The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 433 (February 1 - 14 2017)

TheTrumpet Africans now have a voice...

V OL 23 N O 433

UK court halts sale of Nigeria's property

By Trumpet EXCLUSIVE he English Commercial Court has ruled against the forced sale of one of Nigeria’s choice properties in London to recover a debt of $5million further and a further N4.71million awarded as costs (excluding interest) arising from a dispute with an Israeli company.

The 1927-built three-

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British court upholds removal of Celestial Ch u r c h Shepherd

Pastor Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ

he High Court in London resolving a dispute between Trustees of Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Edward Street Parish London and its sacked Shepherd-in-Charge and Pastor’s Representative - Prophet Dennis Olumide Lawson, has upheld the latter’s removal.

His Honour Judge Hodge QC also made an Interim Payment Order against Lawson for 80% of the £130,000 legal costs of the Church Trustees in the sum of £90,000.

As an alternative to the granting of an injunction sought by the Church Trustees, Lawson was offered an opportunity to give an undertaking to restrain from any future passing-off or use of the name “Edward Street Parish,” or entry into the Parish’s church building.

The dispute which began in 2013, led to in-fighting and a highlypolarised congregation; and saw police officers visiting the church on a number of occasions to maintain peace.

The Church Trustees dragged Lawson to court to seek (in summary) orders: (1) restraining the defendant (Prophet Lawson) from passing off his activities, or those of his congregation which are not those of the claimants (Trustees of CCC Edward Street) or their congregation, as the activities of the claimants by the use of the words “Edward Street Parish.“ (2) an injunction restraining Prophet Lawson from entering or Continued on Page4>

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storey property situated at 56-57 Fleet Street which previously housed a number of sections of the Nigeria High Commission London including its Consular services, is currently leased to Online Integrated Solutions Ltd (OIS) for the purpose of providing visa and passport services in exchange for an annual rent of £150,000.

Hitherto, the property was the London home of the Glasgow Herald Newspaper in the days when Fleet Street was the centre of Britain’s newspaper industry.

The property had been the subject of a suit filed by a company registered in Israel - L R Avionics Technologies Ltd which had entered into a contract with the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 22 October 2002 to supply military equipment. The contract was governed

by Nigerian law and was subject to arbitration in Nigeria in accordance with the Nigerian Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1998.

A subsequent dispute arose on 31 January 2012, and Mr Babajide Ogundipe, a Nigerian barrister, was appointed as Sole Arbitrator on the dispute by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria. On 8 February 2013, the Arbitrator awarded $5million to L R Avionics Technologies Ltd as damages for breach of the contract, together with costs of N4.71million. The award did not carry interest.

An attempt to get this award set aside by way of an application filed at the Federal High Court Abuja on 17 March 2013, was unsuccessful.

On 30 June 2014, the Federal High Court granted leave to recognise and enforce the award in the same manner as a judgment and entered judgment ordering the Nigerian Government and the Attorney General, to pay the sums awarded together with interest at the prevailing bank rate from 11 March 2013.

The Nigerian Government did not comply with the order of the Federal High Court, so L R Avionics Technologies sought to enforce the award in the United Kingdom. On 4 March 2015, it made a “without notice“ application to register the award under the Arbitration Act 1996 and also to register the Nigerian judgment under the Administration of Justice Act 1920.

Justice Phillips made both orders on 14

April 2015 and also gave permission for service of the claim form, the witness statement in support of the application and the order itself on the defendants out of UK jurisdiction through diplomatic channels under Section 12 of the State Immunity Act. These were duly served on 24 June 2015, but the Nigerian Government did not acknowledge service.

L R Avionics Technologies applied for a Charging Order on the Fleet Street property on 25 August 2015 and obtained an Interim Charging Order on 17 September 2015.

L R Avionics Technologies was granted a Final Charging Order on 6 November 2015 which provided that the Nigerian Government had 21 days from receipt, to apply to vary it or set it aside. This order provided for service by email as well as diplomatic channels.

Service by email was effected on 10 November 2015 and by diplomatic channels on 19 January 2016.

L R Avionics Technologies applied for an order to sell the property in February 2016 and served the Nigerian government. It appears the advanced stage of the court processes which was fast gravitating towards the forced sale of the building, prompted the Nigerian government in May 2016, to eventually apply to have the Final Charging Order discharged or set aside and seek a time extension within which to make the application.

The court accepted the argument of Lincoln’s Inn Barrister Hilda Ekpo Ephraim-Adejumo who represented the Nigerian government, that the premises owned by Nigeria were not “in use....for commercial purposes” within the meaning of section 13(4) of the State Immunity Act 1978 (“the SIA 1978”), and would therefore be immune from the enforcement of arbitral award or judgment against the State under that section.

In his judgement, Justice Males noted that: “The critical issue here is the use to which the property in question is put. The nature or origin of the obligation which it is sought to enforce is irrelevant.“ “The nature of the case was that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the registered proprietor of the freehold interest in office premises at 56-57 Fleet Street in London. It had granted a lease of the premises to a company called Online Integrated Solutions Ltd (“OIS”) for the purpose of providing visa and

passport services in exchange for an annual rent of £150,000.

“OIS, which describes itself as an official partner of the Nigeria High Commission, provides Nigerian visa and passport services on behalf of the High Commission.

“The Claimant - L R Avionics Technologies Ltd had obtained permission to enforce in England, an arbitration award made against the Federal Republic of Nigeria together with a judgment of the Nigerian Federal High Court which was entered by way of enforcement of the award in Nigeria (the award had been for a sum of just over $5 million US Dollars). It had also obtained a final charging order in respect of the Fleet Street property and had issued proceedings in the Chancery Division for an order for sale of the property.“ The judgement handed down at the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, Commercial Court, at The Royal Courts Of Justice; noted that the Defendants, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, contended that the property was immune from execution and applied to have the charging order set aside. That was the application set before Justice Males, although the arguments of Barrister EphraimAdejumo for the defendants also challenged the permission granted to enforce the award and the Nigerian judgment in England.

Justice Males concluded that L R

Hilda Ephraim-Adejumo

Avionics Technologies Ltd had not discharged the burden upon it of proving that the property owned by the Federal Republic of Nigeria at Fleet Street was being used for commercial purposes.

The judge decided that the Fleet Street property was immune from execution and that the charging orders must therefore be set aside.

Although it was a victory for Nigeria, the Judge noted that “Ms Ephraim-Adejumo sought in the course of her submissions to invoke ‘the justice of the case’ as a reason for setting aside the charging orders.

“I would have thought that the interests of justice in this case would be best served if the defendant State (Nigeria) were to honour an arbitration award made against it which has been upheld by and converted into a judgment of its own Federal High Court. However, the law of State immunity exists in international law and has been given effect in the 1978 Act in order to promote wider interests of justice than those of the parties to any individual case.”

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using the claimants’ church building at Edward Street, London SE14.

(3) declarations that from March 2014, Prophet Lawson has ceased to be a trustee, member or employee of the Parish, and (4) if Lawson still remains a trustee of the Parish, an order removing him from that position.

On the other hand, Lawson in his amended defence and counter claim, had insisted that he remains the Shepherd-inCharge of the Parish and, as such, that he is one of the persons “having the general control and management of the administration of” the Parish within the meaning of section 177 of the Charities Act 2011 together with damages to be assessed in respect of the Parish’s failure to pay his stipend following the purported termination of his appointment.

