BusinessDay 10 Nov 2019

Education, healthcare top Lagos’ N1.1trn 2020 budget The Presidency

No longer at ease

• Sanwo-Olu earmarks 62% for capital spending INIOBONG IWOK

W

ith a proposed f i s c a l pl a n of N115 billion for public infrastructure, Lagos State, next year, will be a massive construction site.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, on Friday, presented the Year 2020 Budget proposal to the House of Assembly, unveil- Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, presenting the Y2020 Budget Continues on page 40

estimate to the Lagos House of Assembly at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.

…Fight back or resign, Afenifere tells Osinbajo …Sacking of aides politically-motivated – ADP chair …Nothing unusual in the sacking – Salvador CHUKA UROKO and INIOBONG IWOK

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hortly after he left office as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati had expressly said that Aso Rock Villa, the

seat of power in Abuja, was demonised. He alluded to happenings that were inexplicable, which could have been the reason for strange and shoddy implementation of great policies and programmes of government. On several occasions, more than once, Aisha Buhari, First

Continues on page 4

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Six-year single term resonates as Buhari works for tenure elongation P. 14

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Vol 1, No. 288 N300

FG’s attempt to regulate ?? MTN Nigeria’s wholesale media, suspicious, setback for business unit records highest margin in nine months P. 38 Nigeria - Setonji P. 17 p 41.

inside

Apapa: Task Team explains why gridlock returned

p. 6 Mahmood Yakubu

Tukur Buratai

Mohammed Adamu

Concerns over Nigeria’s growing ‘torture chambers’

Adams Oshiomhole

p. 19

‘Writing is a natural progression from reading’

Seriake Dickson

Yahaya Bello

Those that will make or mar Kogi, Bayelsa polls I ZEBULON AGOMUO

p. 19

Kola Ologbondiyan

n Nigeria, elections are akin to going to war. The last general election testifies to this fact. In the off-season gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, sched-

uled for November 16, 2019, interest is high, particularly on the part of the two leading parties in the country- the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party.

In Kogi State, for instance,

where the APC is incumbent, the party is doing everything and anything within its powers to retain the state. In Bayelsa, the PDP, which has claimed the state belonged to it and would remain so, is in an attrition war to stamp its supremacy. It is expected to be a show of force beyond just

an exercise to elect a governor.

Little wonder therefore, for the high level wheeling and dealing going on in various quarters ahead of the polls.

Power is not served à la carte; it is struggled for. Elections in Continues on page 2

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Cover Those that will make or mar ...

Continued from page 1

Kogi and Bayelsa have always been violence-ridden. So far, there are no indications that history would not be on playback when eligible voters file out to exercise their franchise on Saturday, November 16, 2019.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seems to be seriously worried as the Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, a professor, at a meeting with security agencies declared that there are already warning signals in the two states, both are politically volatile and elections have been severally disrupted by violence in the past.

He expressed concern that thugs have been mobilised from within and outside the states with the aim of either influencing the elections or disrupting the process on behalf of partisan sponsors.

David Anyaele, director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), a few days ago raised the alarm that the vibrations from Kogi and Bayelsa did not give any hope for violence-free election.

“We are worried about the security situation in Kogi and Bayelsa states. Every day, politicians are talking like warlords and we are asking INEC and security agencies to ensure adequate security for voters, particularly people living with disabilities,” Anyaele said with serious concern.

Those whose actions or otherwise are expected to heavily impact on the election are Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kola Ologbondiyan, national publicity secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Timipre Sylva, minister of state, Petroleum Resources; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police.

Seriake Dickson: Although he is not contesting the election, he has a lot at stake. In politics, it matters who succeeds an incumbent. In a political party arrangement, every out-going governor, particularly in Nigeria, would want to be succeeded by a member of his/her party. Moreover, because the incumbent would want someone that could cover his track, act as a stooge or continue with his programmes and projects; they do everything to ensure that their candidate wins by hook or crook.

Dickson has been under fire for singlehandedly picking Douye Diri as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, which has since pitted him against many party faithful in the state. The governor is also seeing the election as a show of supremacy; he had boasted to the opposition parties that Bayelsa was a PDP state, and that the status quo must be maintained. This has formed his campaign rhetoric and a message to indigenes as he moved from one part of the state to the other.

“This state is unshakably PDP.

Anybody who wants to contest an election, let me put you on notice, the only platform that can win an election in this state under my leadership is the PDP. Which election will be tougher than the one we won with me as candidate? “We will lead the party to win all elections in the state, God willing,” he said at one of his rallies.

Recently, while in Abuja, he boasted again, “In Bayelsa state, PDP is the largest, biggest and the most formidable political platform.

Compared to the other side which didn’t have the luxury of having a credible primary; a candidate was brought out from the pocket of the leader of the party; a candidate that is not sellable; a candidate that we all know can’t govern, so for us the election is already won. Won by us and lost on the other side.”

Timipre Sylva: This former governor of the state is expected to fight like a wounded lion, all for his party, APC. Since he lost, on January 27, 2012, his office as governor, in a controversial manner, Sylva has been nursing a feeling of anger against the PDP and some individuals in the party. He was a sore loser to Dickson. With his current position as the deputy oil minister, which opponents alleged was given to him to muster a lot of money for the gubernatorial election; Sylva is now capable of wooing some PDP members to the APC and also ensuring that the victory pendulum swings to the broom party on November 16. As one of the political bruisers from the Niger Delta that President Muhammadu Buhari recently appointed to key positions, he is expected to reciprocate the good gesture by delivering Bayelsa to the APC. Adams Oshiomhole: As always, Oshiomhole has been militant in his verbalisation that the days of PDP in the Government House of Bayelsa were numbered.

His utterances on the election have given an indication that the election must be won by his party, at all costs.

During the flag-off of the party’s campaign in Ogbia town, Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, he said: “APC is coming to right the wrongs of the PDP government in Bayelsa State, come November 16.

The APC government, under David Lyon, will work assiduously to provide security, employment and empowerment for all Bayelsa people.”

Throwing a jibe at Dickson, he said: “I understand that my dear friend, the outgoing governor of Bayelsa, is already visited by the withdrawal syndrome facing any governor close to the end of his tenure. I want to assure him, on behalf of our candidate, Lyon, that he is not coming to chase him away or witch-hunt him; our candidate is only coming to correct his wrongs. Our desire is to see that the people of Bayelsa will witness great change.”

Kola Ologbondiyan: The PDP, through its spokesman, has been talking tough, warning mischief makers to steer clear of Kogi and Bayelsa. The party has repeatedly said that it would not tolerate election fraud and must

L-R: Okwudili Onyia, Stakeholder Relations manager; Nkoyo Etuk, Stakeholder Relations, senior manager, both of Seven Energy, and Charles Udoh, commissioner for Information, Akwa Ibom State, during the 12th Teachers’ Award for Excellence in Akwa Ibom State Public Secondary Schools organised by Inoyo Toro Foundation. resist those who may wish to upturn the will and wish of the people in the two states. The other day, the party cautioned the INEC over the deployment of National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC), for the elections.

Ologbondiyan pointedly said: “Our party recognises that while some are of clean records in their previous responsibilities, there are others who are known to be of questionable character and fared far below expectations in their responsibility.”

“We caution the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to note that the deployment of officials with known integrity issues is capable of triggering crisis and jeopardising the credibility of the electoral process,” he added.

Yahaya Bello Apart from mere playing of politics, the consensus opinion in Kogi State is that Governor Yahaya Bello’s first tenure is a disaster and that he does not deserve a second term. But Bello is in the race and optimistic of winning. Adam’s Oshiomhole, national chairman of his party, alluded to Bello’s disastrous performance that ordinarily should not get him a return to the Government House, when he begged Kogi voters to give the governor another opportunity to right the wrongs of his first term.

“I think Governor Bello has shown that he has capacity and going forward he would have learnt a couple of lessons in his first term. I have passed through that process and I know that your second term is always the time you want to do those legacy projects you will like to be remembered for,” Oshiomhole said.

Bello, knowing that his rating is low and that in the event of a credible exercise, he may not stand a chance, may decide to resort to self-help. And such desperation may negatively impact, not only the conduct and outcome of the election, but also the fragile peace in the state.

But if he decides to allow the people make a choice of who to govern them without being intimidated or coerced, then the exercise would be rancor-free.

INEC- Mahmood Yakubu If the elections in Kogi and Beyelsa

states would be free, fair and credible, it is going to be determined by whatever INEC does or fails to do.

The Commission’s image as election umpire in the country has plummeted so badly that many Nigerians no longer reckon with it. In past elections, INEC had been accused of partisanship; adopting parties and politicians, and going ahead to write and announce results that did not reflect the wish of the electorate. The Commission has also been accused of deliberately starving some areas of electoral materials, or going there late just to give some candidates or parties edge over their opponents.

Up till now, many Nigerians have not forgiven the INEC over its actions and inactions during the last general election. Over the years, INEC has not fared well in Bayelsa for instance; it has repeatedly conducted “inconclusive elections”, which critics alleged were born out of compromise with some political actors; to swing victory to such politicians or parties.

INEC should therefore, prove critics wrong, by truly asserting itself as an unbiased umpire. What it does or fails to do next Saturday in Kogi and Bayelsa would determine the outcome of the polls. The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) final report on the 2019 elections observed that lack of transparency and inconsistent numbers during the collation of results by the INEC cast a long shadow over the integrity of the 2019 elections.

The Kogi and Bayelsa elections present an opportunity for the Commission to show that it has become committed to free, fair and credible election without being influenced or manipulated.

The Police- IGP (Mohammed Adamu) The role of the Nigeria Police in Nigeria’s elections since the return of the country to civil rule has been questionable. The police have created the impression that they are for sale, and to the highest bidder, or that they are there for any party in power. Their independence is questionable. Police have not acquitted themselves well in many of the elections they have featured since 1999. Their worst outing, critics insist, was in the 2019 general election. Police personnel

deployed to keep the peace turned themselves into INEC. They were allegedly conniving with politicians and parties to intimidate opponents and to commit a lot of electoral fraud. Reports of several observer groups indicted the police in the last elections. Although Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, has deployed thousands of his men to Kogi and Bayelsa, the question on the lips of many is, what is the assurance that they are going there for the job they were sent to do? Analysts have also urged the IGP himself to maintain apolitical in the two states, before, during and after the elections. The police have a serious role to play to ensure that the elections in the two states are violence-free. Engaging in intimidation of candidates of one party; random arrest, threat of clamp down on some politicians and their supporters and selective ill-treatment of members of one party may not help the exercise. The police must go to Kogi and Bayelsa with clean hands.

The Army- Tukur Yusuf Buratai Although the INEC chairman has announced that the police are going to be the lead security agency for the elections in the two states; that does not mean that other security agencies would not be there. In the past, it used to be said that soldiers would not come close into the state where an election is holding, (as voting is a civic responsibility) but would station themselves at the borders into the state to prevent any invasion of such state, or movement into or from the state of unwanted elements. But experiences have shown that, not only do soldiers enter, they became instruments of oppression against political opponents. In Bayelsa in particular, given the terrain, involvement of soldiers cannot be ruled out. The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, must ensure that innocent citizens are not intimidated or harassed. In the 2019 general election, several reports from local and international observer groups including the European Union Election Observation noted that soldiers were brazenly partisan and aided thugs of preferred parties and politicians in carrying out all manner of electoral frauds.

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Sowore’s detention may continue despite court order …As Deji Adeyanju presents self as ‘physical surety’ for Sowore Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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here appears to be more frustration for activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 generation, Omoyele Sowore, as his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) may continue despite a court order to release him.

The DSS in a statement issued by its Public Relations

Officer, Peter Afunanya confirmed that it has received the Court Order for the release of activist Sowore but no one is willing to take delivery of him for now.

Afunanya in the statement said: “Is important that the public notes that since the receipt of the Order, no person has turned up at the DSS to take delivery of him.

This becomes imperative for reasons of accountability.

“However, the Court has been properly briefed on this development and the

steps being taken to ensure compliance with its Order.

“The Service, under the leadership of Yusuf Magaji Bichi (fwc), as the Director General, is not a lawless organisation and will never obstruct justice or disobey Court Orders. It, therefore, affirms that it will do all that is needful once the appropriate processes have been concluded,” the statement said.

Sowore was arrested in August by the secret police following his planned protest over the poor condition of

Omoyele Sowore

the Nigerian economy and the hardship it imposed on Nigerians. However, the #RevolutionNow on which he and allies planned the protest, was seen by the security agencies as a threat of violent uprising against constituted authority and the people of Nigeria.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and the leaders of the DSS warned that the planned protest will be treated as ‘treasonable felony’ and advised members of the public to shun any protests.

However, the allies of Sowore went ahead to organize protests in Abuja, Lagos, Osun and in other parts of the country where they had hectic time as police dispersed and arrested some of the protesters allegedly to keep law and order.

Earlier on Saturday, another activist Deji Adeyanju, reportedly led a group of protesters to the DSS headquarters in Abuja even as he volunteered to present himself as “physical surety,” for Sowore.

travails could be located in the backyard of his touted 2023 Presidential ambition.

It was also gathered that the alleged ambition may have so pitted him against the National Leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that he, Tinubu, at a meeting with Buhari had allegedly supported Buhari’s intention to ask Osinbajo to resign as a result of his (the VP’s) intolerable sins against the President.

BDSUNDAY gathered that Tinubu felt betrayed by Osinbajo’s guts to imagine running for the Presidency in 2023 when he was aware that Tinubu’s eyes were also there. Observers say, “What is playing out is power play”.

According to critics, “Apart from the persecution from the cabal at the Presidency, Bola Tinubu is no longer favourable to the Vice President. There are fifth columnists that have spoilt the relationship between the VP and his political godfather. They carry damaging rumours to Tinubu and his bitterness grows against the VP.” “Whether Osinbajo is nursing the ambition to succeed Buhari is something I cannot confirm now; but the truth is that a lot of lies go on in the system and it is destroying a lot of things,” Toyin Olatona, a publicist, told BDSUNDAY. Olatona further said that it was naivety for Tinubu to think that the Presidency would protect his interest while fighting Osinbajo.

“In the eyes of the cabal in the Presidency, Asiwaju has no worth beyond his role as the chief financier of the Presidential election for Buhari. Yes, they also respect him for putting the ladder on which President Buhari climbed to the office, but, beyond that, I can tell you for free that there is no plan to make Tinubu succeed Buhari. Anybody thinking about that is just humouring himself,” he said.

Kazeem Ahmed, who

claimed to be a fan of the Vice President, decried the habit of denials by the managers of the President, even in matters that are clear to everyone.

“We are all Nigerians and we have been in this country for years. We know our leaders that they tell lies a lot. But what is the point telling lies when you know you will come back to admit you lied. That does not show integrity. After series of denials, the Presidency eventually owned up to the sack of 35 Osinbajo’s aides.

They have always rushed to tell lies, making Nigerians doubt the authenticity of whatever information that comes from them. The other time, the original list of new ministers leaked and was everywhere on social media; they said it was fake, but at the end of the day, it was the same list. Why is government taking delight in lying?

Ahmed wondered.

Although the Presidency said the sack of Osinbajo’s aides was a measure to reduce cost of governance, Ahmed faulted that, “That decision has nothing to do with reducing cost, after all, the President recently added some aides to the Vice President. Why is it now that they suddenly realised they are spending much? There is no doubting the fact that things have gone wrong somewhere between the President and Vice President Osinbajo. I will not be surprised if they succeed in forcing the Vice President to resign; the pressure is just too much.”

Reacting to the sacking of some aides of the Vice-President, the Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural Organisation, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin said that recent decision by the presidency had shown that Osinbajo’s powers had been reduced.

Odumakin, however, urged the Vice-President to fight back or resign from the Buhari administration.

“What is happening now shows that Osibanjo is being amputated. He has been taken hostage in this administration considering what is happening.

“When Atiku faced similar circumstance in APC he fought back. But the question is; does Osibanjo have the morals to fight back.

During the Babangida regime, the Chief of Army Staff then resigned because he was side-lined. They have not told us what he did,” Odumakin said.

In his view the National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Sanni Yabagi said the sacking of the aides was politically-motivated, while urging Osinbajo to seek advice from his region before taking a decision.

Ya b a g i , h o w e v e r, stressed that the sacking may signal the beginning of alignment ahead 2023 general election in the country.

“It is a matter that has political undertone in the sense that it could mean an alignment of political forces ahead of 2023 elections.

For me, this could be about 2023.

“He is representing a zone in the country, let him go and consult with his people, he cannot unilaterally take a decision; let him meet his people and decide what to do,” Yabagi said.

But a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Moshood Salvador, disagreed that Osibanjo was being targeted by the decision, while urging Nigerians not to politicise everything.

“People have been talking, but personally it is not the first time this is happening, there is nothing unusual about the sacking. Nigerians should stop politicising everything and reading meaning to everything.

“You saw the memo from the presidency, the reply, other people were affected nothing unusual to me,” Salvador said.

No longer at ease Continued from page 1 Lady said that the Presidency had been hijacked from President Muhammadu Buhari, her husband, by a powerful clique called “cabal”. In July 2017, while her husband was on medical trip in London, she had talked about “hyenas and jackals” scheming for power, but saying that they would be banished.

Recall also that President Buhari could not move into his office in Aso Rock Villa immediately he returned from the medical vacation on August 19, 2017 after over 100 days in London.

Nigerians were told that an army of strange rodents had taken over his office.

Despite the repeated ‘no-rift’ denial by the Presidency, the body language of the President and that of the ‘cabal’ at the Presidency have given the indication that Osinbajo is there just for the record.

Analysts said that the Vice President’s ordeals had their roots in some decisions he took when he acted as President when Buhari was away in London for medical reasons.

For instance, Osinbajo had confirmed the appointment of Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) against the wish of the cabal. And has also in August 2018 sacked the then Director-General of Department of State Service, Lawal Daura, over the controversial invasion of the National Assembly. Daura was said to be rude and condescending when Osinbajo summoned him to explain the siege on the National Assembly by his men. Reports have it that Daura has continued to retain his accommodation in the Villa despite his sack.

At a purported meeting between President Buhari and two apparatchiks of the ruling party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Bisi Akande, a national newspaper quoted the President as saying that

Osinbajo had crossed the red line and that he wanted him resigned. There has not been any refutation of that report, which seems to put a seal of truth on it.

The seemingly frosty relationship came to a head when President Buhari, while inaugurating his new cabinet in August, ordered the new ministers to submit any request meant for him to his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and all executive matters to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mustapha Boss.

Analysts believe that this has given the Chief of Staff more power, which he is allegedly using to hunt his perceived enemies.

These alleged anti-Osinbajo moves came at a time he was touted to be nursing the ambition to succeed his boss resident Buhari in 2023, as the cabal mainly from the northern part of the country is already plotting never to allow power shift to the South.

As if that was not enough indication that things have fallen apart, and the centre can no longer hold, Buhari went ahead and stripped him of his powers over the economic team of government. The President had announced the replacement of the Economic Management Team (EMT), which Osinbajo chaired, with an Economic Advisory Council (EAC), to be chaired by Professor Doyin Salami.

Steadily, the Vice President is being de-feathered.

The latest in the series of humiliation that have trailed him is the sacking of his 35 aides at whim. Last week, the President who is resting in London had ordered Kyari to bring a document from Nigeria for him to sign. Many Nigerians raised eyebrows why such should happen when a vice president is on ground. A matter of hours after Kyari returned to Nigeria, he sacked Osinbajo’s aides.

Reports had it that Osin-

bajo tried but could not delay the letters from being sent out pending the President’s return. He had wanted to talk things over with the President upon his return, but the “Presidency” reportedly went ahead to effect the sack.

The questions begging for answers are, does it mean Osinbajo cannot put a call directly to his boss while he is on holiday in London or he no longer has his direct contact? Does it mean the Vice President is no longer part of the presidency?

Some Analysts believe there may have been some discussions between the President and Kyari when, he, the Chief of Staff, took the file to London, upon the return of which he began to effect their plans.

“The way I see things, the sack was just one of the series of the assaults that would be hauled at Osinbajo in the days ahead,” Kenneth Iwo, a political affairs analyst, told BDSUNDAY. Andrew Elkanah, a systems engineer, said the frosty relationship has run very deep that anything can happen any moment from now.

“This loss of cordial working relationship was evident even before the 2019 general election. The President simply tolerated Osinbajo just to win a return ticket because he believed he would be calling the wrath of the Yoruba, South West, should he dropped the VP. But, now that elections are over, he believes he has nothing again to lose. We are going to see more onslaughts against, not only Osinbajo but the South West. The bulk of the 35 aides that were sacked were from South West that drafted him into the presidency in the first place. That should be an eye-opener,” Elkenah said.

Osinbajo’s travail and 2023 ambition Unconfirmed reports had it that the Vice President’s

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Apapa: Task Team explains why gridlock returned …says situation to normalise Monday approach to Tank-farm from 10.30am to 5pm daily with assurance to them of accessing their loading point within two hours of arrival.”

Other factors that contributed to the return of the gridlock were linked to issues of “corruption-fighting-back as reflected in the propagation of negative news to embarrass the government.

CHUKA UROKO

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hePresidentialTask Team on Restoration of Law and Order in Apapa area (PTT-RLO) has given reasons gridlock returned to Apapa, citing five major incidents that caused the congestion in the port city in the last two weeks.

Unexpectedly, traffic buildup returned to Apapa after some six months of respite from what had become a nightmarish experience driving or commuting to the port city where marine and other business activities draw people from all over Nigeria to.

Until now, motorists and even Apapa residents had been confused as to the cause of the sudden and uncontrollable return of gridlock which had become a major feature of Apapa until the task team came. Prominent among the incidents that led to the return of the congestion, according to the task team, was the November 24, 2019 attack by hoodlums on the Lilypond Transit Truck Park, describing it as a major setback in govern-

ment efforts.

“Since that incident, Lilypond is yet to recover fully.

It was expected that the facility needed a minimum of two weeks to recover from the attack,” Kayode Opeifa, executive vice chairman of PTT-RLO, said.

The invasion of Apapa by tankers from Ijegun and Abule-Ado areas was another major cause of the congestion that was seen in Apapa recently. This, the task team explained, was as a result of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Lagos State government’s action to resolve some issues in the

Ijegun area.

“We met severally with NUPENG/PTD to arrange the coming of the tankers between 10am and 5pm. The matter was eventually resolved, resulting in the meeting between officials of Lagos State government, Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, and the NUPENG and petroleum tanker drivers (PTD) national leadership,” Opeifa said.

Continuing , he said: “Prior to the resolution, we had series of meetings with the South West and national leadership of NUPENG and PTD on trucks, delaying their

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he earth-quaking revelations made so far by the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joi Nunieh, seem to bring huge pressure on her interim management committee as the Senate wants her to give way for the board just screened.

Despite this, the Ogoniborn Nunieh has assured that the Interim Management Committee of the Commission would defend the wealth of the people of the Niger Delta region. She has just cancelled a deal that gives one consultant N1billion every month for helping to collect statutory funds from international oil corporations, something she said was unnecessary. She has also revealed how a senator alone cornered 300 contracts and got paid for 120 without lifting a shovel; and how one company has 87 vouchers waiting for payment. These are how the NDDC came to owe over N3 trillion to contractors.

Nunieh, who addressed Ogoni youths that paid a solidarity visit to the NDDC headquarters in Port Har-

court, said that no one would be allowed to deprive the people of their resources.

She said: “I have been in the Niger Delta struggle from the beginning, and these people are beneficiaries of the struggle. But we will not allow them to take the money belonging to the people of the Niger Delta.”

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer said that the Commission had cancelled the monthly agent’s fee of N1billion being paid to a consultant, adding that the payment of three per cent for gas had also

Joi Nunieh, NDDC Ag MD

been cancelled.

Nunieh thanked the people of the Niger Delta for trusting members of the Interim Management Committee. She remarked: “I want to thank Mr. President especially, for believing in us and insisting on upholding the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The President said that he will act in accordance with the Act establishing the NDDC. And the Act says that after Cross River, Delta will produce the Chairman, but some people do not want Delta to

It should be noted that motorists experienced free and smooth drive to Apapa on Friday.

Those who had any kind of delay were motorists that came to the port city through Eko Bridge where there was slow movement as a result of rehabilitation work going on at the time at Apongbon Bridge.

L-R: Azeez Akodudu, chairman PDP Iseyin local government; Rauf Olaniyan, Oyo State deputy governor; Seyi Makinde Governor; Kunmi Mustapha Oyo, State PDP chairman ; Bayo Lawal, commissioner for Special Duties, and Fausat Sanni, commissioner for women Affairs, during a thank you visit to Governor’s Office

by PDP Iseyin local government for award of Iseyin/Moniya road.

NDDC boss vows to defend the people’s asset, amid growing pressure Ignatius Chukwu

The on-going reconstruction work leading to shutdown of Point Road and outbound Creek Road at several entry points due to concrete laying and recent closure of outbound lane of Liverpool Bridge were also pointed out.

In spite all these, the task team has assured that, by Monday, November 11, the situation would normalise.

be chairman. They don’t have the right to dictate. They will only obey the provisions of the Act and as good citizens we stand on the provisions of the NDDC Act.” The NDDC boss assured that development would be taken to all nooks and crannies of the Niger Delta region, stating: “Anywhere you come from in the Niger Delta, the NDDC is coming to your villages, every village will have water to drink, every village will have primary health facility. We will work with all the governors and stakeholders in the region.”

Nunieh said that the forensic audit ordered by the President would help the NDDC to recover all funds that were illegally taken away from it. She urged the youths to go back to their communities because the NDDC would meet them there. “We are bringing development to the communities,” she pledged.

The Leader of the Ogoni youths, Felix Nwidag, said that Niger Delta youths were solidly behind the NDDC three-man Interim management Committee, stating that nothing would shake their resolve to ensure that it succeeded.

Abia NUJ inaugurates 5-man committee for 2019 summit UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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bia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has inaugurated a 5-man committee to organise its 2019 media summit.

Uzomba Ekwribe, former state council secretary is the chairman of the committee, while Udoka Agwu of the BusinessDay Newspaper is the secretary.

Other members are Chibunna Ikeokwu, chairman of Ambassador Chapel; Peace Agbo of Pacesetter FM Radio and Gloria Abiakam of the Federal Information Chapel.

While inaugurating the Committee during the State monthly Congress at the

State Council office in Umuahia, John Emejor, chairman of Abia State Council of NUJ, challenged the committee to make the 2019 edition of the Media Week successful and remarkable.

He noted that the Council had in the past been restrained from making the event elaborate due to financial constraints and urged committee to reach out to government agencies, corporate institutions and groups in order to create awareness and assistance.

Emejor disclosed that one of the highlights of the event will be the investiture of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the Grand Patron of the State Council of NUJ as stipulated in the schedule of the Unions constitution.

Erosion menace: Abia govt advises community to relocate UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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bia State government has advised residents of some parts of Umuchime, Amuzukwu-Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area where suspected landslide is seriously affecting buildings to as a matter of urgency relocate from the area to avert possible disaster.

Solomon Ogunji, Abia

State commissioner for environment, gave the advice when he visited the area weekend to see things for himself. Ogunji disclosed that he had directed the engineers from Department of Flood & Erosion Control in the Ministry to do an all round assessment on the incident.

He assured that soonest, Ministry of Environment would make a categorical and professional statement about what had happened.

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I will govern Kogi with the fear of God - Wada VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, lokoja

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ew days to the gubernatorial election in Kogi State, Musa Wada, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer, has promised to govern the state with the fear of God if given the mandate. Wada made the pledge during a campaign rally at Kabba, saying that fairness, justice and equity would be his guiding principle and not religion and tribalism.

He assured that each part of the state will be treated

equally and fairly in the distribution of appointments and amenities.

The candidate appealed to the people not to despair about the present sorry state of things in the state, saying that their joy and happiness will be restored under his administration.

He equally emphasised that payment of salary and pensions will become regular under the PDP administration as from January 2020, adding that the state was blessed with abundant solid mineral resources, arable land for agriculture and qual-

ity human resources, pointing out that they will be harnessed to create prosperity for the people.

Wada also promised to initiate discussions with foreign and local investors on how some of the solid mineral deposits can be developed to create jobs and wealth for the citizens.

Wada explained that the present widespread of poverty and squalor in communities across the state was an embarrassment to well-meaning indigenes, promising to reverse the ugly situation.

Wada

He promised to embark on massive infrastructural development across the state and develop the education sector from primary, secondary to tertiary level to give the state a better future.

“My administration will also look into the possibility of upgrading the College of Agriculture to a full-fledged University,” he said.

Wada frowned at the deplorable state of Kabba township roads and pledged to repair them alongside others in major towns in Okunland.

Ugwuanyi blows hot over security issues in Enugu, procures vehicles to aid personnel Regis Anukwuoji, Enugu

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nugu State government has spoken tough, vowing to deal with those suspected to create security problem for the state. He has also procured security vehicles to aid the work of security personnel in the state.

The move was to stamp out enemies trying to dent the image of the otherwise most peaceful state in the country.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of the state, in a proactive response to arrest the security challenges has called on security agencies in the state to step up their game. At a security meeting he convened, involving all the security organs in the state, including notable church leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders, Ugwuanyi challenged the stakeholders to come up with best way to curb the menace and a sure way to restore sanity in all parts of the state.

As a practical step, the governor, accompanied by a team of security operatives, went combing the bushes where criminals were suspected to be

hiding. He ordered such hideouts to be cleared and monitored henceforth.

The clearing of the bush, however served a dual purpose of not only helping to checkmate the criminal activities in the state, but also created employment for a lot of people in villages who are now securityconscious.

Ugwuanyi further engaged over 1,700 indigenes of the state, selected from various communities, to guard the forests in the state. This was a fallout of the security meeting that involved all the traditional rulers in the state.

Commending the governor’s approach to the recent security challenges, one Linus Ezebuiro, said: “I am pleased with the speed and enthusiasm with which Enugu State governor has addressed the challenges posed by the recent security threats; I appreciate and thank him for that.”

To help the security agencies sort out logistic challenges and ensure that all the rural areas are covered adequately, Governor Ugwuanyi procured over 400 security vehicles, equipped with security gadgets which he is distributing to security organs in the state.

Ugwuanyi inspecting one of the canals suspected to be a hideout for criminals along Enugu-PH expressway

He also bought two luxury buses and security vehicles attached to them as palliatives for travellers that would be going to Imo State Airport, Owerri or Asaba Airport to pick flight pending when the Akanu Ibiam International Airport would be ready.

According to the governor, the vehicles would be distributed to all the security agents in the state, including the newly engaged forest guards to ensure that all the rural communities are fully secured, adding that his administration is ready to ensure that people in all parts of the state are secured. The governor also said that his administration would establish a security trust fund to be managed by a board to ensure that all the security arrangements are perfectly handled. And that intelligence gathering team would be assembled to work in both urban and rural areas (villages). He implored journalists in the state to join in the innovation as security of lives and property in the state is everyone’s business.

“We are prepared, but the challenge we are facing is that we don’t have control over the posting or redeployment of police officers even when they are found wanting in their line of duty; hence, we are fully in support of establishing state police. What we are doing now is community policing,” he said.

He called on the authorities of the Nigerian correctional centres to minimise the rate at which inmates abuse the use of phones.

According to him, a situation where inmates coordinate criminal activities even while they are in the prisons, through phone calls, are unacceptable.

L-R: Professor Pat Utomi, guest speaker; Sam Onuabunwa, national president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and Anthony Ikeme, president, Nigerian Association of Pharmacists and Pharmaceutical Scientists in the Americas (NAPPSA), at the 92nd annual conference of PSN in Kaduna.

The Cuppy Foundation hosts inaugural gold gala in Abuja IFEOMA OKEKE

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he Cuppy Foundation, founded by Florence “Cuppy” Otedola, is set to host its inaugural Gold Gala today, Sunday, November 10th, 2019 at Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

The special dinner is organised to support the works for ‘Save the Children’ organisation in Nigeria.

The evening will focus on conversations based around some of Save the Children’s initiatives such as bettering the lives of children in Nigeria who are in conflict and also tackling malnutrition. The gala will feature various segments including an auction packed with unique items, a cocktail reception and finally a private dinner with special performances.

“The Gold Gala is just the start in driving awareness and creating change for our precious Nigerian Children.

Save the Children believes

children are our future – they are, and the future is now.” Cuppy Otedola.

The Cuppy Foundation has announced that the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo will be the special guest of honour at the inaugural Gold Gala. All proceeds generated from the event will go towards The Cuppy Foundation programmes that will benefit thousands of Nigerians in need.

The Cuppy Foundation is an establishment aimed at tackling issues surrounding

Cuppy

young females, education for girls, and persons with disabilities (minorities). This Foundation was born out of a passion deep within her founder to give individuals who have been forgotten and relegated to the background of society a chance at building the life they desire, a chance that every individual on earth deserves.

Save the Children was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 in order to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. The organisation operates in over 120 countries around the World.

Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40 percent of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly two million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDSrelated disease.

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News Security experts weigh in on EFCC’s plan to probe security agencies ...DHQ says EFCC has its mandate Stella Enenche, Abuja

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he recent declaration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the finances of military and security agencies, has continued to elicit mixed reactions from security experts, and other stakeholders.

Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu had, at a recent stakeholders forum at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, given indication of extending investigations to security circles.

BusinessDay recalls that

EFCC had carried out an investigation of the $2.1 billion arms purchase deal in the military, leading to the ongoing prosecution of a former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd), among others.

At a time, the trials of the aforementioned were still going on, the EFCC’s planned investigation has continued to generate mixed reactions.

