THEWILL DEC 19 - 25 EDITION

VOL 1 NO.45 •

VOL 1 NO.45 • DECEMBER

19 – DECEMBER 25,

DECEMBER 19

– DECEMBER 25,

2021

2021

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AKANDE, TINUBU IN EYE OF THE STORM:

Controversies, Lies, 2023 Game Plan

State of The States This special publication of THEWILL x-rays the potentials of the 36 states and the FCT to achieve a quantum leap in development through investment and job creation.

The prevailing cash crunch in the country makes the project more compelling for policy-makers, investors and other stakeholders.

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Let’s take back the odds one vaccination at a time.

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COVER AKANDE, TINUBU IN EYE OF THE STORM:

Controversies, Lies, 2023 Game Plan

BY AMOS ESELE WITH ADDITIONAL REPORT FROM AYO ESAN

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ontroversy has continued to trail claims made by the Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, in his autobiography titled, ‘My Participations,’ which was launched in Lagos about a week ago. This is coming as the countdown to the 2023 general election begins in earnest, with interested parties and individuals unveiling their game-plan as they test the political waters in preparation for the big battle ahead.

However, with the trending and disapproving outbursts generated

by Akande’s book, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, who is in no way directly mentioned in the 557-page book, but largely associated with many of the people discussed in it, weighed in with caution last week.

“Is this the legacy he (Akande) wants to leave behind, destroying Yoruba leaders just because he wants to please Tinubu? Let him remember that there is a younger generation of Nigerians that is watching. This is the time for sobering thoughts,” George said, while responding to a question by a journalist during a briefing held on Thursday at his Lagos Island residence, which was attended by THEWILL. George, who expressed disgust over what he described as the “many controversies and lies,” contained in the autobiographical work, urged Akande, who was governor of Osun State between 1999 and 2003, to show remorse and apologise to Nigerians.

Although George’s view may be questionable and his neutrality unknown since Akande expressed his freedom of expression to write and publish his life story and the “story of contemporary Nigeria and its leadership,” according to Mr Dare Babarinbsa, Chairman of Gaskia Media Limited, publisher of the controversial book, there is no doubt that the insinuations, allusions and allegations made by Akande in his book against many political actors have formed the basis of the heated reactions so far, with the possibility of heightening social tension amid the climate of uncertainty, insecurity, low morale and fear in the country.

At the last count, many powerful and influential men, who have reacted to references to them in the book include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; the leader of Afenifere, the Pan- Yoruba socio-political group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; a former governor of Osun State and Akande’s successor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. These are aside the viewpoints expressed by newspaper columnists and writers almost on a daily basis since the public presentation of the book.

Others still biding their time include a former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi and first National Chairman of the ruling APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Former Secretary to Government of the Federation and Presidential candidate in the 1999 general election, Chief Olu Falae, was yet to make good his promise to react as at press time.

Another APC chieftain, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and Ikimi asked to be given time to respond to Akande.

REACTIONS FROM OYEGUN, ATIKU, IKIMI From the reactions so far, it is safe to say that while some feel their character has been called into question, others think their political decisions at some point in time have either been judged illogical or considered unspeakable.

When THEWILL sought to know Odigie-Oyegun’s reaction to the raging controversies, his reply was terse.

“I have to read the book myself so that I do not speak out of context,” he told this reporter. The pioneer National Chairman of the APC refused to disclose when that would be, except to give the assurance that he would respond at the appropriate time.

On Odigie-Oyegun, Akande wrote that despite the support Tinubu gave him to become the National Chairman of the party in July 2013, Odigie-Oyegun joined unnamed intriguers in the party when it came to choosing its Vice Presidential candidate for THEWILLNIGERIA

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the 2015 general election.

According to Akande, Odigie-Oyegun started asking for names from the geo-political zones where Buhari would pick his vicepresidential candidate.

“He (Odigie-Oyegun) said it was from this list that Buhari would choose a running mate. I objected. I turned to Buhari and asked him, ‘General, where are you choosing your running mate from.’

He answered, ‘The South-West.’ ‘Oh,! I didn’t know,’ OdigieOyegun said. He apologized,” he said.

Akande also said in the book, “I did not know why OdigieOyegun made that proposition and at whose behest. As the chairman of the party, maybe, some people pushed him to do that.

“Then, I called Buhari aside. ‘Is our arrangement still standing?’ I referred him to our discussion in April. He said yes!”

That April discussion was between Akande and Buhari. The subject was the vice presidential slot. The discussion took place before the APC presidential convention held in Lagos, ahead of the 2015 polls.

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Akande explained, “In April 2014, I was in Abuja when Buhari called me and asked me to persuade Bola to run with him.

Governor Masari was the one who came to call me. When I followed him into Buhari’s private lobby, Bola Tinubu was already seated there.

“So when Buhari tabled the matter, I cautioned them that this must not get out beyond the four of us. How could he be talking of a running mate when he had not secured the ticket, I mused.

“I thought such information, if leaked to the general public, might affect the conduct of the party’s congress at the presidential primaries, if not its choice of candidate. I thanked Buhari for thinking so highly of our friend.

“Bola later told me that Buhari’s emissaries had been coming to him, but he tried to dodge the gesture and not to show interest. We agreed that we would reopen the matter after Buhari had secured the ticket,” he said.

ON ATIKU Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was also the presidential candidate of the opposition PDP in the 2015 general

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COVER election, refused to speak when contacted.

A dependable source from the North, who witnessed what transpired during the 2007 politicking for the VP ticket for the Action Congress of Nigeria, told THEWILL on condition of anonymity that the issue assumed an embarrassing dimension when the late Iya Loja of Lagos, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji and Bola Tinubu’s mother, got involved.

“You will not believe it. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu reported Atiku to his mother, Alhaja Mogaji. Atiku was taken aback and embarrassed by this turn of event because we had argued that it would be difficult to sell a Muslim-Muslim ticket during the election. Chief MKO Abiola was able to pull it through in 1993 and he won the now popular June 12 election because he was a known philanthropist among Muslims and Christians, especially for his donations to their religious causes, for a long time. But in 2007, the religious sensibilities in the country were such that we needed to balance things. We never thought Tinubu would take things to the level of reporting Atiku to his mother,” the source said.

But, according to Akande, Atiku betrayed Tinubu in 2007 by breaching the agreement reached with the Alliance for Democracy leadership to choose the former Lagos state governor as his vicepresidential candidate.

As narrated by Akande, Atiku resisted pressure from party big wigs, including former Governor Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State, Governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State and Governor Lam Adesina of Oyo State to concede the VP ticket to Tinubu. Instead, he picked Senator Ben Obi.

When asked for his response, Ikimi told THEWILL that he was very busy and would grant an interview on the matter much later or, in the alternative, make out time to respond to the claims made against him by Akande.

ADEBAJO AND OYINLOLA REPLY AKANDE To set the records straight, Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, addressed a press conference to explain how he built his Lekki home located at Ayo Adebanjo Close, Off Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State. The briefing was held in his home.

Speaking to further debunk Akande’s claim that he (Adebanjo) ‘pestered Tinubu’ to build the Lekki house for him, Adebanjo gave a graphic detail of how he built the home, the names of the engineers and consultants, as well as the designers of the home, how he sold the landed property bequeathed to him by his late mother, Salamotu Anomo-Adebanjo, as well as the land given to him by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the loan he obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank.

He said, “About a week ago, on Thursday, December 7 to be exact, at the presentation of the book titled, ‘My Participation’,

by Chief Bisi Akande, it was said that Chief Akande stated in the book that I put pressure on Bola Tinubu to build a house for me.

“But since Bola Tinubu himself was present at the presentation, I expect him within a few days to refute such a malicious falsehood about me emanating from his Man Friday.

Akande said, “It was the second time Tinubu was tantalisingly close to the VP slot. In 2007, we formed a party, the Action Congress (AC) with Abubakar Atiku. We agreed that Atiku should be our presidential candidate and we had the understanding that he would run with Bola Tinubu.

“I hold this view because Bola Tinubu, just some three years ago, on the occasion of the presentation of my autobiography titled, ‘Saying It As It Is’, said that for my incorruptibility and strength of character, he, Bola Tinubu, would not have been Governor of Lagos State in 1999. What then could he be demanding from me after his two-term governorship to make me pressurise him to build a house for me when I did not get a kobo from him before he became governor?

“Segun Osoba, Niyi Adebayo and Lam Adesina had earlier met Atiku and we proposed to him our choice of Tinubu. He promised to come back to us. He gave us a date. On that date, we all assembled. Atiku came with Audu Ogbe, Tom Ikimi and Usman Bugaje.

“I, therefore, state categorically that my house at Lekki was built with my resources through the sale of three developed properties, loan from GTBank and the sale of undeveloped landed property given (to) me by my late leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of blessed memory.''

“We proposed that Tinubu should be the running mate, although he was not at the meeting. Atiku would not give us an immediate answer. He said he wanted to have more consultations.

He stated that the story of his home started with, “A four-bedroom duplex, with a two-bedroom flat enclosed with two undeveloped plots at Plot 4, Block 14 Nuru Oniwo Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos State” which he later sold to “St Baths Anglican Church, Aguda, Surulere “ and another .

“I was the chairman of the AC at the time. One day, after we had nominated Atiku as our presidential candidate, one young man came and gave me a form from the Independent National Electoral Commission. I told him I could not sign a blank form and that I, as the chairman, must know the name that would be filled in it.

“The young man, Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, must have been the organising right-hand man of Atiku. He was an active person from Kano. The following morning, he came again with Lawan Kaita.

“Kaita begged me and said it was Ben Obi whom Atiku had chosen as his running mate behind our back. So, I signed the form because I believed, as the candidate, Atiku had the right to choose his running mate. If I refused to sign, that would create a crisis.

“Obasanjo was stepping down from the presidency. Therefore, the Yoruba, even the few that benefited from his arrogant rule, would no longer be obliged to vote for the PDP.” Akande claimed Ikimi and Ogbe were part of the ‘Atiku caucus’ that campaigned against Tinubu on the grounds that the AtikuTinubu ticket would mean a Muslim –Muslim ticket, which might be difficult to sell to the already polarised electorate.

“Atiku never said anything. We left the meeting. It was after we were deadlocked that they brought me the blank form. So, Atiku ran with Obi and failed. Only Lagos State from South-West voted for Atiku,” Akande added.

According to the former chairman of APC, the pressure to field Tinubu was partly due to his generosity, saying that anytime they needed money Atiku would say to Tinubu, ‘Bola, please help us.’

“Bola was the only one spending the money among us. The rest of us were poor. Tinubu also invested his energy and resources in the birthing of the AC and we felt he deserved a spot on the ticket,” he said.

In another instance he accused Ikimi of trying to hijack the new party, APC.

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“A two-storey building at Odedola Street, Surulere, Lagos State, which I bought through an estate agent by the name Mr. Shiwoniku, who has relocated to the UK; he has a brother who is a legal practitioner in Abuja. The house was sold to a Ghanaian by the name Mr Akappo.''

Adebanjo claimed that another building, whose plot he inherited from his mother, was also later sold to persons with known names and addresses. “Then I took a loan from GTBank to complete the house in Lekki where I am living now. The Lekki property, the house in my village, Isanya Ogbo, and three bedroom flat in a townhouse at Omorinre Street in Lekki are the properties I have in the whole world,” he said.

“

I found it strange that Chief Akande, who boasted that he was prudent and honest as governor, awarded the construction of a Government House in his last days in office, after he lost the election and paid the contractors the entire contract sum of N800million in advance

Adebanjo concluded by declaring his readiness to invite and authorise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “to verify the above facts.”

For equal measure, he challenged Tinubu and Akande to make similar disclosures about their houses and sources and wealth and subject the same to scrutiny by the anti-graft agency.

For Prince Oyinlola, who disclosed that many of the allegations made against him by Akande were detailed in his own forthcoming autobiography, there is a need to urgently address certain issues surrounding the ‘Bola Ige House contract,’ (Government House); Akande's full advance payment of N800 million on new Government House and the result of the 2007 governorship election, which Akande alleged was rigged in Oyinlola’s favour.

On the Government House contract, Oyinlola said, “Chief Akande said I wrongly accused him of corruption in the construction of the Governor's Office (Bola Ige House). I did not level any false charges against him. I came into office in May 2003 and discovered that the Governor's Office complex, which he commissioned for use after he lost the election, was not completed.

“The state government asked the contractor to come back to the site and complete the work, more so when evidence in government accounts showed that he had been paid. But the project consultant shocked everyone with his claim that part of the payment was taken back to finance the 2003 re-election bid of Chief Akande.

The consultant said the contractor could not go back to work unless he was paid his full dues.

“One of Akande's appointees confessed to collecting money from this contractor for his re-election. I consulted Chief Akande on this. He denied having any deal with the contractor and the consultant.

“Some people were subsequently taken to court on a seven-count criminal charge. Stakeholders in the state and Alhaji Arisekola Alao later intervened. I have the details of who collected how much in my forthcoming book.”

Oyinlola continued, “I found it strange that Chief Akande, who boasted that he was prudent and honest as governor, awarded the construction of a Government House in his last days in office, after he lost the election and paid the contractors the entire contract sum of N800million in advance. ''Chief Akande confirmed this strange payment on page 393 of his book. This is a man, who said there was no money to pay workers and pensioners, but he had enough to pay a contractor in advance for a Government House after losing his re-election.

“In any case, the state had already embarked upon the construction of a Government House. It was started by the military government, but Akande refused to complete it I completed the project and added chalets plus a presidential lodge. Everything was completed and commissioned within my first year in office.

The state has continued to use the structures till date. Akande, in his book, condemned my decision to opt for that project instead of his own idea. Further details on this are in my forthcoming book.''

Oyinlola denied that the 2003 governorship election in Osun State was rigged in his favour, saying, “Chief Akande has repeatedly told this lie. The truth is known to everybody in the state that Akande lost the state shortly after he took over in 1999 and started fighting everyone.

“He sacked thousands of workers and did not pay their entitlements. In some instances, the retrenched persons included a husband, wife and children. He owed those who were not sacked months of unpaid salaries, which I inherited and paid. He deducted 20 percent of workers salaries to fund his projects. He fought Obas, chiefs and religious groups and leaders. He sacked the press from government activities, blocked the only access road to NTA Osogbo and locked the gate of the Government House against even press correspondents in the state. He had no word of succour for his victims. These were the ingredients that cooked his defeat in 2003.”

On Akande’s diatribe against former President Olusegun Obasanjo for ‘misadvising’ Oyinlola, the former Osun governor said, “Ironically, Chief Akande was President Obasanjo's favorite and the former President always said this to those of us in his party. What came to my mind when I read about Chief Akande's attack on Obasanjo was the proverb, "Eni a fe l'a mo, a o mo eni to fe ni (We only know those we love, we do not know those who love us).''

There is no doubt that with the promise of more reactions to follow, Akande and his book, ‘My Participation’ still have more appointments to keep with his foes.

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NEWS Ogun Parents To Sign Undertaking On Wards’ Behaviour FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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enceforth, all parents in Ogun State will have to sign an undertaking on behalf of their wards, promising that they will be of good behaviour within and out of the school environment.

L-R: Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele; wife of General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mrs Folu Adeboye; her spouse, Pastor Adejare Adeboye; former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun and her husband, Gov. Dapo Abiodun at the State's 2021 Carol Service held at June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta on 16/12/2021.

FG Approves Construction of Okpella Airport In Edo

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

FROM KAJO MARTINS, MAKURDI

T

he Federal Ministry of Aviation (FMA) has approved the construction of an airport at Uzairue/Okpella in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The granting of approval was conveyed to the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, through a letter dated December 16, 2021 and signed by the Acting Director, Aerodrome Development Department, Engr Clement Olayinka Awogbami, on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

The letter, with reference number FMA/ADD/402/5.42/C.9/1/12 and titled, ‘Re: Application For Construction of An Airport In Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State,’ reads in part: "Sequel to the receipt of your Excellency's letter Ref No: OG. 51/Vol.4/120 dated 16th February, 2021 and subsequently visit of the technical team from the ministry and its agencies between November 3 and 5, 2021, I am directed to convey the approval of the Honourable Minister for the construction of an airport at Uzairue/Okpella in Etsako West Local Government Area in Edo State subject to the following: strict compliance with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)' requirements and compliances with all relevant environmental regulations".

Other requirements, according to the letter, include a Environmental Impact THEWILLNIGERIA

Council Chairman Announces N16m IGR in Benue

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Assessment (EIA) report, which should be conducted to assess the impact of noise on the environment; adherence to the provisions of the subsisting Civil Aviation Act 2006 and other legislations that may evolve with time and payment of all statutory fees.

The letter also directed issuance of security clearance by the Department of State Service; site survey data, in accordance with WGS 84 specification; perimeter survey of the airport; production of Wind Rose Analysis by Nimet; removal of all obstructions on the site and involvement of the ministry and its relevant agencies at every stage of the development of the airport to ensure compliance with Standards and Recommended Practices (SARs).

"I am to add that a copy of this letter is being forwarded to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and your Excellency is to liaise further with the agency for implementation", the letter added.

Aviation experts and other allied engineers from the Federal Ministry of Aviation, led by Awogbami, had in early November this year inspected the proposed site for the proposed airport, which is said to have been conceptualised by Governor Obaseki during his ‘ thank you’ interactive session with Edo North people, who had supported his re-election.

