Saturday, April 8, 2023 Edition

Gang violence: Kaduna’s new security challenge

Court reinstates sacked State Assembly member

I’m ready for probe, Ortom tells Rev. Fr. Alia

Easter: Be confident, believe in Nigeria, Buhari tells citizens

Interim Govt: Knocks as the kite fails to fly

•Socio-cultural groups, military, legal experts, lawmakers, others condemn plot •Anger, hostility trail allegations

Alleged breach of trust: IPAC calls for removal of Adamawa's REC

Abduction: CP Maiyaki

Baba reassures safe rescue of Prof. Onje

Gye-wado

Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila (6th left) after meeting with aspirants for the Speakership of 10th House of Representatives, namely: Ahmed Idris Wase (5th left); Makki Yalleman (4th left); Adamu Yusuf Gagdi (3rd left); Benjamin Kalu (2nd left); Peter Akpatason (front left); Muktar Aliyu Betara (1st right); Sada Soli Jibia (2nd right); Tunji Olawuyi (front right); 2nd row, Abbas Tajuddeen and Aminu Sani Jaji, yesterday in Abuja.

>>PG 5

I’m ready for probe, Ortom declares

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The Benue State Governor

Samuel Ortom has offered himself to be probed by the incoming administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, as there is nothing to hide.

Ortom who made this assertion during an interview on AriseTV, which was monitored by our correspondent, maintained that he has governed the State transparently.

He said at the moment, he is concerned with ensuring a seamless transition and has set up his team as well as extended a hand of fellowship to the Governor- elect to join his team in accomplishing this task.

The Governor added that he is already writing his hand over notes and also directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs to do the same.

Ortom, however, warned the incoming Governor from interfering in his affairs until he is sworn-in on May 29, 2023, insisting” until then I remain Governor and will continue to execute my work”.

“I have extended a hand of fellowship and asked him to nominate people to join my transition committee. They will work together. We have nothing to hide. We are prepared to give everything that is needed and ensure a seamless transition to the new administration. I do not have any quarrel with them. I know that the man who contested with him has issues and has gone to the Tribunal.

“My duty is to work out a transition that will hand over power to him and that I am committed to do and have no issues with that whatsoever. I want to admonish him to wait when he takes over, if you want to probe, you probe. If you want to find out certain things that happened during my 8 years tenure, you can go ahead and do it.

“But, now I am the Governor

of Benue State until May 29,2023 and will continue to execute my work till when I handover to him and he will be sworn in.

“Whatever he has for the people of the State, he can go ahead and do it. I will advise him to concentrate on what he will do better than what I have done so that he can be appreciated. I am willing to handover to him peacefully and have chosen not

to be involved in violence in any form so as not to aggravate the problem of our people. That is why people may think we were taken unaware.

“My duty is to prepare handover notes which I am already doing and have set up my team. Every MDA is preparing handover notes and if there are any issues arising thereof, we are ready to respond to them”, Ortom added.

Pilgrimage: NAHCON announces 2023 Hajj fares

From Abubakar Yunusa ABUJA

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has announced the total Hajj fare for the year 2023.

The commission pegged the cost of a seat of Hajj to be paid by Nigerian intending Pilgrims at a total cost of a little less than three million Naira only.

Announcing the fare on Friday at the commission’s Hajj

House head office in Abuja, NAHCON Chairman, Zikirullah Kunle Hassan, said pilgrims flying from Yola and Maiduguri will pay N2,8000,000 while those flying from other northern states will pay N2,919,000.00 only.

The chairman also said the southern part of the country has six different costs for hajj.

He said pilgrims from Edo state will pay N2,968,000.00, while those from Ekiti and Ondo

will pay N2, 180,000.000.

Pilgrims travelling from Cross River will pay N2,943,000.00, those from Osun will pay N2,983,000.00 while pilgrims from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states will pay N2,999,000.000.

Hassan announced that pilgrims from the south-south and south-east states will pay N2,968,000.00

He said the difference in the cost is due to the different cost of the airfare component of the

fare because some locations are closer to Saudi Arabia.

He also said the commission, after meeting with state chief executives of pilgrims boards and agencies, agreed that the portal for registration of those paying through the Hajj Savings Scheme will be closed today (Friday).

He added that the meeting agreed that all intending pilgrims must complete payment of their Hajj fare by April 21.

Local Transportation: Farmers returning from farm along Argungu-Kebbi road, recently in Kebbi state.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Interim Govt: Knocks as the kite fails to fly

By Our Correspondents

The February 25 presidential election still remains a bone of contesion even after the votes have been concluded and a winner declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, beat his opponents in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi to emerge winner of what has been acknowledged as the most keenly contested presidential election in Nigeria.

But the duo of Atiku and Obi have separately filed petitions in the electoral tribunal challenging the outcome of the poll which they claimed was riddled with malpractice.

One of the bones of contention by Atiku and Obi is the fact that INEC failed to upload the presidential election results from polling units as prescribed by the Electoral Act 2022. They are also argueing that the declared winner of the election did not fulfill the mandatory constitutional requirement of winning 25 percent of votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

So far, the two petitioners have been granted leave by yhe courts to inspect the materials used by INEC for the conduct of the election. But some supporters of the opposition candidates are said to be suggesting that rather than handover power to Tinubu on May 29, an interim government should be constituted.

This suggestion has ruffled shoulders and has become a subject of national political discourse in the past week.

Specifically,

Datti Baba-Ahmed, the vicepresidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), had called on President Buhari and Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), not to inaugurate Tinubu, tagging it an “illegality”.

Some demonstrators also went to the defence headquarters

building in Abuja on Tuesday, to protest the outcome of the presidential election in what was construed as an invitation for military intervention, which the secret police spokesman alleged were sponsored protests.

What is most interesting, however, is the way and manner some groups and individuals are struggling to outdo themselves in the rush to condemn the suggestion.

Recall that the military administration of former President Ibrahim Babangida having failed to uphold the 1993 Presidential election believed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, constituted an Interim Government for the first time in the history of Nigeria before stepping aside. The abberation headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, however, lasted for only about three months before it was overthrown by late General Sani Abacha who then perpetuated military rule for another five years.

Before the Directorate of State Service, DSS, affirmed last week that the ING plot was real, the preponderant topic of political discourse was either the moves by the aggrieved contestants to up their game in court, or the suggestion by others on the need for a government of national unity to be formed by Tinubu after swearing in on May 29.

The Defence Headquarters was the most recent major stakeholder to condemn the alleged Interim National Government, ING, plot. Although some have argued that the military has no business delving into purely political issues, it has been reasoned that the defence sector is simply putting the records straight so as not to be accused of complicity. Not when every other group is rushing to the media space to wash their hands off, even those opposed to the President-elect.

Accordingly, the DHQ onThursday described the call for interim government by some

individuals in the country as unfortunate and unconstitutional.

Major General Musa Danmadami, Director, Defence Media Operations, stated this while addressing newsmen at the bi-weekly briefing on military operations across Nigeria in Abuja.

Danmadami insisted that those calling for an interim government were just trying to be mischievous, saying that the Constitution didn’t provide for an interim national government.

He said: “On the issue of interim government, it is rather unfortunate. An election has been conducted and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a presidentelect.

“It’s not our responsibility to speak on that issue, but I know that several calls have been made from the Presidency that there’s nothing like an interim national government.

•Socio-cultural groups, military, legal experts, lawmakers, others condemn plot •Anger, hostility trail allegations

Interim Govt: Knocks as the kite fails to fly

Cont. from previous page

“So I think people were just trying to be mischievous. It’s unconstitutional and all of us know that. The Constitution doesn’t provide for an interim national government and that is the point the Presidency has been hammering on and that’s our stand.”

Prior to the DSS confirmation, the interim government suggestion had been confined to the realm of speculations.

The DSS officially confirmed that a section of the political class was planning for an interim government to truncate the smooth transition of power on May 29 from President Muhammadu Buhari to President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, in a statement, said the agency had uncovered plot by key political actors to install an interim government in the country. He identified some key players in the scheme, but did not give names of the masterminds.

The nation’s intelligence organ said the planners of the ‘interim government’ plot had already held several meetings, during which they weighed many options to actualise their plan, including sponsoring endless mass protests across Nigerian cities, securing a warrant to declare a state of emergency or a court injunction to stop the inauguration of the executive and the legislature at the federal and state levels, while plunging the country into an avoidable crisis.

The statement said: “DSS considers the plot, being pursued by these entrenched interests, as not only an aberration but a mischievous way to set aside the Constitution and undermine civil rule as well as plunge the country into an avoidable crisis.

“The illegality is totally unacceptable in a democracy and to peace-loving Nigerians. This is even more so that the machination is taking place after the peaceful conduct of the elections in most parts of the country.

“The planners, in their many meetings, have weighed various options, which include, among others, to sponsor endless violent mass protests in major cities to warrant a declaration of State of Emergency. Another is to obtain frivolous court injunctions to forestall the inauguration of new executive administrations and legislative houses at the Federal and state levels.

“DSS supports the President and Commander-in-Chief in his

avowed commitment to a hitch-free handover and will assiduously work in this direction. It also supports the Presidential Transition Council and such other related bodies in the states. It will collaborate with them and sister security and law enforcement agencies to ensure seamless inaugurations come May 29.”

“Consequently, the Service strongly warns those organising to thwart democracy in the country to retract from their devious schemes and orchestrations.

“Stakeholders, notably judicial authorities, media and the Civil Society, are enjoined to be watchful and cautious to avoid being used as instruments to subvert peace and stability of the nation. While its monitoring continues, the DSS will not hesitate to take decisive and necessary legal steps against these misguided elements to frustrate their obnoxious intentions,” Afunanya stated.

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However, some have expressed reservations over the revelation by the DSS and had been asking why no attempt had beemade by the service to arrest the interim government plotters.

For the House of Representatives, the DSS should have backed up their revelation with the arrest of some prominent politicians, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Vice Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Dr. Datti Ahmed and a prominent Lawyer over the alleged call for an interim government.

Reps in a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Unyime Idem, however, condemned the calls for an interim government.

It affirmed that the call for an interim government

is unconstitutional and undemocratic, and mandated all the security agencies to be on alert to forestall the possible breakdown of law and order.

The lawmakers, who called for the arrest and prosecution of some of the Nigerians involved in calling for an interim government include: Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Sa’ad Abubakar; Hon. Kuye Ademorin and Hon. Sada Soli.

In his lead debate, Hon. Idem who frowned at the development, noted that the interim government is undemocratic and unknown to extant laws on the country.

He observed that Part I, Section 132 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) “allows for change of leadership through the ballots.

Similarly, Afenifere, a pan Yoruba sociocultural group in the United Kingdom and Europe, has warned Nigerian politicians to avoid any plot to impose an interim government on Nigerians, emphasising that since the 2023 elections are already in court, the rule of law should take its course.

The group strongly condemns those considering an interim government, claiming that Nigeria has progressed beyond this primitive sentiment or impression capable of destabilising democracy.

The group, in a statement issued on Monday, April 3, 2023, by its Secretary, Engr. Anthony Ajayi, said those waving the emblem of crisis in Nigeria should stop immediately, noting that the crisis would further deteriorate the country’s economy.

The statement said, “It is dissecting and disturbing that interim government has become part of the conversations in Nigerian politics today. Politicians with this idea should know that there is no constitutional provision

for an interim government in Nigeria and those peddling it should be reminded of the gravest consequences for their treasonable intent.”

Also last weekend, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called for the arrest and prosecution of anyone or persons caught canvassing for interim government in Nigeria.

The influential socio-cultural group noted that Nigerians will resist any attempt by individuals or groups to foist an interim government.

A leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum, on Saturday, called on the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute proponents of interim national government.

He said the agitation, in some quarters, to foist interim government on Nigerians, after Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress had been declared President-elect, was the height of unpatriotism for the country.

The chairman, Kwara State chapter of ACF, Dr Mohammed Ghali-Alaaya, who made the call, while addressing journalists at the Annual Weekend Ramadan Lecture of Kwara State Television Authority, which held in Ilorin, on Saturday, insisted that Nigerians chose their preferred candidate among the array of presidential flag-bearers during the general elections.

He therefore wondered why those canvassing an interim government were yet to come to terms with the reality of that choice.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum and many other groups have all expressed stern oppositions to calls for a caretaker government in place of winners produced by the February 25 presidential poll.

Easter: Be confident, believe in Nigeria, Buhari tells citizens

By Egena Sunday Ode

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to continue to be confident and believe in the country for better seasons ahead.

This admonition was contained in his Easter message to the Christendum on the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration, commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The president, in the message he personally signed, also thanked Nigerians for making the successes of his administration in security, economy, infrastructure and food sufficiency among others possible.

The message read: “I join Christians in Nigeria and around the world to celebrate Easter, which commemorates the death and

resurrection of Jesus Christ, signposting his victory over death.

“At the heart of Easter, is the triumph of light over darkness.

“It is a season that reminds us that the Almighty can turn an unpleasant situation around for good.

Recognising that Easter is about renewed hope and a glorious future, I urge all Nigerians to continue to be confident and believe strongly in our country for better seasons ahead.

“As a nation, we have gone through an election that has produced the next set of leaders at the federal and State levels.

“I commend Nigerians for believing in the process. While I congratulate those that have been elected, I acknowledge that it is the right of those who feel dissatisfied with

the outcome to seek redress. I expect them to wait patiently and allow our legal system to run its course.

“It has been a rare privilege for me to serve as your President since you gave me the first mandate in 2015 and renewed it in 2019.

“Day after day, I have been guided by the vows I took to keep Nigeria united, prosperous and secure.

“Our successes on security, economy, infrastructure, new oil frontier basins, landmark legal reforms as well as food sufficiency, among others, were possible because of the support of Nigerians.

“As we celebrate this season with our families, neighbors and communities, let us do so in love, compassion, kindness, resilience and forgiveness.”

Easter: Emulate Christ’s sacrificial life, Gov Bello charges

By Stanley Onyekwere

Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello has rejoiced with the Christian faithful on the occasion of the 2023 Easter celebration.

Bello who spoke in a special message on Friday, through a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed congratulated the Christian faithful for the successful completion of the lent season which he noted was much-needed self-denial to pray for the peace of the country and wisdom for the leaders.

“I wish to rejoice with our Christian brothers and sisters all over the world on the auspicious occasion of the 2023 Easter celebrations. As we all know, Easter is marked by Christians as a joyous holiday because it represents the gratification of the prophecies and the revelation of God’s redemptive plan for the followers of Christ.

“In immortalizing the Resurrection of Jesus, Easter

also means the celebration of the defeat of death and the hope of salvation therefore, I urge all citizens to keep faith in our leaders with prayers for a greater Nigeria”, he said While urging Nigerians to remain hopeful about the nation’s progress, Bello said Easter also signifies the celebration of the defeat of death and the hope for salvation.

The governor added that just

as the death, and resurrection of Christ signified hope for mankind, there must be a renewal of hope for our nation in this season of great challenges.

He urged Christians to reflect on critical issues affecting the nation and to continue seeking the face of God Almighty for the country so that security, unity and peace will prevail in the overall national interest.

Bello who noted that the

Christians

2023 general elections, which will usher in new breeds of leaders across the country by May 29 represent a watershed for Nigeria insisted that all citizens who participated effectively in the process of electing leaders into the various offices must also commit themselves to pray for the smooth transmission of government, growth and prosperity of the country.

While assuring the Christian

faithful in Kogi state of the state’s commitment to a joyous celebration free of all hitches, he added that security operatives and other collaborating agencies are working together round-theclock to checkmate crime and secure the lives and properties of citizens.

He also urged all Christians who observe the season to find strength and solace in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Governor Inuwa urges prayers for Leaders, nation

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has felicitated with Christians in the state and the world over on the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration, urging them to use the occasion to pray for the newly elected leaders from the just concluded elections, and for the peace, progress and healing of the nation going forward.

In a goodwill message made available to PeoplesDaily by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, Ismaila Uba Misilli , the Governor Inuwa said the Easter period provides an opportunity for strengthening of unity of purpose, reinforcement of bond of brotherhood and dedication in service to God and humanity as exemplified by Jesus Christ.

He said, “Easter symbolises love, sacrifice, service to God and country as well as triumph of good over evil. We should always reflect on the lessons

and significance of the season and demonstrate the same in our lives.

“On this occasion of Easter feast, I want to enjoin our Christian brothers and sisters in Gombe State and the world over to continue to demonstrate love, promote peace and show good neighbourliness.

“I also want to urge you to remain steadfast in prayers and continue to sacrifice for the good and advancement of our dear state.”

Governor Inuwa, equally, urged all Christians to pray for the newly elected leaders at all levels for God to bless them with wisdom, understanding, discernment, and knowledge as they prepare to take the mantle of leadership next month.

“We are indeed in need of prayers as leaders and as a country, especially at this crucial moment. I am optimistic that with collective commitment, sacrifice and by turning to God through prayers we shall overcome all our challenges and

emerge stronger,” the governor stressed.

While wishing the Christian faithful a peaceful and joyous Easter celebrations, the

governor also urged Christian clerics to use the occasion to preach peace, tolerance and unity amongst the diverse people.

President Buhari

Gov Inuwa

Gov Bello

From Umar Dankano, Yola.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Yola has reinstated the sacked member representing Michika Constituency, Hon. Joseph Ayuba Kwada in the Adamawa state Assembly.

Justice Muhammmad Lawal issued the reinstatement order while ruling on the case on Thursday, voiding his earlier removal by the legislators under the leadership of Hon. Speaker Aminu Iya Abbas as a breach of his fundamental human right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

Justice Lawal reversed the sacking of the lawmaker citing the grounds that the Assembly erred for not giving him fair hearing as a defense concerning the allegations labeled against him by the house committee that investigated and recommended the removal at the initial stage.

Recall that Hon. Joseph Kwada popularly known as “The Polis” was sacked on the 27th April,2022 by Federal High court Yola presided over by Justice Abdulaziz Anka in a legal suit instituted by the Assembly which judgement was delivered on the 12th October,20 22 upholding the Assembly’s resolution of declaring Kwada’s seat vacant for simply decamping from PDP to APC due irreconcilable

Court reinstates sacked state Assembly member, orders payment of financial entitlements

political difference.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the Federal High court Yola, Kwada through his legal representative, Chief Oluwole Afolabi approached the Appeal court Yola for determination of the matter accusing Assembly of not according him opportunity to

defend himself rather declared his seat vacant without recourse to him.

However, the court ordered that he (Kwada) should be reinstated to enable him complete his four year tenure expected to end in June 2023 and that,all his salaries and other financial emoluments

and other entitlements due to him as an elected member of the Assembly since April last year to date should be paid to him with immediate effect.

