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2023 Presidency: Osinbajo,Tinubu At Daggers Drawn, Set for Epic Clash •Battle Foretold, S/W Bid For Presidency in Grave Danger •Buhari Leans Towards Hybrid Igbo As Successor •Party Leaders, APC Governors, Stakeholders Await President’s Decision

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COVER

2023 Presidency: Osinbajo, Tinubu At Daggers Drawn, Set for Epic Clash •Battle Foretold, S/W Bid For Presidency in Grave Danger •Buhari Leans Towards Hybrid Igbo As Successor •Party Leaders, APC Governors, Stakeholders Await President’s Decision

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BY AMOS ESELE AND AYO ESAN ice President Yemi Osinbajo’s declaration for the 2023 presidency has swiftly shifted the gravity of Nigerian politics to the SouthWest geo-political zone for obvious reasons.

Apart from ending months of speculation, the declaration set up a titanic clash between him and his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The big clash now looks inevitable. Why? In most mature democracies, a Vice President who signifies interest in running for the office of the president almost gets the nod of his party. However, this is not the case in Nigeria for now.

The coming days will bring about intense rivalry and horsetrading between the camp of the two gladiators.

THEWILL recalls that Tinubu, who is a former Lagos State governor, also reputed as the National Leader of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), was the first presidential aspirant to inform President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to contest the 2023 election early in the year. He was the only visible and viable aspirant from the South-West when Osinbajo’s aspiration was still in the realm of speculation. Given his larger-than-life image in the governing APC, which has committed itself to zoning the presidency to the South, with the South-West as its strongest base, Tinubu was almost sure of winning the party’s primary.

What actually made Osinbajo’s declaration for presidency the boxing ring equivalent of a TKO, THEWILL can authoritatively reveal, was that it drove the Tinubu camp into a frenzy, particularly when the declaration was accompanied by nation-wide rave reviews across various media platforms in the country.

“Are you surprised by that?” an associate of both VP Osinbajo and Tinubu, asked in a brief interview with

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THEWILL. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said, “Vice President Osinbajo made a declaration while Tinubu informed the President of his intention to contest the presidency and then said he was embarking on consultation.

He is yet to make a formal declaration to contest. There is a big difference there.”

POWER IS NOT SERVED A LA CARTE Tinubu is known to have used this phrase on power frequently so that it should make sense to followers and supporters of what is going on between him and his former godson, VP Osinbajo and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State.

When reminded that the Jagaban has since crossed that bridge by holding meetings with stakeholders and political bigwigs, even across political parties, the source drew attention to Tinubu’s statement when he addressed journalists that he would declare his intention after consulting widely.

As the strongest electoral zone for the APC in Southern Nigeria, with five out of six state governors and a 37 per cent voter strength, compared to 21 per cent for the SouthSouth and 11 per cent for the South-East, the South-West is in strong contention for the presidency on the platform of the APC, which is yet to decide what form of election to choose its presidential candidate. This political advantage has made the contest in the South-East a tough fight for aspirants.

“Has he done that?” the source asked, rhetorically.

THEWILL investigation shows that before declaring his intention to contest in the presidential election, Osinbajo had done a lot of consultations preparatory to informing President Buhari, who reportedly told him “He is qualified to contest”, according to one source.

With a combination of deft manoeuvres involving the use of shadow campaign groups (with the Progressive Consolidation Group officially recognised by the APC) that went round the country sensitising Nigerians to an Osinbajo presidency and an in-house poll conducted by APC groups confirming his above average popularity and acceptability among the grassroots, especially admirers of the ‘Trader Moni’ distributor, the Vice President had been waiting for the auspicious time to declare his intention.

Coming after the APC national convention, which laid to rest fears of a possible implosion of the party, the declaration had the energising effect of putting in the public domain those odd months of brewing rivalry between the duo, no thanks to many websites and vibrant campaign groups.

The aspirants know that yielding any quarter to the opponent, leaving a knock unanswered, mobilising without direction, lacking in structure and war chest and failure to consult widely would be the wrong way to grab power a la carte.

Clearly, between both men, Tinubu appears stronger, but with the national figure recently cut by his declaration, Osinbajo appears to have broadened his appeal to at least a wider audience. Tinubu unambiguously has a political structure and a large war chest. He has also sustained a well-oiled consultation among the grassroots, particularly women who are bandwagon voters, traditional rulers and market women through his daughter, who is the leader of market women in Lagos State. But a great political challenge is facing him at present. The pervading sentiment in the South-West is that people are tired of the name, Tinubu, which has been ringing in their consciousness since his tenure as Governor of Lagos State in 1999, through the ‘anointing’ of governors Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for two THEWILLNIGERIA

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COVER terms, Akinwunmi Ambode for one term and the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The breakthrough that Tinubu had in 2007 when he stood against the then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s ultimate scheme to take over Lagos for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) like other states in the geopolitical zone, has waned. And with that, his dominance is being aggressively challenged by Muiz Banire, one-time Commissioner for the Environment and a former Legal Adviser of the APC, campaign managers for most governors in the state, Fuad Oki and a group that is now known as the Abuja Collective, compromising those who jumped the proverbial ship after they got federal appointments.

The same sentiment has since spread to Ekiti State, whose governor, Kayode Fayemi, is eyeing the presidency too.

It has also spread to Ondo, Oyo, which is under a PDP administration, and Ogun, the Vice President’s home state.

Osinbajo moved his membership of the APC from Lagos to the Ogun State Chapter during the registration and revalidation exercise of the party in February 2021.

Except for Lagos under Sanwo-Olu and Osun State where his nephew, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, holds sway, it is hard to find a South-West state where Tinubu’s popularity is still as it was many years ago when he was seen as a visionary leader. Moreover, at 70 years, age is not on his side.

With these challenges, many are beginning to see through things clearly. For instance, it is easy to separate Tinubu from the APC in the South-West and say that the forthcoming APC primary belongs to the party and not the man, meaning that opposition to Tinubu does not translate into hatred for the party in the South-West.

TINUBU’S DECLINING FORTUNE Tinubu’s new public persona has gradually filtered through the South-West to other parts of the country. It resonated with the attendance of his 70 birthday colloquium in Lagos recently. Beside Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Oyetola of Osun and host governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, most prominent politicians stayed away. Latching onto the previous day’s Abuja-Kaduna train bombing by terrorist, he had to save his face by canceling the celebration.

His recent unproductive meeting with the governors of the party in Abuja, after Osinbajo’s declaration also points to his declining fortune with the party stakeholders. But as dogged as ever, he is forging ahead. Among the meetings to rally support for his cause was last Wednesday’s rally with some past and current Speakers of Houses of Assembly in the country For VP Osinbajo, his electoral value as shown in the woeful performance of the APC in his former Victoria Garden City ward in Lagos in previous elections has been touted as a big minus. True. That means he lacks structure and refused to make use of wads of cash. But there is a catch here.

There is palpable fear in Tinubu’s camp that Osinbajo has a joker in his bag following his audacious declaration. This is what is unsettling the Jagaban and his supporters.

With the presidential primary of the APC set to hold next month, the president is expected to inform the party’s top leadership and APC State Governors of his preferred successor any moment from now.

In a television interview last year, President Buhari said he had a preferred candidate, but refused to disclose his name for fear that he might be assassinated. Were Osinbajo to be Buhari’s candidate, which is highly unlikely with the feelers from the presidential villa, then there would be no need to worry about the challenge posed by structure and war chest.

Probably for fear of fueling the ongoing confrontation, many aides and supporters of either party are unwilling to be quoted. The Senior Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media, Laolu Akande, asked for questions to be sent to his WhatsApp handle and never got back to our correspondents.

Former Minister of Works and Tinubu supporter, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, terminated the call immediately he heard the questions had to do with the presidential race between Tinubu and Osinbajo.

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Investigation further revealed that the biggest opposition to both Osinbajo and Tinubu in their presidential bid is the Presidency. The President’s very close aides and top advisers are said to be strongly opposed to Asiwaju grabbing the APC presidential ticket. Since the re-election of President Buhari in 2019, they have been pulling all the stops to frustrate and prevent him from realising his presidential ambition, multiple sources informed THEWILL. THEWILL recalls his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s famous diatribe against the party’s minders when she said in a published interview: “They have trashed my husband.”

The thrashers are enjoying the seeming face-off between him and Osinbajo and would support the VP if that is what is required to stop Tinubu’s lifelong ambition to be President of Nigeria.

As for Osinbajo, our checks revealed that the president’s men influenced the complete removal of the multi-billion naira social programmes of the administration from the Vice President’s control after their reelection in 2019. “The Vice President is clearly not a favourite of the President or his clique,” a source very close to one of the president’s top advisers told THEWILL. VP’S SELLING POINT One of the key selling points for the Vice President in the South-West, nay Nigeria, which is also giving his rival the jitters is his status as late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s in-law.

His wife, Dolapo is a granddaughter of the first Premier of the Western Region, Opposition Leader in the Parliament during the first republic and Minister of Finance in the civil war years.

This also appears to have intensified the ongoing fight.

Matters are not helped when it is recalled that the matriarch of Awolowo family, Mrs. Hannah Dideolu Awolowo, had said, in one of her last interviews before her death in September 2015, that the young Osinbajo once sat on her husband’s lap and would one day become President of Nigeria.

Speaking with THEWILL on Osinbajo’s declaration, one of his arch supporters and an Abuja-based Constitutional lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo, said, “You know when it comes to politics, there are many different conspiracy theories that will come out either genuinely or non-genuinely.

Many people are jittery now, they felt so bad that the right person, the right candidate, is here. As long as his entry in the presidential race is going to affect their chances, they will look for everything under the sun to conjure every permutation, just to demarket the party and the candidate. I think this is their game plan.

“What matters most, is that the best candidate and the most experienced candidate is Osinbajo. Apart from that, he is the most experienced aspirant today. Politically, he is the most experienced. Then when you talk of intellectual prowess, he is there. This is a man that started in the 1980s, being in one form or the other of the executive positions from the time of Teslim Elias, to the time of Prince Bola Ajibola as the Attorney-General of the Federation to Asiwaju Ahmed

“

The aspirants know that yielding any quarter to the opponent, leaving a knock unanswered, mobilising without direction, lacking in structure and war chest and failure to consult widely would be the wrong way to grab power a la carte

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Tinubu and then to President Buhari. Show me any of the aspirants who have achieved this?

“So all this noise about polarising South-West delegates’ votes and so on, I don’t want us to believe that. He is contesting for the Nigerian presidency, not as President of the South-West.”

Also speaking with THEWILL, the Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State APC, Mr Seye Oladejo, said he had no problem with Osinbajo’s declaration for the 2023 presidency.

“There is no problem. We knew he was going to declare.

They should allow us to go to the primary. Let him come and face Asiwaju (Tinubu). There is no problem. I am not worried at all. We acknowledge his constitutional right to contest. We also observed keenly how he struggled to paint his role in the past eight years in gold. At a time, l thought I was listening to a dirge until I realised it was a political declaration in a living room. Nigerians will have something to say about the scorecard in the fullness of time. The last time I checked, the Vice President was in charge of the economy.

“The only demand is for us to go to the primary. Let us see how much support Osinbajo can garner from the party members. This is someone who could not even win his polling booth. I’m not aware of any change in political relevance and popularity since the last elections. I want to congratulate him for finally summoning the courage to throw his hat in the ring.

“We know that Nigerians at this time need a prepared president, who has paid his dues in enthroning democracy, mentoring potential leaders and being a destiny helper to numerous people, aside from being the reference point for good governance in Nigeria.

“Asiwaju has a lot of support across the country. There are many people who will come out to support him all over the country, even more in the North than the South. So, we will be ready.”

PARTING OF WAYS? The Osinbajo-Tinubu political face-off looks destined to fulfill the saying that politics make friends strange bedfellows. With the VP moving his party membership from Lagos to a Ward in Ogun, his home state, the point of no return for their friendship may have begun, except for courtesies at public functions.

The friction between both men is so bad that Ajulo called on prominent political leaders in the South-West to intervene and restore order between Osinbajo and Tinubu, fearing that the supremacy battle may affect the politics of the geopolitical zone to the extent of reducing its current influential standing in national politics.

“It is no news that Tinubu and his foremost loyalist, Osinbajo, do not have unfriendly feelings towards each other, but many of their followers and lackeys have started throwing bricks of words across walls and this is certainly an invitation to crisis. Yoruba leaders must put their differences aside and hold a conference of Yoruba stakeholders, who have the interest of the South-West at heart, to discuss the way forward,” he said.

Oladejo disagrees that it is not solely a South-West thing, but a national game plan.

“We know Osinbajo is just a pawn on the chessboard of some game-masters. The message in the fact that this declaration came during the Holy Week is definitely not lost on all and sundry,” he said.

BUHARI LEANS TOWARDS HYBRID IGBO AS SUCCESSOR Feelers from the presidency suggest that President Buhari is strongly leaning towards the Igbos for his successor according to at least two sources familiar with the thinking of the president and his close advisers.

According to one of the sources, the President wants to address the marginalization clamour of the Igbos but would rather support an Igbo aspirant from a minority state in the South-South region that he trusts would be able to manage Biafra secessionists and end their agitation.

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NEWS Global Alliance of Politicians Seeks $500 Billion Annually to Avert Climate Disaster

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, (3rd left), hosts the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives to a dinner at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja on April 12, 2022.

We're Ready to Take Over Power From APC – Ogun ZLP

BY SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

T

he Chairman of Zenith Labour Party in Ogun State, Comrade Boyede Ijaduoye, has declared that his party was ready to take over the reigns of power from the All Progressive Congress led administration in the state come 2023 election.

Ijaduoye, who disclosed during a meeting with the party members in Abeokuta, the state capital, said that it was high time the party save the people from the hardship of the Governor Dapo Abiodun's government in the state.

He said that the purpose of the meeting was to sensitise the party's members drawn from the 236 wards in the state on how to fine tune strategy in taking over power from the ruling APC in the forthcoming election The chairman, who maintained that there was no crisis in his party, urged his members to go to their various wards and work towards kicking out the current administration from power in 2023 election.

Ijaduoye stated that the government of

Abiodun had failed the people of the state in water, security among others, noting that ZLP will find a way to resolve the challenges if its candidate is elected the governor of the state in the next election.

He charged the members of the party not to relent in working for the success of the party, while urging members of the public to vote in candidates of ZLP to all the elective offices in the state come 2023, as the party is on a rescue mission.

"We are in the month of Ramadan now and with God on our side, we are ready to take over the reins of power in this state from Dapo Abiodun. Even a blind man will see that things are not moving in Ogun State the way they are supposed to move. A lot of things have not been done in the state by the current administration.

"There is no water and security. We know insecurity is not a one-man business, but if the government provides the right tools and sets the necessary machinery in motion, ditto the local security agencies, there will be a change. That is what our party will carry out when we get to power.

Benue Govt Releases N1.5bn For B-CARES

FROM KAJO MARTINS, MAKURDI

T

he Benue State Government has released over N1.5 billion to facilitate the implementation of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme, B-CARES, in the state.

Governor Samuel Ortom made this known on Thursday while launching the commencement of the programme which featured distribution of cheques to beneficiaries held at Government House, Makurdi.

The governor stated that beneficiaries of the programme, who have been categorised into delivery platforms include the State CARES Coordinating Unit, Community and Social Development Agency, Fadama, the Ministry of Industry and Cooperatives and the Cash Transfer Unit.

Giving a breakdown of the disbursement of the fund to beneficiaries, the governor said the CARES Coordinating unit would take N155.9 million, CSDA N135.4 million,

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FADAMA N414.7 million, Ministry of Industry and Cooperatives N277.1 million and the state cash transfer unit taking N115.4 million.

Ortom stated that the aim of the B-Cares programme was to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the indigenes through grants for poor and vulnerable households as well as micro, small and medium enterprises.

According to him, the programme was in line with the 10-year development plan of his administration to show commitment to the welfare, social protection and economic wellbeing of Benue indigenes.

In his remarks, the chairman of B-Cares Implementation Steering Committee who is also the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr David Olofu, said the process for the B-Cares programme started in 2020 when the budgets suffered severe shocks and dislocation due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Again, UK Group Expresses Concern Over Fate of Abducted Chibok Schoolgirls

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nited Kingdom group IA-Foundation has once again expressed concern over Boko Haram’s continued hold on more than 100 Chibok schoolgirls, eight years after about 270 of the girls were abducted.

The girls were abducted on April 14, 2014 at Chibok community in northeastern Nigeria, in a depressing incident that elicited spontaneous condemnation by the international community.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief Executive Officer of IAFoundation, Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, while addressing journalists at a forum held to mark eight years of the abduction last Friday in Abuja, said that nothing had changed about the fate of the girls.

She expressed her disappointment that the girls were still being held by their abductors, almost a decade after they were seized by terrorists.

“The Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction remains an open wound begging for closure in the conscience of our nation,’’ Adeagbo stated.

Nigeria has been contending with the activists of terrorists, including the dreaded Boko Haram sect, which has been locked in a bloody conflict with the Federal Government since 2009.

Boko Haram has killed more than 3,000 people in Africa’s most populous nation and displaced over three million people since it launched its deadly campaign 13 years ago.

The sect has repeatedly abducted schoolchildren, especially girls, in a bid to stop them from acquiring western education.

Describing the development as worrisome, Adeagbo pleaded with the Federal Government to take measures to stop the activities of terrorists and end the kidnapping of citizens.

She said that the abduction of schoolchildren posed an unimaginable threat to the future of the country, sressing that Nigeria should seek external help to end the problem.

Adeagbo, whose group has shown unrelenting commitment to changing the human condition of less-privileged children in Nigeria, urged the government must act fast to save the future of education in the country.

Records show that up to 1,436 school children and 17 teachers have been abducted in Nigeria since December 2020 with about 16 of the children losing their lives.

embers of the Global Alliance for a Green New Deal, a unique alliance of 27 parliamentarians from 22 nations, including US Representatives, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib; the United Kingdom’s Green MP, Caroline Lucas and Brazilian Congresswoman, Joenia Wapichana, along with MPs from Rwanda, Nigeria, Bangladesh and the Philippines and others, have written a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) urging it to take up Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s proposal to scale up finance for carbon-cutting projects in the developing world.

Pointing out that national plans to tackle the climate crisis are of little use without the finance to back them in a speech at the World Leaders Summit at COP26, Mottley called for the extension of $500 billion in Special Drawing Rights – the international equivalent of quantitative easing - each year for the next 20 years.

