BusinessDay 29 Dec 2019

Presidential aide allays fears over nuclear energy plant in A/Ibom ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo

Why Nigeria does not attract quality investments, by Omotola

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ai Omotola, group managing director, Masters Reality International Concepts Limited (MRICL) and chancellor of EBoot Camp Limited, is not satisfied with the performance of Nigeria’s economy in recent time. He is worried about a number of things: that infrastructure deficit in the country is seriously hindering productivity; the right investments are not coming into the country, and that the border closure was not thought through before the decision, as the action may not significantly solve any problem if there is still demand that local supply cannot meet.

See story on pages 22-23

ta Enang, senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, has allayed fears over the proposed nuclear energy plant in Akwa Ibom State, saying an Environmental Impact Assessment was being undertaken to determine the safety of the project.

He said this would ascertain the safety and benefits or otherwise of locating the multimillion nuclear energy plant to the people and on the environment.

Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Ita Enang, a former member of the seventh National Continues on page 4

Ita Enang

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Vol 1, No. 294 N300

?? Ogun Assembly passes, jacks up 2020 budget proposal by N2.1bn... pP.20 41.

inside

Making the most of family outing this New Year

p. 28

Scents that bring back Christmas memories Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto State (seated) signing the 2020 Budget approved by State House of Assembly (SOHA). From right: Rt.Hon.Aminu Muhammad Achida, speaker; Abdul-Razak Shehu, clerk of the Assembly; Abubakar Magaji, deputy speaker, and Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, deputy governor, at the Government House Sokoto.

Nigerians to Buhari: p.30

2019: When the Church united to pull back denominational barriers

‘We need a breath of fresh air in 2020’ Obinna Emelike, Innocent Odoh, Iniobong Iwok & James Kwen

p. 34

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to approach governance with a human face to avoid leading Nigerians through a loathsome

path in 2020.

Nigerians, who spoke with BDSUNDAY, said the advice became necessary following the indication by the President that the next four years would be tougher than his last term.

Recall that President Buhari had in March this year, shortly af-

ter he was declared winner of the February 23 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said Nigerians must prepare for tougher four years ahead.

Buhari was speaking to members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who paid him a

congratulatory visit at the State House. He said he endeavoured to tell Nigerians while he was campaigning that the next four years will be tricky.

“My last lap of four years, I think is going to be tough. PeoContinues on page 2

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Nigerians to Buhari: ‘We need a breath of fresh air...

Continued from page 1 ple are very forgetful and that’s why during the campaign I spoke about our cardinal agenda,” he said.

But concerned Nigerians said tougher four years from what is being experienced currently in the country must be a mini hell.

They urged the President to do everything possible to ensure that Nigerians do not go through the excruciating pain in 2020, let alone additional four years.

Christian Okeke, a lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said: “Without mincing words, making projections of doom, hardship and agony for Nigerians, especially as the New Year approaches, has become a national culture of sort.

It is unfortunate; it is condemnable. Such forecasts become even more worrisome when they come from national leaders”.

“My take on this is that irrespective of national economic outlook for the coming year, the desires of the citizens are simple: things that mitigate their sufferings and not things that worsen those negative conditions,” Okeke said.

“Specifically, the preoccupations of those in leadership position in Nigeria in Year 2020 should include, to significantly raise per capita income of the

people through carefullyselected and systemised pro-poor economic policies. This can come in ways such as tax reduction for low and middle-income earners, incentives for local entrepreneurs, and social transfers to vulnerable groups. Ideally, there should be follow-ups to the Guide to Bank Charges recently released by the Central Bank of Nigeria to cover other sectors,” the lecturer further said.

Okeke further said: “The fact that life expectancy in Nigeria is the lowest in all of West Africa and even worse than the prevailing situation in wartorn countries of Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria, it should be a matter of national concern. It requires national emergency, as drastic and result-oriented actions need to be taken in sectors such as health to improve on the life-expectancy ratio.

“Definitely, the federal government must save the country from its shameful status of poverty capital of the world. This and the rest form the bulk of the tasks, which must reflect in political and economic policies of Year 2020.”

He believes that “Few days to next year, leaders in Nigeria must begin to speak hope and not doom.

Most importantly, they must give a human face to policies. Democracy and the constitution recognise

Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, in his hometown with women’s groups drawn from across Ika North-East and Ika South.

centrality of the people in governance. Leaders must allow this to guide their actions and inactions.

They should never forget that history would definitely judge them harshly if the reverse becomes the case.”

Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president had in a keynote address at an event tagged: ‘The Nigerian Story, Why I am Alive Campaign’, Friday, said Nigeria’s rising debt makes him worried about the future generations who would have to pay such loans.

Obasanjo said as of 2015, Nigeria’s total external debt was about $10.32

billion but by March 2019, it had risen to $81.274 billion.

“Our political leaders have suddenly developed not just a taste for, but a voracious appetite for debt. As usual, most of such debts procured are hardly thought through.

Predictably, ability to repay such debts is lacking,” he said.

“Unfortunately for us and unlike in the past, the new creditors are less tolerant of our limitations and inadequacies and are now demanding to manage institutions and agencies with a view to recouping their loans,” he said.

Obasanjo’s alarm came

a few days after Atiku Abubakar, who was his deputy between 1999 and 2007, had earlier spoken against the $29.6 billion loan request of President Buhari, describing it as an attempt to enslave unborn children.

Speaking in tandem, Yusuf Yabagi Sani, a former presidential candidate and national chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), advised the President to rise above ethnic and religious sentiments in order to build a more inclusive country.

He also admonished the President to revamp the Nigerian economy with purposeful and pragmatic

leadership, warning that the situation could get worse if the Nigerian economy does not improve.

“I believe that we all have to be comforted that President Buhari is on his last lap and one would expect that he would like to leave a legacy of achievements and positive impacts on the downtrodden because the common man is at the lowest ebb. There is nothing that Nigerians today are proud of,” Sani said.

“So, I expect that Buhari will rise to the occasion and do everything possible to make life more mean-

in the community would adversely affect the means of livelihood of the people which are fishing and farming.

According to Ansa , “Notwithstanding the numerous advantages of generating power from a nuclear plant as canvassed

by NAEC in this enlightenment campaign, we feel very strongly and professionally that it will be counter-productive to site such a plant in the state in view of the aforementioned issues.

“It is necessary to note that no matter the correctness of technical, economic and legal considerations in the sitting of any project, the granting of social license (acceptance) by the people is paramount for project sustainability.

“We strongly believe that we are speaking the minds of Akwa Ibom citizens in this submission and posterity will exonerate us from blame for the

negative consequences of any inadvertent nuclear disaster,” Ansa said.

In the same way, the chairman of Itu Local Government Area, Etetim Onuk, expressed deep concerns and fears over the proposed location of a nuclear energy power project, stressing that it was with grave dangers to the residents.

“Without sounding immodest, let me state emphatically that from the conception of this idea to site a nuclear plant in some parts of Itu Local Government Area , the elders, stakeholders, traditional rulers and the political class had risen in unison to oppose it,” he said.

He rather said Akwa Ibom State as major oil and gas bearing community, the Federal Government should be thinking of establishing refineries and gas turbines, instead of introducing anti-people projects.

Continues on page 42

Presidential aide allays fears over nuclear energy plant...

Continued from page 1 Assembly said the report from the EIA of the energy plant would point to which direction the Federal Government would follow, whether to site the plant in Akwa Ibom or not.

“It is an ongoing discussion why they are doing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); is to determine a yes or a no.

So, what the public is doing now is reacting to the EIA. This reaction will advise the final action of the Federal Government. We have to find out what the people really want and the effect. There is no other alternative to doing it. It is not only power that it is used for, there are other positive uses.

“People should be calm and make their submissions; there should not be any violence about it. The Federal Government will take a decision based on the environmental impact

assessment. I am also gathering inputs of the people and that of the state government and we will use that to advise the Federal Government,” he said.

There have been oppositions from many quarters over the location of the project in Itu Local Government Area of the state with environmental rights campaigners saying the dangers would outweigh the benefits of the plant.

The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) had in 2017 proposed to site a Nuclear Energy Plant in Oku Iboku area of Akwa Ibom state, saying that it would be an alternative energy source in the country.

Earlier, NAEC had embarked on an enlightenment campaign on the nuclear energy power project in the state beginning in Uyo, the state capital.

The awareness campaign drew audience from traditional rulers, community leaders, women,

youths, professionals, and the political class under the theme ‘Sustainable and Reliable Energy for Economic Growth.’

In his remarks, the Project Manager, Nigeria Nuclear Power, Matthew Agu, stated that there were numerous benefits of nuclear power plant in a locality.

Agu said that nuclear energy was friendly, safe and cheaper than thermal and solar; stressing that nuclear energy was quite environmental-friendly, saying the industry plays an important role in the socio-economic growth of the country.

This ranges from job creation, provision of basic amenities to generation of substantial domestic economic value in electricity sales and revenue.

“A recent analysis has found that nuclear power plants create some of the largest economic benefits compared to other electric generating technologies

due to their size and number of workers needed for the operation of the plants.

Operation of nuclear plant requires 800 to 1, 200 direct permanent jobs per reactor,” Agu said.

He explained that the challenge confronting the establishment of nuclear plant in spite of the numerous benefits was acceptance by the people.

In a paper presented by Okon Ansa, on behalf of Itu Concerned Patriot, he said that the concern of the people was problems of safe storage of waste material.

Ansa said that in case of accident in Nuclear Plant, the country has no ability to manage the emergency crisis that may emanate from the nuclear plant.

He added that the establishment of nuclear plant would pose threat to national security because the nuclear plant materials could enter wrong hands.

He said that the establishment of nuclear plant

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News Imo stakeholders commend Ihedioha’s achievements ...Call for continued support

SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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he Imo stakeholders comprising political, traditional and religious leaders, captains of industry and technocrats, businessmen and women have commended Governor Emeka Ihedioha for his landmark achievements so far in the state’s three senatorial zones.

They have also called on the Imo people to support the present administration because what they have seen on ground including the reforms so far made have surpassed their imagination.

Speaking at the 2019 Stakeholders’ luncheon held at Government House, Paschal Dozie, who was the chairman of the occasion, said the governor has performed beyond expectations.

Dozie, who is also the chairman, Imo State Elders Advisory Council, said the governor has shown the capacity to turn the fortunes of the state around and enjoined all and sundry to join hands with him to achieve the desired Imo. “We now have hope of a new Imo under His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. He has done so well and deserves our commendations.

“I believe that if we want this government to succeed,

Ihedioha

we must contribute our individual and collective quota.

So, let us join hands with the governor to achieve the Imo State of our dreams”, Dozie said Governor Ihedioha, while speaking, said the efforts of his administration were already yielding positive results, stressing that he would not relent until Imo becomes the envy of states in the country.

He said that within the few months in office, his administration was able to restore effective budget presentation, reduce cost of governance, embarked on extensive road rehabilitation projects, deployed technology as an en-

abler for effective service delivery and carried out broad reforms in the state civil service.

He furthered that informed, the revitalisation of the local governments for optimal performance, rehabilitation of schools, promotion of investment and industrialisation of the state and training of thousands of Imo citizens on many fields of endeavors were also part of the significant achievements of his government.

The governor, however, solicited for support from Imo industrialists, investors, and captain of industries to his visions for the state, saying

his administration was determined to change the narrative of the state.

“We must together prepare Imo for a future without crude oil. Government alone cannot do it. We therefore invite you to partner with us towards the development of Imo State.

“As we search for outside investment, it is pertinent that we rally our home potentials.

The state is open to take advantage of your business and global networks to make Imo one of the leading investment hub in the country”, Ihedioha said.

A roll call of those in attendance include former governors, Achike Udenwa; Ikedi Ohakim; former Military Governor of Delta State, Luke Ochulor; Archbishop Anthony Obinna, Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi; all the members of the House of Representatives of the PDP; the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Chiji Collins and all the members of the state House of Assembly; Chairman Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Samuel Ohiri; Tony Ezenna; Leo Stan Eke; Chief Charles Ugwu; Mike Ahamba, SAN; Francis Dike, SAN; Kema Chikwe; Anglican Bishops; Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria; Stakeholders of Youth groups; Members of the Expanded Executive Council; ID Nwoga, among others.

FUTO’s first class graduate wins N1.5m 1st APP students’ venture prize MIKE ABANG, Calabar

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mmanuel Uchechukwu, a first class graduate of Mechanical Engineering of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) Owerri, has won the first African plus Partner students venture prize of N1.5million out of a total of 13 undergraduate students who participated with their business plans across the country.

The second prize of N1million went to Princewill Oke, a 400-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University, while the third prize of N500,000 went to Abosede Peter of the Federal University of Technology Akure. Other ten contestants took consolation prize of N50,000 each for their gallant presentation of business models.

The largest facility manager, Alfamead Management Services in Nigeria and Africa Plus Partner (APP) are organisers of the first APP students venture prize for the best student with business ideas in entrepreneurship model in the country.

Speaking after the event at Windsworth Hotels in Calabar, the managing director of Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Ltd, Adeniran Ajakaiye said the students venture prize was designed to empower the most advanced entrepreneur ventures by Nigerian undergraduate students.

Adeniran, who is also the chief investment officer (CIO) Africa Plus Ltd, further said the venture prize seeks to support individual students who have identified a significant opportunity and whose venture have the potential to create impact

and scale “The prize is agnostic with respect to what sectors or industry ventures are working in, or even whether they are commercial, social or have blended approaches.

A student/group of students (max team number. 4) that have been able to identify an opportunity or challenge and are thinking big about how to solve it, will be given opportunity to showcase their ideas for a prize.

“APP Students Venture Prize is intended to help these students accelerate and scale those solutions.

Winners will receive prize money, critical mentorship, and access to top business leaders in Nigeria and beyond. The Venture Prize starts with a call for online application from students of tertiary institutions across the country over a 6-week period,” he said.

Elvis Boniface, chief

consultant and managing director of Edugist, said at the close of application deadline, 300 applications were received and 13 were shortlisted and a one-week Bootcamp for intense training on different aspects of practical business education; understanding the business environment, defining customer cluster, business plan/proposal that convert building a team, leveraging digital, scaling and even more.

He further disclosed that the Bootcamp climaxed in a Lion’s Den/Grand Finale where the finalist was selected.

APP, he said, will also provide an opportunity for the prize winners to have access to a deep and knowledgeable roster of mentors, industry contacts, and experienced entrepreneurs to give them support and assistance.

‘We are committed to public scrutiny, transparency’ SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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he new Group Managing Director of the Harmony Holdings Limited, Abdullahi Abdulmajeed has said the investment firm is being repositioned to truly benefit and be accountable to the people of Kwara State whose assets form the core of its existence.

“The task in Harmony Holdings is quite herculean but we believe that we can transform that organisation to become an institution of pride to the people and government of Kwara State,” Abdulmajeed said recently during a courtesy visit to the Office of the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaiye.

AbdulMajeed lamented that the firm had been riddled with impunity and underhand dealings not consistent with the mandate of its establishment in 2013, adding however, that the new management has resolved to not only make the firm profitable but to also open its books to the public for the sake of probity.

“We understand that the public confidence in our organisation has been largely eroded because the last administration ran that place like a shell company. They were not talking to the public.

They were not open to transparency and scrutiny, and they did not give the people of the state that sense of belonging that is required of a company that belongs to them. And I want to state that henceforth that has stopped.

“We are opening up that organisation to more public scrutiny and transparency that is why we are beginning to go to the media. And there is no better place to commence than from the office

Abdullahi

of the image maker of the governor,” he said.

“Leakages that have been identified across the holdings groups, running down from all the strategic business units (SBU) down to the holdings group in itself are being blocked as I speak to you.

One of the core things that we need to do to attain operational stability… Our cost ratio to revenue in all of those organisations (SBUs) is quite unsustainable. In some areas we have cost to revenue of 70percent to 100percent. In any organisation where operational cost takes as much as even above 50percent you can be sure that you cannot turn in a profit. And in our case we have some as high as 70percent. That is quite unsustainable and at the moment we are beginning to make efforts to ensure that that is no longer the case.”

AbdulMajeed, had while explaining why some workers in the agency are being owed salaries since the dissolution of the board of the investment firm, says that the issues are being resolved.

“Since the dissolution of the board, there has been a partial severance of that relationship. The SBUs were no longer reporting to the Holdings… and there was therefore no how they could get fund from the SBUs.

Nigerians are quick to judge what they don’t know about - Duke MIKE ABANG Calabar

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ormer governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke has said that Nigerians are always quick to judge what they do not know or understand.

Duke lamented that the same happened to the Jews because they never gave Jesus Christ a chance by calling him all sorts of names.

Duke, who was the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last general election, disclosed this in Calabar, Cross River State capital, during the maiden public lecture of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu with the theme, ‘Servant Leadership and the Might of

Meekness’ held at Transcorp Hotel Calabar.

He said Nigerians had opinion of everything but noted that the Holy Books said do not judge anybody.

According to him, there are widespread falsehood even in churches today, noting that servant leaders are the most successful.

The Nigerian High Commissioner to Uganda, Nya Asuquo Asuquo said the discourse would not have come at a better time when the world has totally total lost touch with the concept of leadership.

He said, “We find leaders who see themselves as overlords and act in total contradiction of the true definition of a leader.”

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Sunday 29 December 2019

News

Rebranding of APM’s buses, secretariat to APC doesn’t signify 2023 guber ambition - Akinlade

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RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta

ecently defected Adekunle Akinlade from the Allied People’s Movement (APM) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the ongoing rebranding of secretariat, buses and other party properties belonging to APM to APC official emblem and colours is not done as part of race towards 2023 governorship election, rather it is a total loyalty to the APC. Recall that Adekunle Akinlade, Ogun State governorship candidate of APM in the 2019 general election, was once an aspirant of APC but his inability to secure APC governorship ticket owing to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s political attachment and infighting within the APC family in the build-up to governorship poll forced Akinlade and his supporters who are Ex-Governor Amosun’s loyalists out of APC. But the event of last Mon-

Akinlade

day changed the political rhythm in the APC as Akinlade and supporters rejoined APC, having received President Muhammadu Buhari and Adam’s Oshiomhole-led APC’s blessings, coupled with the pardon which APC had earlier granted Akinlade’s political godfather, Amosun and some other party chieftains who were earlier suspended for anti-party activities.

BDSUNDAY reports that

the rejoining of Akinlade, his supporters and the pardon granted Ex-governor Ibikunle Amosun who is now a senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, is somehow sending a very bold political signal to some quarters and some politicians in the APC family seem to have misconstrued the rejoining to a subtle move ahead of 2023 governorship poll.

Responding to a rumour which was rife in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital that the rebranding of secretariat, campaign buses and other properties earlier used for APM electioneering in the last elections to APC’s colour was targeted at 2023 governorship race, Adekunle Akinlade dispelled the rumour, saying the rejoining of the party is based on total loyalty to the APC and not about 2023 general election.

Akinlade, APM governorship candidate in the last election, who spoke through a Press Release issued in Abeo-

IPAC felicitates with Nigerians, calls for unity Iniobong Iwok

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he Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Lagos State chapter has felicitated with Lagosians and Nigerians over the festive season, urging them to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice and helping the needy.

In a statement to the media at the weekend and signed by Tade Ademola, IPAC Lagos State chairman, Ademola said the outgoing year had been a turbulent

one for the country, while thanking God for keeping the country together despite the challenges.

Ademola, however, enjoined Lagosians and Nigerians to come together and assist one another irrespective of religion, ethnicity or belief.

According to the statement, “The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Lagos State felicitates with the people of Lagos State on the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Having gone through a circle, from last year Christ-

kuta by Alao Azeez Adelani, his media aide read, “Our attention has been drawn to a malicious information orchestrated and peddled around to mislead the general public that Allied People’s Movement (APM) buses have been rebranded to signify Hon. Adekunle Akinlade’s campaign interest for 2023 guber race.

“We wish to state unequivocally that upon Allied People’s Movement loyalists return to All Progressives Congress on Monday 23rd December, 2019, all APM properties including campaign buses are scheduled for rebrand and this will commence soon.

“We hereby, implore the general public to disregard the circulated pictures of rebranded buses indicating Hon. Adekunle Akinlade’s interest in 2023 as it is designed to cause disaffection, confusion and heat up the polity.

“Finally, we appeal to the good people of Ogun state and all our supporters to await further directive on the rebranding.”

Lagos presents N250m seed cheque for tech start-ups

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s part of plans to make Lagos State a hub for innovation and technology, Lagos State Governor on Friday, presented a seed fund of Two Hundred and Fifty Million naira to Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).

LASRIC is a Lagos State institution in charge of research with the responsibility of boosting innovation and technology in the State. It presently has a 16-Man team headed by the Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Toyin Ogundipe.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the presentation of the cheque at the Government House in Alausa, charged the committee to ensure that the criteria to access the fund is flexible enough for Lagosians to benefit from.

A statement signed by Gboyega Akosile, SanwoOlu’s chief press secretary, quoted the governor as saying that: “For us, it is to put action in what we believe in.

When you make pronouncements as a government, you must put them to action. I

don’t want very stringent conditions that will not make people benefit from this fund.

In the next six months, let us begin to see a litmus test that people have been supported through this fund.

“We can’t do it alone, ours is just a SEED fund. Some of you have access to international donors and partners that will want to see the level of our seriousness and commitment; I want us to put in serious effort so that others will be willing to support us.

“We need innovative solutions. We can think global but we have to act local. Let us think about solutions that are peculiar to us as Lagosians and Nigerians and you will be amazed that we have great skills that lack people to bring them out.”

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Council, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, noted that the institution will partner with several non-governmental organisations for the benefit of Lagos State.

He said: “Any country that is doing well, there is research backing it up. What we are doing today is to refocus concerning Lagos State.

Lawyer wants Senate to stop proceedings on social media bill mas to the 2019 one we should give glory and honour to Almighty God. “We have surmounted glaring challenges as citizens and residents of the state.

IPAC Lagos enjoins us all to come together as one family, assist each other irrespective of religion ethnicity or beliefs.

“We should all strive for excellence as this is our motto in Lagos. Celebration should be done in modesty to emulate the distinct character of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

L-R: Director, Industrial Development , Federal Ministry of Industry Trade & Investment, Adewale R. Bakare, chairman, Beta Glass Plc & President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Otunba Abimbola Ogunbanjo, ,Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, CON, and Managing Director, Beta Glass PLC & Frigoglass Industries (Nigeria) Ltd Darren Bennett-Voci , during the courtesy call by Beta Glass on the Minister in Abuja recently.

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ope Akinyode, a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, has asked the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly to stop further debate on the Social Media Bill.

Akinyode’s letter dated December 17, 2019, a copy which was made available to BDSUNDAY, was written to Ahmed Lawan, Senate president, and Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

The lawyer, in the letter, informed both the Senate President and Bamidele to stop further proceeding on the ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019’ because of its illegality.

In the letter, he recalled that Senate commenced deliberations on the ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill, 2019’ on November 5, 2019, and on November 12, 2019, he filed a lawsuit with suit number: FHC/L/ CS/2037/19 against the National Assembly, Senate President, Nigeria’s President and the Federal Government seeking an order of court to prevent the bill from being enacted.

According to him, the bill

Barrister-Tope-Akinyode

offends the provisions of Section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), stressing that “the bill is repressive and difficult to maintain without a brutal violation of the citizens’ right to free speech.”

Akinyode, who cited several media reports on the suit he had filed against the bill, informed that the matter was slated to come up at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on December 2, 2019, “but the court did not sit that day at the instance of the judge and the matter was adjourned. The court is yet to give an adjourned date.”

The lawyer said that on November 10, 2019, he received a call from the Office of the Senate President wanting to confirm if he was the one who filed the suit.

“They also requested for the suit number of the case which they said was not legible on the face of the court process and I obliged them. In effect, the Senate President and the National Assembly are aware of the pendency of the suit,” he said.

According to him, “This position is further confirmed by the bailiff of the Federal High Court, who deposed to an affidavit of service.”

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News

BEDC to partner embedded power generation companies …commissions projects across franchise states SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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n the bid to improve the quantum and quality of power being supplied to customers, BEDC Electricity Plc. (BEDC) seeks to engage with power generation companies within and outside Nigeria specialising in embedded generation in order to achieve its aims and objectives.

According to the Management, BEDC desires to partner such companies that are willing to build operate and evacuate power lines (11KV or 33KV) from their facilities to BEDC’s designated takeoff points.

“This invitation is open to existing generation companies within BEDC’s franchise areas and those operators with genuine intention to site their generating facilities within our franchise area which covers Delta, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states in Nigeria” the management asserted.

BEDC explained that for the purpose of Expression of Interest (EoI), the sites were divided into lots as follows: Lot A, Asaba, Lot B, Warri, Lot C, Benin, Lot D in Akure, Lot E in Okitipupa and Lot F in Ado Ekiti, all with various sub areas, adding that each stated Lot location will be parceled into sub- areas under the Lot and interest expression and bid will be based on these sub areas.

Among the preliminary requirements listed by BEDC for submitting the proposal are; that the minimum capacity of power generation shall not be less than 5megawatts (MW) and that the minimum power availability from the plant shall be above 90 per cent.

The point of take-off BEDC said, shall be at 33KV or at 11KV voltage level, while the substation up to grid shall be required to be maintained by the respective party i.e. up to the 3KV or 11KV feeder (from power plant to linking point of BEDC network).

BEDC explained that the measure was aimed at solving the problem of power supply in some of its franchise states with challenges as the power generation companies are expected to produce power through embedded generation/off national grid to augment shortfall from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The initiative BEDC argued, will permanently improve power supply in such locations within the shortest possible time “We implore our customers to note that the power sector improvement process is a journey and not a race and that with your collective support by prompt payment of bills and honoring of your obligations, we will all get to our desired destination faster

while all participants shall benefit from better power supply.”

Meanwhile, in demonstration of its commitment to improving electricity distribution and enhancing service delivery to customers, BEDC has also undertaken some projects including the commissioning of over 32 transformers, 8 new injection substations and construction of 3 new 11kv feeders.

The company also commissioned 7, 11kv feeder extensions, while many projects such as; addition of new 33kv lines, 11kv lines, rehabilitation of 33kv and 11kv lines, the replacement of power transformers, charging of distribution substations were ongoing in communities within its franchise states of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti.

According to BEDC, these projects were geared towards further improving electricity supply within its network and were carried out during the outgoing 2019 operating year.

In Delta State, the company listed the commissioned transformers to include; 6 nos 300kva transformers in Onicha-Olona community, 300KVA transformer in Ujevwu community, 2 nos of 300KVA transformers in Egborode community, and 6 nos of 300KVA transformers in Egini community respectively.

Others are; 300KVA transformer in Otor-Udu com-

munity, 300KVA transformer in Iwhrekan community, 300KVA 1 nos of 500KVA, 4 nos of 300KVA and 2 nos of 200KVA transformers in Akwukwu Igbo community in Delta State.

BEDC stated that in Edo State, it commissioned 300KVA transformer in Omozogie (Uteh) community, 500KVA transformer in Idunwowina (Ohenhen) community, 300KVA transformer in Ohovbe community and 2 nos of 500KVA transformers in Idokpa community, all in Benin, among others.

In addition, BEDC also installed for use 500KVA transformer in Ikhueniro 2 community, 500KVA transformer in Ohoghobi community, 300KVA transformer in Ogbebor community also in Edo state.

In Ekiti State, the company commissioned a 300KVA transformer in Asin community, 200KVA transformer in Oju Oro community, and 300KVA transformer in Ilupeju 2 community.

BEDC equally put a 200KVA transformer in Ipinsa 1 community, 500KVA transformer in Kajola community, and a 500KVA transformer in Store community also in Ondo State.

Furthermore the company equally boosted the capacity of its injection sub stations with additional capacity of 65MVA.

We will stand with Makinde all the way —NANS leaders REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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he leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared its support for the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, stating that his policy of education “is top-notch and highly commendable.”

President of the student’s body, Danielson Bamidele Akpan, who led a NANS delegation to visit the Governor on Saturday, said that students across the country were in support of Governor Makinde because of his bias for free and qualitative education.

The students, who promised to stand by the governor all the way stated that some of his efforts on education, health, and infrastructure in the last six months have shown that he had a clear vision for the State.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, quoted the President of NANS, Danielson Bamidele Akpan as saying these on Boxing Day, while leading the NANS delegation to commiserate with the Governor on the demise of a Students’ leader, Comrade Yemi Adeniran (aka Likedat) who died in a fatal accident last week.

NANS President and his colleagues including a former president of NANS, Comrade Sheriff Zadok; national financial secretary, Ikechukwu Okorie; former NANS Zone B Coordinator; Olanrewaju Segun, among others led the NANS delegation to Ibadan

to participate in the final burial rites of their colleague, Yemi Adeniran (Likedat) who was a member of the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Wing.

Akpan commended Makinde’s performance in the areas of education, especially with regards to the free qualitative education policy, the award of N500,000 to Oyo State students in the Nigerian Law School and the massive improvement of education infrastructure through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The delegation also commended Makinde for giving youths a pride of place in his administration as evidenced in the appointment of youths as commissioners and special assistants, noting that with policies that give attention to education and youth empowerment in the real sense, the Governor has become the one everyone across the country was looking at and a global pride.

While speaking, Akpan described the late Yemi Likedat as a true patriot and NANS leader of no mean repute, even as he commended the Governor for not only visiting the family of the deceased student unionist to commiserate and reassure them but also promising that the State Government would be of help to them in this period of sorrow.

“Your Excellency, we are here today and we join others to wish you a happy birthday.

The main reason why we came is to appreciate you for visiting the family of Yemi Likedat.

Methodist Girls old students mark 140th anniversary, gives back to alma mater Ngozi Okpalakunne

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ethodist Girls Old Students As s o c i a t i o n (MGHSOGA) Lagos recently celebrated its 140 years anniversary with the school as well as raised funds for the building of a new block of classrooms for the school.

Speaking at the event which had a week long activities marking the celebration, the President of the association, Yomi Afolabi said that the fund raising was necessary so as to enable the Old Girls raise good classrooms structure and added that the old structure was pulled down in April this year because it was structurally defective . One of the activities marking the anniversary was a play titled ‘Itan’, a story powered by the old girls association and acted by the students of Methodist Girls

High School, it was held at National Theatre Iganmu, Lagos State.

‘Itan’ according to the Director of the drama, Ayo Jaiyesinmi talks about unity using the issue of generational diversity to drive it home. It was the story of an old man

rigid in his old ways and his son who belongs to the new school.

“You find out that there is lot of struggle right now, we don’t understand them, they are too fast, too young and to the young ones also their parents are old fashioned, but

I believe that God has created us in such a way that we need each other. Whatever the generation is, we have our strength and weaknesses, but together we downplay the weaknesses and allow our strength prevail”, said Jaiyesinmi

Allowing our strength to prevail according to the Chairman, Planning Committee, MGHSOGA, Tilewa Amusu, a retired Major General is what we need for our nation right now in Nigeria.

“Irrespective of our religion, tribe, there will always be different point of view, but together we are stronger. My advice to younger ones based on the drama is that they should not write off their parents and parents should try to understand their wards, stop complaining, create time for them to really mentor them, we need to look inwards to mend these gaps so that we can have a better families, better community and a better Nigeria”, said Amusu Speaking on what the school is doing differently to restore the standard of education in the school, the Principal of the school, Dame Yemisi Idowu, pointed out that MGHS is a school with a difference, class and lot of

tradition. ”We try to inculcate the God factor, a child without discipline can never receive a proper education let alone move up in life, fundamentally, God factor must not be left behind, this must not be left behind coupled with the commitment of the policy makers. Inability to put the right peg in the right hole is major challenge, but at MGHS we have God, discipline, tradition, but, brain and beauty all combined together”.

Idowu added that role of parents in the advancement of education, the training of the child starts from home, tutoring and mentoring children is beyond that, parents should also be on the same page with the teachers.

The second day of the week long activities ushered in the Holy Communion service/ float whereby the Old girls went round the school premises to create awareness about the school.

8 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 29 December 2019

PhotoSplash

L-R: Gabriel Negbenebor, head, people & organisational development, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Sade Morgan, corporate affairs director, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Princewill Akuma, community marketing lead, Jobberman; Grace Omo-Lamai, human resource director, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Uaboi Agbebaku, company secretary/ legal director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, and Irene Iyamu, talent acquisition & EVP Manager, at the presentation of award to Nigerian Breweries Plc as one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work by Jobberman research in Lagos.

L-R: Olalekan Popoola, representative of the Primate of Anglican Communion; Olanrewaju Onadeko, chairman, CSS Bookshops Limited; Dare Oluwatuyi, MD, and Joseph Ajayi, company secretary, AT the Bookshop’s 150 years anniversary and 2019 annual general meeting, in Lagos.

L-R: Pamela Emordi, manager, education portfolio, MTN Foundation; Odunayo Sanya, GM, planning and customer management, MTN Nigeria; Adeolu Odusote, director, Digital Pears International; Ibukun Odusote, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Ayo Jaiyesimi, executive producer and ceo, Thespian Family Theatre & Productions, and Abasi-Ekong Udobang, senior manager, programme implementation, MTN Nigeria, at the command performance of the Five Maids of Fadaka staged by the Thespian Family Theatre and supported by the MTN Foundation, at the Kona Recreation Hub, Lekki, Lagos

L-R: Hauwa Onifade, third runner up; Omotolani Osikoya, 2019 Jollof Master and first prize winner with Benjamin Oni, second runner up at the Sterling Bank Jollof Master Cookout for top finalists in Lagos...Friday

L-R: Adebayo Gbemisola, executive director of finance, Fatgbems Group; Hassan Gbemisola, MD; Yinka Adeyemo, captian of head office team; Kabir Gbemisola, chairman, Fatgbems Group, and Shamsudeen Gbemisola, executive director, at the 2019 edition of the company’ football competition.

L-R: Adebayo Gbemisola, executive director of finance, Fatgbems Group; Hassan Gbemisola, MD; Yinka Adeyemo, captian of head office team; Kabir Gbemisola, chairman, Fatgbems Group, and Shamsudeen Gbemisola, executive director, at the 2019 edition of the company’ football competition.

