BusinessDay 11 Nov 2018

BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

How Akpabio’s exit from PDP takes the shine off Akwa Ibom

Medview Airline in need of a turnaround as revenue crashes by 73%

??

Looking for some foods to ease

your anxiety? Check out these

p. 45

p. 41

p. 13

Sunday 11 November 2018

How will APC fund 2019 presidential election?

Market & Commodities Monitor Brent Oil

5yr Bond

$69.86

0.01 15.35%

Gold

10yr Bond

$1,208.60

-0.16 15.79% 20yr Bond

Cocoa

0.00 15.42%

$2,282.00

Vol 1, No. 240 N300

inside I am in the presidential race to provide visionary leadership – Akhimien

James Kwen, Abuja

A

s the clock ticks in geometrical progression to the February/March 2019 general elections, with Presidential and National Assembly campaigns beginning November 18, one of the most dis-

turbing issues before the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is how the party will fund its campaign.

Most of the moneybags who bankrolled APC campaign in 2015 have either left the party or feel aggrieved because they were not adequately rewarded after the elections so as

give back when campaigns begin.

In the campaign ahead of the 2015 general elections, APC, even though an opposition party then, spent money almost shoulder to shoulder with the then ruling People’s Demo-

P. 2

p. 16&17

2019: Where are the women?

P.19

BDLife Sunday 11 November 2018

inside

LIFE&LIVING

ARTS ENTERTAINMENT OFF DUTY C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 21

Praiz: Looking beyond

the ‘street’ music p. 21

Political echoes of the PH Int’l Airport commissioning

L-R: Taiwo Odutola, MD, Prime Essentials Development & Investment Limited; Adeyinka Asekun, Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada; Okechukwu Enelama, minister of Trade and Investments, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the Nigeria-Canada Investment Summit 201, themed ‘Fostering Strong Business Partnership into the Future’, held in Abuja, recently.

Pic by Tunde Adeniyi

Rising cases of kidney diseases draining household income CHINWE AGBEZE

p. 34

O

nigbinde Oluwaseun, a 31-year-old barber in Ibadan, Oyo State, fell

ill repeatedly and was admitted several times in different hospitals because he collapsed quite often.

“I would always black out.

On every hospital admission, I was given drugs, drips, and

sometimes I received blood transfusion,” Oluwaseun told BDSUNDAY in June 2018.

During those times, he said his family members, especially his elder sister, would run around

to raise funds for his treatment.

However, none of the hospitals he visited got the diagnosis right. They all said his blood pres-

p. 32

2 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Cover

How will APC fund 2019 presidential...

Continued from page 1 cratic Party (PDP). APC was said to have spent over N50 billion on campaign, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, currently the presidential candidate of PDP, reportedly contributing about 5 percent of the money, while the then Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Lagos StateGovernorBabatundeFashola made substantial contributions.

Also, Senate President Bukola Saraki made a substantial contribution, while Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC national leader, coordinated monies from other APC governors, namely, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Mohammed Gaidam of Yobe State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Abdufattah Ahmed of Kwara State, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State, former governors, National Assembly members and other party stalwarts.

In its recent audit report filed

by Mai-Alheri and Co., however, APC said it spent only N2.9 billion in the 2015 general elections and derived its income from the sale of nomination forms which generated N329.5 million, and donations and gifts which generated N275 million.

As the party in power, APC should not have to struggle to get campaign funds, going by previous experience in Nigeria’s political history. However, political analysts say the ruling party might struggle to fund its campaign given President Muhammadu Buhari’s reported refusal to open the national purse to finance electioneering campaigns. Moreover, they add, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, which ensures that all monies accrued to the government are channelled into a single account, limits the amount parastatals and their heads have at their disposals to contribute to APC’s campaign.

It is a well-known fact that in the past, heads of parastatals and agencies had made huge contributions to the campaign fund of the ruling party, either on their behalf or on behalf of their agencies.

But now, according to an APC insider who does not want to be named, the party will fund the 2019 general elections through monies derived from sale of nomination forms, projected at N5.86 billion, fundraising (N3.45 billion), membership dues (N4.2 billion), sale of party cards (N1.0 billion), and levies on elected/appointed officeholders (N0.304 billion), amounting to a total of N14.8 billion.

BDSUNDAY checks, however, revealed that APC actually netted N12.6 billion from the sale of

Buhari nomination forms to presidential, National Assembly and governorship aspirants, but a large chunk of the money has been expended on the conduct of party primaries and convention as well as other logistics ahead of the 2019 polls.

The APC source, who observed that the money left in the party’s kitty is grossly inadequate compared to the opposition PDP’s formidability and financial buoyancy, said the party would, nonetheless, device means of getting campaign funds.

“Governors, for instance, will be prevailed upon to pay their annual dues of N200 million each and donate at least another N150 million, and each minister as well as senator on APC platform will be made to donate N100 million in addition to their annual dues.

APC House of Representatives members and other appointees must pay various sums ranging from N50 million to N100 million each,” the source said.

Another party chieftain told BDSUNDAY that with President Buhari’s demonstrable unwillingness to fund the APC campaign from the national treasury, the ruling party would have to be creative in sourcing funds to run its campaigns.

Though the chieftain did not disclose the creative means he talked about, pseudo organisations have since emerged under the banner of Buhari Campaign Organization, requesting money from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) via contracts.

This, BDSUNDAY reckons, could be one of such creative means.

For instance, there were allegations that Buhari Campaign

Oshiomhole Organisation has fraudulently collected over N60 billion from different ministries and agencies of government through pseudo companies to fund the president’s re-election campaign in 2019.

According to the content of a leaked letter by Good Governance Awareness Campaign Group of the Buhari Campaign Organization, the following private companies were used to illegally obtain contracts from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to fund the President Buhari’s re-election campaign: Heridam Worldwide Limited, Maysu Construction Ltd, Honeygate Engineering Company Ltd, Extended Global Services Limited, Ajibako Multi Links Nigeria Limited, Maizamam Multi Resource Limited, Authentic Consulting Firm Limited, and Teamdek Ventures Nigeria Limited.

In a letter addressed to the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Power, Works and Housing dated September 20, received and acknowledged September 21, the campaign group proposed for the ‘Supply and Installation of Road Signs along Federal Highways’.

The organization requested the ministry to give it some slots to cushion the financial pressure on it as it intended to move the campaign trail to the grassroots in the six geo-political zones of the country.

It was also learnt that the campaign organization has been using the president’s re-election to get contracts from different MDAs without following due process.

This came barely a week after allegations that Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of the Buhari CampaignOrganization,collectedN450

million from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the president’s re-election.

Keyamo, however, distanced the Buhari Campaign Organization from such activities, saying the report was the handiwork of saboteurs and should be disregard

by Nigerians.

“It used to be the case during the era of PDP at the centre that election periods are always seen as time for bazaar and jamboree when the public treasury is opened for soothsayers, witchdoctors, fraudsters, prostitutes, party loyalists, and all kinds of funny characters to feast upon,” Keyamo said in his reaction to the NNPC saga.

“Between January and the time of the elections in 2015, the PDP opened the treasury and withdrew one hundred billion naira (N100,000,000,000.00) that was shared to all kinds of characters. It is this same tendency they exhibited and still have that they now attempt to attribute to us.

“If anything at all, the experience of the loss of the PDP in 2015 has taught everyone a bitter lesson: the sharing of money does not win elections and we do not intend to go that route. We shall continue to showcase the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari to convinceNigeriansthathedeserves a second term in office,” he said.

On the contract scam allegation, Keyamo said, “Let it be known to the general public and all unsuspecting individuals and organizations that the said letter DID NOT emanate from President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation nor was it authorized by it.

“The said ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’ does not have the

authority or mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to solicit or raise funds from public institutions, corporate bodies or individuals for any campaign activity whatsoever. This is also a notice to all such public institutions not to honour any such requests as the one from the amorphous ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’.

“As previously announced, the ONLY approved campaign organisation of the President is the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation headed by His Excellency,Rt.Hon.ChibuikeRotimi Amaechi as the Director-General.

A Campaign Council would also be announced in due course.

“We also wish to reiterate for the umpteenth time that President Muhammadu Buhari and his campaign organisation WILL NOT have recourse to the public coffers or public funds to run the campaign. We intend to make a complete departure from past practices of the main opposition where they looted the public treasury to run their campaigns.

“We also wish to use this opportunity to inform all Buhari support groups to get in touch with the Campaign Headquarters of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation at Plot 718 Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja in order for their activities to be streamlined.

“We shall not tolerate any individual or groups, purporting to act on behalf of the President, going round ministries, corporate bodies or individuals to raise funds for the campaign. Such individual or groups would be handed over to law-enforcement agencies.”

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY

3

4 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

News

APC loses Imo, Zamfara as INEC publishes no guber candidates ... We will seek clarification from INEC – APC

B

JAMES KWEN, Abuja

arring last minute change, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will lose Imo and Zamfara States in the 2019 general election.

This is as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not publish the name of any APC candidate for governorship election in Imo State while the party has no candidate for governorship and State Houses of Assembly in Zamfara State.

Following the electoral law and the 2019 general election time table, INEC on Friday published names of governorship and State Houses of Assembly Candidates nominated by different political parties across the states.

But in Imo State, the name of APC governorship candidate was missing on the list of names published by INEC for the state while that of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, and 66 others appeared on the list.

Imo State APC governorship primaries were shrouded in controversy with two candidates, Hope Uzodinma and Uche Nwosu, each claiming victory.

However, Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, last Friday told journalists that after careful examination of the conduct of the two governorship primaries that took place in Imo, the party upheld the election of Uzodinma and accordingly submitted his name to INEC as APC governorship candidate for Imo. BDSUNDAY gathered that INEC’s decision to omit APC governorship candidate’s name on its list is in compliance with a court order mandating it not to publish any name for APC as the matter was still in court.

In Zamfara too, the INEC’s list published did not capture APC candidates for both governorship and State House of Assembly elections as the Commission had last month

banned the party from fielding candidates for state and national elections when it did not meet up the deadline for conducting primaries in the state.

Though APC insisted that it will field candidates for Zamfara, no candidate was featured when INEC first published list of National Assembly candidates, and on Friday when the list for state elections was published, APC had none, while the Zamfara PDP governorship candidate, Bello Matawalle’s name appeared with governorship candidates of other political parties as well as candidates for the 24 seats of the State House of Assembly.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC National Publicity Secretary, while confirming this to BDSUNDAY, said, “We also heard just the way you heard and until we get clarification from INEC, we wouldn’t know why. So it is only when get clarification we will be able to give informed reaction. For Zamfara the case is already in Court so until that is sorted out.”

Abia adopts strategy for rapid community devt UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

A

bia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu says his administration has evolved a new strategy known as Direct Touch initiative for rapid community development in the state.

Ikpeazu, who disclosed this while addressing the people of Ikwuano during an enlargedstakeholders’meetingheldatIberenta in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state, said that the Direct Touch which would be controlled by the Office of the Governor was aimed at collaborating with the people of the areas concerned in carrying out any proposed government projects.

The governor, who invited few of the stakeholders to meet with him over some issues raised during the meeting, disclosed that he would liaise with the stakeholders to ensure the construction of the various roads in the area, including Ibere ring road and the Ariam-Osaka ring road which construction had been delayed due to litigation threat from an existing contractor. He described Ikwuano Local Government Area as strategic to the economy of the State and the South East and stressed the need for fixing the roads.

The Abia chief executive also assured the people that their indigenes would be employed to work as medical personnel and other general service staff at the Ikwuano General Hospital which was being revitalized and urged them to remain resolute in their support to the administration.

NOA, German NGO collaborate to improve citizen/security agencies relations in Abia

T

L-R: Olusegun Obasanjo, former president; Yakubu Gowon, former military head of state, and Bukola Saraki, Senate president, at the burial service of Allison Akene Ayida, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in Lagos, weekend.

he National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with KonradAdenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and the House of Representatives’ Committee on the Army, has concluded arrangement to hold a townhall meeting on “improvement of relationships between security agencies and citizens”, in Umuahia, Abia State capital.

KAS is a German foundation sponsored by the German government to promote democracy, rule of law, security sector reform and a socially and environmentally responsible market economy in more than 120 countries.

A release signed by the resident representative of KAS Nigeria, Vladimir Kreck, and madeavailabletoBDSundayinUmuahia,said the major objective of the town hall meeting was to support the security sector reform throughdialogue,informationandexperience sharing between security agencies and citizens, in order to increase trust and confidence of Nigerian citizens in the security forces.

I was neither arrested nor detained by DSS – Oshiomhole

A

dams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said has was neither arrested nor detained by operatives of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) but that he only had a conversation with the agency.

Oshiomhole, who had travelled out of the country last week after he was interrogated by the DSS, disclosed this on his return to Nigeria, yesterday,aftervisitinghisindisposedwife,Iara,in

theUnitedStates,andmeetingwithBolaTinubu, APCnationalleader,intheUnitedKingdom.

Reports had it that Oshiomhole was interrogated by the DSS over allegations of collecting bribe during his party’s primary elections.

Speaking during an interaction with editors in Lagos on yesterday, Oshiomhole said he “saw DSS only once and it was a conversation, not an arrest or detention”.

“The conversation centred around APC

primaries. The question now is whether or not it is the DSS’ job to interfere in a political party’s issues. And if there’s an allegation of corruption, it is the responsibility of EFCC and ICPC,” he said.

The former Edo State governor said contrary to media reports, the DSS did not ask him to return the next day. He said he was scheduled to travel overseas last Monday but postponed the trip for a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He eventu-

ally travelled on Tuesday.

Oshiomhole further said he was not released on administrative bail and that Yahaya Bello, Kogi State governor, did not come to pick him up from the DSS office. Rather, he invited Bello and he came, “but I drove home in my own car”.

He lambasted the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for calling on Interpol to arrest him, and for insinuating that he had fled the country over the matter.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 5

News 2019: Monarchs draw roadmap for community security IFEOMA OKEKE

T

hemajoragendaat the second Consultation Meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) South-South, South East Chapter on October 30th at the Best Western

Homerville Hotel, Benin City, Edo State, was how to achieve a violence-free 2019 general election. Their major concern was the safety and security of lives of members of their various communities during and after the forthcoming elections.

Edmund Daukoru, chairman of the Second Consultation Meeting, the Mingi

XII, Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, Bayelsa State, said the meeting was specifically convened to consider the security situation in the country particularly at a time when the elections were just around the corner. “The elections are just around the corner, many parties have done their primaries and campaigns will follow very

soon. This is always a very tensed time and as traditional fathers, we felt we should get together and look at the matter from the grassroots point of view.

“We have at many other times looked at it from a holistic national point of view, but we felt that those brands of skills required quite some injection of money to get

A cross section of traditional rulers from the South-south/South East during the second Consultation Meeting of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) South-South, South East Chapter which held on October 30th at the Best Western Homerville Hotel, Benin City, Edo State.

2019: INEC to deploy speed boats, motorcycles in difficult terrains in Taraba Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in Taraba has said it would deploy speed boats, life jackets and motorcycles to enable them access riverine and mountainous areas in Taraba.

Public Relations Officer of the Commission in Taraba, Fabian Yame, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Jalingo. Yame said the move became necessary to ensure that people living in difficult terrains were not disenfranchised in 2019.

“Tarabahasalotofriverine

and mountainous areas and we are poised to do everything to ensure that people in these areas are not denied the right to cast their votes.

“We have perfected plans to deploy speed boats, life jackets and motorcycles in these difficult terrains to ensure access to these areas,” he said. He urged politicians to abide by the time table released by the commission and also mobilise their supporters ahead of election next year to avoid the temptation of votebuying which he said was dangerous for democracy.

Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Taraba, Baba Abba Yusuf, has said the commission has

commenced the distribution of permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) at the various electoral wards in the state.

This is even as the Commission said it would commence the display of voters’ register at all the polling units across the state on Thursday, 6th November and would last through Monday, 12th of November, 2018.

The exercise, which would hold between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm, according to the REC, is part of efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

Yusuf noted that the collection of PVCs is to give prospective voters the opportunity to collect their cards and

keep them safe for the elections just as the display of the voters’ register is to give room for claims and objections as well as remove ineligible voters from the register.

Those to be removed from the register, according to the release are deceased registered voters, non- Nigerians and under-aged voters as well as multiple registrations.

The Commission however, called on all stakeholders, community and religious leaders including civil society organisations to help in encouraging their populace to come out massively to collect their PVCs and endeavour to check their names on the voters register.

Anyaso receives US Army Humanitarian Award

I

n recognition of outstanding service to humanity through numerous community development projects, especially in area of free education, free health care services, and care for the elderly, the US Army Directorate of Public Works based in Germany has presented Chima Anyaso with the Humanitarian Service Award.

The award was presented to Anyaso when he paid a courtesy visit to the US Army Garrison in Kaiserslautern, Germany, recently.

A highly revered award, the Humanitarian Service recognition is reserved for individuals around the world who have distinguished themselves through exceptional life-changing services to people in need and gestures that seeks to uplift communities and provide support to vulnerable groups.

In a statement released to the media, after receiving the award, Chima Anyaso said: “Today, I went on a courtesy visit to the Unit-

ed States Military Base in Germany where I was honoured with a Humanitarian Award. I was opportuned to interact with some of the high-ranking officers who expressed their heartfelt support for the efforts of the Nigerian military in the forefront of the war against the insurgency in Nigeria and around Sub-Saharan Africa. I am very humbled and astounded at being selected for this award, knowing that many elite and well-placed people were considered

also. With this award, I am inspired to serve my community wholeheartedly and indeed to dedicate myself more to the service of our dear nation, Nigeria, so that everyone within our country can have a better life,” Anyaso said.

He is the PDP House of Representatives candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the forthcoming 2019 election. He is also the founder and convener of the New Nigeria Movement 2019 (NN19).

implemented, so this time we changed the tactics and we said let’s look at it from a practical local point of view.

We felt that if our local governments and communities are safe, then Nigeria is safe,” Daukoru said.

Speaking on the theme of the meeting, ‘Ensuring a Violence-free 2019 General Elections in Our Zones and Kingdoms: The Role of Traditional Rulers, and the Task Ahead’, he said, “There are three aspects of approach to this. There is the pre-election aspect which we should engage in very diligently because elections exacerbate already existing tension in our communities, so we must address those flashpoints. Those that cannot be immediately resolved, at least, stakeholders should have an understanding for moratorium, a kind of ceasefire that they should not be allowed to colour the elections.”

Apollus Chu, Principal sponsor of the event, the EbereEmereOkori, Eleme of Eleme Kingdom, Rivers State;

Appolus Chu, said the meeting was a platform where the traditional rulers from the South-south and South East parts of Nigeria will come together and speak with one voice on policies that would be made in the interest of the nation.

“We cannot continue to wait until when government calls us to assemble before we begin to talk about things that concern the national security. The general election is fast approaching and that is why we on our own have come together to prepare against the unforeseen,” Chu said.

He stressed that the whole essence of the meeting was to ensure that traditional rulers rise to their responsibilities of ensuring that things go the right way during the forthcoming general elections.

According to him, “When things are not going right, we the traditional rulers who are like fathers to the nation, won’t just fold our hands and allow things to go out of place before intervening.

University of Uyo women hold conference on nation building ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

T

he University of Uyo Women Association has concluded plans to host the first national conference that seeks to position women as peacemakers and bridge builders of the country.

With the theme, “University women in nation building: from the home front to the frontlines, the conference which opens on Sunday November 11 and ends on Wednesday November 14 also seeks to highlight the role of women in conflict resolution, women beyond the kitchen and women in the front lines of democracy.

Other sub themes also include women in human development as well as human rights, women’s rights and traditional practices Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Rosalyn Essien, president of University of Uyo Women Association said it is improper to regard women as mere kitchen utensils that rightly belong in the kitchen saying that women play significant roles in the family, community and the nation at large.

“We all know women function as caretakers, mothers, leaders and nation builders. Like the men, a woman can help in the achievement of overall betterment and so ought to be inspired to attain their potentials in leadership

potions while not forgetting their roles on the home front,’’ she said.

Specifically, she said the conference aims to help the women deliberate on issues bothering women, how women as a whole could leave the home front to the frontlines and how Nigeria should be devoid of gender bias in all aspects as well as in the provision of qualitative education.

“The girl child ought to be empowered through education as well as other means in order to contribute meaningfully to the development of the people,’’ Essien said.

According to her, it is important to place women in positions of authority so that they can maximise their full potentials drawing examples from the recent convocation of the University of Uyo, she observed that the overall best graduating student of the University was a female while the five students that got first class degrees at the recently released results of the law school finals, showed that four of them are females.

Also speaking, Eno Abasi Urua, a professor and vice president of the association said apart from papers that would be delivered by eminent personalities at the conference, awards would be given to women who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour and have made impact in the society.

6 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

News Stop attacking Saraki, Kwara PDP warns APC ‘factional’ guber candidate SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

T

he Kwara State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned a factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, against attacking the personality of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

The PDP asked AbdulRazaq to make his campaign issue-based instead of engaging in campaign of calumny against Saraki.

The party dismissed as false, baseless and misleading, the claims by AbdulRazaq that Saraki and his successor, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, have failed to develop Kwara and invest in its people.

“From 2003 when Bukola Saraki became the governor of Kwara State up till this present administration of Governor Ahmed, Kwara has witnessed significant growth and development across all sectors.

“The successive administrations of Dr. Saraki and Governor Ahmed have also invested heavily in the people of the state through their various projects and programmes in different sectors, ranging from education, health, roads, and rural and urban development,” it said.

Listing some of the achievements, the PDP said: “For the record, the admin-

istration of Bukola Saraki established the Kwara State University (KWASU), the International Aviation College, Ilorin, the Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre, Kwara Football Academy, remodelling of the Ilorin Township Stadium, Upgrading of Asa Dam Waterworks and phase one of Ilorin Water reticulation Project, and implementation of Urban and Rural Electrification, which saw the setting up of the Ganmo Power Generation Plant and hundreds of ordinary power substations.

“Additionally, his government embarked on construction and rehabilitation of roads across the 16 local government areas of the

state, which included the rural and feeder road project, Ilorin Metropolitan Street Lights Projects, provision of low-cost housing estates and the Kwara Mall Project.”

It also noted that, “As a leader committed to the well-being of his people, Bukola Saraki introduced the first state health insurance programme in Nigeria known as the Kwara Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) to provide affordable and accessible healthcare services to poor people in rural communities of the state. The scheme allowed beneficiaries to access primary quality healthcare services all year round for a premium of N500.

L-R: Taiwo Odutola, MD Prime Essentials Development & Investment Limited; Adeyinka Asekun, Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada; Okechukwu Elenama, minister of Trade and Investments and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the Nigeria-Canada Investment Summit 201, theme ‘Fostering Strong Business Partnership into the Future’, held in Abuja.

Picture by TUNDE ADENIYI.

Kano, donor agencies invest N300m in each round of polio campaign AdeolaAjakaiye, Kano

K

ano State Government, in partnership with international and local donor agencies, such as Gate & Melinda Foundation, Rotary International, and Dangote Foundation, is investing the sum of N300 million on each round of polio mop-up campaign being conducted in Kano State.

The bulk of the financial contribution for the campaign is being made by the international and local agencies, while, the Kano State government is making up for the balance which has translated in zero percent reduction rate in the case of polio in the state.

Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, Kano State Commissioner for Health, confirmed that

“Owing to its impacts on the people of Kwara State, the scheme received multiple awards from international organisations, including the United Nations and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The scheme was recently upgraded to a state-wide health insurance scheme by Governor Ahmed to allow all categories of Kwarans and residents of the state benefit from it.”

According to the PDP, “It is also noteworthy to add that the Saraki administration initiated the ‘Every Child Counts’ education policy, which has now been adopted by the Federal Government as a result of its positive impacts.

the investments being made by the global and local stakeholders in the polio eradication campaign has made it possible for the state not to record any new cases of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) as well as Circulating Vaccine –Derived Polio Viruses Type 2 in the past 52 months.

It is a development, he said is coming on the heels of the detection of seven (7) Circulating Vaccine –Derived Polio Viruses (CVDPV) Type 2 in two neighbouring states of Jigawa and Katsina, bording Kano State. Kabiru disclosed that in order to ensure that the state is not contaminated by the detected new cases in the neighbouring states, the state government has concluded plans to carry out a Sub-National Outbreak Response (OBR) on the 3rd to 8th of November, this year.

“This exercise is in line with

the guidelines of the Experts Review Committee (ERC) on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization (PERI) which stipulates conduct of mop-up OBR campaigns wherever the outbreak of (CVDPV) Type 2 is noticed.

“The current exercise will be conducted across the nine (9) LGAs of Kano State, which include: Ajingi, Albasu, Dambatta, Gaya, Gabasawa, Makoda, Minjibir, Kunchi, and Takai, two OBR mop-up campaigns have also been scheduled,” Kabiru said.

According to him, “I am using the occasion of this press briefing to emphasise that this campaign will involve administration of our usual vaccines given during the Routine Immunization (RI), particularly, the Injectable Polio Vaccines (IPV), but we are targeting all children aged 0-59 months in the 9 LGAs.”

‘Emmanuel disposition towards peace and security will give him edge over his opponents’ ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

G

overnor Udom Emmanuel’s disposition towards peace and security of lives and property as well as the focus on wealth creation through the establishment of factories would give him an edge over his opponents in next year’s general election.

Emmanuel, who is seeking a re-election on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is likely to face Nsima Ekere, the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Onofiok Luke, speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, who stated this in Uyo, the state capital, said Governor Udom has acquitted himself creditably since he assumed office in 2015 with topmost attention being given to industrialisation and the protection of lives and property.

“He came on the platform of industrialisation. You cannot develop a place without peace, without the security of lives and property. For us to have that industrialisation crystallised, we ask that he be re-elected. Industrialisation brings about prosperity and we are asking him to keep industrialising Akwa Ibom in peace.

“We have enjoyed peace in Akwa Ibom since he became governor. We were all here and we knew about

what used to happen in the past. We don’t know why these things happened but we have seen change in that and we want that peace to continue,” Luke said.

According to the Speaker, “We don’t have issues of insecurity like child abduction and even the issue of militancy anymore due to the leadership disposition and grace of God upon the life of the governor and his character; he has been able to engender peace in the state.

For the sake of that peace to continue, we want him to be re-elected.

“We are running our campaign based on issues. We cannot do anything without God. Our campaign is anchored only on God. It is only God who can give the grace, the enablement, and the resources to make sure that we have the development that we need.”

The Speaker, who noted that there cannot be industrialisation without security, said the governor has been working with security agencies in the state to make sure the lives and property of citizens are secured.

“For you to have an industrialised state there are basic things - one is infrastructure.

You cannot have industries cited where you don’t have infrastructure and the basic amenities is the roads, where you can have access to raw materials and equally have the thoroughfare to evacuate product after it has been finished in the factory to where you have the necessary markets.

South Sudan minister marvels at Wike’s project speed Ignatius Chukwu

S

outh Sudan Minister of Energy and Dams, Dhieu Mathok, has commended Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for the infrastructural development of the state, saying that he deserves a second term.

Speaking after a meeting with Governor Wike at the Government House Port Harcourt, Mathok expressed happiness with the level of development attained under the leadership of Governor Wike. “I have never come this way, but what I have seen this morning is very amazing.

I have seen developmental projects going on.

“This is a sign of stability.

You know when there is no stability in a certain state or country, development

cannot come up. I will like to commend the governor for the good work that he is doing. I heard there is going to be election very soon. l hope the people of this state will renew the mandate of the governor, so that he can continue what he is doing in this state”.

He said that there are key developmental projects in Rivers State which the South-Sudan Government will like to replicate.

He said: “I am very happy with what I have seen in this state. It is really a great thing.

There are lots of development projects in this state and we like to replicate the same thing in South Sudan.

“We are intending to commercialise NLNG industry in South Sudan. That is why we are looking for the partners who can be able to develop the energy sector in the Republic of South Sudan”.

Responding, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that the state will continue to be an investment destination because of the peaceful environment and her rich resources.

“The message is that he is from South Sudan, an African Country. What he has seen shows that there is peace in Rivers state. Investors should not be afraid of coming to Rivers state to invest and with the kind of developmental projects he has seen in Rivers State, more investors will be attracted to the state.

“The issue of peace in Rivers state is no longer a challenge. Everybody knows that Rivers state is an investment destination. “ The governor stated that Rivers State will continue to partner with sister African countries to advance the course of development and enhance the economy of the state.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY

7

News Wike says controversial Neighbourhood Watch soon Don’t force me to speak to kickstart, but opposers say the court must decide out, Oke tells Ondo APC Ignatius Chukwu

R

ivers State G o v e r n o r, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Agency would soon become operational for the detection and prevention of crimes across the state. This is as the two activists who went to court to stop the perceived state police have asked the Rivers State government under Wike to allow the courts decide the fate of the project.

The governor however, seems poised to kick-start the project, urging traditional rulers to cooperate with operatives of the Agency to ensure that they succeed because the operatives are largely nominees of traditional rulers.

Governor Wike spoke during the 108 and 109 General Session of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt.

“The neighbourhood watch arrangement will soon be fully operational

throughout the state to complement the efforts of the security agencies in the detection and prevention of crime and improve the security of lives and property in our neighbourhoods.

“Let me remind you that the corps members were recruited based on your attestations with regard to their character and suitability. Consequently, we will hold you accountable to the performance of the corps and the success of the scheme in your local government areas, communities and neighbourhoods,” the governor said.

He urged the traditional rulers to shun partisan politics as getting involved in politics will reduce their social relevance.

He wondered why a First Class Traditional Ruler would be involved in partisan politics with the aim of undermining the state government.

“If you don’t respect your stool, you will have challenges. Withdraw yourselves from playing politics.

If you don’t withdraw yourselves, I will withdraw you.

If you take sides, I will also take sides,” he further said.

The governor charged the traditional rulers never to allow any politician to breach the peace in their communities during the forthcoming campaigns.

He said: “We expect the political parties to play by the rules and embark on peaceful and issue-based campaigns. But you must be on the watch out to ensure that no person or entity violates the peace of your communities under the guise of political campaigns.

“At the end of the campaigns, the votes of our people are very important and we expect the INEC to conduct free, fair and credible general election that will enable our people to freely determine their political direction and destiny.

Here again, you also bear individual and collective responsibility to mobilise your subjects to collect their permanent voters cards and vote for the candidates of their choice.”

Governor Wike urged the traditional rulers to lend their voices in condemna-

tion of the neglect of Rivers State by the APC Federal Government.

“It is time you lend your voices more forcefully to the neglect of the state by the Federal Government, the devastation of our environment by the oil companies, the grand fraud and deception in the Ogoni cleanup exercise and the call for economic justice and fiscal federation”, he said.

In an address, Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja appealed to the Federal Government to revive the ports in Rivers State to create employment opportunities for the youths.

He commended the Rivers State Governor for the successful hosting of the National Festival of Arts and Culture, saying that the event contradicted the negative reports against the state.

Ki n g D o u g l a s J a j a praised Governor Wike for his outstanding project delivery across the state.

He urged him to continue his good works.

YOMI AYELESO, Akure

A

chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Olusola Oke has warned the state chapter to desist from making statements that would force him to speak out about his experience in the party.

Oke gave the warning while reacting to the statement credited to Alex Kalejaye, the APC state publicity secretary, that the party had a lot of respect for him, begging him not to leave the party.

Supporters of Oke had last week urged him to lead them out of the APC because of their alleged exclusion from activities of the ruling party.

At the meeting, Oke apologised to his supporters for taking them back to the APC in January this year.

Kalejaye, however, said in a statement that the party was taken aback by the claim of Oke and his supporters.

He said: “We have read with a sense of disbelief the report credited to a frontline chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, SAN, and his follow-

ers, that they had suffered humiliation and rejection in the party.

“The State chapter is taken aback by this claim, because Chief Oke, a notable personality with vast political experience is well respected by the Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and the State Secretariat of the APC.” But Oke, who spoke through Rotimi Ogunleye, his media assistant, said he assumed that Kalejaye, the party’s publicity secretary, lacked information as regards the issue he dabbled into.

“Much as we wouldn’t want to join issues with the party or any of its agents, we also warn that none of the agents or the representatives of the party should force Chief Oke and his supporters to speak out.

“Rather, Chief Oke believes the agents of the party should allow him and his supporters to maintain their deliberate silence on issues for now,” he said.

Oke dumped the APC in 2016 after losing the party’s governorship ticket to contest on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

He lost the gubernatorial poll and returned to the ruling party early this year.

Investment in infrastructure aimed at making Kano a mega-city, says Ganduje Adeola Ajakaiye, Kano

K

ano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has said that his administration’s multi-billion naira urban renewal programme for Kano metropolis was not only aimed at giving the state capital a facelift but upgrading it to a city comparable with modern cities around

the world.

“The programme aims to kill several birds with one stone. We are aiming at addressing the issue of urban transportation, sanitation, urban beautification and erosion control at once”, he said.

“We are worried that some places are facing the problem of erosion, many large settlements have emerged without accessibility, dilapidated roads and so one. An emerg-

ing mega city like ours will not be sustainable without sustainable infrastructure that will enhance the quality of lives of our people”, he maintained.

The governor assured that as the city projects are gradually completed, change would be visible across communities as the quality of homes and indeed the environment would look modern while delivery of services

CSR: Ojediran Fathia Kanyinsola (Phatiah), a young artiste on a mission to impart knowledge through music, distributing food to the needy and less privileged in Lagos.

would be facilitated.

Ganduje stated this while inspecting three on-going road projects in Kano City.

The projects are Gidan Zakkah-Kofar Waika 1.1 kilometer road, constructed at N270million; Kawo-Giginyu 3 kilometer road at N588million and Gidan Maza-Kumbotso 8.7 kilometer road at N1. 2 billion.

The governor noted that even though the deployment

of heavy plants and excavation was causing hardship to motorists and communities along the projects’ sites, there was the need for people to cooperate with the contractors to speed up the work.

At the Gidan Zakkah-Kofar Waika road, the state Commissioner for Works, Aminu Aliyu, told the governor that work on the culverts was progressing while asphalt

overlay on the road would commence in the next two weeks.

Regarding the KawoGiginyu road, he explained that there were issues to be sorted out in respect of property compensation but estimated that the project would be completed by February 2019 while work on Gidan Maza-Kumbotso road was progressing without hitches.

Cecilia Okoruwa, widow, (middle) flanked by her children and their spouses at the Evening of Tributes organised last weekend as part of Funeral Ceremonies for Frederick O. Okoruwa, a long-time top civil servant in the Old Bendel and later, Edo State.

8 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

CRIME WATCH Child abduction now the new craze in PH …as lady kidnaps friend’s 7-month-old baby, but caught in Eleme FAVOUR ICHEMATI, Port Harcourt

C

hildren now seem to be the most endangered species in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as child kidnapping has emerged as the new craze in the Garden City. Mothers now tightly clutch and cling to their children not even trusting fair-weather friends. A woman in a part of the city who breached the new code by allowing her casual friend to carry the baby for a while fainted five times when she reaslised that her baby had got as far away as Diobu to Eleme, the emerging child traffic centre in the Niger Delta.

