BusinessDay 27 Sep 2020

High number of unclaimed PVCs in Edo questions INEC’s distribution strategy

Inside Kano’s coronavirus scheme …Old order still the way of life in the ancient city

Letter to Nigerian parents as schools resume

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Sanwo-olu flags off construction of 377 roads, power projects across wards

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BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

www.businessday.ng Sunday 27 September 2020

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Vol 1, No. 330

N300

The controversial rail line Why the $1.96bn project sparks outrage

See page 2

Creating a generation of knowledge-based business leaders

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Major wins for BBNaija Housemates, as overall winner emerges today

23 Remembering Ignatius Atigbi; Mr. World Tourism Day

Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan, managing director/chief executive officer, First Bank of Nigeria; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, and Tatiana Moussalli Nouri, representative of the LSETF chairman & deputy group MD, AIM Consultants Ltd, during the official launch of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited (₦5bn LSETF-FirstEdu Loan) at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, Friday.

‘Fashion industry needs to position for global scale, meet demand for sustainable growth’ 24

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Nigeria worse today than 60 years ago, there’s nothing to celebrate Bishop Ighele

Messi slams Barcelona for ‘kicking out’ Suarez

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Sunday 27 September 2020

News Sanwo-olu flags off construction of 377 roads, power projects across wards IniObong Iwok

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agos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, last Fr i d a y, f l a g g e d off the execution of 377 state-wide projects across all wards in the state.

A statement by Gboyega Ak o s i l e , c h i e f p r e s s secretary to the governor, said it was in keeping to the promises made during the electioneering campaign.

The intervention, which was said to be first of its kind in the state, was initiated at the instance of the governor.

It will bring about the construction of over 250 roads and installation of 23 power projects across the State.

Members of the state cabinet, All Progressives Congress Local Council chairmen, councillors and scores of party stalwarts, led by the state’s chairman of APC, Tunde Balogun, graced the flag-off ceremony held at Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa.

Sanwo-Olu said the intervention was initiated in response to the series of requests by the various communities across the state to address specific challenges. He said the execution of the

Sanwo-olu

projects would change the narrative about what grassroots development and government’s responsibilities are all about.

“The state-wide 377 ward projects being launched today are state intervention projects in grassroots development. The projects are conceived in response to requests by the various communities across the state to address specific challenges. These projects are not universal; they are diverse, reflecting the needs of each ward across the state.

“The implementation of

the projects will commence immediately after this official flag-off, as contractors have been fully mobilized to move to site. I urge residents who are the ultimate beneficiaries of these projects to take ownership by monitoring the implementation process and ensure that the job conforms to quality and standard specified in the project design,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said the process of identifying the needs and the design of the projects was in line with the concept of Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs) and participatory governance in which the people were considered as key stakeholders.

He described grassroots as “the bedrock of development”, stressing that the projects were strategic in promoting the wellbeing of the people across communities. He said his Governmentwouldcontinue to give residents a voice on issues that affect them.

He said: “This administration’s development agenda is driven by the spirit to build a Greater Lagos that is livable, and conducive for the growth and development of enterprise.

The dream of a greater Lagos is not exclusive; it is predicated on the principle of inclusiveness by which development is not considered as satisfactory until it has addressed the yearnings of the greatest number of the people who contributes to the commonwealth.”

He charged all elected and appointed officials in public offices to be responsible in dealing with people, noting that governance would be meaningless without the input of the people on whose mandate public officers derived their powers.

Lagos hands over 51 new GAC cars to state judiciary …As Sanwo-Olu urges more service Iniobong Iwok

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overnor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on We d n e s d a y, September 23, 2020 presented scores of the prizewinning GAC GS8 vehicles and houses to judges of the Lagos State Judiciary.

The official handover ceremony took place at the Lagos State High Court, with representatives from the LagosStategovernment,CIG Motors Nigeria - distributors of the GAC brand in Nigeria and members of the State judiciary, headed by the Chief Justice, Honourable Kazeem Alogba.

Sanwo-Olu, accompanied by members of the judiciary and Diana Chen led an inspection and test drive of the full-size SUV while it flaunted its unique blend of comfort, ruggedness, and manoeuvrability - a highlight that justified the GAC brand as being the perfect choice for vehicular movement on Nigerian roads.

During the event, the governor addressed the judges, stating the importance of law and its impact on civilised societies.

“There is no rule of law without a formidable judicial system. Today, we are not only reminded of the efforts of the judiciary but of the magistrates also. I make this commitment today, that before the end of the year, we’ll be back here, honouring and celebrating the efforts of the magistrates, both retired and otherwise. Their services might have ended, but their efforts are not forgotten, they are embedded in our hearts and evident in the

Lagos we see. We’ll also be supporting the offices of both committees with staff buses and rendering any help that might improve productivity,” he said.

Th e g o v e r n o r a l s o announced the donation of eight houses to the committee.

Chief Judge, Honourable Kareem Alogba, addressing the audience, said: “As the oldest and busiest judiciary in Nigeria, the onus is on our government to make

sure judges remain impartial arbiters of justice, we understand and appreciate your key role, the role of separation of power Mr. Governor, and we appreciate your efforts today. Today, you have given us not only car keys, but keys to efficiently and effectively improve our duties.”

Diana Chen, chairman of CIG Motors, expressed appreciation for the judiciary’s key role in the current affairs of the state.

Nigerian gets co-chair appointment for UK COP26 Energy Transition Council Kelechi Ewuzie

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igeria’s Damilola Ogunbiyi has been appointed by the United Kingdom as co-chair of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change conference’s (COP26) Energy Transition Council as the country kicks off Climate Week 2020.

Ogunbiyi, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All, will work with Alok Sharma, the UK CoP president, who will chair the council.

Sharma made the announcement on Monday while speaking at a special event, alongside political and industry leaders about the next decade of clean energy co-operation.

Prior to her appointment by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in October 2019, Ogunbiyi held various leadership positions in organisations focused on expanding energy access in sub-Saharan Africa.

In June 2020, the United States International Development Finance Corporation Board of Directors named her among the first members of the agency’s inaugural Development Advisory Council.

Sharma also announced that Ford and Facebook had

Damilola Ogunbiyi

the Paris Agreement or Sustainable Development Goal 7 - access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all - without a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind.”

Bschool strategy bootcamp plans immersive training experience for participants

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school, Africa’s pop culture academy, has concluded plans to host this year’s edition strategy Bootcamp tagged an ‘Immersive Virtual Experience’.

The event is expected to hold on October 21 - 24, in Lagos State.

The Strategy Bootcamp would impact practitioners

in advertising, marketing, retail, popculture and creative sectors.

Bschool is a strategy and innovation school set up to provide an unconventional learning system for business, marketing and creative professionals. It is the ‘New School’ for entrepreneurs, admen, marketers, and corporate executives.

Abia begins e-ticketing of tolls by tricycle operators UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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L-R: Tayo Ayinde, Lagos State chief of staff; Justice Oluwatoyin Oyekan-Abdullahi, Admin Justice Ikeja; Justice Kazeem Alogba, Lagos State chief judge; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State; Moyosore Onigbanjo, attorney-general/commissioner of Justice, and Diana Chen, chairman, GAC Motors, at the official handover of 51 new GAC GS8 vehicles to the judges of the Lagos State Judiciary held within the Lagos State High Court premises.

joined the campaign to reach net-zero carbon emissions.

He said major companies such as the US carmaker and the social networking giant would join the Race to Zero campaign to accelerate netzero carbon emission commitments.

This comes after the UK Government announced a new £50 million investment in a new Clean Energy Innovation Facility.

This will help developing countries get easier access to innovative clean energy technologies, focusing on key sectors such as industry, cooling, smart energy and storage.

Ogunbiyi said: “We cannot achieve the promise of

bia State government in its bid to shore up its internally generated revenue (IGR) and plug leakages of its revenue has embarked on e-ticketing of daily tolls paid by tricycle operators in the state.

The move saw some riders move to the streets in the state capital few days ago protesting the introduction of the e-ticketing, noting that the system was not favourable to them and accused the leadership of the three tricycle unions in the state of compromise.

Reacting to this, Eddy Anyanwu, secretary, Tricycle

Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) Abia State Chapter, said the introduction of e-ticketing by Abia State government was to checkmate fraud being perpetrated by some unscrupulous individuals who engage in forging paper ticket thereby denying government of its revenue.

Anyanwu further said that all the three union leaders of tricycle, Toan, Atriwa and Asatoa, in the state were duly consulted by government and agreement reached before the introduction of the e-ticketing.

He accused some disgruntled elements in their unions of instigating the said protesters, adding that such persons were the enemies of the state government.

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Sunday 27 September 2020

News PDP chides Abdulrazaq’s over governance in Kwara Lagos to develop local tourism sites …Urges Buhari to assess havoc of rainstorm SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to s e n d Fe d e r a l Government agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment on the level of damage caused by the rainstorm in Kwara State and report back to him in due course.

This followed a lifethreatening disaster occasioned by the torrential rainstorm last Saturday across the state which left

behind very heart-breaking aftermath among the people.

Kola Shittu, chairman People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara State chapter, who gave the indication while addressing journalists in Ilorin the state capital, accused the state governor of insensitivity to the plight of the victims of rainstorm disaster.

“It is very disheartening that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who is the head of government of the state hadmadehimselfunavailable in the state.”

Although, the governor Wednesday last week visited

some of the affected victims while his deputy, Kayode Alabi, had flagged off the distribution of palliatives to some victims in Moro and Edu Local Government Areas of the state.

But the party chairman insisted that, “we will be relaying to the world the obvious lack of human empathy and gross insensitivity to the grief of our people so exhibited by the state government, particularly the governor whose approach to welfare of victims of this disaster can best be described as callous and inhumane.

Nigeria @ 60: Our unity worth celebrating, says Alonge

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l a j i d e Al ong e , a business magnate, has said that the country had a great future and potentials despite the many challenges bedevilling it in recent years.

The elder statesman stated this in an interview with BDSUNDAY while reacting to the nation’s 60th independence anniversary

noted that he was optimistic that Nigeria would soon overcome recent setbacks to achieve its potential.

He further urged Nigerians to be patient and cooperate with the government of the day, in order to build a stronger and prosperous nation.

According to him, “As we celebrate the beauty of vibrant culture, resilience and unwavering pride

of our people on this day, I congratulate anyone who calls himself a Nigerian and lives on this glorious land, regardless of the language you speak and what traditions you follow.

“May you be independent in your thoughts and in your deeds, in order to create a blossoming paradise that future generations will be proud of as our unity is worthy of celebration”.

OBINNA EMELIKE

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h e La g o s S t a t e Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture has said the agency is set to develop local tourism sites in the state even as it commences work on newly discovered ones.

Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, disclosed the information in her speech at a pressconferenceheraldingthe celebration of World Tourism Day 2020 in Lagos. She noted that the development of new sites in Lagos would help reduce the rate at which Nigerians travel abroad for adventure purposes, and also expressed the state’s readiness to mark the event on September 27, 2020.

“As a matter of fact, the proposal of the Ministry for next year is to focus more on developing our local tourism sites and also commence work on newly discovered ones. This will help reduce the rate at which Nigerians travel abroad for adventure purposes,” the commissioner disclosed.

She further stated that

Leventis empowers 27,000 youths, agropreneurs

…As two beneficiaries get N500,000 each Tony Ailemen, Abuja

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eventis has trained 27,000 youths on agricultural techniques, in its six training schools across the country as part of efforts to boost agriculture and youths empowerment.

The company’s policy is aimed at boosting Nigeria’s agricultural output and sustainable food programme on the back of growing global food demands.

This is coming as African countries battle food importations against the backdrop of revelations that the continent’s food imports will peak at $110billion by 2025.

The Executive Director, Le v e n t i s Fo u n d a t i o n , Hope Usieta, speaking at the company’s agricultural youths summit organised to mark the 2020 World Youth Day, revealed that Leventis has invested about N32billion in the last 30 years on its agric training for youths, as part of its contributions to youths empowerment The programme targeted at youths is offered for free to youths who are interested in taking agriculture as a vocation The company a l s o l a s t We d n e s d a y announced winners of its

empowerment contest with Alogba Moshood Ab i o l a o f Am b a g r e e n Enterprises Global Limited, came first and Obinikpo Isioma Irene, of Oma’s Fish Heaven, came second, but both got N500,000 grant each after a thorough screening of the over 600,000 entries received by the Foundation.

The firm has continued to demonstrate commitments to supporting and developing communities working closely with instructions and government Usieta said Leventis had over the years continued efforts to “synthesise and

proffer solutions” “Our core activity in Nigeria is centered on agriculture development, where we have established six six agricultural training schools across Nigeria,” he further said.

The company has been working to attract youths into agriculture as well as train and support them to adopt improved, ecofriendly farming practices and technology aimed at reducing drudgery, while increasing the national food basket.

Th e Af r i c a n Un i o n Economic Social and Cultural Council (AU- ECOSOCC)

representative in Nigeria, Tu n j i As a o l u s a i d t h e institution was committed to partnering with Nigeria to complement its agricultural programme.

“We are strategically leveraging on demographic and comparative advantage of young people with the focus of creating the enabling environment for young people to start and grow functional agricultural microenterprises in th e agr icu ltu r al va lu e chain, via the national Yo u t h s A g r i c u l t u r a l Entrepreneurship Development programme,” Asaolu said.

L-R: Hope Usieta, executive director, Leventis Foundation; Irene Obinikpo of Oma’s Fish Heaven; Ahmed Mantey, chairman, Leventis Foundation, and Abiola Alogba of Ambagreen Enterprises Global Limited, at the event.

Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf

the state, which is already among the top 5 tourism cities in Africa, is eyeing the number one spot on the continent.

According to her, the Ministry is working hard to transform the state into a tourism and entertainment hub in Africa by exploring, promoting the potentials that abound in Lagos, and supporting the thriving entertainment and arts industry as viable platform to attract visitors and also create jobs in the state.

According to her, the ministry has also started the production of a documentary that will dwell on inventing new destinations to be sold such as film village, musical concert arena , medical wellness and relevant forms of PPP arrangements to be deployed in order to transform Lagos State into a

tourism and entertainment hub in Africa.

“Just recently too, the state government announced the commitment of N1 Billion as seed capital for investment in tourism, arts and culture for practitioners in the industry to drive the growth of the green economy in the state,” the commissioner said.

“As I speak, the Ministry in collaboration with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has commenced the process of verifying applicants and beneficiariesofthefund. Apart from this, the governor has equally approved 50 percent reduction on licensing fees for hospitality businesses as incentives for the practitioners in the industry to aid recovery process from the inactivity in the sector since the outbreak of the deadly virus earlier in the year.

Speaking further, AkinbileYussuf said that Lagos state is leveraging on its investment in tourism for job and wealth creation, to curb youth restiveness, discover new tourism potentials and ultimately contribute significantly to the GDP of the state.

Why we are changing road agency to limited liability company - Abia GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

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bia State Executive Council (Exco) has approved the constitution of a committee that will oversee the transmutation of Abia State Road Maintenance Agency (ABROMA) to a limited liability company.

This is to enable the agency bid for road maintenance and construction jobs independent of government funding.

Chris Ezem, secretary to state government, will lead the committee, which also has Uche Ihediwa, attorneygeneral and commissioner for justice, Bob Ogu, commissioner for works, and John Okiyi Kalu, commissioner for information, as members.

John Okiyi Kalu, commissioner for information, Abia State, said that the decision was taken at an Exco meeting, held Thursday, September, 24, 2020 at the Government House, Umuahia.

He affirmed that the Exco also approved the establishment of road maintenance committees in all the 17-Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, to ensure the achievement of the zero pothole policy of the state government.

According to Okiyi Kalu, Abia Exco also approved a new company to execute the

Ohafia Golf Course project with a mandate to ensuring the completion of the first phase of the project by December 24, 2020.

He stated also that the Exco directed the Commissioner for Works to prioritize the rehabilitation of NgwaEmelogu-Opobo-Azumini road with emphasis on “Good morning market bridge”.

The Exco also approved the construction of Omuma road-off Ama Ogbonna, Aba, with rigid pavement (cement) technology, reconstruction of Awoja-Akoli-Ngodo-Imennyi road, in Bende LGA and reconstruction of Akalanna Street, off Okigwe road, Aba in Aba North LGA. Also approved for reconstruction/rehabilitation is the Ofeme Empire road, Ofeme town, in Umuahia North LGA, rehabilitation of Nbawsi road, from King Jerry Mortuary to railway crossing in isiala Ngwa North LGA, reconstruction of Milverton Avenue-Chisco Lane-Ojike Lane, Aba, with drainages, in Aba South LGA, overlay of Okigwe road in Aba and construction of Ahunnanya street, in Obingwa LGA with rigid pavement technology. The Exco also approved the procurement of mobile laboratory and mobile medical theater, to cover all the LGAs, in addition to existing testing laboratories in the State to support the fight against COVID-19.

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Cover

The controversial rail line Ignatius Chukwu, Port Harcourt

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ngry tongues, especially from the south, have risen, pouring fire and brimstone on the Muhammadu Buhari presidency the moment the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced a $1.96billion approval for a rail line starting in Kano and ending in Niger Republic.

According to the FEC and the Transportation Minister that announced it, the rail system will be single standard gauge with high speed from Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states cutting through Kano to Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, terminating in Maradi, Niger Republic, a total of 248km.

Experts say Niger Republic has never been Nigeria’s biggest trading partner in ECOWAS region, wondering the economic benefits the country would gain by linking its railway to the country.

But Ghana was Nigeria’s biggest export destination in the third quarter of 2019, which puts it ahead of Niger. In the second quarter of 2020, Togo featured as Nigeria’s top three export destinations, with Nigerian goods worth over N50 billion shipped from Nigeria to the country. Togo featured among Indonesia, Singapore and Portugal in the top four, according to the Foreign Trade Statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the Q2 of 2020. Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Guinea Bissau were other African countries that were major destinations of Nigeria’s products.

To many southerners, especially from the South-South and South-East, the project is a misplaced priority and another demonstration of sectionalism. This made one social media influencer, Dapo Fidale to dub it family planning, insinuating that President Buhari, a Fulani, must be interested in creating a travelling corridor between his kinsmen in Nigeria and those back in Niger Republic.

Dapo further enthused that the President who has since been under huge suspicion of striving to unite all Fulani under one umbrella with Nigeria as hub, may be planning to build rail network within the West African subregion for his people to fasten their migration to the proposed modern headquarters (Nigeria) and to form a centre of Fulani civilisation expected to take over Nigeria and West Africa, the same objective that Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) has openly declared, though with violence as a weapon.

Many easterners have remained beside themselves in anger since the near $2billion rail project to another land was unveiled by their son, the Minister, on behalf of the FEC. One media practitioner asked: “Do we have anything in the South East? People are saying that we don’t have any rail line connecting the South East to other parts of the country.

There is an ongoing gas pipeline going from Kano to the same Niger Republic. What is special about Niamey?

“Why are we neglecting the suffering of citizens and concentrating on other countries? Look at Apapa; the major problem is that there is no railway functioning there; yet government is reaping hugely from the ports in Apapa without any thought on how to improve transportation of goods and petroleum products. Why do we love strangers more than ourselves? Make the people smile here first before extending the goodwill to our neighbours. It is clearly an insincere motive.”

Buhari

Niger-Nigeria connections: Family planning?

Both countries have much in common, but the negative seems most glaring in the sense that most easterners claim that northern presidential candidates move people across the two countries to amass votes to topple their southern opponents. It is often claimed in the south that Nigeria’s population during elections remains uncertain because of the loophole created between both countries through cross-border passage.

Policing seems impossible between the two.

Most herdsmen, killers, bandits, robbers, terrorists, and sundry criminals switch nationality during interrogations but many end up being from Niger. Most essential commodities such as petroleum products and fertilizer targeted at established Nigerian populations end up in the other countries especially Niger.

The closeness is not only in name as a Nigerian and a Nigerien can easily be mistaken.

Both countries drew their Nigerians to one river, the Niger. Both flags look almost alike, adopting green for the fertility of the banks of the Niger and white for peace and purity.

Nigeria stopped there but Niger took red to support their brand probably to reflect a strong determination to make.

At one point or the other, both countries had been part of one empire ruled by one monarch or emir. The most common denomination is the presence of the Fulani in both countries and the source of Usman Dan Fodio and his religion. There is a long association (both good and bad) of both the Fulani (also Peul or Fulbe) and Hausa of both countries from 1200 to 1500 and up till the 18th century when most Fulani were said to have grown unhappy with the kind of Islam practiced in Hausaland, thus the jihad. From the Sokoto Caliphate to the Kanem-Bornu empire, both peoples have been under one rule, only to break away, until the present reality of two stable countries.

The desert has been the cause of the modern migration from Niger and Chad to down south, Nigeria, but many must be reminded that the Sahel was not a dry bad place from the beginning. It was a wet desert that supported agriculture next after the Nile areas of Egypt. It is when climate change crept in that the area became dry and migration

southward began. Many say that the desert is fast getting to Nigeria and that most parts of the north may migrate downward and that in the process, land grab tussles would one day be a new reality even in the south. It may not only be about dipping the Koran in the Atlantic Ocean.

That must be why most Nigerians felt that the late military head of state, Sani Abacha, was tilting toward Niamey, having strong connections with that country from both Kano and Bornu empire links.

That could also lend credence to the submission of a facebook follower of a female journalist and social media Amazon, Oby Ndukwe, who said Abacha started the rail overhaul with a loan from China and that much of it failed.

He however, said there was no plan whatsoever to extend railways into Niger.

“It was a cataclysmic decision taken by agents of the Buhari administration. How can you media people not know? Olusegun Obasanjo sought to improve the quality and standards and only renegotiated some of the Abacha transactions for railways. Most of the Chinese contracts in the Abacha regime were subcontracted to cronies of the Abacha family. Time will tell.”

Neglecting the South-South & SouthEast The same commentator, Okey Igbokwe wrote on Oby’s timeline; “The East-West Road, the most strategic road in the Niger Delta linking Warri and Calabar, was used as a campaign tool to taunt and abuse Goodluck Jonathan by Chubuike Amaechi and his South-South APC gang. They said Jonathan did not want to complete that road and that Buhari, who is a detribalised Nigerian and lover of the Niger Delta, would complete it if elected and would also turn the region into London.

“It is over five years now since Jonathan was chased out by Amaechi and his APC gang and installed Buhari, but that all-important East-West Road is still in the condition Jonathan left it, no single sand or cement has been dropped there by Buhari.

“So, instead of applying the same pressure on Buhari to finish the road, Amaechi is rather building an irrelevant $1.96billion railway line from Buhari’s home town to Niger Republic. The East-West Road and Buhari’s railway to Niger Republic, which one is of more economic importance to the Niger Delta people?

“Niger Delta APC supporters would look at that railway to Niger Republic from their creeks and mangrove and feel very satisfied with the campaign they did in 2015 and ‘19 and praise Buhari for developing Niger Republic instead of the promise to turn Niger Delta to London.”

This has been the tone and pattern of the avalanche of attacks and condemnation raining on Buhari, Amaechi and the APC. Buharists, Amaechi’s supporters come to the rescue, point to evidence One of the Special Advisers to the president who hails from Eleme in the Niger Delta, Ajuri Ngelaele, countered thus: “This financially empowers Nigeria as the import/ export hub for Niger Republic.”

Another, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an Amaechi supporter, said: “This rail line will be the most economically viable and that must have been why lenders gave it priority. Let’s understand these things to help our nation not aid opposition propaganda inadvertently.”

Did Jonathan approve the Kano-Niamey rail line?

Information has come out that the rail line to Niger Republic, in fact to the capital in Niamey, was proposed by the then Jonathan administration, though Igbokwe rejected it. But, an APC stalwart in the south-south, Chris Finebone, emphatically stated: “Do you think that two administrations (Jonathan’s and Buhari’s) cannot see the economic importance to Nigeria for connecting our rail line with Niger and only citizens of Republic of Facebook that will be wiser? Remember, that the initial plan by the Jonathan administration was to build the rail line up to Niamey in Niger.

“On August 13, 2013 in Nigeria, the Vice President of Nigeria, Namadi Sambo, announced that Nigeria was to construct a line into the Republic of Niger. According to him, the new track would be an extension to the existing branch from Zaria to Kaura-Namoda, which is to be continued via Sokoto to Birnin Kebbi. In the longer term, he said that it would extend the line across the border to Niamey, capital of Niger.”

National, not family planning Many have pointed to the economic importance of the Maradi route, saying it would broaden the old trade route from Kano through Niger to Libya, Algeria to Europe. A commentator, Ruskin Amadi, said people should be broadminded. “I don’t see anything so bad about the Nigeria-Niger rail line that will make it evil. Every project just like everything on earth has its pros and cons.

“Nigeria and Niger have trade links that would be useful in the new African common market initiative around the corner. It will yield huge revenue to Nigeria in terms of the freight to and fro. It will create jobs. It will boost our big brother status as Niger and their friends would likely take sides with Nigeria in African politics as game of numbers. Niger would have more motivation to help fight terrorism from their side. It may attract tourists if well built and open communities in both flanks to development.”

Amaechi explained on Thursday that the rail line would open trade and bulk goods transit to West Africa by rail.

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BDSUNDAY 7

News Investment in digital infrastructure seen enabling survival, devt amid Covid-19 CHUKA UROKO

I Amaechi

Eastern rail and southern projects also on the line Amaechi had weeks before, conveyed approval for the Bonny-Port Harcourt N80billion rail project that would run mostly on water. He had said upon completion of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project by December, the Federal Government would immediately commence construction of the Eastern rail line which connects Port Harcourt – Bonny Island and to Borno at Maiduguri.

Amaechi said the planned commencement is subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council, while listing other projects in line for commencement. They include the Kano/Maradi line and the Ibadan to Kano section of the Lagos to Kano rail line.

He said: “We have sent to the cabinet the request for approval of two railway contracts, Port Harcourt - Bonny to Maiduguri. If that is awarded, that will be the next assignment for the Ministry of Transport. We are also pursuing the loan for the contract which has been awarded for the Lagos to Calabar rail line. We also expect that Ibadan to Kano will commence before the end of this year,” Amaechi said.

On the Lagos-Ibadan railway project, he noted that much work has not been done on the Apapa station because the building of the station just commenced, “but I want them to finish all the stations at same time. And I have insisted that a special taskforce be set up to make sure Apapa station is completed same time as all the others” Bonny historic rail?

An earlier report said; “The federal government is considering giving its funding approval to the much-expected Port Harcourt-Bonny island rail line by July 2020. The rail line along with a deep seaport and an industrial park in Port Harcourt are estimated to cost N80 billion. It takes 44 km by road to hit Bonny Island from Port Harcourt.

“The rail line would combine with the ongoing N120 billion 38-kilometre Bonny-Bodo Road, the first-ever road link to the island to come on stream in 2022.

Ajuri Ngelali, senior special assistant on public affairs to President Muhammadu Buhari said on his

Twitter handle @AjuriNgelale that funding for the rail line would be approved by the federal executive council meeting in July. His statement aligns with an earlier announcement by Transportation minister, Chibuike Amaechi, when he said China would be set to provide $5.4 billion funding for the IbadanKano rail line.”

If this is achieved, history would be made as travellers would look at the mangrove forests, creeks and oceans along the route and enter Ogoni by rail.

Buhari ends the matter President had personally stated in his twitter page thus: “The Kano–Maradi Single Track Standard Gauge Railway, Coastal Railway Project & Port Harcourt–Maiduguri Standard Gauge Railway, with its associated branch lines running through the South Eastern & Gombe States, industrial park & Bonny Deep Sea Port are all ready for concessioning.

“The Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line is 90% completed and would be extended to the Lagos Port which would help address the longstanding gridlock at the Apapa port. The Central Ajaokuta – Itakpe - Warri Line has been completed and is being extended from Itakpe to Abuja on one end and from Warri Town to Warri Port on the other. We are extending and upgrading our railway network too. We are introducing more locomotives, coaches and wagons for the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line.”