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Based on a number of inconsistencies in Lawson’s testimony in court, Judge Hodge stated that: “I find that I cannot treat the defendant (Lawson) as a witness of truth or as a reliable and credible witness. In cross-examination, I found him to be a combative witness who was reluctant to answer questions; and I am satisfied that he was not being honest with the court. At one point on the afternoon of the final day of his evidence I observed the defendant laughing and smiling when denying the proposition that he was lying when asserting that he was happy to work with the members of the church who disagreed with him and had never sought to intimidate them.“ Judge Hodge added that: “I find that the Parish cannot properly function as a church and as a religious charity with the defendant in his role as Shepherd and as a member of the church.“ Genesis of the crisis The genesis of the crisis in the church can be traced back to 8 May 2013, when the elders of the Parish wrote to the overall and Supreme Head of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide - Pastor Emmanuel Oshoffa, referring to a “deteriorating state of affairs” at the Parish “with quarrels, infighting, police involvement, threat of court cases and even a threat of Charity Commission involvement etc”. In order “for peace and stability to reign and progress ensured in” the Parish, they proposed that: (1) Prophet Lawson’s “irrational attitude towards the Elders and unguided utterances during devotional services are unhelpful towards peace and harmony in the church and he should be called to order by you, in order to avoid unmanageable situation”; (2) the Parish would not accept the appointment of Mr Yinka Akande (now late) as Assistant or Deputy Shepherd; and (3) the Parochial Committee and the Elders should be consulted before any appointment was made concerning the

spiritual and administrative leadership of the Parish.

On 1 September 2013, seven members of the Parochial Committee Executive and eight members of the Elders’ Council wrote to Pastor Oshoffa stating that they had totally lost confidence in the defendant and had concluded that they had had enough. They wanted “to formally call for a new Shepherd who will become a new light and future guide for the innocent congregation to be appointed in your capacity as the Pastor in charge”.

On 5 September 2013, a Parochial Committee Executives Meeting attended by eight members and chaired by Mr Olufemi Shorinolu voted unanimously in favour of suspending Prophet Lawson for four weeks in order to conduct an investigation into the allegations levelled against him.

The eight members of the Parochial Committee wrote a letter to the Trustees of the Parish asking them to hold a meeting to deliberate on the defendant’s suspension as matter of urgency.

Trustees met on 7 September 2013 and voted unanimously in favour of the Parochial Executives’ decision to suspend Prophet Lawson from his duties as Shepherd. This was said not to be a disciplinary sanction: during the period of suspension, the defendant would continue to be paid his salary in the usual way. It was said that suspension was being implemented because the allegations were of gross misconduct and serious in nature, relating to the defendant’s conduct towards members of the church and his unauthorised use of church funds and property. During the period of his suspension, Prophet Lawson was not to be permitted to attend the church premises.

On 20 September 2013, the trustees of the Parish issued proceedings against Prophet Lawson in the Bromley County Court, but at an interim injunction hearing on 24 September, the District Judge held that the application contained no cause of action and directed that it should be struck out unless, by 11 October 2013, the Trustees filed amended particulars of claim setting out clearly a cause of action, the facts relied upon and the remedy sought. Following a further court hearing on 12 December 2013, the county court claim was eventually struck out on 14 April 2014 on the grounds of the Trustees‘ non-compliance with this order, with the Trustees being ordered to pay Prophet Lawson‘s costs.

On 4 October 2013, Mr Shorinolu wrote a further letter to Prophet Lawson inviting him to attend a meeting of the committee appointed to carry out the proposed investigation into the allegations levelled against him - a meeting Prophet Lawson did not attend.

The period of suspension was extended for six weeks because of Prophet Lawson’s alleged “wilful refusal to comply with the terms of his suspension and noncooperation.“

Prophet Lawson told the court that he had not received this letter and that he had not been aware of the terms of his suspension.

On 6 October 2013, 93 members of the Parish wrote to Prophet Lawson asserting their support for him and stating that they had passed a vote of no confidence and had dissolved with immediate effect, the current Parochial Committee led by Mr Shorinolu.

On 14 October 2013, solicitors acting for Lawson, wrote to the Parish confirming that the defendant would not be attending the meeting that day and stating that the defendant was very concerned that those bringing the complaints against him were also the very people purporting to conduct the inquiry.

On 17 October 2013, the same solicitors wrote a further letter to Miss Adeola Bangbose on behalf of the Trustees of the Parish. The letter included reference to the defendant - Prophet Lawson having seen “various posters around the church which seek to belittle and humiliate him”.

This was a reference to notices stating that the defendant had been suspended as Shepherd with effect from 13 September 2013 pending investigation into the allegations made against him, that he was not permitted to carry out his duties whilst he was on suspension, and that the Trustees had applied for a court order against him.

In the meantime, on 18 October 2013, Pastor Oshoffa, as Pastor and spiritual head of the Celestial Church Worldwide, had written to Lawson, the Parochial Committee, the Trustees and all elders and members of the Parish confirming his support for Lawson as Shepherd-inCharge of the Parish, temporarily suspending the Parochial Committee for 3 months, and setting up a seven man interim committee to work with the Trustees. The Pastor was said to be arranging to send to the Parish some eminent and highly responsible elders of the Celestial Church to look into the dispute and recommend measures that would bring peace, love and understanding into the life of the Parish. The Shepherd was to allow the Fact Finding and Continued on Page 5<

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British court upholds removal of Celestial Church Shepherd Continued from Page 2<

Reconciliation Committee to perform their duties, and their agenda was to include a full scale audit of the Parish’s accounts over the previous seven years by an independent and trusted auditor.

Superior Evangelist Amos Fatusin, the UK and Northern Ireland Diocesan Head, was to supervise the administration of the Parish in the meantime.

According to a letter to Superior Evangelist Fatusin from Shorinolu dated 1 December, the Pastor’s letter was not supplied to the Parish but was read out by Fatusin at a church service when he visited the Parish on 1 December 2013.

On 6 December 2013, the Parish’s solicitors wrote to Fatusin advising him that he was not to enter the Parish premises at any time or for any reason, and that he had no authority in relation to the Parish and was not entitled to interfere in its affairs; and to Pastor Oshoffa stating that the Trustees did not accept his authority, or that of the Nigerian Diocese or the Celestial Church’s international headquarters, to interfere with or meddle in the affairs of the Parish.

On Sunday 8 December 2013, a serious disturbance took place during the church service and the police were called.

This was not the first time there had been disturbances necessitating the invitation of police. A video recording of this incident was produced and played a number of times during the course of the trial.

In his judgement, Judge Hodge, criticised the altercation which took place during the church service on 8 December 2013, saying it “discloses a thoroughly disgraceful state of affairs which does no credit to any of those involved.“ He added that “The behaviour of many

Travel

of those shown on the video is confrontational, aggressive and wholly inappropriate to a place of worship. I am entirely satisfied that it was the defendant’s disagreement with his suspension from office that was the cause of this altercation; but the response of those opposed to the defendant was disproportionate and clearly exacerbated the situation, causing it to mushroom out of control to such an extent that the police had to be called. No organisation, still less a church, can function in such a disorderly manner.“ On 17 February 2014, a fire caused extensive damage to the church and Trustees resolved to close the church building whilst investigation, assessment by loss adjustors and the necessary remedial works were carried out. On the same day, in spite of the fire incident, Lawson held a service at the church.

Constitutions Central to this case, have been the place of the governing documents (Constitutions) of the CCC Edward Street Parish which is registered as a Charity in England and Wales, and that of the Nigeria Diocese or the “CCC Worldwide.”

Judge Hodge accepted the submission of the Trustees’ Counsel that “it is only the spiritual authority of Pastor Oshoffa that has ever been recognised by the Parish; it has never recognised him as having legal authority over the Parish.“ The Trustees’ Counsel also argued that on its proper construction, the Parish’s constitution permits the charity trustees to identify (by appointing and dismissing) the Shepherd-in-Charge of the Parish in the exercise of its duty to further its Continued on Page 7<

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British court upholds removal of Celestial Church Shepherd Continued from Page 1<

religious objects.

In the past, according to evidence presented to the court: The Parochial Committee, the Trustees and the Elders have canvassed the views of the congregation, who have sought the agreement of the individual they have treated as the Pastor to the appointment of the Shepherd.

When the individual occupying the role of the Shepherd appeared to these bodies to be inappropriate, they again sought the agreement of the Pastor.