A syndicate is said to operate out of Eleme, the refinery town, that sends agents round Port Harcourt to kidnap and bring kids to the barons at between N400,000 and N800,000 per child. It is suspected that most of the kids end up in the rampant ritual killings in the oil region or are sold to desperate mothers looking for babies. Whatever the need for a baby may be, you only need to go to Eleme.

For now, it appears the hustle for Christmas festivity and the 2019 elections are the reasons for the pressure. Many say as we prepare to be alive to see the end of 2018, many other fellow humans now carry out unlawful deeds towards their fellow individuals, and hope to end the year in sudden prosperity.

Now, a seven-monthold baby was allegedly stolen from its mother by someone well known to her. The incident which took place Monday morning, November 5, 2018, is now a subject of police

investigations.

Statements already made at the Mile One Police Division, according to BD Sunday investigations in the Garden City indicate that a wife, Purity Jack Amonia, took her sevenmonth-old son, Onengiyeofori Amonia, for a walk at Okuzo Street in Mile 1, Diobu.

The stricken woman exclusively told BDSUNDAY that she went to say hello to some old friends in another part of Diobu because she had not been there for a while. When she got there, she explained to this reporter, they launched in a prolonged conversation with few friends, cen-

tering on wellbeing. The friends admired her baby and observed that he was growing fast.

At this point, according to her narration, she saw one Ogechi, her close friend back then in secondary school. Purity said she was surprised that Ogechi did not show excitement at her growing child and she had to shout out at her for not greeting her. Ogechi excused herself that she would come back to greet them.

Few moments after, Purity said, Ogechi came and carried her baby playfully and said she would bring the baby back soon. That was all that the mother of

the baby knew. She said it was because of the closeness she had with Ogechi’s husband who she calls ‘Senior Belema’ that she did not mind. The mother rather pleaded with Ogechi not to stay long because she wanted to be back home fast to wait for the husband who went out of town.

Fr o m t h i s m o m e n t , things took a bizarre turn.

According to Purity, the friend agreed easily not to stay for long. Purity said she relaxed believing her son was in good hands.

Time kept flying and Purity found that her friend was not anywhere in sight. According to her, it was at this moment that she saw

Ogechi’s husband passing by and she beckoned on him to help tell the wife to bring back the baby. Upon hearing that Purity’s son was with his wife and both of them were supposed to be in his house, he quickly told Purity that Ogechi was certainly not in his house (home). This immediately set warning signals.

Ogechi’s husband called her but she picked and said she was in Ikwerre Road trying to withdraw money from the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM). According to Purity, it was the tell-tale noise at the background shouting ‘Aba, Aba’ at the background that set the alarm. It was obvious that Ogechi was not anywhere near Ikwerre Road.

When the ‘Aba’ narration was mentioned to Purity, she said she fainted, woke and fainted again for five times.

When Purity regained herself, according to her, she began wailing and following ‘Senior Belema’ about. Unknown to her, Belema had gone to the Mile One police station to report the matter because Purity had started fainting. Her situation became worse when her husband called on phone and upon hearing the breaking news, insisted that Purity must provide his son right away.

She began crying more, rolling on the ground.

She said it was at that point that a newly formed patriotic team that operates like vigilante people passed by and saw her.

Upon inquiry, they found that her son was missing.

They asked for the mobile number of the woman with the baby and got it. They allegedly sent the number to the appropriate telecommunication company.

Immediately, the number was tracked to Eleme.

Now, Eleme evokes fears in most people when child abduction is mentioned in Port Harcourt.

Most stolen babies end up in Eleme and most buyers head there, too. So, Purity was alarmed and shocked for such quick relocation.

They team concluded the tracker and tracked Ogechi right in Eleme. They eventually took her to Government House and later to Mile One Police Station.

At the police, Purity made a statement, but Ogechi was allegedly fumbling. Purity said she could only hear Ogechi saying she wanted to withdraw money to buy some gifts for the baby, but how Eleme, in another local council area and in Ogoni land, came into the picture could not be understood by the gathering crowd. Some of the senior police officers asked Ogechi how possible it was that she left all the banks in Port Harcourt only to end up with another woman’s baby to far away Eleme.

Ogechi’s alleged rambling included being pregnant for another man, how another woman took over her husband in Eleme, and all of that, but most detectives knew that almost every stolen child in Port Harcourt ends up in Eleme.

Purity said when asked to say what she wanted, she said she considered that her son was back safe and hearty, that she demanded that Ogechi should sign an undertaking for the baby, in case anything happened to the baby in the future. This is how the trauma of a family in Diobu was brought to an end soon after another family in same Diobu lost their mother (wife) who was six month’s pregnancy when a fleeing cult leader known as Osama used her as shield during a shootout.

Impeachment: Hoodlums overrun Ondo Assembly as four lawmakers battered YOMI AYELESO, Akure

H

oodlums have taken over the Ondo State House of Assembly following the impeachment of the Speaker, Bamidele David Oloyelogun.

Oloyelogun was removed on Friday alongside the deputy Speaker, Ogundeji Iroji amid heavy rancour at the parliamen-

tary house.

Both Oloyelogun representing Ifedore Constituency and Ogundeji representing Odigbo Constituency II, were removed by two thirds majority of the House of Assembly.

The two men were impeached over an alleged “gross misconduct and incompetence, and squandering of the budget allocation to the Assembly running into N1.5 billion.”

Olamide George repre-

senting Akure North Constituency was thereafter elected as new Speaker of the troubled House of Assembly.

While Abimbola Fajolu representing Ile Oluji/Oke Igbo was elected as the new deputy Speaker.

Fatai Olotu representing the Akoko North East in the House told journalists that both men had been subsequently sworn in.

However, the hood-

lums who were said to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Wo r k e r s Un i o n ( N U TRW) were allegedly led by their Chairman, Jacob Dabo aka “Dajo”.

It was also gathered that the hoodlums, armed with dangerous weapons such as sticks and stones, unleashed terror on the presiding officers of the Assembly.

The temporary hijack of the Assembly Complex

led to injuries being inflicted on four lawmakers by the armed hoodlums who allegedly had a “field day” despite heavy presence of security agencies.

Property worth millions of naira, including vehicles, were said to have been destroyed by the rampaging hoodlums, while some journalists who were at the House of Assembly escaped by a whisker as they were chased out of the Cham-

bers with broken bottles.

The impeached speaker, Oloyeloogun, however, briefly returned to the House of Assembly in company of security agencies, announcing the suspension of the new speaker, George and 14 others.

He said the embattled members were suspended for what he described as “unruly behaviour” and adjourned sitting indefinitely.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 9

CRIME WATCH Two in custody for allegedly robbing in traffic CHINWE AGBEZE

T

he Lagos State Command said it has arrested two alleged notorious robbers who specialize in robbing commuters and motorists who ply the Lekki/Epe expressway.

Th e s u s p e c t s , o n e Akpan Samuel and Ani Chukwuma were apprehended by operatives of the Command led by CSP Isah Abdulmajid, the Divisional Police Officer in Maroko Division.

CSP Chike Oti, police spokesman said, the suspects disclosed their mode of operation when they were interrogated.

“Their modus operandi was to mount the pedestrian bridge, Maruwa bus stop, Lekki/Epe expressway,” said CSP Oti. “At that vantage position, they were able to monitor the traffic and carefully select their target.”

Upon selecting their targets, the police spokesman said the alleged robbers would swoop on them and dispose them of their valu-

ables.

“They use a big hammer to smash the side glasses and windscreens of drivers who refused to roll down their glasses when commanded to do so,” he said.

“The hammer and an improvised pistol that appears like a perfect prototype of a berratta pistol were recovered

Command dismisses drunk policeman CHINWE AGBEZE

T

he Lagos State Command said it has dismissed Inspector Kadima Useni, a drunk policeman who appeared in a video which was captured at Akowonjo in Dopemu area of Lagos State.

The video caught the attention of Ibrahim Idris, who directed the state commissioner of police to fish the erring policeman for appropriate disciplinary action, according to CSP Chike Oti, the police spokesman.

“The policeman who was stupefied after guzzling large quantity of alcoholic beverage was located and apprehended on November 7, 2018 at Police Mobile Force Squadron 22 Base, Ikeja, where he served by the Command

Provost,” said CSP Oti. “During interrogation, the officer affirmed that he was the one in the video.

He was tried in orderly room and summarily dismissed to serve as a deterrent to others.”

Continuing, the spokesman said, “To prevent reoccurrence, of this type of incident, the commissioner of police has directed the officer in charge of the Command Provost Section to embark on tour of all police formations and barracks within the state with a view to identifying and shutting all beer parlours within the police community.”

“In the same vein, the commissioner of police warns the general public against offering policemen alcoholic drinks while on duty. He said that any policeman found drunk on duty will be visited with similar punishment.”

from them.”

According to CSP Oti, the suspects were remanded in Ikoyi prison after their arraignment at Igbosere MagistrateCourt-ten on November 1, 2018.

“Their activities were a source of concern to the Command. So, the state commissioner of police directed the DPO

to mobilise all assets at his disposal to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the hoodlums,” CSP Oti added.

“The Commissioner of police assures that the activities of this set of criminals will soon be a thing of past as the Command has increased surveillance along all routes with heavy traffic.”

Police confirm abduction of Ondo ADC senatorial candidate, four others YOMI AYELESO, Akure

T

he Senatorial Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ondo north district, Jide Ipinsagba has been abducted with the Ondo State Chairman of the party, Bisi Ogungbemi by unknown gunmen.

Ipinsagba, Ogungbemi and three other chieftains of the party in the state were kidnapped along Oba Akoko-Owo road on their way from Ikare Akoko to Akure on Wednesday night.

According to a source, the incident occurred around seven in the evening on their way from Akoko to Akure after a political outing.

Ipinsagba had recently dumped the ruling APC and joined ADC to actualise his senatorial aspiration.

Those reportedly kidnapped alongside Ipinsagba and Ogungbemi were his driver and another chieftain, who was identified as Princess Abdulkareem.

It was gathered that the vehicles of the victims were seen on the road side while information of their whereabouts is still

sketchy as at the time of filling this reports.

In a chat with BDSUNDAY Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, Femi Joseph while confirming the incident said number of victims could not be ascertained.

“We saw a vehicle along that road which we suspected to belong to one Mr. Ipinsigba, a politician in Akoko area and we did not see anyone in the vehicle.

We suspected a case of kidnap.

“I could not ascertain

Jide Ipinsagba

the number of people in the vehicle now. That is where we are now.

“We are still combing the bush. We have launch an investigation and our men are there to actually see if we can rescue the victims and possibly arrest the kidnappers,” the spokesman said.

Court refuses to issue bench warrant of arrest against Ekweremadu FELIX OMOHOMHION, Abuja

A

Fe d e r a l Hi g h Court, Abuja , o n Th u r s d a y declined to order the arrest of the De p u t y Se n a t e Pr e s i dent, Ike Ekweremadu over his alleged refusal to declare his assets before the Special Presidential Investigation Pa n e l f o r t h e Re c o v ery of Public Property (SPIPRP).

Justice Nyako declined to issue the order on the grounds that Ekweremadu is already challenging the jurisdiction of the court and the competency of the charge brought against him.

In a short ruling the judge held that it was not necessity to issue a bench warrant against Ekweremadu because the respondent has already challenged the

competence and jurisdiction of the high court.

The Chief Okoi Obono-Obla led committee had through its counsel, Celsius Ukpong, applied to the judge to issue bench warrant for the arrest of Ekweremadu to compel his attendance in court to defend the charges of nondeclaration of assets brought against him.

The counsel told the judge that Ekweremadu ought to be in court physically on Thursday in connection with the criminal charges filed against him earlier in May. He submitted that Ek w e r e m a d u d e c i d e d on his own not to obey the court summon in spite of the fact that he was duly served with the charge as required by law.

But counsel to Ekweremadu, Chief Solomon Aw o m o l o ( SA N ) , o b -

jected to the request for bench warrant on the grounds that the Senator had on November 1, filed an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge against him, and also the validity of the charge itself.

The counsel submitted that appearance of Ek w e r e m a d u i n c o u r t was not necessary until the issues of jurisdic tion and competency of the charge have been resolved by the court.

He added that it would be more honourable for the Presidential Panel to withdraw the charge against his client in view of the recent Court of Appeal judgme n t wh i ch h e l d t h a t the panel lacks the powers to prosecute alleged offenders.

Awomolo, accordingly tendered a copy of the judgment to the court emphasising that the ap-

pellate court had made it clear in the judgment that the panel, which filed the criminal charge a g a i n s t Ek w e r e m a d u , has no prosecutorial power under the law to prosecute any accused person.

Awomolo therefore, urged the court to discountenance the arguments of the complainant.

In a short ruling the judge upheld the submissions of the defendant.

S u b s e q u e n t l y, t h e court adjourned till February 26, 2019, for hearing of the objection filed

by Ekweremadu against the court’s jurisdiction and the competence of the charge against him.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, had on Monday held that Obono-Obla-led panel lacked prosecutorial power and hence cannot initiate criminal proceedings against any accused person.

10 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

PhotoSplash

L-R: Grace Udensi, public affairs manager, Lagos, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc; Hygenius Omeje, sector commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos, and Oluwatosin Solabi, CSR sustainability support manager, NB Pls, at the Lagos rally of the 11th Don’t Drink and Drive at the Ojota inter State Park in Lagos.

R-L: Bhaskar Rao, general manager, West African Ceramics Ltd showing off Royal Marble Slabs on display to HRH Igwe Patrick Okenyi, Ahabueze 1 of Umuoma and other guests on tour during the inauguration of the Royal Exclusive Showroom at Makurdi, Benue State.

L-R: Tunde Adeola, divisional head commercial banking, Sterling Bank; and Funso Adegbola, executive director, The Vale College, at the APEN 9th Annual Conference in Lagos.

L-R: Daniel Shoban-Das, vice president, corporate development, CWG Plc; James Agada, group CEO, CWG Plc, and Adewale Adeyipo, executive director, sales and marketing, CWG Plc, at the commissioning of the SURA Independent Power Project, by the Vice President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, in Lagos.

Aliko Dangote, president Dangote Group, (r), and Olukayode Pitan, managing director, Bank of Indusry, at the Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg.

L-R: Yvonne Fasinro, founder, Adara Foundation; Folake Coker, creative director, TAN by Tiffany Amber; Suzy Menkes, International Vogue editor; Omoyemi Akerele, founder Lagos Fashion Week and Nkiru Adekoya.

L-R: Tokini Peterside, founder/director ART X Lagos; Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife, and Herbert Wigwe, group managing director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, during the VIP opening and cocktail night of the 2018 ART X Lagos, at The Civic Centre, Lagos.

L-R: Peter Dunkwu; Elens Eigbokhan of Elens Konsult and Calixthus Okoruwa of XLR8 at the funeral ceremonies, last weekend, in Uromi, for long-time top civil servant in the Old Bendel and later, Edo State, Frederick Okoruwa

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

11 Inside Lagos

Blue line rail system: How possible in 2022?

Stories by JOSHUA BASSEY

C

oncern is again being raised about the possibility of flagging off commercial operation of the Lagos blue line rail system by 2022 following the decision of All Progressives Congress (APC) to kick incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode out of office by 2019.

It is not, however, certain which of the political parties will win the 2019 governorship election in Lagos, although analysts say it will be a straight race between the ruling APC and the major opposition party- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A senior official of the Lagos State ministry of transportation, told Inside Lagos, on Friday that the decision of APC to remove Ambode from office by May 2019, may put spanner to the effective implementation of the agreement that the outgoing administration, on behalf of the state, entered into with Alstom SA of France to complete the rail system and get the phase running by 2022.

Completion dates for the blue line rail which construction started in 2009 and projected for completion 2012, have been shifted several times by the state government.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, a new administration will necessarily want to take some time to study details of the agreement signed with Alstom before giving approval for further implementation, whether or not it is of the same political party.

“It is not out of place for a new administration to look at what the previous administration had done

with regard to such agreement.

It is possible you discover some lapses or certain aspects of the agreement that may have been skewed to favour either of the parties. Where such is the case, the new government may want to correct such observed lapses. In doing so, there may be no guarantee that the agreed date to complete the project will still remain sacrosanct.

This is also not to say that the date can’t stand anyway, but it can also be changed,” said the official who, however, confirmed that the delay was caused by paucity of funds.

The Ambode-led administration through the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) announced in August this an agreement with Alstom SA of France towards the commencement of passengers’ operation of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) blue line system in 2022.

The agreement with the French firm followed what Abiodun Dabiri, the managing director of LAMATA, described as a comprehensive review of the rail project. The blue line rail ought to have commenced

passengers’ operation in 2012 but had been hindered by what Dabiri called “unforeseen third party issues and other challenges. The Marina to Mile 2 section of the project would be ready for passenger operation by 2022,” said Dabiri The state government had engaged consultants to carry out a technical review and due diligence on the implementation of the project, which substantially focused on civil works, and reported back to government that operation of the first phase may only commence in 2022.

“Following the report of the consultants engaged by the government, Alstom SA France, experienced international railway systems aggregator and rolling stocks manufacturer, with over 100 years of railway experience covering 60 countries, was engaged to review the report of the consultant. Alstom SA agreed with the submission of the consultant that the first phase of the rail project could only become operational in 2022 based on proposed funding pattern,” said Dabiri, who signed

LASG tasks engineers on professionalism

L

agos State commissioner for works and infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, has called on the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and its regulatory arm to uphold professionalism in service delivery to retain public trust.

Akinsanya, represented by his permanent secretary, Olujimi Hotonu, said this while delivering a lecture during the Investiture of Funmi Akingbagbohun as the 13th chairman of the Ikeja branch of the NSE in Lagos.

Akinsanya said that engineering was evolving and played special social roles in the society, hence the need for professionalism. “Professionalism is the lubricant for progress,’’ he said.

The commissioner also called on the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN) as regulator to ensure compliance to ethical standards.

Akinsanya urged engineers to continue developing their

capacity to enhance their performance in service delivery to the nation, in order to maintain the trust reposed in them by the public.

“The rights and privileges granted to engineers depend upon the maintenance of professionalism. It is the responsibility of all engineers to uphold the high standards of professional and ethical behavior for service delivery to the public.

He added that engineers were held in high esteem and they must uphold professional values in order not to breach public trust.

“Engineers possess specialised knowledge which they must maintain and expand throughout their careers,’’ Akinsanya said.

He commended the Ikeja branch whom he noted had performed “creditably well’’ in various dimensions.

President of the NSE, Adekunle Mokuolu, on his part,

urged members of the society to attend the forthcoming Annual General Meeting in Abuja which was targeted at revolutionising the NSE. “The conference would allow those in the infrastructure value chain to showcase products and competencies,’’ he said.

He said that the Ikeja branch of the society has always been known for excellence, which must be maintained.

Mokuolu urged the new chairman to continue on the path of excellence, promote teamwork and capacity building, as well as build on the legacies of his predecessors.

Akingbagbohun pledged capacity building and various revolutionary programmes for the branch. She promised to increase public and private sector involvement in the activities of the branch and give prominence to youth engineering development and other key sectors.

the agreement on behalf of Lagos Ambode’s approval.

Dabiri said that a consortium of experts engaged by the state government to undertake a technical due diligence on the LRMT developed a roadmap which was accepted by the government to bring the railway project to passenger operations.

The consortium, according to Dabiri, in its final report outlined their findings and proposed a road map to complete the civil infrastructure works and the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) infrastructure that will be needed for the commencement of passenger operation.

He stated that based on the final report submitted, “the consortium of Alstom Transport SA France has been engaged for the procurement, engineering, construction, installation of operation & Maintenance (O&M) moveable infrastructure and commissioning of railway systems towards the commencement of passenger operations for LRMT Blue Line project from Marina to

Mile 2.”

Highlighting the extent of works to be carried out by Alstom SA, Dabiri said that for ease of implementation, the work plan had been divided into two phases.

Phase one, he said, was aimed at demonstrating the non-public operation of the existing rolling stock before end of second quarter of 2019.

“For this purpose, a track length of about 3.0 km from Iganmu station to National Theatre will be electrified. This operation would be done with the rolling stocks already supplied for the Blue Line project. This phase would allow the completion of all the preliminary works that would lead to the financing of the main works in phase two.

Phase one will be fully financed

by Lagos State Government through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),” he stated.

Phase two, which is expected to be completed in 39 months would entail the provision and installation of railway operations’ systems for the project from Marina to Mile 2 and the delivery of a passenger ready Lagos blue rail line by 2022.

The blue line project is of strategic importance for Lagos as it will enable people to travel safe and fast across longer distances. The integration with existing transport systems like buses or boat lines, and future metro lines will largely contribute to the global transport plan for Lagos to reduce traffic congestion.

The blue line when complete will be composed of a 27km line with 13 stations from Okokomaiko to Marina. The phase 1 and 2 of this line will cover a distance of 12km out of which 4km on viaduct and 5 stations.

Women Run 2018: We expect highly competitive race — Coordinator

O

rganisers of Bet9ja Lagos Women Run 2018 say they expect a highly competitive race among the participants when the event gets underway in Lagos.

The 3rd edition of the Bet9ja Lagos Women Run will hold on November 10, from 6.30 am.

The Run is expected to attract no fewer than 10,000 runners who are expected to race through 15 historical locations in Lagos.

The Women Run will start off from the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island and finish at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

The coordinator of the Women Run, Tayo Popoola said on Friday that she expected a tough challenge amongst the runners.

According to her, besides the keen nature of the competition, it would also be fun having the women run.

“All the agencies responsible

for the logistics are all ready for this all important run. We have actually engaged the best hands for handling of the logistics.

“All the logistics from the security, to the technical staff, to the volunteers and the traffic management team are well on ground to provide the necessary cover.

“As far as we are concerned, we are all running and it will be highly competitive, we will not allow runners to jump the line.

“To forestall any breach, we have made perfect arrangements with all the security outfits, the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, (LASTMA) and host of others,” she said.

Popoola said that the 15 historical sites the runners would pass were just for sight-seeing, as there would not be any stopover.

“The historical sites we are running past will just be for sightseeing; there wont be any stopover.

12

C002D5556

Comment

comment is free

Send 800word comments to comment@businessdayonline.com

Lagos and the campaign against drug abuse

Publisher/CEO

Frank Aigbogun editor Zebulon Agomuo DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja assistant EDITOR Chuks Oluigbo

Tayo Ogunbiyi

NEWS EDITOR Patrick Atuanya

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

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SERVICES Oghenevwoke Ighure GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERT Adeola Ajewole ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Patrick Ijegbai CIRCULATION MANAGER John Okpaire DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

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

Sunday 11 November 2018

A

ccording to World Health Organization (WHO), about 76.3 million people struggle with drug addiction, contributing to 1.8 million deaths per year. Drug addiction, no doubt, has distressing and extremely awful consequences on the society.

Violence, social deviance, mental disorders, upsurge in crime, corruption; destruction of individuals, erosion of societal values, undermining of national economies and premature death are some of the consequences of drug addiction.

With a view to tackling this social malady, the Lagos State government recently flagged off the Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse (LASKADA) to complement other such existing government’s efforts towards tackling drug abuse in the State.

The initiative adopts a tripod approach comprising events, engagements with stakeholders and awareness campaign. The campaign started with a 1,000-man walk against drug abuse in which the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and his wife, Bolanle Am-

bode, and other top government functionaries actively took part.

For obvious reason, the campaign’s main target is the youth who are most vulnerable when it comes to drug abuse and other related matters. Without a doubt, the youth represents the largest population in Nigeria and is, therefore, considered the most susceptible group as far as drug and issues are concerned.

A recent United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Report shows that the age of first use in the country is 10-29 years. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the increasing level of drug abuse and drug trafficking among Nigerian youths. According to the NDLEA, the situation had been worsened by the affordability of substance of abuse such as cough syrups, lizard wastes, gums and cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp. Considering the delicate and sensitive position of the youth within the society, drug addiction among them remains a major threat to national growth and development.

The ingenuity introduced into substance misuse and abuse with complex mixtures, experimentation and new discoveries among young people should be a source of great concern to any people oriented government. Youth involvement in this maladaptive and antisocial behavior would, no doubt, aggravates their involvement in crimes such as h as robbery, stealing, kidnapping, cybercrime, rape, domestic violence, murder, suicide,

among others.

Currently, the Lagos State government has enlisted the service of female football superstar, Asisat Osoala, who is the current African Female Footballer of the Year as Ambassador in the campaign against drug abuse. This move is quite strategic because of the erroneous notion among the youths that without drug use, success cannot be attained in the fields of sports and entertainment. Thus, it is expected that the involvement of an accomplished superstar of Osoala stature in the campaign would clearly help drive home this point.

It is hoped that more superstars in the sports, arts and entertainment industry would come on board this laudable project.

Other initiatives that have earlier been put in place by the State government to deal with the scourge of drug abuse include the establishment of youth-friendly centers in all the Local Government Areas as well as Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) to serve as venue for relaxation and recreation and to further engage the youth in productive venture so that the menace of drug abuse could be drastically eradicated.

Establishment of drug dependent rehabilitation centre by the State government equally gives support to youths who are addicted to drugs.

In order to ensure that the various commitments of the State government in tackling drug abuse are not in vain, other stakeholders need to join hands with the government to put up a common front against

this scourge. Environmental influence, especially during childhood, is a very important factor in drug addiction. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs, or who engage in criminal behavior, can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems. Friends and acquaintances can also have an increasingly strong influence during adolescence.

Hence, parents and guardians need to demonstrate exemplary conducts that would inculcate the right moral values in their children.

Equally, parents must spend more time with their children so could observe their various developmental stages with keen interest with a view to ensuring that any bad habit noticed in them are swiftly nipped in the bud before they become too complicated.

Undue struggles for economic survival should not be a justification for parents to neglect their natural role in the proper of upbringing of their children. Of what essence is a family’s financial solidity if the children are not properly brought up? It is only when parents spend ample time with their children that they could really notice negative vices and in traits in them and quickly nips such in the bud.

Also, the NDLEA and other similar law enforcement agencies must step up the clampdown on the production and illicit trafficking of banned substances. As long as these substances remain in circulation, the youths will always be tempted into consuming them.

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

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

Enquiries NEWS ROOM 08023283822 07031029998 Lagos 08033160837 Abuja

}

ADVERTISING 01-2799108 08034743892 08033225506 SUBSCRIPTIONS 01-2799108 07032496069 07054563299 DIGITAL SERVICES 08026011296 www.businessdayonline.com The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.

01-2799100 Legal Advisers The Law Union

Mission Statement To be a diversified provider of superior business, financial and management intelligence across platforms accessible to our customers anywhere in the world.

OUR Core Values

BusinessDay avidly thrives on the mainstay of our core values of being The Fourth Estate, Credible, Independent, Entrepreneurial and Purpose-Driven.

• The Fourth Estate: We take pride in being guarantors of liberal economic thought • Credible: We believe in the principle of being objective, fair and fact-based • Independent: Our quest for liberal economic thought means that we are independent of private and public interests.

• Entrepreneurial: We constantly search for new opportunities, maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do • Purpose-Driven: We are committed to assembling a team of highly talented and motivated people that share our vision, while treating them with respect and fairness. www.businessdayonline.com

Sunday 11 November 2018

13

C002D5556

Perspective

How Akpabio’s exit from PDP takes the shine off Akwa Ibom EMMA UMOHINYANG

T

hough Akwa Ibom State was created over two decades ago, it barely came to national and international consciousness under former Governor Godswill Akpabio.

This was largely due to the fact that despite what many saw as disadvantages, were several potentials to be tapped, thus, what was then required was the right leadership to lift it from a poor state to a level that its potentials could be fully tapped for the benefit of its people.

Recall that back then, many saw Akwa Ibomites as backward in view of its hundreds of exports to big cities, including Lagos and Abuja to work as house helps, especially cooks.

This was largely due to poverty, escalated by a large army of young people who never went to school.

But this changed with the coming of Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio who fought a major battle to realise his quest of becoming the governor of his state.

Having been a major player in the government of his predecessor, Obong Victor Attah, Akpabio left no one in doubt that he could change the fortunes of Akwa Ibom and its people for the better.

Less than two years in the saddle, the state once referred to as a haven of illiterates and cooks had shed that toga through conscious efforts.

Akpabio did this by working meticulously with a master-plan that took into consideration the issues impeding the growth and development of the state and their solutions.

As someone who had the benefit of experience, he used his wide contacts to change Akwa Ibom from a civil service state in no time.

Not only did he build enduring structures urgently needed to change the narrative, he also got the right persons to deliver the goods no matter where they were.

Across the three senatorial districts of the state, not only did he build solid classroom structures, he equally motivated teachers to give their best by re-training and motivating them.

He equally partnered the House of Assembly to ensure that the monster called illiteracy was banished by enacting a law making education free and compulsory.

Akpabio Consequently, it was mandatory for every child of school age in the state to be in school, even as there was stiff penalty for child-trading during school hours. Little did Akpabio know that this would have a multiplier effect as public schools received a major boost and many indigenes outside the state came back home to take advantage of the initiative.

Across critical sectors, Akpabio’s signature projects were

Instead of finding ways and means of moving Akwa Ibom forward, blackmail of the Akpabio administration has suddenly become the stock-intrade of this administration

evident -health, housing, transportation, sports, roads, tourism and more.

It was therefore, little wonder that the civil service state of those days, suddenly became a Mecca of sorts for people across the world.

Based on documented evidence, the Akpabio administration started and completed over 400 projects across the length and breadth of the state in a record eight years. These are enduring projects never seen in many parts of this country, especially, the South-South region of Nigeria.

For instance, not a single of the hundreds of kilometers of roads awarded to reputable contractors, including Julius Berger has a single pot-hole after over ten years of construction.

This is a credit to an administration, which gave tremendous attention to details in the award of contracts. The question many ask today is: Did Akpabio leave government business with his magic? This is no doubt a pertinent question in view of the rot that Akwa Ibom has suddenly descended into in the last three years.

Today, one does not need to be told that the “golden era” has suddenly disappeared into thin air under Governor Udom Emmanuel. This is evident in the fact that the state has been like a rudderless ship under Governor Emmanuel who took

over from Akpabio. This was a man who received so much support from Akpabio, though created enemies for him within the PDP then.

No one could have ever imagined what we are today confronted with in view of Emmanuel’s impeccable credentials.

This was a man who rose to the level of an Executive Director in a major bank before joining the government.

Like Akpabio, he had also been schooled at the highest level in handling of government business, having been a top official of the immediate past administration.

Many also saw his age as an advantage as he is expected to have the energy to face the challenges of office. But what has been the scorecard of Governor Emmanuel as the helmsman of Akwa Ibom State three and half years after?

Unfortunately, not only has he halted the achievements left by Akpabio, he has virtually put the state in reverse gear.

Many citizens of the state are at a loss regarding the propaganda they are daily hearing from the government of the state for non-performance.

Akwa Ibomites are confused over what to believe as excuses keep springing up on a daily basis.

For instance, Governor Emmanuel recently told the media that the reason for the failure of

his government was largely due to recession.

In another breath, he blamed it on the value of the naira, saying what his predecessor achieved with the naira then, can’t be achieved with the value of the currency today. The good thing however, is that the people are discerning and would therefore, not fall for half truth.

In neighbouring Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has done so much within the last three and half years in terms of projects.

So confident is Wike that he invited many former Heads of State and governors to commission projects in his state. The story is similar in Cross River State which has widened its industrialisation gap and even invited President Muhammadu Buhari to commission projects.

The question to ask therefore is: How were these governors able to do what they have been able to do while Governor Emmanuel has lived in an atmosphere of excuses for his failure? The answer simply is capacity. The capacity to harness human and material resources for the betterment of the people is simply lacking.

Instead of finding ways and means of moving Akwa Ibom forward, blackmail of the Akpabio administration has suddenly become the stock-in-trade of this administration.

Was this what earned Akpabio the respect he commands both in and outside Akwa Ibom State today? This is a man who has demonstrated capacity at every given opportunity to the glory of God and humanity.

As the Minority Leader of the Senate, his colleagues respected him each time he stood up to speak for the opposition in the hallowed chamber, and still do, despite moving to the APC. This was a man who was handling such position for the first time, and he showed dexterity. That is leadership.

Ever since he started representing his senatorial district, his record in terms of deliverables is unprecedented.

In less than four years into his stewardship, he has attracted projects worth over N20billion to his zone as their elected representative. The good thing is that with the coming of 2019 elections, the chicken will soon come home to roost in the state. Where the pendulum will swing is sure as the disarray in the PDP camp after Akpabio left has left no one in doubt where the people will go.

Umohinyang writes from Abuja

14 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Politics

Nigeria will fare better under you Adejare Rewane Adegbenro, an entrepreneur, was born into two political dynasties. His paternal grandfather was the late Premier of the defunct Western Region. On the other side, his maternal grandfather was the late Pro-Democracy crusader and financial of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Pa Alfred Rewane.

In this interview with ZEBULON AGOMUO, he spoke extensively on state of the nation and proffered solutions to some of the problems facing the country. Excerpts:

I

May we know your view on the state of the nation? must confess that it has not been easy at all; the way we are seeing things since this government came into office. They try to do their best, but their best has not been good enough. Well, there is always room for improvement.

In fact, one aspect that is getting everybody worried presently is the volume of lives that we have lost in this country in last threeand-a-half years which is too enormous. Thankfully, however, the government is putting in a lot of efforts to see the killings stopped and there are positive results towards that angle.

Let us remember that President Buhari is just a single person. So, it is our collective responsibility to rally round him and his administration to help him succeed in all his efforts to make Nigeria better for all and sundry. So, the government should come out with more bold plans to stem these killings especially in the north.

Then, the poverty aspect of it, many Nigerians are suffering now. And the government is doing their very best to see that the down-trodden people are empowered with all sorts of empowerment schemes and programmes and all that. Buhari should be commended for his administration’s efforts on agriculture which he is bringing back as the mainstay of our economy.

After all, we are now proudly eating Nigeria Made Rice across the country. Yet, there are other sectors the President is performing wonders that are not in the public domain.

We often blame the past administrations for our present woes. But I don’t want us to continue to engage in this buckpassing and blame game.

When a government gets into office, they know what they want to do before getting into office. You just have to get down and do the job. If past administrations were blamed for the mess and they have accepted their faults, what else are we expecting from them? So, we should stop the blame game and settle down to perform as

Adejare Rewane Adegbenro

expected.

More importantly, we have not been able to tackle the education problem of our children.

That is another area that constitutes problem for the country.

