BusinessDay 23 Aug 2020

I want to correct the major problem of APC which is leadership - Monidafe

South West remains committed to Amotekun - Secretariat 6

WASSCE: Teachers, parents in divergent views over performance of candidates 12

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CAMA: CAN kicks, says it’s declaration of war on the church BUSINESS DAY

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Vol 1, No. 325

N300

One year after: A tale of suffering behind Nigerian closed borders

See page 2

Economist puts loss across West coast at over $50 billion Licensed customs agent fears closure may affect Nigeria when AfCFTA takes off

It’s long overdue for service chiefs to be removed - Nwokedi

5 Reckless killings by container-bearing trucks raise safety concern among Lagos residents

L-R: Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State deputy governor; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Aramide Adeyoye, special adviser on Works and Infrastructure, during an inspection of the Alausa Multi Agency Office Complex with a multilevel carpark facility at the weekend.

13 Abiodun Essiet: Avid supporter for women’s political participation

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What Nigeria must learn from Mali, Belarus political impasse Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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wo important events in Mali and Belarus are shaping the political circumstances of the modern time with farreaching lessons for Nigeria in particular and West Africa in general.

In both countries, the citizens rose in anger against the political rascality of the ruling elite amid dwindling fortunes of the countries characterised by manipulation of the electoral process and the imposition of unpopular policies that undermine the aspirations of the people.

The people of Mali had for more than two

months embarked on regular demonstrations calling for the President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to step down three years before the end of his final term. The impasse came to head last Tuesday when the military arrested him and declared a mutiny.

The West African country has been suffering from debilitating level of terrorism and insurgency

just like Nigeria and the g o v e r n m e n t o f Ke i t a appeared to have failed to address the matter. He also failed to tackle poverty and the worsening indices of the economy amid insecurity and political instability.

Although the Economic Community of West African St a t e s ( E C O WAS ) has announced the

suspension of Mali from the group and demanded the restoration of Keita and constitutional order in the country, Keita had already announced his resignation pledging loyalty to peace and stability to his country.

“If it pleased certain elements of our military to decide this should end

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Cover

One year after: A tale of suffering behind Nigerian closed borders OBINNA EMELIKE and AMAKA EWUZIE

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n August 21, 2019, Nigeria took her We s t Af r i c a n neighbours by surprise when it announced the closure of its land borders along the west coast to all goods and imported items.

Then, Nigeria, the most populous African country, explained that the action was to boost local production, ensure food security, curb illegal arm importation, among other security concerns.

As expected, some of the countries, especially Benin Republic and even Ghana kicked against the closure, insisting that the unilateral border closure was against all commercial and freedom of movement treaties signed under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Of course, the closure has had a devastating effect on Benin, Nigeria’s neighbour to the west, which has been a key exporter of foodstuff to Nigeria as well as many who do business across the border.

According to Edward Ansa, a Ghanaian economist and lecturer in Nigeria, the loss over the one year closure is more than $50 billion because no effort has been made to capture the value and volume of the informal trade that takes place among the West African countries along the coast, including the amount of smuggling that goes on across the porous land borders.

Sadly, one year after the border closure, the Nigerian government is not thinking of reopening it, rather it is counting the feats achieved with the action that has left many suffering across the ECOWAS coastal route.

BDSUNDAY checks revealed that the implementation of border closure policy has had its gains as well as negative economic impact evident in the high rate of inflation in the country.

The rise in the rate of inflation is mainly driven by rising food costs, which is ironic as the aim of the border closure was to drive down costs through increased local production.

A recent market survey shows that a 50kg bag of local parboiled rice, which was sold for N17,500 before the lockdown, now sells for N19,000, indicating a 9 percent increase in price.

Also, a 50kg bag of foreign parboiled rice, which was sold for N22,000 before the lockdown now sells for N27,000, indicating a 23 percent increase.

Capturing the situation, Kunle

Amao, a business owner at Seme Border, noted that the past one year has been dotted with suffering as many who do business along the border have closed shop because of the border closure.

“Rice and fuel are the major items we business people move across Nigerian land borders, but they are now contraband because of the border closure.

We are out of business because the Customs and Immigration officials will seize even a grain of rice, while bribe for smuggling is discouraging when you calculate how much to sell and make profit at the end of the day,” Amao said.

Iya Kalid, a onetime petty trader at the border, is now retailing food stuff at Ikotun market because of the high risk of crossing to buy items at the Benin Republic end of the border since the closure.

In like manner, transport companies along the west coast route are reducing their fleets due to the low patronage, the worst in a long while.

Chukwuma Ozoka, a driver with Chisco Transport Company, noted that passengers are shying away from their services because of the tortuous search and other embarrassing treatments passengers are subjected to at checkpoints and borders by officials.

“If you notice, most transport companies are not using the luxury buses again on the west coast route because of the long search by customs and immigration that delay passengers. The search is for smuggled items and the bus can be impounded if a bag of rice is found. Coupled with the bad roads, people are going after small buses, while many are flying,” Ozoka said.

At the Benin Republic end of the border, the story is the same.

The country, which is the largest importer of rice from Thailand, according to data from the Thailand Rice Export Association, is losing huge foreign exchange as the huge volume of rice, imported and repackaged, can no longer be exported to final destination, especially Nigeria.

Small businesses that benefit from the importation and distribution value chain are now out of business in Benin Republic as Nigeria, the major patron, has stopped coming. Though the Beninese border officials do not harass their people like their Nigerian counterparts, the business booms from Nigerians crossing over to meet them at their comfort zone, Iya Kalid said.

Also, Ghana is reacting to the border closure by closing shops owned by Nigerians across their

A group of enforcement officers led by the Nigerian Shippers Councils when the Council led its team to seal Tin-Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) in Lagos recently, on account of imposition of arbitrary charges on shippers and transfer of containers without the consent of consignees.

country, amid intimidation.

Ansa regretted the action by his countrymen, noting that Nigeria should play a ‘big brother’ role by opening the border and encouraging her neighbours to breathe and accommodate her citizens too.

However, agencies of government have claimed that the policy has resulted in some economic gains for the country. This explains why the Federal Government does not seem to be in a hurry in reopening the border after several public outcries.

For instance, Nigeria Customs Service, the lead agency behind the enforcement of the policy, has claimed that its revenue has also increased since the borders were shut as Nigerian bound cargoes that usually berth in Port of Cotonu before they would be smuggled into Nigerian markets, now berth in Nigerian ports.

Hameed Ali, the comptrollergeneral of Customs, who made this claim, said that the Service has been recording between N4.7 and N5.8 billion as daily revenue higher than what it used to make before the border closure.

“We discovered that most of those cargoes that used to go to Benin Republic and smuggled into Nigeria are now forced to come directly to either Apapa or Tin Can Island. We have to collect duty on them. As a matter of fact, our revenue has not reduced; it is increasing as a result of closing the border,” Ali said.

This development was also confirmed by APM Terminals Apapa, operators of Nigeria’s busiest container port, when it said that the terminal has been

experiencing substantial increase in volume of containers arriving through the seaports.

The terminal operator attributed the positive development to various government policies such as improvement in the implementation of Ease of Doing Business policy, the Agriculture Promotion Policy and closure of land borders.

On his part, Jonathan Nicol, president of Shippers Association of Lagos State, who noted that closure of Nigerian borders is not too good for trans-border business, said the policy negates the ECOWAS free trade treaty.

According to him, the border was closed prior to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, mainly and purely for security reasons.

“The closure has had a major setback for businesses in Ghana, Togo and Republic of Benin. It also triggered action of smugglers in larger proportion because ECOWAS goods cannot move freely because of breaches,” Nicol said in a phone interview with BDSUNDAY. Nicol, who stated that the border closer is long overdue for reopening as the lockdown is easing out, said there is need to open the border to official activities at the authorised border posts.

“From the short sighted vision, we believe business and movement is slow. But the Nigeria Customs claim to be making three times more revenue than when the border was open. This magic is commendable how they work it out.

“Much as revenue target is achievable, we do not see why

the border should be open in a hurry. However, the after effect is reflecting negatively on Nigerians in Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic because there is no trade balance,” Nicol said.

While appealing to Nigerian government to re-open the land borders, especially the KrakeSeme border, for normal trading and free movement of ECOWAS citizens within the ECOWAS countries, he pointed out the need to protect the investments of Nigerians in other West African countries through achieving trade balance.

Meanwhile, Kayode Farinto, vice president of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), said that over 1,000 licensed customs agents that depend on the border for business, have been out of business with over 200,000 employees suffering job losses since the borders were closed.

He said that the continued closure of the land borders would also affect Nigeria when the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) takes off, urging the government to consider reopening the borders for essential goods.

“Many people that move cargoes through the borders are now unemployed with many sick and not able to afford a living.

In the spirit of ECOWAS, this border closure is not good for Nigeria. Now, we are trying to practice the AfCFTA but the closure also negates the agreement that Nigeria has signed. Government should have deployed security devices to reduce smuggling,” he said.

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News

N300m alleged diversion in Kwara: ‘No record of deductions from LG funds’ SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he Retired Justice Mathew Adewara-led panel of inquiry into the alleged diversion of N300million monthly from local government funds in Kwara State has begun sitting in Ilorin, the state capital.

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had earlier inaugurated the panel of inquiry to investigate allegations that his administration was diverting N 3 0 0 m i l l i o n o f Lo c a l government funds every month.

At its sitting last Thursday, the panel received briefings from the Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs) and their Accountants from Asa, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Ilorin West Local Government Areas.

Members of the panel

interrogated the local government officials in respect of their payrolls, bank accounts, bank statements, statutory allocation papers, schedules of local government internally generated revenues, and cash books.

The DPM Asa Local Government, Abdullah Haruna told the panel he was not aware of any diversion of funds meant for his local government, saying no such record exists to the best of his knowledge.

“I don’t know anything about N300million. From my side, I don’t know anything about any such thing,” he said at the session.

Oyebami Gabriel of Ilorin East Local Government also denied knowledge of the N300m allegedly being diverted from his local government funds.

“I don’t know anything about it at all. All the accrued allocations to my local government do come,” he

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq

told the panel.

Gabriel also disclosed that the state government under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has never borrowed any money to pay salaries on behalf of the local government workers.

DPM Ilorin South Local Government Abdulkareem Magajiinsistedthatnomoney was being diverted from his local government funds. “As far as I am concerned, there is no diversion of funds. To

the best of my knowledge no any amount of money is diverted from Ilorin South local government funds,” he said. Corroborating, the Accountant of the council Emmanuel Audu said the state government in 2018 took a loan of N4bn from a commercial bank to pay two months salaries and pensions of local government workers and SUBEB teachers and had been fully paid back by the 16 local governments as at December 2019.

Audu added that another N1.6bn loan took on behalf of the LGs by the past administration in the state would be fully paid by August 2022.

In the same vein, the DPM Ilorin West Local Government, Ayantola Mukaila said the local government was receiving its due allocation since May 2019 while staff and SUBEB teachers also get their salaries regularly since May 2019.

Covid-19 recovery: Felix King Foundation launches $1m relief fund to lift rural women Obinna Emelike

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s the world is smarting out from Covid-19 pandemic, the Felix King Foundation has restrategised its rural community engagement programmes for African women by setting aside a new $1million fund for the better life for rural African women scheme.

The scheme is to ensure that the most vulnerable women are not left behind in the recovery process.

As well, the programme is the continuation of the Rural Market Moni scheme that is now renamed “Better Life for Rural African Women” in line with present objective of ensuring that women, mostly, in rural communities, have a platform to reset their lives.

According to Felix King Ei r e m i o k h a e , f o u n d e r of the foundation, “Rural communities are the most hit during this period with cases of malnutrition and malaria rising in numbers, and sources of income depilated”.

In 2019, the foundation launched goal 36, 000 by 2029 to reach and impact thirty-six thousand women in 10 years. Despite the effect of the pandemic, the foundation

still believes in the goal.

“Much has been achieved through the rural women market moni and WIFARM schemes, but with Covid-19 pandemic, the need to reaccess the programme with a strategy that works with present reality made it possible to this modification,” he stated.

To hit the ground running, the founder revealed that an initial $350,000 has been

released for the Edo State phase, which is scheduled to kick-start in September, as approved by the governing board.

On how the balance will be raised, Eiremiokhae mentioned that the balance of the funds would be raised through a dollar for dollar match system.

Speaking on the empowerment of women, he said, “We believe that

when you provide women with capital and convening opportunities to network, you have empowered voices that speak and make the communities peaceful, prosperous and great.”

“The programme will help secureaplaceforruralAfrican women to thrive and lead their families, communities, and the continent into new hope and progress, as nations recover from COVID-19.”

L-R: Billy Mitchell of Georgia House of Representatives; Felix King, president, Felix King Foundation, and Roger Bruce of Georgia House of Representatives, during the confinement of Honorary Georgia Citizen on King by the Senate of State of Georgia, USA recently.

CAMA not targeting any group or church, says CAC HARRISON EDEH, Abuja

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he Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has said that the new Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 signed into law by the President was not targeting any group of Church but to ensure compliance to global best practices in the corporate world.

Garba Abubakar, the registrar-general of the CAC, gave the clarification during an interactive section with BusinessDay Media officials, while emphasising that the commission would exercise its powers judiciously.

There have been growing concerns by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that the new CAMA is targeting the church, but the Registrar-General said: “CAC won’t arbitrarily exercise its powers and suspend a trustee, but there has to be a petition. Also, our actions are still subject to judicial review.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria it would be recalled had earlier raised concern with the section 839 (1) and (2) of the Act observing that

it could be government’s strategy to bring the church under its control.

According to CAN’s Chairman, Supo Ayokunle: “We thought it was all over until we heard of the CAMA that was assented to by the President, making the rejected bill a law.

“The satanic section of the controversial and ungodly law is Section 839 (1) and (2) which empowers the commission to suspend trustees of an association (in this case, the church) and appoint interim managers to manage the affairs of the association for some given reasons.”

In response to CAN’s concern, the RegistrarGeneral said some aspects of the new law were borrowed from the United Kingdom’s Charities Act which is in line with global best practices, while also insisting that if a group is incorporated by law, they should also be subject to the checks and balances that comes with it.

“Our concern is the governance structure and not the religious institution.

Our power is not absolute, it can be challenged in Court,” he insisted.

Installation: Ikpeazu presents staff of office to 29 monarchs UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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overnor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has presented staff of office to 29 Ezes-elect as traditional rulers of their various autonomous communities in the state, with a charge for them to align with the government policies and programmes as well as ensure peace and security in their domains.

While presenting the staff of office to the new traditional rulers at Michael Okpara auditorium, Umuahia, Ikpeazu further charged them to protect government facilities in their communities.

He said as custodians of culture and tradition in their communities, they were to serve the interest and purposes of the poor and harmless people in their areas.

He enjoined them to join forces with the government so sensitise their subjects to be abreast with the Covid-19 protocols.

The governor, however, warned against subversive acts capable of bringing the traditional institutions to ridicule and disrepute, adding that they were expected to align completely with

the rules and policies of the government in order not to attract the wrath of the law.

Gabriel Onyendilefu, commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, in his address, disclosed that the event marked the end of thorough selection process for traditional rulers of autonomous communities whose thrones were left vacant due to death.

He added that due process of selection was in line with the administration’s policy of transparency.

He reminded the traditional rulers that they were expected to reside within their communities and ensure sustainable peace and growth of their communities in line with the laws of the land.

Speaking on behalf of others, Eze Okezie Amalaha, the Traditional Ruler of AhiabaUbi Autonomous Community, Isiala Ngwa North, appreciated Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for the honour done to them by presenting the symbol of authority to them.

He pledged that they would support the Ikpeazu administration and ensure that peace and tranquility reign supreme in their domains.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

News Lifemate moves to flatten Covid-19 curve, donates 50,000 surgical nose masks to NCDC IFEOMA OKEKE

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s part of its efforts in helping t h e Fe d e r a l Government flatten the Covid-19 curve, Lifemate Nigeria Limited, one of Nigeria’s top furniture companies, has donated 50,000 pieces of surgical nose masks to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The donation is coming after the company inaugurated I-MATE health care which commenced mass production of surgical nose masks to help meet demand and prevent spread of COVID-19.

I-MATE Medical Protective Equipment Company is a subsidiary of Lifemate Nigeria and approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC REG. No.: 03-7384).

Speaking during the donations of the nose masks at the NCDC office in Lagos,

Ejike Kelechi, deputy director, Operations Management Centre, Lifemate Nigeria Limited said Lifemate is donating 50,000 pieces of surgical nose mask to the NCDC after it started production of the masks.

Ke l e c h i e x p l a i n e d that during the onset of the pandemic, Lifemate discovered that a lot of people did not have access to nose masks and the price was ridiculous, so it went into production in a bid to contribute its own quota and to ensure people get the nose masks for their own protection.

He further explained that the donation to NCDC is a way of supporting the government and Nigerians in general.

“Things are going back to normal and economic activities have resumed again but the truth is that the virus is still out there. As we go about our daily activities, we have to protect ourselves.

“Remember to wash your hands, maintain the required social distance, use hand sanitisers and

most importantly use your nose masks. The disease can be transferred through droplets. That is why we need to really use the nose masks,” he said.

He said that the donation was a start in the right direction, adding that subsequently, Lifemate will be able to do more as the company is just starting and this is going to be a gradual and continuous process.

“In our factory, we can make as much as one million face masks on a daily basis.

As time goes on, we will increase this capacity based on demand. Our company has been in Nigeria for over 15 years. We are not new in the business environment in Nigeria.

“We discovered that we could not get nose masks for our own protection, so we thought about it. People need nose masks for their own protection and they do not have access to the nose masks and at the beginning to import them was a problem and that is why we went into production. We import the materialsbutwemanufacture

locally,” Kelechi said.

The representatives of NCDC who were on ground to receive the donations extended their gratitude to Lifemate Nigeria Limited.

Th e c o m p a n y h a s advanced production equipment in Nigeria. The daily output of disposable nose masks produced is 1,000,000 units. The products are produced in strict accordance with international hygiene standards, using high-quality materials with good filtration and super anti-bacterial function. Its main products include; disposable Nose Masks, Protective Clothing, Goggles and KN95 Masks.

The disposable nose mask is made of soft and comfortable non-woven fabric, and up to 95-grade melt-blown fabric, which is comfortable to wear and does not irritate the skin.

The bridge clip design can be adjusted according to different face shapes.

Th e i n n e r c o v e r i n g ultrasonic spot is nonirritating, the ear band is firm and does not fall off easily.

Late Wike’s aide, Nwakaudu, gets N50m endowment fund for children’s education Ignatius Chukwu

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imeon Nwakaudu, who served as Benue State Correspondent o f t h e Gu a r d i a n before becoming a media aide to the then Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and later his special assistant, electronic media, has been rewarded with a N50million endowment fund. This offer came amidst tears over the helplessness of the immediate family because the children are mostly toddlers.

Governor Wike, who came to the rescue, announced the fund in the late Nwakaudu’s hometown on Thursday, August 20, 2020, during his interment, saying the fund would see the children (three boys and a girl) through education in life and upkeep of the family now headed by his wife, Monica.

The burial took place in Nwakaudu home town, Umuanya Ogbodikwu in Um u a h i a So u t h Lo c a l Government Area of Abia State.

Wike, who described the demise of his late media aide as most unfortunate, said he distinguished himself

Nwakaudu

by serving the state and government with utmost dedication and loyalty.

Represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, an engineer, Chukwuemeka Woke, the governor noted that the late Nwakaudu also sacrificed his time, energy and life to the service of the state.

Ac c o r d i n g t o h i m , Nw a k a u d u w a s b o l d , brilliant and insightful while informing and disseminating government policies and programmes.

He did not also forget his colleagues in the journalism profession as he ensured that there was no friction between the government and the media in the country.

The governor assured the Nwakaudu family of his commitment to ensure that the relationship that existed between him and his late aide would continue to flourish.

Empowerment: 1,200 Abians to be equipped with trade starter packs UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

L – R: Babatunde Olajumoke, deputy director, NCDC; Ejike Vitus, deputy admin manager, Lifemate; Aniefiok Ekoh, assistant director, NCDC, and Olatunji Olajide, public affairs manager, Lifemate, at the presentation.

Four years after MMM collapsed, new schemes exploit Covid-19 to dupe Nigerians Continued from back page they dug holes that could not be filled, even if 180 million Nigerians joined MMM. Each new entrant created more irredeemable debt for the scheme.

If N5, 000 earned just an interest of 30 percent in a month, MMM had to find N1, 500 to pay as interest, if we leave the bonuses, and “down the lines”. The N5million contributor similarly entrapped MMM in a debt of N1.5 million, all these monthly. More contributors (helpers, as they dubbed themselves) meant more debts for MMM. It was doomed to crash, and it did.

Exploitation of people’s greed is central to the success of the schemes.

My concerns are not about the motives of MMM founders. Their history could tell a lot about them. I am very worried about how

Nigerians survive these losses, particularly with the burdens of Covid-19.

We would be challenged with another wave of anxiety, tension, poverty, grief, hopelessness spread across millions of people. The multiplier effect appears to be under-rated. MMM’s collapse in Nigeria reportedly affected over three million people.

The victims of MMM and similar schemes include all of us who pay more bills for relations who their disasters hit. We may never know that they participated in the scheme. If we knew, we would still have paid the bills.

Money stuck in MMM belongs to individuals, organisations, businesses, and small holders, who could have starved to put money in MMM. Many of them have not heard the news. We can say their reaction is still not part of the story.

Men (and women) who

invested have their stories of successes, some of them possibly made up to justify their involvement, and as in other failed schemes, some made their investments only hours before the public knew MMM had collapsed.

Miasma of schemes of MMM kind persists. Why do people still patronise them?

Do they see the mist? Do they recognise a balloon that keeps being inflated would burst?

Do they expect a pyramid that stands on its tip to survive when it is not a news-writing model? Let us, with our deep socialtangles,networks,assist people to wean themselves off the impulse to follow easy money. MMM is still happening, under different names, different promises, all juicier than what the crashed scheme offered.

Government owes us the responsibility of punishing fraudsters of all shades.

The promoters of such

schemes have mostly gone unpunished. Government can do more than saying it warned the victims.

Regulatory authorities should punish slacks in operations of telecommunications companies that still permit use of unregistered telephone numbers. The fraudsters exploit them.

People were behind MMM. They can be found.

They should be tried for fraud. We should legislate against MMMs with penalties against promoters as well as investors.

Postscript Th e i n d i f f e r e n c e o f regulatory authorities remains astounding, four years after some known faces spread messages that led millions of Nigerians to lose their money to MMM. That the authorities knew enough to punish the organisers of the scheme is obvious.

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hijioke Uzoatuegwu, the S4J Team Head and Abia State coordinator of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has said that Interns of the Skills for Jobs (S4J) component of the Federal Government/World Bank sponsored Youths Employment and Social Support Operations (YESSO) will be given trade starter packs at the end of their programme.

Addressing newsmen in Umuahia, Uzoatuegwu said: “About one thousand and two hundred beneficiaries drawn from six pilot local government areas of Abia State have undergone a three-month residential skills training at Gregory University, Uturu.”

She disclosed that the trainees were presently undergoing six months internship training with established private sector organisations.

Uzoatuegwu further said that each trainee receives N7,500 monthly stipend for the nine months duration of the entire programme.

On how the scheme and the beneficiaries fared at the peak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, Uzoatuegwu said the beneficiaries

joyfully received double bank alerts as payments of their two months (N7,500 par month) stipend and sustainability support during the lockdown period.

According to her, it took the passion of the DirectorGeneral of NDE, Mohammed Ladan Argungu for helping youths and unemployed and the tenacity of the NDE/ YESSO S4J Focal Person, Roseline Olaomi to achieve this financial soothing feat involving preparation and release of funds for stipend payment from the Federal Operations Coordinating Unit (FOCU) at the period of lockdown.

“YESSO runs two components, namely: the Public Work Fare (PWF) and the Skills for Jobs (S4J). The S4J component which is operated by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) focuses on piloting a new approach to demand-driven skills training to increase the effectiveness of government’s effort to combat unemployment among youths from poor and vulnerable households.

She disclosed that for Abia to key into the Federal Government/World Bank sponsored programme, the state government had to pay a designated counterpart fund.

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Politics It’s long overdue for service chiefs to be removed - Nwokedi Chika Nwokedi, an entrepreneur and philanthropist was a former governorship aspirant in Imo State on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2019 general election. In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he speaks on the state of the nation and the worsening security situation, among other issues. Excerpts: There is the perception in some quarters that democracy is not working in Nigeria, but recent figures show that the issue of unemployment is going out of hand. What is your take? hat is happening is not only in Nigeria it is happening elsewhere in the world. But Nigeria exists because we are all in there, if everybody is saying the truth Nigeria would be good. Buhari is one man; he cannot do it alone; he has advisers; if these advisers cannot tell him the right thing that is where there is a problem. When you talk about unemployment we have Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and his people, I expect them to think, but they have been there for some time now; if they cannot do what ought to be done he should resign. How can you carry an army man and make him Police Affairs Minister, and you make an army man the head of the custom.

If Buhari discovers those not working he should change them. The right people should be appointed into positions of authority. Personally, I am of the view that Buhari cannot do it alone. It is what the Ministers report to Buhari that he can act on. I expect them to be more proactive, not sit in Abuja to know what is going on in Kogi State; they should move around, Buhari cannot be everywhere.

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What is your take on the worsening security situation in the country and the killings?

I just don’t know; people are dying like fowl everywhere; they are human being, no matter where they reside. The security people have to redouble their effort. In some villages there is no police presence; no any form of security present, that is why these killings and criminal activities are happening. In the past, if you hear one person die it would be received with shock, but now you hear deaths every day. To rule Nigeria is not easy, we know how it is to rule, lead the family, not to talk of a local government, state and a whole country. I cry every day about the killings and state of the country.

Buhari should sack the service chiefs if they are not performing. They should investigate and know the people doing these things and their sponsors. It is getting out of hand, we should not say they are not my people; we should act now; it is scary.

What is your take on agitations for the zoning of the presidency to the Southeast in 2023?

Yes, I strongly believe it is the turn of the Igbos to rule in 2023, other tribes have ruled the country in the past. Power should shift to the Southeast in 2023. Everybody knows it is their turn for the sake of equity; I believe in one Nigeria, I don’t like war, the Igbos have not ruled Nigeria for a long time. Why there is agitation about Biafra is because they have not gotten what they suppose to get. Let the President call those people when it has not gotten out of hand. As a father, when you have four children and one of them is always crying every day, it is your responsibility to call such child before it deteriorates to headache and death. They should be given a chance, nobody can say there is nobody in the Southeast; we have people, it is just that when it comes to the turn of the Igbo many people would come out and say it is my turn.

Chika Nwokedi

But I think leadership is a gift, it is not forced on you; if you don’t have the gift to lead you are not going anywhere.

What is your take on the Edo election and the threat of violence in recent days?

The Edo people should pray and ask God who to vote for. I don’t know why people like to be a leader by force; it is a gift when God says you would be there, it would come, and there is no need to kill and do all they are doing now just because of position.

Edo is their state, I expect them to think of the interest of the people first and work for peace of the state. I would advise people to wait to count their votes after voting; don’t vote and go back home leaving your votes in danger; protect your votes. Let our mothers and fathers give advice to their children, no matter how much a politician pays you it is not worth your life. They leave their children abroad; have you one day wondered why that man contesting for governor did not bring his children to campaign and do all these violence for him? They should leave the violence; they should not sell their destiny and vote for the wrong person because of money. Vote for someone that would fight for you, someone that would take Edo State to the next level, that is what they should do. The Edo election would be held peacefully; I pray for that.

Can electronic voting help to resolve these controversies?

If they do so, the country would be fine.

Recent elections have been trailed by controversy, violence; look at the last 2019 general election. I think it is the best thing to salvage the situation now. We spend so much for elections; you also spend in court and don’t win. Even when the election is nullified, such money can be given to people like small loans. Electronic voting is the best if you win, you win.

