BusinessDay 07 Apr 2019

No hope for Nigeria without restructuring – Ogunlewe

‘Why men are more likely to commit suicide, die from accidents, than women’

‘There must be complete autonomy to local government. The Southwest cannot wait for the North; part of the problem is that the people who should listen are not listening. But unless we restructure we would struggle in vain; no hope for Nigeria without restructuring.’

See story on Page 33

CALEB OJEWALE

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t is often said that women outlive men everywhere in the world, but perhaps for the first time, a report by the World Health Organisation has provided statistics giving some insights into why this is the case.

The World Health Statistics 2019, which has been released to coincide with the World Health Day being observed today, had key findings indicating that; where women can access health services, maternal deaths decrease, lengthening women’s life Continues on page 6

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Nigerians: Waiting for ‘Next Level’ p.13

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Why the local eateries are disappearing amid foreign brands’ incursion

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?? Med View Airline’s N10bn loss shows deeper problems confronting local airlines

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p.44

Market & Commodities Monitor Brent Oil

5yr Bond

$70.38

-0.03 14.44%

Gold

10yr Bond

$1,295.90

0.09 14.74%

Cocoa

$2,410.00

20yr Bond

-0.06 14.32%

inside Wind of building demolition sweeps through Lagos Island p.8

L-R: William Wallace, high cwommissioner, Trinidad & Tobago; Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for Petroleum Resources; Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa State, and Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair organised by NCDMB in Yenagoa, weekend.

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Trouble looming: S/ East, S/South on verge of losing out in the incoming administration OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja

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he decision of the Adams Oshiomhole-led All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position of the office of Senate President in Ninth Assembly to Ahmed Lawan may further divide the country along ethnic and religious fault lines, analysts have warned.

See story on Page 14

How miserable are Nigerians?

AGOMUO ZEBULON, CHUKA UROKO, OBINNA EMELIKE, AMAKA EWUZIE-ANAGOR & BUNMI BAILEY

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ike a wrist watch the wearer of which does not need a mirror to see the time, the evidence of acute poverty in Nigeria is as clear as a nine-month pregnancy.

The saying that ‘he who feels

it knows it’ aptly captures the reality of the recent ranking by Steve Hanke that Nigeria is the 6th most miserable country on the globe.

Hanke’s misery rating came months after a damning report in June last year by Brooking Institution that Nigeria had overtaken India as the nation with the highest number of extremely poor people. The

report said that the number of Nigerians in extreme poverty increases by six people every minute.

While the goose pimples raised by Hanke’s ranking were yet to disappear, a global rating has again categorised Nigeria as one of the countries facing serious food crisis.

According to the 2019 Global Report on Food Crisis

released last Wednesday in Brussels, of the 143 million people likely to slip into the crisis state, Nigeria ranked second, just below Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the list of eight countries with the largest number of people in the stressed phase of the food insecurity chain.

The report also revealed Continues on page 2

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How miserable are Nigerians?

Continued from page 1

that Nigeria and seven other countries house two-third of the world’s hungry people.

It is also on record that Nigeria is ranked second country in

the world where open defection is practised. Statistics by the UNHabitat estimates that 67 percent of the Nigerian population does not have basic sanitation; 26 percent practices open defecation; 33 percent is without clean water while 87 percent does not have basic hygiene facilities.

In all of this, Cynicism has been the reaction from government as groups sympathetic to government have chosen to deny the authenticity of the reports.

Year-in-year-out, Nigerians have continued to provide for themselves in spite of government. Although it is enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the main priorities of elected government shall be protection of lives and property, successive governments have continued to fail in this regard.

Kenneth Ojiugo, a banker, told BDSUNDAY that “The idea of looking at everything from political point of view could be dangerous for Nigeria. At the time the report was released, saying that Nigeria was the poverty headquarters of the world, government said it was masterminded by political enemies trying to paint it black in the eyes of the international community ahead of the elections.

Now they have won a re-election, who could possibly be responsible for the damning Misery Index and the latest global food crisis report that raised a red flag on Nigeria?

We cannot just be petty and hide our heads in the sand like an ostrich when we are supposed to take action and this habit of always pointing fingers and blaming others for our own errors and inefficiency cannot help us.”

A few days ago, Afenifere, the

pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, advised the Federal Government to find solution to the high level of poverty in the country, saying it is extreme poverty that increases insecurity in the land.

Afenifere, which spoke through its publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said there was the need for government to first address the issue of poverty before it could find solution to insecurity.

“It is very important for the government to address the level of poverty and human misery in Nigeria. If you look at some revelations that have been coming out in recent time, we are now one of the countries where life is miserable in the world.”

According to him, “Today, we are now the country of almajiris and the government is not doing anything about it beyond somebody going to the markets to distribute N5,000. What is the meaning of that? Many people are jobless and that is why they are committing crime. You know, an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.”

He expressed fears that crime rate will continue to rise as long as government refuses to address the level of human misery in the country.

Last Thursday, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the northern socio-cultural group, had also condemned increasing wave of kidnapping and killing by gunmen in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna states and other parts of the country.

The group blamed the Federal Government for the high incidence of social ills in the country, saying that it was the lopsided appointments by the current administration that may have been responsible for the upsurge.

Muhammad Biu, spokesman for the ACF, said: “The ACF and, indeed, Nigerians are disturbed by reports of the spate of kidnapping of innocent people on the highways and frequent attacks

on villages by some bandits, which have led to the loss of hundreds of innocent lives, particularly in the northern part of the country.

“The recent frequent kidnapping incidents and attacks on the people, especially along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway and many villages in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna states as well as many parts of the country are cruel, barbaric and inhuman,” Biu said.

Last week, Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, while speaking at an economic summit in Kaduna, expressed concern about the high rate of poverty in the North, urging northern governors to wake up to address the problem.

Dangote pointedly observed that 60 percent of northerners lived in extreme poverty.

The businessman also said: “While the overall social economic consideration in the country is a cause for concern, the regional indicators are very alarming. In the north-western and north-eastern parts of Nigeria, more than 60 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty.

“It is instructive to know that the 19 northern states, which account for over 54 percent of the country’s population and 70 percent of its landmass, collectively generated only 21 percent of the total sub-national internally generated revenue in 2017.”

Balarabe Musa, a former governor of old Kaduna State, supporting Dangote’s position, said: “…our governors are part and parcel of our problem, especially in the area of corruption. These governors are engaged in massive stealing, corruption and waste of public resources.

“The North certainly has no business with poverty but we are certainly not making progress with the kind of leadership we have both at the federal level and in the various northern states today.”

Reacting to the Hanke’s Misery Index ranking, The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) had said it was “fallacious, despicable and of no consequence whatsoever”.

Dismissing the ranking in a press statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju, its chairman and Cassidy Madueke, secretary, the group said the ranking was not a true reflection of the situation on ground in this country, and that data for the survey must have been collated from old and archaic sources.

“A cursory look at the explanatory note by Steve Hanke in the Forbes Magazine in which he revealed that the index was calculated using economic indices like unemployment, inflation and interest rates banks charge on loans, show how wrong his conclusion was,” it said.

According to the BMO, “the index is said to be that of 2018 but the country recorded a number of positives in the same year on the economic front. It was the year that Nigeria had a major decline in inflation figure so much so that the rate is now 11.37percent. It was the culmination of a landmark 18-month consecutive decline to a level that is one of the lowest in Africa.

“We also know that a lower inflation rate has a way of impacting positively on banks’ lending rates and that’s exactly what has happened with the recent reduction in Monetary Policy Rate, yet the index scored Nigeria lower than some countries ravaged by war!”

Also reacting to the global report on food crisis which included Nigeria among countries that suffered most from high levels of food insecurity in the world in 2018, BMO dismissed it with a wave of the hand, saying it was “totally off the mark, unverifiable and unreliable.”

See more stories on pages 35-37

BEDC connects Edo’s community to national grid

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t was mass jubilation for the residents of Omozogie in Uteh Community, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State last Friday as BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC) connected the community to the national grid after years without electricity supply.

The commissioning of the substation which started with a town hall meeting organized by the community had in attendance BEDC management team led by the Head, Community Relations Officer, Hill, Ekaete Ntukidem and her Business Head Distribution, Mamah, the Odionwere, electricity committee members and residents of Uteh Omozogie community was meant to brief the residents on need to see the substation as a collective responsibility which should be protected against vandalism and all other forms of energy theft.

Addressing the town hall meeting, the Head, Community Relations, Osineme said “The protection of the substation is everybody’s business. If there is no light, you know who to meet and talk to. If you see anybody in the substation that is not authorized by BEDC and the electricity committee, he or she is a vandal and should be apprehended”.

Osineme also seized the opportunity to educate the people of Uteh Omozogie community on basic safety tips on the need for proper earthing of their premises, the importance of engaging licensed electricians to wire their houses and the need to avoid substandard electrical accessories. She pleaded with the community leaders to work with BEDC to educate the children, youths and their wives on the importance of electricity safety and also help disseminate the safety tips.

Ikpoba Hill Business Manager, Ekaete Ntukidem commended the community members for their patience throughout the process of connecting them to the national grid.

According to the Business Manager, meters have been properly installed and functional to provide the customers with fair and transparent billing.

“Please, ensure no new wire is connected illegally to the network, we will know because of the check meter attached to the

transformer, vend as at when due and don’t allow electricians to tamper with the transformer,” she said.

The General Okae-Don, Uteh.

Iyoha Omozogie lauded BEDC for keeping fate with the Community saying “we thank the management and staff of BEDC for how they have been able to direct us in ensuring Omozogie community is connected to the national grid. We also thank the members of the community for their selfless donations and doggedness in ensuring the yearning of the people becomes a reality.

We now have light in Omozogie”.

According to Iyoha, the community has also set up an electricity committee that will be working with BEDC in ensuring meters were not bypassed in order to mitigate energy losses, quick response to faults and protection of the newly installed substation.

BCS highest employer of labour in Cross River MIKE ABANG, Calabar

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rotherhood of the Cross and Star in Cross River State has said it remained the highest employer of labour outside the state government.

Edet Archibong, spokesman of the organisation, made the claim at the weekend during a press briefing to mark the 18h Anniversary of the coronation of His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu. According to him, the mega event organised by the fold every quarter of the year, attracts a huge crowd of worshippers from within and outside the country, making the state and country a tourism destination.

He said Brotherhood of the Cross and Star investments in the state include, Microfinance Bank, the International Royal Farms Ltd, Rubber Plantation processing plant, printing press, bakeries, water treatment plant, Schools, Star Cross Television, and a radio station.

On religious pilgrimage to Biakpan, the Birthplace of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, the founder and Sustainer of Brotherhood has contributed the socio-economic and political development of Cross River State and the Country at large.

He said a cable television established for the Kingdom, is already making its mark as a religious television station of reckoning, reaching out to viewers in diverse countries of the world, as the message of the Kingdom is brought into the living rooms of people across the globe.

Onnoghen never resigned, only retired - Awomolo Iniobong Iwok, with agency report

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degboyega Awomolo, lead counsel to Walter Onnoghen suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has stated that the embattled CJN never resigned from his position but only retired.

Awomolo, who spoke in an interview with journalists over at the weekend, noted that Onnoghen sent his notice of retirement to President Muhammadu Buhari in line with constitutional provisions.

According to him, “What he has done is to send his notice of retirement to the President. And he has done so, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

“His position from day one has been that it is only the NJC that can discipline him. Now that the NJC has spoken, out of respect for the NJC and the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Nigerian Judiciary, he sent his letter of retirement, not resignation. He never resigned.

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News Lagos INEC issues certificates of return to 40 lawmakers … Interest of Lagosian comes first, Obasa pledges Iniobong Iwok

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) weekend presented certificates of return to the 40 elected members of the Lagos State House of Assembly including the current speaker Mudashiru Obasa.

The event, which was held at the Commission’s office, Yaba, was attended by several chieftains of the party in the state, including the state party chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tunde Balogun; Secretary of the party, Wale Ahmed; Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe and the Assistant Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Salami.

However, the Deputy Speaker and lawmaker-elect, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni, was absent at the event.

In his address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC Lagos, Sam Olumekun, described the event as a special one, saying that Nigeria had experienced 20years of uninterrupted democratic practice.

According to him, “Today is special because we are experiencing 20years of uninterrupted democratic practice in Nigeria.

It is also important because the election that brought you into office was peaceful and was adjudged so by the international observers.”

Olumekun eulogised the various security agencies for their roles in the conduct of the general election in the state, urging the lawmakers-elect to enact laws that would improve the lives of Lagosians.

He, however, urged the party leaders to intensify their efforts in mobilising the electorate and their members to actively participate in elections, lamenting the low turnout of voters during last general elections in the state.

Speaking at the event, the administrative Secretary of the Assembly, Ashade Adelani, tasked the lawmakers-elect on massive delivery of dividends of democracy to their constituents, adding that out of 640 candidates that contested the House of Assembly elections in March 9th, only 40 emerged winners.

“I urge you all to ensure mas-

sive delivery of dividends of democracy to your constituents who you will be representing” Current speaker of the Assembly and lawmaker-elect representing Agege constituency 1, Mudashiru Obasa, assured Lago-

sian that the lawmakers would strive to put their interest first in all their actions, stressing that the House of Assembly would consolidate its achievements in the next dispensation.

“We have the interest of our

L-R Chief Executive Officer, Cars45, Etop Ikpe, Commissioner of Police, Lagos, CP Zubairu Muazu and VP Trading, Cars45, Mohammed Iyamu during a visit by Cars45 executives to the Lagos State Police Command HQ, Ikeja GRA which held recently.

U.S. commends Edo’s integrated antihuman trafficking framework Ngozi Okpalakunne

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.S. Chargé d’ affaires, David Young has commended the Edo State government’s antitrafficking model and pledged the U.S. Mission’s commitment to expanding the scope of its collaboration with the states such

as Edo, which serve as a source or transit point for human trafficking.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu at the Government House in Benin City, David Young said: “We are pleased with the important progress that has been made to combat trafficking in persons in Edo State, through

people and that is the purpose we are going to the parliament.

The 8th Assembly had done tremendously well and the 9th Assembly will not be different as the ear and mouth of the people,” he said.

the three Ps: Prevention, Protection and Prosecution of those individuals involved in human trafficking.

“This is one of the issues the U.S. government is focused on, as it is a horrific crime and we recognise its long-term effects on people who are trafficked to other countries”.

At the palace of the Oba of Be-

U.S. Chargé d’ affaires, David Young offering remarks during his visit to the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, recently.

nin, where he had an audience with Oba Ewuare II, Young emphasised the pivotal role of traditional institutions in eliminating the scourge of human smuggling.

He lauded the monarch’s leadership and direct involvement in the crusade to end trafficking in the state.

“We note that the Benin monarchy has taken the lead in statewide efforts to prevent young people from being trafficked.

Survivors with whom we have interacted confirm that the King’s nullification last year of all oaths sworn by trafficking victims had a remarkable impact, by neutralising the psychological hold of the trafficking syndicates and encouraging survivors to return home. This, in addition to the laudable efforts of the Oba Ewuare II Foundation, continues to bring freedom to many,” he noted.

Chargé d’ affaires Young met trafficking survivors at Idia Renaissance Centre, a non-government organisation focused on ending human trafficking in Edo State.

He also participated in a roundtable discussion on trafficking and illegal migration with representatives of the Edo State Task Force against Human Trafficking.

We’re going to sanction erring service providers, NCC assures subscribers Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna

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igerian Communications Commission (NCC) has assured subscribers that any service provider that fails to improve services to the detriment of the consumers will be sanctioned.

The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Umar Garba Danbatta gave the assurances during the Special Day of the Commission at the ongoing Trade Fair in Kaduna.

He said the Commission has identified the Consumers’ role in the development of the telecom sector, saying that they deserve value for their investment.

He added that by providing quality services to the customers, it will help the socio-economic development of the Nigerian citizenry.

Danbatta, while speaking, said one of the challenges facing the commission is the issue of unsolicited text messages.

According to him, another challenge that is on the Commission’s front burner is the rising documented cases of cybercrime and e-fraud using telecommunications platforms.

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News Banks’ synergy required to combat cybercrime, improve funds security ISRAEL ODUBOLA

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igerian banks have been enjoined to collaborate and share information and experiences to curb cybercrime and improve security of funds in the financial industry.

Speaking at the 2019 Bank Directors’ Association of Nigeria (BDAN) Conference in Lagos, bank directors, operators in the financial technology space and security experts stressed the need for banks to share information on attempted and successful attacks as a way to mitigate the effectiveness of hackers.

Os a r e t i n De m u r e n , president of BDAN and chairman of the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, noted that sharing information would help the industry demystify the activities of hackers and cyber criminals thereby making them less effective in the financial sector.

Noting that in corporate governance, the board is the first line of defence, she said “ignorance or lack of knowledge is not an excuse so we need to be well equipped. Gone are the days when you have to manage information. We need to share information so that we demystify what this is all about”.

Demuren pointed out that cyber security is among the top risks bedevilling not just the financial sector, but across all sectors of the economy.

“The impact is more felt in the financial sector; because once you hack into

one, all the others are open.

So it is very important that people are aware of cyber risk and the damage it can do businesses,” she stated.

Ademola Adebise, managing director and chief executive officer of Wema Bank Plc, called for more collaboration to ensure that all participants including banks and customers are well boarded up against the activities of cyber criminals.

He noted that when information is shared with other banks by a bank that has been affected, other banks can trace the trend and avoid being victims of the same crime.

On his part, Austin Okere, managing director and chief executive officer of Computer Warehouse Group, decried the attitude of banks who hide details of an attack whether it was successful of not.

He noted an attitude of hiding details would only allow the same hackers to perpetrate the same attack on other banks, thereby creating an industry wide issue.

Going forward, Demuren charged members of the association on the need to share their experiences as a way of improving competition in the industry.

“Yes, somebody has to be at the top but we need banks for a country as large as Nigeria, there is no way one bank or even five banks will adequately meet the needs of this nation. So, it is nice for people to share so that banking as a whole resin relevant and we as Bankers can still be in existence to serve our customers,” she stated.

Ex-governor, Idris, urges Kogi politicians to eschew violence Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja

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brahim Idris, a former governor of Kogi State and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) debunked the rumour making the rounds that he has resigned from the PDP and quitted partisan politics.

In a statement issued from his media office, a copy of which was sent to BDSUNDAY Lokoja, Idris said although he expressed dissatisfaction at the irregularities and the introduction of widespread violence during the just concluded elections, he neither withdrew his membership of the PDP nor indicated any of quitting politics yet. He therefore, urged the people of Kogi

State to disregard the claims as antics of his detractors.

Idris said that his call to politics was not for selfish aggrandisement but for the pursuit of common good for the greatest number of the masses He called on members of the PDP and all well-meaning Kogites to join in the arduous task of enthroning peoplecentred leadership in Kogi State.

“People should not despair over the state of affairs in our state. Rather, they should look up to God and remain resolute on the choices before us come November.

We all must join hands to rescue Kogi,” he said.

He urged the political actors to eschew violence and not to turn Kogi into another killing field of Kigali.

I want to make Kano number one state in Nigeria - Ganduje Adeola Ajakaiye, Kano

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overnor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, says his new administration, which takes effect on May 29th, would place emphasis on the development of the huge human capital existing in the state, as well as make the state the most preferred investment destination in the country.

Ganduje stated this in his speech, shortly after he received his certificate of return alongside his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and 27 state assembly memberselect, held at Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.

He said the future of Kano State did not lie on oil or any of the things currently being fought about, noting that the future of the state lies in the minds of the people.

According to Ganduje, his administration must ensure that all young people receive quality education, and ensure all girls are educated, so that the state can unlock the 50percent of economic output currently not being accessed by societies due to the low participation of women.

“We must also make sure that our state becomes an attractive destination for investment and business, with a focus on the investments which improve our human capacity,” he said.

According to him, “Agriculture is already the main-

Ganduje

stay of our people. Our plan is to attract investment which increases our outputs and unlock economic growth for all of us.”

The governor also said that the next few weeks, his government would commence unveiling a series of plans to ensure every child from the state receives quality education, including computer and technology education.

He pointed out that his administration would ensure that in 15 years, Kano would be the most educated state in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the most attractive destination for the world’s leading technology-driven businesses.

“Our government cannot do this alone. We will also unveil extensive plans and incentives for partners and pri-

vate investors to come build the businesses in Kano. If you want to setup innovative businesses or educational institutions, Kano is waiting to welcome you,” he said.

In order to achieve these goals, the governor disclosed that the incoming administration would step-up investment in public education sector, in addition to strengthening investment in providing adequate social infrastructure to boost economic activities.

While presenting the certificates of return to the elected officers, the INEC national commissioner in charge of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, Abubakar Nahuche urged the political class in the country to always imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and eschew a do-or-die politics.

MTN, Lagos NBA host corporate counsel masterclass SEYI JOHN SALAU

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s part of efforts to support capacity building in the legal profession, the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in collaboration with the Commercial Legal Department of MTN Nigeria recently organised a masterclass for lawyers on best corporate legal practices.

The master class is an effort taken by both body at deepening industry knowledge through the Continuing Legal Education and Mentorship Committee. The event was hosted at the MTN Nigeria corporate headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos, featuring a cross-section of senior and young lawyers.

“Is a strong example of how in-house teams can share best practices with external counsel and we are grateful that we are doing this,” said Tobechukwu Okigbo, the corporate relations executive at MTN Nigeria, in his remarks about the masterclass.Mazen Mroue, MTN chief operating officer, said the master class was yet another testament to MTN’s long term commitment to investing in Nigeria’s human development capacity.

Ifeoma Utah, the general manager, commercial legal, MTN Nigeria took a section on corporate law. Utilising a variety of in-house case studies and sharing from her experience, she expounded on the importance of building critical skill sets in risk management, crisis management, negotiation, and matching the right case to the right law firm and being emotionally intelligent.

IGP decorates Frank Mba, others, charges them to be more dedicated Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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n furtherance of the 31st March, 2019 announcement of the release of promotions by the Police Service Commission, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu on Thursday 4th April, 2019 decorated the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba with his new rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

A statement issued on Thursday by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Aremu Adeniran, noted that other officers decorated by the IGP included ACP Igbafe Afegbai, 2iC Federal Inland Revenue Service {FIRS} and SP Atiku Ibrahim, Per-

sonal Assistant {P.A} to the IGP. While decorating the three officers, the IGP congratulated them and the Eight

Thousand Nine Hundred and Thirteen (8,913) other newly promoted Officers of the Force and charged them to see their elevation as a call

to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation and to continue to recognise and uphold the fundamental rights of the citizens.

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News

Customs records huge seizures in Owerri zone …Says goods worth N422m impounded SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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igeriaCustoms Service, Federal Operation Unit, Zone “C” Owerri, Imo State says, total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of contraband consignments intercepted, arrested and seized between January and March 2019 worth a total of N442, 000,000.

Customs Area Controller, Kayode Olusemire said the seizures were made in the 11 states under the Zone “C” jurisdiction, made up South-south and Southeast geopolitical zones.

Itemizing some of the re-

corded seizures, Olusemire stated that a full truck carrying over 600 bags of 50 kilograms foreign rice was intercepted along Benin City axis of the unit. He added that the rice worth DPV of N9, 600,000. He further revealed that the DPV of the full truck (means of conveyance) was N7, 300,000, all totaling N16,900,000.

The Customs boss also said that another truck was intercepted by the Benin mobile patrol team, carrying over 500 bags of same kilograms of foreign rice, which he stated, was concealed with used bags of cement.

He however, said that in the Zone “C” warehouses in Enugu, Owerri and Cala-

bar among others, that the premises were all littered with seized contraband consignments.

Adding that the total DPV of seized trucks and bags of rice was N41, 500,000, Olusemire said:“Exotic cars and other motor vehicles are not banned by the Federal Government, but the gross challenge NCS is facing is the non-payment of duty by the smugglers.

“How can one buy motor vehicles like Rolls Royce Mercedes, Benz G63 (Brabus), 2018 model of Toyota Hilux among others, without paying duty on them. Again, how can somebody smuggle into the country over 2,000 bags of 50kg foreign rice without paying duty.

Smuggling is inimical to the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

In spite of all our campaign over the radio stations and television houses, smugglers still continue in their nefarious business venture,” he said.

He, however, appealed to those in the illicit business to desist from such act, adding that it would not pay them any good if such goods were intercepted and seized alongside their means of conveyance.

WSCIJ partners media houses in Nigeria on gender parity in newsrooms IFEOMA OKEKE

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n a bid to increase female gender in leadership positions in the newsroom, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) has partnered media houses around Nigeria including BusinessDay. This was made known on Thursday at its Female reporters’ leadership programme under the ‘Report Women’ initiative which held in FRCN premises in Lagos.

The centre disclosed that the advocacy for more inclusion of qualified female persons in the leadership of the newsroom is not a move for matriarchy but one which should enable gender parity for women as well as men in the newsroom The initiative involves going to several media houses to sensitize media personalities on the need for more inclusivity for women at de-

cision making cadres of the sector.

Motunrayo Alaka, centre coordinator for Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism says that there has been a great reception to the initiative as female fellows of the centre have been able to push the boundaries in their various news rooms and there has been an indication of interest in change by media houses.

Alaka also thinks that there is a need for a change in mind-set of people towards the issue. “A lot of people don’t see that anything is wrong. A lot of people don’t understand the fact that the female person thinks differently from the male person means that they both bring different things to the table.

So it is that consciousness that is the biggest issue and once we’re able to get back that mind-set barrier, a lot would begin to happen.”

Alaka also stated that

there is a need to be intentional about the issue as gender issues are mostly blind spots and not intentional.

According to Adeyinka Amosun, director of Lagos Operations, FRCN, laws should be made to prepare a soft landing for women, which should serve as a form of encouragement and attraction for these women to want to stay on in the profession.

“We have lofty laws, we do not have a problem with having enactments but implementation is the issue.

I think we are beginning to have supervisory agencies and it now depends on those agencies to do their work,” Amosun said.

Rotimi Senkoni, Resource person WSCIJ thinks there is a resistance from people who exploit women, to this initiative partly because of a lack of understanding of the bigger picture. Senkoni also said that there’s a need for more public education.

Mothers urged to guard their children against societal ills Ngozi Okpalakunne

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ack of good parenting skills among mothers has been described as the major reason responsible for the increased cases of teenage pregnancy, rape and defilement among adolescent girls in the society. President Platform for Helping Women and Youth (PHWAY) Initiative, Nneka Iyke-Okafor stated this recently in Lagos at a one day forum organised by the organisation to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).

Okafor lamented the incessant cases of unwanted pregnancy and blamed mothers and aunties, adding that their failure to personally

take care of their young girls has resulted to increased cases of teenage pregnancy and other vices associated with the girl child.

“Some mothers lack parenting skills and such mothers need to be trained on how to monitor their girl child. Mothers should not delegate their God–given responsibility of taking care of their children to anyone.

Real mothers should have follow up mechanism on these young people so as to groom them in such a way that they will be responsible members of the society.“The family is the foundation of the society and whatever happens in the home transcends in the society. If these young girls are well protected and trained, they will not only be useful

to themselves in the future, but to their families and the society at large,” she added.

On the other hand, she frowned at mothers who abandon their children in the hands of maids and other care givers because of their professions.

“Mothers should be wise in their decisions, such jobs that do not permit them to know what goes on in their homes should not be contracted, if possible, they should engage in careers that will allow them work from the home,” she said.

Given a brief background of her organisation which was established nearly a decade ago, she said it focuses on empowering women and girls so that they will live beyond poverty line.

(L-R : Guest speaker , Obianiyu Arinze, Nigerian media entrepreneur, Agatha Amata, president Platform for Helping Women and Youth (PHWAY) Initiative, Nneka Iyke-Okafor , Olayinka Olorunose, and Lanre Taiwo , during the PHWAY Initiative Women conference and prayer, tagged “Innovate for change” which held in Lagos recently.

‘Why men are more likely to commit ...

Continued from page 1

expectancy. On the other hand, men are much more likely to die from preventable and treatable non-communicable diseases and road traffic accidents.

The gap between men’s and women’s life expectancy is narrowest where women lack access to health services.

In low-income countries, where services are scarcer, 1 in 41 women dies from a maternal cause, compared with 1 in 3300 in high-income countries. In more than 90 percent of low-income countries, there are fewer than four nursing and midwifery personnel per 1000 people.

The WHO also notes attitudes to healthcare differ, and as such, where men and women face the same disease, men often seek health care less than women. In countries with generalised HIV epidemics, for example, men are less likely than women to take an HIV test, less likely to access antiretroviral therapy and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women. Similarly, male TB patients appear to be less likely to seek care than female TB patients.

The report also highlights the difference in causes of death between men and women – some biological, some influenced by environmental and societal factors, and some impacted by availability of and uptake of health services.

Of the 40 leading causes of death, 33 causes contribute more to reduced life expectancy in men than in women. In 2016, the probability of a 30-year-old dying from a non-communicable disease before 70 years of age was 44percent higher in men than women.

Global suicide mortality rates were 75percent higher in men than in women in 2016. Death rates from road injury are more than twice as high in men than in women from age 15, and mortality rates due to homicide are 4 times higher in men than in women. “Breaking down data by age, sex and income group is vital for understanding who is being left behind and why,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO DirectorGeneral.

“Behind every number in the World Health Statistics is a person, a family, a com-

munity or a nation. Our task is to use these data to make evidence-based policy decisions that move us closer to a healthier, safer, fairer world for everyone.”

The report has been published to coincide with this year’s World Health Day, focusing on primary health care as the foundation of universal health coverage.

The new WHO statistics highlight the need to improve access to primary health care worldwide and to increase uptake.

Some good news however, life expectancy has improved since 2000, with the global life-expectancy at birth increasing by 5.5 years, from 66.5 to 72.0 years, between 2000 and 2016,.

Healthy life expectancy at birth - the number of years one can expect to live in full health- increased from 58.5 years in 2000 to 63.3 years in 2016.

Life expectancy remains strongly affected by income.

In low-income countries, life expectancy is 18.1 years lower than in high-income countries. One child in every 14 born in a low-income country will die before their fifth birthday.

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PhotoSplash

L-R: Grace Onyeabo, judge, Lagos State High Court; Dolu Segun, brother of the deceased; Opeyemi Oke, chief judge of Lagos State, and Anana Segun, wife of the deceased, at the valedictory court session of Late Christopher Olatunde Segun, former chief judge of Lagos State, in Lagos. Pic by David Apara

L-R: Danjuma John-Ekele, public affairs manager north, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, first lady of Kaduna State, and Sade Morgan, corporate affairs director, Nigerian Breweries at the 4th Kaduna Investment Summit in Kaduna.

L-R: Lion (Engr) Raphael Akinsulire, Region 6 Chairperson; Lion Dupe Dada, District Governor 404B2 Nig; Lion (Olori) Marie Owoniyi, Zone 6A Chairperson; Lion Herbert Ehebha, Region 6 Project Director; Mrs. Modebe F.N, Head Teacher, GRA Pry School Adekunle Fajuyi, Maryland Ikeja and Lion Blessing Umebali, Region 6 Media & Publicity Director all at the Commissioning of a School Sick Bay donated by Region 6 to GRA Pry School Adekunle Fajuyi Way Maryland Ikeja.

L - R : Te m i t o p e O j o , B r a n d M a n a g e r, B a i l e y s N i g e r i a ; A i g b e m e O k o n k w o , M a r k e t i n g M a n a g e r, S p i r i t s ; A d e n i k e A d e b o l a , M a r k e t i n g D i r e c t o r ; B a r r o w Omatsola, Commercial Director; Omotola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, Marketing Manager, Innovations; all of Guinness Nigeria PLC at the launch of Baileys Delight recently in Lagos.

L-R: Eki Adzufeh, executive secretary, Media Independent Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria (MIPAN); Taiwo Kareem, managing director of Limelight Media; Femi Adelusi, president, Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), and Bola Lawal, business director, during the presentation of certificate of membership to Limelight Media held at MIPAN secretariat in Maryland, Lagos

L-R: Tajudeen Abiodun Afolabi, chairman, Mosque Management Committee, Lagos State Secretariat Mosque; Hakeem Muri-Okunola, head of service, Lagos State Civil Service; Oba Rilwon Akiolu, Oba of Lagos; Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, and his wife at the Ju’mat service to celebrate the 125 anniversary of FirstBank in Lagos, recently.

L-R: Tosin Ogundare: Lanre Babalola, and Tosin Umaru, members of the Nigerian Football Team at the Special Olympics m Summer Games 2019 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

L-R: Victor Adebayo, group human resources director, Chanrai Summit Group; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor-elect, and Erefa Coker, founder/convener, 2019 HREA summit, at the 2019 summit on HR Expo Art of Employees Engagement, in Lagos.

8 Inside Lagos

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Sunday 07 April 2019

Wind of building demolition sweeps through Lagos Island JOSHUA BASSEY

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ind of building demolition is sweeping through Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub with an estimated four million housing deficit, as 30 houses have pulled down in Lagos Island alone. But that’s not all, as officials say more are to be demolished across the state in the days and months ahead.

The demolition exercise has been triggered by recurring cases of building collapse in the state which, over the years, have left many families in sorrow, as a result of loss of loved ones, and properties of unquantifiable value.

Stakeholders the building/ construction industry, who recently met at a meeting organised by a fact-finding committee set up by the state government, believe that pulling down houses found to be in distressed state, or structurally defective, is the most plausible option to avert the collapse of more of such buildings while still being occupied by people.

LASBCA officials at demolition site in Lagos Island.

Due to the high population of Lagos (estimated at 21 million people) amid housing shortage, it has been difficult getting occupants of distressed buildings to willingly vacate such property.

However, as the demolition exercise continues, the state

government says a relief camp is available at Igando, in Alimosho, for displaced occupants, as every building marked unsafe would be brought down.

Nurudeen Sodeinde, general manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA),

Agency takes anti-cultism campaign to schools

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agos Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) is embarking on visits to schools in the state to educate students on the dangers cultism.

Chairman of the agency, Israel Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, announced during a special parade to mark the agency’s 2nd anniversary, held at Elegbata Sports Complex, Abule-Egba, Lagos State.

“We have identified cultism as a crime growing among the youths. We discovered that the victims are usually tools waiting to be initiated. This is why we are starting a program themed:

‘The change in Lagos begins with me.

“We will be visiting schools in the state from primary to tertiary to educate students on the evils of cultism. “ Th o s e i n i t i a t e d w i l l b e enlightened and those that choose to be adamant will face the full wrath of the law,’’ Ajao said.

He urged residents to partner with the agency, as it relied on information to function effectively.

“Do not keep quiet until you are in danger before giving out information. We have confidentiality now and the help lines are toll free,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police, (CP) in charge of lagos, Zubairu Muazu, applauded the personnel of the agency for their discipline.

Muazu, represented by Bode Ojajuni, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Area ‘A’, Lion BuildingL, Lagos, said the police and LSNC had the best form of partnership as both regularly go on patrol together.

“The LSNC officials were excellent in the last election and I commend them. This is one of the best partnerships the police are having. I have worked with them so I know how disciplined they are,” he said.

Court halts suspension of NBA Ikorodu branch chairman

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n Ikeja High Court has granted an injunction restraining the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from suspending Bayo Akinlade, chairman of its Ikorodu branch.

Justice Adebowale CandideJohnson granted the injunction in a ruling on Friday, following a motion exparte filed by Femi Falana, counsel to Akinlade.

Joined as defendants in the matter were the registered trustees of the NBA and Ezekiel Ogbaide, acting chairman of the Ikorodu branch of the NBA.

Ak i n l a d e ’s a p p l i c a t i o n sought among others, an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants from acting on the purported suspension of him as the chairman of the branch on March 28 pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Candide-Johnson in his ruling said “I hold that this present case is covered by the case law of 7up Bottling Company vs Abiola and Sons Nigeria Limited.

“The motion exparte dated April 2 succeeds, the interim injunction is hereby granted as

order as prayed.

“The lifespan of the interim injunction granted this Friday (April 5, 2019) shall operate until midnight of April 12, 2019.

“Substantial hearing of the motion on notice is fixed for Tuesday April 16, 2019.”

Akinlade was suspended on March 28 during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NBA. He was suspended for allegedly flouting an order from the national body of the NBA to halt the bye-election of the branch, which eventually held on March 15.

charged with the responsibility of monitoring and determining the integrity of buildings in the state, confirmed to Inside Lagos on Friday that 30 houses among those earlier marked, have been demolished and more to be demolished.

According to Sodeinde, the agency is undertaking the exercise in phases. He confirmed plans to continue the exercise in Lagos Island, before moving to other parts of the state.

Recall that Rotimi Ogunleye, the state commissioner for physical planning and urban development, in the wake of the collapse of a three-storey building on Massey Street, Ita-Faaji, Lagos Island, had disclosed that a total of 149 buildings had been discovered in distressed conditions across the commercial city, out of which 48 were on Lagos Island alone.

Adebowale Adeyanju, a resident in one of clustered houses on the island, with poor ventilation, told Inside Lagos, after a house near his caved in penultimate week, on Kakawa Street, that many of the residents of the area were in a confused state, and not certain what to expect any more.