When Chief Obafemi Awolowo was campaigning, I read his last campaign in the paper where he said that, those who make education of their children impossible would suffer for it sooner than later. And we are now realising it. And majority of those involved in killings and maiming are not knowledgeable, they are not educated, they take drugs.

Sadly however, majority of them are being sponsored by politicians. Majority of them, sadly are also not from this country. They are likely imported to destabilise this country and everybody is just looking.

What then do you think can be done to arrest the ugly trend?

I believe that it is the duty

of government to make sure that all our borders are secure.

Let the government close the borders for about six months or so and see what would happen.

Our borders are porous and that is why you see the influx of nationals of neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, Chad, Benin Republic and so on into Nigeria unchecked. Strangers just besiege Nigeria because of the impression that we are big with abundant resources to go round. They come here to do all sorts of things. They may take over this country if given the opportunity to do so. So it is left for our government to look inward and see what exactly we can do to stop all this nonsense.

How would you assess former leaders when they were in power?

You see, like I said earlier, don’t let us get involved in passing buck and trading blames because we won’t get anywhere.

Whether we like it or not, past leaders have done their best. We should be tired of hearing that the administration of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that ruled for 16 years ruined this country. I am even surprised listening to Godswill Akpabio, who was with the PDP before joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying PDP didn’t do anything for this country. He has forgotten so soon that he was part of that administration!

He was governor for eight years and then senator on the platform of that PDP; he is now castigating, and interestingly, Akpabio constructed the best stadium in this country in Akwa Ibom when he was governor! And he joins the chorus that PDP did not do anything for the country. Are you getting my point?

When former President Olusegun Obasanjo was there for eight years, he was the one who paid all our debts. Well, he

did not pay with his money; he used his personality, his international connections to make sure that we were forgiven. And our creditors wrote off our debts.

And that is a feat and Nigeria has forgotten about that. To me, whether we like it or not, past leaders have done their best.

President Buhari is there today.

And it would not be a surprise if he goes tomorrow and people start saying he did not do anything while in office. But we all know that there are certain areas that he has done well and will still do more before he finally bows out. But there must be improvement and he has to do more since it is his turn to be there today. So, I think by and large, I don’t want to get involved in blaming past leaders and all that. They have come, seen and conquered in their own little ways.

Don’t you think that recycling of the old people is affecting governance in this country?

Well, what I will say is that it is high time we adopted the system whereby the youth with younger and versatile brain come up to rule this country. My children, whenever I have problem with my phones of whatever brand, you will see the way these three, four-year old would handle the fault! I cannot do it with my age and my experience and exposure. Whenever I exhausted my data, I will just call on them to help me out because it seems they had got special training from the womb that make them more advanced than us, technologically. And the way we are talking and seeing things, they are not seeing and talking that way. They are more current in global events than us. So, let us now encourage the younger ones, who now have better ideas about how a country should be governed to come up and take the leadership mantles of this country. We should do the right thing and stop our engagement in blame game.

As far as I am concerned, I want the old people to allow the vibrant younger people to come up and get involved in governance. When we have 40year old people, who are already professors in this country, what

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 15

Politics

unger leaders - Adegbenro else do you want 80-year old people to be doing in political offices? Let this older politicians take the back seat and handle advisory roles behind the curtains.

After all, they have been there since Independence. What else do they want? They should step aside and allow the younger ones to take the centre stage.

Are the youth themselves ready for leadership roles?

That is the challenge now.

Are the youth ready for service or are they still dreaming of riding bigger cars and living in big houses in Lekki or Victoria Island in Lagos or choicest areas in Abuja, Kano, Port-Harcourt or Enugu? Anybody who wants to rule this country must have in mind service to the people and not because of affluence. When you want to serve, you should remember your people are suffering and you want them to see you as a disciplined person. Your lifestyle should be the type that every person around you would want to emulate. You have to serve as a role model in your immediate environment.

The youth coming to office should be ready to eradicate the idea of long convoy to safe cost.

What baffles me is that all of us travel abroad and we see what is obtainable there. We go to Britain, we go to America and we go to France. Where did we see what we are practising in Nigeria? The money that should be used in taking care of the masses is being squandered on the retinue of cars and aides. Everybody here would have Police Escort.

There was a day I was in the train in Britain with Mr. Cameron. He just sat quietly by the window reading newspapers. And that has not taken anything out of his image as the leader of that great country. Nobody stood up for him.

People still put the blame on the presidential system of government we are operating.

Do you agree with that?

I am telling you honestly, if we are asked to go for referendum now, I will mobilise and campaign for people to go for parliamentary system of government. It is this presidential system that has brought corruption and all other vices over us. We are wasting too much money and resources on the presidential system. We are not ripe for it. Even Britain, as advanced as they are, still practise parliamentary system. It is only in America that presidential system is in operation because they have passed through many stages before the system came to stay. We have not got to that stage. There is no discipline here in Nigeria. So, how do you want

us to continue this presidential system? There is no amount of policies and manifestoes that can reduce corruption under the system. This is simply because the money involved in the system would make it impossible to stop corruption. The best we can do is to let Nigerians come out and decide. If I were the president today, I will come out and say, I have done my best and my best may not be enough. The way I look at it, I suggest we go back to the parliamentary system. And if Nigerians so divide over it, then, let us go to referendum. It is then that Nigerians will decide for whoever is on the seat whether we want the parliamentary system or presidential system.

Sadly, we missed that opportunity. Some people just woke up and foisted the presidential brand on us. There was no referendum to decide that.

In parliamentary system, Chief Awolowo became a member of the parliament as an Ikenne honourable in the Western Region. He got to the parliament from Ikenne and became a Leader/Premier. Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola contested from Ogbomoso; he became a member of the House of Representatives and became the Opposition Leader. My grandfather, Chief Dauda Soroye Adegbenro contested from Ifo in the current

Ogun State, he got to the parliament and became a Minister.

Awolowo appointed him parliamentary Secretary and then Minister of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. These were the people voted for at the grassroots and they knew their people’s needs. If any of them was not doing well, others would accuse him and remove him because they were all the same in the Chambers.

But here now, we have the executives doing whatever they like. We also have legislators who screen Ministers before appointment and then after appointment, the Ministers become their Landlords that could not be controlled any more.

In fact, in this country today, parliamentary system is the sole solution to all our problems.

Can’t restructuring of the country serve same purpose?

I believe in restructuring very well. When you look at restructuring, it means you will sit down to decide what goes where in terms of allocation of resources and revenues from Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission. I remember in Western Region when my grandfather was there. The region was lending Federal Government money from cocoa.

They were richer than the centre. But the presidential system

You know when you educate the youth; you will engage them with jobs. And government cannot employ everybody. Then, government should encourage enabling environment for the private sector to set up industries like we had in the past

has destroyed all this. And they did it intentionally so that our people would not have enough money to upstage them. They vandalised our education system as well as other credible things. So, what we are saying is, what is the Federal Government’s business in agriculture?

Put up the policy, give money to the states and local governments and let them go and utilise it. Then there would be healthy competition between the states. That is what was obtainable years back when the regions were in competition.

The Eastern Region would say ‘Second to None’, the Western Region would say ‘First in Africa’ because of the way they were developing. But today, they have vandalised the whole thing.

When Awolowo declared self-rule, Ahmadu Bello wrote to congratulate him. But he said the north was not ready for three reasons. One, there was no manpower, two, the education was not there, then three, no civilisation. So, we can restructure so that all the regions could be able to develop at their own pace.

Do you believe in the unity of this country?

Yes, I believe in the unity of the country if the leaders work towards it. My father is Yoruba from the West. My mother is from the South-south. I have a child from the north. Why wouldn’t I believe in a united Nigeria?! But there is impunity in the system. The appointments are being lopsided. Yoruba are the only people that are very accommodating in this country. When Chief Obasanjo was President, he told some Yoruba leaders and elders who visited

him that he was President of the whole of Nigeria and not President of Yoruba. Let other leaders do same before we start clamouring for unity.

What is your advice to Nigerians towards 2019 general election?

My advice to the incoming politicians is to have spirit of service. That they are not coming for selfish agenda but to serve the people. Selfless service like Awolowo’s. What do you need four cars for! Two cars are ok.

One for you and the other one for your family. So, if they have spirit of service and they really serve selflessly, Nigeria will be better for it. That is the truth of the matter. Politicians should be warned to do things right and beware of mass revolution. We know of countries where it was the civil uprising that swept the government out of power. And if things go worse, revolution cannot be ruled out in Nigeria.

On a final note, how can we stop the killings in Nigeria?

Let government continue to invest heavily in education.

When you educate the people, you have made them to be intelligent and would know the evil effects of drugs. Can an educated person strap explosives on his body to kill himself? Then, massive youth employment is another vital issue. You know when you educate the youth; you will engage them with jobs.

And government cannot employ everybody. Then, government should encourage enabling environment for the private sector to set up industries like we had in the past. Only industries are capable of employing thousands of people. So, a country of gainfully engaged youths would always be peaceful.

16 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Politics

I am in the presidential race to provi Davidson Isibor Akhimien, a businessman, retired military officer, minister of the gospel and president, Association of Licensed Private Securities Practitioners in Nigeria, is the presidential candidate of Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN) in the 2019 general elections. In this interview with MICHAEL ANI and BUNMI BAILEY, Akhimien speaks on his foray into politics, why he wants to be president of Nigeria and how he will tackle the country’s myriad problems if elected. Excerpts: Why are you in the 2019 presidential race? What’s your motivation? o many people have asked me in the past about my motivations for going into politics and running for the post of president. I tell them that growing up in this country, we had a lot of expectation for our nation and I belong to that generation of people that today constitutes what can be called a bridge between the old and the new. Being 53 years old, I have hope for a better nation – a nation with good infrastructure, a nation with high moral value, a nation where development will be seen to thrive in the entire landscape of the country, a nation that will be stirred by visionary leadership, especially given the abundant resources we have been blessed with by God. But when you look at Nigeria in retrospect and you do a comparative analysis of nations that got their independence shortly before and immediately after Nigeria, such as India and Malaysia, you will discover that Nigeria is lagging behind these nations.

Today, these nations have attained giant strides in the area of technology; they have been able to move their people from poverty to attainment of good life.

Look at a nation like Singapore.

You begin to ask, what is it that is missing in Nigeria? In terms of terms of resources, we are there; human capital and materials are in abundance. Nigerians perform very well outside of the country in their different spheres of interest and endeavour but back home, the story is different. It will appear that successive governments have not been able to inspire the average Nigerian. Look at the ratio of unemployment of our youths today, look at the number of out-of-school children. It is very difficult for an average family to afford three square meals in a nation that is blessed with abundant resources and arable land.

So, there is just no reason whatsoever for Nigerians to be going through what they are going through today except for the fact that there is a lack of visionary leadership to galvanize people and resources for the attainment of a common goal, and that is why I am stepping in because I will always say that it is not rocket science to bring all

S

these things to bear. Other countries have done it, countries that do not have as much as we have.

Just a few years ago, Rwanda was a country that was going through turmoil but today, they have been able to rise up from that, but we are still crawling. The nation has so dwindled that we need to pick it up at the domestic front before we can be recognized again internationally the way we were recognized before.

If elected president, what are you bringing to the table?

After a thorough analysis, one has been able to discover what the problems are for us as a nation. One of the problems we need to fix, because you cannot build on faulty foundation, is on our ability to harmonize relations across all ethnic and tribal groups.

The fault-line in our nation is found in the area of ethnicity and religion. This has brought about social misconstructions and so, everything we try to build comes crumbling like a pack of cards. We need to address this problem; that

Davidson Isibor Akhimien

is why the cry of restructuring is so loud today. So, we are going to be looking at the issue of restructuring but restructuring in the context of national cohesion.

We are going to be looking at the areas that we need to restructure without necessarily affecting our being together as a nation.

All of these years, it is sad to see a state, for example, that is so agriculturally endowed yet there are no processing plants or even a storage facility for agricultural products.

This issue of sharing money has spoilt our governors that they don’t think productively any longer. It has made them so lazy, that is why today you can see that states cannot afford to pay salaries to their workers because they are waiting for federal allocation, when resources abound in their states. They are not business-minded. Beyond oil and gas that we are depending on today that has made us a monoculture economy, the largest asset that we can tap in is human

capital. As I said earlier, Nigerian professionals are found to be excelling in their different areas of endeavour in the diaspora. Some of the best doctors in America are Nigerians; some of the best scientists in America who have recorded feats are Nigerians.

The rate of youth unemployment today is almost 18 percent and these are persons that have great potential but opportunities are not given to them to excel. Some of our youths have come out with innovative products, innovations of local technology, but they have not been encouraged by the government. So, my administration will try to see how to bring Nigerians together because as it stands now, we are not together if the truth is told. There is what is called ‘the business of government’, which is running government in a routine manner with proper standards to ensure that there is good governance.

Beyond that, my administration is going to be a government of business and by this I mean that every sector of government must be productive for themselves. My government is going to ensure that we yield maximum dividend even from governance.

There is not going to be waste of resources, both human and material. The civil service is so bloated. We are going to see how to redirect the energies and capacities of civil servants in other areas and maintain a slim, functional, virile civil service. A situation where civil servants just go to work and sleep on the table should not be encouraged.

Also, recruiting people into the civil service as political patronage should not be encouraged. Every single Nigerian must be seen to be productive in whatever they are doing.

Looking at the civil unrest that we have seen in the country, how do you intend to drive an inclusive government?

Politicians have brought about this feeling of animosity between groups, ethnic and otherwise.

The Nigerian project has become elusive as a result of selfish interest of our politicians. As I said in the past, growing up, we had civic education as part of our curriculum in primary and secondary school. The spirit of patriotism was driven into us as a result of these teachings imparted into us by the curriculum and so we saw Nigeria as a common ownership,

but not anymore. That is why I said today, there needs to be a paradigm shift and that paradigm shift is going to be a shift from the old order to a new order, a new Nigeria where though tribe and tongues may differ in brotherhood we will all stand as one. So, we are raising new Nigerians that will begin to see their country with pride and must continue to hold new values of nationhood. The spirit of a true Nigerian resides in me and I will bring that to bear in governance. One of the problems that we have had in the past is that some persons from different groups feel short-changed and disenfranchised as a result of the actions of government. Hence, we need to imbibe national character in education, making appointments, allotting positions. Some government actions are not justifiable within the context of our plural nature as a country.

Two things that are very dear to the masses are education and health. Over the years, allocations to these sectors have been minimal. How are you going to change this?

Education will need an emergency intervention. My position on education is actually very radical because I am one who has been very educated and I went to public schools, not private schools. I can tell you that the standard of education while we were growing up is nothing compared to what we have today. I go through social media communications and as an employer of labour, I have the privilege of interviewing graduates of tertiary institutions that are seeking jobs and I can tell you that I see degradation and devaluation of our education. It is sad that graduates cannot construct simple tenses. I read all of this and I ask myself, where have we got it wrong as a nation? Human capacity development is one of the greatest investments you can give to any nation. They say show me the nation of tomorrow by showing me the youths of today. What our nation will become tomorrow depends on the quality of the youths that it has today and that quality is determined by the quality of their mental capacity (their education). What is the quality of our education today?

Infrastructure, education facilities and educational instruction are below average. So for me, it is critical and it is going to be an emergency intervention. We are

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 17

Politics

ide visionary leadership – Akhimien going to ensure that we make education compulsory and there are going to be sanctions. In building a new Nigeria, we are going to have to start with the youths of today who are the future of this country. We will revisit our educational curriculum and bring in certain subjects that tend to build patriotism and unite us, and we will make our curriculum suit our needs as a people and as a society.

The 21st century is a digital economy and so, we have to lay emphasis on science, engineering and technology in order to be competitive in the international community with regard to scientific development. Our research institutes have not been given any attention by the government.

Researches drive development, but here there is no focus on research. Researchers have been frustrated and most times results of researches have been put to use by foreign governments for development but we never pay attention to research.

So, our approach to education is that we are going to ensure that the ivory tower contributes meaningfully, directly by way of research to government programmes and policies. There must be a direct impact of research from tertiary institutions on governance. The academia must play their role and find their place in governance and national development. There is also going to be a de-emphasis on paper qualifications. So, we are going to set up more vocational institutions. It is not compulsory that everyone goes to the university. We have university graduates riding motorcycles, tricycles today in Nigeria.

We are going to emphasise skills, more vocational and technical institutes and a deliberate policy on ensuring that persons from these institutes, upon graduation, are empowered by way of funding to start small-scale businesses, meaning that our economy will be private sector-driven.

Talking about health, it is sad that we have this poor healthcare delivery system and as our population continues to increase in geometric proportions, our healthcare delivery system and planning need to catch up, if not overtake, for us to be in good standing with the United Nations standard. We are going to be looking at three things when it comes to healthcare – accessibility, availability, and affordability.

With regard to availability, there is going to be a boost in primary healthcare facilities because the greatest numbers of vulnerable persons with regard to healthcare are low-income earners, people living in rural areas. Middleclass Nigerians and the rich are able to afford healthcare overseas. That is why my party is all about development. So, for us to improve the healthcare system, we are going

to expand the number of healthcare facilities in our rural areas and ensure that they are properly staffed and equipped, and it is not just to talk but we will see it done.

This is not campaign talk, we will see it through. And you will notice the high cost of drugs as well. The number of people dying because of lack of affordability of drugs and treatments is so much. So, we will begin to look at what to do.

Being a security expert, what will you do to tackle the insecurity issues in the country, especially Boko Haram insurgency?

What will you do differently?

The first thing I must mention here is that the genesis of the issue of Boko Haram is more of a political matter than a religious one.

And that is why, when I become president, I am going to be adopting a political economy approach to resolving the Boko Haram crisis while not also forgetting the approach of military action. By the political economy approach, I am asking certain questions: where are the resources that are sustaining the Boko Haram coming from?

So, for me we will get to where the resources are coming from and block them. There is also the ideological aspect of the Boko Haram.

It is difficult to win an ideological war with a military approach because the ideology is planted in the soul of the man. So the approach we are going to adopt is a psychological-operations approach which in civilian term means massive de-radicalization exercise of foot-soldiers. In carrying this out, we are going to use the instruments of the mass media

One of the mistakes we have been making as a nation for long is that government is taking on everything – employment creation, the burden of having to take people off the streets, etc

appropriately, the religious faith houses and the instruments of welfare. This de-radicalization exercise is going to be sustained at very high tempo. Then with regard to military actions, we are going to be looking at our borders which are sill porous even till today. We are going to put in place better effective methods to secure our borders and bring about redeployment of our armed forces to better defend the territorial integrity of our nation. So, as I said, we will adopt the political economy approach, military approach and psychological approach.

What reforms are you going to put in place to create an enabling environment for private sector investments?

One of the mistakes we have been making as a nation for long is that government is taking on everything – employment creation, the burden of having to take people off the streets, etc – that is why the budget on the recurrent expenditure is so bloated because the workforce in the government is so bloated but yet not as productive as it should be.

My government is going to take a different tangent to create enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. Most economics that have done very well in the world today, especially the recent Asian Tigers – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and all others – have been private sector-driven. But the requisite infrastructure necessary for this

industrialization to take off, especially energy, has to be in place.

It is a sad thing that over the years, billions of dollars have been spent, yet we didn’t get much to show for it. So, I am saying, why settle for traditional hydro method of power generation? If the hydro method is not giving us enough, why don’t we explore other sources of power generation, transmission and distribution? For example, you have the option of solar. We have very clear skies and very sunny lands, and we can harvest sunlight even better than most European countries that are using solar in some part of their power generation today.

So, why not us explore solar?

China has one of the biggest solar farms and wherever you go in the world today, you see solar as a form of power generation working properly.

Why can’t we import that technology, develop it here in order to increase our electricity distribution? Apart from solar, you also have wind. The technology is available in other climes. We can borrow this technology, adapt it to our environment so that we can have more power generated in order to drive industrialization.

You also have gas and we have gas in abundance. In sum, what I am saying is, let us explore all options available to us. The political will to do it is what is required and in the spirit of restructuring, we can decentralize this power generation and transmission techniques

and each state that can afford to take up the power project on their own for their state, they should be allowed to do so.

How do you intend to achieve all these given the country’s limited resources?

Having identified what the problems are, the solutions are what we are now after, how to bring about these solutions with the limited resources. I said we are going to run our government like a business. We are haemorrhaging in almost every aspect of our society. We are going to identify the areas for revenue generation beyond oil. First, we have a five pillar point that we are addressing. One is agriculture. It’s our belief that a nation that cannot feed itself cannot do anything else. If you cannot feed yourself as a nation, then you have not started. So for us, agriculture is not going to be for subsistence alone as it is today, it is going to be expanded with policy thrust and implementation on massive mechanised agriculture with the introduction of agricultural technology. We have all it takes to feed Africa and indeed the world.

We have vast and arable land, favourable climatic conditions and we have the knowhow; all it now takes is for leadership to leverage on this. We intend to become an export-dependent economy using agriculture as a launch pad.

Agricultural commodities that abound in the nation are very widely and highly sought after in the international market. We will identify those, make sure that we invest massively in them, open up markets for these products and see how we can make agriculture compete with oil in terms of revenue generation.

Today, industrial capacity production in Nigeria has fallen to almost -2, -3 percent, from about 13 percent that we used to be in 2015 or before that. Industries are leaving the country in droves to other countries where there are better conditions for doing business. People are losing their jobs in hundreds of thousands. Hence, we need to embark on massive industrialization in our rural areas so as to be able to engage our youths and reduce the burden of unemployment on government.

Our approach to Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) is going to be such that we go into international commitments looking for industries that can make use of raw materials that we have in different parts of this country, situate the industries here, give such business conglomerates tax holidays so that it will encourage them to invest here. That way, it is a winwin situation for us and the foreign partners. With this, our youths will be employed, technology will be transferred, our people will be empowered, and our economy will get a boost again.

18 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Politics

Stiffer sanctions against INEC officials in Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill: How realistic?

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja

W

ith three months to the 2019 general election, the fourth version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill recently passed by the National Assembly has come under serious scrutiny.

Although Nigerians from different spectrum of the divide have expressed divergent views on whether President Muhammadu Buhari should sign the bill into law once it is transmitted to him, they are unanimous on the need for stiffer sanctions for officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), especially those who take undue advantage of the lacuna in the current legal framework for elections.

For instance, in the Osun State governorship election held in September, a staff of the electoral body, Salawu Mutiu Kolawole, was arrested by party supporters at Ayedaade Local Government Area for alleged tearing an INEC result sheets believed to be under contention. Although Kolawole admitted that a superior officer called him and directed him to proceed to St. Peter’s in Ayedaade to tear the controversial result sheets, the two INEC officials went scot-free.

Perhaps, it is for offences like these that made federal lawmakers tighten the noose in the gaps in the Electoral Act by adopting stiffer sanctions not only for INEC officials but also for political parties and media houses.

Some of the clauses that provide for stiffer sanctions in the amended bill are as follow: Clause 4 of the bill amends Section 18 of the Act by prohibiting the replacement of Permanent Voters Cards to any voter less than 30 days before Election Day. The clause which deals with

‘Power to Issue Duplicate Voters’ Card’, prescribes a five-year imprisonment or a fine of N5 million to any INEC official that contravenes the provision.

Similarly, the proposed legislation prescribes a fine of N100,000 or six months imprisonment (or both) for any official of the Commission that fails to display voters’ register at each local government, area council, ward or its official website.

It stipulates that the voters’ register be displayed not later than 30 days to a general election.

Section 8 (5) addresses the issue of INEC staff who conceals his membership of a political party in order to secure an appointment with the Commission.

Consequently, the new subsection provides that any staff of the Commission who is a cardcarrying member of any political party is liable on conviction to five years imprisonment or a fine of N5million or both.

The largest fine for erring staff of the Commission is in Clause 34 of the proposed legislation which amends Section 151 of Electoral Act Bill. The clause which deals with ‘Inspection of Documents’ witnessed the insertion of a subsection which provides that: “Where there is a breach of an order of a court or tribunal directed at the Commission particularly order to produce, inspect or take copies of electoral materials, such disobedience shall attract court sanctions which shall include the committal by the Tribunal or Court of the Commission’s official to whom the order is directed, to a conviction of imprisonment for a term of at least 2 years, or fine of not less than N10 million or both”.

By the same token, Section 100 (6) (a) slams a fine of N5 million on any public media that fails to allocate equal time to political parties

Yakubu

or candidates.

In an interview with BusinessDay, a political analyst, Jide Agunbiade believes that if the bill is passed into law and implemented, it will serve as a deterrent to others.

“The reason why people commit electoral offences and painfully INEC officials who do so with impunity is because previous offenders get away with it. As we speak, electoral offenders in the 2015 election are yet to be brought to book. And here we are; the 2019 election is just around the corner. I believe if the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is passed, signed and fully implemented, the days of electoral offences will be confined to the

dustbin of history,” Agunbiade said.

However, beyond the stiffer sanctions, there are also calls for the establishment of electoral offences commission.

Those in this school-of-thought believe this would allow the commission handle its core mandate of election management while another body prosecutes electoral offences and other related matters.

Recently, the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) backed the call for the establishment of an Electoral Offences and Political Parties Registration Commission ahead of the forthcoming elections.

A member of the joint group, Terry Tselane, made the call in Abuja at a news briefing on the 2019 general election.

Tselane, who is the vice chairperson, Electoral Commission of South Africa, said that the delegation was in Nigeria to assess the political and electoral environment in the country ahead of the elections. He said there was need to establish the commission as soon as possible to enhance the accountability of political parties with regard for the funding of campaigns and other activities.

He said that the group had observed some challenges that could hamper the elections if not well addressed. He listed such challenges to include hate speech, insecurity, vote-buying and lack of internal democracy in parties, but said that the delegation had made some recommendations that could help the government.

“The delegation believes that with political will and through efforts, many of the challenges can be addressed in order to enhance citizens’ confidence and participation in elections.

“It can also mitigate violence during and after the polls; the Federal Government needs to intensify efforts to address insecurity in many parts of the country as it could disrupt the electoral process.

“The government also needs to reiterate to all security services their constitutional obligation to be professional and impartial in guaranteeing election security for all citizens and political contestants,” he said.

Already, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has sent an executive bill to the National Assembly for the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission. But it is left to be seen if the proposed legislation will see the light of the day considering that politics has assumed a centre stage as lawmakers are currently battling for their return tickets.

Benue 2019: Ortom, Akume, Gemade battle for supremacy Benjamin Agesan, Makurdi

T

he current political scenario in Benue State can best be described as tense. It is going to be a clash of the titans as the three most popular political parties in Benue State have begun plans to take over the state in 2019.

They are doing everything within their power to outwit one another, for political victory.

The three political parties are the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

These parties are controlled by equally powerful politicians who are masters in the game. So, 2019 promises to be very exciting in Benue.

The APC has Senator George

Akume as the hunch man, the PDP is Governor Samuel Ortom, and Senator Gemade, since his defection to SDP months ago, has proven to be the leader and all these political parties are ready for election and assuring their supporters that they will come out victorious in all elections especially the governorship poll.

It is no longer news that these leaders will be testing their popularity on the field in the coming days, they all have supporters and loyal politicians across the state and their political parties will be fielding aspirants in all elections in Benue State.

It has been observed that these leaders are not new in the game and they all have what it takes to deliver their respective political parties in next year’s general election. While Gemade and Akume had led differ-

ent political parties to victory in the state before now, this will be the first time the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, will be leading PDP into election.

Our investigation shows that in 1999, when the country returned to civil rule, Gemade was instrumental in the formation of the PDP in the country and Benue, and having served as a National chairman of the defunct CNC in the Abacha era, he moved his structure to the PDP and they won election in the state where Akume became the governor and leader.

Little did Benue people know that Akume would be a force to reckon with in politics. By 2003, he had dislodged Gemade in the state leadership of the party by changing all his structures from state secre-

tariat to ward level.

Even as the National chairman of PDP back then, Gemade had little influence in the state despite the fact that he was celebrated at the national level.

He was later changed and replaced by another Benue indigene, Audu Ogbeh, with the support of Akume. Akume’s hold on Benue politics was proven in 2011 in a political dispute with Governor Gabriel Suswam, where he still won his senatorial seat with the state House of Assembly, and two federal House of Representatives seats. The wind of change, which came during that period, was more of a movement and in 2015 however, when the incumbent Governor Ortom and Senator Gemade had issues with getting

nominations in PDP, they defected to APC and teamed up with Akume. At the end of the day, APC won almost all the elections in the state with Ortom as governor and Gemade as senator.

The three politicians have all assisted each other in winning elections in the state in one way or the other, but the story is different now.

This time around, these politicians will be leading different political parties to elections and nobody will for now be relying on another except things change later. While Senator Akume has done it in ACN and APC in the past and will be trying to do it again, Senator Gemade will be working for SDP’s victory and his popularity will be tested. As for Governor Ortom, one will believe that his scorecard will be used.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 19

Politics

Oby Ezekwesili

Mercy Adesanya-Davies

Angela Johnson

Eunice Atuejide

2019: Where are the women?

Iniobong Iwok

I

n Nigeria, women do not only form the bulk of the population, they also make up a large percentage of the voting population, which means they cannot possibly be ignored in the scheme of things.

The history of Nigeria and its political emancipation cannot be complete without the mention of significant roles of the womenfolk.

From the pre-independence era, the Second and Third Republics up to the present dispensation, women have continued to make great contributions in the political space in the country and indeed on the African continent as a whole.

It is often said that they are hardworking and less corrupt. They defy the oddsand take huge risks in order to thrive in all spheres of life.

Women such as MargaretEkpo, Elizabeth Wangari Maathai, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, just to mention a few, are examples of women who have made history in Africa, and also have made the continent proud.

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, a number of women have held elective and non-elective positions in the country. Patricia OlubunmiEtteh, the late Dora Akunyili, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Virginia Ngozi Etiaba, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Florence ItaGiwa, Abike Dabiri-Erewa are just a few examples of such women politicians who have distinguished themselves and proven that if there was equal opportunity they could compete favourably with the men in political governance of the country.

It must be noted that after the Beijing World Conference on women in 1995, the United Nation (UN) specifically prescribed 35 percentage of elective positions for women across the globe.

Subsequently, the Olusegun Obasanjo administration made significant progress toward fulfilling that quota. The Goodluck Jonathan administration also did not do badly in that regard. It appointed a lot of women into key positions.

Record by the Women Advocate Research and documentation Centre (WARDC), after the 2011 general election, estimated that about 9percent of women were in elective position in Nigeria.

However, this progress seems to have been short-lived.In recent years; there has been increasing concern among stakeholders about the declining number of women in elective positions in the country.

Over the years, aspiration to the post of the president of Nigeria has always, largely been males’ affair; females have sparingly shown interest. The case is not different this time around. Since 1999, no woman has won election in Nigeria as governor of any state, and there are many other positions that are no-go-areas for women, so to speak.

This is however, coming at a period when women are taking increasing dominant leadership roles across the globe.

Norway perhaps offers a good example to the rest of the world; with the recent appointment of; Ine Eriksen Soveide as the country’s Defence Minister, she joinsPrime Minister, Erna Solberg, Finance Minister, Siv Jensen who are equally women.

After the 2015 general election, there was significant reduction in number of women in elective positions in Nigeria. WARDC estimated that the number of women in elective positions had reduced to 4percent in the current administration Stakeholders had argued that part of the reasons was that the leadership structures of the major political parties in the country were male-dominated and they canvass for reservation of certain quota for women in the major political parties.

With few months to the 2019 general election, the figures after primaries of political parties in the country equally paint a gloomy picture for women next year; this is just as number of women who emerged as presidential candidates of major political parties in the country does not seem encouraging.

For instance, of the over 56 presidential candidates for the presidential election in February 2019, only four are females. They are Angela Johnson of the Alliance for a United Nigeria (AUN); Obiageli Ezekwesili, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN); Mercy Adesanya-Davies, Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) and Eunice Atuejide, National Interest Party (NIP).

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu, acknowledged this concern when he recently pleaded with political parties in the country to give more women opportunity when selecting their candidates for elective position, stressing that the reduction of women in elective positions had become worrisome.

“As the 2019 elections approach, the Commission wants to encourage the political parties to do all within their powers to reduce the declining number of women in elective positions.

“I therefore, urge you to use this forum to discuss and find ways of complementing the Commission’s efforts in improving women’s political representation in elective and appointive positions of authority and leadership in Nigeria,” According to him, “We will continue to engage with critical stakeholders at various levels to secure support to interrogate gender issues in politics and political processes in Nigeria.”

Zainab Marwa Abubakar, a female politician and candidate of the APC for House of Representatives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), recently raised concern about the declining number of women in elective positions, urging the country to learn from the rest of the world.

“It is a statement of fact that where there is no woman, there is no nation, because for you to progress, you need women. So, the importance of women to governance can never be over emphasized,” she said.

“Hence, there is need to, as a nation, bring women on board. Only 4 percent of our elective posts are

held by women. Zero percent governorship. How can we move on like this as a nation without mainstreaming women in governance?

The whole world is now focused on gender sensitive governance.

So, we need to follow through”, she stated.

However, analysts are of the view that the situation may continue to grow worse in the coming years, as the number of women venturing into politics hascontinued to decline because of the negative societal perception toward female politicians and unfavourable political atmosphere which is schemed to favour the men.

This view was supported by Dotun Aderibigbe, a chieftain of the APC in Lagos State, who argued that the problem was about societal perception toward female in politics, adding that a lot of men are not always comfortable seeing their wives involved in politics.

“When you say politics is dirty and people are not coming out that is the problem; we need to change the perception we have in the country: that all women who go into politics are promiscuous.The issue is the perception.

A lot of Nigerian men would never allow their wives to go into politics, thinking that whenever she goes for a meeting, all the men will sleep with her,” he said.

According to Aderibigbe, “In the just concluded local government election in Lagos State, they said women should not buy form, that it was free for women, but how many women are there now as chairmen? “It is not about the affirmative action bill, Nigerians need to change their mentality.”

As the 2019 general election approaches, there have been divergent views by stakeholders on what should be done to guarantee more level-playing field for women”.

Presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Saidat Odofin, advocated for certain quota for women in the major political parties in the country, stressing that women are often discriminated against by the leadership of political parties in the

country which is often controlled by them.

“I think we made much progress during the Jonathan and Obasanjo administrations in terms of number of women in elective positions. But I think the enthusiasm that the two administrations had for women is not the same with the current Buhari administration.

“Part of the problem to me is in the parties, apart from the huge amount of money they demanded for expression of interest and nomination forms, the parties are controlled by men; so, when it comes to choosing the candidates, women are often discriminated against”.

“I don’t see any change soon, what I would advocate is that certain number of positions should be reserved for women; this would help because a lot of us can’t compete with the men.”

Remi Sonaiya, a professor of French Language and Applied Linguistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, who was the presidential candidate of KOWA Party in 2015, also decried the monetisation of political positions in the country, saying that such a dangerous trend has put women at a serious disadvantage.

