BusinessDay 30 Jun 2019

BDSUNDAY BUSINESS DAY

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Dick Kramer: When BusinessDay bade goodbye to a visionary

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Concerns mount as governors delay on states’ cabinets It is dangerous for the economy - Analysts Appointments not easy decisions - Ex-CPS Nigerians must be patient with new administration - Babatope CHUKA UROKO and INIOBONG IWOK

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lmost one hundred days after winning elections, governors in the 29 states where elections were held in March are yet to appoint commissioners who would

make up, not just the states’ executive council, but also form the think tank for the development of the states’ economy and well being of their people.

This strange and ugly state of affairs is, increasingly, becoming a source of worry to many Nigerians and investors. Concerns are mounting because it seems the

governors are imitating President Muhammadu Buhari whohas not constituted his cabinet, despite daunting challenges that deserve urgent attention.

Although the delay in appointing ministers after he won election in 2015 has been blamed for the alleged lack-lustre performance of the administration in

the first tenure, it appears that no lesson was learnt from the losses incurred by that mistake.

It is now over four months after winning the presidential election and the Presidency seems to be dawdling on the critical matter.

Nigeria has been accused of Continues on page 2

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Ondo will be commercial hub of Nigeria in the next five years - Ajipe p. 33

Buhari, other ECOWAS leaders strategise to tackle terrorism, economic crisis Tony Ailemen and Innocent Odoh, Abuja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have mapped out strategies on how to tackle the lingering crises of insecurity characterised by terrorist attacks, inter-ethnic clashes, and the economic challenges facing West Africa.

This was the focus of the 55th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, which was declared opened in Abuja on Saturday by President Continues on page 3

L-R: Dapo Adelegan, past president, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC); Kayode Falowo, president, NBCC and, Michael Olawale-Cole at the installation ceremony of the 16th President, NBCC, in Lagos, recently.

Why Nigerians don’t resign from appointments Daniel Obi

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any Nigerians have wondered why those appointed into public offices in Nigeria hardly resign even when they find out that the

reason for their appointment, or what attracted them to the assignment, may have been compromised by the same people that gave them the job.

Over the years, Nigerians have watched as governments and administrations come and go without positively impacting the

masses; often times, excuses are being advanced that “we were not allowed to implement our good plans.”

In the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari for instance, there were insinuations that some of the ministers who were expected to “perform”

could not “deliver” because “they were not allowed to implement their good ideas.” But the argument was, why did they not throw in the towel as a show of protest?

Recall that in a matter of Continues on page 2

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Concerns mount as governors....

Continued from page 1

always taking delight in pushing itself into the theatre of the absurd, lagging its peers and dragging its growth. Recall that despite having to waste six months before constituting his cabinet, the constituents of the cabinet were not all that fantastic, evoking the question, “Is it all that have taken the President ages to put together?”

Having delayed before, many Nigerians appeared to have accepted it as his style. But the main concern is that it is impacting negatively on the country in all fronts.

Available records show that Australia had election on May 18, won by Scott Morrison, and on May 26, three days before inauguration, he announced his cabinet that was sworn in on May 29. Narendra Modi of India was sworn in on May 30 and, on May 31, he formed his cabinet, just one day after.

Similarly, South Africa had its election on May 8, 2019; inauguration took place on May 25 and on May 29, just four days after, Cyril Ramaphosa, the new president, formed his cabinet. Senegal is a very small African country that had election on February 24. MackySall who won the election was inaugurated onTuesday, April 2, and the following Monday, May 8, he set up his cabinet.

But in Nigeria, which had its general election on February 23, 2019; there are no ministers yet.

As bad as this is; as deep as it claws into the economy and as frustrating as it looks to potential investors, local and foreign, who are waiting for clarity and policy direction of government, the state governors are all following suit, only differing by the skeletal appointments of aides who, on comparative analysis, are inconsequential for effective governance. Their jobs begin and end at issuing of press statements and running around the corridors of power.

The commissioners that

L-R: Ehiaghe Anaba, chairman, Local Organising Committee; Udugbai Ilevbare, deputy registrar, Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria; Yeside Agboola, representative of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health; Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, first lady of Lagos State; Yetunde Olumide, emeritus professor of Medicine, University of Lagos; Pamela Ajayi, chairperson of the Day/managing director, Synlab Nigeria; Grace Chita Okubo, president, National Association of Dermatologists (NAD), and Ladi Awosika, guest lecturer and chairman, Total Health Trust Ltd., during the 13th Annual Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association at Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac, Lagos.

would help the governors to execute their policies in their various states are not in sight.That the delay cuts across all states of the federation including those of the opposition parties and even returning governors, makes matters worse, begging the question as to where the fangs and corrective disposition that define the opposition in a democracy are.

“What is happening in Nigeria beats the imagination. Why is it that no state governor is setting up his cabinet including those who had been around; I mean the governors who have come back for their second term? Why are the governors produced by the opposition parties not setting example, if anything, to spite the ruling party?” queried Emmanuel Okechukwu, a political commentator.

Okechukwu observed that in a normal democracy, the opposition formed what, according to him, is called shadow government which mirrors all the wrongs of the ruling party by always doing that which is right and in tune with democratic norms.

He described Nigeria as a country where anything goes, saying, “The opposition is as good as dead because they are populated by political jobbers who are ready and willing

to accept compromises as reflected in the contraption called ‘Forum of Presidential Candidates’ who gathered recently to support the Independent National Electoral Commission at the electoral tribunal.

“The governors should realise that their continued delay in appointing their commissioners have far-reaching negative implications for the growth of their economy and the welfare of their people.

They may seem to be gaining it now by saving the salaries and bogus allowances of the commissioners and their aides, but the action in itself will be counter-productive in the long run.”

Thompson Ekezie, a public affairs analyst, who spoke with BDSUNDAY, described the governors as birds of a feather, and a people united in a single causeself-aggrandisement.

“Whether they are of the PDP or APC, they are same of a kid. They are birds of a feather. They are united in one single mission of appropriating the commonwealth. If it were not so, why would the governors elected on the PDP platforms not showing a good example? Why would them be busy appointing aides when they should have drawn their cabinet list as soon as they were declared

winners of the election? It only goes to show that the political class, irrespective of party affiliation have same mindset, mission and pay lip-service to love of country and the masses,” Ekezie said.

In what seems a defence for governors, a former chief press secretary to a governor told BDSUNDAY on condition of anonymity that constituting a cabinet is something that cannot be done at whim.

“It is very easy to criticise and point finger when one is not at the centre of a game. If you are watching a football match from the sideline, you are likely to see many scoring chances which the players on the pitch are not seeing. I can tell you that it is one of the most trying moments of governors and gives them a serious headache. You see, there are lots of consultations that go into appointment of ministers or commissioners. It goes beyond announcing names.

The wheeling and dealing that go on, and all that. You know, it is a time to share goodies and a lot of things come into consideration.

This is politics, not religion. A lot of caution goes into the decision. I am not speaking in defence of anybody, I am just telling you how these things work, because I have been there,” the former CPS said.

Soyinka counsels airlines on tackling seat identification controversy Iniobong Iwok

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ole Soyinka , Nobel laureate, has urged airlines to be more creative in tackling wrong identification of seat numbers by passengers.

Soyinka an activist, said airlines could consider imposing fine on passengers who take

the wrong seat on boarding, while such funds could be used to promote their humanitarian activities.

He further advised aviation companies to seek creative ways of tackling the issue, stressing that he was willing to consolidate the error in any form if he is caught in the act.

According to him, “I don’t know how much airlines succeed in raising for their

charity drives through those envelopes they distribute to passengers into which their captive donors are exhorted to deposit their loose change before disembarking.

“Such monies are then distributed to worthy causes all over the world, especially in the pursuit of health. What I am convinced of is that they would generate a hundred times more if they were more

creative.

“For instance, they could impose a fine on passengers who take the wrong seat on boarding, even for a second.

One can only rejoice in the thought of such benefits to humanity in its efforts to eradicate all kinds of diseases, especially malnutrition, and ensure the supply of nutrients that prevent the premature onset of brain impairment.

Why Nigerians don’t resign...

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weeks, there have been reports of massive resignation of African National Congress (ANC) Members of Parliament (MPs) in South Africa. About eight of them are said to have resigned.

The AFP reports that “the weeks since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his Cabinet have seen a steady flow of former ministers resigning as MPs.” Th e r e i s t h e b e l i e f that Nigerians never resign from appointments, particularly, political appointments, no matter the frustration. They prefer to hang-in there.

Several reasons have been adduced as being responsible for this. They include, but not limited to, job security, pressure from kinsmen, pleasure and royalty of high office, unwillingness to quickly abandon ostentatious leaving and public fund and relative lack of integrity.

These and more are some of the reasons linked to the stiff-necked and stubborn wish to resign from positions even when found culpable or when the good policies that attracted one to office are being compromised by the institution, putting a question mark on the main reason of accepting an appointment in the first place.

Bolaji Abimbola, CEO of Indigo marketing agency, said Africans are not quick to leave immediate comfort zone to look for another. “In other climes, an official can resign for inability to execute certain jobs, but reasons can be adduced for such failures in Africa.”

Abimbola, who blamed officials who sacrifice integrity to please community, believed that there is too much expectation on high office holders which force them to stay put in office, under any circumstance. “When highlyplaced individuals begin to live on truth about their capability to deliver certain things, then, expectations will lower and integrity will set in”, he said.

Non-resignation over issues both in public and private sectors also does not have deep-rooted history in Nigeria. Since the culture does not really exist, officials are emboldened in the face of issues. Today, for instance, Nigerians are yet to hear voluntary resignation over 2017 alleged diversion of pension funds, Ikoyigate scandal and many similar

issues in Nigeria. Those who are responsible for the above-listed saga may still be in the system.

In his reflection, John Ehiguese, CEO of Media Craft, said that people’s refusal to resign from offices even when they are obviously guilty of offences is a reflection of general integrity deficit in society.

This is compounded as the society does not put pressure on them to vacate office. Sometimes, the society itself is divided as people see such officials from ethnic and tribal lines.

Ehiguese said Nigeria is an ethically challenged environment as “we hardly challenge and punish wrong doers, and therefore, people do things with impunity.”

Public office holders also are unwilling to resign appointments in the face of accusations and frustrations because they want to fight their own case from within. They feel that they will be at disadvantage fighting from outside, says another analyst.

Ki n g s l e y Aw u r u , a budding politician, told BDSUNDAY that part of the reason is fear of the unknown and desire to remain relevant in a society that worships money without asking the source.

“Voluntary resignation or relinquishing power naturally does not exist in Nigerian lexis. Even when high or low-placed officials are accused or indicted for malfeasance, it is either they feel less concerned or stay put to challenge their case. People are shameless here. We read and hear stories about how people from other climes resign for mere allegation of corruption, rape and others we may call minor offences in Nigeria,” Awuru said.

Ac c o r d i n g t o h i m , “What would a minister, for instance, be doing in a government that he has discovered is not living true to its manifestos? But such things do not bother our people; they sit still and feel satisfied with the perks of office, because we do not think about the future; we do not think beyond our stomachs.”

Awuru pooh-poohed the insinuation that it is an anathema for an appointed political officer to resign and that doing so could endanger such an appointee.

“I have heard that people don’t resign, but that is far from the truth. There is no law forbidding people from leaving when you no longer see the purpose of staying,” he said.

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BDSUNDAY 3

News

I am not Emir of Lagos, says Sarkin Fulani INIOBONG IWOK

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he Sarkin Fulani of Lagos State and the chairman, Association of Fulani Chiefs in the South-West Nigeria , Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, has debunked the insinuations making the round that he had plans to transmute to an Emir in Lagos State saying, “the insinuation is far from the truth.”

In an interview in his Surulere Lagos Palace, the soft-spoken but vocal

monarch said the insinuation was the handwork of mischievous and unscrupulous elements in society who are bent on throwing spanners into the wheels of cordial relationship between the good people of Lagos State and the Fulani residents which have been in existence for over a century in Lagos and the entire south-west people who he describes as, “very accommodating, hospitable and friendly.”

While explaining the source of the insinuation, the monarch disclosed that the rumours ema-

nated from an interview he granted some foreign media personnel to contribute to a documentary they were doing on Nigeria, saying the documentaries are not secret documents as they are already published and in the public domain for whoever has interest to go through.

According to the worried monarch, the aims of those peddling the unfounded rumours are actually targeted at polluting the cordial relationship between President Muhammadu Buhari and the people of the south-

Tribunal: Shehu Sani raises alarm, ‘lives of my witnesses threatened’ Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi, Kaduna

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enator Shehu Sani of the People’s Red e m p t i o n Pa r t y (PRP) who is one of those challenging the mandate of Senator Uba Sani at the recently concluded election for the Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone has alleged that the lives of his witnesses are at risk, as they were been threatened Sani, however, did not specifically mention anybody’s name, just as he said he was no longer going to present further witnesses.

He said this at the weekend before the tribunal sitting in Kaduna, headed by Justice A. H. Suleiman.

Sani, who addressed the Tribunal through his Counsel, Morris A. Odeh (SAN), said he had no option than to stop further presentation of witnesses and close that aspect to save their lives.

While addressing journalists shortly after the case was adjourned to 8-9th July, 2019, Sani’s counsel said they had presented two witnesses before now, adding that when the Tribunal resumes for hearing on the 8-9th July, the respondents, All Progressives Congress

(APC), INEC and Senator Uba Sani are expected to come for defence.

Shehu Sani’s counsels led

by Morris A. Odeh (SAN), A.A Ibrahim (SAN) and Barr.

Zwannap Dashe disclosed: “Most of our witnesses are from Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, suburb of Kaduna State and their lives are being threatened.

They are scared of being killed; so we have no option than to close our case.

“You know, Tribunal does not allow substitution of witnesses otherwise we would have done that but in this case we were forced to close it,” Morris Odey said.

Tech-U signs MoU with global tech giant, Festo Didactic REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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n a bid to internationalise its programmes and deliver on its mandate of technical and entrepreneurial education, First Technical University (Tech-U), Ibadan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Festo Didactic, a world-leading provider of equipment and solutions for technical education.

Under the partnership, the University and Festo Didactic, a world leader in industrial automation technology, producing industrial equipment in the pneumatics and electronics field, would collaborate to enrich the Mechatronics Programme at the institution.

With the MoU, Tech-U has entered a strategic alliance that would see it leverage on the 55 years’ experience of Festo Didactic.

Speaking after the signing of the MoU, West African Director of Festo Didactic, Peter Sengpiel said he was impressed with the strides already made by the University and is therefore, excited about the partnership.

“From what we have seen so far, we believe the First Technical University constitutes a perfect partner. Their commitment to technical education aptly fits into the Didactic vision of helping students to develop technical ability, develop craftsmanship among students and generate ideas that can help the society,” he said.

“As Festo, our 55 years’ experience will match the mission and vision of the University through knowledge transfer to the University and we are really grateful for this kind of opportunity”, Sengpiel further said.

He noted that aside

working to prepare students to acquire industry know-how through visual academy, online learning, web-based training, Festo would work to source more industry experts to join the Tech-U faculty while also facilitating exchange programmes for the University.

Additionally, the partnership would also mainstream Tech-U at the World skills Conference, the biggest global craftsmanship event.

Nigeria’s premier and only Technical University, Vice Chancellor, Ayobami Salami, expressed satisfaction with the partnership.

Salami, a professor noted that the partnership aligns with the University’s commitment to ensuring that all programmes at Tech-U are adequately enriched with relevant global partnerships to further help the institution in the production of fully competent and innovative students.

west with a view to scoring cheap political goals towards 2023.

While asserting that His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos, is like a father to him, Bambado pointed out that, “having a Sarkin Fulani in any state is like having Eze Ndigbo as well as Yoruba Obas in other states across the nation,” emphasising that, “there is no way these tribe leaders can claim equality with the owners of the land.”

The positions of the Eze Ndigbo, Obas and Sarkis in other states outside their

own soils are to assist in galvanising their people to support and assist the bonafide indigenous traditional rulers to foster mutual understanding, erase mutual suspicion with a view to moving the community forward together positively.

Bambado, who challenged anybody to show any insignia around his palace that suggests that he is planning transformation to the status of an Emir in Lagos to come out with proof just as he urged the good people of Lagos State, South-West and the whole

country to disregard the erroneous insinuations from the people he describes as, “the enemies of Nigeria.”

While assuring that the latest insinuation would not put sand in the peaceful coexistence and good neighbourliness the Fulanis are enjoying in Lagos and the south west, the monarch warned the rumour mongers and insinuation peddlers to desist from their divisive antics, asserting that, “they will fail woefully in their attempts to destroy this country that belongs to all of us.”

Buhari tasks ECOWAS leaders...

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Buhari, who is the outgoing chair of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. Other West African leaders, who attended the session include; President George Weah of Liberia; President Adama Barrow of The Gambia and President Faure Eyadema of Togo.

Presenting his remarks during the session, President Buhari said that despite the appreciable socioeconomic progress being made by the region, the region has become plagued by a myriad of challenges.

He noted that the region must therefore make concerted efforts to tackle these challenges.

“Despite the overall appreciable progress we have made particularly in the field of political governance, our sub-region continues to face considerable security challenges. We must send strong and unified message to the perpetrators of violence that we are resolute in our collective determination to confront and defeat them,” he said.

Contributing, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, also tasked the regional leaders to address the root causes of violent extremism, terrorism and related conflicts in West Africa beyond the current military approach.

Represented by the Head of UN Office for West Africa and Sahel, Mohammed Inn Chambas, the UN Chief said: “West Africa faces a number of challenges, which requires concerted national and regional and international efforts. Some of these related to governance, particularly inclusivity, accountability, and adherence to rule of law, climate change, maritime piracy, security sector reforms, drug trafficking and transnational organized crime,” he said.

This President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Kassi Brou, in

his address lamented the security, political, social and economic challenges confronting the sub- region.

“Several member states, have for some time now experienced terrorist attacks in an almost permanent spate The increase in these attacks and spread towards several other countries, further challenge us on the urgent need to take appropriate measures and firm action,” Kasi Brou said.

He also noted that the region has witnessed an upsurge in inter-communal clashes, of which one of the causes is the use of relevant people by terrorist groups, adding the the terrorist attacks target religious groups, with the clear purpose of undermining social cohesion in the region, which have led to the death of thousands of people and created millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.

He said further that these violent uprising had caused massive destruction of social and economic infrastructure. He noted that given the trans- border nature of the phenomenon and its negative impact on member states and the community, the crisis requires the support of all partners and the international community to address.

Kassi Brou called on the region to consolidate the tenets of democracy, and tackle economic issues by paying attention to youth employment and women empowerment. “Matters regarding the implementation of our trade liberalization scheme and the Protocol on free movement of persons, goods and right of residence and establishment, which underpin our common market agenda, will be accorded equal,” he said.

In his remarks the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Chile Eboe- Osuji, said the ICC matters to ECOWAS because there cannot be socio-economic development where conflicts, atrocities and fear

reign supreme.

“How can we have a successful socio-economic development where farmers cannot go to the farms because of active military operation and landmines, where entrepreneurs cannot do business because of raging wars that always result in the destruction of economic infrastructure?

Where children cannot go to school, where precious resources are wasted on weapons rather than education, health care and economic sustainability?” He asked.

He said further that the conflicts have created a situation where investors are fighting their ways by conflicts and instability and people are being killed, injured ad and traumatized with millions of people unable to work because of economic slow down, while the best brains of the nation are compelled to flee in droves in search of safer and more prosperous countries and where neighboring countries are forced to cope with refugees flows from neighboring countries.

He said that a 2011 World Bank study showed that the average cost of civil war is equivalent to more than 30 years of GDP growth for a medium size developing economy and trade level after major episodes of violence, which take about 20 years to recover.

He noted that the ICC has a direct value to economic development because it seemed to deter these kinds of armed conflicts and the atrocities that they breed.

“The fact that we have ICC has changed the world looks at atrocities and the space of atrocities is shrinking. But the ICC cannot do it alone. First the ICC relies on the cooperation of of states to its operation. Secondly, the ICC is a court of last resort, therefore justice must be done at home by national institutions.The ICC system encourages the building of capacity within domestic jurisdiction,” he said.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Tribute

Dick Kramer: When BusinessDay bade goodbye to a visionary events vividly. Recounting his personal experience, the man in the academia said he remembered a discussion he started with Dick and was shocked and amazed that when they met again, nine years after, Dick began where they had stopped that discussion.

Members of the Editorial Advisory Board took turns to eulogise a man who has been married, consistently, to his wife, Wanda, for 67 years.

At the event, Dick said he defied some negative sentiments when he initially came to Nigeria, disclosing that someone had advised him, “If you shake hands with Nigerians, make sure you get all your fingers back.”

Announcing hilariously, he said, not only that he shook uncountable hands in all the years he spent in Nigeria, he still had all his fingers intact.

A lover of good journalism, Dick urged the media to continue to hammer on what is right. He insisted that attention must be paid to more reports on education, healthcare and infrastructure, which according to him, are the major needs of Nigeria. They are critical areas that urgently needed to be fixed by government.

In what appeared his verdict on Nigeria as a country, he said

S

ZEBULON AGOMUO

olomon, the son of King David, was in his element when he said there is time for everything under the sun. For many years, Dick Kramer, an American citizen, born in Kansas in 1934, has been in Nigeria and has touched many lives during his eventful sojourn in the country.

Among the numerous people and corporates that benefited from his rich cerebral endowments is the BusinessDay family.

Until Monday, June 24,2019, Dick, as he is fondly called by the old and young that come in contact with him, was the chairman of the Editorial Advisory Board of the business and financial daily, BusinessDay. For many years, he provided a robust leadership to the erudite group of think tank, drawn from diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy. The meeting was always held in his apartment, somewhere in Ikoyi, a serene and upscale neighbourhood in Lagos.

For his selfless service to the growth and quality journalism as exemplified by BusinessDay, the management of the authoritative voice in the business world, decided to host Dick, just to say “Thank You” and to bid him farewell.

The American, who has spent over four decades in Nigeria, having landed first in Lagos in 1978, is leaving the country back to the land of his fathers. The send forth event attracted eggheads and quality human beings from various sectors of the economy. The presence of these eminent personages was in consonance with the saying, “Show me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

Good people will always attract fellow good people to themselves.

The breakfast send forth afforded some prominent Nigerians in attendance the opportunity to pay their tributes and to bid bye to the Octogenarian. Some of those who spoke waxed nostalgic, recalling events that took place the first time they came in contact with Dick, twenty, thirty or more years ago. To Dick’s credit, the speakers were in agreement that he is a dependable go-to person anytime, particularly when knotty issues needed to be resolved.

Like a mother hen, Dick “laid quality eggs” and incubated them into flourishing organisations in Nigeria. While in the country, his tentacles stretched everywhere, even to the corridors of power, at all levels. He not only midwifed some think tanks for the central government, he played huge roles in formulating policies that aimed at achieving economic stability for Nigeria. He took part in drafting many ‘Visions’ for the

Nigerians must not lose hope in their country, regretting however, that successive governments may have failed to record meaningful achievements as a result of inconsistency.

He noted that the problem has always been, “starting well, and stopping; repeating same thing over and over.”

The happiest individual at the event appeared to be the Publisher/CEO of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, who did not hide his happiness and wasted no time to tell the gathering what Dick meant to the organisation.

In a prepared speech, he read, before engaging Dick in a round of questions on critical issues, including the secret behind his flourishing matrimony, Aigbogun had praised the stunning commitment with which he handled his work just to benefit mankind.

He recalled like everyone else, that Dick is a father, friend, lover of Nigeria, mentor and a patient listener. He also said that BusinessDay would always remain grateful to him, noting that a good number of those who have come to identify with the organisation and the BusinessDay brand were moved to take that decision because of the Dick factor.

Frank Aigbogun, Publisher/CEO, BusinessDay and Dick Kramer

Dick Kramer

country. If some of them did not work, or have not materialised, it is because the powers that be did not follow through the projects as envisioned.

All those who attested to his love for Nigeria, spoke in tandem that Dick indeed is more Nigerian than most Nigerians.

In his testimony of Dick, the immediate past minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okey

Enelamah, said: “Dick is constant, consistent and faithful.”

One eminent personality, who had observed Dick for decades, said the American has always taken notes and that he had always wondered what he did with those jottings. Another provided an answer, unintentionally though, when he said that the notes enabled Dick to keep tab on discussions and that Dick remembers

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BDSUNDAY 5

News We want to remain the ruling party in Nigeria – APC governors …As Bello, supporters favour indirect primary Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja

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hairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu has said that the Progressive Governors’ Forum want the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remain the ruling party in Nigeria.

Bagudu, who led a delegation of the forum, stated this during the stakeholders’ meeting held at APC secretariat Lokoja.

He urged Kogi State APC members to work in synergy for APC to remain in power in Nigeria, as he commended the party faithful for their outstanding performance during the just concluded presidential election that returned President Muhammadu Buhari to office.

He equally commended Yahaya Bello for all he has achieved in the state since he took over the mantle of leadership in the state.

“We want APC to remain the ruling party in Nigeria. So, synergise with each other for APC to remain in power,” he said.

Speaking also, Governor Yahaya Bello assured the people of Kogi State that if given the mandate

through the indirect primaries, his members were agitating for that the achievements recorded under his administration in the first term would be a tip of an iceberg, saying, “I want to assure you that whatever we have achieved is a tip of an iceberg. What we have done before, in second tenure, it will be bountiful.

By our performance we will unite Nigeria”.

Bello also urged all the aggrieved party faithful to come back and work for the success of the party.

He also told Hardy Ametuo, the embattled chairman that has been at loggerheads with his team, to come back as he promised them that their “stomachs that have gone down will soon swell up.”

Also speaking, Senator Smart Adeyemi, who was defeated by the incumbent Senator Dino Melaye, said the people of Kogi State believe in Bello and that they are going to stand by him, defend his interest and make sure he takes his seat back come November 16 governorship election, stressing that he look forward to Bello going back to Abuja and passing the information that Kogi State APC has picked him, so that APC will continue to rule Kogi State.

L-R: Kashim Abdul Ali, immediate past president of Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN); Felicia Agubata, Kevin Nwonu and past president of Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) Isaac Olorunfemi at the 11th NSE Fellowship conferment held recently at the International Conference Centre Abuja.

Nosak Group trains staffers on peak performance, culture transformation

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n its quest to build capacity and improve professionalism, Nosak Group in partnership with H. G. & W. Consultants LLC, recently organised one-day training for senior and mid-level managers themed, ‘Peak Performance and Culture Transformation’. The training, which held at the Nosak Training School in Amuwo Industrial Layout, had over 30 employees from across the group.

Judith Aikhoje, the group human resource coordinator, said

Nosak will continuously ensure that employees across the group are trained on several subject matters to improve their capacity and effectiveness in their duties.

“Our people are the most valuable assets we have; hence management has made commitment to train and retrain our employees at different levels to improve their capacity and make them more effective in the discharge of their responsibilities,” said Aikhoje.

According to Aikhoje, the theme

for the training ‘Peak Performance and Culture Transformation’, is a very strategic topic that will help to gear up topmost performance among staffers to be at their best and also embrace the new cultural change the group is introducing across its operations. “The thrust for a successful cultural development is to balance the discipline of systems, processes, and technologically improvement as well as to improve the digital culture of the organisation,” Aikhoje stated.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (4th right); his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat (3rd right); President, Global Growth and Opportunity, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Roger Voorhies (middle); secretary to the State Government, Folasade Jaji (4th left) and others during a courtesy visit to the Governor by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday, June 28, 2019.

Ondo 2020: There won’t be imposition of candidate in our party - PDP ...as 12 aspirants declare interest YOMI AYELESO, Akure

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he People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has said that there wouldn’t be an imposition of any aspirant and that the party is committed to produce a candidate whose emergence would be transparent for the forthcoming 2020 governorship election in the state.

The party affirmed that about 12 aspirants have indicated interest to be the party standard bearer and that there wouldn’t be an automatic or preferred candidate.

The party’s Director of Publicity in the state, Zadok Akintoye who stated this in an interview with journalists noted that it is against the constitution of the party to have an automatic candidate, adding that if there would be a consensus, it would be the general agreement of the members.

His words: “We are going to

Zadok

provide a free and very fair environment for all contestants; while we might have had a candidate in the last elections which we lost, we don’t intend to have an automatic candidate.

“All our candidates will show their strength and prove to the people and the party that they have the capacity to govern this state; we are going to bring forth a candidate that will be supported by every member of the party because the process of his emergence will be free and fair.”

According to him, “all citizens of the state have the right to contest under the party,” noting that the issue of zoning is at the discretion of the State Working Committee and will be decided based on the interest of the members.

The PDP’s spokesperson also noted that the aspirants are united; contrary to the insinuation in some quarters that crisis is already erupting within the party in respect of the governorship candidate, adding that the aspirants have been assured of same treatment.

“The party doesn’t have a favourite candidate; why we might have had a candidate at the last gubernatorial election in 2016, it does not make him an automatic candidate in this election because it is a political party.

“All those who are in PDP and are willing to lead the state have the right to contest and they are all going for the primary and whosoever wins would be supported by others because we are a united party; there is no crisis,” he said.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

News

Abia urges Google to develop ICT policy for the state GODFREY OFURUM, Aba

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bia State Government has appealed to Google to develop Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy for the State as well as implement it.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who made the appeal at the launch of Google Digital skills for Africa programme, in Aba, also urged Google to establish digital base in strategic places in the state.

He also urged Google to establish internet services for the government house and all the tertiary institutions in Abia State, particularly Abia State University.

Governor Ikpeazu, who was represented at the event, by Chris Ezem, secretary to the State Government, observed that the digital training offered, by Google to manufacturers in Aba, especially the finished leather and garment clusters, would boost the state’s economy.

According to him, “It will keep their businesses online; expand their customer base and commercial activities”.

Citing reforms in the banking industry as a case study, the Abia State Governor said: “You can sit down in your home and transfer money. You can sit down in your home and make payments, you can also sit-down in your home and negotiate business.

“Every business is going

digital. Technology is the way to go. Internet is the way to go and that is what Google team has brought to Aba, to educate and train our people so that their businesses will get to the next level”.

He urged Corps members, who were present at the launch, to take advantage of the programme, to improve themselves.

“If those who are running these businesses cannot go digital, form yourselves into groups and help them to do it and thereby creating jobs for yourselves.

“What we are doing today will help you to become entrepreneurs and

not to be dependent on anyone”.

He thanked Google for choosing Aba for the programme and promised his administration’s support to ensure that Google succeeds in Abia State.

“We all know that Aba is the hub of business activity in Nigeria and the commercial nerve centre of the entire country. Business starts and ends here in Aba. “This government has shown keen interest in moving commercial activities in Aba to the next level. That’s why this government is investing massively in infrastructural development

in Aba. “You can see that the roads are changing and they’ll continue to change.

We’ll flag off more roads and the rains cannot stop it”, he promised.

Seember Nyager, Africa Lead, Public Policy/ Government Affairs, Google, said that Google launched the digital skill training in Aba to sustain support for manufacturers in the commercial city, to expand their works.

And to succeed, she said Google has entered into strategic partnership with government to make things sustainable and to make the land flourish and even more than it’s doing now.

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he Katsina State Government has applauded the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for supporting its efforts in catering for the welfare of its people.

Mannir Yakubu, deputy governor, gave the commendation while receiving relief items donated by NIMASA to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in the state, in furtherance to the Agency’s support to victims of flood and other disasters across the country.

Yakubu said the major cause of displacement in Katsina in the recent past was the activities of bandits.

He, however, informed the NIMASA delegation that

REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan

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overnor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed the Country Implementation Lead of the Shell Business Operations (SBO), Nigeria, Olubamiwo Adeosun, as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

Adeosun a licensed Pharmacist and a Chartered Human Resources Practitioner obtained a degree in Pharmacy and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Benin in 1990 and 1997 respectively.

The new Oyo SSG is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Nigeria and a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), United Kingdom.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, made the appointment

public on Friday said she will be bringing on board over twenty-six years of diverse multinational experience, which has seen her hold lead roles in SmithKline Beecham (GlaxoSmithKline) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

She has held various Lead HR Roles with specialisation in areas such as Business partnering, Talent Management, and Employee Relations.

She has also held multiple roles with local and global remits in the organisations.

As an active member of the CIPM, Adeosun is involved in a foundation that is currently executing a programme for young leaders to imbibe leadership values of Integrity, Excellence, Empathy & Transformation.

The programme is targeted at leaving a leadership legacy in Africa by strengthening capabilities in today’s leaders and building a pipeline of ready future leaders by 2035.

Group urges Nigerians to form habits of writing their Wills Ngozi Okpalakunne

L-R: Alon Lits, director, regional general manager Sub-saharan Africa; Tayo Oyegunle, country manager; Brooks Entwistle, chief business officer, Uber Inc; Mimi Omokri, head of business, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Lola Kassim, general manager, West Africa, all of Uber, at a Town Hall meeting with developers and entrepreneurs, learning about the Start-up Ecosystem in Nigeria in Lagos.

Pic by Pius Okeosisi

Katsina govt applauds NIMASA’s support for flood victims AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

Makinde appoints, Shell Petroleum’s Adeosun as SSG.

the government had closed almost all the IDP camps and reintegrated the victims into their communities to go about their business, which is mostly farming.

“So far we have succeeded in closing all but one IDP camp to enable our people return to farming because they produce what they eat.

We do not want to have a fresh crisis on our hands next year occasioned by food insecurity,” he said.

He however assured that the Kastina State Emergency Management Agency (KSEMA) will go to the localities of the victims and distribute the relief materials to them.

While presenting the materials at Government House, Katsina, Dakuku Peterside, director-general of NIMASA, explained that the Board and Management

of the Agency took the decision to provide succour to IDPs in 20 states in recognition of the plight of the victims, which according to him, cannot be handled by government alone.

“We saw a need to support victims of flood and other disasters because of the suffering they were going through as a result of being displaced from their abodes. And since government cannot do it alone, the NIMASA approved the provision of relief materials to 20 states in the country and Katsina is one of them,” he said.

While commending the Katsina State government for its resilience in dealing with flood and, recently, banditry in some parts of the state, Peterside called on other well-meaning Nige-

rians and corporate organisations to come to the aid of victims, who have been displaced as a result of these social malaises.

Represented by Ibrahim Jibril, director, Maritime Labour Services, further said that the gesture was part of the Agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

Items presented by NIMASA included mattresses, mats, rice, grains, sugar, noodles, palm oil, vegetable oil and consumables, like baby diapers, detergents, soap, and disinfectants.

It would be recalled that NIMASA commenced the distribution of relief materials to 20 states of the federation in March this year with the flag off held at the Lagos State Emergency and Disaster Management Camp in Igando.

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igerianshavebeen urged to form the habit of writing their Wills so that the assets they laboured for while alive would be acquired by appropriate relatives after death.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Titilola Akinlawon who made the appeal recently in Lagos at the Olatumbi Joanna Maduka annual lecture, tagged ‘Speaking from the grave: Synopsis on Wills and succession’ affirmed that writing of Wills is crucial so that wrong persons will not forcefully inherit ones hard earned assets.