We’re all so uncertain what to expect. Every day feels like the next day will come. My family and I go to bed every night praying we wake up to see the next day. The fear of building collapse makes me sick,” said Adeyanju.

SARS strikes again, arrests residents of Lagos community

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GBEMI FAMINU

arely a week after sporadic shootings by operatives of State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police Force, at Mangoro/ Onipetesi community, Lagos, which led to the death of Kolade Johnson, residents of Ituagan community, near Tincan Island, also in Lagos, have been thrown into fear.

Operatives of SARS were alleged to have invaded the community at night and arrested ten youths (all males) between the ages of 16 and 22.

Members of the community protested to BusinessDay’s office in Apapa, Thursday, April 4, to lodge their grievances against the alleged action of the SARS police operatives.

Adeola Moyesan, a resident of the community, who was part of the protest, said, “At 2am on April 3, some policemen in uniforms entered our community and started shooting into the air.

We ran for safety but by morning some of our children were missing.

Moyesan said they went to different police stations around and beyond the area, but they all claimed to be unaware of the incident.

She said there had been cases of clashes among members of

the community since August 2018 due to the struggle for the leadership of the community.

She alleged that one of the parties to the power tussle clamouring for a change in the leadership, invited SARS into the community, adding that since then, the operatives have repeatedly harassed members of the community, and all efforts to get rid of them have proven abortive.

She also mentioned that although this incident had occurred before, those arrested were found and reunited with their families almost immediately, but this time around, the boys were taken away and allegedly tortured.

She alleged that the operatives ambushed the community, claiming to be searching for cult boys, but they started shooting sporadically and eventually arrested some youths of the community.

Also, Ikudehinbo Evelyn, another resident of the community, said since 2018, the warring parties had been in court and on April 4, 2019, they ought to have a hearing, which the parties refused to attend.

Presently, all members of the community are confused and in fear of what would happen next, as some of have started packing their things out of the community to safer places.

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Contending with extreme heat wave

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Frank Aigbogun editor Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja

Tayo Ogunbiyi EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERT Adeola Ajewole ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai CIRCULATION MANAGER John Okpaire DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua ASSIST. SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Florence Kadiri GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

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GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South) Ignatius Chukwu HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES Adeola Obisesan

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Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

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he heat wave currently being experienced from across the country is becoming quite alarming, and to say the least, unbearable. It would, thus, be an understatement so state that many of our compatriots are finding it very difficult to cope. Children are principally worse hit as they develop heat rashes and become naturally uncomfortable, particularly at nights.

According to medical experts, excessive heat has damaging effects on victim’s health as it can lead to dehydration-due to excessive loss of water, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and sometimes death. Among others, critical danger indicators to pay attention to in hot weather include weakness, tiredness, and dizziness, shortness of breath, vomiting and general body disorder.

Experience from across the globe actually validates the reality of the menace of excessive heat.

In August 2003, Northern France had a nasty experience of rare ex-

treme heat for over three weeks.

The result was catastrophic as it led to the death of over 15,000 people. Same year in England, over 2,000 people died as a result of a 12-day heat wave.

With the current state of heat wave in the country, one only hopes things won’t become worse.

Unfortunately, soccour is not likely to be in sight yet as experts have warned of more hot days, warm night and heat waves ahead. In Lagos, the situation is even more unpleasant as the metropolis is presently experiencing a protracted heat wave which has ushered in strange hot weather with temperature over and above 32.2oc.

Characteristically, lots of tips are being offered by experts on how to keep abreast of the situation. Top on the bill is a good eating habit that is effectively complemented with drinking of plenty of hygienic water at intervals. Naturally, to fight dehydration, the body requires constant supply of water. Reduction in the intake of caffeinated or intoxicating drinks is also one of the recommended antidotes to the consequences of excessive heat. Also, ensuring good ventilation in residential places as well as regular bathing at nights has been recommended as possible panacea.

It is, however, important to stress that being a direct consequence of the global warming challenge which the entire world is currently contending with, long term solutions as against imme-

diate remedies would be more appropriate and effective in dealing with excessive heat. In this respect, one would like to make a strong case for tree planting.

Trees have been scientifically proven to be very useful as first line of defence in the fight against global warming as they absorb the carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere, replenish the air with oxygen and also contribute immensely to the aesthetics of the environment. They also check erosion and stem the tide of windstorm by serving as wind breakers. On another note, trees are brilliant cleansers. They remove other pollutants through the stomates in the leaf surface.

Trees also serve the purpose of overall air quality enhancer, and a much needed one at that.

They provide natural habitats for many small creatures, and reduce the temperature by providing shade. All in all, a tree is not just a beautiful work of nature standing amongst the many phenomenal picturesque settings of this world; it is a powerful and vital tool for human survival.

Although planting of trees has long been a suggestion to better the earth, there is a desperate need for sustained action at making it not just an annual ritual as it is being practiced in the country, but what everybody must embrace. Ironically, as simple as tree planting process is, only quite a few pays adequate attention to in this clime.

It is in order to alter the trend

and preserve the environment that Lagos State government has been urging residents to embrace the culture of planting trees in view of its obvious benefits. Tree planting is one of the most valuable tools available to help to provide environmental stability.

Consequently, the Lagos state government has embarked upon a plan that will see it planting 10 million trees by 2020.

It has, therefore, become imperative for individuals, corporate bodies, community leaders, religious bodies, NGOs and all tiers of governments to give sufficient attention to tree planting.

In view of the enormous importance of trees to the quality of human life, it would be foolhardy to neglect this simple and less expensive venture that is naturally endowed with life giving aura.

With natural disasters occurring across the world, as a result of the abuse of the environment, this is the time for everyone to have a rethink about our attitude to the environment. That we have not experienced monumental environmental tragedy should not be taken for granted as being immune from such. Thus, we must take our destiny into our hands and do all the needful to ward off avoidable natural calamities.

Hence, the need for everyone to embrace tree planting as well as other such ventures that could help protect the environment.

Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Dick Kramer - Chairman Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Afolabi Oladele Vincent Maduka Keith Richards Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Mezuo Nwuneli Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo

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Comment Dokubo’s Midas touch at Presidential Amnesty Programme Austin Omeni

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ome jobs are more delicate than others. This is particularly so in Nigeria, where many people employ all means to pull others down for their own selfish ends. People believe that every government appointment offers individuals an opportunity to “chop”, the pull-him-down syndrome is so high that those on such appointments are usually in constant fear and apprehension.

The gale of allegations and armada of missiles being hurled at Professor Charles Dokubo, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, (PPA), by some faceless individuals, could be located in the dog-eat-dog exercise that attend to certain public offices (appointments) in the country.

But thank goodness, Professor Dokubo is not a man that is easily cowed. He has remained undaunted, despite the antics of self-servers.

Recall that a group, Concerned Niger Deltans for Sustainable Development (CNDSD), had recently staged a protest in Yenagoa, alleging that Dokubo could not exonerate himself from the recent looting of the multi-billion naira vocational training centre in Boro town, Bayelsa State.

Dokubo, however, sees the hands of ambitious politicians in the traducing and protest. He warned them to stop the smear campaign and other ignoble acts capable of portraying the people of the region in bad light. Describing them as the enemies of the Niger Delta, he said they were “ambitious politicians” eyeing his position.

The Amnesty Office said: “The

hired protesters also reportedly alleged that no action was taken

by Prof. Dokubo throughout a five day period that the looting of starter pack items and vandalism of property at the training facility lasted.

“We wish to state emphatically that these allegations are not only nonsensical, entirely false, preposterous, mischievous and wicked, but a calculated attempt to smear the hard-earned reputation of Prof. Dokubo, a decent and incorruptible scholar of international repute who has, within one year in office, given hope to the Niger Delta people through fresh initiatives that would reposition the Amnesty Programme to its original mandate.”

“It is on record that the invasion and looting of items at the Kaiama training facility occurred in the presence of security personnel, including the police and the military deployed in the Centre, but they were simply overwhelmed by the numerical strength of the massive invaders,” the statement said.

The incident, it added, was also immediately reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Kaiama, and later at the Bayelsa State Police Command Headquarters in Yenagoa, adding that complaint on the incident by an official of the Amnesty Office was properly documented by the Bayelsa police in its crime diary.

“The police had promptly launched intensive investigation on the incident and have some suspects in custody. None of the suspects arrested in connection to the looting of items and ‘vandalisation’ of the facility, has linked any official of the Amnesty Office to the crime.

“Sponsoring ill-motivated protests aimed at causing mischief and splashing muddied water on

Dokubo, a patriot and committed Niger Deltan, will do no one any good,” the Amnesty Office said.

Smear campaign amid great job Dokubo was appointed into office a year ago. Within this period, the Rivers State-born intellectual has turned around, for good, the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the overall interest of all Niger Deltans.

Recently, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) inaugurated its completed vocational training centre at AgadagbaObon town in Ondo State. It was aimed at fast-tracking the training of the programme’s beneficiaries in the state.

“When Dokubo took over the office, we discovered that the training processes are visualised and when you give training to an individual, some of them do not have the requisite facilities for the work. “The essence of the programme is to train, rehabilitate and reintegrate these beneficiaries into the society so that they can be change agents.

“It is not to give four or six weeks of training; if you give somebody half baked training, you haven’t done anything to him. So what he decided is to visualise the processes.”

“At the end of the training, they can work anywhere with their certificates which is the major focus of the programme,” he added.

Hundreds of Niger Deltans have benefited from vocational training in various skills within the 12-month period of his stewardship at PAP. In November last year, the Amnesty Office caused the people in some communities ravaged by flood in the Niger Delta to heave a sigh of relief by distributing foodstuff and other household items

Charles Dokubo to them to ameliorate their plight.

Dokubo, flagging off the distribution of relief materials at Bomadi, headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area in Delta State, said the gesture was to provide succour to inhabitants of the affected communities who had lived in terrible conditions since their homes and sources of livelihood were destroyed by the flood.

Towards the end of last year, the presidency, through the Amnesty Office, commenced the third and final phase of United Nations-supervised Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of 30,000 Niger Delta ex-agitators with the flag-off of the Entrepreneurial Revolution for Sustainable Peace on November 7, 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

To achieve this, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and some financial and tertiary institutions moved to enable the ex-agitators get certified and exit as employers and ensure peace in the region.

Within this period, the Presidential Amnesty Office has entered into partnership with the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) towards improving the quality and certification of agricultural and other products of Amnesty Programme beneficiaries.

The partnership is mainly on technology incubation, especially in the area of food production.

Unlike the unfortunate situations in the country, where public office holders collude with contractors to siphon public funds or engage in contract racketeering, Dokubo believes that contractors must account for money given to them for projects.

The other day, for instance, he warned contractors awarded jobs for the presidential amnesty programme to implement the contracts in line with the terms of the agreement.

He said the warning was necessitated by increasing reports on sale of contracts awarded to some companies in breach of contract agreements with the Amnesty Office.

According to the Amnesty Office, “It is illegal and criminal for a contractor to be awarded a job and then goes behind to sell the contract to another individual or company. As part of the terms of agreement for contracts awarded by the Presidential Amnesty Office, a contract is not transferable. It should be satisfactorily implemented.

“Henceforth, any company that engages in sale or contract racketeering after securing a job at the presidential amnesty programme shall have the contract revoked. Contractors are advised to be guided accordingly and adhere strictly to contract terms.”

As expected, Dokubo’s good works have continued to attract commendation from individuals and respectable institutions. He has not only repositioned the Agency, but has also brought life, peace, succour and economic development to Niger Delta region.

Omeni, a social commentator, writes from Warri, Delta State.

There is no age barrier to learning …77-year-old fresh graduate at UNILAG’s convocation shows Jonathan Aderoju

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77-year-old female retiree was among the 1,008 graduands of the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos (UNILAG), who were awarded first degree last Tuesday at the institution’s 2017/2018 Convocation Ceremonies.

The woman proved that there is no better time to get educated and have a degree attached to your name. She is a retired officer and has worked in many countries around the world and also in Nigeria, where she finally retired.

According to her, acquiring this degree was born out of her desire not to be idle and not wanting to be at home alone since she is retired.

Learning is crucial to the human existence. From learning how to take one’s first steps as a baby, reciting the alphabets as a toddler, applying addition and subtraction as a child and

eventually passing matric as a teenager. The human mind is constantly expanding, looking for new information to process.

But how do we know when is the right time to take it further?

Well, the answer is that there’s never a ‘right time’. As much as we as humans may plan our life according to societal beliefs that there are stages for everything, there is no ‘right’ age to start taking your knowledge to the next level.

Growing and developing are key elements that help people live a happier and healthy life.

No one wants to feel unaccomplished or unskilled. Therefore, taking charge of your learning and improvement is important.

According to research conducted by BBC News, the dynamic of students are changing.

Recent statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency have found that at least 25 students starting full-time undergraduate degrees were over the age of 70.

Studying can help one during any course or stage in their life.

Further education helps people grow in their current positions or helps them identify a passion for something completely different, even if it is twenty years of working experience later.

Bookkeepers can become accountants; sales assistants can become sales managers or even a receptionist can up skill and

find the right fit in any position within an organisation.

Education is really important in our lives now. Everyone needs to get educated, to have knowledge. Still, we see the discrimination of educating a son, not the daughter. Sometimes, poverty acts as an obstacle which leads to kids getting dropped out of school.

Of all the important elements of personal development, nothing even comes close to the importance of learning. As humans, we are always learning. Every new experience, bit of information, or emotional connection teaches us something. Every time you wake up, go someplaces new, eat a new food or talk with someone, education is happening. The thing is, with all this input going on, many people are not even aware of it and go through life never benefiting or applying the lessons learned.

Success-minded people know that personal development is all about learning. When I talk of education, I am not talking about school or other classroom type

settings.

There is a place for what can be called “formal education”.

True education is not found in the classroom, but in life. It comes from the awareness that everything we experience, every person we talk to, and every challenge we face has the potential to teach us something new.

What’s wrong in this if a 70year old woman can read and write? Isn’t it a proud for the family that they are blessed with education? An educated mother can educate her own child. She doesn’t have to depend on her husband for money as she can earn by herself. An educated father would never get fooled by educated people in business.

Your educated daughter can find the perfect educated man for herself. You will have your own image in the society.

Do not let age or the stage you are in your life dictate the time to study. Grow, develop and you will succeed.

There is no better feeling than that of the fulfillment of an education, no matter the age.

Sunday 07 April 2019

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Perspective

2019 polls, Akwa Ibom and my take away Emmanuel Umohinyang

T

hough the 2019 general election may have come and gone, history would no doubt record the exercise as a peculiar one.

This may not be unconnected with the negatives that overshadowed the intent of the elections nationwide.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had given the world assurances that the election would be free, fair and credible.

This was aside the chestthumping by the electoral body that it was ready for the elections as scheduled. Indeed, nobody had cause to doubt INEC in view of the fact that the nation was conducting its most expensive election in history.

Even INEC Chairman, Prof.

Mahmud Yakubu told the world that the commission had enough funds to undertake the poll.

Alas, the world was taken by surprise when INEC told a shocked world that it had postponed the Presidential election scheduled to hold February 16 to 23.

Curiously, the announcement was made long after Nigerians had gone to bed with the hope of exercising their franchise the next day.

This was no doubt due to the fact that Nigerians had put their hope in an electoral umpire in dire need of help.

Even President Muhammadu Buhari who had landed in his home town of Daura to vote was peeved by the development, as he assured the nation that a probe would be launched into the incident after the polls.

Two weeks after, when the Presidential Election held, INEC’s inefficiency was again laid bare before the world.

From Lagos to Kano, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ondo and many more, it was complaints galore over different impediments arising from faulty card reader machines to poor voter turnout, late arrival of materials and many more.

When the governorship election eventually held, things went from bad to worse across the states.

On the said date, INEC ad-hoc staff staged an early morning strike to protest nonpayment of their allowances, among others, leading to late

Mike Igini, Akwa Ibom REC

take off of the polls.

In Akwa Ibom State, apathy was a major tool deployed by the people to express a vote of no confidence to protest the glaring partiality of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Mike Igini who from day one had aligned himself with the ruling party in the state.

In fact, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had told the world that it was uncomfortable with Igini superintending over elections in the state months before.

This was to no avail as the electoral body’s hierarchy in Abuja looked the other way despite this glaring injustice.

Even when the APC chairman in the state, Ini Okopiodo raised a weighty allegation in a petition, that Igini told him point blank in a telephone conversation that this party will never win in the state, this was never investigated.

“In a recent telephone conversation with the undersigned, (Ini Okopiodo), APC state chairman, Igini threatened that the APC will never win election in Akwa Ibom state no matter how big and massive our total rally is. He told me he would ensure the PDP is declared winner, no matter what happens,” he said.

He further said: “We have evidence that Igini has handed over uncollected permanent

voters’ cards (PVCs) to officials of Akwa Ibom State Government House, Uyo. These uncollected PVCs are in thousands.”

In other climes, a thorough investigation of such petition would have been carried out, but mum was the word from the Mahmud Yakubu-led INEC. Even when other political parties under the aegis of forum for all registered political parties in Akwa Ibom State through their chairman, Kingsley Akaiso, corroborated the APC Chairman’s claims, INEC refused to budge.

Akaiso who is also the chairman, Fresh Party, said “In the political process in the state, INEC has portrayed unbridled partisanship through the selection of its ad-hoc staff, some

Through connivance with the state government, all the ad-hoc staff of the commission is made up of loyal members and supporters of PDP

of whom are drawn from the employees of the commission, contrary to extant practices and institutions requirement.

“Through connivance with the state government, all the ad-hoc staff of the commission is made up of loyal members and supporters of PDP. “In addition, the commission has acted as though it were part of the Government House, Uyo. In spite of our representations to the head office of the commission in Abuja, nothing has been done to allay our concern that INEC office in Akwa Ibom State is not a fair umpire and cannot deliver a free, fair and transparent election because it is partisan and in bed with the ruling PDP government in the state. This anarchy must be looked into.”

With the pictures painted, it was therefore, unsurprising that Akwa Ibom State recorded the least voter turnout in her recent history as only about 600,000 turned out to vote despite the fact that no fewer than two million PVCs were collected.

Worse perhaps, was the fact that despite wide spread cases of faulty card reader machines in the state, manual voting was the order of the day.

This was contrary to assurances by INEC that nobody would be allowed to vote if not captured by the card reader.

No doubt, this gave INEC in the state a window to partner with its allies in the PDP to seize the moment by using the opportunity to their advantage.

Even after the election, there are panicky measures being employed to cover the tracks in order not to further expose the charade that played out during the elections in the state.

Already, cases of vehicles loaded with thumb-printed ballot papers said to have been found in the forests came up and this must be investigated and the culprits brought to book.

This is the least anyone would expect in view of the fact though APC was declared winner at several collation centres, with such eventually changing in favour of PDP, even as electoral officers of such places were suspended, including that of Ikot Abasi, by Igini, for no just cause.

Even in Obot Akara, homestead of former Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Chris Ekpeyong where elections could not hold, results of a non-existent election was declared.

Most annoying were, the vituperations of former Prelate of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, Rev. Sunday Mbang who used to stand up for what is right and just in the past, but not unexpected in the circumstance.

However, the beauty of it all is that the APC in the state has not embraced violence in any form as a way of fighting the carefully scripted fraud in the name of election.

That it has toed the constitutional option in its attempts to right the wrongs as provided for in our constitution is a welcome development. This, it must continue to do since whatever has been stolen from the people by the way of their mandate can still be retrieved using the instrumentality of the law.

The APC, nay the people of Akwa Ibom State, must therefore rise to the occasion by seizing the opportunity to retrieve their mandate through legal means instead of resorting to any form of violence.

Like the famous Poet, Ngugi Wa Thiongo wrote in one of his poems “the raving clouds shall not be long. They shall not be long victorious.”

Umohinyang, social commentator and political analyst wrote in from Lagos.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

Perspective

Abiodun and the ‘hyenas’ baying for Ogun resources Duro Akintunde

T

he 2019 general election has come and gone.

Winners are already savouring their victory.

However, the conduct of the exercise in many parts of the country has been termed defective and many people say it fell below standard.

Ogun is one of the states the atmosphere is not so soul-lifting.

The INEC declaration of results appears to have drawn a curtain on the contest but, in reality, the general air currently pervading the nook and cranny of the state is that of suspense, with the excitement and congratulatory back slaps expected from among the citizens clearly missing. Even the candidate announced as winner of the contest by INEC, Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been tentative, diffident and generally holed up in a no-man’s land where to move forward decisively and connect with the people to fire up their excitement level seem an impossible task. Perhaps, that is what you get when you wear a negotiated crown; when your ‘victory’ owes much more to the magnanimity of godfathers and ‘fixers’ rather than being the product of a mass movement assembled behind professed ideals and ideas traceable and original to you.

Political analysts and watchers of Ogun politics are already seeing the sign and calling attention to the fact that even before the take-off of his administration, APC’s Dapo Abiodun appears overwhelmed by the burden of dancing to the cacophonic tunes of his masters and benefactors.

And the task of working for future development and progress of Ogun State may be the worse for it.

The jackals, who operated under the guise of supposedly altruistic caucuses and grand alliances on the eve of the March 6 governorship election to bring out huge resources running into billions of Naira to unabashedly corrupt the electoral process in their bid to prosecute the battle to ‘cut Ibikunle Amosun to size’ during the election, have now started making their demands from the naïve beneficiary of their investments. It is payback time. And most enlightened citizens of the state have noticed this ugly sce-

nario as it crystalises, which is the major reason for the lack of citizen excitement at the prospect of the Dapo Abiodun administration.

For a state that has been governed in the last eight years by a vivacious and precocious personality such as Senator Ibikunle Amosun, a man who has been roundly adjudged as a very effective and performing governor as well as a first class communicator, grassroots administrator and courageous defender of the rights and interests of the masses, the elitist, dull disposition of his successor is indeed a cause for worry. The unresolved matter of the governor-elect’s academic qualification and his inability to espouse any notable socio-economic development agenda for the state from the inception of the governorship election campaigns to date have further fuelled the feeling that a weak horse might have been foisted on the state by the selfish political godfathers for Ogun indigenes to bet their future on.

To any discerning watcher of unfolding Ogun politics, it is very clear that governor-elect is facing intense pressure in the bid to accommodate the mountain of interests that worked together for his victory, ‘’especially forces that keyed into his campaign in the last minutes’’, a source pointed out recently to an online platform that reports Ogun politics. And the said platform further noted that discreet investigation it conducted revealed that the bid to cater for the various factors at play is stealthily nudging Abiodun towards a troubled start for his administration.

Even before he is sworn in, Abiodun appears to have lost the governance plot as several political analysts in the state have flayed what they termed a raging battle of wits between the core believers in Abiodun that started the gubernatorial project with him and latter-day supporters over who gets to be in positions of influence and power ahead of the official inauguration on May 29. They also observed that the situation had reached such a level that talks of the hijack of the process by a few had started causing internal frictions among the group of circling “hyenas” baying for Ogun State’s resources once the stringent but performing Amosun administration steps down on May 29th.

“I just pray the seeming quiet-

Dapo Abiodun, governorship elect, Ogun State

“I just pray the seeming quietness from the governorelect in this raging battle translates into decisions that defuse the situation and take the state to the muchbandied next level of goodness and development” ness from the governor-elect in this raging battle translates into decisions that defuse the situation and take the state to the muchbandied next level of goodness and development”, a staunch APC member in the state who is miffed at the unfolding scenario volunteered recently.

Truthfully, this worrisome scenario of a hawkish gathering around Ogun State with intent to devour post May 29th brings back memories of Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s eight wonderful years of steering the ship of state.

Irrespective of political leaning, all honest citizens and visitors to Ogun State agree that the outgoing governor and his team have, in the last eight years, delivered an expansive transformation agenda that has seen the state

capital and several other cities and major towns in the three Senatorial zones greatly remodeled.

Ogun has witnessed a seemingly well-designed and thoughtfully executed plan-cum- blueprint to re-engineer her economic, infrastructure and industrial sectors such that today, Ogun State is the fastest growing industrial hub in South West Nigeria. The state IGR profile has also massively improved just as security and infrastructure renewal have become the norm.

From being one of the states with high notoriety for armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings and other sundry crimes, Ogun has been largely transformed under Amosun’s watch into a peaceful state where citizens’ safety and protection of business facilities are great priorities of government. That Ogun has become peaceful today owes largely to the faithfully executed effective governance style of Senator Amosun that promotes selfless and unbiased commitment to all segments of the state, fairness in deployment of state resources and a clear infrastructure re-modelling mission blueprint.

More importantly, Politics of godfatherism and unconstitutional bond of allegiance to any culticcum-foreign interest was never allowed to dictate state policy.

It is important to document, for posterity’s sake, that in this

approach, Amosun towers above all other governors that have had the privilege of heading the state since Democracy returned in 1999.

Posterity should, however, also be informed that in the run off to the governorship election of 2019 in Ogun State, an occupation army of political jackboots backed by a few powerful local political jobbers coalesced with a single strategy that was all about deploying a huge war chest to achieve the twin objective of arresting the development of the state through humiliation of Amosun and imposing a weak governor on Ogun State.

To them, corrupting the electoral space to impose a somewhat pliant candidate who would do their bidding once on ground was something to be achieved, no matter the toll on the development and future wellbeing of Ogun State.

The tragedy in this is that Ogun State is set to replay the anecdotal scenario of that ancient land where a king with a negotiated crown, weak moral authority and non-existent spiritual allegiance to the people was helped to the throne by a brood of vampires. Can the citizens be expected to rejoice? Can the centre still be expected to hold?

Akintunde, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abeokuta

Sunday 07 April 2019

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Politics

Muhammadu Buhari

Nigerians: Waiting for ‘Next Level’ Innocent Odoh

A

s Nigerians countdown to the May 29 inauguration of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office, mixed reactions have trailed the promise of the President to restructure the economy and make it more productive, form inclusive government, tackle insecurity and meaningfully fight corruption.

While some are optimistic, others are pessimistic about the ability and sincerity of the President to deliver on his promise in the midst of high expectations at a time of huge challenges. Even President Buhari reportedly said that his next four years will be “tough”.

A security expert and public affairs analyst, Majeed Dahiru, told BDSUNDAY on Friday that predictably, the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari is going to be very tough economically, in terms of security and in terms of governance generally, following what he described as lack of “coherent policy” of government to revamp the troubled Nigerian economy.

“We have not seen a proper policy document that aims to resuscitate the economy and improve security of lives and property and fight corruption. The ‘Next Level’ document was mere campaign promise; it was full of innuendoes and lacked depth and specifics about how and when the economy is going to be revitalised.

“So, it appears to be shallow in terms of the capacity to move Nigeria away from the current economic doldrums into a path of sustainable growth and development. Things are definitely going to be tough,” Dahiru said.

He noted that Nigeria is worse off today than it was in 2015, even as he

predicted that things will get worst in 2023 than in 2019 because of obvious lack of any coherent plan to move Nigeria forward by the current administration.

He stressed that in the absence of any coherent policy, the economy will be stagnated.

“Already, we have moved from being the poverty capital of the world to being among the countries rated as the most miserable with some of the hungriest people on the planet; so it is getting worse,” he said.

On the insecurity and criminality ravaging parts of the country, especially in the north, Dahiru said the menace has reached a dangerous dimension where people have resorted to self-help because the government has failed them.

“In Zamfara State, people have resorted to the service of charmers and spiritualists to wade off bandits and against increasing kidnapping with high ransom demands. So, it s is definitely going to be very tough even without the President saying it,” he said.

He also expressed pessimism over President’s promise of inclusiveness, stressing that by his antecedents, Buhari may not fulfil the promise. “Going by what is happening in the National Assembly, you will agree with me that inclusivity is far-fetched and going by what we are hearing, it appears the leadership of the three arms of government is going to be domiciled in a particular region without consideration for a proper spread to command national loyalty as enshrined in the constitution.

“The chairman of the National Assembly is going to come from the north, if Ahmed Lawal scales through and the President Buhari, the head of the executive is from the north, and then their own appointed Chief Justice of the Federation is also from the north. This is unprecedented. We have not seen any deliberate

efforts to neutralise this one-sidedness in order to have inclusivity; so, I am not very optimistic about the President’s promise of inclusivity going by his antecedents,” Dahiru insisted.

For Katch Ononuju, a public affairs analyst, what will define the legacy of the Buhari administration is his alleged planlessness and his inability to engage competent hands to run the affairs of the nation as well as his resort to nepotism in the last four years.

He said that unless Buhari accepts that the Nigerian democracy is capitalist and that the private sector should drive economic growth, “we will continue to go round in circles”.

He noted that since Buhari came to power, Nigeria has not had economic growth more than 2percent and that’s why the country appears to be falling into perpetual depression.

He added that it is disturbing “for us to have left between 7.2percent and 7.4percent GDP growth we were averaging to

Already, we have moved from being the poverty capital of the world to being among the countries rated as the most miserable with some of the hungriest people on the planet; so it is getting worse

now 1.2 and 2.1percent under Buhari.”

He accused Buhari of not engaging intelligent people, especially if they are not from his ethnic or religious enclave even as he advised the President to be more inclusive, but urged Nigerians not to be carried away by Buhari’s words until he translates his words into action for the benefit of poor Nigerians.

Also speaking to BDSUNDAY on Friday, the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and a Professor of Political Science, University of Abuja, Yusuf Zoaka, advised Nigerians to wait patiently for the new team from President Buhari. He said the new team would be a major factor in driving the policy and programmes of the government.

“I expect that this time, since he has nothing to lose, it’s better for him to look for experts and competent people to handle the jobs,” he said.

On the question of inclusiveness, Zoaka said this is the only thing that will “promote some semblance of stability, legitimacy and make Nigerians feel that the government is theirs. The moment you have exclusion, it’s not going to augur well for the government because we are all Nigerians.

“But Buhari must look for people who are competent not forgetting the youth and women. They should have a better share of the new government,” he said.

Another senior lecturer at the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy of Baze University, Abuja, Mukhtar Imam, noted that the expectations of Nigerians are high as Nigerians yearn for a change that will come rapidly.

He however, admonished Nigerians to be more realistic in their expectations even as he urged the Buhari administration to invest massively in agriculture to resolve deficit in food and boost the small and medium businesses to create wealth and move people out of joblessness

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Sunday 07 April 2019

Politics

Trouble looming: S/East, S/South on verge of losing out in the in-coming administration

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OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja

he decision of the Adams Oshiomhole-led All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position of the office of Senate President in Ninth Assembly to Ahmed Lawan may further divide the country along ethnic and religious fault lines, analysts have warned.

With strong indications that the party will zone the seat of Speaker of the House of Representatives in the incoming Assembly to the South West, political commentators have cautioned that the APC may have perfected a plot to scheme out the South-South and South East geopolitical zones from reckoning in the second tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

If the report that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has advised President Buhari to okay the appointment of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad in substantive capacity, is anything to go by, it means that for the first time in Nigeria’s recent history, all heads of the three arms of government will be northerners and Muslims.

For instance, while President Buhari is a Muslim from Katsina State (North West), Lawan and Muhammad are both Muslims from the North East.

It is also believed that the Speakership position may be zoned to the South West geopolitical zone, where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hails from.

This, according to pundits, has not only reinforced the feeling of marginalisation by people from the South-South and South East but has also given credence to allegations of nepotism levelled against the Buhari administration by people from the areas.

This is not the first time the issue of marginalisation against people from the two zones in the Buhari administration would be highlighted.

In 2017, BusinessDay had reported that 81 of the 100 appointments made by the President were from the North while the other regions shared the remaining 19 appointments.

In an exclusive interview with BDSUNDAY, a political analyst, Taiye Odewale, said the development could hunt the party in the 2023 General Election.

He described the current happenings as a violation of the federal character principle as enshrined in Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Odewale expressed regret that APC is already branding itself as a

Ahmed Lawan

party of ‘Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba’.

His words: “Since 2015, the APC has not shown knowledge or experience of knowing how to manage a country called Nigeria in terms of its diversity and applying the principle of Federal Character in appointment of Nigerians into key positions. You have six geopolitical zones. It is very wrong for the party that has the Number One Citizen from North West, Number Two from South West, Number Three which is Senate President from North East and has the Number Four from the South West which has already taken Number Two position.

“Zoning the position of Speakership of the Ninth House of Representatives to the South West is against the principle of federal character. Because the two zones that are left behind - the South East and South-South- it means that they are giving them the opportunity of coming out to say they are either marginalised or not being carried along. And that will not augur well for the unity we are trying to build in Nigeria.”

He insisted that “It is wrong, APC needs to address this matter or else Nigerians may be forced to kick against it in 2023. Because the party must have succeeded in branding itself as a party of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba. And other people will join hands with aggrieved Hausa-Fulanis and Yorubas to push it out.

“What the party is doing is unconstitutional. Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) spells it out clearly that every segment of the country must be carried

Femi Gbajabiamila

along in appointment and distribution of resources”.

However, some observers hold the belief that since the North West gave the President the highest number of votes in the last General Election, this is the best time to pay back the zone with the position of Presiding Officers in the Ninth Assembly.

A new twist was added to the matter last week when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Kabiru Gaya, who also hails from the North West with President Buhari, declared his intention to run for the position of Deputy Senate President.

In a chat with journalists in Abuja, the ranking lawmaker submitted that the zone ought to produce the Deputy Senate President since it gave the highest vote to President

If the six zones are accommodated in the sharing formula for the National Assembly leadership positions, four of them contributed tremendously to the election of Mr. President

Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

Although the party had already zoned the position of Senate President to the Lawan, from the North East, Gaya, a former governor of Kano State, said there was nothing wrong with the northern part of the country to produce the President and Deputy President of the Senate, neither will it be out of order for President Buhari to come from the same zone with the DSP. Specifically, he said the four zones of North West, North East, North Central and South West that gave President Buhari victory should be rewarded, stressing that “Those who worked hard (in the last election) should be rewarded”.

He added: “If the six zones are accommodated in the sharing formula for the National Assembly leadership positions, four of them contributed tremendously to the election of Mr. President.

“The South West, which has now got the position of the Speaker, North East which has now got the position of Senate President, North Central has the position of Deputy Speaker.

“Considering the zoning arrangement, it is clear that the North West has been left behind and I am a ranking senator from the North West. That means the Deputy Senate President position should go to North West”.

But an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Joseph Nwankwo, disagreed with Gaya, as he urged the APC-led government to take a cue from the National Party of Nigeria (NPN)-led

administration of 1979 that appointed its members into key positions from opposition strongholds.

On the argument that the zones that didn’t deliver for APC in the General Elections should not be rewarded, Nwankwo said: “It doesn’t matter. There are people from those areas (South-South and South East), no matter how insignificant they may be in number, that are cardcarrying members of APC. “A very good example of how power should be shared was obtainable during the Second Republic.

The zone now known as South West had a political idol then in the person of Obafemi Awolowo who was in UPN. In the 1979 election, all the four states -Lagos, Ondo, Oyo and Ogun - including old Bendel State now comprising of Edo and Delta States, voted UPN. But the NPN government under the late Shehu Shagari still allowed a Yoruba person from Ibadan, Adisa Akinloye, the National Chairman of NPN. Richard Akinjide was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Sunday Adeusi of blessed memory, was the Inspector General of Police.

“So, NPN that time did not say that because Yorubas didn’t vote for them, they wouldn’t appoint them into sensitive positions. In fact, Shagari lost all his deposits in all the four Yoruba-speaking states in the 1979 election. He didn’t score up to the required 25 percent of the votes cast. Yet, he appointed people from that area into key government positions. That is what the federal character principle says. There is no caveat in that principle”.

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Politics Delta: When apprehension fizzled in Okowa’s victory

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Mercy Enoch, Asaba

efore the May 9 governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Delta State, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had cried out that the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress(APC), was planning to use ex-militants to rig the election.

Today, it is the APC that is crying foul. And there is finger-pointing in the camp.

The turn of events followed the victory of the PDP at the polls, resulting in the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa being returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He has also been given his certificate of return to the Government, House, Asaba for the next four years.

Six days to the elections, there was palpable tension following the outcry by the PDP, that the purpose of the Vice President Yemi Osibanjo’s visit to the APC in Warri, was to stoke trouble and for the Federal Government and the Delta APC to perfect their grand plans to rig the elections.

The PDP cried out for the intervention of the international community to prevent the alleged planned rigging, which PDP said was to be carried out using ex-militants in army uniform. But APC in countering the allegation, said PDP members were the ones planning such dirty deal.

The deployment of a combined team of security personnel for the purpose of the elections seemed to heighten the tension as most residents feared the elections would not be done under a peaceful atmosphere.

The presence of soldiers and other security personnel made people believe that with the federal might, the elections would be rigged to favour APC. Tension rose to its peak on the D-Day, as the security squad barricaded major roads and streets of the state, especially in Asaba, the state capital. It was feared that there would be much intimidation of Okowa’s aides and supporters just to enable the APC capture the state as Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the APC, had boasted months ago.