Sonaiya noted that lack of money to sponsor elaborate campaigns has always been the greatest limiting factor to women’s participation in elective offices in the country.

Speaking with BDSUNDAY on this challenge, she said, there is the need to de-emphasise money in elections in Nigeria.

Sonaiya urged the media as stakeholders to begin to question the involvement of too much money in election. She said that the media must let Nigerians know that “they have options; credible ones.”

“It is not only now; it has been the case in every election in this country. When I contested the last time, people continued asking me for money. But I said I had no money to give, but good governance, if I am voted in. I tried to make them understand that if they collect money from politicians, they are mortgaging their future and the future of their children,” she said.

20 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Politics Wike, Tonye Cole clash over respect for traditional monarchs Wike: you must get approval from me to move anywhere Cole’s camp: You can’t push royal fathers about Ignatius Chukwu

T

he much-expected verbal clashes bet w een i n c u mben t governor, Nyesom Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and his challenger, Tonye Cole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seem to rev off. Now, the two seem to start off from the House of Chiefs in Port Harcourt where Wike ordered royal fathers not to move except he said so.

Now, the men loyal to each flag bearer took over the fight like matadors.

Cole camp: Stop pushing royal fathers about (Chidi Lloyd) The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation, (TCCO), received with shock the reported public reprimand of traditional rulers by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike at the 108 and 109 general session of Rivers State Council of Transitional Rulers in Port Harcourt for what the governor referred to as their involvement in partisan politics.

Ideally, it is imperative that traditional rulers, as leaders and custodians of the people’s common heritage and culture, should remain non-partisan. We believe that every traditional ruler understands and accepts this position. Ordinarily, a constant reminder to the traditional institution of this age-old norm by a sitting governor should be seen as either routine or prompted by certain misstep by a member or members of the revered institution. However, Monday’s warning by the governor was couched in the harshest and most unconscionable language not deserving, not respectful of and totally demeaning to the hallowed office of the traditional rulers.

It is unsettling that Gov. Nyesom Wike decreed that, “If you don’t respect your stool, you will have challenges. Withdraw yourselves from playing politics.

If you don’t withdraw yourselves, I will withdraw you. If you take sides, I will also take sides.”

We find this style of Hitler-type decree and talking down disgusting, repulsive and unacceptable to the traditional institution in Rivers State and all decent minds.

The exact reality on ground is that Gov. Wike has directed that no first class traditional ruler should represent Rivers State

Wike

government before the federal government or federal agencies without his approval. He has further warned that before any traditional ruler will lead any delegation to visit the Federal Government; such a traditional ruler must have approval from him. This is the highest insult to the traditional institution in Rivers State. It appears that the governor has conquered the good people of Rivers State and their traditional rulers because the people seem to have gone silent in the face of this 21st Century tyranny.

Even more troubling is the attempt by Gov. Wike to incite the traditional rulers against the opposition when he stated thus: “We expect the political parties to play by the rules and embark on peaceful and issuebased campaigns. But you must be on the watch out to ensure that no person or entity violates the peace of your communities under the guise of political campaigns.” This indeed is a move to surreptitiously drag the traditional institution into partisan politics on the side of the governor and against the rest of the opposition parties in Rivers State. It is a clear message of intimidation to beat the traditional rulers into line on the side of the governor and his party and against the opposition.

We are convinced that the real reasons for the present

Cole

reprimand of the traditional institution by Governor Wike was occasioned by the open acceptability of the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole who has been received with fanfare by the people and showered with traditional titles during his ongoing ward-toward consultative visits across the state. Therefore, we deeply regret this present attempt by Gov. Wike to publicly humiliate the traditional institution for partisan political reasons.

The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation believes that it is only respectful and proper to visit and get formal approval from community leaders before accessing their various communities to interact with the people.

We will continue to respect the sanctity of the traditional institution by not undermining its authority, neutrality and fairness to all.

We urge Gov. Wike to accord the traditional institution its deserved respect and not want to intimidate and incite our traditional rulers against any group or political party as the governor’s present chastisement appear to indicate.

Wike camp: You did worse (Emma Okah) Rivers State Government says the admonition to Rivers State traditional rulers to stay away from partisan politics is in the best interest of the state and

integrity of the positions they occupy as impartial peace makers.

Reacting to a press statement issued by Chidi Lloyd on behalf of Tonye Cole Campaign organisation describing Gov Nyesom Wike’s advise as inciting, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah said the Director General is misguided because Rivers people are not in a hurry to return to the dark days before May 29, 2015 when the sword of agony was hanging over the head of traditional rulers if they did not openly support the APC. “Before Gov Nyesom Wike came into office, the APC Government in the state implemented an unwritten code that traditional rulers should support only the APC candidates in the state and shun politicians from the PDP or face severe sanctions. As a result, many of them ran away from their palaces and refused to receive Gov Nyesom Ezenwo Wike who was then the PDP gubernatorial candidate in order to avoid the APC mayhem,” Okah said.

It is on record that some traditional rulers at that time were actively involved in partisan politics and taking advertisements in national and local newspapers to campaign for the APC and in spite of this, the Nyesom Ezenwo Wike administration did not punish any of them when he became

governor.

Although Tonye Cole is new to the politics of Rivers State, it is important that his Campaign Director states why the Elele King was denied staff of office, official vehicle and allowances after receiving Gov Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in his palace in Elele Town.

Contrary to the cheap propaganda mouthed by the Campaign Director, Okah said traditional rulers are custodians of culture and tradition of their people as well as peacemakers in their domain. For this role, they are paid stipends from public funds as partners in development at the grassroots. Therefore, it is only natural that if they are to leave their domain for engagements with public agencies outside the state, the governor deserves notification as elementary courtesy demands.

For the Director General to see such harmony and courtesy as evil tells a lot about the quality of the campaign he will direct if Arch. Tonye Cole eventually becomes a governorship candidate in the 2019 election.

“We urge the Director General to heed the call by Gov Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to politicians in the state to stick to issue-based campaign as this is the minimum standard required of civilised people all over the world.” Okah said, noting that the days of the jungle and acrimony are over in Rivers State.

BDLife Sunday 11 November 2018

inside

LIFE&LIVING

ARTS ENTERTAINMENT OFF DUTY C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 21

Praiz: Looking beyond

the ‘street’ music

22

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Life&Living

It is a matter of choice Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson & Ifeoma Okeke

O

luchi Azubuike ran out of the hospital ward crying profusely and throwing herself to the ground.

She was hysterical, horrified at the nightmare that had become her reality. She was now a widow!

But how could this be? She was only 27 years old and had been married for barely two years.

Now, she was going to have to figure out her whole life again, this time with an eight-monthold ba§by girl who might end up in the same vicious cycle, having to be raised without a father-figure in her life, solely by a young, timid mother struggling to put her own life on track.

Chief Emeka Azubuike, her now deceased husband, was a 67-year-old who had been diagnosed with all sorts of ailments including diabetes, arthritis and acute kidney failure. He was admitted for dialysis sessions in a hospital where he eventually gave up the ghost.

With 40 years age difference between them, Oluchi surely should have had the inclination that her husband may not live as long as she hoped for. But how on earth could she have refused marriage to the prominent Chief who had sponsored her through school, fed her whole family and even built them a new house in the village? He had even been gracious enough to let her go to university to get a degree. Saying no to his proposal was definitely not an option because, although she didn’t love him, her family, the community and most people around her who had followed the affluent life she had led at Chief’s expense thought it was the only way she could show appreciation for Chief Azubuike’s kindness. Considering all he had done for her and her family, it didn’t matter that Chief was already married with six grown-up children, three of them older than Oluchi.

This kind of story resonates amongst so many in Nigeria today. Yet, whenever people see a young and beautiful lady dating or getting married to a man old enough to be her father or grandfather, numerous questions run through their minds. Could it be that she desperately needs a father-figure in her life? Is she worried about being protected or taken care of? Or is she just not ready to grow with any man?

Could it be that she needs financial security?

And many more.

Love, they say, is blind. This, among other reasons, could account for the increasing cases of young ladies marrying men who are far be-

yond their age bracket. But while some say it is love, some believe it is the allure of money, as in Oluchi’s case above, yet some others believe that parental influence and pressure could be the reason.

While such marriages have been happening for a long time, the trend surprisingly seems to be getting even more popular and gaining wider acceptance. As such, it was not so much of a shocker at the time when 63-year-old Adams Oshiomhole, a Nigerian politician and national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), married 29-year-old Cape Verdean model, Iara Forte, in May 2015. Even though tongues wagged, it was a ceremony that attracted the crème de la crème of the Nigerian society. Oshiomhole at the time was governor of Edo State, South-South geo-political zone of the country.

Before then, prominent businessman, Rasaq Okoya, now 78 years old, had set the trend by marrying Sade Okoya, who is now 38 years old, while she was still studying at the University of Lagos.

At 25, Caroline Danjuma got married to Musa Danjuma when he was 54 years old, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, makes it a point of duty to always showcase his four young wives.

In 2014, Tony Anenih, a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), married Maryann, a lady in her late twenties. At the time the marriage took

place, Anenih, now late, was said to be 57 years older than the damsel. Until recently when the man died, they attended social events together.

Maryann is a serving judge at an Abuja High Court.

A few years ago, Chief Michael Adeojo, founder of Elizade Motors, married a beautiful young girl, Funmi, who was his former secretary.

The development at the time left many people tongue-tied.

There are uncountable such marriages. It is said that the figure is even higher in the northern part of the country than in the south, with prominent politicians and wealthy businessmen getting married to girls with wide age differences.

For Chinelo, now in her mid-30s, her reasons for settling down with a far older man when she was only 20 years old were purely economic.

She said she was the first daughter of her parents, popularly known as ‘Ada’ in her part of the country. She also wanted to help her poor parents train her siblings who could barely feed and she needed to further her education. These, for her, could only be achieved if she got married to her dream man and this had to happen as soon as possible.

“I come from a very poor family. My two elder brothers did not have the opportunity to go to school. They were sent off early in their lives to undergo apprenticeship under some businessmen in the city. So, it happened that someone, who is now my husband, out of benevolence, indicated interest to assist in my education by

paying my school fees. My parents jumped at it,” narrated Chinelo, who is now settled in her husband’s house with four children.

“At that point, marriage was not on the card.

But after my secondary school, I got admission into the university and he also offered to take up the responsibility. It was at that point that things began to happen. My parents began to plant some ideas into my head. They felt highly obligated to him and I began to imagine what a fortune it would be if I married him. But right inside of me I did not love him in the real sense of the word.

“In the last semester of my final year, I became pregnant for him and marriage became inevitable. The union has produced four wonderful children. Whenever we go out together as a family, people think those children are my husband’s great grandchildren, and you see shock and amazement written on their faces whenever they realise they are my husband’s children,” she recounted.

It is generally believed that some younger ladies go for such marriages for reasons including, but not limited to, the following: Older men are more established and settled Every woman hopes for a man who can take care of her and also assure her of a secure future.

Although it has been found that there are lazy, un-established older men, in most cases, an older man has a clear career path, lives by himself and is more likely to be financially secure.

More experience and intelligence

Sunday 11 November 2018

We may have all heard that experience comes with age. Women tend to grow faster than men and so, more mature and intelligent conversations are likely to happen with older men.

Acceptance and appreciation

C002D5556

That’s where the popular phrase “Trophy wife” comes from. It is believed that older men are not always bent on changing their ladies; they tend to appreciate the younger wife more, treating her like a baby to be doted and catered for tenderly and lovingly.

Takes from the 2018 Lagos Fashion Week Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

F

rom The Dew Collections by Genevieve Magazine to Ugo Monye’s buba and Sokoto, from the Heineken lounge to the TECNO ‘fashion experience’ booth, the Lagos Fashion Week 2018 was a beehive of colours, styles and the vibrancy that is associated with Lagos, the fashion hub of Nigeria.

Lagos Fashion Week (LagosFW) is a fashion platform that drives the Nigerian and ultimately, the African fashion industry; by bringing together buyers, consumers and the media to view the current collections of designers at a four (4) day event in the fashion capital of Lagos, Nigeria.

As a leading fashion event on the African fashion calendar, LagosFW leads the way with initiatives that supports, strengthens and develops the fashion industry. Beyond the runway, the annual event provides a physical platform that’s gradually repositioning fashion as a useful tool for commerce and creativity in Nigeria.

The four day event showcased the fashion industry by creating a platform for designers to exhibit their new season designs and collections on the run way and maximize their exposure within and beyond the industry. It also affords guests the opportunity to creatively display their inner fashion animals.

This Year’s Edition of Lagos Fashion week might have come and gone, but the memory will definitely last. The event which is the biggest Fashion show in Nigeria brought together stakeholders in the industry to experience the various designers, runway shows and hospitality that has come to be the signature of the LFW. From the flashing bulbs on the red carpet

kicking things off to its creative booth showcasing some of its most breath-taking smartphones, big brands such as Heineken, Oando, BusinessDay Media, Taxify, Maybeline NewYork, TECNO mobile and others were actively involved in this year’s edition of the LFW. Top Nigerian designers including Emmy Kasbit, Lisa Folawiyo, Lamisigo, Orange culture were featured in the installation, an immersive space which plays with the theme of technology, fashion and design via locally sourced materials.

With this in mind, the nmbello studio took its regular approach of introducing economically viable solutions by using old-age materials and techniques.

Formally known as the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, the 2018 LFW had TECNO mobile – said to have had the most interesting booth, highlighting the role and importance mobile technology plays in fashion.

Every day of the event attracted models, fashion enthusiasts, buyers, consumers, designers, celebrities and the media to the fashion Booth which was one of the major spotlights and most visited booth of the event as they had the opportunity to experience some of the devices on display as well as to take pictures with the Camon X Pro. Attai Oguche, deputy brand manager, TECNO mobile said, ‘Coming onboard the LFW as a Smartphone partner is an association TECNO is proud of. In today’s world, mobile technology remains one of the driving forces behind fashion. The advent of the selfie camera has greatly improved and increased the number of fashion themed images.”

Other celebrities who made it a mission to be at the TECNO booth include former BBNaija house mates, Tobi Bakare and Uriel Oputa, Mai Atafo, Ozina Anumudu, Derenle Edun, Eki Ogunbor, Ese Amros, Celebrity DJ Sosse, Powede Eniola Awujo and many others.

Little or no competition Almost every lady is afraid of sharing her man with another woman or running the risk of losing him. If you are dating or married to a much older man, the probability of such occurrences is almost at the zero level. This is because the man

23

is emotionally stable and already knows what he wants. This can also mean more commitment as he has, supposedly, played all the games in his younger days.

More time Older men seem to have a lot more time for their partners, as they are not occupied on social media platforms or chatting on their mobile phones, playing games, or going to the clubs or listening to music like young boys do.

Command respect Older men exude confidence and command respect, which is what most ladies want. This ranges from the way they dress, the way they speak, their carriage, their caring and supportive demeanour and everything about them altogether.

Some observers have described such unions as unequal yoke. They say that because the partners are generations apart, they are unlikely to reason at same wave length. Yet, such unions, not in any way new on the face of the earth, will continue to happen until the earth passes away.

Mens Fashion: Out of the ordinary, yet formal IFEOMA OKEKE

T

hese days, when we hear the phrase “dress code” we’re more likely to associate it with workplace rules. A lot of jobs still have written guidelines for employee attire, at varying degrees of strictness.

However, dress codes should also be adhered to at social events and gatherings.

These written requests for attendee attire are usually only one or two words long, meant to be printed on an invitation and understood by all the potential guests.

Unfortunately, universal understanding of social dress codes is going the way of cursive handwriting: it has an old-fashioned appeal to some people, and most Nigerians don’t bother with following the dress code.

If you have been invited to an event with a dress code it is courteous to obey the request, even if it says to wear formal and you are normally a laid back tee-shirt and denim kind of guy.

The phrase “formal attire” is badly misunderstood in modern society.

Formal attire does not necessarily mean that you have to come dressed in a bespoke threepiece suit and tie.

Formal wear for men changes depending on the time of day, society and culture. For formal events, Nigerian men, mostly from the Yoruba ethnic group, often wear a traditional robe called an ‘agbada’ over their ‘Buba’ which is a loose fitting blouse with long sleeves and a neckline that is either V-shaped or round and ‘sokoto’ (trousers).

Most White Tie affairs are diplomatic events, or high-formality award ceremonies and the occasional British sporting event. For men, it consists of a black tailcoat worn over a white starched shirt, Marcella waistcoat and the eponymous white bow tie worn around a detachable collar. Black tie on the other hand is what most consider formal attire which requires you to wear a tuxedo to an even more dressy occasion like a gala.

Unless you are a high society heir or heiress throwing a bash at a 5 star hotel in New York city, then implementing a black or white tie dress code for your wedding or birthday party will be almost impossible to achieve.

These are part of the gaps the Kabuki collection is out to address. Cultural factors really need to be considered when defining exactly what formal means. The black tie formality was traditionally formed by the French and the outfits they wore characterized their mode of

cultural dressing. The white tie formality on the other hand was defined by the British and signifies English high fashion. This brings us back to what exactly should be defined as formal attire in Nigeria.

During a process of design and research, Signore Fusion, came up with genius idea of fusing different cultures to create unique formal outfits for Nigerian men.

The collection named Kabuki, created by top fashion designers, Evans Akere and Emmanuel Isei, is an attempt to merge the distinctive cultures of Nigeria and Japan to create vibrant formal masterpieces that stand out.

According to the designers, “Kabuki is a Japanese word which means ‘out of the ordinary which can be identified as Avant-garde. During a recent research of the Japanese history, it was discovered that the modern day Tokyo was called Edo between 1603-1868.

This period was characterised by economic growth, strict social order, stable population and popular enjoyment of arts and culture. This period can be seen as the best period in history of Japanese arts and culture. Ironically, Edo is also a state in Nigeria, West Africa thus we got the inspiration to fuse both Japanese and African culture.”

As usual, the Kabuki menswear collection which was recently revealed in Nigeria plays around with bold colours, geometric prints, fashion forward styles, modern silhouettes and rich aesthetics. In a deliberate effort, Kabuki successfully merged traditional with modern, creating kimono inspired caftans, unique to our culture and style.

24

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Arts

Inside Art X Lagos 2018 ….as Tokini Peterside continues to push boundaries of art Stories by OBINNA EMELIKE

F

or the third year in a row Lagos stood still to experience ART X Lagos, the dynamic art fair showcasing and supporting the breadth of contemporary art from Africa and its Diaspora. Over the course of the weekend ART X Lagos opened its doors to visitors from all over the world, including Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, who was also the 2018 guest of honour. He was joined by fellow royal dignitaries including Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, collectors from across the world, and other VIPs such as Herbert Wigwe, CEO, Access Bank, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the APC gubernatorial can-

didate of Lagos State, as well as, art enthusiasts of all ages.

Access Bank Plc, the Gold Sponsor of ART X Lagos, loaned to the fair Ben Enwonwu’s historical ‘Tutu’, 1974, which earlier this year became the most highly valued work of Nigerian modern art ever sold at auction for £1.2 million ($1.67 million). The public display of ‘Tutu’ at ART X Lagos 2018 marked a hugely significant moment in Nigeria’s art history, as the painting makes its first public display in Nigeria since 1975, when it was last shown in Lagos.

Also, Yinka Shonibare MBE, the ART X Lagos 2018 keynote artist, featured a highly anticipated exhibition that explored his career highlights.

The exhibition was a standout feature of the fair, capturing the awe of the audience. He once again demonstrated the unique artistry he has become

L-R: Atedo Peterside, founder/chairman, ANAP Business Jets Limited and founder, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC; Tokini Peterside, founder, Art X Lagos; Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife; queen Morenike Naomi Oluwaseyi Ogunwusi; Herbert Wigwe, CEO, Access Bank; and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, APC Gubernatorial Aspirant, at the event

famed for, through his depiction of race and class as he continues to explore cultural

Visitors at Yinka Shonibare’s exhibtion stand at the art fair

identity. Speaking at the fair, Shonibare commented on his return to Lagos, his hometown: “I feel fortunate. I know that I can make a contribution to the art scene.”

Yinka Shonibare MBE also featured on the highly sought-after ART X Talks programme curated by Missla Libsekal, on the Sunday of the fair. The Talks saw key stakeholders in Africa’s art economy feature in a series of exciting and engaging talks, including leading voices such as the Obi of Onitsha, Aboubakar Fofana, an artist and Chike OkekeAgulu, leading art historian.

This year, 18 leading galleries from across the world participated in the fair, showcasing the cutting edge of contemporary African art. The exhibiting galleries included: Addis Fine Art (Ethiopia), Afriart Gallery (Uganda), Art-

house – The Space (Nigeria), Artyrama (Nigeria), Bloom Art (Nigeria), Circle Art Agency (Kenya), Gallery 1957 (Ghana), Nike Art Gallery (Nigeria), Nubuke Foundation (Ghana), Out of Africa Gallery (Spain), Retro Africa (Nigeria), Signature Beyond (Nigeria), SMAC Gallery (South Africa), SMO Contemporary (Nigeria), Stevenson (South Africa), TAFETA (UK), Thought Pyramid (Nigeria) and Tiwani Contemporary (UK).

Curated by A Whitespace Creative Agency, ART X Lagos 2018 showcased a series of interactive projects, titled “Touch, Space + The Future,” featuring diverse and exciting art installations across conductive art and virtual reality, stretching the boundaries of contemporary African art. The new age media invited guests to expand their horizons and trial new ways to experience

contemporary art.

Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola, winner, 2018 ART X Prize with Access, was proud to present her solo project, ‘Scraps from Mama’s Floor’ at this year’s fair, capturing the attention of guests with her multi-sensory and multimedia project. With new age technology using cameras integrated into the performance piece, visitors were able to engage with her piece and see themselves as part of the artwork.

Speaking during the fair, Tokini Peterside, founder/ director, ART X Lagos, expressed her joy at the immense growth of the fair over the past three years.

“ART X Lagos was created for moments like this, to celebrate diversity, to bring people together from across the continent and really to show African excellence and set an example for the world.

Over 15 countries are represented here in this one space and I am so grateful you are all here to witness that.”

For the third edition of the fair, ART X Live made a return on the Saturday night of the fair, in the Civic Centre car park. The one night only show paid homage to the sounds of African legends, creating a nostalgic multi-sensory experience. New Gen artist, Odunsi the engine, was the creative director for the live show, which saw exhilarating performances from BOJ, Teni the entertainer and Ghanaian singer Amaarae, who were accompanied by innovative visuals from artists Chukwuka Nwobi, Tomisin Akins and Fadekemi Ogunsanya.

ALÁRA crowns winner for unique artistic direction

F

aith Oluwajimi, creative director of BLOKE, has emerged winner of the first edition of The Emerge ALÁRA Awards 2018, which held recently in Lagos. The young fashion designer beat five other creatives who emerged finalists in the Pan-African competition to clinch the coveted grant to produce a collection and an opportunity to be stocked at ALÁRA. He will also receive mentorship from industry leaders.

Runners-up Kayinsola Onalaja of Onalaja and Ekwurike Chukwuma of Wuman will also receive business mentorship and the opportunity to retail at ALÁRA. In July, the luxury fashion store announced the launch of

its Emerge ALÁRA Awards — a series of talent hunt to reward young creatives in fashion, art, cuisine and design. For this year, it kicked off the fashion

edition which sought out the most promising young designer and fashion media creative to offer them the opportunity to present a retail collection

Faith Oluwajimi (R) with Reni Folawiyo (1)

and exhibition respectively at ALÁRA, as well as, receive mentorship from a carefully selected team of advisors.

Hundreds of applications

were received from Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, France, Switzerland and the USA in the fields of fashion apparel design, accessory design, photography and filmmaking.

The selected participants were subjected to a series of tasks, which was thoroughly vetted by the panel of judges consisting of Bola Adesola, CEO Standard Chartered Bank; Duro Olowu, international award- winning designer; Uzoma Dozie, CEO, Diamond Bank; Folake Coker, creative director, Tiffany Amber; Helen Jennings, co-founder Nataal; Ronke Bamisedun, founder, BWL PR Agency; and Reni Folawiyo, founder, ALÁRA. Although no finalists emerged at fashion media category, the six finalists were

chosen based on the merit of their submissions, unique artistic direction, originality, and brand stories that resonate with the African narrative.

“The talents of the six finalists were so arresting, it was impossible not to recognise the runners up. We were impressed by the abstract resourcefulness that instills WUMAN’s designs, coupled with the designer’s use of African touches finished in clean lines.

ONALAJA’s designs were also seductive; the designer’s exquisite intricacy and detailing really brought each piece to life,” said Folawiyo.

She further expressed optimism that the next edition will discover more talents, particularly in the fashion media category.

Sunday 11 November 2018

25

C002D5556

Arts Alexis Gallery stages Stanley Dudu’s ‘Third Episode’ …as gallery commends art sponsorships

A

Obinna Emelike lexis Galleries is pleased to show Stanley Dudu’s Third Episode, which will open Saturday, November 17, 2018, at 282 Akin Olugbade Street, Off Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Dudu’s mastery of his strokes in pastel appears growing; his thematic focus, even sharper and more appealing.

What is more? He introduced colour to his monochrome drawings in Next Episode II and he has maintained it.

The intensity of colours in his work is much stronger now.

What has given birth to theme of this exhibition, is the continuity ofNext Episode, whichis sequel to his first solo show, New Episode. Another reason why Dudu chose this theme is to create continuity for the two exhibitions “because there is a sort of relationship between the two phases (New Episode and Next Episode).”

The exhibition will feature

37 works and runs till Monday, November 26, 2018.

The rendition has also changed because he has better works now, but the medium and the subject matters have not changed. What he is showing is not just mere drawings, but drawing with touch of colour that put a twist to his works, “even as much as I would like to create an identity for myself, in terms of maintaining monochrome.”

Speaking during a media parley, which held recently at the gallery, Patty ChidiacMastrogiannis, curator/CEO, Alexis Galleries and The Homestores, noted that Dudu is a realist. “His works make me cry, they depict everyday activities and everyday people of Nigeria”.

She continued saying, “You could see market scene, children playing and pretending to be mummy and daddy. Very emotional drawings, they are the type of pieces you cannot resist. He is now going through a more powerful series, a darker series -- darker as in pigment,

in charcoal, more expression and much better proportion”.

She also encouraged those who love realism like her, not to leave the show without getting a piece of Dudu.

The curator also com-

Book Review Book title: Author: Imprint: Pagination: Reviewer:

I

#Hashtags: Social Media, Politics and Ethnicity in Nigeria Nwachukwu Egbunike Lagos: Narrative Landscape Press, 2018 178 Rotimi Fawole

t has jokingly been said that after (not if) this civilisation unravels, future generations will be left in no doubt whatsoever about why and how it happened.

Our generation has painstakingly recorded every thought, every wish and every activity, in high-resolution, multifiltered illustrated detail and stored it in the cloud. What happens if it rains? I hear you ask.

Nwachukwu Egbunike’s ‘#Hashtags’ is a deep dive into the extremely active Nigerian corner of cyberspace (with a brief glance Eastward at pre-October 2018 Ethiopia) and its role in the super-awakening of political consciousness amongst its users. The book is a collection of Egbunike’s essays on online behaviour, roughly from 2013 till date. The short essays have been grouped in three broad sections — (1) Ethnic Hate Speech; (2) Politics, Social Media and the Nigerian Politico-Twitterati; and (3) Online Free Speech.

As you’d expect, there are reviews of the sort of language that was deployed in the run up to the 2011 and

2015 elections and what that perhaps suggests about the average ‘tweep’. For people unfamiliar with the Naija lexicon, there is a helpful glossary to set them on their way.

The book also looks at the various hashtags that have driven conversations over this period, reviewing the conversations themselves and their fitness for a society that believes itself to be democratic.

It’s also a compelling exposition in the anthropological tradition of the participant observer, identifying the social dynamics and architecture of our corner of the internet. It is easy for Egbunike,

the author, to do given both his training as an academic and his tenure as Convener of the #TrollCabal (if you’re unfamiliar with those terms, you can check the glossary for their meanings).

Coincidentally, I think his academic bent and Convenership, if you’re familiar with the latter, perhaps influence his writing quite a bit. As a collection of essays, the writing will be a little more formal than the manner in which many Tweeps would typically express themselves. And if you’ve followed him online from his time as Convener, you may not be overly surprised at his conclusions.

But perhaps this style of distilling issues, to find order within the chaos, to map behaviour and triggers, to establish certain things to an empirical degree is indeed the best way to present them to third parties, both present and future. I expect that many will be as impressed as I was, with the largely chronological reportage of some of the front burner conversations we’ve had online. When our dystopia comes, our descendants will know exactly how.

mended the growing sponsorships for the art, noting that corporate organisations are beginning to recognise the importance and value of art in the society.

The exhibition is sponsored

by Pepsi, Delta Airline, Amarula, Nederburg, Cobranet Internet Service Provider, Cool FM, Wazobia FM/TV, Chocolate Royal, The Avenue Suites, Art Café and The Homestores Limited.

Stanley Dudu creative struggle behind the art scene in Lagos started in the mid 2000’s.

But his turning point came only after he graduated from his alma mater and dared the unknown with his maiden solo showcase of charcoal drawings and pastel paintings titled New (First) Episode in 2009.

Afterwards, he made further successful exploit with his second commercially acclaimed personal exhibition titled NextEpisode (The Sequel) with Patti ChidiacMistrogiannis in 2014. In between the years both exhibitions were held, Stanley contested in popular art competitions and won several prestigious art prizes at national levels.

On the other hand, in eight years, Alexis Galleries have engaged in the presentation and dissemination of contemporary art in the media of painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture. We have established ourselves rapidly as one of the best galleries in Nigeria, a meeting place for artists, collectors and enthusiasts of art.

Swar-Yatra gives back with ‘Era of Melody Queens’

O

n October 21, 2018, the SwarYatra Artist Association of Nigeria (SWAN) performed a live orchestra at Darlington Hall in Ilupeju, Lagos. The programme entitled “Era of Melody Queens”, which was dedicated to the prominent lady singers from India, was the association’s unique way of giving back to the society.

The event, which was well appreciated by the Indian community in Nigeria, was house-full with over 500 guests who enjoyed various performances including live music.

Swar-Yatra means musical journey. Though SWAN is recently registered as a cul-

tural association, its musical journey started back in 2015.

Some like-minded music lovers from different states of India who are working in Lagos came together to be part of the journey. The idea was to foster distinctive music of India. All the members of SWAN are working professionals in Lagos and they dedicate their weekends for Swar-Yatra rehearsals and programmes.

From its three founders; Shrirang Awadhani, Pallavi Sankhe and Sudhir Sankhe, Swar-Yatra now has a family of over 40 members and is still growing.

It has live band with talented musicians, singers of varied calibers, as well as, vibrant support team. Some of the artistes are properly trained in music

L-R: Mahendra Waman, Ambadas Konapure, Pallavi Sankhe, head teacher of the School, Ikupity M. O., Ravindra Kadam and Jayawant Borse during the visit to the school.

while some are following the music as a hobby.

Since 2015, Swar-Yatra has successfully arranged many musical events including “Swar-Yatra Little Champs”, a game show specially arranged for Indian children to give them the platform to showcase their talent in music. The Indian community had given immense response to the show.

The event was attended

by Fatoke and Kazim, Nigerian guests from the Al-Wajud Nursery and Primary School, Lawanson, Surulere. During the event, Swar-Yatra has made its debut of community development activities by donating 50 benches to the school. Few days before the event, some able members and president of SWAN came up with a gentle thought of helping local community.

After brainstorming, all the members agreed to identify a less privileged school that needs support on development activities. Immediately some members took lead and carried out the survey of some schools and finally decided to start with Al-Wajud School in Surulere.

After the event, a team of Swar-Yatra members visited the school to have more interaction with the staff and the students.

26

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Entertainment

Praiz: Looking beyond the ‘street’ music

I

OBINNA EMELIKE

n this era where every upcoming musician believes hip-hop is the only genre to fame and stardom, someone chose to differ. His style is mild and relaxing. But surprisingly, his consistency is paying off with growing fans across the country and Africa at large.

In less than a decade into music, he has hit-tracks, albums, and recording deals, amidst performing on the same stage with international stars such as Johnny Gill, Joe, Dru Hill, Billy Ocean, Maxi Priest, Tevin Campbell, and Mafikizolo.

Welcome to the world of Praiz, Nigerian music artiste foremost for his perfect blend of R&B and Soul. Born Praise Adejo to a gospel minister, Praiz who started singing in his church choir, has revolutionized his music from a mere choir boy to a global star whose music resonates melodious and relaxing tunes to waiting and growing fans.

The graduate of Computer Science from Kaduna Polytechnic rose to stardom after the release of his debut singles- ‘I Love You’ and ‘Jekalo’, Praiz coupled with highly rated follow up videos.

Praiz has continued to stun his audience at different shows with his electrifying performances. His strong points are his expansive range, falsetto and ability to hit high

notes close to the dreaded whistle register, with which he thrills fans and critics alike from time to time.

He has also performed alongside R&B veteran singers Brandy and Joe (2011 PFWA concert in Lagos) among other top shows in Nigeria and the UK. His style, which is a blend of soul and R&B, catches

one’s attention easily.

As well, he has made cameo appearances on different projects by his peers, most notably his stellar performance on M.I’s ‘EPIC’ and on alternative singer Bez’s ‘That Stupid Song’ (whose video is the first Nigerian video to make a world premiere on BET).

After his performance at the Epic and Funky show in the UK, he returned to Nigeria to release his single ‘Rich and Famous’ and received nomination nods from The Nigerian Entertainment Awards held in New York as ‘The Most Promising Act’ and an outstanding four nominations at the Headies Awards including the highly coveted ‘Next Rated’ award in that year.

‘Rich and Famous’ his single was met with critical acclaim and enjoyed massive airplay. The video for the single which was shot in Cape Town, South Africa was released in December 2012 and was played heavily on music stations across the continent.

In 2013, Praiz became an MTN ambassador and released another single and video titled “Oshe” which featured Congolese musician Awilo Longomba. He also received the Hip Hop World Award for Best Vocal Performance (Male) in that year.

His double album Rich and Famous was released on December 2014, and he has since released six videos – featuring artistes like Wizkid and Patoranking – from the double album whilst plans to shoot more are in motion. Praiz has been nominated and won a number of awards.

He held six nominations at the 2015 Headies including Album Of The Year and won the 2015 NEA award for RnB Artiste of the year, Africa Youth Choice Award 2015 for Best RnB/Pop Artist of the Year, as well as, the Best Artist in Africa (RnB and Soul) at AFRIMA 2015.

During the xenophobic attack in South Africa, Praiz showed his support for Africans by dedicating Superhero to them, the Single was well-received and had over

1million downloads in three days.

He released the video for Harder featuring Patoranking, the dancehall artiste, on October 23, 2015 and he has long concluded works with American RnB star Kenny Lattimore. It is safe to say that the only way for the Rich&Famous crooner is up.

