Businessday 17 jun 2018

BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

Atiku invited to speak in Washington DC June 24

??

Seplat notifies Exchange of N640m cross deal in shares

p.6

Sunday 17 June 2018 Market & Commodities Monitor Brent Oil

5yr Bond

$75.88

0.00 13.16%

Gold

10yr Bond

$11,306.20

0.00 13.46%

Cocoa

$2,433.00

20yr Bond

0.00 13.56%

inside

Vol 1, No. 222 N300

Presidential candidate:

Waiting on PDP ZEBULON AGOMUO & CHUKS OLUIGBO

Government must be sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians – Bishop Odedeji

p. 42-43p.

p. 36

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ith the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) zeroing in on President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate for the 2019 presidential election, all eyes are now on the

main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to name its candidate.

This is more so as the despondency brought about by the failure of Buhari and his APC to deliver on the change they promised Nigerians in 2015 reaches its peak, amid high level of insecurity and violent killings in many parts of the country.

For several months, the names of some

individuals have been making the rounds as contenders for the ticket on the PDP platform. They include Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State; Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State and former minister of education; Ahmed Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State; Attahiru Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto State;

p. 4

p.14

‘APGA is positioned to reclaim its mandate in Imo and the entire South-East’

President Muhammadu Buhari (m) with children during a Sallah homage to the President by FCT residents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, at the weekend.

p. 20-21

Intrigues in Benue PDP as more than 10 jostle for governorship ticket p. 30-31

NAN

World Cup loses numbers to biting cold, high costs in Russia OBINNA EMELIKE & IFEOMA OKEKE

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any Nigerian football and summer holiday travel enthusiasts are missing out on the allure, excitement and networking opportunities that attending the ongoing

FIFA football World Cup fiesta live in Russia offers.

The reasons for the failed travel bids include exorbitant flight tickets, the biting Russian cold, high stadium ticket and hotel room costs, among others.

Able Nigerians have typically travelled to

watch the four-yearly World Cup fiesta, no matter how far away the host country may be, and their presence is usually signposted by the nation’s Football Supporters Club with their peculiar regalia and loud rendition of songs, accompanied by African drums,

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PhotoSplash

L-R: Ekeno Eyo, chief operating officer, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited; Chris Wulff-Caesar, marketing director, Frieslandcampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC; Ben Langat, managing director, Frieslandcampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC; Lanre Adisa, managing director, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, and Abolaji Alausa, executive creative director, during the presentation of awards won at African Cristal Festival in Morroco to the management of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc at their office in Lagos, recently.

Hetty Bakare, Board Member, Special Olympics Nigeria(SON), ( 5th l); Emeka Mba, Public Affairs Analyst, Coca Cola West Africa Business Unit, (6th l); Victor Osibodu, chairman, Special Olympics Nigeria (SON), (6th r); Foluso Phillips, board member, (5th r); Bolanle Ogunbanwo, board member (4thr), and others, at the Special Olympics Nigeria 2018 National Games and 50th anniversary media parley briefing in Lagos recently.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (m); Godwin Obaseki, governor, Edo State (2nd r), his wife Betsy Obaseki; Philip Shaibu, deputy governor, Edo State, his wife Maryann Shaibu, at the dinner organised by Edo State Government in honour of the Vice President, in Government House, Benin City.

L-R: My Indomie My Remix Video Contest Judge, Sound Sultan; Group Public Relations & Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Ashiwaju Temitope; Grand Prize winner, David B-Online with another Judge, Vector the Viper at the presentation of N1 million Cheque to the winner in Lagos.

L-R: Hamad Kamal; UK Trade, Topsy Kola-Oyeneyin; Associate Principal, Mckinsey& Company, Segun Akerele; EFInA Board Chairman and Tunde Kehinde; Co-founder; Lidya at the EFInA Inagural FinTech Breakfast Forum in Lagos.

L-R: Abdulqodri Muh.Hashir Opeloyeru, chief missioner, Nurulhaqq Islamic society of Nigeria; Ishaq Olasunkanmi Sanni Aikehuyo 1, chief missioner, NurusSalaam Islamic Foundation; Ishaq Surakat Sobayo, chief missioner, Alhaqul mubeen Islamic Society and Abdul Afeez Sa’adallah, during the 2018 lailatu liqodri (Night of Majesty) of Nurusalaam Islamic foundation in Lagos, recently.

L-R: Temitope Oguntokun, head of sustainability and corporate brand, Lafarge; Bolanle Ishola, director academic services, Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC); Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, director of communications public affairs and sustainable development, Lafarge, and Adeola Awogbemi, head of programmes, Ovie Brume Foundation, at a stakeholder meeting for the 2018 Lafarge Africa National Literacy Competition.

L-R: Tunji Olugbodi, president IAA, Nigeria/executive vice chairman, Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Group; Swarmy Srinivasan, senior vice president, IAA; Kayode Oluwasona, president, AAAN; Dagmara Scuke, managing director, IAA Global, and Felix Tataru, IAA chairman and global president, at the inauguration of the International Advertising Association, Nigeria Chapter in Lagos.

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Cover

Atiku

Dankwambo

Presidential candidate: Waiting...

Continued from Page 1 Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and Hassan Dankwambo, current governor of Gombe State, among others.

Some political analysts who spoke with BDSUNDAY said that even though other political parties were taking so long to announce their presidential flag-bearers for whatever reasons, the PDP was expected to begin to zero in on a likely candidate, knowing that it is the next best option, at least for now.

They add that everyone, particularly the ruling APC, appeared interested in knowing who emerges as the PDP standard bearer as that would most likely shake things up and give a clue into the colour the campaign would wear.

“I think more than anybody else, the APC is anxiously waiting to see who the PDP would present. But I tell you, the calibre and stature of the individual coming from the PDP will go a long way in determining whether the APC will take the election seriously or not. What I mean is that if the candidate is unknown and does not have a national appeal, the ruling party would easily know that it would not need to invest so much in campaign. But if it is a person that has clout, you will be sure that the APC will be restless,” Okon Uduak, a Calabar-based sociologist, said.

Catherine Onwuegbu, a politician and social worker, said that the more the PDP delays the announcement of its candidate, the more it loses the sympathy of Nigerians.

“I, for one, think that there is no point for the PDP to continue to delay the announcement of its candidate. Nigerians are anxiously waiting to hear the good news. You know the suffering is so much that people are looking forward to a better option. It is said that hope deferred makes the heart sick. The waiting is too much,” Onwuegbu said.

According to her, the new parties hold no hope as Nigerians are yet to see the messiah in those small groups.

“You see, Nigerians have been so bruised that they no longer have confidence in any politician. We see new parties emerging, but who are the brains behind them? If you check very well, they are old and expired politicians who had dealt with and wreaked all this havoc on us all. Let us see who the

PDP is coming out with. I am very optimistic that something good is going to happen,” she said.

In a recent exclusive interview with BDSUNDAY, Ebenezer Babatope, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) and former transport minister, had given the assurance that his party would come out with a candidate that would match that of the APC. “Our party is going to present a candidate that Nigerians will appreciate. There is no more division in the party. We are going into the election as a united force. We have more than the capacity to make Nigerians happy again,” Babatope said.

Recently, Abdullahi MaiBasira, national financial secretary of the PDP, said in an interview that the party’s presidential candidate must be prepared from day one without excuses, adding that only the PDP can truly take the country to the Promised Land.

Intrigues trail selection of candidate There are, however, indications that some powerful elements in the party are bent on having their way in determining who emerges as the presidential candidate.

Sources told our correspondent that the party may have settled for Dankwambo on the strength that he has no “corruption” baggage on his back.

“A good number of the PDP governors favour Dankwambo. He is not a very known person, particularly in the southern part of the country. But the consideration that favours him is that he is not carrying any corruption tag that may prove an albatross when the chips are down,” a source said.

“We have great names aspiring and seeking the ticket, but we do not want someone that people would not like to vote for because of the individual’s past. Nothing is sacrosanct yet.”

Those rooting for Dankwambo to become the PDP flag bearer describe him as a professional, a perfect technocrat who, being in his prime, represents the call for generational shift in leadership that Nigerians yearn for.

Not long ago, a group known as the Yoruba Solidarity Alliance (YSA) said it was throwing its weight behind Dankwambo’s ambition as the most marketable presidential material for the PDP who would represent the interest of the youth and

defeat the APC. “It is amply evident that long-suffering Nigerians have had enough of gerontocracy while majority of them are prepared to do away with this unworkable idea in 2019. What the nation needs at this time of untold economic hardship and insecurity is a much younger president who is fresh with new ideas and innovative concepts and Dankwambo is the only way out in 2019, especially with his proven achievements,” the group said.

But pundits have said that the alleged influence of some powerful governors in the party may deny the party the best candidate.

Will the odds favour Atiku?

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition is not new. This ambition has seen him moving from PDP to ACN to PDP to APC and back to PDP. In all of these parties, he had always fallen short of clinching the presidential ticket.

Now back to the PDP, the party under whose umbrella he served as vice president of the country for eight years, Atiku officially announced his 2019 presidential ambition in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, in March.

Political observers say Atiku is, perhaps, the strongest threat to the second-term ambition of Buhari so far. They strongly believe that if Atiku secures the ticket to run on the PDP platform, he would give the APC a run for its money.

Many believe Atiku is a political phenomenon who has the means and capacity to prosecute elections, as well as the sagacity and clout to wield influence and garner sufficient support for his cause. Those close to him say he has over the years built bridges across the country’s geopolitical and ethnic divides.

“I have heard that the Gombe State governor, Dankwambo, may have been tipped for the ticket. But my take is that PDP needs a person who can match the APC forcefor-force and give them a good run for their money. The person that, for me, fits that bill is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” said an analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“I know that his brothers in the North may not want him because he would not be a stooge in their hands; they would like someone they can control and dictate to.

The truth they have not told themselves is

that you must first win the election before talking about who to control. It would be disastrous for PDP to lose this election with all the issues that stack in their favour,” said the analyst.

The only snag for Atiku, however, is that many perceive him to be corrupt, even though there is as yet no evidence to prove this, neither has he been tried or convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction. Analysts say he will need all the luck to erase that perception from the minds of Nigerians and convince them to give him a chance, even after laying out fantastic plans for the economy and the country.

Wike, Fayose, Secondus hold the key Although the party had pledged to be democratic in choosing its candidate, pundits say that the decision, however, may be under the thumbs of three powerful individuals in the party at the moment.

According to the analysts, Nyesom Wike and Ayo Fayose, governors of Rivers and Ekiti States, respectively, and Uche Secondus, national chairman of the party, essentially determine whatever happens in the PDP at the moment.

Wike and Fayose took the driver’s seat in PDP when they single-handedly installed Ali Modu Sheriff as the leader of the party in 2015 after the party lost the 2015 presidential election and the subsequent forced exit of Adamu Mu’azu as the national chairman of the party.

The two governors were to make a Uturn when the crisis lingered. It was also by their dogged efforts that the matter was laid to rest with the eventual sack of Sheriff.

They became ardent supporters of Ahmed Makarfi and at the convention Wike hosted in Port Harcourt after Sheriff’s ouster, Wike pledged his support for Makarfi and the National Caretaker Committee (NCC).

With his political and financial influence, Wike may have successfully won Secondus to his side. It was also said that it was Wike’s influence and financial war chest that got Secondus his current position.

It is being insinuated that the trio of Wike, Fayose and Secondus will determine who flies the party’s flag as the presidential candidate.

By and large, pundits say the sooner the PDP announces its presidential flag-bearer, the better for the polity.

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News

Osunbor denies stepping down from APC chairmanship race KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja

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ormer Governor of Edo State, Senator Osereimhen Osunbor, has denied media report that he has stepped down form APC chairmanship race.

Osunbor’s denial is coming few days to APC’s National Convention holding in Abuja.

Speaking at a press briefing, Osunbor said, “My sole aim of joining the race is to make APC a role model in Africa and beyond. I have a vision of an APC that will be a model for other political parties in Nigeria and even beyond to emulate.

“You said the rumour mill and what we heard was that I bought the form but failed to submit it and now you are saying I stepped down but I never did. I was the fourth person to submit the form and I have not changed my mind about running because I do have a vision of what I can do to re-engineer our great party.”

Continuing the former

Osunbor

governor said, “Our democracy and the political process in Nigeria since 1999 have been characterised by weak political party administration. If our democratic culture is to be firmly established and good

NIHORT trains ogbono producers and processors in Abia UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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ver 50 persons in Bende Local Local Government Area of Abia State have been empowered and trained in modern techniques of Irvingia (Ogbono) production and processing by the National Horticultural Research Institute.

Olutola Oyedele, director, Research/head, Farming Systems and Extension of the Institute, said during the training that the essence of the workshop was also to teach producers and processors the value chains of Irvingia and modern ways of doing the business.

She disclosed that such workshop was organized last year at Agricultural Development Programme, Umuahia and it was the success recorded from the training that motivated the Institute to organize another.

Oyedele said that NIHORT attaches much importance to Ogbono, adding that the Institute was established for research in tree crops, vegetables and ornamental plants (flowers), among others.

She said that research carried out by the Institute had reduced the maturation period from 15 years to between five and seven years.

Oyedele further said that Ogbono has found its way into the pharmaceutical industries as part of the fruit is used in producing drugs.

She added that Ogbono was one of the foreign exchange earners for Nigeria and that the Institute had produced equipment for cutting Ogbono faster than the crude method used during processing in the past.

Batho Onyemaobi, programme manager, Abia Agricultural Development Programme, thanked NIHORT for organizing the workshop.

governance entrenched, it will require well managed political parties.

“This is because democracy thrives best under an effective and efficient multi-party system. The weaknesses in our system

manifest in many ways such as indiscipline among elected/appointed political office holders and unnecessary bickering and distractions. These impediments stunt our growth and prevent Nigeria from attaining her full potentials.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governing party in Nigeria has a huge responsibility to provide leadership in inculcating and building a culture of a vibrant political party system from the national level through the other levels down to the grassroots.

“As National Chairman of APC, I shall strive to build on the efforts by the founding fathers of the party and re-position it to help focus government’s attention in order to impact on the upliftment of the well-being and security of Nigerians.

“I am absolutely convinced that I have the competence and ability to provide the needed leadership at this point in time for the following reasons. I have the educational and professional competence to give the required leadership as

a professor of law and an administrator.

“I have the legislative experience as a two-term Senator to establish and engender a cordial relationship between the party and the National Assembly. My former colleagues at the National Assembly and other political associates across the country are invaluable assets.

“As a former governor I have the executive experience to foster good working relationship between the Party and the President at the national level and governors at the state level. Through collaboration, the Party, the Legislature and the Executive will not be bogged down by unnecessary rifts and conflicts which, as we have seen, are unhealthy to good governance and the realisation of the happiness and prosperity of our people.

“As National Chairman I will ensure that the various organs and officials of the party function effectively and harness their energies to work as a team. Good

team work produces best results.

“I shall strive to win friends for the party and grow its membership from among increasingly enlightened Nigerians, especially young persons, through reasoning and persuasion rather than crude force.

“The pursuit of unity among party members is urgent and critical as we approach general elections. I have a vision of an APC that will be a model for other political parties in Nigeria and even beyond to emulate.

“We must as a party support and complement the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in his African Union mandate to provide leadership in good governance in Africa. We must elect a party leadership with unquestionable commitment to the realisation of these ideals through the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari which he has earned by his leadership style and unwavering commitment to total national reconciliation and the sustenance of democratic tenents in Nigeria and the world is watching us.”

CNPP seeks end to attacks on Saraki SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Congress of Nigeria’s Political Parties (CNPP) has called for an immediate end to what it described as orchestrated campaigns of calumny against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The Kwara State chapter of the CNPP made the call in a statement jointly signed by its chairman, Adebayo Lawal, secretary, Prince Olufemi Adeleke, and public relations officer (PRO), Dave Ifabiyi.

Th e g r o u p a l l e g e d that Saraki had remained the target of all forms of blackmail and character assassination since his emergence as the Senate President in 2015.

The group said different attacks had been instigated against Saraki by those it described as enemies of democracy and justice, to get him off the Senate President’s seat but have been unsuccessful.

It accused the Inspector

General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of using his office to punish and defame all those involved in his invitation to appear before the Senate.

“It was Senator Dino Melaye that was first taken to the fryers followed by the accusation against Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu before the current frame-up and

Saraki

witch-hunt of the Senate President,” the group said.

The group also condemned the linking of Saraki to the cases of recently arrested suspected cultists and the Offa robbery suspects, stressing that the transfer of the two cases to Abuja ‘smell thick of the vendetta theory’ against the Senate President.

It argued that the decision of the IGP to transfer some of those alleged to have confessed that they were armed by Senate President to kill is “nothing more than a simple ploy to carry out a smear campaign against the person of the Senate President.”

The group added: “What some of the players in this shameful script fail to realize is that the Nigerian state is being ridiculed in the face of the entire world most of whom are better informed about the pathetic situation of the rule of law in this country.

“Frisking and bringing our respected officers of the second estate of the realm to disrepute is not in the best interest of the country and our burgeoning democratic practice. “ It, therefore, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to step in and put a stop to the ongoing intrigues and in-infightings between members of the executive and legislative arms before it is too late.

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News Atiku invited to speak in Washington DC June 24 ODINAKA ANUDU

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embers of the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari’s die-hard supporters may be in for a disappointment as one of their greatest rivals, Atiku Abubakar, has been invited to speak at the forthcoming African Trade and Investment Global Summit (ATIGS) scheduled to take place in Washington DC, the United States capital.

The event starts on June 24 and ends on June 26.

Atiku will speak alongside African Union Ambassador to the US, Arikana Chihombori-Quao, and former Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to the US, Mexico and the Organisation of American States, Neil Parsan.

Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, will also speak at the event, alongside Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah.

ATIGS is a biennial event that hosts African and international investors in Washington DC. Discussions at ATIGS shape the policies of African countries and their partners.

This year’s event will welcome the participation of prominent officials and distinguished personalities, accredited investment firms, high-level speakers, quality exhibitors, and delegation groups from over 70 countries.

There have been calls in recent times for Atiku, the presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to visit the US if he is free of corruption.

But Atiku has often responded that he has applied for US visa before but was refused by the US Embassy.

Atiku is accused of being indicted by the United States of America’s Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in a report entitled, ‘Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the US: Four Case Histories’.

Atiku, who is expected to run for president in 2019, said in an interview with The Boss newspaper that he had made an attempt to visit the U.S. but was refused visa on administrative grounds.

“I applied, but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they did not decline me categorically either. They’ve only said my application is going through administrative process,” Atiku had said.

L-R: Akin Morakinyo, group head, Membership Services division ( CIBN); Frank Aigbogun, publisher/CEO, BusinessDay/guest lecturer; Eniola Fadayomi, guest lecturer, and Mercy Oluwatoyin Ojo, chairperson, Association of Professional Women Bankers of Nigeria (APWB), during the annual seminar/career talk organised by (APWB) in Lagos.

Photo Chinyere Ikeanyi

He had pointed out that it was the sole prerogative of America to determine who they wanted in their country,

adding that such administrative denials were not unique to him.

He stirred the hornet’s nest

when he said Buhari could not also visit the US for 15 years because of his religious views.

This elicited reactions from Buhari’s supporters who saw Atiku as a drowning man clinging to straw.

Things are stabilising this year. People have more disposable income this year,” he added.

BDSunday checks show that tickets for summer this year are relatively cheap because airlines have been able to remit over 80 percent of their funds that were trapped in Nigeria as result of the forex policy introduced by the CBN two years ago.

Our checks further show that an Emirates Airlines return economy class ticket on the Lagos-London route, which was sold for between N500,000 and N550,000 last year, currently costs between N380,000 and N450,000.

A travel agent, who craved anonymity, told BDSunday that last year, British Airways deliberately removed its lower classes of tickets in order to sell high economy rates to London at N1.5 million.

This year, the airline is selling its cheap economy seat tickets for about N950,000 to N1 million.

The famous Lagos-

Dubai route return economy ticket which sold at N440,000 or more, last year, now sells for between N290,000 and N400,000 depending on the airline.

A British Airways return economy class ticket on the Lagos-New York route, which cost N1.77 million last year, currently sells for about N1 million.

Cu r r e n t l y, a r e t u r n ticket to Russia costs between N480,000 and N700,000, depending on the airline, while the cost of a room per night is over N150,000.

Though some travel agencies hope to make sales as Nigerians like last minute rush, the volume of tickets sold, according to them, will not be substantial, as many Nigerian holiday makers find the harsh climate conditions in Russia very unappealing.

However, some travel agents are taking advantage of the situation to woo those shelving their trips to Russia to consider other destinations which are closer, cheaper and offer more clement weather.

World Cup loses numbers to biting ...

Continued from page 1 gongs and trumpets.

On account of soaring airfares, high accommodation rates, expensive tickets for the matches, and exorbitant transport fares within Russian cities, many intending travellers have shelved their trips.

While the visa was easier, the cost of travelling has forced many to stay back home or seek other summer holiday destinations.

About six months to the World Cup, hotel rates were increasing daily in Russia , due to soaring bookings from across the world. The high demand has pushed accommodation rates up to as much as $500 per night for a hotel room in Moscow at present, while the cheapest flight to Russia is from $800 due to a lack of direct flights from Nigeria and the many connecting flights required.

Global booking outfits such as Booking.com, Expedia , Formula One, among others that offer cheaper accommodations

no longer have rooms to sell, as hotel owners now prefer to sell the rooms on their own to take direct advantage of the high rates.

In lieu of trips to Russia for the World Cup, many Nigerians who cannot afford the costs are now buying tickets to cheaper and shorter summer destinations such as the UK, the United States, Dubai and some African countries which offer exciting tourism packages.

“With N1 million, I am guaranteed an exciting summer experience in any European destination or more fun in Dubai, Kenya and South Africa. But that amount cannot get you to Russian in conveniently.

There is life after the World Cup”, Martin Olumide, a fan who aborted his Russia trip, said.

For Mary Ogar, the trouble is not getting to Russia, but the ability to enjoy as many excitements, which for her is not possible on a Russia trip because of the cost, distance and weather.

“The cities where the Super Eagles will be play-

ing - Kaliningrad, Volgograd and Saint Petersburg - are far apart. You need flights and long distance by road or rail to connect them and the movement costs real money in dollars, aside accommodation,” Ogar, a mother of three, who discouraged her husband from going to Russia, said.

Some die-hard fans do not mind the cost though.

Jude Aneke, a telecom engineer who has been saving for the soccer fiesta for two years, said he has put down N3 million for the trip to Russia, especially for movement to the three venues to watch all Nigeria’s first round matches.

“We will play against Croatia on June 16 at the Kaliningrad Stadium in the city of Kaliningrad. We will then fly to Volgograd to face Iceland on June 22 at the Volgograd Arena, and the final Group D game will come up against Argentina at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 26. I will be there live,” Aneke said ahead of

Nigeria’s opening match.

Bernard Bankole, president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), told BDSunday that most travel agencies have not witnessed any rush for tickets to Russia.

“We have not seen a rush to Russia. We just saw very few football fans travelling or booking flights to Russia. People are still travelling to conventional destinations like London, Dubai, South Africa and America, which are the most-sought-after destinations for Nigerians.

Paris and Kenya are the secondary destinations,” Bankole said. “ Su m m e r f a r e s a r e always higher because demand outweighs supply but unlike summer last year, when there were no seats because airlines could not repatriate their funds, right now, there are seats and there is access to dollars. So, there is competition and there is a lot going on.

The prices of tickets are cheaper than last year.

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News Otabil, Adeyemi, others for Elevation Church’s ‘Accelerate conference’

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his June, Mensa Otabil (ICCG, Ghana), Victor Adeyemi (Global Harvest Church), Olubi Johnson (SPCC), Godman Akinlabi (Elevation Church), and other notable pastors will be in Lekki, Lagos for the 2018 edition of the Accelerate Conference, powered by the Elevation Church.

The Accelerate 2018 conference is a mid-year programme by the Elevation Church to stimulate people and get them ready to retool and increase momentum with the wisdom, grace and power of God for the 2nd half of the year.

According to the head, communications for the Elevation Church, Chinny Ugoji, the theme for this year’s conference is ‘Stronger and Faster’ “There will be several sessions of prayer, worship and inspired teachings. It will be an immersion into timeless principles from the word of God that will equip us with competencies and enable the capacity required to achieve our God-inspired goals,” Ugoji said.

Alongside teachings by the hosts, Pastor Godman Akinlabi and Bola Akinlabi, the conference will also feature sessions with the invited ministers, including Dr. Mensa Otabil, Rev. Victor Adeyemi, Pastor Olubi Johnson and Pastor Jefferey Iyonawan.

Speaking on the reason be-

hind the theme for the 2018 Accelerate Conference, chief host, Pastor Godman Akinlabi said, “Potential needs force to make an impact. Everyone is born brimming with God-given given potential.

Unfortunately many are not able to fully and effectively deploy the amazing gifts and talents God has placed in them.”

“Maybe you have been trailing behind in the race of life for this year and your dreams have not materialized into reality. Perhaps life has been unfair to you in various ways-loss of job, relationship, or a loved one. Your pedigree points to success and grand achievements. You were not born for the back of the line. You can catch up. You can gain ground. You can ACCELERATE!” Akinlabi added.

The conference will last for a period of five days, from Wednesday 20th to Sunday 24th June 2018 at two different locations across Lagos - on the Island and on the Mainland.

Accelerate is a yearly event powered by The Elevation Church Nigeria. Last year, over 10, 000 people attended the Accelerate 2017 Conference. In the past, Accelerate has hosted renowned speakers like the late Dr. Myles Munroe, Dr. Mensa Otabil, Rev Sam Adeyemi, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, Dr. Sam Chand, Pastor Poju Oyemade and many others.

Ikpeazu lauds passage of genotype testing law by Abia Assembly …leads advocacy against sickle cell UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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ife of Abia S t a t e governor, Nkechi Ikpeazu, has led a large coalition of pressure groups, civil society organizations, NGOs and prominent women of Abia State to the State House of Assembly to ask for speedy passage of several stagnated bills whose non-passage impedes protection of the rights of women and children.

The bills, which had been stagnated for several years without any legislative action on them, include a bill for a law to prohibit all forms of violence, a bill for a law to abolish harmful and obnoxious widowhood practices and a bill designed to provide equal rights for men, women, and special persons.

According to Ikpeazu, her NGO, Vicar Hope Foundation, and other members of the coalition, including the International Federation of Women Lawyers, church organizations, pro-

Nkechi

fessional groups, women labour associations, widows’ association, and others have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of women, children and other vulnerable persons.

“A large percentage of women and children are experiencing physical, emotional, verbal, economic and sexual abuse in their homes and families,” Ikpeazu said.

She named some action

APC poised to take power in Abia – Nwankpa UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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hairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Donatus Nwankpa, has said that his mission is to take the state to enviable heights by wresting power from the PDP. Nwankpa, who made the claim in an interview with journalists in Umuahia, advised Abians to stop mur-

muring, weeping and crying because “by the grace of God, we will make effect a change, using our voter cards come 2019”.

He disclosed that APC in the state has no candidate and all members were aspirants who would be presented a level playing field during the primaries, and that his party would not impose candidates on the electorate.

He expressed the view that President Muhammadu

Buhari’s recognition of June 12, 1993 election, which has been described as the freest and fairest election in the country, was a signal that the 2019 election would be free, fair and timely.

He said past elections in the country had been synonymous with rigging and violence, except that of 1993 which was won by Moshood K. Abiola but was annulled by military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

A cross section of staff and students of Government Junior College Maroko and staff and

“Come 2019 election, our votes will count under the watch of President Buhari,” said Nwankpa.

Nwankpa said the APC in the state has no factions, adding that “we have family disagreements and not factions, as we are working on ways of pampering aggrieved ones. We have set a committee for the reconciliation, made up of the likes of G. O. Onyemaobi, Justice Imo, Mark Wabara and Ori Obasi, among others.

taken by her NGO to include provisions of housing for indigent, abused widows; the creation of clusters of local women traders who work collectively to improve the economic status and income.

“We have also empowered our women with information and knowledge that will result in awareness of their rights, how to personally ask for it and to protect it,” she said.

“This we have done by collaborating with ministries, NGOs, the women groups and the individual women here present, to organize annual training sessions, seminars, and workshops on rights of women and the girl child where we get resource persons to speak to the women about their legal and socio economic rights.”

But without adequate legal instruments to further guarantee the protection the class of people, she said, there is a limitation to what the coalition can achieve.

She thanked the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the law that encourages genotype and blood group testing before marriage, saying it would reduce cases of the deadly sickle cell disease.

The House of Assembly had barely 24 hours before passed the Law for the Identification of Blood Group and Genotype, thereby giving teeth to a campaign by Vicar Hope Foundation and the state health agencies to reduce the prevalence of the sickle cell disease.

Smile360 bags nomination at 2018 Nigerian healthcare award ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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leading dental and orthodontic clinic, Smile360 has been nominated at the 2018 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award scheduled to hold June 22, 2018 at EKO Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

The clinic was nominated in the ‘Dental Service Provider of the Year’ category along with a handful of other reputable clinics.

Amy Traore Shumbusho, clinical director, Smile360, has since taken to social media to share the new, posting a short video.

“Winning an award goes beyond mere recognition - it spurs a lot more than the feeling of gratification that comes with it. It’s quite fulfilling, in the sense that it’s a proof your works are making a considerable amount of impact, and as such, on behalf of the entire Smile360 team, I am proud to announce to you we have been nominated at the upcoming Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award 2018,” said Shumnusho.

She added that Smile360 needs the unyielding ardent support of Nigerians to bag the award, requesting them to vote for the clinic in the Dental Service Provider of the Year category.

“We have done this before, and I am confident we can do it again,” she said.

Shumnusho described Smile360’s mission as a tireless effort to change the perception of dental health in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Sm i l e 3 6 0 h a d m a d e headlines in the past for its two consecutive wins at The Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Awards, both in the Dental Services Provider of the Year category back in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Using an array of ultramodern equipment, Smile360 offers a wide variety of word-class dental care treatments, including, Hollywood Smile, Invisalign, endontic treatment, Digital Smile Design, cosmetic dentistry, Implants and several others. Some of the stateof-the-art equipment at the clinic include; ultra oral scanner, 3D x-ray, sophisticated dental chair and more.

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Endless pain, agony for LagosBadagry road users MIKE OCHONMA

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journey from Lagos to Benin City, Edo State capital, takes at most five hours at a speed of 100km/hour, even with the bad portions of the road along that route which measures about 260km.

Ironically, it takes the same number of hours for commuters in Lagos to drive from Badagry to the Marina end of the city just as a result of harrowing gridlock.

The historic road connecting Nigeria to its neighbours in West Africa has long lost its once enviable status as the international gateway to other African countries.

It is no longer news that the government of former Governor Babatunde Fashola and now minister of power, works and housing embarked on the ambitious plan of expanding the LagosBadagry road into ten lanes with the inclusion of a rail line that will run from Okokomaiko to Marina and provision for a BRT mass transit lane. What is news is that the project is currently going at a snail speed under the present administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

For many years, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos State has been in a deteriorating state. A good portion of the highway, especially from the Okokomaiko end to Agbara, all the way to the historic town of Badagry, remains in terrible condition.

It gets worse every rainy season. As portions of the road keep decaying, ministries, departments and agencies of government, statutorily saddled with the task of maintaining these roads have also failed in their responsibility to maintain them.

Even when funds are made available for such purposes, it is either that shoddy

jobs are carried out without proper supervision by the relevant authorities concerned, or that such allocations are diverted by the contractors or government agency given the job to execute.

With the road’s decline, there seems to be no let up to the avalanche of pain and agony many people experience. BDSUNDAY’s experience travelling on the LagosBadagry road paints a pitiable picture of commuters that are frustrated with the danger that the failed portions of the road present.

In the meantime, work on the proposed ten-lane highway with a railway track from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko on the road is in progress. The work, which many fear might have been stalled, poses a number of challenges on the remaining part of the road that is yet to be tarred.

A journey from the OrileIganmu end to Abule-Ado is a pleasurable ride for motorists to an extent, but from that spot, it is just a tale of woe, due to bad portions, ditches and craters that have become permanent features of the road.

It is just so discomforting that no first-time user

would like to travel on it for a second time. It features chains of potholes, with the asphalt poured on the road many decades ago on the surface scraped, every inch of the road is now muddy most times.

This easily traps vehicles driven by the first time drivers, those drivers that drive without decorum and strangers unmindful or the undiscerning. Drivers engage in an endless free for-all-on it; rules don’t count. Thus a trip on it leaves one in anguish for days.

Added to the sorry plight of road users are the activities of the army of artisans, petty traders and commercial bus drivers at the IyanaIba axis. In that axis, traders and bus drivers have taken over the road, adding to travel time, as their unruly behaviour delays motorists and commuters.

In addition to menace of traders and drivers arbitrarily obstructing other people, there is the nuisance of a great multitude of shoppers coming to patronise the traders, who criss-cross the road seeking to purchase fruits, vegetables and other items up for sale.

Dafe Omamofe, a resident of Agbara Estate who works at Apapa, said it usually takes him long, painful hours every day to go to work and return home. His biggest problems includes commuting were the congestion caused by traders and drivers at Iyana-Iba and the potholes and craters dotting the yetto-be paved portion of the road and the Volks bus stop blind spots.

“I leave home by 5am every day, yet I hardly get to Apapa by 9am. And there are days I’m not that lucky. On such days, I might get to the office by 10am,” he said.

Sometimes, passengers rushing to their various destinations may be unlucky and fall off the bikes because the operators carry two passengers in order to make more money. And for them to return to carry more stranded passengers, they usually ride at great speed. They are often reckless, so accidents occur often.

Worst of it all is that almost on daily basis, commuters run into robbers and touts who harass people and disposes them of their valuables once it is nightfall. That is our lot on this road.

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ngela Johnson, a Lo n d o n - b a s e d evangelist and lawyer, has declared her intention to run for the 2019 presidential election in order to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of misrule.

Johnson, who made her intention known at her country home in Amuvi, Arochukwu, Abia State, said she considered it inevitable to let her kinsmen know her intention

IFEOMA OKEKE

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he need for a holistic review of the country’s educational policies was one of the highlights of the discussion by stakeholders at the 2018 Eduskill Fair organised by the International Educational Management Network (IEDUMAN).

A presentation made by Adams Onuka of Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, emphasized the necessity to review the nation’s educational policies, and if necessary adopt and adapt some of the best modules from around the world.

“We can get policies, for instance, from Korea, Finland, or England, from any other places, put a team together to work on it, and subsequently, bring the outcome to the public domain for discussion,” Onuka advocated.

“By the time we worked through these and add what they lack from our own contents into it, we have a formidable, sustainable, non-somersault policy that will move our education forward.”

The event, held on June 2, 2018, at the Lagos NUT Pavilion, NERDC Road, Alausa, Ikeja, attracted participants from various sectors of the society, including leading academics, government functionaries, educationists, students, parents and exhibitors.

Stressing the need to accord education a priority in the country, another speaker, Bunmi Omeke, a lawyer at Lekki-based JGC Partners, noted that majority of Nigerians are in agreement that “we need strict policies to get it right in the education sector.”

