giving to charity. Fathers will never give enough pocket money to children or meet a lot of their wants and my wife steps in to deal with the wants after I stop at their needs. She covers gaps in my support to those seeking help from the family. Both of us contribute to the family’s upkeep, mine as duty and hers out of discretion. Why has she not drawn any cheques? Because of trust. She is determined not to abuse the trust. Maybe someday she will, but that will be out of absolute necessity.

TUNDE LEMO

THE ESSENTIALS Couples who want to take control of their finances should first love each other unconditionally. They must trust each other. Second, they must see themselves as one - not two. Third, they must be transparent with each other. Fourth, they should set priorities and budget all income and expenses. Fifth, they should jointly and freely agree on the assignment of responsibilities. Sixth,

Tunde Lemo, Chairman of Titan Bank, is a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

ON JOINT ACCOUNTS There is no hard and fast rule about whether couples should have a separate or joint account. The most important things are mutual respect, transparency and openness.

My wife and I operate a loose form of a joint account.

We keep accounts in the company’s names and our names for convenience. The principles are simple: what is mine is hers, and what is hers is mine. We pool our incomes together and fund all projects as joint projects.

WHAT IF ONLY ONE OF THE COUPLES IS WORKING? It doesn’t matter whether one is not earning income.

Both are WORKING because work includes house chores, care of children, etc. A full-time housewife is as productive as her husband who may be a bank CEO. The CEO is concentrating on his work to earn income because the wife is keeping the home front.

She is not inferior to him at all. The same applies if the lady is a high-profile professional and the man is working at home.

SUGGESTIONS My general suggestion is that the couple should understand each other and adopt the home finance principle convenient for them but bearing in mind that transparency, selflessness and mutual respect are very important.

HOW SHOULD THEY FINANCE PROJECTS? Again, there can’t be a formula for financing joint projects. If it’s a joint project, then participation is from both and that should be reflected in the title, e.g., if it’s a house, the joint ownership should be reflected in the title. The premise here is that each accepts they are life partners. The norm used to be that the man bears the bigger burden of finances, but that is no longer the case. Particular circumstances may warrant exemption, e.g., in a second marriage following the departure of one through divorce or death. In that case, the couple may consider a prenuptial agreement that spells out ownership of assets created in the previous marriage.

WHEN ONE OF THE COUPLE IS NOT WORKING When only one is working, he or she accepts responsibility for the burden until the other finds a job or gets back on his or her feet. If one doesn’t work because of a family decision, then of course the working person takes on the burden. My personal experience is that my wife had been a lecturer and after 15 years we agreed that she quit regular employment. She was a senior lecturer then. My career was progressing and my salary could carry us. At this time two of our four children were in school abroad and two were still in Nigeria. We decided it was important to be available for the kids and she shuttled between Nigeria and the UK. In time, the other two left for the UK and that made it imperative for her to be on hand for their open day, half term, ball games, etc. She spent her time on a hubby-turned-business and found she made more money than a senior lecturer salary even with a fraction of the time spent on it. After 10 years, all school was done, kids flew the nest, and she could do whatever she wanted. She still does that business today, working in her time.

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

with Yemisi Shyllon ME AND MY MONEY Your Wealth Is Closer to You Than You Think

T

his week’s discussion should be of interest to everyone interested in building wealth. My proposition is that the raw materials for building wealth are all around you, right where you are now. If you can identify what people need, the problems that keep them awake in the night and you can then position yourself as the solution provider to those problems, then you are on your way to creating stupendous wealth. You do not need to Japa! There are many ripe hanging fruits all around you, waiting to be harvested or go to rot, if not plucked.

Sometimes, I wish that many who sold their God-given businesses and travelled to many so-called advanced countries, only to become second-class citizens there, were only able to lay their hands on Russel Conwell’s classic, “THE ACRES OF DIAMONDS”. They would have then discovered that in the backyards they abandoned, there are/ were acres of diamonds waiting to be mined. I have travelled widely and I have seen brilliant individuals from different African countries, made up of trained African medical doctors, scientists, engineers, technologists, journalists, bankers, etc., that are driving cabs, washing dead bodies and

doing all manner of menial and crazy jobs abroad, in the name of looking for greener pastures outside their countries of birth. Such people cannot be truly said to be happy notwithstanding the false impressions they give to you. They have generally uprooted themselves from where God planted

Shyllon

them to be solutions providers, stars, employers of labour and only gone to join the labour force of increasing the wealth of those other countries, at significant losses to their countries of birth”.

The building of wealth involves searching for and discovering various existing opportunity gaps in human needs and creating successful brands to exploit and satisfy such discovered opportunity gaps. Put differently, wealth is thus created through discovering very common and hidden but existing opportunity gaps of unsatisfied human needs, exploiting those opportunities around the identified unsatisfied gaps and creating successful brands of products and services, discovered unsatisfied human needs around us”.

“Indeed, there are no exceptions to wealthbuilding rules. It does not matter what your country of origin is, your religion or the colour of your skin. Once you comply with these rules, you are assured of becoming wealthy beyond your imagination. This is the same principle that successful people who you read about, practise and those billionaires, who yearly make Forbes lists, practically employ to build phenomenal wealth

23

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

NEWSXTRA

Sultan Laments Involvement of Fulanis in Banditry, Kidnapping Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ ad Abubakar III, has lamented that some Fulani children are still involved in banditry and kidnapping, adding that he cannot sit and allow the country to go into fractions.

Abubakar, also the PresidentGeneral, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), challenged the Miyetti Allah Cattle

Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to help find a lasting solution to the issue of banditry and kidnapping in the country.

He spoke at the inauguration and swearing-in of the new national executive officers of MACBAN, held at the National Mosque, Abuja at the weekend.

According to the monarch, the threat to divide the country is because of certain things Nigerians are not doing right.

Gunmen Kill Three Persons in Anambra, Ondo David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Fidelis David in Akure Tragedy struck at Ikare Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko NorthEast Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday as suspected gunmen attacked the community, killing two security guards.

THISADY gathered that the gunmen, after killing the deceased, cut their heads and hands, in the attacks which took place in two different locations in the town.

This is coming as no fewer than one person suspected to be a cultist was shot dead yesterday in a clash between alleged cultists, and a rival gang in Awka, Anambra State.

According to an eyewitness who preferred anonymity, one of the attacks in Ondo State took place at the popular Mimiko market while the other one happened at the NASFAT Schools in the community.

The eyewitness said, “The deceased were found in the pool of blood this (Saturday) morning. The gunmen killed one of the guards and cut off his head and placed the head beside his body. The other man’s hand was cut, after he had been killed, the dismembered hand was also placed beside him. The killers did not take anything from the deceased before they left the scene”.

The eyewitness added that the

way and manner the suspected gunmen carried out the attack raised the suspicion of ritual killing.

It was also gathered that men of Nigeria Police, Ikare Division have taken the corpse of the deceased to the mortuary of the Ondo State Specialists Hospital, Ikare Akoko.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident and said investigation had commenced into it.

“We have commenced investigation into the incident,” the PPRO said.

Meanwhile, sources around Zik Avenue in Awka reported that there was heavy shooting yesterday morning by cultists.

One of the sources said residents of the area scampered to safety during the shootout.

An unidentified member of one of the gangs was said to have been captured by a rival gang, during the shootout, and was whisked away, while his corpse was later found around Abba/ Ifitedunu road.

The state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga said, “following the sound of gun shots by Zik Avenue, Awka, police patrol has been intensified in Awka.

“Preliminary information reveals that the cause of the shooting is as a result of cult related incident/ clash.

First Marina Unveils FMTSPACE Tuesday First Marina Trust Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost nonbank financial institutions, has concluded arrangements to inaugurate FMTSPACE, its investment application.

According to a statement, FMTSPACE brings true investments to every person and corporate entity in the comfort of their homes, offices, business premises, market places or anywhere they are in the world.

“With the increasing activities of Ponzi Schemes, outright fraudulent money-doubling scams, and unsure socalled ‘investments’ in Cryptos and NFTs, FMTSPACE brings verifiable and time-tested investment opportunities to every person and corporate entity,”

the statement noted.

FMTSPACE, which would be inaugurated on Tuesday, 29th November, gives its users access to invest in First Marina’s money market products, transact in its escrow service which creates trust in buyer/seller or vendor/purchaser transactions in goods and services. The app also enables users to meet their life’s goals in First Marina’s Targeted Savings Module, spread the cost of acquiring equipment and other appliances needed in production of goods and services in its lease module, and apply for and repay credit facilities.

FMTSPACE is driven and managed by First Marina Trust Limited, which has thrived in the financial market space for 33 years.

Motailatu Church of God Holds Harvest Today The Annual Adoption Service (Adult Harvest) of Restoration Parish, Motailatu Church of God, Akute, Ogun State holds today.

A statement by the Chairman and Chairlady of the Harvest Committee, Apostle General Godfrey Dottie and Snr. Apostolic Mother Funmilola Oretuyi, said the event, to be

attended by many clerics, will start at 10am.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the church, Snr. Superintendent Gabriel F. Akinadewo (Omo Jesu II), will preside.

The church was founded on June 14, 1964 by Saint Isaiah M. Akinadewo (Omo Jesu).

He said: “People do not want to know the history of this great country. If we had known the history of the Fulani movement in various parts of the world definitely, we would not have gotten to the situation we are in now.

“Everybody knows that Fulani move from point A to B. They move everywhere and they inter-marry. And we are peace loving.

“But how did we come to the situation we are in now,

we find our children who are Fulani, but not all of them Fulani have been involved in banditry and kidnapping. What happened?

“When we meet with the executives we will discuss how to tackle this. How do we resolve them because it is high time we did.

“Because, we cannot sit down and look at this country and go into fractions just because of certain things we are not doing right.

And I assure you that two major

challenges to these new executives are constitutional amendments.

“Over 48 years of this MACBAN, we need to have some new input and new ideas into the constitution. We need funds to sustain our activities. We used NDLEA to test all the aspirants of drugs and they passed the test.”

The President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) urged the executives to reposition the association to address the emerging contemporary chal-

lenges confronting the Fulbe within and outside the country.

“MACBAN by its reach across the entire Nigeria and the Sahel should aspire to be a balance factor to the instability in Nigeria and across the Sahel.

“MACBAN could do this in articulating a Fulbe perspective in response to the present level of violence as a natural reaction to deprivation, marginalization and balkanization of the Fulbe into different nation states in West Africa.”

DIAMOND JUBILEE… L-R: Daughter of the celebrant, Oluwatoyin Olumoroti; husband of the celebrant, Olusola Oni and the celebrant, Olufunke Oni during her 60th birthday and her retirement as a Director of Education in Lagos State Teaching Service held in Ikeja ... recently

APGA Candidate Unveils N250bn New City Plan in Rivers Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Amid the battle for the control of the nation’s treasure base, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prince Ugo Beke yesterday came up with an ambitious plan to build a new city with the capacity to generate $250 billion annually after its completion.

Beke, a merchant banker and financial consultant, further observed that Rivers could start generating above what 35 states and Abuja could earn altogether yearly if eventually elected the

governor of the state.

He unveiled the plan in a statement yesterday, detailing his resolve to build Oil and Gas City, the first of its kind in Africa that would be the hub of companies, professionals and other players in the industry.

Beke explained that he alone “has what it takes to unlock the riches that will make the state earn internally generated revenue more than what it needs to bring practical prosperity to the people of Rivers State.”

He said: “With the billion oil dollars that rule the industry,

commercial activities at the highest level-matched with a very high purchasing power which workers are associated with in the industry, Rivers state will become the global go-to- destination.

“I will build a brand new city that will rival Dubai in Rivers State. We can be making $250 billion every year from the new oil and gas city I intend to build when I am elected the governor of the state.

“We expect that it should shoot over $250 billion after 25 years of completion. It is a legacy

project if elected in the next governorship poll. Most of the ships leaving Africa will be legally bunkered here.

“The city will be our signature project for the Niger Delta people and of course Rivers State, the home of the project. We have been not only the treasure base of Nigeria, but the entire world.

“Our oil and gas has been everywhere in the world at a very expensive cost and displeasure to the inhabitants of Niger Delta. It is time we came together to alleviate their sufferings and give them a new beautiful city.

MSMEs Contribute 48% of Nigeria’s GDP, Says ILO Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has disclosed that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contribute 48 percent of Nigeria’s National Gross Domestic Product.

ILO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, has added that MSMEs account for 96

percent of businesses and 84 percent of employment in the country.

The Country Director of ILO, Vanessa Phala reeled out the figures at the opening session of the workshop on promoting decent working conditions among personal protective equipment producing MSMES held in Abuja

She said that MSMEs are primary platforms for enterprises that play a crucial role to employment, wealth creation, and economic growth.

“Successful enterprises are at the centre of strong economies and m societies: they create employment and raise living standards. MSMEs

employ; large proportion of the workforce.

“In Nigeria, SMEs contribute 48 percent of national GDP, account for 96 percent of businesses and 84 percent of employment. This sector contributes significantly to alleviating poverty and increasing job creation,” he said.

Fintiri Escapes Unhurt as Truck Crushes Vehicles in His Convoy Daji Sani in Yola Adamawa State Governor, Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri escaped unhurt after a truck crushed two vehicles in his convoy yesterday.

According to a witness, the incident happened shortly after the governor and some of his commissioners entered a black Mercedes bus at the end of a wedding at Agga Mosque in

Dougirei highbrow area of Yola, the state capital.

A truck rolling down the steep road crushed two vehicles in his convoy, leaving two policemen identified as Inspector Madu and Sergeant Isa injured.

A resident, Muhammad Dougirei, said the tipper suddenly ran toward the governor’s convoy at a speed so high, suggesting that the driver had lost control.

He said security operatives controlling traffic flow at the venue scampered in different directions.

Dougirei told our reporter who visited the scene that the truck driver managed to steer the truck away from the direction of the bus conveying the governor to hit the official vehicle of the permanent secretary, Political and Security Affairs at the government house, and

a Peugeot 406 conveying a video journalist and the two injured policemen.

According to him, the police escort consequently manhandled the elderly driver as well as a young man who pleaded with them to take it easy with him before the driver was thrown into a police pick up van and whisked away to Jimeta Police Division in the metropolis.

24

OPI NION

1

T H I S D AY MONDAYSunday MARCH 2022 2022 27 14, November, Vol 27. No 10092

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

HOW NOT TO CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR OPPONENT Campaigners should be mindful of the future, writes JOSEF OMOROTIONMWAN

See Page 49

LESSONS FROM NIGERIA’S ABSENCE AT THE WORLD CUP AISHA SHUAIBU argues the need to invest more in sports

See Page 49

EDITORIAL AVERTING THE LOOMING FOOD CRISIS

See Page 50

BONIFACE CHIZEA commends the central bank for the initiative

NEW CURRENCY NOTES DELIVERED P

resident Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday November 23, 2022 unveiled the new Naira notes. This signals the fact that as a country we have now crossed the Rubicon with regard to the proposed new notes. This is a major milestone for as the Governor of the Central Bank himself observed during the unveiling ceremony, several attempts to effect such a change were effectively blocked by powerful interests in the past. I recall one post I saw in social media, can’t vouch for its authenticity where tumultuous prayer sessions were held, at of all places, Mecca in Saudi Arabia for this exercise! This is so comical you want to laugh your head off if not that the matter under discussion is so serious for the effective management of the national economy.

Now that the new notes have been unveiled, nothing therefore will stop its introduction on December 15, 2022 as proposed. We would now expect the machines to be rolling furiously at MINT churning out the new notes. As Governor (PHÀHOH KDV REVHUYHG WKH TXDQWLW\ RI the higher denominations notes: 500 and 1,000 notes that will be printed will be drastically reduced. Some have asked if WKLV PHDVXUH LV FDOFXODWHG WR ÀJKW LQÁDWLRQ It is in my view, simply meant to promote the CBN cashless policy. If at all it will impact inflation it will be to the extent that such a move might discourage reckless impulsive spending.

As should be expected there have been reactions. Some have complained that the change only has to do with the colours of the notes which could pose some difficulties for those colour blind! But from where I stand what is important is that the objectives of the exercise will be achieved; namely to demonetize humongous illegal cash holdings outside the banking system which had made monetary policy initiatives ineffective, and deal a killer blow to ransom payments. One hears that the terrorists are now asking for payments to be made in CFA currency or dollars. Such unscrupulous elements must be counting their days by now in this country.

There was also a post which I saw which showed what happened when the US carried out a similar exercise. It also more or less amounted to a change in the colour of the notes. What for me is also important is the fact that none of the conspiracy theories peddled around about the change has been

borne out; that the Islamic characters on the notes will be removed or that it is cleverly contrived opportunity to put the portrait of President Buhari on one of the notes. What really is most important LV WKDW *RYHUQRU (PHÀHOH KDV DVVXUHG XV all that the security features on the new notes have been tightened to make counterfeiting a tall order.

The Central Bank has removed for the sake of this exercise all charges on deposits. There is an assurance that henceforth all huge cash withdrawals from the banks will be monitored by the Central Bank as well as EFCC. In fact for me it is time to ban large cash withdrawals as is the case elsewhere.

Compatriots must embrace electronic channels for making payments and transfers. The EFCC has also advised companies to desist from accepting

What really is most important is that Governor Emefiele has assured us all that the security features on the new notes have been tightened to make counterfeiting a tall order

cash payments in excess of N5 million from individuals and N10 million from companies. Some actually observed that EFCC might be crossing the boundary in terms of areas of responsibility by all these directives coming from its end. We must discourage turf wars, they are unnecessary and consume valuable energy. What is important is that there is a task before us and all hands must be on deck until such tasks are accomplished. The respective Acts establishing each organization are explicit about who should be doing what and therefore there should be no need for hair splitting.

The banks must cooperate with the Central Bank to make this exercise seamless and successful. The CBN on the other hand must elevate its monitoring eyes to ensure that no institution or anybody for that matter constitutes a cog in the wheel of progress in this respect. The banks have served notice that they will open daily until 6 pm and also be open on Saturdays to facilitate this exercise. It is also important that a keen eye is focused to track the return of illegally stockpiled huge amounts into the system. From where I stand any huge illegal piles of money out the banking system should simply be demonetized.

It is about time some hard lessons are taught and learnt.

The last time currency notes were changed in the country we have been informed is about 20 years ago. We have also been informed that the received wisdom is for advised periodic change in currency to be undertaken between ÀYH DQG VHYHQ \HDUV DQG WKH LQWHQWLRQ is to keep within this period for the next currency change. We hope that some politicians that have stockpiled money outside for the purchase of votes will be drastically affected. This is opportune moment to sanitize the electoral process in the country as we eliminate the buying of votes. We have heard some of the politicians complain loudly probably out of frustration that the CBN Act should be amended to take away such powers from it. So, if we did so, where will such powers be domiciled? Probably with the parliament! We commend the Central Bank for this laudable initiative and pray for great success in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy currently on intensive care.

Dr. Chizea writes from Lagos

49

T H I S D AY SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Campaigners should be mindful of the future, writes JOSEF OMOROTIONMWAN

HOW NOT TO CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR OPPONENT

Authorities in the New Christiandom have been busy getting their members to ascribe less powers to Satan and his works. Naturally, every life has its ups and downs. We all make mistakes sometimes. Those who think that the devil is responsible for everything that happens to them on the down side of life - the devil is a liar, the devil is at work again; the devil is under my foot; and all that, will end up giving the devil all the powers that he does not have. Rather than seek amends for their mistakes, such people would be dwelling on the devil’s majesty.

Inadvertently, these soon become the devils advocates actually promoting his powers on earth. The human instinct ZRUNV LQ D ZD\ WKDW LV GLIÀFXOW WR understand. It is enveloped in curiosity. ,Q WKH WHOOLQJ SDUDJUDSKV RI WKH +RO\ Book, we saw how, at creation, there was the Garden of Eden - a big place full of different trees and fruits. It was home to Adam and Eve. Out of all these trees and fruits, God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat WKH IUXLWV RI D SDUWLFXODU WUHH +XPDQ curiosity, being what it has always been, no sooner did God turn his back on them than they pounced on the forbidden fruits, so called. That’s human nature.

Chances are that if God had not expressly asked them not to eat the fruits, they would have passed it unnoticed, talk less eating it.

In Nigerian politics and electioneering campaigns, this has always played out in a way that people end up campaigning for their opponents, abeit unintentionally.

Enter the Obedient Movement. As I write this on November 11, 2022, we are watching how Benin City, the Edo State Capital, was let loose because of the campaigns of Peter Obi and his Labour Party.

It started this way: Obi had wanted to use the Ogbemudia Stadium for his campaign.

The request was denied. Besides, the authorities in Edo State went ahead to block him from all possible venues.

The Obedients took the fight to integrity.

They finally got a suitable venue at the Baptist Convention Grounds at Oliha Quarters. This is one campaign team that has painted Benin City red.

The Obaseki gang must be biting WKHLU ÀQJHUV IRU WKH W\SH RI SRSXODULW\ they have unintentionally brought on the Obedients! Who is Obi man that has suddenly become the Messiah we have been waiting for? Why is he being treated like this? These are some of the questions that have been agitating the mind of Edolites.

To them, the day became a public KROLGD\ 6FKRROV RIÀFHV DQG PDUNHWV

were closed - all for Obi. As early as 8:00am, the Oba Ovoramwen Square was already clogged up with people.

At about 5:00pm, the visitors arrived after visiting Auchi in the Edo North and Uromi in Edo Central; and headed straight to the Palace of the Oba of Benin. $V VRRQ DV WKH\ ÀQLVKHG ZLWK +LV ,PSHULDO Majesty, the surging crowd moved to the campaign grounds, about one kilometer away.

Today’s crowd was reminiscent of what ZH VDZ DW WKH ,NSRED +LOO D[LV RI WKH FLW\ RQ 11th November, 2008 – the day Comrade Adams Aliye Oshiomhole regained his stolen mandate at the Appeal Courts!

Today, admirers lined up the route between Oba’s Palace and the Baptist Convention Grounds. People who could not get close enough to touch Obi were stoning him with Naira notes, no thanks to man’s inhumanity to man! Whatever happened here today cannot be debited to the PDP because this stone is still rolling!

The more things change, the more they remain the same. We have seen this before. In the Pre-Independence era, the politics in Nigeria was local – the NPC was in the North; the NCNC was in the Eastern Region and the AG was in the West. This was the basis on which late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was told that he dared not come to Eastern Nigeria to campaign during the 1979 Pre-Independence Election Campaigns. +H EURNH WKH MLQ[ $W DERXW DP that fateful day, we were in the class at Onitsha when the skies suddenly became dark. Awo and his AG had arrived in Onitsha in their helicopters and they were dumping campaign materials on every SDUW RI WKH WRZQ 0DUNHWV RIÀFHV DQG schools burst loose and everybody came out to scramble for everything. It was happening simultaneously in all major cities across the region.

That was how Chief Awolowo took his campaigns beyond the borders of the Western Region into the very hearts of the Eastern and Northern Regions. And that was how this AG began to attract a national coloration to itself.

In all this, jaw-jaw is better than warwar. Politicians are quick to forget that there is life after election. In whatever SRVLWLRQ \RX ÀQG \RXUVHOI XVH LW WR PDNH friends, not enemies.

Nigerian politics is like living in a glass house. You should try not to throw stones but if you must throw stones let them not be too hard. All roads lead to Igbanke: Evidently, what goes around, comes around. If you are embarked on a journey from Uromi to Igbanke and act Ebelle, you miss your way: Instead of JRLQJ VWUDLJKW WRZDUGV (NSRQ \RX ÀQG yourself going right towards Ogwa, don’t worry. When you get to Ogwa, you are less than one kilometre to Amahor and that road takes you to Igbanke! That’s the nature of Nigerian politics.

The 2016 Gubernatorial Contest in Edo State was between Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu (POI) of the PDP at that time and Godwin Enogheghase Obaseki (GEO) of the APC. The campaigns, particularly from the APC side, were conducted as if there was no tomorrow.

Omorotionmwan writes from Canada

AISHA SHUAIBU argues the need to invest more in sports

LESSONS FROM NIGERIA’S ABSENCE AT THE WORLD CUP The 2022 FIFA World Cup has commenced in Qatar and the Super Eagles are not participating after losing their qualifying match against Ghana in March at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. Despite the excitement around the World Cup matches, Nigerians especially those who traveled to attend have expressed disappointment in not being able to watch the national team during what is seemingly a historic World Cup season.

This is the first World Cup hosted in the Middle East and Qatar went out of its way to present one of the most extraordinary experiences for football fans in Doha. It has also been recorded as one of the most expensive World Cups of all time, set to exceed $220 billion. The tournament has already set records of its own after Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score at five FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022), Lionel Messi the first player to score in four World Cups for Argentina (2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022), but Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1 shattering their 36 game winning streak. It appears, though, that the country was more prepared to host than play as Qatar became the first host nation to be knocked out of the FIFA World Cup after the opening two games.

Nigeria is already looking to 2026 with plans to qualify and make up for their missed opportunity this year. But the work is much easier said than done and the factors that affected Nigeria’s participation in Doha must be examined to get to the root of the problem(s).

Coaching, player development and team synergy have been identified as some of the issues facing Nigerian football but on a broader scope, the Nigerian Football Federation and the relevant stakeholders have failed to lay the foundation for the development of the sport in the country. Being the 4th biggest exporter of footballers in the world, it is evident that Nigeria has an endless pool of talents waiting to be discovered and invested in. It is hard to accept that we have world class Nigerian players representing and playing for other international teams but return home to poor facilities and below average standard of training, and are still somehow expected to deliver when representing their country. The mental is just as important as the physical for our athletes and the lack of commitment to their wellbeing and professional training is a contributing factor to the lack of motivation to get their head in the game.

A strong coaching and training staff are the bedrock of a winning team. They are able to identify and leverage a team’s strengths, work on their weaknesses and drive the overall advancement of the team. Player development must be the ultimate priority of the Nigerian Football Federation who should collaborate with other government bodies and private institutions to revive the culture of sports in schools, in local leagues and of course within the national team. They must also rid Nigerian football and the overall sports ecosystem of all distractions in form of politics, favouritism, and corruption, which are added factors resulting in the state of football in the country.