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he Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Council of Benue State, Avalumun Atera, has said that his administration recorded a huge success in the areas of infrastructural development and security but in tears.

He announced that between July 2020 and the present day, the Council realised an internally generated revenue of N16 million.

“In a bid to bring sanity to revenue generation in Katsina-Ala Local Government Council, I have removed all illegal revenue collection points in the area as well as taken full control of markets. It’s not business as usual, with bandits in control of revenue collection in the council”.

According to the council boss, monies generated from revenue sources are paid directly into a designated bank account without delay and used judiciously for the benefit of taxpayers in the area.

Atera, who made the disclosure while playing host to members of the Independent Print Media Publishers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN) on a facility tour of the council, said before his assumption of office, bandits took over the local markets, thereby denying the local government council of its revenue.

“Although about 80 percent of the security challenges have been tackled, herdsmen are now collaborating with bandits to cause havoc in some communities in the hinterlands, with the aid of suspected neighbouring communities from other states,” he said.

The chairman, while commending security operatives in the area for restoring peace, called for increased activities to completely repel attacks

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, disclosed this while defending the Ministry of Education’s 2022 budget presentation before the State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation led by Hon,Olakunle Sobukanla at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He noted that the ministry’s proposal for next year was a total of N6.094bn as total expenditure for 2022, which consisted of N3.129bn for capital expenditure and N2.96bn for recurrent expenditure, just as its revenue target was fixed at N2.28bn.

Arigbabu explained further that a sum of N2.50bn was being earmarked for the construction of 60 units of a block of three classrooms, 49 units of a block of two classrooms, eight units of technical workshops/science laboratories and the rehabilitation of public schools across the State.

The commissioner, while speaking on government’s efforts to curb the menace of cultism among secondary school students across the state, said that it had engaged stakeholders including parents, teachers and security agencies to come up with various measures that would address misconduct among pupils in the state.

According to him, a School-Based Management Committee was being put in place to serve as interdisciplinary source to track and report any act inimical to peace in the school environment.

Arigbabu said the ministry would revive sporting activities to further engage pupils in extra-curriculum activities, in addition to the resuscitation of moral instruction during morning devotion in line with COVID-19 protocols to teach moral education in order to address the prevalent immorality amongst students.

He stressed that the ministry would further empower secondary school principals and strengthen the School-Based Management Committee toward profiling all pupils in the school in order to weed off the bad eggs among them.

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DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

SHOTS OF THE WEEK PHOTO EDITOR: PEACE UDUGBA [08033050729]

L-R: Deputy Governor, Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Osun State Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; Ondo State L-R: The newly deployed Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 2 (In-charge of Lagos and Ogun), Bode Governor/Special Guest, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Owa Oroo of Adeyinka Adeleke receives a copy of THEWILL Newspaper from the Photo Editor, Peace Udugba, during a courtesy Agbado Ekiti; HRM Oba Adesina Samuel Obafemi during the inauguration of Agbado-Ode-isinbode-Omuo Road, in visit by CMC Africa Award of Excellence to the AIG at Onikan, Lagos on 15/12/2021.

Agbado Ekiti on 14//12/2021.

L-R: Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai; Deputy Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Wasiu L-R: Commissioner for Agriculture Lagos State, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Convener Ofada Rice Day Festival, Oluwatobi Sanni-Eshinlokun; Special Adviser to the Governor on housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Ojomu of Ajiran, Oba Fletcher, presenting an award to Chef Miyonse Amosu at the Ofada Rice Day Festival 2021, hosted by OfadaBoy in Tijani Akinloye; Elejigbo of Langbasa, Oba Hafeez Olakunle Badru; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; partnership with Lagos State government on 13/12/2021.

Chairman, Committee on Housing, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Rasheed Makinde and Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, during the commissioning of the newly constructed 744 housing units in Sangotedo, Ajah, on 14/12/ 2021.

Dignitaries and the beneficiaries of free wheel chairs donated by the Care People Foundation at the carnival for the L-R: Former Beauty Queen, Ibinabo Fiberesima; Barr Aham Njoku; Monalisa Chinda-Coker; Ejike Asiegbu and physically challenged, orphans and the less privileges in Ibadan on 12/12/2021.

Patrick Obi at a press conference on Lupus by the Arise Monalisa Foundation at Envoy Hotel in Abuja 16/12/2021.

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Al-Makura

Goje

Sheriff

POLITICS

Sheriff, Al-Makura, Others Intensify Bid for APC Chairmanship

BY AYO ESAN

A

s the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is getting set for its national convention, scheduled for February 2022, aspirants for the party’s topmost position, the national chairmanship, have started intensive lobbying of members of the party across the country.

The convention will produce the new executive of the party, who will replace the Caretaker and Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CENCPC), which took over the running of the party following the sack of the Adams Oshiomhole–led National Working Committee (NWC) in June 2020.

Although the party is yet to announce its zoning policy, it is believed that its next presidential candidate will come from the southern part of the country. Aspirants who have indicated interest through their body language and open declaration for the chairmanship position are from the northern part of the country. Most of them are from the North-Central states of Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Benue and Kogi.

The leading contenders among the aspirants include Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, former Nasarawa State governors, Tanko Al-Makura and Abdullahi Adamu, former Benue State Governor, GeorgeAkume, Senator Sani Musa from Niger State and Alhaji Saliu Mustapha from Kwara State.

ALI MODU SHERIFF Sheriff is a two-term governor of Borno State and the first to serve two consecutive terms (2003–2011). He had held two elected offices as a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He later joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) becoming a founding member of the party. In 2014, Sheriff defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and acted as the National Chairman. He was succeeded by Senator Ahmed Makarfi. On April 26, 2018 he returned to the APC. THEWILLNIGERIA

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“

Aspirants who have openly indicated interest through their body language and open declaration for the chairmanship position are from the northern part of the country

Ali Modu Sheriff was born in Ngala Town, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State in 1956. His father was the business tycoon, Galadima Modu Sheriff. He was elected as a senator from Borno during the Third Republic under the banner of the National Republican Convention.

MOHAMMED DANJUMA GOJE Born in 1952, Goje is a former Governor of Gombe State under the platform of the PDP. He was born in Pindiga, Akko, Gombe State. He studied Political Science and graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria. He was a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from 1979 to 1983. Goje became the Secretary of the National Institute For Medical Research in Yaba, Lagos State in 1984 Goje is also a former Minister of State for Steel Development and he is currently involved in a running battle with Governor Yahaya Inuwa, who is seeking a second term.

SALIU MUSTAPHA Saliu Mustapha was the National Deputy Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), one of the defunct political parties that merged to form the APC.

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Mustapha was born on September 25, 1972 in Ilorin, Kwara State. He studied mineral resources engineering at the Kaduna Polytechnic. His political career started in the early 21st Century when he became the first national publicity secretary of the Progressive Action Congress (PAC). He became a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was devoted to the presidential ambition of Muhammadu Buhari. In 2009, when a breakaway faction of the ANPP led by Muhammadu Buhari founded the CPC, Mustapha became the national deputy chairman of the party. He held this position until the party merged and formed the APC. He has distinguished himself in business, politics and humanitarian services. He founded the Saliu Mustapha Foundation to serve as a platform for human empowerment and community development.

ABDULLAHI ADAMU Adamu, former governor of Nasarawa State, is currently a senator representing Nasarawa West in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Born on July 23, 1946 in Keffi, Nasarawa State, he attended Government Secondary School, Makurdi between 1960 and 1962, Government Technical College, Bukuru (1962–1965) and Kaduna Polytechnic (1965–1968). He returned to Kaduna Polytechnic for a Higher National Diploma in June 1971.

Adamu started work in 1967 with the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria. In 1971, he joined the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC) Kaduna. In 1973, he joined AEK, a consultancy firm, where he was Project Manager for construction of Durbar Hotel and Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna.

In October 1975, he was appointed Executive Secretary of Benue/Plateau Construction Company by the old BenuePlateau State Government. Between February 1980 and September 1983, he was Chairman of the Benue Cement •Continues on page 11

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POLITICS/INTERVIEW

APC’s Poor Performance Will Help PDP Win in 2023 – Orbih The National Vice Chairman, South – South of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, speaks on the national convention of the party, its new national executive, the task of returning the party to the centre in 2023 and the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), among other issues, in this interview with AYO ESAN. Excerpts:

Let me first of all congratulate the new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, who emerged from the convention. Their emergence confirmed that we are prepared to return to power, come 2023.

Most of the new members of the party’s National Working Committee, including the National Chairman, were elected through consensus. How did the leadership achieve this?

Our primary objective is to gain power, especially at the federal level. This because we are conscious of the hardship Nigerians are experiencing under the All Progressives Congress-dominated Federal Government. We decided to play down personal interests and look at the larger picture of what the party should do to save the country. That was what happened.

We are all determined to sacrifice our personal interests for the good of all.

Should Nigerians expect a better deal from the new PDP NWC? I think that is what everybody should look forward to.

The newly elected national chairman, Prof Iyorchia Ayu, is expected to make a speech soon and from his speech you should be able to get a message. That is exactly why I would want you to officially cover the inauguration of the new exco and get his message to

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Orbih

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ow would you describe the recent national convention of the PDP held amid controversy arising from a court case instituted by former National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus?

It was a very successful national convention. There was no rancour or issues. I think it was the type of convention that all our members were looking forward to. A convention that threw up newly elected officials of the party.

the good people of Nigeria.

Do you think the PDP is now strong enough to wrest power from APC at the centre in 2023?

What is going for us is that the APC-led Federal Government is helping us to campaign for the next presidential election through their failure to deliver on their campaign promises to Nigerians. You don’t need any other person to tell you what is going on in the country. On the economic front, they have not been able to find a solution to the ever rising exchange rate between the naira and the other foreign currencies. You will agree with me that this is a major issue.

Today, you would also review the general state of our roads, especially the federal roads across the 36 states.

It has never been this bad. Those of us in the PDP are already making plans to address these projects that we are going to inherit from the APC-led government.

Our roads are bad, insecurity is worsening as people are killed every day. It is no longer safe to travel from one place to another and the government has failed to address this challenge and many others facing the country today. We have lost more citizens than nations that are at war. That is exactly the situation we have found ourselves. So I can tell you that the failure of the

present government actually is the spring board for the PDP to come back to power.

Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the PDP to help them solve these problems you have mentioned especially the issue of insecurity, but there is apprehension as to how the PDP can possibly choose its presidential candidate without serious rancour. What do you say to this?

I want to say that it is obvious that individual interests should be push aside in our collective dream of saving this country from the present administration. And from that, you will agree with me that all our members and all our leaders are committed toward the election of the presidential candidate that will fly the flag of our party.

Just like you saw during the last convention, we are also going to come out with a united voice to ensure that we choose the candidate that will definitely rescue this nation.

I know you are watching the events in the APC. As of today, there are crises in more than 20 state chapters of the party. Only last week, there was a parallel national exco. Are you surprised about what is happening in the party?

Why should anybody be surprised? The APC to me THEWILLNIGERIA

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POLITICS

...APC Chairmanship

“

•Continued from page 9

Company, Gboko.

What is going for us is that the APC-led Federal Government is helping us to campaign for the next presidential election through their failure to deliver on their campaign promises to Nigerians

In 1987, he enrolled in a part-time degree programme at the University of Lagos, obtaining an LLB (Hons) in 1992. He enrolled in the Nigerian Law School, Lagos where he obtained his BL and was called to the Bar as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in December 1993.

In 2007, he was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is currently leading a peace effort in the APC. He is also a former minister.

TANKO AL-MAKURA Al-Makura was born in Lafia, Nasarawa State. He has publicly declared his intention to occupy the national chairmanship position of the APC. He described himself as eminently qualified, promising, if elected as chairman, to lead the party to victory in the 2023 presidential election.

Al-Makura, who was a chieftain of the defunct CPC, is believed to be a strong contender. He is close to President Muhammadu Buhari. In 1980, he became the youth leader of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of 1988, representing the Lafia–Obi Federal Constituency of what is now Nasarawa State. He was state secretary of the National

Republican Convention( NRC) in Plateau State from 1990 to 1992.

Al-Makura was a founding member of the PDP in Nasarawa State in 1998. He left the party after losing the primaries for a governorship election in the state and was eventually elected governor on April 26 2011 on the CPC’s ticket after defeating the incumbent g, Aliyu Akwe-Doma of the PDP. MOHAMMED SANI-MUSA Mohammed Sani Musa, currently representing Niger East in the Senate, was born on May 11, 1965 in Minna, Niger State. On February 7, 2019, the Federal High Court, Abuja, declared him as the Niger East Senatorial district candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 23, 2019 election, agreeing that Musa was the declared winner of the primary election the APC conducted in the senatorial district on October 2, 2018.

On February 23, 2019 Niger East Senatorial district election, Musa won with 229,415 votes, ahead of the candidate of the PDP candidate, Ibrahim Ishaku, who got 116,143 votes.

On June 14, 2019, the Nigerian Supreme Court in Abuja declared him the winner of the last Senate election held in the Niger-East Senatorial District of Niger State, setting aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

'Govt, Parties Must Support Physically-Challenged People'

BY AYO ESAN he President of the Care People Foundation, Revd Paul Tunde Tioluwani, popularly known as Lesekese, has admonished governments at all level to provide more support for physically challenged people, saying the government has not done enough in this regard.

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He also called on political parties to allot certain percentage of their elective slots to the people with disabilities in the coming elections.

How would you advise the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the nation prepares for the 2023 general election?

My advice to INEC is that they should uphold their constitutional role of conducting free and fair elections because they have a major role to play in the nation’s quest for a new and vibrant leadership. They must do that which will go a long way in helping Nigerians get the new leader that they earnestly desired.

What is your message to Nigerians generally as we move towards the general election?

Nigerians should reject the APC in the coming elections and vote the PDP so that they can see a new government that is committed to the development and unity of our country.

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Speaking on the effort of the foundation to help the less privileges, Tioluwani said " At our foundation, impacting lives is a golden assignment that must be done. Since our take off in the year 1990, we have left no stone unturned in this regards.

By Grace , we have established a multimillion naira orphanage where thousands have benefitted . We commissioned the first indigenous pitch for disabled football in Nigeria in the year 2004. " We have given scholarship to thousands of poor students in the tertiary institutions and assisted thousands in our Computer Training School co - sponsored by Torino Police, Canada. We have given out hundreds of brand new wheel chairs to physically challenged persons and assisted many widows who are currently on monthly salaries".

He said the carnival which featured music performances by various invited orphanage homes and schools for the people with disabilities was organised by the Foundation to let the less privileges also feel the aura of celebration which is associated with Christmas period.

“As we begin preparations for the 2023 general elections, I will urge political parties to set aside certain percentage of their elective positions for the physically challenged people. “ I think the National Assembly should also legislate a bill that will compel the governments at all levels to offer automatic emplyoyment to people with disabilities who are graduates in various professions. They deserve all the support we can give them. Physical disabilities should not turn them to beggars, there is ability in disability”, Tioluwani said.

Speaking further he said " If I am doing this in my own little way, the government should do more. The country is hard and governnent must ensure that people with disabilities are supported and encouraged . " The Government is not doing enough to help the People

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Tioluwani

is not a political party. It is a gathering of disgruntled members of other political parties who came together without a solid plan on how to govern Nigeria. But they came together for the purpose of snatching power from the PDP without any plan on how to exercise that power or improve the welfare of the people. So what you are seeing is APC house of commotion. Nothing can ever work in the APC.

Delivering his keynote speech at this year's edition of the annual carnival for the physically challenged, orphans and the less privileged organised by the Care People Foundation at its Orphanage Home on Ibadan - Lagos Expressway, Ibadan last Sunday, Tioluwani said government must come to the aid of the less privileges in the society especially in this time of harsh economy.

with disability. The government should do more for them.

Governnent can do better".

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POLITICS The electorate are waiting for us. They are fed up with the APC-dominated government, but that does not mean we don't have a part to play. I'm confident that PDP will win these elections if we plan and execute plans well.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is on his third year as governor of your home state, Lagos. What is your assessment of governance in Lagos State?

Nothing serious is happening in Lagos State. Or what do you expect from a capitalist system that is being controlled by the bourgeoisie? No significant project can be seen on ground since the beginning of his tenure. All we have is extortion of the masses through over taxation and many other means they've created.

Lagosians must rethink.

Given the security situation in the country, do you really think Nigerians want the PDP to take over power at the centre, come 2023?

The return of the PDP to power has nothing to do with security. Every government all over the world always has security issues. The question is how well the government is able to handle it. No one can argue about whether the PDP government in the past handled security better than APC government of the day. The truth is that the PDP has a better solution to our security issues and must be allowed to come back and fix it as they did in the Niger Delta region.

Koshoedo

What is your general assessment of President Buhari’s administration so far?

I wonder why we waste our time asking this question again. It is glaring that Nigerians have never had it this bad. They can't wait to push the administration out with their votes.

New PDP Executive Will Provide Constructive Criticism As Opposition – Koshoedo The Deputy National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Setonji Koshoedo, speaks with AYO ESAN about the worsening insecurity in the country, the chances of the PDP in next year’s governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, the forthcoming general election and other matters. Excerpts:

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ongratulations on your inauguration. What should Nigerians, especially the PDP family expect from you and the new executives?