The only way to do this according to her is an “inclusive participation”wherebyevery sector of the economy is obliged to contribute to the debate. “It is education that would still take us far as a country,” she avowed.

Omeke, whose presentation focused on how to lay solid foundations for businesses in the private sector, especially with regard to the business of education, underscored the need to get it right. “We blame the government all the time, but even the private educator has a case to answer: how far have we impacted the education industry positively and what is our primary motivation, is it just making profits? Education has to do with life and they need to do more.”

Continuing she said: “We have a lot of laws in this country, the problem we have is implementation. It will be better if we start considering this.”

The Eduskills fair, whose inaugural event was staged on June 24, 2017, is a platform to showcase vocation in education and thus emphasizes vocational skills as vital part of education.

Uyo LG chair appoints 26 personal aides ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

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2019: I will be the 1st female president of Nigeria – Johnson UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

IEDUMAN calls for review of national education policy

first because charity beings at home.

“When I decided to come out for the race, many things came into my mind.

First, I decided to leave London and come down to inform all the Ezeogo (village heads) in Arochukwu and men and women in my village of my intention,” said Johnson.

She disclosed that while she was growing up, many things were happening in her life and when she inquired from her parents,

they could not give her the answer.

The presidential aspirant said things have not been going well in Nigeria despite the abundant human and natural resources God has bestowed on the country.

“I decided to either marry a president or become a president to actualize my dreams for my country. In 1986, I left Nigeria for London while I was armed with my LLB and LLM, and when I wanted to go for my doctorate degree, I had a call from God and I

began my ministry. God has asked me to go to my country and rescue Nigerians who are suffering amidst plenty,” she said.

The aspirant who did not disclose her platform to achieve her ambition solicited for the support of all patriotic Nigerians to save the country from drifting further into anarchy.

“I need your support and I would go to Aso Rock come 2019 because God has destined me to be the president of this country,” she said.

t a time third tier administrations in the country are crying out over paucity of funds, Uyo local government of Akwa Ibom State has announced the appointment of 26 personal assistants as aides to the chairman.

A statement signed by Imoh Okon, chairman of the council, contained the list of the appointees and their portfolios.

According to statement, five persons have been appointed to be in charge of protocol, three persons named as personal assistants in charge of media and publicity and press affairs, in addition to four additional people appointed into the chairman’s media team.

There is also a media consultant who doubles as senior special assistant to the chairman on media. In all, seven persons will handle press and media affairs for the chairman.

The list also showed that while the chairman has appointed a personal assistant

on domestic affairs, he has also named one of the appointees as his chief of staff; and one appointee in charge of Internally Generated Revenue as well as special duties.

They also include personal assistants on political affairs, physically challenged people affairs, youths affairs, student affairs, general services and women mobilisation as well as party matters and inter-party affairs.

Other personal assistants are to be in charge of transport/logistics, community relations and well as security and religious affairs.

The statement notes that the “chairman reserves the right to delegate any function to whosoever he wishes from time to time discretionarily, depending on the prevailing circumstances per time while whosoever he delegates a duty or function to, does not have the right to sub-delegate such functions to anyone else without the express approval of the chairman”.

Meanwhile, the chairman has announced plans to register worship centres and other businesses operating in Uyo, the state capital.

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NewsFeatures Oceans in focus as environmentalists proffer solutions for beating plastic pollution CHUKA UROKO

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hen environmentalists gathered recently to mark this year’s World En v i r o n m e n t Day (WED), the focus and direction of discourse were the oceans where it was observed that about 13 million tonnes out of the 500 billion tonnes of plastic used all over the world ended up in the oceans every year.

With the rise in urban populations, there seems to be no slowing down in the need for plastic packaging for now and it is such that the 21st century has witnessed more production of plastic than any other century.

No wonder the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, said in his 2018 World Environment Day message that there may be more plastic than fish in the oceans by the year 2050.

This explains the choice of ‘Beating the Plastic Pollution’ as theme of this year’s WED, more so as the problem of plastic pollution must be tackled urgently before it gets out of hand.

Usually, WED is an environmental awareness programme aimed at promoting environmental education, ingenuity, teamwork and general environmental friendliness among children and youths and even adults. The event is also used to grow environmental literacy among the youths and the students.

Avenue is usually created for the participants to individually or collectively develop solutions to current environmental challenges.

Environment stakeholders used this year’s event to encourage those involved in the production and consumption of plastics, as well as policy makers to jointly explore sustainable alternatives.

At this year’s celebration of the event a few days ago, millions of people demonstrated their con-

cern and care for the environment through awareness walks, talks and social media campaigns. As part of the commemoration, the UN also launched a groundbreaking report titled ‘Single-use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability Today’.

The report captures global outlook on efforts to beat plastic pollution, providing analyses of case studies from more than 60 countries to present the world’s first comprehensive study of the global movement to beat plastic pollution.

In India, the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a commitment to eliminate all single-use plastics in the country by 2022. European volunteers swarm across Geneva’s lakeLéman dragging balloons symbolising the weight of plastic waste produced per person in different European countries, while Honduras committed to fighting marine litter by joining UN Environment’s CleanSeas programme.

In Africa, Kenyans took the battle against plastic pollution to Kibera,

Africa’s biggest informal settlement, with a massive cleanup, taking the first steps to restoring what was once a sprawling lake in the middle of the neighborhood.

Leading the charge in Nigeria, building solutions provider, Lafarge Africa hosted a series of programmes across the country.

In Mfamosing, Cross River state, staff and contractors attended a town hall meeting to learn about the effects of plastic pollution.

Afterwards, volunteers from the company cleaned up plastic wastes from the community’s trailer park while also teaching market women how to manage their plastic wastes.

At the end of the cleanup, waste bins were donated to the women to facilitate proper disposal of plastics. A town hall meeting was also used to kick-off the program in Gombe State before the company’s volunteers took the campaign to Dayayi, Jalingo and Ashaka Primary Schools in the state. Communities like Ashaka Gari and Gongilla

were also visited with the campaign message as the volunteers cleaned up plastic wastes in all the communities visited.

In Lagos, the commercial capital of the country, the company educated market men, women and the public about the dangers of improper disposal of plastics. At the event, it was emphasised that plastic materials which could only be used once should be avoided.

Director of Communication, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development at Lafarge, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, revealed to the audience the direct harm that waste plastic does to aquatic life.

“As individuals, we can contribute our quota to beating the plastic pollution by re-using our plastics rather than dumping them on the streets or throwing them out of the windows of our cars as we often do.

If you cannot re-use, dispose your plastics properly”, she said.

Revealing how Lafarge Africa is contributing its quota by way

of co-processing plastic wastes for the country’s common good, Ambrose-Medebem called on Nigerians, especially Lagosians to make individual commitments to properly dispose of plastics and recycle them.

On her part, The Iya-Oja General, Lagos Island East, Latifat Ojikutu, urged all the market men and women present at the event to take the message of proper plastic disposal to their colleagues in the markets and at home. She said everyone’s commitment should go beyond individual events, stating that the campaign against plastic pollution needed active advocates around the world.

Like little drops of water coming together to form the mighty ocean, efforts to beat plastic pollution around the world can yield the most desired efforts. Globally, plastic pollution is receiving significant attention. Last year, world leaders deliberated extensively on how to combat the issue and vowed to face it headlong.

Though no global target has been officially set, the tonnes of plastic waste generated annually would be reduced remarkably if practical and multi-faceted approaches like the ones demonstrated globally on the 2018 World Environment Day are used.

But to urgently reduce the production and excessive use of singleuse plastics polluting our oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health, there is need to also reduce the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affect wildlife, wildlife habitats, and humans.

It has been observed that most of the plastic waste generated comes from deliberate dumping of garbage into waterways and mismanaged waste disposal. Furthermore, more than 50 percent of plastic waste generated comes from inadequate management due to lack or infrastructure associated with an everincreasing population.

How Nigeria can shape a new era of healthcare system ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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mproving Nigeria’s healthcare system does not mean the country must emulate other countries’ system, but it is feasible if we can learn from countries that rank better in healthcare delivery.

According to the World Health Organisation’s ranking of the world’s health systems in 2016, Nigeria was ranked 187 out of 190 countries.

However, financial protection is at the core of universal health coverage (UHC) and one of the final coverage goals, while financial protection is achieved when direct

payments made to obtain health services do not expose people to financial hardship and do not threaten their living standards.

Nigeria’s health insurance space has plans to capture 198 million into the scheme.

With out-of-pocket payments for health services causing households to incur catastrophic expenditures, which in turn can push them into poverty, the key to protecting people is to ensure prepayment and pooling of resources for healthcare services, rather than relying on people paying for health services out-of-pocket at the time of use.

A 2014 study by the World Bank reveals huge health inequality

gaps with 95 per cent of Nigerians accessing health care via out-ofpocket payment to meet their health needs.

Experts say sustainability, political will and public private partnership are critical success factors for building a wide coverage and efficient healthcare system in the country.

“Public private partnership is built on sustainability, it means collaboration with one another, committing to strategies that will increase visibility and deepen financing business of health penetration and not people dictating policy,” says Clare Omatseye, president, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria.

“We pay a lot of lip service to healthcare, many of us believe healthcare is a social service, so we ourselves are the problem.

“We need to get our policies right, both public and private sectors must come together to develop those policies for us. There are different policies but we also found out that the biggest problem is implementation.

“So we need to keep it simple, get guidelines, timelines, just like we do in the private sector for both achievements and non-achievement. If we are talking about disrupting innovation, it’s time to disrupt code, it starts with ourselves.

“We need to set up a dedicated fund for health care. People and

right infrastructure makes it happen, if we can get the demand sorted, the supply will be easy,” said Omatseye.

Lanre Yusuf, a medical practitioner based in Lagos said, “To give Nigeria’s healthcare system a new era, it requires strong governance of the health system at all levels and to achieve Universal Health Coverage in the country, we must improve the quality of our healthcare services.

“Political will is also hindering the success of the Nigeria’s healthcare system, more effort should be made to increase the budgetary allocation to the health sector in order to stem the tide of increase in mortality and morbidity rate.”

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Feature Suicide: A case of depression or mental disorder?

SEYI JOHN SALAU

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bout a week today, a middle-aged woman was alleged to have jumped in to the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge. She was not the first person to have used the bridge in a suicide attempt in recent time.

Last year, about five persons attempted suicide by jumping into the Lagos lagoon through the popular and long bridge that connects Lagos mainland and island.

The intrigue is that in all the cases, health experts attributed the reasons for the suicides to depression or mental disorder.

However, the recent incident raised question on the increase in cases of depression/ mental disorder in Nigeria, particular in Lagos and also raised concern on the attractiveness of the lagoon and the bridge to those attempting to commit suicide.

Few minutes after the news broke, the social media was awash with various comments and reactions on the identity of the woman alleged to have plunged into the lagoon.

She was alleged to be a United States of Americabased married woman with three children who lives in Texas. It was also alleged that she was involved with a Nigerian lover who swindled her of N10 million and in an attempt to reclaim her money, the man decided to blackmail her.

Another intrigue is that the US-based woman who was alleged to have abandon a Sport Utility Vehicle on the Third Mainland Bridge, refuted the allegation of taking her own life on her social media page (twitter handle).

However, in response to the recent attempt, Adesina Tiyamiyu, general manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said efforts are ongoing to recover the body of the woman who plunged into the Lagos lagoon on Sunday evening.

According to Tiyamiyu, “The owner of the Ford Explorer was not the one who jumped into the lagoon. We have spoken to the man and his wife, and they are both hale and hearty. However, the man who drove the vehicle confirmed that he saw

a woman plunging into the lagoon. It will be premature to say anything further on the case”.

It would be recalled that on Sunday March 17, 2017, one Orji Allwell was alleged to have jumped into the Lagos Lagoon from the same Third Mainland Bridge. Similarly, on April 8 of the same year, another man attempted to commit suicide by jumping into a canal in Festac Town.

The canal was not far from the spot where a lady was rescued by a group of young men who acted swiftly shortly after she jumped into the canal in an attempt to take her life.

Is suicide resultant effect of mental illness?

Otefe Edebi, a Lagosbased medical practitioner, made some clarification on the growing cases of mental illness stating that not all suicide attempts should be associated to mental illness because some people attempt such out of frustration.

Edebi, who is a consultant psychiatrist and psychologist at Tranquil and Quest, a private psychiatric hospital, mental health facility and rehabilitation center in Lagos, said although the prevalence of suicide is on the increase in Lagos, it cannot be categorically associated to mental illness.

“It cannot be categorically stated that all cases of suicide are related to mental illness

because if we look at the case on Sunday and the stories surrounding the event and the ones still unfolding, it does not look like a case of mental illness, it looks more like a case of frustrating situation.

“People can have socioeconomic challenges that will make them feel like there is no hope for tomorrow and then take their life,” said Edebi.

According to him, there is a need for psychological autopsy to ascertain the remote and immediate cause of suicide, which will explore the events around the individual to find out about their medical history. “It is only after an autopsy has been carried out that we can possibly attempt to say there was mental illness linked to the act of suicide itself,” Edebi stated.

However, to curb further occurrence, efforts should be made at probing what people do, especially on social media.

Therefore, the general public should be more sensitive to people’s plight.

“We should start probing more into calls and pay attention to persons around us.

As well, we should be paying more attention to what people put up on social media and their comments which are equally important.

“Because of the increase in cases of suicide, the society should be more sensitive to people’s plight because before people carry out suicide

act; they have a drop line here and there. Someone can put up something on his Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram just saying I am tired, we should take such claim seriously as a community,” said Edebi.

According to Edebi, some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) like the Mentally Aware Nigeria, She Right a Woman; the Lagos State government and LUTH, have helplines for receiving calls from people who feel hopeless and feel like they cannot go on with life to help them navigate through trying moments. “For instance, in the case of the woman who jumped, when it became viral on social media after her story was put out; a friend who knows could have reached out to her to find out how she was doing,” Edebi concluded.

Could your medications be making you depressed?

When we hear of a drug having side-effects, the first thing that comes to mind is a physical reaction like a rash or a headache.

However, a recent US study found that many commonlyprescribed drugs may increase the risk of depression.

The list includes heart medications, birth control pills and some painkillers.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which looked only at people in the US who were 18 or older and taking at least

one type of prescription medication between 2005 to 2014, found that more than a third of the drugs the 26,000 participants took had depression as a possible side-effect.

The study found that 37 percent of these drugs, which also included some painkillers and antacids, had depression listed as one of the potential adverse effects.

Rates of depression were higher among the study participants taking these drugs: according to the study, 7 percent among those who took one of the drugs; 9 percent for people on two; 15 percent for people taking three or more; while around 5 percent of US adults are estimated to suffer from depression.

The lead author for the study, Dima Qato, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, said: “Many may be surprised to learn that their medications, despite having nothing to do with mood or anxiety or any other condition normally associated with depression, can increase their risk of experiencing depressive symptoms and may lead to a depression diagnosis.”

However, it is not clear if the drugs are to be blamed for low mood since feeling ill for any reason could also result into feeling low for some individuals. And it is possible the participants may have already had a history of depression.

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Port Harcourt centre where s find succour widow ...New businesses opened, food, clothes up for grabs Skills centre to the rescue We have started running a scheme acquisition scheme and 40 would be graduating soon at Eleme. We are looking at starting one here, near Obio/Akpor International Market. The first objective is to pay attention to these disadvantaged species. We keep encouraging them to take their lives in their hands. The loss of a husband is not the loss of your won life.

We appeal to well meaning organisations and institutions to support us to save lives. These sons and daughters of widows you are ignoring may be your undoing in the future. My primary duty is preaching the word of God around the world. Let organisations help genuine groups battling to provide for widows.

IGNATIUS CHUKWU, Port Harcourt

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very now and then, widows converge from most parts of Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta to seek succour including shelter, business capital, and food items. Compassion is the name on everyone’s lip. Some widows are trading today on account of support and seed capital they received from Compassion Africa (now Motion Africa) years ago.

Some have trained their children in the university through businesses and stipends from them.

Recently, the auditorium of the Overcomers Christian Centre International in the Rumugholu area of Port Harcourt rocked with songs and charity as widows carted away rice and foodstuff, clothes and capital for new businesses.

It all passed the hands of Joy Azaka, a female evangelist, pastor, philanthropist, and woman of valour. She is the the co-pastor of the famous Overcomers Christian Centre International in the Rumugholu area of Port Harcourt.

She is also founder of a massive non-governmental organisation (NGO), Motion Africa.

Various women stood at the auditorium to recount their woes after losing their husbands. Others who fought their ways through successfully came around to coach the hapless others. Widows gave to widows, too. That is the Widows Planet in Port Harcourt.

At the end of the exercise, Joy Azaka spoke with BDSUNDAY: Today represents a day of victory in strange dimensions because before now, I was literally addressing their surface (superficial) needs; clothing, food, shelter, etc.

Now, I have been led to realizing other gaps that food and shelter cannot fill. We had to go deeper to solve their problems.

What food and shelter cannot do for a widow Going deeper means helping widows to put sorrow aside, keeping grieving aside. Persistent grieving opens the door to different kinds of affliction. We brought in older widows to share with young ones. Some that are young look 60 years old because of grieving. We make them accept that you still have a life but most women surrender it. We let them know you do not have to die with the dead.

Yes, in Africa, we seem to celebrate those who do not want to come out of mourning. We want to say, ah, since her husband died, she has not been well. So, we are fighting those age-old practices that set the society back.

Yes, some will not move away.

So, we say, take off the perpetual mourning gown and wear a gown of progress and victory.

We are also addressing the problem of indiscipline in homes

Widows praise God at Motion Africa event in PH without fathers and lack of mentoring influences in such homes.

We have not yet set up formal structures, but we have been teaching them informally. I grew up as the daughter of a widow.

I grew up with a mother who mourned all her life, even at 88.

The real challenge of widowhood is not the loss of the husband but the collapse of the entire life of a woman and surrender of destiny. There are other aspects of life apart from marriage. Most men remarry but women stay put; even those that had bad marriages. Those that had good marriages say they do not want to meet a bad man; those with bad marriage say they do not want to meet same bad man.

It is rather better to open up, get a man ready to be a father to your children and star a new life.

We agree however that man one wife is still the best family way.

God is a super mathematician.

For every male, there is a female.

One wife is enough peace for every man, but a widow can still find a man that would take her as a worthy wife with her children.

Helping widows is best good luck ‘charm’ The prayers of widows availeth much because there have been examples of people who have survived calamities by the prayers of widows. There is one prominent woman in Port Harcourt, wife of a top political personality, who invests in widows and has had many testimonies of narrow escapes and breakthroughs. She is not living off the husband or politics because of prayers and goodwill from widows. She has her own successes.

I am a living testimony of what

God can do if you help widows.

I have escaped several bouts of disasters and I think God sees my heart. Its still the best form of social investment.

Examples abound of difficult situations we have confronted in the ministry of rescuing widows.

I have rented apartments for widows. I grew up with a motherwidow and many times we cried out over lack. Thank God I met Jesus early and got a definition of my life. It was not fun. Right now, we have a widow on our hands who says she stays in a batcher.

Trust me, if money enters into my hand any moment from now, we will get an apartment for her. Her baby has already been adopted by us for help.

There are some orphans who were thrown out of a makeshift house (batcher). We said to hell and rented an apartment for them. Today, the first male child works with Shell. We are not keen on their coming back to link back.

Coping with the needs of widows is difficult because meeting your own needs is not easy.

My determination is to build a rehabilitation centre My determination is to build a rehabilitation centre to take children of widows away from the streets. I already have a parcel of land at Omademe area of the state, even if it is just to build 10 rooms. It will help to monitor their progress.

TESTIMONIES Eunice Akobundu I have seven children and I have been a widow for four years running. My late husband’s relations took over all the land. I have been in court with them. Worse, my landlord has locked us out for days. That is why we came here today to seek succur. That is why we pray ceaselessly for Mrs Joy Azaka and her husband. Our prayer is for God to repay all those who help us. I sell vegetables at Total, Creek Road, in Port Harcourt.

I do advise my children all the time and they have run to Christ.

Their relations trouble them a lot.

Blessing Light Okezuo Since my husband died five years ago, nobody from my husband’s side has asked or looked for my children, to know how they are faring. As a minister in a church, I help people just like the way Joy Azaka does. In fact, the worst part is that they took our share of the land. The brother that is now in charge has seized all lands. Even when I went to ask for land to plant cassava for support, they said I was not entitled to any, unless I would come and face the kinsmen.

Since then, I avoided their place but I used to contribute to their activities in the past. Now, they said no farmland for me. I also saw it as a trap and therefore allowed it to pass away. I am coping by His calling. My children are not happy but they are very young. I cannot lead them into a battle. I have already let go. God will take control.

My advice to others is; if you are passing through things like me, do not rely on people and your husband’s people. Rely on God. What Joy Azaka is doing is fantastic. I run widow’s programme in my church as God reveals to me. Now, Joy Azaka has started same thing here. It must be God’s calling to fulfil destiny. You can see women carrying away rice and clothing; some have been assisted to start businesses. I pray that God increase the grace on her.

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Sunday 04 March 2018

ketches With Zebulon

‘Your name is Jacob’

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or many years Nigerians had wondered why no big fish in politics has been caught with a hook despite the fact that they have always fouled the waters by their dangerous swimming styles.

Year after year, long lists of corrupt politicians are bandied without any of them being convicted, let alone going to and jail.

At a point in the life of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the leadership of Nuhu Ribadu had claimed that most governors in t h a t d i s p e n s a t i o n w e re c o r r u p t and needed to be investigated.

But several years after the indicted governors left office, the long arm of the law is yet to catch up with them. A few that were taken to

court have had to manipulate the process so much that their cases have dragged endlessly.

It appears that the courts are now waking up from their slumber and the EFCC is also approaching the cases with the amount of seriousness they deserve.

I remember ‘Oso-Abiola’

In a space of two weeks, two former governors have been sent to the gulag.

Although we are quick at reading political meanings in everything, the developments are commendable. We must begin from somewhere.

The other day, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, sentenced to 14 years in jail, a former governor of Plateau State and serving senator, Joshua Dariye.

He was convicted on charges of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of over N1.126 billion belonging to the state.

Dariye was the governor of the state between 1999 and 2007 and was charged by the EFCC in 2007, on 23 counts of money laundering involving alleged diversion of Pla-

teau State Government’s ecological funds. But his trial resumed in 2016 after nine years delay.

Tw o w e e k s a g o , J o l l y N y a m e , was dragged to jail where he has been sentenced to spend 14 years for fraud-related offences. It was the same judge Adebukola Banjoko that did the sentencing.

Dariye was said to have pleaded with the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, to have mercy on him.

He begged: “Be merciful. You are a Christian, your name is Jacob.”

But pundits are also wondering how a person whose name is Joshua should concern himself with public funds to the point of being sentenced to jail as a result of “tampering” with such funds.

Please, extend the dragnet!

Satanic; simply satanic!

of story we wave it aside, saying it won’t happen to us to any of our relations. It is a good prayer, but when you see youths lazying about and they are lurking around in the neighbourhood, it calls for concern.

The episode tells us a lot about highmindedness of the youth of today. They want to own everything at their young age without working for it. Perhaps, it is the corrupting influence from those at the leadership position in the country.

Many of these youths are idle after passing out of school. Some have Master’s degree yet without a job, but everyday they are fed with news about people who stole billions of naira in government and are still walking freely in society.

They hear about those who came about their stupendous wealth through questionable and unverifiable means. And with the kind of 21st Century knowledge they have, they begin to imagine vain things.

In Nigeria, we have lost our values.

Nowadays, parents no longer ask their children how they came about their sudden wealth. They no longer ask their single daughters how they came about big cars and life of affluence they live. Everybody is in a haste to “hammer”. That’s why we see all manner of desperation for money-making. Too bad!

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n Nigeria, we lack sense of history. Perhaps, it is a good attribute, because if we should remember vividly the things that happen to us, particularly the ill treatments by successive administrations, the country would have gone up in flames.

I can remember vividly as if it were yesterday when the riots broke out championed by members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), joined

by Area Boys in Lagos and a few other states of the South West. The heavy casualties were the people of South East residing in Lagos. The anger was skewed against them because of the involvement of Arthur Nzeribe.

Following the time of the annulment, there was apprehension everywhere and many people thought that war was imminent. For this unfounded fear, a good number of the Igbo people residing in Lagos fled the city. Unfortunately, many lost their lives in series of road mishaps while some others met their untimely death in their villages.

Some evil kinsmen used the opportunity to wipe out some of the returnee families fearing that they had come back to lay claim to some piece of land somewhere.

It was an agonising moment that

many families would not want to ever remember.

Moreover, on the day the news of the death of MKO Abiola filtered into Lagos, ‘Area Boys’ (street urchins) took over some strategic places in the city, dispossessing people of their property, money and wreaking terrible havoc on innocent people.

Many women were openly raped at Oshodi by these street urchins and they inflicted mortal injuries on many innocent people.

Today, Abiola is being honoured, what about those families that were wiped out by accident on account of the crisis sparked by the annulment? What about those who are still traumatised in several ways as a result of the ugly experiences they passed through following the annulment?

If the Federal Government means well in this gush of magnanimity it is showing to the late Abiola and a few others, it should make a public proclamation, apologising to all those who suffered pain in one form or the other.

But posterity will show if the recognition and honour being bestowed on MKO are really “from the bottom of the heart” or monkey style.

read with shock the other day how three boys from Chibok, residing in Lagos murdered a young man they called their friend. The victim was a cousin to one of the three suspects. The narrative is that they had gone to a native doctor for a charm to enable them make quick money and the man told them to bring a fresh human heart. So, they lured the victim out of his house and they spent some time at a bar until it became dark when they descended on the poor boy, ripping open his heart region with a dagger while he was still alive. They harvested the heart and ran to the native doctor, who according to them prepared beans porridge with the fresh heart.

Most times, when we read this type

All eyes on INEC

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t is said that the taste of the pudding is in the eating. By the same token, the taste of the assurances by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give Nigerians credible polls in 2019 will be in the results that would be declared. For some time now, INEC has continued to assure Nigerians that it would truly play its unbiased role in the conduct of the 2019 general election.

A few days ago, Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), advised INEC to use the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun State gubernatorial elections to implement the law against vote-buying.

Analysts have also alerted the Commission to check out for possible threats to credible polls this time around. Such threats includr insecurity, paucity of funds, lack of legal framework, voteselling and buying and hate speech.

Nigerians are anxiously waiting on the

INEC to ensure that their votes will count.

This is against the background of the allegation that some people may have concluded arrangements to rig the elections and that INEC had given in to this clandestine arrangement by registering under-aged children as eligible voters.

The onus now lie on the commission to prove critics wrong.

Sunday 17 June 2018

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World Cup: A spectacle of waste?

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

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ormer Catholic pontiff, Pope John Paul II, once said: “Among all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important”. Without any doubt, football is a global crowd puller, and presently the game’s most amazing spectacle, the FIFA World Cup, has begun in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Amidst a most stunning ambiance, the 23rd World Cup kicked off at the 81,000 capacity Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow with host Russia trashing Saudi Arabia in a fierce soccer battle.

Since Uruguay hosted the first edition of the World Cup in 1930, during theeraofreveredFIFAPresident,Jules Rimet, the competitionhas continued to grow in leap and bound. From a 13 team event, with which it started in 1930, it grew to become a 32-team affair during the 1998 edition in France.

Today, the World Cup commands a global TV audience in excess of one billion.

Beyond remarkable changes in terms of rules governing the game, the World Cup has equally recorded enormous growth in financial terms.

For instance, World Cup sponsorship increased from two thousand dollars in 1984 to 16 thousand dollars in 1996. At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, 65% of the entire moneythatwasspentonsponsorship was in sports. Additionally, 63% of the sponsorship in Germany 2006 was in sports while 80% of money spent on sponsorship in South Africa 2010 was equally in sports.

The USA ‘94 edition of the World Cup was spiced with several innovations. For the first time in the game’s history,footballmatcheswerehosted in various cities across the country.

In terms of economic benefits, the USA ’94 edition equally marked a huge turning point in the history of the event. In Los Angeles, where the final match between eventual winner, Brazil and Italy took place, the city’s economy benefitted to the tune of 623 million dollars. The cities of New York, San Francisco and Boston equally made combined revenue of one billion and forty-five million dollars in the course of the competition.

In terms of job creation, over 1,700 part-time jobs were created in the city ofCalifornia aloneduringthepreparation and duration of the tournament.

The 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany was also a massive economic success. For instance, German tourism sector reportedly recorded a revenue increase in excess of over 400 million dollars over the month of the World Cup alone. Similarly, about 3 billion additional dollars, was further injected into the German economy, in merchandise such as jerseys and other stuffs regarding the Cup. Equally, over 500,000 new jobs were created before, during and after the competition. Hotels, restaurants, tourists’ centers and bars were full to capacity at all hours of the tournament, while over 15 million more spectators arrived in Germany than was initially anticipated.

Without a doubt, football has become a money spinning sport acrosstheglobe.Theorganisationand managementoffootballinEurope,for instance, is a multi million dollars venture with all the teams running other sports related businesses. Indeed, all sorts of professionals-doctors, physiotherapists,psychologists,grass men, scouts, etc-are employed by the various teams in their drive for soccer

glory. Therefore, football, in Europe, hasgonebeyondthemererecreationalactivitythatitisinNigeria.Asaresult of the excellent manner it is managed in Europe, youths across the continent have found in football a means through which they could use their talents to escape poverty. Thanks to football, players such as Christiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas, among others, have become multi millionaires before they clocked age of 21.

However, some critics have labeled the World Cup as a misplaced event that showcases unnecessary opulence in the face of abject poverty across the globe. Before the 2014 World Cup hosted by Brazil, opponents of the World Cup claimed that the over 14.5 billion dollars spent by the country to host the competition could have been used to address the country’srisingpovertysituation,education,healthcareandtransport. Prior to the event, a survey revealed that 61 percent of Brazilians were of the belief that hosting the World Cup was a “bad thing because it takes money away from public services.” Only 34 percent saw it is a “good project because it creates jobs.” The National Court of Auditors of Brazil concluded thatpublicspendingontheWorldCup would be “enough money to pay the entire country’s annual Bolsa Familia [social welfare] bill twice over”.

There are multiple revenue streams that exist for organizers, including gate receipts, merchandise sales, sponsorships and licensing agreements, but by far the biggest income flow comes from television rights.However,thegoverningbodies behind sporting events are taking an increasing share of these spoils, makingitharderforeventhemostefficient local organizers to make money.

According to experts, hosting the World Cup or any other major sporting event can boost a nation’s

economybyattractingtourists,initiating important infrastructure projects and showcasing countries and cities as good places to do business. But the costs of achieving those noble goals appear to outweigh the economic benefits they produce. Before South Africa 2010 World Cup, around 450,000 tourists were anticipated to be in the country for the tournament.

Intheend,onlytwo-thirdsshowed up. Despite the reduced numbers, visitor spend increased by almost a quarter, but at a cost of acquisition to the South African government of up to $13,000. For roughly the same amount, the country could have paid the wages of the entire working age population for a week.

In a book titled Soccernomics (2009), Professor Stefan Szymanski and Simon Kuper assessed the economic impact of hosting the World Cup and concluded that it is more of a waste. The duo revealed that Japanese and Korean governments expected that the 2002 Korea /Japan World Cup, which they co-hosted, could enhance their economies by a stunning $26 billion and $9 billion, respectively. However, after the event, there was slight mark of any such increase. The pair, therefore, concluded that hosting sports event does not really translate into prosperity for the people. Rather, fortunes are spent to maintain the facilities, which sometimes give way to decay.

However, from whichever way it is viewed, the World Cup and indeed, football in general, remain a major rally point for youths across the globe. One only hopes that FIFA would look inward to address various administrative issues that could undermine the credibility of the game. In the meantime, let us savour the splendor and excitement of the beautiful game by joining the rest of the world a month of scintillating soccer artistry.

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Sunday 17 June 2018

TheWorshippers Government must be sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians – Bishop Odedeji The Rt. Rev. Olusola Odedeji, Bishop of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion was at Our Saviour’s Church, Egbe recently to dedicate the church. He took time out to speak with journalists on the socioeconomic situation in the country. SEYI JOHN SALAU was there and brings excerpts:

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What is your take on the security situation in the country? ell, it is unfortunate that the country has gone to this level where lives and property are not safe. And I can say that the orientation of people today is that the government is not doing enough because the primary assignment of any president of a country is to secure the lives of his people. This issue of killings here and there, rituals and uncertainty everywhere, and I can tell you that there is hunger in the land and there is no food on the table for the people. Those of us who are leaders have the feelings; virtually every time people want to see you, it is about come and help us, and when you look at them, they truly need the help. Children are dropping out of school and those who have graduated have nothing doing. As such, joblessness is the order of the day.

We are of the grassroots, we go to places and when you look around, you can see poverty boldly written on people’s faces. This time around people are angry. One the way to this place, from Ikeja, at least in about five places, I saw people exchanging blows. Not that they have decided to fight, but a hungry man is an angry man, and an angry man is a mad man.

That is the situation we have found ourselves in this country and we do not have to deceive ourselves, all is not well.

Few weeks ago the Catholic Church called out its members to protest the killings of priests and worshippers. What does such a thing portend for the country?

It is just for the church to call the attention of the federal government to be aware that they are not happy. Joy is from the heart: when the heart is bleeding, the type of smile that you get is a graveyard peace. So, it is not only the Catholics that are protesting, virtually every Christian in this land is protesting and I can tell you that everywhere we go, the people ask, ‘Leaders, what are you saying? What are you doing about this tyranny?’ I tell people everywhere that when the poor man cannot eat, the rich man will not be able to sleep. It has come to the point in this country where virtually everybody is angry because even if you are rich, there is no time for you to enjoy your riches.

Rt. Rev. Olusola Odedeji

What is the way out of all of this?

The way out is for our government to be sensitive. The bible says, ‘Do unto people as you want them to do unto you’. Let them surround themselves with people that will tell them the truth, not those looking for position or money. They should go round the country. Let me tell you, an empty hand is the devil’s workshop. We do not have to deceive ourselves, the government can do something.

As a leader, for example, I can tell you what happens in this diocese. And so a leader cannot tell you that he is handicapped or his hands are tied. I have limitations, but most things can be done with my instrumentality as a leader.

So, as a leader of a group you have a lot to do.

If the federal government wants to put an end to these killings, it is possible; it is just to ensure that the right people are in the right positions,

and let people be sensitive because inactivity is an offence. When you are supposed to act and you don’t act, it’s a sin. Even the bible says he who knows the truth and fails to say it, it is a sin. Those who are killing are not ghosts; they are human beings. The federal government has the capacity to go into this matter, so let us use all media to let them know all is not well in the grassroots. I am a grassroots person and can tell you that without mincing words; I am not happy because people are suffering. Even churches are now being affected because the rate of charity that we were doing before, we can no longer do it. The people who could have dropped money for charity are themselves asking for charity. When somebody who has been giving N20,000 finds it difficult to give N2,000, where do we now get the money to care for the people around us?

What is your advice to Nigerians as the 2019 general elections approach?