Are you still in SDP or you defected to the APC or PDP? I am still in SDP for now; I am doing well

helping people; I want to use my little resources to help them and provide succour to the needy. I am still praying to God to let me know the party to join ahead 2023, but my coming out in 2019 was my first time; this time, it would have more weight. We know politics in Nigeria how it is, but, I have tested the rope, 2023 would be different from 2019.

My supporters love me and it is not the first time that I come out that I must win and rule Imo. I have been helping people in Imo State, helping people to build houses, buy machines; my people love me and what I am doing. Imagine when I am in an elective position, what I would do for them; when I have the state funds or federal money to spend for the people; imagine what I would do. Let just wait till then and see what would happen in 2023. I saw so many things last year, but this is just 2020.

I cannot say what will happen next year, even tomorrow. I am not a full time politician, I have my business, it is the need to help my people that pushes me into politics and I cannot do what is against God’s wish because it is not by force to lead. I cannot kill to become governor or any other position. If you like, tell me to swear with this and that I would not because I love God and he is still with me till today.

I would not put my hand in anything evil or blood. Anybody killing people because he wants to win election is not going the right way. Power comes from God. Look at the lawmakers that died recently; they did not expect it. That should be a lesson to all of us.

What is your assessment of the Hope Uzodinma administration?

He is from Orlu where I came from; I was at home last week, I saw contractors on some roads across the town. I can only speak and assess him after one year in office. It is too early now; after a year, I would go round and see what is happening in Imo State before I can assess his performance in office.

Yoruba groups disagree over secession plot ...say Yoruba-speaking states remain in Nigeria RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

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wo known socio-political groups, Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) and Yoruba World Congress (YWC) have disagreed over plot to secede Yoruba nation and Yorubaspeaking states out of the country.

While the Yoruba World Congress, through its president, Banji Akintoye announced that the Yoruba nation had been accepted at the 45th member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), hence should secede, the Yoruba Appraisal Forum on Thursday warned against alleged planned to secede Southwest and Yoruba- speaking states from Nigeria, saying such an action could plunge Nigeria into chaos.

Meanwhile, Yoruba Appraisal Forum staged a rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Thursday, where its leadership said that some “disgruntled elements” are behind the alleged plot to pull the Yoruba nation out of Nigeria and all such efforts should be resisted by well-meaning Yorubas.

Members of YAF during the rally carried placards with various inscriptions like: “One Nigeria Is Paramount; United We Stand Divided We Fall”, “We Say No To War In Nigeria”, “Stand For Something Or Fall For Nothing”, “Give Us Jobs Not Secession”, “Yoruba World Congress Should Allow Us grow as one nation” and “Don’t Turn our Greenland to war zone”.

The group submitted a position letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun and some top traditional rulers in the state.

The Spokesman of YAF, Oloketuyi Ojo condemned the agitation for secession, stressing, “We are standing for Nigeria, we are standing for unity, we are standing for one Nigeria, Yoruba cannot be carved out from the Nigeria.”

“We want to tell Nigerians, especially the Southwest leaders that there are some disgruntled elements that want to hijack the Southwest, they said they wanted to dismember Yoruba from the entire Nigeria.

“We as a Yoruba forum, we are saying ‘No’, everybody must be carried along if anything like that has to be done and recently the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) said the Yorubaland will be carved out of the entire Nigeria and we are saying ‘No’.

“Southwest is meant for peace, we don’t want trouble and we don’t want the Second Somalia and that is why we are here today to expressly transform a letter to our Governor and some South West leaders to actually say ‘No’, this thing, we don’t want it.

“For now, we don’t need secession, Southwest is one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria, we don’t want trouble, we don’t want war, and small elements cannot create for the entire Southwest.

That’s why we are saying ‘No’, nobody is being carried along, the traditional leaders, the Obas were not there, they were not aware, we say we should put a stop to this, second Somalia cannot be created within the South West”, Ojo said.

Responding, Governor Abiodun, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Shuaib Salisu Afolabi sued for the peace, unity and development of the region, saying: “The Yorubas fought dearly for the independence of Nigeria and the prayer of our founding fathers is for the progress and development of Southwest region and Nigeria at large.

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Politics South West remains committed to Amotekun Secretariat …Nigerians skeptical over N13.3bn FG’s take-off fund for community policing RAZAQ AYINLA; AKINREMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan; SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin; KORETIMI AKINTUNDE, Akure; JOHN OLANIYI, Osogbo

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igerians, especially retired senior officers and security experts, are indifferent to the release of N13.3 billion take-off fund for the much-talked-about community policing by the Federal Government through the National Economic Council.

They took turns to comment and assess the fund voted for the institutionalisation of community policing across the country as Nigerians believe that the fund released may not be judiciously used if checks and discipline are not put in place.

Abbey Agyole, former Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, who spoke on Channels Sunrise Daily on Friday, believes that Police suffer from two major challenges which are lack of funds and mistrust from most Nigerians, saying the community policing could only succeed if there were adequate funds, effective trainings and rebuilding of lost confidence within the communities in the country.

“Do we have community policing? In community policing, we must first of all, have trust in community Police, have they been able to build trust between themselves - the Police and Community?” he said.

“Are we sure that this money will be released for the Police? We must look at this issue in two dimensions - The Police and the people. Are the Police trained to meet up with current challenges?

“Over the years, Police have been faced with lots of challenges and finance is a major problem and if this fund released is not judiciously used, it would go same way of the old. Problem of Police Force is training, larger percentage of policemen has not acquired adequate training,” Agyole also said.

Alfred Ononugbo, a security consultant, canvassed for creation of different regional and tribal security outfits and not only the Yorubas with Amotekun, saying: “Let Igbos have their own security outfit, let Arewa have their own too because Yoruba have Amotekun Corps and they employ only South westerners and security has no tribe; so, Federal Government should allow other regions and tribes to have separate security outfits.”

Responding to the fears being expressed by many people as regards sustainability of Amotekun Corps and possible overlapping of functions, Seye Oyeleye, director-general of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission said Amotekun Corps would cohabit with the Community Policing as Nigeria with over 200 million population needs multi-layer policing for effective security of lives and property.

The Head of Southwest Governors’ Forum Secretariat, said: “It has not defeated the purpose for which Amotekun Corps was established in the six Southwest states, this is a federal country. Amotekun is being run by the six states individually; it does not stop Federal Government from doing whatever it wants to do.

“A country that is struggling to run an efficient federal police, ommunity policing cannot stop efforts at state level to adequately secure itself.”

Asked if Amotekun in Osun State is threatened by the Federal Government’s Community Policing, Lateef Agboola, the spokesperson for the corps, declared that the security outfit could not be threatened.

Agboola, who is the Head, Media Team, Osun Amotekun, also expressed concern over the implementation of Community Policing project, saying ‘Nigerian factor’ should not be allowed to mar it.

“We can’t be threatened because Amotekun corps was a product of community policing, if you care to know, our Director-General, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, has been at the helms of affairs of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Osun command, for years.

“For us, only enemies of progress would kick against what we have been clamouring for since, in the overall interest of the masses of Nigeria. However, our concern is the sincere implementation of the community policing project and shouldn’t allow the Nigerian factor to mar it,” Agboola said.

“We would equally like to appeal to the police authority and other stakeholders to ensure that cordial relationship exists between Amotekun Corps and the community police personnel. After all, we’re all working towards the same goal, and that’s the adequate security of lives and property of the citizens,” he further said.

Meanwhile, the Commander, Ondo State Security Network Agency, operation Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, has described the approval of the N13.3 billion for takeoff of Community Policing initiative by the Federal Government as a welcome development.

Speaking with BDSUNDAY in Akure on Friday, the Amotekun boss said this would further boost the police morale in fighting

against the crimes across all the states.

Recall that the Federal Government on Thursday approved the N13.3 billion for the take-off of Community Policing initiative.

According to Adeleye, the security outfit needs all the support and credible information it can get to ensure that it makes society a safe place for all to live in.

Besides, the Corp Commander further said that the community policing would not in any way affect the productivity of Amotekun in the state.

“We are just complementing their efforts, releasing the fund is just a way of assisting the security architecture of our country. I think it is a welcome development as far as we are concerned in Ondo State.

“Amotekun was established by the law and since the law is not abrogated whatever aspect of the security agencies input doesn’t have any advance effect on Amotekun.

“The good people of Ondo State can see the success we have recorded since the commencement of this security outfit. How many organisations can afford or provide the equipment we have secured in this state?

So, we just started and all these things were showcased during our inauguration,” he said.

According to him, Ondo state government has what it takes to fund the security outfit in order to achieve their aims in fighting against crimes in the state.

“We have succeeded in bursting the kidnappers den in Ikun-Akoko and some other areas of the state with the assistance of Police Force. The area that police cannot penetrate, we will try there because we know all the terrain.

“We are to complement police action, our role is to give them adequate support, there is no conflict or parallel security outfit,” Amotekun boss said.

In Kwara State, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has appointed retired BrigadierGeneral, Saliu Tunde Bello, an ex-Military governor of Kebbi State and Aliyu Muyideen, an intelligence and counterterrorism expert, as Special Adviser and Senior Special Assistant on Security, respectively.

According to the statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, the assemblage of a crack security team comes as the governor pushes harder for more investments in Kwara State as well as effective security of lives and property in the Yoruba-speaking state.

APC moves to placate Okorocha, Amosun ... As Jigawa governor heads APC reconciliation committee for Imo, Ogun James Kwen, Abuja

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) Friday took steps to quench the anger of two of its strong pillars, Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun who are immediate past governors of Imo and Ogun States as well as serving senators.

The party inaugurated Imo and Ogun States Reconciliation Committee with the Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru as the chairman and Governors of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule as well as Gombe, Muhammed Yahaya as members.

Both Okorocha and Amosun had seri-

ous disagreement with the former National Working Committee of APC led by Adams Oshiomhole over choice of governorship candidates in the build up to the 2019 general election.

In his address at the inauguration, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planing Committee, Mai-Mala Buni said the constitution of reconciliation team was part of some peace building and true reconciliation mechanisms, to give every member a sense of fairness and belonging initiated by the Caretaker.

The Yobe State Governor expressed confidence in the members of the Committee’s individual and collective capacities in executing the assignment with sense of fair-

ness, justice and responsibility, placing party interest above personal interests.

He said: “I am equally fulfilled that our exploits in reconciling our members in Edo and Ondo states have strengthened the party and further expanded our chances with assurances of winning the governorship elections in the two states with land slide victories.

“Let me also add that the on-going reconciliatory initiatives of the All Progressives Congress will soon shock Nigeria’s political space with massive return of former members who felt aggrieved and unwillingly, went to other political parties.

“Therefore, it is in the spirit of the ongoing reconciliation that the chairmen and members of the Imo and Ogun states reconcilia-

tion committees were carefully selected to reconcile aggrieved members and groups within the party”.

Addressing journalists, the Committee Chairman, Badaru said the team so selected is conversant with the party situation, has carried out similar assignment and knows the problem, hence it would know how to resolve the issues.

According to him, “there is sincerity of purpose, the present management of the party are very sincere in the development of the party. And once you are sincere, honest and straight forward, you fear nothing and I’m sure the two states will see the sincerity of purpose and will see the need to continue to build the party for the interest of all”.

Sunday 23 August 2020

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Politics I want to correct the major problem of APC which is leadership - Monidafe Sunny Sylvester Monidafe is the former FCT State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the ‘legacy parties’ that collapsed into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The Permanent Board Member 1 in FCT Secondary Education Board is aspiring to become the National Chairman of APC. In this exclusive interview with JAMES KWEN, Monidafe spoke on his ambition, issues in the party and other topical national issues. Excerpts: Your party, the APC was recently engulfed in crisis; as an insider, what do you think was responsible for the crisis. What makes the party become so chaotic? ith due respect, APC is not chaotic and in order not to cause more problems, I don’t think it is right for me to answer the question about what led to what has happened in the APC. It has happened it has happened. People were not happy with the former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and the President came out when there was an obvious sign that it will implode and he corrected it. I don’t think it is wise for me to start digging out this issue any more. The most important thing is that the President called a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting as the President and leader of the party and he dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) and now we have a clean slate, so let’s just move forward. Right now, we need to have leadership for our party within six months. The Governor of Yobe State, His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, my former colleague, has been made the Acting National Chairman. We just have to help him to succeed and basically moving forward, what we will do to have a very credible leadership for the party should be our focus. That is where we are coming from because we have laboured to build this party and people that don’t know where we are coming from don’t know the ideals of what make APC what it is. So, let’s not go into what caused the problem. Now we have a situation where crisis erupted from the party because of various interests and now we have to correct it. I am bringing myself as a unifying factor for the party. I want to tell you one thing and by extension all Nigerians, we should start thinking outside the box.

Prior to this Oshiomhole’s leadership, we had the National convention in 2014 when John Oyegun became the National Chairman. Before then, the Chairmanship was zoned to the South-South and two main people came out to declare their intentions. Sam Jaja from Rivers State declared interest; some people felt that he was close to Amaechi so they were not comfortable with him. Tom Ikimi too wanted to become the Chairman as well but some people thought he was too tough and strong-minded to be controlled; that was how he didn’t get it.

With due respect to Oyegun he is a gentle man but apparently he did not carry everybody along. Before you can become a party National Chairman, you need to have the wherewithal. Before Oyegun became the National Chairman, I don’t think he was involved in the nitty-gritty of politicking which is what I have.

the Constitution of the country that said you must have people from different states represented but we have to start making amends. In the 21st century we are talking about where you are from? If I remember correctly, George W. Bush was the President of America, his son, George Bush became President. Before the son became President, he was Governor of Texas, his younger brother was Governor of Florida. America did not collapse and Nigeria will not collapse the same way but we must think outside the box. This issue of saying from this zone from that zone, we must put that aside. So, I have declared my intention to contest and I know that I have what it takes to contest.

I will make a difference.

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Even as a former governor?

Former governors those days were totally different. Now the intrigues we have in the politics of Nigeria today is not what we had in the past. Nowadays,

Sunny Monidafe

things are tough. Now, let me tell you, in my tenure as the Chairman of the ACN in Abuja, I survived about 15 impeachment attempts. You have to know how to play the game. You have to know how to call people to reach a compromise, appease some people to put aside their anger and whatever intention they might have. You have to know how to manage people. Oyegun was governor then, but things are totally different now. Talking of zoning, I decided to contest because I saw a zoning formula somewhere which I was later told is not genuine whereby the National Chairman was zoned to the North East. I just told you my story; I will be 64 years in September. I was born in Jimeta in Adamawa State. That is where I come from, that is my state; scholarship everything. After I declared my intention sometime ago, I was told that the zoning arrangement was not genuine. They are looking at giving the South-South the chance to complete the tenure of Oshiomhole. Now, the truth is that if you also said you want to give it to the South-South, my father’s grave is in Agbaro close to Warri, I am qualified as well. We should think outside the box.

So, you have somebody like me who is Delta by origin, Adamawa by birth and FCT by residence. This is my 22 years in the FCT. My father left Warri in 1950, his grave is there, so am qualified outside the box. Now, let me ask you a question; as we speak we have millions like myself who are from other states by origin but are born somewhere or who are married from other states, why must you keep going back to zoning from this state from that state, who has that helped?

Yes, I have agreed that there is Federal Character in place. I agree that there is

The party which you are aspiring to become its National Chairman is still in crisis. So, what mission actually do you have to come and take over the house which can be rightfully described as a house on fire?

It is already on fire, no doubt about it, but we need somebody that has the intention of uniting everybody. You can imagine me becoming the National Chairman and I call the South-South governors even if they are in PDP if they heard that their son, an Uroboman from Adamawa State is the Chairman of APC and then Northeast where Adamawa is my State. Fintiri (Adamawa Governor) was my junior in the university and my younger brothers are his friends. Like I told you earlier, Mai-Mala Buni, the governor of Yobe State, the Acting National Chairman, now was my colleague. I was the Chairman of ACN in FCT, he was the Chairman of ACN in Yobe State. So, I am on the way to reconciliation and then the President

The solution is just having a credible leadership that will carry everybody along. Apparently some people felt threatened, may be, they were not carried along.

As Chairman of APC, I will carry everybody along

will be very happy to have someone like me who is going to speak Hausa, Fulani, Urobo, some Igbo and some Yoruba to unite people.

Looking at the Northeast where you also said you are partly from, we heard of names such as the former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff being interested in the National Chairmanship. Then, coming down to the SouthSouth where you are also a citizen, we have many names coming for the National Chairmanship position, such as the immediate past Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom; we have the former Governor of Cross River, Clement Ebiri and many others. So, how will you face these top politicians?

Now, let me answer by telling you that am also a regular politician and I consulted the stakeholders. One of my good friends from Northeast, Adamawa State told me I was not a former governor. Since when has that become a yardstick for the person that can unite this country?

Meanwhile, everybody has the right to aspire to become the National Chairman, nobody can stop them but let’s be given a level playing field to talk to people. I will love to have a chance to address people with Clement Ebiri, Giadom, the former Governor of Borno State, Senator Sheriff. Let’s come out and talk to Nigerians, there is nothing wrong in that. Let’s educate and make the political space more creditable. Let’s be given the chance to address the leadership of the party.

Now, what do you think or will you suggest as a solution to the crisis in APC? The solution is just having a credible leadership that will carry everybody along.

Apparently some people felt threatened, may be, they were not carried along. As Chairman of APC, I will carry everybody along. Now, if anybody is talking about elections in 2023 we are still in 2020, three years away, what is the hurry?

I remember in 2011 after President Jonathan won election, a few months after they were talking about sending a Bill to the National Assembly to have a single term Presidency and I was like what is the hurry? Mr. President you just finished election, give us the dividends of democracy, govern the country, heal wounds, reach across the borders; North and South, let’s become one before we will start talking of politics. Of course, he didn’t hear, see where we are today. So, as the Chairman, I will advise people to forget about 2023, let us give people the dividends of democracy now. Let’s sell our mandate to the people, let’s actualise what we promised them. Apparently because some people were not focused on that, we started talking about 2023, see where we are today. As Chairman, I will lead the right and tell people to stop talking about tomorrow. Who knows tomorrow? Someone will just get up and die. So, that is basically what has been happening.

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Cash is no longer king – Digital money as a lever during a pandemic Olugbenga GB Agboola Agboola is founder & CEO at Flutterwave.

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hut land borders and airspaces are gradually opening back up, and we have seen economic activities pick up after it all came to a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s clear that survival is dependent on good health and a working economy.

The cost of the restricted movements because of the global lockdown phases are still being tallied but the World Bank envisions a 5.2 percent decrease in global GDP with most countries expected to face recession in 2020. That’s not hard to imagine, considering that at the end of the first half of April, 81percent of the world’s workforce were affected by workplace closures, according to the United Nations. As expected, the impact is most severe in low-income countries that have more workers in the informal sector. Low middle income countries such as Nigeria average more than 80percent of the population in the informal sector.

In a large city like Lagos, this sector comprises more than two-thirds of the working population. In a recent World Bank country update which suggests that there could be a rise of vulnerable Nigerians by 5 million by the end of 2020. With a new globally-sanctioned lifestyle that emphasizes physical distancing to slow the virus’ infection rate and

flatten the curve, where does this leave Nigeria?

The new normal Following the introduction of the cashless policy by the Central Bank in 2012, the initiative was implemented to move Nigeria and Nigerians further to a Digital Age and to mop up cash in the economy. It was also encouraged in an effort to manage inflation. Since COVID, there has been a monumental increase in the adoption of digital payment methods, an estimate of which resulted in a 365 percent increase in online activities. This increased drive has been spurred as a result of innovative financial technological solutions from Fintechs such as Flutterwave who is able to facilitate payments for businesses and encourage last mile payments. While this is remarkable, only sustained and prolonged usage can move the country close to the targeted financial inclusion goal of providing 60 million unbanked adults with formal financial services by year end 2020.

So how do we sustain the tempo?

The voluntary migration to electronic channels for financial transactions during the pandemic points to the fact that policies and penalties alone aren’t enough.

Electronic channels enabling businesses and consumers the opportunity to adapt to the new normal without the disadvantage of steep learning curves. The alternative(s) need to be more accessible, easy to use and secure – the kind of features that make Flutterwave preferred.

Days before the lockdown was to begin in March, there was panic purchase all over the country which resulted in inflation of prices. Unknown to a lot of these sellers, it was the calm before the storm. Lockdown meant restricted movement and soon a lot of customers couldn’t visit their favourite shops. Local dispatch bikes came to the rescue but this applied only to existing customers as there was no way of recruiting or servicing new customers.

As a business, we saw that a lot of our merchants were significantly impacted by these lockdowns – specifically in the transportation and travel sectors. For the others that were not, we noticed they weren’t making their usual daily turn over. We were concerned and thought of ways to support all businesses: Enterprise & SMEs. For our small businesses, we responded by organising webinars and launching a campaign #KeeptheLightsOn and also built Flutterwave Store – an SME store platform. We set it up for businesses whose physical stores do not offer essential services and so had to shut down during the lockdown and also for those who had no physical or online stores. What we have seen since doing that, is that businesses who sold only in one part of town before, for example, in Lekki, started receiving orders from not only other parts of the country but different continents all together – giving rise to another problem of delivery. Kate is one of our new merchants who sells handmade handbags out of Akure. When she got orders for three units from a

buyer in San Francisco, she was so ecstatic she called her friend who helped set up her page on our platform. Before then, the farthest Kate had sold her goods was in Lagos via an aunt who often visited her mum. We have restaurants shipping orders across states and this is good. The entire transaction is electronic and this is also good.

However, to scale to full adoption of mobile money and digital payments, financial inclusion has to be at the front and centre.

Unlike Kate, a lot of micro businesses are unable to move their businesses or payments online because they run cash in-cash out systems. This means they rely on the proceeds from daily sales to restock for the next day and to cater to their daily needs. They cannot afford the luxury of next day settlements, which is the current method employed in digital payments systems. The inability to save a substantial amount over a period of time also means they are unable to scale their businesses unless there is a credit intervention. The majority of those in this population block are not served by traditional financial providers and have been excluded from accessing basic services including loans. All these factors contribute to the distrust of many low-income individuals in formal financial institutions. While a portion of these sectors are able to find comfort in the service lines of Microfinance Institutions, a larger percentage, due to their business models are still unable to access the necessary financial facilities to grow their businesses.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

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BDSUNDAY 9

Perspective Magu and so what?

Bunmi Makinwa Makinwa is the CEO of AUNIQUEI Communication for Leadership.

O

nce in a while, the unexpected happens in life and there is drama. If it is very unexpected, it can be called high drama. It is too early to say whether the issues surrounding Mr. Ibrahim Magu, until recently, acting chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is just drama or if it qualifies as high drama.

An important point – drama may reflect life but it is not reality, nor does it change reality. Drama is (usually) fiction. The Nigerian political establishment is a world of unending drama.

Within weeks, historical drama shows debuted. Magu was on centre stage, facing a probe panel on allegations of corruption. The opponents of Magu, who until then has been leading anti-corruption efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, were overjoyed. They would like to see him in more trouble, perhaps in jail. Magu’s supporting audience hailed him for his good deeds and accused Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami of being the chief architect of Magu’s predicament. The pro-Magu people hauled loads of accusations of corruption at Malami.

Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) opened its can of worms to the public. An al-

Ashifatu Kamarudeen Ashifatu Kamarudeen writes from Ilorin, Kwara State.

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etter to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. - Unknown.

I am a practising Muslim, but I have adequate understanding of the Bible and I am aware of the verse that says: “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.”

In the biblical version, one is thought wise if one remains silent, but in the earlier quote by an “unknown,” the word “wise” is not used. Remaining silent simply allows one to avoid the fate of being thought a fool or stupid.

The recent diatribe credited to the immediate past Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, against the Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Dr. Salihu Lukman, seems to tally

legation of N40 billion corruption within NDDC was being probed.

Former acting MD for NDDC, Joy Nunieh, exchanged strong accusations with Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio on mismanagement of the agency. The public struggled to comprehend how billions of naira was doled out for strange and non-existent projects. The drama took a new turn when NDDC’s acting managing director, Prof. Daniel Pondei fainted during his session with the House Committee questioning him. Since it was established in 2000, NDDC is reported to have created many corrupt billionaires whilst development of povertyridden Delta region has stood still.

More drama still as preparation for elections shifted into top gear in Edo and Ondo States.

The governor of Edo State could not win the nomination of his All Progressives Congress (APC) political party to run for second term as governor. He left the APC and joined the arch-rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that immediately made him its gubernatorial candidate. As if in exchange, APC brought in PDP’s former governorship candidate to take APC’s seat. Overnight, the candidates started to denounce their previous political parties.

In Ondo State, deputy governor of APC ruling party abandoned his principal and joined arch-rival PDP with his eye on being the governorship candidate.

He did not get PDP’s nomination.

Immediately, he left PDP and joined yet another party, Zenith Labour Party. He has belonged to three parties in less than a month.

How dramatic!

The political campaigns in Edo and Ondo States consume as usual all the time, funds and resources of the two states. The campaigns, as usual also, suck in resources from other states and the centre. Many political

jobbers, contractors and anyone who is well positioned push hard to get contracts for electoral activities. Many ordinary people push hard to get hand-outs and “palliatives” from politicians during campaigns because it will be dry days once elections are over.

In all of the drama of Magu versus Malami, NDDC’s revelations and political shifting sands in the two states, what is in it for Nigeria? Zero is the answer!

Many years ago, whilst he was former head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo accused for the first time then ruling military President Ibrahim Babangida of running a corrupt government.

A friend, on hearing the news, screamed that Nigeria was in somersaults. Nigeria would undergo a turn-around, he chanted.

Real, indeed; I screamed back sarcastically.

The optimist friend believed the drama and I did not. I could not see what benefits the dramatic spat between the two political friends would bring to Nigeria. Since the time, Obasanjo’s letters to sitting Presidents in Nigeria, including the current one, have become regular shows and predictable comedies. The reality has dawned that the letters only draw a lot of attention to the writer and provide him a stepping board into the next political stage.

The list of high and low drama is unending: top politician, Abubakar Atiku left one political party and joined another, and left again, and returned to the original party; former governor Ibori was jailed, Ibori is welcomed home by crowds of supporters and political stalwarts; probe of fuel subsidies in billions of naira paid for non-existent fuel, and no outcomes; Mr. “Integrity” Farouk Muhammed Lawan of House of Representatives was shown on video as he packed wads of allegedly bribe US dollar notes into his

pockets and cap, life goes on; PDP wins, APC loses, and vice versa, yet same names are in charge; Babangida wrote President Goodluck Jonathan on wrongdoings, Babangida denied writing; former minister of defence General Theophilus Danjuma’s crusade against cattle herders, then he visits Aso Rock and his businesses remain intact; Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano stuffed US dollars allegedly bribe money into his flowing robes, and then wins for second term; then Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi alleged that $20billion was missing, and later on he himself will be remembered as emir of opulence; former governor Orji Uzor Kalu was jailed for corruption, Kalu is released…

The dramatis personae no longer change much. When their political parties or the names of parties change, the political drama remains constant. All for self and nothing for the country and its people. Or at best, very little service, here and there. The known names appear on stage to feast, pose, stay on, or disappear to the wings until another day.

The drama scenes are characterised by poor governance, use of masses as canon fodders, corruption, continuing insecurity, huge unemployment, low wages, dilapidating infrastructure, weak economy, poor well-being of humans. The sad situation has become etched in the meaning of what is called Nigeria.

It is almost wishful thinking, but can there be some “incident” where drama awakens its own actors to a new reality and metamorphosises to nation building?

Either by accident or purposefully, can a change of heart or mindset happen within the political kingdom and result in a sense of duty, leading to transformation of the nation?

Whilst waiting for water to come out of a rock, a feeling or

sense of nation-building should keep right-thinking people awake. Such people should repeat at every opportunity goal and aspirations that can improve and meaningfully turn Nigeria around, especially to the hearing of youth and young people in general.

As the known names wash their dirty linens into the open, Nigerians should accept the fact that the key characters in the political drama are stained badly and cannot make this land a better place. It is important to think seriously and work strenuously towards a new leadership cadre for the country.