Nigerians should expect a vibrant opposition that will not just constructively criticise, but offer policy alternatives to the flaws of the ruling party. Secondly, the PDP family should expect reforms in party management and electoral process that will provide opportunities for the party faithful to achieve their goals.

The deputies in the last National Working Committee of your party complained of being sidelined and marginalised in the scheme of things. How confident are you that this won't happen to the new executives?

Let us look at the cause of the problem. The way you run an organisation determines if it will succeed or not. What caused the misunderstanding between the deputies and their principals was a breakdown in the system. I am confident that our new executives will establish a system that will enhance cohesion and mutual respect for the satisfaction of all.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, recently said that insecurity would not stop investors from coming the country as opportunities abound in challenged and difficult areas. Do you

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Nothing serious is happening in Lagos State. Or what do you expect from a capitalist system that is being controlled by the bourgeoisie

agree with him?

Some of the things you hear from these APC guys are laughable. Security is a major factor for investors to consider in any investment. No sensible person will make such statement. No matter the business potential of a nation, investors will not be willing to invest at the risk of their lives and properties. I totally disagree with him on this.

What are the PDP's chances in the 2023 presidential election and the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States?

Can you really say the PDP has learnt its lessons and will perform well if returned to power in 2023?

I sincerely think so. I think so because the process and the products of the last PDP National Convention made a clear statement of the readiness of the party to take over power come 2023. The retreat organised by the new NWC was another sign of good things to come. They are both signs of the rebirth of PDP and serious indications that it has learnt its lessons.

Are you impressed with the manner Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu handled the Endsars report?

Impressed? May be I should ask you the same question and see what your response will be. The governor was so inhuman about it. They've lost human feelings for Lagosians. They don't care what happens to anyone. All they think about is their empire and, of course, their pockets. That is why they can keep on with their lies, even in the face of open truths.

Lagos PDP is yet to hold its congress after the initial one was disrupted. What are your expectations and what type of chairman do you think the party needs in Lagos?

Such is normal in party management. Members always agitate for their interests and that could cause such disruptions at times. The new NWC is going to look into all uncompleted congresses and do the needful. Lagos will have the chairman that is acceptable to all because that is what they desire.

Why do you think APC governors are against direct primaries in the electoral act amendment bill?

I really have no idea. All I know is that APC can't support such people’s focus policy. You can check through the major policies of this government for clarity.

With your position, are we going to see a PDP governor emerge in Lagos in 2023?

It is God that gives power. We can only try our best.

But I will work hard to make that happen. Lagosians deserve a change of government. And PDP at all levels will work hard to achieve a PDP government for Lagos, come 2023.

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FEATURE

Randy Nigerian Pastors Caught Pants Down Why do supposed men of God take advantage of female parishioners or women not their wives? Last week, a pregnant housewife described to the police how a supposed man of God in Ondo state slept with her right in the temple of God. There have been accusations by women against pastors and general overseers of churches forcing them to have sex with them. Some even end up getting pregnant in the process. The preachers almost always deny the charges. Is it in their DNA or a question of using their positions of authority as GOs to cajole the women to bed? MICHAEL JIMOH reports on a phenomenon that is fast becoming a blemish in the house of God…

If that was a personal confession, Fatoyinbo couldn’t have been more correct. In 2016, a lady called Stephanie Otobo let it be known that she had an affair resulting in a pregnancy with Pastor Johnson Suleiman of Omega Fire Ministries.

In her telling, she and the pastor spent time alone in a hotel where “they had intercourse among other practices.”

The pastor denied the charge.

But Pastor Chukwuma Nkwocha Nkwocha of Tongue and Fire Restoration Ministry could not deny sleeping with, camping and defiling more than a dozen under-aged girls in his church. Following complaints about the man of God’s proclivity for minors, the Police Command in Lagos State surprised him by raiding his church premises on Jacob Taiwo Street, Oshodi. What was the charge against Nkwocha?

Having unlawful carnal knowledge of some of the girls.

In the same year, a Nigerian pastor in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev was unmasked for the bimbo eruptions swirling around him. Adelaja was founder and senior pastor of Embassy of God in Kiev. He was also married. Responding to the allegations of adultery, Pastor Adelaja insisted that “it was an attempt by some people to take over the church from him.”

At the time, he was alleged to have slept with no fewer than 20 women in his ministry.

Even the more gentrified and supposedly innocent-looking preacher men have been accused of one sexual misconduct or the other. Nigerians still remember the protracted media war between the Oyakhilomes – Pastor Chris and Anne Oyakhilome – of Believers Love World.

Anne had accused Chris of adultery and unreasonable behavior. Naturally, some church elders intervened and concluded that Anne was being influenced by “bad friends” who were intent on destroying their home.

Bad friends or not, the matter ended in an acrimonious divorce.

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here is the story of American Pentecostal televangelist, Jimmy Swaggart, who was defrocked by the Assemblies of God after his involvement in a sex scandal with a prostitute. Caught pants down, Swaggart tearfully declared before his congregation on February 21, 1988 that “I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood…would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God’s forgetfulness.”

Three years later, the charismatic preacher was caught yet again soliciting for sex with another female street walker, Rosemary Garcia. This time, there were no lachrymal lamentations. “The Lord told me,” Swaggart said unapologetically, “its flat none of your business.”

More than a dozen Nigerian pastors have had their run in with the opposite sex, that is, women not their legally married spouses. And, like the American televangelist, they seem to be getting away with their ungodly ways.

About a week ago, an unnamed pastor of a white garment church in Akure was arrested by the Police in Ondo State for raping a pregnant woman. The woman in question, one Bukola, had gone to the church for deliverance. Five months heavy, she found herself all alone in the church with the said man of God. In her words, Bukola came from the hospital with a list which the man of God requested for. As instructed by him, she made photocopies and then placed one on the altar. “He said he was going to do some spiritual work on me before my delivery,” Bukola told the police.

Next thing, the pastor invited her to a room within the church premises, told her to undress and then massaged her private part with anointing oil - olive oil that most people THEWILLNIGERIA

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use for cooking. After fondling her swollen belly, the pastor told her the child was in a vertical position and he needed to reposition the baby.

“He asked me to open my legs and dipped his middle finger with oil in my private part,” Bukola said. “He said my baby was in a vertical position instead of horizontal…he would put oil in my private and would help me insert it with his private part so that oil would get into the baby.”

Of course, he did. With his penis! “It was later after he had sex with me that I came to my right senses,” Bukola recalled.

It took Busola Dakolo decades to come to her right senses.

In her telling, she was sixteen when celeb preacher, Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly raped her in her family home.

Called ‘Gucci Pastor’ because of his taste for expensive clothes and cars, Fatoyinbo, according to Busola, took advantage of her in her teens. The rape incident happened in her family home. He (Fatoyinbo) went to her family home early one morning when Busola’s mother was not around.

Her sib was upstairs sleeping. Before this time, Fatoyinbo was more or less a mentor to the young woman who depended on him for everything from books to counselling and much. After forcefully bedding her, Busola went on, Fatoyinbo went to get a bottle of Krest Bitter Lemon from his car and forced her to drink it, saying: “You should be happy that a man of God did this to you.”

It happened a second time, one week after the first incident and right on the bonnet of his car. As a coup de grace Fatoyinbo now told her the infamous line: “You’ll be fine. This thing is not a new thing. Men of God do this.”

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Unlike Swaggart who admitted his error, some of his Nigerian counterparts denied any involvement with their accusers. Although Busola intimated that Fatoyinbo came to the family home with some church elders to apologise after she disclosed the rape incidents, “a weakness and an act of the devil,” he said, Fatoyinbo flatly denied the charge, insisting that he was “taking a leave of absence from the pulpit to submit to the concerns of his spiritual mentors.”

Why do men of God take advantage of female worshippers?

Or why do women fall for them so easily?

Blind obedience, for sure, and a resolute belief that the man of God can do no wrong and are spiritually fortified to provide solutions to whatever problems they are facing.

Four years ago, another man of God, Bishop Chris Kwakpovwe of Our Daily Manna/ Manna Prayer Mountain Ministry, was accused of making sexual overtures to Rita Ibeni, a female member of his ministry. According to reports at the time in a video that went viral and backed up with slutty telephone conversations between the prelate and the woman, Kwakpovwe declared his love to her and went further saying he wanted to bed her.

Ms. Ibeni turned him down. The bishop denied and some of his church members supported insisting that the voice was not that of their pastor.

Years before and like Swaggart, Pastor Wale Oke, founder and presiding bishop of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries aka Christ Life Church could not deny his alleged dalliance with his secretary. He impregnated her and, according to reports, had several abortions for her. When news of their affair got around, Bishop Oke owned up and confessed to his congregation.

As for 53-year-old Pastor Timothy Ngwu, General Overseer of Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity, he reportedly slept and impregnated 20 members of his church. What was his explanation after he was found out? He was directed by the Holy Spirit to sleep with and impregnate his church members.

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EDITORIAL

Still on Plight of Nigerian Railway Workers

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he present Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has over the last few years shown that its is committed to the development and modernisation of Nigeria’s railway system. Ongoing efforts to revitalise the railway system and establish it as the choice mode of transportation, as claimed by the President himself, has seen the government expend huge sums of money, especially on the construction of new railway lines, which will be spread across the country in due course.

As expected, the completion and inauguration of the 157-Kiliometre Lagos-Ibadan and the Kaduna-Abuja railway projects, as well as the WarriItakpe railway line have begun to ease public transportation and to boost the movement of goods across the country.

It is noteworthy that the AbujaKaduna railway line serves as the only reliable and safe means of transportation on land from the Federal Capital Territory to Kaduna, in the absence of effective security for commuters. Apart from the relief, which this has brought many Nigerian travellers on this route, the commencement of commercial operations from Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja to Kaduna and Warri to Itakpe has been trailed by excitement

and tales of success. Encouraged by the response from the public, the Federal Government has promised to construct more railway lines: Kaduna-Kano, Ibadan-Kano and LagosCalabar, among others It came as a rude shock then when in November 2021, the two labour unions in the railway sector, the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NURW) and the Senior Staff Association (SSA), NRC Branch, began a nationwide strike and shut down the operations of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), crippling passenger train services along the LagosIbadan, Kaduna-Abuja and Warri-Itakpe routes and leaving many passengers stranded. This is even as the strike also affected the evacuation of cargo by rail from the Lagos ports. Many of them were left stranded inside the ports.

The President-General, Nigerian Union of Railway Workers (NURW), Innocent Ajiji, made an astonishing revelation when he said that railway workers are the most poorly paid among all the parastatals in the Ministry of Transportation. He added that after deductions, such as the contributory housing scheme, pension, union dues and tax, are made the minimum wage salary of the average worker drops to a paltry N26,000.

The Secretary-General of the NURW, Comrade Segun Esan, also lamented that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, had not taken the

welfare of railway workers seriously, adding that the minister only met them twice and each time, left the meeting without reaching any reasonable conclusion.

Esan also complained of huge disparities in the salaries earned by railway workers, in comparison to their counterparts in the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The leader of the railway union claimed to have also met with the transportation minister on the issue of welfare for railway workers, but he failed to take the plight of railway workers seriously.

The government should not invest in railway infrastructure on one hand and on the other hand, negate the essence of the investment by neglecting the workers’ welfare

The others are non-payment of promotion arrears for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, which was caused through delay, year in year out, in administrative preparation for the promotion exercise; skipped and unpaid monthly salaries of some workers, especially those who entered service in 2019; transfer of workers without adequate provision of accommodation and relocation allowances; refusal to complete the review of the standard condition of service started a few years ago and which was last reviewed for implementation in 1978; delayed allocation of the replaced quarters to all the occupants of the demolished quarters at Ebute Metta and environs, thus causing the affected workers serious mental, social, and financial agony in the past three years, among others While we are not taking sides on the matter, we want to call on the Federal Government to urgently take into consideration, as part of its efforts to revamp and modernise the railway system, the overall welfare of railway workers.

The government should not invest in railway infrastructure on one hand and on the other hand, negate the essence of the investment by neglecting the workers’ welfare. It should not only make adequate salaries and allowances of railway workers a priority, but also ensure that they are paid as at when due.

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

The protection and good use of the new facilities that are being installed across the country’s railway stations, as well as other expenses, mostly through overseas loans, can only be guaranteed when the workers are satisfied and happy.

We urge the Federal Government to meet with the leadership of the railway workers’ unions and ensure that there is a harmonious relationship between it and the workers. This would go a long way to boost the government’s agenda for the railway system and indeed, the transport sector.

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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In specific terms, the railway workers listed some of their grievances to include: Unpaid rents to the occupants of the demolished quarters at the Alagomeji area of Lagos.

According to reports, funds for only one year rent was given to them in 2018 when their quarters were demolished to pave the way for the construction of the LagosIbadan Standard Gauge railway line.

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OPI N ION

Thrillers Make The World go Hip

BY UZOR MAXIM UZOATU riters of thrillers are the richest authors all over the world.

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They may not almost always have high critical acclaim on the literary front, but the publishers do not joke with them because they make millions of dollars and pounds roll into the till.

Back in my secondary school days, the acclaimed king of thriller writers across board in Nigeria was James Hadley Chase, but I have already written about the Englishman whose original name was Rene Lodge Brabazon Raymond.

After enjoying James Hadley Chase, lovers of engaging thrillers would then move on to the likes of Fredrick Forsyth, Mario Puzo, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, Jeffrey Archer etc.

Time was when the Nigerian economy was in good health and books published in Britain and America would all be readily available in Nigeria and at affordable prizes.

Thrillers and their celebrated writers brought the world together in hip and contemporary engagement.

All it took was to get into a bookshop, and the blurb of a thriller would instantly commandeer all your attention thusly: “One man with a gun who can change the course of history. Who is he? Can he be found before the day of the jackal?”

This way, one became introduced to the bestselling thriller The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.

Published in 1971, The Day of the Jackal is an anatomically historical narration of the hiring by the deadly Organisation Armee Secrete of the ace hired killer codenamed The Jackal to assassinate the then French President Charles De Gaulle.

The popular book won for Frederick Forsyth the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel and was made into a successful film starring Edward Fox.

Forsyth published other acclaimed thrillers such, as The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon etc. and has sold about 100 million books translated into about 40 languages across the world.

Forsyth who lately confessed to having been hired as an MI6 spy in Biafra has said that he would be giving up writing thrillers because his wife advised him that he has become too old to be travelling to dangerous places!

Forsyth leaves us with these memorable words in The Devil’s Alternative: “Whichever option I choose, men are going to die.”

Let’s turn the thriller lens to Mario Puzo who started out as a wannabe literary fiction writer with such titles as The Dark Arena, The Fortunate Pilgrim, and The Runaway Summer of Davie Shaw that did not sell thus fetching him no money.

Then in 1969 he turned to his Italian Sicilian Mafia roots to pen the masterwork in crime fiction, The Godfather, that stayed for some 67 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold about 10 million copies in two years.

The Godfather film directed by Francis Ford Coppola is arguably more popular than the book, and the sequel of the film is even hyped in some quarters as trumping the original film!

The global success of The Godfather suddenly turned the erstwhile struggling writer Mario Puzo into a phenomenon who rubbed shoulders with Hollywood superstars.

the author of the worldwide bestseller, The Other Side of Midnight.

Sheldon said that his style of gripping the reader was to “leave the guy hanging on the edge of the cliff at the end of the chapter.”

He wrote 18 novels that sold more than 300 million copies before his death on January 30, 2007, some 12 days before his 90th birthday.

Hardly any thriller reader of our time escaped the grip of Robert Ludlum, the American spy fiction author of 27 novels who is estimated to have about 500 million books in print at the last count!

Robert Ludlum is best known for his Bourne Trilogy, starting from The Bourne Identity published in 1980 and followed by The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.

In Britain Jeffrey Archer lived a charmed life as a sprinter and politician but had to be saved from bankruptcy when he penned the thriller Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less in 1974.

Archer’s greatest bestseller is the 1979 blockbuster, Kane and Abel, dealing with the lives of two men born worlds apart on April 18, 1906 in Poland and USA in abject poverty and great wealth.

The downside was that the legendary singer Frank Sinatra threatened to beat up Mario Puzo because it was insinuated in certain quarters that the writer had portrayed the singer as Johnny Fontaine in the novel whose fading singing career had to be revived by being given a film role after the vicious cutting-off of the head of the film director’s prized horse!

Jeffrey Archer boasts of selling over 300 million books worldwide, and he has a Nigerian connection in his short story, Clean Sweep Ignatius, published in his 1988 collection A Twist in the Tale in which the Nigerian Finance Commissioner, Ignatius Agabi, comes to the Swiss Bank to fight corruption by pulling a gun on the head of the Swiss banker, but when the banker refuses to release the names of the corrupt Nigerian account holders, Agabi turns round to ask for his own $5 billion loot to be banked there too because the Swiss banker is unbreakable!

Sidney Sheldon was a thriller writer in a class of his own,

As we say here, “Naija nor dey carry last!”

Wanted: Structured Conversations on Expectations From Soludo

BY JOE ANATUNE

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here is intense, healthy and variegated conversation among Ndi Anambra about what the Anambra State Governor-elect, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, will bring to the table. However, what seems to be missing in the conversation is familiarity with or knowledge of his agenda as succinctly spelt out in ‘Soludo Solution: A People’s Manifesto For A Greater Anambra State.’