Contrary to the fears and apprehension, as journalists and observers moved round the state to monitor the elections, it was observed that the elections held peacefully to the extent that Governor Okowa himself hailed the peaceful conduct, saying that there were no complaints. The pre-election fears were therefore misplaced.

It then became the turn of the APC to cry when they saw that the PDP was winning at the polls.

The more the results were an-

Ifeanyi Okowa

nounced LGA by LGA in favour of PDP, the more APC screamed foul and rejected the outcome of the elections.

At the end of the exercise, it was announced that Okowa of PDP polled a total of 925,274 votes to defeat the candidate of the APC, Great Ogboru who scored215,938.

Okowa won in 23 out of the 25 LGAs of the state while Ogboru won in the remaining two LGAs. This was the second time in two election cycles that Okowa would defeat Ogboru, although back then in 2015 Ogboru ran on the platform of Labour Party (LP), polling 130,028 votes against Okowa’s 724,680.

INEC state returning officer, Seth Jaja while announcing the details of the 2019 gubernatorial election result, said the state had a total of2,831,205 registered voters while the total number of accredited voters for the election were 1,188,784. A total of 1,178,335 votes were cast during the election, out of which 1,154,188 votes were valid while 24,147 were rejected, he added.

The result showed that PDP won even in LGAs where APC thought it had bigwigs and more supporters.

The APC rejected the results so declared by INEC, alleging that massive irregularities marred the election. According to the party,there were incidences of ballot box hijacking, violence and thuggery atthe polling units, card reader failure which resulted to illegal thumb-printing of the ballot papers by the PDP, adding that the elections did not take place in most places.

Jones Erue, APC chairman in the state who echoed the party’s position, said: “The Delta APC is using this medium to call for the cancellation of result announced by the INEC because we were under siege. Our people were not allowed to vote during the election. The military was used to scare the APC

Great Ogboru

members. There was no election in Delta State not to talk of a free and fair election.”

According to him, “The agents of the party were sidelined and intimidated by the military. Our people were not allowed to enter any collation centre; our agents were treated as enemies of the electoral process.

The whole place was militarised against the APC and results were changed at will.”

The APC consequently threatened to challenge the outcome of the election at the tribunal should INEC “go ahead to declare the results”.

Apparently, INEC could not see any reason for the cancellation of the results, hence it declared Okowa the overall winner of the gubernatorial election.

The Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah was the first to send out congratulatory message to his boss on the victory just as he commended Deltans and other inhabitants of the state for trooping out enmasse to re-elect the governor through their votes.

Ukah said the victory of the governor was a clear manifestation that“there is reward for hard work as the governor worked round the

APC moving its presidential rally to Warri instead of Asaba may have contributed to Ogboru’s failure as he may have been seen by some Deltans as sectional leader rather than a leader in the State

clock to ensure that the inhabitants of the state benefit from his SMART Agenda.”

Executive Secretary, Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DEMSMA), Shimite Bello told BDSUNDAY that it was victory for all.

She said the victory was the end result of the love Deltans have for Governor Okowa and that they worked for him to be re-elected.

“The end result shows that Deltans worked, we were committed and dedicated to ensuring that after the governor has done a good job in infrastructure, in job creation, in human capacity development, peace management and so many things he did, that we say we want more of him.That is what our result says, that we are really happy.”

Kennedy Ochei, special assistant to the governor on youths mobilisation, while congratulating the governor, said Deltans massively voted for the governor because he is a man that keeps his words and doesn’t reject a common man.

According to him, the governor has laid a foundation by bringing up the youth into leadership which, according to him, indicates that they are the leaders of tomorrow.

He noted the achievements of the governor in his first term of four years, saying even the building of infrastructure has continued toattract people to Asaba, the state capital, thereby boosting the economy of the state.

A resident of the state, Victor Sorokwu, observed that the election was a keenly contested one.

“Yes, victory is for the better prepared and power comes from God. And I would want to say that God in his infinite wisdom has decided that the governor should continue in office. Deltans voting massively for him could also be an indication that he is doing well.”

Sorokwu further said: “The testimony in this election is that the governor is doing well and

you don’t change a winning team.

Irrespective of the party, platform or affiliation, what is good is good.

You can’t stop the people from believing or supporting what is good.”

Why Ogboru lost to Okowa Another resident of the state and a veteran journalist, Barry Agbamigbi, speaking on why Great Ogboru lost to Okowa, said: “Conspiracy among APC members made Ogboru to lose.There is disunity and acrimony in the party. Vice President Yemi Osinbnjo’s efforts in uniting the warring factions during his visit proved abortive and this manifested in Ogboru losing convincingly to Okowa.”

Agbamigbi noted that lack of money on the side of Ogboru to fund his ambition also contributed to his failure. “Most of his party members see him as a proud man,” he further said.

According to him, “APC moving its presidential rally to Warri instead of Asaba may have contributed to Ogboru’s failure as he may have been seen by some Deltans as sectional leader rather than a leader in the State.

“When there is a keen contest, there could be chances of rigging but when you have two parties and one is minor and the other is a major, there is no way you can rig for the minor to become a major partyovernight when the major party maintains a clean lead in the contest.”

Other residents who spoke to BDSUNDAY advised the governor to up his game in governance,reach out to all, and do more in his second tenure just as they advised the opposition parties not to drag the election further. Theyshould accept Okowa’s victory as the will of God and join in building a stronger Delta.

The governor has already solicited for the cooperation of the people for him to leave a legacy that would make the state a pace-setter in the federation, adding that now is the time for reconciliation.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

Politics NASS leadership tussle: APC on another political suicide mission?

James Kwen, Abuja

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head of the June 6 tentative date for the proclamation of the 9th National Assembly - Senate and House of Representatives, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seems to have embarked on another political suicide mission with regards to the leadership of the two chambers of the Federal legislature.

This is as APC, which has a majority of 65 out of the 109 senators and 211 out of the 360 Members of the House of Representatives in the next National Assembly has again anointed the same candidates: Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila it anointed in 2015 for the positions of President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

In 2015, when APC wrested power from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP after holding sway for 16 years, the party for whatever consideration best known to it put forward Lawan from North-east for the office of Senate President and Gbajabiamila for the House Speaker but they were defeated by the duo of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara from North-central and North-east.

Just like in 2015, there are strong indications that the same script will be re-acted in the 2019 National Assembly Leadership contest as there are discordant voices within the ruling APC itself over these choices while the main opposition PDP which executed the political coup de sac appears to be battle ready to garner support for candidates that would protect its interest other than those endorsed by APC with a clear mission to make life unbearable for its members in the 9th Assembly.

Recently, Adams Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman while addressing House of Representatives Members-elect in Abuja insisted that APC will not share power with the opposition PDP at the National Assembly even in the headship of Committees.

“We will not share power in the House of Representatives and the leadership must ensure that critical Committees that drive government are shared only among APC members. So all the Chairmen of Committees except one that I know it is statutory reserved for opposition which is public account, we will have that.

“So we will not do the kind of thing that happened the last time in which some APC members as members of the leading party became spectators in the management of the Committees when PDP has majority of strategic Committees. That will not happen in the next Assembly”, Oshiomhole instructed.

Now, some APC members have rejected the handpicking of Lawan and Gbajabiamila amidst threats and are contesting for the positions reserved for them with Ali Ndume(Borno) and Danjuma Goje(Gombe) from North-east as well as Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa) from North Central for President of the Senate.

In the House of Representatives as at last count, Abdulrahman Sumaila( Kano), Ahmed Wase (Plateau) Mohamad Monguno (Borno), Olusegun Odebunmi (Oyo), Abdulrazak Namdas (Adamawa), Khajidat Bukar-Ibrahim (Yobe) and Yakub

Adams Oshiomhole

Buba (Adamawa), Alhassan Ado-Doguwa (Kano), Umar Bago (Niger), Babangida Ibrahim-Mahuta (Katsina), Nkiruka Onyejeocha (Abia), Suleiman Aminu (Kano), Abubakar Lado (Niger) and Muhammed Kazaure (Jigawa) as well as John Dyegh (APC) were jostling for the office of the Speaker.

Under the current situation, the 35 PDP Senators are lying in ambush to support an APC candidate with a tendency to carry them along just like the 111 PDP House of Representatives Members-elect.

In fact, for the position of the Senate President, Goje a former two-term governor of Gombe on the PDP platform who also came to Senate first in 2011 via the party’s ticket has gained the favour of the main opposition following these antecedents.

Also, Goje apart from enjoying the support of his colleagues former governors across party lines in the Senate is said to be an ally of the outgoing Senate President, Abubakar Saraki who was though defeated in his return bid still wields strong interest in at least, deciding his successor.

Confirming the former governor’s romance with the outgoing Senate President is his appointment as Chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Appropriation through which he has further incurred the wrath of his party, the APC which accused him of conspiring with Saraki to ensure that budget proposals from the APC controlled Federal government suffer set back since 2015.

There are also permutations that PDP is negotiating with Goje and his group to concede the position of Deputy Senate President to it as Saraki did in 2015 more so that APC after tipping Lawan remained mute on the zoning of the position of the Deputy Senate President and other principal officers in both the Red and Green Chambers of the National Assembly.

However, Kabiru Gaya a fourth-term Senator from Kano has declared his intention to vie for the Senate number two position as according to him, the APC leadership is considering zoning the Speaker, House of Representatives to the South West, deputy Speaker to North Central, while it had already zoned the position of the Senate president to the North East.

Bola Tinubu

“If the six zones are accommodated in the sharing formula for the National Assembly leadership positions, four of them contributed tremendously to the election of Mr. President.

“The South West, which has now got the position of the Speaker, North East which has not got the position of Senate president, North Central has the position of Deputy Speaker.

“Considering the zoning arrangement, it is clear that the North West has been left behind and I am a ranking senator from the North West. That means the deputy Senate president position should go to North West”, Gaya argued.

For the House of Representatives Speaker, it is not yet clear which candidate the PDP is likely to go for other than Gbajabiamila but the race here is more worrisome as Members across the geopolitical zones except South-south are in the race for this plum job.

In particular, the North-central geopolitical zone is making a serious case that the position to be ceded to it for equity, justice and political patronage from the ruling APC as the President, Muhammadu Buhari is from the North-west, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo comes from South-west same as Gbajabiamila while the Senate President is given to North-east.

Out of the five geopolitical zonesNorth-east, North-west, South-west and South-east demanding for the office of the Speaker, it is only North-central that has come out in group to demand for the county’s number four position.

This is just as the North-central APC Caucus in the House shortly after the general elections led by John Dyegh (Benue) called on the party to consider the power sharing formula in the country and the overwhelming support given the party in 2015 and 2019 and accordingly reward the central zone.

“We the members of the North Central Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives called this briefing to express our position with respect to the leadership position of the 9th assembly.

“It is in this regard that we humbly wish to appeal to our great party, the APC, to strongly consider the North Central geopolitical zone for the position of Speaker

of the House of Representatives in the 9th assembly. Our position is based on the following reasons: “Zoning the position of speaker to the North Central will satisfy and advance the cause of equity since the North-west and South-west already have the presidency and vice presidency respectively.

“We note that apart from the North West and North-East, the North Central zone delivered handsomely for the party in the general elections and as such needs to be rewarded for the hard Work and loyalty.

“The need to ensure balance and spread between and among the six geo-political zones has made it imperative to give prime consideration to the North Central zone to produce the position of speaker”, Dyegh demanded.

Similarly, Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has vowed to do everything possible to ensure the position of Speakership of House of Representatives in the 9th Assembly comes to his state.

Governor Bello, while addressing members-elect at Transcorp recently said it was not proper for the party to have neglected the North Central zone and Niger State in particular, that has contributed greatly to the success of the party in Nigeria.

Speaking through his Deputy, Ahmed Ketso, the Governor said the government and people of Niger state would make sure Umar Bago emerge Speaker.

“I was directed by His Excellency to represent him here today. Going by our own record since 2015 to 2019, when you check the record, Niger State is rated about 6th in terms of performance when it comes to delivery for APC in presidential elections.

“All our 10 House of Representatives members, the 3 Senators and the 27 House of Assembly members in Niger state are all APC. “This particular position of speakership is not in contest and it is not a miscalculation when you check the record since 2015, we have a zoning pattern. The essence of zoning is to reduce tension and allow other regions to benefit.

“Today, on behalf of His Excellency and the people of Niger state, we are appealing to all the members-elect that this particular position should come to North Central, and

Continues on Page 31

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BDSUNDAY 17

VOX POP Curbing unemployment in Nigeria

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JONATHAN ADEROJU ollowing the recently released misery index report that ranked Nigeria as the 6th most miserable nation in the world with a Misery Index score of 43.0, BDSUNDAY spoke to a number of Nigerians on their views on how unemployment can be curbed in the country.

Steve Hanke’s Annual Misery Index (MI) provides a ranking of the world’s saddest (and happiest) countries.

According to Hanke, who is a Financial Nigeria columnist and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. – a misery index score for any country is simply the sum of the unemployment, inflation and bank lending rates, minus the percentage change in real GDP per capita. A higher MI score reflects higher levels of “misery”.

The latest report, titled, ‘Hanke’s Annual Misery Index 2018: The World Saddest (And Happiest) Countries,’ contains MI rankings for 95 countries.

Nigeria also ranked 6th on Hanke’s MI 2017, although with an index score of 52.1. The major factor contributing to the country’s misery is its high unemployment rate. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment rate increased from 18.8 percent in Q3 of 2017 to 23.1 percent in Q3 of 2018.

Omobola Adu There are two ways to reduce unemployment. First is by graduates becoming self-employed and the second is by implementing policies that will allow businesses to thrive so they can expand production and have the capacity to employ more people.

With the state of the economy presently, the best way to go is for people to become selfemployed. But the sad thing is that most of our graduates do not have the necessary skills to start a business or even have a business idea.

We need to encourage and build capacity for undergraduates to start a business while they are in school. This way, when they graduate, they are ready to commit fully into their business. By so doing, they can become employers of labour and the unemployment rate will reduce. However, for this to be sustainable, we need businessfriendly policies that will allow businesses to thrive. Nigeria ranks among one of the countries with the worst rating on ease of doing business.

Barrister Opeyemi Strict enforcement of foreign participation rules in businesses, provision of basic infrastructural amenities, making the business environment friendlier and less expensive, enforce policies to create healthier competitions amongst businesses, creation

and regulation of more jobs in government agencies and parastatals, strict investigation and elimination and prevention of ghost members in the civil service. All these are important to make progress in the area of job creation.

Eze Sobe Unemployment has been a serious problem for Nigeria for a very long time now but in the last 6 years it increased really badly, so much that about 23.1percent of Nigerians today are unemployed. The misery index that came out recently puts Nigeria as the sixth worst country.

The index among other things takes into account the unemployment rate and the growth of the economy and this two are closely linked.

The higher the unemployment rate, the lower a country’s growth, and the lower the unemployment rate the higher the growth in GDP In Nigeria, everyone is pushing for the white collar jobs because that’s the only space they see a future. The formal sector cannot be the employer of the massive growth of people in Nigeria.

The informal sector has not been tapped in Nigeria; the government trying to diversify the economy should lay down some good structure that would make going into the informal sector attractive to the youth/public.

Schools should be worked on to bring out more refined and knowledgeable students. Right now our schools are a bit backward. Policies should be enacted to encourage growth.

Efosa Eniogeru There should be conscious effort on the part of the government to make other career endeavours, outside oil and banking sectors, to be attractive and lucrative.

For instance, Entrepreneurship should be seriously encouraged through words, financial backup and follow up.

Agriculture is another sector that most unemployed are unwilling to explore due to lack of funds and materials and the needed market for products.

If the government empowers the unemployed to go into agriculture and create a prompt and ready market for their produce, such as helping to facilitate transportation from production point

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The government should go into the agricultural space and invest into the system and also industrialise it, so that when you have raw materials you can refine in your country instead of exporting raw materials and then import finished goods that you produced

to the market or through outright purchase by the government, the limitless space in the sector would experience a geometric surge of people into it.

Damilare Asimiyu I’m sure your question is born out of the recent misery index report which placed Nigeria 6th on the globe. To address the ugly high unemployment rate in Nigeria, we must adopt the U.S. approach after the global financial crises of 2008. That approach is to stimulate credit to MSMEs and corporates by lowering interest rate reasonably. The current high borrowing environment in Nigeria (where business operators pay an average 20percent on loan) is not encouraging to attract private business owners. These business owners are the ones that can absorb the current 20.5million unemployed Nigerians and the over 80 thousand that enters the labour market every year through NYSC. I can tell you from record of Federal Ministry of Employment that FG has not employed up to 30 thousand Nigerian graduates (in all parastatals including NNPC) since 2012 because FG doesn’t have the capacity to create job. They can only empower people to farm, trade or do things that is not sustaining (like N-power).

So, we must make credit affordable for those that will create private business owners.

Secondly, we need to fix light and road. A lot of businesses that can absorb these unemployed people have closed down in Nigeria because of lack of power.

So no country solves the problem of unemployment without power and road. That’s why in the history of mankind, power (electricity) was the key driver of the Industrial age. Hence, when there is no power, business cannot thrive and unemployment

and rapid population growth which results into high misery surface.

Our exchange rate and inflation (two of the other metrics for measuring misery) was relatively okay last year, but unemployment rate kept rising because stable exchange rate can help lower inflationary pressure but does not create job, credit affordability does.

Toki Dokumu This is all about policy, basically to create more jobs and diversify the economy, the government should go into the agricultural space and invest into the system and also industrialise it, so that when you have raw materials you can refine in your country instead of exporting raw materials and then import finished goods that you produced. This way, more hands will be needed to make this work thereby creating more jobs for people. Let us not forget that the world is becoming computerised and AI (Artificial Intelligence) is taking over these hard jobs. I feel we should invest more in the Tech space, so that we can have intelligent minds that can help control this AI. Emmanuel Classic There are so many things to be done to reduce or eradicate unemployment. We must build industries because large industries have the capacity to employ thousands of youths.

We must train youths to be employable; they must be trained to possess employable skills, vocational skills so as to fend for themselves. Entrepreneurs must be empowered. There are many youths who have or possess the entrepreneurial dreams, but no financial strength. Government should give loans, grant and tackle corruption in the sector, among those in charge of disbursing such loans. Government must tackle security threats so as to encourage foreign investors; make sure all closed industries (e.g. textile industry, etc) should reopen. Over population is a problem; we should learn to control population and also remove ethnic and religious sentiments.

Promote domestic products so as to increase export and reduce importation.

Daniel Tobi One of the most fundamental remedies to unemployment is restructuring the education system from the grassroots. The type of things being taught in schools nowadays is a repetition of what was taught our fore fathers in school those days. They have no relevance in today’s realities. It’s the same thing every day; thank God some universities have begun to embrace entrepreneurship studies as a course, at least, it will help any fresh graduate from school to have a sense of hope after school that there is some means of livelihood.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

ForTheRecord Corruption and the underdevelopment of Nigeria (1) Being the first part of the paper presented at the 20th Bassey Andah Memorial Lecture by Professor Sola Akinrinade, provost, Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria. The event was held recently at the University of Calabar International Conference Centre, Cross River State.

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Preliminaries/protocol t is appropriate that I begin this presentation with a note of appreciation to the leadership of the Bassey Andah Foundation for the honour of this invitation and sharing a platform with some of the most distinguished individuals this country has ever produced. My relationship with the Foundation dates back to 2008 when I was invited to chair that year’s edition of the lecture. I have remained in touch with the Foundation’s leadership since and I am greatly pleased to note the remarkable progress it is recording in its quest to impact the development process in this country.

For the purpose of this lecture, the organisers suggested the theme, ‘Corruption and the Development of Nigeria’. I have slightly modified the title of this presentationto read, ‘Corruption and the Underdevelopment of Nigeria.’

Despite the most optimistic interpretation of the economic status of Nigeria today, it would be a most untruthful declaration to say that Nigeria is developed. However, no one controverts the statement that Nigeria is an underdeveloped country that is achieving far below its potential given its human and other endowed resources.

Nigeria’s underdevelopment crisis Going by the huge human and other resources available to Nigeria, the country has the potential to be one of the most developed countries in the world. Unfortunately, Nigeria has not harnessed this potential and falls far below the level of development it ought to have attained. The situation has worsened in recent years. A country that, only a few years ago, proudly declared itself the largest economy in Africa also holds the dubious distinction of being the poverty capital of the world. Poverty rate, as measured by the percentage of the population living on income of less than US $2 per day has risen from 54percent in 1999 to 80percent today.

Nigeria has overtaken India as host to the largest extremely poor population in the world. In the same vein, unemployment has risen from 4.2percent in 1999 to 23percent in the third quarter of 2018 with youth unemployment standing at a staggering 33.1percent. To the above should be added that Nigeria today, with 13.5 million, has the world’s largest population of out-of-school children; one of the top five countries with highest mortality rates; one of the three remaining polio-endemic countries in the world, and the world’s third most terror-afflicted country.

However, to the layperson, the statistics reeled out above may not mean anything. To her, underdevelopment of the country is more easily understood in terms of: Hunger occasioned by poverty and food insecurity; decimated public school system with poor infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate personnel, underachieving students; terribly bad roads including some with craters that can fit a small vehicle; deficiency of equipment, supplies and services in public hospitals; inadequate power supply resulting in regular blackouts, and near-absent public water supply system.

We can go on and on with the list of manifestations of developmental inadequacies that make the average

Peter Obi and others at the event

Nigerian complain that every family is a local government Council supplying its own power, water, education, etc. The question is: how did we, as a nation, arrive at this sorry pass?

Attempts at interrogating the basis for this gross underachievement have yielded various explanations ranging from leadership failure to the lingering effects of colonialism, among others.

However, in recent years, one new explanation for the underdevelopment of the country is the devastating consequences of corruption and corrupt behaviour on the part of those entrusted with our commonwealth.

With time, corruption has become one of the most assailed factors in explaining the failure and underdevelopment of the Nigeria state. This is not without cause. Corruption is one of the most prominent elements militating against the proper marshalling of resources in Nigeria. The stench of corruption permeates almost every space in Nigeria and has made the country and its systems sickly and unhealthy.

Nigeria and its corruption conundrum A little peep into our history may be appropriate at this stage. Historical records including reports of colonial officers, point to the prevalence of corruption in the Nigerian polity particularly the public sector as far back as colonial times. The reports of District Officers many times point to the incurably corrupt native elites. In contemporary times, our struggle with corruption dates back to the period following the attainment of internal self-rule and the immediate post-independence period.

In his January 15, 1966, speech on behalf of the Supreme Council of the Revolution of the Nigerian Armed Forces declaring martial law over the Northern Provinces of Nigeria, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu declared that “The aim of the Revolutionary Council is to establish a strong united and prosperous

nation, free from corruption and internal strife.” Later in that speech, he famously declared: “Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent; those that keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as Ministers or VIPs at least, the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles, those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds.”

Major-General J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi who took power following the coup promised to wipe out corruption. In his maiden broadcast to the nation on January 18, 1966, he warned that “the federal military government will stamp out corruption and dishonesty in our public life with ruthless efficiency and restore integrity and self-respect in our public life. This declaration was followed by the setting up of various probe panels into the assets of some public officials and other persons suspected of largescale misappropriation of public funds and unjust enrichment.

In the years that followed, from 1966 to 1999, except for the civilian interregnum of the Second Republic, 1979 to 1983, the Nigerian political space became the plaything for one military messianic group or the other. Corruption along with “failure or inability to consult” by deposed leaders became the most popular excuse deployed by gun totting, trigger-happy soldiers for capturing power.

The era of military rule coincided with a critical phase in the development of this nation. Over the years, “Corruption” became a plot in a classical play constantly looking for new actors for reenactment by subsequent generations.

Each regime sought to legitimise its status by laying claims to fighting corruption and justifying its staying in power by claiming a need to sanitise the polity and entrench a corruption-free process.

The entrenchment of military rulers in the seat of power particularly in the immediate post-civil war years coincided with the emergence of stupendous oil wealth, which properly managed could have transformed the nation’s fortune positively and permanently. But what we had instead was a worsening of the economic situation and aggravation of corruption. With a clear lack of focus on the path of one regime after the other, it is no brainer to hazard why corruption thrived unabated even as Nigeria became the country with the highest cost of implementing construction projects not because of higher quality of delivery but because of padding.

Why are our infrastructural facilities including roads, power, schools, hospitals etc. in such a calamitous situation?

Corruption has done an incalculable harm to the progress of Nigeria as a country and the effects have been far reaching, including negative international image, lack of legitimacy for government, violence and political instability, erosion of social values including the culture of hard work, social trust, respect for others, especially elders and the weak, etc.

Governments, even un-elected ones, live on trust and retaining the confidence of the people is crucial to their survival.Public Confidence is important to the smooth functioning of government. Unethical behaviour on the part of government officials lead to loss of public trust. A government cannot function effectively, if the public believes that its officials are corrupt, even if they are not.

The general perception in the country today is that corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of government at every level and in every agency of government.

There are increasing expectations to promote good governance, integrity and transparency in the public service.

Thus, public functionaries should not just be people of integrity, they must be seen to be so.

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BDSUNDAY 19

Focus

Wike’s long walk to victory

...Women in menstrual periods protested on his behalf ...Blood at Bori at the killing of a man who just bagged a doctorate degree ...Monwan Etete, a two-time LGA chairman, was killed with his two relations ...Soldiers were ambushed at Abonnema and one died; while soldiers were said to have been attacked at Obio/Akpor LGA secretariat ...Lessons: Zoning crashes ... PDP established as choice of Rivers people ...Wike, projects, is preferred despite demands for blue print-based governance

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IGNATIUS CHUKWU

he number of those who were killed during the elections that brought Governor Nyesom Wike back to power is not known but many sources have put it at not less than 50. Thus, to say that Governor Wike bought his reelection with blood could be an understatement. This is for the mere fact that many lost their lives in the course of the governorship election on March 9, 2019, to add to those that were killed in the presidential election two weeks earlier. The elections witnessed full actions by the military, militants and militias in full field action, painting the state in red.

The governor has since dedicated his long-drawn re-election victory to the memory of those who died to “defend” democracy. He has shown great compassion for the loss of lives so much that he warned those who won as senators, House of Reps and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly never to play with their victories but to remember that Rivers people paid the supreme price (in blood) to get them into seats. He message seemed to resonate with the weary masses.

From the beginning of the elections to the end, blood and violence seemed to be the recurring decimal. Even when

the voting was over, higher levels of violence took over as armed teams, either from the police, army, government people, militants and militias targeted collation centres and result sheets. This brought a breakdown of order as Returning Officers disappeared and reappeared any time.

Blood Women played very important role in the elections in Rivers State. They formed shields against military and police teams suspected to be on dubious missions. Men realised since the Aba women riots that the best form of shield is

the one formed by women and mothers. This was proved effective when women ‘arrested’ suspected soldiers in Ogu-Bolo who attempted to scale the fence at the local council secretariat into the collation centre.

Footage of women holding viciously to the khaki uniforms and uniformed men looking confused and trapped before phone cameras went viral.

On that score, groups now found women useful and mobilised them to protest one interest or the other. The most frequented target was the Aba Road state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Some groups added the state police command on Moscow Road and the Government House as other destinations, chanting war songs but calling for peace.

Each day, teams of women protesters filed out on the popular roads in Port Harcourt brandishing one placard message or the other. A big target was Obo Effanga, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who came under fire for allegedly being anti-Buhari and anti-All Progressives Congress (APC). Many accused him of being a card-carrying member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He kept mum all through and went about doing his work until Wike was delivered Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

When the PDP and Government House realised the spate of the protests that looked sponsored, they too brought out their own women and marched in support of Effanga.

‘‘

The governor has since dedicated his longdrawn re-election victory to the memory of those who died to “defend” democracy

Each day, it was ‘Effanga Must Go’, ‘No, Effanga Must Stay’.

The army also received doses of protests.

Women in their menstrual periods (known as spotting women) were believed to be part of the protesters, adding blood to the effort. In African understanding, if such women file out against a leader, it was feared as taboo. In the electoral wars in Rivers State, every weapon is fair. What mattered was victory, and it came to Wike.

Big time killing Real blood however, came with rifles and knives, and it

came to both the big and small.

The military was out there in the field, militants were there, and militias were there too.

Each group was loyal to a political leader. The first big killing went to a man that made waves as two-time local council chairman of Andoni. Monwan Etete hailed from same town with the national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus. He recently served as special adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike before he resigned and gave his life to Christ and became a pastor in his local church.

The next thing that happened was that Etete joined the APC before the elections. On the morning of the presidential election, he was in a meeting in his house with his brother and cousin. Some men came to the gate and said they were invited for elections duties. They were let in. Once inside the sitting room, their true identities unfolded into killer weapons.

They allegedly beheaded Etete and his relatives. Beheading is the killing style of certain traditional cults who use the heads to measure their ranks in their world.

On the day of the governorship election, news came that a current special adviser to Governor Wike was killed. Next, it was amended to abduction.

At Abonnema, soldiers were said to have been ambushed on their way to the city. Fighting went on for days and a soldier was killed and some others injured. The PDP said many of its members were killed in that encounter. Both the Army and the community claim to be victims. The Army has launched an inquiry into the fighting to determine who the aggressor was, since every party is the victim.

Another flare point was Obio/Akpor, part of the state capital where Wike comes from. The army is still angry that that violence that took place there was swept under the carpet in INEC and police reports.

The army in a statement by its highest public affairs officers said they were betrayed and would have to review further participation in operations with the police and INEC. The inquiry may unravel what truly happened.

Another notable killing was that of a lecturer in the Bori Polytechnic, a man who just bagged a doctorate degree without drinking a cup of water,

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The massive votes show that Wike is doing what the people want, and these people also include professors and professionals who should know better according to the wife. Ferry Gberegbe was said to be shot by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Rivers State led by Akin Fakorede. He died later in a hospital.

Also said to be shot were Marvin Lezor Kpea-ue and Raymond Ledogo, along with some others at the INEC Collation Center in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Sunday morning of March 10, 2019.

The PDP in a statement issued in Port Harcourt said the FSARS Commander, in company of scores of SARS officers and military men, also carted away all election materials at the Collation Center, after shooting the men.

A soldier and five other persons were killed while several others sustained injuries in the violence that trailed the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.

The soldier, a lieutenant, was among persons said to have been killed at Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku Toru Local Government Area, while a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Chairman of Andoni Local Government Council, Chief Mowan Etete, was killed alongside his elder brother and cousin in Asarama.

The police however, have confirmed the death of the soldier and two others, while the army was yet to react to the death of the soldier as at the time of going to press.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni (DSP), while confirming the incidents, said Etete was in his house when unknown gunmen scaled the fence, entered the house and killed him and his brother.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone, APC said one of its ex-officio members of State Executive Committee, Ignatius, was also shot dead at Ajakaja, also in Andoni by suspected

thugs.

Also, an unconfirmed number of persons believed to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were killed following the eruption of violence before the commencement of accreditation and voting in Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas of the state.

At the end of the wars, Governor Wike dedicates his victory to God and Rivers People killed in defence of democracy. Speaking after he was declared duly re-elected by the 2vh Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike expressed gratitude to the people for standing by the PDP despite the illegal actions of the enemies of democracy.

He said: “I want to thank the people of Rivers State for showing the kind of love we have never seen before. I thank them for showing the kind of support we have never seen before. He thanked PDP members for their show of courage, despite intimidation by security operatives who illegally wanted to change the will of Rivers people.

“Those who died not because they were criminals, but because they wanted to defend their votes. We dedicate this victory to God those who were killed. They protected our votes and they defended us. We pray God to grant their families the strength to bear the losses. We shall continue to support the families,” he said.

2015 echoes In the 2015 elections, the APC said they lost 100 members to attacks staged by others. Families were wiped out and important men were beheaded especially in the Onelga, Emuohua and Abonnema axes. Four soldiers were killed in Abonnema. Their anger is that to this moment, nobody has been prosecuted for any of those killings, even for the

killing of a police corporal at the Okrika square during an APC rally.

Lessons Key lessons jut out in the elections even as the injuries seem fresh. The political parties must soon begin review of the issues at the elections and how the masses bought or failed to buy them.

Zoning in trouble The first is whether zoning is still alive in the state and if it would play any future role.

When Chibuike Amaechi was fighting for a riverine governor in 2015, he warned the riverine people supporting an Ikwerre candidate (Wike) to note that if they defeated zoning, it may be goodbye to the riverine people for a very long time to come.

He said the agenda of Ikwerre

south which Wike was flying would mean that there would be Ikwerre West candidate next, and Ikwerre east candidate and Ikwerre central, and on and on.

Results have shown that Wike won in all but two local councils out of the 23. This may be regarded as a referendum on zoning. The upland people may thus govern for as long as they want to, except another magnanimous man would emerge like the Alagbo, Tonye Graham Douglas, who in 1998 single handedly said enough to domination by his people so Ikwerre or upland people could taste power. Ever since then, the

upland has kept and rotated power to themselves. The massive votes to another Ikwerre candidate and the presence of Isaac Wornwu of Labour Party in the race seem to be an indication that any person can be governor, henceforth.

PDP is the choice of the Rivers people Before now, the APC made bold statements detailing how Wike had misruled the state and how the masses were angry.

The party asked the masses to revolt with their votes. Though the APC was knocked out of the ballot by the courts (via Magnus Abe, said to be backed by Wike), the APC’s move to back Awara Biokpomabo of the African Action Congress (AAC) got only about 150,000 votes where Wike got over 850,000.

This shows that the masses are not angry with Wike.

Instead, the people of the region seemed to be angry with Amaechi for pushing a fellow Niger Deltan out of power. With that in mind, they see Wike as a patriot and whatever he does seems right. It is his political asset as far as eastern and south eastern Nigerian politics is concerned. The message sees clear to Amaechi on that. He may be right in his ideals but most people in the region seem to make up their minds on that.

Projects are all okay Wike has built a strong brand as Mr. Projects, a name that was inadvertently given to him by APC’s Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president, for embarking on many projects. The VP may not have intended to sell Wike, but may have wanted to humour him in public. Wike, the consummate politician, grabbed it and turned it to a brand, and always quoted his enemies as having admitted to his prowess in project execution. Every eraser used by the APC to clean the sobriquet has rather etched it deeper.

The APC keeps harping on lack of a governance blueprint and an economic plan as well as a strong cabinet or economic team. These sound Latin to the masses. They seem to connect with one project after the other which they can see.

The massive votes show that Wike is doing what the people want, and these people also include professors and professionals who should know better. So, a consummate politician is one who knows what the masses want and gives it to them. After all, democracy is the rule of the majority.

Despite that, some insiders say the governor would need to begin a shift to economic agenda , empowerment, job creation, and other programmes.

Conclusion The Rivers State election is more of a referendum than a vote for a governor. The significance, goodies, and consequences will continue to emerge as time runs. For now, the people have spoken.

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Sam Ovraiti and his 36 years romance with the language of colours

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Arts Sam Ovraiti and his 36 years romance with the language of colours OBINNA EMELIKE

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t has been and will always remain a successful career in the arts for Sam Ovraiti. He is a top flight artist whose name is also synonymous with watercolour in Nigeria. The visual artist, who was born in Zaria, and was educated at the Auchi Polytechnic and the University of Benin (UNIBEN), is an acclaimed colourist and one of the most expressive water-colourists in Nigeria.

Moreover, most of his paintings address the concerns of female gender in the community, as well as, looking closely at the everyday positive happening in the society.

The unique thing about Ovraiti is his ability to not control the medium he works with but instead to speak the language of the medium, letting the medium dictate the artwork.

The result is a purified, beautified reality across his works over 36 years now.

Therefore, the artist is looking back at some of these great volume and rare quality of works over three decades of hard work with an exhibition.

Of course, Alexis Galleries, one of the supportive galleries for the budding and established Nigerian artists, is offering Ovraiti, who it described as one of Nigeria’s leading masters, a platform to blow his trumpet.

Alexis Gallery is delighted to exhibit 40 oil and pastel paintings

by Ovraiti, in a solo exhibition titled Sam Ovraiti, Retrospective; Exposition of 36 Years Romance with the Language of Colours, to celebrate

Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, the curator/ founder and director, Alexis Galleries; with Sam Ovraiti during a media parley at the gallery

the artist’s 36 years of practice on Saturday April, 6, 2019.

The exhibition will reveal a truth on Ovraiti’s journey so far, the truth about the turns he has had to take and the results of his experiments.

His works, styles and media record

One of the 40 works by Sam Ovrati that are on display at the exhibition

will all be revealed.

On his acclaim as a colourist, the artist says, “When an artist does it all and well, different people become expert on the different areas of his art. By this there is a tendency to play down on the area they do not have enough awareness on. It begins with the press, sometimes the critic and the literature available at the point in time”. To Ovraiti, no one can contain the spirit of creativity and the revelation of chance, change and the path of the artist.

“This is what account for the various forms and media you will see in this show. We must put all the parts together and in one place to be able to get a clear picture of my art. Painting for me has become particularly a colour phenomenon and colour becomes the primary intent for painting. I just paint and or even unjustly but it must be painting, colour and a free use of colour which offered me a new stand of freedom.

