BusinessDay 23 Feb 2020 by BusinessDay

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Vol 1, No. 301 N300

Border closure: Customs’ N2trn annual revenue target dims hope of early reopening As Service claims collection of huge revenue possible with border closure

Agents vow to resist arm-twisting See page

??? Almajiri system: TheThe Almajiri system: Northern Northern political political class class and and Sanusi’s Sanusi’s lone lone voice voice

12 Rapid Response Restitution; new approach to recovering African stolen heritage

Seyi Makinde (r), Oyo State governor, in handshake with the immediate past governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi (l); while Rashidi Ladoja, another former governor of the state, looks on during the burial service for The Punch director, Lekan Are held at St David Cathedral, Kudeti, Ibadan.

Certificate forgery and victims of own craft

Ndigbo in search of capable leadership

Obinna Emelike (Lagos) and Innocent Odoh (Abuja)

ince the return of the country to civil rule, a number of politicians has been accused of altering their academic certificates and found their way to undeserved posi-

tions in the country. For this, many have bit the dust as they were either forced to resign their positions or were hindered from assuming the offices they were being considered for. The story of certificate forgery in this dispensation started in 1999 with the former Speaker of the House of Representatives,

Salisu Buhari. The speaker was caught-in-the-web of a scandal when his claim of attending Toronto University in Canada turned out to be false. His forgery also extended to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, where it was also discovered that the place he claimed he completed

his National Youth ServiceStandard Construction in Kano- was also not true as his name could not be found on any record on the list of those who completed the scheme. Buhari was exposed by a news magazine, which then ran with the headline ‘The face of a liar’ with Buhari’s bold picture, which drew

public attention to the scandal. He also lied about his age, claiming he was born in 1963, when his real year of birth was 1970. After investigations, Buhari was found wanting for forgery and he was forced to resign. He was convicted for certificate See page 22

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Cover

Border closure: Customs’ N2trn annual revenue target dims hope of early reopening …As Service claims collection of huge revenue possible with border closure …Agents vow to resist arm-twisting AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

ollowing the resolve by the management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to pursue a whopping annual revenue of N2trillion this year, there has been an increased concern among importers, and manufacturers, who depend on the nation’s seaports and borders for importation of their critical production inputs and machineries as well as export of their finished goods,. For them, the quest to meet the huge revenue target may force the management of the NCS to persuade the Federal Government not to be in a hurry to reopen the nation’s land borders, which have been shut down for business, for the past six months. This concern has also become worrisome following the claim by the management of Customs that the border closure has resulted in increased revenue collection by the Service. BDSUNDAY can recall that recently, the Senate increased the 2020 revenue target of the NCS by N557.4 billion, from N942.6 billion to N1.5 trillion. This, according to the Upper legislative House, was due to the recent report presented by Solomon Adeola-led Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja. The Committee, which pointed out that Customs recorded an outstanding performance in 2019, by overshooting its annual target even in the first nine months of the year, recommended for the adoption of N1.5 trillion as target for 2020. “Customs’ revenue as at September stood at N1 trillion against the budgeted figure of N969.8 billion for the year 2019. This exceeded the targeted revenue despite the global economic challenges and closure of the Nigerian boarders,” the committee said. According to the committee, the revenue increment of NCS can be used to reduce borrowing by N200 billion and increase capital expenditure thereby decreasing the size of the budget deficit from N1.7 trillion to N1.5 trillion and also increase the total capital available to MDAs by N357 billion, from N1.01 trillion to N1.367 trillion. Surprisingly, in addition to the proposed N1.5 trillion revenue targets, Hameed Ali (rtd), comptroller general of Customs, raised this year’s target to N2trillion, saying that the Customs has the capacity to deliver the new

target. According to Ali, the Service’s revenue has increased since the start of the closure of Nigeria’s borders, saying that Customs now collects between N4.7 billion and N5.8 billion daily since the Federal Government closed the nation’s major borders. He said most of the cargoes that used to berth in Benin Republic and later smuggled into the country, now comes direct to Nigerian ports. “Since border closure, Customs revenue has not dropped rather it has increased. When we closed the border, my fear was that our revenue was going to drop. To be honest, our revenue kept increasing. There was a day in September that we collected N9.2 billion, which had never happened before,” Ali stated. Supporting this claim, was the recent assertion by Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, who disclosed that Customs is now generating a daily revenue of N8 billion since the closure of land borders in August. Mohammed, who stated during an assessment tour of the Nigerian side of the border with Niger Republic in Magama Jibia, Katsina State, said the figure represents over 30 percent increase in revenue, since the launch of Exercise Swift Response on August 20, 2019 to secure Nigeria’s land borders. BDSUNDAY can recall that hope for early opening of the land borders to business was recently dashed following the failure of the Federal Government to come to agreement with its neighbors in order to re-open the borders before January 31 deadline, which was the expiration of the first phase of the Joint Security Operation ‘EX-SWIFT’ Response. However, stakeholders especially Customs Licensed Agents have expressed worry over Customs’ emphasis on revenue generation rather than trade facilitation, which supposed to be the major responsibility of Customs operations globally. The huge revenue target, they say, would only result in Customs officers going extra miles by imposing impossible duties and penalties on importers and their agents in their bid to realise the self-imposed N2trillion revenue target. Babatunde Mukaila, national secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), told newsmen that agents have vowed to resist attempts by Customs to armtwist traders and clearing agents. While stressing the need for

Governor Hope Uzodinma governor of Imo State (r), welcoming Ahmed Lawan, Senate president, at the Imo Int’l Cargo Airport, on the latter’s arrival in the state for the burial of the late Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu at the weekend.

Customs to focus more on trade facilitation rather than laying much emphasis on revenue generation, he said, Customs can target N10 trillion provided, it facilitates trade. “It is only when Customs facilitates trade that it can get what it deserves. However, we will not allow them to arm-twist Nigerian traders to arrive at that target. They will collect appropriate duty, not the duty that would enable them get to their target,” he said. He accused Customs of issuing wrong classification of goods to traders, with the sole aim of increasing revenue generation, a development that has remained a major concern for businesses in Nigeria. Mukaila stated that Customs and Excise Management (CEMA) Act states that wrong declaration must attract penalty to discourage such importer, but pointed out that there was need to follow the law to the letter. Tony Nwabunike, national president of ANLCA, told newsmen in Lagos that in other parts of the world, Customs’ main duty was trade facilitation and not revenue generation. “All over the world, Customs is known to facilitate trade. It is only in Nigeria that one sees government setting revenue target for Customs. To us, this is unacceptable as that would make officers to deviate from their main function of trade facilitation and

begin to do unnecessary things in order to meet such targets,” he said. “By setting revenue target for Customs, government is technically discouraging export trade that would earn Nigeria foreign exchange to encourage importation because target could only be met through duty collection,” he explained. Nwabunike called on the Federal Government to review the target, which he said was part of the things that were causing problems at the ports. On his part, Boniface Aniebonam, founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), alleged that there was currently over-valuation of goods that are coming into the country. While charging Nigeria Customs’ administration to pay more attention on the issue of values for imports, said such act would increase smuggling into the country. Aniebonam stated that fulltime smugglers pass through the authorised entry routes like airports or seaports and not the borders. “For instance, when an importer conceals or under-declares or makes wrong declaration, it is a form of smuggling because the motive was to short-change the government.” Sadly, border closure has thrown many legitimate importers into confusion as over 2,000

trucks had been trapped at the Seme border corridor for the past six months. This was why Nwabunike, who stated that his recent visits to the border post presented a disgusting sight of wastage of resources, said some of the perishable goods had expired, decayed or had rotten such that some of them now emit maggots. While stating that it was difficult to place a price tag on the monumental loss incurred by Nigerians due to closure of land border, he blamed the neighbouring West African countries that had been sabotaging Nigeria’s economic and fiscal policies, which resulted in the drastic border closure policy. Pundits believed that the Federal Government had not shown any sign of readiness to reopen the borders anytime soon. Just last Tuesday in Lagos, Customs CG said the government would continue to engage neighbouring countries on the need to comply with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocols on transit trade. Speaking at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Stakeholders’ Forum on Border Closure, in Lagos, Ali, who was represented by Kaycee Ekekezie, zonal coordinator, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, said he had engaged Customs administration of neighbouring countries.

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BDSUNDAY 3

Issue of the Week Economic cost of insecurity amid increasing poverty in the north

Innocent Odoh, Abuja igeria is at a crossroads over the festering i n s e c u r i t y ravaging mostly the northern part of the country. The arch-terrorists operating on the banner of Boko Haram and their grisly pattern of unleashing death and destruction in the north east, proves the gruesome clout of the sect as the predominant champions of mayhem. But the situation gets even worse with the equally deadly cross-border bandits operating in the North West and the marauding killer- herdsmen that have troubled the north central. The three groups probably with variant objectives are synonymous in their proposition of violence to drive their causes. Nearly 30,000 have been killed in the last 10 years by these groups, and about 2.8 million people displaced and economic activities have been crippled with little prospects of revival. The deteriorating economic conditions in the region, the vanishing business opportunities and the rising poverty in the region, remain unquantifiable even as prominent leaders in the region fear the worse. Nigeria according World Poverty Clock, is the poverty capital of the world, meaning that of the estimated 200 million population of Nigeria, over 100 million people are living below the poverty line. Recall that the World Bank in December, warned that the situation could worsen as a quarter of the world’s poor would reside in Nigeria by 2030 if the country does not embark on immediate reforms. According to the recent report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s GDP growth rate is said to be at 2.3percent per annum, which is largely not inclusive, while the population growth is 3.4percent. So population growth surpasses economic growth, making the situation indeed very grim for the country. NBS figures also said that the unemployment figure hit 23.1percent while inflation has jumped to 12.13percent in January from 11.98percent recorded in December. It becomes even more pathetic for the northern region when the World Bank estimated that 87percent of all the poor people in Nigeria are in the north.

Buratai

A report titled, ‘Advancing social protection in a dynamic Nigeria’, said “Poverty in the northern regions of the country has been increasing especially in the north-west zone. Almost half of all poor lived in the north-west and the north accounts for 87 percent of all poor in the country in 2016.” Comparing Nigeria to the rest of the West African region, the World Bank said poverty reduction has been lessresponsive to economic growth. “Despite being a middleincome economy, Nigeria fares astonishingly poorly in poverty and human capital-related outcomes. “The number of people living in extreme poverty has gone up from 2011 to 2016, and many more are vulnerable to falling into poverty, especially in the northern regions of the country.” These figures, of course, elicited reactions from the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, who warned that the north is headed for destruction if nothing changes about the various vices ravaging the region and the concomitant poverty. Th e p a r a m o u n t Ka n o monarch expressed his worries at the 60th birthday of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. He said if the north failed to change by tackling some of the challenges - poverty, insecurity, education, among others; it was then headed for destruction. “Nobody who is a leader in northern Nigeria today can afford to be happy. You cannot be

happy with about 87 percent of poverty in Nigeria is in the north,” he added. He said the northerners need to start doing things differently to experience the desired change. “You can’t be happy with the drug problem, you can’t be happy with the Boko Haram problem. You can’t be happy with political thuggery. You can’t be happy with all the issues; the Almajiri problem that we have,” Emir Sanusi said. Also speaking to BDSUNDAY on the scourge of insecurity in the north and the deepening economic crisis that has engulfed

We need a renewed Nigeria to solve the problem that we are having today, we need a reintegrated Nigeria, a more United Nigerians where all hands must be on deck to confront our common enemies and that must begin from within the Muslim society and the northern region in particular

the region, public affairs analyst and columnist, Majeed Dahiru, said the consequences are enormous. He added that apart from the threat posed to the lives of the people, no serious investor, either foreign or domestic, will risk going to the northern region to invest. Un q u a n t i f i a b l e a m o u n t of business losses has been recorded in the region as even agriculture that is the main stay of the region’s activities has been hampered as most farmers have fled their farms. Dahiru noted that farmers are unable to repay their loan through the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) because according to them, bandits and terrorists have not allowed them a piece of mind to work on their farms to such an extent to make enough profits to repay back the loans. “We are talking about a loss arising from insurgency of over 70 billion naira in just one sector alone. That is the situation of the northern Nigerians for now,” he said. He said further that, “Economic activities cannot thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity and violence on such a proportion that can be described as an outright war. So we are talking about existence in the first place, the lives of the people in the north are actually threatened out of existence and so the economy cannot witness any form of prosperity. “This is more so because this same region has a

problem of acute shortage of human resource arising from educational backwardness. When such a region is plagued by warfare or insurgency, economy suffers immeasurably. And so the talk of foreign investment or any form of foreign investment in northern Nigeria cannot even be contemplated now. Dahiru said Nigerian especially the Muslim community must begin the process of changing the mindset of their population and extricate them from what he called “a uniquely northern Nigerian Muslim culture” that holds western education in contempt which preaches the need for a jihadist revivalism in the contemporary world. “So we need a renewed Nigeria to solve the problem that we are having today, we need a reintegrated Nigeria, a more United Nigerians where all hands must be on deck to confront our common enemies and that must begin from within the Muslim society and the northern region in particular,” he noted. Contributing, the Executive Director of The Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative, a civil society organisation, Livingstone Wechie, lamented the almost endless or continuous escalation of insurgency. He stressed that it has almost crippled the economic environment and prospects of the predominantly affected areas. “The first message that ordinarily goes to an investor both local and foreign while doing feasibility analysis is the role of insurgency vis-a-vis their prospective investment. It is on record that no state where insurgency is ravaging has made significant economic progress so far, rather they are almost a charitable burden to the compassion of their neighbours. This is naturally so because everybody has to be supportive on humanitarian grounds,” he said. I t h o w e v e r, a p p e a r s a Herculean task to tame the monsters ravaging the region as the northern political leadership and the religious establishments appear not ready to change. They always capitalise on the poverty and ignorance of the people to mobilise them only to use their population to hijack political power for the benefit of the elite while the larger population remains deplorably poor. So, the nation has a long way to go and there appears no end in sight as the northern burden continues.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

News 2023: Don’t flee Nigeria for Tinubu, Razak urges Bode George

chieftain of the Al l Pr o g r e s sives Congress (APC), in Lagos, Lanre Razak has advised Bode George of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) not to flee Nigeria in the event of Tinubu’s Presidency in 2023. “He should better be around in Nigeria to enjoy robust governance and dividends of Democracy under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as President,” he advised him, saying, the advice was necessary because as President, Tinubu would not like any Nigerian, including Olabode George, to be left behind in the enjoyment that would be a continuation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s superb legacy.” Razak gave the advice at a media event in his Lagos office while reacting to George’s reported plan to go on exile to the Republic of Togo in the event the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu becomes President in 2023. The former Commissioner for Public Transportation in the state said, it would be unfortunate if an important personality like

Razak

Bode George, at his age, flees his country of origin to sojourn in one of the neighbouring countries who looks up to Nigeria as a big brother! While assuring that Tinubu as President in 2023 would not discriminate against anybody, Razak pointed out that, “with the superlative performance of President Muhammadu

Buhari in office, it is clear that a tested and trusted hand like Tinubu is needed to continue the race where he would stop.” Razak, who is a member of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), expressed the conviction that Tinubu is the best man for the job in 2023, asserting that the good works Tinubu has been doing for humanity

and party politics for long had put him in good stead and in vantage position than some of the people being rooted for the job. The Epe-born politician of the progress extraction was excited that those who know what Tinubu stands for in Nigeria have not relented in defending him to let others realise the unique man as a naturally gifted personality, who has been imparting knowledge in others, insisting that, “Tinubu is the man Nigeria needs as the best man to succeed Buhari.” Razak therefore, urged Nigerians to double their support for President Buhari to succeed in his onerous task of nation building, saying, he needs to be more focused in the path of solving the various challenges facing the country presently in the areas of economy, insecurity and political stability. “2023 is still a bit far ahead and we should therefore, allow the President to be more focused on the good job he is doing to bequeath good legacy to the country,” adding that, “on his successor, when we get to the bridge, God will guide us on how to cross it,” he said.

Bello promises to wage fierce war against criminal elements in Kogi VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

ogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has vowed never to negotiate with criminal elements operating in the state.

Speaking at the weekend at a valedictory court session in honour of the late Justice Shuaib Tom Yakubu, Justice of the Appeal Court, the governor said it would be difficult for his administration to open any chapter

of negotiation with criminal elements but would wage relentless war against them in whatever way they may want to come. “We are living witnesses to pockets of crimes being perpetrated in parts of

L-R: Tunde Adelana, director, Monitoring & Evaluation, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) ; Olayinka Oluwatimehin, group, chief executive officer, Amazon Energy, and Ama Ikuru, general manager, Capacity Building, NCDMB, during the graduation ceremony of the trainees under the NAOC Kwale Gas Flaredown project by NCDMB and Amazon Energy in Lagos.

the state; I want to assure you and every citizen in the state that my administration will take the war against them right into their den anywhere in the state,” he said. According to Bello, “My administration will never negotiate with them, rather we will take the war to them wherever they may be hidding, never again will we allow any kidnapping in the state; every citizen is assured and their safety guaranteed.” Bello showered encomium on the departing Judge, describing him as an impeccable character that left his footprints in the sand of times. Also speaking at the valedictory court session, Senior Advocate, Alex Iziyon said that the bench has lost a rare gem that will be difficult to replace. “His love for humanity was legendary, his philanthropic spirit was second to none; so also his dedication to duty will remain evergreen in the minds of all that have had encounter with him at one time or the other,” Iziyon noted.

Ita Enang writes Buhari over CalabarIkot Ekpene federal highway ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

orried by the deplorable condition o f t h e Ik o t Ekpene-Calabar federal highway which links Akwa Ibom, Abia and Cross River States, Ita Solomon Enang has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, appealing for budgetary allocation for the prompt construction of the road project. Ita Enang, who was the senior special assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, stated this in a press release made available to the media. He thanked the President for approving the award of contract for the road project at a cost of N50.2billion, saying with the development, the President has “breathed life into the economy of the SouthSouth & South East, this road being the economic artery of the two zones and indeed lightened the sufferings of the commuting public.” Th e r o a d w a s f i r s t constructed in 1976 as single lane but would now be a dual carriage way from Calabar-

Odukpani in Cross River State to Itu-Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State. The section from IkotEkpene (Akwa Ibom) to Aba in Abia State has yet to be awarded. Ita Enang , who also lauded the Federal Executive Council, the minister of works and housing as well as the former minister of budget and national p l a n n i n g , Ud o m a Ud o Udoma, for working with him “to capture the funds in the appropriation process,” appealed for assistance “for the take off and sustenance of the project for completion within the contractual timeframe by making adequate budgetary provisions annually.” He also thanked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and expressed the hope his efforts and that of his colleagues in the federal executive council as seen in the road project would continue to make more impact in the South South/South East geopolitical zones of the country.

Abia community leader calls on federal, state legislators to enact law against pre-marital sex …Says Nigeria should borrow a leaf from Indonesia UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

ames Nnadozie Uchegbuo, a community leader in Ahuwa Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, has called on both the National and State Assemblies to enact laws against premarital sex in the country. Uchegbuo, who spoke with select newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State capital, noted that most of the miscreants seen in the society were mainly children born out of wedlock and premarital sex. He therefore, called on both the Federal and State legislators to borrow a leaf from what Indonesia had done in their legislation, say it was one of the best ways to plan the economy, better the future of the Nigerian youths and reduce cultism, terrorism, gangsterism and other social vices that affect the country’s stability. “We have a problem in Nigeria and the truth of the matter is that over 70 percent of Nigerians are ignorant. They hear about celebrations like the Valentine’s Day, and because half education is dangerous, amorous love is attached to 14th February. Our youths take Valentine’s Day as a day to engage in premarital sex in the name of love,”

he said. According to him, “Nigeria has been having series of issues on our economic development and planning without considering the factors that affect every plan to be fruitless, which include population explosion, poor parental upbringing by single mothers, juvenile delinquency among the youths, STDs, among other factors that affect our economic development. “Most of these miscreants we see in society are mainly children born out of wedlock and premarital sex. Nigeria should take an example of what the Indonesian government has done in their legislation against premarital sex”. He disclosed that prior to the Valentine’s Day, the Indonesian security agencies had scolded stores over condom displays and warned students that they would be reprimanded for amorous activities. They had during the Valentine’s Day eve, also, raided hotels and guest houses and arrested about two dozen unmarried offenders, including a German national. “These social illnesses must be prevented. We need to remind the public to uphold our culture and ethics,” he added.

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BDSUNDAY 5

News MTN launches youth entrepreneurship RMRDC wants Taraba to development programme establish industrial park

…To empower young entrepreneurs Obinna Emelike

n contributing to the youth empowerment narrative towards strengthening and building capacity of young entrepreneurs, MTN Nigeria has introduced Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP) for young entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The programme offers a line of credit, valuable training and mentorship opportunities to eligibleyoungentrepreneurs. YEDP candidates are recipients of the MTN Foundation’s Annual Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme and the Scholarship Scheme for Blind Students, which provide awardees in Federal Government tertiary institutions with financial support to cover their tuition fees, book allowance and stipend, from second year till graduation. Fi f t y s u c c e s s f u l

participants will receive loan support of up to N2million each with a grant of 10percent on the principal amount. The loan is repayable after 36 months at an interest rate of 5percent with six months moratorium. Th e M T N Fo u n d a t i o n engaged the services of BoI, based on its expertise as an administrative partner to drive the implementation of this initiative. Odunayo Sanya, acting executive secretary, MTN Foundation, said the telecommunication company decided to give loans so as to create a sense of responsibility in dealing with funds for their businesses. “In addition to our employabilityworkshops,we have taken a step further with the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme, by ensuring that these bright minds have access to the funds required to take an active part in building their businesses and support their families and communities,”

Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo

Sanya said. According to her, unemployment is one of the biggest challenges for Nigerian graduates. “There are more young people than the available jobs and we decided to provide a solution to this,” she said. Sanya further said that only participants whose business plan fulfil the criteria of viability and sustainability would be awarded the loan. YEDP started with online and in-class trainings for the candidates which were facilitated by experts from the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the PanAtlantic University, Lagos and Bank of Industry (BoI). Beneficiaries later pitched their business plans to a panel of judges, comprising experts in various industries, while candidates’ business ideas cover various sectors of the economy including agriculture, ICT, health, beauty and fashion, oil and gas, education, among others.

hmed Abdullahi, the Taraba coordinator of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has urged the Taraba State Government to establish an industrial park in order to stimulate development of the state. Abdullahi made the call while presenting a paper titled ‘Harnessing the abundant local raw materials for industrial development in Taraba’, at the 2nd pre-graduation seminar organised by Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) in Jalingo. The coordinator noted that an industrial park, when established, would help tackle the frustration faced by young entrepreneurs, by adequately accommodating their businesses for steady growth for the benefit of the state and the nation. Abdullahi, who said Taraba was richly blessed with both mineral and agro-raw

materials, called on the state government to provide the enabling environment the young entrepreneurs to exploit the materials for economic growth. “The absence of an industrial park in Taraba is a serious minus for industrial development of the state despite its huge potential in agro and mineral raw materials. “A lot of young entrepreneurs face frustrations in the state after graduating from their various vocational trainings over lack of a ready place to accommodate their businesses and this can be tackled by establishment of a standard industrial park in the state,” he said. Abdullahi said RMRDC through its public-private partnership initiatives had greatly promoted local fabrication of machines and equipment for value addition to the country. The coordinator also highlighted various mineral and agricultural resources available in the state, including barytes, bauxite, limestone, mica,

gypum, graphite, gemstones, galena, feldpar, urarium, tea, coffee, cocoa, among others. Earlier in a welcome address, Bulus Ibrahim, the Centre manager, said the centre which was established in 2010 and took off in 2011 with two pioneer entrepreneurs graduated 11 entrepreneurs at the event whom he noted, have already grown from start up stage to small and medium enterprises. According to him, the graduating entrepreneurs while under the programme had enjoyed a lot of business support services such a sponsorship of various trainings, workshops, trade fairs, among others. Ibrahim sought the support of the stakeholders at the event in order to sustain the benefits derived from the incubation programmes. The centre manager conducted the guests round the various machines, tricycles, motorcycles, bags and shoes among other items made by the entrepreneurs in the centre.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

News

Uzodinma canvasses support for military against insurgency SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

overnor Hope Uzodinma of IMO State has called on all Nigerians not to politicise the issue of security in the overall interest of the nation. Uzodinma , while addressing newsmen at the Sam Mbakwe Int’l Cargo Airport on his return after travelling with President Muhammadu Buhari on a five-day working visit to Addis Ababa, said that insecurity did not start with President Buhari and that the government was doing its best to nip the problem in the bud. “Government is winning the war against terror as can be witnessed with the success recorded since President Buhari took over power. “Before 2015, Boko Haram was in control of 17 local government areas of Borno State and nobody dared visit the borders of Adamawa and Yobe states. Today, the story has changed and government is in control of the three states,” he said, noting that people in the affected states were now going about their normal businesses unlike before when in 2015, they voted from IDP camps”. He described terrorism

Uzodinma

as a global menace that requires the total support and collaboration of all citizens of any nation that wants to win the war. “The President is resilient and determined, our armed forces are doing their best; all they need is the support and prayers of all Nigerians. I am confident that Nigeria is moving in the right direction under President Buhari,” the governor said. On his working visit with the President to Addis Ababa, Governor Uzodinma explained that President Buhari led the team to discuss the issues of regional and coordinated free trade in Africa. He stated that treaty has been signed and the Nigerian Parliament will look into it; after which, there will be a public hearing on the matter. He assured that President

Buhari was not resting on his oars in his firm determination to improve on the economy and the well being of Nigerians. Shedding light on the Supreme Court review of the January 14th judgment that enthroned him as the governor of Imo State, he said that since the matter was in court, he would not discuss it. He however, said: “I’m aware, as a lawmaker, that jurisdiction is given to the court by the constitution; and under 4th alteration, Section 285 (7) of the Constitution, 1999 (as amended), the Supreme Court is allowed only 60 days to adjudicate into electoral matters and 60 days have since elapsed. Going back to the Supreme Court is just a mere academic exercise.”

NPA takes CSR to over 200 people in Imo community AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

s part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has donated skills empowerment items to over 200 people of Umuoziri Inyisi, Ikeduru LGA in Imo State. The aim of the Authority was to equip Nigerian youths in the communities, with vocational and life skills that can create wealth and support livelihood. Speaking at the presentation of the items to the good people of Umuoziri Inyisi, Hadiza Bala Usman, managing director of NPA, expressed NPA’s unwavering commitment to impact positively on lives by giving back to the society.

Usman, who was represented by Ikechukwu Onyemekara, principal manager, Corporate/Strategic Communication in NPA, said as a Federal Government’s agency, the Authority is committed to contributing to the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari administration to drastically reduce the number of people living in abject poverty. “We are hopeful that these items, which include electrical grinding machines, sewing machines, and hand grinding machines will go a long way in putting food on the table of people in the community. We also hope that once beneficiaries get to work with these items, they would be able to take care of their basic needs of life that were hitherto problematic,’’ she stated. According to her, the Authority is particularly interested in the empowerment of women and the youth giving the importance of their role and assistance they can offer to the fathers in upbringing of the children and the maintenance of the homes.

“In the case of our youths, it is important they have some work at hand at every material time to discourage them from being tempted into engaging in anti-social activities,” Usman said. She further said that the Authority had taken note of people with skills and those without skills. “This was why we have sewing machines, which will be distributed to people who have learned the trade. The grinding machines would be for women and youths who have not acquired any skills,” she stated. She congratulated the beneficiaries, and advised them to make judicious use of the items, adding that the NPA have had instances of people who sell the items given to them immediately after handover, but ‘we appeal that you do not do this’. Eze Andrew Osuji, traditional ruler of Inyisi Autonomous Community applauded NPA for initiating such a laudable programme to benefit youths of the community. The monarch also urged the beneficiaries to make appropriate use of the items.

GivingNg: Over 240 donors feed families in Nasarawa IDP camp

bout 241 individuals and corporate bodies joined hands with digital crowdfunding platform, Giving.Ng, to feed families at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in New Karu, Nasarawa State in January. A statement by Giving. Ng, shows that the donation was sponsored by both individuals and corporate organisations that include Seven Up Bottling Company, Sterling Bank Plc and Ella’s FoodBank. Speaking during the donation at New Karu, the First Lady of Nasarawa State, Hajia Silifat Sule, commended the individuals and corporate bodies for committing their resources to the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. She added that the feeding programme initiated by Giving.Ng exemplifies the true spirit of the Nigerian people. She promised further collaboration with the platform so as to increase the scale of impact. Expressing gratitude to the donors, a member of the lower chamber of the National Assembly, representing Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency in the State, Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi, commended Giving. Ng and her partners for the

impactful outreach. “We know that individuals and corporate bodies have social responsibility and are obliged to act for the benefit of society at large. Yet, I am particularly touched that Nigerians from all walks of life and a few corporations chose to actually extend the hand of love to this particular IDP camp. To say the least, I am moved, and I really appreciate this gesture on their behalf,” he said. Justifying the reason for his organisation’s support, the Marketing manager, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Segun Ogunleye, said the donation of Aquafina water, Pepsi and other drinks bottled by the company was a token to the IDPs who have gone through a lot in recent times. HecommendedGiving.ng for the timely initiative while promising more support to the needy in the society. In her remarks, the Founder of Ella’s Foodbank, Emmanuella Chimdi Ibeawuchi, stated that her organisation partnered with Giving.Ng because the platform has shown commitment to the social initiative using an uncommon approach. Sterling Bank’s Regional Channels Manager, Abuja, Nelson Ozuem, who spoke

on behalf of the Bank, said the donation shows the commitment of the top financial firm to giving back to the society. Ozuem pledged that Sterling Bank will continue to partner with stakeholders in its efforts to improve lives of deserving members of the public.Earlier in her address, Giving.Ng Project Manager, Peju Ibekwe, lauded the support of Nigerians and corporate partners who supported the effort of her team. She added that Giving. Ng was committed to doing more, noting that the platform has potentials of making a huge impact in the lives of people that need help. She called on all Nigerians willing to make unusual impact to visit the online platform on www.giving.ng and give towards causes they are passionate about. She added that causes on the platform include scholarships for less privileged children, donations for children with heart issues, planting of trees to protect the environment, capacity building for street children and free breast cancer tests to prevent unnecessary deaths among others in partnership with various non-governmental organisations. Donations can be made on www.giving.ng, she stressed.

Stakeholders to discuss advertising, power of Nigerian story at IMC industry evening

SEYI JOHN SALAU

s media spend continues to dwindle amidst dropping advertising revenue, stakeholders in the Nigeria’s integrated marketing communications (IMC) industry will converge on Lagos to discuss the future of advertising and power of Nigerian story at the IMC industry evening with Goddie Ofose, a brand analyst, journalist and convener, to discuss critical issues in the Nigerian marketing communications space tagged, ‘Advertising and the Power of

the Nigerian Story’. According to the convener, the event which is scheduled to hold on 6 March at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos will have Gboyega Akosile, chief press secretary to Lagos State Governor, as the special guest of honour. While Lanre Adisa, chief creative officer, Noah’s Ark Limited, will present the lead paper. The convener said weaving the conversation around the Nigerian story will not only deepen the evening’s conversation but equally throw up ideas that will bolster the corporate image of brand Nigeria and raise the national con-

sciousness of industry players, young practitioners, students and other stakeholders. According to Ofose, the theme ‘Advertising and the Power of the Nigerian Story’, the speaker, panelists and other stakeholders present will explore the overriding engagement benefits derivable in deepening the Nigerian socialcultural content in advertising. “The evening was designed to bring together industry leaders that I have interacted with over the years in the quest to rev up conversations that will move the Nigerian Marketing andCommunicationsindustry forward,” Ofose stated.

Why we are insisting on standardized MoUs with IOC, others, says Sampson ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

he Akwa Ibom government has given reasons why it is insisting on standardized Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Oil companies (IOCs) and other firms operating in the state saying it is to ensure synergy for mutual understanding. It would reduce tensions

and distress situations in the host communities to the barest minimum, it stated. “We believe that when we standardize MoUs, restiveness , tensions, distress will be reduced to the barest minimum because some of the MoUs, are clearly oppressive and have substantially deprived the host communities and indeed the state government of their rights. So we are working hard to

standardize MoUs.” Ekong Sampson, commissioner for environment and petroleum resources in an interview with BDSUNDAY in Uyo, the state capital, explained that because of disunity in the host communities, the IOCs often exploit the situation adding that the state government has directed the oil companies and other oil and gas firms to operate functional offices in the state.

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FLP marks two decades of promoting healthy living in Nigeria through multi-level marketing

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE orever Living Products (FLP), an American multi-level marketingcompanythat manufactures and marketsaloevera-basedproducts, has celebrated 20 years of promoting healthy living culture among Nigerians using its various food supplements and other aloe vera products. In the past 20 years, the company has also been able to contribute its quota in the drive to alleviate poverty through job and wealth creation for thousands of Nigerians, who signed up to its multi-levelmarketingstrategy. Surviving in Nigeria in the last 20 years has gone a long way to show the acceptability, desirability and business viability of Forever Living Products in Nigerian market, says industry watchers. Currently, FLP thrives on multi-level marketing model, which was described by Rex Maughan, executive chairman/founder of Forever as an opportunity based on beautiful and pure concept of sharing

products with people around them. “Anyone with a passion forsharinghealthandwellness with others and watching their lives improve can build the business,” he said. In a recent event held to flag-off the first Success Showcase for 2020, Oma Attah, wife of Tony Attah, managing director of Nige-

s competition into the absorbent hygiene products, especially baby diapers, continues to increase on the back of Nigeria’s birth rate and population growth, Kimberly-Clark, makers of Huggies baby diapers, recently introduced its new form of diaper, ‘Nappy Pants’ into Nigeria to push for more market share. The new Huggies Nappy Pants are specially designed for the comfortability of mothers and their babies providing ease of use and fitness that also guarantee all night dryness for babies at all times. The Huggies Nappy Pants was launched to further reinforce thebrand’spositiononitscommitment to deliver quality products to Nigerian mothers and babies. The Nigeria market has over 15 diaper brands jostling for market share, while some have emerged top brands with national spread; others are confined to regional segment of the market, holding down their share of the market. Therefore, Huggies seeks to increase its market share with innovative offerings to beat stiff competition in Nigeria, especially within the retail segment of the market. Kemi Saliu, head of marketing, WECA region, said the new diaper comes in innova-

by their grandma, the original Oma (Attah),”she said. Earlier, Daniel Ikechukwu, country manager, inaugurated a 12-man executive committee for 2020, charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all the company’s policy and plans for Nigeria trickles down to all Forever Business Owners (FBOs) in Nigeria.