In the ongoing drama of neglect and abandonment of young people to a sordid future, perhaps desperation will lead some people to demand a new compact for the society.

From the consequences of unhappy drama that manifest ceaselessly, perhaps some inspired leadership will emerge and truly redirect the country. It is possible that current social and economic disillusionment will inspire a new direction.

Perhaps also, the inordinate acquisition of wealth that leaves most citizens in penury and wanton neglect may force a sympathetic view. Such a new direction may awaken the conscience of people and stir unexpected strong followership that breaks the cohesion of dominating political parties. Perhaps, it will beckon to a new generation that will take advantage of it.

Young people overwhelmingly constitute the largest majority of the population. They have no meaningful future ahead of them.

They have no means of running out of the country. They may have to force renewal and give the country a new breath, beyond the drama of Magu’s probe panel, and the rest.

ing Secretary/CEO of Good Governance Group (3G). He was also among the group of 54 Nigerians that initiated the formation of the Save Nigeria Group, which he coordinated its activities in Abuja.

Is this the same person that Oshiomhole described as an empty brain with no mind of his own? And is this the same person that Oshiomhole wanted Nigerians to believe got foisted on him and the Progressive Governors’ Forum as Director General by the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi?

Of course, with my little knowledge of Fayemi, I doubt if the latter would bother himself to respond to Oshiomhole’s spat. Even in his silence, Fayemi’s wisdom cannot be matched by Oshiomhole’s. That anyone reasonable enough can attest to. Neither would I expect Dr. Lukman to try and disprove

his “pig” status, as alleged by Oshiomhole. The pig is already known.

But the question to ask the flippant Oshiomhole at this juncture is this: Between him and Fayemi who first knew Lukman, and who is capable of foisting him on the other person, assuming Lukman is such a pliable personality?

I will like to conclude this view of mine with a short story: Once upon a time, a student went to his teacher and asked a question: “Sir, is there any good in talking a lot?”

The teacher replied: “Toads and frogs croak night and day, yet no one pays any attention to them. But the cock crows at a certain time of night and wakes up everyone.”

The teacher smiled at his student and added, “This proves that no good is achieved by talking a lot. What is important is to say the right thing at the right time.”

When silence is golden with these two analogies.

I must confess here that I am neither a good friend nor a strong admirer of either Comrade Oshiomhole or Dr. Lukman. I have known both of them as firebrands and close allies in the labour union activity days.

Not for once did Lukman come to me as a pushover or numbskull without a mind of his own, who could easily be manipulated by anyone, not even by Oshiomhole himself.

Lukman’s radical nature is legendary. He is an activist per excellence and, as I earlier hinted, had been a close associate of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole all along. This perhaps, explains his active participation in student unionism in the late 1980s, resulting in his becoming the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, in 1988/1989.

After his NYSC scheme in 1991, Lukman got an instant

appointment as the National Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Lagos. In 1992, his activism caught the attention of Oshiomhole, who encouraged him and facilitated his getting appointed as the Research Officer of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria in Kaduna, the same union which Oshiomhole served as the General Secretary.

In 2002, Oshiomhole, as the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), again facilitated Lukman’s appointment as the Education Secretary of the NLC, the position Lukman held until 2006, a year before the expiration of Oshiomhole’s tenure as the president. Lukman then returned to Zaria to form Movement for a Better Future as a platform for community organising and development. From 2009, Lukman served as the General Organis-

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Insight Nigerian businesses amid Covid-19-induced storms

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MICHAEL ORODARE igeria’s economic landscape has taken a big hit in light of the coronavirus crisis. This is consistent with the rest of the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that over the coming months in 2020, the world would face the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s. This is seemingly becoming more of a reality with each passing day.

Businesses, as well as individuals, have to live and think on their feet to survive. The struggle to get back to a familiar business climate is very essential right now.

The tourism, hospitality, travel, and events industries were the first to feel the weight of forced inactivity. The lockdown and forced isolation measures were put in place by authorities around the world to stop the spread of the virus. Though these measures were a necessary response, they had severe effects on business activity. World economies would subsequently slip into a global recession of epic proportions.

Businesses around the world were put on notice with the global stock market crash that took place on the 20th of February.

Businesses were forced into cautionary deals and investments also slowed down significantly.

In Nigeria, this was especially noteworthy.

In August 2020, the UK officially entered into its first technical recession - defined as two consecutive quarters of economic decline - since 2009. Reacting on Twitter to the news of recession in the UK, Tunji Andrews, an economist and business analyst said: “Nigeria will join soon as will most of the world. Recessions hardly ever happen in a vacuum.

One event may be the catalyst but there are usually events unfolding up to it. For the UK, it was BREXIT then Covid-19. For Nigeria, it was the madness in the oil market and then Covid-19.”

The Naspire 2020 Half-year Business Insights reported that Foreign Direct Investment only accounted for 3.66 percent ($214.25 million) of the total capital inflows; this was representative of a decline of 16.72 percent in FDI from Q4 2019. The Nigerian Stock market also experienced effects first hand. It was reported that investors lost over NGN2.3 trillion (US$5.9bn). This was within three weeks of the announcement of the first case of coronavirus in Nigeria on January 28, 2020.

In the wake of the crisis, banks and other lending institutions were not able to properly service loans because their overall earnings were affected. Borrowers were also not able to pay back loans with the reduced circulation of income. As a result, institutions halted the dispensing of

loans, actions that trickled down to business owners across the country.

The Nigerian market in general has seen an upsurge in the costs of doing business. The market is highly reliant on imports. This has led to serious restocking issues.

A lot of businesses procure their stock from large export markets like China. The restrictions on the transportation of goods across the globe have led many retailers and wholesalers to source their products locally. The new adjustments have brought with them several unprecedented costs and have given rise to more creative approaches towards carrying out operations.

In a virtual meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of conglomerates in May, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele explained that the CBN, in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s desire, was determined to return the Nigerian economy to the period when the manufacturing and agricultural sectors formed the base of the economy.

“As Nigeria continues the process of the full reopening of its economy due to the lockdown over Coronavirus (Covid-19), the nation needs industrial conglomerates to support efforts aimed at growing the Nigerian economy,” he said.

While acknowledging the challenge Nigeria faces with low crude oil prices, Emefiele expressed confidence that the price of crude would not remain at low levels for a long period. According

to him, Nigeria’s foreign reserves of about $37 billion remained robust to support the economy.

However, beyond the CBN governor’s statements, reduced crude oil prices and reduced demand have greatly affected the health of the Nigerian economy.

Parallel and Importers & Exporters (I&E) Window noted that sales from crude oil make up more than half of Nigeria’s total exports and 60 percent of foreign exchange. Right now, the pandemic, and the on-going price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, have driven down oil prices to less than US$18 per barrel since April.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, in an attempt to stabilise the Naira’s valuation against the Dollar, adjusted the exchange rate from N306 to N360. The exchange rate under the investors and exporters (I&E) window was also adjusted from N360 to N380, to unify the collective exchange rates across the I&E, Bureau de Change, and retailer-wholesaler businesses.

The Pay TV industry’s struggles are also noteworthy. Companies around the world, and in Nigeria, in this space, have been forced to make adjustments in business dealings. Sky UK increased the price of its satellite television packages, writing to subscribers to inform them of the price adjustment. These changes took effect on April 1, 2020. Customers on the Original Bundle were to see prices increase by £2.20 per month. Sky stated that increase was in line with the effort

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As Nigeria continues the process of the full reopening of its economy due to the lockdown over Coronavirus (Covid-19), the nation needs industrial conglomerates to support efforts aimed at growing the Nigerian economy to continue to bring its customers entertainment and innovative products that they could enjoy, 365 days a year.

In Nigeria, Startimes raised the prices of its subscriber packages. The company stated that this was due to the fact that the Federal Government increased Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 percent to 7.5 percent. Startimes had previously chosen to bear the cost of the increased tax and could no longer continue to do so.

“Our business is not exempted from the effect of the Naira depreciation affecting all businesses in the country. All of our foreign content is bought in dollars and to continually serve our subscribers the best content, the subscription price has to be reviewed upwards,” the company’s Brand and Marketing Manager, Viki Liu said.

Analysts say it is likely that MultiChoice, the market leader in Nigeria’s Pay TV sector, will have to make price adjustments if things do not improve.

Transportation costs have also increased. In Lagos, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) increased

the prices of bus fares in July. According to the organisation, the price change was the only way to prevent the transport business from going under. Abiodun Dabiri, LAMATA MD, noted that the operational costs on fuel, oil, and tyre had increased by 71 percent, 64 percent, and 90 percent respectively.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also recently raised Passenger Service Charge (PSC) by 100 percent for both domestic and international travellers. Airfares have also increased since domestic flights resumed after the lockdown, with some airlines raising prices by as high as 50 percent.

For the everyday Nigerian, prices of local food stuff also show a significant increase in the cost per unit of items. A 50kg bag of rice previously sold for N18, 000 now costs N21, 000, while a paint bucket of Garri that was sold for N350, is now being sold for N1, 300. Businesses like Shoprite and Mr. Price have also struggled within the Nigerian business environment. Long-running losses and other issues have been cited as factors for their decision to leave.

According to Tunji Adegbite, analyst and founder of research firm, Naspire, “The continuous exit of foreign brands from Nigeria might send a bad signal to other foreign investors thereby reducing inflow of critical foreign investments needed to stimulate sustainable and robust economic growth.”

Small & Medium Scale businesses across Nigeria are also having a rough go of it, with a lot of them seeking relief.

According to Jonathan Lavender, Global Head of KPMG Private Enterprise and Head of Markets, “It has become necessary for governments to introduce incentives and economic relief programs that help alleviate business stress and bolster economies. Additional financial relief mechanisms include corporate income tax rebates, deferral of government payments, and reductions in tax rates to help owners retain more immediate cash in their business.”

Stakeholders in the Nigerian business sector are also calling on the Nigerian government for strategies, policies, and financial infrastructure, to help the economy get out of this slump.

Such programmes should include interest-free, non-collateral loans, corporate income tax rebates, deferral of government payments, and reductions in tax rates to help owners retain more immediate cash in their business.

If conditions remain until the end of the year, it could invite long-term distress for both corporates and ordinary Nigerians, running into the coming years.

Orodare is a writer and journalist based in Lagos.

Sunday 23 August 2020

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11

News Feature

Traders in Delta reveal strategies for surviving lockdown MERCY ENOCH, Asaba

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raders in Delta State, especially those at the popular Ogbogongo in Asaba, the state capital, have spoken of their hardship and how they saved their businesses during the protracted lockdown. They also commended the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for harkening to their cries and opened Ogbogonogo which was locked down when others were opened.

The action of Governor Okowa, approving resumption of normal trading activities in all markets across the state, has also endeared him to the traders, especially those in popular Ogbogonogo market located along Nnebisi Road, Asaba, that they now address him as father.

Their joy knows no bound as they now join their counterparts across the state to trade daily rather than just three times a week that they had been forced to, since the gradual relaxing of the lockdown against the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the state.

Their situation appeared so pitiable that some other residents of the state joined in calling on the governor to look towards their direction.

No one could understand why traders in a particular market should be restricted to trading on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays because of Covid-19 whereas markets like Abraka market (now Okoh Market), Okwe market, amongst others, had progressed from that level to trading daily.

Investigations by BDSUNDAY, revealed that the about N40,000 paid per space by each trader that stays under umbrella around the market to the market authorities may have contributed largely to the gang up against the traders inside the market. Outside the market and its premises, one is free to trade daily as long as you were able to pay for space, said a source. But inside, it was just three times a week, the source added. But the Oshimili South Local Government authorities in the market have said only N100 daily for environmental sanitation and market upkeep was being charged.

Any other money is N5,000 per year for those interested in yearly arrangement of space but that has been suspended since Covid-19 lockdown, said Ajufoh Christopher, Oshimili South LG, Ogbogonogo market chairman.

“We even intervene on behalf of the traders”, he added.

With most Deltans passionately appealing to the governor even via the traditional and

…as popular Ogbogonogo market reopens

Inside Ogbogonogo market, Asaba, Delta State.

social media, the governor immediately ordered the resumption of normal trading activities in all markets across the state.

The order was contained in the statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chiedu Ebie, Wednesday, August 12.

Reacting to the development, Alibor Tina, who runs a provision store in the market, told BDSUNDAY, Yes, I’m thanking God for the state government’s announcement approving daily markets in Delta State.

At least, now in a day, even if it is N500 sales we are able to make in terms of sales, we would not be able to exhaust it. We will still have ‘carry over’ to the next day. Unlike when we were selling for only three days a week, we came and sell in the market and then, we went home and spend two days at home and all the money gone.

The lockdown, both partial and total were aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 in the state but Alibor has this to say: “Yes, but when we considered what was happening outside and found out that we in the shops were doing it better than the way they allow markets to trade in open places and people were crowding and squeezing themselves. Then, the social distancing was not observed.

The aim of closing the market was defeated.

I give my customers sanitizers and they sanitise their hands before they came into the shop.

In fact, if there was anything like Covid-19, it (the open markets) aided the spread of the virus.

There was no check in the open places at all. But now, we thank God the market is opened to daily trading, so we can still resume our normal businesses.

Huge loss occasioned by lockdown and partial lockdown: “I lost so much. For instance, this my little place (shop), in a

“

Coming three times a week was a setback to us because we lost some customers and some of our products got expired. Some of our customers were afraid to come to market to buy from us

week, I could count like N50,000 worth of sales. In a month I could have at least N200,000.

That is, if I come to market every day. Then, spending may not be much. At least, if I buy a bucket of garri, we could consume it within two days in the family. And I come back as market opens after a day. You know, as we were in the house, we were consuming more without savings.

So, when you come to the items in stock, the three times a week trading really made our stocks to go down because we were just consuming and nothing was coming in. It reduced the capital seriously. When trading every day, assuming I just saved N10,000 now, I can rush to Onitsha and pick something (product) and come back but that wasn’t the case when we were trading thrice a week.

Amaka Ucheonye, another trader who runs a foodstuffs shop, exclaimed, “Let the daily market continue. I really lost much during both the total and partial lockdown. My salad stuffs like Hens, Bama, oil, maggi, tomatoes, expired and I had to throw them away.

I didn’t go to the open market designated at schools premises by government that time during the total lockdown because the stress was much and means of getting there was a huge cost.

All my products were in the shop and you cannot consume

them because they (market authorities) won’t allow you entry.

You can only enter when you pay between N500 and N1,000. So, we were really affected.

Before lockdown, my sales were like N40,000 to N50,000 monthly with just N5,000 gain.

We keep borrowing money to stay in business. There’s no job and I can’t stay at home.

Uche Okpala, running a Cosmetics Shop, said they’ve been praying for. The market to return to daily trading, adding that the governor’s approval was a step in the right direction.

“Coming three times a week was a setback to us because we lost some customers and some of our products got expired.

Some of our customers were afraid to come to market to buy from us. They preferred going online to buy products, which was not too good for us. So, we want them to know that market has resumed fully, they should be sensitised to that effect.

They should come wearing their facemasks and we pray government to help us sensitise them”, he said.

“Daily, I could make between N15,000 to N30,000 sales. In a week about N100,000 but with COVID-19 market has not been stable as I made like N5,000 daily. Because of this, I did not border to stock my shop with new goods. With daily market, I can now stock with confidence.

We appreciate the governor for acting like a father”.

Rose Okolie, palm oil seller, adding her voice, “Lockdown made us eat our market money and now go a borrowing. This year is only about spending, no savings. I’m happy I can begin to save now,” she disclosed.

Vivian Okonkwo, salad stuffs seller who has been in the market for six years, said this year has been the worst for her since she began trading in the market. “I’ve enjoyed my business except this year, because of COVID-19. You trade today and eat the money tomorrow.

No savings. Our customers left us and began to go to Onitsha to buy what they needed. I buy a bag of fruits and sell half, throw away half. Even if I buy small quantity, I still had remaining portions to throw away,” she lamented.

She recalled how she used to save money via Daily Pay. “Before the lockdown, I used to save up to N50,000 and withdrew same at the end of the month for my business. Due to the partial lockdown, I’ve not been able to save a dime, instead I continue to borrow to support my business”.

“Monday, Wednesday, Saturday... All that is reversed and we thank God for his intervention.

Our governor has acted like a father. We thought he was aware we were not trading daily while traders in other markets were trading daily. But this action he took following massive outcry has proved to us that he was not aware,” she said.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Feature

WASSCE: Teachers, parents in divergent views over performance of candidates KELECHI EWUZIE

…As allegation of leaked papers trails exam

fter several months of anxious wait by parents, students, schools proprietors and other education stakeholders for the commencement of the much-awaited West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) 2020, the examination finally started on Monday, August 17. But the examination has been trailed with anxiety.

This year’s examination has 1,549, 463 candidates registered for the diet from 19,129 schools out of which 786,421 are males and 763,042 are females.

Since the examination commenced, parents and school owners have expressed great concerns over the likely performance of the students given the disruption of their studies occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The stakeholders, who spoke with BDSUNDAY, said that they feared that the unpreparedness of the pupils for the examination would hamper their success.

It was gathered also that as a result of the social distancing, which is being observed in the hall of examination, is already giving many of the candidates hard times. They are disappointed because their hope of cheating had been shattered.

Educationists say this year’s examination may be woeful to say the least, considering that most public schools students, especially in rural areas, did not have the requisite opportunity for online tutorial which many see as a huge disadvantage.

Omowunmi Owolabi, a concerned parent, said the two weeks period given for her son to prepare for the examination was too short, noting that it was unfair as her son and many other students hardly had time to cover up lost ground during the lockdown.

According to her, “Rushing students for this year’s examination maybe counterproductive as mass failure looms due to the short time frame for adequate preparation”.

Owolabi further believed that the students should have been given adequate time to prepare for the examination, having stayed home for a very long time as a result of the pandemic.

On what her expectations are for the outcome of the examination, she said that the social distancing rule which has necessitated a new arrangement of seating six feet or two metres apart in the examination halls had added to the psychological blow to some candidates in the ongoing examination.

Michael Omodiagbe, another parent and a civil engineer, told BDSUNDAY correspondent that

the two weeks given for preparation of the WASSCE examination was very ill-thought as it may have just exposed candidates in most public schools to engage in examination malpractices.

Omodiagbe, “Having spent months at home due to Covid-19, many students especially in rural areas who have not engaged in any form of online tutorial must have forgotten what they learnt in school. It will be a huge wonder how they will cope.”

He further said that the outcome from this year’s WASSCE would further deepen the gulf between public and private schools as private schools that understand how to apply the effective use of online teaching during the period of school closure have used such to prepare their pupils.

BDSUNDAY finding shows that for the candidates, it was a mixed bag of reactions. While some, especially those in private school, expressed confidence in their readiness, the same cannot be said of others who have already resigned to their fate concerning the examination currently on going and the likely result they hope to post.

Chijioke Eze, a student writing the examination at Landmark Senior Seconding School in Lagos, told BDSUNDAY that the long months of lockdown afforded him and his friends the needed opportunity to prepare for the examination.

Eze, who engaged in online teaching and learning, is very optimistic of scoring a good grade in the examination.

On the social distancing rule, the commercial student who would like to study accounting at University of Benin, noted that by studying hard and preparing effectively, he is not bothered about such sitting arrangement as it will only help him concentrate more.

The confidence of Eze was also shared by Beatrice Eboh, a science student who noted that with the level of preparation put in by her

A

teachers during the two-week revision, it would surely yield good results.

On the sitting arrangement, Eboh said this is good because it promotes high-level concentration during the examination and confidence.

The sentiment of Eboh and Eze concerning the WAASCE was not however, shared by Basil Egbe, a student who blatantly told our correspondent that he was not ready for the examination, blaming shortness of time to read.

Egbe said his inability to gain access to a mobile phone with data prevented him from participating in any form of online tutorial during the long period of lockdown.

He further said the only option open to him before which was to copy from his fellow student have been truncated because of the social distancing rule.

“My problem in this examination is the way social distancing is being enforced and because of this, me who was hoping to seek assistance from my friends cannot achieve that now,” Egbe lamented.

Joseph Edet, another student, said he would have loved if the period of preparation was one month not the just two weeks as

“

Having spent months at home due to Covid-19, many students especially in rural areas who have not engaged in any form of online tutorial must have forgotten what they learnt in school.

It will be a huge wonder how they will cope

experienced for this examination.

Edet, who is pained that he didn’t attend online teachings because he couldn’t get a smartphone coupled with the various distractions he faced at home, said it would only take the grace of God for him to pass the examination.

While parents were anxious about the performance of pupils, the same cannot be said of some teachers and owners of private school as those who spoke to BDSUNDAY were optimistic that the students would do better having been returned to schools for revision.

Abosede Adetoun, an English Teacher in Lagos, observed that serious students who took their time to study during the period of the lockdown have nothing to worry about because they are expected to perform better in the ongoing external examination.

She said that it was her expectation that students who during the period of lockdown availed themselves of this new normal of online teaching will definitely post positive results in the examination.

Adetoun pointed out that students who prepared well will only see the Covid-19 adversity as a stepping stone to work hard which will, in turn, see them succeed. Bayo Ogunjimi, a mathematics teacher, observed that there was no cause for alarm over the performance of the students in this year WASSCE. He also said that candidates had sat for the Mock Examination before the lockdown and closure of schools.

Ogunjimi pointed out that students who worked hard and truly sat for the Mock Examination and did well would surely make exploit in the examination.

He further cautioned that it was not when an examination approaches that wise students begin to prepare for it, adding that outcome of the 2020 WASSCE will only show the difference between those who prepared and those who didn’t.

Yomi Otubela, The National President of the National Asso-

ciation of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) was quick to point out that those entertaining fears about the sitting arrangement occasioned by social distancing have nothing to fear. The arrangement is not new to the various examination bodies.

According to him, “It is always obtainable in exams conducted

by WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and others. It is also not different from what we prepare in our exam halls.

Before now, candidates sit four to five feet apart and social distancing only increased it to six feet apart.”

Commenting on how prepared students are, Otubela reiterated that students sat for the Mock Examination before the lockdown, adding that schools used all sorts of online and e-learning methods during the two weeks before the start of the examination to revise.

A school proprietor in whose school the examination is taking place, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The pupils are not finding the exam easy at all. Many of them, out of three questions, they will only know one. They are really complaining. Well, let them just write it. I know that some of them who are disciplined enough and utilised the Covid-19 period to study their book will do well, no doubt,” the proprietor said.

Meanwhile, the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) Nigeria recently described as false rumours being peddled by some online media, alleging the leakage of its question papers in the ongoing WASSCE for School Candidates, 2020.

WAEC observed with dismay at suchpublicationstatingthatcontrary to the misleading impression, which the publications sought to portray, theintegrityoftheongoingWASSCE for School Candidates, 2020 has not been compromised, as none of the question papers has leaked.

Demianus G. Ojijeogu, head, Public Affairs, WAEC Nigeria in a statement said that the attention of the WAEC Nigeria had been drawn to publications on social and other media.

“Some have even gone ahead to (mis)quote the Head of National Office of WAEC-Nigeria, Patrick Areghan, as confirming same. This is far from the truth and we take very strong exception to it,” he said.

Ojijeogu noted that for the avoidance of doubt, and for the benefit of the general public, there has been no leakage of any paper, whatsoever.

“The Council’s Monitoring/ Investigations have revealed that some unscrupulous and unpatriotic Supervisors/Invigilators, and in some cases, candidates, snap the question papers (while the examination is in progress) and forward to their outside collaborators who in turn, provide solutions to the questions which they send to their subscribers via criminally-inclined websites, SMS and Whatsapp, even as this is against our regulation of: Use Of Cell Phones In The Examination Hall Is Not Allowed,” he said.

Some culprits who were caught in the act in Bauchi, Nasarawa and Rivers States have been arrested and will be prosecuted.

Sunday 23 August 2020

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13

Feature Reckless killings by container-bearing trucks raise safety concern among Lagos residents AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

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n that fateful Sunday evening, July 26, 2020 in Lagos, Nigeria a 27-year-old Chidimma Deedee Ajoku, who until her death was a staff of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), sadly met her sudden death together with her colleague, a 29-year-old Chima Nnaekpe, after a container fell off its truck and landed on the commercial bus they boarded, and snuffed life out of them.

According to report, both Chidimma and Chima were on their way home from work when a truck, with number plate, SGM 715 XA, loaded with a 20-foot container, fell on their bus at Ilasamaja bus-stop on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos State.

Three other passengers in the bus sustained several degrees of injuries and were rushed to the General Hospital lsolo for treatment while the corpses of Chidinma and Chima were deposited at a mortuary for post mortem examination.

On the other hand, the driver of the commercial bus, Daniel Okwoje, who sustained injuries, died later in the hospital.

It was also reported that the driver, whose truck caused the sudden death of both Chidimma and Chima took to his heel after the accident occurred.

Hakeem Odumosu, Lagos State Commissioner for Police, who spoke to newsmen on a later date, disclosed that the truck driver, Okanlawon Sadiq who fled the scene of the incident, was arrested by a team of detectives from Ilasamanja division on August 7.

Odumosu said the truck owner, Wasiu Lekan, was equally arrested for operating an unlatched container.

He however warned operators of containers to comply with safety rules especially latching their containers or face the full weight of the law.

BDSUNDAY understands that the truck driver was driving recklessly when the unfortunate incident happened.

There has been an increase in the number of crashes involving unlatched containers falling off the flatbed trailers carrying them, causing permanent disabilities or deaths to Nigerians.

Aside from the death of these two, many Lagosians have lost their lives or badly injured by rampaging container carrying trucks going in and out of Ports in Lagos, Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports.

Pundits believed that many of these accidents could be at-

tributable to the recklessness of the container truck drivers especially those of them that drive against traffic or caused by the bad state of the roads in the city of Lagos.

Today in Lagos, trucks, containers and tanker trailers lay siege to almost all the roads in Lagos that have connection with the seaports. In most cases, these articulated vehicles constitute nuisance to Lagos dwellers especially those whose offices or houses are situated around areas like Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Ajegunle, Awodi Ora and Wilmer roads in Ajegunle; Kirikiri; Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Orile Igamu; Second Rainbow down to Apple Junction; Ago Palace Way; Ikorodu road; Ijora; Eko Bridge and among others.

Sadly, some of these container-bearing trucks are at rickety state and they carry unlatched containers waiting to fall and kill innocent dwellers. These containers are placed on flatbeds

with no fittings to prevent them from sliding off in case the truck suddenly enters portholes.

BDSUNDAY can recall that on July 8, 2017, the city was thrown into mourning when reports filtered in that at least five people lost their lives after a truck carrying a 40-foot container laden with plywood fell on commercial bus in Ojota area of Lagos.

The accident, which occurred at the early hours of that Saturday at about 4:20am, had about eight passengers onboard.

In January 2017, the picture of a young lady whose legs were trapped under a container at Durbar bus stop along the LagosBadagry Expressway trended on the social media.

The lady was reported to have been moved from under the container by a passer-by, who had to chop off her legs from the knees, so she could be taken to the hospital but she unfortunately bled to death minutes later.

On September 8, 2015, Lagos

“

Most of these containers are usually tilted to one end and not properly fastened, while some just sit dangerously threatening to slide off when the truck attempts to climb a slope or is driven through bad roads in Lagos

residents witnessed the ruthless death of a middle-aged man, who was crushed to death by a container-laden truck on top speed as the man tried to cross Okoduwa Street, in Kirikiri Industrial Layout.

Also, on September 2, 2015, another unfortunate accident occurred at the Ojuelegba area of Lagos when the life of a Bureau de Change operator and his friends were terminated when a 40-foot container fell off the bridge, and landed on their black Toyota Sports Utility Vehicle.

On June 27, 2015, Olabisi Onabanjo University was also thrown into mourning due to the sudden death of 14 students involved in a fatal accident at Ilisan Remo, close to Sagamu, Ogun State, when a container fell on a bus conveying them to Lagos.