Akinlawon defined a Will as a testamentary and revocable document, voluntarily made and executed according to Law by a testator with a sound disposing mind, wherein he disposes off his property subject to any limitation imposed by law and wherein he gives such directives as he may deem fit to his personal representatives otherwise known as his executors, who administer his estate in accordance with the wishes manifested in the Will.

Explaining further, she said: “It is inevitable that at one time or the other we all would die and leave this world. What then happens to all the assets we have laboured tirelessly to acquire over the years? Who inherits the said assets?

Would it be your spouse

and children, as is basically the desire of most people?

Or would it be your other close relatives such as your siblings, that would take all your assets to the detriment of your beloved spouse and your treasured children? Or even worse still, would it be the distant relatives who did not encourage or assist you in any way while you were labouring to acquire these assets?”

While stating that writing of Wills gives the dead the ability to speak from the grave, she said a Will should be allowed to speak in the way made and must not be modified by any one or Court to suit an imaginary intention of the testator.

Given a brief history of the concept of Wills, the legal luminary said, it can be traced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 where a man had the power to dispose of both his real and personal properties. ‘’Before independence in 1960, Nigeria was a colony of Britain and due to Britain’s Imperial Sovereignty; the general laws of England were introduced into Nigeria as its own laws. The general laws of England consist of the common Law, the doctrines of Equity and the enacted English statutes.

“The Common Law and doctrines of Equity are those laws and principles laid down by the English Courts while the Enacted English statutes are laws enacted by the Parliament of England.

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News

Elano Investments presses on in suitable development to host communities to create peace for Indorama

Faceless but militant group calls for dissolution of NDDC board, alleges gross sleaze

... Eleme council of chiefs inducts board chairman into chiefs’ council

… But Commission denies any impropriety so far, calls it ‘recycled allegations’ …Amaechi says smear campaign has been flagged off against him

Godwin Egba, Port Harcourt

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lano Investments Limited deeply rooted in PortHarcourt capital of Rivers State manages 7.5 percent shares of the host communities of the Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited sited in the Rivers state capital.

The company is seen to visibly raise its bar in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) template, pressing on with sustainable projects development in its host communities. The driving force behind this company is said to be one chief, Gomba Okanje, as its chairman board of directors.

Modern society is in passionate drive for sustainable development to better the lots of its people. This quest for development comes in form of investment in education, healthcare, skills acquisition scheme and infrastructural projects among others.

In any society where these human needs are making impact, there is a force driving the process. And some of the critical factors that yield positive results in the development include humility, integrity, accountability, transparency, trust and most of all the fear of God. One of his closer associates, a clan chief in Aleto – Eleme community, described him as an unassuming, astute investment/human manager and an honest servant-leader to be trusted when dealing with.

Okanje, who is an indigene of Okerewa community in Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, came to lime light when the disbursement of the 7.5 percent Indorama-host communities shares began amidst crises and judicial litigations among communities in disagreement over sharing for-

mula. However, all that has been put to rest on the bed of peace.

An Aleto chief attested to this medium that, “Okanje does not compromise equitable distribution of the funds to all the deserving beneficiaries through their representatives who are Board members of the company. This stance, has today proved granite evidence where there are visible individual project developments in the host communities ranging from many young men marry wives, building houses, establishing small scale businesses, opportunities for education pursuit for their children among others”.

The host communities of Indorama Petrochemicals Company are now regarded as communities in goldmine as long as their shares in the company last in the management of Elano Investments Limited.Tempoemployment and contract opportunities are at their disposal when opportunities arise.

Beyond the height of the

above existing opportunities, Elano Investments Limited as their community-based company, has also become a beautiful bride to form a commonbondwith.Thecompany initiates sustainable development projects which it executes as part of its CSR to the host communities. The company’s Board of Directors chairman, Okanje, disclosed that their focus now is on health insurance portfolio, education and infrastructural development, housingestate, security and skills acquisition among others.

The chairman and his board members had their 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM) few months back in Calabar, Cross River State when he disclosed the stance of the company to ensure that members of the host communities are kept abreast and to feel the impact of its sustainable development projects.

Okanje said in his remarks; “This AGM is remarkable as it comes after a period of turbulence in the

host communities and a new awakening to the realities of our environment. When we met at our 5th AGM, we host informed you that your company was entering a stage of diversification and consolidation to ensure the achievement of sustainable development”, he said.

He disclosed to his audience that the health insurance programmes had a portfolio for 6,600 beneficiaries from all the host communities, and had saved many lives through critical procedures such as Caesarean deliveries, regular preventive medicine and hospitalisation.

Other area is educational programme which the chairman said has offered more than 200 bursary awards to students in tertiary educational institutions all over the country and had as well assisted many recipients to earn their academic qualifications while the infrastructural programme had opened up the host communities through networks and double sided drains.

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igeria has been described as a state with far less than the number of the policemen and women it needs to effectively police and checkmate the crime rate in it, needing at least, one million well-equipped policemen.

A one-time InspectorGeneral of Police in Nigeria, Mike Okiro, disclosed this at the weekend, while an-

A

s attention beams on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and its billions of naira allocations, a faceless but militant group in the oil region, which over the years goes by the name, Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), has demanded for the dissolution of the Commission on account of huge sleaze.

This comes as the exminister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who is believed to be behind the installation of the present leadership of the Commission, has raised the alarm that a smear campaign to rubbish him has been secretly flagged off.

JRC, which was launched in the hot days of militancy, said in a statement it sent online as usual, that the increasing reports of brazen corruption, grand theft, reckless embezzlement and large scale mismanagement across the various interventionist agencies that are supposed to cater to the challenges of the Niger Delta have become intensely mind-boggling in recent months. The JRC is one of the brainy militant groups that have a knack for articulating its position on

issues with a lot of logic.

The Nelson Brambaifa-led management was appointed in January 2019 when Nsima Ekere left to contest election in Akwa Ibom, but the JRC says the NDDC has been hit with sleaze.

The statement read in part: “Earlier in the month, top members of the Board of the Commission were invited to the offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer to the growing number of petitions accusing members of the board and top staff of large scale corruption, grand theft, reckless embezzlement and outright mismanagement of the resources of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“From contract racketeering (where contractors are forced to pay upfront sums in dollars), grim nepotism to outright diversion of funds, hundreds of billions of naira has been looted from the coffers of the Niger Delta Development Commission aided and abetted by an incompetent board.

“NDDC has become a conduit pipe through which billions of naira meant for the development of the Niger Delta is being channeled to the pockets of disgruntled politicians and their cronies.”

Benue stakeholders reject Ruga settlement, vow to challenge government’s decision in court BENJAMIN AGESAN, Makurdi

L-R: Sani Isa Usman, national chairman, Jewelleries Marketers Association; Amanda Lumum Feese, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development; Sergio Tobon, general manager, Brinks, South Africa; Frank Mugyenyi, senior industry advisor, office of the Commissioner, African Union Commission, Ethiopia; Oluyomi Banjo, environmental expert, UNIDO Nigeria, and Aichatou Mounkaila, secretary general, Association for Women in Extractive Industries, Niger Republic, at the conference on Gold West Africa in Lagos.

Nigeria grossly under-policed, needs one million policemen for 200mcitizens – Ex-IG, Okiro David Ejiohuo, Port Harcourt

Ignatius Chukwu

swering questions from our correspondent at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, on the need for the proposed State Police and the modality to realise the scheme.

The ex-IG from Rivers State said it is more crucial to recruit and equip policemen than granting state police, saying if the state police commands are not trained and equipped, the porous security situation would persist.

According to the former Inspector-General of Police

and the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Police Service Commission, Nigeria has far less than the number of the policemen and woman for her population.

Nigeria, he pointed out, was fast heading for a population of about 200 million people but was yet to boast of 500,000 policemen and women in her 57 years of existence and fight against crime and crime-related issues.

This he explained, was

far below the United Nation’s standard which he said, was about one policeman to about four hundred people.

Nigeria today, Okiro further explained, should be talking about at least one million trained, equipped, and functioning police force for her population and size.

The absence of this size and number of well-equipped and trained policemen and women, he further pointed out, could be responsible for the increasing crime rate and banditry across the country.

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takeholders of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State have condemned in strong terms the proposed decision by the Federal Government to establish Ruga settlements in some parts of the state including the local government.

Arising from a well-attended emergency stakeholders’ meeting held at the council hall Sankera the local government headquarters, the people totally rejected the proposed project and called on the Federal Government to rescind the decision with immediate effect.

They warned that should the Federal Government defies their warning; they will explore all available legitimate means including legal action to protect their ancestral heritage.

In their separate speeches, a two-term senator representing Benue North East

senatorial district and former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Daniel Saror said the people were dumb-founded when the news broke.

Senator Saror, who spoke through a representative, expressed surprise over the unilateral decision of the Federal Government and wondered under whose authorisation the Federal Government has come up with such an unpopular decision since according to him he was not aware of any communication between Federal Government and any authority in the state in whose custody the 1978 Land Use Act and a 1960 judgment from federal High Court Abuja gave land ownership to.

He said instead of ceding part of the local government’s scarce land for such a project, the Federal Government should explore the possibility of acquiring such land from Sokoto, Katsina or Kano States which he said have vast expanse of land.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

News

Kidnapping: Kwara CP calls for cooperation Meristem promotes adoption of healthier lifestyle alternatives at inaugural festival between communities, police ...As house wife reveals why she planned for her kidnap, demanded N5m ransom SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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a y o d e Ag b e tokun, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police has enjoined Nigerians to step up corporation with the police in the fight against crimes in society.

According to him, the police cannot succeed in isolation of the people and that is why “our police philosophy in this state has been community-based.”

Egbetokun, who spoke to journalists after the command paraded four suspects in connection with a kidnap case, said: “I appeal to the people to continue to support the police in the fight against crimes in the state and the country at large.

“We believe that we need to engage members of the public, we need to partner with the people and we expect people to also partner with us.

“People should keep supporting police and give more cooporation to reduce criminality.”

Meanwhile, one of the criminals, Yemi Samuel, a middle-aged house wife, who allegedly kidnapped herself, revealed that she perpetrated the act in favour of her husband.

Parading the suspects, the state commissioner of police said Samuel was arrested for allegedly hatching a selfkidnap scenario.

According to him, on the 15th of June this year the suspect left home and went into hiding, claiming she was kidnapped while cleaning the compound by an unknown gang, adding that she was taken to an unknown destination and demanded five million naira to secure her release.

Egbetokun explained that the suspect said her kidnappers were not willing to speak to anyone for fear of their voice being recognised but the ransom has been reduced to one million naira.

He further said effort was intensified and five hundred thousand cash was arranged by her husband as well as family and well wishers.

She directed them to take the money to Iluke town but before the transaction could be effected, Yemi was later arrested by the operatives of the Special Investigation Bureau of Kwara State command at Kulende area of Ilorin where she hid herself in a rented apartment.

“I arranged for my kidnap to resolve financial problems. My husband is retired and I am jobless. We have approached my husband’s family who are rich but they

didn’t respond.

“I am ready to work and will be glad if wealthy people can assist me and my husband,” said Yemi Samuel.

The police boss also said on 10th June, this year the other three suspected kidnappers, Jenmo Usman, Iliyashu Muhammed and Maude Umaru were arrested at Idofian in Kwara State after picking a polythene bag containing leaves believing to be the two million naira ransom they ordered one Sharafa Yusuf to bring to save his life.

M

eristem, a leading investment and capital market conglomerate, has restated the need to facilitate the adoption of healthier lifestyle alternatives and dispose of artificial and unhealthy living habits.

This was the focus of the inaugural edition of its GREEN FEST held at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island.

Themed, ‘Unjunk’, the organic and healthy-living festival, was the ultimate haven for health, fitness and wellness enthusiasts and created to propel the singular truth that health is wealth,

and individuals must be committed to sustaining their health to enjoy true wealth.

The Meristem Green Fest took on a holistic approach in projecting this message through an array of activities including engaging fitness sessions, masterclasses, outdoor games, thrilling musical performances, and much more that spanned throughout the day.

Re-iterating the purpose of the event, Omosolape Akinpelu, Head, Brand Management of Meristem said, “At Meristem, we are explicitly client-centric; our core focus is creating value for our

clients by helping them grow their wealth. We have however come to understand that it is counterproductive for one to acquire wealth without paying attention to their health because of what use is wealth if one does not live long enough to enjoy it?

Also, it would be difficult for one to grow wealth if they are not physically and mentally healthy. “The Meristem Green Fest was borne out of this very notion and our goal is to promote the adoption and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in nutrition, physical activities, and mental balance.”

L-R Olapade Olufunmilayo Falusi(Medical Oncologist and cancer geneticist); Betsy Obaseki First Lady of Edo State; Siju Iluyomade (Visionier and Convener), Bamidele Abiodun ,First Lady of Ogun state at the Handmaidens Women in Leadership Series 2019 Event

Auto company unveils ‘IyI Celebrity’ vehicle

Rack Centre wins award for data centre excellence in MEA region

…Wants FG, Imo govt encouragement

Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

SABY ELEMBA, Owerri

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lose to one month that Governor Emeka Ihedioha told a mammoth crowd during his swearing-in ceremony at the Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, Imo State that his government would aggressively pursue investment drive within and outside Nigeria to attract industrialists in the state, two automobile manufacturing companies have heeded the call.

Last week, Chinese-domiciled Cherry Automobile Holdings had visited the state and informed the government of its intentions to establish an automobile plant in the state. Consequently, Imo State government has embraced the plan and asked the company to

bring its proposals. Cherry Automobile Holdings is said to have gone back to China with a promise to come back with the proposal.

An indigenous auto firm, Ephraim and Joeana Akwiwu Auto Shop (EJAAS) which has through years of research ventured into vehicle production has unveiled “IyI Celebrity”, a new model car, in Owerri.

Alex Ephraim Akwiwu, European-trained automobile engineer and managing director and chief executive officer, Ephraim and Joeana Ak w i w u Au t o Sh o p (EJAAS), explained that the effort to venture into local manufacturing of vehicles was birthed in 2011 with the application of an advanced technology to motor vehicle maintenance and service, and that this was enhanced by advanced auto-informa-

tion and knowledge as well as modern equipment use.

EJAAS, he said, ventured into auto car manufacturing with the production of its first product ‘IYI Combatant’ in 2016 and another version of the “Combatant” was produced in 2017. He also said that the second model was still in the making which is named ‘IYI CELEBRITY”.

Unveiling ‘IyI Celebrity’ at the company’s production yard in Owerri recently, Akwiwu explained that it is friendlier than the “Combatant” which was produced in 2017, and whose aggressive aesthetics and exhaust were made in consideration with the kind of terrain it will ply on.

“It has its engine and transmission at the rear side, powered by the 1.8 litre engine with good fuel economy and low Co2 emission,” he said.

R

ack Centre, Africa’s premium Tier III certified colocation data centre services provider has been announced as the winner for a second year running at the 2019 Datacloud Awards in Monaco.

It won the Excellence in Regional Data Centre Middle East and Africa.

In selecting Rack Centre for the award, the august panel of judges took into account the company’s outstanding ecosystem of robust and direct connectivity with over 35 carriers and five undersea cables, its ability to scale its operations through its modular nature and its low proven power utilisation effectiveness despite a challenging climatic and infrastructural environment.

The judges also consid-

ered Rack Centre’s service delivery, its outstanding customer satisfaction, achievement of 100 percent uptime since inception, and its CloudonGroundTM that offers a locally hosted and world class cloud ecosystem to Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa.

Held in Monaco recently, the Datacloud Global Aw a r d , o r g a n i s e d b y BroadGroup, publisher of the UK based Data Economy recognises teams, products, innovations, initiatives and projects in the global information technology (IT) industry.

Phillip Low, chairman of Broadgroup, said the awards helps to define a new era in the IT infrastructure market and acknowledges the inspirational people, innovation and excellence in the data centre, cloud and edge eco-system, and reflect the tremendous success and achievements

in diversity, innovation and excellence.

The winners were selected by judges comprised of independent panels of leading professionals from the industry who looked particularly for companies and individuals with evidences of success in performance, innovation in delivering services and high levels of industry’s excellence.

Ayotunde Coker, managing director of Rack Centre, reacting to the company’s winning the coveted award for the second year running, said; “We are truly honoured, delighted and humbled at the award, and thank the judges for recognising Rack Centre for excellence in Middle East and Africa. This is a great recognition indeed from highly respected global leaders in the industry, and the leading global industry event in Monaco, France.”

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BDSUNDAY 9

PhotoSplash

L-R: Veronica Onoja, customer service director, Airtel Nigeria; Bolaji Abimbola, MD, Integrated Indigo Limited; Modupe Ajayi, wife of the publisher, Marketing Edge Magazine; Ngozi Okoye, senior PR executive, Integrated Indigo Limited, and Olamide Bakare, senior media relations executive, Integrated Indigo Limited, at the presentation of the award for the ‘Outstanding PR agency of the Year’ to Integrated Indigo Limited at 2019 Marketing Edge Brands and Advertising Awards for Excellence in Lagos.

L-R: Uchenna Uwechia, legal director; Soji Awotiwon, head of sales; Ayo Iyiola, marketing activation manager-pain, consumer healthcare, Nigeria; Peter Obasa, site director, and Abidoye Ohu, country manager, other West Africa, all of GSK Nigeria, at the official launch of the Panadol Toughies Campaign in Nigeria.

L-R- Lion Herbert Ehebha, past president, Ikeja Metro Lions Club; Lion Ahmed Olusi, secretary elect; Lion Blessing Umebali, past president/ club marketing communications chairperson elect; Lion Elizabeth Ibe, outgoing president; Lion John Oriazowan, incoming president; Lion Evelyn Agbonifo, 1st vice president elect; Lion Sikiru Olajide, 2nd vice president elect; and Lion Raphael Akinsuilire past president/outgoing membership director, at the club last business meeting and the handing over in Lagos.

L-R: Ashish Khemka, chief financial officer, Lagos Free Trade Zone Company (LFTZC); Adesuwa Ladoja, relationship group director, Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited (LPLEL); Oreoluwa Ala, winner of 2019 Tolaram Science Challenge and Pupil of Albesta Academy (Lekki); Morebise Ajibola, assistant director, Education District 3 (Lagos State), and Kumar Padala, general manager, Lagos Free Trade Zone Company (LFTZC), at the prize presentation to the winner of the 2019 Tolaram Science Challenge in Lagos.

L-R: Lion Bolajoko Ibrahim; Lion Adewale Ibrahim; Lion Olubukola Jill Owatemi, charter president, Ikeja City Lions Club, and Lion Nkechi Anyameluna, at the award presentation ceremony of the club recently

L-R: Ogbonna Patrick, MD, Invent Alliance; Chinelo Lynda Okeke, clinic psychologist, ElixirSalve Psychological Services; Chukwudi Benignus, Atlaw solicitors, and Wole Adetuyi, MD, Swift Telephone Network, at the unveiling of Turn2Me free counseling and legal services campaign by Invent BPO and its partners in Lagos.

L-R: Elvis Poko, Africa Magic Hustle TV series cast; Tope Oshunkeye, acting head of marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria; Babatunde Aribido, public relations manager, DStv and Jude Odia, MD/CEO, Starcom Media Perspective at the presentation of plaque to DStv as Outstanding Pay TV of the year and MultiChoice as the Outstanding Entertainment Service Provider of the Decade by Marketing Edge during the Award Night held at Balmoral Events Center, Oregun, Lagos.

L-R: Mehmet Asik, general manager, Turkish Airlines Abuja; Askin Cantimur, vice president, Turkish Airlines; Philip Akesson, country manager, Travelstart Nigeria; Kerem Sarp, senior vice president, sales, Turkish Airlines, and Yunus Ozbek, general manager, Turkish Airlines Lagos, as Travelstart celebrates Turkish Airlines’ Debut at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

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Insecurity and imperatives of state police

Frank Aigbogun editor Zebulon Agomuo

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

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xpectedly, the unpleasant state of public security in the country has once again reverberated call for the creation of State police. Though, for some time, there have been several opposing arguments concerning the subject, it has become reasonably necessary for appropriate authorities to take a deeper look at the need for state police, especially with regards to current wave of security concern in the state. Without a doubt, the central policing system has not really been effective and it is only logical that we consider other probable alternatives.

State police is an important component of true federalism and emblem of authority of governance, since sovereignty is divided between the federal authority and federating components. Though the 1999 Constitution provides for a single federal police, this precludes states from taking charge of the protection of lives and properties of their people as chief security

officer and denied them the emblem of authority. If Nigeria is really a federation, this is a constitutional lacuna that must be addressed through constitution amendment to pave way for State Police.

Aside the well accepted philosophy that that policing is essentially a local matter, every crime is local in nature. Hence, it is only rational to localize the police force. No matter its form, crime detection needs a local knowledge that state police can better provide.

Similarly, police officers who serve in their indigenous communities are stakeholders with vested interests in such places.

Considering the reality that they will always be part of their respective communities, even after retirement, it is doubtful if they will perpetrate anti- socio activities in such communities. A recent Human Right Watch survey reveals that most of the accidental and other extra judicial killings that have taken place in the country were perpetrated by officers posted outside their states of origin.

Also, knowledge of the local environment is needed for effective policing. It is only logical that to fight crime in the same locality; you need law enforcement personnel familiar with the terrain.

Using police officers from Jalingo, for instance, to burst a crime in Onitsha could at best be counterproductive. The local criminals with good knowledge of the area will always outwit such ‘foreign’

police officers.

Intelligence gathering is an indispensable necessity in crime fighting. But this seems to be currently lacking in the system. It is difficult to access high-quality intelligence, unless you know the people very well, and they in turn trust you. The present arrangement certainly negates credible intelligence gathering. We live in a society where people treat perceived strangers with lots of reservation.

This, no doubt, is quite understandable. It is difficult to trust somebody whose language, culture and tradition you are unfamiliar with. The truth is that people will always be afraid of passing on information to those they don’t trust, and this is for obvious reasons.

Perhaps more importantly, it is important that a state governor who ought to be the chief security officer of his state has the control of the police command in same state. The current trend where the police commissioner in a state takes orders from Abuja concerning security issues in a state is not too tidy.

Ironically, almost all state governments in the country invest significantly in the diverse security agencies in their respective states. Now, will it not amount to double standard for a Governor that bears such a massive financial burden not to be denied of un-hindered control of same institution at crucial moments?

It has been argued severally that state police is nothing but a recipe for anarchy as it could be abused. But then, this argument is neither here nor there because the present policing structure has equally been severally abused either covertly or overtly. In-spite of all the arguments against state police, the incontrovertible truth is that Nigeria is too huge and complex to be policed centrally.

A feasible and vibrant security structure is essential to maintain noteworthy development and guarantee the protection of life and property. The police as we currently have in the country might not be able to ensure effective security across the nation.

Currently, the police does not have up to 400, 000 personnel in a nation whose estimated population stands above 180 million.

This is the clear picture of an institution that is in dire need of restructuring.

Given the necessary political resolve, we can effectively operate State Police in the country. All we need to do is to give the subject the desired attention. If we are actually concerned about overcoming present security challenges in the country, we need to reconsider the issue of state police more sincerely and dispassionately. If Nigeria is truly in search of peace, this is a burning issue that must be tackled without further delay.

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

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11 Inside Lagos

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Rains leave Lagos in mega mess …as commuters groan, traffic worsens, potholes sink deeper Stories by JOSHUA BASSEY

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he recent weeks have been ‘hellish’ for residents, motorists and commuters in Nigeria’s former capital city, which population is estimated at over 21 million residents.

Lagos ordinarily is a congested city with its infrastructure in short supply, unable to cater to the ever increasing needs of the populace: be it shelter, roads, schools, hospitals, water supply and what have you.

Since the rainy season set in, March, it has been tales of woes for millions of residents, especially those in flood-prone areas, including parts of Lekki, Victoria Island, Ajegunle enroute Ikorodu,

Alimosho, Surulere, Ejigbo among other areas, as the rains have exposed the underbelly of Lagos and vulnerable state of its roads.

The flood situation has, however, worsened since the last one week, as the rains continue to pound daily, leaving major roads and inner streets, which were already in a state of disrepair, in even worse condition, with potholes expanding and sinking deeper.

Across the metropolis, commuters and motorists are complaining. They are seen trapped in traffic or wading through flooded roads and streets to reach their destinations.

The situation, findings show, has been exacerbated by the failure of the local councils and the state government, over the last four years, to clear drain-

Residents of Lagos wading through flooded Ikeja Along, on Agege Motor Road after the downpour on Friday.

Pictures by David Apara

ages, most of which are filled with solid and plastic wastes, as there is no welldefined government policy on the disposal of plastic wastes in the state.

Indiscriminate waste disposal is turning around

vehicles submerged in flood at Obadeyi, along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos.

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in 41 blocks of various categories of three, two and one-bedroom flats are now being made ready for handing over to allotees.

According to Akewusola, homes are constructed in line with global specifications.

“The houses and the attached facilities are certified to yield maximum benefits to the future owners.

All the buildings and appurtenances are constructed under strict supervision, to ensure strict adherence to specifications, hence there is full assurance of quality.

“The defect liability period of the project has also

Ever since 2017, we have had to wade through the flood any time it rains.

We want to appeal to the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to fix the road and drainage system here, said Ogundeji, a tricycle operator who runs between Jakande Low-cost Housing Estate Gate and Ikotun.

On Adeola Hopewell, a popular street in highbrow residential cum commercial Victoria Island, residents and business owners are miffed. Every heavy rain means the street would be left flooded for hours, with vehicles stuck in the waters.

In the Lekki area, including VGG Estate, the residents are living in trepidation.

Olorogun Emadoye, president, Lekki Estate Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), complained of the danger

Police arraign fake doctor in Badagry

Lagos promises policy to tackle housing deficit

agos State government says it will continue to articulate policies to easy quality and affordable houses towards bridging housing deficit in the state.

The state is estimated to be in deficit of about three million housing units.

Wasiu Akewusola, permanent secretary, Lagos State ministry of housing, gave the assurance while conducting a site inspection of LagosHOMS, Igando Gardens in Alimosho on Friday.

Akewusola said that the Igando housing scheme which had 492 home units

to hurt the residents and making life unbearable, as the drainages are clogged, unable to accommodate the volume of storm waters coming with the continuing downpour.

At Iyana Ejigbo, about 200 metres to the headquarters of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), in Alimosho area of the state, several vehicles were seen, Friday, trapped in the heavily flooded road, which a resident, Moses Ogundeji, attributed to collapse of the drainage system along that axis.

“We have lived with this since six years ago. But in 2015, the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode intervened. The road and gutters were rehabilitated. Unfortunately, the job was shoddy.

It didn’t take a long time before the drainage system collapsed again.

faced by the residents and stressed the need to tackle immobility, loss of lives and property caused by flooding in the area.

Emadoye wants Lagos and the federal government to collaborate and utilise the ecological funds to provide help for Lekki and its occupants.

“If you recall, three years ago, we had a situation. Before it gets to that stage again, we are appealing that the Federal Government should do something for Lagos out of the ecological funds because the challenge is really staring us in the face.”

In a telephone interview with Inside Lags, Abiodun Bamgboye, permanent secretary, Lagos State ministry of the environment, admitted there had been some lapses in the handling of issues relating to the environment and flooding in the state, which the new administration is currently addressing.

“There was a reform in the environment sector that took away a unit in the ministry of environment that was charged with managing and clearing drains across the state.

Our men were scattered but we are bringing them back under the new administration. We’re forming environmental gang. As we speak, our engineers have gone out to assess the situation and within the next two to three weeks, we are going public on specific measures to address the situation,” said Bamgboye.

lapsed, hence it is certified safe for habitation,’’ Akewusola said.

He reiterated government’s commitment to making sure that gaps in the provision of housing are filled through direct budgetary allocation and public private and joint venture partnerships.

“The Lagos government is poised to ensure that the housing needs of the population are met in a manner that observed gaps are filled from time to time by utilising all available options to reduce the problems of housing deficit in the state”.

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he police in Badagry, Lagos, have arraigned a 28-year Emeka On m e , w h o a l l e g e d l y impersonated a medical doctor and offered medical services to a community.

The defendant is facing a three-count charge of impersonation, fraud and breach of the peace before a Badagry Magistrate Court. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to the prosecutor, Clement Okuoimose, the defendant paraded himself as a medical doctor working at the Badagry General

Ho s p i t a l a n d o f f e r e d medical services to the inhabitants of Torikoh in Badagry.

The prosecutor said that the defendant committed the offences on June 18, at 8:30p.m, at Ajara Torikoh.

“The defendant obtained N160,000 from one Maria Ankpa of No. 7, Church Street, Tori k o h , Ba d a g r y, w i t h a promise to help her to secure employment, a representation he knew to be false. “ He a l s o c o l l e c t e d N5,000 from one Titilayo Ogun under the pretence to get her employment,” the prosecutor added.

He also said that the defendant conducted himself in manner likely to cause breach of the peace after he pretended to be a medical doctor and offered medical services to Torikoh inhabitants.

“The offences contravene sections 77, 312 and 166 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015,” the prosecutor said.

The chief magistrate, Aka Bashorun, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Bashorun adjourned the case till July 17 for further hearing.

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Politics There can’t be growth and development until Nigeria returns to federal system - Opadokun Ayo Opadokun, a former secretary of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), and convener of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, (CODER) in this exclusive interview with ZEBULON AGOMUO, Editor, expressed deep concern over the worsening insecurity in the country; the need for Nigeria to return to federal system of government and also the need for the youth of the country to take their future in their own hands. Excerpts: What is your reaction to the worsening insecurity across Nigeria. Governors and leaders of South West recently met in Ibadan on how to address the menace in the zone? enerally, I am convinced that the state of Nigeria’s security is grossly inadequate. Nigeria is not secured. There is threat to life and property; the primary duty of any government in modern world is the protection of life and property, and whenever it becomes impossible for government to fulfil that responsibility, such government has opened itself to public outcry and admixture of condemnation, hisses and revolt. But then, it will be unfair, it will be superficial to blame the current state of insecurity on President Buhari government alone; he has his own share of the blame, but the greater portion of the blame has to do with the system we are running.

One thing I can say for sure is that most Nigerians are guilty of the current state of insecurity that we have in the country.

This is because most Nigerians have been watching on the side-line while our basic constitution, the grand norm upon which Nigeria secured its independence, which was a federal constitution, was supplanted by military insurrection, and substituted it with a centralist, unitary government and what that has brought about is the fact that rather than tackle security which is universally local, Nigerian security is being configured from top to bottom. That is why you have a situation where even if they call the governors the Chief Security Officers of their states, it is a misgiving term, it is deceptive, and the governors themselves know that they do not function in that office at all. The police commissioner is responsible to the inspector general of police. So, he is not obliged to take instructions from the governor. I do not know of any political government, so to say, in the modern world except in the communist state that is centralised like our own where somebody you call governor, chief executive of his own component state of a country does not have an enforcement instrument, enforce laws made by his own state House of Assembly; that is the fundament error of our current security architecture. I can tell you this, I am even a promoter of the fact that until Nigeria is returned to a federal system of government there can be no growth, progress or development in the country.

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May be that justifies the call for State police in many quarters?

Yes, that is why the cry over state police and the likes, as far as I am concerned, it is just one of the fall-outs of the subversion of the basic features of federalism. Federalism presupposes that there is in existence of an heterogeneous people with their different likes, languages, traditions, customs, religions, artifacts, folklores, mores and the likes. So, in a federal constitutional arrangement all this differences would continue to

Ayo Opadokun

function in their areas of authority, but then they agree agreed to meet at the centre; they set up a central government to which they allocate shares of influence; this is better done together.

Who do we blame for this anomaly?

Well, a situation where, like the military arrangement, their forced decree, the primitive enforcement of power decree, of 1966, they appropriated over 66 percent (twothird) 2/3 of the powers and authorities of the regions to the central government.

By the time the military left, they had appropriated 70 percent of the powers and authorities of the regions to themselves.

But then again, there’s another fundamental thing they did- they appropriated all the major means of raising resources which normally belong to the region in which they can finance their responsibilities to their people. When you have a situation like that, the centre becomes too unwieldy, too much of resources, unaccountable for at the central level and then the states have to cap-in-hand to the central government to get resource; then the so-call central government becomes a so-call father Christmas of a kind. Almost every governor will have to go to Abuja or one of his assistant would have to go to get resource; that is not the constitution that we fashioned for ourselves; it is an imposition of the military, but most Nigerians don’t talk about it. It is bad, and that is the fundamental error. So, the grossly inadequate, inefficient security in the country is just one of the fall-outs of the subversion of the federal constitutional arrangement which was negotiated by our founding fathers, knowing that Nigeria is a heterogeneous society. So, now, centralising, militarising everything is the cause of the current crisis we have in the country, and as long as those who have benefited unduly by the prolonged military dictator-

ship in Nigeria, they would continue to want to retain this anomalous situation along with the current warped, lopsided national structure. That is the cause of the security crisis we have. When would Nigeria stand up to its feet; when would Nigeria stand up to be counted and restore true federalism in the country?

Over the years, some of you have remained consistent, campaigning for the realisation of a dream Nigeria. Some of you suffered to ensure that the military regimes ended in the country, yet, the lamentation has not ended. When do you think we would begin to enjoy that dream Nigeria?

I can tell you, I am not a ‘lamentator’. I don’t get emotionally moved by lamentation, either. I have never engaged in lamentation, I have played by part, and that is why I am still talking to you. By so doing I am play-

I can tell you this, I am even a promoter of the fact that until Nigeria is returned to a federal system of government there can be no growth, progress or development in the country

ing my part. But I believe that the younger people have to take up their destiny in their hands. They should ask questions, and stop opportunistic collaborations. You don’t continue to grumble silently against what you consider to be wrong. You have a right as citizen of the country; you have a right to demand for a change; for a reversal. What God has have given me the grace to do, I have spent the greater part of my life doing what I think is right. I have spent a better portion of my adulthood fighting for the right of Nigerians; I am not relenting that is why I have been responding. It is a challenge to the young people; they have to play their part. We know that in a normal setting, the society is divided into three levels- the nouveau riche (up there), the middle class and the lower rung. Ordinarily, it is the middle class who must force concession from the nouveau riche to themselves and then it percolates to the lower rung of the ladder, but whenever a society is unlucky that the middle class are a bunch of people who are fun lovers, pleasure-seekers and busy with mundane things, they want to marry new wives or have new concubines, they want to send their children to the elitist schools, either locally or abroad; they want to buy new customised cars or yachts; once that is their preoccupation, then such society is unlikely to develop; because the theme of their life is that if you can’t beat them, you join them. It is like that game of ‘chop I chop’, or a game of turn by turn. Young people today, as soon as they are getting out of school, they want to ride in a jeep and they are imagining that it would soon be their turn. Whatever dubious behaviour they can engage in for them to ride a jeep, they don’t care; that is what interests them; what would make the society better does not interest them and it is of little consequence to them. When you have such a society, you are in trouble; that is what we face here.