Let everybody go and get their PVC and let everybody pray; let everybody exercise their rights to vote and let everybody vote and shine their eyes. The idea of giving you Ankara or giving you rice to buy your conscience, the time has gone. We have tried it and failed, so let everybody be conscious of who you vote for because the next four years now is very vital. I do not belong to any political party – all the parties are represented in my churches and I dare not take sides. I am just talking as a neutral person and as an unbiased umpire.

Already they have started dancing around the people with rice, so let everybody be careful.

Lagos West is a key stakeholder in Ajayi Crowther University; what measures can be put in place to reduce the burden of high tuition fees on parents?

A question like this came up in our last synod and I said, ‘If it is possible, everybody wants the school to be free, but the professors and the doctors in the school must be paid. The electricity consumed must be paid for, and if you see the cost of running the institution on a monthly basis! The vice-chancellor of the school is a bishop like me and we relate very closely. He told me every month they need N55 million to pay salaries of workers. If we now say make it N50,000 for every student, how will they run the school? Instead you will ground the place. I am not saying the fees should be too high as not to accommodate those who do not have, but I do not belong to the school of thought that it should be free. Free things are not always the best for everybody. I will not say they should make it free because as an employer of labour, I have every responsibility to pay the people working with me. When the money fails to come in, at the end of the month we will not be able to do what we should do. There is a number of professors that must be in an institution for that institution to be accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and for the results to be acceptable to a number of professional bodies. Now, for the cleaners and most junior workers, if you do not pay them at the end of the month, sometimes they adopt blackmail. Therefore, if we make it free or ridiculously low, the school will soon become a glorified secondary school.

How God answers prayers – the Multiplied Grace Fellowship example ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

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he story of the Multiplied Grace Fellowship, a praying ministry in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital is similar to that of the mustard seed which after being planted, grew into something large, beyond expectations and firmly rooted.

It began from the sitting room of the founder, Uwem Andrew-Essien about four years ago and has now grown into a large congregation of worshippers, though there appears to be no immediate plan to turn it into a church.

So when it marked its fourth anniversary, it came with a thanksgiving and became an

opportunity for the founder to give back to society from the benefits he had received from the benevolent God. The thanksgiving which held at the famous Emerald Events Centre in Uyo, the state capital, attracted people from all walks of life.

Though it was an evening event, since it took place on a working day, hundreds of people thronged the centre to share in the blessings and partake in God’s love.

As in every thanksgiving service, there were songs, musicals and drama presentations, word ministration, as well as refreshments, apparently using the Jesus model of sharing and eating together while children were given pride of place.

According Andrew-Essien, the man behind the vision, the decision to take the fellowship

to a more spacious centre came as a result of the growing number of the faithful and as a fallout of last year’s third anniversary when the space was not enough for members.

The fellowship started through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2014 with 13 members who were determined to see the face of God, every Friday.

“We did not plan to start the fellowship when we passed through a rough road between 20012 and 2014, but in 2014, when we recovered, we decided that it is better to set aside every Friday and go to God in prayer,” he said.“We called our family and we started our first meeting then, to cast our cares on the Lord, surely God answered us in a big way.”

Andrew-Essien, who is the AccountantGeneral of Akwa Ibom State, described the

fellowship as a praying ministry committed to taking all issues and problems to God in prayer since we pray for every issue of life because the Bible admonishes us to pray without ceasing.

With over 300 members, the praying ministry has grown from the small number of people that started in 2014 but still maintained its identity as a fellowship ministry.

The story of the MGF could be likened to that of a man who having been committed in himself to finding favour in the Lord and returned to thank God. But the MGF did not only organise an anniversary thanksgiving, it used the opportunity to announce the award of bursary to students of the fellowship with 15 of them as the first beneficiaries.

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Inspirations Fresh and Flourishing – part 2 PASTOR I.S JAMES TEXT: PSALM 92:12-15

[12] “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

[13] Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. [14] They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, [15] To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

ast week we looked at the symbolism of the palm tree as a metaphor for fresh and flourishing of the righteous. It is important to keep in mind that these symbols convey some powerful images of what the Lord wants to do. God often crafts his messages to us using words to paint the images in our minds.

And if we can see these images, we tend to bring them closer with our imagination. With further meditations, the images grow bigger and become more compelling. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Have you begun to see yourself as the palmtree after reading the first part of this lesson, last week? Have you given further meditations to the fact that God wants you to flourish just as the palm tree does, in season and out of season. He wants you to continue to be fruitful, yielding good yields and bountiful harvests regardless of prevailing circumstances that might be contrary to your expectations. Have you taken refuge and strength from this profound word, which is so timely and relevant for our world as it goes through uncertain pangs of anxiety and fear? Remember that the word of God only profits us to the extent that we believe it, and adjust our interests, passions,

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conduct and all else, to align with these words.

And in the case, where He demands that we fulfil certain conditions before we can enjoy the benefits of some promises, we ought to do just that. You notice that it is the righteous who will flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar in Lebanon. You only qualify if you are righteous. But what does the symbolism of the cedar represent?

THE CEDARS Known for their height (Amos 2:9) they are known to grow up to 100ft in height and 6ft in diameter. They are mostly found in high altitude areas (6,600ft/2000m).

Cedars are very solid, strong and immovable, giving us the idea of majesty, stability and strength - Ps. 29:5 “The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes; the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.” Ez.31:3-9. “Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, with fine branches that shaded the forest and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs… I made it beautiful with a multitude of branches, so that all the trees of Eden envied it, that were in the garden of God.” Cedar wood is known for its durability & incorruptibility (it is moth repellant) and was therefore used in ancient times for shipbuilding and in most recent times, for railroads.

The cedar is also known for its longevity.

Some of them are believed to have lived upwards of 1000 years!

The nature of the cedar is that it is always green (full of sap – Ps.104:16), and it bears “an excellent kind of fruit, like unto apples, but of a sweeter taste, and more wholesome” according to renowned British theologian Adam Clarke.

It’s the main wood used in the construction of Solomon’s Temple, that magnificient edifice of ancient times The liquid from its fruit (resin) was used by ancient Egyptians for mummification (em-

balmment). Like the palm tree, it is one tree that is completely useful all round.

Summarizing the symbolism of the Cedar • Unlimited spiritual growth, thriving best in high altitudes, which you could regard as spiritual places! It is an emblem of strength and permanence. It is always green, full of spiritual substance (sap). It symbolizes fruitfulness in all season (cold, hot, dry).

• its aromatic wood is incorruptible (moth repellent). It’s the preferred material for the building of God’s Temple!

• its fruit/products are both sweet and can act as a preservative.

Meaning of the words – fresh and flourishing!

Fresh – the original reference is to a ground that is rich and fertile, producing plants that are fresh, green, healthy, strong and full of sap.

The righteous believer planted in the courts of the Lord is being pictured here as ever youthful, attractive and full of energy and vigour and always productive and useful!

Flourishing – (comes from the root word, Flourish), meaning to bud or sprout, break out/ forth, to bloom or blossom; to spread forth or prosper, to spring up, grow or fly; to be green, grow luxuriant or fresh.

One of the best examples of the use and meaning of this word is Numbers 17:1-8 – Aaron’s Rod that budded! Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.

Here are similar passages: Ps.52:8 – But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

Ps.72:7- In His days the righteous shall flourish, And abundance of peace, Until the moon is no more.

Conditions and Requirements for Flourishing Because of the times we are in, and all that’s happening around us, our greatest challenge in 2018 will be to remain RIGHTEOUS! We are to also remain “planted in the house of the Lord” – live in daily fellowship with the Lord, drawing our strength and sustenance from Him. Only then, according to the time tested truth of this scripture, would we, the righteous be fresh and flourishing like the most luxuriant and majestic trees of the forest – upright, strong, and unmoved by the winds of circumstance, but having strength and vitality in the midst of difficult times.

Your prosperity in 2018 will be the evidence that the LORD can be trusted in fulfilling His promises. He is a dependable rock, and there is nothing unreliable about Him. On the other hand, although the wicked too will “spring up” and flourish (v7), their prosperity is like the grass that will soon fade away!

Can you believe and affirm this Declaration with me?

In 2018, you will remain fresh in every area of your life – health, finance, business, marriage and life. In all that you do, you will flourish! You will know no dryness. Every desert before you shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. You will sing! And you will dance again, says the Lord!

(Is.35:1-2). You will be & remain fresh & flourishing in 2018, in Jesus’ name. Everything that has been an obstacle to you and questioned your planting and growth will come to an end not later than the 31st of December 2017.

Dr. Iruofagha James is the Founding Pastor, Glory Christian Ministries, Odo-Olowo Street, Apapa/Oshodi Expressway, Ijeshatedo, Lagos. www.isjames.org Tel: 08060599144

The underdogs can win

REV. YOMI KASALI

@rev.yomikasali

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he most popular and televised sporting activity on the face of the earth started this week with many nationals supporting their country in the famous World Cup event. This started some few days and I am personally excited as a football enthusiast.

The phrase ‘Underdogs’ is a bit worrying though it is factual naturally and we usually call teams that don’t have strength and skills to win the tournament underdogs. Nigeria is an obvious underdog in the forthcoming World Cup and is not even given the chance of emerging from the group by pundits, yet some may argue that we are not in the group of death.

I have been doing some thinking about ‘Underdogs’ from scriptures and trying to find out if there are bible verses that supports the notion of Underdogs in life. Are there people that we should just write off in life and give up on when it comes to success?

I know economists will tell you that certain people without some qualities and qualifications will find it difficult to excel in life today but the Bible does not teach that at all.

Let me briefly Inspire you from the experience of Joshua and Caleb with the 10 spies of Israel, they were all commanded by the Lord through Moses to spy out the Land they would be given, these spies were chosen from each tribe of Israel and they were to bring intelligence about the Land. However, they were overwhelmed with the stature of the people in the land and developed an Underdog mindset immediately, hear what they said…

“And they told him and said, we came to the land where you sent us, surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it, NEVERTHELESS the people are strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, very great, moreover we saw the children of Anak there...and Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said let us go up at once, and possess it for we are well able to overcome (we can win) it, but the men that went with him said, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GO UP AGAINST THE PEOPLE (we are Underdogs) for they are stronger than us.”

(Num. 13 v 27-31).

The story above shows that it is possible for the Underdogs to win the battles of life.

Many of us tend to think wrongly of ourselves and write ourselves off even when

others are afraid of us. We focus on what others have that we don’t and ignore what we carry as grace from God. You are only an Underdog if you believe so but once you can take a closer look at what you have and Who (God) is on your side, then the equation changes.

The world has ways of tagging some people Underdogs and I am very worried that believers have joined them by chorusing the same, even to our fellow believers, simply because we are ignorant of the Greatness

of our God. Those considered Underdogs are those without Education, Connection, Money, Fame, Visible Gifts, Political godfathers, etc.

Be mindful of the Truth that there is no Underdog with God. Nigeria can surprise the world during this tournament.

Blessings and Be Inspired.

Rev. Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos

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Interview ADR is gaining increasing acceptance across Africa – Olawoyin Prof G. A. Olawoyin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France since May 2000.

In this interview with Theodora Kio-Lawson, Prof Olawoyin speaks on some issues around Alternate Dispute Resolution. Excerpts:

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hat are your thoughts on dispute resolution in Nigeria?

Technically, the term “Dispute Resolution� covers both the conventional courts and the various instruments of Alternate Dispute Resolution such as arbitration, mediation and conciliation. I like to believe that your question is really targeted at arbitration, which is the focus of your interview. On that premise, I venture to say that arbitration has come a long way in Nigeria, particularly in the last ten years, largely due to the increasing interest of lawyers who now appreciate the speed with which issues are resolved vis-a-vis what obtains in the normal courts. It is, however, still a developing mechanism for dispute resolution in Nigeria.

How has ADR and arbitration fared over the years across Africa? Is it very well accepted now as an effective means of resolving disputes across Africa?

ADR, which incidentally includes arbitration, is gaining increasing acceptance in many parts of Africa. It is now relatively common to see arbitration clauses in contracts involving corporate bodies in Africa. While the cost of resolving disputes by way of arbitration can no longer be said to be cheap, the relative speed with which issues are resolved by arbitral tribunals makes it particularly attractive to the business community who consider time to be money.

officers, and secondly as an opportunity for meaningful infrastructural development for the users of judicial services in whatever form.

The International Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria, of which you are vicechairman, will, in June, hold its third Africa Conference on International Arbitration. How strategic is this for the Nigerian arbitration community?

Perhaps I should start by saying that I have ceased to be a Vice-Chairman of ICC Nigeria. However, I have for some time been the Chairman of the ICCN Arbitration and ADR Commission. Be that as it may, there is no gainsaying the fact that the conference is very strategic for the Nigerian arbitration community to the extent that it has created a growing awareness of the importance of arbitration in the dispute resolution processes.

Olawoyin

the promotion of ADR? I believe that the judiciary, particularly in Lagos State, deserves special commendation in this regard. The encouragement of ADR is becoming the norm in many State High Courts. The What are the most critical challenges trend was set in Lagos State where, I it is facing? believe, a committee headed by the Like I said earlier on, arbitration is Honourable Justice Opeyemi Oke no longer cheap. Sometimes, it is a made far-reaching recommendations lot more expensive than the normal which culminated in the establishment courts in the resolution of disputes. of the Multi Door Courthouse. In many This has naturally given rise to a situa- cases, parties have been referred to tion in which smaller business outfits the Multi Door Courthouse for the would rather bear with the delays of speedy resolution of their disputes. It the normal courts instead of digging is gratifying to add that the National deep into their pockets to finance an Industrial Court and the Court of Aparbitration. There is also the disturbing peal have joined this commendable issue of courts appearing to encourage league of courts which encourage the a proliferation of challenges to arbi- development. tral awards, thus stultifying the very essence of arbitration, which is the What are your thoughts on the full speedy resolution of disputes. financial autonomy for judiciary at the state level signed last week by You are one of the frontline promot- President Muhammadu Buhari? ers of Alternative Dispute Resolu- This is a long-awaited development. tion, especially arbitration, in the He who pays the piper dictates the country. Will you say the judiciary tune. That fact of life highlights the has shown enough commitment to problems the judiciary has faced in

their relationship with the executive, especially in virtually every state in the country. State governors have been known to exercise some form of irritating and rather crude overlordship on the top functionaries of their state judiciary. It is hoped that this welcome development will usher in an era of truly independent judiciary in every part of Nigeria.

Lack of financial autonomy for the judiciary had been partly blamed for delayed justice in the country. Will this development mark the end of delays?

The problem of delayed justice has more to do with factors other than lack of financial autonomy. In my humble opinion, delayed justice is a byproduct of the general malaise in our society where unthinkable things do happen with the unfortunate acquiescence of the wider society. A serious cankerworm like corruption will not necessarily be dealt with by financial autonomy. I personally see financial autonomy for the judiciary first, as a veritable tool for the improvement in the welfare of judges and other judicial

Despite the availability of seasoned and competent arbitrators in the country, several multinationals still prefer to take their disputes outside the country to be resolved. Do you consider this worrisome? And how do you think this trend can be reversed?

It is certainly a worrisome trend but, sadly, I am not really surprised at the trend. The reasons are multifaceted.

Very unfortunately, there is a worldwide perception that Nigerians are corrupt and can be easily compromised. The sad image has regrettably been encouraged by the nefarious activities of our politicians and many other well placed Nigerians who have made money their own god. It is amazing the level to which some of our people would go in their desire to make money. Premium is placed on integrity in any decent society. That used to be the norm in this country before the military and politicians encouraged the development of a mindset that places premium on materialism. A reversal of this trend requires a complete reorientation in our society. I should add that the difficulty usually encountered in the enforcement of arbitral awards is another factor that has jeopardized the development of international arbitration in this country. A welcome development, however, was the directive reportedly issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to all heads of courts in the country to lend their weight to the enforcement of arbitral awards in order to attract foreign investments, among other objectives.

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‘Forthcoming Rotary Institute will draw investors to Nigeria’ The Rotary International Zone 20A comprises almost all the countries in Africa. The organisation will, for the first time since its 113-year existence, host an annual conference known as the Institute in Lagos, Nigeria, in September. The conference will attract over 1,000 Rotarians from all over Africa, the United States and Switzerland. Michael Olawale-Cole, former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and vice president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), is the chairman of the Institute’s organising committee. He speaks with ODINAKA ANUDU on the benefits of the conference to Nigeria.

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ell us about Rotary International’s forthcoming Institute.

Rotary International has different zones for administration. Rotary in Nigeria has four districts and belong to zone 20A of the Rotary International.

Every zone has an annual conference of all the senior Rotarians around it. It is like an annual general meeting.

It is a conference; it is like an annual convention. Annually, Rotarians go for an international convention. This year, we went to Toronto, Canada. The next thing after that level is the Rotary Institute. The convention is for Rotarians all over the whole world, but the Institute is for Rotarians within that zone, and we happen to fall into Zone 20A, which consists mostly of the countries in Africa.

For the first time ever, Rotary International has agreed to have that conference in Nigeria. It has never happened before since 1905 when Rotary was established. It is a major event and success for Nigeria as a country to be considered to host this Institute. It has been held all over Africa.

Last year, it was held in Johannesburg. We have been before to Ghana, Kenya, Seychelles and all over the place.

We have been fighting for it to be in Nigeria until now.

Why were the leaders reluctant to host it in Nigeria before?

They have to consider the issue of security, infrastructure and general environment. Rotary is highly organised. Before they agree for you to host, they must be sure that all is well there.

Nice environment, safety, and they must ensure there will be no violence or earthquake. We thank God that, for the first time, Lagos has been approved to host the 2018 Zone 20A Institute for the whole of Africa. I am in 9110, which includes Lagos and Ogun states. The other three districts cover other parts of Nigeria. There are three other co-chairs working with me. That is the big job we have been giving. That is a big win for Nigeria to be considered good to host it. It will host about 1,000 people coming from across Africa and also America.

Top Rotary leadership in the USA will be here.

Considering the level of human and vehicular traffic gridlock in Lagos, do you not think Abuja would have been a better choice?

The convener of the institute—the director-general elect—is a Nigerian.

He will resume in July. He went round the whole of Nigeria to look at the environment, security, hotels, facilities, safety and general things. He went to Port Harcourt, Abuja, Calabar and he settled for Lagos—Eko Hotel and Suites precisely. It will host 1,000 people from September 10. Usually, the Institute comes along for preparations such as training of the incoming district governors. I was the district governor of

Michael Olawale-Cole 9110 Nigeria between 2005 and 2006.

Rotary year runs from July 1 to June 30. We are training those that will take over the leadership here. It started from June 10. The whole Institute will be happening between September 10 and 15. The real Institute itself will be between 10 and 15. All those that have been trained will be taking part in the Institute. These are leaders in Africa. So, Rotary leaders will be coming from the USA and Switzerland (Zurich), including Illinois, which is the headquarters. The president will be sending the incoming president from Alabama.

Tell us about logistics? How prepared are you to host these people?

We are speaking to relevant agencies in Nigeria, because we must ensure that nothing goes wrong for any guest that is here. If anything goes wrong, it

The real Institute itself will be between 10 and 15. All those that have been trained will be taking part in the Institute. These are leaders in Africa. So, Rotary leaders will be coming from the USA and Switzerland (Zurich), including Illinois, which is the headquarters.

will have a lot of implications on Nigeria. We have an ambition to deliver an excellent Institute in Nigeria, so that we might have the chance in future to be considered for it again, or even be considered for a bigger event. We never thought Nigeria could do it. But now, we have been given a chance. That is why I call this a national project. The federal, state governments and a whole lot of Nigerians must be involved, so that we can deliver a successful Institute.

We can host international convention where we host 20,000 to 30,000 people, but you can’t be considered for that unless you have done the Institute well and all other programmes. We are speaking with the Immigration, the Police, the Customs, because people will be coming from the airport here. The ease of doing will show. Many of them may have interest to invest in Nigeria.

They can decide to set up businesses here or have collaborations with Nigerian entrepreneurs.

Nigerian Rotarians can then share with them the projects they wish to do for Nigeria in terms of building of schools, hospitals, renovation of schools, and provision of scholarships.

They can share and then collaborate with stronger economies.

Have you spoken with the federal government about this?

Yes, we have. The vice president will be here for the opening ceremony.

Will you also use the opportunity to showcase opportunities in Nigeria to those coming from outside?

Definitely, we are having the vice president. So, he surely will say something about Nigerian potentialities. Of those coming, maybe only two percent

of them have been here before. So, they will be excited. We are trying to speak with Nigerian entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu, and other eminent people like Wole Soyinka. We want them to showcase our good people and our opportunities. You can see the class of people we are trying to project to let them tell the Nigerian story. When the Rotarians come in, they will also have the opportunity to move around. Some may also have the opportunity to go to other parts of Nigeria. Usually, we stay a day or two before or after or many days after to see the business opportunities of the host country. Rotarians are business and professional people, united in their way of service. All the guys in Rotary are business people. They are coming to Nigeria for the biggest Rotary event in Africa. What can we do for them?

What can we get for them? Can we do some partnership, investment here?

The committee in charge of hospitality is already arranging visits to Abeokuta, Lekki, Badagry and other areas of interest. We will show the opportunities for them. That is why I said earlier that it is a Nigerian project. A lot of people are coming in to bring their money in. They will spend money here. Lagos economy will feel that there are new people here.

We have been talking to the federal and Lagos State governments to give it their support, in terms of infrastructure, security and traffic control, so that the guests can have a good time here.

What do you think will be the major take-away from the Institute?

For Rotarians, it is an opportunity to gather knowledge, because there will be a lot of information about the latest developments in the Rotary Club. So, when Rotarians come over here, and they will have the Rotary president and the office managing Africa here from Zurich, they will give you information. For Rotarians, it is an opportunity to network, to discuss the future growth of Nigeria and be updated with the latest information.

It is also an opportunity for them to meet their counterparts coming from other countries.

There will be proposals and they will exchange contacts. For Nigeria, these people will go around the market and buy things. So, the Lagos economy will feel it. Usually, they can partner with Nigerian businesspeople. There will be gala nights and receptions.

Is it a closed conference?

No, you are free to attend.

What does Rotary Club stand for?

It is an association of business and professional people. Al we do is to serve our communities. We take Rotary as a way of worship because you are helping other people, providing for the needy and helping people that cannot afford to go to school. You are also holding conferences on world peace.

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Sunday 17 June 2018

Perspective

MKO Abiola: Beyond the Democracy Day declaration AYO OYOZE BAJE

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ome political analysts called it “a masterstroke”. Others compared it to that of a marksman, aiming well at the game in view and scoring the bull’s eye. And his legions of admirers, who have turned him into some demi-god that never makes mistakes saw President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent declaration of June 12 as Nigeria’ s new Democracy Day, to replace May 29, as that of a magic wand that has cleared all obstacles towards realizing his vaulting ambition to stay put in Aso Rock, come 2019!

Perhaps, they have a point.

After all, the deft move, for once put volatile issues into the back burner of national discourse.

These include the killing spree of voiceless, innocent citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen (or, simply herders) and bandits; the nepotistic architecture of 15 out of 17 security chiefs skewed in favour of his northern folks men( as recently decried by Yinka Odumakin, the Afenifere spokesperson) and of course, the one-sided anti-graft war that has defectors to the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) metamorphosing overnight into adorable saints!

The flipside of the June 12 Democracy Day declaration for Mister President is the tall order he has, to convince patriots that he can walk the talk of democratic ethos and principles, far from his generally perceived dictatorial disposition. Not a few believe he cannot.

Can he for instance, accede to the persisting quest for the enthronement of political restructuring of the country? That is, to devolve the enormous politico-economic powers from the bloated centre to the federating units and bring governance closer to the people? His so called ‘haters’ say his body language waves a different chord far from that perception.

And would the recent move, change his political predisposition to becoming a grand respecter of the rule of law, with regards to the Dasuki and Zakki Zaky saga? Many watchers of Nigeria’s political space still nurse their doubts.

It would therefore, do the nation a world of good if we could learn a lesson or two from what has made the June 12 matter such a compelling mandate of history. Reproduced below is an excerpt from my opinion essay titled: ‘M.K.O: That June 12 may not die’ as published in Daily Independent of June17, 2013

to mark the 20th anniversary of the crude annulment of the acclaimed freest and fairest presidential election ever held in Nigeria.

‘It is instructive that two decades after, that brazen and brutal violation of the people’s collective will is still etched firmly in our psyche and souls.

And it is all because this is one wound of the dimension of a deep cut that time has failed to heal. The ugly scars still bleeding from the repeated butts from undemocratic elements stare us horrifyingly in the face.

Yet, we would be missing the valid lessons by narrowing it to the individual theatrical boxing bout between late Chief Abiola and IBB. It goes far beyond that.

‘For that crass injustice to be consigned to the dustbin of history may take eons, for more reasons than one. First, Nigerians are yet to be told the characters and the cogent reasons behind the subversion of their electoral franchise. So far, no form of public apology has been tendered by IBB to Nigerian electorate. No form of compensation has been paid by the Federal Government to Abiola’s family and those of the victims caught in the cross fire between the riot police and the coalition of civil society

groups propelled by NADECO to redress the obvious wrong done to us all.

‘More saddening is the recent revelation by Abiola’s children that huge debts owed their late father is yet to be offset despite their call for such.

Little wonder that the vast empire one of the richest Africans built from the scratch has since crumbled denying all the dependants the quality life he wanted them to enjoy. Beyond the economic vicissitudes visited on members of the family and others who profited from the late politician’s largeness of heart are the political implications of the annulment.

‘For the first time in our electoral history, which were always characterized by violence; including thuggery, the snatching of ballot boxes, stuffing of same with pre-thumb printed ballot papers, maiming and killing of opponents and their supporters, arson, acts of brigandage and intimidation Nigerians held a peaceful election. And a good majority of those who cast their votes for late Abiola did so because in him they could see a true patriot, blind to the colours of religious, ethnic and social differences. He was one man in who they could invest their trust, with the firm belief

that his administration (if he was sworn in ) would deliver the much touted dividends of democracy.

‘The unfortunate political scenario on our hands today, as 2015 inches closer is the vocal expression for Hausa/Fulani, Ibo, Yoruba or Ijaw president instead of a Nigerian president which Abiola epitomized. The ethnic war drums now beating with shameless frenzy are reminiscent of the sad events that defined the 1964 political crises. Perhaps, the elders from the different geo-political zones now urging their misguided youth associations to give threats of violence should their preferred candidates not be fielded or win would learn from the sellable political brand Abiola meant to the common Nigerians.

‘In simple terms, Nigerians are now clamouring for a set of selfless politicians who have the capacity to identify their most pressing challenges; those who wear similar shoes and know where they pinch them and would deliver on their campaign promises. Good governance is we want and therefore the paradigm is shifting to the search for such individuals, who would use the desired attributes of vision, diligence, patriotism, passion, courage, consistency and compassion as the late Abiola amply exhibited.

‘The lessons of June 12 would endure only if the people’s votes count; only if the electoral process is transparent, free, fair and credible. Indeed, worse than an armed robber is he who subverts the wishes of the electorate by declaring the wrong candidates as the winners. Such impostors and usurpers of the electorate’s will would have no allegiance whatsoever to the people he is meant to lead but to the corrupt process or godfather that threw him up. That perhaps explains the reason behind the parlous state of the country’s current affairs, from the federal through some states to the local councils generally adjudged as poor governance far below the people’s expectations.

‘Beyond the physical efforts to name some notable national monuments (a democratic institution or a sports facility) after him, we would be doing the late politician great honour if we sink our religious and ethnic differences for our collective good’.

AYO OYOZEBAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘DRUMBEATS OF DEMOCRACY’

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Politics Protecting Onne’s industrial cluster alone could fetch Wike a second term – Ollormate GODWIN EGBA, Port Harcourt

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ivers State has for some years witnessed violence but no violent attacks have consumed any of the over 120 companies clustered in Onne in Eleme near Port Harcourt.

The man who managed Eleme as a caretaker council boss for three terms, Ollormate Ollor, points to Gov Nyesom Wike as the brain behind the security architecture that has saved Onne and its oil and gas companies and other federal government installations in the zone.

He disclosed in an exclusive interview with BDSunday that the successful protection of Onne was enough to fetch second tenure to Gov Wike.

“Among the sitting governors in Nigeria, Wike is one that urged Nigerians to hold government officials accountable for development, stressing without fear or favour that people should no longer accept excuses from non-performing public officers,” said the immediate past Care-Taker-Chairman (CTC) boss, who declared his support for Wike.

“From empirical evidence, the Governor has continued to deliver on the dividends of democracy since his third year in office, noting that his socio-economic and infrastructural development programme is being felt in every nook and cranny in the state,” he said.

The Ex-CTC said that come the year 2019, before anyone campaigns, he must first show what he has done with his present office, pointing out that gone are the days when people listen to politicians with flimsy excuses built on political sophistry and falsehood, stressing that there is no room for excuses anymore.

He attested that the Governor has used his people’s mandate to develop all the Local Government Areas of the state, pointing out that Eleme where he (Ollormate) comes from has enjoyed key projects citing Alesa-Agbonchia-Oyigbo road project among others.

“There is no local government that I cannot walk free-

Governor Wike ly, because I have witnessed laudable road, health, school projects for the rural people as evidence of campaign promises which he (Wike) has continued to fulfill”, Ollormate stated.

He is also in defense of the governor for his financial accountability, attesting that all funds that accrued to the state are published monthly by the Federal Ministry Finance and applied all resources to the development of the state.

Ollormate further noted that the 11.5 kilometers Alesa-Agbonchia-Oyigbo road project would engage about 540 job seekers in the course of the construction, describing the project as a legacy that people in Eleme would remember from generation to generation.

In the area of empowerment, Ollormate stated that even civil servants are not left out as the Wike-led administration has established a special revolving loan scheme for indigent beneficiaries to carter for their financial needs with interest free and without collateral before accessing the funds.

More to the Governor’s credits is the area of security in the state which Ollormate said has received

Ollormate Ollor a boost with the creation of neighbourhood watch to complement the conventional federal security Agencies such as the Police and Army among others.

According to him, the security in the state since Wike took the leadership mantle is zero tolerance which informed why businesses and the economy are thriving despite some politicians who are bent o n s a b o t a g i n g t h e g ov ernment effort for selfish interest.

“Without peace and security, the investors in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone with over a hundred multinationals, the Indorama Eleme Petro-chemicals

Wike-led administration has established a special revolving loan scheme for indigent beneficiaries to carter for their financial needs with interest free and without collateral before accessing the funds

Limited, the Port Harcourt refineries, the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and host of others would have ran out of the state, therefore Rivers people and Nigerians at large should appreciate the governor’s effort”, Ollormate insisted.

The Onne born politician also cited that as part of its effort to tackle unemployment and encourage the growth of small scale businesses, Port Harcourt united Dynamic Co-Operative investment and creative society, an affiliate member of Nigeria Association of Agriculture, Trade, Industry and Co-operative (NATIC) has partnered Rivers State Government with the opening of its centre in the Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

According to him, the state Commissioner for commerce and industry, a pastor, Nancy Chidi, who commended the initiators of the centre at an opening ceremony recently noted that the idea was targeted at giving hope to the small-scale business owners in the state as it would create jobs and skills to complement the employment drive of Wike-led administration.

Ollormate stated that, “what we politicians and business men and women

need to do in the state is to promote participatory governance that would improve the life of people rather than engage in pull-down syndrome which is a clog to the wheel of progress, Rivers State is an investment haven therefore, peace, harmony and general security of lives and property must be sacrosanct”.

The Ex-CTC chairman who sees himself as an astute grass-root politician loyal to Governor Wike and the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) said with God on the throne, Rivers people and Nigerians would experience a hitch-free election come 2019 because there are good and peaceful Nigerians who are for movement for good governance in Rivers State and Nigeria who would vote for credible candidates are Governor Wike.

He urged Nigerians note to vote candidates who have failed integrity test, saying that Nigerians are tired of bad leadership which the nation has been experiencing since independence stressing that when credible leaders begin to govern, their local government councils, states and Federal government, Nigeria will become the most competitive country in Africa and the world at large.

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Politics

‘APGA is positioned to reclaim its mandate Okey Ezeh, chief executive officer of Savvycorp Limited, a cutting-edge treasury management, financial and investment advisory based in Lagos, is a top aspirant in the 2019 Imo State governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In this interview with CHUKS OLUIGBO, assistant editor, Ezeh speaks on APGA’s chances in the 2019 elections in Imo State and why he wants to be governor.

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here was a bit of misunderstanding about your role in the events of 2015 in Imo State as it relates to your party, APGA, especially before and after the party primaries. For purposes of putting the records straight, could you tell us what really happened?

Well, as a progressive, I tend not to look back. I only cast a backward glance if it serves to direct or to guide the present and the future. 2015 has come and gone and the rest, as they say, is history. But the summary is that our party APGA did not do well in Imo State. In fact, we posted the worst result ever in our history.

The jury is still out on the reasons for that performance. APGA, the way I would always describe it, is not just a party, it’s a movement.

It’s like a religion. There are certain politicians who see contestation as an opportunistic thing; when it suits them they can come in, get the ticket and vie for a position, after that they move away. That tendency is there in many political parties. But there are those of us who are ideologically and spiritually intertwined in the movement we believe in, which is APGA. For me, my involvement and association with APGA was not going to be an opportunistic thing, win or lose. I joined APGA as the very first political party I’ve ever had any dealings with in my entire life. From day one it was designed to be a romance that would be timeless; there would be no time limit to it as far as I am in politics. I have the deep conviction that APGA is the closest approximation to my ideals of what a political movement should be, in terms of what it offers to the average person on the street, the elixir it seeks to bring into the system. That’s why I joined the party. And, win or lose, I was bound to stay back. So that’s exactly what happened in 2015. As I said, I do not want to dwell on the past, but just to put the records straight, I did not get the ticket in 2015 because the process was not properly followed through, as it were; certain roles were circumvented, and all of that, but that’s beside the point. Because I am a forward-looking person, I stayed back in the party. I never at any point in time left the party; I never at any point in time worked against whoever was holding the ticket of the party. After the elections, the important step that needed to be taken up at that point was the rebuilding process. Yours truly was one of the few people around to commence that process, reaching out to our people, reorganising the party, putting in critical funding into the party across the 305 wards in Imo State, across the 27 local government areas, across the broad spectrum of the civil society all over Imo State. This is how far we have

come, and I think the results are now all too visible for everyone to see.

You say the process of rebuilding APGA has been on. It’s barely nine months to the 2019 elections; do you think APGA has a chance to win the governorship election in Imo State?

I will say that APGA has perhaps the best chance of occupying the Douglas House. This wouldn’t be the first time. Historically, APGA has always won, and APGA has always been in pole position to win elections in Imo State. 2015 was a notable derailment, as it were, owing to certain internal factors which I have made allusion to. But as I said, the party has since re-engineered, across the length and breadth of not just Imo State. We have a vibrant national leadership, very well focused. You would also agree that there is a bit of what I may call osmotic drift into APGA, looking at what is happening in Anambra State where we have a stellar performance by His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano, who, by the way, is an APGA governor.