L-R: Omooba Micheal Oyedele, chairman, Royal Initiative for the Development of Sagamu Community (RIDSCo) helping Folake Odegbami, head of safety, health and environment, Lafarge Africa plc to unveil the renovated and re-equipped Owode-Epota Primary Health Centre in Sagamu which was undertaken by Lafarge Africa plc

Uzochukwu Mbonu (2nd r) (Zuma Rock), his wife Ifeyinwa Mbonu (m), and Mrs Chinedu (r), flanked by widows, after Mbonu presented bags of rice and other food items to the widows to mark 2019 christmas celebration at Zuma’s fun fair at Catholic Mission Street, Tedi Town, ojo Lagos.

Sunday 29 December 2019

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Lekki, Maryland, Allen roundabouts, others to be remodeled Stories by JOSHUA BASSEY

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agos State government is remodeling 60 identified traffic-prone roundabouts as part of efforts to address congestion and reduce travel time across the state.

The remodeling will start with four: Ikotun, Allen, Maryland, and 2nd Lekki roundabout, and gradually move to others across the state.

It will entail removal of the affected roundabouts and separate streams of traffic through Traffic Signal Lights (TSL). The work will synchronise all TSLs through intelligent traffic systems which would recognise the densities of traffic streams and give priorities accordingly.

According to Frederic Oladeinde, commissioner for transportation, the move is basically to reduce gridlock and increase the capacity of the roundabouts to accommodate increasing vehicular traffic.

“We have since the early days of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, committed ourselves to ensuring reduction in traffic congestion by resolving key gridlock points.

“We started off through

R-L: Hakeem Fahm, commissioner for Science and Technology; Toyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor; his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat; Toyin Otitoju, member, Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC), and Tunbosun Alake, special adviser, Innovation and Technology, during the presentation of Seed Grant to the LASRIC Board at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja on Friday, December 27, 2019.

discovery of 60 gridlock junctions and areas across t h e s t a t e . Se v e n p i l o t scheme were unlocked, we progressed in the traffic management measures to 27 locations and now we are working on four major junctions by removing the roundabouts presently causing chaos during turning-movements.

“The four identified roundabouts are Ikotun, 2nd Roundabout on Lekki-Epe Expressway, Allen Avenue

Roundabout and Maryland,” said Oladeinde.

According to him, apart from the pedestrian activities and chaos during turning at the junctions, the roundabouts have insufficient capacities to cater for the traffic volume during peak hours.

The four roundabouts, according to the official, are billed to be delivered within four months.

Oladeinde told a crop of reporters that the project

Yueltide: Sanwo-Olu celebrates with patients in hospital

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agos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has visited the paediatric, emergency and orthopaedic wards of the Lagos Island General Hospital, Broad Street, to celebrate Christmas with the in-patients battling various health conditions.

The governor while at the hospital chatted with the patients, encouraged and also prayed for their recovery.

Sanwo-Olu said his visit, which has been a tradition before joining politics, was to share memorable moments with those in the hospital at a time when every other person

is in joyous mood at home. “ Ch r i s t m a s o f f e r s u s an opportunity to spare a thought for the infirm. We need to share moments like this with them so that they also can feel the greatness of the season even though they are not entirely fit.”

“We must also remember that this season teaches us love, compassion and selflessness. While majority of us have our relatives and friends with us to mark the Christmas day, we need to understand that several families are in pain because their loved ones are battling various ailments at the hospital.

So, it’s no Christmas for these people because they need to be with their ailing family members.

“On a day like this, I thought it necessary to identify with these families and celebrate with them. I believe this gesture will cheer them up and give them reasons to be happy. We hope that the little we have come to share with them today will strengthen them to get out of the sickbed quicker and better,” The patients, who were excited to see the governor, prayed for him and wellbeing of his family.

would also introduce stacking lanes for both left and right turns at the junctions, which will contribute to increasing the capacities of the roads at the junctions, thereby reducing travel time.

“On some corridors, we will upgrade alternative routes so that traffic can move upstream of choke points and separate pedestrian vehicular conflict by re-erecting the pedestrian barriers. We do not only

discuss issues affecting the sector but also proffer solutions to them.

“The government will continue to curb abuse of all traffic laws and violation; reduce traffic congestion by resolving key gridlock points, and deploy technology to aid enforcement of traffic rules,” said the commissioner.

He further assured of provision of intelligent transport systems to optimise the transport network, and accelerate the implementation of the multimodal transport system to give people options.”

He called on motorists and other road users in the areas to be affected to take safety precautions and cooperate with traffic officials for free flow of traffic for the period the construction would last.

According to him, despite the construction, the government through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) will deploy enough officers to ensure free flow of traffic.

A total of 15 gridlockprone junctions have been identified in Lagos to require interventions and the government, according to Oladeinde, intends to take it four or five at a time so as not to turn the entire state

into a construction site, with its attendant traffic consequences.

Oladeinde reiterated that Lekki toll would be completely cashless from January 1, 2020 with a view to removing problem of collecting balance by motorists, which had been responsible for gridlock around the toll points.

The commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso added that some of the roundabouts had outlived their usefulness, hence the determination and commitment of the Sanwo-Olu-led administration to remodel them.

“We are thinking everyday on how to resolve traffic gridlock and challenges in the state. We want motorists to obey traffic rules and be disciplined while driving,” said Omotoso.

The immediate past administration of Akinwunmi Ambode undertook a similar project in 2016 when it engaged Planet Projects Ltd, to remove some of the massive size roundabouts on the Lekki-Epe corridor.

Among the ones removed by the Ambode-led government were planned the 4th roundabout (Elegushi); 5th roundabout (Jakande) and 8th roundabout (VGC) on the Lagos-Lekki Expressway.

Lagos records zero arrest during yuletide - Police

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h e La g o s p o l i c e command says the state recorded zero arrests during the Christmas celebration which depicted a hitch-free yuletide for the residents.

Spokesperson of the command, Bala Elkana, stated this on Friday. According to Bala, the celebrations went peacefully across the state.

“We had a hitch-free Ch r i s t m a s c e l e b r a t i o n across the state and no arrests were made.”

The Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu had promised Lagosians a hitch-free celebrations and deployed additional personnel and resources in market places, recreational centres and places of worship for the yuletide.

Elkana said that the strategy had paid off because the presence of police officers equipped with security gadgets deterred hoodlums from perpetrating crimes in their various

vicinities.

He also said that Shina Peller, the owner of Club Quilox on Victoria Island who was recently arrested because his club activities contributed to the obstruction of traffic within the suburb, had been granted bail.

According to Elkana Peller was granted bail based on self recognition being a member of the House of Representatives, but that investigations regarding his matter were still ongoing.

missal from the Nigeria Police.

He is handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for prosecution in conventional court.”

The command condemned the unprofessional conduct of the dismissed sergeant.

Meanwhile, the CP has condoled with family and friends of the deceased and assured them that justice will prevail.

He said supervisory officers of erring policemen would henceforth be held liable for the misconduct of their men, as part of the measures to discourage such illegality and incidence of professional misconduct.

The CP vowed to ensure that no case of professional misconduct, human rights violations and abuse of powers by police officers would be tolerated.

Policeman faces murder charge over shooting at Eko Atlantic

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ommissioner of Police in charge of Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu has ordered the arrest of one Lukmon Akanbi, a police sergeant with service number F/No 448407, attached to Victoria Island Police Station over the shooting of one Ramon Babatunde Adeniyi ‘m’ 39.

The shooting was said to have happened on December 27, 2019 near the Eko Atlantic

City, Victoria Island, Lagos.

A fracas, it was learnt, ensued between the police officer who, was on patrol in the area, and the victim, who was returning from an event.

The police officer was said to have pulled the trigger of his pistol on the unarmed civilian, which fall short of professional standards on the use of firearms.

The victim was rushed to Naval Dockyard Hospital,

Victoria Island, where he was confirmed dead by a doctor on duty.

The police sergeant was arrested and detained at the Provost Department, Command Headquarters, Ikeja.

He was subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as Orderly Room Trials.

Spokesperson of Lagos police command, Bala Elkana, said the officer was later ar-

raigned before the adjudicating officer on a three-count charge of discreditable conduct contrary to paragraph E (3) first schedule, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority contrary to paragraph Q (2), and damage to articles contrary to paragraph D (1), Police Act and Regulations, Cap 370 LFN 1990.

“The sergeant was found guilty of all the charges and awarded punishment of dis-

Sunday 29 December 2019

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Publisher/CEO

Where is Fayemi leading Ekiti?

editor Zebulon Agomuo

Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, is becoming the most talkedabout governor in the areas of value restoration, development and social investment is beyond mere adulation or propaganda.

The discerning ones within the opposition party have equally confirmed his exemplary leadership and described him as a visionary leader who knows where to head and how to get there.

Ekiti faces developmental challenges and capacity constraints as a small state. Even when its government aspires to higher standard of living for the people, it must struggle with the limited material and human resources. Its size and Gross Domestic Product are relatively small and can easily pin the state down. Going by the 2015 ranking, Ekiti is the least favoured among the Southwestern states. Its GDP stood at $3.6 Billion with per capita of $1.133m and a labour force of 1.4m.

Lagos led the pack with a whopping GDP of $50.8 Billion, per capita of $4,182 and a workforce of 7.7m. Oyo came second with $27.3 Billion GDP, $3,596 per capita and 4.4m labour force, followed by Ogun with

Frank Aigbogun

DEPUTY EDITOR John Osadolor, Abuja EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Fabian Akagha EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGY, INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS Oghenevwoke Ighure

Segun Dipe Dipe is the senior special assistant to Governor Fayemi on Public Communications.

ADVERT MANAGER Ijeoma Ude FINANCE MANAGER Emeka Ifeanyi MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS Obiora Onyeaso BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (South East, South South) Patrick Ijegbai COPY SALES MANAGER Florence Kadiri DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Linda Ochugbua GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)

Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

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

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” Alexander the Great. f you talk to most people, you will discover that they actually mean well in their criticism of what government does. But they don’t have much of a breadth on knowledge or understanding of what the real issues are, when it comes to governance. They listen to pundits who feed them with what they are supposed to think and they keep repeating that until pretty soon they say, “Oh, well that must be true.”

While such pundits cannot be stopped from informing the people, they should also not be estopped from saying exactly what they see. That Dr. John

I

$18.5 billion GDP, $3,660 per capita and 2.4m workforce, then Ondo with $11bn GDP, $2,423 per capita and 2.4m workforce.

Osun is also ahead of Ekiti with $10bn GDP, $2,199 per capita and 2.3m workforce.

Fayemi did not find these statistics scary, intimidating or discouraging. Whereas people are wondering how the wonderworking governor has been able to navigate the first year of his second term in office seamlessly, he, on the other hand, has been saying it’s no big deal at all. In the same state that somebody grumbled about the weight of workers and pensioners salaries, emoluments, pensions and gratuities, where school children were being taxed, where social welfare packages initially introduced

by Fayemi himself in office were cancelled and laudable projects allowed to rot away, Fayemi returned and restored all these lost glories within the first one year.

Whether Fayemi is seeing this as a problem, a challenge or an opportunity is left for the pundits to unravel. And the best way to do this is to check the rating of Fayemi’s government in the last one year. Despite the less-competitive economy and paucity of funds, Fayemi’s

Ekiti has continued to attract rave reviews as a leading light in how a state should be run.

The World Bank congratulated the state as the best performer under the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project and the third best performing state under the Community and Social Development Project. The Progressive Governors’ Forum commended Ekiti State for recording the highest number of initiatives in the Forum’s Development Initiative Tracking, spreading across empowerment, job creation, healthcare, etc. The Central Bank of Nigeria rated Ekiti State high on the Ease of Doing Business Chart.

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development recognized Ekiti as the Best Performing State on domestication of Women Rights Instruments.

On a personal level, but also in recognition of his leadership qualities, Fayemi emerged the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum barely six months after mounting the saddle as Ekiti Governor, the first Governor from the southwest to be bestowed with such honour.

Same month that Fayemi became the NGF Chair, his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi also bagged Continues on page 18

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Politics Dasuki and Sowore’s long walk to freedom Obinna Emelike and Iniobong Iwok

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n December 24, 2019, families, friends, associates, activists and some international bodies were celebrating the release of Omoyele Sowore, convener of #RevolutionNow, as well as, Sambo Dasuki, a retired Army Colonel, from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS).

The DSS operatives arrested Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare on Saturday, August 3 after calling for a nationwide protest tagged #RevolutionNow. The protest was intended to protest against perceived misrule by the Buhari’s led administration. But after initially ignoring several Court orders for their released, the duo were released on December 5 on the order of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and rearrested barely 24 hours later without any Court order to that effect.

He was charged with “conspiracy to commit treason and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dasuki was arrested for alleged diversion of $2.1billion arms funds while serving as the National Security Adviser during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Looking beyond the celebration, the overdue release came after over four months and four years in the custody by both men. While Sowore was arrested on August 3, 2019, ahead of a planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest, Dasuki was arrested on December 29, 2015.

But the intrigue is that the detention lasted so long because of the refusal of the Nigerian government to obey court orders that bailed and ruled for release of the detained, signaling autocratic tendencies in a democratic setting; a development, which many described as impunity of the part of the government and denial of the detainees’ right to justice and redress.

Trailing Dasuki’s release, the former National Security Adviser was granted bail severally with certain conditions, but the Federal Government refused to release him in disobedience to the court orders.

On July 14, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the continued detention of the former NSA since December 29, 2015, by the DSS as illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

The appellate court held that the DSS and its Director-General acted outside their constitutional powers on the long period of the detention of a Nigerian citizen and imposed a fine of N5 million on them to be paid to Dasuki as compensation for breach of his fundamental right.

In view of his continued detention, in November, the Court of Appeal varied the terms attached to the bail earlier granted the former NSA, expunging the requirement that Dasuki should produce

President Buhari

a Level 16 civil servant who must own a property worth N100million within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as surety. Yet, the DSS refused to release him until December 24th.

On the other hand, Sowore’s release has been very dramatic for the over four months he was in detention. Three weeks after his arrest by the DSS on August 3, 2019, he was granted bail by the Federal High Court Abuja on September 24, 2019. But as expected, the DSS refused to release him claiming ignorance of the court order, a development, which led to protests at the UN Plaza in New York led by Sowore’s wife that sparked a global decry.

The drama continued on December 5, 2019 when the court again granted him bail on the ground that he had fulfilled his bail condition, but the DSS did the unimaginable when its operatives evaded the court to re-arrest him.

However, some people were commending the presidency for the release of the duo, saying that it was magnanimous of Mr. President. Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the decision by the Nigerian government to release the affected persons on bail was informed by the need to observe the rules of the law.

But most human rights observers think that the release was informed by the sustained outcry, especially outside the country and recent pressure on the Nigerian government by some media

Sambo Dasuki

outfits that tagged the present administration autocratic.

Paul Aliche, a human right activist, explained that the media pulled off the release magic. “Presidency acted shortly after Punch published a hard-hitting editorial, which criticised the human rights record of the President, and refereeing to him as Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.). If you read that editorial and a few ones from about two more newspapers, you will commend the media for a good job in a long while”, Aliche said.

Aliche noted that the Presidency discovered that it was going to be a media war, and the evidence are glaring, hence the media handlers and the inner caucus advised that the Sowore should be released to avert an impending wider criticism.

Monday Ogala, a lawyer, also commended the media for a job well-done, and standing truly as the ‘fourth estate of the realm’.

“We have a government that was once an opposition, now it does not want opposition, we have a government that won election through social media and now wants restrict internet, these are already signs of autocracy”, Ogala said.

For him, the release of Sowore and Dasuki was possible by the commendable media that reminded the presidency how it is drifting to autocracy.

“It takes guts for the media to prefix the president’s name with his army rank as a military dictator in the 80s and re-

ferred to his administration as a regime pending the time that the President and the regime would purge themselves of their contempt for the rule of law. That combined with other pressures to force the presidency to release Sowore. The media should do more and also be strong for tough time ahead”, he stressed.

Part of the pressure, though subtle on the presidency, was a call by Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and presidentgeneral, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, for compliance to court orders.

The Sultan, who was speaking at the 2019 fourth-quarter meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja on December 12, said, “If you are served a court order and you deliberately refuse to obey it because you are a governor, President or any influential person, then you are setting a dangerous precedent.”

Some observers think that the fear that many other influential Nigerians may join the religious leader in the charge will discredit the government warranted the handlers in the presidency to bow to pressure in releasing the detained.

“The likes of Sultan of Sokoto hardly speak, but when they do many will listen.

So, any government cannot ignore comments from such eminent personality”, Jade Jimoh, a religious leader, said.

As well, on December 20, 2019 six United States of America’s senators wrote the Attorney General of the Federation over detention of Sowore despite

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Politics

Omoyele Sowore

court orders.

Again, four days before Sowore’s release on bail, Josh Gottheimer, a United States of America Congressman, sponsored his nomination as Prisoner of Conscience at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States House of Representatives.

The international pressure, especially from the US also played a part, as the Nigerian government is beginning to be seen as being autocratic in a democratic entity.

In the last few weeks, there have been increased agitations and protest for the release of all political prisoners and against government moves to silent the media, with the introduction of the hate speech and social media bill.

About a fortnight ago, the Punch newspaper, wrote a damming editorial, titled ‘Buhari’s lawlessness: Our stand’, in which the paper bluntly criticised the administration’s frequent violation of court orders and lack of respect for the rule of law.

The paper said it would henceforth refer to the president by his last military title, when he ruled Nigeria as a military dictator, the newspaper had since kept faith to the policy.

Several other national newspapers and tabloids including have on several occasions written and criticised the administration’s poor human right record and flagrant disregard for court orders.

The international community also added its pressure on the government.

Last week, six United States of American lawmakers also reportedly wrote Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), requesting the release of Sowore and adherence to rule of law by the government.

Yinka Odumakin, publicity secretary of Yoruba pan-Yoruba socio cultural group, said the sustained local and international pressure touched the administration to change its mind, while urging Nigerians not to relent in fighting for what is right.

“Personally, I think their released was because of the pressure within and outside of the country no matter what anybody say, it was because of the sustained pressure that make them bulge.

“They don’t want to run and imperial state and know this. My advice to Nigeri-

ans is that they should not give up asking for what is right and due to them.

“If masquerade is chasing you should not stop, keep running,” Odumakin said.

But the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Malami said the decision to release them was in compliance with the bail granted to Dasuki and Sowore by the different courts and on compassion ground.

According to him, “The only reasons for the release of Omoyele Sowore and Sambo Dasuki revolved around our commitment to the rule of law, obedience to court orders and compassionate grounds.

“It is important to understand the fact that as far as the law is concerned and in relation to the Nigerian justice system, one has multiple options after a court has ruled on a matter.”

“Even if we received any communication from them that will never be the basis on the part of the Federal Government to obey or disobey court orders emanating from Nigeria.

Malami said each of the cases of Dasuki and Sowore were treated on their individual merit and not in relation to one another or any other factors while describing as blatant falsehood the claims that Dasuki was detained for scoring certain primordial sentiments.

“The critical question that you may ask should be whether there is a strong suspicion of committing an offence or not.

If there is a strong suspicion of committing an offence which deserved, as a matter of necessity, to be investigated through legal steps then there was no room for thinking of witch-hunting an individual, scoring acrimonies or personal vendetta against anyone.

“The time has now come for Sambo Dasuki and Omoyele Sowore to also enjoy bail based on the merit of their individual cases. They were charged based on their individual cases, taken to court, granted bail and now have been released. All the individuals involved were treated fairly and justly; they were taken to court, enjoyed the court’s favourable discretion and they were all released,” he said.

But the national vice chairman (Southwest) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Eddy Olafeso in an interview with BDSUNDAY said the government did what it ought to do for a long time, noting that there was nothing to celebrate about their release from detention.

“Justice delayed is justice denied, the rule of law is supreme and government action was vicious and undemocratic. It was injury to democracy a rape on the judiciary, there is nothing to celebrate about their release from detention.

“We should all be ashamed of ourselves for celebrating this. This government is shameless,” Olafeso said.

Though, Dasuki and Sowore have been released, the case is still on as Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, noted that the Federal Government may appeal against the court judgments that granted bail to the retired colonel and Sahara Reporters publisher.

Moreover, Ibrahim el-Zakzakky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, and Zeenah, his wife, among others, are still in detention in security facilities across the country. They also need to be released or face trial as the case may be, the observers unanimously said.

Celebrating a nationalist, Mbazulike Amechi, at 90

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or keen observers of Nigeria’s First and Second Republic, the name Mbazulike Amechi rings a bell.

“The boy is good” as he is known by his political peers, was one of the foremost nationalists and crusaders of an independent Nigeria. Mbazulike Amechi was famed to have hid the foremost South African nationalist and former president, Nelson Mandela for six months in his house in Nigeria to evade arrest by officials of the then apartheid regime in South Africa.

Renowned for his oratory skills and love for education, “The boy is good” was also a known political strategist, trade unionist, first class Zikist, politician, former Minister of Aviation in the first republic, author, advocate of rural development, statesman, sportsman, worthy son of Igboland and a proud nationalist.

On December 30, 2019, Mbazulike Amechi, also known as Dara Akunwafor, will mark his 90th birthday, though he was born in June. The event, which promises to be grand, would be celebrated in Owerri, Imo State and would be hosted by the Imo State governor and co-hosted by the other South-East and South-South governors.

Double sapphire which signifies a 90th anniversary or birthday is a landmark.

Sapphire is a transparent precious stone that symbolises wisdom, virtue, good fortune, royalty and it is believed to protect wearers from illness. These qualities aptly capture the life and times of Mbazulike Amechi, one of the few surviving Nigerian nationalists worth celebrating given his contributions to the socio-political and economic emancipation of Nigeria.

Born on June 16, 1929, at Ukpor in the present day Nnewi South Local Government Area, Mbazulike Amechi attended the Roman Catholic Schools at Ukpor and Ozubulu from 1937-43. He then went into Etukokwu College Onitsha 1944 47, where he got the Cambridge School Certificate. He enrolled with Woolsey flan Correspondence College, Oxford for lectures. In 1953, after successfully achieving his London matriculation certificate, he enrolled as an external candidate with Beverly Hill University U.S.A. and took a Bachelor of Arts honours Degree in Political History.

After his Cambridge School Certificate, young Mbazulike Amechi worked as a Clerk in Armels Transport Limited, Benin City from 1948 to 1950. It was during this period that he became one of the youngest members of the Zikist Movement and its Assistant Secretary, Benin Branch between 1948 and 1950. From 1949 to 1953, he became the Secretary General of Armels Transport Workers Union and from 1950 to 1953; he was the Secretary of the Council of Labour, BeninWarri (Bendel). Between 1953 and 1955, Mbazulike was the Secretary of Lagos and Colony District Public Utility Technical and General Workers Union. In 1950, he became the Deputy Secretary General, Nigerian National Federation of Labour, a position he held until 1955.

Mbazulike transited into a full-blown politician. From 1950 to 1955 he became the Secretary-General NCNC Youth Association and from 1955 to 1960, he became the Principal Organising Secretary of NCNC. From 1957 to 1960, he was elected a Council in the Niger County

Mbazulike Amechi

Council 1957 to 1960. From 1956-57 he was a Councillor, Onitsha Southern District Council (the present day Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Ihiala and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas). Between 1957 and 1960, he was appointed a member of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation Board. In 1959, Chief Mbazulike Amechi was elected an Honourable member of the Federal House of Representatives to serve between 1959- 64. From 1960-62 he was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information.

He was re-elected to the Federal House of Representatives in 1964.

Amechi was appointed the Hon. Minister for Aviation between 1962 and 1966. During his tenure as Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, he undertook a marketing expedition of Nigerian air bus to the United States, an exploit known as “Operation Fantastic”, to popularise Nigerian Airways.

His love education made him endow scholarships for brilliant youths from his constituency who today are professors in our universities.

Amechi also championed rural development. He set up the first rural-based agro-industry in Eastern Nigeria, the famed Niger Pork Products Co. Ltd. in 1963, backed with necessary infrastructure (roads, electricity, pipe borne water and telephone). In 1977, he set up the Industrial Clays Nigeria Ltd, a mining and beneficiating enterprise based on Kaolin and other industrial minerals. He generated and sustained free electricity supply to his village for over 15 years (1963-78) until national grid came to his hometown.

He has authored three books — The Forgotten Heroes of Nigerian Independence (1985); Nigeria: The Two Political Amalgams (1994) and Simply the Good: An Autobiography (2004).

A compendium on him, titled, “Mbazulike Amechi: His Words and Thoughts,” will be released to the public in a landmark in event on December 30, 2019 to be organised in his honour.

Part of the celebration of his 90th birthday includes the inaugural Dara Mbazulike Amechi Lecture Series and a public presentation of a two volume title: “A Political History of Modern Nigeria” and “Words and Thoughts of Mbazulike Amechi” with foreword by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Politics Moves to delist political parties

unconstitutional, dead on arrival - Ademola

Tade Ademola is the newly elected Lagos State chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) and the state Alliance for Social Democrat (ASD). In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he spoke on a number of issues, including moves to deregister smaller parties in the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), agitations for electronic voting and the 2019 general election. Excerpts: How would you assess the performance of your party in the 2019 general election? or a party that was relatively young in the system we still had a governorship candidate in Lagos State. We had three House of Representatives candidates and nine Lagos State House of Assembly candidates.

Competing election is not an easy thing; Lagos State is about 20 million people, if you are coming to meet and compete with a party that is already in existence and with a structure and capacity the people would show you that you are an underdog.Politics is seriouslymonetised in Nigeria; whether it is money for campaign or just giving supporters for logistics, for running the election, it is always high.

If you are running for governorship election in Lagos State, how much would you use to do logistics?

How much would you use to do your campaign? Even on the day of the election we hadmany polling units across the state. Assuming that the minimum you would pay an agent in a polling unit is N10, 000 each; multiply that for all the polling units across the state, you would know that it is roughly four hundred million naira.Imagine such amount being distributed in a day, we have not talked about supervisors; it is awesome.We also have volunteers; these are people who are ready to do it for us with little or nothing. So, that is the challenge, we are not able to compete with them because of the financial implications needed to run and election.That is what we need to face overall; it means that in a state, a party may end up spending about two billion to compete for an election; multiply that across the country and see the multiplier effect.So, setting up a party is easy, but to spread it is not easy, we did not know it would be that tasking.

good. We should be able to correct and make suggestions to those ruling. Whatever they have done is for everybody, so we should call them to order when necessary. But the parties must come together and think for the state, it is not personal aggrandisement. We are bringing the parties together and so they can have social relation; it is not just about political relationship; when you have a social relationship together there are things you think of before fighting each other.

We need to build the capacity of people holding public office. We need to let party chairmen know the powers they have and the limitations of their power. Let the people understand what it entails.

It is not all the time we go for elections that we have to have a fight; we should come to the table and say this is what we have.

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The results of the 2019 general election was criticised by the opposition parties; what is the position of your party?

My party has this policy of not criticising unnecessarily, but the overview of that general election result we have seen is that people complained of rigging.But we know that you can only rig election where you are having majority and

Tade Ademola

every one of them is involved. I can tell you a party would put one agent in a polling booth and such agent would be compromised.

The agents do all sorts of things, they represent one party, but they do all they can to block, intimidate and send away the agents of other parties from the polling units because they want to subvert the process. They tamper with voting materials, sometimes collaborating with the other parties and the people to do this. So, if you are talking about elections not being free and fair, we are all involved.

There is no recent election that was free and fair in Nigeria except the June 12, 1993 election.I know the 2019 general election had issues, I believe there were malpractices; I was in Amuwo-Odofin and I saw what happened. But like I said because there are issues in general election would not mean to just totally condemn the whole process. Where I was I saw what happened even my agents were asked to leave and fought with; I had to tell them safety first; your life is more important.

The perception was that smaller parties were bought over before that election?

Well, that is an assumption, be-

cause if we were bought over, my party would not have candidates in the elections in Lagos State. My party governorship candidate participated fully in the gubernatorial election. We also had agents across the state. That is the problem a lot of political jobbers created; they would go round, print posters, saying that we have endorsed this candidate and that party.There was a time we were having meeting with our party national chairman and someone sent a picture to me where a candidate was holding the party’s flag covering his face that we have endorsed him, even when we were not aware of it. My party chairman sent it to me; those are the kind individuals causing confusion in the system and it is common during general elections.

You have just been elected the Lagos State chairman of IPAC; what are you bringing to the table?

What this election means to me from experience is that we have to come together and bring the parties together. I think after the general election, we should find a way out where we can come together and get things done; it must not be a do-or-die affair.When we start killing ourselves, it is not

What is the relationship of IPAC with APC? APC is a member of IPAC, the present Secretary of the state IPAC is a member of the APC in Lagos State.

So, APC, PDP we are the same and we all work together. The ruling party is running the government, but there is a synergy with IPAC. With the three of us when the parties are aggrieved we can say let’s talk.

Some stakeholders have canvased deregistration of some political parties; what is your take?

We are just going front and back on this issue, there is no way you would delist political parties, because there is already a ruling on that. INEC had delisted some parties before and they went to court and won. The people that are saying that the parties are redundant after election, what do they want parties to be doing? They expect them to go to newspapers and be shouting this party is not doing well, or doing bad? You expect them to be walking on the street advertising their parties?A party activity is not everyday affair, like it is in business. You can’t see me every day, I have lost an election, I would go back to the drawing board and strategise for the future.

You notice parties have different programmes during election because there are other activities.

The parties would have something to do every day, because they

would go and solicit for votes.

You are a reporter you don’t just go to everybody you go to people who are relevant. We have just finished verification at the INEC headquarters; if there were no parties, would there be verification?

There are so many things that are being done, the few that makes headlines are the ones people hear.

What is your take on moves to amend the 2010 Electoral Act? At Lagos State IPAC, we had not deliberated on it and taken a position as a general assembly, but I can tell you that personally, the best thing for Nigeria is to have electronic voting. Like I said before, the parties spend money so much during elections on agents if there is electronic voting such money would be saved.Then how much is INEC spending from the buying of ballot box and moving them around the states?They didBig Brother Africa and people voted from their homes; how much did they use in building the platform? If you look at it electronic voting is the way to go. But some people are saying they don’t want it because they want to rig.

You can’t rig when I am voting for who I want through electronic voting; its means that businesses would not be affected; because on the day of election everybody would be at work. There would not be multiplication of votes.

There are so many advantages in it. Because we have the power to subdue a lot of things and use it to subvert the process, you know a lot of people refused to come out to vote in the last general election because of fighting, violence, there is problem everywhere.

How can we have over 80 million registered voters in the country and we are having only 15 million voters? Look at how much number of people voted in big Brother Africa; it means that we can have lots of people voting and it would be the voice of Nigerians and that is when you willrealise that so much of smaller parties you call mushrooms have advantage because a lot of people would vote their conscience.For now, the immediate priority of the group is to bring a level playing field to all the parties. Even if you are the party in government, not everybody would be on the same page.

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Politics Can Lawan-led 10-member committee save APC, Oshiomhole?

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James Kwen, Abuja n a bid to quell the crisis that engulfed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole at the centre of controversy after the general election, a high-level ten-member National Reconciliation Committee headed by the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan was recently appointed.

The Committee has first (Interim) APC National Chairman, Bisi Akande as Vice Chairman; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase; Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Kashim Shettima; Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; Nasiru Koki; Khairat Gwadabe-Abdulrazak; Binta Garba as members and John Enoh (Secretary).

It is empowered to address grievances of party members and resolve existing conflicts, all with a view to fostering unity and oneness within the party.

The setting up of the Committee was in line with the November 22, 2019 resolution of the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

While APC was still savouring the victory it had at the February/March general elections, the party was stroke by a thunderbolt when Lawal Shuaibu, APC Deputy National Chairman (North) who demanded for nothing less than Oshiomhole’s resignation.

Shuaibu had in a letter dated May 27th, 2019 addressed to the Chairman, noted that in advanced democracies, people who fail to add value or build over and above what they met on assumption of duty show some civilised examples and “they honourably resign”.

Oshiomhole’s second in command accused him of leading the party to the path of extinction, emphasising that, “arising from the loss of a sitting APC Government, for example in Zamfara State, where you directly personally created the problem leading to the painful complete loss of APC’s electoral fortunes.

He said: “it is my honest opinion that your ability to ensure this party flourishes is deficient as you lack the necessary composure and you also don’t possess the capabilities and the requisite experience to run a political party.

“I write this letter to you with a very deep (sic) heart and high sense of responsibility. I write this letter thinking because I am a critical stakeholder in the APC project.

“I write this letter with my hands shaking, arising from the realising of my involvement in a project that is currently seen as failing, even before achieving the ambition of its founding fathers. I never found myself in any failed project.

“In advanced democracies, people who fail to add value or build over and above what they met on assumption of duty show some civilised examples, they honourably bow out.

“In that connection, therefore, I want to advise you to take the path of honour, to step aside and allow the Party to embark on the onerous task of reconstruction

Adams Oshiomhole

Ahmed Lawan

Bisi Akande

Lawal Shuaibu

and rehabilitation in those States it was weakened by the effect of the last primary election exercises.

“From up to down, all these are uncontestable facts. You cannot exonerate yourself from what happened to APC (in) Zamfara State, thereby destroying the hopes and aspirations of 534,541 APC members and supporters”.

Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee of APC fought back by slamming indefinite suspension on Lawal and other party officials who were singing discordant tunes.

That move however, did not save APC and Oshiomhole as crises continued to brew in the party with top members, including governors demanding nothing but the National Chairman’s removal.

If not the intervention of Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to kill alleged plot hatched by Governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Oshiomhole would have been ousted at a recent meeting of some APC governors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Zulum was reported to have foiled the plan when he saw that the four governors

wanted to use the other governors to get the President’s backing for Oshiomhole’s removal.

It was said, the four governors told their colleagues that the President wanted to see them and at the meeting, the President sought to know the governors’ mission.

El-Rufai was said to have told him that the governors have resolved that Oshiomhole should go because he is not running

We believe the committee does not only fall-short of the most basic of integrity tests, but is also a disservice to genuine efforts to bring a lasting solution to the crisis rocking different chapters of the APC across the country

the party well and they came to inform the President about their plan.

Zulum and other pro-Oshiomhole governors at the meeting including Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) were stunned by the disclosure.

In fact, Zulum countered, “Who are the APC governors with you? Where and when did we meet to agree that the national chairman should resign?” he asked El-Rufai.

This was just in addition to the perennial feud between Oshiomhole and his successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State which has escalated with a lot of violent clashes between supporters of the two APC kingpin.