L-R The VP Forever Living Products Africa Jean-Baptiste Amichia, Clement Idigo, Susan Oyemade and the Country Sales Manager, Forever Living Products Nigeria, Daniel Ikechukwu

Kimberly-Clark introduces ‘Nappy Pants’ into Nigeria market SEYI JOHN SALAU

ria LNG, revealed her earlier vow to carry out her Forever business successfully for the benefit of her children and grand-children. “I want to create a dynasty ofOmassuchthattherewould be Oma I, Oma II, Oma III in this business. My grandchildren will testify that this business was founded for them

tive pull-up pants formats, which are ultra-soft ‘diaperpant’ developed to protect a baby’s delicate skin with soft and flexible waistband that provides comfort for baby and ease of use for mum at all times. “As consumers increasingly adopt the practice of using diapering solutions, we will continue to put all efforts behind understanding consumers’ needs better and providing them with innovative solutions and products. Huggies Nappy Pants is specifically designed to meet evolving needs of parents,” said Saliu. Martha Kayode, brand manager for Huggies, said the newly introduced nappy pants is a result of research findings that keys into the brand’s overall objective to offer mothers the ease of use, fitness and all-day superior dryness and protection for their babies. “Huggies Nappy Pants are a result of research findings and an overall objective to offer mums all-day superior dryness and protection for babies,” Kayode stated. According to her, Huggies Nappy Pant is available in stores and outlets nationwide in sizes 3, 4 and 5 suitable for babies from three months upward. She opined that with the new line of product, Huggies aim to ensure mothers’ convenience and babies’ freedom and comfort that come with wearing a nappy pant.

Kogi pledges to partner NCAN on economic diversification VICTORIA NNAKAIKE, Lokoja

s the cost of the nation’scrudeoilfalls in the international market, the Kogi St ate gov ern ment ha s indicated its readiness to collaborate with t h e Na t i o n a l Ca s h e w Association of Nigeria (NCAN) on diversification of the economy to boost job creation for the unemployed youths and to ensure food security across the country. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State gave the indication at the flag off ceremony of Cashew Trading Season tagged ‘Repositioning 2020’ held in Lokoja. Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Agriculture, Em m a n u e l Id e n y i , t h e governor described agriculture as the main stay of any nation’s economy, saying that “Agriculture is the only alternative for survival in Nigeria. We have no option than to go back to land under the current economic challenges facing Nigeria” He gave the assurance that his administration would not relent in sustaining its

current status of being the highest producer of cashew in Nigeria, as he challenged the stakeholders in cashew business to ensure high quality of the product for successful sales as well as profit maximisation both within and outside the country. Governor Bell equally stressed the need for the establishment of processing industries for cashew products across the country as it will earn all states in the federation more revenue than exportation of the product alone. “Asstakeholdersincashew business, all hands must be on deck to compliment government’s efforts in finding lasting solution to the problem of storage and associated diseases ravaging the products. We should also strive to avoid anything that will compromise the value of cashew industry”. Earlier, the National President of the Association, Joseph Ojo Ajanaku said that (NCAN) is an umbrella body of Cashew value chain spread in 24 states of the federation to take care of production, procession and marketing of cashew product.

Akwa Ibom warns against employment scam by fraudsters ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

orried by the increasing n u m b e r of people who have fallen victim to the activities of fraudsters defrauding unemployed youths, the Akwa Ibom State government has put members of the public on notice, warning them to be wary of those promising people employment into the state civil service. The level of unemployment in Akwa Ibom State is believed to be the highest in the Niger Delta though the state government says this is often exaggerated. According to Effiong

Es s i e n , h e a d o f c i v i l service in the state, the fraudsters also promise training programmes, adding that they have adopted various methods of operations which he said include posting of job

Effiong Essien

vacancies via WhatsApp, text messages, messages on fictitious Akwa Ibom State Websites and other social media platforms, demanding online payment or cash payment into their accounts for such nonexisting employment. “Government hereby informs the teeming jobseekers and the general public that employment into the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service is free of any charge and always duly publicised through advertorials in the print and electronic media in addition to placement on a dedicated website and call circulars to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies ( M D As) , a f t e r w h i c h names are shortlisted and interviews conducted

before appointment. In a statement in Uyo, the state capital, Essien urged the public “to always cross-check advertised employment opportunities at the relevant government offices and give details of such impersonators and fraudsters to the security agencies for necessary action.” In an earlier interview with BusinessDay, the head of civil service had denied that there was a secret ongoing employment into the state civil service, saying instead that those employments were selected from the data base of the state government from those who had earlier responded to advertised positions mainly in critical areas of medicine and related field.”

Uzodinma names Ihitte Uboma College of Education after Uwajumogu

he Imo State Governor, Hope Uz o d i m m a h a s described the late Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu as a humane, but action-packed legislator whose contributions to the political development of his area, Imo and Nigeria would remain indelible. Uw aju mo g u pas s e d on December 18, 2019 in Abuja few months after being declared winner of the Okigwe North Senatorial

seat for a second term. Governor Uzodimma spoke at the burial of the senator at his country home, Ihitte Uboma on Friday, February 21. He said that the late Senator Uwajumogu’s life and times were testimonies of what he represented, noting that even in the face of difficulties, “Ben survived political turmoil to return to the red chambers the second term but death did not allow him accomplish

his desire to provide for his people effective representation”. Governor Uzodimma used the occasion to immortalise the late senator by renaming the stateowned College of Education, Ihitte Uboma to Benjamin Uwajumogu College of Education. Th e l a t e S e n a t o r ’ s burial ceremony was attended by Nigerians from all walks of life with President Muhammadu Buhari

represented by the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajuba, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; his Deputy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and about 20 serving and former senators of the Federal Republic. Others who graced the occasion were former Imo State governors, Ikedi Ohakim and Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Deputy Governor, Douglas Acholonu.

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PhotoSplash

R-l: Bishop Priscilla Otuya, Managing Editor Newsbeats publication/ Mother of Nation awardee, Vera Anyagafu and the president First Ladies Forum Evangelist Vivienne Ogboru, during the Omega Women’s conference/ awards held in Lagos recently.

L-R: Adebimpe Nyamida, MD, D-Bimps Stores/recipient of 2019 Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC)/ Regional Top Trade Partner Award; Muyibat Quadri, MD, All Seasons Caravan Trading Venture/recipient of 2019 NBC Regional Top Trade Partner Award; Goran Sladic, sales director (Greater Lagos), NBC; Bunmi Adenola, MD, Vicmart MDP/recipient of 2019 NBC Regional Top Trade Partner Award, and Deborah Situ, MD Sapphires and Garnet Consult/recipient of 2019 NBC Regional Top Trade Partner Award, at NBC’s Greater Lagos Sales Conference in Lagos.

L-R: Olumuyiwa Akande, head, corporate communications, SIFAX Group; Oliver Omajuwa, GM, SIFAX Off Dock and Philips Ojo, Officer, corporate communications, as Omajuwa bagged NIMN at the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria Fellows’ Dinner and Awards Night.

Bescom School: A primary and secondary, in Ijegun, Satellite, Lagos, and a 3rd times prize/award winning Mathematics, English and Home Economics; Florence, coordinator, engages the student on intensive cooking , Food for the belle/kitchen practical.

Standing from the right : President Nigeria Society of Engineers, Babagana Mohammed; president Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, Funmilola Ojelade; scholarship Awardee; Director Compos Mentis Chambers, Emokiniovo Dafe-Akpedeye; founder Osiade for Girls in Engineering Foundation, Patricia Opene-Odili during the foundation’s scholarship presentation to seven students in Benin, Edo state recently as a STEM Initiative of Dr. Patricia Opene-Odili.

Femi Gbajabiamila (m), speaker, House of Representatives; Raymon Dokpesi Jnr (2nd l), chairman, DAAR Communication; Benjamin Kalu (l), chairman, House Committee on Media; Tony Akiotu (2nd r), GMD, DAAR Communication, and Amaechi Amakwue (r), at a courtesy visit to the speaker by a delegation from DAAR Communication at the National Assembly

L-R: Udeme Ufot, GMD, SO&U, and Edem Duke, former minister of culture and tourism, at the burial of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s father, late Elder Gabriel Emmanuel Nkanang in Awah Iman, Akwa Ibom State

L-R: Adewunmi Alode, general counsel & company secretary; Ikechukwu Ogah, minister of mines & steel development; Adamu Mohammed, acting plant manager Ewekoro, and Titilope Oguntuga, sustainable development & corporate brand manager, at the visit of the minister to the Lafarge Africa Ewekoro Plant in Ogun State

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Depression and futility of suicide

Publisher/Editor-in-chief

Frank Aigbogun

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

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

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

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

@Businessdayng

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

ecently, 22-year-old Daibo Toju Davies reportedly jumped into the lagoon on the 3rd Mainland Bridge

in Lagos. Davies, a resident of 17 Sosanya Street, Gbagada Soluyi, Lagos, allegedly engaged the services of Uber Taxi, with number plate KSF 426 GB, from Mercy Hospital, Gbagada. He purportedly stopped the driver on the excuse of having stomach upset, only to abruptly jump off the 3rd Mainland Bridge into the lagoon. Two luggage, containing his personal effects, and a sworn affidavit with the Lagos High Court, were later found in the car. It is difficult to say whether or not the young man had issues with depression. However, the kind of action he took is often associated with depression. And depression has been on rise recently. About 480 million people across the world experience depression during their lifetime, according to recent research. According to a WHO data, by 2020, major depres-

sive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children. The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 150 billion dollars each year in the United States. Thus, if not properly addressed, depression could as well turn out to be a time bomb waiting to explode in an already troubled world. The Medilexicon’s medical dictionary depicts depression as medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, depression is a medical condition that often results in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Depression is more than just a feeling of being sad or moody for a few days. symptoms of depression include feeling sad or empty, loss of interest in favourite activities, over eating, or not wanting to eat at all, not being able to sleep or sleeping too much, fatigue, feeling of hopelessness, irritation, anxiety, guilt, aches, pains, thought of death or suicide, erratic or changed behaviour, loneliness, desperation among others. Medically, depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in things that the victim is ordinarily usually passionate about. It is also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression and it affects how the victim feels, thinks and behaves. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems which include finding it difficult to embark on daily activities. It can

also lead to marital troubles as depression victims find it very hard adjusting to family values and ethics. Indeed, coping with the stress of family life causes more difficulties for victims of depression. Causes of depression are complex and vary, depending on the particular disorder and individuals. Genetics, drugs, loss, disease or injury, neurocognitive and psychological mechanisms, and life experiences, society and culture, can all contribute to depression in people. The most common, view, however, is that depression tend to result from genetic vulnerabilities and environmental stressors that combine to trigger disorder. Cases of pronounced mental health condition have also unsurprisingly increased. Along major cities in the country, you are likely to come across clean and beautifully dressed compatriots who talk and walk alone, actually without any destination in mind. This, to medical workers is a vital sign of depression induced insanity, which if not quickly attended to could lead to serious psychiatric condition. Universally, tough economic challenges often lead to depression. Latest indications have revealed that many people now run the risk of clinical depression in our country. According to reports, the rate of marital break ups has increased while matrimonial violence occasioned by emotional and psychological woes have equally multiplied significantly. There have been reports of men absconding home in order to escape growing domestic responsibilities.

Therefore, we now have more women who are over-burdened with excruciating domestic pressures. Cases of pronounced mental health condition have also unsurprisingly increased. Along major cities in the country, you are likely to come across clean and beautifully dressed compatriots who talk and walk alone, actually without any destination in mind. This, to medical workers is a vital sign of depression induced insanity, which if not quickly attended to could lead to serious psychiatric condition. If not properly addressed, depression could culminate in suicide, as in the unfortunate case of Toju Davies. Ironically, suicide is almost a strange occurrence in our clime as Nigerians are, perhaps, the most optimistic set of people on earth. The resilience of a typical Nigerian as well as his dynamic spiritual fortitude make suicide the least of his contemplations. Recent events have, however, altered this entire hypothesis, as current happenings have shown that Nigerians are not, after all, immune from suicide. It is, however, important to stress that no matter the enormity of the challenge anyone faces, suicide is not always a logical option. Instead of ending it all in such tragic fashion, it is often better to share whatever hassles one is facing with trusted folks. As it is commonly said, a problem shared is a problem solved. Emotional healing occurs whenever a problem is shared.

Note: the rest of this article continues in the online edition of Business Day @ https://businessday.ng

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Apapa gridlock: Stakeholders zero in on collaboration JOSHUA BASSEY

takeholders, including business owners, port users, terminal operators, residents, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Presidential Task Team (PTT) on restoration of law and order in Apapa, are of consensus opinion that an effective collaboration among the parties tackling the congestion within the Apapa ports and the access roads will bring about better result. At a recent meeting convened to review activities within the ports and the performance level of the PTT since established nine months ago, the stakeholders agreed that some progress had been made, but a lot still needed to be done and this required collaborative efforts of all parties involved. They believed that corruption and the illegal activities of some operators within the maritime sector were at the root of some of the challenges confronting the ports environment, and that every stakeholder must play its role to stamp it out. The PTT which is domiciled in the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was established in May 2019 with Kayode Opeifa, a former commissioner for transportation in Lagos State, vice chairman. The team was given the responsibility to return sanity to the port access roads following perennial chaotic traffic situation in the axis. Various stakeholders took turns at the meeting to share their views and particularly hit hard at truck drivers and terminal port operators. Nonetheless, they applauded the enforcement arm of the PTT driven by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos, Hakeem Odumusu, and Bayo Sulaiman, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) among others, for restoring an appreciable level of sanity to Apapa. Frank Aigbogun, publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, took time at the meeting to high-

light the frustration that residents and businesses have had to go through in Apapa over the years. According to Aigbogun, quite a number of residents of the Apapa GRA have had to abandon their homes to seek refuge somewhere else. He also lamented the increasing costs of doing business from the Apapa ports occasioned by the continued congestion within the ports and the access roads. Aigbogun narrated how shortly before Christmas, he had signed a cheque of N690,000 to carry a 40 feet container of newsprint from the Apapa port to his office on Point Road. “I signed a cheque shortly before Christmas to take three containers of our newsprint and each trailer was N690,000. When we started business in Apapa, we were paying at worst N40,000 to bring a container, it rose to N100,000 and now N690,000 for one container. Who is sharing the money? I think we can solve the problem in Apapa. We solved it in September 2019, why can’t we solve it now? Why should we allow this mess to continue? He queried. Aigbogun challenged the government to rise in finding a solution to the national embarrassment at the nation’s busiest ports. “I think we must be desperate to remove this shame. I appeal to federal, state governments and stakeholders to work together towards solving these problems. There should be unity of purpose.

It will only serve us well. All corrupt officials must be exposed,” said Aigbogun, as he lamented the rot that the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports have become. Opeifa, executive vice chairman of the presidential task team, armed with video and photo evidences of various sections of Apapa since he assumed the role in May, 2019, explained the efforts made by his team in combating the menace. According to Opeifa, the PTT was recording huge successes until September 2019. “As at September 2019, we were even contemplating moving out of Apapa to allow other government agencies consolidate on our successes.” The PTT, he said was to enforce the permanent removal of all trucks stationary on the highway, develop an effective manual truck call-up system, pending the introduction of the electronic truck callup system, develop and implement a workable empty container return and export container truck handling policy, among others. It was also mandated

to remove all extortionist and illegal traffic control groups around Port operations. Opeifa traced the crisis in Apapa since October 2019 to the shutting of Lilypond, urging a return of Lilypond to its pre-October status. On the restoration of law and order, the PTT vice chair noted that law and order has been fully restored in Apapa Wharf, Lagos Badagry-Iganmu and the Ijora axis, as well as on the Mile 2 to Tin Can Port Gate. Opeifa believed that to defeat corruption that is fighting back at the PTT achievements, the call-up system designed by all stakeholders must work. According to the former Lagos commissioner, the terminal operators have refused to cooperate by not providing data of how many trucks are attended to daily at the port which has made it impossible to manage the flow of trucks in and out of the ports. Opeifa said that gridlock in Apapa has been significantly reduced, but accused some residents of converting their prop-

As at September 2019, we were even contemplating moving out of Apapa to allow other government agencies consolidate on our successes

erties to private container terminals. He explained that most of the culprits were owners of residences located along the waterways. Manager of the Apapa Port complex, Funmi Olotu blamed the gridlock on the illegal activities of some truck drivers, who practiced what she called, “marching brakes,” which allows another truck to move ahead to port after collecting N20,000,00. While acknowledging personal effort of ACP Bayo Sulaimon in keeping the recalcitrant truck drivers in check, the ports manager tasked the task team to conduct investigation into the “marching brakes” style and make scapegoats out of culprits caught in order to deter others. She also blamed port terminal operators, saying there was no synergy between Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the operators. “There should be collective efforts to address the ports congestion and gridlock.” On illegal jetties, Olotu said that most buildings in the waterfront were the ones involved in the illegal activities. According him, none of those residents has the Nigerian Ports Authority’s permission to operate as such and as a result. Olotu said that some of the illegal private jetty operators claim to have approval; a development that made the NPA to undertake a tour of their facilities. “Some of them claimed to have secured approval and so what we did was to take a tour of these places and we closed them down because these trucks were port bound, that is our own that argument. “Whatever is happening anywhere, everybody is to gain access into the port, so if you are not ready to receive, do not approach us. If you approach us illegally, we will turn you back, that is the only cardinal point we are holding onto. “The moment you are not on our call-up system and you smuggle your way to approach the port from the port gate we will turn you back.” The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) represent-

ed by Danladi Muazu, commended the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) for the stakeholders initiative, saying, the NSC comptroller-general was committed to ensuring that the bad eggs within its operations are weeded out. Representative of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Frank Nyiaogu lamented that many of its members have been operating below installed capacity while some have closed down their businesses due to the poor environment, especially at the port. Sam Agu, hailed the PTT. According to him, the stakeholders’ forum was called to come up with solutions to the lingering challenges at Apapa, adding that attempts are being made to commit stakeholders to effecting changes that would make the port devoid of unwholesome practices. He advocated among others the return of full operationalisation of Lilypond and Tin Can truck terminals. One of the terminal operators, Akin Omole, said all hands must be on deck towards finding an enduring solution to the gridlock in Apapa and its environs just as he commended the enforcement team for its untiring efforts in making the traffic flow. “If Apapa works, we are all winners. But, we are all victims. There is need for better coordination and cooperation among agencies of government. We need to work more closely together to address the challenges. There should be no competition or rivalry.” He also stressed the need to regulate activities of barges in Apapa ports. Femi Olawore, a major fish importer said the Apapa traffic congestion has been a major challenge to him and most of his colleagues in the fishmongers business. He wants the NPA and the task team to continue to work at sanitising traffic management in Apapa. Th e o p e r a t o r s a n d stakeholders agreed on the need for collaboration with government agencies to address the myriad of challenges confronting Apapa and its environs.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Degi-Eremienyo as Lyon’s Achille’s heel in Bayelsa

n Greek mythology, when Achilles was a baby, it was foretold that he would die young. To prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability, and dipped his body into the water; however, as Thetis held Achilles by the heel, his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles. In the Trojan War, he killed the Trojan hero, Hector, but got fatally wounded in the heel with an arrow fired by Paris. By interpretation, an Achilles’ heel or Achilles heel is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common. During the build-up to the Bayelsa State November 16, 2019 off-season gubernatorial election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) solidly stood by its candidate, David Lyon, a man considered a political neophyte. Being the party at the centre, the APC ensured that Lyon lacked nothing in terms of financial and other forms of support. The influence of Timipre Sylva, a former governor and current state minister of petroleum resources, was enormous to swing the pendulum of victory to Lyon’s side. The battle was fiercely contested, leading to the defeat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Duoye Diri. The PDP had governed Bayelsa since the return of Nigeria to civil rule in 1999. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had cleanly declared results and parties celebrated and mourned ac-

Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo cordingly. Blames had been apportioned as to who was responsible for the PDP ouster, which was heaped at the door step of the immediate past governor, Seriake Dickson. Dickson was accused of denying more popular individuals, particularly Timi Alaibe the ticket because of his ambition to replace Diri at the Senate. Some hours to his disengagement as governor, Dickson had it rough with the PDP youths in Yenagoa, who booed at him, accusing him of destroying their party and

leaving it in tatters. Some of his disgruntled appointees and local government workers were said to have participated in the booing that took place right inside the premises of the Government House. A voice was heard saying, “Wuked (a corruption of ‘wicked’) man, Wuked Dickson…” “Woo, wuked man, you no go kill our party” “You no go kill our party dey go” “Party wey we use 8years build” Wuked Dickson, woo…”

It took the intervention of his police escorts to smuggle him (Dickson) out of the charged environment. The crowd was said to have pelted the convoy with stones. There was every indication that the stage had been set for the inauguration of Lyon. The “Governor-elect” on his own part was putting finishing touches to his preparations when the news filtered that fate had played a cruel one on him. A few days to the botched inauguration, Lyon, had visited T.B. Joshua’s church, Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), somewhere in Ikotun, Lagos, to pay gratitude to the congregation that stood by him by way of prayers before the election. During the visit, Joshua had reportedly charged him to meet the expectations of the Bayelsa people. “I want you to know that the only way Bayelsa people will believe you as the one they voted for is for you to meet the expectations of the Bayelsa people. He is banking on our prayers because the best is yet to come… I am at your service. By that, I meant I will make sure the expectations of the Bayelsa people are executed. “I have a word of wisdom for you. It is better to live poorly upon the fruit of God’s goodness than to live plentifully upon the product of our own sin.” The preparation was still on with the swearing-in rehearsal on the parade ground, the pictures of which have been trending on social media platforms, when the Supreme Court gave its judgment bordering on inconsistencyin the nomenclature of the deputy governor-elect, Biobarakuma DegiEremienyo.

Allegory of father’s eating sour grapes, and children’s teeth being set on edge

yon has his correct certificate and filings with the INEC correct, but his running mate’s filings with the electoral umpire were suspect, creating a loophole for the opponent to strike. The suit was initiated by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which had asked the court to nullify Degi-Eremienyo’s candidacy because of the inconsistencies in his certificates. In his primary school certificate, Degi-Eremienyo’s name was written as Degi Biobara while the documents from his secondary education bore Adegi Biobarakumo, as his name. However, documents from his university education had Degi Biobarakuma as his name while the result from his MBA certificate had Degi BiobarakumaWangaha as his name. The inconsistencies in the names that appeared on his various academic certificates he presented to the INEC were his undoing. Recall that the Federal High Court in November 2019 disqualified Lyon on the grounds that his deputy provided false information to INEC. However, the APC challenged the court ruling at the appeal court and won. The appellate court set aside the decision of the Federal High Court and affirmed the election of the APC candidates. In all, it was the sin of Degi-Eremienyo that stood in the way of Lyon. Seeing the Promised Land but not entering in Like the Biblical Moses, who led the Israelites through the exodus from Egypt, but could not enter the Promised Land, only having the privilege of viewing it from afar, Lyon, who had put everything in place also saw the parade ground, and the red-carpet motorcade but was denied the opportunity of waving to a huge crowd on the D-Day. Like Moses also, whose inability to enter the Promised Land was a punishment for manifesting anger and impatience over the pestering and murmuring of the stiff-necked

Israelites, Lyon’s deprivation was also a consequence of another man’s iniquity; his unequal yoke with a character he didn’t know very well cost him entrance into the “Promised Land” (Government House) in Yenagoa. Left in the cold Lyon is said to have been abandoned by those who he thought meant well for him. A member of his inauguration council (committee) captured his experience on the day the Supreme Court’s verdict came and the speed with which members of the committee switched camp. According to him, “I grinned in pains when I sighted key leaders of campaign fronts that worked with us during the elections seated at the oval shaped hall. I cursed the day I started an affinity with politics “A day before, we all met with Lyon on Thursday morning at his Igbogene

Lyon’s inauguration rehearsal

residence. We accompanied him to the parade ground for rehearsals same day. We held last briefing and doled out charges to all sub-groups. Preparation for the swearing in the next day appeared to be over by 1pm. “We all, the extended campaign council, along with all invited dignitaries, were having a bounteous lunch when the Supreme Court rulings filtered. David Lyon hurriedly left the house. Within split seconds, his house became a desert. And so it remained till today.” He further said: “David Lyon had summoned an emergency meeting of his campaign council yesterday afternoon. The time coincided with the time of the inauguration. Only four, out of sixtyseven members were present. “None of the characters penciled down for cardinal appointment in the stillborn government came back to in-

quire, to brief, or to sympathise with the victim of the worst judicial blow in the present time. Deserted and isolated, my friend David gruttles with his inner self “The once APC Bayelsa turned PDP within hours. Nobody, was ready to miss the flight. Bayelsa’s politicians, like their counterparts in Imo State, switched to the direction of their stomachs. “In Yenagoa, I cut the flu. I came to know that there is no clear symmetry in politics. Politicians are the same. The Epie politician shares the same DNA with his counterpart in Ebenese, Ideato South.” Still shocked over the turn of events in Bayelsa, the Council member, said: “Onye ji igu, ka ewunaeso” (meaning that goats only follow a man with palm fronds) is a universal trite.Napoleon said ‘God matches on the side of the stronger battalion.’ I am yet to stray into the corners of a sincere politician. All are selfish, cheat and fake! Truthfulness and honour are scarce in their blood streams. Fear the political class. Heaven is not their target. Life after death is off their tangents. Politicians are callous and insensitive too. They are robbed of sense of guilt and shame.There is no sympathy in politics. Personal interest and not common values dictates in politics.” Dickson as the greatest beneficiary Dickson, who was booed and chased out like a common criminal, a day to the Supreme Court verdict, bounced back to reckoning. Had he left without the verdict, chances were that he would have endangered his political career. Some analyst had already begun to say that he could empty himself into the camp of the PDP so as to secure himself from the troubles of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). With the turn of events, Dickson could be on his way to the Senate in line with his original plans.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Focus The Almajiri system: Northern political class and Sanusi’s lone voice

Tony Ailemen, Abuja

he Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11 is not new to controversies; his radical views on several national issues have always stood him out as a lone voice seeking reforms. His views on the socio-political issues, particularly of the north, always place him at loggerheads with the northern conservatives. Sanusi has always been immune to their caustic attacks each time he spoke truth to power. Perhaps, the knowledge he acquired through several years of scholarly exploits has placed him far above his peers. So, when he speaks on issues such as economy, politics, religion, family and other social political issues, particularly relating to the north, he does so from the perspective of knowledge, exposure and audacious royal diadem. Despite several retributive acts against him however, the royal Islamic scholar-cum administrator, has remained undaunted in his determination to push on, even when nobody is ready to act. This is why he has continued to sound the drums, drawing government’s attention to its responsibilities. So, when the issue of the Almajiri or neglected children of the north came up recently, it was not surprising that the royal father, had to drive the truth into the ears of his captive audience The Almajiri system, when literarily translated, stands for “someone who leaves his home in search of Islamic knowledge.” It is an education system practised mainly by people in northern Nigeria, but also amongst

Almajiris

Sanusi

Islamic scholars in some parts of the southern Nigeria Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s plans to tackle the challenge in 2010 saw to the investment of about N15billion to construct Almajiri Integrated Model Schools across northern states. The schools were basically aimed at integrating and modernising the system with the formal education. Jonathan launched the programme on April 10, 2012 at Gagi in Sokoto State, where he registered 25 pupils in the new model boarding school, equipped with modern facilities. A total of 157 of such schools were completed and commissioned before June, 2015. But the projects were converted to other uses when that

government lost power in 2015 In early 2019 however, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno drew the attention of the National Economic Council (NEC) to the danger, nay time bomb of the Almajirai practice, calling for actions to deal with the issue. This call was ignored, following the controversies that trailed it. Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu issued a statement the next day, saying that government would not carry out the plans until it has consultations with everyone involved But Monguno explained thus, “We are not saying that they are going to be contained in a manner that you might think we want to do something that is harmful to them; no; what we want to

do is to work with the state government to enforce the policy of education for every child. “It is every child’s right, his entitlement so long as he is a Nigerian. If you recall what happened in the Western region, I think in the 50’s and the 60’s, when the Premier made education free and compulsory at both primary and secondary levels. “This is what we are looking at. Let me tell you something, one of the elements of national power is the population of a country. You don’t just rely on your armed forces, the location and so on and so forth. Population is a very critical element of national power. It is from the population that you get a critical mass.” According to the NSA, “Imagine the child that was 10 years old on 27th July, 2009, will be 20 in 37 days time, we are not talking of one child, there are millions of them. So, when we look at population, as an element of National security, don’t be surprised if out of every 100 almajirai, you have two neurologists, four architects, two lawyers, and so on and so forth.” Monguno further said if government did not start thinking the short and long term solutions to overcome the problem, it would be difficult to address, adding that a “collective” effort is needed. “You require collective effort. You can’t carry this load and drop it on top of the government; even government should not work as a one-legged tripod; it has to be three-legged. We have to deal with the issue of these children

of almajirai, regardless of how people feel about it.” Elder statesman, Tanko Yakasai while speaking with BDSUNDAY on the issue, traced the deterioration in social values in the North to “neglect of formal education.” Yakasai, who lamented the attitudes and poor disposition of northern elite to enforcing formal education, berated President Buhari’s administration for allegedly refusing to act fast to tackle the poor state of education in the north. “l think it was his immediate past Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu who scored himself low in achievements when he said he failed. He was honest about it. But that is not enough, the President is aware that the north will question him when he completes his term about what he did to uplift education in the north,” Yakassai said. So, when the Emir of Kano spoke at an event put together by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s Future Assured Initiative and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the other day, he blamed the political elite for refusing to act to protect the poor and weak, blaming this for the pervasive socio-economic and security challenges in Nigeria. For him, “Political powers exercised by the state should not be limited to oppressive powers of the state - the Courts, the Police and the Prisons. The citizens should also have benefits such as social safety nets, economic empowerment and incentives. Your role is to ensure that justice is established and you must be ready to answer to Allah for all your actions, because you will be asked.” The monarch further observed that “no government, whether at the national, subnational, or at the grassroots, should be speared, as they exist to provide security for the weakest group; to ensure justice and fairness in the distribution of patronages.” He lampooned the northern political elite for hiding under the Shariah law to, not only, exploit the poor, but also manipulate them at will to achieve their selfish objectives, adding that “the political class must deliver justice to the poor, or face the wrath of Allah’s judgment.” He recalled how in 1999, 12 states in the North adopted the Shariah laws without seeing any need to reform the laws outside of the Muslim Criminal law. “No law that talks about con-

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Focus

Monguno

Yakassai

sent in marriage, the rights of wives and husbands, domestic violence , rights of women divorced, the responsibilities of husbands under divorce situations, or if a child is found on the streets, is the father responsible and can the state hold him accountable? “These are Shariah issues too, and they are all more important than laws on cutting off the hand of a thief,” he noted. Sanusi called on the Northern political class to address the cries of the women against “husbands who claim their rights but abandon their responsibilities in marriage; women being divorced with their husbands not taking care of the children while the children end up on the streets as drug addicts, political thugs and tools for violent extremists.” He decried the continuous existence of the Almajiri system that allows young children to throng the streets begging for daily sustenance, blaming it on the absence of genuine social policy that provides safety nets and laws that deliver economic justice in the land. The royal father, who also kicked against “criminalising the Almajiri” or street urchins, noted that the system thrives on

the back of failed family values where fathers are expected to be responsible for their children’s upkeeps. “Those of us who handle communities’ issues every day; deal with issues of parents forcing young daughters into loveless marriages, with arbitrary divorce, lack of care within and after marriage, understand the problem. “We speak of the Almajiri

problem as if the Almajiri is the problem when we, in fact, know that the problem is with the irresponsible fathers who leave their children on the streets. “If you are too poor to take care of your children, it means you who should go and beg, not the children,” he advocated. “For all those women who are crying in your state, and you have not protected them, Wallahi, Allah will ask you; for every child

who is left uncared for, begging on the streets and you have not held the father responsible, Wallahi, Allah will ask you,” he further said. As usual, he did not leave the gathering without his own contributions on what he thought should be the solutions to the problems, announcing that after several months of thorough works, himself and the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Moham-

Almajiris

med Sa’ad Abubakar 111, had successfully packaged a set of laws to address some of the issues which would be presented to Governor Ibrahim Ganduje of Kano State for onward transmission to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage into law. “We can spend 100 years saying that it is wrong and un-Islamic for a man to beat his wife, but it is the governor and the State House of Assembly that should pass the law; it is the courts and the police that should make sure that the woman and children get justice by enforcing the laws, the scholars and Emirs cannot do that. “It is only the governors that can pass the laws that will ensure that when a man divorces his wife, he must take up his responsibilities to provide for the children and it is the courts and security system that should interpret and enforce the law,” he said. “So, the problem is, these groups of human beings are those who will stand to answer to Allah if there is no justice,” the Emir emphasised. He also wondered, “Do you just marry and have children without any responsibilities? According to him, “Justice means that everyone is given his rights. If a man takes the privilege of being the head of the family, he takes the responsibilities of being the provider for the family. You cannot take that privilege and abandon the responsibilities.” He questioned the veracity of the values system that allows many men to abandon their children when he asked: “Is it a fact that a father has the right to force his daughter into a loveless marriage, that you have the rights to batter your wife, you have the right to have children and push them to the streets to beg, that when you divorce your wife, you ask her and her children to pack and go back to her father’s house and that is the end?”

How weak synergy threatens Buhari’s administration... Continued from page 27 is heavily monetised.” According to him, “Everyone knows that in Nigeria of today, you cannot be headship of any organisation without paying heavily and those who pay to get there, must recoup their investment. This is the belief that this is our time to make it. Much money is spent to win elections; even executive appointments are also monetised. You pay to get appointed. So, once you are there, you must recoup your money. They are also servicing their political godfathers,” he pointed out. “So, irrespective of the policies they want to implement, they

must first look at the immediate pecuniary gain. Have you asked how much a minister pays to get nominated and scales screening processes? So, he or she must do something to recover what they have spent. The question is, can the SGF ratify this? It will depend on his leadership capacity to persuade people. “He must be an astute politician, a persuader. His closeness to the President and how he is able to marry their differences will mater. If he uses his interpersonal relationship well, he can succeed. He has not been a very loud person, but his success will depend on his astuteness,” he said.

Jude Ohanele, executive director of Development Dynamics, an Abuja-based public policy advocacy and Civil Society group, described the synergy challenge as “a major challenge.” According to Ohanele, all government agencies are supposed to work cooperatively to achieve results, but they rather exert energy on unnecessary competitive activities. “The President needs to stamp his feet on the ground to enforce compliance, if we must get out of this problem,” he suggested. Ohanele traced the issues of duplicity in budget and lack of performance to the unbridled

competition and lack of cooperation. “The long term solution lies in developing the need for understanding higher ability for critical reasoning which is a bit difficult currently; because of our historical experience from the poor quality of education we inherited. “We weren’t taught empty, critical thinking; our thinking is very shallow. That is why we think only about self and fail to understand the need for cooperation. I am happy it is being called out now and hoped that it will be escalated. We must understand the need for clarity of purpose and synergy to move the country forward.”