“The world’s least developed countries need a massive boost in technical and financial support to achieve development and climate goals: expanding energy access, transitioning to renewable sources, protecting, and enhancing biodiversity, safeguarding and enhancing indigenous lands, creating decent, green jobs and building resilience against the impacts of the climate and nature crises already battering them. That is why we urge you, at this, your first meeting since the Prime Minister of Barbados first proposed the extension of significant volumes of SDRs in response to the climate and nature crises, to consider her proposal,” members of the Global Alliance said, in their letter to IMF. The letter came just days after the IPCC’s Working Group III report made clear both the urgency with which the world must act to keep within 1.5 degrees of global heating, and just how far financial flows fall short of the levels needed to achieve emissionscutting goals across all sectors and regions.

“The IPCC couldn’t have been clearer. We have run out of last chance saloons and must act now to rapidly reduce emissions.

The technologies to harness the abundant energy from wind, waves and sun that can keep us within 1.5C exist. What is lacking is the political will. Nations like the United Kingdom that are disproportionately responsible for the crises we are living through, must take a lead in rapidly ending fossil fuel use, but now is also the time for the IMF to show that it is fit for purpose.

By cancelling unpayable debts, abolishing punitive surcharges and making the billions in low-cost finance available that low- and middle-income nations need, the IMF could help the world meet the greatest challenge of the twenty-first century.” said UK MP, Caroline Lucas.

“Climate adaptation continues to be grossly underfunded. In addition, compared to advanced economies, post COVID19 the speed and duration of recovery in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States will be much slower and longer. This facility is desperately needed to avert climate catastrophe.” added Bangladeshi MP, Saber Chowdhury.

“I am proud to work with global partners to call on the IMF to expand finance to lowand-middle income countries for climate adaptation,” said US Representative, Ilhan Omar. “We are in a global climate crisis and need to ensure every country, especially the most vulnerable, has the technical and financial support to combat this existential threat to humanity. That’s why it’s imperative we act as a global community to counteract this devastation and create a liveable planet for all.”

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YUSUF

ADELEKE

OYETOLA

POLITICS

OSUN 2022:

Adeleke, Lasun, Others Battle Oyetola for Govt House

BY AYO ESAN

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he preparation for the July 2022 Governorship Election in Osun State received a boost last week as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of 15 candidates in the election.

INEC published the personal particulars and list of candidates (Form EC9) for the election last Tuesday. In a statement, its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, said the list was published at the state and local government offices of the commission in Osun State as required by law.

Okoye said that the list was published in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, following the close of nominations by political parties.

According to the published particulars of the 15 candidates, all of the governorship candidates are males, while six of the deputy governorship candidates are females.

The listed candidates are Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is the incumbent governor of the state; Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Omigbodun Akinrinola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Others include Lasun Yusuff of the Labour Party (LP); Adesuyi Olufemi (ZLP); Adeleke Adedapo (BP); Adebayo Elisha (APP); Awoyemi Lukman (APM); Awojide Segun (AAC); Akinade Ogunbiyi (Accord); Kehinde Atanda (ADP); Rasaq Saliu (NNPP); Ayodele Adedeji of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Ademola Adeseye of Young People’s Party (YPP).

INEC has said that any political party that observes that the name of its candidate is missing from the list should notify the Commission in writing, adding this was guaranteed by Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2022 THEWILLNIGERIA

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“

Looking at the names of the 15 candidates released by INEC, political analysts have narrowed down the election to a three – horse - race between Oyetola, Adeleke and Yusuff

It also advised that the letter must be signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary, supported with an affidavit not later than 90 days to the election.

“Furthermore, the attention of parties is drawn to Section 32(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides that failure to notify the Commission shall not be grounds to invalidate the election.

“The final list is published in our state and local government offices in Osun State, as well as our website and social media platforms for public information as required by law”, INEC said.

Looking at the names of the 15 candidates released by INEC, political analysts have narrowed down the election to a three – horse - race between Oyetola, Adeleke and Yusuff.

GBOYEGA OYETOLA (APC) Adegboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the APC, contested

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the Osun State governorship election on the platform of the same political party in 2018 and he won. On March 23, 2019, an election tribunal declared that he was not legally returned and ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Senator Adeleke of the PDP, but it was overturned by the Supreme Court. Prior to his emergence as governor, he was the Chief of Staff to Engineer Rauf Aregbesola, his predecessor.

Oyetola was born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State on September 29, 1954. He attended the University of Lagos and graduated with a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He proceeded to his mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Potiskum, Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre between 1978 and 1979. He obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos in 1990.

He contested, alongside the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun, and Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Nojeem Salaam, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, Publisher, Nigerian News Direct Newspapers, Adelere Oriolowo, Moshood Adeoti, amongst others, as the APC candidate in the September 22, 2018 governorship election in Osun state and won. He was sworn into office on November 27, 2018.

Oyetola is relying on his performance in office in the last four years to guarantee his success in the forthcoming election.

His supporters have said that the prompt payment of salaries and pensions, as well as infrastructural development has endeared him to the people of the state .

ADEMOLA ADELEKE (PDP) Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the PDP, represented the Osun-West Senatorial District between 2017 and 2019. He is from the Adeleke family of Ede in Osun State.

•Continues on page 11

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW

Ekiti 2022: INEC Should Be Neutral, Unbiased – Famuyibo A founding father of Ekiti State and the governorship candidate of the Accord Party (AP) in the June 18, 2022 governorship election in the state, Basorun Reuben Famuyibo, speaks with AYO ESAN about his chances of winning the poll, his plans for Ekiti and what is expected of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, among other issues. Excerpts:

Aren’t you threatened by the popularity of the dominant parties, especially the APC, PDP and lately SDP? Ekiti people are very educated. They don’t vote for political parties, but follow names. During the PAGE 10

Famuyibo

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he Ekiti State governorship election is less than 75 days away. As the candidate of Accord Party, how are you preparing for the election?

At the initial stage, I thought that I would be contesting under the All Progressives Congress (APC), but you know what happened. I can tell you that my chances are very bright in the Accord Party, knowing full well that everybody hates the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The talk of the town is that people need a neutral person, someone who has not been in government before and the name is Reuben Famuyibo. They considered that other candidates from the APC, the PDP and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have all tasted government and people will ask about what they did while in government. I have gone round the 177 wards in Ekiti State four times and now I am going round the 2,700 polling units which we have started. I don’t make noise. I go directly to the people that are going to vote. I don’t need to carry Okada riders to shout about. My name is Ekiti and Ekiti is my name. There is no household in Ekiti that doesn’t know Famuyibo. I have also touched lives.

I was in Ido-Osi some time ago and somebody saw the campaign train and came inside the hall where we were having a town hall meeting. I asked them to give him a minute to talk. Many even thought he was a spy.

The person said people should vote for me because I gave him a scholarship in 1995 in the old Ondo State.

The man said he wouldn’t be where he was but for that symbolic gesture. He voluntarily donated a vehicle to us and said it should be branded immediately. Now they have brought the names of other beneficiaries and they have now formed a forum called ‘Famuyibo Beneficiaries Group,’ FBG.

Afenifere era, the decision of Baba Adesanya would hold water in Ekiti. Look at the era of Adekunle Ajasin and look at when they made Bamidele Olumilua governor. So it is not about political parties, but the people behind the parties. There is nobody again behind the APC, including the PDP, they have finished themselves. I have my people and God. They know Famuyibo as a simple person, as their own. So, I don’t need any party.

People ask me about Accord Party. I tell them that it is number one on the ballot paper and it is gaining ground. We are not stealing government money to hold an election. People are borrowing money and trying to sell Ekiti again. For your information, people are contributing money for me. I was even shocked when I heard some people have contributed N177,000 for me in a ward in Ikere Local Government Area. I am running for a government that is going to touch the lives of everybody, including civil servants. So, I don’t feel threatened because they are the ones that are scared

of me now.

I don’t have money, but I have God and the people of Ekiti will show them that everything is not about money, come June 18. The people want change. After Niyi Adebayo left in 2003, there has been money politics in Ekiti State and the people are now saying they want change. Civil servants and teachers are clamouring for change. Go to the streets you will know everything. But, I learnt that they are planning to rig the election. If they rig, the people will attack them in order to defend their votes and mandates. I am preaching to our people and appealing to all security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shun rigging because it will only set Ekiti on fire. We are aware that APC and its cohorts are planning to buy votes. They are not campaigning, but learning how to trigger violence.

People have declared in clear terms that this election is going to be a revolution to salvage the little left behind in Ekiti State.

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW with the workers, they will earn the 13th month salary and the money they give to their girlfriends in December can pay for 13th month salary. Why can’t you make people happy? Ekiti is in a hurry to develop and I will make sure industrialisation takes place.

All over the world, certificates are worthless, because when you have the basic education, you will be able to be productive, not about parading certificates. Look at this singer, David Adeleke, Davido, he is about the richest in the music industry. We must teach people skills from elementary school days. Also, agriculture will be a priority and I must add that human capital development is lacking in Ekiti State.

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INEC should be neutral and unbiased.

Most people don’t have more information about the election, but people in government are already boasting around that they know everything to manipulate the election because they have a national commissioner there giving them tips

How would you describe Ekiti under an APC-led government in the last three and half years and what will you be doing differently when elected as governor?

I went on a political sabbatical and relying on what I was told, now I am at home. I have, indeed, seen that Ekiti is the poorest of all the states in the country. We have unemployed graduates everywhere. Don’t blame them when they ask for money from politicians. They don’t know what they are doing. Many are Okada riders. How can you have a government that you can’t point to a single industry and all of them are acquiring properties across the country? In Ekiti State, cottage industries cannot cost more than $100,000.

They are leaving us in abject poverty and there is no single development. Teachers are not being paid their salaries, graduates are lamenting and pensioners are in pain.

I am coming to industrialise the state, make friends THEWILLNIGERIA

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As an elder statesman and one of the founding fathers of Ekiti, what have you observed about Ekiti politics since 1999?

It has been dwindling. In 1999, people like Baba Aina and Pa Ayo Fasanmi, who trained under late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, brought politics through the defunct AD. When AD was rubbished, different characters started coming. Now that it has started degenerating, nobody is looking at track records and idea of progressiveness because money bags are dominating. In the past, when we started politics, we were asked to stay outside Cocoa House in the old Ondo State, no matter how rich we were. In those days, I would carry Alhaji Adeyemo and other leaders from Ekiti to Akure, yet I would be denied entry to attend the meeting. I would stay outside, while the political leaders deliberated inside. But today what do you have? You will see cocaine pushers at the high table during meetings. I am sorry for politicians in the South-West and the country. It is unfortunate that we are having this crop of leaders in our society today, but I can tell you that we will resist it in Ekiti State, come June 18.

What do you expect the electorate to look out for in the candidates as they prepare to elect a new governor of the state?

Do you know that as I am talking to you, none of these candidates have a manifesto? I started distributing my manifesto over a year ago. I am prepared for the election. Not that my Oga’s wife put me there, Oga so pe (the boss says). That era should not rear its ugly head again. Let the people assess the governorship candidates and see the best with ideas to develop Ekiti State. Like I told some people, I am not like those who want to go to Government House if elected. This is because I want to feel for the people. I have no police guards. Ekiti people are the ones guarding me. In my own government, If you are from Ikere, Ogotun and Igbara-Odo, go there, come from there to the office.

Through that, you will be able to know the problems of your people.

What are your expectations from INEC? I have spoken to some people in INEC. When politicians want to make or mar an election, it is through INEC. We have heard from the grapevine that some people have been planted there by a governor, but I don’t want to mention names because I am a lawyer. INEC will be told in the language they understand to conduct free and fair elections.

Anything short of that will set Ekiti on fire. It will be unprecedented and by far worse than the incident of 1983. INEC should be neutral and unbiased. Most people don’t have more information about the election, but people in government are already boasting around that they know everything to manipulate the election because they have a national commissioner there giving them tips. Already, a petition is being written against the individuals allegedly planted by the governor.

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...Adeleke, Lasun, Others Battle Oyetola for Govt House •Continued from page 9

A businessman and administrator, he served as an Executive Director at Guinness Nigeria Plc between 1992 and 1999.

One of his co-directors was General Theophilus Danjuma (retd.).

Adeleke was a Group Executive Director at his brother’s company, Pacific Holdings Limited from 2001 to 2016.

Prior to joining Pacific Holdings Limited, he had worked with Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, as a service contractor between 1985 and 1989.

He moved to Origin International LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company as vice president from 1990 to 1994.

Adeleke started his political career in 2001 alongside his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died in April 2017. He contested in the Osun-West 2017 by-election after the death of his brother, emerging as the winner under the PDP. On July 23, 2018, Adeleke emerged as the governorship candidate of PDP in Osun State after defeating Akin Ogunbiyi by seven votes. He contested in the Osun governorship electio] under the platform of the PDP against top contenders like Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC and Chief Iyiola Omisore of SDP on September 22, 2018.

The election was declared inconclusive by INEC and a supplementary election was held on September 27, 2018.

The candidate of the APC, Oyetola, was declared winner after a run-off election.

Adeleke protested the result describing the election as a “coup”. On March 22, 2019, a tribunal sitting in Abuja declared Adeleke the winner of the election. The Supreme Court later affirmed Gboyega Oyetola as the authentic winner of the 2018 Osun State governorship election on Friday, July 5, 2019.

Adeleke, who narrowly lost to Oyetola in 2018, is seen as a hot contender for the governorship ticket. With the backing of his multi-millionaire brother, Deji Adeleke, many believe he may spring a surprise in the election, if the PDP in Osun resolves to unite ahead of the election.

LASUN YUSUF (LP) Born on October 4, 1960, Lasun Yusuf was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019. He is a native of Ilobu, the administrative headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.

He graduated from the University of Ibadan where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Lasun is a chartered engineer and he holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife. Lasun Yusuff is a grassroot politician widely known in Osun State and he is fondly called The Homeboy due to his grassroot qualities.

In 2011, he ran for a legislative seat in the [7th National Assembly] as the representative of the Irepodun/Olorunda/ Osogbo/Orolu Federal Constituency. He won on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN Lasun was elected to the House of Representatives for a second time on the All Progressives Congress’ platform in March 2015. He was elected the Deputy Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives by 203 members of the House of Representatives out of the 357 that participated in the inhouse election. Yakubu Dogara was elected as the Speaker.

Analysts see Lasun Yusuff as a third force, who may spring a surprise, considering his high political credentials in Osun politics.

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POLITICS stopped: to be able to give the Plateau man his identity; to be able to assert the independence of the Plateau man; to be able to give him the enabling environment to flourish and to be able to prosper in the context of the blessings God has bestowed on him.

Mutfwang

It is not true that the Plateau man wants to exclude anybody. I grew up as a young man in my village with people from different backgrounds and ethnic nationalities and we blended well. But over the years, a lot of suspicions have been created which have also led to a lot of crises. Our hope is that we can restore the days of glory when we lived with mutual respect both for the indigenes and non-indigenes. Therefore, we can hope to build the Plateau that our forefathers dreamed of – from JD Gomwalk to Solomon Lar to Baba (Jonah) Jang – we should be able to rebuild Plateau that is respected in the comity of states in Nigeria and beyond.

‘2023: Nigeria Needs Consensus President’

A governorship aspirant in Plateau State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Caleb Mutfwang, speaks on his ambition, the quick-patch nature of the APC as a political party, the President that Nigeria needs in 2023, among other issues, in this interview with UKANDI ODEY. Excerpts:

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here is an army of governorship aspirants from your zone. What is being done to prune the number so as to enable the people find the character or person that the state desires?

As you rightly said, the bell has been rung. Virtually all the aspirants, especially from the two main political parties, are from the central zone of Plateau State. I think it goes with the preponderance of the people’s thinking that the unwritten agreement about zoning should be honoured. And I believe the thinking of most Plateau people is that the governor, come 2023, should be from the central zone. For us in the PDP, we are yet to come out with an official position on that; but I’m sure discussions are going on, and at the appropriate time the leadership of the Party will announce its position on that. We are also confident that members of the State Executive Committee, that is the final authority on matters of this nature, will listen to the mood of the people in the state and rightly decide that the governor should come from the central zone.

Somebody has described you as the next Jonah David Jang of Plateau State. Coming from a basically private sector background as you do, what is missing in Plateau Public Government that you are bringing to the table? What is your idea of the Plateau Project?

Yes, having worked in the private sector, particularly as a legal practitioner – as a corporate lawyer – where I was privileged to sit in the board rooms of several companies, culminating in my appointment at Peugeot Automobile – in its days of glory, where I was opportune to be its company secretary for one full year. When I came into public service, when I became the chairman of Mangu Local Government Council; it was a new experience to me and also an eye opener.

That period afforded me the opportunity to gain experience in governance. Having gained experience in governance at that local, grassroots level, it also was an opportunity for me to connect with the problems and challenges of our environment and also feel the pulse of the people.

Within the context of the central zone, we in Mangu (LGA), seem to have a large share of the aspirants.

And this is because a lot of people think it will be in tandem with political calculation to pick a candidate from Mangu Local Government, given the number of votes that are domiciled in that local government area.

I like to call it “the Mangu Advantage in the context of 2023”. With a voter population of up to one hundred and fifty thousand voters, no party will want, or can afford to joke with those votes. And I believe that the leadership of the PDP will do the right thing and think in the right direction.

The quintessential Plateau man simply likes to be respected; he likes to be given the opportunity to flourish; to be recognized for who he is; the average Plateau man has a sense of industry; but he is also a very welcoming and accommodating person. All attempts to create the impression that Plateau people are hostile and antagonistic is a false narrative. And by political nature, we are Republicans who like independence; Plateau people don’t like to be tossed, around, and they don’t like to be bossed over. Therefore, what we are coming to provide in governance is, in a way, to continue from where former Governor Jonah Jang

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Looking at your party, the PDP, at the national level, there is this challenge about zoning or not zoning of the presidency. Do you have a workable script if you were to advise the party?

The PDP is a unique party. It is perhaps the best organised party in the history of Nigerian politics after, in my opinion, the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic. It was well thought out. The critical structures and foundations were well laid and that is why it was able to withstand the shock of the (Ali Modu) Sheriff onslaught on the party. It is not a special purpose vehicle just to capture power like the APC. Therefore, I ‘m confident that there is no crisis the PDP will go through that it won’t be able to resolve.

On the issue of zoning, yes, it is natural that it will generate tension. People will want to factor in their own interests. But thank God, the National Executive Committee has set up a 37-man Zoning Committee which I believe will get to work immediately to harmonize the party position. My advice to the committee is to gauge the mood of the nation, and make sure we take a stand that will enable us win the election in 2023. Nigerians are yearning for an alternative to the APC; so, we must get it right. What we need is a leader that will build consensus; what we need is a leader that will heal the divisions in the country. Therefore we need a President in 2023 with a national spread; a national following that in my opinion can give everyone a sense of belonging. That is my advice to this committee to make sure that we gauge the mood of the nation.

You said Nigerians are yearning for an alternative to the APC. Narrowing it down to Plateau State, how do you rate almost eight years of the APC administration in the state?