It was in the face of this that the Lawan Committee was birthed but as it is yet to be inaugurated, there are doubts as to whether it will save either APC or Oshiomhole.

For instance, as soon as the Committee was inaugurated, Edo State Government has rejected it and accused some of the committee members of being people of “interests in the crisis rocking the ruling party.”

The Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Paul Ohonbamu and the Spokesperson to the state governor, Crusoe Osagie, described both the Senate President and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase as meddlers in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

They faulted the right of the duo to serve as “adjudicators on the matter” when they presided over the plenary sessions where the motions to take over the state assembly were deliberated.

“We believe the committee does not only fall-short of the most basic of integrity tests, but is also a disservice to genuine efforts to bring a lasting solution to the crisis rocking different chapters of the APC across the country,” the Edo officials said.

“To the specifics, Senator Lawan and Ahmed Wase in the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, presided over the plenary sessions where the motions to take over the Edo State House of Assembly were deliberated.

“They are also parties in the court case, in which the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ruled that the National Assembly cannot take over the functions of the Edo State Assembly.

“The NWC, which constituted the reconciliatory committee, is presided over

by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is a key actor in the crisis in Edo State. With this move, it amounts to him also being the judge in his own case”.

“State governors in APC-controlled states who are critical stakeholders in the organs of the party were not carried along in the composition of the reconciliation committee, contrary to insinuations that there was wide consultation before the setting up of the committee. Any genuine attempt to reconcile aggrieved parties cannot excise such important stakeholders in the party,” the statement read.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Politics

You can’t fight corruption in Nigeria without violating people’s rights - Adeniran Debo Adeniran is the chairman of Coalition against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL). In this exclusive interview with INIOBONG IWOK, he assessed the anti-graft war of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. He also spoke on other issues in the polity. Excerpts: What is your take on the Buhari’s administration so far and his fight against corruption? hen Buhari assumed office for a second term he came with a renewed vigour.

Buhari’s first term was marred by illness and some other things. You can also remember that the first term was marred by a lot of internal wrangling within the APC.The political party that brought him to office was less than a year old when they came to office; the political party was like a granite organisation. They were coalition of strange bedfellows. They took so much time to understand themselves, that could explain why it took him so much time to appoint ministers, because ordinarily, politicians would want to make input in who become this and that.

In the first term, he was able to get the then Senate president to answer trial in the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the CJN was also asked to resign. The appointment of a new CJN has put that issue to rest.With the closure of the border, those who are bringing in goods at illegal means are the ones talking. In the judiciary during the tenure of the current CJN, a lot of land mark judgments have been delivered. The second tenure would prove to be better for the President in the anti-graft war. He has been able to eliminate most of the corrupt officers in the judiciary.

Most of his cabinet members who were found wanting was changed.

This time, he knows that he does not have excuses for failure, which is why he has to make sure they work.

at the National Assembly, he is still doing his work. Several members of the Senate have one corruption case or the other; if not that Magu is backed by the presidency, he would have been frustrated.Look at what was budgeted for as constituency projects allowance by the lawmakers.

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But the anti-graft war has been criticised by the opposition who accused him of been selective?

I don’t believe the anti- graft war is waning and selective. It is actually becoming more portent; if anybody says the anti-graft war is directed at opposition, I wonder what they would say about the conviction of ex-governors like; Jolly Nyame and Joshaiu Dariye , even Orji Uzor Kalu. These are APC members. Even when Orji Kalu defected to the APC, he said Buhari was his father; he assumed jumping sheep would save him but the case continued in court.

We have also seen several people like that, former governor, Gbenga Daniel is in court, and he is still a member of the APC. If anybody is saying it is selective; but nobody would prosecute anybody that the anti-graft agencies don’t have allegation against and enough witness that can stand for them. They

Debo Adeniran

had to select those cases they have evidence. Also, it was PDP that was in power before the present administration came to office; they are the one who had opportunity to steal.

It may look one-sided because the proponents of the ruling party are now in the opposition party.Then, even if everybody was in same party not all criminals can be trailed and investigated, because corruption criminals don’t allow third party to be in the know of such action. It means the anti-graft agencies must have the skill to thoroughly do investigation before they can win cases.

Many of the judiciary officers are corrupt, sometimes files change, evidences are destroyed overnight.

Don’t forget that many of these suspects are rich, that they don’t mind to frustrate the anti-graft agencies.

It is only those cases that they have evident they can prosecute successfully; don’t forget that some of the judges have soiled their integrity.

What is your take on President Buhari’s request for special court to aid the anti-graft war?

Yes, I am in support because it would make the trial of suspected looters speedy. It would make the trial judges to concentrate on corruption cases alone and not what loopholes to check so that the accused do not explore them and win the case.Nigerians would know where to go and watch the court proceeding of the corruption cases.

It is only in Nigeria that individuals

accused of corruption are not in a hurry to clear their names, they would want to drag it as long as the judiciary officers would allow them, not minding the new administrative of criminal justice act.They want to sabotage everything in the process and make the judges give ruling that they should not. Don’t forget some of the ways of corruption like TSA have been blocked. Even if they managed to get so much out, they cannot enjoy it within the country because they cannot launder money within any financial institution in the country.

There is an arm of the Central Bank that checks and monitors transaction by NGOs and individuals and most of us have been put into check.When you look at Ibrahim Magu, despite all that is happening

If anybody is saying it is selective; but nobody would prosecute anybody that the anti-graft agencies don’t have allegation against and enough witness that can stand for them

What is your view about the conduct of recent elections in Nigeria, like the just concluded Kogi and Bayelsa gubernatorial elections?

I did not monitor both elections, but you can see that it is not different from previous elections in both states. Election should be a thing of the mind; individuals should be able to choose who they want to lead them, without anybody coercing them. Election should be a peaceful exercise, just like religion.

That is why some of us advocated for electronic transfer of votes, we currently use that to transfer money. Yes, INEC may have its own problems, but it would be reduced. When I put the card into the machine; whoever I want to pick would be picked. If anybody is trying to cause violence such person can be punished. So, at the end of the day people would not think they can commit electoral offences and get away from it, and three years after they are still in office, no one is asking him any question and he collects salary and still be parading himself as god-father in that area.

Such behaviour would no more be condoned; that is why we are calling for Election Offences Tribunal, so that people would be punished just like we are making progress in the area of corruption, we should make progress in the area of election on this country.

But there are agitations for the amendment of the electoral act to accommodate that?

The amendment would allow for electronic voting and would give way to the setting up of the Election Offences Tribunal. The amendment would also allow for electronic voting so that political party’s registration would be regulated and it would not be an all comers’ affair. Association that wants to apply for registration as a political party should have a clear-cut ideology that they want to implement when they get to office and all those parties with similar ideology lineage should be joined together.This would reduce the number of parties we have, voters would have informed decision to make, if the party is going to be socialist, communist, etc.

There is increasing concern that the Buhari administration is becoming repressive.Do you see that tendency?

First and foremost, let me tell you that the administration did not promise that it would uphold principles of human rights. Everybody knows that before the advent of the administration, Nigeria had become a lawless country, where human rights violations and political manipulations had been going on. Corrupt practices had been going on also. There is no way you would fight corruption,without violating people’s rights. These are people who plundered the resources of the country and along the line they know how to blackmail the name of people that they are beingvictimised.Even when you arrest him in his house, they would say you have trespassed. Remember Evans?

Even if you get arrest warrant, they would say you did not write it well.

If you are to fight corruption, there are some human rights claims that would not hold water.Also, there are some human rights claims that should not be tempered with and you cannot take away somebody’s right to liberty without proving allegation.The arrest of Sowore was unwarranted; he just used revolution loosely for drastic change. Buhari must have developed different way of fighting corruption, through security; the country is about 200 million people and they know and have ideas how it should run. Sowore can say I want drastic change. But as long as you are not training private army, you are not inciting civic defence against the country then people should not be overzealous to the best of my knowledge. Why then is the SSS so overzealous and enthusiasm at arresting him. His arrests have created an endemic in the image of the government. It would take a lot of effort to launder the image to a level that would be acceptable to Nigerians. Yes, the administration has been able to create enemies to itself with the anti-corruption policy. The Buhari’s administration has added more to its enemies by all of these laws and overzealousness of the attack dogs of the administration.These elites are the ones trying to loot the treasure of the country and take the wealth to make life brutish and hellish for the people. They are the same people who have violate the rights of the people who they are chasing now; they destroy our road and fly in the air.Nigerians are poor and cannot afford newspapers or even pay journalists to write stories on what is happening.

Sunday 29 December 2019

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Politics Could six-year single term be solution to Nigeria’s electoral logjam?

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Iniobong Iwok ast week, Nigeria’s House of Representatives rejected an amendment to the 1999 Constitution seeking a six-year single term for the nation’s president and governors.

Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the plenary, had put to voice vote the passage of the bill for a second reading, but the lawmakers, however, overwhelmingly voted against it.

The speaker immediately ruled that the bill be stepped down. The sponsor of the bill, John Dyegh (APC-Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency of Benue State), attributed the rejection of the bill by his colleagues to their lack of understanding of its intent.

The six-year single tenure proposal is not new to Nigeria. In 2014, former president, Goodluck Jonathan, proposed the six-year single term for president and governors, saying it would ensure good governance.

Jonathan’s proposal was then taken with a pinch-of-salt by political leaders across the country. But five years later, it appears that the logjam which has characterised the nation’s electoral system has brought the proposal to the fore and made it appealing.

A former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who supported the bill expressed displeasure over its rejection by the lawmakers.

Atiku said by rejecting the bill, the lawmakers missed an opportunity to positively affect a change in our democratic order, while regretting that eight-year term of office rewards incompetence because even incumbents that have failed would use their access to public funds to return to power by fair or foul means.

He argued that the desperation for second term is not necessarily driven by patriotism or the passion for service, but by the obsession with the greed for power for its own sake.

According to him, “In view of the challenges facing our current democratic order, especially the culture of rigging that subverts the will of the people, the six-year single term would have ended such untoward practices in our electoral process.”

“The desperation for the second term by the incumbents is the main reason why they go for broke and set the rule book on fire, thereby making free and fair elections impossible by legitimising rigging at the expense of their challengers that have no access to public funds.

“A situation where the incumbents deploy more public resources to their second term projects than using the funds for people’s welfare encourages massive rigging that undermines electoral integrity.

“Six-year single term would remove such desperation and enable the incumbents to concentrate on the job for which they were elected in the first place.”

According to Atiku, “Second term obsession rewards incompetence by allowing failed incumbents to be re-elected regardless of their performance record.

It also denies political parties the opportunity to replace failed incumbents with better candidates within the parties in the name of right of first refusal”.

Since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999, governors and presidents have enjoyed the constitutional two terms of eight years.

It is commonly agreed that rather than concentrate effort on fulfilling their campaign promises to the electorates and providing purposeful leadership, most of the state governors and even presidents often divert public funds and concentrate their efforts on seeking re-election for a second term after the first two years in office.

Political observers are of the opinion that the two terms of four years have been a curse rather than a blessing to Nigeria since 1999, and needs an urgent review in view of prevailing events that have characterised elections in Nigeria.

Recent events in Kogi and Bayelsa States elections have perhaps, fueled these agitations for electoral reforms, especially as regard the introduction of electronic voting and transmission of results.

Pundits are of the opinion that perhaps, the introduction of six-year single term may, however, help in checking ballot-box snatching, voter inducement, violence, and manipulations that have plagued recent elections and the 2019 general election in Nigeria.

“I support the bill and therefore, appeal to all categories of politicians in the country particularly the present lawmakers to examine critically the gains of the proposal for it is an opportunity to reduce the expenditure on elections.

“We should remember that similar proposals that were made and which people kicked against are today of immense value and benefits to the populace; the case of privatisation of the communication, aviation and the hospitality sectors readily comes to mind.

“Since the 1999 Constitution makes

John Dyegh

provision for two terms, it could equally be amended to accommodate the new development,” Kayode Amusana former member of the House of Representatives from Ogun State, said.

Kayode noted that a single term of six years is enough for any visionary and focused president and state executive to prove his worth, while appealing to Nigerians, particularly the political class to accept the proposal as way out to salvage the nation’s democracy.

However, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Moshood Salvador, expressed reservations about the proposal, saying that it may not be the solution to the nation’s electoral woes.

The APC chieftain noted that Nigeria’s political environment was rather peculiar and difficult to predict.

Salvador, who was a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State and a former member of the House of Representatives, noted that the proposal needs a careful study, while

stating that a single term of six-years may give the executives too much power, encourage bad governance and mediocrity.

“I don’t know why we cannot think; it is not everything we should accept. If you are given one year, two years you can finish the state if you like. We should not be myopic to most of these things. What is happening now is that, some of the governors are performing during their first tenure because they want to be re-elected for second term.

“But if you are saying a single term of six-years, these governors can just behave anyhow; because they know they would not be coming back, they can rule anyhow and inflict pain on the people.

“What happens now in Nigeria is that the executives are so powerful; there is no law that checks them. So, we have to be careful with such proposal,” Salavdor said.

But a former Minister of Transportation, Ebenezer Babatope said that the proposal needs a careful study and consultation among stakeholders, stressing that the problem with the nation’s electoral system appears deeper.

“Well, it is not bad, but we have to be careful that it is not part of an agenda.

Nothing ever works here in Nigeria.

Would that stop INEC from rigging elections?

“I think the promoters of the bill should do more consultations and education among stakeholders to clear the doubt.

But we have to know the foundation of such proposal,” Babatope said.

Pundits are of the opinion, that the rejection of the bill may be a temporary set-back, but may not mean its death.

Perhaps, it gives opportunity for the sponsors of the bill to carry-out more consultations, engage stakeholders, Nigerians and political leaders across the country on the advantages of the bill to allay fears before it is represented in the National Assembly.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Politics I will step on toes to serve Oyo People - Makinde

last child of my family, Iyabo, celebrated her birthday. My parents kept delivering male children until they got to the 5th one.

“I remember after the delivery of the fifth child, who happened to be a female, my mother, in the labour room, was shouting for everyone to hear that she had a female child. For her, it was special treatment.

“Some of us who stayed in the area where I grew up, we used to eat in a communal setting. So, when they brought the cake for her birthday, it was strange to us and we suddenly rushed it. My mum cried that day. That was the kind of environment where I grew up.

“So, if I can be who I am today, then no child should be left behind in Oyo State.

And that explains my passion for education. Once we give education to our children, the sky is their starting point.”

The Governor, who singled out the

people of the State for appreciation for the support they have continued to offer to his Government, further said: “For the people of Oyo State, I want to thank you because we would not have achieved anything without you. People have been commending us that there have been changes within six months we came into government.

“I want the people to know that it is not only Seyi Makinde that is doing these but all of us. And you know that decisions are always taken by consensus.

We discuss, thrash out issues and superior arguments always win. So, in 2020, I look forward to a more robust argument, discussions, and alignments.

“This time last year, I didn’t know I will become the Governor of Oyo State but I prayed to God during my birthday and the last cross over night that if my wish to serve the people of Oyo State would be to their benefit, let it be so and God answered that prayer. So, I want to pray today again that all our wishes, in the coming year 2020, God will make them manifest.”

In his sermon, the Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Most Revd Segun Okubadejo, who spoke on the topic, “a gift for Christmas,” encouraged Christians to gift Christ the best of their thoughts, actions, and deeds.

He said: “The gift Christ is asking of us today are the gifts he has given through finished work of redemption and the gifts are not for Christ’s benefits, they are for our benefits.

“Today, I am telling you children of God here celebrating Christ’s birth, the first gift Christ wants from us is love. He has deposited that love in us and he is asking for the same love. Love to God and to our neighbours.

‘We all know what lack of love causes in the home, the society. Lack of love is disturbing us. In the political circle, lack of love continues to cause crisis. So, today, Christ is asking for the gift of love.

“The second gift he is asking is that of humility in place of pride. Pride has turned the society and a lot of people into something else.

“Today, Christ is asking for the gift of doing good deeds,” Okubadejo stated.

and Ekiti Airport. The state government has also partnered Nigeria’s leading food and beverage giant, Promasidor Nigeria Limited for a $5 million investment to revamp the moribund Ikun Dairy Farm located at Ikun Ekiti.

These are just a tip of the iceberg of what Fayemi has been able to attract to the state. He is a leader with a futuristic vision and he knows how to turn his ideas into real-world success stories.

Pundits who study him well will attest to the fact he is a visionary leader. He would plan ten years ahead and nothing could derail him from implementing such plan.

He does not lose focus, notwithstanding the noise or chaos around him.

That Fayemi scored high marks in the first year of his second term was therefore no fluke. While observers regarded

it as his first year, insiders were quick to point it out that it was a continuation of his long-term plan during his first term in office, codenamed JKF1.0. Then, he had introduced landmark initiatives across the state and had recorded monumental achievements.

To understand where the governor is leading his people, pundits need to measure him with the following parameters: Honesty and integrity, confidence, ability to inspire others, commitment and passion, good communication, decision-making capabilities and accountability. And if they are able to score him high in them all, then, Ekiti people are assured that they have the right captain steering the ship, and the only place they can be led at this point is to their _Eldorado.

REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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overnor Seyi Makinde has declared that he would not mind breaking some toes if it would aid his determination to serve the ordinary people of Oyo State.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service to mark his 52nd birthday Makinde said that he would continue to fight on the side of the ordinary people.

Governor, who clocked 52 on Christmas Day, who made the declaration during his Birthday Thanksgiving Service held at the St Peter’s Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan said his determination to render service to the ordinary people informed his decision to declare free and qualitative education in the state While saying that education remains the surest way to lift people out of poverty noted “If I can be who I am today, then no child should be left behind in Oyo State. And that explains my passion for education. Once we give education to our children, the sky is their starting point.”

He stated that he never thought he would live up to 30 and that he has remained grateful to God every year he has lived beyond 30.

“I thought I would join the Army, fight for my country and possibly get killed and that may be the end of the story. So for me, every year I have lived above 30 years is like a bonus,” he said.

The Governor maintained that he was getting more mature at 52 appreciated everyone who has made an impact on his life, even as he expressed appreciation to the people of Oyo State, without whom he said he would not have been able to achieve anything in last six months of his tenure as Governor.

According to him, there is nothing really much to say; today is my birthday and I am getting mature. Quite frankly, I never thought I would live up to 30. I have a friend here and every time we were talking, we always thought that we would go into the Army, fight, get killed and that would be the end of our story.

“We actually went for recruitment

Seyi Makinde

into the Army but were rejected. But today, we are seeing Seyi Makinde at 52 and all I can do is to give thanks to God. “When we were going through the electioneering period, people said the political terrain here is rough, and I could get killed. So, I looked at myself and said that I could take the risk since I am more than 30 because I had always believed that anything I have after 30 would be like a bonus to me.

“That is why without looking back, I will continue to serve the people of Oyo State, without minding whose toe I will step on. Truth is, I will break some toes if I really have to and will continue to fight for the ordinary people of this state.”

He added: “My story won’t be complete without all of you and I thank you all. Today is the first time I am celebrating my birthday like this. In the area I grew up, the first time they would bring a cake for somebody’s birthday was when the

Where is Fayemi leading Ekiti?

Continued from page 11

the Zik Prize for Humanitarian Service Award. All these point to the values Fayemi has been creating for the state that had hitherto been regarded as debased.

Fayemi exposed the secret of his success thus: “Government’s policies and programmes the world over thrive on the involvement of the people…as a Government, we cannot do it alone or succeed in isolation. A tree does not make a forest. We need the support and cooperation of the corporate world, Donor agencies, Federal Government and of course, Ekiti people to succeed as a government. For us therefore, to build on the gains of the past, all hands must be on deck to move our dear

State forward economically, socially and politically.”

Fayemi is an unrepentant enthusiast of value creation and best practices, making Good Governance, agriculture and rural development, knowledge economy, infrastructural development and social investment his article of faith, and the five pillars upon which he is building second term in office, codenamed JKF2.0.

Just within a short span of JKF2.0, investors are falling over themselves, wooing and allowing themselves to be wooed by Ekiti State Government. The World Bank and African Development Bank have accented to supporting the state with $100 million loan to build the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, Special Agriculture Processing Zone, Ado-Akure road

Sunday 29 December 2019

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Politics ‘For peace to reign in Nigeria, there must be mutual respect for all ethnic groups’

Sebastine Uremadu, a professor of Banking and Finance at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State and also a commentator on national issues, in this interview with UDOKA AGWU in Umuahia, alleged that Orji Uzor Kalu’s incarceration has some political undertone. Uremadu believed that the former governor’s travails had to do with his touted 2023 ambition and those who see him as a threat. He also spoke on other issues. Excerpts:

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What is your take on Orji Uzor Kalu’s failed application for post conviction bail? rji Uzor Kalu’s case and conviction by a Federal High Court in Lagos State has some political undertone.

Who among Nigerian politicians would say he or she is free from one corrupt practice, crime or the other? Such a person should take the first stone and throw at the adulterous woman, according to Jesus Christ. While Kalu was judged and declared guilty on 39 point accusations brought against him by the EFCC, being masterminded by his political opponents in his home state, Abia, and by his political adversaries nationwide, it was reported that he exclaimed, ‘2023 here we come’, meaning that he is undergoing what he is facing because of his interest to contest 2023 presidential election that should be zoned to the Southeast in line with rotational presidency that has been in session since 1999. Some people from the Southwest want to take it away from the Igbos again, even though they have had the first slot of eight years and presently enjoying another eight years of vice presidential slot. Some people from the North want to still retain power to the denial of Igbo turn; while yet, some would want a more pliant Igbo, a weakling to be propped up for the job and these facts played out in Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s travails. In the midst of this, I would urge President Muhammadu Buhari, who Sen. Kalu has worked so hard for his emergence for second term and made serious impact in the Southeast, and all the other powers that be in the country to consider Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s case and positively intervene to either stop the process by the way it is going or at best commute his case and those of others to a Presidential pardon as done to General Olusegun Obasanjo by General Abdulsalami Abubarkar in 1999, to give way for him to be President in the third Republic of Nigeria political dispensation. All men of goodwill should intervene to save Senator Orji from this agony. No doubt, he is bearing his cross, a baptism of fire kind of how Nigeria system works. When he comes out of it, he should be stronger than ever. Al-Mustapha passed through it until President Goodluck Jonathan pardoned him; Nuhu Ribadu experienced it until Jonathan granted him a presidential pardon; others have enjoyed that gesture in one way or the other, why not allow Southeast to also enjoy such a positive gesture from the current Nigerian leader from the North, President Muhammadu Buhari? Why should Dan-Maibawan Daura remain behind bars? The Emirate of Daura should intervene and save one of their own from this continued disgrace and travail. As someone close to Orji Uzor Kalu, I know how bad his health is. Between 2018 and 2019, he has been to Germany to treat his health challenges several times and at his age, now 60 years, there is no way the facilities in Nigeria; ‘s correctional centre, where he is being detained, would be adequate to take care of him, health-wise. By this medium, I urge both the National Assembly

East and North-Central of the country, so that the entire body of Nigeria would experience peace, for if a part or two is feeling offended or injured, the entire body would be sick. It is high time the Southwest of Nigeria stopped witch-hunting the Igbos and the entire North should recall how it used to be then, with the Igbos in the days of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sarduana, Tafawa Balewa, K.O.Mbadiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, among others. The Igbos need to be encouraged to fully come back into the mainstream of Nigerian politics years after the civil war so that the promise of the three Rs (Reconcilation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation) of the Old Eastern Region will become a reality. We should create an avenue or atmosphere for such rapprochement and we shall all see that Nigeria is sweet.

How do you reconcile the relationship between the North and the Southeast?

Naturally, Igbos relate better with the Hausa-Fulanis of the North; far better than any other tribe in Nigeria and the North knows this, only that they do not say it out.

Sebastine Uremadu

and his colleagues in the Senate to rise to his defence, because, it is Sen. Kalu today, it may be Senator B or C tomorrow or Senate President the next day. It is high time, the National Assembly members rose up to rescue one of their own, the Chief Whip of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Do you subscribe for APC’s intervention in this case?

Why is APC leadership keeping quiet, when one of their lions is being caged?

Is it a script being played that prominent Southeast persons, who may emerge as contestants in 2023 elections should be dealt with using anti-graft agency? Why is everyone keeping quiet when Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu I know, is being treated the way he is now? Even if he has committed any offence, that must have been when he was maturing as a man. He became governor at the age of 38, so many Abians and other Nigerian politicians have equally committed one economic or financial crime more than Kalu. If they are left untouched, why should the person of Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu or Joshua Dariye of Plateau State be handled the way it is being treated? If we want to sanitise this country, I make bold to say as a proposition that no Nigerian politician is innocent of one political crime or atrocity or the other. We are just maturing. Sen. Kalu has been tamed, with what has been done or meted out to him so far; his case should be looked into by the powers that be in the country and he should be forgiven and pardoned; for we do not yet have angels among Nigerian politicians. We are just evolving and modernising, until we arrive at the Promised Land. The APC should take a cue from the Republican Party in the United States of America, who have rallied round President Donald Trump to fight the ongoing alleged impeachable offence, he is being accused of by the Democrats and we

have been watching on how the case is going and Trump most likely would come out of it clean as he did at the early part of his presidency, when he was accused of having used Russians to interfere in American election to emerge winner. Again, what is happening in Southern Sudan presently shows that the two divides are peacefully agreeing in power sharing, should be an eye opener to Nigeria on how to resolve its myriads of ethnic distrust problems. It is high time the Southeast is forgiven and be allowed full integration into the mainstream of Nigerian leadership and politics. Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu’s case definitely should be looked into and he should be pardoned. Sen. Joshua Dariye’s case would also be considered and pardoned, so that we should not be treating our political offenders with diverse measures. What has been meted out to Gen. Obasanjo, Ribadu, Al-Mustapha, among others, should be extended to these others in the South-

... Igbos relate better with the Hausa-Fulanis of the North; far better than any other tribe in Nigeria and the North knows this, only that they do not say it out

What do you want Federal Government to do in this case?

I appeal that Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu be released from the correctional centre without delay for the sake of his health condition and also be granted a presidential pardon by Buhari so that he can resume on his job at the National Assembly as the Chief Whip of the Senate and a good representative of the Abia North senatorial district.

2023 presidential seat be zoned to the Southeast on equity, justice and fair play based on rotational presidency. It should not become a curse to Orji Uzor Kalu in disguise, just because some people from other zones would want to have it at all cost. Such unbridled ambition and greed should be halted because Nigeria is not running away from us. Let them patiently wait for their next turn to arrive from the cycle of rotation, so to speak. We should stop behaving as an impatient child.

What is your advice to Nigerians?

It is time for Nigerians to treat ourselves with human face so that peace will reign and flow like a river in our dear nation.

The South-East and South-west should stop seeing each other as archenemies or political contenders or foes rather than work as fellow Southern brothers. Again, the entire South should stop seeing the Hausa-Fulanis as enemies of other tribes of Nigeria. Same goes for the North Central to stop seeing the far North as their avowed enemies too. The South-south, Southeast and Southwest should work closely together and with the entire North to make Nigeria great. All forms of destabilisation should stop forthwith so as to allow the country move forward in economic growth and development. This country is really sweet if we understand its workings and love all her people without exception. I love all Nigerians. Let us join hands to move Nigeria forward. May God upheld this my candid advice to the nation, Amen.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Ogun Watch Assembly passes, jacks up Ogun 2020 budget proposal by N2.1bn in favour of capital expenditure Stories by RAZAQ AYINLA

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arely twenty-four days after the Ogun State Govern o r, P r i n c e D a p o Abiodun presented the 2020 budget proposal of N449.97bn to the State House of Ass embly, the Ass embly today passed the Appropriation Bill retaining the budget size with an adjustment to the capital expenditure leading to an increment of N2.1 billion for capital proje cts .Therefore, the realignment moved the capital estimate from N269,132,349,884.46 to N271,232,349,884.46.

The passage of the bill titled: HB. No. 032/OG/2019- Year 2020 Appropriation Law, at the plenary presided over by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, OkeMosan, Abeokuta, followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation led

by Hon. Olakunle Sobukanla, who therafter moved the the motion for its adoption, seconded by Sylvester Abiodun and unanimously supported by all the lawmakers through a voice vote.

Ac c ording to the rep ort, which saw to the adjustment in the recurrent expenses of six agencies, capital estimates of ninete en others and the revenue targets of seven agencies; the recurrent expenditure was slashed from N154.896bn to N152.796bn, giving a reduction of N2.1bn in the recurrent expenditure, while the capital expenditure was moved from N269.132bn to N271.232bn giving an increment of N2.1bn.

The bill was thereafter read clause-by-clause before the lawmakers by the Speaker, after which the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, moved the motion for the third reading, seconded by the Minority Leader, Ganiyu Oyedeji and the Ag. Clerk of the Assembly, Deji Adeyemo did the

OGIRS in aggressive revenue drive, targets N135bn revenue in 2020

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State (r) in a warm handshake with Juju Music maestro, King Sunny Ade (l), shortly before 2019 Annual Thanksgiving held at Emmanuel Villa in Iperu Remo on Friday. third reading of the bill.

Passing the bill into law, Oluomo, who commended his colleague lawmakers and staff of the Assembly for their dedication and support which led to the timely passage of the bill, saying the prompt passage of the Appropriation Bill was a Christmas cum new year gift for the people of the State and therefore directed that the clean copy of the bill be transmitted to the governor for his assent.

It will be recalled that Governor Abio dun had on the 3rd of December, 2019 presented the budget proposal of N449.974 billion for the next fiscal year before the members of the State House of Assembly.

The budget christened “Budget to Build Our Future Together” has N269.132Bn representing (60.31%) for capital projects, with N180.842Bn (39.69%) set aside for recurrent expenditure, while salaries

and allowances were put at N83.238Bn, just as p ension a nd gratu i ti e s wou ld take N25.94bn representing 18% of total expenditure with the balance of N71.659Bn resulting in 16% of the total budget earmarked for overhead cost.

According to the Governor, the annual fis cal estimate was targeted at reflecting the present administration’s determination to deliver on its electoral promises to the people.

gun Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS) says it will set machineries in motion to ensure improved revenue generation next fiscal year and has therefore proposed the sum of N135.4billion as revenue to be generated to the coffers of the State Government next year.

Consultant to the Governor on Revenue Generation, Kunle Adeosun disclosed this while defending the Agency’s 2020 Budget proposal before t h e m e mb e r s o f t h e S t at e H o u s e o f A s s e mb l y C o m mitte e on Finance and Appropriation, led by Olakunle Sobukanla at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to Adeosun, the revenue was exp e cte d to be generated through tax investigations, personal and road taxes, withholding tax and direct assessment, as well as consumption tax amongst others.

While re calling that the agency generated over N35.9 billion between January and O ctob er this year, he however noted that the proposed revenue amount was realistic as there were lot of ongoing transformations to boost revenue generation in the State.

The Consultant explained t h at N 3 . 6 b i l l i o n w a s e a r marked for recurrent expenditure, while N330 million would go for capital expenditure in 2020, with an assurance that the agency would undertake a lot of enlightenment programmes.

Als o, the State Ministry o f F i n a n c e , O ff i c e o f t h e Ac c ountant- General, D ebt Management Office, Ministry of Budget and Planning, among others defended their budget estimates before the lawmakers.

OGSG compensates victims of Ita-OSU market inferno

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arely eight days after fire destroyed goods and some shops at the Olabisi Onabanjo International Market, Ita-Osu, Ijebu-Ode the Ogun State government has compensated all the victims of the incidence.

Presenting cheques to the 16 beneficiaries at the Olabisi Onabanjo International Market, Ita-Osu, Ijebu-O de the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele said Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration feels the plight of the

victims prompting the timely compensation.

The Deputy Governor said the amount given to the beneficiaries as compensation which ranges from N1M, N750,000 ,N500, 000 and N250, 000 was given to cushion the effect of the loss on the traders.

She said the government apart from condoling with the victims had already mandated the Ministry of Works to assess the state of the market so that it could be improved to the desired international standard

calling on the traders to support the efforts geared towards improving the market.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerc e and Industry, Lydia Fajounbo called on the traders to reciprocate government’s prompt response by working with government in the ‘ building our future together’ of the present administration.

The Se cretary, Iyalaje in Council for market men and women in Ijebu land, Sade Alatishe while appreciating the

State government assured of the support of traders in all the six local Government Areas of Ijebu land towards the success of the present administration.

Pres enting a thre e p oint agenda to the government Princess Alatishe requested for the provision of more amenities in the market, fire fighting equipment as well as the presence of Governor Dapo Abiodun during the 35th anniversary of the market on May 25, 2020.

One of the beneficiaries, Vi-

talis Olisakwe, who spoke on behalf of others lauded the government for the timely intervention assuring that they would support the present administration through the prompt payment of taxes and obedience to the laws made by government.

Re call that fire engulfe d s o m e p a r t s o f t h e O l ab i s i Onabanjo International market on December 15, 2020 prompting the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi to visit the market the following day.

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Interview Why it is difficult to manage a successful medical outlet in Nigeria, by Olanrewaju Raphael Olanrewaju, a consultant surgeon in Obstetrics and Gynecology and medical director of 23-year old Mother and Child Hospitals in Lagos, spoke to RAZAQ AYINLA, Southwest Bureau Chief, on issues bordering on neglect of Nigeria’s health sector, which he blamed on bad leadership and governance. Excerpts:

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y way of introduction, may we know you better?

I am Dr. Raphael Sunday Olanrewaju. I attended St Andrews Catholic Primary School in Oro Kwara State. My high school was at Igbomina Secondary Grammar School, AjasseIpo in Kwara State where I left with WASCE GRADE 1 Distinction. I also attended Ahmadu Bello University Zaira and graduated with MBBS 1982.My post graduate studies were at The Jos University Teaching Hospital where I graduated with Fellow of The West African College of Surgeons in the Faculty of Obstetrics & Gynecology in October 1990.I was a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine,University of Jos and Consultant in O&G to the University of Jos Teaching Hospital until I resigned in October 1994 to join DuroSoleye Hospital in Lagos.

How do you see the state of the healthcare in Nigeria at the moment? What is going on well and what can be improved upon?

Everyone knows that the state of healthcare in Nigeria is far from what it should be. We are worse off today than what we had in the seventies and eighties as far as our hospitals are concerned. The basic health facilities are far from being adequate and efficient. The tertiary healthcare centres,especially the teaching hospitals which gave us joy during our training years are not so nowadays because of the general decay in Nigeria.