However, political pundits in the state believe that Hon. Joseph Kwada got the unfortunate treatment as a result of his political quagmire

with a close Associate to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Mr. Stephen Maduwa who fought vehemently to control the soul of Machika local government area politically but was greeted with stiff resistance from some key critical stakeholders headed by the polis.

Interim govt: NOSACOF condemns statements by OBJ, Datti others

From Mika’il Tsoho

Non-State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF), a nongovernmental organization (NGO) has condemned calls made for the formation of an interim government in Nigeria.

The condemnation was contained in a statement signed by the Lead Convener of the forum comrade Abdulrazaq Alqali, which was made available to newsmen.

NOSACOF said, it is common experience to see losers and winners get involved in media spats and rhetoric as well as media attacks and counterattacks regarding the conduct of the election.

“However, it is very important that well-meaning Nigerians stand firm when politicians put their selfish agenda against the democratic values of our dear country by exploiting religious and tribal lines and making remarks aimed at jeopardizing the national unity and security of our country.

“It is quite clear to everyone that the Labour Party Candidate Mr Peter Obi, his VP candidate Dr Yusuf Datti Ahmad, their followers (widely known as obidients) as well as other prominent supporters of theirs particularly the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Governor of Anambra State Chukwuemeka Ezeife have all tow this dangerous and unpatriotic path of

unfairly criticism and undermining our democracy.

“One of the most regrettable actions are the remarks made by the VP candidate Dr Yusuf Datti Ahmad on a National TV, asking the President and Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN) to truncate the victory of a valid electoral winner (in Mr Bola Ahmad Tinubu).

“Mr. Datti also deliberately makes an unscrupulous interpretation of the Nigerian constitution all in an effort to create chaos and rile up their support base. He further subtly threatens the Presidential and CJN powers by stating that “if they swear in the PresidentElect, then they are engaging in an unconstitutional exercise” and that if Bola Ahmad Tinubu is sworn in as President, then the lives of Nigerians will be in danger”, the group said.

According to the statement, the remarks and comments from Yusuf Datti are extremely dangerous and treasonable, that every well-meaning Nigerian needs to condemn with the strongest voice.

“It is very clear that Mr. Yusuf Datti is trying to blackmail the Federal Government and the Judiciary and clearing the ground for chaos if their court case becomes unsuccessful. Unfortunately, Mr. Datti was not the only one from their camp to utter such undemocratic and dangerous

statements.

“Just after the election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a staunch supporter of Mr. Peter Obi, released a media statement calling for the cancellation of a lot of the presidential election results. He also mentioned that the election result is like toying with the future of the country just to rile up their support base”, the statement said.

“Similarly, the former Governor of Anambra State Chukwuemeka Ezeife was caught on live TV saying that the President-Elect Mr. Bola Ahmad Tinubu will not be sworn in as Nigeria’s President, and even went ahead to claim that his kinsman the LP candidate (Mr Peter Obi) won the Presidential Election but was rigged out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“It is on record that some supporters of Mr. Peter Obi went to the extent of protesting at the defence headquarters, calling on the Nigerian Military to take over and stop the swearing in of the President-Elect.

“It has also been disclosed by the Department of State Security (DSS) about the plans of some disgruntled politicians to railroad the country into an interim government arrangement and have been promoting its possibility and advantages.

“These sorts of unpatriotic actions

are beyond common politics, and it is very important that Nigerians rise up and condemn such actors and their plans by upholding our democratic values and rule of law. Any politicians who felt aggrieved by the electoral process should follow the constitutional means and seek redress in the courts and election tribunals.

“It worth pointing out that the PDP and NNPP presidential candidates have shown more decorum and respect to our constitution, as they have refrained from this unpatriotic action but instead PDP have invested their effort in challenging the election in a court of law as constitutionally stipulated. It is also worth applauding the stand taken by the Defence Headquarters on this issue, as in the just recently released statement where it acknowledges about such threat and made it very clear that the call for an Interim Government is illegal and unconstitutional and that the Military will stand against such action by upholding our democratic values and rule of law.

“We would also like to call on Mr. Peter Obi, his VP candidate as well as their advisors and supporters to have a rethink about their actions and utterances, respect our democracy and follow our constitution in lodging their grievances against the electoral process”, the statement added

L-R: Deputy chief medical director, CMD, Lagos Island Maternity, Dr. Ogungbemile; president, Rotary Club of Lagos, Joseph Akhigbe; medical director, Lagos Island Maternity, Dr Olufem Omololu, and director, Rotary Foundation, Rotarian UK Eke, MFR, when the Rotary Club of Lagos District 9110 donated mobility aids to hospitals in Lagos, recently.

WHD: Group advocates increased care for older persons

Save Our Heritage Initiative

(SOHI), an Abuja based NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), has called for increased medical care for older persons in Nigeria.

Chief Executive Officer of the group, Ms May Ikokwu, made the call-in commemoration of the World Health Day while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Commenting on the theme: “Health for All,” Ikokwu stressed the need to guarantee health equity and equality for older persons, irrespective of their social or work classes.

She said that it was time for practical implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by including older persons.

“Ageing population will have an impact on the ambition of universal health coverage.

“Because without considering the health and social care needs of the ever-increasing numbers of older people, UHC will be impossible to achieve,” she said.

The Culture Advocate said: “Equally, SDG 3, ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, cannot be met without transforming health and social systems”.

She called for a paradigm shift from a focus only on disease towards the provision of the integrated and person-centred care that should be known to have the greatest impact on functional ability in older age.

According to her, the transformation requires organising services to respond to older people’s diverse levels of physical and mental capacities as well as their needs and preferences.

“Others include extending coverage of services to all older people.

She said this, “particularly those who have been in the informal workforce or who have filled caregiving roles, have very limited access to even basic services.”

Ikokwu reiterated the call for development of sustainable financing mechanisms.

She said it was imperative to protect older people and their families from undue financial burdens.

She said that it would go a long way in providing system incentives for the provision of the services older people needed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aim of World Health Day is to create awareness among people about the value of good health.

World Health Day is celebrated across the world on April 7 annually. (NAN)

Alleged breach of trust: IPAC calls for removal of Adamawa’s REC

From Umar Dankano, Yola

The Management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Professor Yakubu Mahmoud to remove Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Yunusa Hudu Ari over alleged professional misconduct.

Chairman of the state Interparty Advisory council, Hon. Bello Babajo made public the

demand of the council at a press conference in Yola Thursday stressing that the council is Worried by the allegations of professional misconduct against the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of the (state), which compromised the electoral process.

Babajo said the press conference is necessary due to the contradictory statements over the leaked audio going round the air waves promoting bias tendencies

against the popular choice of the Adamawa electorate which must be resisted by all.

He stated that for the inconclusive election to be acceptable to all interested parties then the INEC needs to do the needful by bringing someone who is neutral and has no integrity challenge.

“Adamawa state is a peaceful state which has never experienced any political crisis in the history of political struggle, that audio

if found to be true will cause damages and setbacks in the political atmosphere in our dear state.

“We have lost confidence in Barrister Hudu Yunusa Ari as REC in our state because he is not neutral in his dealings, we therefore as a matter of importance and urgency call on the INEC Chairman to remove the commissioner and bring someone whose integrity has not been tempered with”, Babajo appealed.

Buhari joins villa faithful as Tafsir makes early closure

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday joined other worshippers at the State House to witness the early closure of the daily Qur’anic recitation (Tafsir) in view of the Imam’s impending Umrah trip to Saudi Arabia.

The recitation and commentary of the Qur’an is a daily feature of the month-long Ramadan fasting period in places of Muslim worship and the one of this year has a special meaning for the President.

This is the last time he will be officiating in the Tafsir as President and Commander-inChief bearing in mind the May 29 handover date.

As he is about to complete the two four-year terms of office in a matter of weeks, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Abdulwahab Sulaiman, turned the event into a valedictory ceremony.

He praised the President for his patience and forbearance and for his work in fighting corruption, terrorism and insurgency as well as the massive infrastructure projects he has put

in place.

The Chief Imam also lauded President Buhari for setting high standards for probity and accountability and for service to

the nation and its people with morality and integrity during his eight years in office. He said the President’s place in history was an assured one.

Prayers were said for the successful handover to the next administration under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima.

North-West should produce Reps Speaker - Arewa group demands

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Arewa Youths Integrity Forum

and the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Political Matters, Alhaji Sani Idris, have called on the National leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the speakership of the 10th National Assembly to North West.

The call was coming as another northern youth group, Arewa Young Professionals in Politics (AYPP), said the Party leadership should in the interest of national unity, stability and cohesion, allow the South-East produce the next Senate President.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, Arewa Youths Integrity Forum and Governor El-Rufai’s political aide argued that, since the South-West and North-East have produced, the President and Vice President-elect, respectively, and the North-West for obvious reasons cannot have

the Senate President’s seat, the region as the highest contributor to the APC’s victory, should have the House of Representatives speakership position.

They further argued that the position should be reserved for the most senior ranking member from the North-West, in person of Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, a fourth termer representing Zaria Federal Constituency.

According to Idris and the youth group leader, Abdulrauf Abdullahi said, “We at the Arewa Youths Integrity Forum having considered all the potential candidates for the position of 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives resolved that there is no one more deserving of this position other than Hon. Abbas Tajudeen (PhD).

“To set the records straight, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen PhD is an illustrious son of the Northwest region who hails from the Mallawa ruling dynasty of Zazzau emirate.”

He hails from Kaduna State,

and Zaria Local Government to be precise. It is on record that the Northwest region has the highest registered voters and gave the APC the highest votes in the Presidential Elections. The North West region has the most sophisticated and well enlightened voters who should not be taken for granted for future political collaborations.

“Since the region is not producing the President and Vice President nor the Senate President, it is only rewarding to allot the slot of the Speaker to Abbas Tajudeen who is the only senior ranking member from the region.

“By virtue of experience, qualification and expertise, it is a proven track record that Hon. Abbas Tajudeen is more qualified to take the Speakership position. Firstly, he is a fourth time member, secondly, he is more educated by virtue of holding a PhD degree in Business Administration and having being a university lecturer before where teaching, research and community

service are the cardinal principles, thirdly, he has been Chairman of Land Transport committee and has held membership and executive of many committee in the National Assembly since his first stint, lastly, he is an embodiment of knowledge, perseverance, honestly, initiative empathy and compassion which is the modern trait of successful leaders, they said.

“On the 10th Speakership position of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, we at the Arewa Youths Integrity Forum unanimously resolved that Hon. Muhammad Danasabe Chokali is more deserving of the highly coveted seat. This is owing to reasons of political stability and power rotations amongst others. It is a known fact that the Governorelect Distinguished Senator Uba San contested under the Central Zone of Kaduna State, which automatically guarantees the Speakership position to be allotted to Zone One since the Deputy Governor-elect is from Zone three of the state.

President Buhari with H.E. Dr. Eustaquio Januario Quibato, Outgoing Ambassador of Angola to Nigeria in State House on 6th April 2023

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, CP Maiyaki Baba has reassured the general public, especially the family of Prof Onje Gye-wado that effort is ongoing to rescue the victim who was abducted by yet to be identified hoodlums in the early hours of Friday, as Police tactical operatives have intensified search and rescue operation.

This assurance was conveyed through a press release from DSP Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Command, and made available to PeoplesDaily.

According to the statement, information received by the command indicated that on

CRIME NEWS Abduction: CP Maiyaki Baba reassures safe rescue of Prof. Onje Gye-wado

7/4/2023 at about 12:30am, unknown gunmen invaded Gwagi village in Wamba LGA, broke into the residence of one Prof. Onje Gye-wado and abducted him to an unknown destination.

“Upon receipt of the information, Police operatives attached to Wamba Division swiftly moved to the scene, but the hoodlums had fled with the victim before their arrival.

“The Commissioner of Police further mobilised and deployed reinforcement comprising Police tactical teams, military, vigilante,

WHD: Group advocates increased care for older persons

Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), an Abuja based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called for increased medical care for older persons in Nigeria.

Chief Executive Officer of the group, Ms May Ikokwu, made the call in commemoration of the World Health Day while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Commenting on the theme: “Health for All,” Ikokwu stressed the need to guarantee health equity and equality for older persons, irrespective of their social or work classes.

She said that it was time for practical implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by including older persons.

“Ageing population will have an impact on the ambition of universal health coverage.

“Because without considering the health and social care needs of the everincreasing numbers of older people, UHC will be impossible to achieve,” she said.

The Culture Advocate said: “Equally, SDG 3, ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, cannot be met without transforming health and social systems”.

She called for a paradigm shift from a focus only on disease towards the provision of the integrated and personcentred care that should be known to have the greatest impact on functional ability in older age.

According to her, the transformation requires organising services to respond to older people’s diverse

levels of physical and mental capacities as well as their needs and preferences.

“Others include extending coverage of services to all older people.

She said this, “particularly those who have been in the informal workforce or who have filled caregiving roles, have very limited access to even basic services.”

Ikokwu reiterated the call for development of sustainable financing mechanisms.

She said it was imperative to protect older people and their families from undue financial burdens.

She said that it would go a long way in providing system incentives for the provision of the services older people needed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aim of World Health Day is to create awareness among people about the value of good health.

World Health Day is celebrated across the world on April 7 annually. Ikokwu reiterated the call for development of sustainable financing mechanisms.

She said it was imperative to protect older people and their families from undue financial burdens.

She said that it would go a long way in providing system incentives for the provision of the services older people needed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aim of World Health Day is to create awareness among people about the value of good health.

World Health Day is celebrated across the world on April 7 annually. (NAN)

and local hunters to complement the ongoing search to rescue the hostage hale and hearty and arrest the perpetrators of the act.

“The Commissioner of Police therefore call on anyone with useful information that will enable the Police to succeed in the rescue operation to call the following telephone numbers: 09115629178, 09067877096, 08112692680 and 08104441179”, the statement added. “The Commissioner of Police further mobilised and deployed reinforcement comprising Police tactical teams, military, vigilante, and local hunters to complement the ongoing search to rescue the hostage hale and hearty and arrest the perpetrators of the act.

“The Commissioner of Police therefore call on anyone with useful information that will enable the Police4441179”, the statement added.

CP Maiyaki Baba

Foundation advocates nationwide domestications of national youth policy

Promad Foundation, a civic tech nonprofit organisation, has called for the domestication of the National Youth Policy (NYP) 2019-2023 by the remaining 34 states for effective youth civic participation.

Founder and Executive Director of Promad Foundation, Mr. Daisi Omokungbe, made the call at a news conference to launch a Research Policy Memo on Accelerating Youth Civic participation and Development said only Lagos and Rivers have domesticated.

Omokungbe said that the research launched by Promad Foundation was with support from LEAP Africa and the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) in Abuja.

He said that the call for nationwide domestication of the NYP was imperative following the implementation of the foundation’s Accelerating Youth Civic Participation and Development (AYCP) project in FCT.

He said that the project was a youth component of the foundation’s Grassroots Advocacy Project (GRAB) that focused on community needs assessment for budget making, enhancing citizens’ opportunity to nominate projects that meet the needs of their communities into the budget.

“AYCP project attracted educated and mobilised youth across the six area councils for civic participation such as in the 2023 general elections, collection of community and youth need assessment data.

“They were empowered to track projects in their communities to drive participatory and accountable governance in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and #TheNigeriaWeWant.

“We have engaged young people at community levels and held town hall meetings, we conducted surveys on youth civic participation and development challenges through the deployment of our home-grown civic-tech needs assessment platform http://grap.org.ng.

“It targets young people mostly at the grassroots, as well as qualitative interviews among others which led to the production of this research policy memo.’’ Omokungbe said that the policy memo examined youth civic participation and development in the nation’s capital, it assessed youth related issues and grouped the findings into three major categories.

He said they were: access to economic power, civic and political participation and inclusion, and youth and

electoral violence.

He said the policy document itemized issues affecting youth civic participation in the FCT which spurred participation of youths in the 2023 elections.

“This is part of our contributions to leading new policy advocacy for young people’s inclusion and empowerment to play new roles in the Nigeria we want as a new administration will take off.’’

Omokungbe said based on the foregoing, there was need for empowerment schemes to address youth needs and priorities.

He added that youths must be at the front and centre of their budget formation adding that there should be a budgeting framework that allows youths to nominate the projects and programmes they need according to their collective priorities in the budget.

He added that young people must organise to pursue their cause and the government and leaders understand that youths are the majority and they can achieve anything they want in togetherness.

He called for the need to leave no youth behind and also called for increased funding for education and innovative programmes because a welleducated youth is important in achieving the SDGs.NAN

Gang violence: Kaduna’s new security challenge

By Femi Oyelola

With the elections over, Kaduna State has returned to its worrisome state of unpleasant news bothering on killing of innocent citizens by gunmen. It’s unarguable that the Northwest state has suffered more banditry attacks both in terms of frequency and casualties more than any other state in the country since the criminal groups sprang up. At some point, hardly would a day pass without the sad news of citizens being killed or taken into captivity by the terrorist groups. Observers are in agreement that though the quantum of destruction of lives and property may differ, bandits have successfully done to Kaduna what Boko Haram terrorists have done to Borno and the other neighbouring Northeast states.

And as if the citizens and residents have not suffered enough in the hands of bandits, a new trend of gang clash has reared it head, sending fresh fears into the people for their safety. A 24 hour curfew has been recently imposed on Sabon-Garin Nassarawa - --Tirkaniya in Chikun Local Government Area of the state, following what the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, described as urban gang violence which led to the dead of two people on Monday, April 3rd.

Barely 48 hours after the incident,

the state government on April 4, received a detailed security report where eight students among others were kidnapped in Awon general area of Kachia LGA. While that is being investigated, bandits who seemed to have gone on break have bared their fangs on the state again.

There’s no doubt that the last incident of banditry attacks in Kaduna came as a surprise because the state for some time now has enjoyed relative peace from bandits as the security agents appeared to be on top of the

Ayuba said it was quite unfortunate that “these wanton attacks had consistently been under-reported, thus, painting a half-truth picture of the ugly reality that now confronts some parts of the State.

“These vicious attacks and kidnapping of students speak volume to the vulnerability of not just some communities, but schools, and this must not be allowed to continue” he said

game. Troops and special forces of the Nigerian Army recently neutralized 11 bandits in a fierce battle which took place during fighting patrols in Birnin Gwari LGA.

This is coming, days after men of the State Police Command, arrested one bandit and neutralized two others in Giwa LGA. And from all indications, it appears like the troops have taken the fight to the terrorists’ dens.

In a reaction to the recently kidnapped students of the GSS Awon in Kachia LGA, the Nigerian Labour Congress,NLC, Kaduna State Council urged the Kaduna State Government and security agencies to do the needful in ensuring the safe release of the kidnapped students,

The Chairman of the Council, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, said the assurances of the government must be seen to be backed up with reasonable actions; actions that will ensure the safety of all and the elimination of all forms of threats to the safety of the larger society.