He also called on society to address the use of money to buy positions “The more anybody spend a kobo to get to a position, the more we are in a mess, because they will recoup that money once they assume office,’ he said. He noted that it was difficult for the current lawmakers to legislate against the issue, because they are benefiting from the system. He also seeks legal pronouncements to ensure that those convicted of occupying offices illegally pay back all monies earned while fraudulently holding office, either as legislators or as governors.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Politics Oshiomhole has only succeeded in burying APC - Oki Fouad Oki is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former director-general of the campaign organisation for Akinwumi Ambode and Babatunde Fashola, both former governor of Lagos States. In this interview with journalists, he speaks on latest developments in the polity, especially the crisis in the APC, the insecurity challenges, Amotekun, other sundry issues. INIOBONG IWOK brings the excerpts: Recently, the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign his position because of the high level of insecurity in the land, alleging that the government has not done enough to arrest the situation; do you thing that the call was necessary and in good faith? et me start by saying this expressly, that the Senate Minority Leader being a Nigerian has every right to express himself and he has done that very clearly and I want to believe that he is speaking his mind as a Nigerian and not as a Minority Leader of the Senate. Because of the situation in which we have found ourselves, there are agitations here and there for the government to again look more closely at the security situation in the country and I honestly believe that there is need for all of us to begin to get together and be agitating about security issues, but a call for the President to resign is somewhat extreme. That is why I say he is just expressing his personal views and not because he is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, more so as a principal officer of the Senate he is also privy to security and intelligence briefings and other issues surrounding security architecture and I think his yearning is more to challenge the Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic on the need to make more efforts and seek other ways to address the seemingly intractable security challenges. I think it is just a challenge and we must look at where we are coming from, before 2016, the issue was mainly Boko Haram and I think we succeeded in tackling the Boko Haram issue. When you look at the security challenge we currently have; I think what he is trying to say is the need for us to properly interrogate it and properly redesign a more robust way of handling it. I think that is what his outburst actually means and not the way we all want to take it and turn it into something that we should celebrate. We are in a republican democracy and calling for the head is always not the issue, but accepting that we have challenges and seeking for ways to tackle it is what I think the Minority Leader was trying to do.

The worsening security challenge has led the Southwest governors to create Operation Amotekun, a security network, which has tremendous support in the region. What is your take on this development? Well, I think this is the only country where when we have issues we always forget, deliberately or otherwise, to look at where we are coming from and anybody or group of persons that refuse to look at their issue and understand where it emanated is not likely to get to their destination. The South West security collaboration called ‘Amotekun’ is a journey; for us, we must first look at where the destination is, it is so that the sole purpose

Fouad Oki

of government which is security of lives and property is properly managed; that is the destination, the journey is how do we get there? So, if governments of the South-West geo-political zone feel that collectively we have a commonality in the security challenge facing us and let us individually look at this issue and collectively pull resources. I think we should understand the tenets of federalism and I think it is a welcome thing. Today, I am happy that several other geo-political zones are following it. Now, as part of nation building, especially such as ours that is a federalist state, you must begin to look at those issues that have constitutional stamp of approval or authority, you need to look at the constitution very well and the issue of security is not exclusive like defence, a local government can wake up tomorrow and say for our locality this is what we want to do within the context of a federal system and we must understand that. I think what Amotekun is tilting to is the need for us to begin to look inward at ways we begin to support and complement the federal security architecture. Mind you, it is not far from happening, we need to go back to the First Republic, and we need to go back to pre- the nation called Nigeria. We need to go back and look at our history, we need to interrogate whether we have had similar system, so it is not just about Amotekun, no, it is about security challenge and how to cooperate to surmount it and that is the important thing. But, if you are now talking about

its acceptance, I tell you it will be accepted, there is a popular saying where I come from in Isale-Eko, that until we all suffer the same fate, we will not come together to find a common solution and that is why the support is overwhelming, because the issue of security is challenging everybody and therefore, no one can safely say I want to be or I can be an island, that is why you see the kind of support. Somebody told me sometimes ago that if Nigeria does not consciously work on restructuring, situation will force restructuring on the country. Do you think this situation is taking the country towards restructuring or the state police that many people have been clamouring for? I have always had my reservation about the issue of restructuring, it depends on who is talking about restructuring and your definition of restructuring and you cannot restructure without first understanding the system of government. I remember some years back it was fiscal federalism and I had to challenge some people to tell me what exactly their definition of fiscal federalism and understanding of it. This is a country where even our professors do not seem to get it right; if you look at federalism, especially republican federalism, which we call presidential federalism which we seem to copy from the United States, you must understand that up to 1776 constitutional conference in America, which is called the Gettysburg Con-

ference, American states were absolutely autonomous, until they all came together to say let us have a federal system where each sub-nation will grow at its own pace, do this and do that and this is what will be our commonality, with regards to what we expect the central structure which we call the central government to do. In the case of Nigeria, we shared similar fate up until 1861, but from 1861 we seem to share a unitary fate, until 1966, when Brig. Yakubu Gowon in his wisdom and the wisdom of the then Federal Executive Council said let us have a federal system and create six components; so, before we start talking about devolution of power we need to go back, prior to that time we used to have a republican Westminster system of government, to regional government as it was called. So, you cannot have a federal system devolved to states and at the same time a regional system, it doesn’t work, so if you talk about restructuring, let us first talk about the system of restructuring; what do we mean by restructuring? How do we restructure a federal system that was created from a unitary system? That is why I have chosen not to join the people calling for restructuring and jump into the trap of those clamouring for it. This is the only country where people jump up to be making agitations and demands because they cannot get what they want, but the moment they are satisfied with their personal aggrandisement, its fine, it is okay, that is not nation-building. For goodness sake, let us leave all of these and ask ourselves very pertinent questions, what was our situation prior to 1951 and between 1951 and 1960 what was our situation, what was our agitations, what was the agreements, it is only after we have interrogated that, we can begin to say okay, we believe there is need for restructuring or there is need for re-negotiation. So, until then I don’t want to join the fray of the wailers whining and crying about restructuring. You see, we have committed so much funds into consultative assemblies and we have more than enough recommendations and suggestions on the shelf, now we have a constitution, as lousy as we may think the constitution is, there is something that we must understand, there is a sovereignty which we all enjoy, so if we want to alter anything, we cannot do it without first appropriately acknowledging that sovereignty. So, for us to do anything we may first need to hold a referendum suspending the legislature. Though your point of view is very logical, people are worried, saying the way things are going in the country is very lopsided. Don’t you agree? What is lopsided, I just told you the Nigerian theory of power, it will forever be lopsided. God did not create us equal, it is when we want to cheat that we say we are all created

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Politics 9th Senate’s Legislative Agenda: How far, so far? Solomon Ayado, Abuja

evitalisation of agriculture, industrialisation, power generation and other key priorities of the 9th Senate are yet to be achieved. Shortly after it was inaugurated, the 9th Senate had rolled out a legislative agenda to enhance stability in the legislative activities and also foster national development. The ambitious legislative agenda was explained to be a framework that will guide Senate operations in the next four years. In the agenda, the Senate had resolved to return Nigeria to the January-December budget cycle, approve legislative frameworks to curb increasing youth unemployment, alleviate poverty and the menace of out-of-school children in the country. Also, the creation of special health centres in the six geopolitical zones, fast-tracking the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), electoral reform, blocking revenue leakages, Open National Assembly Policy and cutting down Federal Government’s agencies, were featured in the agenda. Other major agenda include; security of lives and property, national unity and progress, fight against corruption, eradication of ethnicity and religion, as well as, general development of infrastructure. The Senate had said it is concerned that the country is underdeveloped because of vital sectors that are not viable. The consideration was sequel to a report submitted by the Senate ad-hoc committee on the 9th Senate’s Legislative Agenda. Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), chairman of the committee, presented the report. While the lawmakers took turns to air their views, they had unanimously questioned why the country is faced with stunted growth and abject poverty. The Senators agreed that the new legislative agenda is imperative to reposition the National Assembly so as to improve national

Ahmad Lawan

economy, national security, public finance management and ensure efficient service delivery. Some of the sectors facing major challenges, which the lawmakers urged the executive arm to give proper attention to include; budget and appropriation, youth unemployment, education, healthcare delivery, mass housing, gender issues and the economy. Others were oil and gas sector, which it said the vagaries of international oil market make Nigeria vulnerable. It called for improvement in revenue generation, among others. Rochas Okorocha, urged the Senate to introduce the principle of sacrifice in the nation’s leadership to make life affordable to

generality of people. In his reaction, Senator Ajayi Borofice (Ondo North) who said Nigeria should concentrate more on development of science and technology, insisted that it is the only way the country would compete favorably with other technologically developed countries such as China and Japan. However, investigations have shown that so far, the Senate has achieved the revert of the budget cycle from January to December and has also constituted a committee to review the security architecture of the country. Similarly, the Senate has formed a 57-man committee to review the constitution. Meanwhile, other critical parts of the legislative agenda are yet to be addressed. Some

of the agenda include PIB, unemployment, agriculture power generation, the fight against corruption among others. It is expected that such would be given the needed attention by the lawmakers, as events proceed. Ahmad Lawan, the Senate president, has explained that the Senate cannot in any way forfeit other critical parts of the agenda, and assured that the lawmakers would not relent but employ all measures in achieving the target. “At our plenary proceedings, we took the decision to convene roundtable discussions on three critical sectors of our economy. This exercise started with the power sector. The Federal Government in recent years has invested billions of dollars in this sector, most of which money appear to have gone down the drain as the problems of inadequate power supply continue to plague Nigeria. “Even the subsequent privatization of the sector has had no visible impact. In fact, many Nigerians believe that we allowed ourselves to be further defrauded through the privatisation of the sector. “But this is not the time for lamentation. We are determined to find a way out of this national quagmire. The Senate Committee on Power assembled relevant stakeholders in the sector at the roundtable discussions who made useful suggestions, which will hopefully guide us in our determination to end Nigeria’s power shame. “We held a similar exercise on the steel and solid minerals sector and, we are focusing on the Agriculture sector. Solid minerals and Agriculture offer us great potential to transform our economy and revenue profile and wean Nigeria from the current unsustainable reliance on oil. “We are still expecting the reports of the relevant Committees on these three sectors but I can assure Nigerians that this Senate is ready and willing to confront all these problems head-on through appropriate legislative interventions. In doing this, we shall be complementing the initiatives of the Executive in this direction,” Lawan stated.

Oshiomhole has only succeeded ... equal, when we are cheated, we will say we are not created equally; it is neither here nor there, you must understand that. Who are the people agitating for restructuring, its people wanting power, the moment you make concession to them those that are agitating today will move from where they are to the other side, they will move from activism to the bourgeois class and begin to suppress and oppress, then another set of people will pick up again, it is all in the race to take power. The problems agitating the average Nigerian is not about restructuring, it is about security and prosperity of the average Nigerian, security is the safety, these are the issues that the average Nigerian wants government or its leadership to address, that is the truth. This is the only country where the haves don’t ever want the have-nots to change their status; this the only country where we are not agitated about the prosperity of the average Nigerian; this is the only country where the elite group is not concerned about security and safety of the average Nigerian, rather we all shield under the agitation for restructuring; restructuring what? Let us begin to talk about security and prosperity for the average Nigerian; let us support the Ametokun security initiative so that other regions will pick it up and that way we will begin to see the restructuring of security, rather than agitating. Talk about prosperity and you begin to talk about employment, underemployment,

you talk about the issue of empowerment, the issue of health, of gender equality, you begin to talk about our tomorrow. How do we raise a nation with core social values and not a nation that is full of noveau rich, it is then that we begin to talk about the Nigeria of our dream and the Nigeria we want to bequeath to generations whose today we are squandering. This is because we have lost our own, because we are squandering the prosperity of our children and if care is not taken we will also squander the prosperity of our grandchildren and those yet unborn. Those are the issues that should agitate our minds, because it takes one to help one, government cannot do it all; the elite must come; they must invest in industries to create jobs, we must begin to talk about producing what we consume and not consuming what we import; those are the ways to go, those are the ways of prosperity, of building a prosperous nation and that is my take about your resource control agitation. Recently, agitations for electoral reforms, like introducing electronic voting, Diaspora voting have increased. What is your take? Look, whether we like it or not, we must take due cognizance and appreciate the 8th Assembly and all of us must cry unto the President to sign into law the 2019 Electoral Act Amendment, if not, the National Assembly must as a matter of urgency, before any election in Nigeria, be it local, state or federal,

give consideration to the Electoral Act with a view to either amending or altering some sections as to engender a robust electoral system, that is the way to go. If a situation like the one that happened in 2019 when the President refused assent to the bill before the election happens again; what should they do? Listen, when laws are made they are made to take care of the exigencies of a particular time and that is why it is elastic, from time to time when the need arises you review; now we have found ourselves in a situation where we again need to take another look at the Electoral Act with a view to fine-tuning, amending or changing some sections of it to conform with realities of our time and I think that is what we need, it is not static, whether we like it or not we need to go into it, because experience has shown us that there is need for it, and I think that is what we should be looking at. You are a member of the APC and there is crisis in the party in Edo State presently and there will be election there this year; if you remember, crisis caused the APC to lose Zamfara, caused the APC positions in Rivers and there is fear same may happen in Edo, what is your view? My position is very clear and I have said this as far back as June, July 2018, that Adams

Oshiomhole is the undertaker that has been contracted to oversee the death of our party, he is the undertaker that has come to nail the coffin, like it or not and he has overstayed his welcome. You see, a lot of us make some mistakes, truth be told, when he came into politics, President Olusegun Obasanjo said that Adams Oshiomhole is a double-speak union leader, who will say something during the day and come to meet him at night and that he cannot be a good politician; we all did not take Obasanjo seriously on that because we believed we did not like Obasanjo, but that statement has come to pass; that is the truth. He is nothing but an undertaker, in good climes what is happening in Edo State is enough for him to resign and walk away. If you as a national chairman of a party in your own state, your immediate and primary constituency, we are having what may snowball into a national security challenge and he does not look concerned, and we all feel it is okay, may God save us. Some of us are concerned, that is why I took the party to court, because of his actions and inactions borne out of fallout of party congresses in April and May 2018, and we are all seeing it. So, what do you want me to say about an undertaker, whose primary responsibility and objective is to see to the end of a flourishing, robust party that can and should be a fancy and model for subSaharan emerging nations? That is where we have found ourselves.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Politics Apprehension grows over Oshiomhole’s feud with Obaseki, Akeredolu …As APC, PDP enter another ‘ring’ in Edo, Ondo James Kwen, Abuja

dams Oshiomhole appears to be wearing a “crown of thorns” as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In some states controlled by the party, there has been a Babel of voices, screaming, “away with Oshiomhole”. Some critics and aggrieved members of his party have insisted that the former Labour leader has brought more of misfortune to the party than fortune expected of him. They appear to have their reasons. But the National Chairman does not see his actions and inactions as being responsible for some of the misfortunes that had befallen the party under his watch. Recently, he scored high, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, which he chairs, saying that it was the dogged leadership of the party that saw the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, which he termed a huge feat. But those who have blamed him for the party’s misfortune point to some instances to buttress their point. In the 2019 general election, the APC lost Zamfara State enbloc. Candidates of the party in the state were prevented by court rulings to contest for the positions they had signified interest in. The reason was non-adherence to the letters of the Electoral Law on the conduct of party primaries. Oshiomhole was accused to have caused the problem for the party by aligning with a faction of the party rather than uniting the party for a united contest. In Rivers State also, the scenario repeated itself. The APC was restrained from contesting the elections as a result of faulty and acrimonious primaries. As a result of in-fighting, factions emerged, which discredited the selection process within the party. Oshiomhole’s “battle” with RochasOkorocha, a former governor of Imo State, was said to have played a huge role for the initial loss of Imo State to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during the gubernatorial election. Under his watch also, the APC lost Adamawa and Oyo States. Some members say that there was no reason the broom party should not have retained those states if the national leadership of the party was alive to its responsibility. It is no longer news that Oshiomhole is not enjoying a cordial relationship with the governor of his own state (Edo), Godwin Obaseki, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State. The faceoff appears to have raised the apprehension level in certain quarters among the APC faithful who are wondering how the impasse would affect the party’s chances in the two states in the forth-coming off-season gubernatorial elections. The APC and the main oppositionPDP would soon enter another ‘ring’ of political battle to take control of Edo and Ondo states. This is sequel to the recent announcement by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) that the Edo Governorship election will hold on September 19 while

Adams Oshiomhole

Rotimi Akeredolu

Godwin Obaseki

Ondo’s would be October 10 this year. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman had at a media briefing in Abuja said the tenure of the governors of Edo and Ondo States would end on 12th November 2020 and 24th February 2021, respectively. “Pursuant to the provisions of Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 25(8) of the Electoral Act 2010, elections cannot hold earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of an incumbent governor. “Accordingly, the Commission has fixed Saturday 19th September 2020 as the date for the governorship election in Edo State and Saturday 10th October 2020 for Ondo State”, Yakubu stated. Though according to recent deregistration of 74 political parties by the INEC, Nigeria has 18 parties but the battle for Edo and Ondo is more reserved for APC and PDP. Since the ruling APC ousted PDP in 2015, making it an opposition party, every political contest have always been for either of them, except in Anambra State where the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) holds sway though with a slant to any of them. Thus, without undermining any party’s clout, as far as the September 19 and October 10 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo are concerned, the battle is squarely between the incumbent and the PDP, as each would once again, want to prove its mettle. What makes the contest even more interesting is that the incumbent Governors of both States, Godwin Obaseki and RotimiAkeredolu are just finishing their first terms and are, from all indications, interested in seeking a second term. However, for too long, they have been having endless battles with the National Chairman of their party, Adams Oshiomhole. And despite the seriousness of the battle ahead, they appeared to have sworn not to sheath their swords. The continued face-off, analysts say, may jeopardise the chances of the APC in the states as the probability of the affected governors getting second term ticket is zero. In Edo State, there has been bad blood between Oshiomhole and his successor, Obaseki since after the inauguration of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly when 15 out of 24 members ‘loyal” to the former governor were not inaugurated while nine

said to be ‘loyal’ to the incumbent governor were inaugurated. Thus, there have been verbal and physical battles between the Oshiomhole and Obaseki factions of the APC in Edo State leading to the destruction of properties and physical injuries inflicted on some members. The height of the crisis was demonstrated recently when Edo Government submitted a written petition to the Inspector-General of Police and the DirectorGeneral of the State Security Service (DSS) demanding immediate arrest of the National Chairman for breaching the state law banning political rally. The Deputy Governor, Philip Shuaibu who spoke to journalists in Abuja recently, on behalf ofObaseki, said: “I am in Abuja to meet with the IG. I have a petition to the IG and to the Director of DSS to the effect that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be arrested by the Police and be arrested by the DSS for the breakdown of law and order that he has consistently perpetrated in Edo State. We banned rallies, the IG in a letter also suspended rallies.” By the same token, Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State and Oshiomhole have been at loggerheads since 2018 when the governor alleged that the events that took place during the party’s primaries had exposed not “only the sheer incompetence” of the APC National Chairman, but more painfully, his “shocking liking of banditry and impunity”. Under Oshiomhole, the APC National Working Committee suspended Akeredolu for anti-party activities which, the governor claimed, “greatly affected the fortunes of its candidates in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state”. Even the National Reconciliation Committee, Chaired by the former interim National Chairman of the party, BisiAkande inaugurated last week was not given specific mandate to quell the crisis in Edo and Ondo where Oshiomhole, Obaseki and Akeredolu are prime actors. At the inauguration of the Committee, the National Chairman simply told the Committee to do whatever it thinks can help to facilitate peace across the 36 states and FCT and identify intra-party conflicts or squabbles or misunderstanding in any of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. Handing down the terms of reference, Oshiomhole tasked the committee, to: “Identify those involved in the conflict with a view to resolving the issues and enthron-

ing lasting peace in the party. “The Committee shall make appropriate recommendations at the end of its exercise or from time to time as it’s deem fit.” Speaking directly to the members of the committee, he said: “The members of this committee in your own rights, who are members of the party in your respective states and you have played roles in resolving conflicts in your respective states and even beyond;so, there is nothing here that is strange. The bottom line is that at the end of the day, we expect the party to become stronger.” A political analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he would not be surprised to see the Zamfara and Rivers’ episodes repeating in Edo and Ondo states over some likely troublesome primaries. “I am sorry if I sound pessimistic in this case. The way things are going on in Edo, I foresee a situation where Oshiomhole, in an attempt to show that he controls the party’s machinery at the national level, would want to manipulate the primaries to deny Obaseki the return ticket. Same may also happen in Ondo. Mind you, the two governors, by now, are aware of whatever plan that is being hatched. In that case, they may sponsor factional primaries that could now create some legal issues. If the APC does not get its acts together, they may lose the two states to the PDP. I think that Oshiomhole should come down from his high horse and allow peace to reign,” the analyst said. Eno Isaac, a political scientist, told BDSUNDAY that it would be in the interest of Oshiomhole to ensure that the crisis in Ondo and Edo are resolved before the elections. “I wonder why Comrade Oshiomhole doesn’t see the larger picture. For instance, if he ensures and works for the return of peace and unity in the Edo and Ondo APC, he would be one of the biggest beneficiaries. Do you know why I said so? If Zamfara and Rivers were under APC today, he would be visiting those states like a king, and would be given a rousing welcome by the governors and people of the states. If he works for the return of peace in Edo and Ondo, and the party retains power in those states, it would be to his own credit. Why is he being short-sighted? May be, he will learn his lesson, in a hard way, if APC loses Edo and Ondo, and I think at that point he should be ready to be stoned to death by aggrieved party faithful,” Isaac said.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Politics When Ezekwesili, Utomi, others ponder leadership challenge in Nigeria

INIOBONG IWOK

ver the years, leadership has been the major problem of Nigeria. Successive administrations and governments have left the people disappointed as a result of mediocre leadership they showcased. In his book, ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’, the late Chinua Achebe said: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.” Many years ago, the late Obafemi Awolowo challenged his colleagues in the Nigerian corridors of power to show leadership skills by leading by example. “Those of us placed in a position of leadership must be prepared to grasp the nettle if we unite in doing so, and if, in addition, we set a worthy example and a Marat on pace in probity, unselfishness, and self-sacrifice, the people will follow, all too readily, in our footsteps,” Awolowo said. Today, many years after his demise, Awolowo’s charisma, exemplary leadership and selfless service to his people have continued to be a reference point. Apart from Awolowo, a few other contemporaries of his, such as NnamdiAzikiwi, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewahave been adjudged the nation’s finest politicians. Since the exit of these visionary leaders Nigeria has continued to engage in costly leadership experimentations that have largely accounted for her woes. Many people converge on the perception that the myriad of problems, retarded growth and underdevelopment which Nigeria has faced in recent decades were because of the absence of visionary and purposeful leadership. Despite uncountable number and frequency of summits and conferences to discuss leadership problem in Nigeria, the problem has persisted. At a two-day conference held in Lagos recently, the organized aimed to bridge that gap and chart a new paradigm shift toward a new style of purposeful leadership and governance in Nigeria. The conferencetitled: ‘#Fix Politics, Changing Politics Structurally for Africa’s Prosperity’, was an initiative of ObyEzekwesili, a former minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, and the Robert Bosch Academy. The event seeks to propose innovative ways of empowering and centring the citizens in their country’s politics before, during and after the electoral cycle. The event saw participants aligning on strategies for compelling political and electoral reforms and was attended by several political leaders, scholars and the civil society organisations within and outside the country. Among the participants were Johann Lambsdorff, a professor of Economic Theory at the University of Passau, Ger-

L-R: Jannik Rusk, senior project manager, Robert Bosch Academy; Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister and Aisha Yesufu at the event.

many; Peter Lewis Warren Weinstein, chair of African Studies, School of Advanced and International Studies, John Hopkins University Washington DC, USA;AloyChife, managing partner/CEO, Saana Capital,LLC. Frank Nweke Jr., a former Nigerian minister and co-founder, NzukoLabs; Aisha Yesufu, founder, Citizens Hub, and Samson Itodo, executive director, YIAGA. Others were Amina Salihu, a senior programmeofficer, MacArthur Foundation, Abuja;Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, executive director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Pat Utomi, founder of Centre for Value in Leadership (CVL) and Nya-Etok Ezekiel, a former presidential candidate, amongst others. In a keynote address, Johann Lambsdorff said it was imperative that citizens take active roles and interest in the emergence of political leaders. He said it was crucial that in tackling graft and sanitising the political system, citizens must put trust in their leaders rather than institutions which could be manipulated and compromised. There was, however, a general agreement among the participants and leaders who spoke at the event that democracy had failed in Nigeria because of the dearth of purposeful, morally upright leaders. They faulted the nation’s current political system which according to them confers powers on few individuals and groups who perpetually monopolise the nation’s political system to their advantage. Participants therefore called for a more citizens’ participation in the electoral process. Though, others, however, agreed that apathy among the electorate would be difficult to address if issues such as ‘stomach infrastructure’, poverty, and unemployment among the electorate are not checked. In her research presentation, Ezekwesili, who was a candidate in the 2019 presidential election, said that the 1914 amalgamation of the country was responsible for part of the nation’s woes, stressing that the

amalgamation was purely for administrative convenience of the colonial leaders and not for the interest of the country or Nigerians. Ezekwesili further said that the long years of military incursion in politics which truncated the democratic process in the country on several occasions stunted democratic practice, growth and culture from taking its root in Nigeria. According to her, “The amalgamation of 2014 was for mere administrative convenience, colonial Britain merged the three distinct geographical areas into one country. “There was no common identifying point of reference beyond the colonial power’s administrative convenience. “As Europe got mired in its own internal rivalry and war among the key countries and began paying less attention to its colonies in Africa, the fervor of nationalistic self-determination grew on the continent”. Speaking further, she identified the failure of the nation’s post-independence leaders for their inability to agree on a common template as part of the problem that has held the nation back. “The failure of the independence nationalists to at the end of colonial governance, discuss and peacefully agree their selfnegotiated terms for shared values and uniﬁed vision of Nationhood; the absence of prevented emergence of an agreed framework of a minimum Common Identity as a ‘New Nation’ of multi-ethnic, multireligious multi-cultural and multi-lingual diversity of people who have negotiated the basis for Unity. These failures and gaps haunt the country and its people up until today,” she added. The former minister stressed that part of the reasons for leadership failure and stagnation which the country had faced over the years was the inherent monopoly in the political system by few individuals and groups, while canvasing active participation of citizenry in the electoral process for a change. “Nigeria’s monopoly democracy has no

incentive to yield the distortionary damage it does to governance. “In the absence of an effective regulatory system to reduce the powers of the monopoly, a few citizens can step up and take responsibility for correcting the distortion in the political system,” she said. According to her, “Nigeria’s monopoly democracy has no incentive to yield the distortionary damage it does to governance. In the absence of an effective regulatory system to reduce the powers of the monopoly, a few citizens can step up and take responsibility for correcting the distortion in the political system. “The Monopoly Democracy is a structural defect. Every problem that is structural demands structural solutions”. Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, who also spoke at the conference, advocated for paradigm shift in the manner politics was beingpractised in the country, lamenting that few minority was holding the nation captive. Utomi, however, canvased for more citizen-participation in the political process, while stressing that public conversation was crucial for an improvement in the nation’s political process. According to him, “Our democracy cannot get better without having public conversation and then we learn collectively and then the common good is advanced. “The thesis that ObyEzekwesili has just advanced,‘monopoly democracy’ is exactly the point I was making; when you have that mind-set of only one perspective you cannot make progress. “Monopoly capitalism has never resulted in innovation and growth and that is why countries like United States have antitrust laws to prevent monopoly. “What happened is that we have multiplied monopoly in Nigeria. We have monopoly capitalism layered upon monopoly politics so the country is not making any progress. Because of the few people that have captured the Nigerian space as politicians, innovation does not take place.” “You saw the innovation index that was shown, Nigeria is at the bottom even in the continent of Africa. Why are we that way? Because our politics is a monopoly politics, in our business all you have to do is align with whatever politician that dominates at this moment and of course, we know that we do not have a democracy; because I can argue and show evidences that there is no election that has been won in Nigeria since 1999 without fraud. So, we have a crisis as a country and we have to determine how to start. “My biggest issues are that; we have a moral majority and which have just been keeping quiet and watching and allowing an immoral minority to govern this country holding us hostage and we see the outcome in violence everywhere,”Utomi lamented. In his remarks, a former minister of Information and Culture, Frank Nweke, charged the Nigerian electorates to rise above primordial sentiment in choosing their leaders, stressing that the electorate must share part of the blame for failed leadership in the country in recent time.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Interview

Party deregistration: INEC should listen to us, our case is different – Youth Party Leaders of the deregistered Youth Party led by Francis King Akinlotan, member of the Board of Trustees (BoT); Ifeanyi Nwoye, national financial secretary and Toni Aladekomo, last week paid a courtesy visit to BusinessDay during which they interacted with some members of the editorial staff. The leaders spoke on the party‘s recent deregistration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), why their case is different and the vision behind the formation of the party, among other issues. INIOBONG IWOK captured the interaction. Excerpts:

he Youth Party has just been deregistered by INEC, what is the position of the party? The journey started in 2014, some people came together on how to do things better for our country and a group of people wanted to sponsor candidates but the process was not free and fair. We regrouped, and in 2016, we applied for registration as a party, INEC refused to register us; saying that our party was restrictive and we said no, that the membership is open to all Nigerians upon attaining 18 years. But they refused to register us; we went to Court and the Court gave judgment in our favour. Eventually, they registered us in August 2018, about a year after, which was about two months to the commencement of the primaries. It was difficult for us to compete in the 2019 election, because most of the people who wanted to contest under the party went to another party mainly because of the timing. But we managed to field eleven candidates in Bauchi, Osun and Ogun states. What INEC did to the Youth Party was like tying a man’s hands backwards and pushed him into the ring to fight. We were incapacitated. Then recently, INEC has been saying that there is a provision in the Electoral Act which says that parties should win at least 25 percent of elective positions across the country. We decided to go to court. But INEC suddenly went ahead and deregistered our party, saying that we did not meet the demands of the law. The rule is that you either win the presidential election, House of Representatives election or governorship elections. What we have competed in has been just the general election. We did not participate in the governorship election in Osun State, and we have not been allowed to participate in the upcoming governorship election in Ondo and Edo States. The initial concept is that since most of the founders of the party are youths, the name of the party should be youth party. We believe we would grow old one day and we believe in the concept of national change, and in training future leaders. We believe in a party that gives education, food, unemployment, free health to the people. When INEC refused to register us, we went to court and we proved to them that we merited being registered as a political party and the court ordered that we should be registered, which was never appealed by INEC. But they delayed the registration again for another one year; so, this is not only about us meeting 25 percent, it is just negative perception of our party by INEC. They took it to the

L-R: Francis King Akinlotan, leaders of the deregistered Youth Party; Ifeanyi Nwoye, national financial secretary and Toni Aladekomo, during an interactive session with some members of editorial staff at a courtesy visit to BusinessDay last week extreme and it manifested in them deregistering our party. Is the party not affected by the recent court judgment won by some parties? No, our party is not part of the recent court order; we were not part of that suit. If you noticed, there were 33 parties in that suit; the name of our party was not even available when they filed that suit. One of the reasons they gave is similar to our party’s complaints and it is good for the system. It is a good development. There is a precedent in court that INEC should not deregister parties having failed to meet certain things they themselves should have done; it is premature. You talked about leveraging on ICT to conduct internal elections; how do you intend achieving that? Yes, for online voting, when you want to take up a big project you have to do some test-run to check the suitability and capability of the system. This is not the first time electronic voting is being used. There are lots of factors that come into it. There are several countries in the world that use electronic voting, we have two systems that suit our members. We have the online voting and the mobile system; what we are trying to do is to show the entire country that this can be done and that INEC can do it on a large scale. But your party has been silent; if voted into power what would the Youth Party do differently? Our party for instance, has policies sub-committees for the different sectors of the economy. We have in agriculture, health, education and others. We offer our opinion constructively, we don’t believe in unnecessary criti-

cism; that is why we don’t believe in personal attacks or pointing fingers at people. We have committees that meet periodically and take their positions on national issues. Our policy is on our website. We held a policy roundtable recently where we brought people and politicians from different backgrounds, political parties, including the two leading parties, and people from various parts of the country, We believe that there is something that should be called irreducible minimum in what the government should be talking about and which people in other political parties should be making their government to focus on. We agreed that everybody should give more attention to education; when you educate a man the government would have fewer problems. Issues of unemployment and insecurity would be taken care of. We are having the second edition in March 21th on national revenue; you could see that today some people say that this government is over-taxing some businesses; the assumption is that the government wants to break the neck of some people to fund that system. We have a system where the daughter of the President is using the presidential jet to go and take photography in another state and you want people to pay their N50, 000 and N1, 000 to fund that. So, there is the political aspect of taxation and revenue generation. In July we are going to have a round table discussion on employment and education so that we can focus on issues. We would bring people from different backgrounds to talk and offer solutions on the way forward. We would present our agenda as a political

party; let people also bring their opinions and then let us agree on some things that are achievable. For example, in our party, we believe in one Nigeria; we don’t entertain comments that are divisive; we want people to focus on issues. We have a heavy presence on Twitter being a youth party. What we want to achieve is not talking, the objective is to have people to think about what we have said and make behavioural changes. What is the source of funding for the party? We are doing crowd-funding. We live on pledges, the projection is if we get 1,000 people to become members, we get donations and that takes care of salaries of our staff in the 36 states. That takes care of the money we need to organise our events and other things that we do. We don’t have a godfather or moneybags dropping huge amount of money and detecting what we do. That’s why we have adopted the principle of crowd-funding. When Obama started, he did not have big donors, it was when he won his primaries that people started to give him money. Because nobody knew him; he was a junior in the Senate. So, they took to the principle of crowdfunding; that example is what we have adopted. People are donating N10, 000, N2, 000 to us, whatever amount of money that they can afford depending on their ability, that is how we have survived so far and built our profile. The issue of the late registration was a distraction; the late registration of our party affected us; what we are doing now are the plans we had for 2016; our membership drive was hampered based on

the focus at that time. I have been to most of the states; even when the Boko Haram insurgency was high, I was in Bauchi State during the LG election and I travelled by road not by air; what people would ask me was if we had been registered. It is the people who are really convinced by your written document that would want to join you except they have a leader who have joined and they want to go with their leader. Then the focus was to get the registration to go through and then we went to court and got a judgment. After the 2019 elections, we set up a committee to review what went wrong and sampled opinions; we did an investigation and they came back with results in the entire places that we contested election. We want to focus on the policy side of our party, the strategy and policy committee is the biggest organogram in our party. So, they would often be on ground and as opposition, offer solutions to national issues such as security, employment generation etc. We deliberately did not have a presidential candidate in the 2019 election because we knew it was unrealistic; we knew some of the parties that had presidential candidates had no reason having one because a lot of them could not even win a local government election. So, we did not have a governorship and presidential candidate and we did not adopt anybody because we don’t believe in that. Would the party consider the option of merger? We cannot just say we would merge with another party, such is like marriage; you have to be sure your ideologies are in accord; you don’t just want to merge for the sake of it.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Interview ‘We are unique in our business because we understand the consumers and what they need’