Nigerians now run to places that used to envy us for health care. Thank God we have more hospitals and medi-

cal personnel, but there is a dearth of modern facilities and poor attitude to work and services. Nigerians are far from being satisfied in our health services. Urgent steps must be taken to address this poor state of affairs.

There have been calls on the government to do more in health industry. What are your recommendations in this regard?

Heath care is very expensive.

Majority of the citizens cannot cope with the cost of provision of service without serious government input.

Any government desirous of good healthcare services must invest in the health industry. Government at various levels local, state and federal must invest heavily in the health delivery to ameliorate the sufferings of the people. Government policies in finance, agriculture, education and infrastructure have a bearing on the health of the citizenry and should be tailored towards improving the lives of the people to make investment in health worthwhile.

You recently opened a new facility in Omole, Lagos. Tell us about this facility and what it has to offer?

Our new facility at Omole, Lagos, is primarily to serve as a world class, one-stop people-friendly hospital for every member of the family. The ambience, facilities and staff have been carefully planned to allow our clients and families experience the best care possible. We are glad that this type of facility can be provided in our country at this time.

People don’t often talk about the business side of managing a hospital. How has the journey

Olanrewaju been over the past 23 years as a healthcare organisation in Nigeria?

Managing a hospital is in two parts- the training as a medical doctor and the business aspects.

These are not mutually exclusive

but a good manager must be able to use his or her trainings, knowledge and available resources, both human and material, to achieve the aims and objectives of the organisation. To this end, the past years have been very challenging

but also rewarding. Operating in Nigeria has been very challenging for many reasons, particularly because of the lack of supporting infrastructures such as efficient and adequate provision of power, water, good road and security. We have to operate in an environment without government or financial institution support. Nigerian banks desire that hospitals keep their resources with them without any support or with throat-cutting interest. This is not so in well-organised societies. It is difficult to manage a successful medical outlet in Nigeria.

Congratulations on your anniversary. It must be rewarding to be consistently making a difference in people’s lives for such a long time.

What is the experience like in the last 23rd years?

We established Mother and Child Hospital in October 1996 with Dr. J.B.O Adewuni.

All glory to God for His mercies, help and grace all the way. We know that all the so-called achievements are by His grace alone. We are glad that God enabled us to contribute our little quota. God had made a success of our effort.

Looking forward, what are your growth plans for the next 10 to 20 years?

God willing, we believe that the next 10-20 years have very promising and rewarding experience in stock for us. We intend to extend the Mother and Child brand to other parts of Lagos and Nigeria at large. We are here to make Nigerians access the best care with no stress financially or emotionally.

How GTBank digital play centre provides platform for holistic education of Nigerian children SEYI JOHN SALAU

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ife is full of uncertainties and risks faced by Nigerians irrespective of social class, ethnicity, religion and other factors, however, those who succeed in life are those who acknowledge these uncertainties and hence, arm themselves with a well-planned strategy on how to face and overcome their challenges.

That uncertainty no doubt could better be overcome with qualitative education that exposes children in their early age, especially at the formative stage of their lives to inclusive education that develops not just the learning abilities of the child, but also help in building his/ her soft skills.

This according to media specialists who are professionals in the design, implementation and execution of educational resource and management can be made possible with technology adoption in basic education.

Similarly, education management experts have always argue in support of a Federal Government led policy statement on technology integration in the Nigerian education sector to aid teachers in handling and managing classroom

challenges faced in regard to the teachers-to-students ratio in the country, as a way of improving the learning-teaching outcome of Nigerian children.

According to media specialists, education has gone beyond the four walls of the classroom to include technology integration and Nigeria cannot but align with the rest of the world to develop its educational sector. Education they said should involves creative utilisation and adaptation of educational resources to enhance classroom management by teachers.

However, government seems to lack the political will or is sometimes foot-dragging to drive technology integration in education based on

its limited revenue and budgetary allocation to the sector.

Aloy Ejiogu, Professor from the Department of Education Management, University of Lagos, in a paper titled ‘How Can a Nation Develop without Teachers’ said, “Teacher is not my job, it is my life”. According to him, a teacher is a curator of the mind that gives sense of value and validation to students outside the home.

According to Ejiogu, teachers are responsible for making other professionals and should be celebrated. “A teacher is someone who works for the good of others and exhibit autistics ability as professions,” he said.

However, in driving Nigeria’s technology adoption in education,

Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) recently launched a digital playground for children to have fun, learn and interact. Called the GTBank ‘Play Centre’, the digital initiative is Nigeria’s first digital playground for children.

The newly launched play centre gives children what is referred to as the digital experience of a lifetime.

It is equipped with a wide range of interactive games that gives kids fun and immersive digital experience whilst aiding their mental and intellectual development.

Located in Lekki, Lagos State, the GTBank Play Centre is open to children between the ages of 5-10 years, the centre is divided in to three activity areas; Sketch Town, Leggo City, and the Chalkboard.

The Sketch town utilises 3D paper crafting where kids can design cars, build mansions, launch rockets, and colour all their sketches to life.

The Leggo City engages the minds of the kids as they develop their own fictional characters through adventurous Lego games while the Chalkboard encourages kids to express their unspoken words/drawings on the great wall of Play Centre.

“Our (GTBank) new Play Centre will give children a tension-free

space to build these critical developmental skills, expose them to new and emerging digital technologies, and, most importantly, give them a wonderful time out,” said Segun Agbaje, the chief executive officer, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. Just like the Play Centre, another of GTBank initiative, ‘Habari’, a digital platform that gives customers unlimited access to local and international music, and at the same time, allows them to shop online, split bills with friends and take care of their everyday needs, in one place.

Habari, like the GTBank Play Centre, is the first of its kind in Nigeria, reflecting the bank’s digital drive as well as its focus on creating unique experiences for all segments of its customer base.

According to Agbaje, GTBank is passionate about building the bank of the future, which means constantly leveraging the best of technology to create amazing digital experiences for all of its customers, in a way that adds real value to their lives. “How and where children play contributes significantly to their cognitive and intellectual development, helping them build better communication and problem-solving skills,” Agbaje stated.

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Why Nigeria does not attract quality investments, by Omotola Lai Omotola, group managing director, Masters Reality International Concepts Limited (MRICL) and chancellor of E-Boot Camp Limited, recently spoke with a select group of senior journalists on the ‘state of the nation’. He touched on issues of Nigeria’s rising debt profile, infrastructure deficit in the country that is hindering productivity, why the right investments are not coming into the country, border closure, among others. ZEBULON AGOMUO was at the session. Excerpts:

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igeria’s debt profile is already high and government is going ahead to borrow more. Do you think there is no problem with that?

The way government is now structured, there’s nobody that you’ll put there that will have any other option than to borrow. They have been pushed to the wall that the only option they have is just to borrow because there are pressing needs.

What are they borrowing for?

They are borrowing for pressing needs and what are the pressing needs? The recurrent expenditure and servicing of the budget; these are the pressing needs.

They understand that when it comes to recurrent expenditure, if there’s fuel scarcity, there will be trouble in the country; there will be trouble in the country if they don’t pay salary, and if they cannot pay their debt on time. All those things are not negotiable.

Now, the capital expenditure can still be negotiated. You can tell a contractor to go to site and you pay him according to cash inflow or when able; but these pressing needs that government over four years has drawn themselves to a corner, if there is anybody that will came now and say, this is how to solve the problem without borrowing; within this short time; you can’t get it out. So, anybody that comes to government as at today, the option he has is just to borrow that money.

And this is as a result of what they have created for themselves in the past few years, and borrowing this money is further pushing us into crisis situation; serious crisis situation because what that means is that our debt servicing figure is going to increase. Now we are using 30percent of our income to service debt. That brings me to a question on how serious is this government? The government set up an Economic Adversary Council (EAC); have you seen any impact? Have you seen them sit down to even come up with a direction or any rescue mission? It is just there in terms of name and position but in terms of impact to critical thinking and radical approach for the survival of the nation, is not there. As things are, we have to be on toes so that we don’t get to a point where the best of geniuses in Harvard cannot solve our problem. You know, when a cancer gets to a certain stage, there is no more solution. And that is where we are moving towards, that we as a nation, we are not paying attention to. Buhari is

going to finish his tenure. When he was campaigning, he was making all manner of promises, but when he got there, he began to say he never knew things had degenerated to this extent.

Another person is outside there now campaigning; he wants to get there; but when such a person gets there, he many even do worse in terms of borrowing. He is just criticising now, because he is not there. When he enters there, he continues to borrow.

But it is unfortunate that we have continued to borrow having cleaned our sheet to zero when Obasanjo was there; and we build it up to this extent now.

A lazy man’s approach all the time is to borrow money. Our leaders must understand that we have now entered an emergency mode. The best this country can have in 2020 is to ensure that things do not degenerate beyond where we are now. If we cannot make it better, let it not grow worse. Budget of N10.9trillion will not make any impact in anybody.

Is there any correlation between the current state of the economy and the state of power (electricity) in the country?

Well, electricity is the basic thing for productivity. Any nation that must be productive- when I say productive, I mean manufacturing; must first have basic electricity. Take that away, you have

not started. So, there is a correlation; have you solved your power issue? Are you thinking about productivity? As long as we don’t solve our power issue which is also getting worse on two things. Number one – funding; number two – debt, the country will remain in trouble economy wise. It is getting worse by the day. Today, what some DISCOs are doing is what they call ‘willing buyer, willing seller’. So, they are putting you on a premium line, such that you have minimum of 20-hour light every day as long as you can afford it. That is an escape route for some people.

But within the next three to four years, that can also be congested when they begin to bring everybody into that arrangement and they don’t have the network to support it. Our electricity situation has not taken a significant leap to where we need to be.

The Nigerian land borders have been closed for some time now. How has that, in your own opinion, impacted the country?

The question to ask is; the closure of the border, what is it fundamental to? We are closing the border because we believe that there are constraints that do not help our economy. They are bringing more rice and it is not helping our local farmers to build capacity. There is always this problem of supply and demand. Whenever there is a de-

mand anywhere, the supply will get there; it will only be a matter of cost and that is why all these years, the issue of eradication of cocaine has become very difficult because as long as there are still people demanding for that cocaine, with all the military strength of USA and their funding, cocaine still enters the country. That is the power of demand.

Now, the border closure will not significantly solve any problem if there is still demand. If the people are still demanding that they need rice and local production cannot meet that demand; people will ensure that that rice gets there. But what the government was supposed to have done is to say that these people bringing rice from Cotonou we are going to overrun them. How do you overrun them? You overrun them with production. So, the government has the capacity to say we can build more tonnage to the extent that the cost of what Cotonou is giving them, for instance, if Cotonou rice is N7,000, even in Cotonou, we are going to increase production so that it can be N5,000 even Cotonou itself. So, the Nigerian rice will be selling in Cotonou at a far cheaper price. But to continue to close borders without any plan simply means that you are creating emergency millionaires, because it is about cartel; the people that know the way.

Water must always find its level, no matter how you want to block it. So, you now build a cartel that they now have their own route.

So, always understand that as long as there is still demand, people must look for the product wherever they can get it. Let me give you an illustration; there was a time we used to import cement into this country; but today we do not need to import cement because the supply outweighs the demand. Before, we used to say, we want imported electrical cables, but today, the production is there; everybody is saying; no, it is Nigeria’s cable that we want. So, as long as you don’t address this rice issue from the area of productivity (production) by setting an agenda that in the next five years, we are going to feed Nigeria or the whole Africa with rice; you don’t need to shut down your border. What you need is reversing the flow.

If you bring out quality rice at a cost-effective price and the rice becomes N5,000; immediately, all these other rice will disappear.

Economy is contracting, but the NBS says there is a significant increase in growth rate and value, but you mentioned that generally speaking, it is not doing well. What informed your claim?

The thing is that a lot of economists mix things up. You see, economy is like your car; when you start your car, there are lots of parameters that will show there. It will tell you that the battery is ok; it will tell you that there is fuel; it will tell you that the car is not overheating, etc.

But the major parameter of a car is that the car will start. But the car starting does not mean it can get to Ibadan from Lagos; because if it does not have fuel, it will not get to Ibadan. So, it is not a guarantee that because the car has started, it will take you to Ibadan when there is no fuel in there; it doesn’t happen that way. When people talk about GDP, they do not ask the question - what are the drivers of this GDP? When you talk about growth, GDP measures growth.

So, what is driving our growth?

It is just one particular area that is contributing to our growth.

All of us are business people and we say, for instance, we are worth one billion dollars ($1 billion dollar) but in that $1 billion, just one person is contributing Nine hundred million dollars ($900 million) and next year, he brought Nine hundred and fifty million dollars ($950 million) and the rest are contributing the remaining fifty million dollars ($50 million). On that table, will

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the other people, except one person, be happy? But what would they record? They will say, that table has increased; but nobody is asking; ‘what is the driver of this increase? Now, GDP is not going to tell you about the rate of unemployment. As the GDP increases, do you find the rate of unemployment declining? As GDP increases, do you find access to capital; bank loan increasing? As GDP is increasing, our productivity in terms of, ‘O, we used to import fuel, now we are exporting fuel and we are giving fuel to ourselves; does GDP tell you that? But these are the essential things that will show that there is growth in the economy.

Look at the 2020 Budget, Income Tax is N500 billion (five hundred billion naira) that is Company Income Tax. So, it tells you that if you aggregate everybody doing business in Nigeria, N500 billion is what we want to get from them as tax. But go to any other saner country; one company is producing that amount as tax. Just one company! Now, you just aggregate Nigeria of 200 million people and say this is what we are going to get from everything that we do. So, what we are now going to look at is that, coming year, that N500 billion will it increase or not? If it has doubles, you will know that the economy is expanding? Go to Victoria Island and begin to count the number of vacant offices that nobody is renting; does GDP address that? When people have built their houses but they cannot rent them out for five years; does GDP address that?

These are the things that people feel. Let me tell you how the GDP works – it is just a balance sheet.

Now, a company’s balance sheet will tell you that this company is worth, say, N2billion; but they don’t tell you that the company has debt; and that with this debt inside this balance sheet; in the next one year the company is going to collapse; Now, when you see a company’s balance sheet, it now takes somebody to investigate that number one, this company that has balance sheet,

what business does it do; has government policies affected its business? This is because, if government policies would affect its business that means production will reduce; and it production should reduce; it is going to affect its workmen; if the workmen are going to be affected, it is going to affect its income; if it affects its income; it cannot pay its debt; if it is not able to pay its debt, AMCON will come in and take over the business. So, GDP tells you, for instance, the stature of somebody. So, when someone is walking you say that person is okay? GDP will show you the stature but the doctor will now come and say, ‘let us check you; do you have high blood pressure; do you have any heart disease?’

This is because the man does not know he is seriously sick, but when you see him, he is walking and looks healthy. That man is fat; he is 6ft tall; he is black, etc – that’s what the GDP does. It tells you the aggregate size; but it does not diagnose to tell you that in that same economy, out of 10 people, only three people have payable, workable employment.

So, we must stop carrying GDP up and down; celebrating GDP. Recently, a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in his ‘State of the Nation’ warned that endless borrowing would lead to endless sorrowing, suggested that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should be made to be more productive and profitable. He cited Saudi Arabia’s ARAMCO, the most profitable company in the world that generated $29.4 billion through IPO. Atiku said the current government could look towards reforming NNPC to get more money instead of going to borrow again. What is your take here?

It is good to say that on paper.

ARAMCO is not screwed the way NNPC is screwed. The way ARAMCO was formed was not the same way NNPC was formed; and it is not the same way that ARAMCO is run that NNPC is run. NNPC is a major appendage of government; so,

it does not enjoy independence.

NNPC enjoys quota system; and when there is quota system, you cannot talk about performancedriven system. You cannot talk about best international practices. So, it is different from ARAMCO. NNPC is set up for other issues. If you set up a business outfit; you set an agenda; you give the person a target and you get a CEO, not on quota system, but on merit and track record; so, this has been the way NNPC has been operating for 50 years and to try to rearrange it, it will not happen in four years. The issue of NNPC is bigger than that of Nigeria. NNPC that has not been audited since creation; so, to talk about reforming it in the manner of ARAMCO is not something that will take place in four years.

The issues that we have found ourselves in are real issues, and what these people are doing, borrowing and borrowing, is what they have been pushed to, for the sake of survival.

Are there no alternatives?

We have alternatives, but they are not short run. This is because the problem did not happen one day. For any nation that has approached this level and has come out of this level; they draw out a 20-year master plan that remains unchanged, to resolve all these issues. But where you have policy inconsistency and for the sake of political exigencies; and for the sake of ethnic agenda you can’t get anything out of nothing; you are just wasting your time. The solution is in the archives of Nigeria; they have it there, nobody is ready to implement it. The problems confronting Nigeria today are problems that had been solved 200 years ago. The problems that many countries of the world have since taken for granted are still the ones besetting us. We are still talking about electricity, road; water; the problem of what to eat and what to drink. These are mundane and pedestrian problems that have been solved centuries ago and people have forgotten about them; yet they become our own major problems. We have to import flour; we have to

import beans, we have to import everything that is importable.

These are the issues. Look at our port; it remains the way it is because people are eating from it.

Whenever you find any problem that lasts beyond one month; it is because people are eating from it.

In this country, any problem that comes up and lasts beyond one month, it has become a cash cow for some people. For instance, how do you explain Apapa gridlock when a federal might came and said it was going to resolve it, but they are unable to resolve it. It shows a lot of people are making money down the line.

Some people say foreign investment is not coming into Nigeria because of disregard for rule of law and rights abuses.

Can you speak on the seriousness of this, if you believe it?

Every investor, especially, international investor always reads report about every country; and the reports that they read is World Bank reports. The reports give you level of compliance to ease of doing business.

So, the investor will look at it from many perspectives. Number one- enforcing contracts, what rate? The investor will see that Nigeria is below the ladder.

He will then ask himself, ‘So, if I invest and anything goes wrong, how do I enforce my contract?’

There are two types of investors – The American, European contractors that believe 100 percent in the rule of documentation; that is, the rule of law is 100 percent. So, you can find that an American investor works in Nigeria, but you can sue him in his country. The American and European believe in the rule of law to the letter; then you find some other investors. They are not too far from Africa, where rule of law is not well-grounded – the Chinese, Lebanese, Indians and the rest. Those ones, Nigeria may be attractive to them because within that crooked rule of law, they enjoy their own largesse. So, every nation attracts different kinds of people. When you see a nation that attracts the later ones, you see that things are not

done properly there. But you see other nations where they respect their rule of law to the letter; you see them in advanced countries doing great and mighty work there. So, the rule of law is the life of any nation just like blood is to the flesh. Obstruct it; terminate it, contaminate it; affect it, then the shape will come out in an abnormal way. There is no difference between the rule of law and democracy. Respect for rule of law and guarantee of it help the investors to secure their funds.

The rule of law has so much to do in investment. But the truth of the matter is that the best investment is here. Nigeria has enough money domiciled here to turn every woe around. The PENCOM and Pension funds are in trillions of naira. There is so much money here; but what is not here is the business infrastructure. Am I going to advise PENCOM to invest in business in Nigeria? No; because anything can happen. If the money disappears, that’s people’s money.

The business infrastructure is not here. It is only a few companies, perhaps, only two or three, that if you do contract for them, the day they tell you they will pay you is the day they pay you.

They can’t be more than two in this country. But in other climes, they will even call you that your cheque is ready. We are in a very chaotic and hostile environment; it does not propagate growth.

But you know again; a few people make so much money from chaos.

If you are selling generator, you are not in the generator business. But a lot of people tend to think they are in generator business; what they do is that when they find out that power/electricity supply is going to improve and light is going to be stable; they go and bribe those working in those offices to frustrate the improvement instead of them thinking about graduating from being generator merchants to becoming ‘NEPA;’ it is our business thought. We have seen companies that started as travelling agencies ending up having aircraft; they are in aviation business.

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Arts ‘Convergence’ still enthralls at Wheatbaker OBINNA EMELIKE

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onvergence, a solo exhibition by Obi Okigbo, a Brusselsbased Nigerian-born artist, is still on at Wheatbaker Hotel Ikoyi.

On why to visit to see the exhibition, the artist is the daughter of Christopher Okigbo, late foremost Nigerian poet, and she is staging a comeback to the Nigerian art scene with the much anticipated solo exhibition, which is curated by SMO Contemporary Art. You also need to see the exhibition because it features 50 paintings and drawings on paper, canvas, linen and silk by the artist.

It also features some poems by the late poet.

It also marks the end of an exciting 2019 art program for the Wheatbaker Hotel Ikoyi, which has generously donated its exclusive spaces and walls for many exhibitions this year.

Convergence explores the artist’s fascination with how our belief systems, behavioral patterns, and aesthetic values have been shaped by ancient art and mythology from different cultures and eras. Okigbo’s

experimentation with delicate paintings using Indian ink and pigment, touch on universal themes of transcendence. Her powerful portraits of heroes of African descent are “a celebration of collective memory, the archetypal quest for the self and the truth of our existence”.

Okigbo grew up in Nigeria, and practiced architecture in London, Rome and Paris before moving to Brussels in 1995, and becoming a full time studio artist. She has exhibited in Nigeria, United Kingdom, Dubai and Belgium, and established the Christopher Okigbo Foundation in 2005, which focuses on researching and preserving the legacy of her late father, the poet Christopher Okigbo. Convergence is Okigbo’s second major solo exhibition in Nigeria since 2003.

“We are pleased to host the culturally significant works of Obi Okigbo in what can only be described as a well-timed homecoming for the artist,” said Mosun Ogunbanjo, director of the Wheatbaker. “Obi’s Convergence presents fascinating portraits of the who-is-who of heroes of African descent along the hotel’s corridor’s providing not just fantastic art, but a veritable history lesson for our esteemed guests.”

Jacob’s ladder, indian ink and pigment by Obi Okigbo

Ogbunike CaveFest set for another enthralling edition

‘Your Excellency’ premiere; the film event of the year

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n Sunday December 8, 2019 in typical EbonyLife Films tradition, some of Nigeria’s most powerful politicians mingled with top business executives, movie stars and celebrities at the premiere of ‘Your Excellency’, another comedy blockbuster from the studio.

Mo Abudu, CEO, EbonyLife and executive producer of the movie, was there to greet her special guests on a momentous day for her media company. Not only was she launching the latest in a growing line of major films, she was opening the doors to EbonyLife Place, a luxury cinema

and lifestyle resort, with numerous restaurants, VIP lounges and a boutique hotel. While touring the stunning venue, guests were treated to abundance of food, drink and gift items, courtesy of sponsors Dubai Tourism, Guinness Nigeria, Bollinger, Coca-Cola, Access Bank and Airtel.

Ladies in fabulous outfits graced the red carpet, all in an effort to interpret the ‘Inauguration Ball’ dress code in their own unique way.

Spotted were; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor, Lagos State; Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker, House of Representatives; Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture; Atedo and

Dignitaries at the premiere of the movie

“Obi Okigbo’s creativity is a visual convergence of global mythology, literature, philosophy, and culture presented on a rich tapestry of art,” said Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, the exhibition curator and founder of SMO Contemporary Art. “By presenting her works alongside poetry by her late father, the famous poet Christopher Okigbo, she invites us to “step back into the belly of memory”, drawing from generational stories and personal experience spanning across time and space.

A few years ago, Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, described Obi Okigbo as “belong(ing) to that sturdy artistic stock that increasingly finds its place among the best anywhere in the world. Her canvases provide shifting visions of reality, her sense of juxtaposition is always deft and eloquent, not arbitrary or faddish. The continent, so rich in many artistic traditions, should be proud to have this talented addition, who has taken the basics of form and texture into a self-renewing language of expression for a modern age.”

The exhibition is supported by the Wheatbaker and sponsored by Louis Guntrum wines and is open to the public from November 25, 2019 to February 16, 2020.

Dundun Peterside, Jimi Agbaje, Grace Egbagbe, Ayo Subair, Bolanle AustenPeters, Samad Rabiu, Bola Tinubu, Ruth Osime among other dignitaries.

The complete cast of ‘Your Excellency’ was present: Funke AkindeleBello, Akin Lewis, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju, Shaffy Bello, Kunle Coker, Ekun Edewor, Emmanuel ‘EmmaOMG’ Edunjobi, Alexx Ekubo, Oreka Godis, Osas Ighodaro, Mike Iheuwa, Aletile ‘Seyi Law’ Lawrence, Bimbo Manuel, Deyemi Okanlawon, Ini Dima-Okojie, Chioma ‘Chigul’ Omeruah, Ikechukwu Onunaku, Helen Paul and Toni Tones.

Speaking at the premiere, Mo Abudu said, “An EbonyLife premiere is always the biggest film event in the calendar, thanks to the many important guests who take the time to celebrate each milestone with us.

Our loyal sponsors, partners, corporate guests, celebrities, friends and the media, all combine to make these events so special. Without them, we would not be able to put on such an amazing show. I am humbled and truly grateful.”

Guests got a first look at the film, which tells the story of a bumbling, billionaire businessman and failed presidential candidate, who becomes a credible contender when his dance moves and gaffes ignite social media war. Directed by Funke AkindeleBello, the movie is funny and touching, with some measure of hope for a better Nigeria.

‘Your Excellency’ is in cinemas nationwide now.

....to honour Chuba Okadigbo

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n honour of Chuba William Okadigbo, late former Senate President, who passed on 16 years ago, the Central Working Committee of the Ogbunike Cave Festival (CaveFest) has announced that this year’s festival would be held in his memory.

Billed to open on December 30, 2019, the festival starts with the CaveFest Symposium at the Ogbunike Town Hall, Ogbunike, starting from 9am. The session, which will feature Igwe John Ositadimma Umenyiora (Ezedioramma 1), traditional ruler of Ogbunike, as father of the day, as well as, see Sen. Margery Okadigbo, wife of the late Senate President, speak on the topic, 16 Years After, Remembering Chuba Okadigbo. Her presentation will be followed by a panel discussion where panelists will share their experiences on the life and times of the late politician, who put Ogbunike community on the international stage. There will also be opportunity for kinsmen, friends, colleagues and lovers of the late political to pay tribute.

With the member representing Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency at the House of Reps, Hon. Vincent Ofumelu, as special guest of honour, the symposium will also feature a presentation by Ifeanyi Aniagoh, director general, Digital Entrepreneurship Office, MYECE, Anambra State, on the topic, Leadership and Emerging Career Opportunities. A panel of discussion featuring individuals, who

have paid their dues in leadership and entrepreneurship, will follow Aniagoh’s presentation.

The festival continues on December 31, at 8am, with the Walf4life, a procession that will start from the Ogbunike Town Hall, with a stopover at the Round Palace of Igwe Ogbunike, before heading for the famous Ogbunike Cave. Usually spiced with music, dance and comedy, the event will provide opportunity for tourists and guests to tour the Ogbunike Cave, which is one of the major tourist attractions in Nigeria.

Conceived in the year 2013, what is known today, as Ogbunike Cave Festival (CaveFest) was first staged on December 31, 2013, as health walk/mini carnival dubbed Ogbunikewalk4life. Aside from using the platform to promote healthy living among youths of the community, the initiative, which was hosted as Ogbunike Cave Carnival at some point, aims at drawing attention of the government to the popular Ogbunike Cave, as well as, celebrate its tourism potentials.

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Arts ‘Fela’s Republic and the Kalakuta Queens’, still thrills at Terra Kulture OBINNA EMELIKE

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ince December 14, 2019, Fela’s Republic and the Kalakuta Queens has been enthralling the audience, especially lovers of stage play, at Terra Arena, Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

However, the exciting stage play is still on for the rest of the festive season. It continues today December 29, 2019, January 1, 4, and 5, 2020 with two time slots of 3pm and 7pm each day.

The musical play celebrates Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the legendary icon and the unapologetic and prophetic messages enshrined in his music.

It would be recalled that about two years ago, live theatre lovers in Nigeria and Africa were thrilled at the staging of Fela and the Kalakuta Queens at Terra Kulture Arena in Victoria Island, Lagos and at

Fela’s Republic and the Kalakuta Queens

some notable theatres across Africa.

The musical was very suc-

cessful and travelled from Lagos, to Abuja, Cairo in Egypt, and Pretoria in South Africa

severally, enthralling global audiences at each show.

Credit goes to Bolanle Aus-

Tony Allen; Afrobeat legendary drummer, to be honoured today at Inspiro tribute concert in Lagos

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ony Allen, ace drummer, Afrobeat living legend and former drummer of Fela Kuti, is going to be honored at a tribute concert organized by Inspiro Productions, Zome International and Metroventures at the upscale Reserve Lounge, Restaurant & Bar in Victoria Island Lagos.

Explaining the reason for the honour, Ayoola Sadare, CEO Inspiro productions, founder/organiser, Lagos International Jazz Festival, said, “Tony Allen is our very own living legend worthy of celebration and once the opportunity came for us to do so, we had to.

His impact on Afrobeat, jazz and world music is undeniable.

“In Europe and on the global music scene, he is still very active, highly recognized, well sought after and respected for his contributions to music generally. As he turns 80 next year, we want to be one of the first to wish him a happy birthday in advance here in Nigeria with this event as we know many other things are being planned to celebrate him around the world.

Tony Allen is a worthy cultural ambassador of Nigerian-African music and we are extremely proud of him and honored to be able to celebrate him too. This tribute also comes as recognition of the impact of Afrobeat, the musical creation he was part

of, is making globally and the many fusions it has created and interest it has generated.

Afrobeat has given Nigerian music an identity moving it from the general world music category to being in a genre of its own like reggae and others.

Tony Allen playing and collaborating alongside Fela kuti ensured and shaped that. We use this concert to recognize that strongly”.

Tony Oladipo Allen was born in 1940 in Lagos, Nigeria.

He lives and works in Paris, France. His career and life story have been documented in his 2013 autobiography, Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat, co-written with author/musician Michael E. Veal, who previously wrote a comprehensive biography of Fela Kuti. As drummer and musical director of Fela Anikulapo

Tony Allen

Kuti’s band Africa ‘70 from 1968 to 1979, Allen was one of the primary co-founders of the genre of Afrobeat music and Fela once stated that, “without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat.

He has also been described

by Brian Eno as “perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived.

A self-taught musician, Allen began playing a drum kit at the age of 18, while working as an engineer for a Nigerian radio station. Influenced by the music his father listened to including Juju and also American jazz, and the growing highlife scene in Nigeria and Ghana, Tony worked hard to develop a unique voice on the drums, feverishly studying LPs and magazine articles by Max Roach and Art Blakey, but also revolutionary Ghanaian drummer Guy Warren (later known as Kofi Ghanaba – who developed a highly soughtafter sound that mixed tribal Ghanaian drumming with bop – working with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Max Roach).

Allen was hired by “Sir” Victor Olaiya to play claves with his highlife band, the Cool Cats and he was able to fill the drum set chair when the former Cool Cats drummer left the band. He later played with Agu Norris and the Heatwaves, the Nigerian Messengers, and the Melody Makers.

In 1964, Fela Kuti invited Allen to audition for a jazzhighlife band he was forming as they had played together as sidemen in the Lagos circuit.

Allen became an original member of Fela’s ‘Koola Lobitos’ highlife-jazz band. In 1969, following a turbulent and educational trip to the United States, Fela and the newly renamed Africa ‘70 band developed a new militant African sound, mixing the heavy groove and universal appeal of soul with jazz, highlife, and the polyrhythmic template of Yoruba conventions. Allen developed a novel style to complement Fela’s new African groove that blended these disparate genres. With Fela and Africa ‘70, Tony Allen recorded more than 30 albums and by 1979, Allen chose to leave Africa ‘70 once again in search of his own sound.

Allen formed his own group, recording No Discrimination in 1980, and performing in Lagos until emigrating to London in 1984 then later moving to Paris. Tony has played with numerous local and international artistes to critical world acclaim. The NAIJAZZ Afrobeat Tribute will have Tony Allen flying in from Paris France to playing alongside Gboyega Adelaja (late Hugh Masekela’s Keyboardist), Empress, Adunni Nefertiti, Temmie Ovwasa and a host of others.

ten-Peters (BAP) Productions for the creative ingenuity it poured in and the resources to make the show a success, as well as, in every one of its previous stage productions; from Saro the Musical, Waka the Musical, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens and Moremi the Musical.

Again, ridding on the success of these previous stage productions, BAP is enthralling the public even more this festive season with the super production it tagged ‘Fela’s Republic and the Kalakuta Queens’.

The latest production is a sequel of Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, which was about the most-seen stage production in 2017. It is an epic story of one legendary icon, on one stage for 10 days and in one city. It also enables the audience to follow the man Fela, the myth, the legend and the unapologetic activist.

Bolanle Austen-Peters, CEO, BAP Productions, said

BAP is happy with the reception of the play by the audience, reiterating that through the new production, “We celebrate the essence, resilience and strength of Fela’s queens, The Kalakuta Queens”.

Austen-Peters, the director and producer of the latest musical play and who, no doubt, is powering Nigeria’s theatre, promised to thrill her audience more with live music, opulence and tantalizing performances that will leave them blown away even in the new year.

So far, Olaton Adeniji, who plays Fela, is happy to be fulfilling his earlier promise of more enthralling show as he leads the cast to mimic Fela, and spotlights societal issues, which Fela campaigned against in the 70s that are even getting worse now.

The musical play is made possible by the support of Ecobank, Amstel Malta, MTN, Dormanlong, the estate of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Africa Magic, Beat FM among others.

Kiwi Films to adapt ‘Coconut’, Kopano Matlwa’s book, into a movie

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IWI Films, South African production company, has recently optioned novelist Kopano Matlwa’s debut Coconut for a feature film adaptation. The Pontas Agency, Matlwa’s agents, announced the sale of the novel’s audiovisual rights on November 21, 2019.

Published by Jacana Media in 2007, Coconut addresses issues of race, class and colonisation in South Africa.

It was awarded the European Union Literary Award in 2006/07 and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa in 2010.

Matlwa was signed by Pontas Literary & Film Agency in October 2016. On top of being an award-winning writer, Matlwa is a medical doctor. Interestingly, she wrote Coconut while completing her medical degree at the University of Oxford.