Without mincing words, to be very honest with you, the eight years of APC rule in Plateau has been a calamity, just like taking a cue from the national level.

We have gone backwards in everything. There is no sector of national life; no sector of progress, there is no yardstick for measuring progress that I can say any progress has been achieved in Plateau State in the past almost eight years.

Is it in Medicare? Is it in infrastructure? I can’t see anything anywhere. Even the peace and security they have been claiming are bare and only so-called. It has been peace of the grave yard. But if we check the statistics, the number of deaths and displacement of persons are on the increase. The situation is unquantifiable. Therefore, Plateau people know that their lives have not been improved upon; and they know that where the PDP left in 2015 is a much better position than what we have today. Life has depreciated on every front. Perhaps only those in government can talk about improvement because they are sitting on the dining table; but for others, life has actually deteriorated. Therefore, my call to Plateau people is: let’s kill APC before APC kills us.

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POLITICS

Albert Will Improve Lives of A’Ibom People – Usoro Chief Usoro I. Usoro, spokesperson to a governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, Senator Bassey Albert, speaks on issues around the forthcoming governorship election in the state and Albert’s chances of winning, in this interview with UDEME UTIP. Excerpts:

see that they leave behind them a trail of disappointing performances. You will see the uncompleted projects that they left behind. One person who truly prepared for an election is my former boss, Senator Godswill Akpabio. From day one, he hit the ground running.

From the very first day, he asked me to come and join him, I came back to meet a blueprint already prepared.

That was why he didn’t look for what to do, but knew how to get it done. So if you ask me about the chances of my principal winning his party’s primary in Akwa Ibom, I would say that they are very strong.

phraim Inyang-Eyen, one of key supporters of Senator Bassey Albert said there was a pact between Governor Udom Emmanuel and Albert to make the latter succeed him in 2023. How true is this?

I think that when Governor Udom Emmanuel came out to contest for governorship, one of the closest persons to him was Ephraim Inyang-Eyen. I wasn’t there. If there is somebody who knows about a pact between the governor and Senator Albert, it will be Inyang-Eyen. So if he says there was a pact, I would believe him.

Come 2023, the people of Akwa Ibom will be looking for the best person to govern the state. What is Senator Albert bringing to the table for the people?

Senator Bassey Albert has a lot to bring to the table. If you look at his pedigree, first as a banker, who rose to become vice-president of the bank, you will agree with me that such a person is not a pushover. By providence, he was appointed commissioner for finance in Akwa Ibom at a critical period in the history of the state. I would like to point out that as chief press secretary, I coined the much talked about “uncommon transformation”.

But the person who brought that about was Senator Bassey Albert because it was his job. It is one thing for a governor to have a vision, it is another thing for the commissioners to interpret the vision and actualise them through an inter-ministerial direct labour project.

Let me also say that there is a senior colleague in Abuja who was in Udom’s campaign team (I won’t mention his name). He told me clearly that he and Senator Effiong Bob was present when the agreement was reached.

The third person is Albert himself, who we know has been a commissioner in this state. Whether in age or experience, he knows what he is talking about. The person you’re quoting wasn’t there. So who will you believe? Is it person who witnessed it or the one that wasn’t there? I have said that I wasn’t there and that is the truth. But I have mentioned three people who were there and should be believed.

Does your principal stand a chance of getting his party’s governorship ticket in the primaries?

One of the things that made me accept Senator Albert’s offer to work with him the was what I saw around him, which convinced me that he is going to win his party’s ticket. And I assure you that he’s going to win. You see somebody who contested the election in 2014, stepped down and maintained those structures till this moment.

Do you expect that kind of person to fail?

Albert has also been talking to other people. Instead of losing them to his opponents, he has been winning other people to his side. He is not the kind of person that will wake up one morning to contest an election. Instead, he has been planning systematically. This is someone who decided on his volition to contest because he has

Usoro

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Someone who is experienced both the executive and legislative sides certainly has a lot to bring to the table. If you talk about his direct programme, it may interest you to know that he gave the people of Eket his blueprint. Oba has a blueprint that covers all the critical aspects of the economy. This is something he started even as a senator something to offer his people. If you look at the trend among people who reluctantly contest elections, you will

When he was the commissioner for finance in the state, Albert supervised more than 6,000 projects which were executed in this state. I believe that someone like that will always bring something to the table. In the Senate, some of his bills have saved Nigeria a lot of wastage.

Someone who is experienced both the executive and legislative sides certainly has a lot to bring to the table. If you talk about his direct programme, it may interest you to know that he gave the people of Eket his blueprint.

Oba has a blueprint that covers all the critical aspects of the economy. This is something he started even as a senator.

He has awarded over 400 scholarships and because of the conducive environment, that scheme has produced about 28 people who graduated first class and about 221 others who graduated in the second-class upper division. So, someone like that has a plan for the youth, the elderly, the women and the entire Akwa Ibom State.

He knows the problems of the people and identifies them whether short, medium or long term. He is bringing economic emancipation to the table. He charges the youth to take their destinies into their own hands. He is going to reduce hunger and poverty, which have been used as weapons to strangulate the people of this state.

PDP Nets Over N.5 billion from Plateau Through Nomination Forms

FROM UKANDI ODEY, JOS

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he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has generated over five hundred million naira from Plateau State through the sale of nomination forms for various elective offices as at last Thursday when the extended deadline expired.

According to records obtained exclusively at the PDP State Secretariat along Yakubu Gowon Way, Jos, twenty (20) gubernatorial aspirants had purchased nominations and expression of interest forms at N22.5million each, and had duly completed other administrative procedures to qualify for screening on the scheduled date according to set guidelines.

The records also show that one hundred and thirty seven members bought nomination forms to contest for the twenty THEWILLNIGERIA

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four State House of Assembly Seats at the cost of N600, 000 each.

With the zoning understanding in the Party now standing in favour of the Plateau Central Senatorial District, an analysis of the records show that eighteen of the aspirants are from Plateau Central alone.

They include Jack Peri from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau North, and Kefiano Kefas Rotshak from Shendam Local Government area in Plateau South, two of which gubernatorial bids analysts have described as ‘sheer adventure and strategic calculation towards some concessions by the party in future’.

With Letep Dabang, of the Mupun ethnic tribe of Panshin

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local government area and recent decampee from the APC, as one of other twelve contenders fom the Plateau Central district, those of the Mwaghavul stock of Mangu LGA include Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, Retired Brigadier General John Sura, Barrister Caleb Mwutfwang, Alfred Dapal, Mazadu Daden, Satu Jatau, and Ephraim Lenka Dewa.

The list also shows that the Ngas tribe of Pankshin and Kanke LGAs are represented in the race by Timothy Golu Simon, Dauda Gotorin, former Immigration boss, David Shikfu Parradang and Jerry Goshop.

Jonathan Akums, who made the list of fourteen contestants who had purchased nomination forms at press time, hails from Bokkos, the same homestead of former governor, Joshua Chibi Dariye.

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EDITORIAL

FG And NIN-SIM Registration Deadlines

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n Monday, April 4, the Federal Government directed telecommunication companies operating in the country to restrict Subscribers Identification Modules (SIM) not linked with National Identification Numbers (NIN) from making outgoing calls.

Before then, a previous deadline for the registration had expired on March 31.

As expected, some telecommunication companies rushed to comply with the directive, less than 24 hours after it was issued. In the process, phone lines that had already been successfully linked to the subscribers’ NINs were erroneously barred from making calls.

Aware of the error and the inconvenience it must have caused the affected subscribers, a service provider, the Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) quickly apologised and offered to rectify the phone lines that were wrongfully restricted.

In all, about 72 million active subscribers were restricted from making out-going calls.

Reacting, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) described this as unlawful. It asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and the Nigerian

Communications Commission to reverse the decision immediately.

In a public statement issued on April 9, 2022, SERAP said that restricting subscribers from making phone calls infringed their rights to associate with other Nigerians and to communicate freely. It argued, “Access to telecommunications services is a condition for the effective exercise of human rights. Therefore, the decision to restrict subscribers from making calls is both discriminatory and a travesty.

“The decision will cause harm to economic activity, personal safety and disproportionately affect those on the margins of society. This will directly hinder the ability of the government to achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Goal 8 on the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.”

Beyond SERAP’s demand for a reversal of its decision, the Federal Government should bear in mind that mass e-registration of people, using biometric data systems via fingerprints, facial photographs and the issuance of a unique identification number, as is the case with the NIN and SIM registration, may breach the rights of subscribers to data privacy and ultimately lead to fraud-related crimes.

Indeed, the House of Representatives recently

expressed concern that in spite of the regulatory frameworks in existence, cases of fraud, breach of privacy and financial losses were on the rise across the country. It is important to note that if linking telephone subscribers’ SIMs to their NINs cannot guarantee the protection of their rights to privacy or shield them from the activities of cybercriminals, then the purpose of the entire exercise is already defeated.

One of the reasons for the ongoing NIN and SIM integration, Nigerians were informed at the outset, was to

Nigerians have also complained of long delays at registration centres caused by corrupt officials of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) who demand gratification before they are captured

enable the Federal Government to effectively tackle the security challenges facing the country.

While we applaud and support any legitimate means by the government to address the worsening insecurity in the country, we also believe that it should discharge its responsibility to protect and secure the lives and properties of the people without unduly trampling on their human rights.

We are aware that due to logistic and administrative challenges, millions of active subscribers across the country, including persons with disabilities, the old and sick, as well as people living in remote and inaccessible areas, have been unable to capture their biometrics and obtain their NINs. Nigerians have also complained of long delays at registration centres caused by corrupt officials of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) who demand gratification before they are captured. The government ought to address such problems and other hiccups first, instead of insisting on early deadlines for registration.

As a matter of fact, the Federal Government should forget about issuing deadlines for now.

It should consider adopting a continuous NIN and SIM registration model until the NIMC finds a way around the challenges encountered during the exercise.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Austyn Ogannah Editor – Olaolu Olusina Deputy Editor – Amos Esele Politics Editor – Ayo Esan Business Editor – Sam Diala Copy Editor – Chux Ohai Cartoon Editor – Victor Asowata Entertainment/Society Editor – Ivory Ukonu Photo Editor – Peace Udugba Head, Graphics – Tosin Yusuph Circulation Manager – Victor Nwokoh Nigeria Bureau: 36AA Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja. Lagos, Nigeria. info@thewillnigeria.com / @ THEWILLNG, +234 810 345 2286, +234 913 333 3888.

EDITOR: Olaolu Olusina @OLUSINA [Letters/Opinions: opinion.letters@thewillnigeria.com]

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APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

OPI N ION

FG’s Indifference to Experts’ Warning on Economy

BY JEROME-MARIO UTOMI

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imilar to a February 16, 2022 media report in which economic experts urged the Federal Government to seek a debt moratorium and reduce the cost of governance in order to reduce funds expended on debt servicing, which stands as the best available option because it will enable the government to suspend payment for now and re-strategise, particularly since the government cannot continue to service its rising debt profile at the expense of meeting the competing needs of the people, economic analysts warned that the government’s increased borrowing could eventually suffocate the country if not mitigated.

the anticipated shocks from the global economy, such as the Brexit, the United States-China trade war and interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve Bank go awry.

Speaking in Akure, Ondo State, at the 32nd Annual Seminar for Finance Correspondents and Business Editors themed: ‘Exchange Rate Management and Economic Diversification in Nigeria: The Pave Option’ the experts hinted that going by government’s borrowing plans, a fresh N6.3 trillion debt may be added to the current debt stock of N39.556 trillion ($95.779 billion as at December 31, 2021) to ultimately push the country’s total debt stock to N45.86 trillion by December 2022.

Secondly a recent news report indicated that the Federal Government made a total of N3.25tn in 2020, out of which it spent a total of N2.34tn on debt servicing within the year.

This means, the report underlined, that 72 per cent of the government’s revenue was spent on debt servicing. It also puts the government’s debt servicing to revenue ratio at 72 per cent.

Notwithstanding this unhealthy trend, they argued it was high time the country invested more in boosting local production and export oriented infrastructure before the huge debt burden sinks the country.

Indeed, from the explanation and concerns expressed by these experts, this writer clearly agrees that Nigeria’s debt stock has finally become an issue that calls for a more drastic approach to support the fiscal and monetary authorities in their efforts to tow Nigeria’s economy out of the doldrums.

What calls for concern is the fact that despite prophecies revealing what will happen if the present situation doesnot changed, acting as information and warning, the Federal Government has become even more entrenched in borrowing and ignoring these warning signals.

There are so many factors that visibly qualify as a tragedy: the government’s indifferent attitude and failure to adhere to heed the warning signals.

In 2020, a major national newspaper, in its editorial comment among other observations, warned that Nigeria might face another round of fiscal headwinds with the mix of $83 billion debt; rising recurrent expenditure; increased cost of debt servicing; sustained fall in revenue and about $22 billion debt plan waiting for legislative approval. It may be worse if

BY CHRISTIE OBY NDUKWE

The nation’s debt stock, currently at $83billion, comes with a huge debt service provision in excess of N2.1 trillion in 2019. But it is set to rise in 2020. This challenge stems from the country’s revenue crisis, which has remained unabated in the last five years, while borrowing has persisted, an indication that the economy has been primed for recurring tough outcomes, the report concluded.

Finally, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, a multinational professional services network of firms, operating as partnerships under the PwC brand, in a report entitled, ‘Nigeria Economic Alert: Assessing the 2021 FGN Budget,’ warned that the increasing cost of debt servicing would continue to weigh on the government’s revenue profile. It said, “Actual debt servicing cost in 2020 stood at N3.27tn and represented about 10 per cent over the budgeted amount of N2.95tn. This puts the debt-to-revenue ratio at approximately 83 per cent, nearly double the 46 per cent that was budgeted.

This implies that about N83 out of every N100 the Federal Government earned was used to settle interest payments for outstanding domestic and foreign debts within the reference period. In 2021, the government planned to spend N3.32tn to service its outstanding debt. This is slightly higher than the N2.95tn budgeted in 2020.”

Today, such fears cannot be described as unfounded, just as this author doesn’t need to be an economist to know that as a nation, we have become a high-risk borrower.

It would have been understandable if these loans were taken to build a standard railway system in the country that will assist poor village farmers in Benue and Kano states, as well as other remote villages situated in the landlocked parts of the country, move their farm produce to the food disadvantaged cities in the South in ways that will help the poor farmers earn more money, contributes to lower food prices in Lagos and

Again, it would have been pardonable if the loans were deployed to revitalise the power sector, to re-introduce a sustainable power roadmap that will erase the epileptic power challenge in the country and in its place restore the health and vitality of the country’s socioeconomic life while improving small and medium scale businesses in the country.

What about the nation’s refineries? One recalls now with nostalgia that one of the popular demands during the fuel subsidy removal protest in January 2012, under the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration, was that the Federal Government should take some measures to strengthen corporate governance in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the oil and gas sector as a whole.

This is because of the belief that weak structures made it possible for the endemic corruption in the management of the downstream and upstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

The present administration, as part of it campaign promises in 2015, agreed to ensure a better deal for Nigerians. Six years after such demand was made and Jonathan gone, the three government-owned refineries in the country have not been able to function at full capacity as promised by the present administration.

Today, if there is anything that Nigerians wish that the FG should accomplish quickly, it is getting the refineries to function optimally and making the NNPC more accountable to the people. As what happened under President Jonathan has become a child’s play when compared with the present happenings in Nigeria’s oil/gas and power sectors.

Finally, within this period of economic vulnerability, new awareness that must not be allowed to go with political winds is the expert warning that accumulated debt can hinder a country’s development, especially when most of the revenue generated is used to service debt.

Utomi Jerome-Mario is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA).

Cabals And Carnage

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y experience over the years and based on verified information has revealed the stranglehold on elected government officials by those who either sponsored their election or appointed them to high-profile positions.

They are usually members of their families and friends.

It is more or less a religious war covered with the cloak of politics. Sadly, my efforts to get the authorities to pick up the man in question, who mistakenly left the document in my guest house, failed due to lack of political will by those concerned. Of course, I had to move on.

These groups of people decide what document the President or state governor sees and approves. They unashamedly flaunt their influence on the ‘king’ and brag about their rights to see, hear and speak for the person in power.

The recent multiple attacks on our power plants, trains and railway stations could have been averted, if those responsible were proactive. We have been dealing with security issues for several years now. So it is not unimaginable that these terrorists and insurgents could shift their focus from the communities to the cities and to essential infrastructure.

The present Federal Government has made inroads into the development of critical infrastructure, no doubt; but what is infrastructure without security?

The fact remains that most of those hanging around the corridors of power are not sincere people. They have no love or respect for their country and those who appointed them into the office. Most of them seek public office only for the paraphernalia and not because they desire to make any meaning and sustainable impact.

I have been part of the quest to rescue the Niger Delta Region.

Unfortunately, my findings are damning and yet dangerous.

Call me a coward? Yes! Sometimes, you don’t have to fight to be a man. Even Jesus at some point had to run away from the trouble to come because it was not his time.

Let us get to the real issues of this treatise.

It is even more disheartening to learn that the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who has helped the Federal Government develop the railway sector, had made requests for provision and funding of security for the Railway sector.

Unfortunately, his efforts were grounded to a halt by some of the shenanigans who parade themselves as the “owners, movers and shakers” of the Buhari led Administration. Is this unusual? Of course, not.

The worsening insecurity in the country did not evolve overnight. It was an orchestrated plot that dates back to 2010 when I stumbled upon a detailed document on how a group of religious extremists had plotted to capture some villages, communities, towns and even states, which they claimed belonged to them.

I had earlier stated here how those who constitute themselves as the cabal in the corridors of power become a clog in the wheel of progress of any and every government. It has nothing to do with the age and intelligence of the President or state governor, as the case may be. They have perfected the act of hijacking those at the helm, based on what they know as the weakest points of the individual.

The document revealed that some of the fighters were trained outside the country and when they returned, they were aided by some government officials whom they also named.

The much touted rescue of the Niger Delta through a Forensic Audit has again been kept comatose by this set of people. Till date, there is yet to be a substantive board for the

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other cities through the impact on the operation of the market, increase the welfare of household both in Kano, Benue and Lagos States and others while improving food security in the country, reducing stress/pressure daily mounted on Nigerian roads by articulated/haulage vehicles and drastically reduce road accidents on our major highways.

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administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Those who fought for the liberation of the NDDC were forced to torpedo the mandate with threats to their jobs. It is a clear case of “if you can’t beat them, you join them.” Who has ever resigned on the ground of perceived sabotage except where they are fired from their positions?

While I do not make excuses for the President, it is also pathetic that the situation he finds himself, even as a trained soldier who is loyal to friendship and by extension, family.