Riquesa Africa is a leading experiential and activation company that has helped organisations like Oracle, Hitachi, Danone, Johnson & Johnson, Arla, Unity Bank & Google connect with consumers and significantly improve their bottom-line. In this interview with SEGUN ADAMS; Ayodeji Razaq, co-founder of Riquesa, among other things, talks about the evolving trends in the economy and how his company is helping brands stay ahead of the market. Excerpts:

here did the inspiration for your name “Riquesa” come from and what is your philosophy as a brand? Riquesa is from the Spanish word Riqueza and it directly translates to wealth. For us, the passion is to create a wealth of experiences for our clients and the consumers they want to reach. As a Brand, our philosophy is ‘People First, Brands Always’. We constantly look to create experiences that help people connect with self (who they are or want to be), their purpose and the Brands we represent. This is who we are. Why is it not just enough to have a great product or offer an exciting service? What role do firms like yours play in financial outcomes of businesses? The work we do at Riquesa is designed to not just drive experiences and create magic; we always strive to achieve tangible results. A great product or an exciting service is fantastic. However, from my experience, consumers are better informed and whatever product you have, however great it is, someone else is building a better or replica version. To stay ahead of the curve, you must appeal to the consumers’ demand core and fit within their decisionmaking matrix. You must C.A.R.E. You must be Consumer-focused, Authentic in the approach, be Results-focused and create Experiences. The work we do at Riquesa is to constantly exceed this standard. We believe that as an Experiential and Activations Agency, our work directly impacts the bottom-line of the Brands we represent as we are the Arrowhead of how these brands engage with consumers. The consumers make purchase/ consumption decisions based on how the brands make them feel. Our job is to create lasting impressions that influence these decisions positively for our clients. Riquesa has worked with popular local and international brands. What have been some of your most memorable campaigns? To be very honest, the entirety of the work we do at Riquesa is exciting and memorable. I mean, we have brought to life a Milk farm to give consumers a complete ex-

Ayodeji Razaq

perience of how milk is processed whilst having fun, created a Man of the Moment campaign for PZ Cussons. However, if I am to pick I would name-check the work we did with Arla (Makers of Dano milk) to create a new Guinness World Record for Longest Pouring Relay. Achieving that world record and the award was beautiful. How are themes like big data, AI, and social media impacting your industry and business? Big data, AI and social media are themes that help us at Riquesa better understand the consumers and how to reach, engage, communicate and convert them. The ability to fuse data gathered from these themes is key to surviving in the current marketing climate. How do you prepare clients

for the future? We are constantly questioning the status quo. This approach is how we stay ready. The world as we see it is evolving, the audience profile from 5 years ago has changed significantly especially with the advent of Social Media and AI. We now create experiences that infuse these new themes and we can better serve the consumers experiences that are meaningful. For example: in the past, using promoters/hostesses were commonplace during events/activations. Now, we have more AI-driven platforms and Interactive interfaces/screens; so consumers choose what they want to see and hear. That way, it is more personal and less-intrusive. We now have campaigns where the consumer is front and centre in

the process and they oversee how they are served the experiences and what it means to them. There’s a lot of narrative about how consumer wallet in Nigeria has shrunk in the last few years. How is this affecting your business of helping customers create emotional connections with brands? This is correct. Now consumers are more detailed with how they buy and what they buy. To add to that, there is now more information available, so consumers are making smarter purchase decisions. Brands now must be more intentional about how they communicate and engage these consumers. This is where we come in. We understand the consumers and what they need. By engaging us, Brands are now able to create laser-focused campaigns that ensure that they are reaching the consumers in their comfort zone. So, for us at this time, it’s about digging deep and getting it right always because the margin for errors and generalisations are smaller now. What is the biggest misconception today about the Nigerian market? That would be the assumption that what works in Lagos can be replicated across other regions. As a matter of fact, what works in Ikoyi is unlikely to work in Agege. The Nigerian market is so fragmented that national campaigns must be tailor-made for each region to get the needle moving. It is not a one-size-fits-all project. When you talk about creating customised experiential solutions for brands, is there a onesize-fits-all for their market? There is no one-size-fits-all model available to brands. It is very possible to have an overarching theme but, in the execution, there must be intentionality about how you approach the markets. The goal is to understand the consumer and serve them in a way that leaves them excited and complete. In the east, there is a lot of communal engagement; any kind of campaign in this region must cater to that position. Easterners are big on family and communal activities, so if you are planning an activation, it is likely you would find mothers bring their kids to these activities. That’s not a sight that’s common in the west; so, as Riquesa, we take this into consideration and that little bit of

care can make all the difference. In projecting a brand, how much do you allow clients to contribute to the process? How do you ensure output is a fine balance between wants and needs? We don’t claim to know it all; learning about the brand is how we create a winning plan. Collaboration is our watchword, understanding our clients’ pressing needs reinforces our juice to create. We are people-centric as we believe that people buy what they believe in and that the brands cannot survive without people. We collaborate and create. There is the school of thought that event management is not about the D-day but the process leading up to the event and after. What is your take? The build-up to the event is everything. We plan and plan and replan. Perfection is just repetition overload. We are always learning up until the event is done. The evidence of learning is performance. The D-day is just the day to show what we have learnt over the years, to perform. Is a brand static or evolving? What determines when changes should be effected? A brand is like a tree. The roots are buried in and solid. The trunk is solid and unmovable, but the leaves are fluid and transient, they change with the times and seasons. The roots are the core values of the brand- you lose that, and the brand may die. The trunk is the cultural processes of the brand, they define it and hold it up in the face of adversity and provide brand believers with a structure and frame to leave it. The leaves are the many facets of the brand personality. It would and must evolve with the seasons. Like every tree, proper cultivation is key to growth. Water the roots from ground-up and it would grow sturdy trunks and live long. Operating in Nigeria and Ghana gives you a broader perspective and unique insights on both markets. What are the fundamental features of both markets? The Nigerian market is fragmented and dynamic. The consumers have strong spending power and buying choices are more. Nigeria’s market is driven to satisfy a fast-paced aspirational audience/consumer. In Ghana, it’s a lot different. Ghanaians are not heavy spenders and live in casual contentment.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Business Interview

ould you please share your perspective on why the automotive bill did not scale through Presidential assent? It was not the automotive policy that was sent to the President for assent. The policy was long enacted and signed into law since 1993. It was amended as NADDC Act, 2014. The council as its institutional framework for policy implementation is fully constituted and chaired by a nominee of the President. The Director-General is also appointed by the Presidency. What the President declined assent to was Automotive Industry Investor Confidence Bill 2018 which contained a specific programme -The National Automotive industry Development Plan (NAIDP). His reason for declining to sign the bill was, from what I gathered, based on the uncompromising comment of NIPC in reponse to presidential request for guidance. I don’t think the NIPC reached out to the NADDC secretariat for consultation before responding. Our agencies should be talking to one another. This is a problem. It would have been avoided. The NIPC was apparently not comfortable with a clause in the bill granting automotive investors long tenured Pioneer status. To the agency, it was in conflict with existing pioneer status provisions in the NIPC Act. Incidentally, there is a perfect justification for this. This would have been explained during consultation. Going forward, there should be a meeting by critical agency stakeholders to amend the bill and resubmit with or without the controversial clause. What generally have we suffered as a nation without having a legal backing for the Nigerian automotive sector? We have suffered non-passage to the extent that FDI in the sector has remained limited. But Nigerian investors who are mainly former car dealers have thankfully sustained investment over the period even in trickles. OEMs only deepen investment in countries or economies where policy consistency is assured and this is what the bill seeks to provide. Can we quantify the amount of what we could have achieved, and what we have lost since we did not have a legal backing since the policy came into place in 2013? The policy has simply lost momentum and is now threatened by traders who want to import fully built-up cars at reduced tariffs across board. This will put local investment worth over $3billion in equipment and infrastructures at risk. However, I am optimistic that once the amended bill is reintroduced or proper explanation is made to the President, he will sign it. I don’t know why so much time is being spent to do this. Honestly, I don’t know why this re-submission has been outstanding more than four months after. What does not having a

Luqman Mamudu

Why Nigeria is missing out on huge economic benefits of our automotive sector, by Mamudu Luqman Mamudu, chief executive officer of Transtech Industry Consulting and a former director of policy and planning at the National Automotive Design and Development Council, in this interview with HARRISON EDEH, spoke, among other issues, on why having a legal backing for the automotive policy would make Nigeria an automotive hub. Excerpts: defined legal backing for the sector portend for Nigeria’s signatory to African Continental Free Trade Area? The ACFTA is not in conflict with the automotive policy plan (NAIDP) irrespective of the automotive investor confidence bill’s plight at the moment. AFCTA reserves 10percent of over 4000 tariff lines for strategic project choice by member countries. The automotive policy is well-catered for within this band. Besides, the rule of origin applies under ECOWAS or this new continental economic union. You can’t for instance, import a car from a tariff-friendly country into Nigeria and apply to export it out to Niger as made-in Nigeria. Could you also speak to the benefits that could have accrued from the policy if we had continued with the template laid out by the National Automotive Design and Develop-

“

These committees should be reinaugurated at once. At the same time, a mid-term review of the 10 year programme should be carried out following standard procedure

ment Plan? The NAIDP is a very realistic plan which incorporated the reasonable interest of all stakeholders. Unfortunately, only the vexatious high tariff lines are fully in place six years going. For how long can we hold on to this? It was not meant to stand alone or in perpetuity. High tariffs are not popular as development tools these days. Marketing programmes clearly provided for in the plan have practically been abandoned along with platforms to support local component development. These are the pillars of the programme. NADDC seems to have shifted focus to training programme at the expense of these key programmes. All programmes ought to be simultaneously implemented for traction. If things were done properly, the operational capacity of the sector would have grown steadily to meet demand and the Used

Imported Vehicles would have become gradually unattractive to Nigerians as new cars become affordable. Most assemblers would have migrated to CKD levels of operations where the jobs really happen. At the moment, the industry is dominated by SKD operations. A buoyant automotive sector has a multiplier effect on the whole economy. We are being denied this by the feeble effort of those charged with the responsibility to guide affairs. How could we have made more progress and what review method would you suggest? The review of any policy is a must during its tenure. The NAIDP has provisions for two committees- the Inter-agency Committee and the Industry Committee. These committees have not met in the past three years, yet this is the inbuilt mechanism for review. This is distinct from midterm review which is a must. These committees should be reinaugurated at once. At the same time, a midterm review of the 10 year programme should be carried out following standard procedure. A competent independent consulting firm should be engaged through public bidding to undertake a survey of the industry. It is the report that should inform government decision and guide planning and re-planning. The NADDC put out a public call for EOI to review the NAIDP in March 2019. I don’t know what happened thereafter. I tried to find out. The automotive policy is not the initiative of the present administration; when they came in, they opted for possible review. Could you please give us an insider perspective of what really happened? This government has not tampered with the NAIDP. It’s just that its implementation has been plagued with extreme bureaucracy. It takes an average of 5 months to renew a one-year tenured licence for instance. Demurrage cost has piled up for APs. So, what you hear regularly is people calling on government to review or scrap the policy as they are faced with high tariff without sign of a seriously emerging local industry. But we shouldn’t listen to them. All effort should be put in place to strengthen implementation. I personally have put in so much in this industry to let it die. Can you speak to the benefits of getting the bill signed? Once the automotive bill is signed, the OEM will rapidly inject capital into the industry and drive the technology beyond SKD. This is the level it seems to have stagnated now. Secondly, among others, employment will rise steady in a sustainable way. The automotive industry can account for up to 15percent of GDP; you know what that means. Until you take the bill to the President, he cannot sign it. I urge all those responsible to quickly take it through the proper process and get it to the President’s table.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Person-in the-news Meet Pondei, professor of Microbiology, NDDC’s 5th MD in one year Ignatius Chukwu

n Thursday, February 20, 2020, Daniel Kemebradikumo Pondei, a professor of Medicine from the Niger Delta University (NDU) in Bayelsa State took over as the managing director of the always-in-the-news Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The presidency replaced Joi Nunieh, an Ogoni-born lawyer and activist who is the daughter of the first Ogoni lawyer, with Pondei to head the Interim Management Committee expected to conduct a forensic audit. What seems to stir the oil region is the fact that Pondei is the fifth MD of the Commission in one year. By this time last year, Akwa Ibom-born Nsima Ekere who took over from Ibim Semenitari to begin a substantive term, resigned to take a shot at the governorship seat in his state. Nelson Brambaifa, a professor of Pharmacology, who in 1982 earned his doctorate in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Clinical Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry, was removed in September 2019 in the heat of massive contracts of over one trillion naira when the budget of the Commission was only about N300billion. Akwagaga Enyia, a PhD holder, who was a director in the Commission, was drafted in to return the Commission to its original mandate with focus. By January 2020, she was replaced with Nunieh who began contract verification and exposing of unverifiable contracts. Her work allegedly reduced the debts from trillions to about N500bn due to contractors that could not come near the NDDC because of fake contract papers and other odious rackets. Just when the ovation was getting high, she was kicked out. Many said she refused to compromise anything in the face of big lords who collected tens and hundreds of jobs and payments without lifting a digger. Corruption seemed to fight back and she lost out. Now, another professor from the NDU in Bayelsa has emerged. Pondei obtained the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery MBBS, from the University of Lagos and later proceeded to the School of Molecular Medical Sciences, University of Nottingham for his PhD in Microbiology. Pondei is a professor of Medical Microbiology with specialty in Virology and was the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University, until his latest appointment. Pondei is described “as skilled in epidemiology, life sciences, data analysis, program evaluation, and lecturing.” He delivered the 36th Lecture Series of the Niger Delta University on 17th April, 2019 with topic, “Viruses: Ignored, Neglected, Poorly Understood with Resulting Devas-

The new Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, (m) addressing management and staff at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt. From (l) left are Cecilia BukolaAkintomide and Cairo Ojougboh; from (r) are Caroline Nagbo and Ibanga Bassey Etang. tating Consequences”. Pondei has considerable academic administrative experience, having been Acting Head, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, and Acting Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University. His style Many eyes are on Pondei to see if he would remain radically strong like Nunieh or mellow down on forensic and contract verification schemes. Many would want to know whether he would play down on the contract verification result or go ahead with what Nunieh did. Also, many would want to know whether Pondei has however assured that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Commission would work with all stakeholders, including youths, to fast track the development of the Niger Delta region. Pondei, who was accompanied by the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Ibanga Bassey Etang and the Acting Executive Director, Projects, Cairo Ojougboh, addressed Niger Delta youths that paid a solidarity visit to the IMC at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt. The new NDDC helmsman said that the new team would ensure that the resources of the region were put it into good use, not only for projects, but also for the empowerment of the people, including the youths and women. Pondei said: “We must go back to time-tested activities

like agriculture. We have left agriculture behind and other people are now coming to Niger Delta to farm and fish for us. Going forward, the NDDC is going to put more efforts to make sure that people who are going into agriculture and any form of businesses are empowered and given the opportunity to succeed.” He stressed the need for peace in the region as that was a sure way of encouraging development, adding: “You must organise yourselves and be ready to work hard. President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is not happy about some of the activities of youths in the region. I want to encourage all of you to organise yourselves and be ready to work together. “We want to make sure that development trickles down to every community in the Niger Delta. For that to happen, we need to work together. I urge you to sit up and share ideas with us on ways we can do things differently.” He said: “Let us come together to ensure that NDDC is known for progress. We want a situation where in the next ten years, you will be proud to say that you are from the Niger Delta. So, let us stop all these fighting and other social vices because we are the ones killing ourselves. Let us try to do things differently.” Radical changes coming? Pondei has pledged to make a radical change in the activities of the Commission to enhance its service delivery. He made the promise on Thursday during a meeting with management and

staff of the NDDC, shortly after assuming office at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had on Wednesday inaugurated the enlarged Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. At the meeting with Pondei, were the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang; the Acting Executive Director Projects, Cairo Ojougboh; Caroline Nagbo and Cecilia Bukola Akintomide, who constitute the five-member committee. The new CE) harped on the need to change a number of things at NDDC, noting: “We need to have quality assurance because we must have measurable performance indicators in every unit and department.” According to Pondei: “By my training, I am a problem-solver and I pray that members of the IMC will work together to solve problems. The NDDC has existed for about 20 years, rising from the ashes of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC).” He stated: “A 20-year-old child that still needs to take breast milk is in trouble. By extension, the NDDC is in trouble. Luckily, President Buhari feels for the Niger Delta. This feeling is also shared by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. Their concerns led to the decision to try to adopt new methods in tackling the problems of the Niger Delta. They decided that since we have

done the same thing, using the same method over and over, and getting the same result, it was time to try something different.” Pondei said that members of the new NDDC Interim Management had resolved to work together as an indivisible team. He, however, remarked that the IMC needed to also work in harmony with the NDDC management and staff. The Acting Managing Director said that feelers from members of the public show that NDDC staff were seen as contributing to the problems of the region. He added: “I am not here for a blame game. I would rather that we do a soul-search. Majority of us are from the Niger Delta and I am sure they are not happy with the poor state of affairs in the region. “We are not supposed to be the way we are. We are not supposed to be at the same level with other parts of the country. We are supposed to be different, considering what we contribute to the economy of this country.” Pondei declared: “We must come up with ways of improving on our service delivery. We need to drive this seriously. We must pay serious attention to efficiency and quality. Every department will need to come up with new work plans and we need to have measurable indices in those work plans. “There must be a way of showing what the NDDC has been able to achieve over time. We need to do things that are totally different from what obtains now.”

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Special Feature

Certificate forgery and victims of own craft Continued from page 1 forgery and sentenced to two years in prison with an option of fine. He paid the fine. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo later granted him state pardon. That perhaps, ended his political career after presiding as speaker for just six weeks. The next prominent high office holder, who resigned from office on account of forgery, was former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun. The UK-trained investment banker was enmeshed in the scandal of a forged certificate over the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme for Nigerian graduates. Adeosun, who claimed she was 34 at the time she finished her college in the UK and therefore, not qualified to serve having passed 30, the age limit, procured an exemption certificate. After investigation, the certificate turned out to be forged. She was then forced to resign from office and facing imminent pressure of prosecution, she left Nigeria for the UK in September 2018. The dual Nigerian and British national, who was appointed minister in 2015, was exposed by a popular online media platform. Before leaving, she issued a statement, saying she felt bound to resign after the investigation, saying, “This has come as a shock to me and I believe that in line with this administration’s focus on integrity, I must do the honourable thing and resign,” she said. In August 14, 2019, news filtered in that President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Chairman, Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla , “with immediate effect”. In a letter dated Wednesday, August 14, 2019 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Obono-Obla was accused of “falsification of records and financial impropriety”. A House of Representatives ad-hoc panel, had after its investigation found Obono-Obla guilty of using forged West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to gain admission to study Law at the University of Jos. WAEC later confirmed his certificate forgery. The President took action against Obono-Obla after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) also found him guilty of impropriety. Facing prosecution, Obono-Obla, who risked being jailed, allegedly fled Nigeria to the UK. On Thursday, February 13, the Supreme Court nullified the election of Bayelsa State

Governor-elect, David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) just 24 hours to his inauguration. A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mary Odili sacked Lyon on the grounds that his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the run up to the November 16 governorship election in the state. The Supreme Court ruling was in consonance with an earlier ruling of the high court on the matter. The apex court therefore, ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Lyon and Degi-Eremienyo. INEC was also ordered by the court to immediately declare the party with the highest number of lawful votes and geographical spread. The candidate of the PDP, Diri Duoye, became the beneficiary and he has since been sworn-in as governor of Bayelsa State. The above scenarios speak of desperation to acquire power and influence at all cost, which has affected the moral compass of the nation and question its norms and values. Speaking to BDSUNDAY, public affairs analyst, Majeed Dahiru, said the situation is disturbing, describing it as an “absolute flight of morality in the polity”, which is a consequence of desperation to acquire power and influence at all cost. “Since the return to democracy 20 years ago, Nigerians have seen a continuous deterioration of their political process into a

Salisu Buhari... pardoned criminal franchise of power grab for self service at all cost and morality appears to have taken flights in everything we are doing in this country. “Immorality pervades the entire country and that is why we are not even able to implement our laws. In fact, the executive is not able to execute any law neither is the judiciary able to interpret the law in line with the morality of the rule of law

“

So, it is a chronic failure on the part of the political parties that they present for election candidates that have questionable character as seen in the rampant cases of certificate forgery Kemi Adeosun... innocent victim

because the law was crafted to safeguard morality and so when a system is devoid of morality, it becomes dysfunctional,” Dahiru said. In the case of the political parties allegedly involved in certificate forgery, Majeed said, the political parties are actually mandated to carry out screening on their own to make sure they present the possible candidate that has gone through the

crucial test of integrity before presenting them to the public for elections. “So, it is a chronic failure on the part of the political parties that they present for election candidates that have questionable character as seen in the rampant cases of certificate forgery. So, if a political party and a ruling one for that matter which mantra of change is anticorruption thrust can now be caught not in one instance, not in two instances but in many instances, presenting candidates with questionable certificates, it tells you how much immorality has pervaded the polity,” he added On September 15, 2010, a family was at the Murtala International Airport Lagos to bid farewell to their son who was traveling to Spain for football trail with a Spanish second division club. Happy to see the aspiring international footballer make his way through the immigration and security posts for boarding, the family left praising God for the beginning of a journey that would change their fortune and life for good. Sadly, after several hours, the young man did not call from Spain, but from Panti Police station in Yaba, Lagos, where he was detained for travelling with fake Spanish visa, and travel insurance. The father could not drive to the police station to see him because he suspected that his driver’s licence was fake, having been delivered by same contact that arranged fake travel documents to his innocent son. The unfortunate young man was among the thousands of victims who fell for the scam of document forgers at Oluwole Market, a once notorious hub for anything bad on Lagos Island, especially fake documents. Also, a police division in Abuja almost could not detect genuine work identity cards when some hoodlums who were parading as police officers were caught last year in Apo Village, all because of the fake identity card that was creatively done by the ingenious forgers. Moreover, employers of labour are getting all manner of certificates from job seekers now, especially foreign certificates, which seem to get more attention than first class degree certificates from Nigerian universities. The preference has given rise to certificate forgery across all levels of educational qualifications. “My friend graduated from a university in the Philippines and he got a good job based on that certificate, which I don’t think is foreign enough. But he was

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Special Feature

FG initiates safety net jobs for unskilled persons INNOCENT ODOH, ABUJA

T Obono-Obla... on the run? thrown out of the job four months later when his manager discovered he could not deliver on the skills he was employed for,” Susan Akpan, a hotel auditor, said. The auditor later made inquiry and discovered that her friend was in jail for many years in Malaysia and decided to get a forged degree certificate to make up for the years he claimed to be in school over there. There are many who jet out of the country and return years later with forged certificates. But the intrigue for the likes of Akpan is that the employers here hardly verify the authenticity of certificates whether foreign or local. But for those who cannot afford to travel for fake foreign certificates, there are more ingenious document forgers in the country to help. From fake degree certificates, international passports, visas, drivers licence, receipts, contract papers, land documents to sensitive government seals, there is no document people under pressure, those who want shortcuts and many with criminal intent cannot get at Oluwole, Old Market Road, Onitsha and many other hot spots for fake documents across the country. Probably, it was in one of those ingenious forgers that helped Kemi Adeosun, with the fake NYSC certificate, which saw her resigning from her exalted position when the heat was overbearing for her. As well, same people forged University of Jos certificate for Ibrahim Hassan, a Plateau State lawmaker, who was sacked later when Musa Kurya, the judge declared that there was no proof that the diploma submitted to INEC by Hassan was genuinely obtained from the University of Jos. S o m e t i m e a g o , La w r e n c e Ewhrudjakpo, a senator, was issued a bench warrant by a Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja for alleged failure to honour a summon on a suit accusing him of presenting a forged NYSC Exemption Certificate. Are regular certificate screening exercises just a waste of time? In a country where public office holders are made to pass through

Degi-Eremienyo... insists on his innocence several screening processes, one wonders how those parading forged certificates were not caught. Pascal Emeh, a forensic lawyer, noted that the security operatives that conduct the screenings are often not aware of the fake certificates as they are given guidelines on what to check and how to check them. “So, if the guideline does not support making inquiry from the schools, nobody will dare make effort to find out because it may involve logistics, which government may not be funding,” he said. He suggested that same scenario happened in Kemi Adeosun’s case because she had used the certificate to pass a screening test for her appointment as commissioner for finance in Ogun State where she was screened. He also noted that some of the culprits are not discovered on time because they may be enjoying the protection of a godfather until when such powers clash with another political interest or bloc. “The day a man declares interest for a political position, same day his detractors will start digging out his past to see if there are things to hold him back, especially if they think he is a better candidate. If you are seen as opposing the powers, they may dig into your past as well and things that did not matter before will become a big sin like in Kemi Adeosun’s case. One wonders where the godfathers were when she was being ‘persecuted’”, Emeh stated. Certificate forgery as an economic sabotage Declaring certificate forgery as an economic sabotage, Ademola Ogunu, a financial expert, said that certificate forgers have always had it good when they are caught. “They should be made to pay back all money and entitlements they got while occupying positions with forged certificates. It is sad that Salisu Buhari paid fine and was later pardoned by Olusegun Obasanjo, former president. He is even rumored to have been appointed on a federal board. Why will others not do same?” he decried. Going by Ogunu’s line of thought, certificate forgers should in addition to going to prison, be made to pay back all money they earned while illegally occupying positions in order to

serve as a deterrent to others. He thinks that that money would have paid for one or two constituency projects; lift some youths from unemployment and impacted the people than the illegal earners. “There is no way Salisu Buhari did not make at least N200 million as speaker; that money can get three good primary schools and a hospital in his constituency. But he is enjoying his fraud and others are using him as example to continue occupying positions with fake certificates until when they are caught and pardoned later,” he said. From ‘Oluwole’ to photo-shopping But apart from certificate, the game of forgery is changing every day making forgery more difficult. For instance, with the digitised and more secured Nigerian passport imbedded with hidden chips, finger prints and facial captures, forgers are finding it difficult to produce fake ones. As well, fake visas are becoming a thing of the past with high-tech employed by embassies and visa on arrival policy that is gaining ground. Truly, the game is fast changing now with technology. But forgers know this and are also updating their skills. Instead of the usual shanty shops, makeshift buildings and hideouts, forgers now stay anywhere including corporate offices and their houses to carry on with their nefarious activities. With indesign skills, high-tech scanners, apps like photoshop, seal imprints and desktop computer, forgers can virtually design any document from the most secured bank cheque, travel documents, certificate of occupancy, payment receipts and to the best university degree certificates. The intrigue of document forgery is that it is prevalent across all sphere in life the country; from a parent in the village presenting fake state of origin certificate to get his son in Nigerian Defence Academy; land owner presenting 1970 receipt in order to pay less for his Certificate of Occupancy, to a senator who has been in the Senate for a third term with fake university degree or NYSC certificate. The perpetrators are hiding under unemployment to continue in their nefarious activities. Even when there is job, there are people who will always want the shortcut to anything and document forgers are more than willing to help them.

he Federal Government has initiated a Safety Net-Job for Unskilled Persons as a Strategy to move a significant percentage of untrained, untrainable and idle youths out of unemployment. A statement issued on Thursday by Charles Akpan Deputy Director/Head of Press said, the Director Special Duties and Project of the Federal Ministry Labour and Employment, Dr. Martina Nwordu, revealed this over the weekend at a National Survey for Generation of Baseline Data on Unskilled Persons in Nigeria at Bauchi. According to her the Ministry decided to embark on the survey in response to the address by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presentation of 2020 Budget where he promised to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years. She however said that the ability of the country to deliver on this promise depends largely on the cooperation of relevant sectors especially the social sectors of which the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is part. She classified unskilled persons as young persons in the age bracket of 12 to 30 years with educational qualification in the verge of nil to Senior Secondary School Certificate. While the younger age bracket of 12 to 15 years are usually found in religious, charity and humanitarian institutions established for the poor, she added that those above this age limit are commonly seen at street corners, market places, motor parks and other dark and dangerous areas of the society from where they unleashed various forms of mayhem at the slightest provocation. She further reiterated that information on exact numbers of this critical population of the Country, disaggregated by their location, accessibility and poverty status are not well documented. She said this has make planning and implementation of intervention strategies for them most “knee-jerk or reactive in nature with little or no sustainability consideration”. It is in the light of the above she said and as part of efforts toward filling this data gap and building a solid statistical frame work for action that the Ministry embarked on a nationwide data generation exercise which is expected to yield an initial descriptive data base on the targeted population. She identified the formal and informal institution targeted for the survey as Homes for the Poor established by NGOs, FBOs and International Organisation, Live-in Educational Institutions established for the homeless youths by religious bodies and Faith Based Organisations, Market Touts Unions, Street Urchins and Area Boys Groups and IDPs camps. The statement added that some of the areas visited by Nworgu and Labour Officers in Bauchi were Cornerstone Centre for Educational Development and Children (FBO), Wunti GSM Market Touts Union, Unguwan Mai-Anguwa Street Corner Area Boys, Tsangayar Shiek Dahiru Bauchi Phase Two- Almajiri Educational Institution among others.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Arts Rapid Response Restitution; new approach to recovering African stolen heritage

OBINNA EMELIKE hen Azu Nwabogu, founder and director, African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), hinted to some friends that he was bringing Dr. Clémentine Deliss, an European museum expert, to talk on restitution of African artifacts, most of them queried why a ‘foreigner’ should be leading such discussions in an African soil. But Nwabogu insisted knowing the Deliss’ hard stand against the keeping of African artifacts in foreign museums instead of returning them to the rightful owners. As well, Deliss’, who had lived in Dakar Senegal, is a lover of African art and gained expertise in it, enabling her to act as a consultant for the European Union in Dakar and various cultural organisations. As a onetime director of the Museum der Weltkulturen (Museum of the World’s Cultures) in Frankfurt, Germany, where a lot African artifacts are warehoused, she stands on a better position to discuss restitution because, it was also her insistence on the return of African artifacts that resulted in her early exit at the museum. “She has been working on the restitution topic for longer than I know about, so that is why we asked her to come and talk about it here, she is one of the leading experts on the topic, she was a director of an ethnographic museum for many years, and she introduced her radical approach when it wasn’t fashionable

Clementine Deliss during the talk in Lagos

by bringing contemporary African fashion designers, writers, film makers and fine artists to interact with the objects and to find new meaning in them. “Our logic this night is to find new meaning in the restitution debate, we are trying to move away from the sensational discus to something that is immediate, something that everyone here can participate and find relevance, feel empowered and need to engage”, Nwabogu explained. With all these going for Deliss, many were present at Mike Adenuga Centre Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday evening for ‘Rapid Response Restitution, a talk by Dr. Clémentine Deliss’, a programme hosted by the African Artist Foundation in conjunction with the Goethe Institut in Nigeria

and with the support of Alliance Française Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre. Another good thing Nwabogu did was to insist that Deliss must read her manifesto as part of the talk. But to the surprise of many, the manifesto was the ‘main thing’. The museum expert, who has been traveling and working across Africa since 1989, was glad to read the manifesto, which she wrote in a hotel room in Dakar some years back. “I want to begin this talk with a manifesto I wrote two years ago at a hotel for the Dakar Biennale. I lived in Dakar and I was invited to talk at a conference”, she said. She hinted that the last time she read the manifesto was at a major forum in Porto and she was accused of hate speech. She read the mani-

festo while presenting some complementary and interesting photographs that suggested more proactive ways of looking at the question of restitution, which she insisted is now a call. “The manifesto is for the right for access to colonial collections sequested in Western Europe” she said. She also asked in her manifesto the level of progress at restoring African heritage and art after 28 years since the first edition of Dakar Biennale, the biennial of visual art held in Senegal where Alpha Oumar Konaré, former president of Mali and president international Council of Museums stated “It is about time we questioned the fundamental basis of the situation and killed the western model of the museum in Africa in order for new methods for the

conservation and promotion of our heritage to flourish”. Part of the progress, according to her, is that, “Slowly issues are raised on African collections in Europe, those collections are still locked up in the vaults of ethnocolonial museums in Western Europe, millions of tribal arts in Europe without authors without intellectual rights, that are resold and swapped by museums across Europe”. She noted that Africa is now calling restitution, retraced biographies of objects acquired or stolen, find the object hunters, among others, but that the engagement has not been good enough as the sped has been at snail pace. She called for more efforts in order to discourage Africans at home from seeking visas to go visit their heritage in Paris, London, Vienna among other Western European countries. The stolen heritage on display, for her, are framed by display, fashioned by interior design, exclusive and exhibition that adds a sentence or two because they did not document much on the objects, instead it was collect and collect without proper documentation and recognition of the creators of the works. Though Alpha Oumar Konaré suggested that the way to heal the colonial wounds is to kill the museums, Deliss says, “We insist on restitution but not at the pace of a snail, we will not wait for ethnological resuscitation and organ trade to restore the ghosts of the past, but while restitution is underway, we have to act now and push for legisla-

tions for the right to access to art histories of the world held in the British Museum in London, African museum in Brussels, Belt Museum in Vienna, Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris among others”. Responding to the issues raised in Deliss’ presentation, Yemisi Shyllon, foremost Nigerian art collector, noted that most of the concerns of those holding unto Africa artifacts have been addressed by with the establishment of Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan-Atlantic University. Lagos. “Our museum is designed to solve the problems, which those against restitution raised”, he assured. For him, the museum has stable power supply from the university, it is has facilities that enable proper conservation and preservation of works in the museum, including regulated temperature while the human capital is well-trained in management of the facility. He also expressed concern for places where there are no facilities to receive stolen works if they are eventually returned. Bu t t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s agreed that Africa should demand, seek more engaging approach, build museums, grow competence in museum management and commit to preserving her heritage and not to listen to the old stories told by western world on why artifacts cannot return to rightful owners in Africa. Also, the installmental return of the works like French’s 26 works to Benin Republic should not be applauded as millions are still locked up in their museums.

and repetition of its organic and built environments. Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, SMO founder and artistic di-

rector, said photography is still an under-represented medium in Nigerian art collections. “Dis Lagos Life showcases powerful narratives, which will heighten our socio-cultural awareness, while providing us with unforgettable images of a city, which draws us into a whirlwind of energy, colour and vibe at a critical time in our ever changing history,” Obiago stated. Mosun Ogunbanjo, the director of Wheatbaker, said the exhibition perfectly encapsulates the contradictions and beauty of Lagos. “As we enter a new decade, the Wheatbaker is delighted to continue providing our artists with an important platform for innovation and creativity through their powerful expressions in different media,” said Mosun.