What is not clear is whether or not the $1.96billion approval is for concessionaire of direct job by the FG. Conclusion: Southerners may be angry but they have been advised to study the entire national rail plan and find out if the east and south-south have been left out to allow facts speak.

Another commentator advised the FG to unveil the entire rail network plan so Nigerians can view it and react once instead of piecemeal unveiling with frequent crisis on routes and loans.

nvestment in digital infrastructure has been identified as a pathway for Nigeria and, indeed, Africa to survival and thrive amid the crippling impact of Covid-19 pandemic.

Acquiring the much-needed digital infrastructure and the resulting digital transformation will also enable rapid development across the continent, positively impacting the most vulnerable communities.

“While digital transformation is certainly not a new discussion, the Covid-19 pandemic has abruptly accelerated the need for digital adoption,” Ryno Rijnsburger, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft4Afrika, noted in a statement obtained by BDSUNDAY at the weekend.

He stated that there’s an urgent need to invest in connecting communities and improving service delivery to citizens throughout Africa, pointing out, however, that governments across Africa, and indeed globally, have budgetary restraints that have been exacerbated by the current pandemic.

Digitisation, he added, required significant investments to modernise the government sector and beyond.

Rijnsburger believes that Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) will play a critical role in accelerating digital transformation, saying that Africa’s recovery must be digitally driven. This is because, according to him, the digital economy is the recipe for job creation, spurring innovation, boosting economic growth and supporting longterm competitiveness in the global digital economy.

Hi g h l i g h t i n g t h e n e e d f o r I C T infrastructure for digital transformation to succeed, Rijnsburger said governments alone cannot achieve ambitious targets of bridging the current digital divide. “It will take a strategic and considered set of PPPs to achieve Africa’s ambitions to compete in the digital economy,” he said.

A report by McKinsey & Company on Africa in the wake of Covid-19 suggests that the crisis could be a catalyst to help close the digitisation gap, accelerating digital transformation in sectors as diverse

as financial services, retail, education and government.

To unlock digital transformation, the public sector must be brought into the digital age, accelerating the rollout of digital IDs, signatures and registries, as well as implementing digital-friendly policies.

But to positively impact inequality, citizens need access to the internet. There is more work to be done to create equal opportunities for everyone, including improving next-generation connectivity, particularly for rural communities.

The latest Ericsson Mobility report states that mobile data traffic in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to grow by 12 times the current figures by 2025. Mobile broadband subscriptions are predicted to reach 72 percent of mobile subscriptions while LTE subscriptions are set to triple, increasing from 90 million in 2019 to 270 million in 2025.

E-commerce has also been growing quickly such that online retailers in Nigeria, for example, have experienced a doubling of revenue each year since 2010. Despite this progress, most sectors of African societies and economies still lag behind the rest of the world in digitisation.

In 2016, the United Nations declared access to the internet to be a basic human right, yet in 2020, 48 percent of the world’s population lacks consistent access. ICT investment into mobile broadband is a crucial area for development. Internet connectivity across Africa is very low, and there’s a need to use innovative ways to connect the unconnected and the underserved.

Rijnsburger noted that one way to expand digital services is to make use of TV White Space technology (TVWS), explaining that the sustainable nature of this type of spectrum use makes it very cost efficient to implement, which is extremely beneficial for rural, underserved and developing areas.

“With TVWS, people are now able to access the internet for less than 5 percent of the average household income, and projects such as Mawingu in Kenya, and Bluetown in Ghana are making a palpable difference to people’s lives and livelihoods,” he said.

Ladoja, a dogged fighter at 76, says Alli REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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ormer governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has been described as ‘a dogged fighter and a cat with nine lives’.

In his congratulatory message as part of celebration of his 76th year birthday, a former secretary to the Oyo State government and the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in 2019 general election, Sarafadeen Alli said that Ladoja has demonstrated his love for his people in Ibadan land, Oyo State and the entire nation at large in many ways.

Th e f o r m e r S S G s a i d La d o j a ’s achievements over the years are unquantifiable, saying the Septuagenarian remains a symbol of unity for the people of Ibadan and Oyo State in general.

According to him, his contributions to humanity both in government and in private sector have helped thousands of people to be financially independent and worthy ambassadors of their respective families.

The statement he personally signed

Ladoja

reads in part: “My father, leader and the Osi Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja has contributed greatly to the development of humanity.

“Despite numerous attacks on his personality, God has always vindicated him on all fronts.

“At 76, Ladoja who is Osi Olubadan can be described as a cat with nine lives. An enigma, a dogged fighter and lover of his people.

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Kano-Niger rail line: Getting our priorities right

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ransportation, anywhere in the world, is a critical sector of the economy being a major aid to trade and commerce. This is why investment in transportation is welcome as a catalyst for economic growth.

But investment decisions should be guided, first, by expected gains and then by over-riding public interest. Investments are also guided by scale of preferences in which case making the right choices or getting priorities right is overly critical and instructive.

These, arguably, explain the concerns raised over the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to build a rail line that will connect three Northern states of the country to Maradi in Niger Republic.

Contract for the 248-kilometre rail line which will cost the country $1,959,744,723.71 was approved a few days ago by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigerians are told that the rail line is expected to aid the transportation of crude oil.

According to Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who spoke to journalists at the end of the FEC meeting, money approved for the

development of the proposed rail line that will be linking KanoDutse-Katsina-Jibia and to Maradi in Niger Republic was inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT).

It is as commendable as it is heart-warming that Nigeria is returning to the rail system of transportation. There’s no-gain-saying that there can’t be an efficient and complete inter-modal transportation system without rail lines with capacity for mass movement of men and materials.

The Goodluck Jonathan administration laid a good foundation for the revitalisation of the country’s rail system which the Buhari administration seems to be building on with some level of commitment. This, in our view, is quite commendable and needs to be pursued with greater vigour.

But, like many other wellmeaning Nigerians, we find the current move to build a rail line that will connect Nigeria to Niger Republic not only objectionable but also a wrong placement of priorities at a time when the country is choking and wreathing in pains over a lot of deficits in its national life.

Maybe tomorrow, but it remains to be seen or understood today why the Federal Government decided to build a rail line and extend it to another country

when many parts of the country are not linked to one another. The South Eastern part of the country, for instance, has no rail line linking it to anywhere.

Lagos, the country’s commercial capital and West Africa’s economic hub, is a choking environment as a result of poor and inefficient transport system. The city’s light rail project, started over a decade ago on Lagos-Badagry Expressway, has remained a still-birth and the Federal Government looks away, not minding that both the road and rail projects are of strategic economic importance to the country.

Apapa, Nigeria’s premier port city, is in Lagos. Apapa is fast degenerating into a waste land due to the heavy influx of haulage trucks involved in maritime activities in the port city. It is yet to be disputed or disproved that Apapa is the worst port city in the world today.

Anywhere, anytime people gather to discuss the Apapa problem which has killed many businesses and sacked many landlords from their houses, recommendation is made for an efficient rail transport system that will carry containers in large numbers and send the rampaging trucks back to their parks.

It is painful to note that many

agencies of the Federal Government at the ports including Customs, NPA, SON, NIMASA, etc generate hundreds of billions of naira revenue on monthly basis, yet the government cannot invest part of this revenue in rail lines and other infrastructure that will make port operations efficient and generate more revenues.

We are in agreement with the views expressed by concerned Nigerians that the problem of the Buhari government is about not getting its priorities right and it is such that, at the end of the day, Nigerians are the ones who suffer from poor choices by the government.

Looking at the Kano-Niger rail line project from the standpoint of the economy, we wonder what the economic benefit of this project is to Nigeria, given that the economy, as it is today, is not in a state to contain this bogus spending.

We advise the Federal Government to rethink this project and redirect the extra-spending that will take it to another country to other areas of need in Nigeria.

Apapa in Lagos is one such area.

Doing so will not only make the project more economically viable, but also save people’s lives and investments.

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

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Perspective Ikpeazu’s statue of honour (2) GODWIN ADINDU Adindu is the director-general of the Abia State Orientation Agency (ABSOA)

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h i e f Pa u l U r u r u ka stands majestically on a statue of seven-foot clay sculpture at Obikabia junction, Aba, a popular confluence point of five major roads. The imposing statue stands like a colossus at the middle of the road and flaunts the masculine frame of a political maestro who has remained a legend both in life and in death. Everyone seems dwarfed before him and he seems to be alive and speaking from the height of a political rostrum.

There is, precisely, a twopronged idea emanating from the imposing statue. Governor Ikpeazu, inadvertently, has built an empire of ideas. If you understand the science of semiotics, the Ururuka Statue must come to you with far deeper meanings that transcend history and aesthetics value.

To me, it communicates meanings

that are somewhat esoteric. First is the narrative of an illustrious man who left indelible footprints on the sands of time, whose name shall remain as a symbol of utilitarian value in service and to whom posterity must continue to accord honour. The governor has not only immortalised Ururuka but has also archived the story of the political journey of the UkwaNgwa.

It is a story that would inspire our generation and the generation yet unborn.

Again, Governor Ikpeazu is also loudly and openly transmitting the message of a new Abia, a new dawn. The statue has created beautiful scenery and a beautiful environment around the interjection round-about. The message is the accomplishments of a Governor in his conscientious drive to reclaim a city that was hitherto in the backwaters. To a visitor or passer-by, the statue announces the new Abia of massive social and infrastructural reconstruction. Before now, the Obikabia junction is a place of traffic commotion, where man and mermaids compete for space within a small radius. The new sense of order and decency generated by the transformation of the environment usher one into a new mind change and into a new orientation that are Ikpeazu’s brand equity.

The Ikpeazu brand equity is in the overall dividend that his tenure has offered Abians and in the values of promises fulfilled. It is a value that transcends aesthet-

ics and environmental heritage.

Ikpeazu, by his work and accomplishments, has provided a bridge or an elevator of transition from one milieu to another, a sort of renaissance which is accompanied by a new wave of cultural and political reawakening. I see a revolution but not of victory of arms but of victory of change. Revolution is not just about taking up arms and overthrowing an existing political regime, revolution is also about taking drastic steps and actions that progressively expand the frontiers of our human existence. And this is what Governor Ikpeazu has done with the Caterpillar revolution that has seen to the construction and commissioning of over a hundred roads spread across the three geo-political zones of the state.

The Ururuka statue is therefore a continuation of a narrative of revolution. Born in 1910 into a polygamous family of Mr. Ururuka Ajereh and Mrs. Orianu Ururuka Ajereh of Umunkpeyi Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, Chief Paul Omerenyia Ururuka (PO) was the first and only child of his mother, who was the first wife of Ururuka. He attended Christ the King School Aba where he obtained his Standard Six Certificate with distinction. Because of his brilliant performance, he was employed as a pupil teacher by the Roman Catholic Mission, Aba. From there he later enrolled into the famous St. Charles Teachers’ Training College Onitsha, from where he obtained his Teacher

Grade 11 Certificate.

“Teacher Paul as he was fondly called at CKC Aba distinguished himself in whatever he set his mind and hand to do. He was a disciplinarian, highly principled, versatile and an all round achiever.

He was a great school organist as well as for the church choir. This actually contributed to earning him the fond and popular name of “Teacher Paul” in Aba and its environs,” disclosed High Chief Tony Ururuka, his only surviving son.

Teacher Paul enrolled, studied and passed his General Certificate of Education (London) at ordinary and advanced levels as a private candidate, a rare fit in those days.

He also obtained Teachers’ Grade 1 Certificate. He later left the teaching career and joined the Nigerian Railway Corporation as a pay clerk, a prestigious and privileged job earned only by outstanding pupils in those days.

Chief PO Ururuka later won a scholarship from the Northern Ngwa County Council to study overseas. Consequently, he left his young beautiful wife and three children at the time in the care and custody of his father, Ururuka Ajereh (having lost his mother at a very tender age) and travelled to Trinity University Dublin by 1947.

He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, a Higher Diploma in Education, a Post Graduate Diploma and MA in Public Administration and also a Masters of Arts in Geography.

After completing his studies, he returned home to his family and took up appointment as the first African Vice Principal of the famous St. Theresa’s Teacher Training College Umuahia under the headship of an Irish Roman Catholic Priest, Rev. FR. Fullen. It was while here at Umuahia that the nationalist movement started and Ururuka joined the agitation for freedom from colonial rule which was eventually accomplished in 1960.

Before then, he had his first taste of national politics when he was elected a counselor in the Northern Ngwa County Council by his people of Ngwa clan. By 1954, he was elected by the Ngwa Community to represent them in the Eastern Region House of Assembly. He contested and won election under the platform of the NCNC, under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and was a Minister severally in his cabinet with various portfolio and later under the Premier of Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, all between 1954 and 1966, after Azikiwe left to take up his position as the first African President of Nigeria in 1960.

Chief PO Ururuka, while serving his country in the Eastern Region, held the following portfolios at different times: Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Transport and Minister of Works, for longer years. Governor Ikpeazu, by the statue, has resurrected history for posterity and also resurrected a man.

‘Leave no one behind’ – The promise IDP community needs Nigeria to keep

IER JONATHAN-ICHAVER Jonathan-Ichaver is co-founder, Sesor Empowerment Foundation.

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or more than ten years, Nigeria has battled insurgency, mainly in its North, leading to a high incidence of displacement. According to the International Refugee Agency, UNHCR, over 2.7 million persons have been internally displaced in the northeast – Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states being chief contributors.

These figures do not capture the tens of thousands displaced by herdsmen militia and other violent groups in the middle belt and the northwest of the country. A few hundred thousands have fled to other villages and cities across the country, in hope of picking up their lives.

Apart from terror attacks, communities are sacked for a variety of reasons including flooding, communal clash, armed banditry and boundary disputes. As at November 2019, approximately 3.6 million people in the BAY states were estimated to face a food crisis between June and August 2020. So, in March 2020 when the global health crisis hit Lagos, Nigeria, it was only a matter of time before the displaced community began to feel the effect. A month later, Babangida Buba, an aid worker with the French

non-profit organization Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), died of Coronavirus at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno state.

Buba had worked in the small rocky town of Pulka, where nearly 100,000 displaced persons live, and was tested positive for the virus after death.

In a reactionary teleconference, Nigeria’s Northern Governors’ Forum agreed to repatriate all almajiris to their states of origin. Almajiri is a system of Islamic education that involves migration although colloquially the term is used in reference to young street beggars. At least, 15,000 children were said to be affected across nineteen states with Gombe state alone accounting for 11,700. These migrant children joined a good number of newly poor economic migrants who had returned to their home communities having lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These inter and intra-state movements remain a potential contributor to the spread of the disease in the rural communities where government presence is least felt. Five months since that teleconference, displaced people and their host communities, in Nigeria and all over the world, remain at a heightened risk of infection.

One can learn a thing or two from Uganda. Between 2000 and 2012, there were five outbreaks of ebola in Uganda, East Africa. The largest and most complex occurred at the Gulu municipality during the 2000 insurgency. Gulu, like Nigeria’s North currently battling insurgencies, had slumlike camps for the internally displaced persons. The difference between the results in Gulu and Luwero – a rural settlement where only a single case

was recorded – was stark. The IDP (internally displaced persons) settlements in Gulu town were financially excluded, lacked social support and community mobilisation, all of which made containment of the disease difficult and heightened its spread and fatality.

During a pandemic, it can be easy to forget about the excluded within the excluded – but it is now that they need help more than ever. Since the outset of Covid-19 in Nigeria, a number of government interventions have been announced but there has been little prioritisation for IDPs. What we have seen is private sector-led initiatives and Non-Governmental Organisations taking the lead in reaching this group of persons. An example is the TY Danjuma-led Victims Support Fund which budgeted one billion naira for medical supplies, food, water and non-food items for IDPs and vulnerable citizens. VSF set up a Covid-19 task force chaired by Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji and managed by Sunday Ochoche (Executive Director of Victims Support Fund) who toured the country with their team distributing palliatives to some IDPs and other vulnerable populations.

Another notable one is the Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID) set up by Nigeria’s wealthy private corporations in March to assist the government in the fight. It raised more than US$72 million in donations, some of which were channelled to IDP camps.

Our organisation, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, also conducted visits to IDP and refugee groups in Lagos and Benue and mobilised some supplies and funds to our small community of influence. Rather than

having the compassion of all, some sponsored palliatives were diverted – palliatives designated for IDPs in Benue state by the private sector Coalition Against Covid (CACOVID) ended up being offered for sale in a market in Kano state.

Millions of forcibly displaced people including refugees and economic migrants have been stripped of their means of livelihood, and left to count on the generosity of society and government for day-to-day existence. Basic needs like food, water and proper shelter are scarce in the overcrowded formal and informal settlements where displaced persons make their new home. More often than not, families are separated and they escape without financial resources. For a pandemic that disrupted even the most-prepared of governments and systems, it is logical to assume that some of the funds that would have been officially earmarked to provide for the welfare and maintenance of formal camps have been diverted to containing Covid-19 in a bid to prevent the economy from a total collapse. How do we ensure that our displaced population is not the trade-off?

Pandemics are tough not only on economies but people, especially the poorest in any society. But there are ways to mitigate the effects among Nigeria’s bottom of the pyramid. In the Philippines, following Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, mobile money proved vital in distributing financial aid. Mobile money salary payments to health workers were crucial during the ebola outbreak in Liberia. Digitization of salary payments eliminated strikes by unpaid response workers in Sierra

Leone saving an additional 2000 lives at the height of the ebola crisis. This pandemic is an opportunity to include IDPs in the formal financial system by electronically disbursing financial aid via money agents or directly to their mobile phones.

At Sesor, we distributed cash and food assistance to over 280 IDP and vulnerable families during the lockdown and for those we could not reach physically with food assistance, we were able to transfer funds they could withdraw via money agents. The assistance staved off hunger for the first days of the lockdown. Since the easing of the lockdown we have been able to provide microfunds to support 85 IDP women’s micro businesses.

With the Covid-19 crisis, the cost of food has gone up (Composite Food Index rose to 16 percent in August 2020) and inflation is at 13.22 percent (as at August) – its highest since April 2018. Businesses have been disrupted; schools and religious institutions are partially opened as are borders and airports. Curfews are mandated as well as social distancing and the use of face coverings, all in an attempt to flatten the curve. These restrictions have moved communication and transactions to the digital space successfully alienating a good number of these underserved, many whose children cannot access the internet for continued schooling. Of children enrolled in schools, globally, 9.7 million of them are said to not be returning to school this year and 1 to 19 percent of poor versus non-poor children have had access to the internet for distance learning during this pandemic so far, according to Save the Children, an international agency.

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Politics Winning Edo not pointer for PDP’s victory in Ondo - Analysts James Kwen, Abuja

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olitical analysts have asserted that by winning the recent Edo governorship election is not in any way a pointer that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would also win the October 10 Ondo governorship poll.

The analysts argued that the circumstances which led to the victory of the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the PDP against Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are quite different even as they did not predict for any party.

The declaration of Obaseki as winner of the polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) changed most of the narratives that preceded the exercise and doused the mounting tension as the anticipated war turned to jubilation.

At the end of the Edo election, the PDP and its candidate that were initially crying foul accepted the outcome of the polls and praised the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari and INEC to high heavens and expressed optimism to win the Ondo polls too.

Immediately after the declaration of the results of the Edo governorship, the PDP held a press conference in Abuja where it said: “Our party also notes the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Prof. Yakubu Mahmood in ensuring that Edo election was conducted in a manner that was largely adjudged to be free, fair, transparent and credible.

“Nigerians hope that what we have witnessed in Edo state will not be an off-season procedure in the Commission. We demand that this credible process applies to all our elections.

“The PDP applauds the use of virtual portal by INEC to upload results directly from the polling unit, the base of our election, which made it impossible for electoral violators to hijack this electoral process.

“It is our hope in the PDP that this new found image of INEC will gather more thresholds in future elections, particularly the October 10, 2020 Ondo governorship election.”

The APC despite initial grumbling finally accepted defeat and described the election as a reflection of the will of the people of Edo and congratulated the winner, Obaseki.

Rotimi Akeredolu

Eyitayo Jegede

APC in a statement signed by the Chairman of its Caretaker Extraordinary/Convention Planning Committee, Governor Mai-Mala Buni said the peaceful conduct of the election and its outcome represent victory for Nigeria’s democracy.

“Our attention must now shift to Ondo State and ensure that we win the October 10, 2020 election. September 19, 2020 Edo election should present a new watershed.

We will work hard to win the Ondo election,” Buni said.

INEC, which received commendations even from its ardent critics, assured that it would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the Ondo State Governorship Election scheduled for October 10 is free, fair and credible.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu insisted that: “Equally and importantly, we used the zee pads to upload the results on the Election Day in real time. We have moved the zee pads from Edo to Ondo State for the election. At the polling units, you will see both cards readers and the zee pads. So, we are fully prepared for the election”.

Unlike Edo, APC has a sitting Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu as its candidate while PDP is fielding Eyitayo Jegede as candidate for the October 10 Ondo governorship polls.

Pundits argue that the victory of Obaseki was also determined by his power of incumbency and the desire of the people to do

away with the antics of Adams Oshiomhole, the immediate past APC national chairman who was backing Ize-Iyamu and the incumbency may work for Akeredolu who like Obaseki is not in camp of Oshiomhole.

Speaking to Business on the correlation between the Edo and Ondo governorship elections, Idayat Hassan, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) said the victory of PDP in Edo cannot snowball into victory in Ondo as there are different shades to both polls.

Hassan said: “The Ondo and Edo elections are different as Ondo is an issue-based campaign and the voters are also sophisticated. The fact that PDP won Edo doesn’t necessarily mean it will repeat the feat in Ondo. However, I will like to state that the elections may go any way and the citizens will decide.”

According to her: “We at the CDD have set a benchmark for INEC in the elections; we expect the Commission will improve on logistics and particularly ensure it implements its policy on conducting elections during Covid-19. The introduction of the result-viewing portal is a useful innovation which expects to run more efficiently in Ondo”.

Speaking in a similar manner, Christian Okeke, a Political Science lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, enjoined both PDP and APC to accept the outcome of

Ondo governorship election as they did for the Edo governorship election.

Oke noted that: “Politicians are sore losers and either APC or PDP may accept the outcome of the Ondo elections if they lose. And I will like to point out that election is a process not an event, putting the toga of free and fair is no longer best practices, elections are now adjudged based on her integrity quotient.

“The political class constitutes the greatest danger to Nigeria’s electoral process and democracy. The determination by the political elites to derail both is legendary, and accounts for citizens’ loss of faith in the two important concepts.

“Obviously, the fear over whether our electoral process cum democracy will succeed is worsened by the desperation of the politicians, first and foremost.

“For instance, on the day of Edo governorship election, Gov. Obaseki reportedly raised an alarm after casting his ballot in which he discredited INEC but when he eventually won the election, he made a u-turn and swallowed his accusation, and even praised the electoral umpire and the President to the high heavens.

“Same also came from his new-found party. But no one is sure if the party and its candidate will maintain their accolades on INEC and the electoral process in the case of Ondo, especially if they lose.”

According to him, “Edo election was not perfect but whether all the politicians and gladiators will finally accept its outcome and move on is something that will become clearer in coming days. But citizens expect an improvement in conduct, from INEC, security agencies, the political class and the voters in the next governorship election.

“The Edo outcome is a huge lesson for the APC. Aside the peculiarity of the Edo politics at this time, the APC should see the outcome as a verdict from the people, a blighted referendum of sort on its 5-year administration at the centre, characterised by excruciating pain and hardship for the masses.”

“However, the country’s politics should not necessarily be about political parties, particularly the two dominant ones. But a new-normal should now focus on individuals and movement towards freeing the political space from the clutches of the veteran demagogues whose knees have remained choking on the necks of the common man for a long time now,” Okeke said.

N4.3bn scam: You can drag me to court, Ondo deputy governor dares Akeredolu’s son KORETIMI AKINTUNDE, Akure

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ndo state deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi and candidate of Zenith Labour Party in the coming governorship election, has challenged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s son, Babajide Akeredolu, to make good his threat to sue him over Babajide’s alleged involvement in the N4.3billion state fund scam reportedly diverted.

Ajayi, who said this on Thursday via a press statement made available to BDSUNDAY in Akure, state capital through his Media Adviser, Allen Sowore, added that “the Office of the Deputy Governor hereby challenged Babajide Akeredolu to immediately carry out his threat.”

Recall that the money was uncovered in May, 2020 during an audit of the state accounts and was recovered from some government officials who served the state in the administration of former Governor

Segun Mimiko.

Ajayi, confirmed that the money was recovered but Governor Akeredolu could not account for it and the deputy governor now challenges the governor’s son who seems to know much about the recovered fund, saying: “It is in the interest of Ondo State that the threat becomes a reality because it will provide everyone an ample opportunity to resolve once and for all, the whereabouts of the recovered, but now missing N4.3 billion Ondo State money.

“Not only that, the whereabouts of the 40percent of the 13percent oil derivation accruing to the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) since 2017 would have to be accounted for.”

Ajayi, also challenged his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to make it known to the public, the account details of the money raised for COVID-19 pandemic for the past six months till date for the interest of good people of the state.

Recall also that on 30th March, 2020, the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), through the UBA Foundation donated the sum of N28,500,000 Million to the Ondo State Government among others donors as part of their contributions to the fight against the COVID-19.

The Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, therefore, also used the opportunity to call for the forensic audit of the Ondo State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and REMITA payment system and the unveiling of the consultants collecting the 10percent of generated revenues; a percentage which he said, is just too high for the services being rendered.

Babajide had on his Twitter handle threatened to sue the Deputy Governor over the alleged claim that he received a commission of N430 million from the N4.3 billion discovered in a secret account of the State Government stashed for the past ten years.

He said: “I am actually glad there is finally a face behind this accusation and video evi-

dence of you (deputy governor) mentioning my name. I can’t wait for you (deputy governor) to lose your immunity sir. I will sue the living day light (sic) out of you sir. It will be glorious.”

This threat prompted the deputy governor to reply Babajide, telling him not to delay in dragging him to court over the alleged N4.3 billion scam, maintaining his position on the allegation.

Deputy governor’s statement on the allegation reads further “The Deputy Governor stands by his statement that the payment of N430 million as ten percent of the recovered N4.3 billion as Consultancy Fees to the firm of Babajide, the governor’s son for doing nothing is unjustifiable.

“We therefore, urge Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), to allow the State House of Assembly complete the probe of the N4.3 billion kept for ten years in a Zenith Bank account. Also, the government officials responsible for this mendacity should be revealed and punished accordingly.”

Sunday 27 September 2020

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Politics Ondo guber: Is INEC under pressure? …No; we focused on conducting a credible poll - Okoye Iniobong Iwok

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ith the successful completion of the gubernatorial election in Edo State last Saturday, attention is now shifted to the Ondo State governorship election slated for October 10.

Now that the Edo gubernatorial election may have been won and lost, it is expected that political gladiators within the two leading parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) would now be strategising on how their parties can emerge victorious in the Ondo State governorship election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced that 17 political parties are presenting candidates for the election and had been cleared.

This means that incumbent Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the candidate of the APC, has to battle to retain his seat with 16 contenders from other opposition parties. But his main challenger is Eyitayo Jegede, the PDP candidate; incidentally both men were also candidates of their parties in 2016.

Both candidates are now moving across Ondo State campaigning in a bid to sell their programmes to the electorate and to gain support ahead of the election.

However, as the date for the gubernatorial election draws closer, politicians in both parties have intensified their antics, this is against the growing fears by the opposition that having lost Edo State, the APC appears desperate to win Ondo at all cost.

In recent days, there have been allegations by the leadership and chieftains of the PDP that the APC was bent on using

Festus Okoye

all the resources at its disposal to emerge victorious in Ondo.

This is amidst allegations by the main opposition party of moves by the leadership of the APC to intimidate INEC so that the commission can work in favour of the APC in the governorship election.

Since 2015 when the APC came to power ‘federal might’ has been a factor in winning elections in the country.