The transition from a military Officer to a democrat is never an easy one.

The recent and sad events in the Railway sector ought to have consumed some persons who were part of the sabotage.

Who is responsible for the delay in the approval for security funding for trains and railway stations? Nigerians ought to be calling them out right now. Instead, we are busy casting aspersions on the President, while the powerful culprits escape the hammer.

What we fear has gradually come upon us. Until we collectively wage war against the activities of insider moles in government, we will continue to read press statements that have no solution to our security challenges. The simple but hard truth is that those who come from a particular section of the country, no matter how highly placed, will remain subservient in the hands of the ‘superior’ citizens of our nation.

Enough of this bloodletting! It is about time we the people changed the face and structure of governance.

Christie Oby Ndukwe is a political analyst and President of Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative.

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www.t hew illni g eri a. c om VOL .2 N O.1 6

Adeniyi

A PR I L 17 - A PR I L 23, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R

Stanbic IBTC Bank: Contravention Penalties Gulp N2.76bn in 5 Years

BY SAM DIALA

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tanbic IBTC Bank, the major financial services subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, coughed out a total of N2.76 billion to pay penalties imposed on it by the authorities for contravening various industry regulations within the last five years (2017-2021), data from its audited financial statements revealed. The penalties, which range from a lower-middle double figure of N41 million in 2017, hit the peak of N1.9 billion in 2018, before dropping to N102 million in 2019. The penalty curve resumed in an ascending order to hit N277 million in 2020 before climbing further to its 2021 ‘resting’ point of N435 million.

The major chunk of the total penalty the bank paid in 2021 was the sum of N200 million for flouting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive on Cryptocurrency, a sanction Stambic IBTC Bank said it would press for reversal. “The CBN debited the Bank’s position with the sum of N200 million for an alleged contravention of CBN circular with reference number BSD/ DIR/GEN/LAB/14/001 on Cryptocurrency. The bank has written a letter of appeal for a review of the circumstances surrounding these accounts and a waiver of the N200 million fine imposed on the bank,” the group said in its 2021 Annual Report.

The mid-tier bank also received the regulatory hammer of the authorities with a huge penalty of N230 million in 2021 for violating foreign exchange regulations. “The CBN debited

NIN Linkage: Telecom Network Subscribers Count Losses

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR n April 4 this year, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced that it had barred phone numbers that were not linked to a National Identity Number (NIN) from making calls. Two weeks later, NCC is still insisting that all the Subscriber Identification

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Modules not linked to a NIN will remain barred from making calls until the affected subscribers obey the directive.

Sadly, THEWILL gathered, most of the network subscribers who had earlier complied with the directive of the NCC to link their Continues on page 17

the Bank’s position with the sum of N230 million for an alleged contravention of extant FX regulations from January 2013 to July 2020,” the financial services holdco stated.

The report further revealed that “CBN debited the Bank’s position with the sum of N2 million for an alleged Non-Compliance with CBN/CIBN Press Statement/Section 50 of BOFIA.” Another N2 million penalty was imposed on the bank “following an alleged unfair termination of employment of a former employee, whose employment was terminated for being unable to meet the performance criteria required to confirm his employment in line with policy.”

The major penalty the bank paid in 2020 was linked to foreign exchange violations in textile importation transactions. “Penalty on Involvement in Textile Importation Using FX Sourced from the Nigerian Market. The CBN imposed a penalty of ₦152 million on the bank following the investigation which was conducted on foreign exchange used to import textiles for the period of 02 and 15 October 2019,” the company revealed.

The fines imposed on the bank in 2018 were mainly capital market related. These include a penalty of N20 million for its role in the MTN listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange where it was accused of breaching the rule on trading in unlisted securities. It also paid a penalty of N30 million for breaching Securities and

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25 Industries Partner Ogun on Technical Training For StudentsOgun on Technical Training For Students PAGE 20

Continues on page 17

UBA, Cellulant To Expand Payments In 19 African Countries Africa’s global bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and leading pan-African payments company, Cellulant, have announced a partnership that will extend payment services for merchants and consumers across 19 key African countries in which UBA operates.

These countries include Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Continues on page 20 THEWILLNIGERIA

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TELECOM/BANKING NIN Linkage: Telecom Network Subscribers Count Losses Continued from page 16

Stanbic IBTC Bank: Contravention Penalties Gulp N2.76bn in 5 Years Continued from page 16

NIN to their phone lines were equally affected.

Since these affected customers were disconnected from the communication networks, the action which left many affected network subscribers disorganised, is still a shock to many. These subscribers, who are into one form of business or the other, have continued to count their losses for the fact that it has become impossible for them to make calls from their handsets.

Speaking on his plight, a spare parts dealer in the Atan area of Ogun State, Mr Emmanuel Ochei, an MTN subscriber, decried the baring of phone numbers, stating that the government would have given more time for an all inclusive participation.

Although, the timeframe given by the Federal Government for subscribers to link their NIN to their phone lines had been postponed several times, giving subscribers enough time to comply, Mr Ochei who had done his NIN linkage since last year, is of the view that more time should be given to them to fix their NIN issues again.

“I know they have postponed the deadline more than eight times; even at that, they should give more time. My business is no longer moving because I cannot follow up my customers. At the home front, I can’t even be with my little son who is doing his birthday at Issele Uku in Delta State”.

The spare parts dealer, however, expressed surprise that the same line that was disconnected can readily load recharge cards without any problem.

Consequently, he alleged that there might be some plans which are exploitative to rip off the network subscribers.

Similarly, Mrs Yetunde Shobowale, a building materials trader resident in the Lekki area of Lagos, equally condemned the action of the government, disclosing that her supply business has been adversely affected.

Mrs Shobowale, who claimed that she had done linkage since 2021, lamented that her phone line was disconnected, adding, “I did the NIN linkage to my line last year and everything was okay. I don’t know why they stopped my line from calling other lines.

Before now, I supplied building materials to contractors. Within this period, my line has been disconnected and I cannot reach out to all the clients. I have to borrow phone before I can now reach out.”

A Lagos based meat seller, Luke Adejuwon, told THEWILL that his GSM phone was THEWILLNIGERIA

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his major channel of supplying meat to his customers. According to him, since his SIM was restricted from making outgoing phone calls, his business has declined.

Accusing telecommunication companies of foul play, Adejuwon said that restricting his phone line without his consent, even after he had linked it with his NIN person amounted to exploitation.

However, during a visit to Ikeja Local Government Area of Lagos State, it was gathered that the number of network subscribers seeking NIN registration had increased.

Investigation shows that some agents assist desperate applicants to secure their National Identity Numbers at the cost of N5, 000, while capturing and initial registration attracts a fee of N1, 000.

The situation is not different at the MTN offices in some parts of Lagos. For instance, MTN offices located at Opebi and Allen Avenue in the Ikeja area are now saddled with the task of handling desperate customers who are either jostling for new SIMs or seeking any possible means of linking their old SIMs to their NIN. Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has raised the alarm over the restrictions ordered by the Federal Government, insisting that barring subscribers, who have not linked their SIM cards to the National Identification Number (NIN) from making phone calls, infringes on their human rights.

SERAP condemned the directive in an open letter to the President, dated April 9, 2022, and signed by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.

“Blocking people from making calls undermines their ability to communicate freely and associate with others. It infringes their rights to freedom of expression and family life, as well as socio-economic rights,” SERAP said.

The organisation said the decision to block people from making calls was inconsistent and incompatible with the country’s international legal obligations to respect, protect, promote and facilitate economic and social rights.

“Access to telecommunications services is a condition sine qua non for the effective exercise of human rights. Therefore, the decision to block people from making calls is discriminatory and a travesty,” the letter added THEWILLNIGERIA

Exchange Commission’s rules and N50 million for a similar capital market rule violation.

The highest penalty of N1.9 billion the bank paid during the 5-year period relates to capital importation documentation which earned it the CBN’s hammar: “Penalty arising from CBN investigation on “irregular” Certificates of Capital Importation (“CCI’s”) issued to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited (MTN Nigeria), between 2007 and 2015 - N1,885,852,847.46.”

The N41 million penalty the bank suffered in 2017 consists of various CBN regulatory guidelines with the imposition of “a penalty of N14m for failure to notify the CBN within thirty days of the re-deployment of members of the staff of Stanbic IBTC to the bank,” – the highest for the year. Others are N4 million imposed for consummating a transaction of N16.35 billion without obtaining CBN approval and for contravening CBN circular.

“CBN imposed a penalty of N4 million for the following breaches: (a) Late reporting of twenty nine (29) suspicious transactions in a timely manner to the relevant authorities; (b) Untimely reporting of Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) to the relevant authorities.

“SEC imposed a penalty of N4,510,000 for the failure to obtain the approval of SEC to utilise the custodian function of the Bank and to hold securities owned by its clients in a nominee account and accept payment on behalf of its clients from individual issuers of securities in contravention of Rule 61(2a) of SEC Rules and Regulations,” the bank stated.

The Chairperson, Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mrs Bisi Bakare, described the development as unfortunate and worrying, though not peculiar with Stanbic IBTC Bank. She said some of the penalties are avoidable if the banks can be more proactive. “It is not peculiar with Stanbic IBTC Bank; other banks pay penalties. My candid advice to the management is to be proactive in their dealings,” she said in a note to THEWILL, adding that the CBN was unnecessarily hard on the banks in matters relating to contravention penalties.

When contacted, the bank did not confirm if it intends to appeal the several contraventions it tagged “alleged” having published the certified and audited accounts for the year. The Department of Corporate Communications said it has no further explanations to its statement that “The bank has written a letter of appeal for a review of the circumstances surrounding these accounts and a waiver of the N200 million fine imposed on the Bank.” The N435 million contravention penalty in 2021 was higher than the N408 million the bank spent on Training Expenses during the year.

Stanbic IBTC Bank is a topmost channel of foreign investment inflow to Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Capital Importation Reports.

Stanbic IBTC received a total of $1.77 billion or 27 percent of the

“

The fines imposed on the bank in 2018 were mainly capital market related. These include a penalty of N20 million for its role in the MTN listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange where it was accused of breaching the rule on trading in unlisted securities. It also paid a penalty of N30 million for breaching Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and N50 million for a similar capital market rule violation

total of $6.7 billion capital inflow recorded in 2021, the highest among the receiving banks. The mid-tier bank received $461 million of $1.9 billion investment inflow in Q1 2021, the second after Standard Chartered Bank’s 633 million.

In Q2 2021, Stanbic IBTC recorded the highest capital inflow of $310.21million out of the $875.62 million recorded by the NBS for the period. The highest investment inflow of $537.92 million came through the bank in Q3 2021 out of a total of $1.74 billion during the period. It received $453.82 million of the $2.19 billion capital importation, second to Ecobank’s $708.59 million in Q4 2021.

The group’s gross earnings decreased by 12.22 percent to N206.65 billion from N234.45 billion in the preceding year, while profit before tax also recorded a decrease from N94.72 billion to N66 billion reflecting a 30.32 percent. Profit after tax decreased by 31.54 percent to N56.97 billion from N83.22 billion for the year ended 31 December 2021.

Its net interest income rose marginally by 1.5 percent to N2.74 billion from N2.49 billion in the preceding period. Loans to customers however rose to N921 billion in 2021 from N625.14 billion in 2020 – reflecting 47.33 percent.

Earnings per share dropped to N4.20 kobo from N6.25 achieved in the previous year as dividend payout also declined to a total of N38.9 billion from the entire sum of N44.5 billion approved in 2020.

Fitch Ratings in September 2021 affirmed the National Long-Term Ratings of Nigeria-based Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC (Stanbic IBTC) and its 99.9 per cent owned subsidiary, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC (Stanbic IBTC Bank), at ‘AAA(nga)’.

The mid-tier bank is active in the support of the agriculture sector. In 2017, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and Stanbic IBTC Bank signed a N50 billion Memorandum of Understanding for agricultural finance scheme through which it has offered robust support to the sector that contributes most to Nigeria’s GDP. The bank said the partnership was aimed at fast-tracking the government’s diversification bid by turning the agric chain to something that can generate revenue for the country.

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CAPITAL MARKET

Ukraine’s Invasion and Power of Defensive Stocks T

BY SOLA ONI

he ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia has opened a Pandora’s Box of deepened crisis on the global economic fault lines. Russia, the second superpower, is daily contending with new sanctions across the globe.

This may reverse the country’s globalization to the level prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union.

That period, its centralized planning was more of autarky or self-sufficiency rather than global trade or financial flows. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union launched Russia into the global economy and the country’s economic reformers took advantage of this to speed up rapid economic growth and development.

Every country is beginning to feel the negative impacts of the current war between Russia and Ukraine and this may snowball into the third world war if not curtailed. Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, the Nigerian economy has been in dire need of structural reform due to a myriad of issues, including macroeconomic vagaries.

Low output, weak purchasing power of consumers, high inflation, currency devaluation and forex scarcity among others. This is not to discount the general effects of insecurity across all economic activities.

Nigeria, like other countries is beginning to face the downside risks of the war through issues such as escalation of energy prices, especially petroleum, diesel, aviation fuel and gas. The Debt Management Office (DMO) says Nigeria’s total public debt stock climbed to N39.556 trillion in 2021 against N32.915 trillion in 2020.

This is another elephant in the room against the 2022 budget implementation.

The ratio of the country’s debt to revenue is above 70 percent, whereas, the government flaunts that debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as window-dressing to create an impression that the country’s borrowing spree is still within the international threshold. Food inflation is on a steady increase as the cost of food stuff, including flour and bread are rising exponentially by the day. Experts have consistently noted that the present state of Nigeria’s economy would continue to fuel inflationary pressures.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia has brought the global financial markets into turmoil. Western countries’ continued global sanctions against Russia have started to have backlash effects on the banks and other companies of these countries. At the last count, no fewer than 20 major companies have existed in Russia. Stock market is information-driven.

The operations of the companies that pulled out of Russia may be affected and such can reduce their income and ability to deliver superior return on investment in the short and medium term. This is fast causing disquiet in the global financial market as investors are nervous on where to put their money under this heightened state of uncertainty. In a volatile investment environment, investors search for safety. They need shelter from the storm.

Investment in defensive stocks is the way to go.

Defensive stocks are for all seasons. The stocks have a dominant position in a huge market.

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sectors are good examples of defensive stocks.

Defensive stocks are those of companies whose products and services are on constant demand irrespective of the changes in the overall economy. Their companies are associated with high cash flow and the stocks align with all phases of the business cycle. For instance, stocks of the companies in utilities, healthcare, consumer stables and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), telecoms and discount retailers sectors are good examples of defensive stocks

Their competitive advantage is sustainable.

They are not like growth stocks that have direct relationship with the economy and therefore susceptible to unpredictable price changes during economic boom and bust.

Defensive stocks are those of companies whose products and services are on constant demand irrespective of the changes in the overall economy. Their companies are associated with high cash flow and the stocks align with all phases of the business cycle. For instance, stocks of the companies in utilities, healthcare, consumer stables and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), telecoms and discount retailers

They are also called non -cyclical stocks because unlike growth or cyclical stocks, they are not highly correlated with any business cycle. Apart from stable earnings they pay regular dividends regardless of the overall state of the market. Defensive stocks protect a portfolio of asset classes from a loss. But the stocks may not offer much growth potential.

They generate substantial long term gains with lower risks during recession. Every investment manager goes for defensive stocks at a period of uncertainties. It takes a terrible catastrophe to derail the operations of such companies.

The grandmaster of investment in stocks, Warren Buffett focuses more on defensive stocks as part of his investment strategy. The stocks as a group have a higher Sharpe Ratio higher than the stock market as a whole. This presents a strong argument that stocks are better than others. The Sharpe Ratio, developed

by William Sharpe helps investors to know their rate of returns in relation to the risks.

Defensive stocks are not without feet of clay.

During bull market, the low volatility of defensive stocks lead to lower gains. Investors who do not contact their stockbrokers for investment advice may panic and dump their defensive stocks. They often later realize that it is a tactical error. The stocks can underperform during periods of economic growth. While other stocks are soaring during economic growth, defensive stocks may remain constant.

Defensive stocks stand the risk of being overvalued during economic decline because many investors would go for the stocks on the basis that they are safety nets.

•Oni is the Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications

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ECONOMY

Local Content @ 12: Capacity Building Remains Game-Changer

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BY SAM DIALA

O

n April 22, 2010, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, then Nigeria’s Acting President, signed into law the Local Content Bill 2010 (now Act), a piece of legislation designed to increase participation of Nigerian ventures and workforce in the oil and gas sector. The Local Content Act is a vital instrument that empowers Nigerian Companies to contribute tremendously towards the development of the Nigerian economy by encouraging value addition, job opportunities, and the award of different oil contracts and undertakings.

From 2016 till now, we’ve moved it from that 25% up to 42%. Ninety-eight percent of the contracts given out in the oil and gas industry are given out to Nigerians. All the activities between the land and swamp are set aside for Nigerian companies. Today, in oil servicing, almost 99% of oil service activities are done by Nigerians. These are guys who open their shop, taking advantage of the Local Content Act

Jonathan had stated that the Board “shall make procedures to guide, monitor, coordinate and implement [the Act] to ensure and enforce measurable and continuous growth of Nigerian content in all oil and gas operations in the country.” The Board thus becomes the Local Content ‘Policeman’ who ensures that, whenever possible, operators will hire Nigerians for all the jobs in the field.

In practical terms, the Act provides for preferential treatment of local ventures and workforce who should be given the first consideration in the award of oil blocks, oil field licences, oil lifting licences and shipping services. Additionally, all projects for which contracts are to be awarded in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall be treated with preference for Nigerian indigenous players.

PRE-LOCAL CONTENT ENVIRONMENT Nigeria was besieged by scavengers from Europe, America and Asia (India precisely) who posed as oil and gas experts before the Local Content Policy inculcated the desired sanity into the industry. It was common then for well-placed Nigerians, including top military and government officials, to pose as agents and representatives of overseas manufacturers whose products and services are used in the industry. The so-called principals, sometimes collaborated with corrupt insiders to inflate their prices. This helped to accommodate certain interests and the commissions of the so-called agents who added no value to the system. At the time, only a few Nigerian companies were interested in capacity building and training of their employees to do what the Local Content Policy now advocates.

Technical areas like installation and servicing of Metering system, construction of Loading Bay, LPG installation, Tank Farm construction, installation of Actuators, Columns, Mechanical Seals, Valves, Steam Trap and other process equipment sercved as conduit for forex drainage. In some cases, the manufacturers sign agreement with Nigerian agents to supply equipment that were at the verge of being phased out, only for the Nigserian party to realise shortly that the spare parts had become obsolete.