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13

Politics Travails, triumphs of APC with Oshiomhole in the saddle

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James Kwen, Abuja

he ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has faced many travails just as it made some triumphs during the one year reign of Adams Oshiomhole in the saddle as the party’s National Chairman.

Oshiomhole was declared National Chairman of APC on June 24, 2018 by Abubakar Badaru, governor of Jigawa State and chairman of the 2018 national convention in which the former Edo State governor was the only person contesting for the position.

Badaru had declared that, “Adams Oshiomhole has been returned unopposed for the position of national chairman, there will be no election. So, I will ask you if you affirm him as chairman, you answer ‘affirm’ or say ‘aye’ when I ask for affirmation”.

At least three aspirants, Osareimen Osunbor, former governor of Edo State, Clement Ebri, former governor of Cross River State and Ibrahim Emokpai had contested against Oshiomhole but withdrew from race at the twilight of the convention.

The elated new APC Chairman in his inaugural speech promised to rebuild and reposition the party ahead of 2019 general election.

He pledged that under his leadership, the APC would support the three arms of government and ensure cordial relationship among them.

“We have come in to build on what we met and to reposition our party as we approach 2019. We want to go beyond being electoral platform to a party that is guided by its Constitution and manifesto”, Oshiomhole asserted.

Soon after Oshiomhole assumed office, APC was plunged into crises contrary to his pledge but in confirmation of the predictions of Kawu Baraje, then leader of the New People’s Democratic Party bloc within the APC and Dino Melaye, lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District who was still a member of the APC that the party was heading to doom with Oshiomhole in the saddle.

Baraje said the foundation of the convention which produced Oshiomhole was shaky as it was held despite the fact that there were lawsuits in Courts against the party arising from parallel congresses in over 18 states of the federation, a signal for serious crises.

Melaye on the other hand described the ascendance of the former Edo State governor to the coveted seat of APC National Chairman as the beginning of the “political obituary” of the party.

Barely one month of Oshiomhole Chairmanship, was APC hit by a political tsunami in which about 20 Senators and 40 members of the House of Representatives dumped the party for the main opposition People’s Democratic Party.

The defection of the lawmakers was swiftly followed by a mother of all defections led by the then President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ahmed Abdulfatah of Kwara State and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State with thousands of their supporters and subsequently, Yakubu Dogara, then Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Almost all the defectors cited crises and injustice in the APC with fingers pointed at the National Chairman as the reasons for their defections but Oshiomhole remained unperturbed and rather claimed he was not losing sleep as the defectors were big masquerades without political value.

His reaction to the gale of defections was

Adams Oshiomhole

that, “this party that I am privileged to chair is not worried at all, we are not disturbed. I am not going to miss my sleep and we will go into the campaign.

“Check the electoral results, you will find that a lot of those who claimed to have defected, on a good day, the votes they got that made them members of the Senate, our President got much more votes in their constituencies. So, we are not fooled at all”.

After the defections, came the acrimonious primaries following the introduction of the direct method in which all registered party members participate in the nomination of candidates unlike the indirect method where only selected delegates vote.

Though some states insisted and adopted the indirect method, there were crises as other factions used the direct approach leading to parallel primaries that leave sour taste in the mouth of the party during and after the elections.

The direct primaries pitched many governors, ministers and senators who were stripped of powers of selecting delegates that could do their biddings via indirect primary against Oshiomhole leading to political overheat in APC. Noted victims were then Governors Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State who lost second term ticket, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun and Rochas Okorocha of Imo whose governorship candidates, lost primary elections; Abduraziz Yari of Zamafara State.

Particularly, Yari Senatorial primaries and his candidates for other elections were rejected by the Independent National Electoral (INEC) and their victories at the general elections recently overturned by the Supreme Court, making Zamfara a PDP State against the wishes of APC stakeholders, particularly those from the North.

Another episode was the Rivers State primary elections in which the Rotimi Amaechi,

former Minister of Transportation-led faction and that of the Magnus Abe, then senator for Rivers South East conducted parallel primaries, a development that denied APC in the state the opportunity to field candidates for the 2019 general election, causing the party 100percent failure in the oil-rich state.

The crisis-ridden party primaries superintended by Oshiomhole has caused APC untold set back particularly to the extent that there have been calls for the removal of the former labour leader.

For instance, Lawal Shuaibu, APC Deputy National Chairman (North) in a letter demanded for nothing less than Oshiomhole’s resignation, accusing him of the party’s woes since 2018, culminating in loss of some states to the PDP, especially the Zamfara saga.

“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

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

experience to run a political party.

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

“Or even the task of recreating the party where it is on the path of extinction, 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.

“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”.

Be that as it may, credit to Oshiomhole, he had in the last one year of his stewardship led APC to victory in the 2019 general election as the party’s Presidential Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner by INEC having scored 15. 2 million votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who scored 10.8 million votes.

Also, APC under Oshiomhole won majority of seats in the National Assembly with 63 senators and 190 Members of the House of Representatives while it clung governorship slots in 15 states but the Zamfara ruling brought it to 14 out of the 29 states where governorship elections were held.

Again, the combatant National Chairman ensured that the party’s preferred candidates emerged presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly unlike in 2015 when forces outside APC infiltrated its ranks to produce leadership of the 8th Assembly against the party’s choice.

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Politics Uproar over moves by INEC to de-register ‘mushroom’ political parties Iniobong Iwok

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bout 91 political parties fielded candidates in the just concluded 2019 general election in Nigeria.

At such figure, Nigeria, perhaps, has the highest number of registered political parties on the African continent.

The 84,271,832 registered voters equally make the country’s democracy the largest in Africa.

However, prior to August 2018, the country had 68 registered political parties which participated in the 2015 general election.

The registration of such high number of political parties, few months to the commencement of the general election by INEC came as a surprise to political observers in the country; who argued that most of the newly registered parties lacked capacity and structure across the country to make any meaningful impact in the 2019 general election.

Multi political party arrangement is not new to Nigeria’s electoral system. In the First and Second Republics, the country had multiparty system, but the Nigerian’s People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) emerged the two dominant political parties.

Tafawa Balewa of (NPC) who was named prime minister and Head of Government, and Nnamdi Azikiwe of (NCNC) was named president, controlled the administration.

Equally in the Second Republic, similar situation was the order of the day, despite the presence of multiplicity of political parties, only National Party of Nigeria (NPN) dominated the political scene and produced the Shehu Shagari as the first elected executive President of Nigeria.

In 1999, during the advent of the Fourth Republic, the country had only three political parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

But the PDP, however, dominated Nigeria’s political scene for 16 years, until that dominance was cut short by the then newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015; the APC subsequently won most elective positions in the country, including the presidency.

However, as stakeholders, parties, INEC take stock of the 2019 general election, there have been calls for the de-registration of nonperforming or under-performing political parties in the country.

Some stakeholders are of the view that the large number of parties had further congested the ballot paper and created more electoral logjam.

It is a common knowledge that several of the smaller parties only exist in name; several of them do not have a functional party secretariat, while some are controlled by an individual or group with no elected national or state executives.

Observers are of the view that a large portion of the parties are not registered for any altruistic reason but for personal aggrandisement or selfish motives of their promoters. At

Mahmood Yakubu

best, they serve as medium for negotiation for political patronage.

Legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN) recently called on INEC to trim down the parties to the barest minimum, saying that judging by their performance and the 2018 amendment to section 225 of the 1999 constitution which empowers INEC to deregister political parties, not more than 10 of the 91 political parties would survive the constitutional hurdle.

His position was also supported by a civil society group, Youth Alliance for Democratic Advancement (YADA) which believes that the proliferation of political parties is adversely affecting the nation’s electoral process.

Some political observers have also argued that the country could do better with a two party system; just like what was experienced in the Third Republic, where the National Reconciliation convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) were the two political parties.

Political commentator, lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) John Bayeisha, noted that the current multi-party system has not done the nation any good, stressing that two party system would stabilise the nation’s democracy.

“We don’t need more than two parties; it was good for us during the NRC and SDP era; what often happens is that in Nigeria we throw away the baby with bath water; it was because Babangida annulled the June 12 election, that is why that system was discarded.

“But if you look at the so-called multi-party system, is not doing us any good; some of them can’t win election in their family. INEC cannot say they do not have the powers to deregister political parties; there is a law that gives them power to register party; that same law also states how they can be delisted.

“And if what they are saying is true, let them send a bill to the National Assembly; I am sure the lawmakers would support that,” he said.

INEC had recently insisted that there was the likelihood of some of the parties being delisted, but is also seeking a total electoral reforms to empower them to carry out a review of the electoral process.

Speaking in an interview with BDSUNDAY recently, Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and chairman of the commission’s committee on information and voter education, noted that the commission actions must be backed by law.

“We would be guided by law on the issue, it is constitutional provision; the amendment of the electoral law is clear on our mandate.

It is only an amendment to the electoral Act that would make that possible,” he said Okoye further canvassed a dialogue among stakeholders in the country on the issue, stressing that the commission will seek a reform of the electoral process after the completion of the 2019 general election.

Okoye, however, admitted recently while delivering a keynote address at the on-going state level review of the 2019 general elec-

tion held in Makurdi, Benue State, that the number of political parties must be trimmed.

“The Electoral Legal Framework for the management and conduct of elections in Nigeria must be aligned and realigned to accord with the lessons and realities of the 2019 general elections.

“The chairman of INEC has flagged off conversation relating to the number and quality of political parties in Nigeria. Presently, there are 91 registered political parties in Nigeria and 73 of the said political parties fielded candidates for the 2019 presidential elections.”

“At the time the commission suspended registration of new political parties before the 2019 general election, 11 associations had paid the one-million-naira administrative fee for registration. Out of the 11, one (Boot Party) was formally advised that its application failed but later the commission was informed by the legal department that the said party had been registered through the instrumentality of the court.

“Nigerians must engage in root and branch review of the number of registered parties in Nigeria. The present framework for the registration of political parties is inadequate to guarantee the registration of qualitative, membership-driven and ideologically-propelled political parties,” he further said.

According to him, “Some of the political parties are mere platforms and have no concrete and visible presence in most states of the federation. The presence of too many political parties on our ballot papers has in some instances confused some of our compatriots that are not well-endowed in literacy.

“It has bloated the ballot papers and result sheets and trucking them to the polling units has become a logistics nightmare.”

The smaller political parties, have however, described the plan as undemocratic, vowing to challenge any attempt by INEC to delist them.

The vice presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Gani Galadima, said that deregistration is not the right step, adding that parties need time to evolve because of the peculiar nature of the Nigerian system.

“That is the position of the law now, that parties could be de-registered, but if you look at it vis-a-vis the fundamental human rights of actions expressed in the constitution, there is freedom of association, talking about association; political parties are also part of the association.”

National chairman of Action Democratic Party (ADP) Sanni Yabagi, blamed INEC for the problems which characterised the 2019 election, wondering why the commission was shifting the blames to the parties.

“The problem is not with the number of political parties in the system, it is about INEC; how ready they are for election and to conduct a free and fair election.

“If you conduct a free and fair election, even unknown parties that present a credible candidates would compete and do well, in this kind of system, it is not possible, INEC can just say they want to delist parties,” he said.

Sunday 30 June 2019

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BDSUNDAY 15

Focus

Bola Tinubu

Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa

Bukola Saraki

Are political dynasties (1999-2019) undermining Nigeria’s development?

INNOCENT ODOH & JAMES KWEN, Abuja AND INIOBONG IWOK, Lagos

A

ll over the world, there are families that have built themselves into dynasties. Such families recognise politics as family business and latch on to it.

Theirnamescomeupineverypolitical discourse in their countries. In most places, they are revered for their great contributions to the political, social and economic developments of their nations. While the motive of some political families, as they are referredtoinsomeplaces,wasrightand genuine, such cannot be said of some others who are driven by avarice and inordinate ambition.

Although,itissaidthatinAmerican politics, ‘dynasty’ is a dirty word, the system has been entrenched in the country’s politics.

“ThefoundingfathersofAmerica, forinstance,wentonrecordaswholeheartedlyobjectingtopowerflowing through blood rather than ballot, declaring in the US Constitution that ‘no title of nobility shall be granted by the United States.’ The narrative of one of the country’s most prominent political families, the Kennedys, even avoids the dreaded d-word,” a report said.

Accordingtothereport,“Inreality, however, it took just about as much time for the ink to dry on the Declaration of Independence as it did for Americanpoliticstobecomeanother type of family business. In 1848, for example, more than 16 percent of congressional seats were filled by someone whose relative had previously held the position. Moreover, a 2006 study found that Congress members who serve more than one term have a 40 percent chance of someone in their family later ending up in Congress. That doesn’t imply that these family trees are full of rot-

ten apples, but they may cultivate relationships and connections that can help siblings, cousins and in-laws win elections as with any successful business operation.”

Most dynasties, however, die out naturally,whilesomeareoverthrown violently.

It is not any different in Nigeria.

Since 1999, the advent of the 4th Republic, political offices have been dominated by families whose members have held one political position oranotherwithinthisperiod.Analysts converge on the belief that there is nothing wrong with the quest for political power, but that the problem is in what to do with power.

In Nigeria, the dynastic rule of the military had created deleterious political vestiges co-opted by the political players as soon as the nation returned to civil rule and this has led to politicians collaborating with the traditional institutions and the high echelon of the civil service to create political fiefdoms in order to capture theresourcesofthestatetoappropriate and consume.

During its history, the United States has seen many families who have repeatedly produced notable politiciansfromtheirranks,andthese families have had a significant impact onpoliticsintheUnitedStatesandthe Americas.

Many of these families moved to national prominence from a state or regional power base. According to Wikipedia, “The Long family, for example, is identified with Louisiana, the Harrisons and Lees with Virginia, the Roosevelts with New York, the Daleys with Illinois and more specifically Chicago, the Muhlenbergs with Pennsylvania, and the Tafts with Ohio.”

It also noted that, “other political families are less connected with a specific state. For example, the Bush family entered politics in Ohio and

Connecticut,butisnowmoreclosely identified with Texas and Florida.

Members of the Rockefeller family havebeenelectedinNewYork,West Virginia, and Arkansas. Kennedy family members have been elected in New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and California, in addition to their primary base of Massachusetts. The Clinton family moved quickly from Arkansas to nationalpolitics,withbothBillandHillary elected to positions in the Federal Government.

Some of these dynasties have had a succession of leaders at both the state and national levels started by a political patriarch from a certain family or region and later succeeded either by their wives or children.

The Tinubu dynasty

”

Tinubu’s power was further boosted after he again helped the APC to retain power at the centre by returning President Buhari in 2019, and most significantly also imposed his godson, Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the House of Representatives...

Perhaps, one of the most prominent political dynasties in Nigeria’s democraticexperienceisthepolitical empire of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the acclaimed national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Tinububestridesthepoliticallandscape of Lagos State like a colossus. He emerged as governor of the state in 1999. He served two terms and then handedoverpowertohishandpicked successor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who he supported to also do two termsasgovernorbetween2007and 2015. Since 1999, he has determined who gets what in the distribution of political offices, no matter the office.

The fact that the Jagaban of Borgu as he is fondly called exerted enormous influence was not in doubts when he became the indisputable kingmaker in the state. In 2015, Tinubu installed the recently out-gone governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode and was the arrowhead of thosewhodislodgedthegovernment of President Goodluck Jonathan of thePeople’sDemocraticParty(PDP) at the centre in 2015. The beneficiaries of his stupendous political leverage are current President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, another acolyte of Tinubu.

Through his political shrewdness, Tinubu also imposed his wife Oluremi as senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, after he displaced the cerebral and colorful Senator Olorunmibe Mamora.

Oluremi is serving her third term as Ssenator now after she was reelectedinthe2019election,courtesy of the Tinubu magic.

Tinubu’spowerwasfurtherboostedafterheagainhelpedtheAPCtoretain power at the centre by returning President Buhari in 2019, and most significantlyalsoimposedhisgodson, Femi Gbajabiamila as speaker of the House of Representatives and his ally Ahmed Lawan as president of

the Senate. Meanwhile,Tinubu also halted the ambition of estranged godson, Ambode, who allegedly “violated” the Tinubu code and was shown the way out as he failed to get a second term ticket which was handed over to BabajideSanwo-Olu as Lagos State governor.

His political fortune is on the high but judging by the maxim that kingdomsriseandwane,Tinubu’spolitical dynasticmaywellsufferoverstretch, dwindle and probably collapse in no distant time as factors that lead to the fall of dynasties are embedded in his dynasty.

The Saraki dynasty The most visible face of the Saraki political dynasty is the immediate past President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

Bukola is the son of the late strongman of Kwara politics, Abubakar Olusola Saraki who was President of the Senate in the Second Republic. The Saraki dynasty held Kwara “hostage” and dominated the state such that the Junior Saraki later became governor of the state between 2003 and 2011(two terms) and took the Senate seat of Kwara central afterwards. His sister, Gbemi, was also in the Senate between 2003 and 2011. However, her quest to become governor caused disaffection in the dynasty as Bukola was said to have opposed her choice and worked to scuttle that ambition which pitched him against his late father Olusola.

In 2015, Bukola played a fast one on his colleagues in the APC, and snatched the seat of the President of the Senate against the decision of the party leadership. He however, did not enjoy his reign as President of the Senate as he suffered one crisis after another, induced by the APC bigwigs and elements in the Continues on page 16

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Focus

Are political dynasties (1999-2019) undermining Nigeria’s...

Continued from page 15

Presidencyopposedtohisambition.

He was tagged a ‘rebel’ and all manner of conspiracies were invented to punish him. He survived but not for too long.

As is the manner of some dynasties that do not die a natural death, but violently thrust aside, Bukola Saraki finally bowed to the people’s will as the ‘Otoge’ movement spearheaded by the former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, inflicted a deadly political wound on him, causing a colossal defeat on him at the 2019 polls.

The people of Kwara Central were emphatic in their rejection of Saraki and he has since recoiled into his political lair, probably re-strategising for a comeback. How soon he will bounce back remains within the realm of conjectures. This development is also a major setback for the Saraki dynasty such that for the first time in 20 years of democracy, the Saraki influence has dwindled such that there is perhaps, nowhere the Sarakis are represented in government now. May be, this is a relief for the state but it could be too early to draw conclusions.

Bukar Abba Ibrahim dynasty Bukar Abba Ibrahim was governor of Yobe State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Before then, he had served as governor of the state from January 1992 to November 1993 during the botched Third Republic.

Bukar Ibrahim later took the Senate seat of Yobe East in the NationalAssemblyandremained there until 2019 when he was said to have stepped down for the out-gone governor Ibrahim Gaidam.

However, while Bukar Abba retained the Senate seat, his wife Khadija was in the House of Representatives for Damaturu/Gujba/ Gulani/Tarmuwa in Yobe State on the platform of the APC. In 2016, she was made the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari. But she has since returned to her constituency after she was again voted to represent the Damaturu/Gujba/Gulani/ Tarmuwa federal constituency. This family and their allies have for so long dominated the political affairs of this highly volatile state ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.

There is a hotchpotch of other political dynasties such as that of Zainab Bulkachuwa, the head of the Appeal Court, whose husband, Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, emerged senator for Bauchi North Senatorial district on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Her son was also said to have contested governorship position in the state and is allegedly poised for ministerial appointment.

The Theodore Orji dynasty Theodore Ahamefule Orji was elected governor of Abia State on April 14, 2007. He won the election while in detention, and got re-elected on April 26, 2011. He was formerly a career civil servant, and served as the chief of staff to Orji Uzor Kalu. He is touted to have facilitated the emergence of Okezie Ikpeazu as his successor in 2015.

On April 11, 2015, he won the Abia Central Senate election and was re-elected to represent the people

Bukar-Abba-Ibrahim

Governor George Akume of Abia Central senatorial district on February 23, 2019. His son, Chinedu, was recently elected as the speaker of the Abia State House ofAssembly.BDSUNDAYgathered that although Ikpeazu is physically present at the Government House, Umuahia as governor, the real governor of the state is Theodore Orji, who is said to determine the direction of governance from where he sits in the Senate in Abuja. It is feared that with his son at the helms of affairs in the state’s legislature, the Ikpeazu administration is a mere rubber stamp of the Orji family’s decision, any time.

These among many others in the country show that Nigeria is under the clutch of godfathers and their allies in what some analysts describe as “unproductive and consumerist

political dynasties”. This development appears to have strangled the political space and prevented genuine leadership that will ensure social good in the largest possible scale for the generality of the people.

The George Akume dynasty In Benue State, since 1999, George Akume, a former two-term governor and four-term senator represents a political dynasty.

Akume, a retired permanent secretary like his kinsman, the late Senator J.S. Tarka, First Republic minister, Second Republic senator and minority right crusader, carved a political niche for himself that culminated in a political dynasty in terms of appointment and elections.

In 1999, when he became governor, he facilitated the appointment of a former Senate President, Iorchia Ayu who is from the same Jemgbah

lineage and repeated same in 2003.

His Chief of Staff was from the same axis, the Chairman of SUPEB, Vice Chancellor of the Benue State University, and juicy cabinet and parastatal appointments at the state and federal were domiciled within the Jemgbah family.

Akume also worked for the emergence of his kinsman and local government chairman, the late Baver Dzereamo as the national president of Association of Local governments in Nigeria (ALGON) and facilitated the appointment of a former Auditor-General of the Federation, all from his Mbakor.

At a time, while in the Senate, Akume made his immediate younger brother, the late Williams Dajo the Chairman of Tarka Local Government and his immediate elder brother, the late Gabriel Akume, the Chairman Tarka Traditional Council and Ter Mbakor 1. After Williams’demise, he supported the wife, Phoebe, to become deputy chairman and later, Chairperson of the local government.

Senator Akume migrated to the Senate at the expiration of his tenure as governor in 2007 and has maintained firm grip on Benue political structure. Apart from putting in place a successor, former Gabriel Suswam, he also helped Samuel Ortom to become governor.

It is also instructive that 80percent of elected and appointed political office holders in Benue since 1999 to date, have been supported or planted by Akume.

For instance, he ensured the return of former President of the Senate, David Mark to the red chamber in 2003,; supported his earlier political godfather, Barnabas Gemade, to get APC Senatorial ticket in 2015 to defeat Gabriel Suswam.

In fact, the three Senators from Benue now are products of the Akume political dynasty. Suswam was supported by Akume to be re-elected to the House of Representatives in 2003 and was made governor in 2007. OrkerJev who defeated Akume in what look like father vs son fight to Senate has since 2007, when he was elected to House of Representatives, been Akume’s political god son. Abba Moro was Chairman through the eight years Akume was governor and made ALGON Chairman by Akume.

Analysts’ views Speaking to BDSUNDAY, a public affairs analyst, Majeed Dahiru, said the issue of the emergence of political dynasties in the Nigerian political space is only a symptom of a big ailment and that ailment is the Nigerian political system fundamentally premised on sentiments of geography, ethnicity and religion, which he noted are exploited by the elite.

“It is these sentiments that that leaders take advantage of to convert our political process into a criminal franchise, which has led to state capture for self-service. That is why you see dynasties emerging, rising and falling and fighting among themselves for the control of the Nigerian resources,” he said.

He noted that this situation has arrested Nigeria’s development such that in 20 years of democracy not much progress has been made in terms of socio-economic and political development.

Dahiru also lamented that the people in the name of democracy vest legitimacy on this aberration of leadership, stressing that until something fundamental is done,it will continue this way for a long time to come.

“Nothing can be done about it except there is elite consensus on the need to move away from such disruptive and destructive political culture that created a monster struggling to destroy us all.

“So, it has to be a self-enlightened realisation that this system is no longer sustainable and the effects are here already. Nigeria today has become one of the most unsafe parts of the earth, the poorest in the world and of course, one of the most corrupt in the world. It simply tells you that a few people have appropriated the resources of the state at the expense of the collective will of the people,” he said.

“But I feel this to be a trigger to the self-consciousness that will put an end to the current hemorrhage in the country,” he further said.

Perry Opara, national chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP), explained that there is really nothing wrong with dynastic political power blocs if it will help bring good stability and growth to the country, citing the US as an example of where there are political dynasties but having good governance and development.

“There is nothing wrong with dynasty even in advanced democracy like US, people hold on to power and want those who support them to win. For instance, Donald Trump wants Sanders to be governor of Arkansas because she served well and Trump is very popular in Arkansas. That is what it is; you want your people to be in position to ensure that things get well for you as long as there is stability,” he said.

Speaking with BDSUNDAY on the subject matter, National Chairman of the Providence People’s Congress (PPC), one of the parties that featured a presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, Adeturner Benson, said the ordinary people have borne the brunt of the dynastic misrule and called on the people to rise against it before it totally destroys the nation.

“We are suffering in the midst of plenty, everywhere is chaotic we are worse than the state of nature that Thomas Hobbes called nasty, brutish and short. It behooves on the ordinary people to rise against this type of dynastic misrule in the country. But it takes a lot of efforts and we must make those efforts,” he said. He lamented that there is no democracy in Nigeria yet, adding that it is for the highest bidder.

He said that Nigeria has lost the essence of governance and also castigated the dynastic stranglehold of the cabal in the civil service.

“You are talking about the politicians, come down to the level of civil servants, they are also an institution in their own right that behave as if they are colonial masters. You want to get anything from them if don’t pay certain amount, you don’t get it. This is the sad situation,” he said.

Many have posited that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

However, some are skeptical about the fate of the nation having been allegedly captured by the dynastic blocs for narrow aggrandisement.

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BDSUNDAY 17

PROLOGUE

The church and Nigeria’s economic growth A

lthough churches do not pay taxes, they have, over the years contributed significantly to the Nigerian economy, in so many ways. The SUNDAY MAGAZINE looks at the various ways through which it

has positively impacted the economy. It is believed that ‘The Church is doing more than tax payment’; ‘The Church is a source of empowerment’; ‘The Church, beyond soul winning’, and indeed, ‘Nigeria reaping hugely from Church’s construction activities.’

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Nigeria reaping hugely from Churches’ construction activities

B

CHUKA UROKO esides preaching the gospel, winning souls for Christ and preparing believers for God’s kingdom, the church is also an integral part of the society in which it exists. Contrary to the views in some quarters, the church is not a withdrawn community that is unconcerned with the happenings in, and problems of contemporary society.

The church, over the years, has made positive contributions towards the economic development of nations and it does this in various ways. One of such ways is construction which involves the erecting of structures, especially church buildings.

More by default than design, the church has become a major player in the construction industry in Nigeria, more so with the growth of Pentecostalism which, apart from erecting large and complex church buildings with modern architecture, also delves into commercial buildings such as schools, hospitals and prime commercial office buildings.

The construction industry plays an important role in the economy of any nation. The activities of the industry are also vital to the achievement of national socioeconomic development goals of providing shelter, infrastructure and employment.

Though the industry is not given its deserved place in Nigeria, its activities affect nearly every aspect of the economy. It is quite vital to the continued growth of the economy, hence the slow growth it suffers.

In spite of this, the industry contributes significantly to Nigeria’s GDP. Available records show that its contribution to the country’s GDP in the first quarter of 2019 was N671448.37 million, up from N662431.53 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. It average contribution to GDP from 2010 until 2019 is From N574132.56 million, reaching an all time high of N747860.30 million in the second quarter of 2018, and a record low of N369190.91million in the third quarter of 2010.

It is not impossible that a sizeable proportion of these contributions came from church-related construction activities, given how much some of them have invested in church-focused buildings and also in various segments of real estate, including residential, commercial and even retail.

Only recently, Deeper Life Bible Church, one of the old generation Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, commissioned a church auditorium that is touted as the largest so far in Nigeria with its sitting capacity put in excess of 30,000 worshippers.

Conservatively, that edifice sits on about 10,000 square metres, meaning that it must have provided jobs for a large number of skilled and unskilled labour, contractors, food vendors, sundry material suppliers, etc.

Construction industry, whether we are talking about construction of roads, rails and bridges, or about real estate, is the biggest employer of labour. Ibikunle Ogunbayo, past president of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN) and also past president

of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), explained to BDSUNDAY in an interview that when N100 million is invested in oil and gas sector, it could create about 20 jobs but if the same amount of money is invested in construction, it will create jobs for over 50 workers.

Paul Onwuanibe, CEO, Landmark Group, agrees, adding that one square metre of real estate activity, for instance, creates jobs for three people, meaning that a real estate activity on 1000 square metres space creates 3,000 direct and indirect jobs are created.

For Deeper Life’s 10,000 square metre auditorium, it is difficult to quantify the amount of jobs that could have been created in the course of its building. All these workers earned income from the work they did on the project. This

income was spent in the economy as house rents, car maintenance, electricity bills, food for the family, and support for dependants, church offerings, etc. All these are contributions to the economy.

The same church opened a university, Anchor, a couple of years ago. A university is a metaphor for iconic structures for classrooms, students’ halls of residents, administrative buildings, etc. Constructing these structures is always capital intensive and this capital are spent in the economy to buy building materials, pay workers, buy equipment, fixtures and fittings, etc.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is another old generation Pentecostal church that embarks on big ticket projects. Apart from its expansive church auditorium and equally

expansive university campus along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the church has also built many estates that employed and still employing workers to build and also providing shelter for people.

A province of the church, The City of David, in Oniru area of Lagos, is currently undertaking the building of a 14-floor threetower commercial Grade A office space known as Trinity Towers with a frontline construction firm, ITB Nigeria Limited, as the main contractor.

Trinity Towers has an estimated construction cost of N5 billion.

This huge amount will be spent in the course of the construction of the building to pay workers and procure the needed materials for the building. One way or another, the money so spent goes back into the economy and makes significant contribution to the growth of the same economy and well being of the people.

It needs be pointed out, however, that the construction industry in Nigeria is still dominated by foreign interests. Most of the big ticket projects in the construction industry are cornered by foreign firms who, as a rule repatriate part of their earnings to their home countries, while the local economy suffers.

The Federal government should do well to take the issue of local content in the construction industry serious so that substantial income from the industry, including the little ones earned by artisans from neighbouring countries, such as Togo and Ghana, are retained in the country so as to grow the economy.

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BDSUNDAY 19

Sunday Magazine

The Church: Beyond soul wining…

I

OBINNA EMELIKE n 2016, precisely June, hoteliers in Ikotun area of Lagos under the aegis of Pilgrims Hostels Association of Nigeria decried their dwindling fortune, courtesy of the accident that claimed the lives of 117 pilgrims at the Synagogue Church of All Nations and the consequent disagreement with the Lagos State government.

Though the case is rested now and business has improved for the hoteliers, then their challenge was the selling of mere 350 rooms to the pilgrims instead of the normal 3,500 bed spaces sold before the accident when the business was booming.

Jerry Omoridion, spokesperson of the hoteliers, said they lost over N3.9 billion revenue during the several months of lull in business.

The taxi drivers, craft and souvenir dealers, airport charter and tour operators, among other businesses almost shutdown because pilgrims; their source of income, were not coming in great numbers again.

Imagine the amount made by hawkers, souvenir dealers, food vendors, event managers, hotels, transportation companies among others from the Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Deeper Life Bible Church retreats and leadership trainings, Living Faith Chapel’s Shiloh, among other crowd-pulling events by other churches.

Of course, if you attended any of the Experience concerts

by Church on the Rock, you will discover that world-class event management companies were paid handsomely to install the well-lit stages.

Ikechi Uko, tourism and hospitality expert, says the economic and image-making benefits of the swelling pilgrimage to Nigerian religious centres by foreigners can never be over-emphasised.

It is estimated at over N10 billion annually, and could be more with improvement on promotion, and the collation of visitors’ data and expenditure pattern.

Beyond soul wining, the huge contribution of the church in education cannot be over-emphasized. As one elder statesman once asked, “Tell me one prominent person today that did not pass through the tutelage of a missionary school?”

Truly, the church has been the fortress of educational development in Nigeria, laying foundation for students who further consolidate on them to excel in various career paths. Hope Waddell Training Institution Calabar, founded by the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1895, is one of the pioneers of education in Nigeria that produced some of the personalities that fought for Nigerian independence.

From Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ni-

geria’s first president, Akanu Ibiam, Governor of Eastern Region, Nigeria, Dennis Osadebay, premier of the Mid-Western Region of Nigeria, Eni Njoku, first vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, Kingsley O. Mbadiwe, former government minister, to many others, the impact of the school is felt even today across all spheres of the economy.

The likes of Dennis Memorial Grammar School Onitsha, the first college in the Eastern Nigeria, Methodist College Uzoakoli, CMS Grammar School in Bariga, the oldest secondary school in Ni-

geria, founded on June 6, 1859 by the Church Missionary Society, Baptist Academy Lagos, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos Saint Annes School, Ibadan, among others have countless impacts till date.

Today, the church is still rescuing the educational sector and quality of education, which went down when missionary schools were taken over by the government. From Covenant University

by Living Faith, Evangel University

by Assemblies of God Church, Anchor University by Deeper Life, Redeemer University by the

Redeemed Christian Church of God, Bowen University by Baptist Church, among others that are running and in pipeline, including nursery, primary and secondary schools, the church is still at the forefront educational development.

Many churches across the country have also stepped beyond the spiritual to setting up business ventures that are impacting the economy.

Th e As s e m b l i e s o f Go d Church, popularly known as AG, is among the churches doing well in business with the estab-

lishment of AG Mortgage Bank Plc incorporated in July, 2004.

Since then, the primary mortgage institution has gone ahead to woo customers including church members to its products and services.

According to Nnanna Ikechukwu Henry, head, Construction Finance, AG Mortgage Bank Plc, the mortgage home with loan portfolio of over N2 billion is wellreceived in the market.

As well, AG Homes has executed some projects across the country while ongoing ones include: SallY Best Estate in Gwarimpa, Abuja, Evangel Court, Lekki, Lagos, Evangel Gardens, Pocket Layout Enugu, Evangel Estate, Ogbeke Enugu, and Marvel Heights Estate, Isheri North Lagos State.

The mortgage institution targets low income earners as the church’s contribution to helping people own their houses, alleviate sufferings and help in closing the housing deficit in the country.

Besides its printing press that makes money from printing devotionals and other materials for the church and others clients, Assemblies of God also runs secondary schools under the group name Evangel College. From the college, it has gone ahead to open Evangel University in Akaeze, Ebonyi State.

The story of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries has also gone beyond the miracles. The church is keen on taking the youth out of the streets through sports.

Aside the huge retreat centre along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the church is becoming popular with the MFM Football Club, better known as the ‘Olukoya Boys’. The football club has brought life to Agege Stadium, Lagos, which is its base. It has also empowered beyond the players, the coaching team, doctors, therapists, and even hawkers among the residents during match days.

The church seems to be better manager of hospitals as well.

St Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, is still top after 50 years in the healthcare business, while Pax Herbals, Ewu, Edo State, owned by Catholic Church is thriving in modern herb research and alternative medicine. Healing Stripes Hospital owned by The Redeemed Christian Church of God is doing well; the Nigerian Baptist Convention also operates several hospitals and medical training institutions, especially, The Baptist Medical Centre in Ogbomoso, among others.

From shopping malls, leasing buses to top transport companies, small scale industries like bottled water factories, soap, fashion to food packaging, the church has huge presence.

With all these going for the church, those who think churches should pay taxes, should also have a rethink.

20 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Sunday Magazine

The Church as a source of empowerment

G

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE odwin Ebeye (not real name) is a middle-aged man. He lives in the IkotounEgbe area of Lagos State, where he built a family house of four flats of 3-bed room each. Ikotoun-Egbe, a suburb with several adjoining neighborhoods, is mostly residential with the presence of very few companies and industries.

Godwin, till date, occupies one of the 3-bed room flats with his wife and three children while he rented out the remaining three flats. He is an average businessman, who specialises in buying and selling household items.

In 2010, his tenants were on the rental payment of about N200,000 per annum for each flat. Suddenly, Ebeye discovered a business that was more lucrative than just putting his house on annual rental basis.

The business, which at that time was very popular, was called ‘the Synagogue business,’ which started as a result of the boom in the number of people, local and international worshippers flocking to The Synagogue Church Of All Nations for spiritual healings and other forms of miracles.

With the emergence of the Synagogue business, Ebeye had to give his tenants an eviction notice. This enabled him to convert his property into cheap guest houses, where about four to five guests were given bed spaces and they were charged about N2,500 per night.

In a week-long programme, Ebeye could realise as much as N17,500 per guest and about N70,000 per room, amounting to well over N280,000 for a 3-bed room flat with sitting room also used as bedrooms.

For many years now, many Pentecostal churches with Nigerian origin, attarct international worshippers, who come in their numbers on a regular basis to be part of the special programmes of such churches.

BDSUNDAY learnt that every year, The Synagogue Church of All Nations hosts thousands of national and international visitors, who travel from around the world to witness and receive spiritual blessings.

To provide the accommodation needs of these numbers, many landlords within the Ikotoun-Egbe area, like Ebeye, started converting their residential buildings to guest houses while others with investment capital were able to go into building of hotels, hostels and guest houses within the vicinity of the church.

On the other hand, many small businesses, especially restaurants and food canteens have been established in the area, targeting the worshippers and the businesses owners are

smiling to the bank.

The transport industry was also able to key into the boom as many Nigerian-owned transportation companies that ply the West African route, on a regular basis, now lift passengers from countries like Ghana , Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin Republic and others to Nigeria, whose purpose of visit is to attend the Synagogue programme.

For this reason, many of these companies had to open terminals in the Ikotun-Egbe to cater for these passengers.

Another Church that is presently pulling multitude of people during its special programmes that include annual convention in August, and annual Congress that holds in December, is the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), a Pentecostal mega church in Lagos, Nigeria.

With its international headquarters (popularly known as Redemption Camp) located at Kilometre 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria, thousands of Nigerians and other visitors congregate in the Redemption Camp during the churches special programmes.

Also, the Mowe area and beyond including Ibafo and its adjoining neigbours in Ogun State, has witnessed massive development due to the presence of RCCG. Many houses, guest houses, hostels, and schools have also been established around the area just to tap into the huge crowd that troop to RCCG Redemption Camp.

Apart from the Redeemed Christian Bible Church and its School of Disciple, RCCG

also has various categories of schools including the Redeemer’s International School, a co-educational Christian private Nursery & primary school; Redeemer’s International Secondary School; Redeemer’s University and Redeemers Leadership Academy.

These groups of schools are run by professionals and academies, who are currently employed to offer the services provided by a recognised educational institution. These professionals and other employees of the various schools are able to not only earn their living from the existence of the RCCG as a church but to provide for their families and fulfill their careers.

There are also many other churches that have positively impacted on the economy of Nigeria. For instance, the Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel International, which is founded by Bishop David Oyedepo, has since become a global network of churches with branches in 65 countries.

The church’s international headquarters, Faith Tabernacle, was built in Cannanland located in Ota , Ogun State, Nigeria.

Every year in December, the church hosts a global event called Shiloh, which records the presence of thousands of internationals and local visitors. At such times, many businesses, including guest houses and hotels make a lot of profits due to boom in the number of patronage.

Recall that between 2015 and 2016, the church constructed a 100,000 capacity Faith Theatre, which is centralised

within a 15,000 housing estate known as ‘Canaan City’ and at the construction period, the city created several businesses and employment opportunities for professionals in the construction industry.

BDSUNDAY recalls that several educational institutions are linked to the chapel and they include Covenant University, Landmark University, Faith Academy and over 150 Kingdom Heritage Model Schools. In addition, there is presently a ministry training college called The Word of Faith Bible Institute, established and owned by the church.

Today, these schools, which rank high in the list of privatelyowned secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria , have provided sustainable means of livelihood for many Nigerians, who are the staff in the above mentioned schools.

In addition, The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries popularly called MFM is another Pentecostal denomination church that has given many Nigerians the reason to live. Apart from enabling people satisfy their spiritual needs, the church also creates business opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.

With churches spread in several English-speaking and nonEnglish-speaking countries of the world, MFM also regularly pulls multitudes within and outside Nigeria to its camp ground in Mowe area of Ogun State for its popular ‘Power Must Change Hand’ Programme.

Just like the RCCG, many small businesses have benefited from the programmes of the church while many Nigerians

are presently on the payroll of the group of schools run by the church.

For instance, it is said that the church runs a private university known as Mountain Top University as well as other categories of schools including MFM School of Biblical Studies; MFM Music Schools; MFM School of the Evangelism and Church Planting; MFM Ministerial School and MFM Advanced Schools.

Moreover, Deeper Christian Life Ministry is a Christian Ministry with its international headquarters in Lagos, under the leadership of Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi as the general superintendent.

With its headquarters in the Gbagada area of Lagos, the church, which holds annual retreats and leadership conferences at Easter and Christmas periods, also pulls thousands of international and local visitors to its conference centre located at Kilometre 42, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The church also holds an annual leadership strategy conference that attracts people from all over the continents.

During these events, many small businesses around the church have continued to record profits owing to increase in patronage. In addition, the church, aside the Bible schools, also established a private secondary school, Deeper Life High School, as well as a tertiary institution, The Anchor University, Lagos located at Ayobo, Ipaja. It also employs several Nigerians, who run the institutions on behalf of the church, and earn a living therefrom.

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BDSUNDAY 21

Sunday Magazine

Churches are doing more than tax payment SEYI JOHN SALAU

J

ust recently, Apostle Johnson Suleman, general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, joined the league of private jet owners in Nigeria, sparking the debate on the contributions made by religious organisations, especially pastors to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

That resurrected the issue of tax payment by churches.

For many Nigerians, the issue of taxation is a very critical topic.

While some people think that issues around taxation should be generalised not minding the socio-cultural, political or spiritual standing of individuals or organisations, some others believe that the church should not be drawn into the tax net as a non-profit organisation that oversees the spiritual wellbeing of individuals and group of persons.

Wole Oladiyun, senior pastor of the Christ Living Spring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), in a recent interview explained the reason why every Christian must pay tithe, urging every Christian to adopt the principle of giving.

According to Oladiyun, tithing has to do with the 10 percent of an individual’s income. “It belongs to God. When you pay your tithe, you activate benefits from the Lord.

When you give your offering, you activate blessings from the Lord.

When you give your first fruit, you enter into a level of wealth unprecedented, because God will begin to release ideas, he will begin to minister to you,” he said.

According to him, tithing is biblical norm that must not be faulted

by anyone as he argued that no one is compelled to give. “We explain the principle to the people, the onus now lies on you to activate the principles.

“When you give your tithe, you chase away devourers from your finances. Even the Muslims give Zakat. They believe Zakat is a matter of must for them. Those who are not born again, they are neither a Muslim nor Christian, yet they give and receive, law of nature, law of nemesis, law of retribution.

What you give will activate receiving from the supernatural; I’m talking on the mundane level,” said Oladiyun.

Although churches in Nigeria do not pay taxes, they contribute heavily to the nation’s economy in so many ways. For instance, churches engage in construction activities that span from church buildings; conference centres where they hold retreats and other

big events like the Pistus Centre owned by the Elevation Church.

These constructions involved buying of building materials that run into billions of naira annually.

Directly, the church in Nigeria do not pay tax but are indirectly paying income tax and value added tax (VAT). This is because these churches employ workforce in their various activities, who on a monthly basis earn a living. In turn, this workforce with the salary earned from the church as place of primary employment, pays for house rents, school fees, and meets their day-to-day family needs.

During retreats of these churches, there are lots of economic activities that involve hiring of commercial buses; small businesses like hawking around the retreats venue. Moreover, religious tourism into Nigeria is on the rise. A very good example of this is the Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua, The

Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) that hosts thousands of national and international visitors on a weekly basis, all seeking spiritual intervention. Foreigners travel from around the world to witness spiritual transformation and worship, and end-up spending a lot of money in foreign currencies.

Some of the churches in Nigeria have established businesses that yield income like bakeries, printing presses, water-packaging companies, etc. For instance, a good number of the big churches in Nigeria have various categories of schools from nursery to tertiary schools.

For example, top ten (10) private universities in Nigeria are owned by religious organisations, especially the big churches in Nigeria. A look at the universities revealed thus: Kings University (Own by KICC); Redeemers University own by Redeemed Christian Church of Church (RCCG);

Covenant University/Landmark University, own by the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel); Benson Idahosa University own by Church of God mission international; Ajayi Crowther University own by the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion; Augustine University own by the Catholic Church; Babcock University own by the Seventhday Adventist Church in Nigeria; Bowen UniversityownbytheNigerian Baptist Convention; Crawford University own by the Apostolic Faith Mission; and Joseph Ayo Babalola University own by the Christ Apostolic Church (Worldwide).

Another Pentecostal preacher, Paul Adeniyi, the Senior Pastor of the Evidence Church, Mushin Lagos, speaking about the entrepreneurial platforms created by the church in relation to the payment of taxes opined that the church has lived to its responsibility as a spiritual entity of the state.

“Honestly, my reservation about this is that basically the church is a spiritual entity, yes we function effectively by becoming a living organism; in other words, we would not be able to carry out our function effectively if we are not organisationally-well structured.

Hence, whatever we do as a spiritual entity; however, my appeal to the government is that it should not lose the fact that the church is a spiritual entity.

“However, the church should wake up to its responsibilities that in addition to our spiritual commitment, realities and responsibilities, as a spiritually entity that we do beyond our core and fundamental obligation. In going beyond our core the government should take things easy with the church – the church is trying to do entrepreneurialprogrammeseitherthrough creating knowledge institutions or by doing something practical that empowers and generate income; well I think the church should follow the government on whatever the government wants, but the government should be sensitive to whatever has to do with the church, because when you make things harsh or challenging for the church, then you will be fighting the call of the church and not necessarily the business or entrepreneurial side of the church,” Adeniyi stated.

Olumide Emmanuel, overseer, CalvaryBibleChurchesworldwide, the Empowerment Assembly and the Glorious Church international; the C. E. O. Common Sense Group and president, the Entrepreneurship Academy, opined that the church is the reason why we do not have more volumes of violence issues because the church has been a major support system for many by giving; hope to the hopeless, helping the helpless and by supporting them with prayer, and teaching them how to handle the challenges of life.

“So, the role of the church is to continue to do what has been done while also balancing our teachings to ensure we deal with every aspect of human endeavour. I believe in this country and know without a shadow of doubt that this nation will fulfil her divine destiny, we all just need to play our part,” Emmanuel said.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Arts The day Luxury Reporter celebrates with guests OBINNA EMELIKE

T

he Luxury Reporter Magazine celebrates its fifth anniversary with a well-attended event by experts in the luxury sector held at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos recently.

The exclusive event afforded attendees a glimpse into the activities of the magazine since it was founded on May 24, 2014.

Speaking at the event, Funke Osae-Brown, founder/publisher of The Luxury Reporter, said the idea for the magazine came to her at a point in her career when she knew she wanted to embark on a new adventure.

According to her, the magazine kicked off five years ago with a website, www.luxuryreporter.comg. ng before it began its print edition three years later.

“We ran the website for more than a year. Before we migrated to www.luxuryreporter.ng. We later introduced the digital edition of the magazine, which we did for two full years with 24 digital editions. Along the line, we identified a market for print. As well, hotels, private jets operators, airlines, automobile companies, retail stores need print editions for their clients.

In January 2018, we announced our first print edition which had on the cover emerging brands and a buyer, Abela, TPS Luxury, Pere Lei, Okiki Marinho, Scentify, and Ndidi Obioha,” she said.

Besides, she explained that the print edition paved the way for an exclusive partnership with PrivateJets Nigeria as advertisers in The Luxury Reporter print edition and 30 seconds clips of their advert placed in the in-flight entertainment screen of all the aircraft of PrivateJets.

L-R: Patricia Femi-Dagunro, executive director, Distinguished Trophies and Awards, Funke Osae-Brown, founder/publisher, The Luxury Reporter, with her husband, Anthony Osae-Brown.

“Our vision is to report on the African Luxury by projecting Nigerian brands. We are constantly in search of indigenous luxury brands that will compete with international brands.

We believe this will contribute to the economic growth of Africa. At TLR, we don’t just want Nigeria to be a consumer of luxury but also the manufacturer of luxury products that can compete with their counterparts not just on the continent but globally,” she explained.

She also said the magazine has been deliberate in its approach to reporting on luxury lifestyle by featuring top players in the industry some of whom are quiet players in the local luxury sector. “We have been reporting on emerging luxury brands on the continent. Also, we hope to bridge the divide between

African Luxury brands and their counterparts abroad. In a bid to kickstart this, we attended the 2019 edition of the Baselworld in Switzerland where we interacted with CEOs of renowned luxury brands in the watch and jewellery sector. We also had exclusive interviews with some new brands and some other major players. Some of them are in the latest edition of the magazine that will be unveiled here today.”

To commemorate the fifth anniversary, Modupe Ogunlesi, CEO, Adam and Eve Homeware, delivered a keynote address titled: Luxury Retail In Nigeria: The Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Options. She observed that in the luxury sector, an understanding of what one sells, the psyche of the expected con-

sumers are very basic ingredients for success. While defining luxury across different stages, she said: “An experience that puts you in a bubble of euphoria, boosting your feeling of wellbeing. Incidentally, Luxury as an experience is the fastest growing concept of luxury at the moment worldwide. In Nigeria, we are a mix of all four definitions of Luxury.”

Furthermore, Ogunlesi’s keynote address was followed by a panel discussion where issues affecting the growth and development of the Nigerian luxury sector were discussed.

Speaking on the panel, Ini Abimbola, CEO, Thistle Praxis, said lack of data is impeding the growth of the luxury sector. “As someone who works with data, I found out

that there is no available date on the local luxury sector, which makes it impossible to track the growth properly. Most of the HNIs we have in Nigeria prefer to shop abroad.

Therefore, I discovered that Europe and America have data on the number of Africans who shop there and how much they spend. HNIs usually won’t shop locally, which makes it impossible to have accurate data on what they spend on and how much they spend.”

Omotade Lepe, chief operating officer, PrivateJets Nigeria, explained that it had become the norm in Nigeria that when there is a change of government spending power of some HNIs drop.

“Change of government does not affect the market in the most country as it does in Nigeria, which is the uniqueness of Nigeria,” he said.

On her part, Funmi Onajide decried the lack of proper shopping malls for luxury retail stores. She argued that the current infrastructure of Nigeria has does not support luxury retail. “You can’t have a 5-star hotel without a 5-Star infrastructure. The kind of infrastructure available in Europe is not here in Nigeria, and if you want to create that kind of infrastructure you will have to pay a lot to get that,” she said.

As an expert in the automobile sector, the group general manager, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Coscharis, Abiona Babarinde said: “for us, automobile is about lifestyle to complement your successful life to give people experience they deserve because average Nigerians is a car freak, that you want to drive a good car you have a bad road and are insecure.”

At the event, the latest edition of The Luxury Reporter Magazine was unveiled just as the panel discussion signalled the commencement of TLR annual International Luxury Conference.

Oloture, tackling human trafficking through movie

O

n June 24, 2019, the Nigerian film industry witnessed the screening of a different kind of movie, an advocacy sort of thing and yet entertaining.

Tagged Òlòtūré, the new movie is a bold step in tackling the issues of human trafficking through a distinctive ‘art nouveau’ lens.

Set in Lagos, Òlòtūré is the story of a young, naïve Nigerian journalist who goes undercover to expose the shady underworld of human trafficking. Unused to this brutal environment, crawling with ruthless traders and pimps, Òlòtūré finds warmth and friendship with Blessing, Linda and Beauty, the prostitutes she lives with. However, she gets drawn into their lifestyle and finds it difficult to cope. In her quest to uncover the truth, this rookie reporter pays the ultimate price one that takes her to the verge of no return.

The blockbuster had a screening that was co-hosted by EbonyLife Films and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) at CAA’s Los Angeles headquarters on June 24, 2019.

For Mo Abudu, executive producer, EbonyLife Films, tackling a controversial, globally important topic like human trafficking was a challenge – but a necessary one. “Òlòtūré explores a world very few people know anything about, and that had to be dealt with in a particular way,” she said. “It’s not a documentary, but it addresses real issues most of our society doesn’t see, harnessing the talents of some of the country’s top actors and filmmakers to produce a film that is both intelligent and profound – and breaks bold new genre and stylistic ground for Nollywood.”

The film promises to be a gripping one for audiences across the globe and hopes to lift the veil on an almost invisible crime at a time

when so many young people, especially women seeking greener

Mo Abudu, CEO, Ebonylife

pastures, have little idea of just how dangerous searching for a better

home can be.

The film will have particular appeal for audiences, which are increasingly seeking out content that carries a social message while providing a riveting story, memorable characters and excellent production values. “We hope that Òlòtūré will lead the charge in a bold new direction for narrative filmmaking in Nollywood, and take more Nigerian stories to the world”, Anudu said. Òlòtūré is directed by Kenneth Gyang and stars Sharon Ooja; Omoni Oboli; Blossom Chukwujekwu; Omowunmi Dada; Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju; Wofai Fada; Bukola Oladipupo; Pearl Okorie; Ikechukwu Onanaku; David Jones David; Sambasa Nzeribe and Omawumi Megbele. Òlòtūré will begin its festival run this summer, after which it will be released to cinemas across Nigeria and then to streaming platforms.

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Life&Living Living large on a small budget

E

Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson

ver wondered how everybody seems to be (balling) living the rich life on social media .

Sometimes you scroll through pictures on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat and just see people living as if they are children born to Bill Gates or Aliko Dangote.

Captions on pictures such as ‘living my best life’, ‘champagne chilling’, ‘living my life like it’s golden’, you only live once (YOLO), gets you wondering if you are the only one with problems in this life, because the social media personalities seem to always have fun – jetting out the country ever so often, eating at the fanciest restaurants and wearing all the latest fashion trends, and you wonder how you could possibly live this good life on your small budget.

Everybody wants to have fun, relax and joy enjoy, sometimes, especially after all the hassle and traffic of Lagos and Nigeria in general.

However, living on a small budget does not mean you have to give up the good life. There are ways to eat well, travel the world, and dress like a million buck without having to break the bank.

Tips to get the most mileage out of your money Eat well on less money: Instead of spending your whole paycheck

in an expensive restaurant, that probably serves the most tasteless food but has a good ambiance for nice pictures, you can use a tiny fraction of your money for grocery shopping and make cook book recipe style meals at home that picture nicely when plated properly.

Look on Pinterest or Instgram for food plating suggestions. Also if you’d like to have that restaurant feel, then you should opt for brunch or lunch rather than dinner. Lunch menus are priced slightly lower

than food during the dinner rush.

Take advantage of nature for fun and exercise: Explore the world around you for free. Go for a run, walk, hike or swim on the beach and picnic in the park. Chances are that the scenery outside beats the view of the wall at your local gym. A picnic with your loved ones will most definitely save you more money than hanging out at the cinema or going out for dinner. Chances are that it’ll even be more fun with good music from your speakers and Ipod

or mobile phone.

“I enjoy going to the mountains and hiking,” said Michelle Jackson, founder of the blog Michelle Is Money Hungry. “Typically, my friends and I will carpool and have an Instagram-worthy day.

There’s nothing better than enjoying what’s in my hometown’s backyard.”

Significantly cut your cost of travel: You can do this by looking for off-peak season travel tickets and booking way ahead of travel

date to ensure you get the lowest price possible. Also, you should explore your options for mode of travel. Taking a coach or train could save you a lot more than booking a flight. You could also cut down on travel expenses by planning to stay with friends or family at the destination instead of booking a hotel.

Take short trips instead of long vacations, that way, you’ll even have more fun, as everyday will be booked for a different activity. You might also want to consider group bookings. Apart from the usual ‘the more the merrier’, there are always discounts on fun park entries and tourist attractions for a large group of people or families.

Buy fairly used designer items instead of brand new: Although this is not as common in Nigeria, thrift stores in the United Kingdom and United States stock up on fairly used designer clothes and accessories. You could also easily attend auctions, garage sales to get quality items at a fraction of its original cost. Expensive clothing items such as wedding dresses can also be rented rather than bought.

Look out for sales and coupons for non-DIY things: You can easily wash your hair at home or paint your nails at home by yourself. But to get a haircut, spa session and other treatments, you might have to wait for when the stores are offering discounts to save money on luxury.

TannkCo: All you need to help your kids find their perfect outfit IFEOMA OKEKE

A

s much as you love to look good in great apparels, so does your kids. Why? People see you through your kids. If you kids always appear trendy and fashionable, it is only natural that people around them will want to associate with them and this speaks thousands of things about their parents, even when their parents are not with them.

Kids’ appearance also boosts their confidence, makes them feel really good about themselves and naturally attracts people to them.

And guess what? You do not need to break the bank to make your kid look really fashionable.

All you need is just looking for the best outfit that suit whatever occasion they are going for. Even when they are just at home, there are still really nice casual wears they could put on without looking ‘overdressed.’

Providing that ideal apparel is not far fetch as Tannkco helps provide an affordable luxury children’s apparel with quality and comfortably priced clothing wear for boys and girls in the 0-10 age bracket. These include casual and formal attires for

children, as well as baby layettes and underwear.

Designed with kids in mind, Tannkco understands how Kids do love to have fun regardless of what the occasion may be. With Tannkco, kids’ wears are both comfortable and fashionable at the same time.

With TannkCo, shopping with

kids in tow is now easy as parents don’t have to wait for the long summer holidays to update their wardrobes. The TannkCo online shopping platform launched on Monday the 27th of May- Children’s Day, enables customers shop at their convenience. This means summer holidays will be filled with more quality family bonding time!

Anita Okoye, CEO of TannkCo disclosed to BDSunday that part of the areas she was very particular about in the early stages of Tannkco was ensuring she engaged with the right manufacturers and suppliers, as they are super important. “Engaging with the right people have helped me ensure our prices are very affordable without having to compromise on

the quality,” Okoye said.

The mumpreneur who derived the name ‘TannkCo’ from combination of her kid’s names, said there is a huge market for kids wears in Nigeria, especially with the population and projection of it increasing by another million fold. “It is said that this year alone, there is a record of another boom in the baby industry.

In the fashion industry, Kids Fashion is one sector that is yet to be fully maximized but is filled with so much potential. The sector for children’s apparels is one of the fastest growing in the world.”

On whether, kids market has been fully captured she said, “Not in the slightest bit, there’s always room for more. The fashion Industry is wide and each area is yet to be fully maximized. There are various factors that may be affecting the growth but in the same breath, there are a lot of activities and engagement that are been done across the industry.”

On her career as a mumpreneur, Okoye says she believes the greatest opportunity for a mumpreneur is her time; time to be innovative and creative in whatever business she is doing. “The challenge is actually being taken seriously on all platforms,” she added.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

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No intention of coming home fully for now – Boss Aba ready for Hi Life Fest

J

esse Woghiren popularly known as Boss is a Nigerian artiste who has honed his skill and doing so well in music in the United States of America.

And even as most Nigerian musicians are coming home to base and establish fully in the country, Boss said it is not his intention to relocate fully at the moment.

“I have two homes now. Most of my family live in the U.S- we’ve lived most of our lives in the U.S than back home here in Nigeria. I am proudly Nigerian too. But coming back home in the way that’s right is what I have been doing. Spend some time here and some time there within a calendar year. After all, that’s how I can best effect viable change “We are the reason, why the Afrobeats scene is getting bigger out in the western world. It’s better for it and for all. Arguably, I am the first official Nigerian-American DJ, when I started DJ in the early 1990’s in the U.S there weren’t lots of our local vibes or songs being played at parties. But today, the situation is fast changing- and that’s beneficial to the whole industry and the Nigerian economy. We are sinking our business teeth into the formidable structure of the Western world to profit and benefit us globally.”

While most foreign based artistes also claim it is not so easy to succeed abroad, Boss views are different.

“The industry market place right now, is so grey. It depends what folks consider successful, I mean, there are artistes in a local state scene such as Chicago, Detroit, and or even nations like Germany and French who are raking and swimming in millions of dollars but they are not brands or big names down here to you.

It’s truly not difficult to succeed.

It just depends on your strategy, then great songs or album. But until that first stab at success, you just have to keep the grind on to keep everything together, and let that serves as a source of inspiration for

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you. Keep it professional/serious and always be ready so when the opportunity presents itself, you are ready to prove your talents beyond reasonable doubts.”

Talking about how he got into music, the artiste said he has always loved music since childhood.

He said, “It’s a natural thingy for me. I grew up attracted to music and all its trappings but still that wasn’t enough for me to decide to go into the industry.

For everyone who knew me since I was a kid, music was always my thing. I used to dance and draw serious attention to myself. Then, I got into rapping and leading music group/bands. Most importantly, I know from a spiritual point of view that music was chosen for me by my creator. So, since, I became born again or understand the Holy Spirit, hit song writing is as easy as ABC for me. That’s the first sure of an individual with a natural calling endowments, before I sit in my studio chair to produce/write a song, I mostly already know how

the overall soul structure should go, from the bass lines/riffs and what the drumming should sounds like.

So, when I hear folks say they went into music for any other reason, I laugh.”

With his record label, Bigmanity Music aka Beyondspheres Records, Boss said his aim is to mentor and train young artistes in Nigeria and abroad.

“We have artistes who we are currently sponsoring and nurturing. From Gabby ZZ to Sukeez and a few more names that we shall be dropping in the near future, aside from being an artiste, I use my knowledge and experience to try to help other people trying to get or already in the industry. A lot of artistes believe because you are told you have a hit song that doors will just open for you, which is not correct. Aside from helping our artistes, Bigmanity also has a branch to help manage other artistes, helping them with promotion and marketing as well as helping guide them to be as successful as possible.”

Ota, Abeokuta catch Ariya Repete fever

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ore quarterfinalists have emerged after the Ariya Repete 2019 regional knockouts in Ogun state. Simultaneous auditions took place in Ota and Abeokuta, where residents and fans of indigenous music came out in their numbers to watch contestants slug it out for a spot in the quarterfinals.

The Ota and Abeokuta selection parties kicked off at 6.p.m on the 21st June, and they were nothing short of spectacular, as all contestants delivered amazing performances in a bid to stake a claim in the next round of the competition.

The contestants displayed immense creativity, great stagecraft, and some awe-inspiring vocals, which left the judges with the hard task of selecting the three (3) winners on the night. It was entertainment non-stop, as well as a blend of fun and serious business as the judges and audience were thrilled by the quality of contestants that graced the stage.

At the conclusion of the keenly contested Ota regionals, Sulaimon Ajayo Adeyemi, Prince Ade Micheal,

and Christian Olamide were selected as the winners in the Fuji, Juju and Afro-Pop categories respectively.

Similarly, in Abeokuta, Alhaji Taofek Adeyinka, Adeleye Temitope, and Ayeni Olajuwon emerged victorious in the Fuji, Juju and Afro-Pop categories respectively.

The selected contestants have now inched one-step closer to winning their share of the N20m up for grabs. Their next hurdle will be the quarterfinal showdown on the 26th of July in the sunshine city of Akure.

Speaking after the Abeokuta selection party, an overjoyed Ayeni Olajuwon who qualified in the Fuji category expressed his appreciation to the organizers of the show and also his determination to make further progress as the competition progresses. He said; “I am so glad I won today, I’m so grateful to Goldberg Lager for giving me this opportunity to show my talents. I can’t wait to go up on stage again, and I believe I can make it to the final.”

he Enyimba City of Aba, Abia state will experience mega fun ast the Hi-Life fest regional knockouts hold in the city this weekend.

This is following successive weeks of enthralling regional contests, which have taken place across various cities in the East including Enugu, Awka, and Asaba.

The regional knockouts in Asaba, which held at the Sandy Gold Hotel, Abraka on the 23rd of June 2019, was a spectacle to behold as talented highlife artistes and dancers gave their best performances in hopes of qualifying for the next round of the competition.

This year, the winner of Hi-Life Fest will be awarded a mouthwatering cash prize of N5m Th e c o n t e s t a n t s w e r e screened and auditioned by a panel of elite judges including the likes of highlife music legend, Chief Bright Chimezie; African dance scholar

& instructor, Dr. Akaz, actor David Jones David and guest judge/OAP Jude Aguize.

After delighting the audience with some awe-inspiring performances, Chijioke Charles and Kingsley Ifeanyi clinched the two available spots to qualify for the quarterfinal. In the dance category, Akaramarama dance group fought off tough competition to secure the only spot in the dance category.

The regional knock-out in Asaba also featured a performance from the winner of the 2017 edition of Hi-Life Fest, Chibest David, who provided the perfect side attraction as guests enjoyed the refreshing taste of Life Lager.

This year’s Hi-Life Fest themed “Rhythm of Progress”, is the third edition of the talent hunt contest. Over the years, the competition has produced remarkable highlife music talents such as Chibest David and Dons Ifeanyi who have gone on to become budding stars.

Big Brother Naija starts today

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inally, the much anticipated Big Brother Naija reality show would hit the screens today as most fans are all set to stay glued to their TV stations to watch the reality show.

And now, the organisers, MultiChoice Nigeria, have upped the ante with the announcement of N60million worth of prizes for the winner.

The breakdown of the prizes for the winner includes: a N30m cash prize; a top of the range SUV from Nigerian automaker, Innoson Motors; a trip to Dubai for two packaged by TravelBeta; a home make-over courtesy Scanfrost; a year’s supply of Pepsi and One Africa Fest VVIP experience; a year’s supply of Indomie noodles & Munch it; and a brand new Oppo mobile smartphone.

There’s also a bonus prize of two VIP Tickets to watch a European Football final game LIVE, courtesy BET9ja.

This season’s grand prize is an increase from the previous edition, which saw Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe walking away

with N45m worth of prizes.

Speaking on the increased prize money, the Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe said, “Each edition of Big Brother Naija significantly improves on all aspects of the previous season and this year is no different. The winner of season four will walk away from the house with a N30m cash prize and a top of the range SUV amongst many other exciting prizes. The Big Brother Naija winner will also emerge as the most popular and marketable personality on the continent, as the show is known to launch prominent careers in arts, entertainment and other supporting industries.”

Apart from the new and improved grand prize, another major development for this year’s edition of Big Brother Naija is the return of the House to Nigeria.

While the location of the house has not been revealed, fans of the show have nonetheless been excited since the announcement was made earlier this year.

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Mobile: 08053859391, email - iambolatito@gmail.com twitter - @iambolatito

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get it right.

Yomi, in his strides as an emerging force in the industry, has, through verve and tenacity of purpose, created innumerable employments and ample opportunities, through his entrepreneurial initiatives and excellence, all of which have significantly impacted on the socio-economic stability of Nigeria.

Energetic, indefatigable and ever optimistic Yomi, in the past few years, has bestridden, successfully, the gap between creativity and commerce.

Without being hyperbolic, Yomi’s unusual creative and revolutionary business ideas and innovations are clearly seen in his ‘baby,’ Enyo Retail and Supply Ltd., an indigenous oil and gas, and customer-focused company,

a concern that has, since inception, been re-defining petroleum products marketing, via uniquely pioneering a technology-driven fuel retailing revolution in the Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector.

The company, of late, announced its rapid expansion plans across the country, as it just acquired new retail stations to provide Nigerians with trusted fuel and other quality petroleum products and services.

Designed to underline the company’s belief that new technologies and digital services play positive roles in transforming the society and enhancing individual quality of life, Enyo Retail and Supply Ltd. is integrating first-class customer service experience for fuel and re-

newable energy products retailing in Nigeria.

An alumnus of the premier University of Ibadan, and University of Surrey, UK where he earned his MSc in International Business, mercurial Yomi is a 2016 recipient of the Young Global Leader award from the World Economic Forum, (WEF); and was nominated by the Choiseul Institute in Paris, as one of the top 100 Under-40 business leaders in Africa. And just like a thunderbolt, Yomi stole into the consciousness of everyone in the industry and has since not looked back, making waves here and there with his rare acumen and industriousness.

He spent 11 years in Oando Group in numerous executive roles and led the 2016 $250m equity injection into the business by two international investors.

This successful deal was the largest in the downstream sector in Nigeria in 2016. Yomi Awobokun may just be on his swift ride to occupy any plum post that might present itself in the industry whenever the opportunity presents itself, as his profile presently continues to rise monumentally in leaps and bounds.

Tony Elumelu dazzles wife, Awele, on birthday

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e is known to be one that plays big in the corporate world, but many do not know that he finds quality time to play and adore his wife when the right time demands.

Game-changing business impresario, Tony Elumelu, is one man that does not leave his family behind in his hectic schedules; and this was exemplified when his darling wife, Dr. Awele, added a year days back.

He took ample time out on a Sunday morning to show the sterling love he has for his wife, in company of their lovely children.

Awele was shell-shocked at the birthday game her husband played on her and she

did not betray the emotion that was involved in the love that was showered

on her by her husband of many years; a union that has produced lovely kids and

that family is still continuing to be one that can only be assured of many good things to come. Tony, in his affectionate remarks on his jewel of inestimable value on her birthday, said ‘you are my backbone and mom extraordinaire. I will continue to love you till eternity. Awele, you are just too much. Many Happy Returns to you my dear sweetie.

As a medical doctor, Awele is ever passionate about helping others. She has, in a similar manner, been a pillar of support to her husband in his business forays. Little wonder, Dr. Awele is well-loved and respected among her people, family and the society at large.

BUA’s boss, Abdulsamad, an unrepentant cheerful giver

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t is not always a daily affair to see some stinking rich men or women tending to the needs of the havenots, especially when such needs border on health, nation’s security and physical challenges. But Nigeria’s irrepressible businessman and philanthropist of note, has been exceptional in his unquenchable thirst for assisting hugely in areas of succour to them when they are down, as a remedy to their challenges.