‘Dis Lagos Life’ exhibition holds at the Wheatbaker

is Lagos Life’, a photo exhibition that captions the daily happenings in Lagos and supported by Louis Guntrum and The Wheatbaker opens for public viewing at the Wheatbaker from February 24-May 17, 2020. Curated by SMO Contemporary Art , Dis Lagos Life brings together 58 honest, intimate and audacious photos of six talented artists; Amanda Iheme, Ayanfe Olrinde, Nelly Ating, Oluwamuyiwa Logo, Omoregie Osakpolor and Somi Nwandu who analyse, interrogate and expose the enigmatic duality of Lagos as a megacity. “Dis Lagos Life takes us on a journey through the streets and occurrences in Lagos. It pushes us out of our curated

bubbles into the raw beauty and harsh reality of the city, forcing us to engage, discuss, speak out and make change; even if just in our little corners,” said Nneoma Ilogu, the exhibition curator and manager at SMO Contemporary Art. According to her, the exhibition touches on the complex pressures of life in Lagos, while beckoning on residents to grapple more honestly with what must change. Speaking further on the exhibition, Ilogu said the exhibition also highlights curated quotes from six writers and thought leaders like; Wana Udobang, Jareh Das, Kovie Evi-Parker, Sheila Chukwulozie, Roli Afinotan and Adeoluwa Oluwajoba , whose reflective sentiments and analysis of Lagos provide a

deeper appreciation of the exhibited images. From photos, historical buildings, the daily struggles of

transient communities to the effects of censorship on the minds of the youth, juxtaposed against the beautiful pattern

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Arts Artists to watch in the new decade OBINNA EMELIKE

ith the m a n y exhibitions, exchanges, residences and fairs, the Nigerian art scene achieved some feats last year despite challenges. However, the feats were possible largely due to the activities initiated or involving a good number of acclaimed visual artists locally and internationally. Some of the artists who made great impacts last year are also set to make huge impact this year with breathtaking works, exhibitions and other exciting activities. Top among them are: Victor Ehikhamenor If you visit the Legend Hotel by Curio Collection at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, great artworks courtesy of the Edo State-born painter welcome you into an awaiting leisure. To s a y t h e l e a s t , Ehikhamenor is globally renowned. He led the team of three contemporary artists that represented Nigeria at Venice Art Biennale in Italy in 2017, Nigeria’s debut at the 122-year old biennale. Emboldened with the exposure and networking at the biennale, the artist is set for more creative works now and in the future. So, follow the artist to see sheer creativity, especially breathtaking installations in 2020.

Peju Alatise

Gerald Chukwuma Chukwuma is a celebrated visual artist with an enthusiastic local and international following. He is among artists to watch this year. You need to see the University of Nigeria Nsukka Art School trained artist unleash his bold works made from multitude of found objects and representation of an un-

Gerald Chukwuma

forgettable visual language, in which he uses African symbols and patterns in refreshing new ways. He has numerous creative works to his credit. One of them is The Nerve Centre; one of the 19 monuments commissioned by Lagos Sate government to mark Lagos at 50 celebration. The enormous installation brought from con-

ception to life by Chukwuma is built to last for decades. Truly, it seems that Lagos slept one night and woke up to this new landmark. Top among the reasons to see Chukwuma’s works is that fact that the artist, who has participated in more than 20 exhibitions in the last decade in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, France,

Denmark, Holland, and the United States, is promising more exhibitions, collaborations and engagements this decade starting from 2020. On your visit to his exhibitions this year, you will discover why his works (combination of textures, lines, symbols and colours laid out on painstakingly etched wooden panels) have become auction favourites. Peju Alatise If you want to appreciate the female folks who are in the creative industry, Peju Alatise should be among the top 10. Alatise, a sculptor, exhibits rare creative ingenuity in her works. She was among the three artists that represented Nigeria at Venice Art Biennale in Italy in 2017. You need to see her works because Alatise has gone beyond mere sculpture to exerting some level of sociocultural influence with her work and even personality. You need to meet her this

Victor Ehikhamenor

year because of her multiple talents. She is a sculptor, mixed-medium artist, a poet and published writer whose interdisciplinary work has garnered attention on the global art stage. She was selected as the 2016 fellow at the Smithsonian Institute of African Art and was 2017 recipient of the highly coveted FNB Art Prize, a prize that made her join the ranks of previous winners such as Nolan Oswald Dennis, Turiya Magadlela, Portia Zvavahera and Kudzanai Chiurai. Before the 2019 elections, she reengaged her passion about addressing social, political and gender-related issues as her primary subject matter, through artistic works that also capture the joy and pain of womanhood in modernlife-African traditions. This year, she is promising more enthralling works and offering them in exhibitions, private and institutional collections around the world more than ever before.

Brazilians, Africans in Diaspora trace roots to Nigeria as Aje Festival holds in Ile-Ife OBINNA EMELIKE

ll roads lead to the ancient city of Ile-Ife, which is believed to be the cradle of humanity, as the Arole Oodua & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, will on Monday February 24, 2020 lead thousands of Ife indigenes, market men and women, tourists, financial experts and business tycoons from across Nigeria and abroad to celebrate the 2020 edition of Aje festival. Reports from the IleOodua palace of the Ooni confirmed the organisers of this year’s AJE festival led by Toyin Kolade are not leaving any stone unturned with top gear preparations to enable Ooni Ogunwusi host this

year’s edition of the annual festival expected to be attended by both local and international participants in a more remarkable way. Speaking on behalf of the Ooni, who is the natural head of the Oduduwa race globally, Moses Olafare, director of media and public affairs, for the Ooni, said in a press release that not less than 20 Africans in diaspora including Cubans, Brazilians and Americans have confirmed their flight tickets to arrive Nigeria this weekend to take part in the festival on Monday. “The 2020 Aje Festival Planning Committee led by Princess Toyin Kolade is working assiduously with the Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula to ensure a superlative edition this year, with several foreigners coming to participate, especially from Cuba, Brazil

and America”, Olafare said. According to Princess Kolade, Ooni Ogunwusi with white pigeons in his hands will lead the procession of participants from the palace ‘Ile Oodua’ to the Aje shrine

known as ‘Idi Aje’, located a kilometer away from the palace right inside the Ejigbomekun market believed to be oldest market in the world where prayers for economic and commercial

The Ooni blessing visitors at Aje festival

prosperity of the Oduduwa race worldwide and Nigeria in particular would be made, after which the pigeons are released into the air. The statement added that as one of the 401 gods and goddesses such as Ogun (iron), Osun (water), Kori (children) and Orunmila (divination), Aje is a deity in charge of wealth and economic prosperity with great positive influence on the world’s economy. “The Aje deity is in charge of wealth, commerce and economy just like Ogun is in charge of iron and Osun is in charge of waters. The festival annually holds on a Monday traditionally known as ‘Ojo Aje’ in Yoruba parlance. During the festival, participants including foreign tourists, business men and women would purchase a white pi-

geon each, this is symbolic of purity and peace.” Olafare added It would be recalled that Princess Kolade led a royal team to Brazil in August last year advancing the cause of Aje festival where fruitful discussions and meetings were held with government of the city of Rio and other cultural tourism stakeholders for collaboration on the festival in furtherance of the cultural tourism revolution agenda of the Ooni of Ife, who doubles as the traditional head of the Yoruba race globally. The activities of 2020 edition of ODUN AJE would be climaxed with a dinner party at the banquet hall of the palace where guests and the foreign tourists would be entertained by Musiliu Aruna Isola, the Apala music maestro.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Life&Living Man or Woman: Who’s the helpless romantic?

Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

hey may not show it as often, but past studies have shown that men are definitely more romantic at heart than women are. Your husband or boyfriend is a special person and is probably longing to get a thoughtful and caring text message from you while at work or going about his daily activities. A sweet love text message is one thing that is sure to put a smile on his face even after a hectic day. The fact that you’re ‘the lady’ that cares enough to text him something sweet makes him love you even more, and believe it or not, men have also been found to be the ones to say ‘I love you’ first in a relationship. What is romance to a guy? Romance is not so much about a one-time show of appreciation, acknowledgement or affection, it’s about small, everyday displays of love. In a survey conducted by BDSunday, it was deduced that a man would find an express in interest in what he is thinking, feeling, wanting and doing by asking him, romantic.

To a woman, romance is the feeling we chase in relationships. It is a powerful force that makes you feel connected to someone in a deeper way. It’s the gestures, both big and small, that make you feel especially wooed and especially cherished by your partner. Romance is what takes your relationship past friendship. By definition, being romantic is all about expressing love. But for most people, especially women, romance is about showing how much you love them through unexpected gestures. A woman wants a man who will

make her feel special, loved, and wanted, even when it’s not required of him to do so. “I believe that the helpless romantic could be either the man or the woman. It is neither here nor there. Being more romantic depends on so many factors in the relationship and its rules of engagement. Some women seem to be showier about their affection towards their partner while some men also go out of their way to show affection, please and make their lover happy,” Chike Anosike, a marriage coun-

selor, told BDSunday. “It is easily believed that a woman is more romantic because women will hardly give any man the chance to her heart if she doesn’t like him or is not romantically attracted to him. Meanwhile a man could date a woman he doesn’t have 100 percent feelings for and easily cheat on her. But when a man truly loves a woman, he will definitely go the whole way for her,” Tolani Ogundimu, Imo State University graduate said. Scientists theorise that romanticism is a symptom of having easier

mate choice, with the fact women have to worry about whether someone is able to provide for them an inhibiting factor when it comes to loving with wild abandon. And while it’s not a hypothesis to which the entire academic community subscribes, it’s certainly one theory which helps counter the notion that women are the over-idealistic ones. To be frank, it’s never occurred to me that men are any less interested in romance than women. We’ve finally begun to discount the idea that men are inevitably more interested than women in anything that stirs the loins – so why would it be any different when it comes to gestures that swell the heart? It seems they merely pretend not to be interested when in the company of other men for fear of coming across as something less than manly. Which is a shame because it seems that men have so much power to positively influence one another when they so choose – and that’s for bad or for good. I would say, simply understanding your partner’s love language and speaking it by aiming to please him or her, makes you a helpless romantic, whether man or woman.

Exceptional breakfast in bed recipe ideas

Jumoke Lawanson & Ifeoma Okeke

ow, there’s breakfast and then there’s breakfast in bed. Possibly the best thing to ever wake up to, right? But for it to go swimmingly, you need breakfast recipes that are super easy to make and comfortable to eat, in bed. For that exact reason, there are selections of delicious recipes that you can whip up in no time, so that you can crawl back to your bed, switch the TV on and tuck in. Sounds perfect doesn’t it? Traditional English breakfast Whether you’re making scrambled eggs, omelets or just plain fried eggs, English breakfast is probably the easiest meal you can make in the shortest time for a perfect breakfast in bed setting. Pop two slices

of bread in the toaster, fry some sausages, bacon and warm up your baked beans with a slice of tomatoes, harsh browns and your cup of tea for a complete tray of heavenly tasting English breakfast. Make it even healthier by adding a fruit salad bowl and some delicious spreads. Pancakes Look no further for the perfect homemade pancake recipe! Served with some oven-baked bacon, breakfast couldn’t be any more perfect. Making pancakes is actually much easier than you think. Mix some self raising flour into your beaten eggs; add milk, a little bit of water, sugar and some butter and flavoring into a fine mix by whisking until you can’t see any more lumps. Then bring out a clean non stick pan, add as little oil as possible to grease the pan and fry the pancakes. With some pancake syrup

and sausages or bacon, your perfect breakfast is ready. French toast This is probably one of the most underrated go to breakfast recipes. It’s simple to make but delicious. Beat together egg, milk, salt, desired spices and vanilla. Then heat a lightly oiled pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Dunk each slice of bread in the egg mixture, soaking both sides, and place in pan. Cook both sides until golden brown and serve hot with a drizzle of syrup. Fried plantain with peppered eggs This is a typical Nigerian breakfast that is super easy to prepare, and tastes absolutely delicious. Chop up some tomatoes, peppers and onions, fry them in a pan with a little oil and add beaten eggs to the mix, seasoning as required. Then simply

deep fry your plantains till golden brown and your breakfast is ready to be served in bed. Boiled yams and corned beef stew This is another easy peasy menu that’s a staple food in every Nigerian home. Pour the vegetable oil into a dry pot. When the oil is heated, add the diced onions with tomato paste

or blended pepper mix and fry for a bit. Add the corned beef or the minced beef and fry till the beef turns pale. Simply cut up your yam into slices and boil in water with a pinch of salt. Food is perfect and ready to eat once the yams are cooked. Oats porridge Oatmeal is a type of porridge, and the two terms are often used interchangeably, but not all porridge is made from oats. Porridge is a food commonly eaten as a breakfast cereal dish. Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They’re a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. Studies show that oats and oatmeal have many health benefits. These include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of heart disease. To make this, simply add your oats into a pot of water and bring to boil. Stir until it thickens and add milk and sugar to taste.

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BDSUNDAY 27

StateOfTheNation

How weak synergy threatens Buhari’s administration – Experts

Tony Ailemen, Abuja

conomic experts have said that the absence of synergy amongst government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and among individual appointees of government has impacted negatively on President Muhammadu Buhari’s promises to deliver on his three-prong agenda. This is coming on the heels of the recent impasse between the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and that of the Chief of Staff to the President. A document that was stumbled onto by an online medium revealed that “a lucrative contract for the procurement of defence equipment for the Nigeria Police Force appeared to have triggered the raging confrontation at the highest levels of the Buhari administration.” According to the report, the “freshly obtained documents showed how the NSA, Babagana Monguno tackled the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, for allegedly overriding a previous directive of the president in a contract to procure equipment for the police from the United Arab Emirates.” The report also went on to say that Monguno, described Kyari’s action as “reckless and irresponsible”, warning that it was capable of ridiculing Nigeria as an unserious nation before a reliable international partner. For so long, there has been that perception that there is lack of cooperation and unity of purpose among government officials, which many believe may have constituted an impediment in the expected deliverables. When for instance after constituting his cabinet, the President ordered his ministers to access him through Abba Kyari, many people grumbled, saying that such a directive could buccaneer efforts of some ministers with burning zeal to excel on their beats. There were at that time reports that Kyari was not enjoying a robust relationship with some of the returnee-ministers. Sources say that although the ministers have been doing their job in line with the President’s directives, it has been peace of the graveyard. Recall that Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State recently painted a picture of disorderliness among those saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians. Zulum spoke on the possible reasons the insecurity, particu-

Kyari

larly the Boko Haram insurgency, is festering. He said that too much lies and half-truths was being peddled by those who should speak the truth about the situation of things and also the unwillingness of the powers that be to hear the truth. So, because those who should hear the truth do not want to hear or be told the truth, those who should say things as they are, are now telling government only what it wants to hear. Also, following the recent massacre of over 20 people in Auno, in Borno State by the Islamist sect, Zulum blamed the military, saying although he was not undermining the capacity of the military, his government had repeatedly appealed to the military to establish their unit in Auno owing to the continuous attacks by insurgents, but his appeal had not been considered. At the inception of his administration in 2015, President Buhari had said his administration would focus on delivering on the three-pronged promises of securing the lives and property of Nigerians, halting the pillage of the common wealth by corrupt public officials, and creating employment opportunities for the youth. But years after, experts believe that lack of synergy is negatively impacting the management of the nation’s economic policies, as well as lack of strong national economic focus/plans, thus derailing some of the wellintended actions. Experts therefore, believe

Buhari

that the absence of synergy which has been the bane of effective policy implementation and service delivery assumed a new height under the current administration. Nigeria’s synergy challenge affects every facet, including security, as many of the current security challenges have also been linked to agencies working at cross purposes, refusing data sharing, confusion over who gives orders and whose orders should be obeyed, even in situations of joint security operations. The Economic Advisory Committee (ECA) exposed the rots in the system when they observed the lack of synergy between ministries and other government agencies, when they presented their report to the President. The President, in his response, directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), to intervene and address the issue immediately. It was also observed that these challenges made it possible for as many as 265 government agencies to dodge submission of audited accounts since 2017, a situation that has continued to allow for leakages in the nation’s financial system. The infighting, sidelining and marginalisation created room for the absence of synergy creating more frictions between some ministers and heads of government parastatals. BDSUNDAY gathered that some of the Agencies rely on laws establishing the organisations as basis for refusing to obey

Monguno

directives But Junaid Mohammed, a renowned academic, blames “leadership incompetence” and “greed” for some of the frictions. He said it was inconceivable that the security agencies have failed to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency several years after President Buhari took a public vow to end the crisis. “They said they have pushed them to the fringes of the Lake Chad, but how are they able to come back to Maiduguri and its environs so easily? Why do you think the people are not cooperating with the government? For some people in Borno to boo the President is a sign of frustration,” he said. According to Mohammed, “Every leader must take decision to ensure that they are faithfully implemented. They should be told to sit up and work together.” Mohammed said the President must address differences where they exist, adding that “where there is no effective supervision, people will go about to have their way. It is the problem of the entire country. We must achieve national consensus”. “After the election, the process of governance takes over. It is the responsibility of the leader to put party differences aside and ensure that the best amongst the citizens are engaged to drive policies,” he further observed. Mohammed however, called on the Economic team to avail the President of their best advice on how to tackle the challenges. “They must come out with

specific policies to address the issues and the President himself must understand what he needs to do to drive the implementation process and their implications,” he said. Emmanuel Onyeama, a public affairs analyst, described the issue as a “national challenge” Onyeama, who noted that the President has not demonstrated control, said: “A leader must be totally in control; it does not mean that you cannot delegate responsibilities; your body language will determine how fast your appointees can deliver.” He further said: “If you are perceived to have that thoroughness, those working for you will act likewise.” Speaking further on leadership recruitment policy, he noted that “Permanent secretaries are the bureaucrats, but the ministers appointed must be competent to manage whatever portfolios assigned to them. “There is what you call policy truncation. Government is a continuum. While party manifestos are good, policies are generated by bureaucrats for the purpose of good governance. There must therefore, be continuity in governance. Policies are generated by the bureaucrats based on needs assessments. “There is also need for strong national plans which everyone must understand and commit to. Other challenges we are facing in our national life include loss of values and that is why the system Continues of page 13

28 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Travel

Delta invests $1bn to become first carbon neutral airline globally …sets vision for reducing emissions, advancing sustainability Stories by IFEOMA OKEKE

elta Air Lines is committing one billion dollars over the next 10 years on its journey to mitigate all emissions from its global business, going forward. The airline will invest in driving innovation, advancing clean air travel technologies, accelerating the reduction of carbon emissions and waste, and establishing new projects to mitigate the balance of emissions. “There is no substitute for the power that travel has to connect people, which our world needs today more than ever before. As we connect customers around the globe, it is our responsibility to deliver on our promise to bring people together and ensure the utmost care for our environment,” Ed Bastian, Delta’s CEO said. “The time is now to accelerate our investments and establish an ambitious commitment that the entire Delta team will deliver.” Delta’s approach to tackling carbon reduction and sustainability reflects the focus and rigor it has

become known for, and that it used to build a financially secure airline. This announcement comes as Delta pays $1.6 billion in profit sharing to employees this Valentine’s Day, and reflects its long-standing approach to placing a high value on supporting all stakeholders and communities worldwide. “There’s no challenge we face that is in greater need of innovation than environmental sustainability, and we know there is no single solution. We are digging deep into the issues, examining every corner of our business, engaging experts, building coalitions, fostering partnerships and driving innovation,” Bastian said. “We are on a journey, and though we don’t have all the answers today, we know that our scale, along with investments of time, talent and resources will bring meaningful impact to the planet and ensure the

How passengers can avoid corona virus spread by flight dispatcher

UnitedStatesFederalAviation Administration (FAA) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) licensed Flight Dispatcher and Ground Instructor, Victoria Jumoke Adegbe has advised sick passengers to abstain from traveling to save their lives from the ravaging spread of Corona virus. She said sick passengers manifesting symptoms of other infections were more susceptible to contract Coronavoris through the air travel mode compared to other modes of transportation because of cabin pressurization associated with air travel. Adegbe said the travel advisory to sick persons became imperative because of the peculiarity of air travel as the fastest mode of transport likely to serve as an avenue for the fastest spread of corona virus disease. She said as a ground pilot, the air transport industry needed to curtail the spread of corona virus by insisting that passengers adhere to preventive measures including personal hygiene and the use of sanitizes. Adegbe said urgent steps needed to be taken to curtail the spread of Corona virus , which has killed many people in six weeks. She said:” Since Thomas Selfridge, the first man to die in a plane crash September 17, 1908 till February 2020 over 112 years, the total number of air crash victims is less than 60,000 persons which is a number that still makes my heart

weep being a Ground Pilot. “The Coronavirus on the other hand has infected over 60,000 persons in just six weeks into 2020. As at January 2020 30, World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus a global public health emergency. “Air travel being the fastest means of travelling from region to region can also be the fastest means by which the coronavirus is spread fastest. Whenasimilarplaquecalledtheblack death swept into Europe from Asia in 1347, in just five years, over 200 million people lost their lives. She said the import of this is that it took five years to destroy over 200 million people when there were no air travels, trains, or engine powered cars, adding that the speed of transmission with technological advancement is unimaginable. According to her, “I went on a research to see the categories of personal hygiene of people infected and discovered that over 75 per cent of those infected already had a prior disease such as diabetes, pneumonia and high blood pressure. You shouldn’t fly if you’re sick. Go to a hospital first and get treated. “You should drink lots of water, keeping your throat hydrated decreases the chance of the coronavirus infecting you. Personal hygiene such as washing your hands with soap under running water and not in a bowl, using hand sanitizers and coughing inside a handkerchief,” are necessary.

sustainability of our business for decades to come.” The aviation industry accounts for roughly two percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Delta’s carbon footprint is its largest environmental impact, with 98 percent of emissions coming from its aircraft. Here is how the company is focusing its efforts to become carbon neutral: Carbon reduction: Reducing Delta’s carbon footprint through enterprise-wide efforts to decrease the use of jet fuel and increase efficiency. Areas of focus include an ambitious fleet renewal program, improved flight operations, weight reduction, and increased development and use of sustainable aviation fuels. Carbon removal: Investing in innovative projects and technology to remove carbon emissions from

the atmosphere that go beyond the airline’s current commitments, and investigating carbon removal opportunities through forestry, wetland restoration, grassland conservation, marine and soil capture, and other negative emissions technologies. Stakeholder engagement: Building coalitions with our employees, suppliers, global partners, customers, industry colleagues, investors and other stakeholders to advance carbon reduction and removal goals and maximize our global impact. “When customers choose to fly Delta, they should feel they’re making a statement about taking care of our planet. Our commitment to carbon neutrality means flying with Delta represents far more than a great travel experience – it’s about joining arms to create a better world,” Ed Bastian said. Delta’s carbon strategy will account for emissions across its business – both in the air and on the ground. Delta’s investment will create new projects and methods to reduce its carbon footprint, benefit global communities and make it easier for other organizations to explore similar options to address their own carbon

footprints – all while minimizing reliance on today’s limited carbon offset markets. To support this strategy, Delta will allocate some of its financial commitment into investment vehicles, including a dedicated fund focused on achieving its carbon neutral ambition. Delta’s journey to carbon neutrality and its one billion dollars investment build on its industryleading voluntary sustainability efforts. The year 2020 will see a number of milestones that demonstrate Delta’s progress and commitment, and that Delta will share broadly as each of them launch. Powered by its 90,000 people around the world, Delta is the U.S. global airline leader in products, services, innovation, reliability and customer experience. From being the first and only U.S. airline to voluntarily cap greenhouse gas emissions at 2012 levels, to adding more than 80 new aircraft in 2019 in an effort to renew its fleet with aircraft that are 25 percent more fuel efficient than the aircraft they are replacing, Delta has been undertaking a multi-year effort to achieve more sustainable air travel.

FAAN spreads love to travellers on Valentine’s Day

n the spirit of the season, the management of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Friday, 14th of February 2020 celebrated inbound and outbound passengers across her five international airports namely; MMIA Lagos, NAIA Abuja, SMICA Owerri, PHIA Port Harcourt and ABIA Kano, sharing roses to mark the 2020 Valentine’s Day themed ‘Love is in the air’. In Lagos, as early as 9:00am, members of staff dressed in red apparels joined celebrity Big Brother

Reality Show 2018 finalist Alex Asogwa aka Alex Unusual to share red roses to passengers at Murtala Muhammed International and Domestic Airports, Lagos. According to the management of FAAN, the celebration is in line with their customer-centric culture focused purposely on giving the best experience to users of the Nigerian airport facilities. The celebration was captioned as FAANlentine by the management of FAAN. In Abuja, ace comedian Wahala engaged with passengers sharing

L-R: Alexandra Asogwa aka Alex unusual of Big Brother Naija 2018, presenting FAANlentine rose to Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, during the 2nd edition of FAANlentine (Valentine) celebration themed ‘Love is in the Air’ on the 14th of February 2020 at MMA, Lagos.

hilarious jokes and roses at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The celebration which is part of the authority’s commitment to show appreciation to passengers and ensuring that air travellers are given utmost respect and comfort received accolades by the highly enthused travellers and other users of the airport. Air hostesses with Ethiopian Airline, also commended FAAN for being thoughtful in celebrating them, felt loved with the gestures. “We feel so honoured and loved by FAAN and this is very thoughtful of them. We really appreciate this and we will take this lovely roses back to our country”, said Helena Another passenger, Adesola Opeolulwa, said that the event was remarkable, adding that she was glad that FAAN gave her something worthwhile for this year’s Valentine’s Day because it has brighten her day. “Thank you FAAN, you made my day brighter, she said”. In her remarks, Victoria ShinAba, FAAN’s regional general manager South West who participated in sharing the roses alongside celebrity guest Alex explained that “celebrating our customers is part of our value proposition and this is what we do every day at FAAN. We make them go away with good experiences. We have made it a culture to celebrate the Valentine’s Day which we have termed FAANlentine.”

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Bliss with Nonye Ben-Nwankwo

BDSUNDAY 29

Email: chiwuagwu@yahoo.com Phone number (SMS only) 08057511893

I will break so many marriages – Bobrisky

elf acclaimed Nigeria’s Barbie, popularly known as Bobrisky, has said a lot of marriages would break because of him. In an instagram post on his social media handle recently, the social media celeb announced he was going to get a face surgery, which would make him look astonishing. He said, “‘Going for a face surgery soon..... wanna look prettier than dis”. And with the many reactions he got from his fans online, Bobrisky who has allegedly undergone some other cosmetic surgeries, said he intends to stun so many people with his looks. Writing in pidgin parlance, Bobrisky said, “When I am done with all my surgeries, guys go hear am, homes go break, street

go scatter, marriage go collapse.” Born Idris Okuneye, Bobrisky has become an instagram sen-

sation with his looks, the cross dresser has practically made a name for himself in the social scene in Nigeria.

Heineken sets to upgrade entertainment

nd as the year 2020 is still very fresh, premium beer brand, Heineken has revealed plans to change the face of entertainment and lifestyle in Nigeria, making it more exciting and interesting for people. In Lagos recently, the brand made this announcement at the Heineken House, where for the first time, members of the public got the chance to take a tour of the upgraded Heineken House. In attendancewereA-listcelebrities, journalists, and elite personalities from across various industries. The event offered the brand the chance to reveal the new Heineken House as a premium membership club which will be the centre of Heineken activities for everyone looking to feel the Heineken premium experience. The brand unveiled some of its exciting plans for the year, including the new James Bond “No Time To Die” Movie premiere, as well as plans for Euro 2020. Also on the roster of activities is the UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 and the fashion season, which is set to see the brand throw its weight behind platforms such as the Lagos Fashion Week and Design Fashion Africa. Speaking at the launch, Sarah Agha,PortfolioManager–International Premium Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Ltd. said, “Every year, Heineken sets the bar for unique, unforgettable consumer-facing campaigns. This year, we have no plans to rest on our laurels. Last year, we brought the Legend, Carles Puyol, as part of our Unmissable campaign and we delighted fans with a 3-day Cham-

DJ Cuppy, Teni bag Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice nominations

J Cuppy and pop singer, Teni have something in common – they are incredible and trending artistes in Nigeria at the moment. But that is not all; both Nigerian music superstars have been nominated for the Favourite African Star and Social Media Star respectively at the Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020. The event which will be hosted by American Rapper, Chance The Rapper, will take place in Inglewood, California and will stream across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter handles and channels will air on Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305) and Nick Toons (DStv channel 308) on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Also nominated are international superstars Will Smith, Beyonce, Kelvin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Lil Nas X, Ed Sheeran, Angelina Jolie and many more. Leading the pack with the most nominations are Avengers: Endgame, with 11 nominations; Taylor Swift, with five nominations; and Frozen 2, Henry Danger and Lil Nas X, with four nominations each. Monde Twala, ViacomCBS Networks Africa Senior Vice President and General Manager commented, “Nickelodeon is a booming success around the continent and kids all over the globe are super excited about this year’s KCA’s. “We would like to congratu-

late all of this year’s nominees who are representing Africa at this global event. Viewers can expect lots of fun, slime, and laughter from 2020 Kids’ Choice Awards.” Last year, Nigerian music star Davido was nominated in the Favourite Global Music Star category, while Adesua EtomiWellington and IK Osakioduwa were nominated in the Favourite African Star category. Viewers everywhere will be able to experience the show on all Nickelodeon screens and platforms, as Nick offers a front-row seat to slime, stunts and celebrities and fans will also be able to cast their vote through social media on Twitter.

MTN searches for Next Music Superstar

pions League trophy tour. “In 2019, we also sponsored the prestigious Lagos Open tournament. However, all of those are justthetipoftheiceberg.Thisyear, we are extending our brand footprint across even more platforms, kicking off with our customary sponsorship of the biggest sporting tournament in the world, the UEFA Champions League. “Following up with this will be the James Bond “No time to die” movie premiere, and for the first time Heineken has built on its successful association with UEFA by signing a further sponsorship agreement to become the Official Beer Partner of UEFA EURO 2020.” Concerning fashion, Agha said the brand is ready to make more impact in the fashion scene and make a huge come back for the fashion enthusiast. “With the Nigeria Fashion calendar commencing in April this

year, Lagos Fashion Week, as well as our sponsorship of Design Fashion Africa is also set to make a hugecomebacktodelightfashion enthusiasts.” Agha also revealed other plans thebrandhasmappedoutthisyear. She said, “For the first time ever, we also intend to dial-up our sponsorship of Formula 1 in Nigeria with the Formula 1 Sundays happening here at the Heineken House. Fans of the iconic autoracing sport will get the chance to experiencethemagicoftheGrand Prix. It’s an exciting time for us and our consumers and we can’t wait to get started,” She said. Ex Big Brother Naija housemate, Lolu, spoke of his excitement, particularly for the Formula 1 campaign saying, “I’m a big Formula one fan and I have been waiting for brands to give fans a chance to get closer to the magic of the grand prix. I’m truly excited for this,” he said.

elecommunications Company, MTN, has always been known for its support in the entertainment industry especially when it comes to music. Again, the ICT Company has thrown its weight behind the music industry and is ready to discover fresh and raw talents in this sector. As such, the brand has announced the start of a new musical reality television show, ‘Y’ello Starin Lagos recently. The show seeks to groom musical talent by providing a lifetime opportunity to turn their dreams and aspirations into reality. Speaking at the reveal, Rahul De, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria stated, “We know that there are a lot of talented people in Nigeria who need to turn up their musical careers. This platform will help launch them to musical

heights. We have a wealth of experience in supporting Nigerian talent and are confident we can improve on our past successes,” he said. Regional auditions are holding in Abuja, Enugu and Lagos. Finalists from the auditions will proceed to the ‘incubation hub’ in Lagos, where they will be coached by experts in the music industry in several areas as they aim for the top prize. The competition will run until June 2020. MTN Nigeria has been at the forefront of supporting events that celebrate the country’s rich arts and culture. MTN has created entertainment platforms such as Music+, MTN Y’ello Top 10 and the recently launched the musicstreaming platform, Music Time, in a bid to promote unbridled talent on the global stage.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

For The Record Imperatives of corporate and strategic communication skills for 21st Century NPA (3) Being the concluding part of the text of a lecture delivered by Ayo Oyoze Baje (MNIFST), media consultant and national president, Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria(GPAAN), to members of the Corporate and Strategic Communications Division of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), during its 2019 Retreat in Abuja, recently.

What is a digital workplace? hile the digital workplace is now driving a wide range of projects across many industries, the concept is still emerging. There are many definitions of the digital workplace and some are all encompassing, while others focus on specific facets of the concept. The digital workplace can be considered the natural evolution of the workplace. It encompasses all of the technologies staff use to do their jobs. This can range from the HR applications and core business applications to email, instant messaging, enterprise social media tools, intranets and portals. Most (if not all) organisations have a digital workplace. What is important is to focus on creating an effective digital workplace that helps your staff do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. It should consist of a holistic set of platforms, tools and environments for work delivered in a usable, coherent and productive way. This gives focus on the experience of the employee or the individual as well as the environment in which they work. Most popular and efficient business communications tools you can start using now To manage these industry changes, many leading organisations in business and government have implemented a digital workplace strategy. By intelligently combining the technologies that many businesses already use, the digital workplace has broken down the communication barriers and is transformation employee experience to one promoting efficiency, growth and innovation. The key to success, however, depends on the implementation of a digital workplace strategy requiring one that is capable of driving true change within the organisation. How do the followings help in communication? Intranet/Social Intranet; Chat rooms, Private and Group Messaging; Discussion Forums; Ticketing, Issue Tracking and Case Software; Internal Blogs, Video and Audio and Intranet/Social Intranet. An intranet is a private hub that can be accessed by any authorised users within a business organisation - it is mainly used for driving internal communication and collaboration. Modern intranets are often built using content management systems as they are easier for non-technical staff to manage, In this age of bring-your-owndevice (BYOD) and telecommut-

Hadiza-Bala-Usman

ing, an intranet solution will result in a more flexible workforce and ensure all employees are working towards the same goals. Intranets enable you to easily share company news and build an information-rich environment. Homepage news feeds can be personalised for each staff member based on their team, department and/or location to ensure the most relevant news is placed front and centre for them. This can also be linked to security permissions to ensure sensitive or confidential information is only seen by a select group of people. Intranets take this further by facilitating communication among staff working in different locations. Staff can update each other quickly and easily on their own news. They can distribute news to specific colleagues in a particular location or area of specialty, and colleagues can interact with the content and offer feedback in real-time. You might be interested in implementing an intranet strategy if: • You and your employees find it difficult to stay up to date with any company announcements or news •If feels like there is a com-

munication breakdown between departments and employees •Important documents go missing or are buried in thousands of emails • There is too much paperwork •There is no clear or standard orientation policy for new employees or interns • It’s difficult to form cross functional teams to resource projects. Chat & private messaging Collaborative spaces which provide private/group messaging and chat functions are often viewed as one of the best business communication tools to keep teams working together. It’s an effective form of communication for busy employees and managers. Instant messaging makes updates on projects and general team discussion much easier. This works well when employees or team members are spread across different geographical locations and different time zones. Files can be shared and conversations can be accessed if needed. Chat rooms and group messaging environments may seem the same, but the interfaces are often very different. For instance, your company might get more out of an instant messaging plat-

form than a chat room if you don’t have a lot of team-based projects, and individuals only occasionally need to contact other individuals within the organisation. Discussion forums Although discussion forums may seem like old tech to some, it is still one of the preferred communication business tools used today. A discussion forum can bring together management and employees and allows for an open discussion on any topic (usually set up and monitored/moderated). It can also help in knowledge dissemination and bring the workforce together. Forums are also effective in archiving organisational knowledge to be used by anyone as a reference. Employee morale can also be boosted by participating in regular discussion n forums. Discussion forums will also facilitate knowledge sharing. No time will be wasted answering the same questions again and again once the company forum has been integrated with enterprise search. This will enable forum information to be discovered by people who need it, when they need it. Tracking & case software An online help desk with a case tracking system enables employees and customers to submit a case or support ticket. This allows it to be assigned to the right employee and have it checked and resolved in time. A case tracking system helps centralise customer support queries and keep track of any open issues. Track team productivity, prioritise the most relevant and important queries and collect valuable customer feedback that can help in improving your products, services and customer relationships. An issue tracking system is generally used in an organisation’s customer support call center to create, update and resolve reported customer issues or even issues reported by employees within the company. Internal blogs An internal blog is also a good option. This is not something your customers and competitors will be able to access.