“It is said that a practical recognition by the Parish of the spiritual authority of the Pastor (but not an unfettered legal authority) can co-exist with ultimate legal authority over who occupies the position of the Shepherd remaining with the claimants, and such an arrangement is said to fall within the proper construction of the Parish’s constitution.“ The judge held that “in the normal course of events, there will be no tension between any spiritual authority and any legal authority. However, ultimately the identification of these individuals by the charity trustees is a matter for them in the pursuit of the Parish’s objects.“ Judge Hodge agreed with the Trustees’ Counsel that the Constitution of CCC Worldwide was not inadmissible; but the weight to be accorded to it was very limited.

In this case, he agreed with the Church Trustees, that the Worldwide constitution was needed “merely to understand the proper functions and significance of the Shepherd-in-Charge.”

He agreed that Trustees needed the Parish’s constitution to “identify the objects of their charity, their powers and any limitations upon them, and the discretions available to them.“ Judge Hodge also disagreed that the Pastor (Pastor Oshoffa) alone can appoint, and remove, the Shepherd-in-Charge. This power, he said resides with “the Parochial Committee to appoint and dismiss the Shepherd without the need to look to the authority of the Pastor as conferred by the worldwide constitution.“ Lawson as Trustee Judge Hodge agreed with Lawson’s Counsel that a proper interpretation of the constitution and of the Shepherd’s role within it, are sufficient to make Lawson a charity trustee as a person “having the general control and management of the administration of” the Parish within the definition contained in section 177 of the Charities Act 2011 together with the Parochial Committee and the Trustees.

He noted that this was also how Lawson had been viewed both by the Board of Trustees when (on 5 March 2014) they resolved that the defendant should be removed as a Trustee of the church upon his dismissal as Shepherd and also by the Charity Commission.

Pastor Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa - Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ

Judge Hodge also found that Lawson’s role as a charity trustee was consequential upon his appointment and continuing role as Shepherd and would automatically terminate when his role as Shepherd-inCharge was terminated.

Lawson’s employment status In spite of the fact that Lawson was treated and paid (and taxed) by the Church as an employee, the Judge found “that prior to his dismissal as Shepherd, the defendant was an officer, and not an employee, of the Parish.“ This was premised on among other reasons: (1) There is no written agreement of any kind with the defendant other than by virtue of his membership of the Parish.

(2) There is no evidence of any discussion or decision about the defendant’s role by the Parochial Committee or any other body. As against that, it is validly said by the claimants that there was no need for this because, as the late former Shepherd’s deputy, Lawson was fully conversant with the nature of the role.

(3) There is no evidence of any control exercised by the Parish over the Shepherd other than in the attempt to discipline him.

(4) The fundamental purpose of the office of Shepherd is spiritual.

(5) The defendant was appointed by the Pastor, albeit at the instigation and with the agreement of the Parish; and there was no agreement between the Parish and the defendant capable of giving rise to a contract between the parties.

Judge Hodge said: “In my judgment, the defendant as shepherd, was not performing a service for the Parish nor was he subject to its control to a sufficient degree to make the Parish his master.

Rather he was there to shepherd the Parish,

to lead the congregation to Christ and to see to the effective teaching of the Bible within the Parish. I therefore hold that the defendant was an officer and not an employee of the Parish and that his remuneration was properly to be viewed in the nature of a stipend rather than a salary.“ Fairness Judge Hodge also held that the Church acted fairly in its process of dismissing Lawson. He stated that it “is clear on the evidence that I have heard that this was a church congregation polarised between opposition to, and support for, the position of the defendant as the Shepherd-inCharge. It would have been impossible to have found a representative body of persons within the Parish who had not already made up their minds about the dispute which had riven their church in two. That is clear from the video I viewed and the history of disturbances within the church during the latter half of 2013. The problem for the defendant is that those in the majority on the Parochial Committee were opposed to his continuing role in the church; and they were the democratically elected body seised by the constitution of the Parish with the duty of resolving the stalemate within the Parish. This could not be left to elders from other congregations of the Celestial Church or to the Pastor. It was for the Parochial Committee to do the best they could in the circumstances. On the evidence, I am satisfied that this is what they sought to do in what they considered to be the best interests of the Parish and in accordance with, and in the furtherance of, its charitable objects.

Goodwill The judge also stated that it “was not disputed before me that the claimants have made extensive use of, and as a result have acquired substantial goodwill in, the name

“Celestial Church of Christ, Edward Street Parish” as an organisation operating as a registered charity, conducting religious services and handling donations, governed by rules and for whose conduct the claimants, as trustees, are ultimately responsible. I am satisfied that it would constitute the tort of passing-off for the defendant to represent himself as the Shepherd-in-Charge of the Parish or to misrepresent his services and other activities as those of the Parish.“

The Celestial Church of Christ was founded by its first Pastor and Supreme Head - Reverend Samuel Oshoffa, in the Republic of Benin in 1947. It was incorporated in Nigeria in 1958.

The Edward Street Parish was founded in 1990 as an offshoot of CCC’s first parish established in the UK, and its UK National Headquarters - Harton Street Parish whose church had burnt down.

Lawson was then only about 25 years of age but as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, he was influential in founding the new Parish with younger members of the congregation from Harton Street and also in persuading its existing shepherd, Superior Evangelist F.O. Salu to become its first Shepherd.

Lawson left for the USA in about 1998 returning to the Parish in 2007 as Deputy Shepherd. Following the death of Superior Evangelist Salu in July 2011, 156 members of the Parish signed a petition recommending and supporting Lawson to the Parochial Committee, the Trustees and the Pastor for appointment as the Shepherd-in-Charge. He was duly appointed by Pastor Emmanuel Oshoffa by letter dated 11 November 2011; and his appointment was confirmed by a further letter from Pastor Emmanuel Oshoffa dated 11 February 2012.

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Opinion

TheTrumpet FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

MMM, Sambisa and the boy Died “Happy New Year, my brother.”

“What do you mean happy new year, more than two weeks into the New Year. Have I not been in touch with you since January 1?”

“But for you the New Year has just started. Your January 1 was not on January 1.”

“Looks like you have started taking something. I must inform your wife.”

“I say Happy New Year to you.”

“Okay, same to you.”

“You think I don’t know what you have been going through? Your wife told me you have not been yourself since those Mavrodi Mundia Moneybox people suspended their scheme. She specifically asked me to keep an eye on you. But we thank God the MMM is back, 24 hours earlier than they promised.

Now, you can get your money back.”

“My brother, it is a lo-n-g story. This MMM thing has become a case of the more you hear, the less you understand. And to think I invested my children’s education savings. Everything.”

“What is the problem again? I hear you

want to change my world. Government should intervene and monitor the whole thing.”

“I won’t consider MMM the business of government.”

“Everything that has to do with the welfare of a citizen is the business of government.”

“If you decide to go and invest your money with money-doublers, why should government be bothered?”

“Government cannot allow anybody to spread frustration in any form. MMM should give me my money, not coins.”

“By the way, we should find out what a bitcoin is? We learn everyday.”

“I didn’t invest for research purposes. I invested for profit purposes.”

“But suppose the bitcoin is even better than the Naira. Somebody told me that bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, although he didn’t quite explain.”

“Ha. I am in trouble. So, I now have to carry dictionary over this MMM matter. Even

MMM, Sambisa and the boy died

can get your money back, and MMM says they are ready to change the world.”

“I don’t know about changing the world, but let them change my sadness to joy by just returning my money, but now they say they can only pay a small amount per day and that those who invested big money like me should wait.”

“How much did you invest?”

“If I tell you the figure, you will know that the year is not new at all.”

“Tell me.”

“So you can go and tell your wife and your wife can tell my wife and the three of you can tell everybody. I just pray MMM does not mess me up, otherwise all of you won’t have anything to gossip about when you start looking for a casket.”

“Is it that bad? Please don’t let it get to that stage. But I can assure you, if they mess you up, I will sue the hell out of them. I will get lawyers and sue them to court.”

“You will defend my rights after I am dead? Now, I see you are a very good friend indeed.”