Speaking on the development, a former director of SSS, Mike Ejiofor, said a deliberate attempt to begin to investigate the security agencies will not only affect the operations of the agencies, but will cause bad blood

between the EFCC and other security agencies.

While wondering who will audit the EFCC, considering that there are also some bad eggs within its fold, he said, the public will certainly be interested in getting answers to it.

Nonetheless, Ejiofor acknowledged the mandate of the anti-graft agency to fight corruption, noting the conviction of a former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tafa Balogun, among others.

“Nobody is stopping the EFCC from investigating any of the security agencies so that statement from their chairman is uncalled for and it’s unfortunate. It’s going to bring a lot of bad blood. Am

aware that EFCC convicted an Inspector General of Police (IGP)Tafa Balogun. The National Security Adviser (NSA) is under investigation and they are so many top military officers involved in the $2.1billion arms deal and nobody has stopped them.

Also speaking on the development, executive director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Auwal Rafsanjanni, expressed doubts over the capacity and “political will” of the commission to undertake the investigation, especially of service chiefs, who are still on the saddle.

Like Ejiofor, Rafsanjani conceded to the investigative power of the EFCC, by

virtue of the act establishing it, as seen in the arms procurement contract.

He wondered why the commission will be announcing this now, even as trials continued.

“What I don’t know is whether EFCC will be able to conclude the investigations and then prosecute those who are found guilty especially under the current regime. In the previous regime they have done that. That is why Sambo Dasuki is facing prosecuting and so many of them who have diverted funds meant for security sector,” he said.

On his part, another analyst, Ben Okezie, said the

planned enquiry was long overdue as, according to him, there was nothing wrong with it.

“A lot of fraud has gone into many claims (projects) and then they are not justified. It is when there is accountability that you know that something is justified. A country that goes spending without anybody checking how the money is been spent will not make progress.

A lot has gone wrong because nobody is checking.

You will see someone who retired as a police commissioner and he has several plots of land and other properties. Where did he make the money from? These things should be checked.

Oba of Benin commends Access Bank’s contribution to Edo economy IDRIS UMAR MOMOH & CHURCHILL OKORO, Benin

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he Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare ll, has commended Access Bank Plc for its contributions to the economic development and growth of Edo State.

The Benin monarch made the commendation, when theManagingDirector/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, led other management staff of the bank on a courtesy visit to the Oba’s palace in Benin City on Wednesday.

The monarch, who personally received the team, noted that the bank’s contributions to the economic development and growth of the state have made it one of the leading states in the country.

“The palace is proud of you and the bank. We will continue to support the man-

agement and the bank with prayers to do more to the economic development and growth of the state “I want to personally commend the bank for all it has been doing and will still do in the state as well as commitment to assist and partner the palace in the realisation of its projects especially the Satellite town project.

“We want to try and open a new area that can encourage urban to rural migration in line with the remarks I made in my coronation speech that there is too much drift from the rural to the urban areas.

“With this project, we will be able to achieve a lot in that regard because there will be other settlements and industries springing up around this satellite town,” he said.

He urged the people of the state to continue to patronise banks and all other investors in the state.

He however, urged other financial and corporate organisations to emulate Ac-

cess Bank in partnering with the palace in all its projects and activities.

Earlier, Wigwe, who commended the palace for banking with the bank, pledged the bank’s support to all Edo projects as well as the palace’s projects.

“I want to thank you for the privilege of banking with us. It is a very rare privilege and for giving us the opportunity to bank with the Benin Traditional Council. It is not something we take for granted. “And by the special grace of God, throughout our period as Access bank and working with you, we will support all Edo projects and everything you need to do to lift up the good people of Benin.

“We are fully aware of some of the things you are doing especially the satellite town which is outskirt of Benin. I want to make a special commitment to you today that we will support that project till the end.

Kogi guber: UPC collapses structure for APC VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

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s the date slated for the Kogi State gubernatorial election draws nearer, the United Progressive Congress (UPC) in the state has collapsed its structures for Governor Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Moses Damisa , state chairman of the UPC, announced the defection on Friday while addressing jour-

nalists at the NUJ Press Centre in Lokoja.

Damisa noted that the reason behind their actions was the similarities of APC and UPC parties’ developmental objectives.

He equally pointed out that the party’s executive members have been watching with keen interest the infrastructural development and zeal to do more in the state by the APC administration in Kogi State as he lauded the objectivity of Governor Yahaya Bello programmes

on youth, women empowerment and poverty alleviation for the citizenry in the state.

The Chairman, who applauded the slogan of UPC for APC therefore, enjoined members of the party to ensure the victory of Governor Bello in the forthcoming election in Kogi State.

Earlier, Suleiman Raji, state secretary of the party, disclosed that arrangements had been concluded by the executive members of the party across the state to vote for Bello.

L-R: Ibukun Omololu, head, One Woman Proposition, Sterling Bank; Omolewa Ahmed, former First Lady, Kwara State and founder, Leah Foundation, and Bisi Fayemi, First Lady, Ekiti State, at the screening of the movie, ‘Diamonds in the Sky’, co-produced by Leah Foundation and Sterling Bank in Lagos.

Prevention of substance abuse can boost nation’s economy – Expert Iniobong Iwok

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earing in mind that the challenges of substance abuse has attained a frightening dimension in Nigeria, Global Initiative on Substance Abuse (GISA) has advocated that the issue must be addressed from all sides including the workplace and among the workforce considering the importance of the sector to development of national economy.

This was opined at the opening ceremony of a 3-day training/workshop on Evidence Based Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention and Management in the workplace for staff of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) organised

by GISA in collaboration with 17 goals Africa Initiative held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

Martin Agwogie, founder/ executive director, Global Initiative on Substance Abuse (GISA), said the training is not just about targeting the CBN staff but the Nigerian workforce and institutions to build their capacity.

According to him, “We are starting with CBN staff and Nigerian Port Authority staffs which means we have CBN Staff and NPA staff for this training. They play critical role in the economy of this nation and national development.

Agwogie noted that what his organisation intends to achieve at the end of the training is increase in productivity as science of study has shown that implementation of evidence based substance against prevention in the workplace uses absenteeism to as much as 93% because people who have the substance use disorders visit

hospitals more often and as such reduce productivity of such individuals.

“In most cases they do not go to work because of their health conditions or hangover and so on. So what we intend to achieve is that the workforce which of course plays critical role in the development of every nation needs to be targeted for evidence based substances prevention and the workplace is one of the settings where substances prevention can be delivered”, he said.

Co-Chair of 17 Goals Africa Initiative, Kayode Oluokun said that in December 2018, President Buhari set up a committee on substance abuse in Nigeria and the report that was released in March 2019 shows that Nigeria has the highest number of people involved in drugs with about 14.3 million people involved in substance abuse in Nigeria.

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I still remain flag bearer of UPC - Abuh VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

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ollowing the press briefing organised by some mem bers of the United People’s Congress (UPC) at the NUJ Press Centre in Lokoja, the Standard bearer of the party, Sunday Abuh, has dissociated himself from the purported alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said that he still remained the candidate and has INEC approval, saying the decision of Moses Damisa was a figment of his imagination and has no bearing with party’s national headquarters.

Abuh therefore, urged all the party faithful to disregard Damisa action and vote for him in the forthcoming election.

“My attention has been drawn to a purported press conference at Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) headquarters in Lokoja by one Moses Damisa, chairman of

the United People’s Congress (UPC) on Friday, saying that the party has collapsed its structure into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next week’s governorship election in Kogi state.

“In the said press conference, the state party chairman was quoted as instructing the members of the party (UPC) to vote for Governor Yahaya Bello, the standard bearer of the APC in respect of November 16 governorship election,” Abuh said.

“Thirdly, the party chairman was said to have hinged his action on the inability of the candidate of the party, Dr. Sunday Abuh in the next week’s election to carry them along in the scheme of things in the party.

“In as much as I would not like to join issues with him (Damisa), I want the world to know that the enthronement of UPC, among the parties contesting the coming election in Kogi State was through my efforts, financially and otherwise.

“It beats my imagination

to hear from those whom we brought on board to assist in building the party, to come with such statement at this period of election in which the party is a strong contender,” he further said.

According to him, “By his action, it shows, he is not a mature and consistent leader but a self-seeking one who can easily be bought over by the enemies of the party by deploying sentiments and financial inducements to feather the nest of certain interest group.

“I remained the standard bearer of United Progressive Congress, with all my documents and approvals still intact at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the November 16 Governorship election.

“I therefore, implored all our members to disregard the purported statement of the state chairman of the UPC, that our great party has collapsed its structure to APC in the next governorship election in the state.

Abdulrazaq calls for adequate preparation for post-oil years ...As KwaraPoly set to partner investors SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Ab d u l r a z a q h a s called for adequate preparation for Nigeria to survive in the post-oil years which he says could be nearer than expected.

He therefore, called for better attention to technical education, agriculture and enterprise.

The governor, speaking at the 26th Convocation Ceremony of the Kwara State Polytechnic in Ilorin, the state capital, posited that “The whole world is preparing for post-oil years and this means we must consciously wean ourselves off the unhelpful addiction to the oil wealth.

We must promote skills acquisition, agribusiness, and enterprise.”

Abdulrazaq, represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Mamman Saba Jibril, assured that Kwara under his watch will promote agribusiness,

skills acquisition, private initiatives and local technological inventions.

Adding that “Among other plans, the ongoing process to renovate the Kwara State Library, equip it with fast internet facilities for elearning, and make it the launch pad for our innovation hub is a step in this direction and we will follow it through, God willing. We will support technological inventions, especially from our own institutions that would help to strengthen our agricultural value chain.”

In his remarks, Abdul Jimoh Mohammed, the Rector of the Polytechnic revealed that the institution has opened up avenues for investors to come and partner with it on the arrangement of Build Operation Transfer (BoT).

Mohammed, who identified funding as the major challenge of the school, explained: “like other tertiary institutions, our Polytechnic has a problem of funding.

“Lack of adequate fund

makes it difficult to carry out comprehensive renovation and rehabilitation of the obsolete structure,” saying, “We would appreciate if your administration restores our monthly subvention.”

Mohammed lamented that most of the buildings in the polytechnic are as old and in bad condition including the school hostels due to lack of fund.

He says quite a huge sum of money running into millions of naira is needed for accreditation or Re-accreditation of the Polytechnic’s National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes.

“The team of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has insisted on meeting requirements in order to sail through each accreditation. Meeting this financial requirement is always a serious challenge to the instruction.

“The Polytechnic will appreciate if your administration can come to its aids in this regard,” he said.

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L-R: Ummahani Amin, managing partner, Metropolitan Law Firm/convener, African International Conference on Islamic Finance (AICIF); Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman, Wapic Insurance Plc; Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir of Kano; Rahma Hersei, partner/head of Africa, Gateway LLP, Kenya, and Prof. Aishath Muneeza, former deputy minister, ministry of Islamic affairs, Maldives, at the 4th African International Conference on Islamic Finance in Lagos.

L-R: Karishma Rustagi, head of Indomie Fan Club; Tope Ashiwaju, group public relations and event manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc; Adejumo Babara of Kingdom Heritage School Ojodu Lagos, IFC Team Yourself Up Trip To Dubai Winner, and Faith Joshua, Indomie Fan Club Co-ordinator, during the cheque presentation to Indomie Team Yourself Up Competition winners in Lagos.

L-R: Agharese Onaghise, executive secretary, Food and Beverages Recycling Alliance (FBRA); Sade Morgan, chairperson, FBRA; Muyiwa Gbadegbesin, MD, LAWMA; Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, MD, LASWA, and Ngozi Giwa, member FBRA at the inspection of Waterways Clean up facilities at the Ikoyi Jetty in Lagos.

L-R, Ovie Omo-Agege, deputy Senate President, Ahmed Lawal, senate President and Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman APC and during visit of APC NWC to Senate at National Assembly in Abuja.

Picture by TUNDE ADENIYI.

L-R: Bright Okorie, Lagos Mainland District Coordinator (women ministry) Assemblies of God Nigeria; Godiya Ajiya, guest speaker; Joy Ezeigbo, president, Lagos Mainland Women’s Ministries, and Charity Awazie, assistant district coordinator, during the annual thanksgiving, themed, ‘Celebrating his Salvation,‘ held at Assemblies of God Church, Surulere, Lagos.

L-R: Innocent Entonu, general manager, Eastern Regional Operations, MTN Nigeria; Madufor Collins, public relations officer, Imo State Market; Charles Okeke, MTN Nigeria strategic finance partner, and Rotimi Akinbola, manager, mobile financial services, Y’ello Digital Financial Services Limited, at the launch of the MoMo Agent at the Relief Market, Owerri, Imo State.

L-R: Michael Daramola, legal and corporate affairs director, International Breweries; Zuber Momoniat, finance director, International Breweries; Lanre Buluro, director, Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Ltd; Annabelle Degroot, managing director, International Breweries, and Nornah Awoh, founder Palesa Capital Markets Associates at the Investor Forum on Rights Issue organised by International Breweries in Lagos.

L-R: Seye Oyeleye, director general, DAWN Commission (Development Agenda for Western Nigeria); Taiwo Obe, founder of Journalism Clinic, and Kanayo Nwanze, former president, International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD)/keynote speaker, during the International Conference and Expo on Research and Innovations in Agriculture 2019, in Lagos...

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Lagos and the prospect of Lekki deep seaport

editor Zebulon Agomuo

the current administration’s plan to explore investments and partnerships that would accelerate growth and benefit residents of the state.

The Sanwo-Olu administration is resolutely committed to a private sector driven economy where the private sector sets agenda, make things happen and probably drive the public sector. It is this strong belief in private sector ability that eggs it on to collaborate with the members of the Organized Private Sector (OPS) in various vital areas in order to achieve our THEME Agenda Upon completion, the deep seaport would have two container berths of 680-metre long and 16.5-metre water depth. It will also have the capacity to berth fifth generation container ships, which has a capacity of 18,000 TEU ship.

The channel would be dredged to 14 meters depth, which would be deepened to 19 meters as traffic grows while the breakwater, which protects the vessels from the waves, is 1.5 kilometers long.

The project is strategic for the economic growth of Lekki Free Zone, as it would support the massive industrial and petrochemical complex being embarked on in the Northern and Southern quadrant of the zone with investment over the next three years peaking at over $20 billion.

With Lekki Airport in view, there will be an emergence of a Harbour City which would be internationally connected by air and also with world-class integrated transport network of roads, rail and bridges.

Undoubtedly, the development of the seaport is strategic to the growth of Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The project, which is projected

Frank Aigbogun

DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai COPY SALES MANAGER Florence Kadiri DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

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

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

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

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ecently, Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, signed the $629 million financing facility aimed at completing the completion of the Lekki Deep Seaport project.

According to the agreement, in 30 months, Nigeria’s first deep seaport will be delivered in Lekki.

The signing of the agreement has, no doubt, put to rest all kinds of reservations concerning the speedy delivery of the seaport venture.

Upon completion, the project has enormous capacity not only to stimulate the Lagos economy, but equally to push it up in the index of largest economies in the world. The Lekki port would become the first deep seaport in Nigeria and the container transportation hub in Africa.

The recent signing of the $629 million financing facility, thus, offers a new impetus for socio-economic growth in the state. It also represents the dawn of a new era in the state government’s ambitious plan to transform the Lekki corridor into a new economic hub.

The securing of the loan deal with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) is a reflection of

Imo Itsueli Mohammed Hayatudeen Afolabi Oladele Vincent Maduka Opeyemi Agbaje Amina Oyagbola Bolanle Onagoruwa Fola Laoye Chuka Mordi Mezuo Nwuneli Charles Anudu Tunji Adegbesan Eyo Ekpo Wiebe Boer Paul Arinze Boye Olusanya Ayo Gbeleyi

to make immense impact on the nation’s economy, is capable of creating more than 200,000 jobs and generates about $350 billion in revenue for the state over the period of the concession.

According to plan, the phase 1 of the project would be built with annual handling capacity of 1.2 million TEU, which would be increased to 2.5 million TEU upon the completion of the second phase.

Till date and for various reasons, efforts to develop Deep Sea ports in Nigeria have not experienced any significant outcome.

The Deep Sea ports were visualized to develop the general cargo handling capability of Nigerian ports with a view to enhancing Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The handling capacity of ports in Nigeria is put at 60 million metric tonnes, while demand and usage is about 100 million metric tonnes.

These are expected to rise with the increasing population, urban expansion and attendant demand for more markets.

According to experts, out of over 100 seaport development projects being executed in the world, approximately 60 to 75 per cent of these are deep sea ports or terminals. The balance is mostly inland waterway ports and Jetties.

This evidently shows that Nigeria needs better designed port facilities in tune with increased cargo traffic, for the country to be globally competitive.

Demand for containers in Nigeria is anticipated to grow at 12.9 per cent up to 2025.

The strategic location, optimized layout, and modern facilities provide Lekki Port a distinct competitive edge over any other port facility in

the West Africa region.

Considering Lagos phenomenal population growth rate, it is obvious that more innovative initiatives are required to tackle poverty and unemployment headlong. This has made the necessity of the Lekki Deep Sea Port that will serve as an alternative to the existing ports in the State a compelling one.

Undoubtedly, vast gain would stem from the project as it is particularly anticipated to make life more comfortable for Lagosians and, indeed, all Nigerians. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the significance of the project will be entirely treasured when it is imagined what the Lagos of today would have looked like without the Lekki corridor. Aside improving the quality of life of the people, the Lekki Deep Sea Port would also be a big asset that would be handed to the Lagos State Government at the end of the concession arrangement.

The LFTZ is another strategic conception of the Lagos State government towards the economic emancipation of the country’s ‘Center of Excellence’.

It was launched in 2004 as a vehicle to fully utilize the investment and tourism potential of the State.

The Zone is a multi-use facility with zones for industry, manufacturing, residential and tourism. Investors have the incentive to retain 100% ownership and capital, profit and dividends can be repatriated. Tax holidays, license waivers and various other concessions and advantages apply to investors in the LFTZ.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Politics

Bayelsa/Kogi guber polls: Can INEC, securities prove critics of 2019 general elections wrong?

JAMES KWEN, Abuja

A

s the people of Bayelsa and Kogi states go out to vote in the next Saturday’s governorship election, one question that is on the minds of concerned Nigerians about the nation’s electoral process, is whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies can do something different from the recent general elections?

The February/March general elections that brought back President Muhamadu Buhari and 18 state governors into second term, 11 new governors into office, as well as, members of the national and state houses of assembly into office were described by both local/ international observers as worst polls since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.

The elections were reported to have been characterized by high incidences of violence, manipulations, rigging, ballot box snatching, disruption at collation centres, vote buying and inconclusive polls. INEC and security agencies were indicted by observers, commentators and analysts as prime culprits in the electoral offences.

There were widespread violence in many states of the federation resulting into killings and maiming of voters, political actors, security agents, INEC staff, observers and journalists while electoral frauds such as vote buying, ballot stuffing and discrepancies in results entries culminated in the declaration of results in so many states inconclusive with rescheduled polls, which were not even better off.

Several reports from local and international observer groups including; the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI), Civil Society Situation Room and Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in their reports of the 2019 general elections expressed serious reservations over the conduct of the last polls with regards to non-credibility and violence blamed mostly on INEC and security agencies.

The EU EOM final report on the 2019 elections observed that lack of transparency and inconsistent numbers during the collation of results by the INEC cast a long shadow over the integrity of the 2019 elections.

According to the report, in almost all the collation centres monitored, the results forms and smart card readers were not packed in tamper-evident envelopes as required.

“Numerical discrepancies and anomalies on polling unit results forms were identified and were mostly corrected by collation officers on the spot, but without a clear system of record -keeping.

“Leading parties were at fault in not reining in acts of violence and intimidation by their supporters, and abuse of incumbency at federal and state levels.

“Inconsistent numbers during colla-

Mahmood Yakubu

tion, lack of clear checks and explanations, and insufficient public information undermined the integrity of the elections.

“Similarly, there is a lack of disaggregated results by local government, ward or polling unit, which would allow for thorough checking of results”, the report read in parts.

The EU EOM concluded that the elections were marked by severe operational and transparency shortcomings, security problems and low turnout.

On the other hand, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in its report lamented that an estimated 626 persons were killed across Nigeria in the six months between the start of the election campaign and the commencement of the general and supplementary elections, adding that the 2019 general elections did not meet the threshold for free, fair and credible elections.

The report indicated that, “there were differences between the number of accredited voters and the total number of votes cast in many polling units.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission operations fell short of its identified role. Military involvement in the 2019 general elections was outside of the limits allowed by law”.

Similarly and recently, a postmortem report of the 2019 general elections by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) indicted INEC and security agencies for the shortcomings experienced particularly at ward collation centres during the February -March polls.

The report showed that misconduct

and mistakes by INEC staff undermined ward-level collation in many locations, especially in cases where the Commission’s ward-level officers or ad hoc staff lacked sufficient knowledge of the rules and procedures designed to ensure successful and credible results collation.

“Some staff lacked the basic arithmetic skills needed for timely and accurate collation of results, thereby leading to errors in the result sheets, inconsistencies in collated figures, and delays in the time-sensitive process — the longer it takes to conclude the collation process beyond the stipulated time for concluding the process, the more doubts are created in the minds of voters that something untoward is happening to compromise the integrity of the collation process and, therefore, of the elections,” the report said.

Furthermore, the report stated that in many wards across Nigeria, security personnel were observed intimidating election workers or were alleged to have done so, in other locations, security agencies failed to deploy adequate number of personnel to safeguard election officials and sensitive materials, despite receiving dedicated government funding to do so, and in some areas, members of the security forces played an active role in disrupting collation activities.

“In Lagos State, observers at one WCC noted that ‘security agents chased everybody outside with guns when the results were being collated. Malfeasance by soldiers and other security agents especially disrupted ward-level collation in Rivers State.

“Elections in several LGAs in the state were heavily disrupted by security agencies tasked with safeguarding the process. As a result, tens of thousands of voters were disenfranchised. In Okrika LGA, for example, security personnel invaded the INEC office in the LGA and snatched official collated election results. Before doing so, the same security agents had threatened collation centre officials by shooting their firearms into the air.

“Earlier, during ward-level collation, a team of soldiers led by an army officer suspended collation and ordered his men to take away all materials, including results being collated by election officials.

Streets leading to polling units where election is currently ongoing in Osogbo are fully militarised. Soldiers, police, SSS, NSCDC officials are standing guard in adjourning routes to the poll 17, Ward 5 of the LGA. “The materials were carted away with nothing left for the electoral officer to present as evidence for the election, according to observers. Soldiers similarly seized results from four other wards, according to observers from Stakeholder Democracy Network, a CDD partner”, the report said.

The report also identified six challenges which plagued the collation of results of the 2019 election as INEC missteps and misconduct; deliberate denial of access to observers and media; logistical shortfalls; intentional disruption by politicians, political thugs and party agents; and intimidation of collation staff by security agents.

Apart from the knocks given to INEC and of security agencies, the local and international observer groups also made recommendations and suggestions to the electoral umpire to improve on its future elections and to the security agencies on how to conduct themes during polls.

For instance, EU EOM report made 30 recommendations for electoral reforms, which need political leadership that is dedicated to the rights of Nigerian citizens, and an inclusive process of national dialogue involving state institutions, parties, civil society and the media, which should be “urgently undertaken to allow time for debate, legislative changes and implementation well in advance of the next elections”.

The report also said INEC should considerably strengthen its organisational and operational capacity, as well as, its internal communication, noting that the inter -agency body responsible for electoral security should work more transparently and inclusively with regular consultations with political parties and civil society.

The mission said the seven areas of priorities for electoral reform included requirements in law for full results transparency with data easily accessible to the public.

INEC had on its part promised to implement the recommendations of the observer groups, particularly those Continues on page 13

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BDSUNDAY 13

Politics Villa power tussle: Who blinks first, Osinbajo or Kyari?

TONY AILEMEN, Abuja

R

ecent indications from Nigeria’s seat of power revealed that these may not be the best of times for the country. With several economic indicators not looking up for the country, the current altercations between the Office of the Vice President and that of the Chief of Staff to the President, headed

by Abba Kyari is viewed as capable of pushing the country into deeper economic and political crises if not properly handled.

The Vice President derives his powers from the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, as stipulated in Section 141, subsection (1) which states that “There shall be for the Federation a Vice-President.”

Similarly, the Constitution stipulates that the President cannot contest office, without a Vice President.

Thus, the Constitution says “in section 142 subsection (1), that “In any election to which the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Chapter relate, a candidate for an election to the office of President shall not be deemed to be validly nominated unless he nominates another candidate as his associate from the same political party for his running for the office of President, who is to occupy the office of Vice-President and that candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of Vice-President if the candidate for an election to the office of President who nominated him as such associate is duly elected as President in accordance with the provisions aforesaid. “(2) The provisions of this Part of this Chapter relating to qualification for election, tenure of office, disqualification, declaration of assets and liabilities and oaths of President shall apply in relation to the office of Vice-President as if references to President were references to Vice-President.

The same Constitution also provide that the President can assign functions to the Vice President whenever the need arises, as stated in section 148. (1) By virtue of the Constitutional provisions, the Vice-president is the second in command to the president.

The Office of the Chief of Staff to the

Abba Kyari

Yemi Osinbajo

President on the other hand represents what is known as one appointed by the President to play the “Gatekeeper’s roles” Historically, the word “Chief of Staff to the President” emanated from the United States of America, where Nigeria derived the current Presidential system of government The position, formerly known as “the President’s Private Secretary, was upgraded to “assistant to the president in 1946. It was again upgraded to the current title of Chief of Staff to the President in 1961.

In the American presidential system, it is currently known as “Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff.”

Traditionally, the Chief of Staff selects as well as supervises the President’s staff.

He sets up the structures, controls the President’s itinerary, schedules the flow of visitors to engage with the President and also manages the flow of information in and out of the Presidential Villa, to protect the interests and image of the President BDSUNDAY checks reveal however, that the powers, duties and functions of the Chief of Staff to the President vary with whoever occupies the office of the President.

The uneasy state of affairs inside the Presidential Villa came to the fore recently with the sacking of about thirty five of the eighty two aides attached to the office of the Vice President, in what is seen as the climax of the undercurrent of power play unfolding at the nation’s seat of power.

Inside sources in the Villa revealed that both Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Abba Kyari have not been in talking terms and avoid each other, whenever possible It was therefore, gathered that although the powers to carry out such administrative duties as assigning, redeployment and removal of the President’s staff reside with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the action was however, carried out on the directives of the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and without first consulting with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Osinbajo’s “sins” are said to have included the sacking of the former Director General DG, Department of State Services (DSS), Lawan Daura, in the aftermath of the “illegal” invasion of the National Assembly, when he was acting President.

It was also alleged that his roles in the appointment of Justice Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria did not please some powers that be in the Villa.

Reacting to the development, Livingston Wechie, a human rights activist, called for caution in handling the issue to prevent it from escalating beyond the current state He noted that the Chief of Staff to the President may have been acting with the right intentions to reduce the current high cost of governance, as enunciated by the President during the 2020 budget speech. “l think the Chief of Staff is working in tandem with the President,” he said.

Wechie queried the economic relevance and necessity of hiring such humongous number of aides, who according to him, were ”arbitrarily appointed, with duplicated offices and who are not necessarily adding value to the nation’s economy.”

Wechie, a human rights activist and head of the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace, also advised the Vice President to quit the office if he can no longer hold the office.

“If the Vice President finds his work too difficult for him to cope with, he should resign. There are many qualified Nigerians willing to take up his job and do it even better,” he said.

Jude Ohanele, the Programme Director of Development Dynamics, also cautioned against escalating the current crisis.

“The Vice President or his office cannot be subjected to the whims and caprices of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, because the Constitution defined the functions of the VP,” Ohanele said.

“Osinbajo has not demonstrated any act of disloyalty to Mr. President, as a matter of fact; we are not aware of any complaints yet from the office of the Vice President. They have worked together before, during and even after the elections,” he said.

“Nigeria cannot afford any form of political crises at this current state,” he also said.

A top member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Suleiman Lamorde, reacting to the development, blamed those he described as “political detractors”, for “making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“The President is in charge of the government and every one engaged in the Presidency, is engaged by the President and deployed to the offices, including the office of the Vice President. So, the Vice President’s aides owe their allegiance to the President,” he said.

Lamorde, an Abuja-based legal practitioner while debunking claims of love lost between the President and his Vice President, admonished Nigerians not to escalate the tension.

“We appeal to Nigerians not to escalate these issues. Buhari and Osinbajo are working in harmony. We cannot afford any distractions now,” he said.

Bayelsa/Kogi guber polls: Can INEC, securities.... within its administrative powers while it would engage relevant stakeholders to carry out the necessary reforms.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC, chairman, while receiving the EU delegation ahead of the public presentation of its report of the 2019 general elections had said, the EU EOM report is coming at the right time as it will feed into the ongoing review of the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

According to Yakubu, “the 30 observations and recommendations of the EU EOM to the 2015 general elections were particularly useful not only in the design of some important proposals for reforming the electoral legal framework, but also in improving our electoral processes and

procedures”.

Thus, the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections have set another stage for INEC and security agencies to prove to Nigerians whether it has learnt lessons from much criticized general elections or it has really begin the implementation of the recommendations of the observer groups for electoral reforms.

Already, drums of wars are already beating high in Bayelsa and Kogi where the main political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are in daggers drawn, leaving the high probability of violence, rigging, vote buying and all manner of electoral frauds, which INEC and secu-

rity agencies ought to contain.

INEC seems to be seriously worried as the chairman at a meeting with security agencies declared that there are already warning signals in the two states, both are politically volatile and elections have been severally disrupted by violence in the past.

He expressed concern that thugs have been mobilised from within and outside the states with the aim of either influencing the elections or disrupting the process on behalf of partisan sponsors.

Consequently, the Commission had met with stakeholders in Bayelsa State last Thursday there will be another meeting in Kogi State both have in attendance, the Inspector-General of Police, the

Director General of NYSC and representatives of all the security agencies to listen to the concerns of stakeholders and fine-tune plans in full consultation with the stakeholders.

On its part, the Police, which is the lead election security agency, said a total of 62, 241 Police personnel would be deployed for Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections.

Accordingly to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu out of this number, 31,041 are to man the elections in Bayelsa while 31,200 personnel are to police Kogi, adding that an advanced team has already been deployed to the two States for surveillance ahead of the polls day.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Politics Six-year single term resonates as Buhari works for tenure elongation ... Bills to amend the constitution pass first reading in Reps ...APC may still feature Buhari for fear of extinction ...Crisis looms in PDP over zoning Innocent Odoh, James Kwen & Solomon Ayado, Abuja

D

espite the outright denial by the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari is not interested in running for a third term, facts have emerged that he is perfecting plans to continue in office at the expiration of his second tenure in 2023.

When this plan was first uncovered, the Presidency quickly debunked such insinuations, describing them as internet-based gossip and un-informed media commentary.

The Presidency had said Buhari would serve his full second elected term in office ending 2023 and then there shall be a general election in which he will not be a candidate.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who denied the possibility of a third term agenda said: “The Presidency wishes to correct internet-based gossip and un-informed media commentary regarding presidential term limits, given credence by so-called support groups, staging street demonstrations asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do a third term.

“There are no circumstances or set of circumstances under which President Buhari may seek to amend the Constitution regarding the two -term limit on holding office as President.

“President Buhari intends to serve his full second elected term in office, ending 2023 and then there shall be a general election in which he will not be a candidate. There is not even the faintest possibility that this will change. It is important to note that there was a past attempt to change the constitution to allow for the then incumbent president to stand for a third term.”

According to Shehu, “That attempt was wrong, unconstitutional and rightly rebuffed.

No such attempt will happen under this President. President Buhari is a democrat. He respects the constitution. Any activity aimed at altering the two-term limit will not succeed and shall never have his time nor support”.

But political observers are becoming more curious that Buhari through the ‘Cabal’ in the Presidency is leaving no stone unturned, including constitutional amendment, arm-twisting of the judiciary, pocketing the Electoral Umpire, rubber-stamping the legislature and castrating Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to realise the third term bid.

Only recently, an erstwhile political associate of Buhari, who is now the National Chairman of Reformed All Progressives Congress, rAPC, Buba Galadima, raised the alarm that the President may be contesting in the 2023 presidential election.

Galadima said the forces controlling Buhari are planning to lure him into running for third term, alleging that the present administration has pocketed the judiciary and is doing all it could to muzzle the opposition.

According to him, Buhari has already pocketed the judiciary, and he feels that nothing will

President Muhammadu Buhari

Ahmed Lawan

Femi Gbajabiamila

Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad

happen, and that he will be victorious at the court. His government has destroyed the judiciary and this is very troubling for democracy, and our nation “A lot of politicians will be disappointed.

Only God knows what will happen between now and 2023. Buhari may even be drafted to join the 2023 fray by some of his aides and associates.

“Buhari may be drafted by those enjoying under his government. Buhari has always been drafted to contest elections, and I won’t be surprised if his supporters draft him into the 2023 race”.

Apart from Galadima, other political actors who however, lack the audacity to come out publicly are speaking in low tones that Buhari and his handlers are not ready to vacate the scene after 2023.

Some inside sources within the power cycle who would not want to be mentioned agreed that there are hidden plans for the incumbent President to continue in office beyond 2023.

They alluded to the fact that Buhari may not want policy somersault particularly the war against corruption, border closure, among others hence, the desire to have another tenure which would provide enough time for their consolidation.