The internal blog is a place where employees can share ideas and experiences fast and in an informal fashion. Internal blog advantages can include: • Broadcasting and highlighting an employee’s knowledge about a certain topic or area of the organisation • Creating a searchable and permanent archive of knowledge base articles, knowledge and expertise. All the articles uploaded and published on an internal blog will stay there unless deleted manually • It promotes open discussion and collaboration among the workforce. There are instances where some employees will be more likely to speak up in a virtual environment than face-to-face • It connects employees across departments • It keeps the staff up-to-date on important information and company updates Effective communication between staff working across different locations and hours can be challenging, but it can be done. You just need to start exploring the different technology available and decide on which is right for your organisation. Remember, you do not need to settle for one tool. Start by choosing a tool that can become the base for your communication needs. For example, many organisations implement an intranet platform for their internal communication needs as it enables organisations to set up team workspaces, easily find staff information including areas of expertise, deliver personalised news and information to different staff members, set up security permissions to ensure the right information is read by staff with the right access levels and more. Then, they integrate other communication tools into their base platform such as Skype for Business, Facebook, YouTube and so on. This enables organisations to offer a centralised communication and information ecosystem for their staff! IDEA The development of an ITbased App as a thesis topic to assist and facilitate Communication Skills in NPA for an IT student in a university of technology.

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Perspective Ndigbo in search of capable leadership Uche Okwukwu Introduction

hat society are we in that a young man woke up and said that people should not participate in voters’ registration? The journalists did not challenge him. The intelligentsia did nothing. There was no protest against him; just as the clergy said nothing. Our people listened to him, excluding themselves from registering. I am referring to Nnamdi Kanu. People destroyed their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), or burned them. When Jesus Christ was born, his parents- Virgin Mary and Josephwent for census. Judea, Samaria and the entire Trans-Jordan were under Roman rule. That is why he was born in Bethlehem in Judea. But in 2006, I was in Keffi prison with Ralph Uwazurike charged with treason by President Olusegun Obasanjo. Census was going on and Uwazurike issued a statement as MASSOP leader, urging Ndigbo to boycott it. I protested that if we boycott the census they would say that the Igbo didn’t have the population. It would affect us in local government creation, state creation and ward delineation. We physically fought each other inside the prison and the Department of State Service, (DSS) and police were drafted in to protect me. The outcome of that voter registration and census is what we are suffering today. You can see the results coming out of Igboland. Abia State 300,000 votes. Ebonyi 300,000; Anambra 600,000; Imo 500,000. You burnt your PVCs because we are in a society where none talks. I trembled seeing Professor Ben Nwabueze hugging Kanu as his Messiah. But the truth is that Kanu is running a campaign to destroy our race. Then 48 hours to voting, Kanu told his followers to go and vote. But vote with what after burning their PVCs? Can Ndigbo produce a president with only 300,000 votes from Abia? The issue at hand is the abysmal dearth of political leadership. We want an inspired leader capable of addressing the problem of Ndigbo. That leader must be patient, resourceful and intelligent. He or she must have the capacity to plan with other Igbos in defending our collective interests. Secondly, we are disunited and fragmented. A united Igbo extending from Igbanke in Edo State to Ika, Ikwerre, Ogba, Ekpeye, Egbema to Arochukwu to Izzi of Abakaliki is desirable. The Ohaneze debacle T h e P re s i d e n t- G e n e ra l o f Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, come January 2021, will be elected from Imo State. Ndigbo must painstakingly search for a leader who can unite them. Such leader must not be arrogant. He must be patient and willing to consider alternate opinions. The watchword is “consider.” The worst is not to consider at all. More importantly, our envisaged leader must not polarise Ndigbo into Igbo North and South. I was shocked when the suspended President-General of Ohanaeze, Nnia Nwodo started pushing for Igboland North and South. My question was, if there were northern and southern Igbos where would the Ikwerre be? Where would the

Ohanaeze-Youths

Ika and Igbanke be? Where would Arochukwu be? But I shall let you into the secret behind the Nwodo travesty. President Muhammadu Buhari agreed that the Igbo were marginalised. He promised to move an Executive Bill using his position to create an additional sixth state for Ndigbo. At Ohanaeze we set up the Ohanaeze Committee on State Creation to consider all the proposals for new states. Professor Chigozie Ogbu, former deputy governor of Ebonyi State, was the chairman of this committee. I served as the Secretary. The committee agreed that Aba State was the most viable. Subsequently, in a letter dated 10th October 2018 and titled ‘Recommendation of Ohanaeze Committee on State Creation,’ the committee recommended for the creation of Aba State on very strong reasons. Aba State would satisfy equity. From the old Anambra State we already have three capitals, namely, Awka, Enugu and Abakaliki. But the old Imo State has only two capitals of Owerri and Umuahia. An additional capital from old Imo was proper. Beyond that, Aba State has the landmass and more local governments than the proposed Adada State. Economically, it would energise the people providing the engine, fuel and oil for industrial revolution capable of impacting positively on other Igbo states. But Nwodo being from Nsukka was angered that the committee said no to Adada State. Till date, he refused to listen to the yearnings of Ndigbo. Nwodo killed the creation of Aba State by making sure that Buhari did not get the recommendation for a sixth state for the South East. The same Ohanaeze, if I was not there, would have adopted Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate without considering the deeper political implications now and beyond. I had to stand up and say to Nwodo, you’re wrong. I did that

at the risk of my life but I stood my ground. Till date, the Igbo have not questioned Nwodo apart from Chris Ngige; and few others like former Governor Rochas Okorocha and Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, for his clear anti-Ndigbo stance. The Igbo want to produce the president in 2023 but supported Abubakar to take over power in 2019 and stay till 2027. If he had succeeded where would we stand and be talking about 2023? We believe power should rotate between the North and South. If Abubakar had won, how would power rotate; all because of the personal interests of Nwodo? He took steps that undermined the interests of Ndigbo. For example, at the time the 6th state for Ndigbo was promised, the same promise was made to the Yoruba to legalise June 12 and recognise Abiola. Buhari has fulfilled his promise to the Yoruba but our own is still pending. So, the question I ask the Igbo man is precisely who his enemy is. Is our problem Buhari, the North or ourselves? The Igbo man must pick and choose a leader who is not egoistic or a bigot. That we have few local government areas today is not because of the North or West. It is because our own people never agreed when the LGAs were being created. The mindset was, instead of the LGA coming to you let’s stop it. The Igbo are completely insensitive. Solution Igboland is the only community in the world where the intelligentsia is not interested in who rules it. If you go round Igboland, most of our Ezes and Igwes are not products of struggle. They were imposed. The intelligentsia would be there and somebody arrives with bags of money with which he buys his Ezeship and an autonomous community. None would go to court to challenge that and there would be no protest. So, the intelligentsia has an active role to play in who governs

Igboland. I have always asked our elite, how come no practising journalist ever becomes the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze? The blunt truth is that our journalists are not interested. They write off the body as “Ohanaeze Ndiapari.” But it is the same “stupid” Ohanaeze that would go and negotiate your future and destiny. Secondly, Ndigbo as collective must be interested in who governs their communities. They must examine the characters of their Igwes, Ezes and presidents of town unions. To effectively do this, they must bother to come home because they are too far away. A lot of our people do not know what is happening in their villages. They don’t visit home and when they do, they are in a hurry to leave. By so doing, they put the destiny of their children in the hands of people they do not know. Thirdly, Ndigbo must be interested in elections. We must be interested in who goes to the National Assembly, House of Assembly and local government to represent us. Whether you agree or not, the resources of a state are handed over to those with political power to distribute. If you’re not interested in elections and a man who is irresponsible and wicked takes control of these resources, he distributes them the way he likes. So, you must be interested. As lawyers, we must be proactive and embark on class litigation to stop somebody who cannot run a village from going to the Senate. Finally, we must use the pen to define and defend the Igbo agenda. Every revolution is engendered with the pen. Igbo journalists must come together and form the Union of Igbo Journalists (UIJ). This body should have branches all over Nigeria and in the Diaspora. The UIJ should educate Ndigbo through seminars and lectures. Igbo students should be made to understand what the Igbo interests are and how to defend

them wherever they find them. Conclusion How come a society that produced Chinua Achebe and Chinweizu who wrote ‘The West and the Rest of Us’ is yoked with bankrupt leadership? A good number of those taking decisions that affected 60 million Igbos are compromised; why? But can you have impossible leaders without a docile population? I had expected student protests when Kanu asked people to boycott voters’ registration. Instead, our students who were supposed to be reasonable were the ones supporting him. After all, they asked, what were we benefitting from Nigeria? But what were the Jews benefitting from the Romans, even when Caesar imposed heavy taxes on them, when they agreed to be counted? What were the blacks benefitting from Apartheid but they still submitted themselves to census? They must show they were in the majority otherwise there was no Apartheid and minority rule. The only argument blacks had was the census that convincingly showed they were in the majority. Let the world install democracy and South Africa will vote and see who carried the day. But suppose a census was done only for blacks to boycott it and the result showed whites were the majority, would blacks be free today? Self-defeatism is what the present Igbo leadership is all about. What the Japanese call hara-kiri or suicide. Ndigbo should wake up from their civil war-induced slumber. Journalists, the clergy, industrialists, etc, must interrogate every pronouncement from the lips of our leaders.

Dimm Uche Okwukwu is secretary-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. Phone: 080 3708 7483. Email: uokwukwu@yahoo.com.

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Ogun Watch Ogun Assembly mandates insurance scheme for ‘Amotekun’ corps as bill passes second reading

Stories by RAZAQ AYINLA

he proposed bill on Ogun State Security Network Agency Law, 2020 known as Operation Amotekun, has passed second reading as all members of the State House of Assembly threw their weight behind the proposed bill, with a call for compulsory insurance scheme and standard rules of engagement for members of the Corps. The above was the summation of opinions of all the Assemblymen took turn to speak in favour of the bill shortly after the motion for its second read-

ing was moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Sola Adams and unanimously supported by all lawmakers at the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, at the Assembly Complex, OkeMosan, Abeokuta on Thursday. BDSUNDAY reports that the bill was titled “HB.NO 035/ OG/2020-A Bill For a Law to Establish the Ogun State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps to Assist in Maintaining Law and Order in the State and for connected Purposes”. The lawmakers explained that the law was targeted at devising a community policing

scheme to complement and collaborate with existing security agencies to reduce crimes and criminalities to the barest minimum in the State, South West and nation at large; hence, the need to ensure a comprehensive insurance scheme for all the operatives of the Corps. Stressing the role of government in the protection of lives and properties, the lawmakers said when the bill becomes operational, it would lead to the establishment of the Amotekun Corps which would strengthen the security architecture through collaborative techniques on information and intelligence gathering system

within communities towards combating insecurity in various communities across the State. The lawmakers, who added that the bill when passed by the Assembly and subsequently signed into law by the State Governor Dapo Abiodun, would enhance economic prosperity, engender smooth inter-agency collaboration between local security and existing security agencies to further make the State a safe haven for economic development, called for effective monitoring mechanism of the operations and activities of the Corps towards ensuring efficiency and quality service delivery.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State watches with admiration as President Muhammadu Buhari and Segun Osoba, former Ogun State governor and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) engage each other in a warm handshake during a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Cotton production takes centre stage in Ogun as Abiodun, Emefiele pledge more funding

rompted by a huge loss recorded annually in terms of import of textiles and clothing materials into the country which is put at $4 billion, cotton farmers in Ogun State are aggressively driving cotton production with a view to increasing cotton supplies to the ginneries for processing and production of textiles and garments in accordance with the Federal Government’s policy on Cotton, Textile and Garment. Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disbursed N19.18 billion out of N100 billion, singledigit, loan as part of CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Scheme, late last year, to cotton farmers, under the auspices of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) and some ginneries operators, to improve the production and processing of cotton, textile and garment in Nigeria. The disbursement of loans to

cotton farmers and ginneries were undertaken by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and various state governments after series of memoranda of understanding with the farmers, ginneries and garment producers as well as Nigerian Armed Forces, Police, Paramilitaries and other stakeholders on the consumption of clothes and clothing materials locally produced. Consequently, the cotton farmers under the auspices of National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), Ogun State chapter, have swung into action, investing heavily in cotton production with a view to ensuring uninterrupted supplies of quality cotton lint to ginneries for processing and production of textiles and garments that are used locally and imported. Speaking at official flag-off of the recovery of cotton outputs for 2019 planting season held in

Ijebu-Igbo, headquarters of the Ijebu north local government, Sola Osasona, the Chairman of NACOTAN in Ogun state, said it was high time Nigeria weaned herself of appetite for foreign products, especially as regards imports of textiles and clothing materials as farmers and ginneries have secured fund from Central Bank of Nigeria to boost cotton, textile and garment value chain. The State Chairman of NACOTAN, who lauded tripartite efforts of Central Bank of Nigeria, State Governments and Federal Government at repositioning agriculture and cotton production and processing as part of measures to boost local market and cotton, textile and garment value chain, promised that cotton farmers would support the present administration’s agricultural drives to create wealth, jobs and stimulate the entire economy.

Also, Godwin Emefiele, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, reiterated CBN’s resolve to stimulate massive production in the cotton, textile and garment value chain and boost industrialisation, saying improvement of local contents of fabrics that will in turn improve foreign exchange through exports of textile materials and reduction of imported brands have not become the watchword of Nigeria Government and CBN. Emefiele, who was represented by Wahab Oseni, CBN Ogun State Branch Controller, however charged the farmers to be credit worthy by offsetting their loans promptly, saying they were given the loans through some people’s deposits in order to improve production, processing and marketability of the cotton product is too important in global economy for any country to down play its value chain development.

OGSG pledges support for effective awareness on Family Planning

heOgunStateGovernment has signified its readiness to create more awareness on the benefits of family planning/childbirthspacingthrough the media in its effort to reduce maternal mortality rate in the State. Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Remmy Hazzan said this while receiving a team from Family Health Initiative Ogun (FAHIO),a Non-Governmental advocacy working group at his Office in OkeMosan in Abeokuta. Affirming the importance of family planning, the Special Adviser said effective information dissemination and enlightenment on health matters would promote healthy living and well-being of the people, noting that a well planned family would reflect positively on the economic growth of the nation and the society at large. He assured to engage means of communication within his reach to propagate the message of family planning, adding that he would not hesitate to involve crucial offices and agencies of government for the desired results. ‘’Kindly count on my office on the dissemination of information of family planning messages through appropriate channel of communication, as I also wish to involve office of the Wife of the Governor, Commissioner for Health and other relevant ones to achieve desired results’’, Hazzan emphasised. He called on all stakeholders to join hands with the FAHIO in its advocacy drive to enhance the health system of the State in line with the present administration’s mantra of ‘’Building Our Future Together’’. Hazzan who noted that the organisation should deployed strategies of reaching more to the grassroots through Community Development Associations (CDAs), opinion and religious leaders, believed that once the leaders buy in, they would in turn pass it to their members. “To get the real people that need the message the most, you will also need to get to the grassroots through relevant agencies of government such as the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives among others”, the Special Adviser said. Hazzan was of the opinion that the State would work towards achieving zero level on maternal mortality rate saying, “there is nothing wrong in having something close to zero maternal mortality rate”, while advising that people should desist from patronising quack, but always visit public health facilities which have qualified health personnel. “As a State, before a year in office, our administration would have covered at least 50 percent of health care needs at primary health care centres, with befitting primary health facilities in all our wards and this will greatly enhance efficient health care service delivery as well as preventing deaths of women and children caused as a result of pregnancy related complications”, he said.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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Consumer

Year-old firm officially launches in Nigeria Stories by NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

iotech International, a China-based company that distributes consumer products, was officially launched in Nigeria recently. The programme which held in Lagos was also created the opportunity for the multinational which has been in existence for a year in the country to reward its distributors. The distributors, who came from different parts of the country, were rewarded with cars and other mouth-watering gifts. The event had in attendance chairman of the International Multinational Investment company, William Xu and other members from Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, among others. Biotech International has been in existence for 22 years in China with branches across the world. Speaking at the event, Greenleaf Country Manager/Representative, Bruce Kuo affirmed that the idea behind the introduction of Greenleaf business platform into the Nigerian market is to bring health, wealth and beauty into Nigeria through affordable effective organic products. Kuo enumerated some of their products to include sealuxe cosmetics; iLife; nilrich carich and a host of others. According to him, some of the products such as sanitary napkin has 90 percent organic and had the power to correct irregular cycle flow and hormonal imbalance which he said, was a big deal to women all over the world. He also mentioned the toothpaste which according to him is made from seed weed, a direct

...rewards distributors

plant, unlike the normal ones that are filled with fluoride which, he said is harmful to the body. “We are here because Nigeria is seen as the largest market in Africa with its massive population which is an advantage,” Kuo said. Emphasising the reason behind the car award and other gifts given to the distributors at the event, he said: “We aimed to celebrate and encourage partners who have invested time and effort to see to the growth of the company in Nigeria and also to let people know that Greenleaf Biotech Nigeria is now out to do big business in Nigeria. On what it takes to be a distributor/partner of the organisation, he said: “It takes a registration fee of one hundred and thirty thousand naira which entitles one to an instant star pack of various

products, a five hundred and sixty thousand discount voucher to purchase goods at great discount plus other great benefits. “Members also make mind blowing compensation packs when they refer others to the business”. On how the firm sources its raw materials, he said that raw materials were from vegetations within and outside the borders. On his part, the company director and distributor, Stanley lkwuagwu noted that the event was a privilege to the general public as it would provide more opportunities for people to be empowered by the company. “It is the first of its kind in Nigeria and the first of among many series of direct selling companies in Nigeria,” he added. The event, he said was targeted at over three thousand

Nigerian youths, unemployed graduates, networkers, entrepreneurs, house wives and everyone seeking for an alternative source of sure income. “This is indeed a great opportunity for everyone to make great income,” he added. The Green Leaf Ambassador, Lilian Eze while explaining her reason for joining the organisation, said: “l tried their products; saw the efficacy of the organic goods, with affordable price. The compensation plan is rewarding. They run a binary system which allows one to introduce two people to the platform at the same time.” She encouraged the unemployed in the society to join the platform so as to earn a living out of it. “It is a business that will enable one make passive income,” she said.

NGO celebrates with elderly on Valentine day

…urges govt., well-meaning Nigerians to assist needy senior citizens

ounder, Touch of Love and Lifting Hands Foundation, a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, Atinuke Owolabi has stressed the need for government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the elderly in the society. Speaking at a Valentine Day Celebration with people above 70 years of age, Owolabi lamented the level of neglect faced by the needy elderly in the society and added that some of the health challenges faced by the needy senior citizens occur as a result of neglect. According to her, the organisation carried out a survey to examine causes of health challenges often suffered by elderly citizens in the country. “The survey, conducted

through visits to homes of different old people in the country, revealed high rate of loneliness among the elderly, the continued neglect has made several of the senior citizens suffer depression. “What we have found out was that larger percent of them are lonely at home because they do not have someone they can share their feelings with. “Some of them are at home crying because their children have travelled and do not have enough time for them. “Some of them have money, but they do not know how best to spend it. Money is not everything,” she said. According to her, “Many Nigerians do not see the reasons to take good care of their elderly and that is wrong.

“We visited a woman recently who was financially comfortable, but needed people to associate with, especially those that she could share her thoughts with. “It is sad seeing people that were active before, but left alone at home at old age without anyone to talk to and share their feelings”. Owolabi noted that, if properly taken care of, the elderly would continue to contribute their quota towards molding next generation of leaders. She stressed that their advice would help to mold the youths and their prayers would salvage the nation from its challenges. The founder, who is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, urged private individuals, federal and state governments

Government urged to protect consumers from effect of VAT increase

to support the NGO towards caring for more senior citizens. She said that the NGO undertook various welfare, recreational and healthcare activities for the elderly and needed support. “I enjoin governments and private individuals to support us in order to reach out to more elderly citizens in other states,” Owolabi said. Earlier, a cleric, Pastor Oluseyi Afolayan, advised the elderly in the home against moodiness and thinking which he said could lead to ailment and untimely death. At the event, the senior citizens were treated to sumptuous meals, variety of music to remind them of their youthful age and as well given various gift items.

overnment has been urged to give more attention on how to protect consumers from the cost increase they will experience as a result of the recent increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate. Recall that the Federal Government had late 2019 increased the rate of VAT from 5 percent to 7.5 percent and it took effect from February 3, 2020. Speaking at a two-day seminar which came under the theme, ‘Finance Bill 2019: Underlying challenges and procedures to counter such challenges’, organised by Okwudili Ijezie & Co Chartered Accountants, Blakey Okwudili Ijezie who spoke on the implication of VAT hike from 5 percent to 7.5 percent, affirmed that VAT increase will lead to higher inflation and a decrease in disposable income which would further shrink the economy. Ijezie, who is also a tax expert, further explained that with the increase in the VAT rate businesses whose goods or services are VAT-exempt would experience an increase in cost as they are not able to claim input VAT incurred since their products are exempted. “There is also a cascading effect on customers and businesses that operate in a value chain where VAT is unclaimable, these businesses pass on the unclaimable VAT cost to the customer by increasing the cost of the service provided. “A radical change in the VAT system and how it currently operates should also be considered so that it becomes a better tax system. These changes would include allowing input tax credits, including a VAT registration threshold, and implementation of an effective tax refund system’’, he noted. On the other hand, he opined that the VAT increase would lead to increased collections that will be used to fund the payment of the minimum wage and added that it would also reduce the budget deficit and by implication the debt that would have been acquired to fund the minimum wage Explaining further, he said: “There is bound to be increased cost of collection and cost of tax payer education which would mean that the increased rate would not exactly translate to a perfect 50 percent increase in VAT collections. Businesses selling directly to the final customers, especially in the fast-moving consumer goods and services sector would experience pressure to remain competitive and may have to absorb part or all the VAT increase so that the price of goods and services are not affected. This may lead to reduced profitability and return on investment.’’

34 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 23 February 2020

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Hymnodia competition, TV show created around hymns and worship gets tough

…As finalists slug it out in Hymnstitute Daniel Obi

he Hymnstitute will re-open today Sunday, February 23, 2020 for the second season of Hymnodia. Hymnodia is the first-ever reality TV show created around hymns and worship. Hymnodia is also a wholesome multi-prong program revolving around members of a world class choir of Nigerians who contest for the status of best hymnodists while collaborating to render soul-lifting renditions as a choir. Hymnodia is designed to refocus the audience and society in celebrating the almost forgotten art and value of hymn-writing and renditions in diverse forms. For 2020 edition, successful final 14 hymntestants will enter the Hymnstitute for Hymnodia Season 2 where the final winner stands a chance to win the ASAPH, a brand-new car and N5 million. The ASAPH was designed in Nigeria, finished in Spain and manufactured in China. The 2020 ASAPH was unveiled by the CAN President, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, recently at the annual Lagos CAN Interdenominational

Divine Service which had all the 5 families of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Nigeria present alongside the Lagos State Governor, his wife, mother and cabinet in attendance. At midday on 1st January 2020, the organisers announced the opening of entries for Hymnodia season 2. The conditions were simple: upload a 60-second video of yourself singing a hymn and then visit the website to fill a form online. Over 2000 entries and videos were sent

in from 24 states across the country and abroad, the organisers said. Speaking to journalists recently in Lagos, Kufre Ekanem, Managing Director Of Philosoville Limited and Executive Producer of Hymnodia said 250 of these 2000 candidates were invited to Lagos for a two-part physical audition which lasted over three days. After day 1, 76 applicants were selected for the second part which included hymn writing tests. From these, 40 of the ap-

plicants emerged before the faculty reviews he said. Out of this number, 14 successful hymntestants will enter the Hymnstitute for Hymnodia Season 2 where they stand a chance to win the prizes. He said television broadcast of season 2 will be on TV screens every Sunday and Wednesday from March 1, 2020. “Our concert of Hymns, theHymncert,whichservesas the grand finale of Hymnodia 2020 will hold on Thursday May 7 or 14 (depending on which location wins the nod of the faculty to host the finale)”. “Coming on the back of our successful Hymnladen December program, we are pleased that the hymn rebirth journey still continues with Hymnodia Season 2. All of us at the Hymnstitute are looking forward to sharing the world class talents and heartfelt worshippers who will emerge from the process on national television from February 2020,” said Ekanem. He said Hymnodia – the art of worship is beyond singing, it is about the society, about reigniting the hymn culture, about wholesome entertainment that edifies as it educates. Kufre further explained that “the great thing about Hymnodia, is that Hymnodia is not a franchise. It is a home-

grown culture impacting creative expression. Thought out and created over a 10year period right here in Nigeria. Yet, as indigenous as it is, Hymnodia is world-class and complete. Benchmark it against the very best across the world and see where it stands”. “Using only our resources and inputs from a few friends, Hymnodia maintained 14 weeks of world class television content, kept an exemplary Hymnstitute of 14 hymn lovers drawn from diverse backgrounds together for 14 weeks, engaged over 30 million people over multiple media platforms, received franchise requests from 5 countries, wrote 72 new hymns, moved from one television station at commencement to 9 across the country due to popular demand. In each station that Hymnodia ran on, we were in the top 3 of programs for the period we aired. “ In this same one year, Hymnodia has become endorsed by the Royal School of Church Music – Nigeria, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and now, the Christian Association of Nigeria. In December, the amazing Hymnodia Choir had the pride of opening the annual Ovation Christmas Carol and we were

honoured that our Hymntestants were selected to sing at the Aso Villa Christmas Praise Concert and Carol for 2019. We have over 200 videos on our well followed YouTube channel and the list goes on and on. It has been really fulfilling”, Kufre said. Season 1 of Hymnodia held in 2019 and culminated at the grand finale –the Hymncert– which held at the Shell Hall of MUSON Centre, Lagos in April was won by Kenneth Ekhuemelo, a 25-year old bassofundo and organist. Kufre appealed for partners, sponsors as the programme have become massive, not only promoting art of worship through hymns but promoting talents in music. In her testimony, Ezinne Kufre, content producer of Hymnodia programme and a worker in church said what endured her to the concept was to create programmes that will edify people’s spirit when they listen to hymns. But she regretted that today, slowly, the worldly music has crept into the church. She said that naturally, the church choir and entire congregation supposed to sing songs that will lift people spirit and that is why Hymnodia was created to bring back the culture of soul-lifting of the people.

Lifestyle: Heineken sets to break new grounds in 2020

eineken has unveiled series of activities for 2020, as it continues to take the principal in brands that offer its consumers premium lifestyle experiences. Speaking at the launch event, Sarah Agha, Portfolio Manager – International Premium Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Ltd., spoke on what to expect over the next 10 months. “Every year, Heineken sets the bar for unique, unforgettable consumer-facing campaigns. This year, we have no plans to rest on our laurels. Last year, we brought the Legend, Carles Puyol, as part of our Unmissable campaign and we delighted fans with a 3-day Champions League trophy tour. Our efforts across various industries also saw us sponsor the Design Fashion Africa platform as well as the Lagos Fashion Week. In 2019, we also sponsored the prestigious Lagos Open tournament. However,

all of those are just the tip of the iceberg. This year, we are extending our brand footprint across even more platforms. Kicking off with our customary sponsorship of the biggest sporting tournament in the world, the UEFA

Champions League. Following up with this will be the James Bond “No time to die” movie premiere, and for the first time Heineken has built on its successful association with UEFA by signing a further sponsorship

agreement to become the Official Beer Partner of UEFA EURO 2020. “ With the Nigeria Fashion calendar commencing in April this year, Lagos Fashion Week, as well as our sponsorship of Design Fashion

Sarah Agha, the portfolio manager International Premium Lager, (center) explains the package by Heineken this year at the Heineken House, Ikoyi Lagos last Friday in Lagos and with her to the right is Olaoluwa Babalola, senior brand manager Heineken, and the National Key Account Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc,OkwudiliNwakobi.

Africa is also set to make a huge come back to delight fashion enthusiasts. This year, for the first time ever, we also intend to dial-up our sponsorship of Formula 1 in Nigeria with the Formula 1 Sundays happening here at the Heineken House. Fans of the iconic auto-racing sport will get the chance to experience the magic of the Grand Prix. It’s an exciting time for us and our consumers and we can’t wait to get started,” she said. Lifestyle and fashion blogger, Noble Igwe, spoke of his excitement saying, “We all know Heineken is the leading brand when it comes to exclusive experiences. As a lifestyle and fashion enthusiast, I am very excited to see all the exciting plans the brand has lined up in 2020.” Guests at the event also got the chance to see the Champions League matches at the prestigious Heineken House, as fans got the chance to enjoy the games in an ambience of class and convivial-

ity. The Heineken House will also host all match days of the Champions League as well as other exciting activities across the different brand activities. The event offered the brand the chance to reveal the new Heineken House as a private membership club which will be the centre of Heineken activities for everyone looking to feel the Heineken premium experience. The brand also unveiled some of its exciting plans for the year, including the new James Bond “No Time To Die” Movie premiere, as well as plans for Euro 2020. Also on the roster of activities is the UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 and the fashion season, which is set to see the brand throw its weight behind platforms such as the Lagos Fashion Week and Design Fashion Africa. Heineken is one of the world’s most international brands with a presence in over 180 countries across the globe.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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CapitalMarket Foreign profit grows by 17% as Zenith Bank declares N78bn dividend for shareholders

TELIAT SULE hareholders of Zenith Bank Plc will earn N78 billion or N2.50 per share as the final dividend for the year ended December 31, 2019, the Nigerian lender has announced. Subject to approval and the appropriate withholding tax, the final dividend will be paid electronically on March 16, 2020. Earlier, the bank had paid N0.30 per share interim dividend, meaning that the total dividend paid to shareholders is N2.80 per share, bringing the total to N87.9 billion. As the news filtered into the market, investors overbid Zenith Bank’s shares, leading to the trading of 112.48 million shares last Friday, worth N2.24 billion. The bank’s share price per unit rallied by 2.32 percent, resulting in a year to date gain of 6.7 percent. It closed last Friday at N19.40 per share. Gross revenue from Nigeria grew by 4.88 percent from N548.32 billion in 2018 to N575.08 billion in 2019, implying that 86 percent of Zenith Bank’s revenue was made in Nigeria. Revenue from other African countries remained flat at N68.23 billion in 2019 as against N68.55 billion in 2018, translating to 10 percent of the bank’s revenue. “The Bank has six subsidiary companies namely, Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited, Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited, Zenith Bank (UK) Limited, Zenith Bank (Sierra Leone) Limited, Zenith Bank (The Gambia) Limited and Zenith Nominees Limited. During the year, the Bank opened thirteen new branches and no branch was closed. “As at December 31, 2019 the Group had 430 branches, 178 cash centres; 2,093 ATM terminals; 50,427 POS terminals and 7,745,176 cards issued to its customers. (December 31, 2018: 417 branches, 256 cash centres,

Source: 2019 AFS, BRIU

1,891 ATM terminals, 34,006 POS terminals and 5,732,820 cards issued)”, the bank stated. Interestingly, revenue from Europe posted the best performance, as it increased by 28.9

percent to N25.13 billion in 2019 compared with N19.5 billion in 2018. Notwithstanding, the European market accounted for just 4 percent of Zenith Bank’s revenue in 2019 whereas in 2018 it was just

3 percent. On account of the 4.88 percent growth in Nigerian revenue while Africa’s remained flat, total revenue of the bank rose by just 5.04 percent to N668.44 billion in

2019 up from N636.37 billion in the previous year. Profit after tax (PAT) increased by 7.81 percent to N212.84 billion in 2019 up from N197.42 billion in 2018, but the growth in profit was mostly driven by revenue from Africa and Europe. In 2019, Zenith Bank made N183.69 billion profit after tax from Nigeria as against N172.50 billion in 2018. PAT from other African countries rose by 20.23 percent from N14.76 billion in 2018 to N17.74 billion in 2019 while the PAT from Europe increased by 12.23 percent from N10.17 billion in 2018 to N11.41 billion in 2019. When combined, the profits from other African countries and Europe amounted to N29.15 billion last year, representing 17 percent increase over N24.92 billion made in 2018. Other interesting insights from the bank’s financials include some few changes in its directors’ shareholding. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, who was appointed as the Group Managing Director (GMD) effective June 1, 2019, increased his direct shareholding by 26.38 percent from 36 million shares as at December 31, 2018 to 45.5 million shares as at December 31, 2019. Also, Peter Amangbo who retired from the board effective May 31, 2019 raised his direct shareholding from 15 million shares as at December 2018 to 19.6 million shares by December 2019. The bank spent N2.729 billion as donations and charitable gifts in 2019, with state government security trust funds, the Global Citizen Award, underprivileged Nigerians in need of medical assistance, the greatest beneficiaries. A total of 5,982 employees worked for the bank in 2019, comprising 3,099 males and 2, 883 females, representing 52:48 spilt. In terms of the board and top management composition, 71 percent are males while 29 percent are females.