“I am just trying to help. I almost invested in the MMM myself.”

“Let me ask you something. What is a bitcoin?”

“Not too sure.”

“MMM says they will pay with bitcoins.

I invested with Naira. They say they will pay me with coins, not with dollars, but coins. Ore mi, gba mi. Se kinni yi o ti fe di one chance bayi? (My friend, save me. Is this not turning into a scam?) And yet they are saying they

a crypto something is now better than the Naira. God, pity your servants!”

“Just calm down. We have enough people dying every day. Don’t join the list. I am sure everything will be sorted out. While you are killing yourself over MMM, are you aware that some Nigerians are already investing in another Ponzi scheme?”

“What is that one?”

“It is called Swissgolden. They offer gold or cash profit.”

“I don’t want to hear about it. And you say government should not get involved? We are almost becoming a nation of desperate money-doublers.”

“Government should worry about more serious things, except of course someone sets out to commit a crime.”

“Nothing can be more serious.”

“Like the Southern Kaduna killings, for example” “That is sad. Ethnic and religious violence has been a source of threat to Nigeria’s corporate existence. We need to build a nation first.”

“The Catholic Church says the casualty figure in Southern Kaduna so far is about 808.

Over 1,422 houses, 16 churches, 19 shops and one primary school have been destroyed. The challenge is how to prevent these things.”

“Too much politics in everything and that is why ordinary things become big things and so much tragedy is invited. Government must be pro-active.”

“That’s like saying nothing. I have heard that cliché too many times. The root of our

national crisis is much deeper. Oftentimes the people themselves are the problem.”

“I hear in the Niger Delta, the people are also threatening to resume hostilities, shut down oil installations and destroy NDDC projects.”

“It is not the people. It is the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) with their ‘Operation Walls of Jericho’ and the Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC). Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has led a delegation to go and talk to them, particularly the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). I think the resort to dialogue is wise.”

“I’ll like to see that too in Southern Kaduna, coming from the highest levels and I like the fact that the Federal Government is talking to the Bring Back our Girls Group and that for once they are willing to listen. Before May 2015, that group never wanted to listen to government. Now they are in Sambisa Forest.”

“I call it the BBOG Journey to the Sambisa Forest of a Thousand Daemons.

When you go to a forest like that, you will have stories to tell.”

“I like the strategy. Get the protesters to help government sell its own story. Quite clever.”

“What if the strategy back-fires?”

“Oh, come on. It won’t.”

“You are always cynical. Thank God you are not in Tanzania where media cynicism of any sort is now a crime.”

“Under President John Magufuli, the bulldozer? Everyone has been praising him for fighting corruption and administrative opaqueness.”

“Magufuli is now bulldozing the media and free speech. Just the other day, he threatened Tanzanian journalists. According to him: ‘We will not allow Tanzania to be a dumping yard for inciting content. This will not happen under my administration” “What?”

“They now have in Tanzania, The Media Services Act of 2016 which gives government officials the powers to shut down media houses and seize their printing machines.”

“That is even worse than that Nigerian Decree. Decree… Decree….”

“It is not from my mouth you will hear that one. Just be careful. Magufuli’s position is that journalists provoked him with their inciting content.”

“What is it with our leaders in Africa? In other words, Magufuli is saying he is a constituted authority.”

“Not a…he is the constituted authority.”

“One of these days, he too will just say, “Bring that boy here…Leave him…Who do you think you are talking to…I am the constituted authority.”

“You are quoting someone else now, not Magufuli.”

“African leaders sound alike when it comes to the use and abuse of power. You are right, I am quoting the Governor of Oyo State, Nigeria, Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) provoked him. They had the temerity to remind him that their school had been shut down for eight months. The Governor was so irritated, he sounded as if the students were disturbing him.

“The students were rude. Nigerian students don’t respect constituted authority.

They don’t know how to address power.”

“Which authority? Is that why they should be tongue-lashed and shot at by the police?”

BY REUBEN ABATI “I know the Governor. One of the students must have said something nasty to him. I got that much from his daughter’s alleged reaction.”

“Who is that?”

“The Governor’s daughter defending her dad.”

“What does she know about a university being shut down for eight months and students having to stay at home because government is suffering from a disease called lack of funds. This democracy sha.”

“Don’t worry yourself. It is not an African thing. In the United States, the Presidentelect’s daughter is going to be very powerful in his in-coming government. Her husband, Jared Kushner is already warming up to play a major role, and his only qualification for the job according to the father-in-law is that he is a good lad and a natural talent” “That Donald Trump. He should stop disturbing everyone with his reckless comments.”

“I pray he doesn’t cause a Third World War.” “With the way he has been provoking China.”

“Everything is under negotiation including One China”, says Trump.

“Nobody can negotiate that,” says China.

“And Trump picks up his phone and makes a long-distance call to the President of Taiwan, and China says that is a terrible insult.”

“Trump definitely thinks his trip to the White House is one of his ‘You’re fired’ episodes. He is busy burning bridges.”

“Meanwhile, in Nicaragua…”

“What’s happening in Nicaragua?”

“The President has just been sworn in for a third term in office, with his wife as his Vice-President!

A husband and wife Presidency” “You think that can happen in Nigeria?”

“You are not aware that in some States in Nigeria, family members are the ones who run the government?”

“Which State?”

“Go and find out for yourself?”

“So, how is our friend, Jim Obazee of the Financial Reporting Council (FRCN)?

“He broke the law.”

“He was trying to enforce the law.”

“He broke the law of the Psalms. Psalm 105:15 – “do not touch my anointed ones/And do my prophets no harm.” He wanted to use a Governance Code to force men of God to observe term limits.”

“You are missing the point.”

“And to think he would start implementing the Code from his own church,

Continued on Page 9 >

Opinion

FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

Once upon a time in Gambia have very vivid memories of my last visit to The Gambia. This was in 2013 when President Goodluck Jonathan paid a twoday visit to the country. In the course of that visit, President Jonathan commissioned the new Chancery of the Nigerian Embassy in Banjul, and also met with the Nigerian community, in addition to the usual bilateral meetings. Nigeria and The Gambia have very strong cultural and diplomatic relations.

We were quartered at a very nice, hospitable sea-side hotel, the Coco Ocean Resort. One of the first things I noticed was the large population of female tourists, lounging by the pool-side and the sea-side, with biceps-wielding, six-packs-flaunting young dark-skinned men on the prowl, with gigolo-ish gait and mien. A female member of our entourage who had gone to the restaurant alone, later returned - visibly shaken and alarmed and what was her problem: one of the male ushers in the hotel had asked her if she would need a man to keep her company so she could have a real taste of Gambian hospitality.

We laughed over it later, but you could not but wonder whether this was one of the reasons why The Gambia holds a special attraction for middle-aged ladies from Europe. There was no time to conduct further research into that aspect of our encounter with The Gambia. I was far too busy for that. But there was no doubt that The Gambia under President Yahya Jammeh took the country’s tourism endowments seriously: a beautiful seaside, good weather, low crime rate, good hotels, beautiful women, adventurous young men, and a meek populace.

President Yahya Jammeh was determined to give President Jonathan and his delegation a good reception. From the airport to the hotel, you would think a festival was afoot. A public holiday was declared and our visit was aired live on radio and television. When we got to the hotel, President Jonathan’s vehicle was immediately serenaded by a cavalcade of horse-riders and a full band of drummers, singers and bag-pipers in colourful costume.

They led our convoy to the Presidential Suite, where security had been heavily deployed in fitting recognition of the importance of the visitor. President Jammeh like virtually every other West African President took a special liking to President Jonathan - the only one who was aloof and liked to act like the father of everyone was that one in Cameroon, although I must say when we went there for a security summit, he received us excellently well too.

We felt very much at home in The Gambia. We were kept in rooms that were a bit far away from the President. And whenever that happened, the aides were always excited. It meant we could have a little more freedom away from the searching eyes

I

Yahya Jammeh

of the security people around the President.