Our sources noted that the continued retention of Service Chiefs even when some have attained 40 years against the mandatory 35 years of retirement is part of the plan not to inject new blood into the system to pave way for the unhindered tenure elongation.

The sources further disclosed that constitutional amendment is imminent and it would be targeted at creating a six-year single tenure so that after Buhari, no one would enjoy serving for a second tenure and in a way making him the last longest serving President.

“We are beginning to sense that the President and those around him don’t want to go after 2023. That is why they are doing everything, though covertly to water the ground for his third term.

“What do they want to do? They will ensure there is a constitutional amendment not just for Buhari to go for a third term but to introduce a six-year single tenure after his exit.

“So far, the Independent National Electoral Commission is in their palms, the National Assembly has been captured or do you think Gbajabiamila and Lawan would object anything the President and the Cabal want? No. In fact, they were handpicked for this purpose.

“The CSOs, where do you think they are?

Can they try any rubbish? If anyone tries, he or she will have himself to be blamed as Sowore.

The opposition has been annihilated. In fact, EFCC alone would finish them. Forget, 2023 is a done deal for Buhari,” a source that claimed to know the workings in the corridors of power said.

The indications to amend the constitution are becoming even palpable; hence so far, three Bills to amend the constitution have passed first reading in the National Assembly, especially in the House of Representatives which may not

Sunday 10 November 2019

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15

Politics be unconnected with tenure elongation or sixyear single term for President.

These bills are: Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (HB.408) (Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (HB.410) (Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos) and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2019 (HB.418) (Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante).

Also, there is anxiety within the ranks and file of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that the party would go down with President Buhari if he exits in 2023 as he is presently the uniting force of the strange bed fellows - the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), parts of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP).

As recently decried by former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, APC might lose its current grip of power in 2023 as APC is a party that they hurriedly put together when they were governors, with Buhari as the fulcrum.

“President Muhammadu Buhari gave character to APC. He brought his integrity to bear on the party. He made the party what it is in the northern part of the country and the masses of the North, who saw him as a true leader, and we all rode on that to achieve that victory, but after the credibility of Buhari into this party, there seems to be no alternative in the same manner that will drive this party to 2023 victory.

“This is why I expressed my concern that if we are not very careful, APC might go with Buhari in 2023, and that will be a very unfortunate situation for the founding fathers of APC. The party needs to show purposeful leadership, show character,” Okorocha said.

Meanwhile, there is raging crisis in the ranks of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over zoning of the presidential slot ahead of 2023.

The party, particularly the National Working Committee (NWC) is plotting to maintain the zoning of its presidential ticket to the North East and South East, respectively.

By this zoning arrangement, the NWC is bent on picking former presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as the candidates for 2023.

The NWC may have felt that since the party had a remarkable outing in the last presidential election, with Atiku and Obi, if the statuesque is maintained in 2023, PDP will oust the ruling APC roundly.

However, it was gathered that the PDP governors are not in any way ready to back the Atiku/Obi ticket anymore. The governors appear to be divided since all of them are angling for the position.

The governors seem to be resistant on the zoning to North East and South East because, they feel President Muhamadu Buhari’s body language tilts towards plot to elongate his tenure in 2023, and that if Atiku/Obi ticket is flown, the party may not coast to victory.

Sources said, already, some of the governors including Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State are nursing political ambition to run on North West and South-South zoning. They have since started holding secret meetings to woo the other governors’ support to convince the party to zone the presidential slot in their favour.

Wike, it is said has been the chief strategist rooting for Tambuwal as he wants to be Vice President in 2023 but as it stands, there is no possibility that the NWC will agree to dance according to tunes of Wike and or bow to any North West and South-South zoning, just as it

‘Igbos should forget Biafra, restructuring and face 2023 presidency project’ Sebastin Uremadu is a professor of Banking and Finance, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State. In this Interview with UDOKA AGWU, he advised those clamouring for Biafra and restructuring to rather work towards the realisation of the Igbo presidency in 2023. He also spoke on other topical issues in the country. Excerpts:

G Kola Ologbondiyan

appears Wike is the major financier of the party, hence Rivers is rated the only PDP state with overall financial might.

Retrospectively, it was same Wike’s alleged shenanigans that saw the crisis that erupted, few months ago, between the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and NWC, over suspension of the House of Representatives Minority leader, Ndidi Elumelu. The dust on the matter is yet to settle.

Wike had reportedly tipped Peter Chinda who is from Rivers State for the position and compelled the party to accept it, which the party refused.

Unfortunately, majority of party executive members did not buy into it and worked against it vehemently. Till now, the crisis on the matter is brewing and the party is not ready to entertain yet another internal chaos.

Although at the moment, the PDP appears unstable on how it intends to zone the presidential slot, it is determined to oust the APC and to resist every move by Buhari to elongate his tenure in 2023.

Of course, with alleged Buhari’s plan to retain 2023, pundits perceive that the consideration of Tambuwal and Wike for the 2023 slot may garner more acceptability, more so that they are younger politicians with vast experiences and sagacity.

But the PDP has said it is yet to decide on any zoning and that those trying to peddle the information are doing so to further their own selfish political ambitions.

The PDP, through the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan has stated in a statement that there is no plot to stop the ambition of any of the governors either.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our party is yet to discuss the 2023 presidential election, overtly or covertly, at any time whatsoever.

“If anything, the PDP is currently working with Nigerians on how to win its elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states and will not be distracted by individuals who found themselves operating in the highest offices of the land but failing in governance.

“As a party, we are also working with our respective state governors and legislators across the country as they work hard, in line with the manifesto of our party, to improve on the welfare and development of Nigerians,” he said.

“Moreover, it is also imperative to counsel, without any equivocation, that enemies of our party, who feel threatened by the rising profile of Governor Nyesom Wike, should have a rethink on their incessant attacks on the governor,” Ologbodiyan said.

What is your take on Ayo Adebanjo’s view about Nigeria’s unity and Igbo presidency? od will continue to bless Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere leader, for being truthful and honest and for his unreserved love for unity of Nigeria. It is the Yorubas of his likes, that sincerely want the unity of Nigeria and not those who would continue to sow the seed of discord, engendering marginalisation of the Igbos and they think they are dealing hard with the Igbos not knowing that they are undoing themselves as well as weakening the strength of Nigeria by their continued working for the downfall of the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria. Time has come for the turn of the Igbos in Nigeria to take their quota in the rotational presidency and we need good men like Pa Ayo Adebanjo, those from the North, South, East, West, Middlebelt, to join him in this noble campaign to make an Igbo president of Nigeria. God bless Chief Ayo Adebanjo and his likes in Nigeria who continuously say the truth and who seek a just cause for the nation.

May they live long.

What is your response to those who say that zoning is dead?

For NRC candidate in annulled Nigeria June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Bashir Tofa, to have said that zoning is dead in the country, saying the idea will never promote unity among Nigerians portrayed him as an unrepentant spoiler. It was his candidacy that led to the annulment of June, 1993 election, believed to have been won by his opponent, Chief M.K.O. Abiola. Having enjoyed an unstopped democratic season since we embarked on rotational presidency is in 1999, for him to claim it does not lead to unity of Nigeria is most unfair to God and this country. May God help him to repent.

What is your take on those clamouring for President Muhammadu Buhari’s third term agenda?

Those making such sponsored request are not only wicked but they are irresponsible and are seeking ways to destabilise the country and or derail President Muhammadu Buhari’s well nurtured administration for their selfish reasons. Do they mean that among over 200 million Nigerians, that President Buhari could not through a democratic means discover and assist to enthrone another Nigerian from the zone it is their rightful turn to produce next president of Nigeria, come 2023? I do not think any right-thinking Nigerian would seek otherwise and by so doing, offend God who saved him from a threatening illness in 2017 when Nigerians of diverse tongues, tribes and religion prayed and God answered and healed him, a miracle President Buhari himself and members of his family can never deny.

Those asking him to do otherwise, definitely do not like him but for their greed and selfish motives, because they do not mean well for him nor the country; but would want to myopically benefit in their little way they have been profiting, under his presidency. It shall never augur well for such persons, Amen! They should allow President Buhari to serve his second term in office, ending in 2023.

What is your view on the stand of Clark, Yakassai, Williams and Balarabe on Igbo Presidency?

I must commend the Elder statesmen, Tanko Yakassai and Edwin Clark for their wise intervention towards the 2023 Igbo presidential election project and their declaration

Sebastin Uremadu

that the South East geopolitical zone should be allowed to produce the president of the country, in 2023.

All the major political blocs in the country have produced the President, except the South East, and justice and equity demand that the Igbos be allowed to produce the president after which power rotation could continue.

I describe Tanko Yakassai, Edwin Clark, Gen. Ishola Williams and Balarabe Musa as men of wisdom and truth. Igbos deserve the presidency of the country after President Buhari.

Will you attribute APC’s loss of Imo 2019 gubernatorial election to Rochas Okorocha?

APC would have won in Imo State governorship election, if not for the misbehaviour of Rochas Okorocha. And I must say that the APC national body contributed to that, because if they had wanted the APC to win the governorship seat of Imo State, they would have called Rochas Okorocha to order. It was intentional, a gang up engineered by Ahmed Tinubu and Yemi Osinbajo and they misled President Muhammadu Buhari and Oshiomhole was put at the forefront in pushing that. APC wanted to get Osun State, they went in and got it. They wanted to get Ekiti State, they went in and got it. Presently, they want to get Kogi State, they have moved heaven and earth and suppressed others and they are still projecting Yahaya Bello.

Why did the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari move in to stop Rochas Okorocha from presenting his son in-law? They never wanted us, so let us not pretend, because they were scheming.

Do you suspect any scheming against the 2023 Igbo presidency?

Yes there is; but let me tell you the truth, every scheming against the Igbo Presidency in 2023 will fail.

What is your take on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the N-power Social Fund Distribution?

The scheme is a failure and lopsided. The Vice President concentrated on the SouthWest and parts of the North, with South benefiting little.

What is your advice to Igbos on the 2023 Presidency project?

I must caution our people, the Igbos against confusing the quest for presidency with calls for State of Biafra and restructuring. Igbos need presidency of the country, not Biafra or restructuring. Restructuring is a thing of the mind. It is true that Igbos have been marginalised but that does not warrant misguided demands. I will advise the Igbos to return to political alliance with the North, as was done by the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The South East should play mainstream politics.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Politics PDP chances brighten as INEC holds guber, Kogi West Senatorial polls same day

A

Solomon Ayado, Abuja

part from the power of incumbency which a lot of people say may leverage by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the scheduled November 16 governorship and Kogi West Senatorial elections, the chances of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) seem to be getting brighter, especially as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed both elections same day.

INEC had firstly scheduled the governorship election before the Court of Appeal sacked the Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye and ordered a fresh election to be conducted. This was the situation that compelled the electoral umpire to fix both the governorship and senatorial elections on same day.

With the scheduled polls, political watchers who are very familiar with the politics in Kogi have appeared disturbed that the major threat the APC and its governorship candidate, Yahaya Bello may be facing is the choice of Musa Wada by the PDP as governorship flagbearer, and now being joined by Dino Melaya in the election.

The unfolding debate over the dicey nature of the Kogi election, especially with regards to alleged non-performance of the incumbent Governor Bello and the popularity of Senator Melaye, as well as full political backing of PDP’s Musa Wada by the former governor of the state, Idris Wada, are among many issues commentators have perceived the election will not be a tea party.

At the other hand, Bello is incumbent governor and has all security control to his disposal. He is also seen as a goal-getter and somewhat a ruthless politician who does not take things easy when pursuing a political cause. But the unfolding events will determine whether the outcome will be positive or negative, on both sides of either APC or PDP. However, the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole has assured that victory is for his party.

He based his conviction on the capacity of the governor to not take things for joke and to give PDP a serious political battle. Oshiomhole said Bello has performed maximally and his re-election easy.

His words: “I think Governor Bello has shown that he has capacity and going forward he would have learnt a couple of lessons in his first term. I have passed through that process and I know that your second term is always the time you want to do those legacy projects you will like to be remembered for.

“Because the only benefits in this business is that when I leave, what

Musa Wada

Yahaya Bello

Dino Melaye

would I be remembered for? The thing that will drive Governor Yahaya Bello’s second term is at the heart of our campaign. We have also seen the candidate nominated by the PDP, we want to make sure when we go to the field of play, Kogi people will have no problems voting for our candidate in Kogi State as their preferred candidate. We are in a democracy, we believe we will defeat him (Wada), we are not going to walk over him.

We will contest with him and we will defeat him clearly and squarely,” Oshiomhole stated.

Curiously, what the APC and Oshiomhole do not know, or choose to ignore is the key fact that the abysmal performance of the Kogi governor, especially with regards to non-payment of salaries by Bello is what the PDP is capitalising on.

The opposition party seems to be fully backed by the majority of the Kogi populace, particularly the civil servants.

But Governor Yahaya Bello has insisted that he is fully prepared to not merely defeat the PDP but has since put in place viable political structures that the PDP cannot in

anyway be able to penetrate.

“As regards level of preparedness, I am not just preparing now, I have been ready for this election even before the last general election that produced Mr. President, the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly. So, we are well prepared for the election.

“As for victory, I think by the grace of God, it is assured. We are not going to take anything for granted.

Whether the candidate of the opposition party is strong or not, we will approach the election with all amount of seriousness and ensure that it is conducted freely and fairly and we will become victorious by the grace of God. On November 17th we will be announced the winner,” Bello boasted.

At the moment, there are several issues why many have not gotten convinced about whether the APC will be able to defeat the PDP. Chiefly among the issues is that since both elections are scheduled on same day, Musa Wada and Dino Melaye’s popularity in Kogi is a high selling point for the PDP. Retrospectively, many may have

recalled the major role Melaye played while campaigning for Bello in the last Kogi governorship election. By that time, Bello was not so visible and his popularity could not be compared to Melaye’s. At that time, at some points, Melaye, who seemingly became political father figure of Bello, moving with him from village to village, had used his political might and sagacity to mobilise for Bello. He also had used the authority of his closeness to former Senate President Bukola Saraki to lobby the APC to settle for Bello after the death of Abubakar Audu.

On the side of delivery and victory, election is an exercise that requires adequate security. If the senatorial election were to be held on a different date from the governorship, the security structure, controlled by Governor Bello, would have been more concentrated in Melaye’s zone to cage the PDP and give APC upper hand in the place.

Also, Senator Smart Adeyemi, the APC senatorial candidate is currently the director-general of Governor Bello campaign council.

Many are wondering how, with his less popularity to Melaye’s or Wada’s, will he be able to manage going round nooks and crannies of his senatorial district, and at the same time be committed to his personal contest and also be working for the governor?

Of course, many political observers have seen that Smart is hiding under the political umbrella of Bello and there is no way he will match Melaye, who is standing with the people. Also, it is seen that Kogi West where Melaye hails from is bigger than Kogi Central where Governor Bello is from and going by numerical strength, more votes will come from the former than the latter.

Seeing that PDP’s chances are brighter and if not muscled, may coast to victory, it was alleged that the APC has perfected plans to ar-

rest all opposition strong men so that they would not be available on the day of election and APC will have a smooth run.

But the PDP said even if the election were not holding on same day, the party is not shaken and is ready to tackle the APC headlong.

The party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a reaction insisted that there is nothing to stop the victory of the PDP. He further pointed out that with rousing crowd that graced the PDP campaign rallies, it is clearly enough indication that the Kogi people are tired of Bello. Whether election is fixed on same day or not, PDP will win.

“The people of Kogi State have resolved that Yahaya Bello must go.

Moreover, Yahaya Bello is surely leaving office in January 2020 after being handed an inevitable defeat on November 16. Anybody supporting him in suppressing the people may find himself sharing his badge of shame and public rejection as a failed leader.

“The APC has commenced the clampdown and punishment of innocent citizens of Kogi State, having realised that the people are not ready to change their resolve to kick out the incompetent, corrupt and disdainful Bello administration.

“The APC, out of desperation, has started framing and arresting innocent Nigerians, harassing and victimising women and youths, blocking peoples’ means of livelihood and issuing threats on the citizenry, all in the failed bid to inject crisis, derail the electoral process and manipulate the outcome of the polls,” he said.

“The PDP therefore, urges security agencies not to allow themselves to be entangled with the APC against the people as such will diminish the trust, respect and confidence that people have for them,” Ologondiyan said.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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BDSUNDAY 17

Politics

FG’s attempt to regulate media, suspicious, setback for Nigeria - Setonji Kosedo Setonji, a former member of the House of Representatives and former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos Sate, in this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, said Nigerians must jettison the idea of collecting inducement before voting for candidates during elections if they expect good governance. He also spoke on the Kogi/Bayelsa gubernatorial elections; attempt to regulate the social media by the Federal Government among several other issues in the polity. Excerpts:

the media?

It is a sign that something is not right; because if you are making effort to hide information that means that there are things going on that you don’t want people to know about. So, my response is that it is just out of the fear of the unknown, which is why such effort is coming up now. But this is not good for Nigeria, because this is same weapon the present government used against the previous government. They are fighting against it now, it does not speak well of the present government.

What is your take on the Buhari administration so far?

We are deceiving ourselves to think that this government is doing anything tangible; we would be going against the people if I say that. We are deceiving ourselves nothing is on ground; we have not seen the fulfilment of his promises to Nigerians, so far, that I know.

What is your take on the Kogi and Bayelsa States’ gubernatorial elections; are you confident INEC will deliver?

No, I cannot predict INEC. Let them speak for themselves, because INEC has disappointed Nigerians on many occasions, they have even disappointed me personally. We would wait and see them proving us wrong, that they are not the same people we used to know and they are now independent.

Do you think they are not independent?

Yes, they have to prove us wrong because they are saying they are. The kind of thing that is happening in the country should not be happening; if they want to prove they are independent they should prove it to us.

Vote-buying has become more pronounced in recent elections in Nigeria, what is the way-out?

Well, it is a good question, but I think nobody can buy votes without the approval of the people. So, the people should check themselves if they want a good government or not. The electorate need to rethink because there is nowhere anybody can buy votes if you are not ready to sell it. What I think is the way-out is complete reorientation of the electorate about the electoral process in the country.

What is your take on the

Kosedo Setonji,

Supreme Court ruling on the presidential election case?

I am not surprised at all; because the antecedent of this government shows that we should not be too anxious of anything good from the government.

Are you saying they are in control of the judiciary?

The judiciary would have to prove themselves to Nigerians that they are capable of handling the role that the constitution has given to them to handle effectively. So far, they have good side and bad side; but most of the judgments are questionable.

Restructuring has been advocated to be the way out of the nation’s woes, but some leaders have also said they don’t understand the kind of restructuring being advocated?

There is need for total national reforms, not only the judiciary, the leadership, even individuals need reform.

Power is expected to shift to the South in 2023; are you surprised that some people think otherwise?

Such talks are coming from greed and selfish egoistic individuals. Whoever is making such statement would not lead us and the nation to anything good. It is good to share, what about the Federal Character Commission?

Zoning formula is in the political parties, it is for Nigerians to be happy and have peace. If anybody is talking contrary to what would make Nigeria peaceful, it shows that the person is after his own interest.

But the Igbos of South East say it is their turn to rule in 2023; what is your take?

Everybody has the right to contest for the nation’s presidency.

If they think it is their turn to be given the position they can aspire, provided they can make themselves acceptance to all Nigerians because wining election is about numbers.

What is your take on the land border closure?

They are inconsiderate to the plight of the people. The government should be able to show empathy on the people; when you bring up a policy and realised that people are suffering from that policy, you reverse and stop it. In the first place, when you are about initiating a policy you should have done your homework enough to know the impact on the people and create some palliative measures, so the people would not suffer.

The government behaves like it does not care about the welfare of the people; the people that elected them into office, and the

essence of governance is about the people. I believe the government is not considerate enough on the border closure issue.

The security situation in the country has deteriorated in recent time; do you think the government doing enough?

We cannot continue to have a network of criminals and kidnappers; the government should be bothered enough to have a network of security strategy to deal with that too. We have different security agencies that can come together to find a solution to the issue. It is a sign of incompetence not to know what to do. Anybody handing any sector does not have to be an expert; but the person must be able to manage the human resources in that sector to succeed.

That is what this government is lacking. It does not natter any name any body calls it, restructuring is about going back to the tenet of Nigeria’s creation. When we had the federal system that takes care of the problem we have now and it is because that is not in place that people are clamouring for restructuring. Whatever name anybody calls it is not the issue, but the issue is that; there should be liberty, free environment; people should live comfortably well in Nigeria without these problems. But if Nigerians are not suffering and having these issues, they would

”

W

hat is your take on the move by the Federal Government to regulate

We have different security agencies that can come together to find a solution to the issue. It is a sign of incompetence not to know what to do. Anybody handing any sector does not have to be an expert; but the person must be able to manage the human resources in that sector to succeed

not agitate and demand that the government should do things well.

Some critics say the current National Assembly leadership is a rubber stamp in the hands of the Executive arm; how much, if it is so, would it affect their primary responsibility to Nigerians?

The constitution has stated clearly the roles of the National Assembly; they should focus on making life near perfect for the people of Nigeria. Anything else means that they are derailing out of the role given to them. They have a role to play in democracy and the constitution has given them power to play that role. It depends on their vision and creativity for them to achieve that role, but it does matter much.

The House of Representatives has 360 members, there is no where a Speaker only can determine issues without carrying the House along. It would be difficult for anybody to rubber-stamp anybody; it all goes down to who are the people electing the legislators into positions? Are we really taking enough measures to put the right people into offices? That means the electorate matters; in a situation where you are given money to vote, every decision the person takes affects you.

You are an indigene and a leader in Lagos State; what is your assessment of the Sanwwo-Olu administration so far?

Well, you don’t expect SanwoOlu to do anything in Lagos State because, firstly, he has no idea or plan to become a governor, or maybe, I should say he became governor out of providence and maybe, that is not the word. But for him, I am of the view that he was not prepared for the office he is occupying; so I do not blame him.

But he campaigned and had a manifesto?

It does not mean he knew what he wanted to do. Anybody can campaign and make promises, say anything, but to accomplish these promises is different.

He does not have anything to offer Lagosians.

Sanwo-Olu said the state is broke; they are borrowing.

What does that mean to you?

He should have known that before promising Lagosians, heaven and earth. But among the duties of the governor is to find funds to work with. A creative and innovative government would know how to source for funds to finance its programmes. If they are saying that, it means they have nothing to offer simple.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Perspective

General Gowon at 85: My recollections Lawrence Baraebibai Ekpebu The OginaBereton

I

n 1971, the Nigerian Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, General Yakubu Gowon, visited Rivers State. Commander Alfred Diete-Spiff, pioneer military governor of Rivers, who made me his first Commissioner for Finance, 1968-1973, made me Chairman of the Reception Committee. During this visit General Gowon said he wanted to inspect the riverine.

At the Marine Base, we boarded the Niger Delta Enterprise.

The itinerary was to reach the Degema Division before heading for the Brass Division with Twon Brass as our final destination. But on leaving Degema, our boat ran aground in low tide leaving us stranded in the middle of nowhere. We were in a panic. What would the world say if anything happened to General Gowon while he was our guest?

His predecessor, General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, was abducted and killed while being hosted by Col. Francis Fajuyi, the Western Region governor. It was a cruel fate that our August visitor should pass the night in the creek exposed to every conceivable hazard.

But to our surprise it was General Gowon himself who was cheering us to be of good spirit. As a good fella he made light-hearted jokes to relax us.

An exemplary leader in the grand old tradition, he could have called for a helicopter to rescue him but chose to pass the night in the boat with us. The tide finally returned in the morning and we fired up for Nembe where we lunched in Commander Diete-Spiff’s house before heading for Twon Brass.

We reached Twon Brass at night only to run into a bigger problem. The two speed boats conveying our provision from Port Harcourt were yet to arrive due to engine problems. So, what was the Commander-in-Chief going to eat and drink? We would be tempting fate giving him the brown well water.

Once more, it was General Gowon who told us not to worry.

How could anyone fail to smile back when he flashed those disarming smiles? His bonhomie, witty jokes and easy manners were simply infectious and we soon put a great setback behind us. We returned to Port Harcourt in the morning by sea. Till date, General Gowon is the only Nigerian Head of State or President who bothered to tour the creeks and see for himself what poverty looks like.

The boat incident was an eye opener for Commander DieteSpiff who announced he was building a new boat for Rivers.

His envisaged craft should be stately enough for any visiting Head of State. He was designing it himself and for one year seriously toiled away. We soon got used to greeting him with the question, “How’s your boat, now?” His usual response, “I have cancelled it but I’m starting a new one.” But behind his back we had a good laugh.

A day came when he surprised his critics. He said his boat was ready and curiosity was the better of us. It was the scratching of the head as he lectured us on the highly complex and mathematical sketches. Our respect for him soared. Commander Diete-Spiff built his boat in Holland, christening her the OginaBereton; meaning God has decided.

When we were overthrown in 1975, the OginaBereton was seized and taken to Lagos. The Federal Government refused to return it even when it was established as state property, rather than Commander Diete-Spiff’s personal boat as alleged. It was given to the Nigerian Navy that refurbished it abroad at a cost far higher than what it took to build it. Rivers people were never compensated. Eventually, the boat that Commander Diete-Spiff built was taken out to the sea and sunk.

How minorities dominated military Deductive calculation, inference and an open mind are the watchwords when analysing General Gowon’s legacy as Head of State, 1966-1975. A northern Christian from the minority Angas tribe, he had little chance of advancing in the First Republic.

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951 could have created more

regions instead of three. Unfortunately, the three major tribes engaged the regions as their private properties. In the Eastern Region, the majority Igbo tribe under Dr. NnamdiAzikiwe and his National Council of Nigerian Citizen (NCNC), excluded their regional minorities. In the Western Region, the Yoruba, under Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his Action Group (AG), committed the same sin. And in the Northern Region, the Hausa/Fulani group, under Sir Ahmadu Bello and his Northern People’s Congress (NPC), also excluded their minorities.

Political exclusion forced the minorities to demand for their own alternate states only for the majorities to also oppose that.

The Igbo supported state creation for Northern and Western minorities while resisting same for their Eastern minorities. The Yoruba favoured state creation for Eastern and Northern minorities but never for their Western minorities. And the Hausa/Fulani wanted states for Eastern and Western, but not for their Northern, minorities. This created a “negative consensus” among the majorities who knew what to do to liberate their minorities but refused to do it.

The minorities responded to the highly circumscribed political space permitted them in two ways. One, they established their own political parties. And two, they massively enlisted into the military, one of few government institutions that was open to them, that was of little interest to the majorities. It was an accident of history that Gowon and his fellow northern minorities dominated the non-commissioned ranks of the unattractive military

that turned out the proverbial rejected stone.

Following the two coups of 1966, it was Gowon, a Lieutenant Colonel, that was made Head of State as the most senior northern officer. His emergence brought the live-and-let-die rule of the majorities to a dramatic end. On May 27, 1967, he created twelve states out of the existing four regions. By so doing, he saved Nigeria from total disintegration as the Tiv Riots of 1964 and the Isaac Boro rebellion of 1966 left none in doubt.

General Gowon prosecuted the civil war, 1967-1970, to stop Nigeria from disintegrating. But he aptly realised Nigeria could still disintegrate under an unworkable peace. Europe imploded into the Second World War when an unworkable peace was imposed on a defeated Germany at the end of the First World War. If post-war Nigeria disintegrated, the majorities capable of surviving independently would bring their weak minorities under their suzerainties.

These lessons were on General Gowon’s mind influencing him not to treat the Igbo as conquered people. He favoured a policy of “No Victor and No Vanquished” at the end of the war to make national reconciliation possible. I end my tribute to this great general, on his 85th birthday, by recalling an incident that confirmed his anxiety for reconciliation.

General Gowon’s anger As Commander Diete-Spiff’s joint Commissioner for Economic Development and Reconstruction, and Information, 1973-1975, I initially conceived the East-West Road as state road. But paucity

of funds forced me to convert it to a Trunk A road by bringing on board the other littoral states of South Eastern, Mid-Western and Lagos. Trunk A status meant the Federal Government would fund it.

We then submitted a joint project application to the Federal Government. But on the day the Supreme Military Council (SMC), was to take a decision on it disaster struck. Somebody jokingly asked my governor, “Commander, everyone in Port Harcourt is talking about this EastWest Road. What do you need it for?” He joked back, “Who wants to drive through Igboland to Lagos?” General Gowon overheard him and barked, “Alfred, Come here! Don’t you know that the civil war is over and that we are all brothers? We said there was no victor and no vanquished to make reconciliation possible but it seems you’re not yet ready for reconciliation. The East-West Road is cancelled.”

General Gowon cancelled the East-West Road to make national reconciliation possible. But when presented with a higher patriotic argument on (1) What the road meant not just to the Niger Delta minorities but for the country as a whole (2) Making it easier for quick deployment of troops to protect critical oil facilities in the event of foreign invasion, and (3) Opening up the region for mechanised farming as the 1959 World Bank report projected the region could feed West Africa with swamp rice; he was flexible enough to reinstate and approve it a year later.

General Gowon could only be sarcastic when he recently said that his only mistake while in power was not allocating land to himself. But I stand to say that by not allocating land to himself, he set a rare example. Unfortunately, his successors used their official positions to allocate resources to themselves. Secondly, General Gowon also set a positive example for the African youth. I was a visiting scholar in the University of East Africa at Makerere and saw how Africa celebrated this handsome and dedicated hero who at a very young age held his country together.

His only mistake was in not handing over power to civilians in 1975. Under pressures from entrenched interests General Gowon delayed leading to his overthrow. But this does not deplete the fact that he courageously created the twelve states thereby liberating the minorities from the monolithic regions. Call that the first restructuring. What is now left is to carry out a massive devolution of power and resources through constitutional means so that the 36 states can prevail in areas they have comparative advantage and remit tax to the centre.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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19

State OfTheNation Concerns over Nigeria’s growing ‘torture chambers’ AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

T

hese are perilous times in Nigeria.

People embark on journeys nowadays with trepidation. The fear of ritualists, kidnappers and ‘one chance” operators has become the beginning of wisdom. The rate at which people get missed in Nigeria these days has become alarming. Today, evil-minded commercial bus drivers ferry commuters who innocently board their vehicles to slaughter slabs. Stories abound of a syndicate that specialises in harvesting people’s vital organs for money-making. Some people are being detained in fiendish centres after they had been reduced to mere animals. Their senses have been taken away, and their lucks diabolically exchanged.

Indications that these centres exist in many parts of the country began to emerge recently. And despite government’s claim of protecting lives and property of citizens, Nigerians have continued to suffer in the hands of some individuals who trade on fellow citizens’ body parts and destiny.

The people of Oyo State was thrown into fear and panic on Monday, November 4, 2019 when the men of the Oyo State Police Command, raided an illegal detention centre located at a mosque in the Ojoo area of Ibadan, and rescued 259 persons held hostage in the centre.

According to the police, the victims, many of whom have been in chains for between two and 10 years, were made up of 191 males, 34 females, 11 children, and 23 sick persons.

Report has it that in this centre, victims were being maltreated, poorly fed, treated like slaves and engaged in forced labour, while the deaths of victims were also not reported.

Shina Olukolu, state commissioner of police, said a 17-year-old escapee from a holding facility in another part of Ibadan, hinted the police on the existence of the Oloore Mosque in Ojoo as a facility used for holding victims against their will.

On arrival, he said, Police discovered that several men and women were being kept in captive in a dungeon-like situation where man’s inhumanity to man was being perpetrated.

BDSUNDAY gathered that many of such illegal detention centres had been in existence in not only the city of Ibadan, but across other cities in Nigeria for several years. In some cases, clerics were accused of using such illegal centres as ‘corrective homes’ for persons believed to have some “spiritual problems”.

This, however, shows the growing rate of man inhumanity to man in Nigeria as people now place less value to human life.

Before the Ibadan incident, on Saturday, October 12, 2019, the Kastina Police Command raided a purported Islamic school in Sabon Garin, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State, where about 70 men and boys were rescued after they were found in chains.

“In the course of investigation, 67 persons from the ages of 7 to 40 years were found shackled,” said Sansei Bubal, Katsina police spokesman.

According to him, “Victims were also found to have been subjected to various inhuman and degrading treatments by the operators of the centre.”

Earlier on Thursday, September 26, 2019, the Kaduna Police Command, uncovered one Sheikh Ahmad Bin Hambal Islamic School and Rehabilitation Centre in the heart of Rigasa, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State, where 300 children between the ages of five and 10, were hand-

cuffed, chained on the legs, starved of food and held in captivity.

The detained children were forced to fast and sexually abused. It was suspected that the children may be undergoing some form of indoctrination. The victims, according to the police, were mostly from Burkina Faso, Mali and other African countries.

One of the victims, who gave his name as Bello Hamza, said he was supposed to be pursuing a Masters Degree in Applied Mathematics in South Africa, when his family members brought him to the centre around June this year. Hamza, who told newsmen that he was tricked to the centre against his will, also said that he spent those three harrowing months of his life in chains.

“They claim to be teaching us Quran and Islam but they subject the younger ones to homosexuality. It was supposed to be an Islamic centre, but trying to escape from here attracts severe punishment of tying and hanging the person to the ceiling,” he narrated.

According to him, “Within my short stay here, somebody had died as a result of torture. Others have died before my coming due to poor health and torture. They give us very poor food and we only eat twice a day; 11:00am and 10:00pm.”

“We received information that something is going on in this rehabilitation centre or Islamic centre. So, I sent my DPO to check it out. On getting here, we discovered that, this place is neither a rehabilitation centre nor Islamic school. We saw small children, some of whom were brought from neighbouring African countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and others and from across Nigeria, and most of them were even chained,” Ali Janga, police commissioner, said.