He lamented that the strategically coordinated and unrepelled attacks on not just citizens of the state, but students have given room for “worry and despair as to the safety of everyone; indeed, it is becoming increasingly evident that we are in a helpless situation.”

Ayuba said it was quite unfortunate that “these wanton attacks had

consistently been under-reported, thus, painting a half-truth picture of the ugly reality that now confronts some parts of the State.

“These vicious attacks and kidnapping of students speak volume to the vulnerability of not just some communities, but schools, and this must not be allowed to continue” he said

However, the worrisome threat to lives in Kaduna today is a resurgence of urban gangs in many parts of the metropolis. Although urban gangsters and their activities which most times result into violence is not a new phenomenon in the state, its resurgence and the violent dimension which led to loss of lives has created fresh fears in citizens who have been living at the mercy of bandits for a long time. And that is in addition to frequent clashes between farmers and herders especially in the Southern axis of the state.

Recall that there was a time in the not too distant past that a gang popularly known as ‘Yanshara’ held the state by the jugglers. Some members of the gang mostly operated in areas like U/ Rimi community of Kaduna North, Rigasa and Hayin Damani and Igabi LGAs respectively.

Their nefarious activities quickly drew the ire of the state government, and they were instantly dislodged. But the sad memories of their activities still

Gang violence: Kaduna’s new security challenge

Cont. from previous page

linger in the mind of the residents of the areas.

Hajiya Hauwa Mustapha, while speaking to Weekend Peoples Daily, recalled how her son, Babawo, was attacked and murdered on his way back from the popular Capital School in Malali GRA, two years ago.

Hajiya Mustapha who resides in Badarawa Community in Kaduna North LGA said two years is just like yesterday, and she’s still mourning his death even though she has left everything in the hands of Allah.

Similarly, residents of Unguwan Yero and Kwaru also in Kaduna North LGA, have recounted how they have lived under the threats of the unfortunate activities of urban gangsters who constantly terrorize and attacked them even in broad daylight with dangerous weapons, collect their possessions and disappeared into the community unhindered.

The two communities share the same entrance and exit route, driving from the popular Karaye Road linking Badarawa and College roads in Unguwan Dosa in the heart of Kaduna.

Residents of these two communities patronize the same Majalisa Market, which is without any visible boundary.

However, the security agencies comprising the Police, Nigerian Army, DSS and the vigilante groups have worked tirelessly to restore peace, but the disturbing aspect is that their neighbours in the Unguwan Masamari Community in Malali, seems to be the new hub for the urban gangs.

A resident who did not want his name in print said a shop close to Damisa Hotel in the area is the hideout for the miscreants. And that as early as 5:30am the miscreants would assemble there and would be there up to 12am the following day.

“They get drunk and start fighting, using dangerous weapons on each other. And you know how Kaduna is; if it is not immediately stopped, it automatically turns into something else,” he said.

Weekend Peoples Daily investigation revealed that the miscreants usually gather down the street where a popular Church is located in the area to smoke Indian hemp, and other dangerous drugs which stimulates and pushes them to comit crimes.

A member of the vigilante group in the community who also pleaded for his name not to be on print, said in the last week of January 2023, men of the NDLEA raided the area, but surprisingly some of the arrested gang members are today walking freely in the community.

A clergy within in the community told Weekend Peoples Daily that the miscreats are holding them to ramson and every attempt to get the leadership of the community to check mate them had always fell on deaf ears.

In the same vein, there is also

gangster haven along Mahuta in Chikun Local Government Area; but Black Street, Kantin Aga are already known dark spots in the council. Same thing is happening in Igabi council and Kaduna South LGA.

Accordingly, residents have called

on the State Government, and security agencies to beam their searchlights on these spots to ensure sanity in order to avoid the Sabon-Garin NassarawaTrikaniya incident, Kaduna

In the words of Dr Abubakar Ado, “These youth are on drugs and what

Government needs to do is to cut their supplies channel by arresting the dealers.”

How soon this will be realised is what no resident of Kaduna State can say for sure. But as they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

By Musa Baba Adamu

Delta: Omo-Agege submits petition challenging Oborevwori’s victory

What happened in Lagos was war, not election – LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour

By Christiana Ekpa

The 2023 Labour Party candidate for the just concluded gubernatorial election in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has insisted what happened in the state was a war, not a poll.

Speaking on Arise Television’s morning show on Friday, Rhodes-Vivour also said that the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must improve amid the election’s conduction.

Rhodes-Vivour said, “What happened in Lagos was a war on Lagosians no matter how they want to colour it or module the

waters.

“In Ikoyi, there were Yoruba people who were beaten and affected by thugs and hooligans that came into the place.

“Look at what happened VCG as well and the complicity of INEC as well in this process need to be taken up so that If they want to try anything next time they would do things differently, give a perception of equity, fairness and justice, not these brazing rip over democracy in Lagos State.”

The INEC had in March declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the Lagos gubernatorial election.

Sanwo-Olu scored a total of

762,134 to defeat the first runnerup, the Labour Party’s RhodesVivour, who polled 312,329 votes,

while Abdulazeez Adeniran of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, got 62,449 votes.

Ogun guber poll: Adebutu storms tribunal, files petition

By Musa Baba Adamu

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, has stormed the election petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta to file his petition.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election in Ogun.

Abiodun scored a total of 276,298 votes to defeat Adebutu,

who polled 262,383 votes.

But, Adebutu said the election did not reflect the wish of the masses, saying he did not lose the election.

To seek redress, the PDP candidate led a member of his legal team, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN) and party chieftains to the tribunal secretariat within Isabo court premises, Abeokuta, to formally file copies of the petition.

While Adebutu and the PDP are the first and second petitioners, respectively, the INEC, Abiodun and the APC were joined as the first, second

and third respondents in the suit.

Speaking to newsmen after filing the petition, Adebutu said, “We are here today in continuation of the pursuit of our democratic rights because we have had elections that we truly believe we have represented the people fairly, and the people have responded by voting fairly for us in an election we believe we won.

“We will continue to seek our mandate within the ambit of the law.”

Giving details of the petitions, the counsel, Uche, said it was filed on up to “four solid grounds”, hoping that the Tribunal “will do

the best.”

He said: “We have about three Senior Advocates on our team and a host of many other lawyers, who are not just in it because they are being paid, but because of the fact that they believe the mandate was stolen and they also believe this mandate can be retrieved.

“We have up to four grounds, very solid ones, but it will be sweeter when our opponent tells you the grounds.

“Our prayers are just that the right thing be done and the man who won is given the mantle of office.”

NNPP

Tribunal: INEC complies with directives, releases election materials to Ogun

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has complied with the directive of the Governorship and House of Assembly Petition Tribunal in Ogun State to allow the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have access to all election materials used for the conduct of the recently held election in the state.

NNPP had earlier approached the tribunal over the failure of INEC to include its name in the ballot papers used for the election. The tribunal granted the request a few days ago, prompting INEC to release the election materials to the NNPP counsels, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo and Izunya Isaac Dale, for inspection. INEC allowed the party to photocopy, scan, pay for and obtain certified true copies of all the documents used in the conduct of the governorship election.

10th Senate President should come from Kano – APC chieftain, Dansarauniya

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Achieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano and former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Engr Muazu M Dansarauniya, has called on the party leadership to settle for a Senate President from the Northwest and Kano in particular, to create a strong base for the party in the region in the face of other opposition parties wanting to take control.

He stated this in an emergency meeting with newsmen in Kano on Thursday to dismiss calls by the New Nigeria Peoples Party spokesman and Reps-elect, Abdulmumin Kofa, who condemned allotting the Senate Presidency seat to the north as a disservice to the nation.

The APC chieftain explained that it is only democratic for the party’s leadership to ensure that the seat for the Senate Presidency comes to the northwest and to Kano, the political heartbeat of the north.

He explained that the APC, despite the

votes it had contributed to the election of the president-elect Bola Ahmad Tinubu, has only one Senator, Sen Barau Jibrli, in Kano State, and any mistake of not making him the Senate President would affect the strength and control of the region by the party.

He described the call by the NNPP as deliberately geared towards seizing control of the region by disallowing the APC to have a strong political leadership like the Senate president from there.

“Why this response is very important is that I heard my friend and brother from the NNPP, Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, who has just been elected as a member House of Reps saying that any candidate from the North, especially Muslim North, that aspires to lead the National Assembly, especially the Senate, has no love for Nigeria.

“I want to open this discussion to clearly reveal what is behind the discussion. I believe that is unfair for a minority party to basically come in and dictate to the APC what to do.

“But very importantly, we need to

look at the motive behind this statement. We know that Jibrin is from NNPP and the NNPP leader is from Kano and Kano is the heartbeat of northwestern politics as well as northern Nigeria.

“So what they are trying to do is to strategically convince APC not to put a political leader in that space so that they can monopolize the politics of the region. We can see their plans.

“What I want to call on our leaders, especially the president-elect, to do is to look at the distribution of the political distributions as well as the contribution of the APC members to his success and also be able to consider the strategic nature of Northwestern Nigeria in terms of the outcome, not to leave this place without a key principal leadership in Nigeria that will physically galvanize support for us in the region.

“We have done very well in this presidential election. We have contributed the most votes. So you see, even in terms of reward and recognition, we have the right to say we need to have the Senate Presidency.

“The presidency has gone to our partners in the Southwest, the vice presidency has gone to our partners in the Northeast, and the largest voting block and the largest political block deserves the presidency of the Senate.

“Therefore, if NNPP people are saying that you don’t love Nigeria if you say you are giving us the Senate presidency, it is just a strategy to mobilize and have the entire Northwest to themselves, which is a very important block.

“Now we have seen how close this election has been, Northwest votes alone could have physically doubled what the rest of Nigerian votes could have given if we galvanize and institutionalize support in the region.

“So I’m calling on our leaders, the National Chairman of our party, the president-elect, to look at what the president has outlined as a government of national competence, and when we look at competence, we will not go beyond our senatorial presentation in Kano in the person of Sen Barau Jibrin,” he stated.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour

POLITICS

APC lawmakers absent as Oyo Assembly approves Makinde’s N50bn loan request

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Oyo State House of Assembly has approved the request of the state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, to obtain a fresh N50 billion loan on Thursday.

The lawmakers approved the request during the plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Abiodun Fadeyi (Ona Ara).

The Speaker of the assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, whose mother, Mrs Justina Ogundoyin, died recently, did not attend the plenary.

All the lawmakers elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) were conspicuously absent during the plenary.

All the lawmakers elected on the platform of APC in 2019 lost during the recently conducted elections in their respective constituencies.

Some of those who were

not present at the plenary on Thursday included the Minority Leader, Asimiyu Niran Alarape (Oyo East/Oyo West), Isiaka Kazeem Tunde (Atiba), Olawumi Oladejo (Ogbomoso North) and Seyi Adisa (AFIJIO).

The reason for their absence has not been revealed as of the time of filing this report on Friday.

Makinde, who won a second term in office, assumed the position in May 2019 and has sent no fewer than five loan requests to the house, which were approved.

The lawmakers had, in July 2019, endorsed the request by the Governor to take N10bn infrastructure loan.

The lawmakers also, in October 2019, approved the request of the governor to access N7bn Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loan to boost farm settlements in Akufo in Ido Local Government Area and Eruwa in Ibarapa East Local

Government Area of the state.

In August 2021, another N6bn credit facility was approved for the governor.

October 2021, the state lawmakers, approved the request of the state governor to access the N18.7bn Federal Government Bridge loan facility.

The lawmakers also in June 2022, approved an additional loan request of N2bn for the governor.

The governor, in the letter sent to the lawmakers, said that the decision to take the latest loan was to complete ongoing projects and execute new ones in the state.

The letter from the governor was read by the Deputy Speaker, Abiodun Fadeyi, who presided over the plenary on Thursday.

Majority Leader of the house, Sanjo Adedoyin Onaolapo, in his presentation, said the fund would go a long way in enabling the current government to execute contracts

Easter: Osun

for infrastructure development projects.

The lawmakers who were present during the plenary then unanimously approved the request of the governor.

Delta: Omo-Agege submits petition challenging Oborevwori’s victory

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Deputy President of the Senate and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Sen. Ovie OmoAgege, has filed a petition challenging the declaration the Peoples Democratic Party,

PDP, candidate, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori as the winner of the March 18, 2023, governorship election in the State.

The petition was filed and submitted on Thursday, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was joined in the suit/ petition.

Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, E.Valentine Onojeghuo Esq, and the DG on Media & Communication to the APC Governorship Campaign Council, Ima Niboro, confirmed the report in a chat with our correspondent in Warri.

The duo are yet to provide details of the prayers of Omo-

Agege in the petition to the governorship election tribunal.

Similarly, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, also filed a seventy-ninepage petition challenging the victory of RT. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori at the governorship election tribunal.

Labour Party crisis targeted at frustrating Peter Obi –Tanko Yunusa

By Christiana Ekpa

Dr Tanko Yususa, the Labour Party Presidential Council spokesperson, said the crisis rocking the party’s leadership is not about the embattled National Chairman, Julius Abure, but targeted at Peter Obi.

The post-election crisis in

By Musa Baba Adamu

The camp of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, pointed out what should be the President-elect, Bola Tinubu’s first assignment if sworn in on May 29.

the Labour Party took another dimension on Thursday after the Nigeria Police Force sealed its secretariat over a power tussle among its leadership.

Yunusa spoke on Wednesday during an Interview on television programme, monitored by our correspondent, he said the confusion in LP is orchestrated to frustrate the party’s

presidential candidate Peter Obi, who is in court to challenge Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory at the 25th February election.

“We are at the point of struggling for the soul of Nigeria led by Peter Obi; we are now being meddled and manipulated within the party to challenge the leadership of the party who is at the front of this particular

struggle and then leaving credence to other things. I am not alluding that they don’t have a document to prove against Julius Abure; this should be done within the party.

“I had made it clear that the target is beyond the party chairman; it is against our presidential candidate, Peter Obi,” he said.

By Christiana Ekpa

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has felicitated with Christians on Easter.

He also charged them to use the occasion to reflect on the very essence of the divine sacrifice by Jesus Christ.

Adeleke, who, in a message on Friday signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, noted that Easter impressed on humanity the unquantifiable power of love, tasked the Christian faithful to let the valuable lessons of Jesus’s sacrifice reflect on them all the time.

The Osun Governor charged Christians to hold to the message of love and compassion, which are the basis of the Easter celebration, noting that with love, “we will not only enjoy a peaceful society but also make the right progress.

“Easter is a classic example of the power of love. Jesus Christ, as we are made to know, gave up himself to save mankind from the consequences of their transgressions.

“Beyond the celebration that comes with the moment, it is also a reminder of how love can save and why we must imbibe the culture of selfless service to humanity as exemplified by Jesus Christ. Let’s be concerned about the good of each other and show tolerance irrespective of our differences.”

Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of the people of the state, he assured civil servants in Osun that he would fulfil the promises made to them on improving their welfare.

He said his administration would ensure the cash backing of promotions done by his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, assuring that the public service leadership is working hard to conclude the computations across the ministries, departments and agencies.

Daniel Bwala, Atiku’s spokesman, said Tinubu’s first task is to unite Nigerians who believed he rigged the election.

Faulting Tinubu’s silence over the vilification of Igbos in Lagos State following Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, victory in the state, Bwala wondered

if the President-elect can unite Nigerians.

In a series of tweets, Bwala said: “I personally believe the Igbo man believes in the Nigerian project and lives it in his life and economy.

“They must never be profiled and maltreated because of the

conduct of few on social media.

“When and if Tinubu gets sworn in on May 29, his first task would be to unite a fragmented country and people who do not have confidence and trust in him because he rigged the election. That task is more than everything he has in his manifesto.”

The Governor assured the Osun people of his administration’s readiness to ensure that the resources of the state truly serve the citizenry, noting the efforts of his government to block all leakages in the state’s finance and priority being accorded areas of needs of people across the grassroots and urban centres.

Igbos: Atiku’s camp identifies Tinubu’s first assignment if sworn-in

Gov. Makinde

Governor felicitates with Christians, recommits to good governance

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EDITORIAL Easter is here again

Today is Holy Saturday, the second day of the Christian Easter festival - a three day festivity commemorating the end of Lent, the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believed by Christians to be God Himself assuming a human form to give His life to save sinful mankind, Jesus Christ suffered torture at the stake, endured the shame of the cross, died, was buried and rose to life again on the third day - a Sunday. It is called the Lord’s Day.

This festival is celebrated in Christendom worldwide. In Nigeria, the federal government, in recognition of the unique significance of the festival, has allowed a two day holiday - Friday and Monday. Usually, Christians begin the festivities with a solemn evening worship service in churches on Friday in tune with the crucifixion and death of the founder of their faith. Scripture describes Christ as the “author and finisher” of the Christian faith. (Hebrews 12:2) Another church worship service takes place on Sunday, aptly called Easter Sunday. The tone is much more cheerful because it was on Friday, more than 2000 years ago, that Christ rose from the dead. His resurrection, for Christians, is victory over sin and death, raising the hope of an everlasting life in a new Paradise over which Jesus would rule as King from Heaven.

This year’s Easter has come at a time the nation is completing a transition programme to usher in a new set of leaders that will preside over the affairs of citizens at various levels for the next four years. As a people, this should be an opportunity to appreciate God Almighty for a peaceful transition process that would soon culminate in the handing over to another democratically elected government on May 29, despite utterances of the naysayers..

Accordingly, we urge all, Christians, and indeed Nigerians to pray for the country and the political class so that peace will reign in this last lap of the transition process. This is imperative, particularly, in view of the raging accrimonies that have bedeviled the political space since the February 25 presidential election and the drums of war being beaten here and there by citizens who are still aggrieved.

We are happy that the major contenders in the election who are questioning the results of the exercise have taken their cases to

court. That is the way it should be and we commend them for taking that path of honour and democracy, rather than resorting to self help as some are relentlessly advocating for. Politicians occupying public offices and those aspiring to succeed them should realise that without peace and harmony, they would not be able to deliver on their electoral promises of development.

Therefore, Christians, indeed all of humanity, would do well to remember and uphold the true spirit of Easter, which is love. Love for one another and love for country. Which is to say that no sacrifice should be considered too much by citizens for peace of the nation. The Scripture says, “No greater love hath anyone than this, that a man should lay down his life for a friend...” Again, Christians are enjoined to “love thy neighbour as thyself”. A neighbour is not only the one that lives next door or a member of your faith but a fellow human, be he Christian, Muslim or an atheist even. Because Christ “first loved us” we are to show love to fellow humans in both word and deed.

Easter is a perfect occasion to exhibit this love: the rich should remember to feed, clothe and shelter the needy. We should pray for our enemies to prosper, not perish, so that they get a chance to change their evil ways. This is an opportunity for the faithful in the Lord to pray peace and security for Nigeria that has been facing multifarious challenges. “The prayer of a righteous man upholds a nation”, says the Christian holy book.