And those ones, I will tell their story someday because they were fond of disturbing other matters of State and personal interest by suddenly interrupting with calls: “Oga dey call you, Oga says you must come now, now” only to get to the big man and he tells you, “No, I didn’t ask after you.” By the time you hang around for a while, just in case the big man would change his mind, whatever plan you were pursuing would have been aborted, or seeing you, the boss would find an assignment for you or drag you into a meeting. Angry, deflated, you went to the security man who made the phone call: “But you said Oga sent for me.” Those guys always managed a poker face: “But you know it is always good to stay around Oga in case he needs you.”

I was impressed by Jammeh’s hospitality and respectful disposition towards President Jonathan. I recall that in 2012, when President Jammeh tried to succeed President Jonathan as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, his own colleagues, including President Jonathan, opposed him. He rarely attended ECOWAS meetings. His then Vice President, the motherly, regal and polite Isatou Njie-Saidy always occupied The Gambian seat. But he usually showed up when a new Chairman was to be elected. Seniority is something that is taken seriously within the club of African Presidents.

They refer to themselves as “my brother, my brother”, but they are always very mindful of seniority and that is one of the reasons why the likes of Paul Biya, Robert Mugabe, Yoweri Museveni, Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo behave and speak as if they are God in human form. Each time Jammeh wanted the ECOWAS Chairmanship position, he behaved as if it was his birthright, but in 2012,

and again in 2014, he was bypassed for junior Presidents as had been the case since he first expressed interest in the position in 2001. He was the only long-serving President who was never allowed to chair ECOWAS. He must have been aware of President Jonathan and Nigeria’s stand on the question of his Chairmanship, but he never held it against both. In fact, Nigeria and Nigerians were so influential in The Gambia under Jammeh, ordinary Gambians complained openly about the overwhelming influence of Nigerians in their country.

Everything went well during our State visit until it was time to meet with President Jammeh in the State House. It was part of my duty to introduce the Nigerian President’s delegation, except someone else seized the microphone and I stepped down. In The Gambia, mere protocol recognition of the President of the country ended up being a major problem. His full titles had to be mentioned, and in a correct order in order not to upset him. The pre-meeting briefing by my Gambian counterpart dwelt too heavily on the titles: His Excellency, Sheik Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Abdul-Aziz Awal Jemus Junkung (AJJ) Jammeh Nassiru Deen Babili Mansa, President of the Republic of The Gambia. It was something like that. The security guards were also rough and menacing. Security men often do not understand the language of diplomacy. We went to many countries where we were treated roughly and our own security men often threatened to retaliate if the affected country ever visited Nigeria. I don’t think we ever got a chance to retaliate because our protocol system proved to be more orderly.

The State House in The Gambia when we eventually went in, however, was quite modest. It looked like the guest house section

TheTrumpet

Page9

By Reuben Abati

of Aso Villa. The meetings went well too. And Jammeh, to my surprise, spoke very well. He didn’t sound like the fool he was portrayed to be in the Western press. He was articulate, debonair, well-composed and mentally sharp.

I guess these are required qualities for dictatorship and crookedness. And I admired Jammeh. He is after all, my age-mate. He sat there, in his royalty, running a country, and I was there, switching between a microphone and a notebook, documenting his history. But something else happened that gave a true picture of Jammeh’s Gambia.

Our official photographer, Callistus Ewelike (he took over from Kola Osiyemi – God bless his soul) had issues with Jammeh’s security men. Security men at State Houses around the world are unfriendly towards journalists. They seek to control access. They consider journalists busybodies, looking for negative news. Accreditation and the use of tags should ordinarily take care of this, still, the security people just prefer to misbehave, and I witnessed that even in the United States where we were treated as if the visiting media was a team of terrorists. There was no violence in the US, but in The Gambia, they seized Callistus Ewelike’s camera and smashed it. Callistus is an aggressive, stubborn photo-journalist. He would fight if you try to stop him from doing his job.

He was a staff of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) handed over to me by Ima Niboro when Kola took ill. Callistus must have resisted the Gambia goons, claiming his right as President Jonathan’s Official Photographer. In The Gambia under Jammeh, the President and the security agencies ruled as if there would be no tomorrow. They trampled on everyone else’s rights. Anyone who tried to act like a free man was brutalised and dumped in prison. For 22 years, Jammeh sat on his country and his people with the help of marabouts and security enforcers. He kissed the Koran everyday, but he did not act according to its dictates. He wore a trademark white garment, but his true garment was of a black colour from the kingdom of Satan.

Ewelike’s travails eventually became a full-fledged story on the second day of our visit when President Jammeh’s spokesperson and the rest of his media team started looking for me at the Coco Resort. We were to be treated to a luncheon before departure. The luncheon had started but I got cornered.

Jammeh’s spokesman brought a brand new camera to replace the one the Gambian security people had destroyed. Callistus was with me. The Gambians apologized. Apology was taken and accepted. They said they didn’t want the two Presidents to hear about the incident. I gave them my word that I would not mention it to President Jonathan. Then,

Continued on Page 10 >

MMM, Sambisa and the boy Died Continued from Page 8< where he is a pastor, with Daddy G.O. of the Redeemed Church. So he means charity begins at home.”

“You don’t get it. Are you recommending nepotism? The whole point of the Code is that when religious groups become business entities, they must pay taxes and respect

corporate governance rules.”

“Nigeria is a secular State. Government should not dabble into religious matters.”

“But government can dabble into the matter of El-Zakzaky and his movement. I beg.”

“The Bible says…”

“Yes, I know what the Bible says. Don’t bother.”

“We should pray for the people of Gambia and the President-elect Adama Barrow who is supposed to be inaugurated as President on January 19. Yahya Jammeh is still insisting he will not step down. The people are already fleeing the country, Ministers and other government appointees have resigned, the whole world is angry, but Jammeh is sitting tight.

“You know something?”

“What?”

“In the midst of all this, while Adama Barrow is in exile in Senegal waiting for January 19, his eight-year old son was bitten by a dog last Sunday. He was rushed to the hospital. The boy died.

“Oh. Oh, Africa.”

Page10

TheTrumpet FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

Opinion

Donald Trump and the Muslim world

By Reuben Abati

am not a fan of Donald Trump, the incumbent President of the United States.

I didn’t stand with him. I stood with her Hillary Clinton - in the last US Presidential election. No other election in recent American history has been more international in terms of interest and emotional involvement.

Trump’s election even divided the Nigerian middle class. Majority of Christians in Nigeria stood with Donald Trump. They liked his anti-Muslim rhetoric, and in a country where religion is such a volatile subject and the Christian community feels as if it is under siege from radical Islamic extremism, it was easy for a category of Nigerians to see Trump’s politics being in sync with their own fears and expectations.

Pro-secessionist, Biafran and Christian protesters in the South East also supported Trump. On his Inauguration Day, they organized a rally, some of them were killed, in the process, by Nigerian security agents. It is always so easy to read American politics into every other politics globally because of America’s status as a superior power and the global dominance of its culture. Many Nigerians who opposed Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party also did so, for example, for partisan reasons, because they felt the Democratic administration of President Barrack Obama was responsible in many ways for the outcome of the 2015 Presidential election in Nigeria. They wanted a pound of flesh – they wanted the Democrats out of the White House, the same way the PDP exited Aso Villa. The funny thing is that Nigerians who do not hold American citizenship, were not in a position to vote in the US election, but this didn’t deter us from weeping more

I

than the Americans. In my case, I opposed Trump because I consider him a vile, navelgazing, crude, child-like nativist, whose Presidency could pose a threat to the free world.

I have been proven right. The United States is in trouble because of Donald Trump.

In less than two weeks in office, President Trump has signed Executive Orders, which amount to an assault on the liberal international order. America is great because it became the dreamland and the symbol of freedom, prosperity and fulfillment for persons and families across the world. It is great because it became the melting pot for global genius, the preferred destination for generations of talented persons in all fields of human endeavour. America is great because its diversity and multiculturalism became pillars of its exceptionalism.