Observers have questioned the credibility of recent off-season elections; they say that the results of some of the elections have not been determined by voters.

Those who make the allegation quickly point to the events in the gubernatorial elections in Osun and Kogi States.

The security agencies and INEC had in the past received knocks over their al-

leged roles in undermining the will of the voters in elections.

Similar situation was witnessed on the eve of the Edo gubernatorial election when the PDP raised the alarm over a siege by security agencies to the hotel where Nyesom Wike, governor of River State was staying in Benin City, capital of Edo State.

Kibdly do an analysis asking if INEC is under any form of pressure over the conduct of Ondo election.

During a Channels television interview with Governor Wike last Friday morning, he said he was concerned about the forthcoming Ondo election.

“I am afraid of Ondo because of the enormous pressure on INEC,” he said.

Following the defeat of the APC and its candidate in the Edo election, feelers are that the leadership of the party may not be happy about the outcome.

The allegation that there may be some subterranean moves and subtle pressure on the leadership of the INEC gained currency following the closed-door meeting last Wednesday in Abuja, attended by Mai Mala Buni, chairman, Caretaker/ExtraOrdinary National Convention Planning Committee of the APC; Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State, and Ize-Iyamu.

“It may be true; I don’t know; I am not in Ondo State, but based on what you are saying, you should know from the past actions of the APC you can never trust them; they are not happy they lost Edo so they can be up to something,” Kunle Ogundare, former Accord Party (AP) deputy chairman in Lagos State, said.

Ogundare urged the governorship candidates to continue with their campaign across the state, stressing that he was optimistic INEC would live up to expectation.

“I just want all the candidates to go on with the campaign and not allow their

antics to derail them. I am sure INEC is up to it and may prove us wrong. There was an improvement in the Edo election; Ondo people know who they want,” he added.

Reacting in an interview with BDSUNDAY, Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voters education committee, denied that the commission was working to favour any party or candidate in the October 10 Ondo State election, stressing that the commission was focused on conducting a credible poll.

According to him, “This Commission is not interested in rumours and speculations. This Commission will never allow itself to be diverted from focusing firmly on the conduct and delivery of credible and inclusive election.

“The Commission is not a political party and has no political affiliation. The same redundant and pedestrian allegations are made in every election without any verifiable fact. Our resolve is to improve on our deployment strategies.

“We want to maintain or surpass the bar of the Edo election. Political parties should concentrate on their campaigns and rallies. Political parties must desist from deliberate and mischievous de-marketing of the Commission. The Commission is a public trust and does not belong to National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners,” Okoye said.

He challenged the PDP and other opposition parties to name the dates and the venues the meeting took place, stressing that it was fully focused on the job ahead.

“Ask those making the allegations to supply the names and dates and the venues of the meeting. The Chairman and National Commissioners have been in Ondo State for three days working hard on delivering a good election. We are not distracted and will not be distracted,” Okoye added.

Reps begin e-voting, paperless plenary as NASS resumes Tuesday James Kwen, Abuja

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he House of Representatives would begin electronic voting (e-voting) and discard the use of papers during plenary when the National Assembly resumes from its annual recess next Tuesday.

A firm, 21st Century Technology Limited, has installed for the House of Representatives digital electronic gadgets attached to each seat of the 360 members with soft copies of the constitution, order paper, house rules and other documents.

The installation of the devices is in fulfillment of the more than one year promise of the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila to ensure the full introduction of e-voting during plenary where every member would vote on issues electronically so that Nigerians would see where each member stands on any national issue as is the practice in serious Parliaments all over the world.

Gbajabiamila, while inspecting and testrunning the gadgets on Friday ahead of the resumption, explained that the innovation would help in quality legislation and enable Nigerians hold their representatives accountable when it comes to voting.

Explaining the components of the devices, Gbajabiamila said: “We have the constitution uploaded, code of conduct, legislative agenda, the order paper, motions etc for the benefit of all members to follow discussions.

“It has the capacity for members to research issues on the floor, there’s a search engine that is dedicated for that purpose, you can quickly research whatever information or reference that you’re trying to do research about.

“This is also connected to registration processes, so we have e-registration or eattendance. You can only use your thumb for your attendance to be captured; now nobody signs in for anybody just in case.

Your thumb ID is only specific for you.

Also when you have foreign guests who do not understand our Lingua Franca the system can translate automatically to the foreign guest to whatever language he or she speaks so he or she can follow discussions on the floor”.

Addressing journalists after the inspection, the House Spokesperson, Benjamin Kalu said the gadgets would enable Nigerians know lawmakers who attend plenary and vote on important national matters. ‘’With this we will able to know who attended plenary and who didn’t. A digitalised way of finding out these informa-

tion. We are also concerned that we are not measuring up as it concerns tending towards paperless governance, paperless work space where a lot of money will be reduced from using papers in recording our documents.

Femi Gbajabiamil

“In documenting our proceedings or informing the House on what is the business of the day in the form order paper rules and proceedings and the rest of them. This motivated the House to go into updating the technology in the house”, he said.

While stating that each member would be given orientation on how to use the devices upon resumption, Kalu said: ‘’It’s very simple, if you can use your phone you can use that technology. It’s clear, not complicated and user friendly.

“Periodically we will interact with members to be able to know. Beyond that the team has done a good job by some members of the clerk workforce, the sergeant at arms to groom them on how to use the system, so if you are working and you have issues you just raise your hand and they will guide you. So it’s going to very tidy and simple”. ‘’It is part of their installation package to give free training to members; they are not paying anything for it, it will be done on the floor of the house not like they are going on a retreat anywhere which will cost the house anything; it’s free and part of the package. It’s for members to have first hand information, the basis. What the sergeant-at-arms will be doing is to aid the lawmakers if there’s any complication,’’ he said.

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Sunday 27 September 2020

Politics High number of unclaimed PVCs in Edo questions INEC’s distribution strategy Iniobong Iwok

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ast Saturday, September 19, voters in Edo State exercised their franchise by electing the governor of the state for another four years.

It is no more news that incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki who was the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), emerged victorious at the poll scoring 307,955 votes, to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osagie Ize-Iyamu who polled 223,619 votes.

The election has since been described in some quarters as the best in the last ten years. Despite fears that it could be marred by violence as a result of the bitterness and tension which characterised the electioneering campaign between the two leading parties, the exercise was ended peacefully.

The political tension had aggravated in the state in recent times as both men switched political platforms just before the election after their previous contest four years ago, which also ended in Obaseki’s favour.

The manner that the gubernatorial election was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been applauded by several observers, who described it as a plus for the nation’s democracy.

Meanwhile, a major source of concern was the low voter turnout which characterised the gubernatorial election.

According to INEC, the turnout was at a historical low at 25 percent, which may have been caused by fears of impending violence and rift.

The figure, however, falls far below the 32 percent turnout recorded in the 2016 governorship election in the state to 25.2 percent this time around.

But one area stakeholders say could have contributed to the poor voter turnout and remained a deep source of concern is the high number of uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in Edo State which INEC said was 483,796.

Recall that the commission had also said only 1,726,738 were allowed to participate in the governorship election out of 2,210,534 registered voters in the state.

A breakdown of uncollected PVCs in the state shows that in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, only 214,822 voters collected their PVCs out of 315,410 registered voters in the area.

The LGA reportedly has the highest number of registered voters followed by Oredo LGA with 313,553 registered voters, out of which 240,197 PVCs have been collected.

According to reports, Oredo has the highest figure of PVCs collected in the state.

Akoko Edo had the lowest number of uncollected PVCs as only 3,911 PVCs were not collected out of 119,254 voters in the area.

Though the trend is not new in Nigeria, there was also large number of eligible voters in recent off-season gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States who could not access their PVCs. However, observers say that the trend

Mahmood Yakubu

has become worrisome; a situation where the significant chunks of the eligible voters are disenfranchised because they could not access their PVCs is a source for concern for Nigeria.

This is despite repeated assurances by INEC that after the chaos that characterised the collection of PVCs in the run up to the 2019 general election it would set up mechanisms across its offices in the country to make the collection of PVCs an on-going exercise ahead of the 2023 election.

Political watchers say the commission must immediately devise strategies to check the bottlenecks, while also keeping to its promise to make collection of PVCs and on-going exercise across its offices nationwide.

Former senatorial aspirant, Babatunde Olanrewaju attributed part of the problem to the delay in issuing the card by INEC after registering an eligible voter.

“For me, I have contested elections several times. I know these things, INEC should do more. This is an issue that has been there over the years.

“One of the reasons is that it takes so much time for you to collect your PVC after

registering. Look at the chaos that ensued in some of their offices in Lagos before the 2019 election.

“Some of these people would have moved out, relocated to another area or moved out of the state. Don’t also forget that a lot of people registered more than once, due to desperate plans of these politicians; so, the cards would continue to remain in INEC offices.

“And don’t forget in this country people don’t have much fate in the electoral system. A lot of people are even collecting it because they use it for other purposes,” Olanrewaju said.

However, speaking in an interview with BDSUNDAY, Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, said the commission had put in place an effective mechanism for the distribution of the PVCs but was hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to him, “The commission and the world did not anticipate that a global pandemic will shut down economies and lead to the postponement of elections in over 70 countries. Presently, only workers

on essential service and those on levels 12 and above have resumed.

“Most of the commission’s offices in the 774 Local Governments are still operating on a skeletal basis. You will also recall that governments imposed curfew, lockdown and limited gatherings. Based on these and the health protocols by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 it was near impossible to organise new registrations.

“You will also recall that the Commission carried out PVC distribution at the polling units and Registration Areas before the 2019 election.

The National Commissioner further said that the commission would soon begin the distribution of the PVCs which were deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“We considered the public health challenges of this period and decided to embargo distribution of PVCs. All the uncollected PVCs are deposited with the Central Bank in the various states. Soon, the Commission will start the revalidation of all PVCs,” he added.

In the run up to the 2019 general election INEC announced its intension at partnering the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to send messages to owners of the uncollected PVC, a measure the commission had said was imperative in order to remind Nigerians of their civic duty so as to ensure a successful electoral process.

Though the measure had little impact, findings revealed that part of the problems were inadequate personnel at some INEC offices to distribute the cards and faulty machines used in the registration process.

Observers have, however, urged the commission to perhaps, revisit the partnership with NCC to help in creating awareness toward the collection of the PVCs by Nigerians ahead of the 2023 election.

“Though I think there would still be some uncollected cards no matter how you do it, because some people may have registered twice, but when you have 483,796 uncollected PVCs in a state it is bad. All this shows how deficient the INEC mechanism and distribution procedure is.

“We have been on this for some time, they have to think outside the box and make the collection of the card accessible at their offices, create more centres,” Wale Ogunade, national president of Voters Awareness Initiative, said.

Despite the explanation by the INEC why the rate of voter apathy has increased in Nigeria, findings by our correspondent show it is a reflection of loss of confidence in the entire system and political leadership of the country.

Why a good number of those who spoke to BDSUNDAY complained that they had no reason to go to the polling booth to vote knowing it would amount to a waste of time at the end of the day, with the kind of leadership that the system enthrones.

“I vowed never to vote again after 2015 general election,” a 40-year-old teacher said, craving anonymity.

“I was sure that President Buhari and his party APC were going to change Nigeria to better; but with what I saw between 2015 and 2018, I said to myself, never again,” the principal tutor said.

BDSUNDAY 13

Sunday 27 September 2020

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Sunday 27 September 2020

Society How Hausas came, saw, dominated Agege communities in Lagos EMMANUEL UDOM

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ike other Nigerians from various parts of the country, Mohammed Adamu, a 57-year-old indigene of Sokoto State, claimed he arrived Agege, in Lagos some 20 years ago “to hustle”.

But wikipedia wrote that before the likes of Adamu, got to the area, some other Hausas, had earlier gotten to Agege; became labourers, tree cutters, kolanut farmers and traders.

Musa Dogonkadai, the 7th Seriki of Agege, said his late father, Seriki Mohammed Dogonkadai, who was the 4th Seriki of Agege, was in Agege, as early as 1863.

Note that this was the reason the Yorubas coined the word Ili Awon Ageigi, which means town where tree cutters reside at Agege.

But Adamu said he got into Lagos from the Berger-Ojodu axis, on board a trailer loaded with rams and 12 other northerners picked from different parts of the northern region. “I could remember that we got to Agege late and all I had with me was a shirt, a trouser; the babaringa I was putting on, and N350 in my pocket, having exhausted the money on feeding.

We slept at Isokoko Central Mosque, in Agege after explaining our situations to the Moslem cleric there, who took pity on us.

The next day, the cleric contacted some well-to-do Hausa traders at Agege Main Market, located along Old Abeokuta road, Lagos and pleaded with them to help us and the traders allowed us into their stalls to help them sell their wares.

Some of the traders at the market were selling ginger, garlic, pepper, tomatoes, onions, pineapple, among other fruits.

One of the Hausa traders gave

Solomon Abioye me a wheel-barrow loaded with onions and asked me to move around Agege and its environs to sell the items, for a N200 daily commission.

“I moved from Old Abeokuta Road, Capitol Road, Ipaja Road, WempcoRoadinOgba,ObaAkran Road, Akilo Road and some markets to sell the onions,” he said.

With the kind gesture from a fellow northerner, Adamu, who confessed he slept for years in groups either at the mosque, along the Pen Cinema railway lines, open spaces, inside the market, said he usually eat once a day, and had only three clothes, added that Allah-sent the Onion big-time trader to him.

Today, the Sokoto indigene says though he got to Lagos from his state, a poor, hungry-looking man, “I can beat my chest now and say, with confidence that I am one of the top traders in Agege main market.”

BDSUNDAY fact-check on wikipedia further reveals that Agege Local Government was created in 1954 and operated till 1967 and was merged with Ikeja Local Government Area after the

Agege market

Seriki Agege military takeover for 23 years and eventually abolished by the military in 1983.

Agege, Idi-Araba, Isokoko, Obalende, Abule-Egba, Ilupeju, Onigbongbo, Olowu, Ikeja, etc, in Lagos, , Sango Ota, Sagamu, Kara, Ifo, Abeokuta, etc, in Ogun State have been dominated for centuries by northerners, who are popularly known as Hausas.

Musa Dogonkadai, the 7th Seriki of Agege, said that northerners arrived Agege, Lagos, which was then bushy with lots of trees in 1863, and there was no single Yoruba Oba, but Bales.

Speaking through Muniru Seriki, his special adviser/District head of Hausas in Ogba, Dogonkadai said his father, Seriki Mohammed Dogonkadai, who was the 4th Seriki of Agege, was a peaceful man, who ensured that the Yorubas and Hausas lived in peace with one another.

This may have further given the Yorubas, who owned houses in Agege the confidence to entrust their houses to the Hausas, who later bought these houses; a case of from “grass-to-grace.”

Dogonkadai confirmed the “town of tree cutters” angle dished out by the Yorubas and said that his people used to travel to Gold Coast, now known as Ghana and Ivory Coast to buy kolanuts in bags, and return to the north to sell the kolanuts.

His words: “Agege was the first transit community the Hausas arrived before spreading to other places and countries to carry out

trading and other activities and this is why Sango also means transit point.”

Musa Adamu Seriki, Baraja of Agege, who is also the son of the present seriki, said it was the early trust, which existed between Yorubas and Hausas that compelled some Yourba landlords to allow Hausa traders sleep in groups either in front of their houses, the mosques, at the various markets, in front of shops, etc.

Over the centuries, most of these houses have been bought by Hausas in Agege and other Huasadominated communities in Lagos and Ogun State.

Kenny Martins Bakare, chairman, Civil Liberties Organisation, Lagos State chapter, told BDSUNDAY that there has been relative peace in Agege, as he noted that an average Hausa man works, sleeps in groups, showing a unity of purpose.

Martins, a Yorubaman, said he was the secretary of Agege Community Association between 2015-2017 and noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) have visited the Agege Seriki at his palace located at Fowler Street, close to Isokoko police station in Agege.

According to him, other top politicians that visited are Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and Chukuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the late Biafran leader.

Investigations revealed that from Ile Zik in Ikeja through to Pen Cinema in Agege along the railway line, most of the Hausas, who are selling rams, cows, scraps, fairly used household items, as well as beggars sleep in open spaces, at Isokoko or Agege main markets, around mosques, etc.

Letter to Nigerian parents as schools resume

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Dear parent, t has become very necessary to write this letter to you at this auspicious time. The aim is to encourage you to be a parent indeed, showing the light to your children without compromising values and virtues that will keep intact the moral fabrics of our society.

All over the world, parents desire to see their children excel.

In Nigeria in particular where family is seen as a strong institution, it is every parent’s dream to see the sustainability of their family tree through the progress of their children in every aspect of their endeavour.

It is this desire that has however, and unfortunately, pushed many parents to do things that are untoward and take decisions that are detrimental to the overall good of their children.

For instance, in a bid to protect the children and see them succeed, some parents now try to live the life for their children. This has

led to a description of this era as “A feeding bottle generation.”

As schools are resuming now after six straight months of forced closure following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in March this year, parents are making a lot of calculations to help their children catch up and cover lost grounds.

Before the closure of schools, various institutions were at different stages of their programmes.

Whereas some schools had rounded off second term, some others were at the verge of taking examination for second term, yet some others were just beginning the term.

Now, information gathered is that some parents are waxing desperate. They are currently mounting pressure on their children schools’ principals/proprietors to, not just promote them to a new class to cover lost grounds, but to give them double promotion; for instance, from Primary 2 to Primary 4- entirely skipping a whole

class, even though such children have not completed Primary 2 in the real sense of the word. This is simply fatalistic and holds a dangerous future for Nigeria.

It must be pointed out, dear parents, that it is natural for you to show interest in the welfare of your children. Naturally, in Nigeria, parents bother about the success of their children, and they commit themselves to doing whatever is within their ability to ensure such children make it in life. But it is unnatural for parents to live the life of their children for them. The excessive involvement of parents in the lives of their children nowadays has given rise to “stunted” development of the children who even at 40 remain “Daddy boy”, “Mummy boy” and “lean on me” adult!

Nowadays, teachers give children homework with the intention that it is their parents that would do such assignments. That was the situation during the Covid-19 online lessons that schools were organising for pupils.

A teacher expressed shock recently, that a pupil that was always coming last in every class examination, came tops in all the online tests during the Covid-19.

The secret could be that that child was not the person doing those tests. It has been found out that these days; the pupils have no knowledge of the assignments and the so-called projects that teachers give. Parents, in order not to allow their children fail, would take it upon themselves to do such assignments. There is nothing wrong putting a child through, but there is everything wrong writing the exam for him/her.

Apart from the school assignments that parents do for their children, many parents also offer teachers bribes to help their children pass their class examinations.

During external examinations, parents literally read for them and do all the running around. They do all the registrations online and complete the necessary formalities. It is also the parents that go

to cyber café to print the numbers, centres and even the results. This is really a “lean on me” generation.

Some parents are known to have gone the extra mile, but criminal extent, of writing exams for their children. While some hire mercenaries to write exams for their children, some others compromise invigilators to smuggle answers into exam hall for their children. To gain admission into the university, some parents pay heavily in cash and in kind. In this era, when competition into the university is hot, some parents go to any extent, sometimes they boast about their willingness to do whatever it takes to make their son or daughter pass a particular exam or gain admission.

Dear parents, do not destroy that child by building his/her foundation on a quicksand that he/she will regret tomorrow when you will not be there. Truth is, you will not be around, indefinitely.

Yours Sincerely Kelechi Ewuzie

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The Oduduwa No more crises in Oyo APC, my ambition to rule the state still alive - Adelabu

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REMI FEYISIPO, IBADAN overnorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State in the 2019 general election, Adebayo Adelabu has said that there was no more crises in the party after the aggrieved parties have been reconciled, paving the way for early preparation ahead of 2023 general election.

While saying the move was to better position the party for the 2023 election, Adelabu added that “as it is today, there is no leadership crisis in the APC in the state. I am part of the reconciliation process, from the meeting held in the house of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, to the Abuja meeting and the last oneconvenedbyGovernorKayode Fayemi in his Ibadan residence.”

The former Central Bank of Nigeria deputy governor, who stated this at a media parley as part of the activities put in place to mark his 50th birthday anniversary, coming up on Monday, said the ongoing controversy on the person of who is the leader of APC in Oyo State is misplaced.

He declared that the general consensus of the stakeholders is that there is no single leader of the party, but a college of leaders, while former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has been chosen to be the chairman of college of leaders in Oyo APC. According to him, one good thing that has happened to the APC is the fact that there is no more crises, after a successful reconciliation of all the aggrieved parties.

“The deliberations and decisions reached at all the meetings are encouraging. We are ready to work together. We don’t have groups in the party again. We don’t have

Unity Forum, SENACO or any other group. What we have now is one strong APC in Oyo State,” he said.

Saying he was happy about the ongoing reconciliation process in Oyo APC which he noted, has produced former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala as the leader of the College of Leaders of the party, he explained, “What we have now is a collegiate leadership in the Oyo APC, with Gover-

nor Alao-Akala appointed as the leader of the College of Leaders.

Nobody with political ambition can be part of the collegiate.”

At the event were former chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Ayodeji Aleshinloye, Wale Sanusi, Wale Murphy, Gbenga Olayemi and Bayo Busari.

Speaking on the 2019 general election, he said that the coalition

Adebayo Adelabu

between gubernatorial candidates in the state which was facilitated by a former governor, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was the only reason he lost the election to Governor Seyi Makinde.

Former governor Ladoja facilitated the coalition between governorship candidates of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator Olufemi Lanlehin; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Bolaji Ayorinde and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Seyi Makinde few days to the 2019 gubernatorial election.

He said that the coalition was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, adding that Makinde would not have won the election, if the coalition did not take place.

“The coalition is no more there; he has disappointed those who signed the pact with him prior to the election. Let me tell you that it is a matter of what we can see. One of those who worked for him, Senator Femi Lanlehin is now in APC. The coalition is no more there. And the governor has not done anything meaningfully in the last one year.

We will dislodge him because the coalition is no more there and the poor performance of the governor will give us opportunity ahead of him,” he said.

He however, said his ambition to govern the state in 2023 remains alive and will never die.

While declaring that he was happy that he did not win the 2019 election, he pointed out that now, at 50, he is more mature and would make a better governor in 2023.

“Losing the election has afforded me opportunity to know more about how progressives operate in the state and I have warmed myself into the heart of the APC members and leaders in the state.

Oyo set to revive moribund companies as Makinde says state is open to businesses

O

yo State government has embarked on massive resuscitation of moribund state-owned companies and other facilities through Public-Private Partnership arrangements and concessionaires.

The resuscitation of the Pacesetter Asphalt and Quarry Limited, IjaiyeL the handover of moribund Agbowo Shopping Complex, Ibadan, expected to be turned into a stateof-the-art commercial real estate facility and a 4-star hotel are among steps already taken by the government to expand the economy of the state. Last week also, the state government kick-started the process of reviving the moribund Pacesetter Fruit Processing Company.

The company located at Oko, Surulere South Local Council Development Area was handed over to AGVEST Limited.

The handing over, which took place at the premises of the company in Oko, was attended by government functionaries, traditional rulers and chairmen of all local governments and local council development areas in Ogbomosoland.

While performing the handover ceremony, Governor Makinde maintained that the revival of the company will bring economic development to the state.

He said: “I am happy to be here in Oko this afternoon. When I was in Tampa, Florida, earlier this year to preach Oyo State to the world, I stated that there are big opportunities in Oyo State and it was not an exaggeration.

“Oyo State is truly blessed with an abundance of human and natural resources. So, our job, quite frankly, is to annex the abundant resources for the benefit of our people.”

He said that his administration has been getting results in terms of economic expansion, because it has created a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

“Today, we are here to welcome another investor into our midst. We are bringing to life another company that has been moribund for almost a decade, Pacesetter Fruits Processing Limited. This company was established during the administration of former governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja in 2007.

“However, it never commenced operation. And as I have always stated, government is a continuum and our administration will ensure that people in Oyo State benefit from abandoned or moribund projects to which the funds of the state have been committed.

“They did not use anybody’s father’s money. They used Oyo

State money to set this up. So, the state must derive value from the money they have put into this,” the governor said.

According to him, “The state government has no business in running businesses. Businesses should be left in the hands of corporate organisations who know how to run them and make a profit. The role of government is to create an enabling environment so that more of the private entities will be attracted to the state. And this is exactly what we are doing in Oyo State. As you can see, we are getting results.

“Also, we have to be competitive and be able to bring the product out of here in a competitive manner. So, what the government will do is to ensure the road networks, electricity supply and security are worked upon so that the private companies will function better.”

Ogun explores comparative advantage opportunities, assets to boost revenue

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gun State government has challenged critical revenue generating agencies to intensify efforts at improving its revenue profile, considering the opportunities and benefits accruable in the state, being the fifth largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dapo Okubadejo, chief economic adviser and commissioner for finance, gave the challenge at a strategic meeting on Revenue Profile Target and Achievements, organised for stakeholders across the revenue generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), at the Conference Room of the State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Okubadejo stated that the meeting was initiated to review revenue generation issues and strategise on how to block leakages, towards providing more prosperity for the State and engender infrastructure that would enhance the Ease of Doing business.

“We need to take a look at where we are coming from, and how to strategise at ensuring that the revenue profile we aim to achieve has the buy-in of everyone here and generate a lot of ideas on how to block leakages, towards providing more prosperity for the State and engender infrastructure that would enhance the Ease of Doing business,” he said.

The Commissioner emphasised that the state’s proximity to Lagos and large industrial profile had not translated into a commensurate revenue profile, adding that it was imperative to leverage on technology to block revenue leakages and carry out enforcement collectively rather than approaching it with a duplicated effort.

On his part, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Olaoluwa Olabimtan noted that the focus of the session was to come up with a Medium Term Revenue Strategy that would complement the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, which was introduced last year to avoid policy somersault.

Olabimtan said the move would help the state progress in growing revenue and plug the leakages, adding that developing an expenditure framework without any concrete effort at achieving a corresponding revenue strategy, would hamper on the performance of the state for the year under review.

He informed that the revenue strategy would ultimately transform into a revenue policy document for the state, with four pillars to be focused on which include proper revenue goal and policy, administrative, institutional and process reform, coordinated capacity development and political support.

16 BDSUNDAY

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My points...

MY MY POINTS...

POINTS...

Exactly!

EXACTLY! EXACTLY! How long can you wait? (Part 1) How long can you wait? (Part 1)

KEMI AJUMOBI KEMI AJUMOBI r u e s t o r y . Fo r t h e r u e s t o rofy .this Fo rstory, the purpose purpose of this story, their names shall be their names shall be Emeka and Lola.

Emekawas and posted Lola.

Lola to Lola for washer posted to Nassarawa State National Nassarawa State for(NYSC). her National Youth Service Corps Youth Serviceto Corps (NYSC).

She planned redeploy to Ogun She planned redeploy Ogun state.

While ontothe queue totoreceive state.

Whileuniform, on the queue receive her NYSC a guytocame in her NYSC guysomeone came in front of heruniform, and toldaher frontwhere of her she andstood told her someone was “I beg your was wheredoes she stood “I beglike your pardon, this look a pardon, does this look like boarding house where you keepa boarding house where you space for people?” she asked thekeep guy space for people?” she asked the guy (Nosa by name).

(Nosa by name).

As he was about to continue, a voice As he was about to continue, a voice called from behind “Nosa, let her called behind let her be” . Lolafrom turned to look“Nosa, at the person be”. Lola turned to lookwould at the person who called Nosa…He not be who called Nosa…He would be less than a 6:4. His slim longnot hand less than aout 6:4.

His slim long hand stretched asking Nosa to come stretched out asking back.

“He better comeNosa backtotocome you” back.

“He better come back you” she muttered underneath herto breath she muttered her breath and remainedunderneath in her position. and remained position.