We believe that proper literature review of this document should be the foundational precursor in shaping public debate on the policy thrusts of the Governor-Elect. It is therefore desirable that all critical stakeholders should go through the document so that we can move from the known to the unknown. Anambra will certainly be better off when the conversation is structured.

For instance, at the celebration of the remarkable life and times of the mother of my friend and brother, Christian Onyemelukwe, on December 3, 2021 in Enugwu-Nanka, the conversation on the subject centred on the priority sector the incoming administration should focus on.

Some said roads, some industrialisation, some education, others energy while others said health, especially now that the omicron variant of the Coronavirus is on the prowl. Anambra was here like an elephant being described from the angle each viewer saw it.

True, what is lacking in all the conversations is a central theme that drives the development agenda. The manifesto document under reference has it and we think that understanding the overarching vision is imperative.

Yes, Soludo envisions a one-state megacity that will be liveable and prosperous. Liveability is the underpinning concept here. A liveable city provides equitable access to the necessities of life such as housing, mobility, food, services, education and gainful employment. It affords all residents the opportunity to participate in the civic, economic and cultural life of the city. There are five key aspects of great livable cities namely, robust and complete THEWILLNIGERIA

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neighbourhood, accessible and sustainable mobility, a diverse and resilient economy, vibrant public spaces and affordability. The city for instance should make walking a joy that is safe, comfortable and interesting. In short, a liveable city is a healthy city that promotes heaith, wellbeing and equity.

further envisaged that with collaboration at all levels, the One Anambra Megacity can attract investments, generate gainful jobs, boost productivity and power economic growth. We are sure that by now you can begin to see the correlation between liveability and prosperity, the two beautiful wings of his grand vision.

The livability is the magnet that fascinates and attracts Ndi Anambra and the world to Anambra and engenders prosperity as people hardly invest in places where they can’t live. That’s why Soludo assures that as this grand vision is implemented, children born in Anambra will not have the lure to seek greener pastures elsewhere.

As we pointed in our previous intervention, location shapes life expectancy. This perhaps informs why people invest where they can live. The critical factors that mark out livable cities are as follows:

This is the game changer. During one of the interactive sessions with the cream of Ndi Anambra in Ikoyi, Lagos before the November 6, 2021 peaceful, free and fair Anambra Governorship election, Governor Elect Cee Cee Soludo rattled them to the reality that Lagos is not sustainable. In the 2021 edition of The Economist Intelligence Unit(EIU)Global Liveability Ranking, Lagos came second to last out of 140 cities studied as the Least Liveable City. The study is usually premised on urban quality of life, based on assessment of stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

Environmental sustainability and access to affordable and diverse housing options linked via public public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure, gainful employment, education, local shops, public open space and parks, health and community services, leisure and cultural.

In the same study under reference, the first 10 liveable cities are as follows; Auckland, Osaka, Adelaide, Wellington, Tokyo, Perth, Zurich, Geneva, Melbourne and Brisbane. From the foregoing, we can begin to visualise where we are going. Lagos curiously is not in the scheme of things.

Soludo’s vision of transforming Anambra State into a one-state megacity might have been informed, unknown to many, by the fact that more than 80 per cent of global GDP is generated through cities. Therefore, making the Anambra One State Megacity more livable and productive is thus one of the best strategies for growing the Anambra economy and improving the welfare of the people. It is

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Residents feel safe, socially connected and included.

There is no doubt that urban degeneration in Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, etc, pose a challenge, but through urban regeneration projects, these centres can be more livable. Soludo says that Okpoko, a suburb of Onitsha, will be a pilot project in his urban regeneration agenda.

We are delighted by the deluge of positive responses we have so far received on the subject. Chidi Nwafor, an accountant, strategist and Prince of Ndikelionwu has imputed an organization design that will aid the actualisation of the Anambra Smart Megacity project.

Chidi and many others believe fervently that we can pull this chestnut out of the fire and collectively take the glory.

Yes, the Soludo Anambra where we can live happily, learn happily, work happily, invest happily and enjoy happily is possible and now beckons.

•Anatune writes from Awa in Anambra State.

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COVID-19 2020: AIICO Insurance Directors Receive Highest Pay in 30 Years

BY SAM DIALA

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irectors of AIICO Insurance Plc, one of Nigeria’s topmost insurance firms, received a total emolument of N290.881 million in 2020, the year that COVID-19 spread human suffering and destabilised the global economy in the worst dimension in a century. A study of the firm’s performance records showed that the figure was the highest remuneration paid to its directors since 1990, when AIICO Insurance was listed on the Nigerian Exchange as a public limited company. It was established in 1963 as a private enterprise.

The latest directors’ emolument was N93.241 million higher than the N197.683 million paid in the preceding year (2019) representing 47.1 percent. Over the last five years, the pay received by the directors rose from N197.683 million in 2017 to N198.111 million in 2018. No figure was recorded for 2016.

The 2020 directors’ emolument, however, constituted only 3.84 percent of total operating expenses for the year – N7.552 billion which, on the other hand, was higher than the 2019 figure of N6.038 billion by 25 percent.

Profit after tax (PAT) in 2020 when the directors received the highest pay within three decades dropped to N4.980 billion from N5.718 billion in 2019 or 12.23 percent. The post-tax profit rose to N3.151 billion in 2018 from only N1.283 billion in the previous

Second-hand Wares Lead in Xmas Sales With the national economy in tatters and the naira deflated by inflation, Nigerians grapple with high cost of goods - ranging from food stuff to clothes - as they try to keep up with the tradition of shopping during the Yuletide, UKANDI ODEY reports

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rom Katako to Terminus and Bukuru business areas of Jos, it was Christmas season as usual, but not business as usual, at least,

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for buyers who had to adjust to the rising inflation and the upward trend of prices of goods in the market. It was a moment Continues on page 33

year. Profit before tax dropped to N4.632 billion in 2020 from N5.718 billion in 2019, representing 23.64 percent decline.

The firm’s gross premium income and net premium income recorded positive performance in 2020 to N60.680 billion and N52.779 billion, from N50 billion and N43.776 billion respectively.

Net underwriting income also jumped from N45.643 billion in 2019 to N54.742 billion in 2020.

“Notwithstanding the drop in profit after tax, the other key fundamentals showed positive performance which could explain the quantum leap in directors’ remuneration for 2020.

Remember it was a difficult year for businesses that also suffered the 15-month land border closure imposed by the Nigerian government which it said was meant to curb smuggling but ended up killing businesses while smuggling continued to thrive”, said Kenneth Agbamuche, an insurance practitioner.

Agbamuche told THEWILL that the performance of the insurance sector in 2020 was a corporate paradox that was yet to be resolved. “Not only in Nigeria, the insurance sector improved in the stock performance in most parts of the globe during the pandemic unlike other businesses that witnessed huge shrinkage, especially those in the consumer goods group.

MORE INSIDE FMDQ Admits Neveah Limited’s 2.72bn Series 1 Commercial Paper PAGE 41

Ogun Lauds Dangote Cement, CCECC, Others For Boosting IGR PAGE 41

Continues on page 15

AfDB Loans Nigeria $210 Million For Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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he President of the African Development Bank(AfDB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, has said that the bank will loan $210 million to Nigeria for special agro-industrial processing zones across the country.

The loan, approved by the bank’s Board of Directors, will help to unlock the country's agricultural sector and impact the lives of millions of people in Africa’s most populous Continues on page 41 THEWILLNIGERIA

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COMMERCE/INSURANCE Second-hand Wares Lead in Xmas Sales

COVID-19 2020: AIICO Insurance Directors Receive Highest Pay in 30 Years

Continued from page 16

Continued from page 16

It is reflected in their profits and dividends.”

Dividend declared by AIICO Insurance in 2020 dropped to 5 kobo per share from 6 kobo in 2019; previous three years were 5 kobo, 2 kobo and 5 kobo in 2018, 2017 and 2016 respectively. Basic Earnings Per Share declined to 33 kobo in 2020 from 83 kobo in the preceding year, which was 60.24 percent.

Business at Jos second-hand wares market for the Yuletide.

that brought out the economist in every consumer. Individual scales of preference took over taste as parents and guardians attempted to yield to the emotions and seasonal expectations of their children and wards.

Located critically as the gateway to the NorthEast and a foremost tourism destination in North-Central Nigeria, Jos is also a big market on and off the Yuletide period. It wasn’t any different this year as the movement of goods through the city of Jos ensured that its central business district stretched from Muatala Mohammed Way to Ahmadu Bello Way to Old Bukuru Park and the entire terminus area of Jos. Reactionary and preemptive traders did not allow the moment to be lost on them either as they arrived the various parks and busy areas very early to display an array of wares, which ranged from dresses of various shapes, shades, sexes and styles to belts, caps, shoes, bags, headties to under wears.

Ahmadu Isa, who has been one of the traders selling warm clothes at the Plateau Riders Park along Tafawa Balewa Way, Jos, said sales have been impressive since the beginning of December. Beside the festive mood borne by the period, he said the cold weather that is high at the period also enhances sales, especially to travelers passing through Jos. Reporting to the Park every morning before 6am to ensure that no vehicle departs before his arrival, he said, as against the sales dropping by 10am when most of the vehicles have departed, the December period kept the Park busy all through the day because of the influx of passengers.

Isa said his daily sales have been on the increase since December, with a daily turnover standing between N30, 000 and N50,000, with very few unsold daily.

At the main Terminus, the nerve centre of commercial activities, Bashir, who sells belts and allied materials, has been very grateful to God for the season. For almost every day since the month of December, ha has been opening a new bale of belts and sales have been high because more people appear to be passing through or travelling to their homes. He said he has been selling used belts for as low as N500 before now, but the high turnover has come with increased prices as he has been selling a belt at between N800 and N1500, with some customers sometimes buying as many as two or three.

Truly, the patronage has improved in spite of the increase in the prices of all grades of second hand wears, according Auwalu Ismail,who sells mostly male clothes, with emphasis on jeans, THEWILLNIGERIA

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chinos, and shirts. He described the season as a ‘tasty’ one.

At the wholesale point, he added, a hundred (100) pieces of chinos, jeans, or first grade shirts now cost N100,000, as compared to N70, 000 that was the cost of the same quantity previously.

Auwalu explained that the increase in the cost is not just because of the Christmas season, but due to the rising exchange rate between the naira and foreign currencies, which has increased the landing cost of a bale of clothes popularly referred to as gonjo, which means ‘used clothes’ in English.

The cost of a ‘grade’, which is unused chinos or jeans or shirt, during this season, is between N1,200 and N1,500. Depending on the grade or the design, any of these pieces could sell for as much as N2,000 for one. A day’s sales, he noted, depends on a lot of factors, with the Christmas season peaking it at between 30 to 50 pieces a day.

Hamisu, who sells used shoes in Bukuru, is also laughing to the bank during this Christmas period. He admitted that more customers have visited his shop, just as he stocked and received the final consignment for December. He anticipates increased demand and preferences from customers. According to him, import restriction on textile and allied materials has boosted the position of secondhand shoes market. Before Christmas, he said, a lot of customers do come because of the infinite variety of shoe types and designs that are guaranteed in the second- hand market.

He also said most customers flock the market because they can get high quality shoes there at a far cheaper price than they do the same or inferior make in the elite shops.

Hamisu has stocked more of children’s shoes this season than adult or bigger sizes. He explained that children’s sizes sell more and faster during this period as parents make extra efforts to meet their children’s expectations for the Christmas and New Year festivities.

Depending on the grade, he said, adult male shoes cost between three to eight thousand naira, while children’s shoes sell between N2000 to N5000 depending on the grade, design style or colour, especially coffee brown which is often difficult to get. Hamisu said this peak period is also the rush hour and rainy day of the business because the first quarter of the New Year always occasions a lull and sluggish proceedings up to the borders where they arrange how to get the goods into the country.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com THEWILLNIGERIA

The 2021 outlook does not show something more promising for the firm since the first quarter.

Its unaudited interim report and financial statements for the period ended 30 September, 2021 showed 69 percent drop in total comprehensive income for the period to N1.372 billion from N4.436 billion in 2020. The profit drop was despite a 16 percent rise in gross premium written to N54.674 billion from N47.194 billion in 2020. This is contrary to the projections earlier made in the second half of the year.

AIICO Insurance Company in its operational statement for earnings forecast for the third quarter ending 30 September, 2021 sent to Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and endorsed by its Managing Director, Mr Babatunde Fajemirokun in June 2021 said; “our business is cyclical by nature, in which profits do not accrue evenly over the months but rather accrues more in the second half than the first half. Hence, the forecast for the second half is better than the first half forecast.”

At the company’s 51st Annual General Meeting held in Lagos on November 30, 2021, shareholders voted on several resolutions relating to corporate governance in the organisation as well as some special businesses. These included a bonus of twelve (12) shares for every nine (9) shares already held by members whose names appear on the register of members as of the close of business on November 23, 2021.

“Additionally, other resolutions presented to the shareholders were unanimously approved with the issuance of the bonus, clearing the path for the Company to meet up with new capital requirements from NAICOM. This strengthens the Company’s market position on its journey to being the dominant insurer in sub-Saharan Africa.

“During the interactive session, the shareholders applauded the Company’s leadership on its remarkable contribution to society through its various Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and interventions. Its focus on its recapitalisation efforts also received a commendation for completing its private placement and rights issue,” the company said in a release signed by its Head, Strategic Marketing & Communications, Segun Olalandu.

The business boom that the insurance sector enjoyed in 2020 helped in improving the

“

The business boom that the insurance sector enjoyed in 2020 helped in improving the performance of AIICO Insurance as seen in its core revenue streams performance of AIICO Insurance as seen in its core revenue streams.

Many businesses, especially in the manufacturing sector, slowed down significantly. Investors had to turn attention to the equity market which suddenly went bullish beyond expectation.

A major reason for the sudden bullish trend was the investors’ exodus from the low interest environment of the fixed income market. The Nigerian government had ‘decreed’ deliberate low-yield returns for the T-Bills and Bonds instruments to discourage the influx of investors to the safe fixed income market. The sustained CBN dovish position spurred a rally in the equities market that provided haven for investors fleeing low T-Bill and Bond yields.

The low-yield interest rate environment ignited an increase in stocks’ valuation leading to a good number of stocks recording price gains compared to their prerally status. This included stocks outside the bellwether group such as insurance which used to flood the dormant equities league.

The third factor for the stock market upward jump in 2020 was the ‘frustration’ of foreign investors who could not access forex to repatriate their profits or buy raw materials.

They “had no better choice than to reinvest in the stock market”, said Uche Uwaleke, Professor of Capital Market at Nasarawa State University then. The biting forex scarcity discouraged investments even in the real sector.

Also, the controversial 15-month land border closure had its toll on many Nigerian manufacturing companies that could not export their products for the period.

Among them is Cadbury Nigeria which reported a 14.4 percent slump in export sales, revenue to N3.3 billion in nine months in 2020, due to COVID-19 and closure of the land border. The search for alternative investment channels led to the boost in insurance stocks and business which AIICO Insurance benefited from through its business of providing life and health insurance, general insurance, investment management, and pension management services.

The company’s Strategic Marketing & Communications Department did not respond to a request sent to it for comment.

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BANKING

CBN Boosting Graduate Entrepreneurship With TIES youth entrepreneurs in the realisation of this and these interventions have proven effective in extending credit to youth entrepreneurs.

The implementation guidelines for TIES were released in October and the portal, opened for submission of applications.

Furthermore, the essence of the scheme is to provide an innovative financing model that will support the development of innovative entrepreneurial ideas among graduates and undergraduates of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Indubitably, TIES will bridge the financing gaps that have previously prevented young Nigerians from accessing low-cost credit to drive development of business ideas.

The scheme is designed to address three segments, which include the Term Loan, Equity Investment and Developmental Grant components.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele (5th from left) poses with top executives of the bank and some beneficiaries of TIES.

BY JOY ONUORAH

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hile unemployment and underemployment has been a major issue of concern in Nigeria, especially in recent years, the last four years has witnessed a tremendous rise in the population of unemployed youths.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2020, the Pandemic year, rose to a record-high of 27.1 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

In other words, approximately 21 million Nigerians are unemployed. This figure includes those that have experienced job loss and those that have recently joined the labour force. That is about four per cent increase from the third quarter of 2018, which was 23.1 per cent.

Several factors have contributed to this reality. However, it is safe to say that one of the leading factors in recent times is the COVID-19 pandemic that brought the world to her feet, even without any warning. Many people were rendered jobless as many businesses crumbled.

The underemployment rate also witnessed an increase by 28.6 percent. Added together, both the unemployment and underemployment rate are capped at an astounding 55.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, the economically active population (15 – 64 years of age) stood at 116,871,186 during the second quarter of 2020. This is, according to the NBS, in a bid to change this narrative.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has recently launched the Tertiary Institutions Entrepreneurship Scheme (TIES) designed to catch budding entrepreneurs full of bankable ideas and energy to pursue their dreams. This is one of the announced policies and programmes of the CBN in 2019 to create 10 million jobs in five years. More so, the initiative was in response to President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty through job creation and economic diversification.