He is currently signed to X3M Music. His fans still enjoy Body Hot, an astonishing single from Praiz.

Recorded alongside Stonebwoy, Ghanaian Afropop, dancehall and reggae artiste and Jesse Jagz; one of Nigeria’s finest rap musician, Praiz in this beautiful piece of dancehall music lends electrifying dancehall melody as Jesse Jagz drops hot rap lines to make the track a banging one for all.

The very talented singer also released the video of Harder, which featured Patoranking. He keeps ascertaining his ability of diversity to the music industry in the track, Body Hot. Reasons to follow Praiz abound. His ability to combine strikingly original music with euphoric live performances sets him out as one of the most captivating artistes in Nigeria and conveniently competes with various international artistes, especially with his ability to hit high notes close to the dreaded whistle register.

He also supports other artistes on the X3M Music label such as Simi and D-Truce.

Recently, he brought his smooth baritone and easy charm to bear in Simi’s Outta My Head, and also featured in the music video of DTruce’s debut single hit Better Days.

But while Praiz is open to more collaboration, he eyes are focused on his style of music and great personality.

Sunday 11 November 2018

27

C002D5556

Entertainment Fans rally support for Mike Ejeagha ...raise concerns about piracy CHUKS OLUIGBO

A

Facebook post by Charles Ogbu, a social media activist and freelance writer, Thursday, triggered memories of the heydays of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, legendary Igbo folklorist, songwriter and musician, prompting many fans to rally support for the ageing artiste.

Ogbu, who said he visited Ejeagha’s home in Enugu with some friends, described him as “a man who has brought honour, glory and majesty to the Igbo nation and kept the ancient ways of our ancestors alive through his music delivered mostly as folklores”, “the only Igbo folklorist who never did praisesinging for any big man even for once in any of his songs”.

He said he and the other visitors saw Ejeagha “living in abject poverty, complete lack and total sense of abandonment”.

“As I type this, his wife has been gravely ill for long. Himself doesn’t look strong even. The condition I met this living legend and his family is something I will not dare write here out of respect for the dignity of his person,” Ogbu said.

He called on government officials and well-meaning individuals in the South-East to come to Ejeagha’s aid and not wait for him to die so they would sing his praises in death and spend millions to give

Mike Ejeagha

him a befitting burial.

He supplied Ejeagha’s account details which, according to him, was “on popular demand” by fans, adding, “Please be informed that he didn’t ask me to beg for money for him on Facebook. We are simply doing this because we feel it is the right thing to do for a living legend like him.”

Following this post, which had garnered over 1,100 reactions, 440 comments and 532 shares as at 6:00pm on Friday, many fans began to throw in their support. While some said they had instantly transferred money to Ejeagha’s account

provided in the post, some said they would do so subsequently, while others said they would make arrangements to visit the living legend at his Abakpa Nike residence in Enugu.

Some other fans raised the issue of piracy, saying some criminals must have been benefitting from Ejeagha’s hard work since his music is still being played on YouTube and his albums on the platform have many thousands of views.

“Someone or organization seems to have been making money on YouTube with his music. Perhaps it’s time to find out who and get the

Tiwa Savage shines for Africa at 2018 MTV EMAS

T

he “2018 MTV EMAs” opened with fierce females ruling the night. Nicki Minaj and Little Mix joined forces for an empowering performance of their collaboration “Woman Like Me”. Just before being joined on stage, Minaj shook the house with her new song “Good Form”.

Global Icon Award honoree Janet Jackson delivered a blazing performance of hits over her legendary 40-year career. The stunning performance spanned four stages and included African drummers, flame torches, fire breathers, more than 20 dancers and an elevated stage surrounded by flames. MTV recognized ar-

tistes from around the globe with Worldwide Act awards and Best Local Act awards for multiple regions including Germany, Spain, Japan and Africa.

Contributing to the strong female winning streak at this year’s MTV EMAs was Tiwa Savage from Nigeria who claimed the accolade of first solo female winner for the African Act category.

She was nominated alongside talented African musicians Davido (Nigeria), Distruction Boyz (South Africa), Fally Ipupa (DRC), Nyashinski (Kenya) and Shekhinah (South Africa) – who walked the red carpet and attended the awards in Bilbao.

Commenting on her historic win, Tiwa Savage said, “I’m just a girl from Nigeria living my dreams.

I’m so thankful to everyone that’s supported my journey so far, especially my fans. Thank you MTV!” Throughout the star-studded global music celebration, Camila Cabello took home four EMA awards including “Best Artist”, “Best Song” and “Best Artist.”

“The MTV EMAs are always a proud moment for the continent. The Africa Act category is indicative of our commitment to elevate and showcase Africa’s collective talent and potential on a global scale. We are so proud of Tiwa. She is truly deserving of this award which is an affirmation of how consistent commitment and hard work leads to success. I also want to congratulate all the African nominees who continue to inspire and uplift our continent,” said , Alex Okosi, executive vice president and managing director for Viacom International Media Networks Africa and BET International.

This year’s show also awarded the first-ever “MTV EMA Generation Change Award” to elevate and empower the fearless, original young people who are changing the world. MTV awarded five change makers from around the globe, all under the age of 26, during the red carpet pre-show.

person to either settle the family or face the law. Media houses have been using this man’s intellectual property for ages obviously without compensation. His works are still being circulated in the open market, who is doing it? Is he being pirated? By who?” said Chidozie Chukwubuike, former chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Imo State chapter.

Onyedikachi Omeke, however, suggested that the surest means to help Ejeagha was to get him back on his feet to start performing in ceremonies.

Born August 1932 in Imezi Owa, Enugu State, Mike Ejeagha has been influential in the evolution of music in the Igbo language for over six decades, with his distinct storyteller-accompaniedby-guitar style and his lyrics laced with proverbs.

He began his music career in the mid-20th century, making his first hit in 1960, the year of Nigeria’s independence, and has contributed over 300 recordings to the National Archives of Nigeria produced during his field work to investigate Igbo folklore highlife music, according to an entry on him on Wikipedia.

Most of his songs were recorded under the Premier Records label and include ‘Uwa Mgbede Ka Mma’, ‘Onye Nwe Ona Ebe’, ‘Onye Ori Utaba’, ‘Omekagu’, ‘Nwa Bu Onyinye Chukwu’, ‘Onye Ndidi’, ‘Mbe Na Enyi’, ‘Anyi Ga Adi’, among numerous others.

Harry Song delights DELSU students at MTN Pulse campus invasion

T

he MTN Pulse Invasion has been delivering its promise of creating a movement of unapologetically daring and bold young people. The latest school that hosted the Invasion was the Delta State University and the students of the school were thrilled for the four-day duration of the invasion. One of the biggest highlights was the visit by Harry Song, popular Nigerian singer, who surprised the students on Saturday, November 3.

The Pulse Invasion had begun in the school three (3) days prior with games and fun activities at the Sales Village. On November 1, 2018, the highly anticipated Pulse Talk Series held and was led by professional photographer, Jide Odukoya and Life strategist, Steve Harris. The Series- usually a motivational session where heavyweights from various fields and sectors get to share their life experiences- gave the students first-hand access to both personalities who happily answered questions on life, business and how to perfect the “hustle”.

By the next day, DELSU was ready for the Customer Forum that allowed them to speak freely on their experiences as customers of the brand and offer suggestions on improving customer experience.

The Pulse District, which opened its doors soon after, was the party hub for the students to relax, dance and dance some more.

All-star action on DStv with Gone, Magnum P.I.

B

ad guys don’t stand a chance this November with MNet’s action-packed crime drama line-up featuring the reboot of the classic cop series Magnum P.I., which premiered on Wednesday 07 November and the new police procedural Gone, starting Thursday 22 November.

In a modern take on the cult Tom Selleck crime series, the revamped Magnum P.I. finds Jay Hernandez in the titular role of the decorated former Navy SEAL who repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. Cool, calm, and always collected, Thomas Magnum is a charming rogue, an American hero – and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan living on a luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business.

Keeping him in line is the estate’s steward Juliet Higgins: a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI6 agent, as well as Magnum’s trusted buddies and fellow vets, Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, a former Marine chopper pilot who runs a helicopter tour business and Orville “Rick” Wright, a former Marine door-gunnerturned-impresario of the island’s coolest nightclub. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other and a beer chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case!

The crime drama stars Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad, The Fixer) as Thomas Magnum, Perdita

Weeks (Ready Player One, Penny Dreadful) as Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton (Flashforward, Parenthood) as Orville “Rick” Wright and Stephen Hill (Boardwalk Empire, Law & Order: SVU) as Theodore “TC” Calvin.

Magnum P.I. is executive produced by Peter M. Lenkov (Hawaii Five-0), Eric Guggenheim (Hawaii Five-0), Justin Lin (Fast & Furious), John Davis (The Blacklist), John Fox (The Blacklist) and Danielle Woodrow (S.W.A.T.).

Meanwhile, the fast-paced cop drama ‘Gone’ introduces us to Kit “Kick” Lanigan, the survivor of a famous child-abduction case and Frank Novak, the FBI agent who rescued her. Determined to never fall victim again, Kick trains herself in the use of firearms and in martial arts as a young woman. When Novak creates a special task force dedicated to solving abductions and missing person’s cases, he persuades Kick to join in and together, the pair work to solve cases and bring victims back home.

28 BDSUNDAY

Off Duty With

C002D5556

Bolatito Adebola Mobile: 08053859391, email - iambolatito@gmail.com twitter - @iambolatito

Enigmatic Tony Elumelu, generosity personified

S

ince he birthed in the banking industry over three decades ago, he has continued to remain a recurring decimal, even years after he left active banking and financial services occupation. Yes, Anthony Elumelu is enigmatic and quintessential in all ramifications, and this is no exaggeration. Today, his Tony Elumelu Foundation, TEF, has over the years been giving succour and relief, via empowerment to youths, not only in Nigeria but throughout the continent of Africa, for sustainable growth and development. Recently, he gathered over 1460 young entrepreneurs across Africa, randomly selected, for similar empowerment purpose, adding that the Foundation has so far made a direct investment of $20 million in the development of young African entrepreneurs, in addition to funds devoted to mentorship and infrastructure. His 10-year TEF Entrepreneurship Programme also budgets $100 million annually to identify, train, mentor, and fund 10,000 young entrepreneurs for the economic development of Africa. The

goal is to invest in businesses that will generate at least one million new jobs and contribute at least $10 billion in new annual revenues across Africa. To boot, even his flourishing Heirs Holdings concern has been breaking new grounds on many fronts, chiefs of which are philanthropy, charity, youth empowerment and sundry CSR initiatives. The former MD/CEO and now Chairman of first generation bank,

UBA, can never be documented in just one piece like this, because he has become an encyclopedia of sorts in many areas, even outside his original and initial calling as a banker, especially as an incurably charitable person.

Little wonder he was favourably and meritoriously listed as the 11th Most Charitable Person in the World

by Richtopia, a UK-based digital periodical that covers business, economic and

H

e ranks prominently on the super upper rung of Nigeria’s elite ladder of successful and wealthy businessmen in Nigeria. Chief Remi Makanjuola, amiable Chairman of Caverton Group is a man of immeasurable legitimate means that have spanned years without any trace of sharp practices in all his dealings and business endeavours.

What is, however, being graciously added to his impeccable life of fame, power and fortune is his latest quiet entry into the elite league of septuagenarians. The patently selfeffacing businessman clocked solid 70 years days back and there has been so much joy and excitement in and around pointing to one fact that he is well-loved and his home and workplace, all admired. Though not one to throw gaudy

financial news, an exclusive list that includes the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote.

His Heirs Holdings, a multibillion dollar enterprise, and NGO, TEF have been harbingers of hope, succour and reawakening for many youths and the indigent who hitherto would have lost hope in the midst of the prevailing hostile economic, social and business environment in the contemporary world.

parties, Chief Makanjuola is being pressured to shed his conservative and low profile toga for once and roll out the drums to mark this landmark/ milestone age. After all, how many mortals live to see that age these days? The emissaries are still hard at work on their pressures on him, and feelers are indicating that the unassumingly quiet man is softening his hard stance and grudgingly nodding to the idea of throwing a big birthday bash. Very industrious and enterprising Chief Makanjuola has so much to be thankful to God for; a good health, a great family cum successful kids (one of whom is Niyi, the brain behind Visionscape company in charge of cleaning Lagos) and thriving enterprises including Caverton Helicopters, established in September 2002 as a charter, shuttle and maintenance company.

Seagle Homes boss, Otunba Yemi Lawal, soars

S

Aiteo Group boss, Benedict Peters’ sigh of relief!

D

Caverton Group big boss, Remi Makanjuola, notches 70!

eest thou a man who is diligent in his work, he shall stand before kings and not stutter. When a man is steadfast in what he has been called and ordained through providence and destiny to do, then the sky will be his starting point and not even his limit. These ageless and potent words aptly describe the magnificence and essence of this youthful, mercurial and benevolent man of honour, Otunba Yemi Lawal, as he will be audaciously conferred with the prestigious Fellowship status by the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Ni-

Sunday 11 November 2018

geria, CITN, next Saturday November 17, 2018 at the Institute’s 2018 Annual Dinner scheduled to hold at the Event Centre Limited (Nana Hall) Plot 1, Block 1 Hakeem Balogun Street, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. Otunba Yemi, who is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, has over 18 years of meritorious commercial banking experience in Audit, Treasury, Branch Management, Regional Management and Corporate banking, majoring in Corporate & Project Finance. Prior to floating Seagle Property

Development Company Limited in 2007, he had left the banking industry in 2005 as a Regional Manager to set up Eagleways Investment Group, which is now

the umbrella body of all his subsidiary companies. This new addition to his already solid and rich pedigree is an indication that Otunba Yemi Lawal is not one to rest on his oars, even when there are indications that he has broken enough grounds in his many concerns, and the CITN Fellowship is an attestation to his resilience and uncommon approach to issues that have to do with business, commerce and enterprise, and he is still not done still breaking grounds in other spheres aside his knack for philanthropy, community development and rare generosity.

on’t cry because it’s over, just smile because it happened, and just like happiness is the art of never holding in your mind the memory of any unpleasant thing that has passed, this is exactly what is revolving in the life of Aiteo Group boss, Benedict Peters, as he has recorded successful outcomes in three other cases, including one overturning the forfeiture of his properties. Benedict’s name was specifically directed to be removed on the wanted list of the anticraft agency by Justice O.A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

The agency had in March 2017 declared Peters wanted on its website. However, in response to a suit, FCT/ HC/CV/23/2017, the court reached the incontrovertible conclusion that Peters has never been charged with, nor tried for any criminal offence in any court of law, nor has he ever jumped bail for any offence whatsoever in Nigeria or even abroad, and cannot thus be declared wanted by administrative fiat without any prior order or leave of court. Benedict Peters, for the umpteenth

time, has recorded successful outcomes in three other cases, including one overturning the forfeiture of his properties which were wrongfully included in a list of properties belonging allegedly belonging to a former minister forfeited by court orders. Perhaps that is the reason why he has been heaving a deep sigh of relief since the information of his exoneration from such damning allegations hit the public domain, and he has not hidden this new-found relief, which has further emboldened him to go about his businesses more legitimately, diligently and efficiently too, without leaving any iota of cutting corners or employing sharp practices.

Father of Insurance, Sunny Odogwu passes on

J

ust like what the nonagenarian Chief Akintola Williams represents in the profession of Accountancy, industry leader and businessman businessm a n , Ch i e f Sunny I. Odogwu, was also the doyen and father of the Insurance profession in Nigeria, which he pioneered as a chartered practitioner in the country over five decades ago.

The man, unfortunately, passed on during the week after a long bout with an undisclosed ailment that was not unconnected with old age. He died peacefully in his sleep in his 80s. Chief Sunny Odogwu, in his lifetime, was an epitome of humility, generosity and astuteness in his chosen profession of Insurance which he took to an enviable height and high standards for upcoming practitioners and industry watchers. The Asaba, Delta State-born High Chief was known for his modesty in virtually all the things he did, even though he was stupendously rich

and endowed enough to afford all the mega things of this world. As a philanthropist, Chief S.I. Odogwu’s milk of human kindness knew no bounds and was always willing to help people, even up to the time he gave up the ghost. He will be sorely missed by his family, people, the Delta state government, the Federal government and the Insurance profession particularly. He is survived by a wife, children and grandchildren, amongst whom are soft-spoken big girls Dolores Odogwu and Ngozi Ojora, and his burial will sure be of monumental dimension, because of his vast net worth of contacts, influence and versatility while alive.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

29

AssemblyWatch From the Red Chamber

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE

L

ast week, Senate President Bukola Saraki announced the reshuffling of heads of four standing committees in the Red Chamber.

The move which did not come as a surprise to many, witnessed the removal of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina State) from a ‘juicy’ committee to that of Labour.

Although most senators would vehemently oppose the description of any committee as ‘juicy’ and give you the impression that all committees are equal, truth is: some committees are more equal than others. They enjoy some fat perks of office by virtue of the critical agencies they oversight.

For Ibrahim, his hobnob-

Saraki’s removal of Ibrahim from ‘juicy’ panel and 2019 elections bing with the Villa and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, cost him his position.

Recall that the police boss has been at loggerheads with the Senate leadership for some time now and all the issues concerning the security agency referred to the committee became dead on arrival.

In what appeared to be a vote of no confidence, the Senate had in February this year rejected the ‘one-sided’ report of the committee on the security situation in Benue State.

This also explained why the Senate leadership asked the an ad-hoc committee to investigate the invasion of the National Assembly and snatching of Senate mace in April.

Speaking of mace, why hasn’t the Police prosecuted the hoodlums arrested regarding the theft of the legislative body’s symbol of authority? It is over seven months since the incident, yet the security agency is yet to arraign the suspects.

Also, where are those arrested in the Offa bank robbery in Kwara State which claimed many lives?

Perhaps, the disclosure by the Commissioner of Police in charge of IG Monitor-

ing Unit, Abu Sani, that investigation into the theft of the mace could take more than 10 years to complete is already coming to pass.

I covered the session when he appeared before the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives and presented an interim report that the police command were trying to establish the link between the suspects in their custody and those who made away with the mace.

The Police Affairs Committee is now chaired by Tijjani Kaura, an aggrieved APC lawmaker from Zamfara State. His appointment may have been informed by the belief that he would be able to carry out proper ov e r s i g h t o n t h e p o l i c e without succumbing to pressure from the Villa to do its bidding. As the 2019 elections approach, Saraki is looking for someone who will have no allegiance to Aso Rock and play a spoiler against the Police when the need arises.

The reshuffling also favoured the newly sworn-in APC senator from Bauc h i S t a t e , L a w a l - Ya h a y a Gumau, who now heads the Committee on Federal Character.

Gamau, it was, who

promised in the build-up to the Bauchi South Senatorial District bye-election, to ensure that Nigeria’s constitution would be amended to make President Muhammadu Buhari, president for life. I strongly believe Nigerians are too sophisticated to have such a scenario and I can say for free that this move will fall like a pack of cards just like former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s failed Third Term bid.

With three months to the 2019 General Election, attention will shift to the ad-hoc committtee constituted to investigate the alleged diversion of the funds for the Special Intervention Programme of the present administration to prosecute President Muhammadu’s reelection bid.

The ad-hoc committee, chaired by Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto) was also mandated to investigate the application of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment-Programme (SURE-P) of the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan. Other members are: Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna), Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia), Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe), Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi), Matthew Urhoghide (PDP,

Unpleasant road to political-labour market

Q

uite a reasonable number of members of the House of Representatives from various political parties at the last plenary session held on Thursday narrated their ordeals on how their political fortunes were shattered during the last party primaries conducted by their respective parties. Of course few of them were fortunate to curry the favour of their Governors who constitute themselves to political godfathers. Never forget that most of the Governors who are concluding second term in office are eyeing the Senate come 2019. But for members of the Lower Chamber, it wasn’t a palatable stories, as they also vexed their frustration over the high cost of nomination forms and the need to probe into the alleged connivance of National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in the marred electoral process vis-à-vis the agitation trailing the widespread reports of gross irregularities that greeted the primary elections in each of the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT). For

me, all of these mean 4-year of political unemployment, no free money from lobbying, constituency projects and contracts, and other goodies/ privileges attached to their respective offices.

Watching the televised party primaries in some of the 36 States where some of those lawmakers engaged in free-for-all, I can’t imagine the level of frustration of the political office holders who had spent millions in seeking return tickets! Of course, for some of those who could not bear the frustration, they have defected to the opposition parties where they were offered automatic tickets.

The issue came to bare with the motion titled: ‘Lack of internal democracy in the conduct of party primaries in the run-up to the general elections sponsored by Chika Abubakar from Niger State. According to him, some Political parties did not even conduct primaries but unilateral fixed preferred candidates who were imposed by Governors in contravention of stipulated and guiding laws. He further expressed worry that if the trend is allowed to continue, the National and State

Assemblies would constitute only Governor’s stooges.

Some of those who relayed their experiences are: Rt. Hon. Yussuff Lasun, the incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who vied for the gubernatorial seat in State of Osun which he lost as a result of adoption of direct primary, as against the familiar Delegate primary (indirect).

Another lawmaker from Ogun State, Rt. Hon. Akinlade Adekunle who was tipped for the Governorship seat by the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun was robbed through the ‘federal might’ which nullified the consensus option adopted by the State Executive of the party. While narrating his ugly experience, Akinlade wondered why the will of a selected few will lord it over the will of the many.

Rt. Hon. Musa-Soba Muhammed stated that he was also a victim of the tyranny of the few over the many. He stated that the democratic process was in danger because it was run by people who did not believe in the law governing democracy and this casted doubt if the 2019 general elections would be free and fair.

Rt. Hon. Hassan Saleh was not left out of the crisis, as he expressed sadness over the mortgage of democracy in his States. He alleged that INEC officials who witnessed the party primary stood idly by while the mandate and choices of the people were blindly stolen.

For Rt. Hon. Nnenna ElenduUkeje it was a daylight robbery of the exercise through which the electorates choose their respective leaders into various political offices in 2019. For her, Nigerian democracy can best be described as an airplane that took off in bad weather.

She also likened the just concluded party primaries to a coup that wrestled away the wishes of the people through money and the barrel of a gun.

In what seems to be a solution to the lingering political imbroglio, Rt. Hon. Gbillah Terseer who defected alongside his Benue kinsmen from All Progressive Congress (APC) to Epoples Democratic Party (PDP), called for the consideration of the concept of independent candidacy in order to tackle the flagrant lack of internal democracy experienced during party primaries who should have been platforms for

Edo) and Gbenga Ashafa (APC, Lagos).

The motion moved by Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi (APC, Ekiti), pitted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators against their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts, further exposing how they reneged on their earlier commitments to jettison partisan politics and face issues of governance.

Attention will also shift to the Senate Committee on Gas, mandated to investigate the alleged unauthorized withdrawal of $1.05 billion by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from the account of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).

Chaired by a PDP senator, Albert Bassey, the Senate President is also no longer comfortable with the Ahmad Lawan-led Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the application of $3.5 billion Petroleum Subsidy by NNPC. Recall that Lawan has never hidden his loyalty to President Buhari and his reelection bid.

It would be interesting to see how the events would play out, as more fireworks are expected as the election gathers steam.

From the Green House With

KEHINDE AKINTOLA people to express their political aspirations.

Meanwhile, Rt. Hon. Edward Pwajok raised fundamental observation about the huge amounts imposed on nomination forms by some political parties on aspirants, most of whom eventually lost out of the contest. The legal luminary indirectly accused some party bigwigs of indulging in financial gratifications during the primaries. As part of its intervention mechanism, the House resolved to set up an Ad-Hoc Committee that will investigate the motion with the view to proffer a workable solution.

30 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

THINGS TO DO IN LAGOS It is another Sunday Funday and as always, I have somewhere for you to be at! Here are a few events happening today that will thrill you:

Lagos Fringe Festival

T

he festival will present groundbreaking performances in film, theatreandmusicandshowcase these events simultaneously with the 2018 edition of Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

Venues for this year’s festival are Terra

Kulture, University of Lagos, Freedom Park, Lagos State University and the two colleges of education in the state, as well as Bariga, Alimosho, Ikeja, Surulere and National Theatre.

This year’s focus is on diversity and inclusion in the arts, a development that

has birthed creative exchange that will feature industry experts, curators and professionals engaging with emerging artistes for three days during the festival.

Artists from Nigeria, South Africa, U.K., U.S., Ghana, Senegal, Zimbabwe and the Republic of Benin are set to thrill you through the festival, so get your dancing shoes on from Sunday 11 November to Sunday 18 November 2018.

As the fashion season is still upon us, gear

up today for GTBank Fashion Weekend (Day 2) From masterclasses torunway toshopping to food to craft as well as many more beautiful line ups for you, this year’s GTBANK FSHN WKND is set to give you quite an experience.

You know how much we love food so if you’re not for fashion or arts, head down to Lilygate Hotel to enjoy their Sunday Buffet, which is going for only N7,900.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 31

Movie Review Of NIGHT SCHOOL By Linda Ochugbua

I

f you really love comedy and would like to have a very good laugh and relaxing moments without having to crack your head with too much suspense and thriller, then this is a 100% recommendation from me. Also if you know Kevin Hart well and his kind of movies, you will know he is an award winning act in comedy movies, and even when he takes up a serious role either as a corp or CIA agent, he sure knows how to turn it around and still make you laugh. I feel he is really good and should stick to comedy, anyway just my thoughts. I really enjoyed this movie and I was glad I could see it in the cinemas before it was taken down. It has being on going for a while now and I guess the outcome

has been good for it to still be on in the cinemas. The movie was all about Kevin Hart, who wanted to be great and successful but felt that going to school wasn’t necessary, but then he was kind of wrong.

The movie was directed by Malcolm D. Lee and Written

by Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells and others.

It was about 2 hours in total and was hilarious from start to finish, I felt some scenes were over dragged but then it was okay, although some people didn’t feel that way.

A bit about the movie which, started with Kevin Hart leaving a deceptive life, trying to be what he wasn’t to impress his new found girl-

friend, he loved her so much and didn’t want to lose her, so he lied about everything, bought a car he couldn’t afford, rented an apartment he couldn’t keep up with, and took her out to expensive restaurants she ended up paying for, because he never had cash. Her friends even warned her about him, but she loved him so much and wouldn’t listen. That’s how they continued until reality came knocking.

Cast: Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Nicholas Stroller, John Hamburg & Matthew Kellard Genre: Comedy Director: Malcolm D. Lee Ratings: PG 13 (for crude and sexual content throughout,

language, some drugs references and violence) Written by: Kevin Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Nicholas Stroller, John Hamburg, & Matthew Kellard Running: 111 minutes Studio: Universal Pictures To my verdict I would say that the movie was okay and deserves a 6/10. I felt the movie was okay, had nice production, crew, casts, costumes and locations. I enjoyed every bit of this comedy movie and we all had a very good laugh.

If you do love Kevin Hart and comedy movies, then you can give this movie a try and I am sure you will have a goodtime this weekend, make sure you do before it goes off the cinema.

32 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Feature

Rising cases of kidney diseases draining household income Continued from page 1

sure was high and he was short of blood.

On May 2, 2018, Oluwaseun was finally diagnosed of kidney diseases at Molly Specialist Hospital, Idi Ape, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“The doctor said I need kidney transplant but I am presently undergoing dialysis pending the time we raise funds for the transplant,” he said in June.

“It has not been easy financially because we struggle to raise between N70,000 and N82,000 weekly for my dialysis and blood transfusion,” he said.

To fund the dialysis, his elder sister sold the taxi which he said brought in little money for the family’s upkeep and soon, they went borrowing from anyone who was kind enough to lend them some money.

“We have spent all we have. I can no longer work at my barbing salon because of my condition and we have even sold almost everything in the shop,” he said. “We have nothing and nobody to turn to. My father is late and my aged mother is extremely poor. My relatives and friends have done all they could to help me.”

His legs, face and stomach were all swollen at the time.

He complained of severe pains and discomfort with breathing.

Wale

Ogechi He said he could not urinate or defaecate as he should and he also suffered sleeping disorder.

His family was still trying to raise the money for the kidney transplant when he gave up the ghost.

This is just one out of the many sad stories of Nigerians who have lost their lives to kidney diseases in recent times.

Just recently, kidney disease was reported to have caused the deaths of many residents in some states in North-eastern Nigeria, most in their early 30s.

Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital lost 80 percent of its kidney

patients who were undergoing dialysis in the last four years, according to Kano Kidney Foundation.

The footprint of the disease is also evident in other parts of the country, with sufferers battling to stay alive.

Sadly, there seems to be little hope for sufferers of kidney diseases as the cost of treatment is out of the reach of many.

Patients hang onto hope Due to the capital-intensive nature of kidney disease treatment, some patients have lost their lives. But those still alive are hoping they won’t add to the growing number anytime soon.

One of such persons is Wale Ogungbesan.

Ogungbesan, 44, a driver in one of the insurance companies in Lagos, had a severe stomach upset on June 9, 2018. He could neither sleep nor stand, and the next day, he reported to a private hospital beside his house at Sango in Ogun State.

“I was given drugs but the stomach pain persisted. I was sweating profusely and breathing very fast,” he told BDSUNDAY in October 2018 while undergoing a dialysis.

The hospital sent him for a laboratory test after which they concluded he had appendicitis.

“They started treating me for appendicitis, but the pain was still there,” he muttered feebly.

But when Ogungbesan started coughing and vomiting blood, his family rushed him to Access Hospital in Sango, Ogun State, where he learnt that his kidneys were badly damaged. He was referred to Dialyzer Specialist Medical Centre, Arowojobe in Oshodi area of Lagos State, for

dialysis.

“The doctor said one dialysis costs N71,000 and I have to do the dialysis twice a week,” Ogungbesan said. “I asked for how long, and the doctor said I will be doing it until my kidney comes up.”

Ogungbesan had hypertension in 2016, which doctors said, coupled with stress, contributed to his kidney failure.

“When I got the contract driving job in Lagos, I took a loan from the cooperative and bought a car. On my way to work every day at 4.30am, I would convey passengers from Abeokuta to Oshodi for a fee to make extra income. On my way back home, I would carry passengers from Lagos to Abeokuta. But, I had to sell the car,” he said.

Unable to pay for dialysis

Due to the capital-intensive nature of kidney disease treatment, some patients have lost their lives. But those still alive are hoping they won’t add to the growing number anytime soon

twice a week, he manages to get on the machine once a week.

But sometimes, he cannot afford to do a single dialysis in a week.

“The pain would be so unbearable and I would feel so weak that I won’t be able to walk,” he said with a look of despair on his face. “And my leg would begin to swell up. I will start vomiting blood and breathing very fast. At that point, my family will rush me down to Lagos from Ogun State for dialysis.”

Ogungbesan was relieved of his job five months ago and his wife is a petty trader. So, he relies on hand-outs to fund his treatment.

“I get help from the office, my secondary school association, church, my friends, colleagues and wife’s relatives. But now, they said they don’t have money,” he said, sadly.

Ogungbesan said his 20-year old son, who is a 300-level computer science student, and his brother have volunteered to give him a kidney, but he needs N10 million to fund the transplant.

“They were both tested and the doctor confirmed that they can donate their kidney to me and they are willing,” he said.

For Ugbede Oluwatoyin, a 35-year-old graduate of Economics from the University of Abuja, she was wrongly diagnosed.

Initially, Oluwatoyin was treated for malaria and typhoid every two weeks from August to November 2017. The Economics graduate, who ventured into selling eggs and foodstuffs after she was relieved of her bank teller job, said they switched to treating her for ulcer in November 2017.

“Unknown to us, the sickness was bigger than ulcer. I was short of blood and was given two pints of blood,” Oluwatoyin recalled.

Before she got married in December 2017, Oluwatoyin was referred to Maitama Hospital for endoscopy but her fiancé did not let her go because of the cost implication.

“My condition deteriorated two months after my wedding, and that was when I was diagnosed of kidney failure,” she said, gasping for breath.

Oluwatoyin’s condition got worse first week in January 2018 when she started bleeding through the nose and vomiting twice or thrice a week. The next

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 33

Feature

Joseph week, she was at Kubwa General Hospital to inquire about the result of the tests carried out on her and the doctor said they were all good, but she wasn’t getting any better.

“The bleeding and vomiting still persisted. I lost appetite, had sleepless nights and coughed profusely. I was given antibiotics, malaria drugs and cough syrup. With the medication, it even got worse,” she said.

On February 23, 2018, she was diagnosed of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) at Kubwa General Hospital, Abuja after which she was referred to Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, also in Abuja, for further treatment and dialysis.

Oluwatoyin spent six weeks at the hospital before she was moved to Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre in Abuja, where she has been receiving treatment till date.

“I do dialysis twice a week and the drugs cost N110,000 per week. On monthly basis, I spend N1 million on dialysis, drugs and admission,” she said.

She was told the best treatment option for her condition was kidney transplantation and it would cost about N13.3 million.

“My husband is a mathematics teacher at Elis-Angel Model School and his salary can barely take care of a session of dialysis,” she said, dejectedly. “All this while, I have survived on the goodwill of family and friends.

Right now, I’m relying on help from above.”

Joseph Nnagbogu, a 43-yearold father of four, has been battling with kidney failure for two years and has been on dialysis since then.

“I spend N150,000 a week for three sessions of dialysis, but I haven’t done any in two weeks because of funds,” Nnagbogu said in an emotion-laden voice.

According to him, his painful

Kehinde journey began in 2004, when he was diagnosed of diabetes, which, he was told, resulted to kidney failure requiring N13 million for transplant.

“This sickness has cost me a lot. My wife, a microbiologist, lost her job because she often took permission at work to take me to the hospital. My children have been out of school and there is no money to feed them,” he said.

Ogechi Umunnakwe, a graduate of Lead City University, is also battling to stay alive. She was diagnosed of kidney failure and spends N160,000 every week for two sessions of dialysis at Dialyzer Specialist Medical Centre, Oshodi, Lagos State.

“I need N10 million for the transplant in India in November 2018. I don’t want to die,” Umunnakwe said amidst tears in a video that has gone viral on social media.

“I’m the only daughter of my family. I don’t want to leave them now. So, I’m pleading that everybody should please come to my rescue and help me,” she sobbed.

High prevalence of disease “More people are coming down with kidney disease. It’s just that they are in different stages of the disease,” said Olalekan Olatise, consultant physician/ nephrologist at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, Abuja.

According to available statistics, 13-16 percent of Nigerians are down with kidney diseases.

Figures from the Nigeria Association of Nephrologists pegged the number of Nigerians suffering from renal failure at 25 million.

“More people are having kidney disease now than before,” said Jacob Awobusuyi, medical director and consultant physician/nephrologist, Dialyzer Medical Centre and consultant nephrologist, Lagos State Uni-

versity Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

Nephrologists attribute the high incidence to diabetes and hypertension.