Despite the fact that people are being used and dehumanised, he said, the man who operates the home claimed parents brought their children for rehabilitation.

“But, from the look of things, this is not a rehabilitation centre and no reasonable parent will bring his child to this place.”

Three weeks later, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai led security operatives to bust another popular rehabilitation centre called Malam Niga Centre, where he freed 147 inmates.

As people of Kaduna State were yet to come to terms with the discovery of the two homes of horror, the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, uncovered a 10-year-old torture chamber called rehabilitation centre in Zaria, also in Kaduna State.

Surprisingly, the three rehabilitation centres were not different in their outlook from the outside as they were all homes of torture and sexual abuse where inmates are chained like animals.

Apart from the dehumanisation practice that takes place in the so-called rehabilitation centres, there are other forms of dehumanisation practices that are presently happening in Nigeria today.

For instance, there have been reports where maids were locked up by their mistresses, fathers or parents chaining their children to a bed on account of suspicion that such children were either witches or thieves.

Violence against children occurs in homes, families, schools, communities and other places where children supposed to feel safe.

According to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), abuse in all its forms is a daily reality for many Nigerian children and

only a fraction ever receive help.

It was estimated by UNICEF that six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence – one in four girls and 10 percent of boys have been victims of sexual violence.

“Of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of a 100 received any form of support. The drivers of violence against children (VAC) are rooted in social norms, including the use of violent discipline, violence against women and community beliefs about witchcraft, all of which increase children’s vulnerability,” UNICEF says.

Poverty and lack of funds for parents to take care of their children has contributed to sexual and other forms of abuse on Nigerian children.

BDSUNDAY can also recall reports of innocent Nigerians falling victim of “One Chance” and ritual killers taking their victims to solitary buildings located inside thick forests where they are either slaughtered for ritual purposes or held captive for other untoward reasons.

Report has it that ritual killings in Nigeria thrive when people obtain human body parts for use in rituals. Here, ritualists go in search of human parts at the request of herbalists, who use them for sacrifices or for the preparation of various magical potions.

Such ritual practices are reportedly motivated by the belief that such herbalists can bring power and wealth to an individual.

According to researchers from Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma and the University of Benin, both in Edo State, the traditional targets of ritual kidnapping are “children, lunatics and the physically challenged.”

It was also said that “vulnerable members of the society, such as women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, as well as family members of ritualists, are targeted and killed by ritualists.”

In 2010 for instance, the media reported that dead bodies with missing organs were found on a daily basis on the LASU-Igando Road close to Lagos State University in place that was described as a “hot spot for ritual killers.”

In addition, it was also reported in February 2011 that in the same area, 10 persons were killed by suspected ritual murders.

To curb this, there is the need for both the Federal and state governments to work with local authorities to expose “unwanted cultural practices that amount to the abuse of children and vulnerable adults.”

Parents also need to desist from taking their children to illegal, unauthorised or unapproved rehabilitation centres located across the country.

Government must provide infrastructural facilities and employment opportunities in the rural areas in order to prevent drift of the young population to the cities.

Also, there is an urgent need to sustain the supportive role of the extended family system which is rapidly being eroded. In doing this, there is need for more effective legal protection for the handicapped children, and greater awareness of the existence of child abuse in the community by health and social workers.

Nigerian parents must pay serious attention to inculcating high moral and value system among children and youths to limit the manner which today’s generation drift from morality.

This will go a long way in deterring the youth from indulging in illegal businesses out of desperation to acquire wealth and to live above the poverty line.

Aside from the provision of social amenities, the government needs to pay serious attention to job creation to not only reduce the level of unemployment in the society but to also reduce the level of economic pressure on masses.

20 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Ogun Watch ICAN visits Ogun, commends government on robust financial policies

P

Stories by Rasaq Ayinla

resident of Institute o f Ch a r t e r e d Ac countants of Nigeria (ICAN), Nnamdi Okwuadigbo has applauded various financial initiatives and policies of Governor Dapo Abiodun administration in Ogun State.

The ICAN President gave this commendation while leading a delegation of the body to the Governor’s Office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, noting that the institute was pleased with the rich agenda of Governor Abiodun as enunciated in his inaugural address, coupled with the economy-friendly steps taken since his assumption of office.

“As Accountants, we are pleased with your disposition to financial management as clearly stated in your inaugural speech, there is no doubt that this set objectives are achievable. At ICAN, we pledge our professional support”, the President said.

He promised that the body would continue to collaborate with government in the areas of capacity building , promotion of transparency and best practices of accounting system in the State’s public service.

Receiving the body of Accountants on behalf of the

M

L-R: Sola Arobieke, consultant to Ogun State governor on Commerce and Industry; Babatunde Ruwase, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Ogun State deputy governor, at the presentation of plaque in honour of Ogun State Government to mark Ogun Day at 2019 Lagos International Trade Fair held at TBS in Lagos.

governor, the State’s Chief Ec o n o m i c Ad v i s e r, D a p o Okubadejo said part of the steps taken was the willingness of the present administration to activate the Bureau of Public Procurement that would guarantee financial prudence and adoption of Medium Term Expenditure Framework in the State’s financial management.

Th e g o v e r n o r d i s c l o s e d that another best practice

being adopted by his administration was the decentralisation of budget town hall meetings in accordance with World Bank guidelines which stipulates that budgetary preparation should be taken to the people in their various localities.

Governor Abiodun maintained that his administration would welcome any initiative that could improve the capacity of accountants within the

State’s public service noting that Ogun State alone has of over 130 charted accountants working in the State’s public service which he said no other State of the federation could boast of this figure.

Also speaking , the ICAN Chairman in the state, Femi Og u n s a n y a e x p r e s s e d h i s members’ efforts in ensuring transparency in the financial management of the public service of Ogun State.

LCCI says Ogun must invest in housing to attract more investments

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aving considered the proximity of Ogun to Lagos with its several borders closely connected to several suburbs in Lagos , c ou p l ed wit h t h e overcrowding nature of Lagos, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has requested Ogun state government to invest more in housing in order to attract investments and accommodate investors as well as expatriates.

Th i s a d v i c e w a s c o m i n g on the heels of the increasing influx of investments to Ogun state having been dubbed as the largest investment hub of the country at present and LCCI is of the opinion that there must be investment in the critical infrastructure such as roads and housing to accommodate more investors and expatriates who have either invested or planning to make investment in the state’s economy.

Speaking at Ogun State Day held at 2019 Lagos Interna-

Ogun MSME clinic offers means to alleviate poverty, boost economy OGSG

tional Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Thursday, Babatunde Ruwase, president of LCCI, noted that it was time for Ogun State to attract more investments to the state by providing befitting housing facilities to convince more people to reside in Ogun in order to increase taxes based on residency rule.

Ruwase stated that Ogun stands good chance of making more revenue from the exodus of Lagos population and more revenue could be made from the outpouring if the critical infrastructure such as housing facilities, roads and others were provided by the Ogun state government in order to domicile the rising population in Ogun State.

Ruwase, who explained that there is a huge deficit of housing and the nearest state to Lagos is Ogun, said: “We have too many people in Lagos and if Ogun can provide accommodation for our people, we

won’t mind, at least, Lagos is over populated and housing is very key.”

Re s p o n d i n g , Go v e r n o r Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State said there were systematic and strategic efforts to offer the desired enabling economic environment for the businesses to thrive, saying “Government of Ogun State has resolved to provide necessary infrastructure and conducive ambience for industries and businesses to thrive.”

Go v e r n o r Ab i o d u n , w h o was represented by Noimot Salako-Oyedele, deputy governor and Sola Arobieke, consultant to the governor on Commerce and Industry, added, “Our administration recently approved the establishment of Investment Promotion Agency which will provide a truly onestop-shop for investors who are interested in investing in our state.

“We have also established Og u n St a t e En t e r p r i s e De v e l o p m e n t Ag e n c y w h i c h

is to strengthen the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and boost their capacities as major producers of raw materials and off-takers of the big industries as distributors, wholesalers and retailers.

“The Agency will also assist in the facilitation of all available intervention funds from the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria and monitor compliance with all requirements in order to achieve its objectives.

So, as these MSMEs thrive, big industries will flourish.

“In the same direction, we have also embarked on massive reconstruction of rural roads and rehabilitation of alternative roads linking major roads in the state to aid movement of goods and services across the state. It is our belief that just as trade and investment are important to economic growth and development, good infrastructural facilities remain key to boosting trade and investment.”

icro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Business Clinic initiated by the Governor Dapo Abiodunled administration has been described as the easiest means of alleviating poverty, boost economy and improve socio-economic activities of residents in Ogun State.

Consultant to the Governor on Commerce and industry, Sola Arobieke made this known during the first phase of the Business Clinic for Ogun West Senatorial District held in Ota for Ado-Odo/ Ota, Yewa South, Yewa North, Imeko-Afon and Ipokia Local Governments of the state.

Arobieke said this was part of the present administration’s efforts to create enabling environment, in order to improve the ease of doing business in the State, as well as achieve the Goal one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which focused on ending poverty.

She noted that through the one-stop Business Clinic, the State government had facilitated access to credit facility for business owners and intending entrepreneurs at special rates, as low as thee percent, to enable participants register their businesses and products, while also making consultations on exportation and taxation.

Arobieke stated further that the present administration in the State took MSMEs as vital to its success, as they represent 49 percent of the economy, assuring that beyond the clinic, government was also working on infrastructural development to aid economic growth.

The Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry, Lydia Fajounbo called on participants to reciprocate the gesture by making good use of the opportunity, adding that government was determined to know the contribution of the Business Clinic to the growth of their businesses.

A member of the Ogun State Judicial Commission, Aina Akinpelu charged the people to utilise the opportunity to turn their business ideas into reality, saying it was part of the dividends of democracy they craved for.

The President Yewa Chamber of Commerce, Sijuade Idowu advised the beneficiaries to access the loan and make use of it appropriately, to fulfil the purpose at which it was meant for, saying developing the businesses at the grassroots was a panacea to good governance.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Funmilayo Quadri and Timothy Owoeye lauded the government for its genuine effort at boosting small businesses and alleviating poverty, assuring of making optimally use of the opportunity to the advantage of their businesses.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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21

Interview

‘I am still committed to making Benue Varsity first choice in Nigeria’ The fifth vice chancellor of Benue State University, Makurdi, Moses Kembe, recently addressed the journalists on his stewardship in the last four years. BENJAMIN AGESAN, BusinessDay correspondent, was at the session which held at the University Senate chamber in the state capital. Excerpts:

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ay we know some of your achievements in the last four years?

I welcome you all to this press briefing to mark the fourth year of my 5-year tenure as vice Chancellor of our dear Benue State University, Makurdi.

Having gone this far in the office of the vice Chancellor, I deem it fit, like l have done in previous years, to give an update of how the University has fared under my tenure. I had, while canvassing for the office of the Vice Chancellor, promised to deploy two innovative approaches in the admission of the University that would improve its standing among other universities here and elsewhere. These were: Accreditation of programmes: The University has in the past four years improved on its standing on programme accreditation.

In 2018, the University presented 37 programmes for accreditation; out of this number, 35 had full accreditation while only two had interim accreditation. It is worthy of note that, the Faculty of Law got full accreditation for the first time since its establishment over 20 years ago. Equally worth of note is the international accreditation of M.Sc and PhD Food Chemistry and M.Sc Post Harvest Food Engineering.

Similarly, the MBBS also got full accreditation of five years which are still running. Establishment/ Splitting of Department and Mounting of New Academic Programmes: Department of Nursing science and department of Biochemistry were established while department of Religion and Philosophy was split into Department of Religion & Cultural Studies and Department of Philosophy. Department of Curriculum & Teaching was split into Department of Science Education and Department of Arts and Social Science Education. Also, new academic programmes were mounted, these include: B.Sc Nursing Science, B.Sc Biochemistry, B.Sc (Ed) Social Studies, B.A (Ed) Religious Studies, Bachelor of Urban & Religious Planning and B.Sc Plant Science and Biotechnology. The B.Sc Radiography and Radiation Science will come on board as soon as Senate of the University approves. Series of workshops have been held for Examination officers and others involved in the handling of examinations for transparent conduct and handling of examinations. Arising from the immediate point above, students’ results do not suffer unnecessary delay before they are released. Code of Conduct for staff and students has been imbibed, including the dress code recently introduced on the campus.

Moses Kembe Other salient milestones include the University management award of scholarship to outstanding students in all faculties in 2016. A special ceremony was held with parents and guardians of the students in their honour, Governing council also awarded scholarships to indigent students since 2016.

Nomination of the University by the National Universities Commission for drafting of blueprint for Nigeria’s 2050 projection and Senate approval for commencement of part-time degree and certificate programmes, May, 2016. The programme has since commenced with 1st batch who were matriculated this year among many others.

Adding to the salient achievements is the CEFTER awarded contract for the production of Yoghurt for the Federal Government school feeding programme as well as the World Bank extended grant to CEFTER by four children (4) years with a mon-

etary value of 4million dollars.

Also worth noting is the appointment of three (3) new principal officers: Professor Linus Saalu as provost, College of Health Sciences, Dr. Mfaga Modom as registrar and Mr. Orinya Onazi as bursar since it is not easy to appoint principal officers in an institution without crisis.

How many projects are fully executed and how many are on-going?

For lack of time, let me be direct here. A total number of eleven (11) projects were completed and seven (7) are on-going, these are: water treatment plant and its concrete road, 560 Bed space students hostels, students social centre, Biology, Vocational and Technical Education Building, Faculty of Arts extension building, Faculty of Environmental Science building, Chemistry/Physics Building and Department of Economics building as the completed projects.

The on-going projects are

construction of the Faculty of Science building, construction of the Faculty of Education building, construction of the Health and Counseling Development centre building, construction of the Research Development and Innovation Centre building, construction of Performing Arts Theater building, construction/ rehabilitation of Lavatories and facilities in Academic areas and Renovation of ETF 2007 Lecture Theater.

World Bank funded projects are construction of CEFTER postgraduate centre, remodeling of CEFTER postgraduate hostels and extension of Yoghurt production unit for CEFTER. What challenges have you encountered within this period?

In spite of the above achievements, the institution is facing one challenge or the other and I consider it worthwhile, acquainting you with just three (3) major challenges: Inadequate funding,

as every other organisation, the institution is lacking adequate funds for her to execute more projects and complete the already started ones. Irregular payment of user charges by students, the inability of parents or guardians to pay their children or wards’ school fees as and when due, has been a very big challenge. We all know that running a University requires funds.

Many parents or guardians only do the needful when their children or wards are being sent out of examinations. Lastly, lack of private interventions in the development of infrastructure on campus through PPP and BoT despite efforts on the part of the University management in this regard; The University management always get in touch with PPP and BoT in time of need but they have not been responding the way we want and this has been affecting the development of the University.

What will the future of the University look like within the remaining one year of your tenure as the vice Chancellor? I would like to assure you that as I step into the final year of my tenure, I will continue to optimise the human and material resources of the University to deliver on my very vision for the institution as earlier stated so that at the end, I will be leaving a university that parades global best practices with the vision of being the University of First Choice in Nigeria and Africa and among the top 200 in the world.

What is your message to the state government, principal officers, members of the Senate, staff and students of the University?

I first of all want to express my heartfelt appreciation to Benue State Governor and the University Visitor, Samuel Ortom who has chosen me, the least-privileged like King David and decided I should steer the affairs of this great institution.

We owe it a duty to appreciate the World Bank for their funded projects in the university. I wish to thank the governing council, principal officers, members of Senate of the University and all other blocs in the University for their co-operation and support so far and for helping us to drive the mission, vision and mandate of the University.

For the staff and students of our esteemed university, I advise students to shun educational vices such as, examination malpractice, cultism, drug abuse, homosexuallism, alcoholism, among others for any student being caught in any of these will be duly punished. To the staff, I urge them to maintain that spirit of oneness so that the University can be taken to its greater heights.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Arts ART X Lagos delivers a unique experience for the 4th edition of its annual international fair OBINNA EMELIKE

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n the fourth edition of its annual international fair, ART X Lagos, West Africa’s premier international art fair, surpassed the curiosity of many by creating a truly unique art, lifestyle and cultural experience for a wide variety of its local and international audience. This year’s edition held from November 1-3, 2019, and for the first time at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, which allowed for significant growth from 2018, welcoming 9,000 visitors in total.

The fair was opened by Yemi Osibanjo, vice president, Federal Republic of Nigeria, who was joined by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, as chief host. Other noteworthy guests included; Aliko Dangote, president, Dangote Group; Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker, House of Representatives and Salamatu, his wife; Godwin Emefiele, governor, Central Bank of Nigeria; Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Ontisha, among others.

Opening the fair, Yemi Osibanjo, vice president of Nigeria, commended the efforts of the ART X Lagos team saying, “Looking around, it is evident that we are well represented around the world.

This fair exhibits an important interface between, art, politics, history and culture for us as Nigerians and Africans. It is very exciting to see that foreign galleries are propagating Nigerian and African art.”

In order to fulfill its commitment to expanding for 2019, ART X Lagos saw a vast increase in the number of gallery booths, growing from 14 to 23, exhibiting over 90 artists from 25 countries across the continent. The fair featured eight sections in total including the

addition of ART X Modern, and The Performance Pavilion.

Offering her summary on the fair, Tokini Peterside, founder & director of ART X Lagos, reiterated her commitment to redefining the African narrative by showcasing the best of Africa through its art and culture.

“Through ART X Lagos, we have created an atmosphere for people to come and be inspired, to be provoked, to be challenged and to dream. Art collectors, as well as, everyday people who may never purchase this art, are given the opportunity to transition their excitement about the visual art we showcase, into euphoria that we hope will then generate employment and economic opportunities within the arts and culture sector for our people across Nigeria and across the continent. Through our

curated and interactive projects, our prize for emerging artists, as well as, ART X Live!, we have been able to unconventionally showcase the very best of contemporary and modern, established and emerging, art and culture from Africa and the Diaspora. We look forward to welcoming a greater audience of friends, collectors and international art enthusiasts at the next edition of ART X Lagos, our fifth anniversary, which will hold in November 2020.”

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, the 2019 chief host, expressed his delight at the success of the fair. “We have realised that Lagos has to be the entertainment and tourism destination in Nigeria and Africa, and we as a government must focus on developing this industry. ART X Lagos has taken an audacious step in its stance for creativity, innovation and the belief in

human beings and as a government, we want to support the vision to create an enabling environment for Nigerians, businesses, and innovations like this to flourish.”

Beyond the 22 exhibiting galleries, many of whom reported strong sales of art, the expansive programming at ART X Lagos 2019 featured a number of exciting innovations. Speaking during the Talks Programme, Keynote Speaker Wangechi Mutu delivered an incredibly powerful speech, captivating the entire audience.

Amongst her many powerful statements, she noted that, “The mother of all histories is African history; the mother of all art is African art.”

Other speakers during the talks include Emeka Ogboh, Antawan Byrd, Reni Folawiyo, N’Goné Fall, Joel Benson and Ugoma Adegoke.

Two projects by Emeka Ogboh were exhibited at this year’s fair, the first project Lagos 20Hz - 20kHz was newly commissioned by ART X Lagos and conceived as a threechannel sound work, each channel corresponding to an area within the fair. The second project Àlà (2014) is a video work that uncovers shared and intimate details of lives lived in Lagos. In Ogboh’s talk at the fair, he discussed Àlà and how the sounds of Lagos compelled him to embrace sound as a medium in his art practice.

Other captivating curated projects included The Realities of Demas, a virtual reality film by Joel Benson, a second commissioned project at the fair. Additionally, augmented reality was showcased through a fourth curated project, This is Lagos, which highlighted threats to the environment through augmented reality and the work of

three fantastic emerging photographers: Amanda Iheme, Ifebusola Shotunde, and Nyancho NwaNri. For 2019, ART X Lagos also debuted the Performance Pavilion, which integrated the medium of performance art into the fair programme. Titled small acts the pavilion was curated by visual artist Wura-Natasha Ogunji. On Friday, guests were stunned by Water Work by Eca Eps; Saturday’s poetic feature was MIRROR MIRROR by Taiwo Aiyedogbon; and a moving performance, held on Sunday, was If not for a child...by Ngozi Schommers.

Sponsored by 7UP, the Interactive Projects were curated by A Whitespace Creative Agency and explored the theme of PLAY. One project revisited African, pictorial motifs and the second project invited viewers to make wishes as a collective. In a nearby section at the fair, the winner of the 2019 Access Bank ART X Prize, Etinosa Yvonne, and the four prize finalists, Ayomitunde Adeleke, Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu, Peter Okotor, and Obuh Christopher Nelson, were also introduced to the fair audience.

On Saturday night, the fair’s one-night-only showcase, ART X Live!, held, this year themed Making the Maverick. Curated by Lanre Masha, the show featured three dynamic performances from Buju, Lady Donli, and WurlD, and a guest performance from Mr Eazi, with music produced by TMXO. The accompanying exhibition, curated by Faridah Folawiyo, showcased visual art by Joy Matashi and Dafe Oboro.

The riveting experience highlighted some of the most promising talent on the continent.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Herbert Wigwe, group managing director/ CEO, Access Bank Plc, Gold Sponsor of ART X Lagos, remarked: “It is thrilling to see the unfolding excitement that ART X Lagos is bringing to Nigeria and Africa as a whole. We have significantly grown from accommodating a few thousand people from our very first edition… we are determined to change the entire creative sector. ART X Lagos has managed to represent not just West Africa but the entire African continent. It is a fair that has made a difference, spoken to the beauty of all parts of Africa and encouraged inclusiveness across the continent.

This partnership between ART X Lagos and Access Bank is proof that as Africans, we can harness the best talents we have in the country and on the continent and collectively change the narrative for the best.”

ART X Lagos 2019 promised a refreshed experience and undoubtedly delivered on this incredibly ambitious goal.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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Arts Palais de Lomé: A new home for art on the coast OBINNA EMELIKE

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f you have been driving past Lomé, the Togolese capital, in a rush while en-route to Ghana, you need to slow down on your next journey to peep into a new cultural offering along the coast.

The Palais de Lomé, which was formerly known as Palace of the Governors, is now the new home for art; from visual, performance, photography, historic, to many other genres.

Th e d e v e l o p m e n t i s worth celebrating because the palace was once home to the German and French excolonial powers, and the seat of the Togolese government for several years before closing down two decades ago.

Covering over 25 acres and stretching down to the Atlantic coast, the palace and its rich park has been restored and reopened as a centre for art and culture, amid kick starting a vital cul-

tural conversation in Lomé and Togo at large.

Ironically, the palace, which used to be the abode of only kings, is open to the public for the first time in its 121-year history, as a spectacular exhibition, design,

visual and performing arts venue without parallel in West Africa.

It offers an exhibition space, a bookshop, a boutique and two restaurants in addition to facilities for musical, dance and theatrical

performances. As well, it will feature a permanent gallery space devoted to the story of the city of Lomé and its future, while the ground floor will showcase contemporary Togolese and West African designs, making it the first

space devoted to exhibiting designs in West Africa.

Aside promoting art and culture, The Palais de Lomé is a boost to the city’s tourism offerings. It is rightly located at the heart of the city, facing the Atlantic Ocean, and further wooing tourists with its preserved area of outstanding natural beauty dotted with century-old trees.

Excited at the magnificent centre, Sonia Lawson, its director, explained that the project is unique in West Africa because it mixes environment, patrimony, and contemporary art. She noted further that The Palais will become the first exhibition space for design in Africa, something that does not exist yet in the region.

Already, a number of events are scheduled to show the creativity of Africa in several fields, and with these events, Lawson hopes to reach out to more people to patronise art.

An exhibition tagged,’Togo of the Kings’

is expected to run from June 2019–February 2020 at the centre. The exhibition will display artefacts belonging to kingdoms that reigned over Togo in a multimedia show. For Lawson, it will be a journey through time and places.

As well, Lomé +, another exhibition, which runs from June 2019–June 2020, will investigate the past, present, and future of Lomé’s urban space through the lens of visual arts.

The centre is hopeful of hosting a biennial, which is scheduled to open in 2020/2022 and would be a great event for the country and platform to further showcase the centre to the world.

But while The Palais de Lomé is returned to Lomé and its people, the director’s concerns are how to convince the people to come and make them interested in what the centre shows and how to maintain the whole place in its current state.

FoodBay TV launches street food competition Cece Yara Foundation hosts exclusive narrative in Nigeria and put the will provide a great opportunity BUNMI BAILEY African food on the world food to understand how Street food documentary film on child sexual abuse map because if you look at the is prepared and the process.

Ifeoma Okeke

T

he Cece Yara Foundation held the screening of its documentary titled ‘The Cece Yara Stories’ at the Filmhouse Cinemas IMAX, Lekki, on Sunday, October 27, 2019.

The evening saw a huge turnout of friends and avid supporters of the Cece Yara Foundation, who are passionate about bringing an end to the increasing number of child sexual abuse cases in the nation today, and the world at large.

The documentary, funded

by Cece Yara Foundation is a 2019 release feature-length film that explores the atrocity of child sexual abuse. It also focuses on the sexual abuse of underage boys by women and the importance of healing and speaking out for survivors to end the devastating

effects.

It also highlights the need for members of the society to speak up against inappropriate behaviors towards children when noticed, and react responsibly once they perceive that a child is being sexually abused, or may be at the risk of being abused.

During the panel session that was held immediately after the screening, Maymunah Kadiri, multiple award winning Neuro-Psychiatrist & Mental Health advocate, emphasized on the need to listen to victims of abuse non-judgmentally as this is the beginning of the pathway to recovery.

Bola Tinubu, convener of the event and founder of The Cece Yara Foundation, stated in her speech that the documentary strikes her with two things. How brave the survivors are, to share their story with the society,

L-R: Aderonke Adebajo, Bola Tinubu, Maymunah Kadiri, Anthonia Ojenagbon and Esther Somefun at the screening.

and how much we still need to do as a society to curb this atrocity.

By joining the screening, supporters along with partners of The Cece Yara Fundation, and the nationwide advocacy community will spark a meaningful conversation about child sexual abuse and empower a movement of advocates to address the epidemic by supporting survivors on their path to freedom.

All proceeds of the documentary screening will go towards the foundation programs and also help raise more awareness around sexual assault and empowering survivors.

The Cece Yara Foundation is a child-centered non-profit organization established in 2016 to prevent child sexual abuse and to provide access to care, information protection, and emergency intervention for children who have experienced sexual abuse or who are at risk.

The Foundation provides psycho-social, legal and medical support for children through a 24-hour free child telephone helpline (0800 800 8001) and its child-friendly Child Advocacy Center based in Gbagada Lagos, at a time when government research estimates the occurrence of childhood sexual violence in Nigeria to be as high as one in four girls and one in ten boys.

F

oodbayTV, a platform of Maxima Media Group, has unveiled ‘Street Foodz Naija’, a televised and digitally transmitted documentary reality series.

The new project, which is sponsored by Devon Kings will showcase the best of Nigeria’s street food delicacies and award the finalist with a one million naira cash prize, renovated space and loads of consolation prizes.

Oluwafemi Ogundoro, the managing director, Maxima Media Group, who spoke on the process for the competition and its incentives at a recent press parley said that the competition is set to commerce in two weeks’ time and that they were excited to embark on the journey with Devon Kings.

“I believe it is important to note that this is the first of its kind in Africa. This is all in a bid to ensure that we change the food

street foods in Nigeria, there is not a lot of attention to it.

“Our judges have taken time to go through each and every entry, the contestants were chosen purely on merit and based on a potential ensuring that we change the food narrative in Nigeria and put the African food on the world food map,” Ogundoro explained.

A call for entry was publicised on radio and TV and on popular social media platforms.

The contestants were encouraged to make videos based on certain criteria to compete and from it and were selected based on popularity, uniqueness of entries, food type and creativity and ability to move their food business to the next level.

Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, marketing director, Devon Kings, spoke on three things the viewers of the show should expect. “First, Street food is all about taste and diversity. This

Second, Passion and Creativity, anyone that likes food will tell you the manner in which you cook the people you enjoy the food with and how it is served is a very emotional experience.

The contestants have really come from the grassroots and they have their stories,” says Bandyopadhyay, Bandyopadhyay further said that maybe someone will be inspired to start a business; and finally, entertainment, education, recipes, and challenging the creativityofthestreetfoodchefs.

The 13 candidates that were shortlisted from the call for entry process will share their food stories, their journey, and the uniqueness of their business.

The audiences are to vote for the best story over the next 13 weeks, from which seven contestants would then be chosen.

The seven will then face a series of trials known as “street credibility tests”.

Orimoogunje headlines Yoruba Lakotun special at LABAF SEYI JOHN SALAU

O

ladele Orimoogunje, a professor of African Studies at the University of Lagos yesterday delivered the keynote address at the special edition of Yoruba Lakotun, a quarterly cultural renaissance show. This edition of the show was one of the events slated for the 21st Lagos Books and Arts Festival

(LABAF) that took place at Freedom Park, Lagos.

The cultural show which began four years ago has been at the forefront of celebrating exceptional literary and cultural icons in Yoruba language.

Expectedly, the show attracted cultural enthusiasts from corporate and social Nigeria.

Olutayo Irantiola, the host of Yoruba Lakotun said, the show is glad in partnering Lagos Books and Arts Festival organized by

Committee for Relevant Arts in introducing a full-fledge cultural part to the festival.

“We are not deterred in ensuring that cultural literacy and education is available to Yorubas across the globe and we would ensure that people have the opportunity of meeting Yoruba cultural icons. This particular event is dedicated to the late Yoruba veteran writer, Oladejo Okediji who passed on recently,” said Irantiola.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

Life&Living Plussize Fashion Week Africa 2019: Exploring nature and fashion IFEOMA OKEKE

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one are the days when models are needed to slim, tall and with the perfect hour glass figure. There are women that are big, bold, healthy and beautiful and still have strong modelling potentials.

Beyond celebrating these women, is also exploring nature and fashion at a cosy and greenly atmosphere, yet learning at the feet of great minds in the fashion industry through the master classes integrated into the Plussize Fashion Week Africa this year.

It is time to get ahead of the curve with our African women and celebrate their sizes. African women of various shapes and sizes can now flaunt their figure in confidence and work elegantly on the runway.

This can only be possible with the Plus-size Fashion Week Africa.

Temi Aboderin-Alao, the Founder Plussize Fashion Week Africa disclosed that she stated the show in 2011 because she saw the gap and as time went on, the industry started to grow and there were more designers who needed that visibility.

“Traditional fashion week we have don’t want plus size designers. When we eventually got on the show, we were faced with a lot of antagonism and abuses back stage.

Eventually, I thought we needed to have our own platform where we

are easily celebrated and where my models are also celebrated. So that was the motivation to get Plussize Fashion Week Africa going and to also build confidence, which has always been my ethos.

“Last year, we had 27 designers.

We had three different shows last year. So, they had variety of dresses.

It varies on what the designers want,” Aboderin-Alao said.

She assured that this particular edition, which will hold on 8th of December at 5pm at the Traffic Lounge

at Ikoyi, will be taking fresh angles, which are nature and fashion.

“We are taking it outdoor and we are bringing a fresh perspective and it is going to be amazing. The models are well trained and ready for this. It is like fashion with entertainment. We are also having master class as well. We will be infusing the master class into the show. This is something very different,” she said.

Aboderin-Alao reiterated that the show does not promote obesity but wants women be the healthiest

version of themselves.

“We had some examples of healthy plus size ladies. At the end of the day, it is a personal choice.

We can give you all the advice in this world and it is left to you to follow and I find that it is best to lead by example. This is what I had to do with myself. I have had to transform myself not because of anybody else’s visuals but because of health.

“I believe that for every woman, plus size or not, there is the healthiest biggest size you can be and

beyond a point, you will start to damage your body. We want to make sure that you don’t cross over to the part where you start to damage your body. Not everyone can be a size six or eight but if you are healthy, it will be great. If you are not ready to work on yourself, I can’t have you on my runway. You have to work on yourself enough to do something about how you look and present yourself the best possible way you can be presented,” she explained.

hips, thighs or bottom and smaller at the top. Try balancing out your curvy bottom half with bold bright coloured tops or shirts with large collars, sleeves or lapels. Make sure you avoid wearing pencil, tube and fishtail skirts as these will

only emphasise your hips and bum, especially if they are tight fitted.

Hour glass: Curvy hour glass women posses full bust and bottom and go in smaller in the middle with smaller waist. Remember not to drown your sexy shape in too baggy clothes. Wear wrap dresses, waist cinching belts and flared trousers/jeans to flatter your shape. Shapeless baggy jumpers or tops are a complete NO NO. Rectangle: these are ladies that are fairly straight up and down.

This doesn’t necessarily mean they have boyish chest as some of them don’t. There is no main area you need to minimise on your body so you can get away with more things than most. However, you may crave more curves so try wearing a structured coat that cinches in with a belt. If you have small bust, you can get away with tricky to wear high necked tops.

Avoid low rise trousers that make your torso look longer and try not to wear sheath dresses, instead wear dresses with more shape.

How to dress to fit your body shape Jumoke Akiyode- Lawanson

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e all know that everything comes in different shapes and sizes. And yes that includes the human body. For this reason, it is very important to select styles, colours and patterns of clothes that complement your body shape.

It is very surprising that even in this day and age, with the advent of uncountable fashion awareness shows like - Gok’s fashion fix, what not to wear, how do i look?’ and the likes, women still find it incredibly difficult to get clothes that suit their body shape and size.