“The artist and his art is a product of his states, as his state keeps changing, so does Ovraiti’s art. Each state revolves around a form, art form which could run for as long as “my consciousness can stay in the state of awareness. I wake up to ideas, methods, media and experience them as l go. The reference point of my work always is to look at what is desired for a better community. You cannot remedy a negative condition by condemning it. Consequently, I do not fight what l detest. I present what l want the goodness of

the tense while looking positively to the goodness of the future.

“We are not a thing; neither are we a place. We are not a name, a stigma, a symbol or even the art we create. We are a spirit and spirit takes form as faith responds to awareness, enlightenment and revealed intention. What l create at any point in time as an artist depends largely upon the level of presence and attention l direct to the ideas which runs through my mind.

This means that diverse experience area addressed at anytime. All l do is respond and take action on that that the awareness is deep and the desire is strongest. Truly everything is present now and all is happening at the same time. Everything is happening now but awareness makes the difference in time and dates.”

Many have described Ovraiti as a water-colourist, but he wants the public to know that: “As an artist, I am not my profession; I practice my profession. I am not a watercolourist; I practice watercolour painting. I am not a mixed media artist, l practice mixed media in my art. I am not a good or bad artist, I simply create art. I accept ‘l am an artist’.

Not a form of art but that form that is in consonance with the transient states that l experience time after time”, Ovraiti further says.

Expressing how she feels to showcase Ovraiti, Patty ChidiacMastrogiannis, the curator/ founder and director, Alexis Galleries, says, “I have been chasing Ovraiti since

2011, I have wanted to buy his works, collect his works, showcase his works at Alexis Gallery. I finally have him here and I am very, very proud that I will showcase somebody like Ovraiti with so much experience, such knowledge of colours, such knowledge of painting and he can paint with his eyes closed, that is how brilliant he is”.

Patty, who is a lover and promoter of the arts, further says, “We are pleased that someone like Ovraiti is showing in our space, marking his date and exhibiting his works to with the public, likewise with other artists. Alexis Gallery is privileged to host Sam Ovraiti after his last solo exhibition in 1998. Nobody should miss this show; this is one in a million exhibition.”

Describing his works, she says: “Ovraiti is a master; a true master; his strokes are very bold, his pallete knife is incredible, his colours are pastel and he has lively colours.

I’m ecstatic about the fact that he is showing here and celebrating that milestone and I wish him many more here”.

“I encountered Sam Ovraiti when he came to frame some of his paintings at our Ovuomaroro Gallery at Oloje Street in Lagos. His works then, mainly in watercolours, revealed a brilliant artist who had all the potential of a seasoned young artist, this was in 1993,” says Bruce Onobrakpeya, a professor and living art legend.

“A retrospective exhibition is a must for every artist who wants to move his art to the next level. It offers the artist an opportunity to retrace his creative steps in order to refresh and reposition his mind and imagination for new challenges,” he adds.

But as common with all the exhibitions at Alexis Gallery, where part of the proceeds is given as charity, Ovraiti’s exhibition is not an exception. “We are partnering with the Little Sisters of the Poor, located in Enugu, Nigeria, a home for the elderly”, Patty explains. “The home takes care of more than 65 elderly people who have no one else to turn to. The congregation was founded in France by Saint Jeanne Jugan, who desired to devote herself entirely to the care of the aged.

“During the winter of 1839 Jeanne received into her home an elderly woman. Some months later they were already five. She nursed, clothed and fed them until the end of their lives. This was the beginning of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Already they have 235 homes for the aged in 32 countries. Alexis Galleries will support this home with part of the proceeds”.

The exhibition runs till April 19, 2019 and is sponsored by Pepsi, Tiger, Mikano, Amarula, Delta Airline, Cobranet Internet Service Provider, Wazobia TV, La Cave, Cool FM, Art Café and The Homestores Limited.

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Arts Akada Book Festival to harp on benefits of reading culture in Nigeria FRANK ELEANYA

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ith the digital r e v o lution in full swing , stakeholders in the Nigerian literary community in collaboration with the British Council have identified the need to sustain a reading culture in the society.

The Akada Children’s Book Festival (ACBF), a result of that collaboration, and the first of its kind, is slated for April 27, 2019 in Lagos. The event, according to Clever Clogs Books, the organiser, is a celebration of some of Nigeria’s re-

nowned children’s book authors, illustrators and storytellers.

Clever Clogs Books is the publisher of a series of Nigerian themed children’s books such as Diary of a Toddler, Kobold the Antelope; Tobi Visits the Conservatory and the soon-to-be-released Why You Do You Wash Your Hands.

The festival is targeted at children, parents, teachers, children’s book authors and illustrators.

“The aim of the ACBF is to spark and sustain a healthy literary lifestyle from childhood and encourage literary creativity in Nigeria,” the statement noted.

The ACBF is also ex-

pected to reignite the appetite of parents and guardians, teachers and caregivers to provide the necessary foundations for their children to aspire towards intellectual soundness.

One of the highpoints of the festival will be the official launch and public reading of the book ‘Why You Do You Wash Your Hands?’ authored by Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi.

‘Why You Do You Wash Your Hands?’ is a creative and engaging children’s picture book that encourages simple yet effective hygiene tips. The book will be published in a combo set of four languages: English; Yoruba; Hausa and Igbo, so as to promote in-

Eko Hotel to launch eco-friendly campaign, plans children painting contest

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iving green or being more aware about ways to actively participate in keeping our environment clean and sustainable for the future generation is a serious movement, one which is revolutionizing the way we live in and act towards the environment - Keying into this ideology/system of improving the quality of our environment in a lifetime and lifestyle commitment.

There is a growing need to drive conversations and interest in environmental conservation. The recognition of its impact on tourism cannot be understated as evidenced by the growing trends across the world. Travellers are consistently seeking accommodation that supports eco-friendly initiatives.

Keeping this in mind, Eko Hotels and Suites is taking the lead as the largest indigenous hotel to drive the cause by introducing environmentally conscious elements/attitude

to running its operations.

According to the Eko Hotels’ management, “We see great opportunity in building capacity in an area that improves the personal welfare of guests, their families and our society more broadly.

As part of the programs and activities planned around the eco-friendly campaign, EKo Hotels & Suites will be hosting a painting contest.

The eco-friendly Children Painting Contest is a visual art contest that encourages students to create a piece of art inspired by nature that surrounds us, reflecting a society that encourages innovative and sustainable waste management, energy and water conservation.

The main objectives of the art competition include; to help children develop a sense of respect and care for the natural environment and to express their thoughts and ideas about their environment, as well as, to raise awareness in

schools about the importance of the natural environment and ways of preserving it.

Other objectives are: to demonstrate student’s knowledge about recycling and natural greenery of their communities and to help students realise that each individual has a social responsibility to contribute to the protection and preservation of the environment.

The visual arts challenge is open to selected secondary schools in Eti-Osa Local Government Area in Lagos State and for students between ages 12 – 15 of public and private schools.

Out of the selected 20 participating schools, 10 will be shortlisted to partake in the grand finale. Shortlisted artists and their guardians will be treated to a 2-day allexpense paid, activity filled weekend at the Eko Hotels and Suites leading up to the contest date, which falls on April 22, 2019 (Earth Day).

digenous language usage in children’s literature. It is also the first Nigerian children’s picture book to contain stickers in four languages.

On its first edition, the Akada Book Festival is set to be a day-long fun family event that encourages a love of books and makes reading attractive.

The name “Akada” is the Yoruba translation for a “lover of literacy and books” hence the festival is expected to get children excited about literature, literacy and creativity while giving them ample tools to create bright futures and to live their dreams through the power of reading and writing.

Book Review Title: Ohimini the great river of our ancestors Author: Michael Nicholas-Mandla Pagination: 48 pages Reviewer: Ifeoma Okeke

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he new book ‘Ohimini the Great River of our Ancestors,’ centres on how several African men force their wives out of their homes as a result of inability to conceive. They look for other options thereafter in a bid to have their own children. This is a true picture of how some African families are frustrated today. The book reveals true nature of a typical African man and his lifestyle.

Authored by Michael Nicholas-Mandla, the 48-page book is simple to understand as it centres on a couple who searched for the fruit of the womb for eight years, all to no avail. There was consistent pressure from Ocheibe’s family for their son to get another wife who could conceive rather than living with a woman who lacks ovulation due to polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Eventually, the gods of the land compensated them with a beautiful baby girl named Ochanya, the child of the Okpokwu River, who later turned out to be a thorn on their flesh.

Considering the theme of this play, one might easily conclude that it is primarily meant to teach morals. This is not so. It is primary meant to also entertain. Nevertheless, play which deals with matters of general interest such as seeking for the fruit of the womb and looking for instant solution

due to family pressure, etc., cannot but contain some fundamental truths or illustrate a fundamental morals. As these do not detract from its entertainments value and appeal, I leave the interested reader to extrapolate and profit by it, if he/she can.

In many part of Africa, children look forward eagerly to the evenings when, under the silver moon light, they join their parents and elders in narrating legends, the stories of their ancient ancestors and interesting folk-lore.

They will often tell and retell these stories or even act them the following day until the evening brings them again to hear more, keeping them out of their beds long after they should have been asleep. Such is the delight children derive from stories and plays.

Apart from these, good plays also stir and develop the imagination. Young people already have a way of identify-

ing themselves with the heroes and heroines of plays they read. Good plays help them to put themselves in place of other people, thereby enlisting their interest and sympathy.

But whether plays are regarded as means of escape from reality or simply as a way of purging their souls of pentup emotion and unreleased energy, very few educationists are likely to doubt the value of an interesting play in the education of a child.

It is with these issues in mind that the author has written this book for young men and women. Adults, too, will find them revealing interesting; for it cannot but remind them of the stories and legend which they already know.

Instead of a long prose narrative, they will see and hear the actors and actresses engaged in interesting dialogue, and this may even provide them with an opportunity for studying human motives and behaviour.

Michael Nicholas-Mandla is a pan-Africanist and a Nigerian writer; he has written many books and about hundreds of articles regarding political hygiene and human development in Africa. He was mentored by Patrice Loch Otieno Lumumba, former director Kenya anti-corruption Commission and director Kenya law school.

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The risks and benefits of meditation to improvements in people with chronic pain.

How does meditation do all this?

It appears to increase activity in brain regions involved in pain regulation. And when it comes to stress and its associated disorders, some research also finds that meditation activates the body’s relaxation response—the opposite of the fightor-flight state that fuels anxiety and stress.

W IFEOMA OKEKE

hen you hear the word meditation, you may think of sitting crosslegged with your eyes closed—breathing deeply and trying to clear your mind.

While it’s true that meditation often involves quiet and focused contemplation, the whole “empty your mind” thing is a misconception, says Judson Brewer, director of research and innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center.

“Meditation is not about emptying our minds or stopping our thoughts, which is impossible,” Brewer says.

“It’s about changing our relationships to our thoughts.”

Doing so may help some stressrelated health conditions, including those related to the gut. Here’s what you need to know about meditation and what to expect from the practice.

What is meditation?

Meditation practices come in many forms, some of which date back more than 2,000 years. The specifics of each differ, but they all have one thing in common. “All the various practices train or cultivate attention and awareness,” says Miles Neale, a clinical instructor of psychology at Weill Cornell Medical College and author of Gradual Awakening, a book about Tibetan Buddhist meditation.

There are three main types, Neale says. The first and most common is one he calls single-pointed meditation, “where you try to anchor your mind to one point of attention, like your breath or a candle or a mantra,” he explains.

The second type, “open focus meditation,” involves recognising

any thoughts, feelings or sensations that pop into your head as they arise—without passing judgement on them. (This practice is a big component of mindfulness, he says.) The third type is one he calls “cultivation meditation,” in which you try to develop specific qualities or habits of the mind. Loving-kindness meditation, which emphasises openness and compassion, is one example.

What are the health benefits of meditation?

All types cultivate attention and awareness, and research shows that meditation can bolster concentration. Even a little seems to go a long way. A recent study in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that just 10 minutes of mindfulness meditation training

improved people’s reaction times and accuracy scores on a computerbased attention test.

“I think many people under-appreciate the role attention plays in their life,” says Michael Mrazek, director of research at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Center for Mindfulness and Human Potential.

In every moment of your life, your brain is bombarded with way more information than it can process, he says. A lot of this information comes at you from the world around you, but plenty comes from your own mind, whether it’s preoccupying thoughts of work or worries about an upcoming event.

“Attention acts as a filter—like the gatekeeper of your mind—and so where you direct your attention is the best predictor of your experi-

ences,” Mrazek explains.

Enhanced thinking and memory are two more benefits that research has consistently linked with meditation, Mrazek says. The practice can also help you better recognise and understand your emotions—and to let them go instead of becoming embroiled in worry or rumination.

This ability to regulate emotions may be one reason meditation can help people with depression and anxiety disorders.

Meditation can also help those with stress-related conditions. One small study from Massachusetts General Hospital found that the practice helped ease symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Research has also linked meditation

Are there any health risks with meditation?

Meditation is not without risk.

Among people who have experienced trauma or who have a predisposition to mental-health issues, intensive practice can be “destabilising,” Mrazek says.

Meditation can also lead to troubling personal insights, especially for beginners who throw themselves into it too intensely. “We’re usually in this state of hyper-vigilance, but when you meditate you let your guard down,” Neale says. “Some painful memory could be kicked up, and instructors are often not trained to deal with that.”

Meditation requires good instruction and a slow, gradual buildup in training. Like exercise, it also requires a long-term commitment and regular practice, Neale says. If you want the benefits to persist, you need to stick with it.

What is the most effective way to meditate?

How should you get started? “Try a number of different practices and find one that resonates and connects with you personally,” Mrazek advises. There’s no “best” type of meditation, he adds. Finding the right practice for you requires exploration—and an open mind.

Do juices and smoothies really help detox?

Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

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hether it’s for weight loss, fertility, or just for a general healthy life style, extracting the juice from fruits or vegetable or blending them together in form of a smoothie has become increasingly popular in Nigeria.

For juicers who want to cleanse their way to weight loss, the resulting liquid contains most of the vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals (phytonutrients) found in the whole fruit. However, whole fruits and vegetables also have healthy fiber — a component of fruits and vegetables (and other whole plant foods) that adds to satiety and helps improve heart and digestive health. This is lost during most juicing processes.

For smoothie drinkers, health

experts and nutritionists suggest using vegetable and greens a lot healthier than making all fruit smoothies, as fruits contain natural sugars. Try using more low sugar fruits such as blackberries, honey melon, grape fruit, strawberries and oranges rather than using mangoes, water melon, bananas or pears which have higher sugar content.

When Dreamfield juice and salad bar opened for business in Ikeja Lagos, it became obvious that the craze for fit-fam had come to stay.

It wasn’t just about going to the gym and posting work out pictures and videos on social media, but Nigerians realised that healthiness starts from within and what you ingest really matters.

Oladeji Ayodele Omoroshemi, director, Dreamfield told BDSunday that the idea to launch such a restaurant was borne out the pres-

sure for most Nigerians to keep fit for a longer, healthier life.

“The rate of calorie consumption is on the increase and this is detrimental to the health of individuals. Calories are high in fat and

sugar and extreme intake of these food types causes stress, increases risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. There is a pressing need to curb high calorie intake which causes the body to either excrete or store it in fat cells for the future resulting in excessive weight gain and higher body fat percentages,” he said.

The pros and cons of cleansing with juices Since you have to use a far larger quantity of fruits and vegetables to make a glass of juice than you typically would eat in a sitting, you will get higher doses of micronutrients and phytochemicals, but you’ll also get more sugar and calories, without the fiber that helps to slow the absorption of that sugar. You can minimise the amount of sugar you get by drinking primarily vegetable juice — kale, cucumber and celery

are low-sugar vegetables that are delicious options for juicing — or sticking to a 4-ounce serving of fruit juice (that’s the amount equivalent to a serving of whole fruit).

In terms of cleansing and detoxing, your body is already equipped to clean out toxins — that’s what your liver and kidneys are for — so the best way to support that is to drink plenty of water and eat fresh foods. And while it’s fine to go on a juice cleanse for a day, long-term juice cleanses lack nutrients your body needs (such as protein and fat), so they’re not the perfect idea for long term cleansing.

Juices and smoothies can be great additions to our daily food intake. They provide concentrated doses of nutrients and can help calm inflammatory responses in the body. However, it is not advisably to go on a long term juice only cleanse.

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Entertainment Ibejii, Afro-retro artiste, thrills fans at Ibejii Day …Soulful singer-storyteller celebrates twins at live concert

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n Saturday March 23, 2019, Ibejii, the charismatic enigma, celebrated the uniqueness of twins at a live concert, which took place at Ethnic Heritage Centre, Lagos. After hitting the global music sphere with his third offering in just over a year, Tribal Marks, Ibejii stayed true to his promise to serve up some more delightful tunes seamlessly woven with classic jazz; this time, appreciating the mysterious nature of ‘Ibejis or ‘Ejima’.

The avant-garde crooner, who has since become a mainstay in the alternative music sphere, once again proves the range of his talents and vocal prowess by entertaining fans with numerous hit tracks across his studio albums among, which were Eda, Aye, Itiraka, Solape, Ife, Bamidele, among others.

Born a twin himself, Ibejii is aware of the various experiences that Twins generally face, hence, created an atmosphere of music, storytelling and unlimited fun

where Twins share their amazing stories with other Twins.

Akeem Lasisi , a poet, opened the floor and serenaded the fans with tuneful sounds in Yoruba dialect. Wale Wall soon followed suit with his mesmerizing guitar skills to further take the swayed audience on a journey of extraordinary goodness.

Refreshed by Guinness Africa special, the audience could not get enough of Ibejii’s extraordinary art of skilful storytelling em-

bellished with folklore, metaphor and vernacular. He explored traditional Yoruba folk, jazz, dance, RnB, Juju among other genres as Brymo Olawale joined him on stage to perform his last song of the night – Omo Buruku.

Stay close to the unfolding action by following Ibejii on social media via @ibejiimusic on Instagram & Twitter. Also look out for his second edition of #TILX – The Ibejii Live Xperience coming up in June.

Del-York Creative Academy brings month-long training to Nigeria

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rom May 10-June 10, 2019, the Del-York Creative Academy (DCA)’s world-class programme will relaunch in Lagos with 20 of the most prolific film and media instructors from major Hollywood studios and a premier US film school. Students will enjoy an extensive menu of courses including; directing, screenwriting, editing, acting, sound design and scoring, music video production and broadcast journalism. Other courses include; costume & set design, make-up & special effects, cinematography & set lighting , coloring and grading, producing, the business of filmmaking, introduction to theater, production design, animation design and drone technology.

Home to over 1, 200 successfully-trained alumni exporting notable contributions in the contemporary film and broadcast industry, the Del-York Creative Academy, (the capacity building arm of DelYork International) has stood the test of time for over a decade as Africa’s premier filmmaking and media training hub.

The Academy kicked off its first edition on a historical note, partnering with the most notable capacity-building institution in the world, based in New York. Five editions later, it stands alone as the Del-York Creative Academy, poised to spur an educationalreform and transform the world of media education by replacing classroom theory with a “vocational/hands-on approach to learning”.

Also, in a bid to empower the next generation, 500 of Africa’s most talented creative disruptors will be selected from across the continent: Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Gambia, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, Morocco, and other African nations, will be groomed under Project 500. Their vital mission is to “change the African narrative and drive social change across the continent,” in what has been termed, the most intensive hands-on training program in Africa, crashing a rigorous six-month curriculum into just four weeks.

As part of their final projects,

L-R: Seun Abolaji, Chioma Nwakanma , Nkemdilim Begho, Abiola Adekoya, Tosin Oshinowo, Funfere Koroye and Dotun Popoola all recipients of the Lord’s Achievers Award in commemoration of the International day of achievers held in Lagos.

selected participants will partner with international media partners to curate original feature films, documentaries, skits, short videos, television commercials, and video content to spearhead a social intervention agenda across Africa. The best graduating student, demonstrating global-standard promise, will be awarded a brand-new car!

Indeed, Del-York Creative Academy has remained true to its ethos from the very beginning - “Capacity Building” to foster “Nation Building.”

Sponsors, partners, alumni, and executives who have worked closely with the Academy extol it highly. The institution’s previous achievements and the partnerships forged with Hollywood are a feat unprecedented anywhere else in Africa, but what makes the DelYork Creative Academy unique, according to Linus Idahosa, its founder, is the academy’s hands-on approach to learning.

In an interview at the Del-York’s headquarters, on Tuesday, he said, “To compete in the real world; the best of our raw talents would need to be pruned in fire; by learning how to commercialize their crafts; our artist would be transformed from show-stoppers to game changers. Though we appreciate film theory, our Academy is not for theorists, it is for the pragmatic and for those who are ready to turn their creative tools into instruments of real change” Beyond unconventional teaching methods, the Academy celebrates this generation’s rising stars, reskilling Africa by authoring change agents through the powerful medium of film to drive a new day for a continent coming of age, from its cinematic adolescence.

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‘Nimbe’ is more than a film, it is a call

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imbe’ is an extraordinary film every cinemagoer should see.

It is captivating, engaging, educating and deserves a perfect rating. Every day, religious leaders in churches and mosques, counsellors, government agents, and educationists talk about the role of bad parenting and drug abuse in the destruction of a developing child. None of these people since my over 3 decades in this world has been more potent in making me understand the dangers of bad parenting and drug addiction than Tope Alake’s ‘Nimbe’.

Despite a compelling performance by the cast and a great soundtrack, ‘Nimbe’ boasts of quality shots, sound and picture.

The film is a story of common social problems told from refreshing perspective. The greatness of movies makes their reviews cumbersome because perfect is most times indescribable. However, such movies are rare that succeeds the eagle eyes of movie critics on all level. I can boldly say that each character, dialogue, scene, and soundtrack in the film made it worth repeated viewings.

Starring Odunlade Adebola, Toyin Abraham, Chimezie Imo, Sani Danja, Rachael Okonkwo, Kelechi Udegbe and Broda Shagi, the success of ‘Nimbe’ is hinged on the fact that the performers enacted the script/story credibly and convincingly. They made me suspend my disbelief from the virtual reality of films. Toyin Abraham’s outstanding performance was such that unbundled my emotions and elicited catharsis. I wept with her when she found out her only son has derailed. Her performance with her son Nimbe (Chimezie Imo) when she confronted him in their room over his association with violent drug peddlers is for me the high point of the movie, and perhaps relatable. You will relate with the film either as a parent or teenager.

But for Uduah’s (Toyin Abraham) experience and her perfect imitation of an accent, Broda Shagi would have been the best character for the ease and conviction he exhibited in his comic roles in what was his debut appearance in a conventional film. Chimezie Imo and Toyin Abraham had a perfect chemistry as mother and son and this may have translated into the success of all the scenes about the due.

However, I don’t seem to understand AK’s (Kelechi Udegbe) diatribe in the scene where he was chastising Nimbe for disobeying her mother. Was it a parable on God? Whatever it is, it is nonsensical and sounds like the stupid tale of an idiot. I did not make any sense out of it.

Also, the fact AK asked Nimbe to commit murder in a scene is for me an illogical follow-up to a

previous scene were AK encouraged Nimbe to stay out of crime and be obedient to his parents.

The locations were apt and contributed in projecting the characters as ordinary people confronted with social reality. The locations were real places that reinforced each scene and event (e.g. the classroom and the family house of Nimbe and his parents).

The songs selected to stress the narrative in Nimbe fore grounded the experiences of the characters and resonated with each moment. The songs in the words of a movie theorist Jerrold Levinson were ‘indicating or revealing… something about a character’s psychological condition, including emotional states, personality traits, or specific cognitions… foreshadowing of a dramatic development in a situation being depicted on screen … the imparting to the viewer of a sense that the happenings in the film are more important than those of ordinary life— the emotions magnified, the stakes higher, the significances deeper’.

Some of the songs are ‘Wale’, ‘Aye’, ‘Helele’, ‘Whyne Up for me’, and ‘Jeje’.

‘Nimbe’ is relevant for its approach to a multi-faceted social reality. It talked about the influence of bad parenting on a developing child and the dangers a child estranged from his or her parents poses to the society. The film portrayed such child as vulnerable

and volatile, a ticking time bomb.

It also talked about drug addiction and abuse and pointed more to the producers and distributors who jettison the harm they are causing the society because of the material profit they gain from such criminal enterprise.

Rape and abortion from quacks were not left out from the film’s themes. ‘Nimbe’ is a wakeup call to government agencies to step up their fight against illicit drug production and substance abuse and to parents to embrace their roles in raising their children with. ‘Nimbe’ is worth your time, money and popcorn.

Destiny Isiguzo Follow on instagram @destinyisiguzo and on twitter @isiguzocid

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Snake Island: Another side of Lagos Jonathan Aderoju

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he Lagos Snake Island is a place that has potentials for economic growth and development through tourism but these not yet been tapped.

It is settled on flowing waters of the Badagry creeks. There are myths about the Island, which say that it was a place where condemned prisoners and slaves were thrown into in the past. For these prisoners and slaves, it was a place of no return. Like a caged animal, these slaves were caged here by the overstretching vegetation in the Island. Another myth stated that it was an Island filled with snakes in the past, hence the name ‘Snake Island.’

The myths are not entirely misleading. But there is a more nuanced view. According to a resident who decided to be anonymous, “the island is called ‘Snake Island’ because of the topography of the land, which is shaped like an ‘S’.

He also said that the Yorubas, who journeyed from Ile-Ife about 400 years ago, were the original natives of the community. “The main occupations of our forefathers were farming, fishing, and other traditional works.”

The Island has a lot of sand and it is usually very flooded during the rainy season. It has a few modern basic social amenities such as a public health centre, police station, private hospital, hotel, primary and secondary schools. Life in the community is slow and steady. Commercial motorcycles are used for transportation in the community.

There are soldiers who provide security in the locality. The community has a fishing minority known as the Egun people. These groups of individuals are not Nigerians. Findings in the community revealed that they are foreigners from Benin Republic and Togo. Many of them don’t understand English language; therefore they prefer to speak Yoruba

OBINNA EMELIKE

I language or their native language.

Most of the children are able to understand Pidgin English and communicate with it. While in other cases the children may not understand, but expressing themselves is a big challenge.

They live on the water in wooden makeshift tents. Children from these families don’t go to school.

For them, fishing means a lot to them, being a trade they inherited from their parents. It is not just a source of livelihood, but a lifestyle handed on to them by successive generations.

The Eguns give their female into marriage at a very early age between10-11.

The snake island has different festive seasons and each is accorded its own traditional observances and ritual rites. The festive seasons are Oro, Egungun, Gelede, Osun, Obaluwaye, Awonga, and Akaka.

The source of drinking and cooking water in the community is through wells constructed in residential homes. There is also borehole water, and free tap from Niger Dock Yard.

The community is made up of six other communities which are Igbologun, Igbese-yore, Igbosu, Ilase, Imore, and Ibeshe communities. These communities are called the Badagry creeks. However, according to the community scribe,

despite being among the Badagry creeks, they don’t pay homage to the King of Badagry because they have a Baale who is the paramount ruler of the community.

Another resident Festus who is a fisherman said that “the state government should build a standard technical school for the community to enable youths learn craft works.”

Electricity is a major challenge in the community, and it needs to be improved upon to boost the growth of small-scale businesses. The residents say they have been appealing to the government to provide them with regular electricity. This will boost economic growth in the community. Welders, hair stylists, and computer operators, all need electricity to do their work. “We also need a large and organised market for our women. Women here sell in small kiosks shops only. We don’t have market here, we have been proposing for it,” according to the resident.

“There have been series of suppositions that there are plans by government to build a bridge from Kirikiri to Snake Island. If this is done, it will enable people to cross to the Island apart from using canoe.”

Building a linkage bridge from Kirikiri is one indisputable way of opening the community up for development and commerce. In

the community, there are a lot of arable lands which the public and the private sectors can use to establish industries. This will expose the community up for development, and employment opportunities will be created.

Small-scale businesses such as hair styling, tailoring, carpentry, wielding, and others are another aspect of the community which is growing at a fast rate. Many youths have taken to these small-scale businesses, not only as a means of livelihood, but also to meet the growing needs of the community.

If there is an appreciable support from government and the private sector, more youths will be trained, equipment will be provided and seed capital will be given to support them.

There are three health facilities, including a Public health centre built by Lagos State government through Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, the Igbologun Medical Centre, a private clinic and Mercy Home, a maternity home. An indigene of the community, who pleaded anonymity, said that the Igbologun Medical Centre is well equipped with up-to-date medical facilities and drugs.

This is another side of Lagos that really needs attention, because in the nearest future it will be a gold mine for the state.

Campagne debuts world’s first mud house with indoor pool

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a Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort has never ceased to impress and improve on its facilities and services as it periodically upgrade on the produce to the delight of patrons and visitors to the resort.

The experience is always turbo charged on visit as you are never too sure of the surprise that awaits you.

This time, just like it did with the introduction of a mud house that bore all the elegance and sophistication of modern and trendy guesthouse, the management of the Ikogun village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos – based African themed resort has come up with another first.

In its familiar style of infusing simple and sometimes common place and overlooked traditional arts, crafts, motifs and materials with glamourous and enchanting ambience, as well as, functional, it has given birth to a new mud house in the mood of the first mud house built by it last year but this time, with an indoor swimming pool.

Such a rare and creative feat that since it opened it attracts

Indaba 2019 spotlights South African Tourism’s hidden gems

viewing by patrons and visitors to the resort who are taken in by the natural appeal and ingenuity of the creator of the mud house that is stylishly fitted and furnished to taste with modern amenities wrapped in luxury for the comfort and relaxation of the guest.

Named Amonsan (meaning mud is good), the mud house is a four-bedroom apartment,

featuring quite electrifying and fascinating facilities. The list include: an indoor swimming pool with an inbuilt bar that is richly stocked with wide selection of drinks; two spacious living areas that are fitted to the hilt exuding opulence; a dining area, with a rich dining set to the bargain that is built around tree trunks; and tastefully deco-

rated African interiors.

Other sections to behold on visit are: private outdoor sit – out area overlooking the forest; sitting out on the pouch of the mud house, you get to see a tribe of monkeys as they go around their daily routines and also bird watching and other game viewing for the delight of the occupants of the mud house.

For the management of the resort, there is no end to its innovative and creative ferment as it is dedicated to enriching and renewing the experience of guests through constant upgrade and introduction of new packages to its facilities and services offer.

Paramount to all of these is the desire to continue to preserve and propagate the African cultural heritage through intangible and tangible materials that are geared at highlighting the best of African’s culture to patrons and visitors to the resort.

When next you visit, make the mud house your choice living quarters and you are sure to appreciate the experience.

n a bid to boost tourism in Africa, it is time that we change our narrative from a continent that needs saving to one that is thriving. This was the key insight at Africa’s Travel Indaba Media Launch held at The Plant Venue Co., Durban on April3, 2019.

The media launch provided the opportunity for two of South African Tourism’s Hidden Gems, Jotham’s Place and Discover Durban Tours and Transfers, to tell their success stories. Other speakers included Siza Sibanda, acting head, KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, and Sipho Kaunda, councillor at eThekwini Municipality.

Keynote speaker of the day, Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, chief convention bureau officer, South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB), elaborated on this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba theme, Africa’s stories, your success, saying Africans must own their narrative so that they can embark on the journey of changing the continent’s story. “We no longer look to the world for affirmation or inspiration, the world looks to us. We are real, vibrant and driven to succeed.

So, we invite the world to journey with us and tell the new story of Africa.”

Kotze-Nhlapo added that the responsibility of safeguarding Africa’s narrative is not only up to its storytellers but all Africans. “In this posttruth world, it is up to each of us to be vigilant about the way Africa is depicted. We can be the watchdogs of misrepresented stories and best of all, we have the digital tools to keep the narrative truthful.”

She said social media gives everyone the power to engage with media, influencers and other prominent individuals so that “we can change the narrative together and basically set the story straight”.

Her insights were backed up by South African storyteller, Victor Kgomoeswana, whose presentation ignited what is the new African narrative.

“The greatest story for us to tell is our own; the most effective way to tell it is the African way - because the centre of the universe, literally and figuratively, is in Africa,” he said.

For the first time in Indaba’s history, it will host the Green Stand Awards. These awards have been successful at Meetings Africa in recent years and are now making its way to Indaba. It recognises exhibitors who go that extra “green” mile to build and design stands that are environmentally and socially sustainable.

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Travel Airbus receives orders for 58 jetliners in March

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irbus has received orders for 58 jetliners in March – led by the A350 XWB widebody family in transactions that included a new customer; while delivering 74 aircraft to 40 customers from across its A220, A320, A330, A350 XWB and A380 product lines.

Pacing the month’s new business was Lufthansa Group’s order for 20 additional A350-900s, bringing its total A350 XWB orders to 45. Lufthansa Group is the biggest operator of Airbus aircraft.

Also in March, STARLUX Airlines of Taiwan signed a firm order for 17 A350 XWBs, comprising 12 A350-1000s and five shorter-fuselage A350-900 versions – becoming a new Airbus customer.

The airline plans to deploy the aircraft on its premier long-haul services from Taipei to Europe and North America, as well as to selected destinations within the Asia-Pacific region.

Completing the month’s wide-body new business was an order for one A350-900 from a private customer.

The single-aisle transaction in March involved 20 A320neo jetliners for an undisclosed customer.

Deliveries in March were composed of 57 A320 Family aircraft (13 in the CEO configuration and 44 NEO versions), eight A350-900s/A350-1000s, five A220s, three A330s (all in the NEO version) and one A380.

Among the month’s notable deliveries was the first A350900 delivered to Evelop Airlines. With this aircraft – leased from Air Lease Corporation – the Spanish carrier of Barceló Group’s Ávoris travel division becomes the initial holiday/ leisure carrier to operate an A350 XWB. Other milestones in March included the first A380 delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), which is the 15th operator of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Additionally, Airbus delivered the no. 1 A330neo for an African airline, with Air Senegal receiving its first A330-900.

In the VIP sector, Airbus provided the first of three ACJ320neo aircraft for Comlux, which will now begin its cabin outfitting by the Comlux Completion centre in the United States. Comlux is the largest customer for Airbus Corporate Jets’ ACJ320neo Family.

Taking the latest orders and cancellations into account, Airbus’ backlog of jetliners remaining to be delivered as of 31 March stood at 7,357 aircraft.

Best places to travel for Easter Stories By IFEOMA OKEKE

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s the Easter season draws near, people are setting aside budget to visit destinations that will make their celebration worthwhile. From the vibrant souks of Marrakech, to the festivities of Semana Santa in Peru, these are the best places to travel for Easter.

Marrakech, Morocco At a time when the almond blossom is in full bloom, and the temperature sits comfortably at around 18 degrees, the days surrounding Easter are considered to be among the most ideal here. During the cooler days, before the heat of the summer months arrives, Easter is just right for getting to know the city’s atmospheric medina and colourful souks.

Where to Stay: Mandarin Oriental Marrakech sits within its own olive groves and landscaped gardens, with a backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. Yet, it is still just a short distance from Marrakech’s medina.

Here, the luxurious villas and suites combine contemporary décor with elegant Moroccan style.

Vatican City Located within Rome, this unique city-state attracts visitors year-round for its richness in historic architecture, which in turn is home to an abundance of Roman statues and Renaissance art. As the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, Vatican City is of particular significance at Easter when thousands of people gather to witness the ceremony held at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Where to Stay: JK Place Roma celebrates the heritage of the city it’s in, while also showcasing contemporary style and design. JK Café, too, brings Italian tradition together with innovation through its market-fresh menu.

Sabah, Borneo Easter is considered one of the

best times to travel to Borneo.

At just the right time, between the two monsoon seasons, April offers the ideal conditions for venturing into the rainforest, or taking a boat out to one of nearby islands where the dive sites are thought to be among the world’s most extraordinarily for their abundant marine-life.

Where to Stay: Situated on an island off the coast of mainland Borneo, Bunga Raya Island Resort sits set amid rainforest and on a crescent of white sand, with worldclass diving within easy reach.

San Francisco, United States Famed for its annual Union Street Easter Parade, San Francisco draws the crowds in to celebrate this spring occasion. Now in its 26th year, the event encompasses a parade and street fair, with an abundance of activities, food vendors and entertainment, while local eateries set up bistro tables in the outdoors too.

Where to Stay: Located within the desirable neighborhood of Nob Hill, with a cable-car stop just moments away, The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco is the ideal place to be based for exploration of the city.

Behind the 1909 façade, the hotel encompasses lavishly decorated interiors, with first-rate dining and a luxury spa.

Cusco, Peru Owing to the nation’s Catholic beliefs and pre-Columbian roots, Easter – or Semana Santa – is celebrated here with fervour. Cusco in particular is at the heart of these celebrations, with a week-long itinerary of processions and gatherings that bring both locals and visitors out into the city’s atmospheric streets where the holiday’s signature dishes are being cooked up.

Where to Stay: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba lies outside Cusco, between the ancient city and Machu Picchu, within the Sacred Valley. Combining contemporary

architecture and interiors of the hotel with a secluded location in the mountains, this luxurious retreat is the ideal contrast to the energy of Cusco at this time.