Process equipment like metering were phased out so frequently that the manufacturers had to send their experts to install, fix and service the new ones at a huge cost. Only a few focused EPICOM (Engineering, Procurement, Installation, Construction, Operation and Maintenance) Nigerian companies played the patriotic role of sending their technical employees abroad for training in the manufacturers’ facilities.

Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the refineries was a bazaar season. At a time, persons from all walks of life: cattle rearers, furniture makers, mechanic workshop operators, teachers and traders THEWILLNIGERIA

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Wabote

The Act which established the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) with the mandate to oversee the implementation of the provisions of the law, is seen as a revolutionary step towards enhancing Nigeria’s launch into the league of technology-driven economies spurred by the huge opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

became agents and representatives of oil and gas equipment manufacturers. All that mattered was the commission money. Little transfer of technology or skill acquisition was achieved. In one case, the chief executive of a refinery was alleged to have ordered materials in excess of what was required to do the TAM. The excess warehoused equipment and materials remained unused as no TAM was held for years after.

ERA OF LOCAL CONTENT The last 12 years has revolutionised the oil and gas sector by strategic capacity development in a way that has positively impacted on the nation’s GDP through job creation, skill acquisition, tax revenue and economy. It also enhanced the absorption of local communities who now take ownership of the projects in their communities.

“We have expanded our business beyond measure; we now do virtually everything locally without the help of expatriates,” a Port Harcourt-based oil and gas service operator who would not want his name published “because of these tax people”, told THEWILL. He applauded the NCDMB’s role in its monitoring of the industry.

Credit goes to the man at the helm of affairs at NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote, who assumed office as the Executive Secretary in 2016. In a recent interview with THEWILL Downtown, Wabote stated that the Board had recorded significant milestones.

“The idea is that in Nigeria, we’ve made a lot of progress with regard to the local content development in the oil and gas sector. Before we started, the oil industry used to spend about 21 billion dollars year on year in our activities and less than 5 billion of that remained in the country.

“Today as we speak, we’ve taken that ‘less than 5%’ to about 42% Nigerian participation. It is a 10-year plus strategic plan.” He revealed that his predecessors had raised the local content to 25% before his appointment in 2016. “From 2016 till now, we’ve moved it from that 25% up to 42%. Ninety-eight percent of the contracts given out in the oil and gas industry are given out to Nigerians. All the activities between the land and swamp are set aside for Nigerian companies. Today,

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in oil servicing, almost 99% of oil service activities are done by Nigerians. These are guys who open their shop, taking advantage of the Local Content Act.” Industry operators who spoke to THEWILL maintain that the success of the Local Content Policy hinges on capacity building, especially in the aspect of human capital development. They argue that oil and gas is technology-driven and is transforming rapidly to another level where less emphasis is on fossil fuel. .

Edwin Amali, an Engineer running an oil and gas business in the Niger Delta area said NCDMB should develop a plan for the absorption of young engineering and related graduates and attaching them to field operators. “What matters is human capital. The local content initiative goes beyond riding big cars and building big mansions. Otherwise change will overtake us,” Amali said.

The Supervisor, Media and Publicity at NCDMB, Obinna Ezeobi, confirmed that the Board is serious about capacity building. He referred to the research centres of excellence established in five universities by the Board. Engr. Wabote had disclosed in 2021 that the Board had established a $50 million Research and Development Fund to support research findings that have practical utilisation and capability of being commercialized and applied to solve critical problems in the Nation’s economy.

Engr. Wabote who stressed that no country develops sustainably without focusing on research and development also disclosed that the Board had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish Research and Development, R&B, Centers of Excellence in five universities, including Federal Universities of Technology, Minna, Akure and Owerri, Niger Delta University, Amasoma and Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola.

The Act has been fundamental to the promotion and development of indigenous capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Now, in combination with the Petroleum Industry Act, which will complement it, it is expected that the 2027 target for 70 per cent Nigerian content will remain on course. By 2027, Nigeria expects to achieve 70% local content.

Some players however also lament over the Indians and Chinese being hired by some indigenous firms to do the work that Nigerians can do, especially in the downstream sector, thereby jeopardising the Local Content Policy.

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BUSINESS NEWS 25 Industries Partner Ogun on Technical Training For Students FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, (right) presenting a cheque to representatives of Okemesi -Ekiti, during the presentation of cheques to benefitting communities in the self-help programme of the Ekiti State Community and Social Development Agency (EKSDA), in Ado Ekiti on April 12, 2022.

UBA, Cellulant To Expand Payments In 19 African Countries

FMDQ Approves SKLD Integrated Services Maiden CP, Admits Prima Corp

Continued from page 16

MDQ Securities Exchange Limited has announced the approval of the registration of the Integrated Services Limited (SKLD) N2.00 billion Commercial Paper Programme on its platform.

SKLD Integrated Services Limited (SKLD) is an integrated corporate entity providing educational and office supplies, branded product distribution, technology, garment manufacturing and humanitarian aid procurement services through contracts, wholesale, retail and online channels.

This CP Programme which is sponsored

by Coronation Merchant Bank Limited – a Registration Member (Quotations) of the Exchange, positions the Issuer to raise short-term finance from the Nigerian DCM easily, through CP issues within its CP Programme limit.

Speaking on the successful CP Programme registration, the Deputy Managing Director, SKLD Integrated Services Limited, Mr. Tayo Osiyemi stated, “the successful establishment of our N2.00 billion CP Programme confirms SKLD Integrated Services Limited’s ambition to harness the Nigerian capital market, in funding its operations and strategy. It also gives credence to SKLD’s belief in the Nigerian DCM and puts the Company in a position to broaden its potential funding sources and create superior value”.

“We remain steadfast in our objective to unlock value for our stakeholders, while deepening penetration as a supplier of humanitarian relief materials and contract manufacturing for local fashion outfits and contractors. We look forward to a warm reception as we engage with capital market investors under this Programme” Similarly, FMDQ Exchange has equally admitted the Prima Corporation Limited Series 2 Commercial Paper on its platform.

Republic of Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

This network represents one of the primary tools in bringing together Africa’s fragmented payments ecosystem, ensuring Cellulant’s Payment Gateway, Tingg, which is available to a vast number of merchants and consumers in each of these markets.

Already over $15bn in gross value payments are processed by Cellulant across the shared markets – and this partnership has the scope to expand the numbers significantly.

“We are delighted to welcome the United Bank for Africa as a new banking partner,” says Akshay Grover, Group CEO at Cellulant. “As the payments landscape in Africa continues to evolve, we believe that FinTech’s and banks need to have a deeper collaboration in expanding opportunities that will help ease payments & collections for businesses and their consumers across all sectors of the economy.”

“The partnership with UBA extends our unparalleled reach across the continent and gives merchants and consumers in our shared network the opportunity to enjoy streamlined digital payments services directly through their bank.”

Speaking on the partnership, Group Deputy Managing Director, United Bank for Africa, Oliver Alawuba, said: ‘We are happy to welcome Cellulant to Nigeria for this MoU signing and most importantly into UBA’s expansive landscape. UBA is ready; we are indeed set to dominate the entire digital banking space in Africa. “Our bank, as you know, is one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa, providing services to over 25 million customers in 23 countries 20 of which are on

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the African continent. This speaks to our strength and capability in terms of delivering innovative digital solutions to the last mile”.

He continued, “As the needs of our customers change, we are consistently adapting innovative solutions and partnerships to provide them with excellent and convenient services.

With our strategic partnerships, we can accelerate the drive for financial inclusion and economic wellbeing of Africans on the continent. As a customer focused bank we are dedicated to ensuring first rate customer service to all our customers as well as fashion out the best possible ways to ease the way they transact”.

Alawuba during the signing ceremony at the UBA House in Lagos, noted that “Collaborating with Cellulant will allow for maximum impact when it comes to changing lives and introducing smarter ways for people to make payments in Africa”.

The announcement is the latest in a line of new partnerships for Cellulant, as it continues to expand its network with leading financial institutions like UBA. The company’s payments platform, Tingg, now available via 120 banks, is a one-stop payment gateway for multinational corporations, mid-caps and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) alike.

‘Our partnership with UBA is an opportunity to further simplify the payment experience for businesses looking to collect payments online or offline. This is particularly impactful for businesses who face daily administrative challenges because of the industry’s fragmentation.” says David Waithaka, Chief Revenue Officer at Cellulant.

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o fewer than 25 industries have decided to partner the Ogun State Government on training for students of technical institutions on how to operate modern equipment for production.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Education, Prof Joseph Odemuyiwa, disclosed this during an interview at his office in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Odemuyiwa said that the 25 industries signed an agreement with the state government to train the students in 30 per cent theory and 70 per cent practical operations of modern equipment in order to be productive in the future.

He said that such training became imperative to correct the people’s mindset and to make them know that technical education was not for the brainless and the students stand a better chance to use the skills as their livelihood or get employed in the industries.

The special adviser, who argued that if students were properly taught how to operate modern equipment they would be able to compete with the Chinese and Indians for employment, blamed past administrations in Ogun for the poor state of technical education in the state.

Stressing that Governor Dapo Abiodun is partnering the World Bank to develop the education system in Ogun, he said, “We have 25 industries that have signed an agreement with us to collaborate in training our students so that we have 30 per cent theoretical programmes and 70 percent practical programmes in the relevant industries so that our students will have jobs waiting for them., “You cannot be industrial without being mechanical. In industries you have to use machines and you have to use some equipment in the production line and we need to have technical artisans that will be in charge of these.”

“Today we have the problem of bringing in Chinese and Indians to work in our industries because they continue to claim that we don’t have qualified skilled labour. That gap will be filled by technical education so that industries will now have that skilled labour.”

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APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022 APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com THEWILL NEWSPAPER • www.thewillnigeria.com

BUKUNMI ADEAGA-ILORI Still A Work-In-Progress PAGE 21-25 THEWILLNIGERIA

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Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori, a.k.a Kie Kie, is best known for her witty and conversational style of brand influencing and fashion style.

The content creator speaks with IVORY UKONU about her career trajectory and plans for her brand in the nearest future. Excerpts:

Adeaga-Ilori

IT’S NOT EASY TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH – BUKUNMI ADEAGA-ILORI H

ow did you become a content creator?

I started out just like every other content creator. It started with little ideas that grew into something beautiful. As my interest in content creation grew, I began to study other successful skit makers and carried out research on how and what content to create and for what audience. I discovered that every one of the successful content creators I knew had a unique signature style.

At that time I could use the Yoruba language to create content.

It made people laugh and a lot of people liked it. So I decided to give it a shot and it gave birth to the ‘KIKIE’ character. Following that, I collaborated with different skit makers on Instagram. In the course of my interaction with them, I came to realise how much I loved to create content and act. Eventually I said to myself, ‘Why keep all these ideas to yourself when you can actually turn them into proper skits, bring in actors and let them act it out?’ So far, the going has been quite smooth.

Before your big break as a content creator, what were you doing?

I was into fashion and blogging. I was so much in love with styling in fashion that I began to develop it and even came up with ways that people can look good. Also, I offered hot fashion tips to my followers. That was the major focus of my blog.

What inspires the kind of contents you put out?

It’s different strokes for different people, but my contents are inspired by the day-to-day things that happen around me, my wild imaginations and of course, trends and gossip.

How easy or difficult is it for you to create contents?

It is not easy at all. Content creation requires a lot of work, from generating ideas, to writing them, shooting and production.

Sometimes the ideas come to you randomly and you have to put them down in a manner that makes complete sense and still be funny at the same time. It is not easy to make people laugh. Days of hard work are what sums up into a 30 minutes viewing creation for the audience.

How did your family react to your decision to be a skit maker/ content creator?

My parents were very supportive. They are my foremost fans, especially my mum. She practically watches my progress, keeping track of the growth of my followers on social media. She will even know when the growth is slow or when it’s faster. When I started out in 2013, my parents bought me a full production set. They also rented a studio for me in Magodo to kick off. I have also received great support from my siblings. I’m so proud of them all.

Beyond the feedback you get in the comment section of your Instagram page, what other kinds of feedback spur you on?

Every creative person loves to hear that people appreciate their craft. I have received both negative and constructive comments that can help me grow my brand. The ones that spur me on are

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those that come with insulting and demeaning statements, which are not in any way related to the contents.

Have you ever had to deal with negative comments or online stalkers? Could you give an instance of how you handled it?

Negative comments are not news to content creators. For me, I simply don’t reply them because the best way to deal with a troll is to not feed them. If it includes use of vulgar language, I simply remove such comments.

As for online stalkers, I don’t think I’ve experienced any.

Adeaga-Ilori

How about the feedback you get from your older colleagues or celebrities?

Yes, I do get feedback from older colleagues or celebrities. It feels good to have feedback like that. It gives you that beautiful and encouraging feeling of knowing that a celebrity is interested in your content.

Have you thought of trying out your skills in the movie industry?

Of course, it will be a-dream-come-true. I’ve seen content creators taking up roles in movies recently, even though they are not core Nollywood movies. I believe I’m a work-in -progress and that is a long-term plan. Creating content has given me a practice ground and I’m getting good at acting. So, yes, it is something that I’d love to see happen.

Have you ever been involved in a conflict with another skit maker, in terms of similarity in contents?

Not that I can remember. My content is unique and that is what makes me stand out from other content creators. I do my research to make sure it is 100 percent original. I can say that people sometimes try to make comparisons between other content creators and I, but that iss as far as it gets.

So you studied a bit of fashion. Why didn’t you continue your career along that path?

I believe that all the skills you pick up, study or learn are a function of the perfect person you are meant to become. Fashion, acting and blogging came together to make me the unique person that I am today. So, in essence being a content creator was me niching down.

What was growing up like?

I grew up in a very principled and happy family. It was fun. I spent a lot of time with my siblings and we had a great family bonding.

I had quite an adventurous childhood and it has played a great role in shaping me into the woman I’ve grown to become today.

What would you consider to be the challenges of content creation?

The first challenge I’ve faced creating content is time management. You need to invest a lot of time in content creation.

Unfortunately time is never enough and it’s very difficult to manage. Some days you just don’t know what you have achieved and before you know it, the day is gone. The second challenge is having a creative block and not being able to come up with ideas for your contents. Most times you don’t have a choice than to just wait it out. When that happens, you need to relax your brain and take a break. Sometimes changing the environment also helps.

Going on a vacation can give you a fresh perspective of things.

If you weren’t a content creator, what else do you think you would have excelled in?

Fashion definitely. That was my Plan B when I started creating content. There is a huge market for fashion in Nigeria and it is still growing.

Has there ever been a time you thought of quitting what you do?

Not at all, that is why it is important to always do what you love. If the passion is there, believe me even when frustration sets in you will still find motivation in the little progress you’re making and keep moving forward.

You are nominated in the first-ever ‘Best Online Social Content Creator’ category of the forthcoming 8th edition of the AMVCA. What does it feel like being nominated?

I find it so overwhelming to be nominated and can’t thank the organisers enough for the recognition. I urge my fans and supporters to vote for me and ensure that I bring home the award.

What is married life like as a content creator?

It’s really beautiful because I have an understanding husband and we have this wonderful synergy together that makes us a great family in the sense that he helps out with a lot of things when he can and I do the same.

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APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

Stanley Uzochukwu Joins Board of UNIZIK Business School B

BENITO AFRICA SUSPENDS CEO OVER WORKPLACE TOXICITY

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here is something to be said about the workplace toxicity in Nigeria’s technology industry.

A few weeks after Olugbenga Agboola, the CEO and co-founder of one of Nigeria’s largest tech firms, Flutterwave, was accused of insider trading, fraud, impersonation, inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, in the form of bullying, intimidation and even going as far as sabotaging an ex-worker’s job opportunities, another tech firm is in the eye of the storm.

The chief executive officer of Bento Africa, Ebunoluwa Okunbanjo, has been accused of verbally abusing his workers, using swear words, refusing to grant leave and time off to workers, erratic dismissal of workers without following due process, etc.

Ebun was also accused of allegedly telling the workers he sacked that they would not get jobs anywhere else. At first, Ebun went on the offensive after the accusations were

made public and tried to defend his actions. He would later apologise for his actions, acknowledging his flaws while adding that he had engaged a full time therapist to work on him.

Unfortunately, that did nothing to change the decision of the members of the company’s board to give him some time off and to stop him from partaking in decisionmaking for the time being.

The board also promptly revoked any non-disclosure agreement that was allegedly put in place by Ebun.

It also initiated an active inquiry into Bento Africa’s work ethic with a commitment to ensuring that the company becomes the leading voice for the transformation of every workspace into psychologically safe spaces that allow employees to thrive.

Bento Africa, which used to be

Okubanjo known as VerifiNG, is a business solutions company whose flagship product, Pay by Bento, is a cloudbased salaries and benefits solution that helps businesses do more with less.

This is not the first time that Ebun has behaved in an erratic and abusive manner. Back in 2020, as the CEO of Lekki Fitness and Gym Centre, Ebun failed to control his anger and addressed a female client in such a harsh manner that it looked as if he was almost going to get physical with her. The woman who had complained about the centre’s poor services and asked for a refund of her money, had no choice but to document their altercation and post it on social media.

arely four months after he was appointed as a member of the Governing Council of the Igbinedion University in Edo State, thus making him the youngest member of the body in the history of the institution, the Chairman of Stanel Group of Companies, Stanley Uzochukwu, has again added another feather to his cap. The 38-year-old who keeps astounding many, including his competitors, with his achievements, has been appointed as a member of the board of the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University Business School.

Other highly esteemed and distinguished personalities who will be joining him on the board include - Chairman Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Dr ABC Orjiakor; CEO Chisco Group, Dr Chidi Anyaegbu MFR; President/CEO Ultimus Holdings, Dr Ifeanyi C. Odii; Chairman/CEO Nero’s Pharmaceutical, Dr Poly Emenike; CEO M-P Infrastructures Ltd, Dr Clement Nwogbo; Founder, Centre for Value in Leadership, Prof Pat Utomi; Dr Okey Anueyiagu - Founder, Dr Okey Anueyiagu

Uzochukwu Foundation and Dr Cosmas Maduka, CEO of Coscharis Group. with these appointments, UNIZIK Business School will, no doubt, experience a complete shift.

From an obscure background, to setting up mega businesses, Stanley has done quite well for himself in the business world to earn the respect of many. And

Double Tragedy Hits Adolphus Wabara

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ne of Nigeria’s former Senate presidents, Adolphus Wabara has been having it rough in recent times, both on the home front and in other areas of his life. The businessman and politician is currently bereaved.

Adolphus who was the first ever Senate president to resign from his position lost his wife, Felicia Wabara, last Sunday after a protracted illness. She was aged 69.