Or should I say most women do not even have a clue as to what shape they are even if they look into the mirror every day. Come on girls, it’s really not that difficult to discover what shape you are.

Well, I’m here to help ease your stress with finding your perfect fit. So let’s put a smile on your face

now.

Two of Britain’s most popular fashion advisors, presenters and authors, Trinny Woodhall and Susannah Constantine have identified 12 different human body shapes in their new book titled ‘The body shape bible’. In addition to the basic apple, pear and hourglass shapes that most of us have heard about. These two fashion icons have added the skittle, vase cornet, lollipop, column, bell, goblet, cello and brick shapes.

Don’t get all confused now. I’ll take some time out to explain the body shapes which most women fit into.

Apple: Women with this body shape tend to carry more weight around the mid section of their bodies and do not have a well defined waist. However, most of you have fabulous legs and/boobs so instead of covering up all your goodies, concentrate on showing off the best bits by wearing empire line and longer length tops. These will flatter your figure and take all

the attention off your waist and draw people’s attention upwards.

Avoid short, box shaped jackets and pleated skirts. They wouldn’t do you justice.

Pear: These women are bottom heavy and bigger around the

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Focus Education: Wike calls for Agenda 2030 … Says no nation can grow without the right education and skills

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Ignatius Chukwu ivers State Governor and former minister of educ a t i o n , Ny e s o m Wike, has advocated for what he calls ‘Agenda 2030 on Education’, saying Nigeria cannot make progress or achieve meaningful growth without specific goals on knowledge-based education and skills empowerment.

Wike, who declared open the 64th meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE) in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 2019, stated that the nation can only attain development when the citizens are empowered with the right knowledge and appropriate skills to contribute to national growth.

He said that educational empowerment will equip the citizens to sustain themselves.

He said: “The reality is that no country can be politically stable, economically robust and socially secure and cohesive if the citizens are not empowered with knowledge, appropriate skills and the right values to sustain themselves and contribute meaningfully to the progress of the country.”

Wike called for the promotion of inclusive and equitable quality education to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030.

He said: “Agenda 2030 is therefore a call to action on our collective commitments to transformative education by addressing all forms of exclusion, disparities and inequities and ensuring that every child, irrespective of social background, cultural affiliation, location and family or income status is not left behind but have equal and equitable access to quality and transformative public education.

“This requires providing the enabling legal framework, adopting the right policies and programe of action, deploying adequate resources and manpower, including qualified teachers in addition to a strong political will from the government at all levels.”

He said the lack of political will by government, inadequate allocation of resources; lack of commitment and by parents, teachers and school leaders, lack of or ineffective monitoring policy implementation are some of the serious factors responsible for the deteriorated status of education across the country.

“As a former Minister of State Education, I am quite familiar with the NCE and what

LAUTECH urges TETFund to prioritise funding nanotechnology research in Nigeria SEYI JOHN SALAU

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L-R: Adamu Adamu (l), Minister of Education; Nyesom Wike, Governor, Rivers State and Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, during the 64th meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE) in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

it stands for as the highest national policy organ on education. During our time and under my watch as Minister, we initiated and implemented several policies and programmes, such as the Girl-Child Education programme, the Almajiri education policy and programme, and the Special Vocational/Basic Education programme for boys as well as the national policy on Albinism. We also strengthened the quality of learning with the provision of modern e-libraries for the Federal Government Colleges,” he said.

“While I am not very sure of the present status of these laudable programmes, I do believe that they are fundamental to resolving some of the agelong underlying problems with our education system that borders on lack of universal access, equity and gender inequality.

And if you reflect for a moment on the state of our country – the chaos, the misery, stagnation and hopelessness among the majority of our people, you will appreciate the cost of inadequate investments in education,” the governor further said.

The governor stated that his administration has invested in the development of Education for the rapid growth of the state.

According to him, “Here in Rivers State, our commitment is to provide equal opportunity to all our children to attend great schools, be taught by committed and well-motivated teachers at all levels and enable them to acquire the training and skills they need to realise their full potential and be suc-

cessful citizens. We have successfully renovated, expanded and equipped over 400 basic education schools while 68 new schools are under renovation with this year’s grant.

“We have rebuilt, expanded and fully equipped a number of our secondary schools across the State while many more are undergoing similar reconstruction and expansion. We have also expanded the carrying capacity of all our tertiary institutions with additional faculties and infrastructure to enable more of our youths to access tertiary education.

“Besides effectively banning the collection of all forms of levies from parents in the publicschool system, we have released adequate funds through the Ministry of Education to school heads for the sustainable administration of all our public schools.”

In a keynote address, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said that the Federal Government was working towards developing a functional educational system that will make citizens self reliant.

He said: “There is no doubt that Technical and Vocational Education and Training holds the key to the development of our country’s industrial sector, thus the challenges of youth unemployment can best be addressed through quality education that guarantees self reliance.

‘Entrepreneurship Education and training is globally acknowledged as an important strategy for tackling youth unemployment. In our drive to reposition education for self-reliance,

particular attention has been given to the development of technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills in learners as the present administration has trained over 500 science, vocational and mathematics teachers on the use of modern equipment and new approaches in schools.”

He said that the Federal Government had granted approval for the establishment of new Federal Science and Technical Colleges in 16 states.

Adamu added that the Federal Government is improving access to quality education in different parts of the country.

Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen praised Wike for being a promoter of Girl-Child Education. She said educating the Girl-Child will empower the family and the nation.

She called on all stakeholders to work towards educating the Girl-Child. Tallen stated that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs will partner with the Federal Ministry of Education to promote Girl-Child Education.

Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dagogo Adonye Hart, said the NCE was relevant to the development of vital policies and programmes to improve the quality of education.

The Theme of the 64th National Council on Education is: “Education for Self Reliance: A Tool for Achievement of 20:30 Agenda.”

The meeting attracted Education Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and FCT Secretary of Education from across the Federation.

he Nanotechnology group (NANO+) of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso has urged the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and other funding agencies of the Federal Government to prioritise the funding of nanotechnology research in Nigeria to catalyse socioeconomic growth of the country.

This was stated in a recent communiqué issued by the research group after the completion of the 3rd annual workshop/conference on nanotechnology titled ‘Nanotechnology Applications in Africa: Opportunities and constraints’, held in Ogbomoso.

AbdulKareem Ambali Saka, head, nanotechnology research group, Federal University of Technology, Minna and keynote speaker, in a paper titled, ‘Nanotechnology as a tool of developmental change in Nigeria’, identified inadequate policy, poor funding, dearth of human capital and expertise and lack of sophisticated equipment for research as challenges in nanotechnology development in Nigeria.

Saka in his paper surveyed the applications of nanotechnology with relevance to some of the challenging areas in Nigeria, such as healthcare, portable water, agriculture and food safety, national security and energy.

He however projected that there are lots of benefits that the country can derive from investment in nanotechnology R&D. Furthermore, he advocated for the establishment of centre of excellence in nanotechnology in Nigeria, and prioritization of nanotechnology research for funding by TETFund.

Akinyemi Oyefeso, the director of chemical technology, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, and chairman, national steering committeeonnanotechnologypolicyand development in Nigeria, assured that the draft policy on nanotechnology is being taken through due process to ensure its speedy consideration by the federal government.

Oyefeso however reiterated efforts of the ministry of Science and Technology through the national steering committee on nanotechnology at developing a framework for policy document on nanotechnology R&D in Nigeria.

Agbaje Lateef, head of the group while reading the communiqué stated that ninety-two abstracts were submitted for the plenary session of the conference. According to him, the conference was attended by over 150 participants from about 45 institutions including scholars, policy makers, and students.

Issues raised in the communiqué at the end of the 3-day nanotechnology workshop/conference include: Sub-Saharan Africa region especially Nigeria should key into nanotechnology initiatives as a strategy towards improving her socio-economic development and the transformation of important sectors.

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Travel ‘Wakanow is stronger because we have enhanced our services, dealt with our challenges’ With the efficient delivery on his role as the chief commercial officer, ADEBAYO ADEDEJI has recently been appointed chief executive officer of Wakanow. com Limited, Nigeria’s foremost online travel agency. ADEDEJI, who has worked in senior roles with some of the leading fortune 100 companies in the world including Texas Instruments, PetSmart, Walmart and more recently, Amazon, is bringing his vast experience to bear in Wakanow. In this interview, he tells OBINNA EMELIKE his plans for his company, innovations, prospects of the travel industry, among other industry issues.

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ongratulations on y o u r n ew p o s i t i o n .

How has it been since assuming the office?

I j o i n e d Wa k a n ow e i g h t months ago from Amazon, the largest online retail company in the world. Since joining the company, I have been leading my team to move the company forward in line with the vision of the founding fathers.

Currently, customer service is our priority. We give commitment to meeting the needs of our customers. Innovation is another key priority for us. We look for new areas to improve our services by leveraging on social media to reach our customers. As we innovate, we also expand to reach the teeming population of our country.

To satisfy our customer needs, we make sure that our workforce are constantly retrained and paid appropriately for their services.

As I joined the company, I am happy and ready to surpass the expectations of our organisation in terms of delivery. I can achieve this through team work with our great workforce.

The travel agency business in Nigeria is growing. Our customers need technological innovations, and with the aid of technology customers can buy tickets online and we are focusing on innovations. Wakanow is stronger because we have enhanced our services, dealt with our challenges.

You are in online business, which is prune to risks, what measures do you have to check cyber crime?

For us, social media is a tool to capture the travel market.

What we are doing to tackle the risks in cyber crime on social media is that we have payment partners that help us ensure fraud prevention.

We a re a w a re o f o n l i n e fraud, but our payment system is highly secured to beat fraudsters. We protect our customers and also engage them to determine their identity and travel destinations. The measures help us to know genuine ones and check fraud level, which is less than 1 percent in Wakanow.

Why did you leave Amazon despite the better working environment and pay?

Many people have asked me this question before I left America for the job in Nigeria.

They say it is not normal. I tell you, I am a son of the soil and I believe in the Nigeria project. I did this to contribute my experience towards national development, especially in the travel industry. So, I am connected to the Nigerian Spirit.

Adebayo Adedeji, CEO, Wakanow What is your vision for Wakanow?

My experience in Amazon in the United States of America is very vast, and I will bear my experience on the organisation. My experience in Nigeria is very unique. I was one of the people that started selling products when social media started in the country. Back then, I used to sell up to 4,000 shoes per day on Facebook in Nigeria. I always love the act of selling and that is my staying power. I have worked with some big organisations in the US and my experiences were impactful. Amazon is the largest online retail company worldwide and my contributions there are remarkable.

My vision for Wakanow is to grow the company into the largest travel agency in Africa and not just in West Africa. I will work to take up the market and harmonize it so as to grow tourism in Africa. I want

to create opportunities for Nigeria and Africa in the travel business.

We are business enablers and employer of labour; Wakanow employs over 300 professionals across the country. So, my vision is clear; to expand the business and create travel opportunities for travellers in Africa.

What problems do you see in the business?

We need to expand the travel business; we need to expand the needs from one country to another in Africa and around the world. But the limitation is that disposable income is too small for the Nigerian worker to travel. The minimum wage of the Federal Government is N30, 000. What can N30, 000 do for a family that is struggling.

With that income, it is difficult for people to travel to explore tourism around Africa and the world.

Again, visa is a challenge

to travellers in Nigeria. For instance, the US recently cut down visas it gives to Nigerians. The same applies to the UK and South Africa’s attitude to visa issuance to us is not encouraging. As players in the industry, we need to understand these challenges and work towards solving them.

We need to expand our travel market and that is what I call expanding the pie.

Do you have products that are designed for intending travellers?

Yes, Wakanow has a product called E-Wallet that makes it a bit easier for us to sell tickets to customers. It is a payment system, though it is at the developing stage.

With E-Wallet, intending travellers can save money in advance for travel, we are working on that. The product is amazing; it is what we call Save To Travel. We are working in partnership with some

banks and some other financial companies to achieve that.

Has Wakanow been able to go beyond its business to attract foreign direct investment in Nigeria?

I play the role of experience. I will use my tourism experience to lure foreign investments in Nigeria. Kenya lives on tourism; the same opportunity exists in Nigeria.

Nigeria has great tourism destinations, where foreigners can come and experience and even do business.

At Wakanow, we create unparalleled experience for our visitors. When our clients land, we help them with logistics and ensure they are well settled down in their choice hotels.

We help foreign visitors experience our national monuments, museums, beaches and other tourist attractions. That is the role we play.

Secondly, Wakanow is advertising our products both in Europe and America. We are gradually covering the African space and this positions us as the biggest travel agency in West Africa. We partner with foreign investors to provide contents.

What have been your challenges in the past?

Wakanow has had its own troubled times; name it financial and other wise. We cannot hide that we are trouble-free.

But the truth is that Wakanow h i re s a t e a m o f c o r p o ra t e p e o p l e t h a t c a n m ov e t h e company. With that, we have been able to turn the company around.

In few years to come, we will ensure we have financial stewardship of our financials; know where we are making money and where we are not, understand our business and customers bearing in mind that a company that neglects its customers will die.

When we focus on our customers, we start to win. We want to start and end with our customers so that they will always come again.

In the next two years, we are going to innovate to make it easier for our customers to travel using viable technology- tools of social media and WhatsApp, as well as, e-mail.

So, financial stewardship, innovation and automation are our focus for the next two years.

Wakanow now is expanding its branch network. We are now in Aba, Asaba, Nnewi. We are opening in Maiduguri, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kaduna with strategic partnerships. We are a hybrid travel agency that does business online and offline.

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BDSUNDAY 27

Travel

Delta debuts industry-leading international main cabin experience Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

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elta is raising the bar on hospitality as its reinvented international Main Cabin service officially takes flight. Designed to delight, the new service which launched on 5th November, 2019 worldwide* features thoughtful touches like welcome cocktails, hot towel service, bistro-style dining and more.

“How we make every customer feel across their travel journey is extremely important to us,” Allison Ausband, Delta’s Senior Vice President — In-Flight Service said.

“That’s why our team designed this new service through the eyes of our customers – putting their ideas into action and giving them a delightful experience that exceeds their expectations. We want every customer, no matter where they sit on the flight, to know how much they’re appreciated.”

Since the beginning, Delta has had a design team comprised of more than 20 flight attendants who’ve been leading the charge,

rigorously testing and refining the service along the way to get it just right. The airline tested this service on more than 1,200 flights – making it the longest-tested service in Delta’s history.

The flagship service includes a multitude of thoughtful enhancements that are sure to delight customers throughout their long-haul flights, including: A welcome cocktail to help settle in: Shortly after reaching cruising altitude, Main Cabin cus-

tomers will be presented with a welcome cocktail to kick off the experience. For its first welcome cocktail, the airline landed on an Italian classic: the Bellini, a combination of sparkling wine and peach nectar. It’s globally known, fit for a celebration, and offers a subtle nod to Delta’s Georgia roots.

Bistro-style dining and elevated service ware: During meal service, customers can select their choice of upgraded appetizers and larger entrees – mixing and matching

Air Peace introduces B737-800 new generation aircraft into its operations

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igeria’s leading carrier, Air Peace, has brought in a B737-800NG to help sustain its expansion, domestic and regional operations. The aircraft arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at about 20.00hrs Thursday from Europe.

Disclosing this to newsmen, Stanley Olisa, a Corporate Communications Executive of the airline, stated that the new arrival is a 160 seater aircraft comprising 16 Business Class seats and 144 economy class seats.

He said, “We are very glad to announce the acquisition of another aircraft, which is a 160-seater B737-800 New Generation aircraft”.

He reiterated the resolve of

the airline to spread its operations across the length and breadth of this country to ease the burden of travel within the country and the West African sub region.

Air Peace, West and Central Africa’s largest airline, last year became the first airline in sub Saharan Africa to place a firm order for 10 B737 Max. The airline earlier this year made an order for 20 brand new 124 seater E195-E2 jets from Embraer thereby making history as the launch customer of this new aircraft in the entire Africa.

It would be recalled that Air Peace, 2017, became the first airline to acquire and register a Boeing 777 in Nigeria. It had gone on to acquire more three 777s for its international operations which it kick started on July 5, 2019, with flight

operations to Dubai through the Sharjah International Airport. The airline is poised to take, very soon, on more international routes like, London, Houston, Johannesburg, Bombay, Guangzhou, etc.

The airline thanked Mr. President for creating the enabling aviation environment that made it possible for the airline to achieve this feat within a very short time of its existence. Mr. Olisa disclosed this when he said, “our Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, is eternally grateful to President Buhari for making it possible for Air Peace to become what she is within the four years of President Buhari’s regime through the zero tax regime on imported commercial aircraft and aircraft spares introduced by his administration”.

much like traditional restaurant dining. Standard meal trays will be replaced with more elegant, custom-designed serviceware made with 30 percent bio-based materials, featuring upgraded cutlery that ditches the plastic wrapper in favour of a new, sleek placemat for use on the tray table.

On-demand snacks, available for the long haul: In addition to the welcome cocktail and refreshed dining options, Delta is debuting a new anytime snack basket that will be available for guests after meal service. The basket will include a rotating variety of sweet and savory snacks, such as Cheez-It crackers, Tillamook cheese, OREOs, KIND Bars and the airline’s beloved signature Biscoff cookies.

“This is about rethinking the entire Main Cabin experience to wow our customers,” Ron Walk, a Portland-based flight attendant and design team member who’s been involved in the service since the very beginning said.

“The thoughtful touches we’ve incorporated throughout are aimed at making connections with customers to show them how

much they’re valued.”

Delta’s reinvented Main Cabin experience has already received rave reviews from customers – with increased customer satisfaction scores on the routes it’s been tested on over the past year.

Delta’s new international Main Cabin service is part of the airline’s multi-billion dollar investment in the overall customer experience.

In the past several years, the airline has also made significant enhancements to the Main Cabin experience including free Main Cabin meals on select domestic coast-to-coast routes, free mobile messaging, free in-flight entertainment, upgraded Main Cabin snacks, the addition of sparkling wine, access to Wi-Fi on nearly all flights and refreshed Flight Fuel food-for-purchase options.

Recent upgrades to the Delta One in-flight experience include upgraded TUMI amenity kits, the introduction of seasonally rotating, chef-designed Delta One menus with the option to pre-select first choice of entree, an Alessi-designed collection of serviceware and more.

British Airways partners UBA to reward loyal customers

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he British global Airline, British Airways has partnered with leading Pan African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc Airways have announced a collaboration to reward loyal customers who are cardholders of the bank.

The promo which will last for six months from November 2019, will see UBA customers getting significant discounts when they purchase their British Airways tickets using their UBA cards.

Specifically, the promo which will allow customers to enjoy between 10 percent to 15 percent discount on ticket bought in for the period of the promo. The collaboration is aimed at increasing customer experience and satisfaction, while non-UBA customers only need to procure a card instantly from any UBA branch to enjoy the service.

Muyiwa Akinyemi, the General Manager, Corporate Bank Directorate, UBA, who expressed delight at the collaboration, noted that the promo between the two organisations was carefully thought out to ensure that loyal customers of the two institutions are duly rewarded, while ensuring that they also receive more value for their money.

“UBA is excited to collaborate with one of the foremost Airlines in the world to run a promotion aimed at rewarding our cardholders and premium customers who will enjoy discounted tickets and other ancillary benefits such as loyalty points on the British Airways Executive Club.”

He explained that as a customer-

centric institution, UBA is always on the look-out for services and reward schemes that will ultimately benefit the customers, in line with its Customer 1st policy.

It is interesting to note that the 10 percent to 15 percent discount is exclusive of taxes and customers can use the award-winning LEO (Virtual) banker to book the British Airways tickets and utilise UBA cards to make the payments.

Kola Olayinka , the general manager for British Airways in West Africa, noted that the airline is pleased to partner with the bank due to its huge customer base and wide branch network, adding that with the partnership, more customers will be able to enjoy the promo.

Olayinka said, “British Airways is excited to partner with UBA, Africa’s Global Bank, to create a mind-blowing promotion aimed at raising awareness about this service to be rendered by both institutions.

“In addition, the discounts provided by British Airways would reduce the cost of travel and encourage the Bank’s customers to make more foreign trips during the coming Christmas period and also reward their customers and staff as a way of giving them some very tangible savings on their travel budget.”

He however advised customers of both organisations to book early for Christmas to take full advantage.

British Airways is a full service global airline, offering year-round low fares with an extensive global route network flying to and from centrally-located airports.

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Being faithful to my wife in BBN was not negotiable – Mike

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irst runner up of the recently concluded Big Brother Naija, Mike, became a sensation not just by being a contestant and being among the finalists, he also gained enough popularity for being the only married man in the house and staying faithful to his wife all through the months the show lasted.

In an interview with Bliss recently, the former reality show finalist said he didn’t need to discuss with his wife before he entered in the house that he was going to be celibate.

“I am a married man! I ought to be faithful to my wife! I didn’t need to discuss it with her before I entered the house. Even before I got into the house, I had made a vow to myself that I was going to be faithful to my wife so it wasn’t negotiable.”

But when asked how he was able to stay in the house for 99 days and being celibate he said his strength helped him out.

“I am a strong individual, I am a strong man. I didn’t show any weakness in the house. To be in the house without a woman was not a problem. It was just normal.”

Mike claimed he was never tempted even as most of the female housemates were almost half naked most times.

“I was never tempted. But then, it was draining, being disconnected from my wife was emotionally draining. But I knew my wife would say I should make the most of the opportunity.”

Now that the show has come and gone, Mike, who was based in the UK, said he has finally relocated to Nigeria.

“I have plans to relocate to

Nigeria. Even my wife is relocating. We have made the plans together. We are still discussing but right now, we are still taking it day by day.”

Talking about why he decided to be a part of the reality show, Mike said he needed another challenge away from what he was used to.

“Big Brother is one of the greatest platforms in the world.

They usually say before your greatest breakthrough, everything falls apart. Beyond that, I saw it as a challenge. The fear of the unknown was more attractive to me because I knew that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to challenge myself beyond what I have been used to.

I wanted to try my hands on another thing and see how far I could go with it.

It ended up being a great opportunity and I will never regret it.”

He didn’t become the eventual winner but Mike said it he wasn’t disappointed.

I am not disappointed that I didn’t win. I knew within me that stepping into the house was a winner for me. Anything else was bonus. I was having the best time of my life in the house. That was why it was easy for me to have so much cruise. We all are unique.”

When asked what he thought worked against him in the house, Mike said he never tried to be fake for once.

“You cannot fake real.

I knew that my being myself and being original was the only thing I could do very well. I cannot be anybody else but myself. I am confident enough in myself to know that I can go through a lot of ups and downs and find a way to persevere. I knew consistency was key for me. I trusted in being consistent and having a good time every day.”

Now that the show is over, Mike said he made so many memories and learnt so many things which he took from the house.

“What I took away from the show is never to take anything too seriously. Enjoy every moment of your life, you never know when you will go.”

Cardi B comes to Lagos for Livespot X Festival

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nternational superstar and Grammy award-winning rapper, Cardi B, will be visiting Africa for the first time this December.

Th e s e l f - p r o c l a i m e d Queen of the Bronx is expected to make her first visit to West Africa this December at the Livespot X Festival.

Her first stop will be in Lagos on December 7, before heading to Accra on the 8th.

Since her break-out single, Bodak Yellow, Cardi B has become one of the leading women in Hip-Hop. Her burgeoning reputation was further cemented with a Grammy Award win earlier this year. Her vibrant personality

and social commentary have made her one of the most influential entertainers in the world.

Cardi B has, over the last few years, become a social media phenomenon, and her latest Halloween antics rocked the dailies when her choice of costumes grabbed headlines worldwide.

Cardi’s trip to Lagos and Ghana is a clear indication of her ambitions to conquer the world and cement her status as a bonafide global star.

The show in Lagos, which will hold on December 7, 2019, will see the vivacious rapper joined on stage by some of Nigeria’s biggest artistes.

Naijabingo will change the misconception about gaming – Asuelime

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s Naijabingo, a new social gaming has just been unveiled in Nigeria recently courtesy of Zeretan Entertainment, the chairman of the group, Mr. Michael Asuelime, has said the game show will change the misconception people have towards gaming.

“There are so many things that were deemed bad back in the days and perceived negative for whatever reasons. Especially acting and music and even football, parents never wanted their wards to get into those professions. “But that has changed now. People used to think that gambling is bad. But we need to challenge that as well. Don’t you think you would want to better your lot?

What is even negative about it?” he queried.

According to Asuelime who spoke during the unveiling of the gaming, “Naijabingo is a brand new category of social gaming, which may involve multiple players with elements of interaction between the game and the participants.”

Asuelime said the game is Nigerian version of popular family pastime called Bingo or Tombola or Housie in different parts of the world while adding that Naijabingo offers offline and online social gaming experience and it retains the unique flavour of the original bingo rhymes and can be played and enjoyed by anyone.

Even as there are so many other betting games in Nigeria at the moment, Asuelime insists that Naijabingo is still different from every other game show.

“Our population in Nigeria is very high. There will always be new concepts everyday in every field. What we have done is to look at what is in existence before now and look at the loopholes. But then, our games are easy. What you need is just your N100. Your strength lies on the card you pick. There are no two similar

cards. That is why it is a game.”

According to him, Naijabingo comes in pocket size game slips in attractive colours of Red (for Sunday games) and Blue (for Wednesday games).

“The current offering is the offline version and requires participants/ players to purchase game slips from accredited game shops in their neighbourhood to be eligible to play. In fact, we are really excited to bring Bingo halls to peoples’ homes,” he added.

Narrating further, the Zaretan Entertainment Chairman explained that two games each are played on Sundays and Wednesdays of every week with each game having six grids containing numbers 1 - 90 and each grid has 15 numbers in them.

The aim of the game, he noted, is to mark all the 15 numbers in any grid from the winning numbers for the particular game.

Asuelime stated; “The winning numbers to be marked are randomly selected under supervision of officers from Lagos State Consumer Protection Council (LASCOPA) and announced while the players are expected to mark the winning numbers correctly on the corresponding grid on their NaijaBingo® game slip.

Once the player correctly marks all the 15 numbers on any of the grids for the game in play, that player has won or will share in the Full House Prize money for that game.”

Terracares4Naija Campaign unlocks music talents

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t was an exciting moment in most parts of Lagos recently as Terracares4Naija, the corporate social responsibility initiative of TGI Distri Limited aimed at feeding 10,000 Lagosians in several communities unlocked some budding music talents.

The feeding programme which is usually laced with different fun activitiesincludingsinginganddancing competitions has inadvertently unearthed lots of raw talents waiting to be harnessed.

When the programme commenced on October 16, 2019 at Agege a Lagos suburb as part of the United Nations World Food Day, a young man waltzed through the crowd to the front, took the microphone and rapped so well in Yoruba language using the name of the brand Terra seasoning cube. So many people were astonished with his talents.

InIkorodu,anotherLagossuburb visited by the Terracares4Naija team, lots of children under 10 and teenagers as well, showed their dancing and singing skills. Miss DoubraTitiboh, a 15- year old student of Ipakodo Secondary School, Ikorodu beat others to the prize. It was same story at Makoko, in Yaba Local council of Lagos as young-

sters defied the flooded streets and neighbourhoods to show their dancing and singing skills.

Speaking at the event, Mrs Nnenna Onyenacho, Media and Activations Manager, TGI Distri Limited said she is pleasantly surprised with the talent displayed by the youngsters in the communities visited.

“The essence of the Terracares4Naija programme is to put smiles on the faces of thousands of Lagosians by giving them nutritious food and engaging them through music. I am happy that the communitiesappreciatewhatTGIDistri Limitedisdoing.Theturnoutofboth young and old in the places visited has been impressive. Christmas is around the corner and Terracares4Naija is already putting them in the mood”, Mrs Onyenacho said.

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BDSUNDAY 29

ExecutiveBookshelf With Chido Nwakanma • Reviews • News • Interview • List

‘Writing is a natural progression from reading’ My Book World: Kayode Fayemi In this concluding part of the interview on reading choices, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi speaks on his preference for hard copy books, his ability to straddle between fiction and non-fiction and his emergence as a writer.

What steps have you taken to ensure that your state plays a significant role in preparing young people for the digital age? e are doing quite a lot on that.

We are also preparing them for coding. Coding is not part of the curriculum, but we feel that Ekiti State should be a leader in that critical segment of the digital economy. We are working with a number of institutions and partners to get this mainstreamed into our educational curriculum.

Secondary schools?

Yes, but ultimately in primary schools as well.

Because if you catch them young, it is easier. But then you do not want to distract those in primary schools.

Let them master their numeracy and literacy.

When they get to a mature level, they can then take on these other subjects.

What is the timeline for the Knowledge City?

It would be ready in 2022.

Do you prefer hard copy or digital texts?

Sorry, I am old school.

I have all these Kindles and Nooks and all of these things. I like the feel, it is indescribable, what turning the page does to you and to your soul. I hopefully will get there one day, but I like to carry my book around like a baby.

Any preference between fiction and nonfiction?

Yo u c a n s e e t h a t I straddle all areas. I read fiction but not as much as I read non-fiction. I am an avid non-fiction reader and writer. I don’t write fiction. I have a wife who is quite adept at writing

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I gave a perspective that was ordinarily not present in the books that had been written by local drivers of the campaign because they did not have that information

fiction and poetry. I dabble occasionally but,mostly, I am a non-fiction guy.

What is your view of the notion that Nigerians do not read?

It is commonly said. I think there is a sense in which it is true that Nigerians do not read. But then again, Nigerians read. Ni-

gerians are very imaginative. Nigerians read what interests them. You have also to make it available.

Part of the problem is that access is a big issue. What are we doing about ensuring that people have access? Technology has made access easier. I think it is the form rather than the content in which the materials come to people.

Particularly, younger ones who are not very fond of carrying around heavy books in the way we were trained. They read in an eclectic manner and not in a straight-laced, focused, disciplined manner.

You are a writer. What motivated you into writing?

I think it is just a matter of natural progression.

As I said, I grew up reading. Reading informs writing. There is nothing that informs writing better than reading. If you want to be a good writer, you must be a very avid reader because that then opens your mind to various possibilities and experiences.

Before we left the shores of Nigeria, we could probably describe from reading Hardley Chase’s novels the way Miami is, the streets of Washington DC, the history of those places. Reading does a lot for you. From there it was natural to be in the quiz and debating society (High School) or be the editor of the Press Club and on and on into journalism, research and academia. I think it was just inevitable.

What did your book discuss, just for the benefit of our readers?

I have written a couple of books. The one that I think that people are most interested in is Out of The Shadows. It was a memoir

of the exile years and the struggle for democracy and freedom in Nigeria in the aftermath of the annulled election in 1993. I gave a perspective that was ordinarily not present in the books that had been written by local drivers of the campaign because they did not have that information. These include the diplomatic shuttle, the underground radio that we ran, the campaign in African countries, at the Commonwealth, in the United States and the Internet wars that we had to wage, the frustrations, the bitterness and the very strange liaison that we had even with Chief MKO Abiola himself, not being a fan of his relationship with the military but also very determined to fight for what we believed was the right thing-helping to restore his mandate. Those were the issues tackled in the book.

What are the other books?

I had written a number of books about my experience in office. Every year that I spent in office in my last term, I wrote a book about the year: what I did in office that year, the challenges that I faced, the policy issues I dealt with, my reflections. That series -Reclaiming TheTrust, Regaining The Legacy, Legacy of Honour and Serviceiand Staying The Course.

And then I had written in my narrow field of strategy -military strategy, civil-miltary relationship and post-conflict reconstruction work. I have written a book on security sector governance, postwar planning, democratic control of the military in Africa, the war in Liberia and reconstruction and on mercenaries. But those are technical books in my field.

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Trends

Why Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad AYO OTUBANJO, a senior consultant with Vinci Hair Clinic and a partner in the global medical group, Vinci International, in this interview with LYNDA OCHUGBUA, spoke on his inspiration, challenges and prospects in the business. He disclosed reasons for hair loss in women, how it can be controlled, among many other interesting issues. Excerpts:

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y way of introduction, may we know you better?

My name is Ayo Otubanjo. I’m a senior consultant with Vinci Hair Clinic and a partner in the global medical group, Vinci International. I’m currently the regional CEO for Africa for the group and responsible for the growth of the brand and expansion of its network of clinics in Africa. I have extensive experience in hair loss diagnosis and treatment having consulted with over 2,000 clients. In addition, I have published many professional articles both online and in newspapers. I have also appeared on several radio and television stations over many years to talk about hair loss causes and treatment options, and we have organised and participated in several forums and symposiums to enlighten, discuss and offer solutions on hair restoration treatments.

What is Vinci Hair Clinic about?

Vinci Hair Clinic is a global hair restoration brand comprising of 33 clinics in 14 countries worldwide with 3 of these clinics located in Africa. These clinics are in Lagos, Abuja, and Accra.

Vinci Hair Clinic specialists apply a unique combination of expertise, understanding of hair loss and artistry in providing our hair restoration treatments. At our Vinci Hair Clinics, we offer effective solutions for men and women with conditions such as male pattern baldness, traction alopecia, thinning and scarring on the scalp amongst many other treatment options. Some of our treatments include micro scalp pigmentation (MSP), hair transplant surgery, medical procedures like platelet rich plasma (PRP) and mesotherapy, as well as supplies of hair loss medications and Laser cap therapy device. Beard and eyebrow hair transplants are also available, where the candidate has the characteristics necessary for successful treatment.