The success of the Super Eagles is a matter of national concern because of what events like the World Cup does for our global representation, peace building, business opportunities and nationalism. Football is a powerful tool that unites Nigerians all over the world regardless of tribe or creed, and when we sing our anthem in stadia, we do so with pride and passion till the ground shakes. The vandalism of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja after the loss against Ghana was not only a barbaric display but a cry for help from people who were desperate to feel some hope for their country through the game that they love. After an incredible first half, somehow the Super Eagles let the match go and

that led to a messy riot in the end. Violence is indeed inexcusable, but just like in managing children, tantrums have a source that must be traced and treated. In this case, sports is the treatment.

The culture of competitive sports especially in schools has regressed in Nigeria compared to where it was a decade ago.

Inter-school and interstate tournaments were prominent across the country as schools and local teams competed against one another to defend winning titles. Most of those games were enabled by proprietors and initiatives that understood the importance of sports and healthy competition in the lives of youth, which contributed to their personal development and discipline as an added bonus. The passion young people pour into sports is undiluted and unshaken, and this zeal must be brought back to our learning institutions. By starting in the schools, camps and programs, we invest in the future generation of Nigerian athletes. The part the federal government plays in this is in ensuring its governing and regulatory bodies are engaging private sector players as well as public school administrators to create a safe environment for the culture of sports to thrive and granting access to needed support.

The success of Nigerian football will not be overnight but to rehabilitate existing issues is to also work from the bottom up and that begins with junior players.

Nigeria making it to the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not only be beneficial to the Super Eagles but to all stakeholders of Nigerian sports i.e. journalists, sponsors, merchandisers, administrators, promoters, and fans. Preparation must begin now in overhauling the National team and putting the infrastructure in place to best prepare for 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Nigeria cannot afford to miss two consecutive World Cups, but we will also not be in a position to earn a spot till we introduce international standard training to our local footballers. The ecosystem encompasses sports facilities, experienced DGPLQLVWUDWRUV RIÀFLDOV VFRXWV DJHQWV and doctors who must incorporate modern techniques and technologies to prepare Africa’s giant for the global stage. To see the results we want, we want must put in the required work and that is non-negotiable.

Shuaibu is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

50

T H I S D AY SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

AVERTING THE LOOMING FOOD CRISIS

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Government should scale up forces and stop the debilitating war

ising food prices, unemployment, and SHUSHWXDO FRQÁLFW DUH VSDUNLQJ IHDUV RI looming hunger in Nigeria. That’s the conclusion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which in June expressed FRQFHUQV WKDW 1LJHULD·V HFRQRPLF RXWORRN ZDV FKDOOHQJLQJ ZLWK HOHYDWHG LQÁDWLRQ DQG KLJK IRRG SULFHV /DVW ZHHN WKH JOREDO ÀQDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQ RQFH DJDLQ ZDUQHG WKDW 1LJHULD ULVNV VOLSSLQJ LQWR IRRG crisis which could degenerate into social unrest. “The HIIHFWV RI UHFHQW ÁRRGLQJ DQG KLJK IHUWLOL]HU SULFHV FRXOG EHFRPH PRUH HQWUHQFKHG LPSDFWLQJ QHJDWLYHO\ ERWK DJULFXOWXUDO SURGXFWLRQ DQG IRRG SULFHV LQ µ the Fund stated.

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Government should do more by stemming the deeper crisis of insecurity

Letters to the Editor

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

LETTERS RISING CASES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS To get on the road, any road at all LQ 1LJHULD LV WR ULVN GHDWK ,W LV WR ULVN EUHDWKLQJ RQH·V ODVW ZLWK RU ZLWKRXW ÀHU\ ÁDPHV To get on the road, any road at all in 1LJHULD LV WR ULVN DWWDFNV E\ WKRVH ZKR VHW up their camps of deaths in Nigeria in a ELG WR SURPRWH WKHLU EXVLQHVV RI NLOOLQJ PDLPLQJ DQG DEGXFWLRQ ,Q WKH IDFH RI WKH LUUHIXWDEOH FRQFOXVLRQ WKDW PDQ\ RI 1LJHULD·V URDGV KDYH EHFRPH WHUULEO\ XQVDIH ZRXOG LW EH XQVDIH WR VD\ that Nigeria’s unsafe roads provide a metaphor for the directionless journey the FRXQWU\ KDV HPEDUNHG XSRQ VLQFH EXW HVSHFLDOO\ VLQFH " Every day, in many parts of Nigeria, VLUHQV ZDLO EHDULQJ LQ WKHP WKH ERGLHV RI WKRVH VODLQ RQ RXU URDGV DQG EHDULQJ in their plaintive notes lamentations for the lives needlessly wasted on Nigeria’s

roads.

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much they matter.

2Q 7XHVGD\ 1RYHPEHU persons died in separate road accidents LQ %DXFKL DQG $EXMD WKH )HGHUDO &DSLWDO Territory. $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH )HGHUDO 5RDG 6DIHW\ &RPPLVVLRQ SHUVRQV ZHUH EXUQW EH\RQG UHFRJQLWLRQ ZKHQ WZR +XPPHU EXVHV DQG D golf saloon car collided and went up in flames QHDU -DNDQD YLOODJH LQ %DXFKL 6WDWH 2Q WKH VDPH GD\ ZLWKLQ WKH .ZDOL $UHD Council of the Federal Capital Territory, an DFFLGHQW LQYROYLQJ D WUXFN DQG D 7R\RWD EXV FODLPHG OLYHV The causes of road accidents are usually LGHQWLILHG DV RYHU VSHHGLQJ EDG URDGV IDWLJXH GULQN GULYLQJ DQG ZKDWHYHU HOVH KDV EHHQ LGHQWLILHG DV D IDFWRU %XW QR PDWWHU ZKDW LW LV LW LV FOHDU WKDW VRPHWKLQJ XUJHQW PXVW EH GRQH WR FKHFN WKH ULVLQJ QXPEHU RI IDWDOLWLHV WKDW

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It appears there is something wrong with Nigeria’s roads and many of those who drive on them.

7KLV EHLQJ WKH FDVH WKRVH LQ FKDUJH must do more to ensure not just that the URDGV DUH NHSW LQ WRS VKDSH EXW WKDW WKRVH who use them as drivers do so with safety as their priority.

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51

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

INTERNATIONAL Coercive Nigerian Unity versus Regional Self-determination: Problems of Statehood as Nationhood

S

ince the 30-year old war in Europe ended in the signing of the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, the State has remained the basic stakeholder and unit of analysis in international relations, regardless of the increasing quest for plurilateral and multilateral approaches in the conduct and management of contemporary international diplomacy. In Nigeria, increasing problems of bad governance, violation of human rights, coupled with unnecessary governmental silence over policies of irrationality, institutional corruption and conscious nepotistic ethnic jingoism, have become the hallmark of political governance under President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB).

ManyNigeriansareaggrievedandarethereforeagitatingforregional autonomy based on the international principle of self-determination, which is universally acknowledged as a fundamental human right and a basis for decolonisation and justification to separate from an existing sovereign State, even though the United Nations does not encourage the dismantlement of any of its Member States.

In the specific case of Nigeria, PMB apparently relies on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended to posit that national unity is not negotiable and that Nigeria is not dissoluble. The non-negotiability and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign-state is directly in conflict with the proponents of a Nigerian nation which Nigeria is not. The Yoruba southwest do not want to be treated as a second citizen, especially in light of the controversial Fulanisation and Islamisation agenda which the PMB administration has been openly accused of.

PMB government is visibly a major sponsor of nepotism in Nigeria, The principle of Federal Character has, at best, become meaningless under PMB. So has become the fight against institutional and individual corruption. In fact, corruption, injustice, unfairness, political marginalisation, etc, have become the main rationales for agitation for separation. Yoruba Southwest wants an Oduduwa Republic.

The Igbo Southeast wants a Biafra Republic. While the Yoruba are talking about peaceful negotiations, with emphasis on a possible UN plebiscite, the Igbo Southeast are not against the use of force.

The situational reality of this problem is to the extent that the 2023 general elections are believed to be under critical threats. Elections can hold if Nigeria is still united and indissoluble.

It is against this background that the lecture given by Dr. Akinjide Osuntokun, Professor of History, former Ambassador of Nigeria and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Monday, 21st November, 2022 is quite interesting and thought-provoking.

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Buhari Nationalism and Nation-building “Nationalism and Nation-building was the title of Professor Osuntokun’s lecture.The lecture was organised within the framework of the spread of the argument of non-negotiability of Nigerian unity Ohanaeze’s Ndigbo quest for fairness and justice in the governance and indissolubility of Nigeria.This illogical argument cannot but of Nigeria. In this regard, the lecture was hosted by Professor George also raise several questions: what makes unity non-negotiable?

A. Obiozor, former Director General of the NIIA and former AmbasIs it because it is provided for in the 1999 Constitution? If this sador of Nigeria to Israel and the United States, in his capacity as the is a rationale for the argument, is the Constitution itself not President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide. subject to review, amendment, modification and even total Several notable Igbo leaders, seasoned scholars and former ambasreplacement? Is unity itself not a resultant from negotiation? sadors of Nigeria were at the lecture. The lecture was particularly If unity, ab initio, is not negotiated but imposed, why should interesting, not simply because of the timeliness, but because of there not be an agreement to redefine the way forward? Why is the organisational mania. The lecture was not simply talking and it not a subject of renegotiation, more so that the 1999 Nigerian asking questions, it was a lecture-seminar in which the host adopted constitution is not people-originated? the style of keynote speaking by articulating the problematic and Without scintilla of doubt, Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as also setting the direction of the discussion that followed Professor amended is, at best, very fraudulent by virtue of its opening Osuntokun’s lecture. statement that ‘We, the People of Nigeria…’The Constitution The lecture was structured into four main parts: opening session, was militarily-induced, militarily conceived, militarily imposed lecture delivery, problematic and solution finding, and cocktail cum and, more often than not, implemented by manu militari. No photograph session. His Excellency, General Atom Kpera, served wonder,thissituationalrealityappearstohavepromptedProfessor as the Chairman of the occasion while Dr. Okey Anueyiagu served Obiozor to posit that‘Nigerian unity is definitely negotiable and as Master of Ceremonies. The opening session featured protocolar must be re-negotiated for it to stand or survive the test of time.’ recognitions and Professor Obiozor’s opening statement, which In his eyes,‘the reality over the years remains that, in spite of the generated much interest. best efforts of all our leaders past or present, Nigerian unity is Professor Obiozor had it that the foundation of Nigeria as one not guaranteed, it is simply, at best, an aspiration and not yet an nation or as a united nation has never been laid since the time of achievement,’The consideration of non-negotiability of Nigerian independence in 1960. He therefore considered as logically untenunity is‘simply a historical fallacy, Professor Obiozor submitted. able the arguments of non-negotiability of Nigerian unity being A second postulation by Professor Obiozor is that‘nationalvariously and erroneously bandied around. PMB is a leader in the ism, including ethnic nationalism, is not about to disappear

“

“

In the civilianisation process of limiting, if not completely removing the coercive attitudinal disposition of PMB as a military general, it is important to understand that, in a contest between coercive Nigerian unity and regional self-determination there is no way self-determination will not always overcome the use of coercion. PMB wrongly believes in the use of force but completely ignores international history. This is why it has been difficult to transit from statehood to nationhood. There is the need to learn lessons from international history. In other words, the use of terror to impose an error of promotion of regional imbalance in the governance of Nigeria is a major dynamic of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo-sponsored lecture. The South Eastern Region is the only region amongst the southern States that has not been given the opportunity to present a Nigerian President. Impression is given as if it is a privilege for an Ndigbo to be the President of Nigeria. True, it is their right and not a privilege to be given opportunity. True, Nigeria acceded to national sovereignty on 1st October, 1960, meaning that Nigeria has had 62 years of sovereign existence to date and 47 out of the 62 years were under northern leaders. Of the 15 years of southern rule, the southwest and South-south States have had their turn. Why not a collective presidency if there is no political magouilles?

in the world generally, and certainly not in Nigeria.’ In this regard, Professor Obiozor cannot be more correct in light of the tradition of self-determination in international practice. Countries where unity is being forcefully maintained are not known to have peace no matter for how long.The case of the Cartalans in Spain, who have been agitating for a separate identity and separation from Spain for more than 300 years is particularly noteworthy. The Cartalan experience clearly shows that self-determination is not and cannot be destructible and can also be generational in character. When people are opposed to national unity by force, and they are being unnecessarily repressed, the people are only and always presented with one option, which is taking up arms in the spirit of legitimate self-defence and thus lending credence to the French proverbial saying that‘ordre et contre-ordre égalent désordre,’that is‘order and counter-order amount to disorder.’

Additionally, Professor Obiozor also submitted that the political crises and violence that have come to characterise Nigeria’s national history largely result from‘the disparity between claims to nationhood and the political realities in Nigeria. Consequently, if Nigeria is to move beyond being a true sovereign state to evolving a sociological and truly united nation-state, the situational reality in the country must be faced and objectively addressed by paving the way for a system of shared power, stopping coercive integration and tyranny of the majority and enabling good leadership.

If building a true nation out of the current Nigeria has been quite difficult, the foundations of Nigeria right from 1914 clearly lend much credence.This is where lies the essence of the lecture session and the beauty of the revelations by the guest lecturer, a diplomatic historian, Professor Akinjide Osuntokun. His lecture essentially focused on the genesis of Nigerian Nationalism which largely explains the political lull and quest for agitations for separation. For instance, if the preindependence constitution did not provide for regional or ethnic hegemony, why is it an issue in the post-independence era? Why is it difficult to operate a true federal system in Nigeria? In fact, what really is the true nature of the foundations of modern Nigeria?

Professor Osuntokun explained nationalism in Nigeria from the perspectives of its origins, role of the press, and particularly from the attitudinal disposition of the political stakeholders. Definition wise, he noted that ‘there is no consensus of opinion as to what constitutes a nation in Africa’ but for purposes of his lecture, opted for the definition given byThomas Hodgkin. In the words of Professor Osuntokun, nationalism is the‘consciousness on the part of individuals or groups, or membership of a nation, or a desire to forward the strength, liberty or prosperity of a nation.’ In this regard, he traced the genesis of African nationalism‘to the time of the clash between European imperialism’and, at the level of Nigeria, he said nationalism ‘was based on constitutional precedence and on the fact that colonies in the British Empire normally progressed from Crown colony system through representative system to full dominion status.’

Apart from the fact that ‘most African countries are artificial, multi-tribal or multi-national creations of European policy makers…

African nationalism was a cultural and socio-political rather than an economic movement.’More important, the media professionals were very anti-colonialists. Professor Osuntokun rightly recalled the case of the editor of the Times of Nigeria, James Bright Davies who was jailed for six months in 1916 allegedly for seditious libel. Mr Davies reportedly said the policies of the then Governor General were induced by‘rancorous negrophobism and that such policies could only flourish under British Crown Colony system of government or under a constituted or authorised autocracy.’

In essence, Professors Osuntokun and Obiozor were agreed on the same points of conclusion, First, Professor Osuntokun rightly and relevantly recalled Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s 1947 observation made in his book, Path to Nigerian Freedom, that Nigeria was nothing more than a‘geographical expression and there were no Nigerians as there were French and Germans.’This is what Professor Obiozor also implied when he noted that no one has been able‘to create an atmosphere of credibility to ensure Nigeria’s claim to a political future as one nation.’Put explicatively, if there has been no foundation-laying to make Nigeria become a sociological nation, then Nigeria cannot but continue to remain a geographical expression.

Andperhapsmostimportantly,ProfessorOsuntokunalsorecalledthe recommendations made in 1984 by a committee set up by President Babangida. Professor Osuntokun was a member of the committee, which was required to move Nigeria beyond remaining a geographical expression. The committee recommended a collective presidency under a six-zonal system (NorthWest, North Central, North East, South West, South East, and South-South) in which, if a president comes from any of the zones, the remaining five zones will produce five Vice Presidents, each of them heading the ministries of Finance, Defence, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Education.’Most unfortunately, the very good suggestion has only been myopically thrown to the garbage of history, hence Nigeria’s recidivist political instability and insecurity.

Lecture Discussants and Issues Three notable discussants were listed to discuss the lecture: Chief NNIA Nwodo, Ambassador Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and Dr. Bitrus Pogu.

Chief Nwodo, for reasons of force majeure, could not be physically present but Ambassador Humphrey Orjiaku, a diplomatic careerist who once served as Director of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, was conscripted to stand in for Chief Nwodo who was the immediate predecessor of Professor Obiozor as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

27.11.2022

Homecoming for Wrestling Superstars One is called The Nigerian giant, the other, The Nigerian Prince. Meet Omos and Apollo Crews, two professional wrestling superstars of Nigerian descent that are waving the Nigeria flag high on the grandest stage of the WWE. Vanessa Obioha interviews them during their recent visit to Nigeria ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/victoria.olaode@thisdaylive.com.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

53

COVER

When Nigerian WWE Stars, Omos and Apollo Crews Came to Town

Apollo

W

orld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is famous for its giants.

Think of the late French WWE star Andre the Giant (7 feet. 4 inches), who has a tournament named after him; the Great Khali (7 feet.1 inch) who became the first Indian-born WWE World Heavyweight Champion in history; and the late Argentine wrestler Giant Gonzalez (7 feet.7 inches). Now add Omos, a Nigerian professional wrestler fondly called The Nigerian Giant in WWE who stands at an impressive 7 feet, 3 inches. Not a few chose to sit rather than stand to take a picture/selfie with him during a recent visit to Nigeria. Omos was in the company of fellow wrestler Apollo Crews and other WWE officials to announce the talent search for Africa’s Next WWE Superstar in collaboration with SuperSport.

Reputed for scouting new talents to fill its expansive roster, WWE has now set its eyes on the continent where its fans are more than hundreds of thousands. The talent search is coming on the heels of the latest expansion of WWE programming events on MultiChoice Nigeria platforms including Showmax which will now stream its live events WWE Head of Talent Operations and Strategy, James Kimball, provided details of the tryout which seeks to find individuals with appealing personalities.

“Submissions are really meant to highlight your personality and charisma, not necessarily your physical,” he said, citing Omos and Crews who sat across the table.

“What really transcends their ability to resonate with fan bases across the globe is their ability to connect with audiences and tell a story and elicit emotion and provide engagement on a weekly basis. So that is what we are looking for, as we evaluate talent from across any African country, of any gender, who’s 20 or older.”

Open till December 18, selected participants will be in Lagos next February for a tryout and if lucky, “be invited to

Omos

attend WWE’s biggest events of the year, WrestleMania in Los Angeles, California, next year, in April,” said Kimball.

The golden ticket for top-performing participants is a full-time WWE developmental contract which will kick start their career at the world-class WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Omos towering presence was felt immediately as he walked into the conference room at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos. It became more intimidating when he spoke Pidgin and Yoruba languages in a deep rough voice.

Yet for the sports and wrestling enthusiasts who were in that gathering, seeing Omos and Crews in the flesh was a cherishable moment. While both are signed on different brands of WWE, they have become a national pride given that not many Nigerian wrestlers have enjoyed the spotlight and fame as they have. For instance, during the 2021 Wrestlemania, both superstars flew the Nigerian flag high with their respective wins.

Omos, who made his in-ring debut at the event as a tag team partner to AJ Styles, a high-ranking WWE star, won the tag team championship against The New Day. Crews on the other hand had just had a character change which saw him adopt a Nigerian accent and have his wrestling gear accessorised with the green and white colours of the Nigerian flag. He was involved in a Nigerian Drum fight with Big E for the Intercontinental Championship and with the help of another Nigerian wrestler, Commander Azeez won the match. His victory was well celebrated on Twitter by his fans in Nigeria.

Born Tolulope ‘Jordan’ Omogbehin, Omos grew up in Ketu, Alapere, and attended Maryland Private School. He has three brothers and is the only odd one in the mix.

“Nobody is as tall as I am in the family,” he revealed.

He left the shores of Nigeria to pursue a basketball dream over a decade ago. But

when things didn’t go as planned, he became stuck in the United States. Although he has an MBA, he could not get a job. It was such a frustrating period for the WWE superstar.

His brother, however, hinted at him trying out at the WWE Performance Centre.

“The worst that could happen to me at that time of my life was to get a no from them,” he said, recalling his transition from basketball to wrestling.

To be sure, it was not an easy transition for the giant. All he ever knew was basketball.

“When you play basketball, you become so engrossed in it. So everything was basketball. I knew everything about basketball. So I didn’t really have the time to watch WWE. I knew of it but I wasn’t deep into it.”

It was in the summer of 2018 that Omos visited the WWE Performance Centre for a tryout and voila, he was hired on the spot.

He fell in love with the sport from that day on and hasn’t looked back. He was trained prominently by the iconic WWE superstar of the Attitude Era, Kevin Nash.

“I remember what he (Nash) used to tell me back then: ‘you are a giant, don’t forget that and protect your size.’”

Omos’ character has gone through different storylines. The first time he appeared on TV was as a member of WWE superstar Akira Tozawa’s ninja faction in 2020. He was known then as the Giant Ninja.

Omos was later repackaged as a bodyguard for Shane McMahon’s Raw Underground.

When the show was shelved, Omos was drafted into a tag team partnership with AJ Styles until the storyline was exhausted and he began to feud with his partner before teaming up and starting a feud with one of WWE’s strongest superstars Bobby Lashley.

For this new character, the former manager of Lashley, MVP (also a former WWE star) allied with Omos.

“That was a huge opportunity. I can’t thank Bobby enough. Me and Bobby working through Wrestlemania, and the

growth through that experience and even beyond has been tremendous to my career…I call him the Black Captain America. He is the strongest contender I have ever been in the ring with and glad we created magic for three months. I learnt a lot from him,” he said.

His visit to Nigeria was on the heels of his impressive match with Braun Strowman at the WWE pay-per-view live event Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia.

Regarding his relationship with MVP, Omos revealed that it was a smooth one.

“He is very comfortable with who I am and helps with my confidence. Sometimes, he tells me he hears people call me Oba and what that means. I told him it means King and he said he will always call me that because I’m the King of this place (WWE),” he said dramatically.

That’s not the only nickname he has.

Everybody calls him Big Jordan in the men’s locker room.

“MVP is helping me to be more charismatic,” he added.

As a child, Omos revealed he was a very quiet kid.

“I do come out of my shell when I need to but I very much keep to myself.”

That’s not all, Omos further disclosed that he wanted to be an artist as a child.

“I love to draw and paint.”

Although he has been away for 15 years, Omos still keeps in touch with his roots. He is familiar with Nigerian musicians and even sampled one of Burna Boy’s songs. He knows one or two BBNaija stars even though he does not keep up with the show regularly. Nigerian food is still his best.

“I’ve had jollof rice, Ofada rice, moin moin,” he gleefully reeled out the names of the food he had eaten since he arrived in Nigeria.

Unlike Omos whose career in WWE is just three years, Crews has been in the company since 2014 after he was offered a developmental contract. He made his televised NXT in-ring debut on August 22, 2015, at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn where he defeated Tye Dillinger. He made his main roster debut on the April 4, 2016 episode of Raw. His first championship title was in 2020 when he defeated Andrade to claim the United States Championship.

Like Omos, Crews has not been to Nigeria since he was 10.

“I was 10 years old the last time I came here.

My parents grew up here. They moved to the United States before I was born. I think around 1983. I think my Dad’s intention was to bring us back to Nigeria but it never happened that way as he pursued his PhD at UC Davis.”

Crews parents hail from Benue State. His original name is Sesugh Uhaa. Crews’ love for wrestling was inspired by his dad.

“My dad is the one who got me watching wrestling when I was about three years old. Up to this day, he still loves wrestling.”

His favourite wrestler at the time was Ultimate Warrior.

Although Crews has worked with many superstars in WWE, the superstar that resonates more with fans is Commander Azeez, particularly during their run on Smackdown.

“You know what’s funny is that we were creating things on a weekly basis. Right? So, it was like we never really had time to fully develop the character. It was just kind of like an idea presented and then it’s like we’re doing it, you know, so we didn’t really have time to kind of figure out, we’re just figuring out things as we went along. It’s like, can we do this? Can we do that? But I enjoyed working with Commander Azeez. He’s a great talent, a humongous dude. And he’s still young.

So, he has a lot of career ahead of him.

“I think as we go on, and we kind of travel together a little bit, you naturally develop a bond with that person just because you’re with them all the time. At that time, we were only travelling once a week, but usually, we’ll see these guys more than our family. We’re on the road with them four days a week. Sometimes you go on tour for two weeks, so naturally just kind of develop a bond and that type of synergy with whatever individual.”

One of the questions Crews has never been asked is what his wrestling legacy would be. He pondered on it briefly before answering.

“I will say the Hall of Fame. I want to have a Hall of Fame career. I want to represent this country as well in a respectable way. I want people to want to follow in my footsteps, not just from Nigeria, from Africa, but just young kids in general. I want to set a great example for young kids. Let them chase their dreams. Anything is possible,” he concluded.

Though the superstars may not come home as often as they want, one thing is certain: they are proud to be Nigerians.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

54

HighLife Alex Otti: A Cat with Nine Lives

Otti

A cat has nine lives and a rabbit has 10 holes. For an innovative person like Dr. Alex Otti, these descriptions are just right. Following the news of his role in the founding of a new commercial bank that has already started operations in Abuja, Otti has once again proved himself to be someone with one eyeball in the present and another in the future.

Signature Bank is the name of the new commercial bank that is on the lips of everybody. Like many others, the aspiration of the bank reflects the aspiration of its founder, Otti. According to the former MD of Diamond Bank, Signature Bank was founded with the intention of bridging the gap between customer complaints and the lack of proper responsiveness from banking institutions. Thus, with Signature Bank now in operation, these things might soon become history.

One thing to note about Signature Bank is its management.

Despite being the founder, Otti has noted that he will not take an active role in overseeing the affairs of the bank. Instead, he will only play an advisory role, leaving the management of the bank to the younger generation. Once again, Otti’s vision shows itself as superior to the norm and evidence that the man has more to offer the people around him.

Of course, excluding Signature Bank, Otti has quite a bit on his plate. His political aspirations remain a solid denominator with which his actions can be assessed.

One might say that it is because he intends to serve the people of Abia State in a gubernatorial capacity that he was able to see past the profit-making target of banking institutions to establish something as customer-focused as Signature Bank.

Perhaps there is something for the Labor Party gubernatorial candidate in the coming months. Only then will it be a fact that Otti’s vision and computation deserve systematic research.