The deceased had been married to the former Senate President for 40 years. The sad news of her death came a few weeks after her husband was sacked as the Chairman of the Governing Council of Abia State University by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Wabara’s sin was that he

Okowa Positions Daughter For Seat in Delta House of Assembly

Okowa-Daramola

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t looks like Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State is about to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, political godfather and former Governor of the state, James Onanefe Ibori, who ensured that his daughter, Erhiatake was elected as a member of the Delta State House of Assembly, even when he was still serving a jail term in the United Kingdom.

Okowa is planning to position his daughter, Marilyn OkowaDaramola, for a seat in the House of Assembly. The decision to field Marilyn was arrived at after it was observed that a certain section of Ika North East had occupied a seat THEWILLNIGERIA

in the House of Assembly for 20 years. Okowa’s foot soldiers decided that it would not be out of place for other sections of Ika North East to take their turn. And who better placed to occupy the seat other than Okowa’s daughter whom they deemed to be eminently qualified. The governor’s loyalists claim that he was initially reluctant to openly push his daughter to occupy the seat, but later gave in to the wishes of the people of the community and the local government area. Like his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu who appointed his son, Babajide the Director-General of the state Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit, an action the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party considers THEWILLNG

just as he firmly has his money spinners on lockdown, so has he also firmly secured the home front.

The gangly dude is married to Irene, daughter of the minister of women affairs, Pauline. Both were at some point allegedly separated due to circumstances beyond their control but they are reportedly back together as man and wife.

a flagrant abuse of office and an affront on the people of Ondo State, Okowa appointed his daughter as his Senior Special Assistant on GirlChild Empowerment.

Wabara

openly demanded the micro zoning of the governorship ticket in Abia, arguing that nobody had the authority to decide the next governor of the state. He also warned that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) might take over the state in 2023 if the governing Peoples Democratic Party failed to get its act together.

Expectedly, Ikpeazu was annoyed by Wabara’s comments and shortly afterwards, kicked him out of the ABSU governing council before dissolving the body with immediate effect.

Wabara was Senate President between 2003 and 2005.

He continued his tenure as a member of the Senate until 2007 when he finally stepped down.

Uzoma Dozie ‘Sparkles’ With New Bank

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ollowing his exit from the banking industry, after Diamond Bank was acquired by Access Bank, not a few people assumed that the former Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie, might be interested in the business of photography or other lifestyle ventures that he is quite passionate about. But the son of boardroom guru, Pascal Dozie, has shown that he is not done with banking yet, with his newest business interest, Sparkle, a digital bank. While many have applauded him for his tenacity and courage, not

a few have questioned his managerial ability because of the manner with which Diamond Bank, nurtured by his father and left for him to manage, allegedly went down the hill so fast that it almost crashed but for the timely intervention of Access Bank.

Some have also wondered why Uzoma is the face of the enterprise as it would have been better if he operated from the background, with someone else selling the Sparkle brand. They argue that with him as the face of the digital bank, Sparkle would be a hard sell,

considering his antecedents in Diamond Bank.

In essence, these pundits think that Uzoma does not exactly come across as an ideal image-maker for a financial institution. They allude to the fact that being the face of the Sparkle brand shows that he is desperately eager for an opportunity to prove that he is not down and out after his time in Diamond Bank. But having raised about N1.2 billion to drive his new enterprise, perhaps, critics should give him a chance and see what he eventually makes of Sparkle Bank.

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STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

Dino Melaye Flaunts Multi-Million-Naira Campaign Headquarters

CHIEF JOSEPH TORIOLA’S CONTROVERSIAL ‘JOURNEY’ TO MODAKEKE THRONE

Toriola

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he Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, is in a gay mood. The reason is because his father, Chief Joseph Olubiyi Toriola, is now the new Ogunsua of Modakeke town in Osun State. Oba Toriola was installed as the 20th Ogunsua of Modakeke last week. His installation came barely one month after the demise of his predecessor, Oba Moses Oyediran

of the Ajombadi Ruling House, who passed away at the age of 95.

The newly crowned king waited for 43 years to ascend the throne, but not without getting involved in some controversies. The business mogul was accused of disrupting the peaceful co-existence of Modakeke town for a couple of years before he was crowned king.

In 2018, after Oba Francis Olatunji Adedoyin, the 18th Ogunsua of Modakeke town passed on, Toriola, who was a chief at the time, tried to prevent the crowning of Chief Oladejo Oyediran, the Balogun of the town, as the next king.

Although Chief Toriola was aware that in the history of the Ogunsua Modakeke stool, the highestranking chief, usually the Balogun of the town, should be crowned and that it was Oyediran’s turn to ascend the throne, he opposed it vehemently. He challenged

Oyediran’s candidacy, based on some health challenges, which many of the traditional council members argued was old age-related. Toriola was not convinced and he insisted that the next person in rank should take over the coveted title. The town’s youths beat him up for being audacious and stripped him of his chieftaincy beads before the issue was eventually resolved and Chief Oyediran was crowned the 19th Ogunsua of Modakeke Kingdom.

Shortly after the death of Oba Oyediran, Toriola started another campaign to stop the next candidate for the kingship from being crowned. He sponsored some people to announce that the next candidate, Chief John Adeboye Okunola, was dead.

Youths within the community had to visit Okunola to ascertain what Toriola said. However, it was discovered that Okunola was still alive and in good health. It became the subject of another tussle between some elders of the community, who were supporting Chief Toriola and the youths, who wanted a peaceful succession plan. Both parties had to sit down and agree on what was best for the community and how to continue with the peaceful co-existence of indigenes. The traditional council had to step in and chose Toriola, who eventually emerged as the new monarch of the community.

a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja ordered Gladys to serve the respondents an amended originating summons within seven days. The respondents are also expected to file in their responses to the amended originating summon through their lawyers within 14 days while the warring parties have been directed to appear in court on May 12, 2022 to deliberate on the matter.

It all began when the family was planning to give the late Kanu a befitting burial in Lagos, Imo and Abia States between October 13 and 15, 2021.

However, Gladys filed a lawsuit in an Ikeja High Court against her husband’s first wife, Josephine Kanu, the second wife, Christine Kanu, his older children and the Nigerian Navy.

She wanted his body released to her for burial. But Justice Christopher Balogun of the Ikeja High Court ordered the Nigeria Navy not to release the corpse of the late Rear Admiral Kanu

until the case was resolved. The body was later released and he was buried in October 2021. As the military Governor of Lagos State, Josephine, his second wife, was the first lady but they divorced under the Native Law and Customs of Nigeria. The union produced seven children. In 1993, Kanu married Gladys in a church wedding that was well attended and the two lived together until Kanu passed away in 2021.

Gladys Kanu at War With Late Husband’s Wives, Children, Nigerian Navy

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he last has not been heard about the family crisis rocking the household of the late former military governor of Lagos and Imo States, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Godwin Kanu (retd.) The crisis, which started in 2021 when the former governor passed away on January 13 due to COVID-19 complications, has thrown up some court cases all of which has culminated into his third wife, Gladys Ndubuisi-Kanu amending her original petition to the court asking the Nigeria Navy to calculate and pay the entitlement and benefits of her late husband, into an interest-yielding dedicated account.

Gladys is also seeking to be declared as the only legal wife and sole widow of the deceased, having lived with him until he breathed his last. She also noted that she was married to him for 27 years but was in a relationship with him for 31 years.

Respondents to the amended suit are the Nigerian Navy, the children of the deceased and other wives of the deceased. They are Kelly Kanu, the Nigerian Navy, Simone Abiona (Nee Kanu), and Andrey Joe- Ezigbo (nee Kanu). Others are; Paula Ndidiamaka Kanu and Karen Johnson (Nee Kanu), Jeffery Kanu, Laura Kanu, Stephen Kanu, Josephine Ndubuisi-Kanu (wife) and Christine Kanu (wife).

Following her amended petition,

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OLADAPO ASHIRU BECOMES FIRST BLACK SECRETARYGENERAL OF IFFS

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he Chief Medical Director of Medical Assisted Reproduction Technology, (MART) and Healthcare Services, Prof Oladapo Ashiru has emerged the first black Secretary-General of International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) Executive Council for 2022. His tenure which will last for three years, ends in 2025.

IFFS is a long-standing global organisation representing National Fertility Societies since 1968. The world body on fertility is in an official relationship with the World Health Organization, WHO. The organization encompasses an estimated 50,000 physicians and reproduction medicine specialists worldwide including various healthcare professionals.

Prof Ashiru is the only African in the new Executive Council of the global organisation. His focus as part of the Executive Council is on improved reproductive health throughout the globe, provision of opportunities to share cutting-edge research and exploration of new ideas.

The renowned professor of Anatomy has scored a few ‘firsts’ in his sojourn in the medical world. He was the first youngest professor ever appointed in medicine in Nigeria. He was responsible for the birth of the first tube baby in Nigeria and WestAfrica, though he was assisted by his colleague, Prof Giwa-Osagie. The baby was born in 1989, as a result of their unique work on the technique of In-vitro fertilization. They both pioneered IVF and embryo transfer in West Africa. Ashiru was also the first to record a successful live birth of a sickle cell free baby through the technique of pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT). Trained at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1974, he obtained his master’s degree in Anatomy from the University of Nebraska in 1978 and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the same University in 1979. He is fondly referred to as the father of In-Vitro fertilization (IVF) in West Africa.

enator Dino Melaye, the former lawmaker representing Kabba/Ijumu federal constituency in the 2015 senatorial election has erected a state of art edifice in Kabba, Kogi State which will serve as his campaign headquarters as he warms up to take over from his friend turned foe, Governor Yahaya Bello come 2023. The ultra-modern complex project commenced last year after Melaye decided to give his governorship ambition another trial. The former lawmaker may have suffered a setback as a gubernatorial candidate in 2019, however, he is determined to have a landslide victory come 2023.

The campaign office is located in the highbrow area of Kabba town. The building sits atop virgin land which was given to the senator as part of the community’s effort in supporting his political ambition. The duplex has already been furnished and political activities have since resumed in the complex.

Ahead of his gubernatorial Melaye

ambition, the senator has received the endorsement of political bigwigs in Kogi State and he has been moving round his constituency and the state at large to seek their approval and blessing as he continues preparations to take over the helm of affairs in the State.

The unveiling of the multi-million edifice was greeted with mixed reactions by indigenes who are happy that the senator has commenced preparation to transform the state, while others questioned the impact he made when he was a senator that would warrant seeking another elective post in the state.

Prophet Odumeje’s Church Marked For Demolition in Anambra State

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ontroversial General Overseer of The Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Chukwemeka Odumeje, more popularly known as Indabosky Bahose or Liquid metal, may lose his multi-million naira church edifice located at Bida Road, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The state-of-the-art edifice which houses the ministry and some offices have been marked for demolition by Governor Chukwuma Soludo. As part of his urban renewal initiative and move to restore the beauty of Anambra State, the governor took the step to remove all illegal structures and demolish buildings standing on flood channels in the state.

The desilting of the Onitsha waterway commenced recently to avert environmental threats associated with flooding. The act necessitated Odumeje

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the removal of structures, churches, residential and industrial buildings that would disrupt the work going on in that area. Unfortunately, the over 20,000 capacity sitting ultra-modern building which gulped millions of naira to erect was marked as one of the major churches to receive Soludo’s sledge hammer. It was gathered that the prophet has been having sleepless nights since the church was marked for demolition. He has been making frantic efforts to stop the state ggovernment from carrying out its plan but has not succeeded.

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STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN

How Segun Ogungbe Keeps His Two Wives Happy

MEET TEMITOPE OGUNSEMO, FORBES FUTURE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IT EXPERT

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emitope Ogunsemo, the Chief Executive Officer of Krystal Digital Solutions has emerged the Forbes Africa’s Nigeria future digital transformation IT expert. The 38-year-old was listed in the Forbes Africa Undiscovered Series for Nigerians who are game-changers, self-starters, innovators and disruptors who have been crucial in rebuilding and contributing to the nation’s growth.

Ogunsemo’s emergence in the Information Technology category has been applauded most especially because of his tenacious leadership and remarkable contribution to Nigeria’s educational sector with the development of ‘Myskool Portal’, an app which is his company’s flagship product.

The app was developed as a result of the challenge he had while trying to secure his academic

transcript from the University of Ibadan.

It was a difficult and frustrating experience for him and he saw the potential to develop a school Information Management System that would not only improve the storage, preservation and retrieval of academic records but would also position schools to harness the benefits of digitisation.

Over the years, ‘Myskool Portal’ has helped school management to increase its productivity and efficiency in the management of School’s data and information.

The bespoke educational solution also reduced frequent paper work and manual processing of students’ grades and other records.

It was embraced by Lagos State

Rotimi Makinde Eyes House of Reps Again

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ctor turned politician, Rotimi Makinde, has not given up on politics yet. The erstwhile lawmaker, who once represented Ife Federal Constituency in Osun State at the 7th National Assembly in 2011 under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), is planning to contest in the 2023 House of Representatives election in Osun State under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Makinde hopes to reclaim the House of Reps seat he lost to rival Albert Adeogun of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015. Some of his loyalists have already started canvassing support on his behalf. Some of them are distributing flyers declaring him THEWILLNIGERIA

as the preferred candidate of the APC. He is currently consulting with the elders of his party, particularly those at the helm who are in a position to give his ambition a deserved nod.

Makinde’s political ambition suffered a major setback in 2015 after losing to the candidate of the major opposition party. The lawmaker had spent most of his fortune in a lavish wedding to ex-beauty queen, Oyebanke Oyelami, in 2013.

He was almost broke and hoped to rise again financially after his re-election.

In a bid to secure his seat at the National Assembly, he allegedly donated a large sum of money to a Ahmed Bola Tinubu as his contribution to the burial of the latter’s mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, who died in 2014. The gesture had signaled his intention to ‘water the ground’ ahead of the 2015 election. Unfortunately, he lost at the polls.

Makinde had bitterly complained of the forces of intimidation and harassment that were used to manipulate the election. The lawmaker was in shock for a long time because the money invested in his re-election went down the drain. He immediately withdrew into his shell and set up Oodua FM in Ajebandele, Ife, Osun State while nursing his wounds for a long time.

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Ogunsemo Government and it has been effectively used in most secondary schools across the State. A graduate of Industrial Chemistry from the University of Ibadan and a Masters in Information Management System from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, Ogunsemo is a recipient of several awards in the digital space.

ctor Segun Ogungbe is one of the few Nollywood actors married to two beautiful women, Atinuke and Omowumi, and still enjoying marital bliss.

The talented actor has succeeded in keeping the two women without fear of confrontations and drama peculiar to polygamous families.

He got married to Atinuke, his first wife, when he was still a struggling Nollywood practitioner. Omowumi The Ogungbes was his close friend. The two became an item time and their husband brags a few years after Omowumi about it to his friends. The secret got interested in acting. It was of his blissful home, THEWILL when she became pregnant gathered, was that he ensured that Segun decided to take her that both women became best as his second wife in 2015. friends. He introduced Atinuke Segun successfully kept his to acting and gave her lead private life away from the roles in some of his movies, prying eye of the public and while providing financial got many shocked when they support to Omowumi’s movie got to know that he had two productions. women rocking his world.

The actor has been seen on Both women have been living some occasions in company peacefully together for a long with his wives at public

functions, dressed in the same clothes and looking happy and contented. He also lavishes cash, love and affection on the women whenever they celebrate their birthdays.

Both women celebrate their birthdays, which are just five days apart in April. Now the two women are so close that they celebrate each other’s achievements, no matter how little. They also feature each other in their respective movies.

KSA Ends Rumoured Rivalry With Ebenezer Obey

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egendary Juju artiste, Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, also known as King Sunny Ade, finally put an end to a rumoured rivalry with Ebenezer Obey–Fabiyi on Sunday, April 3, 2022 during the 80th birthday celebration of the music icon. KSA was one of the guests of the Fabiyis as they marked Obey’s birthday at Decross Gospel Mission headquarters in Agege, Lagos State.

Seated next to the celebrant, KSA was dressed in the same colourful aso ebi as other guests. He was applauded for his signature dance steps as he enjoyed himself and stayed on till the close of the event. The two music icons were whispering to each other's ear and smiling cheerfully while the event lasted. Many of their fans were excited to

see both of them relating together and celebrating each other.

This development is coming many years after a rumour erected a wall between the two artistes. There was even talk about the celebrity juju musicians not being in speaking terms for a very long time until Fabiyi started his evangelistic ministry about 30 years ago.

It was said that whenever either of them performed at an event, the event would be disrupted by overzealous fans pointing accusing fingers at the other artiste. There was hardly any recorded song released by one that was not described as derogatory to the other.

At a point, two elders in the Juju music industry, Adeolu Akinsanya and I.K Dairo, had to step in to broker peace between Adeniyi & Fabiyi the two parties.

Jimmy Odukoya Makes Hollywood Debut

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Odukoya

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immy Odukoya, the first son of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of the Fountain of Life Ministries, has made his debut in Hollywood.

Jimmy, who also doubles as a pastor, appeared in TriStar’s historical African epic movie, The Woman King. The movie, directed by Gina PrinceBythewood, also featured Oscar award winning actress, Viola Davis, John Boyega, Grammy award winner, Angelique Kidjo, Thuso Mbedu, Masali Baduza and a host of other notable actors.

Odukoya did not cast for the role. It came as an offer from the director who had been looking for the most

suitable actor to fit into the character. He was sent a direct message on social media by the director who interrogated him before they finalized their deal.

The director and producer of the movie had gone to five different countries, spoken to seasoned and award winning actors just to get the best person to fit into the character they were looking for. None of the people the producer met fit perfectly into the role until Odukoya’s name was suggested. The movie was first announced in 2018, but the project was suspended till 2019 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The project had to

be put on hold till shooting resumed in 2021.

The elated actor described his involvement in the epic movie as a quantum leap in his acting career. The movie, The Woman King is a historical epic inspired by true events that took place in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states in Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. The story follows Nanaisca, commander of an all-female military unit and Nawi, an ambitious recruit, who together, fight their enemies who violate their honour, enslave their people and threaten to destroy everything they have lived for.

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SHOTS OF THE WEEK Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]

L-R: Energy Analyst and Editor, Champion Newspapers, Ugo Amadi; Head, National Data Repository, (NDR), Bashir Indabawa; Chief Strategy Officer, Axxela Limited, Olufisayo Duduyemi and General Manager, Nigerian Electricity Commission (NERC), Sharfuddeen Zubair Mahmoud, at the Africa Economic Summit 2022 in Lagos on April 6, 2022.

L-R: Finance Director, Rob Kleinjan; Marketing Director, Emmanuel Oriakhi; MD/CEO, Hans Essaadi; Corporate Affair Director, Sade Morgan; Sales Director, Uche Unigwu; Chain Director, Martin Kochi, and Company Secretary, Uaboi Agbebaku, (All from Nigerian Breweries PLC), during the 76th Pre-AGM of NB Plc, Media Briefing at Ikeja GRA, Lagos on April 7, 2022.