Through our unique Micro scalp pigmentation procedure, we can camouflage completely bald heads by carefully placing medical grade ink pigments into the scalp to resemble hair follicles that give the appearance of a closely shaved hair, giving the impression that you are not bald

or thinning but simply have chosen to have a shaved look.

When did the business start?

Vinci Hair Clinic launched its flagship Lagos clinic in September 2014, opening the first hair restoration clinic in Africa, outside South Africa.

The clinic is located on Awolowo road in Ikoyi, a prime area in Lagos.

Further to launching our foremost clinic in Lagos, the extensive demands and requests from our esteemed clients in other regions and locations prompted the brand to establish clinics in Abuja and then Accra, Ghana.

What was the inspiration behind

the hair clinic here in Africa?

In the past, our clients had to travel abroad, to Europe, the USA or beyond for hair restoration solutions such as Hair Transplants, Micro Scalp Pigmentation, Mesotherapy, PRP treatments, etc.

The rationale for launching the Vinci Hair Clinic brand in Africa was borne out of the need to provide world class hair restoration solutions right here at the doorstep of our clients; saving them time and money, and providing our services in a comfortable, friendly environment, with total confidentiality.

What are the major causes of hair loss?

The reason why certain hair follicles are programmed to have a shorter growth span than others is not well understood. However, several factors may influence hair loss: • Hormone, such as abnormal level of androgens (male hormones produced by both men and women) · Genes, from both male and female parents, influence a person’s predisposition to male and female pattern baldness · Stress, Illness, and Childbirth can cause temporary hair loss Ringworm caused by fungal infection can induce hair loss. · Drugs, including chemotherapy used in cancer treatment, Blood thinners, thinners beta-adrenergic

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Trends

for hair restoration, by Otubanjo blockers used to control blood pressure and birth control pills, can cause hair loss. · Burns, Injuries, and X-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases normalcy in hair growth usually return once the injury heals. · Autoimmune disease may cause Alopecia areata. In alopecia Areata the immune system revs up for unknown reasons and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back with proper medication and early treatment. · Cosmetic beauty procedures and the application of gum, glue, perms, bleaching and dyeing hair can contribute to overall hair thinning by making the hair shaft thin and weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers or hot curriers, and running hair picks through tight curls can also damage and break hair. However, these procedures don’t normally cause baldness. In most instances’ hair grows back normally if the cause of the damage is discontinued.

Still, severe damage to the scalp sometimes causes permanent bald patches.

How can it be corrected and controlled?

Hair loss can be controlled effectively by diagnosing the underlying cause of the hair loss properly and staying away from the factors that might cause more damage to the hair, but more importantly, by watching out for early signs of hair loss such as thinning of the hair, hair breakage etc. Visit any of our clinics (Lagos, Abuja or Accra) for a free consultation as soon as you notice any of the signs and symptoms of hair loss.

In women, most of the recent hairstyles and procedures like wig glue, weavon gum and tight braids amongst others has been proven to cause more harm than good with respect to hair loss. These hairstyles tend to exert so much pressure and tension to the scalp or the roots of the hair, and eventually destroy the hair follicles. These in many cases lead to permanent hair loss if continued for long periods of time.

What treatment options are available to manage hair loss?

Whether you have been worried about balding for some time or have just started to notice signs of hair thinning, Vinci Hair Clinic in Nigeria can help. We offer personalised solutions to male and female hair loss, and start every client’s journey with a free, no-obligation consultation.

When you join us for your private hair restoration consultation in Lagos, your Vinci consultant will

examine your condition and discuss your options for treatment. We can help you decide whether MSP, FUT hair transplant, PRP, Mesotherapy, medical treatments or Laser-cap therapy device are the right solutions for you.

What latest developments are available in hair restoration procedures?

At the moment, the surgical method (Hair transplant) is the most recent development and the gold standard available in hair restoration. Hair transplant involves the redistribution of hair from the donor area of the recipient to the bald/thinning area. In males, the follicles in the donor area are resistant to the effects of DHT and this genetic trait allows us to remove these follicles and implant them into the recipient area without losing their genetic properties.

They will behave as they have been programmed to behave in the donor area they came from and will continue to grow naturally for life.

There are two general methods of Hair Transplant. These are the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) the former is best for Caucasian hair while the latter is more suitable for the African hair type. Our Lagos medical team of hair professionals are proud to be the only ones offering this service

in the country.

How will you evaluate the business growth since you started?

Over the past five (5) years since we launched our flagship clinic in the Africa region the brand has witnessed expansion into three (3) major cities in Africa namely Lagos, Abuja and Accra.

This expansion was borne out of the aim in providing International standard hair restoration services to clients in major cities in Africa while maintaining the excellence in service delivery, professionalism and confidentiality that global Vinci brand has been known for over decades.

How to stand out from competitors?

At the moment, there aren’t any recognisable competitors in this region, Our Hair Transplant theatre centre in Lagos is the only facility in the west African region carrying out Hair Transplants which is quite understandable owing to the complexity of the procedure and the technical know-how of what we do, however, we welcome competition as it’s what makes businesses grow and enhances innovation.

The only competition we might have at the moment is from clinics in other parts of the world. The fact that we’re taking hair restoration to the major cities in Africa, one city at a time, in our bid to ensuring no one

should suffer hair loss, is quite commendable and we intend to continue that so as to ensure Africans can get the most innovative solutions here and not have to travel abroad to get the solutions.

How easy is it getting products and tools for the clinic?

Like I said earlier, Vinci Hair Clinic is a global hair restoration brand comprising of 33 clinics in 14 countries across 6 continents worldwide, so we have a department that handles Purchase, Logistics alongside distribution of product and tools for the clinics with our Africa clinics namely Lagos, Abuja, and Accra inclusive.

What challenges have you faced so far?

Major challenge has been coming up with a well-rounded strategy in getting the information about Vinci hair clinic out there for all with hair loss concerns to know and benefit from our hair restoration procedures.

Even with all our campaigns, a lot of people are still not aware we offer these solutions here in Africa.

How have you managed these challenges?

We have embarked on PR campaign from radio station to TV Station and Print media in our bid to bridge this information gap. We have also started a business development partnership across vertical businesses within the beauty and cosmetics space where we render free consultation to their clients with hair loss concerns and prescribe treatment where necessary.

What are the plans for expansion or diversification?

Since our launch in Lagos in Sept 2014, we have expanded to Abuja and Accra in a period of five (5) years, so yes expansion has always been at the heart of what we do at Vinci. In coming years, we are looking at expanding to some other African cities as the clamour from our clients across several countries continues to build up. We can assure them of our resolve to reach as many cities as possible in Africa as part of our bid to ensure no one has to suffer from hair loss in Africa without being aware of the options available.

On the second part of your question on diversification, we currently have innovative research focusing on stem cells ongoing. The stem cells research has to do with taking out a unit of hair follicular graft and replicating it into thousands of units under laboratory environments in turn transplanting this into the bald area. This research will revolutionise hair loss restoration and treatment.

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TheWorshippers

It’s an anomaly in Christendom to be a polygamist – Emuchay Elder Napo Emuchay, president of Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), recently spoke on the resolution of the church to proscribe polygamy among leaders in white garment churches during the regional executive meeting of OAIC, held at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church (C&S), Surulere District. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU: Could you tell us the outcome of the recent regional executive meeting of the OAIC? sually, we hold about three to four meetings every year. This is the last in the year.

A number of things happened. We made two major appointments. The zonal vice chairman for Southwest; the late Archbishop Magnus Atilade was both the zonal chairman and vice president of OAIC. His position has been spilt. Baba Aladura, Israel Akinadewo of Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW) is now the vice president, while Archbishop Nathaniel Olorunshina is now the zonal chairman.

As the president of OAIC, what is your desire for the church and Nigeria?

Well, let us be upright. If we receive Christ and walk in accordance with his will, there will be changes.

The Israelites, because of their sins God punished them and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, the Midianites. It might be because of the sins of Nigeria that we are having these problems of killings, raping and all sorts of evil. If we return to God in righteousness I can assure you that our fortune will change. The only way is to fear God and walk in the paths of righteousness. The message God gave in Ezekiel 33 verse 11, says ‘Say Unto them, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they should repent and live.’ If we change, our circumstances will change.

We understand people within the church marry more than one wife; so, what is the stand of OAIC on polygamy?

Our position is clear. It is going to form part of our bylaws, in the ESOCS church where I belong; we proscribed polygamy about two years ago. Some members of the OAIC are polygamists particularly the African church. We are saying going forward, the younger generation should not embrace the culture of polygamy. Going further, it is no longer acceptable; we won’t appoint you to hold any administrative position. In the community of Christians you cannot represent

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us. I cannot see a polygamist coming to stand in the election as the president of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). You can’t be the number one Christian in Nigeria as a polygamist. The World Council of Churches goes against it. If you are a priest the Bible is clear on it; if you are a priest you should be the husband of one wife, simple. It is going to be part of our byelaws.

When do you plan to implement or enforce this new directive?

It is in the making. We are reviewing it and will soon pass it. So, from next year it will become operative that a polygamist cannot be a priest or hold any administrative office.

So, what becomes of the congregation of these polygamists?

They can run their churches but they cannot represent us. They won’t hold any administrative office.

Will they retain their membership of the OAIC? They can be members; in fact, some of them are founding members of OAIC, but we are saying that going by the current wave within the Christendom, they cannot hold any administrative position. They can stay as members but they can’t represent us. We cannot make you elder in charge or provincial chairman.

Don’t you think the planned proscription is going to be a hard nut to crack?

No. The issue is that we know it is going to be hard on some people.

We are not saying that people who have two or three wives should send their wives away; but they have to live with the burden. Going further, any young man or the younger generation who steps into polygamy should know he stands no chance within the priesthood, but you can be a member. Even within the Catholic Church, there are people with more than one wife but they can neither come out to say they are priests nor can become priests.

Some might argue that proscribing polygamy will increase the rate of hypocritical living, as in the case of some Catholic priests who secretly have wives and children despite taking the oath of celibacy?

It is an anomaly within the Chris-

Elder Napo Emuchay

tendom to be a polygamist. Of course, we cannot accept that anomaly. If you say okay, let us be operating like that, it becomes an accepted anomaly. We have to draw the line at some point. We are not saying it is a sin. What we are saying is that if you want to be a priest you will not have two wives. If as a member you have two wives or more then you know your growth is limited. Like in Eternal Scared Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church (ESOCS) church, there is a rank you cannot exceed.

Why can’t the church preach outright against polygamy?

We preach it, but it is the enforcement. Remember the church is part of the public place. You cannot exclude someone from the church, but you can stop the person from praying before the congregation or reading Bible lessons in the church.

Does it bother you that staging of miracles is common in the church today?

That shows you the nature and quality of priests that we have in Nigeria. The church has become hub of economic activities. Look; have you seen sign boards for native doctors again? Every native doctor is now a pastor, because people want miracles. You go to them; they tell

you to bring ram and other things.

This is what native doctors do. They wear collars as priests to perform miracles, remember the collar does not make the monk. Christianity is a way of life, the name Christians was first mentioned in Antioch when the people there saw the behaviour of the followers of Christ. It was not Jesus that gave the name; it was outsiders that recognised them. Christianity should be seen as a way of life not what you say, not you preaching and sleeping with another man’s wife afterwards.

There are allegations that some leaders of orthodox churches are usually members of the occult (cuts-in) That is not untrue as it is commonplace. I mean they do not make it public but people know.

They hardly attend Churches that are spiritual and are on fire for God because the spirit of God will expose and disgrace them. There was a person that came to our church and we did not know he used his son for ritual. It was at the time of prayer that a child of about 12 years old confronted him about the son’s whereabouts. The boy said: ‘Where is your son? You ruined your son’s life because of money.’ The man after two years died. These doublefaced people prefer attending con-

ventional churches where they will not be exposed. One thing to note is that we should not be judgmental: for judgment day is coming and it is going to start from the house of God. There is an all seeing eye and it is God himself that will judge. When you ask them they deny but when they die, the burial process involves some rituals. I was told some have uniforms and know how they bury their members. If I know about any OAIC leader being part of the occult, of course, he will be expelled.

The Federal Government said Nigerians are not hungry as against the outcry that there is hunger in the land?

What do you expect them to say when the people in government are not paying for food or light?

They are having everything free of charge and have allowances even for the meals they eat. If you want to know what is happening, ask the man on the street they will tell you. So, you want the government to tell you there is a problem in the country? They are even saying no one is dying in the north, that there are no killings. All these are political gimmicks.

But, the government said it’s fighting corruption; don’t you agree with them?

Corruption is the foundation of the political system in Nigeria. The government is the hub of corruption. Government is only trying to play its game.

Does this mean we do not have true Christians in government or true Christians cannot be politicians?

Of course, true Christians can be politicians as the Bible says that when the righteous are in power the people rejoice; so the righteous are supposed to be in government.

The price righteous people pay is to ignore politics, saying it is for the ‘mad or cow boys’ and these people are the ones ruling and making the laws. Look in Nigeria, how many professors, doctorate degree holders and master’s degree holders do we have? The man who is ruling the country, what is his qualification?

Finally, what is the way forward?

We have to embrace the truth, let us tell ourselves the truth. Let the people occupying leadership positions do the right thing.

COGOP Nigeria national convention holds in Lagos SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he 2019 national convention of the Church of God of Prophesy (COGOP) Nigeria, themed ‘Cover the Earth with Divine Authority’ is scheduled for Thursday, November 14 to Sunday, November 17 at the national headquarters of the church on 191/193, Ikotun-Idimu

Road, by Freedom Gate Bus Stop, Idimu, Lagos.

COGOP is an international organisation headquartered in Cleveland Tennessee, United States of America. It is in over 150 countries across the world, with 37 countries in Africa, Nigeria and Ghana inclusive. Bishop Sam Clement is the general overseer of the church, while Bishop Stephen Masilela is the African presbyter.

“This year convention is with a God-given theme that says ‘Cover the Earth with Divine Authority.’

God is the source of authority; God designed authority to manifest himself to humanity. The greatest thing in life is to know God by his presence. Adam and Eve knew God by his presence afterwards through authority. There is nothing we can do without God-given authority,” Enis James Kolawole, national overseer

of COGOP Nigeria and Ghana, said.

According to Kolawole, when believers carry the power of God, no matter how the enemies try to trouble the believer, the enemy will submit at the believer’s feet. “At this convention, sickness will submit, failure will stop and obstacles will be removed. Whatever that must have been standing your way will surely give way. Thursday 14th is the arrival of our delegates from

across the country and delegates from outside the country,” he said.

“The youth will be performing; you can’t afford to miss that. It will start by 4pm; then the following day which is a Friday; we are starting by 9 in the morning all through the evening and on Saturday and Sunday, 9am consecutively,” Kolawole said, adding that the convention is set to host delegates from Africa, Europe and America.

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TheWorshippers Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

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had a conversation with a lady about a board meeting we were planning to have, she mentioned her challenge with a board member who in her view was deliberately making life miserable for her, she told me to kindly intervene by putting a call through to this gentleman.

I obliged and indeed called him, hoping to build a rapport with him and possibly start a relationship beyond

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The big man syndrome formalities. I was shocked at his response over the phone and quickly adjusted myself thereafter.

We discussed, my telephone conversation with this fellow who is supposed to be a ‘believer’ and ‘mature Christian.’ I shared my experience with her and she laughed at me and told me that she believes he is acting up because ‘...he is a big man’, I shrugged off that phrase and I immediately told her ‘he is a proud man.’

It is very important to call vices by their names and not try to make virtues out of those vices. I strongly believe this ‘Big Man Syndrome’ is killing our society in Nigeria and those who carry the disease are also Born Again Christians shamefully. We have become bloated by our ‘statuses’ in the society, the economic class we belong to has affected our psyche about who we are, our wealth has pumped false sense of security into us and we have become detached from certain realities of life.

Paul addressed this ‘Big Man Syndrome’ in his epis-

tle to the Roman Believers and I’ll like to Inspire you today by taking a closer look at the scriptures, ‘for I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to THINK OF HIMSELF more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to Everyman the measure of faith’ (Rom. 12 v 3).

Having considered the above scriptures deeply, I make bold to conclude that those we call ‘Big Men’ may just be called ‘Proud Men’

by God and Apostle Paul if he were to be around today. That is not to say there aren’t people we should honour but people should not demand for such honour by oppressing others with their privileged positions in life, because those positions are temporary not permanent.

5 Ways to identify the syndrome in men They talk down on people: Most men with this ‘Big Man Syndrome’ are known by the way they

talk to people around them.

They talk down on people and disrespect them simply because of their status in life and positions as well. It’s a Vice not a Virtue and we should despise the same.

They do not greet people ‘first’ but demand to be greeted: I have often wondered why some people still never greet you first until you greet them, and when you do greet them, they will sneer their replies towards you despitefully.

This is called the ‘Big Man Syndrome’ and it is very UNCHRISTIAN in my opinion They keep you waiting deliberately even when they are free: I am sure many of my readers have

experienced this from the Big Men they have had cause to see at one point or the other. They just keep people waiting and it makes them feel ‘Big’ indeed.

Th e y t h r o w n a m e s around and want to intimidate others: Name dropping is a major feature of Big Men around us today and they do so to intimidate their listeners so that they can ‘bow and tremble’ before them. That was what Haman did towards Mordecai, but the Lord humbled him and elevated Mordecai.

I pray you purge this disease.

They like status toys and acquire them in numbers: This is the African in

Big Men. I have seen many people acquire status symbols and toys because of perception of ‘Bigness’ In Nigeria; they have the latest phones, cars, bling, etc, just to show that they have arrived and are Big Men. It is very sad and shameful that Believers are doing the same as unbelievers, we don’t know the difference anymore and we cultivate such odd vices and mannerisms in our churches.

In conclusion, I feel compelled to say that this Big Man Syndrome our Disease is seen more in African Countries than Western countries, like a disease clinging to the black man and we have all gotten bugged, believers and unbelievers alike. It’s a deadly Syndrome and we should purge ourselves from the same.

Drop me a note of acknowledgment and encouragement.

Be Inspired!

Rev Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos.

ANALYSIS

How early savings culture can help create a better future for children Bunmi Bailey

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or many parents and guardians, rather than directing their effort towards saving money for their children, it is considered more important to control their access to money at such age in order to reduce the urge to buy virtually everything they see, thereby encouraging compulsive spending.

However, there is a lot more to be gained by letting

young people understand the value of money and the importance of proper money management.

Three years ago, a study by the University of Cambridge revealed that children begin to form their money habits at the age of seven through imitation and inductive learning.

At such a young age, the children acquire knowledge as they interact with their environment, trying to make meaning from observing dynamic interactions between

people, objects and their brains.

Children have an intrinsic desire to understand their environment, to be in active control of their own experiences and to make relationships with others leading to an understanding about the causes and effects of things around them.

Hence, giving children a good foundation and teaching them about money is critical for their personal and financial development, especially with budgeting,

L-R: Okwudili Onyia, Stakeholder Relations Manager; Nkoyo Etuk, Senior Manager, Stakeholder Relations, both of Seven Energy, Charles Udoh, Commissioner for Information, Akwa Ibom State during the 12th Teachers’ Award for Excellence in Akwa Ibom State Public Secondary Schools organized by Inoyo Toro Foundation.

saving and building a healthy money habits.

Youthful savers who often seem to have more selfrestraint, have some sense of future possibility worth planning for, and tend to have a capacity for delayed gratification and judgment that unwise spenders often seem to lack.

In building a sustainable savings culture, it is vital to let the child develop a sense of reasoning, sometimes with gentle prodding from the parents.

Teaching them these rudimentary skills for money management, which is that it is never enough to buy all you want, so the child must exercise judgment and learn to be selective.

By saving efficiently, the child also has a strong opportunity to meet the challenges of adulthood, growing up with an innate understanding of the value of money through real life situations and applying their learning in using money that has been saved.

Although children from 0 to 17 years old cannot open a savings account without an adult serving as an account holder, the child also bears a sense of responsibility upon acquiring knowledge that such an account exists.

The importance of parents and guardians inculcating good savings habit in their wards cannot be overstated. To encourage them in doing this, Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest retail bank introduced the Early Savers Account, a savings account for children below the age of 16 years including unborn children.

The account can be opened in trust for a child by the parent or guardian who will be the primary account holder until their child attains adulthood and can solely operate their own accounts or possibly move to other age appropriate product.

Going a step further, Access Bank celebrated World Savings Day with children in the six geo-political zones, educating them on the importance of building an early savings culture and improving their future through financial independence.

The essence of the World Savings Day, which was celebrated by financial institutions and other related organisations on Thursday, 31 October, 2019, is to increase public awareness on the importance of savings both for households and for the national economy.

Also, this encompasses the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) initiative to bridge financial literacy and inclusion particularly for children in to them why they need to save money.

It is crucial that we embed in them, the ideals of hard work, earning ones’ living and saving part of their income for the future. This should be done at an early age. It is also important to instil in the child’s psyche, the notion that ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’; rather, it must be earned.

Teaching the basics of money management can assist children in developing good financial habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

The CBN has set an outlandish goal of achieving 80 percent financial inclusion by year 2020 and encouraging early savings culture is one way to achieve this.

Savings are the backbone of investment and economists have proven that the rate of savings in the economy directly influences the rate of investment.

In simple terms, for the Nigerian economy to grow, we need to grow the national savings base from the current low levels. If we all teach our children to save, we may just be saving the future of our country.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

SundayBusiness As Lagos empowers youth through agriculture Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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ome of the challenges that have persisted across Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, over the decades, include the lack of connection between the set of peasant, smallholder farmers and the policy makers as well as lack of requisite knowledge on the application of modern technology to farming. Also, there is little or no access to loans to upgrade their performance. Yet; more than 80 percent of the total farming population are rural smallholder farmers. But for how long would they be neglected if indeed, they are the pillars of the agricultural sector and have the potential to influence its sustainabledevelopment?

Another significant issue of course, is how to encourage job-seeking youth, especially graduates to get interested and actively engaged in agriculture.

This becomes even more difficult in urban settings where the drive and desire is for white-collar jobs.

That is precisely where the Lagos

state government comes in with its laudable initiatives to lure and empower the youth into modern and productive agricultural practices.

To bridge this inexcusable gap, BATN Foundation in partnership with the Lagos State Government recently organised an annual Farm Fair.The aim is to create market linkage for smallholder farmers.

The Fair comes as a business platform to expose farmers to opportunities in urban areas without any financial burden or risks.

So good the initiative has become that the Lagos State government has an on- going p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h Ba n k o f Agriculture, Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered Bank and NYSC on annual basis to assist the farmers.

The objectives of the fair include the promotion of small enterprises for business growth. It is to provide market access and linkage, create platform to network and explore business opportunities. It is also to enable them to provide fresh and healthy farm produce to the public and to promote Agri-business among urban youths During the event held recently the activities includedfamers market, exhibition, Master Cl a s s , Po p - u p r e s t a u r a n t s , parade and it was rounded up with an award ceremony. This is a commendable way to bring in the youth back into farming.

It would be recalled that during the unveiling of a 32 tonnes-perhour rice mill in the state the Commissioner of Agriculture who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Olayiwola Onasanya, explained that the mill will conveniently

employ 250, 000 people, directly as rice millers. And indirectly as rice growers, marketers and transporters.Such actions would benefit not only farmers in Lagos state but across the South-West geo-political zone.

Similarly, the state is buoyed to employ 400 women and youths according to the State Project Coordinator of the World Banassisted Project, APPEALS, Mrs. Oluranti Oviebo. Through it, small and medium scale farmers will be actively employed in poultry farming, aquaculture and rice milling to improve on agriculture’s value chain. The aim is to use modern technology towards increased food production.

It would be recalled that back in November 2013 the Lagos State Agricultural Development Project held an Implementation Support Supervision/ Staple Crop Processing Zone (SCPZ) Mission in the state. The participants included small and medium scale rice, poultry and aquaculture farmers, processors and marketers.

Others were financial institutions, community leaders and nongovernmental organisations, state policy makers, representatives of the World Bank, and members of the House Committee on Agriculture.

The mission was to review and align with the federal and state government agricultural policies, especially the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) to aid the smooth project implementation. That was thensome six years ago. But this is now.

The piece of good news is that continuity in government has stabilised the activities of the Lagos State Commercial

Darling creates memorable looks, experiences at Lagos Fashion Week 2019 IFEOMA OKEKE

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eading hair extension manufacturers, Darling Hair, changed the hairstyling game with an explosive showcase of bespoke hair dos and extensions at Lagos Fashion Week 2019.

The hair giant collaborated with renowned fashion designers and hair stylists to create beautiful and iconic looks on the runway.

The annual event which took place from the 23rd to 26th of October 2019 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos, celebrated the best of African fashion with a mix of exciting activities and played hosts to designers such as, Mai Atafo, Lisa Folawiyo, Andrea Inyamah, Orange Culture, CLAN, Style Temple, Yuteerone, Tokyo James, Iamisigo, Maxvive to mention a few.

This year, at Lagos Fashion Week 2019, Darling created exceptional backstage experiences for models and designers, hosted

a runway show dedicated to showcasing a unique fusion of hair and fashion (modelled by trendy fashionistas).

Darling also created a beautifully and creatively designed Experiential space, hosted by Tomike Alayande, where visitors had a chance to receive complementary samples of the brands new detachable Kinky Straight and Afro Kinky ponytails.

Ayodele Otunjinrin, marketing manager, Godrej Nigeria, stated that “fashion is very holistic and not limited to clothes and shoes, hair plays a huge part in the fash-

ion industry. Our participation in this year’s edition of Lagos Fashion week was borne out of the need to celebrate the transformative power of hair in fashion and celebrate creativity of the different talents showcasing at Lagos Fashion Week 2019.

“We have invested our resources in carrying out extensive research to produce modern day hair pieces to bring the already beautiful woman to full bloom.

At Darling Nigeria, we have taken modern day technology and combined it with our local hairstyles to bring about hairpieces that will enhance hairstyles giving women natural looks, as well as, showcasing the modern beautiful woman,” Ayodele concluded.

The highlight of Day 3 was the Darling runway show which included a display of exotic hairstyles, as Darling brought out its full arsenal of hair formats – naturals, weaves, braids and crotches modeled by surprise guests; Bolanle Olukanni, Kaylah Oniwo, Venita Akpofure and Idia Aisen.

Agriculture Development Project (CADP) in helping to achieve the World Bank’s twin goals of ending poverty and boosting prosperity by creating new agric entrepreneurs. Its aim is to strengthen agricultural production systems and facilitate access to markets. That is, for participating small and medium scale commercial farmers. It also supports the commercialisation of agriculture production, processing, marketing output amongst agric-based SMEs and agro-processors.

Interestingly, Lagos State government has also benefitted from its partnership with the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL), which initiated a youth entrepreneurship, agro-processing and vocational skills acquisition programme. It offers sustainable livelihoodsupportandemployment opportunities for youths in Nigeria over a 12 months period under the CVL Young Entrepreneurship Training Programme (YETP) – a national youth intervention programme. To be part of this youth empowerment scheme, the applicant must be a resident of the selected community and must be within the age brackets (18-to40 inclusive). An applicant with a minimum of School Certificate or ability to read and write may be considered.

The main goal of this project is to combat violent extremism and youth unemployment through youth entrepreneurship, agriculture, and Information, Communication and Technological engagement with the youths in Nigeria. Its Specific Objectives promise that within 12 months it enhances the entrepreneurship

skills of young people through entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and business internship.

Within a year YETP empowers young entrepreneurs with start-up capitals to enable them establish, run and manage sustainable enterprises.It also increases access to financial support for young people, through linkages to investors, credit banks, and other microfinance houses for start-up capital and business growth/ expansion purpose. Eventually, within the same one-year period it reduces youth restiveness and unemployment by creating job opportunities for young people.

This is in tandem with the position of the #Wealthishere, youth empowerment scheme.

Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e o n l i n e platform: “with poor access to infrastructure, inputs and markets, the smallholder farmers are one of the most vulnerable groups in the value chain system.” Considering the low scale and archaic methods of farming they apply it is difficult for these farmers to have access to credit facilities to upscale their production.

It is therefore, a commendable move on the part of Lagos state government to identify areas of youth development, especially agriculture; train, empower and assess the performance of beneficiaries to keep the unemployed ones of the violent street. Other states should take a cue, not only to enhance job and wealth creation but food security.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

FG releases over N6bn to Benue SUBEB - Aper BENJAMIN AGESAN, Makurdi.

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he Executive Chairman of Benue State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB, Emmanuel Aper has disclosed that the Federal Government through Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) has released the sum of Nb6.5bn for construction of projects in the state.

The SUBEB chairman made this known at the Board conference Hall in Makurdi while briefing newsmen shortly after an interactive session between the Board management and contractors.

Aper explained that the said amount had already been credited into SUBEB’s Bank Account waiting the state government capacity to march its counterpart funding so as to enable them access the funds.

The chairman, who vowed not to stand with any contrac-

tor who will depart from the standard set for the projects, debunked the rumors that contractors are being compelled to patronise particular companies for the purchase of site materials. “Contractors are free to buy their materials from anywhere provided they are up to the required standard,” he said.

The contractors also decried the spate of insecurity, inability to access their funds on time, time frame and the rainy nature of some of the areas that the projects are supposed to be executed as major challenges that usually delay them from delivering within the Board scheduled time.

Responding to the contractors concern, the SUBEB boss promised to put heads together with the management to devise means of shortening the processes of contractors accessing their funds, promising that enough security will be provided at the affected areas to enable the contractors execute their projects.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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SundayBusiness What MBAN’s push for restructuring NHF means to contributors

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n incremental basis, new thinking is coming into the Nigerian housing and mortgage sector with the aim of facilitating access to finance and, by extension, increasing housing affordability for home seekers.

When the National Housing (NHF) Scheme was launched by the federal government, the aim was to create a window for the country’s working class and other citizens who have identifiable and regular income to have access to mortgage loan to enable them buy, build or renovate their houses.

By the provision of the Act that established it, about 25 years ago, NHF entitles all Nigerians aged 21 years and above, who are in paid employment, to a low interest, government funded loan. Those who subscribe to the scheme contribute 2.5 per cent of their monthly salary through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

Before now, the maximum loan amount obtainable under the scheme was N5 million but that has been increased to N15 million. The borrowed capital is repayable over a maximum of 30 years, depending

on the age of the borrower, at 6 per cent interest rate.

Available record shows that total contribution to the fund, from 4.14 million registered contributors, hit N191.9 billion in March 2016. About N5.9 billion has been refunded to 118,284 individuals, while over 70 per cent of the cumulative collection was recorded in five years. To its credit and that of its managers, NHF has financed the construction of 25,606 housing units and advanced 16,506 mortgage loans.

However, primary mortgage bank operators say the fund has not fared well in its operations. Acting under the aegis of the Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN), the operators are pushing for a re-engineering of the fund and are, therefore, proposing a board of trustees that will facilitate the mobilization of fund for the provision of houses for Nigerians at affordable prices.

MBAN explains that the new scheme is aimed to ensure constant supply of loans to Nigerians for the purpose of building, buying or renovating residential houses as well as providing incentives for the capital market to invest in property

development.

Currently, an NHF Bill 2017, which aims to repeal Act CAP 45 laws that set it up, is on the floor of the National Assembly. The Bill still wants FMBN to continue to manage and administer the fund, but MBAN in its current push is recommending that the National Assembly restructures the NHF into the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) scheme to enhance its integrity and to make access to loan easier and more affordable.

The association, essentially, wants the role of the FMBN to be limited to managing the fund for a fee while the overall policy formulation and supervision of the fund rests with the proposed board of trustees.

This is aimed to capture, retain and maintain the continued confidence of stakeholders, particularly contributors.

MBAN explained that the proposed NHTF board should be different from the board of the FMBN to allow proper accountability and to achieve the goal of affordable housing for Nigerians.

The Bill still on the floor of the National Assembly has a number of provisions MBAN may not be quite comfortable with, especially the

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) aspect that empowers the minister to determine terms and conditions for loans from the fund as well as specify the conditions and terms of repayment of any loan obtained from the fund.

The Bill says any loan granted by FMBN to a mortgage institution will be secured by a block of existing mortgages under cover of sales and administration agreement to be executed between the supervisory bank and mortgage institution.

It adds that a Nigerian worker earning an income of say, N10, 000 and above per annum in both the public and the private sectors of the economy will contribute 2.5 percent of basic monthly salary to the Fund.

An interest rate of 4 per cent will be payable on the contributions. A commercial or merchant bank has to invest 10 percent of its loans and

LG’s efforts on the evolution of TV picture quality

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elevisions can be found in billions of homes around the world. But 100 years ago, nobody even knew what a television was. Since replacing radio as the most popular mass medium in the 1950s, television has played such an integral role in modern life that, for some, it is difficult to imagine being without it.

Both reflecting and shaping cultural values, television has at times been criticised for its alleged negative influences on children and young people and at other times lauded for its ability to create a common experience for all its viewers.

How such a ground-breaking technology turn from a niche invention to a living room mainstay remains one of the most interesting stories about human development over the last decades.

Interestingly, the world’s first electronic television was created by a 21-year old inventor named Philo Taylor Farnsworth. That inventor lived in a house without electricity until he was age 14.

Starting in high school, he began to think of a system that could capture moving images, transform those images into code, then move those images along radio waves to different devices.

We can see the advancement and the evolutionary journey of how the TV resolution and picture quality have improved in the last 20 years. The changeover from analog to digital television technology was a slow process, and it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that HDTV broadcasting began. At that time, most

HDTVs were plasma TVs, which were expensive, so HDTV adoption was slow. By the mid-2000s however, affordable 40-inch LCDs started to be sold.