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

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

Sanwo-Olu: The Governor Who is Giving Masterclasses on Good Governance When numbering the most accomplished state governors in Nigeria, one must think of Lagos State Governor Babajide SanwoOlu among a few others. When counting only those whose work has added a transformative character to their state, one must count SanwoOlu alone. Reviewing Sanwo-Olu’s achievements, even a neutral outsider would have to admit that the man is giving master lessons on how to engage and sustain good governance.

Sanwo-Olu, many will remember, came into power in 2019 spouting the most fantastic promises. Typically, a governor makes such promises during campaigns and keeps mum once the money is in the bag. Not so for Sanwo-Olu. The man continued to reassure Lagosians that he means to revolutionise the state. And when things started to pick up a few months after his election, Lagosians came to understand that Sanwo-Olu is cut from a different cloth than many of his peers.

In the time between his emergence in 2019 as governor and now, Sanwo-Olu has truly

Adeyipo

Sanwo-Olu

Things are going up and up for Adewale Adeyipo, the Group MD of CWG (Computer Warehouse Group) Plc. Recently, just after the Pan-African Information Communications Technology company celebrated its 30th year in operations, Adeyipo found a way to become a major stakeholder in the conglomerate, thereby positioning himself as one of those who will benefit from the cornucopia of the company when things get even rosier than they are now.

One category of people that should always be admired is the category that holds individuals with guts. Adeyipo is one such person. Because he knows the potential for growth that his CWG has, Adeyipo went on to acquire a significant fraction of the company’s shares, thereby becoming more than just the Group MD of the company but also one of the enlisted or registered shareholders.

It is interesting that Adeyipo’s game card only revealed itself after the IT conglomerate

transformed Lagos. The first area that he deserves accolades for is infrastructural development. SanwoOlu has designed and completed so many major projects that people have stopped keeping count. Is it the Pent Cinema flyover or the LagosOgun Boundary roads? Is it the construction and rehabilitation of over 300 inner roads in all the local government areas and local council development areas of Lagos?

What about the education sector?

Sanwo-Olu has significantly improved access to secondary and tertiary education.

He has built new school blocks and renovated many old ones. He has introduced digital learning and instruction and boosted the morale of teachers across the state.

What about the agricultural sector with Sanwo-Olu supporting farmers all year round? What about revenue generation and Lagosians celebrating their renewed status as money-makers for Nigeria?

Indeed, Sanwo-Olu’s genius is in governance and administration. For this, Lagosians have found a treasure and may not be willing to let him go.

launched a fintech arm, FifthLab. This arm is expected to be the force behind the next wave of the conglomerate’s expansion, catering to the needs of e-commerce in Nigeria and across Africa, and ensuring that technology and the SME sector are not divorced from each other.

One must commend Adeyipo’s foresight and confidence in CWG, knowing that this is the best time for FifthLab’s functionality, considering that innovative businesses are starting to pop up across Africa. But this is the kind of wisdom that has always served Adeyipo, becoming his trademark and the reason he is known for always suggesting not-considered angles about innovation and market handling.

Most likely, Adeyipo’s game card will motivate many other shareholders to tighten their possession of CWG’s control shares. Unless Adeyipo lets them in on his secrets, he will be the one who will reap the most harvest out of FifthLab’s prestige and profits in the coming months.

Runsewe Writes His Name in Gold as Eko NAFEST Rounds off Standing on the side of creativity and innovation has its perks. For one, history will be kind to you and future generations will hallow your guts. However, the most relevant perk is that contemporary society will celebrate you, dedicating tributes to you. This is the kind of glory that the DG of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Olusegun Runsewe has come into.

With the conclusion of the 35th edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST), Runsewe stands on the side of creativity and innovation.

If there is a place for genius and dedication, one must agree that Runsewe has a front-row seat there. This year’s EKO NAFEST was a marvel in so many ways.

Thanks to Runsewe’s good work, every industry came together to strengthen the expression of culture and the arts, thereby delivering a canopy of wonders to guests and onlookers at the events.

The events which were held at the

heavily decorated National Institute for Sports, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, took away the breath of Nigerians. True to the expressed expectations of Runsewe, these events centered around the display of indigenous fabric and fashion. In fact, the competition saw natives of Bayelsa, Delta, Ogun, Kogi, Ekiti, and Kwara states contest as to which expressed their cultures better.

Altogether, Runsewe’s efforts were greatly rewarded by the strength of dedication that everybody else brought on board. In this sense, the NCAC boss was fully gratified.

Nevertheless, it is evident to all that this single event has placed Runsewe above those that will come after him and virtually those that came before him.

Ultimately, dedication has its own benefits.

Currently, Runsewe is enjoying these benefits, showing others the way to reach enduring levels of recognition in Nigeria. The man has written his name in gold and only time can attempt to blur it out.

Runwese

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

HIGHLIFE

Ekiti Makes History as Olubunmi Adelugba Emerges First Female Speaker For the longest time, political news from Ekiti State has been dull compared to the other states in the South-west. But things are starting to change as the kinds of controversies that can make historians stumble have started to pop up in the state that is nicknamed the Fountain of Knowledge. Case in point, the recent impeachment of the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Gboyega Aribisogan, and the subsequent emergence of Olubunmi Adelugba.

Not a few women have taken off their heels in celebration of the emergence of Adelugba, the former House of Assembly Chief Whip. Following a number of unexpected situations, Adelugba was elected into the Speaker seat by the unanimous decision of all the 17 lawmakers that were present at the time.

Analysts are saying that even though

the circumstances that birthed Adelugba’s emergence as Ekiti Speaker were less than ideal, the fact that she got the unanimous thumbs-up of her colleagues says something about her character and person. Of course, she communicated this side when she graciously thanked her colleagues for letting her serve Ekiti in the capacity of the House of Assembly Speaker.

Meanwhile, Aribisogan is currently spitting fire and brimstone. According to reports, Aribisogan continues to argue that his impeachment barely six days after becoming Speaker was illegal.

Whether the court would accept Aribisogan’s plea that he is not guilty of the charge that the election that made him Speaker was compromised is yet to be known.

Whichever way things go, the fact is that Ekiti has seen its first female Speaker of the House of Assembly in 2022. Who knows,

Dimeji Bankole, the youngest Speaker of the House of Representatives in the history of Nigeria, has once again returned to the limelight. Last time, he spent only a bit of effort and a lot of money to dive into the public’s eye. This time, it is almost the reverse: almost no money at all and still a bit of effort. In fact, as things stand now, Bankole may have to remain behind, deliberately letting Nigerians remember him while he prepares to serve the country in a grander capacity than he is remembered for.

The last time Bankole was in the public’s eye was when he announced his decision to join the primary selection battles at the All Progressives Congress (APC) grounds. Bankole, like every other aspirant, had to pay N100 million to qualify for the vying process, and he did.

However, he did not make it. He had to leave the stage for the eventual winner and APC presidential candidate, Bola

Dimeji Bankole: Back in the Limelight

Bankole

Bagudu Battles Aliero Adelugba

maybe this is the start of something permanent in Ekiti, with another female waiting to take up the position of governor in a few years.

Tinubu, as well as the runners-up. After that, Bankole disappeared again, only to appear again.

Curiously, the reason Bankole is out of his self-determined seclusion is the very reason he came out the other time: the APC presidency. However, this time, the former Speaker does not want the bag for himself but for his party. According to reports, Bankole has become one of the prized members of Tinubu’s campaign team and has been tasked with ensuring that he brings all his influence to the game board, helping his principal win, and earning some future credit for himself.

Apparently, standing tall in politics is all about positioning. It is clear that Bankole understands this assertion and will now make strong moves to ensure that it is to his advantage. Well, there’s no need to try to predict his moves. The coming days will reveal them.

How Dapo Abiodun is Making Awujale Proud Where one has entrusted their confidence is where they look to for change and transformation. This is as true in politics as it is in everything else. In Ogun State and under the capable leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, this fact is progressively making sense. Even if others have something contrary to report, it is certain that the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, will only be in support of Abiodun’s good works.

Esteemed as second to the gods, traditional leaders are impartial and evenhanded in their judgments. However, much like the god whose offering plates have been smeared with redder oil than usual, the ancestral spirits are likely to do more than they ordinarily would. This is the idea behind Oba Adetona’s continued love and support for Governor Abiodun. The more the latter commits himself to the people of Ogun, and especially to those under the hand of the Awujale, the more Oba Adetona is willing to protect him from undue criticisms.

Abiodun

To understand why Oba Adetona feels gratified every time Abiodun is brought up, one must consider three of the most recent contributions made by Abiodun in Ogun. The first one is Abiodun’s decision to have Awujale take up the mantle of Chairman of the Ogun State Traditional Council. The second one is the construction of the Ijebu-Epe road, a project that had been abandoned by previous administrations. The third contribution by Abiodun is the most recent, and that is the renaming of the Tai-Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ajose, to Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology (SACOETEC).

To have a prestigious institution named after him, Oba Adetona understands how much Abiodun values him to grant him such an honour. Thus, thinking about any of the three major contributions of Abiodun, the Awujale is very proud.

How Babajide Akeredolu Becomes the Go-to-Guy in Ondo

Akeredolu

Say what you will about impartial governance in Nigeria’s democracy, there will always be considerations for family members.

First, those considerations would be the mark for qualification and only after will merit follow. Currently, Ondo State appears to have borrowed this model, with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu letting his son, Babajide, take up

the position of special adviser and DirectorGeneral of the Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit of the state.

While Nigerians wait for the merit part to kick in, Babajide has already become the go-to guy in Ondo.

Babajide’s appointment disturbed many waters. Being the son of the incumbent governor, people complained that his position was an indication of the governor’s preferential treatment. But, in truth, this is nothing new for Governor Akeredolu.

Moreover, he had the support of many lawmakers when pinning the laurel of power on his son’s chest.

The main thing is that Babajide has also inherited some of his father’s authority, even without his father meaning for him to.

Instead, because people realised that he is a much softer target for appeals and persuasion, they have made a habit of running to him to request help in times of need. Consequently,

Babajide has ended up as not only the DG of the Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit but also the bridge between the government and the people.

Babajide’s new informal position was also held by his mother, Lady Betty AnyanwuAkeredolu. Back then, people complained that the First Lady had become so close to the people that she had begun to help them take up petitions to the government. But contractors were not happy going through her, even though nobody told them to do such a thing in the first place.

It is the same with Babajide. Nobody asked people to make him the go-to guy.

He just became it due to his influence and ability. Much like how Governor Akeredolu reportedly bragged that he would reward his son for his hard work during the campaign for his election and nobody would be able to do anything about it, nobody can do anything about Babajide’s new informal position.

Things are getting hot in Kebbi State; Kebbi Central Senatorial District, to be precise.

Based on recent reports on the political ups and downs in the district, two very prominent political giants will engage themselves in the ring. The outcome of their field combat will determine who gets the final say on Kebbi Central Senatorial District and who gets to bewail their efforts in the years that follow.

The incumbent Governor of Kebbi, Abubakar Bagudu, is allegedly preparing himself to recover the senatorial power of Kebbi Central from Senator Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi and the current occupant of the Kebbi Central senatorial seat.

Interestingly, considering that Bagudu is an overlord over at the All Progressives Congress (APC), it is intimated that Aliero consolidated his recent move to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so that he can secure his position as the voice of the people from Kebbi Central at the National Assembly come 2023.

Undoubtedly, Aliero has played his cards well. Whereas Bagudu has his gubernatorial card to tender against him, Aliero has his influence. This is why it did not come as much of a surprise that a large fraction of Aliero’s loyalists, including a former APC Publicity Secretary, a former APC State Chairman, a former DG for APC’s governorship campaign in Kebbi, and other holders of prominent positions retired from the APC and defected to the PDP, waiting for Aliero.

Of course, Aliero’s activities have not doused Bagudu’s aspirations to also represent Kebbi Central at the National Assembly. Even though Bagudu once stated that he would step down for Aliero if necessary, Aliero did not submit himself to Bagudu’s generosity. Therefore, as things stand, both of them are going to be in the ring very soon. And when that happens, the person with the firmer grasp of politics will take the senatorial medal home.

Bagudu

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Tinubu and the Republic of ‘Hulla Ballu’ I have been abused in my life, but the one I received when I dropped an article on the possible victory of the APC candidate on social media remains a watershed in my life. I had looked very critically at the political situation and had come to the conclusion after speaking with some very credible analysts that we just might be seeing a Tinubu Presidency.

The conclusion was reached following the great inroad the APC candidate was making in some major voter clusters, the support of the incumbent government, the dithering in PDP especially the continued activities of Nyesom Wike and Atiku Abubakar’s inability to rein him in, and lastly, the current strength of Labour Party’s Peter Obi, especially its effect on PDP and its inability to share the APC lead.

My people, I received abuse o.

My head full. I even start to cry at some point. They finished me o.

The thing came in torrents. I tell you for the first time in my life, I thought about retirement from this work. Who send me o.

One person said, “Edgar, your chase for sponsorship for your plays have blinded you.”Even the Tinubu people join abuse me o. One called me a shameless hypocrite because I reported my conversation with one big Yoruba man who said that Yoruba Intelligentsia supporting Tinubu despite all the shady things, were doing so for three reasons – tribal considerations, crass material benefits and joblessness.

“Edgar, you are a foolish sellout” this one came from a very beautiful girl. One big APC man called, “Edgar, did you write that rubbish?

I just wanted to be sure?” I answered back: “Mbok, no ask me any question, abuse me your own and dey go, I don tire.”

This politics matter is now so emotive. People are not even ready to look at the issues dispassionately. If you support Tinubu, Obi and Atiku people will abuse you. If you support Obi, Tinubu’s people will call you ‘aje okuta ma mo mi’.

I don tire. Please I no get candidate, I just dey do my selfappointed olofofo work for the matter. It is now looking like I am finally getting Nigerians to unite. They have now united in abusing me. Imagine, see my life.

Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa/Fulani people have come together to abuse small me o, because of one tiny article on Hulla bulla. Na wa.

JIMI AGBAJE, SHOULD I SAY SORRY? I was on my couch sometime last week, when my phone started buzzing. “What did you do to Uncle Jimi? He has yabbed you on Twitter and Facebook.”

Uncle Jimi ke? Uncle Jimi is my egbon o.

One of the few people I respect o. I was on my couch, tired of Nigeria and attempting to recharge my batteries as Nigeria was hitting me left and right. When the calls and messages started flooding in.

Uncle had gone on social media to single me out o. Uncle must have been very upset because he called my full names o. He even spelt it correctly with no mistakes – JOSEPH EDGAR. Apparently, I think Uncle Jimi Disu must have annoyed him and he felt like this was the last straw and he lashed out. He called me ‘selfstyled’ and asked that I should be responsible in using my platforms.

The peak of it all was when my biggest egbon called in, “Edgar, I do not want you to go and do a back and forth with Jimi. I can tell you authoritatively that Jimi has not moved to APC.” This call nailed me to the wall as I can never say no to this particular Oga. However, the truth is that the news of his defection was widely reported and when I didn’t see a rebuttal, I fired. Now that there has been a rebuttal, I guess it is perfect to withdraw my statement and tender an

unreserved apology.

My dear Uncle, there is nothing a good plate of Afang cannot solve. Please kindly accept my offer to a delicious lunch at the wonderful Echoes of Calabar Restaurant at your very convenience. Please come alone o, as I no get money to pay for anybody else except you.

Finally, let me thank you for the post as it gave me a 24-hour notoriety. Come and see babes calling me. “Edgar, is it your own Joseph Edgar? Jimi just yabbed you.”

I said, “yes o it is my own o.”

Na me o. I am the one o.

Next time my Lord, please put my picture o so there will be no confusion. I’m so so sorry for any inconvenience. Ema bi nu si mi,aburo la je si yin – I hope I got the Yoruba well sha?

During the interview, he explained very clearly the reason why he was against the present ongoings in PDP. “Are you saying that as a full-fledged Yoruba man I cannot be given any of the top six positions in our party?”

But my problem is why fight over this ‘little thing’ to the detriment of a bigger goal which is the Presidency. We are a few months to the presidential election and the ongoing internal wranglings are not helping the push.

It is looking like both sides no really get sense - especially their candidate who is really joking with his last chance to fulfill his ambition.

Anyways, I still admire the resolve and the positioning of Chief George. I believe very strongly that if we could get only five like him in this country, rightly or wrongly, we would begin to see better light.

IS NYESOM WIKE GOD? You know there is a way you spoil your fight with the way you go about it. I think very strongly that Mr. Wike continues to behave very embarrassingly in his continued bid to make whatever point he needs to make.

Yes truly, his party has behaved very irresponsibly on the matter of the chairmanship and other positioning. Yes, he must have felt cheated and shortchanged during the primaries and yes it must have been a very bitter pill to swallow to see a

much more quiet Okowa emerge running mate instead of his loud mouth, but running around like a kindergarten who wet his pants all over the place remains very unstatesmanlike.

So, if he won the primaries and eventually became President and issues did not go his way as they often do, this is how he will be shouting all over the place. So as UAE ban our citizens like they have done, will Wike now go to the United Nations with his highlife band and be yabbing those ones and be singing, ‘Wike pepper dem’?

Abeg, I think there should be some level of maturity in these things. Giving another party or in fact other parties so-called ‘logistics support’ and turning around to dare his party to sanction him is crass childishness and I am beginning to thank God that PDP in their folly did the right thing – tossing him into the dustbin.

No man should hold the system hostage no matter how huge his head is. We must all be students of democracy in all of its ramifications. There are processes to seek redress. You can go to court, among others. But behaving like a real spoilt child, destroying structures and pulling your hair and using Rivers State people’s funds while singing ‘pepper dem’ and dancing like a village drunk all over the place is not my idea of a serious leader.

Please Mr. Wike – common go and siddon.

Agbaje

George:

Ebenezer

Adebutu

Tinubu

OLABODE GEORGE: OLD SOLDIER NEVER DIE The way ARISE News has taken over the landscape is quite amazing and it is with interviews like this one with PDP chieftain Olabode George that continues to give it the market quality that it has today.

Chief George is as firm and disciplined as they come. As he was talking, I wondered why they never come like this anymore. This one has never crossed carpet, this one has stayed in one place – I will die instead of shaking Tinubu- this one has not shifted grounds. He stands on his principles no matter whose ox is gored and doesn’t shift no matter the pressure.

Mr. George is my hero.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

LOUD WHISPERS He don do abeg. Make we see road, no be only you dey.

HAS KOLA ABIOLA GONE MAD? He has not o. He has only just accepted to be the Special Guest of Honour at my new Play tagged ‘Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again’ coming up this December at the Muson Centre.

You see, I got an invite to come and watch Kola speak to the ever beautiful and phenomenally talented Kadaria at the Terra Kulture during the candidate series. I went o.

It was broadcast live and Kola gave a good account of himself. Seated with his running mate who was a little bit sedate, they both took very constructive questions and gave as good as they could. I especially loved the part where he was asked to talk about his affluent pedigree as against the masses-oriented ethos of his party, the People Redemption Party.

He told us that he was not born into wealth.

He talked about trekking from UNILAG to Yabatech daily where his mum was teaching.

He remained calm and engaging throughout.

People often ask, is Kola mad? What makes him think he can win this election? It is for this reason that I have invited him to a ‘mad’ show to come and tell us once again why he is really on this journey.

Let me say this, Kadaria is a wonderful journalist. Her questions were deep and incisive. Her timing was brilliant and her control of the whole sequences made the watching audience really get the essence of her guests. Well done Ma! THE ‘EKPE’ IN LARRY ETTAH You never know a man until you meet him.

I used to go and meet my late Oga Albert Okumagba in Mr. Ettah’s house somewhere in Ikoyi where they will be playing squash. I used to take documents for him to sign and he would stop playing momentarily to engage me and later say, “sit down and watch.”

I will watch Mr. Ettah and Mr. Okumagba run around the court sweating and panting and I will be wondering what these ‘old men’ are doing instead of them to go and relax with somethings on a beautiful Sunday afternoon like this.

I never used to like Mr. Ettah because he never used to offer me drinks or food. He will just sit down and eat and drink after the game and I will be looking at them salivating but won’t say anything as a disciplined investment banker. I used to sha abuse them in my head and walk away.

Then I met Mr. Ettah. I think it was my big brother Udeme Ufot that gave me the link and I met a gracious and sweet gentleman. A visit to his home is an excursion to reflective art. But pardon this my long story, it is the Iboku Uruan Cultural festival coming up this December in a beautiful town called Uruan in Akwa Ibom State that I want to comment about.

The ‘Ekpe’ masquerade holds a tremendous fascination to the Akwa/Cross River person.

Its mysterious beauty as it prances around is magic to behold. The virginal damsels with belly button exposing attires and the well clad gentlemen dancing behind the magnificent Ekpe masquerade is a beautiful spectacle. I used to just cry as I marvel at its wondrous beauty. Mad. Mr. Ettah is fronting this beautiful carnival.

The carnival will involve the presentation of the various Ekpe masquerades in their glory.

This would include the magnificent Nyoro Ekpe and Nyampe displays. Kai, I am already shaking with excitement. There will also be wonderful cuisines of our people – Afang, Ekpang Nkukwo, Iwuk Ukom and the rest.

Kai. This is so exciting that I am highly recommending it to Nigerians. The marvel that is the Ekpe masquerade in full flight must be seen and experienced. It is not something that they will be giving you like gist, I swear.

OLANIPEKUN ADEBUTU: THE HEIGHT OF FORTUNE This gentleman comes in as humble as they come. His humility belies his great pedigree being a member of the very famous and influential business family. I met Ola- if I can call him that- recently at his wonderful lounge somewhere in Victoria Island. He continues to play very strategically in the agric sector with

HURRAY! THE DUCHESS, MOFOLUWAKE ‘IMABONG’ EDGAR IS 50

Mofoluwake Edgar

One day sometime in 1988, during one of those numerous IBB school closures, I was hanging around at home with my ‘Homies’ when this short dark and sweetly proportioned beautiful young girl walked past. She was in her school uniform, complete with beret and my boys said, “Jay” - that time I was not yet Duke- “that na your spec, oya move.”

I moved o and 26 years later, she is now celebrating 50 as the Duchess of Shomolu.

This has been quite a journey.

A journey of pain, sorrow and immense joy and pleasure. 26 years with a mad man like me is a harrowing experience to say

the least, but the woman has stayed through it all and has emerged elegant and beautiful.

I once asked my daughter Chantal if she would like to marry a man like me and the Duchess screamed NO! I look am and begin to wonder why. But then again, I no ask am make I no hear the story of my life.

Anyways, she has stayed and has remained a pillar and a front liner in the struggle.

As she celebrates her 50th, I pray to the Almighty for long life, good health and continued patience as her portion in Jesus name. Well done my dearest and many more fruitful years. Happy birthday.

his Fortune Heights farm. If you realise that the sector is the highest employer of labour in the country and the strategic role it is playing in economic development you will begin to understand why I have singled out Ola to hail this Sunday.

Despite the huge challenges faced in the sector, Fortune Height, as I write, has over 700 Nigerians under its employ with another 300 indirect employees. Its main produce includes livestock, both live and processed chicken among others, the farm produces about 15,000 litres of soya oil and would soon go into animal husbandry.

Set up sometime in November 2011, Fortune has grown to be a very influential leader in its chosen field. Mr. Adebutu who has degrees in mathematics and finance is a well-respected businessman and entrepreneur who continues to push and show strong resolve in not only our economy but in our country. Well done my brother. Well done.

throw invectives at the system, these ones have rolled up their sleeves to dig in and create impact and hope.

Recently they obtained the SEC approval to launch their Initial Public Offer (IPO) an ambitious and lion-hearted move to raise N10b on their Purple Real Estate Income Plc platform. I think but not too sure that this is the very first of this size in the markets in a bit. This shows remarkable courage and resilience especially in the face of the uppity nature of the economic environment.

They have moved what was initially a family business to a major conglomerate, channelling its energies in various sectors of the economy – leisure, hospitality, real estate and media.

I love these guys and do not hesitate to endorse this offer. It is the right thing to do and I believe that any Nigerian who believes in this country and its soul, should be part of this.

LAIDE AGBOOLA’S PURPLE ‘HIBISCUS’ I have written about Laide and Obinna on these pages. But you will understand my penchant for always saying something about these ‘boys’ because of the things they are doing.

While their mates are busy trying to run away or at best lay back and continue to

REPORTING ‘LIVE’ FROM THE ZTECH FAIR ORGANISED BY ZENITH BANK Oya let me turn to a reporter. That was how my big brother Tope Fasoranti, a director at Zenith Bank, invited me to the wonderful tech fair his bank was organising. I jumped into my ‘sofe’ pants and went to the event.

When I got there, I saw all the ‘techies’ in

this country o. The place was filled to the brim and I knelt down in front of the Eko Hotel venue to give praise to God. I had thought that everybody who could open a laptop had ‘japa’.

The army of young people, all eagerly awaiting the start of the event, gave me renewed hope. Technology is very key to our renaissance. It is the fulcrum that will trigger the reopening of the closed door of our national fulfilment and Zenith Bank knows this very much, hence this gigantic event.

Well, that was how Tope took me into the VIP section. “Edgar, the way you are dressed, someone will not know you are a VIP o.” You know Tope has PhD and these ‘efico’ people do not know style. Me, that I wore my ankle cut pants so that my leg chains will show and a beautiful open white shirt folded at the arms so that my tattoo will show. You know how legendary these Zenith Bank ladies can be and I will now be dressing like ‘icheokwu’, me I went there with an open mind o.

At the VIP section, I didn’t see Afang and I asked. They offered us tea, coffee and that kain thing. I said thank you. Tope introduced me to the rest of the directors present. They all looked so successful and confident. I liked Akin. He stood erect like an Army-General with chest out and said, “Edgar, pleased to meet you.”

He was fine and his suit really enter his body.

I met Henry who was also well put out and gracious. Then Adaobi stepped up and talked about my earrings. Beautiful and graceful.

She was a sweet drop in that place. I wanted to hug her, but when I remember my account balance, I respect myself. My great buddy Dennis was not there yet but he called to ask where I was. I said, “as una no give me Afang, I have run away and he sent me N50,000 to buy Afang and come back.”

Me, I send the money to Duchess to run go buy condiments and prepare the Afang and keep my change.

Then the great MD, Ebenezer walked in. I wasn’t sure if he would still remember me sef.