After receiving in herher uniform, she left After receiving her uniform, she left the queue and was on her way back the queue and was on her way back to her room when she heard the to her room when she heard the

T

voice from behind say “Excuse me voice from behind “Excuse me please” ofcourse shesay knew it was her please” she knew it waswho her and sheofcourse had a feeling she knew and calling she hadfor a feeling she knew was her attention butwho she was calling for her attention but pretended like she did not hear, she she pretended liketoshe did not hear, she was not going start a conversation was not going toNosa start awas conversation with someone ‘keeping’ with someone Nosa was ‘keeping’ space for. space for. up to her then a bit ahead He walked He walked up to her then a bit ahead

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of her and stood right in front of herher “Aside space for you, of and keeping stood right in front of do you also obstruct a stranger’s her “Aside keeping space for you, do you also Lola obstruct a stranger’s movement” asked “Well, not movement” “Well, not if she stunsLola and asked her actions are if she stunshe and her actions areI laughable” responded.

“Did laughable” heLola responded.

I miss a joke?” queried.“Did “calm miss joke?” Lola queried. “calm downa Madam, I mean no harm… down Madam, I meanmay no harm…

My name is Emeka, I meet My name is Emeka, may out I meet you?” he said stretching his you?” hewhich said stretching out his hand to she responded as hand to which she responded as she also stretched out her hand she alsohim stretched out her to give a handshake toohand “My to giveishim handshake too “My name Lola”a she said. “What?

Why name is Lola” she at said.

Why are you looking me“What? like that?” are looking like that?” she you queried andatheme responded “I she queried and you he responded “I am just shocked stretched out am shocked youme. stretched out yourjust hand to shake I honestly your to shake me. Ihe honestly didn’thand see that coming” said to didn’t coming”“well…” he said“So to which see Lolathat responded which responded “well…”

“So where Lola are you off to?” Emeka asked where arewalked you off to?”

Emeka asked and she away answering and she walked away answering him “my room…and thanks for not him “my room…and thanks for as notif following me” she looked back following me” she as if to warn him not to looked dare to.back He stood to warn him not toshaking dare to. He there smiling and his stood head, there smiling shaking his looking at herand as she was out ofhead, sight. looking at her shewondering was out of sight.

Nosa came toas him, what Nosa came towith him,his wondering was wrong friend “Iwhat like was his“You friend like her” wrong he toldwith Nosa. like“Iwho? her” he told Nosa. who?‘I That churlish girl?” “You Nosa like queried That queried ‘I said Ichurlish like her,girl?”

I did Nosa not ask for your said I like Emeka her, I did not ask forto your opinion” said walking his opinion” Emeka said walking to his own room. own room.day, as Lola stepped out The next The next day, guess as Lola stepped out of her room, who was right of her leaning room, guess was there, on thewho wall?

Didright you there, leaning on you the wall?

Didright. you say Emeka?

Well guessed say Emeka? you she guessed right.

Shocked to Well see him walked up Shocked to see him she walked up

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to him and asked “wha….at…how... who..t..old..” she suddenly began to to him and asked “wha….at…how... stutter. She she couldn’t comprehend who..t..old..” suddenly began to stutter. couldn’t comprehend how he She found out where she stayed. how heitfound where she stayed.

“Lola, is theout NYSC camp ground “Lola, it is the NYSC campunending ground not a boarding house with not a boardinghehouse with restrictions” said “I sawunending what you restrictions” hethe said‘boarding “I saw what you did there with house’ did there with thewas ‘boarding house’ inclusion, that my line not inclusion, linefrown not yours” she that said was with my a cute yours” said with a cute frown on hershe face.

“Sue me” he teased. on her face.

“Sue me” he teased.

“Are you heading towards mami “Are you Emeka heading towards mami market?” asked “Is that how market?” asked “Issaid thatLola. how you ask aEmeka girl to lunch?” you askare a girl to lunch?” saidknow…

Lola.

“You really weird you “Yousmart are really weirdDo youyou know… and too…okay, mind and smart Do you going fortoo…okay, lunch with me mind Your going for lunch Youra Highness?”

Emekawith askedme taking Highness?”

Emeka his asked taking bow and opening arms with aa bow and on opening his“Sorry arms with a silly grin his face.

I can’t, silly face.

“Sorry I can’t, you grin did on nothis ask, I said it on your you did Lola not ask, I said it on away. your behalf” said and walked behalf” Lola and walked “Na wa o, thissaid shakara is muchaway. o” he “Na wa o, thisagain, shakara much o”her he teased and heiswatched teased and“Did again, her walk away. youhe saywatched something?” walk away.to“Did youEmeka say something?” said Lola which responded said to which responded withLola hands up asEmeka if to say ‘It wasn’t with hands up as if to say ‘It. wasn’t me’, “No I said nothing Ma” me’ “No Imade said nothing Ma”to . always He, now it a duty He now it aevery duty day to always come to made her room to wait come to her roomher. every day to wait outside to see She knew he outside to seeand her.certainly She knew he was stubborn wasn’t was stubborn and wasn’t going to give up socertainly she agreed to be going to give up so she agreed towas be his friend…just friends. Emeka his friends.

Emeka finefriend…just with that, he knew to get towas her fine with that,take he time knewand to get to her heart would he wasn’t heart wouldtoo. take time and he wasn’t in a hurry in a hurry After a fewtoo. weeks, Emeka’s mother After fewcheck weeks,upEmeka’s camea to on himmother at the came to check up on him at the

Pay attention to to that that child child Pay attention (Lamentations of a millennial) (Lamentations of a millennial)

LONGJOHN DEBORAH LONGJOHN DEBORAH s children, we were s children, we Every were born limitless. born limitless. child believed Every they child believed they could do anything could do anything and ever ything. A andyou ever A child would tell “Iything. would be child would tell you “I would be the president of the United States theAmerica” presidenteven of the Unitedthey’re States of though of America” even though they’re Nigerians. A child would tell you Nigerians. A child would tell you “my daddy can beat Michael Jordan” “my daddy can beat Michael Jordan” even though daddy is not as big. even though daddy is not as big.

The faith of a child is such that The faith of a child is such that is unwavering, they hold you by is unwavering, they hold you by your words and believe that if I can your words and believe that if I can

A

Kemi Ajumobi Kemi Ajumobi Associate Editor, BusinessDay Associate Editor, BusinessDay kemi@businessdayonline.com kemi@businessdayonline.com TEAM: TEAM: Desmond Okon Desmond Okon Osaromena Ogbeide Osaromena Ogbeide Designed by Aderemi Ayeni Designed by Aderemi Ayeni

dream it, I can be it. A child is pure. dream it, without I can be it.

A child is pure.

We love restrictions.

We We love without restrictions. believe without a single doubt. We We believeatwithout a single laugh the smallest anddoubt. silliestWe of laugh atWe’re the smallest and silliest of things. oblivious of the cares things.

We’re oblivious of thehappy, cares of the world.

We’re mostly of the world.

We’re mostly happy, truly happy! truly happy!

Then we began to “grow”. They Then we began to “grow” . They began to tell us that dreaming is began to tell us that dreaming is childish. That believing blindly childish.

That believing blindly would only break our hearts.

We would only our hearts.

We were told we break can’t make it, because wereparents told we can’t make because our didn’t.

We it, were told our parents didn’t.

We were we weren’t beautiful enough told and we weren’t beautiful enough and that we weren’t smart enough, that we we wouldn’t weren’t smart that make itenough, even if that we wouldn’t make it even we tried because we came from ifa we tried because we came from a family of nobodies. “Adults” began family nobodies. began to lookofdown on us,“Adults” when we say to lookthat down ontermed us, when we say things were “childish” things that were termed “childish” like a girl saying she wants to be an like a girl saying she wants to be an astronaut or a guy wanting to be a astronaut or a guy wanting to be a chef. We were then told to weigh chef. We were then told to weigh what we say and only say what’s what we say and only say what’s feasible. To focus on “our reality”, feasible. To focus on “our reality”, accept it and stop dreaming. They accept it and stop dreaming. They told us that “I can do anything” was told us that “I can do anything” was just a saying to make us happy and just a saying to make us happy and lead us blindly. That fantasies and lead us blindly. That fantasies and “happy ever afters” were fairy tales. “happy ever afters” were fairy tales.

Being a girl and being outspoken, Being a girl and being outspoken, bold, daring and confident was bold, daring and confident was termed wild and unruly. Slowly, termed wild and unruly. Slowly, we forgot how to dream. Slowly, we we forgot how to dream. Slowly, we lost out doggedness. Slowly, we stop lost out doggedness. Slowly, we stop believing. Slowly we began to die. believing. Slowly we began to die.

The seed of wild dreaming was being The seed of wild dreaming was being crushed. It choked due to toxic air crushed. It choked due to toxic air

of “you can’t”. It wasn’t watered any of “you can’t” It wasn’t watered longer.

The .only water it got any was longer.

The only water it was that of discouraging andgot hurtful that of discouraging hurtful words.

We lost sightand of who we words. lost sight of they whosaid we were. WeWe accepted who were.

WeWe accepted whosad they said we were. started the journey we were.

We started the sad journey of changing into “adulthood”. We of changing . We learnt to keepinto quiet“adulthood” and watch (even learnt keep quiet and (even when to our hearts werewatch springing when ourlights heartsand were springing with the thoughts of with the lights and thoughts of possibilities). We learnt not to try possibilities).

We learnt not to lost try if it appeared “impossible” . We ifsight it appeared “impossible” .

We lost of our capabilities. We lost sight ofwho ourand capabilities.

We lost sight of whose we were.

We sight of whoOur andchildlikeness whose we were.

We dwindled. peeled dwindled. childlikeness off layer byOur layer, leaving uspeeled to the off layer by layer, leaving us to the. skeletal remains of “adulthood” skeletal of “adulthood” The onceremains joyful, hopeful, daring,.

The oncechild; joyful, hopeful, daring, limitless began to fade into a limitless child; began to fade into a timid, shy, clueless adult.

Low selftimid, shy, clueless adult.

Low selfesteem set in. Doubt became our esteem set in. Doubt became our new companion. Hope was now a new companion. Hope was now a foreigner. Dreams were aliens. Life foreigner. Dreams were aliens. Life was now boring, truly boring. We was now boring, truly boring. We stopped living. We woke up every stopped living. We woke up every day, looking alive but actually very day, looking alive but actually very close to death. We just existed, close to death. We just existed, counting days, meaningless days counting days, meaningless days and waiting for the day that we’ll be and waiting for the day that we’ll be released from this trauma by death. released from this trauma by death.

We couldn’t wait to embrace death, We couldn’t wait to embrace death, because that seemed like the only because that seemed like the only freedom from this cage. freedom from this cage.

BUT! Just before the seed died; it BUT! Just before the seed died; it happened. A blinding illumination. happened. A blinding illumination.

A fiery wind. A thunderous wave.

A fiery wind. A thunderous wave.

A h e av y d o w n p o u r. Ma n u re A h e av y d o w n p o u r. Ma n u re everywhere. Fresh breath filled the everywhere. Fresh breath filled the

atmosphere. Rekindled fire was now atmosphere.

Rekindled was now available. Then we saw fire it. There had available.

Then we saw it. There been a connection.

How didn’thad we been a connection.

How didn’t we notice?

Grafting had taken place. notice?

Graftingwas had place.

Our livelihood notaken longer from Our livelihood from within us. Wewas hadno a longer new source within us. We had areturned. new source of life. Our strength Our of life.

Our strength returned. dreams began to crawl back in.Our In a dreams began crawl back in. In a hot sprint, ourtofree spirit returned. hot our Oursprint, skeletal selffree wasspirit beingreturned. covered; Our skeletal self was being instead of the feeble layers,covered; we were instead of thetough feebleskins. layers,We we could were covers with covers with toughagain. skins. We We could dare to dream could dare tobelieve dreamagain. again. could dare to WeWe were truly dare to believe again.

We were rooted. Rooted in the very truly Tree rooted. in the Unshaken. very Tree of Life. Rooted Unwavering. of Life.

Unwavering.

Unshaken.

Indestructible. Limitless. We were Indestructible.

We were free. Truly free. Limitless.

Free to dream.

Free free.

Truly free.

Free to dream.

Free to believe. Free to hope. Free to to believe. to hope. to laugh.

Free Free to love.

Free toFree choose laugh.

Free to love.

Free to choose the “impossible” . Free to dare.

Dare the “impossible”. Free to dare. Dare to be different. A different people. A to be different. A different people. A different Adult. The child in the adult different Adult. The child in the adult was finally saved. Saved and ready was finally saved. Saved and ready to live again. This time LIVE truly, to live again. This time LIVE truly, the way it was purposed...from the the way it was purposed...from the beginning!!! beginning!!!

Doing what I do, I have come across a Doing what I do, I have come across a lot of teenagers with low self-esteem, lot of teenagers with low self-esteem, most of them because of how they most of them because of how they were raised. Being someone that were raised. Being someone that suffered same, I have come to realize suffered same, I have come to realize that some of our parents don’t pay that some of our parents don’t pay attention to the mental health of attention to the mental health of their kids. They tend to provide their kids. They tend to provide every other thing but lag in the every other thing but lag in the place of providing a conducive place of providing a conducive environment for the mental/ environment for the mental/

camp. Everyone was looking out for him because hiswas mother keptout asking camp.

Everyone looking for afterbecause him from sheasking met. him hiseveryone mother kept after himwho from had everyone met.

People seenshe him with People who had seen Lola reached out to her. him They with knew Lola reached out to her. They knew she would know where he was and she wasknew. and yes!would Theyknow werewhere right.he She yes! were knew.

She They reached outright. to himShe to tell him She him to tell his reached mother out wastolooking for him him. his mother was forright?” him.

“Lola, stop it, youlooking are joking “Lola, stop it, you are right?” he asked “Why willjoking I joke with he asked “Whywho willI Ihave joke never with your mother your who IMy have never even mother met before? friend get even met before? friend get yourself together let My me see you off… yourself together let me see you off… mummy’s boy” she teased. mummy’s boy” she teased. but tried Emeka was embarrassed Emeka embarrassed but tried to play was the ‘I’m a big boy card…” he to play ‘I’m aasbig he said tothe himself heboy andcard…”

Lola walk said to himself as he“Mum…why and Lola walk to meet his mum. did to meet “Mum…why did you havehis to mum. come here?”

He spotted you to come He spotted his have mother from here?” a distance and as his from a distance as he mother walked towards her, Lolaand stayed he walked towards Lola stayed behind “Come let’sher, go Lola” he said behind “Come back let’s go he said as he turned toLola” call her “Go as he turned backwho? to call her “Go where?

You and My friend, where?

Youboy, and go who? friend, mummy’s andMy hug your mummy’s go and mum, she boy, is waiting for hug you, your I will mum, she isthe waiting you,you I will be around cornerfor when are be around thenot corner when you are done, I am going to meet her done, I am with you” . not going to meet her with you” .

You could tell on his face that he You could wanted tell on his thatwith he honestly herface to go honestly wanted her to gowasn’t with him but he also knew Lola him but he knewtoLola wasn’t someone to also be forced do what she someone to betoforced to do what she did not want do. “Nwam…I am so did not to want do. “Nwam…I am are so happy seeto you…my dear, how happy see you…my you?” to Mummy said. dear, how are you?”

Mummy said. ……TO BE CONTINUED NEXT ……TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK WEEK

psychological development of their psychological development of their children. Due to this oversight, children.

Due to this oversight, our society today has lots of young our society today lots of young people with lowhas self-esteem and people with low self-esteem and an alarming increase in millennial an alarming increase millennial suicide.

To curb this, in I will implore suicide.

To curb I will attention implore that parents pay this, adequate that parents pay adequate attention to the psychological needs of their to the psychological needs of attain their children so as to help them children so as to help them attain a balanced physical and mental ahealth, balanced physical and mental and be better people in the health, and be better people in the society and not mere nuisance. society and not mere nuisance.

LongJohn Deborah A. is LongJohn Deborah A. is from Bonny, Rivers state. from Bonny, Rivers state.

She is a Teen mentor and She is a Teen mentor and an Emotional Intelligence an Emotional Intelligence enthusiast. She is passionate enthusiast. She is passionate about the next generation about the next generation and is always elated and is always elated whenever she gets any whenever she gets any opportunity to share life opportunity to share life changing experiences with changing experiences with teenagers. She believes she teenagers. She believes she is blessed to bless others and is blessed to bless others and her greatest goal in life is to her greatest goal in life is to live an impactful life and live an impactful life and leave a lasting legacy when leave a lasting legacy when she exits this world. she exits this world.

Sunday 27 September 2020 Sunday 2020 Sunday 27 27 September September 2020

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BDSUNDAY 17

The designs from FlowFabrics by the CEO, ABISOYE The designs from FlowFabrics by the CEO, ABISOYE OLORUNNIMBE are to live for. Simple, elegant and OLORUNNIMBE are to live for. Simple, elegant and classy. You cannot go wrong in one of these classy. You cannot go wrong in one of these

KIKELOMO KIKELOMO Kikelomo LAWAL Lawal LAWAL APPOINTED VICE Appointed ViceVICE APPOINTED PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, president, chief legal CHIEF LEGAL CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER OFCIBC CIBC officer of CIBC OFFICER OF

DESMOND OKON DESMOND OKON igerian women keep breaking igerian women keep breaking boundaries and proving their boundaries proving theirin worth andand ability to lead worth ability The to lead in manyand spheres. latest many spheres.

The latest inspiring woman is Kikelomo inspiring is Kikelomo Lawal who was recentlywoman celebrated for being Lawal who was recently celebrated for being appointed as the executive vice president and appointed the executive vice president and chief legalasofficer of the Canadian Imperial chief officer of (CIBC). the Canadian Imperial Banklegal of Commerce Bank of Commerce (CIBC). of Blake, Cassels She was a senior associate She was a senior Blake,and Cassels & Graydon LLPassociate for fiveofyears nine &months, Graydon LLP for five years and nine and was also the chief legal officer, months, and wasand alsocorporate the chief legal officer,of ombudsman, secretary ombudsman, and12corporate of Interac Corp for years and secretary eight months Interac Corp for 12 years and eight months before her appointment. before her appointment.

At Interac, she was part of the brain trust At of the brain trustof at Interac, the helmshe forwas the part history restructuring atInterac the helm for the history restructuring of Association and Acxsys Corporation.

Interac Association and Acxsys Corporation.

Kikelomo leads a high performing team of Kikelomo leads a high performing team of lawyers, law clerks, compliance professionals, lawyers, law clerks, compliance professionals, and regulations writers who together ensure and writers of who together the regulations effective provision legal adviceensure and the the effectiveimplementation provision of legalofadvice andrules, the successful network successful implementation of network rules, policies, and controls. policies, controls.

She alsoand manages all board and shareholder She also manages all board shareholder interactions, as well as theand enterprise-wide interactions, as well asinthe enterprise-wide corporate program, cooperation with a corporate program, in cooperation with a team of dedicated corporate governance team of dedicated corporate governance professionals. professionals.

The Nigerian who is reported to be very The Nigerian whoinclusion is reported to be very passionate about concerning race/ passionate about inclusion concerning race/ ethnicity, gender, and life experience; had her ethnicity, gender, andthe lifeNew experience; had her education at both York University education at both the New York University and Harvard Law School. and Harvard Law School.

In her new appointment, “Lawal will be In her new appointment, “Lawal will be accountable for overseeing the Legal function accountable for overseeing the Legal function globally as well as the Corporate Secretary, globally as well as the Corporate Secretary, Ombudsman and Privacy Office functions, Ombudsman and Privacy Office functions, and related policies and programs. and related policies and programs.

“She will join the bank’s executive committee “She will join the bank’s executive committee and will report to Victor Dodig, President, and and will report to Victor Dodig, President, and CEO of CIBC,” a statement on her new role CEO of CIBC,” a statement on her new role published by Bloomberg read. published by Bloomberg read.

Victor Dodig, CEO and President CIBC also Victor Dodig, CEO and President CIBC also said that the bank really looks forward to her said that the bank really looks forward to her leadership in the new capacity. leadership in the new capacity.

Kikelomo has expertise in legal, compliance, Kikelomo has expertise in legal, compliance, regulations, policies, corporate governance regulations, policies, corporate governance and was also named one of The 25 Most and was also named one of The 25 Most Influential Women in Payments.

Influential Women in Payments.

N

18

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Sunday 27 September 2020

Women World ‘Fashion industry needs to position for global scale, meet demand for sustainable growth’ Blessing Ebere Achu, managing director/CEO, 360 Creative Hub, an innovative startup ecosystem developer is enthusiastic about the African fashion industry and developing African innovative organisations with cutting-edge tech solutions. She is passionate about supporting the development of women and young-owned/driven SMEs in the African fashion industry - from cotton farmers to retail stores. In this interview with MODESTUS ANAESORONYE shares her vision for Nigerian and African creative economies, empowering enterprise and employment creation. Excerpts:

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ou have built a brand that tackles issues related to start-up fashion designers, for example, financing and a working space with quality equipment. What and who motivate you as a business person?

I draw inspirations from people and events that I have come in contact with. I have been privileged to observe various founders, builders and entrepreneurs from various backgrounds and economic realities in Nigerian and abroad, and their stories inspire me; the hard work that goes into building, and laying the foundations for the success that people admire on the outside.

Years ago, I was part of a telecommunications company called VDT. We took on the pursuit for ISO Certifications and I got to experience the agony and intense pressure attached to actualizing ideas into a reality. I observed how the Managing Director, Biodun Omoniyi lead us through that period – he is one of the people who inspired me.

What life occasions prompted the initiation of the 360 Creative Hub as Nigeria’s first co-working space for rising fashion designers and creative entrepreneurs in Nigeria?

I got to know about co-working spaces during a tour in Europe with StartupBus. This was four years ago, 2016 to be precise. I realised that the sharing economy had caused a great paradigm shift. I then decided to conduct a research and discovered that unlike IT & Tech, co-working spaces are rare in the creative industry. The designers I spoke with confirmed that conducive environment, electrical power, lack of access to quality equipment, inadequate funding, etc. were the major challenges they faced. I further inquired if they’d be welcome the possibility of a facility that will solve these problems and provide the needs which they seek. Their response, thus, led to the origination of the 360 Creative Hub right here in my country home - Nigeria.

You have been familiar with the fashion industry for a considerable length of time, what would you say is the present status of the industry in Nigeria?

The Nigerian fashion industry thrived on outstanding creative designs mostly for events, ceremonies and outings. With the COVID-19 pandemic and its halt on these social occasions, we are forced to view things from a different narrative and expand our focus. We are at a phase that

Blessing Ebere Achu

requires strategic structuring. Designers have to embrace the work and investment needed to put the right structure in place towards achieving this shift. Even more, the industry needs to position itself on a global scale and take advantage of the demand for sustainable and ethical fashion that is on the rise globally.

What do you figure emerging Nigerian fashion designers can do to direct or draw in their brand or businesses to be perceived or praised globally?

Before you begin, carry out a research. Find out what people need, what they complain about the most and what is the most reoccurring problem. Google Trends for instance is an app that will give you ideas of what people are looking for. From your discoveries, draft a precise plan of how these problems can be solved and develop your brand from these results. You need to come up with uniqueness for your fashion brand to stand out from the crowd and be intentional about it.

There has been a high reliance on digital means since the coronavirus outbreak and many organisations have been utilising this with positive outcomes. How is

the fashion industry adjusting and adapting to this significant global change?

Our work with our locale has continually been tied in with helping these Fashion Designers discover better approaches to drive results for their brands, and with regards to leveraging innovation, we have consistently observed the potential and have been backers of tech-empowered design since the very establishing of 360 Creative Hub. Access to Online Business sectors through different internet business stages and devices to empower their selling and general business activities, similar to payment gateways, digital promotion, etc. There is great potential for more virtualisation in fashion business; directly from creation to promoting, and we are attempting to keep African designers at the top of it.

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the loss of jobs, individuals had to work from home, and numerous organisations were temporarily closed with some permanently shut down or moved. How is 360 Creative Hub staying above waters in these times?

We were able to stay afloat

handling various productions for the health sector; producing Hospital Scrubs, Face-masks and other forms of medical protective wears.

Our continued operations through the pandemic was not about the income, but more about helping our community of designers stay engaged; producing and service their customers. Our designers need us and so we continue to do what we can to keep their businesses alive through our services to them.

What words of advice do you have for fashion designers trying to recuperate from the negative effects of the pandemic?

Even in the face of adversity, you need to be resilient. Aim to strive against all odds. Believe in your product and the solutions it can bring to people and communities. It is also crucial to have an encouraging support system such as friends and family.

What is the biggest lesson that the Covid-19 pandemic has taught you so far?

As an entrepreneur, we need to plan for the unforeseen and unpredictable. Businesses need to brace up for the worst of the worst.

Invest your money and energy in building a business that can survive difficulty; leverage on technology, if you do not have any form of digital presence, now is the time to start, and we can help you do it. Who would have thought that Covid-19 will have such a huge impact on the entire world and we would become so dependent on technology?

Your organisation recently launched the Design Pro Challenge to support designers and creative entrepreneurs as they try to bounce back from the economic effects of the pandemic. What is it about and in what capacity would designers be able to profit from it?

We are attempting to ensure that designers have vital help to fast track the return to normalcy for rising fashion designers. Towards the finish of this challenge, 10 champions will be picked to utilise our well-equipped production and styling office in Surulere, free of charge. For as long as about fourteen days, designers have been posting their top 3 designs made for the current year on Instagram for an opportunity to be chosen among the 10. Another advantage to the winners is their incorporation into a network of creatives, to learn and team up with other like personalities who may have what it takes and experiences they don’t.

In your work to uphold the fashion industry in Nigeria, what has been the biggest challenge you’ve noticed?

A great deal of our homegrown

designers don’t understand what it entails to build a brand or maintain a versatile business, one of the reasons being that the skills conferred at fashion training schools are basically about making garments and embroidery. Thus, numerous designers start their organisations knowing nearly nothing or nothing about advertising, brand building and different components of the matter of design. Take for instance, many individuals do not know the role of the quality pictures individuals’ post of their businesses online.

They do not understand how much these pictures influence prospective consumers for their brand. This is a major piece of what we have embarked to address for whatever number as could be expected of designers across Africa.

As the CEO/MD of 360 Creative Hub which encompasses co-working and co-sewing spaces in Lagos State dedicated to resolving the needs of creative startups, what moment do you mark as the most satisfactory for you?

Honestly, it is quite difficult to single out a particular moment as the best. It keeps on getting better and better, from one good experience to another great one. So, we continue to learn and embrace every little stride and achievement with joy that springs from helping designers grow and seeing our members achieve a remarkable feat in their businesses. We appreciate every step of this journey.

What are some of the core principles you live your life and run your business by?

As a business that caters to the growth and development of people, empathy is very key to how we operate. We run a business that feels and opens its doors daily to meet genuine human needs. Integrity, creativity and collaboration are also very important to us and how we run our business.

The 360 Creative Hub recently organised a $5,000 Growth Grant for one of the designers associated with it. How did that come about?

The Fashion Acceleration Program (FAP) is an intensive program that accelerates emerging fashion businesses through a practicalbased business of fashion course, taught by seasoned professionals.

The grant came about as a result of our partnership with Emory University in dealing with the growth and development of the designers who took part in the second edition of our Fashion Acceleration Program. The grant money was won by one of the participating brands who also uses our hub for her production, Jay Traks.

Sunday 27 September 2020

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Feature Creating a generation of knowledge-based business leaders Clarity’. Clarity is key. People think once you are gone you are gone. No, as long as God created you a masterpiece, it will be an error to waste all that God deposited in you. So, if you want to put your stamp in the future, if you want to live that life that will take you from the ordinary to the extraordinary, seek clarity.

“We have looked at the three books. The journey still continues. It’s about knowing and discovering, getting clarity on your area of core competence.

You need to know your ‘what’ and bring it to your ‘why’. You become phenomenal. Whatever you do as a career is your ‘what’ but why you are doing it and what you add to humanity is your ‘why’. It brings compelling ‘why’ to what you do. Identify the difference between your ‘what’ and your ‘why’.