Our political leaders need our special prayers to be able to govern with the fear of God, justice and fairness.

In particular, we should pray for the out-going President Muhammadu Buhari and his team for their efforts and contributions to national development within their terms of office; and for the President-elect for divine wisdom to have a remarkable and peaceful term of office.

And Easter being a time of renewed hope, we urge Nigerians not to lose hope; never to give up because our tomorrow will surely be better than yesterday.

This is the spirit with which to mark Easter. We wish all Nigerians a happy, peaceful celebration.

OPINION

Reducing smoking prevalence through prevention Nigeria: A place not worth studying

By Olufisayo Adeoti

The Royal College of Nursing in the UK is currently running a campaign tagged, “Prevention is better than cure.” Prevention is a principle in modern primary healthcare systems and a major factor in the increasing global popularity of wellness programmes. In healthcare, where the concept is most popular, the logic is quite straightforward: go upstream to tackle the causes of ill-health rather than waiting downstream to cure the resulting illnesses. As global health concerns mount over the health impact of smoking, all scientifically verified measures that can drive down the prevalence of smoking should be encouraged and pursued. In recent months, different civil society organisations have increased the call for implementation of graphic health warnings alongside text on cigarette packs. The clamour must be applauded for considering the potential harm of tobacco smoke exposure to smokers and non-smokers who are in proximity to them.

Tobacco Harm Reduction is a pragmatic approach to reducing the harm from combustible tobacco based on the scientific and empirical evidence that the risk of harm to smokers is from the toxic effluents that result when tobacco is burned, which the smokers in turn inhale, and not from the nicotine that they crave. Therefore, by providing alternative products that deliver nicotine or the sensation of smoking but without the combustion of tobacco, THR prevents nicotine consumers from exposure to harmful tobacco smoke, which they would otherwise get from combustible tobacco.

As a public health strategy, THR advices and encourages smokers to switch from combustible tobacco to these alternative products, which are known as reduced risk products. RRPs include e-cigarettes; heated tobacco products, which heat tobacco without burning them; nicotine pouches; nicotine gums and others.

Whereas, proponents of THR recognise that abstinence remains the best way to prevent tobacco harm, experience has shown over time that abstinence is not always feasible. For those users who are either unable or unwilling to quit, RRPs are targeted at smokers who choose to continue to enjoy nicotine, while appreciating the harm from tobacco smoke. Prevention of smoking at any stage remains a more effective health and wellness strategy than stopping, hence more proactive initiatives that translate to earlier interventions tend to yield better outcomes. This is perhaps among the reasons that countries, which were early adopters of graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, have not only accepted the empirical evidence of the effectiveness of THR but are also implementing sciencebacked regulations that provide guidance

on the use of reduced risk products.

In an evidence brief published by the World Health Organisation in 2014, WHO reported that citizens of such countries like Canada and the UK indicated that pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs provided more motivation to quit than text only warnings. However, in more recent times, the government of Canada through Health Canada has issued science-backed statements such as “completely replacing cigarette smoking with vaping will reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals” and “vaping products and e-cigarettes deliver nicotine in a less harmful way than smoking cigarettes” among several messages to adult smokers to move them away from combustible tobacco products.

With graphic health warnings mostly limited to cigarette packs, smokers tend to encounter them following a decision to not only smoke but also to proceed to purchasing cigarettes. At that point, a decision has already been made to smoke and the graphic images at the point of sale or on cigarette packs might be less effective as a deterrent. On the other hand, THR messages continuously and steadily enjoin smokers to turn away from combustible cigarettes and switch to alternative products that prevent exposure to toxic tobacco smoke. This messaging does not depend on a smoker’s contact with cigarette packs. Beyond providing earlier warnings, THR also provides less risky alternatives on the understanding that smokers really crave nicotine, which is not toxic, and not the toxic smoke from tobacco combustion.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence of the UK has published a guidance on THR (or alternative tobacco products) and its efficacy in driving down smoking rates. The guidance recognises that quitting smoking is always the best option for smokers, but it supports the use of licensed nicotine-containing products to help smokers, who are currently unable to quit, to switch to a less harmful option. A study by William G Shadel, Steven C Martino, Claude M Setodji, Michael Dunbarin, et al., to assess the efficacy of graphic health warnings in deterring tobacco smokers was published by Oxford Academic in June 2019. The result showed that graphic health warning labels reduced the chances of cigarette purchases for smokers with lower nicotine dependence but had no effect on smokers with higher dependence.

This study is a pointer for many African countries that have implemented graphic health warnings only, to further adopt THR as a scientifically established strategy with empirical evidence of success in reducing smoking rates and preventing death and illness.

Olufisayo Adeoti writes from Lagos via adefis86@gmail.com

By Habibu Temako

Quite disheartening to see that we haven’t trained properly on how to speak/write well due to acute shortage of teachers, lowfunding, lack of learning facilities, conducive environment, poor guidance and many more. Basically, this has become a chronic condition that left us with no option except to poorly communicate and relate how well we could understand ourselves even though with terrible grammatical errors.

There are, of course, many African countries with poor educational systems today but the problem with Nigeria’s educational system is the worst of all others. From kindergarten, primary to secondary schools and through tertiary institutions, there’s literally no impression or any littlest sign that Nigeria education is way better to be proud of than other African countries. Take the instance of our expression, especially to some of us who attended primary/secondary schools in our local communities we hardly speak consummately well. Quite disheartening to see that we haven’t trained properly on how to speak/write well due to acute shortage of teachers, low-funding, lack of learning facilities, conducive environment, poor guidance and many more. Basically, this has become a chronic condition that left us with no option except to poorly communicate and relate how well we could understand ourselves even though with terrible grammatical errors.

Furthermore, Nigeria, a country with high pride as a giant of African whose name is praised ahead of other African countries in home and abroad, has still remained backward in all aspects of developments. It’s because Nigeria has undervalued education and does not regard it as the only forward to have steady progress or “a key to success”. Sadly enough, being Nigerian student today is the greatest mischance ever that robbed our opportunities to explore valuable knowledge and, the ensuing state of distress about it is that the standard level of education in most tertiary institutions has declined to the core. That’s why most university students can not articulate a good final year project because we all lack the basic idea of the subject-topics we aren’t taught properly. This is, indeed, Nigeria education a place not worth studying.

Considering all this, to say that Nigeria will be great in the future is a delusion of grandeur for the future of the said leaders of tomorrow is in grave jeopardy. But yet our leaders keep telling their famous lies that we (the students and the prospective youth) are the leaders of tomorrow. They failed to ask themselves how the future would be when they’re maltreating the prospective youth and oppressing them with illiteracy. Or perhaps they’re not aware of their oppression when they say POLITICS (i.e to be governed) is not for the YOUNG. At least we know that education is currently undervalued in almost every nation but the case of Nigeria education is quite appalling—facing multitudes of problems that need to be revamped. Imagine a country that is academically backward is on strike for the solid three months and nothing has yet to be done.

Oh we’re indeed the leaders of tomorrow lazily sitting at home doing nothing while the real leaders of today are embezzling public funds. We are indeed the leaders of tomorrow having bachelor degree certificates with no job while the grandfathers of the country are opting for a greater position instead of retiring. We are indeed leaders of tomorrow, vibrant and intelligent enough to rule but we lost space in politics because we’re too young to rule while unhealthy and poor beautiful brains are leading us all the way. This is what Nigeria means when they make us sing the famous song “students/youth are the leaders of tomorrow. What a pity!!!

To round off this write-up, it’s noteworthy that it’s necessary to the government and its agencies at all levels to ensure that Nigeria education is improved in order to make the future seem great. And as they often say, “the future developments of any nation are tied in its youth” the government must make a right investment in education by nurturing a standard system of education that’ll be very competitive with our counterpart countries. Enough so, infrastructures in public schools and high funding is required from the governments and that’s a responsibility we should constantly remind our government. This way, Nigeria as a whole needs to take a strategic and redemptive step to revamp the already ruined education and save the future of the country.

Habibu Temako is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Jaiz Bank’s annual profit up 69% as revenue surpasses N33 billion

By Abubakar Ojimaojo

Jaiz Bank recorded a 68.5 per cent improvement in net profit for 2022, the bank’s audited earnings report showed on Friday.

The Abuja-based noninterest bank’s performance was helped by considerable growth in its key income streams.

The bank, which is on course to adopt a holding company structure, posted an increase of about 30 per cent in revenue, with gross earnings jumping to N33.4 billion.

While income from financing contracts contributed N21.6 billion of that sum, income from investment activities accounted for N9.9 billion. Fees & commission and other operating income contributed the rest.

Jaiz Bank paid N6.9 billion as a return to equity investment account holders compared to the N4.9 billion paid the previous year.

It counts Mohammed Indimi (founder/chairman of Oriental Energy Resources), Dantata Investment & Securities Limited, Umaru Mutallab (its former chairman and an ex-

chairman of FirstBank Plc), Altani Investment Limited, Islamic Development Bank and Dangote Industries Limited as its top shareholders.

The six hold 67.9 per cent of the bank’s shares between them, according to the annual report.

Other income for the year fell 39 per cent to N340.1 million after a sharp drop in the bank’s wakala income –income derived from deposits received from corporate and high-net individuals and invested in a specific venture agreed with them.

The bank cut unrealised foreign exchange loss to N143 million from N214.7 million a year earlier.

Operating expenses shot 37.9 per cent to N6.6 billion, the major pressure point being a dramatic surge in directors’ expenses.

The company spent N1.1 billion on costs including directors’ training, directors’ fees, sitting allowance and the accrued severance package of its immediate past CEO, more than three times what it spent on similar purposes in 2021.

Use Subsidy’s $800m Palliative For Healthcare, Education -Rep Urges FG

Amember of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farah Dagogo, has called on the federal government to invest the $800 million subsidy palliative in critical sectors, such as healthcare and education.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had during the week, said the federal government had secured the sum of $800 million from the World Bank, as part of its post-subsidy palliative plans that would be distributed to 10 million households, which according to her is equivalent to about 50 million Nigerians.

But, Dagogo, in an Easter message made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, stated that investing in the two sectors would be beneficial to majority of Nigerians, as the transparency of the proposed cash transfers to 50 million vulnerable Nigerians cannot be guaranteed. He faulted some of the minister’s claims, especially the assertion that the country

already has a National Social Register for 10 million vulnerable households from where the $800 million will be distributed to.

The federal lawmaker said: “As Nigerians join the rest of the world to celebrate Easter, the underlying importance of the period which centers on sacrifices by Jesus Christ, should be emulated by ensuring that the workability of the set aside $800 million from the World Bank is adhered to and reflected with transparency and honesty.

“As Nigerians are sacrificing their fuel subsidy benefits, it should be for a general improvement in the educational and health sectors not some phantom list of names compilations which is already fraught with deceit.

“Easter is a period when we Christians devote our time to reflect on the role of Jesus Christ in our lives and resolve to walk the path of moral regeneration. This period of grace is even more philosophical in

view of the fact that it was preceded by the Lenten Season which, itself is a holy period for we Christians.

“It is then succinct that the Nigerian Government also take lessons and relate it to dealings with its citizens especially with the first $800 million fuel subsidy removal palliative.

“I consider it disingenuous on the part of the Federal Government to say Nigeria has a Social Register for 10 million vulnerable households, which they (FG) translated to be 50 million Nigerians. Just as I am finding it difficult wrapping my brain around it, so also are majority of Nigerians bemused.

“At this juncture, Nigerians, particularly, its government, should continuously meditate on the central message and the purpose of Jesus Christ’s birth, death and resurrection which ultimately led to the liberation of mankind from sin, should be emulated by ensuring that the workability of the set aside $800 million from the World Bank is adhered to and reflected

with transparency and honesty.

“As Nigerians are sacrificing their fuel subsidy benefits, it should be for a general improvement in the educational and health sectors not some phantom list of names compilations which is already fraught with deceit.

“At this propitious time, that we celebrate the death, resurrection and ascension into heaven of our Lord Jesus Christ, which ultimately liberated mankind from sins, I enjoin us all, including our government, to continuously meditate on the central message and the purpose of our Lord’s birth, death and resurrection by ruminating on the essence of life and the responsibility to look out for each other, especially as it relates to those holding such responsibilities in trust, and be our brother’s keepers.

“It is my fervent wish and prayer that this auspicious period will usher in a new dawn of renewed hope, growth, development, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.”

AfDB appoints new Vice President

From Abubakar Yunusa,ABUJA

The African Development Bank has announced the appointment of Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, a Cameroonian national, as Vice President for its Regional Development, Integration, and Business Delivery complex.

The appointment takes effect from April 1, 2023.

In a press statement Tuesday, the bank said the new appointee is a seasoned senior executive with close to 31 years of experience delivering technical, managerial, and strategic knowledge and leadership in capital markets, treasury, asset management, and product development at the bank.

Before her appointment, she was Acting Vice President for the complex, and Director General of the Bank’s Business Development and Delivery Office for the West Africa Region.

Mrs Akin-Olugbade led the development and implementation of transformative strategies, programmes and transactions, positioning the African Development Bank as the “Solutions Bank.”

Working with the largest team of country managers in the institution, she was engaged in the full complexity of its lending and non-lending operations in middle-income and low-income countries. These have included transition states, as well as innovative and complex crossborder operations.

She oversaw the accelerated delivery of results on the $9 billion West Africa portfolio, engaging with governments, the private sector, regional economic communities, and non-state actors, to achieve significant, life-transforming development impact.

The new Vice President joined the bank in the trading room of its Treasury Department in 1991 as a finance assistant, where she worked until 1993 when she became an investment officer.

She served in that role from 1993 to 1997, managing the Bank’s assets in international capital markets.

Subsequently, she became a principal financial analyst in the Financial Technical Services Division, where she was responsible for clients’ financial solutions across the continent.

She was appointed Manager of the Bank’s Financial Technical Services Division in 2008 and held that position through 2010.

In that role, she oversaw new product development,

client financial solutions and risk management services. She also led the team that authored the African Fixed Income and Derivatives Guidebook published in 2010.

Mrs Akin-Olugbade is a graduate of the Université ParisDauphine in France, where she obtained a masters’ degree in applied economics.

She also holds a postgraduate diploma in management from the Université PanthéonSorbonne.

“After close to 20 years, AkinOlugbade moved to the African Development Bank’s Operations

complex and was appointed Country Manager for the Ghana Country Office, a position she held from 2010 to 2016.

“There, she managed a $1 billion portfolio of complex lending and non-lending operations, which produced impactful and sustainable results. Notably, she led the team that originated and financed the landmark Accra Pokuase Interchange, the first four-tier interchange in West Africa,” the statement said.

Commenting on her appointment, Mrs AkinOlugbade expressed her

gratitude to the bank’s President, Akinwumi Adesina, for the confidence and trust bestowed on her by the appointment.

“I look forward to working under Dr Adesina’s leadership, with the dedicated and talented team of directors general, directors, deputy directors, country managers, the Bank’s operational complexes, the senior leadership team and our Board of Directors, to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and delivery of quality operations for all beneficiaries in our regional member countries,” she said.

On his part, Mr. Adesina

said he is pleased to appoint her for the position and expressed optimism that she will provide strong and effective leadership to the complex.

“Marie-Laure is a seasoned and respected professional and business leader. She has extensive hands-on experience in banking and development. She will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its regional member countries and will oversee the full implementation of all aspects of our regional directorates in furtherance of the Bank’s development mandate,” he said.

Nigeria’s gas network can transport 6.9bn bcf for power – NNPCL

From Abubakar Yunusa, ABUJA

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited says Nigeria’s domestic gas infrastructure network has the capacity to transport 6.9 billion standard cubic feet of gas to support power generation and gas-based industries.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at the 2023 edition of the Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum.

The forum, which was organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, had its theme as “Effective Gas Resources Utilisation: A Lever for Enhancing Energy Security and Achieving Net-Zero Emission Goals in Nigeria”.

Kyari said Nigeria’s huge investment in gas infrastructure is hinged on its growing natural gas reserves, thus supporting the Nation’s aspiration to create Africa’s biggest industrial hub, powered by low-carbon energy, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said the NNPC Ltd. was taking advantage of Nigeria’s huge natural gas reserves of over 200 trillion cubic feet with a potential to grow to 600 TCF as more investment is expected due to the recent resolution of the Production Sharing Contract disputes with partners.

He said this significant reserve would serve as a low-carbon energy alternative that would support growth in power and industrial sectors, address energy poverty, reduce carbon footprint and create more employment opportunities.

“NNPC is playing a leading role in the realisation of the National Gas Expansion Programme, which seeks to deepen natural gas utilisation as an alternative transportation fuel, and an important feedstock for gasbased industries development.

“We are working assiduously

to ensure timely delivery of gas pipeline infrastructure projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline corridor, planned Nigeria-Morocco and Trans-Sahara Gas Pipelines, that will connect West African countries to deliver natural gas to international markets,” he said.

For the gas export market, he said the ongoing Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Train Seven would expand Nigeria’s LNG production capacity from 22 million tons per annum to about 30 MTPA.

He said it was leveraging the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act to attract more investment in the Nigerian petroleum sector, to continue to guarantee access to energy while aligning with the global energy transition.

“As part of our sustainability strategy, NNPC is deploying carbonreduction initiatives to gradually decarbonise our operations and improve our compliance with global emission reduction.

“All of these cannot be achieved if we do not have the security of our operations. We will continue

to further deepen collaboration amongst all the relevant stakeholders; government security agencies, host communities and others to enhance energy security.

“NNPC will deepen relationships with the industry, governments, research institutions and the academia to strengthen its renewable energy division to pursue commercially viable new energy ventures in line with Nigeria’s netzero aspiration by 2060,” he said.

Kyari, while thanking the SPE for their efforts in promoting innovation, knowledge sharing required for our industry, urged them and other industry stakeholders to continue to collaborate with NNPC Ltd to guarantee energy security.

In an address, Commission Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, said how to provide clean, sustainable and affordable energy to the global populace is a critical challenge.

Komolafe, represented by Dr Nuhu Habib, Executive Commissioner, Production and Development, NUPRC, said

it was committed to ensuring access to enabling environment and regulatory frameworks for progressive investments in gas production and energy transition achievement.

Also speaking, Mr Farouk Ahmed, Authority Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, called for concerted efforts of all levels of government to ensure energy security was guaranteed.

Ahmed, represented by Dr Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community, said the authority drafted 20 oil and gas industry regulations to fully deliver value to Nigeria’s economy. He said out of the regulations, 12 had been gazetted while five out of the gazetted regulations are gas based.

He, however, expressed assurance that the authority is positioned to ensure enabling environment and investments in gas value chain for business to thrive.