L-R: Manager, Business Development, Dubai Northern Emirates, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Mohammed Al Zaabi; Managing Director/CEO, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Haruna Jalo-Waziri; Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, ADX, Saeed Al Dhaheri and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited, Temi Popoola, during a tour to Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange on April 4, 2022..

L-R: Regional President, CEMEA, Visa, Andrew Torre; Founder and CEO of Sparkle, Uzoma Dozie; Business Development Leader, Sales and Acquisitions, Visa, Fagbulu Olufunmi; Head of Digital Partnerships & Solutions, CEMEA, Visa, Otto Williams, and Founder /Group CEO, Paga. Tayo Oviosu, at the launch of Visa’s Innovation Studio for Sub-Saharan Africa, in Nairobi on April 6, 2022.

L-R: Managing Director, Custodian Investment PLC, Mr. Wole Oshin; Chairman, Dr. Omobola Johnson and company L-R: Vice President, Finance, Airtel Nigeria, Adenike Ayeye and Head, Taxation, Airtel Nigeria, Mary Okoro, during the secretary, Mr. Adeyinka Jafojo, at the 27th Annual General Meeting of Custodian Investment PLC, in Lagos on April FIRS Stakeholder Engagement Session, held at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja on March 29, 2022.

8, 2022.

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EASTER SPECIAL Don’t Stop Praying For Peace, Ewhrudjakpo Tells NIGERIA PRAYS, Others FROM DAVID OWEI, YENAGOA

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The Symbolic Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Cross by Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin to mark the 2022 Good Friday in Lagos on April 15, 2022.

Photo: Peace Udugba.

Allow God's Unending Love to Reign, Obasa Urges Nigerians

Tinubu Urges Nigerians to Emulate Jesus Christ’s Sacrificial Lifestyle

he Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has sent greetings to Christians across Nigeria as they join the rest of the world in the celebration of this year's Easter.

In an Easter message released by his media office, Obasa noted the divine love of God for mankind as confirmed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated by Christians all over the world at Easter.

He argued that such love, if spread among neighbours, will help to put Nigeria in an enviable position in the comity of nations.

According to Obasa, love comes before other considerations for a society's existence or progress.

"It is love that propels peace. It is love that makes leaders want to act right. Love helps followers to live in unity. Even Jesus noted that loving

member of the National Assembly representing Lagos Central Senatorial District in Lagos State, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to emulate Jesus Christ’s sacrificial lifestyle.

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your neighbour is one of the most important commandments of God. "It is love that will help us build faith in our country and grow it further from where it currently stands. With love, there can't be cases of man's inhumanity to man.

"Just as Easter allows us to understand the importance of love and forgiveness, I want to urge Nigerians to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with sober reflection on His virtues and the lessons He left behind," Obasa said.

The Speaker further urged Christians to use the opportunity of the celebration to pray for a better Nigeria, a peaceful 2023 election and divine wisdom for the leaders of the country.

He promised that the Lagos State House of Assembly would continue to promote peaceful co-existence among residents by passing propeople laws, motions and resolutions.

PDP Governorship Aspirant Charges Christians on Easter Values

BY UKANDI ODEY, JOS governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Caleb Mutfwang, has called on Christians to use the occasion of Easter to act and exemplify its values and significance.

In an Easter message circulated in Jos last Friday, Mutfwang charged Christians not to allow the essence of the Lenten season fritter away without showing love and good neighbourliness during the Easter celebrations.

"As we celebrate the persecution, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I wish the entire

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Christian faithful safe, successful, and love-filled celebration,” he said.

He called on Christians to use the opportunity provided by the Easter celebrations to promote the virtues of love, sacrifice, care and sharing of peace and warmth to strengthen the morale of being one another's keeper.

For those who observed the Lenten season, he said, "The lessons of surrender, self-denial, supplication and spiritual communion etc, must not be jettisoned especially as we continue to trust God for the solutions to insecurity and hunger in the land."

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She made the call in an Easter message issued on Friday.

"This is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ, and the promise of hope and glory in him.

It is a reminder of the renewal and victory we have in Jesus: God’s ability to supernaturally turn things around, transform hopelessness into hope, give abundant joy and make a way where there appears to be none.

"It may seem like there is not much to celebrate because the world, not just Nigeria, is faced with so much unrest, insecurity, rising cost of goods and services, higher inflation rates, among others. In spite of it all, we must continue to do our best to arrest the situation, upholding justice and fairness, while praying for God’s intervention in all our affairs.

“In addition, we must not lose sight of the things that are working well in our favour, build on the positive and safeguard our commonwealth.

"Jesus, through his life exemplified giving of oneself, sacrificial service and consideration for others. As individuals, we must find opportunities daily to extend the compassion, kindness and brotherliness that Jesus teaches to the people around us."

She therefore wished Nigerians "a happy Easter, renewed hope, and the blessings of the resurrection."

he Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on Thursday urged the Nigeria Prays group and other Christian organisations in the country not to relent in their prayers for the peace and unity of the country.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who spoke during a courtesy visit to his office in Government House, Yenagoa by the leadership of the Bayelsa State Chapter of Nigeria Prays, noted that prayers had played a critical role in preventing the disintegration of Nigeria.

To this end, he commended Nigeria Prays, especially its founder and former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd.), for mobilising Nigerians for regular, fervent and result-oriented prayers for the nation.

Ewhrudjakpo told members of the group that their prayers for the nation were working, which was why Nigeria had not witnessed the kind of upheavals that took place in countries like Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan and others.

He said that the country needs more intensified prayers to sustain its unity and progress, in view of the challenges threatening its corporate existence and well-being.

The deputy governor particularly charged the state chapter of Nigeria Prays and churches to organise special inter-denominational monthly prayer programmes for Bayelsa and the entire country, preferably at the Bayelsa Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene.

He urged individuals and Christian groups to make use of the Ecumenical Centre, noting that the facility which is primarily built to promote the worship of God in the state is currently underutilised.

He said, "Let me use this opportunity to give Nigeria Prays a pat on the back and particularly to former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon for their efforts in mobilising Christians to pray for our country.

"I strongly believe that without prayers, Nigeria would have collapsed a long time ago. Your prayers and that of other groups are actually working for this country. If not, we would have had the kind of upheavals that took place in Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan and other countries.

"That is why we must not relent in fervently praying for the peace, unity and progress of our country because it is one of the potent efforts to keep it together."

Speaking earlier, the State Coordinator of Nigeria Prays, Pastor Paul Obonaje, thanked the Bayelsa State Government for providing a befitting secretariat and supporting its 2020 prayer rally in the state.

He appealed to the government to fulfill its promise to provide a monthly subvention and to employ secretarial staff to man the Nigeria Prays office at the Ecumenical Centre.

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ARTS

Legend of Kukuruku Hills & Other Stories

BY MICHAEL JIMOH he famous Kukuruku Hills have existed for thousands of years long before the first settlers found a home beneath its rocky boulders. Legend has it that Igarra people of yore found solace in the caves scattered here and there in the hills anytime raiders invaded.

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The story still goes that the natives made a beeline to the safety of the hills after a town crier forewarned his compatriots of the attackers from out of town. And guess how did the town crier warn the people of Igarra? By blowing on his horn and making the sound kukuruku like a cock crowing. Thus did Kukuruku Hills serve as a sanctuary for generations of dwellers below.

These days there are no communal clashes between Igarra and neighbouring or far-flung communities. Still, others have a found a use for the hills – the creative community. In 2001, Funso Ayejina published his Commonwealth prize-winning collection of short stories, Legend of the Rocky Hills and Other Stories, with the hills as setting in some of them.

Twenty-two years after, another writer has appropriated the legend of the hills to write a book around it. Ms. Edith Onize Aiyede is a realtor by profession. But she always wanted to write.

“I have always wanted to write, to publish,” the author said on Saturday April 9 at Freedom Park Broad Street, Lagos, where her book was publicly presented. “I have always wanted to write what people can read and relate to. Even though I am a realtor, there has always been that innate desire to do this, like ok, you have a number of things and the world needs to see it. So, why not let people see it. Why not do it? When you write as a creative, you don’t know how people are going to receive it. You just have to do the best that you can and hope that, somehow, the effort you put into it yields something that people can connect with it.”

More than the two dozen guests at the presentation seemed to connect with author and book at the presentation as she read passages from it. Pascal Otts of the French Cultural Centre had an open copy. So with Michel Deelen, consulate-general of Netherlands in Lagos. Both also posed with her during the unveiling proper.

Other guests listened under the leafy awning of the towering trees in The Garden, asked questions about the book and then listened some more. What’s more, Ms. Aiyede literally transported Igarra to Lagos via her collection of short stories: the town’s cultural festivals; a locally-woven fabric was draped on a stand; the DJ completed the ambience with home-made music which one or two guests danced to enthusiastically.

From left: Pascal Otts, Opi, Michel Deelene, Onize Aiyede and Paul Okomayin at the book presentation at Freedom Park.

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I have always wanted to write, to publish, I have always wanted to write what people can read and relate to. Even though I am a realtor, there has always been that innate desire to do this

identify with Aiyede’s story. Undisturbed by predators, goats get to throw their weight around sometimes, merrily scooping mouthfuls of grains left to dry on the ground, grabbing yam tubers when your back is turned. Under such circumstances, confrontations between humans and beast becomes inevitable.

The author had more than enough with Aya the evil goat.

“hide and seek in caves, rock climbing” she was fond of.

This is what Ms. Aiyede has availed readers, a close look at some of the incidents she personally went through in her younger years. As such, it should read as a bio. Instead, the author offers us a rich tapestry of her lived experiences in short, captivating stories.

Being a woman, you could also say she is a myth buster, questioning some of the cultural practices and beliefs common with the people of Igarra. For instance, why are women barred from watching night masquerades but not the ones who display in the daytime? She even probes further: why are adults always right and children wrong even though it is sometimes blindingly obvious that adults themselves really do not know it all?

Those are questions readers are bound to find unsettling in Kukuruku Girl but no answers to. Nearly 200-pages long, the collection comes complete with translations of Igarra words and usages into English, for easy understanding by non-native readers.

On one occasion, looking to revenging a past misdeed by the author, Aya waited until one day she was in the convenience.

Assuming the classical bovine charge, the goat rammed the author from behind straight on her mess.

Wowed by the publication, a reviewer has described Kukuruku Girl as a “candid delivery of experiences which were fun and tragic at some point while revealing other aspects which were mischievous and humbling.”

Most guests at the event would readily agree that Aiyede herself has written her way into history. Though Edo state is not short of female novelists, she is the first to have written and published something comprehensive – not history, please – about Igarra.

What is remarkable about Kukuruku Girl is the sense of rusticity readers feel all through: the swim in the village river, fetching water from the local spring and encountering reptiles and fish you were forbidden to kill. Some of them were near tragic incidents. As she tells it, the author had gone to swim with some of her friends and relations. Her older sister was almost insultingly washed away by a fast-flowing current.

Edi Lawani is equally bowled over by Kukuruku Girl, writing in the Foreword thusly: “The essence of her cultural heritage pops out very strongly and this makes the collection of stories take on a historical dimension.”

In her late thirties to early forties, Ms. Aiyede tells her story through the eyes of youngster and not as an adult. It is just perfect because writing as an adult would have resulted in an unbalanced publication. For one, an adult may be prone to unnecessary embellishments. But from the very first story to the last, the author lays it bare for readers, the good and the bad, warts and all.

As expected, there is a chapter devoted to Kukuruku Hills, how she survived adventures there. “I lived the most adventurous part of my childhood away from my parents and siblings,” Ms. Aiyede confesses. “Mud houses were built at the foot of the hills. I remember looking long at them and scared they might fall and crush the buildings and every unlucky being in them.

But that never happened, still hasn’t, and probably never will.”

Take the author’s encounter with a stubborn goat which she recounts in Chapter Two. Of course, anyone who has had a run in with domestic animals in rural areas will readily

Fascinating as the decrepit structures were to the author, it was the hills that caught and riveted her attention most. In time, friends started calling her “rock monkey” because of the

Of course such privileges are rare in Lagos. But it was made possible by the author with a book about growing up as a youngster in her natal town. It is remarkable. Autographing a copy for a guest, Ms. Aiyede wrote: “May our stories find their way into the books of history.”

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Are there female role models for Ms. Aiyede? Yes, she replied.

Writers Chimamanda Adichie and Sefi Atta. She has read all of Atta’s fiction and she confesses she likes Swallow. As for Adichie, it is her Americanah Aiyede finds enchanting such that she can read it over and over again. More important to her is what she thinks of the author of Purple Hibiscus. “She is premium.”

After a first publication, Ms. Aiyede is not likely to be described as “premium” as far as writing is concerned.

Already, she is working on two manuscripts, one fiction and another non-fiction. In the coming years and as her writing matures, someone – a female writer just possibly - may likely use that phrase to describe Ms. Aiyede herself.

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SportsLive

BY JUDE OBAFEMI

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Eguavoen’s unenviable trajectory of handling the senior team, to say nothing of two-time record coaching the country’s age-range teams like the Under-20 team between 2002 and 2003 and the Under-23 team between 2010 and 2011, is not one to be boastful about. If anything, the less than glamorous outcomes of his most recent failings, at AFCON and in the March Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier playoffs, should be the final straw in misadventure of having the 1994 AFCON winner taking charge of a Nigerian team challenging for honours against any other team anywhere in the world. Yet, if the words of the Sapele-born defender are anything to go by, he stands ready to accept another bite at the cherry should be he called upon again to coach the Super Eagles. Perhaps, the bronze medal Nigeria won with him in charge of the team at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt is what motivates him to return again and again after every other misadventure that has followed that bronze outing in Egypt.

In attempting to control the narrative of the latest case of his resignation just before the Nigeria Football Federation pulled the rug off the entire coaching crew, that they had appointed to manage the Super Eagles ahead of the playoffs against the Black Stars of Ghana, Eguavoen has frequently presented his angle of the disappointing inability of his team to qualify for the World Cup. Unlike Eguavoen, who will return to his Technical Director seat at the NFF, the sack saw former Under-17 coach Emmanuel Amuneke, who was made permanent Super Eagles’ coach to assist Eguavoen, Salisu Yusuf (2nd Assistant Coach/Chief Coach of the CHAN team), Joseph Yobo (3rd Assistant coach), Aloysius Agu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer) and Paul Aigbogun, all out of job for the time being.

Yet, in another twist, the decision of the NFF’s Technical and Development Sub-Committee has brought Yusuf back into play as his appointment was contained in a statement on Thursday by the NFF’s spokesperson, Ademola Olajire. The statement, which bore the title “NFF appoints Salisu, Bosso, Ugbade, Bassey to head male National Teams” also noted that “a new Head Coach for the Super Eagles will be announced and officially unveiled once the processes for his engagement and contract-signing are concluded.” Yusuf will work with Kennedy Boboye, Fatai Osho, Abubakar Bala Mohammed and Fidelis Ikechukwu as assistant coaches while Eboboritse Uwejamomere was appointed as team match analyst. Ike Shorounmu and Suleiman Shuaibu were appointed as goalkeeper trainers. In other appointments, Ladan Bosso was returned as head coach of the Under-20 male team and he is expected to work with former Under-17 head coach, Fatai Amao and others, such as Oladuni Oyekale and Jolomi Atune Alli as assistant coaches with Baruwa Olatunji Abideen as goalkeeper trainer.

Eguavoen

ugustine Eguavoen found himself on a historical trajectory that he could not outrun with his adventure in the Super Eagles’ dugout. In the history of the management of Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team, no coach has had to resign his appointment twice and within such a short time as Eguavoen found himself doing between January and March. His involvement with the Super Eagles, first as interim coach for the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in January 2022 and later as Technical Adviser in March 2022, after which he resigned both times, is viewed alongside his sacking in April 2006 and his resignation from the job in December 2011, as the evidence of an intrinsic lack of foresight in football administration in the country.

Augustine Eguavoen and His Super Eagles’ Adventure

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However, Eguavoen took the task of telling his side of the story with religious vigour. From his words, several details have emerged that paint a picture of the man and his coaching

However, Eguavoen took the task of telling his side of the story with religious vigour. From his words, several details have emerged that paint a picture of the man and his coaching.

need. Here, the problem of selection and squad shallowness came to haunt Eguavoen.

One of his unprovoked admissions was that he was not in support of the decision of the NFF to relieve former coach Gernot Rohr of his duties with the national team. This was in line with his creative passing of the buck from his table to the NFF, whose overall decisions ultimately resulted in Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup for the first time since 2006. Eguavoen revealed that he saw it as a bad decision to have dismissed Rohr, as at when it happened. He insisted that it was a decision that he categorically stated that he did not support, being as he was already at the time a Technical Director in the Federation. He confessed that he even proposed to the NFF that Gernot Rohr not be fired as it was too close to AFCON. This claim was corroborated by Victor Ikpeba, also a former Nigerian international and contemporary of Eguavoen’s. As creative an excuse as this is, with the NFF being chiefly responsible for the outcome, there cannot be a total absolution for Eguavoen no matter how beautiful he paints the picture.

Nigeria had the option of dictating midfield play as well, to press high, transition from midfield to attack and break down the Ghanaian attempts to play out from the middle of the park, where Partey held sway but in the absence of a midfield enforcer in the mould of Wilfred Ndidi, who sustained an injury while on duty for Leicester in the UEFA Europa competition before the playoffs, Eguavoen went with Innocent Bonke, midfielder for Ligue 1 side Lorient. His impressive displays this season must have prompted the coaching staff to send him a late invite as a like-for-like replacement of Ndidi. However, his opportunity to prove himself to Nigerian fans, who were sceptical about his talents and skills, went up in smokes because he sustained an injury in the first leg in Ghana and was ruled out of the reverse fixture in Abuja. It meant another replacement was needed. But, there was not enough squad depth and when Frank Onyeka, who deputised in the midfield, picked up a knock also, defender Oghenekaro Etebo had to be drafted in to fill the void and could only do so much to affect the outcome.

Not satisfied with pointing an accusing finger at the NFF for decisions that led to his appointment, an appointment that he accepted twice, Eguavoen also blamed his team, at least namedropping Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho. He claimed the player failed in his responsibility to stop Ghana and Arsenal midfielder, Thomas Partey from dictating play in the first leg at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. He had tasked Iheanacho with the role of man-marking Partey and also playing behind the main striker, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Eguavoen said the Leicester man was sluggish in his reactions and it allowed Partey the luxury of dictating the pace of the game and giving the edge of the midfield battle to the Ghanaians. Indeed, upon the realisation that a player was inadequate to fulfill his role, it behoves the coach and his assistants to change the tactics and the player to get the result they

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Debunking claims that he was dictated to include a couple of players into the starting XI by the powers that be in Sports governance in the country, Eguavoen insisted that no such thing happened and he was fully in control of team selection and player inclusion throughout his time in charge and most especially during the playoffs. The charge that some of the questionable inclusions, such as Rangers’ youngster Calvin Bassey, when the more technically reliable Zaidu Sanusi could have been better favoured to limit the forays of the Ghanaians into the Nigerian technical area, or the decision to play Emmanuel Dennis ahead of Moses Simon or Ademola Lookman, among others, were queries that made many to conclude that there must have been invested interests that Eguavoen was forced to consider in his selection instead

of picking the best to exploit the weaknesses of the Black Stars. The 56-year-old adamantly flattened this insinuation with the insistence that he was solely in charge of picking the matchday squad after informed input from his team of assistants.