When you look around the 36 states of the federation, I am not sure you can point at two or three governors who have done as well as Governor Obiano has done. So, he is the biggest selling point we have. If you put all of this together, and then look at what the situation is in Imo State today – we have a governor who originally came to power after several unsuccessful efforts to get elected, and he got elected on the platform of our party and then decamped and went to APC. If you look at his performance vis-a-vis what an APGA administration is doing in Anambra State, you cannot but agree with the masses in Imo State that are yearning for APGA. APGA remains the last hope of the masses, not just by sloganeering, but look at the leadership we have delivered; that’s why everybody talks about Anambra State. We have had 12 years of solid delivery of what they would call, in cliché terms, dividends of democracy in Anambra State under the auspices of APGA. First was eight years of Peter Obi, then first four years of Willie Obiano, and now we are in his second four years. I think the difference is clear.

The number of aspirants vying for the APGA governorship ticket in Imo State is becoming a cause for concern to some political observers who predict that the party may have rancorous primaries. What is the implication of this large number of aspirants and how is the party going to ensure a rancourfree primary election where the candidate that emerges enjoys the full support of other aspirants?

First of all, I think it’s a good sign that everybody is interested in APGA. I talked about an osmotic drift earlier on – liquid will always move from an area of lower concentration to a higher one. So, the fact that people from other political parties are deserting their ships in droves and coming into APGA tells you that there is something they see in APGA; they can see a clear momentum with us and we welcome them, the more the merrier.

Politics is about numbers. We have a critical mass of people swarming into APGA. With that, they bring goodwill; with it, they increase the momentum. The party leadership is also focused. They know that that particular momentum must be properly managed. A party like APGA is like a church. When you go

to church, on a typical Sunday the doors of the church will be thrown open and you have the faithful trooping in, everybody is looking for salvation; they want to sit down, they want to come and worship, and nobody sends them away. But there is something that happens in the Catholic faith, for instance, which I will use as an analogy. When it comes to Communion time, there is an announcement that is always made; they say the Holy Mass is for everybody, but Communion is for baptised Catholics who are in a state of grace. That’s what happens when you talk about people coming into a political party. Everybody is welcome to join because we have need for everybody; there is always some value add that each person brings. But when it comes

to the ticket, the flag of the party, only one person can get it, and the person that will get it will be a close approximation of what the party represents. There are all sorts of variables that go into it, but at the end of the day, because it is a democratic exercise, it will be managed is such a way that all the contestants, all the stakeholders, would clearly understand that not every person would be able to fly the flag and that it is only one person. And when it is done in a free and transparent fashion, which the APGA leadership is 100 percent committed to, then it would be clear too that it’s not a winner-takes-all. You build a broad coalition, a broad consensus around the person who has the capacity to deliver electoral victory, who is the closest approximation of all the virtues and ideals and unique selling points of the party. These are some of the critical unique selling points, as it were, that the party would always dwell on and pick

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in Imo and the entire South-East’ somebody, and when that happens, every person will be happy and all those who also indicated interest at one point or the other would have no choice than to work with the person because it is not a personal thing; it is about the people, it’s about the party.

I asked because in some other parties, like the PDP and APC, we hear of crises arising from issues relating to internal democracy.

What do you think differentiates APGA from these parties? What does APGA do differently?

The thing about APGA is that the party is a mass movement, as I said. When I say mass movement, it is not elitist in any form or shape; it is a movement that the average okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) in the remotest of villages can relate to. At the same time, the rich entrepreneur can also relate to it as the most virile platform. It is a huge tree that gives shelter to all shades of people. Because that is the configuration where you have an institution of that magnitude that tends to attract people from all walks of life, then you must have a robust system of internal democracy. There

The fact that people from other political parties are deserting their ships in droves and coming into APGA tells you that there is something they see in APGA; they can see a clear momentum with us and we welcome them must be checks and balances; there must be strong embedded rules that would govern how things are done. And that’s what we have in APGA, that’s why you don’t have too much bickering, too much wrangling. Other parties would tell you that they also have it, but then, it’s one thing to have it, it’s another thing to actually implement it. APGA so far has demonstrated a very strong culture of internal democratic tenets. Politics is all about contention, it’s all about interests, and if there are 20 people, there are different shades of interests; that’s the mainstay of politics, that’s what it’s all about. That APGA has continued to grow from strength to strength means that there is something the party, across all sectors, is doing well.

There are rumours that Governor Rochas Okorocha is offering money to APGA to be welcomed back into the party following the crisis in Imo APC. Is there any truth to that?

I don’t think we should be talking about that now because the leadership of APGA has already refuted that. I think our national chairman did describe Okorocha as being worse than a prodigal son. The only place the

prodigal son was welcomed home with a feast was in the Bible. In temporal, non-biblical settings, nobody likes to embrace a prodigal son. So, the party in its wisdom has responded to that and I don’t think the issue now should be about Okorocha. He’s on his last leg and APGA is set to reclaim its mandate in Imo State and in the rest of the South-East.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently signed the Not-Too-YoungTo-Run Bill into law. In your view, will that law ensure greater youth participation in Nigerian politics or do you see other impediments to its implementation?

First, I want to say that the Not-TooYoung-To-Run Act is a well-conceived piece of legislation. But I also have a little bit of reservation. I do not think that the problem with our country is the absence of well-crafted laws. We have all manner of legislations in this country, but in spite of all those finelycrafted laws and regulations and all of that, things still go wrong. When you talk about youth empowerment, you talk about empowering a critical segment of the population, and you ask yourself, where did the youths begin to get it wrong? An average youth will tell you the political space has been taken over by the older generations, that politics is an expensive business, it’s all monetised and the youths cannot compete, and I imagine that the Not-Too-Young-To-Run piece of legislation is just an attempt to lower the barrier for the youths. But the question is, who raised the barrier in the first instance? Ironically, it’s a bit like a chicken-and-egg situation. The truth of the matter is, if the electoral space is overcrowded by the older generations, who gave them the opportunity? It’s still the youths because if you look at our population, 60 percent is made up of people within the youth age bracket. Yes, you see the older generations, they are the shakers and movers, they are the ones that control things, they have the finance and all of that. But if youths can come together today in Nigeria and say enough is enough, that they want a youth as the president of this country, and they take it as their project, go round the 774 local government areas in Nigeria and campaign for one of their own, tax themselves and contribute a little money each for the project, I tell you it will be easy to deliver a youth president. In this case, you have critical stakeholders who have already bought into that notion that a young person should be president. You can bring it down to the local governments and the states.

The youths of a state can come together and say they want a governor who is 30 or 35 years old, they take it as their project and work through a political platform to get the person elected because they have the sheer numbers. But that doesn’t happen because the youths want to be compromised; they are looking for instant gratification. Somebody would want to be given a bag of rice, somebody would want recharge card, and they would always short-change themselves. That’s what happens. Some

philosopher says every society gets the leadership they deserve. Sometimes when we end up where we are, you begin to ask questions, how did we get it so wrong? You discover that actually it’s not just the leadership, it’s also the followership, because we are all complicit in that same problem. So, I don’t think a piece of legislation like that will solve the problem. We need to have a reorientation, we need an ethical rebirth; Nigerians need to think differently, we need to focus on the matters that are important. We should discard instant gratification – how much is it worth? How much am I going to get now? People should think more about the finer values of life, the future. Are we getting leadership that can transform the country positively?

People should be willing to make sacrifices for something that will have lasting value, not to cut corners for something that will have ephemeral value. So, it will take more than a piece of legislation to actually get young people to begin to play more dominant role in the political space.

The space is there already by virtue of our demographics. They have the numbers, but they need to be reoriented for them to know that the space is there for them to seize if they so desire. If they are hungry enough, if they are passionate enough, if they want it badly enough, they will get it.

You aspired to be governor of Imo State in 2015 and you are aspiring again in 2019. What is your motivation? Why do you want to be governor?

The reason for my aspiration is not far-fetched. I have looked at myself and I have also looked at the situation of Imo. Imo is a state that is abundantly blessed, a state of about 5 million people occupying a space of about 5,288 sq. km, one of the most densely-populated states in Nigeria.

It is a state that is abundantly blessed by way of human capital and mineral resource endowment. Not a lot of people know that Imo is a major oilproducing state in Nigeria. Imo is

host to 163 oil wells in 12 locations.

Imo also has a huge reserve of natural gas, but a lot of it is flared. As a matter of fact, the 163 oil wells in Imo State are all flare sites; we flare over 550 million standard cubic feet of gas in Imo State. We do not have an energy corridor. You would expect that in a state that has such humongous resource endowment, there would be some concerted efforts to use this resource. When you look at the endowment Imo has and you look at the human capital possibilities, you begin to shudder where we are and why we are where we are. It is obvious that there is a missing ingredient; the leadership skills set we have is deficient, which is why we have managed not to attain our full potential.

By the way, Imo is rated number 24 out of the 36 states in the Viability Index in Nigeria, and this index was computed using the IGR figures. Imo, at the last check, generates about N452 million every month as Internally Generated Revenue. If you do a peer review comparison with some of the South-Eastern states, that is a scandalous result to post. A state like Enugu generates well over N1.5 billion every month; Anambra does over N1.3 billion a month; Abia does over N1.2 billion; Ebonyi does over N980 million every month, and Imo is doing N450 million, and it gets worse.

If you measure the fiscal prudence or lack of it in Imo, Imo is a state that chalks up deficits every month. Our entire receipts every month on the average is about N3.2 billion. When you add up the FAAC, the IGR, the 13 percent oil derivation, our share of VAT, and all the receipts from different segments of income accruing to the state, you get an average of about N3.2 billion a month. Then you look at our expenditure base, Imo spends an average of about N2.05 billion every month on personnel cost, and about N2.5 billion on the average on overheads. If you do the math, it’s about N4.55 billion. So, we are constantly running a deficit. That means every month a hole is dug. You don’t need to

be a professor of economics to know that the only way to stay afloat in any economic venture is either you cut cost or you increase revenue. This is a situation where we are bleeding from all orifices, we are not plugging the holes and that is telling on all aspects of life. You also factor the fact that Imo has a huge debt overhang. A lot of money had been borrowed in the past. Borrowing money is not a bad thing, by the way, but when you borrow money, you take bonds, these are supposed to be veritable financing instruments that you can use to finance infrastructure and projects that can regenerate your income-earning capacity. What it means is you take debt, pump it into critical sectors that will create employment, rejig the local economy, increase your capacity to earn and improve IGR, and then to collect taxes. The economy is productive, production is taking place, your GDP is rising, and you are able to reticulate the gains within the local economy. That’s what debt instruments should be.

But in a situation where you take debt instruments and you plough them into white elephant projects, it doesn’t work. Somebody tells you that he is building 28 general hospitals, meanwhile there were general hospitals that were on ground before you came; those ones are sold, you want to replace them with new ones and billions of naira is spent and yet you cannot mention that Imo is a regional centre of excellence in healthcare. You look at road infrastructure, it’s almost nonexistent. Across all sectors it’s the same story. Education is in a shocking state.

Now back to the question, why did I throw my hat in the ring? I am convinced that I possess the skills set. I have worked in one of the best organised multinational institutions, a globally-rated financial institution, by the way. I graduated at the age of 20 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and I happened to be a product of the old graduate recruitment scheme that multinationals used to do in premier universities. So, from an early age I have been schooled in global best practices in management, in administration. I am an investment analyst, I am a management consultant. And it is that same skills set that I think we can bring to bear on governance. I look at my network in terms of being able to bring a unique value offering into the scheme of things. If you look at Imo in the last eight years or so, we haven’t had one investor of note coming into the state. What you see in Imo State is a rehash of hotels and strip clubs. But we have a potentially vibrant agricultural sector waiting to be discovered. We have an army of unemployed people and we say there are no jobs because we have not had people who have creativity, who understand what it means to create value and bring prosperity to the doors of our people. We need to translate potential to value. That’s where I think I can make a change.

That’s the paradigm shift an Okey Ezeh is seeking to introduce. That’s why I’m running for office.

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Politics Buhari not to be blame for the economic hardship but state governors - Asuquo Nyah Asuquo is Nigerian Ambassador to Uganda and former member representing Calabar Municipality/ Udukpani federal constituency. The former lawmaker rose to the defense of President Muhammadu Buhari over allegations by critics that the president hasn’t done enough to drive development to grassroots and urged Nigerians to hold state governments responsible for un-development which exists at the grassroots level, given the fact that the administration of Buhari has never failed in its responsibility of allocating money on monthly basis as revenue allocation to governors of states. He spoke to MIKE ABANG. Excerpts: Your party, the APC has been having a series of crisis in Cross River; what’s your reaction to this in view of the upcoming general election? y reaction is that it is unfortunate. It is unfortunate that there is a split and my duty as an elder is to reconcile the two factions. If you noticed, I did not attend any of the state congresses and why I did not attend any of the state congresses is that when two are fighting, there must be responsible elders to separate them, then reunite them for progress so that is what I am trying to do.

much projects particularly in the SouthSouth region. Do you believe he has the capacity to propel the nation forward?

I think charity should begin at home. I think the question should be what our state has been able to do to make sure that people who are in Cross River State are gainfully employed. It is not Buhari that is controlling the resources of local government; it is not Buhari that is controlling the resources of the states. Every state government is Allocation every month and other states are using their allocation to Develop their states. In Cross Rive State, what we hear is super highway and the Bakassi deep seaport which are nonexistent. All the other things you hear are propaganda. By December, they will come and show us the new power bike they have bought from Europe, so charity must start at home. Buhari cannot come and develop my village. He does general politics for the whole country for the states/ local governments to tap from it and make development available to people.

But if the state is only waiting to show us new power bikes in December, then the condition will be as it is.

M

Recently, there was a parallel congresses held at the premises of the UCTH; have you made overture to the two factions to re-unite them?

Well, I am talking to the leaders of the two groups currently. So far, as of today, there is progress. I think those factions are ready to come together and settle their differences. You see, why it should be so is that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers and we do not want the grass to suffer. We want Cross River State to be governed by a responsive and responsible leadership and I think it is only APC that can give us that kind of leadership which will be able to align with what the president is doing in Nigeria and all what he has done for the Cross River State people.

Nigeria recently marked its 19th anniversary, what’s your assessment of the level of growth of our current democratic dispensation?

We are 19 years of democracy now. Democracy does not evolve and become ultimate overnight. We are making progress. Today, the president has signed the ‘NotTooYoungToRun’ bill, so he is going to open up so many opportunities for so many young people to come to the political scene and push the banner forward. That is a very nice political development the President has given to all the youth in Nigeria.

Sir, are you aware that in Cross River State, people are saying that the APC was supposed to put its house in order?

People believe that what is going on within the APC in Cross River State is a threat to democracy. Do you think so?

No, I’ve told you that in every democratic process, there are always contending forces; it shows the dynamism in the APC. Look at it the other way, if the party did not have the hope of winning the state as a whole so many people will not come in and be fighting for position in the party. It

Nyah Asuquo

is the vibrancy of the APC as a party that has made people struggle for position.

Look at it, four years ago, when some of us were fighting on the platform of the APC, people were not around and we were even looking for candidates to fill but now the struggle for position is so much and it shows the vibrancy of the APC. Like I say, we have passed that stage of reconciliation and re-strategising for victory. What I am saying is that if a party is not dynamic, a party does not have hope and the possibility of winning, will you see people fighting

It is the state that has to complement what the federal government is doing; if the state is dead and have no water to drink, how will you have water to feed your farm

for position? So that fact that people are fighting so seriously for position shows how vibrant the APC is.

The former Taraba State Governor, Jolly Nyame has just been jailed for financial impropriety; critics of the government feel it is engaging in selective prosecution; what’s your take on this?

What is selective punishment there?

Those who have been in government for the past 14-19 years have been PDP people and in the history of Nigeria this is the first time that a prominent man has been able to be prosecuted by the court of law. In fact, his prosecution has lasted for so many years. Think of when he left government and a competent court of law in Nigeria, not APC or Buhari, after looking at all what was presented the court convicted him. So that’s not selective. The case has been on and on. You know that in Nigeria, it will be adjourned a number of times and the defense will be shifting date. This is the first time and it shows that the anti-corruption war is working. For the first time, a prominent Nigerian, a former governor has been convicted so let’s leave sentiments on that.

People feel there is too much hunger in the land and that Buhari has not done

The Buhari administration has spent three years in office, what do you think are his major strides?

That has been documented about a week ago in a very lengthy document and it will take a whole day for me to list them out. Go and get that document published

by Lai Mohammed and see things for yourself.

A number of the government’s projects like the Lagos-Calabar rail has not taken off after three years; do you believe the APC government at the federal level is sincere enough to execute these projects?

I have just read a few days ago that a United States company has agreed to build the railway up to Calabar. It was well documented in the dailies.

As a Cross Riverians, what are the major things we should look up to in the next generation?

I think he should continue the way he is going to make sure they are done. What I am saying is that we are asking after Buhari but we are in Cross River State. It is the state that has to complement what the federal government is doing. If the state is dead and have no water to drink, how will you have water to feed your farm?

The state has to do its best. Go to Basin authority and you will see what they are trying to do for the people of the state.

That is federal government.

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Politics Nigeria is getting worse under APC government - Kusamotu Ayo Kusamotu, a youth leader and former aspirant to the House of Representatives, was a member of the Presidential Task Force that drafted the intellectual property legislation in Nigeria under the then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. In this exclusive interview with Iniobong Iwok, the former adviser to ECOWAS says the recently signed ‘Not Too Young To Run’ law will not make the much-desired impact without a holistic review of the political system in he country. He also speaks on other national issues. Excerpts:

I

What is your view about the Not Too Young To Run law? t is a good step forward. Government should make more investment in the people and other essentials like education, health and infrastructure.

The other day I travelled outside Lagos State, and I saw a brand new aircraft belonging to the government and I thought to myself, the money used in procuring the aircraft could be used to build a standard hospital in Nigeria. This government is demanding more tax from businesses and individuals, but we also know that every Nigerian is his own government; you provide your own water, security, electricity and so on. What businesses and individuals need is encouragement, support and a break. We need to improve the relationship between government and the citizens. Government should know that they are serving the country; they should provide the enabling business environment. The World Bank does not know what is happening here. We don’t have a welfare system and Nigerians internally support themselves – doing what government refuses to do for the people.

You contested for the House of Representatives at a young age; based on your experience, do you think the ‘Not Too Young To Run Act’ will make the needed impact?

Politics in Nigeria is about cash, if you cross that age hurdle you still have to cross the cash hurdle. It is also like that in several parts of the world. Politics is expensive and people need to finance you. The Act is not enough to make the needed impact, though it is welcome. We need other reforms within the parties and political system which deemphasize money politics.

Are you still in the APC? Yes. I am still in the party, but there is a pending case at the Supreme Court between me and them. I had paid the requisite sum of N2 million for the nomination form and N200,000 for the expression of interest form for the House of Representatives position in Boripe, Odo- Otin, Ifelodun Federal Constituency in 2014, but the primary never held. However, the party went ahead to present the name of another person who did not procure any form. When we got to the point of screening, they asked us to swear an oath that we have been given nomination form and I told them no, this is a lie, that I am a lawyer and will not lie on oath.

Did you complain to the leadership of the party?

When this happened, I wrote to the National Chairman of the Party and did not get any response. So I went to court and filed a pre-election matter. What happened is a dangerous trend for our democracy; I think it is unfair and undemocratic when you say people should join your party and the process is not fair and democratic. The people doing this are ordinary people who think they can just violate the constitution of the party. I wrote to the state chairman, I followed the constitutional provision of the party and later they said I was not even a member of the party and I said it was a lie,

orders. Most of the people taken to court are opposition members, we are not saying government should not prosecute, but it should be fair to everyone. It is necessary to bring some sanity into the system.

What do you think about the unfolding Saraki/police issue?

It is rather unfortunate that things have gotten to this level. It is a paradox that the Inspector-General of Police who does not show respect to the Senate is now conducting a media trial of the Senate President through the Police Force. The Inspector-General of Police even went to court to seek judicial review of a Senate resolution against him. If I remember, I don’t think you can challenge the actions of the Senate through judicial review. I don’t think the allegations against the Senate President can survive in court and linking the office of the Senate President to robbery makes a mockery of the investigative prowess of the Nigerian Police Force. The government seems obsessed with Bukola Saraki.

Kusamotu

I expected them to take me to court, but they did not.

But the APC has several processes for addressing this kind of issue, doesn’t it?

I tried to contact the people within the party and I also followed the laid down procedure of the constitution of the party. As a policy, I don’t like to bother people because I think they have their own problems.

Are you still thinking of contesting again, maybe in Lagos?

I am from Osun State, so Lagos State is out of the question. If you look at what is happening in the APC now, they are having parallel congresses in several states, nothing has changed within the party. I am still in court and there are many ways of serving the country. I believe one can still make meaningful impact on the lives of the people even outside of government. I am not happy with the kind of political party system we currently have: political parties are people who come together, who want to make a change and have similar beliefs, in a situation where your ideologies are different, then you should not be there.

You should not also be where people don’t want you. I have been consistent in my life; I started with AD, that was when they were just starting and they did not even have benches to hold meetings. We bought benches for them. When they gained power, they did not recognise people like me who stood by them. I don’t like this idea of subservience. God-fatherism is a custom here, I think at my age no one can direct where I go. What is happening is that you have to be subservient, ‘someone’s boy before you win or are given a ticket in the party. God fatherism is bad. I know where I should go or those behind me should go.

But there are several parties now and you can defect to any of them?

I don’t think I have to be in power to make

a change. I am a lawyer and very busy. Look at the PDP and APC, there is no difference.

The APC promised change, but what Nigerians are getting is still the same; I am not thinking of defecting to any other party, the two of them are the same. The parties are doing the same thing; why would anyone join a party that is not offering anything new. I would not join the PDP; I would be spending more time in my legal profession and finding my exit from politics.

But what is your assessment of the APC administration so far?

Things are getting worse in the country.

It is not surprising though. It is becoming clearer to Nigerians that what these people are doing is not right; when they were not in power they were accusing the PDP. What is your view about the anti-graft war?

Some people are been tried, but the government refuses to honour and obey court

I think in a democracy he can aspire, but the General Muhammadu Buhari that came in 2015 is not the same President Muhammadu Buhari going for second term

But they threatened to impeach Buhari?

I feel that these people need to get down to the business of governance. The President has a few months left, the time is short for him. It takes a lot to impeach a President. I think they just want to be heard and show their displeasure. Nigerians deserve more and we should move away from this game.

What is your view about the agitation for restructuring of the country?

I am in total support of restructuring of the country and there is no doubt about it, we need to start making noise about it, it does not mean Nigeria would break up; the Nigerian government needs to realise that there are several issues contending with the development of the country and restructuring is necessary.

Can INEC as presently constituted conduct credible elections in 2019?

On the presidential election, I doubt whether INEC would be able to conduct free, credible and fair elections but perhaps on the other elections. It is a human problem.

What is your view on Buhari’s second term aspiration?

I think in a democracy he can aspire, but the General Muhammadu Buhari that came in 2015 is not the same President Muhammadu Buhari going for second term. Look at the killings in the country, he is not doing anything about it. There is a sharp ethnic division in the country now than ever before. I am disappointed in the way he has handled the killings; he has not done enough, all over the country the killings are going on. The recent conferment of GCFR on late Chief Moshood Abiola and other notable heroes in our democracy is welcome but it is not altruistic. It is self-serving by the government, in order to curry the votes of the South West. It is too rudimentary and will not work at the eleventh hour to the elections. If they need votes from Nigerians, they should face governance and restructure the country.

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Politics Ekiti guber race: It’s fight to finish INIOBONG IWOK

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ome July 14, Ekiti State citizens will go to the polls to elect a governor who will steer the ship of the state for the next four years.

As the election date approaches, the contenders are being set apart from the pretenders as the leading candidates of the major political parties crisscross the nook and cranny of the state selling their candidature and making electoral promises. Who are these candidates and what are their chances of emerging victorious in the election?

Bode Olowoporoku, Nigeria Democratic Congress Party Olowoporoku is a former Senator who represented the Ekiti South Senatorial District between 2003 and 2007 in the upper chamber and was also the chairman of Senate Committee on Agriculture.

Olowoporoku emerged the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP) for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State, defeating Kunle Oluwalana in the primary election of the party conducted in Ado-Ekiti. The ex-senator polled 25 votes to beat Oluwalana who received five votes.

He had earlier contested for the ticket of the Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) abandoning the party after alleging irregularities and defected to the NDCP. Speaking recently in Ekiti, the former senator said he intended embarking on a commercial farming initiative which would generate thousands of jobs, create cottage industries and generate revenue into government coffers.

These, according to him, are better ways to tackle hunger than “the three or four cups of rice given to people by Governor Ayo Fayose once in four years”.

“What has he been using to win? Two or three cups of rice, but now I will be giving them 100 bags of rice, every ward, every month.

“Even if you are taking it from the central purse in seven years, it is not up to what Fayose spent on his useless flyover to nowhere.

“And this is the money you can get from the security vote and you use the money to feed the people because the

Bode Olowoporoku

state belongs to them,” he said.

Not many Nigerians expect the old politician to still be in the governorship race or even in active politics up till now, having been in the political scene since the second republic.

He may be popular in the state, being one the leaders who fought for the creation of Ekiti State during the Abacha era.

However, Olowokoroku is contesting under a political party which is relatively new and lacks grassroots structure in the state to challenge the ruling PDP and APC in the gubernatorial election and this might work against him.

Kayode Fayemi, All Progressives Congress Fayemi, is the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He is the immediate past minister of Solid Mineral Development, and a former governor of Ekiti state between 2010 -2014.

He emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC in bitter primaries which were conducted twice after some of the aspirants accused the APC chieftains of attempting to manipulate the initial primaries.

Fayemi attended Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti, and his got his first degree and master’s degree from the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University in History, Politics and International Relations. He further obtained a doctorate in war studies from the prestigious King’s College, University of London, England.

He served as the director of the Centre for Democracy and Development. Prior to that, he had worked as journalist, lecturer, researcher and strategy development adviser in Nigeria and the United Nations.

Fayemi ran for the governorship in Ekiti State on the platform of the Action Congress Party, (ACN) and after three years of legal battle, he won in the Appeal Court sitting in Kwara State, which declared him the duly elected. His campaign marked the end of Segun Oni’s administration as the governor of the state.

However, Fayemi’s four-year administration in Ekiti State was marred by unpopular policies; he was accused of being detached from the populace and running and elitist administration. He subsequently lost the 2015 governorship election in the state to incumbent governor Ayodele Fayose.

Fayemi is seen as the main challenger to the candidate of the PDP, being a former governor of the state for one term.

But some political observers are of the view that in spite of his strong federal support and sound financial base, Fayemi would likely lose the election.

There have also been concerns about his style of politics, which is aloof. He is not a grassroots politician, and has failed to adopt a style of politics that would endear him to the masses.

Campaigning recently in Ekiti, the former minster urged the people to reject the PDP, adding that the party had failed them.

“Workers are owed months of salaries

Kayode Fayemi

yet the children of these workers are being asked to pay tax. That is unheard of in any party of the country. So when they talk of continuity, the question that should be asked is continuity of what?

Reject them and their agenda and say no to continuity of poverty and poor infrastructure, non-payment of salaries and government of deceit,” he said.

Segun Adewale, Action Democratic Party Segun Adewale, popularly as “Aeroland”, was born May 15, 1966. He is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Adewale is the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the election, until he recently decided to contest the gubernatorial election in Ekiti state; he was a popular grassroots politician under the main opposition PDP in Lagos State,

Fayemi is seen as the main challenger to the candidate of the PDP, being a former governor of the state for one term. But some political observers are of the view that in spite of his strong federal support and sound financial base, Fayemi would likely lose the election

where he was the Lagos West senatorial candidate of the party in the 2015 senatorial election.

A native of Ipoti Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Adewale had his primary education at the Seventh Day Adventist School, Abule Oja in Lagos, between 1972 and 1978.

Segun Adewale attended the University of Ibadan between 1986 and 1990 where he bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography. He proceeded to obtain his Master’s Degree Certificate in Public Administration at the Lagos state University in 1995.

He also obtained a Certificate in Airline Management and Operations in 2012 and got a requisite Certificate in Flight Operations from the Institute of Flight Operations and Dispatcher (IFOD), Texas, USA in 2013.

However, Adewale’s ADP has over the months gained wide popularity in Ekiti.

He has had a vigorous campaign, touring several of the local government areas.

Having built his political structure in Lagos over the years, Adewale may not have strong political structure in Ekiti to challenge the ruling party and reclaim the state form the PDP. His sojourn in the governorship race may just be to build his political base in the state, gain more popularity and acceptance ahead of future elections.

Also the ADP is a relatively new party with little structure in the state to pose a challenge to the major parties.

Akinloye Ayegbusi, Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has chosen Akinloye Ayegbusi as its candidate in the July 14 elections. He emerged

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Politics in a primary election which was contested by three other candidates.

Ayegbusi, a banker by profession, polled 16,921 to defeat his closest rival, Dare Bejide, who polled 14,783.

Tunde Adeniran, a professor and former chairmanship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, was accused of compromising the election in favour of the winner of the poll.

Ayegbusi recently chose Mary Yemisi Adefolalu, an account and a career public administrator, as his running mate. Adefolalu, who hails from Ilawe-Ekiti in the southern senatorial district of the state, is a grassroots and retired civil servant, who has spent most of her time contributing to the socio-economic development of mankind.

Ayegbusi has denied reports that he is being sponsored by outgoing Governor Ayodele Fayose. Currently on campaign tour of the 16 local government areas and 177 wards in the state, he said that such allegation was the handiwork of the opposition who were jittery by his rising profile. He described the purported sponsorship by the governor as ‘a personal insult’ not only to him as a person, but to the generality of the Ekiti people who earnestly yearn for genuine change.

In a statement by the Director-General, Akinloye Ayegbusi Campaign Organisation, Yemi Akinbode, the governorship candidate said that the APC and PDP represent darkness while the SDP represents light.

“How can light and darkness work together? The mandate of Ayegbusi is divine. This is why he defeated the political heavyweights who squared up with him in the primary election,” he said.

Speaking further, the banker-turnedpolitician said his vision and agenda for the state surpasses the ones currently expressed by the ruling government and it will be absurd to operate under a shadow that is inferior to his aspiration.

“Our political agenda is explicit, while our vision for the state is superior to the failed governments of APC and PDP

We are no more interested in accommodating unnecessary interlopers; people that want to take us through another round of economic slavery that have been ruling the state since 1999. The people are about to witness the dawn of a new era under the SDP government,” he said.

Ayegbusi may just be in the governorship race to gain political relevance and negotiate for other positions. Political observers in the state are of the opinion that he lacks the political structure to defeat the incumbent PDP candidate in the election. He is not seen as an experienced politician, while the SDP lacks a strong footing and structure in Ekiti state to defeat the ruling PDP in the state.

Segun Adewale

Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola, People’s Democratic Party Kolapo Olubunmi Olushola is the current Deputy Governor of Ekiti state and the candidate of the PDP. Olushola is the anointed candidate of incumbent governor Ayodele Fayose, who is bent on having him as his successor.

The governor had set up machinery towards his emergence as the candidate of the party several months back. Olushola subsequently emerged as the candidate

Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola

Akinloye Ayegbusi

of the PDP after a bitter primaries, which led to the defection of a major chieftain of the party and former national publicity secretary of the party, Dayo Adeyeye, to the ruling APC. Olushola said after emerging the candidate of the party, that the PDP would reclaim the state, adding that no amount of intimidation or money can win the state for the APC. “I want to assure our national leaders that, Ekiti state is for PDP. All the other parties are just shouting. Let them bring money, let them bring violence, Ekiti people will resist them.

“We are no more interested in accommodating unnecessary interlopers.

People want to take us through another round of economic slavery. We are no more ready for that.

“I am ready and prepared to take up

this challenge as the incoming governor of Ekiti state on the platform of the PDP. “There is a big difference between PDP and the other parties. We are a party that has totally eliminated imposition and impunity,” Olushola said.

It is, however, important to note that the PDP seems to have gained wide support and followership in Ekiti since Fayose assumed office in 2014, due to his people-centric policies, including the so-called ‘stomach infrastructure’.

Fayose will play a key role in the election, having ruled the state for the second time. He seems to have built large grassroots support. His influence will go a long way in determining the outcome of the election.

Olushola is probably the candidate to beat and is the most likely candidate to win the gubernatorial election.

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Politics Eradiri: My desire is to offer all-inclusive representation to my constituency Udengs Eradiri is the immediate past president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide. An engineer by training, Udengs used his position as president of the foremost Ijaw youth body to address a number of challenges militating against youths in the Niger Delta region. Now preparing to contest the candidature of the People’s Democratic Party for the Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency which he lost in 2011 under the Labour Party, he speaks to Samuel Ese on his ambition, leadership issues in the region and nation at large and concerns for the 2019 general elections.

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You are not new to politics, what has been your experience so far? irst of all, I started from school, National Union of Bayelsa State Students, I became president of Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association, I was in the student union parliament, I came out and became secretary of the Ijaw Youth Council. From there I contested House of Representatives, I didn’t make it and then came to become Ijaw youth president.

I participated, fully, in the last elections, in terms of campaigns and negotiations around the country. Even though we lost to Buhari, as IYC president, I negotiated with his government. I negotiated with Obasanjo government as a young activist. As secretary general, I was part of the Yar’Adua government amnesty programme negotiations and then managed the amnesty programme with the Goodluck government. And then, so far so good, ai have been very active on the part of the union and government, mediating in the middle most cases and working with the political leadership to stabilize the Niger Delta. So, I am not new to politics. Today, I am contesting to represent Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State.

Since you have contested election before, did you identify your shortcomings, why you failed to make it the last time?

Well, I went to the general elections. In fact, I left the PDP when it was obvious that the government had already stereotyped a candidate as against allowing us to contest. I now even had to ask the governor to hands off and allow us to contest, he said no, the party belonged to them. So, I left them and went to Labour Party and won in the primaries. It was option A4. I went to the national elections, went through the process, won the sitting candidate who was Kolokuma, I won even in his local government, came to Yenagoa, there was a lot of abracadabra.

They brought soldiers, beat up the INEC people, forced them to announce results.

I went to court, Olujimi SAN, former Attorney-General of the Federation, was my lawyer in that case. I brought forensic experts from the US, did forensics on the materials, and I was beaten by 5,000 votes. But they delayed the matter; they first of all struck it out in the lower court.

I went on appeal and won, and then they started delaying the case till after 180 days. You’ll go to court, one judge would come, one would not come, so they couldn’t form a quorum. Sometimes, only one judge would come, they would say it was security reasons. The judges just frustrated the case deliberately. And that was how the time was ticking and when it got to 180 days, they said all cases after 180 days by the constitution would collapse, and that was how we lost the office.

Otherwise, we would have gotten them

Udengs Eradiri

out of the office. They tried to negotiate and I refused. So, I have actually gone through very difficult situations. Blackmail became more, all kinds of stories like I didn’t go to secondary school, I didn’t go to university, I had no certificate – there’s nothing I didn’t see. But, I overcame all the hurdles. They went to INEC to remove my name, I went there and put my name back. It was a battle. I doubt if there is any politician in Bayelsa State who has gone through what I went through and still got to the end. So, I thank God. It was an experience that one had gathered and probably I was not mature enough at that time.