Weekend MagazineEntertainment

Popular Fuji star Pasuma loses mum

The self-styled Fuji megastar announced the news of the death of his mother, whom he famously referred to as ‘Iyawo Anobi,’ via a post on his verified Instagram page on the evening of Thursday, April 6, 2023.

In the terse message, the 55-year-old artiste described his late mum as his jewel, adding that he will miss her forever.

“MY JEWEL! I will miss you forever! Words fail me! Rest in power and peace, please watch over me from heaven,” Pasuma wrote, posting his picture and the late Alhaja Kuburat.

The post generated thousands of reactions in an hour as fans, colleagues and friends expressed their condolences in the comment section.

Pasuma and his mum practised Islam, and even though the artiste hasn’t said anything regarding burial arrangements, it’s safe to assume that the deceased will be buried tomorrow according to Islamic rites.

Pasuma is a household name in the Fuji genre and is famous for always singing his mother’s praise in almost all his records.

Hailed from Oro, Kwara State, the Oganla of Fuji as fondly called was born and grew up in the Mushin

area of Lagos State where he started his music career in 1984.

The music star rose from a humble background to become one of the few Fuji artists that managed to gain influence among adherents of other genres

He’s renowned for his energetic stage performance, acting skills, and business acumen.

Pasuma was solely raised by his mother after separation from the father.

Pasuma is a household name in the Fuji genre and famous for always singing his mother’s praise in almost all his records.

Rema extends African rec ord on Billboard Hot 100

Nigerian superstar Rema has extended his recordbreaking run on the Billboard Hot 100 to two weeks.

‘Calm Down’ by Rema is undoubtedly one of the biggest songs in the world as it has achieved notable feats across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and America. The smash single currently holds the record for the highest-charting African song on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the chart week dated April 8, 2023, Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ remix featuring Selena Gomez retains its spot at its peak position of NO. 8. This sees the record extend its record as the highest charting African song on the chart.

Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs

Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ extends his record stays at NO. 1 to 31 weeks while entering its 54th week on the chart.

Libianca’s ‘People’ retains the NO. 2 spot, Tems’ ‘Free Mind’ stays at NO. 3 while Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ moves up to NO. 4.

Burna Boy’s ‘Last Last’ remains at NO. 5, Ayra Starr’s ‘Rush’ drops to NO. 6, CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’ stays at NO. 7, and Fireboy’s ‘Peru’ retains the NO. 8 spot.

Victony’s ‘Soweto’ leaps to its peak position of NO. 9 courtesy of a new remix with Rema and Don Toliver. Oxlade’s ‘Ku Lo Sa’ stays at NO. 10.

Odumodu Blvck’s ‘Declan Rice’ debuts at NO. 27 while Joeboy’s ‘Body & Soul’ re-renters at NO. 49.

Weekend Magazine

Am scared of coming to Nigeria -BBTitans’ Khosi

The South African stated this during a recent Instagram live session.

During the session with her colleague, Marvin, Khosi, who became the winner of the maiden edition of the reality TV show on Sunday, April 2, 2023, spoke on her plans to have a meet and greet with her South African fans, and some of her Nigerian fans quizzed her about when she’d be coming to Nigeria.

Responding, the 25-year-old journalist said she’s scared to come to Nigeria because she thinks some Nigerians might want to hurt her following a shocking petition signed against her. During the show, some Nigerians reportedly signed a petition to ban Khosi from coming into the country because of her “flirtatious” nature on the show.

Marvin, however, convinced her to have a rethink. He promised her that she would enjoy Nigeria, as Nigerians have a welcoming nature.

He even cited an example of Yaya claiming the exhousemate had fun on her trip to Nigeria.

The first season of the BBTitans show ended on April 2, 2023, with Khosi being crowned the winner and walking away from the show with a whopping sum of $100,000.

opens

Big Brother Naija season 7 winner, Phyna has set tongues wagging after revealing her relationship with Groovy was only a game. Phyna and Groovy began their romantic relationship while still in the Big Brother Naija house. The duo got close following the latter’s failed relationship with fellow housemate, Beauty Tukura.

Phyna received tons of backlash for moving on with Groovy after Beauty’s disqualification as she seemed to be friends with her.

However, sometime in March 2023, Phyna shared a post on her social media page suggesting he was single. Fans got curious and wondered what could have gone wrong with her and Groovy. During an interview with media personality, Toke Makinwa, Phyna shared that her relationship with Groovy was only a game.

In her words, she said:

“We were never dating, we were playing a game Groovy response;

Big Brother Naija’s Groovy responds to his former love interest, Phyna‘s shocking revelation about their relationship. Groovy has now responded to Phyna’s claim with a post he made via Twitter.

Taking to Twitter, Groovy wrote: “Side Eye

“We were never dati ng, we were playing a game”

Phyna

up o n relationship with Groovy

Angelique Kidjo becomes 3rd African to win the Polar Music Prize

Multi-award-winning Beninese music legend Angelique Kidjo has become only the third African to win the prestigious Polar Music prize.

The Polar Music Prize which is also tagged the Nobel Prize of Music is a Swedish international award founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, best known as the manager of the Swedish band ABBA, with a donation to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The award is annually given to one contemporary musician and one classical musician.

Since its inception, The Polar Music Prize has been awarded to several notable musicians including BB King, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, and many more.

Benin Republic’s music legend Angelina KIdjo has become the latest recipient of the Polar Music Prize. She was

Davido says ‘Timeless’ was created to transport listeners to another planet

announced as the 2023 winner alongside Chris Blackwell from the United Kingdom and Arvo Pärt from Estonia

Speaking on the prize, Angelique Kidjo said:

“To be awarded the Polar Music Prize is humbling. I have no words to say how important this is for me. It comes with a sense of responsibility that is bestowed upon me as an artist to continue to do great work. I will do my best to be a proud recipient of the Prize through my work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, on behalf of the children, and as an ambassador of music, to help create a world in which we can all live in peace.”

Kidjo joins South Africa’s Mariam Makeba who won in 2002 and Senegalese Youssou N’dour who won in 2013 as the only African to have won the Polar Music Prize.

Davido has given a breakdown of his new album ‘Timeless’ on Apple Music Africa Now Radio.

On March 31, 2023, Nigerian megastar Davido released his fourth album. The highly anticipated 17-track album came off the back of a rare quiet moment from the award-winning artist who has made a name for himself as Africa’s most formidable hitmaker.

Davido appears on the latest episode of Apple Music African Now Radio as a guest artist to break down his highly anticipated album ‘Timeless’.

Speaking on the album, Davido describes it as an album whose creative process took him to a whole different dimension.

“When I made this record, I had an outof-body experience, as it took me to a whole other dimension. The feeling of this record, every time I listen to it… it transports you to another planet.”

Davido also gave a summary of each track on the album. You can read the breakdown below:

‘FEEL’

“The title of this record explains itself. When I made this record, I had an out-ofbody experience, as it took me to a whole other dimension. The feeling of this record, every time I listen to it… Bruh it transports you to another planet. That’s why we called that record ‘FEEL.’ It’s a real feel-good record. I love the beat, shout out to BlaiseBeatz - amazing producer, amazing production. I call it festival music, I think this song will really be appreciated by people that go to festivals.”

‘NO COMPETITION’

“A lot of people’s favourite: ‘NO COMPETITION’ featuring my brother Asake. Amazing record, I know the ladies gon love this. Shout out to 1da Banton on the production. One of my personal favourites on the album, I love it. It reminds me of the song you’re gonna wanna dance on the Dancefloor with your lady, with your woman, she’s wearing a nice dress, dressed to impress.”

ICT/INNOVATION

The growing demand for ICT in the automotive industry

The world of technology breaks through all barriers of industry. Global research and data have shown that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has become a key enabler of economic growth, by way of improving and instilling new business agility and reaching new channels.

If there’s one thing that South African businesses have become acutely aware of in recent years, it is the importance of ICT in growing their revenues. Now more than ever, with global giants like China and Japan leading the technology innovation front, it is imperative South African companies are active on many fronts of emerging and disruptive technologies and are supplying the market with relevant products and services.

The future is here!

We are living in an era of advanced technology, where mindblowing discoveries are emerging and impacting our lives daily. Across the world, technology has played a critical role in improving people’s lives, as inventions and innovations continue to drastically change how people live, what they do and how they do it.

A new dawn is here, as we steer toward the advent of a Fourth Industrial Revolution, an era that builds and extends the impact of digitisation in innovative ways. A world involving entirely new capabilities for people and machines; in which technology becomes embedded within societies and even our human bodies.

The ICT sector is vital to every industry that operates today. From automation to increasing efficiency, unlocking new business ideas and potential, to increasing revenue streams. It is rapidly changing the way every industry works, and the manufacturing industry is no different.

As we forge ahead into this new industrial revolution, internet, computing and scientific advances are making marked waves across manufacturing; transforming

the way we produce goods. From advances in artificial intelligence, 3D printing and production materials, to changes in government expenditure and legislation, there’s never been a more exciting time to be in the manufacturing industry.

South Africa is home to a substantial automotive manufacturing sector that is increasingly integrated with the global automotive industry, and remains the biggest vehicle market in Africa, accounting for 37% of new vehicle sales on the continent.

The 2018 Automotive Export Manual (AEM), released in May, revealed that 2017 vehicle and component production (with the auto sector being the largest manufacturing sector in the country) accounted for 30.1% of South Africa’s manufacturing output. The yearly export manual, compiled by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa and Automotive Industry Export Council executive manager, Dr Norman Lamprecht, highlighted that the automotive industry “...is and will remain essential to the growth and success of the South African economy.”

Although South Africa produced 56,4% of Africa’s vehicle production in 2017, the industry remains relatively small in a global context and was ranked 22nd in respect of global vehicle manufacturing with a market share of 0,62%. As a country, we compete against major automotive forces such as China, India, Thailand and Mexico, amongst others, for investments and exports.

With this in mind, if the South African automotive sector is to remain competitive, it must sustain rapid innovation cycles and pay attention to emerging and potentially disruptive technologies. New automotive technologies must be implemented, pioneered and deployed.

ICT: the driving force for economic growth

The automotive industry is key to the future of manufacturing in this country. Recently, Trade and

Industry Minister, Rob Davies, stressed that development of new infrastructure within the industry, as well as technology and the necessary skills development, were imperative.

“We need to establish a technology and skills road plan that takes account of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The introduction of digitisation and the disruption that is occurring in production is predicted to have a much more rapid disruptive effect as we move further forward,” he said.

The implementation of ICT in automotive manufacturing is increasingly important in a highly competitive world. Not only does it enable technologies for lowered costs of manufacturing, adding value to core business processes; it also supports the development of systems for future automotive requirements.

Automotive ICT products have become crucial for advancing the automotive industry over the last decade and will become even more important in the next decade and beyond. Today, for example, a luxury car has up to 100 microcomputerbased systems that control nearly all aspects of the car’s operation.

Technology can enable automotive manufacturers to accurately calculate production times, synchronise production, and improve planning and control. This ultimately leads to not only reduced costs but also improved quality.

Recent growth in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) market points to the hundreds of potential use cases for AI in manufacturing, making this area one of the most invested-in by the global venture capital community. Robotics is increasingly being adopted in manufacturing to increase product quality, yield rates, reduce operating costs and improve time-to-customer production performance.

Nurturing an evolving tech labour force

With employer demand for tech talent routinely outstripping supply, there has been a global shift in the education sector, with an inherent focus on enabling workers to acquire

better skills and other competencies, particularly “21st-century generic skills” and more technical skills. However, in South Africa, there are not enough people, women in particular, who have the necessary skills to access the tech labour force.

When I founded Belgium Campus in 1999, our initial motivating factor was the need to build a new nation, with talent being sourced from the grassroots levels up; all while bringing higher education, research and industry together to get graduates ready for the real world. Our pioneering programmes and models represent a solution for closing the ever-growing gap between supply and demand as well as promoting higher female participation in tech careers.

The specialisation programmes we offer at Belgium Campus develop our young students into ICT experts, as they continually broaden their horizons by participating in the various innovations being pioneered by our staff and students in collaboration with local government and education partners around the world. All activities undertaken in our speciality hub, the Botlhale Village, are intended to improve the lives of community members in this region.

We believe in social development as a premise to ensure that our society grows and that opportunities are created for everyone in our communities. It is here in this hub, that ICT is applied in innovative ways to provide benefits in areas where they impact on the community and bring about a transformation in their daily lives. This is the essential tenet for change in our country and around the world.

The ICT sector is at the forefront of creating solutions, products and services that have never existed before. This is what makes the ICT sector so alluring and fascinating. One’s limitations are only as wide as one’s imagination. We understand the revolutionary power of ICT and spearhead many innovations with educational and corporate partners, students and government. By empowering our students to innovate

and revolutionise their worlds, we have seen brilliant and astonishing solutions flow through our campus. Innovations range through a multitude of industries, illustrating how ICT is leading the charge in making tomorrow something completely different from today.

The way forward

The latest Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index (GMCI) study found that nations who invest in exponential manufacturing technologies and innovation ecosystems will emerge more competitive than those who choose to compete on price alone. Higher value, advanced products, and processes that require excellent product quality and deliver greater margins are driving faster, permanent innovation.

With this in mind, South Africa’s desire to become an automotive investment destination of choice will be contingent on its drive toward modernisation and implementation of ICT and new tech innovation. One important consideration is the trend towards emerging green technologies. Demand has shifted towards smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles and, globally, environmental issues have hiked up the political agenda.

The automotive industry in South Africa remains a vital component in the country’s economy and Africa as a whole.

The industry plays both a strategic and catalytic role in economic development and in the coming years, will be filled with new and exciting developments changing the way manufacturers work, improving processes and shifting the employment landscape.

By providing a platform for the development of future technologies, businesses and government alike could lead the charge in making ICT a fundamental enabler for automotive companies to meet current industry challenges, which include changing consumer behaviour, a growing and evolving manufacturing market and the need for improved fuel efficiency.

Source: www.bizcommunity.com

Transforming the future of the automotive industry

HEALTHY Living

Top 10 wellness trends to try in 2023

We’re taking a much more holistic approach to wellness next year, as we tackle our health from all sides and make more inclusive solutions. This is the year of the big digital detox, coffee boycotts and mental health prioritization. Intrigued? These are the wellness trends to take with you into 2023:

1. Sleep Syncing

In need of a good night’s sleep? You’re not the only one. It was revealed in a study by Direct Line Life Insurance that we’re becoming increasingly sleep deprived, with 71 percent of UK adults not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night (and 7.5 million people getting less than five hours). A lack of sleep is said to make you ‘metabolically groggy‘, making it harder for your body to process insulin and contributing to weight gain.

While we can’t always get the desired amount of shut-eye each night, one of the ways we can save our body the stress of processing a lack of sleep is by adjusting our diets and nighttime routines. This will go mainstream as ‘sleep syncing’, according to health food shop, Holland & Barrett. ‘As the quest for a better night’s sleep continues, we’ll see circadian eating –switching from heavy evening meals to afternoon ‘light’ eating – grow in popularity. Not only will we avoid super heavy food late in the day, we’ll also see new sleep aid ingredients on the block like glycine join our bedtime skincare lineup and a big tech switchoff before bed to avoid nightmares.’

2.

We’ve been chipping away at the stigma surrounding women’s health and wellness for a few years now, but in 2023 we’ll be spotlighting conversations across all kinds of media. As Holland & Barrett explain, ‘Women’s wellness becomes big business: beyond the menopause, which was catapulted into the spotlight in 2022, we will become even more focused on breaking taboos around broader women’s health issues such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and fertility. This shift will be reflected in the products we see in the shops, in particular as nootropics and adaptogens make their way into products to support menstrual health.’

3. Gut-Brain Connection

In 2022, TikTok users set the internet alight with the claim that ‘hot girls have IBS’. This was a movement that allowed us to open up the conversation surrounding tummy trouble, discussing experiences and seeking out advice for the best ways to alleviate discomfort. The trend is set to flourish in 2023, with more of us looking for new ways to nurture our gut health. ‘With the world becoming more toxic and stress levels on the rise over the last two decades, we’ve seen a huge rise in patience with gut problems,’ says Dr Simoné Laubscher, founder of Rejuv Wellness and formulator of WelleCo’s ingestible beauty-through-wellness collection.

‘Over the last five years or so, we’ve also seen a huge spike in patients now experiencing mood disorders,

depression and anxiety, and often this is also related to their gut.’

Dr Laubscher suggests a more holistic approach: reconsidering gutbrain connection. ‘There is a network of around 100 million neurons lining our gut. It is so extensive that many scientists refer to our gut as our “second brain”. This multitude of neutrons is called the enteric nervous system and produces more serotonin (our happy hormone) than our actual brain. This is why the gut-brain connection is key in maintaining good health and preventing disease.

‘While awareness of the importance of gut health has been growing in recent years, the gut-brain connection has only recently become a part of this conversation – and this will continue to grow throughout 2023 and beyond. The chemical messages that pass between the gut and the brain are affected by our gut microbiome – the bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in the gut – and the importance of positively influencing this through our way of life and the things we ingest will become of even greater importance.’

4. Incidental Exercise

A wellness trend that lets us fit exercise into work time? Sign us up. ‘Incidental exercise is activity that takes place in small amounts, at various points throughout the day and, in today’s time-poor society, is a trend that continues to grow,’ says Dr Laubscher. ‘It can be just as beneficial for your health as longer, more sustained workout sessions, but the difference is that it can often be included as a part of your daily living, which makes it far easier to fit into your everyday lives.

‘Incidental exercise can be as simple as getting off of the bus a few stops earlier and walking, increasing your speed when you’re walking to the shops, bounding up the stairs instead of walking, or squatting while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. Investing in a mini-trampoline and doing 100 mini bounces at various points throughout the day to change your state and shake off stress is a great approach to weaving incidental exercise into your life.’

5. Matcha Makeover

Some bad news for our caffeineaddict friends: coffee is out, matcha is in. According to Nadia Rawjee, a certified health coach and founder of wellness brand Casa Cura, switching your morning drink from coffee to matcha is a small but impactful change this coming year to help reduce stress, manage anxiety, and give your immune system a boost. This Japanese superfood green tea is set to be the morning energizer of 2023. ‘Matcha will give you your morning caffeinated buzz while boosting your health. In contrast, coffee can be damaging to your hormone health as it causes a spike in cortisol. The energy from coffee is quickly released over a two-hour time span, which can cause a crash, as opposed to matcha, which releases energy over a four-to-sixhour timespan, making it less likely to cause a sudden crash.

‘Matcha is also great for focus

(helping you crush those new year’s goals), as it has an amino acid called L-Theanine that gives you calming alpha waves while making you focus –this is one of the reasons why matcha was used by monks before meditation for centuries. Another bonus is that matcha is full of antioxidants, which are great for boosting your immune system and preventing any seasonal colds.’