Zermatt, Switzerland As we near the end of the ski season, it’s the highest resorts in Europe that continue to draw skiers in. One of the most rewarding at this time is Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. While the resort town has plenty to offer year-round within its scenic mountain setting, Easter is the time to make the most of its high –altitude slopes, before having to wait for the winter to return.

Where to Stay: Exhibiting a contemporary take on the traditional mountain lodge, The Omnia is characterized by its luxurious modern interiors and woodencladded facade. But it’s the views of the surrounding mountains this hotel commands that really take your breath away.

Virgin Atlantic reveal new flying Icons representing customers, workforce

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irgin Atlantic is saying farewell to its Flying Lady and welcoming five new “Flying Icons” to adorn its brand new A350-1000 fleet.

The high flyers are a diverse range of men and women representing modern Britain, rolled out on four brand new A350-1000 aircraft this year, followed by a further eight by 2021.

Virgin Atlantic’s use of the Flying Lady was inspired by figureheads that have decorated ships since the 16th century. The artwork for it was based on the pin up girls made famous by Alberto Vargas (in the 1930s and 1940s).

This move represents the changing face of one of Britain’s most loved brands. Virgin Atlantic has made a pledge to tackle its gender pay gap and increase diversity across the business, and this is mirrored in the look and feel of the brand.

The airline is aiming to have a 50:50 gender balance in leadership roles, as well as at least 12 percent black, Asian and minority ethnic group (BAME) representation across the company, by 2022.

The airline was a founding member of Women in Aviation and Aerospace in 2018 as well as a signatory of the Women in Hospitality, Travel

and Leisure charter (of which Nikki Humphrey, SVP of People sits on the board).

Virgin Atlantic has also ensured greater diversity with their engineering apprenticeship and pilot cadet schemes and has developed a Springboard Network which aims to help women in junior roles develop clear career

pathways to become senior leaders.

Virgin Atlantic will be the first airline to have male figureheads on its aircraft. In a further move to increase equality, the airline recently announced it has changed its uniform and styling policy so that women could choose whether they would like trousers or a skirt and removed requirements to wear makeup.

Nikki Humphrey, SVP of People at Virgin Atlantic commented:“The saying goes ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ and that has never been truer than the aviation industry’s glamorous image in the past.

“We have been working for a number of years to tackle our gender pay gap and increase the diversity of our workforce, through the development of our Springboard scheme for women, as well as the launch of engineering apprenticeships.

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the banking landscape. He was decorated alongside former Minister of Works and Housing, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, SAN, CON in the presence of the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS, the governing council and Senate.

This is coming on the

heels of many philanthropic activities he has brought to various endeavours he has found himself without much noise about this. The chief banker, Jim Ovia is about the most brilliant bankers in Nigeria even though he is no longer at the helms of affairs in Zenith Bank. But those in the

industry can never forget him in a jiffy how powerful and influential he was and he is still is stating the obvious.

To those who may be thinking that Jim Ovia is all about banking, investment, finance and what have you in the corporate world, must have a rethink now, as the man of high intellect and wisdom in banking recently presented his much-awaited book, ‘Africa Rise and Shine: How a Nigerian Entrepreneur from Humble Beginnings Grew a Business to $16 billion.’ The book, published by Forbes Books, chronicles the story of his unquantifiable business and banking successes, and how he was able to create one of Africa’s largest banks.

About Abubakar Jimoh’s magic wand

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or someone who came albeit, unannounced, to the helm of affairs at a new generation bank, Coronation Merchant Bank, the likelihood was there for him to make his glorious entry into the plum office at the bank; bringing in new ideas and policies to carry the bank into the digital and new face of banking, and this is exactly what Abubakar Jimoh has been doing since he assumed office.

As t h e h e l m s m a n of the new generation bank, Abubakar Jimoh is daily proving pundits wrong that age is not a big factor when it comes to efficient service delivery and well-focused administration.

Since he came into office by a stroke of fate, the youthful bank chief

has continued to remain focused, stoically and steadily delivering the

growth to the bank, with several products and services that can make other

banks go green with envy.

Even with his impressive performance at the last stakeholders’ meeting; the astute banker has now deemed it fit to continue to steer the leadership of the company, with the backing of the executive stakeholders’ vote of confidence in the management team led

by Jimoh, courtesy of the bank PBT (Profit Before Tax) result that recorded a huge success for the bank. Abubakar Jimoh is a professional banker par excellence with an intimidating pedigree of close to two decades having garnered relevant banking experience across key banking functions including Branch Services, Commercial Banking, Public Sector and Institutional/Corporate Banking.

Wale Tinubu: The Man with the midas touch at Oando

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ale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando PLC and foremost energy solutions provider is indeed a maverick in his field. For a businessman whose story in the corporate world reads like a fairy tale, this obviously is a turning point in a career that had sailed smoothly and untainted for many years. Without any doubt, the Oando boss represented everything good and progressive in business for many years. He stands shoulder high among his peers and competitors and

Sunday 07 April 2019

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Iconic Banker, Jim Ovia, honoured in Lagos ike the adverbial phrase, courage is the most important of all the virtues. Without courage you can’t consistently exhibit any virtue, and this aptly explains the reason why the astute banker and super boardroom guru, the Chairman of Zenith Bank, Chief Jim Ovia stands tall.

With words of encouragement and praises during the decoration of his Honorary Doctorate Degree in the presence of distinguished personalities at the University of Lagos’ 50th Convocation Ceremonies held on Thursday, April 4, 2019, inside J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium.

The iconic banker was honoured for his immense contribution and his commitment to the change in

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was easily a reference point on issues of best practice and excellence. In the oil and gas industry where he is a big player, he received accolades and awards from far and near. He was also recognised for courage, ingenuity and hard work in business. So, when he promised Oando shareholders at the beginning of 2018 that; he would move the leading Oil and Gas Company to an enviable height, many did not doubt his competence. He always delivers far above expectation and today, he has not only ful-

filled his promise, but he has also lifted the company far

above its competitors. It was gathered that the shrewd businessman who is a glittering star in the business firmament, however, is not resting on his oars and the company according to the report also hinted at the possibility of expanding across Africa, while maintaining operational efficiency and made the group as a whole remains focused on driving profitability via growth in our upstream business and achieving further reduction of borrowings to ensure value accretion to shareholders.

…And Dr. Kola Olukoya gets a new title

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e, who the cap fits, let him wear it. This was what came the way of spiritual father and the indefatigable philanthropist, General Overseer and founder of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya well deserved received an honoured with at the 50th convocation ceremony of the reputable University of Lagos on Thursday, 4th of April, 2019. Those in the know, say it is not a surprise that the Governing Council and Senate of the University has identified Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya as befitting of being conferred with an honorary doctorate degree at this year’s convocation ceremony where the citadel of 12,811 graduating students for this year. Apart from the acclaimed scholar and clergyman, Dr. D.K Olukoya, other notable personalities such as Mr. Lateef Okunnu, the former Minister of Works and Housing in Nigeria and others also conferred with honours.

To boot, Dr. Olukoya beyond his degrees and awards, the

preacher of the word of God believes that the most important thing today is to ensure that those firsts in God’s kingdom do not become the last and miss salvation. As a first class graduate from the University of Lagos in 1980 with an outstanding degree in microbiology, he proceeded on scholarship to the University of Reading in Reading, Berkshire, England for his Doctorate degree (PhD) in Molecular Genetics. The pastor, author and televangelist is an outstanding graduate product of the famous university who values education and a man after God’s heart.

Over the years, he has exhibited great philanthropy by supporting and sponsoring the less privileged students in Nigeria beyond the walls of his reputable bible believing church MFM. The football club, MFM FC, the only club representing Lagos in the Nigeria football premier league, he pioneered has continued to produced footballers that grow to stardom like Wilfred Ndidi and Stephen Odey to name a few.

Aquila Capital Boss, Chuka Onwuchekwa, plans big for mum

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ccomplished banker, Chuka Onwuchekwa lost his 77-year-old mother, Lolo Benedeth a few months ago and the death of his beloved mother created a big vacuum in his heart.

Expectedly, the Anambra State-born experienced investment and commercial banker is leaving no stone unturned to give his mother a befitting burial.

It was gathered that Umuaniche, Abam Village, Azia in Ihiala LGA, Anambra State and its environs have been agog since he started sending out invites to family, friends and business associates for the programs which consist a Vigil Mass at Mazi Onwuchekwa’s compound on Wednesday, April 24 in Umuaniche Abam village, Azia, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State which will be followed by the funeral service at Mary the Queen Catholic Church in Azia. Meanwhile, condolence visits by friends and

families, according to family sources, begins from Thursday to Saturday.

Then, the family holds a thanksgiving service on Sunday. His company, Aquila Capital Limited, has substantial local and foreign investment partners.

He has brought his over 20-year financial sector experience to bear on his entrepreneurial debut in Aquila Capital Limited since 2005. Prior to the commencement of Aquila Capital Group (which includes Aquila Leasing Limited and Aquila Logistics), he was the Executive Director/ COO at Continental Trust Bank Limited (now UBA Plc) and subsequently the Managing Director/CEO of Corporate Remedies Limited, a financial consulting firm founded by him.

His current engagement is leading the emergence of Aquila Capital as a worldclass financial services firm with local presence and Pan African outlook.

Sunday 07 April 2019

Bliss with Nonye Ben-Nwankwo

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BDSUNDAY 29

Email: chiwuagwu@yahoo.com Phone number (SMS only) 08057511893

Doris Simeon, Stella Damasus celebrate son

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ctresses, Doris Simeon and Stella Damasus may not be friends since the later is currently married to Doris’ former husband, Daniel.

However, both of them may have something in common and that is their love for Doris’ son, David.

And as the young lad clocked 11 years few days ago, both of his mothers (biological and step) celebrated him on their social media handles.

While Stella acknowledged Doris in her birthday post, Doris didn’t do same but chose to stress her love for her son she carried in her stomach.

Her post read, “To my big boy from birth, I love you.

To my oritseseundede, I love you. To my one and only bea of life, I love you.

Mummy best ever lover, I love you.

To my brilliant boo, I love you. From day one that I had u in my tummy, I love you. To my David bobo, I love you. Oko mamae, I love you. You are growing strong and brilliant everyday and God has always been your pillar, I bless God for his love over you my heartbeat. You are a blessing to me and will love

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you to the moon and back my small but almost taller than mummy sugar. Happy, happy, happiest birthday to you my sweetest honey.”

And in her post, Stella wrote, “I can’t believe this young man is 11 years old.

How time flies. I love you too too much booboo.

Words cannot describe how much you mean to me and all who love you.

Each time I look at you, I see greatness and success all around you. There is nothing you cannot do and achieve. You are the

best in everything you do in school and everywhere you go. You are a shining star DAVID. You are special, loved by your dad, your two mums, siblings, uncles and aunties, plus the countless people who just meet you and fall in love with you instantly. May your life be filled with peace, joy, laughter, love, hope and plenty money in Jesus name. Your own children will give you so much joy as you have given us. I love you booboo HAPPY BIRTHDAY. #hbd #family #son #nyc”

Wema Bank backs Aramide’s ‘Songversation’

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t was an incredible event last weekend in Lagos as Afro- soul singer, Aramide, thrilled her fans to a night of conversation and musicatthe 2019 ‘Songversation with Aramide’ which took place on the 29th of March at Terra Kulture.

Backed by Wema Bank, the event, which was in commemoration of the international women’s day, celebrated women who have done exploit in their different professional fields and have in one way or the other given back to society.

Aramide took fans and music lovers on a journey of live music while performing many

Tiwa Savage shines as Star brand ambassador

of her hit songs such as ‘Fall on them’, ‘Funmi Lowo’, ‘Bolaji’, ‘Bose’, ’why so serious’ and many more.

Other artistes who performed at the event include, Praiz, Ric Hassani, Sir

Dauda, GoodGirlLa, Banke, Temmie Ovwasa and Temilayo.

Celebrities such as Adekunle Gold, Falzthebahdguy, Bez Idakula, Niniola, Sika Osei, Kenny Saint Best, Essence and many more also graced the event.

gainst all odds, multiple award winning singer, Tiwa Savage, is breaking barriers and adding more feathers to her cap in the process.

Apart from dishing out great music, Tiwa is endearing more fans to her hearts and national and multinational brands love her.

Andnow,Tiwaisshinningonasshe has been unveiled as brand ambassador for Star Radler. The announcement was made at a special event hostedatMuriOkunolaPark,recently.

She becomes the first ever female to be officially signed on as an advocate for the beer brand, as she joins an elite bracket of superstars to be associated with Star.

Back in January, Burna Boy was announced as the first ever brand ambassador for Star Lager and the popstar’s unveiling was followed by a commercial which earned widespread acclaim. Now with Tiwa’s unveil, fans of the Afro-pop sensation will be eagerly anticipating the creative ways the brand intends to exploit this landmark relationship.

Tiwa Savage is no stranger to “firsts”, last year she became the first ever Africa female to win a BET Award, etching her name in the history books in the process.

Since her emergence in the Nigerian music scene, Tiwa has released three studio albums which have earned critical and commercial success. Her illustrious career has also seen her rise to becoming arguably the African queen of music.

Speaking on the unveil, Tiwa expressed her delight at becoming the first ever woman to be a brand ambassador for Star,

“StarisagreatbrandandI’mthrilled to have joined the Star family. I’ve always loved the Radler brand and it’s an amazing opportunity to be the official face of the brand. The taste is quite exquisite! The Star brand is all about inspiring people to dream for bigger, greater things. Every Nigerian is somewhat aspirational, and this is a theme I try to imbibe in my music.

I can’t wait for what the future holds with Star as I urge everyone to be on thelookoutforus.”

During the special event, Star also unveiled its brand new football kit, accompanied with a sporting emblem. This kit will be worn by the Star football team, which will be made up of professional players like Austin Jay Jay Okocha and fans, in a novelty match on the 16th of April 2019.

Hymnodia contestants perform in Pidgin

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he ongoing music reality show, Hymnodia has taken another exciting turn in this week’s Stanza 9 when the remaining Hymntestants as the contestants are called, sang in Pidgin. The contestants had popular hymns translated and the performed them in Pidgin Eenglish.

The novelty of hearing hymns in pidgin performed with such consistent dexterity elicited ovation from the audience as each Hymntestant came and went from the magnificent stage.

But that was not all. The contestants added twists of jazz, afrobeat and indigenous music styles to their musical arrangements and the result was incredible. The stanza also witnessed the first Faculty Day of Hymnodia season one, and the pidgin bug of the hymntestants, also the judges who expressed their delight in the same language.

This week’s (Stanza 9) episode of the show had hymns rendered in Pidgin English.

Hymns performed included Na

Me Be Bread of Life, Shawa of Blessings Go Full Ground, Ten Tauzand Angels, Jesus Must Hear Me, and Hail My Jesus.

Others were E dey Alive, Dis Na My Yarn o, No waka Pass Me, and Who E be.

Abigael Nnadi and Olumide Dada were adjudged the top two performers for Stanza 9 in what the judges described as a very tight contest. The hymntestants on probation for the stanza are Blessing Agu, Mobolanle Oladimeji, Uduakobong Akpan and Juliet Nwabia.

Elimination on Hymnodia is by public votes and the process is audited by the reputable firm of Gbenga Badejo & Co. Other hymntestants still remaining in the hunt for the ASAPH are Kenneth Ekhuemelo, Jemine Edukugho and Rachael Darley.

The reality TV show, which will climax on April 24, 2019, will reward the winner with the Asaph (a specially designed award named after David’s chief musician), a brand-new car and N5 million.

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No hope for Nigeria without restructuring - Ogunlewe Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a former minister of works and current member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in this interview with INIOBONG IWOK, takes a hard look at the 2019 general election, Lagos PDP, among other national issues. Excerpts:

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What is your assessment of the just concluded general election? t was the worst election in Nigeria’s history, and the main culprits are the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). One would have expected that with the judgment of the Supreme Court on the usage and non-usage of the smart card reader that the Federal Government would have sent a bill to correct the anomalies and perfect the imperfections encountered in 2015 general election. But they did not do so; it was the National Assembly which four times presented the Amended Electoral Act to the President and he was adamant and refused to sign it into law. The President knew what he was doing, that was probably because of the comment and views from Nigerians and he knew that he may not be voted for in a free and fair election, particularly on the premise of his campaign. The economy was not favourable, the insecurity was spreading to where it never reached before and kidnapping is still there and you talk of corruption, one cannot imagine the level of corruption in this administration.

Corruption is not one person, corruption is an in-built system in the country or community, and it does not have relation with anybody; it is the attitude of Nigerians that bred corruption.

It is the economic policy that bred corruption; it is the failure of government to satisfy the need of the people that breed corruption. If government knows the need of people and addresses them, there would not be corruption; so INEC was culpable.

Because they would have included in their guildline continuous accreditation and voting because with that one, there would always be people at the polling units.

But when you ask them to vote and go away; you now leave space for hooligans and vagabonds to overwhelm the few INEC officials at the polling units and take away the ballot papers.

But if it was voting 12pm to 2pm, there would be more people at the poling units at any particular time to prevent hoodlum from doing what they are doing; because there would be many people present at any time in the polling units.

But it was in collation they had already purchased the PVCs to be used ten times, so this continuously allowed people to vote more than ten times.

The criminal in our election perpetrate their crime through the collation centre; in this modern age it would have been easy for the card reader to collate for us.

We would have referred to the Uwais Report; the report has already addressed the malady we have now in the electoral system.

We need a National ID card, everywhere in the world you must identify your citizen; but they spent N125 billion; wasted it on this election. If we spend half of that, we would avoid duplication and everybody would have ID card.

Even our citizens abroad, they can vote from there. With that, we can get people voting from their sitting room. That is where we should go and we must go.

the 2019 general election; what does this portend?

It means APC should be ready for explosion between now and 2023; APC would be out of the scene and Buhari would not be part of APC anymore, because he is not part of them; he is just managing them; I can bet you his own personality does not fit into APC. Let’s talk about Lagos. The party performed poorly in the governorship election; what really happened to Agbaje?

Unfortunately, Agbaje, our flag bearer did not behave appropriately as a flag bearer.

The flag -bearer does not exclude all its leaders. The flagbearer should be participatory and not a lone-ranger; let him come and explain to us what happened.

But your party could not win even one LGA? How can you win under that situation? It is unfortunate; it will never happen to us again in this state; we would regroup and forge ahead.

Adeseye Ogunlewe

What is happening now is that where you think you may not win; you bring Army to shut your enemy up; if care is not taken it will be difficult to conduct election in Nigeria in 2023.

Because everybody has seen the importance of violence in any electoral process, it can be minimized; nobody has monopoly of violence, everybody can assemble hooligans to fight on Election Day, but I think we should avoid that.

Are you saying you dispute the election results?

There is no doubt that the people in the South-East were targeted not to vote; even in the South-west here it was less than 30 percent of the registered voters. People who are enlightened cannot be assumed to vote less than those who are presumed to be uneducated. It is inconceivable; but that was what happened, but if the election was done with a National ID card, that would have been impossible.

What we have done is not good for our country; it portrays us as hooligans; imagine military, police taking over elections.

But some people tried to discourage Atiku Abubakar from going to court; they said if he wins it may lead to instability in the country?

Why should he not go to court? Let it lead to whatever they call it. Buhari contested result of presidential election three times.

The Electoral Act has solved this problem that INEC must display the result of the election on its website; so it is now left for INEC to tell us the result of this election and who put it there. Atiku has been able to extract the result on the website; if you have a contrary result, bring it out. That is what is in the Electoral Act that the result of elections must be displayed.

Are you confident Atiku would get a favourable judgment in court?

Yes; I am confident he would get a favourable judgment from the court. Let the judiciary purge itself; don’t let us underrate and undermine our judiciary; they are

reasonable people; let them give us their view. They have family members who went to vote, they can also hear people’s views and marry it with figures. Let us see what is going to happen.

Nigerians are apprehensive that perhaps, recent actions against some judges were meant to intimidate the judiciary?

I have been a civil servant all my life; whatever you do can be scrutinised. Whatever you do be careful; if you are serving government, watch your back. I hope God will exonerate him. That is a system that you need to be careful that it can come against you.

How do you react to the defection of some leaders of PDP- Gbenga, and Taoheed Adedoja- to the APC? Adedoja is not important; let him go; it does not matter; how can you decamp to an opposition party in your state after an election? That decision is erratic. People are now noticing the mileage the PDP would have been able to record in these elections; its shows that without Buhari APC would not win. It is the charisma of Buhari, the love of Talakawas that is making him survive in the state. So, you can see in the governorship election, in some states the PDP won hands down; most members of the National Assembly rode on the back of Buhari because the election was same day with the Presidential election.

Let us see without Buhari what APC can do, they would tear themselves apart.

That is what PDP is not; PDP is a national party; it is built for the members of the party; APC is Buhari and Buhari is APC. Gbenga Daniel has retraced his steps; he is staying back in the party; he is not leaving. He is not going, he cannot go; his blood is PDP, because he is going to meet his enemy there. There are too many tendencies in the APC of Ogun State for Gbenga Daniel to survive. The issues would be resolved; don’t worry.

The PDP has won more states than in 2015 and made significant success in

But Agbaje accused some leaders of the party in the state of working against him; do you believe that?

But that is true, they did. But he who sow a seed should be ready to reap the fruit.

Why on earth did he decide to contest the national chairmanship of the PDP against Olabode George? That itself was a suicide attempt. And after that, you believe that when it is your turn, the same man would turn to support you. If you stab me in my back, I will stab you too. So, I don’t blame whoever did not support him because he deserved it.

But I thought these issues had been resolved before the governorship election?

Scars never go away. I was part of Bode George’s team, I know how much he spent; he has the knowledge of the party; I know what would have been the fortune of the party if he had become the national chairman of the party. So, I blame Agbaje for allowing himself to be used and persuaded to contest against Bode George.

You cannot equate Bode George with all these people you are talking about in Lagos; they are far apart. One would just appeal to the national branch of the party to allow democracy in the selection of leaders of the party; enough of imposition.

They don’t allow the people to choose their ward excos, and if that continues, it will affect us forever.

But some leaders of the party are complaining that George’s grip on the Lagos PDP is very tight?

No, no; if he has so much grip, it will reflect at the ward and local government levels; let that kind of power reflect at the ward level. He can nominate, but let them be voted for if he had them; let them not be imposed. Imposition; that is the bad part of it, where we have domineering leadership that does not allow free and fair primaries, but imposition; it is an albatross on our political system and I have a cure for that. We must amend our constitution to allow INEC conduct every primary and congress of political parties, so that

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SundayInterview there can be peace. Look now, we have over 600 cases in court alone because of imposition.

INEC should conduct primaries and congresses, ones it is done, there will be peace, and to make sure that the younger ones take over this party from us. I believe it is only the prosecution of electoral offenders part of INEC’s assignments that should be taken away from them; other ones can be done through constitutional amendment.

Some leaders of Lagos PDP are saying that it is time the party move away from George?

We are running an undemocratic system, because it is the leadership of the party that will pick the governorship candidate after collecting money from them. So the people will say ok, let me sit down in my house. If we continue like this, we would not see credible people taking part in elections in the country. But if parties’ primaries are conducted by INEC you would see number of people that will take party rather than going to set up their political parties which they don’t need and which cannot win elections.

Are you bothered about the monetisation of the electoral process?

Because there is no internal democracy; money has taken over. The value that you can add has been removed and given to hooligans who only want to steal money and take over the party.

But this proposal would give the party back to the people and the INEC can conduct primaries and more knowledgeable people would come into politics. I mean people who are educated.

What is happening now is that the candidates have allegiance to their godfathers; so they buy the votes, because the people will not come out to vote, because they did not choose him.

What is happening in Afenifere where you are a member?

It is all politics. What is happening is not for the interest of the Yoruba. The concept of Afenifere is to restructure this country and they have not said anything beyond that. Unfortunately, when part of them got to the wining party in Abuja, they became afraid to talk about the issue of restructuring.

Where they are coming from is restructuring, Fayemi, Tinubu, Fasanmi, Osinbajo all of them- it is about restructuring, but unless we restructure the country we cannot move forward.

But because these leaders have joined with conservatives who are not in support, they have to keep quiet. How can you say you don’t want restructuring, like VAT, you collect beer from drinking people and you give it to people who do not want to drink? VAT should be domesticated; you purchase what you have.

Let the LGAs be independent; because that is the genesis of our problems; all this Boko-Haram crisis is because the LGAs are not performing. There must be complete autonomy to local government.

The Southwest cannot wait for the North; part of the problem is that the people who should listen are not listening.

But unless we restructure we would struggle in vain; no hope for Nigeria without restructuring.

Concerns rise over defeated IS as jihadist group poses threats to Nigeria Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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he world most notorious jihadist group- the Islamic State, suffered a heavy defeat over a week ago by a US-backed alliance of Syrian fighters, that dislodged them from Baghouz, their last scrap of territory in Syria bringing an end to the acclaimed ‘’caliphate’’ the terror group proclaimed in 2014 after it captured swaths of territories between Iraq and Syria.

However, Nigerians are worried that the remnants of the Jihadist group may have spilled into the country through its numerous porous borders to link up with the cells they have established in the country in cahoots with the Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to them in 2016, and perhaps use areas in West Africa to regroup and strengthen its terror network in Nigeria.

At the peak of its power, IS controlled 88,000 sq km (34,000 sq miles) of territory stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq. It practised a strict form of sharia and implemented its brutal rule on almost eight million people, within its captured territory, where it generated billion of dollars in revenue from oil, extortion, robbery and kidnapping.

The United States Government has warned that despite the demise of the IS physical caliphate, the group remains a battle-hardened and well-disciplined force whose “enduring defeat” is not assured”.

So the fear that now pervades Nigeria is the sublime ability of the terror group to infiltrate the porous and ungoverned areas of West Africa especially Nigeria, to plot to rejuvenate as new recruits are said to be available for the brand of radicalization of IS. The head of the US military’s Central Command, Gen Joseph Votel, had said in February that it was necessary to maintain “a vigilant offensive against the now largely dispersed and disaggregated IS that retains leaders, fighters, facilitators, resources and the profane ideology that fuels their efforts”.

According to US sources, “Such warnings appeared to persuade President Don-

ald Trump not to withdraw all of the 2,000 US troops from Syria, as he had promised in an announcement in December 2018.

“The militants have access to heavy weapons, and are able to carry out bombings and assassinations throughout the country, according to the US defence department’s inspector general. Their leaders also retain “excellent command and control capability”.

Speaking to BusinessDay on Friday over the IS threats, a public affairs analyst, Katch Ononuju, said the nation’s security agencies must act promptly to the threats and must act on proper intelligence even as he called for the sack of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

“We must act properly on intelligence.

I think the Government should sack the Chief of Army Staff because he has failed to arrest the Boko Haram crisis and he has overstayed. So, if he is not working you bring a new set of people to do the job. For me, the Chief of Army Staff has failed to arrest the Boko Haram, he should be removed and brand new people with intellect should be brought in to do the job,” he said.

Also speaking to BusinessDay on Thursday, April 5, a security analyst, Majeed Dahiru, said Nigerian security forces need to “think ahead and strategically to ensure that the security architecture is tightened enough” to forestall any eventualities.

He lamented that the Nigerian army has become so overtly politicised even as he urged the Government to “professionalise the army and the military in general and reposition them” to ensure that they face these threats.

He however, noted that despite the seeming threat of IS, the terror group may not represent immediate danger to Nigeria more than what the Boko Haram group has been doing in the country, adding that there is a difference in comparison between IS, Boko haram and other terrorist groups.

“Whereas they have a common ideology propelling most of them, there is something unique about IS and that is IS operates only in the countries that are governed by Shiite governments. In es-

sence IS is only fighting the governments of Iraq and Syria.

“If you go back to history of IS as a group, IS is an offshoot of al-Qaida and the insurgency movement led by Abu Musab Al-zaqawi during the invasion of Iraq by the United states and it was an uprising mostly by the Suni population of Iraq against the Shiite government that was installed then and backed by the United States.

“Now IS is an offshoot of that movement and if you recall, IS actually started when the former Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri- al Maliki was having a lot of problems with most of his the Suni people that led to the exile of the former President of Iraq and his subsequent resignation and that was when the uprising in Syria started.

So Syria and Iraq have one thing in common that is Shiite leadership and they are backed by Iran,” he said.

Majeed said further that ordinarily IS does not have a global jihad outlook even though it appeals to global form recruitment.

He explained further that in essence Nigeria is not likely to see IS fighters spilling into Nigeria because IS is not active in any other country apart from Syria and Iraq unlike al-Qaida, which is active in Saudi Arabia, the Maghreb in many other places and even in the West.

“So I don’t see IS fighters coming to Nigeria to fight except on one condition.

If for any reason there is a conflagration between an armed Shiite group that becomes a terrorist group and it appears there is a conflict between the two groups that is Suni and Shiite in Nigeria, IS will come in full force because their focus is on Shiism and Suni dichotomy “Therefore we are not likely to see ISIS coming in large numbers to help Boko Haram. As a matter of fact Boko Haram has enough fighting men in Nigeria and negbouring countries because the strain of radicalization is still going on because the ingredients that contribute to radicalise many people is still happening unchecked.

So Boko Haram may not really depend on IS in terms of men and even finance. IS appears global but it was a localized issue in reality because there is no direct threat from a rival armed group,” he said.

NASS leadership tussle: APC on another political suicide...

Continued from Page 16 to Niger state.

“We as a government will do everything humanly possible, both in morale support and otherwise, to ensure this position comes to Niger State”, he said.

Also, dismissing the workability of the APC anointing Lawan and Gbajabiamila, Timothy Goulu, House Member from Plateau argued that, “when Jonathan wanted Mulikat, the members voted for Tambuwal; when Buhari wanted Femi Gbajabiamila, the same thing happened.

This time around, they are going to do the same thing to shoot the candidate of the presidency out.

“They would have kept quiet. Coming out to do this thing was even the worst of strategy for the APC. They have exposed themselves. The way I see it, the candidacy of Ahmed Lawal and Femi Gbajabiamila are dead on arrival”.

In the same vein, a group of veteran and present legislators under the auspices of Faculty Board of Initiative has called on memberselect to jettison party and religious sentiments in choosing their Presiding Officers.

According to Eseme Eyibo, Dean of the Faculty Board of Initiative, stressed that “the principle of zoning originates from zoning as a mechanism to redress perceived injustice and if zoning is intended to address perceived injustice, the justice of it is the preservation of the constitution and the separation of powers. That is the justice of it. You do not need to zone to a vacuum you zone to where there exist the capacity.

“There has to be a leadership recruitment process premised on certain qualities and these qualities must be the issues of the core values of the institution, acceptability and ability to galvanized the overall interest of the membership of the House of Representatives as represented by powers vested in it in according accordance with

section 4(1) of the Constitution”.

“We have stated the issues of the parameters for who should fit into it and we have made it very clear that for those of us who are conversant with the history of the House of Representatives from Ghali Umar Na’Abba to Bankole, to Tambuwal and Dogara, something is very consistent in this leadership.

“The issue of working together for the interest of members, the issue of acceptability, the issue of assertion of the theory of separation of powers, and of course, the issue of the independence of the legislature.

“Whoever is expected to be the first among equals in the preservation and protection of the rule of law via the legislature must be somebody who is acceptable, who has a standard of behaviour, that will be able to carve a nexus between the governed and government, that will also become a bridge where there will be less conflict within and without”.

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Interview ‘Inadequate funding remains major problem of Nigerian universities’ Ibidapo Isaac, assistant lecturer at Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, in this interview with JONATHAN ADEROJU speaks on quality of education in Nigeria; need for adequate staffing and funding. Excerpts:

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hat is your take on inadequate funding of Nigerian universities?

It is without doubt that the university system in Nigeria is underfunded and it should be noted that the problem of lack of funds is the major influencer of other challenges presently faced by the university system. The brunt of this problem is particularly borne by the government-owned universities whose main source of finance is the government.

Funds from the government make up almost 80 percent of their total revenue. The problem of inadequate funding as resulted in many universities having poorly equipped laboratories, deplorable student hostels and staff offices alike.

A conducive environment for learning as well as the provision of globally competitive educational facilities is essential in strategically positioning our universities to produce high quality graduates who will in turn help drive the holistic prosperity of our nation. The issue of diversification of the Nigerian economy though often spoken about must be vigorously pursued as this would generate more income for the government and as such make more money available to be allocated to the educational sector. The solution here to inadequate funding should be that thorough research should be carried out to formulate policies on the best possible way

to fund the universities given our peculiarities as a nation.

How can understaffing and poor quality of teaching staff be reduced?

The problem of inadequate funding of universities will inadvertently result in the inability of universities to employ an adequate number academic staffs. A consequence of this is that few available lecturers are often overworked and this in turn negatively impacts their productivity as they become too occupied to spend quality time in developing lecture materials. Hence, the students are given neither quality time nor in-depth information in each of their courses. More often than not, the curriculum is not fully covered. Furthermore, the quality of lecturers ultimately determines the quality of education in any university.

Therefore the issue of quality must be nonnegotiable when it comes to the recruitment of lecturers in the university.

Proper quality assurance measures should be integrated into recruitment processes for lecturers as only quality lecturers can effectively transmit expected knowledge as documented in the curriculum.”

How do you think government can end the problem of incessant strike in the tertiary institutions?

Over the years, government owned Nigerian universities have been dogged with series of strike actions primarily over staff unpaid wages or the failure of the government to up-

Ibidapo Isaac

hold some sort of agreement previously reached with labour unions representing academic or non-academic staffs of the university. Often, these strike actions result in the total stoppage of academic activities in universities. This has the following attendant consequences: Abrupt disruption of the understanding students have been building up on courses, Lecturers are unable to follow through with their teaching plan for their respective courses, Curriculum of courses are likely not to be covered thereby creating a knowledge void in the students, Disruption of the academic calendar and so on. Clearly these are undesirable outcomes and can only

negatively impact the quality of education in the university.

Therefore if truly the Nigerian government is serious about improving the university system, then the all should be done to put banish the issue of strike actions to the past.”

How will giving the Academia a prominent role help in influencing government policies?

The greatest inventions that have shaped human history and existence as well as policies that have immensely improved the living conditions of mankind have mostly arisen from the academia. Hence, various forum and avenues that would ensure that the academia is integrally involved in

the formulation of government policies should be developed and sustained.

Also, the government should be actively involved in discovering and financing exceptional intellectual products in the form of inventions and ideas of academic scholars.

This would have the dual effect of rewarding academic research as well as encouraging upcoming scholars to strive towards excellence. The university system has a lot of potentials yet to be exploited for the advancement of the country.

The curriculum of many courses being offered in our universities has remained unchanged over the years in spite of the ever changing world realities. This shortchanges our students in that they are not given the appropriate platform upon which to discover current discoveries and happenings in the respective courses. Also, the practical element of various courses should be emphasised as often times we turn out graduates who just know theory but don’t know how those theories are implemented or used in the real world.

There is a problem of inadequate staff development programs: Generally across various universities in the country there aren’t enough staff development programs.

Hence Staffs need to constantly be retrained in order to remain relevant in their respective fields and to have the optimal impact on their students.

Hope rises for sickle cell carriers in Delta as assembly backs establishment of centre Mercy Enoch, Asaba

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here is now high hope for carriers of the sickle cell anemia across Delta State following the passage of a bill that would fast-track the establishment a centre for the education, awareness, treatment and care for the anemia carriers.

The bill also vested the proposed centre, Sickle Cell Center (SCC), with the power to collect, coordinate and distribute data, best practices and findings regarding sickle cell.

The bill tagged ‘State’s SCD Bill 2017, was passed into law by the Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday, less than two months to the end of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s first term in office.

Alphonsus Ojo, chairman, House Committee on Health, said the bill when signed into law will help provide a centre

primarily for the education, awareness, treatment and care of sickle cell carriers.

Ojo who was a co-sponsor of the private member bill, noted that over 60 percent of sickle cell carriers die before the age of 18.

He explained that the disease is preventable, but not curable.

Growing up with sickle cell disease

The lawmaker said the centre would provide support for carriers just as Edith Okowa, the governor’s wife, founded ’05 Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, as a way of reaching to the orphans, those in prison and some medically challenged persons.

He said the first lady had done much by building Sickle

Cell Centers (SCCs) in different LGAs across the state to assist persons living with the disease get treatment and education.

Ojo, who represents Ukwuani Constituency in the house, said when the bill becomes operational, employment would be created through the centre including a board that will manage it. He added that the centre would have a chairman and three members, one each from the three senatorial districts of the state.

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta State is expected to sign the bill into law thereby giving a boost to the 05 Initiative’s vision of saving citizens suffering from various diseases.

Minie Oseji, director, public health, Delta State Ministry of Health, had sometime disclosed that sickle cell carriers are among pregnant mothers who access the state’s free maternal health-care but because their treatments were not factored into the guideline of

the free maternal health care, they sometimes die when they could not afford to provide the drugs needed.