“The prevalence in diabetes and hypertension is very high and these are very common diseases,” Awobusuyi told BDSUNDAY. Corroborating, Olatise said the rise stems from blood sugar and blood pressure that are not well controlled.

“More people are coming down with hypertension and they are even unaware they have hypertension. We have more people, including the younger ones, coming down with diabetes,” Olatise said.

The experts also listed lifestyle as a reason for the rise in kidney disease, saying there has also been increased awareness for the disease.

“More people are now aware and they come to the hospital more than they did in the past.

So, they are diagnosed more frequently,” said Awobusuyi.

Illicit drugs and obesity are also red flags, according to Olatise, who said more people are smoking different kinds of things, taking illicit drugs and abusing pain killers.

“Some take herbal medications and young people are now obese. All these are toxic and damage the kidney,” he said.

The nephrologists also revealed that the number of patients they attend to on a monthly basis has risen significantly in the last one year.

“We do an average of about 10 transplants and 800 sessions of dialysis every month,” Olatise said.

“We used to do about half that number in transplants and 400 sessions of dialysis in a month.”

“We could see close to 80/90 patients in a month. We were not doing that much before,” Awobusuyi said.

Any way out?

The experts say regular checkup is key as it would help nip the disease in the bud.

“Regular check-ups should be taken seriously because for some people, the symptoms are not obvious and only appear when the kidney is damaged,” Awobusuyi said.

Olatise, on his part, said some people are in the early stages of

the urine, blood and blood pressure is best way to avoid renal failure,” he said.

On the survival rate for the disease, he said it’s as high as 97 percent, adding, “Some cannot afford the medication because they are not financially buoyant.

Those who take their medications live longer.”

Corroborating, Awobusuyi

Oluwaseun the disease but are not presenting to the doctor because they are not aware.

“Doing a regular checking of

said, “The patient can live for 20/30 years if he can afford dialysis but if he cannot, it’s a matter of two-three months.”

34 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Feature

Political echoes of the PH Int’l Airport commissioning * APC, PDP drag bragging right * The China Exim Bank loan that saved the airport * Domestic wing yet to enjoy commissioning * How numerous variations caused delay * Terminal Building not yet operational despite commissioning IGNATIUS CHUKWU & DAVID EJIOHUO

T

he commissioning of the Port Harcourt International Airport on October, 25, 2018, has come and gone and a lot of water has passed under the bridge. The unveiling by President Mohammadu Buhari of the $111m project brought some life back to the terminal building and posted another milestone in the development of the aviation industry in Nigeria.

It enhanced the image of the third busiest airport in the Nigeria which was recently adjudged the worst in the world by some international aviation regulatory bodies.

Since November 1, 1925, when the first-ever aircraft, the Royal Air Force of Great Britain, landed in Nigeria at the ancient city of Kano, Nigeria’s aviation industry has witnessed many milestones such as the feat in Port Harcourt. There are about 30 airports in Nigeria and more are still coming. Currently, 26 of them were being managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Nigeria, for now, has five functional international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Enugu. The commissioning of the new international terminal building built by China Construction Company (CCC) is seen as commendable and spectacular.

According to sources from the Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), work at the terminal building project, along with three others in Lagos, Abuja and Kano, commenced in February 2014 and were funded through the China-Exim Bank loan of $500m and another US$100m counterpart fund facility.

The newly commissioned terminal terminal has the capacity to process about seven million passengers annually, covering a space of approximately 28,000m and has 24 check-in-counters and three baggage collection counters.

It also has 12 immigration desks at arrival, 16 immigration desks at departure; four security screening points, four passenger boarding gates and a host of other facilities.

The terminal building contract

Buhari, Ngige, Wike and Sirika at PH Airport commissioning, recently

was awarded in 2012 by the Goodluck Jonathan administration but large-scale construction work started in 2014, with the main structures which include a twostorey building, a cargo terminal and several ancillaries works.

According to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, the airport project was expected to be delivered within a period of two years but at the time the current administration came on board, the level of work was below 30 per cent, because it was bedevilled with various technical challenges. He explained that the current administration had to approve the China Exim Bank loan to complete the project because the PH International Airport was very important to the Nigerian economy. He said it served over one million (1,080,284) passengers in 2017. The old terminal building, he explained, was unable to provide the requirement and space to handle such volume of passengers.

The commissioning of the new terminal building for the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, was therefore seen by stakeholders as a welcome development.

This important development was equally captured by President Buhari when he said that the

terminal building was part of the Federal Government’s deliberate policy to sustain the development of infrastructure for the economic growth in all the political zones in the country.

According to him, the new terminal building represents a significant landmark for international airport travellers, particularly from the south-south region, pointing out that it also intended to modernise aging airport infrastructure to meet global aviation standard.

APC, PDP, jostle for credit What was not a welcome development, however, was the futile political tussle that ensured soon after the commissioning ceremony by the president, between the two main rival political parties in the country, the APC and the PDP. While the APC and the members of the Federal Executive Council were clinking glasses to cheer and toast for the said feat, the members of the PDP were busy laughing them to derision and chiding them for the perceived glory they said they did not deserve.

It was really a show of shame as both political parties spent time and energy to prosecute their claims and counter-claims.

It was really a cross-fire.

Thus, most observers urged the political class in Nigeria to know that both the APC and PDP are mere chauffeurs driving Nigeria and her people to a destination.

“The car does not belong to them, neither does the road and other infrastructures”, an elder in one of the parties said. It would be an acute myopia for any political party, present or past, to arrogate so much to themselves because government is a continuum.

The China loans It is on record that the said project at the Port Harcourt International Airport was started since 2012 by the Jonathan’s administration and completed by the President Buhari Administration five years later.

The China Exim Bank provided the $500m loan and the US provided the needed $100m for the counterpart fund facility. Which of the political parties involved in the cross-fire would be able to repay the loan? This is a project meant to be executed in two years but now commissioned five years after.

Many said this was the crux of the matter and that it called for a sober reflection and the need to ask questions like; ‘Why did we fail to deliver a project with borrowed money meant for just

two years in five years? Have we thought about the huge sum and the interest thereof?”

Terminal building yet to commence operation The said new terminal building is yet to commence operation one week after the commissioning ceremony and may still not be in use for some time to come, according to airport witnesses who said; “It is not yet uhuru.”

Observers think that what happened at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa could best be described as a “political commissioning ceremony”.

Meanwhile, the domestic terminal building started earlier, was still moving one step forward and two steps backwards. The commissioning ceremony for the domestic wing, especially the terminal building, had been put off more than three times.

The Regional Manager, South - South and South - East, Otumba Afolabi Ojo, while briefing members of the press at the airport recently, said the project would be commissioned in March next year but the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Sirika, was quoted by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as saying that the project will now be commissioned in December this year. We are waiting. God bless Nigeria.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

35

Feature Day Edo NUJ saw Governor Godwin Obaseki ‘face-to-face’ IDRIS UMAR MOMOH

O

ctober 29, 2018 will remain indelible date in the annals of history of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council. It was the day Nefishetu Yakubu, the amazon and chairman of the chapel, led her executives and members to the Edo State Government House to see Governor Godwin Obaseki “face-to-face.”

The expression, “face- to- face” here may seem meaningless to other people, but to members of the pen profession, especially to the members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, it connotes fulfillment, recognition, liberation and all that depict positive things of life.

The chapel had on September 21, 2018, elected a new executives​to pilot its affairs for the next three years, after the dissolution of its former executives ​by the State Congress of the Edo State Council of the NUJ, sequel to the one-point recommendation by panel set up to investigate the case of alleged N4.5 million fraud leveled against the former executive members by members of the chapel.

Prior to the visitation to the governor, members of the chapel and other members of the pen profession in the state have not had a robust working-relationship with the state government since inception of the current administration, especially the state governor, over crisis that bordered on financial impropriety leveled against some members.

The crisis, which erupted in 2017, has not only resulted in strained relationship with the government of the day, but also polarised the chapel into camps. This has also had a negative effect on the good working relationship earlier enjoyed by members over the years.

But with the resolution of the crisis and with the coming on board of a new executive into the Correspondents’ Chapel, a fresh air has been breathed into it.

It was also as a result of the dawn of a new era in the chapel, that the State Governor graciously approved the members’ request of courtesy visit that was accomplished on October 29, 2018.

The visit, which was successful by all standards, was also full of lessons for members to take home.

Major takeaways were the continuous echoing of the expression- seeing the Governor “face-to-face”; a phrase coined from the chapel Chairman’s speech.

Others were the acceptance and recognition of the new executive by the governor and his promise to partner the members with a view to sustaining the state as the information (services) hub in the South-South region and also projecting it to be the best in the entire country.

Members were not only thrilled by the governor’s re-echoing of the phrase, but by his leadership disposition and the reception accorded them. It also showed the governor’s willing spirit to the plights of citizens in need of attention from those in the corridors of power. That is a story for another day.

Those who received the executives with the governor were Taiwo Akerele, Chief of Staff to the Governor; Paul Ohonbamu, Commissioner for Information and Orientation and Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy.

The visit also coincided with that of the South-South/South-East traditional rulers to the state governor who were in the state for their second consultative meeting to deliberate on the security

A cross section of members of Correspondents’ Chapel in a group photograph with the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki (in suit) and Paul Ohonbamu, commissioner for Information and Orientation, during a courtesy visit to the governor recently.

Pix by Idris Umar Momoh challenges in the two regions ahead of the 2019 general election in the country.

Traditional rulers by their nature, are the custodians ​of their cultural heritage, customs, traditions, values and above all, preside over the political and traditional affairs of the grassroots people. It is therefore, no wonder that the visit was packed full with a lot of blessings and successes.

The Correspondents’ Chairman, Nefishetu Yakubu, had in her speech, commended the governor’s efforts at delivering on the dividends of democracy to Edo people, who see him as governor who knows his onions.

Yakubu also saluted the governor’s vision for providing a very conducive working environment for the public service and investment in human capital development, among others.

She however encouraged the governor to continue with the strides of developments and prayed for God’s continued blessing on him with insight for excellence in the months ahead.

“On behalf of the entire membership of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, I salute your Excellency for this very rare opportunity, to see you, ‘faceto-face.’

“The Correspondents’ Chapel recently elected a NEW EXCO with me as the Chairman, succeeding the former Exco whose tenure expired in September,” she said.

While noting that the Correspondents’ Chapel constitutes the largest accredited editorial staff of various media organisations in the state, she opined that there should be a strong synergy between his government and the media for effective, credible and balanced reportage of gov-

You are the fourth estate of the realm and we always and ever look up to you for some balanced reports and information. We expect you to be accurate, factual and balanced on all sides to an issue. Report the event and situation as you see them so that members of the public will have a benefit of reliable information through you

ernment’s activities.

She noted that the new vista of partnership has become more critical with the challenging era of social media and fake news.

“But sometimes, this expectation is met with huge challenges with the absence of modern tools. This is one area government has always assisted us with tools for our trade.

“Over the years, while we have kept faith with the ethics of the profession through fair and balanced reportage of all government activities, government on its part, has kindly assisted us with critical incentives.

“We will therefore, appeal for the replacement of the chapel’s Toyota Hiace bus donated to us ten years ago that is now in ‘coma’. With the forthcoming elections in mind and members having to track relevant government officials on key assignments, the bus will assist members in pursuit of their statutory duties,” she stated.

Yakubu who also appealed to the State Governor for a grant-in-aid for members to acquire modern equipment such as i-pads to enable members adapt to challenges posed by the new media, also informed the governor that the Chapel is planning for the third edition of her quarterly symposium/end of the year party with Christmas in mind.

Governor Obaseki commended members of the Chapel for taking a wise decision in electing a female as chairman.

According to him, “You made a good decision by electing a woman as your chairman because it is very rare to say no to a woman when she approaches you for the benefit of her members. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you on your successful election.”

The governor, who did not also hide his ill-feeling against members of the Chapel over the crisis that had bedeviled it in the past one year, however, expressed happiness that peace has finally come to reign in the chapel with the election and sued for its sustenance.

Obaseki, who in a flashback reflected on when he visited the secretariat of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in December 2015 to formally announce his political aspiration to contest the governorship seat of the state, noted that he decided to distance himself from the union because of the crisis.

“You noticed that since I assumed office I have been a bit quiet just watching the development in the Chapel because of the issues in it. I have been worried

as a result of the issues of corruption, antagonism, politicisation in the Chapel.

It is not something that I as governor, will take lightly at all. That is why I decided to keep my distance until the issues are settled. I hope that the issues have been now settled.

“Anything that smacks of impropriety or corruption, I don’t come close to it at all. You are all professionals, a lot are very accomplished and you write very well, but when I heard about insinuations and counter- insinuations, libelous, slanderous statements and comments that have been made over a paltry sum, as far as I was concerned, I was not happy.

“But like you said, all that is now in the past and you are looking on to the future.

As a governor, I will like to work with you.

I had made commitment to you when I came to the NUJ Press Centre while campaigning for the governorship election.

I will love to visit again, work, interact with you and support you. But I will want to implore you that all the lessons from the past incident should not be allowed to rear its ugly head again in the future.

“You are the fourth estate of the realm and we always and ever look up to you for some balanced reports and information.

We expect you to be accurate, factual and balanced on all sides to an issue. Report the event and situation as you see them so that members of the public will have a benefit of reliable information through you,” he said.

As the Chief Security Officer of the State and a Grand Patron of NUJ in the State, Obaseki noted that meaningful development would not be achieved where there is insecurity and rancour.

Being impressed by the new-found peace in the Chapel, the governor graciously​ decided to rescind his earlier decision not to give vehicle to any group, association or body for their use. He said his decision to have a change of heart was as a result of the leadership qualities of the Chapel’s Chairman.

“I have said that I will not give a bus to anybody, but because you came, I am going to make one available to the Chapel, because I know the enormous challenges of having to move around. I know that the next few months will be very busy for you and therefore, you can count on me on that.

“I heard all that you said but I will do more than that. I recall that during my electioneering period for the 2016 governorship election, I donated internet facility to your Centre. But now I think we should all sit down, clean up the centre and re-equip it with computers and internet connections before the year runs out so that you can cover and report the 2019 general election, because we expect you to report accurately and consistently in all parts of Edo State,” he said.

“Once again, let me thank and assure you that so long you are working in this state, it is our responsibility to ensure that we support you to succeed and excel more than your colleagues in other parts of the country.

“As Correspondents’ Chapel members, be rest assured that you have a government that is supporting your course. You can see, I never called anybody to complain or make any remark or say something about any story that emanated from the state or in the Government House. I have not been contravening the freedom of the press just because of my belief in a free press. I will be the last person to do so,” he added.

He however ended his speech with the Correspondent Chapel’s Chairman phrase, “now that we can have a media that can see me face-to-face.”

36

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Interview ‘Organisations must ensure adherence to code of ethics as catalyst for sustainable growth’ The Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria as a business membership organisation (BMO) has been in existence for 35 years with over 4,000 career directors as members. The DG/CEO of the institute, Dele Alimi, who assumed duties in that capacity in August, 2017, in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU spoke about the annual directors’ conference, a flagship programme of the institute and what the IoD is doing as regards corporate governance. Excerpts:

A

s the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of IoD Nigeria, what would you say are the major contributions of the institute to the economy?

The institute of directors is a prime membership organisation in Nigeria and it basically focuses on capacity development for directors, improving their abilities to deliver on the various mandates they have been given in the various boards, ministries, departments, and companies they are directing. The role of a director is different from that of a manager.

The director is like the overall person who gives direction on the way the company should run, so not only do we deal with executives who are managing directors or executive directors, we also have directors who are just on board that is, the non-executive directors and we have independent directors. So, what we do is to prepare them in terms of their capacities and abilities to properly manage organisations. The implication is that when organisations are properly managed, it has a positive effect on the economy, employment and social aspect of the country.

The institute is striving in all areas to make the Nigeria economy viable and useful for everybody. So I believe that when directors show signs of good leadership, organisations will be sustainable. When organisations are sustainable, employments will always be retained and new jobs will be created.

Chartered Directors are recognised anywhere there is IoD. How far has IoD Nigeria gone in establishing Chartered Directors?

To have chartered director, the first thing you must do is that the institute itself must be chartered. As I speak with you, IoD Nigeria has gone very far.

This is a race that started about three to four years ago. By the grace of God, we are at the last lap of getting a chartered status for IoD Nigeria. Once we have a chartered status, in the house, we will roll out our plans to ensure that we have chartered directors in Nigeria. We are hoping it happens before the end of the year.

Recently, the institute launched the Code of Ethics Committee. What informed it and how is the committee going to regulate activities of directors in their various organisations?

The idea of setting up an eth-

Dele Alimi, DG/CEO of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria

ics committee is for members of the institute. We also ensure that our members at all-time are above board in their dealings and activities. Also, in playing properly the roles they have been given as directors.

We believe that if we put this code in place, it will transcend any sector. It is a code that will guide directors. Our aim is not to be punitive. We will give you a code that will spell out your responsibilities. We believe that at any point in time, you have issue; we will give you what to do in terms of blowing the whistle.

The whole idea is that as a member of IoD, there is a particular level of standard that is expected of you and if you fall below it, there will be sanction.

Also, the reason why I said it is not going to be completely punitive in nature is that when we notice that a member is erring, standing on the existing ethics code that we have, we can write the member. The institute believes those actions you have taken is contrary. So, it is also going to be advisory in nature and that will not be within our control. Our code of ethics is within our control.

We are not going to be waiting on government and regulatory authorities. We will have our own committee. For instance, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has its own disciplinary committee no

matter what the court does.

Once a member is reported, ICAN has a way of disciplining such member. We have seen members whose certificates were withdrawn and removed from the register of ICAN. This ethical conduct will ensure that members are able to live above board as the conducts are concerned.

The rule now takes everyone into consideration.

So as a nonexecutive director, it is important you know what is going on. You must get the facts behind the figures.

Directors can now go to jail when companies are not well managed. This is how the practice has gotten to now.

Non-executive directors can now go to jail

The annual Directors’ Conference is the institute’s flagship event. What are you doing differently this year?

The conference opened on November 8, at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, with the theme: ‘Global Best Practice in Corporate Governance: Way Forward for Nigeria’. From the theme, you will realise that we are still demanding more in terms of the need for Nigeria to embrace more the spirit of good corporate governance. What we did this year is that we looked at the global best practices, where it has been done and has been done right; bringing people to come and discuss that.

We had foreign speakers from climes where internationally they have been acclaimed to have very good corporate governance codes that is working and working very well for them.

We had them here to learn from experiences.

We also had Nigerians who are in charge of implementing our codes, or contributed to our own governance code discussing the issues of corporate governance code. It was a oneday programme. Not only did we examine the issue ourselves, we also looked at other places where they seem to be doing it better than we are. The Vice President was the special guest of honour and the keynote address speaker was Prof. Bola Akinterinwa. He has written so much on leadership, especially as it affects Nigeria and you have the Chief Executive Officer, IoD Mauritius. Mauritius is regarded as one of the countries in Africa with the best corporate governance codes. It is working very well for them, if you look at the ease of doing business; they are even ahead of us. We brought in the CEO of Mauritius IoD to talk about their own experience, about how they were able to entrench corporate governance code and how they were able to work in their country. Part of our speakers is the President, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Bimbo Banjo; the Head of Civil Service, Eyo-Ita; the Chairman Financial Reporting Council, and Dotun Suleiman.

What is the institute’s role in corporate governance practice and how does that differ from management’s role?

The roles are quite different.

You have different categories of staff and workers. In many organisations, you have what is called junior and senior staff.

There are management staff and directors. At each level,

there are expectations.

There are job descriptions, there are Key Performance Index (KPIs) and everyone has a role to play. But then people look more to the top, where strategy resides; this is where the difference between the director and the manager comes in.

It is believed that at the director level things are going well, it is most likely that they will hire the right set of mangers who will be the vision drivers. So the directors are the vision drivers.

They set the standard and the strategy. Then they brought it down to the management level that implements. They continue to evaluate and review what management is doing. So, if you have at that level people who are well trained, with the capacity and experience to deliver, there is the likelihood that management will be well guided. So, the directors guide the managers to deliver on the set strategies put together by the directors.

The directors can be divided into executive directors which include the managing director and other executives who are part of the day-to-day running of the organisation. Then, the board who are non-executive directors, the board comes in daily, but their liabilities are now so large that you cannot be an executive director and say I don’t know when they were doing this.

The rule now takes everyone into consideration. So as a nonexecutive director, it is important you know what is going on. You must get the facts behind the figures. Directors can now go to jail when companies are not well managed. This is how the practice has gotten to now. Nonexecutive directors can now go to jail.

Various sectors have their regulatory bodies. Even quoted companies, there are new sets of guidelines from the Stock Exchange Commission (SEC), people are now expected to do due diligence on their companies.

So, when any company invites you to their board, you need to do due diligence on their board and if you are on their board, then you see things are going wrong, you need to blow the whistle to let everybody know.

This is part of the role IoD plays to prepare directors. We have had people who have been appointed to board who are fresh and have come for training here, and when we told them what they needed to know, they were quite happy and appreciated us.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 37

Interview

‘I hope to identify, stimulate and encourage creativity through my coming exhibition’ Ade Bakare is a Nigerian-British fashion designer and creative director of Ade Bakare Couture. Bakare is one person that has made a significant contribution to the Nigerian fashion industry. His designs have won several awards. Aside his ready to wear designs, he also has a fashion school where he grooms fashion enthusiasts. In an interview with Ifeoma Okeke, he speaks of his coming exhibition.

W

h y d i d yo u decide to go into fashion, especially knowing this is an area majorly dominated by women?

Fashion is a business not a hobby; it is also a profession, which can be studied to university level abroad. Fashion design was awarded degree status in the 1960s in England.

I don’t think fashion is the exclusive preserve of any gender, indeed, most fashion designers are male. Creativity is innate, from an early childhood I was convinced I wanted to be a designer and was fortunate I had parents who encouraged me along the way What will you be focusing on in your coming exhibition and why are you having the exhibition?

The exhibition is a retrospective of my work over 25 years .It’s not the first time am staging the exhibition , it was done when I celebrated 15years and 20 years consecutively .I feel it is very important to inspire others especially the younger generation, and for them to see how your creativity can lead to a successful profession and life. In Africa we tend to focus more on careers such as lawyers, doctors, engineers amongst others. But the modern world has shown how people in the creative industry such as music, food, interior design etc have established companies worldwide. The idea of the exhibition is to identify, stimulate and encourage creativity in people regardless of fashion How many people will you be expecting at the exhibition and what will be the take way for aspiring fashion designers in Nigeria?

The exhibition is open to the public from Sunday 11th to 16th of November 2018 from 10am to 8pm at Terra Kulture on Tamiyu savage in Victoria Island, Lagos. We are bringing in students from local schools to attend, I feel usually these are the children who do not get the opportunity to travel far and see lots of exhibitions. Two schools a day with 50 students per school are targeted both from the island and mainland axis in Lagos state Who are your target mar-

to have first ladies, senators, ministers, professionals and business people. It is important as a designer to give your clients good customer service and show them new designs constantly. This we achieve by making personal calls and holding shows for our private customers in Nigeria, through our annual show in December at the Wheatbaker hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos.

What are your unique selling prepositions that set you apart from other designers?

I believe over the years we have been able to create our signature look, which people recognise, classical beautifully made clothes with a touch of modernity. Now we embrace our African heritage, with the development of our designs in silk Adire which we started years ago .It has a luxury look and finish.

How many people have you trained in your fashion school?

The Ade Bakare design academy started last year and we have trained about 20 upcoming designers. The next session

Ade Bakare

kets in your business?

My target markets are those who love great design and appreciate quality. We are a design brand for women and men, high end luxury which the couture brand caters too, with branches in Lagos and Abuja, we still maintain our base in London in the West end .We recently launched a ready to wear line at our Nigerian boutiques .Clients can pop into the shops and pick up an outfit in most sizes from United Kingdom size eight to size 24. For men also there is a line of small, medium mad large sizes.

How long have you been into dress making and what has the experience been like?

We started in 1991, so the business is over 25 years. We started with a ready to wear line in the UK that sold to

shops and department stores across the UK .We then set up a couture line, and bridal line ,a perfume called Breeze was introduced in 1998 ,with a new one launched last year called Ade Bakare signature. We open the fashion design academy also last year. Currently we are putting together a proposal to now get investors to expand in Africa and Europe .It’s been a tough journey but also very rewarding In your years of designing, what prominent personalities happen to be your customers and how have you sustained them?

We are often asked in Nigeria who our clients are but I say all our clients are important to us and some prefer to remain anonymous which we respect but we have been fortunate

The exhibition is a retrospective of my work over 25 years .It’s not the first time am staging the exhibition , it was done when I celebrated 15years and 20 years consecutively

starts first week in January. I feel it’s very important people who want to venture into the fashion design business have a firm understanding of the industry. We concentrate on fashion designing , creating new ideas, pattern cutting which is key and sewing. We have designers who are in the business who still come for courses to update their knowledge.

What is your advice to aspiring fashion designers?

My a d v i c e i s t h a t t h e y should first study or practice with another fashion house, then they will be able to learn more before you set out. There are a lot of fashion design weeks springing up in Nigeria and the designers who show have little understanding of the industry, rather focus should be given to make sure they are able to harness the publicity they gain from the awareness of these shows. Fashion is a business and it’s all about profit and loss, not just showing glamorous clothes.

What does it take to be a great fashion designer?

It takes creativity combined with a good business acumen, which can only be gained through years of hard work, so the key word is tenacity !

What areas do you think fashion designers need support from the government to thrive?

The government can best aid fashion students through more fashion design schools all over the country that are well equipped. In the UK, there are over 500 fashion design government school. The federal universities should also by now be offering fashion design as a four year degree as is obtainable abroad. Grants and loans such as those offered by the bank of industry (BOI) are positive aspects but the qualifying terms have to be reduced to enable more people benefit from the programme What are the greatest challenges of fashion designers in Nigeria?

Some of the greatest challenges I feel is having a sound business module. Fashion designers are very creative by nature and less inclined to understand or appreciate the business aspects of running a business. They must simply partner with a friend who has good business acumen or employ an accountant. Calvin Klein the American fashion designer said it best that for a designer to be successful in the 21st century, they must be able to design and understand business.

38 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

SundayBusiness Counterfeiting, piracy hindering govt’s ease of doing business policy – ACC CHUKS OLUIGBO

S

takeholders at the 12th annual policy roundtable organized by Anti Counterfeiting Collaboration of Nigeria (ACC) and the International Trademark Association (INTA) have identified counterfeiting and piracy as major factors that may hinder the ease of doing business policy of the Federal Government.

The stakeholders said there is a strong political determination and commitment by the government to ensure ease of doing business, but urged the government not to relent in its efforts to combat counterfeiting.

Mansur Ahmed, president, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in his keynote address at the roundtable themed ‘Addressing the impact of counterfeiting and piracy on the ease of doing business in Nigeria’, said the Anti Counterfeiting

Collaboration is a child of necessity as it was born out of the need to fight the counterfeiting scourge.

Ahmed, who was represented by Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director-general, MAN, said the effect of this menace was not felt only by individuals but also by the nation through stifling of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as it damages business, erodes the bottom-line and denies government the expected revenue.

“We are already bedevilled on all sides by supplyside constraints, all of you know. To now add the unscrupulous activities of these economic scavengers is an overkill. There is no question about the fact that the efforts of government in the ease of doing business must substantially take into cognisance the impact of these ills and winner strategy should, therefore, be crafted to defeat them,” Ahmed said.

The roundtable had participants from across manufacturers, supply chain, regulatory agencies, intellectual

property owners, among others, including Unilever Nigeria, Pfizer, Sproxil, GSK, Guinness Nigeria, HP, Aelex Nigeria, Aluko & Oyebode, NAFDAC, SON, CPC, NCC, etc.

Desmond Adeola, head, Brand Protection for Africa, Unilever and chairman, ACC, in his welcome address reiterated the importance of the event, taking into consideration the turbulent time that Nigeria is going through currently.

Nothing, Adeola said, could be more discouraging than for someone or an entity to labour to set up a business through well thought-out intellectual property and such business is being eroded through illegal activities of pirates and counterfeiters.

“As stakeholders affected by this daunting challenge, we need to work together to combat this and we also implore the Federal Government, through its various agencies, not to relent in its efforts in providing enabling environment for intellectual property own-

ers,” Adeola said.

Uche Nwokocha, the representative of International Trademark Association (INTA), said in her opening remarks that INTA has been collaborating with ACC on the annual roundtable because of the challenge that piracy poses to businesses and intellectual property across Africa.

Nwokocha said INTA organized its first pan-African roundtable in South Africa having realised the danger that piracy and counterfeiting pose to health and economic wellbeing of the teeming African populace.

“It is really encouraging seeing everyone committed to the fight against this scourge that denies our people of their deserved wealth and we are sure of victory once we are committed as critical stakeholders to join efforts together and synergise in this onerous task. It is our hope that the government will actively partner with us so as to make success of its ease of doing business policy,” she said.

‘Access to information and mentorship critical to creating sustainable business model’

Y

o u n g a n d Ce rebral, a media and social enterprise, has indentified access to information and mentorship as the building blocks for creating sustainable business model, hence has created a platform that aims at mentoring budding entrepreneurs to relentlessly pursue their dreams and aspirations.

The monthly forum provides a platform for established entrepreneurs to share their experiences with the upcoming entrepreneurs, was anchored

by Comfort Uwakhonye, the presenter of Dreamcity on UNILAG 103.1 FM. Oshodi Tapa, the convener said budding entrepreneurs need access to the right information and mentoring to develop a thriving business. “This led us into creating a platform where we meet monthly to rub minds with successful entrepreneurs from across the various sectors of hu-

man endeavour.”

“During this edition, the guests were Gbadegesin Gbede, Managing Partner, Gbede & Co. and Ola Brown, founder of Flying Doctors, Nigeria while fast rising music star, Epin was at hand to entertain the audience,” she added.

Gbede Omotayo Gbad e g e s i n , t h e f o u n d e r, Gbede & Co spoke extensively on ‘Tapping the Gold in your Business’, states that having passion without vision and vice versa would be the death of any passion or vision. He opined that strategic focus should be every entrepreneur’s watchword, urging the participants to identify the value chain is their line of business.

Young and Cerebral is a youth-centric brand that uses it platform to inspire, empower and celebrate individuals who make a difference across a wide variety of industries in the corporate world.

FCTA introduces Riders’ Certification, releases impounded vehicles James Kwen, Abuja

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is working to introduce Riders’ Certification, allocate areas to operators and assign routes for the group to mitigate the incursion of commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) highways as well as other unapproved areas and restrict their activities to the suburbs.

Speaking during the meeting of FCT officials with the leadership of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAS) for FCT and 19 Northern States, FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, also assured members that he is willing to direct for the release of all impounded tricycles (aka Keke NAPEP) as long as the operators were ready to partner the administration for orderly conduct.

Bello added that tricycle and motorcycle owners association represents a very important economic bloc in Nigeria today that provides needed services for the people, noting that a substantial population of this country relies on motorised

tricycles for mobility and for the movement of goods and services.

The Minister however, regretted that Keke and Okada Operators who are increasingly flooding the city for security and comfort, have failed to abide by the agreements reached between the riders association and the relevant secretariats of the FCT Administration.

Bello, while urging the group to abide by these agreements and restrict their activities to only the approved areas, said: “Nobody wants to prevent anybody from doing his work. All of us, including the FCT Minister are in Abuja to look for food.”

“Today, if there is no food in Abuja, all of us will go back to our villages. But we have to carry out our activities in a way that is acceptable and within the regulations,” Bello said.

On his part, Director, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Aliyu Bodinga, in his brief at the meeting revealed that the procurement for the Riders’ Certification Card is in process.

Bodinga said arrangements have been concluded with the associations to collect the biometric data of all Keke and Okada operators in the FCT, after which they will be allocated the desig-

nated zones where they will carry out their operations.

He said although the Abuja Masterplan did not make provisions for Okada and Keke to operate in the FCT, the FCT Administration decided to integrate them into the system by allowing them to operate only in the suburbs and estates due to the critical position they occupy in the transportation value chain.

According to the Director, “because of the interest of the present administration in people that are at the grassroots, we came up with

a more agreeable arrangement to integrate these people and then regulate them and zone their operations based on our needs.

“We will ask the association to come and register. If an area is occupied, they will be directed to go to the next estate. If somebody comes to transgress and enter their territory, they will know that this person doesn’t belong to us. We will do a survey to know the requirement in the approved area”.

He said the DRTS as enforcers of the traffic laws in the FCT, have met severally

with the Keke and Okada associations where they agreed on so many things and a joint statement was made with the Commissioner of Police.

According to him, the group has stated their willingness to abide by the rules and regulations governing operation of Keke Napep and Okada within the territory as well as educate their members to restrict themselves within the approved areas of operation.

Also speaking at the occasion, the National Coordinator of a Buhari/Osibanjo

re-election campaign group, Project 4+4, Garba Bello, said the association felt it necessary to intervene in the relationship between the FCTA and the tricycle operators to ensure that the wrong signal is not sent to other states about the government, especially with elections around corner.

Bello said Project 4+4 is having meetings with Okada and Keke operators in different states to ensure that they are able to secure 18 million votes for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

L-R: Olufolahan Faseyitan, regional activation manager, Lagos/Ogun, discussing with Vincent Awani, director, Research and Advocacy, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Odunlade Adekola, Nollywood star, and Sola Oluwadare, LCCI Marketing manager, during the “Glo Day” at the on-going Lagos International Trade Fair.

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 39

SundayBusiness Need to rethink mortgage lending and borrowing in struggling economy

M

any Nigerians are really poor, but have sunk deeper into poverty in the last three years as the economy struggles, making it very difficult, if not impossible, for them to afford even basic necessities of life, including housing.

High incidence of poverty in Nigeria is the reason for mortgage being unaffordable and inaccessible in the country. It is also reason for the high housing deficit in the country that has left over 80 percent of the city dwellers in rented accommodation where they spend much of the income on house rents.

So much demand is made on mortgage loan seekers that they end up not being able to afford the loan. For that reason, mortgage is inaccessible to them, and that makes it necessary for supervising authorities such as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to rethink mortgage borrowing and lending.

Mortgage is an important aspect of the financial system because of its connection with housing. In other countries of the world where the mortgage system works, when people borrow and institutions give out mortgage loans, it is always for building, buying or renovating existing houses.

But in this part of the world, because of the many contradictions associated with it, it seems

Spiritonomics

Debo Atiba

www.spiritonomics.org

T

he speed at which the year is coming to an end is almost as fast as the speed of light if I am not mistaken. Looking around, checking out the situation of the economy and global happenings can make the heart of the boldest to shake.

We have interpreted this time variously and we have come to a conclusion of uncertainty.