6. EMDR Therapy

The mental health movement has become a huge part of our everyday lives and taking up space in mainstream media – from podcasts and news stories to ITV’s Britain Get Talking campaign. The reduced stigma has made more of us seek out mental health treatments in recent years, but 2023 will see Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (aka EMDR) become a huge wellness trend. ‘We expect to see a continuation to the already emerging demand for EMDR therapy,’ say clinical psychologist Dr. Jenna VyasLee and psychotherapist Jordan Vyas-Lee, co-founders of mental health care hub Kove. ‘Many therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) work very well by changing the way people think by use of some excellent strategies of thought and logic. However, for some problems – especially those governed by old patterns emanating from childhood experiences – it can be more useful to work at the felt-sense, emotional level.

‘EMDR is the next wave of treatment to hit the UK. A therapy that works very flexibly with problems that are deep rooted. There is a good evidence base for the methods, and the therapy is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – the body in the UK that gives the green light to medical and health care interventions by evaluating the research base. We recommend this for anybody who may be seeing issues related to ongoing low self-esteem or anxiety, patterns of dysfunction in relationships, persistent low mood, or any issues that are clearly linked to trauma

(historical or recent).’

7. Gender Inclusive Beauty

And when it comes to the beauty products lining the shelves in stores, we’re about to see the boundaries separating men’s and women’s products blur. Gendered marketing will no longer be the priority; instead, brands will show off products that target specific concerns that are relevant to all. As highlighted by Dr. Tara Francis, Cosmetic Dentist and Advanced Facial Aesthetician: ‘In 2023, more of us will encourage and welcome gender inclusivity in skincare and beauty. Everyone should feel welcome and included in self-care, and brands are taking notice of the demand for products that can be used by all genders. Skincare should not be gender specific but should indeed be problem targeted, tackling the likes of breakouts, pores and irritation.’

8. Facial Yoga

Another wellness trend we’re excited to see reach new heights in 2023 is facial yoga. You may be familiar with the term courtesy of musician Boy George, who could be seen practicing on multiple occasions during his time on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2022. Facial yoga, or face yoga, is a routine made up of massages and exercises that help to stimulate the muscles, skin, and lymphatic system around your facial area. It’s thought to soften and relax your face muscles, relieving the visual signs of tension, stress and worry. As noted by Carrie Hancox, an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner at the Centre for Surgery: ‘With facial yoga, it can have a nice effect similar to manual lymphatic drainage, reducing that build up lymphatic fluid you get over night. It’s great for those that don’t want to go through with medical procedures, but it should be noted that it’s not going to have the same tightening effect as something like laser or Morpheus8 (a Subdermal Fractional micro-needling Radio Frequency (RF) technology).’

9. Digital Detox

A study by Leeds University revealed that, on average, Brits spend about 11 hours looking at screens each day. Our increased dependency on smart phones, tablets and laptops is making many people reconsider their relationship with their electronic devices – and in 2023 this will give rise to the digital detox. ‘We’re all becoming more aware of our screen time and the damage associated with being on our phones for endless hours of the day,’ says Hector Hughes, co-founder of off-grid cabin escape company, Unplugged.’ Screen time increased dramatically over lockdown, but we haven’t seen a drop in this since the end of the pandemic. Everyone is waking up, and now the impacts of it are starting to unravel.

‘More studies are being published about screen time; more celebrities are quitting social media – even iPhones send you notifications now to help you monitor your weekly app usage. At Unplugged, we’re already seeing the change in the last quarter of 2022. We’ve signed 10 companies who now offer digital detoxing to their employees and we’re having to roll out more cabins to meet the demand of those wanting to go totally off-grid.’

10. Mushroom Stacking

Mushrooms will continue to thrive across the wellness sphere in 2023, as we find out more about their uses and benefits. ‘Medicinal mushrooms are continuing to take the wellness world by storm, helping with everything from burnout to boosting libido, and with the Duchess of Sussex giving the trend her seal of approval by investing in a new US based company, the growth of functional mushrooms shows no signs of slowing down,’ says Clarissa Berry, nutritionist for DIRTEA. ‘Mushroom stacking is one of the latest buzzwords, referring to combining medicinal mushrooms with other adaptogens and antioxidants (stacking) to enhance the benefits. This trend explores the stacks which work particularly well together and why.’

Source: www. countryandtownhouse.com

Women’s Wellness

Ripples over inconclusive Adamawa guber

By Umar Dankano

All the winners in the just held elections have received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC across the country and are awaiting formal inauguration in to various elected offices by May 29th.

But in Adamawa, one of the states in which the governorship election was declared inconclusive, the waiting game is not yet over. Athough the INEC has fixed supplememtary election for 15th April.2023, the announcemet of the new date has rather heightened anxiety, forcing the major contenders in the gubernatorial race to go back to the drawing board and review their strategies in all ramifications in order to ensure victory.

The supplementary election would be conducted in 69 polling units across the state. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is going into the supplementary election with a margin lead of 31,249 votes, while Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani needs a miracle to dilute this margin from the 37,706 expected votes in the 69 polling units where the supplementary elections will take place.

Though, miracles, they say, do happen, some political pundits in the state are of the view that both candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and incumbent Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as well as Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani of the opposition, All Progressives Party,APC, need to go extra-mile in their campaigns in the strugglw ro occupy Dougirei Hills Government House, Yola; though both have their peculiarities in this political voyage.

Despite the alleged anti-party she faced from some members and executives of her party snd alleged disregard for a very important aspect of politics – collaborations- with everybody and anybody as well as her failure to send an olive branch to some of the APC governorship aspirants who lost to her during the APC governorship primaries, including the indifference to her candidacy exhibited by some stakeholders of the Adamawa APC, Binani has proved a point by shaking Governor Fintiri in a way he never expected.

Fintiri came to the March 18th governorship election over-confident but with poor calculations and with so many off-the-shelves strategies. For instance, he thought that his 2019 bloc votes was still intact, but he was wrong- many people in the voting bloc have realized that they’d nothing to gain from it as they had alleged Fintiri’s ‘cousins’ and close associates had cornered all the goodies meant for the bloc.

Fintiri’s second mistake, according ro pundits, was the poor deployment of logistics which was obvious from how he performed in the Adamawa North Senatorial District- his primary constituency. The governor got only 53% of votes, losing 3 of the 5 LGAs. Though, Binani also performed poorly at her central zone- she got only 45% of the total votes – winning only 3 of the 7 LGAs.

When the controversial Fufore LGA result was announced, Gov FIntiri was seen celebrating victory with his personal aides at the Government House, Yola, their celwbration turnws to despair and forelorn hope as election was declared inconclusive.

In 2019 when the state’s guber election was declared inconclusive, Fintiri ran to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, for help, and equally , in 2023, when his re-election was also

declared inconclusive, Fintiri ran back to Atiku still for help. In fact, in 2019, it was former governor Boni Haruna that saved the day for Fintiri. Boni at a press conference held at the PDP state secretariat highlighted the difference and the importance of registered voters and PVC collected, which today has become a working document for all political parties and INEC itself.

With what is on ground already, Binani needs a miracle to upstage Fintiri who already has 31,249 votes lead from a pool of just 37,706 votes. Nevertheless.

Politics is about interest and survival. The APC members who worked against Binanai did it to survive. For some of the stakeholders, however, it is about 2027 calculation. If APC wins the election now, the ticket is closed for 8 years, but if Fintiri wins, he will leave the scene after four years, thus 2027 will be free for those waiting in the wings.

According to pundits, some of the big PDP stakeholders who were also indifferent to Fintiri’s candidature did it to remind Fintiri that, ‘big’ is ‘big’. Fintiri went into the election almost solo with his lieutenants, but he could not get an outright victory but managed an underdog-like inconclusive victory.

However, on the part of the INEC which is supposed to be an impartial umpire, the alleged leaked audio conversation said to have a conversation between the Resident Electoral Commissioner,REC.Barrister Yunus Hudu Ari and the returning officer of the controversial Fufore Local Government Area, Dr.Bashir

Daneje purportedly to compromise the results in favour of one of the contenders has thrown up the integrity of the INEC for scrutiny as many are calling for the head of REC Ari before the conduct of the rerun election.

Latest of such calls was from the headquarters of the people’s Democratic Party through the National Publicity Secretary,Hon. Debo Ologunagba who addressed a world press conference on Tuesday,4th April in Abuja condemning the alleged unfortunate action of REC Ari and demanding for his immediate removal as REC in Adamawa state for equity and justice.

In the text of the conference captioned “April 4, 2023 Hudu Ari Must Go”,Ologunagba while protesting on behalf of his party,PDP, against the continued stay in Office of Yunus Hudu Ari as Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner drew attention of Nigerians and the International Community to the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with respect to the forthcoming Governorship re-run election in the State.

“From credible information available to our Party, INEC is stoking a breakdown of Law and Order in Adamawa State with the continued stay in office of Mallam Hudu Yunusa Ari as Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in spite of his alleged complicity in the plots to manipulate the outcome of the Governorship election in the State, even with PDP’s clear lead of 31,249 lawful votes in the election.

“It is provocative and unacceptable that

INEC retained Mallam Yunusa Ari to conduct the April 15, 2023 governorship re-run election despite being reportedly caught on tape directing the Electoral Officer of Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State in Hausa Language to alter election results in favour of the defeated governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Aisha Binani.

“The continued stay in office of Mallam Yunusa Ari in the face of widespread outcry by the people of Adamawa State amounts to pushing the people to the wall and daring them to do their worst.

“The PDP dismisses the lame denial of the leaked audio tape by the exposed INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner. The basis for recusal by an umpire is the accusation of likelihood of bias. In this case, apart from the accusation, there is audio evidence against Mallam Yunusa Ari and he cannot by any standard superintend over the Adamawa Governorship re-run election without widespread suspicion of his actions.

“In view of these grave allegations and evidence of the audio tape already in the public domain, Mallam Yunusa Ari should immediately recuse himself from superintending and/or conducting the re-run governorship election in Adamawa State on April 15, 2023.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that INEC relieved the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Sokoto State, Dr. Nura Ali over allegations of irregularities in the conduct of the just concluded elections in that State.There is therefore no justification for the continuing stay of Mallam Yunusa Ari as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State in the face of these grave allegations except for sinister reasons

“The PDP therefore demands that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately remove Mallam Yunusa Ari as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State”.Ologunagba insisted.

In the same vein,the Adamawa state leadership of the Inter-party Advisory Council, IPAC, urged the INEC chairman,Professor Yakubu Mahmud to as a matter of public importance and urgency remove the embattled REC,Hudu Yunusa Ari .

At a press conference in Yola Thursday,Chairman of the Council,Hon.Bello Babajo said if the allegation of the leaked audio against Ari is anything to go by then leaving him in Adamawa state will cause serious damage and bring set back in the political atmosphere in the state.

“We call on INEC chairman and its Management to remove the Resident Electoral Commissioner,Hudu Yunusa Ari and bring someone whose integrity is not questionable because as it is we have lost confidence in Ari”.he council demanded.

Analysts say Fintiri has the brightest chance of coasting to victory in the April 15th supplementary election all things being equal, but his political clouth may have been affected negatively. And if nothing is done to check that sownward trend, choosing a successor from the PDP may be a herculean task.

On the other hand, politics watchers said Binani’s chance of winning the April 15 election is very slim. According to them, she has, nevertheless, dazzled Adamawa peopes with her performance, despite little support from her party in the state and open anti-party displayed by some party executive members. “She has made a strong political statement”.

“ We call on INEC chairman and its Management to remove the Resident Electoral Commissioner,Hudu Yunusa Ari and bring someone whose integrity is not questionable because as it is we have lost confidence in Ari”.he council demanded

Senator Binani

Governor Fintiri

Biography

Aminu Kano, an epitome of democratization!

Aminu Kano (9 August 1920 — 17 April 1983 was a Muslim politician from Nigeria born at Sudawa, Gwale Local Government and resided at Gwammaja, Dala Local Government. In the 1940s he led a socialist movement in the northern part of the country in opposition to British rule. The Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, and the Aminu Kano College of Islamic Studies all in Kano, are named after him. He was a relative to the father of former Head of State Murtala Mohammed, former Minister of Defense Inuwa Wada and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Bashir Wali.

Life and early career on Aminu Kano was born 9 August 1920 to the family of an Islamic scholar, Mallam Yusufu, a mufti at the Alkali court in Kano, and Rakiya.[1] His father was of the Gyanawa fulani clan, a lineage known for producing judicial scholars while his mother was from the Fulata Borno family of Mamman Zara an Islamic Scholar, his paternal grandfather Hassan resided in Yakasai in Kano Municipal and was a wealthy merchant.

Aminu attended Katsina College and later went to the University of London’s, Institute of Education, alongside Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He earned his teaching certificate after completing his studies at Katsina College and subsequently became a teacher; he started teaching at the Bauchi training College.

While in Bauchi, he spoke freely on political issues and extended his educational horizon by engaging in some various political and educational activities beyond his formal teaching duties. For instance, he wrote a controversial pamphlet, ‘Kano, Under the Hammer of the Native Administration. In 1943, he founded the Bauchi General Improvement Union (BGIU) together with Sa’adu Zungur and Balewa. This organization originated from the Bauchi Discussion Circle, a group whose activities were later constricted as a result of an attack on indirect rule by Aminu Kano. Although short-lived, the BGIU is considered as the first political party in northern Nigeria.

In 1948, he became the head of the teacher training center in Maru, Sokoto and was also the secretary of the Northern Teachers Association. During this period, he established an organization to improve the quality of Qur’anic schools in the north.

Pre-Independence and first republic

While in Sokoto, he became a member of Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa, a Northern Nigeria cultural association that later evolved into a political party and became the dominant party in Northern Nigeria during the Nigerian First Republic. However, in 1950, he led a splinter group of young radicals from Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa, and formed the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). Notably, a few years earlier, an Igbira man and

trader, Habib Raji Abdallah had founded an organization called the Northern Elements Progressive Association in Kano. The organization was founded along the nationalistic political thoughts of Nnamdi Azikiwe. In 1949, a few of Azikiwe’s supporters were jailed including Abdallah, leading to the breakup of the organization

Nevertheless, a new progressive union led by Aminu Kano and composed of progressive leaning teachers and some radical (intellectuals) such as Magaji Dambatta, Abba Maikwaru and Bello Ijumu emerged to fill any vacuum in political radicalism in the region. The members were largely connected together in their opposition to the management style of the native administration in Northern Nigeria. In 1951, the party contested for seats in the Kano primary elections and was fairly successful. However, with the formation of the Northern People’s Congress, Mallam Aminu began to face formidable challenges especially in two federal elections. In 1954, Aminu Kano lost a federal House of Representative seat to Maitama Sule and in 1956, he failed to clinch enough votes to win a seat on the Northern Regional Assembly. It wasn’t until the 1959 parliamentary election that he succeeded in gaining a major regional seat. He won the Kano East federal seat as a candidate of NEPU, which was already in alliance with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. While in the Federal House

of Representative, he was a deputy Chief Whip. After the first republic was cut short by a military coup. Aminu Kano later served in the military government of General Yakubu Gowon as a federal commissioner for health.

Second republic

After 12 years, the military government in September 1978, lifted its proscription of political parties. In the following months, five newly formed parties began to emerge: the Nigerian People’s Party, the Unity Party of Nigeria and three others. Among them was the People’s Redemption Party, led by Aminu Kano, Michael Imoudu, S.G. Ikoku, and Edward Ikem Okeke, other party members included Abubakar Rimi, Sabo Bakin Zuwo, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Sule Lamido and Ghali Umar Na’Abba. The party leaned towards a populist framework and enjoyed the support of prominent labor leaders such as Michael Imoudu. In 1979, the party presented Aminu Kano as its presidential candidate but he could not muster enough votes to win. Nevertheless, the party won two gubernatorial seats.

Reformist ideas

Aminu Kano joined the Northern Elements Progressive Union as a political platform to challenge what he felt was the autocratic and feudalistic actions of the

Native Northern Government. He geared his attack on the ruling elite including the emirs, who were mostly Fulanis. The potency of his platform was strengthened partly because of his background. His father was an acting Alkali in Kano who came from a lineage of Islamic clerics, Aminu Kano also brought up Islamic ideas on equity in his campaign trails during the first republic. Many talakawas (commoners) in Kano lined up behind his message and his political stature grew from the support of the Kano commoners and migratory petty traders in the north. Many of the tradesmen later manned the offices of NEPU. He also sought to use politics to create an egalitarian Northern Nigerian society.

Another major idea of his in the prelude to the first republic was the breakup of ethnically based parties. The idea was well received by his emerging support base of petty traders and craftsmen in towns along the rail track. The men and women were mostly migratory individuals searching for trade opportunities and had little ethnic similarities with their host communities. He also proposed a fiscal system that favors heavy taxation of the rich in the region and was notably one of the few leading Nigerian politicians that supported equal rights for women.

Mallam Aminu Kano is highly respected politician in Northern Nigeria. He symbolized democratization, women’s empowerment and freedom of speech. An airport, a college and also a major street are also named after him in Kano. His house where he lived and died and buried has been converted to Centre for Democratic Research and Training under the Bayero University Kano.

Political quotes

1. That the shocking state of social order as at present existing in Northern Nigeria is due to nothing but the Family Compact rule of the so-called Native Administrations in their present autocratic form.

‘2. That owing to this unscrupulous and vicious system of Administration by the Family Compact rulers, there is today in our Society an antagonism of interests manifesting itself as a class struggle, between the members of the vicious circle of the Native Administration on the one hand and the ordinary “talakawa” on the other.

‘3. That this antagonism can be abolished only by the emancipation of the “talakawa” from the domination of these conduits, by the reform of the present autocratic political Institutions into Democratic Institutions and placing their democratic control in the hands of the “Talakawa” for whom alone they exist.

‘4. All parties are but the expression of class interests, and as the interest of the talakawa (commoners) is diametrically opposed to the interest of all sections of the master class, a party seeking the emancipation of the talakawa must naturally be hostile to the party of the oppressors.”

Source: ??

Aminu Kano

“ Mallam Aminu Kano is highly respected politician in Northern Nigeria. He symbolized democratization, women’s empowerment and freedom of speech. An airport, a college and also a major street are also named after him in Kano.

FG to make PHCs attractive for health workers, rural dwellers — Ehanire

The Federal Government says measures have been put in place to make Primary Health Care Centres in rural areas attractive for health workers.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said this in Abuja on Thursday during the World Health Day, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) turns 75.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2023 World Health Day is” Health for All –Strengthening PHC to Build Resilient Systems”, while the theme of the World Health Workers Week is “Investing in the Health Work Force”.

Ehanire said that health workers preferred to practice in cities, thereby depleting manpower in healthcare facilities in rural areas.