He made the disclosure at a second quarterly review meeting on community audit on maternal and neonatal deaths, held in Asaba, adding that the state already had 14 SCD centers. She added that the establishment of SCD in every LG would help clients access needed care and prevent such deaths as care for them in the already established centers were offered free.

Oseji during the World SCD remarked, “As we celebrate World Sickle Cell Day, we also celebrate the right to quality reproductive health services for all our sickle cell patients and clients”. She encouraged patients to join the sickle cell clubs nearest to them so that information on how to manage their conditions in all situations including pregnancy would be given to them.

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Feature

Why the local eateries are disappearing amid foreign brands’ incursion While pioneers of the quick service restaurants, popularly known as fast food restaurants, seem to be struggling or shutting down, a few foreign brands in the country are enjoying good patronage, observe OBINNA EMELIKE and BUNMI BAILEY.

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hen Mr.Bigg’s opened its first restaurant on No. 51 Marina Street, Lagos in 1986, it was greeted with fanfare by patrons who thronged the eatery for a taste of the difference it brought to bear in food business on Lagos Island where ‘mama-put’, local food vendors, held sway.

Though only a limited menu of pastries; beef, chicken and apple pies, sausage rolls, doughnuts and beef burgers was available then, a far cry from the extensive menu on offer today, yet the restaurant was always fully booked.

The long queue that often snaked out of the restaurant was a testimony to the huge patronage then. As well, the popularity was so huge that the restaurant became a spot for those who wanted to impress their lovers, and for family outings.

The pressure on the first restaurant eventually resulted in the opening on the second one two years later in 1988, and thereafter, one Mr.Bigg’s restaurant was opened in Lagos and across the country almost every six months.

Following the success story of Mr.Bigg’s, from 1997 more local eatery brands emerged with determined effort to get their share of the fast food business, especially Tantalizers and Tastee Fried Chicken.

While Tantalizers came with local menus, which were in addition to what Mr.Bigg’s offered then, Olayinka Pamela Adedayo, founder of Tastee Fried Chicken, based her restaurant, starting from her first location in Surulere Lagos, on the business model of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), the American fast food chicken restaurant where she had previously worked as a manager.

As well, the likes of Chicken Republic, Sweet Sensation, Mama Cass, Kilimanjaro, among others joined the scramble for customers.

Today, the scramble is not as hot as it used to be as Nigeria’s Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) is no longer the goldmine it used to be in the late 80s. While operators in the business had swell time and opened more restaurants even at fuel refilling stations across the country in the heyday of the business spanning over two decades, today more restaurants are closing than the ones opening, though with the exception of foreign brands.

As at today, over 70 percent of Mr.Bigg’s opened at Mobil filling stations and many of the Tastee Fried Chicken restaurants inside Oando’s service stations are closed due to lack of patronage, making the brands and franchisees to sit on heavy revenue losses.

At some point in its recurring loss record at the capital market, Tantalizers, which posted a dismal performance in the market, planned to undertake a sale-and-lease back arrangement on some of its unfettered assets with a view to raising about N1billion working capital. This was after it experienced 86 percent increase in net loss in 2013.

The effort achieved little in getting Tantalizers back on the path of profitability and same with Mr.Bigg’s. In September 2013, UAC sold a 49-percent

Some brands need to constantly innovate because of the kind of services or products they offer and the quick service restaurant falls into that category. All they need to be in business is to periodically introduce something new in terms of recipes, products, services and even presentations

stake in its restaurant businesses, which includes the Mr.Bigg’s chain, to Famous Brands, a South African-listed company.

At the close of the deal, Kevin Hedderwick, CEO, Famous Brands, said Mr.Bigg’s had an extensive onthe-ground presence and huge loyal customer base, demonstrated by the 100,000 consumers who visit the brand’s restaurants daily.

Today, Famous Brands, the South African dining and fast-food giant, may be regretting the deal as some of Mr.Bigg’s 165 franchised restaurants in 32 cities across Nigeria and Ghana are still closing today because of low patronage.

Beyond Mr.Bigg’s, every other indigenous eatery brand is facing similar challenges. The prevailing harsh economic climate and poor management, among other issues, have led most of the brands to shutdown some of their outlets across Nigeria.

On a visit to a Sweet Sensation outlet in Lagos, the manager who spoke anonymously said that the restaurant was struggling and that it was not as good as before due to competition from other quick service restaurants, especially foreign brands.

The scene at Mr.Bigg’ Ogba tells Continues on page 34

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Feature Why the local eateries are disappearing...

Continued from page 33

the story better. As at the time of visit, around 12:30 pm, the restaurant was quiet with few customers and one salesperson. Without much inquiry, it was obvious that the menu was still the same, prices increased and presentation poor, hence customers look for trendy brands and outlets.

When asked possible reasons for the low turnout of customers, an anonymous staff whose salary may be at stake, attributed it to management’s inability to listen to customers, rebrand and spice the menu from time to time.

However, Michael Echeme, a serial investor, and a former franchisee of Mr.Bigg’s, blamed the ugly development on the choice of business partners and business model adopted by most of the indigenous eatery brands.

“Most indigenous brands still run as one-man business, hence cannot adopt policies and corporate governance that can attract viable investors, grow the business and reduce the risk they have been bearing alone”, he said.

In the case of Mr.Bigg’s, Echeme noted that while most of other food outlets are fully managed by their respective owners, Mr. Bigg’s went the way of franchise, when time was not ripe for such in the Nigerian fast IRRG७PDUNHW௷७७6R௵७LW७ȵRRGHG७WKH७PDUket with lots of franchisees who were after quick return on their investment and hardly maintain their outlets or comply with the regulations of the franchise owner.

EmeOnuma, a manager of an eatery outlet on Awolowo Way, Ikoyi, Lagos, noted that even when the business model is right and the franchisees comply with all the regulations, the high cost of operation is a major reason eateries are closing down.

“Our external auditors always query the cost of running and maintaining the generators. About 30 percent of WKH७ SURȴW७ IURP७ P\७ EUDQFK७ JRHV७ LQWR७ power generation and maintenance.

In such case, an impatient owner, who smells fraud will close down the outlet and invest in more viable business”,

Onuma said.

In same vein, Bola Akande, a manger of a Chicken Republic outlet in Ikeja decried the crazy electricity bills, noting that the Ikeja Distribution Company prefers estimated bills against the prepaid that will checkmate their expenses.

She lamented the multiple taxes from almost every constituted authority in Lagos and some federal agencies. “We pay over 10 taxes from local government, state and federal. Most of the taxes are duplicates of same tax, but paid to different bodies or agencies. Imagine three health taxes in Lagos alone”, she disclosed.

But she could not defend the serving of leftover products by some eateries.

While she tries to defend the industry, Munir Ahmed, a banker who prefers local mama-put, said the eateries failed to rebrand and refresh their menu and even décor over a long time. “We are in a fast-paced world where changes even in eating habit, choice of restaurant and menu take place every moment. People will throng any new eatery to sample its menu. If the quality and service are high, they will stay. They will move if the restaurant remains same after some time. It is normal”, Ahmed explained.

For Ahmed, Mr.Bigg’s lost many customers when Tantalizers came up with local menus, as well, Tantalizers lost more customers when it couldn’t sustain the local menus or refresh them afterwards. But all the local brands lost over 40 percent of their customers to foreign brands that came with innovative and improved menu offerings.

Muyiwa Kayode, a Lagos-based brand expert, said the misfortune of the local eateries was because they all failed to innovate.

“Some brands need to constantly innovate because of the kind of services or products they offer and the quick service restaurant falls into that category. All they need to be in business is to periodically introduce something new in terms of recipes,

products, services and even presentations”, he said.

Innovation for him does not mean that you should change what your brand stands for but constantly making it relevant to your audience.

“Even if you are not introducing a new product, you can offer your existing product in a new way so that people do not switch off”, he concluded.

Monica Yakur, a dietician with Lagos University Teaching Hospital, noted that the trouble with eateries in Nigeria started with more campaigns on quality healthcare, especially against junk food over the decade. “With more children becoming obsessed, diabetes and other sugar-related diseases on the rise, and several accusations of using unsafe recipes in their menu, eateries suffered heavy blows and revenue declined,” she said.

“Before, young couples thronged eateries just for the fun of it and not necessarily for eating out, today, many are conscious of the harm an extra cube of sugar in a bottle of Coca Cola or sweetener in an apple juice can cause”, she explained, insisting that eateries are beginning to offer healthy food menu to lure back adult customers.

But the bigger trouble for the local eateries is the incursion by wellknown foreign brands. They come with different menus, better presentation/campaigns, trendier facilities, better management and maintenance culture.

The foreign brand with the most impact is KFC, which has the biggest reach across the continent out of international brands with 771 outlets.

Now the likes of Domino, Debonairs Pizza are joining forces with KFC to lure more Nigerians to dine at their outlets.

The popularity of the foreign brands at a time when many outlets of the local ones are closing down is because they tailored their products to local tastes and have added popular local ingredients. The Cold Stone ice

cream by Domino is luring many back to eateries.

As well, Domino’s innovative pizza topped with Jollof rice and suya is a sellout at all Domino’s stores in Nigeria. In same vein, KFC offers jollof rice-inspired dish that adds to its tasty chicken offering.

The intrigue for many is that despite the high prices of the offerings at the outlets of these foreign brands, Nigerians still throng them to have a taste of the foreign menu.

Some attribute it to the fad for foreign things.

But while the local eateries take the heat, there seems to be a few that are standing up to the competition and incursion of foreign brands. Kilimanjaro, which has over 20 outlets, is growing because of its fresh local menu and trendy appeal to customers.

For EbeleEnunwa, the founder of the quick service restaurant, the strong point of the brand is its unique offering of local menu. “Nigerians love their local meals. People like the fact WKDW७ WKH\७ FDQ७ ZDON७ LQ७ DQG७ ȴQG७ IRRG७ they grew up on -- food they prepare and eat at home and have grown accustomed to”, he explained.

Another new and ambitious brand is +XEPDUW௷७7KH७RXWȴW௵७ZKLFK७RSHQHG७LQ७ 2015 is combining restaurant offering with grocery just to avoid the pitfall of others on time. So, the attraction for customers is food and grocery at the same place. As well, new local brands such as The Place, Mega Chicken and Jevinik are keeping it trendy and local in order to appeal to those who want it local, trendy and most importantly healthy.

Despite the foreign incursion, there is need to save Nigeria’s Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector because it offers over 800 outlets that are likely going to shutdown if business did not improve, over one million employees that will lose their jobs and over N200 billion, which it contributes annually to the Nigerian GDP will no longer be feasible.

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The Sunday Magazine

How miserable are Nigerians?

O

ZEBULON AGOMUO & OBINNA EMELIKE

n a hot Monday afternoon, a retired civil servant was angry with an apprentice vulcanizer who charged N200 for inflating his flat tyre. He almost went mad when the teenager told him to pack the rickety car if he cannot maintain it again.

It took the intervention of the shop owner to rescue the poor boy from the firm grip of the angry retiree who also accused the boy of insulting him.

Obviously, the retiree was protesting the 100 percent increment by the vulcanizer. Of course, if it takes protests to create awareness of the sufferings ordinary Nigerians are passing through today, then the whole country would be locked down because majority are living from hand to mouth.

In his article published in a national daily last week, Azuka Onwuka, writing on ‘Most miserable countries: Why are we so blessed?’ said: “The news that Nigeria was rated as the sixth most miserable country has been on the lips of many Nigerians since the weekend. As usual, politics was brought into it, as anybody who complains about the unflattering economic situation in Nigeria is tagged an enemy...”

Onwuka wondered, “But do we need outsiders to tell us that something is happening in Nigeria that is affecting the people negatively?”

But the saddest part of it all is that the Federal Government of Nigeria chooses to live in denial of all these. Rather than accept the ratings and take steps to addressing the ills, it is always engaging in unreasonable selfdefense which does not help the country.

About 95 countries were

ranked, with Thailand emerging the least miserable country in the world. Other countries on the top six are Hungary (second), Japan (third), Austria (fourth), China (fifth), and Switzerland (sixth).

Conversely, the top six most miserable countries are Venezuela, Argentina, Iran, Brazil, Turkey and Nigeria. While Thailand got 1.7 points on the Misery Index to emerge the least miserable, Nigeria got 43 points to be the sixth most miserable country, with unemployment being the most contributing factor to Nigeria’s status.

It appears that too many negative things are happening to Nigeria at the same time.

It appears to be on a decline in many facets as virtually all socio-economic indices are in negative. In mid-2018, Brookings Institution ranked Nigeria as having the highest number of people in extreme poverty.

The report said that Nigeria had about 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared to India’s 73million, with six people crossing into extreme poverty every minute.

A few days ago, a global report on food crisis had included Nigeria among countries that suffered most from high levels of food insecurity in the world in 2018.

But truth be told, evidences of suffering and misery are all over the place in Nigeria.

A lawyer recently moved from Surulere, considered highbrow within Lagos mainland, to Igando, a poor suburb in Lagos.

His reason is simply that life in Surulere is now more expensive than he can afford.

As well, the lawyer also moved his three children ages 6, 8 and 11 to cheaper schools around Igando. There are many in the shoes of the lawyer who are now scaling down their lifestyle and adjusting to the realities of our time.

Before the 80s, Nigerians used to travel abroad for studies, with many of them returning to pursue their careers at home.

“Today, the challenge is not that Nigerians emigrate; it is that there is a feeling of uncertainty about the fate of Nigerians living in Nigeria , especially the children. In the past, families

that were financially stable and comfortable preferred to stay in Nigeria and occasionally travel overseas for holidays and business. That has recently changed. These days, people working in high-paying sectors of the economy (like oil and gas, telecommunications and multinationals) take their families to Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and similar countries, abandoning their well-paying jobs in Nigeria. Some take their families out and remain here,” Onwuka noted.

According to him, “What is driving this is fear for the future of their children in Nigeria.

Many people are not sure about the fate of Nigeria and they think it is wise to safeguard the future of their children in a country whose future is more predictable and where the well-being of the children — their education, health and safety — is guaranteed.”

The hardship, which escalated during the 2016 recession, is biting harder even after the economic downtown was said to be “technically over” by man-

agers of the Nigerian economy.

It is rare to hear of people buying new cars nowadays except corporates or the few millionaires, who are getting richer though.

A visit to Car45, dealers in Nigerian used-cars, at Odo-Olowo, along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, tells the story better.

The auto company now offers people opportunity to own cars, though quality in doubt.

Aside Car45, Automania , CarsToday, among others were established during or after the recession because the price of an average Tokunbo; imported used-cars, increased from N1 million to about N3 million due to the devaluation of the naira that saw exchange rate soaring over N400 to $US1 at the wake of the recession.

The much suffering in the land is evident with the way people are now going for Nigerian-used cars, relocating to cheaper neighborhoods, cheaper schools, and cutting on expensive trips, especially holidays abroad.

The foreign airlines are still experiencing huge decline in the patronage of their first and business class tickets, which are mostly popular among some Nigerian passengers who care about status symbol. This Easter, more Nigerians will be visiting local destinations because overseas holiday leaves big hole in one’s pocket nowadays. But many who used to spend the holiday abroad and even those who wish to do so, are incapacitated due to the hardship in the country.

Imagine a father down-grading from the over N11,000 Premium bouquet on DStv to the N4,000 monthly family bouquet just to save money for his children’s school fees.

“It is no longer what the children want, but what I can afford now”, the man says.

‘It’s a miracle that Nigerians are still surviving’

N

BUNMI BAILEY

igeria, Africa’s most populated country, ranked as the sixth most miserable country in the world.

This explains how the average Nigerian is doing economically.

Present ranking reflects Nigeria’s current rising unemployment rate, population rising faster than economic growth rate, insecurity etc.

For the second year in a row, the country maintained the same position in the ‘Misery Index,’ an annual list compiled by Steve Hanke, an economist from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, United States.

The list combines data about a country’s inflation rate, interest

rates, and unemployment. Hanke stated that unemployment was the major cause of Nigeria’s ranking.

Opeyemi Agbaje, CEO, RTC Advisory Services Limited in his opinion attributed the country’s misery to its social indices such as poverty, unemployment, insecurity, traffic congestion, the poor state of housing and poor transport network.

“If you look at these indices, it is a miracle that our people are still surviving given all that they have to go through,” Agbaje explained.

“The state of urban insecurity, violence, police brutality, extortion, insecurity, crime, also the state of social, standard of living and peace of mind is very bad,” Agbaje further said.

The unemployment rate in Nigeria has been on an increase since 2015. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment rose to 23.1 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 7.5 percent in Q1 2015.

With over an estimated population of 190 million, over 20.9 million are without jobs.

Anuoluwapo Adeseun, a digital marketer, asked rhetorically, “Why will we not be miserable?

“It is like we are our own government here. We pay for the social amenities e.g. electricity, fuel, security, in fact, almost everything that the government should be helping us out with,” Adeseun complained.

As if the ranking by Hanke was not bad enough, a 2019 Global

Report on Food Crisis by the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) stated that Nigeria especially the northern part was amongst the top eight countries that faced acute hunger or food crisis in the world in 2018.

It further predicted that the country will continue to experience food crisis in 2019.

Nigeria’s ranking on hunger also coincides with the world poverty clock by Vienna-based World Data Lab which placed the country as the poverty capital of the world with over 87 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty in 2018.

Also, Nigeria was ranked one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and more unsafe than war-torn Libya, according to

the 2018 Global Law and Order Report by the Gallup Poll.

“It is a miracle that Nigerians are still in this miserable state as it can lead to suicide,” Agbaje said.

In 2018, the World Health Organisation published a research that ranked suicide per 100,000 people, per country. Nigeria placed fifth with 15,000 suicides in every 100,000 suicides.

NOIPolls Limited, Nigeria’s leading public opinion polling and research organisation, conducted a poll through Nigerians last year to find out the major causes of death. From the poll, it identified that poverty was the second major cause of death.

According to Hanke, the hu-

Continues on page 37

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BDSUNDAY 36

The Sunday Magazine

‘Nigeria is at the bottom of almost everything’

A

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

s I put on my television set on that fateful Thursday morning, November 8, 2018. Guess who was the special guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily? It was Pat Utomi, who at that time was a governorship aspirant in Delta State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was Utomi’s thought on that morning that struck me.

He was not only speaking on the state of the nation, but also he said something very significant, which was: “We (Nigerians) are expecting the hand of God to fix things. Nigeria is the most miserable place to live on the planet right now. Check every indicator. Nigeria is at the bottom of almost everything.”

Utomi noted that “A lot of Nigerians are suffering because the nation is being mismanaged by its elite political class. We are not surviving; millions of people are hungry and dying out there. Everywhere in Nigeria is a war zone. If we do not fix this, we are dealing with an existential crisis.”

Four months after Utomi shared his thought, Steve Hanke, an economist from John Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, hit the nail on the head, by ranking Nigeria as the sixth most miserable country in the world.

On hearing about this report by a US-based economist, my heart raced back to a terrible incident that occurred in Lagos late last year, when it was reported on October 3, 2018 that a middle-aged man drowned after reportedly jumping into the Lagos Lagoon in the early hours of Tuesday October 2.

The report has it that the deceased jumped into the lagoon after trekking on the Third Mainland Bridge inwards Lagos Island, where official statement at that time attributed the deceased action to “frustration”.

Barely one month after that terrible incident, exactly on November 2, 2018 another man was reported to have j u m p e d i n t o La g o s l a g o o n from the same Third Mainland Bridge. This was not the end to suicide in Nigeria as several other incidents of people committing suicide by hanging were reported in the media in the year 2018.

Since it has been established through research and scientifically collected data that Nigeria is truly a miserable place to live, the big question now is how miserable are Nigerians?

Take your mind back to 2016, when Nigeria’s currency, naira , recorded its worst weakness in 17 year on a row.

At that time, Nigerians for the first time saw a situation where one dollar was sold at over N500/$ in the black market.

Being an import-dependent economy, so many Nigerians, mostly importers, were using high number of naira to go after limited number of dollar.

This created several economic crises as the economy also slowed into recession.

Then, several manufacturing companies, which at that time depended on import for their critical production input, could not cope and most of them were forced out of the market.

What next? Thousands of Nigerians were laid off, thereby, compounding the number of those Nigerians that were unemployed. The sad side of this narrative was that those who retained their jobs at that time and even up till today, also got salary cut and all these contributed to cutting down consumers’ spending. Many Nigerians were forced to learn careful spending including how not to spend on things that are not very essential.

This was only for those who could still boast of either daily wages or monthly salaries. It did not end. Many low income earners inherited loads of responsibilities from numerous dependants especially from the extended family members heavily hit by the economic crisis in the country.

Tim Adedoyin, a retiree, said: “Presently, many families in Nigeria find it extremely difficult to eat a decent meal on a daily basis.”

Adedoyin, who emphatically agreed with Hanke’s report on Nigeria , said he recently conducted a survey with the United Nations in which 153 out of a total of 160 families living in the Surulere area of

Lagos, said they have not eaten ‘chicken’ in six months.

“They have not eaten chicken not because they do not want to but because they could not afford it,” Adedoyin said.

According to him, a recent research also reviewed that 76 million out of the 180 million Nigerians live in houses without toilet facilities, while another survey conducted by him reveals that 10 families put together, can hardly afford the sum of N50,000 as their monthly feeding allowances.

“Nigeria is truly a miserable country. The climate condition is always extremely hot and

‘

Presently, many families in Nigeria find it extremely difficult to eat a decent meal on a daily basis

unbearable, yet, you cannot get to your house after the day’s hustling and bustling that characterised life in Lagos, to even see electricity to have a sound sleep with your fans switched on.

“Power supply in this part of the world is still very unreliable as small and medium businesses run at a loss due to the heavy spending on diesel and fuel for power generation,” Adedoyin said while he heaved a sigh and shrugged.

Oluseyi Afolabi, an engineer by profession, said: “We lack basic infrastructure especially power.”

“A lot of people are running generators which make the cost of doing business very high. This is why the citizens are paying more for services because the service providers are spending monies that they should not be spending only on generating power to keep their businesses operational,” Afolabi said.

Pointing to a nearby generating set, which at that time was on and making heavy noise, Afolabi frowned and says, “Diesel is about N250 to N260 per liter and using that to generate power is like burning N250 per seconds and the only way to recoup such cost is by imposing the cost on the consumers. Goods and services are much higher than imported products.”

Afolabi further said: “The manufacturers here have to spend a lot of money generating power. So, we lack the basic infrastructure of power and roads. Our road networks are horrible such that even to transport the agricultural produce from the rural areas to urban areas becomes an issue because most of them get wasted on the road because

trucks get trapped on the bad roads.”

“Our health care system is also horrible. If the health care provider buys any equipment and without constant power, they get damaged in no time while we do not even have the needed equipment in most government-owned hospitals.

For me, we lack the basic infrastructure to even call ourselves a developing nation. I am tired of talking about Nigeria,” Afolabi further said, resignedly.

Jonathan Nicol, president of Shippers Association of Lagos State, simply said: “Our system is dead.”

According to him, “Nigeria is the only country where a citizen buys a car in his country to travel to his village, only for an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service to stop the person on the highway and arrest the car in the name of ‘not paying the correct duty’.”

“Nigeria is no doubt a miserable country to do business,” he said. “Do you know that transportation cost for moving goods from ports in Lagos to our warehouses, which we today pay as much as N600,000 to carry 25 to 30 tonnes of goods, used to be N60 in the 80s? Those days, we used to operate both day and night which was N120 because we were working for 24 hours.

“It took less than four or five hours to clear a whole vessel because the roads were free. Then, we had security but today there is no security and you cannot go to Ikeja and come back the same day or even make a roundtrip in a day.

These are all the decay in the system and the people making money are not the shippers but the government agencies and they want to keep the status quo to safeguard their jobs,” Nicole lamented.

“The Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) says they will keep the withholding tax till when you want to pay income tax. It says companies can use part of it but you must pay the 5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT). Meanwhile, FIRS is still holding your 10 percent, which would have taken care of the 5 percent but no. they rather allow it to continue to build up with their receipts for so many years.

“This is after paying about 25 percent to the government as 5 percent VAT paid repeatedly on one import to Customs, shipping companies, terminal operator, licensed agent and another 5 percent to NAFDAC, if it is goods that need certification amounting to 20 percent on VAT alone. “So, businesses and shippers are in hell in this country. And this is just a tip of eyes berg to the misery of businesses in Nigeria,” Nicol said.

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BDSUNDAY 37

The Sunday Magazine

How unplanned cities and urbanisation contribute to human misery

W

CHUKA UROKO

hen Okafor Ofoegbu left his village in the Eastern part of Nigeria for Lagos, the country’s sprawling city and commercial capital, he did so with high optimism, thinking that the city was the answer to the many unanswered questions about life and living that forced him out of his place of birth.

It is believed that the city is a land of opportunities and Ofoegbu had no doubt about that, hence, he told himself that he must, on coming to the city, tap into these opportunities, position himself properly by getting something doing, earn income, build a house and set up a family.

But coming to the city was a great eye-opener for Ofoegbu because there and then it dawned on him that the grass is always greener from afar; that perception is always different from reality. This is Nigeria where cities are unplanned and so, life and living are not only difficult, but also stressful, tortuous and miserable.

In advanced economies of the world, when cities grow and urbanisation rises, they usually do so with economic growth and wellbeing, improved living standards for the people, and increased prospects for job and wealth creation.

But, in Africa, when cities grow and urbanisation follows, they come as liabilities chiefly because cities are not planned. Expectation is that, in about 15 years to come, unless something happens to check it, city population will double its current figure of about 65 percent of the continent’s total population.

In Nigeria, because the cities

Continued from page 35 man condition inhabits a vast continuum between “miserable” and “happy and the most surefire way to mitigate that misery is economic growth.

“All else equal, happiness tends to blossom when growth is strong, inflation and interest rates are low, and jobs are plentiful,” Hanke further said.

Before the country experienced recession in 2016, its GDP growth rate was growing at 7.9 percent in 2010. The major drivers or contributors were Agriculture, Building and construction, trade and services But when recession hit the country in 2016 due to a development triggered by dwindling government revenue occasioned by the fall in oil prices in the international market and unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, it

are not planned, city-dwellers have to contend with congestion at home and on the road. People live in shanties in overcrowded areas, and commute in over-loaded vehicles driving on roads that are in very poor conditions. All these are sources of suffering and stress that weigh people down physically and mentally.

Though misery is an off-shoot of many unfavourable human conditions, it is almost always linked to poverty and suffering.

Of the many sorrows of life that include the anguish of death, the torture of poverty, the pain of alienation and betrayal by loved and cherished ones, Bertha M. Clay, an English writer, contends that none is as heart rending as the misery of long suffering.

In Nigeria misery is a native. It lives and thrives in many homes

which is why there is protestation, in many quarters, that the recent ranking of Nigeria as the 6th most miserable country in the world is incorrect because, given the reality on ground, the country ought to have been ranked number 1.

Steve Hanke, an economist from John Hopkins University, United States, in the 2018 Misery Index report, ranked Nigeria among the top miserable countries of the world, citing unemployment, poor access to bank loans, among others.

But, both experience and findings have shown that poor human conditions, very common in unplanned cities, are major sources of misery in Africa as a whole and Nigeria in particular. Nigerians, whether in the city or in the rural areas, live miserable lives.

Those in the cities, especially Lagos, seem to suffer more. Lagos is urbanising rapidly. This is not an economic asset which it is supposed to be because it is happening in a largely unplanned city.

It is estimated that about 60 percent of the urban city dwellers in Africa lives in slums and Nigeria has a large share of this percentage. Lagos, which is the country’s largest commercial city, has nine identified slum areas including Ijora Badia, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Okokomaiko, Orile, among others and over 70 percent of the city’s 20 million people live in these slum areas.

Abuja, the federal capital city, also has a number of growing slum areas like Kuje, Kubwa, Nyanya and others.

Majority of the people in these urban slums live on dollar

‘It’s a miracle that Nigerians... affected economic activities and productivity in the country.

It exited recession in 2017 which grew at 0.83 percent due to the recovery in global oil prices, but since then growth has been sluggish. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the economy grew by 1.98 percent in 2018. Despite recovery from recession, the fragile growth in the economy has failed to improve the purchasing power in the economy.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Nigeria’s per capita income data indicates a rise from $2,365 in 2010 to $2,582 in 2011 and a further rise to $3,268 in 2014.

It shed to $2,763 in 2015. By 2017, Nigeria’s income per capita fell by 10.7 percent to $1,994, from $2,207 recorded in 2016.

But Inflation commonly known as consumer price index has moderated to 11.44 percent in December 2018 from 15.1 percent in January.

The country’s lending rate which is officially known as the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) remained unchanged at 14 percent since July 2016 and this is considered high. But last month, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), cut the rate by 50 basis points to 13.5 percent.

“The reason is not farfetched; it stills boils down to the fact that the pace of recovery since we entered recession in 2016 has been very much low and that is why we have not seen the impact in the real sectors of the economy,” Gbolahan Ologunro, an equity

research analyst at Lagos-based CSL Stockbrokers, said.

Venezuela was top on the list of the misery ranking due to the economic woes which have plagued the country for years. Sluggish oil prices, the country’s only significant export, have fuelled a crisis that has left grocery store shelves empty, hospitals without basic medication and rampant violent crime as desperation leads to anger. Thailand emerged as the least miserable; thanks to its low inflation and low unemployment.

Economic experts have suggested ways that can help reduce the country’s misery and make it amongst the happiest in the world.

“It all boils down to the Nigeria government getting radical about the state of the economy by embarking on the right policies and

a day. Their sources of livelihood are mainly at the city centres where they serve as domestic servants to the very few rich who live there. Others are midincome workers whose places of work are also at the city centres.

From these slums they commute to their various places of work and businesses at the city centre, spending quality hours on traffic, enduring stress, getting weak and sick, in some cases, and ultimately miserable even before getting to their work places.

Every morning, people from Okokomaiko, Ajegunle, Agege, etc are seen milling out and snaking their way to Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Lekki or Victoria Island where they work, and repeat the same process in the evening on their way back. The same thing happens in Abuja where every early morning residents from Nyanya, Kuje, Kubwa and even Suleja in the neighbouring Niger State file out like ants to their offices at the city centre and come back the same way in the evening.

All these are sources of stress, coupled with the fact that many of these residents have no access to electricity and clean water.

They go home to either endure the cacophonous noises of generators or sweat their way into sleep for the night.

An official of the UN-Habitat, therefore, advises that governments at all levels should improve the city, bearing in mind that improving the city means improving the economy and the human person, thus creating chances of people getting more jobs.

Promoters of upcoming cities should, therefore, reflect modern city development that incorporates living, working and leisure.

reforms to increase production, employment and reduce poverty,” Agbaje said.

Ayodeji Ebo, MD, Afrinvest Securities Limited, suggested that the Petroleum Industry Governance bill be passed and more efforts towards attracting private investments through the review of the Public Private Partnership Act that guarantees enforcement of contract should be enforced.

Earlier last week, President Muhammadu Buhari through his Media Group (BMO) said that the country’s misery ranking is not a true reflection of the situation in the country.

“The rating did not take into account recent innovation introduced by the Buhari-led Federal Government before arriving at their position,” the group said.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

SundayBusiness Desirable changes in processed foods for manufacturers Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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he aim of manufactures of processed foods is to satisfy the variegated demands of consumers.

This is in terms of nutritional needs and the qualities of colour, flavour, taste and texture.

The truth however, is that the processing of foods involves series of actions aimed at changing the above- stated attributes from their natural forms to a preservable state. Yet, such alterations should not be so much as to constitute health hazards to the consumers.

The alterations must also-conform with quality control standards set by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. It is the quest to meet with increasing sophistication in the taste of consumers of processed foods that new brands of existing products are being introduced into

market almost on yearly basis. Over the years, the re-launch of top brands such as Peak milk (1,2,3, Peak at 50, Peak tea), indomie noodles, malt, Guinness stout, Star lager beer, Heineken and maggi stand as good examples .

Expending on the food being processed, physical factors such as pressure, heat and water may be added or reduced. Precise holding time, temperatures and concentrations of the food ingredients are kept to specification along the processing line. Chemical additives are added to guarantee the quality of colour, flavor, taste and texture as well as to ensure long shelf life. For fermentation, certain microbes like yeasts, bacteria and molds are added to achieve the desired end-product.

Let us consider some of those changes: Staling in bread Bread becomes hard after a day or two as it loses both its crispness and elasticity. This is called staling. It is due to the internal, spontaneous heat reversible aggregation of the amylopectin or the beta-fraction of the starch at temperatures below 50 degrees Centigrade(C).

This makes it to lose its waterbinding capacity. It leads to the rapid hardening, or rope development which causes the shrinkage of the starch away the gluten skeleton.

Browning in baked products Br o w n i n g , a s t h e n a m e suggests, is the change of the colour of processed food to brown.

These brown chemicals called melonodinesormelaninsareformed especially during the baking of

starchy foods. Browning is desirable in bread, biscuits, doughnuts as well as tea beverages like cocoa and coffee because it has the combined qualities of attractive colour and flavour.

H o w e v e r, b r o w n i n g i s undesirable when it occurs in injured tissues during cuttings, bruising or diseases of yams and starchy tissues.

It does take place during the freezing of dairy or milk products. Browning of flours is also undesirable, thus bleaching is applied to achieve the white colour.

Browning is of two types, namely Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic (Maillard or melanodin). Enzymatic browning is the oxidation of phenols by poly-phenolases or phenolases.

Gelatinisation of starchy foods This is the swelling of starch at 50 degrees Centigrade and if more heat is applied, there is pronounced swelling at 70 degrees. The softening of starch at this temperature is due to the breakage of the hydrogen bond leading to the loss of birefringence or crystallinity. The temperatures at which this takes placed differ for various starch foods. For cereals (rice, maize, sorghum, wheat and barley) it is about 60oC. This is higher than for tubers like yam and root crops (cassava) which is at about 80oC. Gelatinisation is desired by food processors especially in the making of industrial starch, and the making of dough for bread and biscuits. It is also needed by home makers in the preparation of amala, fufu, akpu and eba. Gelatinisation of starch also precedes dehydration in the making of flours, custard, Quaker oats and

corn-flakes.

Gel formation in starchy foods When gelatinised starch is allowed to settle undisturbed, with the lowering of temperature and addition of chemicals a semi-solid state forms. This takes place in pap (ogi or akamu). It makes starch applicable as thickener for textiles, gravies, emulsifier for ice cream, as food emulsion, as a water-retaining agent for jellies and builders in cornbeef.

During gel-formation water becomes free. It is no more bound through the 3- dimensional structure of the hydrogen bonding. Normally, gel-formation affects the amylose (the unbranched fraction of starch).

But common table salt or sodium chloride is added to prevent gel formation where it is not required.

Case Hardening is the hardening of the surface of gelled starch if left for long before consumption or use.

Ityouleaveamala,ogi,akpuandeven pounded yam exposed for some hours case hardening takes place. It is due to the migration or movement of water molecules to the surface and loss by evaporation.

The temperature difference between the inner part of the gelled starch and the surface, as well as between the surface and the atmosphere encourage case hardening. But if it is high casehardening it is not desirable to the food processor. That is why restaurant owners cover such starchy foods like amala, pounded yam and akpu with cellophone to retain their freshness for hours and prevent case hardening.

Rancidity of fatty foods The flat taste of unpreserved oil and fats due to a chemical changes is called rancidity. It comes about by the auto-oxidation of the double bond of unsaturated fats (20 – 24C) through a free radical chain reaction. This involves the three stages of initiation, propagation and termination of the free radicals.

Peroxides, aldehydes and organic acids are formed giving the rancid flavor. Rancidity is of two types, namely oxidative (caused by oxidation) and Ketonic (caused by micro-organisms). Rancidity is accelerated by heat, light, moisture and the presence of copper, nickel and iron.

To prevent it therefore, fats and oils should be stored with the addition of anti-oxidants and kept in cool, dark places, in the absence of copper, nickel and iron. Rancidity is of great concern to vegetable oil companies. Vegetable oil comes from palm nut, palm kernel, melon, cotton seed, coconut, cowpeas, bean seed, sunflower, oil beans, groundnuts and soya beans. They are used in the making of butter, margarine, palm oil and cakes.

Fermentation of sugars Bread, beer, wine, vinegar, cheese and oriental foods are produced by the breakdown of glucose, a simple sugar, in solution by yeasts, bacteria, molds or a combination of these microbes in the absence of oxygen (anaerobically).

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

LG to focus on smart home benefits at InnoFest 2019 Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

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G electronics is preparing to showcase its revolutionary ThinQ technology and the power of Artificial Intelligence in home appliances at InnoFest 2019, South-East Asia’s largest innovation festival, happening in Singapore.

An annual event, InnoFest gives distribution and retail partners, as well as media the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with LG’s latest technologies. This year, LG is placing key focus on communicating the power of smart technology to make life simpler and more efficient, with its array of AI-equipped appliances.

Over the past few years, LG has been fine-tuning its research and design, introducing a range of products that have truly redefined how consumers navigate their daily lives.