Designed to address unemployment, underemployment and consequently encourage entrepreneurial interest and skills particularly in youths, the TIES intervention programme of the CBN seeks to stem the tide of graduates chasing white-collar jobs and those aspiring to leave the country in search of greener pastures.

On the TIES programme, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the scheme was developed in partnership with Nigerian polytechnics and universities to harness the potentials of graduate entrepreneurs by creating a paradigm shift from the pursuit of white-collar jobs to a culture of entrepreneurship for economic development and job creation.

According to Emefiele, the Central Bank is collaborating with some tertiary institutions to develop entrepreneurship programmes and to support entrepreneurial-interested graduates and undergraduates with the provision of access to finance.

The CBN boss added that engagements are ongoing

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As for the Term Loan and Equity Investment components, the CBN governor insists that the facilities are loans (not grants) that must be paid back

between CBN and the management of some institutions to develop a framework for an innovative financing model that will support entrepreneurship development among graduates and undergraduates.

As a first step, the CBN requested that the authorities of the selected institutions provide lands from their large real estate. By providing lands for students to test their entrepreneurial desires before graduation, the institutions will help them to hone their entrepreneurial skills.

“With about 600,000 students graduating yearly from Nigerian tertiary institutions and without commensurate employment opportunities in both public and private sectors, it has become imperative that governments, at all levels, put in place policy measures to support entrepreneurial development among our youths,”Emefiele said.

Such measures, he argued, would create an enabling business ecosystem that supports innovation and enables the youth to unleash their entrepreneurial potential, by redirecting their focus from seeking white-collar jobs to a culture of entrepreneurship development.

The ecosystem should provide support in re-orientating, training and providing a financing model apt to the peculiarity of the sector within which the businesses operate.

With an estimated population of 213 million, two-thirds of which are youths, aged under 35 years, Nigeria, Emefiele stated, is “faced with a historic opportunity, particularly as the demography continues to create clear evidence of their relevance to economic development, as accentuated by the global recognition of Nigerian tech start-ups and continued growth of businesses in the technology space owned by the youth.”

CBN has also introduced several innovative financing programmes designed to extend low-cost financing to

The Term Loan component provides direct credit opportunities to graduates of polytechnics and universities of not more than seven years post-graduation experience.

An applicant, if successful, will be eligible for a maximum of N5 million for an individual, sole-proprietorship or small company and a maximum N25 million for a partnership or company.

The tenure for the facility is five years maximum, with a one-year moratorium at an interest of five per cent per annum, which will revert to nine per cent from March 2022.

The pilot phase of the scheme is being implemented through the Bank of Industry (BOI), with the development of an application portal and the processing of submitted applications.

The second segment, which is the Equity Investment component, is designed to support start-ups and existing businesses requiring expansion, as well as ailing businesses seeking resuscitation.

This component will be implemented under the CBN’s AGSMEIS Equity Window. As a result, the investment limit will be subject to the limit prescribed by the AGSMEIS guidelines and the investment period will not be more than 10 years.

Additionally, the Developmental Grant component, which is the last component, is aimed at raising awareness and visibility of entrepreneurship among undergraduates of tertiary institutions.

Following this segment, polytechnics and universities will compete in a national biennial entrepreneurship competition where undergraduates are presented by the tertiary institutions to pitch innovative entrepreneurial or technological ideas capable of transforming the system.

Three top institutions at the regional levels will proceed to the national level, where they will be awarded grants ranging from N120 million to N250 million.

Emefiele emphasised that the grant awards are to be used by the tertiary institutions solely for the development of the award-willing ideas.

As for the Term Loan and Equity Investment components, the CBN governor insists that the facilities are loans (not grants) that must be paid back.

A Body of Experts (BoE) has been constituted to evaluate and rank entrepreneurial presentations made by tertiary institutions under the Developmental Grant Component.

They will also recommend projects with high potential and transformational impact for grant awards.

Members of the BoE include, Abubakar Suleiman of Sterling Bank as Chairman of the Body, Mrs Temitope Akin-Fadeyi (CBN) as secretary and Patrick Iyamabo (First Bank), Adamu Lawani (Zenith Bank), Ms Ngover IhyembeNwankwo (Rand Merchant Bank), Ashafa Ladan (National Universities Commission), Abbati D.K. Muhammad (National Board for Technical Education), Friday Okpara (SMEDAN), Tope Fasua (Global Analytics Consulting), Brigadier-General Folusho Oyinlola (National Defence College) and Ms Bolanle Adekoya (PWC) as members of the Body.

Meanwhile, five beneficiaries have been selected under the Term Loan component already. These were among those who submitted their applications via the dedicated portal Continues on page 41 THEWILLNIGERIA

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EGO BOYO

A COMMITTED CINEPHILE PAGE 35-40

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Ego Boyo is best known for her role as Anne Haastrup in Checkmate, a TV soap opera that was quite popular in the 1980s. Now a film producer and part-time actress, she speaks with IVORY UKONU about some of the things she has been up to in recent time and her tenure as the 60th president of the International Women Society

Boyo

RMD AND I HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY ACTING TOGETHER – EGO BOYO B

ut for your recent appearance alongside Richard Mofe Damijo in the TV drama series Mr X, one would have said you stayed away from acting for so long. Is there a reason for this?

There was some intentionality behind my absence from the screens. I did want to focus on my producing, and I also wasn’t sure at the time that I wanted to go on acting because the roles I was being offered were simply variations of the Anne Haastrup role, and I did not want to be stereotyped. After a few years of producing though, I found that my love for acting was still very much alive. Some director friends offered the odd cameo role, and as far as it was a small part I could play in a day’s shoot, I was happy to accept.

If you had continued acting without a break, you probably would have turned out to be the Jodie Foster of Nigeria. Don’t you think?

Well, I guess we will never know, but I think everything worked out for the best. The roles I am being offered now are more mature and well thought out, which is what I always wanted. I didn’t want a role in a film or a drama series that was not fleshed out.

Returning to the screens with RMD exactly 30 years after you made your debut in the TV drama series, Checkmate and later Violated, is to say the least significant. Was this deliberate? Why did it have to be you and RMD again?

I think RMD and I had such a great relationship and chemistry in the two projects we worked on together. He wanted to try that formula in the new project and it turned out to be a winning combo.

You have produced five movies till date. The last one was released in 2019. Are you working on a new one?

I was working on some projects and then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. We have had time to rethink and re-work the script. But despite the delay, I am actually glad that I didn’t go forward with it.

We have been in production for over a year. The plan now is to start principal photography by mid-2022.

Why do you always seem to take your time to make a new film?

I prefer to focus on the development of a project. I think it is best to take my time so as to get the best results. I don’t like to rush the process. I prefer to let things develop organically. Ideally it would be great to have a film come out every year or two films every year, but it hasn’t always worked out that way. For instance, Akin Omotosho, who directed my last film ‘The Ghost and the House of Truth, had access to the script about 10 years ago. One day, when we were working on another film, he mentioned it to me and I thought it was a great concept. We started work, changed certain aspects of the script, had conversations with the potential cast and crew, agreed on schedules and from then to the final film took five years to achieve.

From your own experience, what criteria must a film fulfill to be considered a good one?

The writing is crucial. It has to be a well written story with a solid plot, theme and well-defined characters and then good directing. The

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directing is crucial for the story to work. Also crucial is a great director with a clear creative vision and a plan to develop the story, what he/ she hopes to achieve and how, then how he/she intends to work with the entire crew to deliver that vision. Next is getting the right cast to interpret the characters. It is important that the director gives clear directions to the entire team, from the actors to the production crew, in terms of cinematography, lighting, sound and art direction, directing every single aspect of the shooting and then post so that the vision is delivered. It is all about teamwork. The team worked together in a cohesive manner to produce this amazing creative work.

How would you assess the Nigerian film industry, between the period you started out as an actress and the present time?

The industry has grown in leaps and bounds. It has attracted the attention of film aficionados and found new audiences worldwide.

More than ever, the audiences are really paying attention and consuming our content. They are receptive to the work and have created this wave of attention that has taken us from just the shores of our country to the world and that is great. There has also been a great deal of improvement in the quality and diversity of our story telling, improved technical expertise and marketing our work.

The challenges remain largely similar. Distribution is still a huge problem, financing is still a huge problem. Loans are available but they are largely difficult for the majority of film makers to access.

While there has been some investment from corporate organisations and now, with more streaming platforms commissioning content, some film makers are getting access to funding.

Unfortunately, a lot more film makers still struggle to get funding and access to these new distribution channels. The distribution models need structure and need to be available and accessible for equitable distribution of films. We need more cinemas in more locations, willing to screen all genres of films, more streaming platforms offering lucrative deals and opportunities open to everyone.

What is your greatest achievement as a movie producer?

I haven’t made it yet. I think there is still more to come. I want to make a film that makes a huge cultural impact. I would like that the film creates a cultural shape and that every time the film is mentioned that cultural shape is discussed and it would be because of an Ego Boyo film. Two of my early productions, Violated and Keeping Faith, became forms of reference for many films that came after and continue to inspire.

What are your thoughts on casting social media influencers in movies against using core professionals?

Popularity is not my form of casting, professionalism is. It’s about being able to interpret a role effectively and believably on screen.

Anyone committed to the process and willing to subject themselves to the profession, I will proceed with. Film is an art form. Therefore, you have to treat it with that degree of respect and intentionality.

Beyond movie productions, your company, Temple Production handles documentaries, jingles and advertisements. Which of the numerous jobs you have handled stands out for you and why?

Boyo The advertisement and jingle for the presidential campaign of 1998.

And then the short film for midwives and the silent experimental film were made in 2017.

You were the 60th president of the International Women Society.

What was the experience like for you?

It was interesting and challenging. At the time I had been a member for 18 years and I wanted a charity that was giving back, especially to girls and women, and the structure was what attracted me. I had worked in different areas of the organization, so when the opportunity came to head the society, I took it. I was focused on projecting a fresh approach, a 21st century society, and to find ways to attract more young women into the society. Additionally, it was to ensure support for our projects; scholarships, widows business trust, the IWS nursery school and adult literacy center.

What legacy did you leave behind when you handed over?

I hope I left a legacy for the organisation to continue to flourish by bringing in new blood and securing our position and creating awareness of what we do.

What experiences would you say must have significantly shaped you to be who you are today?

The loss of a parent early can shape and/or change you. My father was everything to us; he was our protector, our role model, our backbone, adviser, father, friend – he was everything to us, so, it really affected all of us in the family. We grew up faster and had to focus on using the lessons he taught us to live our lives in ways that would always honour him and our upbringing.

What was growing up like with a Nigerian father and a Barbadian mother?

It was a lovely upbringing. It was also a great mix of both cultures, Igbo and the culture of Barbados where my mum is from, which is, of course, similar.

How did you meet your husband, Mr Omamofe Boyo? What was the attraction?

We met in Lagos, but I have been most unwilling to give anyone that story but my friends and family know the exact story. I prefer to keep the details to myself.

You have been married for close to 30 years. So, you must be doing something right. What advice would you give to the younger generation who don’t have any qualms about ending their marriage at the drop of a hat over very flimsy reasons?

All I can say is that marriage is a union between two imperfect people and it’s not perfect, expect that. It is a work-in-progress. Be committed, be honest with one another and communicate. Discuss the important things beforehand. Things like finances, children, religion, education and values.

How do you unwind?

I read, listen to music, meet up with friends, walk and garden.

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DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU

Real Reason Okwudili Umenyiora Cannot Travel to US

MAJOR SHAREHOLDER BEHIND NNAMDI OKONKWO'S EFCC ORDEAL

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ews of the arrest of Nnamdi Okonkwo, the erstwhile managing director of Fidelity Bank Plc. and now Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings, the holding company of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has dominated the media space these past few days.

Okonkwo was quizzed about the whereabouts of the sum of $72.87 million belonging to the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, which was deposited in the bank .

This deposit was made while Okonkwo was at the helm of affairs at the bank and the anti graft agency is now opening investigations into this money which is the proceeds of the corrupt activities of the former minister.

This won't be the first time the EFCC would arrest Okonkwo over money belonging to Diezani who is now on 'exile' in the United Kingdom.

Last month, the agency hauled him into their custody over his alleged role in $153 million deposited in the bank on behalf of Diezani, by a former executive director of a first generation bank.

While it may seem that the anti graft agency is merely doing its job and attempting to bring Okonkwo to book for his crimes, this is however far from the case.

THEWILL exclusively gathered that Okonkwo's ordeal is allegedly being orchestrated by a major shareholder of First Bank.

This particular shareholder is using the tactics of setting people up, to embarrass Okonkwo to such an extent that FBN Holdings would have no choice but to remove him as its GMD, even if it is to distance

itself from any more scandals, having just survived a previous scandal that consumed the bank's first female chairman and the chairman of the holding company.

Although this shareholder claims not to be interested in any board position in FBN Holdings and First Bank Plc, either directly or by proxy and is only interested in being an investor, this is allegedly far from the truth.

On Friday, Mr. Remi Babalola unexpectedly resigned his appointment as Chairman of FBN Holdings barely eight months after he assumed the position following the abrupt exit of his predecessor, Oba Otudeko in April 2021. Our sources said this shareholder may have lobbied Babalola to resign.

The game plan for this shareholder is to install his own lackey, an act he could not exercise, because while still in the process of scaling up his shares, the initial largest shareholder already influenced the appointment of Okonkwo.

This naturally didn't go down well with the conniving shareholder and thus the plan to instigate Okonkwo's removal through a series of well orchestrated arrests got hatched, using the arrow head at the anti graft agency who claims to be an enemy of corruption but has failed to arraign a single ex governor or an important personality for corruption, after almost a year in the saddle.

To further lend credence to this, shortly before Okonkwo's arrest was announced a few days ago, the points man at the anti graft agency had to cut short his journey to a north African nation where he was a panellist at a conference against corruption, to personally take charge of the case in line with his 'master's' bidding.

Before the news of Okonkwo's arrest became widespread, the anti graft agency had to send out a press release which was allegedly fraught with grammatical and punctuation errors as it was hurriedly put together on the instruction of the agency's points man, in order to appear that the agency was truly doing its job with no strings attached.

But will this shareholder eventually have his way with FBN Holdings succumbing by dropping Okonkwo and appointing his own lackey?

We await to see who emerges the winner in this battle of 'attrition'.

Anyway, the CBN which has a huge stake in the bank will ultimately decide who gets what.

Anna Ebiere Banner Elevated From Side Chic to Main Girlfriend

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ollowing her inability to get high life singer, Chinedu Okolie, more popularly known as Flavour N’abania to commit to her solely, former beauty queen, Anna Ebiere Banner, decided to move on with her life and began a hush hush relationship with another man.

Hush hush because the man in question was supposedly happily married. He is Abdullahi Ahmed Osikhena Sa’ad and he runs Osikhena Global Investment LTD in Abuja where Anna is a member of his staff. Their relationship has now taken a new turn as Ahmed's three years old marriage to Uyiosa has allegedly crashed. This latest development has now elevated Anna from being a mere side chic cum staff to Abdul's main girl, no doubt, an obvious answer to her prayers.

Anna who represented Nigeria at the 2013 Miss World pageant met Flavour in 2014 and featured in his music video for ‘Golibe’ where she was his love interest. They began a relationship shortly after and in 2015, they welcomed a baby girl together named Sofia. Sofia was Flavour’s second daughter after welcoming his first daughter with his first baby mama, model, Sandra Okagbue.

But seeing that Flavour isn’t ready to settle down, coupled with the fact that another baby mama, Sandra, who was there before her, welcomed her second child with Flavour, a few years after she had hers with him, Anna had no choice but to move on with her life.

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Dangote

ALIKO DANGOTE’S ASSEMBLY PLANT ROLLS OUT FIRST SET OF CARS

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bout five years ago, when Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote decided to expand his business by adding a car assembly plant, many Nigerians were excited because it would impact positively on the country’s economic growth and development, as well as reduce the people’s dependence on foreign products and services.

In alliance with Kaduna and Kebbi States and the Bank of Industry (BOI), he bid for a majority stake in Peugeot Automobiles of Nigeria (PAN).

The company was already under receivership with Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the asset recovering agency was seeking investors to buy off some of the assets, following several challenges that partly ruined it. The Federal Government had sold off its controlling stake in the company in 2006 to local core investors who struggled to keep it afloat.

In 2012, AMCON acquired a controlling stake in the company and took over the company’s debt.

But even AMCON struggled to keep it afloat. PAN was by now, badly in need of a new lease of life and when Dangote signified his interest and made a bid for it, to inject 52 million euros, about N21 billion, into the company, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, that plan was dead on arrival. Dangote quickly reconsidered, having seen that investing in PAN would have been a huge liability, something he wasn’t willing to take on. He changed course and a year after, signed a joint venture agreement with Peugeot of France (PSA Groupe).

The new company, Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN), has since kicked off. Located about 25 kilometers away from the present location of the defunct PAN Limited assembly plant in Kaduna State, THEWILL learnt that DPAN recently released its first set of assembled saloon cars. However, this set is unfortunately not for commercial purposes, according to a reliable source in the know. The business mogul plans to roll out the ones for sale not later than the first quarter of 2022.

e is a self-styled businessman with deep pockets from a royal background. He is an older sibling to USA NFL player, Osi Umenyiora, who married Leila Lopez, a former Miss Universe in 2015. His stepfather owns Germaine Motors and he is the half-brother of Nicole, wife to rapper, Naeto C. Nicole's mum was married to his dad until he passed on last year. His name is Okwudili Umenyiora, more popularly known as Dilly. He is the CEO of Dilly Motors.