By the end of the decade, LCD HDTVs were outselling traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs as well as plasma TVs. Post HDTVs, companies started looking for newer technologies that could be offered to consumers. The last few years have including curved screens, high dynamic range (HDR), smart TVs, OLED TVs, and 4K. Now with the hyperrealist detail and picture quality of 8K available to consumers, the next generation of TVs are upon us.

One of the major factors that influence TV preference in many homes today is the picture quality.

In the last two decades, LG has taken a lead in the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, 8K technology; dived into gaming innovation, Nano Cell, OLED, projector and introduced some of the best TVs with high-quality resolution. It’s a range of TVs has covered all the new innovations in OLED TVs, NanoCell

TVs, ULTRA HD 4K TVs, Full HD Smart TVs and Full HDTVs. According to Vanjamin Kim, general-manager, Home Electronics Division at LG Electronics West Africa, “Life’s about more than having the latest technology. It’s about the experiences technology creates. Beyond technology, the picture quality of our TV is second to none. We are a pacesetter in the industry and we will continue to deliver consumer electronics that let you embrace life and prepare you for its greatest moments.

“LG Electronics designs consumer electronics that are intuitive, responsive and energy efficient so you can spend wisely, be more productive and lessen the impact on the world around you. We’re committed to providing electronics that work best for the way you live and to keeping you updated with the latest technological advances.

After all, life’s better when you’re prepared.”

“LG guarantees memorable, cinematic viewing sessions with LG 8K OLED TV and 8K NanoCellTV that

feature Cinema HDR, encompassing support for Dolby Vision and Advanced HDR byTechnicolor up to 4K and HLG and HDR 10 up to 8K. LG’s first Ultra Short Throw (UST) 4K UHDCineBeam Laser projector produces amazingly sharp and large-scale images”, he said.

Most recently, LG’s mainstream OLED TV line-up which include the B9, C9, E9 and W9 (wallpaper) ranges have become some of the most-sought after TVs. LG B9 and C9 come with a slim design without distinctive design elements, whereas E9 has a glass design and W9 has the special wallpaper design with a separate electronics box that doubles as a soundbar with Dolby Atmos. This makes the actual W9 screen extremely thin.

The company said that it is planning to increase its focus on largeformat TVs as market data reveals that consumers have a big appetitive for 70”+ TVs. In this segment, LCD TVs rule as they are much more affordable.

With plans in top gear to introduce HDMI 2.1 in its high-end TVs, LG is also partnering with other global companies to disrupt the market with hi-tech innovations.

The company is partnering with Apple, Google, Alexa among others to further enrich customer experience.

LG AI TVs are the first with the Google Assistant and Alexa, using LG ThinQ AI technology to become the center for your connected home. The Airplay 2 support coming by way of Apple also enables streaming of iTunes movies and TV shows.

advances in the fund at an interest rate of 1 per cent above the interest rate payable on current account by banks.

In the same way, the Bill will require every registered insurance company to invest a minimum of 20 per cent of its non-life funds and 40 per cent of its life funds in real estate development with the expectation that not less than 50 per cent will be paid into the fund through the FMBN at an interest rate not exceeding 4 percent.

The Bill also states that all registered Pension Fund Administrators will invest a minimum of 10 percent of their pension funds and assets in real estate development, while the federal government will make adequate financial contributions to the fund for the purpose of granting of long term loans and advances for housing development.

How we arrived at new cost of MoniyaIjaiye-Iseyin Road – Oyo Govt Ajayi Alfred Agboola

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yo state Government has clarified how it arrived at the new cost of the all-important MoniyaIjaiye-Iseyin road, which links the food basket of the state, Oke-Ogun.

The state stated that the new contract was a clear departure from the rehabilitation contract given out at the cost of N7 billion by the administration of the immediate past Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Taiwo Adisa, quoted the State’s Commissioner for Infrastructure, Works and Transport, Raphael Afonja, as saying that the total reconstruction of the 65-kilometre Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road was arrived at taking into consideration the extensive reviews of the components and the desire to construct a road that would withstand the test of the huge traffic on the road.

Afonja said that the cost of the new road, which is expected to be completed in 12 to 14 months, stands at N9.9 billion.

He stated that the road belongs to Oyo State and that it links the state capital with the food basket of the state, which also serves as the solid mineral belt of the state.

“The contract to be executed by KOPEK Construction Company should be of high quality, being the road linking the food basket of the state,” the statement read.

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Sunday 10 November 2019

SundayBusiness Xerox introduces cutting edge printing technology in Nigeria Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

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n a bid to increase productivity and speed up the pace of digital printing, Xerox Corporation has introduced and launched two new family of products: the Xerox iridesse Production Press and Xerox PrimeLunk 9065/70 into the Nigerian market.

Speaking to journalists at the press conference held at the Company’s premises in Lagos, Femi Abidoye, general manager, sales and marketing, Xerox, said both products were introduced into the country to curb the challenge of undue process and delay associated with long printing presses.

“The products were introduced to simplify and ease the process of both mono and full colour digital printing especially in offices that have colour sensitive environments,” he said.

Abidoye further emphasized that both products, come with extra features of scanning, printing and copy-

ing capabilities with high degree of environmental friendliness and have been built to use special a toner that greatly reduces wastage.

The toner is also designed to ensure that output from the machines are consistently of high quality, right from installation till the last crystal of toner is used.

Explaining the features of Xerox Iridesse production press, Olufemi Okunade, managing director, Xerox, said that it is one that offers

six-colour printing in a single pass with both metallic and white toners.

“It is the most automated and productive digital press in the market today. That single pass is really important when it comes to productivity,” he said.

Also speaking, Chris Lynch, the company’s director, production and system support group for Middle East and Africa, emphasized that the product is able to handle high volume produc-

CPPL marks five years of repositioning businesses through capacity building, value creation AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

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he Customer Passion Point Limited (CPPL), a value creation and capacity building firm, has reiterated its readiness to continue to offer the best capacity building solutions that support performance needs of organisational workforce.

The firm also assures on its commitment to assist businesses to respond quickly, effectively and innovatively to their customers’ demands with bespoke offerings that would enhance their experience in a consistent and sustainable manner.

Speaking on the giant strides recorded since its emergence in 2014, Ikechukwu Kalu, lead consultant, expressed excitement that the firm has been able to uphold its strategic priorities of helping individuals and organisations to build capacity to excel.

“Our 5-year journey has

been quite challenging and interesting, considering the dynamics of the Nigerian business environment. However, our commitment to live up to our vision, mission and values of creating cutting-edge solutions has kept us on our toes and enabled us to develop customised solutions or programmes to meet specific client needs at affordable cost,” he said.

According to him, the classes are very exciting and participatory, thus enabling participants to share and grow knowledge from both class work and shared experiences.

“Our major objective is to ensure that participants are able to go back to work with practical solutions that can be applied to their jobs or businesses. We focus on the development of the individual and teams through a range of strategic activities that aims to achieve current business goals, meet future challenges and build capacity for growth,” he added.

Kalu, who said the firm’s last open class programme for the year, scheduled for this November in Lagos, will focus on Digital Marketing Skills along with Selling Skills, Customer Se r v i c e / Ma n a g e m e n t Skills and Self Master/ Personal Effectiveness for excelling in the workplace.

He further said that the above listed skills are critical to enabling businesses position their products and services in a manner that ensures uptake, adoption and continued patronage and loyalty from their target audience.

So far, CPPL has trained over 2000 young professionals and business owners via its open programmes as well as the bespoke solutions created for their clients. The training is targeted at business owners, entrepreneurs, business development professionals, marketing/ sales/customer service professionals, account managers and client service officers.

Reagan Remedies, Eudora Pharmaceutical extend free medical services to less-privileged tion and complex jobs.

“Apart from the high end printing technology, Xerox connect key technology is the best thing that ever happened in the ICT global arena, that makes printing available to users at lightning speed,” Lynch said.

Abidoye proceeded to reintroduce the verdant family of presses into the Nigerian market. According to him; “In the rapidly changing print marketplace, success requires more than perseverance. When you want to enhance quality and produce more high value digital applications, this is advance. When you want more automation of time consuming processes, quality and accuracy controls, and when you want to future proof your business with the highest speeds and capacity, that’s what we offer at Xerox.”

The company reintroduced the versant 80 press, versant 180 press with performance package and versant 3100 press respectively.

In the versant family of presses, automation drives result.

SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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n line with its corporate social responsibility (CSR), Reagan Remedies Limited, a drug manufacturing, distribution and retailing company, in collaboration with its sister firm, Eudora Pharmaceutical Industry, in the New Owerri, Imo State, has extended a free medical treatment to the less-privileged and other people in Imo State. This is another way of giving back to the society This year’s free medical treatment held in the company’s premises was combined with free gift of wrappers, cloths, plastic buckets, distribution of foods, drinks, and drugs to the less-privileged and others that attended the event.

Nnadumije Dumebi Leoni, managing director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/ CEO), Reagan Remedies Limited and Eudora Pharmaceutical Industry, who is also the vice president of Pharmaceuticals Department of the Owerri Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and

Agriculture (OCCIMA), expressed satisfaction about how the company has been using a part of its resources to the betterment of a section of the society and alleviating also the suffering of some people in the society, especially the less-privileged ones.

In her opening remarks, Dumebi recalled the successes record in 2017, 2018 free medical services organised by the company when the former MD/CEO, her father, the late Christian Nnadumijie Igwe, was alive, saying the company would not relent in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) services to the public.

She revealed that giving back to the society, a part of the fortunes of the company has been helping the company to scale up in many ways.

“I thank all of you for coming to this event that we are doing today, it is just like a thanksgiving event to God. We are organising a free medical treatment, we have doctors and pharmacists who will treat you and prescribe and give free drugs for all your ailments,” she said.

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

What will be, will be!

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he song by Doris Day had repeatedly been playing in my head, taking me back through childhood while my dad drove, with me in the front seat of our gold v-boot (Volvo) singing along; girl

When I was just a little

I asked my mother, what will I be Will I be pretty?

Will I be rich?

Here’s what she said to me Que será, será Whatever will be, will be The future’s not ours to see Que será, será What will be, will be

For the first time, I decided to put meaning into the message. ‘What will be, will be,” a philosophy many of us today struggle to understand or have faith in. Do we have no control over the outcomes of our lives? Is everything out of our control? Some might see this song as an act of defeat; why bother? When what will be will be.

Sometimes, life happens and throws us various obstacles; these obstacles can become distractions that get in the way of seeing where our life is headed and pushing us to give up. At this point, do we bow our heads and say what will be will be?

Or change the focus and choose another path.

The truth is, though we have little or no control over the output of life, we surely have control over what we input, continuously knowing that putting in work may one day yield us a more

significant outcome. It may not come at the time we want it, but with persistence, it would come as and when due.

So, on the contrary even though we do not know our future, we still have a part to play in the outcome of our future by working hard and working smart. Just be patient, life will happen; it will be okay.

Chioma Nwosu is a mental health/positive psychology advocate, speaker and founder of Olamma Cares Foundation an NGO focused on encouraging the social acceptance of developmental disabilities and mental disorders, finding and implementing long term solutions of these conditions through training, capacity building, advocacy and intervention.

Email: cnwosu@olammacares.com Instagram: _olamma_

Sunday 10 November 2019

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BDSUNDAY 37

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

In organised societies, even children put the laws of the land above emotions Daniel Obi

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herever right values are promoted, citizens respect the law irrespective of their status in society. In climes where right values are respected, children emulate their children in obeying the law of the land.

In some cases, children prevail on their parents to do the right things, even things as “minute” as obeying traffic rules. That a child calls the police on the parent, without emotions, for breaking traffic rules is a testimonial of attachment to the right values in society. It is also a belief that a sane society is the handiwork of all citizens.

There is plethora of stories about children, especially in the USA, UK who call the police on their parents over what they termed offences against them or the state. According to a report in CNN, 6-year old Robbie McDonald, had dialled 911, emergency number of Police in USA for his dad who drove past a red light.

“My daddy went past a red light,” Robbie said in a 911 call the Quincy Police Department in Massachuetts posted, according to the report. It was later found that the dad who drove his wife’s car, turned left on red light.

In January, this year, MailOnline UK reported how a 16-yearold girl called the police on her father, Anthony Robertson, after he took her phone away as punishment for having its password protected. The officers later determined it was a parental disciplinary issue and sided with the dad.

Inviting police by children against their parents in matters even too trivial has become prevalent among today’s children in those climes. Some may argue that the parents are losing their authority to their children who now dictate what happens while some analysts argue that parents of today ‘ask’ instead of ‘commanding’ their children.

While this write-up argues that parents in any clime should not shirk their authority because of the over-bearing influence of their children, the question is, why do children in USA and UK, etc have so much confidence in state authority such as police? When parents or relatives go wrong against the state, the children dial the police number to report. The child believes in the state and also handles the national currency with discipline.

Indoctrination In those climes, there is silent but persistent tactic of indoctri-

nation of children into believing in their state and equally becoming good citizens. “The fundamental goal of public schooling here in the United States is the same as it is in China: To indoctrinate children into becoming good citizens — that is, citizens who conform and submit to authority,” says Jacob G. Hornberger in his article ‘Public-School Indoctrination in China … and Here’ published in Future of Freedom Foundation site.

“That mind-set is not accidental. It was inculcated into children from the first grade, and it continues all the way through high school and even college. By the time they enter the work force, many public school graduates have become full-fledged good citizens — that is, ones who defer to the authority of the nationalsecurity establishment and look on anyone who doesn’t as unAmerican”.

A country like America does not only indoctrinate its children early enough in believing in the country with its motto ‘In God we trust’, but a country of freedom.

The total protection, provision, caring, education and liberty the country gives its citizens, generates in the citizens allegiance to the state. That is why a child with confidence in the state, will invite police for his/her parents for what the child considers offensive against state or his liberty.

Situation in Nigeria Contrastingly, in a country like Nigeria and other African countries, a child first believes in his family. With family poor indoctrination, the child sees the state as enemy, which does not

care for him. This is why state properties are stolen and vandalised with many family welcoming such attitude. The family literally encourages the child to steal from the state. The stealing continues till adulthood as rules such as driving against traffic or driving past red light broken easily.

Today, some people are billionaires just for being politicians without owning industries and no questions of sources of wealth are asked. This confuses a growing child. Without questions asked when child grows up he/ she behaves in similar manner.

The looters, scammers, kidnappers and armed robbers are protected by the society who sees them as slicing their own national cake. In the end, everybody wants to milk the state since there is no commonality among the people to protect the state.

In this scenario, the police, judiciary and other institutions that supposed to ensure orderliness join in the milieu. The common man watches the big man enjoy plea bargain over corruption issues while the poor man is jailed.

This breeds lack of confidence in the state and what you have at the end is no nation but a group of people living in bordered area.

Today, there is just too much indiscipline in the land and this has not enhanced national development. No nation can build state brand like this.

Nigerian citizens watch with disappointment how Nigeria’s peers such as Malaysia, Singapore are progressing leaving Nigeria behind. This is not pleasing to them. While everybody shares

in this blame, a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Alani Akinrinade, described the problem of Nigeria as that of leadership. Today, there is no sector from education to health, manufacturing that is operating optimally.

In a report, Akinrinade said that if the leadership of the country had been spot on, by now Nigeria could have been “where the Asian Tigers are”. Akinrinade, who stated recently in an interview in Channels Television, where he mentioned that “especially since 1970” the leadership of the country has been nothing to write home about.

Nigeria has been struggling to catch up with fast paced development in the rest of the world. This has been daunting with increase in poverty level in spite of the availability of the elements that can trigger exponential growth in Nigeria.

Possible way out Many stakeholders have called for restructuring of the country for effective governance.

They believe that perhaps the states or regional autonomy will guarantee faster development.

Others called for state police to achieve discipline in the society which will translate to progressive development.

While the debate for these suggestions are on-going, a successful businessman who has looked at Nigeria’s slow development from inside and outside recently offered some critical solutions.

Speaking recently at Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) Alumni Biennial Lecture, Ndubuisi Ekekwe, Chairman of Famisco Group who cited working models, processes, systems and frameworks that are also necessary to ramp up Nigeria’s economy was of strong opinion that for Nigeria to experience exponential economic system, it must be a nation that creates knowledge for national development.

To build capabilities, competencies and invest in R&D for the future, Ekekwe suggested a $10 billion yearly for Nigerian university system but said this money does not necessarily have to be provided by government. Citing examples of other countries, especially USA, he advocated a review of Nigeria’s tax code which will allow individuals to enjoy tax break for donating money to universities for knowledge building and R&D. “In America and Western Europe, there is clever tax system that stimulates rich people to give money to schools because the more money they give; they

are offsetting their tax obligation in other places. Nigeria does not have that system because when a rich man donates money to school, he is Father Christmas.

If there is such tax policy, people will inject capital into university system which will make universities competitive”.

Ekekwe, who specialised in Microelectronics and Medical Robotics Engineering also underscored protection of intellectual property as a tool to achieve exponential economic growth.

“In an economy where there is rule of law and respect for intellectual property, innovators will be encouraged to innovate more, commercialise and benefit from them.”

He said people want to build things and profit from them but they will stop to innovate when they don’t have confidence that the legal system will protect their innovations. “The propensity that someone can invest all his resources for an idea and somebody else steals it yet nothing happens to the pirate does not encourage the innovator to do great things.”

On poverty reduction, Ekekwe, a professor, who writes in the Harvard Business Review, said Nigeria needs to focus on agriculture. If 65percent of people that work in Nigeria earn their income through agriculture and if they double their earning power by improving their yield, then poverty level estimated to be over 45percent of Nigeria’s 198 million population will be reduced by 37percent, he said.

Ekekwe showed how China and USA that once had flat GDP growth over long period of time leveraged knowledge, technology; focus on agriculture and attention to education to ramp up their GDPs. Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Henry Macauley, immediate past minister of Energy for Sierra Leone and former Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Nigeria said Nigeria is right now positioned to take advantage of its population and all the resources it has not only mineral but human resources which is huge.

In his view, National President of FUTO Alumni Association, Ndubuisi Chijioke said development deficit in most sectors is monumental. Country’s great focus on Agric, knowledge building, funding of university system through tax plan, ensuring of security for people wherever they reside and protection of property right to encourage investment will trigger faster development.

This will encourage citizens to be loyal to the state.

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EquityMarket MTN Nigeria’s wholesale business unit records highest margin in nine months TELIAT SULE

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he wholesale business unit (WBU) of MTN Nigeria has emerged as the best performing units among its three business units at the end of the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. WBU recorded 98 percent gross margin, indicating that MTN Nigeria retained virtually every revenue it earned from this segment of its business. The other business units are Consumer Business Unit (CBU) and Enterprise Business Unit (EBU).

Appraising its unaudited third quarter financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2019, MTN Nigeria generated N29.9 billion revenue from the WBU, and less of direct costs of N747.5 million, the unit ended the period with a gross profit of N29.15 billion. This amounted to 98 percent gross margin.

The WBU revenue grew by 35 percent when compared with N22.20 billion realised in the third quarter of 2018. In addition, both the direct costs and gross profit of this line of business grew by 35 percent when compared with direct costs and gross profit made in corresponding in 2018. In both the third quarters of 2018 and 2019, the gross margin for the WBU remained at 98 percent.

The consumer business unit (CBU) accounted for the bulk of the revenue as at the end of the third quarter as MTN Nigeria earned N723.7 billion revenue from the CBU, but with N150.9 billion as direct costs, the CBU made N572.8 billion as gross profit at the end of

the third quarter 2019. Compared with 2018, the CBU generated N662.3 billion as revenue; N125.6 billion as direct costs while the gross profit stood at N536.6 billion. This implies a gross margin of 81 percent.

The implication is that CBU wit-

nessed the least growth in revenue and gross profit among the three business segments. Apart from that, its gross margin declined from 81 percent last year September to 79 percent in September 2019. Similarly, the share of CBU’s revenue

fell to 84 percent this year from 87 percent in September 2018.

The Enterprise Business Unit (EBU) posted the second best performance after WBU. At the end of the third quarter of 2019, EBU recorded a 29 percent growth in rev-

enue which moved from N79.99 billion last year September to N102.85 billion as at September 2019. Direct costs fell sharply by 57 percent from N21.6 billion last year to N9.3 billion as at the end of September 2019.

Consequently, gross profit grew by 60 percent from N58.35 billion in September 2018 to N93.58 billion in September 2019.

The above performance of EBU has two implications for MTN Nigeria. First, gross profit margin rose from 73 percent last year September to 91 percent as at the end of September 2019. Second, the share of EBU’s revenue from the total revenue increased from 10 percent last year September to 12 percent

by September 2019.

When MTN Nigeria’s third quarter performance is viewed from the point of its services, handset and accessories posted the highest growth in revenue at the end of the period.

In the nine months ended September 2019, revenue from handset and accessories grew by 379 percent from N177.3 million last year September to N848.8 million same period this year. Revenue from data services generated N162.3 billion by September 2019 as against N122.2 billion in September 2018, representing an increase of 33 percent.

Revenue from interconnect and roaming rose by 22 percent; value added services (VAS) increased by 12 percent, while airtime and subscription rose by 8 percent.

On the flip side, revenue from “other services” nosedived by 38 percent; digital revenue fell by 21 percent, while the revenue from SMS revenue marginally fell by 2 percent.

Notable events reported by companies to the NSE from November 1-11,2019

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TELIAT SULE

SK appointed NonExecutive Director: The board of directors of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria has appointed Oludewa Edodo-Thorpe as a nonexecutive director effective December 5, 2019. Edodo-Thorpe graduated from the University of Nigeria (UNN) with a bachelor’s degree in law. She earned a master’s degree in law from the University of Lagos and was called to the bar in 1979. A seasoned banker, her areas of specialty include secured credit transactions; corporate and commercial law as well as international business transactions.

Transcorp Hotels to recommend interim dividend: The board of directors of Transcorp Hotels has slated its 69th emergency board meeting to hold on December 3, 2019. One of the items on the agenda is the likelihood that the board will declare an interim dividend. As

a result, Transcorp Hotels has notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange that the closed period for the firm will be between November 4 and December 4, 2019.

UAC resubmits unaudited third quarter: UAC of Nigeria resubmitted its third quarter unaudited results for the period ended September 30,2019. The resubmission of the results was due to an error made in the computation of Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the period.

Dangote Sugar Refinery, Savannah Sugar Company Limited opt for merger: The board of directors of Dangote Sugar Refinery has announced a scheme of business combination with its subsidiary, Savannah Sugar Company Limited.

When consolidated, all the assets, liabilities and undertakings of Savannah Sugar Company will be transferred to Dangote Sugar Refinery.

The business combination scheme is subject to approvals by the shareholders of the two firms; Securities and Exchange Commission, and the

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Ernest Ndukwe resigns from the Board of Access Bank: The board of directors of Access Bank has announced that Ernest Ndukwe will not be seeking re-election during the bank’s 2020 AGM. The resignation becomes effective March 31, 2020. He presently serves on the board of the bank as an independent non-executive director.

C & I Leasing gets SEC approval to raise 539 million shares through Rights Issue: C & I Leasing has obtained approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to raise additional funds through rights issue of 539,003,333 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N6 per share on the basis of 4 new shares for every 3 shares held in the company. The application is expected to open on November 11, 2019 or any other date approved by SEC and shall open for a maximum period of 28 days.

Dangote Flour Mills announces

changes in board: The board of director of Dangote Flour Mills has announced the resignation of Asue Ighodalo, Thabo Mabe, Halima Aliko Dangote, Olakunle Alake, Anrnold Ekpe, Yabawa Lawan Wabi from the board of the company with effect from November 1, 2019.

Subsequently, the board has equally announced the appointments of Venkataramani Srivathsan, Chandrasekan Balaji, Mukul Mathur and Anurag Shukla as their replacements.

Global Spectrum Energy Services announces resignation of a non-executive director: Global Spectrum Energy has announced the resignation of Major Stanley Dika Ngada effective October 30, 2019. He served on the board of the company as a non executive director for seven years. Meanwhile, the company is to hold its AGM on November 25, 2019 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alausa, Ikeja.

Omoluwabi Mortgage Bank

appoints Olaitan Aworonke as acting MD: Following the resignation of Ayodele Olowookere from his post as MD/CEO, the board of directors of the mortgage institution has appointed Olaitan Aworonke as the acting managing director effective October 31, 2019. Before her appointment, Aworonke had worked in the banks as group head, banking operations and business development. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Institute of Chartered Economist of Nigeria and a member, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

Imona, Habid, depart Law Union and Rock: Peter Osadebamwen Imona, former chief compliance officer/head of enterprise risk management, and Emmanuel Habib, head internal audit, have both exited Law Union and Rock Insurance with effect from November 11 and 15, 2019 respectively. No replacements appointed yet.

Sunday 10 November 2019

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leep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It is a disorder that is diagnosed by a sleep study, a procedure that we commonly do to diagnose the disorder. The sleep study monitors a variety of functions during sleep including sleep state, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. This test is used both to diagnose sleep apnea and to determine its severity. One might have sleep apnea if they snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep. It can occur to anyone at any age, including children.

There are two main types of sleep apnea: Obstructive Sleep Apnea: this is the most common form of sleep apnea among Nigerians and it occurs when the throat muscles relax. When these muscles relax, the airways narrow as you breathe in.

You can’t get enough air, which

lowers the oxygen level in your blood. The brain senses your inability to breathe and briefly wakes you from sleep to breathe.

These awakenings are always brief, usually so brief that you sometimes don’t remember it.

This constant awakening impairs ones ability to reach deep, restful stage of sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea: this occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. This simple means that you make no effort to breathe for a short period. This leads to a difficulty in getting sleep or staying asleep.

Symptoms The symptoms to the two types of sleep apnea overlap, which sometimes makes it difficult to determine which type of sleep apnea one has, the major symptoms are loud snoring, learning and memory difficulties, depression, sexual dysfunction, Continuous pauses in breathing during sleep, morning head-

aches, Insomnia, Hypersonic, Restless sleep and Occasional waking up, choking or gasping.

Risk factors of Obstructive Sleep Apnea include excessive weight, Neck circumference: having a large neck, Narrowed airway and nasal obstruction, large tonsils, and Family history and Cardiovascular Disease.

Sleep apnea can also lead to poor performance in everyday activity.

Sleep apnea causes a blockage in the airway that compromises breathing. Those with obstructive sleep apnea tend to sleep with an open mouth, and they sometimes cease breathing before gasping to take in air again. When breathing is restricted, oxygen levels in the body can dip and these drops that may lead to an increase in blood pressure and stress on the cardiovascular system.

Coping with sleep apnea, the most important treatment for people with obstructive sleep

MeCure leverages on technology to drive partnerships with HMOs, corporate institutions ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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orward-looking private healthcare institutions in Nigeria are leveraging on technology to best serve their clients.

A significantly underpenetrated market, healthcare presents a massive opportunity for disruption by startups that can use the right mix of technology and innovation to drive smarter operations.

MeCure SmartBuy seems to have hit a sweet spot in this regard, clocking nearly 50,000 user registrations and thousands of orders within 6 months of launch. The start-up offers a Smartphone app that provides free doctor Tele-consultations along with home delivery of medicines and diagnostic services in Lagos.

“With MeCure SmartBuy we leverage this existing relationship and provide additional value to all of our clients by taking care of

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BDSUNDAY 39

Health&Science Insomnia, snoring could be an indication of heart problems

FOLASADE ALLI

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medication needs for their employees or end consumers,” said Adekunle Megbuwawon, chief medical officer MeCure.

Megbuwawon said that consider this, as a responsible organisation you would want your employees and customers to have access to genuine medication at an affordable price, right? Nigeria is already infamous for counterfeit drugs and furthermore the pricing and availability is highly volatile.

“With SmartBuy, all of these concerns are addressed since we offer 100% genuine drugs at a flat discount with doorstep delivery!

It is technically a nobrainer for our clients and hence we are witnessing rapid growth,” he said.

To c o n t i n u e i t s growth momentum, SmartBuy is now targeting the B2B segment through tie-ups with Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), hospitals and

corporate institutions by offering them attractive discounts on medicines for their customers and employees. So far, it claims to have already started pilot operations with more than 10 organisations and is in various stages of discussions with several more.

“MeCure is already a leading diagnostic brand in Lagos for the last 10 years and we already have amazing partnerships with most of the HMOs and big corporate institutions for diagnostic services for years now.

M e a n w h i l e Ad i l Shaikh, chief technology officer at MeCure SmartBuy said that the pace of growth also comes with its own set of challenges from a tech and operations perspective.

“Constant feedback from our customers is also helping us improve and expand our offerings. Tech is only an enabler, executing to delight the customer is key,” he said.

apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure device whenever they sleep which is available at Lagos Executive Cardiovascular Clinic. The health benefits of this therapy can be enormous, but only if used correctly. If you are having problems adjusting your CPAP or you’re experiencing side effects of wearing the appliance, talk to the doctor who prescribed it and ask for assistance.

Getting adequate sleep is essential to maintaining health in sleep apnea patients. If you have symptoms of insomnia such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up unrefreshed, talk to us about treatment options.

A further complication of sleep apnea is its correlation with hypertension.

The low oxygen levels signal the blood pressure to rise, receptors in the brain are then triggered and the brain then sends a message to the blood vessels to increase available oxygen to the heart and brain so as to con-

tinue their normal functioning.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been recognised as one of the secondary causes of hypertension. Screening for OSA is an essential element when evaluating patients with hypertension.

During an episode, there is a surge in the systolic and diastolic pressure that keeps the mean blood pressure level elevated at night in many patients. Patients’ blood pressure still remains elevated during the day time even when breathing has returned back to normal. OSA also leads to an over activity and alterations in the vascular functions of the sympathetic nervous system which then contributes to the diurnal pattern of hypertension.

Written by Sleep Specialist and Dr.FolasadeAlli, Consultant Cardiologist at Lagos Executive Cardiovascular Clinic

Poor antenatal care, excessive use of over-the-counter drugs cause eye defect in children -Optometrist CHURCHILL OKORO, Benin

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osakhare Odia, the chief executive officer of Infinity Vision Eye Clinic on Wednesday hinged the rising eye defects among children on poor ante-natal care, excessive use of over-the-counter drugs.

Ordia who spoke in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay in Benin also attributed the caused to poor health habits in mothers, poor environmental health and genetic factors.

The Optometrist further attributed cultural and parental influence as major challenges hindering physical examination of their children’s eyes.

Accordingtohim,most parents prevent their kids from the eye test because he or she is too young to wear a corrective lens.

He, however, called on government and relevant authorities to make eye screening compulsory for pupils before they be-

gin their early childhood education While lamenting the high prevalence in eye defects among children noted that health challenging requires urgent attention.

“To reduce visual impairment and improve physical examination, the government should make it compulsory for pre-school children to undergo eye test.

“There is a correlation between poor vision and poor academic performance,” he said.

He, however, stressed the need for a regular eye test at least once in every two years, good nutrition to the children as well as universal access to good health care services through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He opined that shortsightedness, myopicAstigmatism, long-sightedness and hyperopicAstigmatism are the major eye defects affecting children, adding that short-sightedness is the most prevalent.

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NewsExtra Education, healthcare top...

Continued from Page 1 ing his administration’s plan to accelerate the growth of State’s economy by proposing aggressive investments in critical areas of priorities - physical infrastructure, environment, human capital and security.

Sanwo-Olu announced that the State would be spending N1.168 trillion, which will be funded from a projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N1.071 trillion. The budget deficit, put at N97.53 billion, will be financed through internal and external loans, the governor said.

Besides, the fiscal proposal also included a provision for the new minimum wage.

Giving a breakdown of the budget tagged “Awakening to a Greater Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu earmarked 62 percent, representing N723.75 billion of total spending, for capital expenditure. He said recurrent expenditure, put at 38 per cent, will take N444.81 billion.

About N167.81 billion of the recurrent expenditure will go for personnel costs and other staff-related expenses, representing 22.02 percent of the total revenue. This, the Governor noted, is within the acceptable wage policy, which benchmarks 25 percent staff overheads in the budget.

Sanwo-Olu said the proposed budget would help the State achieve a sustainable social investment and scale up private sector-led economic growth through investment in infrastructure and security. He said it would also improve civic engagement in governance and foster partnership with the Federal Government and the civil society.

Explaining why his administration will be earmarking huge funds to the environment and public infrastructure, the Governor said Lagos had been facing combined threats from population explosion and climate change.

He said: “Lagos faces an existential threat, arising from the interplay of demographic and climate change. Lagos will continue to be a magnet for multitudes within and outside Nigeria, in search of jobs and economic prosperity. These levels of migration put phenomenal strain on the physical and fiscal resources of the state.

“This budget seeks to aggressively invest in and develop our education, health and other physical infrastructure sectors.

As at September 2019, our capital expenditure on works and infrastructure was just N31 billion, which is less compared with N78 billion proposed in the current year.

It is our intention to spend N115 billion on physical infrastructure in 2020.

“In response to the perennial challenges of flooding in the metropolis, we have to triple the capital budget provision to tackle these observed problems from N3 billion in 2019 to N9 billion in 2020. We are embarking on massive desilting of major drain systems across the State next year.”

Sanwo-Olu plans to spend N48 billion on education and technology. This represents 60 percent rise in capital allocation to the Ministry of Education. On healthcare, the State plans to spend N33 billion on healthcare programmes, which include proposed revamping and re-equipping over 350 Primary Health Centres.

Sanwo-Olu described the proposed budget as “unique”, noting that its details reflected the wishes of residents, following series of consultations and feedback from stakeholders across senatorial districts.