Donald Trump, on twitter where he spends his waking hours, and on the podium, where he rants, says his ambition is to “Make America Great Again” (#MAGA), but it is beginning to look as if Trump will end up making America small. The Executive Orders which he has signed so far, are intended to upturn America’s foreign policy in the last 50 years, isolate the country from the rest of the world and turn it into an island.

America appears destined to become a pariah State for the next four years. With Trump, America now sees the rest of the world as an ocean of enemies, with this persecution complex dressed up as national interest.

The most pernicious of the Executive Orders is Trump’s suspension of the US refugee programme for four months and the entry ban for 90 days imposed on nationals

from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Is the action legal? Section 212(f) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (1952) empowers the President to restrict immigration access to the United States: “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants and nonimmigrants or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” The sentiment behind this legal provision is protectionism, which is ironic in a country of immigrants.

This is Donald Trump keeping his campaign promise to protect America for Americans and review immigration policies.

Is this new? No. Over the years, America has always tried to control the influx of immigrants. This was the case even under President Barack Obama. Trump reminds us of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act which turned back the Chinese, and a similar law in 1924, which targeted Asian and African immigrants, both of which were corrected by the Immigration Act of 1965, which forbids discrimination on the basis of national origin, ancestry and race. The only problem is that Trump’s approach is crazy, a case of policy mixed with bigotry and narcissism, and an unconstitutional gambit which violates the First Amendment, hidden under the banner of “protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry.” Given the contradictions between the 1952 and 1965 Acts and the First Amendment, Trump’s actions are perhaps

better tested in the court of law.

He wants to build a wall at the Mexican border. This has already caused a rift with Mexico. He is also holding radical Islam responsible for security breaches in the United States, and this is certainly because foreign-born Muslims have been responsible for many acts of terror in the US: the 9/11, the Boston bombing, the Nigerian underwear bomber; across Europe, radical Islamic extremism has also proven to be a problem.

Trump’s solution is to demonize Muslimmajority countries and arrive at the simple solution that the best way to protect America is to shut out the Muslims. He insists that “This is not about religion – this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order.” I don’t believe him.

The chosen seven countries that have been shut out have not in any way been responsible for most of the acts of terror in the US in recent times. Trump leaves out Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and other Muslimmajority countries, but the kind of chaos that has been generated makes every Muslim going to the United States vulnerable. You don’t have to be from the seven targeted countries, once you bear a Muslim name, you could be subjected to greater scrutiny by Customs and Border Protection Officers.

Some of the people who have been harassed at the borders since last Friday when the Executive Order was passed are American citizens with dual nationality.

While Donald Trump is proposing greater vetting and scrutiny of the influx of Muslims,

Continued on Page 11<

Once upon a time in Gambia they pleaded that we should accept the replacement camera they brought.

I told them not to bother - as far as we were concerned, whatever happened was occupational hazard and Nigeria would replace its own damaged equipment. I looked at Callistus. He was eyeing the new camera greedily. At a point, he called me aside and

whispered: “Oga, this camera they are giving us is better than the one they smashed oh. This one na better camera. Oga, abi make we take am?” I stood my ground. I also consulted Ambassadors Hassan Tukur and Daniel Hart who said accepting a replacement would amount to a diplomatic tit-for-tat. I thanked The Gambians for their good sense and

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assured them that we were fine with the photographic coverage of the visit so far, despite the damaged camera. I always had a back-up photographer and cameraman, in any case.

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By Reuben Abati

while we were outside the hall discussing the damaged camera. When we got back to Nigeria, close to eight persons on the Presidential delegation ended up in hospital due to food poisoning! They all took that first course. Nobody died but somehow the information got back to The Gambia and the chef was arrested and charged to court.

Jammeh’s rulership of The Gambia was jinxed in many ways. The biggest jinx was his volte-face over the last Presidential election.

Gambians deserve a new place in the sun and a new Gambia. But so much depends on new President Adama Barrow. He should look beyond the past and face the future. If he spends his time facing the past, he will disappoint his people and exhaust the enormous goodwill that has brought him to power.

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Opinion

FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

TheTrumpet

Page11

Magic in Osun State ecession and hard times have hit Nigeria like you won’t believe.

Things have become tighter than a pair of polyester boxers. These days, it is everyman for himself. Some Christians have taken to fasting earlier and longer than usual. Those of us that relocated from the Diaspora are now left fingering our designer beards.

However, in the midst of all of this gloom came exciting news – magic, really – from nowhere else but beautiful Osun State.

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billion credit. In 2016, the same State got N13 billion in relief grants. Then last month, it got N11.7 billion as its share from the Federal government’s N522.7 billion refund from the Paris Club loans. The Federal government has disbursed the money to all State governments specifically for the payment of salaries and pensions.

It was from this latest tranche that the Osun State Governor paid some outstanding salaries and pensions. In other words, Ogbeni did not generate the funds himself

State of Osun Pensioners with Ogbeni

Just a couple of days or so ago, news filtered in that the much maligned Governor of that State, Rauf Aregbesola has paid pensioners the arrears of their long denied pension.

By the last count, Osun State was owing pensioners full pension arrears of eight months and half-pension for eighteen months. Early 2015, Osun received N34.9

through hard graft or any other clever internal means. And even at that, the governor only paid three months worth of arrears.

But that is not even the exciting news!

The incredible thing is that those longsuffering pensioners that got some of their pension money promptly threw their governor, a thank-you street party complete

with marching and dancing procession.

First, the freshly paid pensioners got together and strategized. In short order, they put resources together and hired a few things: a dilapidated bus, some canopies and a public address system. Then they set up a twitter account.

After this, they commissioned the printing of a huge PVC banner and blazoned across it their message, #Pensioners With Ogbeni#.

The pensioners weren’t done.

It wouldn’t be a proper Nigerian throwdown without Asọ Ẹbi of course. So the pensioners got brand new dazzling and sparkling brownish-red attires complete with bright yellow geles and caps. Their slippers, well polished. (By the way, what are the State colours of Osun?)

They also got two boxes of biscuit and a cartoon of bottled water. Finally, the pensioners invited the Governor, some Party officials and the local media to come partake in their celebration.

Man, you’ve got to love it. If that’s not some kind of magic, I don’t know what else is.

For those who might not know, Osun was the first and only State to unfurl something called “Internally Displaced Pensioners camp.” Apparently, it was a kind of makeshift siddon-look outpost for long suffering and destitute pensioners.

Furthermore, it has been reported that since this non payment of pensions imbroglio took hold, 236 pensioners have died due to hunger and ill-health.

So, these are the same Osun pensioners, some of whom have not had a decent meal in a long, long time; people that have not

By Michael Egbejumi-David demdem@hotmail.co.uk / Twitter: demdemdem1 paid house rent, have not paid children’s school fees in a while; people that could not put down dowry on a second wife; pauperised old folks that have probably got a short line of debtors to settle; people that have not gone to sort out their dental problems. But, somehow, these people thought the best way to spend their meagre pension is to hold a party and street procession honouring their Governor.

Hmm...Sometimes, even as a public commentator, words fail you.

Scarce resource that is obviously needed elsewhere and sorely needed by the (poor) people is being incompetently wasted again to massage one man’s ego. Orisha have mercy!

The only thing left to look out for now is the students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), who have been locked out of their school indefinitely since June 2016 to also throw the Ogbeni governor another street party with their saved up, unspent tuition fees and induct the Governor into one of their more famous confraternity.

Donald Trump and the Muslim world Continued from Page 10< and refugees, he is nevertheless willing to allow more Christians into the United States.

This is the message that comes across: Christians are welcome. Muslims should be carefully scrutinized before they are allowed in. In other words, Christians are better than Muslims. This may sound like an oversimplification, but that is just how it is.

President Trump is likely to make the United States more unpopular in the Muslim world, damage established friendships and promote a culture of hate that has proven a threat to American foreign relations in parts of the world.