He is a very charitable

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Bolatito Adebola

The essence of Yomi Awobokun in oil and gas sector mooth-operating and very officious Abayomi Awobokun is one of Nigeria’s few blessed corporate geniuses, who started from the scratch, kept their nose to the grindstone and turned seemingly insignificant ideas into grandstanding and profit-making ventures.

Fro m a h u mbl e p a r entage nay background, Yomi has worked his way, with guts, gusto and grace, through the wilderness of life to become one of Nigeria’s leading businessmen, and perhaps influential versatile young men in volatile Nigeria’s oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy. His sterling quality of constant invention, positive interventions and self-improvement in the sub-sector has earned him worldwide acclaim and prosperity, and this is just stating the obvious without any attempt to rate or overrate him.

He can be best to be described as one of those rare individuals who strive to always navigate on the high road and position themselves for unquantifiable success, regardless of the obstacles on this road that many have passed with daring efforts but couldn’t just

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and generous person, and he will stop at nothing to do the best for the less-privileged and have-nots.

Recently, the Executive Chairman/CEO, BUA Group, Abdulsamad Rabiu paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the FCT capital, to further cement the existing relationship between the organisation and the force.

Abdul Samad Rabiu, who was received personally by

the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, at the Louis Edet House, Abuja, in company with senior police officers, said the Police are an important part of the society, from maintaining law and order to protecting lives and properties.

He also urged the officers of the Nigeria Police to strive for professionalism at all times and further pledged BUA’s continued support to the Force as part of its Social Intervention Programs, SIP.

Engr. Oludayo Abiola celebrates 40 with gait

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ercantile Engineer Oludayo Abiola, the Executive Director of Interverse Project Partners, is a jolly good fellow any day.

So, it came to no one in particular as a surprise, when he marked his 40th birthday recently, with a lavish reception/dinner at the expansive Olusegun Obasanjo Library

prospective jobs to come.

Oludayo, who has a knack for breaking grounds in the industry he belongs, gave God the glory for all his successes so far, while not forgetting his immediate and extended family members, knowing full well that it can only be God that has taken him thus far.

His committee of friends

in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state. And if there’s one young man who has done so well for self in his chosen career, you won’t take it away from sociable, enigmatic and affable Engr. Oludayo Abiola, popularly known as DeeBaba among his cross-section of friends and professional colleagues across all boards.

Hi s b l o s s o m i n g a n d well-positioned firm in the industry, Interverse Project Partners, is a firm handling massive construction projects across Nigeria, and the firm is still counting on more

that planned the dinner, led by his bosom friend and ally, Teju Ajayi, affirmed that they couldn’t have settled for anything less for the birthday boy, because he has that Midas touch which no one can doubt, and he deserves all the camaraderie and accolades that came his way during the soiree. Engineer Oludayo Abiola and his wife were treated the best of reception in the midst of those who came to share in the birthday jollifications, amidst good food, vintage drinks and good music.

Hurray! Top HR/Management expert, Damilola Otubaga, weds

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hese are definitely good times for one of Nigeria’s versatile and most efficient Human Resources and Management experts, Princess Damilola Otubaga. The charming, very industrious and unassumingly enterprising lady of substance just got married into the prestigious royal family of Oke Ona, Abeokuta.

At the fairy-tale wedding, Damilola was in a rare jubilation mood as she tied the nuptial knot with Prince Adedamola Bodunrin Tejuosho, son of Oba (Dr.) Adedapo Tejuosho, the Osile of Oke Ona, Abeokuta, at an auspicious event that took place at the Classic Event Centre, few weeks back.

Princess Damilola Tejuosho, (nee Otubaga,) is one of the top executives at Westfield Consulting, an agency that handles efficiently and most diligently, human resources and management concerns for blue-chip companies and even plum government agencies. Princess Damilola’s road to matrimony started with a colourful traditional wedding, which was soaked in luxury, panache and glamour, an event that had prominent faces like Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, other Tejuosho heirs and other

distinguished personalities, too numerous to mention, in attendance.

Th e g r o o m , Pr i n c e Adedamola, is a graduate of Business Administration from Bowen University,

while the beautiful bride, Damilola, is a graduate of International Relations from Covenant University. It was indeed another defining moment for Princess Damilola’s upwardly mobile and steady climb on the ladder of success and relativity in the scheme of things, and perhaps a bigger feather to her in the corporate world, on account of her new status, given her already known pedigree in the corporate world.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Travel

Up close with nature at Entabeni OBINNA EMELIKE

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ometimes, there is a journey one embarks on and expects so much because of what he heard or read about a destination.

This journey from Pretoria to Limpopo is that kind of journey because I expected so much and hence submitted to Mother Nature to enthrall me with her rejuvenating offerings. From the moment the driver turned on the ignition and the tour guide took his position and started a somewhat sermon-on-the-bus, Limpopo was all I could think of.

Moments later, as the luxury tour bus cruised far on the N1 (national route) along the Pretoria-Mokopane-Polokwane highway to Entabeni Private Reserve, my hope was to see the Limpopo River along the way, but I was almost disappointed when the tour guide said that I had to get to Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe to see the river, which the Limpopo Province was named after.

While he was still talking in a mild tone, it seemed nature asked me to shelve the bus curtain and behold the beautiful scenes that were just beginning to emerge from nowhere. They were breathtaking and the tour guide capitalised on it to affirm that Limpopo is one of the best eco-tourist destinations in the world. But

I needed to see more to agree with him.

As if nature was not happy with my doubt of its offerings, mountain ranges rose suddenly and dramatically out of bushveld plains, leaving me with a magical landscape to behold; the type you can only fantasise, but they are real here. “On the slopes of these mountains, you will find indigenous forests, placid streams, and beautiful waterfalls,” the tour guide added.

Nature kept offering me a variety of

freshness from her bowel until we diverted from the N1 to a smaller road and later to a dirt road leading to the Entabeni Private Reserve, our final destination and the ultimate adventure awaiting us.

However, I noticed that much of the land is unspoilt providing sanctuary to large numbers of game. “Game reserves are found in two different regions within Limpopo - Greater Kruger Park and the Waterberg. We are Waterberg, and welcome

to the best nature can offer”, the tour guide said, as we approached the wooden gate manned by forest rangers who let the bus in after few inquiries.

While the men cheered as the bus drove inside, three wild ostriches jumped and spread their huge wings in a welcome stunt. We quickly alighted and were shared into three 4 Runner, Toyota trucks to continue the journey as the big Hiace Bus cannot meander the rough terrain to the reserve.

From the entrance gate to the reserve’s main reception was another excitement altogether. It was a night drive and you could see wildlife eyes flashing momentarily if you probed well into the darkness.

Briefing session at the reception was not as nice as I expected. Our host gave us safety tips as wildlife is the on the loose in the reserve, room doors tightly closed all time, movement in and out of the lodges to be supervised by their accredited staff, careful not to be on the path of a herd of elephants at night or making noise when a Giraffe comes knocking close to your roof.

“Ah, I want to stay here”, a lady member of the team, said expressing fear. “It is all ok, the wildlife here is happy that you are here and will entertain you, don’t fear,” the host assured.

Well, the bonfire dinner did the magic and many, already exhausted delighted in the local delicacies, especially pap made

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from corn and other local dishes.

Moments later, we were driven on 4 Runner to our lodges and the flashing wildlife eyes increased as the night was getting darker.

While on the 10-minute ride, the driver who doubled as tour guide, further unveiled Entabeni to me. “The vast Entabeni Safari Conservancy lies in the World Heritage Waterberg region of South Africa’s Limpopo Province measuring about 22,000-hectare malaria-free land mass. It is located less than a three-hour drive north of Johannesburg and Pretoria, offers the ‘Big Five’ and is home to five unique eco-

Ravineside Lodge, and Wildlife Lodge.

I stayed at the Ravineside Lodge and was awestruck by the wonderful nature around me. The wildlife visitation was real as I nearly crashed into a herd of elephants if not for the timely shouting of a room attendant.

The lodge, featuring over 22 suites, is built on stilts, each lodge with three or four luxury en suite bedrooms, decorated in a traditional African theme, hugging the side of a cliff under Entabeni Mountain.

It has a grand natural setting against an escarpment with sweeping views of the surrounding bushveld. For the two days I

systems,” he said.

The upper mountain offers spectacular rock formations and extensive open grass fields. The wilderness area is away from the reserves lower plateau by a 610-meter high cliff, while the lower escarpment is about three degrees warmer and features sandy wetlands.

A major highlight in the private reserve, according to him, is game sightings of the Big Five; (lion, rhino, leopard, elephant and buffalo) and many other smaller mammal species.

Other relaxing activities include: scenic helicopter flights, spa treatments, stargazing in the observatory, sunset lake cruises and a variety of wildlife viewing activities to enjoy.

As well, the reserve is home to five different safari lodges: Hanglip Mountain Lodge, Kingfisher Lodge, Lakeside Lodge,

stayed, I was awestruck by the unrestricted views of ravines and hillsides.

Ravineside also hosts a large central swimming pool for guests to cool off in.

The spa offers a variety of treatments for those who wish to truly unwind against a wonderfully wild ambiance.

But the Entabeni lake is a fun on its own, especially if you go on a pleasure boat cruise. While on the cruise, the imposing Entabeni Mountain offers beautiful backdrop for memorable pictures. Yet, the ride takes you to spots where hippopotamus and crocodiles stage dramas on water, which are sometimes bloody.

I wished I was lodged in one of the suites around the lake because guests in the lodges simple enjoy the best of nature amid wildlife drama on the lake while rare birds sing unending melodious tunes from atop the roof.

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More also, the gathering of the guests at special bonfire nights when the moon is generous with its light, heat sustained from the burning wood amid some traditional food and best of South African wines, is magical. It was at one of such bonfires that the tour guide narrated the myth of the Entabeni Mountain. He warned us not to tell the story to others, saying, “You need to visit, sit at the bonfire, eat and drink to hear the story better from the locals”.

However, the ultimate experience lies in the safari game drives to see the ‘big five’.

The guests have options of early morning

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or evening game drives. I experienced the morning drive and was so thrilled to be so close to the wild, particularly lions. The experience is as real as seeing a hungry lion approaching and a tour guide assures you of safety. Of course, such assurances do not hold ground in the jungle.

The story of the ‘big five’ is truly enthralling and is reserved for another day because of space. But while you look forward to the story, it is better to visit Entabeni this summer to see nature at its best.

No doubt, Entabeni is laid-back, but it is the adventure that truly awaits you this summer.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Feature Rotary in exciting mood as Nigeria puts Africa’s first top notcher on international executive suite Ignatius Chukwu

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otary Club in Nigeria seems to be in happy mood, having just planted Africa’s first and highest position holder in Rotary International, Yinka Babalola from District 9141, from the Port Harcourt zone. He is the first African to ever hold the post of Rotary International Vice President.

He served as District Governor of the old Rotary District 9140 in 2011/12 and was recognised as one of the top 10 in the world of Rotary out of over 550 during the year in which he served.

In a statement in Port Harcourt, Rotary said it is Rotarians in Rotary International District 9141 Nigeria will also install their 3rd District Governor.

The statement signed by Virginia Major, District Governor nominee, said: “On Saturday July 6, 2019, Rotary International District 9141, Nigeria will install its 3rd District Governor, Rotarian Nze Anizor of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi.

He will serve as District Governor in the Rotary year, 2019/2020 along with Rotary International President Mark Maloney of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA, and Rotary International Vice President Yinka Babalola, also of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“Babalola from District 9141, is the first African to ever hold the post of Rotary International Vice President. He served as District Governor of the old Rotary District 9140 in 2011/12 and was recognized as one of the top ten in the world of Rotary out of over 550 during the year in which he served.

“Globally, the Rotary year begins on July 1st every year and District Governor Nze Anizor will be leading over 2,200 Rotarians in 63 clubs spread across Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo States. He is the 3rd District Governor of Rotary International District 9141, Nigeria.

Rotary International District 9141 Nigeria came into existence on July 1 2017 when the old district 9140 Nigeria was split into two, Districts 9141 and 9142, Nigeria.

“Every year Rotary clubs and Rotarians work to end polio, improve maternal and child care, basic education and literacy, water and sanitation, economic empowerment and community development, peace and conflict resolution and disease prevention and treatment.

“In addition to other projects that clubs will be carrying out in the 2019/20 Rotary year, DG Nze Anizor will be drawing attention to the plight of children who do not have desks to sit on while they learn and persons who are physically impaired and have limited mobility, through the Dust to Desk and Mobility Device projects.

“Dust to Desk is a project aimed at making the learning environment more comfortable by providing desks and chairs for children in schools without desks and chairs in the four states of the District, while the Mobility Device Project will help the infirm, elderly and people who are physically impaired to move around better. Already, a 40 feet container loaded with the devices is available for distribution.

“Every year, Rotary International announces a theme that will inspire Rotarians to think, act and serve with a particular focus and in a particular direction. For the year 2019/20, Rotary International President Mark Maloney has picked the theme “Rotary Connects the World”. In keeping with this, DG Nze Anizor has also called on Rotarians in District 9141 to “Innovate as Rotary Connects the World”.

Yinka Babalola He is a registered engineer, member, Nigerian Society of Engineers, fellow of Nigerian Institute of safety Professionals (NISP) and member International Association of Change management Practitioners (ACMP). He is a Safety Management system Auditor.

Yinka Babalola He worked for Shell oil in various senior positions retiring after 24 years to pursue his other interests.

He is the lead coach and facilitator at Lead and Change Consulting, an Executive/ leadership coaching, organisation performance and behavior transformation advisory group.

He chairs the board of Riviera Technical services Ltd, an Oil and Gas infrastructure delivery outfit.

Yinka started his Rotary journey as a Rotractor in 1983. A Rotarian since 1993, Yinka is a member of the Rotary club of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt District 9141, Nigeria.

As club President in 2002-03, he won the Rotary International Global quest Award for highest percentage net membership gain worldwide and was recognized onstage at the Brisbane convention. The club with the sustained growth now has a membership of

Searchlight on Nze Anizor

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ze Anizor is a 1995 graduate of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka.

He attended Okongwu Memorial Grammar School, Nnewi; and Christ the King College, Onitsha.

He has a long history of service, and served as the President of the Students’ Union of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka.

Nze is a former member of the Rotaract Club of University of Nigeria at Nsukka.

A Rotarian since 2000, he served as the President of the Rotary Club of Trans – Amadi, Port Harcourt in 2010/2011. During his tenure, the club designed and initiated the Rotary Club of Trans – Amadi Spelling Bee, which has become her signature project and an annual event. In 2003/04, deeply passionate about Rotary’s public image, Nze participated in a global private initiative to refocus the public image policy of Rotary International. He was

Anizor

85 and is the biggest in the district.

Yinka has served Rotary as Governor, raising over a million US dollars from an area normally considered as disadvantaged and growing membership by a net gain of over 650. The district 9140 under his leadership emerged one of the Top three performing district in the world and was so recognised at the Bangkok convention.

The membership growth he inspired has not only endured, it laid the foundation for the split of the district into two effective 1st July 2017.

He has served Rotary as Assistant Rotary coordinator, End Polio Zone Coordinator for English speaking Africa, the Rotary International Reach out To Africa (ROTA) water and sanitation coordinator, member of the Sao Paulo 2015 International Convention promotion committee, Nigeria National Polio-

the only African who participated in the hugely successful project which gave rise to the current public image campaign of Rotary International and her member clubs.

Nze has served as the Chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) for Rivers/Bayelsa states. In 2011, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka honoured him with an award as a ‘Pathfinder of the Veterinary Profession in Nigeria’.

He has served Rotary in different capacities. He is currently a member of the Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers, and a Faculty member of the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI), Nigeria Division.

He has received many other awards for his service to humanity including: RI District 9140 Best Club President – 2010/2011; his club won RI District 9140 Best Club – 2010/2011 (the year he

plus committee, Regional Rotary Foundation coordinator (English speaking Africa, Zone 20A) and Endowment/Major Gift Adviser.

He has served as RI President’s personal representative at District conferences, GETS training leader and International Assembly training leader.

He is on the Board of Rotary International as Director for the years 2018-2020 and will serve as Vice President of Rotary International for 2019-20.

He currently serves as a Vice Chair of the Rotary International End Polio now Countdown committee, member of the RI Membership Development committee, Joint RI/ TRF Committee on Partnerships.

Yinka is a Director of the Safeblood Africa project – A multi district Rotary initiative with a mission to improve the safety and expand the availability of blood in hospitals throughout Nigeria at the first instance and the rest of Africa.

He is a faculty member and the foundation Registrar of the Nigerian Division of the Rotary Leadership Institute.

He is a recipient of the Rotary Service Above self-award – the highest recognition that can be given to a Rotarian by Rotary International. Other Rotary International recognitions include the four avenues of service citation, Club Builder award, Regional polio service award and The Rotary foundation Citation for Meritorious service. He is also a recipient of several club and district level recognitions.

Yinka, is an Arch klumph society member, and a Rotary foundation benefactor. He has attended several local Rotary seminars and conferences, Zone and international institutes, and over 20 international conventions.

Yinka’s spouse Precy is an Attorney, a Rotarian and member of the Rotary club of Port Harcourt East, District 9141, Nigeria. She is a past Rotractor, a Paul Harris Fellow and the union is blessed with children.

served as president); RI District 9140 Best Assistant Governor – 2013/2014He also holds the ‘Rotary International Avenues of Service Citation’; ‘Rotary International Club Builder award; ‘The Rotary Foundation District Service Award’; and ‘The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service’.

He is the Veterinary Director/ CEO of Pentagon Veterinary Services Limited, a veterinary clinic and animal behaviour consulting centre based in Port Harcourt.

A photographer and photoartist, Nze is a firm believer in the rule of law, and leadership by example. He is an ardent campaigner for responsible governance and the protection of the rights of children to affordable and qualitative education. He is a Knight of St. John International of the Roman Catholic faith.

Nze is happily married to Clara and the marriage is blessed with children – Chukwuemeka, Zinachidi Adanze, and Akuoma.

Sunday 30 June 2019

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BDSUNDAY 29

Perspective

When the bell tolls

I

MAHMUD MUSTAPHA

n the past few weeks, alarm bells have been ringing about the danger facing the Nigerian economy. These alarm bells cannot be said to be frivolous or borne out of partisan inclinations because they are coming from tested economists and those who know about how well-run economies look like.

The most recent is by the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, a renowned banker who rose to become Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Speaking at a Workshop on National Treasury in Abuja, the traditional ruler and economist unequivocally said that the country was heading towards bankruptcy if the Buhari administration failed to stop fuel and electricity subsidy.

In the same vein, the respected Invest Africa magazine has also drawn attention to Sanusi’s warning about Nigeria’s imminent bankruptcy, even when some people said he had denied the statement. Sanusi is not the type of man who denies statements credited to him. Even if he denied it, it should be noted that these concerns are no fluke as the high level of borrowing and debt servicing embarked upon by the Buhari administration should be a source of great worry about the future and health of the nations’ economy in any place where a genuine democracy is in place. The fact that Buhari’s pseudo-democratic government has conquered other organs of government which should normally be independent as provided by the constitution, gives cause for deep concern.

The way things stand now in Nigeria, a silent fear has gripped majority of Nigerian intellectuals, technocrats and political leaders that they might come under the hidden monitoring camera of the regime if they dare say the truth about the Nigerian condition.

The economic condition of the majority of Nigerians is currently very bad. Statistics from reputable foreign economic monitoring bodies like the Austria-based World Poverty Clock has it that a whopping 93.8 million Nigerians, as at June 2019, suffer from extreme poverty and that about six Nigerians fall into damning poverty every six minutes. On its own part, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) puts the country’s unemployment rate at 23.1 per cent, under employment at 20.21 per cent and youth unemployment at 55.4 per cent.

The above indices show that many Nigerians notably the young and educated population is battling with poverty. It was not long that Nigeria became the laughing stock of the World when in 2018, the World Bank and other multilateral institutions declared the country as the World poverty capital thus sounding another alarm bell for Nigeria’s political leaders.

It should be stated that these poverty indices became prevalent under the administration of President Buhari who took more than six months to put a cabinet in place after he emerged victorious in the 2015 elections.

President Buhari’s lack of foresight and passable knowledge of economic issues, in the view of many experts and observers was the main reason for the recession that hit Nigeria in 2016, the first time since independence that the nation’s economy would be in such a mess. Granted that the excesses of the Goodluck Jonathan administration contributed to the economic difficulties the country faced after Buhari took over in 2015, the poor policy choices and outright lack of choice under Buhari’s watch, made economic recession and creeping poverty inevitable.

It was in this condition of recession hangover, continuing corruption in the government and the continuing burden of fuel subsidy that the 2019 polls came. Faced with enormous hardship under Buhari, the majority of the Nigerian people reasoned that voting out the lackluster administration of President Buhari was the way to put a stop to the relentless march of poverty and social dislocation in the country.

The APC and Buhari claimed victory in that election against the postulation of many analysts before the polls. The management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) whose uncertain and indecisive public posture on issues arising from the collation of results at the Presidential Election Tribunal also sided with Buhari and his party’s’ claim. However the INEC’s shifty position on the Server issue has convinced many Nigerians that much still needs to be straightened out about the conduct of that election and the declaration of a winner. The final report of European Union election monitors on the conduct and outcome and the nationwide violence that attended the election proper, points to the fact that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar have a strong and genuine case before the Judiciary. It is the view of many Nigerians that Atiku Abubakar, who promised to make Nigeria work again by providing millions of jobs and providing an enabling environment for entrepreneurship to blossom won the 2019 polls and that the judiciary has a duty to tell the world so!

The issue is that having used widespread violence and the coercive instruments of the state to hijack the 2019 election outcome, it is now a task for the nation’s judiciary, to show that it is modern, fearless and independent to reverse the outcome of that election.

The judiciary owes this duty to Nigerians not only for the sake of restoring the hope of Nigerians in democracy but rescuing the nation’s economy from the hands of a man who clearly does not know how a modern economy should be run.

The poor economic history of Nigeria under Buhari’s watch, characterised by growing poverty of the population, is the result of poor leadership. President Buhari clearly lacks the knowledge, temperament and leadership to guide a team that can make an economy flourish and the people enjoy a good life.

It was for this reason that when Buhari told Nigerians at the 2019 Democracy Day celebrations that his All Progressives Party (APC) administration can raise 100 million Nigerians from poverty in a period of ten years, those who have observed him since 2015, labelled the statement as hollow. Most Nigerians hold the view that the Buhari persona, his leadership style and his pervasive nepotism and policy of exclusion, means that the president and his party, the APC can only descend people into poverty, not to lift them.

Among the reasons why the growing pov-

erty in Nigeria persists, and might continue despite Buhari’s good intentions are first, the poor and indecisive leadership of Buhari.

Second, is the nationwide security problem, violence and killings which has dislocated many Nigerians. Third, is the problem which herdsmen pose to the farming population in the country that has uprooted millions of farmers from their farmlands mostly in the Northern part of the country. Food shortages are more than likely all through Buhari’s four year tenure till 2023, if the judiciary does not rescue the nation from his vice grip by declaring the rightful winner of the 2019 elections.

President Buhari has shown that he lacks the will to deal with the problem of insecurity, more so when his military commanders blame everyone except themselves for the security problems in the country including Boko Haram insurgency in the North east region of the country. The insecurity issue has emerged as a disincentive to domestic and foreign investment. Four, the country’s huge population is another factor. With a population today, at 200 million and projected to rise to 400 million around 2050, the nation will be in a messy situation if it does not solve its leadership, social, infrastructural, educational and health delivery problems which are becoming critical by the day. President Buhari is not the type of man to put in place and implement a credible and effective population policy to help ensure that the country can manage its population.

Part of the solution to the poverty problem is the practice of true federalism under which the Federal Government, the States and local government will be responsible partners with each level of government working hard to eradicate poverty among the people under its care. Unfortunately, President Buhari does not believe in true Federalism compared to the opposition candidate in the 2019 polls, Atiku Abubakar who is a disciple of Federalism and who has taken pains to lay out the ways and means of its implementation to free the creative and productive energies of the constituent parts of the country.

Finally, Nigeria according to commentators and agencies who are conversant with the Nigerian economy, is in dire straits. The onus is on all Nigerians with the influence to right the wrongs to ensure that the nation is placed in credible hands.

Mahmoud Mustapha, a Public Affairs Analyst wrote from Bauchi.

Being HSE-compliant can lead to a better economy...

Continued from back page 1980s and author of multi-award winning ‘Zaire and the African Revolution,’ addressed the question of Buhari’s legacy in ‘Nigeria: Averting Paradox of Development.’ Considering Buhari’s larger-thanlife image as an army general, military Head of State and elected civilian president, he advised Buhari to decline a second tenure, restructure Nigeria and ride into the golden sunset of history like the great Madiba. Buhari didn’t do that and went for a second tenure, only to lose in substance. He’s entangled with sectarian politics that diminishes him. This for a towering statesman who was to Nigeria what De Gaul was to France.

One question that tortures every selfrespecting Igbo is why Orji Uzor Kalu turned himself into His Master’s Voice.

Kalu fought former President Olusegun Obasanjo to a standstill to fix the Owerri-Onitsha Road, to believe Chris

Nwedo. We now ask the learned Nwedo, so where is Kalu’s fighting spirit today?

What changed him? Kalu speaks with perceptible fear in his voice. He’s today sermonising Ndigbo to expect nothing from the APC for failing to vote for the party. But did the Yoruba vote for the PDP in 1999 and 2003 even though they got the Presidency? Ndigbo must stop their former governors from representing them in the Senate. The EFCC could be hounding them.

At 26, I went into political exile as supporter of MKO Abiola. Isn’t it ironic that certain elements from Abiola’s own South West, on the very eve of June 12, championed this anti-Igbo agenda? Can we detest the injustice meted out to Abiola and the Yoruba and remain patient when same is visited on the Igbo?

My point is, while in exile in Belgium, I visited Waterloo. I wondered how the Duke of Wellington with 68, 000 troops could have defeated Napoleon Bonaparte

and his 72,000 soldiers. It was Victor Hugo who put me in the clear. In “Les Miserables,” he said that Napoleon fell because he offended God. The ceaseless weeping of countless mothers whose sons perished in the Napoleonic wars finally moved Heaven to intervene. On the D-Day of 18th June 1815, therefore, everything worked in reverse for Napoleon.

Non-military factors that Wellington was equally exposed to, rather than soldiers and guns, ultimately led to his downfall.

One, where Napoleon was told during reconnaissance that the field was flat, the place turned out to have deep ravines. In the heat of the battle, the ravines swallowed wholesale his charging elite cavalry, the very backbone of his army. Hugo believed God sent his angel posing as a poor Waterloo villager to misinform Napoleon.

Two; on 16th and 17th June, especially the night of 17th preceding the encounter, the gates of heavens were thrown open drowning Waterloo and its environs in

great deluge. Mid-June is summer without rains. Yet, in 1815, the reverse was the case.

In the morning of 18thJune, Napoleon was compelled to delay fighting till 11.20am for the reluctant sun to dry the water-sodden field before he could manoeuvre his sinking canons into position. The delay made it possible for Prussian reinforcement to reach the beleaguered Wellington.

Three; darkness descended on the battlefield much earlier than expected in what Hugo called “unseasonably clouded sky.” At the point of darkness Wellington had the upper hand. Another hour of daylight, and fighting, could have changed that.

And four, underdog Wellington only finished what Heaven started. Napoleon was put to rout and Europe had peace.

Hugo summed: “When humanity cried out against a clearly bloodthirsty and vile government, mysterious forces latent in the trees and the air were moved to intervene.”

30

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Sunday 30 June 2019

SundaySpecial Insight into Kula’s OML 25: Another Ogoni explosive scenario coming?

• Fierce factions emerge in Kula kingdom • One faction backed by the Rivers State Government wants Shell to resume • Another faction backed by Belemaoil wants Shell out and siege to continue • Security crackdown may begin after 7-day ultimatum by Gov Wike, but FG keeps mum Ignatius Chukwu

A

Introduction ll the ingredients of violence and bloodshed are complete in oilrich Kula, an island in Rivers State jutting into Atlantic Ocean just like Bonny, Soku (Rivers) and Ekeremor and Brass (Bayelsa). The divisions are sharp and the glimpse of rapprochement, being an agreement coming up on Monday, July 1, 2019, mid-wifed by the state government, may rather be the beginning of a fiercer round of trouble. This is because, the pro-Belemaoil chiefs and youths issued a statement Friday night rejecting the deal, saying they as the majority of Kula people and alleged rightful owners of the oil field were not part of the negotiations.

As was the case in Ogoni before killings started, the Kula people are effectively divided, such that each group led by a ‘king’ is opposed to the other in very deep ways beyond oil. The worse is that Kula has three kings now; King and Amananyabo, Bourdillon Ekine, Oko 28th, and King and Amanyanabo of Kula, Kroma Amabibi Eleki, the Sara 14th.

There is also King and Amanyanabo of Opu-Kula, Hope Opusingi. Bourdilon Ekine and Kroma Eleki recently put down their differences and embraced each other after about two decades. They now formed what they term Kula Supreme Council of Chiefs.

Now, Opusingi insists he is the rightful king. He has found attention with the Rivers State Government and Shell and Shell.

On the Kula oil field that yields over 44,000 bpd and 105m cfgpd, the Oil Mining License (OML 25), Ekine and

other chiefs are on one side (anti-Shell) while Opusingi and a set of chiefs are antiBelema and so want Shell back.

On political grounds, Opusingi said he is supporting PDP and Gov Nyesom Wike, saying it was the reason why Belemaoil’s CEO was against him. The local government leadership is also behind Opusingi. This automatically divides Kula into APC and PDP, especially as the man who was used by the APC, Awara Biokpomabo of African Action Congress (AAC), is from Kula and is the only candidate still in court with Wike. The PDP seem to see more than the hand of the APC but that of an oil company behind it.

Rivers State position Gov Wike said it was not true that the state has no role to play in the crisis. He said he was not going to award oil license, and exclusive right of the FG, but that he was right to intervene in intracommunity crisis and dispute with oil corporations. He was backed by the fact that many communities who have issues with the same multinationals usually bring it to the state government.

The outcome of his intervention was reeled out on Thursday, June 27, 2019.

Stakeholder communities of Oil Mining License (OML) 25 in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have agreed on the procedures for the re-opening of the oil facility.

As such, the stakeholders communities and Shell will on Monday, July 1, 2019 sign a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U.) to be facilitated by the Rivers State Government on their respective responsibilities in the final resolution of the conflict.

Osagie Okunbor

This was the outcome of the meeting on Thursday between Stakeholder Communities of OML 25, SPDC, Service Commanders and officials of the Rivers State Government on the directive of Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.

Representative of the Rivers State Governor and Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo directed the SolicitorGeneral of the State to draft a memorandum of understanding on the premise of the resolutions reached at the meeting.

He said that the memorandum of understanding would be signed on Monday, July 1, 2019.

Danagogo outlined the four key resolutions reached during the crucial meeting on the re-opening of OML 25.

He said: “SPDC should pay the agreed funds into an account. The Permanent Secretary, Community Affairs has been mandated to ensure that the funds are transferred to the communities.

“SPDC should be able to pay the available sum latest

by Monday. Shell would pay

OML 25: Shell, Stakeholder Communities to sign M.O.U on the re-opening of the flow station

N260million and N75million

by Monday.

“The communities should within 7 days of signing the resolution, vacate the facility.

Also within two weeks, Shell should pay the remaining part of N1.014billion (One Billion, fourteen million naira)”.

The Secretary to the Rivers State Government added that the meeting resolved that SPDC would therefore obtain approval from NAPIMS to pay the money that accrued between 2009 and 2013.

He added that within two weeks of signing the resolution, Rivers State Government will set up a platform for Shell and Stakeholder Communities to renegotiate the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU).

General Manager, External Relations of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Rivers-born Igo Weli, said the first set of funds to the stakeholder communities will be paid on Monday.

He stressed that the outcome of the financial reconciliations will be paid within two weeks of signing the resolution.

Igo Weli added that SPDC in line with the resolution of the meeting, seeks the approval of NAPIMs for payment of funds for 2009 and 2013.

Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Rowland Sekibo said that the meeting initiated by the Rivers State Governor has recorded a milestone with agreement on the funds to be paid by SPDC. Member of the Rivers State House of Assembly Representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 1, Major Jack

commended the Rivers State Government, SPDC and Stakeholder Communities for building synergy which will end in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday.

Amanyanabo of Opu-Kula, King Hope Opusingi said that the people of the area are happy with the agreement reached at the meeting, especially the reconciliation of the funds to be paid by SPDC. He said those occupying the flow station are being paid to do so. He said technically, the flow station has been opened as the occupants of the facility are doing so illegally.

Also speaking, the Amanyanabo of Kula, King Kroma Eleki, called for the development of Kula upon the reopening of OML 25. He said the developmental challenges of the community should be resolved.

Counter statement by Kula chiefs and pro-Belemaoil groups The groups describing themselves as host communities of OML 25 namely: Belema , Offoin-Ama , and Ngeje stated late Friday night: Our attention has been drawn to a false and misleading statement by the Rivers State Government claiming that the Host Communities of OML25 have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with SPDC on July 1st 2019 with a view to re-open the Flow Station.

It is disheartening and highly preposterous that the Rivers State Government could peddle such falsehood to hoodwink the unsuspecting public and please its new ally, Shell.

It is most unfortunate that a state government that is supposed to concern itself with good governance would be this desperate to champion an illegal course to forcefully reopen an oil platform that was peacefully shutdown based on the legitimate grievances of the Host Communities.

It is now very obvious that the Rivers State Government supports injustice, marginalisation, enslavement and impoverishment of the Host Communities by the oil multinational company contrary to a recent declaration by His Excellency that Shell is responsible for the crisis in most oil producing communities in the

state. The Governor had also stated that Shell with its divide and rule tactics is the major culprit of non-implementation of GMOU with Host Communities.

It is important we remind the Governor of his exact words when he received officials of the Netherlands High Commission to Nigeria at the Government House during a courtesy call on Friday 10th May, 2019, I quote ‘’Unfortunately Shell Dutch Company, they are part of the major culprit, what it does is to divide communities, to make sure that communities don’t work together, for them to have their way but it boomerangs at the end of the day. Shell does not want to obey or implement the Memorandum of Understanding they have with communities, Shell has that history of not implementing Memorandum of Understanding, even when they want to, they will go and find project that does not what anything, it’s unfortunate, so we seek your cooperation that Shell does what it is supposed to do”.

It is surprising that a governor who received commendation for standing by the truth as a result of his statement against Shell, would suddenly turn around to collude with the same company to oppose our common struggle for emancipation from the decades of injustice meted out on us by Shell.