The last I saw him was when Chief Obasanjo sent me to him and he hugged me and offered me tea in his office. I should not have worried. “Edgar, how are you?’” he bellowed in that sweet baritone voice.

“You are making all the money abi,” he remarked and I said, “Oga, stop laughing at me.”

He looked happy and he should, because he was superintending the rebirth of this country.

The hall was filled to the brim. The energy was palpable and the branding was in your face in a very positive way. The Red that is Zenith was everywhere and the very beautiful ushers mixed with the well put out Zenith people, you begin to feel that you were about to be ushered into the Grammy Awards.

Nigerians from all hues came out, all bonded by the love and passion for technology as a driving force for National rebirth. As I walked past the display stalls, I could feel a huge sense of urgency. Tech entrepreneurs need to deploy very quickly in a bid to hurriedly impact society. All sorts of technology driven solutions for all sections of human endeavor. Even though I didn’t understand most of what they were saying – my technology begins and ends with WhatsApp and Google- I loved the enthusiasm, the firm belief in the environment and the aggressive belief that their technology will be the next unicorn.

The speakers were well-chosen and they delivered. It was a two-day orgy of tech ideas. Ideas that, if given the right push would be scalable, affordable and relatable.

It was mad. I loved every bit of the whole thing and much more importantly, I loved most of the very beautiful female tech enthusiasts. I will write a separate report for that one. No be here.

Finally, Eco Tutu, a cold storage facility business, won the major prize of N20 Million. Their system aiming at the challenges of storage and distribution was phenomenally powerful. They truly deserved the prize but the greatest winner of it all is Nigeria and thanks to the egg heads at Zenith Bank, today we have a renewed hope in the future of our country.

Well done guys, really well done for this particular one. God bless.

58

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Ex-banker, Bayo Adewakun’s Song of Victory

Oba Akinruntan

Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Akinruntan Celebrates 13th Anniversary If you cherish royalty and the grace of being a King, you will surely appreciate why His Imperial Majesty, Oba Frederick Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Ilaje, Ondo State, loves to celebrate the ascension of his forefathers’ throne and the grace of God in his life.

The billionaire monarch, last weekend, assembled eminent personalities in the society when he marked his 13th anniversary on the throne. Quite expectedly, the entire Ugboland town literally rose and tumbled in joy during the occasion.

Since he became the Olugbo of Ugboland, he has put the name of the riverine community on the world map with several projects such as the eyepopping palace.

In 2014, the flamboyant and colourful traditional ruler was ranked by Forbes magazine as the second-richest King in Africa and the richest in Nigeria.

He has a custom-built 2012 Rolls Royce similar to that of Queen Elizabeth II. Aside from the oil and gas business, Oba Akinruntan is also into real estate.

He has choice buildings in London and across Nigeria, including the prestigious Febson Hotels and Mall in the Central Business District of Abuja.

The stylish Oba, who sits atop a conglomerate with interests in petroleum, shipping, construction, fishery, tourism and hospitality, consultancy services, and water purification and production, owns one of the most expensive yachts in the country.

Oil Tycoon, Festus Fadeyi Remains in His Cocoon Festus Fadeyi’s name evokes a mixture of admiration, envy and respect in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

Fadeyi is not one of your run-off-themill businessmen. He is head and shoulders above several competitors in the industry.

He runs Pan Ocean Oil Corporation, a thriving oil exploration and production company in Nigeria.

Sadly, he has had his own fair share of the challenges of doing business in the country.

For two years, Fadeyi battled with a myriad of troubles. His headache then was not unconnected with the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) which was said to have taken over his company’s assets and those of its subsidiaries over huge bank loans that led to the death of a Nigerian bank.

A report by some independent auditors revealed that Fadeyi, via his Pan Ocean Group, cumulatively secured a total of more than N240 billion (almost half of the total debt of defunct Skye Bank), thus making him the most heavily indebted entity to the bank.

Fadeyi, through Pan Ocean, allegedly took the loans considered one of the biggest loan portfolios in the country to fund the firm’s oil and gas upstream projects operated under Joint Operating Agreements and Production Sharing Contracts with and on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).

Although the matter was resolved when an agreement for the debt settlement was reached by the warring parties.

At last, ex-banker, Bayo Adewakun, can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Therefore, if you see him walking about like a man without worries, it is because he has just come out of a protracted legal tussle with his hard-earned image still intact!

Recently, he was dragged before a Federal High Court in Lagos on an amended four-count charge for allegedly granting a N33,632,667.17 loan to a company, B. Waks Consultants, without adequate security.

The loan, according to the prosecution led by Ndidi GladysUkoha, was allegedly granted to partly finance the completion of a housing project in Victoria Garden City, Lagos for outright sale, without adequate security.

In one of the charges, Adewakun, in his capacity as a Director with the defunct Mortgages PHB Limited, allegedly granted credit facilities in the sums of N10m, N5m, N17.6m to B. Waks Consultants Ltd to partly finance the completion of the housing project, an offence contrary to Section 15(1)(a)(i) of the Failed Banks

(Recovery of Debts and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act) CAP F2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Punishable under Section 16(1) (a) of the same Act. He was also accused of granting another credit facility, which was more than 20 % of the shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses without having mandatory approval from the bank to B. Waks Consultants Ltd. While the trial lasted, some of his loyal friends maintained that “he is a man of integrity, who will never do anything to stain his hard-earned reputation.”

Adewakun and his friends have been proven right, as the matter has been discontinued on the grounds of lack of substance.

The notice of discontinuance, which was served on the court on November 9, 2022, from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M.B Abubakar; Deputy Director, A.A Yusuf and Principal State Counsel, Ndidi G.E. Ukoha.

Adewakun

Prophetess Olufunmi Lucas’ Sense of Fellow Feeling

Lucas

Again, amiable Prophetess Olufunmi Lucas showed her sense of fellow feeling a few days ago when she splashed cash on some widows and other indigent members of the society during her birthday celebration this year.

The day began with a prayer and praise session at the Mountain of Miracles Prayer Ground in Ilara, Epe, Lagos State. It was followed by donations to widows and the needy in the environs.

Speaking during the occasion, Prophetess Lucas, who was supported by her husband, Bishop

Obafemi Lucas, said a sum of N14.11 Million had been earmarked for touching lives.

In attendance at the event anchored by Woli Arole and Gboyega Lawal, were Lagos Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Hon. Tokunbo Wahab; Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo and his wife, Bolanle; Mrs. Folashade Adesoyi; Mrs. Bukola Alli-Balogun and Sekinat Elegushi.

The guests were treated to pulsating music by Yinka Ayefele.

Auto Magnate, Adebayo Adesola Celebrates with the Less-privileged He is the real definition of grace. His grass-to-grace story fits him perfectly into the description of a man who enjoys the abundant grace of God. Adebayo Adesola, Managing Director, Vision Wheel Motors, is a consummate businessman and one of the biggest auto magnates in the country today.

A man with an infectious geniality, he has risen above the challenges posed by his humble background.

For the dark-skinned businessman, last Tuesday, November 22, 2022, was another beautiful day, as he turned 52, amidst pomp and circumstance.

Though he had the wherewithal to throw an elaborate party, Adesola, instead, celebrated the day by feeding over 1,000 less privileged ones in Lagos and Ondo States as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He had chosen the day to give back to the society that had graciously lifted him from his humble background.

As a young man, he had a clear vision of what he wanted to do later in life and he pursued it with unwavering doggedness.

The only thing that caught his fancy was business and he refused to be swayed by any other interest.

Adesola

Kayode Ajulo Gets Attention from Buckingham Palace

Ajulo

Dr Olukayode Ajulo, a respected lawyer, typifies the true meaning of the witty saying that “a man who is good at what he does will stand not just before men, but before Kings and the mighty ones.”

A perfectionist of sorts, he puts in his best in whatever he does; and the result is evident in the success he has made of his career.

He is reputed for handling any brief to a successful end. Also, the accuracy of his interpretations and predictions over national issues, as well as law-related ones, have made his thoughts to be much soughtafter.

Ajulo, also a dandy, is known to be very courteous. His interpersonal relationship has been described as

highly commendable. This, quite expectedly, has endeared him to many in society.

Recently, his London firm had sent an official message to condole with King Charles III of England at the instance of the passing of Queen Elizabeth.

Of course, the gesture was simply out of principle. But it was a pleasant surprise when King Charles III, some days ago, acknowledged and responded to the message. The highly revered monarch had sent a card, which he personally engraved with kind words in a reply.

When asked to describe his feelings about the message from Buckingham Palace, he said unequivocally that “It is a treasure”.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R NOVEMBER 27, 2022

59

GLITZ ENTERTAINMENT

‘Welu Welu’ Singer, Sammie Okposo’s Death Shocks Gospel Music Industry Stories by Vanessa Obioha The unexpected death of one of Nigeria’s finest gospel singers, Sammie Okposo on Friday, November 25, came as a shock to fans and colleagues. The singer was said to have slumped and died.

Okposo last posted on Instagram barely 24 hours before his death. He shared a reel of the last edition of his concert Sammie Okposo Praise Party (SOPP) which took place on November 4 in Lagos. He was also billed to perform at the upcoming Sinach and Friends Christmas Concert scheduled for December 11.

Some of his colleagues took to their social media accounts to mourn his death. Frank Edwards posted a picture of a candle with the caption “What did I just hear? Uncle Sammie?”. The post was accompanied by heartbreak emoticons.

An indigene of Isoko in Delta State, Okposo was famed for his energetic music, often sung in his local language. He was credited to be among those who popularised Isoko gospel songs in the 2000s, particularly following his ‘Welu Welu’ hit released in 2000.

The late singer evinced a penchant for music at a young age, playing piano in his local church. In 1995, he began sampling his music production skills by producing soundtracks for a few Nigerian films.

Okposo won multiple awards during his lifetime, both local and international. They include the KORA Awards Best Gospel Artiste in Africa in 2006, Crown SABC Best of African Gospel 2014, Afro Hollywood UK Best Gospel Artiste in 2005, and NEA Best Gospel Artiste of the Year in 2007 and 2013.

Given his background in music production, Okposo owned a record label Zamar Entertainment. His 2018 album ‘The Statement’, was produced by the Grammy-winning Kevin Bond.

However, Okposo’s life was mired in infidelity. Early this year, he made a public apology to his wife, confessing to an affair with a US-based lady.

According to him, he got intimately involved with a lady “knowing that this was not appropriate as a married man and minister of the gospel,” he wrote on his Instagram page back in January.

His apology came 24 hours after the lady called him out for impregnating and abandoning her.

Following his confession, Okposo deactivated his social media accounts and suspended himself from all ministerial work.

He would later reactivate his accounts. He and his wife Ozy marked their 12th anniversary in July.

Okposo was aged 51.

Michael O. Speaks on Co-producing Song with Grammy President

By Rebecca Ejifoma ‘Overload’ crooner Michael O. is having a moment in Afrobeats, which has become a global phenomenon in the music industry.

Michael O. is a firm believer in the genre as most of his songs have groovy

Michael O.Ajeyemi

How Ruth’s Buka is Promoting Nigerian Culture in America Nigerian culinary culture is gaining recognition in the United States, thanks to Ruth’s Buka, a Nigerian family-orientated restaurant located in Foothill Boulevard, Oakland, California.

With its unique offering of Nigerian homemade cuisines, the restaurant has received rave reviews. Visitors who have been there shared their experiences on their social media pages, hailing the restaurant for showcasing the Nigerian culinary culture to the world and thus making the country proud, of its people and culture.

According to the owner and founder, Ruth Ejuwa, a professional America-based, Nigerian caterer from Delta State, Ruth’s Buka is a family-oriented food from The Root restaurant. It started in an average garage of her home and catered to various people throughout the Bay Area.

“We are an authentic family-oriented restaurant. Every spice we use to make our delicious food at Ruth’s Buka is from back home in Nigeria that will make you miss home once you take a bite,” says Ruth Ejuwa.

With such positive reviews, Ejuwa takes pride in making Nigerians in the Diaspora to still feel home with her meals.

rhythms and percussion. In his new release, Michael O. talked about the collaborative work he did with the Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. on the song ‘Japa’.

In a recent trip to Africa, Mason Jr. told journalists that the Recording Academy was in talks with the key players in the Afrobeats music scene to explore the possibility of adding Afrobeats to the award’s genre list.

He disclosed that the Academy was working with “leaders of the Afrobeats community” to promote inclusivity at the Grammys, thereby working with acts from Africa to further push the sounds of West Africa to the forefront.

In his reaction, Michael O. who was elated and humbled to work with Mason Jr. as a co-producer of ‘Japa’ says it’s a blessing and one for which he is forever grateful and hopes that more artists will emerge from such collaborations.

‘JAPA’, which means “to flee” in Yoruba slang, is a song about the many people being forced to seek a better life.

The track serves as a unifying anthem, encouraging people of all backgrounds to return and tap into their ancestral lineage. “’Japa’ is the story of survival,” he says.

“It is the story of America”.

The song will be one of the songs on Michael O.’s upcoming EP due next year.

The late Sammie Okposo

Moani Cooks Something Big for Christmas Afro-fusion artist Moani is currently in the studio, cooking up beats that will make the yuletide season a memorable one for his fans.

The artist who was born Ani Onyema and hails from Enugu State is known for hits such as ‘Kolala’, which video was shot by Clarence Peters; and ‘Ikwete’.

Miami’s love for music dates back to his childhood. He recalls how he used to sample the music of 2Pac Shakur, Michael Jackson, and Ra’s Kimono during his high school days.

A Higher National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from the Institute of Management Technology (IMT), revealed that though he did not get the moral support from his late parents to pursue his music career, h e s t i l l a s pi res t o be a mo n g t h e t o p musi c i n f l uen c ers i n A f ri c a .

H e rev ea l ed t h a t h e i s presen t l y working on an Extended Play (EP) of about six tracks and hopes to release two singles from it before Christmas. Moani

Soundz Turn Heads with ‘Attention’Visual Garnering over two million streams across major streaming platforms with 2020’s ‘Darasimi’, budding music act Samuel Oluwadarasimi, better known as Soundz, continues to make impressive strides in the Afrobeats space with the release of the visual to ‘Attention’, a single off his ‘In the Rough’ extended play (EP).

The mid-tempo afro-fusion track that bears elements of R’n’B sees Soundz gliding smoothly on the beat with euphonious vocals. So far, it has amassed over six million streams across all platforms including 300,000 views on TikTok, and over 100,000 Shazams.

Attaining such milestones, ‘Attention’ easily enters the

race to become one of Nigeria’s breakout songs this year. It has also made an appearance on other African music charts in countries like Ghana.

Shot and directed in Lagos by Pink, who has contributed to the videography of acts like Chike, DJ Neptune, Flavour, and Ayra Starr, the visual relays a love tale where Soundz fights against all odds to win the heart of his love interest.

Signed to AfroNext Entertainment, Soundz is shaping up to be the newest kid on the block after he released a brilliant cover of Beyonce and WizKid’s ‘Brown Skin Girl’ to much acclaim. Additionally, he featured the likes of Teni, YKB, and UK-based Chopdaily in his growing discography.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ JUNE 24 2012

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

27. 11.2022

Privileged Glimpses from Life and Times of Ablade Glover Ablade Glover’s coming exhibition in Lagos, for the first time in nearly two decades, offers, along with his recently launched book, useful glimpses into the past experiences that formed the backdrop of his paintings. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

A

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Lorry Station, 60 by 48, 2018 by Ablade Glover..

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Glover's book cover

Flamboyance 2015, 40 by 50 by Ablade Glover

could be viewed as his autobiographical perspective on the adversities and tenacity of these exceptional amazons, who made a great impression on him as D ER\ 7KLV DOVR H[SODLQV KLV DGXODWLRQ and romanticisation of these women as ´TXHHQVµ LQ D PDQQHU WKDW HYRNHV WKH philosophy of the Negritude Movement in the 2015 oil on canvas painting he titled ´)ODPER\DQFHµ ,Q KLV SURÀOHV RI WKHVH ZRPHQ RI OHJendary fortitude and resilience, the artist waxes poetic in his aesthetically captivating, lush impasto paintings, which evoke PRWLRQ DQG ÁXLGLW\ 3HUKDSV LW ZDV WKH tenacity and diligence of these women that motivated him to maintain a strict routine that sees him getting up every morning at around 6 am to work on his paintings from his days as an art lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, often by its acronym .1867 /LWWOH ZRQGHU KH VWDQGV RXW OLNH a monolith in a contemporary African landscape that swarms with younger WDOHQWV 2Q DFFRXQW RI KLV UHQRZQ LQ serious art circles around the world as

RQH RI WKH PRVW LQÁXHQWLDO $IULFDQ DUWLVWV of the last century, his paintings are often VRXJKW DIWHU E\ FROOHFWRUV Then there is his series featuring people, which he was said to have stumbled upon during an arduous attempt he was makLQJ RQH GD\ WR FRQMXUH D PDUNHW VFHQH The artist, so to speak, had set out on a SDWK WKH HQG RI ZKLFK KH GLG QRW NQRZ Through his perspiration in a bid to reenact his aesthetically engaging tableaus, the inspiration to rise above the depiction of VWDOOV FDPH WR KLP 7KLV ZDV KRZ KH FDPH about the 2018 patterned paintings like ´/RUU\ 6WDWLRQµ ZKLFK OLNH WKH PDUNHW scenes, seem to blur into sameness while evoking the diversities of human identities DQG LGHDV There are also forest scenes, which are the vestigial reminiscences of his time DV D OHFWXUHU DW .1867 LQ .XPDVL 7KLV nemophilist disposition, to which he owes his rapturous moments around WUHHV LQ DSSUHFLDWLRQ RI QDWXUH·V JLIW OHG WR KLV LQLWLDO GHWDLOHG GHSLFWLRQ RI IRUHVWV 7KLV ZRXOG TXLFNO\ EOXU LQWR D VW\OLVHG representation that emphasises impres-

VLRQV DQG HVFKHZV GHWDLOLQJ $ QRWDEOH example of this is his 2009 oil on canvas SDLQWLQJ )RUHVW ZKLFK JLYHV WKH VHQVH RI VSHHGLQJ WKURXJK D IRUHVW 8OWLPDWHO\ *ORYHU·V HDUO\ HGXFDWLRQ that saw him hopscotching across three continents, his teacher training years at KNUST between 1957 and 1958, as well as his studies in textile design at the Central School of Arts and Design, London, between 1959 and 1962, must have left WKHLU LPSULQWV RQ KLV SDLQWLQJV 6R DOVR did his experiences at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (where he VWXGLHG DUW HGXFDWLRQ KLV 0DVWHU·V GHJUHH studies at Kent State University, and his GRFWRUDWH DW 2KLR 6WDWH 8QLYHUVLW\ 86$ This is one compelling reason why this landmark exhibition, which ends on Monday, December 19, should, along with the book, be valued as a privileged peek into the background of this hugely successful Ghanaian artist, who eventually set up WKH $UWLVW·V $OOLDQFH DUW JDOOHU\ LQ $FFUD LQ *ORYHU KDG IRXQGHG WKH JDOOHU\ DERXW IRXU \HDUV DIWHU OHDYLQJ .1867·V DUW GHSDUWPHQW ZKLFK KH MRLQHG LQ

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

61

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\POTPOURRI

Remembering Dilibe Onyeama…

EXHIBITION

Okechukwu Uwaezuoke

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ot even the recognition of man’s ultimate mortality— a fact that silences all scepticism and about which there is no ignorance—could have prepared anyone for the news. Hence, Charles Dilibe Ejiofor Onyeama’s sudden departure from this life on Thursday, November 10, would have hit many in the literary community like a ton of bricks. Many people who were – and probably still are – in shock may have hoped that it would be quickly debunked as a rumour.

But no, the traditional media outlets were soon awash with the announcement, which followed closely on the heels of that of the social media platforms. Then there were the family sources, who didn't just corroborate the information. They would also later announce that the remains of the renowned novelist and convener of the Coal City Book Convention would be buried on Saturday, December 3, in his native town of Eke in Enugu State.

2Q\HDPD D UHVSHFWHG ÀJXUH LQ OLWHUDU\ FLUFOHV Onyeama with a copy of his contoversial book bowed out of the scene quite unexpectedly at Nigger at Eton a time when no one had anticipated it. Such circumstances repeatedly raise questions bordering on the purpose of man's earthly existence.

For here indeed was a silver spoon child, born as the second son of the late Nigerian judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, who Lives Matter protests of 2020 to reawaken EHFDPH WKH ÀUVW EODFN SHUVRQ WR JUDGXDWH IURP global interest in the book, which has now Eton College in England in 1969. What could been retitled A Black Boy at Eton. be the point of such an earthly life in privileged Despite the fact that the author described circumstances if it were meant to end so abruptly?

Eton's apology as “neither solicited nor Could there be a more animated reality beyond desired, nor expected nor anticipated; in this physical reality?

HͿHFW >«@ ZKROO\ XQQHFHVVDU\ µ WKH IDFW Meanwhile, Nigger at Eton, unarguably Onthat it came after Simon Henderson, the yeama’s best-known book, was based on his school's headmaster since 2015, was a positive ÀUVWKDQG H[SHULHQFHV RI UDFLVP DW WKH IDPRXV symbolic gesture. “Racism has no place in public school Eton College. Its publication led FLYLOLVHG VRFLHW\ WKHQ RU QRZ µ +HQGHUVRQ to his ban from visiting the school by thenwas also quoted by the BBC as arguing, as headmaster Michael McCrum. Though the ban he promised to invite Onyeama “so as to was revoked in 2008 by the late Provost of the apologise to him in person, on behalf of school, Sir Eric Anderson, when Onyeama was the school, and to make clear that he will invited to participate in an Old Boys’ get-together DOZD\V EH ZHOFRPH DW (WRQ µ (which he was unable to attend), it took the Black While acknowledging the school's apology

TRIBUTE

DV ´WRXFKLQJ DQG PXFK DSSUHFLDWHG µ 2Q\HDPD emphasised, “We have all done enough to be ashamed of, and nobody - of whatever race or KXH KDV D PRQRSRO\ RQ ULJKWHRXVQHVV µ +H would let bygones be bygones and rather focus on the positives of his experience at the school.

The school, which is known around the world for its high educational standards, charges fees of more than £40,000 (N 21,154,937.57) per year.

Founded by King Henry VI in 1440, Onyeama believed that the school was never conceived with Africans in mind. Hence, he described himself as “an eccentric choice for such a breedLQJ JURXQG ZKRVH DQFHVWRUV KRLVWHG WKH ÁDJ LQ those backward lands in which the crown had HVWDEOLVKHG DFTXLVLWLYH RFFXSDQF\ µ Of course, Onyeama, who founded Delta Publications (an Enugu-based book publishing company), was also renowned for other books, including novels like Juju, Secret Society, Nigger at Eton, Sex Is a Nigger’s Game, Night Demon, Revenge of the Medicine Man, and Godfathers of Voodoo, among others, which were bestsellers in the 1970s and 1980s. There were also books like African Legend, Modern Messiah, AMessage to My Compatriots (the Case Against Sanctions), 7KH 6WRU\ RI DQ $IULFDQ ´*RGµ 7KH /LIH DQG Times of Chief Onyeama, The A-Z of Humorous Poems that Rhyme, Dadi: The Man, the Legend (an Intimate Portrait), and the occult novel The Flaming Sword, which was published in 2019.

Delta Publications, which was never known to have encouraged vanity publishing, was known to have launched a handful of authors into the limelight. Among them was Chris Abani, whose debut novel, the political thriller Masters of the Board, was published in 1984. The company also published novels by the late, renowned $EXEDNDU *LPED QDPHO\ 7ULDO RI 6DFULÀFH Witness to Tears, and Innocent Victims, among others, as well as Michael Nsonwu’s All Screwed Up and Mukhtar Balewa’s novel, Prince of Mali.

Curiously, Onyeama remained unsung despite his literary accomplishments and contributions to the Nigerian literary landscape. Could he have sensed that his relaunch of the controversial book, A Black Boy at Eton, in February this year would be his swan song?

At LABAF 2022, Demas Nwoko Unveils New Book, ‘Concrete Thinking’ Yinka Olatunbosun

A

t the just concluded Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF), a handful of journalists took part in the meet-and-greet session with the legendary artist, architect and scholar, Demas Nwoko. The session which preceded the public presentation of the new book titled ‘Concrete Thinking’ revived conversations around his involvement with the Mbari club and his trajectory through the Nigerian College of Arts Science and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University) where he studied Fine Art. Nwoko had contributed to one of the most VLJQLÀFDQW DUW PRYHPHQWV LQ 1LJHULD·V DUW KLVWRU\ Nwoko – the Natural Synthesis movement – driven by the ‘Zaria Rebels,’ to his illustrious multidisciplinary career as a painter, sculptor, set designer and lecturer at the University of Ibadan.

As an architect and builder, his invaluable took. We were all students at either Ahmadu contributions to nation building through his Bello University or University of Ibadan preparcreative output and his philosophies formed the ing for independence. Why it did not blossom crux of the new book titled 'Concrete Thinking.' into a culture – the history of the nation itself Published by New Culture Publications, the is checkered.

"Independence was a political issue. There was book is a product of the artist’s seven decades in Nigeria’s arts, design and culture spaces and a colonial government and we needed to move his critical interventions into arts and national away from that to form our own government development. The book, ‘Concrete Thinking,’ as a people. This is the time to start again. We has been a lifetime project for the writer who are privileged to be alive and we are waiting for you people to do what we did in 1959 and envisions real independence for Nigeria.

Nwoko may have built countless projects 1960. We are still around to guide you as much as an architect but the foundation he and his as you want.

"The occasion that brought me here is the contemporaries laid in arts with the holistic education of the Mbari Club movement will launching of my two books that I had been remain in collective memory despite a lack of writing all my life. We are supposed to make DQ HͿRUW WR GLUHFW RXU IXWXUH WR RXU FXOWXUDO replication or a conscious continuity.

While reminiscing on the circumstances that advantage. We should not cry over spilled milk.

His contributions to nation building through served as catalyst to the movement, he revealed: “What happened before independence was his creative output and his philosophies, has been appropriate. It was an action that individuals well documented over the years, in journals,

'Day to Dawn.'