She is currently Executive Director of Grow Great - a campaign aimed at mobilising South Africa towards achieving a generation free from stunting by 2030. Matlwa is also an elected board member of Health Systems Global, the world’s first international society dedicated to health systems strengthening and knowledge translation. Additionally, she is the founder of Transitions Foundation,

an organisation that seeks to help South Africa’s youth transition from hopelessness to personal fulfilment through education. In 2016, she was named as one of South Africa’s game changers in a recent project, 21 Icons, which celebrates young South African talent in honour of Nelson Mandela.

Coconut joins an evergrowing number of African novels to cross into the motion picture and television industry over the past five years: Jacqui L’Ange’s The Seed Thief, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, Uzodinma Iweala’s Beasts of No Nation, Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls, and Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death?.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

ExecutiveBookshelf With Chido Nwakanma • Reviews • News • Interview • List

Mastering the art of reading Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren (1972, 1940), How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. New York: Simon and Schuster

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oliday season provides opportunity for many to explore the world of books. It is important to read meaningfully.

Getting the benefits of reading depends on how well you structure your reading.

How To Read A Book (1972, 1940) is an old master piece. It is an invaluable guide to reading all genres of texts. The president of the American University of Nigeria Dr Dawn Deckle mentioned it recently as a must-read book.

Here is a summary of the critical essence of the book.

You have a mind. Now let us suppose that you also have a book that you want to read. The book consists of language written by someone for the sake of communicating.

Your success in reading it is determined by the extent to which you receive everything the writer intended to communicate.

Mortimer J. Adler was an American author, educator, and philosopher who championed the repopularization of the

Great Books and Great Ideas curriculum of study.

A prolific scholar, he was the author or editor of more than fifty books, including editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It’s very fitting then, that one of his best-known works is How to Read a Book.

The goal a reader seeks – be it entertainment, information, or understanding – determines the way he reads. The effectiveness with which he reads is determined by the amount of effort and skill he puts into his reading.

The Levels of Reading There are four levels of reading – so called because they are cumulative in that each level includes all the others, and you can’t progress to a higher level without mastering the levels that come before. The four levels are: • Elementary • Inspectional • Analytical • Syntopical Elementary Reading – What does the book say?

In mastering this level, one learns the rudiments of the art of reading, receives basic training in reading, and acquires reading skills. Our first encounter at reading

The four basic questions a reader asks The art of reading on any level above the elementary consists in the habit of asking the right questions in the right order. There are four main questions you must ask of any book.

1. What is the book about as a whole? You must try to discover the leading theme of the book, and how the author develops this theme in an orderly way by subdividing it into its essential subordinate themes or topics.

2. What is being said in detail, and how? You must try to discover the main ideas, assertions, and arguments that constitute the author’s message.

3. Is the book true, in whole or part? You cannot answer this question until you have answered the first two. You must know what is being said before you can decide whether it is true or not. When you understand a book, however, you are obligated, if you are reading seriously, to make up your mind. Knowing the author’s mind is not enough.

4. What of it? If the book has given you information, you must ask about its significance. Why does the author think it is important to know these things?

Is it important to you to know them? And if the book has not only informed you, but also enlightened you, it is necessary to seek further enlightenment by asking what else follows, what is further implied or suggested.

is at this level; sadly, many people never progress beyond this level. At this level of reading, the question asked of the reader is “What does the sentence say?” While that could be conceived as a complex question, in this setting take it at its simplest sense.

The attainment of the skills of elementary reading occurred some time ago for almost everyone reading this summary. Nevertheless, we continue to experience the problems of this level of reading, no matter how capable we may be as readers.

The art of reading is the process whereby a mind, with nothing to operate on but the symbols of the readable matter, and with no help from the outside, elevates itself by the power of its own operations.

Many readers continue to have various kinds of difficulties reading at this level.

Most of the difficulties are mechanical, and can be traced back to early instruction in reading. Overcoming these difficulties usually allows us to read faster.

Inspectional Reading – What is the book about?

The focus of reading at this level is to get the most out

of a book within a given amount of time. When reading at this level, your aim is to examine the surface of the book, to learn everything that the surface alone can teach you – which is often a good deal.

Techniques for Inspectional Reading of a book include: 1. Systematic skimming or pre-reading 2. Look at the title page and preface: try to pigeonhole type of book 3. Study table of contents: look for structure/ road map for trip 4. Check index: estimate range of terms and topics; look up some passages that seem crucial 5. Check the dust jacket: read the publisher’s blurb 6. Look for chapters which seem most pivotal: read opening and/or closing passages/pages carefully 7. Thumb through entire book, reading a few paragraphs and/or pages here and there, esp. at the end, looking for the main argument(s) Analytical Reading – What does the book mean?

The third level of reading, analytical reading, is both a more complex and a more

systematic activity than either of the previous two levels of reading. Analytical reading is thorough reading, complete reading, or good reading – the best you can do. The analytical reader must ask many organized questions of what he is reading.

Analytical reading is hardly ever necessary if your goal in reading is simply information or entertainment. Analytical reading is pre-eminently for the sake of understanding. Moving your mind from a condition of understanding less to a condition of understanding more with the aid of a book is almost impossible unless you have at least some skill in analytical reading.

Techniques for Analytical Reading include: 1. Underlining key sentences.

2. Vertical lines to mark key sections 3. Marginal doodads like asterisks and stars.

4. Numbers of other pages in the margin 5. Circling key words or phrases 6. Writing in margins, or top and bottom 7. Structural notes about the content of the subject 8. Conceptual notes about the truth and significance 9. Dialectical notes about the shape of the argument in the larger discussion of other people’s ideas Syntopical Reading – How does this book compare with other books?

The fourth and highest level of reading is the most complex and systematic type of reading. It makes very heavy demands on the reader, even if the materials themselves are relatively easy and unsophisticated. Another name for this level of reading may be called comparative reading. The reader is reading many books, not just one, and places them in relation to one another and to a subject about which they all revolve.

Mere comparison of texts

is not enough: syntopical reading involves more.

With the help of the books being read, the syntopical reader is able to construct an analysis of the subject that may not be in any of the books. Syntopical reading is the most active and effortful kind of reading. Techniques in Syntopical Reading include: 1. Find the relevant passages 2.

Establish a common terminology 3. Clarify the questions 4. Define the issues 5. Analyze the discussion and look for the truth.

Moving your mind from a condition of understanding less to a condition of understanding more with the aid of a book is almost impossible unless you have at least some skill in analytical reading.

Syntopical reading is the most active and effortful kind of reading.

Reading and the Growth of the Mind Active reading is the asking of questions and looking for answers. Good books stretch our minds, improve our reading skills, and teach us about the world and ourselves. Good books make demands on us. But there is a world beyond good books – that of great books. Good books need have no more than one meaning and one reading . Great books, on the other hand, have many meanings and need to be read over and over again.

The test of a great book: 1. If you were marooned on a desert island, which ten books would you select?

2. Does the book seem to grow with you? 3. Do you see new things every time you re-read it? 4. Is the book able to lift you over and over again?

Seek out the few books that have these values for you.

Reading well, which means reading actively, is not only good in itself, nor is it merely a means to advancement in our work or career. Reading keeps our minds alive and growing.

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BDSUNDAY 27

BookReview Alive in Christ A book commemorating twenty-fifth anniversary of the Living Souls Baptist Church, Diya Gate, OPIC Estate, Agbara

Michael Akinsola Johnson

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he 329-page book, Alive in Christ, publ i s h e d b y En c l a i r Ho u s e C o m p a n y, edited by the inexorable Commodore Olutunde Oladimeji (Rtd) et al, and the foreword written by Rev. Dr. Kehinde Olabimtan, is a masterful presentation put together as a commemorative compendium for the 25 years celebration of the Living Souls Baptist Church, OPIC Estate, Agbara.

I must confess that the book completely blew my mind as I read each page. Alive in Christ is a compendium of variety of compelling stories, illustrations, portraits, quotes, and scriptures, which delivers a timeless message. The book which is in 5 parts beats my high expectations. It starts with an introduction, followed by Lead Articles covering notes from continuous teaching and training programmes of the church. Part Three is a Collection of Verses followed by “Exciting Testimonies and Tributes in Part Four. The last part of the book covers articles depicting notable events, such as Weddings in the Church, and those called to glory amongst others.

Just as it takes a village to create good citizens, it takes many diverse perspectives in many great books to create a social dialogue that truly matters. The book, Alive in Christ, amplifies the truth of the gospel to us all who are too prone to seek our identity in affluence and accomplishment rather than Jesus Christ. The book shows clearly with compelling insights that those of us who refer to ourselves as Christians must have a heartfelt relationship with Jesus

Christ, and we must endeavor to be Christ like as reflected in relevant chapters of the Holy Bible (See Ephesians 2 verses 1-10 and Philippians 2 verses 5-11).

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” I love the article titled Gratitude –Ebenezer; Thus Far the Lord has helped us. In this article, there was an interesting expression which caught my fancy. To paraphrase the author, who says that 25 years is such a long time, and a monumental task it is, trying to sum up all that happened in these eventful years in a few pages of paper. It is such a monumental task. Above all, the author gave thanks to Almighty God for His mercy endures forever. He acknowledged that “God indeed has been our help in ages past, and certainly, our hope for years to come.”

Brethren in the Lord, we live in a world that is doing its best, day and night, to make Christians, just like everybody else. A world in which there are misalignments between the characters of many Christians and what they profess to be. What we must do as members of the Christendom is aptly stated in the foreword of the book. The strong point of the foreword on Nigeria’s Christian community readily comes to mind. The erudite theologian is of the view that: “The present chaotic and distressed environment of Nigeria must inform what ministry will henceforth be in the church. Any activity that does not contribute to the healing of a society is surplus to requirements. We have reached the point in this country where there is no difference between those of us who call ourselves Christians and those who call themselves by other faiths.

Morally, the Nigerian Christian community has regressed, perhaps now to the lowest point in our national history. All the problems of the larger societyscandalous sleaze, indifference to the disadvantaged, greed, corrosive envy, and bitter jealousies- are replicated in Christian churches and communities.

Can Living Souls Baptist Church model an alternative community that reaches out to its immediate environment in relevant, generous, and practical ministries?”

I found the answer to this thought provoking question in the book where the 13 Core Values of Living Souls Baptist Church was discussed. These

core values are: Communication and Community; Creativity and Innovation; Empowerment through encouragement; Hope, Love and Welfare. Others include inspiration through Worship; Leadership and Character; Home and Family Enrichment; Peace and Harmony; Prayerfulness with Action, Togetherness through Team Work; Unity in Diversity; Youth and Change.

Another author highlighted the 6Es of the Church.

The 6Es of the church as stated in the book are: Engagement; Evangelism; Encouragement; Equipping; Expansion and Excellence. I am happy that all this gave me a synopsis of what the Living Souls Baptist Church stands for in an era in which pastoral care stunts the growth of most churches.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, cleverly tucked somewhere in the book is an article titled Towards Becoming a 5-Star Church in which the author presented “Our 10 Statements of Commitment” to include the following: Selfless service; Giving; Equality before God; Unity; Shared Ownership; Financial Discipline; Unique Factors; Accommodate the Weak; Planning, Discipline and Evaluation. These “statements of commitment” remind me about an ideal church

The present chaotic and distressed environment of Nigeria must inform what ministry will henceforth be in the church.

Any activity that does not contribute to the healing of a society is surplus to requirements

established to serve God and His people with excellence.

A conference report titled Dangers of Misleading Theologies in Africa is equally an interesting read in the book. One important message from the report is that “It therefore, behooves on Christians everywhere to be able to recognise false teachers in order to know when they are being led down the path of error or false teaching.”

The book talks about partnership founded over the years on the church’s identity in Christ.

This has produced transformation and outcomes in strength which the Living Souls Baptist Church has shared and it is still sharing while her weaknesses are being supported by other churches.

I found the article The Baptist Scrupulous Road to Clergy very attractive and informative. Under the group heading referred to as The Call talked copiously about 7 things a serious pastor should know. Thereafter, I delved into what was referred to as the Church of the Future in which the authors says: “I envisage a church of the future that will be more responsive to her context, and engaging people for the purpose of sharing life and the gospel with them.

Jesus Christ shared the people’s concerns and used that as a platform to explain His purpose of coming to the world; to save the sinner from the grip of sin, Satan and eternal death. As a local church, we must be responsive and participate in community life. A creative church communicating the gospel creatively.”

In order to strengthen this viewpoint in prose, the author discussed what a “Caring Church” and a “Church Prepared” should be. In his words, Eschatology, that is, the (study of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of human kind) as taught in the Bible is the doctrine of the end times. This, according to the Author , is no longer being taught on many pulpits today.

The pulpit has been taking over by motivational talks, success tips, quick way to the top on the success ladder etcetera. He added by saying, that the Living Souls Baptist Church has a responsibility as a local church, of bringing teachings about the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ onto the front burner.

The marriage as an institution was not left out in the book. The

health of our children was discussed. The Christian women’s perspective on how to achieve great success in these challenging times also, added flavor to the book. To be alive in Christ, a Church needs a music ministry.

As you all know, there is nothing more uplifting than singing in the presence of the Lord.

The book speaks to me generously about leadership when I read the 39 things effective leaders do. You may ask yourself: What makes a good leader?

Jesus emptied himself and he came to serve, not to be served.

Like Jesus, leaders are called to follow God’s will which calls for staying connected to Him, dying to self and following His will for our lives.

In order to be alive in Christ, the process by which we present the gospel is as important as the product. The product in this context is Jesus Christ and His second coming. Too often, we emphasise the product, downplay the process and then wonder why people refuse the product. People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. They do not know how much you care unless you respond to their needs in a way that are loving and accepting. Always give people more than they expect to get. And I make bold to say that the best churches are not perfect but they are forever pursuing the ideal.

Alive in Christ is a timely book.

I have seen a lot of Christians (male and female) go through challenging times in the past few decades. I believe one of the most critical needs for a Christian in times of economic distress is wisdom. The book provides powerful insights into the grace and mercy of God and how we can individually and collectively respond to the storms of life through prayers and fasting. It is a very meaningful book which I recommend to all of us.

Finally, the overwhelming comments of various contributors to this book convince me beyond measure that “With God’s power working in us, He can do much more than anything we can ask or think of. To Him be glory as we celebrate many more years in the Living Souls Baptist Church, and in Christ Jesus, for all time forever and ever. Amen Thank You! Michael Akinsola Johnson Rear Admiral, Nigerian Navy (Rtd)

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Travel Making the most of family outing this New Year OBINNA EMELIKE

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n the face of the present economic realities, most families are becoming frugal and setting their priorities to ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’.

While you may consider family outing or holiday as ‘wants’ or something that can be forgone, it is very essential for bonding, better understanding and relief from stress, especially these hard times.

This New Year holiday is not an exception as many families now with low purchasing power called off traveling, especially for family fun because of the huge amount involved.

Though traveling is becoming more expensive, families that are determined to bond can still enjoy this New Year holiday without breaking the bank. All you need do is to look inwards for excitements within your reach and even within your vicinity.

For those who seek overseas holiday this time, the foamy drinks with umbrella straws in a London bar, visits to beaches in Zanzibar, and day spa in Dubai or taking on an adventure in a South African safari park, can all be done here if you truly look inwards to local destinations.

To make the most of your family outing this holiday without leaving a big hole in your pocket, families can go see a museum, art galleries, go see movies in cinemas, a weekend at a remote destination will always make a difference, the beaches are open all day for a swim and beach fun, or climb a local mountain/hill.

Children will always prefer amusement parks to other attractions hence a visit to the likes of Hi Impact, Apapa Amusement Park, Abuja Amusement Park among other family-oriented attractions is worth a family outing this season no matter how lean the pocket is.

Taking your family on a self-conducted city tour is also worth a holiday idea this season. You must not know a city before touring it as you are not a professional tour guide.

All you need do is to fill your fuel tank, rich lunch box, take your camera and set out. The tour is best done in areas you have not visited and not necessarily in the highbrow areas or popular attractions. There are always things to see beyond the known and popular. If you stay in highbrow areas, a visit to places assumed lessdeveloped areas of the city, will thrill your children.

But if you can spare some cash, then you can visit destinations with one-stop-shop leisure facilities like resorts, if not, go see waterfalls, explore caves and a communion with nature

A serene Lagos beach

around you. A visit to Ikogosi Resort in Ekiti State, Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State, Nike Lake in Enugu State among others will cut the huge amount hitherto expended on soaring air tickets, hotel accommodation and shopping allowance abroad. You can travel to some of these destinations by road, by air as domestic air tickets are far cheaper, or look

for destinations within reach.

The likes of La Campaign Tropicana Beach Resort, Inagbe Resort, Ilashe, Ibeno Beach, Port Harcourt Beach, and even Takwa Bay offer the unique beach outing, sunbathing and all manner of water-based excitement, which people undergo visa stress, pay huge airfare and hotel accommodation to visit abroad.

Visitors at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Obudu Mountain Resort is still the most picturesque destination in Nigeria with a seeming safari offering, the Mambila Plateau, Smokin Hills, Fifth Chukker, among others are still worth your visit. So, why not visit, especially now that security has improved across the country instead of using your life savings to explore safari parks in Kenya,

Tanzania and South Africa.

If all these still sound big, a visit to beaches in Lagos starts with a gate fee of N500 per adult and children are often allowed without paying. All you need is to go with your fun and food box, mat and camera. Port Harcourt beach is open too, while Marina Resort in Calabar welcomes guests to see beyond the peaceful flowing Cross River in Calabar. Ibeno beach is the most visited in Akwa Ibom.

The likes of Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, Awuhum Waterfall in Enugu, Gurara Falls in Niger, Azumiri Blue River in Abia, Erin Ijesha, among others are domestic, cheap, more appealing and safe.

As well, the big hotels are running holiday promotions that families can take advantage of for quality outing.

From Transcorp Hilton Abuja, the Sheratons, Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Radisson to local brands such as Rockview, Orchid, Rodinia, CitiHeight among others, there are discounts for lodging in these hotels this holiday season.

However, families will get the most out of their leisure time when they understand the essence of leisure. Leisure is a state of mind or of being.

It is when you feel most free, fulfilled and integrated. It is not when you spend huge sum in overseas destinations.

Happy New Year in advance!

Sunday 29 December 2019

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BDSUNDAY 29

Travel

The world’s best cruises for travellers in 2019 revealed Stories By IFEOMA OKEKE

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ruises that have left the competition in their wakes this year have been named by experts in high seas

holidays.

Staff members from Cruise Critic - the world’s largest cruise reviews site and online cruise community - in the UK, the U.S and Australia have handed out gongs for the best cruises of 2019 across dozens of categories in the 11th annual Editors’ Picks Awards.

The UK editors handed the ‘best new ship’ award to ‘stunning newbuild’ Spirit of Discovery, which Saga Cruises debuted in July of this year.

Cruise Critic editors agreed that the ship has set a ‘new quality standard in British cruising with its luxurious thermal spa, inclusive speciality restaurants, beautiful, boutique hotel-inspired design and generous 2:1 passenger-to-crew ratio’.

The same award in the U.S. went to Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore while scooping the accolade in Australia was the Greg Mortimer by Aurora Expeditions.

Saga Cruises won a second

award in the UK by claiming the title of ‘best for solo travellers’ due to its ‘high number of no-supplement single cabins and daily events such as meet and greets, group dinners and special shore excursions’.

U.S. editors handed Norwegian Cruise Line their award for ‘best for solo travellers’ while Australian editors gave the same award to Cruise and Maritime Voyages.

In the UK, Marella Cruises secured two awards this year, including the coveted ‘best refurbishment’ award for Marella Explorer 2, following a bow-to-stern makeover

that saw the addition of four newto-the-line venues.

For the third consecutive year, the line was also awarded ‘best value for money’ in the UK for its inclusive tips and service charges, as well as alcoholic drinks on some of its ships.

‘Best refurbishment’ in the U.S. went to Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and in Australia, it went to Explorer Dream by Dream Cruises.

‘Best value for money’ in both the U.S. and Australia was Carnival Cruise Line.

Celebrity Cruises bagged the

NAHCO deepens competition in industry, bags two aviation awards

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s its dominance of the ground handling segment of the Nigerian aviation industry continued decisively, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance) has scooped two of Aviation industry’s most prestigious awards within 24 hours of each other.

In a manner unprecedented in the annals of the Nigerian aviation industry, NAHCO was declared the Air Transport Awards’ Ground Handling Company of the Year 2019 on Friday, December 13, 2019. 24 hours later, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, the Company was also announced the winner of the NIGAV Awards Ground Handling of the Year Award, 2019 at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The Awards are widely seen as part of early results of the transformation agenda which the Board of the Company instituted early this year.

According to the organisers of the Air Transport Awards, the Industry cannot but note with admiration, the energized strength of the Company in its continued domination of the Company.

“We are indeed proud of what NAHCO has been able to achieve in the Year 2019. It is not possible to overlook the way the company has bestridden the ground handling landscape this year. Its leadership role in the nation’s aviation sector should also be well applauded,” the organisers said in a citation read at the Welcome Centre venue of the Awards ceremony.

The NIGAV Award organisers had nothing but commendation for

NAHCO for its excellent and widely acknowledged exceptional service delivery.

Speaking for the organisers, Forutne Idu said the history of Nigerian aviation would not be complete without NAHCO. Commenting on the achievements, Olatokunbo Fagbemi, the Group Managing Director/CEO of the NAHCO, said the awards are dedicated the Company’s ever trusting and loyal clients and its shareholders who have always given it the required support.

She stated, “We would not have been able to achieve this without our loyal clients who trust and believe in our ability to give them the best; and our ever supportive shareholders.

These awards are dedicated to them.”

In his own remarks, Tayo Ajakaye, the Manager, Corporate Communications and Services of the Company, said considering the way and manner the Company had shown resilience this year, the Awards could not have gone any other way. He said the ground handling experience which the Company serves its clients could not be got anywhere else.

award for ‘best cabins’ in the ocean cruises category from all three teams of editors with those in the UK saying they were impressed with its ‘practical and impressively stylish cabins, as well as new innovative features’ on its newest ship, Celebrity Edge, such as built-in USB ports in the bedside lamps and glass-fronted cabinetry.

The line also won the ‘best dining’ accolade in the UK and Australia for its ‘consistently high standard across all of its restaurants’. In the U.S., the same award went to Hol-

land America Line.

For the eighth year in a row, Hurtigruten won the ‘best for adventure’ award in the UK. With its new hybrid vessel, Roald Amundsen, the line can take intrepid travellers almost silently to the most remote and challenging areas, without upsetting the natural wildlife.

The same award in Australia went to Coral Expeditions and in the U.S. the winner was UnCruise Adventures.

Hurtigruten also secured the ‘best shore excursions’ award in the UK for its ‘wide and varied tour offerings’.

The ‘best shore excursions’ award in both the U.S. and Australia in the ocean cruises section went to Princess Cruises.

MSC Cruises secured two awards in the UK for ‘best entertainment’ – for its partnership with Cirque du Soleil - and ‘best for families’ for onboard link-ups with Chicco and Lego.

‘Best for entertainment’ in the U.S. was Royal Caribbean International while in Australia Holland America Line took the title.

Disney Cruise Line won ‘best for families’ in the U.S. and the Australian winner was Royal Caribbean International.

Arik Air donates to IDP in Benin … sweeps three industry awards According to Ajakaye, “For 40 solid years, NAHCO has taught Nigeria ground handling. We brought ground handling to Nigeria. We teach ground handling. We dictate the pace. We lay down the rules. Others could only follow. As you very well know, the first is still the best. The first is always the best.”

It would be recalled that NAHCO, in 2019 embarked on a modernization process of its warehouses in Lagos which saw it expand the Export Warehouse by several square metres to create space for expanding cargo export and the refurbishment of its Import Warehouse.

The Company also invested billions of naira in equipment purchase in the outgoing year.

Winning awards is second nature to NAHCO. Its long list of awards include the Global Risk Award 2016 in UK where the Company won the Excellence in the Face of Adversity Award; NIGAV Award, 2018, for Best Airport Ground Handling Company Award; African Corporate Leadership Excellence Prize, 2018; and the International Trophy for Quality, 2018 awarded by Global Trade Club, Madrid, Spain; Other awards are the Aviation Handling Company of the Year, 2017, awarded by Nigeria Transport Awards; The Best Air Cargo Handling Company, 2017 awarded by Sub – Saharan Enterprise; and the Most Congenial Award given by the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria in September 2019.

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rik Air has donated some relief items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Uhogua, Benin City, Edo State, to help the displaced people enjoy the Christmas season.

This valuable initiative, which is part of Arik’s Corporate Social Responsibility saw the airline represented by Andrew Odion, the Head of Marketing, Central and West Africa, and Nwaorgu Obed, Benin Station Manager, present the Camp with various items ranging from foodstuffs, beverages, cartons of noodles, bedding, treated mosquito net, clothing amongst others.

Solomon Folorunsho and Evelyn Omigie, the Camp Coordinators, received the items on behalf of the Camp. In his remark, Folorunsho expressed his heartfelt appreciation.

He noted that the supports they needed from other quarters have not been forthcoming as expected.

“We are grateful to Arik Air; this was really a welcome development. We hope that other organizations and individuals will emulate the airline in giving back to the society.”

On her part, Evelyn said, “Although we have so many people to cater for, but what Arik Air has brought will go a long way to provide succor to the people in the Camp.

We will judiciously use these items to cater for the people in the Camp especially in this Yuletide season.”

Andrew Odion, head of marketing, Central and West Africa, said: “This is part of the airline’s way of spreading love and giving back to

the less privileged in the society.

Arik Air is committed to community development and we identify with the significance of this season, which is a period to share love, gifts and affection.”

This is as the airline got triple recognition at the weekend, thereby carting away most of the awards in the industry in the airline category.

The airline bagged the awards for “Airline of the year 2019” and the “Best Cabin Crew (Domestic)” at the 10th edition of the Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Awards which held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island over the weekend.

Congratulating Arik Air, Fortune Idu, Managing Director and Chairman of NIGAV Awards, said “The NIGAV Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the airline. Arik Air has gone above and beyond and accomplished great things over the years. I cannot congratulate them enough for their contributions to the aviation industry; they should be very proud of their success.”

Arik Air has continued to improve since the inception of the current management. Despite the challenges it meant on ground, the current management has improved the airline’s operations financially and technically.

Similarly, at the maiden edition of Air Transport Quarterly Magazine awards held at the Welcome Centre Hotel, Airport Road, Lagos, Arik Air was awarded the Most Punctual Airline of the Year 2019.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Life&Living Scents that bring back Christmas memories

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Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

an you smell the sweet scent of Christmas in the air? Nothing screams Christmas more than the sweet, hot spiciness of cinnamon. It is one of the most common smells during the festive season as it is in nearly all the good Christmas food and drinks — mulled wine, cookies, eggnog and Christmas pudding.

Smell is the strongest of the senses and is best able to influence brain activity. To most people, a smell isn’t just a fragrance – it’s a memory. This is probably why when we smell something, our brain instantly registers it and helps us to remember something, someone or somewhere.

But aside from their memoryinducing powers, certain scents can also do amazing things for our mind and body. From stress relief to headache relief, certain aromas have a way of making an impact (and positively so).

Cinnamon (Sharpens mind/senses): There is a reason why the smell of cinnamon is associated with goals, gains, money and success. The scent which sharpens the mind and senses is known to be a positive smell and can come in handy when looking for inspiration. The inviting smell of cinnamon brings back memories of the festive season.

Pine: The Christmas tree, the centerpiece of every family’s living room at Christmastime, its smell of fresh pine just has to bring you back to those festive moments when you unwrapped your presents. This soothing but fresh smell spreads through the whole car once you have loaded it with the Christmas tree of your choice.

Lavender (The calm Scent): Lavender can help calm the mind and body almost instantly. But perhaps its most useful benefit is its ability to help treat insomnia. This essential oil has calming properties that help control emotional stress. Lavender has a soothing effect on nerves and can relieve nervous tension and depression as well as treat headaches and migraines.

Ginger Bread: Another nicely fragrant and very effective memory aid is the smell of freshly baked gingerbread houses, cookies, and men...why can’t all men be made out of gingerbread? Gingerbread is the perfect baked, holiday-season goody with its sweet, buttery, gingery, spicy fragrance — no one can resist.

Peppermint (The energy booster): The smell of peppermint awakens your senses and boosts your energy, as it invigorates the mind, promotes concentration and stimulates clear thinking. In addition to giving you sweet breath, peppermint may also do your brain a favor. A small study out of Wheeling Jesuit Univer-

sity found that smelling peppermint could be linked to greater cognitive stamina, motivation and overall performance. There is also a small bit of research to suggest that the menthol scent in peppermint even tricks the brain into thinking that it alleviates stuffy nasal passages – just the thing you need when you’re feeling a little under the weather.

Vanilla (The happy scent): Increase your level of happiness with the smell of vanilla fragrances. A recent study shows that taking a whiff of vanilla bean elevated participants’ feelings of joy and relaxation. So transform your mood today by using vanilla essential oils or burning vanilla candles in your living space.

Citrus scents (keep you alert): The smell of citrus fruits like oranges or lemons. They are called superfruits for a reason. If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up, you may want to forget the cup of coffee and opt for citrus instead. Scents like lemon and orange are not only well-known for their Vitamin C properties, but simply sniffing the fruit can help boost

energy and alertness.

Jasmine (The antidepressant): This floral scent can switch up your mood and serve as a way to help eradicate depressive thoughts. Researchers have found that the stimulating effect of jasmine oil can aid in the relief of depression and can lead to an uplifted mood. Jasmine has such powerful for a tiny flower.

Pumpkin (The aphrodisiac): Would you ever consider a little Eau de Pumpkin? It might be an alluring

scent for men. In a study conducted

by The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, researchers discovered that 40 percent of the male test subjects responded positively to a pumpkin scent when combined with lavender. Although Pumpkins are mostly associated with Halloween for decor and props, a nicely baked pumpkin pie will do just fine and will be sure to be everyone’s favorite at your Christmas dinner table

Orient Garden City: The Birth of new luxury community in Owerri

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IFEOMA OKEKE

n no distant time, Imo State will boast of the best, exclusive and the most expensive estate ‘Orient Garden City’ in the South Eastern part of Nigeria.

Orient Garden City will be among the few neighbourhoods in Nigeria that can rival other beautiful neighbourhoods around the world.

The unique estate, which would have a 9 hole golf course within the scheme as well as other recreations, was established to bridge the gap on the need for quality housing scheme within the state.

The present Administration of Governor Emeka Ihedioha promised a total revamp of Imo state infrastructure. This scheme is one of his major milestones to bring changes in residential development within the state.

The government is encouraging private sector participants, hence, the Orient is seen as a means to deliver dividends of democracy through private participation and

Imo housing authority guided by joint venture agreement.

Orient Garden City was also birthed out of need to provide a luxury and secure neighbourhood with world class infrastructures in Owerri to encourage investors to live, work and play within an established scheme in Owerri.

The city definitely has massive industrialisation potentials, as it seats right in the middle of South-East and South-South market population.

Orient Garden City Limited is a registered company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), with primary aim and objectives to provide real estate development, building construction, property and facility management services.

The company is made up of seasoned, highly skilled individuals and companies in estate development and construction, architectural designing, building engineers, town planners, property and facility managers with combined local and foreign experiences.

The estate is, however, located at

Owerri-Port Harcourt Express Road, Just after Avu Junction, New Owerri, approx 4mins drive from famous Asumpta cathedral Catholic Church, Imo State.

The feeder roads are about 7 to 7.3 meters outside walkways and drainage. Each setback from each building would maintain minimum of 12 meters from the road.

L-R: Ikem Ume-ezeoke, one of the brains behind the project and Ugochukwu Okpara, director of Orient Garden City.

This is, however, to allow greenery, flowers, plants and trees from each house for ample decorations.

An approximately 25 – 30km of roads will be constructed within the estate. Each Kilometer road includes Covered Drainage, Earthworks, Asphalt, Sidewalks of about 1.2 meters.

There will be street lights in all the internal and external roads controlled by control system. This is to ensure that the estate is well lit at night to create a serene and safe ambience for residence.

There would be a central water system to supply the common facilities, fire hydrants, including gardens and parks. Sprinklers would be introduced in strategic places.

Ugochukwu Okpara, the director of Orient Garden City, said that residents of the estate would enjoy luxury living, quality, class, affordable lifestyle, serenity, peace and security.

“We take holistic approach in every project, through our expertise from every department. As a team, we identify challenges thoroughly

and approach them expertly with informed decisions.

“Our attention to details during planning, design, development and project management ensures the consistency of quality delivery throughout the project duration.”

“We intend to develop the project in graduated forms within the next 48months timeline.

One of the greatest setbacks facing the country is poor management and maintenance culture. These could be seen in most private and public facilities including roads and houses. This gap of adequate facility management also affects the value and lifespan of facilities and infrastructures in the country and Imo State is not an exception.

But according to Ikem Umeezeoke, one of the brains behind the project, “we are also bringing differently, apart from the luxury and secured environment, a strong facility management team that would be independent, to ensure the maintenance of the estates is optimally maximised in the years to come.”

Sunday 29 October 2019

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Kiddies ngnwaogu@yahoo.co.uk

‘The Wife’ holds Xmas party for children …warns against vices NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

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Children having fun with the managers of “ Kids Time Out with Oge’’

‘Kids Time Out with Oge’ celebrates Christmas in style …marks 10th anniversary

NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

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ver one thousand children in Ajegunle area of Lagos were last week entertained and rewarded with mouth watering gifts by ‘’Kids Time Out with Oge’’ as it celebrated this year’s Christmas.

The annual programme which holds every December 25th to commemorate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ also marked the 10th year anniversary of the initiative.

Speaking at the event, the founder of ‘’ Kids Time Out with Oge’’, Faith Joshua affirmed that the initiative which aimed to improve the lives of the young ones in the society was born out of the desire to put smiles on the faces of children who ordinarily cannot afford to visit recreational centers during the festive period such as Christmas.

Joshua also explained that the initiative since inception has not only given the participants sense of belonging in the society, but also had improved the spiritual and academic life of the participants.

In her words: ‘’We do not only entertain them with food and give them gifts, we also engage them in Bible and academic quiz competitions which have really improved their knowledge of the word of God as well their academic performance. “last year we introduced another feature to the initiative called, ‘’free trade zone’’ here, we bring different items together for the parents of these children to come and pick without any cost, such items include, cooking utensils,

clothes, shoes electronics among others’’.