Furthermore, we were alarmed by the decision of the Governor to intervene in the protracted dispute between us and Shell which is already being handled by the Presidency and NNPC. It is worrisome that Shell and Rivers State Government who both sent representatives to our meeting with the NNPC in Abuja on the 22nd of August 2017 to resolve the dispute, decided to meet with the wrong people at the Government House in PortHarcourt to resolve a matter that is already being handled by the federal government.

Shell’s General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli, cannot feign ignorance of the delegation of the Host Communities who were at the meeting with them.

Inviting strangers, political allies of the Governor as well as some renegades from Kula to a meeting to resolve the lingering dispute leaving out the Host Communities who led the shutdown of the oil facility

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SundaySpecial is the height of bias and insincerity on the part of the Rivers State government.

As a lawyer, His Excellency, ought to know that the State cannot adjudicate on such matter as it is on the Exclusive list of the Nigerian Constitution and not a state affair.

Let it be also known that the Oko Royal House of Kula, the bonafide owners of Belema Community gave the acreage to Shell to build the oil facility.

In the light of the foregoing, we therefore dissociate ourselves from the outcome of the said meeting where the Host Communities purportedly agreed to sign an MoU on 1st of July 2019 with SPDC to re-open the oil facility.

It should be noted that the Host Communities of OML25 known as the Belema Flow Station comprising Belema, Offoin-Ama and Ngeje were not part of that meeting and will never be part of any such meeting called by the Rivers State Government on this matter because it does not fall within the purview of the state government. It is our view that the Rivers State Government can only play advisory role on this matter and not to mediate or adjudicate on it.

We therefore, call on the Federal Government, Amnesty International and the International Criminal Court to hold the Rivers State Government and SPDC responsible should any harm come on our women and children who are peacefully occupying the oil facility over legitimate grievances against Shell.

We also call on the Government and good people of the home country of Royal Dutch Shell to call Shell Nigeria to order by prevailing on the company to respect the right of the Host Communities of OML25 in the interest of peace.

We insist that we do not want SPDC any more in our land. We will continue to occupy the oil facility peacefully until our demands are met. Let the Rivers State Government and Shell come with their brute force, we are ready to die for this course. We remain resolute in our demands for the divestment of OML25 by SPDC taking into consideration the Host Community right-of-firstrefusal.

(Signed on behalf of the Host Communities of Belema, Offoin-Ama and Ngeje Community: Chief-elect Mpakaboari Welsch, Chief-elect Oputuboye Walter, Prince (Barr) Opunabo Ekine, His Royal Highness, Sibia Aaron Sukubo, Offo XIII, Chief Ibiosia Nath-Sukubo, Chief Ibinabo Daniel Kiliya, and Chief (Barr) Wapakaboari A Gaga.)

Stage is set With these two positions, and the kind of powers and petrodollars behind them, the stage seems set for volatility. The Rivers State may be forced to order use of force to evacuate

the women occupying the platform close to the ocean. The chiefs and youths may mobilize sea power and other powers to counter this. The result could only be sea wars, except the FG intervenes right now.

Shell Shell officials were not ready to speak to the press other than their statement calling on all parties to come to the negotiation table. Shell said all efforts were being made to resolve all issues and resume operations, and disclosed huge sums waiting for the Kula community as soon as the MOU was signed.

Shell statement Friday morning said: “Working in close collaboration with the Kula community, SPDC has implemented a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) in the area that led to a wide variety of social investment projects including university scholarships awards.

“However, following disagreements in the community, the Rivers State Government initiated a mediation process which resulted in the creation of the Kula Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) as an interim platform for the delivery of social investment initiatives and programmes worth N263 million in the Soku-San Berth Project. These projects were outside the GMoU projects initiated by communities using funds provided by the SPDC JV. “A GMoU was eventually signed in 2014 for the Kula Cluster but has not been implemented because of continuing intra-community disagreements. As at 2015, there were a total of 11 court cases involving different groups with SPDC as a co-defendant in all of them.

Sadly, these legal suits and disputes have rendered it impossible to implement more planned development projects in the affected communities.

“Despite the challenging environment, the SPDC JV set aside more than N600 million for a five-year period beginning 2014 for development initiatives at Kula and the satellite communities of Belema, Offoin-ama and Boro.

“SPDC JV has also invested over N352 million in improvement of school infrastructure, sanitation and health outreach programmes, construction of walkway for the community and electricity supply in Kula Kingdom in the past 10 years.

“The host communities of OML 25, including Belema and Offoin-ama have continued to benefit from contract awards, employment of unskilled labour and our social investment programmes, including yearly award of regular and special scholarships to eligible candidates from the area.

“Notwithstanding that SPDC has divested its equity in OML 24, which covers most of the communities in Kula and Belema, the SPDC JV has continued to implement agreed So-

Kula people stage protests in PH

cial Investment programmes such as scholarship and entrepreneurship schemes for the communities there. With the divestment of its interest in OML 24, SPDC relinquished operatorship of the facilities in that field.

Other sources No Shell official was ready to speak any further on the matter after the statement. BD Sunday however gathered Shell is very angry over the turn of events in Kula and the role being played by some persons and organisation in stoking up fire in the industry.

Sources said it was not true that Shell said there was $300m spent on Kula, but said they pointed to various social investments projects being executed in the oil region without excluding any section of the oil communities.

Other sources pointed at the CEO of Belemaoil as a beneficiary of Shell’s community empowerment drive, saying the man grew in the industry with jobs he executed for Shell over the years. He acquired intelligence, skills and contacts to become an oil magnet today, owning an oil field and now into exploration.

Insiders it is not true also that Shell walked out on the NNPC or from the negotiators. They said the Shell arrow-

head was being threatened by ex-militants that came to the meeting in the name of youths.

They said some told him where he lived in Port Harcourt and so on. Sources said the atmosphere was no longer conducive for negotiations.

It was also gathered that the community has not been able to form a consensus to present their demand. It was gathered that even in Government House, this scenario was repeated.

On why GMoU has not been implemented in Kula, the sources said Kula stakeholders have been in court and many court orders fly about asking oil companies not to release the funds; thus over N1Bn now waiting to be utilised.

Despite that, it was gathered that N490m spent under the project GMOU (PGMOU) in Kula. The moment peace returns, money will flow in Kula.

Danger at sea Many sources say the Kula sea front has been violent over the years. The reconciling kings also mentioned this as Bourdilon remarked on May 4, 2019, at the reunification meeting that the sea had been rough and that violence had been high. He hoped the reunification would bring all of that to a close. He however

Oil calculations for 2017 Current price per barrel

Current official Dollar rate

OML 55 crude alone (excluding gas) One day income: 12,000 x $55

One year income

Average spend to extract crude

Possible gross extra per day

Possible gross profit per year

Sharing: 60% to FG/NNPC

Possible surplus to Belema/Seplat

hinted of enemies out there eager to pounce but must be rebuffed now that the warriors are united.

It was gathered that violence was part of the reasons why no MOU worked in Kula in recent years. Some seven persons were killed at a point and skirmishes remained for long, added to litigations.

Pirates and kidnappers have added to the danger at sea on the Kula axis, such that no person easily travels that way without security escorts.

The hope is that peace would resolve all of that.

A Shell source said: Nobody would feel free to put persons on such a route every time.

Kula grievances The chiefs and elders that have been speaking with the press so far accused Shell of ‘not doing anything since OML 25 about 33 years ago. This seems to offend Shell who point at huge social investment schemes in the oil region and huge sums waiting for Kula people due to litigations.

The Kula people also accused Shell of divide and rule but Shell wonders if it is also oil companies that have made them to divide in many other matters far outside oil. Shell wonders if anything should warrant the community people

$55 $1 = N305 12,000 barrels per day (now 13,000) $660,000 or N201m N73.4Bn $25 per barrel (now $29) 12000 x $30 = $360,000 or N109.8m N40Bn N24Bn N16Bn (for salaries, etc, before profit)

This figure seemed to improve as oil went to about $70 per barrel. The hunger to acquire more fields and open more opportunities became strident.

to take over an oil platform belonging to an organisation.

Sources said such examples would send dangerous signals around the world and that even other ethnic groups could apply same arm-twisting methods to collect oil fields to their own sons.

A Kula son revealed at a press briefing on Wednesday that the real anger is that Shell wanted to divest in OML 25 but chose another indigenous oil company (Creastar) instead of Belemaoil owned by a son of the area. This could be why they said it was better for OML 25 to remain permanently shut than see another oil company handle it.

They said while the matter was on, the FG (Ibe Kachukwu) that seemed to have a listening ear to Kula suddenly renewed Shell’s license for another 20 years at almost $1Bn, according to sources. This seemed to pull the rug off the confidence feet of the Kula people and they angrily now prefer to fight to finish.

It is not clear if Shell will one day divest in it but some fear Crestar may be brought in through the back door at a future time if the deal is allowed to stand. Shell has always insisted that nobody uses violence to acquire oil fields. This could be hints that Belemaoi should cool down and use other strategies to get to desired destination. Some think if Belemaoil helps in the peace process, they could be the beautiful pride in future to bid to acquire OML 25 from Shell.

Belema: Calculations that fired the natives When Belemaoil successfully acquired OML 55, after several difficulties and loans that almost ruined the company at infancy, the indigenes who came into oil boardroom for the first time, were presented with oil facts and cash realities. This seemed to excite most of them. By 2017 when this was real, the managers calculated thus: Conclusion: The Kula kings and elders said they are ready to listen to the FG. The NNPC could look into the Rivers Government peace process and endorse it and get Kula to accept it. The FG can also make Belemaoil and Shell to reach rapprochement that could be a win-win situation, insiders suggested. Silence on the part of the FG and NNPC when fires are being ignited could present another Ogoni in their hands.

There are hints that the entire Ijaw nation could be dragged into the matter and this could spread to Bayelsa and Delta states.

The agreement may be signed on Monday, July 1, 2019, but its enforcement could be a difficult thing and a violent consequence. Many think more engagement should be made despite the signing.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Person In The News

Sanwo-Olu at 54: Celebrating a man on mission for a greater Lagos

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GBOYEGA AKOSILE

good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something special – Nelson Mandela.

The above expression from one of the greatest ethical and political leaders of all-time aptly describes the man Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the 15th governor of Lagos State who, Tuesday, June 25, 2019 celebrated his natal day.

Truth be told, Governor Sanwo-Olu is an embodiment of a good head, a good heart and of course, a literate tongue having been privileged to have experienced the best in terms of education locally and internationally. And the result so far so good has been delivery of democratic dividends and meeting expectations of the teeming population of the state.

Now, some people may argue that it is too early in the day to shower accolades on the governor but the popular expression that the signs of a beautiful Friday will be noticed from the preceding Thursday clearly exemplifies the actions taken so far by Governor Sanwo-Olu and his amiable and cerebral deputy, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat since they effectively took charge of the affairs of Centre of Excellence and State of Aquatic Splendor on May 29, 2019.

Like a greyhound after a rabbit, Governor Sanwo-Olu came out of the take off point with some decisive pronouncements and moves that disabused the minds of some doubting Thomases that he is actually prepared and ready for the tasks of administering the most populous state in Nigeria and in fact, a State that has been correctly adjudged as the fifth largest economy in Africa.

I have had the unique privilege of working with Governor Sanwo-Olu at very close range even before he took over the most tasking and challenging job in the state and one thing that is constant is that his passion, zeal and energy for a greater Lagos remain unbeatable. I mean people could recall how the governor vigorously campaigned across the state during the electioneering and the zestfulness on display when he met with the relevant groups and organisations across all the social strata of the state.

The good thing, however, is that Governor Sanwo-Olu has not stopped.

In fact, he made it abundantly clear in his inaugural speech, and so far so good, he is walking the talk.

Another critical point which I must not fail to mention is that many who

thought that the Governor would be vindictive have been pleasantly surprised as he has shown that nobody in the service of the state would be harassed on the basis of certain interests.

Staff can only be reprimanded if they have failed to carry out their duties as professionally expected of them.

The governor is forward-looking and he has carried on with commendable equanimity, focusing on the job at hand rather than looking for who did what during the electioneering.

I have heard him on several occasions, warning that nobody should be hounded or maltreated on the account of working in the immediate past administration.

His Excellency, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu is a personification of humanity, a selfless leader and an uncommon Nigerian, who thinks more about the other person’s feelings than of his own.

I have witnessed the display of his kind heartedness many times that I can comfortably say that he is a very good man.

For many who rightly belong to the school of thought that talk is cheap and who were not ecstatic about Governor Sanwo-Olu’s brilliant inauguration speech, which by the way he eloquently delivered, the steady implementation since his assumption can be said to be a worthy consolation.

The speech virtually captured all the key areas that needed to be addressed and the direction that the new govern-

ment is headed.

By the following day, Governor Sanwo-Olu made some moves which clearly showed that he was ready to walk the talk. The first point of call was a meeting with civil servants where he emphatically told them that the government cannot afford to fail Lagosians at this critical point in time.

One striking thing was the fact that the governor was very much aware of the challenges faced by the civil servants and conversely he knew the areas where workers have to improve in terms of positive disposition to work and so on. So, on 30th of June, 2019, he promised to look into their welfare first with the provision of new buses to convey them to work and within three days, that promise was fulfilled. 35 new buses were immediately handed over to the workers to aid their movement from home to work and back home.

Also as I write this piece, all civil servants have received their salary for the month of June. That is the spirit with which Governor Sanwo-Olu is bringing into governance in Lagos.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also signed an executive order to address issues around traffic management, security and the environment after which he proceeded to Apapa for on-the-spotassessment of the situation there.

The issue of Apapa gridlock and the state of the environment has for long been a national embarrassment and so it

was a brilliant move for the Governor to immediately visit the area where he expressed commitment to his promise to truly put the deplorable and harrowing situation in the area in the dustbin of history, working in concert with the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders.

It must be added that just two days ago, Governor Sanwo-Olu was back in Apapa with Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and other senior government officials both from the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government, to further assess the progress of work in the effort to restore complete sanity and order in the area.

Another pleasant move by this government is the two-prong approach to traffic management which is enforcement of traffic laws and fixing of potholes. With regards to potholes, the government has already said that two lines would be released to the public through which residents can just take pictures of bad state of any road within the state and then the rehabilitation gangs would be deployed accordingly.

The Governor has boosted the morale of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials by increasing their monthly allowance by 100 percent with a promise to revamp all their moribund infrastructure as well as procurement of new equipment for better efficiency.

In the area of security, Governor Sanwo-Olu has also been proactive. As a matter of fact, he has met with all the top security chiefs in the State, with a pledge that the security architecture of the State would be overhauled to address contemporary security challenges including cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism and indiscriminate driving against traffic, among others.

Just under 30 days, there are many positives to draw from the purposeful and inspiring leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu and one can only imagine the goodies in the offing for residents and investors as there is already a clear roadmap as captured in the six pillars of his developmental agenda for the state otherwise known as T.H.EM.E.S, which stand for Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism as well as Security and Governance.

Here is wishing my amiable and dynamic boss happy birthday. I wish you sound health and wisdom to deliver on the mission #ForAGreaterLagos.

Akosile is the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Sunday 30 June 2019

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Sunday Interview Ondo will be commercial hub of Nigeria in the next five years - Ajipe

Alex Ajipe, is the chief executive officer/ managing director of Klick Konnect Networks, a private firm which has attracted so many investors and businesses to Ondo State. In this interview with YOMI AYELESO, he spoke about the secret behind the choice of Ondo State by many investors, the economic development of the state, among other important issues. Excerpts:

I

May we know what Klick Konnect Networks is all about? t is a PR and business consultancy firm. We monitor value chain, coordinate value chain; we pitch investors all over the world with states, federal governmentandprivateagencyand company in Nigeria. Some people call us investors hunters. We hunt for investors, we monitor value chain, we coordinate supply chain and we make money.

As an investor, what are the investment opportunities in Ondo State and what is the government doing to harness them?

I want to tell you that when you are talking about Ondo State, if you permit me to say this, that Ondo State is one of the most blessed states in Nigeria. We have limitless investment opportunities in the state, ranging from transportation to agriculture, to mineral resources, to natural resources, to human capital, to technology and the rest.

I want to tell you that I may not be able to say much about previous government but the present government has done well in this regard. The government promised to industrialise the state, to use agriculture to empower people. Also, in the area of road construction; it will be out of place to be using limited resources to be establishing industries when there were backlog of salaries being owed. For a government that knows its onions, they have to use private sector to develop industries, otherwise the government has no business in business. You can see all over the world even in Nigeria, most of the viable businesses are privatedriven enterprises. The government will only provide enabling environment including security. That is exactly what Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has done.

In the area of transportation, you can see, we have airlines from Akure to Lagos and to Abuja everyday in the whole week. That has assisted us in the state. That has attracted a lot of investors to the state. He has taken the campaign to the shores of the investors. They are coming to the state because of his sincerity of purpose. They are also wise in choosing partners.

Only few days ago, medical equipment worth $5 million was distributed to all health facilities in the state; it was through partnership.

We have a lot of industries now like; textile industries that have never been here before, afforestation that has never been here, we are talking of paper mills, plywood, marine board, agrochemicals, cassava to ethanol.

All these are happening because the government knows that is the only way to have sustainable industrialisation in an economy like Ondo State. Bitumen exploration is

their own, while cassava will take about 12 months for it to grow.

Then, what is the price of selling cannabis and the price of selling cassava? How do you tackle such menace? The truth of the matter is that people will continue to plant as far as it is still giving them money. As far as they are still planting, people will continue to abuse it. But if you can check the people that are planting, you will automatically reduce people that are going to be abusing it. When you now look at it to substitute the medicinal cannabis with this cannabis that makes people to run crazy and you are going to gain more money. For instance, your 1kg of cannabis illegally will give you N200 and we are telling you to plant the medicinal cannabis and with 1kg of it, you will get N500 and the one you are getting N500 will not make people crazy. But the one you are getting illegally at N200 makes people crazy; what do you think people might want to do?

People will want to go for the one that will give them more money and people will not be on them. It is very logical and the laws are not made for the stones, they are made for the people. As people are growing, the laws are supposed to be growing as well. Our laws are not supposed to

Alex Ajipe

coming up now, the seaport is coming up and we are only waiting for the declaration. That is why for us in Klick Konnect Networks, we have seen the sincerity of purpose; we have seen how focus the governor is and that is why we have decided to key into this and making a living from it. By the grace of God, we have facilitated several businesses to Ondo State. We have a cement factory coming up now. Ondo has not had it so good over the years.

We are playing the major roles. We are going to be producing fabrics; our people will not need to go to Lagos or Ibadan to get fabrics. Automobile Assembly plants one of its types in Africa, I mean Donfev.

Our people will work there and that will improve the economy.

What is the true position of the cannabis business government is planning to invest on?

We are a big player in the state in the area of pitching investors with the state government but we are not speaking for the government.

The truth of the matter is that we have a fertile land in which this plant (cannabis) can grow more than any plants in the world. We are also disturbed if you go by the data, over 15 million people are drug addicts in Nigeria. That is more than America, Canada and UK combined. We are not happy about it

because over 60percent of all these are cannabis and over 80percent of cannabis in Nigeria are from Ondo state, unfortunately. This is eroding our human capital because most of our best brains go into cannabis addict and at the end of the day they are useless.

Another thing is, over 60percent of the forest here are being degraded daily by cannabis planters, so we are losing revenue. Where you normally see wood, it has been taken over by cannabis, unfortunately.

It’s not for the government of the state to regulate or even prosecute because this thing is in the exclusive legislative list, it is not in the concurrent legislative list where the state can legislate or regulate.

We still have to hand them over to federal agency like NAFDAC for prosecution. We discovered they are on the increase. We must not pretend about what is happening all over the world because a lot of countries have made researches into cannabis and we have seen a lot of exploits cannabis has done.

Let’s leave revenue and look at how to tackle the surge and the addicts that we do have in Nigeria.

It is as bad as some women leaving planting cassava and planting cannabis illegally. They look at it that cannabis will take like 6 months to grow and they begin to sell it on

”

We are a big player in the state in the area of pitching investors with the state government but we are not speaking for the government

”

be rigid. It is not the same marijuana that is making people crazy and curing cancer and having 100 of health benefits. We have to go and check and that is what the governor went to Thailand to do. The cannabis oil is scientific and beneficial to us.

The most important thing is that we are trying to have an advocacy for people to know the menace associated with drug abuse in our society.

How has your organisation helped the government to achieve its plans, especially in the Agricultural sector?

I will say this that we are not only helping but making money and doing our business. We facilitated the company that brought in cassava to ethanol into the state. They have the capacity to do 328 thousand metric tonnes of cassava annually. That is on the first phase. If we are sure of supply, they are going to increase that to one million metric tonnes annually. With that, we know it takes, a lot of monitoring, awareness and encouragement for Ondo State people, even people around the state to be able to meet up in giving them what they want, that is what leads to cassava revolution.

It is to monitor the value chain; to mobilise and coordinate the whole value chain. For instance, logistics and insurance, we are putting all these into business of cassava. We are bringing in extension officers to help our farmers increase their yield per hectare in the farm. Those are the things we are bringing to the state. We are working to have in each of the local government areas, modular processor to empower more people and generate more revenue. The modular processor will dry the cassava because we believe most cassavas are water and we don’t want farmers to be shortchanged. In that value chain, more people are going to be employed, it will save more money and it will increase the production rate of the major processor.

Are you saying youths are now embracing agriculture in Ondo State?

I can authoritatively tell you that youths are engaging in agriculture in the state. I am a youth and we are into agriculture now. I can see people of my age bracket even younger than me because of what we are doing in cassava revolution; we have youths in the ridges. Also, government has been encouraging it and I am impressed with the rate at which the youth participate in it.

What are your expectations from the 9th Ondo State House of Assembly, as an investor?

We are looking in that regard, but unfortunately we have a governor in the state that is far ahead of us and we are running to catch Continues on page 34

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Sunday Interview ‘Government must put proper measures in place to support sectoral growth’ Youthful and very industrious Abayomi Bello, is the workaholic and adventurous chairman of a chain of businesses known as Sologic Group, with solid interests in many plum spheres of the economy. He is also a fledgling politician whose adventure into politics has taught him many lessons that will further encourage him to exert more strategies in future, having launched out, albeit unsuccessfully, to occupy the seat of his Federal Constituency in the present Federal House of Representatives. A mentee of charismatic Senator Dino Melaye, who incidentally is from his Kogi Senatorial District, strategic businessman and forward-looking politician, Abayomi Bello, recently spoke with BOLATITO ADEBOLA on his business forays and journey into politics, among other issues. Excerpts:

S Alex Ajipe

Ondo will be commercial hub...

Continued from page

up with him. He has done that with the agency we call Ondo State Investment and Promotion Agency (ONDIPA ) which is in charge of promoting investors in the state.

We have a robust relationship with the members. We will always approach them as an investor. I don’t think we will have issues in the area of legislation. Unfortunately, the issue of cannabis you asked, the state lawmakers cannot legislate over it; otherwise, it will have been a kind of relief to us. It takes only one person to sponsor this bill and we hope the state lawmakers will liaise with their counterparts at the federal level for this to happen. All what is needed is for cannabis to be removed from the exclusive list to concurrent.

”

The modular processor will dry the cassava because we believe most cassavas are water and we don’t want farmers to be shortchanged

”

Every state can now deal with the menace as the way they thought and it will serve as a model for the whole country.

Has there been reduction in unemployment rate in the state?

I can say, more people are gainfully employed now in this state.

At Klicks Konnect Networks, we have about 40 staff in our headquarters here and over 300 staff across the state in a short period of time. We are gainfully employed in Ondo State because of the ingenuity and integrity of the governor.

I want to appreciate him and encourage him to do more because the world is watching.

Looking at all your activities you have mentioned, where do you see Ondo State in the next five years?

Ondo State will be the trade hub of the country in the next five years. It will be the commercial hub of the country. It will be the tech hub of the country. Every one of us will be happy and it will be a modern Ondo State we are looking up to.

As an investor and looking at the next year’s election, what do you think about the present government in the state?

I will support the present governor to come back again. Ondo State people are appreciative and I know they will elect Rotimi Akeredolu again for a second term for greater heights. The people know who is tarring their roads; they know who is empowering the youth through agriculture; they know the person who has brought the first textile, the first paper mill, the first cassava to ethanol, the first agrochemicals.

Ondo State people know who is paying their salaries; the people know who is turning the state into industrialhub.Thepeopleknowwho is prudent with their resources. They will follow Akeredolu. He is a very peaceful man and honest. A man of integrity and a purposeful leader; definitely, we will have him again.

What is the range of businesses under the Sologic Group? ologic Group is a consortium of business concerns under its aegis. The group has under its business chain that operates in the agricultural, hospitality, entertainment, printing/marketing communications, business consulting, and bureau de change sectors; and we are still counting.

Tell us about the latest addition to the Sologic Group?

It’s a boutique hotel under our new hospitality branch in the Group, named SOLOGIC HOTEL and with a subsidiary called THE HOUSE, located in the centre of the federal capital city, Abuja, specifically in the Wuse 2 locality.

Why diversification into hospitality?

It’s not really a diversification, as we have been in the hospitality business for quite a while now; but this is actually our first Boutique Hotel that has a great sit-out with a soothing ambience which provides privacy for our numerous but choice guests.

What would you say is the Group’s unique selling point?

It’s basically and primarily, ‘focus on the end user of all our products/services.’ Our processes are professionally tailored specifically towards meeting our individual customer’s needs.

The year is already half-way, what are your remaining expectations for 2019?

That we will continue to further strengthen our presence in the different spaces and spheres we operate in, and hopefully with more focus on professionalism and efficient service delivery.

What are your other expansion plans for the Group, now or in the nearest future?

That will be intensely in the areas of hospitality and agriculture.

We are in the process of adding another hotel to our chain; and also expand our oil mill production, while looking into other kinds of the mill, like rice mill, etc.

Would you say your House of Reps’ aspiration affected your business?

Not really. This is because one of the models I was advocating was the place of business in governance. So, after the primaries, I went immediately back to my primary assignment; being an entrepreneur. Besides, I never planned to be a professional politician, but a professional in politics, and so it was very easy for me to adjust after the primaries, unlike others who would have found it difficult to retrace their steps, because their major and

Bolatito Adebola

only dependence for survival is politics and nothing else.

What’s your relationship with Senator Dino Melaye?

We have a very good and cordial relationship. Don’t forget he is my Senator from my Constituency, Kogi West Senatorial District, and we have been in sync politically for a number of years now. We have a very good personal, mutual and symbiotic relationship. Senator Dino Melaye is a friend, a brother, a political ally and a go-to person when there is a knotty political issue to solve.

You stepped down just few moments before the primaries; how do you feel?

Of course, sad; as anyone with an aspiration would feel. But it was for the general and collective good of my party; and being a loyal party man, I had to comply with the directives of the party hierarchy and general consensus.

What has politics taught you in your business?

I have learnt that it doesn’t always happen at the time you want it. But you do not have to compromise your principles in the process, but keep pushing at it; as long as you believe it to be the right path.

What would you like the government to change about

the policies that revolve around your sectors of operation?

They should strengthen the institutions that supervise these sectors and make them more independent. They should also put proper measures in place to support the growth of these sectors. For instance, in Agriculture, it’s only on paper, mostly, that real support comes. In Hospitality, you have levies that keep coming and end up crumbling businesses in these sectors which mainly are the real employers of labour in the country and even beyond.

Which social clubs do you belong to?

Clubs are for the open-minded and winners, (laughs.) But for real, I am not a member of any club, social or otherwise. I used to be, but I realised quickly that members were severally and individually playing politics with one another, and this, in my own assessment and honest opinion, inadvertently affects and obstructs the aims, objectives, achievement and primary goals of the club; so I quickly opted out before I got caught by the bug.

Do you have any regrets in politics and business?

I have none so far; because I am still learning and there is no time to dwell on regrets.

Sunday 30 June 2019

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SundayBusiness Reducing unemployment rate to increase mortgage access

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he underlining principle of mortgage in Nigeria and any other place in the world is that a loan seeker must have a regular flow of income which presupposes that such a person must be in paid employment or self-employed.

Having a job is, therefore, critical to access to mortgage. But in Nigeria, many people, especially young Nigerians are not employed. Indeed, youth unemployment in the country is a major social challenge and the level is quite high.

At 23.1 percent in the third quarter of 2018, up from 18.8 per cent in Q3 2017, Nigeria has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world and the figures put out by Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its Q3 2018 report confirm this.

The report explains that “of the 20.9 million persons classified as unemployed as at Q3 2018, 11.1 million did some form of work but for too few hours a week (under 20 hours) to be officially classified as employed while 9.7 million did absolutely nothing.

“Of the 9.7 million unemployed that did absolutely nothing as at Q3 2018, 90.1 percent of them or 8.77 million were reported to be unemployed and doing nothing because they were first time job seekers and have never worked before”.

Apart from clarity of process, ac-

cessibility and affordability are major constraints that have denied many aspirational young and old Nigerians the opportunity of either building or buying homes. Mortgage is not accessible because many people, as pointed out above, are out of job.

Adeniyi Akinlusi, CEO, Trustbond Mortgage Bank, puts it straight that, though the ability of the banks to provide money for mortgage has changed on account of credit challenges in the financial system, mortgage affordability or the fundamentals for lending have not changed.

Technically speaking, there is no mortgage of any form in Nigeria. This is because the interest rate charged is no different from the commercial rate. Mortgage lenders still anchor their loans on good jobs that attract fat monthly salary, meaning that a mortgage loan seeker is still expected to be somebody in a good job or private business with an assured, fat and regular income stream.

Though there is a new mortgage law otherwise called uniform underwriting standard for the informal sector, it remains to be seen how impactful the new law has been on mortgage lending and homeownership. The income of some of these informal sector operators can hardly be measured and, so, can hardly be controlled in a formal way.

As against the 6 percent interest rate and repayment tenor of be-

Procurement and Supply Chain

with Gob-Agundu Uche Branch chair (CIPS), Nigeria

R

isk can be defined as ‘the probability of an unwanted outcome happening ’. Risk management facilitates the taking of decisions and actions to control risk appropriately by providing a disciplined and objective approach. Risk management involves four key activities namely risk recognition, risk analysis, risk assessment and risk mitigation.

Risk recognition is the process of identifying all the potential areas throughout the supply chain where risk is present. Risk analysis is the process of analysing all the potential areas of risk and estimating the probability of each happening.

Risk assessment is the process of assessing the likely impact of a risk on the organisation. Highly predictable risks may have low impact and therefore it is possibly not worth taking any action to control or avoid the risk. On the other hand, low probability risks can have a significant impact and some form of action may be

demanded ‘just in case’. The cost of controlling or avoiding the risk needs to be considered.

Risk mitigation involves drawing up plans and assigning responsibilities to control and lessen the risks that have been identified and assessed. Risks should then be allocated to an owner who is responsible for managing them, possibly with the help of other team members.

Explanation Risk recognition/analysis Risk recognition/analysis is part of the strategy development process. When a need is identified then a strategy is developed which considers all relevant commercial issues (such as specification, supply market, finance, etc.).

Ri s k r e c o g n i t i o n / a n a l y s i s methodologies allow all risks to be identified and objectively assessed. The purchaser can then decide on an appropriate sourcing strategy. Once the sourcing strategy is decided, the contract strategy can be formulated; it is at this stage that a decision of whether a risk/reward type

tween 25 and 30 years, depending on the borrower’s age, mortgage lenders in this country charge between 17 percent and 22 percent interest rate on mortgage loans with a repayment tenor as short as 12-24 months. The tenor also depends on the level of risk associated with either the loan or the borrower or both.

Because of this, the ever-widening housing demand-supply gap can easily be blamed on the commercial interest rate charged on mortgage loans which makes such loans unaffordable to home loan seekers.

The mortgage industry does not operate in isolation of the economy.

Certainly, as an integral part of the economy, it has to be affected by the economic crisis in the country today. A good number of people who were in employment before now don’t have jobs again because of the downturn in the economy.

In spite of this, mortgage operators insist that the fundamentals for lending have not changed, which means that if somebody has a good job with a financial institution or a multinational company, and the pay package is high enough for him to afford a mortgage, the economic crisis has not changed that affordability.

The past few years have seen quite a number of mortgage products aimed at enabling subscribers own their own homes, but these products are yet to help reduce exist-

Talking Mortgage with CHUKA UROKO (08037156969, chukuroko@yahoo.com) ing housing gap by increasing housing stock. The reason is simple. The products, like the mortgage loans, are unaffordable by those who need them and, according to mortgage operators, those mortgage products are not the ones that will make any impact on housing.

“The mortgage products that we have today are commercial mortgages which the investor wants to recover his money from. It is just like someone else who has invested in any other venture. He has to recover his money because he borrows from the same place like you”, an operator who did not want to be named, noted.

Mortgage products can make impact on housing only when there is government intervention and, anywhere else in the world, there is government intervention to make mortgage affordable to everybody, no matter the income level.

As obtains in other societies, mortgage could be used to move the economy from being import-depen-

dent to a producing and exporting country and Akinlusi says mortgage institutions need long term loans for housing finance. When there are enough funds to lend to property developers and to home seekers, the entire economy will be stimulated.

By the time there are enough funds in the hands of mortgage institutions for long term loans to property developers, there will be a lot of property construction activities and when these happen, a lot of other activities will be generated and the economy will be better for it.

Engineers, architects, bricklayers, casual labourers and even food vendors will be automatically engaged by a single development in one corner of the city, and it is unimaginable what is possible when there are many of such developments going on at various parts of the country.

The long term effect is the development of industries and factories that produce building materials such as cement, rods, roofing materials, wooden materials etc.

Risk management contract is appropriate.

Risk recognition/analysis should be part of any significant purchasing and supply managementprocess.Forexample, its use is vital when determining the overall strategy towards individual plans for categories of expenditure, sourcing and even, if appropriate, tactical procurement. It is a key skill of any Supply Chain professional and its use is key in controlling (as far as possible) the risks associated with any commercial activity.

The recognition/analysis can be either a simple or very formal process. The latter approach is more appropriate for highvalue and high-risk projects such as a new IT solution (and may involve following a set procedure, working cross-functionally with colleagues, brainstorming and risk evaluation). Recognition/ analysis can also be informal, using an iterative or intuitive process, for less significant procurements, or it may even be reactive, such as in response to a crisis.

There are no golden rules of best practice in risk recognition/ analysis - the key is to be able to identify and analyse all the risks relating to a procurement including the impact of that procurement on the business, and to decide what level of effort is appropriate to the circumstances.

For more complex situations, the risks can be brainstormed and categorised into groups such as ‘technical risks’, ‘financial risks’,

etc. Alternatively, a more detailed approach may be adopted. In some public-sector areas, particularly for IT or PFI projects, there are quite specific analyses to be undertaken and failure to address all aspects fully can result in rejection of the procurement by a higher authority such as the Treasury.

The second stage is to assign a level of probability to these risks. Some methods express the impact of the risks and the cost of controlling them and so decisions on trade-offs can be made.

Risk assessment It may be that some risks are not very easily controlled or managed. These may fall into the category which needs to be insured, if indeed the insurance market is prepared to insure them.