Ignatius Chukwu

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ercy Bello Abu, a business/life coach making waves in Port Harcourt, wants Nigeria to adopt a national ideology of entrepreneurship so as to move quickly and rule Africa through business and creativity. The woman who sees herself as a social entrepreneur and motivationist also called for the introduction of compulsory pep talks on entrepreneurship at every public function in Nigeria so as to make the grasp of the subject firm and create a new generation of knowledgebased business leaders.

Abu, former chairperson of the NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) who is seen by most persons as a change agent, thought leader, consultant, trainer and a sought-after clarity coach, is a woman that is passionate about impacting her world positively. The multi-talented entrepreneur says she chose to do a lot of things in order not to waste her God-given talents.

The Edo-born social investor says anybody who stays around the Easterners (Igbo) would develop entrepreneurial instincts and desires; but predominantly, in her career, she trains individual and organisations.

Thus, helping individuals leave a lasting legacy is her passion.

In an exclusive interview with BDSUNDAY, Abu taking more women out of ‘shithole’ is her main objective, saying entrepreneurship is best way to empower a woman and give her a say. She does this through awareness creation, entrepreneurship talks, and ceaseless philanthropy.

Few weeks back, Abu unveiled three books on her passion (entrepreneurship), two hardcopy version and one online. In the interview, Abu explained how she birthed three books at same time.

She stated: “That question keeps coming. It is a divine privilege. Since 2015 we started researching on ‘A Toast for Entrepreneurship’ because we wanted to lend our voice on the subject matter as a figure, as someone who started a long time ago. I worked with my editor front and back; but 2020 and Covid-19 came. I said, why, how would we stay at home for five months without doing anything? I said we needed to have a compelling ‘why’. That informed our birthing that book; ‘My Compelling Why’, which is something born out of necessity.

“I discovered that if we have a compelling ‘why’, we would act. Hunger is a good example of a ‘compelling why’. We saw how difficult it was for so many families to feed. We kept receiving calls and calls. Indeed,

Mercy Bello Abu hunger is a compelling why.’

She added: “Many of us live a life without knowing why.

So, we wanted to help people define their lives. The ‘Compelling Why’ compels you because if you know the why, the how becomes easier. It comes automatically when you know why.”

The born-entrepreneur talked about the next book, ‘A Toast for Entrepreneurship’, which she said is the story of my journey of entrepreneurship. “My mom is a born entrepreneur and took us through that journey. So, the book is a celebration of a mother that knew how to add value to people, which is the bedrock of entrepreneurship. You are a solution provider, a giver of value to people.

Abu gave a sterling definition of two topics most persons have difficulty with. “The difference between a business man and an entrepreneur is that a businessman is concerned only about profit through buying and selling. An entrepreneur is also concerned with buying but with adding value, creating innovation that changes the narrative of what business is all about. We wanted to document this angle of discovery.”

That particular book is about her story and what she went through. “It’s about how I started my entrepreneurship right from childhood. It does not take me three months to start a business. I start asking; what can I do.

“Before I went in the university, it was all business. As I was having my babies, I was doing business. I noticed in our

neighbourhood about a trader with a lot of customers coming to his shop to buy things. I saw him with phenomenal sales and I wanted to be part of it. I was just out of the university but the man was not so educated. I was not seeing the education but the money. He said ok, you will wake up by 4am and we go to Idumota. I quickly agreed and looked for a shop across the road at Western Avenue.

“By 4am, I would call him, and on we went to Idumota.

We would both carry our loads on our heads. That was the man’s level but I did not mind.

He had a pharmacy, provision, everything. He was a mentor to me. All I needed to do was to replicate what he was doing on the other side of the express. It work for me. You need a mentor in anything. He knew what was selling and would tell me. You need to create great relationship with people. He showed me the ropes. His customers in the market became my customers. I only replicated what he was doing.”

This is the life Abu led after her graduation that launched her into the entrepreneurial avenue where she the queen today. “As every business came out, we moved on. Nollywood came and we started selling videos. We would buy in Idumota and come to Western Avenue to sell. Next, handsets (GSM) came, ah, I became a distributor. So, this book is where everything is documented.

“Time came for me to leave Lagos to Port Harcourt. In three months, I asked, what

do they like here. I saw that women like good things here.

So, I opened my first shop and started going to Lagos to buy and sell here.

“I moved to Happy Bite plaza and stayed for 10 years before the fire incident. Everything we worked for was razed down in one day. I learnt every inch of the way to the top. I learnt the dos and don’ts of business. I have worked the ropes. I learnt how to make money and how to lose it all.

That is what the book will help you understand.”

Living beyond your grave On the third book, ‘Building a Lasting Legacy’, which is electronic book (e-book), she said she looked at the spur of seeing so many people die. “It was inspired by the death of Ibukun Ikodaro who died at 39. The nation shook when she died. She was a pastor’s wife. I also had a mentor that died at 45, Bimbo Olukayo. She was a woman that transformed my thinking. It was a mind-blowing experience and it is one of the greatest blessings of my life to encounter her. I was inspired.

“For every time I see what great women do today, one way or the other, they had something to do with Pastor Bimbo. So, for you to keep being relevant long after you are dead, then you are a real personality. People are still referring to her. She lived beyond her grave, beyond her time. She is still very relevant.

“That was what informed ‘Building Lasting Legacy with

Between Lagos and Port Harcourt In Lagos, entrepreneurship is now clearly defined, she said. It is now the trending thing. Lagos is a very mobile city you would hardly compare anywhere in Nigeria with. However, Port Harcourt is gradually changing.

“Entrepreneurship has been intriguing to most people in Port Harcourt but grappling with the concept is the issue. If any idea is coming to Nigeria, it gets to the west and trickles down to other regions. Entrepreneurship is spreading because we are constantly creating awareness. We are harping that women have to embrace entrepreneurship. I am seeing it as a way of empowering them because for every time a woman is empowered, you take her out of poverty, you give her a voice.

“A woman takes all the rubbish because there is nothing she can do. If she can pay her bills and support the family, then she has value, she will have a voice. That is why we are so passionate about entrepreneurship. Lagos was capital of Nigeria for many years. They have structures in place. Thank God this region is improving.

That’s why we are striving to create awareness in the Niger Delta. Even the government right now is singing it. A lot of intervention funds and survival funds are springing up for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

“What we want is to create awareness so many people can access the SME funds. In Lagos, over 80 per cent will access it but in PH, it will just be about 30 per cent. It may even be when it has almost finished.

Covid fund came and Lagos was almost through before Port Harcourt people started caring about it. You need information to get ahead in entrepreneurship. That is why we are trying to build an entrepreneurship awareness base.”

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Sunday 27 September 2020

TheWorshipper Nigeria worse today than 60 years ago, there’s nothing to celebrate - Bishop Ighele The presiding Bishop and General Superintendent, Holy Spirit Mission and Chairman, Financial Accountability Commission of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Charles Ighele, in this interview speaks on the level of underdevelopment that had trailed Nigeria since independence; calls for accountability among Church leaders and other national issues. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU

By Thursday, Nigeria will be marking her 60th Independence anniversary; does it really call for celebration? he way I see things, it is just the elite that have what to celebrate. How does a nation which has gone down like this celebrate poverty, insecurity, lack of basic amenities, and lack of electricity? Ghana and Rwanda have reasons to celebrate but as far as I see it, there is nothing to celebrate. Growing up as a young boy, I wanted to move round the nation, so, I decided not to attend the University of Benin which was in the old Bendel where I happen to come from. Instead, I schooled in Ife and from my higher school I went to Sokoto because I wanted to know my nation. Then the nation was more coexisting in terms of unity. Today, I will not send my child to Sokoto. So, now what are we going to celebrate; national unity, cohesion; when it is worse than it was? We are not in the process of nation-building; instead the elite are in the process of nation scattering and ethnic building. If you love this nation, it is painful what you see.

So far, how would you evaluate development in Nigeria?

First, I would like to look at development from when the British came and development as at when Nigeria was made up of many ethnic groups, empires, etc. Let us look at it in terms of development par western standard which has almost invaded the whole world.

If you look at it from that angle, you would find out that there was development from point zero, from when the British came till about 1960 when they left.

Having looked at that, look at 1960-66, the first coup then the military era from 1966-1979, and then the Shagari era, then the military till 1999 and democracy from then till now. When you look at how things have grown in terms of development, you cannot say that we are developing. If we are developing, let’s take the educational sector for example, then how come the quality of English that I speak is better than that of University graduates of today. When you look at all the

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sectors, you will see that we have only developed in the area of how to acquire personal wealth and corruption. When you talk about development, it is not rocket science to me.

So, instead of looking at it in isolation, I would rather look at it generally.

There are certain things that make up for development and we have labour, capital, entrepreneur and land.

These are the factors of what brings aboutproductivityofapeople.Ifyou want things to improve in terms of productivity, then you look at these factors. These are the basic pillars of development.

Whatever happened to the pillars…?

We need to understand what the pillars of development are.

If you look at the labour force in Nigeria, how are the schools that produce them? Is that a labour force with unemployable youths? Look at land, who gets the land? Getting land to run a business in Nigeria is very tough. If you look at capital; who has access to capital? Who do the banks give loan to? Majority of bank deposits in Nigeria are owned by less than five percent So, who is capital favouring for production?

With the way the whole system is, it is impossible. We have institutions of development that do not favour all round development. Basically, it favours just the elite. If your family is not rich enough, you cannot get there. If you do not have some sort of connections, you cannot get access to bank loans. When I look at nations that are developed and those that are not developed, one thing runs through them. Developed nations have institutions of development in terms of access to land, capital, entrepreneurial training, etc. Building of roads is not development. Development is centred around human beings (human capital). The quality of the Nigerian people is low.

So, what is the way forward?

We need a new set of elite with the proper orientation. And these things are not difficult at all.

Russia used to be a pure feudalist nation but some people came up with ideas that birthed socialism.

And there was capitalism in the US along with other places. These are elite that loved their nations. We

Charles Ighele

need new sets of elite who will love this nation. People want to be rich, so the values are wrong. You see those among the worse going into politics and the educated joining them. We need a reorientation and it has happened. It happened in Rwanda and Ghana where they had President Rawlings who put a new social order, and they built the political order based on that consensus. The political parties in Ghana are now operating based on that consensus, as things are liable or not liable to happen in Ghana with the experience of what happened before the coup that toppled their past leaders. If you also look at Rwanda, they have turned that country into a tourist centre.

These are elite that love their nations and for them ethnicity is not a factor. There was a period when ethnicity in Nigeria was almost being tackled but now it is worse.

What we have now are nations inside a nation and everything is being used to promote these different nations than to promote Nigeria. I

wish this present set of leaders can think like the prodigal son and arise, then go to do the right thing. These are ways we can change our nation; from the beginning of rearmament of social values which we need.

The new CAMA 2020 has generated lots of reactions since its signing into law; what is your take on the law?

The aim of the law is to make doing business in Nigeria easy. Many other things were put in order to make businesses easy. For instance, it is approved by law to hold a virtual meeting whether it is an AGM or any other sort of meeting. The surprising thing is them making doing businesses easier and then make running the church impossible. When the law states that your trustees can be removed and the government can replace them with their own officials it will never happen. It is one of those laws that cannot work. The reason I know it cannot work is that in the history of nations, when the law is made for a whole nation or a section of

the nation and the people oppose it, the law does not work.

Do you support the call that government should review or withdraw the law?

Last year, I was appointed by PFN as the Chairman, financial accountability commission of Pentecostal churches to put up a code of conduct for the governance of Pentecostal churches and financial accountability. We were able to come up with something to guide the governance of the church to regulate ourselves. Now, the National President of PFN would have come up with some of these things if not for the general lockdown due to Covid-19 which slowed down a lot of activities. So, basically I am at the centre of this. It pains me when there are cases where pastors deep hands into tithes and offerings without any consent. My campaign for the past year is that just as all professional institutions have an act of parliament that needs them to regulate themselves, churches should also have an act of parliament where we will be able to regulate ourselves; so that every pastor must have a licence to be able to open a church. PFN and CAN should put a structure up in such a manner that anybody who says he wants to be a pastor has to be licensed. And if you are reported when you misbehave to the council on discipline, your licence can be withdrawn and the government will not allow you to set up a church anywhere. Self regulation should be the way forward.

Where do you stand on the recent increases in taxes, electricity tariff and deregulation of downstream sector of the petroleum industry?

As an undergraduate, I used to take to the streets to protest such things. The hike in all these things does not favour the poor at all. Unfortunately, Nigerians have been traumatised into submission.

Nigerians have suffered so much that they do not even know how to come out of that suffering. If not, this is a thing which people protest about in some countries. The hike in these sectors has basically affected even the prices of basic commodities like food. I think this move was not sensitive enough.

NEWS

2Baba, Yemi Alade, Rema, Cobhams and Coca Cola unite to celebrate Nigeria @ 60 IFEOMA OKEKE

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igerians home and abroad will be led by 2Baba , Yemi Alade, Rema, and Cobhams to celebrate #NaijaLikeNeverBefore in a sensational and awe-inspiring

National Anthem sing-off and virtual concert, that would see millions of Nigerians proudly renew their commitment to our great nation.

Speaking on the #NaijaLikeNeverBefore initiative, Monali Shah, Marketing Communications Director – West Africa Business Unit Coca-Cola, remarked, “This Independence Day, we are championing an

experience that we hope will leave a lasting positive mark on Nigerians.

Through the unifying power of music, the #NaijaLikeNeverBefore initiative will celebrate the generous heart, extraordinary energy, and buoyant spirit of Nigerians.”

Music producer Cobhams also noted, “It’s a significantly rare opportunity to be a part of a campaign

to unite Nigerians all over the world and celebrate our unique and resilient spirit. Lend your voice to set a record for the largest number of people to sing the national anthem at once. Join us on Oct 1st, 10:30am on the Coca-Cola Nigeria YouTube channel, to show the world why we’re proud of our motherland. Let’s celebrate #NaijaLikeNeverBefore.”

Sunday 27 September 2020

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TheWorshipper Inspiration With Rev. Yomi Kasali

info@yomikasali.com

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he way many drivers on Lagos roads drive in between lanes, ignore traffic regulations, Run speed lights, speed needlessly and recklessly, drive dangerously and many other little things, one will wonder if they attended driving school at all.

I want to Inspire you to-

Driving lessons for life day on some life lessons to learn from Driving vehicles.

I found a scripture I fell in love with and it’s about the Shunamite woman that got a breakthrough from the Prophetic ministry of Prophet Elisha. The promised child came, fell ill one day and the young lad eventually died. The woman asked her husband to release a servant and chariot for her to get across to the Man of God before the corpse gets too cold for a miracle.

The woman then made this statement: ‘Then she saddled an ass and said to her servant, DRIVE and GO FORWARD, slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee’ (2 kings 4 v 24) I’m worried about the way young people and Nigerians generally ‘drive’ their lives towards their desired goals. Many people have made a ‘shipwreck’ of their faiths (1 Tim 1 v 19) and if Paul were to write that today, he would use

hicles may be up to 220 to 240 Mph, yet the makers never expected us to break the speed limits on the roads. You don’t have to over speed because your vehicle can move up to that speed. There are different speed limits for different roads hence you should observe those limits, else you may have unpleasant consequences. the word ‘car crash’ or ‘car wreck’ because it’s our most popular means of transportation.

It is exciting to know that there are some salient points from the above scriptures that we should all take to heart and I’ll be sharing a few Driving Lessons for life and ministry journeys.

5 Driving lessons for life’s journeys Start the engine: I don’t care how beautiful and lovely your car is, everyone has to Start the Engine if that vehicle will move and take

you to your destinations.

There are many people who haven’t used the Ignition and expect to make progress in life. Start the Engine and commence your journey towards Destiny land.

Stay on your lane: There are many people who drive on other people’s lanes, you must never compare yourself to others, know your lane and stay on your lane.

Don’t envy other drivers because you have no idea about their plans and trips.

Observe speed limits: Do you know that the speedometer of your ve-

Do not overtake when unnecessary: I have the privilege of having an American Drivers License and I love this sign on some American roads and it is usually on a narrow road that you are told not to Overtake, even if the person ahead is going a bit slow. I believe we should not try to overtake other drivers in life but just focus on our trip and journeys until we get to our desired destinations.

Go forward by not using the reverse gear: There are many times that we should just go forward on our trips and otherwise, when we

put our gears on Reverse, it should be to learn and not hope we can make progress always looking back. I’m sure you all know that the reverse gear isn’t there to move us forward but for temporary use only until we can put the gear back on Drive. Remember Lot’s Wife...she looked back and didn’t go forward.

Please take the above points to heart and Drive Your Life forward.

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.

NEWS Fly Africa, Lagos collaborate on Nigeria’s 60th independence IFEOMA OKEKE

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n commemoration of Nigeria’s Diamond Jubilee Independence a n n i v e r s a r y, Fl y Africa has announced its partnership with the Lagos State Government in the celebration of Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary with a landmark event tagged ‘The Sweet 60’.

Fly Africa, an initiative of OutoriLimited,wascreatedto inspire and educate Africans, through live experiences, to rise up to their great potentials by taking actions that will move the African continent forward.

Fly Africa will be launching the Sweet 60 event to break a Guinness Book of Record with

the aim of inspiring Nigerians to take positive action and achieve great feats.

Speaking during the media briefing at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, the Commissioner of Tourism, Art and Culture, stated that “Lagos State Government is excitedaboutthepartnership and the opportunity to celebrate such a momentous occasion in grand style. We all know the history of Nigeria cannot be written without mentioning Lagos State.

Leveraging Independence Day through Fly Africa will be breaking a Guinness World Record in style to further cement Nigeria’s legacy”.

Wo l e O l a g u n d o y e , managing director, Outori Limited and Lead Aviator,

Fly Africa, emphasised that “Nigeria’s 60th anniversary is too big to be ignored or downplayed; a country this unique and this resourceful should and must be celebrated in a historymaking manner.”

Fly Africa will have the Guinness World Record adjudicating this event that will be celebrating Nigeria’s milestone60thAnniversaryin a truly record-breaking style.

Th i s e v e n t i s a b l y supported by Dangote Sugar, Bold by the Makers of LaCasera, Princess Cakes, Bakers Choice, Grand Cereals Limited, Hip TV, Kraks TV and Golden Penny Foods.

The event will be held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on Thursday, 1st October 2020 from

12noon. Outori Limited, a Brand and Consumer Experience Company with a global affiliation with Dentsu Aegis Network, offers specialised services in experiential marketing, live experiences, offline and online activations, sponsorship planning and execution, digital brand solutions and content marketing.

The day one of the event which is on the 30th of September, 2020 will be the parade of lead voices in Nigeria’s Entertainment scene, on this day the likes of Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Victor Uwaifo , Onyeka Onwenu would thrill Lagosians and indeed the entire world to lofty tunes.

NDE engages 100 Abia youths on agric development scheme UDOKA AGWU, Umuahia

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n a bid to ensure that Federal Government’s policy on sustainable A g r i c u l t u r a l Development Training Scheme (SADTS) is achieved, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has engaged about 100 unemployed youths in Abia State in the scheme.

Ladan Nasiru Argungu, director-general of NDE w h i l e f la g g in g o f f t he

c e re m o n y /o ri e nt a t io n at the NDE office in Um u a h i a , Ab i a St a t e , said the programme was in line with the Federal Government’s policy on agriculture for employment, wealth creation and food sufficiency, adding that the programme was a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable agricultural training scheme of the NDE. Argungu, who spoke through Chijioke Uzoatuegwu, Abia State coordinator of

NDE, disclosed that the beneficiaries comprised mainly unemployed school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions with passion for agriculture as an enterprise, noting that beneficiaries would be rigorously trained in various aspects of modern agricultural production for a period of three months with two weeks of experimental training in both livestock and crops.

He hinted that sustainable agriculture was a system of

agricultural production and distribution which helped to provide more profitable farm income, promote environmental stewardship and enhance quality of life for farm families and communities.

Th e N D E d i r e c t o r general, who said that some allowances would be paid to the beneficiaries during the training, urged them to take advantage of the training and run away from unemployment and poverty.

Okoro lauds govt’s decision to lift ban on sports …Says ‘Covid-19 taught novel conducts of keeping fit’

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ice-Captain of Ikoyi Golf Club, Innocent Meckson Okoro has lauded government’s decision to lift the ban on sporting activities.

In a statement he personally signed, a copy of which was made available to BDSUNDAY, Okoro, who is also a Lagos-based estate surveyor, explained that such decision would enable sports men and women to keep fit again. Recounting his sporting activities in the Covid-19 pandemic, the golf activist affirmed that he walked 10 kilometres daily to maintain his fitness and energy.

“I love and have some unquenchable appétite for golfing, which I have played for about 17 years. But when all the golf courses in Nigeria were locked because of the pandemic, what I did to maintain my fitness was to go walking.

“From my house in Lekki Phase One, I did 10 kilometres trekking on that IkoyiLekki Bridge daily in order to keep fit and be in-tune with the standard I have set in golf,” he added.

“At a point, I was on 16 handicaps, but I have dropped to 19, 21, but I am now working hard to climb back to 15, 16 in the next six months,” he said.

Giving a brief background on how he became the vicecaptain of Ikoyi Club, Okoro said he challenged and became the vice-captain of the Golf Section at Ikoyi Club because of his love for the sport.

“I contested the position of vice-captain of Ikoyi Club for several years before I succeeded on the fourth attempt. That’s how dogged and resilient I am, and by the special grace of God, I will be the captain of the Ikoyi Golf Club section come February 2021,” he enthused.

Okoro, who is the CEO of M. I. Okoro & Associates, is acknowledged for his support of races at the Ikoyi Club, apart from having served in various capacities at the club.

“When I turned 50, it was one of the biggest birthday kitties we have ever had in Ikoyi Club. Apart from that, I have travelled extensively playing golf around the world, including in Brazil, Las Vegas, Kingston, Spain, Germany, London and even in South Africa. So, you can see how much I have missed the game during the pandemic,” Okoro said.

According to him, he will be in Ibadan to partake in the Captain’s Day Golf Tournament intended to revel the end of tenancy of Col. Ade Sunmonu as the Captain of Ibadan Golf Club.

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Sunday 27 September 2020

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Planned ban of sachet alcohol may spike new market for ‘ogogoro’ Daniel Obi

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igeria’s government directive to phase out alcohol in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles has continued to generate concerns among the populace with many analysts believing that the ban will spike a new market for the local gin popularly called ‘Ogogoro’ In the last seven years, many spirit drink producers have followed the trend in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods, FMCG, to package their products in smaller sachets and PET bottles in order to meet the lower but huge market.

When Orijin from the stable of Guinness was introduced in 2013 into the Nigerian market, after investment of multi-million Naira into the project, it came in different sizes including PET bottles. Nigerians of all classes embraced the product and this became a cash cow for Guinness Nigeria.

Other big producers, who were testing the market with smaller packs, intensified their production when they saw the huge consumption of spirit drinks, in sachets and PET bottles. This subsequently impacted on their revenue and employment.

The growing market, including the bitter herb drinks according to analysts is due to rising change in consumer taste that prefers a special drink different from larger or mineral. It is also believed that, for instance, the bitters drink which contains some levels of alcohol, originates from herbs which contain body purifiers, anti-malaria components and ingredients

for improving the virility of man which to a large extent is enticing to some individuals.

However, other small producers in the SME sector ventured into the market with different brands and different alcohol levels, mostly consumed by lower class of Nigerians at different places including parks, hidden corners and schools. The value of Nigerian bitters beverage drink market alone is estimated at over N32.2 billion ($200m) annually where major and smaller operators play.

After the recent assessment of the negative impact of bingedrinking on the youth largely caused by these spirits, which were easily available and affordable, the Federal Government decided to phase out the sachet and pet bottle parks.

The move to ban alcohol in sachet and Pet bottles was contained in a statement issued by the Director-General of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control, Mojisola Adeyeye titled: ‘NAFDAC cautions on alcohol abuse.’

The Director-General said, “NAFDAC under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health, once again, wishes to bring to the

attention of the general public, concerns relating to the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in sachets, small volume glass and PET bottles”.

According to her, these concerns relate to negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and security of the public, alcohol being a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties.

She said uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles has been put forward as a factor contributing to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria with its negative impact on the society.

Adeyeye quoted the World Health Organisation report to buttress her point. WHO report states that alcohol consumption contributes to three million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people.

Since this announcement to gradually phase out alcohol in sachet and pet bottles, a directive which was back-dated to January, 2020, many stakeholders have sat down to take a second look at the order.

While some analysts who spoke on the issue commended government efforts, others were worried about the implications on the firms.

A marketing communication practitioner based in Ikeja, Lagos said the directive will simply ruin the businesses of alcohol producers who have leveraged the sachets to stay in business. The practitioner who prefers anonymity said it is not government responsibility to put out a directive

to check abuse of alcohol as food can also be abused.

He was also worried that such ban on alcohol in sachet which is measured will lead consumers to resort to local gin ‘ogogoro’ which has not measure compared to alcohol in sachets and pet bottles.

The marketing practitioner advised the government to collaborate with alcohol producers to continue the campaign on responsible drinking.

In his assessment, Cornelius Onuoha, the managing director of Redgheko Media continued in that thinking that government may not achieve checking abuse of alcohol by the youth through ban on sachet alcohol drinks. He believes on the effectiveness of education, enlightenment and campaigns through schools and social gathering.

He said the ban on sachets will mean that such alcohol is for certain class of people. According to him, while some will like to buy the higher packages, others will resort to alternatives with even higher alcohol content.

A marketing executive who also assessed government intention supported the move that it will curb easy availability of the alcohol for certain people, especially commercial drivers.

Obviously, according to some other analysts, government has good intention but they flawed the ban as a process of implementing the intention.

The ban on alcohol in sachet and pet bottles, according to them, will not produce the desired effect as consumers will find alternatives in un-measured quantity. The ban will also hit the producers hard which will result in lay-offs, which will also produce its social consequences.

Devon King’s encourages up and coming Chefs as it rewards culinary creativity

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evon King’s, a brand of PZ Wilmar Food Limited has rewarded 10 up and coming Chefs with prizes worth N1 million in The King’s Chef Challenge held recently in Lagos.

The maiden edition of the challenge saw Muniratu Abubakar emerge winner after her 3-course meal which includes an Appetizer, Garlic Bread; Main course, Basmati White Rice with Chicken sauce, salad & buttered stuffed plantain and Dessert, Lemon drizzle cake was adjudged the best in terms of creativity, meal presentation and meal outlook. She was presented with the grand prize of N200, 000 cash, a Standing Gas Cooker , a Mixer and 6 months’ supply of Devon King’s products.

Also rewarded were the 1st runner up Omolabake Davies and 2nd runner up Onyeka Azubuike who also got supply of Devon King’s products, Oven, Mixer as well as the sum N100, 000 and N50, 000 respectively. All other 7 participants; Zainab Jarmai,

Chineye Opara, Juliet Anaetoh, Constance Ofmat, Grace Atta, Miracle Agoreyo and Zainab Dikko who made it to the voting round of the competition also got themselves N10, 000 shopping voucher, 1 month supply of Devon

King’s products and branded kitchen items.

Sharing her excitement on the successful flagship edition of The King’s Chef Challenge was Category & Brand Manager, PZ Wilmar, Toyin Popoola-Diana, who

congratulated the winner as well as all the participants.

“I am impressed by the level of hard work and creativity put into this challenge because I know surely that making meals that are befitting of a King doesn’t come easy.

L-R: Devon King’s Brand Influencer, Christine Obute Otigba ‘Chef Obubu’; Winner of The King’s Chef Challenge, Murinatu Abubakar; Category & Brand Manager, PZ Wilmar, Toyin Popoola-Diana and Marketing Manager, PZ Wilmar, Chioma Mbanugo at The King’s Chef Challenge prize presentation ceremony in Lagos recently.