On the other, she noted that the programme had brought sanity among the heady and rough children in their midst.

Explaining further, she said: “As we gather them like is, we monitor those of them that are stubborn and rough, we invite them and their parents and counsel them before their parents, this has really helped them to behave well in the home and outside the home as well.’’

On her part, a founding member of the initiative, Oluchi Oji, described children as an investment and added that parents should ensure their wards are properly taken care of.

She lauded parents particularly mothers who in spite of their busy schedule create enough time to take adequate care of their children. ‘’No matter how busy mothers are, there is need for them to monitor what their children do, both in the home and school as well, they should not abandon the training of their children in the hands of maids. Such efforts will go a long way in reducing crime perpetrated by the youths in the society, because when they know that they are being monitored, it will be difficult for them to engage in any form of behaviour that will be detrimental to their lives, family and the society,” Oji added.

Also speaking at the event, founding partner, Tchinto Fine Nigeria Limited, Christopher Israel said that children are heritage in the sight of God and lauded the effort of the organisers, saying, ‘’ they have touched the depth

of the lives of these children because majority of them may not have the opportunity of going to places where they will celebrate Christmas’’.

He appealed to parents to always guide their children right, noting that the family is the bed rock of any society and that whatever happens there transcends in to the society.

“Children learn a lot from their parents, if you are a praying parents, your children are learning and when they grow up they will not depart from such and that is the word of God. The society will be a better place if parents will fear God and live right, no doubt their children will learn from them how to live right and fear God ’’, he added.

Speaking on behalf of other children at the event, Olisama Chisom who has been participating in the programme in the past three years, described the initiative as one thing that has positively impacted her and other children who have been participating.

In her words: “It is one programme l look out for every December and l am sure the same applies to other children in Ajegunle community. Besides the gifts we receive, the Bible quiz competition has drawn me closer to God. While the spelling competition has also helped me academically and lam speaking the mind of other children.’’

While applauding the organisers for given such opportunity for the children in Ajegunle area, she prayed that the Almighy God will give the initiator of the programme the financial enablement to continue with it.

ecember 14, 2019 will remain memorable for children in Ayobo, Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos as they commemorated this year’s Christmas with fun fair as well as empowered on how to avoid vices that will prevent them to achieve their set goals in life.

The event, which came under the theme, “Jesus The King” was organised by ‘The Wife’, a body of women saddled with the responsibility of training other women to fulfill their roles and excel in their marriages and homes as great wives and mothers for societal transformation.

During the programme, the children that came from different schools were divided into different classes so as to enable them benefit from the teaching.

Speaking at the event, coordinator of “The Wife”, Ngozi Okenwa stated that the event which was the second in its series in Ayobo aimed to share the love of Christ who is the reason for the celebration.

According to her, the training aspect was necessary so as to ex-

pose the children to the dangers of vices such as cultism, sealing, immorality and a host of others.

“Many youths are not aware of the ills associated with the above mentioned vices before indulging in it and that is the reason it is important to let them know on time so that they will avoid them from the beginning,’’ she added.

On the theme of the celebration, she said: “Jesus who is wisdom personified, has brought wisdom into the world and into the lives of the children and this programme has brought total education to the children, morally, socially and all round development too, because education does not only end in the four walls of a school, exposing children to parties such as Christmas parties makes education complete because it is held outside the school environment and they need it”.

Some of the children who spoke in an interview at the event expressed their gratitude to the organisers of the event.

The children, who were over three thousands, went home with gift items.

FRSC partners Indomie Fan Club to deepen children’s involvement in road safety ...holds quiz competition, Christmas party

NGOZI OKPALAKUNNE

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he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the managers of the Indomie Fan Club (IFC), a child centred initiative of Dufil Prima Foods have stressed the need for government to deepen road safety rules in the schools’ curriculum.

Speaking at the 2019 IFC Road Safety quiz competition, held at FRSC Sector Command, Ojodu Berger Lagos, representative of the Sector Commander Lagos, FRSC Deputy Corps Commander, A.S Oyegade, stated that such initiatives will ensure that school children learn road safety rules early in life for survival.

Oyegade also urged primary school operators both private and government in the country to establish Federal Road Safety clubs in their schools.

The FRSC Deputy Corps Commander appreciated the efforts of DUFIL Prima foods makers of Indomie Noodles, stating that the commitment of the brand to the total wellbeing of its key consumers - the children, has gone a long way in road safety education for the children.

He also lauded the consistency with which the organisation has partnered the FRSC over the years.

Commenting on the modalities for the competition, the Deputy Corps Commander said, the IFC Road Safety Quiz Competition assess the level of understanding of road safety protocols by the pupils of the various IFCsupported schools, after months of enlightenment on road safety rules by officials of the corps.

The Coordinator of IFC, Faith Joshua in her welcome address, stated that IFC believes in the mental development, safety and nurturing of the special talents of children who will grow to become resource persons in the society.

According to her, the IFC road safety quiz competition aimed at evaluating the children’s understanding of road safety rules.

Having gone through the exercise, all the pupils in attendance were given certificates of participation. Fifty IFC-supported schools drawn from all the local government councils in Lagos participated in the elimination stage of the competition held at the FRSC Sector Command, Ojodu Berger, Lagos.

Out of the schools that made it to the finals, Lagos Centre Point Ijaiye, was awarded first position in the competition. City Campus Isolo, came in second, while De Royal School, Lagos Island, was awarded third position.

The pupil representing Lagos Centre Point Ijaiye, Destiny Micheal, appreciated the Indomie brand and added that he has learnt a lot from the IFC road safety exercise and promised to be a good ambassador to IFC and FRSC. The 2019 IFC Road Safety Quiz Competition was organised

by Indomie Fan Club in partnership with the Lagos, Ogun and Abuja Sector Commands of the FRSC. It is interesting to note that IFC was established in 2005 with the aim of creating an environment of learning, fun, excitement and bonding for children between the ages of 5 and 12.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

Cussons Baby heightens customer experience, leaves lessons behind There are many successful brand engagement activities others can leverage to create customer experience. PZ Cussons Baby Moments competition is one activity that has created appeal among consumers, especially mothers. Daniel Obi looks at the customer experience drive and how Cussons Baby is connecting brand and consumers.

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he idea behind Cussons Baby Moments, a competition which is open to babies within the ages of 1 – 24 months is simply to create more consumer experience.

This idea is with the understanding that for every brand, growing customer experience is key to business survival. Experts say customer experience is the product of an interaction between an organisation and a customer. This interaction comprises three parts: the customer journey, the brand touchpoints the customer interacts with, and the environment.

Underscoring this customer experience in his book, ‘The Seven Dimensions of Branding’, Muyiwa Kayode argues that for any relationship to stand a chance of survival, it has to be built on a symbiotic exchange of value.

“This exchange of ideas derives its meaning from each party’s perception of the value being derived. For as long as each party continues to derive value, the relationship will subsist” In the competitive Nigerian market, Cussons Baby Moments competition introduced about 6 years ago is therefore designed to enhance customer experience which “implies customer involvement at different levels – such as rational, emotional, sensorial, physical, and spiritual”. The brand is also creating value for its customers.

In the last six years, the competition has continued to gain momentum as the brand owners continue to enjoy brand loyalty with creation and sustaining of product value. In the 2019 edition of the competition, the programme witnessed a recordbreaking 10,308 entries into the race to win the prestigious Baby of the Year award, during the course of 7 weeks. Over 400,000 votes were received during the voting stages. This was after the PZ revamped the competition to make it more engaging and rewarding following a year’s break.

Group Brand Development and Activation Manager, PZ Cussons Consumer, Charity IlevbareAdeniji, acknowledged the drive in the competition saying “The Cussons Baby Moments Competition has grown in leaps and bounds over the years and we can only be proud of it. The com-

L-R: Mr. and Mrs. Adeoye, Parents of the Cussons Baby Moments 6 winner; Nathaniel Adeoye, Cussons Baby Moments 6 winner; Joyce Coker, Human Resources Director (Africa), PZ Cussons, at the Cussons Baby Moments 6 Grand Finale recently in Lagos.

petition was incepted to create a platform for mothers and their babies to make, create and share magic memories and this year’s edition was perhaps our most successful yet.

“Also, with the introduction of the new gift pack this year, we were able to demonstrate our commitment to putting babies first and providing the perfect solutions for their skin care needs.

This edition of the Cussons Baby Moments competition not only showed our commitment to rewarding our consumers, but also creating unique, positive experiences for them.”

Speaking further on this year’s competition and the milestones of the Cussons Baby brand, Charity Ilevbare-Adeniji, said this year’s event also provided a unique opportunity for the Cussons Baby Moments Competition to further establish itself as the quintessential Nigerian baby competition.

Also sharing her excitement on yet another successful edition of the Cussons Baby Moments Competition, Yosola Nwachuckwu, Brand Manager, Cussons Baby, expressed delight saying she was “particularly pleased with the outcome of this year’s edition of Cussons Baby Moments because we set out to

deliver on a transcendent competition and we achieved that, and even exceeded expectations.

This year’s edition of the Cussons Baby Moments saw a recordbreaking number of entries which is a testament to the trust and connection our consumers have with us.

“Through this edition, not only did we create magical memories, we also shared them with amazing families across the country, rewarding them at every opportunity in the process” Nwachuckwu said.

Brand and Activation Manager, Cussons Baby, Oluwabusayo John expressed her excitement at the prospect of the competition’s 6th edition: “I am particularly excited about this competition as it presents another opportunity for Cussons Baby to create unique connections with mothers and their babies and also celebrate memories between them.

“We took our participants’ feedback as regards the previous editions and decided to take a season’s break to review the competition mechanics, with the aim of improving on it and making it easier for many more to compete. We took into consideration the stress many participants go through in order to secure the

needed votes for their babies, so we have reduced the voting stages to just one, after which the rest of the decisions are left to the judges.

As part of its activities to drive appeal for the competition, Cussons Baby toured major cities of the federation, which include Port Harcourt, Abuja, and of course, Lagos. Families had the opportunity to interact with the brand, play games and win prizes as well. This year’s edition of the much-anticipated Cussons Baby Moments 6 competition witnessed a number of changes to the mechanics of the competition in a bid to ease the stress on the participants. These changes included the introduction of a multiple entry system in which participants were entitled to enter for the competition multiple times; as well as more opportunities for rewards.

On December, 1, 2019, the 6th edition of the Competition came to an exciting conclusion as it crowned its Baby of the Year at the grand finale which held at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos.

Following tough deliberations by the independent panel of judges, comprising veteran Nollywood actress, Ufuoma McDermott; fast-rising Nollywood

actor, Deyemi Okanlawon; and food and lifestyle blogger Yemisi Odusanya, popularly known as Sisi Yemmie, Baby Nathaniel Adeoye was crowned the Cussons Baby of the Year 2019, winning the grand prize of N1 million and a year’s supply of Cussons Baby products.

The 1st runner-up was Baby Lewis Grant, who won a prize of N750, 000 and a year’s of Cussons Baby products while the 2nd runner-up was Baby Einstein Durosimi, who won N500, 000 and a year’s supply of Cussons Baby products. In the Special Categories, Oluwadarasimi Olaniyan won the prize for Best Concept and Composition; Louisa Fabiyi won the prize for Best Candid Shot, and Praise Nsed-Ogar walked away with the Best Toothy Smile prize.

These special category winners each received N50, 000 and a 3-month supply of Cussons Baby products.

Expressing her excitement on the outcome of the competition was the mother of the winner, who expressed her gratitude to the brand: “I would like to thank Cussons Baby for creating such a special moment for me and my family. I could not believe it when my baby was announced as the winner of the competition.

Thanks to Cussons Baby, my baby is a little millionaire, and I am extremely grateful,” she said.

To enter for the competition, interested participants were required to purchase the Cussons Baby gift pack, register and upload a picture of their baby with the Cussons Baby Gift Pack, and submit the picture on the Photo Uploader App; and then get loved ones to vote for the baby’s picture if eventually shortlisted.

Cussons Baby, an international brand, is one of the strongest brands in the baby toiletries category in Africa. Cussons Baby has been in existence in the African/ Nigerian market for more than five decades, providing solutions for mothers and the skincare needs of their babies. Cussons Baby is manufactured by PZ Cussons – established 120 years ago, this year.

Through the Cussons Baby Competition, the brand has been able to heighten consumer experience, an activity other brands can leverage to create traction to their brands.

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BDSUNDAY 33

TheWorshippers ‘Christmas is about celebrating the saving grace of Jesus Christ’ The Minister of Education, Good News Baptist Church, Surulere, Reverend John Olafemi Ojo, who equally oversees the children and youth ministry of the Church in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU spoke about the persecution of the church in Nigeria especially in some northern states of the country. The Reverend who holds a PhD degree in Sociology of Religion from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, speaks on the economy and urges Nigerians to put their trust in the Lord in the coming year. Excerpts: Last week, Christians all over the world commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ. Now, is there anything like an ideal Christmas? f we recognise the reason for the season, which is Jesus Christ coming to the world to save us from our sin. Well, since it has become more of a tradition; after the service you can stay at home with your family, and whatever God has blessed you with – share with one’s family.

So, there is nothing like an ideal Christmas. The fact that somebody is rich and they can afford chicken, turkey and everything does not make it an ideal; and for those who cannot afford anything, there is also no problem, but which ever; whatever you have there are still people who do not have anything – they will not buy new cloths, and yet from their heart they are really appreciating even the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; and so, as far as God is concerned, that is the most important thing and not just in the festivity or killing of chicken or buying new dresses.

Some people strongly believe that the church in Nigeria is under persecution. Do you share that view?

It depends on how we look at it; but I know that generally churches in the northern part of the country are facing persecution and it comes in different form. Apart from the burning of churches which is the common one especially with Boko

I

John Olafemi Ojo

Haram of a thing; I know that before now, with most of the states in the north, even to get a land to buy for a church is a problem. The moment they know that it is for a church, its either they say that they are not selling or something like that. So, most of the time what they normally do is that individual (maybe member of the church)

PFN preaches love at Yuletide, doles out N.6m to empower pastors’ wives SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he Ikeja province of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) recently gave out about N600, 000 empowerment grant to support some pastors’ wives within the province as a way of sharing love and happiness which are the hallmarks of Christianity.

“We know that it’s quite challenging to break ground in ministry.

Most of the initial converts are liability members upon whom the pastors have to spend so much at the expense of their immediate families, until such ministries are stabilised enough to fund itself,” Bishop Peace Beniah, chairman, Opebi-Allen chapter of PFN in Ikeja, said.

The ceremony was held to celebrate the End of Year get together of PFN Opebi-Allen chapter, held at Jesus Evangelical Assembly, Allen Avenue, Lagos.

According to Beniah, over the years, the chapter has been bothered about the plight of families

of genuine pastors of upcoming, Pentecostal churches within the province, especially in Opebi-Allen.

He stated further that after due diligence, the central working committee of the chapter decided to sprint a Christmas surprise on some of the pastors who have been consistently committed to PFN cause in the province. “A cheque of N200, 000 was given to each of the three Pastors’ wives to boost their petty trading. A total of N600, 000 was disbursed. We trust God to help us do more in the years to come,” Beniah said.

Tope Ilesanmi, chairman of PFN, Ikeja Province, in his appreciation remarks to Beniah and his team for the commendable philanthropic gestures, said: “This is a challenge we have been carrying forward and forward for the past ten years.

It’s quite a memorable event that others in the body of Christ should emulate,” he stated. According to Ilesanmi, the province also hopes that the donations will silence those pastors asking for what they stand to gain as PFN members.

will buy it and later on they can transfer it to the church. Also note that there are times in many cases where they are using Sharia to even threaten Christians in some states in the north. So, from one state to the other in the north – only that the level or intensity of persecution differ in one way or the other. In fact, it is not just now; I have a friend who

was in First Baptist Church, Maiduguri; he told me that they wanted to buy land but could not do that. Even to do house fellowship sometimes is also a problem except you are the one who owns your house. If you are a tenant or maybe it is a storey building and occupy any of the flats if the landlord is a Muslim, or mostly they will not allow you to do that. So, somehow we say there is a persecution; the only thing is that the level of persecution differs from one state to the other.

But, some will argue that this persecution of a thing is selfinflicted by the church; being that the church for many years has urged Christians to stay off politics:; do you share that sentiment?

I don’t think that is the case – not everybody will join politics and even if you join politics; am not sure that is the real reason. Because for example now; the vice president is a Christian, yet it doesn’t mean that being the vice president and also being a Christian, it doesn’t mean that things are easy generally for Christians. So, the fact that whether we should join politics or because people have not been encouraged to join politics in itself – I don’t agree with that. Even we have states where people; for instance in Kaduna State, where almost half of Kaduna, especially southern Kaduna are Christians. There was a time when the formal deputy governor before he became governor – the one who died in a plane crash; but

now that El-Rufai is the governor, before, the deputy was a Christian, but for his second term he removed the Christian and picked a Muslim.

So, the truth is that joining politics does not remove the fact that there is still persecution. There are two ways to look at it – persecution because Jesus predicted it; the Bible also predicted it.

At the end time, it is the sign of the end time but also persecution in the sense that Islam wants to dominate and they see Christians as a force that is affecting the spread of Islam; so, by all means they want to ensure that Christianity does not spread and the only way they can do that is to subject Christians to all kinds of persecution and maltreatment. So, I don’t think having everybody join politics will solve that problem.

In few days from now, it will be a new year; what should Nigerians look up to in the year 2020?

But one thing is that each person should put his or her trust in the Lord. Yes, nobody will predict what will happen in 2020, but there may be challengeswith the economy, especially now that the valueadded tax (VAT) is increasing and what that means is that things will be more difficult economically next year. But, the fact still remains that those who put their trust in the Lord – God knows how to supply their needs and also to help them.

It’s just for everybody to put his or her trust in the Lord.

House on The Rock spreads the joy of Christmas across five Lagos communities JEREMIAH MBATA

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n an attempt to replicate what the yuletide season is characterised by, House on The Rock recently spread joy through its annual ‘Project Spread’initiative, which was held in five different communities of Lagos Island.

The initiative, which has been a medium of giving back to the society and rendering help to the less-privileged through gifting of food items and medical aid, has been

thriving for the past 8 years. The communities that felt the impact of Project Spread initiative were Ikeja, Lagos Island, Gbagada, Surulere and Ikate Elegushi.

Adegoke Coker, the director of missions, House on The Rock, said the initiative, which began in 2011, is geared towards reaching out to the needy in sharing the love of Christmas and spreading the joy of Jesus during the festive season.

“The joy for the organisers is that about 30,000 people, from the five communities, would benefit from

the opportunity that the House on the Rock troupe, under the leadership of Paul Adefarasin, brings to the people,” he said.

He also appealed to individuals and corporate organisations that are capable of lending a helping hand to the needy to engage in such charitable gesture this festive period.

“One of the things we have seen in the last eight years, during the course of this programme, is an increase in the number of people who would come out to be beneficiaries of this initiative.”

“This point to the fact that there are lots of individuals entering into that class of people who are needy, who really can’t afford much this festive season and towards the end of the year. My appeal will be to every other person who is able to come to the aid of the needy in our society to do so,” he concludes.

Blessing Ofure, a beneficiary of the initiative and a mother of seven, was full of joy after she received the gift item.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

TheWorshippers 2019: When the Church united to pull back denominational barriers For many Christians in Nigeria, especially Lagos, the year 2019 will no doubt go down in history as one that brought the entire body of Christ together. 2019 is arguable that year when the Church in Nigeria united to pull back the denominational barriers that had somehow limited the spread of the gospel. SEYI JOHN SALAU chronicles happenings as they relate to the church in 2019.

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he year 2019 started on a promising note for the church in Lagos. Led by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body for the church in Lagos as the first quarter of the year witnessed what was tagged, the Ministers’ Development and Networking Summit convened by the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, William F. Kumuyi, aimed at equipping church leaders for kingdom expansion.

The summit presented a new wave of spiritual awakening and revival to empower church leaders for end-time challenges. “It is such a revival that will spour us to effectively fulfill Christ’s mandate of world evangelisation and get believers ready for heaven. We must arise, set aside all denominational divide and inhibition in response to the spirit’s call for this crisis hour, and really it is a crisis hour,” said Alexander Bamgbola, the chairman of CAN, Lagos State chapter.

According to Bamgbola, the summit brought together about 20, 000 ministers from all denominations in Lagos for edification, equipping and empowerment of church leaders. “The summit delivered on its promise as it is already yielding positive results – to sustain this momentum, we have decided to leverage this positive development by putting in place networking support programmes that aim at further integrating and empowering the body of Christ,” he said.

Expectedly, the empowerment summit resulted in a weekly networking support programme, which is the first phase of the church-based networking support programme designed to stimulate genuine revival and growth among the clergy, laity and across churches.

The programme, which started in July, was held every Wednesday at 6pm, while every edition was hosted by different churches across the LGAs in Lagos and transmitted in real time to all connected churches across the country. “It is a golden opportunity that the Lord has dropped on our laps at this auspicious time in our generation. We can use them to attain personal and church growth; it is time to awake to the challenges of the hour, it is time to provoke unto love and to good works,” Bamgbola said.

Similarly, the directorate of Social Security Outreach/ Inter-Governmental Relations (SSO/IGR) of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), organised a one-day summit on ‘National Unity and Development’ in June at the Vineyard Christian Centre, Isolo, Lagos.

The consensus was that the

church must never be allowed to look like a political association if it does not want to lose the whole essence of unity in the diversity of the body of Christ. “Our nation needs a church that is spiritually alert, socially responsible and politically neutral. It needs a church that does not seek any form of gratification from civil authorities but a church that is independent, loves the nation and all its component parts, speaks the truth to all the populace,” said Pastor Toju Bolujoko.

Ladi Peter Thompson, a reverend and guest speaker at the summit, opined that the church has the answer to the challenges bedeviling the nation. “What worked for June 12 is not going to work for the present challenges that we are facing in this country, the church has the answer. The church must not get involved in retaliation. The greatest mistake this generation can make is to allow religious war to erupt in Nigeria,” said Thompson.

In the third quarter of the year, precisely in September, in continua-

tion of the Ministers’ Development and Networking Summit, held at the African Bethel Cathedral, Ikorodu and tagged ‘Growing your Church.’

It was another opportunity for the church leaders to strategise on uniting the church.

According to Kumuyi, the church in Nigeria is being weakened by denominational barriers that have rendered it unproductive to deliver the heavenly divine mandate of winning the world to Christ. “Instead of fighting a common enemy, the devil; we are fighting each other. We are looking down on each other; we are pushing each other away until the church is not even sure on which ground do I stand,” he said.

Akin Ajayi, bishop of the Lagos West missionary diocese of the African Church, Bethel Cathedral, Ikorodu said the summit provides an opportunity for ministers to train themselves, stating it is a divine blessing for the ministers to develop and grow their local church. “For Pastor Kumuyi to have come to Ikorodu; that means

he has humbled himself and we should all learn from him. I believe there is nobody God cannot use.

If you allow God to take charge of your life, he will definitely deliver you and grant you whatever you think is impossible in your life,” Ajayi said.

As a true testament to breaking the denominational barrier facing the church, Israel Akinadewo, the secretary of CAN, Lagos State said the programme is just the beginning of ending denominational barrier in Christendom. “You can see me in my full attire and you will be surprised Baba Kumuyi is also coming to my church in Ibeju; so, what we are telling the public is what the scriptures told us to do – there is no Catholic, Anglican or white garment in heaven, but only the true children of Christ,” he said.

According to the Lagos CAN secretary, ‘Night of Glory’ with Pastor Kumuyi is the realisation of what Christ actually expected of Christians, which is only starting in Lagos. He further said that it was aimed at putting an end to all forms denominational differences in the church. “This is just the beginning of ending denominational barrier in the Christendom,” said Akinadewo.

In November, the Ikeja province of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) organised a crusade tagged, ‘Divine Liberation.’ The crusade captured the collective expectation of Christian faithful in Lagos as to what God is going to do in Christendom.

The crusade, which was used to usher 10,000 souls to Christ, provided a rare platform for the demonstration of God’s love and power to save and set free. “We

are all aware of the state of affairs, not only in our country but all over the world. There is preponderance of evil in the land and this has given rise to untold insecurity, starvation, misery and hopelessness. But God, in his infinite love and mercy is not only able but willing to deliver those who look up to him,” said Tope Ilesanmi, the chairman of PFN, Ikeja province.

In December, the church in Lagos all gathered at different points for one programme or another celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Notable among them was the gathering at TBS for the annual gospel concert, ‘The Experience’. The Experience 2019 was the 14th edition of the gospel music concert, themed, ‘Let’s Worship Jesus’ usually held on the first Friday of December and streamed live via satellite to about 46 countries in Africa, making it the biggest gospel concert on the continent.

However, The Experience 2019 was not only used as a gospel concert; as it was leveraged by the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reach out to Lagosians in seeking God’s direction in the affairs of the state.

Sanwo-Olu in his goodwill message said his administration was bringing righteousness to governance. According to him, Lagos will experience phenomenal growth like never before under his leadership.

He also stated that the state wwould collaborate with forwardlooking organisations and all faithbased organisations to deepen infrastructure and build capacity of Lagosians. Furthermore, the state government in collaboration with House on the Rock initiated a pilot scheme to empower some of the ‘area boys’ on the Island who have now been christened ‘Good boys’ with tricycles ‘Keke’.

To crown the year as one that saw the church come together to preach unity, Emmanuel Adegoke, the CAN coordinator in Ikorodu central and chairman CAN coordinators in Ikorodu division, said: “We are united by the cross; we are united by that message and divine commission, ‘go ye into the world’ and that is our unity. That is what we should be preaching; we should forget about church traditions and other things, and stand for the gospel.”

Adegoke opined that the ministers’ summit is a divine initiative of CAN, aimed at deepening unity and strengthening the body of Christ in Lagos and beyond. “I see it as a divine plan of God for the Church itself and I think we are opportune to share in the grace that the man of God comes here, and we are following up with the programme”.

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BDSUNDAY 35

TheWorshippers Bishop urges leaders not to plunge the nation into economic woos, calls for prayers

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he Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Humphrey Olumakaiye, in his annual pastoral Christmas message to the nation has called for prayers, urging Nigerian leaders not to plunge the country into unnecessary economic woos.

“Our leaders need more prayers; leadership is a critical factor to a nation’s progress but it has preloaded inputs. Competence, savvy, dexterity and intelligence are key but so also is integrity and fairness. These are qualities sorely lacking in our time.

A familiar phrase has been, ‘when the desirable is not available, the available becomes the desirable,”’ Olumakaiye stated.

On the state of the nation’s economy, the bishop said, “Recently, there has been some concern over inordinate spending, the national debt burden and depleting foreign reserves, especially in the second half of 2019.

“Economists are posit-

ing that this portends a further depletion of our currency, worsening economy and impending hardship. Again, we implore our leaders to avoid plunging the nation into any undue economic bondage,” he said, stating that, “tribal sentiments were whipped up, fueled and fanned. Yet, we thank God, peace prevailed! What the Lord has done (and continues to do) for us in Nigeria, mere words would fail to express our appreciation to God.” According to the Anglican bishop, Christmas is a time to reflect on God’s work in mankind. “Christmas brings us to the consciousness of the peace that Christ brought to us as individuals, family and the nation. It reminds us of how Christ brought us out of darkness into God’s marvelous light,” Olumakaiye said.

He further noted that the case of Leah Sharibu, still in the captivity of Boko Haram, “remains a grave concern for the nation.”

‘King of Purpose’ NGO honours Apostle Ojo Emmanuel

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jo Emmanuel, a cleric and proprietor of New Erral Group of Schools, Jankara in Ijaiye LGA of Lagos State, was recently honoured by the ‘King of Purpose’, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO). The event took place at the God‘s Assembly International Centre, Nigeria Chapter, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos. He was decorated by Archbishop M.A.Fadeyi (JP) with other royal bishops such as Bishop Joshua Godson, Michael Abraham (national president), Queen Eunice Oluwatimilehin (V.P.) and Daniel Haruna in attendance.

The NGO was formed by some concerned Nigerians with the aim to re-orientate the mindset of the mass of youth caught in the widening web of immorality, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent. Its vision states that: “When God moves, there is a purpose.

When leaders are made, a mission resumes!”

The NGO hopes to curb the wave of idleness, misinformation, ineptitude and mediocrity which have

Apostle Ojo Emmanuel (l) being decorated by Archbishop M.A. Fadeyi

MFM, Foundation marks end of year with widows, single mothers, children DESMOND OKON

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n celebration of the 2019 Christmas and in keeping with the tradition of giving and spreading love with the less privilege, a nongovernment organization, OVL Foundation, which is gaining a reputation for providing succour to the less privileged group in the society with various empowerment programs, has organized free medical check-ups for widows, single mothers and children the less group on Friday.

The second edition of the Annual End of the Year Concert and Outreach for Widows and Singles Mother which held at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), in Victoria Island, had beneficiaries screened for health issues and got medical counsel where needed.

The agenda for the event

was medical outreach, presentation of checks to the essay winners, and “praise.” Those going into the fashion academy will also matriculate today, BDSUNDAY learnt.

Victor Laniyan, executive director, OVL Foundation, said the foundation was set up for empowerment and to upgrade (help) the less privilege, women, children and youth.

“We organise skill acquisition for them, we do medical outreaches and other programmes. We also do monitoring and evaluation programme.

For the fashion that we’re starting, we put them into schools, and after that they get an attachment,” he Laniyan said.

Also, to include children in its programmes, this year, the foundation introduced an essay competition and also a scholarship scheme. This is due to discovering new areas of

need and meeting them.

“As the foundation evolves, we’re discovering new areas of need. So one of the needs is that women and children are intertwined. So we felt that attending to women alone won’t cover the whole thing. Let’s also focus on children as well,” Laniyan explained.

Speaking to BDSUNDAY on the focus on women, the executive director it was because women support the society and the children are the future.

“Whatever affects those two categories, women, youth and children affect the society at large. That’s why we decided to focus on those vulnerable segments,” he said.

Onyilola Babatunde, acting executive secretary, OVL Foundation said the programme was for single mothers and widows because sometimes they feel alone and feel like they do

not have the capacity to look after themselves and their children.

“So today is basically to thank God for another year that has come to an end, to provide free medical care to them and to give them food items just to celebrate the festive season with their loved ones.

Since establishment in 2016 with the vision to empower women, young people and children in Africa to lead economic productive lives and attain their highest potential; OVL has executed many skill acquisition programmes for the youth, women, and children. Also, financial literacy has been an area of focus for the foundation.

Ca r o l i n e Oy a m a , a beneficiary of the programmed, appreciated the organisation for its efforts towards helping her likes who, perhaps, have been forgotten by the society.

“We pray for them,” she said.

swept many nations into a national disaster. These are characterised by youth-related crimes such as whoredom, banditry, Yahoo-net, ritual murder and terrorism.

There is therefore, the need to train them for the right formation of normal characters as children.

The adult world cannot afford to look the other way as the destruction of the hard-earned African culture escalates. The misguided youth should be pulled from the firm grips of immoral music and dance, half-naked dressing ills called sagging and ragging, spreading like forest fire, all pointing to direction of the doom ahead.

That is, if left unchecked.

Having noticed that the government cannot do it all alone, the NGO will kick-start the project both in Lagos and Abuja. It will come in the form of skills acquisition, computer training, writing skills through seminars, symposium and conferences.

Incidentally, Emmanuel, who hails from Odofin royal family in Ado-Ekiti and whose mother hails from a royal family, is married to Queen Eunice Kehinde-Ojo.

In the spirit of Christmas, Mbonu gives back to widows, others

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hristmas is a time to love, and Uzochukwu Mbaonu, popularly known as Zuma Rock, demonstrated the virtue by extending his hands to numerous widows, children neighbours and friends during the season.

The Zuma Fun Fair celebration which held at Catholic Mission Street, in Tedi Town a suburb of Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State on Wednesday saw the less privileged in society leave with smiles after Mbaonu catered to their needs.

“Christmas period is a season of reflection, blessings and gift, it is only appropriate for us to count our blessings,” said Mbonu. “ At this time, we must reflect on those things that have happened to us in the year and how we can improve them and be better citizens.”

Du r i n g t h e f u n f a i r, Mbonu donated bags of rice and other food items to widows to mark his appreciation to God for sparing his life and others around

him. “It is good to give than to receive, God has blessed us this year and it is good for us to give back to God by remembering those less privileged and widows that have nothing much to eat,” Mbonu said.

He a l s o s a i d g i v i n g should characterize the life of everyone and the more fortunate in society must endeavour to give back at all times. Children from all works of life were present at the funfair and they returned home with lots of gifts.

The Igbo group in Catholic Mission Street were also present to celebrate with Mbaonu and his family.

Speaking on the occasion, Boniface Obiako one of the elders of the group expressed his appreciation towards the unity of the group and the members of the entire Catholic Mission Street, Obiako, praised Mbonu with his initiative of reaching out to the less privileged and widows within and outside his vicinity.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

SundayBusiness Proper handling of frozen foods Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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n spite of the prevailing harsh economic situation in the country, with the resultant lowing purchasing power of the citizens, some families would still be engaged in the handling of large volumes of various food items during the end of year festivities. Several weddings, house warming and family gathering celebrations are likely to feature prominently at this period of the year.

One of the challenges home makers still face is that of preservation and storage of foods, such as turkey, chicken, fish, fruit juice, ice cream and sundry packaged drinks. Most of the frozen poultry consumed in Nigeria during this season are imported under unhygienic conditions. That is where freezing comes in.

Freezing of foods by keeping them at temperatures below zero (0) degrees Celsius has been one of the most effective

methods of food preservation engaged in by farmers, fishermen and hunters since the early times.

While thesetook place in unheated buildings during the cold season, by 1912 a man called Clarence Birdseye had started to offer quick-frozen foods to the public.

The invention of refrigerators and subsequently deep freezers made freezing a household preservative choice from the 20th Century.And soon they became common items in home s of the super rich and supermarkets.

Additional preservatives are not required as micro-organisms, including the disease-causing ones (pathogens) hardly grow at temperatures below-9.5 degrees Celsius. A chemical called Carboxymethylcellulase (CMC) which is both odourless and tasteless is typically added as a stabilizer because it does not change the textural and organoleptic qualities of the frozen foods.