For the kitchen, the LG InstaView refrigerator aims to be a complete lifestyle aid. From weather forecasts for the day ahead to compiling shopping lists, the InstaView is designed with the whole family in mind. When a cook is unsure of what to make for dinner, they simply need to select an item from the refrigerator and choose a recipe using its touchscreen interface. For those with entire integrated smart kitchens,

ThinQ technology can also enable the chosen recipe to communicate with an LG smart oven and set it to the correct pre-heating temperature.

LG says its TWINWash washing machines provide users with the ability to clean their clothes with greater speed, using two cycles simultaneously. With the use of LG’s Smart ThinQ mobile application, homeowners can operate their washing machines from the comfort of their sofa, or even whilst on-the-go. When heading to the shops, they can also see detergent levels and ensure they are always in full supply.

LG ThinQ technology brings deep learning to everyday household products. Appliances are enabled with the ability to learn a user’s habits and tastes over time, for better integration and peace-ofmind. LG ThinQ identifies when its user has scheduled a morning run into their calendar and can communicate with the TWINWash to program the washing machine to the ‘gym clothes’ setting upon their arrival.

Also on display at InnoFest will be the LG PuriCare air purifier. With its Clean Booster technology, it can remove dust up 74 percent faster than conventional air purifiers and introduce clean air up to 7.5 meters away. According to the company, the purpose of the PuriCare is to not only provide a feeling of cleanliness, but to

also absorb pollutants and fine dust in order to create healthier environments. The Smart ThinQ application can also provide live updates on overall air cleanliness to help users recognize when their home needs a refresh.

“LG ThinQ technology also provides appliances with a selfdiagnosis platform. This means that

appliances are able to notify users well in advance and also relay key information to a local call center for faster repairs.”

“As part of its premium LG SIGNATURE brand, Innofest attendees will also gain an exclusive look at the world’s first rollable OLED TV. The LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R combines the company’s

industry-leading OLED technology with innovations in engineering to offer a unique unit that is able to seamlessly blend into a range of spaces, due to its flexible nature.

With integrated digital assistants, including Amazon Alexa, users can control their TVs and pick their favorite shows simply by using their voice,” the company revealed.

L-R: Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC, Olusola Esan; Principal, NYSC Secondary School, Birnin, Kebbi State, Mary Akpoyibo; Zonal Head, North West Zone, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Bala Shehu; Program Manager, Junior Achievement Nigeria, Mr. Ugonna Achebe; and Branch Manager, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Birnin,Osita Imediegwu; during the bank’s commemoration of 2019 Global Money Week and Financial Literacy Day in Kebbi State, recently...

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Sunday 07 April 2019

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SundayBusiness A system in search of growth amid large market

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he huge investment interest which Nigeria enjoys from both local and foreign investors derives from the country’s large population which, to an average investor, translates into market for products and services.

Despite the lull in the property market, investors are still very optimistic, doing developments because besides the numbers which are quite encouraging, the demographics and consumer finances are right.

But it is a different kettle of fish for the mortgage system in the country which is in endless search for growth amid a large market, a huge housing deficit that is over 20 million units and a huge and growing population that is over 200 million.

Nigeria is one country where things that cannot be measured by any verifiable means are often said to have improved or grown. Mortgage, as an aspect of the financial system, is in itself a ‘huge’ market, but one in search of growth, having remained a fledgling despite the potential that could engender growth.

Though it could be argued that growth can happen without development, it is difficult, in the case of the mortgage market in Nigeria, that there is any form of growth not to talk of development.

It requires great effort and extraordinary reasoning to convince anybody that there has `really been

a shift from point A to point B in the mortgage market in the country given the frustration among those who have dared to seek mortgage facility to build or buy homes.

Owning a home is still a dream for many Nigerians despite a recent revelation by mortgage industry operators that the size of the mortgage market has grown by about 48 percent to N518.76 billion as at 2016, up from N284 billion in 2010.

This is a hoax because, if growth still means increase in size or height, it would be difficult not to see or feel the impact of the growth.

For Nigeria’s 200 million people, there are only 13.7million housing units and 11.5 million units out of this number are rented while only 5 percent of the entire stock is currently financed with a mortgage, meaning that 95 percent of this stock is self-built.

Following the central bank of Nigeria (CBN) revised operational guidelines, the primary mortgage banks (PMBs) were recapitalized, raising their capital base from the statutory N100 million to N2.5 billion for those operating regionally and N5 billion for those licensed to operate nationally. This apparently created relative liquidity in the industry.

But, in spite of this, many home seekers that applied for home finance through the National Housing Fund (NHF) have been left

wallowing in the dark. The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) which supervises the operations of the fund once disclosed that it has, in its books, a huge loan repayment default on NHF and Estate Development Loan (EDL) taken by PMBs and real estate developers.

The loan, explained, comprised unremitted equity contributions collected by the PMBs from the housing loan seekers who applied for NHF, and also loans granted to estate developers through its estate development loan scheme.

The management of the apex mortgage bank alleged then that some PMBs which obtained funds for mortgage finances, for on-lending to qualified NHF contributors, failed to disburse the funds to the applicants. That compelled them to call the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to wade into the debts owed it, especially misappropriated contributory funds under NHF. When this is placed side-by-side with a recent report on the PMBs inability to pay their premium, it becomes very difficult to understand where the growth in the size of the market has really taken place.

The inability of the PMBs to pay their premium is critical as each depositor in a mortgage bank is only insured to the tune of N500,000, meaning that in the event of collapse of the sector, customers would be in

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) for trouble.

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC), the insurer, said then that its capacity to sustain efforts at ensuring that insured institutions were put on the part of sustainable growth and development depended largely on the premium contribution, which is an amount paid periodically by the mortgage banks for covering their risk.

NDIC was quoted as saying then that the inability of as many as 15 PMBs to pay the insurance premium as at December 2016 was an unfortunate situation capable of putting customers at higher risk.

The housing market has seen a contraction in access following a 31.8 percent decline in loans and advances from the PMBs. The loans and advances extended by these PMBs declined significantly by 31.87 percent to N168.96 billion in 2015 while unpaid premium from nine of these banks amounted to N238.30 million the same year.

Though operators have attrib-

uted these developments to the economic downturn which has been the bane of most businesses and the economy at large, it does not change the fact that mortgage as an easy road to homeownership is still a fledgling in this country.

Some of the operators have, painfully though, explained what they call the true position of the NHF and EDL loan default, saying, “some of the loans to PMBs were given some five to six years ago when membership of the mortgage banking association (MBAN) was over 80 PMBs. Now we are less than 40 as many that could not scale the capitalisation huddle either merged, were acquired or changed operations.

“It is possible that much of the debt we are talking about resides with mortgage banks that are no longer mortgage banks in the real sense of the word; and you cannot, because of that, say the genuine ones that are doing their legitimate business are defaulting in loans they never took,” they added.

contract with larger scope).

Post award monitoring : manage contract and conduct post implementation reviews.

Potential Disadvantages Establishing an incentivization system requires buyers to invest a considerable amount of time There is always a risk that the effort involved in establishing an incentivized arrangement will not equate with the additional benefits The practice of incentivization requires making a judgment on commercial risk. Therefore, it is essential that risks in the contract are understood.

Performance Monitoring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are fundamental to successful incentivization. KPIs are measures of business-critical deliverables and measure: a) achieving the scope of work within budget, b) delivering the required number of deliverables per month every month, and c) performing work without any safety and production critical maintenance work every month (in a manufacturing setting) Quality measures: the number of deviations requested, accuracy of paperwork, field campaigns, or the suppliers cost of quality Inspection measures: based on the number of rejects versus lines inspected Operational performance measures: ontime delivery, quality, lead times, responsiveness (rescheduling, order status), inventory turns, customer service call response time.

Procurement and Supply Chain

with Gob-Agundu Uche Branch chair (CIPS), Nigeria

Supplier incentivisation (…Culled from CIPS positions on Practice) Introduction Incentivisation as a technique can be applied to achieve superior or improved performance for both supplier and buyer and leads to benefits such as lower cost, early delivery, inventory reduction, increased sales, reduced costs, improved labour utilisation, better technical solutions, safer product, or higher quality product. This can be achieved through introducing rewards and mutually agreeing on targets in relation to cost, schedule, quality, safety, inventory reduction, increased sales, reduced cost, improved labour utilisation, or better technical solutions.

SupplierRelationshipManagers are usually responsible for drafting clauses associated with supplier

performance improvement incentivisation and malperformance disincentivisation, that is, risk/reward mechanisms.

The reward sharing contracts differ from a normal fixed-price or unitcost contract where there may be little incentive for the supplier to improve their performance.

Despite its benefits, incentivisation should only be used where appropriate. For example, it is important that (1) the cultures within both the supplier and client organisations are compatible; (2) there is wide acceptance across organisations, stakeholders, and all management levels; and (3) the buyer has the ability to pay.

The latter point highlights the importance for buyers to carefully assess all steps and the likely cost of incentivisation. If incentivisation is open-ended and does not have some form of cap, there is a risk

of exceeding the funds allocated for incentivisation purposes. This could have negative consequences, particularly if incentivisation is associated with budget constraints.

Definition Incentivisation is the term used to align the motivations of the client with the supplier and viceversa by and stimulating supplier’s performance improvement in return for enhanced reward.

Incentivisation can lead to a purchasing partnering relationship.

Successful application Successful incentivisation implementation requires a detailed dialogue with the supplier and greater attention to performance and contract management than for traditional contracts. The higher investment in incentivisation must be balanced against the additional benefits and savings to be achieved.

Steps to successful application Set clear objectives and deliverables when incentivizing a contract.

Baseline setting: get the buyer to establish the total cost of the existing service.

Identify whether the improvement in quality and/or cost reduction can be achieved with- out incentivizing the contract.

Establish expected benefits.

Decide whether incentives will be financial (e.g. those which have a monetary value) or related to some contractual benefit (e.g. a longer

Hints and Tips Paying incentives on the basis of notional, rather than actual, performance targets should be avoided. It is also important to decide how to deal with the supplier if it does not achieve them To ensure a successful incentivization process it is important to develop and set effective measurements and targets for both parties Ef f e c t i v e c o n t r a c t management is essential to ensure successful incentivization There is a need for transparent structures in respect of cost and performance by both par- ties.

Willingness on the part of the supplier to participate in the incentivization scheme is always helpful and makes process more efficient.

Potential Advantages Incentivization can help buyers reduce costs and achieve earlier delivery and better quality of safety levels.

Incentivization of suppliers can result in greater certainties regarding delivery time, cost and/ or quality.

Supplier incentivization can reduce the time spent resolving contractual disputes.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

SundayBusiness Developers must be strictly monitored to avoid building collapse - Jeje

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lawyer and former Lagos State Commissioner for Housing , Bosun Jeje, has proffered solutions to the incessant building collapse in all parts of the country, warning that, if approvals granted developers are not monitored effectively, the menace would not cease to recur.

Jeje, who made the observation at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos, said after the approvals for construction given the developers, the next step to take is strict monitoring of constructions in the sites.

“It is not just the approval, you see many of the developers taking the approvals and going ahead to have sub-standard materials in the construction of those approvals they have. So, we need to have effective monitoring of those approvals after they have gotten them so that we don’t have issues of collapse buildings again,” the concerned former commissioner asserted.

According to him, the root cause of building collapse mostly is sub-standard materials because developers are ready to make profit at any cost by using only five bags of cement instead of ten bags, lamenting that, “they are ready to compromise at any level so that they can have the construction going on.”

Jeje then emphasised that to forestall that, “it is now the duty of the monitoring aspect to ensure that right materials are used,” just as he then appealed to the citizens again to ensure that “they use the

Jeje

right materials so that we do not have repeat of sad incidents as it happened in Lagos recently.”

While admitting that developers could be blamed, he agreed that the government should be encouraged to have the political will to take decisions on whatever it has said, regretting that absence of required political will led to some of the defective buildings still standing up till date.

“But once you have decided and you are ready to take the bull by the horns, you would not have the buildings still standing up. Once they are marked for demolition, you go ahead to demolish them. And if you need to rehabilitate some people, then you have to make provision for that,” the concerned lawyer cum political activist said.

As a lawyer, the vocal activist saw nothing wrong prosecuting any developer that is found guilty of using sub-standard materials that eventually led to building collapse, asserting that, “once a

building has gone down, and it is discovered that sub-standard materials are the root cause of the collapse, there is nothing wrong in prosecuting the developer.”

Jeje further said: “The approval aspect is going to be looked into. We have to ensure that every building has an approval. Outside the approval, there must be the monitoring aspect. We must monitor structures that are being constructed. We must look at it and ensure that right materials are used. These are the measures that will stop the collapse of building. Once you do not monitor them, developers are ready to compromise at any level. But when they know that the monitoring agents would soon be around, or that they could come around at any time, they would try as much as possible to ensure that they comply with the building instructions.

Those are just the aspects we have to reinforce. If we don’t do that, the menace would continue.”

Udom ‘s second term to focus on aviation, port and industrial projects ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

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overnor Udom Emmanuel will focus on the development of the Ibom deep seaport project, air transportation and the continuation of the industrialisation programme as key areas in the second term of his administration, it was gathered in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.

Many sources close to the government told Businessday in Uyo that the state government considers the Ibom Deep Seaport Project which is located in Ibaka, Mbo local government area as critical to the economic development of the state and it would complement its investment in land air transportation.

Governor Udom Emmanuel has already held discussions with officials of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment

Authority with a view to seeking support for the completion of many of the projects in which he disclosed that viable “with viable gateways such as water, air and good infrastructure across the state, many investors would be attracted to the state.”

Presently, the planning, design and requisite approval for the seaport has been completed which it is expected that the project would be completed before the end of his tenure in 2023.

“With the effort of my technical committee on the deep seaport, the project has already recorded tremendous success starting from “issuance of approval of procurement process” to negotiation of terms and condition with the preferred bidder” for the project, the governor was quoted as saying.

He has also assured that in the next four years, the port will commence full operations as my completion agenda has

made the deep seaport a top priority.

According to experts, apart from creating job opportunities, the Ibom deep seaport project when completed would help in decongesting the ports in Lagos as was experienced when the Calabar port was operational many years ago.

For the air transportation, the state government has acquired three aircraft and is also considering constructing a modern commercial building terminal at the Ibom airport. This follows the construction of a second airport runway and the upgrade of airport main runway to category 2 Certification.

Though the commercial operations with the aircrafts have yet to commence, strong indications have emerged that approvals were being expected from the federal government agencies for the aircraft to take to the skies.

GCL donates 2,000 bags of maize flour to Borno IDPs

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n a magnanimous gesture and in tandem with its Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) mandate, to make positive impact on its business community, Grand Cereals Limited(GCL) Jos, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria, recently donated 2,000 bags of maize flour( Brabusco ) to the Internally Displaced Persons’(IDP) camp and other vulnerable groups in Gubio, Maiduguri.

Present at the momentous occasion were Alex Ikani (National Sales Manager, Edibles, Grand Cereals Limited; Abdulrasheed Bello-General Manager, Supply Chain, GCL and Isa Yawuba who represented the SEMA Chairman. During the flagging off, of the distribution recently, Bello said the donation was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company to the displaced persons in

Borno State in particular and the northeast in general.

Specifically, he stated that: “This event to us is very important as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, to support the Federal Government, state government, NEMA, SEMA and all that have been contributing towards alleviating the sufferings of the IDPs.” Furthermore, he reiterated the fact that: “UACN as a company supports every community where it operates and we in the company share with what Borno state is facing, with regards to the issue of insurgency”.

On her part, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, the Chairperson of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), expressed the agency’s immense appreciation to GCL for the commendable gesture to the IDPs. She also used the opportunity to call on well meaning Nigerians

as well as donor agencies to lend a helping hand to the IDPs as the government and NGOs cannot do it all alone.

The Director, Relief and Disaster Management, SEMA, Isa Yawuba appealed to the IDPs not to feel neglected, as awareness was still on to enlighten the public about their pitiable plight. He also assured them that more help was on the way.

It would be recalled that there were media reports that the Gubio camp IDPs last week staged a protest inside the camp alleging food shortage. They revolted even against the aid workers in the camp, before they were calmed down by the security personnel there.

Hopefully, this GCL’s exemplary and timely intervention should serve as a clarion call on other companies to assist in ameliorating the sufferings of IDPs.

L-R: A recipient, Alhaji Isa Yabuwa(rep. SEMA Chairman),Abdulrasheed Bello(GM, Supply Chain, GCL),and Alex Ikani(National Sales Manager, GCL) at the occasion.

FG determined to improve its revenues – Udoma SeyiJohn Salau

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he Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, on Tuesday in Abuja, emphasised that the Federal Government is determined to improve its revenue generation this year and has already taken a number of steps in that direction.

While briefing the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Finance, Appropriation, Planning and Economic Development on the 2019 revenue and expenditure projections as contained in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) 2019-2021), the Minister stated that one of the reasons it could not realise its revenue target for 2018 was that some one-off

items listed for implementation in the fiscal year were not actualized.

But he said those items which include the N710 billion from Oil Joint Venture Asset Restructuring and N320 billion from revision of the Oil Production Sharing Contract Legislation/terms have been rolled over to 2019.

Among other initiatives aimed at expanding the fiscal space, the Minister indicated that the Federal Government will intensify efforts to improve public financial management through the comprehensive implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Also the Department of Petroleum Resources has

been directed to, within three months, complete the collection of past-due oil license and royalty charges, including those due from Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) (a subsidiary of NNPC), which it had agreed to pay since 2017.

THE Minister said the Ministry of Finance, working with all the relevant authorities, has been authorized to take action to liquidate all recovered, unencumbered assets within six months.

Amongst other revenue generating initiatives, he said the President has directed that work should be immediately concluded on the deployment of the National Trade Window and other technologies to enhance customs collections efficiency from the current 64 percent to up to 90 percent over the next few years.

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LifestyleHomes&Suites

BDSUNDAY 41 Paul Ojenagbon pauloje2000@yahoo.com

Stunning views of Updc’s residences in Lagos

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robably no property organization in Nigeria has been as consistent and skillful in the art of churning out structurally solid, beautiful houses in the country over the years. The United Africa Company Property Development (UPDC) Plc has truly earned itself a well recognized, easily marketable brand name that gives each product it brings into the real estate market instant appeal, which is keenly sought after.

With the great reputation that goes before the colossus, UPDC goes into every development exuding that rare confidence that is the preserve of the master of the game.

Although they have the resources, they do not build too many houses in a single project in terms of hundreds or thousands of units because their forte is the high end or luxury range but they can undertake several of such projects concurrently.

Their products bring immense satisfaction to those who can afford them and they have loads of integrity that enables them to sell off plan because they have been able to deliver again and again on countless projects.

Over the years, UPDC has built dozens of ultra modern housing estates not just in Lagos but all over the country. In Lagos specifically, they are currently handling a string of housing projects that include The Residences in Festac and James Pinnock’s Place in Lekki. Some other recently

comfortable and best in class choice for residential, commercial and retail accommodation. This is apt in consideration of its strategic location within its Golden Tulip Festac Hotel at Janet Fajemigbesin Street, off Festac Link Road, Amuwo Odofin, Festac, Lagos. By no means less important but also housed in the expansive complex is the Festival Mall.

It is an ongoing development and consists of 1-Bedroom and 2- Bedroom efficiently serviced apartments on 9 floors that will run seamlessly with several passenger lifts. It naturally has the ambience

completed estates still spot a few units to sell namely Grandville, Ikeja GRA, 8A-D Aromire Road, , Trenchard Place, Bourdillon Court and Cameron Green, all at Ikoyi.

The Residences in Festac were created from the desire to have a truly mixed real estate development that will offer

of a hotel environment; it is like having permanent rooms or suites in a good hotel. The mode is the first of its kind in Lagos. There are 3 wings of The Residences.

Wing 1 consists of 88 units of I-Bedroom apartments; Wing 2 consists of office spaces of 5,820 square meters while Wing 3 consists of 18 units of 1- Bedroom and

44 units of 2- Bedroom residential apartments which make a total of 106 units of 1-Bedroom apartment and 44 units of 2- Bedroom apartment.

The selling prices of the apartments vary, depending on the floor. Apartments on the higher floors attract higher prices.

Generally, 1- Bedroom apartment on the 1st – 4th carry price tag of N21.3m, 5th floor N21.825m, 6th floor N22,087,500, 7th floor N 22,35m and 8th floor N 22.56m respectively. For the 2- Bedroom apartments, 1st – 4th floors attract N28.65m, 5th floor N 29,437,500, 6th floor N 29.7m, 7th floor N 30.225m and 8th floor N 30,487,500. Included in the selling prices are the survey fee, prepaid meter, service charge deposit, asset replacement deposit, documentation fee and VAT. The Residences is fully serviced round the clock on 24/7 with an impressive array of facilities including sewage treatment plant, borehole and water treatment

plant, fire alarm system, PHCN, standby generator and efficient security system.

Recreational facilities for the enjoyment of the residents include swimming pool, lawn tennis court, and gymnasium among others.

James Pinnock’s Place, UPDC’s other major ongoing development in Lagos at the moment is an estate located on about 3 hectares of land within Pinnock Beach Estate in Lekki. It consists of 3Bedroom flats with 1 room boy’s quarters, 4- Bedroom detached house with 1 room boy’s quarters and 5-Bedroom detached house with 1 room boys’ quarters. The 3- Bedroom apartments which are semi – finished sell for N 44.9m per unit, the 4- Bedroom detached house which has been finished sells for N 95m while the 5- Bedroom detached house that has also been finished carries the roof top price tag of N 119m.

The development comprises 11 units of 5- bedroom detached house, 28 units of 4- Bedroom detached house, 42 units of 3- Bedroom apartment and 2 units of 4 bedroom maisonnettes. All housing units will be finished excellently in the UPDC’s timeless tradition. The facilities and services are replicated as in The Residences.

The title on the property is certificate of occupancy issued by the Lagos State Government.

For the other estates,the elegant 4 units of 3-Bedroom semi detached house located at 8A-D Aromire Road, Ikoyi set on an expansive land of 3,700 square metres carry a hefty N1.2m price tag.

There are 3 units of 4-Bedroom terrace house with 1room boys’ quarters at the Granville, located at GRA,Ikeja carrying a price tag ofN140.715m per unit. Cameron Green has 3 units of 2-Bedroom apartment with asking price of N147.875m per unit while Trenchard Place also in Ikoyi has a unit of 3-Bedroom apartment with N164.025 price tag respectively.

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BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

The big stealing Daniel Obi

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our neighbor or friend that adopted a child may not have followed the legal process. That child could have come through illegal arrangement between the nurses in the hospital, syndicate that specializes in stealing children for ransom and the buyer.

Imagine your wife, sister or a female relation who was delivered of a baby after nine months of painful sweat, either normally or through caesarean. One or two months down the line, the baby was stolen by evil and devious individuals for some selfish or devilish reasons.

The child is sold to another family in far away town for perhaps N50,000 or negotiated amount.

Illegal adoption is big stealing in the society today that many people are not giving qualms to. Some people have accepted it as a norm and only a few perhaps are reporting such incident to authorities.

But whether any investigation and subsequent prosecution is finally instituted is another matter.

Many bonafide mothers are denied of their children through stealing, at times by third parties who resell the ‘product’ to buyers who are desperate in need of children. Cases of such stealing either from churches, mosques, homes or from schools are rampant but only little is heard afterwards as the society seems to have condoned it and cover-up the illegal adopters or buyers.

Incidences of stolen babies abound. Such incidences happen in our faces where next neighbours adopt children illegally, or put rightly; buy stolen children and friends who visit to congratulate them do so because they are ignorant of the law or that the visitors are not wearing the shoes of the agonized parents of stolen child who are in anguish over their lost baby.

Some families are today living with claimed children they know are not their biological children; families and friends also know this, but nobody is asking question whether the ‘stolen’/ adopted innocent child followed legal procedure.

Bola Olaosebikan, a medical doctor and former commissioner in Kwara State told BD Sunday in Lagos some time ago that in the first place there should be no illegal adoption as there are provisions for adoption, legally and officially through the relevant ministries such as ministry of women affairs or justice.

Describing the illegal adoption as criminal, he attributed the rampant act to lack of information on the legal process for adoption.

“Stealing of any type is criminal including illegal child adoption. It is stealing and those who perpetrate the act are deviants”, he said.

Assessing the issue, the Presi-

dent of Lagos state Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Segun McMedal who frowned at child stealing said the process of child adoption in Nigeria is cumbersome.

He believed that it is perhaps the cumbersomeness of the process of official child adoption and ignorance of the policy that the society has come to accept illegal child adoption which has resulted to child stealing.

The stealing of babes with expected core objective largely to resell to desperate buyers has caused many victims anguish and sorrow. Many a time people hear that a family has bought baby as if it is a societal norm, says another observer.

A report said that “Months after motherless babies home in Aba, Abia State was caught operating a child trafficking outfit, another dimension to the filthy lucre has been introduced in parts of Anambra State, especially Onitsha where no fewer than 12 children were stolen in less than four months. The baby thieves invade cities seeking for innocent little children to grab for sale elsewhere”.

Surprisingly, this scenario is played in almost every city in Nigeria where children are stolen at random for sale as sources reveal that stealing babies has become a thriving business with varied methods.

One the strategies employed by the malicious and wicked people who steal for sale is that a woman, regarded as kind and tender would offer to assist a mother of a child in church or at ceremony, usually wedding party. This request is frequently granted as the unsuspecting woman is seen as a devoted member of that church or a relation of the celebrant in the party. But at a slightest chance, she would make away with the baby.

Some time ago, the family of Samuel Eleng lost their two-yearold twin daughter at the children’s department of a popular church in Sango-Ota in Ogun State. The fam-

ily of Innocent Umeh Umegboro in Ogwashi-Uku Delta State as was reported lost their eight month old Destiny to a gang of baby bandits.

Fortunately for the parents, the baby was found in Aba, Abia State where he was dumped alive inside a church. Reports say that the child was stolen from the parents’ compound in Ogwashi-Uku Delta State and transferred to buyers in Imo, Abia and Abuja before he was finally dumped alive inside a church in Abia, Abia State, subjecting the parents to days of traumatic experience and agony.

These are just a few of reported cases of stolen children, incidences which happen both in the hospitals, churches and homes with society watching haplessly the commoditization of guiltless children. It is said in certain quarters that some of these stolen children are used for absurd and meaningless ritual purposes while some are bought by others who live with us without legal procedure. Whatever reason these children are taken away from

Anyone wishing to adopt a child within the ambit of the law must first and foremost lodge an application addressed in the manner described above with relevant authority of the particular state or Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

their parents is wicked, sinful and a dastard act, says the observer.

The analysts believe that the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) and the police still deserve commendations for any successes recorded in curbing such incidents.

Celebrated case It was the `miracle baby’ birth in 1994 when a 65-year old woman celebrated her birth as a miracle that happened to her at her old age. NTA Newsline unraveled the mystery behind her birth. The controversy revealed that a nurse was involved in the whole deal of selling the girl. The case went to court for several months and the biological mother Kikelomo Obikoya was identified by the court.

Does Culture support ‘buying’ child?

Ownership instead of borrowing is considered prestigious in the Nigerian environment. According to a social commentator who prefers not to be mentioned, legal child adoption is a traditional belief by the society that the adopter has just accepted to train a child that really does not belong to him/her.

No wonder then, individuals go for outright ‘purchase’ of a child or children without clear or public identifiable sources. This is to claim ownership. When this happens, the society also ascribes ownership to the illegal adopter and accepts the child. But Segun McMedal disagrees to the alleged traditional belief , saying that the society is changing and accepting adopted child as integral part of the family.

Stealing children a global phenomenon Child stealing for various reasons is a global issue. It is also an old act. In other climes, illegal adoption is not taken lightly and when it is reported, authorities will investigate the matter until they unravel it.

In 1997 a young woman in South Africa who desperately wanted a baby had a miscarriage.

She never told anyone, not even her husband. Everyone around her continued to believe she was

pregnant.

Four months later, that woman went to a local maternity ward and stole a newborn baby sleeping next to her mother and carried the tiny girl from the hospital. For several years this woman in South Africa raised her as her own daughter, never allowing anyone – not even her husband – to know the girl was a famous stolen baby. According to a report in Mamamia.com, Police continued the investigation and 18 years later, it was discovered that she stole the child. The true biological sister of the stolen girl and the stolen child coincidentally registered in the same school and started relating like sisters. This was the clue that unraveled the case as DNA also assisted. The culprit went to jail even in her old age.

Process of legal child adoption in Nigeria A report lists the process as beginning with “formal application to the relevant authority; for example: The Director, Child Development Department, Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, Lagos State. “ Secondly, a formal application to the competent court (usually the magistrate court).

Anyone wishing to adopt a child within the ambit of the law must first and foremost lodge an application addressed in the manner described above with relevant authority of the particular state or Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“The applicant fills and submits the copies of birth certificate of the child, medical certificate of fitness of the child and the adopting obtained from a recognised government hospital, a jumbo-size photograph of the child, passport photographs of the adopting parents, employment letter from applicant’s employers, affidavit of record/means deposed to by the applicant (Must disclose other facts relevant to the application), consent letter from the biological parents (where applicable), power of attorney (where adopting parents are represented by a lawyer).

However, at the point of submission of the application, the applicant is required to make statutory payment which varies from state to state. When the application together with the accompanying documents has been properly presented to the satisfaction of the child welfare officer, a formal application is then made to the court.

The hearing of the application may be in open court or in chambers and where the court is satisfied, it makes an award granting custody to the applicant as prayed, otherwise the application would be struck out”.

Ministry of Women Affairs should take the responsibility to educate families and individuals on processes of legal child adoption and perhaps lobby for the simplification of the process. Illegal child adoption is criminal which has given rise to stealing of babies for ransom.

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BDSUNDAY 43

TheWorshippers We need to have a new beginning in our nation - Bamgbola On Wednesday 27 March, Christian faithful and leaders gathered for a one-day ministers’ summit convened by Pastor William Kumuyi, general superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM). The maiden Ministers’ Development and Networking Summit was organised DCLM, in conjunction with Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). On the sidelines of the summit tagged, ‘Building the Builders’, Apostle Bamgbola, the chairman Lagos State CAN spoke with journalists on the essence of having a joint CAN/PFN Ministers’ Development summit. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU In your welcome address, you said the church is the most challenging ministry; can you expatiate? ven in all creation of God ; God h i ms el f mentioned it that he regretted creating man in the book of Genesis.

So, what I was alluding to is the fact that to be called to oversee men on earth is challenging. It is challenging for God himself the creator; it’s challenging for any human being because it is not an ordinary calling. It is the highest calling; being called to be the servant of God is higher than being the president of any nation because you are responsible for the souls created by God – so, it is a very serious responsibility.

How can we relate the theme of the Ministers’ Development and Networking Summit ‘Building the Builders’ to national issues in Nigeria?

You relate it in the sense that we need to have a new beginning in our nation, because the bible says if the foundation be rotten; what can the righteous do? That is, this nation has a rotten foundation; a foundation of corruption. So, what the church is doing here is what we have to do in politics, business, and in all areas of human endeavour in our nation. Yes, we started well in 1960, but we are still reaping what we sowed. The election of 1959 – I am old enough to say this because I was part of it;

E

Apostle Bamgbola

was a rotten election. So, every subsequent election since then has been rotten, and that is why we are still complaining. Look at the resources of this nation: I read it with my own eyes when I was in school in America in the early 70’s that the United Nations research indicated the three developed nations by 1970 would be Brazil, Korea, and Western region Nigeria. When they talked about Western region Nigeria then (1954), they were talking

of Nigeria. Why would they talk about Western region Nigeria to grow like Korea? At that time South Korea was just finishing the Korean War – it was worse than what we have in Syria today; but look at what Koreans have made of South Korea. Look at what Brazilians have made of Brazil, and look at what we Nigerians have made of our nation.

When I came back into this nation in 1979 as an expatriate, I thought things were so bad; I almost went

back. But, since 1979, it’s been from worse to worse.

What is the way forward?

The way forward is to change.

It is for we leaders in the church to have the fear of God; then politicians and the rulers should have the fear of God. What will anybody do with a billion Dollars?

What do you want to do with the kind of wealth they steal in this nation? They have been bleeding this nation since independent and they can’t still finish it because God has a plan for this nation. I believe God will bless your generation – am speaking from my heart; it’s painful. Recently, somebody asked me what would I do, if am president Buhari? And I said at his age, I will spend every day in building this nation until I breathe the last breath. So that when am gone, they will talk about me like Mandela: like the great nation builders; that is what is left for him to do.

Prior to the 2019 general election, some of your members got involved in partisan politics. Is this seminar one of the measures taken to chart a new course?

The social media all over the world – look at the trouble in America with the U.S government. There will be partisanship in the heart of man and then with the social media today; everybody has a TV station, everybody has a YouTube, so you can speak to the world if you do anything.

So, the whole thing is in chaos – then when we have seminar and

summit like this, we are preparing ministers of God to do the right thing for God. If we ministers do the right thing in our nation, then our nation will begin to be a prosperous nation.

We pray and keep praying; if not for prayers, this nation would have been forgotten – you all know that. But, beyond prayers, we must act; we must show good example, we must lead for God. That is what this summit is all about – you see the foundation that our father in the lord; pastor Kumuyi was talking about: foundation is so important; it is because the foundation of this nation was rotten and is rotten, that is why we have all kinds of priests and politicians.

Christians ran away from politics for many years – we have stopped that. If you do not rule, they will rule; if you do not dominate, they will dominate you; if you don’t take dominion, they will take your dominion, and that is what we have been going through in this nation – rascals ruling our nation. How can we get anywhere? We have prayed, and we believe God: the church is coming together. This is one great program in my own life time, that we the Christian association is coming together to blend; to listen, to hear from God and work in line with the word of God. This programme, watch it – this programme will change this nation, and change nations to the glory of God.

Christian Women Group holds 6th anniversary with free shopping spree Modestus Anaesoronye

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nter-denominational Christian women group, Women of Wisdom will be holding its 6th annual conference, The Love Party on Saturday, April 13, 2019 in Lagos.

Founded and led by Folasade Murtala , Women of Wisdom also known as W.O.W, an interdenominational ministry was commissioned to help women in their pursuit to discover purpose and build a profitable life. The vision of the organisation is to build builders, train trainers and raise women of prayer and purpose.

Women of Wisdom is a non-

profit organisation, premised on the Word of God, Prayers and intellectual development of women. This interdenominational ministry was launched six years ago with the dynamic objective of connecting women to God on a deeper level in the place of fellowship and service, while helping women in their pursuit to discover purpose and build a profitable life.

WOW celebrates her anniversary yearly, and this event is tagged “WOW LOVE PARTY”, in 2017, they launched a new segment tagged WOW Free Shopping Spree.

The free shopping spree segment in the words of the WOW President, Folasade Murtala , “started as a result of a leading

I had. The instruction is to bring women together, meet their basic needs and tell them about the love of Christ.”

According to Murtala, this event is all about showing love to the womenfolk, especially the needy ones, we provide them and their children with basic needs such as food stuff, clothes and shoes etc. We remind them of the love of God. A lot of women are going through challenges in the quietness of their homes. Some are struggling with self-esteem, lack of provision for their children and many other serious life issues. It’s a way of ministering to women letting them know that we care about them and for their children.

It’s actually a family thing, even though the men are not included in the giveaway, but by extension, the man is also a beneficiary because we know whatever a woman gets, is for the whole family.

“Last year over 800 women and children benefited from our free shopping program, and this year our target is one thousand people. The response last year was awesome, people were blessed, lives were touched and generally, WOW made a great impact in so many families,” says Murtala Even though the free shopping is targeted at women, but men are not left out in this year`s conference as there are other segments profitable to the spiritual, physi-

cal, financial, health and marital fruitfulness of both male and female attendees.

The theme of the WOW LOVE PARTY for this year is All-round Fruitfulness and it is happening live in Lagos on Saturday, the 13th of April at The Kings Chambers, 42, Association Avenue, Ilupeju Lagos. Time is from 10:00 am.

The guest speaker for this event is Bishop Francis Wale Oke of the Sword of the spirit ministry.

Aside from the free shopping, WOW has helped women in different ways over the years; one of such ways is Women of Wisdom Empowerment Programme (WOWEP), a structured program where women get trained on different crafts at no cost.

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EquityMarket

Med View Airline’s N10bn loss shows deeper problems confronting local airlines

Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Air Maroc to mention but a few”, Sheik Abdul-Moshen Al-Thunayan, chairman, Medview Airline, said.

“The political tension and the uncertainties that surrounded the country in 2018 was a major factor in defining the year in review. The anti-graft war was also a contributing factor as all these political activities not only cripple the economy of the Country but also the standard of living of the Nigerian populace.

“The reduction of fleet due to C-Check in Med-View affected the possible upward growth of the revenue of the company. Thereby resulting in a record low profit. The lack of support and trust which Banks in Nigeria have towards aviation business did not help matters as none of the Banks approached was ready to take a risk”, Muneer Bankole, CEO Medview Airline said.