Drawing such a conclusion is not farfetched considering the many sided report of gloom and doom all over the world.

To many at this time we should throw in the towel and down our

as if mortgage does not exist at all.

Many Nigerians, particularly those who need it, do not believe that there is anything mortgage in the financial system, not necessarily because of its relative newness in this environment, but more because of its unaffordability and inaccessibility.

Though affordability is a relative term, it is very clear that houses in Nigeria are generally unaffordable such that when experts talk about unaffordable housing, almost always, they trace the cause to mortgage which is only available to, and affordable by those who don’t need it—the rich.

Poverty level in Nigeria is high.

Its prevalence is such that it is almost synonymous with existence and so many people are so poor that those that are classed as the rich are just a small fraction of the society. Again, just a few people are on employment and within this group are so many people that are under-employed.

For this reason and more, mortgage borrowing and lending is always a big issue for both the lender and the borrower, mostly because interest rate on mortgage loan is not in any way different from the rate on commercial loans given by deposit banks.

Mortgage lenders still anchor their loans on good jobs with fat pay, meaning that a mortgage loan seeker is expected to be somebody in a good job or private busi-

ness with an assured and regular stream of income.

As against 6 percent interest rate and repayment tenor of between 25-30 years, depending on the borrower’s age, mortgage lenders charge 20-25 percent interest rate with a repayment tenor as short as 12-24 months, creating a mismatch between interest rate and purpose of borrowing.

The ever widening housing demand-supply gap easily finds explanation in commercial interest rate charged on mortgage loans which makes such loans unaffordable to home-seekers.

“Though the ability of banks to provide money for mortgage has changed on account of credit challenges in the financial system, mortgage affordability or the fundamentals for lending have not changed”, says Adeniyi Akinlusi, MD/CEO,Trusbond Mortgage Bank.

“The mortgage industry does not operate in isolation of the economy. Certainly, as an integral part of the economy, it has to be affected by crisis in the economic.

Nevertheless, the fundamentals for lending have not changed, which means that if somebody has a good job with a financial institution or a multinational company, and the pay package is high enough for him to afford a mortgage, the crisis in the economy has not changed that affordability”, he adds.

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

The past few years have seen quite a number of mortgage products aimed at enabling subscribers own their own homes, but these products are yet to help reduce existing housing gap by increasing housing stock.

An expert, who does not want to be named, explains that the mortgage products some mortgage banks offer are not the type that will make any impact on housing.

“The mortgage products that we have today are commercial mortgages from which the investor wants to recover his money; it is just like someone else who has invested in any other venture. He has to recover his money because he borrows from the same place like you”, the expert notes.

Mortgage products can make impact on housing only when there is government intervention and, in other jurisdictions, there is government intervention to make mortgage affordable to everybody, no matter the income level.

In developed economies, mortgage has been used to move the economy from being importdependent to a producing and exporting one. Akinlusi says mortgage institutions need long term loans for housing finance, insisting

that when there are enough funds to lend to property developers and to home seekers, the entire economy would be stimulated.

It is expected that by the time there are enough funds in the hands of mortgage institutions for long term loans to property developers, there will be a lot of property development activities and when this happens, a lot of other activities will be generated and the economy would be better for it.

“You can imagine when there are many developments going on at various parts of the country.

The long term effect would be the development of industries and factories that produce building materials such as cement, rods, roofing materials, wooden materials, etc”, Akinlusi said.

“This will ultimately impact on the wider economy and your guess is as good as mine as to what follows when people have enough capital at their disposal. Definitely, investment is the next line of thought and, depending on the prevailing business environment and government policies, people will invest in anything including taking up mortgage loans”, he assured.

hope alive and to know that it is not over when God has not said it is over. His blessing for us is daily, not yearly, monthly or weekly. But if it is true that it’s daily why have I never experienced the blessing since the beginning of the year up till this moment? There are laws that govern daily manifestation of the blessing/benefits of God. When the meditation of our hearts and utterances does not align with the Word that God said about you, you have rejected the daily ‘’benefit ration’’ that is meant for you. The psalmist says, “let the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be acceptable in your sight O Lord”. He knew the secret, once there is a misalignment between your heart and your mouth daily, your benefit/ blessing meant for that day is forfeited. Your preoccupation this season is to take the benefits in the word, meditate on it

and spew it out of your mouth then wait for its manifestation.

Begin to speak to your business, your life and your environment and command them to favor you this season. The words that have power to cause changes to bow and circumstances to respect us are words fertilized by the WORD of God and spoken out of our mouths to situations.

Circumstances are begging to be changed; businesses and careers are begging to be changed for better. But they remain static and immovable because they have not been spoken to.

Powerful words are words of God spoken out of a believing heart. Until you arise and you demand for that change they remain the same.

Rise up now and begin to demand for change in your in your business, office and home.

The best for the last

tools. We should forget anything good could come out of this year.

And even to believers of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ the same thought seem to be pervading our minds. If God did not succeed in doing anything tangible from January till November, then we should forget anything good could happen again this year. If God could do anything at all it should have been done before now. It looks like God is incapable of doing anything tangible because the year is almost spent.

Th e s e a n d m a n y o t h e r thoughts like discouragement, hopelessness fill our hearts with palpable fear. What a lie from the pit of hell, what a conclusion of no substance, what a distortion to the systemic operation of God. Since when has God become man that counts time and live in time? Since when has he stooped so low to equate himself to mortal man whose breath is in his nostrils? Every miracle you ever

read about, heard about did not come as a result of seasons and times, in fact they came because of seasons and times. The divine intervention of God in the lives of Man is considered to be LIGHT in the midst of darkness, peace in the midst of turmoil and raging storm. It was NEVER recorded that in the times when men had it well it was because seasons were great. Periods of famine and lack were God’s periods. We were never told that God yearly loads us with benefits, no, never!

The only information we have about the magnanimity of our heavenly father is that He daily, yes daily loads us with benefits.

Should you misrepresent this truth in your life by concluding that your blessing or benefits can only be gotten per annum or per month then you have short circuited the flow of God’s blessing to your life.

What should our attitude be at such a time as this, it is to keep

Remain blessed @spiritonomics

40 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

SundayBusiness Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

T

o fully appreciate the importance of vitamin fortification of food items by the company called HarvestPlus one has to know what they are and the health implications of their deficiency to the human body.

Vitamins are micro-nutrients (available in small amounts) but needed to contribute to the general well-being of the body. Most are found in both plants and animals and if consumed regularly could boost good vision, development of strong bones and teeth. They enhance the functions of blood and nerve cells, prevent loss of appetite and release energy from foods.

They also complement the works of essential minerals.

Yet, according to the World Bank, annually Nigeria loses over 1.5 US Dollars in Gross Domestic Product, GDP to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Though they have their biological names as usually given in alphabets such as A, B, C, D, E

Benefits of HarvestPlus Vitamin fortification of foods and K those soluble in fat are A, D, E and K. So important is the issue of vitamins, and in related way, micronutrients such as iron and iodine that the World Health Organization (WHO) has for long established laudable initiatives to promote them, amongst all nations and their people. Though there are tablets and capsules of some vitamins available in chemist shops, it is advisable to get them from natural food sources.

For instance, Vitamin A is present in fish and cod liver oil, liver and milk, carrots, red palm oil, sweet potatoes, green pepper.

Beta-carotene as it is called is necessary for good vision and functioning of the immune system.

It reduces the risk of heart disease.

It is essential for a healthy skin as anti-oxidant converted to Vitamin A. According to WHO, lack of it may lead to blindness and even death. Unfortunately, 30 per cent of under-5 Nigerian children lack Vitamin A. On its part, Vitamin B1 which is present in yeast, liver, fish and milk is needed for the proper functioning of the heart. It releases energy from carbohydrates. Vitamin B2 also present in yeast, fish, liver, milk is necessary for the development of healthy skin and building/ maintaining body tissues. Vitamin B6, present in red pepper, orange, grape, lime is important for the development of healthy teeth and formation of red blood cells (rbc).

As for Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) present in citrus fruits such as oranges, grapes, tangerine and

Samsung Note9 combines innovation, aesthetic appeal in one device BALA AUGIE

S

amsung’s Galaxy Note9 which was recently launched into the Nigerian smartphone market has features that combine both innovation and aesthetically appealing modifications, making the smartphone a stunning device.

The Galaxy Note line has established a reputation as the first to offer a big screen, first with multiwindow software for running two apps side by side, and also the first to introduce a curved edge screen. Samsung Galaxy Note9 is powered by game-changing technology that revolutionizes the functionalities of phablet, such as the state-of-the-art S Pen and an integrated intelligent camera.

The device S Pen, similar to the Note8, an earlier version of the Note9, is IP68-certified for dust and water. This feature protects the device from immersion in up to 1.5m of fresh water for 30 minutes, while users can capture memories at pool parties or out on the beach with loved ones or quickly jot down thoughts or ideas on a wet screen without interruptions. When wet, the device stops charging automatically to prevent

short circuits.

Jingak Chung, the managing director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said the Note9 has raised the bar for smartphones considerably as it has exceeded all expectations and Nigerians are about to experience a new level of performance and power.

“The large immersive screen always sets the Note series apart, pushing the display boundary that gives customers more space.

The Galaxy Note9 features a 6.4inch screen, making it the biggest screen ever on a Note device yet its narrow body makes it comfortable to hold in one hand,” said Jingak, stating that the device’s display is easy to read outdoors, thanks to its bright screen and minimal reflective glare.

According to Jingak, the Samsung Note 9’s display is fit for all occasion such as watching YouTube videos, playing games, casual web browsing, and boosting productivity. “With edge-to-edge, almost bezel-less, all-screen Super AMOLED technology, combined with a resolution of 2,960 x 1,440, all the typical characteristics featured in previous Samsung phones such as vibrant colors, high contrast, and inky dark blacks are incredibly sharp,” he said.

pepper is water-soluble. It is not stored in the body but it is important for the building of cells and repair of damaged ones in wounds. It should be taken every day. Vitamin D (Calciferol) is naturally obtained by exposure to sunlight. Food sources are fish liver (cod), milk, butter and eggs. It functions are for development of strong bones and teeth because it facilitates the absorption of calcium in the intestine. Absence causes weakly developed bones, a disease called rickets. Niacin is present in bread, egg, liver and milk. It is needed for converting food into energy.

It also assists the functions of nervous system and prevents loss of appetite.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol) is present more in plants than in animals especially found in the skin cover of maize, millet, sorghum and vegetable oil. Others include nuts, soya beans, eggs, fortified cereals, fruits. Cooking and storing could reduce the amount. As an anti-oxidant, it protects cells against aging. It protects the body cells against cancer. It improves fertility of both men and women, in their sperm cells and formation of ovaries. It also prevents abortion and improves the function of the nervous system.

Vitamin K is found useful in intestinal bacteria but high dose and prolonged use of antibiotics destroys it. As a fat-soluble vitamin, it acts in the liver leading to the formation of proteins needed for the coagulation of blood. It prevents bleeding (haemorrhaging). Health benefits: A diet rich in vitamins A

and C is the best for keeping your liver healthy.

Note that vitamin supplements do not provide the same health benefits as real, fresh fruits and vegetables because of the fibre component.

What HarvestPlus does is noble because it improves nutrition and public health, especially in Nigeria by promoting cassava, maize and orange sweet potato that provides more vitamin A in the diet. It works with over 60 partners drawn from government, business, and civil society.

It boosts better crops for better nutrition by using a process called bio- fortification. This is done to conventionally breed staple food crops that are richer in essential vitamins and minerals and can be grown by rural communities that oftenmissedbyotherinterventions, such as supplementation and food fortification.

Its food-based approach relies on familiar staple foods that people already eat regularly and that can be part of other efforts to improve nutrition, such as dietary diversification. Notably, HarvestPlus Vitamin A cassava provides up to 40 per cent of daily needs, while assisting farmers to have higher yields that are resistant to virus.

Similarly, Vitamin A Maize provides up to 25 percent daily need and high yielding, diseaseresistant, drought tolerant varieties.

And as for Orange sweet potato, HavestPlus type provides up to 100 percent Vitamin A daily needs that are high yielding, disease-resistant

and also drought-tolerant.

HarvestPlus and its partners work in 26 states of Nigeria to promote availability, adoption and consumption of Vitamin A-fortified cassava, maize and orange sweet potato. The goal is to make it possible for 100 million Nigerians to be consuming these bio-fortified crops by 2030 As part of its partnership goals HP supports the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) to breed, test and release Vitamin A cassava developed through its partnership with IITA. Notably HP works with both public and private sector partners to multiply and distribute bio-fortified crops to farmers.

Its network of extension agents and rural facilitators receive training in best agronomic practices. This they pass along to farmers at the household level. Going further, it has deployed its creative public awareness campaigns to leverage on the power of the media as well as Nollywood to educate Nigerians on the tremendous nutritional benefits of food fortification with micro-nutrients.

We urge HarvestPlus to keep up the good work so that it eventually covers all the states of the federation and the people maximize its benefits. Kudos!

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

‘Nigeria has highest retail sales of $125bn in Sub- Saharan Africa’ Bunmi Aliyu is a project manager with Clarion Events, with extensive experience in marketing and communications strategy and business development. In this interview, she spoke on the potential in the retail industry, exhibition business and expectations at IGF Expo this November.

How has the Nigerian retail market grown and changed over the last year? he retail industry in Nigeria is still enjoying a period of positive transformation marked by steady growth with $125 billion, the highest retail sales in Sub Saharan Africa.

Of course, as with every growing sector there have been some challenges but the resilience and innovation of the players in this market have allowed our retail industry to

T

remain strong and healthy.

How many retail events does clarion organize globally?

Clarion Events is one of the world largest exhibition organisers. As part of the 200 + trade fairs we run organise annually around the world, we run over 30 retail events globally and support over 5,000 businesses; exhibitors and sponsors, attracting over 70,000 discerning retailers and professionals from across the world including buyers like Amazon, John Lewis and so many others.

Tell us about IGF Expo?

We are hosting in November over 200+ manufacturers and suppliers of interiors, gift and fashion from 13 countries including Canada, USA, UK, India, Turkey, China etc during our upcoming IGF Expo in November 13-15th who will be taking bulk, wholesale and retail orders, some companies are looking to meet and appoint agents and distributors across West Africa. We have top international brands attending this event including Premier Housewears, Damat, Loft, Daniel

Gianni etc.

What industry support do you have?

The event is duly supported by major associations that form part of the advisory board including The Retail Council, The Nigerian Institute of architects, The African Association of Interior designers etc apart from this we are in collaboration with buyers’ clusters across Nigeria How many companies will be showcased at the event?

The event will featuring over 100+ local designers and international brands, hundreds of new and exciting design-led and everyday home, décor, fashion and giftware products will be on display.

How will the IGF impact and help the Nigerian manufacturer?

This event allows Nigerian manufacturers to showcase their products side by side with international brands and gives buyers the opportunity to compare side by side Nigerian and international brands also brands could meet buyers and stockists from other countries.

Sunday 11 November 2018

41

C002D5556

EquityMarket Medview Airline in need of a turnaround as revenue crashes by 73 percent TELIAT SULE

I

nvestors and the management of Medview Airline are busy searching for a formula that will make the firm return to profitability, following N1.53 billion losses the company posted as at the end of the nine months ended September 2018.

From gross revenue to profit after tax, no one is left in doubt that Medview Airline is in urgent need of a turnaround, the analysis of its nine months unaudited report ended September 30 2018 shows.

Gross revenue for the period crashed by 73 percent to N7.85 billion compared with N28.77 billion it made in similar period in 2017.

Traditionally, the company made its revenue from three sources which were hajj operations, domestic operations and international operations. The withdrawal of some aircraft from international routes for schedule maintenance and reconfiguration cost the firm a sizable part of periodic revenue.

Between July and September 2018, Medview Airline recorded no sales in international operations following its earlier decisions to cancel international operations which the company attributed to scheduled maintenance and cabin reconfiguration of some aircraft in its fleet.

Operating costs in nine months of 2018 stood at N7.31 billion, representing a 70 percent decline compared with N24.23 billion incurred same period in 2017. But when compared with revenue, it cost much more for the airline to generate revenue in the nine months of 2018 as against same period in 2017.

During the period, operating cost as a percentage of revenue was 84 percent from January to September 2017, as against 93 percent during the same period in 2018. By implication, N93 was

expended to generate N100 by the company in the first nine months of 2018 compared with N84 in similar period in 2017.

“Medview Airline had lot of issues. They took some aircraft for

C check and the London and Dubai routes did not take off. It was the inflows from the Dubai routes that boosted earnings in the previous years. The company pulled out of the London route because it wasn’t

Lafarge Africa appoints Bernard as a non-executive director

T

he board of directors of Lafarge Africa Plc has notified the Exchange of the resignation of Sylvie Rochier as a Non-Executive Director of Lafarge Africa Plc with effect from the 30th of October 2018 and the subsequent appointment of Jean-Philippe Benard to the board as a non-executive director.

Sylvie Rochier joined the board of the Company on the 26th of July 2012 and was appointed as vice-

chairman of the board in April 2018 and has since served in the capacity of a non-executive director till her resignation. The board and management of the company appreciate her support and contributions towards the achievement of the business goals and objectives and wish her the very best in her future endeavours.

The board of Lafarge Africa has also appointed Jean-Philippe Benard as a non-executive director on the board of Lafarge Africa Plc with ef-

fect from the 31st of October 2018.

Jean-Philippe Benard (French) is currently the chief procurement officer (CPO) of LafargeHolcim. He joined LafargeHolcim in 2012 as the vice-president, energy group. Before then, he worked at Saint-Gobain Glass as a chief procurement officer, and as an International Energy Manager at Arcelor. Jean-Philippe holds an MSc degree in Mathematics and Mechanics from the Universite Paris VI Pierre et Marie Curie, France.

able to maintain consistency on that route. And competitiveness in customer service is missing in the Nigerian domestic routes”, Tayo Ojuri, managing director and chief executive officer of Aglow Aviation

Support Services Limited said.

Gross profit for the period fell by 88 percent to N534.57 million in 2018 in contrast to N4.55 billion in similar period in 2017. Medview Airline reported a loss before tax of N1.45 billion for the period as against a profit before tax of N1.36 billion in similar period in 2017.

Loss after tax for the period was at N1.53 billion in contrast to profit after tax of N1.19 billion as at the end of September 2017.

On what the firm should do to return to profitability, Ojuri suggested its management should align with a competent technical partner that would bring in the desired funds and expertise.

“The way out is to have technical partnership that will bring in foreign inflows. The foreign inflows will help reduce the high cost of borrowing locally. The technical partners will ensure good governance, best global practices and ensure competitiveness in the market”, Ojuri said.

Some few months back, the company announced the disengagement of some employees in a bid to save cost.

“In the course this exercise, some staff, about sixty in number were required to step aside as a result of downsizing with a genuine intention to recall them back as soon as the situation improves as stated in the letter to the affected staff”, Medview management stated in a note to the Exchange in October.

That decision paid off in the third quarter of 2018 as administrative expenses fell by 56 percent from N1.21 billion in between July and September 2017 to N537.5 million in between July and September 2018. In particular, staff cost, medical, training and welfare declined by 42 percent from N517.8 million to N300.6 million during the same period. The company also reduced its advertisement, professional and business development costs to a minimal level during the period.

International Breweries appoints Scott Murray as a non-executive director

T

he board of International Breweries Plc has appointed Andrew Scott Murray as a non-executive director of the company. Murray is currently the vice-president, finance for ABInBev Africa, leading the finance function across the AB Inbev Africa operations, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was the Global Director AB Inbev M&A based in New York with exceptional track record of handling transactions and corporate disposals of different description and magnitude.

He was also part of the ABInbev’s focused group on budgeting and business performance optimization. Prior to joining ABInBev in 2013, Andrew worked at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm for approximately 7 years. He holds a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Williams College and an MBA from The Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University). The Board is pleased to have Mr. Murray’s experience come to bear on the Company.

42 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

How brands can leverage CSR initiatives to create social impact Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is strong-willed initiative usually adopted by organisations to bridge infrastructure gap and thereby create relationship between the organisation and its host community. The initiative is usually promoted by organisations to drive sustainable development, owing to the fact that government alone cannot bring about lasting and holistic development. SEYI JOHN SALAU, mirrors recent CSR initiative by GTBank.

C

orporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives means giving back to organisation’s host communities towards creating inclusiveness that engender sustainable development of the larger society.

The initiatives are usually designed for direct/indirect impact through donations or contributions. These contributions are intended to promote synergy and ensure collaborative working relationship within the society – the essence of which is a long lasting impact on host communities.

Over the last two decades, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank), one of Nigeria’s multinational financial institutions has made substantial contribution to national growth and development through growing businesses and other social initiatives within and outside the financial sector in Nigeria.

Since it operations in February 1991, GTBank has created a brand that resonates within the banking sector of the economy as a 21st century bank that promises change across the sector in Nigeria.

Upon its entrance into the sector, GTBank has made inroads by creating a niche for itself as a brand for the millennial with products that readily relate with the youth, especially millennial and generation X. Recently, the bank launched its ‘Simple Change Big Impact Challenge,’ a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at creating innovations that enrich lives working side-by-side with Nigerians to uplift the livelihood of a greater populace.

The CSR initiative is targeted at funding innovative ideas designed and executed by members of the public that allows the bank to invest directly in the social infrastructure of at least 20 communities nationwide.

This initiative unlike other CSR initiatives across the country seeks to showcase the ingenuity and creativity of Nigerians as well as their passion for making a positive social impact in their communities.

This is the latest in a long line of CSR initiatives by the bank, designed to foster socio-economic development across the country.

The bank’s Adopt-a-School initiative and Football Education Programmes have helped thousands of young students excel in and outside the classroom, while its Autism advocacy has remarkably raised the social consciousness and societal support for people living with the disorder and other developmental disabilities.

In a similar move to create more opportunity for young creative minds to thrive in Nigeria, the Days of Dorcas photography competition was also sponsored

by GTBank in its quest to provide platforms for talented female artists to enhance their career in visual arts and photography.

The Days of Dorcas Photography competition as a CSR initiative was part of the Art635 Gallery, a GTBank initiative that was launched to promote African art and culture.

According to Segun Agbaje, the MD of GTBank, the bank’s vision as a financial institution is to provide a platform to empower young people, encourage creative people, and help them connect - an underlining factor that cut across all of its CSR initiatives.

“Days of Dorcas is about female photographers and we have 213 applications; it is about finding the connection that can help them progress in their career. Now it is the time for organisations to step-up and give back to the society where they operate,” the MD stated during round-off of the campaign.

The bank partnered with operators in the creative space, those who have passion for what they do, in creating platforms for young professionals as a way of bridging the gap between the haves and haves- not in the society.

The 213 applicants were shortlisted to 25 by the facilitators before the six days intensive training that involves both theory and practical classes focused on giving the trainees the right exposure to leapfrog their career.

After the six days of training, two winners emerged and had to undergo a 12 month internship programme with the facilitators.

The internship was designed in a semi-formal and informal arrangement while the bank put structures in place to help the trainees gain full access to all the facilitators and the bank.

Through the ‘Simple Change Big Impact Challenge’, GTBank hopes to fund 20 community development projects nationwide, creating an opportunity for Nigerians to showcase their ingenuity, creativity, and passion for making a positive social impact in their communities.

Segun Agbaje in a statement also said, the CSR initiative is driven by the bank’s believe in building a strong business and making the world a better place with essential ingredients for long-term success.

“We are excited to organise an initiative that will showcase not just the ingenuity and creativity of Nigerians, but also their passion for making a positive social impact in their communities. This Social Impact Challenge reflects the premium we put on innovation and collaboration and demonstrates our commitment to giving back to society.

“As we continue to transform our institution into a platform for enriching lives, we are fully integrating corporate social responsibility into our business model such that our CSR initiatives now form a core part of the normal way we go about our business,” he assured.

‘Simple Change Big Impact Challenge’ is a value-based initiative poised at entrenching a return to shared responsibilities and values in the society, which is fast eroding the Nigerian culture. What the financial institution is therefore preaching is a reorientation of the society along the right values of shared responsibilities.

It is noteworthy that GTBank with its heritage has been a market leader, while maintaining strict adherence to corporate governance practices. The message of the bank in its CSR is clear, especially in regard to reorientation towards nation building, as pointers for other organisations to emulate. This is with the understanding that a better society where building mutually beneficial relationships with communities and stakeholders would in turn rub off on such organisations.

To participate in the challenge, interested person(s) are to pitch their idea in a one-minute video, which they will share using the hashtag #SimpleIdeasBigImpact.

The video pitch should contain the potential of the idea, how it will be executed and the budget required.

The ideas must be executable within 120 hours and will be chosen by a combination of public endorsements on social media and expert assessments by the bank. The expert assessment will focus on the creativity, relevance, unique impact of the idea as well as the feasibility of executing the idea within the stipulated timeframe.

Industry watchers regard GTBank as one of the best fared African financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its positive disposition for corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.

The bank’s footprints in CSR are guided strategically by its decision to operate on four major pillars: education, community development, arts and the environment, which it believes are essential building blocks for the society and prerequisites for economic growth and societal development.

9mobile rewards CodeLagos Hackathon winners

I

n furtherance of its commitment to leveraging technology to bolster knowledge and skill acquisition amongst Nigerians, 9mobile, the innovative telecommunications company, has rewarded winners of the first CodeLagos Hackathon, an initiative of the Lagos State Government aimed at encouraging Lagos residents to innovate with tech-driven ideas and solutions that solve local problems.

As a CodeLagos partner, 9mobile supported the initiative by awarding high-end devices to winners in the junior category of the CodeLagos Hackathon, a competition designed to source best techdriven ideas and solutions from among Lagos residents with the theme, ‘Towards a Smarter Lagos.’

The junior category comprised students at the secondary school level between the ages of 14 and 17 years, while the other category for the competition - senior category, comprised interested members of the public and participants of the CodeLagos Out-of-School programme between the ages of 18 and 30 years.

The winners were presented with fantastic prizes including tablets and smart phones at the CodeLagos Hackathon (Demo Day) event held recently in Lagos.

In the junior category, Badagry Senior Grammar School emerged the category winner; Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja was the first runner-up while Childville Senior Secondary School emerged the second runner-up. For the senior category, Sharkbytes was the first

prize winner; CodeDivas was the first runner-up while Secured Wellness Challenged (SWC) emerged the second runner-up.

Commenting on the initiative, Ag. Director, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, Oluseyi Osunsedo, said the telco was proud to partner with Lagos State Government on this initiative, and appreciative of the opportunity to empower more Nigerians by upscaling their skill-sets and providing them the leverage to be able to take up the jobs of the future which technology is enabling.

“9mobile is passionate about enabling a prosperous future for Nigeria and the youth segment is the main anchor of that future; technology is the driver. Our commitment to promoting initiatives that empower and enable the youth to fulfil that role is dear to us.

Sunday 11 November 2018

43

C002D5556

Travel Trailing history on Consular Hill OBINNA EMELIKE

S

tanding tall on the Consular Hill and overlooking the cool moving Calabar River on its long journey to the Atlantic Ocean is one monument that has over time become a phenomenon on its own.

Yet, it has been on the hill for over 134 years and still standing, with the scorching sun having little or no impact on its aesthetics.

Designed and built in Glasgow and shipped over in pieces, the Old Residency Building in Calabar speaks volumes of colonial architectural ingenuity, history and reality.

Built in 1884 atop Consular Hill (a name given to the hill by colonial administrators), the building was the seat of the British colonial administration for the Southern Protectorate of Nigeria. The most surprising thing is despite that the building is a prefabricated structure of Scandinavian red-pine wood shipped in knockdown parts from Britain to old Calabar some 134 years ago, it still looks like the beautiful bride it was when the colonial masters unveiled it as “The Government House”.

A visit to Calabar (nicknamed Canaan land by the indigenes) is never complete without peeping into the two-storey Old Residency Building to savour its offerings. The excitement starts with the green environment that is constantly refreshed by the sea breeze from the nearby Calabar River. The green lawns, the very neat surroundings and smiling faces at the entrance welcome you into one of the foundations of Nigeria.

Though the building was declared a national monument in August 1959, it has received more visitors since August 1986 when it was converted into a museum.

Since then, many visitors make effort at reviewing their past, connecting their present with the history that is still fresh and well-preserved at the museum.

Many African-Americans, especially those whose ancestors were shipped from Calabar and some Nigerian Diasporas visit to reunite with their roots at the museum.

On a typical visit, tourists recapture history at the museum. But the African-Americans on such visit are often convinced that their ancestors likely came from that part of the country and that they might actually be in their land of origin.

To spice your visit with the needed variety, many tour guides are handy to take you through the past and bring you back to the present, all in one piece, in the museum.

From ‘The early European contacts’, ‘The making of the Nigerian protectorates’, to ‘The palm oil production and exports’, among others, there are more than enough relics to connect you to the realities of the past that are now history.

Some of the antiques date back to the 15th century when aboriginal tribes still inhabited the land and wars were rampant, while lots more narrate the darker days of Calabar’s political history up to the 19th and early 20th century when the warlords called the shots in town. The pictures of the traditional chiefs and

Goodbye Hloni … as SAT appoints new regional head for West Africa

Rakolojane and Pitso, sharing at the dinner

I Old Residency Calabar

their efforts at resisting the early Europeans vividly recast the past, while their connivance with Europeans in slave trade saddens one on reading the explanatory notes at the bottom of the pictures and illustrations.

One very touchy sight is a lifesize sculpture of slaves as they were packed in the belly of the “Super Cargoes” that ferried the victims to various points of no return. The notes explain that half died in the ships and were thrown into the ocean while those who survived did so by providence.

Truly, Calabar has a long history of colonial rule, and this museum

represents the era with preserved precious papers and documents pertaining to the colonial times.

The big library which still holds legal and constitutional documents in their original forms is one surprise for today’s internet-savvy generation. Yet, an upper floor, preserved with original furnishings of the time when it was used by colonial rulers, testifies to the taste and trend of the era.

The antiquity, exhibits and artefacts at the museum can engage the attention of visitors for several hours while refreshment awaits visitors at the various restaurants keen on serving the best culinary

offerings in Nigeria.

Before you wrap up your visit, Eyo Asuquo, one of the tour guides, advices that you need to visit the craft shops at the base of the building to pick one or two crafts as souvenir. “Your welcome will not be warm enough if on return you do not have something to show for your visit,” he insists.

While many debate on which town is Nigeria’s first capital city, Asuquo recommends a visit to the museum to recapture the history and fate that unite the country and also to be at home with nature on Consular Hill.

t was an evening of excitement on Friday November 2, 2018 at Shiro Restaurant & Bar, where select stakeholders of the Nigerian tourism sector gathered at the invitation of South African Tourism (SAT) to honour Sthembiso Dlamini, chief operating officer of SAT, who came on a working visit.

As expected, the Japanese restaurant located at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, treated the guests to a mélange of dining experiences. From choice cocktail, wine, exciting food menu to soothing music at the background, the evening was all fun.

It also afforded the guest platform to network, meet the SAT boss, ask Darkey Africa, South Africa’s Consul General to Nigeria, all the questions on visas, and flight issues to the team from South African Airways also present.

But the excitement was shortlived when SAT’s COO took the podium to explain the major reason for her first time visit to Nigeria.

She cleared her throat, praised Hloni Pitso, regional head for West Africa, South African Tourism, for the commendable effort at building from the West African market from the scratch about five years ago. She went ahead to announce Pitso’s elevation, and that was well received by the guests. But when she announced the change of baton, the guests were surprised.

She unveiled Thekiso Rakolojane as the new head, while Pitso moves to head SAT’s South Europe Region, comprising France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, with the expectation that he would grow that market just as he grew West Africa.

Truly, Pitso has over the past five years, successfully marketed South Africa to Nigeria, Ghana and other parts of the sub-region from its Lagos office.

In her tribute to the outgoing regional head, Dlamini noted that Pitso exceeded expectations during his tenure, with tangible growth in tourist arrivals to South Africa from West Africa, as well as, deepening the relationship between the two regions.

In the other hand, Rakolojane has over 17 years experience in the fields of marketing and communications and has spent the better part of the last decade as Marketing and Communications Manager of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA), a business unit of South African Tourism.

The Nigerian stakeholders pledged to support Rakolojane, while the Consul General promised a more favourable visa regime for Nigerian travellers to South Africa.

44 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Travel

Five things aspiring pilots must do

trary to popular belief, you can fly commercial aircraft wearing glasses or contact lenses, as long as your vision is correctable to 20/20. Applicants for an ATPL licence must be at least 21 years old, and all medicals must be carried out by an approved Aeromedical Centre (AeMC).

You can expect the medical examination to take up to four hours, and it examines your medical history, eyesight, general physical check, hearing, heart rhythm, lung function, as well as including blood and urine tests.

Safeguard your investment Paying for your professional flight training is one of the most expensive investments you’ll ever make.

Whichever route you choose, you’re going to want to make sure that your investment is

secure. So what steps should you take?

Once again, research is key. Find out everything you can about your chosen ATO – that’s Approved Training Organisation. How long have they been trading? What links do they have with major airlines? Does your chosen ATO offer a payment protection programme? Remember, throughout your training; keep your eyes on the bigger picture, in terms of the financial position of your chosen ATO and the industry in general. And don’t forget the old saying: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Finally, don’t give up The final tip is to keep going. Whichever training route you choose, there is no easy way to the cockpit, but keep in mind that once you get there, the view from the office window is pretty special.

Pilot Chloe Harrison passed on her advice when she was training on the British Airways Future Pilot Programme. “It is not a career for those without a deep buried desire. At times it is a struggle but with the end goal of a right hand seat with the best airline in the world, it’s definitely worth it.”

“Training to be an airline pilot is hard,” Chloe added, “and a certain level of intelligence is needed, but my advice to all those that may feel discouraged upon hearing this: we’re all normal, yet diligent and motivated people.

But together we share an innate aspiration to fly. Research the different options you can take, learn about the scholarships on offer and take advantage of them.

growth rate mainly reflects the developments in 2017 such as the cabin ban on large portable electronic devices and the proposed travel bans to the US. Capacity rose 5.3 percent, and load factor fell 2.4 percentage points to 72.3 percent.

North American airlines experienced a 5.0 percent rise in demand in September, which was an increase over 3.7 percent year-over-year growth recorded in August.

Capacity rose 5.4 percent and load factor fell 0.3 percentage point to 80.8 percent. Strong momentum in the US economy is helping underpin a pick-up in international demand for airlines in the region.

Latin American airlines’ demand surged 7.0 percent, strongest among regions

and well above the 4.4 percent growth recorded in August. Traffic is staging a modest recovery from softness over the summer months that coincided with the general strikes in Brazil. Capacity climbed 9.8 percent -- also the biggest increase among regions -- and load factor fell 2.1 percentage points to 80.3 percent.