On April 5, 2015, another container crushed four persons

by Agric bus-stop on Ikorodu Road in Lagos.

Also, in January 2015, a middle-aged woman named Anthonia and her son, Chibuzor, were crushed to death after an unlatched container fell on them by Ketu bus-stop, where they waited to board a vehicle to Mile 12.

On June 7, 2013, a man was crushed to death by a container at Ikeja-Along bus-stop, while a loaded 40-foot container fell on a meat van, and crushed a passer-by and injured several others on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

Eunice Ezeoke, president, Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), who expressed concern over the incessant container accident in the state, said the deaths are increasing in torrential numbers as every other day.

“Most of these containers are usually tilted to one end and not properly fastened, while some just sit dangerously threatening to slide off when the truck attempts to climb a slope or is driven through bad roads in Lagos,” Ezeoke said in a statement released to the media.

According to her, Lagos residents wake up to the gory sight of mangled bodies trapped underneath the crushing weight of container-laden trucks.

While pointing out the need for law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce safety regulations on container-carrying trucks, Ezeoke called for quick completion of the ongoing repairs on most Lagos roads.

“The Lagos State Government should ensure strict enforcement of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012, which restricts articulated vehicles from plying the metropolis between the hours of 6am and 9pm. It should through its Ministry of Transpor-

tation put in place strategies to monitor activities of drivers of articulated vehicles, including a special enforcement squad to monitor their movement and impound rickety trucks at the exit points of the ports,” she suggested.

Continuing, she suggested that “Penalties and sanctions for noncompliance should be enforced as a deterrent to drivers of such trucks or trailers. They should be prosecuted for criminal negligence and gross dereliction of responsibility when arrested during the restricted hours and after causing deaths.”

Within the port, Ezeoke stated, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) must ensure that before a container-laden truck leaves the port, the physical conditions must be assured through appropriate latching of the container.

“Also, enforcement agencies and relevant regulatory authorities and operatives like the FRSC, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) that are statutorily charged with the responsibility of ensuring safety on our roads should always check trucks that are not road worthy. They should mandate all articulated vehicles to have pointers, brake, rear lights, C-caution and among others and must stop underage motor boys and apprentices from driving trucks,” she advised.

Meanwhile, in what seems like effort in the right direction, Hadiza Bala Usman, managing director, NPA has said that the authority is working with the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) to set up a task force that would monitor trucks carrying containers with a view to ensuring that unlatched containers are not allowed to move on the highway.

Usman, who spoke during the recent meeting of heads of maritime agencies, said that most of the trucks leaving the port usually have their containers latched but the truck drivers deliberately unlatch them when they leave the port in a bid to save their vehicles in case of an accident.

“The latching of containers is usually done in the port under the supervision of terminal operators and the NPA. Some truck drivers upon leaving the port now unlatch their containers because they are concerned about the truck overturning with the container when it enters a pothole or trying to traverse a corner. When the container is latched onto the truck, it can overturn with their trucks, so they will rather allow the container overturn itself rather than with the truck,” Usman explained.

14 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 23 August 2020

NewsFeature We are committed to helping Nigeria develop industrially - Inner Galaxy boss GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

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he management of Inner Galaxy Steel Company Limited, a steel manufacturing firm, has refuted allegations that it runs a modern day slave camp in its facility in Umuahala, Obuzor Asa, in Ukwa West Local Government (LGA) of Abia State.

Andy Lu, group managing director of the firm, refuted the allegation, Thursday, August 2020, while addressing journalists on a fact finding mission to the factory.

Lu, who expressed surprise at the allegation, by those he described as faceless, stated that the firm decided to invest in Nigeria to contribute to industrial development of the country and not to dehumanise Nigerians.

“Our first mill was set up in Lagos, about 12years ago. Our Abia Steel factory is our second in Nigeria and I have been working here for over 5 years. Nigeria is like my second home after China. My life is connected with his country and I don’t see how I will be overseeing a slave camp in a country that I call my own.

“We had options of setting up this factory in Rivers, Enugu or Abia, but we settled for Abia, for some reasons. The community is friendly and supportive, so, for all these years, we have been developing this area and today you can see

many industries coming up and hat is why we are surprised at the negative report.”

“As Chinese, we do more and speak less. But now I think we cannot keep silent. We must speak out and to let the public know what is going on,” he said.

He appealed to the visiting journalists to investigate the report and reveal the truth to the public.

“When you see our investment here, you will know that we are committed to the development of Nigeria. Year 2020 is not a good year, because of the spread of COVID-19. And Nigeria suffered greatly too, because so many people lost their jobs.

“And for us in Inner Galaxy, it was a difficult situation to protect our staff and remain in business,

we decided to retain them inside, as well as their services, so that they can earn money to provide for their families,” he said.

Chijioke Eze, manager, Human Resource, Inner Galaxy Steel Company Limited, explained that the firm is staff friendly, noting that the welfare of staff is paramount to the company.

“We don’t joke with welfare of staff and nobody will like to work in an environment where his/her welfare is not taken care of. We pay annual leave allowance; organise recreational activities for staff, like going on picnics and organising sporting competitions among different departments,” Eze said.

“We encourage sporting activities in the firm and that is why the management provided a football

pitch and basketball court for staff,” he added.

Eze further explained that “During the lockdown, we made sure that our workers, who agreed to stay within the premises were taken care of. We provided all their needs.

We even provided television sets in the hostels and subscribed pay television for their comfort.

“The accommodation is also topnotch. Apart from the staff hostel, which is sited close to the main gate, management has also completed three new hostels to accommodate more staff, who have accommodation challenge.”

On the allegation that the Chinese, owners of the company, harass and abuse the local staff sexually, as well as dehumanise them, Eze said there was nothing of such happening, saying that he was in charge of human resources and that if there was anything of such he would have been informed.

“We have procedures to follow if such a case arises. We have information boxes positioned in different locations in the factory for people, who have complains, but don’t want to be identified by management and we protect them,” he said.

In what seems a vote of confidence, Cynthia Nwabueze, the firm’s public relations officer, said: “The management of Inner Galaxy is doing its best to ensure that we are well taken care of.”

According o her, “You cannot please everybody. I have been

working with this company for over three years now. During the coronavirus lockdown, we were accommodated in the premises. I live in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and so when the state government shut the land boarders; it affected production, because most of us, who live in Rivers State were shut out.

“So, we suggested to management to provide temporary accommodation for us to ensure that production does not suffer.

And they obliged us and provided accommodation. And it was not compulsory, though. Those that agreed stayed within the premises, throughout that period of lockdown and we were well treated”.

Nnamdi Ahaiwe, legal adviser to Inner Galaxy, who condemned the negative publication, urged Nigerians to ignore the negative claim of the faceless, nameless persons, whom he claimed were paid to do a hatchet job of blackmailing and de-marketing the company.

He further observed that the carefully calibrated and scripted outcry was for the company to be “shut down”, which according to him is not in the interest of staff, Abia State and Nigeria, as a whole.

“Inner Galaxy has been positively aggressive in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) obligations, to their host community with whom they live in peace and tranquility,” Ahaiwe said.

What Nigeria must learn from Mali, Belarus ...

Continued from Page 1

with their intervention, do I really have a choice?” he said. “[I must]

submit to it because I don’t want any bloodshed,” he further said.

The coup-makers - who called themselves National Committee for the Salvation of the People promised to oversee a transition to election within a “reasonable” period and restore stability in the country.

InBelarus,AlexanderLukashenko, who has ruled for 26 years, claimed he had won a landslide victory in an election marred by accusations of vote-rigging. This sparked a large protest, where a crowd of thousands gathered in the centre of the capital city of the country Minsk, to show disapproval of the announced result.

The protesters have vowed to maintain pressure on the president until he yields to their demands.

Following these developments, political pundits in Nigeria have warned the authorities that have subjected the people to economic hardship that no government can survive the people’s fury once they unite to make specific demands especially now that the economic situation appears to be getting worse and the terrorism in the north east is not abating. Keita was toppled in what appears to be the culmination of the people’s consensus that was executed by the military.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY in an interview, the Director of the Center for China Studies (CCS), Charles Onunaiju, said that what happened in Mali is a case of national consensus on ending the stalemate of the country’s crisis.

“This is a home-breed solution.

We know what has been going on there in the past one month. Despite ECOWAS shuttle diplomacy, no concrete results were achieved.

These Malians took the step to restore the country to normalcy and save the country from this quagmire,” he said.

Onunaiju further said: “The lesson is that people should not take constitutional order as an alibi to perpetrate all manner of illegality, all manner of confusion, all manner of corruption. You don’t corrupt the system, you don’t bastardise and undermine the system and take shelter in constitutional order.

Nobody should fool himself that the constitutional order is sacrosanct especially if it is abused with reckless abandon; nobody should take that for granted. That is the lesson of the Malian example. ” Thepublicintellectualdenounced the position of ECOWAS to raise a standby force to probably invade Mali to restore order, stressing that the best ECOWAS can do is to help the Malians restore constitutionality as soon as possible.

“Seeking to invade the country is going to be a waste of time. What we saw is a national consensus which regional efforts have not ended despite the shuttle diplomacy which has even worsened the matter.

“So, in as much as we said that military has no role in the political life of the sub-region, the reality is that the political standoff is nearly plunging the country into a quagmire, and this is their own way of building a consensus around a solution,” Onunaiju said.

According to him, “The man who was overthrown has accepted

his position; he does not want his country to be plunged into bloodshed. He is the right person to call for ECOWAS intervention. But he is the first to step down to avoid plunging his country into chaos.

So, who will be more patriotic than Keita? Who will be more Malian than Keita, who has opted out?

“So, any deployment of troops to that country will be rebuffed, not just by the soldiers, but that will unite the country. So, the best ECOWAS can do is to nudge the so-called committee for national salvation into early transition to civil rule.”

On the possible economic impact of this coup in Mali, following the suspension and economic blockade by imposed by the regional group, Onunaiju maintained that while sanction may hurt the Malians they were already in economic crisis caused by political instability and wished to address the matter urgently.

“You cannot build any sustainable economy in an atmosphere of political instability. Mali is already wrecked by political instability; no meaningful economic development can take place.

Also speaking to BDSUNDAY, public affairs analyst, Katch Ononuju, said the lesson is that Nigeria must lead ECOWAS to pay more attention to negotiated peace which was abandoned in the aftermath of the coupthattoppledKeita’spredecessor Ahmoudi Toumani Toure.

“If the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS had paid more attention and engage in the process of negotiated peace, this matter would have long being addressed.

Ag r e e m e n t s a r e s e t g o a l s ,

implementation is to bring it into execution to bring things to a close but the ECOWAS and the AU did not pursue it,” he said.

He however, warned that the seeming support the coup plotters are enjoying in Mali is not real support, adding that it has the potential to have ripple effects of coups in the region if the junta is not immediately forced to restore constitutional order as he called for invasion of the country.

“Those who invested in taking power through unconstitutional means, they will also do other things to make their action legitimate by organising the people to the street.

The ripple effect is more instability.

“We already have a workable protocol to sort Mali out and the military will return power to constituted authority. This is what we must do and if possible invade Mali and restore constitutional rule.

“The people of Mali currently require help and we will help them to bring peace. So, let the sub-region provide that stability protocol if possible by force to stabilize Mali because if there is chaos in Mali it will affect other countries of the sub region,” he said.

Although there has been international condemnation of the coup by the US, UN, ECOWAS, AU, the dire situation in Mali, just like in many West African countries, was a clear invitation of coup because of extra-constitutional measures adopted by politicians in the region to manipulate the electoral process.

Nigeria will go to general election in 2023 but barely two-and-half years to the election, electoral reforms are yet to be concluded,

which gives credence that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, appears unwilling to carry out these reforms especially the issue of electronic transfer of results. The APC has been accused of planning to manipulate the process to retain power in 2023.

The same scenario is playing out in Ivory Coast, where President Allassane Ouatara is allegedly seeking a third term outside the prescription of the country’s constitution and the ECOWAS and AU appear to be saying nothing about it. In Guinea-Conakry, not far from Mali, the president is also said to be seeking a third term. So, if the democratic institutions are manipulated as is often the case in the region, is there any serious argument against unconstitutional change of government?

Ayo Adamu, a public affairs commentator and systems engineer, told BDSUNDAY that Nigeria had no moral high ground to champion a clampdown on the military junta that has seized power in Mali.

“By every standard of measurement of good governance, the government in Nigeria has failed.

The Nigerian citizens are tired with government and their case is worse than that of Malians. Who moral high ground does the Nigerian government have champion an aggression against the military junta that sacked the Malian president?

We must first remove the log of wood in our eyes before probing other people’s eyes for a grain of sand. Our situation in Nigeria is pathetic, needing urgent attention; we must not pretend all is well here.

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BDSUNDAY 15

News Extra I am embarrassed by high level of unemployment in Akwa Ibom State, says Ita Enang ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

I

ta Solomon Enang, a senior special assistant to the President on Nigeria Delta Affairs, has expressed shock and disappointment over the recent report by the National Bureau of Statistics which ranks Akwa Ibom as the second highest in terms of unemployment, saying he was terribly embarrassed.

Enang, who said the report, was nothing but the truth lamented that Akwa Ibom State being the highest revenue earner from the federation account should have no business occupying such a position according to the ranking by NBS employment index.

Enang, who spoke on a radio programme monitored in Uyo

blamed Governor Udom Emmanuel for high level of unemployment poor and parents for not demanding that the governor should create jobs for their children said any government that fails to create jobs for its citizens has failed the people “The NBS data about Akwa Ibom is correct. Akwa Ibom is the highest earning state in terms of revenue in Nigeria. Yet it is number two in terms of unemployment, this is unfair to the citizens. I want to say that I will not actually blame the Emmanuel administration; I will blame the parents who sit at home and do not put pressure on the governor to employ their children.

“Parents would have four to five graduates at home, they will retire from work and they come out and join in praising Udom administration, to give them

recharge cards to make them bloggers. The parents with children at home are saying that the government is doing well. They cannot tell the government the truth that you are not doing well,” he said.

“I want to urge the children of Akwa Ibom State, in addition to going after the government; they should also rise against their parents. I want to remind the governor and the parents if you see a government that is working in a manner that does not take care of the citizens of the state, the parents and the state government should prepare, because you may have what you call Arab Spring, the children who are unemployed,” he further said.

Enang, who also alleged that the companies established in the state belong to individuals

from the private sector but not the state government as being perceived urged the people to crosscheck the ownership of the companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission to verity their true owners.

According to him, since the companies are not owned by the state government , it cannot influence the employment of anybody adding that even in the civil service, the state government has not offered employment to its citizens despite the high number of retirees.

“When did the government employ people? How many nurses do we have in the state, how long ago did the local government employ. How long ago did the state government employ. Even in terms of the industries which should employ people, I want to inform you

that the kind of things we have heard about the industries is a ruse because these industries are privately owned by private individuals. I want the people of Akwa Ibom State to go to the corporate affairs commission or check online to find out the owners of the companies and know that Akwa Ibom government has no stake in these companies.’’

“If you have created quality jobs, how many people have been employed. So many people have retired, the vacancies are there, you destroy the sense of self worth and the future of young people when you say they should be engaged as Personal Assistants. The children should rise up and challenge their parents and the parents should challenge the government,” he said.

@ 10: Vale Tutorial College turns out students with excellent academic performance KELECHI EWUZIE

T

o an ordinary Nigeria, the Vale Tutorial College in Oyo State may seems like another citadel of learning, but for its students, it is more than a mere academic ground.

It is an upper sixth form college that prepares its students to climb extraordinary heights in both national and international examinations, a feat made possible by its dedicated leadership and committed teachers.

The sixth form school, which was established 10 years ago by Funso Adegbola (nee Bola Ige), to prepare students for university education, serves as a pathway to both foreign university and direct entry into 200 level in any Nigerian universities.

In June 2020, the reward for its decade of work was pronounced globally when the college recorded landmark results in its international examinations and two of its finalists John Pius-Obayemi and Al-Fatihi Abdulmalik excelled in Cambridge Advanced Level with A Stars.

Pius-Obayemi, an Atinuke Ige Scholar, who emerged with the best result, recorded A Stars in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry while Abdulmalik, who had the second best result, got A stars in Sociology, Economics and Mathematics.

BDSUNDAY understands that this was not the first time the college will put Oyo state and Nigeria on the global aca-

L-R: John Pius-Obayemi, Atinuke Ige scholar; Funso Adegbola, convener of Atinuke Ige Scholarship and founder of The Vale Tutorial College, and Al-Fatihi Abdulmalik during valedictory service held for the graduation class of 2020 at the New Bodija, Ibadan Campus of the College.

demic achievements. For instance, in 2014, Maryam Adeyanju got A stars in Chemistry, Physics, Biology and her result emerged the best in 2014, Boluwatife Adewale followed suits in 2015 with A stars in Chemistry, Physics, Biology while Abdul Hammed Babatunde equally achieved the same feat in 2017 with A stars in Chemistry, Physics, Biology.

On Saturday, August 15, 2020, the school management in compliance with government’s directive to contain the spread

of COVID-19 pandemic, rolled out the drum to celebrate these exceptionally students during a valedictory service held for the graduation class of 2020.

“I feel the aims and mission of TVTC are being achieved- it is a journey, not a destination, and we are definitely on the right path. The vision was to provide an enabling environment for lifelong learning, training and nurturing leaders with the right kind of values,” said Adegbola, founder of the college during the valedictory service.

According to her, TVTC is a place where students are well-grounded to achieve high grades, and they have comfortable hostel facilities.

“It is a full-fledged school with safe and conducive atmosphere for learning where parents do not have to worry about the well-being and safety of their children. Here, students have leadership training sessions every weekend; there are sessions on character development and mentoring sessions between the alumni and the current students,” she said.

Adegbola, who stated that students are also given entrepreneurship training at weekends, said they also learn different skills.

On Atinuke Ige scholarship, which has been bringing succour to brilliant students from public schools in Oyo State, Adegbola described the scholarship as a way of giving back some of the values imbibed from her late parents to the society.

“I started the Atinuke Ige Scholarship in 2013 for students who finished their WAEC in public schools in Oyo and Osun States. One of the cardinal points of my father’s party then, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was free education for all at all levels. My parents believed in education, not only for their biological children but for other people’s children,” she explained.

According to her, the late

politician had three biological children, but raised over 300 children, and she is giving opportunity to students to do their ‘A’ Levels at The Vale Tutorial College so that they can go to second level in Nigerian universities.

“The scholarship is worth N2.5 million for each student.

Today, some of our alumni are studying in England apart from those in Nigeria. I believe in the vision of quality education for all Nigerian children irrespective of their backgrounds,” she said.

Continuing, Adegbola stated “The reward of good work is more excellent work. 10 years is only the beginning, God has been faithful and we trust Him that the next 10 years will see increase and enlargement on all sides of TVTC- numerically, physically, spiritually and materially. In 10 years, our alumni would have become leading experts in their chosen fields and they will be mentoring future students of the College.”

BDSUNDAY can recall that every year Adegbola gives scholarship to the best boy and girl selected through written and oral examinations. The best two gets scholarship worth N12 million for the six years postprimary education.

This is not an ordinary scholarship but an award that has transformed lives. For instance, the N12 million awards have benefitted pupils whose parents are bricklayers, tailors, bread sellers and among others.

16BDSUNDAY

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development, and leadership, development, andidentifying leadership, and is involved in and is involved in identifying development gaps in society and development in society and ways of bridging gaps the gaps. ways34, of bridging thethe gaps.

Essiet, is currently national Essiet,for 34, Women, is currently the national director Gender and director for Women, and Development Affairs Gender of Africa Development Affairs of Africa Youth Union Commission, the Youth Union Commission, the head of state for Nigeria in model head of state for Nigeria in model ECOWAS Summit 2018, Accra ECOWAS Accra Ghana, andSummit a board2018, member Ghana, a board and health and consultant for member Strong and health consultant for Strong Enough Girls Empowerment Enough Girls Empowerment Initiative.

Initiative.

She believes that women’s roles believes thatiswomen’s roles in She nation-building their equal in nation-building is their equal participation in decision-making participation in decision-making processes at every level and in processes at every level and every sector, hence, her passion for in every sector, hence, her passion advocating for women inclusion,for advocating for women inclusion, which she demonstrated by first whichpolitics she demonstrated by to first joining in 2016, led her joining politics in 2016, led her start a grassroots movement called to a grassroots movement called 35 start Percent Inclusion, to advocate towomen advocate for35 35Percent percentInclusion, inclusion of for 35 percent inclusion of women in leadership at both the public and in leadership at both the public and private sectors. This was targeted at private sectors.

This was targeted at breaking the status quo. breaking quo.not okay “The activistthe instatus me was “The in ”me okay with theactivist status quo, shewas said,not “I felt with the status quo, ” she said, “I something has to be done especiallyfelt somethingthe hasmarginalization to be done especially concerning of concerning the marginalization of women in governance.” women into governance.”

According her, women still According to her, women still continue to suffer intense continue to suffer intense marginalisation and relegation marginalisation and relegation to the background in politics to the background in politics and other sectors of life despite and other sectors of life despite constituting 45 percent of the constituting 45 percent of the Nigerian population.

Nigerian population.

She insists that women’s equal She insists that women’s equal participation and leadership in participation and leadership in decision-making processes at decision-making processes at every level and in every sector every level and in every sector is fundamental to attempts to is fundamental to attempts to gender-based poverty. against in virtually all spheres eliminate DESMOND OKON gender-based poverty. against in virtually all spheres eliminate DESMOND OKON been argued that women of life in Nigeria including at It has It has been argued that women of life in Nigeria including at to be visible politically as ery few women in home, educational institutions, need need to be visible politically as ery few women in home, educational institutions, women and be empowered to Nigeria dream of working places and in political and be empowered to Nigeria dream of working places and in political actwomen in that capacity because they coveting a spot in appointments. act in that capacity because they coveting a spot in appointments. needs and attitudes on vital the political precinct “The worrisome aspect of this have have needs and attitudes on vital the political precinct “The worrisome aspect of this issues that differ from those of o f A f r i c a’s m o s t discrimination is that it has issues that differ from those of o f A f r i c a’s m o s t discrimination is that it has men.

In this regard, Essiet also populous nation, and garnish it persisted for so long that it is now so men. In this regard, Essiet also populous nation, and garnish it persisted for so long that it is now so established initiatives like the deeply rooted and institutionalised with enough grit to make it a reality established initiatives like the with enough grit to make it a reality deeply rooted and institutionalised Abiodun Essiet initiative forfor girls a a andand succeed in waters only a tittle Nigerian system,” sheshe said.

Abiodun Essiet initiative girls in the Nigerian system,” said. Non-Governmental succeed in waters only a tittle in the organisation Essiet is aiswoman of plenty hashas swarm.

Abiodun Essiet is one Non-Governmental organisation Abiodun Essiet a woman of plenty dealing swarm.

Abiodun Essiet is one Abiodun with youth and women titles and a fellow of respectable of the daring ones. dealing with youth and women titles and a fellow of respectable empowerment. of the daring ones. international organisations.

She is Nigerian women have struggled empowerment.

Nigerian women have struggled international organisations. She is She also created a social media special adviser to the chairman forfor their space in in elective and She also created a social media special adviser to the chairman network their space elective and thethe known asasthe of the Abuja Municipal Area appointive offices for many years, network known theYoung Young appointive offices for many years, of the Abuja Municipal Area Africa Women Leaders Network Africa Women Leaders Council on ICT /Civil Societies and duedue cultural stereotypes that cultural stereotypes that Council on ICT /Civil Societies and to mentor young women Network across to mentor young women across Agencies.

SheShe is aisMandela restrict their progress beyond Donor Agencies. a Mandela Africa restrict their progress beyond Donor on politics and leadership Africa on politics and leadership Washington fellow, also a fellow thethe home.

But Essiet set out to home. But Essiet set out to Washington fellow, also a fellow development. development.

Coady International Institute, change thethe taletale by by contesting to to of of Coady International Institute, Apart change contesting from creating platforms forfor Apart from creating platforms be be thethe firstfirst female counsellor of of Canada.

Canada. female counsellor women’s growth and grooming growth and grooming is is thethe president of of Africa thethe Abuja Municipal Area Council, She president Africa forwomen’s Abuja Municipal Area Council, She political participation, she is is for political she Young Female Advisers Initiative, making her the first woman to making her the first woman to Young Female Advisers Initiative, also passionateparticipation, about advocating also passionate about advocating have contested for for thatthat position in in a ga e gnednedr ear davdovcat o ce, at e,w owmoemne n for accountability by public have contested position for accountability by public leader of of Nigeria Women Trust Orozo, herher ward, since 1995. leader Nigeria Women Trust officeholders.

Orozo, ward, since 1995.

Fund, Public Health Consultant, Essiet told BusinessDay that she Essiet told BusinessDay that she Fund, Public Health Consultant, “Inofficeholders.

2018, I participated in in the 2018, I participated the Researcher.

She also is is a a “In waswas driven intointo politics because and Researcher.

She also driven politics because and Canvassing Pan African Youth Canvassing Pan African Youth passionate community leader of of thethe wide gender gap in the wide gender gap in the passionate community leader Democracy program and I worked seven years of of experience in in Democracy program and I worked decision-making platforms andand thethe with with seven years experience decision-making platforms onon a six-month project ininmymy a six-month project project management, community factfact thatthat women are discriminated women are discriminated project management, community community onon public community publicservice service efficiency byby engaging elected efficiency engaging elected representatives to to become more representatives become more accountable, efficient, and Kemi Ajumobi accountable, efficient, andtoto Kemi Ajumobi deliver impactful governance to to Associate Editor, BusinessDay deliver impactful governance Associate Editor, BusinessDay citizens. kemi@businessdayonline.com citizens. kemi@businessdayonline.com “I “I educated grassroots women in in educated grassroots women TEAM: TEAM: mymy community onon budget tracking community budget tracking Desmond Okon Desmond Okon as as a way of holding elected officials a way of holding elected officials Osaromena Ogbeide Osaromena Ogbeide accountable,” Essiet said. accountable,” Essiet said.

Designed

by Aderemi Ayeni Designed

by Aderemi Ayeni

Abiodun Essiet: Avid ABIODUN ESSIET: ABIODUN ESSIET: AVID FOR AVIDSUPPORTER SUPPORTER FOR supporter for women’s WOMEN’S WOMEN’SPOLITICAL POLITICAL political participation, PARTICIPATION, PARTICIPATION, holding HOLDING HOLDINGGOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT government accountable ACCOUNTABLE ACCOUNTABLE

VV

@businessDayNG

@Businessdayng

Sunday 23 August 2020 Sunday Sunday23 23August August2020 2020

Sunday 23 August 2020 Sunday2323August August2020 2020 Sunday

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SLUMGUILLON SLUMGUILLON RECIPE Slumguillon recipeperfect(Beefaroni) RECIPE(BEEFARONI) (BEEFARONI) pasta for guidance.

perfect pasta for guidance.

2. When pasta is cooked, drain 2. with When pasta is cooked, drain a colander then transfer withtoa pot. colander then transfer back back to pot.

3. Pour the ground beef sauce 3. into Pour the ground beefmix sauce the pasta pot and to into the pasta pot serve and mix to combine.

You can it as You or canyou serve as iscombine. at this point canitgo is at thisand point you can go further toporwith some further with some cheese andand broiltop for 3-5 minutes cheese and broil for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts. until cheese melts.

4. Sprinkle some chopped parsley 4. on Sprinkle chopped parsley the topsome and serve. on the top and serve.

MY THOUGHTS...

MY THOUGHTS...

My thoughts...

Exactly!

EXACTLY! EXACTLY! Deal with it and move on Deal with it and move on

KEMI AJUMOBI KEMI AJUMOBI

TT

here are situations here are situations that stares you in the that stares you in the face. Incommodious face. Incommodious and attention seeking and attention seeking situations. The truth situations. The truth is, Yes, you can see it, but it is okay is, Yes, you can see it, but it is okay to deal with it like it doesn’t exist, to deal with it like it doesn’t exist, by handling the situation without by handling the situation without allowing the situation get the best allowing the situation get the best of you. of you.