I was very young, very energetic mindset; obviously, you get to be mature to get to the House of Representatives or National Assembly. The things I know now, I know that now I will be a better representative than that time if I had gone because I was still a youth and was seeing things more on the other side. But, having lost that it gave me an opportunity to work closely

I am a man who believes that when you wake up in the morning and you plan that by two o’clock you will be in so and so place and I get to that place by two o’clock without obstacles

with political leaders, the Presidency and then I started seeing the intrigues and hurdles you needed to cross to get bills or get your opinion across board. The National Assembly is a very divided environment based on ethnicity, religion and those things okay a major role. But you can always get your way if you know how to meander around the people. Ours has to do with building relationships beyond being just a member of the House of Representatives. I live in Abuja as well as in Bayelsa, so over the years I have been able to make friends, alliances that ai think will go a long way to making the job easier for me. I am not a green horn in Abuja which is one of the biggest problems confronting those from the Niger Delta people who have never been to Abuja before. If they have, they don’t know their way here, and so when they come, the first year they want to settle down, the second year they want to drive a car and before you know it, by the time they are looking for friends to make that will actually be able to impact on their constituencies, third year is over.

But, in my own case, I have been in Abuja since 2010. I know my way around, I can navigate. I know people in high places and so, I’ll be starting work from the day one. I won’t have issues of where to stay, who to meet, who to talk to and all that.

So, I think that I am more mature now to deal with the challenges as it concerns the Niger Delta and my constituency because in Abuja here, it’s not all about your constituency alone. As a rep from the Niger Delta, you must oversight issues that also concern the entire region for the good of the Niger Delta. We have suffered so much and most of the solutions hinge on political solutions to solving the Niger Delta question.

You were president of IYC Worldwide, and while you were president, you made both friends and enemies. Do you think that this will have any negative impact on your ambition?

No, I am not afraid of challenges. I am a man who believes that when you wake up in the morning and you plan that by two o’clock you will be in so and so place and I get to that place by two o’clock without obstacles. In most of the obstacles and your ability to overcome those obstacles and still make your journey on time, they all make you the real man. So, I am not expecting a smooth sail. No! I have worked for PDP, I have supported this party locally, nationally, internationally as well. I know movements that I have made between wards and all that. So, now is time for me to chop; they call it workshop, it’s time for me to chop and they say no and I begin to hear a lot of stories - primary, they will do this, they will do that. I begin to wonder what sort of people are these?

If you have worked for a system, it is only expected that the system supports you.

So, these are issues that are arising and I am not afraid to confront them. Some people say, no go to another party. No! You can’t work somewhere and another people would come and eat. No! I have supported the party, I am from the SouthSouth, we have stood firmly and this is the time when all of us should be rewarded.

But, things don’t happen that easy. If you imagine Jesus Christ with 12 disciples, as holy as they were, every morning they were praying, afternoon before they ate, they prayed and night before bed they prayed. Yet, one was nursing the ambition to sell Jesus Christ for money. So, you can imagine the situation I will be finding myself. The Ijaw Youth Council itself had also said that our past leaders created most of the problems we are facing today.

They forgot that in the world if you want to achieve anything, you must build political network because those networks are what would help you to solve some of these problems. But, when they were agitating, the opportunities that arose, it was the Alamieyeseighas that became governors. So, why didn’t they, the Felix Tuodolos, the Asaris, why didn’t they push to be the ones that would be in leadership today? So, for me, you will be seeing these same people coming up to say, no, why should he be there when in the region, we should all be in the same boat? Because when I get there, I will be able to support or stand as a ladder for others. But, you will expecting a lot of criticisms, a lot of battles, but I am not afraid.

Before you came out with the intention to contest the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/ Opokuma Federal Constituency, did you get the nod of the bigwigs of the party?

First of all, I don’t need a nod from anybody to aspire to solve the problems within my

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Politics region. If I wait for a nod, nobody will give me a nod. As you are there, nobody would see an opportunity and call you. It won’t happen. You must strive. Having looked at the issues, I have told you that I have come to the conclusion that the problem of our Niger Delta is governance. Until we get the right people into leadership, we can’t solve the problems. In fact, I have said that we should even stop blaming Abuja. Our biggest problem is within us. Who are our Assembly members? What kind of laws are they making? Look at Lagos State, Kaduna, other states, their lawmakers are making laws taking advantage of the lopsided federalism we are practicing.

They are making laws just for the good of their people. That is why Lagos State can up with their own Lagos Waterways Authority when there is NIWA. Lagos can come up with Land Use Act when it is supposed to be on the exclusive list. Kaduna can be mining gold, the government can bring the Chinese and be mining gold when it is supposed to be on the exclusive list. Niger State can begin to set up an exploration company to find oil when it’s supposed to be on the exclusive list. But, when it gets to our South, we’ll be defensive to say no, you know say those things are exclusive, federal government thing.

Yet, other states are taking advantage of the federalism. So, for me, I don’t need to go and consult an oracle. I would rather come and say, look, this is what I have decided to do and I think that you should support me; and convince you to support me – because part of our problem is we go and pick people to represent us when they are not ready. And that has been the trend.

That status quo must change. People must look at a man who wakes up to say I want to lead. Why do you want to lead?

So, what is the greatest drive propelling you to represent your people?

Well, clearly, we lack leadership. Just look around the Niger Delta. We have made a lot of progress as a result of our agitation, but we have destroyed it because of leadership, focused leadership. And so, for me, I think that my people have been misrepresented, under represented; my constituency as well as the Niger Delta because whatever is happening in Ijaw land today or Bayelsa, if you look at it, if you expand it, you will discover that it is the same thing that is going on. And largely, it is our fault because people just sit down and somebody says, you, go and represent us when in the real sense, the man doesn’t even understand what you are saying. Some say, oh you have been so loyal or you carry ballot box run for me, you are the one that will go next time.

No! We must assess people and this is the reason why I disagree with the Not Too Young To Run Law. In Not Too Young To Run Law, you are boxing people within an age limit to say you must go or within this age you can aspire whereas assessment, quality should be the issues. And that is why I frown at the president. He should strengthen the democracy itself because a good democratic system will be able to decipher between a good and bad leader.

So, you can have somebody at 30 and he may disgrace your leadership, and you can have somebody at 95 and he will deliver those ingredients that are required for quality leadership. So, what we should be talking about is not too young to perform because in the real sense, Nigeria has over 75 percent of young people both in elective and appointive positions, and in

most cases, they are a disgrace to their age group: because, in any case, when you say young people in Nigeria, because of the bastardised educational system, you can hardly find between 18 and 25 years which is the United Nations standard for a young person. You can hardly find a well-polished young person, I am not saying you will not, but very difficult because 18 to 25, you must come out of school, you must work somewhere that will be the basis for assessing you. It will be that experience that you will now bring to say, let me come and contest an election and see what I can do to this leadership. But by that time, you are above 35 and in Nigeria, a young person is between 35 and 50 years. So, if you look within that range for a young person. For IYC, they say it is 45.

Even when I was pushing to reduce it to 40, I lost that debate in the review process and the people insisted that it should be 45. So, a young people in the Niger Delta is 45. But, what is the quality of the young people that we have today? I think that is where we should concern ourselves. And for a president of the country, he must begin to look at strengthening democracy itself so that when we have a strong democracy, the people will understand that their votes will count, then a debate must hold for people to be assessed based on what they have done at home and what they have done in business.

Going by what you just said, what kind of representation are you going to give your people?

An all-inclusive representation. You see, when you study the way Nigerian representation is going, it’s now as if you are an ad hoc executive. The business of lawmaking is being eroded gradually. But, I think that if I get there, I will push for laws that are people-oriented.

And how am I going to do that? In every three months, I will run town-hall meetings to look at the peculiar problems; because we can be talking now, but by the time we get to that time, the issues are dynamic. The problems that affect our people are dynamic. What we may not be seeing today may arise in the next few months and will require federal attention and those are the areas that I will be coming in because I will be organising, every three months, town hall meetings.

In fact, I said I was going to Abuja with 10

persons, five from Kolokuma/Opokuma and five from YELGA so that I will have that direct relationship. Then I will be setting up liaison offices in KOLGA and then in YELGA so we’ll have 20 persons.

Five-five on the ground running those offices and another five-five with me in Abuja and then those constant town hall meetings to look at the issues that we can push. Today, we’ve been talking about a good rep is not how many laws or how far you can talk in the house, but how many projects you can drag to your constituency for the good of your people. Somebody like Ekweremadu, how many times does he talk in the Senate? But Ekweremadu has more than a thousand projects in the budget every year that he sends to his people, and makes sure his people are engaged and their problems are solved. Those are the kind of things that I would be doing.

But, above all, there are certain laws, environmental laws that have created so much problems for our people. Those issues would be looked at and we will seek expert advice, and then we would push to ensure that those laws are abrogated or some fresh ones are made to checkmate the activities of oil majors in the Niger Delta in order for our environment to be properly taken care of other than this nonsense that is going on. If you talk about this illegal bunkering that is going on, one of the biggest things that I want

If you are announcing June 12, what steps are you now taking to ensure that going forward, Nigeria now gets an election that will be far better, that will be far adjudged better than the June 12 that you are coming to recognise or to hinge upon today

to do is to see how I can reach out to the Northerners since already the Federal Government has put all those illegal miners in the North into cooperatives, and they are working with them to save the environment and create wealth for the country. As IYC president, I met the then Minister for Mines and Steel and also the Vice President during the peace process we managed when Avengers were ravaging and we agreed that since the Northerners are in cooperatives, the Southern miners who are running these illegal refineries that are destroying the environment to also be put into cooperatives because you can’t have in one country different rules for different people. And, the Vice President agreed and made certain statements, but unfortunately, we have not moved beyond those rhetorics and promises that were made. But, as a lawmaker, I will be in a better position to bring these things to the fore because you cannot criminalise the Southern miners and then organise the ones in the North within the same rules of engagement.

What are your thoughts on the forthcoming general elections?

The president just announced June 12 as Democracy Day, which is commendable. He has closed the chapter of June 12 which has been like a thorny issue in the flesh of Nigerians. But, my question is, the president is diametrically opposite to the June 12 itself in his conduct.

He is not a democrat by conduct. So, the announcement is not showing that it is something coming from his heart because first of all you abused the Rule of Law which is the very ingredient of democracy. So, going forward, if you are announcing June 12, what steps are you now taking to ensure that going forward, Nigeria now gets an election that will be far better, that will be far adjudged better than the June 12 that you are coming to recognise or to hinge upon today? He has gotten a lot of accolades, but what kind of election are we going to where he is contesting an election and the chairman of INEC is from the same area as the president? It is very clear that in the election even if the man comes out clean, people will say he was biased because he comes from the same place as the president which by convention has never been in the past.

So, the president must correct it in the true spirit of a democrat if he believes in the June 12 that he has just announced because some of believe that it is just to romance the political ego of the West.

But, if he must strengthen democracy, the electoral umpire and the institution is already tilted towards delivering one candidate. It is already tilted towards partisanship. So, the president, if he means well, must review the electoral process to ensure that he delivers a free and fair election. That is the only way we can say we have made progress even by the June 12 that was announced. But, so far so good, with the kind of card reader, the processes they have put in, we who are going to participate will also make sure that we shine our eyes, read the laws properly and we will ensure that the processes follow the said rules that have been laid out. And, if you do that and conscientise the people, in most cases, it is difficult to change the outcome especially when results must be announced at the polling units.

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Politics APC will remain stronger after national convention – Abiru

Otunba Olusegun Abiru was the Clerk of Lagos State House of Assembly and is now Chairman Ikorodu Oga Development Association. Abiru, who is aspiring to represent Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, in this interview with Augustine Adah, speaks on his ambition and other national issues. Excerpts: You are aspiring to represent Lagos East Senatorial Zone in the 2019 general elections, what informed your decision to vie for the position at this time? hank you very much. Some people are wondering why the decision to contest for senatorial position, but I want to say that my choice of the senate is deliberate. It has been my plan to join politics after retirement from the state civil service since we are not allowed to participate in politics while in service and also the upper chamber of the National Assembly has been my choice. Moreover, I have been following the politics of Lagos State, especially the Lagos East and I felt that this time around, I should inject some action. That is not to say that people who have been there have not done their best, but I believe I can bring in fresh ideas that would help move the zone forward. That is why I am offering myself to serve the people. Again, I am not new to legislative activities having served as the clerk of most vibrant House of Assembly, not only in Nigeria but perhaps in Africa. That is to say that I know what I am doing, I know what I want and have the capacity and the intelligence for that position. When you are talking about legislative responsibility, primarily, it is a place where laws are made, I know that there are so many laws that need tinkering in order to serve our people properly and I believe with my experience in the state House of Assembly, I will contribute my quota to legislative responsibilities in that regard.

which is common in any democratic dispensation. Don’t forget, democracy is all about the ability of people to air their views and that is what has been happening. But I can assure you that the national convention would hold and whatever may be the decision at that convention would be binding.

APC is a party governed by rule of law, what we have been doing has been according to the constitution of the party and that of the country. You could recall that when some people were discussing about tenure elongation for the present executives, the party vehemently opposed the idea and insisted that fresh election must be conducted. We have started it and I am sure we would conclude it. APC would come out stronger and mightier.

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The action of President Muhammadu Buhari in declaring June 12 as Democracy Day to honour late MKO Abiola, the assumed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential elections has attracted a lot of controversies. What is your take on the matter?

First and foremost, let us commend President Buhari for doing what people had long waited for. This is the honour that was supposed to be given to the duo of MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe on the June 12 saga, but nobody thought about it. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo believed May 29, the handover date from the military to civilian, should be the ideal date for Democracy Day. However, many people were not happy that May 29 date was chosen instead of June 12, especially those of us from the southwest.

We believe that the democracy we are all enjoying the dividends of today came as a result of the efforts and sacrifice of Abiola.

What Buhari has done is to right the wrong and that is why everybody is applauding the declaration. It is what most Nigerians expected the former Presidents especially Obasanjo to have done, but he did not deem it important to do that. It is true that a lot of people have been commenting on the bold step, especially as it concerns the

Otunba Olusegun

legal aspect of the declaration because we should not do anything against the constitution. But what appeals to me and other Nigerians most, is that Abiola and Gani Fawehinmi were given a deserved honour. I heard that Justice Belgore and Femi Falana were giving different legal interpretations to the declaration. I know there is nothing wrong in doing that but what is paramount is that the recognition was done in good faith. I want to appeal that all other things that are needed to fine-tune the recognition should be done by members of the National Assembly or the organisation responsible for doing that.

I must stress here that President Buhari has done what many Nigerians have been yearning for and that is what governance is all about. You listen to the people and attend to their yearning, which is what we call democracy. I am sure that those who are talking about the legality of the honour are not saying that Abiola did not deserve it, they are only pointing at the legal implication which cannot be wished away because we are governed by the country’s constitution and we must abide by that. So far, the President has warmed himself into the hearts of many Nigerians and I say kudos to him. I pray he would continue to right the wrong which the people have been desirous of.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) which you are a member of would in few days time conduct a national conven-

tion. But there are fears that the exercise may polarise the party further and jeopardize its chances in 2019 general elections. Are you not afraid too?

That is a mere figment of imagination.

There is no way when you have like four to five people doing something, that you would not have misunderstanding among them. If you look at the caliber of people we have in the APC, you would discover that there are men of integrity who have the capacity to douse tension at anytime. I am not envisaging any problem but there may be minor uproar,

My brother, Senator Ashafa, has not done anything wrong against me or the people of the zone which I intend to represent; I believe it is time for people like us to come out and show our qualities to the people

Don’t you think the decision of Senator Gbenga Ashafa to re-contest the senatorial position would affect your ambition to represent the same senatorial zone?

The law allows as many people as possible to contest. Who would emerge victorious at the end of the day would be determined by the people. My brother, Senator Ashafa, has not done anything wrong against me or the people of the zone which I intend to represent. I believe it is time for people like us to come out and show our qualities to the people. I can tell you that he has done his best for the people but I feel I have my own quota to contribute to the progress of the zone.

But I must emphasise that it is not a do-or-die affair. I cannot see myself offering myself to serve the people and be hell-bent that I must be there. I don’t play politics that way. I play politics that is progressives, politics without bitterness. I play politics that is collective. If my people who said I should come out to contest decide otherwise tomorrow, I have no option but to obey their voice.

But because they said I should come to vie, that is why I am aspiring. And you know that the more the merrier, because it now afford the people opportunity to choose the best from many aspirants. But I want to appeal to the people that money politics would not take us to anywhere.

Money politics has been the bane of our political experience for a long time and that is why our politics remains what it is.

Let us play politics of issue; politics that would be beneficial to our people, politics should be based on who has the capacity, which has the intelligent, who has the understanding of the game. Sometimes it is good to have a change of representatives so that you can have fresh ideas. That is why I am offering myself to go to the senate. I want to assure my people that if voted in as a senator, I would ensure that the people of Lagos East enjoy dividends of democracy.

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AssemblyWatch From the Red Chamber With

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE

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his year’s June 12 was significant in many respects. It marked the 25th anniversary of the annulment of the freest and fairest Nigerian presidential election in 1993 and conferment of posthumous national honour on the acclaimed winner, MKO Abiola.

The cliche that “there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in international relations but permanent interest” was brought to bear at the first meeting between a sitting US president and his North Korean counterpart at the historic summit in Singapore.

That same day, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gudu, Abuja, sentenced a former Governor of

Dariye: From palace to prison Plateau State and serving senator, Joshua Dariye, to 14 years’ imprisonment on charges of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of over N1.126 billion belonging to the state.

Dariye who ruled the North Central state between 1999 and 2007, was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in 2007, on 23 counts of money laundering involving alleged diversion of Plateau State Government’s ecological funds. However, his trial resumed in 2016 after nine years delay.

The sentencing came two weeks after former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, was jailed 14 years for fraud by the same judge, Adebukola Banjoko.

Dariye, a ranking senator, had defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016 but the long arm of the law still caught up with him.

A mild drama ensued after the convicted lawmaker made unsuccessful attempt to appeal to the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, to tamper justice with mercy while trying to cash in on his religion. “Be merciful.

You are a Christian, your name is Jacob,” he pleaded.

He was trying to take advantage of what he is accustomed to in the nation’s polity, where things are skewed in favour of the high and mighty on the basis of religious, political or ethnic sentiments. While his defection to the governing APC could not save him, he thought by taking advantage of religion, he would get some form of leniency.

The chattered accountant suddenly remembered that Christians should show mercy to one another. But he forgot his Christian teachings when he stole public funds and dragged the case for almost a decade.

Beyond the debate of whether the PDP or APC should take credit for the jailing of Dariye and Nyame, there are other cases in the present administration that require urgent prosecution.

They include the controversial N220 million grass-cutting contract involving the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; prosecution of those involved in the reinstatement of the former Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, into the Federal Civil Service; alleged N919 million fraud involving the reinstated Executive Secre-

tary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf, among others.

With 15 ex-governors in the Eighth Senate, the upper legislative chamber has been turned into a ‘retirement home’ for former governors, deputy governors, ministers, ex-police officers, retired generals, customs officers and their likes.

Despite passing a recordbreaking 213 bills and clearing 138 motions in three years, about 15 lawmakers in the Eighth Senate are currently being investigated or prosecuted for alleged corruption and drug charges. This is partly responsible for the negative perception of the National Assembly among Nigerians.

The cover-up of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Suleiman Nazif, by Senate President Bukola Saraki, two weeks ago, raises questions about the commitment of the leadership of the National Assembly towards anti-corruption crusade.

We watched in utter surprise when the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Kabir Marafa, accused Nazif of cor-

Reps scorecard and low return rate

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embers of the House of Representatives are expected to return to duty in a forthnight, to complete the four year term of the 8th session of National Assembly. For those who are seeking to return back to the House of Representatives, the three weeks will be used to canvass for votes, consultation and mini campaign. The onus is on them to identify those anointed as delegates to the National Convention of various political parties. Without mincing words, most of the lawmakers who have failed to bring the dividend of democracy to their constituents will have to face the tune of their actions. One of those issues that will help in determining the fate of the federal lawmakers as well as other elected political office include facilitation of federal employment into various ministries, departments and agencies. This has been a major factor determining the low return rate or otherwise of federal lawmakers, aside the monetary gratifications to constituents.

While some constituencies are conscious of performance as yardstick for the re-election of lawmakers others adopt other factors such as monetary gains and godfatherism syndrome. I am strongly convinced that over 150 lawmakers in the National Assembly will not return for the next (ninth) session.

As the House set for the last

lap of the tenure, it is expedient for the leadership of the House to set and enforce that timelines for legislative measures referred to Committees are strictly enforced. Mr. Speaker must also see to the issue relating to non-functional Standing Committees with the view to ensure that Nigerians get value for the money allocated to the House. For me, it’s all about courage and thorough evaluation of performance. I wish to underscore the proactiveness of the House Committee on Rules and Business in discharging some of the Standing and Ad-hoc Committees of motions and bills referred to them after two years of non-performance.

But some measures should be put in place to ensure that all the committees are up and doing.

Like I rightly pointed out in one of the previous commentaries, the Speaker needs to address the issue of indiscriminate referral of motions to Ad-hoc Committees in the bid to make the Standing Committee function effectively. Tis will also reduce the rancor between the system.

Records from the archive show that a total of 700 bills were presented throughout the lifespan of the 7th Assembly (2003 – 2007). But this was insufficient to match the record set by the Yakubu Dogara-led Lower Chamber which had 600 bills out of which passed 80 bills were

passed within the first year.

Similarly, about 600 motions were adopted and referred to relevant committees for further legislative action.

In the scorecard of the 8th session of the House of Representatives, as the end of the two years, the record available to me showed that, out of a total of 1,064 bills introduced at First reading, 126 bills scaled through third reading on the floor of the House. Meanwhile, 27 of these bills were assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while in acting capacity.

With the information reeled out by the honourable Chairman of House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrasak Namdas, a total number of 409 bills were introduced at First Reading in the third year alone.

According to him, for the three years, 1,473 bills were introduced out of which 90 bills were on constitutional amendment. “A total of 519 of the bills are awaiting second reading while 284 bills have been referred to various committees of the House. 112 bills are awaiting consideration, while 22 bills were negatived and 23 bills withdrawn by the leave of the House.

Under the period under review, the House also passed total of 1,000 motions which were sent from the general public who were considered to have little or no resources to prosecute their

ruption at the consideration of the report on the screening of nominees as INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners.

Even when Marafa insisted that he had ‘evidence’ to substantiate his claim, Saraki who initially threatened to refer the matter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, looked the other way, giving the impression that “some animals are more equal than others”.

But he was quick in referring cases of pro-Buhari senators like Abdullahi Adamu, Ali Ndume and Ovie Omo-Agege to relevant committees for disciplinary actions. Just recently, the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, accused members of the National Assembly of bribetaking.

I can reveal for free that the forthcoming Open Week, through which the leadership of the National Assembly intends to enlighten the public about workings of the Legislature, will be an exercise in futility, considering the manner in which lawmakers involved in shady deals, loyal to the National Assembly leadership are “protected.”

From the Green House With cases in the law courts across the country.

Although, records of bills assented to by Mr. President cannot be ascertained by the House spokesman, yet it is on record that several bills including: North East Development Commission Establishment bill; ‘Not too young to run’ bill; Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act (otherwise known as Collateral Registry Act) and Credit Reporting bill; Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Bill, which sought to repeal the Consumer Protection Act, establish the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as well as the Consumer Protection Tribunal.

It is on record that the current Assembly also broke the jinx on the Petroleum Industry Governance bill and currently working on three other bills namely: Petroleum Industry Fiscal management bill, Petroleum Industry Administration Bill and Petroleum Industry Host Community. Without doubt, the must redouble its efforts by ensuring that thee laws are implemented by the Executive arm of government. All hands should be on deck to ensure that these bills and many other economic related legislations are given accelerated consideration.

I also wish to acknowledge the recent development by Nigerian Law Reform Commission on the revision of all federal

KEHINDE AKINTOLA enactments in force in Nigeria and all subsidiary instruments made thereunder and in force; all laws that were omitted in the 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and a table of contents.

The exercise which is scheduled to commence next Tuesday, 19th June, 2018, is a right step in the right direction. According to Kefas Magari, out of the 552 Acts of the National Assembly published in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, many of them have undergone series of amendments, while others have been repealed in the last 15 years, will be subjected to revision. According to him, the proposed revision became necessary in order to facilitate their effective use and encourage a sound democratic culture based on the knowledge and application of the rule of law in Nigeria.

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Intrigues in Benue PDP as more than 10 jostle for governorship ticket As clock ticks towards 2019 general elections, it appears that there is already tension in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State. BENJAMIN AGESAN examines the political turf and the intrigues that may play out to arrive at who gets the governorship ticket.

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ith less than 360 days to the conduct of the 2019 Governorship elections, Makurdi, the Benue state capital has been flooded with campaign materials of all sorts ranging from bill boards, hand bills and posters of aspirants aspiring for various political offices in different political parties.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the only viable opposition party in the state has so far paraded over ten aspirants jostling for the state plum job. Although, most of the aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party are those who slugged it out in the last governorship election.

While All Progressive Congress (APC) the ruling party in the state has so far key to a sole candidate,although rumors have it that others are preparing grounds for same ticket in the same party but No one has come out to declarer intention.

For instance, Prince Terhemen Tarzor, the PDP standard flag bearer in the last governorship election is again staging a comeback should the party gives him the go-ahead but pundits are of the opinion that having zoned the governorship ticket to Masev, Ihyarev, Nongov Development Association (MINDA) and Guma local government area in particular where the incumbent governor Samuel Ortom comes from, he may be unlikely to clinch the party’s ticket based on these obvious factors: The first that may count against the 6th Benue assembly speaker is the fact that, unlike in the last governorship election where he maneuvered his way to pick the party’s ticket against the whims and caprices of party stakeholders and indeed state leadership of the party but perhaps the connect he had with the then powers that be, Tarzor may not enjoy such privilege this time owing to the fact that he has lost touch with his benefactor and god father, the former president Goodluck Jonathan who himself is an agent of opposition in the current dispensation.

Be that as it may, Tarzor in addition to losing presidential support and favour which he enjoyed in the last political outing ostensibly lacks financial capacity to muscle his way out of the highly contentious ticket coupled with his frenzy relationship with the masses especially political stakeholders since he lost out in the last governorship election.

Pundits say since the last governorship election was won and lost in the state, the Peoples Demo-

Tarzor

cratic Party (PDP) flag bearer has never for once deemed it fit to visit any part of the state to thank the PDP family in such an area for supporting his aspiration in the last governorship election and as such, would not want to be associated with somebody full of ingratitude.

The former PDP governorship candidate, it has been alleged, has tactically abandoned his people and relocated abroad and only sneaks in and out to attend to his private engagements whenever it pleases him, an attitude some political stalwarts say is not befitting of a leader.

Besides aforementioned factor, Terhemen Tarzor hails from Makurdi local government area where the House of Representatives seat for Makurdi/Guma federal constituency has been zoned to in the next political dispensation and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not risk its chances of winning by ceding its ticket to the former flag bearer.

Another former aspirant in the 2015 governorship polls and former Vice Chancellor of the Benue state University Makurdi, Professor David Iornongo Ker who also contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party is also set for a fight to finish come 2019. However, the over 50-year old Professor of English is likely to be caught up by age.

This does not in any way preclude the age bracket within which one is expected to assume leadership of the state but since its 42 years of existence as a cooperate entity, the state has never pro-

Ker

duced a state executive above 50 years of age in his first term in office, a jinx that has been broken in the current dispensation where governor Samuel Ortom was well over 50 years before he was elected governor of the state.

Some of the reasons advanced by some opinion leaders and analysts are that, giving leadership of the state to somebody that is already above his life expectancy would always spell doom and be counterproductive since the leader in question will chiefly preoccupy himself with primitively amassing wealth for his biological and grand children as their legacy to keep them above poverty line even when he is long gone.

They argued that to entrust leadership of the state to somebody who has legion of children that are already awash with modern global trends with tendencies to own choice properties in high

To place the state on the global map of industrialized and developed states, some chieftains of the former ruling party have suggested that instead of seeking for leadership of the state at an age considered to be for states men and women

brow cities of the world and drive latest cars, development of the state will suffer great set back.

To place the state on the global map of industrialized and developed states, some chieftains of the former ruling party have suggested that instead of seeking for leadership of the state at an age considered to be for states men and women, the former commissioner for education should rather use the vast academic knowledge and experience he has acquired over time as two times Vice Chancellor with financial resources at his disposal to set up a higher institution of learning perhaps a college of education or polytechnic to further training of man power in the state.

Tivlumun Nyitse, another former governorship aspirant and former chief scribe in charge of government house administration under Governor Gabriel Suswam has also made the list of PDP aspirants seeking leadership of the state in next year’s election.

However, Nyitse, just as uncertainty looms the former BSU and Verita’s vice chancellor’s candidature on account of age, though likely to be favoured whenever the die is cast having hailed from Guma local government area, the seasoned bureaucrat and Don at the Bingham University, Abuja may not grab the party’s ticket based on the fact that already he is far above 50 years of age, an age believed to be productive age.

With very tall profile both in the academic and civil service especially given his cognate experience in bureaucratization as far as gov-

ernment business is concerned.

As permanent secretary government house administration, there was a robust cordial relationship with his boss and then governor of the state Gabriel Suswam but the immediate past governor would not want to cede power to somebody who by birth is older than him and as such, instead of bowing before him (Suswam) as his boss and former governor, he will be compelled by virtue of the office he will be occupying to bow before his former permanent secretary as courtesy demands and the sake of officialdom.

Another factor that pundits argued, may deny the Don of his party’s governorship ticket is premised on the fact that, just as early disagreement between successors and their predecessors is a common feature in Nigerian politics, there is palpable apprehension that the retired permanent secretary will soon assumption of office perhaps in his first term in office wash off his benefactor and boss, the former governor and leader of the party in the state, Gabriel Suswam in apparent show of his independent mindedness given his high tech background.

Nyitse, though many argued that he possess the credentials to steer the ship of the state, critical stakeholders as well as chieftains in the party will leave no stone unturned to avoid a re-occurrence of what happened between former governor George Akume and his predecessor Gabriel Suswam where the latter soon assuming office, the duo became fierce rivals thus, throwing the state into

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Intrigues in Benue PDP as more than 10 jostle for... a prolonged quagmire For engineer Felix Atume, another former PDP governorship hopeful in the last governorship election and former executive secretary, Council for the Regulation of Engineering practice in Nigeria (COREN), there are concerns that the civil engineer will not be development inclined given the roles he played when he was commissioner for works during the military administration of Col. Aminu Isa Kontagor.

Engineer Atume, many within the PDP fold have argued that he also possess the requisite credentials to move the state forward if he downplays personal aggrandizement but another grave concern according to records is that, he is not known for human development, a fact they further buttressed in his inability to meaningfully engage indigenes of the state during his days at the COREN, an opportunity they regretted was wasted away at the expense of the state.

In the case of Paul Orhii, the immediate past Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug administration and Control (NAFDAC), his coming into the race is seen as a child’s play and miscalculated priority based on the premise that the governorship seat of the state has been zoned to Masev, Ihyarev, Nongov Development Association (MINDA) political bloc of the state till after 2023, an arrangement former governors Orshio Adasu, George Akume and Gabriel Suswam benefited from.

To others, his coming into the race by this time is more-or-less a glorious home coming to launch and acquaint himself with his people after a long sojourn abroad for over three decades. For a feasible, genuine and realizable governorship ambition, analysts advised that the Russian trained medic should back down his ill fated ambition and wait till 2023 when the pendulum will swing to Jechira geo-political axis in zone ‘A’ senatorial district.

Although, some are of the view that Orhii is playing according to the sayings of an elder and a po-

Atume

litical gladiator chief Paul Iorpuu Unongo who in 2011 said, zoning is not a trap set to catch-up on someone, but meant to show love for each other as such, it’s can be reversed to any bloc so as to get a credible candidate.

Above analogy underscores the fact that, it is now crystal clear that the immediate past commissioner for Lands and Survey, Surveyor John Timbee Tondo is dancing on his way to clinching the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket to represent it at the general polls.

Surveyor John T. Tondo apart from being the youngest on the list of PDP governorship aspirants apart from Dr. Stephen Hwande, the consultant gynecologist and medical director, First Fertility Hospital Makurdi whom analysts say is a novis, he is among the five new entrants in the governorship race with vast knowledge of modernization and development.

With his indelible foot prints in the Lands and Survey ministry still staring hard in the faces of people of the state, the fear of primitive accumulation of wealth for family generations yet unborn will no longer be entertained since he has teething children, the type that past leaders of the state including

Orhii

the first civilian governor Apollos Aper Aku, Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu whom in line with the doctrines of his faith had no wife, George Akume and Gabriel Suswam had with no knowledge of wealth at the time they assumed leadership of the state.

Above all, as commissioner for lands and survey, the Survey’s land administration policies were adjudged as best with little administrative lapses in areas considered to be infarctions.

Again, given a solemn declaration by former governor Gabriel Suswam to all governorship aspirants under PDP that, neither no aspirant should sell his properties to prosecute his political ambition nor expect him to shoulder his governorship campaign financial burden to avoid political mishap, the type that befell senator George Akume when he mortgaged his entire wealth to install professor Stephen Ugbah now Nigeria Ambassador to Russia who was brought in from the United States of America with an empty treasury to wrestle power from then incumbent Gabriel Suswam.

J T. as he is fondly called, findings revealed, has stronger ties with the powers that be and fi-

nancial muscle to floor all his co-contenders. With this solemn declaration by the former governor and leader of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Surveyor has so far traversed the length and breadth of the state in his consultations without recourse to financial assistance from anybody.

So far, he has almost completed his consultations across the three senatorial zones of the state. Former governor Gabriel Suswam, sources revealed, has been quoted to have advised all governorship aspirants on PDP platform to gauge their financial status and cut their coats according to their sizes.

Inspite of the aforesaid, J. T may not clinch the Governorship seat in the general election even if his party make him the flag bearer since there are complaints all over the state about his mis-allocation of lands and illegal possession of lands for the former government whom he served as the Commissioner of lands and survey, the same complaints was what led to his lost out in the National Assembly election of 2015.

From the foregoing, the professor of theatre arts at the federal university of Jos, Plateau state Joe

Tor Iorapuu, zonal secretary, National Association of Health Workers Union of Nigeria (NAHWUN) comrade Richard Gbawuam and former Benue assembly speaker now PDP national Assistant Secretary Barr. Dave Iorhemba will have to watch the scene carefully to ensure that the coast is clear to avoid wide goose chase.

In view of the foregoing therefore, it becomes crystal clear that the incumbent Governor of Benue state, Governor Samuel Ortom will retain his governorship seat in the forthcoming general elections.

Reasons being that, he is a sole candidate of the ruling APC in the state as such, both interest and support will not be divided, as is the case in PDP where more than 10 aspirants are agitating for the same position.

Also, Governor Samuel Ortom is a Nogov Man from Guma local government area in MINDA where the Governorship seat is being zoned to, and for him to have gotten the people’s mandate in 2015 shows that he was accepted by all.

Nevertheless, having used the mandate so well the people will not hesitate to vote him in come 2019 to complete his zoning tenure.

Plans to unseat Buhari thicken

...as Middle Belt stakeholders screen Hagher, Dankwambo, Gemade, others for president JAMES KWEN, Abuja

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head of the 2019 general election, political actors and interest groups are seriously perfecting plans to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari who has already declared to contests for second tenure.