In Light Resolution, Artist Alludes to Nigeria’s Power Failure, Culture Yinka Olatunbosun Sponsored by Legacy Empire Gallery, an exhibition of paintings by the emerging artistAkeemAdeleke titled‘LightResolution’hadrekindledconversations around the power situation in Nigeria. The show which opened on Sunday November 20 attracted fresh art lovers, artists as well as art enthusiasts to the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. $GHOHNH ZKR VWXGLHG ÀQH DUW DW WKH )HGHUDO &ROOHJH RI Education, OsieleAbeokuta had always envisioned a Nigeria where electricity would be constant. For him, Nigeria is a burgeoning hub of technology and power failure can weaken the potential of an individual to be productive. Through his body of works, he would manifest his expectations for his nation.

“Ibelievethatourthoughtsareourfuture,’’hebegan.

“The great optimism for Nigeria is a dream that I hopewillcometrueinthenearfuture.Thisismyown visual projection for Nigeria based on my dream for the country. I have been painting for this purpose.

There is a relationship between what we think and what happens to us. If you think about something, you must also work towards it.’’

Painting from imagination and reality, Adeleke would sometimes capture scenery from a bird’s eye view. His drone-like mindset has resulted into some fascinating landscape pieces at the show.As a young schoolboy,Adeleke showed an exceptional talent in art right from his secondary school days.

While he was enrolled at the Comprehensive High School,Ayetoro,hisknowledgeoftheartsdeepened. ´:H KDG WKUHH WHDFKHUV IRU ÀQH DUWV LQ WKH VFKRRO All three of them taught me art before I went to Federal college of education at Osiele Abeokuta and graduated in 2004. I majored in painting and graphics,’’ he recounted.

To deliver this second solo exhibition, he started working on the body of works in September, last year. With 17 paintings at the show, he rekindled his interest in bridging cultural elements with his artistic expressions.

The Red Sea Film Festival’s Second Edition Brings African, Asia and Western Cinema to Saudi Arabia

BOOK COVER

magazines and festschrifts; to make this new collection, ‘Concrete Thinking.’

“Concrete thinking is a book that took a lifetime to mature and materialise; it covers my entire adult working life. Starting with my activities in the tertiary institution, a period that prepares one for his contributions, physically and intellectually to the society. At this point, when you have chosen a career, you have to be put through the process of advanced acquisition and utilization of technological skill which is necessary for the realization of one’s objectives in life. ´7KHUH OLHV WKH GLͿHUHQFH EHWZHHQ JHQHUDO thinking and concrete thinking, because concrete thinking is a thought process that must end in practical reality, albeit physical or philosophical. This is what I refer to in my new culture philosophy as one process that amalgamates “thinking and tinkering’’ to qualify as thinking that is thought through which generates viable human development,’’ he stated in his foreword.

From December 1 to December 10, the Red Sea International Film Festival will bring the world of cinema to its base in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Now in its second edition, the festival has announced a VHOHFWLRQ RI ÀOPV WKDW LQFOXGH ZRUNV IURP ÀOPPDNLQJ newcomers and acclaimed masters fromAsia,Africa, and the West.

OliverStone,theOscarwinningdirectorbehindsuch ÀOPV DV 3ODWRRQ :DOO 6WUHHW %RUQ RQ WKH )RXUWK RI July, and JFK, will head the festival’s main jury, the )HDWXUHV &RPSHWLWLRQ -XU\ $QG DPRQJ WKH ÀOPV to be screened at the festival are Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave, which won Best Director at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Also showing are the well-received The Banshees of Inisherin by British playwright-directorMartinMcDonaghandHirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker, for which Korean thespian Song Kang-Ho won Best Actor at Cannes this year.

To open the festival, the festival will screen What’s LoveGottoDowithIt?,aromanticcomedy,byShekhar .DSXU DQG WKH FORVLQJ ÀOP 9DOOH\ 5RDG FRPHV IURP writer-director Khaled Fahd.Altogether, the festival ZLOO VFUHHQ IHDWXUH DQG VKRUW ÀOPV DV GUDZQ IURP FRXQWULHV $V ZLWK PRVW UHSXWDEOH ÀOP IHVWLYDOV LW will host world premieres and regional premieres. )LIWHHQ ÀOPV ZLOO VOXJ LW RXW LQ WKH 5HG 6HD &RPSHWLtion. They include A Childless Village, the second feature from Reza Jami; Wissam Charaf’s Dirty 'L΀FXOW 'DQJHURXV .DPLOD $QGLQL·V %HIRUH 1RZ and Then (Nana); Kenyan directorAngela Wanjiku’s The Pit; and Last Film Show from Pan Nalin, India’s R΀FLDO VXEPLVVLRQ IRU WKH %HVW ,QWHUQDWLRQDO )LOP category for the 2023 Oscars.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27, 2022

ARTS & REVIEW\\BOOKS

With Amoda and Abass, It’s Two Sides of a Coin

BOOK COVER

Intheduoshowtitled,‘TheAscendancyofMachine,'thelegendarysculptor,Olu Amoda and master painter, Kelani Abass are exploring their shared currency in visual storytelling to make statements on the relationship between man and machine as well as modern technology. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

H

osted by O’DAArt Gallery, Victoria Island Lagos, this intriguing exhibition titled 'The Ascendancy of Machine' runs from October 29th till November 19th.

Abass’s interrogation of this history is traceable to the series ‘Man and Machine’ which seeks to understand the synergy between workmanship of man and the ease of the machine.

The thematic focus of the body of work is even profound in today’s digital world where modern technology plays a pivotal role in the world of work, the dissemination of information and social engagement. This subject is subtly re-echoing the concerns with the industrial revolution where PDFKLQHV DUH UHSODFLQJ KXPDQ HͿRUW On the contrary, Abass, through painting and mixed media showcases the interplay between WKH PDQXDO DQG PHFKDQLFDO LQÁXHQFHG E\ WKH A painting by Gerald Chukwuma processes of industrial printing which the artist learned from his parents printing press business during his formative years. At a recent press preview of the works, Abass revealed how the LQÁXHQFH RI KLV URRWV FKDUDFWHULVHG VRPH RI KLV pieces, from miniature to large canvas paintings. wheels, cogs and dials. Similarly, in Chronological “We were operating letterpress machines. That’s Remuneration, XII the gear is embedded in the where the work started from. I was observing the centre of canvas’ foundation alluding to a need for machines and other tools we use in the printing mechanical elements beyond man’s capabilities. press and how the parts suppose one another.

“The importance of machinery in aiding manFor me, that was really special,” he recounted. power in today’s fast growing technological His art education taught him to dig into this advancement” is the only way to “take advantage personal history to create a visual narrative of of the resources in our arsenal,’’ he explained. the stages of labour intensive duties, using a In this exhibition, both artists, although highly PL[WXUH RI VXSHULPSRVHG ÀJXUDWLYH HOHPHQWV distinct in style and subject matter, share a comand the elements of abstraction of applied objects mon focus in which the evolution of modern and and mixed media.

FRQWHPSRUDU\ SUDFWLFHV DͿHFW WKHLU LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ Also,Abass expressed concern about the threat of of socio-political and environmental discourses WHFKQRORJ\ WR KXPDQ HͿRUW DQG KRZ DXWRPDWHG in today’s Africa. systems are driving the need for less workers. In Olu Amoda’s pieces, displayed in the open-air the piece titled ‘Chronological Remuneration, garden around the gallery, are indeed environmenValour and Heroism Triptychs,’ the physicality of talist’s statements. Made of repurposed objects, workmanship is held together by the visibility of his metallic sculptures intersect past and present

BOOK COVER

contexts as a means to measure cultural value and encourage appropriate structural reforms in Nigeria. For over a decade,Amoda has situated his works within socio-political and environmental frameworks.

Thus, he appropriates repurposed materials such as rusty nails, metal plates, bolts and pipes in his creations, as a visual commentary on the consumer culture. His installation ‘Rotation Against Masses (Rams), 2014’ critiques the lack of political reform in Nigeria and at the same time, questions the rationale for the coexistence of the Nigerian people. Each Ram is an indication of regional areas in Nigeria and the disparity that lends itself to faulty voting systems.

In a sense, both artists call for a shift in ideals, focusing primarily on encouraging a more progressive and forward-thinking environment. While past articles of history may be important to Abass to preserve, Amoda also shares the sentiment that discarded objects possess some degree of energy can be repurposed.

Creatively, using the welding process, Amoda’s ZRUNV DUH UHÁHFWLYH RI D KRSH IRU QHZ IRUPV DQG possibilities.

“This process, driven by forensic and archaeological inquest, brings to the fore the sculptural discourse on the technological upgrade of an object and invites my audience on a collaborative journey in which process and product exist side by side.”

His life-sized sculpture of ‘Expectation, 2015’ FUHDWHG IURP ZHOGHG EURQ]H FDVW IURP ÀUHZRRG is an indication of the possibilities created from the intricate process of welding.

The artist’s intention to recreate a familiar pose of an individual awaiting a bus is brought to life in a performative and life-like manner as the references, metaphors and symbols are embodied in physical works. While both artists engage GLͿHUHQW SURFHVVHV VW\OHV DQG PHGLXPV WKHLU work is linked by a powerful sense of vitality and a need for change to the complexities of the African and Nigerian experience.

TAOH Exhibition Supports Mental Health Patients Yinka Olatunbosun

T

he just-concluded group exhibition with the theme, ‘We See; We Dream; We Hope’ has been a showcase of 15 Nigerian artists on a mission to support mental health patients. The show which ran from October 22 to 25 is an initiative of TAOH, a non-governmental organization that derives its acronym from ‘The Art of Healing.’ It was done in partnership with Alliance Francaise, Lagos and held at the Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi.

Curated by Tony Agbapuonwu, the show features the works of Akanimoh Umoh, Deborah Segun, EdozieAnedu, Gerald Chukwuma, Kelani Abass, Kwadwo Asiedu, Nengi Omuku, Niyi Okeowo, Nzubechukwu Ozoemena, Olayemi Fagbohungbe, Olumide Onadipe, Richardson One of Olu Amoda's sculptures Ovbiebo, Roanna Tella, Tega Akpokona and Yadichinma Ukoha-Kanu.

(DUOLHU WKH SURMHFW WRRN RͿ DW WKH /DJRV 8QLversity Teaching Hospital (LUTH) with mural painting towards transforming the interiors of the psychiatric ward for a better healthcare forecast on the impact of this laudable art project. ambience. Four psychiatric wards were given “The art workshops at LUTH demonstrated a complete makeover as some of the patients the positive impact of artistic and creative exDQG VWDͿ HQJDJHG LQ WKH WKHUDSHXWLF H[SHUL- pression on mental health. This programme of ence. Hence, the exhibition which follows this work will go on to inform the murals that are mural project is in itself a fundraiser to enable created and ensure the new environments have the project completion at LUTH as well as other a relationship with the people who encounter health institutions in Africa. them. We are targeting the minds of mental health TAOH Founder, Ms. Nengi Omuku gave a patients through what they see by creating an

EXHIBITION

environment that helps them heal,’’ she said.

For Kwadwo Asiedu, the Project manager for the TAOH project and a participating artist revealed the impact of this art project on mental health.

“One of the things that this project has revealed to me is how therapeutic can be for mentally unwell patients. This is a great opportunity to explore that. It’s been a highly enlightening experience because as I mentioned earlier. This is a great opportunity to assess and document how art can work as a form of therapy in these institutions,’’ he said.

When asked how to push the conversations around mental health beyond the exhibition walls, he let his witty side kick in.

“Speaking of walls, I think the idea is to break down the walls. Most of the conversations DURXQG PHQWDO KHDOWK DUH FRQÀQHG ZLWKLQ WKH homes. If they have a relative that is mentally unwell, people normally shy away from talking about it openly. The individuals that are going through this state are often the ones that get marginalized and I feel that it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Yes, you can protect their individual right to dignity and privacy, but they are still a part of the family and are still your friends and should be treated as such,’’ he said.

The show was a belated celebration of World Mental Health Day on October 10 in honour of more than 116 million people estimated to be living with mental health conditions across Africa. Reportedly too, the pandemic had contributed about a 25% global rise in depression and anxiety.

Book cover

A New Dawn: A Commentary of Moral Values and Peer Pressure Yinka Olatunbosun

T

he narrative in 'New Dawn' about the central character, Jerome, may be all too familiar. A young man of faith is at ZDU ZLWK ÁHVKO\ GHVLUHV Although his resolve to live solely by godly standards is under threat on a daily basis, he lives a considerable normal life much to the annoyance of some of his girlfriends who are crazy about him.

In building the character of Jerome, the author Gedu Jolomi Joy situates him in a campus environment. As a christian, Jerome is determined to lead an exemplary life- service without sins and friendship without blemish. However, the pressure to relish a few moments of pleasure would haunt Jerome in his quest to remain spotless from the world.

Then comes a viral post from one of the daughters of jezebel. Will Jerome stay DÁRDW LQ D VLWXDWLRQ WKDW FDQ SRWHQWLDOO\ weaken his faith or tarnish his reputaWLRQ" *HGX OHDYHV WKH UHDGHUV WR ÀQG out in this easy-read.

An example of contemporary Nigerian literature, 'New Dawn' is a mix of English language, pidgin English with a touch of colloquialism.

New Dawn is not without errors: a handful of typographical and grammatical errors can be seen in the work ZKLFK LV WKH ÀUVW SULQW RI WKH ERRN 1R doubt, these would be corrected in subsequent editions.

Gedu's sojourn into writing began in her undergraduate years. A native of 'HOWD 6WDWH 1LJHULD VKH HDUQHG KHU ÀUVW degree in Animal and Environmental Biology from Delta State University, Abraka.

During her university years, she developed an interest in nature and African poetry. As a successful creative writer, the author has written various articles for magazines and online platforms; some of her works have appeared in foreign publications.

Jolomi aspires to bring awareness about marital issues and general mental health on the home front to the world, as well as introduce African art to the world through her works. She is happily married.

63

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

CICERO

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

IN THE ARENA

Will Kolmani Oil Field Change Nigeria’s Story?

The decades-long quest for oil and gas in the North apparently ended last week with President Muhammadu Buhari kick-starting oil drilling in the Upper Benue Trough’s Kolmani River field straddling Bauchi and Gombe states and estimated to add one billion barrels, and 500 billion cubic feet of gas to national reserves. It is not however certain if this discovery will have the capacity to change the Nigerian story, Louis Achi writes

A

ccording to former Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources between 1962 and 1986, Sheikh Zaki Yamani, “The Stone Age did not end for lack of stones and the Oil Age will end long before the world runs out of oil.” Yamani pushed this fundamental position despite his country’s almost embarrassing surfeit of hydrocarbon largesse.

While geology granted almost 50 per cent of earth’s proven crude oil reserves to Saudi Arabia and four of her neighbours, it handed Nigeria about 2.2 per cent of the same strategic product that drives human civilisation. But recent oil and gas industry developments may have upscaled the initial statistics for Nigeria.

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari flagged off the first crude oil drilling project in Northern Nigeria, in the Upper Benue Trough’s Kolmani River field (Kolmani Oil Prospecting Lease 809 and 810) straddling Bauchi and Gombe states. According to an obviously elated Buhari, it was to the credit of his government that at a time that financing of fossil fuel projects was drying up due to the energy transition drive, his administration was able to attract $3 billion to the sector.

He further clarified that prior scientific assessment had established that over one billion barrels of oil and over 500 billion cubic feet of gas are existing in the newfound reserve as drilling starts and that the project has attracted $3 billion investment already.

Understandably, Buhari described the day as important in Nigeria’s economic history as it progresses to production of oil and gas in the Upper Benue Trough.

According to the provisions of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC), while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) is the concessionaire of the blocks, the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) are the contractor parties.

Additionally, AOML Consortium signed a strategic partnership with the contractors to provide funding and technical capabilities for the integrated oil and gas development project and to be compensated from the contractor’s profit oil after commencement of operations.

Further, it also has an in-situ integrated develop-

Kyari ment plan, which guarantees evacuation and monetisation route for the hydrocarbon in the location, thereby eliminating the high cost and burden of building crude and product pipelines.

The first phase of the integrated development project would entail an oil refinery of up to 120,000 barrels per day capacity, a gas processing plant of up to 500 million standard cubic feet per day, a power plant of up to 300-megawatt capacity and a fertiliser plant of 2,500 tonnes per day.

It could be recalled that the NNPC had in October 2019 announced the discovery of hydrocarbon deposits in the Kolmani River II Well on the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin, in the North-eastern part of the country. The discovery said to have commercial quantity was the first in the region after several crude oil explorations in the Upper Benue Trough.

According to Buhari who urged the NNPC Ltd, NNDC, and their Strategic partners to ensure all lessons learnt from years of experience as an oilproducing nation are utilised, he noted that drilling kick-off “is indeed significant considering that efforts to find commercial oil and gas outside the

established Niger Delta Basin were attempted for many years without the desired outcomes.

“This discovery had emanated from our charge to the NNPC to re-strategise and expand its oil and gas exploration footprints to the frontier basins of Anambra, Dahomey, Sokoto, Benue trough, Chad and Bida Basins. Similar activities across the other basins are currently actively ongoing.”

After over six decades of the exploration and exploitation of crude petroleum in Nigeria, the future of the industry remains in the front burner of development discourse. Indisputably, the nation’s fossil fuel-powered economy could benefit from more far-sighted policies which has repositioned comparable producing countries.

The Petroleum Industry Bill - now the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) - signed into law by President Buhari on August 16, 2021, was a fundamentally crucial executive action and an important take-off point for transformative progression of the industry.

In a milieu where fetishism still subsists, unscientific reasons were even adduced to explain the extreme 20-year delay that dogged passing the

PIB into law. Even the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, at one time concluded that some “demons” were behind its non-passage.

As it were, the fortuitous arrival of Kolmani oil field fits nicely into the new industry management templates created and is a considerable revenue booster for a beleaguered nation.

The Group Managing Director, NNDC, Shehu MaiBorno, cut to the heart of the new industry reality and perhaps unwittingly to the core of an often cynical old debate when he stressed that the inauguration of the project put paid to doubts whether oil and gas resources could ever be found in the North.

Now that oil and gas has finally been struck in Northern Nigeria, after years of seemingly quixotic exploration, what are the industry and political implications? With little question, the oil find and move by the president would signal to both local and international investors that Nigeria means business in its efforts to get value from its Godgiven resources.

More specifically, the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantity in the Benue Trough/Gongola Basin would attract foreign investment, generate employment for people to earn income and increase government revenues.

The Northern oil find comes at a time crude oil production has dropped to around one million barrels per day in the country caused by rampant oil theft and vandalism, effectively hobbling the country’s ability to earn foreign exchange. For many years, Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer has not been able to increase her reserve, often defaulting in meeting OPEC quotas, resulting in steady depletion with concomitant economic risks.

But many disillusioned Southerners believe that crude petroleum has been the only fabric uniting the country and now with the claims of oil find of viable commercial quantity in the core North that the Northern region should relinquish its alleged predatory grip of the South.

But this apparently illogical position is being countered by other stakeholders who hold that the discovery of oil in the North would do pretty little to transform the North given the claim that the management of the country’s petroleum resources, largely a Southern product, has been mostly in the hands of Northerners.

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

Wike’s Fear of the Unknown

Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is going to drive political analysts and critics crazy with his seemingly jumbled decisions. While some analysts have given up on understanding Wike’s position and intention, others are partially convinced that the man is simply afraid of the unknown and therefore playing his cards with a cautious hand. That may be the overall game but it is currently looking as if Wike cannot decide on who he wants to support.

Rivers very recently welcomed the presence of the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, thanks to the invitation by the state governor, Wike.

Kwankwaso was asked to commission the

Mgbutanwo internal road project in the Emohua Local Government Area.

During the inauguration event, Wike described Kwankwaso as an honest person whose presence in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would have effectively secured the presidential bag for the party come 2023. Alas, Wike sighed, he could not get Kwankwaso to remain in PDP. Wike however prayed that God will help Kwankwaso and also promised to provide logistic support for the Kwankwaso’s campaign in Rivers.

Just a week before Kwankwaso’s visit, Wike had played host to

the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi. During Obi’s visit, Wike also promised to provide logistics support for the LP presidential campaigns.

For a person who less than five months ago was a presidential candidate of the PDP, Wike has swung his loyalty baton in every direction. Thus, one can either describe him as the friend of all presidential candidates (except Atiku Abubakar of the PDP) or someone uncertain about the outcomes of the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

Time will tell what Wike’s endgame is.

In the meantime, critics can continue to guess, citing Wike’s fear as the fuel for his seeming indecision.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

BRIEFINGNOTES When Masari Wept Profusely While presenting his last budget as Governor of Katsina State to the state House of Assembly last Tuesday, Governor Bello Masari, wept profusely. Ejiofor Alike writes that while the governor has every reason to weep for leaving the state more ravaged by bandits than he met it, his loyalists believe that he would miss the cordial relationship with the state’s lawmakers

P

ower is sweet as they say and when one loses it, there will be a solemn moment he will betray his emotions, no matter how long he had occupied the plum office.

This is was the case last Tuesday when Governor Aminu Bello Masari broke down in tears on the floor of the Katsina State House of Assembly while presenting a budget estimate of N288,633,257,963.00 for the 2023 fiscal year before the lawmakers for their scrutiny and consideration.

Masari publicly wept intermittently before the lawmakers and some top government officials, including the state’s deputy governor, Mannir Yakubu and the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, who also witnessed the budget presentation.

Though the governor had earlier told the lawmakers that he might be emotional while presenting the budget, he composed himself until towards the end of his speech when he broke down in tears.

First elected in 2015 as governor of Katsina State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Masari was re-elected in 2019 on the same platform.

Since Masari is currently serving his last term that will end on May 29, 2023, his tears immediately became the subject of conflicting political interpretations between his supporters and detractors.

While many have wondered why the governor should publicly weep on such occasion, others said that he wept because it dawned on him that he is leaving power.

However, his opponents believe that he wept because he would leave the state worse than he met it in terms of insecurity.

Masari inherited a very peaceful state but would be handing over a state where bandits incessantly kill and kidnap people for ransom, a state where farmers pay taxes to bandits to access their farms.

Overwhelmed by the state of insecurity in his state, the governor had on June 25, 2021, while inaugurating an operation and communication centre at the state’s police headquarters, said the only choice left was for the people to take their destiny in their hands and fight back.

“The era of blaming the federal government and security agencies on issues of Insecurity is over; let us wake up and see how we can tackle the problem ourselves.

Fighting back is necessary.

“We cannot fold our arms and be waiting for security personnel from other places to come to our aid; therefore, everybody should be a police personnel by giving

Masari

valuable information to security agencies,” he reportedly said.

The governor reiterated this call on August 2021, during a condolence visit to Jibia Local Government Area, where eight persons had died after the driver of a vehicle belonging to the Nigerian Customs Service lost control and ran over them.

In a statement by his spokesman, Abdu Malumfashi, the governor said, “It is the people’s meek submission that emboldens the bandits to continue with their heinous activities with murderous frequency. People must divorce their minds from the mistaken notion that security is government’s sole responsibility alone.”

He also defended his position during an interview on the state radio, Nagarta in Kaduna, claiming that there were not enough security operatives to man the state, hence

the need for citizens to resort to self-defence.

“We also know that there are not enough security personnel. How many soldiers are there in Katsina and this is because this insecurity affected virtually all states of the federation. This compounded the problem and people cannot fold their hands and watch themselves being killed. If they abandon their villages, where will they go and when will the killings end?” Masari queried.

Also while speaking at President Muhammadu Buhari’s house in Daura on December 28, 2021, the governor repeated his call for self-defence.

“It’s Islamically allowed for one to defend himself against attack.

One must rise to defend himself,

his family and assets. If you die while trying to defend yourself, you’ll be considered a martyr. It’s surprising how a bandit would own a gun while a good man trying to defend himself and his family doesn’t have one,” he reportedly argued.

Having realised that he had failed in his duty as the chief security officer of Buhari’s home state, he went on state that his government would be willing to help citizens acquire arms.

“We’ll support those who come with the initiative to procure arms because residents need to also complement the efforts of security agencies. These people (security agents) don’t have the number to protect the people. When President Buhari came, he even tried by increasing the number of our security agents but it’s inadequate. Count it yourself, how many policemen do we have in this country? How many soldiers do we have,” he added.

Despite his failure to secure his people, he still told the state lawmakers during the budget presentation that he expected the people to vote for the APC in 2023 elections.

Currently, there are fears that with five local government areas in the firm control of terrorists, many do not know how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the 2023 general election in the state.

With the state of insecurity in the state sliding to a frightening level under his watch, the governor has enough reasons to weep.

That he will miss power was partly reflected in his budget speech when he said: “As you are all aware, this is the last time I will stand here before the honourable members of Katsina State House of Assembly to present the draft annual budget for Katsina State government.

“Mr. speaker, honourable members of the State Assembly, I hereby wish to categorically state that I will miss this excellent working relationship. I hope that the same treatment will be accorded to the incoming administration,” he explained. Surprisingly, he still scored himself high despite his abysmal failure to secure his people.

“Alhamdulillah, we did not fail in our responsibilities to improve your lives and the condition of your livelihood within the available resources. And I am sure posterity will judge our government on the meaningful projects, programmes and policies implemented during its tenure as government of Katsina,” he added.

Indeed, posterity will judge Masari for failing to secure the state despite having a sitting president coming from the area.

NOTES FOR FILE

Ebubeagu as Personal Militia in Ebonyi

Umahi

Untilthesecuritysituationinthecountryworsened, manyNigerianswereseriouslyagainststatepolice.

Part of the arguments was that the present set of governors in the country are intolerant of opposition. A situation where these governors decide everything in the states, including who goes to the senate, House of Representatives, House of Assemblyandotherappointments,hascompletely turned them to emperors.

ManyhavebeenvindicatedwiththewayGovernor DavidUmahiofEbonyiStateadministersEbubeagu the state security outfit set up by the state government specifically to tackle the security challenges inthestate.Theoutfithasbecomeapersonalmilitia to the governor. Presently, nobody dare criticise the governor or any of his policy without threats

and attacks.

With the general election in top gear, members of the opposition in the state are crying out on how Umahi is using the security outfit to intimidate and harass them.

Only on October 16, 2022, a former House of Representatives member for Ohaozara/Onicha/ IvoFederalConstituencywasreportedlyabducted by the state-sponsored security outfit on his way home in Abakaliki.

Instead of Ebubeagu to give the people of the state hope and succour, it has increased their fears andanxiety.Thereareallegationsthatithasbecome a killer squad of the governor.