Not quite long, I was on phone with Not quite long, I was on phone with an amazing woman who I call an an amazing woman who I call an angel because she is one of the most angel because she is one of the most altruistic humans I know. Despite all altruistic humans I know. Despite all she has acquired scholastically and she has acquired scholastically and more, she never gets tired of giving more, she never gets tired of giving herself to bless humanity. herself to bless humanity.

It was while I was with her on phone It was while I was with her on phone she told me she was receiving her she told me she was receiving her chemotherapy treatment chemotherapy treatmentand andshe she had to be awake for two had to be awake for twohours hours because becauseshe sheisn’t isn’ttotosleep sleepwhile while having it.

Immediately she said that having it. Immediately she said that to to me, I said to myself “Kemi, me, I said to myself “Kemi,she she isn’t asking you toto stay upup onon phone isn’t asking you stay phone with her forfor the duration she has toto with her the duration she has bebe awake to receive her treatment, awake to receive her treatment, but you know it is the sensible thing but you know it is the sensible thing to to dodo right?” and soso I did. right?” and I did.

She began She begantotoshare sharewith withme meher her experiences and the more experiences and the moreshe she shared sharedabout abouther herpassion passionfor for humanity, the humanity, themore moremy mylove loveand and respect forfor her increased. respect her increased.Now, Now,toto the crux of my message, she the crux of my message, shetold told meme that, since many that, since manypeople peoplewere were not aware ofof her health not aware her healthsituation, situation, whenever they send her a message, whenever they send her a message, they send it it like they send likeyou youwould woulddodototo a person who is isokay a person who okayhealth healthwise wise (Since they do not know) (Since they do not know)and andshe she would respond likewise.

She told me would respond likewise.

She told me she does that because it it is is how she she does that because how she has chosen toto see herself, alive and has chosen see herself, alive and hearty, despite the doctor’s report hearty, despite the doctor’s report which stated directly opposite.

And which stated directly opposite.

And that has helped her a great deal tilltill that has helped her a great deal date. date.

I have another friend I have another friendoutside outsidethe the shores of of Nigeria who tested positive shores Nigeria who tested positive totoCOVID-19.

COVID-19.Immediately Immediatelyshe she

sent me the message, I just said me“Not the message, I just said tosent myself possible, not her” .I to myself “Not tried to reach herpossible, and fromnot ourher” first. I tried to reachIher and from ourher first conversation, kept cracking I kept her upconversation, and was worried at cracking some point up and worried at because, some point during thewas conversation I during theher conversation because, didn’t want to laugh too much. I want her toand laugh too much.

It didn’t was quite serious though she It was serious tried toquite ensure I didand notthough panic,she I tried even to ensure I didany notsigns panic, wasn’t showing of I wasn’t even showing any signs panicking whenever I spoke withof panicking whenever I spokewas with her.

I was too sure COVID-19 her. going I was to tooget sure never the COVID-19 best of her.was neverat going get the best her.

While the to hospital, we of spoke While at the hospital, we spoke a few times and I would tell her a few times and would tellway her “COVID-19 must be Imad at the “COVID-19 must be mad at the way we are disrespecting it by not giving disrespecting it by not giving it we theare attention it desperately seeks” . it the it desperately seeks” Did sheattention test positive?

Yes! Were we .

Did she test positive?

Yes! Were we going to allow the situation get the going to allow the situation get the best of her? No! I shared with her of her?I No! I shared with in her onbest someone wrote about here on someone I wrote about here Nigeria, who had the virus and wasin Nigeria, the She virusand andher was done withwho it in had 7 days. done with it in 7 days. She and her family pulled through. I told her that family pulled through. I told her that if this lady and her family remained if this lady and her family remained optimistic through it all and tested optimistic through it all and tested negative after 7 days, she would be negative after 7 days, she would be fine too. fine too.

Whenever I called her, I would ask Whenever I called her, I would ask briefly how she was feeling but briefly how she was feeling but didn’t dwell on the virus gist for didn’t dwell on the virus gist for long. I wasn’t going to give it that long. I wasn’t going to give it that undue global attention it is already undue global attention it is already reveling in. reveling in.

Then, I start to tell her things that Then, I start to tell her things that make her laugh and when the make her laugh and when the laughter feels too much, I will calm laughter feels too much, I will calm down. That was what I made up down. That was what I made up my mind I was going to do with my mind I was going to do with her situation while she underwent her situation while she underwent treatment, and it worked. treatment, and it worked.

I continued that way until one day, I continued that way until one day, I asked her how she was faring and I asked her how she was faring and she told me she she told me shehad hadtold toldme meearlier earlier that she tested negative and that she tested negative andwas was going toto dodo another test going another testtotoreaffirm. reaffirm.

Imagine?

Imagine?I did I didnot noteven evenhear hearthat, that, I was too filled with optimism I was too filled with optimismfor for her herhealing, healing,ensuring ensuringshe shewas was maintaining maintaininga apositive positiveattitude, attitude, sosomuch muchthat thatshe shehad hadalready alreadytold told me meshe shetested testednegative negativeand andI Idid did not nothear. hear.It Itmust musthave havebeen beenininthe the moments I was cracking her up, little moments I was cracking her up, little wonder I did not hear wonder I did not hearher. her.

She tested again She tested againand andI Iam amglad glad it itis isconfirmed confirmedshe sheisisCOVID-19 COVID-19 negative. negative.I remember I remembersaying sayingtotoher her “COVID-19 must really “COVID-19 must reallybebeangry angryatat us,us, the virus must the virus mustthink thinkwe weare arevery very rude rudeforfordisrespecting disrespectingitsitsattention attention seeking request” and we seeking request” and welaughed laughedatat the thought of it. the thought of it.

Moral Moralofofthis thisstory, story,we weare arenot not denying denyingthe thefact factthat thatthere thereare are situations situationsthat thatseeks seeksour ourattention attention totobring bringususdown, down,we weare areonly only admitting admittingtotothe theundisputed undisputedfact fact that thatthe theexistence existenceofofsuch suchsituation situation doesn’t mean it it has doesn’t mean hasbeen beenaccepted, accepted, it only tells usus you (the situation) are it only tells you (the situation) are around, and wewe certainly know around, and certainly knowhow how totohush hushyour your‘notice ‘noticeme’ me’displays displays therefore, therefore,wewedeal dealwith withyou youand andwe we move on!

Period! move on!

Period!

HOMEMADE HomemadeMANGO mango ICE HOMEMADE MANGO ICE CREAM ice cream CREAM

A

n e a s y n o c hu r n n e a s y ice n o cream c hu r n mango mangofor icemango cream recipe recipe mango lovers andfor non-lovers loversQuit and non-lovers alike. searching alike.ice Quit searching for the best mango cream near for the best mango ice cream near me on the web. Get your tools me on the web.

Get your tools together and let me show you how andeasy let me show how MEALS TO ENJOY totogether make this fruit iceyou cream MEALS TO ENJOY to make this easy fruit ice cream

BY CHICHI UGURU with no ice cream machine needed.

BY CHICHI UGURU with no ice cream machine needed. lumgullion! Beefaroni! EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT lumgullion!

Beefaroni!

American Chop suey!

American Chop suey!

Whichever name you • Hand mixer Whichever name you • Hand mixer choose to call it, this easy • Skillet choose to call it, this easy Skillet American comfort food is • • Ice cream bowl American comfort food is • Ice cream bowl made with a few basic ingredients; • Cling film made with a few basic ingredients; macaroni, ground beef, tomato • Cling film macaroni, ground beef, tomato • Ingredients sauce and some the spices.

• Ingredients sauce and some the spices.

• 2 ripe mangoes • 2 ripe mangoes INGREDIENTS • 2 cups cold heavy cream INGREDIENTS • 2 cups cold heavy cream • 1 (14 oz) can sw e etene d • 1 (14 oz) can sw e etene d • 1 1/4 lb Ground beef • 1 1/4 lb Ground beef condensed milk condensed milk • 1 lb macaroni • 1 lb macaroni • 1/2 to 1 Tbsp vanilla extract • 1/2 to 1 Tbsp vanilla extract • 1 large onion chopped • 1 large onion chopped optional optional • Garlic powder • Garlic powder • 1/8 tsp salt • 1/8 tsp salt • 2 15 oz cans of Tomato sauce • 2 15 oz cans of Tomato sauce • Red pepper flakes INSTRUCTIONS • Red pepper flakes INSTRUCTIONS • Bouillon powder • Bouillon powder 1. Wash mangoes and dice into • Oregano 1. Wash mangoes and dice into • Oregano cubes. Blend without water till cubes. Blend without water till • Dry rosemary smooth. Pour puree into skillet • Dry rosemary smooth. Pour puree into skillet • Parsley and cook on medium heat till it • Parsley and cook on medium heat till it thickens and reduces to about thickens and reduces to about INSTRUCTIONS 1/2 its original quantity. Set it INSTRUCTIONS 1/2 its original quantity. Set it aside to cool. aside to cool.

MAKING THE GROUND BEEF MAKING THE GROUND BEEF 2. Whip cold heavy cream till SAUCE 2.

Whip cold heavy cream till SAUCE medium to soft peaks form.

1.1. Sauté onions in 1 Tbsp of oil medium to soft peaks form.

Sauté onions in 1 Tbsp of oil then add the ground beef and then add the ground beef and 3.3. Add Addvanilla vanillaextract extractand andsalt saltto to spice sweetened condensed milk spiceblend. blend.Cook Cooktill tillno nolonger longer sweetened condensed milkand and pink. mix pink. mixtotocombine. combine.Add Addcooled cooled mango purée and 2.2. Add the Tomato sauce stir and mango purée andcondensed condensed Add the Tomato sauce stir and milk reduce milkmix mixto to whipped whipped heavy heavy reduceheat heattotolow lowand andlet letbeef beef cream. sauce simmer for about 5 mins cream. sauce simmer for about 5 mins then 4.4. Fold thenturn turnoff offheat. heat.

Foldinintotocombine. combine.Pour Pourinto into an ice cream container. an ice cream container. Seal Seal MAKING THE PASTA MAKING THE PASTA with withfood foodsafe safeplastic plasticwrap wrapand and 1.1. Bring cover.

Bringwater watertotoaaboil boiland andcook cook cover.Freeze Freezefor forup upto to88hrs. hrs. according accordingtotopasta pastainstructions instructions Enjoy Enjoy see seemy mypost poston onhow howtotocook cookthe the

S

BDSUNDAY17

Ini Edo in Ini Edo in ‘Secrets April’ ‘Secrets OfOfApril’

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18 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 23 August 2020

TheWorshipper CAMA: CAN kicks, says it’s declaration of war on the church SEYI JOHN SALAU

T

he leadership of t h e Ch r i s t i a n Association of Nigeria(CAN)has kicked against the newly signed Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, which was recently assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“To say the least, it is unacceptable, ungodly, reprehensible and an ill-wind that blows no one any good.

It is a time bomb waiting to explode,” CAN stated in a statement signed by its media adviser, Pastor Bayo Oladeji, pointing out that

it is a declaration of war on Christians.

According to CAN, the bill sought to bring religious organisations and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) under the control and influence of the government. The body said the bill was outrightly rejected during the public hearing because it would snuff life out of the church and rank it as an institution under secular control.

CAN stated that Section 839 (1)&(2) empowers the Commission to suspend trustees of an association (in this case, the church) and appoint an interim managers to manage the affairs of the

association for some given reasons. “We thought it was all over until we heard of the CAMA that was assented to by the President, making the rejected bill a law,” said CAN. CAN made its position against the law on the basis that the Church cannot be controlled by the government, because of its spiritual responsibilities and obligations.

“While we are not against the government fighting corruption wherever it may be found, we completely reject the idea of bringing t h e Ch u r c h , w h i c h i s technically grouped among the NGOs, under control of the government,” it said.

The group has therefore, c a l l e d o n t h e Fe d e r a l Government to stop the implementation of the obnoxious and ungodly law until the religious institutions are exempted from it.

“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently return the law to the National Assembly for immediate amendment,” CAN said.

Ac c o r d i n g t o C A N , people’s religions are tied to their humanity and life.

Hence, Nigeria should not be compared with any other nation when it comes to the relationship between religious institutions and the government.

“How can a secular and political minister be the final authority on the affairs and management of another institution which is not political?

“Let the government face the business of providing infrastructure for the people. Let them focus on better health provision, food, education, adequate security, employment and others. The government should not be a busy body in a matter that does not belong to it,” stating that government does not have the technical expertise to run the church of God because of its spiritual nature.

The leadership of the church is of the opinion that the newly signed CAMA 2020 justifies its earlier position on moves by government to destroy the church in Nigeria.

“If government is bent on imposing a law on us which the entire Church in Nigeria is against, then, they have declared war on Christianity and the agenda to destroy the Church which we have spoken against before now is coming to the open more clearly,”CANsaid,notingthat a government that cannot provide basic amenities to its citizenry should not be allowed to take her liberty to worship.

‘The Church has grown higher than where she was before the lockdown’ Pastor Tope Ilesanmi, coordinator of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Ikeja Central Province, speaks on the post Covid-19 changes and worshippers’ reaction to the recent reopening of worship centres in Lagos. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU: Churches in Lagos reopened on Sunday, August 9; however, worshippers have complained about the inconveniencies of wearing face mask. What can be done about this? e give praise to God for the eventual reopening of churches in Lagos State. Kudos to our amiable state leaders of CAN for their relentless engagements with the state government. The use of mask was quite a big discomfort, but the joy of fellowshipping with brethren you haven’t seen for over four months doused the effect of that discomfort. Surprisingly, not all churches reopened on August 9. Some churches took time to prepare for a comeback service in grand style, the following Sunday.

Some are even yet to reopen.

Similarly, some are also saying the guidelines and restrictions are taking away their freedom to worship; is the church losing its freedom to worship?

Let’s learn from the wisdom applied by some churches in Ikeja. A lot of churches in Ikeja Province went beyond fumigation, hand washing, sanitising and nose mask to purchase of sizeable Fog Atomising Sanitising Machine.

With this machine, and the recommended chemical, no virus, germs, bacteria can

W

Pastor Tope Ilesanmi

survive in such a Church.

Hence, use of masks was irrelevant until after service when congregants were returning home. The freedom and enthusiasm of worship was also made possible.

However, some restrictions actually implied infringement on the right of worship.

As expected, compliance level was high in the city centre; can we say same for rural churches?

Thank God for the compliance level in the city. If the government got no compliance in the rural areas, then it’s her fault, because, there is little or no presence of compliance force in those places.

What lessons have you taken from the lockdown?

The bible says in Acts 8:18 and I quote: ‘Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecu-

tion arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.’

‘Christ is preached in Samaria. Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralysed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in the city.’

Whatever happens, Nigerians will navigate through.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Some people in authority seem to be fiddling with the church, but I assure them that their payback time is near except they repent.

King Herod tried it, he was eaten by maggots! Persecution is the strength of the Church, so the Church has grown higher than where she was before the lockdown.

L-R: Prince Emeka Anyanwu, executive member parish Council, St Rose Catholic Church; Rev. Father Emeka Anyanwu, rector, ST Rose Catholic Church; Cyrina Anucha, Special Mother, St Rose and Florence Onunekwu, chairperson, CWO, St Rose during the conferment of ‘Special Mother’ title on Cyrina Anucha at the Church Parish in Ihitte Mbaise Imo State.

The lockdown helped expand my ministry - cleric SEYI JOHN SALAU

T

he Servant leader, First Love Apostolic Outreach, Lagos, Re v d . Ad e p o j u Ademola has described the five-month lockdown that forced religious organisations and worship centres to close their doors to worshippers as a blessing in disguise that helped in expanding his ministry and the gospel of Christ to a larger audience.

“The lockdown has been an eye opener for me as a person and it has helped me to expand my ministry. It was during the lockdown I started online service and the audience response was impressive that right now I can’t even discontinue the online Church in the house after this pandemic because people that were reached all over the world want to hear

more,” Ademola said.

According to Ademola, the recent reopening of worship centres in both Lagos and Ogun states would have started with the weekly services because of the limited number of worshippers in attendance.

“Weekly services because it’s not normally crowded, many of the members are not yet back from their duty post; so weekly programme is due to be considered if Sunday is on, which accommodate more people,” he further said.

Speaking on the safety guidelines,Ademoladisclosed to BDSUNDAY that, “To the best of our ability, we did all the necessities. Moreover, no meeting was allowed after service. It was made a point of duty that microphones are notexchanged unnecessarily, also those we felt their face masks were not good enough were provided with

recommended face mask to use,” he stated.

Ademola opined that having the opportunity to reopen worship centres on Sunday 14 August, brought some ecstasy back to the fold of worshippers; as the lockdown was a season of silence in the church. “...it’s a praise day for coming back without any loss to the glory of God,” said Ademola.

The cleric, who also is an evangelist with the Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C) Redemption District HQ Moshoba Ojodu Berger Lagos, said: “I was in one of our churches in Lagos on the 9th of August and the turnout was very encouraging.

“To see many of our members who are hungry for God to get back to fellowship; it was an impressive service following the rules for reopening religiously,” Ademola stated.

Sunday 23 August 2020

C002D5556

BDSUNDAY 19

TheWorshipper Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

I

had a wonderful time with about 12 young and bright people earlier this evening before settling down at home to pen down my thoughts towards Inspiring my several readers today.

Our discussions bothered around the thorny issue of Morals in the society today and what the Church is doing about it. We all agreed that the Church has lowered the Moral Standards

Dead flies stink today hence the calamity witnessed in our nation with sharp increase in acts of criminalities.

A scripture came to mind to emphasize my belief about the decline of Morals and Values in Nigeria, it was penned down by Solomon under the Breath of the Holy Spirit in Eccl. 10 v 1 ‘Dead Flies cause the ointment if the apothecary to send forth a Stinking smell, so does a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.’

The above passage is pregnant with Wit and Wisdom, I wish it could be echoed from the Mountain Tops to young people by elders and clergymen. Solomon was sharing a very deep truth about what can cause Honorable men shame and destroy the reputation of Wise men if not handled well. He likened it to Dead Flies found in the bottle of Perfumers, projecting that instead of bringing sweet smell, it will bring Foul and Stinking smell to those who perceive the same.

One of my Pastors sent me a WhatsApp message about the Fall from Grace of

Stealing: It will amaze you to know that Nobody likes thieves, even robbers don’t like being robbed and will never recommend thieves for jobs. Please heed my counsel today and STOP stealing and pilfering regardless of the situation you find yourself. a bright and promising British born Nigerian MP in the UK. She was a whip of the parliament in the UK and her political career was on the rise, in fact, she was considered in some quarters as Likely to be first Black Woman Prime Minister of Britain if she had kept her head under...until the unfortunate incident of over-speeding and caught lying, those issues brought her down sadly.

Kindly allow me to Inspire you on some Dead Flies that can destroy anyone’s life and bring down Honorable men from their lofty positions. There are many Dead Flies not Living that must be treated as such; don’t let your reputation and honour be thrown away because

of some Dead Flies that will cause stench before those who like you.

7 Dead flies that can destroy your life and career Lying: This has become a serious matter that can make people run from you and stay away if they know you are a perennial liar and cannot be trusted. Let your Yea be Yea, and Nay be Nay, decide to be truthful even when it hurts than build your life on falsehood and lies.

Slander: Please tame your tongue and refuse to slander men unjustly. People don’t want slanderers around them though they may tolerate them for a while but make sure you refrain from Slander.

Begging: There is a middle aged man who has been begging me for some money for about 5 weeks now, I have deliberately refused to pick his calls, I have made my position known to him but he won’t stop calling and I really feel being battered but won’t bow to his pressure. People don’t like those who beg always and it’s one thing that can destroy your Reputation quickly if not careful.

Lateness: I saw a pleasant man show his dismay at another last week while in Abuja on this matter, in fact, he stressed the fact that the fellow has never been on time to any event, it was very damaging and I took note of that point. Lateness can destroy your life and people

won’t be able to count on you.

Unpaid loans: This is what some people do with pleasure and have damaged their reputation. They never pay the loans they take from people and yet wonder why people avoid them always.

No one wants to hang around people that don’t pay up their loans.

Tempers: This is an area I am personally challenged and working on myself. I know Moses was destroyed because he didn’t manage his temper and mismanaged anger has landed many people into troubled waters. There are those who attend Anger management classes to curb their tempers but it’s a very destructive habit.

Let’s make sure our Vessels don’t have these Dead flies so that we can have sweet smell.

Be Inspired!

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

NEWS African Shippers’ Councils call Post Covid-19: Experts urge Nigeria to adapt education for immediate suspension of policies to cope with technology integration Peak Season Surcharge technology integration and of basic education if we are to MacArthur Foundation.

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

I

n line with the position of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), the Un i o n o f Af r i c a n Shippers’ Councils (UASC) has called for the immediate suspension of Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) imposed by international shipping lines on goods coming to the West African Trade Route.

This was in reaction to an earlier letter by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council on August 16, 2020 and addressed to the European Community Ship Owners Association (ECSA) and copied to the UASC among others, complaining about the outrageous increase in surcharges with particular reference to Peak Season Surcharge (PSS), levied on Nigeria bound cargo.

The union in a letter signed

by Ogoula Giscard Lilian, its secretary-general and sent to the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA),stronglycondemned the ‘unilateral and offensive action of shipping carriers in imposing the new surcharge.

Lilian described the action of these carriers as blatant disrespect of previous agreement and

expectations,” stating that the action destabilises the business operations of its members ‘through the increase of transport costs and weakening of the economies of UASC member-states especially during this outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic, which has kept commercial activity at its lowest.

“The implementation of this unilateral decision on your part is in violation of previous UASC/ECSA agreements requiring prior, mutual and reasonable notification of UASC and the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) by individual shipping companies before any such imposition of new tariffs, surcharge or increase in transport cost,” the letter further stated.

The letter further referred ECSA to the report of the UASC/ECSA meeting held on 16 July 2010; Joint Declaration between UASC and ECSA signed in Brussels on 12 April 2012. “We call on ECSA to kindly respect the previous agreements and recommendations on this matter; suspend the applicationofthePeakSeason Surcharge until discussions on the new surcharges take place.

SEYI JOHN SALAU

T

he need for education managers and policy implementers to adapt Nigeria’s education policies, curriculum to cope with technology integration and adoption to the post-Covid-19 realities has been described as catalyst for 21st century education in Nigeria.

This was the outcome of a two-day workshop for supply-side implementers of basic education in Lagos State, organised by Human Development Initiatives (HDI) in partnership with

James Fadokun, resource person from the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA), said there was need to leverage technology and partnership in delivering better education outcomes, especially at the basic education level.

“If we want to migrate online you need infrastructure; definitely that has implication for education budget,” Fadokun said, pointing out that technological tools can be deployed for remote monitoring, considering the current Covid-19 challenges.

Fadokun also said that connectivity was still one of the major challenges of

adoption in basic education.

According to him, open source applications like KoBo tool box, telegrams, limeSurvey, open data kit, trackers and other Apps could be of great use for proper monitoring without physical appearance.

Olufunso Owasanoye, executive director, HDI, said basic education was one of the greatest tools needed in tackling the problem of inequality in society. “...with the unprecedented disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequent effect on our everyday life, it has become imperative to further support the handlers

sustain the tempo in achieving quality basic education in a post-Covid Nigeria,” Owasanoye said.

According to her, HDI envisions a society of empowered humans devoid of social and economic vulnerabilities. Hence, the partnership with MacArthur Foundation, to strengthen the delivery of quality basic education while ensuring that education funds count, not just in Lagos, but all over Nigeria.

Stephen Oyebade, Department of education management, University of Lagos, said there was a need to replan and bring education policies to paper.

JOHESU urges government to tackle insecurity in Nigeria …Calls for payment of outstanding welfare packages of members Ngozi Okpalakunne

T

he Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the growing insecurity of lives and property in the country.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day meeting held by the organisation recently in Abuja, JOHESU attributed the high rate of in-

security to the poor budgets that had been dedicated to fighting insurgency in the country.

According to the communiqué signed and made available by the Acting National Secretary of JOHESU, M. O. Ajorutu, Nigeria might not be doing enough with a budget of less than 1percent of GDP to fight terrorism in the present dispensation.

It however, admonished the government to come

up with the right budget to adequately equip its military in a bid to enable it come up with better results with a realistic strategy in executing the fight against terrorism and insurgency while blocking all avenues of mismanagement of security votes.

JOHESU also urged the Federal Government to pay its members all outstanding salaries. “JOHESU resolved to insist on the immediate payment of all withheld sala-

ries of its members in JUTH, FMC Owerri, LUTH and the April and May salaries of all JOHESU members which was made possible by the immediate past Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole who anchored a selective and discriminatory ‘No Work No Pay’ policy that has been applied exclusively against only JOHESU members since the democratic dispensation that commenced 21 years ago”, it added.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Lifestyle Good eating habit, exercise and quality sleep responsible for my wellbeing - Sobowale In this interview, the award winning Nollywood Celebrity, Sola Sobowale, who is an actress, screenwriter, producer and director, narrates her life experiences and what has kept her very active over the years. Sobowale, who also is the brand ambassador to Mouka Foam, in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU, speaks about the place of sleeping on good mattresses to people’s wellbeing.

B

y way of proper introduction, could you please tell us about yourself?

I am Sola Sobowale, an actress, influencer, ambassador, a mother, homemaker and I a down-to-earth person.

I am a proud African with lovely children.

You have been in the Nollywood industry for decades and still on top of your game, how have you been able to achieve this?

It’s not by power but by the grace of God and nothing can be done without Him. Secondly, it’s by hard work and you know it pays, you have to believe in yourself, be very focused and ready to learn, and be corrected. Have the desire to conquer whatever challenges that come your way and finally be ready to carry everybody along as a team player.

We spot you wearing heels and keeping up with the latest style trends, what is your secret; how do you remain so agile?

The secret is in doing the necessary things that enhance our wellbeing. Eat well, exercise and have quality sleep. I don’t eat processed food; I only go with natural food that contains fibre and a lot of vegetables. Try as much as you can to avoid processed carbohydrate since it contains a lot of sugar, it’s not good for the system as one grows older. And most importantly, God factor in my life made a lot of difference.

You have been talking about eating well to staying fit and to enhancing your wellbeing, what food do you like best?

I eat a lot of fibre, vegetables and oats. For swallow, I eat black plantain flour.

They are naturally good for the body. Most importantly, l rest and sleep well on a good mattress which is no other than Mouka. When I sleep on Mouka mattresses, I sleep well, my spine, muscles and joints are well-rested. It enhances your posture, the next morning and you wake up very active and ready to perform your daily activities.

You mentioned that Mouka is a brand that has grown with you for decades; can you shed more light on this?

At a very tender age, I met my parents using Mouka mattresses and that is what I use till date, even in my school days it was the same Mouka mattress.

Mouka mattresses have been in Nigeria for decades, and their products are of a very high standard. And ever since I have come of age till now, Mouka’s quality

has not changed and what can be used to describe the brand, is a heritage of unrivalled quality.

Mouka doesn’t just throw products out there, they interact with their consumers to know what they want and how they like it, and the feedback determines what would be manufactured and sold, hence there are various Mouka mattresses for different ages, body builds, lifestyles and budget.

Yet they still retain the same quality they are known for and its quality products are quite affordable.

When I was called to be Mouka ambassador, I laughed, because l have been using the company’s products over the years.

Then l told them to visit my house, that I have over 100 pieces of Mouka mattresses, they didn’t believe until they came. You know as an actress and producer when I am on a film location, l always rent an entire building, furnish it with Mouka mattresses for my shootings, and we have been able to attain the much-desired comfort, for all members of my crew.

Today, as it stands, my parents are not with me anymore, but they used Mouka mattresses till their last days. I am currently using Mouka mattresses, likewise my children and it will pass on to the next generation.

You becoming the face of their Wellbeing range is indeed a perfect fit, seeing you have such a long history with the brand.