This is as the Middle Belt Forum is already shopping for the most suitable candidate for the Presidential slot.

Middle Belt Forum, the apex sociocultural group of states in North

Central Nigeria has consequently set up a Presidential Screening panel led by a former Governor of Plateau State, Retired Air Commodore Dan Suleiman.

The presidential contenders who submitted themselves for the exercise include Iorwuese Higher, Barnabas Gemade, Gbenga Olawepo, John Dara, Isa Kontagora, Jonah Jang, Atiku Abubakar, Jerry Gana, Yakubu Dogara, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Obadaiah Mailafia among others.

Business Day however learnt that those screened so far are

Iorwuese Hagher, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Barnabas Gemade.

Hagher, the first to be screened is a Benue born Nigerian Professor of Theatre and Drama who was Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico, the high commissioner to Canada, a former Nigerian Senator and minister and the Founder and head of the African Leadership Institute in Dayton, United States.

It was reported that Hagher who is contesting on the platform of Social Democratic Party, SDP got the backing of the top players in the geo-political zone during his

screening by the leaders of the Middle Belt Forum in Abuja and unlike others, he has no baggage of graft and official corruption.

Dankwambo who has also been screened by the Suleiman Panel is the second term Governor of Gombe State who is contesting for the office of Nigeria President on the platform of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He has garnered vast and technical experience in public adminstration having served as Accountant General both for Gombe State

and the Federation, and was not found wanting after the screening.

Another presidential aspirant already screened by Middle Belt is Gemade, ai two term Senator for Benue North East who had worked as Managing Director of Benue Cement, Company, Minister (Secretary) of Works and Housing and National Chairman of PDP. Gemade was equally found worthy to replace Buhari in 2019 is still a member of APC but there are feelers that he would seek alternative platform, particularly SDP to pursue his Presidential ambition.

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Stakeholders see light rail driving investments into CBD …govt explains delay in project execution Stories by JOSHUA BASSEY

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he blue line light rail which construction is advancing into the Lagos Island from Mile 2, on Lagos-Badagry expressway, would on completion drive new investments into the Lagos Central Business District (CBD).

This was the submission of stakeholders who recently gathered at the City Hall, Lagos, to discuss developments within and around the CBD. A number of businesses have over the years relocated from the Lagos Island, due majorly to congestion among other factors. The stakeholders believed that the rail connection would directly impact the CBD, and restore the confidence of investors and business owners, whose staff will depend heavily on the light rail system in commuting to and from work.

According to the stake-

holders, a light rail system has been long overdue in Lagos in view of its population density which impact negatively on roads. They noted that mega cities of Lagos’ status in other economies relied more on train because of capacity to move

large passengers.

The stakeholders among whom are Oluseun Mabongunje, CEO Integrated Systems & Devices Ltd, and Abdurrazaq Balogun, executive secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) also believed that the rail system

would create new opportunities for Lagos and its people.

According to them, the light rail upon completion will complement the efforts being made by the government to strengthen security and ensure better traffic flow within the CBD.

NGO urges LASG to regulate plastic waste …as state generates 1,600 metric tons daily

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lossom Africa Initiative, a non-governmental organisation has urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to regulate the increasing rate of plastic waste in state.

Temitope Musowo, the president of the organisation, gave the advice via a statement in Lagos.

Musowo, who is an environmentalist, underscored the need to regulate the generation of plastic waste in the state, saying that this would be a panacea to the growing menace of plastic pollution and its consequences on the environment.

“The increasing rate of plastic waste is harming our environment and the government of Gov. Ambode must

rise up to the challenge by regulating and checkmating this in the interest of all.

“On our part, we have been visiting shopping malls and distributing flyers to everyone to sensitise the residents to the dangers of plastic pollution.

“The harm which plastic pollution is doing to our environment and marine life is huge. If I had my way, I would have pushed for the outright prohibition of plastics use in Lagos State, particularly single-use plastics,’’ he said.

He said that his organisation was also taking the campaign to reduce plastic waste to shopping malls across the state.

Musowo said that the NGO was visiting shopping malls to sensitise consumers to the need to reduce plastic waste.

“Statistics have shown that

Ayangbajesu in action at the recent Lagos Marathon Praise 2018.

Lagos generates 16,000 metric tons of waste on a daily basis and this means that the state generates 1,600 metric tons of plastic waste daily.

“This is because findings have shown that plastics constitute 10 per cent of the waste which people generate,’’ he said.

Musowo said that the aim of the campaign was to create awareness on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the various roles which the people were expected to play in efforts to actualise the goals.

He said that the organisation had been mobilising stakeholders to recognise that the protection of the environment should be an everyday affair which should involve everyone — the government

and the people.

Musowo particularly bemoaned the multiplicity of single-use plastics which, he said, constituted over 50 per cent of the plastic waste generated daily.

He added that Lagos had been facing the challenge of perennial flooding because of the huge plastic waste dumped in neighbourhood drainage systems.

According to him, the development had also provided a breeding place for mosquitoes, thereby raising the risk of malaria infection and other ailments.

“Every year, the world uses 500 billion plastic bags and about 13 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into the ocean. Every year, 17 million barrels of crude oil are used to produce plastic materials such as plastic bottles; if we continue like this, by year 2050, there will be more plastics than fish in the world’s oceans,” he said.

Musowo urged all the citizens to participate in efforts to address the growing menace of plastic pollution “by refusing what they could not re-use and switching from the use of single-use plastics to the use biodegradable products’’.

He, however, underscored the need to put in place an improved waste collection system that would facilitate waste sorting, waste recycling and reprocessing, while making environmental-friendly choices.

“The expected operation of the blue line rail system into the Marina would be a major booster,” said Balogun.

But the delay in the execution of the project has continued to defer the expected benefits. Akinyemi Ashade, the Lagos State commissioner for finance, however, attributed the slow progress of work on the rail to the failure by the initiators to adopt a holistic approach in its construction.

Ashade told BusinessDay that there was an initial failure to factor in all necessary components required to construct and complete a rail system, the reason why the present administration was engaging a consultant to work around those components that were left out, without which the rail system would not roll even if physical construction of tracks was completed.

According to Ashade, the Governor Akinwunmi

Ambode-led government was keen on delivering the multi-million dollars project.

He explained that although much progress has been made on the first phase of the project (Mile 2 to Marina), with four coaches already acquired, much remains to be done.

He was, however, not specific on when the project is to be completed and switch on, but said the construction of the physical infrastructure from Mile 2 to Marina was progressing.

The blue line rail project estimated to cost about $1.2 billion, started in 2010. It is a 27-kilometre line, stretching from Okokomaiko to Marina (CMS), but the government has concentrated on the phase 1, Mile 2 to Marina.

The rail is projected on completion to move about 500,000 passengers daily, and do 25 to 30 minutes as against one to two hours spent on Okokomaiko-CMS route.

2 environmental sanitation officers face disciplinary action

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agos State government says it will punish two officers of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) for misconduct. The officers are Oduyomi Oluwakemi with Oracle Number 193886 and Ofoesuwa Oluwayemi with Oracle Number 194375.

The commissioner for environment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti said that the officers were apprehended in Apapa while conspiring with some street traders. According to Durosinmi-Etti, the LAGESC officers had encouraged some street traders in the Apapa to display their wares illegally on the road median.

He said that the officers would be treated in accordance with the environmental laws of the state so as to serve as deterrent to others.

“Officers of LAGESC must maintain discipline and integrity in carrying out their duties, as they are ambassadors of the Lagos State government.

“The state government has a policy of zero-tolerance on street trading, display of goods on road medians and roadside hawking. Government has given the LAGESC officials the mandate to effectively clamp down on all violators of the environmental laws.

“It is disheartening to discover that some officers still indulge in manipulating and contravening these laws. It is regrettable that some officers, even after thorough training on how to go about their duties, have decided to disregard their training and flout laid-down rules and regulations,” he said.

The commissioner said that government was ever determined to implement the policy with regard to the attainment of cleaner, healthier and sustainable environment.

Durosinmi-Etti said that the government had spent a lot of resources on environmental regeneration projects so as to boost the aesthetics of the state.

He, however, said that street traders and hawkers were found to be mainly responsible for vandalising and defacing the environment.

He warned all LAGESC officers and other officers in the environment sector to strictly adhere to the public service code of conduct, saying that government would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found contravening the laws of the state.

Durosinmi-Etti called on the residents of Lagos State to be wary of overzealous officers or those with dubious character.

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SundayBusiness 350,000 benefit from FG’s GEEP MarketMoni programme nationwide - Osinbajo

Star Lager unveils limited edition bottles in support of Super Eagles

...set to launch TraderMoni for ultra-micro-enterprises

tar Lager beer, the official beer of the Nigerian Super Eagles, has taken its support for the national football team a step higher by unveiling a limited edition bottles wrapped with a new refined look that mirrors the much celebrated Super Eagles Jersey.

The football inspired bottles carry the bold Star crest with a backdrop of green and white on the front, representing the colours of Nigeria and the national team. While three different jersey numbers: “1” representing the Star brand, “11” representing the Super Eagles, and “12” representing the Nigerian fans, who are regarded as the “12th player” on the pitch, can be found at the back of the label.

Abayomi Abidakun, Senior Brand Manager, Star Lager Beer, Nigerian Breweries Plc, while commenting on the new label design said Star will always take pride in supporting the Super Eagles.

“With the nation about to begin their outing at the global tournament in Russia it is only befitting that we show love for our team. Star is proudly supporting the national team and millions of Nigerian football fans, and we wish the team a successful outing,” said Abidakun.

Star and Nigerian football have a shared history, as both the beer and Nigerian national football team were born in 1949. As official sponsors of the Super Eagles, Star Lager is providing support to the national team and football fans while offering premium satisfaction to over 180 million passionate fans that will be cheering the Super Eagles in the “Nigeria, United We Shine” campaign in the Russia 2018 World Cup.

IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, Benin

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he Federal Government of Nigeria says over 350,000 Nigerians have benefited from the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

GEEP is one of the National Social Intervention Programmes (NSIP) of the current administration, providing interest freeloans of between N10,000 and N100,000 to market women, farmers, artisans and enterprising youths nationwide through the Bank of Industry.

Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo, who made the disclosure at the Edo State’s edition of Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprise (MSME) Clinic during his two-day working visit to the state on Thursday, said over 4,000 beneficiaries were from the state.

“The federal government of Nigeria, through Bank of Industry has empowered over 4,000 Edo state people with loans, and 350,000 persons have so far benefitted from the programme nationwide,” he said.

“The policy of the Federal Government is to support businesses, not just big business but particularly small, medium-sized businesses and microbusinesses. The whole idea is that we want to ensure that we give whatever support whether it is cash, advise or even registration to all of our small and medium enterprises,” he said.

Osinbajo also disclosed that,the federal government has conclud-

Osinbajo

ed plans to roll out TraderMoni scheme, a new micro-credit scheme to cater for ultra-micro enterprises in addition to the existing GEEP MarketMoni scheme, which targets market women, traders, artisans and enterprising youths.

According to him, It is a different thing from MarketMoni because TraderMoni is for the smaller traders. These are the hawkers; those who are doing little things where in many cases their inventory,

the whole thing they are selling is sometimes not even more than N5,000- qN10,000. We want to give those kinds of people some credit as well and once they pay back, we will give them some more money.

Earlier, Uzoma Nwagba, GEEP MarketMoni Chief Operating Officer, noted that GEEP is geared towards addressing one of the tough challenges of microenterprises in Nigeria, which is access to finance.

Nwagba opined that the propoor programme would improve the economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries as well as inflate the economy from the grassroots.

On her part, Toyin Adeniji, the Executive Director of Financial Inclusion in BOI, added that the pilot phase of the TraderMoni scheme already began, with 368 traders in Edo State, each walking home with N10,000 after the event.

She said BOI is making every possible effort to enhance the scope of the program and bring in more beneficiaries.

She however, listed how the programme has impacted positively on the economic status of the beneficiaries to include improvement in businesses, job creations among others.

“Beneficiaries of the GEEP loan have been able to improve their businesses. Some of them from a one-man shop now employ six people; those who buy things in small units now buy in bulk. It is a very aggressive scheme and we have a target to reach over a million. As at now we have disbursed loans to over 350,000 beneficiaries nationwide, and to scale up the scheme, we have identified and categorised a new group of micro traders who need only about N10,000 to boost their businesses.

“GEEP MarketMoni loans are repayable over a period of 6 months with a five percent administrative charge. To ensure that the loan instalments are paid on time and conveniently, collections begin from the third week after loans are received. Beneficiaries enjoy a twoweeks grace period”, she added.

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Russia 2018: Viewing centres, cable TV biggest beneficiaries …Over 2.4m tickets sold by Thursday as Eagles’ World Cup outfit steals show SEYI JOHN SALAU

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s the on-going Russia 2018 World Cup soccer fiesta progresses, viewing centres and cable television (TV) service providers appear the biggest beneficiaries, as football enthusiast in Nigeria defy financial challenges to follow the Super Eagles who on arrival in Russia stole the show with their outfit.

Ja i m e Wr i g h t , a s p o r t s correspondent for Mailonline, a United Kingdom (UK) based publication on Monday 11 June wrote that the Super Eagles have won the World Cup fashion with a caption that reads, “Nigeria steals the show... again! After taking World Cup win for fashion, now Super Eagles reveal their stunning travel outfits for trip to Russia”.

The football analyst wrote in his lead that, “Once again, the Nigerian national team have taken their World Cup style to a whole new level as they set off for Russia on Monday. They have made a name for themselves as a team to watch at this summer’s tournament in Russia, not just for their exciting, fast-paced style of football but for their dress sense too. First it was the announcement of their tournament kits that sent football supporters crazy. Now it is their travel attire that has got everybody talking,” said Wright.

In solidarity with the Super Eagles, notable Nigerians have takentotheirsocialmediaplatforms to show support for their darling team at the Russia 2018 football fiesta. Top among the tweeters is the Senator representing Kaduna South, Senator Shehu Sani.

The serving senator wrote on

his Twitter handle @shehusani, “As the #Russia2018 FIFA world cup commences, I join other Nigerians to pray for the victory of our Super Eagles. We hope that for once this precious, glamorous but elusive cup will leave Latin America and Europe and come to Africa.”

However, the total number of World Cup tickets sales by country as at Thursday when the tournament started in Russia stood at 2.4 million with the host nation accounting for over 800, 000 tickets. The Russia 2018 World Cup tickets sold were in four categories, while the lowest sold ticket was at $80 (US dollar).

Tickets allocated to Russian fans as at Thursday were 871,797, while the top ten nations with the most tickets at the football fiesta are United States of America (USA), Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Australia,

and England. The USA accounts for 88,825 tickets while others Brazil 72,512; Colombia 65,234; Germany 62,541; Mexico 60,302; Argentina 54,031; Peru 43,583; Chile 40,251; Australia 36,359; England 32,362 1,427,797 tickets respectively, therefore accounting for 54 percent of international tickets sold.

Despite missing out from the global football tournament, the US will send more visiting supporters to the Russia 2018 World Cup, while tickets for the 64-game competition have been sold-out according to the world football governing body, FIFA. Furthermore, six of the top ten countries with the most tickets are in the Americas, which means football fans in both North and South America are willing to travel long distances to support their teams at Russia 2018.

Th e a b s e n c e o f I t a l y, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland

and Chile, that saw about 13,000 cheering fans during last year’s Confederations Cup, has raised the prospect of lower spectator numbers for some of the games at the World Cup, especially the round of 32 after the group stages, than originally anticipated.

Even though FIFA had made provision to accommodate more fans at Russia 20018 according to a statement released by FIFA that the tickets will be exclusively on sale on FIFA.com/tickets; “We have put in place a ticketing system that will enable all fans a fair chance to secure tickets. Throughout history, fans have made a key contribution to the fascination of the FIFA World Cup. Russia promises to be a unique continuation of this history, with outstanding organisation and a great atmosphere in the stadiums,” said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

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Sunday 17 June 2018

SundayBusiness Ensuring food safety during festive seasons Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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n spite of the biting economic situation in the country, several families will still prepare tons of food items during the festive season of the end of Ramadan fasting Season. What makes it even more important is the cooking of large volumes of sundry food items. Therefore, extreme care has to be taken to ensure food safety as grievous mistakes could be made in postharvest food handling.

The surest way to do this is to effectively monitor all the stages right from the reception of raw materials through the strict selection of wholesome food items and proper storage of raw materials.

Others include adherence to internationally accepted standards of cooking/processing, packaging,

preservation of both intermediate and finished products till they are served to the consumers.

The irony is that the food prepared for human consumption also serves as a fertile breeding ground for disease-causing (pathogenic) micro-organisms to thrive. These include coliform bacteria, salmonellae as well as the dangerous duo of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium botulinum. Others are vibro cholera, Eschericha coli, Baccilus circus, yeasts and moulds. There should be proper storage and selection to eliminate these pathogens right from the raw materials stage.

Failure to do this could lead to disastrous consequences of food poisoning. The symptoms include vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, head ache, shivering, chest pain, suffocation and sometimes death. Yet, all these are clearly avoidable, with sustained food handling practices.

Even fresh fruits and vegetables need to be washed well using clean water. Also try to avoid too much squeezing which could lead to loss of vital vitamins. Use of damaged fruits like broken tomatoes, wilted and yellow, leafy vegetables should be avoided, if not used to cook immediately. Furthermore, there should be good storage facilities for high-moisture foods like fruits and vegetables. Diseased, mouldy or spotty fruits should be discarded.

Generally, during storage there should be protection from environmental factors such as dust, microbes, sun, wind, smoke, poisonous gases from exhaust pipes

of vehicles and also insecticides.

Additionally, attack from pests such as rodents, cockroaches, birds and insects should be prevented.

And no matter the amount of food being prepared the selection of fresh, healthy food materials should be given adequate attention. Refrigerators and deep freezers are needed. Freezing is considered an effective method for preserving beef, poultry, fish, milk and of course, turkey. It kills three quarters of all known bacteria and stops the growth of fungi. It also inactivates most microbes by keeping them in the lag (inactive) phase.

It should however, be noted that the dangerous bacterium Staphylococcus aureus which causes food poisoning is a psychrophile. That means that it may not be drastically affected by cold conditions, even by refrigeration as it grows between 6.8o C to 8oC. Note that it produces toxins and because it is found in the throat and nostrils of human beings food handlers, especially cooks and those serving food must avoid spitting, coughing and nose picking.

In the absence of refrigerators, foods can be kept under chilling temperatures of between 0oC and 15oC. It prevents the deterioration of foods by reducing such biochemical reactions like autolysis in fish, loss of nutrients and moisture, aging in beef and cheese. Onions, apples and tomatoes which respire slowly have been found to keep well within this temperature range. Beans could be kept in deep

freezers for 48 hours, removed and stored dry. Such beans remain safe for consumption for upward of three months! But do not eat or cook frozen meat that smells bad.

Cooking utensils, cooked and uncooked food should be kept away before the spraying with insecticides. Doors and windows should be opened to allow in fresh air. This reduces the concentration of the insecticide, rat poison, smoke repellents and other pesticides used.

Cooking should not be done in a hurry because it is the festival time.No! Inadequate time-andtemperature relationship during cooking could leave poisonous microbes in foods such as rice, chicken, meat-pie, dough-nut, scotch eggs, sandwiches and hamburgers. Avoid meat that turns pinkish in the middle after cooking.

Since much rice would be cooked avoid cooked rice left at room temperature for more than two hours.

It could easily be contaminated.

Heat to 87.5oC and refrigerate.

Canned foods should be warmed in oil, not water. Avoid tinned tomato with black, rusty ring as they may be contaminated.

For this festival period, foods like milk, ice cream, wine and fruit juices should be pasteurized before refrigeration. Pasteurization means subjecting them to specific temperatures less than 100oC at pressure of one atmosphere. For instance, non-alcoholic wine can be pasteurized at between 82oC to 86oC for 1 minute. The aim is to destroy the vegetative cells of

bacteria, moulds and yeasts, as well as enzymes.

For the consumers to gain nutrients maximally from the food prepared, do not soak fish, meat or poultry for too long in water while washing. Do not cook with much potash, called Kaun as it destroys Vitamins B and C. Do not bleach palm oil so that its vitamin A content is retained. Heat the food being prepared but do not burn it as it produces poisonous chemicals.

Meat bought from the open market could be contaminated with bacteria. Cook meat till it turns brownish or pinkish-brown.

The Kitchen where the food is prepared should be spotlessly clean and well- ventilated to allow for escape of greasy, smoky air while fresh air comes in. The table tops, draining boards and all containers should be easy to clean.

There should be constant supply of clean drinking pre-treated water and enough hot water to wash utensils and cooking equipment.

Waste paper basket containing remnants, which flies could feed upon and transfer to the food being prepared should be kept away from the kitchen and emptied regularly. Contaminated water, nylon or leaves used to wrap or package zobo, kunu, pure water, moi-moin have been found to be sources of the deadly coliform bacteria.

Therefore, home makers should avoid the temptation to use water from questionable sources.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media

Is Nigeria making progress in sugar production?

ODINAKA ANUDU

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ugar is an important product for Nigeria. It is used as a sweetener in almost all the food and beverages produced locally or imported into the country.

Statistics show that the food and beverages sub-sector makes up 45 percent of the country’s manufacturing sector. It is responsible for current high sugar demand, estimated at 1.559 million metric tonnes (MT).

Sugar is also a veritable source of foreign exchange, providing millions of dollars for exporting countries such as Brazil.

In 2016/17, Brazil exported 28.15 million MT. Sugar and this contributed $43.8 billion to Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP) – equivalent to almost 2 percent of the entire Brazilian economy and higher than the GDP of a European country like the Czech Republic ($ 42.5 billion) in 2012, according to SugarCane.Org. Data shows that Nigeria’s progress in sugar has been a mixed bag.

In 1990, for example, sugar production in the country was 41. 478 MT. Importation was estimated at 603.

770 MT, while consumption was 645,248 MT. But by 2016, production had dropped to 25,000 MT while importation was almost 1.6 million MT. The significant rise in importation in 2016 could be attributed to population explosion, which has seen the country’s demography grow at 2.6 percent per annum.

After a long period of policy inconsistencies and somersaults, local sugar production rose in the wee period of Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, when he re-started Nigeria’s industrialisation process.

Local production surged to 50,000 MT from zero the previous four years, according to the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC).

Total consumption then was 1.17 million MT, while importation was 1.126 million MT. As of 2016, when the price of each ton of sugar was $330 in the

global market, Nigeria’s imported sugar valued at $516.15 million, mostly from Brazil.

The government of Goodluck Jonathan provided a number of incentives, including zero duty on imported raw sugar and equipment, among others. By creating the needed environment, investors announced over $2.6 billion investments in plantations and refining segments. Dangote, Flour Mills, BUA and many others went in.

A National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) developed in 2012 to achieve sugar self-sufficiency in

2016/ 2017.

But the target was revised and extended to 2023, with a target to churn out 1.7 million MT sugar production.

The master plan has attracted deep pocket investors who are pumping over $2.6 billion into the industry.

Dangote Group, which operates Savannah Sugar, is investing $3.8 billion in sugar and rice and promises to produce enough sugar to satisfy the country’s demand in 10 years’ time.

“We have developed a sugar backward integration project plan targeted at the production of 1.5mmt per annum from various sites across Nigeria in the next 10 years. We are acquiring about 150,000 hectares for sugar plantation in Adamawa, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi and Niger States,” said Abdullahi Sule, acting group managing director, Dangote Sugar, at an MoU signing with Nasarawa State government in June, 2017.

While Flour Mills of Nigeria’s Golden Sugar Company is investing $300 million in the development of its sugar estate at Sunti, HoneyGold Group and Crystal Sugar Mills are investing $300 million and $30 million respectively to produce 200,000 mt and 60,000 MT respectively.

Similarly, Confluence Sugar Company is investing $240 million in Kogi State to produce 200,000 tonnes sugar per annum on about 37,000 hectares of land at Ibaji.

Latif Busari, executive secretary of NSDC, said there was about 400 per cent increase in sugar projects between 2013 and 2016 but 80

per cent increase when it comes to backward integration. Busari estimated new investments in the industry at N157 billion.

However, Africa’s biggest economy is still importing a lot of raw sugar from Brazil. Nigeria imported raw sugar worth 1.55 million metric tons, estimated at $516.2 million in 2016, as pointed out earlier. Per capita consumption in the country rose to 9.1 kg from 8.6kg and 8.7 kg in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

“Nigeria today spends a lot of money importing sugar in the country whereas we can grow it in Nigeria,” said Godwin Emefiele, central bank governor, in May last year.

According to Busari, backward integration targets were not met by 2016 as some of the participants did not meet the expected targets.

He said BUA scored 17 per cent, while Dangote and Golden Sugar scored 45.8 percent and 58 percent respectively in terms of backward integration.

“Community hostilities and political elite interference in access to land are preventing land acquisition.

Sugar needs large hectares of land and we are asking the federal government to engage the state governments to make land available,” Busari said in a recent interview on Channels TV. The fact is that a lot of plantations are on at the moment. Many are still at the nursery stage and investors are often harangued by communities, which is not helping the industry. Sugar production today is low and analysts want policy push to support investors.

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SundayBusiness Understanding EDGE as green building certification model

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reen building which is an evolving trend, especially in emerging economies, has made housing development not only more valuable, but also certification of those buildings not only necessary. A few certification models are already in place and one of such models is the EDGE—an acronym for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies.

EDGE is an innovation of International Finance Corporation (IFC) created to respond to the need for a measurable solution to prove a financial case for building green and to help jumpstart the proliferation of green buildings.

It helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way and it is supported by free software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by, at least, 20 percent, which is the standard for EDGE certification.

Growing population and rising urbanization contrasted sharply by gross lack of critical infrastructure has made the development of green building important more so with its busi-

ness/economic benefits. This has also brought to the fore the need for housing investors and developers to make a paradigm shift and embrace the new order.

Available statistics show an urgent need for emerging economies like Nigeria to start building green. About 50 percent of the world lives in cities today and 70 percent is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. The world population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, about 34 percent higher than what is presently available. Growth will be fastest in poor countries like Nigeria where population is expected to actually double.

Critical infrastructure, especially power, energy and water are still a huge challenge in most cities.

It was against this backdrop that the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) and IFC gathered together housing industry stakeholders in Lagos to discuss and point the way forward for green building development and its certification using the EDGE model.

As a private sector-driven mortgage refinancing company with the public purpose of promoting home ownership for Nigerians while deepening the primary and secondary mortgage

market, the vision of NMRC is to be the dominant housing partner in Nigeria, while its mission is to break down barriers to home ownership by providing liquidity, affordability, accessibility and stability to the housing market.

On the other hand, as a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group, IFC is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. It works with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world.

Along with SGS, the certification provider for EDGE in Nigeria, the two institutions held two workshops in Lagos and Abuja recently on EDGE adoption and implementation.

NMRC and IFC share a common aspiration to move the building construction industry on to a lower carbon, more resourceefficient path. Through their partnership, they are set to work together to promote sustainable design practices in Nigeria. This will include NMRC recommending EDGE certification to clients to increase the value of their green properties.

According to Chii Akporji,

‘Sterling Bank employees have the best quality of life in Nigeria’

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rioritising employee wellbeing alongside various flexible working options, has earned Sterling Bank Plc. the award for Best Quality of Life in the Large Corporates category at the 2017/2018 Great Place To Work Awards held in Lagos recently.

The leading commercial bank was able to achieve this feat by building an enabling workplace that optimizes its employees’ abilities and potential; a thriving environment where you love what you do, a workplace that values and empowers you no matter your job function or background.

Presented to the bank by the prestigious Great Place to Work Institute Africa, the award affirms the bank’s commitment to creating a positive workplace that fosters excellence and productivity.

Commenting on the award, Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman said, “We are proud to receive this award because it affirms our commitment to building a workplace that guarantees quality life for all employees. The commitment to give employees the best possible led us to invest in various enablers onsite – a creche for employees’ babies/toddlers, a gym, an on-site

clinic, flexible work options, paternity leave and stock options for all employees, among others. These schemes have improved the daily lives of employees significantly and engendered employees’ commitment.”

Chief Human Resource Officer, Sterling Bank, Temi Dalley described the Best Quality of Life in the Large Corporates category award presented to the bank as well deserved, considering its pioneering employee well-being initiatives.

“We are a caring brand which explains the commitment to build a workplace where employees are fully invested in their jobs and the employee experience is fully optimized at every touch point.

Our enabling work environment which is also physically safe and non-threatening is fostering excellence, improving productivity and higher customer satisfaction,” Dalley said.

A further review of Sterling Bank’s new head office annex located on Ikorodu Road in Lagos, reflects her commitment to providing her employees with the best possible work environment, the annex office is equipped with a fully functional gym and game room which has game consoles and a pool table to ensure employees take out time to relax and have fun at work and an on-site clinic. The office is also fitted with solar panels that generates clean energy in line with the bank’s environmental sustainability agenda.

The Great Place to Work Awards is a distinctive way the Great Place to Work Institute recognises the accomplishments of organisations and it is globally recognized as the most authoritative for companies’ recognition and research programme in the world.

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) NMRC’s Executive Director for Policy, Partnerships and Business Development, “NMRC is proud to partner with IFC to launch and operationalize EDGE in the Nigerian market. Through its value chain approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities in the Nigerian housing sector, NMRC looks to collaborating with its member banks and other stakeholders to catalyze sustainable green buildings in Nigeria, to unlock the benefits of same to the housing industry and to the country’s GDP.” IFC aims to transform 20 percent of the construction market in rapidly industrializing countries with the support of industry leaders, governments and financial institutions. Resourceefficient buildings provide a tangible value that can be passed from property developers to their customers through utility savings.

Green buildings also have less negative impact on the environment and reinforce a more sus-

tainable corporate brand. They also enable homebuyers to make a difference through choosing green homes for their families, which have the potential for higher re-sale values.

“Going green and affordability are not mutually exclusive – both are possible. We know from our global experience that we do not have to give up one to achieve the other. What we need is a way to put buildings onto a greener path with solutions that are sensible in the Nigerian context. EDGE can help accomplish that.” Eme Essien Lore, IFC’s Country Manager, Nigeria, noted IFC has a green building investment portfolio of more than $3 billion, which includes its own direct investments and mobilized financing. Complementing its investment work, IFC advises governments on green building regulations in Bangladesh, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Panama, Peru, the Philippines and Vietnam.

HUAWEI equips Nigerian schools with laptops for smarter learning

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u a w e i Ni g e r i a h a s kicked off a series of donations of laptops and printers to schools in Lagos state and the Federal Capital Territory. In accordance with Huawei’s social responsibility to develop and contribute to local communities the company is proactively donating these technology devices in a bid to enable smarter learning with students in Nigerian schools.

The donations will be made across seven schools in Abuja, and in Lagos, covering schools located in Ajah, Mende, Ojodu, Kaura district and Wuse.

The donation marks the continuation of Huawei’s support of ICT development in Nigeria.

Since 2013, Huawei has trained thousands of Nigerian youths in ICT under the “ICT for Change Programme” in alliance with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

More recently, Huawei refurbished and set up ICT Centers in Lagos public schools in Victoria Island, Wahab Folawiyo High School and Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) Ikorodu, with computer systems, projectors and screens, internet access, and solar powered inverters.Li Bei-

fang, managing director for Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, stated that “Huawei sees these donations as an opportunity to support the country’s initiative for the improvement of digital literacy among youths and within the Nigerian educational system.

Our vision and mission at Huawei is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world.

Huawei is very conversant with the role of ICT in education and child development. Thus, this donations will help develop the necessary skills for the 21st century, while preparing these Nigerian children for the actualization of a “smart society”.”

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Equity Market Seplat notifies Exchange of N640m cross deal in shares Stories by TELIAT SULE

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eplat Petroleum Development Company, one of the leading indigenous oil and gas companies with listings on both the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the London Stock Exchange, has notified the management of the NSE and all the stakeholders of a significant transaction in its shares.

The cross deal which took place in Lagos on 11 June 2018 involved 900,000 units of ordinary shares which Macaulay Ofurhie, a nonexecutive director in the firm, sold from his interests in the company to another party.

The execution of this deal now leaves him with 4,001,611 ordinary shares that amount to 0.68 percent interests in the company. Before this deal, Macaulay Ofurhie controlled 4,901,611 ordinary shares representing 0.83 percent interests in Seplat.

“The company was notified of the sale of 900,000 ordinary shares registered in the name of Mr. Macaulay Ofurhie, a Non-Executive Director of the Company. Following the sale, Mr. Ofurhie now holds a direct interest in 4,001,611 ordinary shares in the Company which equates to a voting interest of 0.68% (based on Issued Share Capital of 588,444,561).

“Further details of the transaction are set out in the attached Notification and Public Disclosure of Transactions by Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities and Persons Closely Associated with them. This notification is made in accordance with Rule 12 of the Amendments to the Listing Rules of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Article 19 of the UK Market Abuse

Regulations”, Seplat stated in a note to the Exchange.

At the transaction price of N711.1 per share, the deal amounted to N639.99 million. On the day the cross deal was executed, Seplat’s share price closed at N711.10, implying that the transaction was done at par value.

With this deal, only two individuals and institutions hold interests in the company with percentage shareholding in excess of 5 percent. A.B.C. Orjiako, Seplat’s chairman, controls 47.25 million ordinary shares representing 8.03 percent interests in the company. As at June 11, its interests

are worth N33.60 billion.

Austin Avuru, company’s CEO controls 74.55 million ordinary shares representing 12.67 percent and that amounted to N53.01 billion in market capitalisation. CIS PLC-MAIN controls 413.83 million which are equivalent to 70.33 percent and are worth N294.27 billion. Platform Petroleum Limited also controls 44.16 million ordinary shares, translating to 7.50 percent interest in Seplat and are worth N31.40 billion.

Seplat’s gross earnings based on its unaudited first quarter results ended March 2018 rose by 282

percent from N14.47 billion in March 2017 to N55.24 billion in March 2018. Profit after tax(PAT) increased by 66 percent from a loss after tax of N5.86 billion last year March to N6.29 billion same period this year. Total income for the quarter was up by 352 percent from a loss of N3.40 billion in March 2017 to N6.51 billion in March 2018.

Earlier in February 2018, Seplat launched a 5 or 7 year U.S dollar denominated regulation S/144 senior notes offering which the company said would be used to refinance existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes.

In March 2018, Seplat notified the NSE of successfully refinancing a $300 million revolving credit facility due December 2018 with a new 4-year $300 million revolving credit facility due 2022 which carried initial interest of Libor +6% payable semiannually.

Furthermore, in April 2018, Seplat announced a $350 million 9.25% bond offering due 2023. It said the notes would be used by the company and guaranteed by certain of its subsidiaries while the gross proceeds of its offering would be used to repay and cancel existing indebtedness.

Value investors raise expectations as equities gain N94 billion

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alue investors last week raised expectations as the market capitalisation of listed stocks rose to N14.101 trillion up from N14.008 trillion in the previous week, translating to a gain of N93.75 billion by equities.

The market capitalisation thus closed week to date higher at 0.67 percent and year to date at 3.62 percent.