Recently, an alarm was raised by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) over the fate of its

deputy gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nkata Chuku, andothercandidatesandmembersoftheparty,that they have allegedly been marked for attacks ahead of the upcoming 2023 general election.

GraduallytheinsecuritysituationinEbonyiState is becoming worse than Imo State where the same Ebubeaguisbeingusedagainstpoliticalopponents.

Such heinous acts of intimidation, harassment and threat to life under any guise make a mockery ofconstitutionaldemocracyinwhichtheprotection of lives and rights of citizens should be guaranteed by security agencies. It also negates the underlying imperativesbehindtheestablishmentofEbubeagu.

TheallegedmisuseofEbubeaguiscapableofheating up the polity, with undesirable consequences, if not urgently addressed.

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CICERO/ISSUES

13% Derivation: Wike’s Hoax to Unsettle N’Delta Govs?

When Governor Nyesom Wike revealed that the money he used to construct flyovers across Port Harcourt were part of the funds from the 13 per cent derivation arrears due to Niger Delta states and paid by the federal government, it was only logical for stakeholders to ask other Niger Delta states how they spent theirs. However, it seems that the governor’s outburst was part of an elaborate hoax to put his colleagues on edge, writes Sylvester Idowu

I

n his usual manner of throwing jabs, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike again stirred the hornet’s nest penultimate Friday when he revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari approved and paid the arrears of 13 per cent derivation to Niger Delta states.

Wike made this known during the inauguration of the Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School. He disclosed that the gesture was also the major source of revenue for the construction of the law school and cancer centre in the state.

“Monies that were not paid to the Niger Delta states since 1999, mainly 13 per cent deductions, the president approved and paid all of us in Niger Delta states,” the governor said.

Immediately the Rivers State governor made the revelation, it instantly unsettled other South-south and South-east governors who have been benefiting from the 13 per cent derivation, with stakeholders asking how these governors spent or are spending their shares of the money they got from the federal government.

Barely two days after Wike’s revelation, though he later clarified it, social media was agog with the figures and amounts that each state allegedly got from the federal government. In one report that went viral, it was alleged that the outstanding 13 per cent derivation funds the federal government paid to were: Delta - N142 billion; Akwa Ibom - N91 billion; Bayelsa - N87 billion; Rivers - N83 billion; Edo - N17 billion; Ondo - N12 billion; Imo - N10 billion; Abia - N5 billion; and Lagos - N4 billion.

The stakeholders from the region reasoned that if Rivers could construct over 10 flyovers with its share of the derivation funds, what did Delta and Akwa Ibom which earned N59 billion and N8 billion respectively more than Rivers do with their share of the funds?

This made the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Col. David Imuse (rtd) to challenge Governor Godwin Obaseki to explain to the people of the state what he did with the derivation fund since his emergence as governor of the state.

But it did not take long to know that Governor Wike’s revelation was part of an elaborate hoax to unsettle his colleagues.

Sources close to some Niger Delta state governments said no outstanding derivation funds from 1999 to 2021 were paid to them.

They dismissed Wike’s claims, saying what the Buhari government only pledged to pay is the total amount due to each state from the 13 per cent derivation arrears from when he came to power in 2015, not 1999.

The sources said after many years, Niger Delta states noticed that for one reason or the other, they were under-paid the 13 per cent derivation funds due the states.

When they discovered, they complained and approvals were given and the funds were discounted. They added that when the states sat down with agents of the federal government in 2021 to compute the amount, they discovered that it was huge and they agreed that the amount would be paid in a quarterly installment for five years and that it has only paid in three quarterly installments.

A source said Wike’s revelation was a deliberate and calculated plot to spite the Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation which has been running its campaign smoothly to his consternation.

“You know that before INEC gave political parties the go-ahead to commence campaign,

Some Niger Delta governors

it was alleged that Atiku was broke. Now Wike is surprised and envious that the campaign is moving ahead without his input.

He is suspecting that Okowa pumped Delta State money into the campaign. This is the reason behind his revelation. It is mainly to spite them and cause confusion. Nothing more,” one of the sources said.

Responding last week, the Delta State Government debunked Wike’s claim that it collected refunds from the federal government without disclosing it to citizens, saying it had remained committed to transparency and accountability in all its financial dealings on behalf of the people.

The Commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Tilije, said contrary to the revelation

by Wike, Delta State only received N14.7 billion in three quarterly installments of N4.9 billion each.

Speaking at a news conference in Asaba, Tilije said the state government had remained committed to transparency and accountability in all its financial dealings on behalf of the people. He added that the total amount due to the state from the 13 per cent derivation arrears is N240 billion out of which the federal government agreed to pay in quarterly installments for five years.

The finance commissioner also denied claims by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, that the state government received over N60 billion in refunds for federal road projects executed by the state.

He said: “With the agreed amounts settled, some states like Rivers approached commercial banks and discounted theirs in full and collected, but Senator Ifeanyi Okowa said he would not want to leave the next administration with a huge debt burden. He resorted to discounting only N150 billion out of the N240 billion expected receivables but later pruned it down to N100 billion.

“So far, we have got N14.7 billion in three quarterly installments and we have also accessed N30 billion out of the N100

billion we applied for as bridging finance,” he explained.

The commissioner stated that contrary to the impression given by Wike that previous administrations in the country refused to pay the money to the oil-producing states, the discovery of the outstanding funds was made by current commissioners for finance in the Niger Delta states.

“The present Commissioners for Finance of the nine Niger Delta states looked into the books of the NNPC and discovered that 13 per cent derivation was not deducted from subsidy payments and investments in priority projects by the corporation.

“We took the matter before the FAAC and National Economic Council and got them to approve the payment in arrears to the affected oil-producing states.

“It is important to state that this was only discovered under the Buhari administration, which he subsequently approved. It is not that previous PDP administrations refused to pay. It was never discovered then neither was it brought to their notice,” he added.

On its part, the Edo State Government said it received only N2.1 billion from the N28billion that accrued to the state as 13 percent oil derivation fund for oil producing states.

The state Commissioner for Budget and Finance, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, noted that N1 trillion was established for oil producing states and a distribution methodology was adopted by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), adding that N28billion accrued to the state and will be paid in five years of 20 tranches.

He said: “The net amount will come to each state for over five years in 20 tranches. Each year, you will have quarterly remittances, which is four releases each year for over five years. Due to some court cases from some states, the releases started this year, October 2022.

“The Edo State Government got three

tranches of N700 million per quarter, which amounts to N2.1 billion out of the N28 billion.

It is verifiable. We are expecting 20 quarterly tranches in over five years but so far, we have gotten just three out of the 20 and it’s verifiable. We have the records on how the money is being spent.”

Also, a coalition of good governance under the umbrella of Akwa Ibom Professionals asserted that only about 15 per cent of the funds accruable to the states have been paid.

The National Coordinator of the coalition, Mr. Ufot Umoren, averred that Governor Wike did not get his claims right. He said available records showed the federal government has not paid any 23 years arrears but only 10 months installments in line with the Order of Court to liquidate the arrears.

According to him “Governor Wike, perhaps inadvertently, misrepresented facts regarding the payment of 13 per cent derivation to oil-producing states. It is therefore important to state the facts the way they are and not subject such very sensitive issues to politics.

“Available records show the federal government has not paid any 23 years arrears but only 10 months installments in line with the Order of Court to liquidate the arrears in 60 equal monthly installments and disbursed to states quarterly, the first quarter being February to April 2022. What this means is that only 10 months out of the 60 monthly installments have been paid with the remaining 50 months yet to be paid,” he said.

The coalition however commended Governor Emmanuel for the judicious use of funds paid to Akwa Ibom leading to unprecedented delivery of development projects in key sectors. It praised his feat in infrastructural development including delivering the Ikot Oku Ikono flyover, the longest in the South-south region; the 21-storey Dakkada Towers, the 7th tallest in the nation, the best network of modern roads in the region while leading in rural electrification among other projects.

“This is in addition to running a fleet of 5 CRJ 900 Bombardier and two Airbus A220-300 Series, the recent purchase of two brand new Airbuses to bring the Ibom Air fleet to nine aircraft, as well as, constructing the most intelligent and smartest airport terminal in the region.”

Even though the Bayelsa State government has refused to join issues with Governor Wike, a source close to the state government said Governor Duoye Diri has been judicious and transparent in the use of funds paid to the state on tangible development projects that have continued to transform the state in key sectors.

The source, who spoke with THISDAY on account of anonymity because she was not authorised to speak on the issue, said flyovers are not the priority of the state because the state does not have the kind of traffic congestion Port Harcourt is suffering from.

“Anybody who wants to know how Bayelsa’s money is spent should attend the Transparency Briefing of the state where every money the state government receives and spends is revealed. Nobody should make us feel as if we are not working. Flyovers are not our priority in Bayelsa State. We don’t have traffic congestion like in Port Harcourt.

“The state has its peculiar challenges in health, education, roads and others. And the Governor Diri government is tackling them. Do you know what it takes to construct roads in difficult terrain like Bayelsa? We are very transparent in Bayelsa State,” the source said.

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CICERO/ISSUE

Is G-5 Really Open to Reconciliation?

Though the members of the Integrity Group in the Peoples Democratic Party have constantly expressed their readiness for reconciliation, their unguarded utterances and anti-party activities suggest otherwise, writes Chuks Okocha

I

f you ask any member of the group of five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) popularly known as G-5 on a possible reconciliation with other members of the party, the obvious answer is ‘yes’.

But their actions and utterances suggest otherwise. The group in the past six months have been consistent in their call for the resignation of the PDP’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as their minimum condition for peace to return to the party and to join the presidential campaign council.

Their pick on Ayu can be traced to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who is the leader of the quartet.

It is believed that Wike refused to accept his defeat at the party’s presidential primary which saw former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerge as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections. As a result, Wike, with enormous resources, mobilised four other governors to fight his cause, which has created a crisis in the party.

The aggrieved governors have insisted that it is unfair for the party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the North.

The G-5 endeavours make their voices heard in each of the states they visited, sometimes to the extent of rubbishing the party’s presidential candidate as they attempted to do at their recent meeting in Lagos. Of course, things didn’t go as planned for them as they were interrupted by PDP faithful in the state, who sang songs in support of Atiku.

The state PDP members exposed the group’s alleged plan to undermine the presidential aspiration of the party’s candidate and insisted that Atiku was their choice candidate for 2023.

One of the PDP members at the meeting, Kunle Folorunsho, who narrated what happened in a video clip that went viral, said the meeting, which was at the instance of Chief Olabode George, commenced with the former deputy national chairman of the PDP revealing a plot to undermine his party.

Folorunsho said George had told the meeting that they would only vote for Senate and House of Representatives candidates of the party and would have nothing to do with the presidential and governorship elections. He said it was at this point that he raised an objection that the party had a presidential candidate in the person of Atiku and that he was the one they would vote for.

But he had hardly finished expressing his thoughts when supporters of George, sporting bespoke t-shirts, descended on him and tore his clothes. He was however rescued by other loyalists of Atiku who equally fought back.

As the governors, also called Integrity Group, and the others made to leave in their vehicles, according to Folorunsho, the crowd outside the venue of the meeting held at George’s office on Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, started chanting “Atiku…Atiku…Atiku”, a clear message to George and the governors that Lagos might be impenetrable for their antiparty activities.

The Integrity Group members at the meeting included Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

Former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, who read the communique of the group after its deliberations, maintained

Atiku

that they would not participate in the presidential campaign unless their demands are met. He, however, expressed their readiness for reconciliation with the party leadership if their conditions for a truce are met.

“We are still standing with the decision in our last meeting in Port Harcourt, where we declared that we are still open to reconciliation,” Jang said.

Before coming to Lagos, the group had gathered at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the PDP state-level campaign in Port Harcourt, where they expressed their unrelenting opposition to Atiku’s aspiration. For instance, Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, who fired the first salvo, insisted that only a southerner should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

He noted that he was the first governor from the North to back the southern presidency, which he said is in the interest of fairness and justice.

“Nigerians, for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, expect that after eight years of President Buhari, the next President should go to the South irrespective of political affiliation and that is the right thing to do. We are Nigerians and we must ensure that all of us work together,” Ortom said.

He added that Wike was the right candidate to succeed Buhari, but “enemies of progress” ensured he didn’t win the party’s presidential primary in May. Stressing that the enemies of progress also denied Wike the running mate ticket, the Benue State governor, however, urged the party’s supporters in the state to work with him and ensure victory for all PDP National Assembly, state assembly and governorship candidates in Rivers.

On his part, Wike said there was no going back in his clamour for equity,

Wike

fairness and justice in the party. He added that rather than promising Nigerians a government of inclusion and national unity if elected president in Atiku should start from the PDP. The Rivers governor argued that if Atiku believed in restructuring, and devolution of power and that President Buhari appointed 17 northerners as heads of security chiefs, he should correct it from the party by asking Ayu to step down as National Chairman of PDP for a southerner.

He boasted that none of the G-5 governors would lose their governorship.

“Not one of the states of PDP integrity governors will lose their governorship.

Not one. No amount of gang-up will make us lose Abia, Enugu, Benue and Oyo states and who is that that will come and win Rivers State? I do not understand human beings; some people want to be governor of Rivers State from 2003 till now.”

Wike said he is unfazed by threats of being sacked by the PDP and dared the party to carry out the threat, stating he would respond appropriately.

The governor insisted that his state would no longer work for anybody, who refuses to embrace justice, fairness and equity. He added that he was only committed to working for PDP, Rivers State chapter, adding that all his candidates in the state would win their elections.

“What have we done? We say by our party’s constitution, the President should go here and the chairman should go here. But you say no you will take everything, we also say no we won’t allow that. History will be on our side that we are saying the truth and nothing but the truth,” Wike added.

The governor maintained that their resolve to ensure that elective offices are shared equally between the North and the South in the PDP ahead of the 2023 general election remained sacrosanct. He stressed that he and his group

would only accept reconciliation that is based on equity, fairness and justice.

Wike urged Nigerian leaders to strive to have integrity in order to be able to keep their promises to the people. He said he would not accept the argument that failure to keep promises was a familiar trait among politicians.

By the time he hosted the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, who was in the state to inaugurate projects, Wike openly assured him of logistics and other support anytime Obi comes to campaign in Rivers. He emphasized he had no regret while promising to release vehicles and security for Obi’s campaign in Rivers.

With these actions and utterances, it is difficult to decipher where the G-5 governors really stand. In one breath, they are expressing their readiness for reconciliation with the party leadership if their conditions for a truce are met. In another, they are sustaining their anti-Atiku moves ahead of the general election.

Despite their constant attack on his personality, Atiku had directed his spokespersons not to attack Wike or any member of the G-5 governors.

“How do you sit down for reconciliation with people who are daily attacking, mocking, abusing and taunting you? There is no day these G-5 governors won’t say something that will cause the Atiku campaign or the party embarrassment. Don’t forget at the beginning of their agitation, Atiku directed his spokesmen not to attack Wike or any member of the G-5 governors, but every day the group will be hauling attacks on the PDP presidential candidate. They also openly flaunt their anti-party activities. Is that fair? And they claim that they are open to reconciliation? Who does that? Can’t they show maturity?” a member of the party asked, rhetorically.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

GAVEL

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

Ekiti Assembly in the Eye of the Storm Without exaggeration, peace has eluded the Ekiti State House of Assembly since November 15, 2022 when the sacked speaker, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan was elected, Victor Ogunje writes

T

he South-eastCaucusofthe House of Representatives last week, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to show statesmanship and fatherly introspection by ensuring the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.

The federal lawmakers’ appeal came on the heels of the unanimous decision of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which discharged the IPOB leader of the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government.

Due to internal upheaval and contrivances, the Ekiti State House of Assembly members are paying allegiance to two speakers, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan elected on November 15, 2022 and the female lawmaker elected after his abrupt removal from office, Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba.

However, the latter seems to enjoy more legitimacy because she is the one recognised by 17 assembly members, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, and party top hierarchy in Ekiti.

Most disturbing was the fact that the names of some powerful bigwigs like former Governor Kayode Fayemi, the incumbent Governor Oyebanji and APC leadership at the state level, had been dragged into the fray, thereby creating the impression that the leadership crisis could be a struggle for control and relevance.

The removal of Aribisogan was nothing new to the House. In the past, Hon. Sola Ajigbolamu was impeached during the second assembly of 2003-2007 to give way for the emergence of Chief Friday Aderemi. The same pulsating scenario played out in the fourth assembly, when Hon. Femi Bamisile was impeached to pave the way for Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, who later acted as the Acting Governor on February 17, 2009, when Segun Oni was removed by the court, which elicited the conduct of the April 26, 2009 rerun. Also in the fifth assembly, Hon. Adewale Omirin was impeached at former Governor Ayodele Fayose’s prodding, using only seven lawmakers. So, the current trend is a familiar occurrence that shouldn’t take anyone by surprise.

Following his removal, Aribisogan, a secondterm lawmaker, representing Ikole constituency 1, began appearing on media platforms launching vitriolic attacks against former Governor Kayode Fayemi and branding him the mastermind of his impeachment. He was consistent and persistent in his allegation that the former governor was still desirous to be teleguiding the current government by acting as a godfather. He said such a culture of unbridled power-mustering tendency or godfatherism can’t be established in a sophisticated environment like Ekiti.

The embattled lawmaker called on stakeholders like Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN), to warn Fayemi against such tendency due to its calamitous effect on the politics of the state.

Before he was finally removed, Aribisogan had a premonition of the attempt by those opposed to him to reconvene at the assembly and get rid of him. Acting promptly, he slammed some members like the Deputy Speaker, Hakeem Jamiu; Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; Hon. Toyin Lucas and four others with indefinite suspension. How plausible this would be with the present situation is still being awaited. Countering the harsh position

Aribisogan maintained by Aribisogan, the pro-Adelugba lawmakers also launched a counter-attack the day the impeachment was hatched by also placing Aribisogan, Hon Kemi Balogun, Hon.Yemisi Ayokunle, Hon. Goke Olajide and three others on indefinite suspension. As of today, 17 members are with Adelugba, with Aribisogan parading seven, while one lawmaker is still maintaining neutrality.

The crisis in the assembly can’t be divorced from the propensity of politicians to muster enough influence to be in firm control of the political situation. Politics is about interest and the possibility of some APC leaders trying to gain control might be there. But stakeholders were incensed with the unbridled fashion at which the situation was being pursued.

What Aribisogan said that former Governor Fayemi and other leaders of APC were allegedly plotting to impose leadership on the House corroborated this widespread feeling. But the APC state Chairman, Hon. Paul Omotoso, an experienced politician found the allegation laughable, baseless and spurious.

Omotoso said leadership of any legislature is determined by the party and this he said can’t be done by fiat or imposition.

“What we did was just to provide a guide and let them know the position of the party and its preference. We didn’t interfere in how the assembly was being run, but we also advise so that there won’t be mistake that can cause unnecessary crisis like we are seeing now”, Omotoso said.

He appealed to the lawmakers to forge a common front behind Adelugba for robust lawmaking process that can guarantee good governance for the people of the state.

Apparently aware of the enormity of the damage their alleged involvement in Aribisogan’s removal could trigger, the duo of governor Oyebanji and his predecessor, Fayemi quickly extricated themselves from

Adelugba the factional crisis rocking the House.

However, Oyebanji applauded all the leaders of the APC over their swift intervention in resolving the bedlam, he described as a “family affair”. The governor described the crisis “as a family affair and one of the beauties of democracy”, denying insinuations in some quarters that he was meddling in the affairs of the House. He appreciated the lawmakers for their civility, saying: “You have justified the confidence your various constituencies reposed in you, by doing the right thing at the appropriate time”.

Oyebanji assured the new Speaker of his support, reminding her on the need to accelerate action on the passage of the 2022 budget.

Fayemi in a similar fashion, through a statement signed by Ahmad Sajoh of his Media Office in Abuja, said; “We note the allegation by the former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Aribisogan, that his impeachment was masterminded

by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of the state.

“We wish to clarify that Dr. Fayemi had nothing to do with the removal of the former Speaker by his peers as this was the internal arrangement of the State House of Assembly.

“We wish to note that even as governor, Dr. Fayemi did not interfere with the independence of the House and respected the principle of separation of powers where the House had freedom to decide on their internal affairs”.

Meanwhile, Aribisogan has threatened to fight his impeachment through the instrumentality of the law. Based on Aribisogan’s allegation that only 10 lawmakers removed him during the emergency plenary where Adelugba was elected, the lawmakers would have to prove that the quorum of 2/3 of total members of 25 members was met before carrying out the impeachment.

Another issue that is also of concern is that,

what would Aribisogan gain in the litigation?

This is because the present assembly will be dissolved on June 5, 2023 and by predictions, his case would still be under trial in court by then. However, people are still waiting how this will play out.

Two legal gurus: Chief Olanipekun and Falana, in their individual reactions expressed reservations over the sordid and worrisome happenings in the legislative chambers. They described the scenario leading to the removal of Aribisogan as not only condemnable, but capable of destroying the core values of self- respect, honour and honesty Ekiti was renowned and respected. They appealed to the lawmakers and other political players prodding them to look at Ekiti through a larger and broader spectrum. They added that it would be catastrophic for a few privileged individuals to begin to treat the state as their chiefdom and personal estate, saying this could trigger atmosphere of anarchy that would be difficult to quell.

Olanipekun, in his epistle over Ekiti Assembly imbroglio, suggested that the lawmakers should allow Aribisogan to be, meaning that he should be reinstated back to his speakership position.The legal icon also suggested that the current Deputy Speaker, Hakeem Jamiu, who apparently is the leader of anti-Aribisogan group should retain his position.

The state chairman of the party, Omotoso was not also averse to applying political option to resolve the seeming conundrum, since all the lawmakers are of APC stock.

While these were being mooted, Aribisogan was threatening fire and brimstone over his resolve to approach the court to seek redress.

Now, three options are available: legal, politics and compromise.

Fingers remain crossed as to which option would be potent enough to broker truce between the two feuding groups to restore sanity to the beleaguered Ekiti hallowed chambers.

68

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27, 2022

PERSPECTIVE

The Police as Human Shields Fola Arthur Worrey

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wo incidents in the past week brought me back to this topic, i.e., the allocation of thousands RI DUPHG SROLFH R΀FHUV DV 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ R΀FHUV RU HVFRUWV to all manner of individuals, both public and private, local and foreign, and through which rather informal process we have lost scores of men and, in my humble view, weakened the police force and thereby compromised the security coverage of WKH FRXQWU\ ,Q WKH ÀUVW LQFLGHQW WKUHH SROLFH R΀FHUV were shot dead during an attack, somewhere in the VRXWK HDVW RQ WKH PRWRUFDGH RI RQH ,IHDQ\L 8EDK a serving senator and an individual famous for KLV ÀQDQFLDO DQG EXVLQHVV WUDQVDFWLRQV DOVR 7KH senator himself escaped death or injury because he ZDV VDIHO\ HQVFRQFHG LQVLGH KLV EXOOHW SURRI 689 2I FRXUVH WKH SROLFH R΀FHUV RQ HVFRUW GXW\ ZHUH exposed in their soft-bodied pickup truck, and RQH PLJKW ZRQGHU ZK\ D EXOOHW SURRI 689 VWLOO needed additional external and high risk escort, but WKHQ RQH QHHGV WR XQGHUVWDQG WKDW WKHVH R΀FHUV were primarily acting as human shields and were therefore considered expendable. (Sadly, after this article was written, we lost another four police R΀FHUV ZKR ZHUH HVFRUWLQJ RQH $SRVWOH 6XOHPDQ during an attack somewhere in Edo State. He also HVFDSHG GHDWK HQVFRQFHG LQ KLV EXOOHW SURRI 689 $QG ZH QHHG WR XQGHUVWDQG WKDW LQ 1LJHULD WKHVH HVFRUW R΀FHUV DUH RIWHQ XVHG PRUH WR DGG WR WKH status of their “principals”, and less to protect them, and to allow their motorcades to proceed noisily and recklessly along the public highways, EUHDFKLQJ WUD΀F ODZV VRPHWLPHV FODVKLQJ ZLWK FRQVWLWXWHG DXWKRULW\ DQG ZLWK VXSSRVHG R΀FHUV of the law validating and enforcing, often with aggressive behavior, sometimes with horsewhips, what is essentially a public nuisance.

The second incident involved a female police R΀FHU DWWDFKHG DV DQ ´RUGHUO\µ DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH R΀FLDO SROLFH VWDWHPHQW IURP WKH R΀FH RI WKH LQVSHFWRU JHQHUDO ,* RI SROLFH WR D IHPDOH XQLversity professor, and who was brutally assaulted by the said professor and other members of her family for refusing to carry out some domestic GXWLHV WKDW WKH SURIHVVRU LQVLVWHG VKH GR 7KH ,* expressed his outrage and ordered an investigation, EXW , KDG KRSHG WKDW KH ZRXOG WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKH VLWXDWLRQ WR UHYLHZ WKH ZKROH 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ racket as this was a golden opportunity, but as XVXDO DOO ZHQW TXLHW RQ WKH ZHVWHUQ IURQW , DOVR thought that the professor would immediately be arrested and charged to court for what was HVVHQWLDOO\ D FULPLQDO RͿHQFH EXW WKLQJV OLNH WKDW don’t happen in this unusual, peculiar democracy of ours. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKRXVDQGV RI SROLFH R΀FHUV escorting and “protecting” various individuals, we have thousands of others, armed also and paid from the public purse, protecting various private facilities such as banks, supermarkets, restaurants, QLJKW FOXEV IDFWRULHV DQG SULYDWH KRPHV $QG MXVW UHFHQWO\ WKH DUPHG SROLFH R΀FHUV DWWDFKHG to a popular singer allegedly shot at a gentlemen in a night club apparently during an altercation between him and the singer over the singer’s SHUVLVWHQW URPDQWLF DSSURDFK WR KLV ZLIH ,PDJLQH 1RZ WKH UHDVRQ ZK\ , HPSKDVL]H WKH IDFW WKDW they are armed is not only because such arms are operated outside the normal police conduct on the XVH RI ÀUHDUPV EXW EHFDXVH QHZ SROLFH UHFUXLWV have to wait for at least three years before they can bear arms under police regulations; and so for those saying that we need to recruit more police men to face our current security challenges, note that they will not be much use in the very violent battles we are facing for some time to come. Only an immediate release of the armed escorts (over RI WKHP DQG JURZLQJ E\ SROLFH DFFRXQWV WR their statutory duties will bring the police service back to a meaningful capacity.