At half year 2018, passegner traffic at the nation’s airports rose by 24 per cent to 7.5 million passangers up from 6.05 million passangers in comparable period in 2017. Domestic passangers increased by 27 percent from 4.26 million at half year 2017 to 5.43 million passengers same period last year. International passenger traffic rose by 16 percent from 1.8 million travellers in 2017 to 2.07 million passangers in 2018 half year.

“It was not that passengers did not patronise our airports last year.

The continued losses posted by Medview Airline may be due to factors perculiar to it and the general challenges local airlines are facing.

The authonrities need to act fast to save local airlines”, an analyst who did not want his name in print said.

The manadatory maintenance of aircraft which usually takes place overseas is a sources of leakages to local airlines particually in an environment characterised by high foreign exchange volatility.

to our origins, legacy, and storied history as an Oando portfolio company. We are immensely proud of our impressive track record of building substantial gas and power infrastructure across Nigeria, and implementing essential Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in our host communities.

“As we commence a new journey, our audacious growth initiatives across Nigeria and the subregion will leverage our industry expertise, experience, and longevity; while our affiliation as a full-fledged Helios company will improve our access to capital. The continued growth, robustness, and stability of our business enterprise, enables Axxela provide required efficient and environmentally-friendly energy solutions for industrial and commercial clients, leading to posi-

tive socio-economic impact in our markets of operation.”

Axxela Limited was, prior to the divestment, the midstream affiliate of Oando Plc (formerly known as Oando Gas & Power).

Axxela is a designated natural gas shipper on the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP). Axxela is also the pioneering private sector-led developer of natural gas distribution in Nigeria, delivering at peak 80 million standard cubic feet per day to over 160 industrial and commercial customers via a vast network of gas infrastructure. With over 280km in gas pipeline infrastructure built, Axxela provides unique energy solutions primarily through its subsidiaries: Gaslink Nigeria Limited, Gas Network Services Limited, and Central Horizon Gas Company Limited.

Stories by TELIAT SULE

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i g e r i a ’s a v i a t i o n industry may be having deeper challenges than initially imagined in view of the N10.4 billion loss Medview Airline recorded in 2018. According to the recently released audited financial statement for the period ended December 31, 2018, Medview Airline made N10.4 billion loss after tax as against N1.25 billion profit after tax realised in 2017.

Gross revenue for the period fell sharply by 74 percent from N36.96 billion in 2017 to N9.56 billion in 2018. An in-depth analysis of its sources of revenue shows that the airline recorded significant drop in passanger traffic on both the domestic and foreign routes.

Traditionally has three sources of revenue which are hajj and cargo operations, domestic operations and international and regional operations, passanger traffic in 2018 fell by 63 percent in the hajj and cargo operations segment of its operations to N3.03 billion in 2018 from N8.25 billion in in the previous year.

Domestic operations were down by 75.5 percent from N14.85 billion in 2017 to N3.64 billion in 2018. International and regional operations witnessed 79 percent decline in revenue which fell to N2.89 billion in 2018 from N13.86 billion in 2017. On the average, the total revenue fell by 74 percent from N36.96 billion in 2017 to N9.56 billion in 2018.

“Med-View and the Leasing Company had over the years enjoyed a long-time partnership that had yielded close to $80m. But

during the course of the London operations, the Aircraft that was leased to Med-View had an AOG (Aircraft On Ground) in Decem-

ber 2017. Accordingly, it resulted in Med-View re-protecting passengers at double/triple the price of the ticket on other carriers like

Oando sells 25% stake in Axxela for $42m

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ando Plc, a Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy group listed on both the Nigerian and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges, has announced that it has divested its residual 25 percent interest in Axxela Limited which it held through Glover Gas & Power B.V., to Helios Investment Partners, a leading private equity firm with a focus on investments in Africa.

The total purchase price for the transaction was $41.5m thereby optimizing value from a non-core business activity of the group. The net proceeds of the transaction will be applied in partially prepaying the group’s medium term loan (MTL).

The acquisition by Helios was effected through HIP GLOVER S.à.r.l, a special purpose vehicle incorporated by Helios, which in 2016 had

acquired the initial 75 percent interest in Axxela for $115.8 million.

Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc while commenting on the divestment said: “The completion of this divestment signifies another win for the company. We pioneered the development of Nigeria’s foremost natural gas distribution network which has subsequently grown to become the largest private sector gas distributor in Nigeria creating a lasting impact on both the sector and the Nigerian economy. The divestment further reinforces Oando’s ability to create value that can be monetized and the company’s status as the indigenous partner of choice for international companies looking to invest in Nigeria.

“This transaction favourably positions us to significantly reduce

our debt profile and remain focused on growth through our dollar denominated businesses. We will continue to maintain significant presence in the midstream as well as grow our gas aspirations via our Upstream gas assets in our NAOC Joint Venture wherein we have four gas projects within the NNPC’s Seven Critical Gas Development Projects (CGDPs), which are responsible for almost 50% of the 42 TCF that will be delivered by the seven CGDPs by 2020.”

According Bolaji Osunsanya, CEO, Axxela Limited, the latest move will position the company to become a major player in the Sub Saharan African region.

“As we position to become the preferred and fast-growing gas and power portfolio across subSaharan Africa, we pay homage

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BDSUNDAY 45

Consumer Watch Business owners warned against sale of unwholesome products NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

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takeholders in the production and marketing of smart products have been urged to shun the sale of unwholesome products in the society.

Board chairman, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) Funmi Falana, who made the call during the Agency’s sensitisation walk to Computer Village, Ikeja and its environs also affirmed that when genuine products are sold, consumers will have value for their money.

Funmi Falana, and the LASCOPA General Manager, Kemi Olugbode led the walk which took off at LASCOPA office along Allen Avenue through Awolowo Road to the Computer Village in Ikeja.

According to Falana, the sensitization walk was part of activities scheduled by Agency to celebrate the 2019 Consumer Rights Day, themed “Trusted Smart Products” held annually on every March 15th.

Falana further stated

that the annual celebration all over the world is meant to celebrate consumers and appreciate their roles in the entire marketing chain while drawing attention on the need to protect consumer rights and seek redress whenever their rights is infringed upon.

She assured Lagosians that the LASCOPA will continue to explore every means of creating adequate awareness about its activities as well as help consumers resolve issues through its Complaints and Mediation Directorate.

The Chairman re-af-

firmed that the establishment of the Agency was a clear indication that the State Government had a strong desire to maintain international standards in the quality of goods and services purchased by consumers.

While explaining the activities of the Agency, the General Manager, Olugbode said that LASCOPA would continue to ensure the safety and satisfaction of consumers and ensure they get compensated from the effects of harmful products or services.

She also promised that

the Agency would continue to seek ways and means of eliminating hazardous and sub-standard products from Lagos markets in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders.

The President of Computer & Allied Products Dealers Associations of Nigeria (CAMPDAN), Ahmed Ojikutu commended the Agency for the sensitisation initiative, noting that there was the need for equity and fairness in business dealings just as he promised to support the Agency so that consumers can continue to get value for their money.

LASCOPA gets consumer court for quick justice

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n order to guarantee rapid dispensation of justice against persons who market dangerous products, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has been assigned a dedicated court.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Agency, Dunkwu Divine, stated that the approval of the new court was given recently by the Chief Justice of Lagos State Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke recently.

The statement further explained that the Court 8 Ogba, which has been assigned as the Lagos State Consumer Court is presided over by Chief Magistrate Dan Oni to prosecute violators of the Lagos State Consumer Protection law and help aggrieved consumers to get redress when their rights are infringed.

According to the General Manager of LASCOPA, Kemi Olugbode, the Lagos State Consumer Court is a welcome development as it would help strength the fight for the protection of consumer rights.

She said that all Con-

sumer cases relating to both civil and criminal matters would now be decided at the new Consumer Court in order to ensure speedy trial of the cases.

Olugbode also affirmed that LASCOPA would stop at nothing to ensure that aggrieved consumers get redress from all forms of infringement on their rights noting that matters not resolved during mediation would be prosecuted in the court.

While calling on consumers to take advantage of the dedicated consumer court in the Lagos State, she reassured that all consumer cases handled

by LASCOPA are free of charge and at no cost to the consumers.

Dufil Introduces Indomie Relish to Corporate Offices

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ufil Prima Foods Plc, a house hold name in the instant noodles industry said it is prioritising corporate product sampling for its new line extension- Indomie Relish.

This was revealed recently during the out of store product sampling exercise at some corporate organisations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja in a bid to introduce Indomie Relish Sea food Delight to its core audience, the corporate consumers.

The targeted product sampling team visited various corporate offices such as banks, insurance offices, finance and telecommunication offices etc.

Speaking on the sampling, the Product Manager, Indomie Relish, Ginny Tewatia revealed that the goal of the exercise was to use the opportunity to introduce the new Indomie Relish product to its corporate consumers, educate them about the uniqueness of the product

and elicit their opinions.

“We believe that sampling is one of the best ways to help our target consumers better understand our product. Consumers are bombarded with various product messages through various mediums of communications, but until a consumer tries out a product and has their own experience with it, they won’t know if they like the way it tastes, smells or makes them feel.”

“And with our sampling activity in corporate offices and malls, we are receiving a very good feedback from consumers especially for Indomie Relish Seafood Delight.

Consumers are actually admiring the product and are able to understand the true value the product is offering to them, in form of the convenient complete meal with rich seafood taste and protein in form of real fish chunks and powder.”

Also speaking on the sampling, Oriola Oluwadarasimi, Digital Marketing Executive, Dufil

L-R: Relationship Manager, Wema Bank Plc, Ikeja, Samson Ogunniyi; Business Services Manager, Wema Bank Plc, Ikeja, Tolu Fadipe and Supervisor, Indomie Relish, Olabisi Oshodi at the Indomie Relish sampling visit to Wema Bank Plc, Ikeja Branch in Lagos.

Prima Foods Plc said the exercise is a way of creating excitement around the new product line by placing a physical product in customers’ hands.

According to her, “This is important because considering the economic situation, many consumers are not willing to spend their hard-earned money on new products without foreknowledge of the

product quality’s ability to meet their expected need.

Hence, they rely on that trial experience to make their informed decisions.”

Commenting on the feedback from the product, Darasimi added that so far, the response has been very impressive with at least 50 percent of the people purchasing Indomie Relish from the sampling team just after

tasting the product and 85 percent of the people expressed their willingness to purchase later.

“Consumers expressed that the samples given to them has provided the actual experience of the product as they don’t have to risk any investment to make a purchase”, she said.

The Chairman, Lagos Ma i n l a n d Lo c a l G o v ernment, Omolola Ra-

sheedat Essien who was sampled at the local government secretariat commended Indomie for the new product.

According to her, “This is a good product from Indomie. I can tell you confidently that the Indomie Relish has won a new consumer and a referral partner.”

Also commenting on the product, Tolu Fadipe, a Business Services Manager, at one of the commercial banks visited said, “This noodles is a complete one for me as the accompanied ingredients will save me the stress of procuring additional spices to garnish my noodles.”

Indomie Relish offers a complete meal experience with real fish chunks and fish powder in the seafood flavour packs. It provides all ingredients that makes a meal complete like real fish chunks and powder, dried pepper, seasoning powder and onion oil.

At the wet sampling stand, each consumer was treated to a bowl of the Indomie Relish Sea Foods flavour.

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Sunday 07 April 2019

Health&Science

How individual poor diet steers on mortality globally

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ANTHONIA OBOKOH

small number of dietary risks had a large impact on health outcomes and has caused a huge burden of disability globally.

A study reported in the Lancet journal has shown that in 2017, more than half of dietrelated deaths and two-thirds of diet-relateddisability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were attributable to high intake of sodium, low intake of whole grains and low intake of fruits.

The study revealed that low intake of whole grains was the leading dietary risk factor for DALYs among men and women and the leading dietary risk factor for mortality among women. Sodium ranked first for mortality among men followed by whole grains and fruit. Low intake of whole grains was the leading risk for deaths and DALYs among young adults (aged 25–50 years) and sodium ranked first among older adults (≥70 years).

Countries at risk High intake of sodium was the leading dietary risk for deaths and DALYs in China, Japan, and Thailand.

Low intake of whole grains was the leading dietary risk factor for deaths and DALYs in the USA, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, Germany, Iran, and Turkey.

In Bangladesh, low intake of fruits was the leading dietary risk associated with deaths and DALYs.

In Mexico, low intake of nuts and seeds ranked first for diet-related deaths and DALYs. High consumption of red meat, processed meat, trans fat, and sugar-sweetened beverages were towards the bottom in ranking of dietary risks for deaths and DALYs for most high-population countries.

However, this finding suggests that dietary policies focusing on promoting the intake of components of diet for which current intake is less than the optimal level might have a greater effect than policies only targeting sugar and fat, highlighting the need for a comprehensive food system interventions to promote the production, distribution, and consumption of these foods across nations.

Over the past decade, the effectiveness of a range of population-level dietary interventions has been systematically evaluated and several promising interventions have been identified.

These include mass media campaigns, food and menu labelling, food pricing strategies (subsidies and taxation), school procurement policies, and worksite wellness programmes. Cost-effectiveness analyses of these interventions have shown that targeting specific dietary factors (sodium) might not only be costeffective but cost-saving.

However, improvement of diet through population-level interventions faces several major challenges. First, the observed effects for most of these dietary interventions are far below the level required to achieve optimal diet globally.

Second, there is almost no evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions on several important dietary factors that is nuts, whole grains, seafood, red meat, and processed meat).

Third, cost-effectiveness analyses of dietary interventions are generally based on a range of simplifying assumptions and do not take into ac-

count the reactions of consumers (substitution effect), the food industry for example food reformulations and pricing strategies), and other stakeholders in the real world.

Fourth, despite the growing public and political will for the implementation of some of these policies (trans fat bans), few countries have successfully adopted and implemented them.

Fifth, many of these policies only target consumers but not the wide range of interconnected factors, such as food production, processing, and distribution that exist throughout the food system. Indeed, these factors might affect dietary consumption, and it is important to include them to improve diet.

Therefore, in view of the magnitude of the disease burden attributable to diet and the limitations of the existing interventions, development of novel food system interventions is urgently needed.

Uneven access to health services drives life expectancy gaps - WHO

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omen outlive men everywhere in the world – particularly in wealthy countries. The World Health Statistics 2019 – disaggregated by sex for the first time – explains why.

“Breaking down data by age, sex and income group is vital for understanding who is being left behind and why,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General.

“Behind every number in the World Health Statistics is a person, a family, a community or a nation. Our task is to use these data to make evidence-based policy decisions that move us closer to a healthier, safer, fairer world for everyone.”

The gap between men’s and women’s life expectancy is narrowest where women lack access to health services.

In low-income countries, where services are scarcer, 1 in 41

women dies from a maternal cause, compared with 1 in 3300 in high-income countries.

In more than 90 per cent of low-income countries, there are fewer than 4 nursing and midwifery personnel per 1000 people.

Attitudes to healthcare differ. Where men and women face the same disease, men often seek health care less than women. In countries with generalized HIV epidemics, for example, men are less likely than women to take an HIV test, less likely to access antiretroviral therapy and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women. Similarly, male TB patients appear to be less likely to seek care than female TB patients.

The report also highlights the difference in causes of death between men and women – some biological, some influenced by environmental

and societal factors, and some impacted by availability of and uptake of health services.

Of the 40 leading causes of death, 33 causes contribute more to reduced life expectancy in men than in women.

In 2016, the probability of a 30-year-old dying from a noncommunicable disease before 70 years of age was 44percent higher in men than women.

Global suicide mortality rates were 75percent higher in men than in women in 2016.

Death rates from road injury are more than twice as high in men than in women from age 15, and mortality rates due to homicide are 4 times higher in men than in women.

Published to coincide with World Health Day on 7 April, which this year focuses on primary health care as the foundation of universal health coverage, the new WHO statistics highlight the need to improve

access to primary health care worldwide and to increase uptake.

“One of WHO’s triple billion goals is for 1 billion more people to have universal health coverage by 2023,” said Tedros.

“This means improving access to services, especially at community level, and making sure those services are accessible, affordable, and effective for everyone – regardless of their gender.”

“These statistics underscore the need to prioritize primary health care urgently to effectively manage noncommunicable diseases, and to curb risk factors.” said Samira Asma, WHO Assistant Director General for Data, Analytics and Delivery. “For example, something as simple as controlling blood pressure is just not happening on the scale needed and tobacco use remains a leading cause of premature death.”

Family planning remains effective strategy to avert maternal mortality - OGSG ADESOLA OGUNBANWO & YEMISI FASHOLA, ABEOKUTA

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lijah Ogunsola, the Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary Healthcare Development Board, has said that maternal mortality can best be averted through the uptake of different methods of Family Planning.

Ogunsola made this known during a week-long Workshop organised by the State Primary Health Care Development Board in collaboration with a Development Partner, The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in Abeokuta, the State capital.

The Executive Secretary said that the essence of the workshop was to come up with a Strategic Plan for Social Behavioural Change Communication so as to improve on the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) in the State.

He noted that the present administration had made available different platforms of which the Social Behavioural Change Communication Committee was one in order to identify the best communication strategy to adopt to increase the effectiveness of FP. Ogunsola debunked some of the problem affecting family planning including different myths and misconception as some women believed that if they take up FP they would develop one health challenge or the other, stressing that the importance of coming together

of all stakeholders was to channel a communication strategy on how to better improve on the CPR of the State.

The Board boss highlighted some of the advantages of family planning, to include averting unnecessary abortion of pregnancies, prolonging the life of mothers, allowing couple to space children for better economic and social life without limiting the numbers of children they could have.

He commended the efforts of the state government at ensuring that commodities were made available at all times in all primary healthcare facilities across the state,as well as creating an enabling environment for partners and investors in the State.

Also speaking, the State Program Coordinator, Adebusola Oyeyemi said that the Strategic Plan was like a chart in the course of FP communication in Ogun, adding that it would be a guide for all stakeholders as well as Development Partners in the future.

In their separate remarks, participants at the workshop, Omotunde Arisekola , Adetokunbo Salami and Bólúwatife Fajobi opined that women of child bearing age required the right knowledge that must be factual as well as comprehensive, noting that the workshop was apt as it would ensure that there was a roadmap that would encourage the adoption and uptake of FP in the State.

Chemotherapy: microbiologist seeks legal empowerment SIKIRAT SHEHU, ILORIN

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he Federal Government has been called upon to provide an enabling environment for microbiologists in tertiary institutions to showcase their knowledge of chemotherapy for public use as a good alternative to conventional antibiotics.

Risikat Ahmed, the Acting Head of the Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, who made the call in an interview with journalists opined that the enactment of a law by the government would give microbiologists ample opportunity to transform their researches into practice by way of producing it for use as alternative to orthodox or conventional medicine.

Ahmed, whose research interest is Drug Development towards providing alternative chemotherapy rather than the Conventional Antibiotic, expressed optimism that more value will be added to alternative chemotherapy if the Federal Government could come up with a legal framework for researchers in the University to impact the society with the product of their researches.

She affirmed that drugs produced by microbiologists are thorough products of research and very effective because they are made from plants and microbial sources.

The don noted that microbiologists are well trained and grounded researchers in producing medicine through natural ingredients, which she said is more powerful and more effective.

She explained that such medicine, produced from herbs, could be used as good alternative for conventional drugs, adding that drugs from them are followed with appropriate dosage and measurements, which is lacking in local unorthodox medicine.

Ahmed added that the government and private sectors have roles to play in the promotion of ground breaking research for the benefit of humanity.

While observing that the common man cannot afford orthodox medication, she said that the alternative drugs are natural because they are derived from plants, which are nature’s own pharmacy and are cheaper and play very vital roles.

The University don posited that too much use of conventional drugs could make microorganism to create resistance, pointing out that once the microorganisms are able to recognise the drug, such drugs automatically become less effective.

She explained that was the singular reason that makes a natural product scientist like her look for other sources that will be efficacious against which the micro-organisms wouldn’t be able to create resistance.

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BDSUNDAY 47

Sports Nigerian stars shine on a night of thousand cheers Stories By ANTHONY NLEBEM

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uper Eagles’ standin captain Ahmed Musa and Super Falcons’ opposite number Onome Ebi took the big gongs at the second edition of the AITEO-NFF Football Awards recently held in Lagos.

The project started only last year, but as happened during the first edition, dignitaries and guests came from all over Africa and other parts of the world, and the class and delivery of the event is fast high setting standards for other Awards, national and continental, to match.

The highlight of the night, was the special recognition of the Super Eagles’ Class of 1994 – the squad widely nicknamed ‘Golden Generation’ after qualifying Nigeria for her first –ever FIFA World Cup finals, winning the Africa Cup of Nations on away soil for the first time and coming within 100 seconds of a quarter final place at the World Cup in the United States of America.

Physically present and bathed in applause were goalkeepers Peter Rufai and Alloy Agu, defenders Austin Eguavoen, Uche Okechukwu, Benedict Iroha, Nduka Ugbade and Taribo West, midfielders Mutiu Adepoju, Austin ‘JJ’ Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and Edema Fuludu

and forwards Finidi George, Samson Siasia and Daniel Amokachi. Omoyemi Yekini, daughter of the ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini, stood in for her late father as well as the four others who had passed on: team captain Stephen Keshi, goalkeeper Wilfred Agbonavbare, defender Uche Okafor and midfielder Thompson Oliha.

Emmanuel Amuneke, Michael Emenalo, Emeka Ezeugo, Efan Ekoku, Isaac Semitoje and Chidi Nwanu could not make it down to Nigeria for the ceremony.

While a couple of the players present on Monday night did not make the final cut for the World Cup in America, six members of the group went ahead to join the Dream Team and return to America to conquer – by winning Africa’s men’s football gold at the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta two years later.

Secretary –General of FIFA, Ms Fatma Samoura (the first African/first woman to occupy the position) was honoured with the NFF Order of Merit Award, as Presidents of 18 Member Associations of FIFA, the Abia State Governor (Chief Okezie Ikpeazu), the Acting Governor of Edo State (Comrade Philip Shaibu), two Governors-elect (Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State) and captains of industry, political juggernauts, A-class artistes

L-R: Francis Peters, deputy managing director, Aiteo Group; Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary General and Amaju Melvin Pinnick, NFF President at the AITEO-NFF Football Awards held in Lagos recently.

and heavyweight stakeholders of the game watched at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management, Members of the NFF Congress and chairman of various Clubs were also in attendance.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation and First Vice President of CAF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, once more eulogized the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for providing the conducive environment for football to thrive and for total support for the NFF and the various National Teams, while calling on Ni-

geria’s other billionaires and well –heeled companies to emulate AITEO Group and boost the development of football in Nigeria.

AITEO, Nigeria’s leading energy solutions company also stands erect as Official Optimum Partner of the NFF and sponsors of the Federation Cup. It also bankrolls the annual African Football Awards organized

by CAF. Its team on Monday night was led by Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Francis Peters and included the Executive Director, Mr. Andrew Onyearu.

Bu s i n e s s m o g u l a n d politician, Chief M. K. O. Abiola was honoured with the NFF Presidential Award,

while Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his hefty support for football projects and programs of the National Teams.

There were several members of the CAF Executive Committee, namely Dr. Danny Jordaan of South Africa, Suleiman Waberi of Djibouti, Aisha Johansen of Sierra Leone, Moses Magogo of Uganda and Sita Sangare of Burkina Faso. All noted the good and great works that Samoura, who spent 21 years working for the United Nations, has been doing as chief accounting officer of FIFA since she assumed office three years ago.

NFF First Vice President and Chairman of the Awards organizing committee, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi said the Federation decided it was apt to honour the Super Eagles’ Class of 1994, 25 years to their AFCON –winning exploits and FIFA World Cup performance. It would be recalled that Nigeria was named the second most entertaining team of USA 1994 World Cup. As A-list comedian Bovi and Malian broadcaster Mariam Diakite compered, the dignitaries including Presidents of the Football Associations of Zambia , Zimbabwe, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Ethiopia, Benin Republic, South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda and Liberia applauded the winners with vigour. Among the winners were Super Falcons’ coach Thomas Dennerby, Super Eagles’ ace winger Samuel Chukwueze and Enugu Rangers’ coach Olugbenga Ogunbote.

Responding on behalf of the 1994 Eagles, defender Austin Eguavoen expressed deep appreciation of the squad to the NFF for the honour, while also using the opportunity to plead that NFF should help the players pursue the Federal Government’s promise of a house for each member of the squad, following the AFCON triumph in Tunisia 25 years ago.

Trophy 5-a-side football tournament enters Knock out stage

GOtv Boxing Night 18: Ghanaian Brave Warrior vows to upset Joe Boy

he Trophy 5-a-side Field of Hounour tournament enters the knock out stage. Over 1000 teams were selected to vie for the tournament, which comes with a cash prize of N3 million as well as bragging rights of the best 5-aside team in the country.

In addition, the winning team will proceed to the Pan African regional finals taking place in Tanzania to compete for the African title. They will also have the opportunity of meeting with Samuel Eto’o, the African ambassador for the tournament.

Also starting in earnest is the super fans recruitment where five lucky winners will be selected to travel on an all expense paid trip with the victorious team to Tanzania to watch regional matches and cheer the team to victory. While four of the super fans will be selected via in-bar recruitments across the four states, one lucky winner will be selected online.

head of t he African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title clash, Ghana’s Success “Brave Warrior” Tetteh has vowed to be the first boxer to defeat Nigeria’s Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, the reigning champion, when they meet at GOtv Boxing Night 18 on 21 April.

The bout will headline the event slated to hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium) in Ibadan. Joe Boy, who also holds the Commonwealth (Africa) lightweight title, has remained undefeated in his 14-bout professional career. Speaking from his Accra base, the challenger said he is familiar with the champion’s strengths and weaknesses and is working on plans to neutralize him.

“I’m very motivated to become the first boxer to defeat Joe Boy. I have watched him fight many opponents, who clearly did not know what to do in the ring.

He will fall. It doesn’t matter that the fight is holding in Nigeria. I’m not named Success for nothing,” boasted Tetteh.

The Ghanaian added that

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In Lagos, the draws and knock out matches will take place at the practice pitch, National Stadium Surulere, trade fair complex mini stadium, Ojo and Gbagada mini stadium. In Oyo State, the draws and matches will take place at the Liberty stadium, Ibadan, Adamasigba stadium, Ibadan and Ogbomoso stadium, in Osun, actions will take place at OAU football field, Arubidi football field, Ile-Ife and Osun State University football field, Oshogbo and in Ogun State, the draws and matches will happen live at the MKO Abiola stadium, Abeokuta, practice pitch Dipa Dina sta-

dium, Ijebu Ode and Honda football field, Sango.

All participating teams at the knock out stages will go home with memorabilia and other merchandise in appreciation of their participation.

Fans also stand the chance of winning super prizes from the TV show where they have the opportunity of calling in and answering questions on the matches. The semi-final and final matches will take place May 11 and they will be aired live on NTA Network.

Kindly follow our social media handles to get updates on @Trophylager and @TrophylagerNigeria).

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he has intensified training and has also taken his diet more seriously.

In another international bout billed for the event, Nigeria’s Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku will take on Republic of Benin’s Ekpresso Djamihou in a light middleweight contest. Dodo, a cult figure among boxing fans in Ibadan, is a knockout expert.

Six local bouts are lined up along the two international encounters, with the biggest being the national super featherweight title bout between Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola and Taofeek “Taozon” Bisuga. Oyekola, a fast-rising boxer, won the best boxer award at GOtv Boxing Night 15 and defeated the vastly experienced Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai at GOtv Boxing Night 17. Also in action is the West African Boxing Union (WABU) wel-

terweight champion, Rilwan “Babyface” Babatunde, who makes a return after a oneyear absence. He will fight Ganiyu “Energy” Kolawole in a challenge bout. Tawio “Esepo” Agbaje, winner of the best boxer award at GOtv Boxing Night 16, will be out to enhance is reputation when he takes on Michael “Holy Mike” Jacob in a national lightweight contest. Adeyemi “Sense” Opeyemi, best boxer at GOtv Boxing NextGen4, takes on Sadiq “Happy Boy” Adeleke in a national bantamweight challenge.

Three other GOtv Boxing NextGen Search graduates are also scheduled to be in action. Morufu “Oloke” Owolabi will take on Jamiyu “Sunshine” Akande in a national lightweight challenge, while Issac “I Star” Chukwudi will be up against Ibadan-based Jubril “Terrible” Olalekan.

The best boxer at the event will go home with a cash prize of N1million attached to the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.

GOtv Boxing Night 18 will be beamed live by SuperSport, in 47 African countries.

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Need for constitutional amendment to improve voter participation in election

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lot has been said and written about the February 23 and March 7, 2019 Federal and State Elections. There is a general feeling of disappointment with the elections. The disappointment is not misplaced, considering the huge resources put into the elections. The way forward is not to despair as some have done, but for stakeholders to undertake an audit of the entire electoral processes and institutions with a view to understanding what went wrong and how to prevent a recurrence.

Having reviewed most of the reports and results of the election, what is particularly disturbing is the level of voter participation. According to INEC, a total of 82, 344, 107 voters were registered for the 2019 general elections. Of the over 80 million registered voters, only a little over 29 million participated in the Presidential Election. The same scenario played out in the state elections. In Lagos state for instance, out of a total of 6,313,507 registered voters, only 1, 196,490 voters participated in the elections.

Without going into the debate on why voter participation was poor and who is respon-

sible, whether INEC or the political parties; there is something fundamentally wrong with 1, 122,416 deciding for 6.570.291.

An election that allows for whatever reasons a minority of registered voters to decide for the majority cannot produce an acceptable outcome.

The conditions for declaring a candidate elected in a Presidential/Governorship election is provided for in sections 134 and 179 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). I have read both sections and feel extremely disturbed that they emphasise votes cast and not registered voters. For ease of reference, I will reproduce 179 especially subsection (2) which deals with conditions for declaring a candidate elected in a governorship election. It provides as follows: - “A candidate for an election to the office of Governor of a state shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates – (a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than onequarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two—thirds of all the local government areas in the State”(UNDERLINING MINE).

From the above provision, it does not matter how many registered voters participated in the election. What appears to be important is that there is an election, a candidate secured the highest number of votes cast at the election and the votes cast are evenly distributed in at least two-thirds of local government areas in the state.

This requirement explains the general lack of interest in voter turnout and complaints about disenfranchisement. It is ironic that sections 69 and 110 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)which provides conditions for the recall of Federal and State legislators emphasized registered voters and not votes cast. Section 69, for instance, provides as follows: - “.A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives may be recalled as such a member if – (a) there is presented to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission a petition in that behalf signed by more than one-half of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member; and (b) the petition is thereafter, in a referendum conducted by the Indepen-

dent National Electoral Commission within ninety days of the date of receipt of the petition, approved by a simple majority of the votes of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency”(UNDERLINING MINE).

The cornerstone of elections is participation; the ability of citizens to determine freely how they are governed or who governs them. It is a right guaranteed by Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which provides:“ Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through chosen representatives”; Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which provides: “every citizen shall have the right and opportunity “ to take part in periodic elections...;to vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections” and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), which provides: “ every citizen of a country shall have a right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives...”

I imagine that some may argue that political participa-

tion is not obligatory. In other words, a citizen can choose to participate or not participate in a political process. That may be true, but if elections are not mere rituals and the object of elections is the participation of citizens in the government of their country then effort should be made to ensure sufficient participation.

The sparse voter turnout in the 2019 general election is not sufficient participation.

The National Assembly needs to alter the constitutional requirements for declaring a candidate elected especially for the presidential and governorship elections in Nigeria by replacing the words “highest number of votes cast at the election” with “highest number of registered votes”. That way, the voter can be a god again – Voxpopuli, vox Dei.

fice holders, not to take the people, to whom power belongs for granted”.

That is the essence of democracy-the people, the people and the people-their wishes and aspirations, their dreams and desires, and for the leaders to set in motion, policies, programmes and projects that meet the people’s most crying needs.

That brings us to the million-Naira question.

Does Wike truly deserve this resounding victory? Yours truly honestly believes that “Yes”, he does. From turning Rivers state into a vast construction site; with solid achievements in the critical areas of infrastructural development, including roads and water supply, health care delivery, sound education, transportation, economic development to tourism, the evidences abound making him the poster governor of the current dispensation. One has written on this while dedicating a piece to him at 50, and reflected in my book: ’Drumbeats of Democracy’.

That these touch tellingly on the people’s needs makes them more profound and exemplary.

But there is more to be done. And that has to do with the healing process. He has to make the paradigm shift. Amaechi too should know that in democracy, the people’s franchise is what matters and should learn to sheath the long sword of acrimony.

Who says that we cannot create a state where people are united for sustainable development, irrespective of their ethnic or political differences?

If service is truly meant to benefit the people, then the citizens of Rivers state should be concerned about

their corporate image. It needs to rebrand, because the public perception about what Rivers state stands for is significant to its sustainable development. Must it always be violence, violence and more violence when it comes to elections? No, it should not be.

On the national platform, electoral reforms that conform to free, fair, credible, peaceful elections that align with international standards must come to full play. President Buhari should muster the political will to sign bills that benefit the people and ensure our stability. He ought to have signed the Electoral Amendment Bill into Law. Had he done that perhaps, the lives of innocent Nigerians wasted across the land during the recently concluded elections would have been saved. Results as collated at the polling units would have been transmitted electronically. According to Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji and Nkiru Uzodi in their work, ‘The postelection violence in Nigeria 2011’ issues we have to frontally tackle include the cleavage structure, saliency of ethnicity in Nigerian politics and communal tensions. Others are: Doing away with the culture of impunity and the decline in trust and social capital among communities.

The increasing erosion of trust in the electoral justice system is worrisome. The sanctity of our justice system must not be violated on the altar of the greed for personal gains or desperation for them.

Kudos to Wike. One sweet victory leads to a new set of challenges. Brace up for them-all in the interest of your people.

COLLINS OKEKE Okeke is the Senior Legal/Programme officer Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) Lagos

Wike’s symbolic victory AYO OYOZE BAJE

R

ivers of Sorrows, Tears and Blood (apologies to the great Afrobeat icon, Fela)! That was the description of the state under review from a concerned analyst. For me, that was apt, at least as far as the recently concluded 2019 general elections in the state were concerned. The demons of undemocratic forces were unleashed on the electoral sphere by power-poaching politicians. And they romped on unashamedly in full swing, for all the civilized world to see. That represented what an election in the 21st Century Nigeria should never be.

List them- from ballot box snatching by paid thugs to dare-devil shooting spree by armed hoodlums; from the crude invasion of private residences of some political bigwigs to the unconstitutional militarization of the electoral process. It was one sordid spectacle one prays should not have a replay in the unfolding drama of the absurd that Nigeria’s seasonal elections have been turned into.

Not that the movie-like, bloodletting spectacle was the first of its kind in the oil-rich state. No! According to the Human Rights Watch “the epidemic of violence that has plagued much of the Niger Delta in recent years has its roots in the corrupt, violent and unaccountable nature of politics in the region”. The seemingly intractable war between rival gangs was aimed at gaining access to patronage dispensed by state government officials. Yet, there is more to be done than said in com-

bating the state’s disastrous levels of poverty and unemployment.

Of curious interest is the trend of the state always being turned into a theatre of war of attrition between two political bigwigs or rival gang leaders. For instance, back in 2003, it was between the then Rivers State Governor Peter Odili and the Federal Minister of Transportation Abiye Sekibo. Also, both the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), led by Asari Dukobo, and the Icelanders or Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV), led by Ateke Tom held the state’s security architecture by the jugular.

Ditto for the 2007 elections.

Then Soboma George, a young man who has been involved in gang activity for many years, and a subordinate of Ateke Tom called the shots. During the 2007 elections some local election monitors reported seeing Soboma and several of his lieutenants traveling around Port Harcourt dispensing money to polling agents and a political party’s supporters.

In July 2013 a nauseating drama in Rivers state House of Assembly that had some members exchanging blows and smacking another’s head with the mace took place. It was an off shoot of the rift between then Gov. Rotimi Amaechi and the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

The same Amaechi has allegedly played an ignoble role in the use of federal might in River state, during the recent elections, apparently to unseat the people’s governor, Nyesom Wike. He aligned his forces with the AAC candidate. But as far as the APC National Chairman, Adams

Oshionmhole,wasconcernedAmaechi was on his own, worse still on a wild goose chase! This time around the pendulum of power has swung back in Wike’s favour and there is wild jubilation across the state and deservedly so!

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Prof.

Teddy Adias, Gov. Wike the PDP gubernatorial candidate won 19 out of the 21 local government councils with astounding votes of 886,264.

That is, against that of his rival, Awara Biok-poboma of the African Ac-

‘‘

To finalise, the purpose of an election is to hear the will of the people, not to fabricate votes -Lincoln Diaz-Bernet tion Congress (AAC) who polled 173,859. As many as 249,324 votes were cancelled in areas where the election did not take place due to violence. The wide gap of 712,859 says it all! The difference, as the popular soft drink advert goes is clear.

Good enough, Wike has wisely dedicated this hard-won victory to God and the good people of Rivers state. The PDP at the national level says it is the victory of good over evil while the state Chairman reiterates that Wike’s victory “should serve as a lesson and reminder to all political of-

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