NB, Okomu, 3 others record mixed results as export rises to N13bn TELIAT SULE

he analysis of the revenue of five listed firms by regions shows that export revenue rose by 12.38 percent in 2019, BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit’s (BRIU) findings have shown. The firms under consideration are the Nigerian Breweries, Beta Glass, Cadbury, CWG and Okomu Oil. These findings, supported by others yet to come will provide the assessment for the impact of the border closure being implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria. It should be noted that the firms under consideration represent a small

number of companies in Nigeria that are involved in international trade, which means it is too early to base the overall impact of the border closure on the firms in this analysis. The combined revenue of the five firms amounted to N420.69 billion in 2019, a paltry 1.45 percent increase over N414.70 billion made in 2018, with most of the growth coming from overseas revenues. “Total trade grew by 6.8 percent in Q3,2019 compared to Q2,2019 and 1.33 percent relative to Q3, 2018. The value of total exports in Q3, 2019 increased by 15.02 percent compared to the level recorded in Q2, 2019 and 8.97 percent when compared with its value in Q3, 2018.- The value of

agricultural exports decreased by 42.69 percent in Q3 2019 relative to Q2, 2019 and 7.30 percent when compared to Q3, 2018”, Nigeria’s data agency, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced last year. By region or geography, the five firms collectively made 97 percent of their revenue from Nigeria whereas revenue from offshore accounted for 3 percent. Individually, some firms recorded mixed results between the revenue made locally and outside the country. Nigerian Breweries’ local revenue remained flat at N322.81 billion in 2019 whereas in 2018, the brewery giant made N324.20 billion. On the export sector, its revenue grew by 4.22

percent to N198.52 million, up from N190.48 million in the previous year. Beta Glass’ revenue from export grew the most by 52.16 percent while local revenue was up by 9.09 percent. Beta Glass realised N29.41 billion revenue in 2019 split into N29.64 billion from the local economy and N2.47 billion from offshore. In 2018, the manufacturing giant made N24.7 billion from the local economy whereas N1.62 billion came in as foreign receipts. Jus like Nigerian Breweries, growth in Cadbury’s revenue by region was mix. Revenue from Nigeria grew by 10.98 percent from N31.04 billion in 2018 to N34.44 billion in 2019. On the contrary, export earnings slide by

1.12 percent to N4.88 billion in 2019 as against N4.94 billion made from export in similar period in 2018. CWG Plc saw its revenues from local and offshore grow by 17.44 percent and 31.10 percent respectively. Revenue from Nigeria amounted to N7.07 billion last year up from N6.02 billion in 2018. Similarly, revenue from overseas rose to N2.28 billion in 2019 from N1.74 billion in 2018. Okomu’s trend was similar to that of the Nigerian Breweries in the sense that its local revenue fell by 4.20 percent to N16.61 billion in 2019 down from N17.34 billion in 2018 whereas its foreign receipts rose by 2.49 percent from N2.92 billion in 2018 to N2.99 billion in 2019.

36 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 23 February 2020

TheWorshippers Lent is a time we rededicate our lives to God – Primate Udofia As Christian faithful commerce this year’s lent season by observing 26 February as Ash Wednesday, being the first day of Lent, Primate of the African Church, his eminence, Emmanuel Udofia, speaks with SEYI JOHN SALAU on its significance during Easter and in the Christendom. Christian faithful will observe this week’s Wednesday as ‘Ash Wednesday’. What is the significance of Ash Wednesday in Christendom? his is one of the activities carried out in the orthodox churches according to church tradition. It is a time set aside to show deep penitent before Easter; it is also a time for sober reflection. It is a time that people reflect on their past, then amend their ways. It is always the time that precedes the 40 days fasting of our Lord Jesus Christ- a time that Jesus Christ went through pains for the sake of humanity. Don’t you think taking lent as an annual ritual in Christendom has in a way affected the church? Let me say this, to some it may look like it is an annual ritual, but to some it is a time of rededication of one’s life to God. Different things means different things to so many people- what the lent period means to some people mean a different thing to a certain class of people depending on their own personal understanding of that event. So, during this period like I said; to those of us who are always observing – I am not saying that this is the only time that someone should be penitent; am not saying that this is the only time that someone should sit down and reflect on one’s past; am not saying that this is the only time for someone to make amends over what one might have done that is not to the glory of the Lord; but since this have been done over the years, we don’t see how we can stop it because of the importance of the event. Because of its importance, that is why the church upholds it and the church will do it until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of God. The church in Nigeria seems to witness an increase in attack during lent; what can be done to checkmate such attacks? By the grace of God when it comes to persecution, you cannot rule that out; as far as the church is concerned, because –let us cast our mind back during the time of Jesus Christ. How was

Jesus Christ himself who is the Lord of the whole universe; the master of the universe, treat? He was attacked at different occasions, and those attacking him were religious people who claimed to even know more than our Lord Jesus Christ. So, again those who followed him were also attacked and some of them were killed. What is happening today is never a new thing to the church and we believe that as long as this country will exist, the church should always be ready for some more persecutions. For as long as the church is alive, as long as the church remains the light of the world, darkness will always want to prevail, which will not be possible by the grace of God. So, this time around, it is our responsibility to pray for God’s divine intervention. Again my brother; if the church had not been praying; only God knew what would have happened to this nation by now. There is no doubt that the church is praying; but what particular measures can be taken to mitigate the attacks? By the grace of God what the bible has thought us to do is to pray. Let me remind you one

Everywhere in the country almost on a daily basis people are being killed; lives are being destroyed and we are told that we have the military, we have the police and all kinds of military people to protect the nation, the people and their properties, but everyday properties worth millions are being destroyed and everyday lives are being lost

Udofia

thing; often times, when the children of Israel aligned themselves with the commandment of God, when they aligned themselves with the teachings of God; God always fought for them. God did not advise us to carry guns or any physical weapon; our weapons are not physical. So, apart from prayers; we have been speaking out, telling the whole world that what Christians are passing through in this nation is not good, that we should live as brothers and sisters. God knew why he created this nation called Nigeria, and God knew that all these regions would be involved with Nigeria. So, I think the best we can do is for us to try to be at peace with one another according to the teachings of the bible. Away from the church; do you think the government is doing enough in the area of security of lives and property?

For now, by my own assessment I don’t think the government has done enough. Do you know why? Because almost all parts of the country – like in Edo State now they are bombing some houses, apart from that, Osun State, Ondo State, and not even Lagos is safe. I am not even talking about the northern part of the country. Everywhere in the country almost on a daily basis people are being killed; lives are being destroyed and we are told that we have the military, we have the police and all kinds of military people to protect the nation, the people and their properties, but everyday properties worth millions are being destroyed and everyday lives are being lost. So, I think the government has not done enough in this regard and they should step up their security apparatus so that Nigerians can enjoy their

services. Do you now think the idea of a regional security outfit is the way to go? Well, for now my take on that is this: I hope that will not develop into something else because if each region now starts developing a kind of security outfit to protect themselves, you can imagine what will happen in the future. So, I want to advise the government to look at this thing critically because very soon another region will come out with its own outfit and the government cannot stop it because already, they have allowed a particular region to establish its own security outfit. And again, am told that in the north, they have a class of people who are involved in vigilante. So, the thing maybe going round the country; not even regional, it can result in all the states having their own security outfits to protect themselves, and that shows that the nation has not done enough; for a region to resort to having its own security outfit simply means something has gone wrong somewhere. But some will argue that regions having security outfit is a way to restructure the country for true federalism: what is your view on that? Well, if that will be the way out; by the grace of God I will go for it. Because true federalism will be Nigerians’ understanding themselves; understanding where they come from and a situation whereby power will always be at the federal – I don’t think that would be the best for any country especially in a large society like Nigeria. Finally, the border closure has remained despite reactions from Nigerians especially those living along border communities? According to what we are being told, the closure of the border has led to revampment of the agricultural sector of the nation. If that is the case, I think I will give kudos to the government but at the same time if the closure of the border has any negative impact the government should also look at it to see what it can do to make sure Nigerians do not suffer unfairly.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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BDSUNDAY 37

TheWorshippers Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

he recent ban placed on Okada in Lagos came as a rude bombshell and the reactions were more shocking to me personally because of the previous issues that had attended the use of okada in the most populous city in Africa. I had heard many people complain seriously about Okada riders in the past, their recklessness in attitude, the impatience in traffic, the daredevil stunts performed when riding

Lessons from okada ban without training, the disregard for traffic lights, the many victims of the wild and daring transport experience in the hospitals (in fact, igbobi has a ward dedicated to these accident victims). I marvel at the negative reactions and wondered if I understood the murmurings and grumblings at all, I am totally in support of the decision of government but would have preferred an alternative before banning those ‘death riders’ on our roads. It’s like the Bible’s ‘Rider of Pale horse’ that led many to death and destruction. But I have since had to do some deep meditations and come to the conclusions that we do not know the value of what we have until we lose it... The above is the most humbling lesson from the Okada Ban, we complain about them when they were on the roads yet we cry when they were told to leave the roads, so what should the government do to ensure safety and security of lives. We do not want them yet we miss them; they have become the people we love to hate and hate to love unfortunately, what

appreciate them today.

lessons we should learn. I’ll love to Inspire you on some lessons from the ban and hope you can all pick some vital points as Christians, especially the people around us that we hardly appreciate yet we really cannot do without them. These are our own Okadas that we ride to our land of happiness but we always complain about them not knowing their values until we are without them. 5 Personal okadas not to ban in your lives God: I cannot imagine what I’ll do without God in my life. We sometimes complain about God not helping us out when we need Him most, we doubt if He answers prayers, we ask about Breakthroughs

and wonder if He still does miracles but how many of us can LIVE WITHOUT GOD IN OUR LIVES? Let’s value spiritual things more than ephemeral. Your pastor: I am a man of God and have to be sincere that many people do not appreciate their Pastors; we complain about them, abuse them on social media, loathe their presence and sometimes avoid their visits at home. We call them thieves because of the tithe factor yet many of us call on them to name our children, join us in holy matrimony, bury our loved ones when they pass on, bless our new homes, pray for us when we are sick Etc… what will we do without good pastors in our world. Let’s value and

Marathon Messiah’s Praise announces 9th edition of world’s longest gospel musical event …Set to hold in 21 countries, Nigeria as the host stage SEYI JOHN SALAU

ver the past eight years, Marathon Messiah’s Praise has been on as the world’s longest nonstop interdenominational gospel musical event. This year, the 9th edition is set to hold again in 21 countries across the world. The 9th edition of the 78hour Marathon Messiah’s Praise tagged, ‘Jesus, The Lamb of God’ will be held between the 2nd and 5th March. Countries that will be participating this year include Nigeria, United States of America, Canada, England, Australia, Spain, Scotland, United Arab Emirates, Cameroon, Kenya, Netherlands, Sweden, Malaysia, South Africa, Ireland, Ukraine, Brazil, Israel, Zambia, Ghana and New Zealand. According to the organisers, the pursuit of bringing Marathon Messiah’s Praise to the doorstep of every human on earth can only be accomplished via this colossal step of increasing the number of participating countries. Over the past eight years,

members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have been coming together to appreciate God’s mercies and faithfulness over the life of Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the church, with each hour representing one year of his life. Kunle Ajayi, RCCG national music director, said in the spirit of perfection, Nigeria’s stage will host a complete 78 Hours of Praise and Worship non-stop while concurrently, the 78 Hours will be shared amongst the stages in Dias-

pora nations. According to him, this implies that there will not be any stoppage on the Nigerian stage for 78 Hours. In addition to this mandate, the event also operates as a platform that is creating a new pattern of worship across the globe. “This year, over 210 Worship ministers and choral groups will be ministering across the 21 participating countries,” said Ajayi stating that the 78 Hours Marathon Messiah’s Praise will be held between 9am GMT+1 Monday, 2nd March and 3pm

GMT+1 Thursday, 5th March, 2020 at the Prayer Foyer of the 3/3 Auditorium, Redemption Camp, Lagos, Nigeria. According to Ajayi, over 30,000 live participants are expected to be in attendance with over 30 million viewers expected to watch the event on TV channels and various online platforms. “For a seamless execution of the 78 Hours Marathon Messiah’s Praise, over 10,000 people have registered to volunteer in various departments including music, sanitation, welfare, soteria, medical and in other various key sections of the programme across the participating countries,” he further said. From 2012 when the event began, the first four editions were held in Nigeria while the event became a global phenomenon from 2016 when 74 Hours Marathon Messiah’s Praise was held in three countries. From 2016 onward, Marathon Messiah’s Praise has been setting new records year after year as more countries are joining to lift the banner of praise to God.

Your parents: There are people who do not like their parents and disrespect them; some are ashamed of them because they are uneducated Or poor, many aren’t proud of those that brought them to this world yet I wonder what we will be without our parents especially good parents... Do not ban them in your life, they can carry you to your destinations. Your spouse: I weep for those who aren’t happily married and bleed for those who have Banned their spousal okadas in their lives yet wonder who will carry them to their land of the living. We need one another in this life and truly do not want to trek home alone so we should appreciate those we call husbands and wives; we should ignore the flaws and pray for them to be better. I do not want to do without my spousal okada for a day, I’d rather you manage them to ride together to your peaceful home. Your friend: I thank God for my brother, friend, colleague in ministry and confidant, Pastor Pedro,

popularly known as Pastor P or Don P at work. We all need good friends and no matter how old they are or slow they are, I cannot do without my Okada Friend because we’ve been riding on these lonely but lovely road for years together, we shall make it home by His Grace together. Do not Ban your Okada Friend in your life, else you may have to trek home alone. Value the true friends around you today. I hope you have been Inspired by my Lessons from Okada Ban today and embrace People around you that have need to be VALUED. Drop me a note of acknowledgment and encouragement and also follow me on my Social media handles below: Instagram: @yomi_kasali Twitter: @yomi_kasali Facebook: www.facebook.com/ revyomikasali Youtube: www.youtube.com/ revyomikasali Be Inspired! Rev Yomi Kasali is Senior Pastor, Foundation of Truth Assembly (FOTA), Surulere, Lagos.

CAN declares 21 January national prayer day to commemorate slain member SEYI JOHN SALAU

he leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared 21 January of every year as the CAN National Day of Prayers for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria in honour of the late CAN Chairman in Michika Local Government of Adamawa State, Rev Lawan Andimi, and other victims of terror and herdsmen attacks. January 21, 2020, was the day Rev Andimi was killed by the Boko Haram terrorists after his refusal to convert to Islam as demanded by his captors, hence, it was a day chosen in his honour. The decision was taken on Friday at its National Executive Committee meeting held at its National Secretariat in Abuja where it confirmed Joseph Daramola as the substantive general secretary and Biodun Sanyaolu as the assistant general secretary of CAN. Samson Ayokunle, the

CAN President said the decision became imperative in honour of all Christians who have been killed by Boko Haram terrorists, Fulani herdsmen killers, and bandits nationwide. He therefore called on the body of Christ in the country, especially denominational leaders to reflect the date in their annual calendar of activities. Daramola, until now has been the acting general secretary of CAN since the demise of the immediate past general secretary, Rev Dr Musa Asake, after a brief illness. Other officers confirmed at the meeting were Pastor Okusanya Samuel Oludare (National Treasurer), Rev Gideon Shagba (Director, Ecumenism and Inter-Faith), Barrister Comfort O. Chigbue (Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Rt. Rev Stephen Adegbite (Director, National Issues and Social Welfare), Pastor (Barrister) Omonuwa Ogiemudia (Director, Education, Youth & Women Development) and Bishop Dr RBC Nwankwo (Planning,

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Sunday 23 February 2020

SundayBusiness Cashing in on Hydroponics for food security Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

n this age and time when the cost of living is on the upswing , characterized by rising inflation, sundry taxes, unemployment, and government’s increasing failure to protect the citizens’ lives and property, growing at least part of one’s food needs has become a way forward. Not only does agriculture come inasa meansofself-reliance, making good use of modern methods goes a long way to ensuring food security. One of these methods is growing plants in the absence of soil, available in vast farmlands. This becomes more helpful for the urban dwellers. So, what is hydroponics all about? Hydroponics According to Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Hydroponics is a subset of hydro-culture. It is a method of growing plants without soil, but instead using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots

exposed to the nutritious liquid. Alternatively, the roots may be physically supported by an inert medium such as perlite, gravel. Despite inert media, roots can cause changes of the rhizosphere pH and root exudates (chemicals released by roots) can impact the rhizosphere biology. The rhizosphere simply means “the region of soil in the vicinity of plant roots in which the chemistry and microbiology is influenced by their growth, respiration, and nutrient exchange”. The nutrients used in hydroponic systems can come from an array of different sources, including (but not limited to) fish excrement, duck manure, purchased chemical fertilisers, or artificial nutrient solutions. Plants commonly grown hydroponically on inert media include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuces, marijuana, and model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana. Hydroponics offer many advantages. One of such is a decrease in water usage for agriculture. To grow 1 kilogram of tomatoes in Intensive farming normally requires 400 liters of water. But in hydroponics 70 liters of water and only 20 liters of water for aeroponics. History The earliest published work on growing terrestrial plants without soil was the 1627 book Sylva Sylvarum or ‘A Natural History’ by Francis Bacon, printed a year after his death. Water culture became a popular research technique after that. In 1699 John Woodward found that plants in less-pure water sources grew better than plants in distilled water. By 1842, a list of nine elements believed to be essential for plant

growth had been compiled, and the discoveries of German botanists Julius von Sachs and Wilhelm Knop, in the years 1859–1875, led to a development of the technique of soilless cultivation. Growth of terrestrial plants without soil in mineral nutrient solutions was called ‘solution culture’. It quickly became a standard research and teaching technique and is still widely used. In 1929, William Frederick Gericke (August 30, 1882 – September 29, 1970) of the University of California at Berkeley began publicly promoting that solution culture be used for agricultural crop production. He introduced the term hydroponics, water culture, in 1937, proposed to him by W. A. Setchell, a psychologist with an extensive education in the classics. Between then and now, some progress has been made towards popularizing hydroponics. In fact, as at 2017, Canada had hundreds of acres of large-scale commercial hydroponic greenhouses, producing tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.Due to technological advancements the global hydroponics market is forecast to grow from US$226.45 million in 2016 to US$724.87 million by 2023. Techniques There are two main variations for each medium: sub-irrigation and top irrigation. For all techniques, most hydroponic reservoirs are now built of plastic, but other materials have been used including concrete, glass, metal, vegetable solids, and wood. The containers should exclude light to prevent algae and fungal growth in the nutrient solution. In static solution culture, plants are grown in containers of nutrient solution, such as glass Mason jars (typically, in-home applications),

pots, buckets, tubs, or tanks. The solution is usually gently aerated (by allowing in air) but may be unaerated. If un-aerated, the solution level is kept low enough that enough roots are above the solution so they get adequate oxygen. A hole is cut (or drilled) in the top of the reservoir for each plant; if it a jar or tub, it may be its lid, but otherwise, cardboard, foil, paper, wood or metal may be put on top. A single reservoir can be dedicated to a single plant, or to various plants. Reservoir size can be increased as plant size increases. A home-made system can be constructed from food containers or glass canning jars with aeration provided by an aquarium pump, aquarium airline tubing and aquarium valves. Clear containers are covered with aluminium foil, butcher paper, black plastic, or other material to exclude light, thus helping to eliminate the formation of algae. Th e n u t r i e n t s o l u t i o n i s changed either on a schedule, such as once per week, or when the concentration drops below a certain level as determined with an electrical conductivity meter. In raft solution culture, plants are placed in a sheet of buoyant plastic that is floated on the surface of the nutrient solution. That way, the solution level never drops below the roots. In continuous-flow solution culture, the nutrient solution constantly flows past the roots. It is much easier to automate than the static solution culture because sampling and adjustments to the temperature and nutrient concentrations can be made in a large storage tank that has potential to serve thousands of plants. A popular variation is the nutrient film technique or NFT,

whereby a very shallow stream of water containing all the dissolved nutrients required for plant growth is re-circulated past the bare roots of plants. This is done in a watertight thick root mat. Subsequent to this, an abundant supply of oxygen is provided to the roots of the plants. A properly designed NFT system is based on using the right channel slope, the right flow rate, and the right channel length. The main advantage of the NFT system over other forms of hydroponics is that the plant roots are exposed to adequate supplies of water, oxygen, and nutrients. In all other forms of production, there is a conflict between the supply of these requirements, since excessive or deficient amounts of one results in an imbalance of one or both of the others. The result of these advantages is that higher yields of high-quality produce are obtained over an extended period of cropping. A downside of NFT is that it has very little buffering against interruptions in the flow (e.g., power outages). The same design characteristics apply to all conventional NFT systems. While slopes along channels of 1:100 have been recommended, in practice it is difficult to build a base for channels that is sufficiently true to enable nutrient films to flow without ponding in locally depressed areas. As a general guide, flow rates for each gully should be one liter per minute.

Edited by Ayo OyozeBaje Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 08057971776

Experts brainstorm on ways to address Nigeria’s housing deficit at 2020 Real Estate Outlook ifeoma okeke

xperts in the real estate sector have discussed on ways to address Nigeria’s housing deficit at the recently held fourth edition of the Real Estate Outlook. The event themed ‘Repositioning Nigeria’s Real Estate Industry for a New Decade’ which held at Landmark Towers in Lagos, brought together stakeholders who spoke extensively on ways to make homes affordable for the average Nigerians and how government policies can help make this a reality. Speaking at the event, Tobi Adama, CEO Alphacrux Limited said infrastructure upgrade can help address housing deficit in Nigeria. “If we can look at the area of infrastructure critically in partnership with the government, this challenge can be solved. The reason why people want to live on the Island is because of proximity to work. If you are not working on the island, you won’t want to be on the island. We need to look at the use of waterways, helicopters and trains as means of transportation to various destinations. So if you will marry all these different approaches

together, then I think we will get somewhere,” Adama said. He stressed that with Lagos being over populated, there are still spaces to develop more properties in other States but because Lagos is a commercial hub, you find this

peculiar problem with Lagos. He suggested that with the rise of private properties especially at the Lekki corridors, infrastructure upgrade should be taken into consideration. “If it takes me 30 minutes on a

bus from Ekpe to Victoria Island and I find a property in Ekpe is cheaper, a lot of people will move to the outskirts. I think that as we are tackling the housing deficit, we should also be tackling infrastructure deficit.

L-R: Damola Akindolire, managing director, Alpha Mead Development; Gbadamosi Yakubu, managing director, Monarch Investments Limited; Tobi Adama, managing director, Alpha Crux Limited, and Ayo Ibaru, chief operating officer, Northcourt, during the presentation of the Real Estate Outlook 2020 in Lagos.

“We are already in deficit and what I always tell people is that we need to classify what deficit is. Most of the times, what people can afford, they don’t like but what they like, they cannot afford,” Adama said. He explained that the real estate industry in Nigeria is still at its infancy stage because there are so much that Nigeria have not tapped into and that is the reason why Alphacrux decided to have the Real Estate Outlook programme, so as to bring many stakeholders in the real estate industry together and look for avenues to increase the contribution of the real estate industry to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, (GDP). Ayo Ibaru, chief operations officer at northcourt real estate said Nigeria is underestimating the size and complexity of housing deficit problem as a country, adding that the government needs to establish a framework under which affordable housing components can play. “You can say affordable housing as many times as you want but if there isn’t a place where the developers, investors and end users can plug in, it will just be a pipe dream. By framework, I mean what are the conditions the government is willing to create to ensure a win-win solution for everyone?

Sunday 23 February 2020

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BDSUNDAY 39

SundayBusiness AU restates commitment, support to AFRIMA ... As 2 heads of state commit to championing arts, culture

n deep appreciation of its socio-economic impact on young people and the continent, the African Union commission has restated its continuous support and commitment to the partnership with All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) at a strategic meeting held at the African Union headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently, after The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union. In attendance at the strategic meeting for the advancement of creative industry in Africa and preparation for AFRIMA 2020 were Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Amira Mohammed Elfadil; Nigeria’s minister of Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed; Director, Department of Social Affairs, AUC, Mme Cisse Mariama Mohamed; Head of Culture, AUC, Angela Martins; President/Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada and CountryDirector-Designate, AFRIMA-Ethiopia, Eyob Alemayehu, among others. The Commissioner for Social Affairs in her remarks expressed appreciation to the International Committee of AFRIMA for consistently striving towards achieving the shared objectives of an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa through

the platform of AFRIMA. She also thanked the Nigerian government for always giving support to the successful hosting of the AFRIMA pan-African initiative. ‘’The African Union will continue to support and partner AFRIMA on this journey of leveraging the platform of music, art and culture to engage young people as well as unite and promote Africa positively to the world,” she said. Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, could not hide his gratitude to the African Union for partnering the AFRIMA, a pan-African initiative with its root from Nigeria right from inception and urged the AU to continue to do more. “The Nigerian government has been instrumental to the success of AFRIMA over the years by providing strategic partnership and institutional support,’’ the Minister said. On his part at the meeting, The President and Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada, a Public Relations/ Brand Management Consultant and a lawyer, thanked the African Union and the Nigerian Government for their selfless support and partnership over the years. ‘’The planning and preparation for AFRIMA 2020 is in top gear and we are ready to wow and bring Africa together again in an atmosphere of love, unity, celebration and

forward-thinking that will act as the growth engine for intra-Africa trade and development,’’ Dada said. Meanwhile, 12 Heads of State have committed themselves to playing the role of leadership, advocacy and facilitation for Arts, Culture and Heritage in Africa at the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union and adopted a draft resolution that will be tabled with a view to declaring 2021 as the year of culture to develop creative industries as a generating economic development and outreach. The AU Arts, Culture and Heritage was at its climax when the President of Republic of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was designated as African Union Leader for Arts, Culture and Heritage with the establishment of a presidential-level structure of additional twelve African Heads of State; Presidents of Cape Verde, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Africa as a council of the peers to carry out his mission. AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union, is in its 7th edition. It is a youthfocused music property that celebrates Africa, recognises and rewards the work and

Dispassionate answers to the throbbing of my heart Kemi Adeyemi

here are five years between my first two children; so by the time my second child reached the “fantastic twos” as I love to call it rather than the “terrible twos”, it was a whole new learning curve for me. The part that gets me all drained out was the inquisitive nature displayed at that phase. Nothing passes her without a question. “Mummy, what is that?”, “Who is that?”, “What happened”. The list is endless and even after giving her the right response, she could go on asking the same question another six times! If all the questions didn’t have obvious answers, it wouldn’t have been that wearisome, but questions like, “Mummy, are you a woman?” “Is daddy a man?” “Am I a sister?” came at the time when she already knew the answers. She already knew she was not a mummy, yet my daughter would ask if she was a mummy. I had to find a solution to this without saying too much, especially when she asked questions with obvious answers, so I would respond with the same question. For example, if she asked, “Mummy, are you a woman?” I would respond with “Is mummy a woman?” to which she answers with a smile and a “Yes”. Case closed!

One day, I was listening to a message by a prominent Nigerian cleric who said we go to God asking questions to which we already have the answers. As a young lady, you are a strong believer of Jesus Christ and here comes a man who doesn’t even believe God exists, drinks, is given to fits of anger and raises his voice and hands at you at the slightest provocation but because you think time and age is not on your side, to ease your aching conscience, you keep asking God if you can go ahead into marriage with such a man when you know too well what the answer is. We already have answers to many of the questions we go to God for. On the pages of the Holy Bible are words of instruction and direction that apply to every facet of our life. {All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy

3:16}. It will be self-deceiving to think we can arm-twist God in the place of prayer by making Him rubber-stamp our self-absorbed demands. If you do this for too long, you will get answers according to the idol of your heart. Let us not behave like little children in their “fantastic twos” who already know the answers to questions yet think we can wriggle our way into our selfish wants through importunity. So, whenever you come to this point in your life where you need answers from God, ask yourself the same question, come to a scriptural and dispassionate conclusion about the situation. Answer the question yourself, the answer is already in your spirit and take the right steps in the right direction. “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding,” (Job 32:8). Kemi Adeyemi

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

Defeating imposter syndrome

Amira Mohammed Elfadil (m), right; commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union Commission (AUC), Lai Muhammed, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, (m), left; Mike Dada, president/executive producer, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA); Eyob Alemayehu, country director designate, Ethiopia-AFRIMA; Olumide Agboola, senior official, Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia; Mme Cisse Mariama Mohamed, director, Social Affairs Commission, AUC; and Angela Martins, head, Culture Division, AUC, at a Strategic Meeting on Creative Industry and preparation for AFRIMA 2020 held at the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently.

Hollandia Yoghurt to reward consumers in social media campaign

n furtherance of its quest to reinforce market leadership through quality innovation and consumer engagement, Hollandia Yoghurt has unveiled its love-themed social media campaign tagged #HYLovesYa. With Yemi Alade, the campaign would reward consumers of Hollandia Yoghurt as they indulge in their favourite brand in this season of love. Consumers are encouraged to participate by tag-

ging Hollandia Yoghurt’s social media handles on Facebook (@HollandiaYoghurt1), Instagram (@ hollandiayoghurt) or Twitter (@HollandiaYogh), and show how they share love with Hollandia Yoghurt, to stand a chance of a surprise meeting with the multiple award-winning artiste or receiving special gifts from her. Valentine is the season of love and what greater way to experience the season than to share in the delicious taste

and nourishing goodness of Hollandia Yoghurt. Like Yemi Alade, consumers can fit the daily consumption of Hollandia Yoghurt into their busy schedule, while experiencing and sharing nourishing goodness with their loved ones during this season. In a 60-second promotional video, while urging her fans to take part in the campaign, Yemi Alade stated, “Lagos traffic is madness, and we all know we are experiencing traffic in Nigeria.

ave you ever felt like you are a fraud despite all your achievements, or felt like you haven’t earned your accomplishments? This was how I felt for the longest time. Whenever I reached a milestone rather than celebrating my achievements, I’d be worried that I didn’t achieve my milestones because I had the capabilities to, but because I was just lucky and one day the world would see through my acts and figure me out. If you have ever had this feeling like you were a phoney or sham and like it was only a matter of time before someone figured you out, then you are not alone, so many people just like me go through this, and it has a name ‘Imposter Syndrome’. Imposter syndrome is when you’re constantly doubting yourself in your job and believe that one day, someone will expose

you. This is despite plenty of evidence proving that you aren’t an imposter and that you’ve earned your position. It is the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications. Albert Einstein suffered from imposter syndrome, describing himself as an “involuntary swindler, whose work didn’t deserve as much attention as it had received” How can you deal with imposter syndrome? Change your perspective: Internationally recognised expert on Impostor Syndrome, Valerie Young states that people who don’t feel like impostors are no more intelligent or capable than the rest of us. The only difference between them and us is that during that same situation that triggers an impostor feeling in us, they think different thoughts, which is really good news because it means all we have to do is learn to think like a non-

impostor.Break the silence: Shame keeps a lot of people from “fessing up” about their fraudulent feelings. Knowing there’s a name for these feelings and that you are not alone can be tremendously freeing. Own your achievement and reward yourself: Break the cycle of continually seeking and then dismissing validation outside of yourself by learning to pat yourself on the back. You have talent, you are capable and you belong!

Chioma Nwosu is a mental health/positive psychology advocate, speaker and founder of Olamma Cares Foundation an NGO focused on encouraging the social acceptance of developmental disabilities and mental disorders, finding and implementing long term solutions of these conditions through training, capacity building, advocacy and intervention. Email: cnwosu@olammacares.com Instagram: _olamma_

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Sunday 23 February 2020

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SundayBusiness Stakeholders harp on industry standardised framework on valuation SEYI JOHN SALAU

embers of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) recently converged on Lagos for the head of practice (HoP) Business Executive Forum to harp on an industry-wide standardised framework of practice on valuation for practitioners. Speaking at the event, Victor Adekunle Alonge, senior partner, Nelson Thorpe Alonge, vice chairman, Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) and chairman, Professional Practice Committee of ESVARBON, said: “No doubt, property is an essential commodity. As one of the three key factors of production, it provides a strong base on which to build our profession. It is the largest class of asset in the balance sheets of businesses and for the security of lenders to business. It is a principal outlet for investment by savings industry. And it plays a major part in most of our lives – our homes.” Alonge, who made the observation in a presentation, titled, ‘Practi-

cal Guidance on The Green Book: ‘Compliant Valuation’,’ said the Green Book was the name given to ‘The Nigeria Valuation Standards’ as a regulatory document that was publicly presented on 12 December 2018. According to him, it is a set of mandatory rules and guidelines for registered surveyors and valuers (RSVs) to follow when undertaking valuations. He further said that the Nigeria Valuation Standards tagged, ‘The Green Book’, has come to stay and would continue to be a key part of estate surveyors’ valuation practice in Nigeria.

He urged practitioners to embrace the project whole-heartedly, saying, “It is both in our interest (as valuers) and that of the public (users of valuation services) to make a success of The Green Book through effective and informed implementation and massive awareness campaign.” Speaking further on the regulatory guideline provided by The Green Book, Alonge said it successfully combined professional, technical and performance standards in order to deliver high quality valuation advice that meets the expectations and requirements of all stakeholders. “Valuation of properties is at the core of professional services offered by estate surveyors and valuers. It is clearly the most high profile of our range of professional services and earns us our treasured membership of the comity of respected professionals,” he said. According to him, property valuation practice is hardly precise and comparatively less-efficient. “In the absence of any prescribed standards, guidelines or reporting formats, valuers do have a lot of ‘flexibility’ in tweaking the assumptions, calculations and approaches.

Use of CNG as alternative to PMS: DPR partners NIPCO, Green Fuels on awareness campaign RAZAQ AYINLA

aving recognised a whopping budgetary allocation of N450 billion voted for under-recovery, otherwise known as subsidy for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the 2020 budget, coupled with the abundance and cost-effectiveness of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has started awareness campaign on the usage of CNG as an alternative to PMS that attracts huge subsidy on daily basis. The awareness campaign becomes imperative going by the economics of scale to be adopted by Nigeria Government in production of compressed natural gas as against ceaseless payment of subsidy being paid by Federal Government which puts pressure on Naira, but the campaign currently ongoing by the Department of Petroleum Resources is expected to reel out benefits inherent in the usage of CNG on disposable income of consumers and the country’s fiscal policy. Recall that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, in the build-up to the preparation of 2020 Appropriation Bill had declared in Abuja that N450 billion was voted as the under-re-

covery, otherwise known as subsidy on PMS meant to be financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the year 2020. Consequently, the Department under the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources has therefore secured partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited and Green Fuels Limited for immediate conversion of petrol-consuming vehicles to compressed natural gas-fired ones, building CNG retail outlets across the country. Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting held at DPR Abeokuta Field Office, Muinat Bello-Zagi, DPR Controller, noted that the move is to drastically reduce PMS Consumption by the Nigerians with compressed natural gas (CNG) alternatives, saying a switch to CNG by motorists will be cleaner cheaper and more eco-friendly than the usage of PMS. The DPR controller, who announced the corporate partnership between DPR and NIPCO Gas Limited on Thursday, explained that Nigeria has CNG in abundance and it will be economical for Nigeria as a country, to switch to the usage of CNG in order to reduce unnecessary pressure on Nigerian currency, adding that cheaper conversion of PMSenabled vehicles to CNG-fired ones and location of CNG outlets across thecountryhavestartedimmediately.