Hollandia Evaporated Milk reiterates nutritional value to consumers

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s consumers look for ways to navigate the health impact of the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, Nigeria’s foremost dairy brand, Hollandia Evaporated Milk is reiterating its nourishment value as a healthy breakfast companion to consumers.

Maintaining good health is top of mind for many during this period. One of the best defences against the pandemic is to maintain a healthy immune system, and adopting a healthy eating pattern can play an important role in achieving this. Starting the day on the right footing can help set the path toward a successful day. For many, that strong start begins with having breakfast.

Chi Limited said Hollandia Evaporated Milk provides the right nutrients for a healthy breakfast which would boost your body’s metabolism and provide optimum energy for the day’s activities. Hollandia Evaporated Milk is a creamy, tasty and nourishing evaporated milk which contains essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamins B2, B6, B12 & D and Calcium. Thus, Hollandia Evaporated Milk is a healthy addition to your preferred breakfast meals of Cereals, Chocolate drinks, Coffee, Tea, Custard, Pancakes, and Smoothies.

Verve rewards customers in Good Life promo

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frica’s foremost payment technology and card brand, Verve International said it has rewarded 600 customers so far after the third weekly draws in the on-going Verve ‘Good Life’ Promo.

According to a statement, Verve rewarded the lucky cardholders at prize presentation ceremonies held in various locations across the country recently. Among the 300 lucky cardholders that emerged winners of the N10,000 cash prize in the weekly raffle draws that have held three times were: Adeleke Moshood, a student from Oyo State; Adeogun Shakiru, an automobile specialist and Rashidat Abolaji, a businesswoman, both from Lagos State .

Another set of 300 Verve cardholders emerged winners of airtime worth N5,000, bringing the total amount won so far to N4.5 million Naira.

Speaking during the draws, Cherry Eromosele, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Interswitch Group, in the statement expressed delight about the number of cardholders that have been rewarded lately.

Eromosele reiterated Verve’s resolve to continue to provide secure, convenient and reliable payment solutions for its cardholders. She said: “Because our cardholders are of priority to us at Verve, beyond providing them brilliant payment solutions, we are rewarding them for their loyalty with the expectation that the reward helps them achieve the good life, whatever the good life means to them”.

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Arts Unbundling the art of Raqib Bashorun OBINNA EMELIKE

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hile Africa parades many contemporary artists who are making waves in the global art scene with their enthralling works, there are a few among them who are truly exceptional.

Raqib Bashorun, one of Nigeria’s most avant-garde sculptors, falls into this outstanding category.

His works leave you with different impressions. They are often seen as thought-provoking, inspiring, abstract and appealing to the mature minds.

What set the leading contemporary sculptor apart from the new generation are the geometric and abstract forms, as well as, the rigidity and hardness of his sculpture.

With his preferred media of wood and metal, the artist employs diversely colored and textured wood interspersed and intertwined with metal scraps, tools, nails, or pipes to create intricately embellished and clad artworks. He creates simplified metal forms that show deep integrity of design and symbolism, as well as, sculpts complex patterned works that create a powerful ebb and flow of sculptural meaning and message.

Bashorun belongs to an exceptional, but older established generation of sculptors who have firmly inculcated the practice of employing unconventional techniques and media including recycled and found materials in their interrogation of the larger society.

Raqib Bashorun

For the past 30 years, Bashorun who was born in 1955 has focused on issues of waste, recycling, and environmental sustainability, skillfully using found materials, which he expertly reproduces as objects of beauty, form and function.

However, in the last decade, the sculptor has increasingly explored new directions and possibilities with the incorporation of recycled and found material from his immediate environment, most notably metal in form of aerosol and soda cans, as well as, domestic accessories like table cutlery.

Recently retired to full time studio work after 20 years teaching art at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Bashorun’s philosophy is hinged on the power of numbers, which he expresses in his work through detail and repetition. He expertly uses nails, pegs, can tops and other

re-valued materials to reflect on Africa’s need to tap into its most important resource, its people, and focus on a knowledge-based economy.

“Most of my work addresses political issues and the power of numbers. Nigeria has over 150 million people.

I use repetition in my work to address this issue. We are wasting our power of numbers.

We need to harness and use the power of numbers for our own advantage”, Bashorun explains.

His exemplary career as an artist and teacher is marked by significant exhibitions held in the United States and Nigeria.

Some of his solo exhibitions include; Evolving in Discovery (2013) at Terra Kulture, Evolving through Waste (2014) and Evolving in 360 (2015) both at Omenka Gallery.

He also had some joint exhibitions, especially Evolving

‘Eastern Dragon’, 2014, Steel by Raqib Bashorun

Currents, which he jointly held with Chika Idu, a painter, from April 18-June 16, 2016. Explaining some of his works at the exhibition, Bashorun says: “My works are individually inspired by differently elements, mood and environment”.

In sculptures such as Eastern Dragon, Bashorun’s artistry comes to light in his use of heavy metal machine spare parts to create a dragon rearing its defiant head, blazing eyes fixed on its enemy while its mane of nails stands erect.

The artist was inspired by the ancient Chinese dragon, a sym-

bol of power and resilience, and Asia’s ability to harness and unleash its people to become a global force.

In Whistle Blower, Bashorun creates a hemisphere filled with thick intertwined metal chords protruding and seemingly growing out of a satellite shaped sphere. This sculpture symbolizes the inter-connectedness of life and complex digital communication while exposing and revealing secret innards.

Bashorun’s prevalent use of the Socratic method of teaching comes through in

his art as requires his audience to keep questioning. In Window Dressing, Bashorun makes fun of the flamboyant and materialistic “Eko for Show” spirit of Lagosians by creating a female form with dramatic and flashy headdress and ostentatious oversized jewelry made out of nails and metal scraps. With humour and deft symbolism Bashorun comments on society’s garish superficiality which is evolving but not progressing.

As well, in his latest exhibition at Omenka Gallery Ikoyi, Lagos tagged, ‘Realm of Freedom’, Bashorun displayed his recent and inspiring works.

The exhibition, which held from March 18-April 5, 2017, unveils the artist’s ability to effortlessly blend metal, wood and other found objects.

“This body of work was inspired by the thought of the common agitations we all share irrespective of race, tribe or nationality and the tsunami of hardships meted out to us”, Oliver Enwonwu, director, Omenka Gallery, says regarding Bashorun’s recent exhibition.

For Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, director, SMO Contemporary Art Lagos, ”Beyond the creative ingenuity Bashorun brings to bear in his art, the artist has spent the better part of his career teaching art and inspiring young talent to find their own expression, hence is experienced and mentor in his own right”.

Now 65, Bashorun believes he is yet to optimize his creative ingenuity, more aspiring and willing youths to mentor and more to give to the society through his art.

Major wins for BBNaija Housemates, as overall winner emerges today ...how the Top 5 Housemates emerged OBINNA EMELIKE

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t is only a few more hours until the curtains are drawn on the fifth edition of Big Brother Naija, and now more than ever, viewers are eager to know, which of the housemates will walk away with the N85 million grand prize, the biggest in the history of the show.

While the show has traditionally been a winner-takes-all affair, the organisers, MultiChoice Nigeria, have found a formula that enables most, if not all, housemates to leave the show a little richer than they were when they walked into the house.

Th e y h a v e d o n e t h i s through the mutually beneficial partnerships with brands who leverage the popularity of the platform to showcase their products and services through a variety of creative tasks and presentations that physically

and mentally challenge the housemates for a chance to win some mouth-watering prizes.

This season for instance, housemates like Ozo, Trikytee, Prince and Nengi won allexpense paid trips to Dubai courtesy of Pepsi. An excited Trikytee, who also won N1 million from the task alongside Ozo, exclaimed to everyone who cared to listen that the Dubai trip would be his first time out of the country.

Ozo won the Innoson task and got a brand-new car as a reward. Neo won N500,000 in the Indomie challenge while Kiddwaya and Dorathy’s presentation during the Oppo Photography task earned them N1 million and Oppo Reno 3 phones each.

Nengi and Laycon have raked in the highest wins with over N3 million each, while Trikytee, Ozo, Dorathy, Prince, Vee and Neo have won over N2m. These might look like a

drop in the ocean compared to what the winner of the show gets today, but they are big wins nonetheless and the housemates are very happy.

At today’s final show of the season, only one lucky person will win the N85 million grand prize, but no one really leaves the Big Brother house a loser, and that is the beauty of the show.

It is almost time, get closer to your TV set to partake in the highly anticipated final to cheer and rejoice with the winner.

The Top Five housemates

Right now, the struggle is between Dorathy, Laycon, Nengi, Neo and Vee. But the fans, who have cheered and supported with their votes, are now hoping for the best for their favourite housemate as voting has closed since Friday.

It would be recalled that on Sunday, July 19, 2020, Ebuka introduced viewers to 20 lockdown housemates in an opening show. The housemates had been in isolation for two weeks beforehand, and viewers got

weeks to fall in love with every one of them. One by one, fans and viewers said goodbye to 15 housemates leading up to the top five.

The goodbye was first said to the boss lady, Ka3na and the lover-girl, Lilo. Then viewers had to bid farewell to macho man Eric and everyone’s favourite Igbo brother, Tochi.

Then Biggie tried to calm us down with two weeks of single evictions where viewers said goodbye to the sweet Kaisha and the resident dance coach, Praise.

What came next was the first and only triple eviction where three were evicted in one night. Social media was ‘shook’, and nobody blamed them. Viewers had to say goodbye to their very own ‘Lord Baelish’, nobody saw Brighto leaving that quickly. Then the life of the party, Tolanibaj followed him, and she left with one of her closest friends in the house, Wathoni.

Perhaps the biggest and most controversial moment in the house came when the Sunday viewers said goodbye to Lucy. The fans also had to bid farewell to a housemate everyone was sure already had a ticket to the finals - Erica.

She was a fan favourite, but her anger and multiple infringements on house rules marked the end to her time in Biggie’s house. Big Brother disqualified her, and while most people saw it coming after her big blowout the night before, many people were still shocked. But the show went on.

All five of them, Dorathy, Laycon, Nengi, Neo and Vee have the fans to thank for getting them to this point. They have each shown their appreciation, as much as they can without getting into trouble.

But the game is not over until Biggie says it is over tonight.

Today, one of them will walk away with the ultimate prize.

Who it is going to be?

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Travel

‘We designed a hybrid meeting technology for events of large numbers in our hotels in line with social distancing’ Since joining the Radisson Hotel Group in 2018, JACO PRINSLOO has added more feathers in his cap. PRINSLOO, who is the general manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja, is bringing to bear over 17 years experience in the hospitality industry in running the Ikeja GRA-based hotel.

In this interview, the general manager speaks to OBINNA EMELIKE on his love for the Radisson brand, strategies against the pandemic, safety measures, and way forward for hotel business.

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an you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Jaco Prinsloo and I am the general manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja.

I joined Radisson Hotel Group on October 1, 2018 as a general manager. Throughout my career, I held numerous positions in the hospitality industry such as general manager, deputy general manager, rooms division manager, among other positions with numerous international hotel companies.

I chose to work for Radisson Hotel Group because of the wellstructured, well-organized and vast growing drive. I make every moment matter to our guests by making sure all expectations are exceeded during their stay. My service philosophy is to deliver exceptional customer service with a distinctive sense of purpose that connects customer’s lifestyle and further strengthens their loyalty to Radisson Hotel Group.

Amid the pandemic, how have you been able to manage the hotel and remain in business?

We have reduced our costs drastically to maintain what we have. We also did a salary cut across the board to make sure we are not losing any of our staff. It was a difficult couple of months but we see that business is beginning to return to the hotel.

How has the government policies on the international

guarantee guests’ safety?

From the entrance of the hotel, all guests and hotel staff must be wearing facemasks, a hand wash basin is mounted just by the entrance to ensure guests wash their hands before proceeding to the sanitizing unit and finally taking your temperature. All these are done before you are allowed entrance into the hotel. The rooms are sanitized, cleaned and fogged with a certain chemical with the approved disinfectants and procedures by the NCDC. Guests are on the other hand required to abide with all the hotel’s safety guides to ensure a safe stay in the property.

Jaco Prinsloo, general manager, Radisson Blu Hotel Lagos Ikeja travel procedure affected the hotel?

A lot of our guests are international travellers. Since the ban lift was announced, we still have a large number of travellers who are still unable to fly in because the quarantine period extends their stay period in the country and might not be feasible for their travel plans. Therefore, travel plans are kept on hold till maybe when it is more flexible and, of course, we understand that the government has to put measures in place to flatten the curve.

How many staff have you had to lay off due to the pandemic?

Thankfully we did not have

to lay off any staff due to the pandemic. We understand that the pandemic productivity has been slow and at a time, brought to a halt, but we have managed to retain all staff.

Have the mode of operations with the hotel staff changed since the global pandemic?

Definitely, we curated a new work plan for every staff so we can maintain appropriate social distancing within the hotel and stick to the government policy with all their checks and procedures.

What safety protocols have your hotel put in place to

Does this apply to other outlets of the hotel?

Absolutely. Same measures are used in every outlet in the hotel.

Have your hotel obtained any local or global accreditation to certify your reopening to the public?

The Radisson Hotel Group is in partnership with the SGS, a global safety certification group with the highest standards of safety protocols, to ensure that all the Radisson hotels get examined and enforce these measures if they are lacking. We have done and passed all their checks and standard operating procedures and we are yet to receive their actual visit, which will be in due time. Locally, we have had the government taskforce in charge of safety protocols and the NCDC have certified us

on meeting the required safety measure to be opened to the public.

What CSR plans does your hotel have in tune with the pandemic?

We have a series of community service in line with the hotels responsible business, because of the ongoing pandemic, we recently carried out a drive through breakfast for our frontline workers at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja. Our team drove to the hospital to give the medical workers a treat of fine dining and relaxation because they deserve it and it is what we are about. We look forward to other opportunities to impact the community with heart-warming activities that can ease the damage of this deadly virus.

What is the future of hospitality with Covid19 being a major threat?

With the world being a global village, technology has made things easier. One of the most effective ways to curb this virus is through social distancing, so we designed a hybrid meeting technology to carry out events and meetings of large numbers in the hotel without defiling the distance to be observed. Hospitality is a major industry and has a great effect in nation building, economically and in all aspects.

With the help of these technologies and strategic innovations, I know that COVID-19 will have a lesser impact on the hospitality sector.

Remembering Ignatius Atigbi; Mr. World Tourism Day Obinna Emelike

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f not for the toxic waste that was dumped in Koko some years ago, the international concern it raised and the health hazards it posed to the riverine community in Delta State, perhaps only a few from the area will know about the town.

The sleeping town is the birth place of late Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi, the only black person who was part of the team that drew what has today become a global tourism masterplan. His commitment and efforts at implementing the well-thought out plan to the last letter at a global level earned him high respect in the global tourism circle.

The late strategist is better known as Mr. World Tourism Day. He proposed the observance of September 27 of every year as World Tourism Day. At executive committee meeting

of the International Union of Official Travel Organization (IUOTO) held at Istanbul, Turkey in 1971, Atigbi as head of the Nigerian and African delegation to the meeting and then secretary general, Nigeria Tourist Association (NTA) and chairman of African Travel Commission, respectively stood to move a historic motion that the house should endorse the commemoration September 27 of every year as World Tourism Day. The motion was carried with unanimous votes and thus emerged the celebration of the annual World Tourism Day ceremony that has since been adopted by the then World Tourism Organisation (WTO), which replaced IUOTO, and now, the United Nations World Tourism organisation (UNWTO). Moving this motion was one of the sacred landmark contributions of Atigbi to international tourism.

On a visit to the UNWTO’s

Atigbi

headquarters in Madrid, Spain, his efforts speak for him and crown his journey into tourism with a legacy that this generation’s tourism aficionados, especially from his country Nigeria, are proud of.

The truth is that his prow-

ess in global tourism has not been matched by any other on the African continent. Atigbi’s many other caps in the tourism industry includes his role in Ankara, Turkey in 1975 as member of the crucial special Harmonization Committee convened to resolve thorny issues in the draft status of the emergent World Tourism organization (WTO), now United nations World Tourism organization (UNWTO). He was listed in two editions of “Who is who” in the world and was director of tourism in the Caribbean Islands of Barbados, St.Kitts and St. Vincent under the Commonwealth Technical Corp.

Though he died on December 22, 1998 and was buried in his home tow n, he still received accolades at death.

Few years back, the UNWTO intentionally moved the global celebration of World Tourism Day to Ghana, an African soil,

to honour the late tourism czar even in death.

Francesco Frangialli and Taleb Rifai, both former, secretary general, UNWTO, respectively, commended the much energy and contributions of the late Nigerian, noting that he more than deserve the post-modem honour received by the Federal Government on behalf of his family at the WTD celebration in Accra, Ghana.

“As we celebrate today, we should as well recognise the man who initiated the celebration worldwide of the phenomenon that is tourism”, Rifia said then.

However, Atigbi’s recognition is a wakeup call for everyone who has anything to contribute to local or international tourism development.

T h i s y e a r ’ s Wo r l d To u r ism Day is celebrated on the them e: Tou rism an d R ural Development.

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BDSUNDAY 25

SundayBusiness The fury of floods and food insecurity Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

W

hen in November 2008, the United Nation’s sponsored Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg , South Africa warned that within a few years Nigeria would be amongst the 14 countries listed as vulnerable to food insecurity; our political helmsmen took it with a pinch of salt. Back then, the more visible factors were the fast-spreading desert encroachment up North, moving southwards with the dangers of drought, the increasing havoc of gully erosions in the South East geopolitical zone, oil spillage and the attendant deleterious effects on fishing and farming in the South-South. Yet, more than a decade before, eminent environmentalexpertshadsimilarly raised the alarm that man would witness freaky and unpredictable

weather sooner than later. With the depleting ozone layer and the resultant increasing trapped heat within the atmosphere, ice will melt in the Arctic and more rainfall is to be expected.

Few thought that flood would engulf an unprepared nation and dealitshaplesscitizensadevastating blow. But now it is a clear and present danger. From Adamawa to Kogi State and several other parts of the country the ravaging floods are wreaking havoc, submerging homes and flushing away erstwhile fertile farmlands. Apart from the consequential health hazards, food insecurity will loom larger with a dark spectre to add to the global worry of harrowing hunger.

Shedding more light on this new challenge recently, the Minister of Environment Mrs. Hadiza Mailafia said: “The consequences of the flood is that there are huge losses to farmlands, there are likely threats to food insecurity. In the estimation of government, over 5,000 farmlands are washed away by ravaging floods across the country” Ye t , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e Director-General of the Nigerian Metrological Agency, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, some state governors had ignored the earlier warning given by NIMET. Specifically, on March 1, 2012 the Agency made public the Rainfall Prediction for the year. And it wrote to some state governors between August 3 and 6 that soil moisture had been saturated in those states and could therefore be subjected to flooding.

Only Lagos state took the necessary warning seriously by alerting the citizens. Those who did not take the necessary steps have paid dearly for

‘Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce Michigan will facilitate international trade’ …Imo urged to leverage relationship to grow economy SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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eter Anyanwu, a trained Economist and professor who has been in the field of academics for three decades, teaching economics, money, finance and international trade and a former vice chancellor in one of the Universities in Ghana, is now the pioneer president of the NigerianAmerican Chamber of Commerce, Michigan, USA. The essence of establishing the Chamber in Nigeria is to facilitate trade and economic activities and influence government policies and legislations so as to have free flow of international trade and transactions.

The president, who spoke to our Correspondent in Owerri, said the Nigerian volume of international trade is low because it is skewed against Nigeria because of some bottlenecks. He said that the rating on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria is low and advised that both the state and Federal Governments to improve on the Ease of Doing Business to attract foreign investments and that without foreign investments the economy will not grow.

“Economy is a circular flow, when you have capital you invest it and generate employment and other things, so the government needs to remove the basic impediments to

free flow of trade,” Anyanwu said.

He argued that the basic impediments to free flow of international business are lack of infrastructure and some government policies, “so they are obnoxious to trade which the government of today has put in place”.

On the impediments to international trade, he said: “Ordinarily, international trade should be free from impediments, there should not be any form of restrictions like high tariffs, or quotas or trade policies that are inimical; it should be an open trade to encourage people to transact business from both sides. I am asking the government to remove those policies that are encumbrances to trade, so that there can be free flow of trade.”

He argued that the principle of international trade is based on free flow of trade so that countries can have comparative advantage to choose trade where they have greater advantage over others so that there can be economies of scale derivable.

He informed that the NigerianAmerican Chamber of Commerce, Michigan is a bilateral Chamber between two nations, and in this case too, between two states, the State of Michigan and Imo State, which would “facilitate trade and conferences across the continent of Africa and especially Nigerian businessmen.

their act of negligence.

Let it be noted that the menace of flood has become a global phenomenon and challenge. From China through India to Indonesia, Malaysia, European countries and the United States flooding shoots its ugly head in the twinkle of an eye. The difference however, is that in those listed countries there are more pro-active mechanisms for stemming the tide of flood and more prompt and practical means on the part of their Emergency Management teams to assist the victims. But it is a far cry from that here in Nigeria. Now, a scary scenario of food insecurity looms at our doorstep. What is the way out of the murky flood waters?

Anuforom had advocated that a new policy framework for adopting weather and climate information for planning purposes and precautionary measures be taken seriously. Well said. Sharing of credible information has become a necessity. But more importantly is for governments to act quickly on the implementation of such information. For instance, the United Nation’s organ for climate change, World Metrological Organisation has since 2009 evolved a framework to drive the collaboration between NGOs and related agencies to disseminate information generated by metrological agencies.

I n d e e d , t h e Mi n i s t r y o f Economic Planning, as well as that of Agriculture and Water Resources has to collaborate in information sharing and implementation in this regard. Our farmers have to be made aware of the implications of climate change. The months of

planting and harvest have since shifted and they are supposed to know what to do. So has the requisite farming techniques including the right application of the best forms of fertilizers-both organic and chemical-and the use of fungicides and insecticides.

It is apparent that farmers need to have updated knowledge on the use of hybrid seedlings that are high yielding, early maturing, disease-resistant and free from health complications. Should we adopt biotechnology to increase farm yield, protect crops from different pests and even grow some in infertile soils? Now is the time to answer such pertinent questions.

In the light of this, much more effort is required with regards to easily adaptable food preservation methods for different farm produce in different parts of the country.

Yam and cassava tubers, onions, rice, maize, sorghum, tomatoes, potatoes, beans have their different preservative methods which the farmers have to know. Therefore, Nigeria needs more agric extension workerstodrivethisempowerment process down to the rural farmers.

That is why yours truly has been advocating that students studying agriculture and related fields at our tertiary institutions be made to enjoy scholarships.

With avoidable post-harvest food losses put at above 40 per cent in some parts of the country we have to build more silos. The rural roads have to be upgraded to make them accessible for transporting of the excess farm yields to the urban areas. Potable water supply is equally required in these areas. If this is done, it would

be advisable for several of our agroallied companies to be located close to the source of raw materials, at the rural areas. They would therefore, require stable power supply for the processing and preservation of their products. The overhead costs including that for security would be minimal.

This is the time for the mass media and other Civil Society Organisations to start asking questions on how the huge sums of money in hard currency sent by the donor agencies as well as ecological funds made available to state governments are utlised. It is in this same country that we have heard a former governor confess that he made the wrong application of such fund for his party’s campaigns instead of upgrading infrastructure to combat desert encroachment.

Another area of concern is the abysmally low budgetary allocation for the critical agriculture sector.

Ordinarily, it should not be less than 20 per cent. But few, if any state or previous Federal Government administration has earmarked up to that equivalent amount for the sector. Worse, is the deliberate delay in the release of such critical funds and the implementation of projects for which they are meant?

And it is sad that we do not base our responses to food shortages on empirical evidence from agric research institutes because they are grossly underfunded. We must learn from other countries.

Baje is Nigerian first Food Technologist in the media ayobaje@yahoo.co.uk; 07068638066

Gulf Treasures raises safety alarm over alleged unlawful depot closure by PTD

By Our Reporters

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ulf Treasures Limited, a member of Danco Group, has called on relevant stakeholders including security agencies to prevail on the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over the unlawful closure of its bulk petroleum product storage depot, cutting off supply to its 25 filling stations in different parts of the country.

The company said the closure of the depot currently stocked with millions of liters of petroleum motor spirit (PMS) and automotive gas oil (AGO) poses safety risk to the neighbourhood.

It also noted that the jobs of about 700 of its employees nationwide are being threatened by the incessant closureofitsoperationsbytheunion.

Gulf Treasures said the attention of relevant agencies have been drawn to the unlawful closure and the risk it poses but that no positive response has been received so far.

Anamero Dekeri, managing director,GulfTreasures,inastatement, said the company’s bulk petroleum storage depot, located in Apapa, has been shut since September 14, 2020, over a conflict arising from the imposition of executives its (the Company’s) drivers by the national leadership of the union According to him, the crisis started a few weeks ago following a

disagreement over the constitution of new executives of the branch of PTD at the depot. He alleged that the national leadership of the union, who had imposed their cronies on the company’s drivers for nine years, inaugurated a parallel executive committee at Ibadan, Oyo State.

The insistence of the parallel executive members in taking over the affairs of the union, he said, triggered a protest from the depot workers.

He stated that the union blocked both the entrance and the exit gates of the depot, insisting that the depot would not be allowed to operate, accept the “illegal executives are allowed to take charge of the affairs of the depot drivers as they have done in the past nine years”.

He argued: “In other depots, PTD leadership is composed of drivers of the depots. This has been the case except for a few investors who were attracted by the partial deregulation of the downstream industry in 2001, whoonlyinvestedinthebulkstorage terminal without any presence in the value chains like transportation.

Even at that, the Union excos at such depots are constituted amongst registered marketers’ employees.

“The union has been working at cross purposes with the company, subjectingourcustomerstoallforms of hardship, extortion and assaults, which particularly climaxed in December 2017 when two of the officers imposed by the Union, the Unit Chairman, Salami Kehinde together with the Treasurer, Oyekanmi Ishola, a teacher by profession without

any training or experience in tanker driving (both being respective candidates of the Zonal and the National Chairmen), ordered a customer to be beaten up for not paying an additional charge not previously known to our Depot or customers.

“This resulted in a protest by the drivers, disrupting social and commercial activities in the axis for the rest of that day. The cost of medical treatment of the maltreated customer was on our Company while the aggressors smiled away under the protection of the principal. Again, the Union locked our Depot for four days in 2017 (December 18 to 21). It took the intervention of the Department of State Services (DSS) for the Depot to be reopened after we had lost millions of naira.

“We wrote to all the security formations in Lagos for their intervention to call the excesses of the unionists to order, whereupon the Police Area Commander called a meetingon16thofSeptember2020, who, having listened to both parties, advised that the status quo remains pending the resolution of the crisis, which was mutually agreed.”

Dekeri further said: “We are, however, shocked that the union has still kept our organisation under a siege, preventing supplies to our outlets. It is most pathetic that the Area commander called the new 18 executives yesterday, only to get them locked up in Panti, Yaba Police CID, over trumped-up allegations, with a condition to relinquish their rights before they could be released.

26 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 27 September 2020

SundayBusiness Lessons for Nigeria on mortgage for first time home buyers

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rommanycountriesofthe world, including those in Africa where it is regarded as a big brother and an economic giant, Nigeria has one form of lesson or another to learn. And these lessons cut across various sectors and sub-sectors of the economy.

In housing and mortgage particularly, the country has a lot of gaps to bridge. If it is not talking about property registration, it is tinkering with alternative building techniques for mass housing. It is a whole lot of issues to contend with.

This is why the country differs from most of its peers.

Unlike Nigeria where first time home buyers who are predominantly low income earners do not have any kind of support from government to enable them to own homes, first time home buyers in the UK and others with small deposits draw attention from government.

While there were 66,704 mortgages approved during the month of September 2019, the market may have been affected by continued impact of the Bank of England’s base rate rise in August as there were fewer borrowers with large deposits.