1RZ WKH ELJ TXHVWLRQ , KDYH IRU WKH SROLFH leadership and their constitutional masters, i.e., the federal government, is this: on what basis, OHJDO RU E\ FRQYHQWLRQ LV WKLV 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ UDFNHW EDVHG" $QG E\ ZKDW FULWHULD DUH 9,3V LGHQWLÀHG" ,Q WKH ÀUVW SODFH QRZKHUH LQ WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ RU WKH QHZ 3ROLFH $FW RU HYHQ XQGHU WKH ROG RQH LV WKH ,* RU DQ\ RWKHU R΀FLDO HPSRZHUHG WR GHSOR\ DUPHG SROLFHPHQ WR HVFRUW RU JXDUG VSHFLÀF SULvate individuals or premises on a 24/7 basis as LV FXUUHQWO\ WKH FDVH 5DWKHU WKH $FW DORQJ ZLWK the constitution speaks of the duty of the police to protect lives and property generally, enforce WKH ODZ DQG DSSUHKHQG FULPLQDOV ,QGHHG WKH

Baba RQO\ UHIHUHQFH WKH $FW PDNHV WR SURWHFWLQJ VSHFLÀF SURSHUW\ LV ZKHQ LW PDNHV SURYLVLRQ IRU WKH ,* WR GHSOR\ XQDUPHG VXSHUQXPHUDU\ DX[LOLDU\ R΀FHUV DW WKH UHTXHVW RI WKH LQGLYLGXDOV RZQLQJ VXFK SURSHUW\ , VHH QRZKHUH OHJDOO\ RU E\ FRQYHQWLRQ WKDW MXVWLÀHV WKH ZKROHVDOH GHSOR\PHQW RI tens of thousands of publicly paid, armed and NLWWHG R΀FHUV ZKR VKRXOG EH VHFXULQJ WKH JHQHUDO VSDFH IRU DOO FLWL]HQV WR SDVV WKURXJK WR FHUWDLQ individuals, including in some cases known criminals, and who use them almost like personal FKDWWHO 6RPH LQGLYLGXDOV KDYH RYHU ÀIWHHQ PRELOH policemen guarding their residences and factories, separate from the ones who follow them about on a 24/7 basis.

1RU DUH ZH WROG WKH FULWHULD IRU VXFK GHSOR\ment. Today we have armed policemen (public R΀FHUV DWWDFKHG WR SROLWLFLDQV UHOLJLRXV OHDGHUV HVSHFLDOO\ &KULVWLDQ EDQNHUV ZHDOWK\ entrepreneurs, musicians, comedians, socialites, actors, 419ners, foreigners and the like, and to add insult to injury, they register their cars with police QXPEHUV DQG HYHQ WKRXJK WKH ,* KDV UHFHQWO\ ordered a stop to this practice, it still goes on.

Where do they get their impunity?

These escorts are everywhere, at social events, to pick people up at airports, at homes, to take WKHLU FKLOGUHQ WR VFKRRO LQ WKHLU R΀FHV DQG ZRUN SODFHV DQG WKH OLNH ORRNLQJ OHVV OLNH R΀FHUV RI the law and more like bouncers and bodyguards. , ZDV LQ FRXUW RQFH ZKHQ D ODZ\HU HQWHUHG WKH courtroom with his armed escort trailing behind. ,QFUHGLEOH ,QGHHG DOO WKLV ÁXUU\ RI DFWLYLW\ DQG noise creates the impression of more insecurity WKDQ WKHUH DFWXDOO\ LV $QG DOO WKLV KDV KDSSHQHG under our so called democracy where everyone is supposedly equal under the law. What if every FLWL]HQ LQVLVWHG RQ KDYLQJ SHUVRQDO SROLFH SURWHFWLRQ" $QG WKLV SDWWHUQ RI SROLFH XVDJH LV D UHODWLYHO\ recent phenomena, becoming the nuisance it now is in the past ten or so years. $SDUW IURP DQ\WKLQJ HOVH HVFRUW GXW\ SXWV D WDUJHW RQ HYHU\ SROLFHPDQ·V EDFN ,W LV D VWUDQJH and careless way of deploying police, and the number who have been killed on such duties is clear evidence of that. But we don’t seem to appreciate this fact, and over time these escorts DUH VHHQ OHVV DV UHVSRQVLEOH SROLFH R΀FHUV ZLWK authority to enforce the law and more as mere ODFNH\V 5HFDOO WKH UHVSRQVH RI D SURPLQHQW FLWL]HQ who had three of his police escorts shot dead in $QDPEUD 6WDWH ZKLOH KH ZDV KRVWLQJ D WRZQ KDOO meeting. His explanation of what he thought when KH KHDUG WKH VKRWV ÀUHG RXWVLGH LV LQVWUXFWLYH $FFRUGLQJ WR KLP ZKHQ KH KHDUG WKH VKRWV KH thought it was his police escorts celebrating some event outside by shooting into the air. To even WKLQN WKDW RI SROLFH R΀FHUV &OHDUO\ KH QR ORQJHU VDZ WKHP DV SROLFH R΀FHUV FKDUJHG WR XSKROG WKH law otherwise such a thought would never have occurred to him. They were his ‘boys’, nothing more. This is what is happening up and down the line, the gradual erosion of police values. , DP DZDUH WKDW DOO RYHU WKH ZRUOG XVXDOO\ E\ FRQYHQWLRQ D FHUWDLQ XQLTXH VHW RI SXEOLF R΀FHUV is entitled to police protection 24/7, and they are

typically one accompanied by armed troops, warships or other vehicles for protection. But that is how ridiculous things have become. %XW DV , KDYH QRWHG ZKDW ZDV D FRPPRQ VHQVH convention has been rudely abused, costing us seriously in terms of police capacity to deal with our grave security problems, and generally enforce WKH ODZ ,Q IDFW RQH RI WKH ÀUVW LVVXHV WKDW WKH SDVW three presidential committees on police reform KLJKOLJKWHG ZDV WKH DEXVH RI WKH 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ SURFHVV $QG WKHVH FRPPLWWHHV ZHUH KHDGHG E\ IRUPHU LQVSHFWRU JHQHUDOV 6DGO\ WKDW REVHUYDWLRQ KDV EHHQ LJQRUHG $QG , UHFDOO WKDW LQ GXULQJ D FRXUWHV\ YLVLW E\ WKH WKHQ ,* WR VWDWH KRXVH 3UHVLGHQW 0XKDPPDGX %XKDUL H[SUHVVHG KLV FRQFHUQ DERXW WKH DEXVH RI 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ DQG WKH ,* SURPLVHG WR ORRN LQWR LW , JXHVV WKH president assumed it had indeed been looked into, but someone should tell him it’s worse than ever now, and at a time when the nation needs all LWV VHFXULW\ DVVHWV LQ WKH ULJKW SODFHV LQ WKH ÀJKW to restore peace.

6RPH R΀FHUV VKRXOG QRW EH DOORZHG WR HVFDSH their responsibilities in law enforcement work by hiding behind escort duties while their mates are out on the beat confronting criminals and WU\LQJ WR PDQDJH XQGHUVWDͿHG SROLFH VWDWLRQV ,W·V EDG IRU PRUDOH DQG ZKHQ SULYDWH FLWL]HQV with police support, are allowed to blare sirens DQG ÁDVK OLJKWV LW HURGHV SROLFH DXWKRULW\ <RX FDQ see that policemen on stop and search duties do not even attempt to stop and check such blaring vehicles when they pass by, even though they are HQWLWOHG E\ ODZ WR ÀQG RXW ZKR LV LQ WKHP ZKDW their mission is, and whether they are law abiding FLWL]HQV 5DWKHU WKDQ FRQIURQW WKHP KRZHYHU WKH\ VDOXWH DQG ZDYH WKHP SDVW $P , QRW VXSSRUWHG LQ P\ YLHZV ZKHQ HDFK QHZ ,* DW WKH EHJLQQLQJ of his tenure vows to withdraw police escorts, FODLPLQJ WKDW WKH\ XQGHUPLQH SROLFH HͿHFWLYHness, but then tamely withdraws into his shell, being unable to enforce his vow? The pushback PXVW EH ÀHUFH DQG WKH KHDUW RI WKH ,* WRR ZHDN WR ZLWKVWDQG LW , GRQ·W ZDQW WR VXJJHVW WKDW WKH money involved is too much of a counterveiling LQÁXHQFH DOVR 7KH VDPH IRUPHU ,* ZKR YLVLWHG WKH SUHVLGHQW noted not too long ago that the main job of the police was to police the general space so that $// FLWL]HQV ZRXOG HQMR\ D UHODWLYH DEVHQFH RI fear, rather than protecting a privileged few at WKH H[SHQVH RI SXEOLF VDIHW\ DQG FRVWV $QG RQ what basis and by what authority does a government agency expend public resources for private EHQHÀW" 7KDW LV D FOHDU IRUP RI FRUUXSWLRQ DQG DEXVH RI R΀FH $QG ZKDW RI WKH KXQGUHGV RI R΀FHUV who have died in the course of protecting the privileged, dying as human shields as if no value is placed on their lives? Do we even recall the nine policemen who died in an ambush while escorting the governor of a state wracked by terrorism as he travelled between towns? Would it not have been more sensible to send drones and patrols ahead of his motorcade to ensure the route was VDIH EHIRUH VDFULÀFLQJ WKRVH SRRU PHQ DV KXPDQ VKLHOGV" <HV , NQRZ VRPH SROLFH R΀FHUV OREE\ IRU the seemingly cushy job of escort, feeding fat at SDUWLHV OD]LQJ WKURXJK WKH GD\ ZKHQ WKHLU SULQFLSDO GRHV QRW PRYH , KDYH VHHQ VR PDQ\ RI WKHP LQ HVWDWHV VXFK DV 2VERXUQH %DQDQD ,VODQG ,NR\L DQG /HNNL HVSHFLDOO\ DW WKH ZHHNHQGV ZKHQ WKHLU RJDV DUH UHVWLQJ DW KRPH OD]LQJ DERXW LQ VOLSSHUV and wearing those ghastly police tee-shirts with WKH ULGLFXORXV LQVFULSWLRQV ZKHQ WKHLU FROOHDJXHV are on real duty and on long shifts, and having the cost of their uniforms, children’s school fees DQG PHGLFDO ELOOV FRYHUHG E\ WKHLU SULQFLSDO $QG we suspect that money changes hands for these deployments, but where that money ends up ZH FDQQRW VD\ $QG DOWKRXJK WKH &RQVWLWXWLRQ established a police service whose job is primarily law enforcement, not an escort service, the police as an entity is slowly but surely losing its authority DQG LWV HWKRV 7KH LQGLYLGXDO SROLFH R΀FHU WRGD\ HVSHFLDOO\ RI WKH MXQLRU UDQNV ODFNV WKH FRQÀGHQFH to carry out his job due to the failure of his leaderVKLS :KHQ , ZDV JURZLQJ XS LQ /DJRV LQ WKH VL[WLHV D VLQJOH SROLFH R΀FHU FRXOG VWRS D EUDZO RQ /DJRV ,VODQG KLV PHUH SUHVHQFH KLV EHDULQJ KLV XQLIRUP DQG KLV EDWRQ EHLQJ VX΀FLHQW WR LQVSLUH FRPSOLDQFH RI KLV RUGHU 7RGD\ D SROLFH R΀FHU ÀQGV LW GL΀FXOW WR HYHQ HͿHFW DQ DUUHVW HYHQ LI KH LV KROGLQJ DQ DVVDXOW ULÁH

relatively small in number, so as not to deplete the PDLQ IRUFH DQG VSHFLDOO\ WUDLQHG LQ 9,3 SURWHFWLRQ and even if there is no law setting this out (except, IRU LQVWDQFH LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV ZKHUH WKH ODZ VSHFLÀFDOO\ SODFHV RQ WKH VHFUHW VHUYLFH WKH GXW\ of protecting the president, vice-president and SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWHV WKHUH DUH FHUWDLQ FULWHULD by which normal society accepts the need for close SURWHFWLRQ RI WKLV FDWHJRU\ RI SXEOLF R΀FLDOV 7KH ÀUVW VHW DUH WKRVH SHUVRQV ZKRVH LQFDSDFLWDWLRQ (say during an attack by terrorists or during an DWWHPSWHG FRXS G·HWDW ZRXOG VHULRXVO\ DͿHFW the functioning of the state and the level of public anxiety, thereby impinging on national security.

Such individuals are the chief executives of the country, i.e., the president, the vice president, the governors and the deputy governors. Following them would be those persons who, in the unlikely event of our losing both president/governor and vice president/governor, would temporarily take over the reins of power until a fresh election can be KHOG WKDW LV WKH VHQDWH SUHVLGHQW VSHDNHU 1$66 DQG WKH VSHDNHUV DW WKH VWDWH OHYHO $GGHG WR WKHVH would be the presidential and vice presidential FDQGLGDWHV LQ DQ DSSURDFKLQJ HOHFWLRQ $ ÀUP line must be drawn under this very exclusive group. The next category that convention has RYHU WKH GHFDGHV UHFRJQL]HG DV GHVHUYLQJ RI FORVH protection by way of an armed orderly is that of the judges of the superior courts of record, that is the justices of the supreme and appeal courts, and WKH MXGJHV RI WKH YDULRXV KLJK FRXUWV ,QGHHG LQ saner times, they were virtually the only people in society you saw with armed police orderlies.

That is understandable. Judges are involved in the resolution of complex and often rancorous disputes and their protection was and is viewed DV LPSRUWDQW LQGHHG $PEDVVDGRUV DUH HQWLWOHG WR SURWHFWLRQ DOVR 7KH WKLUG DQG PRVW ÁXLG JURXS DUH WKRVH FLWL]HQV LQYROYHG LQ VHULRXV FULPLQDO matters, and whose lives might be in danger due to their role as informants or witnesses and where WKHUH LV HYLGHQFH RI D VSHFLÀF WKUHDW WR WKHLU OLYHV ,Q recent times in fact, the law of criminal procedure has been expanded to include this class under witness protection provisions. $JDLQ , ZLOO VWUHVV WKDW WKHUH LV QR ODZ EDFNing this convention, just practice and common VHQVH :H DOO UHFDOO KRZ WKH ,* FRXOG ZLWKGUDZ SROLFH HVFRUWV IURP WKH VSHDNHU RI WKH 1$66 DQG sometimes even governors, and we all remember the hilarious sight of the then speaker having to scale the gate of the national assembly to gain entrance when he had been locked out and his escorts withdrawn. Of course he did not go to FRXUW WR FKDOOHQJH WKH ,*·V DFWLRQ EHFDXVH KH NQHZ he had no cause of action.

6DGO\ DV WKH ZKHHOV KDYH FRPH RͿ VRFLHW\ and typical of us, we have made a mockery of convention and instead abused it. We now have SULYDWH FLWL]HQV HVFRUWHG E\ IXOO\ DUPHG SROLFH R΀FHUV VSHDNLQJ JOLEO\ DERXW WKHLU ´FRQYR\Vµ Arthur Worrey is a former Lagos State Director as if they hold military commands, and generally GLVWXUELQJ WKH SHDFH ZLWK VLUHQV DQG ÁDVKLQJ OLJKWV of Public Prosecutions $ FRQYR\ LV GHVFULEHG LQ WKH 2[IRUG GLFWLRQDU\ DV Read full interview online - www.thisdaylive.com a group of ships or vehicles travelling together,

69

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

with ChidiAmuta e-mail:chidi.amuta@gmail.com

ENGAGEMENTS

Playing Games with Poverty

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has stirred an unnecessary storm and in the process may have scored an inconsequential victory.

Last week, the NBS revised the definition of poverty by shifting from the now proverbial living on $2 a day to something called “multidimensional poverty”. This has unsettled our politicians. While the politicians are used to saying that we have an internal poverty republic of 100 million people, the NBSnowsaysthepoorareadisarming133million/ Thisrepresents65%ofthefictionaltotalpopulation ofpopulationabout200million.Insimplelanguage, this means that those who are NOT poor have now been overwhelmed by the poor. The poor are now omni present, literally all around us.

WhentheChristianholybookinsistedthat‘thepoor youwillalwayshaveamongyou’,itwasunderliningthe inevitabilityofinequalityandpovertyasfeaturesof socio economic life. But the Bible never envisaged thatadelugeofthepoorwilloverwhelmtherestof ussosoonanywhere.NigeriahasachievedaBiblical unforeseen, a record in itself.

UndertheMultidimensionalPovertycategorization,povertyismerelybrokendownintoitsfamiliar indices:homelessness,lackofaccesstohealthcare, education, affordableenergy,fairopportunityetc.

Theselacksarenowrecognizedasthedefiningindicatorsofpoverty.Nothinginthispostulationsounds likegroundbreakingrocketscience.Tellinguswhat everyone already knows and using that obvious measure to arrive at a new poverty demographics ismerelyshiftingthefutureinanoldfamiliarhome.

Predictably, our media and public technocrats havesincebrokenintofeudingsocialmediafactions.

All manner of rationalizations have sprung up. The quarrelseemstobeabouttheupturningorrevisionof acceptedindicesinthenewcomputation. Butwhile themoreacademicdisputationaboutcategoriesand indices rages, no one has dared dispute the golden basic economic rule of poverty: if your country is mostly unproductive with a GDP growth rate that is slower than the rate of your population growth rate,yourroadtouniversalpovertyisguaranteed.No amountofsanctimoniouspreachmentsorpolitical grandstandingcansaveyoufromhisfate.Thisseems tobethekernelofNigeria’sspiralingpovertycrisis.

We might as well forget the statistical categories disputes for a while.

Povertydoesnotneedtoomuchacademicquarrel.

Nordoesitrequiretoomucharcaneintellectualdefinition. The victims of poverty know their adversary alltoowell.Alifelongembracewithpovertyleaves permanentunmistakablescars.Ifyouhavenoroof over your head, you know who you are. If there is perennial uncertainty about where the next meal willcomefrom,youcanguesswhereyoubelong.Ifyou aretormentedbyavoidableandcurablediseasesand youdarenotfindahospital,healthcenterorpharmacy shopbecauseyouhavenomoney,youcandrawyour conclusions.Worsestill,ifjuniorcannotcontinuein theneighborhoodschoolbecausethereisnowayof paying his fees, his fate is nailed because your own brandingiscomplete.Lackofaccesstoeverything thatdistinguishesushumansfrombeastsinthestate ofnatureisthecommonestmarkerofpoverty.The poorknowthemselvesandtheircondition.Wealso knowthembutsometimesprefertoliveincriminal insensitive denial.

Asoverfedandpamperedelite,wemayfindintellectualsportinplayingwithandaroundpoverty.We mighteventreatpovertyasanacademicdiscipline or its discourse as part of a political manner of speaking,ametalanguagedeployedoftentosecure internationaldonorattention.Itmayevenbepartof a sanctimonious distant indulgence of priests and fancy humanitarians. But poverty does not joke. It afflicts,invades,ravages,dominatesandpervades wholesegmentsofthepopulace.Itconquersterritory aswenoticeshantytownsandslumsspringupright beforeoureyestosurroundourfancynewestates andneighborhoods.Anadversarythathasconquered 63%ofanationalpopulationisnotalaughingmatter.

Surrounded by such a rapacious enemy, we all are doomed.

How did we get here? Either defined by Multidimensionalindicesoraspeoplelivingonlessthan$2 aday,povertyinNigeriaseemstohaveinstitutionalizeditself.Withaveryyoungpopulation,Nigerians agedunder45constituteanestimated38%ofthe country’s total population. Since 1970, Nigeria has continuedtodependonoilandgasroyaltiesfor95% ofitsforeignexchangerevenue.Withaverylowlevel offoreigndirectinvestmentinflowandadeclining manufacturingcapacityinrecentyears,theeconomy

Agba has been unable to generate employment at a ratetocopewiththedemographicincreaseand thepaceofproductionofskilledmanpowerand educatedpeopleespeciallytheteemingyouth population.

Byitsrateofincreaseandthedislocationsit breeds,povertyhasbecomeanationalsecurity issueofurgentconcern.Thestateistodaythreatenedbyfactionsofitsowncitizensmostlyunited by the universal lack of access to the indices of povertynowidentifiedbythestatisticians.The criminality, violence and insensitivity of those entrapped in the internal poverty republic has made life unsafe for the rest of us. Today’s Nigeria is wracked by a specter of insecurity and a pervasive psychology of fear. Everybody is afraid of everybody. To keep us safe, the state has to buy bigger guns than the criminals with themoneymeantformedicines,schoolbooks, basic housing and clean water.

Worse still, poverty has grown somewhat resilient and incremental in recent years. Upward mobility and the pursuit of a dream of a better life by succeeding generations are fast disappearingfromourpsychologyasapeople.

Amongthoseofusinour50sandup,education andhardworkusedtobeantidotestopoverty.It usedtobepartofthe‘Nigeriandream’thatwith education and dedicated hard work, one could overcomepovertyinalifetimeorgeneration.It used to be a favorite saying among us that the poverty in our beginnings will not accompany us to the grave nor escort our children through life. Not anymore.

Thesedays,themostpervasiveandassured legacythatpeoplepassontosucceedinggenerations is a near universal assurance of poverty.

Poorparentssurvivedbyevenpooreroffspring inalanddevoidofopportunities.Povertyasan inheritanceandalegacydefinesanewpervasive lackofupwardsocialandeconomicmobilitythat now pervades the Nigerian nation space.

Fortheyoungergeneration,thenarrowgates outofthisviciouscharmedcirclearefew.Cybercrimes, unusual creative talent, violent crime, terrorism and stealing from the organized crime syndicate that we call government are the new narrow gates out of the vice grip of universal poverty.

A youth bulge has resulted in stratospheric unemployment figures while secondary and tertiaryinstitutionshaveincreasedexponentially and continue to spew out unemployed youth onto the streets of decaying urban centers and deserted rural areas.

Inequalityhasproducedananarchicpopulace

as life has degenerated into a vicious scramble and perennial for existence among the many. Poverty inducedcriminalityhassentcrimestatisticsthrough theroofnationwideresultinginthecultureofperennial insecuritythatnowhauntsthenation.Aresourcepoor treasuryhasledtoconsiderabledecayinthecapacity ofthestatetoequipthearmedandsecurityforcesto containanupsurgeincrimeandmilitantinsurgency.

Our hospitals and healthcare delivery system is in desperatedisrepairjustasourpublicinfrastructure has continued to decay almost unchecked.

Thepovertyburdenhasimplicationsforthevery survival of the Nigerian nation state. Its immediate meaningforournationalunityandnationalsecurityare tooobvious.Thepovertyburdenmayevenbethegreatestobstacletotheemergenceofatrulydemocratic polity.Howcananimpoverishedanddeprivedpopulace makerationalandinformeddemocraticchoiceswhen theyarefacedwithclearandpresentlackofeverything thatmakeslifemeaningful?Ademocracydominated by a population of impoverished ignorant people is merely a disguised mob rule.

There is a contradiction buried in the bosom of this inequality Somehow, perhaps poverty has becomealevelerandaunifiereveninatimeofpolitical divisiveness.Thereisnodiscriminationbetweenthe poormanorwomaninMaiduguriandtheoneinPort Harcourt;betweenthepoorwomaninYenagoaand theiroppositenumberinSokoto.Theyallspeakthe samedialectofdesperatesurvival.Theyarehungry, homelessandmosttimeshopeless. Theyareunited by the indices of the landscape of poverty.

In response to the scourge of increasing global poverty, in recent years, poverty alleviation has emerged as a separate department of the state and governance in general. Emerging markets in quest of international financial help hardly get a hearing unless they have in place an active poverty reduction program. Elaborate bureaucracies have sprang up just as fancy ceremonies of state have evolved. A certain showmanship has grown out of the poverty alleviation industry.

Acuriousironyhasemergedintheprocess.Themore fundsareallocatedtoreducepoverty,thehigherthe annualpovertyfigureshaveriseninsomecountries.

ItiseitherthatadecliningGDPiscontinuouslyoverwhelmedbyanuncontrolledpopulationincreaseor thatnetproductivitykeepsdecliningyear–on-year, making poverty a permanent condition.

Thereisamorecynicalpossibility.Povertyalleviation hasbecomealucrativeindustrythatisbeingsustained bythegreedofitskeydrivers.Ifpovertyissuddenly eradicated,asubsectorofthecorruptionindustrywill die.Yet,somecountriesthatrecognisedpovertyas animpedimenttonationaldevelopmenthavemade decisive progress.

Three countries stand out in their success with povertyalleviation.China,IndiaandBrazilstandout inthisregard.Theystandoutbecausetheywere,until recently,inidenticalsocioeconomiccircumstances as Nigeria as Third World countries with huge poor populations and struggling economies.

China’spovertyreductionisamoderndaymiracle.

According to the World Bank, a total of 850 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty in the last 20 years. The poverty rate fell from 88% in 1981 to 0.7% in 2015. This is poverty as measured by the percentage of people living on $1.90 or less per day by 2011 purchasing power parity terms. This translates into an average poverty reduction rate of 42 million people per annum. In total, the Chinese have therefore reduced their poverty rate by over 60% of the population in 20 years.

As its economy grew after liberalisation, China focused on the poorest people in the rural areas.

It massively moved them from poor homes in the countryside to high rise apartment blocks in new urban centers. This led to rapid urban renewal and the uplifting of the standards of hygiene and living amongtheformerruraldwellerswithacorresponding economicempowerment.Theycouldnowleverage the market value of their new apartments to raise capitalforsmallenterprisesandimprovementoftheir livingstandards.By2021,thepovertyrateamongthe Chinese had further declined to near zero.

The Chinese miracle came about as a result of many factors: the adoption of a market economy, an increase in the banked population, explosion of the stock market and an astronomical growth in foreigninvestments.GiganticstridesinInformation Technologytransformedahugepopulationintoaunified manufacturing hub and common market with the rest of the world as a target market.

India adopted a different route. According to UN reports,in10years(2006-2016),Indiahasliftedarecord 273millionofitspopulationoutofpoverty.Thishas beenachievedthroughaseriesofmeasurestargeted specificallyatpovertyalleviationintheruralareas.With itsruralemphasis,theIndianstrategyresemblesthe Chineseone.ButIndiadevelopedspecificprogrammes targeted at different dimensions of poverty.