The governor assured residents of

L-R: Justice Kazeem Alogba, Chief Judge of Lagos State; Obafemi Hamzat, deputy Governor; Mudashiru Obasa, speaker, State House of Assembly; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor; Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, Oba of Lagos, and Oba Saheed Elegushi, Elegushi of Ikateland, Kusenla III during the presentation of the 2020 Budget estimate at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right), with the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa during the presentation of the 2020 Budget estimate.

transparency and accountability in the implementation of the budget, pointing out that there would be strict performance mechanism to drive compliance and measure the progress of the budget at the execution stage.

He said: “The 2020 Budget will be supported by a Performance Management System that will ensure that, by December 2020, we shall achieve an optimal budget implementation when compared with previous years. This is in line with our commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.

“We have provided N11.8 billion as counterpart funds in preparation for various social impact schemes. In addition, we have made provisions for N7.1 billion this year, to provide for industrial hubs, parks, graduate internship programs and virtual markets for artisans. This is in support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which are the engines for both economic and employment growth.”

Reviewing the performance of 2019

Appropriation Bill, which he signed into law in June shortly after he assumed office, Sanwo-Olu said his Government embarked on strict implementation of the budget and achieved 69 per cent efficiency at the end of September.

He said his administration completed critical projects that directly impacted residents, including two Maternal and Child Care Centers (MCCs) in Eti-Osa and Alimosho areas, and 492-flat Lateef Jakande Housing Estate in Igando.

The Governor said several other capital projects captured in the 2019 budget, including 31 arterial roads in Ojokoro/Ijaiye area, a High Court and Magistrates Court complex in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, and a Police Command Complex in Ojo Local Government Area, will be completed.

Sanwo-Olu observed that the approved re-ordering of the 2019 budget by the legislature gave the Government an opportunity to raise N250 billion in addressing critical infrastructure needs, including rehabilita-

tion of public schools, ongoing construction of Lagos–Badagry Expressway, Agege–Pen Cinema Overhead Bridge, Agric–Isawo Road, Bola Ahmed Tinubu–Igbogbo Road, and an ongoing road rehabilitation by Lagos Public Works.

He added that the loan will also enable his administration to start the desilting of drain systems, provision of security and emergency hardware, light rail infrastructure, and construction of a General Hospital in Ojo, which is to be fitted with a Spinal and Neurology Unit.

Sanwo-Olu reiterated that his administration’s development agenda, known as Project T.H.E.M.E.S, was designed to address major challenges facing the state and create a city that would work for the citizens. He said his administration was ready to transform Lagos by rethinking projects that will improve the wellbeing of the residents.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, praised Sanwo-Olu for accepting the responsibility to tackle challenges faced the State.

He said the Governor’s activities since his assumption of office had re-assured Lagosians about Sanwo-Olu’s zeal to fix problems he inherited from the last administration.

The Speaker said: “Mr. Governor, your actions so far have shown the zeal, desire and passion in you to get things done, to fix what has been left undone and to move the state forward. Hence, we believe that the content of the budget will serve this purpose in making life worthy of living for our people in Lagos.”

Obasa promised the Assembly would ensure speedy passage of the budget and make it a “New Year” gift for people.

The Assembly chamber was filled to the brim, as a large crowd of Lagos residents, comprising leaders and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), State Executive Council members, traditional rulers, workers, traders, artisans, students and stakeholders in the private sector, witnessed the budget presentation.

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NewsFeature NLNG commissions Stockgap’s LPG distribution point in PH for S/South …Trains 89 youths in ‘critical’ skills Ignatius Chukwu

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he Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has commissioned a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or cooking gas distribution point in Port Harcourt for the south-south market, thus ending what it calls the ‘sad ring’ in LPG supply chain in Nigeria. The company said it has created a supply link in the Niger Delta. The ‘sad ring’ is the situation whereby LPG is shipped to Apapa in Lagos and trucked back in 18 hours to Port Harcourt and Niger Delta. This is as the NLNG says it has completed the training of 89 youths in critical skills.

This was the highlight of the commissioning of Stockgap Fuels Limited at Rumuelumini in Port Harcourt where cooking gas (LPG) would be supplied for onward distribution in the Niger Delta to homes through new cylinders.

The managing director of NLNG, Tony Attah, told the audience that by the facility at Rumuelumini, the sad circle has ended.

“This is a sad trip which many have questioned for years. Now, this facility stops that. This will save foreign exchange (forex) for importation of kerosene and to save lives in smokes. WHO says four million people die annually for wrong fuels. Nigeria losses 100,000 persons annually from firewood smoke and these are often women and children.”

He further said: “We are here to change the narrative, supply LPG to Rivers State. This is cleaner and now available in Rivers State. We thank the governor for all your support to the NLNG. We came to you and you made a promise to dredge the channel.

You did it. Our chairman persisted on this and it is now done. Nigeria has been riding on the back of oil for 50 years; it is now time to fly on the wings of gas.”

Tony Attah

Attah said: “Today is a special day for us at the NLNG, for Rivers State and for Nigeria because this is another remarkable display of being a global player from Nigeria; a source of cleaner energy (npg supply).

Before now, Nigeria had mere 50,000 tons per year of LPG, but this has grown to 650,000 tons with NLNG contributing almost half of this (40 per cent).

The story of the NLNG is told in blocks of 30 years. The first 30 years was about a dream of how to monitise gas stuff and this was the case in 1989 when the corporation was set up (registered as a corporate entity). Next was 20 years ago when the NLNG began responsible operations.”

He went on: “There has been massive investment in gas facilities from trains one to six so far.

Nigeria is now a top gas power (NLG and IPG). Next 30 years is to witness energy transition globally and the NLNG is playing in this session too with the supply IPG. This thus will be the future of

Rivers State and future of Nigeria, which is going to be hinged on lpg use. Train 7 will move the NLNG to 30m tons from 22m capacity.

It will spill over 10,000 jobs at construction stage, and attract $10m in investment to the state.

Game-changer: Now, IPG cargo arrives to this facility in Rumuolumeni. This is a game-changer in domestic IPG market.”

The chairman of Stockgap Limited, Stanley Obiamerije, said the future is gas, and that by this project, gas emission is on its way out. “The project began in 2013 when we acquired the land here and was completed in 2019.”

He said impetus came when the FG asked the NLNG to dedicate a portion of its gas to domestic use and also to replace existing gas cylinders used in homes. He mentioned key benefits thus; “NLNG can now create access to its gas to Nigerians. We will create massive jobs. Rivers State is to become a viable destination to investors; channel cleared. We thank the governor for fulfilling

his promise to deepen the water channel. Now, lpg is to come to our doorsteps. It is the energy of the future.”

An elated Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the state government would continue to invest in the development of infrastructure to grow the state’s economy and create employment for the people.

Governor Wike also said that the state government would sustain the creation of enabling environment to attract more investments to the state. He said: “We will continue to develop infrastructure in the state to grow the state’s economy and attract more investors to the state.

Rivers State is the best place for investors to come. There is always return on investment in the state.”

Skills The NLNG also says it has trained 89 youths, selected from the 110 host and pipeline communities of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) and they were flagged off on Tuesday in Port Harcourt from the company’s skill acquisition and capacity building programme, Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES).

YES is one of NLNG’s numerous initiatives designed to make youths in its host and pipeline communities self-reliant as well as economically and socially responsible through guided technical and managerial development training.

In her welcome address at the event, NLNG’s General-Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, remarked that the company’s host communities in Rivers State have benefitted from the scheme through vocational modules in hair-dressing and cosmetology, catering and events management, fashion and design, photography and video production, welding and fabrication, wood work and furniture

making and most recently, farming techniques.

She added that it was NLNG’s way of giving back to its host and pipeline communities that have supported the company in achieving great feats in its 30 years of incorporation and 20 years of production from its Bonny Plant.

The scheme programme includes mentoring of trainees by five of its training providers – Plantgeria Nigeria Limited (Automotive), Topearl Catering and Hospitality Management (Catering), JB Multimedia Limited (Video Production and Photography), Lincoln Continental Limited (Advanced Welding) and Farmers’ Business School (Farm Management).

On this she said: “The agreement between us and these training companies set the stage and opened new vistas for our aspiring youths. Since then, most of them have graduated with National certifications- NABTEB and Trade Test 11 respectively.

Today, we are here to celebrate the graduation of 17 youths in welding, 24 in Catering and Hotel Management, another 17 in Automotive Training, 16 in Farm Management and 15 in Video and Photography. It is heart-warming to state that these trainees graduated with excellent grades.”

According to her, “To help them get started immediately, we have provided them with a starter pack and mentorship from their trainers for three months period post set-up. This is to support them in overcoming any teething problems as they start and also to help them get grounded to succeed in business.”

NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented

by NNPC (49percent), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6percent), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15percent) and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr. l (10.4percent).

MSMEs crucial to job creation and growing workforce, says Peugeot MD SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he Managing Director/ CEO, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Ibrahim Boyi has called for stakeholders’ support for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), describing the sector as crucial to Nigeria’s job creation drive, having the needed capacity to absorb the nation’s growing workforce.

Boyi made the call while speaking as the keynote speaker at the recent Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) MSMEs summit held in Maiduguri, Borno State. He also

noted that the current supply of about $3.7trillion is low compared to the $8.9 trillion potential demand for MSMEs financing.

According to Boyi, the MSMEs sector of the Nigerian economy has made a total employment contribution of over 60 million, arguing that if given the needed support by way of funding and enabling environment, MSMEs will contribute more to grow Nigeria economy.

“There are five major economic sectors that have thrived within the MSMEs sector in Nigeria; these are wholesale/retail trade, agriculture, other services, manufacturing, accommodation and food services.

These sectors have made a total employment contribution of about 60 million persons, while 10 million persons from these statistics do not have western education,” Boyi said, noting that quick implementation of innovative ideas set MSMEs apart.

He however, enjoined participants at the summit and MSMEs in general to formalise the operations of their various businesses as this will help the sector to effectively position to receive necessary support to develop and scale up their businesses.

Affirming the bank’s continued support to MSMEs, the Managing Director, Development Bank of Ni-

geria (DBN), Tony Okpanachi noted that the bank has disbursed over 100 billion naira this year to over 95,000 MSMEs across various sectors of the economy.

According to Okpanachi, DBN is committed to helping small and medium scale business owners in the state and region grow their businesses. “The bank is poised to enhance the access to finance for MSMEs in the commercial city of Maiduguri, Borno State and the North-East region of the country and thus rejuvenated to its blooming commercial city status after the insurgency experienced in the last 10 years.”

Okpanachi opined that the perceived absence of a bankable business plan and structure is responsible for MSMEs classification as high risk by banks, resulting in their unwillingness to finance the sector. “MSME businesses owners need to get their businesses structured with bankable business plans,” he concludes.

Panel discussants at the summit include Romoke Adebo, founder/ CEO, Epicentre Global Events Limited; Rilwan Hassan, executive secretary, Kaduna State scholarships and loans board; Fantis Mohammed, founder, Santis foods and beverage limited and Ibrahim Balami, MD/ CEO, IBBA 36 Global Concept.

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News

Eid-ul Maulud: FCT Minister sues for unity, peaceful co-existence …As FG declares Monday public holiday JAMES KWEN and STELLA ENENCHE, Abuja

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he Minister of t h e Fe d e r a l Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello has called on residents of the Territory to use the opportunity provided by the celebration of the Eid-ul Maulud to pray for unity, and live peacefully with one another.

Bello who made the call in his message to residents of the FCT in commemoration of Maulud Nabiyy-the birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) – further said the occasion calls for sober reflection and spiritual rejuvenation.

The Minister urged the Muslim faithful in the Territory to adhere to the cardinal principles of peace upon which the religion

of Islam is built and also admonished them to put into practice the lifestyle and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which are hinged on care and love for fellow men.

Bello assured residents of the FCT that the Administration will continue to work assiduously to uplift the wellbeing of everyone within the Territory. To this effect, he said extra measures are being taken to safeguard lives and property in the FCT. While assuring residents of their safety during the celebrations, he requested that everyone should be security conscious and imbibe the attitude of saying something when they witness something suspicious.

The FCT Minister also urged all residents to obey all extant rules regulating life in the city. He urged motorists to adhere by all

traffic regulations and especially, avoid over speeding and jumping red lights.

He said that research has indicated that most road accidents within the Territory were caused by over-speeding, occasioned by the good road networks within the City.

Bello also revealed that efforts are ongoing to ease the traffic gridlock being witnessed in some parts the city, caused largely by the unprecedented increase in population and vehicular traffic over time and impatience on the part of some road users.

He reiterated the need for peaceful and harmonious co-existence amongst all residents of the FCT and called for support for government policies which he emphasised were ultimately for the benefit of the people.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has declared

Monday, November 11, 2019, as public holiday, in commemoration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Eidul-Mawlid).

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola , who made the declaration, congratulated the Muslim faithful on the occasion.

He enjoined the Muslim faithful to imbibe the virtues of love, courage and perseverance, which formed the basis of the prophet’s teachings.

In a statement by the director, press and public relations, Mohammed Manga, the minister expressed confidence “that the challenges confronting Nigeria at the moment will soon be over”.

While calling on the citizens to remain focused, Aregbesola assured that, “With love, commitment, self-sacrifice, patience and patriotism, we will certainly, build a greater Nigeria”.

Chris Ekpenyong and Godswill Akpabio

Akpabio: Appeal Court orders rerun in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial district Iniobong Iwok with agency

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he Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State nullified the election of Chris Ekpenyong, who was wrongly declared the winner of the February 23, 2019 National Assembly election in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

Following the ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been ordered to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Ekpenyong and conduct fresh elections in the Akwa Ibom NorthWest Senatorial District within ninety days.

Chris Ekpenyong of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was initially declared winner of the election by INEC, but not satisfied with the judgment earlier ruled against him by the Justice Akanbi-led Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Calabar.

Akpabio, who governed the state from 2007-2015, was first elected from the district in 2015 after the expiration of his two terms as governor.

Recently, he was appointed into President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet and currently serving as the Niger-Delta minister.

Oyo revokes contract with West Africa ENRG in Ibadan REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

F L-R: Francis Ube, winner of the Grand Mentor Teacher’s Award, receiving the prize from Ani Umoren, general manager, Midstream, Seven Energy, during the 12th Teachers’ Award for Excellence in Akwa Ibom State Public Secondary Schools organised by Inoyo Toro Foundation.

Appeal Court upholds Sanwo-Olu’s election Iniobong Iwok

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he Court of Appeal in Lagos on Saturday dismissed an appeal filed by Labour Party (LP) challenging the judgment of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the governor of Lagos State.

The Appellate Court, in

a unanimous decision, held that the appeal lodged by Labour Party lacked merit.

Labour Party and its governorship candidate, Ifagbemi Awamaridi, had appealed the judgment of Election Petition Tribunal delivered on September 23, 2019, insisting that Governor Sanwo-Olu was not qualified to contest the election held in March 2019, and that the Governor did not win the election.

The respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Sanwo-Olu, All Progressives Congress (APC), INEC Residential Electoral Commissioner, the Returning Officer for the Lagos State Governorship Election, the State’s Commissioner of Police and the Nigerian Army.

But Justice Hannatu Sankey, who read the lead judgment of the five-man panel

of Justices of Appeal Court, specifically affirmed the decisions reached by the Governorship Tribunal.

According to the Court, the appellant (Labour Party) failed to produce any oral or documentary evidence through witnesses and other channels to establish the fact that Governor Sanwo-Olu was not qualified to contest the election or did not win the Governorship election.

or not living up to expectation in cleaning the city, Ibadan, Oyo State Government has revoked contractual agreement with Messrs. West Africa Energy, which operated under the name Solous MRF. 1 Ltd. The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Kehinde Ayoola stated that the company was found to be in material breach of the contractual terms.

Revealing the new development in his office, Ayoola said the company has failed in its performance under the contract it signed with Oyo State Government, which is significant enough for the state to terminate the contract.

Th e C o m m i s s i o n e r cited instances that the state capital, Ibadan, has experienced unbearable heaps of refuse in the last four weeks.

Ayoola said being the main employer of the contractor, Oyo State Government has deemed it fit to

relieve West Africa Energy of its duties, so as to ensure efficient waste management in the state.

He assured residents that the state government was taking holistic measures to ensure the state experiences a turn-around in the environmental sector, as well as, creating wealth from wastes.

The commissioner also revealed that the state Governor, Seyi Makinde has appointed a chairman for the Oyo State Waste Management Authority, in the person of Seun Adelore, who will see to the day-to-day running of the disposal mechanism in the state, under the supervision of his office.

Speaking on the fate of Waste Management Payment Service Providers (PSPs), the Commissioner allayed the fears of being sacked; he however, stated that individual contracts may undergo reviews.

“We have not sacked the PSPs, rather, we would review their contracts, to ensure efficient waste management even as we shall add to the contractors so that the state could be well served,” he said.

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Sports

FirstBank Lagos Open Golf Championship goes international Anthony Nlebem

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hen the 58th in the series of FirstBank Amateur Open Golf Championship gets underway at the golf section of Ikoyi Club on Friday November 15th, it will be a field of over 200 golfers drawn from around the world, the events organsiers, Concierge Sports has revealed.

Speaking at a pre-tournament briefing heralding this year’s edition, Kayode Oguntayo, representative of Concierge Sports said, Lagos amateur open has now gone international having been listed by World Amateur Golf Ranking, thus opening it to golfers from across the world.

“The listing has given the Championship a heightened level of recognition on the world stage, as far as amateur golf championships are concerned. The FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship is now one of the international golf events where all amateur golfers worldwide can participate and earn points to aide there WAGR rankings, he explained.

L-R: Osahon Ogieva, Group Head, Telecommunications and Other Conglomerates of FirstBank; Babatunde Johnson, Golf Captain; Oze. K. Oze, FirstBank, Head, Sponsorship, Event and Content Management at the pre-tournament briefing on Friday.

Apart from opening the tournament to the world, FirstBank has also brought two European PGA Professionals to coordinate coaching clinics for special guests, spectators and Children.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Adesola Adeduntan, who was represented by Group Head, Telecommunications and Other Conglomerates said the continuous sponsorship of the event is a reflection of the banks long lasting association that aligns with heritage, values performance

and quality.

“FirstBank has been in the business of supporting sports in Nigeria throughout its 125 years of existence. We have partnered with individuals and institutions to provide support, not only in the sports arena, but also in Education, the Arts and Small and Medium Enterprises”, he explains further.

Golf Captain Babatunde Johnson while congratulating FirstBank for sustaining the sponsorships said all effort at growing the game of golf in the country should be encouraged.

Southampton FC to develop Nigerian talents, debuts Saints Lagos Academy ANTHONY NLEBEM & DESMOND OKON

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English Premier League (EPL) club, Southampton Football Club, recently unveiled Saints Lagos Academy with the aim of tapping into the stream of untapped talents available in Lagos, and Nigeria at large.

Saints Lagos Academy is an extension and an affiliate of the English Premier League’s club modelled on Southampton’s football club academy in England.

Also, the football academy is a partnership with Crimson Sport Limited, which is located at the Goal Centre facility in Lekki, Lagos.

The academy will cater for both male and female players between the ages of 6 to 14 years with the aim of creating platforms to enhance the development of grassroots football in Nigeria.

At a press conference announcing the birth of the academy, Ashiwe Anthony, project coordinator, Saints Lagos Academy, said the academy will focus on developing sports in the grassroots, stating that it is an area where football experts here in Nigeria are not looking at.

“We just want to contribute our own quarter in ensuring that football in Nigeria goes from strength to strength and we are looking at the grassroots level. Our mission and vision is one centred on discovering the plethora of talents that are awashed in Nigeria.

“It is our job to discover them, our vision is to ensure that no talent out there will go to waste, they will be discovered and nurtured. We all know in Nigeria there is a plethora of naturally gifted and technical footballers. It is our job, across the length and breadth of this country to ensure that we at Saints Lagos Football Academy discover the next generation of football stars that would grace the world’s biggest stadiums and the world’s biggest competition and we will spare no efforts to ensure that we’re at heart of football development,” Anthony said.

Providing details on the project, the global development manager, Southampton Football Club, Matthew Sanger, said it would go beyond sports development to include education to ensure the players were equipped all-round to contribute to the world in positive ways.

“One of the things we are going to share with Saints Lagos is

our academy performance plan, which is based on technical, tactical, psychological and physical development of the player, so we will share and collaborate with Saints Lagos to deliver a worldclass training programme here in the city of Lagos and educate the players and coaches as well,” he said.

Also addressing journalists at the press conference, Tosin Osunkoya, director, Goal Centre, said though football is very lucrative and estimated at billions of Dollars, Africa largely untapped.

According him, this is because “a lot of us have failed to perform certain responsibilities that are expected of us.”

“But what I see happening in the next decade is Africa is going to be the destination for everybody all over the world to tap into young talented Minds. So for us at Goal Center, we felt that it was important for us to pitch our tent across the value chain in sporting activities.

Mba vows to shame Babyface at GOtv Boxing Night Mini ANTHONY NLEBEM

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ast-rising boxer, Dennis “The Range” Mba, has declared that he will stun Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, West African Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight champion; when they both clash in a national welterweight challenge at the maiden GOtv Boxing Night Mini on 16 November.

The bout is one of the five fights scheduled to take place at the Rowe Park Sports Complex at Yaba, Lagos.

Speaking in an interview, Mba acknowledged that his more illustrious opponent might be considered by some fans as the favourite but said he is well primed to create an upset that would catch the current sub-regional champion and boxing enthusiasts off guard.

“I respect ‘Babyface’ for being the West African champion, but he will be roundly shocked by the time I am done with him in the ring. He barely survived his last fight and thanks to his last

opponent (Eden Biki), I know his weakest point. So, I would just ramp up my punches hard to make sure he is dazed by the time I knock him out”, he boasted.

Mba lauded sponsors of GOtv Boxing Night Mini for introducing the event, describing it as a welcome development for Nigerian boxing and an opportunity for the boxers to improve and pile up their professional record.

Other bouts for the event include a national lightweight challenge Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, reigning West African Boxing Union (WABU) lightweight champion, and Ola Adebakin; a national cruiserweight challenge between Kabiru “KB Godson” Towolawi and Tunji “Germani” Olajide; and a national light welterweight challenge between Waheed “Showmax” Shogbamu and Semiu “Jagaban” Olopade.

There is also an all-female clash as Cynthia “Omo Bobby” Ogunsemilore will take on Omowunmi “Mummy’s Pet” Akinsanya in a national super featherweight challenge.

Celta Vigo partners Maldives to promote tourism and youth development ANTHONY NLEBEM

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aLiga club RC Celta Vigo have agreed a significant and innovative commercial partnership with the Maldives, which will help promote the Indian Ocean country as a tourist destination to LaLiga’s global audience, while strengthening the development of football on the islands.

The sponsorship deal worth around €2.5 million to RC Celta over the next 3 years was formally signed in Vigo, at an event attended by club president Carlos Mouriño, Maldives Minister for Tourism Ali Waheed, and former RC Celta, Real Madrid and Spain player Michel Salgado.

“We are a small country, but we dream big, and we hope that in future our youth can benefit from this big step,” Maldives Tourism minister Ali Waheed said at Abanca Balaidos Stadium on Monday. “This is a historic day for my country - we love football in the Maldives and this agreement will promote tourism and also strengthen football in our country. RC Celta is a club we believe in due to its philosophy and youth policy.”

RC Celta are to receive $900,000 per year [US$ 2.7 million in total] during the three year partnership, which will promote the Maldives to viewers of LaLiga games in Europe, India and China, via TV audience and Facebook. The first such agreement between a country and a LaLiga club will see emerging players from the Maldives train at RC Celta’s academy at A Madroa, while coaches and officials will receive support aimed at developing football in the archipelago. There will also be friendly games scheduled between RC Celta and the Maldives’ national teams.

“For us at RC Celta it is an honour and enormous satisfaction that we have been chosen to promote the beauty of these islands,” RC Celta president Mouriño said. “One part of this is to promote tourism in the Maldives, and another is the development of football in the country. We hope to collaborate very closely with them. We know we are considered as one of the best ‘cantera’ youth systems, and not just in Spain. These kids will be able to develop in a very proven system, which has borne fruit.”

The commercial deal is also important for RC Celta, and a sign of the innovative steps being made off the pitch by many LaLiga clubs. RC Celta’s revenues for the 2017/18 season were €76.6 million - of which €6.1 million came from sponsorship and advertising. Among the club’s existing 13 commercial partners are kit supplier Adidas, Galicia’s biggest brewery Estrella Galicia, and financial institution Abanca.

RC Celta will also benefit from the Maldives deal by having a greater commercial presence in Asia, Salvador says. “Our partners are very important for the growth and expansion of RC Celta on a global level,” he says.

“In the case of the Maldives deal, it will help in India and China, both strategic territories for the club. The presence and support of La Liga Santander in these countries is also vital for us, for example that India fans can follow LaLiga via Facebook is a big advantage.”

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Those with glass jaws shouldn’t throw punches

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t is pulsating trying to ascribe any intelligent reason to why the chief spokesman to Muhammad Buhari had penned a misleading account of the last presidential election in the country. But it wasn’t all together a bad idea. If anything, Femi Adesina gave a literary expression to how jolt to the hilt people at the Aso Rock Villa were about the inevitability of a win at the polls by the opposition People’s Democratic Party and Atiku Abubakar during the February 23 presidential election. This much, Adesina himself, confessed to when he said, ‘before the election, you saw and heard Atikulators everywhere...

They were all over in offices, marketplaces, churches, mosques, schools, on television, radio, newspaper; almost in all traffic lanes of life.’ That was both a candid and surreal expression of fear that the Atikulators were indeed poised for victory in the 2019 presidential election.

However, if we are to interrogate Adesina’s confession a little bit further, we would remove the mask and expose the chicanery that summed up the claim of victory by the APC and their Buharideens alike.

First off, before the election, the APC band was busy chorusing around town that there was no Nigerian alive who was up to challenge and defeat Buhari in an election. They soon coined the phrase of ‘No Alternative’ to ingrain the argument that Buhari was super human and to scare the opposition from challenging a second term ticket with him.

The APC and the likes of Adesina who are disconnect from the reality of the angst of Nigerians against the incompetence and cluelessness of Buhari-led administration told a lie to the president that he was loved and adored by all. Thus, Buhari and the APC entered the 2019 presidential race with a foolish and corrupted sense of entitlement about a towering expectation from the people that was nowhere to be found. The Buhari team, unlike the Atikulators, lured their candidate into an election without an honest evaluation of the strength of their opponent. At the end, they entered a panic mode and, using the

instrumentality of power of incumbency, took certain actions to guarantee victory at all cost which ultimately compromised the integrity of the election.

The second irrational assumption is the claim that the Atikulators is an assembly of people who hate Buhari. According to Adesina’s words, Atikulators are ‘those who didn’t like Buhari, either because of ethnicity, language, religion, or the man’s aversion for corruption... So, they followed Atiku, not because they loved him, but they would have also followed a goat...’

It is often said that people who live in the corridors of power actually live inside a bubble. If there are people in this country who think that there is anything close to aversion for corruption by this current administration, they must be folks like Femi who are too busy chopping and smiling, having a blurry vision of the cesspool of iniquities and the lack of rectitude in the system. Irrespective of what Adesina and his colleagues in the corridors of power might say, Nigerians already have their opinion about the vastness of space index for corruption in the Buhari government.

And by the way, Femi and his co-travellers need to be reminded that those with glass jaws should not throw punches.

So, coming back to the question: who are the Atikulators? Perhaps Femi is a bit right when he says that they are people who didn’t like the policies of this president. Where he got it all wrong is that they didn’t have to dislike Buhari’s personality or identity in order to like Atiku because both men share same religion, ethnicity and even language. If these qualities are the reason why some people hate Buhari, it must go without begging that there must be some other reason(s) why the same people will prefer Atiku as a leader.

There is a popular American saying that ‘fool me once, shame on you!’ In 2015, many of the people that supported and voted for Buhari feel that they have been fooled. They didn’t imagine that the man they would be voting as president would divide the country in the approximation of 70-30 percent. They didn’t believe that the man they voted would be clannish

in his top appointments. They didn’t expect that a president who boasted that there would not be one corrupt person in his government will end up filling more than half of his cabinet positions with same ‘corrupt PDP people.’ They didn’t believe that the man who promised to crash the prices of petroleum products, but ended up doubling it should be trusted again.

They felt betrayed by a man who promised them change but ended up changing his ways and his words!

One epic episode in the 2019 election cycle is the live NTA interview anchored by Kadaira Ahmed. The interview afforded Nigerians a life time opportunity to hear the man called Buhari unscripted. Were Femi Adesina’s pen not beguiled by the lucre of power, he would certainly not find any excuse for himself to still be a Buharideen after watching the man unscripted at the interview.

Had Adesina been a mere mortal like the rest of us, he would have longed to see the Atiku episode of that interview and given the brilliance that the former Vice President showed at that interview, Adesina himself would have been an Atikulator. But he didn’t.

Not because Adesina hated the ideas espoused by Atiku during the campaign trail, but for him and his cohorts in the corridor of power the refrain is: Buhari will NEVER relinquish power to Atiku.

The Atikulators are patriotic Nigerians. They wouldn’t have voted for a goat. I mean, they just wouldn’t have doubled down on the same mistake!

Again, there was a reference to what Adesina called hurricane Buhari sweeping everywhere across the length and breadth of Nigeria. Yes, he is right about that allegorical meaning of hurricane in Nigeria blowing through the bellies and wallets of Nigerians. But if by any stretch of assumption the hurricane was describing Buhari’s electoral popularity, it is safe to conclude therefore, that our friend, Femi, is a fit for stand-up com-

PAUL IBE Mazi Paul Ibe is Media Adviser to His Excellency Atiku Abubakar

edy. Or how could he have forgotten so soon what transpired in room 710 of Eko Hotel during his presidency of the NGE in the presence of my then colleague at Atiku Media Office, and now his colleague in the Aso rocked villa. But to avert a needless distraction, I am inclined to ensure that what transpired in that room is buried in the bowels of time.

Where in the world would Buhari of all people feel invincible in an election contest when the man could not trust where his own wife would vote on the Election Day. Atiku went through the judicial process to express his grievance with the election. He never called on his supporters to launch a violent attack, neither did he make a savage remark about baboons being soaked in blood. If Adesina feels what Atiku did is morally deficient, then it only shows the company he has been keeping of late is already telling on his vanishing ethos.

And talking about jokes, there is a piece going around the social media that smart people who serve in Buhari’s government have a way of losing it. For Femi, that is more than a joke. And when next you have the opportunity to read Femi, be sure to have a bowl of pepper and salt by your side. It will be wise to leave our friend with a popular Yoruba saying that the sheep that flocks with dogs will end up eating faeces.

Mazi Paul Ibe is Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

$3billion

Evading justice on wheelchair?

I

t baffles to hear or see some top personalities who are charged with serious fund embezzlement appear in court on wheelchair. The growing cases call for attention as the accused seems to be drawing sympathy from the judge and getting away amid the stage drama.

Considering the fact that for all the period the alleged kept embezzling public fund, he never sat on a wheelchair, the court should know that the ‘wheelchair show’ is a makebelief even if the accused came with a doctor’s note to authenticate his current health condition.

Well, the wheelchair show is trending.

Many, who are stealing and are being protected by their ‘friends in power’ now, are mulling same style when they eventually run out of favour and are caught by the law.

Of course, credit goes to Haliru Mohammed Bello, former chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former minister of defence, for pioneering the infamous wheelchair drama. He was alleged to have aided the diversion of N300 million slated for arms procurement by the Office of the National

Security Adviser.

His arraignment at a Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday, December, 30, 2015 was stalled due to ill-health, and on January 5, 2016, he appeared in court on a wheelchair.

As well, Olisa Metuh, former, national publicity secretary, People’s Democratic Party, recently came on a stretcher before the Federal High Court in Abuja for his ongoing trial in respect of the N400 million he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014.

On May 3, 2018, Dino Melaye, a serving senator, appeared before a Magistrates Court in Lokoja, Kogi State on a stretcher to face criminal charges against him.

Most recently, Abdulrasheed Maina, former, chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, who is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N2 billion fraud, was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja in a wheelchair for a continuation of his trial. It was also a show of shame when some supporters of the accused shielded him from cameras, and the accused was also seen covering his face with his palms.

With the increasing frequency of the wheelchair and stretcher drama, it is obvious that

these high profile Nigerians are doing everything possible to evade justice.

The pranks seem to work for them as the loophole in the judicial system allows for delays and adjournments that allow the accused to buy time, seek easy settlement or intervention from some of their collaborators who are not yet caught or are in power.

Many think that if criminal trial for the accused is fast, if the many convicted are jailed, if the embezzled funds are recovered, properties bought or built with it confiscated, displayed and donated to social housing scheme, there will be no need to steal in the first place.

But while the loophole persists in the judicial system, the accused will keep inventing more pranks to evade justice.

It is also curious that those who lived larger-than-life just yesterday on the wealth that belongs to all, suddenly becomes vegetable as soon as the long arm of the law catches them. Is it not just vanity?

OBINNA EMELIKE

That’s the amount the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) saved from arbitrations, according to Mele Kolo Kyari, the group managing director (GMD) of the Corporation.

Good observation!

“Every Nigerian knows that most of the major roads across the country are in sorry state and that travelling on our roads has become traumatising and one of the highest life-threatening experiences in our country since the last four years”.

-Kola Ologbodinyan, spokesperson for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) responding to the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on his comments on the condition of roads in Nigeria.

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