Please tell us about the new Wellbeing range of Orthopaedic mattresses?

Recently, Mouka launched a new range of products called Wellbeing which is endorsed by the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) and the Nigeria Association of Orthopaedic and Manual Therapists. It is recommended for those advanced in age especially for people age 40 upwards.

The first mattress is called Wellbeing Regal Orthopaedic mattress which is very good for the elderly and those with back issues. It helps support their lower back, hips and other pressure points thereby preventing aches and pains. The second mattress is called Wellbeing Regina Semi Orthopaedic mattress which is ideal for those weighing up to 150kg. It is Semi Orthopaedic which means it is still supportive but not as firm as a full orthopaedic mattress.

With what you have said about Mouka, do you think that the company has added comfort to life?

They have achieved more than that. Like I said earlier, l met my parents using Mouka mattresses, so you can see what l am talking about. I will continue to tell the Mouka story to everyone and won’t get tired of doing that.

What advice do you have for those who want to be fit, active and be on top of their game, just like you?

Be prayerful and be very optimistic and remain focused. Eat well, sleep well, engage in exercise regularly and be ready to give your best in whatever you do in life, as my motto in life is, do unto others what you want others do unto you; always be optimistic and believe in yourself.

Sunday 23 August 2020

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Women’s World

V

IGNATIUS CHUKWU irginia Major (nee Brown) was brought up in a home where caring for others was a passion and a practice. It was the home of an Anglican bishop (the late venerable Obadaiah Batubo Cookey Brown) and his wife Virginia Nene Cookey Brown, all of blessed memory. Her mother’s kitchen was known as the global kitchen.

Everybody fed in it.

Gini, as she was popularly called, once shocked her neighbourhood later in life as a practising pharmacist when she set up a box in the office where rich folks were encouraged to drop their spare coins and change. This collection was used to offset the cost of drugs for indigent families who could not pay for drugs.

Many who knew her believed she was a Rotarian, but she was not. Major was doing her best evading ‘arrest’ into the Rotary army. A female friend was working on her to join but she refused, believing that Rotary was for the rich, and she wasn’t one. One day, she disclosed, she followed the female friend just to put her off her back. There, she fell in love with, and joined, Rotary. Today, she is the Governor of Rotary International District 9141 which has 89 clubs under her charge.

From that moment on, Virgina went into Rotary as Rotary had been in Virginia. In an exclusive interview after her virtual investiture, Major, mother of three with grand children, and now a John Maxwell certified leadership and business coach who is still in health counseling, she explained her journey in the life of giving and how both Rotary and Virginia met each other.

Major sees her beginning as a humble one; the daughter of a reverend gentleman full of love for his family who insisted on good education for his children. She said her father raised a good family with sound education, being of the Anglican Communion of old. They had mission schools and they were the best then.

She opened up: “Selflessness was the order, most teachers were white. To this day, I keep wondering why these people came to this interior area in Africa leaving behind luxury and modern life? I knew they had a choice, which means selflessness was the answer.”

This was her early encounter with selflessness.

So, as a child, she was exposed to many missionaries from all over the world. Her mother’s kitchen was a global kitchen. It was a kind of initiation to generosity. “This was my first exposure to this kind of life”, she said.

The vibrant lady is a born art person but trust fathers who know better. This daughter must be a medical doctor. She obeyed and ended up a paharmacist. But later in life, the art in her seemed

The Rotary in Virginia Major

…Opobo-born pharmacist who can’t stop giving to sprout out and underline her life. “I wanted to be many things in life; Art is my life, but my father never agreed. All he wanted was for me to be a medical doctor or teacher. A teacher those days was everything.”

Medical practice or pharmacy however, did one magic.

She saw it not as a means of making just money but the avenue to find humanity. “I saw everything about medicine and pharmacy as helping people. I noticed in the practice of pharmacy that the rich paid up for drugs and services while the poor had problem paying their bills to get good drugs. This caused me pains. I devised a means and set up a box to collect money and change from the rich to give drugs to the very poor. I came face to face with widows who lost their children due to lack of money to pay for good drugs. It was a box for community outreach; drop your

coins there for the poor to drink medicine.”

Hers was pharmacy for those who cannot pay. She saw a child die because her mother could not pay for the right drugs. This touched her inner soul. “After that death, I set up the fund. Medication for free for very indigent people. That’s how it started.”

She revealed why she shut her pharmacy practice. She said robbery became rife and threats of kidnap became huge.

“Many though the glamour was wealth.

Rotary all the way Major has often found herself wondering whether she was made for Rotary or Rotary was made for her. Now, what she was doing earlier in life, was Rotary? May be or maybe not.

“Rotary comes to me naturally. I was under pressure to join but I didn’t want because I said it was for the rich. One particular lady pestered me a lot.

So, I decided to attend once to get her off my neck. I got stuck.

“I saw genuine friendship and high level generosity to people you do not know. The contributions in Rotary go far to touch people anywhere in the world. So, Virginia met Rotary.

I began to enjoy it. When the rich beg, I know something is too bad. We all have needs in our different corners. “ So, g i v i n g s c h o o l b a g s , books, etc, can make a difference. People are held up in hospitals because they cannot pay.

Rotary provides equipment for clinics. We give water to dry villages. There are young girls that cannot go to school because of difficulties. You come face to face with schools on wet floors.

You see plenty of tearful difficulties facing people.

“Rotary has shown me that if your neighbour is miserable, you have no business being happy.”

21 Coronavirus: This has exposed the need of humanity more, she said.

“So, people should reach out to everybody. The lesson of Covid-19 is key. Do not glow in your little bubble. The way to go is: Give to others. Else, the poor will push the gates down.”

The object of Rotary is in education. She said; “I accomplished my objects- Education.

Training your kids is not all, what about others?”

Virginia is action She recounts the six pillars of Rotary which has added a new one, which is environmental protection. “Maternal and childcare is very dear to me, and it has got the required support.

Why is bleeding still an issue in this century. I have requested all clubs under my jurisdiction (89 of them) to do maternal & child projects and programmes.

We will be providing incubators, beds, kits, etc.”

Passion for young people Major is known all over the Niger Delta for her inclination to anything youth. “Engaging young leaders is part of it. I think lack of mentorship is cause of their deviance. I ask, what can we do? They have talents but there is no skill. So, we help out by mentoring them.

“Rotary Youth Leadership: We care about this. We want those kids to start young in issues of leadership.”

Plastic menace There is much we can do, especially counting our carbon footprints. We seem not to care. There is plastics menace.

Its new in Rotary but we must convince our people to depend less on plastics.”

Conclusion Parents should keep an eye to what the youths are doing.

They are saying a lot that parents are not hearing. Mentors are needed but be careful, es pecially to girls.

“To the kids, do what you think is right. Do not do to please your parents. Be the best in your area and it will convince your parents. If you are wayward and you want to do Art, they will blame Art for it. This is a world of hi-tech. Comply and adopt. There is service in life.

Call me if you have the urge to serve. I am Rotary. Be the best you can. There are also opportunities.

For those who still harbor fears about joining Rotary, she said: “Rotary opens up opportunities; that’s the theme for 2020 – 2021. We did not see Covid19 before it was chosen.

Rotary is needed around the world now; feeding people, medicals, micro-credit to revive businesses, etc.

“The richest people are made during adversity. See zoom boom now. We too can take it up now. Go there and excel.

Zoom brings big people to speak during your events. Our networks are stronger and bigger. Possibilities are more.

Diversify and get to e-contacts.

Opportunities are masked with adversities. Peel off that mask.”

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Interview

C

ould you tell us briefly, in your own opinion, why farmers cannot produce enough food to feed the masses?

I have come to see that most of the Nigerian farmers and all those who claim to be farmers are still on the subsistence agriculture. The agriculture we are doing is for the immediate family. Agriculture is not a joke; it is a business that should not only be driven by private individuals but a business that requires a lot of infrastructure.

How and what exactly do you mean?

Agriculture is a totality of life because God created it in the Garden of Eden before creating man to go and rehabilitate it. That garden is the agriculture we are talking about today and it was the first profession God created. It means agriculture encompasses a lot of things. You don’t only say produce, you must see that if you want to make agriculture a national economy; if you want to make it a commercial thing, there must be the will power of the Federal Government to provide infrastructure and make sure they enable the private sector to thrive because government should not own farms because those farms may not be done well. In the developed world, government does not own farms but they drive it through the private sector. And not only that farmers should produce; there must be a medium of selling the produce, and taking the produce to the end point to feed the people and for export.

What would you want government to do in this case?

Government must create a market, and in doing this, must also use the private sector in the value chain of agriculture to build the market but must also provide lands; a part of legislation and other things involved and allow the people (private sector) to produce. It is not when you produce you are also looking for where to sell it. When you produce, there is already a point of evacuation, that is what makes agriculture useful and these things are absent in the Nigerian practice of agriculture.

So, we cannot say we are producing enough and by the time you produce, let say, rice here, as the producer you are also looking for market to sell it or who not to sell it to. Agriculture as a business does not work like that in the developed economies.

The price here is no more controlled; therefore, the buyer determines how much he wants to buy from you and as a farmer you could be discouraged. But if the market is made already and that market is standardised, and that market has a fixed price, fluctuation is not there. It is a known price and you know where to send it and how much you are going to gain from what you produce. Government must do the practical and necessary things for this to happen.

Not just by the Federal Government and the Central Bank saying

How FG can revolutionalise agriculture in Nigeria, by Elechi Mike Elechi, chairman and chief executive officer of Vintage Group of Companies, in this exclusive interview with SABY ELEMBA, held at the Vintage Farms & Products Limited in Elele in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State where, on a number of issues, including why agriculture is not thriving in Nigeria, why youths are not showing interest in agriculture as a profession, and the negative effects of lack of loans to real farmers. Excerpts:

“

I have applied severally. Before I left government work as a permanent secretary to start agriculture, I applied to the Central Bank. Remember in 2009, they published for N200 million each for a N2 billion or more, they said they had provided for agriculture that billions of naira have been released for agriculture; it cannot work that way. The government has the land and must allocate land to farmers; government must give impetus to farmers by giving seeds to them and the government must also have agencies.

We had a Seed Council of Nigeria; where is the Seed Council today? I happened to be nominated by the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) as a board member of the Seed Council of Nigeria; it has never been inaugurated till today.

So, which means it is existing somewhere; but me that was nominated as a board member two years ago, I have never been inaugurated. So, for me, it never existed. So, people are buying seeds anyhow and do not know which seed is good for a particular soil without soil testing.

Therefore, we are not yet ready for agriculture.

When people are ready you can see their products. What people do now is to improve on the quality of the products they are doing. There were research institutes in the country; where are they today? What have they been doing as research institutes to bring these seeds?

Last November, Vintage

Mike Elechi Farms and Products received the National Productivity Order Merit (NPOM) Award, what could you say was the reason and what does the award mean to the organisation?

I would not know exactly why it was given but the only thing I know is that may be, it was given for agriculture, our contributions to the national economy, and agriculture produce; that is what I know. The award means more challenges; it means more work; to work harder, It has been noticed in this small and remote corner of Nigeria where Vintage Farms and Products is located, Elele, that Vintage Farms and Products to stand shoulder by shoulder with those who ate contributing a lot to the economy and they found us worthy in agriculture for the award. It means that

we have been doing well and is a challenge to us to do more. And having being recognised, it means also that we should add more and that we are on the right track.

For the banks and other financial institutions that give loans, could you tell us from your own personal experience with them, their role in enhancing agriculture in the country?

Well, I am talking as a participant in agriculture, if there is anybody or organisation they are giving loan to help agriculture; me, I have not gotten a farthing; I have not seen. So, I would not say this is how they are doing. If you ask me, I would say they are not in existence. If government is voting out money, they know the people they are giving it to. You are asking me personally; so, I would not be semantic in my speech because I

have done these loan applications for all these years. I have not received a farthing to run my farms.

Are you saying that Vintage Farms and Products Limited has applied severally and nothing has been given?

Yes, I have applied severally.

Before I left government work as a permanent secretary to start agriculture, I applied to the Central Bank. Remember in 2009, they published for N200 million each for a N2 billion or more, they said they had provided for agriculture.

I did all the paper work; everything; my Vintage Farms and Products’ name was published in The Guardian newspaper and was ready to draw; that was how I left government work. I never drew any farthing out of it till today and that was how it ended.

The places I provided to do poultry and others, I now use them to plant yams and other crops; they never gave the loan. May be, I didn’t do what they wanted me to do but I did all I should do to enable me draw. The banks will tell you they give loan; okay, go and take it, they will tell you to go and bring your grandmother’s birth certificate from the grave; they will ask you to bring all collaterals.

I cannot be doing agriculture and they will ask me to go and bring a house in Abuja; I don’t have a house in Abuja, I don’t have a house in Port Harcourt, but I have my family house in Port Harcourt but I would not give it to the bank.

So, since I cannot bring those ones, there is no loan for me. People who are getting the loan, I do not know how they are getting it.

I was shocked on February, I read in a newspaper that the Federal Government took 77,000 people from Zamfra State or one of the states in the North to court for defaulting in agriculture loan of over N60 billion. Look at it, one state only, 77,000 people were given loan to the tune of that amount, Federal Government and not even commercial bank.

If you are talking of loan they will say go to the commercial bank and if they are giving at 9 percent, the commercial banks will say, administrative fee for this, charge for this and that and they will hang it to 23 percent.

And if you go and take such loan you will die.

Can you tell us what could be done to enable young people pick interest in agriculture and take it as a profession?

In agriculture you will have job employment opportunities and you will also have fulfilment.

Agriculture is for every profession, medical doctors, engineers, journalists, people from all fields, every profession is fused inside agriculture. So if you want to make it viable, what I call ‘agritement industry’ is important. Like here in Vintage Farms and Products Limited, there is a farm and you see a very good environment just as you can see now, you will be happy to work here if job is given to you even as a journalist.

Such environment like where we are now will make our young graduates to pick agriculture as a profession.

Sunday 23 August 2020

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C002D5556

Travel

A tourist appreciating beautiful scenery

The world is set to travel again Obinna Emelike

S

ince June, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has been calling on countries across the world and destinations to ease restrictions and open their borders in order to boost the recovery of tourism after the devastating impact of coronavirus (Covid-19).

The United Nations specialized agency for tourism was also excited that countries responded to its call, though gradually.

As at July 19, 2020, about 40 percent of destinations across the world eased travel restrictions, a development believed to be influenced by summer vacation.

From the July record, over 60 percent lifted their restrictions by second week in August, giving hope to recovery sooner than expected.

However, restrictions on international flights have been the challenge to destinations that are open for business as would-be visitors are stuck in their countries because of lack of flights.

Finally, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel as most international flights across the world set to resume this September, while a few are resuming this August.

The flight resumption is reconnecting the world and offering people opportunity to travel and see the world again, especially after the long stay at home for safety against covid-19 pandemic.

But travel, especially by air cannot be the same again post covid-19 as all air passengers are subjected to some health and safety protocols, which are prerequisite for boarding an aircraft going forward.

According to the UNWTO, transport outfits such as airlines should ensure compliance of safe and seamless travel for travellers in full respect of health regulations.

In the case they fail, the UN agency urged travellers to insist on safety measures and respective protocols in place with, as well as, insisting that operations of the airlines are adapted to physical distancing and health regulations.

While many countries are reconsidering quarantine of visitors on arrival at their own expense, the UNWTO thinks that countries should adopt responsible tourism model, which will not discourage visitors, but still uphold safety measures.

Planet Walker, a tourism resource and research outfit, noted that there may be success stories in the fight against covid-19 in some countries now, but that the pandemic is

not over yet.

“There is a new normal in travel now, which requires people to travel cautiously and responsibly going forward. It means online travel activities such as booking and payment should be given priority now.

Priority should be given not only to passengers belongings, but passengers bodies too”, Planet Walker advised.

“

It is all about the passengers and their lives. If you think the airline’s style of operation will expose you to health risk, make noise about it and report to authorities immediately.

You can call off the flight and demand for refund

Planet Walker noted that a new trend in the travel industry is traveling more for necessities than leisure.

As international flights resume, Hilary Ajanaku, a travel expert, thinks that passengers should not joke with health and safety measures even when the airline is careless about them.

“It is all about the passengers and their lives. If you think the airline’s style of operation will expose you to health risk, make noise about it and report to authorities immediately.

You can call off the flight and demand for refund”, Ajanaku said.

Online travel companies (OTCs) are also excited that international flights are resuming. It means returning to business for them. However, they are aware of the concerns of passengers, which are cheap flights and safety as most passengers who are weighed down by low purchasing power will not want physical contact and long bargaining with OTCs again.

It means only OTCs that are innovative with their services will thrive post covid era, Paulinus Amanze, a travel agent, said.

Recognising this, Travelstart, a leading African OTC, has restrategised its operations post covid era using technology as backbone to

ensure seamless customer experience.

With technology, prospective customers of Travelstart are going to rely exclusively on Flapp, the OTC’s mobile app for flight booking.

Explaining the benefits of the app, Philip Aakesson, CEO, Travelstart Nigeria, said it gives the traveller access to 5,000 airlines traversing over 11,000 destinations and finding suitable flight combinations for trips requiring more than one connection.

The resumption of international flights is also good news for hotels and destinations. But before the guests visit, hotels should bear in mind that the guests they hosted few months back when things were normal are not same now.

They are now battered by the impact of the pandemic, they have less to spend, they travel because it is very necessary, and want less of physical interaction with hotel staff.

But most importantly, the guests are more health and safety conscious now than ever. A hotel that does not recognize this and put in place health and safety measures will defiantly lose out on guests when flights resume properly.

But we must travel responsibly observing all safety protocols to prevent second wave of the pandemic and boost quick recovery of tourism.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Travel

FOB Global promotes export of air cargo, ramps up capacity with foreign partners Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

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ree on Board (FOB) Global Logistics in collaboration with Nigeria Exports Promotion Council (NEPC) is building up capacity and support for the multi million dollars agricultural export industry as part of ways to increase non-oil exports.

The two firms in partnership with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) hosted technical partners from the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, South Africa, Spain in a webinar meeting seeking warehousing facilities, customs clearance and distribution of Nigerian products mainly agricultural edibles.

The meeting which was moderated by Jimi Adebakin, managing director of FBO Global Logistics Limited, saw partners from Inext Logistic and Supply Chain India, Accelerate from the UAE, Global Raminatrans from Spain as well as companies from Johannesburg South Africa share company capacity on promoting Nigeria’s non-oil export.

Segun Awolowo, executive director of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), who spoke at the webinar meeting said that the government was bent on implementing a zero oil plan and growing Nigeria’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) with non-oil exports.

The NEPC executive director said the country could tap into billions of dollars revenue from cocoa, cotton, cement, leather, cashew, sesame, shea butter, palm oil, fertilizer, petrochemicals and rubber, adding that export was the only way of changing the imbalance of trade narrative.

Awolowo revealed that the informal export sector in West Africa from Nigeria can generate N41 billion yearly and that with the coming of the single African market (AfCTA), which is a good advantage those products being exported from Nigeria informally will be formalized going to all parts of Africa and will provide a larger

market.

He said, “There is much we can take through cargo and particularly we are looking at agricultural products that can arrive in Europe the next day fresh, which is the crux of this. For our zero oil plan we have identified 22 products Nigeria can sell. The aim is to promote Nigeria goods and find market to sell them and our ‘one state one product’ plan is key to this meaning each state of the country will give us one product that we can market, package and export “The country is blessed and yet we are still fixated on oil. We must put more money into non-oil exports. We spend millions of dollars drilling for oil and most times

NANTA Lagos Zone distributes 1,500 face-masks to aviation frontline workers, passengers

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s part of its efforts to support the COVID-19 safety protocols at the airport, the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Lagos Zone has commenced the distribution of face-masks to aviation frontline workers and passengers.

Some of the frontline workers that will get these face-masks are the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), Bi-Courtney, immigrations, airport/airline check-in personnel, and travelling passengers.

Speaking during the distribution of the face masks to passengers and the management of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, Yinka Folami, Vice President, NANTA, Lagos said what informed the initiative is COVID-19.

“We all know how COVID-19 has impacted us. It has challenged us medically, socially and commercially. It is also a time for compassion and a time we all have to hold hands.

It is a time to encourage the federal

government and agency protocols regarding safety.

“We have made provisions for at least 250 families within the vicinity of our head office. We thought that we should strategically encourage travel protocols and safety. One of the things we said we should do is to give out facemasks. This will be for frontline staff of every agency that is involved in aviation,” Folami said.

He acknowledged the role BiCourtney has played in the restart of domestic operations, adding that the association is starting the initiative from Bi-Courtney to other agencies.

“The travelling public on their part are advised to be wary about the pattern and source of purchase of their travel tickets. All travel passengers deserve to be fully informed about travel protocols and destination restrictions in the imposed ‘new normal’. They should patronize accredited travel agents,” he said.

He assured that the face masks are very good, made of wool, easily breathable, fitted with filters and have passed the permeability test.

Mikail Mumuni, group corporate affairs manager, MMA2 com-

mended the association for the face mask they are giving out to frontline workers and the travelling public through MMA2 terminal.

“This is a very kind gesture and it is in line with the federal government’s policy of ensuring that those who fly through our airports and all Nigerian airports do so safely and they are assured that when they fly they will not contact COVID-19.

Passengers can be rest assured that they are safe to fly and the aviation industry is gradually coming back to normalcy. Passengers’ cooperation as regards COVID-19 protocols has been amazingly positive. We on our part ensure that all the COVID-19 protocols are complied with and we are getting maximum cooperation from passengers,” Mumuni said.

Ima Victor-Ekpo, chairperson CSR Committee, NANTA Lagos Zone said NANTA, through the Lagos Zone, set up a CSR Committee to provide relief to families within the vicinity of her headquarters in Lagos (Ikorodu Road) and to support the COVID 19 Safety Protocols by distributing 1500 facemasks to aviation frontline workers.

we come up with naught but we do not invest in the non-oil sector.”

Stressing on the need for export to be promoted to grow the nation’s economic diversity as well as lift people out of poverty, Jimi Adebakin, Chief Executive of FBO Global Logistics Limited, also charged the government to encourage low income exporters.

Adebakin also said FOB is encouraging Nigerians to go into export of agricultural products, stating that the reason they invited the partners is that they are creating warehouses in all the major cities globally to facilitate trade.

“We are creating warehouses in all major cities of the world. We have 170 technical partners in 170 countries and warehouses in 3,700

cities of the world. So what we are saying is bring your product that is made by you, labelled by you we sell it and take our freight and return the profit. The days of people saying ‘I’m unemployed in Nigeria should be over.

“If we put the same energy we put in importation and exportation, nobody can touch us. There is a new possibility daily, we move 20tons in cargo but with the right awareness, we ought to be moving 100 tons daily. What is 100 tons, its 60ntrailers and how many trailers do you see coming from the East or the North to Lagos?”

Olatokunbo Fagbemi, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Aviance, who earlier spoke on the webinar, said that NEPC should encourage Nigerians to standardize and export agricultural products, adding that there is so much to benefit from it.

According to Fagbemi, for agricultural products to be accepted abroad, it must not only be well processed but that it must also be well packaged and labelled.

She said that some Nigeria agricultural products had to be destroyed because they were not well packed by the exporters.

She hinted that to ensure Nigeria products are not rejected abroad; NAHCO was working with the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that NAHCO welcomes any contribution that would make export grow.

Policy of reciprocity: Sirika has caused positive revolution in aviation sector-Air Peace Chairman

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he Chairman and CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema has commended Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, for the decision of the federal government to enforce the principle of reciprocity in granting permission to airlines to resume operations in the country as it opens its airspace.

Onyema said this decision would elevate the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations and send a signal to international airlines that it is no more business as usual.

In a letter the Air Peace boss wrote to the Minister to commend him on this laudable decision of the federal government, he said, “You are causing a positive revolution in the aviation world. You have, by this action, brought so much respect to our people and our nation. Nigerians all over the world are walking tall with enormous pride since the last few hours when the news broke out. This is the beginning of the end of the stigmatisation of Nigeria and everything Nigerian. God bless you always. From my sincere heart, I have come to appreciate your nationalistic

tendencies.”

Onyema said the Minister, by his conduct and commitment, has ensured that the aviation industry is unencumbered, noting that Sirika facilitated the customs duty waiver on aircraft and spares and currently working on the unification of charges paid by domestic airlines.

The Air Peace Chairman also commended the Minister for his overall commitment to the aviation industry, from his efforts towards restoring infrastructure at the airports to his intervention in labour issues, adding that Sirika has done so much to protect domestic airlines by spearheading earlier the policy that only Nigerian carriers should engage in evacuation conducted by the federal government.

Meanwhile, Air Peace has dispatched two of its Boeing 777 aircraft to China on national assignments.

The airline management said that the two aircraft were dispatched to the cities of Chengdu and Beijing respectively for important national assignments on behalf of the governments of Nigeria and China.

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SundayBusiness Rising significance of Imota Rice Mill Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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ack in August, 2017 the piece of cheering news came from the President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo that the annual rice production in Nigeria increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 2015 to 5.8 million tonnes in 2017.

ThatwasaplusfortheMuhammadu Bu h a r i a d m i n i s t r a t i o n f o r sustaining determined efforts of the previous Goodluck Jonathan‘s administration in the field of agriculture, as propelled by the vision of Dr. Adesina Adewunmi, who was then the Minster in charge.

Th o u g h Ni g e r i a n s s p e n t about N1bn on imported rice consumption in 2015 such spending has drastically reduced as consumption had increased because of increased local

production of the commodity. “The consumption rate now is 7.9 million tonnes and the production rate has increased to 5.8 tonnes per annum,’’ Goronyo said.

This improvement then was as a result of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) with a total of 12 million rice producers and four million hectares of FADAMA rice land. There is currently a workable linkage between Small holder farmers and large scale processors leading to increased output. This has also improved on capacity utilisation of processors.

Upping the ante, the former g o v e r n o r o f La g o s S t a t e , Akinwunmi Ambode and his Kebbi State counterpart, Atiku Bagudu came up with the now popular Lake rice. The question then was how to sustain the laudable initiative, across the country.

It is gratifying therefore, to note thatjustastheBuhariadministration has sustained the vision of the previous administration on rice production, the current Governor Sanwo-Olu administration of Lagos state has done same with the Imota rice mill. Back in May, 2020 the Lagos State Government, reassured the good people of the state that its multi-billion Naira, 32-metric tonnes- per-hour rice mill at Imota, will be completed and delivered before the end of the year.

That statement came from the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, GbolahanLawal while highlighting activities to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

According to Lawal the rice mill

had attained 80 per cent completion level compared to 35 per cent when the administration assumed office in May 2019.

On its expected production capacity and its economic impact, he assured that the mill when operational will ensure a steady supply of freshly processed rice of about 2.4 million bags of 50kg per annum to Lagosians. That is in addition to creating over 250,000 jobs in both the upstream and downstream sectors of the rice value chain.

With regards to the fears being nursed about the supply of paddy rice the government assured that effective efforts had been put into backward integration along the rice value chain. In specific term, the effort included the identification of farmers’ groups in conjunction with other states to cultivate the required amount of paddy and the provision of inputs such as seeds, fertiliser and irrigation facilities that are applicable to the farmers.

“To meet the paddy requirement of the mill, we have undertaken a backward integration in the form of collaboration with other states like Southwestern states, Kwara, Sokoto, Benue, Borno and Kebbi.

“This will be done leveraging on the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the rice mill as the off-taker of the products,” Lawal said.

Furthermore, the commissioner explained that the Agriculturebased Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-YES) had been revamped in such way that a total of 15,000 youth and women would be trained and empowered. The

beneficiaries would be trained in the various agricultural value chain such as poultry, aquaculture, rice, piggery and vegetable production by the year 2023.

“The Agric-YES is an initiative of the Lagos state government which targets to encourage youth and women who are interested in agriculture to embrace the sector.

“One of its major objectives is to achieve a significant reduction in unemployment, create more jobs and wealth, and significantly enhance food security in Lagos state by the year 2023.