The most intriguing comment of the ex-manager so far, however, has been his admission of the truth of why the Black Stars of Ghana beat Nigeria to the World Cup ticket on the away goals rule. Eguavoen confessed that the sole difference that gave Ghana the edge was that they wanted it more than his team demonstrated. He nailed it when he said that his charges “lacked the character, zeal to beat Ghana when it mattered most” while the “Ghanaians showed they wanted it more than our boys and that was why it ended that way. We did not do any of that. We didn’t fight or push enough for the winner and how do you do that? It’s with fast-paced football, creating chances but that did not happen.” Why this is all the more intriguing is that it is often the responsibility of the manager to whip his team into the type of zeal that can turn frightened, scared and terrified individuals into a ferocious pack of lions that strike dread into their foes. That is often the quality that distinguishes average coaches from top tier managers. The latter sort of managers, who notice a lack of drive and fight immediate set out to counter it before it costs them there jobs.

In Eguavoen’s case, it has cost him his job more times than one. Yet, one can identify both with his candour and optimism. His hiring and firing and resigning from the same position, both in an interim capacity and as a substantive coach, nonetheless, the 56-year-old still holds to a personal resolve to accept the job again if given another shot. While it is not likely that he will be considered again in the foreseeable future, there is no telling how things might play out. Currently, the NFF is in the process of appointing new coaching staff for the Super Eagles and, on Tuesday last week, directed the Technical and Development SubCommittee of the Federation to suggest coaches to fill the vacancies now available in the national team within five days. So far, certain names have surfaced as probable candidates to lead the Super Eagles, with Sunday Oliseh, a former coach and captain of the national team, topping the list. Although the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, is open to employing another “local coach”, the NFF was dead set on hiring an expatriate, especially following the disappointments of the set of local coaches that have been given the opportunity.

Will that be the final nail on the possibility of Eguavoen returning to fulfill his desire of once more taking charge of the team to fill them with the zeal to challenge for glory and create a legacy that will shine in the dark where other opportunities so far have failed to spark, only time will tell. For now, he will tell anyone that cares to listen that he was not fired but resigned from the position of Technical Adviser after failing to meet the target of his terms of engagement, which was to qualify for Qatar 2022. And, although he has returned to his day job as Technical Director at the NFF, he will welcome a chance to take the job again because not only does he have a point to prove but that he remains one of the best coaches around. It may not inspire much confidence but between January and March, he recorded four wins, two draws and that disappointing defeat against Tunisia.

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APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

SportsLive NUGA: Unifying, Grooming Future Stars, Despite ASUU Strike developing these potentials professionally or otherwise that student athletes from private run and government-owned tertiary institutions converged for the 26th time in UNILAG before the opening ceremony and have since then been strenuously engaged in contest after contest against counterparts from competing institutions. These institutions know that, like the names of athletes above, who began at NUGA to become household names, their institutions will always be linked to the successes that await any of their student athletes that achieves future glory as others have done at various international competitions like the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

The 26th Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) Sports competition, held at the University of Lagos, Akoka came to a successful end a few weeks ago despite an initial challenge posed

by ASUU strike, JUDE OBAFEMI writes.

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The institutions that made it to UNILAG 2022 include Imo State University, Owerri; Lagos State University, Ojo; Nile University, Abuja; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; Kogi State University, Ayangba; Nigerian Army University, Biu; University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki; Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto; University of Nigeria, Nsukki and Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun.

At the opening ceremony, which activities continued till the late hours of Saturday, March 19, and which was graced by Nigerians from all walks of life, including dignitaries from the corporate world, Vice-Chancellors of universities and political heavyweights, there was a sense of providence.

The timing of the 26th edition coincided with an industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the body charged with the concerns of university academic staff, to protest the government’s failure to “satisfactorily” implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the Union in December 2020 on funding for revitalisation of public universities (both Federal and States), renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ ASUU Agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

The strike action, which grounded activities in all the branches of ASUU, had the potential to scuttle ongoing plans to successfully organise and host the NUGA competition and the partial or wholesome absence of many a contingent from participating institutions, but those fears were laid to rest when athletes and their handlers from universities across the country started arriving in their numbers and taking active part in the accreditation process.

The providential aspect became apparent because the downing of tools by the academic branch of the universities implied that student athletes representing their institutions were neither going to miss any lectures held in the absence during the Games, on the one hand, nor were they going to be idle as their time will be spent on events of their expertise whilst they demonstrated their skills in sporting events that could result in a career in professional sports, on the other hand.

Therefore, led by the UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, FAS, the hosts bid all athletes, supporting crews and guests joining the 26th NUGA Games a resounding welcome at the glamorous opening ceremony and torch lighting event. It was the fourth time, in the 56-year history of the games, that UNILAG was playing hosts. Successful hosting of the games had taken place at the institution, with their debut in 1958, followed by the 1978 and 1998 events before the current Games in 2022.

The confidence in the capacity of one of Nigeria's most respected tertiary institutions to organise a noteworthy Games was evident in the presence of no fewer than 6,000 student athletes and officials from over 75 universities nationwide that converged in Lagos premises of the University, ready to give their best at their accredited 21 sporting events. It was a demonstration of the rationale behind the entire competition: Unity.

This rationale, which the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, noted last year, when he lit the NUGA Unity torch on Friday, November 26, 2021 to flag off preparation for the Games, was unambiguously evident in the diversity of the student athletes which cut across geopolitical THEWILLNIGERIA

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Hamafyelto

n a resplendent atmosphere brimming with glitz, glamour and colour, the opening ceremony of the 26th Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) kicked off with the symbolic lighting of the Games torch by the Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila at the Sports Complex of the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG), which hosted the flagship inter-University competition of Nigeria. The torchlighting act signified the formal commencement of competitive events for which no fewer than 75 universities participated and for which promising athletes had devoted considerable man-hours to prepare adequately for, for anticipated glories for their tertiary institutions and possibly a shining career in sports.

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At the end, the shining light of the Games has not been dimmed by any means. Even in the middle of an industrial action embarked upon by ASUU, NUGA has kept its promise as a unifier and a grooming ground for the future stars of Nigerian sports

zones and levels of educational strata. The mere fact that there were students athletes of representing their universities based in zones that are far removed from their places of origins against other student athletes doing the same for universities in their States of origin underpinned the unifying yet competitive spirit of the Games as intended. This underlying unifying basis of the Games continued long after the opening ceremony, as the events themselves began, both in the singles games and team sports.

The athletes were of one mind, applying themselves to their sports in tough contests but embracing joyfully in victory and gracious in defeat.

The significance of the unity focus of NUGA is only matched by the other most important rationale from its inception: the grooming of future stars for the country's sporting excellence. Honourable Dare implied this point at the opening ceremony when he definitively noted that the weeklong inter-university competition will serve as a build-up to the World University Games slated to hold later in June as well as the July Commonwealth Games. It was an unequivocal pointer to the very essence of these Games, which have consistently been a veritable springboard for budding sportsmen and women, helping them to register their potentials and be groomed for professional careers in sports. The likes of footballers Seyi Olofinjana and Vincent Enyeama started off their brilliant professional careers from the opportunity provided by the NUGA Games. In athletics, the current fortunes of Bisi Afolabi and Olusoji Fasuba, who is the reigning African record holder in the men's 100 metres with a time of 9.85 seconds, began at NUGA. It was the same for Olumide Oyedeji in Basketball and Chika Chukwumerije in Taekwondo.

It is the chance to exhibit their sporting talents with a view to

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Others were Sokoto State University, Sokoto; Unversity of Calabar, Calabar; Gombe State University, Gombe; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Federal University of Technology, Minna; Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island; Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Birnin Kebbi; Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun; Osun State University, Osogbo; Federal University Kashere, Kashere; Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Nasarawa State University, Keffi and Modibbo Adama University, Yola. There were student athletes also representing Akwa Ibom State University, Abia State University, Uturu; Adamawa State University, Mubi; First Technical University, Ibadan; Cross River State University, Calabar; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; Benue State University, Makurdi; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal University Gasua; Yobe State University, Damaturu; Umaru Musa Yar'Adua University, Katsina; Mountain Top University, Ibafo; Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University Oye Ekiti, University of Ibadan, Ibadan and University of Benin, Benin.

Institutions that were also represented at the games included Lead City University, Ibadan; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Kaduna State University, Kaduna; Federal University, Otueke, Bayelsa; University of Ilorin, Ilorin; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt; Summit University,Offa; Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano; University of Uyo, Uyo; Adekunle Ajashin University, Akungba-Akoko; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; Federal University, Dutse; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti; Taraba State University, Jaligo; University of Jos, Jos; Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Portharcourt; University of Abuja, Abuja; Bayero University kano, Kano; Federal University Lokoja, Lokoja; Borno State University, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Edo State Universiy, Iyamho; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Federal University Lafia, Lafia; Kwara State University, Molete; Alex Ekweme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; Kano State University of Science And Technology and the University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri.

As the hostilities proper began, it was not long before UNILAG demonstrated its resolve to win as hosts. Naomi Chinenye, a 200-level student of Human Kinetics and Health Education at UNILAG, scooped the first available gold medal of the Games when she finished first of 13 athletes in a time of 33:27:00 in the 5000m (5km) event. However, by Day 4, University of Port Harcourt, the defending champions, was already establishing her dominance again, taking the lead on the medals table with 29 gold, 11 silver, and 17 bronze medals for a total of 57 medals.

UNILAG was in second place with 31 medals – 13 gold, 12 silver, and six bronze – while Nile University, Abuja, a surprise arrival into the top three, was in third place with six gold, six silver, and five bronze medals and 17 in all. By the end is hostilities the following day, UNIPORT had increased their haul to maintain their lead on the medals table with 60 total medals.

UNILAG kept up the chase in second with 40 medals, while Nílé University remained in third place.

At the end, the shining light of the Games has not been dimmed by any means. Even in the middle of an industrial action embarked upon by ASUU, NUGA has kept its promise as a unifier and a grooming ground for the future stars of Nigerian sports.

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www.thewillnigeria.com APRIL 17 - APRIL 23, 2022

2023: Presidential Candidates APC And PDP Must Present To Nigerians

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s many of us agree, the 2023 presidential election is a make or break poll for our country. I will go straight to the point so that I don’t deviate from the very important message I intend to pass on to the key stakeholders and decision makers in the two main political parties – the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); that presidential power must shift to the Igbo for peace, harmony, economic progress and ultimate unity and stability of the country.

Ahead of the 2015 general election, the handlers of the electioneering campaign of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan embarked on a series of television advertisements that compared the leadership of their principal to the manner of leadership exhibited by a number of visionary and iconic political statesmen, who led by uncharacteristic transparency, unflagging passion, unfiltered integrity and incredible courage. Chief among these leaders, identified as a paragon after which Jonathan styled his own leadership direction, was Lee Kuan Yew, the Singaporean statesman and lawyer widely regarded as the father of modern day Singapore.

The reason I am revisiting this campaign decision by the Jonathan campaign organisation is because the primary elections to choose the parties presidential candidates for the parties will be conducted in about six weeks and, as usual, I want to be at the forefront of the national discourse about the type of candidate they ought to be putting forward in canvassing votes from Nigerians. I believe it is a duty and responsibility to the nation that as a newspaper publisher and columnist, I submit an archetypical standard to which the parties can aspire in selecting their flagbearers.

The choice of Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) in 2014, as an example of the kind of leadership Nigeria sorely needed, while promoting Jonathan’s candidature, was apt. This is because of the outstanding qualities, which endeared LKY to most people, if not all, his exemplary leadership that brought about progress in a country where it was desperately needed and living long enough to see the fruits of his stewardship come alive. Such was his charismatic leadership that LKY oversaw the country’s transformation into a developed nation with a high-income economy in a single generation. He created a highly successful anti-corruption government and a civil service in the process. LKY eschewed populist policies in favour of long-term social and economic planning, championing meritocracy and multiracialism as governing principles.

Presiding over Singapore’s advancement from 1959 to 1990, LKY oversaw his country’s metamorphosis from an island nation with a high illiteracy rate and no natural resources to a developed country with a high-income economy because of an ability to unite the country behind his objectives. This helped to see Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product per capita rise from $1,240 in 1959 to $18,437 in 1990. The unemployment rate in Singapore dropped from 13.5 per cent in 1959 to 1.7 percent in 1990. External trade increased from $7.3 billion in 1959 to $205 billion in 1990. In other areas, life expectancy at birth for Singaporeans rose from 65 years in 1960 to 74 years in 1990. The Singaporean literacy rate increased from 52 per cent in 1957 to 90 percent in 1990.

The truth was that Lee’s stewardship of public administration through relevant and targeted public policy demonstrated that he understood how the economy worked, knew that increased productivity translated to increased wealth for the country. With the right people delegated to handle areas of their strengths, who shared LKY’s economic blueprint, these economic accomplishments were quickly achieved.

LKY introduced measures to jumpstart manufacturing of finished goods for export (export-oriented industrialisation) and sought to create a conducive business environment to attract foreign direct investment (through the establishment of the Economic Development Board). This is the model that the Central Bank of Nigeria under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele, coincidentally an Igbo from Delta State, is adopting with its multiple programmes to increase local manufacturing and export.

The Igbo have their ancestral origin in the South-East (Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi States) and the South- South (Rivers and Delta States.) The Igbo are known to be highly skilled entrepreneurs, wealth creators, smart, intelligent and enterprising in business, banking and commerce.

There are many notable people in the South-East, who have a good track record of excellence in both the public and private sectors. They can be Nigeria’s own version of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew, who can effectively manage and transform the nation’s economy into a powerhouse. Three of the five biggest banks - Zenith, UBA and Access - are owned by Igbos. Air Peace, the largest airline in the country, is owned by an Igbo.

As LKY worked, he went further to forge a mutually dependent relationship between his party, the People’s Action Party, and the National Trades Union Congress. The advantage of this was that the governing political party received certain inputs from the labour grassroots, which are in direct contact with the people and can directly translate the people’s wishes to government without intermediaries that may keep it from reaching the centre of power. The government’s tight control over trade union activities and industrial relations, ensured a near-total industrial peace that was assessed to be a prerequisite for rapid economic development, which the country witnessed during his tenure as Prime Minister and beyond.

The foregoing meant that during the period LKY held office, Singapore grew from a developing country to one of the most developed nations in Asia and the world. He himself revealed that Singapore’s only natural resources were its people and their strong work ethic, which his government relied upon to drive their objective to move the country forward. In addition, LKY was focused on social policies, such as improving and mandating higher public standards for education, sanitation and hygiene, while concurrently improving public health by expanding modern health care and greatly increasing the quantity and quality of affordable high-rise housing (through the establishment of the Housing and Development Board) for both working class and middle-class families.

The question to ask at this point is where is the Nigerian variant among the Igbo in the mould of an LKY that can bring that mindset of benevolent leadership to governance at the centre and whom the political parties can put on the ballot in the next elections? Where is the determined candidate that can marshal the material, human and financial resources to take the country from the very precipice of retrogression to the heights that Nigeria deserves with the natural and human wealth with which she is fortunately endowed? If the parties can lend me their ears, I have a tripartite set of requirements that they can apply to unearth the gemstone of any such candidate in their membership ahead of the conventions that will pick their flagbearers.

The first criterion that is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to take the country forward is that he or she should be charismatic enough to unite the country behind his or her administration. There may never be overall consensus on national issues, but such a candidate must be able to carry the majority of favourable public opinion, which is expected to grow as the popular support is won over by sincerity of purpose, clarity of direction and alignment with the needs of the people at the grassroots. This is of utmost and prime importance and the most critical of all qualities because it is the most foundational as everything else stands on it or collapses. Without unity, there cannot be appreciable progress and all plans of development will stall and eventually fizzle out to naught. The parties must look critically at their rank and file to pick a candidate, a broad unifier that will satisfy to a high degree the tribal, religious and economic interests/ sentiments in our country and govern the country by putting the country and its collective people first at all times.

As LKY clearly established, a sound economic grounding will go a long way in bringing about the type of progress that will change the destiny of any nation within a generation. A candidate who knows that jump-starting local manufacturing of finished goods for use at home, combined with an export-oriented industrialisation that will move Nigerianmade goods abroad, while creating an enabling environment for business to thrive, is the exact candidate that the parties should put forward. Such a candidate will also be well versed in attracting foreign direct investment to the country. He or she will set priorities on boosting productivity and removing obstacles to wide scale industrialization, such as constant power supply, excellent road networks, incentivised tax regimes, free trade zones and Diasporan collaboration.

Thirdly and by no means the least, let me reiterate that this candidate should come from the Igbo-speaking part of the country. It is outright marginalisation that, since the Nigerian Civil War ended in January 15, 1970, the only major region yet to take charge at the centre is the South-East. The Hausa of the North and the Yoruba of the South-West have had several stints in the presidency, but the Igbo have consistently been denied an opportunity to become president. At every occasion, the major political parties have made moves that have pushed their members of Igbo extraction away from consideration. Little wonder the agitation for a breakaway republic of their own gains momentum with every political cycle where this marginalisation plays out over and over again. To quell the drive for Biafra, therefore, I hold that an Igbo candidate that qualifies as a unifier and armed with the ability to operate a buoyant economy will be a game-changer for Nigeria. It means that we will all be on the path to greater prosperity, especially if this candidate has the willpower to take on Nigeria’s hydra-headed problems frontally and bring about well-thought out solutions to all that holds us down.

No nation prospers where there is disunity and discord. No nation or group does well when some constituents or parts feel aggrieved. The PDP and APC must field the best from Igboland in 2023 as their presidential candidate and allow Nigerians to make their preferred choice. The move by some desperate power seekers in the PDP to jettison the party’s zoning arrangement and present another Fulani from the North will only divide the country further. The tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Fulani, ends next year after eight years in power. The only logic that makes sense is to transfer power to the Igbo in the interest of a united and progressive Nigeria.

No nation prospers where there is disunity and discord. No nation or group does well when some constituents or parts feel aggrieved. The PDP and APC must field the best from Igboland in 2023 as their presidential candidate and allow Nigerians to make their preferred choice PAGE 32

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