According to the mortgage market monitor from residential

chartered surveyors e.surv, large deposit borrowers, defined as having a deposit of 60 percent or more, accounted for 30 percent of the market, lower than the 32.5 percent recorded in August and the 33.8 percent seen in July.

In Nigeria, none of the built environment professionals, not even the estate surveyors and valuers, keep record of mortgage transactions in the country and, again, because mortgage transactions are in fits and starts, nobody cares to know who takes mortgage loans and from who.

The primary mortgage banks (PMBs) are challenged in so many fronts, especially with low capital base, low clientele base, nonperforming loans and low housing stock on which mortgages could be provided. They hardly lend to home seekers and the few that do make impossible demands from borrowers.

But in the UK, small deposit borrowers saw a growth in market share month-on-month from 22.8 percent to 24.2 percent between August and September. Meanwhile, mid-market borrowers also saw an increase in market share to 45.8 percent of the overall market, compared to 44.7 percent the previous month.

Propertywire, an online residential property platform, quotes Richard Sexton, director at e.surv, as saying that September was the first month many home owners would have received their new, higher mortgage bills if they are on a standard variable rate (SVR).

“But first time buyers were not affected by such matters, and there was a strong increase in the proportion of the market occupied by these borrowers. Young buyers may have been helped onto the ladder by the fact that house price growth has slowed across many areas of the country.

“Lower prices mean that wouldbe buyers can achieve their dream of home ownership much sooner, and this appears to have been borne out by these figures,” Sexton said.

“With existing home owners trapped on expensive standard variable rates (SVRs) now feeling the cost of higher mortgage rates, the remortgage market cannot be under-estimated and activity was up compared to last month and September 2017,” he explained, adding, “despite the rate rise, new mortgage borrowing is still very competitive and home owners will continue to be tempted by cheap fixed rates.

This will protect them against future base rate rises.”

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) When broken down on a regional basis, the figures show that every part of the UK saw a smaller proportion of loans given to large deposit borrowers than a month ago. London continued to be the market most dominated by these borrowers with 40.5 percent of all loans going to this segment of the market.

Close behind was the South East on 37 percent and then the South and South Wales on 32.7 percent.

In contrast, some 20.3 percent in Yorkshire had a large deposit. This was ahead of the North West and the Midlands, which both saw 24 percent in the month.

Four regions, Northern Ireland, the North West, the Midlands and Yorkshire, saw a greater number of loans go to small deposit borrowers than their large deposit counterparts. In Yorkshire, some 33.5 percent of loans were to first time buyers and others with small deposits.

Elsewhere, in the North West some 30.4 percent of all loans went to this part of the market while, in Northern Ireland, this ratio was 28.9 percent. The final region to have more small deposit borrowers than those with large deposits was the Midlands, with 28 percent of loans going to the former category.

London, once again, was the market with the fewest small deposit buyers. Just 13.8 percent of all loans went to this part of the market during September, ahead of the South East at 19.4 percent.

“Every single region reflected the national trend and saw a greater number of smaller deposit borrowers, while those with larger amounts of equity were squeezed.

Those with small deposits in London and the South East still face a much harder time than those in the north and Northern Ireland. However, the slowdown in the capital will help more to get onto the ladder in future months,’ Sexton hoped.

Why we introduced proficiency test into skills programme - Delta HealthPlus poised for new capital

amid unrivalled growth opportunities

...Says, ‘those who fail test repeat same at own cost to qualify for starter packs’ Mercy Enoch, Asaba

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elta State Job and Wealth Creation Office has said it introduced Post-Training Proficiency Test (PTPT) into its Skills Training Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) to ensure that only those who effectively participated in the vocational training and successfully passed the proficiency test were qualified for establishment with starter packs.

Those who failed the tests were however, meant to

repeat same at their own cost in order to qualify for the starter packs.

The Chief Job Creation Officer of the state, Eboh Eric, a professor, made the disclosure in Asaba during a one-day Entrepreneurship and Business Management Training (EBMT) organised for the third batch of the STEP beneficiaries of the 2019/2020 Cycle.

The training was attended by 68 beneficiaries who have successfully completed their vocational training in their choice skills and have also successfully passed the PTPT. He said that the 68

beneficiarieswere those who graduated in Cosmetology, Decoration and Event Management, Fashion and Textile Design, Hair Dressing, Makeover and Braiding, Information Technology Services, Plumbing, Welding and Fabrication.

Eboh, who was represented by the STEP C o o r d i n a t o r, On y e u s i Nkenchor, congratulated them on the successful completion of their trainings and emphasised that it was mandatory they underwent PTPT before the training in entrepreneurship and business management.

A cross section of Delta Job Creation beneficiaries during their training, recently.

He also disclosed that so far a total of 291 STEP beneficiaries who were successful in the PTPT have gone through the EBMT in the 2019/2020 Programme Cycle with 114 in the first batch, 109 in the second and 68 in the third batch, adding that other beneficiaries whose trainings are of a longer time are still in their training centres.

He pointed out that some of them ought to have received their starter packs but are still undergoing EMBT because they failed the first PTPT organised for them and had to retrain themselves at their own cost to qualify even as he expressed gratitude to the state government for giving them a second chance.

He reminded them that the EMBT underscores the business and management elements in the job creation programme, stating that it was the last part of the training programme before they would be certified for establishment with starter packs.

He harped on the need for them to learn how to manage their businesses and to learn tips on effective entrepreneurship in order to compete favourably well with those who have been in business before them.

… Welcomes chief transformation officer BUNMI BAILEY

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eading healthcare and consumer private equity firm Alta Semper Capital, which controls the majority shareholding in HealthPlus Limited, has simultaneously announced its continued commitment to the company and desire to inject fresh capital to accelerate growth and utilise emerging opportunities in global healthcare.

Following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, HealthPlus’ strong brand, diverse product mix and wide footprint uniquely position the business to be on the forefront of supply chain innovation and strategic expansion.

To this effect, Chidi Okoro has joined the leading West African pharmaceutical chain HealthPlus Limited on secondment as incoming chief transformation officer (CTO). Okoro’s mission is to optimise the day-to-day management and elevate the business to novel scale and profitability. The founder of the company Bukky George continues to be a director and a shareholder.

Okoro said: “I would like

to recognise HealthPlus’ role in spearheading the evolution of modern pharmacies across Nigeria and scaling retail capabilities in the industry overall. I am incredibly excited to now have the opportunity and the resources to take the platform to the next level, at a time of unrivalled opportunity for the sector. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to achieve even greater things in the future.”

Okoro is a licensed pharmacist and management executive with over 30 years of multinational and multi-sector experience, spanning leadership roles in pharmaceuticals, personal care, food, and telecommunications.

Fo u n d e d i n 1 9 9 9 , HealthPlus as Nigeria’s first integrated pharmacy platform and the largest and fastest-growing pharmacy chain in West Africa. It operates over 70 retail pharmacy and beauty care locations and is the largest private employer of pharmacists in Nigeria. Its extensive product portfolio i n c l u d e s Pr e s c r i p t i o n Only-Medicines, Over-theCounter Medications, and personal care items, with a strong emphasis on local procurement and an active drive for community building.

Sunday 27 September 2020

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BDSUNDAY 27

SundayBusiness ‘China not pursuing debt trap diplomacy against Africa’ Nzelu: Building business Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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n the last five months especially at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, some analysts have expressed concerns about China’s investments and infrastructure developments in Africa especially loans for development of critical infrastructure in Africa (Nigeria inclusive) and other parts of the world.

The alarm was raised in some quarters that China has embarked on “debt trap diplomacy” to allegedly enslave Africa with loans.

The proponents of this theory especially from the Western flank accuse China of deliberately foisting on African countries loans it knew the countries will not be able to pay when the due time comes, and therefore has perfected plots to hold the nations to ransom by seizing the assets.

This theory has quickly taken hold in Western policymaking circles – particularly in the US. US Vice-President Mike Pence, for example, criticised China in October 2018 for “using debt-trap diplomacy in Sri Lanka to establish a forward military base for China’s growing blue-water navy”.

In Nigeria some experts are have also expressed concerns. A public affairs analyst, who does not want his name on print, once said “the Nigerian government is busy piling up debts through a succession of loans from China in a manner not open to the Nigerian public. While the loans are not necessarily a bad idea, the conditions

Zhou Pingjian, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria

and the repayment package have to be subjected to public scrutiny. Right now the Nigerian government has not done much of that.”

Bu t Ch i n a t h r o u g h its President Xi Jingpin has made it clear that China’s history is replete with brutal experience of colonial conquest and subjugation by foreign powers with the attendant humiliation. President Xi has said further that China and Africa are classic victims of this experience and both sides understood the need for cooperation for mutual benefits. That is why China has worked out a co-prosperity agenda as a core principle of the Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI) to share its experience and technology to drive investment and financial commitment across Africa for equitable benefits.

In the same vein, two authors -Lee Jones, Reader

in International Politics, Queen Mary University of London and Shahar Hameiri, Associate Professor of International Politics, University of Queensland, during a recent presentation at the Chatham House also debunked this anti- China sentiment.

Th e y p o s i t e d t h a t while it is apt to scrutinize the involvement of China in critical infrastructure developments as tied to loans, what the detractors failed to understand or rather misinterpret, was the intention of the Chinese Loans as sought after by most African countries.

These allegations, the authors said, are flagrant misinformation peddled by those, who are increasingly disturbed by the growing influence of China in Africa and the willingness of African countries to open their doors to China, which has proved to be a dependable ally of Africa

at the most crucial times, especially with the launch of the Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI) in 2013.

The experts also faulted the perception that the Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI) is a geopolitical strategy by Beijing to create a new, Sinocentric order in Eurasia or even across the entire world.

Such views, the two authors said, are mistaken for a number of reasons. “First, the BRI is primarily an economic project; second, China’s development financing system is too fragmented and poorly coordinated to pursue detailed strategic objectives, notwithstanding leaders and central agencies’ efforts at loosely guiding the BRI’s broad direction; and, third, Chinese development financing is heavily recipientdriven.

“China cannot and does not dictate unilaterally what is built in the name of the BRI. Developingcountry governments are not hapless victims of a predatory Beijing ; they – and their associated political and economic interests – determine the nature of BRI projects on their territory. Far from unfolding according to a Chinese strategic blueprint, the BRI is actually being built piecemeal, through diverse bilateral interactions.

“Sri Lanka and Malaysia are the two most widely cited ‘victims’ of debt-trap diplomacy. In reality, the most controversial projects in these states were initiated not by China but by the recipient governments, in pursuit of their own domestic agendas.

through innovative mindset

SEYI JOHN SALAU

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any Nigerians i n t h e Diaspora are contributing positively not just to the countries they are resident in but are also deeply involved in transforming the organisations they are working for.

This category of Nigerians is in the majority. A testimony to that is the recent recognition of Chinedum Nzelu, the head of Macro e-Commerce at JP Morgan, as one of the 100 people transforming business in Europe; also named as the Business Inside Transformer

by The Business Insider.

With this award, he joins the rank of Nigerians in the Diaspora that have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.

Born in Lagos, Nzelu attended Federal Go v e r n m e n t C o l l e g e , Ijanikin, Lagos. Thereafter, he proceeded to the United Kingdom, where he obtained his first and second degrees in Engineering and Computer Science in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

His journey to stardom started 15 years ago when he joined JP Morgan. His desire was to help the company to greater heights and has not looked back since; as he has been instrumental to the creation and implementation of several innovative ideas, helping in positioning the institution in the forefront of the banking industry in Europe.

With his current task of overseeing the development of electronic trading algorithms for foreign exchange, commodities and interest rates, he has continued to contribute positively to the banking sector globally.

This is no mean feat, because JP Morgan is wellknown for its excellence and professionalism, when it comes to electronic trading in the fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC) asset class.

Leading all of this is Nzelu, who, through his wealth of experience in the industry,

Chinedum Nzelu

has helped in establishing the needed infrastructure and strategies to broaden the client base, strategise for the future and boost the bank’s fortunes.

With his innovative ideas and projections, he has helped in building one of the largest institutional currency trading franchises through automation.

He also drives the execution component of the firm wide digital markets strategy. Together with his colleagues in the other sections that make up the winning team, JP Morgan has been taking giant strides.

LG receives AHRI performance award for third consecutive year

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G Electronics (LG) was recently recognised by Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) with the Performance Award for the third straight year, with all 73 tested models passing the performance evaluation.

The Performance Award is regarded to be an accolade that is difficult to accomplish as all products from each category randomly selected

by AHRI must pass the performance test for three consecutive years. LG received this award for the first time in 2017 after passing the test each year since 2015.

From 2017 to 2019, a total of 73 models of LG’s air conditioning systems representing seven product categories were tested and passed the evaluation They include Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF), Packaged Terminal Air-Conditioner (PTAC), Packaged Terminal

Heat Pumps (PTHP), Unitary Small Air-Conditioner Equipment (VMAC), Unitary Small Heat Pump Equipment (VMHP), Water–Cooled Water–Chilling and Heat Pump Water–Heating Packages Using the Vapor Compression Cycle (WCCL), and Air-Cooled Water-Chilling Packages (ACCL).

AHRI randomly selects a minimum of 20 percent of all products from each category for annual testing. The institute then sends test samples to Intertek, a leading standard certification authority and an independent third-party laboratory accredited by AHRI, to verify whether the products perform in accordance with the specifications.

AHRI, a trade association founded in 1953, represents manufacturers of HVACR and water heating equipment around the globe with more than 350 member companies. The association is

well-known for conducting a stringent performance evaluation, instilling consumer confidence.

Among the award-winning products, Multi V is LG’s flagship large-capacity outdoor unit. Its Ultimate Inverter Compressor, originally developed by LG, enables advanced performance and energy efficiency, making

the product stand out in the commercial air-conditioning market. It exhibits excellent heating performance under extreme conditions of minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit), which explains its popularity especially in North America where temperature drops to a very low level in winter.

Multi V, a flagship small-

and-medium-capacity unit, is for residence use. A single outdoor unit can be connected to up to 16 indoor units, which makes it suitable for even large residential areas. Indoor units are provided in various types from a wall-mounted configuration, a ceiling cassette to a duct-type so that customers can make choices they want.

PTAC, another certified product, is a single, self-contained unit frequently used at hotels. LG’s PTAC units boast exceptional durability, applied with special coating technology aimed to prevent corrosion of heat exchanger.

LG’s footprint in the North American air conditioning market has been growing for 11 consecutive years based on the company’s outstanding technology competence.

As of last year, sales of LG’s Air Solution Business Unit more than doubled compared to five years ago.

“LG, as a total HVAC & energy solutions provider enriching nature and human life, will further strengthen competitiveness in the global market based on advanced performance and distinctive technology,” said Lee Kamgyu, executive vice president of Air Solution Business Unit at LG’s Home Appliance and Air Solution.

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Sunday 27 September 2020

Investigation

Inside Kano’s coronavirus scheme …Old order still the way of life in the ancient city

Kano State government shut down two of its three isolation centres long beforemid-July. The remaining centre discharged its last Covid-19 patient on July 25.However, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been churning outnumbers of Covid-19 cases in the state since July 25, even though nobody knowswhere the patients are kept. Also, daily death estimates in Kano by the NCDCcontradicts a statement made by Health Minister on ‘mystery deaths’ in thestate. Our investigative journalist, Temitayo Ayetoto raisesmore puzzles on the management of infected patients in Kano after spending overa week investigating Covid-19 cases in the state.

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t10:34 am on July 27, I arrived at Yusuf Maitama Sule University Te a c h i n g Ho s p i t a l (YMSUTH), welcomed by a wave of tender breeze and unfolding promise ofa sunlit day.

It was the medical community hosting the Covid-19 fightin Kano.

The Diagnostic Centre and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control satwithin it.

Mycuriosity about empty isolation wards in the middle of rising cases ofinfection prompted me to schedule an appointment with a man critical to themanagement of the pandemic in the state. I was going to hear from the horse’smouth.

For a state where late detection of the novel coronavirus led to thedeath of almost 1,000 people, at the rate of 43 per day, doing that was verysignificant. Since April, healthcare workers had been turning into patients.The dire lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) was highly pronounced.Fear was king.

Aday before my arrival, July 26, Kano had ranked second after Lagos with 65freshly confirmed cases among the raft of states rocked by the virus inNigeria. That figure brought the total active cases to 262, according to theNigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) general fact sheet dated July 26.

TheNCDC is in charge of the management of the virus in Nigeria. New casesconfirmed on July 25 were just three; five on July 23rd; 17 on July 22nd;12 on 21st, and 16 on 20th.

On July 27 itself, nine new cases were reported.

Butthe silence and scantiness that ushered me in, on that Monday morning, wasoddly loud and disquieting. The gatekeepers were unbothered about me notwearing a face mask, let alone worry about temperature check or hand washing.For them, life was normal.

Thefurther I moved the quieter it became. ‘What has happened to the pacing feet ofhealthcare workers?’ ‘Where are the relatives of coronavirus patients beingtreated waiting?’ I asked rhetorically.

Icalled my interpreter, but he was more than 40 minutes away. It was anopportunity to close in on offices linked to the main reception without aninvitation. As I approached the main lobby, I finally met two workers, probablyreceptionists or secretaries. With an exchange of ‘Ina Kwana’, a pleasantrymeaning ‘good morning’ in Hausa language and the excuse of waiting for ourhost, I was in a dark dusty room

Waiting Relatives outside Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano City, Kano.

where I must not be caught. My interpretersoon joined me. It was full of old files. My colleague, who was essentiallyassisting with interpretation from Hausa to English and viceversa, manned thedoor, attentive to external movements. Quickly, I scanned through severalfiles. Some of the patients’ prognoses were suggestive of Covid-19 symptoms.

Iwas aiming for more when my interpreter whispered ‘switch off your torchlight.’I then knew that someone was approaching. But by the time she neared us, wewere out of the file room, wearing a ‘welost-our-way’ look. And just when wethought we were composed enough for any shock, we bumped into her right at thedoor linking the reception. Her shock was apparently more, which gave us roomto regain composure.

“Ijust came in here and there was no one here,” she said, smilingly in Hausa. Weretorted with matching smiles, repressing the fear that she might suspect us.But there was no cause for alarm.

Encouraged,we began to sniff again, aiming to identify the main isolation ward wherecoronavirus patients were being managed. In Kano, the management of Covid19was assigned to three centres which were YMSUTH, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospitaland Muham-

madu Buhari General Hospital. We found earlier that two had been shutdown. One was left and we were going to find it. Directions from two securityofficers and another receptionist in the estate were useful in leading us.

Inno time, we were before a detached bungalow, apparently empty. The main glassdoors were shut. Five middle-aged men in native tops and trousers and handmadecaps sat closely as they raised their voices from unmasked mouths in a casualgist.

Althoughour presence was quite interrupting, it took the effort of some rounds ofgreetings in Hausa to secure their attention.

We intimated them of aiming tosee Anifowose Abdullahi, medical director, Yusuf Maitama University TeachingHospital Kwanar Dawaki Isolation Centre.

Butto our confusion, they generously told us activities were dead in the ward forover a week. Quickly, one of them offered to lead us to the office of Abdullahiwho had just arrived. Inless than a minute, we were face to face with him. His speech was prepared andbrief. “There is nothing I can tell you. Any information I will give to you isofficial information. It is correct and you will not get it from any othersource.”

Butwe weren’t going to give up.

Relatives of patients gathered closely in front of female ward of Aminu Kano Teaching Hosptal.

My interpreter swung into action with some Hausaexplanations while I emphasised that we came in peace. Only then did he give ussome hints.

“Wedischarged our last patient with a severe case two weeks ago or last week,” hesaid. “But then, the other hospitals (Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and MuhammaduBuhari General Hospital) had patients up till Saturday (July 25) who were notsevere. Here is the only centre yet to be shut and we don’t allow asymptomaticcases here, except moderate and severe cases to avoid wasting the facilitieshere,” he explained.

“Thereis no patient in this hospital now. We used to have three Covid-19 treatmentfacilities, but now we are rounding off because the numbers are reducing. Andmost of the cases are asymptomatic. We are looking at some other ways ofmanagement. For now we are wrapping up the response and the two otherfacilities. So, this is the only facility that remains open.”

Itwas not clear where 65 persons confirmed to be infected the day before werebeing managed. It was not clear whether they were a mix of severe and mild or afull group of mild or a full group of severe cases. Were they all asymptomatic?

Anotherpuzzle which no one has resolved in Kano is the number of Covid-19-relateddeaths.

The total number of coronavirus deaths in Kano as of September 16 was54, according to the NCDC, but a mystery death had claimed 999 in the statebetween April and July. The state government had earlier in April attributed itto meningitis,hypertension, diabetes, and malaria. However, Osagie Ehanire,minister of health, had responded in June that 50-60 percent of those deathswere caused by Covid-19. Fifty percent of the total deaths amounts to 500people. The question is, why did NCDC claim

that Kano had only 54 deaths as ofSeptember 16?

Asymptomaticpatients do not show symptoms, but they are not immune from infecting others.

Withgreater caution, I asked Abdullahi if he was aware that new cases as many as 65had been confirmed in the state the day before, but he wasn’t aware. Theinformation was new to him and the only answer he could give for thatpossibility was that while some patients were managed at the dedicated centres,others simply refused to be admitted because of stigmatisation.

“Sofor these numbers that you are quoting, there’s a law that allows thegovernment to prevent anyone from constituting public health threat. Ifthey have severe cases, they bring them here,” he said.

However,an insider said that the mild cases were being sent home with the hope thatthey would recover later. Scientists have warned that those patients needadequate care to avoid getting worse or spreading the virus. But nobody caresin Kano.

Eventhough there are talks of flattening the curve in Nigeria, the country’stesting is low. Nigeria has carried out only 482, 321 tests between late Marchand September 16 this year, as against South Africa’s 3.92 million tests as ofSeptember 14. InKano, other isolation wards handling mild cases were shut. The only wardmanaging severe cases couldn’t account for at least one severe case in a statewhere 65 cases had just been confirmed. And there is no effort to supervise themanagement of mild cases at their homes.

Thisis just one of several factors prompting the public to express doubt oneveryday coronavirus numbers emanating from Kano, one of Nigeria’s most populatedstates.

The state last reported one case on September 7.

Morethan N500million has been contributed by individuals in a bid to fight thevirus in the state. Aminu Alhassan Dantata, a billionaire, made a donation of N300million.

The United Bank for Africa donated N28.5 million.

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote donated a 500-bedisolation centre, situated inside the playing turf of the Sani Abacha Stadium,while two Kano-based businessmen, Abba Sumaila and Abubakar Dalhatu, chairmanAlAmsad Group, donated 500 sacks of spaghetti and N5million, respectively tothe state fund.

“So with no one in isolation camps in the middle of a pandemic,on what item is the

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Investigation

Accident and Emergency Department, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

money donated being spent?” an academic, who refused togive his name because of the sensitivity of the matter, said.

Effortswere made to reach Tijani Hussaini, Kano State incident manager for the virus,to explain the puzzles, but he could not be reached by phone and after visitsto his office. Accordingto data gathered from files found in the dark room earlier, Amina Sani, 50, hada case diagnosed as chronic dry cough due to an exposure to the virus. Itwas similar for Ahmed Mukuthar, 43, who had a case of dry cough. He had a leftsoiled chest pain associated with breathlessness.

Meanwhileat the Murtala Mohamed Specialist Hospital where isolation ward was nowextinct, the scene was a dangerous one where possibly infected persons mixedfreely with uninfected persons.

Interactionsbetween health care workers and patients were as though the coronavirus hadceased to exist in that clime.

Worsewere droves of friends and relatives, mostly women, who swarmed the waitingarena of the hospital in a feast-like fashion. They sat in clusters on brightlypatterned mats, chattering, eating with their bare hands from same plates asthey breastfed crying infants in some instances.

Thesolidarity wait in a hospital premises during a pandemic signalled much of theheld belief that the virus is a concocted concept.

Whilethey worried about the medical condition of their loved ones lying in wards,they left not even a pinch of consideration for their personal protectionagainst the rampaging disease that had sent more than 1,000 people in Nigeriato their early graves.

Abdullahi,quoted earlier, was sure that the ‘old normal’ of people sitting in clusters oreating together in close distance couldn’t continue.

“Itis not advisable at all to remove protective protocols. People still have tomaintain social distancing and use face masks and wash hands regularly. We haveto see how we can adjust our day-to-day lives to maintain those protocolsbecause we don’t yet know the nature of the disease. We are still tryingto understand whether people can be re-infected,” he explained.

Withpandemics, mutations occur in the form of change in appearance of geneticdeterminants.

An individual infected with a type in stage A, for instance, canbe reinfected in stage B. Reportsof re-infection have already emerged in Hong Kong,

Europe and the UnitedStates.

A33-year-old man suffered a second bout of infection more than four months afterhis first attack, researchers in Hong Kong found.

Hisfirst encounter didn’t provide him enough immunity to wade off a second attack,strongly backing the possibility of a second wave.

Anotherpatient, 25, was confirmed with the first coronavirus reinfection involvingsevere symptoms. Peoplewho do not have symptoms may still spread the virus to others.

Regrettably,the healthcare workers at Muhammadu Buhari General Hospital were spending theirown money buying PPE essential to the discharge of their duties because thegovernment did not think PPE was important, according to one health worker whopleaded anonymity. Inseveral instances, patients simply had to shoulder the cost of PPE before anyprocedure could be performed on them, it was learnt.

AbubakarSanni was combing the hospital for the drugs with his bleeding wife when Ifound him grousing bitterly about what he termed ‘a ridiculous list ofmedicines’ given to him, and the overwhelming flow of patients seeking carefrom hospital rooms with fewer doctors and nurses. He spoke in Hausa.

Myinterpreter made the engagement easier by interacting with him in Hausa. A raftof issues was infuriating him. Cases coming from the outskirts of Kanocomplicated the congestion. In terms of cost, alternatives such as MuhammaduBuhari Giginyu Hospital and Isyaka Rabiu Hospital were now off limits for thepoor and lower middle-class, including a local government civil servant likehimself.

Topof his worry however, was that with coronavirus in the picture, hisout-of-pocket burden had soared. Hiswife, Maryam, 36, had suddenly begun to bleed three months into pregnancy, asituation that pushed her into clinical emergency. But rather than being placedon a bed rest immediately, she had to scamper round the hospital alongside herhusband in a bid to gain a doctor’s attention.

Thelist Sanni complained about required his wife to get an ultra sound scanningand be placed under progressive care unit (PCU).

She was to buy three sets ofsuccinylcholine chloride (SCC) syringes, three sets of surgical gloves, twosets of Canular pink and some injections. “Thereare enough primary healthcare centres, but Kano

Abubakar Sanni

needs more general hospitals.Government should employ qualified doctors that will look after the healthsituation of patients,” Sanni said in frustration.

“Thereare myriad of challenges bedevilling the healthcare system of Kano. Nepotism isalso part of what is causing backwardness, pushing patients who do not know adoctor personally into frustration,” he further said.

“Mostdoctors in government hospitals delay in checking patients and, to some extent,harass us.

It’s worse when a patient needs surgery. Most of these doctors haveagents that direct patients to their private hospitals. It is so hard to find adoctor in the hospital but very easy to find the same doctors in the privatehospitals they refer patients to.”

Atthe Amino Kano Hospital, strict measures were in place to curb the spread ofthe virus but it didn’t translate into relief for Hadiza, a young mother whorushed her infant from the outskirts of Kano to the teaching hospital.

Shethought the son would be rescued but hopes got slimmer when she realised thatshe had to raise N45, 000, on one hand, for a surgery to solve the obstructionof her baby’s abdomen and about N15, 000 for PPE needed during the surgery.

Shemade a living from selling ‘Kulikuli’, a local snack, while her husband was a casualworker.

Atthe point we met, she had spent N10, 000 at the hospital but was also goingthrough pregnancy pains. She,her mum and in-laws were heading back home with two options: seek traditionalmedicine intervention or watch the baby’s condition worsen.