“It also seeks to promote the state’s target of producing at least 25 per cent of the food consumed by residents of the state before the end of the year 2025,” the commissioner said.

The aim is to rise to meet the challenges of up scaling food production in the state by treating agriculture as both a business and development platforms by using strategic partners to stimulate investment in the state. Such would cushion the effects of increasing population of the state that has put pressure on the state’s food security, supply mechanism and available infrastructure.

All these moves align with the T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda of the Sanwo-Olu administration which are anchored on ensuring ensure food security and improved nutrition for Lagosians; wealth and employment generation with inclusive participation of youth and women.

While consumers and the stake holders wait for the completion of Imota Rice Mill, it is important to learn from the past to ensure that

this vision is sustained, no matter which political party is in power.

According to agric experts local rice cultivation should provide sustainablewellbeingforproducers, processors and marketers in Nigeria. The truth however, is that local rice production does not satisfy the totality of consumer demand in the country. As at 2009, Nigeria was importing an average of 1.7 million tonnes of white rice annually, making the country as the world’s second-largest rice importer then. The cost of these rice imports represents a significant amount of lost earnings for the country in terms of jobs and income.

Way Forward: Government should involve all the relevant stakeholders in decision making. The NCS apparently did not key into 100 per cent tariffs on imported brown and finished rice.

•It should see its 2015 target of self -sufficiency in rice production with 100 large scale integrated rice mills with a 2.1 mmt to its logical conclusion.

•Government should keep encouraging the private sector to invest in the sector as Domino Farms has done with $40 million dollars in Taraba State.

•It should however, provide the enabling environment of stable electric power supply and good access roads to reduce overhead costs on production and processing.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 07068638066

Covid-19: MTN to support Nigeria’s SMEs with ‘The Revv Programme’ LG’s TV, audio products win big at 2020 EISA awards SEYI JOHN SALAU

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n line with the digital economy drive of the Federal Government as espoused in the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), which is closely linked to empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as an avenue for the diversification of the economy, MTN Nigeria has launched ‘The Revv Programme’ to mitigate against the effects of Covid-19 on SMEs. The Revv Programme seeks to address major macro level issues specifically in the areas of re-igniting the economy and driving digital

inclusion for SMEs. Adopting a four-pronged approach that includes masterclasses, access to market, productivity tools support and advisory initiatives, The Revv Programme seeks to help SMEs relearn, rethink and retool their businesses for growth in the emerging digital economy.

Isa Patanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said for the implementation of the digital economy initiative of the government to succeed, there must be a collective responsibility for all stakeholders in both public and private sector.

“I am glad that MTN has been supportive of this policy and is organising The Revv Programme, which I believe will go a long way

in transforming Nigerian entrepreneurs, most especially those in the Micro and Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector,” said Patanmi at the virtual launch of the programme.

Ferdi Moolman, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, said the initiative seeks to provide support to SMEs as they continue to lead Nigeria’s growth.

“We believe that at this time when many businesses are at their most vulnerable and with a rapidly changing business environment, it is important that alongside the Federal Government, other businesses strongly position themselves to support SMEs as a foundation to the growth of a stronger economy going into 2021 and beyond,” said Moolman.

purifiers, TVs, and refrigerators.

Real-time monitoring for easy living Easily check the status of compatible LG appliances around the house through real-time monitoring on the ThinQ app. Whether you’re at home or not, you can quickly see how much time is remaining

on the washing machine, dryer or dishwasher cycle right from your phone and set the app to notify you as soon as the job is done. With no need to hang around the laundry or kitchen to track progress anymore, do chores the easy way.

Running low on household supplies? Easily order your go-to detergent through the ThinQ app.

Product support for no worries LG’s range of proactive customer support services ensure the best product experience, so you can be carefree when it comes to chores.

Proactive Customer Care communicates directly with compatible appliances to provide the best results for longer.

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G Electronics (LG) continues its long history of success at the EISA Awards with four of LG’s innovative home entertainment solutions being honored for superior performance, outstanding design and maximum

perfect illustration of refinement and leverages OLED’s “self-lit” pixels to deliver state-of-the-art picture quality in an ultra-thin form factor.

With the incredible picture quality that OLED is renowned for enhanced

by LG’s AI Picture Pro processing

usability this year. Organised by the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), the world’s largest consumer electronics editorial organization, recognition at this year’s competition went to LG OLED TV (model OLED65GX), LG NanoCell TV (model 75NANO99), LG Sound bar (model SN8YG) and LG Xboom Go (model PL7).

LG Gallery TV was named EISA Best Premium OLED TV 2020-2021, making this the ninth consecutive time that an LG OLED TV has won an award in the Home Theatre Display & Video Category. This model is the

technology, this 65-inch TV is able to deliver stunning 4K content with a 120Hz refresh rate and advanced HDMI features such as auto low latency mode (ALLM), enhanced audio return channel (eARC) and variable refresh rate (VRR). Equally adept at both movies and games, LG Gallery Series TV with Dolby Vision and LG webOS guarantees the most cinematic visuals and intuitive viewer experience.

LG NanoCell TV was awarded the EISA 8K TV 2020-2021 title for its real 8K resolution and accurate color reproduction.

LG ThinQ APP opens new doors to make life good from home SEYI JOHN SALAU

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GElectronics(LG)isreducing worries for users while maximising ease and fun through the LG ThinQ mobile app.

Launched in November 2015 and currently available in more than 150 countries, the app provides unparalleled convenience in lifestyle by connecting LG’s astounding range of ThinQ-powered AI appliances and Wi-Fi connected devices. Even today, LG is growing the app’s compatibility, which currently extends across 32 LG products including washers, dryers, air conditioners, air

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Sunday 23 August 2020

SundayBusiness Group to build human capital development of 10,000 Niger Delta youths on post-petroleum economy: Idris Umar Momoh, Benin

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nvironmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Ni g e r i a ( E R A / FoEN) says it is targeting to build the human capacity development of over 10,000 Niger Delta youths on post-petroleum economy by 2022.

Godwin Uyi Ojo, executive director of ERA/ FoEN, made the disclosure at the 3rd edition of the En v i r o n m e n t a l Ri g h t s Action/Friends of the Earth Youth Environmental Camp 2020 meeting in Benin City, Edo State.

Ojo said the youth human capacity development

programme titled, ‘From Extraction to Education’ initiated in 2018 has so far empowered over 6,000 youths.

“As part of agitations and commitments to end fossil fuels dependence by divesting investments from oil and gas to research and development of the emerging renewable energy sector, the organisation in 2018 initiated a project titled ‘From Extraction to Education’ to empower youths in four states in the Niger Delta to focus on how to transit from the present carbonised economy to a decarbonised one,” he said.

According to him, the four states are Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers.

Th e p r o j e c t , ‘ Fr o m

Extraction to Education’ has since 2018 built human capital of over 6000 youths on how to develop business models, renewable energy entrepreneurship, repair and installation of solar gadgets and the fabrication of clean energy-saving cook stoves. “Over 300 secondary school teachers have been trained and environment education and renewable energy manual were produced and deployed for the training in the over 60 renewable energy school clubs set up across the four states”, he said.

Ojo, who expressed optimism that the manual would translate to secondary schools curriculum to teach environmental education and renewable energy, added

A cross section of youths at the 3rd edition of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Youth Environmental Camp Meeting 2020 in Benin City.

Pix by Idris Umar Momoh

that over 150 youths would be mentored for leadership and a life time experience for social change during the 2020 camp meeting.

“Some of our trained youths are now solar energy experts and have produced three-in-one solar energy luminous lighting system, power bank and charging points,” he said.

“I am pleased to present some of the products and to introduce to this august gathering DaNJAB Enterprises, piloted by young secondary schools leavers from Edo State.

“Others include youths organising and training on videography and environmental field monitoring and the production of the maiden edition of the Earth Friends magazine by our promising youths”, he added.

While urging the youth to stand in the gap and see the climate change phenomenon asanopportunitytoaddressa national and global problem, he, however, charged them to ensure that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for substandard renewable energy gadgets.

In his goodwill message, Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, the director-general, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), said the agency in collaboration with ERA/FoEN trained 32 youths in 2019 on solar PV and in 2020 about 20 youths are also expected to be trained on the same solar PV.

Techno Oil boss assures consumers of safest gas cylinders Ngozi Okpalakunne

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ice-Chairman of Techno Oil Limited, manufacturers of gas cylinders, Nkechi Obi has assured Nigerian consumers of fabricating harmless gas cylinders in the country.

Speaking during a press briefing to herald the third anniversary of the inauguration of one of the largest cylinder manufacturing plants, Obi expressed confidence that Nigeria is incapacitating its LPG cylinder crisis, subsequent large-scale manufacturing of cylinders locally by the company.

Ob i a r t i c u l a t e d h e r pleasure that upper grade cylinders are now being made in Nigeria by Nigerians, saying: “Our story is all about the making of the safest cooking gas cylinders in Nigeria.

“It is a thing of pride that the safest cooking gas cylinders are now being made in Nigeria , rather than consumers continuing to rely on fake imported cylinders. ``Where there is a will, there is always a way. We are happy to be counted in the effort of the Federal Government to deepen LPG usage in the country.”

According to her, “We know that Nigeria is getting there with the way things have turned out in the LPG cylinder sub-sector of the economy.

“The commissioning of our

manufacturing plant three years ago has turned out to be the game-changer in the LPG cylinder sector.’’

“We assured Nigerians that we will give them the strongest, safest LPG cylinders ever manufactured.

Techno Oil has kept faith with that promise,” she further said.

On the other hand, Obi expressed worries over importation of fake and sub-standard cylinders into the country and called on the government to take a pivotal action to save the populace from the effects of importation of fake products, especially LPG cylinders.

On the Federal Government goal to ensure that up to 13.8 million households embraced LPG for their cooking within the next two years, the entrepreneur affirmed that it would still be realised, she however, warned on the dangers associated with importation of inferior gas cylinders.

She charged the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Department of Petroleum Re s o u r c e s t o p r e s e n t actions to halt importation of counterfeit LPG cylinders into Nigeria.

The Techno Oil chief argued that ascendency of counterfeit LPG cylinders in the market was discouraging many homes from accepting cooking gas, a development she said, was affecting the nation’s LPG infiltration drive.

LG takes gaming to new heights with Nvidia’s G-Sync innovation

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G Electronics has scored another plus in bringing comfort to the homes of its customers, with the introduction of Nvidia’s G-Sync to the entire line up of OLED TVs to make gaming an awesome experience.

With this new innovation, LG officially rolled out a firmware update making all of its OLED TVs from 2019 much better for PC & console gaming with its support of Nvidia’s G-Sync Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology.

Unveiled at the CES 2020 in Las Vegas, the new TVs measure between 48 and 88 inches diagonally and offer a multitude of modern features, alongside full G-Sync compatibility.

The G-Sync compatible support enables gamers enjoy comfy couch gaming without tearing, stuttering, or VSync input lag, for a superior experience.

With both the firmware and the latest Game Ready Driver installed, LG’s bigscreen TVs become the first in the world to be validated for super-smooth G-Sync compatible gaming, giving GeForce gamers a vastly improved big-screen gaming experience popularly called “Big Format Game Displays (BFGD)” LG was the first TV manufacturer to bring G-Sync compatible displays to the market, and now it’s expanding its range to all of its OLED

TV Line Up. There are several levels of G-Sync compatibility that Nvidia offers to its partner manufacturers.

The G-Sync rating requires the successful completion of more than compatibility tests in Nvidia labs, as well as effective variable refresh rate control. G-Sync Ultimate has all of that support for over 1,000 nits of brightness; Nvidia’s NULL low-latency technology, a wide color gamut, and a builtin Advanced Nvidia G-Sync

processor.

According to the Senior Vice President of the TV product planning division of LG’s Home Entertainment Company, Sam Kim, for customers looking for the ultimate PC gaming experience, a monitor that supports VRR is important. He noted that gamers, who use graphics cards from Nvidia in their rigs, also want support for Nvidia’s proprietary VRR format known as G-Sync.

“Until now, these gamers have been limited to specific models of gaming monitors, which tend to be much smaller than 4K TVs. With G-Sync support, LG OLED TVs can now deliver the same experience, but on screen sizes up to 88 inches.

“G-Sync and other VRR technologies help eliminate flicker, tearing or stuttering on displays when used to play games that are built using VRR. As the first TVs to offer Nvidia G-Sync Compatible

support in the industry, LG is once again demonstrating its commitment to delivering the most advanced gaming experience.

“Our partnership with Nvidia, the world’s premiere gaming hardware brand has repositioned LG OLED TVs as a new standard in gaming performance.”

In a similar manner to the open-source: FreeSync technology supported by AMD graphics card (and to a lesser extent, Nvidia’s too), G-Sync is the green team’s own technology that only select brands and models are ratified for. It fixes screen tearing by using variable refresh rates to match the refresh rate of the monitor or TV to the frame rate being output by the graphics card.

But G-Sync has evolved beyond that into a certification program that Nvidia itself operates.

There are several levels of G-Sync compatibility that

Nvidia offers to its partner manufacturers. The G-Sync rating requires the successful completion of more than 300 compatibility tests in Nvidia labs, as well as effective variable refresh rate control.

There are 12 LG OLED TVmodels in total, each with G-Sync Compatible ratings, ranging in size from a modest 48 inches to a massive 88 inch.

LG OLED TVs are already VRR-compatible with select Xbox One game consoles; the latest update helps the South Korean electronics giant solidifies its hold on the gaming market.

LG has proven to be very aggressive with its support for new technologies. Its OLED TVs are some of the few models that are WISAready, giving users the ability to create a completely wireless surround sound speaker setups without the use of an A/V receiver or dedicated soundbar.

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BDSUNDAY 27

SundayBusiness How interplay of mortgage and Land Use Act slows housing sector growth

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or reasons bordering on inaccessible and unaffordable mortgage coupled with inefficient land administration governed by an outdated Land Use Act, developing housing cheaply and delivering same at affordable prices remain a big problem in Nigeria. This generally limits growth in the housing sector.

Because of this, most times when experts gather, attempts are made to seek ways of ‘driving growth and sustainability in the sector. Despite varied views, the experts, at the end of the day, agree on mortgage finance and Land Use Act being major barriers to growth.

The place of these two factors in the housing sector is quite critical. No housing market can be said to be mature as those of UK and the US without a well developed and functional mortgage system while there can be no functional mortgage system without a good and flexible land administration system.

In Nigeria, both of these are lacking. The growth of the mortgage system in the country has been greatly hampered by very rigid, non-flexible and primitive land laws as encapsulated in the

Land Use Act. Passed by a decree in 1978 and inserted into the 1979 national constitution, the provisions of the Act can only be changed through a constitutional amendment, necessitating a two-third majority of both the federal and state legislatures. Multiple attempts have been made to influence a revisit of the Act, but the process has been too cumbersome to succeed, causing the intending parties to drop their plans in frustration.

But developers have to produce houses and mortgage operators have to continue in business. So, “it has become clear that we must create an enabling environment in which a sustainable mortgage market can thrive, and one of the most important drivers of this is a well established land administration process”, said Adedeji Adesemoye, Head, Project Administration Team, Nigeria Housing Finance Programme (NHFP), and Deputy Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department (OFISD) at CBN. Adesemoye highlighted efforts being made to grow the housing market, including the setting up the Nigeria Housing Finance Programme and the Model, Mortgage & Foreclosure Law (MMFL).

NHFP is being implemented by

the federal government through its relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and this is supported by the World Bank International Development Association (IDA). The objective of the programme, Adesemoye explained, was to increase access to housing finance by deepening primary and secondary mortgage markets.

The MMFL is a draft bill designed to make delinquency in mortgage repayment unattractive to mortgagors and reduce losses from mortgage loans. It is expected to create a more attractive and vibrant environment, thereby attracting investors providing long term, low cost and more available capital to the market. Its main strategy is to encourage the use of administrative procedures to address some of the most negative provisions of the Act. For property investors, this is a good development. But in addition to these efforts, developers also owe it as a duty to themselves to be creative in managing the limiting impact of Land Use Act. He advised that developers should de-emphasize the traditional way of raising development finance, explaining that they should go to the capital market to raise funds by floating bonds

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

which offer much cheaper rates at longer tenor.

To also address the problem of mortgage market growth, the CBN has come up with an initiative known as mortgage guarantee programme which is mortgage given to a borrower by a lender where an identified third party will take responsibility for the loan if the borrower defaults.

Expectation here is that this will push up housing affordability because, with the new programme, once a borrower defaults, the third party receives a claim from the lender, pays the lender off, and assumes responsibility for the mortgage.

“A quality mortgage guarantee programme is used to provide credit loss protection to lenders in case of borrower default”, explained Tokunbo Martins, Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department (OFISD) at CBN. “Mortgage guarantee products

incentivise lenders to accept loans with lower down-payments, thus increasing affordability”, she added. The implication of this is that borrowers, who, ordinarily, would not have qualified for mortgage loan by reason of their low income, can now obtain loans which enhance their affordability.

From the government angle, Babatunde Fashola, the minister for power, works and housing, was of the opinion that one of the surest ways of making housing affordable and growing the housing sector was by industrialising housing development by laying greater emphasis on locally produced building materials.

Industrialising the sector, in the opinion of the minister, would not only drag down the cost of construction, material wise, but also create jobs for those involved in the housing value chain including input manufacturers, professionals and artisans.

Education for indigent children: The Riverwood Switch Foundation way Lynda Ochugbua

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obolaji Oriola is passionate about helping indigent children get into school and also helping low income schools with infrastructure deficit. With his team of over 200 young people, the story of Mobolaji helping children from financially disadvantaged families gain access to education is truly inspiring.

Oriola, founder and president of The Riverwood Switch Fo u n d a t i o n , a n o n profit developmental organisation focused on education reform in Africa talks about his journey.

I’ve always had a burning desire to change the face of education in Nigeria. Even though I attended one of the best schools in Nigeria, there was still a challenge with infrastructure and quality of teachers compared to the experience my colleagues had outside the country.

A few years ago, in

Ado-Ekiti, I saw some kids going to school barefoot, some wearing uniform, some not wearing uniform.

When I traced the school which they were headed to, I saw the students sit on the floor, teachers writing on the wall, classrooms with the ceilings removed and potholes inside the classrooms.

I called my friends and told them about my plan to rehabilitate a dilapidated classroom at the school which was situated in a low income community.

Luckily, I have amazing friends and about a few us us contributed parts of our feeding allowances and raised enough money to rehabilitate the classroom and even provide learning materials for the students.

We then agreed to set up The Riverwood Switch Foundation and designed an Internally Generated Revenue system where every member contributes a minimum of One Thousand Naira (N1,000) monthly.

We were all students at the University at this point and our funding was

based off the allowances our parents gave us. We also agreed that the money we raised will be used to help indigent children in areas of education.

Currently, we have adopted a low cost school with over 160 pupils where we are helping with infrastructure development. We’ve built new classrooms for them, rehabilitated old ones, put some teachers on salaries and allowances and donated learning materials to the school. We have also placed 28 children on full time scholarship for 6 years which will cover school fees payment, provision of bags, sandals, uniforms, sportswear, textbooks and writing materials. It costs us over 1.4 Million Naira annually to provide free education to these 28 children at a cost of N50,000 per child. This excludes how much we spend on infrastructure development, improved learning, teacher support, excursion and others.

As a result of COVID-19 and closure of schools, these kids have been unable to go

to school. So, we designed a system of homeschooling for these kids and have put some teachers from their school on a stipend to cover their cost of feeding & transportation. These teachers go to their homes to have 2-3 hour session with the kids. We have also hadmeetingswithGoogle& Kids Innovation Hub to see how we can use technology to accelerate learning in these communities.

Combining my work as a Lawyer & as a Partner for that matter, with my role as the Founder & President of The Riverwood Switch has been very overwhelming, challenging but rewarding.

I believe the future of Africa is dependent of the number of Africans who are properly educated and equipped with the requisite globally relevant knowledge and skills. So, for me, this is what I’m passionate about and I must do it. My work as a Lawyer is also important because that is w hat sustains my livelihood.

On one hand, I’m working on a transaction, closing a deal for a client,

preparing a contract or even being in long meetings and on the other hand, I have to coordinate my team at the Foundation to ensure every one is playing their role so that our kids are not lacking anything and their education is going on smoothly. I remember a few days ago, I was at a meeting with a client and I got a text that one of our kids lost his mum. I had to ensure I stayed focused to wrap up the meeting and ensure the clients needs are met and then after the meeting, I had to start making calls to ensure the kid and his family are fine.

So, I can only say that I’m grateful to God for giving me the grace to carry on the two roles effectively and more importantly, for putting me in the position to not just give back, but to empower people.

He is a recipient of Unity Banky’s Humanitarian Award and Professor Smaranda’s Leadership which are in recognition of his work with The Riverwood Switch Foundation. Riverwood’s work has been endorsed

by popular celebrities Teni & Daddy Freeze and has been featured on Channels, Silverbird TV, Sahara Reporters, Nigerian Tribune, Bella Naija and others media outlets.

In addition to his role as the Founder & President of The Riverwood Switch Foundation, Mobolaji is also a Partner at Allen & Brooks. Hiswork as a Lawyer includes advising several top-tier clients on energy and natural resources, property development (purchase, construction, lease & sale), company secretarial and incorporation, power/ metering, license transfer, entertainment, arbitration, international corporate restructuring and business strategy. You can read more about him on his f i r m s w e b s i t e : w w w. allenandbrooks.com Yo u c a n v i s i t Th e Riverwood Switch Foundation’s website via: www.riverwoodswitch. org or follow them on all social media platforms: @ riverwoodswitchfor more information about their work.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Arts Duke Asidere and his paintings Stories by OBINNA EMELIKE

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o doubt, Duke Asidere has paid his dues as one of Nigeria’s most talented contemporary artists. If you are a keen follower of the artist, you will observe that there is something so refreshingly cerebral about his works.

For over 25 years, he has boldly commented on Nigeria’s socio-political landscape through his artistic works presented in a variety of genre including pencil, engravings, oil and acrylic, pastels, and collage.

His works engage contemporary African politics.

Through visual metaphors, the artist comments on the everyday human drama that surrounds him from political, social, psychological to cultural. Furthermore, he adds an element of surprise to his sketches of human drama by infusing them with irony and humour.

Asidere’s broad oeuvre ranges from headless or

Duke Asidere at work in his studio

limbless figures and faces of strangely hybrid beings to densely populated urban landscapes, accentuated with thick strokes of vivid colour. He has recently turned to car enamel paint, which he applies with a spray gun to produce emotionally charged works that retain figurative subject matter,

and at the same time emphasize abstract qualities. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Asidere’s style is his simplicity of form and expressive line, which he achieves with an economy of means.

He calls his highly textured black canvas with a few specks of color “one

Alexis Galleries presents Knock on Wood II

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n an art world where wood as a medium can be ancient and contemporary medium, artists have not only defiled the common technique of carving but had diversified the styles, technique, function, and societal appreciation.

In line with that, Alexis Galleries presents ‘Knock on wood II’, the second edition of its kind exhibition, which offers participating

artists the opportunity to express artistic styles and creative ingenuity with wood as the only medium.

The gallery bores the responsibility to encourage such transformation in art style and birth contemporaries even in ancient media. ‘ Kn o c k o n w o o d I I ’ , features Afeez Adetunji, Chukwuemeka Micheal, Darlington A . Chukwu-

Life ontop water by Darlington A. Chukwumezie

mezie, Olatunde Taiwo David, and Osaro Luke. The artists had communicated their feelings and emotions through the same medium, a fusion of African art form, color, motifs, and patterns with a contemporary art form.

‘Knock on wood II’ is an exhibition of woodworks, featuring the abovenamed artists. The exhibition opens virtually to the public on Saturday, September 12, 2020, and runs until September 19th.

In orderto adhere to all necessary guidelines by the government on social distancing, the live view will be strictly by registration. Links to this effect will be published before the exhibition. The venue remains Alexis Galleries, no 282, Akin Olugbade Street, off Idowu Martins, Victoria Island, Lagos. The exhibition promises to be intriguing for both virtual and live view.

The exhibition is sponsored by Pepsi, Tiger, Indomie, Mikano, The Guardian, Wazobia FM Radio, Cool FM, 7Ups, Cool World, Cobranet, Delta Airlines, The Homestores, Art Café, and Lost In Lagos Magazine.

man, one generator”, an unflinching portrayal of the totally absurd lack of electricity plaguing one of the world’s largest oil producing nations.

His drawing of the market woman selling tomatoes with dollar price doodles scribbled in the shadows is a wry commentary on Nigeria’s runaway exchange rates

and galloping inflation apparently asphyxiating even the sale of locally grown produce.

“Duke looks at painting from the lens similar to that of many older masters. This is the lens of simplicity - the lens of sincerity,” wrote the famous Nigerian artist, Gani Odutokun (1946-1995) who mentored Asidere while teaching at Ahmadu Bello University. “Duke possesses the kind of sincerity that has brought enormous recognition to artists (such as abstract expressionists like Philip Guston& De Kooning). These are artists who feel the urge to say something and will not like to be inhibited no matter how unpalatable to the society or what they might have to say. They will not create even a square centimeter of a picture just to please. But paint they will, to express an inner urgency. Duke belongs to this fold.”

One of his remarkable solo exhibitions, which held in 2016 was tagged “Mental Space”, which was Asidere’s external response to an inter-

nal, multi-layered landscape of deep thought, questions, and critique.

“Through his drawings, he challenges us to reflect on a constantly changing political context, in which he highlights the crazy and controversial excesses in our lives with bold, often humorous poignancy”, Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, the curator of the exhibition, explained.

Asidere was born in Lagos in 1961. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours in Fine Arts (painting) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1988, and a Masters of Fine Arts in painting in 1990 from the same university. He taught painting, drawing and art history at the Federal Auchi Polytechnic for five years.

Asidere is within reach.

His works are in galleries, while he participates in one join exhibition or the other.

However, the best place to see him is in his studio. He is well-exhibited in Nigeria and abroad and is a member of the Society of Nigerian Artists.

Purple Shelves announces two books this August

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urple Shelves publisher has announced the release of two books in the month of August. ‘Get Set March’ and ‘Clearing Your Mental Deck’ are both written by Ben Peter who holds a PhD, an MBA and is a management professor at the Oral Roberts University, Oklahoma USA. ‘Get Set March’ exposes the reader to learning on how to develop winning strategies and draw successful execution plans for vision. On the other hand, ‘Clearing Your Mental Deck’ helps to build the strength to focus on the most important attributes for success and self-actualization.

Amara Chimeka, CEO, Purple Shelves Publisher, expressed delight over the new feat and acknowledged the publishing outfit was proud to be associated with the author- Ben Peter, who has been described by experts as an authority in sales and marketing strategies.

“Ben Peter’s antecedents speak with result”, Chimeka said, while adding that the two books posses the ingredients to make immediate impact on readers. “These books will change your outlook on life, business and your interpersonal skills. We are so proud to be associated with the

author.”

In the words of squadron leader Emmanuel Alexander-a strategic thinker and international best-selling author “Get Set March’ is a clarion call to action for individuals and organizations. It provides clarity on the processes of how ideas are formed, developed and harnessed, outlining practicable steps for converting cognitive resources to diverse possibilities. This is not just another book of mind science, but a propeller of sort to help individuals and organizations master the art of winning always.

Speaking on the second book, Alexander said: “Succeeding in today’s sociopolitical and economic world requires an inside-out approach, using the mind as a tool for strategic thinking and repositioning. ‘Clearing Your Mental Deck’ is a mind-shaping, internal reconfiguration, renovation, and rejuvenation resource, to set you on course for a life of unending success

and impact.”

Ben Peter is an internationally known business executive, leadership scholar, author, and business development expert, widely regarded as one of the leading business strategists around the world.

He has helped countless people to reignite their passion for life through health products, live events, personal mentoring, and coaching. He is a professor of Management and also the chairman and CEO of five privately held companies.