He added that” government is trying to make rural PHCs more attractive, as plans have been put in place to build staff quarters to address accommodation problems.

“The lack of staff quarters has been a problem because health workers don’t have a place to stay when sent to rural areas.

“We will ensure provision of water, electricity or solar energy to have light in the centres for better performance to encourage health workers to stay in the rural areas.

“We are also making provision for ambulances that will make transportation easy for patients and health workers.”

According to him, another incentive from the government is to focus on particular caregivers of health workers that are specialised in a particular area.

Ehanire added that the Federal Government had urged state and local governments to establish schools of health technology where rural health workers would be trained.

He explained that the workers could be trained in local languages to enable them to easily communicate with the rural citizens.

According to him, the government also encourages the state and local governments to nominate health workers from their communities to be trained for better understanding and improved communication.

The minister said the government was planning to make use of digital technology to make communication easier for medical personnel and patients to enhance better outcomes.

“We hope that all our measures will encourage the state and local governments to prioritise employment and payment of rural health workers, especially the PHC workers.

“This is because PHCs are under the payroll of state and local governments.”

He said that the Federal Government, in a bid to reverse poor health indices and provide Universal Health Coverage, initiated the revitalisation of about 10,000 PHCs nationwide, adding that more than 4,000 PHCs have so far been worked to ensure quality services.

Steps taken have improved PHC services in the country and reduced challenges women face in childbirth and addressed home emergencies.

According to him,

immunisation has recorded significant improvement from 33 per cent in 2016 to 57 per cent in 2021 in spite of COVID-19 pandemic distractions.

He said that the 2022/23 Supplemental Immunisation Activities (SIAs) were integrated into other PHC services under the motto: “One Country, One Team, One Plan, One Budget.”

Dr Walter Mulombo, WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, said that WHO Nigeria in collaboration with the government had been achieving notable strides in keeping the people safe and servingthe vulnerable population.

Mulombo listed areas of achievement to include combatting infectious disease, HIV treatment, reducing maternal mortality, increase in

life expectancy, and supporting disease eradication.

He said that “in 1948, countries around the world came together and founded WHO to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health and well-being.”

He said that currently, the organisation was supporting Nigeria to interrupt circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2) cVDPV2 outbreak.

He added that in 2022, there was 84 per cent reduction in cVDPV2 registered compared with 2021.

“In recent times, WHO supported Nigeria in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic. As at April 3, 2023, 71.1 per cent of the eligible population

have been vaccinated with at least one dose.

Mulombo said that the organisation had been supporting the government across all levels to build the capacity of health workers to improve health resources and services provided in the country.

He said WHO had continued to support the protracted humanitarian crisis in the northeast region of Nigeria since 2016.

“As we look forward to building a stronger WHO that delivers results and is enabled and empowered to play its leading role in global health, let me assure that WHO will continue to support Nigeria to promote health, provide health, protect health, power health and perform for health’’, Mulombo said. (NAN

Experts task women entrepreneurs on digital transformation

The Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria (DTC) has advised women entrepreneurs to be fearless, courageous and embrace digital transformation to boost their businesses.

Head of Project, DTC Nigeria, Dr. Thuweba Diwani, who gave the advice at a seminar in Lagos, said digital transformation essentially aims to improve Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem and growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the seminar was: “Driving the Digital Transformation of Female Entrepreneurship in Nigeria.”

NAN also reports that the seminar organised by the DTC Nigeria was co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union, implemented by the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ).

According to Diwani, the benefits of digitisation should be looked at very analytically, critically and then deliberately go ahead to acquire the skills we need to be able to get ahead.

She urged women entrepreneurs to be fearless, step out of their comfort zones and embrace digitalisation for enhanced growth.

“So, the focus is essentially to seek to improve the digital

innovation ecosystem in Nigeria and the capacity of the Nigerian economy to utilise digital innovations for growth.

“We work in varying capacities and creating an enabling environment in improving the development of digital solutions and innovations and having these adopted by Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

“We ensure that women are able to acquire digital tools in their entrepreneurship activities and one of the greatest challenges for women is the fear of getting out there.

“Exploring new things and we tend to stay in our comfort zones, what I will advise is to be fearless and let us embrace what is new”, she said.

Diwani stressed the importance of mentorships, positive attitude, curiosity and confidence by women entrepreneurs to reach the next level of their careers.

Dr Amina Sambo-Magaji, Acting Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Development Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said that women are essential in the digital space.

Sambo-Mogaji was represented by Dr Aminu Tanbuwal, Head, Digital Literacy/Skills Division of the agency.

She said: “Having women in

the digital space is very important. At the moment, we are seeing a lot of progress, especially in Nigeria.

“We about 25 per cent or so of women in technology. So, this number needs to go higher. You know, it is said that a lot of women that are at home can also engage in the technology sector through the digital economy.

“The good thing about technology is that you can participate from wherever you are and whatever you are currently engaged in”, she added.

She disclosed that the agency was working on policies to close the gap between women and men there in terms of participation in the technology space.

“So, we are working on a strategy and we are also working on other things. For example, increasing the number of programmes targeted at women, in terms of capacity building programmes.

“Having access to the digital tools, when we combine all of these things, it will really help to increase participation for women”, she noted.

Giving an overview of the seminar discourse, Technical Adversor, Digital/ Entrepreneurship Skills Women and Youth, GIZ/DTC, Mrs. Gbeke Oshinowo, said the objective of the seminar was to demystify the fears of female entrepreneurs in digital

transformation.

Oshinowo said exposing the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation in Nigeria was a critical tool to drive the success of female-owned businesses.

Mrs Tosin Abajo, Assistant Chief Enterprise officer, SouthWest, SMEDAN, said that bridging the gap in female enterpreneurship through digital transformation was critical to the growth of women in technology sector.

Co-Founder, LoftyInc Allied Partners Ltd. Wennovation Hub, Dr Wole Odetayo, said the percentage of women in technology currently stood at 25 per cent.

Odetayo added that the figure was not small when compared with 40 per cent women entrepreneurs in the country.

He highlighted the benefits of digital transformation as accelerated growth; multidimensional inclusion; job creation; increased collaborations; fosters innovation among others.

NAN reports that the seminar brought together seasoned actors from the digital ecosystem such as women support organisations, female entrepreneurs and stakeholders, among others to identify gender barriers to digital transformation of female-owned businesses and ways to overcome them. (NAN)

King Charles supports study into Royal Family slavery links

Buckingham Palace has said that it is co-operating with an independent study exploring the relationship between the British monarchy and the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Palace said King Charles takes the issue “profoundly seriously”.

The research is being carried out by the University of Manchester with Historic Royal Palaces.

Buckingham Palace is granting researchers full access to the Royal Archives and the Royal Collection.

The study, a PhD project by historian Camilla de Koning, is expected to be completed in 2026.

Both the King and the Prince of Wales have previously expressed their personal sorrow at the suffering caused by the slave trade.

Speaking during a trip to Rwanda last year, the King said he could not describe “the depths of his personal sorrow” at the suffering caused by the slave trade.

In a visit to Jamaica last spring, Prince William said slavery was abhorrent, “should never have happened” and “forever stains our history”.

The King wants to continue his pledge to deepen his understanding of slavery’s impact with “vigour and determination” since his accession, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

They continued: “This is an issue that His Majesty takes profoundly seriously.”

“Given the complexities of the issues it is important to explore them as thoroughly as possible.”

A Palace statement was issued in

response to the Guardian, which has published a previously unseen document showing the 1689 transfer of shares in the slave-trading Royal African Company from Edward Colston - the slave trader and the company’s deputy governor - to King William III.

The King has also said that each Commonwealth country should make its own decision over whether it is a constitutional monarchy or a republic.

He said he was aware the roots of the Commonwealth organisation “run deep into the most painful period of our history” and said acknowledging the wrongs of the past was a “conversation whose time has come”.

There are currently 14 Commonwealth Realms in addition to the UK where the King is their head of state.

Dr Halima Begum, chief executive of the Runnymede Trust - a race equality think tank - told the BBC “it is wonderful to see King Charles building on his mother’s legacy”.

She described it as “incredibly encouraging” to see an incremental engagement from the monarchy on issues surrounding the injustice of slavery.

Dr Begum went on to say that the “next step could be a royal commission to unearth the complex histories of colonialism,” and that it would “really inspire millions of British citizens, and of course citizens across the Commonwealth”.

The Palace’s announcement came as the King took part in a centuries-old Easter tradition, known as Maundy Thursday,

for the first time since becoming monarch.

PhD student Ms de Koning said “the royals are often overlooked when it comes to influence”.

She told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme: “It seems like they are just stamping decrees, but they are actually very involved as diplomatic players.

“I’m hoping to change that perspective, that you can see there are way more links between the colonial and the monarch than ever have been investigated, or have ever been noticed, so we can flip that around.”

Dr Edmond Smith, who is supervising Ms de Koning’s project, said the crown

has “often been left out of discussions” on the transatlantic slave trade, calling it an “important hole that needed to be filled through the research”.

“How the royal household may take that research on board is something we can only hope to see develop in the coming years,” he added.

The PhD study is co-sponsored by Historic Royal Palaces which manages several sites.

It started in October, one month after the King came to the throne.

It will look into the extent of any investments from any other slave trading companies.

Man murdered pregnant wife by pushing her off Arthur’s Seat

Aman has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for killing his pregnant wife by pushing her 50ft off a cliff edge at an Edinburgh beauty spot.

Kashif Anwar, 29, killed 31-year-old Fawziyah Javed when she plunged from a rocky outcrop on Arthur’s Seat during a holiday in September 2021.

As she lay dying, Ms Javed, from Yorkshire, told a police officer her husband had pushed her.

Anwar claimed he had slipped and bumped into his wife.

The jury at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected that defence and found him guilty of murdering Ms Javed, who was 17 weeks pregnant, and causing the death of her unborn child.

Anwar, from Pudsey, near Leeds, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years.

Judge Lord Beckett told him that his wife had been entitled to his protection and that he was guilty of a “wicked crime”.

He said: “You showed no remorse and made no attempt to save her.”

During a week-long trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, the jury heard Ms Javed’s mother say she believed her daughter was in a violent, coercive marriage.

Yasmin Javed said her daughter told her she planned to leave Anwar after a four-night mini-break to Edinburgh.

And as she lay dying on Arthur’s Seat, she told a police officer Anwar had pushed her as she had tried to end the relationship.

The court heard how Anwar, a student optician, first met Ms Javed, an employment

law solicitor, when she accompanied her mother to buy new glasses.

They began a relationship after meeting again soon after.

Her mother told the court that Anwar and his parents visited her family in November 2019 to express his desire to marry her daughter.

They tied the knot on Christmas Day in 2020.

But Ms Javed soon began to feel worried about Anwar’s behaviour.

She said she was very close to her only child and that her daughter had spoken to her about her husband’s abusive behaviour.

Ms Javed’s mother also said her daughter had told her she was contemplating leaving the relationship within a few months of marrying Anwar.

Anwar, who did not give evidence in court, told police officers that after arriving in the capital on 1 September 2021,he and his pregnant wife had a lie-in until 10:00 the following day before having breakfast.

As well as visiting Harvey Nichols and Mulberry, Anwar said they had also visited music store FOPP and a couple of “Harry Potter” shops.

Anwar said they had decided to visit Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, at the bottom of Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile, after dining at the food chain Wagamama’s.

They arrived at the famous hill at about 19:30 and started climbing in order to see the sunset.

But the pair arrived too late and decided to go back down the hill.

It was then they decided to take a selfie on a rocky outcrop.

Anwar told police: “We were below the summit. I lost my balance and fell into her.

“I heard her go over the edge and say ‘oh my foot’ and she started screaming. I heard a thud.”

Ms Javed had fallen 50ft (15m) down the cliff.

But although she had a visible head injury she was able to speak for a short time while she lay dying on the hillside.

The first person to reach her, hillwalker

Daniyah Rafique, said: “She told me not to let her husband near her and that he had pushed her.”

Then police officer, PC Rhiannon Clutton, arrived at the scene. She said: “She was writhing in pain but she was able to speak to me when I asked her questions.

“She said she asked the woman what had happened and said her response was: ‘He pushed me’.”

The police officer added that Ms Javed said her husband had pushed her as she had tried to end the relationship.BBC

The King has previously spoken about the “depths of his personal sorrow” over the slave trade

Fawziyah Javed was 17 weeks pregnant when she died

Bournemouth man held in Morocco over fake money to stand trial

Aman who has spent five months in a Moroccan jail after being accused of using fake money will now have his case heard in April.

Oliver Andrews, from Bournemouth, was arrested in Marrakech in November.

His partner, Alanna Cornick, flew to Morocco last week to be at the court case but the hearing was postponed until 11 April.

Mr Andrews denies charges of possessing and distributing counterfeit money and creating an organised criminal group.

On 10 November 2022, the 29-yearold and a friend went to a nightclub on the last night of their holiday in Marrakech.

The following morning, Moroccan police arrested both men and told Mr Andrews half of his money was counterfeit, his family said.

Ms Cornick fears her partner “could be looking at 10-plus years”.

“This could happen to anyone,” she said.

Ms Cornick said she saw Mr Andrews briefly across the court room before the trial was adjourned, and when she tried to visit him in prison she was turned away because they were not married.

“It was horrible,” she said. “As soon as I walked into the court, I started crying straight away.

“It was horrible seeing him and not being able to speak to him.

“I’ve not been able to see him in five months so it’s just phone calls now.”

Ms Cornick said Mr Andrews had initially been among 32 people being held in a 12-man cell, with no bedding or fresh air, but had since been moved to another cell with “better conditions” and is allowed a 10-minute phone call twice a week. Both men are due to be told on 11

April whether they have been found guilty.

SharedWoman accused of homewrecking spared by governor

Aprovincial governor in north-east Burundi has dissolved the decision of a mayor to force a female resident out of the area after others “accused her of taking their husbands”.

A letter giving the woman 24 hours to leave signed by Butihinda district mayor Gilbert Ndikumasabo made the rounds on social media.

“For such misbehaviour aimed at breaking marriages that woman must leave Butihinda district from the 7th of April 2023,” the mayor’s letter reads.

Some social media users criticised the mayor’s decision while others supported it, as infidelity and an increase in divorce are currently concerning people in Burundi.

The woman in the letter hasn’t publicly commented.

Hours after the letter was shared, Muyinga province announced on Twitter that the mayor’s decision was annulled by the governor for “not abiding by the law”.

Recently, Burundi’s first lady publicly condemned infidelity and targeted single women for breaking up marriages.

Protests held in Sudan on anniversary of key sit-in

Pro-democracy protests have been held in several parts of Sudan in the latest demonstration of anger at the continuing military rule.

The protesters were also marking the anniversary of a 2019 sit-in that led to the overthrow of the former president, Omar al-Bashir.

Since then the military has dominated power. Following months of talks, a deal was supposed to have been signed earlier on Thursday to launch a new political transition to democracy.

But it was once again delayed due to disagreements within the security forces.

One area of tension has been a plan to integrate a powerful military unit known as the Rapid Support Forces into the regular army.

Uganda minister pleads not guilty over graft scandal

AUgandan government minister who has been remanded in custody in connection with a corruption scandal involving the theft of thousands of metal roofing sheets has pleaded not guilty in court.

Mary Goretti Kitutu, the minister of the north-eastern Karamoja region, was denied bail and will spent Easter weekend in jail.

The metal sheets were intended for vulnerable communities in Ms Kitutu’s region.

Her brother was charged with receiving stolen property.

Officials say at least 10 other government figures including the vicepresident, the prime minister and the speaker of parliament received some of the stolen roofing sheets.

The prime minister has apologised and urged other officials to return the sheets.

One minister was recently forced to remove some from the roof of his goat shed.

President Yoweri Museveni has called for the prosecution of all those involved.

DR Congo enjoys new bank holiday to honour clergyman

Congolese people are celebrating a new public holiday to honour Simon Kimbangu, who founded his church on 6 April 1921, when the country was still under colonial rule.

This fulfills a promise made by President Félix Tshisekedi to honour the man viewed as one of DR Congo’s independence heroes.

Father Kimbangu called for the liberation of black people from colonial rule. After only five months of preaching, he was arrested and was charged with undermining public security and disturbing the peace.

He was convicted and sentenced to death before King Albert of Belgium

commuted the sentence to life in prison.

He died in jail on 12 October 1951, after 30 years in detention.

His church, the Kimbanguist church, was officially recognised by the World Council of Churches in 1969 and is believed to count about six million believers, mainly in the Central African region and the African diaspora today.

Kenya opposition demands review of constitution

Kenya’s opposition Azimio coalition wants a review of the country’s 13-year-old constitution to be part of discussions in its proposed dialogue with the government to end protests in the country.

A statement released by opposition leader Raila Odinga, after a meeting with Azimio’s parliamentary group, says they will be adding a review of the constitution “to remove the last vestiges of an imperial presidency”.

The opposition referred to Kenya’s “winner-take-all culture”.

In February, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was widely criticised for saying the government was like a company with shares, in which some have large stakes and others none at all.

He has since defended himself, saying he was referring to government appointments, which he said must be given to people who support the president’s agenda, and not state resources, which he said will be equitably distributed.

Mr Odinga has been holding bi-weekly protests since 20 March against the cost of living and to oppose the appointment of a new electoral commission without consultations.

He has also been questioning the legitimacy of President William Ruto, who was elected last year and had his election validated by the Supreme Court.

At least three people have been killed in the protests, businesses destroyed and private property vandalised especially in

the main cities of Nairobi and Kisumu.

Last Sunday, President Ruto asked Mr Odinga to halt the protests and allow a parliamentary dialogue on the formation of a new electoral commission, to which Mr Odinga agreed.

But on Tuesday the opposition leader added a fresh demand for an external dialogue akin to the 2008 National Accord, which was led by former UN Secretary General Koffi Annan after the disputed elections of 2007.

Some government leaders have strongly opposed such a move and accused Mr Odinga of trying to sneak back into government.

In 2007, the accord led to a coalition government with President Mwai Kibaki, in which Mr Odinga was made Prime Minister.

Mr Odinga insists he does not want a similar arrangement, but an honest conversation about electoral justice with solutions for more honest elections.

He insists he will go back to the streets if the talks don’t bear fruit.

The government parliamentary group is yet to offer its counter-proposal on the grounds for the talks, but the president has been clear that his election will not be up for discussion.

Ghana deploys officers to town bordering Burkina Faso

The authorities in Ghana say 1,000 soldiers and police officers are being deployed to a north-eastern border town after gunmen killed an immigration officer and left two others in hospital.

It is not yet clear who opened fire on their vehicle in Bawku on Tuesday but there is concern about the security situation there because of the escalating jihadist conflict in neighbouring Burkina Faso.