One of the advantages of freezing is that it slows down the decomposition of the food as residual moisture is converted into ice, thereby inhibiting the growth of most species of bacteria. The process is called Individually Quick Frozen (IQF),However, freezing should be conducted at lower temperatures if the food items are meant to be preserved for longer period of time.

Nutritional losses during Freezing.

Although there are claims that frozen foods retain their colours, taste and texture it is not unusual to find some frozen chicken looking paler than the fresh ones. The freezing of ice into

small blocks do crush the tissues thereby making them tender.

But of concern to nutritionists is the loss of some vital vitamins as scientific research has shown.

These include: · Vitamin A(Beta Carotene).

Found in green, leafy vegetables, eggs, liver, cod liver oil, cheese, palm oil. The loss is little compared to some others during freezing and occurs most if the time for the process lasts long. · Vitamin B1 (Thiamin).

Present in enriched cereals and grains. The loss is put at 25 percent of its content.Thiamin dissolves easily in water and isdestroyed by heat. · Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin).

Found in milk, yoghurt and enriched cereals. Though research is not conclusive its los during freezing is put at between 4 and 18 per cent.Loss has been identified to be cause more by the method of preparing the food, especially vegetables for freezing than the freezing process itself.

Factors to be considered during freezing Since quick freezing does not add to the physical quality of the food, care should be taken so that only good quality, matured and fresh foods are put forward for freezing. Tominimise physical and biochemical changes the food to be frozen should b passed through temperatures of between -1 and -5 degrees Celsius quickly.

Also, once it is removed form the freezer, the food should not be exposed to humid or warm environmental conditions.

Ideal packaging for frozen foods To protect the health of

consumers NAFDAC officials should inspect and monitor the cold storage facilities in use in the urban centres. This is also because of erratic electric power supply here in Nigeria. To prevent any form of contamination, materials used for packaging frozen foods should be of good quality to keep away dust, smoke, unclean water and sources of viruses and bacteria. Cover the frozen chicken or turkey with the recommended cellophane package after washing the exterior.

On the issue of mass production and preservation, each warehouse should be of adequate capacity to take the entire food items. It should be equipped with suitable mechanical refrigeration to provide for, under anticipated conditions of outside temperature and peak loading , maintaining a reasonably steady air temperature of 00F (-18oC) or colder in all cold storage areas in which frozen foods are stored.

Each Storage area should be equipped with two or more accurate and calibrated temperature measuring devices and at least one continuous recording device, installed to reflect the correct average air temperature. Temperature of each area should be recorded and dated each day. A file of such temperatures should be maintained for a period of at least two years. A member of management should review the continuous recording within one business day of its completion to ensure proper temperature have been maintained at all times.

It is recommended that refrigeration equipment

installations include an audible or visual alarm system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. This alarm mechanism enhances rapid response to frozen foods exposure to adverse storage temperature. Telephone, email, text messaging or other appropriate communication systems should be used to immediately notify responsible parties if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours (e.g Nights, weekends, and holidays.)

Considering the high population of Nigerians, many of who will continue to depend more on frozen foods either for consumption or economic gains, there is still much more to do. We have higher temperatures here than in the temperate region.

International standards must be set and met.Conditions under which the frozen foods are imported, stored and sold should be of concern to the relevant regulatory agency, NAFDAC. More researches should be conducted on the deleterious effects of the consumption of these unsafe frozen foods on the health of the unsuspecting consumers.

Nigeria should not be made a dumping ground for expired foreign frozen food. The smuggling of such should be curtailed. That is one of the many reasons NAFDAC should continue to stay at the ports.

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

LUCIANO Global Development Initiative honours Vijul Industries for humanitarian support Obinna Emelike

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he corporate social responsibility gesture of Vijul Industries Ltd, makers of Viju milk products came to limelight when the LUCIANO Global Development Initiative (LGDI), a non-governmental organisation committed to welfare of the less privileged children in the country, visited the company to honour it for supporting the humanitarian body.

LGDI Global Development Initiative is appreciative of Vijul Industries disposition towards lending support for care of orphans and children from indigent homes amid uplifting their living standards.

Since the inception of the NGO, Vijul Industries has always demonstrated its commitment towards LGDI Initiative course.

At a low-key ceremony held at Vijul Industries head office in Ikeja, Lagos recently to recognise the company, some members of the board of directors of LGDI, led by Richard Ogunmola, its chairman, were present to witness the award presentation to Vijul Industries.

Speaking on the visit, Adekemi Lucy Adetuwo-Olaniyi, founder, LGDI initiative, said her NGO was on a “Thank You Mission” to Vijul Industries Ltd to appreciate the company’s humble commitment towards projects by the NGO. “In fact, the LGDI initiative is really grateful to Vijul Industries for your support for all our projects whenever we seek your assistance”, she remarked.

Adetuwo-Olaniyi further stated that Vijul had demonstrated steady responsibility in assisting her organisation, adding that it was in recognition of the fact that her LGDI’s Board

of Trustees came to honour the company with an award of recognition.

She noted that despite financial constraint, the LGDI initiative has been relentless in meeting its objectives of raising the living standards of many underprivileged children in the areas of education, accommodation, health, food and clothing.

Commenting on the occasion, Richard Ogunmola, chairman, BOT, LGDI Initiative, remarked that Vijul Industries has a good reputation of supporting several NGOs whenever it is called upon, citing LGDI Global Development Initiative as a beneficiary.

“Vijul Industries has the spirit of welfare for the less privileged in the country and our NGO is a beneficiary of your humanitarian supports.”

The BOT chairman encouraged the company to continue

to do more to lift the challenged in the society. “We urge Vijul Industries Ltd. to continue to put smiles on the faces of the underprivileged in the society to defend your social value.”

Ogunmola said.

Samuel Olaniyi, spouse of Adetuwo-Olaniyi, noted that every drop of Vijul Industries support for LGDI corroborated the BoT chairman’s affirmation that Vujl has a character of giving.

In his response, Raphael Osiomwan, head, media/ sponsorship, Vijul Industries, expressed delight that the company’s corporate social value is appreciated by one of its beneficiaries- LGDI initiative.

“We at the Vijul Industries feel happy that LGDI Global Initiative recognized our contribution towards its sustainability. We are humbled at your visit to our company. Your thank you visit is unprecedented in the history of our organization, because no

NGO we have helped so far has ever come back to show us appreciation, but LGDI”.

Osiomwan remarked that LGDI initiative ranks first in the Vijul Industries priority list of NGOs because the humanitarian body is focused; “Among all the NGOs we relate with, we want to tell you that LGDI is the first we reckon with.”

He identified LGDI as an outstanding Initiative with pedigree of good reputation and commitment to helping the society.

Onochie Uzogeh, Vijul’s IT manager, corroborated Osiomwan’s claim that LGDI’s activities genuinely exist on website with concrete evidence of public testimonies.

LUCIANO Global Development Initiative is a certified NGO with the Corporate Affairs Commission and Lagos Stage Government with focus on youth development and support for the less privileged children in the society.

Sunday 29 December 2019

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BDSUNDAY 37

SundayBusiness How to become a landlord in 2020 with only N500k equity

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n the next two days, 2019 will be history and a new year beckons. New Year is generally strategic and even symbolic. This is the period when individuals and households indulge in the annual ritual called New Year resolutions. Companies, corporate organisations make projections and set goals they would accomplish in the course of the year.

Most times, these resolutions and set goals are hardly kept or realised. But it is not impossible to see many resolutions kept and targets met. It all depends on a combination of factors which include, but not limited to, determination, self-discipline, hard-work and the unseen hand that controls the affairs of man called fate.

In Nigeria, unlike other societies, most people don’t factor home-ownership into their New Year resolutions. This is however understandable because ours is a society where owning a home has become luxury and not necessity.

Many people tend to dismiss the possibility and so, make no efforts towards owning one.

But ignorance plays a fast trick here and, in some cases, people who have information tend to dismiss it as pipe smoke. Some

accept the information with a pinch of salt and so never act on it, forgetting that information is not only power but key to unlocking success.

To many, therefore, the information that it is possible to own a N5 million home with N500,000 equity contribution or a N15 million worth of home by contributing just N1.5 million equity is as abstract as it is impracticable. This shouldn’t be part of the thinking towards the New Year.

The National Housing Fund (NHF), one of the federal government’s old interventions in the housing sector, is still a reality that has served and is still serving as a sure vehicle to owning a home through a monthly contribution of a fraction of one’s income.

Through this fund therefore, it is possible for a home seeker to own his home by just contributing part of his income for six months and the rest is history. “NHF gives a maximum loan of N15 million and a minimum of N5 million. So, if an applicant to the fund applies for the maximum loan of N15 million or the minimum of N5 million, he is expected to have saved up to N1.5 million with a primary mortgage bank (PMB)”, explains Bertrand Bassey, a mortgage expert.

Bassey notes that the apathy and poor attitude to this fund are products of perceptions and not reality. “A clearer understanding of the fund would, perhaps, help both the scheme and home-seekers who would want to access home loans through the scheme”, he reasoned in an interview.

Any contributor to NHF should know that the fund is a statutorily compulsory savings scheme for all workers in Nigeria. Whether as a self-employed person or an employee, such an individual is expected to deduct 2.5 percent of his basic salary every month and pay same to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) without fail.

The FMBN is empowered, by the act establishing the NHF, to manage that pool of fund. Only those who are bellow 21 years are exempted from contributing to the fund. This contribution forms a large pool of fund from which mortgage loans are granted to the contributors who are eligible, ready and willing to apply for the loan. Those who are eligible to apply for the loan are those who have been contributing consistently to the fund for a period of six consecutive months.

As for those who should ap-

TECNO Nigeria partners African International Film Festival to deepen culture Modestus Anaesoronye

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he Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), an annual film festival too place in Nigeria with Techno Nigeria making alluring presence to all participant and exhibitors. The event normally spans through a week and it includes award shows and film training classes.

For this year’s Edition, which was aimed at celebrating heroes including Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts’ documentary on a woman’s experience during war, ‘For Sama’, was chosen to open the ceremony.

Over 2,000 movies were submitted for AFRIFF, but only 150 movies were chosen for screening in the days that followed the Opening Ceremony, with some TECNO fans invited to see these movies.

Simultaneously, there were different classes on film making at the AFRIFF Campus situated at the Landmark Village.

Sponsored by TECNO, the Mobile Cinematography Masterclass was taught by cinematographer and student, Nora Awolowo. She explained in de-

tails how much of a tool a mobile phone can be in shooting a film.

Then she went into how a mobile phone can be used to shoot a film. All through the class, she used the TECNO Camon 12 Air to demonstrate her points.

Kiki Mordi , producer of the popular Sex for Grades documentary also came in and talked about the elements of storytelling, letting the students know that everyone has a story to tell.

She also emphasised on the fact that every story has an audience.

Industry veteran, Victor Okhai, a producer, scriptwriter, director, cinematography and logistics provider also pitched in, telling the students that some captivating stories happen out of

the blues. A smartphone camera will be the best tool to use in capturing such stories. He also reiterated that beginners will be able to start their career by telling excellent stories using a smartphone.

In line with this, TECNO will be telling more compelling stories in the future in collaboration with fresh student film makers using the magnificent cameras that come with TECNO smartphones.

The students did not just learn the theory of mobile cinematography, but they also had practical classes on how to make films using their phones. At the end of the class, one of them went home with a TECNO Camon 12 Air.

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com)

ply and the purpose of the loan, Bassey says, to qualify for loan, the applicant must be 21 years of age, must have a regular income and the purpose for which he is applying for the loan is to build, buy, renovate or complete a residential building which could be located anywhere in Nigeria provided it is covered by a good and an acceptable title.

These good, acceptable or mortgageable titles include, but not limited to, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), right of occupancy, registered deed of assignment, deed of conveyance, land certificate, etc provided they are registered or are registerable titles.

He warned that the individual cannot apply directly to FMBN. He or she has to pass through a registered mortgage institution

or a registered and licensed primary mortgage bank (PMB) of his choice.

This PMB must also have conditions which the loan seeker must fulfill some of which are having an account with the bank, and having up to 10 percent equity contribution of the loan he is seeking or applying for.

There are other things that are expected from the loan seeker.

He has to fill the relevant loan application forms, including his passport photograph, tax clearance certificate to show that he is a law-abiding citizen and the photocopies of the title documents of the property he is intending to buy as mortgage or security for the loan. He will also be expected to put forward revaluation report on the property he wants to buy to determine its value and location.

United Nation’s WFP stages play to fight hunger in Northeast

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he United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday tapped into Nigeria’s vibrant performing arts and entertainment industry to tell the story of conflict-driven hunger, resilience and humanity in the North-East in an effort towards achieving zero hunger in the country.

The WFP premiered Bintu - The Musical, a dramatization of the humanitarian impact of the decadelong crisis that has plagued Nigeria’s north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The musical held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos.

“We hope the play will spark conversations around the crisis in the North East and lead to greater engagement of all parts of society – the private sector, government agencies and individuals – boosting efforts to achieve zero hunger in Nigeria,” said Paul Howe, WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria.

The play follows a young girl called Bintu, whose dreams of going to university are dramatically cut short when insurgents strike. Bintu and her friends find refuge in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), where they receive humanitarian assistance. While in the camp, Bintu slowly begins to rebuild her life.

Written and directed by Agozie Ugwu, a Nigerian playwright who

teaches performing arts at the Nile University of Nigeria in Abuja, the play uses powerful song, dance and poetic performances to depict people’s struggles, their will to survive and the vital humanitarian assistance they receive.

“This work goes beyond a theatre piece. It is a call to action from humanity to help humanity,” said Ugwu, whose Mosaic Theatre Production developed the play with WFP. The play is based on the real-life experiences of people caught in the conflict which has driven an estimated two million people from their homes. Nearly three million people struggle to meet their food needs in the three crisis-affected states - almost double the number at the same time last year.

Since 2016, WFP has been providing a lifeline for vulnerable families affected by conflict in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, supporting internally displaced people, returnees, young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women with lifesaving food and nutrition support.

In 2019, WFP and partners have served an average of 800,000 people with food or cash every month.

Bintu - The Musical, which premiered in Lagos on December 19 will be followed by a showing in Abuja in the first quarter of 2020.

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Sunday 29 December 2019

SundayBusiness Konga spreads festive cheer as CEOs, executive management handle deliveries to customers Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

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onga, Nigeria’s leading composite e-commerce company has gone a long way to spread festive cheer among its teeming customers. To this end, Konga’s co-chief executive officers, Nnamdi Ekeh and Nick Imudia; as well as other management executives of the company have personally handled deliveries to customers in various locations.

Among the locations visited are Lekki, Victoria Island, Gbagada, Ikeja, Apapa, Ikotun, Ikoyi, Surulere, Ipaja, Yaba, Sango, Mowe, among others.

Indeed, the process which commenced in the second week of December saw the entire management of the Konga Group deliver products directly to customers.

The gesture was conceived as a means of appreciating the entire Konga customer base for its patronage throughout the year. Equally important, Konga had seized on the idea to further appreciate customers for the “most successful” Black Friday sales ever; as well as wish them a Merry Christmas.

Meanwhile, the process was led by co-CEOs Ekeh and Imudia as well as head of logistics, Emmanuel Ekuma.

Other management team members who handled deliveries include the vice president, KongaPay, Joshua Fatoye; head of finance, Emmanuel Ekwedike; vice president, Konga Retail, Kalu Johnson; vice president, ecommerce, Dave Omoregie; vice president, Konga Travel, Eric Nana and vice president, operations, Kenny Oriola, among others. ‘‘At Konga, the customer remains the king,” Imudia said. ‘‘Our loyal customers

have remained central to our many successes this year. In 2019, we had the most successful Konga Yakata – our own version of the popular Black Friday sales. This is in addition to significant growth witnessed in various areas of the business including subsidiaries such as Konga Travel.

“Therefore, we considered it very essential for us to show our appreciation to our customers. One of the initiatives we decided on was for the entire management team of Konga to call up randomly selected customers and deliver their product orders directly. Also, it was a way of personally wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance,’’ he said.

Acquired by Zinox Group in January 2018, Konga has enjoyed a remarkable transformation and hugely successful 2019 which has seen it occupy leadership of Nigeria’s e-commerce space. In addition to major rollouts which have grown its physical store presence to more than 30 nationwide; Konga has also made critical infrastructural investments with the set-up of major regional warehousing facilities.

In addition, it has recorded significant adoption of its payment platform KongaPay which recently added ATM card-less and USSD features.

Also enjoying huge traction is K-Xpress, Konga’s in-house logistics company which has proven its capacity in handling last-mile and same day delivery to the company’s customers; while also resolving the logistics pain-points of external customers.

Coca-Cola marks 100 years of going public

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oca-Cola, a popular beverage c o m p a n y, h a s celebrated 100th anniversary of its initial public offering over a century ago.

An investment of $40 at that time would be worth more than $18 million today!

James Quincey, who led senior executives and board members of TCCC to the New York Stock Exchange, on Monday 9th December, rang the opening bell, in commemoration of the centenary celebration.

Speaking on the landmark achievement, the global CEO, James Quincey, said, “Not many brands make it this far and not many have been able to grow at the speed that we have. It is a testament to the work that goes on behind the scenes and also thanks to our loyal consumers and investors across the world. It’s a big day for us and it’s a good time to look optimistically

into the future.”

With strong presence in over 200 countries, The Coca-Cola Company and its beverage brands continue to drive economic growth across markets, making it one of the most recognized brands globally.

However, the incredible story of Coca-Cola goes beyond profits and revenue.

Over the years, The CocaCola Company has taken the lead in good business, committing huge resources in laudable sustainability initiatives across its markets.

In 2009, Coca-Cola launched Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) to improve access to safe drinking water for African communities. A total of over 4 million people have been impacted under this initiative. With profits comes responsibility, and The Coca-Cola Company has continuedtoinvest;inWomen through its 5by20 global

program that has committed to the empowerment of 5 million women by 2020, right up to its World Without Waste campaign which has committed to retrieve and recycle equivalent of every product package by 2030.

Nigeria is not left out of the beverage giants’ good efforts.

With the launch of the Safe Birth Initiative, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals and an NGO,MedshareInternational Inc., has provided equipment and supplies, capability development of biomedical engineers as well as resuscitation and repairs of abandoned medical equipment in 15 government hospitals across the country worth a total conservative value of about $10.8 million, i.e. over N3.8 billion.

Chivita unveils ‘Juice Up this Season with Chivita’ campaign

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or many consumers, the festive season provides the perfect opportunity to unwind from the rigours of the year and reflect on the opportunities of the coming year.

The season also creates and enables moments of relaxation, indulgence and merriment.

Leading juice brand, Chivita has launched an exciting new campaign tagged “Juice Up this Season with Chivita” to deepen its bond with consumers across the country and position the Chivita juice brand as the “perfect partner” for the holiday season.

The Chivita range of juices – Chivita 100percent, Chivita Active, Chi Exotic, Happy Hour by Chivita and Chivita Ice Tea - are the number one choice for consumers.

Chivita juices are not only great tasting drinks, but also a daily source of nourishment, rejuvena-

tion and refreshment, to individuals and the whole family.

The “Juice Up this Season with Chivita” campaign which is currently being executed across radio, digital platforms and out of home channels, features a jingle that resonates with the joyous atmosphere that is typical of the Nigerian festive season – family gatherings, hanging out with friends, great meals, merry making, and relax-

ation.

The message of the campaign is simple. Whatever the occasion or celebration this season, whenever you need tasty, nourishing goodness, there is a Chivita Juice just for you.

Deepanjan Roy, Managing Director of Chi Limited, stated that the objective for the “Juice Up this Season with Chivita” campaign was for the brand to share in the love, joy, warmth, happiness and excitement of the season with consumers.

“We are relentlessly driven by the desire to provide great tasting , nutritious and healthy beverages to consumers.

The ‘Juice Up this Season with Chivita’ campaign is a reminder to consumers to enjoy special moments, catch up on old friendships, spend quality time with family, and share in the excitement to the season with their favourite Chivita juice brand,” he stated

MindBody & Soul

with Chioma Nwosu

Random act of kindness

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hristmas was celebrated last week. Christmas is a very festive period, one a lot of people look forward to. It is the time of the year when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, offices wind down for the year, people travel from far and wide to visit their loved ones, people cheat on their diet, and most people attend shows, concerts and various events. I, for one, indulge in a little bit of everything; it’s a time to let down my hair.

But in all these, do we take out time to do something nice for someone no matter how small?

Kindness goes a long way and what better time than to be kind this season.

Random act of kindness is such a great way to slow down and focus on the joy of giving, rather than just receiving during the holiday season. Focusing on kindness for others each day helps banish so many of the ‘I wants’ that often come around this time of

year. Below is a list of things you may/should have done during the Christmas.

• Give up your spot in line.

• Donate to a charity organisation • Pay for someone else’s meal.

• Tell jokes to make someone smile.

• Donate food to your food bank.

• Donate pet supplies to the shelter.

• Help someone do a chore or other job.

• Do yard work for a neighbour.

•Donate books you no longer need.

• Pick up litter.

• Donate toys to a children’s hospital.

• Make get-well cards for someone who needs them.

• Bring lunch to your teachers or coworkers.

• Make holiday decorations for others.

• Donate meals to the less-privileged.

• Smile at everyone you see.

• Send a card or call a friend you’ve not spoken to

in forever • Sign up to volunteer in the new year • Apologise to someone • Compliment a stranger Chioma Nwosu is a mental health/positive psychology advocate, speaker and founder of Olamma Cares Foundation an NGO focused on encouraging the social acceptance of developmental disabilities and mental disorders, finding and implementing long term solutions of these conditions through training, capacity building, advocacy and intervention.

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

Email: cnwosu@olammacares.com Instagram: _olamma_

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Sunday 29 December 2019

BDSUNDAY 39

Feature

Like Okada and Keke riders, Danfo drivers have become a nightmare on Lagos’ roads ESEOGHENE AYOMAH

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espite the legislation against Okada operations in Lagos, the operators have remained undaunted. During the regime of Babatunde Fashola as the governor of Lagos State, government came heavily on operators of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as ‘Okada’. In 2012, the Lagos State government banned Okada from operating in 475 roads in the metropolis. Today however, that rule is not effective, and the menace of Okada is back in full force.

At that time, following the legislation, officials of state government began to impound okadas. But the laws were not enforced, they merely created an opportunity for some officials to extort and become emergency “big men.”

The Fashola administration was moved to take the action following an upsurge in crime. On a daily basis, there were complaints about people losing their personal effects to robbers on motor bikes. Some armed robbers, especially traffic robbers, were known to have used okada as quick getaway.

Moreover, the increasing rate of accidents caused by the bikes became a serious concern. It was touted that a high number of cases of fracture and fatal accidents recorded in hospitals within the state were caused by reckless okada riders.

Orthopedic hospitals and many local bone setters were taking in patients on a regular basis. These were some of the ills that Lagos State wanted to curb. But from the situation of things currently, it can easily be said that the legislation did not work or was never enforced.

Today, it is estimated that there are well over 40,000 okada riders in the state. Despite the enormous harm they cause, they are growing in number. A few months back, the police in Lagos intercepted a trailerload of youths from the North with

large number of okadas invading the city. They were coming in to begin their business. They were eventually allowed to ply their trade.

The menace on the road is not however, only being caused by Okada riders; operators of Keke and danfo drivers are also in the same mold. They hardly obey traffic rules and they cause fatal accidents on a regular basis due to their delinquent way of operation.

Apart from the hazards of being knocked down or other dangerous styles of their operation, they lack decorum in their manner of approach to their passengers. They harass, threaten and challenge their passengers without provocation.

They haul abusive words at their passengers and are generally uncouth in their dealing with people.

Sometimes, they deliberately refuse to give their passengers their balance, popularly known as “change” in local parlance.

They als o get physical with their passengers when arguments go to intolerable level.

Most of the accidents involving commercial cyclists, or danfo drivers are caused by impatience and non-observance of road signs and traffic rules. These have resulted in fatal accidents leading to death.

One pathetic case that took place recently involving a widow, eventually caused her untimely death. She was standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus, when suddenly a bus driver, moving with speed on a wrong lane (one way), knocked down the unsuspecting woman, almost severing one of her ankles. The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital where she died of complications, some days after. She was diabetic, which aggravated the situation. Similar cases are legion in the city of Lagos.

The springing up of cab and motorcycle hailing businesses is aimed at providing a better alternative to the crude okada and danfo operators. Many people are getting

to patronise the new comers with some measure of comfort.

In Nigeria, the introduction of tricycles many years ago was widely publicised as a poverty mitigation gesture on the part of government since many unemployed youths and other individuals were expected to benefit from it through ownership at subsidised rates. Its coming received a rousing applause by many who had made up their mind never to patronise okada anymore.

Today, every nook and cranny of the city is bursting to the seams, as it were, by the three-wheeler. What was then generally accepted as a blessing has over time degenerated into a traffic nightmare for road users in Lagos. For the most part these days, Keke Marwa or Keke NAPEP operators are seen struggling to outdo the notorious Okada riders in recklessness on the road in their mad rush to beat the traffic, even when traffic is moving smoothly.

In the last few months the menace of Okada riders has increased in the Lagos metropolis.

Robbery incidents involving the use of Okada has also up-scaled.

The police and government are worried about the situation.

Just last week, robbers, operating on four Okadas shot dead a young man while on his way from work, late at night, and they went away with his money and valuable items.

Okada is a stubborn and aggressive machine. In a city that is increasingly getting congested on a daily basis, Okada comes handy because it navigates its way where other vehicles fail. This possibly is the reason many people still patronise the riders to convey them to their destinations in a jiffy.

In the city of Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, the commercial bus driver plies his trade as though he owns the entire road. He gives no consideration for other road users. They cause damage on people’s vehicles at whim without remorse.

Recently, Fidelis Espanyol, an entrepreneur in Surulere area of the state, was going out with his family in his fairly brand new car.

Few metres away from his house, a ‘Danfo’ driver ran into his car and damaged it. As soon as it happened, the poor driver got off his bus and prostrated for Mr. Espanyol, begging profusely. His passengers also joined him to plead for pardon.

Eventually, the man was left to bear the brunt of the recklessness of the bus driver. They always get away with their reckless and careless driving, and this has become a pattern in Lagos.

Some of the bike riders and danfo drivers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told BDSUNDAY that the reason they are always in haste is to meet up with daily targets. They explained that it is so for those whose bikes or buses are on hire purchase.

“You know, these vehicles or bikes do not belong to the drivers or riders as the case may be; and we pay the owners daily, weekly or monthly. So, any hour missed or lost on traffic gridlock has eaten deep into what we should make for that day. For this reason, we struggle to make that money. The owner of the vehicle or the okada does not want to know if there is hold up on the road or not. He is after his money.

Calling for urgent enforcement of the traffic laws, since it may be difficult to ban outright Okada and Keke, a lady who asked not to be named, narrated her recent experience with a bike rider.

“I was on my way to shop this morning and decided to call a bike man to take me quickly to where I work since it was faster than waiting for a bus. Then the driver asked me if I had change, I told him I had N500 on me and he told me to ‘enter’.

“When I got to my destination and brought out my money, the bike man told me he didn’t have change and that I should go and look for change. Then I reminded him he told me he had change be-

fore I boarded, but he still insisted I should be the one looking for the change. After much argument, he pushed me to one side and collected the money from me, at that time passers-by came to my rescue and I explained everything to them.

“I was afraid the way he charged at me, and I wondered what could have happened if there were nobody around, because he threatened me in a low voice, ‘if I beat you here nko, wetin you go do?’ I collected my money from him and was able to get my change from him, but I got to work a little bit late; something I was trying to avoid. It is just that to ban Okada in Lagos is very hard the way things are now, the state government must consider proper enforcement of the traffic laws that are already in place,” she said.

Another Lagosian, Deborah, who also called for enforcement of the traffic laws to check the menace of commercial transporters, said she was not only pained by the recklessness of okada riders, but that of the tricycle operators.

She wondered why such means of transportation is allowed in the first place, in a mega city like Lagos.

According to the business woman, the tricycle that is manufactured in India is used only to carry light loads, like crops and other farm produce. And even if they are used for human transport, they drive on walkway not on highways or main roads like we have in Nigeria, especially in Lagos State.

It is hoped that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration would soon enforce the restriction law on Okada riders, in line with his promise on the day he marked the first 100 days of his administration at Agidingbi, Ikeja.

“It has become imperative for us as a government to map out new policies that would guide how okada riders operate in Lagos State. This would stem the tide of accidents and indiscriminate use of okada on Lagos roads,” Sanwo-Olu had said.

40 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 29 December 2019

Health&Science What to know about psychosis

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ily history of bipolar disorder, the doctor may screen for manic episodes.

ANTHONIA OBOKOH

sychosis means a loss of contact with reality; it is a symptom of a number of mental illnesses rather than a medical condition in its own right.

Some estimates suggest that 14.7 to 18.5 percent of people with major depression may experience psychotic features and that the prevalence rates may rise with age.

This form of depression is an under diagnosed and undertreated condition.

People must remember that psychosis is a symptom of particular mental health conditions, not a disorder in itself.

Experiencing psychosis can be frightening and confusing, and psychosis can present in a variety of ways.

Symptoms of psychosis include delusions, also known as false beliefs or false perceptions, hallucinations, or seeing or hearing things that are not present paranoia.

Healthcare professionals can misdiagnose depression with psychotic features as other disorders. These other illnesses may include major depressive disorder without psychotic features, schizoaffective disorder; depression not otherwise specified mood disorder.

A misdiagnosis is often due to a lack of recognition of the psychotic features of major depression.

A mental health profes-

sional who is licensed to diagnose must decide if someone has psychotic depression.

These specialists will conduct a physical examination and may perform blood or urine tests to rule out other possible medical problems.

Th e m e n t a l h e a l t h professional will also ask about an individual’s symptoms and medical history.

If the person has a fam-

Steps to recovery Psychosis can lead a person to hold a distorted view of what others perceive to be reality. The delusions or hallucinations associated with psychotic depression can lead to a medical emergency, which needs immediate medical attention.

A person may need to spend some time in the hospital, followed by an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

Doctors are still trying to establish the most effective treatment for depression with psychosis.

Treatments focus on reducing or managing symptoms. Currently, no treatments can entirely cure psychotic depression.

This means that people will usually need on-going treatment.

Culled from Medical News Today

Health benefits of Papayafruit, seeds and leaves CONTRIBUTOR

TOBI AYODELE KEENEY

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he papaya fruit or pawpaw as is commonly known in Nigeria is a very common and tasty fruit widely eating nationwide.

It almost grows wildly with pawpaw trees dotting the streets and growing in front of everyone’s home.

A little known fact is that the tree bears a very beneficial fruit with wonderful health benefits.

Papaya fruit is very high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. This makes the fruit good in boosting immunity and thereby preventing infections like the common cold or flu.

In addition, reduce cholesterol buildup in the blood thereby reducing the risk of developing heart disease. The fruit is also rich in Vitamin A which is responsible for preserving vision and protecting against age related eye diseases.

Papaya can help to fight and prevent cancer. The fruit is rich in lycopene and carotene which has been demonstrated to reduce cancer risk. Special antioxidants in papaya have also been shown to have anticancer activity as well as to reduce oxidative damage which is a precursor to the formation of cancer.

Another benefit of papaya is its ability to fight inflammation. Inflammation is the root of many diseases ranging from arthritis to cancer and papain, an enzyme found in papaya has exhibited very strong anti-inflammatory qualities. Papain reduces pain, muscle soreness and aids in digestion. Papain is also used in skin preparations to improve the texture of the skin and to promote wound healing.

Papaya leaves are not to beignored;theyarepacked with superior medicinal qualities and have been used effectively in traditional medicine for a long time. Papaya leaves have been used to reduce fever and body pains associated with malaria. It works similar to conventional painkillers such as ibuprofen without the side effects.

The leaves also contain the enzyme papain which aid digestion and relieves menstrual pain.

The leaves are also used to fight diabetes. It works by preventing excess sugar from staying in the blood which also helps to reduce the organ damage caused by diabetes.

Papaya leaves also accelerates wound healing making for a faster recovery. For people who have problems digesting gluten and wheat, the enzymes in papaya leaves help to break the proteins down in the body.

Papaya seeds are also veryimportanttoourhealth.

Many of us think the seeds are inedible and we throw them away not knowing we are discarding valuable medicine. Papaya seeds are great for detoxification.

Consuming the seeds help to detoxify the liver and kidneys. The high fiber content also helps to cleanse and detoxify the colon. This can also aid in achieving weight loss for overweight people. Just like the fruit and the leaves, papaya seeds are also very valuable in reducing in inflammation and lowering high blood pressure. The

benefits go on and on.

In conclusion, papaya is a delicious fruit with many health advantages. We should strive to incorporate it into our diets regularly and this should include the seeds and the leaves.

A simple detox regimen is to try what we call ‘Pawpaw Therapy’. Cut a medium sized papaya into 3 equal parts, and divide the seeds in to 3 equal parts. In addition, boil the leaves in a small sized cooking pot with 6 cups of water. In the morning, eat one-third of the pawpaw, swallow one third of the seeds, and drink 2 cups of the papaya leaf tea. Do this also in the afternoon and evening making sure to drink at least 3 litres of water throughout the day. Resume your regular meals the following day.

This will help to cleanse your system, lose weight and hydrate your skin. I hope you try this wonderful tip soon and start reaping the health benefits!

Contributor Tobi Ayodele Keeney Managing Director Quincy Herbals Email address: tobi@quincyherbals.com

3000 residents of Nasarawa community benefit from HIV awareness campaign, testing GODSGIFT ONYEDINEFU, Abuja

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ccurate information and HIV testing remains the best way to stem the tide of HIV/ AIDS in Nigeria. This was stated at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Media Awareness Campaign and free HIV counselling and testing services to at least 3000 residents of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.

The campaign was provided by Honourable Member of the Federal House Representatives, Abubakar Sarki Dahiru with support from Government of Nigeria through National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) which is aimed at ensuring that every Nigerians know their HIV status and ending AIDS by 2030.

Speaking during the brief opening ceremony, Dahiru who was represented by the executive secretary to chairman of Obi Local Government Area stated that ‘’the event was put together as part of the 2019 constituency project to empower residents of the area with information on how to prevent HIV transmission, provide other medical services which includes malaria test, High blood pressure check, blood sugar level check and avail residents with the opportunity to test for HIV which is a very important aspect of the outreach being carried out within Obi Constituency”.