He has a Ph.D. and an MBA in Business Management, and over fifteen years experience in the financial services, motivational speaking and coaching, pharmaceutical, healthcare, education, and direct selling industries.

His personal life story is a source of immense inspiration to so many people. He believes that working hard is not enough. You have got to work smart with a high dose of discipline and willingness to be intentional with every goal and vision of greatness you have. His books also carry that same philosophy.

Other books authored

by Ben Peter include: Build Up; The Money Cook Book; Principles of the Top and Money Code (co-authored with Charles E. Eromosele).

Sunday 23 August 2020

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BDSUNDAY 29

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Survival of MSMEs during uncertain climes: The role of corporate governance Michael Umogun

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he rise of the Asian Tigers and the cub tigers countries can be traced to massive exports and rapid industrialization, the Four Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan) have consistently maintained high levels of economic growth since the 1960s, and have collectively joined the ranks of the world’s wealthiest nations.

At the heart of the emergence of the tigers and the cub economies are medium and small-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in their countries that supported the big conglomerates with critically cheap local inputs and parts for the massive exportation that led to the great wealth for their countries. Aside their central role in supporting the big companies in their different countries, the medium and small-scale businesses embarked on exportation which led to good business reward for them. Many unknown brands from cottage businesses from these countries flooded the world markets with products and this propelled many of them into the consciousness of the global market. Popular ones include Hyundai-Kia, Samsung, Subaru, Daewoo and so on.

Hong Kong and Singapore are among the most prominent worldwide financial centres today, while South Korea and Taiwan are essen-

tial hubs for the global manufacturing of automobile and electronic components, as well as information technology. These countries got here through diligent savings, public investment, exporting, labour market competition, and government interventions. These were economic development strategies the four Asian tigers used during the period 1981 to 2005.

Fast forward this discussion home to Nigeria where our MSMEs have helped the Nigerian economy in many ways by providing jobs, new products and services. These types of businesses have improved the standard of living in the urban & rural areas and has helped in the better use of social infrastructures and resources.

Discussants at the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) 2020 annual lectures which focused on the MSMEs and Corporate Governance in Nigeria recognized inadequate marketing research, weak planning, fierce competition from the big corporations, inadequate managerial skills, lack of sufficient funds, lack of workable business models and mismanagement as some of the reasons small business don’t do well in Nigeria.

Ayeni Adekunle, founder and CEO Black House Media (BHM) giving a personal account of how his organization got to a place of prominence in the very competitive Information and Marketing Communication industry in Nigeria

Coca-Cola drives partnerships towards plastic waste reduction … Creates Green Recycling hubs across Abuja, Lagos

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oca-Cola, through its philanthropic arm, The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) has recently provided a grant to the Initiative For The Advancement of Waste Management in Africa (W.A.S.T.E Africa), a non-governmental organisation, to promote waste as a valuable currency for social good and economic inclusion through the establishment of green recycling hubs across Abuja.

The NGO mission is to increase awareness of WASTE challenges and solutions specially targeted at women and at-risk youths in Abuja.

The funding received , according to a statement, will be used to build seven solar-powered recycling hubs in satellite towns such as Nyanya, Zuba, Bwari, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Jikwoyi and Galadimawa, communities where residents will be encouraged to adopt the habit of recycling and turn their waste into wealth, while the eighth solarpowered recycling hub to be built in a low-income suburb of Lagos.

Speaking on the NGO’s objectives with the recycling hubs, Olufunto Boroffice, Convener of W.A.S.T.E Africa explained in the statement, “Adequate financing

for collection and disposal of plastic waste is one of the biggest issues impacting recycling in Nigeria. A primary challenge is the scaled recovery of plastic bottles. I am thankful to The Coca-Cola Foundation for providing the funds to expand our operations, enabling us to create eight green recycling hubs, empowering over 3,000 waste pickers and women, many of whom are living in indigent homes with little or no educational backgrounds”.

Beneficiaries of The Coca-Cola Foundation funding to W.A.S.T.E Africa will include over 1,600 women who will be recruited as waste pickers and sorters in these communities. For these women, knowledge about waste separation and sorting of recyclable material will provide an economic lifeline especially in this period where millions of Nigerians are losing their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The women waste pickers will be provided with financial literacy, safety training and as well as the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The NGO will also be launching the Bottles for Books initiative.

Through this project 800 out-ofschool children will be enrolled

in the educational system. Using recyclable waste as a currency, out-of-school children in Kabusa, Kpaduma, Gwagwalada and Kubwa communities will be enrolled in schools guaranteeing their right to quality education. In addition, Project Protect 10,000 (P10K) initiative will also be launched.

Through this project, 1,000 waste pickers or ‘scavengers’ are going to be supported with genuine social inclusion programs with opportunities throughout the broader economy. The waste pickers will be provided with financial literacy, safety training as well as the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). They will also gain access to financial inclusion and literacy training.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of State for the FCT, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu remarked, “The scheme will empower the youths and at the same time clean the environment.

This is an igneous way of getting money through trash. So, I want to congratulate Nyanya women and youths and also call on them to ensure that they use this scheme judiciously by picking up some litres that can be exchanged for wealth.”

explained how from the inception of his company his wife who is a human capital development specialist insisted on corporate governance and due process in all of the young company’s activities. Ayeni said as a news room persona he listened to those that knows the ropes and he learnt fast on the job while accommodating critical evaluation of his operations from his advisors.

Said he ‘we engaged the services of the accounting firm Deloitte when we were small and struggling their guidance made all the difference at the end of the day ’ While many start- up may not be able to afford consulting firm it would make sense for the business to adopt corporate mentors to provide guidance where they are not able to have the luxury of a formal board of directors. MSMEs owners should have in place systems that would ensure the business out- lives them.

MSMEs should not carry the habit of personal extravagance into business. Ayeni gave the example of a top IMC business CEO that could sign off a billion-naira cheque without recourse and over sight by any board member or director. While as a company owner you can do what you like with your business you may be unknowingly weakening it without knowing and the consequence is usually heavy financial bleeding that would lead to its collapse.

He therefore surmised that failure to keep complete, accurate records, may drift the business into trouble without realizing it. Adher-

ing to the fundamentals of corporate governance cannot be replaced with the whims and caprices of the owner(s) he said.

He gave his ‘hip pocket notes’ for survival of MSMEs as follows: • Get the right people on the board for objective guidance and ensure there is a convergence of views and values of people invited.

• Plan your overhead maliciously and put mechanism in place to save the company from financial indiscipline.

• Don’t hire with sentiments … hire people that you can fire.

• Don’t focus too much on the competition concentrate on your own value delivery.

• Understand the financial requirements of the business and don’t forget to touch base with the Five Forces of business competitiveness & relevance by Professor Michael Porter Speaking earlier at the same event Professor Chris Ogbechie of the Lagos Business School and Mr. Bode Ayeku President of ICSAN noted that 90% of businesses globally are MSMEs and are pivotal to the development of global economies. However, they noted that lack of innovation, organization and sustainable practices have seen them die as quickly as they were born. They said a very clear vision and financial discipline is needed for their survival.

Umogun is Deputy Registrar (Operations), Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN)

Zedvance unveils ‘Keeping SMEs Alive’ campaign, offers zerointerest loans to small businesses

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onsumer and SME finance company, Zedvance Finance Limited has revealed plans to empower small and medium-sized businesses with interest-free credit to catalyze their growth against the backdrop of the global economic downturn occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Driven by a need to create a support system for SMEs at this uncertain time, the company said it will be running a 3-week virtual campaign with the theme: “Keeping SMEs Alive”. The first edition of

the campaign will hold from August 18th – 31st, 2020.

Speaking on the initiative, according to a statement, the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Zedvance Finance, Ever Obi said the objective of the initiative is to help SMEs stay afloat at this crucial time and to promote economic enterprise in line with the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility pillars.

“We understand the critical role loans play in helping SMEs looking to take their businesses to the forefront of the market. More importantly, we know that interest-free loans will allow them accelerate growth by reducing the burden of loan interest payment.”

“Essentially, we are creating a support system for SMEs. Majority of our youth are budding entrepreneurs. While we provide ‘safe’ capital for them, we believe that some level of guidance on corporate and product strategy will also be invaluable. For this reason, we will be having five top entrepreneurs that will be speaking on different topics on entrepreneurship via our social media platform during the campaign”, he said.

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Sunday 23 August 2020

Interview How government can alleviate tricycle owners, riders’ suffering in Kogi - Abdulrahman Idris Abdulrahman, chairman of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), Kogi State chapter, in this interview with VICTORIA NNAKAIKE in Lokoja spoke about the ordeals members of the association are going through in their efforts to eke out a living, the high cost of tricycle machines, multiple taxes/dues and the need for government to come to the rescue of members. Excerpts:

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ince you took over the mantle of leadership in Tric ycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) Kogi State chapter, what have you done differently to up the status of the association?

We have done a lot. We started this association with local government certificate. I look at it and said no, we can’t stay at local government level and progress. We then move to special human affairs which is the Trade Union Congress (TUC) certificate. Later, I thought it wise to join the national body; we applied and joined national body which is trade union. Our trade union is Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) a f f i l i at e d w i t h t ra d e u n i o n congress. Having done that, I made sure we had an election because that was the first election of TOAN in Kogi State. We equally ensured that we cover much ground in the state.

Secondly, on the aspect of tricycle operation in the state in which the fleet owners use to assist us, I also brought in the idea of making sure that all the 21 local government areas of the state have keke operators.

Again, I forwarded the request of s oft loan that w ill assist TOAN, so that our association will reach local government areas to the state government through the board of internal revenue chairman because I see it as the only means that will increase revenue in the state.

I did not stop there; by the grace of God we are going to introduce the idea of carrying passengers from bus stop to bus stop to make sure we reduce accident on the road and for the operators to enjoy their work.

By next week, unit exco will have training that will upgrade them and equally help them pilot the affairs of the union well.

Keke operators were complaining bitterly about being charged N250 per day; what is your take on it and what has the union been doing to better the lots of the members?

The issue of the dues keke operators are paying is being looked into. We have national tickets; each N100; both TUC and national has its own percentage. State and branch e q u a l l y ha s t h e i r ow n p e rcentage, also union and ticket sellers have their own percentage on each of the N100 that

fifty thousand (N750.000). Then higher purchase is N1.2million.

So, we are looking at it that passengers should bear with us, prices of ever ything has increased. We are pleading that passengers should assist us so that we meet up with the targets of the fleet owners that assigned the tricycles to us.

Operators are equally complaining ab out b a d ro a ds .

What has your administration done to synergis e with the state government to put the bad roads in good shape?

As citizens of the state, and as tricycle operators we move with goods and passengers, we want our roads to be parched even though the state can’t construct new ones. So that we can drive smoothly and from our request I can see that the Commissioner for Works and Transport is doing his best possible now . From Ganaja junction to Gadumo, a suburb in the state, something has been done and I pray they continue and reach up to Ganaja village, so that operators will move smoothly. When operators complain to me I equally table it before government officials.

Even at the last meeting we had, I also pointed it out and am sure they are going to do something about it by the grace of God.

Abdulrahman belongs to the national. When we look at that, we noticed that we can’t continue to pilot the affairs of our union financially; we then introduced N50 in the state which is booking.

This we keep in order to assist members either in difficulty, during marriage or child naming ceremonies. Then the N100 is for the revenue in the state; we are pleading with the state government, looking at the situation of things, for them to bring it down to N50 so that operators will pay N200 instead of N250. They are not the one that decided that operators will pay N100 but they have taken note of our request. By August, the state government will try and forward our request to the state House of Assembly so that they should reduce it to N50 per day.

We appealed to all the keke operators to bear with us because it is from government.

The truth is that we have not been carried along in the goings-on in the state. We have been paying this revenue since 2017. No dividend of democracy from the state government.

So, we complained bitterly on that and the state government has promised to car r y Kogi TOAN along very soon.

On the price list issue, you can see that passengers are yet to comply with the N50 a drop. The price of Tricycle today is N1.2million. In the year 2012 tricycle was given out at six hundred thousand naira (N600.000) if you are buying with cash it was three hundred a n d n i n e t y t h o u s a n d na i ra (N390). But today, the price has gone up to seven hundred and

As the chairman of the union, what have you done towards fleet owners giving out tricycle to operators at a very high rate?

For almost two years now the problem is not with the fleet owners; what we need now is government support to us. If government should support us it will not amount to what we obtain from fleet owners, because other states have been enjoying it. If the state government can give it to the union for at say, seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N750,000), it will come to the union at subsidised rate and it will not be like the ones owned by individuals.

And that is why we are pleading with the state government to wade in and make sure they do something about it. If we receive soft loan from government it will go a long way to alleviating our problems because the difference between government and fleet owners will be much. But we have no choice now, because we need it; there is no job one could lay

hands on now. The only source of livelihood now is this tricycle business, so we have no choice.

What were you doing before you were elected as the union’s chairman?

Before then I was an okada rider, from there I migrated to tricycle (Ibro wahala at that time); I took it as a profession that time. I didn’t lose hope because I had a focus that one day I would succeed in this job.

So, I took it as a professional work on my own side because I tried my best possible to make sure I put everything in order.

Although when I finished with Ibro wahala, I collected tricycle (that is TBN) as a loan. I was the first person that collected TBN in 2012 as a loan at the rate of six hundred thousand (N600,000). When I finished settling the debt, I then called other operators to come together so that we can form a union and that meeting gave birth to the state chapter of Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria we have today. And today, to God’s glory am number one citizen of tricycle union in Kogi State. And today, almost half a million operators are under my administration.

What pieces of advice do you have for the state government and tricycle operators?

To the operators I am sure that one day we are going to enjoy it. Whatever hardship we are experiencing now and with the effort of the state government on their plans, as I was told by the chairman of the board of internal revenue, am sure something will be done for this great union in near future. So, I urge them to exercise patience, so that we will have a synergy with the state government.

O n the state government side, I pray they should make it fast like other states in the country. We need soft loans which will go a long way in helping us to run our activities smoothly. And by the time we have about 200 keke from all the 21 local government areas in the state, revenue will increase on our own side. So, I urge the state government to understand and come to our aid to make sure the union gets that soft loan, and whatever activity that is going on in the state, government should not hesitate to carry us along.

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BDSUNDAY 31

Sports

PSG v Bayern: Who wins the Champions League final?

Stories by Anthony Nlebem

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he 2020 UEFA Champions League final will kick off on Sunday, with a pair of giants battling for all the glory in the world’s preeminent club competition.

Two of the world’s most dominant and talented teams, Bayern Munich against PSG, will meet in the conclusion of the 2020 UEFA Champions League on Sunday at the Estadio da Luz stadium in Lisbon.

Football fans are in for what promises to be an epic showdown between French and German continental heavyweights, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, this Sunday, 23 August from 7pm.

Bayern is going for their sixth Champions League crown, while PSG is in the final for the first time and looking to validate the investments they have made to bring

together a star-studded team led

by Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.

Paris Saint-Germain earned their place in the showpiece final with a comfortable 3-0 win over RB Leipzig, with Marquinhos, Angel Di Maria and Juan Bernat scoring the goals for the Parisians, who will contest their first-ever UEFA Champions League final and seek to complete a quadruple of trophies in the 2019-20 season (having also claimed Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue).

Bayern Munich have been the most impressive team in these latter stages of the UEFA Champions League and confirmed their place in the final with a 3-0 triumph over Olympique Lyon on Wednesday evening, with Serge Gnabry (two) and Robert Lewandowski netting the goals.

Sunday’s final could see Bayern break Barcelona’s scoring record in the Champions League having played seven less matches - what

pundits are calling, the deadliest scoring pairing in the UCL of Robert Lewandowski & Serge Gnabry.

Players to watch

Neymar For PSG, it has to be Neymar.

While some may point to his failure to score in the last two rounds, the truth is that he’s been fantastic. He’s getting assists, looking like a threat and winning dangerous set pieces. He’s bound to score soon, and it could be Sunday.

Robert Lewandowski For Bayern, it’s Lewandowski with his unbelievable scoring record. He’s been arguably the best player in the entire world this season and seems to score even on off days (like Wednesday’s semifinal). He’s in the best form of his life and should give PSG’s defense some huge fits.

Messi tells Koeman he has doubts over his future at Barcelona

T

he latest news on Lionel Messi’s future at Barcelona is worrying for all Barcelona fans.

Messi leaving Barcelona is not something to contemplate, though we know one day it will happen.

But we might have to start thinking about it, as the latest Lionel Messi news update is not a great one if you’d like to see the Argentine superstar stay at the Nou Camp.

According to Catalan radio stadium RAC1, Messi returned early from his planned vacation to meet with new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman who was unveiled on Wednesday.

According to the report, Messi told Koeman that he is having serious doubts about his future at Barcelona as the legendary figure has been critical of the board, his teammates and just about everybody else in-between over the last 12 months. After collapsing at Roma and Liverpool in shocking fashion in recent Champions League campaigns, the latest debacle saw Barca obliterated by Bayern Munich

and that was the last straw for many. Messi included, perhaps.

The report believes Messi’s current mindset is that he is “more out of the club than in it.”

Messi, 33, has been at Barcelona his entire career and his current contract runs until the summer of 2021. Barcelona have a $825 million release clause in his contract, so it’s unlikely he will leave this summer as even the two clubs he’s linked with (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City) can’t pay that kind of transfer fee. But will Barcelona really stand in his way if he wants to leave?

Messi has won everything with Barcelona: six Ballon d’Or’s to his name and will always be a legend at the club, no matter what happens in the next 12 months.

Koeman, Bartomeu and the whole of Barcelona will spend the next few months trying to convince Messi that he should stay at the Nou Camp but there’s no doubt that the noises coming from those around Messi suggest he could be ready to check out.

President Buhari appoints Amokachi special assistant on sports

P

resident Muhamm a d u Bu h a r i h a s appointed former Super Eagles player, Daniel Amokachi, as Special Assistant on Sports.

According to his letter of appointment dated August 17, 2020, and signed by Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation reads: “I am pleased to inform you that Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has approved your appointment as Special Assistant on Sports. The appointment takes effect from August 11, 2020.”

Buhari had in February appointed Amokachi as Nigeria’s Football Ambassador. As Special Assistant on Sports, Amokachi is expected to advise the President on all sports matters.

Nicknamed “The Bull” during his playing days with the Super Eagles, Amokachi, 47-year-old began his career in Kaduna with Ranchers Bees Football Club of Kaduna, played for Club Brugge of

Belgium, Besiktas of Turkey, Everton of England and Colorado Rapids.

Amokachi also played in two World Cup finals, USA 1994 and France 1998. He was a member of Nigeria’s 1994 African Cup of Nations winning team and won the 2013 edition in South Africa as assistant to the late Coach Stephen Keshi.

Amockachi also won Gold with team Nigeria in the Football event of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Since retiring from active football, the former Everton player has also coached the U-23 National Team, served as assistant coach of the Super Eagles, and coached NPFL club side, Ifanyi Ubah FC and Nasarrawa United FC.

Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development, presents the appointment letter to Daniel Amokachi

Bayern insist on opening new Bundesliga season

C

hampions League finalists and Bundesliga title holders Bayern Munich on Friday waived the German league’s offer to delay their start to the 2020/21 domestic season by insisting they keep with tradition and host the opening game.

Bayern face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Sunday in Lisbon to end the current term, which has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The German Football League (DFL) had initially offered to push back Bayern’s start to the new campaign until Monday September 21 in order to allow the Bavarians extra time to prepare.

However, the DFL said Bayern, who won an eighth straight title last season, want to keep with the tradition, established in 2002, by hosting the opening game.

As a result Bayern will play Schalke at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Friday September 18.

“Bayern Munich have stated their wish to contest the season opener in keeping with the tradi-

tion and to do so without any additional preparation time,” said a DFL statement.

Originally, the DFL had pencilled in last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund and fourthplaced Borussia Moenchengladbach to replace Bayern against Schalke in the opening game.

Now Dortmund and Gladbach, who have both qualified for the Champions League, are scheduled to meet as the top game on Saturday, September 19.

Opening day fixtures (all times 1330 GMT unless stated) Friday 18 September Bayern Muenchen v Schalke (1830) Saturday 19 September Eintracht Frankfurt v Arminia Bielefeld, Union Berlin v Augsburg, Cologne v Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen v Hertha Berlin, Stuttgart v Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1630)

Sunday 20 September RB Leipzig v Mainz, Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (1600)

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From Mali with Love

F

rom the United Nations Organisation (UNO), the European Union (EU), through the African Union (AU), the ECOWAS to several countries across the globe, it is a groundswell of total condemnation for the recent coup d’état in Mali. Some of the countries that have spoken against it include Kenya, Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Germany, United States and China.

To democrats, pseudo-democrats and even former military dictators that have metamorphosed into overnight democrats in Africa’s volatile political sphere, truncating any democratically elected government, no matter how dismal its performance is, constitutes an aberration that must be quashed without delay.

The tragedy and the pain however, is that such condemnations always come late in the day. They were not offered in good time, to nip in the bud the simmering crises when it mattered most.

And they are hardly focused on the root causes or the fundamental issues that triggered the military takeover, in the first instance. Unfortunately, as it is with coup d’état, so it has been with global political and economic tragedies.

As severally reported, ColonelMajor Ismael Wague - a spokesman for the coup-makers calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People - said they acted to prevent Mali from falling further into chaos. “The social and political tension has undermined the proper functioning of the country for quite a while,” he reportedly said.

That was after detaining the 75-year old President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita at gunpoint and forcing him to resign.

The President and the Prime Minister were later moved out of their official residences to a military base near Bamako. The president later announced that he has resigned and dissolved the government and national assembly.

Wague has pledged to restore stability and oversee a transition to elections within a “reasonable” period. We hope that it will not be for long.

It should be noted that Mali has been in crisis for some four months following

“The recent removal of the president of Mali by the military should send a strong warning to other African leaders.”

-Prof. Patrick Lumumba. the annulment of the election results of some parliament seats in favour of some people loyal to the president. The rebel groups demanded that the president should resign from his position for peace to reign in the troubled nation.

And in a bid to resolve the crisis, former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria was appointed as a special peace envoy by the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS). But sadly, the noble efforts could not stop the military from striking as at the time they did.

It is curious that the same issues of insecurity, corruption and bad governance, which he promised the good people of Mali, to frontally tackle when he mounted the pedestal of political power back in 2013, for which he garnered 78percent of the votes, remained the major problem of Mali. He made failed promises. This rings a similar tone and tenor in some countries across the African continent.

As recently reinforced by Princess Halliday, a professor of leadership ethics, a leadership ambassador and the founder of the Empower Africa Initiative, based in Virginia, United States (US), not a few African leaders give way to the political disconnect between them and their people, as soon as they get into positions of plum political offices. She said this while speaking recently on Silverbird television’s News Hub. In fact, yours truly has severally highlighted the persisting challenges of African political helmsmen personalising power, foisting their self-serving agenda with empirical evidences of overt nepotism, swinging their body languages in favour of certain religious and ethnic principles and persuasions at the expense of and to the detriment of seeking the common good.

Devoid of moral scruples, they use state apparatus, including the military and the police to instill fear in the minds

of the people they are supposed to lead, castrating and containing their freedom of expression and choice at the polls. Furthermore, they go to great lengths to create cracks in the rank and file of the civil society, muzzling the press, while some once-vocal social and human rights activists lose their voices in the face of several social injustices and acts of impunity. All these of course, lead to the people’s pent–up anger, culminating in series of protests against the government of the day, as has taken place in Mali.

That explains the valid position of the popular Kenyan nationalist and an icon of leadership voice in Africa, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba.

Though he condemned the military takeover of government in Mali, he has however, advised African leaders to understand that soldiers too are citizens. He said Keita’s removal should send a warning to other African leaders.

In a similar vein, Shehu Sani, former senator a known voice of opposition to bad governance, that represented Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, has thrown his support for the people of Mali.

“Whenever we say coup is outdated then we see it updated,” he said.

He described the Mali coup as a bad omen for other African democracies.

“The coup in Mali is a serious setback to democracy in Africa and a bad omen for other democracies in the sub-region. But the people of Mali who have been through tragic experiences of intractable political crisis appear to be fully in support of it. We should respect their wishes,” he wrote.

On his part, Cyril Ramaphosa, the chairman of the African Union (AU) and president of South Africa, condemned the “unconstitutional change of government” in Mali and demanded the release of Keita and other top government officials. The AU also said that it was suspending Mali’s membership until constitutional order is restored.

Ayo Oyoze Baje Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

In a statement, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) expressed “great concern” over the “seizure of power by Malian military putschists”. The 15-nation bloc, said its members would close land and air borders to Mali and demand sanctions against “all the putschists and their partners and collaborators”.

Similarly, the United Nations Security Council has urged mutineers in Mali to immediately release detained officials, including the country’s president, and “return to their barracks without delay.”

The lessons to learn from what has transpired in Mali are profound. According to Halliday, Africa needs to redefine the concept of good leadership. The leaders should do self-evaluation and answer the questions of why they are in positions of authority.

“Who am I and why am I venturing to lead my people? Am I doing so to satisfy my whims and caprices or for the common good? Am I sufficiently educated on the essence and principles of good leadership and am I creating space for the younger generation of leaders?”

Halliday said.

It is a worrisome scenario that as at early 2019 the presidents of Equatorial Guinea, Cameroun and Angola had spent 30 years in power! That of Angola was there for 38 years and until death came calling; Zimbabwe’s late Robert Mugabe had spent 37 years. In the Nigerian situation, old leaders keep recycling themselves in power to the exclusion of the younger generation. This is not good enough.

The question for every African leader to answer therefore is this: “if I should leave the seat of power today would the citizens of my country jubilate like the Malians have done?” That should be enough food for thought!

Four years after MMM collapsed, new schemes exploit Covid-19 to dupe Nigerians

Ikeddy ISIGUZO .Isiguzo, a major commentator on minor national issues, writes from Abuja

L

ike all things us, the collapse of MMM (a Russian ponzi scheme established in 1989 by Sergei Mavrodi, his brother Vyacheslav Mavrodi, and Olga Melnikova), four years ago, afforded many of us the opportunity to gloat, to remind the “victims” that, “I told you”. The name of the company was taken from the first letters of the three founders’ surnames.

More worrying is that new schemes have overtaken MMM’s. People are falling into the new traps that they set using the social media platforms. Since

money transfer can be done by phone, the schemes are prospering under the anonymity of no physical locations. All transactions are faceless.They have simple messages that they were helping Nigerians to weather the storms of Covid-19. They made a kill with the message. People locked down without access to new incomes lapped up the offers. They lost millions of Naira.

One called Wazobia operated much like MMM. It was quicker though. Payments were made every three days. All transactions were by telephone. After three payments, they cut off contacts with the depositor whose greed would have enticed into making higher deposits to earn more.

Wisdom seems to rest with those who did not fall into the temptation of reaping the easy money MMM promised. It was enticing, almost more alluring than any temptation.

Four years after the ponzi scheme predictably died, hundreds, possibly

thousands of the same scheme have sprouted to fill the vacuum the collapse of MMM created. They have learnt from MMM to be more deceptive, more decisive and more desperate.

The payment schedules are supposedly shorter. Double returns on investments are made in an hour! Credit alerts of supposed recipients are posted as confirmation that they work.

Yet those making the proposal and the recipients who celebrate the quick return on their investments are the same people. One person using different telephone numbers can type out the bank credit alerts for different banks under different names.

People are still joining schemes where they would make money for doing nothing other than putting some money into a group that makes no sense; the more anyone

tries to explain it. MMM proudly proposed that it made nothing, sold nothing, except promises it finally failed to keep. The new ones are not much different.

Groups on the social media have become the latest hunting grounds.

WhatsApp groups, Facebook accounts, supposed Zoom meetings are new opportunities for fraudsters to swindle people. Once they hack an account, they make their proposal using names and telephone numbers of prominent group members.

MMM claimed it shut down operations in December 2016 because of the anticipated high withdrawals from the scheme. It never came back in the original form. MMM and such schemes make no sense. Whether the contributions were small, N5, 000, for instance, or big sums like N5million, what both contributions had in common was that Continues on page 4

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