There are fears that Islamist militants causing havoc across the Sahel region could destabilise countries further southincluding Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Source;BBC

Alanna Cornick said she saw her partner briefly across a Moroccan courtroom

Feature

Shackleton’s Endurance: The book that records all disasters at sea

It’s a hefty, leather-bound tome that records the sunken and the missing.

You can see it on the famous underwriting floor of Lloyd’s of London, the insurance market. They call it the Casualty Book.

I’m here in the spectacular Richard Rogers-designed building to track down information on one wreck in particular - that of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance. This week marks a year since its discovery in the Antarctic.

Every few days, after a maritime incident, a “waiter” - one of the market’s uniformed clerks - will approach the lectern on which the Casualty Book stands to make an addition.

Today, this job falls to Zsofia Korodi. With dipping pen and ink, she’s entering the details of a recently lost cargo ship.

It demands an ornate script that has hardly changed in 250 years.

I’m hoping I can find a reference somewhere to Shackleton’s doomed vessel.

The story of the Endurance has captivated the world for decades.

It was taken in 1914 by the British/ Irish explorer to the Antarctic, where it became trapped and punctured by ice.

As it dropped 3,000m to the floor of the Weddell Sea, Shackleton and his crew made what still seems an impossible escape to safety.

Almost as extraordinary was the polar yacht’s discovery on the ocean bed this time last year. It had been regarded as perhaps the single most difficult wreck to find anywhere on the globe.

Endurance was insured by Lloyd’s for £15,000, on a premium of £665. Indeed, it was the very first vessel to enter Antarctica’s “ice zone” to carry a policy from the London market.

So, where is the record of its loss?

All the old Casualty Books - one for each year - are archived in the capital’s Guildhall Library, but if you ask to see the one from 1915 (Endurance sank on 21 November, 1915) you won’t find the entry.

You actually have to pull out the 1916 volume and go to June of that year to find the record.

The discrepancy is the result of the time delay in getting news of the

sinking back to the UK.

It took months for Shackleton to reach a place where he could raise the alarm and telegraph London.

The entry reads: Endurance | British. Crushed by ice in Weddell Sea and afterwards foundered

There’s a reference to the Daily Chronicle newspaper, which had the exclusive reporting rights on Shackleton’s adventures and which the Lloyd’s waiter at the time must have used as the source.

What’s fascinating is that the entry contains a number of errors.

“When you look at the record, they get the date wrong for the sinking, and they have to scribble it out; and then they put in another date, and that’s wrong too,” chuckles Dr John Shears, who led last year’s Endurance22 expedition that finally identified the location of the wreck.

Those errors are probably the result of some misinterpretations of telegrams and even mistakes by Shackleton himself as he communicated with the Chronicle.

The matter of insurance is very significant because it affects who might be the owner of the wreck to this day and what might happen to it in the future.

When underwriters determine a total loss, they can take ownership of a vessel, even if it’s at the bottom of the ocean. Almost invariably, they refuse; certainly in modern times. No-one wants to be responsible for a wreck that could later cause pollution.

“I’ve seen it done so theatrically,” said Stephen Harris who’s worked in and around Lloyd’s for almost 50 years.

“The broker will go up to the underwriter to offer them the ship, which by law they must do, and the underwriter will make sure he’s grandstanding, and in a loud voice will announce ‘I decline abandonment’ so everyone hears. In that case, even though the ship owners got the full insurance value, they retain ownership.”

The renowned shipwreck hunter David Mearns, who has researched the history of Endurance, has established this was the case with Shackleton’s vessel, too.

This means ownership in 2023 rests with the explorer’s descendants - his granddaughter Alexandra (Zaz)

and grandson Nicholas.

And they are very determined that - as owners - the wreck should not be disturbed.

“Nobody’s going to rummage in her,” Alexandra told BBC News. “I’m very happy for photographs to be taken, but no rummaging, no touching. Just leave her as she is.”

Endurance already has some protection under the Antarctic Treaty. The fallen timbers have been declared a Historic Site and Monument.

But further measures are being pursued under the leadership of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT).

The spectre here is the Titanic, which has essentially become a tourist destination. Thousand of items from the doomed cruise liner have been brought to the surface.

The UKAHT hopes to get the agreement of Antarctic Treaty signatories to impose strict protocols to prevent anything similar happening with Endurance.

“The starting point for any decisions about control has to reflect the situation that the wreck is owned by somebody,” said David Mearns. “It’s not that Zaz is necessarily opposed to what might be decided but she has to have a seat at the table.”

Source: BBC

The date for the sinking of Endurance was entered incorrectly - twice

The act of recording ship losses in a book at Lloyds has been going on since 1774

The Lloyds clerks, or waiters, still use dipping pen and ink to make the entries

SPORTS

Lionel Messi: Where will Argentina legend be playing next season?

Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup with Argentina in December, has scored 29 goals in 67 games for PSG

“Everything is a possibility” with regards to where Lionel Messi will be playing next season, says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Balague says the Argentina captain has received offers from Saudi Arabia and the USA’s Major League Soccer, while there is interest in bringing him back to Barcelona, albeit no official offer has been made yet.

Messi had reached an “agreement in principle” to renew his contract at Paris StGermain for another year, with his priority to continue in elite European football until the 2024 Copa America.

After two seasons in Paris, the club, which is owned by Qatar Sports Investments, would like to convince him to accept that extra year under the same conditions as he has now.

According to Balague, the 35-year-old still needs to be convinced the Ligue 1 side can remain competitive at the top of European football, as director of football Luis Campos has been asked to reduce the wage list to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

“Messi said he would stay put for that extra year as long as - because it has to be accepted by both sides - there is a sporting competitive team put together,” said Balague.

“The message that Messi got was that PSG will keep the same financial conditions, which is not a problem, but that they had to reduce the wage list which makes the team less competitive.

“It is also not clear if the manager (Christophe Galtier) will be replaced and who will come in. In Qatar, the talk is that the team line-up will vary by four to five players, which makes next season a bit of an uncertainty.”

A number of clubs from around the world

are stepping up their own attempts to convince the 2022 World Cup winner to sign for them.

“The pressure from the club’s Qatar owners is massive. They don’t understand why there is a delay and would be willing to put even more money on the table. But I insist, that’s not an issue,” said Balague.

PSG lead Ligue 1 by six points but their 11th consecutive attempt at winning the Champions League ended in a last-16 3-0 aggregate defeat by Bayern Munich last month.

Could Messi really return to Barca?

Lionel Messi lifting the 2015 Champions League trophy

Messi is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 games

Messi, who left Barcelona for financial reasons in 2021, was met by whistles from a small section of PSG fans before they fell to a seventh defeat of 2023 at home to Lyon on Sunday.

That followed the news last week that Barcelona were in contact with Messi about returning to the club, and after stories started appearing in French media about his future that placed the Argentine in a negative light.

Jorge Messi, Lionel’s father and agent, had a 25-minute meeting with Barca president Joan Laporta in a Barcelona hotel. It was the first time they had met since the day Laporta confirmed in Messi’s office that the player was not going to continue at the club.

“The main theme of the hotel conversation was not the future of Leo but how can Barcelona give him an homage,” said Balague.

“Leo and Laporta have not spoken but obviously Barcelona keep pushing the idea that yes, they are going to go for it. The main engine

is manager Xavi who speaks very regularly to Messi and quite clearly paints him a picture of a team that needs his quality.

“Xavi tells Messi he will be used as one of the two midfielders in front of the holding one, very close to what he does with Argentina. Xavi has thought of different ways for that to work and every time Leo hears about this, his eyes light up.

“But then he hears stuff from the club like ‘we’re definitely talking to them and this is going to happen’ from directors who suggest that this is almost a goer and I imagine his reaction is quite negative because there has been no offer at all. It’s just talk coming from Barcelona.”

Messi agreed a new deal with Barcelona on reduced wages two years ago, but the club changed their mind unexpectedly at the last minute. Now, with a similar financial situation, the thinking is that having Messi in the team will bring money in to keep bringing big players.

That Laporta decision in 2021 ended Messi’s storied spell at the club which yielded four Champions Leagues and 10 La Liga titlesplus six Ballons d’Or.

The club have continued to struggle with their finances since.

“How is it possible that Barcelona, who are in a similar situation to what they were when Messi left, think they can afford Messi?” said Balague. “And why don’t they start negotiations?

“Nobody has approached Jorge or Leo to tell them how to put all that together with a financial package. Barcelona still need to reduce their wage list by 200m euros.

“My intuition is that if they did, they would be at a disadvantage enticing Messi with the possibility of coming back. Every week that passes without an offer is one less million that

they will probably offer.

“If the only offer that Messi has got to stay in the elite game is PSG, and he is not fully convinced because of their sporting situation, Barcelona can come in a month’s time and say ‘we cannot afford to pay what you deserve but we can actually offer you this, which won’t be a lot’.”

A 400m euro move to Saudi?

Messi has had an offer this week to sign for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, where rival Cristiano Ronaldo already plays, for in excess of 400m euros for one season, according to Balague.

He has also had an approach from Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, the club his former Barcelona team-mate and friend Sergio Busquets is expected to sign for next season. Busquets is not committed to that move yet because he is hoping to be reunited with Messi.

“In MLS, they can never pay what Al-Hilal and PSG can offer. The hope for Inter is that Messi feels it’s time to abandon the elite and be in a quieter place to be ready for the Copa America,” said Balague.

“Anyone that says Messi has decided one way or the other would be lying. He will take a decision at some point of course but the priority is to stay in the elite game until 2024 and the Copa America, which puts PSG still in the forefront.

“Barcelona have made no offer, the offer from Inter [Miami] is very clear and has been for a while, and then the other offer for 400m-plus wouldn’t keep Messi in the elite but it is a crazy financial package and the possibility of playing against Ronaldo again. So that’s where we stand.”

Real Madrid rout Barca to reach Copa del Rey final

Karim Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid routed Barcelona to reach the Copa del Rey final.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Madrid levelled the tie through Vinicius Jr in firsthalf stoppage time.

Benzema added two goals early in the second half - the second from the penalty spot - to put the visitors in control and completed his hat-trick to seal the win in the 80th minute.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will face Osasuna in the final on 6 May.

Barcelona had the better of a feisty first half at the Nou Camp, but their best chance led directly to Madrid’s opener in first-half injury time.

After keeper Thibaut Courtois got down

smartly to stop Robert Lewandowski’s effort, the away side broke quickly and, after exchanging passes with Benzema, Vinicius squeezed his effort into the bottom corner.

Five minutes after the break, Madrid were in front on aggregate as Luka Modric drove forward and rolled the ball into the path of Benzema, who swept the ball home from the edge of the area.

Xavi’s side were reeling and when Franck Kessie needlessly brought Vinicius down in the box, Benzema sent Marc-Andre ter Stegen the wrong way from the spot to extend the lead.

The France striker got his third with 10 minutes remaining after a devastating Madrid counter, again led by Vinicius, with Barcelona having committed men forward searching for a way back into the tie.

It was Benzema’s second hat-trick in successive games after achieving the feat last Sunday against Real Valladolid.

Los Blancos end Barca’s run of Clasico wins

Going into the second leg a goal down, a distant second in La Liga and having lost the last three Clasico meetings, Madrid had a point to prove.

For much of the first half it looked as though they would end the night with just the Champions League to play for in the remaining two months of the season.

Not bad as consolation prizes go but entering the run-in with only one trophy target is something of a disappointment at the Bernabeu, especially if your fiercest rivals have a treble in sight.

But just when they might have been

contemplating that reality, a blistering counter-attack at the end of the opening period changed the game.

Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid celebrates

Vinicius Jr scored his 20th goal of the season to put Real Madrid ahead in firsthalf stoppage time

Madrid came out after the break with renewed energy and confidence, showing their class in a ruthless second-half display for which Barca had no answer.

The hosts can console themselves with the fact they are closing in on a first league title since 2019, having already won the Spanish Super Cup.

For Ancelotti’s team, though, there is now a dual purpose - the pursuit of backto-back Champions League wins and a first Copa del Rey triumph in nine years.

Vinicius Jr scored his 20th goal of the season to put Real Madrid ahead in first-half stoppage time

. putting the people first

The faceless and the recklessy

Let me begin this piece with the obvious. These are trying times for our country. Tensions are rising and heating up the polity. Transitional general elections such as the current general elections usually throw up new challenges that a country and its leaders are forced to deal with. In the nature of politics and elections, disappointments are inevitable. Incendiary speeches and allegations are natural reactions to the outcome of elections that did not go the way some people had hoped and planned for.

I can think of nothing more heart wrenching than that because the ballot papers were used in a different way by the powerless ordinary people, such as truck pushers and labourers, some powerful men at the top of the mountain where the sun never sets on power and who had played God for eight years, tumbled into the valley where they will likely sink in the marsh of social irrelevance and eventual oblivion. This is what men of power are terrified of. The fear of anonymity is perhaps the strongest fear among men and women who have tasted and left with the detritus of its transient. No one wants to be a has-been. The temptation to cling to power directly or indirectly test men’s souls. Ask Paul Biya of Cameroun and Museveni of Uganda.

Brickbats were invented for politicians as tools for causing emotional rather than physical injuries. The free resort to this tool in the post-election weeks is gradually overwhelming us and is at the root of much of the allegations flying over our heads. Some of the allegations are laughable and deserve to be dismissed out of hand. But you would do well to bear in mind that this is the era of fake news and its deft weaponization. Some of the allegations, therefore, deserve to be taken more seriously than the others that are merely called into play by the nature of the game of politics.

I consider two of such allegations playing in the public weighty enough to be of more than passing interest to the rest of us because they verge on the threat to our national interest. The first comes from the Department of Security Services, DSS. It has repeatedly drawn public attention to its having uncovered a plot by some of our compatriots to impose an interim government on the country and thus reverse the 24 years of uninterrupted democracy and gains therefrom, warts and all. Our constitution does not provide for an interim government. If it did, it would have spelt out the conditions for such an eventuality; therefore, any such plot could not be in the national interest.

We should take the alleged plot uncovered by DSS to foist an interim government on the country seriously. To dismiss it as a reaction by some politicians to the disappointed outcome of the elections as it affected them may be naïve and even irresponsible. The DSS takes it seriously and invites us to do so too. When a country faces challenges, do-gooders flood the public space to offer solutions. Floating the idea of an interim government is

Saturday Columnist

By Dan Agbese

not on the face of it even illegal. It is just an opinion by men or a group of men who may feel that given the challenges to the result of the presidential election of February 25, we face an existential threat to the corporate existence of the country. But do we?

The myth of our country’s fragility drives some perfectly sensible men to give in to the promotion of irrational fears. Those who are allegedly plotting or floating the idea of an interim government when nothing I can think of warrants it, believe they are driven by patriotic zeal to save the country. Hairbrained ideas have never been solutions to a nation’s problems. Yes, it would be foolish to deny that the results of the presidential election with which Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi vehemently disagree, has put the country under tremendous pressure.

But this is not enough reason for anyone or a group of persons to try to halt our democratic process. It is not an act of patriotism. It is a disservice to the nation. The constitution and the electoral act have enough provisions to enable those who feel cheated or denied victory at the polls to seek justice and redress. It is the path Abubakar and Obi have wisely taken. By following the constitutional route in seeking justice, they help to test the system and thereby deepen our democracy as a government of laws, not of men.

DSS said in a statement on March 29 that it had identified the plotters. Given the seriousness of the alleged plot, the plotters should be exposed. Their identity must not

be shrouded in mystery. This is the meaning of an open government. The service cannot afford not to let the people know what it knows. The service solves no problems by protecting the plotters. If people are acting against our collective interests as a nation, protecting their identity can only encourage them and others to do the same or even worse.

The second case is the allegation of treason levelled against Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed. What did he do or say to warrant the allegation by the minister?

Here is what the minister said which he believes constitutes treason: “Obi and his vice, Datti Ahmed, cannot be threatening Nigerians that if the president-elect, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is sworn in on May 29 it will be the end of democracy in Nigeria. This is treason. You cannot be inviting insurrection, and this is what they are doing.”

The minister’s statement is pathetic and reckless, to say the least. Mohammed is catching at the straw of relevance in the twilight zone of his principal. I have not read or heard anywhere Obi made such a threat. Obi’s supporters may be given to extreme reactions, but it was the case with Buhari’s supporters in 2011, as Senator Shehu Sani has reminded us. No one accused him of being responsible for what his supporters did, let alone of treason. Men and women are not usually rational in reacting to their disappointments.

Obi promptly denied the allegation. He said: “I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious.” It is difficult not to agree with him.

Treason is a serious crime against the state. No country jokes with treason. Its punishment for those found guilty is life imprisonment in a democracy or death in a totalitarian regime. A reckless allegation of treason against anyone puts him in harm’s way with the laws of the land.

Mohammed is not competent to determine what constitutes treason. That is the job of the security agencies and the courts. Our big men must learn to be modest in the verbal exercise of their ministerial and other powers. If the minister has reasons to believe that Obi has stepped beyond the bounds of political protest to threaten the Nigerian state, it is his duty to so inform the security agencies whose duty it is to take appropriate actions to establish the truth or falsehood of

the minister’s claims. Indeed, the security agencies will be more alive to such alleged plans than Mohammed. The onus is on the minister to prove his allegation against Obi. He must do more than mouth this inane allegation against a fellow Nigerian and thus threaten his rights and freedoms.

Politics is a game of mudslinging. It could not have come as such a big surprise to Obi to see the mud lobbed at him by Mohammed from Washington DC. After all, fake news and its weaponization are the new weapons in the arsenal of politicians. Still, it should be possible for our politicians to throw the mud with a certain level of decorum. I know they are not used to such decorum because they are sold on the fiction that a good and effective politician must be the verbal slayer of his opponent.

When Mohammed returns, it would be nice for him to answer for his allegation. He must not be allowed to get away with his attempts to put a fellow Nigerian in harm’s way. His ministerial position offers him no privilege to falsely accuse other Nigerians and then fail to prove his allegations. He is a privileged man and like all such privileged men and women in our country, he is privileged to accuse others of serious crimes and does not expect anyone to ask him to substantiate his allegation. Obi and Datti Ahmed are tarred and feathered but Mohammed is a patriot.

I agree with Oby Ezekwesili in her response to Mohammed’s allegation. She twitted: “It is the height of sophistry, thoughtless talk and abuse of power for the minister of information and culture @FMICNNigeria to throw accusation of treason on political opponents who have taken the right judicial processes in contesting the result of an election.”

It bears repeating. These are trying times for our nation. Our public officers should appreciate and take seriously their own responsibilities in ensuring sustainable peace in the land as we grapple with the challenges of our fourth civilian-civilian transition.

“

Obi promptly denied the allegation. He said: “I have never discussed or encouraged anyone to undermine the Nigerian state. Minister Lai accusing me of stoking insurrection is totally malicious and fictitious.”