Dilly used to be quite close to Emeka Okonkwo, aka E-Money, the younger brother of singer Kingsley Okonkwo, aka KCee, until they both fell apart.

Soon after the demise of their friendship, Dilly attempted to replicate E-Money's success with Five Star Music, by setting up Eric Many record label.

Unfortunately, Dilly’s record label was not successful due to his ignorance of the music business, unprofessionalism, lack of defined structures, rules, etc. These would later affect the two music artistes he signed on to the label: Presh, a former signee on Five Star Records and Douglas Agu, aka Runtown.

While Presh exited the record label, as soon as there was an opening elsewhere, Runtown couldn't, at least not immediately. He was weighed down by the issues plaguing the label.

As earlier mentioned, Dilly is quite wealthy and owns one the most palatial homes in the Lekki area of Lagos. Unfortunately, in spite of his wealth, the 43-year-old is allegedly unable to travel to the United States.

Dilly is an alleged fugitive in the US. The married father of three is being haunted by an alleged

fraud committed on US soil and risks being hauled behind bars if he ever makes an attempt to go to that country.

Some years ago, some Nigerians were on trial in Alabama for running a big-time fraud operation. Dilly was allegedly one of them. He got arrested, allegedly turned a jailhouse informant, got released from federal prison on March 9, 2006, according to the Baldwin County, Alabama Corrections Centre database and later got re- arrested.

Prior to the 2006 arrest, he allegedly had several brushes with the law, which didn't help his case. Back home in Nigeria, he has on several occasions exhibited an attitude considered as worrisome. A clear example was during the period his label signee, Runtown had a running battle with him over his recording contract, which he (Runtown) claimed Dilly kept breaching.

Runtown claimed that Dilly pulled a gun on him once in his (Dilly's) residence and allegedly threatened to 'fuck him up' and his career simply because he (Runtown) went to London on vacation without informing him. While trying to bring an end to their impasse, Dilly had requested Runtown to come to his residence. The latter turned down the request and instead asked that they meet at a neutral place.

"He told me stories of how he killed people in prison and that anyone that fucks with him, he will kill the person. Of course, I won’t go to that kind of person’s house. What if I go there and something happens to me?"

Runtown said, in an interview.

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DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY IVORY UKONU AND SHADE METIBOGUN

Why Olori Naomi Was Absent at Ooni’s Coronation Anniversary

SHARON DABOH IN HUSBAND BATTERING DRAMA A former member of the House of Representatives, Sharon Aondona Daboh, has been accused of husband battering. The husband of the former lawmaker, David Fiase Aondona, accused her of trying to kill him. He alleged that she threatened his life and asked the public to hold his estranged wife responsible if anything happens to him.

The couple’s marital issues began a year after David and Sharon got married in 2017. David fled the house when it became unbearable for him to stay with the politician again.

In 2019, he filed for divorce at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, but his wife allegedly evaded being served a court notice before the unfortunate demise of the judge.

While effort was on-going to serve her the notice, he was kidnapped in Garki, Abuja by unknown gunmen. He was brutally beaten, stabbed in the face, neck and tossed out of a moving vehicle and left to die by the roadside. Fortunately for him, he survived the attack and lodged a formal complaint at a police station.

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David wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police in 2019 requesting him to prevent his wife from killing him.

Another petition was written to the Nigeria Police Force on December 7, 2021 seeking its intervention after he continued to be harassed allegedly by his estranged wife.

She took the harassment to the social media, changing her facebook profile to reflect his name and allegedly posting unpalatable and offensive comments about him on her timeline.

On the 3rd and 7th of December, respectively, she allegedly transferred the sum of N5,000 and N55,000 from her company’s account, Herbal Original Wonder Tea to her estranged husband, despite the fact that he did not seek financial assistance from her. David therefore begged the police to call his ex-wife to order so that he can have rest of mind and not continue to suffer from psychological trauma which might eventually claim his life. Apparently, Sharon is somewhat of a bully who allegedly likes to terrorise people as a few years ago, an alleged victim of Sharon’s assault cried out to the public after she was allegedly maltreated by the politician.

One Cecilia Agbo, allegedly accused the politician of using charm to destroy her marriage in order to snatch her husband, Julius Agbo. She stated that she lost her husband to Sharon Aondona Daboh after she allegedly knocked him down with her Sport Utility Vehicle.

Cecilia claimed that Sharon offered to treat her husband and to render financial assistance to her family, but allegedly started sleeping with him.

She also alleged that the former lawmaker bought her husband a Nissan Xterra SUV, rented a three-bedroom apartment for him and moved in with him.

Cecilia claimed that she was beaten up and suffered bruises in the process after she went to the apartment to express her grievances to her husband and his mistress.

It took the timely intervention of neighbours before she was able to get away from the compound.

The saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree rings true in Sharon’s case. The light-complexioned politician obviously took after her late father, Godwin Daboh Adzuana, who was a very controversial politician.

Daboh allegedly gained reputation by hanging around offices of top government officials seeking shady deals and lobbying for contracts. He built a shopping complex in Makurdi, the Benue State capital and accused the then state governor, Gabriel Suswam of refusing to issue him a Certificate of Occupancy, thereby waging an economic war against him.

In its response to his accusation, the Suswam’s government stated that the condition for the issuance of C of O was evidence of tax payment, which the businessman had been evading. Instead of paying tax, he drew up a list of powerful and influential Nigerians and wrote to each of them, begging them to intervene in the battle between him and the government.

The late Godwin, it was said, lacked loyalty and commitment and was reputed to always jump from one politician to another in search of financial gain and position.

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Okpeke

MEETFUNKE OKPEKE, THE AMAZON SHATTERING TECH GLASS CEILINGS

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he runs one of Africa’s most important and pivotal tech companies. MainOne, the holding company for Main Street Technologies, West Africa’s leading communications services and network solutions provider.

That Funke has done remarkably well by positioning the company as a highly reputed and preferred provider of wholesale internet services to major telecom operators, ISPs, government agencies, large enterprises and educational institutions in West Africa, would be simply stating the obvious.

Little wonder, Equinix, one of the world’s leading digital infrastructure corporations, is all set to acquire the company for $320 million (about N134.70 billion) as part of its expansion in Africa, in a matter of months.

Funke’s quest to change the Internet landscape in Nigeria began after she moved back to the country in 2005 to assume the post of Chief Technology Officer at MTN Nigeria, following a telecoms career that spanned 20 years in the United States. She noticed the low Internet connectivity in Nigeria, which created a huge information and knowledge gap that was limiting business and education in Nigeria.

She decided to do something about it, left MTN and joined Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) hoping that she could lead the way forward to developing the critical infrastructure for Internet connectivity in the country. Unfortunately, the frustrating work environment in a typical government organisation did not allow that to happen. She mused about running a 7,000-kilometre undersea high-capacity cable submarine from Portugal to Lagos. At first, the idea seemed unachievable, but she had a vision. She had her sights set on making it happen. And it did happen.

In 2008, the Ibadan-bred engineering graduate launched MainOne Cable Company. The project began with a black glass-fibre cable, originating from Portugal and sprang forth from the ground at the shore-end landing station in Ajah, Lagos connecting all the big operators in Nigeria and Ghana to the global Internet. Mission accomplished, the company took off fully in 2010. The result was an instant cyber-revolution in Nigeria, which made the company one of the biggest forces of transformation in the ICT sector in Nigeria.

here seems to be trouble in the paradise of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi. The monarch’s wife, Olori Shilekunola Moronke Naomi Ogunwusi, was conspicuously absent at his sixth coronation anniversary held on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The mother of one who would always take to her media space to praise and congratulate her husband for any laudable achievement didn’t even congratulate him for his coronation ceremony.

She has also been away from social media for about a month now. The last post Olori Naomi made was on her son’s first birthday which took place on 18th, November, 2021. It is alleged that the queen is not happy about the presence of a handful of other women, who seem to have taken her place in the heart of Oba Ogunwusi.

These women are well travelled, educated and more exposed than herself and she is afraid of being displaced by them.

Two of these women are working with the king’s House of Oduduwa Foundation. It is speculated that he has been giving them his undivided attention, neglecting his beloved queen in the process.

It was gathered that the women with whom the monarch allegedly seems to be preoccupying himself are allegedly married to him. One of them, Ronke Ademiluyi, is the founder of Africa Fashion Week, London and Nigeria.

She has been close to Oba Ogunwusi long before he was crowned king. She was rumoured at a point to be the Oba’s likely choice of Olori six years ago because she is a native of Ile Ife and a princess from another royal family. She is the great grand-daughter of a past Ooni of Ile Ife, Oba Ajagun Ademiluyi.

Ronke is also the cultural

ambassador to Queen Moremi Ajasoro, an arm of the House of Oduduwa Foundation. She has been working closely with the traditional ruler for some years now prompting her to move to Ile Ife. She co-founded the Adire Oodua Textile Hub in Ile-Ife. Ooni even commissioned her cultural centre a few months ago.

At a glance, Oba Ogunwusi and Ronke Ademiluyi appear to be working together and jointly promoting Yoruba culture.

Underneath the façade, they are allegedly seeing each other.

The Deputy Convener of Hope Alive Initiative, Tope Adesegun, is also alleged to be one of the women who has a place in the monarch’s heart. She was once rumoured to be the one to replace Olori Wuraola, the Ooni’s first wife who quit their marriage over allegations of infidelity and barrenness.

Her initiative is under the management of House of Oduduwa Foundation.

The third woman, Princess Afolashade Ashely had her base in London a few years ago until her relocation to Nigeria to join the Ooni in his palace. She is an accountant and runs a NonGovernmental Organization, Ashley Adegoke Foundation.

She is not a new entrant in the Ooni of Ife’s life. She has always been in the life of Oba Enitan Ogunwusi’s life even before he married Olori Wuraola. She would have been the official Olori but she is a single mother of one. Because the tradition of Ife forbids the Ooni from marrying any woman who has ever had a child for another man, she was replaced with an official Olori. However, Ashley moved into the palace and she has remained someone who cannot be toyed with. Even the Ooni does not tolerate any disrespect towards her. She has also been parading herself as one of the queens of the royal father.

Ooni and Olori Naomi

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DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STORIES BY SHADE METIBOGUN AND IVORY UKONU

YEWANDE ZACHEAUS SUPPORTS THREE ENTREPRENEURS WITH N1.5M Y

ewande Zaccheaus, the Chief Executive Officer of Upscale event company, Eventful limited, has shown her generous side with the sum of 1.5 million naira, which she doled out to three business owners at the 2021 edition of her fashion event, Fashion Souk. Fashion Souk is a niche fair for fashion enthusiasts and business owners. It was established in 2017 to showcase the value of fashion chains, and help emerging entrepreneurs to connect, network and tap into various opportunities to grow their businesses.

NFVCB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACCUSED OF ABUSE OF POWER M Zaccheaus

In its fourth edition, the show took place at Harbour Point in the highbrow areas of Victoria Island.

The event had 140 vendors, comprising manufacturers and retailers showcasing their products, such as shoes, hats, jewellery, fabrics and other accessories for both men and women. They all displayed their creativity, product lines and economic potential.

The highlight of the oneday event was the pitching competition that led to the emergence of three entrepreneurs who went home

the prize money. Oluwatosin Ogunbanjo, of Avenue 7, a leather bag and shoe company, won N750,000; Victoria Udoh, of Vudoh, a painting fabric company, received N500,000; while Tunde Issa of Royal Klassic Koutoure won N250,000.

Some entrepreneurs also went with home special prizes for the most original store and best decorated store. They were given equipment grants by the financial institution partnering with the organisers of the event.

Oyeyimika Adeboye Becomes First Female MD of Cadbury in 50 Years

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yeyimika Adeboye, the first female Managing Director of Cadbury Nigeria in the last fifty years didn’t rise to her current position without paying her dues in top managerial positions in the country.

She built her career in finance, strategy and business administration in Nigeria and the United Kingdom for over two decades. She

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learnt the rudiments of business partly from her industrialist father, Late Timothy Adeola Odutola, a foremost indigenous manufacturer.

With a degree in Economics and Accountancy from the University College, Cardiff, Wales, an executive management education certification in Finance and Business Administration from the Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland, as well as qualifying as a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Oyeyimika, no doubt was well prepared for her new appointment.

She returned to Nigeria in the 1990s because she felt she might have career limitation in the United Kingdom as a black female professional. Returning home became a careerdefining moment for her.

She joined the erstwhile Nigeria accounting and tax practice of Arthur Andersen and Co. She later moved to Nigeria Bottling Company as the Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer where she worked for three years.

She joined the board of Cadbury Nigeria in 2008 as its Finance and Strategy Director, West Africa before she rose to the position of Managing Director of the company.

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embers of the Governing Board of the National Films and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB), the government agency that regulates the film and video industry in Nigeria, are at loggerheads with the body’s Executive Director, Adedayo Thomas, over the latter’s alleged overbearing attitude and his insistence on getting rid of the governing board in order to be solely in charge of the agency.

There have been complaints about how Thomas runs the government agency like his personal company and how he unilaterally proclaimed the dissolution of the governing board, claiming that the Minister of Information, Lai Muhammed, allegedly told him to do away with the board.

No reason was given for this action by either Thomas or Mohammed. But Thomas still went ahead to dissolve the board without an official letter to that effect.

There have also been complaints of alleged financial misappropriation and embezzlement, as well as visits, arrests and interrogation of staff by anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Thomas Practices Commission.

Also, celebrated film maker, Tunde Kelani, reportedly resigned his position as the chairman of the agency when he could no longer condone the sharp practices being perpetuated in the agency.

In his resignation letter, Kelani had blamed the contradictory structure of the NFVCB, which was set up in such a way as not to recognise its expected tasks, not to mention trying to fulfill it. He referred to the mentality of members of the body/board as having negative behavioral manifestations, which prompted him to resign as quickly as possible in order to preserve his name and reputation.

Matters, however, came to a head recently when members of the governing board, which had not sat for a meeting for over two years, contrary to the law

that established it, were allegedly humiliated and denied access to the premises by security agents, comprising the police and the NSCDC operatives, hired by Thomas.

Miffed by his action, the administrative head of the board, Alhaji Abu Katcha allegedly decided to escalate the matter to the presidency, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chief of Staff to the President.

The board wondered what temerity the executive director had to prevent them from gaining access to a public property, stop them from meeting in over two years, prevent them from approving a budget, yet he allegedly spent over N6 billion without approval.

Son Slams Olunloyo Over Unfounded Allegations Against Late Oromoni

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Olunloyo

nitan Robert has slammed his mother, Kemi Olunloyo, the controversial daughter of former Oyo State governor, Omololu Olunloyo, for making unfounded allegations against the late pupil of Down College, Sylvester Oromoni, who died under controversial circumstances.

Kemi had taken to her social media platform to allege that the late Sylvester willingly wanted to join a cult group in his school and drank engine oil as part of the initiation process. According to her, she was informed by imaginary informants that the 12-yearold willingly submitted himself for a rigorous initiation process, which entailed being beaten and given engine oil to drink. Expectedly, her unfounded allegations earned her a backlash from Nigerians, majority of who threatened to physically deal

with her for causing more pain and trauma to the bereaved parents of the deceased, who cannot defend himself against her spurious allegations.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), the lawyer to the Oromonis, petitioned the Lagos State Police, Hakeem Odumosu asking that the 57-year-old woman be invited for questioning and be investigated for making reckless allegations. One of her sons, Enitan, also joined to give her a knock for being brutally insensitive.

Enitan, who recently clocked 34, called her a sadist. He described his mom as one who sleeps around and does evil things to hurt other people. He accused her of telling lies and referred to her as lacking compassion, love and respect, but prefers to use him and his brothers as pawns in her game just to get what she wants.

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HOW ENIOLA BADMUS CELEBRATED 20 YEARS IN ENTERTAINMENT Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus, recently celebrated 20 years in the entertainment industry and the launch of her book, ‘Delayed Not Denied’. Here are highlights from the event as compiled by SHADE METIBOGUN:

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he Venue Upscale event centre, The Monarch, which is situated in the highbrow Lekki area of Lagos, was the venue of the event. Besides the fact that the celebrant is a personal friend of the owner, Olori Sekinat Elegushi, parties held at the place are usually considered A-list parties.

Lagos State flouts own COVID-19 protocol The last thing on the minds of the guests, many of who were ready to let their hair down, was to adhere to COVID-19 protocol. Following the significant rise in positive cases of the Omicron variant of the virus, the Lagos State Government decided to step in by putting measures in place to curb the spread of the virus. Several days before the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu insisted that occupancy limit at any event must not exceed 60 percent of maximum design capacity, adding that attendees of social gatherings must present their vaccination cards or digital bar code page showing evidence of full vaccination, at least the first dose, but preferably double dose. Well, none of the guests had any vaccination card to present, nor were they willing to wear a face mask. The number of guests at the party was above the 60 percent stipulated by the state government. In fact, the same government had a representative at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Solomon Bonu, who partied hard without a face mask.