Similarly, the All Share Index (ASI) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) rose to 38,928.02 points up from 38,669.23 points in the previous week. This translated to a gain of 258.79 points or 0.67 percent week to date gains or 1.79 percent year to date gains.

Compared with the performance of the market same period last year, the current market per-

formance is nothing but a miniature. As at this time last year, the ASI had appreciated by 25.81 percent while the market capitalisation of listed equities had posted 26.44 percent returns.

Further analysis of the equity market shows that 54 equities closed in the positive territory last week; three stocks remained neutral while 49 stocks are decliners. The shares of the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) remain the most appreciated in the entire market.

It closed at N27.50 per share last week Thursday translating to 189.5 year appreciation year to date. Learn Africa closed at N1.58 per share representing 79.5 percent YTD returns. Caverton closed higher at 78.3 YTD and that puts its current market price

at N2.30 per share. Beta Glass rose YTD by 70.2 percent which means it current share price is N87.35. Unity Bank was higher at 66 percent as its share price closed at N0.88.

On the flip side, insurance stocks led by African Insurance led the losers’ chart. Losing by 60 percent year to date, African Insurance’s share price closed last week Thursday at N0.20. Equity Assurance’s share price has depreciated by 52 percent year to date, thus its current market price is N0.24 per share. Niger Insurance has lost by 50 percent year to date, leading to its current market price at N0.25 per share.

Regency Insurance has lost by 48 percent year to date, thus its current market price is N0.26 per share. And Sovereign Trust Insur-

ance which has lost by 44 percent and that leaves its current market price at N0.28 per share.

Meanwhile, trading on the floor of the NSE last week saw 1.738 billion shares exchange hands worth N18.462 billion in 14,790 deals compared with 1.749 billion shares valued at N31.183 billion exchanged in 24,604 deals in the previous week.

Expectedly, the financial services dominated transactions on the floor accounting for 1.170 billion shares valued at N9.695 billion traded in 7,809 deals, which represented 67.35 percent and 52.51 percent of the total equity market volume and value.

It was followed by the services industry which recorded 293.49 million shares valued at N733.40 million traded in 531 deals. The

consumer goods sub sector witnessed the exchange of 154.09 million shares worth N4.997 billion traded in 3,002 deals.

A total of 62,392 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) were traded worth N1.004 billion executed in 13 deals in contrast to 202,916 shares worth N1.168 million executed in 19 deals in the previous week. Most of the ETPs traded in terms of volume and value were VETBANK and SIAMLETF40.

Furthermore, investors traded 9,850 units of federal government bonds estimated at N9.999 million in 10 deals as against 10,561 units worth N10.381 million executed in 20 deals in the previous week. Last week also, the NSE admitted 6 new Federal Government Savings Bonds.

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BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Touching Lives: How Airtel is giving hope to hopeless At the 4th premier edition of Airtel Touching Lives initiative, the audience, including government officials sat with emotions as they watched the video of indigent Nigerians or those who have faced one calamity or the order reel their pathetic and emotion-evoking stories. At the end of each story, it was comforting to see Airtel lifting them back to hope. This report looks at the selfless social service which Airtel wants individuals and organisations to emulate.

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orporate Social Responsibility, CSR, is the idea that a company should be socially involved with the environment around itself. This can range from engaging in nonprofit causes, to better the community, or create stronger connections between employees. Ultimately, a company’s CSR is established to increase overall engagement. It is created to make employee, and employers, feel more connected with society.

Today’s consumers are looking for more than just high-quality products and services when they make a purchase. They’re prioritizing corporate social responsibility (CSR), and holding corporations accountable for effecting social change with their business beliefs, practices and profits.

With a vision to become Nigeria’s most loved brand, Airtel’s concept of social responsibility is not limited to a concern with welfare schemes, charity work, or the occasional support for Health, Education, Security/Emergency, Sports, and the Arts. The company is positioned as an integral part of society, which must be socially responsible at all times in all its dealings, maintaining high ethical standards and compliance with the rules and regulations in its methods and practices of doing business.

The activities of Airtel Touching Lives are recorded and produced for national television with a view to promoting the spirit of giving, self-sacrifice and love among Nigerians. Touching Lives is a show about creating a platform for or-

dinary people in need: Men and Women, Young and Old, rural and urban to have a chance to fulfill their dream.

Speaking at the season 4 Premier, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said the company is committed to helping the less privileged in the society in line with its vision of creating empowerment opportunities and making life better for Nigerians.

“Together, we all can make our society a better place if we join hands and collaborate to uplift the downtrodden around us. True, we knew we lacked the resources to solve every problem, but we also knew that if we did our best and also encouraged our friends to do their best as well, we can go a long way in making an impact – in touching lives. And that is what we have done in the last three years” he said.

“Airtel is relentless in its pursuit of kindness, extending love to the people and communities it serves. And that is why we have not stopped the Touching Lives initiative three years after we launched it. Some doubted if we could sustain this project when we started but we have been so committed to this cause due its importance to us as a business and management and this has led to the sustenance of the initiative.”

In season 1, Airtel empowered several individuals and communities. However, some stories stood out. For example, Essienkan Ebong, a former police officer lost his eyes to an armed robbery attack in 2013.

All efforts to restore his sight proved abortive. Ebong, a gradu-

Together, we all can make our society a better place if we join hands and collaborate to uplift the downtrodden around us. True, we knew we lacked the resources to solve every problem, but we also knew that if we did our best and also encouraged our friends to do their best as well, we can go a long way in making an impact – in touching lives

Family of Olusegun Aina, who lost three children to an inferno and became homeless receiving keys of ultra-modern 2-bedroom apartment from CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya (3th left). The house was built and donated by Airtel under its Touching Lives initiative. The telecom firm also paid for all outstanding medical bills incurred by the family members while undergoing treatment of injuries sustained in the fire. (Extreme right) Emeka Oparah, Director, Corporate Communications Airtel.

ate of computer science, with a PGD in Mathematics and MSc in Computer Science, didn’t give up hope and neither did Airtel give up on him. Through the Touching Lives programme, we came to his aid, providing him with a Braille Object Identification Scanner, a Braille Machine, Speech Software, an America skim guide and a brand new sophisticate, special laptop to help him actualise his dream despite his disability. Today, Ebong is empowered and he is helping to empower other people in his immediate community.

During the Airtel Touching Lives Season 2, there were several emotional stories of courage and hope.

The story of a young girl, Hannah Enakerakpor, who suffered from a life-threatening disease, was a touching story that Airtel intervened. Through the Touching Lives programme, the company ensured that Hannah lived. Airtel Nigeria bankrolled her surgery in India and thankfully the surgery was very successful. Today she is living a healthy and happy life. Similar beneficiary was Gbenga Adesida, a blind man who lost custody of his

children because he was homeless.

A new apartment was built for him

by Airtel so he could reunite with his family, One of the unforgettable episodes of the last season was the story of Olusegun Aina family, who recently gave birth to a set of twins (a boy and a girl) after losing three children to an inferno and became homeless through the incidence.

Airtel Touching Lives built and donated a multi-million Naira, ultramodern 2-bedroom apartment for the family and also paid for all outstanding medical bills incurred while undergoing treatment of injuries sustained in the fire.

Other highlights of the last edition also include the donation of laptops, digital voice recorder and other gadgets to Bethesda Home and School; procurement of prosthetic leg for Emmanuel Onyeka and Scholarship for his University education. A 9-year-old cancer patient, Pillar Egona also received N3m for her chemotherapy treatment.

In this continuation of goodness, Airtel Touching Lives has entered its fourth season. The 13-episode programme will air 24 emotion-

evoking stories with the aim of making more social impact by empowering, uplifting and creating opportunities for under-privileged people, community and groups in the society.

The season 4 premiere had in attendance top government officials, captains of industry, philanthropists, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Orphanage owners, business moguls and top media practitioners.

Airtel has not just earned its social license in many communities where it operates but it’s also leading a quiet revolution in the delivery of quality help across the country. It has transformed the lives of thousands of underprivileged.

The success of the project has since earned the company several international and local awards with the most recent being the 2017 Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAS) – (Best Company in Stakeholder Engagement); Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Award – (CSR Initiative of the Year) and Global Patriot Newspaper award – (Patriot Award for Excellence in CSR).

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Sunday 17 June 2018

Consumer Consumers lament rising food prices NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

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he burden of the escalating food prices in Nigeria, an economy where over 120 million consumers live under two dollars daily, certainly leave the populace at the mercy of starvation and diseases.

The situation no doubt has made it almost impossible for a common man to eat twice in a day.

It however calls for the Federal Government to formulate policies that will strengthen the agricultural sector.

The policies should be aimed at ensuring that increased price of food items do not accelerate the poverty rate of the populace.

Analysts have attributed the increased in the prices of food commodities in Nigeria to insurgency in the North –Eastern part of the country, inadequate mechanised farming system, high cost of transportation, bad roads and inadequate post harvest storage facilities.

A survey carried out in some major markets in Lagos metropolis such as Mushin, Tejuosho and Oshodi revealed that the prices of food items have gone up beyond every ones imagination .

Take for instance, a 50 kg bag of Fresh rice; Cap rice; Mama Africa ; My Choice ; Stallion; that sold for between N14.000 and N14.500 each now sells between N15.

000 and N15.500 respectively.

Brand like Moto that sold for N15.000 now sells for N18.000.

A big bag of brown beans that sold for between N15.000 and N15. 500 last year now sells for between N55 .000 and N55.000.

While a bag of egusi that went for N40.000 before now goes for N100.000.

A bag of wheat that was sold for N8.000 some months ago, now sells for N16.000.

The survey also revealed that the prices of yellow and white garri went up. A medium seized bag of yellow garri sells for N5.500, while

big bag of white garri costs N6.000.

There is also sharp increase in the prices of condiments; noodles and salad ingredients.

A basket of tomatoes that sells for between N10.000 and N15.000 now goes for between N30.000 to N40.000 While a basket of pepper that sold for between N8.000 and N10.000 now sells for between N15.000 and N20.000.

The prices of tin and sachet beverages remain high.

A medium seized tuber of yam that was sold for between N250 and N300. Now sells for between N600 and N800.

A food stuff dealer Mr. Chinedu Chukwu who spoke in an interview attributed the increased price of beans in particular to the conflicts in the North –Easter part of the country.

According to him, farmers can no longer go to farm due fear of being attacked by Boko –Haram members and Fulani herdsmen..

He therefore appealed to the present administration to ensure the activities of Boko Haram are brought to a perpetual end so that farmers in the north can go back to farms.

An Educationist, Mrs. Chinwe Uzoma said that most house households had reduced their daily meal in take to once or twice. ‘’ Most families gladly eat what is available and affordable compared to what is nutritionally or desirable to them,’’ she added.

A Public servant , Mrs. Christiana Nda lamented the high cost of tomatoes and pepper in the market , saying that she no longer prepare stew with fresh tomatoes and pepper rather she uses tinned tomatoes and dried pepper. ‘’Before now, l can make a pot of stew with N600 worth of tomatoes and pepper, but now even if l buy N2.000 fresh tomatoes and pepper, it will not be enough to make a pot of stew. The situation

is getting out of hand. People are dying of hunger, there is no money, no food. ‘’The government should quickly intervene by providing conducive environment for the farmers so that they will be able to produce enough food for the populace,’’ she said.

An economist, Mr. Abiodun Ade opined that the dwindling revenue from global crude oil price , called for government concerted effort to ensure that the agricultural sector drives the economy.

According to him, government should stimulate growth and more participation in the agricultural sector through long term financing with a moratorium period for farmers.

He added that that the moratorium period was necessary as most produce could take nine to twelve months before they are due for harvest .

Therefore pay back should be between two to three

years.

Ade also urged the government to invest more in agriculture by establishing more mechanised farming. ‘’Most of the food items in the market are cultivated by the peasant farmers that have just little farmlands and lack the resources for large plantation. ‘’Mechanised farming will make farm produce to be available in large quantities, even if they are off seasons, the prices will not be ridiculously expensive. ‘ ’ Ti l l t h e g o v e r n m e n t does the right thing by shifting attention to agriculture , the citizens will continue to groan under the pressure of costly food items,’’ Ade added.

In all the analysts stressed that prioritizing agricultural sector would alleviate difficulties experienced by traders and impact positively on the supply chain to the consumers across the country.

Sendbox redefines logistics business in Nigeria

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n a bid to compliment on-going infrastructural development in Nigeria, Sendbox, a logistics company recently rolled out new services to aid businesses, consumers and ecommerce stores reduce the burden of package delivery.

Sendbox also presents a platform that aggregates mul-

tiple shipping companies and allows for multiple requests at ones convenience, assigned pick-ups and deliveries to premium couriers for local and international consignments.

During an interview with Emotu Balogun, Co-founder of Sendbox, he said, “our businesses allows individuals schedule packages for deliv-

ery in a simple and friendly manner. We have been able to tackle several challenge sour customers encounter using digital tracking devices.”

Balogun noted that Sendbox has created a business model that will continuously plug into e-commerce websites, blogs, back-office web and marketplace platforms

using real-time integrated shipping quotes, package tracking and delivery notifications .

Also , he explained that the system provides pick-up agents easy access to drop off locations which are closest to customers and they can digitally monitor packages at any given point in time and added

that it can be integrated into business systems which requires consistent shipping of goods across the globe.

There is also the feature of delivering workload to multiple couriers using manual or automatic scheduling and routing, reconciliation for payments on delivery with shipment reports.

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Arts Modupe Ozolua, a princess, servant

of Atlanta and the City of Atlanta Council have given her a ‘Proclamation of Recognition’ and congratulatory letters on her selfless service to humanity. She has also received honorary titles in the Democratic Republic of Congo appreciating her as an African Princess helping the continent.

Princess Ozolua has been featured extensively in the international press in publications such as the Associated Press, Yahoo News, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, CBS, Seattle News, San Diego Times, Radio Monaco among others.

The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in North East Nigeria call her “Sarauniyar Alheri” meaning the “Princess of Goodness”. His Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the Patron of Empower 54. While Kat Graham of Vampire Diaries, Hollywood actress and musician, is the Empower 54’s Goodwill Ambassador for IDPs, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, his imperial majesty, the Ooni of Ife, is the Goodwill Ambassador on malnutrition projects.

Princess Modupe Ozolua was born in Benin City, Edo State on October 10,1973 into the Royal House of the Benin Kingdom. She is the great granddaughter of Oba Ozolua, the legendary Benin warrior King. In 1989, she left to study in Southwestern College, San Diego (California), and Devry International University, Los Angeles, California. In 2001, at the age of 27, Princess Ozolua pioneered Cosmetic Surgery to Nigeria, West Africa through her business, Body Enhancement Ltd. The first business the princess owned was a communication business in Los Angeles prior to bringing cosmetic surgery to West Africa at the age of 27.

OBINNA EMELIKE

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orn into the royal house of the Benin Kingdom, Edo State, Modupe Ozolua, a princess, grew up very aware of and passionate about a number of social causes. She started her humanitarian activities in 2003 through Empower 54, her non-profit international humanitarian organisation, dedicated to providing desperately needed humanitarian assistance such as medical missions, hunger eradication, educational, women/girl empowerment and refugee programmes to underprivileged Africans.

As an entrepreneur and philanthropist, she lives multiple lives of a successful business woman and a dedicated servant to humanity going into dangerous places in Africa to help the less privileged. Today, Empower 54, under the leadership of the princess, is working in several African countries rehabilitating IDP/Refuge women, building schools, and has established a factory in Nigeria to produce ReadyTo-use-Therapeutic-Foods (RUTF), the life-saving medication for malnourished children.

In recognition of her philanthropy, Princess Ozolua has received many international awards, press reviews, and recognitions, including from the internationally acclaimed magazine, Elle. Elle Magazine South Africa has featured her twice for her entrepreneurial achievement as a leading “African female Boss” and also as one of the “50 Women Changing Africa” due to her philanthropy activities.

The Governor of Georgia, Mayor Reeds

Ozolua

Africa Magic announce Debbie Odutayo as head judge for 2018 AMVCAs

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s preparations shift into gear for the forthcoming sixth edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), Africa Magic, the continent’s leading provider of entertainment content, has announced the appointment of Deborah “Debbie” Odutayo, veteran film and television professional, as Head Judge.

Debbie brings over 30 years’ experience spanning television production, content creation and administration, and is famous for being one half of the brains behind Nigeria’s leading content creation and production company, Royal Roots Communication Network, which birthed Royal Roots Television (R2TV) and Royal Roots FM (R2 92.9FM) in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking on Odutayo’s appointment, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, director, M-Net West Africa, said: “Debbie Odutayo is a respected and seasoned television professional who brings extensive experience and renown to the AMVCA judging process. Her appointment as Head Judge is in tandem with the AMVCAs being the biggest celebration of film and television talent in Africa, with its impact seen in the improvement of the quality of entries, year after year. Debbie’s appointment reiterates

Yet again our commitment to excellence and professionalism, even as the AMVCAs mark another milestone by entering the sixth successive year.”

Debbie, head judeg, AMVCA

Odutayo is the immediate past president of the Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN), the umbrella body for corporate TV content producers in Nigeria, serving as the first woman president of the association. She is a member of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), and was also the very first Nigerian female judge for the first AMVCAs whilst serving as a judge on other editions.

“Besides being renowned and respected in the African film and TV space, Debbie also boasts experience with the AMVCA judging process, having worked on all previous editions. We are thrilled to have her with us as Head Judge, and we ask that our viewers stay tuned as preparations for the show enter the final stages,” Mba-Uzoukwu added.

After a hiatus necessitated by a busy production calendar, Africa Magic in association with MultiChoice, announced the 2018 AMVCAS in February. Entries for the awards opened on March 1, 2018, and closed on April 30, 2018 with films, made-for-television movies or television series previously entered into or nominated for an award, being eligible for submission. The 2018 AMVCAs will be broadcast LIVE on all Africa Magic channels on September 1, 2018.

R&B duo return with new single

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pring & Spice is back after several years of absence in the music industry with a new single titled ‘I Will Always Love You’.

‘I Will Always Love You’ is a creative cover of Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’, which was also recorded by Whitney Houston in 1992.

According to the music label made up of two upcoming musicians; Femi and Wale, the love song, laced with percussion, has melodic afrobeat influences. Rendered in a sweet mix of Yoruba and English, I Will Always Love You’ seals Spring & Spice’s position as a group of creative artistes in the Nigerian music industry and artiste to watch out for this year. Their vocal prowess and uniqueness is unrivaled.

The new singles, which is a masterpiece, is produced by Lalah.

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Arts AFRIMA debuts new award categories … DJs, dancers, diaspora artistes can now win 23.9k gold-plated trophy

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he fifth edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the African Union Commission, has debuted four new award categories to enjoin inclusiveness and expand the playing field in the awarding process for African music and creative professionals who have begun to send in their entries for the 5th AFRIMA on the online submission portal that opened on May 25 to commemorate the 2018 Africa Day. The newly introduced award categories, which include; African DJ of the Year; Best African Dance/Choreography; African Lyricist/ Rapper of the Year and Best African Act in Diaspora (Female & Male), were carefully arrived at after extensive consultations with African music stakeholders which included the AFRIMA Academy of Voters and members of the International Committee of AFRIMA in response to the yearnings and requests of stakeholders, DJ’s, dancers and artistes in diaspora. The process attests to the objective of AFRMA to use the African creative industry to showcase the unique cultural heritage of Africa to the rest of the world while celebrating innovations and diversification in Africa’s contemporary music industry.

AFRIMA awards categories are divided into two: Continental and Regional

Hadja Kobele, AFRIMA

categories. The Continental Category rewards African artistes in various music genres and forms ranging from pop, hip hop, inspirational, jazz, electro, DJ and more, while the Regional Category celebrates the outstanding

achievements of African artistes within their specific region of origin.

African DJ of the Year; Best African Dance/Choreography; African Lyricist/ Rapper of the Year and Best African Act in Diaspora, all

fall under the Continental Category. In addition, the Best African Act in Diaspora is dedicated to artistes with African roots/origin who practice their craft in the international music industry and have prominence and re-

nowned on the international music stage. The artiste’s music style could either be in the traditional or contemporary forms of expression.

Commenting on the welcome development, the Jury Member representing Africa music in the Diaspora (North America), Hadja Kobélé Keita said: “AFRIMA have given African artistes, for the past few years, an opportunity to capture the attention of an extension and comparatively distinct swath of the public, while emphasising on the unique importance of our diverse African musical culture. The addition of the Diaspora category is a direct emphasis on the critical role Africans in diaspora have as the ambassador of our culture on a global scale”.

Music videos, songs or recordings sent to the AFRIMA online submissionplatform www.afrima.org must be produced, recorded or written (in thecase of songwriters) by African music professionals and publiclyreleased within the eligibility period of August 1, 2017 to August 1, 2018. The award is open to music artistes, producers, songwriters, video directors, DJs, choreographers/dancers who stand a chance to win the AFRIMA 23.9k gold-plated trophy in one or more of the awards 36 categories. AFRIMA also has a special AFRIMA Legend Award category which recognises the special lifetime achievements of living or dead African music icon

as jointly determined by the African Union, International Committee of AFRIMA and the AFRIMA Jury.

Following the culmination of submission period is the adjudication process where the AFRIMA 13-man jury will, over two weeks, oversee the thorough and fair screening, categorising and assessment of entries received. The adjudication period ends with the unveiling of the AFRIMA 2018 Nominees List. The 5th AFRIMA with the theme “Africa is Music” will be celebrating the innovative sounds created by African artistes promoting the dynamism of traditional and contemporary African music, while creating a global market for the sustainability of African arts and culture.

Also to be featured as part of activities scheduled for the main awards events is the Africa Music Business Roundtable, a combination of musical conference and trade expo where stakeholders in the creative and arts industry come together to discuss the business of music in Africa. There is also the AFRIMA Music Village, a music concert and cultural festival that accommodates over 40,000 music lovers across the continent to witness live performances from their favourite African artistes.

The main awards ceremony is slated for November 2018 and it will be broadcast live to 84 countries around the globe.

Seven and a Half Date screens on cinemas from August 3rd

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he Nigerian cinema space is about to experience something different as highly anticipated movie of 2018 Seven And A Half Date is coming to cinemas nationwide from August 3, 2018.

The movie, which many believe would become the most talked about movie of 2018 with many anticipating its release, will live up to its expectations at the cinemas.

Seven And A Half Date is a Samuel Olatunji’s Bigsam Media production. The movie was produced by Toyin Abraham, talented actress and the producer of the highest selling movie of 2018, The Ghost And The Tout. Should ‘Seven and a Half Date’ Succeed as many believe it would, Toyin Abraham would have cemented

her name in the history books with back to back cinema success in the space of weeks.

Toyin Abraham, the producer of the movie, said, “After the success of my latest movie, The Ghost And The Tout, I could not wait to show the world the project I have been working on. This movie is one of the best productions I have worked on and I am excited about Seven And A Half Date and I cannot wait for the world to see this one. It is fresh, exciting and one to watch out for”.

Also speaking, Samuel Olatunji, the executive producer, said, “I am really enthusiastic about this movie, it has been a long time coming and I am glad we are finally putting this out there. This is a movie that will wow Nige-

rians and leave them wanting and yearning for more. I am really excited. The cast and crew, producer, director and

everyone who worked on this movie brought in 100 percent talent and professionalism.

So, expect nothing but the

best. I am optimistic and sure it will do great”.

Seven And A Half Date follows the life of a young

hard working lady, Bisola who is engrossed in her passion for her career and finds herself in a seemingly unending quest for love. Her father, Mr Gomez, takes it upon himself to help his girl find love and happiness. Daddy comes to the rescue, inspired by the game of chess, sets Bisola up to ten different dates to which he hopes one of them yields a good prospect.

The romantic comedy movie boasts of stellar casts like Jim Iyke, Mercy Johnson, Sola Sobowale, Toyin Abraham, Ken Erics, Frank Donga, Ali Nuhu, Bayray McNwizu among many others.

The movie is written by Joy Isi Bewaji, directed by Biodun Stephens, produced by Toyin Abraham and executive produced by Samuel Olatunji.

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Entertainment Port Harcourt fans troop out for night of fun …as Obiligbo Brothers deliver ‘real deal’ performance

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o one wanted the fun to end as they gyrated and sang along with great enthusiasm. Lovers of highlife music in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, had filled the Xmas carnival Ground in Elekahia in anticipation of having a great time and truly they were not disappointed. The event was the Legend Real Deal Experience and it turned out to be a night that will not be forgotten in a long time as the Obiligbo Brothers delivered a spectacular performance, as promised, even raising the bar a notch.

The ovation that greeted the appearance of the Obiligbo Brothers on stage was deafening and it got even louder as they began singing, starting out with the very popular ‘UDO GA DI’ and then proceeding with other hit songs the fans were all very familiar with as they engaged the artistes in an exciting sing along with acrobatic dances reminis-

cent of the good old days of the original Igbo Highlife era.

Fans of the superstar highlife duo were treated to a great performance as the brothers went above and beyond to ensure the audience was thrilled.

Popularly known for their energetic stage performances, the brothers left the crowd asking for more and all that were in attendance had wonderful things to say about the show.

The Obiligbo Brothers - Ifeanyi Okpuozor Obiligbo & Chukwuebuka Akunwafor Obiligbo - are sons of Obiligbo The Great of Anambra, and a force to reckon with in Igbo highlife music across the East and South of Nigeria.

Obiora Ngwu, a resident of Port Harcourt who attended the event, couldn’t contain his excitement.

“I never expected to have this much fun. This show is the ‘real deal’ indeed. It just felt like this whole party should not end. You see the crowd didn’t even want

Obiligbo and the real deal

De Don and Ifu Ennada

the Obiligbo brothers to leave the stage. This is what every show should look like,” Ngwu said.

Commenting on the success of the show, the Obiligbo brothers were full of praises for the organizers.

“We had so much fun tonight.

Port Harcourt feels like home for us. The show was great, the love here is real and this experience has made us connect better with our people and show appreciation to our fans. Tonight, everyone is happy and Legend Extra Stout made that happen. You guys are the Real Deal,” they said.

Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager - Mainstream Lager & Stout Brands NBPlc. while reiter-

NB Plc unveils Phyno as brand ambassador for Life Lager brand

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igerian Breweries Plc., Nigeria’s largest brewer and a Heineken company, recently announced the signing of Phyno, award winning Nigerian rapper and entertainer, as the new Brand Ambassador for its leading South-east premium brand, Life Continental Lager Beer.

Speaking at the unveiling

ceremony, Maria Franco Maggi, Marketing Director, NB Plc. said, “Working with a great act like Flavour and this new collaboration with Phyno, one of Nigeria’s most successful artistes and a proud son of the Igbo community, is further proof of Life Continental Lager beer’s mission of effectively promoting Igbo highlife music,

Emmanuel Agu, Phyno, Franco Maria Maggi, Funso Ayeni

beliefs, traditions and progressive cultural values.”

This deal which was signed at the Nigerian Breweries Plc. corporate head office in Lagos on May 31, 2018, will see the new ambassador featuring in Life Continental Beer advertising and marketing campaigns and will also make special appearances at events.

“I am very happy to be part of this great development as Life Continental beer has always been a brand that shows great support for the Igbo culture and values and it is something that I respect this beer brand for. They are the reason I am here today and I am proud to now be their ambassador,” said Phyno, during the unveiling ceremony.

Life Continental Beer pioneered regional brewing in Nigeria and has maintained leadership in the Southeast region’s booming market for decades.

ating the importance of the show said, “The Real Deal Experience was created to make evenings like this a regular feature in the lives of fun lovers, watching and interacting with favourite music stars while enjoying a chilled bottle of Legend Extra Stout. The Obiligbo Brothers are very for creating such wonderful experiences for our consumers.”

Former BBNaija housemate, Ifu Ennada, who co-hosted the show alongside comedian De Don, took control of the stage as always, doing a great job of keeping the crowd alive and well entertained all night.

In addition to the great music performances, members of

the audience also participated in games and role playing with many lucky consumers going home with lovely gift items. The brand also provided a Sensory Room, where consumers were able to learn more about the real stout.

Already held in different Nigerian cities including Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Abakaliki, Owerri and Umuahia among others, the Real Deal Experience is organized by Nigerian Breweries Plc, brewers of Legend Extra Stout. The show has featured some of Nigeria’s biggest entertainers including Timaya, Kcee, Oritsefemi, Small Doctor, 9ice and other stars.

Deji of Akure shares happiness with Maltina at Laffmattazz ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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ndo, the Sunshine State was lit up last week as rave-making comedy show, Laffmattazz, delivered premium entertainment to residents of the state capital on Tuesday, June 12th.

The comedy show which held at D Dome, Akure witnessed the presence of important dignitaries like the the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade, as well as A-list actors, music artistes and comedians.

Guests were treated to performances by some of the country’s biggest comedians and artistes including Omobaba, Koffi, Woli Agba, Kenny Blaq, Peteru, Woli Arole the prophet, CDQ, Small Doctor, Slimcase, Reminise, and a host of others.

There were also exciting

side attractions like fun games, lucky dips, spinning the wheel, where lucky consumers got the chance to win several interesting and useful prizes, courtesy of Maltina, the official sponsor of the show.

One of the lucky winners of a brand new LED TV said: “I honestly didn’t expect it! I’m so excited to have won this TV, and I can’t wait to go home and tell my family. Thank you, Maltina.

Please come back to Akure next year!”

Laffmattazz has become a popular comedy brand that does not only entertain but also creates enabling platforms for young talents to express themselves and sell their products to the world.

The laffmattazz train will also be in Ilorin and Abeokuta on Ileya Day and Independence Day respectively to share even more happiness.

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Sunday 17 June 2018

THINGS TO DO IN LAGOS

It’s a long weekend and we’ve been up and about enjoying ourselves ofcourse, we hope you’ve been doing so too.

Here are a few things lined up for you to

do today‌.Don’t worry, you’re off work tomorrowđ&#x;˜ Venue is Atrium Lennox Mall, Lekki phase 1.

Time is 12noon and admission is free!

Admission for The Heat Experience is also free!

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e’ve got great news for all lovers of good music in the city of Lagos!

The Make Music Lagos organizing team lead by Showgear (a leading Nigerian retailer of audio-visual gear and musical instruments) and its organizing partners (Alien Nation, Darliza Makeovers, IPC Events, StyleVille, Tsaboin Tech World, Livecraft Productions, Legacy Planet Limited & The Audio Age Company) have announced the event line-up for Make Music Lagos 2018. The announcement was made at a press conference in Lagos on the 4th of June 2018.

Make Music Lagos is the Lagos edition of Make Music Day, a festival of free live music hosted in more than 120 countries all over the world to commemorate World Music Day under the guidance of the US based Make Music Alliance.

The 2018 edition makes it the 3rd consecutive edition of Make Music Lagos festival that has been hosted in the city Lagos. The 1st edition was hosted in 2016; it consisted of 3 concerts and performances by Bez, Cobhams Asuquo, Tosin Martins, Olufunmi, Wura Samba, Johnny Drille, Pita, Wole Oni, Lagos Mainland Choir etc. The 2nd edition was hosted in 2017 and it consisted of 3 new music initiatives (Mass Appeal, Learn to Play & Street Studio), and 12 concerts with notable performances from King Sunny Ade, Daddy Showkey, Adewale Ayuba, Omawumi, BEZ, Sound Sultan, Wole Oni, Morayo Music and Folabi Nuel.

The 2018 edition of Make Music Lagos promises a bumper slate of events across the month of June and it kicks off with the Mass Appeal, which is a live performance by a diverse group of instrumentalists and bands playing to the 2018 MML Theme Song composed by Alternate Sound, at the newly opened JJT (Johnson Jakande Tinubu) Park in Alausa. Mass Appeal is hosted in collaboration with the Lagos Parks and Recreation Agency (LASPARK).

The Learn to Play events, a music instruments teaching initiative, runs from the 19th to 21st of June at Lagos State Education District 1, Agege and on World Music Day (Thursday 21st June) at Ikeja City Mall and Domino’s Pizza locations in Yaba and Lekki (Admiralty 2) from noon to 2pm.

The Learn to DJ events, a teaching initiative that gives aspiring DJs the opportunity to learn from DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Nana, DJ Magnum and other leading DJs, takes place on World Music Day (Thursday 21st June) at Ikeja City Mall from 2pm to 5pm and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from 2pm to 4pm.

The Street Studio, a free style music production initiative, takes place on World Music Day (Thursday 21st June) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from noon to 2pm and Domino’s Pizza locations in Yaba and Lekki (Admiralty 2) from 2pm to 4pm. Hosting the Street Studio events this year are the following leading Nigerian producers: VC Perez, Fliptyce, Olaitan Dada and PSykes.

A total of fourteen (14) concerts will also be hosted on World Music Day (Thursday 21st June) the MML team in collaboration with its venue partners: Bogobiri, Freedom Park, Hard Rock CafÊ, Ikeja City Mall, MUSON Centre, Creative Arts Department, University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Domino’s Pizza/Cold Stone locations in FESTAC, Oko Oba, Ogudu, Ikorodu, Surulere, Victoria Island (Ajose Adeogun), Ajah and Lekki Phase One (Admiralty).

The Lagos Shutdown which is the finale event for the 2018 celebrations comes up on Sunday the 24th of June at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island from 4pm to 10pm. Confirmed for the Lagos Shutdown are the following artists: from Waje, Johnny Drille, Praiz and Vector. More confirmations from a-list artists are expected in the days leading up to the event. The Lagos Shutdown is hosted in collaboration with the MML venue partner, Lagos Parks and Recreation Agency (LASPARK).

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BusinessDay MarketPlace With Andela’s Senior Success Manager, Damilare Lana

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and from the perspective of our CFO, we are actually meeting our target. So yes we are not profitable yet, but our target revenue target keeps our investors happy. It’s so good that Andela is competing favourable with already established companies.

hat’s Andela’s Story?

Andela is a 4 year old company, that means we started out in 2014. We started out to advance human potential, by empowering today’s team and invest in tomorrow’s leaders. At the very beginning when Andela came into Africa and we’ve been able to build our own developers. Some of them, who are core staff today, didn’t even know how to code at the very beginning. All that ties into the whole goal of what Andela is about. There is a global technology shortage at the moment, in the US, each developer has a minimum of 5 jobs and from the basic economy perspective, the demand outstrips the supply, this is where Andela comes in. For four years, Andela in a nutshell has tried to bridge this technology gap. So we started from the fore front with 0 developers and now we have 600+.

What challenges does the company face as a business?

Our challenges again ties into our mission. It’s important for us to maintain a standard of talent development, since we are trying to fill a global technical shortage. As of this point, we’ve had over 75,000 applications, but only 1% of them were successful. So one hand we want to make the opportunity available for everyone who wants to join us in Africa, but on the other hand we also need to maintain the quality. This balance that Andela constantly tries to strike is our first challenge.

The second one is, we are operating in a shifting technology ecosystem, where distributed team is seen as a new best practise for a lot of companies based in Africa, USA and Europe. So we are growing as a start up and at the same time creating a blue print of showing the global market that remote teams do work and this is how you get it to work. We’ve had a couple of mishaps along the way but we’ve been able to make it work and we’ve gladly shared our ideas on this with our partners.

What is Andela’s mission?

Andela’s mission is to advance human potential by empowering today’s team and investing in Tomorrows technology leaders.