Domestic demand climbed 6.5 percent in September compared to September 2017, which was a slowdown compared to 7.5 percent year-overyear growth in August. This was partly owing to aforementioned weather-related disruptions. Capacity rose 7.4 percent and load factor slipped 0.6 percentage point to 81.6 percent.

Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

F

lying across the world at the controls of some of the most sophisticated aircraft in existence, is, for many, a dream job. But the road to a pilot career is not an easy one, with many hurdles to be overcome. Here are some top tips to get you started.

Ask yourself why you want to become a pilot The challenges to reach the cockpit will vary from person to person: some may face financial challenges on the road to their career, some may struggle with exams and the intensity of pilot training, while some may not enjoy the lifestyle, which often means being away from your family and friends, sometimes missing important occasions due to airline rosters or unpredictable shifts.

So before you even consider embarking on any kind of pilot training, make sure you’re choosing the career for the right reasons. Is aviation your passion? Are you just doing it because you think a pilot’s job is glamorous? Are you pursuing the career because the pay is good? Do you want to wear a smart uniform?

The truth is, while many pilots love their jobs (and their uniforms!), the job does not hold the glamour it once had, with longer hours, lower pay and changes in airline attitudes, demanding a lot from pilots. Also consider that while starting salaries are traditionally higher than other

professions, many pilots will also have taken on loans to cover their pilot training, and so may have to factor in repayments when calculating their starting salary.

Do your research This links into the first tip; make sure to find out everything about the profession that you can. Get close to aeroplanes, talk to pilots who have already been through training – most pilots will be all too happy to share their own experience and pass on advice to help you. Go to careers shows and ask all the questions you need to, until you have a full picture about a pilot’s life, the highlights and challenges, the lifestyle, salary and training.

Find out about the different routes to your Air Transport Pilots’ Licence (ATPL).

The two main routes are

called Integrated and Modular. The first is a full-time course of study, generally lasting around 15-18 months.

This takes a student from complete beginner to a position where they are ready to take up a role as a commercial pilot. In contrast, the Modular route can be done at the student’s own pace, module by module, as time and money allow. What’s more, in most cases the cost is substantially less than Integrated, as you can train in ‘blocks’, allowing the cost to be spread over a longer period, even allowing you to return to work between modules. Both routes will give you the same licence, so make sure to research which route would be best for your career goals and situation.

Also, be aware that, in the current climate with

few airlines offering sponsored schemes, becoming a commercial pilot is a huge financial commitment and is also very competitive. Shop around a wide variety of training schools, consider all the different routes and finally, gain experience.

Get your pilot medical Before signing on the dotted line for any kind of commercial pilot training, you should look into obtaining your initial Class 1 Medical, which is necessary for anyone wishing to train for a commercial or airline transport pilot licence. Don’t commit any finances to a full-time course, before you’re sure you’re medically fit to fly a commercial aircraft.

And don’t be fooled by some of the myths such as, ‘I can’t be a professional pilot because I wear glasses.’ Con-

Global air traffic growth slows in September

T

he International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced global passenger traffic results for September showing that demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometers, or RPKs) rose 5.5percent compared to the same month in 2017. This was a slowdown from the 6.4 percent growth recorded in August yearover-year. Capacity climbed 5.8 percent and load factor slipped for the first time in eight months, down 0.3 percentage point compared to the year-earlier period, to 81.4 percent.

IATA estimated that impacts from severe hurricane and typhoon activity in September shaved around 0.1-0.2 percentage point off expected growth. How-

ever, even after accounting for these impacts, monthly traffic demand was below the 6.7 percent year-to-date pace. “ W h i l e Se p t e m b e r ’s traffic growth was in line with the long-term average, it represents a moderation compared to recent months. This is likely owing to the anticipated reduced demand boost from lower airfares due to rising airline cost pressures, particularly fuel. Heightened uncertainty about trade policies and mounting protectionist policies may also be having an impact,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO said.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l R P Ks climbed 4.9 percent with airlines in all regions recording growth compared to 2017.

Total capacity climbed 5.1%, and load factor dipped 0.1 percentage point to 81.2 percent.

African airlines posted a 6.0 percent rise in RPKs in September, down from 6.8 percent in August. Capacity rose 4.9 percent and load factor edged up 0.8 percentage point to 74.6 percent.

The healthy growth is taking place against an increasingly challenging economic backdrop for the region’s largest economies, South Africa and Nigeria.

Asia-Pacific airlines’ traffic rose 5.4 percent in September compared to the year-ago period.

This was down from 7.4 percent annual growth in August. The steep decline in part reflects the impacts of typhoon activity in the

region including the multiday closure of Kansai International Airport. Capacity increased 4.3 percent, and load factor climbed 0.9 percentage point to 79.2 percent.

European carriers saw September RPKs rise 5.2 percent over September 2017, in line with August growth of 5.4 percent. However, the upward trend in seasonally-adjusted demand has slowed considerably since early 2018. Capacity climbed 4.9 percent and load factor edged up 0.2 percentage point to 87.0 percent, which was the highest among regions.

Middle East carriers had a 1.8 percent rise in demand, which was a four-month low. As in previous months, the volatility in the region’s

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 45

Health&Science

What are some foods to ease your anxiety?

P

eople can make a variety of lifestyle changes to help manage their anxiety. Eating a diet high in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, and lean protein can be helpful.

Anxiety is a widespread condition, affecting millions of people globally.

Symptoms vary, and some people only experiencethemnowandthen.However, someone who experiences symptoms for 6 months or longer may have a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

The symptoms of GAD include psychological and physical symptoms, such as: fear, tension, excessive worry about everydayeventsandproblems,irritability, difficulty concentrating, issues with their personal social and work relationships, heart palpitations, elevated heart rate, muscle tension and chest tightness.

Doctors often treat GAD with a combination of treatments, including talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), alongside medications.

Sometimes, these conventional treatments do not work long-term. However, someresearchsuggeststhatpropernutrition can help improve symptoms.

Nine foods to eat to help reduce anxiety Brazilnuts:itcontainsselenium,which may help to improve mood.

Brazil nuts are high in selenium. Selenium may improve mood by reducing inflammation, which is often at heightened levels when someone has a mood disorder, such as anxiety.

Selenium is also an antioxidant, which helps prevent cell damage. It is also anti-carcinogenic, which helps to prevent cancer from developing.

Other nuts, animal products, and vegetables, such as mushrooms and soybeans, are an excellent source of selenium.

It is important not to consume too much selenium as it can cause side effects. The recommended upper limit for selenium for an adult is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day. So be careful not to take supplements with high doses or eat more than a three to four Brazil nuts a day.

Brazil nuts and other nuts are also a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants can be beneficial for treating anxiety, while some research has shown that low levels of vitamin E may lead to depression in some people.

Fatty fish: such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring, are high in omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid that has a strong relationship with cognitive function as well as mental health.

However, recent research has shown that if a person eats too much of another fattyacid,calledomega-6,andnotenough omega-3, they may increase their risk of developing mood disorders, such as

food in the diet can benefit the natural gut bacteria and may reduce anxiety and stress.

Fermented foods include cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, and fermented soy products.

Green tea: green tea contains an aminoacidcalledtheanine,whichisreceiving increasing scrutiny due to its potential effects on mood disorders. Theanine has anti-anxiety and calming effects and may increase the production of serotonin and dopamine.

A 2017 review found that 200 mg of theanine improved self-reported relaxationandcalmnesswhilereducingtension in human trials.

Green tea is easy to add to the dayto-day diet. It is a suitable replacement for soft drinks, coffee, and alcoholic beverages.

anxiety.

Omega-3-rich foods that contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) provides two essential fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

EPAandDHAregulateneurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and promote healthy brain function.

A small study on 24 people with substance abuse problems found that EPA and DHA supplementation resulted in reduced levels of anxiety. However, more research is required.

Current recommendations suggest eating at least two servings of fatty fish a week. A study conducted on men found eatingsalmonthreetimesaweekreduced self-reported anxiety.

Salmon and sardines are also among thefewfoodsthatcontainvitaminD.Vitamin D, researchers are increasingly linking vitamin D deficiency to mood disorders, suchasdepressionandanxiety.Areportin theJournalofAffectiveDisordersbelieves that there is enough evidence to prove thatvitaminDpositivelyhelpsdepression.

Other studies on pregnant women and older adults have also highlighted how vitamin D might improve mood. Vitamin D may also improve seasonal disaffected disorder (SAD) during winter.

Eggs: Egg yolks are another great source of vitamin D. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. It is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essentialaminoacidsthebodyneedsforgrowth and development.

Eggs also contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps create serotonin.

Serotonin is a chemical neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood, sleep, memory, and behavior. Serotonin is also thought to improve brain function and relieve anxiety.

Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of potassium, which

helps regulate electrolyte balance and manage blood pressure.

Eating potassium-rich foods such, as pumpkin seeds or bananas, may help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.

Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of the mineral zinc. One study carried out on 100 female high school students found that zinc deficiency may negatively affect mood.

Zinc is essential for brain and nerve development. The largest storage sites of zinc in the body are in the brain regions involved with emotions.

Dark chocolate: Researchers have found that dark chocolate may help reduce stress. Experts have long suspected that dark chocolate might help reduce stress and anxiety. A 2014 study found that 40g of dark chocolate helped reduce perceived stress in female students.

Other studies have generally found thatdarkchocolateorcocoamayimprove mood. However, many of these studies are observational, so the results need to be interpreted with caution.

Although it is still unclear how dark chocolate reduces stress, it is a rich source of polyphenols, especially flavonoids.

One study suggested that flavonoids might reduce neuroinflammation and cell death in the brain as well as improve blood flow.

Chocolate has a high tryptophan content, which the body uses to turn intomood-enhancingneurotransmitters, such as serotonin in the brain.

Dark chocolate is also a good source of magnesium. Eating a diet with enough magnesium in it or taking supplements may reduce symptoms of depression.

When choosing dark chocolate, aim for 70 percent or more. Dark chocolate still contains added sugars and fats, so a small serving of 1 to 3 grams (g) is appropriate.

Turmeric: turmeric is a spice com-

monly used in Indian and South-East Asian cooking. The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Curcumin may help lower anxiety by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress that often increase in people experiencing mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. A 2015 study found that curcumin reduced anxiety in obese adults.

Another study found that an increase of curcumin in the diet also increased DHA and reduced anxiety. Turmeric is easy to add to meals. It has minimal flavor, so goes well in smoothies, curries, and casserole dishes.

Chamomile: Many people around the world use chamomile tea as an herbal remedy because of its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, and relaxant properties.

Somepeoplebelievethattherelaxant and anti-anxiety properties come from the flavonoids present in chamomile. A recent study found that chamomile did reduce anxiety symptoms. However, it didnotpreventnewepisodesofanxiety.

Chamomile tea may be useful in managing anxiety. It is readily available and safe to use in high doses.

Yogurt: yogurt contains healthful bacteria, Lactobaccilus and Bifidobacteria. There is emerging evidence that these bacteria and fermented products have positive effects on brain health.

According to a recent clinical review, yogurt and other dairy products may also produce an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. Some research suggests that chronic inflammation may be partly responsible for anxiety, stress, and depression.

A 2015 study found fermented foods reduced social anxiety in some young people, while multiple studies found consuming healthful bacteria increased happiness in some people.

Including yogurt and other fermented

Other food that may help Swiss chard contains magnesium, which may help to ease anxiety.

Eat a varied and balanced diet with high quality, nutrient-dense carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Aim for whole foods, vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, lean meats, and especially fish. Other foods that may help include: Turkeyandothertryptophan-containing foods such as eggs, dark chocolate, cheese, pineapple, bananas, oats, and tofu.

Nuts, especially almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E. Vitamin E deficiency has been linked to mood disorders.

Chia seeds are also a good source of omega-3s.

Protein sources, such as lean meat, fish, nuts, and dairy all provide amino acids, which the body converts into the mood-lifting neurotransmitters, such as serotonin.

Spinach and Swiss chard are both high in magnesium.

Cinnamon provides anti-inflammatory properties Evidence increasingly shows that diets high in processed foods can increase anxiety.

Takeaway Eating a healthful diet should provide all the nutrients needed for healthy brain function.

A healthful diet that contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as vitamins and minerals might help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

Reducing foods that are high in added sugar, salt, and fats especially trans fats may help also help reduce inflammation. Reduce alcohol, sugar, and coffee as these may increase episodes of anxiety and the associated symptoms.

Nigeria partakes in global congress on oncology clinical trials in blacks Anthonia obokoh

N

igeria will join other countries of the world in effort to address the global challenges of clinical trials for oncology among the black population.

The inaugural Global Congress on Oncology Clinical Trials in Blacks is scheduled for November 13 - November 15, 2018 at the Sheraton hotel, Ikeja Lagos.

According to previous studies, Black men are 60 per cent more likely to have prostate cancer than Caucasian men, and more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer than men of other racial and

ethnic groups.

Additionally, the percentage rate of African-American men developing prostate cancer in their lifetimes to white men is 15 per cent to 10 per cent, and their risk of dying four per cent to two per cent.

Ifeoma Okoye, a consultant oncologist at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, and chairperson of the congress said the black population is about 17 per cent of the world population (over one billion), Blacks are disproportionately affected by cancer globally,” “Given the disproportionate burden of cancer in Blacks, it is important to have a significant number of Blacks

participate in cancer clinical trials globally,” she said.

According to Okoye, the accrual of Blacks all over the world in clinical research remains low despite ongoing attempts to improve their participation and the under-representation of Blacks in clinical trials continues to magnify the cancer health disparities experienced by this group.

“Unfortunately, overcoming the barriers for successful clinical trial enrollment of Blacks continues to be a significant challenge.

Therefore, the Global Congress on Oncology Clinical Trials in Blacks is proposed to address the underrepresentation of Blacks in clinical trials,” she said.

The oncologist explained: “There is thus need to study/identify possible associations between this aggressive disease and gene variants, exposures to environmental stressors like discrimination, early life adversity and segregation; And to understand how the social environment interacts with these genetic changes, and oil the wheels of prostate cancer burden in men of African ancestry so that tailored approaches for prevention, diagnosis and treatment can be developed.

“These can only be done through clinical trials.”

The event is a landmark effort to address the global challenges of clinical trials for oncology among the black

population.

Keynote addresses will be by world-renowned experts, including the Director General (DG) of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Moji Christianah Adeyeye.

The convener of the Conference is Folakemi Odedina of University of Florida, United States (U.S.).

The Conference Chairpersons are: Windy Dean-Colomb (US); Ifeoma Okoye (Nigeria); Edith Mitchell (US); Victoria Olaiya; Verna Vanderpuye (Ghana); Coleman K. Obasaju (US); Camille Ragin (US); Obiageli Nnodu (Nigeria); Omolara Fatiregun (Nigeria); and Mary “Dicey” Scroggins (US).

46 BDSUNDAY

C002D5556

Sunday 11 November 2018

Sports Real Madrid stocks up with €1.1bn Adidas sponsorship deal

R

Stories By Anthony Nlebem

eal Madrid valuation continues to soar despite their poor run in the 2018/2019 LaLiga season.

The Spanish soccer giants have reportedly agreed to sign an improved and record deal with German sportswear brand, Adidas worth €1.1 billion for 10 years.

Los Blancos will earn €110 million yearly from 2020 to 2030.

According to Marca’s Carlos Carpio, the kit manufacturer will pay Los Blancos €110 million each year, more than twice the €52 million paid annually under their current terms.

Carpio added: “To put this in perspective, and compare it with Nike in the NBA, who kit out all the 21 teams for $1 billion over eight years. In other words $125 million or €110 million a season for 21 teams which is the same that Adidas will pay for just Real Madrid.”

That is only the guaranteed figure, though, and Adidas could potentially pay Real Madrid up to

€150 million per year because of “another variable part depending on merchandising.”

Adidas has sponsored Real Madrid since 1998, having earlier partnered with the club between 1981 and 1986.

Though Los Blancos may be a little disappointed to have won just two La Liga titles in the last 10 years and the same number of Copa del Rey since 1993, four UEFA Champions League titles in five seasons has continued to

cement their status at the pinnacle of world football.

The figure is double compared to the last renewal with the German firm, numbers that have grown exponentially in recent years. Real wore Adidas from 1981, and continued to use them until Mendoza decided to change to Hummel in 1986.

Los Blancos will surpass Spanish rivals Barcelona’s kit deal with US sportswear giant Nike, which pays La Liga champions only €83 million each year,

despite previous claims that the deal might be worth up to €155 million annually.

The agreement would also make Madrid the highest paid club on Adidas’ roster, dwarfing the annual €85 million the company currently pays to Premier League stalwarts Manchester United.

Real Madrid have been unusually quiet in the transfer market and the deal would provide a major boost to Madrid’s finances at a time when the club are trying to find ways to fund

2018 Nigeria Bankers Games enter exciting quarterfinals stage

T

he stage is now set for the quarterfinal matches of the ongoing 2018 Nigeria Bankers Games this weekend at the YabaTech Sports Complex, Yaba, Lagos. In the pairings made available by the organisers, Fidelity Bank will host Keystone Bank, FCMB, entertains Sterling Bank, Union Bank take on Stanbic IBTC, just as UBA and First Bank vie for a place in the semifinals.

To qualify for the quarterfinals, Sterling Bank fondly known as the Sterling Jets took on Stanbic IBTC. The game ended onegoal apiece as both teams though evenly balanced struggled to get a winner.

Keystone Bank also traded tackles with FCMB. The match saw a resurgent Keystone side take

the game to FCMB, however the experience of the FCMB side eventually told off as at the nick of half time they scored the only goal of the match.

The other events kicked off with tennis at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Court, Lagos Island, while the chess, scrabble and table tennis at the YabaTech Indoor Hall (Alumni Building), Yaba.

Some of the dignitaries in attendance include; Charles Omoera – Head, Investment Research and Corporate Strategy, Stanbic IBTC; Sam Ocheho – Non-Executive Director Of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Adeyinka Atilade – Head, IT Budget and Control, FCMB and Corporate Nigeria Games Hall of Famer - Eric Iruh.

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wins SuperSport Player of the Month

S

uperSport’s pick for the African Player of the Month for November 2018 is Arsenal and Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The 29-year-old featured in four matches for Arsenal through the month and racked up five goals and an assist in just 221 playing minutes for the Gunners. He also played the full game for his national team Gabon as they claimed an important 3-0 win over South Sudan in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Auba, as he is fondly known, has established himself as an incredible ‘impact’ player under new Arsenal manager Unai Emery. The Panthers attacker came off the bench to brilliant effect in Premier League matches against Fulham and Leicester this month.

Against the Cottagers

he racked up two goals and an assist, while his cameo against the Foxes also featured two strikes – and this was in a combined 57 minutes of play!

In addition, the former Borussia Dortmund man also started and scored a goal in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace this past weekend – bringing their unbeaten run to 12 matches across all competitions.

The Gunners are probably too early in their development under Emery to be considered true title contenders in the Premier League, but with Auba – and his great partnership with French forward Alexandre Lacazette – they know that they have the firepower to strike fear into any opposition.

“There is no competition over who scored more goals. Maybe in training we do because it helps us to improve but

not in the weekend,” said Lacazette in regards to his relationship with the Gabonese star.

He added: “If Auba scores 40 goals, we finish in the Champions League and win something then I will be happy. This season we just want to win something.”

Aubameyang is not the only African to have impressed in the Premier League through the month of October. The Liverpool duo of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah appear to have rediscovered their peak form in the last few weeks, and the showdown between the pair and Auba when Arsenal host Liverpool on the first weekend of November promises to be awesome.

In ad d i t i o n , Ri y a d Mahrez has found his feet at Manchester City and is beginning to thrive under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. The Algerian

scored a brilliant goal and put in a great overall performance in a 5-0 win over Burnley, and was also the match-winner in the Citizens’ 1-0 triumph a w a y t o To t t e n h a m Hotspur on October 29.

The former Leicester City star dedicated his goal against Spurs to the Foxes’ late club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in a tragic helicopter accident near the King Power Stadium this past weekend.

“The boss was very special to me. I spent four and a half years there and have many memories with him,” explained the North Africa attacker.

“He was such a good person and had a big heart. It was heartbreaking and shocking for me to hear this news and for all of the other people who died with him. I am with Leicester and the family of the victims.”

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 47

Sports

Ferrari says budget cap will make impact on F1

N

ew Ferrari CEO, Louis Ca m i l l e r i , has hinted that a budget cap in Formula 1 would make a major turnaround in the Italian squad’s stance on the subject.

Under the leadership of the late Sergio Marchionne, Ferrari was staunchly against the idea of a budget cap, with Marchionne even threatening to quit the sport if the proposal was pushed through.

Camilleri, who took over the top position following Marchionne’s sudden passing, told investors during a conference call that a budget cap could make sense so long as it’s well thought through.

“I think there’s been progress on the technical specifications, but in terms of the budget cap and economics, there really not been any progress,” he replied when probed on the progress of F1’s future rules.

“Obviously the economics are also linked to the budget cap. I think that a budget cap even-

T

tually makes sense but the devil is in the detail and I think it will eventually be in everyone’s interests but we are not there yet.”

O n Fe r r a r i ’s p e r formance this season, which saw Sebastian Vettel finish runner-up t o Me r c e d e s ’ Le w i s Hamilton, Camilleri admitted they had been unfortunate, but was encouraged by the progress the team has made and declared it their best

season since 2008, when they won their last Constructors’ Championship.

“Clearly winning for us is a priority, it’s part of our heritage. We were very close and the Constructors’ is still open, mathematically anyway, two races left.

“Winning for Ferrari is very important. What do we need to win...a great car and two great drivers.

“This year was some-

what unfortunate, we came very, very close and hopefully next year we can get there to…not much to add other than it’s very important and we are doing everything we can to win.

“What I would say is in 2018 just based on the numbers it was probably our best season since 2008, we’re making progress, we are not quite where we want to be and we will see where we are next year.”

Manchester Derby: Guardiola plays down rivalry with Mourinho … Says ‘Mourinho and I are good friends’ … As SuperSport thrills fans with Live Manchestter derby on HD or DStv

A

head of this Sunday’s highly anticipated Manchester derby between fierce rivals Manchester City and Manchester United, Pep Guardiola, Man City manager has assured the world that both he and his counterpart Jose Mourinho are good friends.

Guardiola said this at the pre-match press conference and also spoke about the significance of this Manchester derby.

“All derbies are special,” he said.

“It isn’t the biggest game of the season.

“It means a lot for the fans and it’s special because you can beat your rivals or not, but we are only in November. “ Th e r e t u r n m a t c h at Old Trafford will be more important. “[On his rivalry with Mourinho] Fortunately, it’s much better.

“At the end of the day, we are good people, better than you think.”

The former Barcelo-

Djokovic, Nadal, Federer win big at 2018 ATP awards

na coach is wary of the threat that the Red Devils pose, particularly after their impressive comeback win against Juventus in the Champions League.

“They are a team that were capable of winning in Turin, where almost noone has won,” he continued.

“They were very solid and aggressive without the ball. Everyone worked hard.

“In November it’s im-

possible to be out of the title race.

“They have picked up and the big clubs have a big club mentality. To keep pushing always.

“Man United have their history and it will always be there.”

Although Manchester United has won more games in the derby, Pep Guardiola’s highflying Manchester City who are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier league table

are looking to pull one over their cross-city rivals. With 29 points and a whooping goal difference of 29 after just 11 games, the Citizens are hoping to continue their winning streak at the Derby as they remain unbeaten this season.

The very first edition of the series took place on 12 November 1881 when Manchester City hosted Manchester United after which the match ended 3-0 in favour of Manchester

hree table tennis greats, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have been named among the recipient for the 2018 ATP World Tour Awards taking place on Sunday, November 11th, at the famous O2 Arena in London.

Informed Djokovic scooped the Comeback Player of the Year award, which was voted by the ATP players, on the back of glorious run during the second half of the season.

Having slumped to No 22 in the world ranking after struggling for form following an elbow surgery, the Serbian bounced back by winning

It is the 16th straight year that Federer won the fans’ award.

Full List Of 2018 ATP Winners: ATP World Tour No 1: Novak Djokovic Comeback Player of the Year: Novak Djokovic ATP World Tour No. 1 Doubles Team: Oliver Marach & Mate Pavic Most Improved Player of the Year: Stefanos Tsitsipas Newcomer of the Year: Alex de Minaur Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award: Rafael Nadal Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year: Tommy Robredo

the Wimbledon and the U.S Open as well as the Cincinnati and Shanghai Masters.

He brilliant run saw him replace Nadal at the top of the rankings and he will finish the year as No.1 after the Spaniard pulled out of the ATP Finals.

Djokovic’s mentor Marian Vajda was also named ATP Coach of the Year after he guided the Serb back to the top following their reunion in April.

Nadal won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award “for his fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court” while Federer picked up the ATPWorldTour Fans’.

ATP Coach of the Year: Marian Vajda ATPWorldTour Fans’ Favourite (Singles): Roger Federer ATPWorldTour Fans’ Favourite (Doubles): Mike Bryan & Jack Sock Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award: Sue Barker ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year: BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) ATP World Tour 500 Tournament of the Year: Fever-Tree Championships (Queen’s Club) ATP World Tour 250 Tournament of the Year: Intrum Stockholm Open (Stockholm).

United. The football tradition is set to continue this year when the two teams mount the pitch and battle it out.

The Reds however, coached by Jose Mourinho, sits 7th on the log and with 9 points separating both teams. The Premier League match, which is set to take place on Sunday, November 11 at 5:30 pm on SS3, will be the 38th edition of the competition.

Manchester United have a fitness scare over Paul Pogba ahead of Sunday’s derby at the Etihad Stadium.

Pogba was unable to train with the rest of United’s squad on Friday and instead forced to work indoors after suffering what has been described as a “little injury”.

It is unclear at this stage if the France midfielder is in danger of missing the

trip to Manchester City or when the problem occurred.

The Manchester derby will be broadcast live on SuperSport on HD or DStv. All active DStv subscribers can enjoy pulsating action from this fiery battle at 5:30 pm LIVE and in HD on SS3 (channel 223). Follow the conversation on Twitter (@DStvNg), Instagram (@dstvnigeria ) and Facebook (@DStvNg) with the hashtags #PLonDStv. All active DStv subscribers can enjoy pulsating action from this fiery battle at 5:30 pm LIVE and in HD on SS3 (channel 223). Follow the conversation on Twitter (@DStvNg), Instagram (@dstvnigeria ) and Facebook (@DStvNg) with the hashtags #PLonDStv.

BDSUNDAY

NEW YOU CAN TRUST

I

Sunday 11 November 2018

C002D5556

The Dr. Peter Obi I know

D

ateline was November, 2011. That was when yours truly was fortunate to lead a team of seasoned media practitioners to Anambra State. Our mission was in tandem with investigative journalism- to critically assess the performance of the then Governor Peter Obi, much of which we had read about in the papers. Good enough, the team had members with diverse backgrounds in such vital fields as economics, politics, law and education.

Interestingly, the period coincided with the hue and cry that trailed the controversial 2011 National Honours. Back then, it was characterised by avoidable institutional lapses. Even then, there was still a silver lining in the dark, political horizon. And that is the incontrovertible fact that some of the awardees were eminently deserving of the prestigious laurels.

For instance, in my humble estimation and that of all the members of the team Obi deserved the honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger(CON) conferred on him by the then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. And it was all because of what we saw on ground there in Anambra State as the empirical evidence of his sterling, ground-breaking performance, in virtually all areas of human endeavour. Seeing, they say is believing.

Like the former President Jonathan had admitted at the end of his maiden visit to Anambra State, in 2010, I was equally enthralled and indeed, inspired by the phenomenal projects that have direct, positive impact on the quality of lives of the citizens of Anambra State his administration had embarked on, most of which were completed before he left office.

But first, it is interesting to note the intriguing manner of his emergence as the governor. After being cheated out of the 2003 gubernatorial election that was declared in favour of the PDP candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige, Obi headed for the law courts and endured the drudgery until the pendulum of political power swung in his favour in March, 2006. When he was dealt a cruel blow in November, 2006 through an unconstitutional impeachment, Obi again headed for the law courts which eventually reinstated him as the rightful governor.

Similarly, when INEC conducted the gubernatorial election in the state in April 2007, in spite of his protest that he had not spent the constitutionally approved four years in office for a governor, his energy and efforts went again to the law courts until the momentous judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in June 2007 that gave him back his rightful mandate.

The lesson we have to learn from this is the need for Nigerian politicians, and indeed all of us to repose absolute confidence in the judiciary as the bastion of democracy and the last hope of the common man. Also

Noteworthy is the participatory approach his administration accorded democracy by the involvement of all the communities in both the decision making process of government and the implementation of projects noteworthy is the participatory approach his administration accorded democracy by the involvement of all the communities in both the decision making process of government and the implementation of projects. The success of these has been attributed to the Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (ANIDS) in addition to enthroning accountability in fiscal matters.

The pragmatic strategy is visible in the critical areas of infrastructural development, primary healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and of course, security.

The constraint of space would allow a mention of a few of the lot. The government constructed over 400 roads as against 91 by his predecessor. Anambra State government took over the old Enugu Road from the Federal Government and completed it, just as it did the State Emergency Management complex that was started during the military era. Apart from the pedestrian bridge at the Uni-Zik junction, it rebuilt the new bridge at Awka-Mpakwu Road. In addition, it built the Women’s Development Centre as well as the Skills Acquisition Centre and the 38-kilometre Agu-Oka, Enugu and the Ekwueme Square. The Water Corporation we met was working with erosion control mechanisms in place. In the area of Housing, it came up with a unique hydrophone model that uses 95 percent mud to make it affordable. It is the first of its kind in modern Nigeria.

His administration completed the first and second phases of the state-owned secretariat. Before our

Ayo OyozeBaje Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘DRUMBEATS OF DEMOCRACY’

visit, over 200 transformers have been bought and shared to several communities across the state. It is to his credit too that the world- renowned LG Electronics, in partnership with the state government had constructed a centre for training, installation, monitoring and repairs, credited as the largest of its kind in the African continent!

When considered against the backdrop of job creation, and the provision of these facilities as the enabling environment for self employment, the efforts are salutary. Equally so are the achievements in the health sector. The Anambra state University Teaching Hospital complex was completed in October 2009, upgraded from the status of a cottage hospital. Now it boasts of modern laboratory facilities, consulting clinics, cold rooms with vaccines. Apart from equipping pharmaceutical stores and hospitals with scans and relevant drugs, the N10 billion Julie Pharmacy complex regarded as the most modern in Africa comparable to what is obtainable in Egypt and South Africa has the support of the state government. The Kidney Dialysis Centre, the Onitsha General Hospital, the School of Health Technology, Obari and the over 70 ambulances given to voluntary agency hospitals are worthy testimonies of the government’s attention to healthcare delivery.

In the field of education 4,000 model primary schools were on course at the rate of 1,000 per year! The Professor Kenneth Dike Public Library is also in place with the support of Bank PHB, even as the State University project at Ibariam was on in earnest. Also, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) and the Post-Primary Education now have their Boards. The monthly subvention to the Anambra State University was increased from N15 million to N50 million while all mission schools have been handed over to their rightful owners.

Not left out is the field of agriculture where support to the rural areas is guaranteed. There is a fertilizer plant established on NTA Road, with roads to food basket villages of AmanasiEbwenwbe, Ojoto and a modern Rice Mill with the support of USAID located close to the Anako-Omasi rice farms.

It must be noted that under Obi, Anambra State received a federal allocation equivalent to only 10 percent of what the oil-producing states get on monthly basis. If so much could be achieved with the meager resources available how much more transformative leadership would be on ground if the vast gas resources in Anambra State are made operative? Indeed, Obi has shown that leadership in a democracy is all about being visionary, proactive, people-oriented and all- inclusive.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

Trouble in the ruling house

A

fter a long drawn battle which seems like a Nollywood soap-opera, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) finally submitted the names of Dapo Abiodun and Hope Uzodinma as its gubernatorial candidates for 2019 general election in Imo and Ogun States, respectively, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This submission however, ended the dreams of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Rochas Okorocha, of Imo State, to impose their anointed candidates for next year’s election in both states.

Okorocha had vehemently insisted, despite strong opposition within and outside the state, on his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.

In Ogun State, Amosun had hand-picked, Adekunle Akinlade as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in a ‘shambolic’ primary which was allegedly conducted by his Chief of Staff.

In the last few days, slanging match had been on in the broom party between the aggrieved governors and the National Chairman of the

party, Adams Oshiomhole. The matter had degenerated to the point that the governors called for Oshiomholes sack, alleging that his emergence as the APC boss may have become a huge deficit for the party.

But speaking to journalists, after the submission of Uzodinma and Abiodun’s names to INEC, Friday, Oshiomhole, berated the two governors for the wide allegations and accusations against him and the wrong signals their utterances had sent to people.

Oshiomhole said that Amosun was acting like an “Emperor” in his state, while also accusing Okorocha of trying to build a “political dynasty”.

The former governor of Edo State also said that the National Working Committee (NWC) decided to adopt the result of the Ahmed Gulak Committee, which declared Uzodinma as the winner of the governorship primaries conducted on October 1.

“Amosun is an Emperor. He is asking for an unlawful thing. In the case of Imo State, NWC has met and we have upheld the result of the Gulak

N5.5trn committee and we have prepared the name of Uzodinma to be submitted to the INEC. “If Governor Rochas chose to relocate to the Villa and use the ground of Villa to try to intimidate me to create a dynasty I will even on one leg uphold truth in the best interest of APC members and indeed of APC people in Imo State.”

According to him, “Yesterday, I watched Rochas saying I should obey court orders. In this country, memories fail people.”

There have been increased speculations, that both Governors have finalised plans to dump the APC to realise their political ambition, this have also been denied by the camp both Governors.

However, as the impasse between the two governors and the national leaders of the APC continues to attract attention, political observers have wondered if the party did not know the negative implications of going into a general election as a house divided against itself.

This is the total amount of money said to have been spent on infrastructure in Nigeria between 2014 and 2017 according to Adekunle Oyinloye, MD/CEO, Infrastructure Bank.

How degraded is Boko Haram?

While we are hoping for the safe return of the abducted Chibok Girls and Leah Sharibu of Dapchi, members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, are still taking in, unrestrained, more women.

The other day, they swooped on an internally displaced persons (IDPs’) camp in Maiduguri, killed and led some more women away as captives. Who will save Nigeria from this madness?

Published by BusinessDAY Media Ltd., The Brook, 6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos. Ghana office: Zion House, Shiashie, OIC-Galaxy Road, East Legon, Accra.

Tel:+ 233 243226596, +233244856806: email: bdsundayletter@businessdayonline.com Advert Hotline: 08034743892. Subscriptions 01-2950687, 07045792677. Newsroom: 08054691823 Editor: Zebulon Agomuo, All correspondence to BusinessDAY Media Ltd., Box 1002, Festac Lagos. ISSN 1595 - 8590.