No defined dress code Unlike most parties, there was no defined dress code. The celebrant had announced, ahead of the grand event, that her guests were free to ‘outshine’ her. And so, a lot of people turned out in their best and fashionable clothes, adding colour and glamour to the event.

The celebrant’s grand entrance The plus size actress was driven to the venue of her event in a black Rolls Royce with some security guards as escorts. She also wowed her guests with the way she stepped into the hall. The backdrop of the stage parted into two and she appeared in the middle of the Martins, Edun and Amusa hall with fireworks on display.

Funke Akindele-Bello shunned best friend’s party Actress and movie producer, Funke Akindele-Bello, is one of the closest people to the celebrant. Many expected to see her at the party and take charge on behalf of the celebrant, but she was conspicuously absent. The mother of two had earlier made a social media post where she showered blessings on the celebrant, but she did not give reasons for not making it to the event. Her absence naturally set tongues wagging as many berated her for not attending her close friend’s party.

Many also believed that the actress wanted to avoid the duo of Iyabo Ojo and Toyin Abraham, with whom she has not been on speaking terms with.

Sanwo-Olu pledges N10m to celebrant Some of Eniola Badmus’ friends gave her money to help with the planning of the ceremony. Kayan mata seller and Chief Executive Officer of Miwa Signature Place, Akinola Oluwatomiwa Balquees, gave the actress the sum of N10

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popularly known as Pretty Mike, came to the party with 24 ‘spiritual convoys’ who stole the show with their display. His convoy was made up of men and women who were scantily clad in black underwear and painted in white all over. They displayed their dance skill to Mayorkun’s song Holy Father, as guests had their fillof drama before they all marched out of the hall.

Davido doled out N2m to KWAM 1 David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is one of the closest people to Eniola. As a sign of support, he performed at the party to the delight of guests. Shortly after he arrived, he went straight to pay homage to King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal and while the king of Fuji music was performing on stage, he walked up to him and gave him N2 million. He later sat down as a guest to enjoy the evening.

The queen without her king Olori Sekinat Elegushi has made it a custom to always attend parties held in her event centre, particularly if she knows the celebrant personally. This she did at Eniola’s party. She however waltzed in without her king, Oba Saheed Elegushi.

Instead, she was accompanied by her first daughter and her retinue of friends.

Between Faithia Williams and Iyabo Ojo There seems to be no end in sight to the feud between actresses, Iyabo Ojo and Faithia Williams. Unlike Funke Akindele-Bello who many say shunned the party because of Iyabo Ojo and Toyin Abraham, both actresses knowing the other would be at the party, made sure to attend. They however kept a safe distance from each other. The erstwhile friends, fell out with each other after Iyabo accused Faithia of making public her near death experience during a tummy tuck procedure in Turkey. According to Iyabo, only Faithia was with her during the trip and in the know of what she travelled to Turkey to do and was therefore the only one who could have leaked the information. Iyabo waited until Faithia’s 49th birthday last year. While others congratulated her, Iyabo launched a social media attack on her, calling her a witch who was envious of her and wished her death.

Saheed Balogun, Faithia Williams shun each other The duo of Nollywood actors, Saheed Balogun and Faithia Willams were at the event, but they surprisingly looked the other way and avoided exchanging pleasantries. Even when their colleagues were taking pictures, they ensured they stayed far away from each other. Saheed and Fathia used to be married and their marriage lasted more than 10 years. It produced two children who are now teenagers.

The marriage ended due to allegations of infidelity on the part of Faithia. However, about three years ago, they reunited in a movie produced by Faithia. Perhaps their feud was reignited again because of Iyabo’s closeness to Saheed.

Badmus

Thomas

Chukwu

million.

Singer Teniola Apata, also known as Teni, donated the sum of N2 million. A few others launched her book with undisclosed sums of money. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State made a pledge of N10 million. The duo of Nollywood actresses, Iyabo Ojo and Toyin Abraham gave the celebrant the sums of N200,000 and N250,000, respectively.

Lateef Adedimeji, Bimpe Oyebade step out together The duo of Nollywood actors, Adedimeji Lateef, and his bride-to-be, Adebimpe Oyebade, came to the event together.

It was the first time the duo would be stepping out together as a couple since their December 22 wedding invite surfaced online. The two held hands as they stepped into the venue together. Before their wedding invite surfaced, the two vehemently denied any romantic relationship between them.

Pretty Mike steals show with 24 ‘spiritual convoy’ The king of party stunts, Mike Eze Nwalie Nwaogu, more

Even drinks were served stylishly Some expensive wines and spirits were served at the party, but the really expensive ones found their way into the hall in a stylish manner. About seven young men dressed in black costumes raised the encased drinks up for guests to see as the popular club song Dorime played in the background. The procession was led by one of them who had on a costume with flashy lights on it. The seven marched to the service area where the drinks were to be served.

Who did what?

Standup comedian and actor, Justice Nuagbe, otherwise known as Ushbebe, was the master of ceremony.

Saheed Balogun was in charge of the book launch. He narrated how the celebrant walked up to him when she wanted to start acting. He didn’t want to give her a chance at first, but Fuji artiste, Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, also known as Alao Malaika, persuaded him to. King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal and Olori Sekinat Elegushi both unveiled the book.

Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, a.k.a Ali Baba, supervised the cutting the five-tier all white cake by asking guests to count from 1-20, which signified the number of years the actress had spent in the industry.

The roll call The event had many actors, actresses, music stars, standup comedians and wealthy businessmen and women in attendance.

Additional reports by Ivory Ukonu.

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BUSINESS NEWS CBN Boosting Graduate Entrepreneurship With TIES Continues from page 34 and had their applications processed.

Emefiele urged this set of recipients to judiciously utilise the funds for the purpose indicated in their applications. In his words, "It is my strong belief that the scheme will offer our youth entrepreneurs access to finance, which has been identified as a major limiting factor to the development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria."

The CBN governor assured other institutions that did not participate at the first offer that they would be brought on board over time.

He said, “With ongoing dialogue and engagements with other segments of the educational sector, feedbacks received shall form the basis for the periodic review of the guidelines, with the intent to scale up participation under the scheme in future.”

L-R: Director, Administration, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Mr. Jimoh Kadiri; Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UBTH, Prof. Stanley Okugbo; Chief Medical Director, UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki; Corporate Affairs Manager, West/MidWest, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Danjuma JohnEkele, and Brewery Medical Doctor, Ibadan/Ijebu Ode, NB Plc, Mr. Emeka Ofulue during the official commissioning of the renovated and equipped neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital by Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF) held in Benin, Edo State on 15/12/2021.

AfDB Loans Nigeria $210 Million for Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones

Continued from page 16 country.

Adesina, who disclosed this in a statement made available by the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Ogun State Governor, Emmanuel Ojo, in Abeokuta, said the loan would also assist in promoting industrialisation in the country through strategic development of crops and livestock He said the credit facility would cofinance Phase 1 of the Nigeria Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Program, noting that the Phase 1 of the project would target seven Nigerian states and the country’s Federal Capital Territory.

Adesina added that the project would support Nigeria’s efforts to raise agricultural productivity, promote investment, create wealth and jobs, and transform rural areas into corridors of economic prosperity.

Noting that the first phase would be implemented with co-financing from

other partners in the amount of $538.05 million, he said, “A $210 million loan approved by the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors on Monday could impact the lives of millions of people in Africa’s most populous country. The loan will co-finance Phase 1 of the Nigeria Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone Program. The program will help to unlock Nigeria’s agriculture sector potential. It will promote industrialisation through the development of strategic crops and livestock.

"African Development Bank financing for this programme represents one of the Bank’s most ambitious operations, in terms of scale and scope, to date. It is made up of an African Development Bank loan of $160 million and an Africa Growing Together Fund loan of $50 million. Phase 1 of the project will target seven Nigerian states and the country’s Federal Capital Territory.

Ogun Lauds Dangote Cement, CCECC, Others For Boosting IGR FROM SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA

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gun State Government has lauded the contributions of Dangote Cement Plc, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Nigeria Limited and JP Industry Limited, among others, for contributing to the state's internally generated revenue (IGR).

The Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Dapo Okubadejo, disclosed this in Abeokuta during a cocktail party organised by the Ogun Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS).

Okubadejo, who thanked the tax compliant agents of the companies and others, including Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, said that the contributions of their Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives to the economic development of the state could not be downplayed.

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recognition of the commitment of the agents and a way of getting closer to taxpayers, improving relationships and sharing ideas and recommendations that would enhance service delivery.

"The contributions of the Public-Private Partnership initiative in generating resources for economic development of the State cannot be downplayed, which explains the mechanisms put in place by the government to encourage investors.

"Government cannot function without private sectors’ collaboration, so it beholds us to put in place all necessary mechanisms to attract, appreciate and encourage them to do business with us in Ogun State, by creating the enabling environment, removing all red tapes and bottlenecks, to actually provide seamless and efficient service delivery" Okubadejo said.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com THEWILLNIGERIA

FMDQ Admits Neveah Limited’s 2.72bn Series 1 Commercial Paper

BY ANTHONY AWUNOR

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he Board Listings and Markets Committee of FMDQ Exchange has approved the quotation of the Neveah Limited 2.72 billion Series 1 Commercial Paper (CP) under its 10.00 billion Commercial Paper Issuance Programme on its platform. The quick and effortless time to market this CP is a testament to FMDQ Exchange’s unwavering commitment to the continuous development of the Nigerian Debt Capital Market (DCM).

Neveah Limited is a leading commodities trading company dealing in the export of solid minerals and agricultural products, and a registered exporter of agro-commodities and minerals with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.

Commenting on this milestone, the Chief Executive Officer, Neveah Limited, Mr. Ibidapo Lawal, said, “Neveah Limited is pleased to have been oversubscribed on its Series 1 CP issuance under the ₦10.00 billion CP Programme. This funding will enable us meet export commitments to our international clients, which include some of the world’s largest commodity traders.

We are delighted at the opportunity to access an alternative source of funding to meet our short-term working capital needs and look forward to further engagement with the capital markets in future.”

Also speaking on the transaction, the Head, Capital Markets and Advisory, United Capital PLC, Mr. Babatunde Ajayi, said “United Capital is pleased to have acted as the Sponsor and Sole Arranger on the debut issuance of Neveah Limited Series 1 CP. The United Capital Investment Banking Team advised Neveah on the optimal structure with which to approach the markets, which led to the company raising 30 per cent more than the intended sum of 2 billion. The success of this transaction underscores United Capital’s commitment to critical growth segments of the Nigerian economy, as we intend to harness our middle-market clients across the African continent into shining global leaders”.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

To the graduates and undergraduates, Emefiele appealed to them “not to succumb to the weight of despair regarding the challenges being faced by the nation.”

He further challenged them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, take up the challenge of undertaking that paradigm shift by applying innovative and creative thinking in providing solutions capable of creating wealth and value for yourself, your community and the nation.

On the TIES initiative, CBN’s Director of Development Finance, Philip Yila said that in selecting the first five beneficiaries, CBN looked at the job-stimulating activities that would contribute to economic growth, such as agribusiness. He added that agriculture was the priority of President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN governor. They are also looking at things that will contribute to export and employ more people over time.

Yila described TIES as one of the successful interventions of the CBN. “I visited one of the beneficiaries who took about N1.7 million some weeks ago. He currently employs about 10 people. He is embarking on bricklaying. He has a block making industry.

Those are the kind of things we want to see a lot of our people doing. Things like fashion, bakery, and others that will employ other people, contribute to economic growth and ultimately contribute to the output in the country,” he said.

He also noted that every year all the banks contribute five per cent of their profits after tax into a pot and that pot would be used to disburse funds to the beneficiaries. The grant, he said, is to stimulate more ideas.

According to him, TIES is also intended to help these entrepreneurs monetise their ideas so that they can be eventually implemented. If a particular university wants to develop a high-speed variety, for example, maize and they are successful, the CBN will look at how they can work with those universities apart from giving them the grant.

“We have a large maize programme and a commercial agricultural credit scheme.

While the universities have the ideas, they will monetise it so that at the end of the day, they can contribute to the economic output by selling those seeds to some of the anchors on the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) on the commercial credit scheme,” he said.

The development finance boss also gave the assurance that funding for the TIES programme would be sustained as the funds would be drawn from the “pot” into which banks contribute five per cent of their profit annually, thus guaranteeing a steady stream of funds for all CBN’s interventions.

•Continues online at www.thewillnigeria.com

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DECEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 T H E W I L L N E W S P A P E R • www.thewillnigeria.com

STATE OF THE STATES

BY SAM DIALA & OLAYEMI SHABA

Introduction:

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here are concerns that Nigeria’s worsening revenue challenge may escalate into a financial implosion, with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (subnationals), being the worst hit. The situation is aggravated by the nation’s escalating public debt stock (now over N35 trillion). The debt stock comprises domestic and external loan obligations of the Federal Government and the sub-nationals.

With over 70 percent of the nation’s revenue committed to debt servicing annually, governments at all levels are struggling to survive. There is little left for capital budget, pay salaries and undertake other priorities to grow the economy.

Moreover, there is a limit to which the people and corporates could be taxed. Yet, profligacy and waste take the centre of

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mo State, located in the south-eastern region of Nigeria, was created in February 1976 out of the former East Central State.

Its capital and the most important city is Owerri. It is bordered

by Abia State on the east, Delta State to the west, Anambra State in the north, and Rivers State in the south.

Imo State has many rivers. The main rivers in the state are Imo (after which the state was named), Otamiri and Njaba. The major lakes are in Oguta and Abadaba (in Oguta and Obowo local government areas, respectively). Although ranked the fourth oil producing state in the country, Imo engages in agriculture on a large scale. Orange, pineapple, pawpaw, guava, banana, mango and cashew are grown in the state.

The main staple crops are yam, cassava, cocoyam, maize and cocoa. Economic trees like the iroko, mahogany, obeche, gmelina, bamboo, rubber palm, and oil palm are in abundance.

The people also engage in wood carving. Works of art produced in the state include carved doors, walking sticks of different designs, sculptures, flutes, wooden mortars and pestles, gongs and the famous talking drums. Metal works and various types of fabrications are locally produced.

Owerri the capital of Imo state is popularly known as the nation’s entertainment hub. It has numerous hotels, guest houses, recreational centres and recording studios. Night life thrives in the city centre as evidenced in the popular presence of night clubs, bars and restaurants, which operate into the night. The state is known for the sale of auto spare parts and allied accessories, pharmaceutical products and motorcycles. It is also known for the concentration of educational institutions.

our governance space while frugality assumes the back seat.

As such, the sub-nationals are hemorrhaging huge resources in paying salaries and other emoluments of a bloated bureaucracy.

To survive, they are urged to diversify their revenue base, embark on aggressive internally generated revenue (IGR) and depend less on the shrinking federal allocations.

The purpose of State of the States project, is to present evidence-based alternatives. These include avenues for the sub-nationals to become more viable and less dependent on the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) – referred to as Abuja handout.

State of the States, a bi-weekly publication, features two states per edition. It endeavours to unearth hidden treasures in each state and ascertain, through consultations and evidencebased survey, areas of comparative advantages and economies

IMO STATE

“Also, additional facilities such as the processing and packaging units, training centres and snail rearing points will be restored, where farmers will be taught on rearing and processing,” the state government disclosed. It added that it planned to increase the farm estate from 35 hectares to 100 hectares of land in order to contain the earlier outlined facilities and have a crop production area.

The popular Imo Poultry at Avutu Obowa established by late Governor Sam Mbakwe requires reactivation.

of scale. The publication will show-case, in no exaggerated terms, the socio-economic status of each state and highlight the opportunities and threats.

Furthermore, State of the States will examine existing realities that hinge on sector-specific areas of competitive advantage – Agriculture, Tourism, Transportation, Education and Skill Acquisition, Wellbeing and MSMEs. Ultimately, the project seeks to create the desired spotlight on the subnationals to motivate them to venture into something different for better results.

We have featured Lagos and Ogun, Kwara and Kogi, Anambra and Enugu, Benue and Taraba, Kebbi and Sokoto, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, Ekiti and Osun, Bauchi and Gombe, Rivers and Bayelsa, Kano and Jigawa.

This week periscopes Imo and Abia.

School of Midwifery: State - 2 Technical School: State - 4 Total Revenue: N72.80bn @ 2020 Total Tax: N14.79bn Total IGR: N17.08bn @ 2020 (23.46% of total revenue) FAAC: N55.72bn @ 2020 (76.54% of total revenue)

FACT FILE:

Domestic Debt: N150.19bn @ 2020

LGA: 27

External Debt: $96.116m @ 2020

Land Area: 2,140 sq mi.

Unemployment rate: 56.64% @ 2020

Registered businesses: 863

Airport: 1

Public primary schools: 1,466 @ 2020 Public secondary schools: 456 @ 2020 University (4): Federal - 1, astate - 1, private 2 Polytechnic (2): Federal – 1, state - 1 College of Education: (2): Federal - 1, state - 1 College of Arts and Science (5): Federal -1, state- 1, private - 3 Nursing School: State - 3

Natural Resources Imo has the following natural resources most of which are confirmed in commercial quantity: crude oil, lead, zinc, white clay, fine sand, limestone and natural gas.