Onmy third day, I gained access to the adult female ward under the guise ofworking for an international organisation that donates PPEs to hospitals. Iengaged a store keeper who happened to be excited at my mere mention of PPEs. “Forabout three weeks, we have been experiencing shortage of PPE. Patients arebeing directed to buy PPE for themselves. It is now a law (unwritten) in ourhospital that if a patient needs operation, facemasks and hand gloves must beprovided by the patients for doctors before commencement of any operation,” sheconfirmed to my colleague interpreter in Hausa.

Thehospital basically relies on grants and donations which come in insufficientamount occasionally, and sometimes with fanfare when it is some governmentparastatal donating. Althoughthe curve appears to be flattening across the country and new researches arebeginning to indicate that human immune system cells are learning coronavirusso they can fight it off again, continued community spread has shown that theold order cannot be resumed. But in Kano, old order is still the way of life.

RosemaryAudu, head of virology, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), told BDSUNDAYthat poor compliance with hygiene precautions has continued to drive communitytransmission.

Thepandemic has the ability to produce fatalities, especially for individuals withunderlying health problems. Meanwhile, 46 percent of 54, 587 confirmed casesare youths between 21 and 40. So far, Nigeria has only been able to test the417, 398 samples as of 3rd September. And Kano has 1,727 of totalcases confirmed.

Analyststhink it will require a holistic approach for the government

A mother leaving Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital because she can’t afford surgery fee .

to get it rightwith the health system and raise the quality to such that all can access. Thegovernment, they say, must increase health funding and ensure budgetaryallocations translate into better health infrastructures. Therecent strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has,again, proved that Nigeria may be far from a future where neglect of thehealthcare sector needs would be over.

Itis the second time during the coronavirus pandemic that doctors have picketedgovernment offices for failure to honour demands including the implementationof residency funding, Covid-19 allowance, payment of hazard allowance and theoutstanding salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Itis equally the second glaring opportunity that the Federal Government hassquandered to demonstrate an unreserved commitment to prioritise its healthcaresector by boosting the morale of its fighters in a fight against a pandemic.

Worldwide,health systems where essential workers are owed salaries, allowances and lackthe improved equipment to deliver quality results in their jobs naturally losetalents to climes where these demands are aggressively protected.

SaudiArabia is luring Nigerian doctors with $4,500 (over N2m) per month as salarycompared with N100, 000 to N200,000 received by most doctors in the country.

Atleast, 7,875 Nigerian doctors are practising in the United Kingdom currently,according to the UK’s General Medical Council while 4,000 ply their trade inthe United States of America.

Morethan 20,000 Nigerian doctors currently work outside the country just as 80percent of those working in the country are aggressively chasing exit options,a recent NOI Polls survey revealed.

Estimatesshow that it has one doctor to 6,000 people, as against WHO’s recommendation ofone to 600 people.

Anotherpoll citing the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) reports that thereare about 72,000 nationally-registered Nigerian doctors, with only 35,000practising in-country. Estimates say there is a deficit of over 260,000 doctorsin Nigeria and a minimum of 10,605 new doctors need to be recruited annually tomeet global targets.

AbasiEne-Obong, chief executive of 54GENE, a health technology company focused ongenomics, said Nigeria needs to demonstrate healthcare as a priority.

“Wekeep looking at foreign investments as the saviour for healthcare, but goodpolicy can also increase healthcare financing. It doesn’t have to be onlyinvestments, it could be the fact that more people can pay for or that healthinsurance is rejuvenated in the country and made in a way that people haveaccess to it,” Ene-Obong told BDSUNDAY. “Whenthere is financing in the healthcare space, it will fund the healthcareimprovement organically. We need to be looking at ways of increasing financingfrom within as well as ways to attract investment from outside,” Ene-Obongsaid.

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Health&Science

Why Africa needs to collaborate more than ever in cancer control efforts ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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he proportion of the overall disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa attributable to cancer is rising. The region is predicted to have a greater than 85 percent increase in cancer burden by 2030.

A strategic approach to cancer control in sub-Saharan Africa is needed to build on what works there and what is unique to the region. It should ideally be situated within strong, robust, and sustainable healthcare systems that offer quality health care to all people, irrespective of their social or economic standing.

In 2018, there were over 752,000, new cases of cancer, and an estimated 506,000 deaths, which is 4 percent of the global cancer total to our population. Nigeria is a major contributor to the cancer burden in Africa with over 100,000 cases and more than 70,000 deaths.

However, to achieve this will need new leadership, critical thinking, investment, and understanding.

“The world has made significant progress in disease prevention and treatment; however, the benefits of this progress are not equitably distributed. The same is true

for cancer diagnosis, prevention, treatment, palliative care, and control,” said Osagie Ehanire, minister of Health at the webinar of the African cancer CEO’s forum with the theme, ‘The State of Cancer Control Amidst Covid-19’ held last Thursday.

Ehanire said oncologists are now using scientific innovations like immunotherapy to target cancer, stop or slow the growth of cancerous cells.

“We have also seen other innovations like gene therapy, radiomics, thermal ablation of tumours and many others across the world. Countries like the United States have averted millions of deaths as a result of advances in cancer treatment and care.

“Over 50 percent of cancer diagnoses in many African

countries are related to infections and largely preventable.

Cancer incidence and mortality are increasing in Africa, as more people are dying undiagnosed, there is limited access to data to know the accurate magnitude of cancer burden in our continent, national cancer screening is still at a rudimentary stage, while many parts of the world are targeting at eliminating preventable cancer like cervical cancer by 2030/35,” he said.

According to the minister of Health, 80 percent of Africa- a continent of 1.3 billion people is yet to have access to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Cervical cancer is one of the starkest examples of global inequity in health and health injustice meted on women and girls living in the

world’s most vulnerable communities.

“Clearly, Africa needs to collaborate more than ever in her cancer control efforts. In Nigeria, the Federal Government has committed to the introduction of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine into the routine immunization schedule by the first quarter of 2021.

“We will budget for it and match our words with action.

Nigeria is strongly committed to achieving the WHO’s global target of 90percent coverage of HPV vaccination of girls, 70percent coverage of cervical screening and 90percent treatment of cervical by 2030.

“We have achieved this success before in HIV/AIDS, we can do it again. I want to reassure you, our global partners and Nigerians that Nigeria government is ready to transparently work with you all in the elimination of cervical cancer.

“The challenge with cancer control in Nigeria is not only early detection, but also early treatment. Some indigent cancer patients present with a cancer diagnosis but are not able to access cancer treatment early because of cost,” said Ehanire.

Ehanire pointed out that in the 2020 budget signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, N729, 861,797 was appropriated for the Catastrophic Health Fund (CHF), a fund to support the treatment

of indigent Nigerians diagnosed with breast, cervical and prostate cancer.

“The Federal Ministry of Health will ensure that this fund is released in this budget cycle.

Urgent release of this fund is absolutely significant to increasing access to cancer treatment in Nigeria,” he said.

The minister added that in 2018, “We launched Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan with a budget of $308million to control cancer in all ramifications and $192million for prevention for 5years. The Federal Government is now encouraging all states in Nigeria to take up this cancer plan and make an investment to save lives in their various states. If the state governments can make an investment in cancer control, we will make progress in early detection and reduce late detection in Nigeria.”

The Federal Government has seen the benefits of public-private partnership (PPP) in the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) - Lagos University Teaching (LUTH) Advanced Cancer Treatment Centre. We are also calling on more public-private investment in cancer control.

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

Let’s Not Get It Twisted: Fertility and Virility are Different

ABAYOMI AJAYI, MD/CEO Nordica Fertility CENTREINFO@ABAYOMIAJAYI. COM.NG,

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here is a world of difference between virility (potency) and fertility and you should try to not to confuse one with the other. As a man, it could be hard for you to appreciate that ejaculation, sperm count or sperm motility has nothing to do with masculinity or sexual performance.

Virility and fertility are different conditions and should not be mixed up with each other.

Baby-making sex and sex just for the fun of it are to be approached from different perspectives.

You could be potent but infertile and you could be fertile but impotent. As a man, you are often susceptible to thinking that your inability to impregnate

a woman compromises your sexuality, but the goal of every man is to be potent and fertile.

Inability to achieve this may make you feel useless and hopeless and if it continues long enough, can lead to performance anxiety and further loss of sexual desire. However, when you are able to learn to separate babymaking sex from sex just for the fun of it, you are on the right track.

As a man you like to think of yourself as enlightened, but in reality, few things put this quality to the test as fast as infertility.

Mention male factor infertility at a party and reflexly, most men would flinch, squeeze their knees together and change the subject.

Nowadays things are actually getting better and the atmosphere has relaxed. More men are ready to talk about their personal trials with infertility, even though it’s still mostly women doing the talking.

Medical and scientific advances have also made it easier for men to acknowledge procreative problems, either on their own or as part of an infertile couple.

But then, there is no denying that there should be more men inwaiting rooms supporting their spouses through treatments.

Men should be more proactive in seeking information about male

factor and pursuing effective therapies.

If you are not inhibited about admitting that you have a challenge becoming a father, you would be surprised just how much you would be willing to do to achieve fatherhood. The bottom line is that you need to know how and when to separate your fertility from your machismo.

Probably you have the general tendency to brush off routine health issues and when you are having infertility issues, it becomes hard to really address these issues. Men are not as readily health seeking as women and it is a problem.

Although it is conventional wisdom that infertility is a couples’ problem and that male factor is the root cause almost half the time, the male partner is often the last to be analyzed and diagnosed.

Discussing Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and infertility in men should occur more often.

It’s important to encourage this trend. For far too long, the male perspective on infertility has not been given the right focus byreproductive professionals and patient advocates. There was even a time that nobody thought that infertility was part of the male agenda. It was a commonly held belief that anything to do

with infertility had to begin with the woman.

Men have a point of view on the challenges of virility and fertility. There’s a push-pull between the need for privacy and the need for disclosure and support.

The fact is, as a man, this is not a topic that you would talk about when you are with friends. These are issues men do not do well about, man-on-man.

The social stigma associated with infertility challenge does not help your course as a man. Culturally, infertile men are not often regarded as “real” men. Infertile women have their own share of the stigma, but usually find solace in the support of peers and professionals. Infertile men, on the other hand, tend to withdraw into themselves even away from their partners or spouses. Yourspouse could be worried on your behalf and may feel guilty about your inability to impregnate her.

When it comes to male infertility, there are so many myths and misconceptions. It is in your interest to replace them with empathy, understanding and facts.

The good news is that more men are feeling more liberated and less humiliated and reticent. If you have a problem getting it up, something can be done about it.

Do not confuse erectile dysfunction with infertility.

Impotence and infertility are both problems that can affect yoursexual health and ability to have children, but in different ways.Impotence, otherwise known as erectile dysfunction (ED), refers to trouble getting or maintaining an erection. This can make it difficult or impossible to have intercourse. Infertility, on the other hand, is an inability to produce or release healthy and viable sperm to impregnate a woman.

Many men experience ED and it becomes more common as you get older. For you to achieve a full erection, several different organs, including those within the nervous system, muscles, and blood vessels, need to work in a coordinated fashion. You can have trouble getting an erection if any one of these systems iscompromised.

Erectile Dysfunction can also be related to surgery or radiation to treat prostate cancer or treatments for an enlarged prostate, and can also be caused by emotional issues including stress, guilt, anxiety, low self-esteem and Infertility.

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BDSUNDAY 31

Sports

Buratai bids Kida farewell as president of NBBF bows out of service

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Super Eagles now to play Algeria and Tunisia Stories by ANTHONY NLEBEM

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eigning African champions, Algeria, have replaced Cote d’Ivoire as the opponents of the Super Eagles in the first of two international friendly matches arranged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to be played in Austria in October. The matches fall within the FIFA window for international matches and have been approved by world football –governing body, FIFA and CAF. The Federation Ivoirienne de Football, on 22nd September sent to the NFF a letter regretting their inability to send a team to Austria for the game as earlier agreed, citing “internal problems.”

However, what at first seemed a disappointment turned into delight as Algeria immediately accepted

to tango with three-time African champions Nigeria on 9th October at the Jacques Lemans Arena.

“We have permission from our government to travel from Algeria to Austria and our country has reopened international flights. We also would like to confirm that FIFA match agent Me Jairo Pachon is authorised to carry on all the required work and planning in Austria in order to stage this event,” wrote Mohamed Saad, General Secretary of the Federation Algerienne de Football.

The October clash in Austria would be the fourth between the Super Eagles and the Fennecs in three years. Both teams were in the same qualifying pool for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with the Super Eagles trouncing the Fennecs 3-1 in Uyo before a 1-1 draw in Constantine that mattered little as Nigeria already booked a ticket to Russia before that final-day encounter.

The two teams were again at

each other’s jugular in the semi final of last year’s African Cup of Nations in Egypt, the Fennecs edging it 2-1 from a free-kick just outside the box at the death, and then going on to defeat Senegal in the final to clinch their second continental title.

Also, the NFF has commended the Embassy of Austria in Nigeria for the dispatch with which the embassy attended to technical and backroom staff of the Super Eagles who are heading to Austria for the two games. All the officials have been issued their visas to travel.

Midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo, who has only recently arrived in Turkey from Spain to join top club Galatasaray, has already been issued his visa to enter Austria.

Tunisia, rated number two in Africa and 26th in the world, will be the Super Eagles’ second opponents at the Jacques Lemans Arena on 13th October.

NFF appoints coaching crews of National Teams

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he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has named new technical crews for a number of National Teams.

The names include one-time U20 Boys’ Head Coach, Isah Ladan Bosso, with Christopher Danjuma retaining the U20 Girls’ lead role, and Bankole Olowookere emerging as Head Coach of the U17 girls, Flamingos.

Former international defender Oladuni Oyekale will serve as first assistant to Bosso at the U20, with Jolomi Atune Alli (second assistant), Samaila Marwa Keshi (assistant coach/ scout) and Suleiman Shuaibu Akanmu (goalkeeper coach) completing the Flying Eagles’ bench.

Fatai Amoo will head the U17 boys’ squad, to be assisted

by Ahmed Lawal Dankoli (first assistant), Nnamdi Onuigbo (second assistant), Hassan Abdallah (assistant coach/ scout) and Danlami Kwasau (goalkeeper coach) in his crew.

Danjuma returns to the U20 girls, Falconets, to be assisted by Moses Aduku (first assistant), Bilkisu Tijani (second assistant), Charity Nwere Nnedinma (assistant coach/ scout) and Audu Yahaya (goal-

keeper coach).

The U17 girls’ crew will be headed by Bankole Olowookere, with Queen Okpa (first assistant coach), Adanna Nwaneri (second assistant), Moroof Nojimu (assistant coach/scout) and Mohammed Abubakar Ndanusa (goalkeeper coach) in his tow.

The U15 boys’ crew will be led by Omoniyi Haruna Ilerika Usman to be assisted by Bassey Patrick (first assistant), Olubunmi Haruna (second assistant), Mohammed Kalli Kachalla (assistant coach/ scout) and Baruwa Olatunji (goalkeeper coach).

Ab d u l l a h i Ty a b o Um a r heads the crew for the U13, with Salisu Ibrahim (first assistant), Bamai Bukar (second assistant coach), Mohammed Kwairanga (third assistant), Ifeanyi Uba (assistant coach/ scout) and Abubakar Abdullahi (goalkeeper coach) also on the crew.

hief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Y Buratai has joined notable members of the global community in eulogizing thePresidentoftheNigeriaBasketball Federation (NBBF), Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida as he bows out of active service at Total E&P Nigeria.

In his goodwill message, Lt. Gen. Buratai described Kida as a kind gentleman,hardworking,veryindustrious and a philanthropist per excellence which has not only seen him impact his immediate community but also the global community.

Tracing their journey, Buratai revealed that, “Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida is a brother and a close friend. We both hail from Biu Emirate of Borno State. My father and his father were very close also.”

Buratai while reminiscing on how their friendship started said, “I have known Ahmadu Musa Kida since 1985 when I was a young officer servingin26Battalion,NigerianArmy, Elele near Port Harcourt.”

Though having lost contact in 1986,theyreconnectedin2011when Buratai was appointed the Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt.

While extolling his virtues, Kida was described as a keen sportsman, a professional basketball player and administrator as well as a sincere friend of the Nigerian Army through his numerous and generous interventions.

“While I was in Port Harcourt as a 2 Brigade commander, he generously intervened through the renovation of some of our troops residential accommodations. He equally funded the renovation of the headquarters, 2 Brigade quarter guard.

Buratai added that, “He is indeed

a close friend of the Nigerian Army.

He is among the few and the first to intervene in the infrastructural development of the newly established Nigerian Army University, Biu. He funded the building of the maternity and child care hospital at the university. This has since been completed and handed over.”

The son of the former Chief Judge - Grand Khadi of Borno state was also describedasjovial,friendlyandalways willing to assist the less privileged.

“As he moves on to a new life as a retiree who served his country meritoriously at the global oil and gas community, I wish Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida a very happy retirement life, Congratulations”, Lt. Gen. Buratai concluded.

Kida started his career as a professional at ELF Petroleum Nigeria as a traineeengineerandmaterialscoordinator before joining Total Exploration & Production Nigeria in 1985.

In August 2015, Kida was appointed the Deputy Managing Director of the Deepwater District in Lagos, a position he held till he retired.

Messi slams Barcelona for ‘kicking out’ Suarez

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arcelona playmaker, Lionel Messi, has shared an emotional tribute to his friend and former teammate Luis Suarez following the Uruguayan forward’s move to Atletico Madrid.

Messi slammed Barcelona for the way they have treated the 33-year-old after it was made clear he was no longer a part of the club’s plans.

Suarez, who formed a strong relationship both on and off the pitch with Messi, made the move to Atletico on Thursday, ending six successful years in Catalonia.

And Messi took to Instagram on Friday to share his thoughts on the situation - claiming Barcelona should have been more respectful in the way they let him go.

“I had already begun to imagine it but today I went into the dressing room and it truly dawned on me,” Messi wrote. “It’s going to be so difficult to not continue to share every day with you both on and off the pitches and away from them.

“We’re going to miss you so much. We spent many years together, drank many mates, had many lunches and many dinners.

“So many things we will never forget, all the time we spent to-

gether. It will be strange to see you in another shirt and much more to come up against you on the pitch.

“You deserved a farewell that fit with who you are: one of the most important players in the history of the club.

“Someone who achieved great things for the team and on an individual level. You did not deserve for them to throw you out like they did. But the truth is that at this stage nothing surprises me anymore.

“I wish you all the best in your new journey. I love you loads. See you soon, friend.”

Messi’s anger with Barcelona has been well documented, and the fact that Suarez has now left is unlikely to help placate him as the club’s extraordinary summer continues.

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Lasting lessons from Governor Obaseki’s victory Ordinarily, free, fair, credible elections that meet international standards should form the solid foundation for the house of democracy to be built and stand on. It should be solid enough to meet the dreams, desires, aspirations and collective will of the people.

But when election degenerates to the low stratum of politicians personalising political power, there is much to worry about. And that is especially so when it becomes characterised by mud-slinging, brickbats, casting aspersions on people and places, as it recently unfolded between Godwin Obaseki, the incumbent governor of Edo State and his erstwhile godfather, and former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.

Unfortunately therefore, Nigerians were treated to a high-octane drama of the absurd, when the actors chased the shadows of the overt greed for power, at the expense of the pursuit of good governance. All these led to unnecessary heightened tension prelude to the election with pundits predicting a war-like cross-fire. The political thespians forgot the wise words of Indira Gandhi, that: “Winning or losing of the election is less important than strengthening the country”.

To strengthen Nigeria, we should be asking ourselves what moral, economic and political lessons are there to glean from what transpired before, during and after, in Edo the heartbeat of the nation, that nearly escalated to the state’s high blood pressure!

Considering the significant roles played by the stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), the security forces, especially the police, the voters and of course, the political parties, the consensus is that the general conduct of the election is some notches higher than the previous ones which took place in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

Notwithstanding, there are still grey areas that need to be ironed out during subsequent elections. For instance, there were complaints of the slow performance of the card readers in some polling units. Both Obaseki and Oshiomhole laid a similar complaint.

“Elections belong to the people.

It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters” - Abraham Lincoln According to verifiable Situation Reports, INEC officials arrived Ward 4, Owan West LG without result sheets accompanying the electoral materials! Also, it was reported that the accreditation of voters began late at Ward 7, Ikpoba Okha in Benin City. In fact, Governor Obaseki complained of having to wait for one-and-a-half hours to discharge his franchise.

On the part of security officers there were allegations of vote-buying in Ward 10, Akoko-Edo LGA by some party agents that was brought under control by the policemen. They also apprehended a party agent sharing money to voters at Egor Ward 10, Adolor College. A political thug who had arrived the house of a political stalwart with his accomplices in three Hilux trucks was allegedly shot dead by a police officer while attempting to assassinate the politician.

On the flip side, there were few security details on ground when violence erupted between supporters of PDP and APC at Uronigbe. There was the report of the wife of a politician who was injured in an attempt to prevent some hoodlums from carting away some ballot papers.

From all indications, the querulous issue of vote -selling and buying is still an ugly decimal recurring within the political sphere.

There was alleged massive vote-buying at the Ministry of transportation, Oredo, Benin City as a party agent went as far as snatching a ballot box and poured out the contents, with some police officers watching. Also, in an attempt to be sophisticated vote buying did also come in kind. For instance, a woman was caught red-handed by the police, while sharing Ankara wrappers at Ward 3, Ikpoa, Okha, Queen Ede Primary School. All these

pockets of infractions do point to the fact that it is not yet Uhuru for elections in Nigeria.

An overview of the conduct of the Edo governorship election by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has rated it “relatively credible despite the challenges and infractions, which dogged the process’’. It commended the stakeholders involved in the process. That is especially so for working tirelessly to douse the tension that had built up before the election, as there was no large-scale violence as feared.

It should be noted that CDD deployed 250 stationary and roving observers to keep an eagle’s eye on the process while it lasted. It however, decried the fact that only 25.2 percent of registered voters cast their ballot.

To back this up, CDD noted that in 2003 voter turnout stood at 78 percent of 1,432,891 registered voters compared to 40.5percent in 2012, and further down to 32.3 percent in 2016.

CDD therefore, expressed worries that the further decline in voter turnout in 2020, which came down to as low as 25.2 percent could be read as a steady loss of faith in the electoral process. That is in addition to the entire democratic system of governance. According to the final observation report signed by CDD Director, Idayat Hassan and Head, Election Analysis Centre (EAC), Professor Adele Jinadu, the group described the general peaceful conduct as ‘’a refreshing development’’.

Commendations should therefore, go to the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC for a better job done. Also, current President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a pat on the back for allowing for a generally accepted free and credible election. Even the often critical international observers attest to this.

One is particularly pleased with speed with which he congratulated the winner,

AYO OYOZE BAJE Baje is Nigerian first food technologist in the media and author of ‘Drumbeats of Democracy’

Governor Godwin Obaseki, which has gone a long way towards facilitating peace in Edo State after the election.

In his words: “My commitment to free and fair elections is firm, because without free and fair elections, the foundation of our political and moral authority will be weak.

Democracy will mean nothing if the votes of the people don’t count or if their mandate is fraudulently tampered with.”

Well said! Indeed, this rhymes with the thoughts of Jill Stein who said: “We deserve elections we can trust”.

Given the background of the political heist that has characteriSed some previous elections, Edo people have shown that ‘outsiders’ have no place in dictating to them who they should choose as their political leaders. This is instructive. As rightly noted

by Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “To finalise, the purpose of an election is to hear the will of the people, not to fabricate votes’’.

One’s kudos goes to Governor Godwin Obaseki for a battle won. Since he has admitted in glowing terms that he has defeated the godfather in Edo State to make the great Tony Anini smile in his grave, he should realise that one sweet victory leads to new challenges. Beyond offering both Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu an olive branch, he should harken unto the words of Simon Sinek who said: “Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation.’’

Edo election: Buhari, Tinubu, Wike, Oshiomhole left no lessons, Ondo will prove it

IKEDDY ISIGUZO .Isiguzo, a major commentator on minor national issues, writes from Abuja

T

here are no lessons to learn from the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State. We deceive ourselves if we claim there are.

In the hastened jump to reap democratic credentials from an election that simply exhibited the coy side of Nigeria, Edo is being burnished as a template for future elections. Is it not how we deceive ourselves?

Are people not knowingly celebrating the deceit?

They have drawn President Muhammadu Buhari into it. Edo exemplifies his affinity to the growth of Nigeria’s democratic. They would not forget to add it as one of Buhari’s achievements. Other key actors – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Nyesom Wike, Adams Oshiomhole – have different tales of their roles in the latest version of doing the same thing slightly different.

What are the lessons we learnt? Are there lessons to learn?

Edo 2020 was one of the most rancorous, most violent elections we have had. The Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC), looked away. It never thought of pulling anyone in over hate speeches that fuelled the violence. Where were the security agencies? What could we have learnt from that? Maybe, the resilience of the people. Many of them were not too willing to lay down their lives for politicians again.

They have seen worse. They adjusted.

Did the contentious processes that produced the key candidates, Godwin Obaseki of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of All Progressives Congress (APC), align with provisions of the Electoral Act, and the Constitutions of the parties? The debates are still on. The smaller parties were not different in violating their own primaries if ever they held.

Was the militarisation of the process with more than 30,000 policemen and other security agents in Edo State while we cannot afford a fraction of the number in troubled parts of Nigeria, part of the lessons?

Did the security agents stop snatching of ballot boxes or loss of lives? The waste on security in Edo, as in other elections, should be probed, not praised. Resources are no longer available for these wastes.

How much did the candidates spend?

Was INEC keeping track as the law intended? How was the money raised? Can the funding of the campaigns have been in line with the Electoral Act when individuals were boasting of billowing billions of Naira to the campaigns?

Are there doubts that elections are the fastest growing sector of the economy?

Are elections not the affair where costs are not spared? Did we need Edo to know that?

Would the lessons have been in the acquiescence of those who knew what counted and what should not count?

Can we say we know what happened in Edo? APC’s festinated congratulations of Obaseki are almost unprecedented in the manner of its delivery. Do our political parties ever take out media spaces to advertise their opponents’ success?

APC did over Obaseki’s victory.

Have you noticed that people across the parties are advising against litigations? They want the results accepted.

They are all advocates of Edo as the exemplar. It is the wrong model.

There is an eerie silence if we want answers. Speculations are dominating the public space. Among the speculations are that there were deals that would see Obaseki back in APC after November’s swearing in.

If that happens, it would really be a sad part of the path of our democratic journeys.

Not a few seeing the political denouement of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, APC chieftain and a prominent 2023 presidential contender, in APC’s loss of Edo. Another individual they are glad has been taught a lesson is the undiscerning former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole who manages to draw his contentment from thinking

issues are all about him.

They are neither the losers nor the lessons in Edo. They are each programmed to benefit from the system. Unhearing and uncaring, they are averse to suggestions that they make mistakes.

Edo will not slow their paces in their duplicitous interpretations of Nigeria. They do not see the poverty, hunger, anger, insecurity or the rudderless journey of 60-year-old Nigeria. Their choices are known.

Ondo State will remind us about where we are for those who tend to forget. The shenanigans that are leading to the Ondo governorship are at least embarrassing.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was a president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). His romance with the law these days is mostly momentary.

His opponents are doing their best to ensure he does not outdo them. However, Ondo goes, the unclarities of the electoral process persist. Amendments of the electoral law have proven poor substitutes for personal convictions on adherence to laws.

Attempts to populate public attention with the success of Edo is another in a series of stupefying enterprises at delaying Nigeria’s search for answers to its telling challenges. They will not succeed even if it is for the benefit of Edo people who did their bit to ensure they rejected promptings to kill themselves for people for whom lives do not count. We can learn that, but it is of no interest to those who lead.

Edo is another of the befuddlements that beset Nigeria.

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