As the senior success manager how would you define business success?

Let me tie into the mission that I mentioned earlier, part of which is to empower today’s team; this simply means that the partners that we work, with have a business goal that they need to meet and that business goal ties into their need for developers. Before they partner with us, that business goal which is to capture the technology needs, is clearly defined.

Because Andela is trying to advance, we define success as the ability to meet the technical business needs of our partners and at the same time, help the developers to grow, while embedded in those teams to become technology leaders. Once that is achieved we consider ourselves successful.

What’s your biggest drive to success?

My biggest drive to success at the moment is for us to hit the goal of building those technology leaders.

Like I said, there is a global technical shortage, so our drive to success every year, from the perspective of Andela is, how are we bringing down that shortage? Take for example, as of 2017, we had a goal of a race to 300 (300 technical talents – developers that are ready for the global market), which we met and now we have a new one of 500. Success is defined in a way that aligns to our mission.

How does Andela generate revenue?

We currently generate revenue from placement of developers (embedded team members in partner organiza-

tions). When partners come to Andela, they require services, these services are not software products, what they require are the developers. So there’s some market repunions and then there are some charges.

What the partners pay Andela’s services, is where the company gets money to foot non-technical operations and also pay wages of the develop-

ers themselves.

Who are your partners?

We have one in San Fransico, by the name Es Gusto, under which we have four developers placed with them. We also have another based in Texas, called Zebra and we have more 13 developers with them.

Has the business always been

profitable?

Andela hasn’t always been profitable, but the good side is we are a start up and our investors know this. They know that we are on a mission and we are not just trying to make money.

There is an end game, which is to to have a business plan and generate a particular amount of revenue every year. From the financial modelling perspective

Where do you see Andela in 5 years and what’s been put in place to achieve this?

To answer that question, let me paraphrase an industry example, there is a person called Elon Mosk, he started out with Pay Pal and from pay pal he was working with other technology leaders there and at a time, they all branched out to. Now he is the CEO of Tesla and Space X and some other companies which we know and he’s been successful with both. This is the model Andela is looking at for the long term. Remember I mentioned that one of the core goals of Andela is to build a network of technology that works, that’s us basically looking long term to achieve same model. We want the seeds that are planted within Andela to branch out and set up more opportunities for talent development.

Interview by Akumah Uzochikwa

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Sunday 17 June 2018

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Life&Living The battle between social media and family time

JUMOKE AKIYODE-LAWANSON

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s technology really bringing people closer or is it creating a family divide? Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question as it can go either

way.

In the early 2000s when social media became popular on the world wide web, it seemed like the technology was created for unity and closeness; as things like MSN instant messenger, AOL instant messenger, Yahoo messenger and later Facebook were helping people connect to old time friends, long lost family members and in fact, giving some people a social life that they never had before.

Today, the addiction to electronic gadgets, especially phones and computers and social media cannot be over emphasised. Research carried out by addictionhope.com shows that parents and children are spending more time with technology and on social media than with each other and Psychologists are increasingly concerned that technology is breaking down family communication.

In fact, I have realised that many families in Nigeria today have a family Whatsapp group and would rather talk to each other about serious issues and concerns on Whatsapp than to sit down and physical talk to each other to get matters resolved.

“It is easier to talk to my parents on our family Whatsapp group because I can choose to ignore and keep mute when they start being

annoying. Moreover, it is easier and faster to reach me on social media platforms because I am always with my phone but I am not always at home,” Nkechi Nwaneri, a student of University of Lagos told BDSunday.

It has become so bad, that some people find self fulfilment in being ‘social media’ celebrities; defining their self worth by how many ‘followers’ they have on Instagram, how many friends they have on Facebook and how many likes their posts get on social media, without having any true

real life friends or anybody that truly likes them in real life.

Popular celebrities have openly confessed that they are addicted to their phones and must post pictures on Instagram, tweet messages on twitter, post videos/pictures on Snapchat and check their Facebook messages every single day and recent survey shows that an average youth spends over half of the day on social media.

However, it is not only the youth that are guilty of being social media

addicts. A book by Sherry Turkle, Alone Together, talks about a study conducted where parents and children were asked their opinion about technology.

The results were stunning; as many children reported that they felt that their parents were addicted to their phone or computers. The children stated a desire for their parents to spend quality time and interact with them. The survey shows the need for family social interaction and the lines are blurred on when is

enough with social media use.

It has become so bad, that some people can only express love and affection through posts on social media rather than actually walking up to the person and speaking their feelings.

“My wife says happy birthday to me first on Instagram and Facebook before she says it in person or hands me a gift. I thought it strange the first year we got married, as we were in the same room and I didn’t get a ‘happy birthday’ but when I logged on to my Instagram, I saw the long sweet message she had posted with my picture.

But now it’s a norm, I guess social media has made it compulsory for us to let the world know how much we love each other first before letting each other know,” Kunle Adegbola told BDSunday.

There is a constant battle between screen time and real time.

Alternatively, technology can be used to keep families connected.

It can help members keep track of schedules, location, and a sense of security between members that parents and/or children can be reached immediately if needed. At the same time, technology can bring forth negative interaction, or zero interaction between siblings, couples, or parent-child. It starves the family of learning and modeling with each other social cues, interpersonal relationship skills, communication skills, and bonding. It is up to every individual to choose when to draw the line and make time for actual family bonding time.

Opindos brasserie and bakery: Living healthy is eating healthy CHINYERE OKEKE

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he importance of healthy living and feeding can never be over emphasised.

Various people do not understand the importance of eating healthy as well as eating healthy and are therefore prone to heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity and the likes, just by consuming unhealthy food.

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love.

Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and stabilizing your mood.

If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone.

It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using the right restaurants or food outlets which combines the right kind of food to achieve balance diet, then you are on the way to getting it right.

One of such few restaurants is the ‘Opindos brasserie and

bakery’, recently launched and located at 71 Awolowo road, Ikoyi Lagos, which has finally come to the rescue of many. Those who love to have healthy sumptuous food have seen a place to call home, and others who have no idea of what eating healthy is, have a place to call home. Alas! a lasting solution at our door step.

Walking into the restaurant, gives one a mesmerizing feeling and customers may barely take their eyes off the mouth-watering cookies, snacks and cakes beautifully designed and displayed.

The aroma that oozed out of the kitchen is also salivating.

Expectedly, one would wonder the brain behind the great concept of ‘Opindors brasserie and bakery.’

A very beautiful young looking and energic woman, Ope Tejuosho, is the owner and founder of Opindos.

Tejuosho who is also the daughter of former governor of Lagos state, has decided to leverage healthy African cuisine to change the narrative of eating healthy not just in Nigeria but in Africa.

The energy she exuded while she spoke was amazing. I could barely take my eyes off her, as she narrated the story behind Opindos.

“It all started 22 years ago,”

she said. “After I graduated from the University of Lagos where I studied law, I travelled abroad to learn cooking for a year, where I became a certified chef. After that, I came back to Nigeria to practice what I learnt. I have been cooking for the past 20 years.

It’s been an exciting journey, but there have been some tough moments too”.

She explained that she has fashioned her restaurant to suit every customer’s need. “When you walk into Opindos brasserie and bakery, everything you desire in a meal,

you get. We have a very casual and serene environment, the very best meal, lacking in fat and cholesterol, very healthy and rich meals with the very best waiters.

“More so, our menu is structured differently to meet everyone’s need. I go as far as creating menu for the obese and overweight and for the vegetarians and the vegans. To me, it’s not just about making profit, but about putting the best out there. I want to grant people access to healthy living and healthy feeding, in the long run curbing chances heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity and other related diseases,” Tejuosho added Opindos is for the average Nigerian, a place where most Nigerians can afford. There are different sections in the outlet which includes the kiddies section, parents section, vegetarians, vegans, dieters, and the likes and opening hours is from 7pm to 9 am.

According to her, “In a bid to give back to the society we carry out our corporate social responsibility immensely. We own Wester school for the deaf where we help shape the lives of those in our custody, giving hope and meanings to their lives.”

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Travel South Africa steps up action for seamless travel with e-visa regime …as minister commends Nigeria’s hospitality OBINNA EMELIKE

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hile delivering his 2018/19 Tourism Budget Vote address in Parliament recently, Derek Andre Hanekom, Minister of Tourism, South Africa, assured that the ‘Rainbow Country’ is set to introduce electronic visas by the end of current financial year.

The move is in collaboration with Malusi Gigaba, Minister of Home Affairs, and ultimately aims at encouraging seamless travel to South Africa, especially for family travels, and also ends the traumatic experience of travellers being turned away by airlines.

However, the South African Tourism Minister brought the good news to West Africa, via Nigeria, when he, alongside Darkey Africa, Consular General of South Africa in Lagos, hosted guests from the media, trade, and stakeholders in Lagos, to an exclusive dinner at Radisson Blu Hotel Ikeja on June 6, 2018.

The dinner was a platform for objective dialogue on the tourism sector; with focus on the flow of traffic between West Africa and South Africa and also allowed free flow of questions from the Nigerian stakeholders and answers from the South African host.

Of course, Henekom was in Nigeria for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Commission for Africa’s 61st meeting, which held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja from June 4-5, 2018, where he joined over 20 ministers of tourism and 500 delegates from 34 countries across Africa to brainstorm on way forward for tourism on the continent.

The minister, who visited with his

wife, was excited to be in Nigeria for the first time, and was surprised at the hospitality of the people he met.

He further had a nice experience with Nigerian delicacies at the dinner in Lagos. Also at the dinner, most of the stakeholders noted that the reoccurring challenge of visa processing is one of the key issues, which hinders the over-all experience of Nigerians travelling to South Africa.

Clearing the air on visa challenges, Henekom assured that South Africa is putting in place some measures to ease the travel challenges faced by Nigerians and others to his country, top among which is an e-visa regime.

“There is much being done to ease the South African visa issues in Nigeria. We are working towards eventually having an e-visa regime. We want to modernize the systems and ease the burdens. In the interim, we will be working on recognizing valid visas from other countries such as USA, U.K among others, so that Nigerians with such visas will be given leniency. Africa is indeed open for business, and offers a world of opportunity”, he said.

On the short duration of the visas, the minister urged the Consul General to immediately work on reviewing the visa processes and address the issues around visa durations for applicants, especially for repeat travelers.

Reaffirming the minister’s position, the Consular General said at the dinner that, “We are aware of the visa situation and are working towards resolving them with the colleagues from home affairs”.

But while the visa challenge is primary focus, Darkey Africa urged applicants to play their part by submitting applications on time and with sufficient supporting documents to aid positive and timely

Darkey Africa, Consular General of South Africa in Lagos; Derek Andre Hanekom, Minister of Tourism, South Africa and Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa, SAT’s trade relations manager, West Africa, at the dinner.

decisions on their applications.

On his closing remarks, Hanekom called for continued mutual dialogue and tourism exchanges between the two countries, as well as, greater regional co-operation to ensure ease of travel and sustained growth the tourism across the continent.

In their remarks, the Nigerian stakeholders who promised to continue to spread the magic of Africa, commended the minister for his visit, kind words for Nigeria and for the opportunity to collaborate on the advancement of tourism and

relations between the two nations.

They also thanked the Consular General for his open-door policy and keenly await actions on the issues discussed at the dinner.

Obviously, the dinner played a key role in solidifying the unification of West Africa and South Africa, with much being done to strengthen areas of synergy between the two nations.

The guests and host alike will not forget in a hurry the enjoyable experiences and stories shared across the night, especially the savoury South African inspired three-course

dinner, and the minister’s delight on a local Nigerian dish.

One of the highlights of the dinner was the presentation of a locally-made souvenir by Bilkisu Abdul, president, Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), to the minister.

However, thanks go to South African Tourism (SAT) for making the dinner a success, especially Hloni Pitso, SAT, regional manager, West Africa, though on study leave, who was ably represented by Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa, SAT’s trade relations manager, West Africa.

Winners emerge for 2018 Balafon Awards …as African tourism stakeholders head to Accra Weizo

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inners have emerged for the 9th edition of the Balafon Awards; an annual award organised to recognise pioneers and best players in the travel and tourism industry in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.

The winners, released by publishers of Atqnews.com, the organisers of the awards, which is holding in Accra Ghana for the fourth time, were selected through a select poll among practitioners and ratified by a board made of specialists in media.

They include; Stella Obinwa, Director Africa, Dubai Tourism as Travel Personality of the Year in West Africa, Uloma Egbuna, MD, Tour Brokers international Nigeria, emerged, Tourism Man of the Year in West Africa, Capt.

Ado Sanusi, MD Aero, won the Aviation Man of the Year in West Africa, while Malah Saleh of Gambia, won the Hotel Personality of the Year in West Africa.

As well, Air Peace won the

Best Airline in West Africa, Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel, Accra Ghana, emerged Best Hotel in West Africa, Dakar International Airport, Senegal won the Best Airport in West Africa, while Aviance won Best Ground Handling Company in West Africa.

Other winners are; Ghana as the Best Tourism Marketing Award West Africa Carnival Calabar as the Tourism Event of the

Year West Africa, Cecilia Dappah, minister of Aviation Ghana, as the Aviation Minister of the Year West Africa and Catherine Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana as the Tourism Minister of the Year in West Africa.

This comes as organisers of Accra Weizo announce the launch of a West African Travel and Tourism (WATTA) platform for the growth of seamless

travel in the ECOWAS region.

The new association for private sector players in the region will be launched at Accra Weizo.

At the launch of Accra Weizo, about four years ago, the vision was to turn ECOWAS’s 15 countries and its 380 million people into a domestic tourism destination.

It has taken four years for the organisers of Weizo to reach out to over 150 travel and tour operators in West Africa from six countries to start a regional association that will drive tourism in the region. WATTA will be an association for any player in the tourism and travel environment. The interim Board will be announced and inaugurated at Accra Weizo on June 23, 2018 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Accra.

Accra Weizo is one of the events geared towards getting West Africans to cooperate among themselves. West Africa is home to 15 countries of over 380 million people but tourism and travel is not the strong suite of the economic

interaction in the region. The region receives among the lowest tourism figures per capita in Africa. With a huge population and over 40 airports, aviation is dominated by companies from outside the region. To address some of these issues, Accra Weizo; a travel event, now in its 4th edition, is aimed at creating a seamless travel environment in West Africa. It brings together travel professionals in West Africa.

The ECOWAS region despite a protocol of free movement has not grown intra-regional tourism and travel. Minister of Aviation for Ghana, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will be opening the 4th Accra Weizo event on June 22, 2018 with a paper titled ‘Harnessing the Opportunities in Aviation Value Chain in West Africa.’

The first day will be the seminar on Aviation and the second day will be dedicated to ‘Travel, Tourism and the Internet’ session to grow Travel Business and destination.

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Travel

Boeing, Turkish Technic announce global fleet care supplier agreement Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

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oeing and Turkish Technic Inc., the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) arm of Turkish Airlines, announced signing of a Global Fleet Care supplier agreement.

Turkish Technic is now a strategic Boeing supplier for line maintenance, heavy maintenance of airplanes, component service and repair. Boeing and Turkish Technic will collaborate together in the training and certification of technicians from different parts of the world.

“We provide a broad portfolio of MRO services in 50+ International Line Maintenance locations as well as our existing base maintenance facilities in Istanbul and Ankara. In addition to the current services we provide, more will be available to our customers at our brand-new facility, located in Istanbul’s New Airport from the 29th October 2018.

We are so glad to announce such a remarkable collaboration with Boeing, which will significantly contribute and add value to our business in our new home base. Within the extent of Boeing Global Fleet Care program including aircraft main-

tenance, repair and training, Boeing operators will be able to experience the world class quality of Turkish Technic’s MRO services through this agreement,” Ahmet Karaman, general manager of Turkish Technic Inc, stated Last year, Boeing and the Turkish Government announced the Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative, launched to support the growth of the Turkish aerospace industry, in conjunction with the targets set by Turkey’s Vision 2023 that specially designed for the 100th establishment

anniversary of the Turkish Republic.

The initiative outlines a strategic framework that aligns Boeing investment and programs with the Turkish Government, Turkish airlines, aerospace service companies and industry suppliers in the areas of research, engineering and skills development.

“Turkey is one of the Boeing’s top strategic growth countries, and we see strong capability and growth potential in aviation services and maintenance in Turkey.

“Positioning Turkey as

Winners emerge for the 2018 BALAFON West African Travel, Tourism Awards

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inners of the 9th Edition of Balafon awards and 4th the Edition to be held in Accra Ghana has been released by publishers of Atqnews.Com. Balafon awards of Excellence is an annual award organised to recognise Pioneers and best players in the industry for the ECOWAS region.

The winners are selected via select polls among Practitioners and ratified by a board made of Specialist in Media. They are as follow: Travel Personality of the Year in West Africa - Stella Fubara, Director Africa Dubai Tourism. Tourism Man of the Year in West Africa - Uloma Egbuna, managing director, Tour Brokers international Nigeria. Aviation Man of the Year in West Africa –Ado Sanusi, managing director, Aero. Hotel Personality of the Year in West Africa – Malah Saleh – Gambia. Best Airline in West Africa: Air

Peace. Best Hotel in West Africa-Kempinski Gold Coast city Hotel Accra Ghana. Best Airport in West Africa – Dakar International Ai r p o r t Se n e g a l . Be s t Ground Handling Company in West Africa –Aviance. Best Tourism Marketing Award West Africa – Ghana.

Others include Tourism Event of the Year West Africa – Carnival Calabar, Aviation Minister of the Year West Africa-Cecilia Dappah Minister of Aviation Ghana and Tourism minister of the year in West AfricaCatherine Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

This is as organisers of Weizo announced the launch of a West African Travel and Tourism platform for the growth of Seamless Travel in the Ecowas region.

The new association for Private sector Players in the region will emerge at the event.

At the launch of Accra

Weizo 4 years ago the Vision was to turn the 15 countries and its 380million people into a Domestic Tourism Destination.

It has taken four years for the Organisers of Weizo to reach out to over 150 Travel and Tour Operators in West Africa from 6 countries enough to start a regional association that will drive Tourism in the region. WATTA will be an association for any player in the Tourism and Travel environment. The interim Board of WATTA will be announced and Inaugurated at Accra Weizo on the 23rd of June 2018 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Accra.

Accra Weizo is one of the events geared towards getting West Africans to cooperate amongst themselves. West Africa is home to 15 countries of over 380 million people but Tourism and Travel is not the strong Suite of the Economic interaction in the region.

a global player in aviation services is one of the key elements of the Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative we announced last year.

With this agreement, we are taking our successful collaboration with Turkish Technic one step further in a manner that aligns to the growth of Boeing and Turkey,” Marc Allen, President of Boeing International, said.

Through its Global Services division, Boeing provides technical support to more than 60 customers and over 2,500 airplanes through its Global Fleet Care program.

Demuren to appear at LAAC seminar

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he number of speakers at the forthcoming seminar of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) is swelling by the day as the Harold Demuren, the former DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has indicated readiness to present a paper at the event.

Demuren who is set to present a paper on ‘Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Financing Option for Nigeria’ said his paper would dwell on available opportunities for the country.

Demuren in a telephone conversation with the Seminar Committee stated that he was already working on his paper to be presented at the seminar.

He said: “I am already working on my paper to be presented at the LAAC’s seminar. I can assure that the paper would be ready before the date.”

Apart from Demuren, major personalities in the global aviation industry have also indicated their willingness to participate i n t h e s e m i n a r, w h i c h is scheduled to hold on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at the Sheraton Hotels and Suites.

Already, Nick Fadugba,

a former Secretary General, African Airlines As s o c i a t i o n ( A F R A A ) had indicated his preparedness to present a paper; Ayo Also, Obilana, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) certified security personnel has also confirmed participation while Babatunde Irukera, the Director-General of C o n s u m e r Pr o t e c t i o n Council (CPC) is also expected to present a speech. Allen Onyema , Chairman of Air Peace would act as the Chairman of the event.

Other papers to be presented at the seminar i n c l u d e d : ‘ Fu n d i n g Perspectives of Aviation Security in Nigeria , ‘Federal/State Government Partnership in Air Navigational Development and ‘Partnerships as Key to Survival of Local Airlines’ among others.

Th e t h e m e f o r t h e s e m i n a r i s : ‘ Fi n a n c i n g Aviation Development through Private Sector Partnerships.

Demuren is an aeronautical engineer with over four decades of experience in the aviation industry. As the DirectorGeneral of NCAA, he was responsible for the current reform in the Nigerian aviation sector.

Summer just got cooler with Emirates’ complimentary ice cream service

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igerians will enjoy a refreshing summer travel season as Emirates will be serving complimentary ice cream to all its customers at Dubai International Airport. Ice cream cups will be given out at the Terminal 3 departure and transit areas from 15 June to 31 August for customers travelling from or through Dubai.

The ice cream, branded Emperor, is made in-house

by Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) and the airline expects to serve two million cups of ice cream to its customers over the next 3

months.

Customers can look out for Emirates branded ice cream carts placed throughout the departure and transit areas of Terminal 3. You can choose your desired ice cream flavor.

En j oy t h e u n i q u e Chocolate or Vanilla flavour or be adventurous and enjoy other flavours such as Date & Arabic Coffee, Mango Sorbet, and Lemon Sorbet.

The cool treats will be served during peak departure times every day - between 12am and 3am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm, and 6pm and 9pm.

Emirates continually inv ests to pr ov ide a n

unmatched travel experience, and this simple but cool initiative is a reflection of its commitment to delighting customers.

Emirates’ popular Emperor ice-cream is currently also served in premium classes on select flights to Europe and the UK, and in the seven Emirates lounges at Dubai International Airport.

Emirates’ hub in Dubai provides direct connections toover150citiesacrossitssixcontinent network including its latest destinations this summer – London Stansted and Santiago, Chile.

Th e a i r l i n e o f f e r s excellent onboard service, regionally inspired meals and complimentary drinks including a recently refreshed spirits menu. Emirates provides quality products and value for money with lie-flat beds in Business Class, the largest in-seat screens in the world in Economy class at 13.3 inches and up to 3,500 channels of ondemand entertainment on ice, its award-winning inflight entertainment system.

Sunday 17 June 2018

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BDSUNDAY 47

Health&Science Ogun guards against communicable diseases, preaches environmental hygiene

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RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

n a frantic effort to guard against air, water-borne and environmental related diseases, especially cholera, Ogun state government has begun an intensive campaign against all forms of communicable diseases, working to forestall possible outbreak of such diseases.

Consequently, the State government has required all residents and visitors of the State to always maintain high level of personal and environmental hygiene in order to keep cholera and other sister diseases at bay.

Speaking at the Success Model Workshop on Public Sector Strengthening, organized by Marie Stopes International, in Abeokuta, Babatunde Ipaye, Commissioner for Health, said efforts had been made on environmental engineering and infrastructural development, to rebuild cholera epidemic areas, so that major causes of disease such as, water pollution, contamination and massive flooding, would no longer occur in the State.

The Commissioner also stated that the State Surveillance System was topnotched, as it was awarded the best Integrated Dis-

Doctor’s canvass for more professionalism in career SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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ease Surveillance and Response in Nigeria by the World Health Organization (WHO), assuring that the State was unlikely to have cholera because the critical determinant of such has been eliminated.

He said, “The critical location of cholera epidemic in the State has been rebuilt by the Government. Most of the location where we have water pollution, contamination and massive flooding are no longer there, that is why, when other States recorded flooding in the last couple of years, Ogun State was not part of them.

“There are a whole lot of efforts, apart from environmental engineering and infrastructural development, we have also embarked on

massive health education and we will continue to communicate the need to maintain high level of personal and environmental hygiene to our people.”

He therefore lauded partners for their contributions in the development of health sector in the State, promising that the State would continue to create enabling environment for more partnership that would engender successful collaboration.

Earlier, the Head of Operations, Marie Stopes, Nigeria, Emmanuel Clifford Ajah, commended the State government for the support so far, adding that Ogun was one of the states in the country that had created a conducive atmosphere for partnership to thrive.

igerian trained medical doctors have been enjoined to uphold their professional careers with high esteem by considering service to humanity rather than work for money.

However, Government at all levels were charged to as a matter of urgency improve on ensuring conducive environment for Nigerian medical personnel and as well provide adequate facilities for both health institutions and hospitals to checkmate the rate in which our medical doctors leaving the country to practice abroad.

Sulyman Abdulkareem Age, a professor of Engineering and the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin gave the charge while fielding questions from journalists on worried about the situation where doctors available in the country are not sufficient to take care of the population of about two million.

“We have a wrong begining, if you look at other countries their cases are worst than Nigeria but their children remain in the country with hope that things will get better.

“We should pay more

attention on how to love the country as we love ourselves. Money can not go after everything,” he said.

Also speaking is a representative from Zimbabwe who said money should not be put first in our professional careers.

“I think it is high time we began to be contemted, happy with what we have and love the country more for development of our nation.

“We should let our medical practitioners realised that what they are dealing with, as professional career has to be taken serious.

Human lives should not be toyed with. Therefore, going on strike must be minimised.

He further said that as a lecturer, I count my students

as relevant as myself because I don’t miss class so, I think medical doctors should prioritise patients healthy living by considering that somebody who is sick and have to be treated may die if they did not attend to such patient on time.

“If we look at that way, money will not distract our attraction from being responsive and committed to impact positively on human health development.

He therefore urged Governments on their part not to wait until doctors go on strike before they answer them so as to checkmate and discourage doctors leaving the country.

The race is on for 2018 healthcare award DAVID IBEMERE

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his may be one of the toughest year for organisers of the 5th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA), barely few weeks after the announcement of over 100 organisations and individuals nominated in four categories, voting has already recorded 100 percent increase to 14,000 from the highest of 7,000 in the previous editions.

How tough the jobs could be is evident on the quality of nominees, which include Abia State, Adamawa State, Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank, University College Hospital Ibadan, University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Lagoon Hospital, St. Nicholas Hospital, Clinix, Pathcare, Afriglobal, Nordica Fertility Centre, The Bridge Clinic, Lily Hospitals, Warri, Nisa Premier

Hospital, Abuja; but the organisers at a press conference on Friday describe the competition as not just healthy but also a development that will propel quality health care delivery in the country.

Other nominees include; DoctorNow, Doctoorahealth, Fyodor Biotechnologies, WellNewme Nig Ltd, Florida Eye Centre, Abuja; I Care Family Vision Center, St Joseph Eye Hospital – Port Harcourt, Eye Foundation Hospital, Primus Eye Centre, Abuja; Bamfak Rehab and Physiotherapy Limited – Abuja, Ageless Physiotherapy Clinic, Body Mechanics Physiotherapy and Wellness Centre, Physiofit Physiotherapy Hospital, Wellpath Physiotherapy, Swiss Biostadt Limited, PPC Limited, GE Healthcare, JNC International Limited, Tuyil Pharmaceutical Industries Limited – Ilorin, May & Baker Nigeria Plc,

Glaxosmithkline Pharmaceutical Ltd, Orange Drugs Limited, Nett Pharmacy Ltd, Healthplus Pharmacy, Medplus Pharmacy, Alpha Pharmacy, etc.

Speaking in Lagos, Anthony Omolola chairman, advisory board for NHEA 2018 saidstimulating healthy rivalry among health practitioners and rewarding efforts and achievements are keys to reversing the decay in the sector. “ The healthy competition among various

stakeholders in the health sector to be eventual winners in the various categories, which include special awards, healthcare delivery service, biomedical technology and pharmaceuticals, will further go a long way in improving quality health care delivery in Nigeria.”

“Our criteria for both nomination and winning are of international standard. Before a recipient is chosen in any of the four major categories, there are certain benchmark which

international organisations have come to accept as healthcare best practice hence to be a winner it must be evident based.”

Omolola further added, “nominees are put into a rigorous test. our processes are very comprehensive, thorough and include visitations to the selected facilities, hence to be a winner, organisations or individuals must have attained a level of standard that has helped in contributing positively into the health sector.”

He further predicted that in the coming years, more health providers might decide to merge to be able to meet the standard, as the award can help in accessing funds from International Finance Corporation.

“The award is tailored to primary health care and universal healthcare delivery, so the awardees will be judged first on the level of service provided, we are also looking at making the

award an African award in the coming years.”

Also speaking Wale Alabi the project director, said the award is also aimed at promoting public and private sector partnership.

“The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) is an initiative of Global Health Project and Resources in Partnership with Anadach group to yearly celebrate distinguished personalities and organisations who have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian health sector.

He explained that the Jury is expected to use the number of votes cast and report of the team of experts that will visit nominated facilities to decide the winners Winners will be announced at a grand ballroom ceremony on Friday, June 22, 2018 at Eko Hotel & Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

BDSUNDAY

NEW YOU CAN TRUST

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SUNDAY 17 JUNE 2018

Unemployment and Nigeria’s poor job science

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reating sufficient jobs for the citizenry is almost a ubiquitous problem among many nations. But the scale of the challenge and the criticality varies. Nigeria’s historical inability to create sufficient jobs for its people has been a major national challenge for successive governments. From an economic and national development perspective, rising rates of unemployment can be tetra headed. Nigeria’s situation could be a matrix of tens of problems, including skill/ capacity gaps, macroeconomic limitations to doing business, policy gaps, infrastructural limitations, resource negligence and un-optimized potentials.

In the current ambience of a political transition – this problem like many others has to be frontloaded in our national political discus. It’s inevitable that an economically promising nation like Nigeria should now build thoughtful, sustainable and comprehensive mechanisms for job creation.

It can be safely said, that unemployment in Nigeria is a challenge known to all but which has albeit received less than half the attention it deserves. This challenge should now receive greater and renewed attention; firstly from the government who has the onus of building the right frameworks for job creation and secondly from the private sector which owns the vehicles required to drive job growth.

Is job creation a science? Could there be country-adjusted mechanisms for reducing unemployment rates and what is Nigeria’s own job science?

If job creation is a science we have not studied it and we do not understand it either.

For a major economic and national problem, pockets of mention, siloed efforts domiciled at different levels of government and unilateral efforts within organization in the private sector will not deliver the level of inclusion needed. Nigeria should craft a faultless job creation science that demonstrate a deep perspective on the matter and which appropriately depicts the scale of the problem.

The horizon for this problem has changed significantly; because the population boom, witnessed in the last few decades, coupled with a predominantly young demographic is helping to highlight the critical essence of a

water-tight job creation policy/approach. This country’s rapid population growth will arrive with even more worrisome levels of unemployment that will deeply shake its economic and social foundations.

We are still looking at the challenge predominantly from the “welfare perspective”; which measures the hardship or economic pain/losses faced by those affected. But the more worrisome perspective is the not yet so conspicuous “social perspective” which will measure unemployment-driven, social disorders; high crime rates; psycho-social degradations; civic hazard and physical displacement.

Amidst the envious and numerous economic potentials, as well as, the politico-economic challenges that Nigeria faces, it’s evident that the ability to provide meaningful work for majority of its population will remain one of the most critical problems in the future. While Nigeria is not new to the crises of unemployment, previous - and insufficient - efforts to solve it have yielded little results.

To chat a new job creation course is therefore inevitable, but several questions arise.

Can Nigeria afford to properly rethink her job creation strategies? Is the science of building economic and social systems that lower unemployment rates known to those that ought to know? Within the complicated mixture of economic interests, challenging demographics and supporting policies, where is the motor that drives job creation for Nigeria and who are the fundamental drivers? It should have become apparent that legacy approach - which has hitherto failed - can no longer be applied going forward. Neither can the classic Schumpeterian or Keynesian formulas work excellently for Nigeria without modifications. Pro-growth, pro-investment perspectives have not and may no longer be relevant.

It’s therefore exigent that conversations in the next political transition be dominated by considerations of a new way of tackling the job crises. Maybe we may debate long enough; research deep enough; and model well enough, to evolve Nigeria’s own Job science. There are peer nations that have successfully lifted hundreds of millions of poor people out of poverty in a relatively short time frame (few months or years) through novel job creation strategies.

That’s a commendable but not an easily replicable feat. Crafting a unique, long term, job sci-

CHIJIOKE MAMA Mama is the founder of Meiracopp Nigeria Limited (MNL) and a Doctoral Researcher at University of Port Harcourt (m.chijioke@meiracopp.com)

We should consider less popular and little understood job creation strategies such as taming ruralurban migration, prioritizing stranded resource and commodities, nurturing uncommon businesses, inspiring new forms of competition and the poorly explored virtual export of talents

ence for Nigeria may call for attention to less conspicuous, less conventional focal points, where interventions may be less dramatic and minimally visible, yet with great promises of significant, incremental job additions and long lasting outcomes.

Admittedly, there are many dimensions to what might become our own unique job science. In essence the saving approach may be less conventional and less classical but they should be robust, long term and impactdriven. We should consider less popular and little understood job creation strategies such as taming rural-urban migration, prioritizing stranded resource and commodities, nurturing uncommon businesses, inspiring new forms of competition and the poorly explored virtual export of talents.

For example, campaigns for reviving rural economies & communities in Nigeria could deliver unimaginable job benefits. Nigeria is witnessing an unhealthy rural-urban migration with many negative implications. Firstly, the hordes of people leaving rural and semiurban communities for urban centers and big cities represent the young demographic whose exit portrays the outright death of meaningful entrepreneurship in rural communities. Directly tied to this movement is the unfortunate absence of potential rural entrepreneurial drivers and skilled ruralworkforce that escalates the abandonment of resources and commodities. This comprises a loss of people and resources that would have otherwise constituted the kernel of economic growth and job creation in those places. This scenario is one of over a hundred possible points of intervention that appears less conventional but capable of delivering gains. All options should therefore be on the table.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff As creative content becomes goldmine, violation lurks in the corner

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ith an increasing awareness and enforcement of copyright right laws in recent times, many content producers and artistes alike are beginning to understand the implications of using content without due approval.

For instance the biggest hit of MC Loaf (of blessed memory) was ‘Oso Ndi Owe Ndi’, which he remixed with Flavour. A year after the release, Premier Records, the producer of the original content, went after him and the people that remixed it for not getting appropriate approval. It was obvious the late

artiste never knew Premier Records was still in existence and where to get the rights from. He was lucky and was put through by the record, which could also have decided to go to court.

Knowing the importance of getting approvals, where and how to get them, MC Loaf did not make the mistake again as ignorance is never an excuse in law court.

When another artiste tried remixing a song of Victor Uwaifo without getting approvals, he ended up losing over N7 million in the production as the court stopped him from releasing the song without appropriate approval from Uwaifo’s producer or go to jail.

Of course, with PricewaterhouseC-

oopers forecast of $80 million music industry revenue in 2018, every stakeholder in the creative industry is waking up with the hope of getting their own share.

They will not let pirates, content right violators and even artistes beat them to the game again.

At present, there are over 15 copyright cases in courts across Nigeria, especially Lagos.

It is no long business as usual for pirates, and content violators. The Copyright Society of Nigeria, content owners association, record labels, music artistes and producers are better aware of the game now than before.

4 million

Number of Nigerians captured by the National Health Insurance Scheme since 2014

Zamfara Governor threatens to ‘resign’ over killings in the state “We have been facing serious security challenges over the years, but in spite of being governor and chief security officer of the state, I cannot direct security officers on what to do nor sanction them when they err. As chief security officer, the nomenclature in just a name .”

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