First,thereistheRuralLivelihoodMission(NRLM) whichguaranteestheruralpooraccesstofinanceto increase household incomes. Secondly, there is the MahatmaGhandhiRuralEmploymentGuaranteeAct 2005whichisdesignedtoguaranteeaminimumliving wageforruralpeople.Thirdly,thereistheRuralHousingGuaranteeSchemedesignedtoprovidehousing forallbytheyear2022.Itguaranteestheruralpoor access to permanent housing with electricity, LPG connections,pipebornewaterandtoiletfacilitiesunder anaffordablemortgagearrangementthatissimple.

Finally, there is the Public Distribution System whichaimstomanagefooddistributionandreduce thescarcityofessentialfooditemstoruraldwellers ataffordableprices.Thiscombinationofpoliciesand strategies has assured India of a modest poverty reduction rate of 13.65 million people per annum in the last twenty years.

ThepovertyreductionstrategyofBrazilisguided byasimpleprinciple.Itaimstoimprovetheincomesof thoseatthebottomoftheeconomicpyramidatarate fasterthanthoseofpeopleatthetopandalsofaster thantherateofGDPgrowth.TheresultisthatBrazil hasbeenabletoreducebothpovertyandinequality simultaneously in the last two decades.

Between 2003 and 2009, 21 million Brazilians escaped poverty. The Brazil National Institute of AppliedEconomicResearchsaysthatthecountry’s PovertyIncidenceRatedeclinedfrom35.8%to21.4% between 2001 and 2009, a period during which the country’sGiniIndex(whichmeasuresrateofinequality) dropped by 9%, the lowest since the 1970s.

SomemajorpolicyinitiativesledtoBrazil’ssuccess.

First is the Bolsa Familia (Family Scholarship) which provides family income support for families whosepercapitamonthlyincomeislessthan$47.In return,familiesmustensurethattheyvaccinatetheir children, attend routine health programmes, and ensuretheykeeptheirchildreninschool.Compliance with these requirements is what assures people of continued participation and benefit from the programme.

InNigeriaontheotherhand,wehaveseenametamorphosisofagencies:masstransit,schoolfeeding, cash transfers, market empowerment,apprentice supportetc.Inthemostrecentiteration,theNigerian presidencyhascreatedadedicatedministry-Ministry ofHumanitarianAffairs-foracollectionofafflictions unitedbypoverty.Emergencydisasterrelief,school feeding,masscashtransferstotheabjectlypooretc. comeunderthepurviewofthisamorphousministry.

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 27, 2022

70

B AC K PAG E C O N T I N UAT I O N NOW THAT THE NORTH HAS FOUND OIL...

(Bayelsa Oil & Gas), Delta (Midwestern Oil & Gas), and Ondo (Owena Oil & Gas). Imo and Rivers partnered Walter Smith and Sahara Energy respectively.

The Kolmani field in the Upper Benue Trough of the Gongola Basin is said to hold reserves of about one billion barrels. The bigger picture, however, is that if you can find oil around the Kolmani River, then there are prospects for more discoveries in the Benue Trough. There are also prospects for further discoveries in the frontier basins of Anambra, Bida, Chad, Dahomey and Sokoto. There are projections by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) that there may be up to 19 billion barrels in the bellies of those basins. For context, Nigeria currently has about 37 billion barrels in proven reserves, mostly in the Niger Delta. Nigeria can only get bigger as an oil producer.

How did Nigerians react to the Kolmani news? Up north, it was celebration galore. I can understand. At least, when production finally begins, northerners will no longer be described by southerners as “parasites on our oil”. No matter how a northerner tries to wave this tag away, it hurts deeply. Nobody likes to be called a parasite. Some northerners have tried over the years to counter the notion, asking questions about the role the Niger Delta played in putting hydrocarbons underneath their earth and theorising on how fossils from the north were transported by River Niger over millenniums to form the hydrocarbon wealth in the region. I therefore understand the excitement.

Kolmani excited the federal government as

well. More oil means more revenue and more money to share. The trending sentiment across the developed world is the need to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, such as petrol, in order to save the planet. There are projections that demand for oil will fall as electronic vehicles and alternative, sustainable energy sources gain ground. But demand for crude oil has refused to drop. The global population just hit eight billion, with more people living in low-income and poor countries. They tend to lag behind in alternative energy. There is, therefore, going to be a market for oil for much longer. Nigeria can hope to harvest more petrodollars.

While the mood up north and in the Presidential Villa was bright, I could sense some moodiness down south, at least judging by comments on social media. When you have made a career of disparaging northerners and slighting them with campaigns for “resource control” and “restructuring” — which is basically because of the oil — it is inevitable that your mood would be soured when your favourite punchbag is about to be “free”. It is like a husband whose wife depends on for everything, including the money to buy toothpaste. The day she begins to gain some financial independence, the husband’s weapon of negotiation and control will begin to lose potency.

Some southerners are in pains. All sorts of theories are trending on social media. One fellow said no oil was found in Kolmani, that it is just a gimmick to start giving “the north” 13 percent derivation from the resources of the Niger Delta. Another said secret pipelines

have been laid from the Niger Delta to the north and the oil production attributed to Kolmani is actually stolen from the south.

The detail that has been lost in the conspiracy theories, though, is that it will still take years for oil production to start in Kolmani, so the issue of derivation payment does not arise yet. Nonetheless, I very much understand that these theories are driven by “sifia” pains of losing bragging rights.

What is my take on the Kolmani drilling? I have my worries and fears. I recall the words of Alfonzo: “Ten years from now, twenty years from now, you will see: oil will bring us ruin.”

If we are going to experience a different outcome, we must begin to plan and act differently. Our legendary mismanagement of oil wealth dampens my mood. Before the boom, we were running a competitive economy.

Agriculture and industry generated jobs for the people and revenues for the government.

We did not plan our lives around windfalls.

The government invested in the prosperity of its citizens. Overall, our development indices compared favourably with those of our peers, mostly in Asia.

Although we still reminisce about “the good old days” of cocoa, palm produce, rubber and groundnuts, but it was the people, not the regional governments, that owned the plantations. Through the marketing boards, they bought the produce off the farmers and made money from selling locally and exports. They had to incentivise the farmers.

The bigger the output, the bigger the revenue prospects. But we started reaping billions in petrodollars and government became less

dependent on the citizens. The productive bases became marginal. Why waste time trying to raise $200 million from taxes and cash crop exports when oil alone could give you $5 billion? Why stress?

This is where I fear for the north in particular and Nigeria in general. I fear oil wealth may impact negatively on agriculture, which is still the biggest employer of labour in the north. All plans around the newfound oil wealth must factor in this pathology. The Niger Delta experience of government neglect and youth restiveness must also be factored into the political management plan. I fear for Nigeria because more oil revenue does not mean more sense. It may not translate to shared prosperity for Nigerians. That is why we just have to start doing things differently.

To be clear: it is not bad to hit oil. We need to build our reserves and ramp up production while the crude party lasts.

In 1973, the year of the first oil boom, The O’Jays, the American R&B group, had a superhit: “Now that we’ve found love/ What are we gonna do with it.” Now that the north has found oil, what next? Well, there is a tiny piece of good news: I can see a plan that looks good on paper. There will be a 120,000bpd refinery (so no need to worry about exports and pipelines), a gas processing plant of up to 500mscf per day, a power plant of up to 300mw capacity and a fertiliser plant of 2,500 tonnes per day. If this is faithfully implemented, along with good governance, that would mean we have finally learnt our lessons. Otherwise, the “devil’s excreta” will only turn the region into a sorry sight.

And Four Other Things…

WIKELEAKS Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state let the cat out of the bag on Monday when he revealed the source of the money he has been spending to execute his numerous mega projects. In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo refused to implement the 13 percent derivation, even though the 1999 Constitution became effective on May 29 that year. He only started paying in 2000. All the presidents since then — including Dr Goodluck Jonathan, from oil-producing Bayelsa state — did not redress this constitutional breach. It took President Muhammadu Buhari to do the needful. Wike has unwittingly exposed fellow Niger Delta governors who collected the money and kept quiet. Exposed.

LAUREL FOR LAURETTA? As President Buhari moves towards winding down his administration in the next six months, he may be preparing after-office life for some members of his team. He has nominated Mrs Lauretta Onochie, his sharp-tongued social media aide, as the chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Her nomination as a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year did not sail through as the senate turned it down. Onochie’s nomination as NDDC chair has drawn the ire of those who do not believe such an important job should be given to someone whose claim to fame is Twitter fights. Will the senate agree?

Watching.

NO QATAR GIVEN After all the furore about LGBTQ+, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar finally became a football event as the 32 teams got us going with tricks and flicks — and plenty goals.

Western countries had pushed really hard on the gay issue but the government of Qatar stood its ground. Given that Qatar’s stance against gay rights is based on Islamic injunctions, I never saw them soft-pedalling — except they wanted to ditch the Holy Qur’an.

What the West is asking for is apparently impossible to achieve in Islamic nations. I was happy, all the same, that we began to watch and discuss football. Saudi Arabia beating Argentina is one of the biggest shocks in the World Cup, but I expect more. Sensational!

LETTER RAIN All roads lead to Abuja on Friday, December 1, as Musikilu Mojeed, the editor-in-chief and COO of Premium Times, holds a public presentation of his maiden book, The Letterman: Inside the secret letters of former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo. Unknown to most Nigerians, Obasanjo had been writing controversial letters all his life. With this book, Mojeed, multiple award-winning editor and one of Nigeria’s finest and principled journalists, has given us a treasure throve. Some letters date back to 1952. The most popular was the one to President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.

Mojeed also offers analytical perspectives on the contents. The book is first of its kind in Nigeria. Captivating.

DISTURBING PATTERNS FROM THE 2023 CAMPAIGNS not be just a symbolic gesture. There is need to get a new set of commitments from the principal actors and to call out and sanction politicians and their supporters that do or say things that cause or could cause a breach of peace. The electoral management body and the security agencies also need to be fair, firm and proactive.

The second worrying pattern is the growing intolerance for political difference. Democracy at its core is about freedoms. This includes the freedom to see the world differently and to have a different preference or choice. While some ways of seeing or choosing may be suboptimal than or inferior to others, no one’s right to choose is superior to another’s.

Abusing, insulting, shouting down, labelling, dragging and cancelling those who hold a different view or have a different preference is against the spirit of democracy, and does not necessarily win over those on the other side or who are yet to decide.

Politicians and their supporters should disagree strongly, but with civility. Electoral politics can be a passionate argument about the vision and the direction of society. And with where Nigeria is at the moment, the passion is understandable. But democracy is an exercise in persuasion, about making compelling arguments that will win over the required number, and not about shouting down or bullying others. We are near a place where people are afraid to express their views or to show their hands. This growing antidifference temper is anti-democratic. There is also a danger of it spilling from the verbal to the physical.

But there is an even more insidious dimension. There is this growing insinuation that if the election does not produce a particular

Atiku

outcome, then it must have been manipulated.

This is dangerous, not just because this may be an attempt to lay the ground for discrediting the polls but because it could create the spark for post-election violence, especially given the combustible ethno-religious subtexts of the presidential poll. This should give all of us a good reason for pause, especially with the memory of the electoral violence of 1964/1965, 1983 and 2011.

At a time like this, it is important to always recall the immortal words of late Claude Ake: we cannot have democracy without having democrats. The democratic enterprise can be a tricky and frustrating business. Democracy is not only desirable when it produces the

outcome we desire. Political actors must always play by and within the rules, not try to bring down the house because they can’t get their way or conveniently look away when their supporters try to seek self-help and put all at risk.

INEC should be given all the necessary support to organise free, fair and credible elections. It should be held accountable, without being distracted or being discredited without basis. But even when it is universally acknowledged that INEC has discharged itself creditably, there is room for candidates, their parties and supporters to disagree. The room for disagreement is not in whispering campaigns or in instigation to violence. It is in the courts, at different levels, all the way to the court of last instance. Those who submit to the democratic process must be vigilant to ensure a free and fair process but they must also retain faith in the process and the system. Those who have responsibility for law and order also need to proactively undertake rigorous risk analysis and put in place robust risk-mitigation strategies.

The third worrying pattern I see is the prioritisation of show over substance in what could pass for the actual campaigns.

I have followed the ongoing campaigns very closely. I have taken time to go through the manifestos (for those who have them), interviews (for those who have conducted them), footages of some rallies, media reports/ coverages of townhall meetings and policy dialogues, and social media postings. As a commentator on Arise News and as a member of the editorial board of THISDAY, I have also had the opportunity of asking the candidates some questions. Save for a few flashes here and there, the campaigns, for me,

have been very superficial so far. They are mostly about who can pull the biggest crowd in rallies and marches where little get said.

And the pronouncements have been more about applause-eliciting and base-nodding soundbites than solid and pragmatic ideas.

I must admit here that I am not the typical voter. I am interested in the candidates’ understanding of the current challenges, in their policy prescriptions, in how practical and appropriate those prescriptions are to the context, in the details, phasing, and funding of their proposals and in the trade-offs. I am not impressed with candidates sounding like public affairs commentators or telling us we need to fix x, y and z without saying the specific things he will do, and how he will go about them and where he will find the money and what needs to give.

This may sound like nitpicking, but it is not. Whoever wins the presidency in February will face tough challenges, will need to make difficult calls, and should be ready take decisive actions from the first day. The reason is simple: Nigeria is at an unusual pass. We cannot afford to approach this election cycle the way we went into the previous ones.

Yes, emotions and partisanship cannot be taken away from politics. But more than at any other time in our history, we need to also focus on and critically interrogate the ideas of the candidates, even when they don’t want us to. We need to make them sweat for the topmost job in the land which they applied for out of their own volition. And courtesy of the current electoral law, we still have about three months to put their feet to the fire and, in the process, harvest good ideas for tackling our urgent national challenges. We have no excuse to engage in work-avoidance.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 27 , 2022

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SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by: Duro Ikhazuagbe email:Duro.Ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Will Lightning Strike Twice for Germany Against Spain Today?

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illlightning strike twice for Germany here in Qatar after starting the same poor way it happened four years ago in Russia? The German Machine lost their first game to Japan 2-1 on Wednesday, same way it happened against Mexico at Russia 2018. Although they won their second game against Sweden 2-1, their defeat by South Korea in the final Group F match ensured that as defending champions, they finished in Russia at the bottom and exited the tournament with ignominy.

The same scenario has started with this their first defeat by Japan here. They will this afternoon face the most difficult fixture in this second Group E match against Spain.

Already, this match has been dubbed‘Final before the Final’.

Anything short of outright victory is likely going to spell doom for Germany.

Speaking at the pre-match conference yesterday after, Germany Coach, Hansi Flick admitted it was a tough pairing, with his team facing the possibility of elimination.

Asked whether the four-time world champions were still the

mighty tournament team of the past as they face the prospect of a second early World Cup exit, Flick said the game on Sunday would determine their reputation.

“This will be answered on Sunday (today). Maybe we have another answer to that question, the right answer,” observed Flick without giving away any emotion of fear.

The Germans started their World Cup campaign with a shock 2-1 defeat by Japan on Wednesday after holding a 1-0 lead following a dominant first half.

But they inexplicably crumbled after the break and let Japan score twice late in the game to snatch the win and join Spain on three points.

The Germans suffered their earliest tournament exit in 80 years when they crashed out of the first round at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They were

also eliminated in the Last 16 at last year’s Euro.

“The last two tournaments were not (good),”Flick said.“We want to avoid a repeat of this.

The focus is on concentration.

This is the first final for us at the World Cup and that’s what it’s about - to avoid a repeat of that.”

Flick will have to wait for the last training session (yesterday evening) to see if winger Leroy Sane, who was nursing an injury, will be fit to feature against Spain today.

“We have to wait for final training and afterwards we can say more (about Sane),”he said.“It is good news that he can train.

Our medics did a lot of good work and we will see how the training goes.”

While the injury to Sane, who missed their first game, may be of some concern for the coach, a far bigger issue is getting the players to focus on the game and put the Japan loss behind

them.

Flick appeared by himself at the final news conference prior to the game and not, as usual, with one player, saying they all needed to stay in their training base in north Qatar to focus on the game.

“For me the focus is football,” Flick said.

“I am convinced of the idea of how we want to play. If we are not on 100% then we give the opponent space. We did it against Japan. Such a defeat and how it came about is very bitter because it was avoidable.”

“But we will continue down our road because we believe in the quality of the team and that it can apply the things we want. We have courage and belief going into the game,” said the German.

Mbappe’s Brace Fires France into Last 16

K

ylian Mbappe scored a brilliant second half brace to help defending champions France beat Denmark 2-1 to become the first side to reach the Round of 16 at the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 here in Doha on Saturday.

The PSG superstar, who missed a chance in first half, excited spectators at the Stadium 974 breaking the stalemate in 61st minute after a goalless first half.

After Andreas Christensen pulled off the equaliser for Denmark in 68th minute, Mbappe scored the winner four minutes before regulation time. Antoine Griezmann flicked the ball to him from the right flank.

It was Mbappe’s seventh World Cup goal and the third here in Qatar as he also scored in France’s opening 4-1defeat of Australia on Tuesday.

France now top Group D with six points followed by Australia (3 points). Denmark and Tunisia, who played out a draw, have a point each.

RESULTS Argentina 2 - 0 France 2-1 Poland 2-0 Tunisia 0 - 1

Mexico Denmark S’Arabia Australia

TODAY Spain Croatia Belgium Japan

v v v v

Germany Canada Morocco Costa Rica

Kylian Mbappe...scored brace to qualify France for Last

Bosso Invites 40 Players to Flying Eagles’ Camp in Abuja

H

ead Coach of the U20 Boys’ National Team, Isah Ladan Bosso, has called up 40 players to begin camping in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja starting from Monday, November 28 in preparation for next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations finals in Egypt. The list is made up of five goalkeepers, nine defenders, 13 midfielders and 13 forwards. The players will stay at the Serob Legacy Hotel in the Wuye area of the nation’s capital.

The seven-time African champions triumphed at the WAFU B U20 Championship held in Niger Republic in the month of May and thus qualified to represent the zone at the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations to be staged in Egypt 18th February – 12th March.

All four semi -finalists at the U20 AFCON will fly Africa’s flag at next year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals holding in Indonesia.

FACT

SERBIA IN TROUBLE

Robert Lewandowski Lewandowski...scored scored his first firstWorld World Cup goal for Poland in the 2-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia here at Qatar 2022 yesterday

Lewandowski Scores 2,600th World Cup Goal as Poland Beat S’Arabia

R

obertLewandowski scored his first ever World Cup goal against Saudi Arabia and Poland refocus their campaign to qualify from Group C also having Mexico and Argentina.

That goal by the Barcelona forward is the 2,600th in FIFA World Cup history. It was a perfect compensation for Lewandowski who missed a penalty in Poland’s goalless

draw with Mexico in their first group match on Tuesday.

He pounced on a mistake

by Abdulelah Al-Malki in the82ndminutetodouble Poland’s advantage after Piotr Zielinski had given them a first-half lead.

Lewandowski has now become the oldest goal scorer for Poland in the FIFA World Cup at the age of 34 years and 97 days, surpassing Grzegorz

Lato (32 years and 75 days). The win lifted Poland to the top of the group on four points, one more than the Saudis ahead of the late night fixture between ArgentinaandMexico.Theynow only need a draw in their final game against Argentina next Wednesday to guarantee their spot in the knockouts.

After completing one of World Cups’greatest ever shocks when they cut Argentina down to size in their opener on Tuesday, the Saudis, found Poland a tougher

nut to crack at the Education City Stadium.The Green Falcons failed to convert a first-half penalty.

Saudi Arabia, the secondlowest ranked team in the tournament, will head into their final match against Mexico with all still to play for.

It was effectively a home match for the Saudis with their raucous fans, who had made the short journey across the border, far outnumbering their Polish counterparts.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Football Association of Serbia due to a flag displayed in their dressing room on the occasion of the Brazil v. Serbia FIFA World Cup match played on Thursday. The proceedings were opened on the basis of article 11 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and article 4 of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

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Wike to Amaechi “I have gone to your local government to do all the internal roads which you refused…I’ve given you a school in your community, even the house you are living, I did the road to your house” – Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, criticising his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, over the delivery projects in the state.

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SIMONKOLAWOLE Now that the North Has Found Oil...

SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

I

n October 1973, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel over its occupation of the Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula, two Arab territories.

With the now-defunct Soviet Union (read Russia) backing Egypt and Syria, the US automatically queued behind Israel. Arab countries, in solidary with Egypt and Syria, retaliated by placing an oil embargo on the West. Crude oil prices skyrocketed.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) became awash with raw cash. Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, a Venezuelan politician and lawyer who co-founded the oil cartel in 1960, promptly nicknamed crude oil “the devil’s excreta” as petrodollars flooded OPEC members.

Nigeria began to swim in an ocean of petrodollars. Our problem was no longer money but how to spend it. From an average price of $3 in 1973, a barrel of oil was selling for $12 by December 1974. And from modest oil earnings of about $200 million in 1970, Nigeria netted $32 billion between 1973 and 1978, averaging over $6 billion per year. Imagine your monthly salary jumping from N1 million to N29 million. You will go crazy. Alfonzo was not impressed. He famously said: “We’re drowning in devil’s excrement… ten years from now, twenty years from now, you will

Buhari

see: oil will bring us ruin...” He added in 1976: “Look at us, we are having a crisis… we are dying of indigestion.”

With billions of dollars in the hands of the Nigerian government, we went on a spending

spree, increasing civil servants’ salaries and benefits and backdating them (“Udoji Award”) and paying for laundry for undergraduates.

The tsunami of dollars kept the naira at par with the dollar. That meant it was cheaper to import a bottle of water than to make it at home. We took to import binging and neglected the productive bases of the economy, only to start whinging decades later that the naira was losing value. We went on a spree of creating subsidies, thinking petrodollars would rain eternally. We became a den of rent-seekers feeding fat on oil. We still consider it our golden era.

What oil wealth did to us was to make the government awash with petrodollars while Nigeria and Nigerians were not better off commensurately. Government became the biggest centre of patronage. To be in government was an invitation to become rich with minimal work. Government started creating more ministries, departments and agencies where access to cash is unlimited and the levers of accountability are terribly low.

Getting government appointments became more profitable than running businesses.

Government contracts could give as much as 500 percent returns. That is what oil windfalls can do to a society without visionary and accountable leadership.

We built infrastructure, to be sure, so I am not suggesting the entire windfall was wasted on subsidies and whiskies. But nearly 50 years later, we still have thousands of kilometres of unpaved roads and thousands of communities without access to potable water and electricity, which should have been part of our priorities.

If we are honest, petrodollar is easy money and the temptation to spend it anyhow is always there — except there is a strong public accountability system. Though Arab countries have absolute monarchs, they are visionary and place priority on infrastructural development. Norway had a well-established public accountability structure before the oil boom.

Despite all trouble oil has brought upon us, our reserves are about to get bigger with the flag-off of drilling in the Kolmani River field by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday. In 2005, the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) — owned by the 19 northern states — had won OPLs for Blocks 809 and 810 in the bid round organised by President Olusegun Obasanjo. The previous year, Obasanjo had, as part of addressing issues in the Niger Delta, preferentially awarded marginal fields to Akwa Ibom (Universal Oil & Gas), Bayelsa Continued on page 70

WAZIRIADIO POSTSCRIPT

Disturbing Patterns from the 2023 Campaigns

B

y tomorrow, we will be two months into the official segment of the campaigns for the landmark 2023 presidential poll. The current campaign season is unusually long and will, expectedly, go through undulating phases. The Electoral Act 2022 not only extended the campaign period from 90 days to 150 days but also created a hiatus, no-campaign period of three months. The mandated pause was difficult to police and was largely observed in the breach. So, it could as well be the unofficial campaign period.

So far, it seems the promise foreshadowed by the period before the official kick-off of the campaigns on September 28 has not been delivered by the two months of the campaign itself. To be sure, there have been increased and more evenly-spread political activities and sparks post-September 28. But we are yet to see the full colours of the campaigns expected in an election widely characterised as open and potentially the most competitive in the current republic.

Perhaps this should be expected given the

tasking longevity of the current campaign period. Presidential campaigns cost a lot of money and effort, and candidates and their parties (including those with the most resources and spread) will need to pace themselves for what has now become a marathon. My sense is that the candidates and the parties are conserving their energies and resources for the last mile, possibly the last six weeks before the election.

I fully support the need to give the electoral management body enough time to organise credible elections. But too much time can also be a problem to the other stakeholders, especially those who do not have the luxury of time and resources. Part of the unintended consequences is that long electioneering may end up raising the entry barrier, thereby further advantaging the advantaged.

There is also huge cost to the country at large in terms of the distractions and the opportunity costs. I think that provision of the electoral law is worth reviewing in a way that optimally balances the needs of INEC with the unnecessary cost to others, including the country. I think we can easily dispense with three to four of the nine months

between the emergence of candidates and the general election. We can return to this after the 2023 elections.

For now, we have less than three months to the elections and it is important to pay close attention to some observable patterns especially those with implications for peace before, during and after the elections, and for democratic and economic development in our country. Some of these patterns are likely to be maintained and even intensified in the next three months. If unchecked, these patterns may be to the detriment of the country.

I will touch on three of such patterns today.

The first and the most troubling is the increasingly violent nature of the campaigns.

On October 28th, the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno, warned about how the growth in campaign-related violence is a threat to the successful conduct of the elections. Speaking through a representative at the quarterly meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), the NSA highlighted instances and danger of physical and verbal violence across the country. On 9th November, the convoy of the Presidential candidate of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was attacked in Maiduguri, Borno State. This is reprehensible and all those involved should be fished out and made to face the music.

Apart from the fine points about the need for all the political actors to play by the rules of the game and the need for our political culture to grow and mature with the age of our democracy, there are practical reasons to shun political violence. One is that violence breeds more violence, leading to a spiral of reprisals and counter-attacks, and needless loss of life and property. We are seeing this already. A few days ago, INEC stated that 24 people have been killed so far in the current campaign cycle.

It could get worse, given how Nigeria’s religious and regional fault-lines have been dragged into this particular election. For a country battling insecurity on almost all fronts, allowing political or election-related violence to enter the mix will be akin to tempting fate. The peace accord brokered by the National Peace Committee should Continued on page 70

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