The process of risk assessment is not all encompassing , as there is usually a degree of uncertainty. This uncertainty increases as the probability of the unwanted outcome increases.

Uncertainty can be addressed by ‘sensitivity analysis’. This involves manipulating the variables or assumptions, i.e. events that can lead to the unwanted occurrence, to see the effects of these. It can illustrate where the outcomes may be different if some assumptions are incorrect.

Another point to consider during risk assessment is ‘compensating behavior’, where people who are aware that a

particular risk is being controlled or managed, compensate by doing more of the unwanted behaviour, thereby increasing the risk. An example would be insuring laptop computers; where laptop computers are insured against loss or theft, some users take less care over their protection and leave them in their cars overnight, etc.

Risk mitigation The allocation of risk should be dependent on the assessment of the likelihood and consequence of the risk and then the identification of who is best able to control or manage that risk.

This is an important aspect of any significant procurement and so something in which Supply Chain professionals should be involved. Having allocated the risk, the issue of what is a fair reimbursement mechanism is a related but separate issue. Like all reimbursement it should be fair and reasonable. Forcing vendors to assume risks they cannot control by offering an incentive or a reward is not good practice. …… to be concluded next week CIPS position on practice represents the opinion of the Institute on respective professional practices in the business of Procurement and Supply Chain. Its objective is to further the growth of the industry and provide useful tools for individuals and organisations alike for the establishment of sound professional practices.

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LifestyleHomes&Suites

Sunday 30 June 2019

Paul Ojenagbon pauloje2000@yahoo.com

Exquisite detached houses in Lekki

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ne is a beautiful, wellendowed detached 5 bedroom house in Lekki Phase 1 that seats on a land area of approximately 450 square meters. It is in the market for outright sale at a princely sum of N190 million. It is being marketed by Wireeffects Real Estate Services. The land is covered by Governor’s consent which is the highest title on land. The house is located off Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1. All rooms are ensuite with wc/bathrooms. It has 6 bathrooms and six toilets.

It is well designed with LED lights; CCTV system is pre – installed to aid security around the house. It is attached with a guest room in the anteroom. It is endowed with some digital fancies of

video doorbell that screens visitors before entry into the house. It has large sitting rooms on the first and ground floors. The house boasts spacious master bedroom with balcony, walk in-closet, well designed and beautifully fitted kitchen. The Kitchen is equipped with gas cooker, Microwave, oven and fridge. There is a laundry room with washing machine and heat extractor.

Attached to the house is a one room boys’ quarters that is ensuite. Pre-installed in the ceiling of the house is a 4 way Surround Speakers with Bluetooth sound system.

Potable water is from borehole with water treatment plant. There is also a swimming pool for outdoor recreation. It has parking space for about six cars. It carries a price tag N190 million.

Also being marketed by Wireeffects

is another 5 bedroom detached house located in Lekky County It is located on a well interlocked road with excellent drainage network. It is a massive compound.

All rooms are also ensuite. It is on approximately the same land area and shares

similar features with the Lekki 1 house.

A major difference is that this one has Chandeliers which enhance the beauty of the living rooms. The title of the land is also Certificate of Occupancy, issued by the Lagos state Government.

Alluring detached house in Ikota Villa

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dorned with top notch and quality fittings with all rooms ensuite is a 5 - bedroom detached house in Ikota Villa, a bit ahead on the opposite side of Victoria Garden City (VGC). It is a prime location within Megamound’s Lekky County Estate, about five minutes’ drive from Chevron. It is a serene, secure and decent residential environment that enhances

in the market for outright sale. It is being marketed by the estate agents, Xanderhomes Nigeria Limited.

It is well furnished with wardrobes in all bedrooms, large sitting rooms with welldefined dining area. The kitchen is fully fitted and equipped with cabinet, gas cooker and extractor fan. It has a laundry area with washing machine. Potable water is from a

healthy and safe living. The estate is fully developed and boasts of excellent infrastructure such as paved roads with functional covered drains, street lights among others. It is a rich environment grown with ornamental trees, luxuriant lawns and flowers.

The fully completed house seats on a land area of about 500 square meters and is confined within a perimeter wall fence. It is of luxury standard, exquisitely finished and put

bore hole with a treatment plant. A major recreational facility is the swimming pool.

The title on the land is certificate of occupancy issued by the Lagos State government.

It carries a price tag of N100 million. Just beside the detached 5 bedroom house on about 350 square meters of land covered by a certificate of occupancy. It shares same characteristics with the detached house. It carries a price tag of N80 million

Sunday 30 June 2019

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BDSUNDAY 37

SundayBusiness Food & Beverages With Ayo Oyoze Baje

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he significant role that sustained human capital development plays, especially in availing stakeholders on how to increase their products and processes for more profit in fish and poultry farming cannot be underestimated. The foretasted scenario was exactly what played itself out recently when Grand Cereals Ltd, Jos, a vital arm of the UAC conglomerate organised the UAC Farmers’ Conference.

Tagged: ‘Importance of Nutrition on Profitability in Fish and Poultry Farming’ the Workshop which focused on the nutritional benefits of Vital Feeds enjoyed the tacit support of Ikorordu and Alimosho Lagos Farmers. It ran from Tuesday the 25th of June, at Rainbow Hall, along Sabo-Itamaga Road, Ikorodu through to Thursday, the 27th of June, 2019 at Shubus Event Centre, along Jakande-Ijegun Road, Ikotun.

According to Mr. Bukola Adelabu, the General Manager, Marketing and Business Development of Grand Cereals Li m i t e d ( G C L ) t h e h i g h l y interactive nature of workshops such as this, has always been part of the company’s programmes for over 20 years. It has also proved to be a veritable avenue for capacity building that bridges the knowledge gap between the farmers and the seasoned resource persons.

What more, the fact that it takes

Workshop on Vital Feed’s nutrition for profitability of fish and poultry farming place in selected places across the country and sometimes in farm clusters underscores its direct relevance even to the local farmers.

Amongst the challenges they face are accessibility to, as well as the affordability of the feeds that would increase the yield of both their fish and poultry products. Painfully, these farmers expend about 70 per cent of their costs of production on feeds alone! Both the factors of quality and performance of such feeds come into play. That is where Vital Feeds come in. As several of the farmers confessed it has always come in handy to increase their yields.

This, the company realises has placed the responsibility of meeting their expectations on its shoulders.

So, GCL provides the technical services through their sales representatives, all of who have the requisite technical expertise.

Besides, the workshops allow for feedback from the farmers.

Focus is on both performance and profitability of the feeds. Its efficiency is determined by the feedconversion ratio.

Indeed, Adelabu is calling on Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora to avail themselves of the immense opportunities inherent in fish and poultry farming as their profit margins are quite high. Government should build farm settlements like the one in Odogiyan. It should provide infrastructure for concrete or tarpaulin ponds and assist feed millers with funds as they are groaning because of high cost of inputs.

His views were echoed by Mr. Pius Chomo, the National Sales Manager, Animal feeds with focus on fish farming. Something should be done about the importation of fish. Insecurity should be tackled so that farmers can operate in a peaceful atmosphere. Government support through the CBN should be increased to bring down prices at the farm gates.

According to Mr. Ajobiewe Samuel Bamidele, the CEO of Rehoboth Farm Consult located at Adamo, Ikorodu his relationship

with GCL, spanning over eight years has proved profitable. Though he started with fish farming he has since expanded into poultry farming as well. He recalls that there was a period he and his colleagues had to try out some other feeds but the return of Vital Feeds has changed their business equation in a positive manner. Said he: “Their return moved us because back to them because of the image they had created and the impact of their consistency and availability of Vital Feeds.”

In his candid view, both the federal and state governments should assist farmers with startup capital which he has identified as a major challenge. Sound and solid infrastructure is another. In fact, he is of the opinion that government should create farm estates and lease them out to farmers. That will enable the farmers to put much of their money into production. He has observed that most of them are still doing less than 50 per cent of their expected capacity. That also goes for meeting the same percentage of the consumption need of Nigerians.

Workshops such as the one organised by GCl are important for networking, exposure to innovations in the agric sector, and unveiling of some undercurrent moves that would enhance profitability. It should come up at least once in a quarter to let the farmers know more on new innovations and provide solutions to persisting challenges.

On his part, Mr. Mulero Muibi, a consultant to GCL on Vital Feeds who has garnered working experience of 28 years has rated the feeds as the best in the industry so far. The challenges are indeed numerous. But the best way forward is what UAC is doing by bringing the best of brains together to proffer solutions that would mitigate the challenges the farmers face in their daily operations.

Farming,henotedhasbecomean all comers affair. Out of ten there are likely to be only two professionals.

So, they need expert advice. They need the requisite knowledge, vital information so as not to fall easy

preys to charlatans. Also important is for the government to provide the enabling environment for profitable farming, including loans; good access roads and stable eclectic power supply. All these would reduce the challenges because “in Nigeria the farmers carry all the risks”.

Another farmer who testified to the increase yield she has enjoyed by using vital feeds is Mrs. Ilori Tunrayo of Gberigbe Piggery Company. She also happens to be the Secretary of the Piggery Fars Association in Ikorodu. Her concern however, is the high cost of input should any of her colleagues choose to prepare the feed on his own. For instance, the maize input goes for N95 per kg, soybeans N155 per kg, minerals N1,200 per kg, PKCA N38 per kg and metolin N2,800 per kg.

It is therefore, capital intensive and would want GCL to extend the workshop to those involved in the piggery sub sector. They would need more expert advice on management, feed quality and expanding the market.

A further interaction with Mr. Israel Yusuf, popularly called ‘Dr. Fish’ shed brighter light on the nittygritty of aquaculture and livestock for which he is a renowned expert.

He has been on the field as both a consultant and researcher for over 15 years. His relationship with GCL has been from 2012. He is interested in information dissemination of the new steps to take for profitable fish and poultry farming directly to the farmers. He therefore, welcomes what GCL has been doing with the series of workshops.

He urges Nigerians to focus less on oil and more on agriculture as we an agrarian country. The challenges the farmers face span access to quality seedlings through marketing to poor infrastructure.

Emphasis should be on how to develop every aspect of the value chain from production through processing to storage, preservation and marketing. Unfortunately, government has been playing lip service to all these issues.

Government should partner with the private sector particularly

with GCL to assist it with funding for its vital feeds. The private sector is both result and profitoriented. He gave the instances of how Delta state failed to improve on fish farming until CLEEN Foundation and Vigran Ltd came into a profitable partnership with it. That was between 20111 and 2012. A similar initiative between Akwa-Ibom government and Ford Foundation is yielding the bumper harvest.

In his words: “Now, it is a multibillion dollar industry that has taken a lot of people out of the poverty bracket.”

Full of praise for the workshop was Mr. Sunday Olugua , the Chairman of the Lagos State Catfish and Allied Farmers Association (LASCAFAN). The members who have been in a working relationship with GCL since 2005 are delighted with the encouraging feedback mechanism. They believe in the promised fish-conversion ratio of 1:1.

Not only do they want the government to assist them to tackle the challenge of marketing they have observed that the CBN’s Anchor Programme has succeeded more in the North than in the South.

Government should therefore, take a more critical look at the aquaculture industry down south and improve on funding it.

According to Olugua catfish breeding is cost intensive. He is also into processing and has discovered that the downturn in the economy has adversely affected sales. Said he: “Those who used to buy eight packs can hardly buy two packs because of the economy.

Government should come in the area of feed production. With N2 billion subsidies to a company such as Grand Cereals, there would be a spin-off effect that would reduce cost of production and increase affordability.”

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

Rhema Chapel trains 200 youths on financial literacy SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin

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n a bid to encourage self reliance and reduce unemployment rate in the country, Rhema Chapel International Churches in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation, InnoGen Initiatives, has trained over 200 youths in Kwara State.

The two-day workshop on financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills with the theme, ‘The Making of an Entrepreneur among Youths’, featured seasoned entrepreneurial experts and consultants as guest trainers.

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo Onireti, the programme Director of Innogen Initiative, explained that the

essence of the programme is to train young people on financial literacy and entrepreneurship to enable them become selfreliant.

“This is the vision of the leader of the Church, Pastor Dele Edward in line with the overall objective of the Minister in Charge of Satellite church here, Pastor Jonathan Tobin. The idea of the Kingdom Finance Series is to help young Nigerians understand the making of an entrepreneur. We focus on how you can start, manage and grow a successful business. Participants would be exposed to the nittygritty of entrepreneurship,” he said.

According to him, over 200 participants attended the two-

day event, and they were selected from within the Ilorin metropolis as their target.

“We want to start from our immediate environment to change people’s living standard through empowerment. We took a unique approach to the training. Usually, when people do entrepreneurship training, sometimes they focus on vocational skills but we took it a little beyond that. We looked at the process of how you can generate ideas,” he further said.

“How do you continue with an existing business and develop a new business model out of it?

What are the managerial competencies you need to have as an entrepreneur? You can have the vocational skills but not be

in business. So, how do you turn those skills into a business? That was our approach.

“At the end of the day if you have a skill and you participate in our programme, you will be able to translate those skills into a business and we’ll support you and help you fine tune it into a business. And if you have a business running already we can help scale your business to make you standout by seeking new business models or improving on existing ones,” he said.

“One of the things we’re doing is to support people with ideas to provide a little financial support.

We’re starting small but we’re going to grow overtime. We see job creation as a major instrument

to lift people out of poverty,” he explained.

On unemployment rates in the country, he urged all stakeholders to take part in job creation, as governance, according to him, is too important to be left in the hands of politicians alone.

One of the trainers, the Chief Executive Officer of BEES, Omon Ogudo tutored the participants on ways to discover their talents with passion and zeal to achieve their targeted goals in life.

Charles Okeibunor, who was identified as the workplace transformer, equally shared his ideas and experiences with the participants on how everything rises or falls with relationships and teams within the business.

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Sunday 30 June 2019

SundayBusiness Wells Carlton Hotels & Apartments counting the gains of good hospitality and premium offerings, with ample space used as car park.

The Hotel, which is about ells Carl- a 4-minutes drive from the ton Hotels Presidential Villa, also offers and Apart- guests the conveniences of m e n t s , an International Gift Shop last year as well as a business centre. berthed in Abuja, the naThe Hotel Spa, named tion’s capital, not only to Tirta Ayu, is an exotic haven harness the economic po- where guests are treated to tentials inherent in the hos- authentic Japanese and Inpitality industry, but also donesian spa experiences, a to help mitigate the unre- blend of ancient therapeutic strained flight of tourists to remedies and modern-day developed nations. spa rituals for healthy living According to statistics, and total well-being.

Nigeria loses billions of naira Since it commenced opannually to tourism abroad erations, the hotel has also by her citizens. But to re- not only provided the muchduce the trend of Nigerians needed hospitality to local seeking first class hospital- and international visitors, ity in countries like Dubai, but has started counting South Africa, London, United the economic gains inherStates of America, amongst​ ent in the sector as a result others, the management of of its offerings and manner Wells Carlton Hotels and of service.

Apartments in 2018 formally Speaking with newsmen, opened for operations.

Juergen Odenwald, the manLocated at Gado Nasko aging director of the Hotel, Street, off Jose Marti Street, said the vision of the invesAsokoro district of Abuja, tors​was among others, to the five-star hotel provides ensure that the Hotel coma world-class gym and en- petes favourably with the chanting state-of-the-art best hotels in Dubai, New swimming pools, numerous York and the United Kingother hospitality services dom and also to redefine

IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, Benin

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hospitality business on the African​ continent.

He added that the Hotel commissioned by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had in the last one year, become destination haven to top-notch celebrities and politicians who crave for world-class services​ a nd royalty.

Odenwald, who com-

mended the Chairman of the Hotel, Edo-born billionaire business mogul, Hosa Okunbo, noted that the investment has changed​the face of hospitality and eco-tourism in the nation’s capital, Abuja and indeed Nigeria.

He said the Hotel had played host to the colorful wedding of Nigeria’s Super Eagle Star, Wilfred Ndidi,

CBN to intensify financial literacy, consumer protection programmes Siaka MOMOH

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s part of its policy thrust in the next five years, Nigerian apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will intensify its financial literacy and consumer protection programmes, Godwin Emefiele, governor of the CBN, said in Abuja at a press interactive session.

“We will intensify our financial literacy and consumer protection programmes such that current and eligible bank customers are fully aware of the financial services being offered to them as well as the cost of utilising these services, which will enable them to make wellinformed choices,” Emiefele

said.

“Besides providing valuable information to banking customers, we are committed to developing and enforcing strong rules to protect consumers. Our banking supervisory and consumer protection department at the CBN will ensure that dispute resolution mechanism in financial institutions are not only efficient but also timely, in order to maintain the confidence of the Nigerian populace in the utilisation of banking services,” he further said.

Hitherto, the CBN has stepped up concern for the interest of bank customers across the country. Since last quarter of last year, it has made some strides.

CBN has been accepted into the International Finan-

cial Consumer Protection Organisation(FinConNet); it coordinated the convening of a National Financial Literacy Conference to galvanise all regulatory agencies in the financial sector towards educating more Nigerians on managing finances to improve their financial capability and increasing financial inclusion towards achieving the 2020 80percent financial inclusion target.

According to our findings, to achieve effective and timely resolution of consumer complaints, the CBN has deployed a Consumer Complaints Management System which is used to monitor consumer complaints submitted to the banks by their customers.

Moreover, the CBN has commenced collaborating

with a number of advocacy groups on consumer protection. It is expected that consumer protection activities will be stepped up as envisaged by the CBN governor in his speech. The speech recognises the importance of consumer protection to financial system stability as a satisfied customer not only remains in the system but is also an attraction to other Nigerians who are yet to be included.

Banks have recently started to take the issue of consumer protection seriously as the CBN now sanctions failures on their part on regular basis. CBN can now monitor offsite, how banks are resolving these complaints and intervenes when and if a bank exceeds the time allowed for resolution.

Entrepreneur advises FG to include fashion & designing as course in tertiary institutions Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja

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ith the untold hardship facing the country and young graduates roaming the streets with no hope of survival, an entrepreneur has advised the Federal Government to include fashion and designing as a course in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

Olufunke Ayotunde, CEO, Oge FunFun Coutre and Srrvice, made the appeal

in Lokoja while interacting with BDSUNDAY, pointing out that Federal Government should equally encourage upand-coming designers, adding that fashion and designing is profitable and promising.

Ayotunde, a BSc holder in Mathematics-turned fashion designer, has also urged upand-coming entrepreneurs, especially ladies not to just jump into a trade because they have money or somebody into it is successful but should first learn a trade before opening an outlet.

She pointed out that learning the traditions of a giving trade before opening an outlet pays handsomely.

Ayotunde also explained that she grew up with fashion

Olufunke Ayotunde

and designing, as her mother was into the trade, adding that fashion and designing was something she admired from child hood and wanted to do it in life.

She also disclosed that even before she entered higher institution, she had already made up her mind to be a designer upon graduation, pointing out that her husband also insisted that his wife would be an entrepreneur and would do no office job, which she noted, is not even easy to get these days.

and has also been patronised by Nollywood actress, Kiki Omeili, creative style Director, Ogugua Okonkwo, Tonto Dike, Alibaba, Davido, Kiss Daniel, Tuface, Patoranki, popular celebrity blogger, Ono Bello, amongst​others.

The Managing Director, also explained that the Hotel played host to Hilton Union’s management’s re-

treat, Luxury Network Nigeria, various luxury brands and service providers from hospitality, financial, private airline operators, media and real estate sectors.

He posited that some of the clients put events together to provide a platform to exchange market insights and discuss partnership opportunities inside Nigeria and international luxury market.

He said the Hotel is adorned with alluring stateof-the-art fixtures which stand it out among other players in the industry, iconic works of art, architectural finishing and excellent services.

Odenwald added that its level six restaurants make it unique from other hotels, and gives customers amazing aerial view of Abuja City, while savouring local or continental dishes.

He disclosed that the Hotel has started wining laurels for its excellent performances, such as the Jumia best Nigeria Hotel award and award of excellence in hospitality in the National Assembly of impact makers.

PINEAPPPLE TV delivering quality Afrocentric programing for Children

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new TV Channel, Pineapple TV, has been launched in Nigeria. It is Africa’s first dedicated Children’s and Family TV Channel that will deliver safe, fun, and quality programming. The channel targets an audience of children between the ages of 4 to 16 years of age and Mum and Dad! Pineapple TV aims to inform, educate and entertain viewers in Nigeria, Africa and in the Diaspora, using stories and characters.

According to Carl Raccah, managing director, “Pineapple Productions and Media Limited is a special purpose vehicle founded by highly experienced business, media management, production and marketing experts. The Company Directors include Francis Ogboro, Heitham Safieddine, Ali Safieddine, Hadi Safieddine and myself.

Pineapple Productions and Media Limited will see the rise of carefully created African TV channel that will entertain Children on the African continent and in diaspora. Pineapple TV will be a vital avenue to educate the African Child using examples, characters and stories that they can relate to”, he added.

Carl described the mission of the Company as, ‘an empowerment tool for educating children whilst

promoting African culture, religious tolerance, gender equality and geographical acceptance’.

Speaking further, The Marketing Director, Yetunde Falade said, “Pineapple Productions and Media Ltd is launched out of Nigeria from an administration and content creation standpoint.

This ensures the company fulfills another of its mandates which is generating opportunities for professionals within this sector of the Nigeria Creative Industry, for example, script writers, animators, actors and directors to name a few, thereby contributing positively to the Nigerian economy through job creations and involvement of locally selected talents and content production.

The channel which is known as PINEAPPLE TV, will be available on Startimes Channel 129 from June 29 2019”.

Veteran Nigerian Actor, Kalu Ikeagwu who lends his professional skills to one of the Channels Shows titled “The Story Book” also spoke on the TV Channel’s programming, “I am proud to be associated with this one of a kind Initiative, which aims to educate, entertain and inform the Nigerian and indeed African Child of our rich African Culture and showcase our proud Nigerian and African Heritage” he said.

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BDSUNDAY 39

BrandsOnSunday SPOTLIGHTING BRAND VALUE

MultiChoice stakes N60m for winner as Big Brother Naija kicks off today Daniel Obi

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ith the new season of Big Brother Naija making its highly anticipated premiere today, MultiChoice Nigeria has upped the ante with the announcement of N60million worth of prizes for the winner. The increase in prize money from N45 million to N60 which indicates 33.3 percent rise is to motivate the housemates, says the Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe.

“The winner needs to live a good life and the show is investment in people”, Ugbe said. This season’s grand prize is an increase from the previous edition, which saw Miracle Ikechukwu Igbokwe walking away with N45m worth of prizes.

The breakdown of the prizes for this year’s winner includes: a N30m cash prize; a top of the range SUV from Nigerian automaker, Innoson Motors; a trip to Dubai for two packaged by TravelBeta; a home make-over courtesy Scanfrost; a year’s supply of Pepsi and One Africa Fest VVIP experience; a year’s supply of Indomie noodles & Munch it; and a brand new Oppo mobile smartphone.

There’s also a bonus prize of two VIP Tickets to watch a European Football final game LIVE, courtesy BET9ja.

Elaborating further on the increased prize money, Ugbe said: “Each edition of Big Brother Naija significantly improves on all aspects of the previous season and this year is no different”.

Apart from the new and improved grand prize, another major development for this

year’s edition of Big Brother Naija is the return of the House to Nigeria. While the location of the house has not been revealed, perhaps for security reasons, fans of the show have nonetheless been excited since the announcement was made earlier this year.

On voting, he clarified that MultiChoice has put voting process in place that is well audited by an internationally-recognised and independent auditing firm.

“This can be a highly emotionallycharged competition – especially given the prizes concerned – and so to make sure that all votes are correctly counted, we have put systems that are verified by independent auditors” The 24-hour show which will run for three months will be live on DStv channel 198 and GOtv 29 and available on all DStv packages and GOtv Max and Plus packages.

On challenges of electricity, Ugbe assured that MultiChoice

has prepared adequately for the supply of electricity throughout the duration of the programme which is getting more exciting.

This will be the second time the popular reality show will hold in the country. The first edition was in Ikeja GRA, Lagos in 2006. That edition featured Katung, Francisca, Ify, Sandy, Frank, Joseph and Helen. It also had Ebuka, who has been the anchor for the last two seasons, Gideon, Maureen, Joan, Chinedu, Yinka, and Ichemeta.

But after a ten-year hiatus, the second edition tagged See GoBBe held in South Africa in 2017 and featured an all-Nigerian housemate such as Efe, Tboss, Bisola, Soma, Gifty, Uriel, Debbie-Rise, and Kemen. Others are Bassey, Bally, Miyonse, Marvis, and Thin Tall Tony.

During the Double Wahala edition, as the 2018 season was tagged, there were numerous calls for the return of the reality show

International Breweries flag-off ‘Kickstart’ season four …Launches IB Foundation

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he 2019 edition of Kickstart, an innovative youth entrepreneurship programme that empowers young people with financial and handson training to implement different entrepreneurial ventures, was recently flagged off by International Breweries Plc. The company also unveiled its new foundation, International Breweries Foundation, chaired by Peter Bankole, an expert in the development and support of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Kickstart, which is currently in its fourth edition started in 2016 to empower young entrepreneurs with the wherewithal to kick-start their business ventures in recognition that the growth of Nigeria increasingly depends on the ability

of its enterprising youth population to unlock their entrepreneurial potential.

Kickstart, which was previously only available to youth in the South East and South

West, is now open to all youth across Nigeria. The expansion of coverage followed the newly established International Breweries Foundation which has consolidated the management of all corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives of the company.

This edition is focussing mainly on entrepreneurs in the critical areas of agriculture, recycling, manufacturing, healthcare, education, ICT, water stewardship, climate action and crafts among others. The initiative underscores the company’s support for Nigeria’s attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal eight on Decent Work and Economic Growth, and five other related goals.

to the country. Viewers took to social media to state their displeasure about a Nigerian show holding in a foreign country thereby enriching them. Even the Nigerian Government weighed.

The show while focused primarily on entertainment has a multiplier effect that resonates across industries and value chains with significant impact on the nation’s GDP which is currently worth $397.472 billion.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice will in the next two months graduate the first set of its Talent academy.

The 20 students were drawn from Nigeria and Ghana. Similar programme is held in East and South Africa. The launch of the Academy, expected to provide Africa’s next generation of film and television storytellers with a 12-month training programme attracted commendation as it will assist to enrich content for TV viewers.

Ugbe said during the launch of the programme 10 months ago that “The film and television industry is the pioneer of creative industries in Africa and is particularly relevant as a tool for shaping the African narrative.

We have been telling authentic and well-produced stories that only Africans themselves can tell.

Nevertheless, there is a lot of raw talent that need to be nurtured and polished. The Academy will give such talent the opportunity to hone their skills, thereby increasing the pool of world-class talent within the industry. It’s also about teaching the selected candidates the business of film and television”.

During a visit to the academy, the students expressed delight on the exposure they have received from the training.

More winners emerge in Ota, Abeokuta Ariya Repete competition

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ore quarterfinalists have emerged after the Ariya Repete 2019 regional knockouts in Ogun state. Simultaneous auditions took place in Ota and Abeokuta, where residents and fans of indigenous music came out in their numbers to watch contestants slug it out for a spot in the quarterfinals.

The Ota and Abeokuta selection parties kicked off recently, and they were nothing short of spectacular, as all contestants delivered amazing performances in a bid to stake a claim in the next round of the competition.

The contestants displayed immense creativity, great stagecraft, and some awe-inspiring vocals, which left the judges with the hard task of selecting the three winners on the night of the programme. It was entertainment non-stop, as well as a blend of fun and serious business as the judges and audience were thrilled by the quality of contestants that graced the stage.

At the conclusion of the keenly contested Ota regionals, Sulaimon Ajayo Adeyemi, Prince Ade Micheal, and Christian Olamide were selected as the winners in the Fuji, Juju and Afro-Pop categories respectively. Similarly, in Abeokuta, Alhaji Taofek Adeyinka, Adeleye Temitope, and Ayeni Olajuwon emerged victorious in the Fuji, Juju and Afro-Pop categories respectively.

The selected contestants have now inched one-step closer to winning their share of the 20 million Naira up for grabs. Their next hurdle will be the quarterfinal showdown on the 26th of July in the sunshine city of Akure.

WASCO thrills consumers, traders at Ajinomoto Market activation in Onitsha Ifeoma Okeke

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he West African Seasoning Company Ltd. (WASCO), recently in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra, embarked on an entertaining market activation and sensitization on the usage of its Ajinomoto seasoning.

Traders and consumers, who were thrilled by the campaign at Relief Market, Ogbaru near Onitsha, also received free cash, souvenirs and seasonings as gifts.

Speaking at the event, Takashi Sato, the General Manager of WASCO, said the company aimed at engaging consumers and changing their perception about the brand.

Sato said the market activation

was part of the company’s business strategies to increase sales of the Ajinomoto brand, particularly in the South-East zone.“Our purpose is to promote the brand. Ajinomoto is a popular monosodium glutamate (MSG) seasoning which is safe for consumption.

“It is produced through the same natural fermentation process just like “Okpei”, “Dawadawa” and it has been scientifically certified safe for consumption by global and local food authorities,” he said.

According to him, the brand has been in existence since 1909 but was introduced to Nigeria in 1991.

Also, the brand Ambassador and ace comedian, Helen Paul, who thrilled consumers at the event, described the brand as a “unique and essential spice for every meal”.

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EquityMarket

Courier services, export lift Red Star Express’ profit by 52% ... Proposes 43k dividend per share

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Stories by TELIAT SULE ignificant improvement in courier services segment of Red Star Express has led to a 52 percent rise in its total income for the period ended March 31, 2019.

The total comprehensive income of Red Star Express for the period rose to N504.64 million from N331.34 million in 2018.

Red Star Express has six lines of operations which are courier services, mailroom management, freight services, logistics, warehousing and support services.

Revenue from the courier segment of its operations increased from N4.406 billion in 2018 to N5.85 billion in the current year, translating to 32.8 percent rise during the period. The firm also recorded 32.84 percent in its export earnings.

Logistics services earned the firm N1.62 billion, an increase of 8.8 percent when compared with N1.49 billion it realised in 2018. Freight services generated N872.12 million, representing 9.7 percent over N794.97 million made in 2018. Also, revenue from support services improved by 22.5 percent to N286.29 million as against N233.70 million it made in 2018.

On the flip side, revenue from both mail management and warehousing fell during the period.

Whereas the firm made N1.49 million as revenue from mailroom

management in 2018, it fell by 2.78 percent to N1.37 billion in 2018. Revenue from warehousing

decreased by 8.7 percent to N64.6 million in 2019, from N70.7 million in 2018.

Stanbic, APT, Rencap, seven others execute 71% transactions at half year

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tanbic IBTC Stockbrokers, Rencap Securities and APT Securities last Friday topped the brokers performance chart at half year 2019, and with seven other investment banking firms accounted for 71.53 percent of the value of transactions executed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at half year 2019.

Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers executed N222.59 billion worth of transactions between January and June 2019, which amounted to 20.62 percent of the value of the entire trades on the NSE. Rencap Securities traded N119.58 billion worth of transactions, representing 11.08 percent while APT Securities traded N71.43 billion worth of equities representing 6.62 percent.

CSL Stockbrokers accounted for 6.59 percent of the whole transactions which were valued at

N71.18 billion. EFG Hermes Nigeria Limited traded N64.01 billion worth of equities, or 5.93 percent of the overall transactions during the first six months of the year. Tellimar Capital and Coronation Securities executed N59.56 billion and N55.22 billion transactions which amounted to 5.52 percent and 5.12 percent of the overall transactions respectively.

Chapelhill Denham Securities executed N41.53 billion, FBN Quest, N34.56 billion while Cardinalstone Securities traded N32.48 billion worth of equities translating to 3.85 percent; 3.20 percent and 3.01 percent respectively. Overall the top ten leading stock broking firms were responsible for 71.53 percent of the transactions that took place on the NSE between January and June this year.

Qualinvest Capital led the volume chart, as with 10.65 billion

shares during the period, the investment bank accounted for 11.56 percent of the entire volume of activities on the NSE in the first half of 2019. Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers traded 8.85 billion shares which amounted to 9.57 percent of the NSE activities. Greenwich Trust Limited traded 7 billion shares or 7.58 percent; Rencap, 4.77 billion shares or 5.16 percent, while CSL Stockbrokers traded 4.69 billion shares or 5.08 percent of the NSE activity by volume.

Cardinalstone Securities traded 4.49 billion shares or 4.86 percent; Chapelhill Denham, 3.83 billion shares or 4.15 percent; Morgan Capital Securities, 3.42 billion shares or 3.70 percent; EFG Hermes, 3.41 billion shares or 3.69 percent, and Meristem Stockbrokers, 2.44 billion shares or 2.64 percent of the NSE market activities by volume.

Overseas performance of Red Star Express during the last financial year was better by 32.84 per-

cent. Revenue from its overseas operations rose to N879.5 million up from N662.1 million in 2018.

Similarly, revenue made within Nigeria rose by 18.61 percent from N7.74 billion in 2018 to N9.18 billion in 2019.

BusinessDay in-house analysts attributed the stellar performance of the company to a change of business model by the company’s management in 2018.

“During the year under review, the activities of the Company expanded beyond the provision of courier, freight forwarding and logistics services, mailroom management services, warehousing, e-commerce services and general haulage to include movement of agricultural products as well as printing & packaging”, the company stated in its audited annual report for 2019.

Red Star Express’ profit margin rose from 3.94 percent in 2018 to 5.01 percent in the current year while its return on average asset (ROAA) and return on average equity (ROAE) stood at 8.8 percent and 17.6 percent respectively.

The board of directors has proposed 43 kobo dividend per share to shareholders whose names appear on the register of members on or before July 17 2019. The payment of the proposed dividend is subject to approval of shareholders at the annual general meeting slated for August 8, 2019 at the Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos.

University Press PAT falls on higher marketing, distribution expenses

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n spite of a 29 percent increase in turnover which rose to N2.32 billion in March 2019 from N1.80 billion same period in 2018, University Press recorded lower profit after tax for the period ended March 31, 2019. Its PAT fell to N109 million as against N207.4 million in 2018.

Gross profit increased by 13.7 percent to N1.26 billion from N1.11 billion in comparable period in 2018. But with more marketing and distribution expenses as well as administrative expenses incurred in the last financial year, operating profit declined by as much as 57.3 percent. University Press incurred N513.46 million as operating cost in 2019, higher than N413.5 million incurred for the same purpose in 2018 by 24.15 percent. Administrative expenses rose by 32.7 percent to N647.8 million last year up from N488.2 million in corresponding period in 2018.

The nation’s publishing sub sector grew by 12.53 percent in the first quarter of 2018. Thereafter, ac-

tivities in the sub sector significantly declined as in the second, third and last quarters of 2018, the publishing sub sector grew by 3.38 percent, 4.32 percent and 3.76 percent respectively. In full year 2018, publishing sub sectoral GDP rose by 6.03 percent.