The chairman further stated that the outreach is slated for two days, free malaria, High blood pressure, and diabetes drugs including HIV prevention tools such as educational materials and condoms were provided for participants at the outreach.

Also, speaking at the event was the representative of Niphemy Solutions Ltd who is coordinating the outreach on behalf of Abubarkar Sarki Dahiru said they are excited about the turnout of residents of Obi community as the crowd present is reassuring that the 2-day period for the outreach will be enough to meet its target.

Ojo explained that the strategy used in delivering the outreach includes courtesy call to Osuko Obi, Aliyu Dangwa Ogiri Orume (Paramount Chief of Obi LGA), placements of radio and television jingles in the state broadcasting service as well as roadshow across Oleye, Oriso, Ope. Oyara. Oloso, Angwan Dankali, as well as brothel, motor cycle park (Okada riders) amongst others all within Obi constituency area.

Some of the beneficiaries of the free medical services that was been provided expressed their joy. Hajia Hawa Abdulmalik stated that she heard about the programme on radio and she decided to come with her husband and 3 years old daughter who has malaria.

CMD calls for improved synergy, funding of health sector in Nigeria SIKIRAT SHEHU, ILORIN

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bdullahi Dasilva Yusuf, chief medical director, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has called for improved Public/Private enterprise synergy to address challenges of health care development in Nigeria.

Yusuf, who stated this recently while receiving some medical equipments and consumables worth millions of naira , donated to the UITH by MEDSHARE/Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, equally solicited for more fund in order to grow health Care service delivery.

He says having adequate facilities was imperative in any modern healthcare, saying that, government alone cannot do it therefore, all have roles to play to develop medicals and ensure healthy nation.

“Health sector in Nigeria is challenged, there is no fund, inadequate manpower

and that has being hindering effective health care service delivery. We are not relenting in our efforts, we have presented our complains to the minister and we hope the problems would be addressed as soon as possible,” said Yusuf.

The equipments donated include; anesthetic machines, making monitors, Ventilators, ICU beds, USS Unit, Stretchers, Suction machines,Applicators/ Swabs, Rayon Tipped, Hill Room, Bio hazard waste bags, Aspiration Collection Canister, Anti gent Identification among others.

The CMD, however, pledges judicious use of the donated items, assuring his readiness to upscale the UITH to become one of the best tertiary hospitals in Sub-Sahara Africa.

He appreciates the donor for their kind gesture even as he demands for more support from corporate bodies and like-minded individuals.

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BDSUNDAY 41

Health&Science Managing your asthma during holidays

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AMAKA CHIWUIKE-UBA

estive holiday is an important holiday all over the world, both for Christians and non-Christians.

In Nigeria, it is usually filled with many activities, including family reunions. Incidentally, this is also the season of harmattan (with dry and cold air), which makes it even more challenging for those with asthma diseases. Many people with asthma experience crisis during the Christmas holidays; hence, need to be more prepared and cautious to avoid crisis.

Currently, it is estimated that more than 15 million Nigerians have asthma with about 5-10percent of children in any given community suffering from asthma and this is expected to increase to more than 100 million in year 2025.

Asthma as one of the world’s most common long-term conditions is currently affecting over 339 million people worldwide and projected to increase by another 100 million people by the year 2025.

More than 1000 people die as a result of asthma disease daily, while an estimated 75percent hospital admissions for asthma and as many as, 90percent of the asthma deaths are avoidable.

Asthma management comes with very huge costs. These costs are direct, indirect and intangible costs. In 2014, it was found that the annual out-of-pocket cost of asthma

incurred by patients in Nigeria was US$368.4 per patient. Medication cost accounted for the majority (87%) of this cost. This cost does not include other direct, indirect and intangible costs and is not related to costs incurred by patients with exacerbation and differing severity of the disease. This shows that in Nigeria, the annual average out-of-pocket costs incurred my asthma patients is US$ 5.5 billion (N2trillion) as at 2014.

In order to stay healthy during the Christmas holidays, the following tips and asthma management strategies are recommended.

Asthma Management Plan: To be more in control of your asthma, kindly put together an asthma management action plan with your doctor ahead of the holidays.

Stock up on Medications: It is important to have enough of the right and prescribed medications to see you through the holidays. If you know you are going to be away from your main bags for a long time, make sure you have everything you need in your hand luggage. It’s always best to include more, just in case of misplaced suitcases. Please always have your medications wherever you are going to, stick to your routine medications and preserve them well. Most medicines work best in conditions lower than 25 degrees so avoid keeping it on the window sill, in the glove box or in direct sun.

Watch What You Eat and Drink: Knowing your asthma triggers and

avoiding them is one of the best asthma management strategies.

Additives and preservatives in alcoholic drinks and other beverages could trigger an asthma attack. In addition, avoid eating dishes that contain anything that might trigger your asthma. To achieve, don’t eat anything unless you know what it contains.

Christmas Trees and Stress: Christmas trees have been identified as one of the triggers of asthma, owing to the molds and dusts that may be hidden in the Christmas trees. Also, shopping, cooking, putting up decorations, family gettogethers add up to our stress levels during the Christmas. It is important to keep things as simple as possible.

Avoid Dusty Decorations: Most of us have not been to our village houses in the last 12 months, making our houses a home for dusts and other animals. It is therefore important to get someone else to put the decorations.

Avoid Smoke: A smoke-filled environment is one of the top triggers for an asthma attack. The smoke may come from tobacco, the fireplace or even a small candle. Please don’t be afraid to communicate with family and friends about your needs.

Most smokers are polite enough these days not to smoke indoors, but smoke in public places. Steer clear of those places and avoid all the second hand smoke as much as you can.

Colds and Viruses: The housing problem in Nigeria forces many

Lifeworth HMO leads campaign for better services in Nigeria’s health insurance space ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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ifeworth HMO, Nigeria’s proactive and trustworthy health management organisation, organized a breakfast meeting for various Healthcare Providers within the industry. The event which recently took place in Lagos aims to enhance the quality of service within the healthcare value chain.

Raymond Osho, chief executive officer (CEO), Lifeworth HMO in his address said that the health Insurance in Nigeria is at its infancy stating that the journey that has started must be periodically evaluated through discourses on how well to improve Healthcare delivery.

“Affordable healthcare must deliver on its mandate which include accessibility, responsiveness and quality.

This will in turn give the enrollees the best of services from the HMO which is delivered by the Healthcare Providers.

This is the way through which the enrollees can trust the system, as a whole,” he said.

The keynote speaker at the event, Anthony Omolola, Past President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), charged Healthcare Practitioners to digitize their practice as well as improve on their financial acumen.

On the part of the HMOs, he emphasised on the need for seamlessly generation of authorization codes for providers on behalf of their

enrollees in order to ensure speedy care.

While delivering a paper on “Health Insurance: Improving Service Delivery to the Enrollees,” Oluwatosin Kolade, Associate Director, Health Financing, Health Systems Consult Limited shared the experience of Nigeria’s Health Insurance Industry with what is obtainable in other African countries like Ghana, Rwanda amongst others.

He noted that while Nigeria was the first country to start Health Insurance amongst the three (3) countries, Nigeria has only been able to achieve fewer than 5 percent coverage of its population as compared to Ghana and Rwanda’s health insurance cover of about 50 percent and over 90 percent of their populations respectively.

Focusing on the healthcare systems, Kolade noted that the number of medical colleges in the country, estimated at thirty (30) colleges as compared to three hundred (300) colleges in India, is abysmally low, thus making the number of the doctors available to cater for Nigerians to be very limited.

“Compounding the shortage of trained medical doctors is also the mass exodus of medical practitioners currently been experienced at an alarming rate,” he said.

Concluding his lecture, he highlighted the insignificant budgetary allocation to the health sector in general and the poor regulatory framework of the National Health

Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in particular.

However, some of the main points from the panelist session included the need to improve budget allocation to the healthcare sector at a minimum of 15 percent of national annual budget, in conformity with the Abuja declaration of 2001.

They also pointed the need to improve regulatory framework of the NHIS stating that there is a need to rapidly grow the Health Insurance Coverage nationwide.

They added that there is a need for healthcare practitioners to improve their service delivery to enrollees stating the need for HMOs to charge more realistic premiums from their clients and the need to educate enrollees in order to manage their expectations of the scheme.

people in small places, most especially during Christmas. To avoid making your asthma worse as a result of viruses, steer clear of anyone who is sniffing or coughing, even if they think you are being rude. In addition, wash your hands regularly and ensure a high hygiene level that can build up your protection. A sudden change in weather can trigger asthma symptoms, so make sure you wrap up warm when

you go outside and keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Note: The rest of this article continues in the online edition of Business Day @https:// businessdayonline.com/

Chiwuike Uba founder and chairman of the board, Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF)

Nurturer takes awareness against emotional abuse to schools ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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urturer a non- governmental organisaton (NGO)holds the first edition of Hope Beyond Abuse at the Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School on recently in Lagos with the theme ‘Conquering emotional abuse at the home front’.

The event which took place at the Genesis Hall of Yaba Baptist church, hosted over 500 girls, addressing critical issues on dealing with and overcoming the blows of emotional abuse.

Speaking at the event, Folashade Ayeni, founder Nurturer said the Hope Beyond Abuse is one of the dual pivot scheme of the agency, and it is targeted mainly at teenagers and young adults to

sensitize them on the realities of emotional abuse, assist them to identify abusive relationships, words and actions, help them build the courage to speak up and seek help at all times.

The founder also said that hope Beyond Abuse would be replicated in other secondary schools in order to reach as many teenagers as possible. She further said that the other scheme which is targeted at parents themselves.

“While you nurture” would encourage conscious parenting and good parenting skills. This other scheme will be launched on the international day of the Parents, mid-next year, stating that if awareness is made to reach the potential victim or abuser, we would be raising an army of great adults,” she said.

Malaria community outreach at ijora oloye by CFAO ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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FAO under her corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda reached out to Ijora Oloye community with Malaria preventive program on the 17th of December 2019, through the technical support of the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA).

CFAO is a market leader in automotive and pharmaceutical distribution and continues to grow in consumer goods, new technology, and energy solutions.

The CFAO Group has a direct presence in 36 African countries, Nigeria inclusive, with different locations across the 36 states. In a bid to give back to one of the communities where their business is located, a Malaria outreach project was carried out in Ijora Oloye Community Lagos, Nigeria.

As Part of the activities to

mark the event, there was; Sensitisation on malaria vector, Environmental Management, Rapid Malaria Test and Provision of Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Net at the community. Beneficiaries of the outreach program were mostly pregnant mothers at the Primary health care centre in Ijora Oloye, Children and Men. The Oba of the community was played a major role in allowing for entry in his community.

The importance of the outreach program is to help

reduce malaria in the community and to improve the health standard of living in the community, the theme of the project Zero Malaria Starts with me was used as part of the enlightenment campaign by NiBUCAA a coalition of leading business to help tackle the issue of HIV & AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the workplace and their host community in Nigeria, so as to get across to the Ijora Oloye community who were receptive of the outreach program.

‘UCH is poised for a better care for the critically ill patients’ REMI FEYISIPO, IBADAN.

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biodun Otegbayo, chief medical director(CMD), University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, has said that the focus of his administration will be to improve on the life of the hospital, adding that the country looks up to the teaching hospital to provide leadership in the health sector.

Otegbayo, a professor who stated this at the commissioning of the renovated

and re-equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU) center/ said “often times, there are cases of needless deaths; it saddens my heart when patients that should be given first class treatment could not get it because of lack of basic equipment that is taken for granted in hospitals of equal status outside the country”.

While saying that the hospital’s new (ICU) is the best amongst public health institutions in the country noted with the new facilities now in place, UCH is poised

for a better care for the critically ill patients.

“With these new facilities, we can be sure of near zero death cases henceforth,” Otegbayo said.

The CMD stated that his administration did a complete renovation and reequipping of the right wing of the ICU which has not been used for about three years at a cost of about N127 million, which he said were “pooled together from our internally generated revenue.”

The equipment’s com-

missioned included seven mechanical turbo power ventilators; six multi-channel invasive monitors; one central monitor; four syringe pumps; four infusion pumps; six SAM-14 suction pumps; six electric beds; six air mattresses and two crash carts “We have the human resources; we are training and retraining them. At the same time, we are investing in developing our facilities to maximize the investment in human resources,” the CMD stated.

42 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 29 December 2019

News

Tambuwal assents to 2020 Budget, applauds APC-controlled Assembly for speedy passage

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overnor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto St a te Frid a y night assented to the 2020 appropriation bill of N202 billion passed by the State House of Assembly.

Appending his signature to the document, Tambuwal gave kudos to the assembly members, majority of who are members of the opposition political party in the state - All Progressives Congress (APC) - for their patriotism and unflinching commitment to the collective good of the people of the state.

“The assembly despite being controlled by the APC which is in the majority has

rallied round the government and supported it in the interest of serving the people of the state,” the governor noted.

Assuring that “this gesture shall not be misplaced,” the governor added that “members of SOHA must be commended for their uncommon patriotism to deliver democratic dividends to the people of Sokoto State.

That is the crux of our commitment which supersedes party affiliations.”

According to a statement signed by Muhammad Bello, special adviser, Media and Publicity to the governor, a copy of which was sent to BDSUNDAY, Tambuwal applauded the assembly for its speedy consideration of

the budget in three weeks in line with the World Bank benchmark.

“The ball is now in the court of the executive to ensure proper implementation of the budget. We will work closely with the parliament in doing so,” he further assured.

Presenting the passed appropriation bill to the governor inside the council chamber of Government House, Sokoto, the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aminu Muhanmad Achida , noted that the Assembly was aware of the achievements of the administration despite financial constraints.

“The implementation of the 2019 Budget has re-

corded a lot in the areas of education, health and rural development as well as many others.

“We will continue to accelerate the passage of any bill that is meant to improve the lots of the people of the state,” explained the Speaker who said that the Assembly approved the budget during its sitting number 122.

Achida commended the executive for “its record achievement in the modest improvement of internally generated revenue (IGR).

The Speaker affirmed that the Budget 2020 of N202 billion presented to the assembly by the executive earlier in the month had been approved in totality.

Carnival Calabar: 15m for grabs by local artistes – Cross River govt MIKE ABANG, Calabar

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he Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ay a d e o n Ev e n t Management, Ken Aklah has said that over 180 local artistes were eying the one hundred and fifty million naira (N150 million) kept as incentives for the promotion of local Artist in this year Calabar Carnival.

Anklah said the Calabar Carnival will continue to promote local artistes as a way of encouraging them to excel as their counterparts in other parts of the world.

He said by so doing, the entire segment of the society will be positively affected.

According to him, despite the introduction of Carnival activities in some parts of the country, Calabar Carnival still remains the best and true tourism destination in the whole of west coast of African continent.

No fewer than 22 states and 15 local government areas in Cross River participated in the 2019 cultural carnival held on Thursday in

Ayade

Calabar.

Some of the states include Kebbi, Anambra , Akwa Ibom, Benue, Ebonyi, Lagos and Rivers.

Speaking at the flag off of the event, Gabe Onah, chairman of Calabar Carnival Commission, said the event was designed to promote Nigeria’s tourism and cultural potentials.

Onah said that the theme of the 2019 Carnival ‘Humanity’ was carefully chosen to show kindness and love.

“Today, we are here to tell the story of one Nigeria and culture as the platform of our tourism; that truly, culture is the palm oil with which our tourism is eaten.

“This year, we are playing

humanity and we have 22 states present out of the 26 that were expected.

“We have been on the road in the last 24 days with the flag off of the city walk and the festival village has been agog with over 10,000 fun seekers daily.

“Also, we have 15 local government areas in the state here present with their different cultural costumes to hit the streets,” he said.

He added that the street dance for the cultural carnival would be for 6 kilometres with 3 adjudication points.

Earlier, while flagging off the event, Deputy Governor of the state, Ivara Esu, welcomed all the participants and tourists into the city of Calabar for the festival.

Esu said that the Carnival would be used to showcase the rich heritage of the people of Nigeria in different forms.

He stressed that it was in the importance of the Carnival theme ‘Humanity’ that Governor Ben Ayade created the Ministry of Humanity and Social Welfare.

Alao-Akala, others urge Nigerians to be active participants in developmental process

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igerians have been advised to become active participants in the developmental process of their communities. The advice was given by Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, a former governor of Oyo State.

Speaking at the awards night of Ogbomosho Recreation Club, Alao-Akala said that government alone could not shoulder the responsibilities of providing all critical infrastructures, urging non-governmental organisations and wealthy Nigerians to become partners in progress.

The former governor commended the awardee, Samson Adegoke, who he said ploughed back to Ogbomosho, adding that he deserved the honour that was bestowed on him by the club.

In his remarks, Akin Oladeji-JohnBrown, who was the chairman of the occasion and CEO of Futures and Bonds, urged the new generation of Nigerians to emulate the awardee.

According to OladejiJohnBrown, “His monumental contribution to the club and Ogbomosho and indeed to Nigeria is now being recognised”.

The international financial expert urged him to join the on-going efforts to lift Ogbomosho sons and daughters out of poverty. He also advised the government to focus more on projects that could improve the living conditions of the average Nigerians.

Welcoming the award-

Akala

ee, the interim chairman of the club, Joseph Gbadamosi described him as an icon of socio-economic development. According to him, those honored in the past include General Oladayo Popoola, Alao-Akala, E.O. Okeniyi and OladejiJohnBrown, among others.

“However, the occasion of tonight we wish to add Samson Adegoke to the hall of fame,” he said.

The chairman advised the awardee to remain a good ambassador of the club.

The awardee is a philanthropist and chairman of Maigida Foundation.

Established 20 years ago, Ogbomosho Recreation Club has the mandate to promote social and economic development of Ogbomosho in Oyo State.

Nigerians to Buhari: ‘We need a breath of fresh air...

Continued from Page 2 ingful for Nigerians. Buhari can give Nigerians hope if he can rise above ethnic and religious sentiments, which are the things that have divided us and for long held our progress back,” he said.

He also called on Buhari to embark on a thorough change in the leadership recruitment system in Nigeria.

“The situation will get worse if he doesn’t

change the pattern and process of recruitment of leadership because everything revolves around leadership. We have what it takes to make Nigeria a better place; so, I expect President Buhari to come out strongly, especially on leadership recruitment process,” he said.

Lai Omotola , group managing director, Masters Reality International Concepts Limited (MRICL), and chancellor of EBoot Camp Limited, expressed doubt over the

possibility of government to positively move the economy in the right direction better than it is now.

Omotola said that there is no indication that things would be better than they are now, suggesting that “Our leaders must understand that we have now entered an emergency mode. The best this country can have in 2020 is to ensure that things do not degenerate beyond where we are now. If we cannot make it better, let it not grow worse. Budget

of N10.9trillion will not make any impact on the economy.”

Wale Ogunade, national president of Voters’ Awareness Initiative (VAI), said Nigerians had experienced untold hardship since the inception of the present administration. He therefore, advised the administration to initiate a loan scheme for the unemployed Nigerians who want to set up businesses.

“In the last few years, Nigerians have really experienced a very tough

time; in fact, things have never been this tough in this country. But what we are saying is that it should not be only the ordinary Nigerians that should be suffering, public office holders should also face the pain and hardship.

“Go to their homes you would see that they are enjoying and living luxury life. But go out to the street, several people cannot afford to eat three -square meals a day or buy rice this period. The economy is in a bad shape,” Ogunade said.

According to him, “In 2020, I expect this government to try and initiate a loan scheme that would help young Nigerians to start business or expand existing ones. Through this, we can create jobs and reduce the high rate of unemployment among the youth across the country.

It should not be like the TradeMoni they did only during the general election and stopped; I mean, genuine empowerment programme.”

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Sports

BDSUNDAY 43

Chinese League face exodus of foreign stars over salary cap op foreign footballers flocking to China could soon become a thing of the past after football authorities in the country announced measures to curb player salaries.

The Chinese football authorities recently introduced a new salary cap that could see former Premier League stars return from Asia.

A host of footballing talents such as Marouane Fellaini, Oscar and Marko Arnautovic were offered the chance to become very high earner in the Chinese Super League. However, a new law will be introduced that limits players to approximately £42k-a-week before tax. This is the first time a salary cap has been implemented for over a decade in the league.

Salaries are to be capped as clubs stave off financial ruin, with overseas recruits to the Chinese

not extend to bonuses that can be paid, which could give clubs some flexibility to pursue star signings.

Clubs will also be permitted to sign a fifth player from overseas, up from the current quota of four, but will only be allowed to field four foreigners on the pitch at any one time.

Officials have routinely sought to curb excessive spending in the Chinese Super League after a major outlay on foreign stars ahead of the 2017 season saw the arrival of players such as Brazilian star Oscar and Carlos Tevez from Argentina on huge salaries.

Later that year, a 100 per cent levy was placed on transfers valued at over 45m yuan (£4.95m) involving foreign players, while the same condition was imposed on domestic moves worth more than 20m yuan (£2.2m).

Money has poured into Chinese football from the country’s private sector since Xi Jinping - a football fan who has declared his desire to

Super League in the upcoming winter transfer window limited to earning £2m after tax.

Additionally, a ceiling of 10m yuan (£1.1m) has been placed on Chinese players’ salaries.

Clubs will also not be permitted to spend more than 1.1 billion yuan (£121m) on their operations throughout the upcoming campaign, with salaries not to exceed 60 per cent of that amount.

“Our clubs had too much money burned and our professional football has not been run in a sustainable way,” Chinese Football Association chairman Chen Xuyuan said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

“If we don’t take timely action, I fear it will collapse.”

The new rules were confirmed after a Christmas Day meeting of the Chinese Football Association and do

improve the nation’s standing within the game - became president in 2013.

Wales international Gareth Bale was the latest global superstar to be linked with a move to China following his falling out with Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

That transfer to Jiangsu Suning fell through before the closure of the transfer window last summer.

However, the influx of foreign talent, expected to lift standards at a club level, has done little to reverse the national team’s dismal fortunes, with China failing to qualify for the finals of the World Cup since their debut appearance in 2002.

The national team is currently struggling to qualify for the next tournament in Qatar in 2022, with Italian Marcello Lippi quitting as head coach in November and a replacement yet to be appointed.

Anthony Nlebem

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NFF to renew Rohr’s contract with conditions Stories by ANTHONY NLEBEM

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he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says it will offer Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, a new contract, but with stringent conditions that he resides in Nigeria.

The Franco-German who was contracted in 2016 for an initial two-year contract has been threatening to open talks with other countries if the NFF fails to speak on a new deal for him before the end of next month.

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick revealed that Rohr’s contract will be renewed but with stringent conditions.

“We are going to renew Rohr’s contract with Nigeria before it expires. Unlike the previous contract, we are going to insist now that he stays in Nigeria with accommodation for him in which ever city he prefers between

Abuja and Lagos,” Pinnick said.

Rohr’s initial monthly salary of $45,000 was increased to $55,000 after he qualified Nigeria for the World Cup in Russia as well as the AFCON 2019.

Part of Rohr’s new contract will be to have a harmonious working relationship with the federation’s Technical Committee.

“He should be ready to work with the Technical Committee.

We don’t want repeat of some of the things that created problems to happen again as we aim to move the game forward in 2020.”

Speaking on the position of the Sports Minister not happy with the state of the game in 2019, Pinnick said the minister has every right to speak on our performance as the head of sports in the country.

“Don’t forget the minister is the chief sports officer of the country. We don’t feel bad he spoke his mind on the state of football in Nigeria. We believe his intervention is bound to be

a wake up call for us and the players,” Pinnick addeed.

“Year 2020 is full of so much promise for Nigeria football. We have the qualifiers for both the AFCON 2021 and the World Cup 2022. We need to get our acts right from the first kick of the ball in the New Year because there are no longer minnows in African football.

As part of the plans to put the administration of the game in proper perspective in the 2020, Pinnick hinted of plans for the NFF to relocate to the Sunday Dankaro House after years at the Glass House the federation has shared with the Federal Road Safety Commission.

“I want to assure you that the NFF secretariat will relocate to the Sunday Dankaro House before the end of January.”

He also disclosed that young players that have contracts with football agents will no longer be tolerated in the Golden Eaglets.

Guinness organises first playground football in Enugu Regis Anukwuoji/Enugu.

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t was all fun in Enugu on Saturday, December 21st, 2019, as Guinness held its first unconventional playground football for players and fans across the nation, named “Guinness Night Football” The event attracted so many football and sports lovers and admirals within and outside Enugu, especially, football, art, and fashion.

It featured series of diverse and immersive football experience including: 5- Aside football game, side attractions and special beer cocktails.

Speaking to BusinessDay at the event, Senior Brand Manager of Guinness, Lola Ashafa,

organized to bring different people together so they can have fun, get to meet new people and connect with t h e m , adding said that the Guinness Night that the Football is an unexpected foot- event is also intended to furball experience for people who ther promote the Guinness are passionate about not just brand. football but everything that She explained that Enugu goes on around the world of was chosen as the first city for sports. the event in Nigeria because of She said that the event is how passionate its people are

about the Guinness brand.

“Enugu is the first city we are coming to in Nigeria, we shall be in Lagos on the 28th, Abuja on the 18th of January and back to Lagos” She said.

“Guinness Night Football is intended to take the game beyond conventional football experiences by bringing out the colour vibrancy of the players and provide fans and spectators with unforgettable experiences” she said.

She explained that there shall be another pan African event where people from other countries will come to enjoy football in a different way and that will happen on the 31st of January.

“We are going to pick one

MVP tonight because we are currently running a promo known as the Guinness MVP so we are picking one person from here tonight who will then go and play in the pan African edition of January 31stwith different MVPs from different cities and other MVPs from other countries such as Cameroon, Uganda and Kenya” she said.

She said that beyond promoting the brand and the world of sports, the event sets out to have participants commit themselves to not drinking and driving at the same time through signing join the pact Initiative.

The Guinness Night football was launched in Uganda on October 26th, 2019.

BDSUNDAY

NEW YOU CAN TRUST

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SUNDAY 29 DECEMMBER 2019

www.businessday.ng

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@Businessdayng

To be your best in 2020

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s usual, the New Year presents before us the opportunity to reflect on the past months; take stock, how to avoid the mistakes made and plan our activities for the near future. There are vast and varied opportunities in different fields of human endeavor placed before us. More like an empty canvas before an artist, the picture you eventually paint on it would depend largely on your vision, dreams, desires, experiences and the ACTIONS taken at the right time. All these encompass what you have seen, heard, smelt, eaten and the people and places you have encountered along the chequered journey of life.

The truth of course, is that these would be predicated on the ideas that sprout out of your fecund imagination.Oh yes, your MIND! That is where it all starts from.

According to Norman Vincent Peale, the best–selling author of ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ your subconscious mind is like a fertile field. Be careful what you sow in it, for that is what you will eventually harvest. So, what you dream of, think and talk about, wish for and do everyday of the New Yearwould define your fortunes or failures over the coming months. This is not the time for self-deceit.

This is not the period to look back at your past mistakes and keep blaming yourself or others and dwelling on them.

No! You must look deep inwards and out of sober reflections ask yourself the critical questions before you make those all-important New Year resolutions. What are your capabilities and limitations too?

Are you at the right place doing the right things? Life is dynamic and you must be ready to move forward.

Interestingly, 2020 will don different colours and flavours from the previous year.

With increase in tax regime, VAT and other incomes for the federal and state governments, economic survival would be a determining factor. As Charles Darwin, the brilliant mind behind the Evolution theory rightly noted, it is always

“Your potential is unlimited. Aspire to a higher place.

Believe in your abilities, in your tasks, in your judgment”– Bryan Adams the survival of the fittest. You must be mentally and physically fit to achieve your goals. So, take good care of your health. Take your pen and paper and list whatever you want to achieve in the New Year. What are your priority needs, or the most pressing ones? What are your short-term (immediate needs), mediumterm and long-erm plans?What isthe time frame allotted to achieving each of these? What is the cost implication, not only with regards to the money but the energy and resources involved? All these plans amount to your Vision.

Without doubt, you need the unfailing elements of Focus, Passion, Courage, Commitment, Perseverance buoyed with Can-Do-It and Never-Say-Die spirit to succeed. As far as Passion is concerned you have to do what you love and commit your energy towards that end. Life is like a race. You have to focus on getting to the finishing line in good time and not be distracted by the jeers or cheers of the onlookers or spectators. Both Orville and Wilbur Wright were laughed at by their friends when they mentioned the concept of an air plane. But they never listened to them. So it was for Edward Land when he had the idea of an instant Polaroid camera.

Furthermore, understand the fact that you would succeed more if you are a problem-solver. Find some people’s pressing needs and seek for solutions to them and you will get paid for your

efforts.You must therefore, be sensitive to the happenings in your environment. And muster the capacity to maximize the economic benefits derivable thereof. You must be able to dream big and to dare all odds to be on the receiving side of the billions of Naira that will exchange hands in the NewYear.

Firstly, you should understand yourself. Who are you in the real sense of it? What mission has God, your creator brought you here on Planet Erath to achieve? What are your natural endowments; your talents and innate abilities? What do you enjoy doing so effortlessly that gives you self-satisfaction? Have your educational career and experiences positioned you along this line? What problems can you solve with your aptitudes? What value can you add to human existence? Until you are able to answer these all-important questions, you may end up like the rudderless boat swept up and down by the seasonal tides. May that not be your portion.

Oh, yes, it is good to have heroespeople who have succeeded in your chosen career that you look up to. But you cannot be like any other person because you are unique, remarkable, different, just like your fingerprint, the iris of your eyes and the marks on your tongue. You will succeed once you identify who you are and maximize your potentials. But why do people fail in their businesses? That is the million-Naira question.

They fail all because of poor and negative mindset, inability to identify their talents or looking down on them and mismanagement of resources. Other factors include misinterpretation of foreign religious beliefs, slavish mentality, delay in taking important action, I can-do-it-all mindset, giving excuses for failure and dependency syndrome. Details of this are available in my up-coming

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

book, ’Unveil the Billionaire in You’.

Do not be confounded by your present situation of poverty or penury. As late Chinese actor, Bruce Lee rightly admonished, “lift yourself up and turn your stumbling blocks into your stepping stones” to greater heights. For instance, ace musician, Patoranking was once a seller of rat poison along Lagos streets. Top actress, Mercy Johnson once sold pure water in the same city. Otunba Mike Adenuga of Globacom was once a taxi driver in the United States. The list is endless.

The focus here is on those who would see a half-filled cup of water rather a halfemptied one. Stop complaining every day, without making efforts to be solution provider. You do not have to be an engineer to drink from this fountain of knowledge. In the timeless words of Engineer Titi OmoEttu, a Fellow of the Society of Nigerian Engineers, “Our new generation of engineers should accept responsibility that they are the solution providers of today.

They must read widely, train continuously and synergize with other professionals.

To make this effective, they should work in teams. They should see their environment as their constituency, communicate effectively, be fair and ethical and learn to choose wisely”.

My dearly beloved readers and ever faithful friends and fans, I wish you all a year full of divine grace, favour, love, mercy, peace, protection and all-round prosperity. For, those are the same goodies I wish for myself.

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

N50 billion

Zero arrest during yuletide!

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n 2017, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) recorded the safest year with zero air accident in the country. It was a feat worth celebrating, as well as, sustaining.

Then, Muhtar Usman, the director-general of NCAA, said the feat was possible through improved safety in civil aviation; improvement in navigational aids; development of global strategies for safety in air transportation; maintenance of standards and recommended practices; and monitoring of safety trends and indicators.

In same vein, Bala Elkana, a deputy-superintendent of police, who is Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), announced last Friday that Lagos recorded zero arrest during the yuletide.

He went further to say that no arrests were reported from the Divisional Police Officers (DPO) across the state; hence, the celebrations went peacefully across the state.

Well, some Lagosians do not think that it is a feat, especially those who settled officers when they were caught in one offence or the other during the yuletide.

Again, many incidents were not reported because people are tired of criminal arrests and the stressful prosecution process. As one bar owner puts it, “Those bad boys were here

again. They drank, break bottles and refused to pay, but if you invite police, I will be spending and be at the risk of losing customers who may not like frequent strolling in by the police”.

A night club in downtown Lagos Island had it rough this time, but reporting it means no more customers as majority of the people who made trouble in the night club are ‘omo onile’. No business wants to lose customers, even prostitutes who harbor criminals after their ‘hard day’s’ job, even this yuletide.

A bus company, whose staff ran away with bulk money collected from passengers due to faulty POS this yuletide, did not report yet, rather it impounded a tricycle allegedly owned by the staff.

Going to the police, according to a staff, will cost more and we may not recover the money.

There are many cases that are not and will never be reported because the people are tired of the justice system, when the victim often becomes the accused.

Poverty is on the increase, so also crime. Criminals are still out there, just that they may be smarter now and people saving cost from reporting cases.

On the other hand, must we always expect that bad things should happen? If there was no arrest during the Yuletide, and granted that criminals went on holiday, security authorities should carry

out a research on why it was so rather than beating its chest over “no arrest” feat.

We must go beyond celebrating no arrest to celebrating closure of prisons because there are no longer criminals. Whereas some countries are shutting down their prisons, we are thinking about building more.

In 2013, 19 prisons were said to have been closed in the Netherlands because the country didn’t have enough criminals to fill them. At the time of that report, five more were slated to close their doors by the end of the summer. It got to a point that the country had to import 240 prisoners from Norway just to keep the facilities full.

So, we are waiting for a time when we would no longer celebrate “no arrest” but “criminal-free” state and prisons.

Although the Netherlands is a country with far-less a population than Nigeria, it will be interesting to understudy them on why crime rate is very low there.

A number of factors are said to underlie the Netherlands’ ability to keep its crime rate so low; namely, relaxed drug laws, a focus on rehabilitation over punishment, and an electronic ankle monitoring system that allows people to re-enter the workforce.

This is the amount the poultry industry in Nigeria is said to have saved since the commencement of the closure of the land border with neighbouring countries according to Eustace Iyayi, registrar and chief executive officer of the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS).

BLUNT!

“To service this current level of indebtedness, we must commit at least 50 percent of our foreign earnings; such a situation tells about an impending bankruptcy because no entity can survive while devoting 50 percent of its revenue to debt servicing”.

- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, lamenting the nation’s rising debt profile and moves by the current administration to secure a fresh $29.6 billion loan.

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