American liberals are justifiably upset and angry. President Trump’s policy moves and rhetoric depart from the America they have known for the past 50 years. But right now, America is so divided, nobody can comfortably sit on the fence, and that is why public opinion is so viciously divided too.

Trump addresses the fears of those Americans who, like him, don’t want more immigrants and asylum seekers. This is the ultimate rise of American xenophobia and an attempt to turn that country into “a camp of saints.” But there are limits to nativism as seen in Jean Raspail’s novel, The Camp of the Saints (1973) and The Slums of Aspen: Immigrants vs. The Environment (2011) by Lisa Park and David Pellow.

But no matter the tone of global outrage,

Donald Trump obviously doesn’t give a damn. Mexico has cancelled a meeting with Trump, a protest calling for signatures to prevent his proposed State visit to the UK has attracted over a million signatures, Iran is threatening reciprocal action, the entire Muslim world is outraged and inside America, California is threatening to secede because of Trump! And Trump? He wants to be President of the United States, not President of the world. He wants to serve the Donald Trump

American people who voted him into power, not some immigrants coming from the slums of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle

East. Across the world, there are millions who look up to the United States as the land of freedom. Trump is saying America is no longer ready to be the world’s Atlas nation. It is not just immigration that will be affected: trade, aid, military relations as well. This has created a regime of fear among many who depend on the United States.

There are millions of Africans living in the United States, particularly Nigerians.

They don’t all have the papers granting them the right of stay. There are asylum seekers, refugees and many who are still processing their residency papers. An American for Americans only policy is likely to place them at the risk of rejection and eventual deportation. When you talk to some of them, you can actually sense panic, fear, despair.

They panic because America has become their adopted home. It is their place of work, their source of hope, and the best place in the world where they are happiest.

They panic because their original homeland offers them little hope. They don’t want to return to a Nigeria where there is no regular power supply, employment opportunities, good roads, communications or transportation system. Living in America confers a special status on them among friends, family members and the community at home. There are others who are already naturalized Americans, and who may have nothing to fear, and there are those Nigerians who have helped to build America with their

talents and intellect, and who don’t really care on what side of the bed Donald Trump is likely to wake up tomorrow morning.

Then you have the big crowd of I-mustgo-to-America-by-force set of Nigerians who are daily trooping to the American embassy in search of visa. Since the Executive Order

by President Trump, that crowd has not been smiling at all. I know many of our compatriots who have suddenly become experts in analyzing American immigration rules. Nigeria is not one of the seven countries on the Trump list and the review and restriction are supposed to last for 120 days, but long-time US visa applicants in Nigeria believe that what a typical American immigration officer has actually been looking for is a President like Trump. An inconsolable applicant tells me he is no longer sure he will ever get a visa to the United States.

I assured him that the world will always need America and America will always need the world. Isolationism discounts the ideal of an interconnected global order. President Donald Trump’s success will be determined in the long run not by the arrows he shoots in the international arena from North Korea, to China, to Mexico and Somalia, but how well he fulfills the promise to make America greater than he met it. If they don’t want you to stay in America, come home, please. Stay at home, e go better… or go to Canada or Taiwan.

Page12

Politics

TheTrumpet FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

George Noah recounts 2015 Elections ordeal in new book hile the 2015 General Elections might have come and gone, psychological scars occasioned by some intimidating events that played out in its build-up, still haunt many still. This subject as it relates to the personal experiences of Mr. George Noah, the immediate past Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) - have been enumerated in his new book titled, 2015 Elections: The Politics of Outdoor Advertising in Lagos State.

Titled: Enemy Combatant, the chapter gives a poignant account of his ordeal at the hands of an ad hoc para-military organisation christened Federal Task Force Of The Subsidy Reinvestment And Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), ethnic militias Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP), agents of the then ruling Peoples‘ Democratic Party (PDP) in collusion with federal government security apparatus . This, it will be recalled, culminated in threats to his life and officials of the agency - leading to destruction of the agency’s equipment and injuries to staff.

Noah said he was targeted since he was accused of being responsible for denying the PDP and its agents, outdoor advertising sites in Lagos State - ahead of the elections.

Excerpts from the chapter read: “The more the opposition party in the State parroted platitudes bordering on alleged bias on the part of LASAA, the more I became a target, as the head of the agency supposedly responsible for their invented misfortunes in securing outdoor sites in Lagos.”

He added: “But what at first seemed like harmless banter and standard criticism soon took a more sinister form. It soon dawned on me that I had become a subject of discussion among some politicians in the then ruling party in Abuja, and they had decided to solve the problem by any means necessary, including intimidation and threats.” He continued: “The grapevine gave indications of this worrying development. An old acquaintance from when I was domiciled in the UK, called me in confidence on the issue.

A member of the PDP, he had attended a crucial caucus meeting at which I was identified as the person constituting an obstacle in the way of the party’s ambitions in the outdoor political campaign in Lagos State. Be careful. Your name was mentioned in our caucus meeting in connection with the PDP’s inability in securing billboards in Lagos. You have to be careful,” the acquaintance warned. ‘’We had barely kept in touch in seven years and I was surprised he got in touch.

When you are advised by a politician to be careful during electioneering, you are bound to sit up, Noah emphasized. He quoted his informant as saying: “You were accused of singling out the PDP’s campaign materials in Lagos for destruction, using LASAA’s apparatus, in an orchestrated bid to frustrate the PDP’s campaign.” Noah added that he was further tipped off about plans to put him in “check”, using every means of containment at their disposal.

Noah wrote: “A few days later, I got a call from the then General Officer Commanding (GOC) at Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, about the controversy surrounding the

W

outdoor campaign of the PDP in Lagos. He warned me not to invite trouble I may not be able to contain. I got the message.”

Exactly two weeks after that call, the then Lagos State police boss read the riot act to LASAA. He warned that no posters or outdoor structures should be removed in Lagos State whether legally or illegally deployed. This was a wake-up call for the author.

According to Noah, “It was becoming apparent at this point that I had to take security matters more seriously. More puzzling questions raced through my mind, as I wondered if it would be foolhardy to seek protection from a police force with unapologetic leanings to the then ruling party.

I thought to myself: ‘I could hold out a little longer. All I have to do is be a bit more circumspect and extra vigilant.’ But for how much longer would I have to put up a defence?,” Noah wondered.

“Suddenly, an innocent gaze from an unfamiliar person didn’t seem so benign anymore. Every motorcycle that rode close to my vehicle on the road became suspect - just as every vehicle that kept showing up in the rear-view mirror seemed to be on a sinister mission. In the same vein, every street hawker that sidled up to my vehicle in the notorious Lagos traffic jams, appeared to have malicious intent,” the former LASAA boss explained.

Noah’s sense of alarm was further

George Kayode Noah

compounded with heightened security alerts about his safety. He stated: “Their fear was not unfounded. The atmosphere had become very tense; I and other LASAA staff had been running the gauntlet for some time. For example, March, 16, 2015, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) had, in an openly confrontational show of strength and support for the PDP, staged an infamous march in Lagos. In an apparent move to intimidate staff, some of the militiamen congregated in front of LASAA’s head office in Ikeja, brandishing guns and other dangerous weapons as well as charms.”

He added: “In one incident, members of our staff were assaulted, some were injured, others arrested. One of our ad hoc staff almost had his leg amputated as a result of injury, and eventually lost a toe. The agency’s vehicle they were in was severely damaged.”

Bowing to pressure, Noah, explained he later signed up for police protection and was assigned two armed mobile policemen which he initially found a bit unsettling.

Covering a broad array of subjects and themes, which expounds the issues that transpired - Noah sifts through the labyrinth of complexities - distilling facts from fiction.

In so doing, he sets the record straight and offers a refreshingly unique and insightful perspective of the narratives - applying his upfront yet inventive style of writing. Noah gives an overview of the outdoor advertising sector in Lagos State. He further sheds light on LASAA’s guidelines geared towards ensuring decorous outdoor campaign during the period; the fault lines that exposed initial cracks in enforcing the guidelines; and complicity by law enforcement agents in the spate of impunity that marred outdoor political campaigns.