How LG is enriching minimalist lifestyle, aesthetics through artificial intelligence (AI) Thomas Adeola

ess is more may sound like a cliché, but in this new age of digital technology and connectivity, people are living more conscious lifestyles and paying more attention to energy usage and waste management. In this new decade, minimalists are focusing on sustainable living. Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. The key idea is that Minimalism isn’t really about less, it’s about more. Choosing to own fewer things is simply a means of clarifying and focusing on values that can fulfil things that truly matter to our lives. The LG brand brings to mind strong association of its company tagline, “Life’s Good”. Driving home further this message on how much it cares about bringing growth and changes for enhanced lifestyle by creating unique brand experience through innovative technology. LG’s forward-thinking, AI-powered Proactive Customer Care for its leading appliances alerts users to energy usage and water consumption and provides thoughtful advice for improving efficiency and saving money is one of innovations that will redefine our lifestyle this decade. Similar, the premium LG SIGNA-

TURE boasts a line-up full of spacefreeing minimalist products. The LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R is the perfect example --designed around the philosophy that a TV shouldn’t have to take up much space when not being viewed. According to Hari Elluru, head of Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics, West Africa Operations, “having less things in a smaller environment can be surprisingly calming, more so when matched with a minimalist lifestyle. This lifestyle can be quite liberating as well but shouldn’t be confused with simplistic living. Doing more with less is about maximising the at-home experience. Instead of seeing this as a threat, LG views this trend as an opportunity. Elluru stated that the just concluded 2020 Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas, LG unveiled its framework for the future of artificial intelligence (AI) development. “At CES 2020, we showcased the LG ThinQ technology — one that goes a step further by using deep learning to predict and play a proactive role in the user’s life – from a fridge that can tell you when to buy milk, to a dressing room that picks the best outfits for your body type; LG is giving us a glimpse into the future. “We are creating more personalized solutions that we enrich the lifestyle of our customers. We are focusing on pattern learning to optimize and personalise device functions. LG’s AI uses a concept called experimental learning based on the scientific method. It can develop new capabilities through forming and testing hypotheses to uncover new inferences, enabling them to learn and improve, adding more

value to users’ lives”, he said. The South Korean multinational electronics company’s Signature Kitchen Suite is all about luxurious built-in appliances that blend innovation, precision and purposeful design in one package for inspiring more creativity and efficiency in the kitchen. TV trends in 2020 CES In Las Vegas, LG displayed its latest televisions including the 65 and 77-Inch OLED 4K Smart TVs w/ AI ThinQ, and the groundbreaking 88 Inch and 77 Inch OLED 8K Smart TVs. Also its line of LG NanoCell Smart TVs in stunning 4K and 8K resolution. LG’s 8K TVs stun with lavish detail and vibrant, lifelike colors that stand as testament to LG’s unrivalled display technology. As the world’s first 8K OLED TV not to mention LG’s largest OLED TV to date, the 88-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED 8K TV (model 88Z9) delivers 8K Ultra HD resolution (7,680 x 4,320) with 33 million self-emitting pixels,

equivalent to 16-times the number of pixels in a Full HD TV and fourtimes that of a UHD TV. LG’s 75-inch 8K NanoCell TV also delivers a total immersive experience thanks to an 8K picture with impressive color, contrast and detail. LG’s Nano Display technology renders stunningly sharp images on a truly grand scale. Nano Color filters out impurities to enhance color reproduction and Nano Black – advanced Full Array Local Dimming Pro technology optimized for 8K – precisely controls the TV’s backlighting for deeper blacks and greater contrast. LG’s state-of-the-art computer monitors push boundaries and provide the ultimate gaming experiences. At CES 2020, the 38 Inch UltraWide QHD+ IPS Curved Monitor for immersive, high performance gaming; 32 Inch UltraFine Ergo 4K HDR10 Monitor and the 27 Inch UltraGear™ G-Sync Compatible 4K Gaming Monitor thrilled customers at the event.

ity

Space-freeing Multifunctional-

LG Objet is the ideal solution for minimalist designers looking for the perfect multifunctional appliances to free up rooms. This completely unique range delivers clutter-less spaces with its experimental forms. Every piece of furniture in the lineup is built to look aesthetically pleasing, take up less space, and add even more convenience to everyday life. TV screens that can slide over to reveal hidden storage space behind the display and air purifiers that can sit bedside for wireless smartphone charging and somewhere to put the stuff you want close by. The LG Styler is a great option for your home, and for fashionistas looking for that walk-in wardrobe feel without having to sacrifice a whole room. Just place the advanced Styler next to your wardrobe and be amazed at its surprisingly large capacity that keeps clothes fresh and wrinkle-free. LG Styler offers a first-of-its-kind clothing care system that removes allergens—something an iron could never do. The Styler comes with hangers for your garments, but the rack at the bottom is specifically designed to refresh and sanitize down blankets, bedding, sports equipment and hats. LG Styler can be started, stopped and monitored from any place at any time using the LG SmartThinQ® app on your smartphone, available on Android and iOS devices. You get notifications remotely when a cycle is finished, can check energy usage, troubleshoot minor issues with LG’s Smart Diagnosis, and most importantly, download additional settings for textiles like leather and fur.

Sunday 23 February 2020

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LifestyleHomes&Suites

Paul Ojenagbon pauloje2000@yahoo.com

Welcome home to Sheridan Gardens Estate

he Sheridan Gardens Estate is a public-private partnership (PPP) project between the Lagos State government and Sheridan Properties Limited. It is located at Mobil Estate Road, Ikota-Lekki within the vicinity of Lakowe Golf Resort approximately 7minutes’ drive from the Victoria Garden City (VGC) and 15minutes’drive away from the Chevron Head Office. It is planned essentially as a gated community of exclusive homes interspersed with flowers, ornamental plants and trees creating an eco-friendly environment.It comprises 180 housing units of various home types including fully detached, semi-detached,town houses, terrace houses and deluxe apartments. The residences have been designed to maximize form and function, offering open spaces and cozy corners for recreation. The houses are already standing in carcass form as at date. Although a global certificate of occupancy covers the entire land,each buyer will obtain a sublease deed of assignment. The Sheridan Gardens Estate’s 6-bedroom detached house is on a land area of 400 square metres and provided with parking space for 3 cars. It offers 67 square metres of living room,33 square metres of kitchen space and 61

square metres of master bedroom. There are 2 balconies, luxury personal garden palm trees and flowers. Aside the regular accommodation,there are also powder room,two expansive guest rooms, master walk-in closet among others. The Sheridan 5-bedroom semi-detached home sits on a land area of 260 square metres and offers 50 square metres of living room,18 square metres of kitchen space and 21 square

metres of master bedroom with access to personal car park, luxury personal garden with palm trees and flowers. The Sheridan town house sits on 250 square metres land area featuring 4-ensuite bedrooms that offer complete privacy,an optimised use of space, natural lighting,palm trees and flowers. Each unit of the terrace homes sits on land area varying between 160-200 square metres with 4-ensuite bedrooms, size-

able lounge and kitchen coupled with 2-4 car parks and personal garden. The Sheridan Deluxe Apartments come in variants of 2/3/4 bedroom apartment houses, offering optimal use of space, private balcony, natural lighting and ample car parking space. Sheridan Gardens Estate is fully serviced with a barrage of infrastucture and modern amenities that include paved walkways and interlocked roads, dedicated

transformers and generators. Power supply is enhanced with solar power capabilities. Security surveillance and water supply are guaranteed 24/7. There is a host of recreational facilities that include recreational center, swimming pool and modern gymnasium in addition to garden area and play ground for the children. Initial deposit for the houses varies between N5m-11,800,000 for the apartments and the detached houses respectively.

eano Supermarket,schools,clinics and religious centers. Each unit comes with beautiful features that distinguish it from comparables. There are options to electricity supply with recourse to solar and inverter.Yet,there is a central generator to wrap up the splendid arrangement on this matter. Pre-wired also are installations for cooking and gas piping,smoke extractor, washing machine and DStv. A prepaid meter is connected to each unit,thus ruling out indiscriminate billing that is the nightmare of many.

With 24/7 surveillance, security is guaranteed round the clock. The estate is beautifully landscaped and marked with green parks that the residents can spend leisure time on. Potable water is from industrial borehole with treatment plant. The environment is kept clean and tidy with effective waste disposal. There is a rental tag of N2million per annum for each unit accompanied with caution deposit of N200k while agency and legal fee are both at 5percent respectively.

Lokogoma Houses revel in splendor

way from the tumultuous political landscape with all its controversies and hydra-headed issues on different fronts, the federal capital of Abuja is a beautiful city of innumerable head turning houses that whet a beholder’s imagination. In the Lokogoma district of the city,about 45 minutes from the International Airport and 25 minutes

to the Central Business District is an estate with several luxurious 3-bedroom semi-detached duplexes that are available and trending in the market with the prospect of letting or leasing for short or long term lease. Interestingly,at a better dispensation, such open options would not suffice or be given because there would be a ready market to create demand and grab it in quick

time. It would have simply gone for long term lease. Similarly,a lot of houses these days after testing the waters for sale for a time without a buyer,are quickly repackaged for letting. The truth is that reality is catching up with many real estate transactions too. Located in a serene and green estate, each semi-detached duplex is attached with a maid’s room. It shares proximity with Prince Eb-

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Sunday 23 February 2020

Health&Science Anxiety, stress predispose many men To get pregnant, you should to sexual dysfunction - Experts know about ovulation ANTHONIA OBOKOH

xperts say that sexual dysfunction is a common problem among men and women, but it is more prevalent in men as stress, anxiety, and the effects of past trauma fuel causes. These experts say, the condition leaves men and women with decreasing support for problems ranging from erectile trouble to pain during sex – a situation that not only impacts people’s quality of life, but could mean they miss their chance to start a family. These experts were participants of the the radio programme “Doctors on Air” hosted by Pamela JacksonAjayi, founder and managing director, Synlab Nigeria who said that despite the prevalence, issues like these are not addressed by couples for fear of being stigmatised. Rufus Ojewola, consultant Urologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said that sexual dysfunction is a relatively common problem notingthatwithmorethan40percent of women and 30 percent of men reporting some level of dysfunction. “After the age of 40 years men will actually experience certain degree of sexual dysfunction and this series from problems of ejaculation, premature ejaculation, in ability to have good penetration and satisfactory

intercourse, orgasm problems and other problems,” he said. However, sexual dysfunction refers to a problem occurring during anyphaseofthesexualresponsecycle that prevents the individual or couple from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity. Ojewola said that the most common type of dysfunction in men is erectile dysfunction noting that there are categories of erectile dysfunction. “Erection in a man is a complex mechanism involving the central nervous system and arteries inflow and veins blockage. If there are problem in any of this, ranging from the problem in the brains, spinal cords, arteries, pelvic regions to supply in penis, then there will be problem with orgasm.” “Twenty to 40 percent of men havereachorgasmbeforetheirwives, so their wives are not satisfied and they are the one that push their husband to come to the hospital, and of course we offer solutions,” he added. Also speaking Richardson Ajayi,

ExecutiveViceChairmanBridgeClinic and Chairman Synlab Nigeria said that sexual dysfunction in women is amazing common, saying that it start toclearingupto30percentofwomen. “It is not something that is frequently spoken about so it terms to be an undercover. Sexual dysfunction manifest are caused by different things,itcouldbedifficultyinfulldesire for sex, difficult to arouse during sexual activity, painful intercourse, inability to get orgasm, these are all issues with sex,” he said. Ajayi said that sexual dysfunction is a common problem. “There is nothing to be embarrassed about. And with treatment, most sexual dysfunction can improve or be cured.” “Myth contributes to these dysfunctionsandpsychologicalproblems causes too are quite common including anxiety particularly comes with a failure performance,” said Ojewola. However, on the discussion the host said that as human beings, sexual healthispartofone’sheathbutpeople do not talk about its impacts on both men and women. “We have unreported and undocumented percentages of sexual abuse and sexual violence of minors. We have never really statistically looked at the impact it has as they become teenager and young adults,” said Iheoma Obibi, executive director, Alliances for Africa.

Ogun hasn’t recorded polio incidence since 2010 - Abiodun ...as govt plans regular health intervention to ensure healthy living RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

amidele Abiodun, first lady and Wife of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state has said that all-year round polio vaccinations being administered on children of ages 0-5 across the 20 local government areas of the state has been an efficacious repellent against polio virus in the last ten years. Speaking at flag-off ceremony of the First Round 2020 National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs), held at the Family Health Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta on Friday, Abiodun noted that the combined efforts of government and stakeholders have been helpful to the fight against polio virus, saying the

present administration is committed to eradicating transmission of the wild and circulating vaccine derived polio virus among children. While pledging optimal healthcare services for all residents of the state on behalf of State government, the Wife of the Governor explained that sound healthcare delivery could be achieved through regular health intervention programmes and campaigns on good hygiene, eco-friendly atmosphere, good eating habit and balanced diet as well as compliance with professional advice on expected healthy living. “Our dear State in the last ten years has not recorded any wild or circulating vaccine derived polio

virus at all. To consolidate on the gains achieved, last year, the year 2020 first round will be conducted in the State”, she said. Tomi Coker, commissioner for Health, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Adesanya Ayinde, advised mothers and caregivers to avail their children and wards the opportunity of the exercise, noting that it would go a long way at ensuring that the State remained polio free. Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Elijah Ogunsola, said that children, ages 0-59 months would be vaccinated with two drops of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), adding that the vaccines were safe and potent.

Coca-Cola commits N3.8 billion to tackle maternal and infants’ mortality ...Launches ‘Safe Birth Initiative’ in Lagos SEYI JOHN SALAU

nresponsetothehighmaternaland infants’ mortality in Nigeria, CocaCola has committed N3.8 billion in form of social investment to tackle cases of infant and maternal mortality with the recent launch of Safe Birth Initiative (SBI) in Lagos. According to the National Demographics and Health Survey (NDHS, 2013), Nigeria loses as many as 576 women per 100,000 childbirths and 37 newborn deaths per 1,000 live births, placing the country among the worst ratios for both maternal and newborn deaths globally. Sadly too, only 40per cent of new mothers receive healthcare after childbirth. SBIisasocialinvestmentbyCocaCola Nigeria in partnership with Medshare International and the Federal Government through the office

of the senior special assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) and the Federal Ministry of Health geared towards proffering sustainable solutions of bringing mothers and their new born babies’ home alive after delivery. “The Safe Birth Initiative is a part of the company’s wellbeing program to support the efforts of government in reducing the alarming numbers of women and newborns who die from birth-related complications every day,” said Clem Ugorji, the business unit public affairs, communications andsustainabilitydirector,Coca-Cola, West Africa. According to Ugorji, the SBI has so far donated eight 40feet containers of medical equipment, kits and supplies, and trained over 80 technical staff at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-

Metta, National Hospital, Abuja and AlimoshoGeneralHospital. Hestated that SBI will also touch lives around other states in the country as CocaCola continues to take bold steps in ensuring that mother and child go home safely after birth. Akinola Abayomi, the Lagos State commissioner of health said the initiative directly supports Nigeria’s achievement of SDGs 3, on ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages and SDG-5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. “We would like to thank CocaCola and Medshare for making this new equipment available and providing the technical support in running them; we would like to encourage other companies to emulate these kinds of initiatives in our communities,” said Abayomi.

CONTRIBUTOR

ABAYOMI AJAYI

hat does ovulation mean? When will you be ovulating? And what does it have to do with getting pregnant? If you’re new to trying to get pregnant, or you’re just trying to understand the female reproductive system a little better, you may have basic questions like these. One of the ways a woman can optimise her fertility is by taking better care of her body, and also knowing her body and understanding how it works. A good knowledge of the menstrual cycle is crucial so that intercourse can be more accurately timed. Monitor whether your cycle is regular, that is, the first days of your periods tend to come the same number of days apart every month or irregular (if your cycle lengths vary significantly from month to month). By tracking this information on a calendar, you can better predict when you might be ovulating, which is the time when your ovaries will release an egg every month. You may also predict ovulation by regularly checking both the amount and appearance of mucus in the birth canal. Just before ovulation, the amount of mucus increases and becomes thinner, clearer and more slippery; You should also know your “fertile window,” which is the interval each month when you are most fertile. Normally, the fertile window spans a six-day interval comprising five days prior to ovulation plus the ovulation day. If you cannot calculate your fertile window, just plan to have intercourse every other day. Maybe you feel embarrassed to ask your doctor because you feel like everyone knows the details already. But the more information you have about ovulation, the better prepared you’ll be for the whole pregnancy process. Ovulating is what happens when an egg, or ovum, is released from the ovaries. During each menstrual cycle, reproductive hormones work together to stimulate the ovaries. A few immature eggs begin to grow and respond to these hormones. While the ovaries are preparing to release an egg, the uterine lining (endometrium) is getting ready to receive a fertilized egg, or embryo. Hormones lead to the thickening and changing of the endometrium. You might assume that the eggs in the ovary develop from the first stage to ovulation in a month’s time, but that’s untrue. Eggs develop over several months. They go through various stages until they are either ready to ovulate or stop growing and remain dormant. Most of the eggs in your ovaries never mature to ovulation. When you reach puberty, your ovaries house approximately 300,000 eggs.

Despite this apparent storehouse of eggs, you only ovulate around 300 ova over a lifetime. There is also a misconception that each ovary takes a turn ovulating every other month. For example, one month the right ovary ovulates. Then the next month, the left ovary ovulates. In fact, ovulation occurs on whichever side has the most mature ovum of the month. In most women, one ovary may ovulate significantly more often than the other. Ovulation usually occurs between day 11 and day 21 or your cycle. Each woman ovulates on her own schedule. You’ve probably heard that ovulation occurs on Day 14 of your cycle, but that’s not necessarily true. In fact, even women with 28-day menstrual cycles don’t always ovulate on Day 14. Usually, when you say you are ovulating, you are referring to the especially fertile period of two to three days that precede ovulation. Women often experience signs and symptoms before ovulating. Some symptoms may appear several days before ovulation, while others won’t happen until the day before or day of ovulation. Before ovulation, you may have an increase in sexual desire, increase in cervical mucus, softening and opening of the cervix and some cramping or sharp pain on your side. After ovulation, there is a decrease in sexual desire, decrease in cervical mucus, rise in body basal temperature, and breast tenderness several days after ovulation that may be mistaken as an early pregnancy sign. Home ovulation-prediction kits can help determine when you are ovulating but the rule of thumb is that women with regular cycles ovulate about two weeks before the arrival of their periods. If you don’t experience any ovulation symptoms at any time during your cycle, or if you have irregular periods, you may not be ovulating every month. Anovulation is when a woman does not ovulate. It is a common cause of infertility. Other possible symptoms of anovulation are extremely short or long periods or a complete absence of menstruation. If you want to get pregnant, you need to have sex on the days leading up to ovulation. There are a variety of ways to detect and track ovulation, but you don’t need to stress over it. If you have sex three to four times a week, you’re bound to have intercourse on one of your fertile days. If you’re not having regular periods, you may not be ovulating. This can be a possible sign of infertility. While usually couples are told to try on their own to conceive for at least six months to a year, if you have symptoms of a problem, that timeline doesn’t apply. Talk to your doctor sooner than later. Earlier diagnosis can improve your odds of successful treatment.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi MD/CEO Nordica Fertility Centre info@abayomiajayi.com.ng,

Sunday 23 February 2020

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BDSUNDAY 43

Sports

GTBank: Enthroning the development of the Game of Kings ANTHONY NLEBEM

‘

port of Kings’, the game which was introduced to Lagos, Nigeria in 1904 by British Naval Officers, was played on an air strip that was shared between the Lagos Polo Club and the Ikoyi Club. The game is one of the oldest sports in the country. The game never got into a competitive stage until about a decade after. In 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II, King of Germany presented a Sterling Silver Cup (now known as the Independence Cup) for a championship between Nigeria and the German Cameroon’s. This was the beginning of another era for the game in Nigeria. Gradually, top civil servants and senior citizens became members of the club and since then, the game has gradually evolved. A Nigerian, Dr Majekodunmi donated the now famous Majekodunmi Cup to be competed for by the highest handicap players at club tournaments. Other cups within the club are the Silver Cup, Low Cup, Open Cup, Governors Cup while there are subsidiary cups such as Independence Club; Italian Ambassador’s Cup and Oba of Lagos Cup. All of these cups have become the regular feature of the Annual Nigeria Polo Association Lagos International Polo Tournament which have become the flagship of Polo competition from Nigeria and across the world.

The tourney which usually takes place in the month of February has always attracted Professional Polo players from across the country and international professionals and has also showcased Nigeria as one of the leading sporting destination in the world. Currently, players from the Lagos Polo Club now participate in global competitions such as Bode Makanjuola; Rotimi Makanjuola and Neku Atawodi (Nigeria’s first Professional female Polo player). Spurred to facilitate the growth of the game which is perceived as the game of the nobles and also make every tourney, a successful outing, Guaranty Trust Bank has since the year 2016 given strong support to the organisers of the tourney.

With a penchant for sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, the bank has been at the forefront of supporting Polo; widely revered as the Sport of Kings, and promoting the Lagos International Polo Tournament, which has hosted reputable personalities such as His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Played on the grounds of the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi, the premier polo club in the country, the tournament has featured polo greats like Alphonso Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres and Alan Kent. A leading advocate of Sports Education, as a major way of promoting the values of excellence and fair play whilst laying the foundation for the emergence of sporting talent, a close study of the bank’s corporate social

Court acquits NFF chieftains of financial misappropriation ANTHONY NLEBEM

onourable Justice Peter O. Affen, presiding at the FCT High Court, on Thursday finally declined to add the names of President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick and the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi to a case of financial misappropriation brought before it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. In his judgment, Justice Affen refused the amendment sought by the EFCC to include Pinnick and Sanusi to a trial involving three members of staff of the NFF (two of whom are no longer with the federation) with regards to the utilisation of $8.4million grant from world football –governing body, FIFA, and which began in 2018. It is the second time in few months that a court of law would trash allegations of financial misappropriation against the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation, vindicating their claims that such charges were as a result of envy, malice, victimisation and vendetta. On 5th November 2019, Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissed in its entirety a 16 –count charge of financial misdeeds (misappropriation of FIFA grant of $84.m in 2014; moving the sum of N4billion from NFF account in November

responsibility initiatives, reflects that GTBank maintains a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy focused on championing causes and fostering initiatives that transform lives and uplift communities. Speaking on the bank’s involvement with the game of Polo, The Managing Director, Segun Agbaje noted that, “We love the game of polo, not only because it is one of the most anticipated events in the social calendar of the country, but also because its values such as discipline, rigour and fair play strongly resonates with our brand. He further stated that; “Our sponsorship of the NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament also reflects our strong belief in the role of sports as a major vehicle of social development and our commitment to championing activities and events that bring people together.” This year’s tournament which lasted from February 4th to 16th, 2020, saw Lagos play host to some of the most prestigious teams for Africa’s premier polo competition – the 2020 Lagos International Polo Tournament. This year, the Lagos International Polo Tournament, themed “Lagos Develops Polo”, aimed at encouraging the participation of young and indigenous talented players while featuring top class action from some of the most experienced and acclaimed polo players in and out of the country, including South Africa’s Chris Mackenzie +7, Argentina’s Andres

Crespo +5, Raul Laplacette +7 and Santiago de Estrada +6, as well as Nigeria’s Neku Atawodi-Edun +5, the first black female polo player and the highest-handicapped female player at the tournament. The competition featured 39 teams; the highest number till date. The teams competed in four major cups; the Silver Cup, Open Cup, Low Cup, and Majekodunmi Cup. The finals held on Sunday 9th February 2020, with Lagos Leighton Kings clinching the prestigious Majekodunmi Cup 10-5 at the expense of Lintex Agad. NRT clinched the Low Cup while RCF won the Governor’s Cup. Commenting on the bank’s continued support, the President of Lagos Polo Club, Ayo Olashoju said, “We are delighted to have GTBank as our sponsor. The relationship between Lagos Polo Club and the bank is borne out of common shared values and reputation for quality.” After sponsoring 5 tourneys, the bank has not given up in delighting the players through their support. Guaranty Trust Bank PLC is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, most especially in sports education. Alongside the GTBank Lagos International Polo Tournament, the Bank organizes and sponsors several other sports competitions which includes Lagos & Ogun State Principals Cup, Masters Cup and Super Cup football competitions amongst secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun State.

Heineken excites customers with F1, UCL, EURO 2020 action ANTHONY NLEBEM

2018), conflict of interest and non-declaration of assets brought against Pinnick, Sanusi, Seyi Akinwunmi (NFF First Vice President), Shehu Dikko (NFF Second Vice President) and NFF Executive Committee member Yusuf Ahmed Fresh by the now-defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel, saying the case should not have been brought before her in the first place. It was made clear that the proof of evidence exculpated the NFF officials, and in addition, the certified true copies of NFF accounts supplied by the Central Bank of Nigeria showed that on the said date (3rd November 2018), no transaction whatsoever took place on the account. It was also established that inflow into the NFF account for the entire year 2018 was less than N700m. Prior to Thursday’s judgment, precisely on 26th September 2019, the Federal High Court declared that the trial of the NFF officials

was political and that the court had no time for politics. Also in September 2019, the same case at the FCT High Court was put on hold as the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation submitted that it was taking over the case with a view to ascertaining its validity, seeing that same persons were being charged spuriously in different courts and/or investigatedbyseveralagenciesover the same allegations hewed out of petitions by the same individuals. At the court sitting of 20th January 2020, the Office of the Attorney General declared that it had no further interest in the case at the FCT High Court, as the one brought before the Federal High Court by the SPIP had been thrown out, and the substance of both cases are similar. This means that chieftains of Nigeria Football Federation are not on trial for corruption anywhere and in any court in the world.

eineken recently announced its activities for 2020, as it continues to take the lead in beer brands offering its consumers premiumonsportsandlifestyleexperiences. The event offered the brand the chance to reveal the new Heineken Houseasapremiummembershipclub which will be the centre of Heineken activities for everyone looking to feel the Heineken premium experience. The brand also unveiled some of its exciting plans for the year, including the new James Bond “No Time To Die” Movie premiere, as well as plans for Euro 2020. Also on the roster of activities is the UEFA Champions League, Formula 1 and the fashion season, which is set to see the brand throwitsweightbehindplatformssuch astheLagosFashionWeekandDesign Fashion Africa. Speakingatthelaunchevent,Sarah Agha,PortfolioManager–International Premium Brands, Nigerian Breweries, Limited., spoke on what to expect over the next 10 months. “Every year, Heineken sets the bar for unique, unforgettable consumerfacing campaigns. This year, we have noplanstorestonourlaurels.Lastyear, we brought the Legend, Carles Puyol, as part of our Unmissable campaign and we delighted fans with a 3-day Champions League trophy tour. Our efforts across various industries also saw us sponsor the Design Fashion Africa platform as well as the Lagos Fashion Week.

In 2019, we also sponsored the prestigious Lagos Open tournament. However, all of those are just the tip of the iceberg. This year, we are extending our brand footprint across even more platforms. Kicking off with our customary sponsorship of the biggest sporting tournament in the world, the UEFA Champions League. Following up with this will be the James Bond “No time to die” movie premiere, and for the first time Heineken has built on its successful association with UEFA by signing a further sponsorship agreement to become the Official Beer Partner of UEFA EURO 2020. With the Nigeria Fashion calendar commencing in April this year, Lagos Fashion Week, as well as our sponsorship of Design Fashion Africa is also set to make a huge come back to delight fashion enthusiasts. This year, for the first time ever, we also intend to dial-up our sponsorship of Formula 1 in Nigeria with the Formula 1 Sundays happening here at theHeinekenHouse.Fansoftheiconic auto-racing sport will get the chance to experience the magic of the Grand Prix. It’s an exciting time for us and our consumers and we can’t wait to get started,” She said.

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Ban on ‘okada’ in Lagos and the security challenge

eyond the ping-pong blame game, traded over the recent ban placed on the use of both ‘okada’ motorcycles and Keke Napep tricycles, as means of transportation in some selected areas of Lagos state by Governor Babajide SanwoOlu are some pertinent questions begging for urgent answers. For instance, was the decision taken in the best interest of the good people of Lagos sate? Was there deep, thinking through process? Was there due consultation with the relevant stake holders? Will it facilitate free flow of traffic in the fast exploding megalopolis? Is it in tandem with the Master Plan of a Greater Lagos that would conform to internationally accepted standards on transportation? And would it impact positively to reduce the increasing incubus of insecurity concerns in the state in particular and Nigeria in general? As we seek credible answers to these burning questions, we recall that while launching eight locally manufactured speed boats of the state ferry services, Lagferry, in Badore Ferry Terminal, Ajah, Governor Sanwo-Olu recently declared that the ban on commercial motorcycle and tricycle popularly called Okada and Keke Napep in the state would not be reversed. A hard stance, some people would say, but let us take a cue from the reasons adduced. “The security and safety of citizens are paramount to any government. As a responsible government, we will not fold our arms and allow any security breach in the state.We will continue to ensure the safety of our people on all fronts. There have been reports of serious security breaches and safety concerns in areas where these operators ply. We had to respond to these concerns because of life and safety matters to this government.”Governor Sanwo-Olu reiterated. Well said, one would add.

Let it be noted, that the primary purpose of government is to guarantee the security of lives and property as well as to provide for the welfare of the citizens. This is in tandem with Section 14, Subsection 2(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Any government- at the federal, state or local government council level- that fails in this fundamental mandate has no moral ground to stay on in political power. Lest we forget, that within a week of the governor’s order the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Turkur Buratai made a public statement to the effect that he was aware that there areterrorists all over the country, Lagos inclusive! What more does anyone need to give kudos to the governor for taking the decision that comes as an act of courage? It would be recalled, that Babatunde Fashola (SAN), the current minister of Works and Housing and incidentally, the former governor of Lagos State, has advised Lagos residents to give the needed support to the state government. That is precisely so, to see the success of the recent restriction on motorcycles in some local government areas in the state.Agreed, thatsome discomfort comesalong with the enforcement but the security implications of not enforcing the law constitutes serious threat to peace in the state. Fashola should know, given his wealth of experience. He was the governor of the state when the Lagos Road Traffic Law came into effect in 2012.In fact, he did make public the fact thatat some point during his wave-making administration, there were attempts by some terrorists to cause havoc in the city. But thank God, that with effective information gathering mechanism such was quickly nipped in the bud. Without an iota of doubt therefore, any full blown devastation to Lagos state affects not only the security, economy and politics of the state but the country,

the West African sub-region and Africa as a continent. Speaking as the guest speaker at the fourth annual public lecture/ symposium organised by the United Action for Change in Lagos recently, Fashola noted that motorcycles had been identified as the favourite means of escape by criminals. In his lecture titled, ‘Insecurity: Taking action against organised crime,’ Fashola said: “Insecurity is a global problem that requires the input of citizens to eradicate.” As a way forward, he identified peaceful co-existence, intelligence gathering and curbing the menace of drug abuse as some of the solutions. In retrospect, back in 2018 at a stakeholders’ meeting with some seasoned media practitioners and public affairs analysts, with yours truly in attendance, representatives of the then Governor Akinwunmi Ambode were told point blank that the influx of all manner of questionable characters, fleeing the insurgency from up north constituted serious security implications to the state. Proactive measures were therefore, required to stem the tide. This hitherto uncontrolled situation has been worsened by the Federal Government’s controversial visa-onarrival policy. As recently revealed by Dr. Femi Hamzat, the Lagos State deputy governor, some of the okada riders, apart from constituting themselves into lords of the streets, and causing avoidable accidents, have been found to carry knives! And you cannot but ask yourself, “what for?” The answer should be obvious to discerning minds. On the surface of it, there might not have been extensive consultations with the stakeholders on the ban on okada and keke Napep but the needful action has been taken. And at the right time too. As Fashola rightly noted,

Prayer and fasting for Edo

motorcycles could not be the preferred choice of transportation in a centre of excellence like Lagos, angling to become a smart city within the next decade. It is noteworthy that soon after the ban came into effect, the governor directed the Lagos Bus Services Limited(LBSL) to provide 65 buses for some selected routes. These may not be enough, considering the huge population of commuters but this is only a first step. More are on the way. Similarly, it has launched 14 new ferry boats to strengthen its public transportation system.The state is targeting to lift at least 480,000 passengers daily on the waterways. What more, the new passenger boats are fitted with modern communication gadgets and Wi-Fi deployed in the first phase of the state commercial ferry service, which began on February 4, at Obadore, in Ajah area of the state. Also, new train services will come in to serve as alternative to road transportation. All said, the ban on okada and tricycles has caused hardship on many commuters. But this comes as the price to pay to ensure an enduring peaceful situation in the state. We have to be alive to carry out activities to give meaning to our dreams. One hopes that the state government will provide more cushioning effects to take off the pains of the commuters affected by the ban. But sustained public enlightenment will go a long way towardscarrying the people along, to deepen the positive effects of democracy.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff he crisis rocking the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to have defied every known human solution. The crisis, rather than abetting seems to be deepening, particularly with the approaching offseason gubernatorial election in the state. The crisis, which is obviously distracting the administration of Godwin Obaseki, has become somewhat an ill wind that is blowing no well-meaning indigene of the state any good. Although a lot of people and groups claim to have attempted to reconcile the warring parties, what has become the truth is that politicians are feeding fat from the impasse. The courts have tried their possible best and are still trying, but the warlords have stuck to their guns. Royal fathers have tried their best, to no avail. Some men and women of good will had waded into the matter without resolving it. The parties in the faceoff had dragged themselves to the highest seat of power in the land- the Presidential Villa, and it is evidently clear that Aso Rock is overwhelmed. With the elections coming, if the crisis remains unresolved there could be wanton destruction of lives and

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

property in the crossfire that may ensue in the struggle for power. It was perhaps, against this backdrop that some people within the party have decided to go spiritual in the search for solution. Certain members of the state chapter of the party hinted the other day that they were looking at organising a oneday prayer and fasting against those trying to foist anarchy on the state by making the state ungovernable for the incumbent Governor, Obaseki. The prayer option is being championed by one Joseph Osagiede, factional publicity secretary of the party in the state, who gave reasons for the prayer and fasting at a press briefing in Benin City, noting that there cannot be meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancour. According to him, “we are also to pray that all those who are trying to make Edo State ungovernable for our Governor, Godwin Obaseki, should have a change of heart, as there can be no meaningful development in a state where there is anarchy. “Let us therefore, commit the governor

and his deputy to the hands of the Most High God for protection and divine wisdom to fulfil the mandate freely given them by Edo people.” Osagiede however, noted that the party and supporters of the governor should be thankful to God that his detractors had never found any cause to accuse him of corruption. “Furthermore, we should thank the Lord God for giving us an incorruptible, articulate and masses-oriented governor whose developmental strides are visible to all and sundry even the trouble makers”, he added. While also noting that the fasting and prayer were against the recent activities of bombings and attacks on individual property in the state, he however, added that governorship tussle does not worth the blood of any Edo person. But some people have advised the prayer warriors to keep an open mind, by not being in the camp of any of the warring parties, but to adopt the principle of neutrality to enable their prayers ascend to the inner recesses of heaven for the expected answers.

$253m This is the balance of the excess crude account (ECA) that dropped between January and February. This is according to the data provided by the office of the accountant-general of the federation. The figured showed that the ECA balance is $71.81 million.

“We are appealing to everyone to live together and be our brother’s keeper and live in harmony. We should not create problems for each other. We can win the fight against insurgency. Everyone is afraid of each other, but I am sure that we are going to win the war.”

Saad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, speaking on the spate of insecurity in the country.

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