In the first quarter of 2019, the sub sector posted -0.07 percent growth.

University Press is owned by Oxford University Press, UK and Nigerians as the former controls 13.21 percent stake while the latter control 86.79 percent.

“The directors recommend a dividend of 15k (2018 : 15k) per ordinary share of 50 kobo each amounting to N64,711,426 to be paid to shareholders subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting. The proposed dividend is subject to withholding tax and is payable on 26 September, 2019 to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members as at close of business on 30 August 2019”, University Press stated in its 2018 audited report.

Sunday 30 June 2019

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BDSUNDAY 41

TheWorshippers ‘Many who profess to be called today are actually looking for means of livelihood’ Pastor Johnson Odesola, assistant general overseer (AGO) to Pastor Adeboye of the RCCG on administration, recently celebrated his 60th birthday where he spoke about how he manages work, ministry and family. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU, who was at the briefing.

You started as an engineer and now you are in the ministry; can you let us into how you made that transition to become a church pastor? am a very shy person. Where I come from, we were sawmillers and my father was one of the leading saw-millers who had no interest in my getting educated. I am from Igbajo and my mum is from Ilesha Ekiti. My great grandfather came from Ekiti, when they were fighting Kiriji war, sought help to win Kiriji war at Efon Alaye and after the war eventually settled at Igbajo. My dad was a saw-miller as I said. My mother was from combination of Ilesha and Ekiti.

When I was growing up, my father had about eight installations of saw mills around Ibadan environs who used to visit Ondo State to get wood and also went as far as Benin to get wood for his work. He had processing machines. He had the notion that none of his children would go to school. He had three wives. He had no plan for the male children as far as education was concerned, but for the female, he was ready to educate them who would eventually be married out. For the males, he wanted us to continue to hold forth.

I was number three or four of the men. Specifically, in 1968, I was in primary three or four. One of my brothers that my father sponsored to Italy came home who was trained as an engineer. He wore a suit that time called Seleto with baggie. The flooring of our house was made of wood and the sound of his shoes was loud and I was attracted. I ran to my father to announce his arrival. I asked my father his occupation and he told me he was an engineer and I told him I would like to become an engineer myself; but he rebuked me in Latin because he understood Latin. I was sad and ran to my mummy who told me I should not worry.

When I finished primary education, 1969/70, my father asked me to go to Ibadan so that he would start the process of handing over to me part of the factory and I told him I have heard. When it was the actual time to take me down, I refused to follow him, and told him I wanted to become an engineer. He abused me and I was not moved. Instead of following him, I resorted to going and be playing football. After some months, realising that I did not truly want to go, fearing that I would be a li-

I

Pastor Johnson Odesola

ability, he went to P & T and called uncle Folorunsho, an engineer and told him I had decided to become an engineer. He put me inside the train at Ibadan to Kano.

He made me to be assisting the bricklayers and after some time, he gave me a certificate. I came back to the South, thinking I was an engineer.

I started applying as an engineer.

I applied to somewhere and my employer looked at my certificate and saluted my courage but boldly told me I was not an engineer, but a bricklayer. I looked at the certificate again and tore it; went back home. I decided to write General Certificate of Education (GCE). However, I bought bricklayer instruments, and would look for job, did two or three days in a week and studied. I did GCE and passed my papers. I took my result to Obokun in Ilesha and enrolled in the Secondary school and was admitted into form 4. After one year, I did my O’level and made six papers.

I later tried A’Level in Maths and Economics and was successful in Economics. I did NCE and professional courses that qualified me as an engineer. I was still in school, when my roommate inadvertently brought a building plan to the room. I looked at it not knowing that it was the plan of his father’s building which had been giving them some problems

for which engineers from abroad including Italy had been invited to come and solve. I remember some of those things we were taught and I was addressing the problem to the amazement of my roommate. I was in my final year at the Polytechnic.

He retorted that his father had been looking for the solution and he did not know why he brought the plan to the school. He eventually took me to the father who took me to the building where the Italians that were invited to solve the problems were.

I looked at the building and God helped me to identity the problems and the Italians gave a nod that I got it. This made the father to pay for my graduation and said when I finish, he would employ me, which happened like that. However, in my final year, God told me that I would not need the certificate but that I would end up being a Pastor. I felt it was the devil talking within me. After leaving the school, I went to resume and was made Project Manager where I had to manage a housing estate, the contract my employer got.

However, one day, after my marriage, as I was working, I had a snake bite. I held my leg and asked God why he wanted me to die and my wife was pregnant. The Lord told me that I was being disobedient. I asked God if he would heal me and

he told me that if I obeyed I would not die. I was prayed for and that was the end of the pain. My wife inspired me to heed the call of God and that she would not like to be a widow. I eventually obeyed and met Daddy GO and told him I wanted to start the Campus Outreach. He said, ‘but the Lord has called you’, I said NO. He asked me to meet Pastor Obayomi to guide me. There was a problem in the North and I was mandated to bring sanity to the problem where the call became clearer. We were able to start the Church in Maiduguri, Yola, Taraba that time. The entire North was under my supervision.

From there, I moved to Kwara, Kogi as a coordinator; from there to Ogun which was divided into three and later Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Mauritius. It was from Zambia I was called back home to be Special Assistant to the General Overseer.

What was your motivating factor?

As a young man, I just felt that there should be Church everywhere.

That was my passion and since I was in the North, I had a camp bed that anywhere I found myself, I slept. I had the mind to proclaim the name of Jesus everywhere. It was from Zambia, we went and planted Church in South Africa, Kenya which are regions now.

What would you say differentiate today’s ministers from your generation?

Some ministers today are encumbered with materialism. There is difference between those who want to work for God and those looking for means of livelihood in the name of being ‘ministers’. Many who profess to be called today are actually looking for means of livelihood. They eye ministers riding in exotic cars and want to be like them without consideration to the price those ministers have paid. There is no glory without a story. Many are looking at the glamour of the office, not putting into consideration the price to pay as well as the sacrifice.

Even as an Assistant General Overseer, there are things that should be given priority. It is not just the title. If I should go to Church without having anything to offer, that is tantamount to title without entitlement.

As a genuine minister, one should study the Bible; know some facts not only about the Church, but also about the environment. A minister

should know a little bit of this and that within the locality he operates.

Many of the young ministers today, do not take into consideration all these; but just want to be great one day. Someone looks at a minister’s car and said he claimed it without thinking of the price he needs to pay before getting there. Two of our Lord Jesus Christ’s disciples went to Jesus with their mother to ask for positions on the left and right hand sides of Jesus in heaven, but the Lord told them, those positions are for those for whom they are prepared, who invariably must have paid the price. There are prices to pay for every exalted office both on earth and in heaven. One may need to go through Masters Class: master over agony, master over situations and circumstances, PhD that is, power over situations of blackmail. There is the need to go through the school of adversity, flattery, those who do not love you who would love you and snub you.

Any challenges?

How to manage my home, train the children; how to be available for my wife. The ministry is not number two; my home is number two. God is number one; my family, number two and the Ministry number three.

And that is the way it is. If anything clashes with the ministry and my family, I will take my family first, except it is God. When I finish in the ministry, I return to my family. There are challenges of being able to manage my family, train my children, and meet up with finances.

Looking back, 60 years after; what is the best day of your life and advice for Nigerian youth?

Apart from the day I got born again, it was the day I got married.

This is because before I eventually got married, different ladies were interested in me but I did not give them face to the extent that some of them stigmatised me that I was impotent. So, the day I got married, it was a good day and the day I saw my first daughter which proved that I was not actually impotent as they presumed. The youth should stay connected to God; focus on what they want for their life. Walk in integrity. They should seek help where help is available and never stop learning; and should not take no for an answer on anything. They should not stay at the bottom but strive to get to the top not by slighting others. They would get to the top.

TB Joshua’s two day crusade pulled 40,000 worshippers to Mount Precipice, Nazareth SEYI JOHN SALAU

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he ancient town of Nazareth for two days, Sunday, 23 June and Monday, 24 June, was agog as people from more than 50 countries of the world stormed the birth place of Jesus Christ for a Christian religious programme tagged Nazareth Meeting with popular Nigeria pastor, Prophet Temitope Balogun (T.B) Joshua.

The event was held on the historical Mount Precipice, at the newly constructed amphitheatre at the entrance to the city of Nazareth.

Thousands of worshippers flocked to the historical mountain where, according to biblical history, Jesus Christ was rejected by his people.

Although the programme was billed to start at 4pm and end 8pm, as early as 11 am, many were already at the entrance of amphitheatre waiting for the gate to open. The Mount Precipice amphitheatre, built and donated to the city by Prophet

TB Joshua and his Emmanuel TV partners, has a capacity of 40,000.

It was filled with thousands sitting on the plastic chairs provided at the overflow.

In his message titled ‘We are Known by Our Love,’ Joshua urged the congregation to love one another irrespective of religion or race and that love comes from God. “God measures our love for Him and for our neighbour. Anyone who does not love his fellow man cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is His command: whoever loves God

must also love his fellow man.

“How do you assess love? By the practical things in our lives.

We assess our love for God by the number of times we lovingly think of Him daily, by the degree of hunger we have to read His word.

The more we love Him, the more precious His word will become to us,” said Joshua.

The climax of each day’s programme was the prayer line where thousands of people from different continents with different ailments and diseases where prayed for.

Many natives of Nazareth were among the crowd.

One of the natives at the event, Roger Wakim, a Christian Arab and a member of the Mother Church of the Holy Spirit in Nazareth Illit, summed up the experience: “This is the experience when Jesus was on earth in Israel. He was sent to start ministering at the age of 30. For three and half years he was casting out demons and healing the sick.

Deliverance and healing go side by side. Whenever there is deliverance, there will be healing,” said Wakim.

42 BDSUNDAY

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Sunday 30 June 2019

Health&Science Sitting at home or at work: Which is worse for heart health?

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ew research has found that not all forms of sedentariness are equal when it comes to the extent to which they put heart health at risk.

We already know that a sedentary lifestyle, in which a person sits down for long periods every day and gets little exercise, is bad for health in general and heart health in particular.

However, in a new study, researchers from the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York City, NY, have found that there is a difference between occupational sitting (sitting at work) and leisure time sitting (sitting at home, watching TV).

The researchers worked specifically with a cohort of African American people, aiming to fill a gap in the research to date, which has primarily focused on white Europeans. Nevertheless, they believe that despite the specificity of the study cohort, the findings could apply to everyone, regardless of ethnicity.

And, the investigation revealed a — perhaps surprising — distinction:

The time that a person spends sitting on the couch at home, watching TV, is much more likely to increase their risk of heart problems than the time they spend sitting at work.

“Our findings show that how you spend your time outside of work may matter more when it comes to heart health,” explains study author Keith Diaz, Ph.D.The solution to this problem may be to spend more time being not just active, but intensely active, the researcher notes.

“Even if you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, replacing the time you spend sitting at home with strenuous exercise could reduce your risk of heart disease and death,” says Diaz.

Diaz and team explain their findings and suggest a possible explanation for these results in a study paper that appeared yesterday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Chilling on the couch raises risk by half The researchers analyzed data for a cohort of 3,592 participants who had enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study, a community-based study focused on

Smile 360 wins best dental service provider at NHEA Awards for 5th time ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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mile 360 dental and orthodontic clinic has for the fifth time in years emerged winner at the just concluded Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards 2019(NHEA).

Smile 360 received the award for the ‘Best Dental Service Provider’ of the year category at the annual Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards, which was held on the 21st of June 2019 at Eko Hotel Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. The award was received by Smile360 Clinical Director Amy TraoreShumbusho who was accompanied by some of her team members on stage.

Spreading the news of the win and expressing her zeal, took to social media; writing “On behalf of the Smile360 team, I, Amy Traore-Shumbusho, would like to use this medium to thank our lovers and supporters for helping us bring the NHEA 2019 ‘Dental Service Provider of the Year’ award home for the fifth time in a row!

“I can’t aptly express the fulfillment my heart abounds right now, but I just want you all to know we profoundly appreciate this. This marks our fifth consecutive win, and it says a lot about our efforts and contributions to dentistry in the country,” she said.

Traore-Shumbusho added that well-wishers have seen responded with

congratulatory messages; with many patients asserting to the commendable works of the clinic – one wrote; “Congratulations Amy! You have taken dental care to another level. Appreciate your service and the excellent staff you have! I am still rocking my braces with style.”

The Founder/Clinical Director followed up with a heartwarming speech which was posted on her page; briefly narrating the inception of Smile360 and appreciating supporters and lovers of the clinic as well as the NHEA committee for recognizing their unyielding efforts and contribution to dentistry in the country.

The award would mark Smile360’s fifth consecutive win at the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards; starting with the first win in 2015 then 2016, 2017 and 2018, 2019; all in the ‘Best Dental Service Provider of the Year Category’.

The clinic offers an array of worldclass treatment, using surfeit of cutting edge equipment – some of them include, Invisalign, endontic treatment, Digital Smile Design, cosmetic dentistry, implants, and Hollywood smile, among others. Amy has stated the clinic’s foremost goal umpteen times, describing it as an unwavering effort to change the way dentistry is perceived in Nigeria and Africa at large.

the causes of cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory diseases among African Americans.

All of the participants lived in Jackson, MS, and the health and lifestyle data available about them covered a period of 8.5 years. The information included how much time the participants spent sitting at work, as well as how much time they spent watching TV versus exercising in their spare time.

Diaz and team found that people who reported sitting and watching TV for 4 or more hours each day had a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular problems and premature death compared with individuals who sat in front of the television for 2 hours or less per day.

However, the same increase in risk did not apply when the hours of sitting took place at work — participants who sat for extended periods in the office did not have a higher cardiovascular risk than those who spent little time sitting at work.

The fix? The researchers suggest that replacing some TV downtime with moderate to vigorous exercise could counteract the increase in cardiovascular risk. In fact, they noted

When possible, opt for movement It is unclear why leisure time sitting is potentially more harmful than occupational sitting, but the investigators believe that fully uninterrupted sitting might explain the distinction.

“It may be that most people tend to watch television for hours without moving, while most workers get up from their desk frequently,” says Diaz.

Another possible explanation may simply be the timing of leisure time sitting. “The combination of eating a large meal, such as dinner, and then sitting for hours could also be particularly harmful,” adds the researcher.

Although the study suggested that leisure time sitting trumps occupational sedentariness when it comes to health risk increases, its authors point out that any type of sedentariness has the potential to harm health.

Thus, Diaz continues, while “[w]e recognize that it isn’t easy for some workers, like truck drivers, to take breaks from sitting, everyone else should make a regular habit of getting up from their desks.”

The takeaway from the current research, this author points out, is that “what you do outside of work may be what really counts” when it comes to safeguarding well-being.

Moreover, he stresses that any and all activity is important — what matters is to get up and move a little.

“More research is needed, but it’s possible that just taking a short break from your TV time and going for a walk may be enough to offset the harm of leisure time sitting. Almost any type of exercise that gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster may be beneficial,” Keith Diaz, Ph.D. In the future, the researchers want to conduct further studies to try to find out exactly what makes sitting in front of the TV such an important risk factor for cardiovascular problems.

Culled from Medical News Today

Akinkugbe advocates 0.2% pre-tax profit for health fund ANTHONIA OBOKOH

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ladapo Akinkugbe, an Emeritus Professor of Medicine has called on the federal government to set up a Nigeria Health Fund which the private sector will be compelled to pay 0.2percent of their pre-tax profit into.

He made the call after he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA 2019) in Lagos.

Akinkugbe who went nostalgic, gave an account of how similar fund(s) was set up in the past, both in local and foreign currencies, but was frittered away by a past military regime.

“The amount raised was so huge that it was almost higher than the Nigerian budget, I believes with such fund in place, all levels of Nigeria healthcare system will be revitalised and transformed if well utilized,” he said.

Akinkugbe who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

Also Stella Okoli, Group Managing Director of Emzor Pharmaceutical and ProfessorEyitayoLambo,formerMinister of Health were also given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Anthony Omolola, Chairman NHEA AdvisoryBoardinhisremarkssaid,“NHEA has continued to receive increasing ac-

NHEA 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award: Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe receiving his award from Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele at the 6th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award

ceptance by stakeholders because of its integrity.Wegotabout6,000nominations this year. This is over 300% increase compared to nominations received in 2018.”

“The large number of guests and nominees present here today is a further attestation to this.” Omolola added.

Other notable individuals and organisations who were recognized and celebrated at the health award ceremony include; Mohammed Ali Pate and Ayobami Aranmolate who were given special recognitions for leadership in the reduction of polio in Nigeria and revolution in

cosmetic surgery in Nigeria respectively.

Grofin Nigeria, Access Bank, Smile 360 Dental, GE Healthcare , University College Hospital, Ibadan, Eye Foundation, Healthplus,May&Baker,DCLlaboratory, Clinix, Drugstoc E-hub Limited were also winners in different award categories.

Below is a roll call of all winners.

PharmAccess Foundation sponsored the PharmAccess Outstanding Safecare Facility of the Year category and NHEA is organized by Global Health Projects & Resources in collaboration with Anadach Group, USA.

MTN, NDLEA, others unite to fight substance abuse In Nigeria SEYI JOHN SALAU

I L-R: Kate Njorteah Business Lead, Hygiene, Smile 360 Dental Specialists, , Joan Agbonikhena Consultant Orthodontist, , Amy Traore-Shumbusho Founder/Clinical Director Smile 360 Dental Specialists/Project Smile CSR, receiving 2019 Award (for the 5th consecutive year) for the Best Dental Service Provider of the year from CEO, Livewell Initiative, Pharm.

Bisi Bright at the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) held at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre…recently

that individuals who sat watching TV for 4 or more hours each day but also did 150 minutes or more of exercise per week did not have a heightened risk of heart health issues or premature death.

n its quest to fight substance abuse among Nigerians and change the narrativeonsuicideespeciallyamongNigerian youth,followingoversixmonthsofimpactful on-ground activations in cities across Nigeria, MTN in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other non-governmental organisations(NGOs)hostedthenational conference for the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP).

The conference which commemorated the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (World Drugs Day),heldevery26June,isamajorhighlight of the multi-sectoral initiative designed to stem the first-time abuse of substances

among young Nigerians aged 10-25.

Oludolapo Osinbajo, the wife of the vice president, Federal Republic of Nigeria urgedthepartnerstocollaborateinputting an end to substance abuse among young Nigerians.“Icalluponusalltojointhisarmy, for we are told this multi-headed monster requires a multi-stakeholder intervention and I call upon each one in this hall of all ages, all professions, different gender. I call upon each of us to join the resistance movement,forwemustallhavearesistant movement.”

Nonny Ugboma, the executive secretary of MTN Foundation, said ASAP has opened the organisation to more in-depth understanding of the scale of the problem of substance abuse in Nigeria.

“Each day that passes reinforces the need

for a sustained fight against the menace of substance abuse. We call on everyone to join in this fight; your support is invaluable and together, we will show our young ones that a drug-free life is indeed possible and doable.”

Partnersundertheinitiativeincludethe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA);thePolice;FederationofMuslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN); Christians Against Drug Abuse Mission(CADAM);FreedomFoundation, and others.

On-ground activities continued through the week in numerous locations around Abuja, including an awareness walk, while the team will replicate the successes of the program in Bauchi and Kano states in July.

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BDSUNDAY 43

Sports

LaLiga June summer spending reaches over €800m ANTHONY NLEBEM

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aLiga clubs are spending big this summer with €808m already spent on players in June with the outlay set to break the existing record of €887million spent since the end of the 2018-19 season.

The 2019 summer season has already seen LaLiga sides spend €808million in the month of June, excluding Griezmann and Joao Félix deals and is currently on track to create an all-time spend record, easily surpassing last season’s record outlay of €887million.

In comparison to other leagues in Europe, the Spanish league leads the way ahead of Germany’s Bundesliga with €434million spent on new players; Italy, England and France are way behind both leagues, with respective totals of €352million, €197million and €36million

respectively at this stage.

In comparison to other leagues in Europe, La Liga has led the way in spending in recent weeks, with the Bundesliga the closest, after spending €434m on new players.

Real Madrid are the biggest spenders in Europe, with €303m already spent on Luka Jovic, Eden Hazard, Rodrygo, Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy, as

part of Zinedine Zidane’s transfer spending spree - far surpassing their 2018-19 total of €146m.

FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both expected to see their totals boosted by the respective purchases of Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix, with Frenkie De Jong, Felipe Monteiro and Marcos Llorente the only arrivals at either club so far in pre-season.

Inaugural Calabar 10km marathon race holds in July MIKE ABANG, Calabar

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he first ever Calabar International 10 kilometre marathon race is billed to hold on July 20, 2019 and first prize winners in the male and female categories will smile home with N1 million each Chairman of the Universal Youth Fellowship, the organisers of the event, Tom Inyang-Akpan,

disclosed in a statement to newsmen in the state capital.

He said the exercise will be staged in conjunction with the Cross River State Sports Council, disclosing that the prize money is in excess of One Million Naira apiece for both male and female categories.

He said the race will kick off from and terminate at the UJ Esuene Stadium Calabar, adding that the race is opened to budding youths in the country and tested

athletes from abroad.

He said increasing number of interested participants were already purchasing the registration forms from designated places in the state.

According to him, the race will be international in scope as they were already receiving indications of interest from athletes from the United Kingdom, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon and Uganda.

“Intending participants in this event which has taken a global outlook as both the Government of Cross Rivers state and the Athletics bodies have endorsed it and working tirelessly to make it an international event, should pick up their participation and medical forms”, he said He stressed that, “There will be a clinical medical assessment of all athletes 3 days before the marathon. Only registered and medically cleared athletes will be allowed to participate.”

I am a star in waiting, says I-Star

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ew lightweight boxing sensation, Isaac “I-Star” Chukwudi, has boasted that he will be division’s biggest name on the domestic scene in the next one year. Chkwudi, a product of GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, is scheduled to fight Adeyemi “Spirit” Adekanla at GOtv Boxing Night 19 on Sunday, July 14.

The bout is one of the nine fights scheduled for the event, which holds at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Chukwudi made his professional debut at GOtv Boxing Night 18 in Ibadan, where an explosive opening salvo helped him finish off Jubril “Terrible” Olalekan in 50 seconds. He has promised his next opponent, Adekanola, a similar treatment, saying the fight will be a continuation of his march to stardom within one year.

“What I did to Terrible is what I will do to Spirit, who will become a ghost of himself within one round.

My ambition is to be a big star within one year and begin to plan how to dominate in West Africa and Africa. I have what it takes and that will show in my next fight and the ones after,” bragged the youngster.

He added that he also has his eyes on the N1million cash prize for the best boxer at that event, saying he is confident of beating big-names boxers scheduled to fight at the event to the prize.

Among those who will be in contention is two-time winner of the award and West African Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight champion, Rilwan “Babyface” Babatunde, who is billed to fight Eden Biki of Ghana in the headline bout at the event. Also on the card is African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight champion and three-time winner, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, who will fight Tope “Berinja” Agboola in a national challenge duel. Two previous winners, Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje, national featherweight champion, and Waidi “Skoro” Usman, a former African Boxing Union (ABU) featherweight champion, will go head-to-head in national challenge duel. Other fights Kazeem “The Light” Oliwo vsTope “TP Rock” Musa,Akeem “Sugar Boy” Olaiwola vs Waheed “Showmax” Shogbamu and two all-female bouts, featuring Rodiat Yusuf vs Rodiat Ibrahim and Adedeji Abiodun vs Cynthia Ogunsemilore.

Tecno thrills football fans in campaign to win trip to Egypt with Ikpeba igerian football fans, who are also fans of the new Tecno Spark 3 smartphone with artificial intelligent camera and identity feature, are being given the opportunity of a lifetime to win a trip to watch the African Cup of Nation (AFCON) in Egypt with renowned former Nigerian football player, Victor Ikeba.

Recognizing that Nigerians love football so much and many would not want to miss it for anything, especially when the beloved Nigerian team is playing a match against another country’s team, Tecno mobile, Africa’s most preferred

smartphone maker, decided to launch its ‘predict and win Egypt tour’ campaign to join in the fun, excitement and shared national pride that always unites us.

Apart from getting the chance to win the trip to watch this year’s AFCON final, Tecno will also be rewarding some lucky winners of the competition with up to US $10,000.

Nigeria placed against Burundi last Saturday the 22nd at 6pm, against Guinea on Wednesday the 26th at 3:30pm, and will play against Madagascar this Sunday the 30th at 5pm.

Since the launch of the new TECNO SPARK 3 device, a lot of people have won cash prizes and other gifts.

PUMA has opted for a very daring combination with green tones that offer more visibility in the turn and trajectory as well as in the velocity.

An attractive Glimmer green over white combined with the NRGY red of the PUMA logo will highlight the flight over the pitch.

On a technical level, the PUMA sphere incorporates new details that improve the aerodynamics and resistance to the wear and tear, which will result in more durability and a higher performance level.

For the first time, the sphere includes the LaLiga ‘beat’, one of the visual identity roots for the orga-

nization. It will be integrated in the football in the PUMAlogo.

For the presentation of the new sphere, PUMA has launched a campaign that is inspired in a mix of football, fun, dance and music that will generate a domino effect in which the football is the trigger.

One of the highlights of the campaign is the production of a video where the rhythm is marked by the heartbeats of the players who are the stars. Oblak, Griezmann, Umtiti, Bartra, Cazorla and Suárez appear in the video with the music from the afrotrap band, Afrojuice, which was written especially for this occasion.

JUMOKE AKIYODE-LAWANSON

N

PUMA, LaLiga present new official competition football ANTHONY NLEBEM

A

fter signing the long term agreement between PUMA and LaLiga , in which the sports brand became the official sponsor, PUMA presented the Official 2019/2020 Football today, which will be used for all of the LaLiga Santander and LaLiga 1|2|3 professional matches.

LaLiga is entertainment, emotion, it is passion, it is a spectacle, it is much more than football and the football is the heartbeat of the competition.

PUMA wants to pay homage to this

passion and therefore presented a new design that incorporates the technology that was developed exclusively by the brand with a striking color combination that will be the secret weapon for incredible tricks and goals that will become part of history.

With a 18 panel heat sealed structure, the new LaLiga football is a perfect sphere that guarantees better stability, a soft touch and reduced water absorption. The bigger panels allow a better connection with the sphere. One of the new details is located in the 1mm Hi-Solid Dimple PU(SanFang)casingwhichimproves the aerodynamics and also provides

high resistance to the graze and wear and tear, which creates better durability and high performance level. The structure of this advanced design is similar to that of a golf ball to assure a straight path and better consistency in the shot. Likewise, the incorporation of an additional POE foam layer improves the touch and increases the sensibility, which results in a firm touch and an improved rebound consistency. This football is reactive in the shots and has an explosive potential.

The air chamber made of rubber with the PAL valve (PUMA AIR LOCK) assures excellent air retention.

Talking about the design colors,

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SUNDAY 30 JUNE 2019

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9th National Assembly is against the Igbo

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he Nigerian Senate has ten principal officers, namely, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Minority Chief Whip, Deputy Majority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Deputy Chief Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.

The ruling party produces the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip. The opposition produces the Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip. But to ensure a balanced ethnic representation, the ruling party or opposition can produce the Senate President or Deputy Senate President.

The above is also true of the House of Representatives. For instance, the opposition Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), produced Speaker Edwin Ume-Ezeoke in the Second Republic even though the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN), controlled the House.

In the election and nomination of these officers, Section 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution provides for Federal Character without which ethnic suspicion and rivalries become the order of the day. This section states, “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.” Government of the Federation refers to the three-arm of Executive, legislature and judiciary; as well as the armed forces.

Furthermore, Oluwalogbon ‘Leke Abraham opined that the ruling elite informally agreed, in the spirit of equity, that the six geo-political zones, namely, North East,

North Central, North West, South West, South East and South-South must be represented in every government. This is called zoning.

Nwachukwu Orji, quoted by Abraham, explained that federal character and zoning complement to ensure ethnic harmony. Whereas zoning is an informal arrangement, federal character is enshrined in our constitution. Zoning applies to elective positions; but federal character applies to appointive positions.

And thirdly, zoning focuses on allocation of offices to geo-political zones while federal character guarantees equitable distribution of same among states (See Abraham’s ‘The Politics of Leadership Instability in Nigeria’s Senate, 1999-2011.’

International Journal of Politics and Good Governance, Volume VII. No.7.1 Quarter 1 2016. ISSN: 0976-1195. Orji’s ‘Eat and Give Your Brother: The Politics of Office Distribution in Nigeria.’ Inspire Journal of Law, Politics and Societies. 3 (2) 125139).

On 11th June, the Nigerian 9th National Assembly, NASS, “elected” its principal officers. This was in line with Section 50 of the 1999 Constitution stipulating that the four principal officers, namely, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House and Deputy Speaker be elected indirectly in-house.

Other officers are to be appointed.

Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (APC North East) emerged President of the Senate with Ovie Omo-Agege (APC SouthSouth) as Deputy President. Femi Gbajabiamila (APC South West) was elected Speaker of the House and Ahmed Idris Wase (APC North Central) as his deputy.

Their elections were in clear violation of both the federal character principles and zoning. Recall that in the Executive, President Muhammadu Buhari (APC) already represents the North West while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (APC)

represents the South West. Since the South West is represented by Osinbajo, the Speakership slot belongs to the unrepresented South East by right. The Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC), violated Section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution; giving the South West a slot meant for the South East. This is not minding that the North also controls the Judiciary with Ibrahim Muhammad Tanko as Chief Justice of Nigeria. This underhand dealing is unprecedented.

In the First Republic, 1960-1966, the three Regions were equally represented in the Government of the Federation. In the Executive, Nnamdi Azikiwe (NCNC Eastern Region) was the President. Tafawa Balewa (NPC Northern Region) was Prime Minister. In the Legislature, Nwafor Orizu (NCNC Eastern Region) was President of Senate; while Ibrahim Jalo Waziri (NPC North) was Speaker. In the Judiciary the Western Region was represented by Adetokunbo Ademola who was Chief Justice of Nigeria.

In the Second Republic, 1979-1983, the ruling NPN respected federal character and zoning. In the Executive, President Shehu Shagari (NPN Sokoto) represented the North.

Vice President Alex Ekwueme (NPN Anambra) represented the East. In the legislature, Joseph Wayas (NPN Cross River) represented the Niger Delta minorities while Edwin Ume-Ezeoke (NPP) represented the East. The West had Atanda Fatai Williams who was Chief Justice of Nigeria.

In this Fourth Republic, 1999 to the present, federal character and zoning were respected till the formation of the Hausa/Fulani-Yoruba duopoly in 2015. The Lawan and Gbajabiamilaled 9th Assembly is sectarian, at best, and rabidly anti-Igbo in form

CHIGACHI EKE Email: chigachieke@yahoo.co.uk

and content. Such dangerous assembly can be trusted to perpetual anarchy while preaching One Nigeria. It can only harden sectarian cleavages rather than promote our common values. The hatepolitics spewing from it can only yield hate-speech.

We remind all that the Igbo membership of Nigeria supersedes their membership of ephemeral Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and APC. Their representation in the Government of the Federation is a matter of constitutional right rather than party privilege, denial of which negates such government. Nigeria 2023, raison d’etre for this gang-up, looks increasingly an improbable possibility.

Buhari must tell Nigerians why he’s purging Igbos from the leadership of the army, navy, air force, police, customs, National Security Council, judiciary and 9th Assembly. When did politics become another civil war? The esteemed Chimmuanya Orih is wrong. We Igbos refused to give Buhari our votes this 2019, not because we hated him for defeating Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015 as Orih thinks, but because he would not restructure Nigeria to enthrone equity. But Buhari’s self-defeating purge dents his own lofty legacy; making one to wonder how posterity would remember him.

Lawrence Baraebibai Ekpebu, Buhari’s ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire in the mid

Quick Takes

Off the Cuff

‘Trouble de sleep, inyanga de wakeam’

S

ince last week when news filtered that the Federal Government may have rolled out a policy to use public funds to set up Ruga farming settlements for herdsmen in 12 states of the federation, fear, anxiety and condemnation have been the response.

As expected, various groups have risen in condemnation of the plan, describing it as a renewed plan to take over the people’s land and give it to the Fulani of West Africa in the name of settlements for herdsmen. The Benue State Government last week, spoke to newsmen, vehemently opposing such incursion into their territory.

There were some pockets of protests in parts of the state against the proposal. Benue has borne the brunt of Fulani herdsmen’s attacks which have produced many widows, widowers and orphans.

A huge number of people are still homeless after they fled from the invading killers. The same condemnation has come from Edo, Delta, and the South East and South-South states. For some time now, the Federal Government has been pushing to create colonies for the herdsmen, but this has consistently been resisted by the states.

The argument is that government should

Continues on page 29

have no business meddling in the business of herdsmen, to the point of determining where they should stay and forcing them to take over people’s ancestral lands.

It was the pressure on the Benue State government to allow for the colonies after several indigenes had been murdered, that gave rise to the anti-grazing law in the state. The latest push by the Federal Government has been read by people to mean that there must be some ulterior motives behind the move. That the Federal Government left the states in the core north with large expanse of land to settle for other states with scarce land has raised the suspicion in the polity.

Critics say that the fragile peace in the country at the moment does not support such a move. A time when every part of the country is boiling with rising cases of insecurity, greater percentage of which is linked to the herdsmen, establishment of any settlement could only be ill-conceived.

Those who accuse government of having something up its sleeves, point to the recent controversies over government plan to establish Fulani radio, having allocated a special frequency for that purpose; the touted N100billion gift to the Miyetti Allah association, the recent request

by Miyetti Allah to the South East governors to be

allowed to form vigilance groups in the zone, and the daily killings and kidnappings in the South West zone, a situation that has rattled the leaders in the zone. This plan is coming at a time, when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, and other leaders-of-thought in Yorubaland are shedding tears over the invasion and desecration of their native land by the invading herdsmen.

The likes of Olu Falae, a former secretary to the government of the federation, must be boiling with rage over the plan, having been terribly dealt with on a number of times by wicked herdsmen. If indeed, Nigeria is being guided by law, if the constitutional rights of people are still intact in a democracy, and if those in government still believe they are holding the position in trust for the Nigerian people, the Federal Government should not take decisions that will only amount to more bloodshed.

Every good government works for the good of the people; ours cannot be different.

The entire country is on fire already; let us not bring the fire of Hell. That will be unfortunate and amounts to an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

N679.699bn

This was the total amount shared by the federal, state and local governments from the federation account for the month of May 2019.

The bazaar goes on.

On point!

“One piece of advice I want to give the people of Lagos is that they should be observant and be very security conscious. The little we are doing in the state as far as security is concerned is because we are having very effective information networking.

That prevents a lot of insecurity issues. And I know without that arrangement it would just be running here and there after problem had happened.”

- Lanre Rasak, Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) member, speaking on spate of kidnapping in South

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