The author dwelt on measures that may be taken to guard against a partisan stance by law enforcement agents in future elections; the role played by groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and the Goodluck Lagos Grassroots Project (GLGP) in escalating the crisis. He also addressed issues related to the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Jimi Agbaje’s open letter to LASAA. The roughshod approach adopted by the PDP-led Federal Government - which culminated in the termination of all forms of outdoor advertising along major federal government roads in Lagos State, is

perspicaciously detailed in the book. Noah also beamed the spotlight on protests that occasioned the federal government’s actions.

It was a period of great intimidation, and the threats made against the author and how he addressed them, are elucidated in the book.

The author gives an analysis of the cost of the outdoor campaigns in Lagos State including billboards, wall drapes, bus shelters, street lamp poles, hat boxes, branded buses and cars, branded T-shirts, posters, banners, experiential activities and stick-in-the-ground.

The book also sheds light on tit-for-tat battles that inevitably occasioned some unpleasant incidents in the course of the outdoor campaign and as well focuses on media coverage, with narratives from print and online publications and outlets that reported on the standoff.

Noah gave details of LASAA’s determination to restore sanity following conclusion of the elections - with the implementation of an Aegean task - to rid Lagos of the visual blight caused by unrestrained use of posters and other political campaign materials.

The recycling initiatives undertaken by LASAA to dispose of over a million campaign posters deployed, with support from the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and stimulus packages introduced thereafter - in a bid to rekindle investment in the outdoor sector - also form

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News

TheTrumpet FEBRUARY 1 - 14 2017

WorldRemit partners Teen found guilty of murder of former friend with Ghana Union A D teenager has been found guilty of murdering his school friend after stabbing him at a party in an attack that lasted just seconds.

The 17-year-old boy was convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Munashe Charles Kutyauripo - known as Charlie, at the Old Bailey.

On Saturday, 9 January 2016, Charlie went to a sixteenth birthday party at a social club at Ashton Playing Fields, off Chigwell Road, Woodford.

He arrived at the party at about 20:50hrs with a group of friends. At about 21:33hrs the defendant turned up along with four other boys who had not been invited.

Five minutes later, Charlie and the defendant were outside the club together.

Witnesses have reported some sort of altercation between the two.

CCTV footage captures the two boys walking back towards the social club. It showed Charlie walking behind the defendant In the footage, the defendant suddenly spun round and lunged towards Charlie, stabbing him once in the heart and once in the shoulder with a kitchen knife.

Charlie staggered back towards the party, chased by the defendant who was still brandishing the knife. Once Charlie had collapsed outside, the defendant ran off through Woodford and went to a friend’s house 10 minutes from the scene.

People from the party rushed to help

Victim - Munashe Charles Kutyauripo

Charlie. At about 21:40hrs, local officers responded to an emergency call to the social club. On arrival they found Charlie, lying on his back, severely injured. Officers started to give first aid before they were joined by paramedics. Charlie was rushed to hospital, but died about an hour later.

A post-mortem examination held on Monday, 11 January 2016 at Walthamstow Mortuary gave cause of death as a stab wound to the chest.

After the defendant fled the scene he stayed the night at a friend’s house in Woodford before fleeing. Detectives carried out a manhunt to trace him, including public appeals. He was arrested three weeks later, on 1 February, by officers from Kent Police who spotted him in Margate. He was transferred to London and charged with Charlie’s murder on 2 February.

Detectives believe that the two boys, who had previously attended the same school, had been good friends but had fallen out towards the end of 2015.

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “In two seconds that night, a night that should have been full of celebration, Charlie’s life and future were taken from him and his family.

“They have been devastated by his murder, and have showed tremendous courage throughout this investigation and the prosecution case.

“The defendant made a number of choices that night, which have resulted in today’s guilty verdict. He chose to go to the party that night and he chose to go armed with a large kitchen knife. That shows he was looking for, or expecting trouble, and if and when that trouble came he would use his knife.

“At 17 years old, he is now a convicted murderer, who has shown no remorse for taking Charlie’s life.

“He immediately went on the run to try and evade the police and still to date has not admitted murdering Charlie or explained why. In fact he has tried to blame Charlie, claiming he acted in self defence. I hope that today’s verdict can bring some answers to Charlie’s family.”

igital money transfer service WorldRemit and Diaspora community association Ghana Union have announced a partnership that will support the Ghanaian community in the UK throughout the entire year of 2017 via a wide variety of events and community activities, celebrating Ghanaian culture within the United Kingdom and abroad.

With hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians in the UK and millions in the Diaspora, remittances play a significant role in Ghana’s economy.

According to the World Bank, Ghana received over $5bn in remittances in 2015, almost double the amount in 2014.

With the WorldRemit app or website, customers send more than 580,000 transfers every month to over 125 destinations. WorldRemit, known as the ‘WhatsApp of money’, makes sending a remittance as easy as sending an instant message.

Part of its “Money In Safe Hands” campaign, with this partnership WorldRemit will among others: - Participate as a lead sponsor at the Ghana @ 60 celebrations.

- Celebrate Ghana Union at the “Ghana in the Park” event.

- Support young Ghanaian women via the Miss Ghana UK Foundation.

Founded in 1978, the Ghana Union is one of the oldest charities in the UK supporting the Ghanaian community.

With over 100 affiliated organisations it has been working hard to ensure its members stay informed and connected.

Martin Best, Head of Brand Marketing at WorldRemit, noted that: “Ghanaians make over 45,000 transactions every month, sending remittances to support their friends and

Ismail Ahmed, Founder and CEO of WorldRemit

family back home. Each one of these transactions has its own human story.

It’s a promise made, and a promise redeemed. We are here to make sure these promises are kept by offering a safer, fast and cheaper way to support loved ones abroad through bank deposits, cash pickup and Mobile Money.”

Emmanuel Kwesi Quayson, Chairman at the Ghana Union UK, said: “We are delighted to enter this partnership with WorldRemit as our official money transfer partner in what is a continuation of their support and engagement with the Ghanaian community. We rely on their expertise to give people the power to share money anytime, anywhere.”

George Noah recounts 2015 Elections ordeal in new book Continued from Page 12< topics of discourse.

The popularity of A-Frames during the campaign period and airborne mediums that were overlooked, also form the backdrop of discourse. It wasn’t all doom and gloom. The 2015 political campaign period was also a time for thinking big in the outdoor industry, with innovative and ambitious structures that broke the mould, some of which had never been displayed before in Nigeria. This is also worth remembering and is summarized in the

chapters. There is of course a need for reflection and forward thinking, now, even as the electioneering wounds inflicted on the outof-home advertising industry are yet to heal.

It is in view of this that the concluding chapter underscores the need for proactive steps to be taken to foreclose a reoccurrence.

The book also looks into challenges faced by outdoor regulatory agencies during the period of electioneering, as well as the potential personal risks faced by personnel of these agencies. In addition, it seeks to prevent a repeat of the controversial events that

Tel: 020 8522 6600

engulfed the outdoor industry in the course of campaigning for the 2015 general elections in Lagos State - while highlighting the positive and defining narratives that unfolded.

A technocrat, and political activist, Noah was a founding member of Radio Kudirat and has over 35 years experience in virtually all aspects of the media. A pioneer member of Made In Nigeria (MAIN) Festival Group, Noah is also Publisher of Island News and the Chief Executive Officer that midwifed TV Continental (TVC) and Radio Continental in Lagos.

TheTrumpet is published in London fortnightly by Trumpet Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)

Noah previously worked for Insight Communications Limited in Nigeria, the Greater London Council (GLC) and British Telecom International (BTI) in the UK and Media Empowerment for Africa (MEFA) in Norway. Whilst domiciled in London, Noah was appointed Chairman of the London Borough of Southwark Co-operative Development Agency (SCDA) in 1992. In June 2014, whilst at LASAA, Noah was awarded the honorary title Lagos State Man Of The Year.