Tourist Sites • Nekede Zoo • Mbari Cultural and Arts Centre • Maria Assumpta (Catholic) Cathedral

Uzodinma

• Oguta Lake

• National Museum Owerri • Ngwu Natural Spring • Rolling Hill Okigwe Agriculture and Rural Development The state government is reactivating abandoned agribusiness facilities to create jobs, boost food production and provide raw materials. It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government to reactivate the 35-hectare Acharaugo Emekuku Integrated Farm Estate, Owerri North LGA. The farm estate, developed to engage about 800 workers, consists of fish farm, poultry, piggery and goat pens; it has the capacity to engage about 500 farmers directly and would have a veterinary training centre.

“The training centre will be used to give practitioners and prospective veterinary doctors the opportunity to be trained and acquire knowledge on how to take care of the animals within the farm.

“Our intention is to make the farm fully functional, bring back the things that used to be there before, such as poultry, piggery and goat pens.

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STATE OF THE STATES

CBN Partners Imo to Boost Palm Oil Production

... As SEPLAT, NNPC Plan Gas Plant

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is partnering with the Imo State Government to revive the stateowned Adapalm Oil Company in Ohaji, to boost the production of palm oil and allied products, create avenue for the state to generate more revenue and also provide employment opportunities for Imo youths.

“Under the developmental role mandate, the CBN is actually interested in turning around Adapalm. The facility, in the 1980s and 90s, was a primary source of special palm oil that was consumed in this country and exported, too. In fact, it was the benchmark for oil production in the country,” the CBN noted.

The government further disclosed that the Oil Palm Company had opened discussions with Malaysians for the training of its workers, especially on how to convert wastes into wealth using the by-products of the business.

A consulting firm to the company said “The partnership is going to yield positive results because, two good heads are better than one. It is obvious that over the years, one hand has not been able to manage this place and carry out challenges. Therefore, the CBN intervention is a good one for the industry.”

Adapalm used to be a vibrant company known for good quality products. Unfortunately, the company’s production level dropped significantly which is a key area of focus by the new management being put together in collaboration with CBN. The CBN has expressed its readiness to assist the oil palm establishment to regain speedy recovery and join the league of organisations that are contributing to the nation’s economic development for the benefit of Nigerians.

“I see a whole lot of potential in this place, and I think if we are honest to ourselves and bring our hearts and souls together, we will be able to reactivate this place, which is the most important thing for the locals to be happy, including the state government and the Federal Government,” said another consultant.

Furthermore, the SEPLAT Group has partnered with the

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to site a multibillion Naira gas plant at Asaa, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

The government had assured residents of the community that it would stand as a referee to make sure development was brought by the Seplat Group through the project by embarking on viable corporate social responsibility initiatives. These include projects such as hospitals, roads and schools.

“The Imo State Government will not encourage a situation where oil companies doll out monies to the leaders of their host communities. Gone are the days when oil companies collude with a few community leaders to exploit the rest of the host communities,” it said.

Experts predict rapid economic development through the two major projects in agriculture and oil and gas.

Challenging Factors: Insecurity, poor road network and power supply, excesses of revenue officials, land constraints and communal clashes.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Holiday Resorts (Oguta Lake)

Oil Services (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation)

Oil Palm Produce & Processing

Music Entertainment

Cassava Processing

Plantain Chips Packaging

Mobile Banking

Supermarket

Poultry Farming

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STATE OF THE STATES bia State, in south-eastern Nigeria, was created in 1991 from the eastern half of former Imo state, with Umuahia as the capital. Aba is its largest commercial city. The state is bordered by Enugu and Ebonyi to the north, Akwa Ibom to the east and southeast, Rivers to the south and southwest, as well as Imo and Anambra states to the west.

City project in Aba. At the Livestock Summit organised by the French Embassy in Nigeria this year, the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, disclosed the state’s plan to embark on livestock farming with specific focus on Efi-Igbo (the local breed of cattle found in the South-East zone).

The state comprises large areas of oil-palm bush and tropical rain forest in its southern part and woodland Savanna in its hilly north. It has adequate seasonal rainfall that makes agriculture a thriving occupation in which most of the population engages.

LGA: 17

Abia is more of arable land that produces yam, maize, potatoes, rice, cashew, plantain, taro and cassava. Most of these, especially yam, cassava, maize, rice and plantain, are the staple crops, while oil palm is the main cash crop. Abia is ranked the fourth largest crude oil producing state in Nigeria. Crude oil and gas constitute its most utilised natural resources and constitutes about 35 percent of its Gross Domestic Product. Eleven new oil wells were recently discovered in the state.

The Abia State government encourages the development of industries, especially medium and small enterprises (SMEs) for which Aba, its business hub, is known. Aba is also among the highly industrialised cities in Nigeria, which used to host popular glass, textile, brewing, shoe-making, food processing industries. Manufacturing activities in the areas of industrial chemical, pharmaceuticals, machinery, foundry, cable and wire exist in Aba, though at a lower scale now. Leatherworks, bags and shoes are exported from Aba. Its strategic location among the major commercial cities of the South-East and coastal cities of the South-South with active, well-connected airports, has put Aba on Nigeria’s map of the fastest industrial and economic developing city. Aba town records a huge influx of traders, distributors and investors from within and outside the country. This makes transportation a major business line in the state. With a new power plant being built in the city, it will soon rebound to its highly industrialised status years back.

FACT-FILE Land area: 2,440sq mi.

Registered businesses: 3,462 Public primary schools: 1,610 circa.

Public secondary schools: 655 circa.

University (6): Federal - 1, state - 1, private - 4 Polytechnic (5): State - 1, private - 4 College of Education (3): State -1, private - 2 College of Arts and Science: 1 Nursing School: State - 4 School of Midwifery: State - 4 Technical School: State - 1 Total Revenue: N62.74bn @ 2020 Total Tax: N 11.20bn Total IGR: N14.37bn @ 2020 (22.91% of total revenue) FAAC: N48.36bn @ 2020 (77.09% of total revenue)

Ikpeazu

A

ABIA STATE

Domestic Debt: N89.13bn @ 2020 External Debt: $96.79m @ 2020 Unemployment rate: 31.6% @ 2020

Natural Resources Crude oil, limestone, gypsum, natural gas, laterite, lead-zinc, granite, sharp sand, tar sand exist in the state in large quantities.

Tourist Sites: • National War Museum and Ojukwu Bunker in Umuahia.

• Amakama Wooden Cave, Amakama – Umuahia • The Long JuJu of Arochukwu • Arochukwu Cave • Azumini Blue River • Museum of Colonial History, Aba, • Mbonu-Emerem Museum of Arts in Aba. • The Museum of Antiquities Ujari - Arochukwu • Akwete Weaving Centre, Agriculture and Rural Development To boost agriculture and rural development, the state government is embarking on countryside infrastructure projects, such as roads and rural electricity with focus on the enhancement of MSMEs for job creation, food security and raw materials. The government is partnering with the Government of France for development of MSMEs as well as the Enyimba Economic

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STATE OF THE STATES Abia to Transform Into Industrial Hub

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Ikpeazu also requested the bank’s support for the development of key agricultural value chains, including palm oil, rice, cocoa, cassava, maize and cashew that would also create jobs for women and youth.

he Abia State Government describes a thriving entrepreneurship industry and agricultural base as the foundation for the creation of a potentially viable industrial hub. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said this when he met with the African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina, at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire last year to discuss investment for Abia to help boost job creation and enhance livelihoods.

to the Bank to help make Enyimba Economic City (EEC), an ambitious economic hub, a reality. The State government’s goal is to transform the region into a manufacturing and industrial power house and create 700,000 jobs over five years.

“Over the years, Aba has evolved as a centre of entrepreneurship and SMEs. The city has the potential to be a competitive industrial hub for Nigeria and for Africa. For this reason, the Bank will continue to support your vision,” Adesina concluded.

The project, presented at the Bank’s 2019 Africa Investment Forum, has received significant investor interest, officials said.

Other investment interests include a waste-to-energy project.

“Our vision is to leverage the capacity of our people to become the SME capital of Nigeria. Our people are industrious and innovative. For instance, our people are known as top players in the leather industry. We have a new shoe factory that is producing over 50,000 shoes. We particularly need the Bank’s help to address the State’s infrastructure deficit,” ESI Africa quoted the governor to have said.

The Bank’s support was also sought to facilitate the Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Project which is designed to develop massive infrastructure in the State, especially in the commercial city of Aba and the State capital of Umuahia.

Since the Bank Group commenced operations in Nigeria in 1971, it has invested about $74.5 million in the State, across four critical sectors of power and energy (53 percent); education (25 percent); health (15 percent); and transport (7 percent).

With a population of over 2.8 million, Abia State is looking

Adesina said that Abia State had huge potential in agroprocessing and human resources. “The bank’s role is to support governments like yours to transform their economies and create jobs,” he said.

In the years to come, the state will continue to be a key beneficiary of the bank’s support with the planned Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Development Project and the Enyimba Economic City.

Challenging Factors: Insecurity, gully erosion, poor road network and power supply, excesses of revenue officials, land constraints.

ENDOWMENT AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Oil Palm Produce & Processing

Cashew Nut Processing

Cassava Processing

Road Transportation/Haulage

Livestock Farming

Agent Banking

Restaurant/Catering

Bags & Shoes

Pharmaceuticals

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Mama Roz’s Chronicles

Prince Oniga, The Automobile Engineer Prison Series (2)

BY ROZ AMECHI

With the failing security in Nigeria and the fall of societal values, an increasing number of people are committing capital offences and receiving death or long sentences. Through the narration of the personal stories of the inmates, this Prison Series seeks to examine some of the social issues that have led to the incarceration of inmates on death row (also known as ‘condemned’) and those with life sentences with a view to educating the public particularly the youth about situations and choices that could be avoided.

A

Prince’s Story sked to describe himself and what he does, the first thing Prince Oniga would tell you is that he is an automobile engineer. This is to distinguish his talents and expertise from that of a “mere mechanic”. He can build a car from scratch if he is given the parts and can fix any car once he properly diagnoses the problem. It was the possession of these attributes that led to his eventual arrival in Abuja where he met his Waterloo.

Prince is from Arochukwu in Abia state and was raised in his village, Abang where he attended his primary and secondary school.

After he completed his secondary education, Prince went to Aba where he learnt his ‘automobile engineering’ trade under the expert tutelage of his Uncle Okaru who he served for several years.

In 1994, Prince was repairing a car for a customer called Chibuzor who was visiting Aba from Abuja. During their conversation, Chibuzor told him about a Homer jeep in Abuja which belonged to the late former president, Abacha. “No mechanic has been able to fix that jeep” he said.

Challenged by this statement Prince said “I can fix that car. There is no car that I cannot repair. If you bring that car to me, I will fix it”.

Chibuzor had seen the work Prince had done on his own car and other cars and was convinced that this was no idle boast.

However, it was not possible to bring the car to him in Aba. For starters, it could not make the long journey in its present state and in any case, it was unlikely that Chibuzor would be authorised to take the car out of the Federal Capital Territory since it didn’t belong to him.

If his expertise was to be applied in this case, Prince would need to be taken to Abuja.

“Are you willing to go with me to Abuja to fix the car?” he asked. “I can arrange for your return to Aba when you are done” he promised.

Prince was game and in fact quite excited to finally go to Abuja and fulfil a dream he always had. People who went to Abuja from his village always came back wealthy and successful. Perhaps he might even find a way to remain in Abuja and seek better opportunities as there were definitely more prospects in the capital city than in Aba. Like others before him, he would also return one

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head, he got out and examined the car and to his surprise it was indeed his car even though the number plate had been changed. He recognised all the dents and marks on it. Quickly he raised an alarm and a crowd gathered and began to chant “thief, thief!”.

day to Aba from Abuja, a successful business man, he thought. The idea certainly appealed to Prince.

Chibuzor fulfilled his side of the bargain and transported Prince to Abuja to fix the car.

He also provided his accommodation and feeding while he did the job. Prince’s confidence was not misplaced. He fixed the car satisfactorily which brought him to the attention of Daniel Kanu, the man who later organised a 2-millionman march for Abacha to become a civilian president. Daniel was impressed. No one had been able to fix that car and they had almost given up hope. The only alternative would have been to fly in a professional mechanic to repair the car but that was before they met Prince, the automobile engineer.

Daniel decided to engage Prince to repair all his and his friends’ cars. Of course, that meant that Prince’s dream of staying on in Abuja was instantly realised and unlike most people who arrived from the village to the big city, he did not even have to spend much time seeking employment or accommodation. Daniel took care of everything.

His luck was in; that is, until he met Tochi.

Tochi was a car dealer who had a shop in Area 8. Around 2005, during the time when the former FCT minister, El Rufai demolished illegal structures in Abuja, Tochi’s shop in Area 8 was demolished

“

Eventually Prince was charged to the High Court for armed robbery and conspiracy. In court, Kester admitted that he had never seen Prince before and could not confirm that he was present during the robbery since he did not see the faces of all the men that evening. To date the police have been unable to locate or find Tochi and Prince has neither heard from nor seen him since that day.

Prince was still under the car when he heard a crowd of people shouting “thief! thief!”. He came out from under the car to determine what all the commotion was about, only to discover that he was actually the ‘thief’ in question and before he could say anything in his own defence, the people began to beat him up.

Prince was shocked and frightened.

He looked around and called out to Tochi to explain that he was not a thief but Tochi was nowhere to be found.

He had disappeared into thin air. He tried unfailingly to explain that he was just a mechanic called in to work on the car and did not know where the car had come from, other than what Tochi had told him which was that he had purchased it. His explanations fell on deaf ears. The crowd took him to Jikwoyi police station delivering slaps and punches as they went and he was transferred to the SARS branch for questioning.

and Tochi started operating freelance without any base. He still bought and sold cars and frequently required ‘work’ done on the cars before he could resell them. That’s where Prince came in. Their relationship spanned over a period of about 20 years so Prince completely trusted him.

One evening in 2016, a man called Kester was heading home after a long day’s work. He had stopped to buy a few things in a supermarket nearby and was about to get back into his car and continue on his journey home. His thoughts were preoccupied with the myriad of problems he had encountered that day at work and so was totally unaware that he had been surrounded by about five men brandishing weapons until he heard one of them say “Surrender your car key now”.

Kester hesitated for a second and one of the men hit his head with a steel object. Kester screamed. Holding his head to stem the blood gushing from a huge gash on his forehead, he did not wait to watch them drive off with his car. He dropped his key and ran for his life.

Two days later, Tochi called Prince around 6 or 7pm. He wanted Prince to help him fix a car he had recently bought. Prince was planning to go to Lagos on the night bus and told him that unfortunately he could not assist him this time. Tochi was desperate.

He asked if Prince could come and meet him at Jikwoyi police station and then he would take him to the location of the car which was nearby. Prince finally relented and headed out from Gwarinpa where he had been staying.

Igbo people would say “odi ka si ya bulù mgbà ka àgbàwè” (if only it was a wrestling match, we could do it over).

If Prince had another opportunity to do things differently, perhaps he would have stood his ground and gone to Lagos that night and his life and the lives of several of his family members would have been different today; but it was not meant to be.

Prince decided to meet with Tochi. He thought he could quickly fix the car and still make the night bus which would be leaving close to midnight. They met at Jikwoyi police station and Tochi took him to the place where he had left the car. He said he had just bought the car and it was not working, it was “cutting fuel”. Prince had his diagnosing machine with him and discovered that the car had a security immobilizer that was preventing the car from moving.

“It’s the immobilizer” he said.

“Please fix it, I need to move the car from here” Tochi told him. Without any further questions or explanations, Prince went under the car to ‘fix’ the immobilizer while Tochi stood by the car waiting for him to finish.

That same evening, Kester was on his way back from Jikwoyi police station where he had gone to check if by any chance his car had been found and was told yet again that it had not. By a fortunate stroke of amazing luck, Kester looked up and saw a car that bore a close resemblance to his stolen car and asked the driver carrying him to stop by the roadside so he could check. With the bandage still round his

After Prince told his story the police said they would need to track Tochi and this would cost N100k (one hundred thousand Naira). Prince’s elder brother gave the police the money for the tracking and they came back to report that they had traced Tochi to Asaba but they would need N500k (five hundred thousand Naira) to go and arrest him.

Prince’s brother suggested that they share the cost of the trip with the police force so they gave them N250k (two hundred and fifty thousand Naira) to go to Asaba and arrest Tochi. One of the policemen suggested to Prince that it would actually be easier if he just identified anyone off the streets who they can arrest and question but Prince declined and said he simply couldn’t do that.

Eventually Prince was charged to the High Court for armed robbery and conspiracy. In court, Kester admitted that he had never seen Prince before and could not confirm that he was present during the robbery since he did not see the faces of all the men that evening. To date the police have been unable to locate or find Tochi and Prince has neither heard from nor seen him since that day.

Prince’s father died of heartbreak as a result of this case. Both of his brothers also died whilst pursuing the case and trying to secure his release. His only surviving sibling is a sister who lives in Umuahia and teaches in Abang Primary School. His wife has left him and his two children are being cared for by his aged mum in Abang. Prince was sentenced in 2018 and is currently on death row. He still protests his innocence.

Roz Amechi © 2021. No part of the story/documentary may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the author, Roz Amechi.

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Since 1894

Stay woke, be scam alert!

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